February 2019 ///

Special Focus

Coordinated capex growth projected for second straight year

James West, Evercore ISI

Worldwide E&P expenditures should grow 8% during 2019. North America’s uptick will continue, but at a slower rate, while international activity should energize the OFS sector.

Implications of the 2018 mid-terms for the oil and gas industry

Dr. Roger Bezdek, Contributing Editor

In the November 2018 mid-term elections, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 35 Senate seats, and 36 governorships were contested.

U.S. set for measured increase despite DUC build-up

Craig Fleming, Kurt Abraham, World Oil

Over the last 12 months, the global upstream industry has featured rising oil and gas production; volatile, unpredictable oil prices, as evidenced in the last three months; and in the U.S., slowly-but-steadily rising drilling activity.

Shale drilling drove rig count gains in 2018

Craig Fleming, World Oil

With crude prices rising during the first nine months of 2018, the U.S. rig count grew steadily, as production cuts by OPEC+ kept the shale plays humming.

U.S. crude output surges, gas reaping benefits of LNG expansion

Unrelenting activity in the U.S. shale plays pushed oil production up to 11.58 MMbpd in November, making the U.S. the world’s largest petroleum producer, surpassing Russia and Saudi Arabia.

U.S. reserves hit new, all-time record levels

Stronger oil and natural gas prices, combined with continuing development of shales and low-permeability formations, generated new all-time record levels of proved reserves for both fuels in 2017.

Activity outside the U.S. to grow at moderate pace

Staff, World Oil

Rising oil supplies and falling prices in second-half 2018 constrained global drilling, but activity should post a measured gain in 2019. Virtually all the global oil production increase is due to U.S. shale activity.

Canada expects a quiet, flat year for E&P activity

Robert Curran, Contributing Editor

A year ago, things appeared to be looking up for Canada’s oil patch, but that proved unfounded. In early 2019, more uncertainty and pessimism are in the air, and little on the horizon provides hope for improvement.

Features

PESA companies must remain nimble in solving challenges

Leslie Shockley Beyer, Petroleum Equipment & Services Association

We have just left a transformational year in the industry, where shifting commodity prices and evolving drilling strategies have demanded agile thinking and ingenuity—especially in the oilfield services and equipment sector.

RSS design aimed at a growing scope of directional drilling demands

John Clegg, Weatherford

A novel rotary steerable system addresses maintenance, downhole motors, and hole geometry in a new light.

ConocoPhillips’ Greg Leveille sees rapid trajectory of technical advancement continuing

Kurt Abraham, World Oil

In an exclusive interview with World Oil Editor-in-Chief Kurt Abraham, ConocoPhillips Chief Technology Officer Greg Leveille discusses the technical issues facing global E&P, particularly as relates to the many U.S. unconventional plays

Feeding a budding petrochemical colossus

Jim Redden, Contributing Editor

A cooperative thermometer has lost favor as the primary gauge for measuring the economic winds of the gas-rich Appalachian basin.

EMGC 2019 to deliver updates, outlooks from Eastern Mediterranean operators

Emily Querubin, World Oil

The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Conference (EMGC) is gearing up for another must-attend event in Cyprus.

Qualification of a 20,000-psi subsea BOP: A collaborative approach

Daniel Kluk, Stress Engineering Services

To navigate continually changing HPHT design and regulatory requirements, a collaborative approach is required. The team is qualifying a 20,000-psi rated BOP. Engineers are hopeful that the HPHT design process will reach the same level of standardization as today’s 15,000-psi equipment, after completion of this and similar qualification efforts.

Australia takes the lead as top LNG exporter, but will it last?

Emily Querubin, World Oil

For years, Australia’s overall production rate has been shrinking. However, according to the U.S. EIA, additional production from new condensate and crude oil developments is expected to offset the decline over the next few years.

Examining the role of outsourced service providers and external workers

Arun Srinivasan, SAP Fieldglass

The oil and gas industry relies heavily on external workers, in the field and in the office. A recent survey of senior oil and gas executives shows how the external workforce is sourced, managed and deployed—and how it adds value.