Achieving Last Mile Connectivity to Pump by Exception
The oil and gas sector has begun its journey to digitization. A growing number of firms have started making investments in automation technologies, like SCADA systems, but too few are truly capitalizing on those investments. Now is the time to put technology to work to achieve last mile connectivity and gain productivity advantage. The first step is to move past…
For years, the Bakken has been known to be a major oil and gas hub and it is the third largest U.S. shale oil field, behind the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford, in Texas. Primarily located in North Dakota, it also runs through Montana and two Canadian provinces – Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Because of the oil play there, McDonalds’ workers…
Fifth Circuit Sets Dangerous Precedent for Oil-and-Gas Class Actions
In Seeligson v. Devon Energy Production Co. LP, the Fifth Circuit reversed a Texas federal court’s decision to certify a class of mineral lessors who had sued Devon Energy for the alleged underpayment of royalties. While at first blush this may sound like a victory for the industry, precisely the opposite is true of this appellate opinion that is by…
Are You Ready for a Demand-Driven Petrochemical Market?
As in many other energy sectors, the global demand for petrochemicals is increasing drastically. This demand is due, in large part, to the growing need for everyday products, such as plastics and petrochemical-derived fibers. A less-publicized development in the petrochemical industry is the burgeoning use of abundant – and currently very cheap – natural gas in the production of everything…
Feature Podcast: Going Green in the Bakken
For years, the Bakken has been known to be a major oil and gas hub and it is the third largest U.S. shale oil field, behind the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford, in Texas. Primarily located in North Dakota, it also runs through Montana and two Canadian provinces – Manitoba and Saskatchewan. https://media.blubrry.com/oilmanmagazine/p/oilmanmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/oilman_bakken_jan2019.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration:…
Fall Protection and Training in the Oil and Gas Industry
Protecting workers from falls is an important aspect in the extraction, transportation, and fixed facility refining of oil and gas. The hierarchy of fall protection specifies that hazards should be eliminated or protected by passive systems such as guardrails; when that isn’t possible. Fall Restraint and Fall Arrest systems help keep workers safe. Arrest systems typically include an anchor, body…
2019 Governor’s Race: And Then There Were Three
Louisiana is a unique state, notable among the others in the nation. We are known for our exquisite Cajun cuisine, a football coach with an often indiscernible southern dialect, and a colorful political climate with seemingly endless elections. It can be hard to get excited about these elections considering we seem to go to the polls every few months. We…
Optimal Physical and Cyber Security in the Oil, Gas and Energy Industry
Both cyber and physical security are among the top priorities for every organization in the oil, gas and energy sector – especially due to the year on year rises of cybercrime. Technology has a huge role to play here as all of these organizations are seeing adapting to automation and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Not only do these changes…
Key Focus Areas in Pipeline Safety
The pipeline industry continues to advance its processes to address the ever-changing risks to pipeline infrastructure, and when it comes to pipeline safety, the work is never done. By growing and maintaining a skilled workforce, increasing process safety, maturing risk management programs, increasing operational efficiencies and searching for innovative ways to obtain and use pipeline data, pipeline operators can raise…
Letter from the Publisher (January-February 2019)
Overall, the oil and gas market improved and grew in 2018 with some price volatility in Q4. The price fluctuation is expected to continue in 2019 due to uncertainty with OPEC’s latest mandate to cut production and a slowing global demand for crude products. According to the Energy Information Agency, the U.S. is now the largest crude oil producer in…
Constructing a More Efficient Research Model Through Electronic Courthouse Records
The oil and gas industry has evolved tremendously over the years — and so too has the landman profession. Yet until recently, landmen remained bound to their local courthouses for their research needs. The title research process may have been effective, but it was decidedly inefficient. Today, we’ve reimagined the way landmen carry out their day-to-day jobs through the implementation…
Another historic year has passed for the United States, as it has entered one of the strongest and longest growth phases since 1900. It has been an exciting time for the economy, which has been supported by lower energy costs. In the last month of 2018, crude prices fell substantially to around $52 for a barrel of WTI Crude. The…
Revolutionizing Pipeline Safety with Midstream Oil and Gas Inspections
It seems that initial impressions and preliminary promises of the efficiency gains from utilizing UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) has lost its luster in recent years due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and increased safety concerns. The promises from the UAS industry about taking over every use case they could think of from commercial package delivery to industrial inspections has faded as these…
After a Roller Coaster in 2018, the Future Looks Bright for Oil and Gas
Stephen Robbins used only one word to describe his 2018 – growth. Stephen and wife April Robbins own Royal Creek Consulting and do the bulk of their work in the Permian Basin, but are in a few other shale plays. “One word to describe our 2018 would be growth,” Stephen said. “We are extremely blessed to be having the year…
Three Predictive Capabilities That Really Move the Needle for Oil Refineries
The ability to predict the future is a powerful form of knowledge for any business. If you know of an event that could cause harm to your business lies ahead, like equipment failure, you can take steps to address it and avoid negative consequences, like unnecessary costs or downtime. If you know a beneficial event is ahead, such as an…
Looking Back on 2018 in Oil Transfer
Looking back over 2018, the tale of the oil and gas sector is very much a case of journey over destination. Adapting rapidly to challenges of a landscape in flux, with responding regulatory reform, has necessitated innovative solutions across the supply chain. Change is always challenging, but despite this the outlook is one of cautious optimism for many stakeholders, with…
The Shale Revolution: Made in America
Back in 2014 they were unlikely adversaries. Saudi Energy Minister Ali Al-Naimi, and Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) CEO Scott Sheffield had both made their careers in the oil business. They had each spent formative years abroad, with Al-Naimi attending Lehigh University and Sheffield going to high school in Iran (his father worked for Atlantic Richfield). Both were dedicated to maximizing…
Addressing the Paradigm Shift in the Oil & Gas Industry
The oil and gas industry operates in some of the most physically and politically challenging environments imaginable. Volatile market prices, fluctuating demand, stringent compliance and regulatory regimes, and depleting resources are all heaping pressure on operators as they strive to succeed and thrive. There are reasons to be optimistic, however. The industry is now a far cry from 2015’s precipitous…
The Effect of Accounting Software on Energy Operations and Profits
The oil and gas industry has seen an influx of technological developments in recent years which have significantly impacted the way oil companies operate and how the industry is viewed as a whole. Once looked upon as traditional and stagnant, the oil and gas industry is increasingly taking more modern approaches to how processes are performed. From revamping how oil…
AI & Machine Learning: The Next Transformation for Oil & Gas
Since its inception, technology has driven the development and transformation of the oil and gas industry. Technologies to locate and extract oil and gas reserves enabled the shale revolution, and a new revolution is around the corner for oil and gas exploration and production companies. While it might sound like something from science fiction, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and machine learning…
How Lightning Can Damage Oil and Gas Industry Infrastructure?
We’ve all heard the old saying that “lightning never strikes the same place twice.” But contra-ry to popular belief, lightning can — and often does — strike the same place more than once. In fact, it is estimated that about 100 cloud-to-ground lightning strokes reach Earth’s surface every second. In the U.S. alone, about 70 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes are…
America’s 2019 Energy Watch List
The beginning of 2018, my column- “America’s 2018 Energy Watch List” presented the “moving parts” which I believed would be the main focus regarding energy issues and policies: At that time among the moving parts were President Trump and the Republican led Congress, OPEC and the supporting non-OPEC countries, jobs, investments in the oil and gas sector, IPOs/mergers and acquisitions,…
Between price volatility and the global economy most people are asking: How do I get a deal done? Because Beachwood is in the market all day, every day; I took some time to put together some quick guidelines to help you close in 2019. Use your company’s costs in place of data you don’t have access to. Just because you…
Interview: Colin Westmoreland, SVP & General Manager – Market Research, Drillinginfo
Below is an interview with Colin Westmoreland. The interview text has been left in tack, with only minor grammatical adjustments. Tonae Hamilton: When and how did the idea of an Executive Deal Summary (EDS) platform come about? Colin Westmoreland: Following our acquisition of PLS and 1Derrick earlier this year, we identified several opportunities to create new solutions that the marketplace…
