The Oil and Gas Journal articles from September 1996

The Oil and Gas Journal archives from September 1996

With the heat taken off the Iraq/U.S. standoff, oil prices have seesawed, but the only potential short-term threat to current strong prices appears to be the unlikely demise of President Saddam Hussein. (prices on Sep. 25, 1996)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... At close of London trading Sept. 25, Brent crude for November stood at $23.19/bbl, up 24[cts.]/bbl on the day. During the last 5 trading days prior to presstime, closing prices for November Brent saw a rise of 50[cts.]/bbl, followed by a fall...

One reason behind the brief mid-September fall in crude prices. (Middle East Economic Survey report, 1996)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... One reason behind the brief mid-September fall in crude prices, says Middle East Economic Survey (MEES), was a news agency report that the U.S. government had asked Saudi Arabia to raise oil output to replace the 600,000 b/d expected from...

U.S. crude and product imports are still on the rise, while domestic output keeps declining. (American Petroleum Institute report for August 1996)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... API says imports of crude oil rose 7% and petroleum products 9% in August compared with a year ago. Also contributing to U.S. supplies were 4 million bbl of SPR crude the government sold. U.S. oil production fell 0.7% to 6,405,000 b/d in...

Day rates for offshore drilling rigs keep climbing. (Global Marine report for August 1996)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Global Marine's summary of current offshore rig economics (Score) for August showed sustained improvements in every region. The day rate indicator--expressed as a percentage of estimated day rates needed to spur speculative construction of...

Consolidation continues among U.S. natural gas associations to reflect changes within industry.(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Consolidation continues among U.S. natural gas associations to reflect changes within industry. The Natural Gas Supply Association will cut its staff from 15 to nine, and its nine working committees will dwindle to six in order to save $1...

In Australia, creation of a true national gas market took a step forward. (Australian Gas Co. opens pipelines in New South Wales to third party users)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... In Australia, creation of a true national gas market took a step forward with the Sydney utility, Australian Gas Co. (AGL), opening its New South Wales pipelines to third party users. AGL says the biggest contract customers are likely to gain...

Several groups are pressing plans to increase gas pipeline capacity from western Canada to U.S. markets. (Alliance Pipeline, Palliser Pipeline)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Alliance Pipeline has started an open season on its proposed 1,900 mile gas pipeline from western Canada to the U.S. Midwest (OGJ, June 17, p. 26). The bid will remain open until Oct. 31 for shippers willing to pay $1.03/Mcf for capacity to...

Express Pipeline is facing higher costs and legal challenges. (involving crude oil pipeline project from Alberta to Casper, WY)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Express Pipeline is facing higher costs and legal challenges on its $530 million (Canadian) project for a crude oil pipeline from Alberta to Casper. Express, a venture of TransCanada and Alberta Energy, has already received FERC tariff...

Drugs, oil don't mix. (Colombia)(Column)
September 30, 1996... With all the talk in the U.S. presidential elections over hot-button issues such as drugs, it isn't difficult to see why oil and gas issues are barely on the radar screen (see related story, p. 23). Complacency adequately describes the attitude...

Fuel and taxes in Europe. (European Commission economic policy to control motor fuel prices and consumption)(Editorial)
September 30, 1996... A European Commission (EC) report published this month reaches the altogether unstartling conclusion that the affordability and consumption of transportation fuels are related to one another. Europeans should be on guard. From just such...

Oil, gas issues forgotten in U.S. presidential election campaign. (1996)
September 30, 1996... Energy is a forgotten issue in the lackluster 1996 U.S. presidential election campaign. While as recently as last May some U.S. consumers and politicians were incensed about gasoline price increases, that issue faded as prices ebbed (OGJ, May...

Another Gulf of Mexico sale sets records. (Sale 161)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Oil and gas companies submitted a record number of bids on a record number of tracts at a western Gulf of Mexico federal offshore lease sale last week in New Orleans. In Sale 161, companies submitted 929 bids totaling $503,648,405 for 617...

Higher oil, gas prices bolster earnings. (North American gas and oil companies, first half 1996, second quarter 1996)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Bob Beck Associate Managing Editor-Economics Laura Bell Statistics Editor Higher crude oil and natural gas prices helped boost first half earnings for North American oil and gas companies. Generally, revenues and profits were...

Statoil pulls plug on Swath vessel concept. (Statoil A/S cancels contract with Smedvig A/S for revolutionary, small waterplane area twin-hull drilling vessel)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Norway's Den norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil) has finally pulled the plug on a revolutionary catamaran-hull drilling vessel intended to cut well workover costs in its Aasgard development in the Norwegian Sea. The company has canceled...

As the oil burns. (disposal of oil spilled at sea)(Column)
September 30, 1996... One of the best methods for disposing of oil spilled on the sea is to burn it in situ. But there has never been a significant test burn of crude in open waters off the U.S. (A small, nearshore test burn was conducted during efforts to contain...

Total. (Total Compagnie Francaise des Petroles S.A. reports second northeastern Venezuelan discovery)(Exploration)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Total reported a second discovery in the Jusepin field area of Northeast Venezuela. The well flowed on test at a combined rate of 10,175 b/d at depths exceeding 5,000 m. The new pool wildcat is 7.8 km from an earlier discovery. Total and Amoco...

Santos Ltd. (reports on oil discovery in South Australia)(Exploration)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Santos Ltd., Adelaide, operating for the Nappacoongie-Muteree joint venture, reported a discovery in South Australia's Cooper basin. The 1 Carmina wildcat flowed on test at a rate of 4,200 b/d of 51.2[degrees] gravity crude through a 1/2 in....

United Meridian Corp. (together with Shell Exploration Africa BV entered into production sharing contract for offshore development with Cote d'Ivoire)(Exploration)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... United Meridian Corp. and Shell Exploration Africa BV signed a production sharing contract with Cote d'lvoire for the country's first deepwater block. The contract covers the 512,000 acre block CI-105, also known as Etente, which lies in...

Poco Petroleums Ltd. (incorporating Mehra Process absorption-based natural gas liquids recovery system at plant near Edson, Alberta, to increase non-cryogenic recovery of propane)(Gas processing)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Poco Petroleums Ltd., Calgary, will install the absorption-based Mehra Process for natural gas liquids recovery at its 45-MMcfd Wolf South refrigeration gas processing plant near Edson, Alta. The process is designed to increase recovery of...

Petroleo Brasileiro. (contract with GVA AB for modification of semisubmersible drilling rig to be capable of dynamic positioning)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Petroleo Brasileiro let contract to GVA AB, Gothenberg, Sweden, to convert the Petrobras XXIII semi-submersible drilling rig to dynamic positioning for operations in water as deep as 1,500 m. The conversion, designed by a GVA unit, includes 8...

Premier Oil plc. (deal with Chevron International Ltd. for acquisition of Sumatra Gulf Oil Ltd.)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Premier Oil plc. London, bought Sumatra Gulf Oil Ltd. (SGOL) from Chevron International Ltd. for $72 million. The sole asset of SGOL is a 66.67% interest in Natuna Sea Block A production sharing contract off Indonesia, which includes the...

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (together with partners award contract to Brown & Root Condor for construction work on oil field production complex in Algeria)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Houston, and partners let a $177 million contract to Brown & Root Condor (BRC) for engineering, procurement, and construction of a first stage production complex in Hassi Berkine South oil field in Algeria. The complex...

Universal Resources Corp. (and Apache Corp. acquire interests in wells held by PMC Reserve Acquisition Co.)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Universal Resources Corp., a unit of Questar Corp., Salt Lake City, paid $119.7 million to PMC Reserve Acquisition Co., Dallas, for interests in about 1,500 wells located primarily in the Permian basin, Midcontinent, and ArkLaTex regions....

Petroleos Mexicanos. (contract with 50-50 joint venture between Cliffs Drilling Co. and Perforadora Central S.A. de C.V. for bareboat charter of jack up rig)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Petroleos Mexicanos let contract for bareboat charter of the Cliffs Drilling No. 12 jack up in Mexico's Bay of Campeche to a 50-50 joint venture of Cliffs Drilling Co., Houston, and Perforadora Central SA de CV, Mexico City. The rig will be...

Canadian natural gas. (Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers reports on natural gas and oil reserves for 1995)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Canadian natural gas reserves increased by 1.6% and crude oil reserves remained steady at yearend 1995 compared with 1994, reported Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Conventional oil reserves at yearend 1995 were 3.701 billion bbl...

Petro-Canada. (trades interest in natural gas reserves to Mobil Oil Canada Ltd. for Alberta-based producing properties)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Petro-Canada, Calgary, traded an 18% interest in natural gas reserves totaling 3 tcf in the Sable Island area off Nova Scotia to Mobil Oil Canada Ltd. for producing properties in Alberta. The deal nives Petro-Canada production of about 2.300...

Den norske stats oljeselskap AS. (contract to continue charter of Transocean AS semisubmersible drilling rig)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Den norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil) extended its charter of Transocean Arctic semisubmersible drilling rig, operated by Transocean AS. Tananger, Norway. Statoil's current contract for the rig expires July 1997. The new deal will keep it...

Amerada Hess Ltd. (contractor Bluewater offshore Production Systems Ltd. subcontracts with Smit Maritime Contractors BV for marine services)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Amerada Hess Ltd. contractor Bluewater Offshore Production Systems Ltd., Essen, Belgium, let a subcontract to Smit Maritime Contractors BV. Rotterdam, for marine services. The contract covers operations in Durward and Dauntless fields, under...

United Petroleum Corp. (contract with Kastle Resources for drilling oil and gas production wells)(Drilling-production)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... United Petroleum Corp., Knoxville, Tenn., signed a final agreement with Kastle Resources, Edinboro, Pa., to drill 200 oil wells in Ohio and 100 gas wells in Pennsylvania the next 2 years. The Ohio program will occur next to 14 producing wells...

Transpacific Group. (contract with Interline Resources Corp. for used oil re-refinery)(Refining)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Transpacific Group, Brisbane, Australia, ordered a $3.4 million. 24,000 gal/day used oil re-refinery from Interline Resources Corp., Alpine, Utah. The plant will be constructed at Sandy, Utah, and shipped to Australia. Under terms of the...

Coastal Baltica Holding Co. Ltd. (newly upgraded petroleum terminal at Tallinn, Estonia, started up)(Terminals)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Coastal Baltica Holding Co. Ltd. started up its newly upgraded Tallinn, Estonia, terminal. Refurbishment included construction of a 4.6 mile pipeline connecting the terminal with the Port of Muuga, one of the deepest ports on the Baltic Sea....

Seagull Energy Corp.(acquires Esso Suez Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Seagull Energy Corp., Houston, paid $74 million for the stock of Esso Suez Inc. and certain assets of Esso Egypt, Ltd. Esso Suez assets include a 100% interest in the East Zeit oil producing concession in the Gulf of Suez, where output net to...

Mobil Exploration & Development Argentina Inc.(purchases 28% in Sierra Chata gas field from BHP Petroleum)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Mobil Exploration & Development Argentina Inc. purchased an interest of about 28% from BHP Petroleum in Sierra Chata gas field in Argentina's Neuquen basin. BHP previously had a 31.1% interest in the field. Terms included a cash payment and...

Union Pacific Resources Group Inc.(increases capital budget to $975 mil)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Union Pacific Resources Group Inc., Fort Worth, increased its 1996 capital budget by $180 million to 5975 million. About 70% of the additional funds will be used for drilling and acquiring acreage in the Austin chalk area, Gulf Coast, and West...

Schlumberger Ltd.(forms strategic alliance with Baker Hughes Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Schlumberger Ltd. and Baker Hughes Inc. signed a letter of intent to establish strategic alliances among several of their product lines. Baker Hughes' Baker Oil Tools division will become the preferred supplier of downhole tools, completion...

Amoco Oil Co.(to supply liquefied natural gas to Giant Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Amoco Oil Co. agreed to supply Giant Industries Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., with natural gas and other natural gas liquids under a long-term contract. Giant will receive from Amoco's Wingate fractionation plant near Gallup, N.M., about 500 b/d of...

Exxon Corp.(to appeal ruling upholding liability damages for Exxon Valdez oil spill)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Exxon Corp. will appeal within 30 days a Sept. 24 ruling by a U.S. district court judge in Anchorage upholding damages assessed by a jury 2 years ago for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska. Under the latest ruling, Exxon would have to...

Canada's National Energy Board.(rules that Great Lakes Gas Transmission L.P. restitute $38 mil in overpayments to Canadian gas shippers)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) ruled to refund Canadian gas shippers about $38 million (U.S.) in overpayments to Great Lakes Gas Transmission Ltd. Partnership. The NEB decision follows a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ruling that...

Columbia Gulf Transmission Co.(signs Gulf of Mexico gas transmission agreement with Tenneco Gas Pipeline Co.)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Columbia Gulf Transmission Co. and Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. filed for FERC approval of an agreement to give customers greater access to Gulf of Mexico gas. The accord gives Tennessee Gas added capacity on the 500 MMcfd South Pass system,...

Maritimes & Northeast Pipelines LLC.(files to build gas pipeline linking Nova Scotia and New England)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Maritimes & Northeast Pipelines LLC, Houston, filed for FERC approval to build Phase II of the pipeline to bring gas from Sable Island off Nova Scotia to New England. Phase II would involve about 230 miles of mostly 24 in. mainline from the...

Western Gas Resources Inc.(to build gathering and sour gas treating complex in Bethel, Texas)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Western Gas Resources Inc., Denver, will build a $35 million gathering and sour gas treating complex with initial minimum capacity of 200 MMcfd near Bethel, Tex. Project includes a 45 mile, 20 in. trunk line from the plant to Pinnacle Reef...

Huntsman Corp.(to acquire Deerfield Plastics Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Huntsman Corp., Salt Lake City, plans to acquire Deerfield Plastics Inc., South Deerfield, Mass. The companies signed a merger agreement, and the transaction is expected to close in October. Deerfield is the largest U.S. independent producer of...

Ultramar, Diamond Shamrock agree to merge.
September 30, 1996... Ultramar Corp., Long Beach, and Diamond Shamrock Inc., San Antonio, have agreed to "a merger of equals" that vaults the resulting company into the top rank of U.S. independent refiner/marketers. The merger creates a combined concern with a...

U.K. independents try new approaches in expanded worldwide exploration push.(Cairn Energy PLC; British-Borneo Petroleum Syndicate PLC; Premier Oil PLC; Monument Oil and Gas PLC)
September 30, 1996... U.K. independents are adopting novel approaches in their efforts to accelerate exploration and development activity around the world. One Edinburgh independent, Cairn Energy plc, is casting a wider net for worldwide exploration prospects...

Human target for new tanker rules.(International Maritime Organization's recommendation for reducing human error as a cause of tanker accidents)(Column)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... The tanker industry accepts that most accidents are the result of human error, yet has historically responded to major oil spills by improving vessel design. Now International Maritime Organization (IMO), London, is looking for ways to...

Calgary firm eyes Black Sea coast field.(Black Sea Energy Ltd. buys 50% development stake in Anastasievsko-Troistkoye oil field from Krasnodarneftegaz)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... A Canadian firm has joined forces with Russia's Krasnodarneftegaz, a unit of state-owned Rosneftegaz, to increase production in a large oil field near the Black Sea in southern Russia. Calgary-based Black Sea Energy Ltd., a privately held...

Analysis of alky unit DIB exposes design, operating considerations.(alkylation plant deisobutanizer)
September 30, 1996... As refiners strive to increase unit production or accommodate feed composition changes with minimal capital investment, existing equipment design and operations should be evaluated for opportunities to improve efficiency. In many cases,...

Indian products pipeline gets scada system.(supervisory control and data acquisition system for pipelines)
September 30, 1996... A supervisory control and data acquisition (scada) system that, among other duties, handles approximately 400 control sequences along with leak detection and batch management, has been installed in an Indian products pipeline (Fig. 1). ...

Model, analysis debottleneck complicated field gathering system.
September 30, 1996... Modern predictive computer models and analysis methods can aid in debottlenecking a complicated oil production facility to find the maximum oil that can flow under multiphase limitations through a facility's flow lines. In the case...

Scottsdale Oil Field Services Limited. (William J. McFie named president)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Scottsdale Oil Field Services Limited, Phoenix, Ariz., has named William J. McFie president and technical manager, responsible for the development of the company's activities in the USA and international. McFie has over 25 years of...

ADOBE Supply. (oil field supply service formed by Joe Hornsby)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... ADOBE Supply, Houston, Tex., has been formed by Joe Hornsby (former director--materials management for Arethusa Off-Shore Co.). ADOBE provides a high level of oil-field supply service to international drilling contractors, oil companies,...

Energy Ventures Inc. (acquisition of Tubular Corporation of America)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Energy Ventures, Inc., Houston, Tex., has completed the previously announced acquisition of Tubular Corp. of America (TCA), a manufacturer of premium casing used in oil and gas exploration and development. The TCA line of premium casing...

Relinquishments in Argentina will boost exploration interest. (oil exploration)
September 30, 1996... Argentina's hydrocarbon law establishes that after the first 4 year exploration period, companies are committed to relinquish the areas or, in order to enter into the second exploration period, must reduce the area a minimum of 50% of the...

Argentina. (Argentinian unit of Mobil Corp. acquires interest in Sierra Chata from BHP Petroleum)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Mobil Corp.'s Argentina affiliate acquired from BHP Petroleum a 28% interest in Sierra Chata gas field in the Chihuidos Block in the Neuquen basin. Consideration included cash and interests in Gulf of Mexico blocks including Ewing Bank...

Trinidad & Tobago. (planned expansion of Mora oil field)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Mora Oil Ventures Ltd., La Romain, Trinidad, plans to expand development of Mora oil field and over the longer term to fully explore the 5,034 acre Mora Block off Trinidad's east coast. The Mora platform has produced 225,000 bbl in its first...

Alberta. (Canadian 88 energy Corp. plans investment in gas wells in Alberta foothils)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Canadian 88 Energy Corp., Calgary, plans to spend $20 million by yearend to drill, complete, and hook up at least 20 deep gas wells in the Alberta foothills. The company plans to employ 2D and 3D seismic and horizontal drilling to...

Texas. (Aegis Energy Inc. to develop Matthews fields in Delaware basin)(Brief Article)
September 30, 1996... Aegis Energy Inc., Houston, plans to aggressively develop Matthews oil and gas field in the Delaware basin, where an affiliate has acquired a majority interest and taken over operations. The company said the 17 well field, discovered in...

Uncertainty over exports of Iraqi oil creates an unexpected problem for OPEC. (Center for Global Energy Studies report on crude oil production and prices)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Uncertainty over exports of Iraqi oil creates an unexpected problem for OPEC, reports London's Center for Global Energy Studies (CGES). "Instead of worrying about reducing production to accommodate Iraq as prices fall," CGES said, "OPEC...

Meanwhile, concern over market tightness has spurred oil prices to rebound. (crude oil market as of Sept 18, 1996)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Meanwhile, concern over market tightness has spurred oil prices to rebound after a reduction in hostilities between the U.S. and Iraq last week prompted oil prices to lose almost $2/bbl from their recent peak. October Brent closed at...

The Iraqi situation adds another element of uncertainty to the winter fuels outlook. (forecast for winter 1996-97)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... The Iraqi situation adds another element of uncertainty to the winter fuels outlook, particularly in the distillate markets, EIA says. But EIA and API differ in their views of what's ahead. EIA says stocks of distillate are unusually low...

With limited opportunities available for downstream investment in Europe as consolidation continues in that sector, Abu Dhabi is pressing a bid to acquire 50% of Borealis. (Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. subsidiary International Petroleum Investment Co.)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... With limited opportunities available for downstream investment in Europe as consolidation continues in that sector. Abu Dhabi is pressing a bid to acquire 50% of Borealis, the Scandanavian petrochemical concern. International Petroleum...

Abu Dhabi also is proving aggressive on the gas front. (Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. will sell natural gas to Dubai Gas Co.)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Abu Dhabi also is proving aggressive on the gas front. Dubai agreed to buy as much as 800 MMcfd of gas from Abu Dhabi at around 80[cts.]/MMBTU. undercutting an offer by Qatar of 85[cts.]/MMBTU. To meet terms of the deal, Abu Dhabi will...

Pdvsa is stepping up efforts to acquire more U.S. refining capacity. (Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. is negotiating participation in refinery with Transamerica Refining Corp., has finalized joint venture with Mobil)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Transamerican Refining Corp. (TARC) has entered into talks with Pdvsa's Maraven unit about possible participation in its 200,000 b/d South Louisiana refinery. Maraven would supply crude to the refinery and obtain a processing agreement.

Interest continues to be high in getting U.S. gas supplies to Mexico's growing market. (Coastal Corp. plans pipeline from Bob White field in South Texas to Mexico)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Interest continues to be high in getting U.S. gas supplies to Mexico's growing market. Coastal has filed with FERC to build a pipeline to bring gas from South Texas to Monterrey. The project calls for an 18 mile pipeline on the U.S. side...

Opportunities are brightening in the former Soviet Union. (Royal Dutch-Shell Group of Cos. forms natural gas joint venture with Chernomorneftegaz in Ukraine)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Royal Dutch/Shell has formed a joint venture with the Ukraine's Black Sea offshore producer Chernomorneftegaz. Under a protocol signed with the republic's government, Shell will finance a variety of Ukraine-based projects valued at nearly $4...

ARCO and Lukoil, Russia's largest oil producer, have signed their joint venture agreement to pursue oil and gas projects throughout the FSU. (former Soviet Union)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... ARCO and Lukoil, Russia's largest oil producer, have signed their joint venture agreement to pursue oil and gas projects throughout the FSU (OGJ, May 13, p. 35). The level of investment is now $5 billion, up from $3 billion when the deal was...

A Moscow court has ruled to let Russia's Rosneft oil company keep its promising production arm. (AO Purneftegaz)(OGJ Newsletter)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... A Moscow court has ruled to let Russia's Rosneft oil company keep its promising production arm, AO Purneftegaz. Rosneft--struggling amid privatization efforts that have already cost most of its assets--risked losing the production unit to...

Electricity for the world. (solar energy can provide only some of electricity needed for worldwide electrification)(Editorial)
September 23, 1996... Nearly half of all people in the world--2.47 billion, according to estimates reported in Harare, Zimbabwe, last week--lack ready access to electricity. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) would like to...

U.K. independents accelerate global exploration campaigns. (Hardy Oil and Gas PLC, Clyde Petroleum PLC, Lasmo PLC, Enterprise Oil PLC) (part 1)
September 23, 1996... Independents in the U.K. have embarked on a campaign to accelerate their exploration activity around the world. Listings of U.K. North Sea license partners almost always show a major British or foreign company as operator, with some of...

First gulf subsalt field poised to start up.(Phillips Petroleum Co. and partners; Gulf of Mexico)
September 23, 1996... Mahogany field, the first commercial subsalt discovery in the Gulf of Mexico, is poised to start production by yearend. Phillips Petroleum Co. and partners Aug. 26 installed the three-deck, 20 slot topsides on Mahogany platform jacket on...

Launch imminent of world's first production spar system.
September 23, 1996... Oryx Energy Co., Dallas, and CNG Producing Co., New Orleans, are poised to launch the world's first spar-based offshore oil and gas production system. Oryx and CNG plan to install the unique floating production system during the next few...

Texaco, Marathon mark Petronius progress.($400 million deepwater development project)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Texaco Inc. and Marathon Oil Co. have marked progress on the $400 million Petronius compliant tower deepwater development project in the Gulf of Mexico. Start-up is expected in January 1999. Production design capacity is 60,000 b/d of oil...

British Gas: get into Goldfish. (utility introduces cobranded credit card)(Watching the World)(Column)
September 23, 1996... Gasoline retailers have compensated for falling profits from fuel sales by opening convenience stores at their service station sites. Now retail operations typically earn half their income from chocolate bars, canned drinks, barbecue...

U.K. to open residential gas market further.(deregulation)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... The U.K. government's gas industry regulator Office of Gas Supply (Ofgas) has unveiled a plan to offer a choice of gas supplier to a further 1.5 million residential customers beginning January 1997. A new consultation document proposes...

Noto speaks out. (Lucio Noto of Mobil Corp.)(Watching Government)(Column)
September 23, 1996... Lucio Noto, chairman and CEO of Mobil Corp., is blunt in his assessment of some major issues facing the petroleum industry. Noto, in a talk before the German American Business Council in Washington, D.C., attacked the foibles of...

FERC first: oil line prebuild tariff approval.(Federal Energy Regulator Commission sets Express Pipeline Partnership tariffs)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... For the first time, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved an oil pipeline's proposed tariff rates prior to construction. The approval was granted for Express Pipeline Partnership, which will bring Canadian crude oil...

Harken steps up exploration in Colombia.(Harken Energy Corp.)
September 23, 1996... A unit of Harken Energy Corp., Dallas, is poised to launch a $60 million program to speed exploration in Colombia's Middle Magdalena and Llanos basins. Details of Harken de Colombia's accelerated exploration program are sketchy. But plans...

Texas JV to burn residue gas in cogen unit.(joint venture of Phillips Petroleum and CSW Energy Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Refiners continue to pursue onsite power generation projects fed by bottom-of-the-barrel byproducts. A joint venture of Phillips Petroleum Co. and CSW Energy Inc., Dallas, broke ground on a 325,000 kw cogeneration power plant to adjoin...

API: U.S. motorists not overbuying octane.(American Petroleum Institute)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Concerns over U.S. gasoline octane requirements and benefits have again captured the industry spotlight. American Petroleum Institute says U.S. motorists are not buying more octane in their gasoline than their vehicles need. According...

FTC presses campaign on marketers' 'deceptive' gasoline ads.(Federal Trade Commission investigates Exxon Corp. and others)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has alleged Exxon Corp. misled consumers by making unsubstantiated advertising claims for its gasoline. The ads allegedly claimed that switching to Exxon gasolines generally--or to Exxon 93 Supreme...

New Cure Inc.(contract)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... New Cure Inc., Los Angeles, let a $40 million contract to Foster Wheeler Environmental Corp. (FWEC), Clinton, N.J., for cleanup of Operating Industries Inc.'s landfill site 10 miles east of Los Angeles. New Cure is the entity created by parties...

Morris Lubricants Ltd.($450 million on new facilities)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Morris Lubricants Ltd., Shrewsbury, U.K., spent $450 million on new manufacturing plants and laboratories, to increase exports to Pacific Rim countries. Morris is the U.K.'s largest family-owned independent lubricants manufacturer.

Norway's Den norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil).(plans Scandinavian electricity sales)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... Norway's Den norske stats oljeselskap AS (Statoil) is trying to gain entry into the Scandinavian electricity market, positioning itself as a Nordic energy company. Statoil said Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden need to expand their combined...

EnerVest Management Co. LC.(and partner pay $70 million for gas properties)(Brief Article)
September 23, 1996... EnerVest Management Co. LC, Houston, and partner GE Capital, Stamford, Conn., paid $70 million to Emerald San Juan Co. LP, Durango, Colo., for gas properties in the San Juan basin. The transaction includes interest in 48 wells with current...