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Young Professionals - Upcoming Events Aug 2010

Damon Wilson — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:00:00 GMT

View this newsletter in your browser: http://www.spegcs.org/en/articles/view.asp?articleid=1044

Up Cpming Calendar Events August 2010

YP: CCSC Back to School Volunteer Event
Sponsor: Young Professionals
Day: Saturday 31-Jul-10 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Faith Lutheran Church, 4600 Bellaire Blvd. Houston TX 77401
Summary: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Since 1986 the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) has helped deserving and under-resourced
students through its Back To School program. This year, 6,000 children will receive grade-appropriate school supplies as well as a $30 voucher for new uniforms/shoes.This volunteer-driven effort equips kids with supplies AND confidence, by allowing students to begin the school year in a well-prepared fashion – just like their peers!
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

YP: CCSC Back to School Volunteer Event
Sponsor: Young Professionals
Day:Saturday 7-Aug-10 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM CDT
Location: Faith Lutheran Church, 4600 Bellaire Blvd. Houston TX 77401
Summary: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Since 1986 the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) has helped deserving and under-resourced
students through its Back To School program. This year, 6,000 children will receive grade-appropriate school supplies as well as a $30 voucher for new uniforms/shoes.This volunteer-driven effort equips kids with supplies AND confidence, by allowing students to begin the school year in a well-prepared fashion – just like their peers!
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

YP: CCSC Back to School Volunteer Event
Sponsor: Young Professionals
Day:Saturday 7-Aug-10 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM CDT
Location: Faith Lutheran Church, 4600 Bellaire Blvd. Houston TX 77401
Summary: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Since 1986 the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) has helped deserving and under-resourced
students through its Back To School program. This year, 6,000 children will receive grade-appropriate school supplies as well as a $30 voucher for new uniforms/shoes.This volunteer-driven effort equips kids with supplies AND confidence, by allowing students to begin the school year in a well-prepared fashion – just like their peers!
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

YP: "Private Equity Investment for the Oil and Gas Sector" - Development Dinner
Sponsor: Young Professionals
Day:Thursday 19-Aug-10 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM CDT
Location: The Westlake Club, 570 Westlake Park Blvd. Houston TX 77079
Summary: Cajun dinner buffet included and cash bar available.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

YP: Energizing Houston - An Energy Networking Event
Sponsor: Young Professionals
Day:Thursday 23-Sep-10 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM CDT
Location: Houston Downtown Club @ the Plaza Club - One Shell Plaza, 49th Floor, 910 Louisiana
Houston TX 77002
Summary: Come Network With Us! Join Texas Young Professionals, Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and Houston Geological Society for an evening of formative business networking and making new connections with Houston’s energy community. Free Admission, Free Parking, Cash Bar.

Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

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Copyright 2000-2010 Society of Petroleum Engineers - Gulf Coast Section.
All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement.
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29-Jul-10 4:00 PM

Regional Award Winner: Allen Shook

Damon Wilson — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Allen Shook,

Allen is currently an Executive VP and Partner of BlueRock Energy Capital. Allen has served on the Gulf Coast Section Board as Vice-Treasurer(2001-02), Treasurer(2002-03), Secretary(2006), Vice-Chair(2006-07), Chair(2007-08), Past Chair(2008-09). Allen was also Co-Chair of the Ad Hoc Education Committee which researched and recommended educational initiatives where the GCS could invest assets.

28-Jul-10 11:00 AM

Regional Award Winner : Steve McCants

Damon Wilson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Steve McCants,

Steve is currently part of the Reserves Group at Occidental Petroleum Corp. He has been a significant long term contributor to the Gulf Coast Section as he volunteers and/or serves on many committees, study groups and section leadership.

21-Jul-10 11:00 AM

Digital Energy Workshop Podcasts

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Some years ago, the industry was challenged with target values that could be gained from the creation of Digital Oilfields. Since then, a number of papers have been written about the value actually realized, but no survey or compilation has been created.

This workshop compiled published reports on the value of real time data, and hosted presentations of case studies on its value and benefit. Watch the podcast sections below.

To save the PodCast:

Right click the name below under Related Documents and choose 'save target/link as'

These are very large files (approximately 50-100 MB each) and will take around 5-10 minutes on a high-speed connection.

To view the podcast:

Left click the files name 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.

19-Jul-10 2:00 PM

Regional Award Winner: Kim Tran

Damon Wilson — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Kim Tran,

Kim is currently the Marketing Coordinator at Hamilton Group. She spent the past 5 years working at Champion Technologies where she held a variety of roles in technical marketing and business development. She is heavily involved in the Gulf Coast Section of the SPE having donated her time to various committees including the Young Professionals Board of Directors as well as the Awards Committee.

13-Jul-10 11:00 AM

Regional Award Winner: Jimmie Riesenberg

Damon Wilson — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Jimmie Riesenberg

Jimmie Riesenberg is currently an Engineering Manager for Chevron. He helped build organizational capability in compact processing/separations for major projects.

6-Jul-10 11:00 AM

SPE-GCS July e-Newsletter 2010

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:30:00 GMT

Calendar Events for July 2010

Expanding Facilities Knowledge: Session 2. Processing
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Day: Thursday 1-July-10 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Technip - Energy Tower I, 11700 Katy Freeway, Houston TX 77079
Summary: Overview of basic topsides processing of oil, gas and water, as well as introduce Piping and instrument diagrams (P&IDs) and (Process Flow Diagrams) PFDs.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Roughneck Camp 2010: Beyond the Classroom
Sponsors: Chevron, Oxy, BHP Billiton, TAM International, Ryder Scott, PetroSkills, Wild Well Control, & Verdande Technology
Speaker's Name: Panel of Speakers
Day: Thursday 8-July-10 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Location: Chevron, 1500 Louisiana Street, Houston Texas 77002
Summary: "Roughneck Camp: Beyond the Classroom" is a unique one day conference designed for recent graduates and college interns working in the oil and gas industry.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

SPE GCS Board of Directors Meeting
Sponsor: Board of Directors
Day: Thursday 15-July-10 7:30 AM
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...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Expanding Facilities Knowledge: Session 3. Flow Assurance
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Day: Thursday 15-July-10 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Shell - Woodcreek B101/109, 200 N. Dairy Ashford, Houston TX 77079
Summary: Flow Assurance is keeping the flow path open. This session will examine the flow assurance basics of thermal/hydraulics and solids management as well as highlight an example of use...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Expanding Facilities Knowledge: Session 4. Subsea
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Day: Thursday 29-July-10 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: FMC Technologies, 1777 Gears Road, Houston TX 77067
Summary: This session will cover basic subsea equipment, maintenance processes, remote operated vehicles (ROVs), flowlines, umbilicals, risers, etc.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Future Events

Expanding Facilities Knowledge: Session 5. Valves
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Day: Thursday 12-August-10 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Cameron - San Saba Room, 3250 Briarpark, Houston TX 77042
Summary:This session will showcase Cameron Valves, but will bring field examples of all valve types, as well as explain when to use which valve; also an overview of materials selection for various...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Articles/Miscellaneous

2010 Awards Banquet Photos
Photos from this year's awards banquet are now online. Thank you to our sponsors: Chevron, Anadarko, BJ, Services Oxy, CoreLab, SWN, Natioinal Oilwell Varco, Hamilton Engineering and BHP Biliiton.

Award Winners to be Recognized Online
Be sure to check under "Announcements" on the SPEGCS homepage over the coming weeks as individual award winners are highlighted.

2010 Gulf Coast Section Annual Report
The 2010 Gulf Coast Section has been completed and is now available to view online here.

Wheelchair Ramp-Building Volunteer Opportunity
SPEGCS volunteers are needed to construct a wheelchair ramp for a disabled person in the Houston area. Our partner in this effort is a non profit organization called RT-H (Rebuilding Together-Houston). Visit the SPEGCS Volunteer Opportunity page for more info.

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).
Ad Specs

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Copyright 2000-2010 Society of Petroleum Engineers - Gulf Coast Section.
All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement.
Web site designed and programmed by Schipul Technologies, Inc.

30-Jun-10 12:30 PM

Regional Award Winner: Rama Venkatesan

Damon Wilson — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Rama Venkatesan

Rama is well-recognized as a wax and PVT expert not only within Chevron but also by peers and competitors. He has made exceptional contributions to the Prod. & Ops. discipline through his R&D efforts/technical support for major capital projects.

29-Jun-10 11:00 AM

Regional Award Winner: Trey Shaffer

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Regional Award: Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Social Responsibility

For the past twenty years, Trey Shaffer has focused on delivering a broad range of environmental consulting and construction services to clients throughout the Gulf Coast region of the United States.

He is currently responsible for leading a team of individuals at ERM who are focused on delivering a broad suite of environmental and safety services to a portfolio of multi-national key clients with an operating footprint in the Gulf Coast region.

15-Jun-10 4:00 PM

SPE-GCS June e-Newsletter 2010

Webmaster — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:30:00 GMT

SPE-GCS e-Newsletter Sponsored by: GATE LLC

GATE LLC offers a wide range of skills and expertise in deepwater engineering in design, installation and operation stages. Our core capabilities include Chemical Systems Engineering, Commissioning & Startup, Flow Assurance, Materials & Corrosion and Waterflood. Please visit our website at www.gatellc.com for more information.

Calendar Events for June 2010

2010 Emerging Engineers Conference - Riding the Energy Roller Coaster: Challenges, Innovations & Opportunities
Sponsor: Young Professionals
Speaker's Name: Panel of Speakers
Day: Thursday 3-June-10 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Hilton Houston Westchase, 9999 Westheimer Road, Houston TX 77042 USA
Summary: The Emerging Engineers Conference (EEC) is a one day event focusing on various topics that aims to shape and develop the careers of Young Professionals (YPs). EEC 2010 will feature a group...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

2010 Digital Energy Workshop: The Value of Real Time Data
Sponsor: SPE Gulf Coast Section and SPE Real Time Optimization Technical Interest Group
Speaker's Name: Panel of Speakers
Day: Tuesday 8-June-10 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Location: Crown Plaza River Oaks Hotel, 2712 Southwest Freeway, Houston TX 77098 USA
Summary: This workshop will: Compile published reports on the value of real time data and host presentations of case studies on its value and benefit.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

2010 Sporting Clays Tournament
Sponsor: Sporting Clays
Day: Friday 11-June-10 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Location: Rio Brazos Hunting Preserve, 4430 Guyler Road, Simonton (Wallis) Texas 77485 USA
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

History of Key Safety Developments Over the Last 250 Years
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction
Speaker's Name: Iain Michael Light, Group Energy Director - Lloyd’s Register
Day: Tuesday 15-June-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Houston Racquet Club, 10709 Memorial Drive, Houston TX 77024 US
Summary: Today Iain’s talk is going to take us through a short history of key safety developments over the last 250 years. He will consider significant developments in a range of capital intensive high...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Expanding Facilities Knowledge: Session 1. Concept Selection
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction
Day: Tuesday 15-June-10 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Mustang Engineering - Opus Building, 17420 Katy Freeway, Houston TX 77079
Summary: An overview of Offshore concepts (steel pile jacket, SPAR, FPSO, TLP), construction/installation, including an explanation regarding under what conditions each concept is...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Energy Security, Alternative Energy Sources and Technology
Sponsor: Society of Women Engineers and the Career Mgmt Study Group
Speaker's Name: John Hofmeister, Founder and CEO - Citizens for Affordable Energy
Day: Thursday 17-June-10 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Location: The H.E.S.S. Club, 5430 Westheimer Road, Houston Texas 77056 USA
Summary: John Hofmeister, Founder and CEO of the not-for-profit (501(c)(3)), nation-wide membership association, Citizens for Affordable Energy, and also retired President of Shell Oil Company, will be...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

SPE GCS Board of Directors Meeting
Sponsor: Board of Directors
Day: Thursday 17-June-10 7:30 AM
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...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

NSPS, NESHAP, NAAQS, and GHG From Advocacy to Implementation to Execution: A Systemic Approach to Success
Sponsor: Study Group - Safety and Environment
Speaker's Name: Kyle Jantzen, Air Emissions Compliance Manager - Exterran
Day: Thursday 24-June-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Houston Petroleum Club 800 Bell St Ste 4300 Houston, TX 77002
Summary: The presentation will discuss the current situation surrounding water usage and treatment standards in the U.S. Shale gas plays, this will be focused in the Marcellu...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Future Events

Expanding Facilities Knowledge: Session 2. Processing
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction
Day: Thursday 1-July-10 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Technip - Energy Tower I, 11700 Katy Freeway, Houston TX 77079
Summary: Overview of basic topsides processing of oil, gas and water, as well as introduce Piping and instrument diagrams (P&IDs) and (Process Flow Diagrams) PFDs.
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Roughneck Camp 2010: Beyond the Classroom
Sponsor: Chevron, BHP Billiton, TAM International, Ryder Scott, PetroSkills, Wild Well Control, & Verdande Technology
Day: Thursday 8-July-10 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Location: Chevron, 1500 Louisiana Street, Houston Texas 77002
Summary: Roughneck Camp is an all day event focused on networking and introducing students, interns, and new professionals to the industry. The event has been held annually since 2002 with around 200...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Expanding Facilities Knowledge: Session 3. Flow Assurance
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction
Day: Thursday 15-July-10 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Location: Shell - Woodcreek B101/109, 200 N. Dairy Ashford, Houston TX 77079
Summary: Flow Assurance is keeping the flow path open. This session will examine the flow assurance basics of thermal/hydraulics and solids management as well as highlight an example of use in the...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Articles/Miscellaneous

Chairman's Corner June 2010
How valuable is your SPE membership to you? Your continued membership conveys the message that you find value in being a member of SPE. What SPE opportunities are more valuable than others? Are...

2010 Gulf Coast Section Annual Report
The 2010 Gulf Coast Section has been completed and is now available to view online here.

Volunteer Opportunity - YP and the Children's Museum of Houston
During your volunteer experience, you have the chance to interact with kids and help out with action-packed exhibits! Contact Lucas_Smith@ryderscott.com or Kimberly_Thames@oxy.com with any questions or visit the SPEGCS Volunteer Opportunity page for more info.

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Copyright 2000-2010 Society of Petroleum Engineers - Gulf Coast Section.
All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement.
Web site designed and programmed by Schipul Technologies, Inc.

1-Jun-10 3:30 PM

Chairman's Corner June 2010

Jane moring — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:15:00 GMT

The Value of Your Membership

How valuable is your SPE membership to you?

Your continued membership conveys the message that you find value in being a member of SPE. What SPE opportunities are more valuable than others? Are there ways you could increase the value that you receive from SPE?

Are you gaining value by increasing your technical knowledge?

The primary mission of SPE is technology transfer, accomplished through avenues that include meetings, conferences, seminars, short courses, journals, newsletters, technical interest groups, and One Petro, the multisociety library of on-line technical papers. The Gulf Coast Section (GCS) held more than 100 meetings this year covering a wide range of subjects. New podcasts of popular events have been posted on on our web site, www.spegcs.org. Did you find value in these offerings?

Are you gaining value through opportunities to make a difference in the areas of education and the community?

We hear time and time again about the technical staffing needs of the future and the importance of efforts to bring bright young minds into the fields of science and technology. GCS opportunities have included working with middle school and elementary teachers, awarding scholarships, endowing a professorship, supplying SPE Oil and Natural Gas books to schools, judging science fair entries, recruiting at high school recruiting fairs, speaking to groups with the SPE Magic Suitcases; the list goes on and on. Did you find value participating in our educational initiatives? Opportunities for giving back to the community are also abundant—Red Cross Ready when Time Comes, serving meals at the Thanksgiving Superfeast, building bikes at Christmas, building a wheelchair ramp with Rebuilding Together—Houston, and so many more. Did you find value in these efforts?

How valuable are the networking opportunities?

Meetings, social events, working with others on committees are all social networking opportunities. Do you now have a new valued contact or friend whom you met through SPE events?

Are you gaining value for your company?

Technical training, leadership skills development, networking are all stepping stones to success. Did you have an opportunity to work with the Young Professionals group to learn more about your new coworkers? Did you recognize someone in your company by nominating them for an international or regional award?

Are you giving value back to SPE?

With opportunity comes obligation. Your attendance, dedication, and hard work are what make the GCS a success. Thank you to all employers for giving value back to SPE by allowing employee involvement.

In a few weeks, I will be turning over my responsibilities to our new Chair, Mark Peavy of Kinder Morgan. This summer, Mark and new GCS leadership will evaluate ways to add value to the SPE GCS. Think about the value you receive from SPE and where you could gain more—then let them know.

Until our paths cross again....

1-Jun-10 3:15 PM

SPE-GCS May e-Newsletter 2010

Webmaster — Mon, 03 May 2010 18:00:00 GMT

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

Enersight is a leading provider of Development Planning Software. With clients ranging from independents to super majors. Wellspring enables companies to efficiently evaluate development options including; drill pacing, facility expansions, production forecasting, steam limitations etc... To learn more visit www.enersight.com

Calendar Events for May 2010

Northside: Petrophysical Evaluation of Shales for Well Completion Decisions in Resource Plays
Sponsor: SPE GCS Northside
Speaker's Name: Brian LeCompte, Geoscientist, Baker Hughes, Inc
Day: Tuesday 11-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Greenspoint Club 16925 Northchase Dr. Houston, TX 77060
Summary: Shales are complex and heterogeneous but their petrophysical properties can be assessed with the proper tools and methods. New logging technology such as elemental spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Petro Tech: Optimization and Adaptive Simulations for the Optimal Well-Rate Allocation Problem
Sponsor: Study Group - Petro-Tech
Speaker's Name: Marco Enriquez, Rice University
Day: Tuesday 11-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: HOUSTON BROOKHOLLOW SHERATON Hwy 290 & 1 610W 3000 North Loop West Houston, TX 77092
Summary: The optimal well-rate allocation problem (OWRA) can be stated as the following: given a model of a reservoir and locations of injecting and producing wells, find the well rates (defined over time)...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Drilling Study Group - Ethical Principles in Business
Sponsor: Study Group - Drilling
Speaker's Name: James Pappas, Vice President - Technical Programs, Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America
Day: Wednesday 12-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Greenspoint Club 16925 Northchase Drive Houston, TX 77060
Summary: Business Ethics: A Different Look...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Emerging Deepwater Drilling Technologies
Sponsor: Baker Hughes
Speaker's Name: Ananth Srinivasan, Senior Project Manager, Baker Hughes
Day: Thursday 13-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Petroleum Club, 43rd Floor, ExxonMobil Building 800 Bell St, 43rd Floor Houston, Texas 77002
Summary: Come join the Young Professionals as we hear from Ananth Srinivasan on the latest advances in deepwater drilling techniques and technology. These innovations allow us to unlock previously...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Reservoir Forum
Sponsor: Study Group - Reservoir
Speaker's Name:
Day: Friday 14-May-10 8:00 AM
Location: Hess Corporation Conference Center, One Allen Center 500 Dallas St Houston, TX 77002
Summary: Please join us for a forum to discuss timely and applied, practical reservoir topics. The forum will consist of three 90 minute sessions...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Permian Basin: Seminole San Andres Unit Residual Oil Zone CO2 Flood
Sponsor: Study Group - Permian Basin
Speaker's Name: Scott Biagiotti, Production Optimization Advisor, Global Production Excellence Group, Hess Corporation
Day: Tuesday 18-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Westlake Club 570 Westlake Park Blvd. Houston, TX 77079
Summary: The life of Seminole San Andres Field, which was discovered in 1936, is being extended by development of the Residual Oil Zone (ROZ) by Hess Corporation. The San Andres formation, the most...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

S&E: Water Resource Challenges in the Marcellus and Haynesville Shale Formations
Sponsor: Study Group - Safety and Environment
Speaker's Name: Kayli Clements, Sr. Environmental Scientist, M-I SWACO
Day: Tuesday 18-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Houston Petroleum Club 800 Bell St Ste 4300 Houston, TX 77002
Summary: The presentation will discuss the current situation surrounding water usage and treatment standards in the U.S. Shale gas plays, this will be focused in the Marcellu...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

PF&C: The First FPSO in US GoM – The 14 Year Journey
Sponsor: Study Group - Projects, Facilities and Construction
Speaker's Name: Peter Lovie
Day: Tuesday 18-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Houston Racquet Club 10709 Memorial Drive Houston, TX 77024
Summary: The April feature with this title in SPE’s Journal of Petroleum Technology is discussed by its author, exploring the insights to be gained from key managers in GoM operators, the regulatory...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

SPE Gulf Coast Section Awards Banquet
Sponsor: Board of Directors
Speaker's Name: Commissioner Victor G. Carrillo, Chairman, Texas Railroad Commission
Day: Tuesday 18-May-10 6:00 PM
Location: Rice Hotel 909 Texas Avenue Houston, Texas 77054
Summary: Although hydrocarbon resources are still abundant, an ever increasing pace of investment and technology will be required to extract and bring these resources to market. To meet this challenge...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Westside: Where Does the Salt Come from in Gas Shale Developments?
Sponsor: Study Group - Westside
Speaker's Name: Mike Conway, President, Stim-Lab
Day: Wednesday 19-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: The WestLake Club - Carriage Room 570 WestLake Park Blvd Houston, Texas 77079
Summary: High salinity produced fluids are often associated with gas shale developments. Opinions vary widely regarding the source of the salt, and it is often suggested that “slickwater fracs” are successful...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

SPE GCS Board of Directors Meeting
Sponsor: Board of Directors
Speaker's Name:
Day: Thursday 20-May-10 7:30 AM
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...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

C&P: Good Fracturing Practices and Multi-Stage Fracturing System Solutions
Sponsor: Completion & Production Study Group
Speaker's Name: Dan Themig, CEO, Packers Plus Energy Services
Day: Thursday 20-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Greenspoint club 16925 Northchase Houston, TX 77060
Summary: Good fracturing practices have been developed over the past 50 years and have been applied across a great variety of formations worldwide. With advent of horizontal multi-stage fracturing...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Khurais Field Development, Saudi Arabia
Sponsor: Study Group - General Meeting
Speaker's Name: Kwaku Temeng, Director of Upstream Research, Aramco Services Company
Day: Wednesday 26-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Petroleum Club of Houston, ExxonMobil Bldg. 43 Floor 800 Bell Street Houston, Texas 77002
Summary: This presentation will describe the development of the ...
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Business Development: Anadarko Petroleum Transaction Tour: A “Buffet” Review of Recent Deals
Sponsor: SPE Business Development Study Group
Speaker's Name: Jerry Windlinger, VP USBD; Philip Holmes, BD Manager Rockies; Susan Holley, BD GM Southern US and Appalachia; Craig Collins, Mgr, Corporate Development Finance, Anadarko Petroleum
Day: Wednesday 26-May-10 5:30 PM
Location: FOUR SEASONS HOTEL, 2nd Floor Mezzanine and Meeting Rooms - Hors D'oeuvres Provided, Cash Bar 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 Anadarko Petroleum on recent transactions supporting Anadarko's strategy....
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Reservoir: A Better Way to Forecast Production in Unconventional Gas Reservoirs
Sponsor: Study Group - Reservoir
Speaker's Name: John Lee, Regents Professor of Petroleum Engineering, Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University
Day: Thursday 27-May-10 11:30 AM
Location: Courtyard on St James 1885 St James Place Houston, TX 77056
Summary: For many decades, a standard method of forecasting future production in conventional oil and gas reservoirs has been to use Arps production decline equations. One of the limitations of the Arps...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Future Events

YP 2010 Emerging Engineers Conference - Riding the Energy Roller Coaster: Challenges, Innovations & Opportunities
Sponsor: Young Professionals
Speaker's Name: Panel of Speakers
Day: Thursday 3-Jun-10 7:30 AM
Location: Hilton Houston Westchase 9999 Westheimer Road Houston, TX 77042
Summary: Young Professionals Join 2010 SPE Emerging Engineers Conference! ...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

2010 Digital Energy Workshop: The Value of Real Time Data
Sponsor: SPE Gulf Coast Section and SPE Real Time Optimization Technical Interest Group
Speaker's Name:
Day: Tuesday 8-Jun-10 8:30 AM
Location: Crown Plaza River Oaks Hotel 2712 Southwest Freeway Houston, TX 77098
Summary: Some years ago, the industry was challenged with target values that could be gained from the creation of Digital Oilfields. Since...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

2010 Sporting Clays Tournament
Sponsor: Sporting Clays
Day: Friday 11-Jun-10 7:30 AM
Location: Rio Brazos Hunting Preserve 4430 Guyler Road Simonton (Wallis), Texas 77485
Summary: On behalf of the officers and committee members of the 2010 Society of Petroleum Engineers Gulf Coast Section Sporting Clays Tournament, it is our pleasure to announce this year’s event. Prior to detailing this year’s tournament, we would like to take this opportunity to...
Register | Google Maps | Add to Calendar

Articles/Miscellaneous

Chairman's Corner May 2010
International Study Group. At a minimum Houston is a major oil and gas center, while for many it is the energy capital of the world. No matter what camp you find yourself in, you must admit Houston reflects...

Then and Now May 2010
AMay 1955 Within a couple of weeks of reports that a rich bed of uranium ore had been discovered on a ranch in Southwest Texas…hardware stores are reportedly selling out of Geiger counters, the Texas...

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3-May-10 1:00 PM

Chairman's Corner May 2010

Jane Moring — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:45:00 GMT

International Study Group

At a minimum Houston is a major oil and gas center, while for many it is the energy capital of the world. No matter what camp you find yourself in, you must admit Houston reflects the global nature of the oil and gas industry. Many overseas-based companies maintain offices here, and in those offices are many SPE GCS members. If you work for a U.S.-based company, you may find your assignment takes you overseas on a regular basis. The SPE GCS oil and gas professional of today must be culturally aware and prepared to work in a global environment.

Such global diversity in the Gulf Coast Section begs for programming that includes a study group focused on the international segment of the oil and gas industry. Such a group, inactive for the last few years, is reforming.

The returning International Study Group, under the leadership of Philippe Mitterrand, seeks to enable “networking and sharing of experiences with engineers and managers of both natinonal oil companies and oil companies headquartered outside the United States.” The 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.”

I want to thank Philippe for taking on this challenge. Those wishing to become involved or recommend speakers for the group can contact him at iimm@sbcglobal.net.

Where Did That Golf Tournament Donation Go?

Do you ever wonder what happens to your donations to the Golf Tournament, Tennis Tournament, or other SPE GCS events (including your advertising dollars in this newsletter an on our web site)? If you want to see your dollars make a difference to students pursuing their college degrees, join me at the Rice Hotel on May 18 for the annual SPE GCS Awards & Scholarship Banquet. These scholarship recipients have numerous accomplishments to date, and one day they may be sitting in the office next to you.

Not only will you see and meet the scholarship winners, you will have a chance to meet new Legion of Honor inductees (50-year members) along with technical and SPE service award winners. Mark Vandenburg as Master of Ceremonies is always a treat.

Until next month....

3-May-10 12:45 PM

Then and Now - May 2010

Buddy Woodroof — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:30:00 GMT

May 1955
Within a couple of weeks of reports that a rich bed of uranium ore had been discovered on a ranch in Southwest Texas…hardware stores are reportedly selling out of Geiger counters, the Texas legislature puts forth an omnibus tax bill which includes a 5% tax on the value of any uranium ore produced in the state, and futurists predict that by the year 2000 the uranium atom will be supplying more energy than oil and gas. (Woa Nellie!) $ At the upcoming World Petroleum Congress in Rome, the planners reportedly plan to utilize a system of podium lights to alert the speakers as to the allotted time remaining for their presentation. If after the green, yellow and red lights have all flashed and the speaker continues on, the moderator is then equipped to disconnect the speaker’s microphone. (I can recall several presentations in which I had wished that such an option was available between the green and yellow lights.)
East Texas crude oil - $2.90/bbl; U.S. active rig count – 2,653

May 1980
Who are some of the oil companies reporting healthy increases in first-quarter 1980 profits? How about Cities Service, Gulf, Sun, Getty, Louisiana Land, and Tenneco. What happened to these companies you ask. We will share their stories in a future column. (In the meantime, sing along….”Where have all the flowers gone….Long time passing….”) $ Under fire from Congress for failing to build up oil stockpiles during the current world surplus, the DOE considers resuming Strategic Petroleum Reserve purchases. To help evaluate the merits of same, Energy Secretary Duncan enlists the help of a Harvard law professor. (What!) $ Tulsa’s famed International Petroleum Exhibition has officially breathed its last. After losing money in 1976 and 1979, the IPE board of directors vote to shut her down. Its 56-year run comes to an inglorious end.
U.S. active rig count – 2,713

May 2005
With no new refineries having been built in the U.S. since 1976, President Bush enlists the DOE to assess the merits of building refineries on closed military bases. $ Energy experts declare that crude oil prices are unlikely to drop below $40/bbl and are likely to increase to $80/bbl by 2008. $ After a four-year run as ChevronTexaco and with a pending acquisition of Unocal, ChevronTexaco changes its name to Chevron Corp and we sing “Happy Trails” to Texaco/The Texas Co./The Texas Fuel Co. which was formed in Beaumont in 1901. $ Meanwhile over in borscht country, the Russian government cancels the merger between Gazprom and Rosneft, citing its plans to raise its ownership stake in Gazprom.
Light sweet crude oil - $50.47/bbl; Natural gas - $6.63/MMBTU; U.S. active rig count – 1,324

The Rest of the Yarn
An Italian immigrant who came to the United States as a child, he grew up in New Jersey and attended high school in Philadelphia. He obtained a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and a position at Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1923. Bell Labs sent him to earn an M.S. in physics from Columbia University.

In 1926, he saw an ad on a billboard for a job in the Oklahoma oilfields and off he went. There he met John Karcher, who was assembling a crew to test the “seismic method,” a new way to chart underground structures by creating and measuring shock waves travelling through the earth. He became Karcher’s crew chief and went on to prove out the new method in field tests. He was then sent to Los Angeles to head up the western operations of Karcher’s new company, which eventually became Texas Instruments.

In 1933 during the Depression, he took out a loan to start his own oil exploration company, Western Geophysical. It grew from a $9,000 initial investment into a multi-billion-dollar leader in the exploration industry. In 1960 he sold the company to Litton Industries, ran Grant Oil Tool and served on Litton’s board of directors. At this point in his life, he was able to turn his attention to philanthropy and politics.

In 1964 he arranged for Ronald Reagan to speak at a fundraising dinner for Barry Goldwater, and that speech launched Reagan’s political career. He led a small group of men who supported Reagan financially through his successful campaigns for governor and president, acting as his “Kitchen Cabinet.”

He went on to gain prominence as a philanthropist for innumerable educational institutions, cultural and civic groups, and conservative political causes. His foundation has endowed programs at the Claremont Institute and the Heritage Foundation, the latter of which awards an annual $25,000 prize in his name for American Citizenship. He died in 1997. He was Henry Salvatori. And now you know…The Rest of the Yarn.

History Quiz
Group the following states in the order of earliest to latest first oil discovery dates for each – Montana, New York, Tennessee, Arizona.

Answer to April’s Quiz
In the 1870’s, Cleveland, Ohio was viewed as the oil metropolis of the world, due to the first incorporation and headquartering of Standard Oil in that city.

Answer to March’s Quiz
The linguistic proportionality (circa 1950) should read…”Natural Gasoline is to refineries as Recycle Gasoline (acceptable alternatives include “casinghead gasoline,” “drip gasoline,” and “white gasoline”) is to oilfield gasoline plants.” This alternative to natural gasoline, which was basically condensate, was a lower grade, lower octane motor fuel manufactured in oilfield gasoline plants as opposed to the higher grade, higher octane blended motor fuel manufactured by refineries.

Congratulations to March’s winner – David P. Coatney with DPC International Energy, LLC

3-May-10 12:30 PM

SPE-GCS April e-Newsletter 2010

Webmaster — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:15:00 GMT

SPE-GCS e-Newsletter Sponsored by: PetroleumETC

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

Calendar Events for April 2010

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...
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Petrophysical Evaluation of the Haynesville Shale
Sponsor: Westside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Dan Buller, Principal Petrophysicist - Halliburton
Days: Wed 14-Apr-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: The WestLake Club Carriage Room, 570 WestLake Park Blvd, Houston Texas 77079
Summary: The Late Jurassic Haynesville Shale is an unconventional, overpressured gas reservoir located in northeastern Texas and northwestern Louisiana. Relatively high natural gas prices and recent successes...
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Caofeidian (CFD) Oilfield Development Case History - Bohai Bay, China
Sponsor: Completions & Production Study Group
Speaker's Names: Carlos Cantu, Staff Completion Engineer - Anadarko Petroleum
Days: Thur 15-Apr-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Drive, Houston Texas 77060 US
Summary: A brief description of the CFD development will be given followed by a discussion of sand control strategies (OHPG's in horizontal producers), ESP performance, and novel completion...
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SPE GCS Board of Directors Meeting
Sponsor: Board of Directors
Days: Thur 15-Apr-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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2010 SPE-GCS Golf Tournament
Sponsor: Golf Committee
Days: Mon 19-Apr-10 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM CDT
Location: Kingwood Country Club, 1700 Lake Kingwood, Kingwood TX 77339
Summary: This Gulf Coast Section event is an important part of fundraising for our Scholarship Fund, which helps send several potential clients or co-workers to college. These scholarships are even...
Register Here

Are We At An Ethical Breaking Point In Business?
Sponsor: Projects, Facilities and Construction Study Group
Speaker's Names: Bobby D. Butler, Jr., Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Director of Internal Audit - Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.
Days: Tues 20-Apr-10 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Racquet Club, 10709 Memorial Drive, Houston TX 77024 US
Summary: Mr. Butler has extensive experience with compliance and international business issues and is a regular speaker on subjects such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), global anti-bribery...
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Distinguished Lecturer Jeffrey Jeter - Environmental Due Diligence for International Finance of Oil and Gas Projects
Sponsor: Safety and Environment Study Group
Speaker's Names: Jeffrey L. Jeter, Senior Environmental Advisor - European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Days: Tues 20-Apr-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Houston Petroleum Club, 800 Bell Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA
Summary: Development of large scale oil and gas projects is complex and expensive, with recent projects running into the tens of billions of US Dollars. Cash flow is critical on these projects, as once construction...
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Evaluating Resource Plays with Practical Statistics
Sponsor: Permian Basin Study Group
Speaker's Names: Russell K. Hall
Days: Tue 20-April-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Westlake Club, 570 Westlake Park Blvd., Houston TX 77079 USA
Summary: This talk addresses the relatively new area of Resource Play evaluation. The question of “what is a Resource Play?” is extensively discussed including the four identifying characteristics (repeatable...
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Oil Patch Orientation
Sponsor: Continuing Education
Speaker's Names: John Farina, Marty Stetzer, Ron Hinn, Ken Arnold & Susan Howes
Days: Wed 21-April-10 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM CDT
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...
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Annual Drilling Symposium - Hard to Drill Formations...Meeting the Challenges
Sponsor: Drilling Study Group
Speaker's Names: Call for Papers
Days: Thu 22-Apr-10 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM CDT
Location: Petroleum Club, 800 Bell Street, Houston TX 77002 USA
Summary: This day-long, open forum event assembles industry recognized drilling experts from the Operators along with the leading technologists from the Service companies to discuss the critical...
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Using Quick Reservoir Simulation to Make Better Drilling, Completion, and Reservoir Management Decisions in Petroleum Reservoirs
Sponsor: Reservoir Study Group
Speaker's Names: James Buchwalter
Days: Thur 22-Apr-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Courtyard on St James, 1885 St James Place, Houston TX 77056 USA
Summary: Reservoir simulation has for many years been recognized as the best technology for optimizing well drilling and completion practices, and overall reservoir management from cradle to grave. But it...
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The Emergence of Shale Plays and Their Effect on Global Natural Gas Markets
Sponsor: Baker Hughes, the Young Professionals, and the Rice/UH Student Section
Speaker's Names: Dr. Kenneth Medlock, III
Days: Wed 28-Apr-10 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM CDT
Location: Farnsworth Pavilion, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston TX 77005
Summary: Dr. Medlock is currently a Fellow in Energy Studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. He is the leader of the Energy Forum's natural gas program, and a principal in the...
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Future Events

An Introduction to Mathematical Optimization, with Application To Reservoir Engineering
Sponsor: Collarini Energy and the Petro Tech Study Group
Speaker's Names: Marco Enriquez - Rice University
Days: Tue 11-May-10 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
Location: Houston Brookhollow Sheraton, 3000 North Loop West, Houston TX 77092
Summary: Optimization in mathematics mostly deal with maximizing or minimizing some objective function, which may or may not be subject to some constraints. Though many of us are unaware of it...
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Petrophysical Evaluation of Shales for Well Completion Decisions in Resource Plays
Sponsor: Northside Study Group
Speaker's Names: Brian LeCompte, Geoscientist - Baker Hughes, Inc
Days: Tues 11-May-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Dr., Houston TX 77060
Summary: Shales are complex and heterogeneous but their petrophysical properties can be assessed with the proper tools and methods. New logging technology such as elemental spectroscopy, nuclear...
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Ethical Principles in Business
Sponsor: Drilling Study Group
Speaker's Names: James Pappas, Vice President - Technical Programs - Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America
Days: Wed 12-May-10 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM CDT
Location: Greenspoint Club, 16925 Northchase Drive, Houston TX 77060 USA
Summary: In this second of a three part-series, we will review ethical principals from the standpoints of social utility, basic rights and entitlements, and libertarianism. We’ll summarize strengths and weaknesses...
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SPE Gulf Coast Section Awards Banquet
Sponsor: Board of Directors
Speaker's Names: Commissioner Victor G. Carrillo
Days: Tue 18-May-10 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM CDT
Location: Rice Hotel, 909 Texas Avenue, Houston Texas 77054
Summary: Plan to attend an inspirational evening where we will celebrate the multi-faceted achievements of several generations of superstars in the energy industry. ..
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Articles/Miscellaneous

Chairman's Corner April 2010
Lessons from Geese. Each member of the SPE GCS is important and has an impact on the Section. This month, I’m passing on “Lessons from Geese” as a reminder of what we can do when we...

Then and Now April 2010
April 1950 A total of 2,700 miles of new pipelines carrying crude oil (Longview, Texas to Lima, Ohio) and natural gas (Mercedes, Texas to New York City) will be served by microwave communication...

Volunteer Opportunities Posted Online
The SPEGCS site now has an area where volunteer opportunities will be posted. If you're looking for a way to help out, check back often for updates.

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.

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1-Apr-10 12:15 PM

Chairman's Corner April 2010

Jane Moring — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:00:00 GMT

Lessons from Geese

Each member of the SPE GCS is important and has an impact on the Section. This month, I’m passing on “Lessons from Geese” as a reminder of what we can do when we work together (attributed to Robert McNeish, former Associate Superintendent of Baltimore Public Schools, 1972, as well as speech given by Angeles Arrien at the 1991 Organizational Development Network and based on the work of Milton Olson).

Lesson 1: Fly Together
A group of geese flying together in perfect V formation is a marvelous sight. Research has shown that as each goose flaps its wings an intense uplift is created for the birds behind them. Further studies state that this teamwork adds 71% more flying range compared to a goose flying on its own.

SPE GCS members share a common mission and focus. Our structure and teams of volunteers make accomplishing our mission possible.

Lesson 2: Stay in formation
If you’ve ever watched geese fly, you’ve likely seen one fall out of formation. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.

Synergies happen in each committee and study group.

Lesson 3: Rotate
While flying in V formation the lead goose eventually tires and rotates to the back of the pack to recover while another goose takes its place at the front.

The GCS has term limits on its leadership to make sure there are always fresh ideas and bodies to carry us forward. New volunteers are always welcome and essential for our future.

Lesson 4: Honk
Geese are a noisy bunch when flying in V formation—to encourage each other and to communicate where each goose is. Open and honest communication is critical for the success of the Section.

We should share our successes, failures, and ideas.

Lesson 5: Leave No Goose Behind
Whenever a goose becomes unable to fly (sick, wounded, or shot down) two geese fall out of formation and stay with their fallen comrade until the impaired goose is able to fly or dies.

Every GCS member is important.We attempt to contact every one that falls off our membership list.

Until next month....

1-Apr-10 12:00 PM

Then and Now - April 2010

Buddy Woodroof — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:45:00 GMT

April 1950
A total of 2,700 miles of new pipelines carrying crude oil (Longview, Texas to Lima, Ohio) and natural gas (Mercedes, Texas to New York City) will be served by microwave communication systems being installed by Motorola. (Can’t afford any interruptions in transporting Texas’ natural resources to those in-greats back east.) $ The science of cybernetics, constructing machines that think, is unveiled at a meeting at Oklahoma A & M (now known as Boone U or OklahomaState). $ A bill comes before Congress proposing the issuance of 2 ½ - cent and 7 ½ - cent coins. (These could come in handy for paying all of the individual taxes on a gallon of gasoline.) $ A controversy rages between Magnolia Petroleum and Socony-Vacuum Oil over the proper pronunciation of the flying horse used as a symbol for the Pegasus field in West Texas. (Some say it should be pronounced PEGasus and some say PeGASus.)
East Texas crude oil - $2.65/bbl

April 1975
BP Chairman Eric Drake reports that BP is ready to accept 51% government participation in its North Sea operations, thus marking the first public acceptance of such participation by a major international oil company. $ The House Ways and Means Committee remains determined to repeal percentage depletion and possibly even intangible drilling deductions, while the Senate voices its continuing opposition against removal of allocation and price controls on oil. (Would Congress prefer that the oil companies just register as non-profits?) $ Skyrocketing estimates on costs for new domestic fuels are making OPEC oil look like a bargain-basement buy (e.g. synfuels at $16/bbl, shale oil at $16/bbl, methanol from coal at $7.40/bbl and SNG from coal at $2.50/Mcf). $ OPEC reports plans to hold a special ministerial meeting to discuss natural gas utilization in OPEC countries as well as pricing and production levels. (Surely they don’t think they can also become a natural gas cartel do they?)
U.S. active rig count – 1,618

April 2000
Nigeria reportedly creates a new police unit that is authorized to shoot vandals on sight to protect its oil pipelines. $ The European Commission plans to ban single-hulled tankers from European Union ports, thus requiring double-hulled oil tankers to be used beginning in 2005, 2010, or 2015, depending on tonnage. $ Shell and Halliburton report plans to form a 50-50 joint-venture to develop and market the two companies’ intelligent well and completion technologies. $ A seemingly endless string of e-venture partnership deals continue, including six of the largest U.S. gas and electricity firms partnering to develop an internet-based, business-to-business independent energy trading platform.
Light sweet crude oil - $24.87/bbl; Natural gas - $3.02/MMBTU; U.S. active rig count – 809

The Rest of the Yarn
Known as the Thomas Edison of the oil industry, he became known internationally as the inventor of oil tools, with more than 90 patents for oilfield equipment, including cable and rotary drilling and fishing tools.

Born near Oil City, Pennsylvania, he was the son of a machinist who himself had patented the first set of pipe elevators in 1879 and the first belt clamp ever patented for use in oilfield operations. At the age of 12, he designed a tool that succeeded in recovering a “fish” from an oil well near OilCity.This “fishing tool” was such a success that he finished only the equivalent of high school, in favor of making good wages as a machinist in the oilfields of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

In 1907, he and his friend William Skelly (who later founded Skelly Oil Co.) left the Northeast for Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, where both went to work for Oil Well Supply Co. in Tulsa. After moving up in that company, he resigned in 1919 to form his own company, which went on to become an internationally recognized drilling/fishing tool manufacturer. During World War I & II, he was involved in the design and manufacture of high-quality gun barrels for artillery pieces. After World War II, he continued to be a consultant in ordinance manufacturing.

A tireless promoter of the petroleum industry, particularly in the Midcontinent region, he was one of the organizers of the International Petroleum Exhibition and Congress, which was held for many years in Tulsa. This became the industry’s leading venue for the introduction of new oilfield equipment and services. He also served as a committee chairman and longtime member of the American Petroleum Institute. He sold his company in 1946, but kept his hand in the industry as an independent producer. He died in Tulsa in 1965. He was Frank Hinderliter.And now you know…The Rest of the Yarn.

History Quiz
In the 1870’s, what U.S. city was viewed as the oil metropolis of the world?

Answer to March’s Quiz
The linguistic proportionality (circa 1950) should read…”Natural Gasoline is to refineries as Recycle Gasoline is to oilfield gasoline plants.” Recycle gasoline was a lower grade, lower octane motor fuel manufactured in oilfield gasoline plants as opposed to the higher grade, higher octane blended motor fuel manufactured by refineries.

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.

Congratulations to February’s winner – Benjamin Frederick with Newfield Exploration

1-Apr-10 11:45 AM

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.
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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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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

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.

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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