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Fracturing News

25 Aug 2023

Kirby Christens the US' First Plug-in Hybrid Electric Inland Towboat

Kirby Inland Marine's Green Diamond—the United States' first plug-in hybrid electric inland towboat—was christened on August 25, 2023 in Houston. (Photo: Corvus Energy)

The United States' first plug-in hybrid electric inland towing vessel was christened at a ceremony in Houston on Friday as the commercial marine industry continues to implement new technologies to reduce its environmental footprint.Kirby Inland Marine's Green Diamond will be time chartered by Shell Trading (US) Company, which will use the vessel to push barges throughout the Houston port region. According to Kirby, the vessel can achieve an estimated 80% reduction in fuel use and related emissions.“We are excited to be the first to market with a plug-in hybrid inland towing vessel…

07 Jul 2023

Inside the Subsea Cable Firm Secretly Helping America Take on China

On Feb. 10 last year, the cable ship CS Dependable appeared off the coast of the island of Diego Garcia, an Indian Ocean atoll that’s home to a discreet U.S. naval base.Over the next month, the ship’s crew covertly laid an underwater fiber-optic cable to the military base, an operation code-named “Big Wave,” according to four people with direct knowledge of the mission, as well as a Reuters analysis of satellite imagery and ship tracking data.The new super-fast internet link to Diego Garcia, which has not previously been reported, will boost U.S. military readiness in the Indian Ocean, a region where China has expanded its naval influence over the last decade.The CS Dependable is owned by SubCom…

12 Sep 2022

NTSB Issues Recommendations Following Fire on Laid Up Laker

(Stern of the Roger Blough during firefighting efforts. Source: U.S. Coast Guard)

The United States' National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued three safety recommendations following its investigation into the February 1, 2021, engine room fire aboard the bulk carrier Roger Blough.The Roger Blough was docked in winter layup at the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding facility on Sturgeon Bay, Wis. when a fire started in the engine room. The cargo-unloading conveyor belts then ignited, causing extensive damage throughout the aft section of the vessel. The shipkeeper on board departed the vessel without injury. No pollution was reported.

07 Aug 2019

Permian Fracking Sets New Records

Hydraulic fracturing operations in the Permian shattered old records in June. The prolific shale basin in Texas and parts of New Mexico in the US has reached new heights in terms of the number of fracked wells – both on a daily basis and in terms of absolute monthly wells. Rystad Energy estimates there were as many as 18 wells fracked per day across the entire Permian Basin, or almost 550 wells during the month of June. Previously, fracking in the Permian peaked at approximately 520 wells fracked in August 2018, while the peak daily rate was reached in February earlier this year.“The Midland platform has undoubtedly been the driver of this upwards trend with consistent month-over-month increases…

26 May 2019

Frac Sand Prices to Remain Flat

Demand for sand to be used by the oil and gas industry in hydraulic fracturing operations in the US is set to grow by 10% in 2019 and 17% in 2020, said a report.According to Rystad Energy, frac sand supply, on the other hand, is forecast to increase by 10% in 2019 and then decrease by 2% in 2020 as more Northern White Sand will come off the market.The Eagle Ford Basin in South Texas could play a pivotal role for sand price developments going forward, said the energy research and business intelligence company.Contracted prices of high-quality Northern White Sand will likely fluctuate between $20 and $25 per ton at the minegate in the medium to long-term…

19 Dec 2018

Senex Energy Gemba Tests Successful

Australian energy company Senex Energy has successfully tested a gas exploration well in the Cooper Basin in South Australia.According to the Brisbane-based company The Gemba-1 well flowed 227,000 cubic metres (8 mcf) of gas per day over a period of a week."Senex Energy has successfully completed the initial flow test of the Gemba-1 gas exploration well in the Cooper Basin, with stabilised flow rates of approximately eight million standard cubic feet per day, plus associated liquids," said a stock exchange annoucement.Senex Managing Director and CEO Ian Davies said: “Senex is delivering on its strategy to become a material supplier of gas to the east coast market, and this Cooper Basin gas discovery adds another potential supply source from our growing portfolio.

05 Dec 2018

BHGE Inks 3-year Contract with Saudi Aramco

Saudi Aramco has awarded major stimulation and well-testing contract to Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE). BHGE will deliver a comprehensive well services solution including all cased-hole wireline logging, perforation, well testing, stimulation, fracturing and associated intervention services.By integrating discrete products, services and capabilities into a single offering, BHGE will help Saudi Aramco reduce time, costs and complexity while increasing efficiency.The three-year contract includes the option of two one-year extensions and the project is expected to commence in December 2018.The work is expected to create more than 200 new engineering…

12 Nov 2018

Total Wins 40% Stake in Unconventional Gas Concession

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has awarded a 40 per cent stake in the Ruwais Diyab gas concession to French energy major Total.Adnoc group, for which the award is an important milestone to reach the target of 1 Bcfd of unconventional gas production before 2030, said in a press release that it will retain a 60% stake in the concession.Under the terms of the agreement, Total will explore, appraise and develop the concession area’s unconventional gas resources.The agreement includes a six to seven-year exploration and appraisal phase which will then be followed by a 40-year production term. It was signed in ADNOC’s Thamama Subsurface Collaboration Center, by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, ADNOC Group Chief Executive Officer, and Patrick Pouyanné, CEO and Chairman of Total.

19 Jul 2018

Seadrill Gets ABS-Managed Pressure Drilling Notation

ABS has announced it has issued the managed pressure drilling notation ABS MPD to Seadrill for the ABS-classed West Capricorn, a 6th generation ultra-deep water semi-submersible operating in the Gulf of Mexico.This notation demonstrates system compliance with the ABS Guide for Classification and Certification of Managed Pressure Drilling Systems (MPD Guide).Seadrill’s West Capricorn is the first Column Stabilized Drilling Unit to receive the ABS MPD notation complete with the Maltese Cross, which denotes survey attendance throughout the process, from vendor fabrication to on-board installation.“As the industry drills in more complex…

10 Apr 2018

By the Numbers: Barge Transportation Market

© Tak Inaba / Adobe Stock

Barge transportation comprises an extensive network, ideal for carrying seaborne cargo to inland destinations and exports alike. Responsible, in part, for the worldwide trade of bulk transport, the industry is of great significance to the agricultural sector. In North America, The Army Corps of Engineers maintains and operates over 12,000 miles of canals, rivers, and inland waterways. The Illinois Waterway and Mississippi River are the major waterways in the region that are responsible for moving agricultural and farm products through barges.

18 Nov 2016

Can Trump Make Coal Great Again?

Most of the U.S. coal industry doubts Donald Trump can fulfill his promise to make the ailing industry great again in a country awash in dirt-cheap natural gas, a competing fuel. But a small sub-section of the coal sector that mines metallurgical coal - a variety used by steel makers instead of power plants - is gearing up for a Trump-inspired boom. That's because the Republican president-elect has promised a spending surge for roads, bridges and tunnels after he takes office on Jan. 20, a push to upgrade America's infrastructure with the support of leading Democrats that could jolt demand for metallurgical coal from American steel mills. Prices for met coal, as it is called, have already risen in recent months on lower supply from China.

21 Nov 2015

Second Quake hits North Oklahoma

A magnitude 4.1 quake hit near the north Oklahoma town of Medford on Friday, the second temblor in two days to hit the area where energy extraction takes place. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake, initially reported as a magnitude 4.6, struck at 4:40 p.m. at a shallow depth of 4.9 miles (8 km) with the epicenter 9 miles (15 km), north-northwest of Medford. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. A magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck northern Oklahoma early on Thursday, rattling residents out of their beds and shaking the ground across a 100-mile (160-km) radius that included the city of Tulsa and the state of Kansas.

30 Apr 2015

Push to Axe US Crude Export Ban Strengthens in House

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives who are trying to end the decades-old ban on U.S. crude oil exports said on Thursday they were gaining support after a Democrat joined the Republican-led effort. Representative Henry Cuellar became the first Democrat to sign on to a bill launched in February by Representative Joe Barton, a Republican and fellow Texan. "If we are able to lift the crude oil ban this is going to open up new markets where Texas businesses can create more jobs at home," said Cuellar, whose district includes the oilfields of Eagle Ford, where much of the U.S. boom in light sweet crude has been taking place over the last half decade.

18 Mar 2015

SGMF Interviews Members from Dixon Valve & Coupling

The Society for Gas and Marine Fuel (SGMF) recently interviewed members with Sean Andersen and Tony Haston of Dixon Valve & Coupling, who weighed in on their company, its products, operations and place within the marine fuels industry. Dixon Valve & Coupling - who are you and what do you do? What products/services do you provide? Dixon, founded in 1916, is a premier global manufacturer and supplier of hose couplings, valves, dry disconnects, swivels and other fluid transfer and control products. Dixon provides a wide range of products for numerous industries including petroleum exploration, refining, transportation, chemical processing, food and beverage, steel, fire protection, construction, mining and manufacturing. What does Dixon hope to achieve in the next five years?

16 Mar 2015

Shell Pulls Back from South African Shale

Royal Dutch Shell is pulling back from its shale projects in South Africa due to lower energy prices although it is still seeking an exploration license for the onshore Karoo Basin, its country manager said on Monday. A more than halving of crude oil prices since June last year has put high cost projects such as shale gas exploration in jeopardy around the globe, Shell South Africa Chairman Bonang Mohale told Johannesburg station Talk Radio 702. "The reason to go to a low cost holding position ... is as a result of a difficult period for world (prices)," Mohale said. Shell's retreat is a blow to the South African government, which has been criticised by oil firms for delaying issuing exploration licenses…

25 Feb 2015

LNG Destination Clauses May End: IGU

Destination clauses on contracts for liquefied natural gas (LNG)shipments will soon be a thing of the past because of the shale revolution in the United States, the head of the International Gas Union said in an interview. Japan and other buyers of LNG have long complained that the destination clauses on multiple-year term contracts place an unfair restriction on trade of the fuel. Those objections have been rebuffed by producers up until recently, but that is changing as the United States is on the verge of becoming a gas exporter. The conversion of U.S. sites formerly planned as import terminals into liquefaction plants - after its…

10 Nov 2014

Fracking Inquiry Puts Aussie Energy at Risk

The South Australian Liberal Party risks damaging investor and public confidence in the natural gas industry by moving to establish a Parliamentary inquiry into hydraulic fracturing – an industry practice that has been used safely in the State for many decades. APPEA’s Chief Operating Officer Western Region, Stedman Ellis, said the inquiry proposed by the Member for Mt Gambier had little basis in science. Mr Ellis said the South Australian Parliament needed to be wary that it did not provide a megaphone for people who want to undermine the industry and the investment and jobs it provided. “South Australia has consistently been ranked in international surveys as the most attractive Australian state for oil and gas investment,” Mr Ellis said.

19 Oct 2014

Can Oil & Gas Superpower Lead on Climate Change?

A day before President Barack Obama addressed the United Nations to declare the nation is "stepping up to the plate" to tackle climate change, nearly 400,000 protesters jammed New York City streets in a climate change march. Many held signs calling for an end to fracking. Environmental activists see the U.S. natural gas and oil production boom, spurred by fracking, as a major contributor to global warming. Obama has lauded the country's shale boom as an economic boon and a geopolitical lever. But Obama administration officials told the Reuters Global Climate Change Summit this week that the United States can be an energy superpower and still provide global leadership on climate.

02 Oct 2014

Exxon CEO: Lifting Crude Export Ban Would Create US Jobs

Rex W. Tillerson (Photo: Exxon Mobil)

Scrapping a decades-old ban on U.S. crude oil exports would spur job creation and boost energy security by encouraging new investment that lifts production, Exxon Mobil Corp's chief executive said on Thursday. Chief Executive Officer Rex Tillerson, speaking to a business group, said trade restrictions should also be lifted for exports of liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which are subject to lengthy regulatory reviews. Dozens of companies are lining up to export LNG and a superlight type of crude oil known as condensate as U.S.

30 Sep 2014

Cove Point LNG Export Facility Gets US FERC Approval

U.S. federal regulators on Monday approved construction of Dominion Resources Inc's liquefied natural gas export project in Cove Point, Maryland. Cove Point is the fourth U.S. LNG export project to get the green light to begin construction from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It will be able to export up to 5.75 million metric tons of LNG a year when fully operational. Dominion's facility is one of about two dozen projects that hope to ship a growing bounty of domestic natural gas to countries in Asia and Europe. The Cove Point site, a little more than an hour's drive southeast of Washington, D.C. on Chesapeake Bay, boasts four large storage tanks and a pier built in the 1970s to import LNG from Algeria, underscoring just how much U.S. market dynamics have changed.

26 Sep 2014

US River Infrastructure Near breaking Point

With a record U.S. harvest just coming in, the river transportation system that is at the heart of the nation's farm economy is overstrained by rising demand for shipping capacity, a low barge inventory, and a dilapidated lock system. The pressure is building on an inland waterways network that is just one flood, drought or mechanical breakdown from calamity after decades of neglect, industry sources say. Looming bumper corn and soybean crops are bringing to light issues that have built for years and which have been exacerbated by new entrants to the marketplace for river logistics, such as producers of crude oil from the nation's shale boom. Rail congestion and truck shortages are shifting more cargo to the creaking infrastructure for floating heartland goods to market.

25 Sep 2014

US River Freight System Near Breaking Point as Huge Harvest Looms

With a record U.S. harvest just coming in, the river transportation system that is at the heart of the nation's farm economy is overstrained by rising demand for shipping capacity, a low barge inventory, and a dilapidated lock system. The pressure is building on an inland waterways network that is just one flood, drought or mechanical breakdown from calamity after decades of neglect, industry sources say. Looming bumper corn and soybean crops are bringing to light issues that have built for years and which have been exacerbated by new entrants to the marketplace for river logistics, such as producers of crude oil from the nation's shale boom. Rail congestion and truck shortages are shifting more cargo to the creaking infrastructure for floating heartland goods to market.

26 Sep 2014

Not All Contangos are Created Equal

After the collapse of the global financial system in 2008, crude oil forward curves moved into steep contango. Fortunes were made in storage asset plays in 2009-2010, which is likely the reason that so much attention is being devoted to the topic today; however, the contango is inherently different today than it was after The Great Recession. As the U.S. energy revolution continues to develop, global crude oil supply and demand dynamics have begun to evolve. Improvements to hydraulic fracturing processes have helped the U.S. become the world’s largest crude oil producer.