Expect the Unexpected
Niels Bohr famously said that ‘making predictions is very difficult, especially about the future’. In the modern world has this maxim ever been truer? Ever since M. King Hubbert first…
In the News
Hunting for NULFs
Is using well data to hunt for those NULFs (Nasty, Ugly Little Facts!) that lead to breakthroughs in exploration thinking becoming a lost art? Thomas Huxley (1825-1895), in an 1870…
Licensing Update – Lebanon
Levantine Basin Blocks In January 2017 Lebanon relaunched the licensing round which has been on hold for three years pending a resolution to the political crisis which had left the…
US Back as Largest GoM Producer
The Mature Gulf of Mexico Continues to Thrive The Gulf of Mexico is currently one of the largest offshore producing areas globally. Despite it being a mature province, there are…
Licensing Update – Iran
New Iran Petroleum Contracts Despite the recent imposition of fresh sanctions by the US, Iran launched new contracts to develop its hydrocarbon resources in February 2017, its first such tender…
Geoethics
‘Cape Town Statement on Geoethics’ The rapid growth of developing economies and the fundamental needs of many people across the globe are resulting in an increased demand for many resources…
What Is Geology?
Geoscientists do not seem to be able to inspire other people with enthusiasm for their subject. What can be done about this? Penny: What’s wrong with geology? Sheldon: Let me…
Oil industry cleans up
Foam called Oleo Sponge pulls dispersed oil from water column and surface Thankfully, catastrophes such as the Deepwater Horizon disaster are relatively rare events. When they do happen, however, there…
A New Epoch
Is the industry in a sufficient state of flux to describe it as moving into a new epoch? A recent SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) meeting I attended was called…
Adapting to a Changing Environment
The E&P industry is facing many challenges: collaborative thinking is key to improved systems and productivity The generally accepted understanding in the O&G industry seems to be ‘lower for longer’;…
‘What I Do’ Special Edition
As the oil and gas industry enters a new era, what will you be doing? Price crashes and ‘disruptive’ technologies have had a major impact on industry jobs in recent…
Stranded…whales not reserves
Seismic sources and marine wildlife Race to save 100 stranded whales on New Zealand beach – BBC Whale rescue: Hope for surviving whales ‘slowly slipping away’ on Farewell Spit –…