SPE-GCS Blog

May 1st, 2020

MAY 2002

Rotary steerable, directional- drilling systems increased the rate of penetration and, in the process, saved 100 days of rig time when used to drill complex 3D well paths in the 12.25- in. and 8.5-in. hole sections of North Sea Jotan field wells, compared to conventional directional-drilled wells.

The Nile Delta and Mediterranean deepwater trend along the northern coastline of Egypt is proving to be an emerging giant gas province with an estimated 36 trillion cubic feet of gas, and ideally situated for markets in the Mediterranean region. (This is a very “noble” development.)

MAY 2009

Operators are actively involved in testing new biocides to determine the best chemical for controlling bacteria introduced in Barnett shale frac source waters, including rivers, lakes, oilfield wastewater, and recycled frac water. Fracked Barnett wells have been plagued by biogenic sulfide plugging and corrosion failures of …

April 1st, 2020

A VIRTUAL GCS

On behalf of the Gulf Coast Section volunteers and the Board of Directors, I want to first thank our local volunteers for all of their hard work over the year. We rely heavily on these volunteers to host our technical and networking events every month. With the new Covid-19 threat we all face, hosting events in person has been suspended for the near term future.

However, our volunteers still manage to drive our Gulf Coast Section forward in any way they possibly can. They always find a way.

With the new mandate to ‘Stay Home, Work Safe’ from the Harris County judge, the Gulf Coast Section has adjusted our education to a virtual platform. We are currently offering select webinars with the same high caliber of speakers that you expect to see from the Gulf Coast Section. …

April 1st, 2020

MARCH 2003

With the prospect of a US war with Iraq, oil price predictions range anywhere from $15/bbl lower to $20/ bbl higher. As a result, consumer prices could easily increase $0.30 – 0.35/gal in a matter of 30 days.

Oil analysts predict that hydrogen will become increasingly important in coming years as more stringent fuel regulations are enforced, and later as hydrogen vehicles gain acceptance. (Back to your Ouija boards!)

Light, sweet crude: $34.63/bbl

Natural gas: $4.20/MMbtu

MARCH 2008

Colombia’s incursion into Ecuador to attack the Colombian rebel group FARC raises the tension level between Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela and threatens oil production in the area.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez claims that Colombia is a pawn in a US plot to invade Venezuela.

The USGS estimates roughly 1.26 billion bbl of oil and 1.02 billion bbl of natural gas liquids in …

March 1st, 2020

DATA ANALYTICS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Growing up, I often jumped to an image of The Terminator or Battlestar Galactica whenever someone brought up the concept of "artificial intelligence." That's the image that comes to mind. It was always a good-versus-evil story about robots taking over our world. Now as an adult, I see the implementation of AI on so many practical levels that didn’t occur to me as a child. Artificial intelligence isn’t just a storyline anymore, it’s a reality.

What is the real version of artificial intelligence, and how is it currently being used in our lives today? What are the pathways going forward, and how is it being incorporated into workflows and procedures within our industry?

The third annual SPE-GCS Data Science Convention is right around the corner to help answer those questions! The convention, organized by the SPE-GCS …

March 1st, 2020

MARCH 2003

With the prospect of a US war with Iraq, oil price predictions range anywhere from $15/bbl lower to $20/ bbl higher. As a result, consumer prices could easily increase $0.30 – 0.35/gal in a matter of 30 days.

Oil analysts predict that hydrogen will become increasingly important in coming years as more stringent fuel regulations are enforced, and later as hydrogen vehicles gain acceptance. (Back to your Ouija boards!)

Light, sweet crude: $34.63/bbl

Natural gas: $4.20/MMbtu

MARCH 2008

Colombia’s incursion into Ecuador to attack the Colombian rebel group FARC raises the tension level between Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela and threatens oil production in the area.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez claims that Colombia is a pawn in a US plot to invade Venezuela.

The USGS estimates roughly 1.26 billion bbl of oil and 1.02 billion bbl of natural gas liquids …

February 1st, 2020

TEAM BUILDING

Many operations within our industry require a team effort in order for us to achieve our goals.

From drilling to production to refining, multiple people have a hand in getting a single barrel of oil out of the ground to its final refined product. Our ability to harness a talented team of professionals with various backgrounds and disciplines is constantly tested. Successful teams often portray a sense of loyalty and purpose that increases their productivity, work ethic and above all else, communication.

Communication is often cited as the number one cause for work, productivity and safety failures, while companies that focus on teamwork and collaboration within their groups are shown to have greater efficiency, creativity and overall employee satisfaction.

There is an evergreen phrase, "A chain is only as strong as the weakest link." We can easily adapt …

February 1st, 2020

FEBRUARY 2002

First production from three deepwater wells in the GOM Nansen field off the world’s first truss spar featuring an open truss structure is reported by operating partners Kerr-McGee and Ocean Energy. (Remember them?) Johnnie Burton, a bureaucrat from Wyoming, is named director of the US Minerals Management Service. (Can you recall another notable Wyoming bureaucrat that later took a formidable position in the oil industry? See History Quiz.)

Light, sweet crude: $19.96/bbl

Natural gas: $2.13/MMbtu

FEBRUARY 2009

Pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden hijack the MV Longchamp, a German tanker bound from Europe to the Far East with a cargo of LPG. Warships from the US, UK, France, Germany, China and South Korea are ordered to the region.

Small, independent oil companies, including Kosmos and Tullow, jump on the Western Africa oil rush by drilling deepwater Cretaceous sands …

January 1st, 2020

Women in Energy

The SPE International Women in Energy (WIN) Committee was formed in 2016.

WIN was launched to promote gender diversity in the upstream oil and gas industry by attracting, retaining and engaging women in the STEM fields. SPEI’s vision is to empower women to realize their full potential in the industry through coaching, mentorship and access to the broader network of global WIN committees. The Gulf Coast Section (GCS) launched its own WIN committee in 2018 to further support the mission and vision of SPEI within our section. GCS hopes to carry this vision forward through all WIN events, especially at its second annual, highly anticipated WIN Congress event coming this January 31, 2020.

Our first GCS WIN event was held in early 2019. The SPE-GCS WIN 2019 Congress served as a single-day event focused on the central theme “Playing …

January 1st, 2020

JANUARY 1980

Agip and Union Texas report plans to undertake a drilling program offshore Jamaica as part of Jamaica’s new pro-business initiative under new Prime Minister Edward Seaga (Can you visualize Reggae Petroleum gas stations proudly displaying a picture of Bob Marley?).

Hopes run high that President-elect Reagan’s recent visit with Mexico President Lopez Portillo may improve relations between the two countries, thus leading to increased oil imports to the U.S., the resolution of fishing disputes, and the ceding of a chunk of the GOM to the Mexicans.

U.S. active rig count: 3,305

JANUARY 1990

Persian Gulf ties to the former Communist bloc are growing, as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the U.A.E. commit to lending the U.S.S.R. $4 billion to accelerate reformation within the Communist Party, including aid for the crumbling Soviet oil industry.

Pointing to the extent of the U.S. …

December 1st, 2019

Become an SPE Member

Having an SPE membership is invaluable, and the Gulf Coast Section takes pride in being one of the largest and most active SPE sections in the world. There are dozens of technical lunch-and-learns every month, as well as more in-depth conferences and symposiums covering a variety of disciplines. The cost to attend these events is low compared to peer events, but with an SPE membership, you also receive additional discounts. There are many networking opportunities with professionals at every level, and you can volunteer within SPE through community service outreach or by sharing your technical knowledge.

SPE members receive access to several resources (including discounts), such as the JPT magazine, OnePetro, which houses our SPE papers, PetroWiki and the SPE Bookstore. Being an SPE member allows you to stay up to date on industry trends, operational changes and …