E&P Magazine - December 2005
As I See It
Satisfying customers is good business
Operators and service companies move toward partnership arrangements for mutual benefits.
Cover Story
Link the streams
A couple of decades ago upstream technical disciplines worked in silos. Many things were overlooked because people were narrowly focused. Sedimentologists looked at depositional characteristics and ignored fractures.
Drilling Technologies
Seek top performance in drilling wells
This is the final column in a six-part series on drilling practices and improvement based on an industry study by James Miller & Co.
Completions and Production
Driving a wedge into pump technology
New pump concept based on a sphere has the highest displacement-to-size ratio of any positive displacement pump.
Special Report
Tech Trends
FireFly is Input/Output's newest addition to its land acquisition line-up. FireFly combines proven wireless communication, data storage and power technologies in a seismic acquisition system architecture capable of supporting cost-effective, high station-count surveys.
Features
Papua New Guinea seeks explorers
Papua New Guinea lowers its taxes to attract foreign investors. Papua New Guinea (PNG) needs new exploration badly enough that it opened its pockets to draw international money to its underexplored interior.
Tech Watch
The downside of high prices
In a normal world, prices generally reflect supply/demand drivers - scarce supplies plus high demand equals premium prices. But who said the world of the oil producer is normal?
Tech Trends
Beat digital technology obstacles
Optimize workflows to maximize new technologies.
Activity Highlights
History worth saving
You will find a new feature in next month's edition - the first of a continuing series of articles covering some fascinating aspect of our industry's history. The first article deals with attempts to induce fractures in productive formations by detonating a nuclear device downhole - really. It was tried more than once with, as you might guess, less than notable success.
Activity Spotlight
News and Analysis
BGP, the world's largest land seismic contractor, is entering the deepwater marine seismic market. The company has purchased a factory stern trawler, which will be converted into a six- to eight-streamer seismic vessel. It will enter service in late 2006.
Another Perspective
A new tool for the toolbox
Controlled-source electromagnetic imaging offers a new remote-sensing capability.
A window of opportunity
Openhole expandable liner systems prevent loss of hole size in sidetracking operations.
Automating petrotechnical workflows
Allowing computers to do more of the legwork in exploration can increase subsurface understanding.
Closed-loop steering extends reach
New drilling system combines a high-power motor with high-speed rotary closed-loop steering technology to expand the drilling envelope.
Downhole power for deep, hot drilling
Ever the dilemma for those probing the frontiers of depth and temperature, a reliable downhole power supply may be in the offing.
Looking downhole
Camera system can be deployed on wireline or coiled tubing for downhole visual inspection under well-control conditions.
New spar design makes a splash
With spars taking their place as one of the most popular floating production systems in recent times, new designs are making their debuts.
Riser-keeping software works
A new onboard vessel/riser drift-off simulation for dynamically positioned drillships reduces risk and waiting-on-weather time.
Technology unlocks door to growth
Technological leaders will be prepared for top investment return opportunities.
The road to better imaging
Advances in deepwater data acquisition improve subsalt imaging.
Topsides sand management pays off
Everyone agrees that the best way to deal with sand is to keep it in the formation, but when sand eludes our best efforts to contain it, it must be dealt with.
What's new in exploration
The recently concluded SEG Annual Meeting provided some insight into the cutting edge of geo-technology. A distinguished panel addressed new developments in the exploration of inner-space.
Workflows aid asset management
Pre-spending asset-team models point to correct development decisions.
World Map
Near-surface hazards
The military is using technology intended for oil and gas exploration to find the bad guys.