The Oil and Gas Journal articles from February 2000

The Oil and Gas Journal archives from February 2000

Newsletter.
February 14, 2000... Looking at the latest oil industry merger action, one merger bid hits some major snags, another gets a nod of approval, and a third ties up loose ends. The US Federal Trade Commission asked a San Francisco US District Court judge to issue...

US INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 2/14.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... US INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 2/14 4 wk. 4 wk. avg. % Year-to-date Latest week 2/4 average year ago [1] change average [1] Demand (1,000 b/d) Motor gasoline 8,022 ...

LETTERS.(Letter to the Editor)
February 14, 2000... Cover page I've been a subscriber of the Oil & Gas Journal for many years, which I've enjoyed most of the time, as a very serious information media. However, in your issue of Jan. 17, 2000, the cover page, I believe, is not in...

Double click.(Western Geophysical makes offshore purchases)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... For many of us, purchasing consumable goods, appliances, and clothing through the internet has become the quickest and most efficient way to obtain these commodities, but for many remote offshore oil and natural gas drilling crews, ordering...

The FTC's price worries.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... The oil consumer has returned to US politics. Concern about the possible effects on retail oil prices lies at the core of federal objections to BP Amoco PLC's proposed acquisition of Atlantic Richfield Co. It is, of course, appropriate for...

Portugal's Petrogal repositions itself as energy multinational.
February 14, 2000... Portugal's state-owned petroleum firm Petrogal has embarked on an ambitious plan to reposition itself as a multinational energy firm. The strategy, dubbed Projecto XXI, has an initial aim of making Petrogal one of the best energy companies...

Formosa group to launch tanker fleet.
February 14, 2000... Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Group will launch its own fleet of ships to transport raw materials to its new naphtha cracker complex in central Taiwan. The complex includes an ethylene plant, oil refinery, and nearly 50 petrochemical units....

Chevron, Phillips to form giant chemical JV.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Chevron Corp. and Phillips Petroleum Co. have signed a letter of intent and exclusivity agreement to form a 50-50 joint venture of their global chemical operations--totaling about $6.1 billion in assets. The new limited liability company,...

DOE budget for FY 2001 adds to fossil R&D.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... The US Department of Energy's latest budget proposal contains funding for several new fossil energy research and development programs. Overall, DOE requested $18.9 billion for fiscal 2001, up $1.6 billion from the level appropriated in...

MTDE debate.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... An uncommon but politically persuasive coalition is asking the US Congress to reduce the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) as an oxygenate in reformulated gasoline (RFG). The American Petroleum Institute, the Northeast States for...

Oil market turning point seen in 2Q 2000.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... Oil market performance in the second quarter of 2000 will signal whether escalating prices threaten the economic recovery in Southeast Asia that is spurring the growth in worldwide demand for oil. So said officials of Arthur Andersen and...

US oil, gas asset sales lighter in 3Q.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... US oil and gas property sales during the third quarter of 1999 reached $1.2 billion, bringing the total for the first 9 months to $44.4 billion in 202 transactions, according to Randall & Dewey Inc., Houston. This was among the conclusions of...

Chevron, Shell to share rigs for gulf drilling.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Chevron U.S.A. Production Co. and Shell Exploration & Production Co. have agreed to share rigs to jointly drill two exploratory deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico this year. Chevron also will use a Shell-contracted rig to drill a third...

Platform modules loaded out for Saudi offshore fields.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... J. Ray McDermott Middle East Inc. has begun load-outs on its recently completed fabrication contract for five jackets and three production deck modules for Aramco Overseas Co., to be installed in the Abu Safa, Marjan, Safaniya, and Zuluf fields...

Petrobras faces big tab, shake-up after spill.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) estimates it will spend about 110 million Brazilian real ($62 million) in costs directly related to a January fuel oil spill said to be the worst in Brazil's history. Petrobras has already paid out about...

US greenhouse gas emissions growth slows.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... Growth in US emissions of greenhouse gases is slowing, and voluntary efforts by industry--especially the energy industry--appears to be a significant factor in that trend. In 1998, US emissions of greenhouse gases--mostly consisting of...

A Feb. 4 accident.(Formosa Plastics Group)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... A Feb. 4 accident at Formosa Plastics Group's Mailiao naphtha cracking complex killed three Indonesian workers employed by a South Korean subcontractor. The men asphyxiated on argon and hydrogen gas, which leaked from pipes they were installing...

Bayer AG.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Bayer AG let contract to Krupp Uhde GMBH for the engineering, procurement, civil works, construction, supervision, and commissioning of a 548,000 tonne/year nitric acid plant being built for EC Erdolchemie GMBH, Cologne Worringen--a company...

Shell Canada Ltd.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Shell Canada Ltd. let a $20 million contract to Flowserve Corp., Dallas, to supply more than 200 API-engineered and ANSI-process pumps for its $3.8 billion (Can.) Athabasca oilsands project in northern Alberta (OGJ, Aug. 23, 1999, p. 43)....

Newfield Exploration Co.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Newfield Exploration Co., Houston, will acquire interests in South Texas producing natural gas assets from an undisclosed seller for $142 million. They consist of three producing fields--in Hidalgo, Brooks, and Kenedy counties--and produce 75...

Spars International Inc.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Spars International Inc., a joint venture of J. Ray McDermott SA, and Aker Maritime--both based in Houston--was amicably dissolved by both partners. Spars International was formed to provide spar technology for global deepwater field...

Oneok Inc.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Oneok Inc., Tulsa, will acquire certain natural gas gathering and processing businesses, a marketing and trading business, and certain storage and transmission pipelines from Kinder Morgan Inc., Houston, for about $114 million. The gas...

Arc Energy Trust.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Arc Energy Trust, Calgary, acquired oil and gas assets in Alberta and Saskatchewan from an undisclosed seller for $135 million (Can.). Arc said the deal, which includes 2 large and 11 small properties, will add 5,000 boe/d to its existing...

Enron North America Corp.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Enron North America Corp. was released from its contract for 1.2 bcfd of firm interstate capacity on El Paso Natural Gas Co.'s system (OGJ, Jan. 3, 2000, p. 31). It is unfortunate that the recent [Federal Energy Regulatory Commission] order...

Gaz Metropolitain Co.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Gaz Metropolitain Co., Montreal, plans to purchase natural gas from the Sable Island region off Nova Scotia to diversify its supply sources. The company plans to build a $400 million (Can.) pipeline connecting the Maritimes & Northeast...

Caspian Pipeline Consortium.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) let two contracts valued at a combined $2.4 million to IDS Engineering Inc., a unit of Industrial Data Systems Corp., Houston, for assembly and programming of computer control systems for five pump stations for...

Abu Dhabi Gas Co.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Abu Dhabi Gas Co. let a multimillion-dollar contract to National Petroleum Construction Co. (NPCC), Abu Dhabi, for the onshore Maqta-Jebel Ali gas pipeline project. NPCC will undertake design, engineering, procurement, supply, and laying of a...

Calpine Corp.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Calpine Corp., San Jose, Calif., acquired 100% of the stock of Western Gas Resources-California Inc. (WGRC)--a unit of Western Gas Resources Inc., Denver--for $14.9 million. WGRC's assets included the 130-mile Steelhead natural gas pipeline and...

Centrica PLC.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Centrica PLC renegotiated a take-or-pay contact with Shell UK Ltd. for natural gas supplies from Galleon field in the southern North Sea. In return for payment to Shell equal to 1% of Centrica's gross assets, gas prices on 540 million cu m will...

Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Corp.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Corp., a unit of Kerr-McGee Corp., Oklahoma City, made an oil discovery and drilled two successful appraisal wells an the Leadon prospect on Blocks 9/14a and 9/14b in the UK North Sea. The well, drilled to 5,462 if, cut 145...

Elf Aquitaine SA.(signs agreement with Empresa Nacional de Hidocarbonetos)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Elf Aquitaine SA signed a technical evaluation agreement with Mozambique's state-owned Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos for the deep Mozambique channel off the Zambezi River delta. Elf will perform seismic and geophysics synthesis studies on...

Apache Corp.(natural gas discoveries)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Apache Corp., Houston, made two discoveries on its West Mediterranean and East Bahariya concessions in Egypt. On test, the Akik-1X well flowed 23.4 MMcfd of natural gas and 1,685 b/d of condensate through a 48/64-in. choke with 2,275 psi...

Chevron Corp.(Chevron congo acquires 15% interest from Elf Congo)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Chevron Corp. unit Chevron Congo acquired a 15% interest from Elf Congo in the Mer Profonde Sud (MPS) deepwater exploration area off the Republic of Congo (see map, OGJ, June 23, 1997, p. 25). The 1,300 sq mile block is about 50 miles off Congo...

Remington Oil & Gas Corp.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Remington Oil & Gas Corp., Dallas, completed drilling operations on its new fault block discovery on South Pass Block 87 in the Gulf of Mexico. The OCS-G 7799 D-11 sidetrack logged 107 ft of net gas pay in two sands and flowed on test 16.1...

Unocal Ganal Ltd.(finds gas)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Unocal Ganal Ltd., a unit of Unocal Corp., found gas on the deepwater Gendalo prospect in the southern portion of the Ganal production-sharing contract area off East Kalimantan. The Gendab-1 well--drilled to 15,000 ft TD in 4,677 ft of...

Metro Oil Corp.(to restart operations)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Metro Oil Corp., Fujairah, will restart operations at its 75,000 b/d Fujairah refinery following the signing of a $150 million deal to settle debts with foreign and local creditors. Also, a new firm called Fujairah Refinery Co. was established...

Chevron unit.(Cabinda Gulf Oil completes two appraisal wells)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Chevron unit Cabinda Gulf Oil Co. (CABGOC) completed two appraisal wells in the Benguela and Belize oil fields on Block 14 off Angola. On test through restrictive chokes, Benguela 2A well flowed 8,400 b/d of both 24[degrees] and 34[degrees]...

Burlington Resources Inc.
February 14, 2000... Burlington Resources Inc. (BR) unit Burlington Resources Algeria Ltd., Algeria state oil firm Sonatrach, and Talisman Energy Inc. unit Talisman (Algeria) BV announced successful test results from the MLSE-3 appraisal well on Menzel Lejmat Block...

Hyundai Heavy Industries.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Hyundai Heavy Industries let contract to Kvaerner Oilfield Products, London, to supply subsea controls systems for Conoco Inc.'s West Natuna Sea gas development off Indonesia. The contract includes the supply of additional direct hydraulic...

Ottawa's Federal Competition Tribunal.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Ottawa's Federal Competition Tribunal is expected to rule in April or May on an acquisition involving two major Canadian propane companies, Superior Propane Inc. and ICG Propane Inc., both of Calgary. Superior has been running the companies as...

AES Corp. unit CILCO.
February 14, 2000... AES Corp. unit CILCO, Peoria, Ill., and Caterpillar Inc. plan to construct a $51 million, 45-Mw cogeneration plant in Mossville, Ill. The new plant, dubbed AES Medina Valley, will be owned and operated by a subsidiary of CILCORP and will supply...

MIDDLE EAST PETROLEUM SECTOR OFFERING MORE FOREIGN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
February 14, 2000... During the past 20 years, the Middle East has probably received more attention globally for its regional politics and position in world affairs than for its enormous energy wealth. Indications that stability is returning to the region heralds...

THE OPENING OF IRAQ: POST-SANCTIONS IRAQI OIL, ITS EFFECTS ON WORLD OIL PRICES.
February 14, 2000... The opportunities for investing in Iraq's oil sector after sanctions are lifted are very significant, indeed, but there are enormous consequences for oil markets when those opportunities are exploited. Iraq is known to have great oil...

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES STARTING TO OPEN UP IN IRAN'S PETROLEUM SECTOR.
February 14, 2000... Despite a major opening in the Iranian oil industry in the past few years, Iran still is a mystery to the international investor. Years of isolation, bad press, and TV images of the hostage situation continue to loom in the minds of many...

Shell tests low-cost, real-time oil well surveillance.(Shell Group's exploration and production operating units)
February 14, 2000... Several of Shell Group's exploration and production operating units have installed or are testing a low cost and effective well surveillance system. One operating unit has deployed it, and four other units have successfully tested it. ...

New transmission-factor formula proposed for gas pipelines.
February 14, 2000... Joint research involving four European natural gas transmission companies has yielded a new transmission-factor formula as an alternative to the well-known Colebrook-White formula. Among other benefits, the very general formula has the...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
February 14, 2000... An error appeared in a headline for Fig. 11 in the article "Coiled-tubing drilling technologies target niche markets," OGJ, Jan. 10, 2000, p. 34. The figure represents a typical CTD well configuration in Oman instead of Prudhoe Bay.

Mudlogging method calculates coalbed gas content.
February 14, 2000... Case studies show that gas-content calculations, as determined by a novel mudlogging technique, closely coincide with information derived through whole core desorption techniques. Thus, this approach can provide an alternative and...

Video camera monitors process vessels and tanks.
February 14, 2000... For live, remote viewing inside a vessel or a tank, this new easy-mount camera combines high performance video imaging capability with durability. The compact, lightweight camera can be mounted on virtually any existing sight port. Or the...

Spatial data management software.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Now available is Image Cat--LI, the topo map management tool for Land Info's county/state series. This is the first product in a suite of software tools aimed at providing data base management tools to more effectively store, retrieve, and...

Roller bearing catalog.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Free 6-page, four color Catalog 8864, describes the Sphere-Rol line of heavy-duty spherical roller bearings. Invented more than 30 years ago, these bearings feature high capacities, high limiting speeds, long life under misalignment, and...

Downstream products.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... The free brochure "Millions of Possibilities" contains information on a full line of Zeolyst zeolite powders, catalysts, and adsorbents. The products are used as hydrocracking and xylene isomerization catalysts, as adsorbents for chemical...

UV treatment solutions.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... New, free literature describes ultraviolet systems for disinfection, oxidation, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, deionization, TOC reduction, ozone destruction, and other oil industry processes. Systems exceed US Department of Health...

MOVES AND PROMOTIONS.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Ziff Energy, Houston, Tex., has named Ron Ford senior associate. He has more than 30 years of industry experience. Ford is responsible for marketing natural gas products and services, primarily the firms North American Gas Strategy and Gas...

New law, seismic information smooth Nicaragua licensing.
February 14, 2000... A licensing round is to commence early this year in Nicaragua. This article and the previous introduction regarding the geology of the Pacific and Caribbean areas are meant to provide advance information on petroleum prospectivity. Pacific...

Western Australia.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Australian researchers found evidence of a petroleum system in the Eyre sub-basin off Western Australia near the boundary with South Australia. Fluorescing oil inclusions in part of a section of Callovian-Kimmeridgian reservoir sandstones...

Ghana.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Ghana Hunt Oil Co. was evaluating well data including 25[degrees]-gravity sweet crude from a noncommercial well off western Ghana in determining potential for further exploration on two blocks it holds. The well, designed to test...

Appalachian.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Equitable Resources Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., expects to complete acquisition of Statoil Energy Inc.'s Appalachian basin production assets in first quarter 2000. The assets comprise nearly 1.1 tcf of proved gas reserves and 6,500 gas wells in...

Louisiana.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Meridian Resource Corp., Houston, plans more drilling this year at South Thornwell field in Jefferson Davis Parish. The 1-33 Potter 33 flowed 17.48 MMcfd of gas with 540 b/d of oil through a 19/64 in. choke with 7,300 psi FTP from Oligocene...

Wyoming.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... Tipperary Corp., Denver, acquired a 49% working interest from operator Barrett Resources Corp., Denver, in a Hanna basin coalbed methane exploration project. Tipperary, which is restructuring and refocusing on coalbed methane, spent...

OGJ CRACK SPREAD.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... OGJ CRACK SPREAD 2-4-00 [*] 2-5-99 [*] Change % $/bbl change SPOT PRICES Product value 41.14 13.77 27.37 198.8 Brent...

API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS Districts 1-4 District 5 Total U.S. 2-4 1-28 [1] 2-4 1-28 [1] 2-4 2000...

API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS Motor gasoline Blending Jet fuels Crude oil Total Comp. [2]...

API REFINERY REPORT--FEBRUARY 4, 2000.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... API REFINERY REPORT--FEBRUARY 4, 2000 REFINERY OPERATIONS Total Input refinery Crude to crude Operable % District ...

OGJ GASOLINE PRICES.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... OGJ GASOLINE PRICES Price Pump Pump ex tax price [*] price 2-2-00 2-2-00 2-3-99 ...

REFINED PRODUCT PRICES.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... REFINED PRODUCT PRICES 1-28-00 ([cent]/gal) Spot market product prices Motor gasoline (Conventional-regular) New York Harbor 72.38 ...

BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT 2-04-00 2-05-99 Alabama 1 4 Alaska 4 7 Arkansas 0 4 California 18 12 ...

SMITH RIG COUNT.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... SMITH RIG COUNT 2-04-00 2-05-99 Proposed depth Rig % Rig % (ft) count footage [*] count footage [*] 0-2,500 20 -- ...

OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT 2-4-00 [1] 2-5-99 [2] (1,000 b/d) (Crude oil and lease condensate) Alabama 35 32...

U.S. CRUDE PRICES.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... U.S. CRUDE PRICES ($/bbl) [*] 2-4-00 Alaska-North Slope 27[degrees] 18.68 Southern Louisiana Light 27.50 California-Kern River 13[degrees] 21.75 Lost Hills 30[degrees]...

WORLD CRUDE PRICES.(tabular data, no text)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... WORLD CRUDE PRICES ($/bbl) [1] 1-28-00 United Kingdom-Brent 38[degrees] 26.17 Russia-Urals 32[degrees] 26.33 Saudi light 34[degrees] 25.40 Dubai...

AGA NATURAL GAS STORAGE [*].(American Gas Association) (tabular data, no text)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2000... AGA NATURAL GAS STORAGE [*] 1-28-00 1-21-00 Change (bcf) Producing region 548 616 -68 Consuming region east 906 1,064 -158 Consuming region...

WORLDWIDE CRUDE OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION.(tabular data, no text)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 14, 2000... WORLDWIDE CRUDE OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION 11 month average Nov. Oct. Production 1,000 b/d 1999 1999 1999 1998 Argentina...

Duke Energy.
February 21, 2000... Duke Energy signed a 50-50 accord with the gas pipeline unit of Williams, Tulsa, to build and operate the 674-mile Buccaneer gas pipeline that will deliver up to 882.9 MMcfd to Florida. Before joining Williams's plan, Duke had planned to build...

Premier Transco Ltd.
February 21, 2000... Premier Transco Ltd. (PTL), a 50-50 joint venture of BG Group PLC unit BG Energy Holdings Ltd. and KeySpan Energy Development Corp., plans to build a 170-km natural gas pipeline from Belfast to Dublin. PTL, which will hold an open season for...

Westcoast Energy Inc.
February 21, 2000... Westcoast Energy Inc., Vancouver, BC, signed certain long-term contracts with producers in the Fort Liard, NWT, area to transport gas and process it at its Fort Nelson, BC, plant. The contract area includes recent significant discoveries by...

A fire.(Brief Article)
February 21, 2000... A fire that erupted in a Nigeria National Petroleum Corp.-owned and operated refined products pipeline outside Ogwe village in eastern Nigeria's Abia State killed 17 people, the state oil firm said. The fire broke out on the pipeline after...

Saipem SPA.(Brief Article)
February 21, 2000... Saipem SPA, the engineering and construction arm of Italy's ENI, and its construction consortium partners began initial work on the subsea portion of the Blue Stream pipeline project from Russia across the Black Sea to Turkey (OGJ, Jan. 31,...

BP Amoco PLC.(Brief Article)
February 21, 2000... BP Amoco PLC and UOP LLC, Des Plaines, Ill., will form an alliance for the support, delivery, and implementation of technology and services to BP Amoco's refineries. This alliance will support the continuing technological needs of refinery...

Hovensa LLC.(Brief Article)
February 21, 2000... Hovensa LLC, a joint venture of Amerada Hess Corp. and Petroleos de Venezuela SA, received $600 million in financing underwritten by Bank of America. Hovensa will use the funding for the construction of a 58,000 b/d delayed coker for its...

EC Erdolchemie GMBH.(Brief Article)
February 21, 2000... EC Erdolchemie GMBH (EC), Worringen, Germany, let contract to ABB Lummus Global, Bloomfield, NJ, for the engineering of a new ethane cracker train at its ethylene plant at Worringen, near Cologne. EC--a company held equally by Bayer AG and...

Triton Energy Ltd.(Brief Article)
February 21, 2000... Triton Energy Ltd., Dallas, signed a multiyear lease with Bergesen DY Offshore AS, Oslo, for use of the 275,000-dwt Berge Charlotte floating production, storage, and offloading vessel in the development of Ceiba field off Equatorial Guinea. The...

Kerr-McGee Corp.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 21, 2000... Kerr-McGee Corp., Oklahoma City, and Pendaries Petroleum Ltd., Houston, drilled their first appraisal well on Block 04/36 in China's Bohai Bay; the well follows a discovery well drilled by the partners earlier this year (OGJ, Jan. 3, 2000, p....

Enterprise Oil PLC.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 21, 2000... Enterprise Oil PLC shut in production Feb. 6 to begin debottlenecking work in Pierce field in the UK North Sea. Enterprise hopes to attain a 20% increase in production--to 65,000 b/d of oil from 54,000 b/d--through certain modifications being...