September-October 2023
Innovations and Emerging Trends in Oilfield Robotics for Better Production
Oilfield testing technology is essential for helping the oil and gas industry operate safely and productively. Some such efforts now use offshore robotics, particularly because using robots prevents humans from engaging in potentially dangerous tasks. Here are some eye-opening ways to automate aspects of oilfield tests and overall production. Deploying...
API’s Sommers Bridges the Gap Between D.C. Politics and Oil and Gas
Surveying the existing workforce might bring interesting inferences to light, and most candidates would likely share where they nailed down roots, although happy and content, differs drastically from the original career path they initiated. The path taken shapes skill sets, develops personalities, and defines the final outcome. Every so often,...
Low Emissions and Lower Cost: Natural Gas Versus Diesel Fuel
The modern economy is experiencing an unprecedented surge in the demand for power, driven by the rapid advancement of industries such as industrial processes, data analysis, artificial intelligence, oil and gas exploration, and mining. According to the EIA, consumption of all forms of energy is projected to increase up to...
Alan Alexeyev: Tell us a little bit about your current position and what you do, as well as how you found a job. Abhishek Raj: I am a geophysicist and currently a project manager direct for one of the world’s largest oilfield services (OFS) companies, based in Houston, Texas. In...
Harold Hamm Discusses His Book
Gamechanger: Our Fifty-Year Mission to Secure America’s Energy Independence Oilman Magazine columnist and contributing editor, Mark Stansberry, attended the Oklahoma City launch of Harold Hamm’s new book, Game Changer, which was held at the Hamm Institute for American Energy. The event was entitled “Cocktails & Conversation with Harold Hamm.” Stansberry...
Pipeline Asset Management: New Solutions to an Old Problem
As the landscape of pipeline regulations continues to evolve, operators of upstream and midstream pipeline networks are challenged with managing aging assets while using limited resources. In the face of increased workloads, pipeline operators are in need of fresh, agile approaches that enable them to address the specific needs of...
Maximizing America’s Energy Strengths Part 2: Views and Updates
As stated in the monograph, America Needs America’s Energy and Its Natural Resources, all avenues of energy should be researched and analyzed for America’s ultimate energy results. In the monograph, several areas of energy are highlighted. One is solar power. The following excerpts detail the pros and cons of the...
Flare System: The Last Line of Defense for a Process Facility Safety
When industrial plant equipment and piping are over-pressurized, the pressure relief valve (PRV) is an essential safety device that automatically releases the over pressured gases or liquids. The released gases or liquids are routed through large, sloped piping systems called flare headers to a vertical elevated flare. Most industrial plant...
Transitioning Countries to Enhance One’s Career
History books and even documentaries bedazzle with stories of fulfilling the American Dream. Freedom of religion and better educational opportunities are only a few reasons for embarking on dangerous expeditions to turn that dream into a reality. While not as dramatic as some historical accounts, many seek a resurgence in...
Preventing Fires in the Oil Industry: Essential Measures for Worker Protection
The oil industry is profitable, but it often comes with losses. Oil workers handle flammable chemicals and gasses while dealing with operations that pose a risk of fire accidents. In high-risk industries like the energy industry, it is essential to have fire prevention measures. Preventing fire in the oil industry...
Letter from the Publisher (September-October 2023)
The exploration and production segment of the oil and gas industry is a vibrant endeavor, often referred to as the upstream side of the business. Since the oil market crash in 2016, investors have voiced concerns that the U.S. oil market investments have not provided meaningful returns. Leading oil companies...
Lightning Protection Standards Inadequate and Hazardous
Electromagnetic (EM) waves/fields from lightning strikes constitute indisputable scientific fact. They are a major cause of electric power outages and are the basis of national lightning detection networks. The issue of the EM effects of lightning has been central in areas like the electric power industry since the 1950s; however,...
The Powerful Combination of Cybersecurity and Pipeline Integrity Data
For many years, midstream operators have been conducting cyber vulnerability assessments to identify risks in the digital field architecture. Likewise, these same operators are required to conduct consequence analyses and a host of other pipeline integrity assessments. This article explores the value of examining those findings through a combined lens...
APEX Multi-Well Controller Harnesses AI to Solve Well Optimization Struggles
While the oil and gas industry continues to evolve, the path forward has undergone its own course of development. In today’s economy, fiscal responsibility is critical while operators explore technological advancements to drive efficiency. Now, profit making is driven through select funding and catalyzing innovative technology to overturn inefficiency in...
Revisiting Qualified Opportunity Zones
Back in 2021, we had the pleasure of authoring a contributed article for OILMAN Magazine about the value of investing in qualified opportunity zones, (Missed) Opportunity Zones – Why Investors Should Take Note. The submission provided readers with a comprehensive explanation of qualified opportunity zone investing, including both the advantages...
Making the Case for Outsourcing Key Operator Processes
Today’s successful oil and gas operators face a competitive marketplace in the exploration and production (E&P) of domestic energy sources. While the oil and gas industry has consistently outperformed the market since the pandemic, operators are still working with a finite amount of time and resources. Compounding this issue, many...
Remote Monitoring Within the Oil and Gas Industry
Oil and gas companies, much like many other businesses in the energy and utilities sector, face ongoing challenges, including pressure to meet new sustainability goals, transition to cleaner energy sources, overcome persistent supply chain disruptions, and improve safety standards. In addition, these companies must constantly find ways to increase competitiveness...
Why Supply Chain Digitization is Essential to Oil and Gas Manufacturers
Energy efficiently applied is the future of a globally fractured oil and gas market. Menial labor cannot be a factor in future business equations as companies must consider pure energy costs from a human capital standpoint. The genesis of solving that problem is implementing an affordable, automated supply chain platform...
Oil and gas operations are commonly found in remote locations far from company headquarters. Now, it's possible to monitor pump operations, collate and analyze seismic data, and track employees around the world from almost anywhere. Whether employees are in the office or in the field, the internet and related applications enable a greater multidirectional flow of information – and control – than ever before.