Commentary, 11/12 2007
Dec 3, 2007
No Quick Fix
As we go to press, oil prices are flirting with 100 dollars a barrel. Perhaps as you read this, it’s already happened, but, if not, it’s bound to happen soon. Round numbers are heavy with significance. [ In 11/12-2007 ]

From the Editor: Busy Busy
Dec 3, 2007
This year’s been one of our busiest ever, with a seemingly unending sequence of big news – from the StatoilHydro merger to Ormen Lange and Snøhvit production commencement to Shtokman and Tupi. [ In 11/12-2007 ]

StatoilHydro and Total Join the “Mother of All Projects”
Dec 3, 2007
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom made it “a happy day for StatoilHydro” when it named the Norwegian energy champion 24-percent partner in the Shtokman Development Co., or SDC, the entity ordering work on the world’s largest undeveloped offshore gas field. Total is tipped to be operator of the Barents Sea project with a 25-percent stake and the right to book reserves, and all bets are on StatoilHydro booking or re-selling gas. [ In 11/12-2007 ]

The World is Watching
Dec 3, 2007
There is increasing focus on oil and gas activities in cold climate regions such as the Arctic Seas, where environmental conditions pose operating challenges for offshore installations and crew. [ In 11/12-2007 ]

Petrobras Discovers Mega Field
Dec 3, 2007
Petrobras has announced the conclusion of the formation tests analysis for the second well in the area referred to as Tupi in Block BM-S-11, Santos basin, and tests allowed to estimate that recoverable reserves may reach between 5 billion and 8 billion barrels. [ In 11/12-2007 ]

The Assessment of Occupant Safety in Freefall Drop Lifeboats
Dec 3, 2007
Freefall drop lifeboats – used for emergency evacuation scenarios – are installed on oil platforms and tankers. The lifeboats are dropped into the water from various heights in an effort to produce forward momentum, propelling the boat away from the evacuated platform or tanker. The resultant impact however may have severe consequences on the sustained injury risk of the lifeboat occupants. [ In 11/12-2007 ]

Media: The Age of Photography
Dec 3, 2007
It's as sign of our times that there is virtually nothing you can do, and almost nowhere you can go, without being in the vicinity of someone with a camera. It used to be that recording an event was a time-consuming thing, requiring complex operation of advanced equipment. As late as the 1990s, most major events were covered after the fact, because people weren't walking around with cameras all the time. But that has changed, drastically. [ In 11/12-2007 ]

Contents 9/10 2007
Oct 15, 2007
Check out the contents of our latest issue – 9/10 2007 – published 15 October [ In 9/10-2007 ]

Commentary, 9/10 2007
Oct 15, 2007
Evolution, Anyone? Almost everyone who’s worked in the corporate world in the last two decades has, at least once, attended a lecture or seminar about “Change” (with a capital “C”). Coming away from one of these meetings, it’s clear that Change is as inevitable as taxes or death. Whether you like it or not, everything changes – always. And it’s a good idea to adapt. [ In 9/10-2007 ]

From the Editor: Maximising the Marginal
Oct 15, 2007
As the North Sea matures, we see the industry adapt and innovate its way towards increasing recovery rates, sometimes adding years (if not decades) to fields. Likewise, operators have made significant strides in finding methods and means to tackle fields that were once thought too marginal to pay off. [ In 9/10-2007 ]