WorldOil

Midterm elections in US have profound implications for the oil and gas industry

At stake are greenhouse gas regulation, billions of dollars worth of tax incentives, and the development or abandonment of offshore resources.

North American drilling: A strong, if strange, recovery

While the offshore drilling sector remains in chaos in the political aftermath of the Macondo well blowout, it appears that US drilling on the whole is recovering nicely from the lows of 2009, due to the rebound of oil prices and continued success in the burgeoning shale plays.

Offshore rig market dominated by uncertainty in US Gulf of Mexico

The big question is: How many deepwater rigs will be left once drilling restarts?

US land drilling markets stabilize, with unconventionals dominating

Trends in the increasingly bifurcated rig sector include the rebound of oil-directed activity relative to gas, more horizontal drilling and stacking of smaller rigs.

Drilling hazard management: Excellent performance begins with planning

Part 1 of 3: Misalignment of well objectives can complicate mitigation efforts and induce drilling hazards by limiting the ability to apply adequate hydraulic horsepower and to manage ECD.

Historical and continuing technology application at a giant heavy oil field

In the late 1960s, steamflooding boosted output sevenfold at California’s Kern River Field. Today, reservoir surveillance, 3D reservoir modeling and horizontal drilling are extending the heavy oil field’s economic life for years to come.

Rigless through-tubing gravel pack for sand control in Malaysia

Placing a gravel pack through existing completion tubing helped put a shut-in well back onstream after four years. 

SHALE ENERGY: Developing the Barnett—Barnett activity continuing despite environmental tensions

Operators are sustaining gas production and exploring the oil window as EPA conducts a hearing on fracturing and permitting becomes more difficult.

SHALE ENERGY: Developing the Barnett—Difficult directional intervals in Barnett spur development of new PDC bit design

The new cutter technology brought the advantages of PDC drilling to applications in abrasive formations that had previously required roller-cone bits.

SHALE ENERGY: Developing the Barnett—Lateral lengths increasing in Barnett shale

A Powell Barnett Shale Newsletter database of the 8,158 horizontal wells with production was evaluated using the lateral length of each well.

Sourcing critical oilfield services for shale plays in a tightening supply market

Successful operators are responding to the market by adopting a more strategic view of the role of their supply management organizations and implementing advanced contracting strategies to manage costs and secure supply.

Editorial comment

Combative versus collaborative atmosphere

Drilling advances

Under the radar, but flying high

Executive Viewpoint

Strengthening anti-corruption compliance for the energy sector

Innovative thinkers

Making history with divers, robots and a semi called Uncle John

Oil and Gas in the Capitals

Pakistan’s high-risk E&P sector

What’s new in exploration

Rolling the dice in the shale plays

What's new in production

From shale gas to shale oil to oil shale

Companies in the news

Liquidity Services Inc. (LSI), which provides an online marketplace for surplus assets, announced its acquisition of Network International Inc. in an all-cash transaction.

Industry at a glance

Crude oil traded in a $71–79/bbl range in June, after a volatile May, and by early July, Atlantic Basin benchmarks touched four-week lows, before rebounding to about $75 by the 12th.

Meetings and Events

Meetings and Events

New products

New Products

People in industry

Engineering, project management and construction management firm UniversalPegasus International named Gary Hymel as the Onshore Director of Business Development. Hymel has  15 years of experience in the engineering services sector of the commercial construction industry.

World of Oil and Gas