I somewhat hesitantly step onto this page of E&P as its new executive editor after remembering some of my predecessors' feedback. One of our editors (who shall remain nameless) was so reviled by our managing editor that she blew up his "As I see it" photo and thumbtacked it to her bulletin board such that the thumbtacks looked like devil horns.
Another editor, Bill Pike, once received an e-mail reading, "Dear Bill: As I see it, you're a moron."
So as I prepare myself for target practice, I would like to direct your attention to our special feature on the Meritorious Awards for Engineering Innovation (MEAs). This year's winners join an august group of groundbreaking technologies that date back to 1971. (The complete list will be posted to our website once I find out who won in 1999!)
These highly coveted awards are judged by a panel of experts culled from industry, academia, and consultants. Judges are asked to rate each entry in terms of its innovation in concept, design, and application; its ability to help solve a costly problem; and its potential to improve efficiency or profitability.
Out of almost 70 entries our judges chose 13 winners and four honorable mentions. The specifics on each of these entries can be found further back in this issue. Winners will be honored at this year's Offshore Technology Conference and at Hart Energy's Developing Unconventional Oil conference in Denver, Colo., May 14-16.
While we're on the subject of the MEAs, I would like to encourage anyone who develops technology to consider entering the 2013 contest. Entering is simple:
- Visit Epmag.com/mea/mea.process.php
- Create an account, or enter your personal entry page if you already have an account.
- Submit an abstract, case study, and up to three supporting documents for each entry.
This year's deadline is Dec. 31. We've added new categories to accommodate more entries in the subsea, deepwater, and Arctic technology arenas, and we welcome those entries as well as our standard entries for drilling fluids, exploration technology, etc. Enter early and often, and good luck! Finally, I would like to thank Dick Ghiselin, head of our editorial advisory board, and Richard Mason, our executive editor online, for filling this page while we sorted some things out internally. We'll aim for a bit more consistency from now on, and I'll keep my bullet-proof vest close by.
Recommended Reading
Exxon Shale Exec Details Plans for Pioneer’s Acreage, 4-mile Laterals
2024-05-03 - Exxon Mobil plans to drill longer, more capital efficient wells in the Midland Basin after a major boost from the $60 billion Pioneer Natural Resources acquisition. Data shows that Exxon is a leading operator drilling 4-mile laterals in the Permian’s Delaware Basin.
Exxon Closes $60B Pioneer Deal, Reshaping Permian Basin
2024-05-03 - After facing regulatory scrutiny, Exxon Mobil closed a roughly $60 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources. The largest shale oil transaction ever signed will reshape the order of power in the vast Permian Basin oil field.
ONEOK CEO: ‘Huge Competitive Advantage’ to Upping Permian NGL Capacity
2024-03-27 - ONEOK is getting deeper into refined products and adding new crude pipelines through an $18.8 billion acquisition of Magellan Midstream. But the Tulsa company aims to capitalize on NGL output growth with expansion projects in the Permian and Rockies.
Is Double Eagle IV the Most Coveted PE-backed Permian E&P Left?
2024-04-22 - Double Eagle IV is quietly adding leases and drilling new oil wells in core parts of the Midland Basin. After a historic run of corporate consolidation, is it the most attractive private equity-backed E&P still standing in the Permian Basin?
EIA: E&P Dealmaking Activity Soars to $234 Billion in ‘23
2024-03-19 - Oil and gas E&Ps spent a collective $234 billion on corporate M&A and asset acquisitions in 2023, the most in more than a decade, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported.