By Chris Wysong
July 20, 2015 Category: Shale, Gas, NaturalGas, Oil

The Utica Shale could hold 782 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and nearly 2 billion barrels of oil according to a new study. New study shows greater potential for Utica Shale By: Laura Legere (Pittsburgh Post Gazette) The Utica Shale and associated hydrocarbon-rich rock zones hold significantly more potentially recoverable natural gas than early estimates predicted, according to research released Tuesday at a workshop in Canonsburg. It turns out, according to the new studys estimates, the total Utica Shale play could hold technically recoverable volumes of 782 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and nearly 2 billion barrels of oil. The estimates from a research partnership organized by West Virginia University represent the average of a wider range of possibly recoverable amounts of oil and gas in the Utica, which stretches beneath parts of Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and other states and includes neighboring oil- and gas-bearing geologic layers. A 2012 U.S. Geological Survey

By Chris Wysong
July 01, 2015 Category: Energy, Gas, HigherEducation, NaturalGas, OilPatch

By Dustin Monke on Jun 10, 2015 at 6:45 p.m. Satellite images that circulated the Internet more than two years ago purported to show natural gas flares lighting up the Bakken Oil Patch as bright as a major metropolitan city were highly processed, manipulated and inaccurate, researchers at the University of North Dakotas Energy Environmental Research Center said Wednesday. Chris Zygarlicke, the EERCs deputy associate director for research, said he took an interest in the images because the science involved aligns closely with his background. He said having driven through western North Dakota and the Oil Patch, he believed the images were inaccurately portraying the area. Theres no way that were lighting up the land like you see people talking about everywhere, he said. So, since late 2013, Zygarlicke and researchers from the EERC and UNDs aerospace department have used images gathered from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to determine what the Oil Patch truly looks

By Chris Wysong
June 11, 2015 Category: Oil, Gas, Shale, Production

The shale boom has caused major shifts in the global energy market as evidenced by the U.S. overtaking Russia as the largest oil and gas producer in the world. Rakteem Katakey of Bloomberg reports on the implications of this. U.S. Ousts Russia as Top World Oil, Gas Producer in BP Data By: Rakteem Kataskey (Bloomberg Business) The U.S. has taken Russias crown as the biggest oil and natural-gas producer in a demonstration of the seismic shifts in the world energy landscape emanating from Americas shale fields. U.S. oil production rose to a record last year, gaining 1.6 million barrels a day, according to BP Plcs Statistical Review of World Energy released on Wednesday. Gas output also climbed, putting America ahead of Russia as a producer of the hydrocarbons combined. The data showing the U.S.s emergence as the top driller confirms a trend thats helped the worlds largest economy reduce imports, caused a slump in global energy prices and shifted the countrys foreign policy priorities. We

By Chris Wysong
June 05, 2015 Category: Fracking, Policy, Oil, Gas

A new report by the EPA is causing lawmakers to call for fracking bans to be rescinded in some states. EPA declares no widespread harm to drinking water from fracking, boosting industry By: Fox News Fracking supporters were boosted Thursday by a new Environmental Protection Agency report finding the controversial oil-and-gas extraction process has not caused widespread harm to drinking water. The findings were contained in a draft assessment, as part of a report requested by Congress. The report said the agency did not find evidence that any process has led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States. The agency did say the controversial drilling technique could affect drinking water if safeguards arent maintained. It found specific instances where poorly constructed drilling wells and improper wastewater management affected drinking water resources. But the EPA also reported the number of cases was small compared with the large number of wells

By Chris Wysong
June 03, 2015 Category: Oil, Gas, Arctic, Policy, Exploration

Randall Luthi of Beltway Insiders weighs in on Shells plans to begin Arctic oil and natural gas exploration. The Arctic Myth | Commentary By: Roll Call Americas economic future depends on energy. I have often been critical of Congress and the Obama administration for not doing enough to secure our energy future, but I am pleased to give credit where credit is due. The administration got it right with the recent announcement from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management conditionally approving Shells Application for Permit to Drill in the Chukchi Sea. Predictably, however, the announcement triggered a torrent of teeth gnashing, including a short-sighted and alarmist letter written by 18 senators from the presidents own party and the ranting and raving of extreme environmental groups about the destruction of the Arctic due to oil and gas exploration. Its well past time to take a close look at the Arctic Myth that this group of senators and others are continuing to put forward as fact,

By Chris Wysong
April 10, 2015 Category: OffshoreDrilling, Oil, Gas

Based on an accident-free 2013, the Center for Offshore Safety declared the US offshore oil and gas industry safer than ever but noted some areas which could benefit from further improvement. COS report finds US offshore operations safer, can improve By: Michael T. Slocum (OGJ) The US offshore oil and gas industry is safer than ever, though there is still room to improve, according to the first annual performance report released Apr. 8 by the Center for Offshore Safety (COS). The report, which is based on 2013 operations data collected from COS members, highlights metrics for conducting scheduled maintenance and inspections, as well as completing safety and environmental audits. Notably, COS found that there were zero fatalities or losses of well control in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico during more than 42 million work-hr in 2013. This is the first report of its kind to be published by US regulators or industry, said COS Executive Director Charlie Williams. Americas offshore oil and

By Chris Wysong
April 07, 2015 Category: Shale, Oil, Gas

Deeper shales, such as the Utica in Ohio and Pennsylvania, are attractive to producers as they are showing potential for producing more gas and liquids. Energy companies explore lower shales for greater yields of gas, liquids By: Katelyn Ferral (TribLIVE) Low natural gas prices that have companies balancing spending cuts with promises of ramped-up production are driving some new development in the Utica and Point Pleasant shale, where deeper wells can yield more gas and liquids. Range Resources, Consol Energy, and Rice Energy are among Marcellus shale producers reporting positive results from their Utica and Point Pleasant wells, and are expecting to drill more there despite budget cuts of up to 45 percent. Its relatively early days in the Utica so I think companies are still trying to figure out the optimal drilling and production and fracturing techniques, but I think youll continue to see increasing production rates and ultimate recovery rates from these wells, said Dave Yoxtheimer,

By Chris Wysong
April 07, 2015 Category: Pumps, Oil, Gas

Pentair has been a trusted name in pumping solutions for more than a century, and this article explains just how theyve made an impact on the industry. Pentair: Inspired Solutions For A Changing World By: Pentair, Ltd. Any mention of pumping solutions and Oil and Gas in the same sentence usually conjures up images of the products, and the more than a century of experience that Pentair provides for this industry. We have two products that we are selling into oil and gas, said George Richert, sales manager, National Accts. One product line is the Aplex reciprocating series of pumps and the other is the ANSI end suction series of pumps. The end suction series are used to transfer fluids from the wellhead to either the salt water disposal sites directly through pipelines or load trucks which transfer the fluid or crude oil to the collection site. The Aplex reciprocating pumps are used in several oil and gas applications where high pressures and modest flows require these quality manufactured

By Chris Wysong
April 06, 2015 Category: Oil, Gas, Exxon, Exploration

The Associated Press talked with Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson about future U.S. oil and gas exploration in the Arctic. Exxon CEO Talks Arctic Oil Drilling, Risks, Lessons By: Jonathan Fahey (AP) WASHINGTON (AP) The Arctic is the next great frontier for oil and gas and one of the most environmentally fragile places on earth. An Energy Department advisory council study adopted last week said the U.S. should start exploring for oil and gas in the Arctic soon in order to feed future demand, and that the industry is ready to safely exploit the Arctics huge reserves, despite recent mishaps. In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who led the committee that produced the report, talked about why he thinks Arctic exploration is worth the risk. Exxon has decades of experience working in that part of the world, including successful projects in Russia but also a catastrophic oil spill in Alaskas Prince William Sound when the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran

By Chris Wysong
April 01, 2015 Category: Oil, Gas, Pipeline

The midstream oil and gas firm that typically focuses on the Mid-Continent region and Rockies will set its sights on refinery operations in Louisiana. Tulsa-based SemGroup announces first Gulf Coast pipeline project By: Rod Walton (Tulsa World) SemGroup Corp. is making its first move into the Gulf Coast by building and operating three new pipelines in Louisiana, the Tulsa-based midstream oil and gas firm announced Thursday. The Maurepas Pipelines system will support Motiva Enterprises LLCs refinery operations in Norco and Convent, Louisiana. SemGroup, which is mainly focused in the Mid-Continent region and Rockies, has been eying Gulf Coast operations since Carlin Conner took over as CEO in early 2014. We have been talking about regional diversification and pointing to the Gulf Coast, Conner said in an exclusive interview with the Tulsa World. Its a very active market (with) a lot of infrastructure needs. Theres a lot going on, he added. If youre going to be a major midstream player