E&P Magazine - May 2012
As I See It
Cover Story
Deepwater Challenges & Solutions
Riser gas risk mitigation on a drillship uses closed-loop circulation drilling systems
Downhole systems & tools revolutionize incrementally
The spectrum is wide for advanced downhole systems. More than created ‘as new,’ drilling technology has improved in small steps.
Exploration Technologies
Does the US government need a lesson in economics?
Will geophysical contractors shoot seismic in the Atlantic Ocean just for the heck of it? Probably not.
Methane hydrate test successful
DOE project probes the fossil fuel industry's "final frontier."
Drilling Technologies
These aren't your grandfather's tools
From the drill bit to the top drive, tool strings are more advanced than ever.
Completions and Production
Spar platforms designed for North Atlantic deepwater field
Although a spar platform is used for offloading in the Brent field, this will be the first deepwater spar production platform in the Norwegian Sea.
Turning fast talk into fast results
The digital oil field concept has come a long way in a short time, with results in terms of increased production now backing up all the early talk.
Special Report
Two sides of the same sea
The Caspian region presents lucrative but different visions for oil and gas investment
Digital Solutions
Digital automation solution enhances oil recovery in Caspian Sea
Automation services and technologies will help recover additional oil from the massive Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field in the Caspian Sea.
Integrated operations platform overcomes production challenges
By improving data quality, automating routine operations, integrating workflows, and uniting data and models in a common environment, a new platform gives operators a clear picture of field production.
Oman increases oil production with wireless solution
Advanced wireless network equipment increases production while maintaining security and cutting infrastructure costs.
There's more to system security than just security
Integrating 'health factor' analysis and measurement into the development cycle ensures that quality and security can be built into software.
Features
2012 Meritorious Awards For Engineering Innovation
Judges choose top 17 industry projects
A flexible solution for corrosion mitigation
The first successful application of a solution for repairing damaged flexible risers without using costly intervention techniques has been carried out for an independent operator in the North Sea.
Alternative conveyance techniques optimize logging in unconventionals
Openhole logging is a well-established means by which E&P companies better understand reservoirs and determine where and how to complete their wells.
An uplifting experience: Buoyancy advances for ultra-deep water
With drilling companies soon to be exploring in 3,500 m water depth and far beyond within the next five years, the challenge of dealing with the deployment of increasingly heavy weights for risers and moorings – often in high currents – has demanded radical advances in terms of product design and materials technology for the offshore industry.
Broadband acquisition a step-change for deepwater imaging
A wider range of frequencies, combined with multicomponent data, are helping geoscientists peer beneath complex overburdens.
Cost effectiveness requires science and execution excellence
A statistical approach has been successful in shale plays. As the gas surplus continues, combining upfront integrated analysis and execution management is essential.
Enhancing asset performance should not compromise safety
Process management tools help reduce costs and improve HSE.
EOR system creates seismic shift in waterflood technology
A new approach practically shocks reservoirs into giving up more oil.
Escape from the unconventional treadmill
A contrarian strategy of investing in conventional assets has its advantages.
Finding 'the next big thing'
The recipe for a successful geoscientist? Travel the world and ask a lot of questions.
Finger on the pulse
Being able to directly monitor the tensions being experienced by mooring lines in situ and in real time on a floating production unit or mobile offshore drilling unit gives vessel operators the full picture when it comes to how their fleets are performing on location.
Greater intelligence requires greater integration
For all the commentary on intelligent oil fields and 'smart' well-based operations, operators are still struggling to access all the information they need on their subsea operations and subsea well performance.
Gulf Of Mexico: Mexico to realize its deep potential
With declining domestic onshore and shallow-water production levels, the deepwater Gulf of Mexico represents the country's main chance to restore its upstream fortunes.
Hybrid system takes drilling in new direction
Technology blends features of RSS and mud motors to optimize drilling in low buildup-rate wells.
Integrated petrophysical uncertainty evaluation impacts reservoir models
Propagating uncertainty from well logs to production forecasts enables quantification of its effect on other subsurface measurements.
Managing sand through flow control in the modern completion
Operators are continually searching for improved ways of working smarter and more cost-efficiently while still enhancing production.
Marine seismic acquisition gets improvements
Broader frequency spectrums and increased fold are providing better data than ever.
Minister on a mission
The UK's Minister of State for Trade and Investment is under no illusion about the need for his nation's energy industry to expand its global upstream activities while also ensuring new investment is attracted into Britain's maturing offshore sector to keep its home fires burning.
Mirroring opportunities across the Atlantic
A glance through any article on South America's upstream activity in recent times will almost certainly throw up the usual suspects – Brazil,Venezuela, and Colombia. But the continent's northeast margin also is being viewed by an increasing number of oil companies as the next 'big thing.'
New-generation hole-enlargement tools improve drilling efficiency
Proper reamer selection proves to bolster drilling efficiency in directional applications.
Pacific potential exists offshore Colombia
Colombia's hydrocarbons agency is looking to establish a new frontier in a previously little-explored area off its west coast in the country's latest licensing round.
Protecting today's SCADA systems with a 'defense-in-depth' strategy
With increasing cyberattacks on production facilities and pipelines, operators must be proactive in defending SCADA systems.
Reservoir modeling extends field life
Accurate models help improve recovery rates.
RFID technology optimizes riser asset tracking, maintenance
Deepwater drilling contractors have significant investments in riser assets, which have to perform without failure.
Riser Technology: Connectors Stiffen Caesar Tonga's Resolve
The supply of the first bespoke 'male latch' bend stiffeners helped to reduce costly downtime after an issue with a deepwater production riser system threatened to delay first oil.
Shale gas is poised to become international phenomenon
Overcoming obstacles to develop vast unconventional resources across the globe will be crucial to meet rising energy demands.
Social, environmental issues can play havoc with shale plays
Transparency goes a long way to answering stakeholder concerns. Failure to address any one of these aspects could cause unforeseen difficulties that can lead to a costly learning experience.
The cost of 20K by 2020 – a price worth paying
The task of developing the equipment and capability to safely produce oil and gas at 20,000 psi in deep water, with greater pressures and higher temperatures, is a challenge that BP is up for.
Uniform designs win out in ultra-deepwater activity
Deepwater activity is picking up in the US Gulf of Mexico.
US Upstream Promises Opportunities
A new report shows US production – and optimism – on the rise.
WEA technique saves time, money
A new multispecies effluent test encompasses the range of responses obtained from higher order tests.
Tech Watch
SPI gels improve mobility control in COenhanced recovery
A new SPI gel system offers a promising solution to the conformance problem with COfloods.
Tech Trends
Activity Highlights
On The Move
Last Word
Deep water is the fastest growing offshore sector
Southeast Asia plays a vital role.
Activity Spotlight
Newbuild Rigs, Higher Rates Illustrate Expanding Offshore Demand
Global drillship construction has reached the 53-unit mark while day rates for deepwater and ultradeepwater rigs continue to reach new highs above $600,000 per day.
International Spotlight
New Zealand 2012 bid round opens new offshore areas
Twenty-five blocks have been selected by New Zealand in a bidding round that covers onshore and offshore for both North Island and South Island, including coal-seam gas acreage.
Management Report
Asset management services provide 'modular solutions' offshore
A power system upgrade offshore Western Australia was successfully completed at sea using asset management strategies without significant operational stoppages.
Managing change requires an integrated platform
The proliferation of innovations within and outside the industry has been dizzying. It is easier to keep up when companies have flexible options.