May 2009

• Lukoil takes its place on the world stage

  In an exclusive interview, Andrei Gaidamaka, Lukoil’s director of strategic development, discusses the company’s role as an independent Russian oil company and explains how Lukoil is carving out a place for itself in the global marketplace.

• How 4-D seismic can improve our future

  An increased focus on existing reserves will result in a growing emphasis on time-lapse surveys.

• Will OBS nodes be the ‘magic bullet?’

  A test in the Gulf of Mexico shows promising results for using ocean-bottom nodes in time-lapse studies.

• Minimizing noise with corrected seismic

  Rough seas introduce unwanted noise in 4-D surveys. New techniques help keep things quiet.

• New ultra-deepwater horizons

  Enhanced Enterprise-class drillships are in a class of their own.

• Transit-on-wire: A cost-effective alternative to MODU completions

  As operators seek innovative solutions to manage the cost of developing deepwater subsea fields, the use of TOW installation methods is demonstrating that significant system installation cost reductions can be accomplished.

• Restore surface control without intervention

  Field-proven, MMS-approved technology restores surface control for subsurface safety valves.

• Drag reducer extends coiled tubing uses for complex wells

  A recently introduced ADFR fluid is enabling more economic operations in extended-reach wells.

• Versatile HWO/snubbing units offer multiple benefits over conventional rigs

  Steadily advancing HWO and snubbing technologies have merged to provide a viable and economic alternative to conventional rigs in a host of onshore and offshore drilling, completion, and live-well intervention applications.

• Floating production capex to exceed $85 billion 2009-2013

  In the current circumstances of global financial instability and turbulent oil prices it is not surprising that people are questioning what the potential impact on the offshore oil and gas industry will be. This forecast examines the expected impact on the floating production systems market.

• First drilling FPSO goes to work offshore Africa

  In 2Q, 2009, Murphy West Africa Ltd, Societe Nationale Des Petroles du Congo, and PA Resources AB will put the world’s first FDPSO into operation on the Republic of Congo’s Azurite field.

• Floating gas liquefaction: Competing technologies make progress

  Offshore LNG has different process requirements from LPG or traditional on-land, base-load liquefication plants. Three generic technology options are being put forward to satisfy key LNG requirements for remote, offshore environments.

• Joint industry research addresses arctic challenges

  With current demand for hydrocarbons, the undeveloped resources in arctic regions will undoubtedly become an increasingly economic and profitable development opportunity. However, the extreme conditions force risk based management and unified approaches for operation and transport.

• Drill Bits: IDEAS Directional PDC Drill Bit by Smith International

  IDEAS applications can be used on multiple drive systems.

• Drilling Fluids: I-BOSS by M-I SWACO

  Solutions toolkit stabilizes wellbores while drilling.

• Formation Evaluation: GC TRACER by Weatherford International Inc.

  Gas detector aids in reservoir evaluation.

• IOR/EOR: Metal-to-Metal downhole seal system by Caledyne

  MTM seals stand up to extreme downhole conditions.

• Drilling Tools: OneTrip StarBurst by Weatherford International Inc.

  One-trip capability reduces costs and eliminates hardware.

• Facilities: Power Xpert 8000 Meter by Hess and Eaton Electrical Inc.

  Permanent monitoring system collects critical subsea data

• Intelligent systems and components: Pore pressure and geomechanics solution by Landmark

  Seamless integration across the asset life cycle.

• Production Systems: CameronDC by Cameron

  World’s first all-electric subsea production system comes on line.

• Remediation: Motorized Cutting Tool (MCT) by Weatherford International Inc.

  MCT safely cuts tubulars.

• Stimulation: Acid on the fly blending system by Halliburton

  System is inherently more efficient than bleed-and-batch acidizing.

• Surrounded by riches, Afghanistan seeks to mine its own

  Bid round looks to get petroleum production started in the north.

• A hint of recovery?

  There will be an upturn in the industry. The issue is — as everyone knows — when.

• Analytics promise to improve reservoir, well recovery

  Coupled with the use of integrated models, increased use of analytics will revolutionize decision making in the upstream oil and gas industry. At least that’s what a growing number of experts in the field say.

• To the fifth dimension — and beyond!

  No, it’s not ‘The Twilight Zone.’ Landmark is taking seismic data processing to the next dimension.

• Can experience be automated?

  Designing equipment to automate the drilling process is a current trend among industry leaders. But how will these processes stack up to hands on experience?

• The sum of the parts can equal more than the whole

  As many sectors of the upstream oil and gas industry move into an uncertain future, the deep and ultra-deepwater market continues to grow. Companies that have planned for these areas may not experience as much turbulence through the current down cycle.

• Pushing the limits to acquire better data

  Seventy-one years ago, a newly formed company produced a novel tool to provide valuable survey information.

• On the move

  Who's going where in the upstream sector.

• Technology innovation pushes the envelope subsea

  "Technology is the story of the group,” Pouyanné said. "A large part of Total’s development has been based on offshore developments in the North Sea and the Gulf of Guinea."

• Technology is still the foundation for success

  Companies continue to tighten their belts and look for places to cut costs, but investment in technology remains.

• Friction-stir welding improves CT fatigue life

  While CT has advanced beyond its origins, a new process for joining strip sections promises to improve fatigue life even further.

• Tech Trends

  May Tech Trends.

• Lay the groundwork now for the difficult, different, productive road ahead

  With so many news reports covering the financial debacle, it is demoralizing to watch or read the prognostications that are coming from the media. The fact that the news tends to dwell on the negatives of today’s economy, however, does not mean that individuals have to do the same.