E&P Magazine - January 2013

As I See It

Cover Story

R&D SPOTLIGHT

It seems that for every problem solved, two more challenges emerge. The oil and gas industry spends billions of dollars developing new technologies to overcome these hurdles. Here is what they are working on now.

Exploration Technologies

Exploration success will continue in 2013

A new report paints a rosy picture for continued offshore discoveries.

Drilling Technologies

International rig utilization hits 95%

National Oilwell Varco’s 59th annual rig census showed strengthening in the international land rig market, and construction of new offshore mobile rigs topped 40 for the fourth year in a row.

Completions and Production

Bringing more ‘fizz’ to the Permian basin

A clean coal energy project would make more CO2 available for use in EOR projects in the Permian basin.

Offshore Advances

A series of trends worth tuning in for

Global spending forecasts indicate that the offshore sector’s star is very much in the ascendancy.

Digital Solutions

Selecting the best wellhead automation solution

Easy-to-use wellsite systems help operators maximize productivity.

The consumerization of the oil and gas enterprise

Smart technology provides relief for reporting headaches.

Features

Broadband marine data require new processing techniques

Variable-depth streamer data require algorithmic modifications to improve demultiple effectiveness

Change can be good

The FPSO Peregrino gets the job done for Statoil.

Diving deeper in the race for new reserves

When it comes to the future for the ultra-deepwater sector, the stage is set for growth – and then some.

Emerging technology for oil leak detection

Given successes in other applications, fluorescence detection may meet the exacting requirements for hydrocarbon leaks, especially when combined with other techniques.

Gas firming up as fuel of the future

With technological advances enabling the shale revolution in North America, gas is increasingly likely to end up being the global energy resource that eventually replaces oil – but not necessarily with shale as the driving force.

Getting the band back together

Thomas Petrie, Jon Hughes, and colleagues are back with a new boutique investment bank focused on mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.

Great expectations for West Africa’s emerging frontiers

West Africa has been dominated by E&P activity in Nigeria and Angola. This heavyweight duo has been the main target of development dollars from the majors and large independents for years and will continue to attract the lion’s share in the near future – but the tide is changing.

HP/HT tools allow completion of challenging wells

Canada’s liquids-rich Duvernay shale has been the testing ground for innovative solutions in reservoirs that are defined by a unique set of completion challenges, including high fracture gradients and breakdown pressures, high differential pressures, and geological heterogeneity.

Improving efficiency through marine personnel transfer

Personnel transfer is one of the key challenges in the offshore environment, particularly in regions affected by extreme weather conditions.

Journal highlights interpretation process

Variable-depth streamer data require algorithmic modifications to improve demultiple effectiveness.

New rheology fluid simplifies engineering, enhances performance

Field trials conducted in extended-reach drilling and deepwater wells confirmed that many operational benefits can be achieved using a new flat rheology invert drilling fluid.

Oklahoma reverses 25-year decline in oil production

Operators have shifted to oil- and liquids-rich shale plays, tight sandstones, and the Mississippian limestone in jump-starting Oklahoma’s oil production once again.

Operators seek sustainable solutions to water management

A new water management system offers operators a sustainable and environmentally safer solution.

Reaching new highs and lows

Breakthrough in wet insulation meets industry need for subsea flow assurance at high- and low-temperature extremes.

Tech Trends

Industry Impact

Cost-effective cable system increases reliability downhole

Feed-through packer allows passage of lines without cutting or splicing to zonally isolate both cased-hole and openhole completions.

Management Report

Shale vs. big exploration

What sorts of risks are you taking?