TOPICS OF INTEREST
Better Abandonment Cost Estimates Yield Improved Project Valuations
Developing an asset requires key investment decisions to be made early in the process, and as a result, some critical cost evaluations—such as abandonment—are often ballpark estimates. Adjusting the parameters for evaluating these costs can lead to more-accurate project valuations.
On the Lighter Side: Moon(pool) Gazing in Peru
Take a look at these moonpool visitors.
Natural Gas Prices Raise Questions About the Future Energy Mix
Natural gas has emerged as a potentially major player in the energy mix, but what role will price pressures play in sanctioning gas supply projects and in LNG markets?
Satellite Service Provider Offers Free Visualization of Methane Emissions
GHGSat announced a new service for visualizing greenhouse gas emissions. The interactive online resource will be freely available and will be formally launched during COP26 in November.
University of Houston Researchers Make Progress in the Modeling of Evaporation
Researchers described the temperature changes at the point where liquid meets the vapor during evaporation. The explanation, developed using the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method, will allow scientists to more accurately simulate the performance of systems based on the theory of evaporation.
A New Offshore Investment Cycle Is in the Making
The amount of oil and gas resources approved for development last year surpassed 20 billion BOE, the highest level seen since 2011. Telltale signs have emerged that we are entering a new offshore investment cycle.
TC Energy Plans To Move Equipment for Keystone XL Preconstruction Work
TC Energy is planning to start mobilizing heavy construction equipment to worker campsites and pipeline storage sites in Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska in February to start preconstruction work on the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Energy Companies Well Suited To Adapt to Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0, the latest industrial revolution, has hit the manufacturing sector, building upon the adoption of computers and automation into industrial processes. How well suited is the oil and gas industry to leverage the new autonomous systems that could emerge from this transformation?
Gazprom Neft Takes Home IPTC’s Top Award For Arctic Megaproject
The Novoportovskoye oil and gas condensate field was discovered in 1964 but left undeveloped for decades due to its remote location on the Yamal Peninsula in Siberia.
Equinor Plans Extension of Statfjord Field
The plan will extend production of the largest field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf to 2040, while also deferring plans to decommission the Statfjord A platform. Statfjord A was originally scheduled to be decommissioned in 2022.
Senegal Approves Woodside’s Sangomar Project
The approval clears the way for final investment decision on the offshore project, which includes a standalone FPSO expected to have a production capacity of 100,000 B/D. First oil is targeted for 2023.
Petrofac Scores Deal To Establish North Sea Operation for Petrogas NEO UK
The deal comes months after the jointly owned Petrogas NEO UK acquired several UK North Sea assets, including a $635-million purchase of Total's stakes in various fields last July. The 2-year deal with Petrofac is valued around $50 million.
UK Leads Global Drop in Operational Production Costs
Global OPEX is falling, and the UK has emerged as a cost-cutting powerhouse among global offshore regions feeling the squeeze of uncertain oil prices. In pursuit of lower unit prices, Rystad Energy says that operators and contractors have begun nurturing operational improvements.
Premier Acquires North Sea Assets from BP, Dana
The company will shell out more than $800 million to acquire interests in the Andrew and Shearwater areas, as well as the Tolmount field, offshore Scotland.
Venture Global Delays FERC Application Filing Date for Delta LNG
The move allows Venture Global further evaluate pipeline route alternatives that could reduce impacts in tidal marsh environments along the Mississippi River.
Saudi Aramco, Sempra Sign IPPA for Port Arthur LNG
The agreement comes 8 months after Saudi Aramco agreed to take a 25% ownership interest in the southeast Texas project. Phase 1 of the project is expected to produce 11 mtpa of LNG.
ExxonMobil Starts Production from Liza Field Offshore Guyana
The startup of the deepwater field marks the beginning of production from the massive Stabroek Block, which contains an estimated 6 billion BOE. ExxonMobil estimates that at least 5 FPSOs will be producing more than 750,000 BOPD from the Stabroek Block by 2025.
First Cargo Shipped From Freeport LNG Train 2
McDermott said the first cargo was a precursor to substantial completion of Train 2. The liquefaction unit began production on 6 December.
New Innovations Enable Autonomous Pipeline Inspections
As companies look to reduce the time it takes to inspect a subsea pipeline, as well as the costs involved in the operation, autonomous systems have become a more desirable option. How close are they to becoming the norm?
SPE Launches Flow Measurement Technical Section
Approved in October, the Flow Measurement Technical Section will help engage the greater SPE technical community in flow-measurement-related issues and technologies. It will cover the full spectrum of flow measurement, including single-phase and multiphase flow.
Water Desalination Applications in Shale-Gas and Polymer EOR Produced Waters
Oil and gas extraction using water has opened up new hydrocarbon resources. However they can produce four times more salty water byproduct than oil. Desalination in shale gas and polymer-flood EOR remain niche markets for lowering cost and improving production.
Israel Approves Gas Exports From Leviathan Project to Egypt
With production set to begin from the large Leviathan field by the end of this year, the Israeli government signed off on the final permits to allow for its first exports. Leviathan contains approximately two-thirds of all the gas resources discovered offshore Israel so far.
Production Begins from Valhall Flank West
The unmanned development is expected to add 80 million BOE of production to the aging Norwegian North Sea field. Aker BP said it aims to produce 1 billion BOE from Valhall over the next 40 years.
US LNG Exports Reach Record Levels in Consecutive Months
Citing shipping data from Bloomberg Finance, the US EIA estimates that LNG exports set consecutive records in October and November 2019. Through the first 11 months of the year, US LNG exports have gone up 61% from their 2018 annual average.
Woodside Moves to Pre-FEED on Landmark Myanmar Gas Field
The Australian operator's A-6 offshore development, Myanmar's first ultradeepwater project, will supply gas to the country's domestic market, with some gas from Phase 1 also moving via pipeline to Thailand.
Talos Energy Spends $640 Million on Gulf of Mexico Assets
The deal boosts Talos' 2019 production by 35%, helping the independent E&P company become one of the top 10 producers in the Gulf of Mexico.
Wood To Modify Platforms for Equinor's Floating Wind Project
As part of the contract, Wood will provide the topside modifications needed for the Snorre A and Gullfaks A platforms to integrate the Hywind floating wind park with existing systems powering the facilities. The platforms will be the first to receive electric power from floating wind turbines.
Construction Begins at Cambodia’s First Offshore Platform
First steel has been cut for the minimum facilities wellhead platform for the Apsara field offshore Cambodia, the country’s maiden oil development. Operator KrisEnergy said production is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2020.
Neodrill and InterMoor Sign Global Agreement
InterMoor will support Neodrill with project execution, installation services, and business development of its conductor anchor node technology.
Saudi Aramco Shipping Unit Expresses Interest in LNG Tankers
Bahri, Saudi Arabia's national shipping carrier, is looking into chartering as many as 12 LNG tankers starting in 2025, according to a new Reuters report. The EOI may be part of Saudi Aramco's expansion into LNG trading.
ISO Approves First Safety Standards for Commercial Drone Operation
The organization said the new standard, which focuses on air safety and data protection, is the first step in a wider move to promote the use of drones within a framework of approved regulatory compliance.
North Dakota, Texas Fuel Increase in US Natural Gas Venting and Flaring
According to a new report from the EIA, the volume of natural gas reported as flared reached its highest average annual level in 2018, 1.28 Bcf/D. With production soaring in the Bakken, Permian, and Eagle Ford plays, North Dakota and Texas accounted for more than 80% of that total.
First Deck Stacking Operation Completed for Coral FLNG Topsides Modules
The Eni-operated project will be the first FLNG vessel deployed in a deepwater field offshore the African continent upon its projected 2022 startup. Samsung Heavy Industries completed the operation at its shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.
Santos Plans FPSO, Wellhead Platform for Dorado
The Australian company upped its forecast of initial oil production out of the field from 50,000 B/D to somewhere between 75,000 and 100,000 B/D. It expects to spend between $1.9 billion and $2.2 billion on the field's development.
Shell, Energy Transfer Issue Tender Package for Lake Charles Project
The tender invites EPC contractors to develop a commercial bid for the lump-sum turnkey contract based on a fully developed scope related to design, engineering, technical, and safety specifications for the project. Commerical bids are expected next year.
Woodside Submits Proposal for Senegal Offshore Field
One of the biggest discoveries in the past decade, Sangomar, moves closer to sanction as operator Woodside and its joint venture partners submit the plan for the field's development. First oil from Senegal's first offshore development is scheduled for 2023.
ALE Crane Expedites P-74 FPSO Lifts in Brazil
The company performed the heavy lifting and installation of 40 modules, including a 3,000-t module that it said was the largest commercial lift by a land-based crane.
Offshore Wind: The New Frontier in Powering Platforms?
Offshore wind makes up less than 1% of the current energy mix, but analysts have it pegged as a potential trillion-dollar business in the near future. That growth presents an opportunity for operators to reduce costs and their carbon footprint through the electrification of their offshore platforms.
Engineering Diagram Processing Featured in Worley and Arundo Global Hub for Advanced Analytics
Using deep-learning and computer-vision techniques, the software recognizes all instances of specific instruments, valves, lines, and other features in a P&I diagram in seconds.
ADNOC, Honeywell Team on Large-Scale Predictive Maintenance Project
ADNOC will utilize Honeywell’s asset monitoring and predictive analytics platform to improve asset efficiency and integrity across the operator’s upstream and downstream businesses.
DNV GL Issues New Recommended Practice for Subsea Welding
Aimed at streamlining manufacturing processes and significantly reducing costs, the practice provides standardized operator requirements that DNV GL says will ensure consistency in the fabrication of subsea pressure retaining equipment such as wellheads, manifolds, and jumpers.
Campos Basin-Bound Vessel Sets Sail From Texas
The BigRoll Bering was spotted leaving Corpus Christi, Texas, on 17 November, headed for the Peregrino heavy-oil field offshore Brazil. Drilling modules and a flare boom are being transported for the field’s Phase 2 development.
The Digital Transformation: Great Risk or Greater Opportunity?
The digital transformation is a risky proposition for oil and gas companies adapting to a rapidly changing business environment, but a failure to adapt could spell trouble for the industry.
Equinor's Peregrino Phase 2 Topside Heads to Brazil
The new platform will be installed in the Peregrino Phase 2 development in the Campos Basin, approximately 85 km offshore Brazil, sometime in December. It is expected to come on stream in late 2020.
Equinor Contracts Inspection Services for All Offshore Installations and Onshore Plants
Equinor has chosen four suppliers for inspection services on all offshore installations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and onshore plants in Norway. The frame agreements, estimated at $383 million, are scheduled to be signed soon.
SwRI Develops Superhydrophobic Coating for Offshore Drilling Pipes
A newly developed superhydrophobic coating keeps offshore drilling pipes from being clogged by various substances. R&D Magazine recently recognized the coating and the unique process to apply it to pipes as one of the 100 most significant innovations of 2019.
Saipem Considering Merger With Subsea 7
Bloomberg reports that Saipem is seeking to bulk up and weather an industry downturn. A potential deal could create an oilfield service giant with more than $12.4 billion in revenue.
Offshore OFS Market Poised for Massive Boost in Southeast Asia
A fresh wave of offshore project sanctions across Southeast Asia could boost greenfield investments in the oilfield service space by almost 70% in 2020. The growth will be driven by a handful of new megaprojects across Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, according to recent project commitments.
BP, Total Sign Supply Deals With ADNOC LNG
ADNOC said the agreements will maximize its access to new markets, effectively booking out the majority of its LNG production through the start of 2022.
Slings Manufactured for Shell’s Dolphin Platform Module Lift
Lankhorst Ropes provided slings to Seaway 7 for a heavy-lift project on Shell’s Dolphin platform offshore Trinidad and Tobago. Shell contracted the installation of a permanent living quarter module on the facility, which it acquired from Chevron in 2017.
Ingu Raises Capital To Scale Miniature Pipeline Screening Tool
The funding from Chevron Technology Ventures and Energy Innovation Capital will help scale Ingu’s data collection platform and analysis for its Pipers technology, a pipeline screening tool launched last year.
Ithaca Completes $2-Billion Deal for Chevron’s North Sea Assets
The deal, first announced in May, gives the Delek subsidiary 10 additional producing field interests in the UK North Sea, boosting its 2019 production by 300%.
Woodside Reaches FID on Pluto-NWS Interconnector Pipeline
The pipeline is the first step in developing the infrastructure needed to transport gas between Pluto LNG and the Karratha Gas Plant in Western Australia. Woodside is targeting 2022 startup.
Partners Advance Newbuild FLNG Vessel Development for Gulf of Mexico Project
Delfin Midstream announced advancements in partnership with Samsung Heavy Industries and Black & Veatch. By re-purposing existing offshore pipelines and building the FLNG vessels at Asian shipyards, the total capital costs are projected to be around $500–550/tpa.
Will Faster Robots Improve Subsea Pipeline Inspections?
Sensors, robots, and artificial intelligence have made their way into a number of areas within the industry, including pipeline inspections. Shell has begun to examine the innovative technologies that could shift the inspection paradigm.
The Dawn of the Disruptive, Deepwater TCP Riser
Nonmetallic, thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP) technology can now be found in every oil and gas region globally and can operate at pressures of up to 12,500 psi, and in water depths as low as 3000 m. The focus is now on developing and deploying TCP risers for extreme environments.
Abu Dhabi Investor Commits $50 Million to NextDecade
NextDecade and Mubadala Investment Co. have reached agreement for Mubadala to purchase $50 million of NextDecade’s common stock in a private placement. The capital buoys the development of the Rio Grande LNG export solution linking Permian Basin associated gas to the global LNG market.
TechnipFMC’s Newly Named E&C Player To Focus on LNG
Technip Energies will work on a backlog comprising more than 50% in LNG-related business. Retaining the TechnipFMC name, RemainCo will generate nearly 90% of its revenue outside the US and Canada.
ConocoPhillips Awards MODEC Contract To Supply Barossa Field FPSO Offshore Australia
The FPSO, MODEC's largest size of "gas FPSO" to date, will be the first application of the contractor’s M350 Hull, a next-generation newbuilt hull for FPSOs.
Equinor Makes FID for Offshore Wind Farm To Power Snorre and Gullfaks
Equinor and the Snorre and Gullfaks partners have made a final investment decision for the Hywind Tampen offshore wind farm development. By reducing the use of gas turbines, the project helps cut CO2 emissions by more than 200,000 tonnes/year.
Pemex Nears Startup on Abkatun-A2 Platform
With McDermott announcing “substantial completion” of the production platform, operator Pemex is expected to begin commercial operations soon. Abkatun-A2 will produce up to 220,000 BOPD from shallow-water fields in the Gulf of Mexico.
Eni Starts Production at Niger Delta Onshore Field
Eni credits an integrated work model for the startup just 3 weeks after completion. Under the model, various disciplines worked in parallel from the exploration phase and synergies with existing production facilities were leveraged.
ExxonMobil Agrees To Supply Gas for Alaskan LNG Export Project
The deal sees ExxonMobil provide feed gas from its Point Thomson field to Qilak LNG’s proposed export project, which would use icebreaking carriers to export 4 mtpa of LNG to Asia directly from Alaska’s North Slope.
S-710 Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers Specification Launched for Review
The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers-managed JIP 33 has issued specification S-170 for public review. The closing date for comments is 27 November.
People and Processes Define the Facility of the Future
Developing the facility of the future is a technological and infrastructural challenge, but the people behind the technology play just as critical of a role in actualizing complex, innovative asset designs. How will future facilities affect the way companies operate?
First Oil From Johan Sverdrup Delivered to Mongstad Plant
Equinor, the operator of the Johan Sverdrup field, said that Mongstad will receive more than 30% of the total oil from the Norwegian Continental Shelf when the field is operating at full capacity.
Leverage Risk-Based Inspection and Risk Assessment for Improved Profitability
Risk-based inspection is based on sophisticated risk analysis which significantly decreases overheads and helps to avoid equipment failures or unnecessary shutdowns.
Elba Island LNG To Be Fully Operational By Mid-2020
Kinder Morgan, the majority owner and operator of the Georgia export terminal, said the oft-delayed project should have all 10 trains running by the first half of next year.
SBM Offshore Completes Financing of Liza Unity FPSO
As construction continues, SBM Offshore secured the $1.14 billion needed to finance work on the vessel. Liza Unity is scheduled for deployment at ExxonMobil's Liza Phase 2 development offshore Guyana.
Drones Take Off in the Oil Field, but How High Will They Fly?
Unmanned aerial vehicles are creeping up on ubiquity in the oil and gas industry, but their potential still firmly outweighs the actuality. A panel at the 2019 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition took a close look at the benefits of drones and at the tethers still holding back their use.
Santos Acquires ConocoPhillips's Australian Assets for $1.39 Billion
The deal for ConocoPhillips’s northern Australian portfolio will help the Australian company boost its position in the country’s gas market, as it gains majority ownership in a set of key assets including Darwin LNG and the Barossa project.
Total Expands Partnership With Adani on India’s Gas Market
The agreement—in which Total will reportedly pay $600 million for a 37.4% stake in the Indian gas conglomerate—boosts the supermajor’s LNG market access in India and neighboring countries. It is the latest move in Total’s aggressive expansion of its LNG portfolio.
FERC Delays Jordan Cove Environmental Review
The US Forest Service, which is working with FERC to prepare the review of the export terminal off the Oregon coast, said it only recently received critical information needed to complete amendments to its land and resource management plans. First gas is scheduled for 2025.
Kongsberg To Build Digital Twin for Shell’s Nyhamna Gas Facility
As part of the $11-million deal, Kongsberg will establish a dynamic virtual representation of the plant, which serves as a gas processing and export hub for the Shell-operated Ormen Lange in the Norwegian North Sea.
ExxonMobil Eyes Sale of Malaysian Offshore Assets
A month after it got out of Norway, Bloomberg reports that the company is working with advisers on a potential Malaysian sale, which could raise as much as $3 billion. ExxonMobil plans to divest around $15 billion in nonstrategic assets by 2021.
Goodnight Midstream Lands Big Investment To Expand Water Operations
After a planned acquisition of Goodnight fell through, private equity firm Tailwater Capital is boosting its total investment in the water midstream company to more than $500 million. Goodnight recently signed five long-term contracts with producers in the Delaware Basin and the Bakken.
Qatar Petroleum Takes Over Pair of Offshore Fields from Oxy
As Oxy looks to divest billions in assets and focus more on its prime US shale fields, it sheds itself of the ISND and ISSD fields off the eastern coast of Doha. In announcing the lease loss last year, Oxy said the fields need significant infrastructural investment.
Production Starts From Johan Sverdrup
Phase 1 of the North Sea megaproject—Norway’s largest offshore development since the 1980s—has come on stream. Johan Sverdrup is expected to produce 660,000 BOPD at its peak.
Bandwidth of Nanotechnology in the Oil Field Widens
Nanotechnology has great potential to reduce cost, increase production, and even improve the sustainability of E&P operations. But, where do we stand in terms of potential vs. reality? And, is the industry ready and willing to use the technology?
German LNG Terminal Narrows List of Potential EPC Contractors
Four companies are now under consideration for the EPC deal, which will include the building of a jetty with two berths for LNG carriers. Located near the Port of Hamburg, Germany's first LNG terminal is scheduled to start up by the end of 2022.
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