Editor's Letter

Thoughts on Why We Celebrate Oilmen's Day in September

Pat Davis Szymczak

   September has arrived and the business life in Moscow is starting up again. How do I know? Traffic has quadrupled in the last week!

   With so much going on in...

Russian oil field service companies seek quicker payment

Russian oil and gas field service companies are not happy with the situation they find themselves in which effectively makes them creditors to their production company clients, service company reps unanimously said during the Neftegazservis-2012 conference held October 9 in Moscow.

IHS Reports Major Oilfield Service Earnings Shift Away from North America

After riding high in 2010 and 2011 on drilling demand created by the North American shale boom and some recovery in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico following the Macondo incident, the major oilfield service companies saw their mid-year margins in North America shrink in 2012, while their costs rose. However, margins from activity occurring outside the U.S. are growing for companies in this sector, and rig counts outside North America are projected to be up eight percent in 2012, according to a recent report from IHS (NYSE: IHS), the leading global source of information and analytics. The four companies covered in the report are Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Schlumberger and Weatherford.

HEADING FOR THE TURONIAN GAS. New Gas Reservoirs are Being Developed in Russia

   Severneftgazprom appears to be closing in on its goal of increasing total gas production in 2012 up to 115 billion cubic meters at its Yuzhno-Russkoye field in Yamal. And that's just a start.

Sizing Up a New Big Brother. Kazakhstan Plays out "Come Here, Go Away" Strategy with China, Inc.

   In the 21 years since the Soviet breakup, Kazakhstan has had to continually refocus its policy making to insure its independence. Initially it needed to distance itself from Russia, but soon that evolved into a multi-vector approach that included not only new allies but Russia as well.

RK Passes а New Trunk Pipeline Law

   After many changes, extensive negotiations, and numerous interim drafts, the Republic of Kazakhstan (RK) enacted a Trunk Pipeline Law (Pipeline Law) that came into effect on 3 July 2012.

PDC Drill Bits Plant Has Been Launched in Kurgan

   Varel International and NewTech Services have opened a Polycrystalline Diamond (PDC) Drill Bit manufacturing plant in Kurgan, Russia. The Varel-NTS plant is a joint venture between the two companies.

Solar Variation and Climate Change. Future Temperature Decline and Energy Demand Growth

   Climate change (temperature fluctuations) on Earth, caused by solar variation, is a cyclic natural process, which geochronologically accompanies periods of warming and cooling.

Prolonging Gas Production in Declining Fields

   Cenomanian gas fields in Western Siberia such as Medvezhje, Vyngapurovskoye, Urengoiskoye, Yamburgskoye, Komsomolskoye have been developed for over 30 years.

Industrial Technologies Park to be Built in Yaroslavl Region

Oil&Gas Eurasia: Why have you decided to set up a Technopark of this profile?
Mikhail Sochenko: Objective prerequisites for that arose long ago, and I would like to go into detail on this issue. Russia is one of the world leaders in oil production.

Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO)

   Deepwater and remote offshore locations in undeveloped areas have led to the growth of use of FPSO production vessels. The requirements in FPSO are very demanding, including compact installation space, open deck environment and ship movements.

Saturn – Gazovye Turbiny to Provide Gas-Compressor Units for the “South Stream” Project

   The company Saturn – Gazovye Turbiny has won the bid for delivery of 22 gas-compressor units. Each unit’s capacity is 25 MW. The units will be used to build “Kazachya”, “Korenovskaya” and “Shakhtinskaya” compressor stations on the “South Stream” gas pipeline.

PJSC “YUZHNIIGIPROGAZ” – the Leading Research, Design and Survey Institute of Oil and Gas Sectors in CIS Countries

PJSC “YUZHNIIGIPROGAZ” performs the following operations:
1. Engineering design of oil and gas industry facilities:
Field facilities related to development of gas and oil-and-gas condensate fields;
Transmission pipelines and underground facilities for gas, oil, gas condensate and their products;

Oilfield Services: Prompt, Efficient and Convenient

   Primary well cementing, remedial cementing, provision of oilfield and specialized support service vehicles, off-road caterpillar machines, execution of work with use of the proprietary downhole equipment – this is far from the complete list of services rendered by Servisnaya Transportnaya Companiya.

Ust-Luga Terminal Routes Russian Oil Direct to Europe

Russia’s newest oil terminal began commercial operations this week, six months after Russian President Vladimir Putin inaugurated the testing phase of the site that establishes a direct link between Russia and Europe. The new oil terminal is located at the Ust-Luga merchant seaport on the Gulf of Finland and is the final destination of the Baltic Pipeline System-2 (BTS-2).

SIBUR Vyngapurovsky Gas Processing Plant Increases Processing of Associated Gas Up to 99%

SIBUR's upgraded Vyngapurovsky gas processing plant can increase the processing of associated petroleum gas (APG) to 99% thanks to the new installation NTKR facility (cryogenic condensation and distillation).

Doubts Surround Fate of Yamal Gas

The fate of the Russian gas industry hinges on it’s ability to successfully exploit the Yamal Peninsula’s enormous oil and gas reserves, as well as it’s ability to adapt to fundamental changes in global gas markets, according to remarks made at this year’s “Yamal Peninsula: Oil & Gas Perspectives” conference in Moscow. 

Itron Advances Smart Gas Metering in Europe with New Modular Gas Meter

Itron, Inc. announced that it is launching a new smart gas meter platform that is designed to deliver smart meter functionality to the European market as smart meters are rolled-out in the coming years. Itron’s smart gas meter will help utilities measure and manage gas through accurate and detailed usage data, as well as reduce business costs by using capabilities, such as remote asset monitoring, advanced alarms and remote valve operation. This innovative meter will replace aging traditional meters in the field with a future-proof product that will support the needs of gas providers today and into the future.