Issue: December 2005

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Special Focus

2005 has been a good year, and the 2006 outlook is bright

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 2005 has been a good year, and the 2006 outlook is bright Robert L. Potter , President, Energy Transportation and Measurement Div

Busy, eventful year in prospect for UK Continental Shelf

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 Busy, eventful year in prospect for UK Continental Shelf Professor Alex Kemp, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland

Consultants strive to keep pace with operators' plans

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 Consultants strive to keep pace with operators plans William Donald (Donnie) Harris III , CEO, Forrest A. Garb & Associa

Doom and optimism co-exist in deepwater

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 Doom and optimism co-exist in deepwater Mike Weill, President, Operations & Technology, Americas/ Australia, BHP Billiton Petr

Is it a brave new world, or back to the future?

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 Is it a brave new world, or back to the future? Robert E. Warren , Vice President, Pride International, Inc., Houston

Many ideas remain, but they require more work

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 Many ideas remain, but they require more work Dr. D. Nathan Meehan, President, CMG Petroleum Consulting Ltd., Houston

Norway takes a longer view offshore

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 Norway takes a longer view offshore Dr. Terje Overvik, Executive Vice President, Exploration & Production Norway, Statoil, Sta

Other than that Mrs. LincolnÃ¢â‚¬Â¦

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 Other than that Mrs. Lincoln... Doug Nester, COO, F-W Oil Exploration L.L.C. , Houston Once again, our inabi

The teachable moment: A chance to alter OCS energy policy

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 The teachable moment: A chance to alter OCS energy policy Jon Marshall, President and CEO, GlobalSantaFe, and Chairman, National O

Today is great, but what about next year and 2010?

Vol. 226 No. 12 What's Ahead in 2006 Today is great, but what about next year and 2010? Dale W. Steffes, Founder, Planning & Forecasting Consultants, Houston

World Oil's editorial advisors analyze upstream issues of 2005, predict activity and trends for 2006

Activity in many cases is at 20-year highs, as operators take advantage of high oil and gas prices to explore and develop a greater variety of properties. However, this wave of prosperity is straining service and supply capabilities.

Features

Efficacy of passive acoustic monitoring for marine mammals set to improve

Improved technology means that regulations requiring use of this monitoring may spread. Whether its use is necessary remains to be seen.

New type of water separator could help fill multiple oilfield needs

Lightweight, compact and simple in design, a new separator technology with high throughput is making its way into oilfield markets.

Pore pressure cube of the Gulf of Mexico: Seeing ahead of the bit

While public and private data yield a remarkable GOM database, geostatics and real time drilling data complete the look-ahead pressure prediction.

Substantial fuel savings for ships

During sea trials, a new waste heat recovery plant has exceeded expectations in its role of reducing exhaust emissions.

Special Report

Guide to Rig and Rig Floor Technology

This special section of World Oil focuses on the latest advancements in rig design, as well as recent innovations in equipment and tools for working on and around the rig floor.

New rig designs: Automated rig gaining attention

Vol. 226 No. 12 New Rig Designs Automated rig gaining attention

New rig designs: Composite vessels offer deepwater structure flexibility

Vol. 226 No. 12 New Rig Designs Composite vessels offer deepwater structure flexibility

New rig designs: Sixth-generation drilling rig is under construction

Vol. 226 No. 12 New Rig Designs Sixth-generation drilling rig is under construction Ake

Rig floor equipment: ATC cleans mud tanks, lowers costs

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment ATC cleans mud tanks, lowers costs M-I Swaco has i

Rig floor equipment: Continuous circulation system goes into operation

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Continuous circulation system goes into operation T

Rig floor equipment: DirectDrive top drive improves performance, reduces downtime

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment DirectDrive top drive improves performance, reduces downtime

Rig floor equipment: Drilling simulator reduces unplanned events

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Drilling simulator reduces unplanned events Interna

Rig floor equipment: Dual elevator system increases efficiency and safety

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Dual elevator system increases efficiency and safety

Rig floor equipment: King Cobra II offers automatic shaker control

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment King Cobra II offers automatic shaker control Solid

Rig floor equipment: Liquid-cooled brakes dissipate very high heat

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Liquid-cooled brakes dissipate very high heat With

Rig floor equipment: New system offers simpler, safer approach to running tubulars

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment New system offers simpler, safer approach to running tubulars

Rig floor equipment: Next-generation top drive designed for 50,000 ft wells

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Next-generation top drive designed for 50,000 ft wells

Rig floor equipment: Positive pressure transfer system moves cuttings

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Positive pressure transfer system moves cuttings Dr

Rig floor equipment: Power slip is set low for safer drilling

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Power slip is set low for safer drilling

Rig floor equipment: Power tong snubbing unit rides the jack

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Power tong snubbing unit rides the jack

Rig floor equipment: Rotary table reduces downtime

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Rotary table reduces downtime The LeTourneau Ellis

Rig floor equipment: Two-stage mud cooler is air cooled

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig Floor Equipment Two-stage mud cooler is air cooled Task Environment

Rig information tables

Vol. 226 No. 12 Rig information tables The tables on these pages show the fleet sizes of the major offshore

Columns

Drilling advances

Tis the season for reflecting on drilling issues of the day

Editorial Comment

What determines oil prices?

International Politics

High oil prices do not necessarily mean economic expansion

What's new in production

A win-win strategy for production vs. the environment enters a new phase

What's new in exploration

Barents Sea to become more open. New seafloor dating technique

News & Resources

Companies in the news

Vol. 226 No. 12 Halliburtons Energy Services Group will purchase Easy Well Solutions AS, a Norwegian company specializing in downhole technologies. Easy Well&#1

Industry at a glance

Vol. 226 No. 12 Last month, IEA estimated average global demand for 2005 at 83.4 million bopd. IEA also forecast 2006 d

New products

Vol. 226 No. 12 Disinfect injection water

People in industry

Vol. 226 No. 12 Alison B. Whiteley joined Dominion Exploration and Production, Inc., in the newly-created position of managing director, Planning and Engineering. Whitel