The February issue takes an in-depth look at the oil and gas industry in the iconic Middle East, while the issue’s lead feature focuses on Advances in Drilling. The issue also features quality articles on: Seismic Advances, Completions, Offshore Production, Coiled Tubing, Hydraulic Fracturing, Directional Drilling and Oilfield Chemicals.
03 Editorial comment
05 World news
10 Riding the investment wave
Neil Golding, EIC, UK, shows us how Abu Dhabi is leading the wave of oil and gas investment in the MENA region.
15 Seeing things clearly
Chris Cunnell, WesternGeco, UK, outlines how true 3D broadband isometric seismic acquisition and processing technology helps provide new insights into subsurface geology and improved mapping of reservoir changes.
20 When the going gets tough, the tough get going
Tim Beaton, SHEAR BITS, USA, details a new PDC cutter technology which retains wear resistance whilst improving toughness.
27 The heat is on
Ivan Kocis, GA Drilling, Slovakia and David Riddell, ITF, UK, shed light on a joint industry project on plasma drilling technology.
31 Directional drilling - challenge and opportunity
Steve Krase, Ryan Directional Services, North America, explores the challenges and opportunities raised by the directional drilling of unconventional wells.
34 A change of direction
Clare Miszewska, AnTech Ltd, UK, discusses how advances in coiled tubing drilling technology are taking directional drilling to the next level, making it possible to access reserves that lie just beneath the surface.
40 Fighting off fatigue
Martin Valdez, Tenaris, Argentina and Bruce Reichert, Tenaris, USA, investigate the development of high-strength coiled tubing with superior fatigue performance.
47 Getting into the thick of it
Garry McClelland, Global Tubing, LLC, USA, discusses innovations to improve coiled tubing string design methodologies.
52 Time to shine
Barry Ekstrand, Key Energy Services, USA, explains why coiled tubing is a technology whose time has come.
55 Making waves without water
Susan Brownlow, Linde Gases Division, Germany, explains how energised solutions can make fracturing safer and more efficient.
60 Solving cement problems
Chuck Sylvestre and Jason Schneider, Sanjel, Canada, examine some of the cementing techniques developed to counter common problems, which have since become industry best practices.
65 Intelligent cementing additives
Zhonghui Liu, Landy Energy Services, Inc., USA and Wei Wang, Landy Energy Services, Inc., China, detail the characteristics of intelligent temperature adaptable cementing additives (ITACA) for conventional, super HPHT and deep wells.
69 Working with shales: a sticky situation
Philip Watson, Michael Skriba and Stephen W Almond, MWV Specialty Chemicals, USA, explore the importance of using correctly formulated drilling fluids when working in shale wells.
73 The challenges of compliance
Colin Thurston, Thermo Fisher Scientific, UK, uncovers the compliance and efficiency bonuses for hydrocarbon laboratories that can be realised through the use of advanced Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).
76 Getting clued up on carousels
Ralph Manchester, IHC Merwede, UK, reviews a variety of carousels and lay equipment for the offshore pipeline industry.