As chief technology officer for Shell, Gerald Schotman oversees a research and development program with a budget that exceeds $1 billion. During a recent Houston visit, Schotman sat down with Russell McCulley to discuss how the company decides how to direct its R&D efforts…
Differing perspectives on the African exploration & production scene were offered during IP Week in London last month, with Tullow Oil and Afren describing their respective approaches to the continent and Equatorial Guinea's energy ministry updating the republic's offshore developments to date…
With several major LNG projects under way locally and rising demand in neighboring Asian countries, Western Australia's premier Colin Barnett is presiding over a pivotal moment in the state's history. He talks to Russell McCulley about the LNG…
The AP Moller-Maersk Group's Maersk Drilling has signed a contract with the Keppel Fels yard in Singapore for the construction of two ultra-harsh environment, high-capacity jackup drilling rigs. The new rigs are targeting operations in water…
Decommissioning and abandonment specialist Cutting Underwater Technologies (Cut) assisted Heerema's Thialf with the removal of the Norpipe 37/4A booster platform's eightlegged steel jacket as part of Norway's Ekofisk cessation project. The 5500t platform stood in 85m of water…
Offshore disposal of untreated oil base mud (OBM) cuttings is not permitted anywhere in the world, and in several geographical areas the discharge limit is generally 1% oil on cuttings or less.--Norwegian firm Thermtech claims its TCC technology…
DNV expects shortly to issue the first ISDS (Integrated Software Dependent Systems) class certificate to Dolphin Drilling. This new state-of-the art class notation has been under development since 2008 and the class society says it is already in demand…
Pulse Structural Monitoring, a recent offshoot from 2H Offshore, is gearing up post Macondo to provide what it claims is the most comprehensive drilling riser monitoring service on the market, as Bill Clewes reports.Despite its environmental impact…
Technology and concerns about staffing took center stage at last month's SPE/IADC Drilling exhibition & conference in Amsterdam. Jennifer Pallanich listened in as companies discussed how to remain competitive. Hint: it's mostly the people.One…
Andrew McBarnet reviews the implications of a new report on the value proposition of E&P data and how it is managed.To get the most mileage out of any personal achievement, it is always better if the recognition comes from a third party. This…
While the Pluto and Browse LNG projects have dominated recent headlines, operator Woodside has also been busy expanding its North West Shelf infrastructure. Russell McCulley speaks to the company's North West Shelf executive vice president Kevin…
The current state of development of methane hydrate resources – ‘from Mallik to the Nankai Trough' – was examined by an international symposium in Japan late last year. Two of the participants, Professor Andrew Palmer and Simon Falser from the…
Mercon Steel Structures in Gorinchem started work at the beginning of February on its first riser access tower (RAT) under a framework agreement signed with Shell UK and NAM last autumn. The 800t structure, due for delivery mid- August, is for NAM's K/15 field…
Operator Perenco and its key subcontractors on January's Welland 53/4A gas production platform removal – Scaldis SMC, Overdick, Hoondert and Proserv Offshore – believe the project has set a new decommissioning performance benchmark for southern North Sea operators and service providers alike…
OPITO, the Aberdeen-headquartered body serving as the focal point for skills, learning and workforce development in the UK energy sector, estimates that over 15,000 new posts will be required over the next five years to deliver UK offshore project plans…