Industry Highlight: Using Fiber Optics For Downhole T/P Sensing
With oil and natural gas prices remaining high, operators can increasingly apply fiber optic technologies that are decreasing in cost to gather critical Pressure and Temperature data that can assist in maximizing production.  

          ·   Oluma Inc. using side-polished technology to lower costs
          ·   Schlumberger's Sensa fiber optic monitoring systems

DOE Highlight:  Meeting Future Natural Gas Demand in South-Central Alaska
According to a recent DOE study, proven natural gas reserves (1.8 Tcf at 1/1/04) in Cook Inlet gas fields could meet demand until 2012 under certain conditions, but a shortage could occur as early as 2009 unless industrial use is reduced or new gas reserves are developed. Estimated development cost for reserve growth in existing fields, expected to be a major contributor, is $0.35 per Mcf. Comparative development cost for exploration is about $0.75 per Mcf. Future supply from coalbed methane or from a spur from a North Slope gas pipeline if it were built are also discussed.

PTTC Highlight: North Dakota CO₂ Flooding Potential
(Highlights by PTTC from paper at 12th Williston Basin Horizontal Well and Petroleum Conference, May 2004)
Ralph L. Nelms, Westport Oil and Gas Company, and Randolph B. Burke, North Dakota Geological Survey, recently evaluated additional CO₂ flooding potential in North Dakota. Their analysis indicates probable reserves from miscible CO₂ flooding of 181 million bbls. In reaching this conclusion, the authors reviewed CO₂ reservoir screening methodology, results in West Texas projects, and compared North Dakota reservoir characteristics to those of ongoing CO₂ miscible floods in both West Texas and the Weyburn Unit in Canada. Spreadsheet data on 97 unitized reservoirs is included.

Trivia Question:  In what city was the first plant built for extracting helium from natural gas?

Trivia Answer: In 1915 the US Army built the first helium extraction plant in the country in Petrolia, Texas and it served as the sole source for the US for several years.