NOVEMBER 8, 2007

Industry Highlight: World Oil Awards Announced in mid-October
Annually World Oil recognizes innovations and innovators in the global petroleum industry. Since being established in 2002 more than 50 products/people have been recognized. This year awards were made in 12 categories, among others including: Best Completion Technology, Best Drilling Technology, Best Exploration Technology, Best Production Technology, and Innovative Thinkers. Awards of likely interest to independents include: Best Drilling Technology (The Intelliserv Network, Intelliserv, Inc. — this incidentally received support funding from DOE during earlier years); Best Production Technology (AbrasiFRAC, Schlumberger) and Best Well Intervention (Rigless Intervention System, BJ Services Company). It is also worth checking out other technologies that were nominees.

DOE Highlight: DOE Awards Three Large-Scale Carbon Sequestration Projects.  On Oct. 9 DOE announced awards to three large-scale carbon sequestration projects. These projects will conduct large volume tests for the storage of one million or more tons of CO2 in deep saline reservoirs. DOE commitment over 10 years will be $197 million, subject to annual appropriations from Congress. Total investment including partnership cost share is $318 million. The projects include participation from 27 states and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. They will demonstrate the entire CO2 injection process -- pre-injection characterization, injection process monitoring, and post-injection monitoring. These three projects will double the number of large-volume carbon storage demonstrations in operation worldwide.

• Plains CO2 Reduction Partnership, led by the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota—Alberta & Williston Basins

• Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership, led by Southern States Energy Board—lower Tuscaloosa Formation Massive Sand Unit

• Southwest Regional Partnership for Carbon Sequestration, led by the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology—Jurassic-age Entrada Sandstone Formation

RPSEA Solicitations Out for "Unconventional Gas, Small Producers & Ultra-Deepwater Programs"

PTTC Highlight: PTTC Transitions to AAPG Management
Following months of due diligence and planning, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and PTTC are pleased to announce that, effective Oct. 9, 2007, AAPG has assumed management of PTTC. The Executive Committee of AAPG and the Board of PTTC both voted in late September for AAPG to assume management. This includes fundraising, marketing and corporate operation. PTTC's primary tool for transferring E&P technology will continue to be regional workshops. The model of serving industry locally through Regional Lead Organizations, typically at universities or geological surveys, will also continue. A new Board that reflects multi-disciplinary diversity and has some ties with the past for continuity is being formed. There will be changes, but as outgoing PTTC Chairman Gene Ames noted in the press release, the strengths will be the same.

Trivia Question: Can you list "three or more" names of the baseball teams that played in early oilfield towns?