The proposed Uganda-Kenya Crude Oil Pipeline (UKCOP) across northern Kenya, one of three new liquids pipelines planned for the region, is already having major effects and unintended consequences even as it attempts to meet producers’ demand for export solutions. Source: News
Study assesses materials to minimize mud losses in Algeria's Hassi Messaoud field
Diesel, bentonite, and cement are affordable and plentiful in Algeria but operators are not using them to their full potential as lost-circulation materials (LCM). Source: News
Planned maintenance to slow first-half 2016 ethylene production
From the perspective of feedstock pricing and production costs, the latter part of 2015 provided as much turmoil as the first half, but US ethylene producers turned in two quarters of nearly perfect operational performance in second-half 2015. Source: News
Plant, pipeline reconfiguration boosts Iraqi NGL yield
Natural gas intake at NGL plants in southern Iraq doubled to roughly 500 MMcfd between 2012 and 2015 thanks to plant reconfiguration and completion of a low-pressure pipeline. Source: News
Bubbles of capital spending
The chart in this sidebar shows the real US exploration and production capital spending, measured by real private investments on the structures and equipment used in oil and gas extraction and supporting services, and real West Texas Intermediate prices, over the period 1960 to 2014. Source: News
Capital expenditures to be squeezed further in 2016
Oil companies are once again being forced to slash capital expenditures (capex) amid a prolonged price slump, with spending in North America bearing the brunt of the cuts. Source: News
US refining flexibility sustains export opportunities, profitability
A lower crude oil price environment has sparked concerns that projected reductions in US light, tight oil (LTO) production will lead to reduced profitability for US refiners as readily available supplies of low-cost feedstock and natural gas dwindle. Source: News
Technique improves exploration efficiency, exploitation safety offshore Myanmar
A technique known as rapid fault-sealing forecast of offshore fault systems (RFSFOFS) has improved exploration efficiency and exploitation safety of fault blocks in oil and gas fields. Source: News
The crucial RFS question
A basic question emerged once the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee began to examine the federal Renewable Fuels Standard on Feb. 24: Is the program an impractical failure, or should its mandates be preserved? Source: News
Court power-rule cases instructive for oil and gas
Legal sparring over controversial rules affecting electricity shows the oil and gas industry much about regulatory activism. Source: News