July 2013 ///
Special Focus
Latest offshore rig designs geared to harsh environments, multi-faceted activity
New vessels and designs for deepwater drilling and completion are emerging. These designs feature more efficient handling, with increased safety features, for rig equipment, including drilling risers, drill pipe, casing, etc., to attain more cost-effective drilling and completion of deepwater wells.
Advanced mechanical services enable E-line interventions to bridge production gaps in subsea wells
Riserless light well intervention can effectively stimulate production in subsea wells, where workovers were once too expensive to justify.
Drilling vibration remedied during appraisal, ahead of field development
A successful exploration campaign, in conjunction with a consequent appraisal program, revealed a troubled interval, with a risk of failures from downhole vibrations. Based on the large number of prospected wells, the operator acted to remove the projected risk, while still in the appraisal phase.
Features
Openhole gravel packing of fishhook wells with zonal isolation and uphill heel-to-toe packing
An alternative method for gravel packing fishhook wells uses conventional service tool configurations and results in very low friction pressure during the treatment, making it applicable to wells with narrow frac/pore-pressure windows.
Advanced cementing tools enhance well integrity
From swellable packers to port collars, one oilfield services company is tackling mechanical and non-mechanical cementing challenges around the world.
What’s new in well logging and formation evaluation
Part 2: Wireline Cased-Hole Logging, Coring, and Wellsite Evaluation—New developments include pulsed-neutron logging, casing integrity, flow profiling, intelligent tracers, nanoparticle contrast agents; wireline coring and pressure coring, core preservation, QC/QA of special-core analysis; cuttings-based correlation, mud-gas analysis, applications of advanced mud-gas analysis.
Regional Report West Africa
The region has one of the world’s leading oil and LNG sectors, with mega E&P projects coming onstream on a regular basis, despite a production decline in Nigeria, due to oil thefts and sabotage.
International global potential growing, but development lagging
Oil and gas operators throughout the world are exploring for shale plays with the same fervor by which astronomers are scanning the universe for signs of life. If there’s life on Earth, shouldn’t there be life on some of the billions of planets out there? Applying the same logic, where are the Bakkens and Eagle Fords in the rest of the world?
Marine seismic acquisition at Scott Reef: Minimizing environmental impacts in a sensitive location
Extensive bathymetric surveys and metocean work were critical for seismic coverage in a reef environment in Western Australia
Columns
First oil
Person-to-person interaction in the Facebook age
What's new in production
Texas legislators do minimal harm to producers in latest session
What’s new in exploration
TGS, CGG are on the move
Drilling advances
And, the twain shall meet
Oil and gas in the capitals
Syria’s oilfield nightmare grows bigger by the day
Executive Viewpoint
Innovations from the new API 682 standard for mechanical seals and supply systems
Innovative thinkers
Michael Woelk: Leak detection hits the streets
The last barrel
Canada’s upstream exudes cautious optimism
News & Resources
World of Oil and Gas
World of Oil and Gas
Industry at a glance
Industry at a glance
People in industry
People in industry
Companies in the news
Companies in the news
New products and services
New products and services
Meetings and Events
Meetings and Events
Industry At A Glance
World Oil and NGL Production
World Oil and NGL Production Table
Rotary Rigs Running in US
Rotary Rigs Running in US
International Rotary Drilling Rigs
International Rotary Drilling Rigs Graph
Rotary Rigs Running in US (1)
Rotary Rigs Running in US
Shale Technology Review
Technology needs in North American shales require solutions
A recent survey found a number of shale-related issues that operators and technology providers are concerned about. It also found a significant trend toward greater natural gas usage in high-horsepower applications.
New Products & Services
Shale Technology Review: New Products & Services
G&G advances critical for shale definition and efficient development
Exploitation of unconventional resources, such as shale, calls for new exploration tools to address unique challenges.
Treatment is key to effective shale water management
Water is, by far, the largest component of frac fluids, and is usually the most difficult to source, recycle and dispose. There are many ways to minimize the amount of water that must be handled, but its effective treatment for reuse or disposal is becoming an increasingly critical aspect of shale development.
Horizontal well fracturing: A state-of-the-art report
Significant progress has been made in hydraulic fracturing over the last several decades, but several crucial factors remain to be addressed, particularly as pertain to horizontal sections.
New shale technologies, best practices
Horizontal drilling and multi-stage fracturing have been the technology enablers for shale gas and liquids exploration and production. In the early days, the operators thought this was all the technology they needed—drill down to the shale formation, kick off a horizontal lateral somewhere in the shale and start fracing. The results, of course, were inconsistent. Some wells produced at exceptionally high initial rates; others were low producers. Moreover, the wells were expensive to drill and produce.
Drilling the unconventionals for maximum reservoir exposure
Amid tight economics, shale enables drilling technology development in an unequaled spurt of creativity.
Supplement
U.S. Oil Production
U.S. Oil Production
Selected World Oil Prices
Selected World Oil Prices Graph
World Oil Supply & Demand by Quarter
World Oil Supply & Demand by Quarter
International Rotary Rig Count
International Rotary Rig Count
International Offshore Rigs
International Offshore Rigs
Workover Rig Count
Workover Rig Count
U.S. Rotary Drilling Rigs Graph
U.S. Rotary Drilling Rigs Graph
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