October 2010

• Increasing activity at a lower cost

  After a difficult 2009, the oil and gas industry is starting to see several signs of recovery.

• What a year it has been!

  CEO Ray Leonard is taking formerly struggling Hyperdynamics in a new direction.

• Robert Stewart

  This University of Houston professor reminds everyone that science can be fun.

• Technology set to revolutionize exploration

  A new approach to oil and gas exploration heralds a major industry change.

• Global analogs can be used for prospecting

  All plays are different, but their key parameters could be similar.

• LF seismic improves E&P success

  New hardware and software developments in low-frequency seismic technology are helping operators improve efficiency.

• Rough seas are ahead

  There is plenty of ocean left to explore, but the Gulf of Mexico may never be the same.

• ION/BGP JV is off to a fast start

  A year after its inception, INOVA Geophysical is making its presence felt.

• HPC is simplified for seismic analysis

  Geophysicists no longer have to be skilled computer programmers to do their job.

• Pressure, flow control bring new drilling efficiency to Haynesville

  A new level of insight into the wellbore environment is providing more accurate control.

• Evolving CTD technology aids underbalanced drilling operations

  Companies are realizing the full potential for CTD in underbalanced conditions.

• New treatment creates infinite fracture conductivity

  Technology decouples fracture performance from proppant pack permeability, increasing conductivity by orders of magnitude.

• Sand plugs isolate frac stages in Barnett well

  Faster and more cost-effective than other multistage technologies, a technique that places competent sand plugs in horizontal wells improves fracture control and reduces stage spacing.

• Water is available in the desert

  Water treatment schemes abound as hydraulic fracturing takes a front seat in unconventional play development, but high costs and low volumes have been a concern.

• Platelet technology allows mature asset optimization

  A new rigless through-wellhead workover system is redefining work practices in the global well integrity industry and breathing new life into existing production infrastructure.

• Technology breathes new life into mature assets

  Thinking outside the box has resulted in the prolonged production life of two North Sea fields.

• Increasing emphasis on transportation safety, regulatory compliance improves profitability

  Managing compliance processes, regulating workflow, and making data-based decisions offer competitive advantages to improve control of insurance and operating costs.

• Bob Peebler

  The CEO of ION Geophysical has helped his company weather a tough decade.

• Exploration needs a synergistic approach

  Making graphs to quantify the effect of synergy for the first time is an innovation that has created new ways to think about oil and gas exploration and synergy.

• Modern seismic supports Trinidad and Tobago

  Reprocessed seismic data aids the competitive ultra-deepwater bid round.

• SPE ATCE 2010 opens with a focus on gas

• Application enables customizable workflows

  New SDK allows the oil and gas industry to innovate on the fly.

• Open innovation changes the playing field

  Changing the way the industry innovates will allow tools and knowledge from many disciplines to bring about more rapid technology advances.

• Depth imaging for land seismic?

  One Houston-based company says, “Absolutely.”

• Renewable energy calls the long shot

  Even with the recent rise in natural gas reserves in the US and possibly parts of Europe, proponents of renewable energy are calling for half of the world’s energy to be supplied by something other than hydrocarbons by 2050.

• Streamlining, automating best practices improves FM efficiency

  FM activities make up one of the largest line items on the company balance sheet and can have a significant impact on how effectively operating units deliver on their charters.

• On the Move

• Death and taxes

  American statesman Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes.”

• Tech Watch: Satellites allow reservoir modeling from space

  The rise of InSAR provides a new window to monitor and generate information.

• Combined system improves downhole reservoir testing

• Diamond-coated seals extend pump life

• Openhole completion system lands

• Solar, battery power provide wireless sensing, control for remote applications

• Subsea chemical injection valve controls injection of hydrate inhibitors

• Software technologies are instrumental to E&P risk management

  Reducing risk while maximizing assets is one of the main challenges facing the oil and gas E&P industry.