April 2006
Volume 58 Number 4
Features
Guest Editorial • Technology: The 2006 Fuel Additive
Scott Weir, Oil and Gas Industry Leader for EDS, discusses why information technology will be an important part of the transformation process as demand pressures force oil and gas companies to change how they do business.
Q&A with John Gibson
John Darley, Executive Vice President, E&P Technology, for Shell
Exploration and Production and Chairperson of the 2006 SPE
Intelligent Energy conference, comments on how successful the
industry has been in adapting digital-age technologies to the oil field.
SPE Director Nominations
The nominees for 2008 SPE President and other officer and director positions approved by SPE’s Board of Directors.
Technology Tomorrow • The Next Trillion: Anticipating and Enabling Game-Changing Recoveries
Nansen G. Saleri, Manager, Reservoir Management, for Saudi Aramco ponders how high the industry can stretch expected ultimate recoveries and looks at the obstacles in the way of achieving those figures.
Special Feature • Applications of Nanotechnology in Oil and Gas E&P
Saeid Mokhatab of the U. of Wyoming, Mariela Araujo Fresky of Imperial College, London, and M. Rafiqul Islam of Dalhousie U. discuss how breakthroughs in nanotechnology could open up the possibility of new sources of global energy supply.
Management • Moving Project Management to the Next Level of Performance
Dutch Holland, Chairman, and Mike Campbell, Managing Director, Holland & Davis LLC, examine the benefits of project management and why companies should recognize it as a core value.
OTC Technology Preview
A first look at some of the best papers that will be presented at the 2006 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC).
Offshore Drilling and Completion
Didier Gazaniol, SPE, Wells and Drilling R&D Adviser, Total
Marco Polo Deepwater TLP
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 95331, “Marco Polo Deepwater TLP: Completion Implementation and Performance,” by J. Burman, SPE, Exploitation Technologies LLC, and K. Renfro, SPE, and M. Conrad, SPE, Anadarko Petroleum, prepared for the 2005 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, 9–12 October.
Drilling Underbalanced From a Drillship in the Santos Basin
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper OTC 17459, “Drilling Underbalanced From a Floating Unit in a 1,500-m of Water Depth Exploratory Well: Planning, Equipment and Rig Modifications,” by A.C.V.M. Lage, E.F. Nogueira, G.S. Vanni, L.H.S. Vitullo, and and E.T.M. Fartes, Petrobras, prepared for the 2005 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, 2–5 May.
First TTRD Well Drilled From a Floating Platform—Concept Study to Reality
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 98880, “World’s First TTRD Well Drilled From a Floating Platform in the Njord Field, North Sea—From Concept Study to Reality,” by T. Flatekvaal, SPE, Hydro E&P; E. Saeverhagen, SPE, O.E. Eng, SPE, and N. Jepson, SPE, Baker Hughes Inteq; J. Oyovwevotu, SPE, Leading Edge Advantage; and J.F. Namtvedt, SPE, and M.M. Price, SPE, Hughes Christensen, prepared for the 2006 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Miami, Florida, 21–23 February.
Economic and Operational Benefits of Drill-Through Completion Technologies
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper OTC 17405, “Economic and Operational Benefits of Drill-Through Completion Technologies,” by M. Matusek, S. Stjernstrom, and D. Theiss, Cooper Cameron Corp., prepared for the 2005 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, 2–5 May.
Natural Gas Technology and Monetization
John Vitucci, SPE, Senior Project Manager, FMC Technologies
Gas-To-Liquids Update
This article, written by Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 93580, “GTL Update,” by G. Apanel, SRI Consulting, prepared for the 2005 14th SPE Middle East Oil & Gas Show and Conference, Bahrain, 12–15 March.
Floating LNG Systems—Export and Import Terminals
This article, written by Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper OTC 17547, “Floating LNG—A Look at Export and Import Terminals,” by G. Gervois, L. Daniel, N. Jestin, and A. Kyriacou, Saipem S.A., prepared for the 2005 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, 2–5 May.
CNG Solution for Offshore Gas Transportation
This article, written by Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper OTC 17231, “Pressurized Natural Gas— An Efficient and Reliable CNG Solution for Offshore Gas Transportation,” by P. Lothe, Knutsen OAS Shipping, prepared for the 2005 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, 2–5 May.
Heavy Oil
Tony Kovscek, SPE, Associate Professor of Petroleum Engineering, Stanford U.
New Developments in Steamflood Modeling
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 97719, “New Developments in Steamflood Modeling,” by M. Kumar, SPE, C. Satik, SPE, and V. Hoang, SPE, Chevron Energy Technology Co., prepared for the 2005 SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium, Calgary, 1–3 November.
Experiment Observations of Miscible Displacement of Heavy Oil With Hydrocarbon Solvents
This article, written by Technology Editor Dennis Denney, contains highlights of paper SPE 97854, “Experimental Observations of Miscible Displacement of Heavy Oils With Hydrocarbon Solvents,” by D. Salama and A. Kantzas, U. of Calgary, prepared for the 2005 SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium, Calgary, 1–3 November.
Clair Field, West of Shetland
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 97772, “Unlocking the Potential: A North Sea Heavy Oil Success Story,” by J.J. Wylde, SPE, and G.D.M. Williams, SPE, Clariant Oil Services, and R.E. Cousins, BP plc, prepared for the 2005 SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium, Calgary, 1–3 November.
