Colder weather that increased energy demand in the northeastern US and terrorist attacks that threatened oil supplies from the Middle East combined to push up prices for crude and petroleum products Nov. 10-12.
The US Minerals Management Service recently announced success in tagging, gathering DNA samples, and photographing for identification "an exceptional number" of sperm whales in a continuing 3-year study to determine if seismic surveys in the Gulf of Mexico have any effect on that endangered species.
The energy ministry, looking toward a 2004 bidding round in the Northland offshore basin, laid plans to produce a substantial data package on the basin.
Turbo Suite, an integrated suite of monitoring, optimization, and decision-support software for turbomachinery, helps maximize availability and performance of turbomachinery assets vital to offshore platforms, floating production system operations, and LNG plants.
A looming fuel-price leap
The oil and gas industry should brace for public outrage likely to erupt next April or May, if not earlier, on the US East Coast.
As controversy continues to swirl around the OAO Yukos scandal, experts see the Kremlin looking to limit the potential damage on foreign energy investment in Russia.
International Finance Corp., the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, has approved modest but influential loans for two multibillion-dollar projects expected to boost the Caspian Sea region's profile as a western export supplier.
The "real" opening of the European Union's gas market will occur when the second gas directive comes into force July 1, 2004, targeting 530,000 industrial users.
Following a year's "national debate on energies" carried out throughout France to determine the energy mix over the next 30 years, Delegate Industry Minister Nicole Fontaine presented Nov. 7 the outcome of the country's situation in a white paper on energies.
Oil and gas industry executives in Argentina have warned of a shortfall in the country's natural gas supply-demand balance if wellhead prices don't recover soon.
Ecuadorian officials warn that a high-profile case against US major ChevronTexaco Corp. may further delay their plans to be a leading Latin American oil exporter this decade.
A second proposal to develop an LNG import terminal in the Santa Barbara Channel off Ventura County, Calif., has emerged, and both projects face an uphill battle against fierce local opposition.
Plains unit breaks impasse on new development drilling off California
A Texas independent has won the right to undertake the first new oil field development project off California since 1997.
According to the international offshore rig counts provided by Baker Hughes Inc. for September 2003, offshore rig activity was up 13 rigs internationally since August and was particularly strong in Latin America and Asia Pacific, while offshore Europe an activity was flat
Hubs, new technologies provide access to more deepwater reserves
Hub installations along with advancements in well completions, pipelines, flowlines, and producing facilities are helping economically to develop smaller deepwater accumulations, especially in the Gulf of Mexico.
New tools and services allow companies to shorten the time required to sample and evaluate reservoir fluids encountered in deepwater exploration and appraisal wells.
Simulation of a long distance, large-diameter multiphase pipeline through onshore arctic conditions evaluated the effects of steady-state and transient conditions.
