The Oil and Gas Journal articles from March 2001

The Oil and Gas Journal archives from March 2001

Halliburton cementing crew sets new world records using Reverse Circulation method.
March 26, 2001... Wyaming -- Two world records were eclipsed recently in a well operated by Denver-based Barrett Resources. Bullfrog Unit #9-13, located in Natrona County, was cemented using the Reverse Circulation method in conjunction with the ZoneSeal[TM]...

Successful ZoneSeal[TM] Isolation Process creates $2.9 million economic value and eliminates potential for lost circulation.
March 26, 2001... Nova Scotia -- During normal drilling operations on a well in the Thebaud field, off shore Sable Island, a channel formed between the conductor pipe and the surface hole. There was potential for losing both the well and the drilling jacket if...

WORLD OIL SUPPLY, DEMAND.
March 26, 2001... WORLD OIL SUPPLY, DEMAND 1Q00 2Q00 3Q00 4Q00 2000 1Q01 2Q01 3Q01 4Q01 (Million b/d) Demand OECD 47.9 46.3 47.7 48.4 47.6 49.1 46.6 48.0...

IEA ratchets down demand forecast.
March 26, 2001... Higher oil prices and a slowing economy--a slowdown that those higher oil prices are contributing to--are cutting into oil demand growth. In its March oil market report, IEA lowered its projection for 2001 world oil demand for the fourth...

Futures prices, refining margins slip.
March 26, 2001... The NYMEX and IPE futures markets recently reflected what has been happening to the physical markets for crude. Adequate supply and weaker refinery demand in the Atlantic Basin caused the short-term forward price curves for WTI and Brent...

Trade data track market.
March 26, 2001... With its latest market report, IEA makes crude and product trade data a regular feature "in the spirit of promoting greater market transparency." New tables show OECD regional imports by supplier for crude, gasoline, gas oil and diesel,...

US INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD -- 3/26.
March 26, 2001... US INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD -- 3/26 Latest week 3/16 4 wk. 4 wk. avg. % Year-to-date average year ago [1] change average [1]...

DRILLING RIG CONTRACTORS ARE URGED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS DURING THE MARKET UPTURN.
March 26, 2001... The future success of the oil and gas drilling industry "rests on our ability to change our cost structure and engage the best talents," the chairman of the International Association of Drilling Contractors said. Thomas P. Richards,...

SEG'S PRESIDENT-ELECT CONTENDS THAT GEOPHYSICISTS WILL EXPAND INTO OTHER INDUSTRIES.
March 26, 2001... Future geophysicists will apply the skills and technology developed for oil and gas exploration to environmental, engineering, infrastructure development, and other industries yet unimagined, said Walt Lynn, SEG president-elect, in Houston...

US SECRETARY OF ENERGY SPENCER ABRAHAM.
March 26, 2001... US SECRETARY OF ENERGY SPENCER ABRAHAM said last week that the Bush administration would issue its energy strategy recommendations in a few weeks. Abraham outlined the general policies underlying that strategy in a talk at a US Chamber...

PICKING UP THE ENERGY POLICY CHALLENGE FROM ABRAHAM, PRESIDENT BUSH.
March 26, 2001... PICKING UP THE ENERGY POLICY CHALLENGE FROM ABRAHAM, PRESIDENT BUSH said last week the US needs to develop more refining capacity to prevent future product shortages. "We think that--the major impact on gasoline prices, if they go up, is...

API.
March 26, 2001... API became the second trade group to sue US EPA over controversial low-sulfur diesel rules. API asked the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to overturn EPA's rule 2 weeks after the Bush administration said it planned to carry out...

LNG IMPORT TERMINALS TAKE CENTER STAGE THIS WEEK IN GAS PROCESSING.
March 26, 2001... BP plans to spend more than $180 million on the first phase of a JV project to construct China's first LNG import terminal. BP was chosen to negotiate exclusively a role as partner in a JV to develop the Guangdong project in southern...

Chevron.
March 26, 2001... In other gas processing news, Chevron said it is reviewing options for importing LNG to the US West Coast. If deemed economically viable, LNG could begin arriving as early as 2005. Earher this month, Phillips Petroleum and El Paso Corp....

A QUARTET OF EUROPEAN COMPANIES HAS BEEN SELECTED TO DEVELOP BONGA OIL AND GAS FIELD OFF NIGERIA.
March 26, 2001... Shell Nigeria E&P, on behalf of Nigerian National Petroleum, awarded a string of major contracts to four European companies for the development of its $2.4 billion deepwater Bonga oil and gas field off the West African state. The field...

PanCanadian Petroleum.
March 26, 2001... Rounding out development news, PanCanadian Petroleum announced plans for a $1 billion (Can.) development at its Deep Panuke gas field, which has estimated reserves of 1 tcf. Companies have staked out extensive acreage in the region and are in...

Sheer Energy (Cyprus).
March 26, 2001... Sheer Energy (Cyprus) has won an $88 million service contract to redevelop Masjed-I-Suleyman (MIS) oil field in Iran. National Iranian Oil negotiated the contract, which is expected to become final within 90 days. MIS field was the first oil...

Kellogg Brown & Root.
March 26, 2001... Kellogg Brown & Root, a business unit of Halliburton, the contractor for the Malampaya platform, said SembCorp Engineering International has completed construction of the topsides for the platform, slated for Malampaya gas field development...

BJ Services and Precision Drilling.
March 26, 2001... BJ Services and Precision Drilling said that Petroleos Mexicanos has awarded them a contract to drill and complete 240 gas wells in the Burgos basin. The basin covers more than 50,000 sq km in northeastern Mexico near Camargo. The...

IN REFINING NEWS.
March 26, 2001... IN REFINING NEWS, PDVSA said a Japanese-Venezuelan consortium signed a $300 million engineering, procurement, and construction contract for the expansion of the Puerto La Cruz refinery. The 200,000 b/d refinery has been processing 150,000...

China Petroleum & Chemical.
March 26, 2001... Elsewhere on the refining front, China Petroleum & Chemical completed a 3-year revamp and expansion at its Qilu refinery. Qilu's sour crude capacity was increased to 6 million tonnes/year. All five revamped units and three new units are in...

CANADIAN OIL SANDS PRODUCTION CONTINUES TO BUILD.
March 26, 2001... Deep Creek Energy has applied for regulatory approval to build a $20-30 million (Can.) pilot plant in the Alberta oil sands region. 40 miles north of Fort McMurray. The proposed plant would produce 2,000 b/d of oil by mid-2002. Deep...

TOPPING EXPLORATION ACTION THIS WEEK.
March 26, 2001... TOPPING EXPLORATION ACTION THIS WEEK, Canadian Superior Energy said it will spud a wildcat on its Marquis prospect off Nova Scotia by September. The prospect is 20 km northwest of Sable Island, which is 250 km southeast of Halifax, NS....

Fusion Oil & Gas.
March 26, 2001... In other exploration action, Fusion Oil & Gas signed a petroleum concession contract with Cameroon for exploration of the deepwater Ntem permit in the Southern Douala/Kribi-Campo basin. The prospect--an area of 2,080 sq km where water depths...

IN THIS WEEK'S PETROCHEMICAL NEWS.
March 26, 2001... IN THIS WEEK'S PETROCHEMICAL NEWS, Thai Olefins Co. and Indorama Group have announced a JV to develop a $200 million monoethylene glycol plant on the Thai eastern seaboard. The plant, the First of its kind in Thailand, will be capable of...

FERC APPROVED THE GUARDIAN PIPELINE PROJECT FOR ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN AND EXPANSION OF A SONAT SYSTEM IN THE US SOUTHEAST.
March 26, 2001... Guardian Pipeline would build a 141-mile, 36-in. system to carry up to 750 MMcfd from the Chicago hub near Joliet, Ill., to Ixonia, Wis. (OGJ, Mar. 29, 1999, p. 27). Also, an 8.5-mile, 16-in. lateral is planned to near Eagle, Wis....

China National Petroleum.
March 26, 2001... In other pipeline happenings, China National Petroleum has authorized its subsidiary Petroleum Longchang Group to raise funds to build a 1,247-km oil products pipeline. Longchang is expected to raise 189,54 million yuan for the line, which...

Saipem Inc.
March 26, 2001... Saipem Inc., as contractor for the TotalFinaElf-led Canyon Express project in the Gulf of Mexico, has awarded Saibos CML--a 50-50 subsidiary of Bouygues offshore Group and Saipem SPA--a $30 million contract to lay pipe for the project. Saibos...

El Paso Natural Gas.
March 26, 2001... El Paso Natural Gas has again delayed a 2-day test of repairs to a 30-in. natural gas pipeline that ruptured and exploded Aug. 19, 2000, near Carlsbad, NM, killing 12 persons (OGJ Online, Aug. 21, 2000). Workers were still cleaning the...

(Re)Searching the Internet.
March 26, 2001... In today's fast-moving business environment, up-to-the-minute business information often makes the difference between being leading edge and being left behind. The internet is a great source of current and historical business...

Energy problems in focus.
March 26, 2001... There's nothing like shortage to focus the official mind on energy. While Californians struggle with intermittent power outages, sensible observations about energy are finding voice in Washington, DC. First, President George W. Bush...

New markets, business models.
March 26, 2001... key to future Russian oil production increases The ability to expand domestic and foreign markets, not limited access to working capital, will determine oil production in the Russian Federation within the next 5 years. This is the...

Oil spill concerns linger after Brazil platform disaster.
March 26, 2001... Concerns over a possible worsening oil spill are the latest repercussions from the worst offshore oil industry disaster in years, the loss of the P-3 6 semisubmersible production platform in the Campos basin off Brazil earlier this month. ...

Murkowski: Energy bill a policy starting point.
March 26, 2001... US Senate Committee on Energy and natural Resources Chairman Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-Alas.) last week said his omnibus energy bill is a "starting point" that will be used to help frame a national energy policy with the help of Democrats and...

[CO.sub.2] battles just beginning.
March 26, 2001... Climate change is a divisive issue for the oil industry. The reason is simple: it's not easy being green, especially when companies are madly chasing capital just to keep the drillbit going. Oil companies, after all, are in the business of...

OPEC deems 1 million b/d production cut 'prudent'.
March 26, 2001... The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries considers its agreement to cut crude production by another 1 million b/d effective Apr. 1 to be a "prudent" measure to stem declining oil prices in the second quarter. But the group must...

Near-field of dreams.
March 26, 2001... To scan Bassoe Offshore Consultant Ltd.'s latest rig update for the North Sea, the upturn in drilling activity on which the UK oil and gas industry pinned its hopes during the darker days of the region's hard-fought recovery looks finally to...

Geologic insights listed into Africa, Brazil.
March 26, 2001... deepwater exploration Triton Energy Corp.'s discovery of Ceiba field off Equatorial Guinea highlights key concepts of the geology and exploration potential of the central and southern Atlantic Ocean region (Fig. 1). Ceiba is in an...

Planning affects deepwater Apia, Black Widow projects.
March 26, 2001... Intensive preplanning and coordination among completion team members allowed Mariner Energy Inc. (MEI) to begin production at 40 MMcfd on its Apia well (Gulf of Mexico, Garden Banks 73 No. 1) only 6 1/2 months after discovery (Fig. 1). ...

Intelligent fuzzy system helps offshore platform start-up.
March 26, 2001... Intelligent systems with a fuzzy controller can play an important role in controlling and managing start-ups of offshore facilities. This technology has been instrumental in operations on the Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras)...

Spanish refinery takes precautions in alky-unit design.
March 26, 2001... In February 2000, BP's Castellon, Spain, refinery commissioned a new hydrofluoric acid (HF) alkylation unit, employing Phillips Petroleum Co.'s HF alkylation process. The 3,500-b/sd alkylation unit was part of a $36.8-million project to make...

CORRECTION.
March 26, 2001... The value indicated by the bar for the year 2015 was misrepresented in the figure that appeared in OGJ's Asia's Downstream Future special report (OGJ, Feb. 19, 2001, p. 68). The corrected figure is shown above.

Platte inspection program supports alternative to hydrostatic testing.
March 26, 2001... Platte Pipe Line's use of a new inspection tool to identify seam-weld defects revealed that the transverse field inspection (TFL) tool had less impact on pipeline operations and provided greater assurance than hydrostatic testing for the...

Electronic energy trading begins to take hold.
March 26, 2001... The energy industry was a little late to the dot-com party but was not damaged by the market crash of last spring. While slow to embrace electronic commerce, the energy industry is very information intensive and very conducive to internet...

New energy pricing tool needed to stave off capital starvation for energy companies.
March 26, 2001... Given the high energy prices and record earnings now being reported by energy companies, access to capital should improve in 2001. Yet the public equity markets remain in a volatile state and most energy companies continue to complain about...

California crisis underscores need for hedging energy price risk.
March 26, 2001... The recent crisis in California's electric power sector points to the critical importance of being able to use certain financial instruments as tools to hedge energy price risk. The prospect of power disruptions spreading to other US...

Re-examining the Metallgesellschaft affair and its implication for oil traders.
March 26, 2001... The Metallgesellschaft AG (MG) affair of 1993-94 conveyed three central messages to the petroleum industry: one pertaining to the relationship between hedging and speculating, one pertaining to corporate governance, and one pertaining to...

Hand-held, noncontact infrared thermometer.
March 26, 2001... The new DHS110 Heat Spy Series of compact, hand-held, noncontact infrared thermometers provides a completely portable, easy to use, cost-effective, and accurate means to measure surface temperatures in process or maintenance applications. Its...

New downhole caliper.
March 26, 2001... New DigiCal downhole calipers convert mechanically recorded downhole information to e-data at the surface using digital scanning technology. DigiCal combines high pressure, high temperature capabilities of Kinley Corp. calipers with...

New pressure transmitter.
March 26, 2001... Its diagnostic capabilities include high- or low-signal limit alarms; peak value registers that store the maximum and minimum values for pressure, sensor temperature, and electronics temperature; and two programmable watchdog timers that...

OGJ CRACK SPREAD.
March 26, 2001... OGJ CRACK SPREAD 3-16-01 [*] 3-17-00 [*] Change % $/bbl change SPOT PRICES Product value 31.63 35.12 -3.49...

API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS.
March 26, 2001... API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS Motor gasoline Blending Jet fuels Crude oil Total Comp. [2] ...

API REFINERY REPORT--MARCH 16, 2001.
March 26, 2001... API REFINERY REPORT--MARCH 16, 2001 REFINERY OPERATIONS Total Input refinery Crude to crude Operable % District ...

API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS.
March 26, 2001... API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS Districts 1.4 District 5 3-16 3-9 [1] 3-16 3-9 [1] 2001 2001 ...

OGJ GASOLINE PRICES.
March 26, 2001... OGJ GASOLINE PRICES (Approx. prices for self-service unleaded gasoline) Price Pump Pump ex tax price [*] price ...

REFINED PRODUCT PRICES.
March 26, 2001... REFINED PRODUCT PRICES Spot market product prices 3-9-01 ([cent]/gal) Motor gasoline (Conventional-regular) New York Harbor ...

BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT.
March 26, 2001... BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT 3-16-01 3-17-00 Alabama 5 0 Alaska 15 5 Arkansas 3 0 California ...

SMITH RIG COUNT.
March 26, 2001... SMITH RIG COUNT 3-16-01 3-17-00 Proposed depth Rig % Rig % (ft) count footage [*] count footage [*] 0-2,500 57 3.5 ...

OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT.
March 26, 2001... OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT (Crude oil and lease condensate) 3-16-01 [1] 3-17-00 [2] (1,000 b/d) Alabama 29 31 Alaska 969 ...

U.S. CRUDE PRICES.
March 26, 2001... U.S. CRUDE PRICES ($/bbl) [*] 3-16-01 Alaska-North Slope 27[degrees] 17.49 Southern Louisiania Light 24.75 California-Kern River 13[degrees] 19.75 Lost Hills...

WORLD CRUDE PRICES.
March 26, 2001... WORLD CRUDE PRICES ($/bbl) [1] 3-9-01 United Kingdom-Brent 38[degrees] 25.65 Russia-Urals 32[degrees] 22.75 Saudi light 34[degrees] 24.53 Duabi...

AGA NATURAL GAS STORAGE [*].
March 26, 2001... AGA NATURAL GAS STORAGE [*] 3-9-01 3-2-01 Change (bcf) Producing region 225 236 -11 Consuming region east 341 402 -61 Consuming region west ...

WORLD OIL BALANCE.
March 26, 2001... WORLD OIL BALANCE 2000 1999 3rd 2nd 1st 4th 3rd 2nd qtr. qtr. qtr qtr. qtr. qtr. ...

US PETROLEUM IMPORTS FROM SOURCE COUNTRY.
March 26, 2001... US PETROLEUM IMPORTS FROM SOURCE COUNTRY Chg. vs. Average previous Nov. Oct. YTD year ...

OECD [*] NET OIL IMPORTS.
March 26, 2001... OECD [*] NET OIL IMPORTS Chg. vs. previous Sept. Aug. July Sept. year ...

OECD [*] IMPORTS FROM OPEC.
March 26, 2001... OECD [*] IMPORTS FROM OPEC Chg. vs. previous Sept. Aug. July Sept. year ...

OIL STOCKS IN OECD [*] COUNTRIES.
March 26, 2001... OIL STOCKS IN OECD [*] COUNTRIES Chg. vs. previous Oct. Sept. Aug. Oct. year ...

EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION IN THE INTERNET AGE--THE SURVIVAL OF THE SMARTEST.
March 26, 2001... Talking about the evolution of the species, Charles Darwin wrote that: "It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones more responsive to change." As in evolution, so in business, the key to survival...

APPLIED TERRAVISION SYSTEMS INC.
March 26, 2001... APPLIED TERRAVISION SYSTEMS INC. 15280 Addison Road, Suite 200 Addison, TX 75001 Phone: 972.788.0400 Fax: 972.788.0502 website: www.atsi.com Kathy Neill - Corporate Marketing Director 972-383-6053 ...

AVATAR SYSTEMS LTD.
March 26, 2001... AVATAR SYSTEMS LTD. 5728 LBJ Frwy., #270 Dallas, TX 75240 Phone: 972.720.1800 Fax: 972.720.1900 Toll Free: 800.490.0055 972.720.1800 Ext. 105 rday@avatarsystems.net Web Page: www.avatarsystems.net ...

ENERTIA-SOFTWARE.COM.
March 26, 2001... ENERTIA-SOFTWARE.COM 600 N. Marienfeld Suite 340 Midland, TX 79701 Phone: (915) 685-1753 Fax: (915) 685-1130 E-mail: sales@enertia-software.com Website: www.enertia-software.com Enertia is a completely...

GWIZ SYSTEMS, INC.
March 26, 2001... GWIZ SYSTEMS, INC. 165 S. Union Blvd., #135 Lakewood, CO 80228-2211 Phone: 303.987.2238 Fax: 303.986.5558 Toll Free: 800.823.DAVE E-mail: larryb@gwsi.com Web Page: www.gwsi.com Robin Gregory, Pres. ...

IDEAS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
March 26, 2001... IDEAS INTERNATIONAL, INC. 220 S. Orange Avenue Livingston, NJ 07039 Phone: 877-GO IDEAS 973-992-8000 Fax: 973-992-8788 Email: sales@ideasintl.com Web Page: www.ideasintl.com Contact: Lucie Atamian, Global Sales...

METROSOFT, LLC.
March 26, 2001... METROSOFT, LLC 1437 S. Boulder, Suite 1080 Tulsa, OK 74119 (918) 665-6514 ext.248 Fax: (918) 382-5035 E-mail: choffman@sogas.com Web Page: www.sogas.com "SOGAS," Simplified Oil and Gas Accounting Software, is...

PARADIGM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
March 26, 2001... PARADIGM TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 1099 18th St., #2400 Denver, CO 80202-1924 Phone: 303.292.0990 Fax: 303.292.18121 E-mail: paradigm@paradigmtech.com Web Page: www.paradigmtech.com J. Brian Searles, CEO & Pres. ...

QUESTA SOFTWARE SYSTEMS, INC.
March 26, 2001... QUESTA SOFTWARE SYSTEMS, INC. 500 W. Illinois, #650 Midland, TX 79701 Phone: 915.684.1155 Fax: 915.684.6881 E-mail: sales@questasoftware.com Web Page: www.questasoftware.com Jean Junker, Pres. Ann Hankins,...

ROUGHNECK SYSTEMS INC.
March 26, 2001... ROUGHNECK SYSTEMS INC. 107 E. Hwy. 80 Forney, TX 75126 Phone: 972.552.5204 Fax: 972.552.9623 Toll Free: 800.635.5846 E-mail: sales@ruff.com Website: http://www.ruff.com Cecelia Dulin, Sls. Rep. Nikki...

WOLFEPAK SOFTWARE, INC.
March 26, 2001... WOLFEPAK SOFTWARE, INC. 2901 South First Abilene, TX 79605 Phone: 800.299.1543 Fax: 915.677.1599 E-mail: sales@wolfepak.com Website: www.wolfepak.com Charles Wolfe, CPA, Pres. Charlie@wolfepak.com Gene Brady,...

A2D TECHNOLOGIES.
March 26, 2001... A2D TECHNOLOGIES 2345 Atascocita Road Humble, TX 77396-3504 Phone: 88.564.5463 Fax: 281.319.4945 E-mail: a2d@a2d.com Web Page: www.a2d.com Dave Kotowych, Pres. davek@a2d.com Bill Ross, Exec. VP ...

IHS ENERGY GROUP.
March 26, 2001... IHS ENERGY GROUP 15 Inverness Way East Englewood, CO 80112 Phone: 1-888-OIL-DATA Fax: 303-736-3150 E-mail: sales @ihsenergy.com Website: www.ihsenergy.com John Redfern, President Mike McCrory, Exec. VP &...

KARL THOMPSON & ASSOCIATES.
March 26, 2001... KARL THOMPSON & ASSOCIATES 4418 Bluebonnett Stafford, TX 77477 P.O. Box 1947 Stafford, TX 77497 Phone: 281-240-8333 email: jim@seisbase.com WEB: www.seisbase.com KTA has provided depth conversion and...

BAKER JARDINE AND ASSOCIATES LTD.
March 26, 2001... BAKER JARDINE AND ASSOCIATES LTD 19 Heathmans Road, SW6 4TJ England Phone: +44 (0) 207 371 5644 Parsons Green, London, Fax: +44 (0) 207 371 5182 Email: info@bjalondon.com Website: www.bakerjardine.com...

DIGITAL FORMATION, INC.
March 26, 2001... DIGITAL FORMATION, INC. 6000 E. Evans Ave., #1-400 Denver, CO 80222-5415 Phone: 303.770.4235 Fax: 303.770.0432 E-mail: info@digitalformation.com Web Page: www.digitalformation.com Michael Holmes, Pres. ...

GEONET SERVICES, INC.
March 26, 2001... GEONET SERVICES, INC. 6575 West Loop South, #180 Houston, TX 77401 Phone: 713.292.0102 Fax: 713.292.0195 E-mail: info@geonetservices.com Web Page: www.geonetservices.com Eric Deliac, Pres. Bill Micho, VP...