A study of two methods for removing H2S and CO2 from natural gas at a Middle Eastern gas processing plant concluded that control of sour gas feed temperature can eliminate the need for trim coolers and associated refrigeration in the design of acid gas recovery units (AGRU), resulting in reduced capital expenditures, improved efficiency for […]
MARKET WATCH: NYMEX, Brent oil prices hit 3-week highs
Light, sweet crude for March delivery gained 40¢ on Jan. 29 to settle at $33.62/bbl, marking the New York Mercantile Exchange’s highest closing since Jan. 6. Brent crude oil rose 85¢ to $34.74/bbl on the London market, its highest settlement since Jan. 5. Source: News
Shear test, stress analysis predict collapsing pressure in China's Liushagang shale
A new study uses shear tests and seepage-stress analysis in north China’s Liushagang formation to create a model that predicts collapsing pressure and avoids costly drilling delays in hard, brittle shales. Source: News
Proposed EPA methane regulations will add costly requirements to upstream operations
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed regulations for methane and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the oil and gas industry that would place a number of new requirements on upstream operations, including capturing or combusting emissions during well completions, monitoring for fugitive emissions from equipment leaks, and making needed repairs. Source: […]
Economic methodology predicts well performance with public data
Considering the growing importance of North American shale gas in the last 10 years and the difficulty in characterizing these reservoirs, petroleum data-driven analysis could help develop predictive well-performance models, leading to rapid evolution of scoping studies. Source: News
Barents Sea exploration provides opportunity for new investment
The northernmost area on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) is open for petroleum activity and presents opportunities for both veteran operators and new entrants to the region. Barents Sea exploration has produced four discoveries of more than 100 MMboe in the last 5 years and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) estimates yet-to-find hydrocarbon potential at […]
Hess reduces 2016 budget by 40% to $2.4 billion
Hess Corp. is planning a 2016 capital and exploratory budget of $2.4 billion, a 40% reduction from its 2015 actual spend of $4 billion and 20% below its preliminary 2016 guidance of $2.9-3.1 billion provided in October. Source: News
EPA relies on weak methodology to justify proposed methane regulations
On Feb. 18, 2012, The Economist declared: “The home of laissez-faire is being suffocated by excessive and badly written regulations.” These words are still valid today. Source: News
Challenges lurk in 2016 in wake of 2015's successes
As 2015 became 2016, one inevitable question was whether the US oil and gas industry was a victim of its own success. The domestic supply outlook was as bright as ever, thanks to continued production growth from unconventional technologies. Source: News
The methane context
Without context, the senseless can seem sensible. Source: News