Table of Contents

• Steerable system includes shortened bearing-pack motor, extended-gauge PDC
  A new steerable drilling system, which integrates a pin-down positive displacement motor (PDM) with a box-up, extended-gauge polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit, has reduced bend angles and downhole vibrations leading to improved directional control and reduced hole spiraling.
• Deep-sea mooring test successful
  A project sponsored by five major Gulf of Mexico operators has demonstrated a new ultradeepwater mooring system for mobile drilling units.

• Novel fracturing enhances deliverability
  Stimulation or restimulation of existing wells in gas storage fields can be more cost-effective for maintaining deliverability than drilling new wells.

• Analysis suggests economic viability of trans-Caspian Sea gas line
  The trans-Caspian natural gas pipeline is commercially viable and would bring positive returns to Turkmenistan under most scenarios analyzed by the Energy Institute at the University of Houston.
• Despite recent gains in momentum, prospects for the Baku-Ceyhan Caspian oil export line remain doubtful
  The proposed Baku-Ceyhan pipe-line-one of several options being considered as the main export route for oil from the Caspian Sea region-has had many opponents and few proponents.
• Russia pushing Chechen bypass for Baku-Novorossiisk line
  Russia is moving forward with plans to reroute its Baku-to-Novorossiisk oil pipeline around Chechnya.

• Core values: The growing need for repositories
  In its day, the great library at Alexandria was known to hold "the memory of the world."
• Santa Fe Snyder makes another S. China Sea find
  Santa Fe Snyder Corp. has made a second oil discovery on Block 15/34 in the Pearl River Mouth basin in the South China Sea.

• Beyond OPEC compliance
  It is time for the oil and gas industry to think about market fundamentals beyond the extent to which members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries abide by their April 1999 production agreement.

• New IPAA chairman wants more wildcatting
  Jerry Jordan wants to encourage independents to return to wildcatting.
• Independents told tax measures still alive
  US independent producers still have a fair chance of getting tax relief measures from Congress next year, speakers told attendees at the recent Independent Petroleum Association of America annual meeting in Dallas.
• Watching Government
  Washington briefs
  Three recent political developments in Washington, DC, hold potential implications for the oil industry.
• Industry Briefs
  Alberta set up an agency to promote the reduction of greenhouse gases in the province, which produces 80% of Canada's oil and gas, as well as most of its emissions of greenhouse gases.
• BP Amoco strikes tentative deal in Alaska
  BP Amoco PLC struck a deal with Alaskan authorities that is expected to clear the way for its takeover of ARCO, but completion is now thought unlikely to be achieved by yearend, as intended.
• Enron to sell Oregon utility for $3 billion
  After selling its upstream oil and gas unit in July, Enron Corp. has made another portfolio-focusing move, this time selling off its only regulated electric utility company, Portland General Electric Co. (PGE).
• Watching the World
  E&P takeovers loom
  Small may be beautiful, but the latest financial figures from two petroleum megamajors suggest that biggest is best.
• Shell to sell noncore Australia assets
  Royal Dutch/Shell's unit Shell Development (Australia) Pty. Ltd. has decided to sell its interests in a number of noncore assets in Western Australia.

• Pemex to tender another refinery upgrade project
  Mexican state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos plans to seek tenders for the upgrade and expansion of its Minatitlan refinery on the Gulf Coast, says Pemex Director Adrian Lajous.

• Shell and BASF plan polyolefins JV
  Royal Dutch/Shell and BASF AG are negotiating a deal to combine their polyolefins businesses into a 50-50 joint venture with a combined turnover of more than $6 billion/year.

OGJ Newsletter

• OGJ Newsletter
  OPEC compliance with pledged oil production cuts remains high at 87% for October, according to the latest IEA data.

Journally Speaking

• Petrochemicals or bust
  Mossgas (Pty.) Ltd.'s gas-to-liquids plant in Mossel Bay, South Africa, has been criticized as being a "white elephant"; that is, something that costs more to keep than it is worth.

Letters

• Running out of oil
  Kudos to Mr. Dailey Berard of Universal Fabricators for his insightful letters on world oil supply (OGJ, Aug. 9, 1999, p. 8; Aug. 16, 1999, p. 10; Oct. 11, 1999, p. 6).
• South China Sea
  As the engineer for Phillips Petroleum Co.'s Kenai, Alas., LNG plant, I spend a lot of time explaining to people the risks and benefits of LNG.
• Flooding project
  Regarding the article "Project Brings Commercial Scale CO2 Miscible Flooding to Canada," I would agree that the PanCanadian Weyburn project is the first large-scale CO2 flood, but it's certainly not the first commercially successful CO2 flood in Canada (OGJ, Oct. 18, 1999, p. 70).

Equip/Software/Lit

• Equipment/Software/Literature
  The Vortex PhD in-line vortex flowmeter is designed for use in gas, steam, and liquid operations.

Services/Suppliers

• TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS
  An Intergraph Corp. Company, Intergraph UK Ltd., has signed a $2 million (U.S.) software and services contract with Statoil A.S. and partners for implementation of a comprehensive Plant Information Management (PIM) system.
• MOVES AND PROMOTIONS
  Winfrey is responsible for leading both the small air compressor and large reciprocating compressor business units.