E&P Magazine - June 2009
As I See It
You know you are old
Having been raised in the industry and having worked in it for more than 40 years allows me to give a first hand view of a bit less than half of the history of the industry.
Drilling Technologies
Dirty talk should not be allowed
So much rhetoric, so little verification.
Completions and Production
Technology takes on risers
The task of designing an optimal riser system for a given application is complicated because no two developments present identical logistical parameters. Some of the best minds in the industry are looking for solutions.
The most controversial opinions you’ll ever hear
Oil at $700/bbl? A noted industry analyst predicts continued tough times.
Digital Solutions
Improved collaboration drives business process change
Decision-making processes can be systematically changed to yield better results when supported by an improved operations management infrastructure.
Features
A cure for noisy data
Noise reduction techniques provide cleaner datasets.
Can consultants help maintain competitive edge during a down market?
Operating companies routinely use consultants in a temporary capacity to augment their staff or to complete projects that require additional effort or increased focus. Many times, the consulting process is handled improperly, leading to unsatisfactory results.
Cementing solutions help protect the environment
As the global concern over the effects of CO2 on the environment grows so do energy industry initiatives to economically address the issue, such as CCS.
Digital well integrity provides artificial lift optimization
Removing guesswork and uncertainty from production operations can save millions of dollars by reducing or eliminating interventions, indentifying potentially hazardous leaks, and maximizing production.
Economic chemical flooding technologies
Major US oil deposits can be tapped at current prices.
Employment matchmaking
‘The right man for the job’ may be a cliché, but hiring the wrong person can spell disaster for a company.
MF increases accuracy, resolution
New methodology improves prestack time migration.
Non-metallic unbonded flexible pipe extends deepwater access
A new generation of lightweight, noncorrosive flexible pipes has the potential to enable new field development scenarios in deep and ultra-deepwater fields around the world.
Ram tensioners take production systems
As water depths and reservoir pressures increase, so do riser tensioner requirements.
Riser technology pushes limits
Deepwater and harsh-environment developments are driving riser technology in new directions, and companies that are investing in R&D are leading the charge.
Study will identify maximum upside potential in the deepwater GoM
The goal is to identify technologies needed to effect improved oil recovery.
Ultra-deepwater well construction relies on 21st century cementing technology
For the world’s most extreme well construction operations, automated, reliable equipment and engineered fit-for-purpose cement designs are essential.
Unique roller tools ease around the bend
Engineered solutions for torque-and-drag gain new recognition with extended-reach wells.
Using seismic data to guide geologic interpretation
Next-generation software will allow geologists to integrate seismic and petrophysical data into their computer-aided interpretation workflow.
Tech Trends
Tech Watch: From seabed to desktop via digital video
How an innovative use of technology has brought the seabed to the Shell engineers’ desktops, enabling them to upload video clips from offshore within hours of identifying critical subsea defects.
On The Move
On the move
Who's going where in the upstream sector.
Last Word
NOC/IOC partnerships adapt to changing times
NOCs and IOCs have always shared a delicate co-existence due to mutual dependency. As the global dynamic fluctuates, a new form of cooperation might provide the way forward.
Activity Spotlight
Noble finds more gas offshore Israel
A new deepwater discovery in the Levantine basin has the potential to add significant volume to Noble’s production offshore Israel.
Management Report
Energy Policy: US vs. China
For countries like the US and China, which consume large amounts of energy, establishing energy security is a critical concern. Both countries are actively pursuing energy policies, but a close look at their actions indicates their approaches couldn’t be more different.
Oilfield History
Florida’s first discovery
Drilling for oil in Florida got off to a very slow start. But the hope of production kept the vision alive.