The May issue, which will feature additional distribution at EAGE in Amsterdam, focuses its Regional Report on the state of the upstream oil and gas industry in Europe. The issue’s lead feature looks at Exploration Innovations and the latest developments in the hunt for hydrocarbons. Other features covered in this issue include: Seismic Surveys, Shale Gas, Onshore Rig Design, Well Control, Extended Reach Operations, Integrity Management and Reservoir Stimulation.
03 Comment
05 World News
10 A Leviathan problem
Dirk Frame, T.A. Cook Consultants, Germany, examines the challenges that face the development of the upstream oil and gas industry in the eastern Mediterranean.
15 High channel count acquisition in China
Binu Joy, INOVA, USA, shows us how the use of advanced seismic technologies and efficient methodologies can boost productivity and help lower operational costs.
20 Up up & away
Oilfield Technology correspondent Gordon Cope reveals the intriguing technological surprises that upstream oil and gas has in store.
25 Shale science alliance
Neil Peake, CGG, and Bill Whatley, Baker Hughes, explain how two companies working together to combine their geoscience capabilities and reservoir description services can offer an improved understanding of how to optimise reservoir development.
31 Getting a grasp on basalt
Siobhan Ryan, Electromagnetic Geoservices (EMGS), Norway, examines how integration of seismic with the controlled-source electromagnetic method (CSEM) and magnetotellurics (MT) can help oil explorationists outline and identify sedimentary layers and basement structures below basalt.
34 Exploring the Jurassic
M. Whaley, E. Anderson and C. Reiser, Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS), review a new technology designed to improve the resolution of Jurassic plays in the North Sea Grevling field and further increase accuracy of rock property estimation.
41 A clear view of deep oil
Martin Grolms, NEUMAN & ESSER, Germany, explores some of the latestdevelopments in the field of oil-free compressor systems and explains how these systems can aid in the discovery of new oil and gas reserves.
45 Improving installation
Roger L. Schultz, TTS Drilling Solutions, USA, explains how many casing installation issues in horizontal wells can be solved via the use of expendable downhole vibratory tools.
49 Solving shallow situations
Jerry Fritsch, Stacey Andrews and Roy Baker, Enventure Global Technology, explore the opportunities for solving shallow drilling problems that are provided by the increasing use of solid expandable liners.
53 The importance of active additives
David L. Holcomb, Ph.D., CESI Chemical, a Flotek Industries Company, USA, runs us through the optimisation of surface active additives used in unconventional reservoir stimulation treatments and reveals their impact on reservoir performance.
57 Keeping it flowing
Kelvin Davies, AVEVA, UK, looks at how new technologies are helping to make upstream assets safer and more productive.
60 Upgrading the classics
Kelly Shideler, Schramm, Inc., USA, looks at the systems that characterise a modern drilling rig and compares them to the older, classic designs.
65 Rig site construction: laying the foundation
Jeff Juergens, Newpark Mats and Integrated Services, USA, explores recent developments in rig site containment technology that are helping operators make cost and efficiency savings from the ground up.
69 Defining the need for RCDs
Jason L. Shaffer, Pruitt, USA, explains how rotating control devices can be customised to applications and help improve drilling safety and efficiency.
74 Reducing reservoir uncertainty
Gaining acceptance of any new technology - in what has traditionally been a risk-averse industry - has never been easy. Brian Champion, Expro, UK, explains how the industry is embracing an emergent wireless monitoring technology to reduce reservoir development risk and enhance well safety.