May 2012

• Longer, Deeper, Colder

  As oil and gas companies push the limits in terms of water depths and remote locations, the challenge of developing technologies and practices that can lower huge upfront costs is being met collaboratively through joint industry initiatives and technology partnerships around the world.

• Deepwater Challenges & Solutions

  Riser gas risk mitigation on a drillship uses closed-loop circulation drilling systems

• WEA technique saves time, money

  A new multispecies effluent test encompasses the range of responses obtained from higher order tests.

• Managing sand through flow control in the modern completion

  Operators are continually searching for improved ways of working smarter and more cost-efficiently while still enhancing production.

• US Upstream Promises Opportunities

  A new report shows US production – and optimism – on the rise.

• Shale gas is poised to become international phenomenon

  Overcoming obstacles to develop vast unconventional resources across the globe will be crucial to meet rising energy demands.

• Finding 'the next big thing'

  The recipe for a successful geoscientist? Travel the world and ask a lot of questions.

• Riser Technology: Connectors Stiffen Caesar Tonga's Resolve

  The supply of the first bespoke 'male latch' bend stiffeners helped to reduce costly downtime after an issue with a deepwater production riser system threatened to delay first oil.

• Gulf Of Mexico: Mexico to realize its deep potential

  With declining domestic onshore and shallow-water production levels, the deepwater Gulf of Mexico represents the country's main chance to restore its upstream fortunes.

• A flexible solution for corrosion mitigation

  The first successful application of a solution for repairing damaged flexible risers without using costly intervention techniques has been carried out for an independent operator in the North Sea.

• 2012 Meritorious Awards For Engineering Innovation

  Judges choose top 17 industry projects

• EOR system creates seismic shift in waterflood technology

  A new approach practically shocks reservoirs into giving up more oil.

• Reservoir modeling extends field life

  Accurate models help improve recovery rates.

• Enhancing asset performance should not compromise safety

  Process management tools help reduce costs and improve HSE.

• Uniform designs win out in ultra-deepwater activity

  Deepwater activity is picking up in the US Gulf of Mexico.

• Broadband acquisition a step-change for deepwater imaging

  A wider range of frequencies, combined with multicomponent data, are helping geoscientists peer beneath complex overburdens.

• RFID technology optimizes riser asset tracking, maintenance

  Deepwater drilling contractors have significant investments in riser assets, which have to perform without failure.

• Marine seismic acquisition gets improvements

  Broader frequency spectrums and increased fold are providing better data than ever.

• Newbuild Rigs, Higher Rates Illustrate Expanding Offshore Demand

  Global drillship construction has reached the 53-unit mark while day rates for deepwater and ultradeepwater rigs continue to reach new highs above $600,000 per day.

• Drumroll, please!

• Integrated operations platform overcomes production challenges

  By improving data quality, automating routine operations, integrating workflows, and uniting data and models in a common environment, a new platform gives operators a clear picture of field production.

• Digital automation solution enhances oil recovery in Caspian Sea

  Automation services and technologies will help recover additional oil from the massive Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field in the Caspian Sea.

• Does the US government need a lesson in economics?

  Will geophysical contractors shoot seismic in the Atlantic Ocean just for the heck of it? Probably not.

• Performance is a shared benefit

• Asset management services provide 'modular solutions' offshore

  A power system upgrade offshore Western Australia was successfully completed at sea using asset management strategies without significant operational stoppages.

• New Zealand 2012 bid round opens new offshore areas

  Twenty-five blocks have been selected by New Zealand in a bidding round that covers onshore and offshore for both North Island and South Island, including coal-seam gas acreage.

• International Highlights

• People and Expansions

• Turning fast talk into fast results

  The digital oil field concept has come a long way in a short time, with results in terms of increased production now backing up all the early talk.

• Two sides of the same sea

  The Caspian region presents lucrative but different visions for oil and gas investment

• Tech Trends

• Deep water is the fastest growing offshore sector

  Southeast Asia plays a vital role.

• New tool gathers downhole pressure and temperature data while fracturing horizontal wells