Regular Features
- OGJ Newsletter
  - OGJ Newsletter
- Letters
  - Alarmed at legislation
    Your editorial “A chance to play offense” is outstanding (OGJ, Nov. 24, 2008, p. 20).
- Journally Speaking
  - Technology, humanly applied
    Technology developed by the oil and gas industry to locate and extract oil and natural gas from below the earth’s surface is now being adapted for humanitarian purposes.
- Services/Suppliers
  - Services/Suppliers
- Equip/Software/Lit
  - Equipment/Software/Literature
    New BE-9 bactericide can be used to help control bacteria growth in water used as the basis for fracturing fluids.
- Advertisers Index
- Editor's Perspective
  - ‘Windfall profit’ tax move leaves reason for worry
    The US oil and gas industry has reason to feel relief and worry about President-elect Barack Obama’s decision not to pursue a “windfall profit” tax on oil.
- Market Journal
  - A turbulent year
    The waning year of 2008 is sure to be remembered as one of the most turbulent in the history of the oil and gas industry, said energy analysts.
General Interest
- Editorial: Ranking high in bribery
  On some rankings it’s best to score near the bottom. So it is with assessments by Transparency International (TI), the anticorruption group, of the tendency of industries to pay bribes.
- Aboveground constraints may limit Mexico’s oil production
  The irreversible decline of Mexico’s Cantarell field has been the subject of steady discussion in the industry.
- FERC issues final EIS for LNG project near Baltimore
  The US Federal Energy Regulatory The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission identified additional adverse environmental impacts as it issued a final environmental impact statement (EIS) on Dec. 5 for a proposed LNG project outside Baltimore.
- Watching Government: Early responses to falling demand
  The US Energy Information Administration’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook said it all on Dec. 9: “The current global economic slowdown is now projected to be more severe and longer than in last month’s Outlook, leading to further reductions of global energy demand and additional declines in crude oil and other energy prices.”
- MMS chief hopes Obama, Congress won’t reinstate OCS bans
  Acknowledging that he will have no direct influence after Jan. 20, US Minerals Management Service Director Randall B. Luthi said he hopes the Obama administration and Congress seriously consider expanded opportunities on the US Outer Continental Shelf.
- EA report outlines issues with Iraqi energy security, fragile systems
  While Iraq’s oil industry will continue to face problems with security in 2009, the country’s crumbling production and pipeline systems are more likely to disrupt crude exports, according to a report by London-based Exclusive Analysis (EA).
- Watching the World: White Nile raises the white flag
  Oil-gas explorer White Nile Ltd. recently raised the white flag in Sudan, saying it plans a change of mission and will now invest in African agriculture.
- Petrobras delays strategic plan; receives investment offers
  Brazil’s Petroleo Brasilerio SA (Petrobras) continues to review its 2009-13 strategic plan, with no deliberation taking place yet at the board level, according to an official report.
- Italian pipeline developers undeterred by credit crunch
  The Galsi and Interconnector-Greece-Italy (IGI) pipeline partners do not expect the credit crisis to negatively impact their plans, as they have very strong balance sheets, according to a senior company official.
- IEA: Energy security to come from mitigating climate change
  The global economic slowdown cannot distract policymakers worldwide from progressing on climate change mitigation efforts through international accords and related national energy policies, said Richard J. Jones, deputy executive director of the Paris-based International Energy Agency.
- Booz & Co.: Strategic growth remains possible despite recession
  Falling energy consumption and the credit crisis have slashed liquidity in the capital markets, yet Booz & Co.’s energy consultants advise oil companies to remember that strategic growth remains possible.
- Analyst forecasts ‘major risks’ ahead in Iraq
  Iraq has ambitious targets, aiming for 500,000 b/d annual oil output expansion and a long-term goal of 6 million b/d, according to a recent report by analyst BMI.
Exploration & Development
- Elusive Alabama shales need more work, Energen says
  Energen Corp., Birmingham, Ala., plans further exploratory tests in 2009 of Conasauga and Chattanooga gas shales in Alabama without partner Chesapeake Energy Corp., Oklahoma City.
Drilling & Production
- Williams compares sequential, simultaneous Barnett fracturing
  Williams Production Gulf Coast Co. is simultaneously fracturing wells in North Texas to improve production rates.
- Wytch Farm wireless wellhead monitoring network self-organizes
  The smart, self-organizing, wireless transmitters installed recently in Wytch Farm field provide for continuous monitoring of wellhead pressures, thereby eliminating the need for operations personnel to read manually wellhead pressure gauges.
Processing
- Special Report: Asia petchem expansions to 2015 increase demand for naphtha
  A wave of ethylene investment will take place in Asia during 2009-11 with distinct peaks in early and late 2009.
- Special Reports: China, India lead growth in Asian refining capacity
  Asian refining capacity continues to grow rapidly despite the effects of a suffering global economy.
Transportation
- New pipeline profiling method helps avoid condensation, black powder
  A new method can help avoid condensation and control hydrates in the early stages of a natural gas transmission pipeline’s life, thereby helping avoid future black powder formation.