Commentary, 3/4, 2003
Dec 12, 2003
Power Structure
The Iraqi war has been dominating the news for months before it actually started. European heads of states have been discussing UN resolutions and twisting each other’s words, all wanting to rid the world of Saddam Hussein, but no one wanting to be perceived as a bad guy. They all know as elected officials they are directly depending on how they are perceived by their voters - unlike Saddam Hussein. [ In 3/4-2003 ]

CCB and FMC Kongsberg build Dockside Test Well
Dec 12, 2003
Coast Center Base and FMC Kongsberg Subsea have joined together to build a unique test facility on the CCB premises at Ågotnes, northwest of Bergen. They have deployed a full-scale sub sea test well right by the shore, at CCB’s deepwater quay, offering all the facilities of an offshore sub sea well with the convenience of onshore well management. By Erlend Gram Simonsen. [ In 3/4-2003 ]

The Challenges of Deep-Water
Dec 12, 2003
The challenges posed by deep-water operations mirror many of those seen in other “high tech” domains of drilling and completion. Increasingly, operations are characterised by narrow margins where the slightest slip brings with it severe penalties. While the basic equipment in use is well proven, being the result of continuous evolution and improvement over the last 30 years, it is the different subsurface phenomena that provide the major challenges. These range from extreme environmental conditions, through shallow water flows to conditions of zero effective stress in the formations. By John Thorogood, BP Exploration, Aberdeen. [ In 3/4-2003 ]

Post-Saddam Iraq Could Be A Supergiant Producer
Dec 12, 2003
With favorable political and financial conditions, post-Saddam Iraq could become a supergiant oil producer, according to Fadhil Chalabi, Executive Director of London’s Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES). By Walid Khadduri, Editor-in-Chief of MEES, Middle East Economic Survey. [ In 3/4-2003 ]

The Sequel
Dec 12, 2003
The Internet has become a global marketplace, an information tool, and a community. But some people think it should be more than it is today – more immersive, more flexible, more everything. Cue the sequel: Internet 2. By Erlend Gram Simonsen. [ In 3/4-2003 ]

Commentary, 1/2, 2003
Dec 12, 2003
Thinking Ahead
Following Statoil’s second major contract to Spanish Dragados in a very short time, the workers at Aker Kvaerner are despairing. Politicians and Statoil’s leaders are the targets of their anger. Aker Kvaerner’s management appears more cautious. [ In 1/2-2003 ]

Inland Subsea Success
Dec 12, 2003
Managing Director Tore Halvorsen at FMC Kongsberg Subsea expects the number of Norwegian contractors they use to decrease in the years ahead. But personnel with high education will secure the company’s continued existence at Kongsberg - as the main center for subsea innovation within the largest subsea company in the world. [ In 1/2-2003 ]

Technip in the Think Tank
Dec 12, 2003
Decommissioning will no doubt become an important market segment in the North Sea in years to come. However, it requires huge investments, and the time perspective is long. Developing the most versatile equipment might be a way to secure these investments. At the moment Technip-Coflexip is considering two horses in hope that one of them might tempt ConocoPhillips. [ In 1/2-2003 ]

Speeding Up the Report
Dec 12, 2003
Einar Steensnæs is committed to please the oil companies in future licensing rounds, after the disappointing participation in the 17the licensing round and the high number of dry wells drilled during 2002. Steensnæs is therefore trying to find ways to sweeten the prospect of continued exploration on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). Finishing the report on the consequences of exploration and production in the Lofoten and Barents region is now high on the agenda. [ In 1/2-2003 ]

Scandinavian Oil-Gas Magazine 30th Anniversary
Dec 12, 2003
Throughout the past 30 years Scandinavian Oil-Gas Magazine has covered the main events, and met with key players who helped shape the Norwegian oil & gas industry. During our anniversary year we will bring some glimpses from stories we have had through the years. [ In 1/2-2003 ]

Legal and Ethical Frontiers
Dec 12, 2003
As Internet Crime is soaring, governments are scrambling to keep up with the perpetrators, and to find ways to effectively punish them. The key issue is how to effectively curb repeat offenders. At the same time, there is a real risk that the measures taken to prevent crime infringe on important civil rights. And as criminals grow smarter and develop better tools, the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies and legal authorities grow more difficult. By Erlend Gram Simonsen. [ In 1/2-2003 ]

Commentary, 9/10, 2003
Dec 11, 2003
Security and Liberty?
Security may be the most significant issue currently on the public’s mind. This is not surprising considering the events of the last two years. Issues of security have been cited for removing the Taliban from Afghanistan and as justification for "regime change" in Iraq. Security is a broad term, and these examples show that the word has been politicised and internationalised. Yet the desire for security does permeate the human psyche. Parents have always wanted their children to be secure – healthy and safe in the present and as they grow. Environmentalists have struggled to preserve the security of the natural world. Bankers and brokers help us to secure our financial security. And naturally, when our security is threatened, our reaction is intense. We must be careful not to let our gut-reaction overwhelm our reason, as oft-quoted America statesman Benjamin Franklin maintained, "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security." [ In 9/10-2003 ]

Insure Against Commercial and Political Risks
Dec 11, 2003
The oil and gas sector is enormously diverse, ranging from the giant exploration, production and supply companies to the manufacturers, suppliers and service providers that support an industry of crucial importance to the global community. For understandable reasons, risk management in the oil and gas sector has tended to concentrate on health and safety and environmental issues. Consideration must be made for the risks of engaging in domestic and international trade. By Fergus Fergusson and Nigel Heap. [ In 9/10-2003 ]

Safety in the UK Offshore Sector: A Situation Report
Dec 11, 2003
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Offshore Divison (OSD) aims to ensure that risks to workers in the UK’s oil and gas extraction industries are properly controlled. With around 25,000 people employed directly in these sectors, this is a challenging task. Since the early 1980s the UK has been one of the world’s largest producers of offshore oil and gas. Undertaking this task on the UK Continental Shelf are some 250 offshore installations, of which 52 are fixed normally unmanned structures and 31 are mobile drilling units. By Taf Powell. [ In 9/10-2003 ]

Little Bugs and Big Nasty Worms
Dec 11, 2003
Our computers are bombarded with malicious viruses and huge amounts of spam e-mails every day. And despite the high level of attention from law enforcement and security experts, we are not gaining ground on the hackers and dubious marketing operations that are behind this; in fact, they seem to be pulling ahead. So what can we do to stop the attacks? By Erlend Gram Simonsen. [ In 9/10-2003 ]