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SPE Gulf Coast Section Resurrects International Study Group

Philippe G. Mitterrand — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:00:00 GMT

After a brief period of inactivity, the Society of Petroleum Engineers Gulf Coast Section has reactivated its dormant International Study Group. Originally formed in 2003, this study group organized evening monthly meetings with panels of speakers discussing the topic of “How to Do Business in (country),” focusing on the differences and challenges of working in various geographic regions.

In 2010, the newly energized International Study Group will focus on commonalities, enabling networking and sharing of experiences with engineers and managers of both National Oil Companies and Major Oil Companies headquartered outside the United States. The plan is to have foreign speakers come and talk to the Study Group when they come to Houston on business, or, alternatively, to use the latest videoconferencing technology for real-time presentations from around the world. Consequently, the International Study Group meeting time may vary, not adhering to an “every third Tuesday at lunch” schedule. Therefore, interested parties should monitor the SPE Gulf Coast Section newsletter for times and venues, or sign up for monthly Study Group email alerts at http://www.spegcs.org/en/art/?320.

The International Study Group's mission is to provide a forum for the Houston area SPE membership and the global Oil and Gas community to share information on business practices and considerations, projects, and technological applications significant to the oil and gas industry worldwide. The International Study Group will collaborate with other Gulf Coast Section Study Groups to ensure maximum value to the Section, which is located in one of the leading international centers for the industry.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity … to revive the International Study Group,” said Philippe G. Mitterrand, who has volunteered to be the International Study Group Chair. “I am confident we can add to the accomplishment generated by the earlier promoters of the group, and create a vibrant, Houston-based, global forum where all aspects of the Oil & Gas business may be aired.”

SPE members interested in helping to schedule speakers for this study group and non-members wishing to attend the monthly meetings may contact:

Philippe G. Mitterrand
Chair International Study Group
SPE-GCS, Houston, Texas
Tel: 832-524-6294
Email: iimm@sbcglobal.net

12-Mar-10 3:00 PM

SPE-GCS March e-Newsletter 2010

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:30:00 GMT

SPE-GCS e-Newsletter Sponsored by: PetroleumETC

PetroleumETC's Multiphase Measurement Roundtable will be held in San Antonio, TX May 20-21 and hosted by Southwest Research Institute. Our new partnerships provide a unique focus on multiphase research, testing, technology and demonstrations.

Calendar Events for March 2010

A Comparison of the Haynesville and Eagle Ford Shale
Sponsor: Northside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Richard K. Stoneburner, President and COO - Petrohawk Energy Corporation
Days: Tues 9-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: The presentation will cover a case study on comparison of Eagle Ford and Haynesville operations and completions.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Microsoft Office 2007 New Features
Sponsor: Petro-Tech Study Group
Speaker's Names: Jewel London, Master Instructor/Project Management Consultant - New Horizons
Days: Tues 9-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
Location: Sheraton Brookhollow; Hwy 290 & 610 Loop, 3000 North Loop West, Houston TX 77092
Summary: Office 2007 New features: The Office Button menu, the Ribbon, the mini toolbar, the quick access toolbar and the status bar...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Addressing Drilling Challenges in Petrobras’ Cascade and Chinook Developments
Sponsor: Drilling Study Group
Speaker's Names: J.C. Cunha, Well Operations Manager - Petrobras America
Days: Wed 10-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Drive, Houston TX 77060 USA
Summary: Currently some of the most challenging wells being drilled by our industry are located in deepwater zones in the GOM. Many of those wells are in water depths of 8,000 ft or more and some....
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

How GE Plans to Change the Game...Subsea
Sponsor: General Meeting
Speaker's Names: Manuel Terranova, Senior Vice-President - GE Oil & Gas
Days: Wed 11-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston, 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: The subsea industry has innovated, developed and matured over the last 30 years. Subsea equipment has been widely field proven although the next decade of field developments are likely...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Worldwide Overview of Offshore Production Systems
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Speaker's Names: Bruce Crager, VP Subsea - Independent Consultant
Days: Tues 16-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Racquet Club, 10709 Memorial Drive, Houston TX 77024 US
Summary: This presentation will cover the different types of Floating Production Systems with comments as to the advantages and disadvantages of each. The bulk of the presentation is focused on the...
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Capturing By-Passed Pay
Sponsor: Westside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Paul Worthington, Gaffney, Cline & Associates - Principal Adviser
Days: Tues 17-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: The WestLake Club Carriage Room, 570 WestLake Park Blvd, Houston Texas 77079
Summary: Pay is the thickness of a reservoir rock that contains significant quantities of potentially exploitable hydrocarbons. By-passed pay relates to movable hydrocarbons that cannot be drained...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

How Does Your Organization Communicate with Other Companies Outside Your Firewall?
Sponsor: Completions & Production Study Group
Speaker's Names: Joseph Yoklavich, Client Executive - Aconex
Days: Thur 18-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Drive, Houston Texas 77060 US
Summary: How does your organization communicate with other companies outside your firewall? We will be addressing the collaboration needs of large construction projects worldwide. What are other...
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SPE GCS Board of Directors Meeting
Sponsor: Board of Directors
Days: Thur 18-Mar-10 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM CDT
Location: SPE Houston Office, 10777 Westheimer Road, Suite 1075, Houston Texas 77042
Summary: The Gulf Coast Section will hold its monthly Board of Directors meeting from 7:30 am to 10:30 am. Please register so that we may have a proper head count for breakfast...
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The Little Black Book of Safety
Sponsor: Safety and Environment Study Group
Speaker's Names: Bill Arnold, General Manager Health, Safety and Environment - ConocoPhillips' Worldwide Upstream Business
Days: Tues 16-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Petroleum Club, 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: Bill Arnold authored a book entitled "The Little Black Book on safety" that he developed for ConocoPhillips while he was based in Aberdeen, Scotland. This practical book was inspired by...
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“I’m Spartacus! Will the Real Eagle Ford Shale Please Stand Up?”
Sponsor: Business Development Study Group
Speaker's Names: Dick Stoneburner, President & COO - Petrohawk Energy Corporation
Days: Wed 24-Mar-10 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM CDT
Location: Four Seasons Hotel, 1300 Lamar St., Houston Texas 77010
Summary: Join the Business Development Study Group at the Four Seasons Hotel as we hear from three distinguished speakers on recent developments in the Eagle Ford Shale, whose characteristics...
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The Equations Archie Forgot: Anisotropy of the Rocks
Sponsor: Reservoir Study Group
Speaker's Names: Carlos F. Haro, Senior Engineering Advisor - Occidental Oil & Gas
Days: Thur 25-Mar-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Courtyard on St James, 1885 St James Place, Houston TX 77056 USA
Summary: Archie’s empirical equation is extensively used to estimate hydrocarbons in place.This power-laws combination has stood the test of time with little changes.However, it is still poorly understood...
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Future Events

Corporate Governance & Responsibility Through Partnerships
Sponsor: General Meeting
Speaker's Names: Fernando Paiva, Manager for Policy, Government & Public Affairs - Chevron Upstream Oil & Gas
Days: Thur 8-April-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston, 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: Africa is facing many challenges in its social and economic development. Companies in all industries are increasingly evaluated in terms of how they contribute to this development. The concept of...
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Sequestering Carbon Dioxide in a Closed Underground Volume
Sponsor: Northside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Christine A. Ehlig-Economides, Ph.D., M.S., B.A., Professor of Petroleum Engineering Texas A&M University
Days: Tues 13-April-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: The capture and subsequent geologic sequestration of CO2 has been central to plans for managing CO2 produced by the combustion of fossil fuels. The magnitude of the task is...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Alternative Energy – Is It Ready to Help?
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Days: Tues 13-April-10 8:00 AM - 5:15 PM CDT
Location: Renaissance Houston Hotel Greenway Plaza, 6 Greenway Plaza East, Houston TX 77046
Summary: Alternative energy sources are being considered and developed on an international basis and the oil and gas energy industry is contributing heavily to this effort. Which of these...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Articles/Miscellaneous

Chairman's Corner March 2010
"Invite Someone to a Meeting" Month - When was the last time you invited someone to join you at an SPE Gulf Coast Section event? I’m ashamed to say, I haven’t done so either...

Then and Now March 2010
March 1950 Perforating Guns Atlas Corp. reports the development of a new radioactive well logging method which gives both a gamma ray and a neutron log from one instrument in a single run...

Volunteer and Sponsor Recognition
Want to recognize an individual's efforts or a company's support? Now you can! Volunteer Recognition and Sponsor Appreciation forms are now online.

Geoscience Technology Workshops
AAPG has several Geoscience Technology Workshops planned in 2010. The first of these is the "Deepwater and Ultra Deepwater Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico". One feature of this workshop that is new to AAPG is the intense focus on discussions and exchanges of ideas. More info on the event here.

Ted Frankiewicz Podcast Available
Distinguished Lecturer, Ted Frankiewicz has more than 30 years' experience with Occidental Petroleum, Unocal Corp., Natco Group, and, currently, SPEC Services....

SPE Short Courses Presented in Houston
In efforts to support and build career and lifelong learning needs, SPE has just completed construction of a training center in Houston. This facility will allow SPE to provide a variety of cost-effective continuing education courses year round. View the Houston schedule and register here.

Opt-In to Receive E-Mail Alerts from Specific Study Groups or Committees
You can now quickly and easily subscribe to a specific study group or committee to receive e-mail information concerning that group’s special events or meetings. Simply logon or register (if you haven’t already) to the SPE GCS Web site...

Keep Your Information Current
As the new year begins, make sure your profile is up to date on the website including your email address and current employer. Login here and make any edits to keep your newsletters and contact info current. If you want to view helpfiles regarding updating your record, please review the site helpfile. Remember, you must be logged in to register for calendar events and receive your member discount.

What's Online
SPE-GCS has a new website! Take a few minutes to learn about the new changes on the "Tips & Tricks" page. You can still search for jobs, post a resume, or browse employment resources.

Advertise with SPE-GCS
There exists a variety of opportunities for organizations involved in the oil and gas industry to advertise in electronic format through the Society of Petroleum Engineers Gulf Coast Section (SPE - GCS).
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1-Mar-10 10:30 AM

Chairman's Corner March 2010

Jane Moring — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:15:00 GMT

"Invite Someone to a Meeting" Month

When was the last time you invited someone to join you at an SPE Gulf Coast Section event? I’m ashamed to say, I haven’t done so either.

When I moved to Houston, it took me a long time to find my way back to SPE. I was very active with SPE Delta Section in New Orleans, but when I came to Houston, the GCS was daunting. I went from a Section with one meeting a month to a Section with ten to fifteen. Which one do I attend? What do you mean it is an hour drive to get there?

I read that 70% of people who joined a church did so because they were brought by a friend or relative. I wonder what percentage of SPE members were introduced to SPE by a coworker, friend, or relative. How did you find your way to your first GCS meeting? Did someone invite you or better yet, did they take you?

There are so many people moving in and out of Houston—from transfers to new hires. Are we actively grabbing opportunities to bring them to SPE...or bring them back to SPE? If you ask someone down the hall to join you at a meeting, you might find out he was active in another Section. What better way to make him feel welcome than to introduce him to friends and acquaintances at a study group—a little “vintage social networking.” If he isn’t already a member, what better way to introduce them to the benefits of SPE!

Don’t limit yourself to just your coworkers. Have you considered SPE meetings as a tool to help your spouse or son or daughter or parent understand what you do? If we bring our daughters to work, then why can’t we bring them to an SPE event? I took my mother to ATCE one year where she learned more about the industry than I had taught her in 30 years.

For those who haven’t found a study group home, I’m inviting you. Call me or any of the GCS leadership listed in the back of this newsletter, and we’ll put you in touch with a study group that fits your interests or give you an SPE contact in your office that will help you find one. Study groups can bring unanticipated benefits such as meeting someone you didn’t know you needed to meet or finding others who share your hobbies or interests. Synergies and serendipities happen.

I’m declaring March, “Invite Someone to a Meeting” Month. Let each of us commit to inviting someone new to join us.

Until next month....

1-Mar-10 10:15 AM

Then and Now - March 2010

Buddy Woodroof — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:00:00 GMT

March 1950
Perforating Guns Atlas Corp. reports the development of a new radioactive well logging method which gives both a gamma ray and a neutron log from one instrument in a single run in the hole. (The key is slow-neutron detection.) $ Texas Tech’s petroleum engineering department reports plans to drill a duster on its campus in Lubbock. (That’s right….They are hoping for a dry hole so the students can use the wellbore for their experiments without being bothered by messy crude oil.) $ The U.S. Air Force makes great strides in refueling planes in flight using a new telescopic tube that can be poked into the filling spout by an attendant on a flying tanker. (How come no one has ever conceived of a mobile refueling/recharging system for automobiles?) East Texas crude oil - $2.65/bbl

March 1970
Efforts to remove lead from gasoline continue to indicate that such a change will cause automobiles to suffer a 10% loss in efficiency from compression-ratio reduction plus another 10% loss from the installation of exhaust-gas devices. $ As Cuba’s fledgling oil industry continues to flounder, a new trade protocol signed with Russia provides for a significant increase in delivery of fuel oil and other petroleum products to the Castro government. (What could possibly be in it for the Russians?) $ Union Oil’s one-legged platform or monopod is judged a success after 3 years of operation in Cook Inlet. (Can a spar platform be far behind?) $ The U.S. active rig count drops below 1,000 for the first time since 1943, as the count drops 40 rigs in one week.
U.S. active rig count – 994

March 1990
Illinois environmental officials hike the estimate of an oil spill from a ruptured pipeline at Shell’s Wood River, Illinois refinery from early estimates of 1,000 bbl to 16,000 bbl. $ Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) is closing in on its goal of sales of 1 million bbl/d of Orimulsion, its extra heavy crude-30% water-emulsifier mix it hopes will compete with coal and fuel oil. $ The DOE is negotiating with the Soviet Union to expand cooperative efforts in energy research and development, energy data exchange, and service and supplies imports/exports. $ BP reportedly will cap a major reshaping of the company with a reorganization that will more than halve the staff at its London headquarters.
Light sweet crude oil - $20.19/bbl; U.S. active rig count – 923

The Rest of the Yarn
This month we continue our look back at some of the famous (and infamous) historical sites in Houston which had connections with the oil industry.

Designed by renowned architect Alfred C. Finn, the Gulf Building at Main and Rusk is one of the finest Art Deco skyscrapers in the Southwest. The site was once the home of Mrs. Charlotte Allen, the “Mother of Houston,” wife of Houston founder Augustus Chapman Allen. Once the corporate headquarters of Gulf Oil, it reportedly cost $3.5 million to build. When completed, it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi.

Now listed in the National Registry of Historical Places, the Gulf Building no longer soars above the skyline, but its grandeur lives on. A number of interesting elements have been added over the years, including two annexes, an industrial-grade telescope, a heliport, and a fifty-foot “Gulf lollipop” neon logo (no longer standing, much to the relief of many). It remains a brilliant, elegant sight especially at night. And now you know…The Rest of the Yarn. (Article excerpted from “Houston Then & Now.”)

History Quiz
Fill in the blank in the following linguistic proportionality (circa 1950) …… “Natural Gasoline” is to refineries as “ “ is to oilfield gasoline plants.

If you would like to participate in this month’s quiz, e-mail your answer to contest@spe.org by noon March 15. The winner, who will be chosen randomly from all correct answers, will receive a $50 gift card to a nice restaurant.

Answer to February’s Quiz
The actual “driller” hired by Colonel Drake to drill the first drilled oil well at Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859 was William A. (Uncle Billy) Smith.

Answer to January’s Quiz
When it was first incorporated in 1870, the Standard Oil Company adopted that name because at that time there were no standard specifications in the industry for kerosene and other oil products, and they were determined to take on that challenge and distinguish themselves in the process.

Congratulations to January’s winner – R. W. Scott

1-Mar-10 10:00 AM

Distinguished Lecturer Ted Frankiewicz - Diagnosing and Resolving Produced Water Chemical and Mechanical Problems

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:00:00 GMT

Ted Frankiewicz has more than 30 years' experience with Occidental Petroleum, Unocal Corp., Natco Group, and, currently, SPEC Services. He has a Ph.D. degree in physical chemistry from the University of Chicago, holds 15 patents, and has written more than 25 professional publications. At Unocal, he was responsible for developing the water treatment systems that were installed in the Gulf of Thailand to remove mercury and arsenic as well as residual oil from produced water. At Natco Group he developed an effective vertical column flotation vessel design and used CFD to diagnose problems with existing water treatment equipment, as well as designed new equipment. His combined expertise in oilfield chemistry, the design of process equipment, and the development of process systems has provided him with unique insights into the issues that challenge operators as their water production and water treatment costs escalate over time.

Download the Podcast below:

To save the PodCast:

Right click HERE or "Ted_Frankiewicz2.m4v" under Related Documents below and choose 'save target/link as'

This is a very large file (approximately 109 MB) and will take around 5-10 minutes on a high-speed connection.

To view the podcast:

Click HERE to watch the presentation online. Alternatively, you can either download the podcast file to your video iPod or, you can load iTunes for free onto your computer. iTunes is similar to Adobe Acrobat Reader which is needed to view a .pdf file. iTunes is used to listen and watch media files. Here is a link to download iTunes software. If you have questions about what a podcast is, you can read about it on Wikipedia.

Description of presentation:

Global production of produced water is nearly 90 billion barrels per year. This water is generally considered to be a non-revenue fluid, yet it can have considerable value as an enhancer of oil production. Produced water needs to be handled and treated effectively to minimize injection or disposal costs and meet environmental requirements. In this talk, three interactive aspects of produced water treatment will be discussed: water chemistry; process hardware; and chemical treatment. To design new water treatment systems or to diagnose problems with existing systems, basic tenets must be followed: know the contaminants to be removed; avoid process recycle streams; and compensate for upstream process operations and chemical injection. The successful use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to design water treatment equipment will be illustrated. In addition, the diagnosis and resolution of actual, challenging water treatment problems will be discussed as examples of how the application of fundamental information can be used beneficially, thus saving time, money, and aggravation for operating companies.

The key message is that in order to design and operate a water treatment system that performs reliably and effectively, it is essential to understand and integrate the fundamentals of system chemistry, process operations, and equipment design.

18-Feb-10 4:00 PM

Volunteer and Sponosorship Recognition Forms Now Available Online

Webmaster — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Volunteer Recognition:
Anyone from the Gulf Coast Section can recognize a member for exceptional volunteer service in a committee, study group, community service or an educational initiative. At the end of the month in which they are recognized by you, they will receive a letter and gift from the membership chair, including an extra copy of the letter for their supervisor. In addition, each month those recognized will also be listed in the newsletter and on the website.
Recognize someone today!

Sponsor Appreciation:
Many of our sponsors go unrecognized outside of the specific committee, study group, community service or educational initiative which they support. You can ensure additional recognition by completing this form for a company that sponsors one of your events, whether in cash or in services. At the end of each month, the contact at the company that you want recognized will receive a letter from the Gulf Coast chairman. In addition, each month the company will also be recognized in the newsletter and on the website.
Show your appreciation today!

16-Feb-10 2:00 PM

SPE-GCS January e-Newsletter 2010

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:30:00 GMT

SPE-GCS e-Newsletter Sponsored by: Hexion

Are Your Fracturing Proppants Performing Effectively? Besides proppant size, strength, and density, there are many other important factors to consider such as: proppant fines, cyclic stress, effective conductivity, proppant flowback, pack rearrangement, embedment, and scaling. More information on proppant selection can be found at waterfrac.com or visit hexion.com/oilfield.

Calendar Events for January 2010

Dual Gradient Drilling
Sponsor: Northside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Paul Boudreau, Senior Drilling Engineer - BHP Billiton
Days: Tues 12-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: Dual gradient (DG) drilling techniques are not new to the industry; pump-and-dump drilling is the simplest example of this. The benefits of dual gradient drilling have long been recognized, especially...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Access / Excel Tip & Tricks
Sponsor: Petro Tech Study Group and Collarini Energy Staffing
Speaker's Names: Leticia Rocha, Engineering Specialist - OXY
Days: Tues 12-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
Location: Brookhollow Sheraton Hotel, W 3000 North Loop West, Houston TX 77092 USA
Summary: You don’t have to be an advanced Microsoft Office power user or VBA scripter to learn how to create macros in Access and schedule them to run automatically using the Microsoft tools we have...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

A Holistic Approach to Decision-Making
Sponsor: SPEGCS Young Professionals and Baker Hughes
Speaker's Names: Dr. Errol Wirasinghe
Days: Tues 12-Jan-10 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM CDT
Location: Baker Hughes, 14990 Yorktown Plaza Dr, Houston TX 77040
Summary: Whether at work, or at home, we make decisions every day. But such decisions are driven by qualitative interpretations of quantitative data. People interpret the data they receive, based on...
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Diagnosing and Resolving Produced Water Chemical and Mechanical Problems
Sponsor: PF&C Study Group
Speaker's Names: Ted Frankiewicz, 2009-2010 SPE Distinguished Lecturer - Spec Services, Inc.
Days: Wed 13-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Racquet Club, 10709 Memorial Drive, Houston TX 77024 US
Summary: Global production of produced water is nearly 90 billion barrels per year. This water is generally considered to be a non-revenue fluid, yet it can have considerable value as an enhancer of oil...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Performance Drilling – an Operator’s Perspective, with Case Histories
Sponsor: Drilling Study Group
Speaker's Names: Graham Mensa-Wilmot, Drilling Engineering Advisor - Chevron
Days: Wed 13-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Drive, Houston TX 77060 USA
Summary: There are several positions in the industry on what constitutes performance drilling. In some instances the use of new technology, sophisticated tools, or expensive drive systems is classified as...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Climate Science and Economics
Sponsor: General Meeting Study Group
Speaker's Names: Dr. Michelle Michot Foss, Chief Energy Economist and Head, Center for Energy Economics - Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin
Days: Thurs 14-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston, 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: This presentation will be a review of key developments in climate science, including emerging trends and questions. Economic considerations associated with policy and regulatory options that are...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Weak Acid Stimulates the San Andres
Sponsor: Permian Basin Study Group
Speaker's Names: Steven Metcalf, Permian Basin Region Technical Manager - BJ Services, Midland, Tx
Days: Tues 19-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Westlake Club, 570 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston TX 77079
Summary: Carbonate formations are predominant in the Permian Basin and as such are commonly stimulated with acid. Repeated stimulation is typically required to maintain production over the life of...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
Sponsor: Safety and Environment Study Group
Speaker's Names: Mr. Dan Chapman, Global Ethics & Compliance Director - Baker Hughes Inc.
Days: Wed 20-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Petroleum Club, 800 Bell St Ste 4300, Houston TX 77002 USA
Summary: Dan Chapman will provide a general overview of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), discussing the elements of an effective anti-bribery compliance program and how FCPA...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Joint Ventures – The Popular Rx for Shale Development
Sponsor: Business Development Study Group and Lancaster Flow Automation, LLC
Speaker's Names: Toby Darden, Chairman - Quicksilver Resources Inc. and Daniel Rathan, VP - Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., LLCx
Days: Wed 20-Jan-10 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM CDT
Location: Four Seasons Hotel, 1300 Lamar St. (Between Caroline & Austin), Houston, TX 77010
Summary: Join the Business Development Study Group at the Four Seasons Hotel as we hear from three distinguished speakers on recent joint venture activity that is fueling the development of shale plays.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

The Effect of Shale Gas Production on U.S. Gas Supplies
Sponsor: Westside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Steve Schubarth, President - Schubarth Inc.
Days: Wed 20-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Westlake Club, 570 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston TX 77079
Summary: The U.S. natural gas supply is greatly dependent on domestic exploration and development. Historically, U.S. gas supply was dominated by very large gas fields with high well productivity...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Oil and Gas Project Financing
Sponsor: Completions and Production Study Group
Speaker's Names: Allen Shook, Executive Vice President & Partner - Blue Rock Energy Capital
Days: Thurs 21-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: The Greenspoint Club, 16925 North Chase Drive, Houston TX 77060 US
Summary: E&P headlines and articles in the press usually involve BIG projects, BIG companies, and BIG dollars beyond comprehension. However, there are thousands of small domestic companies...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Leadership Forum - Ethics for Engineers
Sponsor: Career Management Study Group
Speaker's Names: Ms. Susan Howes, Horizons Program Manager - Chevron
Days: Thurs 21-Jan-10 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM CDT
Location: The HESS Club, 5430 Westheimer Road, Houston TX 77056 USA
Summary: Many professional and technical societies have ethical guidelines for their members. The Continuing Education Program for Professional Engineers in Texas requires an hour of Ethics training...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Coring and Core Analysis – Technologies and Applications
Sponsor: Reservoir Study Group
Speaker's Names: Matt Honarpour, Senior Reservoir Engineering Advisor - Hess
Days: Thurs 28-Jan-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Courtyard on St James, 1885 St James Place, Houston TX 77056
Summary: Rock and fluid characteristics strongly affect in-place volumes, RF, injectivity/ productivity, and deliverability. Therefore, accurate rock and rock-fluid characterization are keys for maximizing the asset...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Future Events

How Commodity Hedging Could Impact Activity in 2010
Sponsor: Northside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Richard Moorman and Randy Barron - Southwestern Energy
Days: Tues 9-Feb-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: Commodity hedging has been much maligned in the past few years, blamed for everything from contributing to the early 2008 acceleration of commodity prices to worsening the global economic...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

North American Gas Outlook
Sponsor: General Meeting Study Group
Speaker's Names: Paul Ziff, CEO - Ziff Energy Group
Days: Thurs 11-Feb-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston, 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: From the impact of low gas prices, through the high full cycle cost of gas, to declines in conventional gas, plus increases in Shale Gas production, along with oscillating LNG imports...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Kikeh Topsides Floatover
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Speaker's Names: David Edelson, Manager of Marine Operations/Floatover - Technip U.S. A., Inc.
Days: Tues 16-Feb-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Racquet Club, 10709 Memorial Drive, Houston TX 77024 US
Summary: Deck installation is always a major installation challenge for floating structures, particularly deep draft floaters like the spar which must be installed in relatively deep water. Derrick barges have been...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Articles/Miscellaneous

Chairman's Corner January 2010
GCS membership and especially the leadership of our committees, study groups, and board, I challenge you. I challenge you to recognize those who have been leaders in technology and service to SPE in the...

Then and Now January 2010
January 1950 A salt mine cave-in 10 miles southwest of Houston swallows up a warehouse-office building and a salt-press building, while a nearby operator reports increased gas production following the cave-in...

Two New Podcasts Available
Watch presentations from Distinguished Lecturers Mike Eberhard (November Drilling) and Joseph Ayoub (November Westside)...

Holiday Social with The Society of Women Engineers
Thank you to everyone who could be a part of the event. A special thanks to SWE for helping to make this event a success!

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4-Jan-10 2:30 PM

Chairman's Corner January 2010

Jane Moring — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:15:00 GMT

Awards and Nominations

GCS membership and especially the leadership of our committees, study groups, and board, I challenge you. I challenge you to recognize those who have been leaders in technology and service to SPE in the energy capital of the world by placing them in nomination for SPE regional and international awards and/or Distinguished Lecturer.

The Nominations Committee led by GCS Past Chair Bill Bowers will collect nominations for international and regional awards this month. Any member can nominate a deserving candidate either through the Nominations Committee or directly to SPE. Details on awards and how to submit a nomination can be found on pp. 3–4 in this newsletter and at www.spe.org. Deadlines are February 1 for Distinguished Lecturers and February 15 for the special awards.

Study Groups - You are the forefront for GCS technology dissemination. Your speakers and your attendees include leaders in technology, and many in your ranks have been long term significant contributors to SPE activities. Some of your speakers would be excellent Distinguished Lecturers. My challenge is to have one nomination from each study group.

Committees - How many in your ranks have been significant SPE contributors? My challenge is at least one nomination from each Coordinator's group of committees.

Officers and Directors - You have had a bird’s eye view of the study groups, committees, and international organization for an extended period. I challenge you as a group to submit two nominations to the Nominations Committee.

General Membership - I challenge you as a group to submit a nomination for each of the awards as well as one Distinguished Lecturer.

Hesitant? Don’t know how? Afraid the paperwork will be daunting? It’s not difficult. If the nominee has a resume, you have much of the needed information already done. The Nominating Committee is here to help, and www.spe.org has detailed, easy-to-follow instructions.

Don’t want to forward a nomination to the Nominating Committee? Then you can nominate someone yourself directly at www.spe.org.

Nominee not an SPE member? Some of the technical awards do not require SPE membership, but what a great opportunity to share with them the benefits of being an SPE member.

Are you ready to take on the challenge? If so, more detailed information on Distinguished Lecturer nominations can be found on p. 4 and awards nominations on p. 5. Although the award deadline is February 15, if you plan to nominate through the Nominations Committee, please forward your recommendations well in advance of the deadline.

I look forward to seeing the many nominations coming from the GCS.

Until next month....

4-Jan-10 2:15 PM

Then and Now - January 2010

Buddy Woodroof — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:00:00 GMT

January 1950
A salt mine cave-in 10 miles southwest of Houston swallows up a warehouse-office building and a salt-press building, while a nearby operator reports increased gas production following the cave-in. $ Core laboratories of this era now include such “modern” test equipment as mercury capillary pressure instruments, Boyle’s Law porosimeters, permeameters, flood pots, and resistivity equipment for approximating formation resistivity factors for use in electric log interpretation. $ One year ago, the slogan for Scurry County, Texas was “Scurry CountyWhere Farmers Ranch and Ranchers Farm.” This year, with 180 drilling wells, it’s “Scurry CountyWhere the Oil Flows and Cotton Grows.” $ Substantial oil production is reported in southern Vera Cruz, Mexico by the Mexican American Independent Oil Company. (How did Pemex let this happen?)
East Texas crude oil - $2.65/bbl; U.S. active rig count – 2,000

January 1975
Libya ends its 14-month-long oil embargo on crude oil shipments to the U.S. (Its 10-year-low oil production levels may have compromised Libya’s political posture.) $ The government of Venezuela decides to take 99% of Venezuela’s largest oil producer, Exxon affiliate Creole Petroleum Company’s, profits from last year. (Can’t blame this one on Hugo.) $ The Iraqi Government is preparing to “negotiate” a take-over of the remaining foreign holdings in Basrah Petroleum Company. (Yes, Saddam had his finger in it.)
U.S. active rig count – 1,618

January 2000
In a watershed agreement signifying a possible thaw in Middle East relations, Egypt agrees to sell natural gas to Israel through what is being called a “pipeline of peace.” $ McMoRan and Texaco ink an agreement giving McMoRan the right to explore all of Texaco’s 90 tracts on the Outer Continental Shelf, leaving Texaco to focus on its deepwater program. $ The U.S. natural gas industry expects to reap the benefits of a recent court ruling that upholds an EPA rule prohibiting the use of lignite fuel in new power plants. $ In an effort to assist its UK business customers in managing their gas portfolios more efficiently, BP Amoco launches an internet-based gas trading service called “e-EnergyTrade.”
Light sweet crude oil - $24.87/bbl; Natural gas - $2.18/MMBTU; U.S. active rig count – 786

The Rest of the Yarn
This month we continue our look back at some of the famous (and infamous) historical sites in Houston which had connections with the oil industry.

The Kennedy Bakery is recognized as Houston’s oldest commercial building still standing on its original site. Nathaniel Kellum built the structure in 1847 and in 1860 John Kennedy, an Irish baker, moved into the narrow structure at 813 Congress. Kennedy was an Irish immigrant who came to Houston in 1842. Poor when he arrived, the hardworking Irishman quickly amassed his own Houston bakery, gristmill, retail store, and several thousand acres.

During the Civil War, Kennedy used his bakery to make hardtack for Confederate soldiers. It passed from the Kennedy family in 1970 and is now La Carafe, considered to be Houston’s oldest bar, and the site where many an oil deal was first outlined on a bar napkin. Its wine selection and atmosphere prompted one magazine to name it one of America’s finest bars. Some say the building is haunted, complete with exploding bottles, eerie shadows, and cold spots. And now you know…The Rest of the Yarn. (Article excerpted from “Houston Then & Now.”)

History Quiz
Why did Standard Oil adopt that name when it was first incorporated in 1870?

If you would like to participate in this month’s quiz, e-mail your answer to contest@spe.org by noon January 15. The winner, who will be chosen randomly from all correct answers, will receive a $50 gift card to a nice restaurant.

Answer to December’s Quiz
In December 1949, Scurry County, Texas, with more than 140 rigs running, was proclaimed to be the most active oil area in the world.

Answer to November’s Quiz
The first commercial natural gas liquefaction plant was built in Cleveland, Ohio by Hope Natural Gas Co. and Gas Machinery Corp.

Congratulations to November’s winner – David Deaton with Landmark-Halliburton Software

4-Jan-10 2:00 PM

Distinguished Lecturer: Mike Eberhard - Multiple Pay Tight Gas Sands, Can the Lessons Learned in the Rockies Help You?

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:30:00 GMT

Mike Eberhard has been with Halliburton for more than 26 years. He has spent his entire career in pumping services including cementing, acidizing, and hydraulic fracturing. He has worked in the Williston Basin, Bakersfield, CA., Brighton, CO. and lastly Denver, CO. During this time, he held various engineering and technical sales positions. In 1996 he transferred to Denver as part of the Halliburton “Tech Team.” The main charge of the Tech Team is working with operators toward drilling and completion optimization. Currently, Eberhard is the Technical Manager for Halliburton’s Rocky Mountain Area. He is a graduate of Montana State University with a BS degree in mechanical engineering, and is a registered professional engineer. He is the past Section Chairman for the Denver Section of SPE, and has helped manage several technical meetings and ATWs. He is author or co-author of 11 SPE papers and several industry articles.

Download the Podcast below:

To save the PodCast:

Right click HERE or "2009_11_Drilling - Podcast - Dist. Lecturer Mike Eberhard.m4v" under Related Documents below and choose 'save target/link as'

This is a very large file (approximately 139 MB) and will take around 5-10 minutes on a high-speed connection.

Description of presentation:

In tight gas sand provinces such as the Rocky Mountain region of North America, more than 90 percent of new wells require hydraulic fracturing to be economic. With the growing development of marginal multiple pay tight gas sands, economic completions have become more difficult. Continued improvements in evaluation and completion technologies for multiple pay intervals is essential to meet an operator’s economic criteria. For operators with a large drilling program, one solution has been the development of a “factory” approach to drilling and completing wells. While this approach provides economic benefit in reducing cycle time and economy-of-scale savings, it is not without complication. Some factors that affect the economic optimization of a well completion for the factory approach are:

Determining well productivity from logs
Completing multiple pay intervals during the initial completion process
Determining which multiple-pay fracture treatment technique to use
Timely fracture treatment recommendations for a high volume of work
Evaluating production results and adopting improvements

This presentation will discuss how these five factors are currently being addressed, with focus on the Rockies. The overall process will be reviewed as a holistic approach to well completion and optimization. The presentation will emphasize the different completion techniques being used throughout the Rockies. Operational difficulties of high volume operations also will be discussed. Actual case study data will be presented showing the benefits of this approach.

People attending this presentation will become very familiar with the variety of different fracturing techniques being used in completing multiple pay tight gas sands.

22-Dec-09 11:30 AM

Distinguished Lecturer: Joseph Ayoub - Realizing the Full Potential of Hydraulic Fracturing

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:30:00 GMT

Joseph Ayoub is the reservoir and production & completion engineering domains career leader for Schlumberger. Prior to that, he held numerous engineering and operations positions in the U.S., Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Joseph has taught a number of industry seminars and authored over 25 technical papers, mainly in the areas of well testing, hydraulic fracturing, and frac and pack operations. More recently, he has been instrumental in the formation of industry consortia for investigating technical challenges in the areas of stimulation and sand control. Joseph holds an engineering degree and a DEA (Masters) from Ecole Centrale de Paris. He served as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer in 1998-99 on the subject of improving the productivity of sand control completions and was elected an SPE Distinguished Member in 2005.

Download the Podcast below:

To save the PodCast:

Right click HERE or "2009_11_Westside - Podcast - Dist. Lecturer Joseph Ayoub.m4v" under Related Documents below and choose 'save target/link as'

This is a very large file (approximately 139 MB) and will take around 5-10 minutes on a high-speed connection.

Description of presentation:

Significant improvements have been made in hydraulic fracturing over the past few decades, particularly in modeling, materials, delivery equipment and monitoring, and the technology footprint has gone beyond tight or unconventional gas into higher permeability reservoirs such as frac and pack applications. Despite its tremendous successes, hydraulic fracturing often does not deliver its full expected potential. The literature is replete with examples of treatments in which production or well test data have indicated an effective fracture length much shorter than predicted. Among the many factors that can contribute to this discrepancy are various damage mechanisms that often accompany hydraulic fracturing treatments.

This presentation will review a number of damage mechanisms associated with hydraulic fracturing, and their impact will be quantified using a customized 3-D multiphase reservoir simulator. Of particular interest is a new understanding of the damage caused by the concentrating of the frac fluid polymer. Much of this understanding has resulted from an extensive experimental study conducted by an industry JIP that was initiated in 2002. It will be shown that contrary to popular belief, the polymer concentrates only in the filter cake, and a significant yield stress can result when the filter cake thickness dominates the proppant pack width. The effect of this yield stress on effective fracture lengths and techniques for mitigating this problem and restoring production from the full length of the created fracture will be discussed.

22-Dec-09 11:30 AM

SPE-GCS December e-Newsletter 2009

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:30:00 GMT

SPE-GCS e-Newsletter Sponsored by: GATE, LLC

Gibson Applied Technology & Engineering, LLC (GATE, LLC) is an oil and gas engineering consulting company based in Houston, TX which offers expertise in the following Deepwater Oil & Gas disciplines: Materials and Corrosion Engineering; Chemical Systems Engineering; Control System Design, Application, and Integration; Flow Assurance; Systems Engineering; Commissioning & Startup; Waterflood.

Calendar Events for December 2009

Risk Management and Mitigation for Well Control
Sponsor: Drilling Study Group
Speaker's Names: Jerry Winchester, CEO - Boots and Coots
Days: Thurs 3-Dec-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club, 800 Bell Street, Houston TX 77002
Summary: Jerry Winchester will elaborate on the company business model change from solely response to one that is primarily prevention and risk mitigation driven. This includes elaborating on the transition from...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

A Comparison of the Haynesville and Eagle Ford Shale (SOLD OUT)
Sponsor: Northside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Richard K. Stoneburner, President/COO - Petrohawk Energy Corporation
Days: Tues 8-Dec-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: The presentation will cover a case study on comparison of Eagle Ford and Haynesville operations and completions.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Perforating for Hydraulic Fracturing
Sponsor: Westside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Dave Cramer, ConocoPhillips
Days: Wed 9-Dec-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: The WestLake Club - Carriage Room, 570 WestLake Park Blvd, Houston TX 77079
Summary: As the link between the wellbore and formation, perforations affect the outcome of hydraulic fracturing treatments. Over the years, field and laboratory studies have evaluated flow through...
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Discussion of Oil & Natural Gas Markets with a Focus On the U.S. Gas Supply Picture
Sponsor: General Meeting Study Group
Speaker's Names: David Pursell, Manager-Macro Research Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., LLC
Days: Thurs 10-Dec-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston, ExxonMobil Bldg., 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: Dave Pursell will present an interesting overview of the conditions that have affected oil and gas prices leading up to current conditions. Natural gas and crude oil forecasts, supply and demand...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Leadership Forum - Coaching Towards Competence
Sponsor: Career Management Committee
Speaker's Names: Robin Kessler, Career Consultant
Days: Thurs 10-Dec-09 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM CDT
Location: HESS Club, 5430 Westheimer Road, Houston TX 77056 USA
Summary: In the Coaching Towards Competence presentation, Ms. Robin Kessler will review ways for managers to help their employees improve their ability to (1) recognize accomplishments that prove...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Future Events

Articles/Miscellaneous

Chairman's Corner December 2009
Young Professionals - Are You Missing Opportunities and Fun? What is a Young Professional (YP)? Do you know about the Gulf Coast Section YP program? Have you attended any YP events? YP...

Then and Now December 2009
November 1959 On the heels of their success in using microbes to help locate oil deposits, Louisiana State University researchers have begun investigating the use of microbes to “refine” oil by converting its...

Photos from Rebuilding Together Houston
A photo album has been added with pictures of the GCS team helping out with the Rebuilding Together Houston's Safer Home Program...

New Podcast Available
Watch Distinguished Lecturer Andrew Glickman's presentation from Spetember's S&E presentation, "Understanding and Minimizing the Environmental Impact of Offshore Drilling Discharges"...

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

1-Dec-09 1:30 PM

Chairman's Corner December 2009

Jane Moring — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:15:00 GMT

Have you made an energy presentation at your child’s school? If so, did you know that Energy4me will donate a complimentary Oil and Natural Gas book to the primary, intermediate, secondary school, or school organization on your behalf? Go to www.energy4me.org to find out how. This Web site is also a valuable source for information and materials to help you develop presentations for any group from primary students to adults. It’s one of my first sources for presentation materials.

Also still available for presentations is the “Magic Suitcase.” These suitcases, containing experiments highlighting basic petroleum engineering concepts, are useful for career fairs, scouting events, and classroom presentations. You can check out a suitcase from one of the Suitcase champions located around Houston; go to the Magic Suitcase committee page on www.spegcs.org to find the champion nearest you.

Whom do I contact?
Don’t know whom to ask? Not sure what is handled by the Education Coordinator vs. Community Services Coordinator? Would you like to know more about the leadership structure of the GCS?

The GCS Leadership Chart has now been posted under Committees > Board of Directors. This will facilitate your search for an initiative contact as well as your understanding of the leadership structure of the GCS.

Are you in jeopardy of being dropped from SPE rolls?
If you have not paid your 2009 SPE dues, your name will be dropped from the SPE membership rolls at the end of the year. We don’t want to lose you. It’s easy to pay your membership on-line at www.spe.org.

May you and yours have a safe and happy holiday season.

1-Dec-09 1:15 PM

Then and Now - December 2009

Buddy Woodroof — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:00:00 GMT

December 1959
Recently it was “Cash for Clunkers”, but in 1959 a stimulus offered to buy more gasoline was “Stamps for Gasoline Purchases”. (For those too young to remember, including most of the newsletter staff of course, redeemable trading stamps were given for gasoline purchases at many “service stations”.) $ A well-known petroleum economist, peering into the future, foresees natural gas as the number one problem of the oil industry. Since at that time oil paid far more than its proportionate share of the cost of oil and gas production, as natural gas usage increased, the burden on the oil producer would become disproportionately greater and ultimately oil would become less and less able to compete for the energy dollar. $ The “electronic computer” is definitely finding a home in oil-processing operations, as several operators have successfully simulated complete refineries using these amazing new tools. (Estimated time to simulate a complete refinery at that time…5 man-years.)
East Texas crude oil - $3.25/bbl; U.S. active rig count – 2,181

December 1984
The Halliburton-developed Ultrasonic Cement Analyzer is reportedly capable of monitoring the strength development of oilfield cement slurries under simulated downhole temperature and pressure conditions, thus substantially reducing the WOC (Waiting on Cement) time. $ Two U.S. megamergers are progressing, as Chevron seeks FTC approval for its proposed sale to Sohio of mergee Gulf’s southeastern marketing assets, while Texaco proceeds with a $765 million after-tax write-down of mergee Getty’s assets. $ Foreign operators continue to prospect for domestic U.S. acquisitions, as Australia’s BHP reports plans to acquire large Kansas independent Energy Reserves Group.
U.S. active rig count – 2,695

December 1999
Key oil exporters are busily offering reassurances to consuming nations that the Y2K rollover will not disrupt global oil supplies. (They hope!) $ Forecasters predict that Norway will overtake the UK as the largest North Sea oil and gas producer by the year 2001. $ API President Red Cavaney tells a Houston global warming conference that most of the U.S. oil industry remains strongly opposed to the Kyoto Protocol, which mandates steep cuts in developed countries’ greenhouse gas emissions while excluding developing country participation. $ Venezuelan voters give President Hugo Chavez an overwhelming mandate as they approve a referendum on a new constitution giving him sweeping new powers and a strong shot at a 12-year term of office. $ Royal Dutch/Shell reveals that it is raising its cost-savings target from $2.5 billion to $4 billion in an effort to better compete with new rivals ExxonMobil and BP Amoco. Shell’s exploration and chemicals businesses will account for the majority of the cost cuts.
Light sweet crude oil - $26.16/bbl; Natural gas - $2.30/MMBTU; U.S. active rig count – 813

The Rest of the Yarn
This month we continue our look back at some of the famous (and infamous) historical sites in Houston which had connections with the oil industry.

Niels Esperson was born in Denmark, eventually migrating to Houston with hopes of striking “black gold” – and he did. The Humble oil field made him millions, which he quickly diversified into a number of ventures. Esperson dreamed of building a skyscraper at Travis and Rusk, but died in 1922 before he could follow through. His widow, Mellie, built it for him in 1927, naming the beautifully ornamented skyscraper in his honor.

In 1928, Mellie Esperson sold the building with the condition that its name would not change. The buyer eventually defaulted on the mortgage and she bought it back for 75 percent of what it had cost her to build. In 1941, she completed the Mellie Esperson Building next to (but shorter than) her husband’s. The Niels Esperson Building’s detail and six-story Grecian top make it one of Houston’s most beloved. And now you know…The Rest of the Yarn. (Article excerpted from “Houston Then & Now”.)

History Quiz
In December, 1949, what area of the world was proclaimed to be the most active oil area at that particular time? If it is inside the U.S., name the county and state; if it is outside the U.S., name the country and field.

If you would like to participate in this month’s quiz, e-mail your answer to contest@spe.org by noon December 15. The winner, who will be chosen randomly from all correct answers, will receive a $50 gift card to a nice restaurant.

Answer to November’s Quiz
The first commercial natural gas liquefaction plant was built in Cleveland, Ohio by Hope Natural Gas Co. and Gas Machinery Corp.

Answer to October’s Quiz
The early Texas oilman whose drilling and refining operations near Corsicana, funded by Standard Oil, became the nucleus of Magnolia Petroleum Co., which later became an important part of Standard of New York as Socony Mobil, was J.S. Cullinan.

Congratulations to October’s winner – Gail Glover with AGR Subsea

1-Dec-09 1:00 PM

SPE-GCS November e-Newsletter 2009

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:30:00 GMT

SPE-GCS e-newsletter November 2009

SPE-GCS e-Newsletter Sponsored by: Enersight – WellSpring

Evaluating multiple development options for Shale Gas, CBM, Thermal or other resource plays? Simplify your life with WellSpring. WellSpring integrates rig scheduling, flow constraints and economics in a visual environment. Focus on your decisions, not your spreadsheets. To learn more visit www.enersight.com

Calendar Events for November 2009

Continuing Education - Oil Patch Orientation
Sponsor: Continuing Education
Speaker's Names: John Farina, Marty Stetzer, Ron Hinn, Ken Arnold & Susan Howes
Days: Tue 3-Nov-09 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM ADT
Location: Hilton Houston North, 12400 Greenspoint Drive, Houston TX 77060
Summary: This seminar is the most popular SPE program. The course is designed as non-technical audio-visual guided tour through the oil patch, illustrating the basic equipment and techniques used in the...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Northside Group: Oil Shale ICP - Colorado Field Pilots
Sponsor: Northside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Thomas Fowler, Project Leader - Shell International, Houston, TX
Days: Thurs 10-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: The massive size of the oil shale resource in the Western USA, particularly in the Green River Basin, has attracted numerous commercialization attempts from industry over the last 100 years. Although...
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Petro Tech - “You Wanted Change, and You Got It: The New SEC Reserves Definitions”
Sponsor: Petro Tech Study Group
Speaker's Names: Stuart L. Filler, Sr. Staff Reservoir Engineer - Southwestern Energy
Days: Thurs 10-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
Location: Brookhollow Sheraton Hotel, 3000 North Loop West, Houston TX 77092
Summary: After 30 years of Regulation S-X and FASB 69, the SEC finally agreed that change to reserves definitions for financial disclosures was warranted. With the capable guidance of the Academic Fellow...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Current Status & Future of Subsea Production Systems
Sponsor: General Meeting Study Group
Speaker's Names: Stephen Barrett, General Manger - Western Hemisphere Subsea Systems - FMC Technologies, Inc.
Days: Thurs 12-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston, ExxonMobil Bldg., 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: This presentation will review challenges (old and new) that impact our ability to produce oil and gas in the offshore environment. Technology that can be used to overcome these challenges will be...
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PF&C: Floater Engineering in Arctic Conditions
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Speaker's Names: John Murray, Director – Technology Development FloaTEC
Days: Tue 17-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Racquet Club, 10709 Memorial Drive, Houston TX 77024 US
Summary: Increased oil prices have renewed interest in the arctic especially in view of the large potential reserves expected to be found there. In fact, the National Geological Society estimates that...
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S&E: Workers' Health & Safety (Health Risk and Impact Assessments)
Sponsor: Safety and Environment Study Group
Speaker's Names: Julie McCashin, MPH, VP - Health Services Development International SOS Assistance, Inc.
Days: Tue 17-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Petroleum Club, 800 Bell Street, 43rd Floor, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: For HSE managers, there is a tremendous focus on keeping the workforce safe and healthy. Most are well aware of the challenges of operating in remote and underdeveloped and areas and...
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Permian Basin: After-Closure Analysis for Unconventional Reservoirs and Completion
Sponsor: Permian Basin Study Group
Speaker's Names: M. Y. Soliman - Halliburton Energy Services
Days: Tue 17-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Westlake Club, 570 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston TX 77079 USA
Summary: Published techniques for after-closure analysis of fracturing data usually assume the presence of a vertical fracture intersecting a vertical well. In addition, these published techniques usually assume...
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Drilling: Distinguished Lecturer Presentation - Multiple Pay Tight Gas Sands, Can the Lessons Learned in the Rockies Help You?
Sponsor: Drilling Study Group
Speaker's Names: Mike Eberhard, P.E., SPE Distinguished Lecturer, Technical Manager - Halliburton
Days: Wed 18-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: In tight gas sand provinces such as the Rocky Mountain region of North America, more than 90 percent of new wells require hydraulic fracturing to be economic. With the growing development of...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Business Development: Marcellus Rex – the New King of Shales?
Sponsor: Business Development Study Group
Speaker's Names: Marshall D. (Mark) Smith, Chief Financial Officer - Ultra Petroleum; C.H. (Scott) Rees III, Chairman and CEO - Netherland, Sewell & Associates, Inc.
Days: Wed 18-Nov-09 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM ADT
Location: Four Seasons Hotel, 1300 Lamar St., Between Caroline & Austin, Houston Texas 77010
Summary: Join the Business Development Study Group at the Four Seasons Hotel as we hear from three distinguished speakers on recent activity and future direction of the Marcellus Shale. The popular format...
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Reservoir: Closed Loop Field Management
Sponsor: Reservoir Study Group
Speaker's Names: Tom Webb - Shell
Days: Thurs 19-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Courtyard on St James, 1885 St James Place, Houston TX 77056 USA
Summary: Shell's Smart Fields(r) program focuses on continuous asset performance improvement over all timescales from seconds and minutes to months and years. At the heart of such a capability lies a...
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Westside: Realizing the Full Potential of Hydraulic Fracturing
Sponsor: Westside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Joseph Ayoub, Schlumberger - 2009-10 SPE Distinguished Lecturer
Days: Thur 19-Nov-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Westlake Club, 570 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston TX 77079 USA
Summary: Significant improvements have been made in hydraulic fracturing over the past few decades, particularly in modeling, materials, delivery equipment and monitoring, and the technology footprint...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Future Events

Northside: A Comparison of the Haynesville and Eagle Ford Shale
Sponsor: Northside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Richard K. Stoneburner, President – Chief Operating Officer Petrohawk Energy Corporation
Days: Thu 8-Dec-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: The presentation will cover a case study on comparison of Eagle Ford and Haynesville operations and completions.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

General Meeting
Sponsor: General Meeting Study Group
Speaker's Names: David Pursell, Manager - Macro Research Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., LLC
Days: Thurs 10-Dec-09 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston, ExxonMobil Bldg., 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: David Pursell is the Head of Macro Research at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. and was one of the founding partners of Pickering Energy Partners, Inc. Mr. Pursell is responsible for macro-oil...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Leadership Forum - Coaching Towards Competence
Sponsor: Career Management
Speaker's Names: Robin Kessler, Career Consultant
Days: Thurs 10-Dec-09 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM CDT
Location: HESS Club, 5430 Westheimer Road, Houston TX 77056 USA
Summary: In the Coaching Towards Competence presentation, Ms. Robin Kessler will review ways for managers to help their employees improve their ability to (1) recognize accomplishments that prove...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Articles/Miscellaneous

Chairman's Corner November 2009
Young Professionals - Are You Missing Opportunities and Fun? What is a Young Professional (YP)? Do you know about the Gulf Coast Section YP program? Have you attended any YP events? YP...

Then and Now November 2009
November 1959 On the heels of their success in using microbes to help locate oil deposits, Louisiana State University researchers have begun investigating the use of microbes to “refine” oil by converting its...

Community Services New Initiative
Calling all Do It Yourself people with a desire to give back to the community. SPE GCS is looking to participate in Rebuilding Together Houston’s Safer Home Program wheel chair ramp construction...

Enrich Your Area High School Student's College Experience
The Gulf Coast Section is hosting career fairs throughout the Houston area in the upcoming month of November. These career fairs are intended to reach out to high school students as they prepare for...

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

2-Nov-09 3:30 PM

Chairman's Corner November 2009

Jane Moring — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:15:00 GMT

Young Professionals - Are You Missing Opportunities and Fun?

What is a Young Professional (YP)? Do you know about the Gulf Coast Section YP program? Have you attended any YP events?

YP programs identify, engage, and develop SPE members 35 years old and younger, as well as other industry newcomers, by providing relevant technical education and networking opportunities. To be designated a YP, there is nothing to join—it’s automatic with your membership. The GCS has 3,000 members classified as Young Professionals.

Our YP board consists of 16 SPE GCS members with less than 10 years of experience, with a new board selected each year. This group develops YP events including professional development dinners and networking socials which give you opportunities to expand skill sets and build relationships with others in the oil and gas industry. The YP board also develops events that “give back” through educational outreach and community service initiatives, helping you become well-rounded in both your career and personal lives. If your passion is sports, the YP also engages in many coed intramural events, including flag football, basketball, and volleyball.

Check our Web site calendar (www.spegcs.org) regularly for events; you can register to receive YP e-mail blasts on future events (Services > My Record > Groups > YP Committee, second page of groups). You will need to set up a login ID and password. For this, you will need your SPE member number, which is on the mailing label on the back cover.

In addition to YP activities, the YP board stewards major events such as:

PetroBowl - a tournament-style contest, held each year at the SPE Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition, in which university teams test their knowledge of SPE and the oil and gas industry.
Roughneck Camp - an introduction to the oil field for summer interns held each summer
Emerging Engineers Conference - new employees receive exposure to career development skills and emerging industry technologies that will help build a solid foundation for a promising career in energy; followed by a golf tournament.

If you attend YP events, great! If not, the YP board would like your input to improve content, locations, and communication. If you are classified as a young professional, you may have received a survey a few weeks ago asking for input on YP functions. If you didn’t receive a survey and would like to comment, or haven’t submitted your input, contact YP Chair Richard Rinaldi, Chevron, at richard.rinaldi@chevron.com or (832) 854-4023. For SPE International YP information, visit www.spe.org.

If you want to mix fun and hard work, apply for the YP board this spring. Need more information? Go to www.spegcs.org (Committees > Young Professionals) where you’ll find a presentation on the 2008–09 board which includes descriptions of various board positions and the time requirements for each.

Don’t miss the opportunities and fun.

Until next month....

2-Nov-09 3:15 PM

Then and Now - Nov 2009

Buddy Woodroof — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:00:00 GMT

November 1959
On the heels of their success in using microbes to help locate oil deposits, Louisiana State University researchers have begun investigating the use of microbes to “refine” oil by converting its impurities. (Way to geaux Tigers!) $ The race to build the world’s largest supertanker is on, as a 104,520-ton American vessel is superseded by a 106,500-ton Greek vessel, with a 110,000-ton vessel under construction. $ The Cuban government surprises oil men by sealing the office files of all foreign oil exploration companies, stating that the move was preliminary to drafting a new oil law. (How much oil production was affected you ask. Would you believe Cuba’s total oil production of 600 bbl per day?) $ Operators off California’s coast northwest of Santa Barbara now have assurances that an errant missile from a nearby missile range will not plow into their drilling platforms. (Ah…No more air raid shelters on the platforms.)
East Texas crude oil - $3.25/bbl; U.S. active rig count – 2,111

November 1984
An independent operator successfully completes an Oriskany gas discovery well in a previously non-producing area of West Virginia. (What about the Marcellus?) $ A Department of Energy contract is awarded to BDM Corp. to study the shale gas potential of Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois and Michigan. (We might want to revisit that report.) $ It is feared that Oklahoma State’s favorite alum may be making a run at Tenneco, as large blocks of Tenneco stock begin moving. (Oh, I’m sorry. It’s Boone Pickens.) $ An explosion at a Pemex LPG storage facility in a south-side suburb of Mexico City levels 20 city blocks and kills more than 300 people.
U.S. active rig count – 2,584

November 1999
BG International claims an historic deal in the Eastern Mediterranean as it signs a contract with the Palestine National Authority to explore for gas off the Gaza Strip. $ A team of French and Australian scientists reports what is believed to be the world’s largest natural gas deposit, and its not where you think it is. (Would you believe in a methane hydrates field off the coast of New Caledonia?) $ Noble Drilling spuds in a water-depth record well at 8,816 ft in the Campos Basin. (Would you believe using a semisubmersible?) $ BP Amoco’s proposed purchase of ARCO hits a major snag as federal antitrust enforcers fear that the combine would translate into elevated gasoline prices on the left coast.
Light sweet crude oil - $24.20/bbl; Natural gas - $2.63/MMBTU; U.S. active rig count – 774

The Rest of the Yarn
For the next few months, this column will take a look back at some of the famous (and infamous) historical sites in Houston which had connections with the oil industry.

Completed in 1949, this hotel embodied the early imagery of Texas oil extravagance. Built by Texas oilman Glenn McCarthy, this 1,100 room hotel had a pool large enough for water-skiing exhibitions and featured sixty-three shades of green. Its opening was national news, bringing almost 200 movie stars and journalists. It also helped inspire Edna Ferber’s novel, “Giant.”

Despite its social value, it became a financial cow. McCarthy was forced to sell the hotel in the 1950’s, and it became a Hilton. But in the 1980’s recession, even Hilton couldn’t make it work. Thousands protested its demolition on St. Patrick’s Day, 1986. Today the Texas Medical Center owns the land. It’s home to a small park, which has a 650-ft pool, computer-controlled water columns, and eighty bald cypress trees. It was the Shamrock Hotel. And now you know…The Rest of the Yarn. (Article excerpted from “Houston Then & Now.”)

History Quiz
Where was the first commercial natural gas liquefaction plant built?

If you would like to participate in this month’s quiz, e-mail your answer to contest@spe.org by noon November 15. The winner, who will be chosen randomly from all correct answers, will receive a $50 gift card to a nice restaurant.

Answer to October’s Quiz
The early Texas oilman whose drilling and refining operations near Corsicana, funded by Standard Oil, became the nucleus of Magnolia Petroleum Co., which later became an important part of Standard of New York as Socony Mobil was J.S. Cullinan.

Answer to September’s Quiz
The oilfield town that currently lays claim to the worst measured air quality in the U.S. is Bakersfield, California.

Congratulations to September’s winner – Dean Wehunt at Chevron Business Development Inc.

2-Nov-09 3:00 PM