Table of ContentsGeneral InterestEditorial: A looming political fightThe interlude between presidencies, twilight of the 110th Congress, is the time to practice diplomacy, the time to praise cooperation, the time to voice hope for bipartisan policy-making.
Special Report: UK oil industry reflects on Piper Alpha lessonsWhat safety lessons has the UK North Sea oil industry learned as it reflects on the 20th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster?
IOGCC following CCS initiatives, rulemakingThe Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission is closely monitoring carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives by governments, research institutions, and the oil and gas industry.
Taxes, restrictions could stifle US shale gas potentialNatural gas production from US shale plays such as the Marcellus shale in New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia could double in the next 10 years and provide 25% of the nation’s supply, a Natural Gas Supply Association official said Nov. 21.
Watching Government: Energy chairs plan for 2009The chairmen of two key congressional energy committees are making plans for 2009.
Harkin offers bill to reform trading of swapsUS Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairman Thomas Harkin (D-Iowa) introduced legislation on Nov. 20 to reform the trading of swaps and other over-the-counter financial derivatives.
MMS reports record disbursals during fiscal 2008The US Minerals Management Service disbursed a record $23.4 billion to state, American Indian, and federal accounts from onshore and offshore energy production during fiscal 2008, Interior Secretary Dirk A. Kempthorne said on Nov. 20.
Indonesia orders oil firms to use domestic banksThe Indonesian government, in an effort to boost liquidity and shore up the falling rupiah, will order oil and gas companies to keep funds for energy projects in domestic banks, according to the country’s oil and gas regulator BPMigas.
Somali hijackers have international networkIn an exclusive interview with the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, a negotiator for the pirates holding the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star off the Somali coast disclosed how some 40 hijackers seized control of the vessel.
Watching The World: Lukoil’s Repsol bidSpanish officials are up in arms to defend their nation’s oil and gas industry from an invasion by the Russians.
Kurdish rebels blast Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline againOil shipments along the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline are set to resume later this week following a Nov. 21 bomb attack on the line near Midyat in the Mardin province in southeast Turkey.
EAGC: Edison official stresses European gas diversityEnhancing diversity of gas supplies is a key challenge for Europe, and the Caspian could become an important source, said an Edison SPA senior official at the European Autumn Gas Conference (EAGC) in Lake Como, Italy.
EAGC: Credit crisis to affect European gas projectsEni Gas & Power SPA Chief Operating Officer Domenico Dispenza warned in a keynote address at the European Autumn Gas Conference (EAGC) at Lake Como, Italy, that the credit crisis could seriously affect the supply and diversity of gas supply projects in Europe.
Special Report: Sustainability reports address oil spills and GHG emissionsSpecial Report: Safety improvements aimed at better protecting both the environment and employees were key topics for major oil companies that issued 2007 sustainability reports or corporate social responsibility reports.
Exploration & DevelopmentMexico’s oil output drops but gas production risesMexico will account for 26.1% of Latin America’s regional oil demand by 2012 while providing 28.34% of supply, according to a recent analyst report.
Beach to share in Gulf of Suez developmentBeach Petroleum NL, Adelaide, has received ministerial approval to acquire from Tri-Ocean Energy a 20% interest in the North Shadwan oil concession in the Gulf of Suez.
MMS takes first steps for leasing process off VirginiaThe US Minerals Management Service has taken the first step in the multiyear leasing process to hold a sale for acreage off Virginia.
Petroproduccion lets seismic pact off EcuadorPetroproduccion, an affiliate of Petroecuador, has issued a letter of agreement for Scan Geophysical ASA to implement a major 2D seismic program off Ecuador in support of the government’s plan to develop hydrocarbon prospects in the region.
Drilling & ProductionSpecial Report: Hercules develops HSE dashboard to safeguard offshore operationsOffshore drilling contractor Hercules Offshore Inc., Houston, has developed and implemented a predictive accident-prevention program to maintain safety standards and protect workers and the environment.
Special Report: Software-supported process ensures safer work practicesTo ensure consistency in application across all its deepwater Gulf of Mexico assets, BP has worked with Petrotechnics to identify and implement industry best practices and incorporate those into a uniform approach to how all work is done at the frontline.
ProcessingSpecial Report: Many states expand air permits; some submittals due in JanuarySome important US oil and gas industry states are requiring maintenance, start-up, and shutdown emissions to be added to air quality permits.
Special Report: EPA: US refiners lower air, increase water emissions during 1996-2005In the 10 years 1996-2005, US refiners significantly reduced the amount of hazardous air emissions, according to a September 2008 report from the US Environmental Protection Agency.
TransportationSpecial Report: Biomonitors assist smooth pipeline project scheduleUsing biomonitors (qualified on-site biologists with construction expertise) can lead to successful negotiation of contentious environmental issues and full compliance with regulatory conditions and permit stipulations.
Regular FeaturesEquip/Software/LitEquipment/Software/LiteratureThe newly launched Oryx distributed temperature sensing (DTS) unit is designed for harsh environment wellsite monitoring operations.
Editor's PerspectiveOil conservation starts before fuel limits take effectThe problem with conservation as an aim of energy policy is that its strongest advocates wouldn’t know it if it stared them in the face.
Market JournalMarket fears drive down pricesWith the loss of public confidence because of the current financial crisis, world demand for energy is still declining even as prices fall.
Journally SpeakingOld pipes thread ‘30s ranchRecycling and ingenuity are not new concepts in the oil and gas industry. A ranch in the Texas Hill Country is known for the unique oil field-pipe construction of buildings from the 1930s and 1940s, engendered by thriftiness during the Great Depression.
Services/SuppliersServices/SuppliersPerth, has added to its Aberdeen staff and moved into new offices as part of its effort to expand into Norway and Africa.
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