The Oil and Gas Journal articles from June 1996

The Oil and Gas Journal archives from June 1996

Tips on using 'using'.(technical writing)(Journally Speaking)(Column)
June 3, 1996... An editor's job is to correct grammar and challenge convention, sometimes simultaneously, often at great personal peril. A convention of technical writing that deserves challenge occurs in the following sentence: "The bracket was fastened...

Important steps in Peru.(international oil company operations)(Editorial)
June 3, 1996... Watch Peru. In the next few years, the resource trove on South America's northwestern coast can become a model for dealings between developing-nation governments and international oil companies. It might also turn into the type of political and...

Brent spar experience haunts N. Sea platform abandonments.
June 3, 1996... Producers have begun work on a number of platform abandonment projects off Norway and U.K while still recovering from the shock of last year's dramatic disruption of a plan to abandon the idle Brent spar loading buoy. Although Brent field...

U.K. North Sea operators see plenty of life left in mature play.
June 3, 1996... The U.K. oil and gas industry is convinced it has a bright future despite current abandonment programs in some of its older offshore fields. The U.K. Offshore Operators Association (Ukooa) has published a report, "Towards 2020," that predicts...

Facilitating research.(removing disincentives from collaborations)(Watching Government)(Column)
June 3, 1996... Budget pressures have put the squeeze on U.S. industry and federal oil and gas research and development in recent years. The Gas Research Institute, Chicago, which conducts an array of R&D for the industry, has felt that pressure. Many of...

Iroquois fined for construction violations.(Iroquois Gas Transmission Company L.P.)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Iroquois Pipeline Operating Co. and four of its top officers have pleaded guilty to violating the U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA) during construction of its 375 mile natural gas pipeline from Ontario to Long Island in 1991-92. A settlement...

Chevron-NGC proposed merger advancing.(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Chevron Corp. and NGC Corp., Houston, have agreed on terms of a merger that will create North America's largest gas and natural gas liquids marketer. The two companies late last month said they had signed definitive agreements to combine NGC's...

PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd. (contact with National Oil Corp. of Libya)(Exploration)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd., Calgary, Clyde Expro plc, London, and Yukong Ltd., Seoul, signed an exploration and production agreement with National Oil Corp. of Libya covering a $17 million, 5 year exploration program in a 5,000 sq km area of...

Unocal Vietnam Exploration Ltd. (contract with Petrovietnam)(Exploration)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Unocal Vietnam Exploration Ltd. signed a production sharing contract with Petrovietnam for exploration of gas prone Block B off Southwest Viet Nam. The block covers more than 1.3 million acres in the northern Malay basin in 180-215 feet of water...

Industrial Fuel Co. (fuel oil product)(Reformulated Fuels)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Industrial Fuel Co. (IFC), Hickory, N.C., is offering a reformulated No. 6 fuel oil for commercial sale. IFC claims the fuel, No. 6 Premium Plus, reduces NOx emissions 35%, particulates 37%, carbon monoxide 24%, and hazardous air pollutants 29%,...

Taiwan's Tuntex Group. (production) (Petrochemicals)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Taiwan's Tuntex Group will spend as much as $7 billion to increase output of petrochemical products in Taiwan and Thailand. Tuntex expects the Thai government to approve within 30 days a license to build an 800,000 metric ton/year paraxylene...

Taiwan's state owned Chinese Petroleum Corp. (stock offering)(Petrochemicals)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Taiwan's state owned Chinese Petroleum Corp. (CPC) notified Taiwan's Securities & Exchange Commission it intends to sell 55.9 million shares of. the recently privatized China Petrochemical Development Corp. (CPDC). Under Taiwan's existing...

Oxiteno Nordeste SA. (financing for plant expansion)(Petrochemicals)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Oxiteno Nordeste SA, Sao Paulo,' received $30 million in financing for expansion of its ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol plant. EO capacity will increase to 235,000 metric tons/year from 130,000 tons/year and EG capacity to 224,000 tons/year from...

Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co. (contract with Fluor Daniel Inc.)(Petrochemicals)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co. let contract to Fluor Daniel for basic engineering and procurement services for the first phase of a $2 billion expansion of the Yanpet petrochemical complex at Yanbu, Saudi Arabia (OGJ, May 20, p. 39). Contract...

Duratherm Inc. (plant expansion)(Environment)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Duratherm Inc., Houston, started up a $3 million expansion and upgrade of its thermal desorption recycling plant. The plant converts hydrocarbon contaminated refinery and petrochemical wastes to nonhazardous materials.

Catalytica Combustion Systems Inc. (patent for nitrous oxide combustion catalyst)(Catalysts)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Catalytica Combustion Systems Inc., Mountain View, Calif., received a patent for its new ultralow NOx combustion catalyst. The catalyst, developed by Catalytica and Japan's Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo KK, is used in Xonon flameless combustion systems....

Rohm & Haas Co. (Rohm and Haas Primene joint venture)(Lubricants)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Rohm & Haas Co., Philadelphia, formed a 50-50 venture with Huls Group company Rohm GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany. The new Rohm & Haas Primene business will supply petroleum additives, including viscosity index improvers, pour point depressants, and...

Massachusetts. (Transgas Inc., joint venture of Cabot LNG Corp. and Colonial Gas Co.)(LNG)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Massachusetts firms Cabot LNG Corp. and Colonial Gas Co. agreed to form a venture to boost the market share of LNG in the U.S. Northeast. The two companies will jointly own Transgas Inc. and a new entity that will offer LNG trucking, storage, and...

Alberta. (funding for Alberta Research Council)(Oilsands)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Alberta and Canada's oilsands industry have extended for 5 years funding for a joint heavy oil research project. The core research program run by the Alberta Research Council will receive $10 million (Canadian) from government and $5 million from...

Cliffs Drilling Co. (acquires 10 oil rigs)(Drilling-Production)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Cliffs Drilling Co., Houston, closed purchase of 10 jack ups operated by the Southwestern Offshore Corp. unit of Viking Supply Ships AS and its affiliates and Production Partner Inc. Consideration is $103.8 million cash, 1.2 million shares of...

Wiser Oil Co. (plans to drill wells in New Mexico)(Drilling-Production)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Wiser Oil Co., Dallas, plans to drill about 100 infill wells in Maljamar oil field in Lea and Eddy counties, N.M., and expand the field's waterflood. By halving spacing to 20 acres, the infill and waterflood programs are expected to boost...

Papua New Guinea's first refinery. (memorandum of understanding for start-up)(Refining)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Papua New Guinea's first refinery moved closer to fruition with project participants signing a memorandum of understanding last week. The $250 million refinery at Motukea would have capacity of about 40,000 b/d and start up by mid1997 (Apr. 18,...

Navajo Refining Co. (upgrade)(Refining)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Navajo Refining Co., Artesia, N.M., chose UOP technology for a revamp of the 18,500 b/d fluid catalytic cracking unit at its 60,000 b/d Artesia refinery. The upgrade will incorporate an Optimix feed distribution system and Vortex separation...

Chevron U.S.A. Products Co. (upgrade)(Refining)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Chevron U.S.A. Products Co. completed the revamp of a 70,000 b/d fluid catalytic cracking unit at its 230,000 b/d Richmond, Calif., refinery. The $300 million project, performed by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Pasadena, Calif., included a...

Techint International Construction Corp. (contract with ABB Lummus Global Inc. for Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. hydrotreating)(Refining)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Techint International Construction Corp., Argentina, let contract to ABB Lummus Heat Transfer, Bloomfield, N.J., on behalf of Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras). The contract is for a medium capacity hydrogen reformer furnace and three process...

Mobil Corp. (takeover of Ampolex Ltd.)(Companies)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Mobil Corp. as of May 23 had acquired more than 75% of common shares held by takeover target Ampolex Ltd., Sydney. The takeover is being blocked by five institutional shareholders holding 65% of preference shares that are refusing Mobil's $1.8...

El Paso Energy Corp. (acquisition bid for Cornerstone Natural Gas Inc.)(Companies)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... El Paso Energy Corp. subsidiary El Paso Energy completed a $6/share cash tender offer for all of the outstanding common stock of Cornerstone Natural Gas Inc., Dallas. Including assumption of $17 million in debt, the deal is worth about $115...

Parsons Latin America. (alliance)(Companies)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Parsons Latin America formed an alliance with Grupo Mexicano de Desarrollo SA and Cia. Brasileira de Projectos e Obras de Mexico SA (CBPO) to pursue oil, gas, refinery, and petrochemical construction projects in Mexico. Parsons Latin America is a...

Northwest Natural Gas. (plans)(Gas Storage)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Northwest Natural Gas, Portland, Ore., plans to spend about $120 million during 5 years to develop more natural gas storage capacity in the Mist field area of Northwest Oregon.

PanEnergy Corp. (PanEnergy Trading and Market Services L.L.C. formed)(Gas Marketing)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... PanEnergy Corp., Houston, and Mobil Corp. affiliates agreed to create a major gas marketing company and for PanEnergy to acquire certain Mobil interests in gas gathering, processing, and intrastate pipelines in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and...

U.S. sanctions against Iran at center stage. (oil and gas industry's Dallas conference)
June 3, 1996... U.S. officials hardened their conflict with Europe over sanctions against Iran and other troublesome countries at an industry conference last month as the European Union made clear it doesn't intend to change. Officials from the U.S. National...

Offshore accent predicted for C.I.S. projects. (Commonwealth of Independent States; Offshore Technology Conference)
June 3, 1996... Oil and gas exploration and development in the Commonwealth of Independent States (C.I.S.) after the turn of the century will focus increasingly offshore. So said Vladislav P. Chtcherbakov, first deputy chairman of Russia's Committee on...

DOE accepts bids for SPR crude. (Department of Energy; Strategic Petroleum Reserve)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... The U.S. Department of Energy has approved offers from three companies to buy 1.075 million bbl of Strategic Petroleum Reserve crude for more than $21 million. A recent budget law requires DOE to sell $227 million worth of oil, or about 12...

Total acquires Midcontinent crude oil pipeline. (Total Petroleum Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Total Petroleum Inc., Denver, has acquired a Midcontinent region crude oil pipeline in a move to gain access to more feedstock for its Denver refinery. The plan aims to replace dwindling supplies from declining wells in eastern Colorado, on...

IPE's plans for gas trading. (International Petroleum Exchange of London Ltd.)
June 3, 1996... The U.K. last April opened part of its residential gas market to competition. Reports said the network code, with its daily balancing requirement for third party supplies through the grid, worked smoothly (OGJ, May 6, p. 50). Gas terminals...

Key Senate energy figure sees warning flags in gasoline prices. (Senate energy committee chairman Frank Murkowski)
June 3, 1996... Patrick Crow Energy Policies Editor The controversy over higher U.S. gasoline prices has returned oil supply/ demand issues to the spotlight in Congress, and Sen. Frank Murkowski (RAlaska) wants to keep them there. Murkowski, chairman of the...

Expandable tube is novel tool for difficult completions, drilling. (expandable slotted tube; oil wells)
June 3, 1996... Expandable tube is novel tool for difficult completions, drilling A novel expandable slotted tube (EST), recently [field tested, offers substantial technical and financial benefits for both drilling and completion operations. The EST has...

Texas plant retrofit improves throughput, C2 recovery. (GPM Gas Co.; Goldsmith plant in Ector County, Texas)
June 3, 1996... GPM Gas Co.'s Goldsmith (Ector Co., Tex.) plant was recently converted from a nominal 90% ethane recovery and 86 MMscfd design capacity two-stage expansion process to a 95% ethane recovery and 135 MMscfd capacity. The project used the Gas...

Refiners focus on FCC catalysts at Q&A meeting.(fluid catalytic cracking, question and answer meeting of the National Petroleum Refiners Association)(NPRA Q&A, part 1)(Panel Discussion)
June 3, 1996... At the most recent National Petroleum Refiners Association question and answer session on refining and petrochemical technology, refiners, suppliers, and other industry participants discussed issues surrounding fluid catalytic cracking (FCC)...

Monitoring pressure buildup helps determine hole cleaning efficiency.
June 3, 1996... A simple, reasonably accurate method of predicting hole cleaning efficiency during drilling only requires control of pump pressure and pulling the drill stem off bottom momentarily. The ability to predict the degree of hole cleaning during...

Stolt Comex Seaway S.A. (joint venture with State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic)(Brief Article)
June 3, 1996... Stolt Comex Seaway S.A,, Aberdeen, Scotland, has signed an agreement with the State Off Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) to form a joint venture company to provide subsea services to oil companies operating in the Azeri and Caspian offshore areas....

Benzene content of subsurface brines can indicate proximity of oil, gas.
June 3, 1996... Over the years geochemists have explored the application of brine benzene analysis as a proximity indicator of petroleum deposits. Such studies have been shown to be highly effective in confirming the approximate distance from a dry hole to a...

Will a bear oil market emerge this summer? Signs are pointing to lower oil prices, especially with OPEC's apparent unwillingness to cut output as it accommodates return of Iraq to world markets. (1996)
June 10, 1996... Will a bear oil market emerge this summer? Signs are pointing to lower oil prices, especially with OPEC's apparent unwillingness to cut output as it accommodates return of Iraq to world markets. Although the Iraqi matter still was unresolved...

Top E&P companies in the U.S. are poised to prosper in the low oil and gas price environment expected through 2000, despite persistent economic hardship. (exploration and production companies)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Top E&P companies in the U.S. are poised to prosper in the low oil and gas price environment expected through 2000, despite persistent economic hardship. So says Arthur Andersen's Victor Burk, releasing results of a study of 35 public oil and...

Prospects remain dim that more efficient operators can spearhead a reversal of the U.S. oil and gas decline.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Prospects remain dim that more efficient operators can spearhead a reversal of the U.S. oil and gas decline. But Burk said many companies, particularly majors, are just beginning to truly understand the costs of their U.S. E&P businesses, an...

Prosperity is at hand for some of the integrated companies as a bullish second quarter winds down. (oil and gas production; service stations; Unocal Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Prosperity is at hand for some of the integrated companies as a bullish second quarter winds down. Unocal expects its adjusted first half earnings will about equal adjusted profits for all of 1995. It cites a dramatic rise in R&M margins and...

MMS has indefinitely postponed a planned Gulf of Alaska/Yakutat offshore lease sale due to lack of industry interest. (Minerals Management Service)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... MMS has indefinitely postponed a planned Gulf of Alaska/Yakutat offshore lease sale due to lack of industry interest. Sale 158 had been scheduled for mid-1997. MMS will consider offering the sale in 2001 as part of the next 5 year leasing plan...

The Clinton administration continues to sell strategic oil supplies as oil prices drift down. (Strategic Petroleum Reserve)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... The Clinton administration continues to sell strategic oil supplies as oil prices drift down. The Defense Fuel Supply Center (DFSC) has accepted Basis Petroleum's bid to buy 470,000 bbl of SPR crude for $18.07/bbl. DOE is selling about 12 million...

Asian LNG growth looks like a juggernaut: demand for LNG in Asia will more than double by 2010. (liquified natural gas; International Energy Agency report)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Asian LNG growth looks like a juggernaut. Demand for LNG in Asia will more than double by 2010, says IEA in a new study. It projects LNG demand in the region will jump to almost 125 million metric tons/year from a little more than 50 million...

Total has begun feasibility study of an LNG project in India. (Total Compagnie Francaise des Petroles S.A.; liquified natural gas)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Total has begun a feasibility study of an LNG project in India. Total and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. extended a cooperative agreement focusing on LPG projects to LNG projects. Plans Call for a 50-50 venture to build and operate a $1 billion, 2-3...

New voice for free trade.(Editorial)
June 10, 1996... The world's most important issue in the post-Cold War era is international trade, which also happens to be the most significant factor in future demand for oil and natural gas. Where once a balance of nuclear terror enforced stability in...

Higher prices, increased demand bolster OGJ group 1995 profits. (Oil & Gas Journal)(Industry Overview)
June 10, 1996... Earnings for Oil & Gas Journal's group of 22 large U.S. petroleum companies totaled $18.1 billion in 1995, up 23.1% from 1994. This compares with a drop of 9.3% in group net income in 1994 from 1993. The 1994 decline resulted mainly from...

Unocal eyes Bangladesh development. (proposed energy project)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Unocal Corp. last week disclosed it has proposed an energy project to the government of Bangladesh that could involve development of gas resources and construction of a gas fired power plant. As a first step, Unocal signed an agreement for a...

Production draws near for Equatorial Guinea. (offshore oil field)
June 10, 1996... Units of Mobil Corp. and UMC Petroleum Corp., Houston, are pressing to start Equatorial Guinea's first commercial oil production by the end of third quarter 1996. The historic flow is to come from Zafiro field on 547,000 acre Block B off Bioko...

Deep thoughts on drilling technology. (deepwater drilling semisubmersible vessel)(Column)
June 10, 1996... A Norwegian drilling contractor recently ordered what is claimed to be the world's first fifth generation semisubmersible (OGJ, Apr. 29, p. 29). Now Norway's Den norske stats oljeselskap AS has pressed the button that will lead to construction...

TAPS' reduced flow to reflect N. Slope decline. (Trans-Alaska Pipeline System)
June 10, 1996... Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. plans to place on standby two of the 10 pump stations on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) July 1 due to declining North Slope oil production. The 800 mile pipeline has moved more than 11 billion bbl of crude...

Sable island group moves toward development. (gas field off eastern Canada)
June 10, 1996... The Sable Island group late last month filed a development plan application (DPA) with Canadian agencies, a step that begins the regulatory approval process for its gas field development proposal off eastern Canada. In addition, a seismic...

Big target seen for Norwegian development. (capital spending for new offshore oil and gas fields; Wood Mackenzie Consultants Ltd. report)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Norway's portfolio of new fields under development and those considered probable developments holds combined reserves of 4.3 billion bbl of liquids and 49 tcf of gas. That is the conclusion of Wood Mackenzie Consultants Ltd., Edinburgh, which...

Exploration marks slow progress in Irish Sea. (United Kingdom's Department of Transport)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Operators are concerned that the U.K. Department of Transport (DoT) is putting a hold on their plans to drill wildcats in the U.K. Irish Sea. An industry source said DoT's reluctance to approve drilling plans has caused problems for Elf...

Gas group seeks improved complaint process. (Pipeline Customer Coalition)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... The Pipeline Customer Coalition, a group of nine U.S. business associations, has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create a faster, more effective complaint process. The request was filed in FERC's recourse/negotiated rate...

Wood Mackenzie: Timor Sea decision near. (whether to continue drilling in the Zone of Cooperation Area)
June 10, 1996... Decision time is drawing near for development of substantial discoveries in the Zone of Cooperation Area (ZOCA) of the Timor Sea. Industry is exploring ZOCA under a treaty between Australia and Indonesia. "Exploration in ZOCA has resulted in...

World Bank urges lead phaseout. (leaded gasoline)(Brief Article)(Column)
June 10, 1996... The World Bank is pushing for a world phaseout of leaded gasoline to reduce health problems faced by 1.7 billion persons in developing countries. Managing Director Caio KochWeser said, "The benefits of doing away with leaded gasoline are...

Deepwater royalty relief spelled out. (Gulf of Mexico, US Minerals Management Service)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... The U.S. Minerals Management Service has issued an interim rule that sets conditions for suspending royalty payments for oil and gas produced on certain deepwater Gulf of Mexico leases. The rule also details terms for granting royalty relief on...

BP group signs Caspian Sea PSC. (production sharing contract)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... A group of companies led by BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. has signed an agreement with State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (Socar) that will lead to exploration of Shah Deniz prospect in the Caspian Sea. The prospect, formerly...

U.S. Ex-Im Bank to support plant revamp in Russia. (Export-Import)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... The U.S. Export-Import Bank has completed agreements supporting Stone & Webster's sale of $60 million in equipment and services for a Russian refinery modernization. The Houston company said exports could potentially involve more than 30 U.S....

Mobil Corp. commissioned its second double hull very large crude carrier at Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd.'s Oppama, Japan, shipyard.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Mobil Corp, commissioned its second double hull very large crude carrier at Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd.'s Oppama, Japan, shipyard. The 280,000 dwt Raven, 317 m long and 58 m wide, can carry 2.2 million bbl of oil.

About 225 employees of 14 Norwegian drilling and other service/supply contractors went on strike May 31.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... About 225 employees of 14 Norwegian drilling and other service/supply contractors went on strike May 31 after their demands for easier work schedules were rejected. Operations of Den norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil), Norsk Hydro AS, Saga...

Marathon Pipeline Co. was charged with violations of the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. (naphtha pipeline spill of June 19, 1993)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Marathon Pipeline Co. was charged with violations of the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act related to a June 19, 1993, naphtha pipeline spill that killed wildlife in Macon County, Ill. The law carries a maximum penalty of a $10,000 criminal fine...

U.S. Transportation Department's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) is distributing 1.4 million copies of an emergency response guidebook.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... U.S. Transportation Department's Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) is distributing 1.4 million copies of an emergency response guidebook to police, fire, and other emergency units that might respond to chemical spills. The book...

CMS Gas Transmission & Storage Co., Dearborn, Mich., and Heritage Gas Services LLC, Tulsa, formed Cherokee Gas Processing LLC.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... CMS Gas Transmission & Storage Co., Dearborn, Mich., and Heritage Gas Services LLC, Tulsa, formed Cherokee Gas Processing LLC, which acquired the Lucien gas gathering system and related assets in Oklahoma from Phillips Petroleum Co. unit GPM Gas...

Statoil completed the Haltenpipe gas pipeline from Heidrun platform in the Norwegian Sea to Tjeldbergodden in central Norway.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Statoil completed the Haltenpipe gas pipeline from Heldrun platform in the Norwegian Sea to Tjeldbergodden in Central Norway. The line will carry gas from Heidrun field to a new methanol plant that is due to receive first gas in October. Two...

RSPA issued a final rule changing various administrative practices in its pipeline safety program.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... RSPA issued a final rule changing various administrative practices in its pipeline safety program. The rule also makes minor changes in rules for gas detection, protective enclosures, and pipeline testing temperatures. RSPA said the changes will...

U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a $13.7 million project planned by Williams Natural Gas, Tulsa, to expand gas service to Springfield, Mo. (Oklahoma, Missouri)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a $13.7 million project planned by Williams Natural Gas, Tulsa, to expand gas service to Springfield, Mo. Construction of the 28.2 mile extension of 20 in. pipeline is to be complete by...

Enron Oil & Gas Co., Houston, found more gas in northwest Alberta's Wapiti area. (Texas)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Enron Oil & Gas Co., Houston, found more gas in Northwest Alberta's Wapiti area. its Wapiti 6-4-68-7W6 wildcat, drilled to 7,700 ft, was completed and connected to a gathering system. It is producing 31 MMcfd. in addition to a 100% working...

Amerada Hess Ltd. chartered from Transocean ASA, Tananger, Norway, the Transocean 8, Transocean Discoverer, and Kan Tan IV semisubmersible rigs.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Amerada Hess Ltd. chartered from Transocean ASA, Tananger, Norway, the Transocean 8, Transocean Discoverer, and Kan Tan IV semisubmersible rigs. Transocean 8 will be upgraded to drill for 2 years West of Shetland beginning in spring 1997....

Marathon Oil U.K. Ltd. let contract to McDermott Marine Construction Ltd.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Marathon Oil U.K. Ltd. let contract to McDermott Marine Construction Ltd., London, to carry out preliminary engineering of West Brae field development in the North Sea. West Brae will be a subsea satellite of Brae A platform, possibly in...

BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. started production from South Magnus oil and gas field in the northern U.K. North Sea.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. started production from South Magnus oil and gas field in the northern U.K. North Sea. The field, on Block 211/12a, was developed with a subsea well tied back to Magnus platform, 7 km north. Production started...

Statoil let a $33 million contract to Kvaerner AS, Oslo, for a separation package.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Statoil let a $33 million contract to Kvaerner AS, Oslo, for a separation package. The unit will be installed on a production ship being built for development of Aasgard fields in the Norwegian Sea. The unit will have capacity to treat 200,000...

Elf Exploration U.K. plc. let contract to Santa Fe Drilling Co.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Elf Exploration U.K. plc let contract to Santa Fe Drilling Co. (North Sea) Ltd., Aberdeen, for drilling additional development wells in Elgin and Franklin gas/condensate fields in U.K.'s Central North Sea area. Elf earlier let contract to Santa...

Unocal Indonesia Co. started production from Seguni oil and gas field in the Mahakam Delta area off East Kalimantan.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Unocal Indonesia Co. started production from Seguni oil and gas field in the Mahakam Delta area off East Kalimantan. Current production is more than 6,700 b/d of oil and 9 MMcfd of gas from five completions. Production is expected to climb after...

DLB Oil & Gas Inc., Oklahoma City, closed its purchase of producing leases, mineral rights, and leasehold acreage.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... DLB Oil & Gas Inc., Oklahoma City, closed its purchase of producing leases, mineral rights, and leasehold acreage, mainly in Oklahoma, from Amerada Hess Corp. for $35 million. Involved are 44 fields, nine of which DLB will operate, and 1,196...

Montell Technology Co. BV signed a license agreement for its Spherilene gas phase polyethylene technology with Brazil's Ipiranga Petroquimica SA.(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Montell Technology Co. BV signed a license agreement for its Spherilene gas phase polyethylene technology with Brazil's Ipiranga Petroquimica SA. The technology will be used in a 130,000 metric ton/year capacity plant to be built at Triunfo, Rio...

A gas leak at Lyondell Petrochemical Co.'s Mont Belvieu terminal near Houston ignited June 2, damaging piping and control systems.(Houston, Texas)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... A gas leak at Lyondell Petrochemical Co.'s Mont Belvieu terminal near Houston ignited June 2, damaging piping and control systems. No one was injured, and the fire was extinguished in about 1 1/2 hr. Lyondell is studying options for feedstock...

Outtrim Szabo Associates Ltd., Calgary, agreed to provide engineering training and consulting services to a Chinese petroleum agency. (Calgary, Alberta)(Brief Article)
June 10, 1996... Outtrim Szabo Associates Ltd., Calgary, agreed to provide engineering training and consulting services to a Chinese petroleum agency. Outtrim will give a 13 week training program in Calgary on reservoir evaluation, risk analysis, and other...