Technology/R&D
Defense-In-Depth: Reliable Security To Thwart Cyber-Attacks
Cybersecurity-related events have become an increasing problem for the oil and gas industry over the past decade. On one hand, there has been a push to reduce costs and increase efficiency through companywide network integration. The advances in industrial control systems (ICS) have made pipeline systems accessible through Internet-based technologies and tools. This has allowed systems to be operated and maintained effectively with fewer staff distributed widely around the world.
Preventing Network Security Threats At Sub-Contractor Level: A New Approach To Pipeline Security
Network security for pipeline systems is one of the top priorities noted by the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA). That isn’t surprising when you consider that the energy industry has been a prime target of network attacks and data breaches over the last two years, both from corporate espionage “agents” interested in stealing confidential geophysical data, financial data and passcodes as well as hacktivists with political and social motivations to embarrass organizations.
Emergency Valve Shutdown Solutions In Shale Plays
Production from natural gas and liquids rich shale plays in the United States is booming. In the past five years alone, shale gas reserves have increased tenfold to 25 Bcf/d. Similarly, tight oil production has risen to 1.8 MMbcf/d, more than 600% over that same period [1]. This prolific growth trend has created a dramatic need for infrastructure improvements, including transport via pipeline from the wellhead to processing facilities and beyond.
Chevron Suspends Shale Gas Exploration In Romania
Chevron was forced to suspend exploration for shale gas in northeastern Romania after hundreds of anti-fracking protesters tore down fences.
Survey Of Energy Execs Shows High Turnover Trend
A national survey of executives in the oil and gas industry revealed more than 93% of companies asked have transitioned senior officers in the past two years with an “unexpectedly large number” retiring.
What's New In Pigging
Pigging technology and services from Russell NDE, ROSEN, Greene's Energy Group, Enduro, Inline Services, Clock Spring, NDT Systems & Services, Team Industrial Services and GeoCorr.
Building Americas Natural Gas Highway
In late November, Lowe’s Cos. Inc., the home improvement chain, announced it would join the growing list of major trucking fleets switching to natural gas instead of diesel fuel. Walmart, UPS and FedEx are already making the move to natural gas in some trucking routes, raising the prospect that America’s natural gas highway (ANGH) could gain sufficient momentum. Clean Energy has announced its commitment to ANGH, which it says will include 150 LNG fueling stations by next year.
Selection Process Of Compressor, Turbine Units
This article looks at the various ways of writing specification documents for compressors and turbines and compares the effect of three distinct approaches on the process of equipment definition.
The Spectrum Disconnect At The FCC
Which of the following statements best reflects the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) view of spectrum requirements in the energy industry?
Phillips 66 To Develop LPG Terminal Off Texas
Phillips 66 plans to develop an LPG export terminal in Freeport, TX. The new terminal is intended to help meet growing global market demand for U.S.-supplied products.
Buckeye Planning To Buy 20 LP Terminals
Buckeye Partners, L.P. has signed a definitive agreement with Hess Corporation and its subsidiaries to acquire 20 liquid petroleum products terminals with total storage capacity of 39 million barrels for $850 million.
Rotork Gears Completes Contract With Chinese Subsea Valve Industry
Rotork Gears, the valve gearbox and valve accessory division of Rotork, has completed an important contract in China, working closely with Chinese valvemakers involved with subsea valve production.
Key Criteria For Selecting Low-Temperature Valves
Specifying and consulting engineers, engineering houses, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end users depend on valves to control the flow of compressed air or other fluids, and on cylinders to control motion. But the cold truth is that low temperatures can cause problems for these fluid automation devices all along the line – from selection and delivery to operation and maintenance.
OMMICA Advances Hydrates Test In Produced Fluids
Methanol and monoethylene glycol (MEG) are thermodynamic hydrate inhibitors used to prevent the formation of gas hydrates in oil and gas pipelines. As hydrates can block pipelines and remediation is often costly and potentially dangerous, hydrate formation is a large risk to offshore projects.
New Standard Serves As Testbed For Change
DNV’s latest revision to Offshore Standard for Submarine Pipeline Systems, DNV-OS-F101, will be the pilot for a new approach to rule development, competence management, communication and application.
Risk Modeling Considerations For Low Hoop Stress Pipelines
Conventional wisdom tells us that pipelines operating at a sufficiently low hoop stress are immune to failing in a rupture mode and can only fail in a leak mode. In general, that’s true. However, a recent study found that some pipelines that are operating below 30% specified minimum yield stress (SMYS) have an increased chance of low-stress ruptures and subsequent failures under certain conditions – namely select low- and high-frequency electric resistance welded (ERW) pipes with seam weld corrosion.
UPIS Luna Welcomes Shale Challenge
Philip Luna is a man on the go, and if you work for him at Houston-based UniversalPegasus International (UPI), you’d better be as well, even if it means getting to work for the 7 a.m. team meeting.
No Pipeline? For Businesses Hungry For Natural Gas, A Truck Will Do
There’s little debate that switching from fuel oil to natural gas, with its lower emissions, domestic abundance and low and stable price point, represents an opportunity for fuel-intensive businesses in North America. There’s also no argument that pipelines are the best method for delivering gas. But for businesses located off a pipeline route, the tumble in natural gas prices hasn’t benefited them nearly as much as it has their competition. For some, pipeline projects may come eventually; for others, there is no construction even being discussed.
Kinder Morgan Executive Discusses Challenging Aspects Of Double Eagle Pipeline Project
Kinder Morgan is the largest midstream and the third-largest energy company (based on combined enterprise value) in North America. Kinder Morgan owns an interest in or operates approximately 80,000 miles of pipelines and 180 terminals. The company’s pipelines transport primarily natural gas, refined petroleum products, CO-2 and crude oil and its terminals store, transfer and handle such products as gasoline, ethanol, coal, petroleum coke and steel. Combined, Kinder Morgan has an enterprise value of approximately $110 billion.
Report Offers A Timely Perspective On Natural Gas
Recently the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (“C2ES”) released a comprehensive report entitled “Leveraging Natural Gas To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions” that lays out in a thoughtful manner the promising future of natural gas. Its timeliness, coming as the shale revolution continues to build in the United States and which President Obama made a centerpiece of his Climate Action Plan (CAP), make this document essential reading.
Leveraging GIS For Pipeline Integrity In High-Consequence Areas
As oil and gas pipeline companies struggle to do more with less, the industry must rely on technology to squeak out efficiencies. Geographic information systems (GIS) have been a part of pipeline operations for decades. However, when outdated methods and resource-intensive data collection processes are used in an integrity management program, the results can become overly expensive, highly inaccurate or even non-compliant.
Chevrons Secret Weapon in Productivity: An AutoCAD Search Tool
Chevron’s Richmond, CA refinery is huge in terms of both size – 2,900 acres – and people with over 1,700 workers making it the largest of Chevron’s refinery Richmond’s largest employer.
Rolls-Royce To Power Kazakh-China Gas Line
Rolls-Royce has announced a $175 million contract to supply Asia Gas Pipeline LLP (AGP) with equipment and related services to power the flow of natural gas through Kazakhstan’s Line C Gas Pipeline, part of the vast 1,833-km Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline network.
Overcoming Inspection Challenges With EMAT Robotic ILI Tools
Many sections of piping were previously constructed or are operated in ways that do not allow the use of inline inspection (ILI) tools of a traditional design. For more than 10 years, Diakont has focused on the development and deployment of tooling to support the inspection of these pipeline sections that were previously considered “unpiggable.”
Five Key Challenges In The Oil And Gas Industrial Control System
An Industrial Control System (ICS) is comprised of many disparate components, including hardware and software technologies, the system infrastructure--from the communications network to the physical plant--the human element for tasks that require manual intervention, and the environment.
Brand New Strategy For ROSEN
ROSEN, which began as an engineering company for oil and gas industry inspection, is today a worldwide provider of cutting-edge solutions in all areas of the integrity process chain.
Accelerating Benefits Of Shale Plays With Bundled Technology
With energy independence, energy exporting through LNG, billions of dollars in economic benefit, and more than 4 million jobs hinged to the development and deployment of the shale play natural gas reserves, one would think a national plan would materialize to capitalize quickly on the pending benefits.
Energy Reforms Would Open Mexicos Petroleum Industry To Global Investment
In a bid to fulfill a campaign promise, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has proposed a change to the constitution to allow private companies to share in the development, transportation and refining of Mexico’s vast energy resources, which are reserved exclusively to Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX). The changes would revert the constitution to its 1940 position, maintaining national ownership of all hydrocarbons but overturning 1950s-era changes that prevent any private interest participating in the energy industry.
Should I Build Or Buy My Cybersecurity Solution?
Cybersecurity analysts at energy companies are facing Big Malware – often more than 100,000 unknown and potentially malicious files crossing their network thresholds daily. Only a small subset of these poses significant danger, but which ones? An increasing number of companies are coming to the conclusion that an automated malware analysis solution is the answer, but how do you get started?
U.S. Shale Development Points To Far-Reaching Effect Worldwide
Ten years after the shale revolution first took off in the North Texas Barnett Shale formation, large-scale shale development primarily remains a phenomenon unique to the United States.
- Energy Transfer to Build $5.3 Billion Permian Gas Pipeline to Supply Southwest
- Enbridge Sees High Demand to Expand 593-Mile Canada-to-U.S. Gulf Oil Pipeline
- 450-Mile Eiger Express Pipeline Gets Green Light for Permian-to-Gulf Natural Gas Transport
- Strike Pioneers First-of-Its-Kind Pipe-in-Pipe Installation on Gulf Coast with Enbridge
- 208-Mile Mississippi-to-Alabama Gas Pipeline Moves Into FERC Review
- LNG Canada Start-Up Fails to Lift Gas Prices Amid Supply Glut
- Strike Pioneers First-of-Its-Kind Pipe-in-Pipe Installation on Gulf Coast with Enbridge
- Enbridge Sees High Demand to Expand 593-Mile Canada-to-U.S. Gulf Oil Pipeline
- Energy Transfer to Build $5.3 Billion Permian Gas Pipeline to Supply Southwest
- Russia Strikes Key Ukraine Gas Interconnector on Romania Border, Disrupts LNG Imports
