The Oil and Gas Journal articles from November 1998

The Oil and Gas Journal archives from November 1998

Newsletter.
November 2, 1998... Climate change concerns continue to target the energy industry, and fossil fuels in particular, in the shadow of the Nov. 2-13 Buenos Aires meeting on climate change strategy (see related stories on pp. 27-39). Germany's new green coalition...

U.S. INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD2.
November 2, 1998... U.S. INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD2 4 wk. 4 wk. avg. % Year-to-date Latest week 10/23 average year [ago.sup.*] change [average.sup.*] Demand (1,000 b/d) Motor gasoline...

LETTERS.
November 2, 1998... Regeneration Your special report, "Regeneration industry helps refiners control costs, limit liabilities" (OGJ, Oct. 12, 1998, p. 49), provides an excellent overview of current market conditions. Indeed, Engelhard and its competitors...

Gasmen (and women) of the Roundtable.
November 2, 1998... Washington, D.C., isn't exactly an oil town, but it's still home to a couple hundred oil and gas company employees. Some of them occasionally meet as part of coalitions and task forces, and at meetings and hearings. But that's business. ...

The EU's view of energy.
November 2, 1998... An important clue to European Union thinking about energy comes from a Nov. 18, 1997, communication on environment and employment. "The economies of the European Union are characterized by 'underuse' of labor resources and 'overuse' of natural...

IEA calls for tougher U.K. energy policy.
November 2, 1998... The International Energy Agency, Paris, has called for tougher energy policies from the U.K. government to improve its performance on emissions, energy security and fuel diversity, and regulation. In a new review of U.K. energy policy, IEA...

DTI seeking input on U.K. power market plans.
November 2, 1998... The U.K. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has published a consultative document on planned reforms to the regulation of Britain's electricity and gas supply industries. DTI said it is seeking industry's views on: legislation to bring...

Fossil fuels becoming more 'sustainable'.
November 2, 1998... Fossil fuels are expected to dominate the global energy industry well into the next century, as a result of continuing technological improvements. Better methods of finding and producing oil and natural gas, increased efficiency in energy...

U.K. independents need radical ploy?(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... The U.K.'s seven remaining sizable independent exploration and production companies will survive the current downturn only by taking radical action. This is the warning of Tim Whit-taker, senior analyst in the London office of Commerzbank...

Petrobras signs 2nd E&P JV deal.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Petroleo Brasileiro SA has signed its second Brazilian upstream joint venture with foreign firms, this time with a group led by Coastal Corp., Houston. The first such JV was signed with a group led by Argentina's YPF SA, late last month...

Nippon Oil, Mitsubishi Oil agree to merge.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Nippon Oil Co. and Mitsubishi Oil Co. have agreed to merge, forming Japan's largest oil company. Nippon Oil, Japan's second-largest refiner/marketer, and Mitsubishi Oil Co., the sixth largest, last week said they have agreed to a merger...

Canadian refiners cite sulfur rule threat.
November 2, 1998... New rules unveiled by Canada's federal government to reduce sulfur content in gasoline could have severely damage the competitive position of Canadian refineries, says the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute (CPPI). Federal Environment...

Shell, Lurgi push new PTT process.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Shell Chemicals Ltd. and Lurgi Zimmer AG, Frankfurt, have unveiled a new process to make polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), a polymer used in carpets and textiles and as an engineering thermoplastic. Under a cross-licensing agreement,...

CGES cites cause of oil price rally.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... The recent oil price rally was all too brief because it was based on special factors. So says London's Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES), which noted, "Dated Brent (crude) averaged $13.40/ bbl in September, but there were special...

Caspian realities.
November 2, 1998... The Clinton administration has dropped its push, at least for now, to get an alternative pipeline built to export Caspian Sea production. After meeting with executives of U.S. oil companies active in the Caspian, U.S. officials conceded it...

BP Oil International Ltd.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... BP Oil International Ltd. was fined for manipulating the price of Brent crude in trading on London's International Petroleum Exchange (IPE). While describing the case as "very embarrassing," BP said the four staffers involved were not aware...

South Africa's Petronet.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... South Africa's Petronet discovered a rupture in its 600-km refined products pipeline from Durban to Johannesburg that leaked 1,550 bbl of fuel oil onto farmland in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province. The sharp drop in pipeline pressure...

Two tankers collided.
November 2, 1998... Two tankers collided near Bad Salzig, Germany, spilling the entire cargo of a Dutch tanker barge--about 1,200 bbl of gasoline--into the Rhine River. A German tanker's rudder jammed, causing the vessel to hit the Dutch tanker, slashing a 13 ft...

An explosion and fire.
November 2, 1998... An explosion and fire killed seven contractor employees working on a Sonat Exploration Co.-owned rig in Bryceland, La., 45 miles east of Shreveport. The incident occurred as a natural gas well was being drilled, but, at presstime, the cause of...

British-Borneo Petroleum Syndicate plc.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... British-Borneo Petroleum Syndicate plc, London, produced 15,000 b/d of first oil from its newly installed Seastar monohull tension-leg platform in Morpeth field in 1,700 ft of water in the Gulf of Mexico (OGJ, Aug. 24, 1998, p. 35)....

Unocal Corp.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Unocal Corp. and PTT Exploration & Production plc reached a 50-50 joint venture agreement to build a $18 million petroleum service/supply base on the southern Songkhla coast of Thailand that will support oil and gas exploration and production...

Venture Production Ltd.,.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Venture Production Ltd., Aberdeen, acquired a 55% interest in Brighton Marine field off Trinidad under a joint operating agreement with Trinidad and Tobago state oil firm Petrotrin Ltd. Venture said the 60 sq km field had original oil reserves...

China Offshore Oil Bohai Corp.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... China Offshore Oil Bohai Corp. (Coobc) expects to produce 20,000 b/d of oil by 2004 through two oil fields being developed simultaneously in China's Bohai Bay. The project, estimated to cost 7.29 billion yuan, involves installing seven fixed...

Cabre Exploration (Cyprus) Ltd.'s.
November 2, 1998... Cabre Exploration (Cyprus) Ltd.'s Rabeh 2 well in Egypt's West Esh El Mallaha region initially flowed 1,630 b/d of 28.4[degrees] gravity oil through a 1/2-in. choke with minimal water and gas. Afterward, the well was logged, cased, and tested...

Mobil Oil Canada Ltd.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Mobil Oil Canada Ltd. agreed to sell the first natural gas to Nova Scotia buyers from the Sable Offshore Energy Project (OGJ, Oct. 19, 1998, P. 27). The company signed a 5-year contract with Duke Energy Marketing LP and Stora Port Hawkesbury...

Vitol SA Inc.(Vitol SA Inc. makes its first shipment of crude oil from the Hibernia oil field near Newfoundland, Canada)(Business Brief)(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Vitol SA Inc. unit North Atlantic Refining Ltd. bought the first shipment of 430,000 bbl of crude oil from Hibernia oil field off Newfoundland, which started up in November (OGJ, Oct. 26, 1998, p. 86). Petro-Canada, Norsk Hydro AS, and Canada...

Saba/Koch consortium.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Saba/Koch consortium, composed of Wichita-based Koch Industries Inc. and Imasab SA de CV, controlled by Mexico City's Isaac Saba, agreed to buy Frankfurt-based Hoechst AG's majority holdings in its polyester fibers and resins business for an...

PacifiCorp.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... PacifiCorp., Portland, Ore., plans to divest some of its noncore investments over the next year. The company will divest its natural gas storage and marketing unit, TPC Corp.; its eastern U.S. electrity trading business, PacifiCorp Power...

ARCO Alaska Inc.(ARCO Alaska Inc. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. announce gas production levels)(Business Brief)(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... ARCO Alaska Inc. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. gauged a flow rate of 10.6 MMcfd of gas in its 1 Lone Greek Moquawkie discovery well through a 33/64-in. choke with 925 psi flowing tubing pressure from 53 ft of perforations at 2,400 ft (OGJ, Sept....

Medusa Oil & Gas.
November 2, 1998... Medusa Oil & Gas, a unit of Aberdeen-based Ramco Energy plc, and partner Moravske Naftove Doly AS (MND), the former Czech state oil company, plan to purchase more land and drill an exploration well in the Brezi-Mikulov license area, along the...

Elf Aquitaine.
November 2, 1998... Elf Aquitaine unit Elf Congo and partners found oil in a third appraisal well in the Haute Mer deep-water area off the Congo. The well, drilled in 812 m of water, flowed on test 6,800 b/d from two Tertiary zones. Partners in the Haute Mer block...

A royal commission.
November 2, 1998... A royal commission headed by Jeff Kennett, Premier of Australia's Victoria state, will investigate the September explosion and fire at Esso Australia Ltd./BHP Petroleum Pty. Ltd.'s Longford natural gas treating plant. It is estimated the...

Fina Oil & Chemical Co.,.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Fina Oil & Chemical Co., Plano, Tex., let contract to Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. unit Jacobs Serete, Paris, for an undisclosed amount to provide basic engineering for a 380,000 ton/year polypropylene production line at its Feluy, Belgium,...

Chevron Chemical Co. LLC.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Chevron Chemical Co. LLC let a contract to Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. for the engineering and construction of a polyisobutylene train to its Oak Point Oronite additives plant at Belle Chasse, La. The $70 million expansion will increase...

Nova Corp.,.
November 2, 1998... Nova Corp., Calgary, and Huntsman Corp. agreed to exclude Huntsman's North American expandable polystyrene (EPS) assets from Nova's proposed acquisition of Huntsman's styrenics operations (OGJ, Aug. 3,1998, p. 28). The deal, valued at $744...

PP&L Global Inc.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... PP&L Global Inc. unit PP&L Resources Inc., Allentown, Pa., plans to develop and construct a $250 million, 500-600-MW gas-fired power plant in eastern Pennsylvania, near Martins Creek. Expected to be in service by early 2002, the plant will be...

El Paso Energy Corp.
November 2, 1998... El Paso Energy Corp. unit El Paso Energy International Co., Houston, along with partners Ogden Energy Group and Wartsila NSD North America Inc., started construction of a $120 million, 115MW oil and gas-fired power plant at Haripur, Bangladesh....

Chevron Nigeria Ltd.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Chevron Nigeria Ltd. and Nigeria National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) signed a 20-year agreement with a consortium led by KMR Power to provide 40 MMcfd of natural gas for KMR's 220-MW power plant at Tema, Ghana. The agreement lays the groundwork for...

U.S. Minerals Management Service.
November 2, 1998... U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the exchange of information regarding offshore oil, gas, and mineral resources between the two organizations....

Talisman Energy Inc.,.
November 2, 1998... Talisman Energy Inc., Calgary, drilled a gas appraisal well in Alberta's Lovett River area that flowed 17.4 MMcfd. In addition to the newly drilled Cordel well, the Lovett River pipeline project will double the company's gas sales from the...

Conoco (U.K.) Ltd.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Conoco (U.K.) Ltd. let a [pounds]12 million contract to Coflexip Stena Offshore Ltd., Aberdeen, to install pipelines in 35 m of water in Europa gas field on North Sea Block 49/22. Europa is being developed with a minimum facilities platform...

New designs advance spar technology into deeper water.
November 2, 1998... Lew Skaug is engineering manager, Spars international Inc., Houston. He previously worked for Shell Oil Co. and various engineering companies, primarily in designing topsides production facilities and project management. Skaug has a BS in...

Concentric riser will reduce mud weight margins, improve gas-handling safety.
November 2, 1998... John M. Shaughnessy is a senior staff drilling engineer with Amoco Corp. He is a member of Amoco's deepwater drilling team and is currently working with Transocean Offshore on the development and construction of the Discoverer Enterprise. ...

New J-lay vessel targets offshore Angola, Brazil.
November 2, 1998... A NEW DEEPWATER J-LAY VESSEL WILL BE BUILT over the next 2/12 years for installing pipelines offshore Angola. Saibos CML, a 50/50 joint venture (JV) of Bouygues Offshore (Montigny le Bretonneux, France) and Saipem, Milan, has received bids...

Here are design procedures for installing deepwater PLEM.
November 2, 1998... Robert T Gilchrist Jr. is a senior staff engineer with Shell Deepwater Development Systems Inc., Houston. He joined Shell in 1978 and has undertaken assignments with Shell Pipe line Corp., Shell Oil Products, and Shell Development Co. From 1993...

New residue process increases conversion, produces stable residue in Curacao refinery.
November 2, 1998... Roger Marzin is a process engineer in the refining and petrochemicals group at Pdvsa-Intevep, Los Teques, Venezuela. He has over 15 years' experience in R&D activities related to heavy-oil upgrading and is presently involved in the commercial...

Acrylate monomer solution stops artesian water, geopressured sand flows.
November 2, 1998... Larry Eoff is a principal chemist II in the conformance group at the Halliburton Energy Services Inc. Technology Center in Duncan, Okla. He has been with Halliburton for 7 years in both conformance and cement product development. Eoff holds a...

New vehicle provides versatile transport.
November 2, 1998... The new Cushman RangeCat rough terrain work vehicle is engineered to deliver reliable personnel and cargo transport in oil field uses. Available with or without tracks, the eight wheel drive vehicle features durable welded steel...

MOVES AND PROMOTIONS.
November 2, 1998... DJ Services Co., Aberdeen, Scotland, has named Dee Maclean marketing coordinator for the company's BJ Process and Pipeline Services Div. (BJ PPS). Maclean is responsible for handling all marketing communications activities surrounding BJ...

Knowledge, technology improvements boosting U.S. upstream opportunities.
November 2, 1998... Is the U.S. running out of upstream opportunities? The intuitive case that it has seems to be overwhelming. Petroleum, after all, is the classic nonrenewable resource. Nowhere in the world has more effort gone into exploring, developing, and...

Correction.
November 2, 1998... Errors appeared in articles describing world turbidite giant fields. Most involved reserves figures in OGJ, Oct. 12, 1998, p. 95, Table 1. The correct figures are: Albacora field off Brazil, 550 million bbl of oil plus 400 bcf of gas....

Australia.(Santos Ltd. workers in South Australia have announced a new gas discovery near Moomba gas plant)(Business Brief)(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... The Santos Ltd.-led Cooper basin explorers in South Australia have made a new gas find about 20 km southwest of the Moomba gas plant. The Shiraz 1 wildcat flowed 3 MMcfd of gas on a 1/2 in. choke from Lower Permian Patchawarra sands at...

Czech Republic.(Medusa Oil and Gas Ltd. and Moravske Naftove Doly AS operate joint venture in southeastern Czech Republic)(Business Brief)(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... A joint venture plans to spud the Brezi-3 exploratory well by yearend 1998 on the Brezi-Mikulov license just east of Dolni Dunajovice gas storage field in southeastern Czech Republic. The drillsite is about 55 miles northeast of Vienna on...

Thailand.(Esso Exploration and Production Khorat Inc. conduct new development drilling at Namphong gas field in northeastern Thailand)(Business Brief)(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Esso Exploration & Production Khorat Inc. has resumed development drilling at Namphong gas field in northeastern Thailand. Drilling of two wells is in progress as part of Esso's agreement with the Petroleum Authority of Thailand to boost...

Arkansas.
November 2, 1998... Genesis Producing Co., Corpus Christi, staked wildcats to the Lower Jurassic Louark Group in Little River and Hempstead Counties. The sites are in 11-13s-30w, Little River County, 2 miles west of Ashdown, and 4-12s-24w, Hempstead County, 2...

Kansas.(Woolsey Petroleum Corp. of Wichita, Kansas announces new oil discovery in Barber County)(Business Brief)(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Woolsey Petroleum Corp., Wichita, Kan., completed a flowing oil discovery in Barber County. The I Bouziden Trust, in 13-34s14w, is capable of flowing more than 700 b/d of oil at 1,990 psi shut-in pressure without water from Ordovician...

Louisiana.(Brammer Engineering Inc. of Shreveport, Louisiana announces a gas discovery in Natchitoches Parish)(Business Brief)(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Brammer Engineering Inc., Shreveport, completed a Cretaceous Rodessa discovery in Natchitoches Parish. The 1 Pullig, in 1-13n-7w, flowed 2.068 MMcfd of gas and 2 b/d of 45.3[degrees] gravity condensate with 2,530 psi FCP from perforations...

Texas.(Clayton Williams Energy Inc. and Anschutz Exploration Corp. announce new Texas oil and gas discoveries)(Business Brief)(Buyers Guide)
November 2, 1998... East Clayton Williams Energy Inc., Midland, Texas, has a probable gas discovery at its first Jurassic Cotton Valley pinnacle reef test, sited via 3D seismic interpretation. The 1 Fazzino Unit, in Robertson County, cut 600 ft of reef...

API AUGUST U.S. WELL [COMPLETIONS.sup.*].
November 2, 1998... API AUGUST U.S. WELL [COMPLETIONS.sup.*] Oil Gas Dry Total wells Footage wells Footage holes Footage [wells.sup.+] August 1998 739 3,757,989...

API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS.
November 2, 1998... API IMPORTS OF CRUDE ANDPRODUCTS Districts 1-4 District 5 10-23 10-[16.sup.*] 10-23 10-[16.sup.*] 1998 1998...

OGJ CRACK SPREAD.
November 2, 1998... OGJ CRACK SPREAD 10-23-[98.sup.*] Change 10-24-[97.sup.*] Change % $/bbl change SPOT PRICES Product value ...

API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS.
November 2, 1998... API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS Motor gasoline Blending Jet fuels Crude oil Total...

API REFINERY REPORT--OCTOBER 23, 1998.
November 2, 1998... API REFINERY REPORT--OCTOBER 23, 1998 REFINERY OPERATIONS Total Input refinery Crude to crude...

OGJ GASOLINE PRICES.
November 2, 1998... OGJ GASOLINE PRICES Price ex tax 10-21-98 ...

BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT.
November 2, 1998... BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT 10-23-98 10-24-97 Alabma 5 3 Alaska 11 12 Arkansas 2 7 California 28 ...

OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT.(Oil and Gas Journal, oil production statistics for October 1997-98)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... OBJ PRODUCTION REPORT [10-23-98.sup.*] [10-24-97.sup.+] (1,000 b/d) (Crude oil and lease condensate) Alabama ...

U.S. CRUDE PRICES.(October 23, 1998)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... U.S. CRUDE PRICES ([$/bbl.sup.*]) 10-23-98 Alaska-North Slope 27[degrees] 8.01 Southern Louisiana Light 12.50 California-Kern River 13[degrees] 9.00 Lost Hills...

REFINED PRODUCT PRICES.(October 16, 1998)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... REFIND PRODUCT PRICES 10-16-98 ([cent]/gal) Spot market product prices Motor gasoline (Conventional-regular) New York Harbor ...

SMITH RIG COUNT.(Smith International Inc., October 1997-98)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... SMITH RIG COUNT 10-23-98 10-24-97 Proposed depth Rig % Rig % (ft) count [footage.sup.*] count [footage.sup.*] 0-...

WORLD CRUDE PRICES.(October 16, 1998)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... WORLD CRUDE PRICES ([$/bbl.sup.*]) 10-16-98 United Kingdom-Brent 38[degrees] 12.17 Russia-Urals 32[degrees] 10.87 Saudi light 34[degrees] 12.48...

AGA NATURAL GAS [STORAGE.sup.*].(American Gas Association, October 1998 statistics)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... AGA NATURAL GAS [STORAGE.sup.*] 1O-16-98 10-9-98 Change (bcf) Producing region 869 845 24 Consuming region east 1,723 1,695 28 Consuming...

PACE REFINING MARGIN.(statistics for August-October 1997-1998)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... PACE REFINING MARGIN Aug. Sept. Oct. Oct. % 1998 1998 1998 1997 Change change $/bbl U.S. Gulf Coast West Texas Sour ...

U.S. NATURAL GAS BALANCE DEMAND/SUPPLY SCOREBOARD.(summer 1998)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... U.S. NATURAL GAS BALANCE DEMAND/SUPPLY SCOREBOARD July Total YTD July June July change YTD ...

WORLDWIDE NGL PRODUCTION.(natural gas liquids, summer 1997-98)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... WORLDWIDE NGL PRODUCTION 7 month Chg. vs. average previous July June Production ...

OXYGENATES.(statistics for August and July 1997-98)(Illustration)
November 2, 1998... OXYGENATES Aug. July YTD YTD 1998 1998 Change 1998 1997 Change 1,000 bbl Fuel ethanol Production 2,709 2,625 84 20,904...

U.S. COOLING DEGREE [DAYS.sup.*].
November 2, 1998... U.S. COOLING DEGREE [DAYS.sup.*] 1998% change Total degree days Aug. Aug. from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31 ...

Dutch gas plant uses polymer process to treat aromatic-saturated water.
November 2, 1998... A gas-processing plant in Harlingen, The Netherlands, operated by Elf Petroland has been running a porous-polymer extraction process since 1994 to remove aromatic compounds from water associated with produced natural gas. In the period,...

Petrobras signs 2nd E&P JV deal.(Coastal Corp, Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.)
November 2, 1998... Petroleo Brasileiro SA has signed its second Brazilian upstream joint venture with foreign firms, this time with a group led by Coastal Corp., Houston. The first such JV was signed with a group led by Argentina's YPF SA, late last month...

CGES cites cause of oil price rally.
November 2, 1998... The recent oil price rally was all too brief because it was based on special factors. So says London's Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES), which noted, "Dated Brent (crude) averaged $13.40/ bbl in September, but there were special...

BP Oil International Ltd.
November 2, 1998... BP Oil International Ltd. was fined for manipulating the price of Brent crude in trading on London's International Petroleum Exchange (IPE). While describing the case as "very embarrassing," BP said the four staffers involved were not aware...

Two tankers collided.(Brief Article)
November 2, 1998... Two tankers collided near Bad Salzig, Germany, spilling the entire cargo of a Dutch tanker barge--about 1,200 bbl of gasoline--into the Rhine River. A German tanker's rudder jammed, causing the vessel to hit the Dutch tanker, slashing a 13 ft...

Unocal Corp.
November 2, 1998... Unocal Corp. and PTT Exploration & Production plc reached a 50-50 joint venture agreement to build a $18 million petroleum service/supply base on the southern Songkhla coast of Thailand that will support oil and gas exploration and production...

China Offshore Oil Bohai Corp.
November 2, 1998... China Offshore Oil Bohai Corp. (Coobc) expects to produce 20,000 b/d of oil by 2004 through two oil fields being developed simultaneously in China's Bohai Bay. The project, estimated to cost 7.29 billion yuan, involves installing seven fixed...

Mobil Oil Canada Ltd.
November 2, 1998... Mobil Oil Canada Ltd. agreed to sell the first natural gas to Nova Scotia buyers from the Sable Offshore Energy Project (OGJ, Oct. 19, 1998, P. 27). The company signed a 5-year contract with Duke Energy Marketing LP and Stora Port Hawkesbury...