8 |
Oilfield Technology
December
2014
December 2014
World news
Trelleborg survey shows industries are becoming more
risk averse in changing marketplace
Almost 60% of the OEMs, design engineers, contractors and clients questioned in the
‘Risk Census’ survey, conducted by Trelleborg’s engineered products operation, stated that
they believe their supply chain is becoming more risk averse due to higher demands placed
on them.
Individuals were surveyed from civil engineering, oil and gas and mining industries
to establish what they believe to be the main areas of supply chain risk in their industry.
Trelleborg examined the responses in its Risk Census, to understand how businesses perceive
supply chain risk and explore ways in which they can manage and minimise it successfully
through supplier and product selection.
Trelleborg spokesperson, Ruud Bokhout, was quoted as saying: “You could argue that
supply chains as a whole are becoming more risk averse because they face many of the same
problems across the board – subdued demand, reduced budgets, rising legislation, longer
procurement cycles and so on. Managing large‑scale projects in these times of change will
bring risk, but by having greater transparency in negotiations from the outset, proposals and
solutions can be de‑risked.”
Further findings from the Risk Census show that 47% of respondents think increasingly
complex and challenging projects are the main cause of risk, with 45% admitting to fear of
unexpected costs and charges as a result. Bokhout added, “A large majority of respondents’
concerns are causing them to play it safe to protect themselves from risk. But there is an
equal concern, from the market as a whole, that this could be at the expense of performance
and innovation.”
Recon expects contracts
worth US$ 1 million
Recon Technology, Ltd, an independent
oilfield services provider operating
primarily in China, has said that it is
working on oilfield service contracts valued
at RMB 6.4 million, or over US$ 1 million, to
provide automation solutions for Chinese
oil companies’ domestic and overseas
projects.
The company has signed two
contracts with Tangshan Jidong Petroleum
Mechanic Co. Ltd., worth RMB 1.3 million
and RMB 3.6 million each. Recon has
also signed contracts with CNPC and
Sinopec Southwest Company worth
RMB 1 million and RMB 0.6 million
respectively.
Chairman and CEO Shenping Yin
claimed that these contracts show that
the company’s business for Q4 will be
better than for Q3. He said, “These
agreements,[...] demonstrate that Recon
is regarded as possessing [...] expertise
in improving the efficiency, safety and
profitability of oilfield production.”
Buru Energy completes
Jackaroo 3D survey
Buru Energy Limited has announced
that it has completed the acquisition
of the Jackaroo 3D seismic survey in
Western Australia.
The survey was begun on
20 October 2014 after completion of line
preparation operations. The completed
survey covered some 224 km
2
. The survey
is located between the existing Yulleroo
and Ungani 3D seismic grids and will join
the two grids to give seamless 3D coverage
from Yulleroo to Ungani. It covers the
currently identified Jackaroo and
Praslin prospects and a number of other
conventional oil prospects along trend.
Field processing has indicated that the
data quality of the 3D survey is good to
excellent, and the anticipated structural
trends and prospects have been properly
imaged. Full processing of the data has
commenced with the aim of having
a preliminary data cube available in
early 2015. This will allow early selection of
prospects for planned drilling in 2015.
Shell should pay US$ 4 bn
says Nigerian parliament
A committee in Nigeria’s government has
decided, after assessing the environmental
damage at the site, that Shell should pay
US$ 3.96 billion for the 2011 Bonga oilfield
spill.
According to Reuters, this most recent
(and non‑binding) decision comes after
years of analysis by various sectors of the
Nigerian government, some of which have
suggested fines of up to US$ 11.5 billion.
At the time of writing, Shell has yet to
comment on the latest ruling, but it has
previously stated that it took responsibility
for the spill and had worked to clean the
affected area.
The Nigerian parliament’s decision
was based on the findings of the National
Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency
(NOSDRA). NOSDRA calculated that
approximately 40 000 bbls of oil had
been spilled when a tanker was taking on
crude at a platform operated by a Shell
subsidiary. The Bonga field was then
producing 200 000 bpd.
Cameron awarded Hebron
field contract
Cameron has announced that it has
been awarded a multi‑year contract by
ExxonMobil Canada Properties for wellhead
equipment and production trees for the
Hebron project, a 52‑well development
located offshore Newfoundland.
Cameron will supply large‑bore,
high‑pressure equipment including
wellheads, production trees and risers.
The contract also includes installation and
commissioning services.
Chairman and CEO Jack Moore
said, “Cameron’s global experience
and leadership working in hostile
environments, including the Arctic, makes
us an ideal partner to support the Hebron
project over the full life of the field.”
In conjunction with the contract,
Cameron also will build a new service
centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland that
will provide 24/7 support for operations.
