E&P Magazine - May 2007
As I See It
Improve information delivery
New software tool contributes to a 50% reduction in the time spent by staff looking for information.
Soft approach works in a hard land
New security techniques can turn high-risk markets into fertile ground for oil companies.
Cover Story
Drilling Technologies
The little organization that could
A small professional society works to make a big impact.
Completions and Production
Nodes are finally making their mark
With their ability to better image difficult geology, seismic nodal systems have gone from idea to reality.
Special Report
Tech Watch
Darned if you do, darned if you don't
Dirty fighting makes me mad.
Tech Trends
Strategy for performance enhancement
IT systems standards provide for seamless transition across upstream companies as assets mature.
Activity Highlights
Miles per, er . . .
It used to be so simple. Divide the miles you drove since the last fill-up by the amount of fuel you just put in the tank, and there you have it - your average MPG for that distance.
Last Word
Cementing is not for sissies
The explosion in activity in the first half of the twentieth century forced Halliburton to build on early technological advances.
Activity Spotlight
China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. deploys Panasas Activestor Parallel Storage Clusters to improve seismic analysis
All three of China's top oil production companies now utilize Panasas storage clusters.
DOE-Funded Research Opens Way to 218 Billion Barrels of Bypassed Domestic Oil
Novel Computer Modeling Tools Make Recovery Accessible to Small Producers
Environmental system introduced
Geotrace's Diamond Integrated Geosciences Environment system processes and integrates all data types used in exploration and production processes
GX Technology signs joint operating agreement with Suelopetrol
Cooperation on advanced seismic imaging services in South America
Ikon Science releases real-time seismic modeling capability for Petrel
RokDoc Modeling While Picking plug-in for Petrel brings the predictive power of rock physics to the modern seismic interpretation workflow.
Malaysia approves transpeninsula pipeline
Malaysia pipeline
Results Presented from Award-Winning Deep Water Gulf of Mexico Study
Findings of Deep Water Shipwrecks Confirm Creation of Marine Habitat
Schlumberger Acquires Insensys Oil & Gas Ltd.
Company extends fiber-optic technology to unique products for the expanding subsea market.
Schlumberger Acquires Leading Geomechanics Firm
Acquisition of V.I.P.S. reservoir geomechanics software and interpretation expertise strengthens offering
Schlumberger announces latest release of Petrel
Petrel 2007.1 provides significant new functionality and scalability for all disciplines in exploration and development, and continued advances in productivity and collaboration
Second FireFly project underway for Apache in northeast Texas
Cableless seismic system proving valuable in agriculturally sensitive area
Secretary Kempthorne announces proposed final 2007-2012 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program and Final Environmental Impact Statement
21 Sales in 8 Planning Areas Proposed
Tower pump saves lifting costs
Pump China
Another Perspective
Expandable tubulars add to well-planning options
Using solid expandable tubular technology to solve problems is common, but incorporating them proactively into well plans can enable better well construction options and reduce costs.
Fluids program is a critical element of well planning
No longer a commodity, drilling fluids have become highly specialized components of successful well plans.
From Russia with love
Emerging evidence of the Chukchi Sea's prospectivity adds to the allure of Russia's Arctic offshore.
GOM lessons apply to offshore Alaska
Technological advances, infusions of capital and good public policy making were a vital combination in the Gulf of Mexico, and they will be essential to developing resources offshore Alaska.
Hot plays grow from frigid prospects
Operators seek large fields above the Arctic Circle.
Independence Hub is an installation challenge
Specialized construction vessel performs a complex operational ballet in 8,000 ft (2,440 m) of water.
Nodes - unparalleled repeatability
This new technology could make 4-D seismic commonplace in the Gulf of Mexico.
Offshore construction costs climb
Demand and bottlenecks drive delays and price increases.
Offshore construction rides wave
Pioneering designs add value to offshore platforms for oil and gas producers.
Processing overcomes repeatability issues
The use of legacy 3-D seismic data in 4-D studies has the potential to add valuable baselines in the description of the life of a reservoir.
Retracing our steps
Time-lapse seismic and related marine technology take us where we have gone before.
Shell/BP enhance 4-D quality
A case history from the Schiehallion field (UKCS) demonstrates that careful planning and acquisition of a 4-D repeat/monitor towed streamer survey provides a significant improvement in 4-D repeatability.
Stochastic methods improve well planning
Subsurface earth models depend on indirect measurements. To improve accuracy, planners must mathematically quantify and understand risk through stochastic modeling.
Technology aims at brownfields
New projects get the headlines, but construction technology improves existing assets, too.
Technology opens Paleogene play
Production systems take a step forward as the world's deepest-water spar takes shape.
International Spotlight
Change requires solid leadership
The future operational challenges will definitely have strong focus on positioning accuracy and integrity.
World Map
Calling Emily Post
Today's geoscientists not only need to image beneath salt but know which direction to pass it as well.