Hart Energy Publishing
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February 2010
Gas shales: Energy market solution or problem?

The latest resource estimate suggests the US has nearly 100 years’ of gas production, meaning this cleaner-burning fuel could bridge the economy from a dirty-fuel- powered one to an economy with fewer greenhouse gas emissions. But the successful exploitation of these gas shales so far has contributed to a drop in natural gas prices during the past two years and raises questions about a sustained near-term price rebound.


Features
Drill Bit Technology
Advanced materials yield new performance benchmarks

NOV’s TC11 bit combines forged-in tooth and jacket protection.

Hammer tools and PDC bits provide stick-slip solution

TORKBUSTER combination destroys rock and reduces costs.
New PDC bit design eliminates gage pads

SideWinder design can be incorporated into any standard profile PDC bit.
Optimize body and cutter design to drill hard, abrasive formations

New ONYX PDC cutters deliver unprecedented wear and impact resistance, improved thermal stability.
Quantec Force PDC is stable, durable

New bit design offers a variety of cutter choices for different formations.
Advanced PDC design extends durability and speed

Extensive field testing verified the design, with the Diamond Edge series producing longer runs and showing exceptional post-run conditions.
Operating Efficiency
Four ways to increase ROI using enterprise PPM solutions

Project portfolio management software solutions help E&P companies profit in challenging times.

Improving efficiency in land seismic acquisition

New methodologies reduce cost, improve data quality.
Offshore managed-pressure drilling boosts efficiency in Asia Pacific

Proven in Indonesia’s fractured limestone reservoirs, MPD is now becoming a key tool for cutting NPT and increasing operator efficiency in many types of formations.
Production Chemicals and Flow Assurance
Add value to any frac

A complete frac additive program reduces costs, lowers HSE risk, and maximizes production.

Chemical solutions improve field economics, especially when remediation costs are high

As water and well depths increase, so do remediation costs, making flow assurance and other production chemicals a critical component of integrated well completion and production planning.
Reservoir Characterization
DFN modeling unlocks the potential of shale gas reservoirs

Modeling discrete fracture networks optimizes frac design and performance.

Think big, get small

The AEC makes progress toward illuminating the reservoir with a world-class team of interdisciplinary researchers working on a portfolio of nanotechnology-based sensor technologies.
Deepwater Advances
Advanced insulation maintains thermal integrity of subsea systems

Silicone-based resin combined with glass microspheres is one of the newest subsea insulation materials.

Riserless system makes cost-effective subsea well intervention a reality

There are approximately 4,000 oil and gas producing subsea wells across the globe, and this number is increasing. With many now more than a decade old, intervention is crucial to extracting all possible recoverable oil.
World View
Tamar discovery looms large offshore Israel

Chuck Davidson, chairman and CEO of Noble Energy, calls Tamar a gamechanger for Israel, Noble, and its partners.

Industry Icon
Industry Icon: Dr. John J. Murray

FloaTEC LLC is investing in R&D to find solutions to deepwater and harsh environment challenges under the leadership of John Murray.

  
Digital Oil Field
Digital Oil Field: Advanced digital monitoring and analysis of well data

As project complexity increases, advanced digital monitoring and analysis of well data can lead to better business decisions for asset management.

HPC gets its own society

A user group is being formed to acknowledge the huge impact high-performance computing is having on the oil and gas industry.

Exploration
IPAA educating next generation

IPAA’s petroleum academies are educating the next generation.

Well Construction
Reinvesting will pay off

North American land drillers upgrading fleets.

Production Optimization
What if...? The key to creativity

The ability to simulate provides an immensely powerful tool to drilling, reservoir, and production engineers.

Tech Trends
Tech Trends

A look at February Tech Trends.

CFD aids in well inflow monitoring

A new software system uses computational fluid dynamics to increase productivity.

As I See It
Industry looks for a “delicate recovery”

During our present global recession, it is encouraging to take a look at how far the industry has come in the last 30 years and to take stock of the people who have helped make that progress possible.

Management Report
Planning tool allows effective project slowdown, restart

As companies struggle through difficult financial times with reduced capital budgets, delayed projects, and reduced staff, they still need to spend capital, but in a more efficient manner.

Activity Spotlight
LNG opens PNG markets

PNG, one of the world’s more resource-rich but market-poor countries, opened access to world markets with the approval of two LNG gas projects late in 2009.

On The Move
On the Move

Who's going where in the upstream sector.

The Last Word
Big Oil in Big Shale

What started as a casual trend in 2008 with BP and Statoil turned into a major force in the oil and gas industry during 2009.