Issue: October 1999

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Special Focus

47th annual Reed-Hycalog rig census

Seven-page report with tables and figures summarizes major annual survey of U.S. drilling contractors' fleet status and key indicators

Casing-while-drilling: The next step change in well construction

Case histories, progress of a co-operative industry group and a proposed classification system show how to integrate casing running and drilling

Multi-lateral technique lowers drilling costs, provides environmental benefits

Drilling a primary hole from a permanent site and connecting laterals from temporary frozen sites solves surface-access problems

Proactive fluids management makes tough directional well possible

From an offsetting platform, a challenging HT/HP well was drilled using high-performance, synthetic-base mud and a special monitoring system

Unique thermal separation technology helps operators meet waste management goals

Totally enclosed, thermal drill-fluid-treating system recovers expensive base fluids, removes oils and contaminates from solids

Features

Case studies using new field-development software

Modeling software that does not rely on grid-based algorithms helps operator quickly make effective drilling/ field-development decisions

Fiber-optic systems for reservoir monitoring

How an array of fiber-optic sensors and formats, including fiber Bragg gratings, helps downhole, smartwell designs become more effective

Low cost exploration punished by high state takes

Countries offering operators lower-cost E&P projects tend to take higher shares of profits. The effect is serious with low oil prices

Wellbore damage by wax deposition in gas-condensate reservoirs

Technical treatise on solids formation by asphaltenes and waxes shows near-wellbore plugging by wax crystallization in condensates is likely

Special Report

Mobile offshore production units '99

World Oil's annual listing of the 130-unit worldwide MOPU fleet shows ownership, typical photographs and performance data for FPSOs, semi- submersibles, jackups and barges, excluding storage/ offloading vessels

Departments

New equipment

New literature

Columns

Editorial Comment

After pegging $20 oil at mid-year, this forecaster sees $26 by year-end

International

Venezuela's PDVSA politics; Independents appeal oil dumping case

Oil and gas in Washington

U.S. federal loan program; Clinton challenged on 1996 Utah land grab

What's happening in drilling

Buying/ selling drilling-related companies; Ex-cons for Texas rig hands

What's happening in exploration

Ultra-slim exploration wells - like 1-1/8-in. diameter to 10,000 feet

What's happening in production

U.S. switching to gas; New applications of the 1816 Stirling engine

What's happening offshore

News from Offshore Europe 99; DNV's Offshore Accident Databank

News & Resources

Companies in the news

October 1999 Vol. 220 No. 10 Company News Anadarko Petroleum Corp. signed an agreement with Texaco for rights to future exploration in certain depths on 82 Gulf of Mexico sub-salt leas

Industry at a glance

October 1999 Vol. 220 No. 10 Industry Stats International Geophysical Activity T

Looking ahead

October 1999 Vol. 220 No. 10 Looking Ahead Reserve and production estimates at Alaskas Alpine oil field increase. ARCO Alaska and Anadarko approved a revised development plan that wi

Oil country hot line

October 1999 Vol. 220 No. 10 Hot Line Oil prices soar to 23-month highs The price of crude shot to a nearly two-year high last month, on fears that a potential workers strike in Venezuela co

People in industry

October 1999 Vol. 220 No. 10 People John P. McGinnis joined Nuevo Energy Co. as exploration VP, responsible for overseeing all of the firms domestic and international exploratio

Industry At A Glance