E&P Magazine - May 2003
As I See It
Data catalogs - theory into practice
Catalog search capability helps oil and gas companies make sense of the mass of legacy and new information in their files.
Cover Story
Surviving relationships
A good relationship with your boss is usually required to be promoted and even just to remain employed.
Drilling Technologies
Razor-sharp drilling
Shaving off unnecessary features was an idea proposed by William Occam in the 15th century. Today, Occam's razor can still generate benefits.
Tech Watch
What's in a name?
Production optimization is the holy grail. Only problem is, no one knows what a grail looks like.
Activity Highlights
Great people, great times
Fifty-one years ago, American Exploration Co.'s Mark Edwin Andrews wrote in his A Wildcatter's Handbook:
Another Perspective
Aphrons key in depleted reservoirs
Best described as a cross between foam and micelles, aphron-based drilling fluids can control fluid loss in mature reservoirs, enabling operators to reach total depth in productive zones beneath them.
Coating alleviates design challenges
Steel catenary risers (SCRs) have been an attractive choice for recent deepwater field developments.
Exploration in the new century
Combining data such as gravity, magnetics and satellite imagery with seismic, well and reservoir information can aid in exploration and development activities.
New chemical system delivers benefits
Several North Sea fields anticipate extended treatment life and reduced oil deferments.
New options in the Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is going through rapid and sometimes painful growth as nations attempt to balance costs with ambitious plans.
Regional studies aid in assessment
An in-depth analysis gave Anadarko the confidence it needed to acquire acreage in the eastern Gulf of Mexico basin.
Removing bad vibrations
Shell technicians investigate the effect of vortex-induced vibration (VIV) on cylinders and discover some benefits along the way.
The flow assurance dilemma: risks vs. costs
When dealing with flow assurance, engineers try to balance perceived risks of a new development with the required capital expenditure.
The use and misuse of centrifuges
Understanding what centrifuges really do with drilling fluids and solids can prevent common mistakes and improve mud quality.
Well optimization extends reservoir life
Field automation means fewer failures, less downtime and more efficient use of personnel.
World Map
The sound of science
Research and regulations are vying for supremacy as noise pollution in the Gulf of Mexico is debated.