|
|
|
Unconventional Resources
|
 |
E&P Focus
DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory released the
Spring 2012 issue of the E&P Focus
newsletter on April 27th. Articles this month address CO2
flood monitoring, nanoparticles for CO2 foams, mobility
control for CO2, and near-miscible CO2 in Arbuckle
reservoirs. According to NETL's John Duda, "CO2 EOR
technology is evolving rapidly to a 'next generation' phase,
partly in anticipation of the arrival of significant amounts
of anthropogenic CO2." The spotlight article this quarter,
Remote Gas Well Monitoring Technology
Applied to the Marcellus Shale,
addresses remote sensing technologies for shale gas
development.
|
|
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) |
 |
Plans for Increased CO2 EOR in U.S.
The
Carbon Capture Journal,
available as a free subscription, has a wealth of
information concerning U.S. plans to boost enhanced oil
recovery (EOR) using carbon dioxide. The National Enhanced
Oil Recovery Initiative announced earlier this year hopes to
encourage the use of CO2 from power plants and industrial
facilities to expand oil recovery. The Carbon Capture
website also provides links to recent developments in EOR
and CO2 in other parts of the world.
|
|
Independents (formerly Small Producers) |
 |
Rex Energy Increases Production in Lawrence Field by 300%
A research project funded by NETL has helped independent
operator, Rex Energy, increase production by over 300%.
Lawrence Field in southern Illinois has been in operation
for 106 years. Rex applied EOR technology using a
combination of steam, chemical and/or CO2 flooding. An
innovative alkaline surfactant polymer flooding process
resulted in increasing daily production from 16 to 65-75
barrels of oil per day. Ultimate recovery estimates are that
an additional 130 million barrels of oil will be recovered
from the depleted oil field.
|
|
Deepwater/Ultra-Deepwater |
 |
Offshore Safety
A report by Global Maritime Analyst, Joseph Keefe, asks the
question, "Good enough, too much or not enough?" regarding
Post-Macondo safety in offshore drilling operations.
Opinions on the quality of regulatory and compliance issues
relating to offshore operation differ greatly from federal
agencies, environmental groups and the oil and gas industry.
James Watson, U.S. Coast Guard's Director of Prevention
Policy for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship notes,
"It is in our country's interest to have a robust offshore
oil and gas industry, and I'm pleased to see reports of new
rigs coming into the Gulf and an industry becoming
increasingly optimistic about the short and long-term
outlook for their region." The Coast Guard conducts safety
reviews and issues permits. On the opposite side are
environmental groups like Oceana that "probably wouldn't be
happy unless drilling ceases altogether. But that's not
going to happen according to Keefe."
|
|
Environmental/Water Issues |
 |
Cooperative Water Program
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has
recently released its Volume 3 on the Cooperative
Water Program. The focus of the program is on water
availability and use. Highlights of the research
address ground water issues across the U.S. A sample
of articles ranges from water levels in White Bear
Lake, Minnesota, evapotranspiration in Nevada,
ground water availability in mountain valleys in
Idaho, declining ground water supplies in Arkansas,
surface flow in the Rio Grande River in New Mexico,
fresh water sustainability in Hawaii to groundwater
issues in Louisiana, Florida, Utah, New Mexico,
Kansas and Oklahoma. Each topic is a separate
downloadable report.
|
|
Methane Hydrates |
 |
Pipe Coating Developed to Prevent
Methane Hydrate Buildup
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
have developed a new anti-clogging coating for deep-sea oil
and gas wells to prevent the build-up of methane hydrates in
cold water. Methane hydrates can form in deep water wells as
a result of low temperatures and high pressure at depth. The
hydrates forming inside well casing can restrict or block
fluid and gas flow in pipes. Methane hydrate deposition
slowed repair efforts on the Macondo well in April 2010. The
passive coating is designed to keep methane hydrates from
clinging to the pipelines. The new method is significantly
lower cost than previous chemical additives or heating
systems.
|
|
|
