Editor's Letter

The Boys from Tomsk, SIAM Co., Celebrate Their 5th OTC in Houston; Plus Gazprom & LUKOIL Hunt for Shale Gas in the U.S.

Pat Davis Szymczak

   I’m reporting from Houston again. The OTC has just ended and this time I atoned for my sin of...

Boosting Up Energy Efficiency for the Petrochemical Industry

Russia ranks third globally in terms of power consumption – Russians use nearly 1 trillion kW a year. And this high level of consumption is not simply due to its cold climate or the number of its energy-intensive industries. Russia’s energy efficiency is extremely low compared to other countries.

Remembering a Nuclear Explosion to Close a Gas Well in the USSR

This week, the New York Times reported that United States has rejected the idea of using a nuclear blast to seal of the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Noting that "decades ago, the Soviet Union reportedly used nuclear blasts to successfully seal off runaway gas wells, inserting a bomb deep underground and letting its fiery heat melt the surrounding rock to shut off the flow", the paper quoted U.S. officials who said the idea was "crazy".
Eye-witnesses to one nuclear blast use to seal a run-away gas well in Ukraine would be likely to second that sentiment. One of their stories follows.

ESPs Expand Presence in Russia At Sucker Rods' Expense

Industry experts see growing electric submersible pump sales and the expansion of the artificial lift service sector in Russia as signals of a market upturn for artificial lift.
A rise this year in ESP sales coupled with other signs that the artificial lift market has entered an upturn, is putting smiles back on the faces of Russian manufacturers who had braced themselves earlier for a protracted period of stagnation in new orders.

Overcoming the Challenges of Transition Zone Operations in Cameroon A Unique Environment for 3D Seismic Acquisition

Africa has been an exploration hotspot for the oil and gas industry for decades, but surprisingly it remains relatively underexplored for hydrocarbons. With proven oil reserves at an estimated 117 billion barrels and approximately 14 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, the continent is ripe with opportunity for those companies willing to accept the challenges of operating in a developing market.

Russian Scientists to Showcase the Newest Corrosion-proof Technologies at EUROCORR

September could be the hottest month of the year for experts in the anti-corrosion industry: EUROCORR – the European Corrosion Congress – is scheduled to take place in mid-September. The event will be held in Russia for the first time thanks to the efforts of the scientists from Gubkin Russian State Oil and Gas University (RGUNG) where the Congress will be hosted.

Integrated but Separate Architecture: A Good Choice for SIS Integration of BPCS and SIS can save money, improve operations and reduce nuisance SIS trips

Of all the issues facing today’s process manufacturers, ensuring safe operations and guaranteeing shutdown when necessary are paramount.  Conversely, the unwanted consequences of the safety system failing safely as designed, but resulting in nuisance trips, drive an important consideration in the design of plant safety.

Microsoft Targets Growth in Russian Oil and Gas Industry

As the digital oilfield concept continues to drive the upstream sector, the IT giant targets further growth in Russia’s petroleum industry. Today, running an oil or gas company efficiently means a lot more than locating hydrocarbons, lifting them out of the ground, refining them into high-quality products and selling them in the market.

Peace Pipe

Is the reconciliation between partners in the South Stream project a real step forward or the beginning of a series of moves which will end with Gazprom getting a tasty slice of the Ukrainian gas business?

Venezuelan Trial for Belarus

The European market is about to get its first oil products from Venezuelan crude which is to be processed at the Mozyr refinery in Belarus. The Mozyr refinery has just started processing Venezuelan crude after recently receiving its first 80,000-ton “trial” shipment.

Baker Hughes Acquires Russian ESP Service Provider

Baker Hughes (NYSE: BHI) has acquired Siberia-based Oilpump Services (OPS), the second largest electrical submersible pumping (ESP) system service company in Western Siberia. With the addition of OPS’ service bases, Baker Hughes now has complete geographic service coverage in the heart of the largest ESP population in the world. The acquisition doubles Baker Hughes’ share of the Russian ESP market.