The Oil and Gas Journal articles from October 1998

The Oil and Gas Journal archives from October 1998

Newsletter.
October 5, 1998... Almost 20 years after nationalizing its oil industry, Saudi Arabia is showing signs of inviting U.S. petroleum firms back into the country. Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz reportedly held a private meeting with representatives of seven...

U.S. INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 10/5.
October 5, 1998... U.S. INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 10/5 4 wk. 4 wk. avg. % Year-to-date Latest week 9/25 average year [ago.sup.*] change [average.sup.*] Demand (1,000 b/d) Motor...

One project at a time.
October 5, 1998... It's amazing that an industry beset by low and unstable oil prices could have so many grassroots and expansion projects pending or under construction. I've become even more aware of those ventures since becoming editor of North American...

EIA: Natural gas biggest winner in restructuring of power industry.
October 5, 1998... The U.S. Energy Information Administration concludes in a new report that natural gas will be the biggest winner to benefit from restructuring of the U.S. electric power industry. EIA said, "Restructuring will change the financial risks...

DOE funds research to aid independents.
October 5, 1998... The U.S. Department of Energy has selected two university research teams to apply advanced computer modeling and artificial intelligence (Al) in projects to lower costs and risks of oil and gas exploration. The California Institute of...

U.S. refining crude slates continue towards heavier reeds, highersulfur contents.
October 5, 1998... The Author Edward I. Swain is an independent consultant in Houston. He is retired from Beditel Corp., where he was a process planning engineer. Before joining Bechiel, he worked for UOP and Velstool Chemical Corp. He was a BS in chemical...

Batching, treating keys to moving refined products in crude-oil line.
October 5, 1998... Judy S. Baum is a senior project and process engineer with VECO Engineering Ltd., Burnaby, B.C. Before joining VECO Engineering, she was employed by the process division of Westcoast Energy where she held various technical and line management...

How indexes have changed.
October 5, 1998... Nelson-Farrar indexes for finished steels changed randomly during the period 1994-1997. Generally speaking, the alloy steels changed less than carbon steel products. Alloy bars started the period with an index value of 851.0 and finished...

WORLDWIDE CONSTRUCTION.
October 5, 1998... Listed are major construction projects by processing and pipeline categories. Contractors, estimated completion date and added capacity are provided when available. *Designates projects listed for the first time. Construction project...

Landry Service Co., Inc. (LANSCO).
October 5, 1998... Landry Service Co., Inc. (LANSCO), Houston, Tex., has announced that a proposed acquisition of LANSCO by HydroChem Industrial Services, Inc. was called off when parties were unable to negotiate a definitive agreement (Aug. 3, 1998, p. 68). ...

Tru-Tec Services, Inc.
October 5, 1998... Tru-Tec Services, Inc., La Porte, Tex,, has acquired the assets and technology of Quality NDT, an inspection company specializing in rapid inspections of piping, vessels, furnace tubes for cracks, fissures, corrosion, and wall thinning...

Sao Tome acreage boosts Mobil off West Africa.
October 5, 1998... Here is a first look at the large area of blocks off West Africa that a Mobil affiliate will evaluate in the Sao Tome & Principe Exclusive Economic Zone. Under the Sept. 10 technical assistance agreement with Sao Tome and Principe National...

Geosat starts up R&D on exploration sensor.
October 5, 1998... Dave Koger is proprietor of Koger, Remote Sensing, Fort Worth, and immediate past chairman of the Geosat Commitee. E-mail: dkoger@aol.com. Dr. Rebecca L. Dodge is Geosat research and training director at the Pan American Center for Earth...

Dynamic positioning, compact power system create new life forsemisubmersible.
October 5, 1998... A compact power system, together with the addition of dynamic positioning capabilities, are among the changes that have been made to Noble Drilling Corp.'s newly redesigned semisubmersible, Paul Wolff (Fig. 11. scheduled for departure this fall...

OGJ CRACK SPREAD.
October 5, 1998... OGJ CRACK SPREAD [9-25-98.sup.*] [9-26-97.sup.*] Change % $/bbl change SPOT PRICES Product value 18.45 ...

API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS.
October 5, 1998... API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS Districts 1-4 District 5 9-25 [9-18.sup.*] 9-25 [9-18.sup.*] 1998 ...

API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS.
October 5, 1998... API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS Motor gasoline Crude oil Total PAD I ...

API REFINERY REPORT--SEPTEMBER 25, 1998.
October 5, 1998... API REFINERY REPORT--SEPTEMBER 25, 1998 REFINERY OPERATIONS Total Input refinery Crude to crude Operable %...

OGJ GASOLINE PRICES.
October 5, 1998... OGJ GASOLINE PRICES Price ex tax 9-23-98 (Approx. prices far self service unleaded gasoline) Atlanta ...

BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT.
October 5, 1998... BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT 9-25-98 9-25-97 Alabama 7 4 Alaska 12 11 Arkansas 2 15 California 30 33 ...

OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT.
October 5, 1998... OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT [9-25-98.sup.*] [9-26-97.sup.+] (1,800 b/d) (Crude oil and lease condensate) Alabama ...

U.S. CRUDE PRICES.
October 5, 1998... U.S. CRUDE PRICES [($/bbl).sup.*] 9-25-98 Alaska-North Slope 27[degrees] 8.10 Southern Louisiana Light 15.00 California-kerm River 13[degrees] 10.00 Lost Hills...

WORLD CRUDE PRICES.
October 5, 1998... WORLD CRUDE PRICES [($/bbl).sup.*] 9-18-98 United Kingdom-Brent 38[degrees] 13.48 Russia-Urals 32[degrees] 12.98 Saudi light 34[degrees] 12.70...

REFINED PRODUCT PRICES.
October 5, 1998... REFINED PRODUCT PRICES 9-18-98 ([cent]/gal) Spot market product prices Motor gasoline (Conventional-regular) New York Harbor ...

SMITH RIG COUNT.
October 5, 1998... SMITH RIG COUNT 9-25-98 9-26-97 Proposed depth Rig % Rig % (ff) count [footage.sup.*] count [footage.sup.*] 0-2,500 11...

PACE REFINING MARGINS.
October 5, 1998... PACE REFINING MARGINS July Aug. Sept. Sept. % 1998 1998 1998 1997 Change change $/bbl U.S. Gulf Coast West Texas Sour...

WORLDWIDE NGL PRODUCTION.
October 5, 1998... WORLDWIDE NGL PRODUCTION 6 month Chg. vs. average Previous June May Production ...

U.S. NATURAL GAS BALANCE DEMAND/SUPPLY SCOREBOARD.
October 5, 1998... U.S. NATURAL GAS BALANCE DEMAND/SUPPLY SCOREBOARD June Total June May June change YTD ...

OXYGENATES.
October 5, 1998... OXYGENATES July June YTD YTD 1998 1998 Change 1998 1997 Change 1,000 bbl Fuel ethanol Production 2,625 2,485 140 18,195...

U.S. COOLING DEGREE [DAYS.sup.*].
October 5, 1998... U.S. COOLING DEGREE [DAYS.sup.*] 1998 % change Total degree days July July from Jan. 1 through July 31 ...

U.S. INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 10/12.
October 12, 1998... U.S. INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 10/12 4 wk. 4 wk. avg. % Year-to-date Latest week 10/2 average year [ago.sup.*] change [average.sup.*] Demand (1,000 b/d) Motor...

Thanks, Prof. Kaminsky.
October 12, 1998... Have you noticed that plastics seem clearer, lighter, and more durable in recent years? You can thank metallocene-based catalysts for that. Although the metallocene molecule was discovered in 1951, it was not considered for commercial...

The environmental divide.
October 12, 1998... The oil and gas industry has split geographically over environmental politics. The division runs north and south down the middle of the northern Atlantic. From positions on global warming to handling of radical pressure groups, there has come...

Asia's petrochemical sector still reeling from economic collapse.
October 12, 1998... As the economic crisis in Asia deepens, the petrochemical sector remains one of the hardest hit sectors in the region. Moreover, cautious forecasts of recovery in Asia suggest that it will be several years before demand rebounds to the...

BASF unveils N. America chemicals strategy.
October 12, 1998... Germany's BASF AG has chosen North America as a target area for chemicals growth. Its expansion strategy in the region is focused on three production sites: Freeport, Tex.; Geismar, La.; and Altamira, Mexico. U.S. subsidiary BASF Corp.,...

Methanol capacity growing too rapidly; supply glut looms.
October 12, 1998... With about 6 million metric tons/year of methanol capacity expected to come on stream during 1998-2001, the world is headed for a serious supply glut, says James R. Crocco, executive vice-president of methanol studies for Chemical Market...

Petrochemicals to lead naphtha demand growth.
October 12, 1998... Growth in naphtha demand during 1997-2005 will be led by increases in the use of naphtha as feedstock for olefins and aromatics units. During the period, these petrochemical uses will increase their share of total naphtha demand to 46.9% from...

Kellogg offers fractionation technology.
October 12, 1998... M.W. Kellogg Ltd., London, has begun offering licenses for its Divided Wall Column (KDWC) distillation technology, proven at a BP Oil Ltd. refinery in the U.K. Kellogg claims KDWC provides a significant increase in fractionation...

API says fuel tests back sulfur plan.
October 12, 1998... The American Petroleum Institute says existing technology will allow automakers to meet tougher U.S. tailpipe emissions standards without imposing a national standard for sulfur in gasoline. It said that results from a Coordinating Research...

Ashland settles pollution claims.
October 12, 1998... Ashland Inc. has agreed to spend $32.5 million to settle U.S. government allegations that its refineries in Minnesota, Ohio, and Kentucky have illegally discharged pollutants and failed to report violations. The U.S. Department of Justice...

DOE funds GTL study for TAPS.
October 12, 1998... The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the University of Alaska-Fairbanks a $560,235 contract to study the best method for shipping petroleum liquids synthesized from North Slope natural gas through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS)....

India's outlook.
October 12, 1998... India's crude oil production continues to slip, removing any lingering doubts over the growing importance of imports to meet domestic energy needs. Imported oil meets about 60% of the nation's petroleum requirements, and India's former...

Victoria gas supplies restarting after blast.
October 12, 1998... Limited natural gas flows to the Australian state of Victoria have been restarted following an almost total cessation of gas deliveries. The supply crisis was the result of a series of explosions and resulting fires at the Longford gas...

FERC acts to streamline pipeline permitting.
October 12, 1998... The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has acted to streamline its rules governing natural gas pipeline construction applications. FERC issued two notices of proposed rulemaking (NOPRs) and announced a technical conference on...

First gas sent via U.K.-Belgium line.
October 12, 1998... The Interconnector pipeline linking Bacton terminal in the U.K. to Zee-brugge terminal in Belgium delivered first gas as scheduled Oct. 1. The 150-mile, 40-in. Interconnector was built for [pounds]430 million ($725 million) and has capacity...

Shell holds firm on Thai asset sale.
October 12, 1998... A large difference between bid and asking prices is holding up the planned sale by Royal Dutch/Shell of two concessions in northern Thailand. A sale deal was scheduled to be put before a Shell shareholders' meeting on Sept. 9 for approval,...

California leads '97 U.S oil reserves growth.
October 12, 1998... California's old heavy oil fields accounted for almost half the year-to-year increase in U.S. proved oil reserves in 1997. It was the first time in a decade that the estimate of U.S. proved reserves of crude oil rose from year to year. U.S....

Shell, Enron eye gas, power in Brazil.
October 12, 1998... Shell International Gas Ltd., London, and Enron International, Houston, have agreed to develop a $500 million natural gas-based power project at Cuiaba, in Brazil's Mato Grasso state. The two firms will jointly develop a gas-fired,...

Renaissance Energy Ltd.
October 12, 1998... Renaissance Energy Ltd., Calgary, signed an agreement with Carbon Resources Ltd. (CRL), a subsidiary of Colorado's Automated Transfer Systems Corp., to develop a system to convert stranded natural gas to clean liquid fuels. The companies will...

South Africa's.(Mossgas, Dresser-Kellogg contract)
October 12, 1998... South Africa's state synthetic fuels producer Mossgas let a $300 million contract to Dresser-Kellogg Energy Services Ltd., Woking, U.K., to develop E-M offshore gas field and its satellites off South Africa. Mossgas currently uses gas from F-A...

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.(well tested off South Africa)
October 12, 1998... Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Dallas, drilled a third appraisal well in E-BD field in the Bredasdorp basin off South Africa (OGJ, July 6, 1998, p. 43). E-BD4, drilled updip of the E-BD1 discovery well, cut a 32-m oil-bearing interval at 2,600...

Petrolex Energy Corp.(gas well testing)
October 12, 1998... Petrolex Energy Corp., a 64.73%-owned subsidiary of Colombia's Coplex Resources NL, successfully completed an open hole test of its Compae 2 appraisal well on the Maracas association contract in northern Colombia. On test, the well flowed 7.9...

Imperial Oil Ltd.(tax refunds)
October 12, 1998... Imperial Oil Ltd., Toronto, received an additional $140 million (Canadian) from Revenue Canada as a result of a court challenge made to a tax ruling on its operations during 1974-90. The company has already received tax refunds of $847 million...

A unit of Equatorial Energy Inc.(Energy Process Services Ltd. acquisition)
October 12, 1998... A unit of Equatorial Energy Inc., Vancouver, B.C., acquired Energy Process Services Ltd. (EPS) from First Dynasty Mines Ltd., Singapore, for $18.5 million. EPS's principal asset is an 80% interest in Sembakung oil field in Kalimantan,...

Saudi Arabian Texaco Inc.(discovery in partitioned zone with Kuwait Oil Co.)
October 12, 1998... Saudi Arabian Texaco Inc. and Kuwait Oil Co. found oil and gas in the Partitioned Neutral Zone (PNZ) between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The jointly operated Humma 4 discovery well flowed at a rate of 3,400 b/d of 32[degrees] gravity oil and sweet...

AI-Jubail Petrochemicals Co.(receives loans)
October 12, 1998... AI-Jubail Petrochemicals Co. (Kemya) signed a $720 million loan with a group of local, regional, and international banks to finance expansion projects. The projects, to be completed in 2000, will add 1.35 million metric tons/year of...

Canada's National Energy Board.(Alliance Pipeline approved)
October 12, 1998... Canada's National Energy Board and several other federal agencies recommended environmental approval for the proposed Alliance Pipeline project to move natural gas from British Columbia to Chicago (OGJ, Aug. 25, 1997, p. 29). The board said the...

El Paso Energy International Co.(partnership with Global Energy Inc.)
October 12, 1998... El Paso Energy International Co., Houston, entered into a 50-50 partnership with Global Energy Inc., Cincinnati, to build and own a [pounds]71 million natural gas-fired power plant near Fife, Scotland. The plant, being built in two phases, will...

Regeneration industry helps refiners control costs, limit liabilities.(catalyst report 1998)(Industry Overview)
October 12, 1998... About this report... THIS YEAR'S CATALYST report deals with a variety of options, issues, and tasks that refiners face in their catalyst programs. Covered are spent catalyst regeneration, catalyst selection processes, dense loading vs....

Refiner outlines hydroprocessing catalyst selection, developmentstrategies.
October 12, 1998... Philip J. Angevine is manager, hydroprocessing, for Mobil Technology Co. (MTC), Paulsboro, N.J. He has worked at MTC (and its predecessor, Mobil R&D Corp.) since 1976. He has been involved in various petroleum R&D areas including resid...

New EPA rule will affect spent catalyst management.
October 12, 1998... Cesar Trevino has been Criterion's vice-president, sales, since the company's formation in 1988. He is responsible for marketing Criterion's entire product line of nonproprietary catalysts in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa....

Dense and sock catalyst loading compared.
October 12, 1998... John T. Wooten is president of Catalyst Handling Service Co., which is a joint-venture company of Reactor Services international. He has spent 24 years in the catalyst-handling industry, managing projects in the U.S., Asia Pacific rim, and...

Redesigned jack up elevating system expands harsh-environmentoperating range.
October 12, 1998... Redesigned jacking gears and triangular-shaped legs will allow a next-generation jack up to expand its water-depth rating in the North Sea, creating the possibility of bottom-supported drilling east and north of the Shetland Islands. The...

Examples illustrate sour gas and oil facility design.
October 12, 1998... Two examples illustrate the design required to tie-in sour gas and oil wells to production facilities. These designs are typical for the western Canadian environment and economics. This article is the conclusion of a two-part series on...

Electronic valve actuator.
October 12, 1998... The new Accutronix MX multiturn valve actuator features a human interface with new commissioning and diagnostic functions that help reduce start-up and maintenance costs. The units apply patented technology, which include an optical absolute...

New seismic source.
October 12, 1998... M2S-5000 is a new configurable marine seismic source. It is an autonomous containerized source, which can be installed on most supply ships in less than 2 days. This source was designed to operate with a minimal crew. In this modular...

Oxygen analyzer.
October 12, 1998... This new portable 0-10 ppm full scale oxygen analyzer is suited for use in air liquefaction, separation, transportation of gases using nitrogen and argon as background gases; and other applications in oil, gas, and petrochemical operations. It...

New gas shutoff valve.
October 12, 1998... A new valve is designed to provide fast shutoff to gaseous flow. At pressures of 100-900 psia, shutoff times are less than 75 ins, with pressure drops of less than 7 psid at 25,000 lb/hr flow. The valve design allows minimum pressure drop...

MOVIES AND PROMOTIONS.
October 12, 1998... Cameron division of Cooper Cameron Corp., Houston, Tex., has named Dalton L. Thomas president. Thomas had been vice president and general manager, Eastern Hemisphere for Cameron since 1995. Hal J. Goldie succeeds Thomas as vice president...

Lessons learned from 43 turbidite giant fields.
October 12, 1998... Repsol Exploracion SA Henry Pettingill is manager of portfolio risk analysis for Repsol Exploracion in Madrid, where his team oversees Repsot's worldwide prospect inventory. Before joining Repsol in 1996, he was employed by Royal...

Total Quality Environmental Management-An ISO 14000 Approach.
October 12, 1998... Total Quality Environmental Management-An ISO 14000 Approach, by Vasanthakumar N. Bhat. Published by Quo rum Books, Greenwood Publishing Group P.O. Box 5007, Westport, Conn. 068815007.288 pp., $59.95. This book explains in-depth how to...

E&D operations increasing off South Africa.
October 12, 1998... Exploration and development operations are building off South Africa. Soekor E&P (Pty.) Ltd., Cape Town, and Pioneer Natural Resources Co., Dallas, hope to start oil production in mid-2000 from the previously discovered E-BD/E-CE oil, gas,...

Drilling, 3D seismic due at Oregon field.
October 12, 1998... The redrill of a temporarily abandoned wildcat offered a solid boost for more exploratory drilling in Mist gas field, Oregon's only producing area. Enerfin Resources Northwest, operator for itself and Bellwether Exploration Co., Houston,...

Algeria.
October 12, 1998... Burlington Resources Inc. and Anadarko Petroleum Corp. are acquiring a large 3D seismic survey in the Menzel Lejmat area of eastern Algeria. The 200 sq km survey is an extension of an ongoing 2,000 km project, making the combined survey...

California.
October 12, 1998... Lario Oil & Gas Co., Denver, plans to acquire 97 sq miles of 3D seismic data in four surveys by yearend 1998 and 150 sq miles next year in the Sacramento basin. Lario is completing four Cretaceous wells in 20n-2w, Willows-Beehive Bend...

Louisiana.
October 12, 1998... Texoil Inc., Houston, agreed to buy 10 fields in South Louisiana and South Texas from Sonat Exploration Co., approximately doubling Texoil's size. Texoil will operate nine of the fields. Swift Energy Co., Houston, placed on production...

Wyoming.
October 12, 1998... Barrett Resources Inc. and Western Gas Resources Inc., Denver, were producing 55 MMcfd of coalbed methane from 363 wells in the Powder River basin as of early August, with 57 more wells awaiting connection. The companies held more than...

OGJ CRACK SPREAD.
October 12, 1998... OGJ CRACK SPREAD [10-2-98.sup.*] [10-3-97.sup.*] Change % $/bbl change SPOT PRICES Product value 18.62 ...

API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS.
October 12, 1998... API IMPORTS OF CRUDE AND PRODUCTS Districts 1-4 District 5 10-2 [9-25.sup.*] 10-2 [9-25.sup.*] 1998 ...

API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS.
October 12, 1998... API CRUDE AND PRODUCT STOCKS Motor gasoline Blending ...

API REFINERY REPORT--OCTOBER 2, 1998.
October 12, 1998... API REFINERY REPORT--OCTOBER 2, 1998 REFINERY OPERATIONS Total Input refinery Crude to Crude Operable % District ...

OGJ GASOLINE PRICES.
October 12, 1998... OGJ GASOLINE PRICES Price Pump ex tax [pirce.sup.*] ...

BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT.
October 12, 1998... BAKER HUGHES RIG COUNT 10-2-98 10-3-97 Alabama 7 4 Alaska 12 11 Arkansas 2 11 California 30 31 ...

OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT.
October 12, 1998... OGJ PRODUCTION REPORT [10-2-98.sup.*] [10-3-97.sup.+] (1,000 b/d) (Crude oil and lease condensate) Alabama ...