The Oil and Gas Journal articles from January 1997

The Oil and Gas Journal archives from January 1997

Baghdad is stepping up efforts to line up E&P projects for the time when sanctions are fully lifted.(Iraqi oil exploration and production contracts with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd., Reliance Industries Ltd., Lukoil, Petroliam Nasional Bhd. and China National Petroleum Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Baghdad is stepping up efforts to line up E&P projects for the time when sanctions are fully lifted. Iraq has forged a new development deal with India's ONGC and advanced negotiations with Russia's Lukoil and Malaysia's Petronas, Middle...

Higher crude and natural gas prices, along with solid upstream performance, spurred strong earnings growth in 1996.(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Higher crude and natural gas prices, along with solid upstream performance, spurred strong earnings growth in 1996. Many companies are reporting annual profits records for 1996, including Amoco with more than $2.8 billion and Shell Oil...

With product margins pinched by high oil prices, refiners are stepping up rationalization and restructuring efforts.(Shell Francaise S.A.; Ashland Oil Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... With product margins pinched by high oil prices, refiners are stepping up rationalization and restructuring efforts. Shell is expected to be the first French refiner to shut down excess capacity, targeting its Berre plant, says a high...

In a year when the industry expects pollution control costs to be the most pressing problem, there's some good news on the environmental front.(Texas and Alaska regulators preclude drilling and workover rigs from falling under Clean Air Act)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... In a year when the industry expects pollution control costs to be the most pressing problem (OGJ, Dec. 16, 1996, Newsletter), there's some good news on the environmental front. Texas and Alaska regulators ruled to exclude drilling or...

Another LNG megaproject is advancing in the Middle East.(Yemen LNG to help construct liquefied natural gas shipping complex in Yemen)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Another LNG megaproject project is advancing in the Middle East. Yemen will team with U.S., French, and South Korean companies to further develop its gas resources for local market consumption and in support of an LNG export project. ...

Back to Nigeria. (economic corruption in Nigeria)(Journally Speaking)(Column)
January 27, 1997... Of the thousands of stories I have written for Oil & Gas Journal, the one that has drawn the most response from readers was one of the most unusual. In this column on July 11, 1994, I wrote about receiving a letter from Nigeria...

The consumer dimension.(petroleum industry response to Environmental Protection Agency effort to raise air-quality standards for ozone and small particulates)(Editorial)
January 27, 1997... The U.S. refining industry needs to tread carefully in its response to the Environmental Protection Agency's effort to raise air-quality standards for ozone and small particulates. It also needs to keep treading aggressively. The issue...

Thailand expanding, integrating gas and electric power sectors.(includes related article on gas production in Malay-Thai Joint Development Area)
January 27, 1997... Thailand is pressing expansion and integration of its natural gas and electric power grids. The kingdom's efforts are intended to leverage its position as an energy player in Southeast Asia, broaden its horizons via privatization, and...

Shell, Petronas to develop Sarawak gas.(Sarawak Shell Bhd. signs production-sharing contract with Petroliam Nasional Bhd.)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Sarawak Shell Bhd. has signed a production-sharing contract with Malaysian state firm Petroliam Nasional Bhd. (Petronas) to develop five gas fields off Sarawak. Shell will take on Petronas upstream unit Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. as a...

Qatar projects win Ex-Im Bank support.(Export-Import Bank of the United States to finance exports to Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Ltd. for gas field development)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... The U.S. Export-Import Bank has approved $526 million in project financing to support U.S. exports for gas field development supporting Qatar's Ras Laffan and Qatargas liquefied natural gas projects. The development projects involve...

Anadarko logs more Algeria discoveries.(Anadarko Petroleum Corp.; oil field discoveries)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Houston, and partners have gauged more exploratory successes in Algeria's Illizi-Ghadames basin. Anadarko Algeria Corp. disclosed 1 El Kheit Et Tessekha (1 EKT) found EKT oil field and 2 El Merk East (2 EME)...

Lasmo steps up Pakistan search.(London and Scottish Marine Oil PLC obtains three new gas exploration licenses)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Lasmo plc, London, has been awarded three new exploration licenses in Pakistan, where it currently has exploration and production interests. The company acquired a 95% interest and operatorship of Bela South, Bela North, and Kirthar West...

Saga discloses Norwegian Sea gas/condensate discovery.(Saga Petroleum A/S)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Saga discloses Norwegian Sea gas/condensate discovery Saga Petroleum AS, Oslo, has disclosed a gas/condensate discovery on Norwegian Sea Block 6406/2, southwest of Smoerbukk field, which is being developed as part of Aasgard project. ...

NW Europe oil flow to hit record in 1997.(oil production forecasts for Norway, United Kingdom, Denmark)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Northwest European oil production is set to hit another record in 1997, as Norway, U.K., and Denmark push output to national record levels. This is the forecast of Wood Mackenzie Consultants Ltd., Edinburgh. It estimated Norwegian...

Oil export routes set for NW Europe fields.(BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd. and Norsk Hydro A/S settle oil export route from North Sea fields)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. and Norsk Hydro AS have settled on export routes for oil from Schiehallion and Loyal fields west of the Shetland Islands and Troll C platform in the Norwegian North Sea, respectively. Shetlands FPSO ...

Sea Empress oil spill response questioned.(United Kingdom Transport Department and Coastguard Agency reports)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... A draft report of a U.K. Department of Transport report into the Sea Empress oil tanker spill in February 1996 allegedly claims that poor knowledge of sea conditions in the area worsened the spill. However, the U.K. Coastguard Agency...

U.K Labour Party's pollution pledge.(Watching the World)(Column)
January 27, 1997... "Our evidence shows that Tory government indifference and incompetence has helped create a major pollution crisis in the North Sea, with serious biological damage already obvious. "Far more oil has been dumped in the U.K. sector than in...

Global warming plan.(Clinton administration proposal on trade allowances for greenhouse gas emissions may undercut future fossil fuel usage)(Column)
January 27, 1997... The Clinton administration has proposed a plan to allow nations to trade allowances for greenhouse gas emissions as part of an effort to stave off purported global warming. The plan was submitted in advance of international negotiations...

MMS royalty rule to cut reliance on posted prices.(Minerals Management Service proposal on calculating oil producer royalties)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... U,S. Minerals Management Service has proposed a rule to reduce reliance on posted prices when oil producers calculate royalties owed the federal government. MMS' goal is to ensure that its oil valuation regulations reflect the actual...

Russia's.(Lukoil to acquire 10% of Chevron Corp.'s interest in Tengizchevroil)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Russia's Lukoil reached agreement with Chevron Corp. to acquire 10% of Chevron's interest in the $20 billion, 40-year Tengizchevroil joint venture, operator of Tengiz field in Kazakhstan. When the deal is consummated, Chevron will retain a...

Canadian 88 Energy Corp.(makes takeover bid for Morrison Petroleums Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Canadian 88 Energy Corp., Calgary, launched a $652 million (Canadian) takeover bid for Morrison Petroleums Ltd., also of Calgary, offering $10/share cash, to a maximum $140 million, or 1.5 common shares of Canadian 88 for each Morrison share.

State Petroleum Corp.(finds more oil in Sudan)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... State Petroleum Corp., a unit of Arakis Energy Corp., Calgary, found more oil on its 12.2 million-acre concession in Sudan. Its 2a El Nar exploratory well, drilled to 8,021 ft TD, penetrated a separate structure that offsets its 1996 South...

Trinidad and Tobago's.(Energy and Energy Industries Ministry awards production-sharing contract to Amoco Trinidad Gas BV and Repsol Exploracion Tobago)
January 27, 1997... Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries awarded a production sharing contract to Amoco Trinidad Gas BV and Repsol Exploracion Tobago covering 181,977-acre block 5(b) about 55 miles off Trinidad (see map, OGJ, Oct. 7,...

Uzbekistan.(Uzbekneftegas to upgrade Fergana refinery)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Uzbekistan state firm Uzbekneftegas will upgrade Fergana refinery, funded in part by a $90 million loan from European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD), London. EBRD put total cost at $195.5 million, with the balance provided by...

Explosion and fire.(at Tosco Corp.'s Avon refinery in Martinez, CA)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Explosion and fire Jan. 21 at Tosco Corp.'s 150,000 b/d Avon refinery at Martinez, Calif., killed one worker and injured 25 employees and contract workers. Officials said the fire was confined to a hydrocracker. No damage estimates were...

Middle East Oil Refinery.(able to finance grassroots refinery in Alexandria, Egypt)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Middle East Oil Refinery, an Egyptian-israeli joint venture, completed financing for its $1.3 billion, 100,000 b/d grassroots refinery at Alexandria after equity was doubled to $360 million by state-owned Egyptian General Petroleum Corp....

Rafineria Gdanska SA.(awards refinery modernization contracts to Fluor Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Rafineria Gdanska SA, Poland, a unit of state-owned Nafta Polska, let two contracts valued at about $30 million to Fluor Corp. unit Fluor Daniel as part of a $400 million refinery modernization at Gdansk. Fluor Daniel is managing contractor...

TSKG Group.(awards contract to build liquefied natural gas plant to Daewoo Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... TSKG Group let a $48 million contract to South Korea's Daewoo Corp. to provide materials and services as part of Nigeria's $4.5 billion liquefied natural gas project on Bonny Island (OGJ, Dec. 30, 1996, p. 28). TSKG consists of France's...

BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd.(Drilling Production)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... BP Exploration Operating Co, Ltd. let a $5.6 million contract to Dresser Drilling & Production Services, Aberdeen, for Foinaven field development drilling services in U.K.'s West of Shetland play. Dresser has worked on 11 Foinaven wells so...

Joint venture of Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. and Royal Dutch/Shell.(Drilling-Production)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Joint venture of Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. and Royal Dutch/Shell plans to capture 475 MMcfd of associated gas being flared in 31 Niger Delta basin fields. The $680 million work program is expected to be completed by 2007. Plans...

Occidental Petroleum Corp. and Unocal Corp. agreed to a farm-out. (in Bangladesh)(Drilling-Production)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Occidental Petroleum Corp. and Unocal Corp. agreed to a farm-out calling for transfer to Unocal of a 50% interest in Oxy-operated Blocks 12, 13, and 14 production-sharing contracts in northeastern Bangladesh (OGJ, Jan. 23, 1995, p. 19)....

Ashland Exploration Inc. (Gulf of Mexico approximately 100 miles off Louisiana)(Drilling-Production)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Ashland Exploration Inc., Houston, is producing from Pleistocene intervals at 2,000-4,000 ft in Vermilion 410 field in 360 ft of water about 105 miles off Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico. Operator Ashland plans to have eight wells on stream...

Halliburton Energy Services. (joint development of Parks Devonian field in West Texas' Permian basin with Mobil Exploration and Producing)(Drilling-Production)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Halliburton Energy Services, Houston, and Mobil Exploration & Production U.S. Inc. agreed to jointly develop Mobil's Parks Devonian field in the Permian basin of West Texas. Five horizontal wells will be drilled in 1997, leading to full...

Belco Operating Corp. (three areas of mutual interest formed in the Louisiana Austin chalk trend with Union Pacific Resources Group and Oxy USA)(Drilling-Production)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Belco Operating Corp., a unit of Belco Oil & Gas Corp., New York City, agreed with Union Pacific Resources Group Inc. (UPR) and Oxy USA Inc. to form three Areas of Mutual interest (AMIs) in the Louisiana Austin chalk trend where Belco...

Australian Gas Light.(Pipelines)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Australian Gas Light let a $100 million (Australian) contract to McConnell Dowell Corp. (MDC) to construct an 840-km gas pipeline connecting Bailera with Mount Isa in South West Queensland (see map, OGJ, Jan. 20, 1997, p. 28). Earlier, MDC...

Apache Energy Ltd. and Australia's WMC Resources Ltd. signed an infrastructure-sharing agreement involving East Spar field in the Carnarvon basin off Western Australia.(Pipelines)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Apache Energy Ltd. and Australia's WMC Resources Ltd. signed an infrastructure-sharing agreement involving East Spar field in the Carnarvon basin off Western Australia (OGJ, July 10, 1995, p. 31). Deal enables East Spar's gas/condensate...

U.K. Department of Trade and Industry approved a Lasmo plc. London, plan to decommission and dispose of the 8-in. Staffa field export pipeline in the U.K. North Sea.(Pipelines)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... U.K. Department of Trade and Industry approved a Lasmo plc, London, plan to decommission and dispose of the 8-in. Staffa field export pipeline in the U.K. North Sea, used to take oil 9 km to Ninian southern platform from Staffa Block 3/8b...

Foothills Pipe Lines Ltd., Calgary, received National Energy Board approval to build an $18 million decompression/recompression complex at Empress, Alta. (Alberta)(Pipelines)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Foothills Pipe Lines Ltd., Calgary, received National Energy Board approval to build an $18 million decompression/recompression complex at Empress, Alta., part of its Eastern Leg expansion project. Project will provide about 690 MMcfd of...

Total Energy Corp. (acquiring propane peak shaving complex in Reno, Nevada)(Liquefied Petroleum Gas)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Total Energy Corp., White Plains, N.Y., agreed to acquire from Southwest Gas Corp., Las Vegas, one of the largest U.S. propane peak shaving complexes, including a 2-million gal. propane storage plant at Reno, 600,000 gal of rail car siding...

COGA Industries LLC. (coal to fertilizer project near Girard, Illinois)(Petrochemicals)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... COGA Industries LLC, Chicago, let contract to Bechtel for engineering and construction services for a $950 million coal-to-fertilizer project near Girard, III. The complex will gasify more than 1 million tons/year of Illinois coal to produce...

EIA: oil prices to slip to about $21/bbl.(US Energy Information Administration, barrel)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Crude oil prices will drop from current high levels to an average $21-21.50/bbl in 1997-98, the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts in its latest short-term outlook. An average decline of about $1/bbl is seen this quarter from...

High prices boosted 9-month profits in 1996.
January 27, 1997... Higher oil and natural gas prices resulted in a sharp increase in 9-month 1996 profits for a sampling of oil and gas companies. A significant portion of the increase in revenues from higher prices moved to the bottom line. Both revenues...

U.S. oil, natural gas demand still climbing.(Cover Story)
January 27, 1997... Steady economic growth and slightly lower prices will demand for petroleum and natural gas in the U.S. again this year. Economic growth will lag behind year's level but will remain strong. Increased worldwide petroleum production...

Non-OPEC oil supply gains to outpace demand in 1997.(Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)(Cover Story)
January 27, 1997... Rising oil supplies in 1997 will relax some of the market tightness that drove up crude prices last year. Worldwide demand for petroleum products in 1996 rose faster than anticipated and faster than supply from outside the Organization of...

Revenue surge to sustain drilling in U.S. and Canada.(Cover Story)(Industry Overview)
January 27, 1997... Drilling activity in the U.S. and Canada will remain strong in 1997 after increasing in 1996. Oil & Gas Journal figures indicate that rising oil and gas prices provided operators during 1996 with their highest wellhead revenues since...

Philippine refiner completes diesel desulfurization project.
January 27, 1997... In anticipation of tightening sulfur specifications on diesel fuel, Petron Corp. built a new 18,000 b/sd gas oil desulfurization unit (GODU) at its refinery in Bataan, Philippines. The GODU gives Petron sufficient diesel oil...

U.S. LNG imports 1996-1997 should recover from low 1995 levels. (Liquid Natural Gas)
January 27, 1997... Imports of LNG into the U.S. in 1995 were the lowest since 1988, when 17.5 billion cu ft were imported. Total 1995 LNG imported from Algeria was 17.92 bcf compared to 50.78 bcf in 1994, a decrease of 64.7%. About 72% of imported Algerian...

Jet pump feeds corrosion inhibitor in Russian waterflood. (Orenburgneft JSC)(Technical)
January 27, 1997... The Russian company Orenburgneft JSC tested a proportioning jet pump for injecting corrosion inhibitor into the water injection system at its Tananykskoye waterflood. The jet pump has no moving parts and, therefore, provides an hermetic...

Natural parameter method accurately calculates well bore trajectory. (oil field drilling)
January 27, 1997... A new model which calculates well bore inclination, azimuth, and course coordinates vs. measured depth can be applied accurately and reliably to both rotary and directional drilling operations. This model, the natural parameter method,...

Reserve growth important to U.S. gas supply.
January 27, 1997... Experience shows that initial estimates of the size of newly discovered oil or gas fields are usually too low. As years pass, successive estimates of the ultimate recovery of fields tend to increase. The term "reserve growth" refers to...

Germany. (Resources International Corp., oil exploration permit for Rhineland-Phalz state)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Resources International Corp., Vancouver, B.C., reached agreement to acquire the 188,000 acre Bergland exploration permit in Rhineland-Phalz state. The permit contains the Glantal and Bamberger coalbed methane prospects. Glantal...

Colombia. (Seven Seas Petroleum Inc.'s GHK Co. subsidiary exploratory oil well in Upper Madalena basin, in Colombia)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Seven Seas Petroleum Inc., Houston, said its GHK Co. Colombia subsidiary tested three zones at the E1 Segundo 2 confirmation well in the Upper Magdalena basin 60 miles northwest of Bogota. GHK plans to spud shortly the Tres Pasos 1...

Gulf of Mexico. (McMoRan Oil & Gas Co. increases reserves)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... McMoRan Oil & Gas..Co., New Orleans, added reserves at its Vermilion Block 160 field unit and planned development drilling. The Vermilion Block 159 AJ-3 well in 90 ft of water logged eight gas sands totaling 215 ft of net pay at...

California. (Shell's CalResources LLC's Kern County horizontal drilling)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Shell's CalResources LLC unit leads a horizontal drilling boom in Kern County heavy and light oil fields. Of 82 notices to drill horizontal wells filed with the state in 1996, CalResources filed 39--14 in Cymric field, 11 each in South...

Louisiana. (to begin gas and oil sales from its Lake Raccourci field, in Lafourche Parish)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Goodrich Petroleum Corp., Houston, plans to start sales late this month from an exploratory well in Lake Raccourci field in Lafourche Parish. The 1 State Lease 3258 flowed 5.3 MMcfd of gas and 687 b/d of oil on a 10/64 in. choke with...

New York. (Ardent Resources Inc.'s gas discovery in Cambrian Theresa)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... A western New York exploratory well is an indicated gas discovery in Cambrian Theresa. Working interest owners in the Ardent Resources Inc., Buffalo, I Stahl, in Wyoming County, will consider whether to frac the well because permeability...

North Dakota. (petroleum industry operators in the Ordovician Red River B)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... Operators in the Ordovician Red River B horizontal oil play centered in southwestern North Dakota have suggested that Ultimate recovery might be as much as 800,300 bbl per sq. mile. Conservative estimates run 300,000 bbl. Nearly 500...

Oklahoma. (DLB Oil & Gas Inc. to drill in Osage County)(Brief Article)
January 27, 1997... DLB Oil & Gas Inc., Oklahoma City, plans to drill four exploratory wells in early 1997 on 500,000 acres in Osage County. DLB's 16 sq mile 3D seismic survey in the area was about 50% complete as of yearend 1996. Its DLB 7-13 Bert well is a...

Iraq's limited oil exports are boosting OPEC output. (crude production for Dec. 1996)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Iraq's limited oil exports are boosting OPEC output. Total OPEC crude production averaged 26.16 million bid last month, up 120,000 b/d from November, estimates Middle East Economic Survey (MEES). MEES reckons Iraq exported about 8...

Amid predictions by EIA that more than 385,000 on-road vehicles will be powered by fuels other than gasoline and diesel in 1997, there's major news on the alternative fuels front.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Amid predictions by EIA that more than 385,000 on-road vehicles will be powered by fuels other than gasoline and diesel in 1997, there's major news on the alternate fuels front (see related story. p. 20). Chrysler reports a...

El Paso Energy, which paid $4 billion to acquire Tenneco Energy, has sold Tenneco Ventures, the former E&P and capital finance unit, for $105 million. (exploration and production)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... El Paso Energy, which Paid $4 billion to acquire Tenneco Energy, has sold Tenneco Ventures, the former E&P and capital finance unit, for $105 million. The former Tenneco unit, renamed Domain Energy Corp., is now owned by its managers and...

Coastal Corp. is restructuring its refined products marketing and supply operations in the eastern US.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Coastal Corp. is restructuring its refined products marketing and supply operations in the eastern U.S. Restructuring, expected to extend through yearend, will involve organizing activities around product lines instead of geographic...

Meanwhile, Enron Corp. will use high-dollar national exposure to advertise "brand name" retail electricity marketing.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Meanwhile, Enron Corp. will use high-dollar national exposure to advertise "brand name" retail electricity marketing -- an estimated $200 billion consumer market -- amid its proposed merger with Portland General Corp. (OGJ, Sept. 16, 1996, p....

Separately, Enron has formed a strategic alliance with Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) to speed access to the rapidly growing market there.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Separately, Enron has formed a strategic alliance with Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) to speed access to the rapidly growing market there. Partnership allows Enron to extend utility services to as many as 700,000 new NCPA...

Elsewhere on the strategic alliance front in California, Williams Cos. has formed a joint venture with Mid-Kern Energy Marketing Co. called Rio Bravo Energy Marketing LLC. (Williams Companies Inc.)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Elsewhere on the strategic alliance front in California, Williams Cos. has formed a joint venture with Mid-Kern Energy Marketing Co. called Rio Bravo Energy Marketing LLC. Company will gather, blend, market, and distribute crude oil in Kern...

Detroit's MCN Corp. has changed its name to MCN Energy Group Inc. to better reflect its evolution into a diversified energy company.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Detroit's MCN Corp. has changed its name to MCN Energy Group Inc. to better reflect its evolution into a diversified energy company. Its two major business groups are Michigan Consolidated Gas Co., a natural gas distribution-transmission...

On the power side, Mcnic expects to consummate its first project in India in coming weeks. (early 1997)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... On the power side, Mcnic expects to consummate its first project in India in coming weeks. It has a total of seven or eight power/energy projects on tap in India that are expected to reach fruition beginning in 1997. The first involves power...

India continues its aggressive campaign to increase foreign investment in its oil and gas industry to meet surging domestic demand.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... India continues its aggressive campaign to increase foreign investment in its oil and gas industry to meet surging domestic oil demand. The country hopes to rein growth of oil imports spurred by declining domestic oil output and soaring...

India's ONGC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Unocal to study development of gas reserves in the state of Tripura, as well as economic feasibility of a trans-India pipeline from Turkmenistan to Bangladesh and Myanmar.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... India's ONGC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Unocal to study development of gas reserves in the state of Tripura, as well as economic feasibility of a trans-India gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Bangladesh and Myanmar....

Deregulation of the Japanese downstream sector is pushing local companies to invest abroad, including projects in Taiwan and India.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Deregulation of the Japanese downstream sector is pushing local companies to invest abroad. including projects in Taiwan and India. Mitsubishi Oil aims to capitalize on growing refined products demand in Asia by increasing its presence in...

Taiwan's Chinese Petroleum Corp. is moving to privatize by 2001.(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Taiwan's Chinese Petroleum Corp. is moving to privatize by 2001. According to Taiwan's Commission of National Corporations, plans include CPC issuing global depository receipts overseas to attract oil majors as potential investors and...

BHP Petroleum Pty. Ltd. (interest in Gasco sold to Citizens Utilities Co.)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... BHP Petroleum Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, sold all of its interests in Gasco, its Hawaiian synthetic natural gas and propane distribution unit, to Citizens Utilities Co., Stamford, Conn. Sale is subject to approval of Hawaii's public utility...

Amoco Canada Petroleum Ltd. (chooses Lazard and Co. to explore sale of Canmar Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Indonesia's Amoco Canada Petroleum Ltd., Calgary, hired Lazard & Co., New York, to examine a sale or other options for Canmar Ltd., the marine drilling and services division acquired as part of the 1988 takeover of Dome Petroleum Ltd. Canmar...

Japan's Nissho Iwai Co. (acquiring 30% interest in PT Pupuk Kaltim methanol facility)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Japan's Nissho Iwai Co. will buy a 30% stake in a $350 million methanol plant being built by Indonesia's state-owned fertilizer group PT Pupuk Kaltim on East Kalimantan. Another 19% share will be acquired by undisclosed U.S. and Asian...

Engro Chemical Pakistan Ltd. (secures $11 million loan from Commonwealth Development Corp. for urea capacity expansion)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Engro Chemical Pakistan Ltd., formerly a unit of Exxon Chemical, signed an $11 million loan agreement with Commonwealth Development Corp. for its Daharki urea expansion project in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Engro is hiking productive...

Phillips Petroleum Co. (plans styrene-butadiene copolymer facility with annual capacity of 100 million pounds)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Phillips Petroleum Co. will expand its styrene-butadiene copolymer (SBC) output by 40% by building a new 100 million lb/year plant next to its Houston chemical complex. Construction, subject to board approval, is to begin in fourth quarter...

U.S. Commerce Department's Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) Board. (exempts several petroleum refineries from certain import duties)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... U.S. Commerce Department's Foreign Trade Zones (FRZ) Board granted FTZ status for several refineries, exempting them from paying some import duties. New FTZ refineries are Texaco Inc.'s plant in Butler County, Kan.; Ashland Inc.'s plants in...

Farmland Industries.(lets refinery oxygen injection system contract to TPA Inc.)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Farmland Industries let a lump-sum contract to TPA Inc., Dallas, for a grassroots oxygen injection system to be installed at the sulfur recovery plant at its Coffeyville, Kan., refinery. TPA will provide technology licensing, engineering,...

Downer Group.(makes takeover bid for Century Drilling)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Downer Group, Hong Kong, involved in geothermal projects in New Zealand, launched a $62 million (Australian) takeover bid for Century Drilling, Sydney. Century is involved in geothermal drilling in Indonesia, where it has five rigs at work.

TransCanada PipeLines Ltd.(acquires interest in Paiton power-generation project in Java from General Electric Capital Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... TransCanada Pipelines Ltd., Calgary, acquired a 10% interest in the $2.5 billion Paiton power-generation project in Java from the 12.5% interest held by General Electric Capital Corp. Project, under development for 5 years, includes two...

Amber Energy Inc.(purchases oilsands lease in Alberta)(Brief Article)
January 20, 1997... Amber Energy Inc., Calgary, paid $13.7 million (Canadian) for a 100% working interest in a 17,920-acre federal oilsands lease in Alberta's Wabasca area. Purchase increases Ambers contiguous holdings in the area to 52,160 acres. Amber expects...

Deepwater, subsalt prospects open new era for Gulf of Mexico action. (oil exploration and development) (includes related article on the use of the SeaStar multi-use tension leg platform in the Gulf of Mexico)(The Gulf of Mexico's Revival)
January 20, 1997... If 1996 trends continue, exploration and development will flourish in the Gulf of Mexico this year and for many years to come. Able to drill and complete wells in steadily deeper water, and propelled by rising prices for oil and gas,...

Technology gives Gulf prospects world-class investment appeal. (oil exploration and development in the Gulf of Mexico)(The Gulf of Mexico's Revival)
January 20, 1997... Technological advances place exploratory prospects in the Gulf of Mexico back on the list of world-class opportunities appealing to major oil and gas companies. These advances are enabling companies to drill, complete, and produce in very...

World's longest sulfur pipeline operating smoothly after 3 years. (Canadian pipeline running from Shell Canada Ltd.'s Caroline gas plant in Alberta to railhead at Shantz)
January 20, 1997... More than 3 years of trouble-free operation on the world's longest liquid-sulfur pipelines have affirmed the attention to detail and the early engineering effort that solved the problems of transporting liquid sulfur in a buried pipeline at...