Improved Recovery Week articles from January 1999

Improved Recovery Week archives from January 1999

GRI laser drilling study gets early results; new uses identified in project to transfer military technology.(Gas Research Institute)
January 4, 1999... Gas Research Institute (GRI) has completed much of the preliminary work in studying the feasibility of using lasers for drilling and other rock-penetration/conditioning work. Chicago-based GRI early last year announced it would begin the study...

Barrett seeks industry partner for Peruvian development; looking for heavy oil know-how.(Barrett Resources)
January 4, 1999... Denver-based Barrett Resources says it's looking for an industry partner with heavy oil experience to help develop its 2-million-acre Block 67 license area in Peru, its only current overseas operation. The company last week said its...

Brazil's Petrobras uses satellite imaging of slicks, mud-sampling to detect subsea faults that 'leak.'.(Petroleo Brasiliero)
January 4, 1999... Remote sensing of oil seeps continues to get attention around the world. The most recent use of space satellite microwave sensors is being mounted by Brazil's national oil company, Petroleo Brasiliero (Petrobras). That company is...

Berry Petroleum to pay $35 million in cash, add staff in buying of Los Angeles County field.
January 4, 1999... An 86-year-old producing company has strayed from its core operations area in Kern County, California for only the second time by agreeing to purchase a major interest in an oil field in Los Angeles County. But contrasting with most of...

Special task forces list incentives, proposals to save oil and gas producers in WY, OK and NM.(Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission; Wyoming, Oklahoma and New Mexico)
January 4, 1999... The State of Wyoming is fighting to keep its petroleum industry from fading into oblivion. According to the Oklahoma City-based Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), a special Crude Oil Task Force, formed last July by Wyoming...

Tesco completes vertical well with proprietary casing drilling method; slant well underway.
January 4, 1999... Tesco Corp. says it recently completed drilling a vertical well using its proprietary casing drilling process, and currently is drilling and evaluating a directional well using the process. The Calgary-based company, known for its...

AOSIS reports on IOR, heavy oil.(Alberta Department of Energy, Oil Sands Information Services)
January 4, 1999... The Alberta Dept. Of Energy, Oil Sands Information Services (AOSIS) makes the following oil sands/heavy oil/IOR technical reports and papers available to interested parties. For copies, call AOSIS in Calgary at 403-297-3631 (fax: 403-297-3638)....

Construction of Suncor's Aussie shale oil plant of time/budget; 4,500-b/d flow set for year-end.(Suncor Energy Australia Pty. Ltd.'s demonstration plant at its Stuart Oil Shale project in Queensland State)
January 18, 1999... The Australian affiliate of Calgary, AB-based Suncor Energy says the demonstration plant at its Stuart Oil Shale project near Gladstone in Queensland State is more than 80% complete. The affiliate, Suncor Energy Australia Pry. Ltd., said...

Wyoming-based testing center expands equipment options for field tests with industry partners.(Dept. of Energy's Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center)
January 18, 1999... The Energy Dept.'s Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC) says it's providing expanded opportunities for the field-testing of new exploration, drilling, formation evaluation, and completion technologies. The center, located about...

New company to expand its heavy oil production with horizontal laterals to supply own refinery.(Greka Energy Inc.)
January 18, 1999... A new company, to be called Greka Energy Inc., based in Santa Maria, CA, has made the surprisingly stable asphalt market in California its prime target for the next few years. And by drilling horizontal legs to increase production of heavy...

Magnum Hunter, partners confirm, extend gas discovery with Walker County, TX dual lateral.(Magnum Hunter Resources Inc.)
January 18, 1999... A significant dual-lateral horizontal well as confirmed and perhaps extended a natural gas field discovery in Walker County, TX, says Magnum Hunter Resources Inc., member of a three-company group developing the prospect. The Irving,...

Dakota Gasification to use production tax credits from synfuels plant to finance CO2 line to Canada.
January 18, 1999... In Bismarck, ND, Dakota Gasification Co. says it is embracing diversification of its operations, cost cuts and tax credits to position itself in a low price market. High on its list of strategic goals is to get help in financing one of its...

Newest SBIR research program from DOE includes oil/gas recovery projects; $100,000 grants offered.(Small Business Innovation Research; US Department of Energy)
January 25, 1999... The Energy Dept.'s share of the federal government's most recent Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, for fiscal year 1999, once again has provisions for fossil fuels-related R&D. But those who want to enlist federal funding...

Halliburton to use enzyme from subsea organisms to manufacture HPHT-tolerant fracturing fluid.(Halliburton Energy Services; heat-, pressure- and pH-tolerant)
January 25, 1999... An "extremophile" first discovered in hydrothermal vent off the coast of Italy will be used soon by Halliburton Energy Services (HES) for oilfield applications. Actually, HES will incorporate an enzyme derived from the extremophile, a...

New Mexico lab testing 'microdrilling' equipment as part of overall plan to produce from 2" holes.(US Energy Department's Los Alamos National Laboratory)
January 25, 1999... The first phase of testing of a coiled tubing "microdrilling" system is being conducted by scientists from the Energy Dept.'s Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. And while the drilling system is being partially underwritten by a...

Alberta Research Council looks into swelling clays for water shut-off, conformance control.
January 25, 1999... The Calgary-based Alberta Research Council (ARC) says it's developing a new water shut-off technology using swelling clays. Excess water production from both primary and secondary recovery operations in Alberta totaled 3.1 billion bbls. in...

UPR returns to Chalk trend with gas production at Deep Giddings field; new Edwards pay set.(Union Pacific Resources Group Inc)
January 25, 1999... Fort Worth, TX-based Union Pacific Resources Group Inc. (UPR) expects to soon start a natural gas production, gathering and processing project in the North Giddings (Edwards) field in Texas' Austin Chalk trend. The company says it will...