Posted in Offshore Energy - General, oil, tagged Gulf of Mexico, offshore oil on July 10, 2010| 1 Comment »
Posted in drilling, energy, gas, Offshore Energy - General, oil, tagged drilling, energy, offshore oil, oil and gas leasing on March 31, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Offshore Energy Awakening?
When you wake up after a long nap (in this case 25 years), you don’t just leap out of bed. You first squint at the light, yawn, flex an arm, stretch your legs, and prepare to rise and actually do something. The President’s decision to open a small slice of the Atlantic to exploration and consider new areas in the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf of Mexico in the new 5- Year Program may seem modest, but it demonstrates that the nation is waking up to the importance of our offshore energy resources. After 25 years of neglect, almost everyone agrees that US energy policy has been an economic and national security disaster. More and more Americans are also recognizing that denying access to offshore resources is not in the best interest of the environment – regionally, nationally, and globally.
Some political leaders remain in dreamland as evidenced by the large blue areas in the map below. When you have cried “wolf” about offshore drilling for your entire political career, you either believe what you have been preaching or are concerned about the political implications of changing your position. However, demonizing offshore energy development is no longer a smart political strategy, and the views of these anti-energy stalwarts may finally be challenged, even in their own states and districts.
We operations, safety, pollution prevention, and regulatory professionals have to hold up our end. Safety disasters or pollution spectaculars are not acceptable. We need to examine our programs, operations, and incidents openly and honestly, and anticipate what might go wrong. When an accident occurs, we need to learn what happened and why, and make sure it doesn’t happen again – anywhere in the world.
Posted in accidents, oil, well control incidents, tagged accidents, Australia, blowouts, drilling, Montara, offshore oil, safety, well control on March 17, 2010| Leave a Comment »
I want to suggest to you that the primary purpose of PCCs is actually to perform an anticorrosive function, particularly in relation to MLS systems that are subsurface of the sea – Tom Howe, Counsel for the Inquiry
-Mr. Howe made it clear that these caps are primarily for corrosion prevention, particularly in the case of mud line suspensions such as the Montara wells. Regardless of their pressure containing capabilities, PCCs are difficult to test in situ and must be removed with the BOPE in place to avoid operating without a barrier. Other highlights of the Day 3 testimony:
-Seadrill/Atlas engaged in a bit of damage control after implying yesterday that their OIM had lead responsibility for all operations at the facility. In a response to a question from the Seadrill attorney, Mr. Gouldin (Seadrill) rephrased his position as follows:
In various parts of my evidence yesterday, there were issues that came up about the OIM having full responsibility, but he can only undertake that responsibility if he is given clear and full information and facts from the other parties involved in the operation. He cannot operate in isolation. When I answered that the responsibility is there – yes, the responsibility is there to be transparent to him at all times in order to allow him to fully enact his duties. That’s what I meant in my response.
-In questioning Mr. Gouldin and Mr. Millar (Seadrill/Atlas), Mr. Howe clearly established that there was fluid influx following the cementing of the 9 5/8″ casing and that the response to this influx (injecting cement and fluid volumes greater than the influx) likely exacerbated the problem.
-Mr. Howe presented evidence that the the inhibited sea water that was left in the suspended well may not have been sufficiently weighted to over-balance the formation pressure in the reservoir
-Insufficient cement volumes may have facilitated gas migration during cementing.
-Senior PTTEP personnel were aware that the 13 3/8″ corrosion cap had not been installed. Mr. Howe suggested that the cap may not have been installed because it was in poor condition.
Posted in California, Offshore Energy - General, oil, seeps, tagged California, offshore oil, seeps on March 11, 2010| Leave a Comment »
canoe caulked with asphaltum from natural seeps
The first consumers of petroleum used oil that seeped to the surface naturally. Native Americans in California used petroleum seepage to caulk their canoes. Marco Polo witnessed oil being recovered from seeps in 1264 in Baku (then part of Persia).
Drake Well, 1859, Titusville, PA
Natural seeps helped Colonel Drake target the first commercial oil well in the U.S. (Titusville, PA, 1859). The amount of oil that seeps to the earth’s surface is surprisingly high. In fact, a Norwegian Petroleum Directorate article on natural seeps estimates that “at least 1/3 of all oil formed below ground escapes to the surface as seepage.”
Natural seepage has increasingly factored into the offshore drilling debate. The MMS Oil Spill Fact Sheet notes that “natural seeps introduce 150 times more oil into U.S. marine waters than do OCS oil and gas activities.” These data are intended to provide context, not to downplay the significance of drilling and production spills. A large spill is an undesirable event at the location where it occurs, regardless of how the spill’s volume compares with regional, national, or international seepage totals.
Natural Seeps, Coal Oil Point
A California advocacy group, Stop Oil Seeps, has taken the “seep argument” a step farther by promoting offshore production as a means of reducing natural seepage and the associated air and water pollution.
While SOS’s position is interesting and perhaps justified for areas like Coal Oil Point (Santa Barbara Channel), not all production prevents or reduces seepage. Offshore oil and gas seepage results when hydrocarbon-bearing formations are exposed to the sea floor either directly or via fractured or permeable overlying sediments. Where such conditions do not exist, oil and gas production will not reduce seepage. SOS’s enthusiastic support for California offshore production is refreshing, but advocates should exercise caution in making claims regarding seepage reduction. Prospects for seepage reduction from offshore production range from highly likely (Platform Holly and Coal Oil Point) to highly unlikely (deep formations protected with impermeable cap rock).
While we applaud their enthusiastic support for offshore production, the SOS plan raises a number of questions:
While Platform Holly may be a negative spillage facility (i.e. Holly’s seep reduction may significantly exceed the platform’s production spillage), this type of seepage reduction has not been demonstrated at other platforms. Decisions on offshore exploration and development should be driven by the economic, energy security, and environmental benefits. To the extent that production reduces natural seepage, all the better. However, seepage reduction is not a primary reason for producing offshore oil and gas.
Posted in drilling, Florida, gas, Offshore Energy - General, oil, tagged drilling, Florida, offshore, production on March 9, 2010| Leave a Comment »
The Florida Legislature may soon decide whether to lift the 20 year ban on oil and gas exploration and production in State waters.
As part of the review process, the State has prepared a list of questions on the management and regulation of offshore oil and gas resources. Responses to these questions will help define the general terms of the regulatory regime that the State would follow if the ban is lifted.
The State is inviting input on any or all of the questions. Please email your responses to adam.blalock@myfloridahouse.gov by the close of business on Monday, March 15. Response should be limited to no more than 500 words per question.
Posted in California, gas, Offshore Energy - General, oil, seeps, tagged California, offshore oil, seeps on March 7, 2010| 1 Comment »
The case for increasing production offshore California is relatively straightforward:
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 