An information source rapidly gaining acceptance is the webcast. Although webcasts have been around for a while, this editor had not sampled any of them until recently, partly due to a computer glitch.
A network software upgrade had reduced the virtual memory size on my desktop computer, preventing the Media Player software from opening. Attempts to start the software caused a screen lock-up, reminiscent of the frustrating blue screen in earlier versions of the Windows operating system.
Once the problem was diagnosed, an increase in the memory settings readily corrected the fault, although not in time to view my first live webcast. But in many respects, internet-archived webcasts are superior to live events in that they allow for the fast forward or skip option to speed through parts of a presentation that have limited interest.
In many cases, a viewer can use either Windows Media Player or Real Player software. Formats include audio with PowerPoint slides or video with slides with high or low broadband access speeds.
The video option may show a speaker talking along with a slide presentation. But a still picture of the speaker with the audio and slide option probably is as good in most cases.
Most webcast speakers appearing on my computer have shown very limited animation in their presentations and seeing them is somewhat superfluous.
First webcast viewed
The first webcast I viewed was ExxonMobil Corp.'s Aug. 31 presentation to investors of some of the value the company derived from its $600 million/year investment in technology. The archived webcast included a video of the speaker along with slides.
ExxonMobil presidents and vice-presidents described the proprietary research that is focused on solving critical business needs. Rex Tillerson, president, said, "We balance our investment between technology extensions which can be rapidly deployed at our existing operation and breakthrough research in areas that can have a significant and lasting impact on the corporation and the industry."
The company forecast that the oil and gas industry, to meet demand projected for 2020, will have to add 125 million boe/day of production capacity, an amount about equal to the today's production.
ExxonMobil's technology development includes both its upstream and downstream groups.
In exploration, the company says its technology allows it to exploit the deeper potential in known basins through patented, high-quality seismic images produced by careful control of the signature energy put in the ground and advances in data processing.
Also, the company has under development a method for remote reservoir resistivity measurement (R3M), which uses electromagnetic energy to directly detect hydrocarbon accumulations prior to drilling a well. The technology will allow it to measure and model electromagnetic responses to produce 3D images of hydrocarbon accumulations.
The company has developed advanced geologic imaging models that accurately capture outcrop data and translate it to seismic scale, as well as a proprietary reservoir simulator that uses flexible unstructured grids. The simulator reduces the model size, requiring fewer calculations and speeding execution.
In its Chayvo development off Russia's Sakhalin Island, the company claims to have saved more than a net $200 million by using an integrated suite of proprietary wellbore design technologies that eliminated hole-related problems in completing extended reach wells.
Its technologies are unlocking the gas from the low-permeability reservoir through just-in-time perforating and multizone fracturing techniques.
The company has developed the world's largest LNG trains and LNG transports vessels to help commercialize remote gas resources such as Qatar's giant North field, the world's largest nonassociated gas field.
ExxonMobil also has a patented gas-to-liquids process AGC-21, which is based on its proprietary catalysts and expertise in managing fluidized catalytic systems for enabling lower cost synthesis and better control of the reaction.
Play it again
Advantages of webcasts for a journalist are that they eliminate the hassle of travel, as well as tape recorders and note-taking when listening to presentations. With an archived webcast, a simple click of the mouse will replay the event again and again.