Eldon Ball • Houston
You can expect to see a continued worldwide emphasis on offshore oil and gas exploration, according to the results of this year’s Offshore seismic vessel report. A survey by IHS shows 22 net vessels entering the seismic fleet.
This month’s seismic vessel survey, byGene Kliewer, Technology Editor, Subsea & Seismic, and Dana Cain of IHS, reflects a robust and growing offshore seismic industry.
Companies adding vessels included BGP with three, CGGVeritas with two, Fugro GeoTeam with two, Fugro Survey with two, PGS Marine with six, Wavefield Inseis with one, and WesternGeco with one.
Their report begins onpage 40
Subsea processing ready for deepwater, long tiebacks
Two contradictory perceptions are among the major findings and conclusions of a recently completed Joint Industry Project (JIP) on subsea processing technology conducted by INTEC Engineering.
First, subsea oil and gas processing technology – separation, pumping, and/or compression – can handle the operational challenges for many deepwater and long distance tiebacks. And second, though subsea processing is being implemented by some, many operators do not yet have confidence that the technology is ready.
As authorsTom Choate, Michael Padilla, Tim Turner, and Mac McKee, of INTEC Engineering discuss in this month’s issue, uncertainties and a lack of familiarity still outweigh advantages in the eyes of many operators.
INTEC Engineering organized and conducted the Phase 1 study on behalf of 14 industry participants. Despite doubts held by some industry players, the JIP confirmed that subsea processing equipment development has advanced substantially in recent years and identified numerous projects that expect to incorporate subsea processing within the next five years. Don’t miss their report, beginning onpage 70
And don’t missOffshore’s exclusive wall-size Subsea Boosting and Processing Poster, inserted in this month’s issue.
Devon breaks new ground off Brazil
Devon Energy Corp. became the first company to produce Brazilian oil without being associated with state-owned Petrobras when it announced first production from Polvo field in the Campos basin.
Petrobras held an E&P monopoly in Brazil for 44 years. The first foreign companies to produce oil in Brazil since the deregulation of the market a decade ago did so in partnership with Petrobras.
Polvo production started at 5,000 b/d 19° API gravity oil from the first well and output was doubled soon after from a second well. Polvo field reserves are estimated at 50 MMbbl and gross production is expected to peak during 2008 at approximately 50,000 b/d of oil. Writing from Rio de Janeiro,Contributing Editor Peter Howard Wertheimdescribes how the field was developed and the economics and technology that shaped the field development plan. His report begins on page 68
Independents leading exploration revival off southern Italy
Foreign operators are making a comeback offshore Italy. A new group of companies is applying for blocks in the Adriatic and Ionian seas, with the encouragement of the country’s licensing bureau. Although Italy is Europe’s third largest producer of oil and gas, most new activity in the past decade has focused onshore at fields such as the prolific Val d’Agri in the south.
Offshore, Eni’s dominance has been virtually unchallenged since Shell and BG exited their licenses earlier this decade.
However, there are numerous “stranded” fields in Italian waters, and the government is keen to monetize those fields. Some have been made available in the newly awarded concessions, such as Ombrina Mare off the central eastern coast.Jeremy Beckman, Editor, Europe, examines the emerging opportunities for independent operators in Italian waters in his report beginning on page 34.
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