Using the Earth's "creaks and groans" as a seismic source provides high-resolution images at a fraction of the cost of a traditional survey. Have you ever seen a land 3-D seismic... more

A new methodology reduces 4-D seismic acquisition and processing differences and delivers better seismic repeatability and 4-D signal enhancement. A key objective in time-lapse, or 4-D, projects is to acquire and... more

Real-time checkshot and interval velocity reduces uncertainty ahead of the bit - prevents drilling surprises. In multiple tests conducted offshore, a new seismic while drilling (SWD) system has reduced seismic uncertainty... more

Even as rotary steerable assemblies prove their worth around the world, exceptional drilling challenges call for special solutions. Rotary steerable assemblies are replacing conventional motors and bent subs because they offer... more

After considerable experience, ADCO reports excellent results using rotary steerable systems to drill onshore Abu Dhabi wells. The Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) prides itself on performance, and... more

Heavy oil deepwater well testing with riser requires an engineered solution involving an electric submersible progressing cavity pump (ESPCP). A large part of the exploration investment for many major oil companies... more

Using pre-set mooring technology allows fourth-generation drilling rigs to compete in deepwater operations while suction anchors offer a competitive alternative. Suppliers are increasingly relying on polyester rope and syntactic foam... more

2003 may not have been a banner year for the number of new records in the drilling and production sectors but the records listed below, and in the Drill Bit... more

During a conference in Tokyo in June 2003 Sir Philip Watts, chairman of the committee of managing directors of Royal Dutch/Shell said, "Gas has the potential to become the most... more

Members of a joint industry project examining the possibilities for a commercial offshore gas to liquids (GTL) plant are ready to look for a real field development to test their... more

There are some issues in this industry which won't go away. One of them is decommissioning big structures that blight the seas. In the North Sea some of the biggest... more

A new concept called Harbor Shield is founded on an ability to uniquely identify the under water profile (underprint) of a vessel, which is captured using a bi-static synthetic-aperture sonar... more

NORTH AMERICA Veritas DGC Inc. announced its board of directors appointed Thierry Pilenko chairman of the board and chief executive officer. Swift Energy Company announced Bruce H. Vincent has been appointed... more

Oil operators in Nigeria face a variety of challenges that range from union-led work stoppages to community unrest and other security risks, such as crime and terrorism. Nevertheless, increasing interest... more

1. Hamar Associates LLC, Ojai, Calif., has staked a location for a wildcat in Section 25-12n-2e in Sutter County in northern California. The company's 2-25 Giusti is scheduled to gas-producing... more

1. Shell Offshore has completed its Great White No. 4 appraisal well on the Great White prospect in ultradeep water near the United States' offshore border with Mexico. The latest... more

1. Total plans to drill a west of Shetland exploration well on the Laggan gas discovery on UK Block 206/1a lying 18.75 miles (30 km) northwest of the Clair field.... more

1. Petroceltic has farmed out acreage in Tunisia to Derwent Resources and GAIA. The two have signed into the 2,703-sq-mile (7,000-sq-km) Ksar Hadada block - one of the largest onshore the... more

1. ExxonMobil Corp. plans to spend US $25 million over the next 3 years in an exploration campaign in the Gulf of Paria off between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago.... more

1. The US Army Corps of Engineers awarded two contracts, together worth US $2 billion, to Halliburton and a partnership of Parsons and Worley Group to repair Iraq's oil infrastructure... more

1. TPAO, the Turkish state oil and gas company, will drill for oil offshore in the Black Sea near the end of 2004, according to an Anatolia news agency report... more

1. Thiess Indonesia has bagged a US $37.7 million construction contract from PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia for the Duri and Minas oil fields in Riau, central Sumatra. The contract is part... more

I recently attended the Third Annual Nanotechnology Innovation Forum at Rice University in Houston, Texas. While I find discussions of emerging technologies to be generally fascinating, I probably wouldn't have... more

Prevalent worldwide, massive salt sections add to well construction challenges. Several deepwater blocks in the Gulf of Mexico and West Africa (Congo Basin) are characterized by salt provinces. For example,... more

Later this month, on March 23 and 24 to be exact, the 9th Annual SPE ICoTA Conference and Exhibition will be held in The Woodlands, Texas. It promises to be... more

Electromagnetic seabed logging (SBL) has the potential to eliminate a large chunk of exploration uncertainty. Early success is impressive, but commercial uptake has lagged. The response of hydrocarbon-bearing strata to an... more

I pay taxes, as do most of you. I grumble about it, but don't complain too hard given the relative comfort and safety in which I live. But, every once... more

Changing times call for changing strategies and winning choices. The death of exploration has been greatly exaggerated, but exploration, which has been the growth engine of the business, is maturing. Companies... more

ConocoPhillips' TechLink tool enables intra-company technology transfer. All of the buzz about knowledge management in recent years has resulted in a barrage of "solutions" designed to capture knowledge and make it... more

Massive reserves opened to international development. Saudi Arabia's hydrocarbon reserve levels are not normally the kind of thing that causes much anxiety in the oil-rich "Kingdom" itself, the world's top crude... more

Do you give the customer what he wants or what you think he should have? This may not sound like an ethics test, but it is. I asked people what... more