Horizontal - Directional Oil & Gas Well Drilling

Horizontal oil and gas well drilling has become one of the most valuable technologies ever introduced in the business. It is an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or gas recovery method that is becoming more and more popular as the price per barrel of oil gets higher.

Unlike a directional well that is drilled to position a reservoir entry point, a horizontal well is commonly defined as any well in which the lower part of the well bore parallels the oil zone. The angle of inclination used to drill the well does not have to reach 90° for the well to be considered a horizontal well. Applications for horizontal wells include the exploitation of thin oil-rim reservoirs, avoidance of drawdown-related problems such as water/gas coning, and extension of wells by means of multiple drain holes.

Cost experts have agreed that horizontal wells have become a preferred method of recovering oil and gas from reservoirs in which these fluids occupy strata that are horizontal, or nearly so, because they offer greater contact area with the productive layer than vertical wells. While the cost factor for a horizontal well may be as much as two or three times that of a vertical well, the production factor can be enhanced as much as 15 or 20 times, making it very attractive.

To give an idea of the effectiveness of horizontal drilling, the U.S. Department of Energy indicates that using horizontal drilling can lead to an increase in reserves in place by 2% of the original oil in place. The production ratio for horizontal wells versus vertical wells is 3.2 to 1, while the cost ratio of horizontal versus vertical wells is only 2 to 1.

Three main types of horizontal wells:

Short Radius

Medium Radius

Long Radius

Horizontal oil drilling can be used in many situations where conventional drilling is either impossible or cost prohibitive. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it should get you thinking about the possibilities of horizontal directional drilling.

As horizontal well drilling can be used in these scenarios:

*under buildings, roads, and other surface obstructions
under active sites where surface operations precluded drilling equipment (Airports and Highways)

*to efficiently extract soil vapor

*to identify the causes of decreased well performance

*to place leak detection sensors beneath solid or hazardous waste landfills

*to install gas collection systems at landfills or similar waste dumps

*to stabilizing hillsides for mine waste dumps or other unstable granular soil masses

*to dewater hillsides where mudslides endanger housing developments

*to install groundwater collection galleries in shallow aquifers for private or public water supply

*to convey fluids between vertical wells and treatment facilities

NEW YEAR TO BECOME NEW YOU!

NEW YEAR TO BECOME NEW YOU!

This is new day of New Year.

I wish you must become new.

Please

      Forget unpleasant things that may have happened in the past.

      Begin with what you have. Do not wait for conditions to change.

      Now is the time, here is the place. Begin.

      Expect the best and you will have it. Be positive.

      Sow good seeds in the field of your life. Think good thoughts, speak good words and perform good deeds.

      Appreciate every one whom you deal with today and all the days.

      Decide to forgive, and more importantly to forget, a hurt offered to you.

      Just for today, decide that you will not get angry or lose your temper at all and try to continue.

      Approach any of your elders, bow down to them and thank them for all that they have done for you.

      Today, count your blessings! Express your gratitude to God for all the things you take for granted: the air you breathe, the movement of your limbs, your sense of sight and sound.

      Maintain your equilibrium and your silence even if you are accused wrongly of anything.

      Do not argue your opinion in any discussion. Listen patiently to the other's view. Then, if necessary you may gently explain yours.

      Begin and end your day with a long and loving chat with God, your Eternal friend and companion.

Try and put these ideas into practice, and write down how you did it in your diary. If you succeed in following even a few of these ideas, you are well on your way to becoming a New you.  And you will be well on your way to a peaceful and beautiful 2012.

 

With Prayers 

N. Sivanandam

 

 

 

Meet 10 Self-Made Oil & Gas Billionaires

Petroleum is also known as black gold. So it is no surprise that a number of the world's wealthiest people can trace their roots to the oil and gas industry.

Though some of these folks inherited their wealth and have invested wisely, it is the self-made billionaires that we're interested in highlighting.

Their paths to riches are varied but the results are the same for these ten pioneers -- billions:

 

EIKE BATISTA NET WORTH: $27B   Citizenship: Brazil Age: 53 Education: Studied engineering at Aachen University, but dropped out. Family: Divorced from former Playboy cover girl; 2 children

How he made his fortune: Batista has founded companies in different business sectors, mainly in mining. He made a significant amount of his money by founding OGX oil and gas exploration company in 2007. In addition, his new IPO for shipping business (OSX) is the world's largest IPO this year and is said to have contributed as much as $5.6 billion to his fortune. Batista is the 8th richest person in the world.

 

MIKHAIL FRIDMAN NET WORTH: $12.7B   Citizenship: Russia Age: 46 Family: Divorced; 2 children

How he made his fortune: Fridman founded Alfa Group in the early 1990s with partner Peter Aven. The Alfa Group grew into a diverse oil, retail, telecom, and banking conglomerate. In 2003 he sold half his oil company, TNK, to BP for $6.15 billion, which freed him to focus on his telecom business and his political career. In 2005, he became a Russian representative on the International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Relations. He's also a member of the Public Chamber of Russia. Fridman is currently the 3rd richest man in Russia and the 45th richest man in the world.

 

VAGIT ALEKPEROV NET WORTH: $10.6B   Citizenship: Russia Age: 60 Education: Azerbaijan Oil and Chemistry Institute Family: Married; 1 child

How he made his fortune: Alekperov got his start as an offshore rig worker. In 1990, Alekperov was appointed deputy minister of the Oil and Gas Industry of the Soviet Union. He was the youngest deputy energy minister in Soviet history. In 1991 he launched Lukoil with three ministry-controlled oil fields. Today he is the president of Lukoil and owns a 20% stake in the company. Lukoil is Russia's largest independent energy company and the world's second largest reserve holder after ExxonMobil. Alekperov is the sixth richest person in Russia and the 58th richest person in the world.

 

GEORGE KAISER NET WORTH: $10B   Citizenship: United States Age: 68 Education: Harvard MBA Family: Married; 3 children

How he made his fortune: Kaiser's parents developed an oil and gas operation in Oklahoma, Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. in 1940s, which he took over in 1969. Today it is among the world's biggest private energy producers. He bought the Bank of Oklahoma from the FDIC in 1990. Kaiser is one of the top 50 richest people in the world and among the top 50 American philanthropists.

 

HAROLD G. HAMM NET WORTH: $5.5B   Citizenship: United States Age: 64 Family: Youngest of 13 children Passion: Finding cure for diabetes

How he made his fortune: Hamm started in the oil industry pumping gas. In 1965 he bought a truck, and in 1966 he founded Harold Hamm Tank Truck Service. He quickly became one of Oklahoma's most successful oilfield fluid transporters. Hamm founded Continental Resources in 1967 and took Hiland Partners and Hiland Holdings, gas-processing firms, private in 2009. Hamm owns more oil and gas than any other American.

 

TREVOR REES-JONES NET WORTH: $3B   Citizenship: United States Age: 59 Education: Dartmouth (undergrad) and Southern Methodist University (Law) Family: Married; 2 children

How he made his fortune: Rees-Jones worked as a bankruptcy attorney out of college and practiced oil and gas reorganization law, which inspired him to pursue oil and gas investments. He formed Chief Oil and Gas in 1994 and made a number of good investments and sales over the last 16 years, primarily in shale.

 

TIM HEADINGTON NET WORTH: $2.65B   Citizenship: United States Age: 60 Education: BA/BS University of Oklahoma Family: Single

How he made his fortune: Headington took over his father's oil and gas business in 1977 and 30 years later sold acreage in the Bakken Shale oil play to XTO Energy for $1.8 billion in 2008. Though he's taken that money and reinvested in moviemaking, Headington Oil still produces 15,000 b/d.

 

JEFFREY HILDEBRAND NET WORTH: $1.9B   Citizenship: United States Age: 51 Education: BA/BS University of Texas Family: Married; 3 children

How he made his fortune: Hildebrand is a former Exxon geologist who founded Hilcorp in 1989 with partner Thomas Hook who he bought out in 2003 for $500 million. In 2010 he sold a 40% stake in his Hilcorp Energy's acreage in South Texas' Eagle Ford for $400 million to Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts.

 

KENNETH "BUD" ADAMS NET WORTH: $1.15B   Citizenship: United States Age: 88 Education: University of Kansas, engineering Family: Widower; 3 children

How he made his fortune: As a former wildcatter, Adams established his own wildcatting firm, ADA Oil Company in 1947, which became Adams Resources & Energy. Adams success as an oilman allowed him to finance his passion for football. He helped Lamar Hunt establish the American Football League in 1959 and bought the Houston Oilers for $25 k in 1960. He later moved the team to Tennessee and renamed it the Titans, which he still owns. Adams is the former owner of the Nashville Kats arena football team, and the Houston Mavericks. Adams is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.

 

T. BOONE PICKENS NET WORTH: $1.4B   Citizenship: United States Age: 82 Education: Oklahoma A&M (State University) Family: Married 4 times; 4 children with first wife

How he made his fortune: After graduating in 1951, he worked for Phillips Petroleum for three years. He left Phillips and worked as a wildcatter before founding Mesa Petroleum in 1956. By 1981, Mesa had grown into one of the largest independent oil companies in the world. Through a number of acquisitions and takeovers, Pickens grew his self-wealth. He left Mesa in 1996. In 1997, Pickens founded BP (Boone Pickens) Capital Management, in which he holds a 46% interest. The company runs two hedge funds Capital Commodity and Capital Equity, which invest in oil, natural gas and nuclear power companies.

Another oil rig explodes in Gulf of Mexico

Another oil rig explodes in Gulf of Mexico

 

Picture - 1

An offshore oil platform explodes in the Gulf of Mexico south of the Louisiana coast.Fire engulfed the offshore platform and massive plumes of gray smoke billowed into the sky. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

 

Picture - 2

13 workers from the offshore oil platform wait for rescue after they jumped into the sea. All 13 crew members are rescued, September 2, 2010. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

 

Picture-3

Boats are seen spraying water on an oil and gas platform that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana, September 2, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) 

 

U.S. rig count shrinks to 1,694

HOUSTON, Dec.30 (Xinhua) -- The number of operating oil and natural gas rigs in the United States shrank from 1,714 to 1,694 this week, according to a weekly count released here Thursday.

Of the total, 919 rigs were exploring for natural gas, down by 12 rigs from last week's 931, and 765 were exploring for oil, compared with last week's 771, with another 10 rigs listed as miscellaneous, according to figures compiled by Houston-based oil service company Baker Hughes Inc.

The rig count stood at 1,189 a year ago. The weekly count is usually released on Friday, but it was released one day earlier this week because of the New Year's Day.

The Baker Hughes rig counts, first issued in 1944, act as an important business barometer for drilling firms and their suppliers to gauge the overall business environment of the oil and gas industry.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 as the result of the oil boom. It plummeted to a record low of 488 in 1999.

 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/business/2010-12/31/c_13672107.htm