Oil and Gas Community

Dr. Daniel Fine of the New Mexico Center for Energy Policy discusses North Carolina's approach to shale gas and hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." Fine offered these comments during a Feb. 27, 2012, presentation to the John Locke Foundation's Shafesbury Society. Video courtesy of CarolinaJournal.tv. Watch full-length video of JLF events here:
Daniel Fine discusses North Carolina's approach to shale gas and hydraulic fracturing (two minutes)---
http://www.youtube.com/watch...
The full one hour video can be seen here-->"North Carolina?s approach to natural gas fracking" ---> http://lockerroom.johnlocke.org/2012/02/27/no...
Dr. Daniel I. Fine works with the New Mexico Center for Energy Policy. He is a longtime research associate at the Mining and Minerals Resources Institute, MIT. Fine is also a policy adviser on nonconventional oil and gas. He is co-editor of Resource War in 3-D: Dependence, Diplomacy and Defense, and has contributed to Business Week, the Engineering and Mining Journal and the Washington Times. Fine has testified on strategic natural resources before the U.S. Senate committees on Foreign Affairs and Energy and Natural Resources. In this speech, he discusses "Shale Gas Wars: From Pennsylvania to North Carolina."

The growing demand for natural gas worldwide is putting pressure on the gas transport and distribution sectors to construct major infrastructure projects and maintain existing pipeline capacity. The surveys indicate that at the beginning of this year, 119,938 miles of pipelines are planned and under construction worldwide. Of these, 83,634 represent projects in the planning and design phase while 36,304 miles reflect pipelines in various stages of construction. In America only, according to the National Petroleum Council, natural gas distribution utilities must construct 255,000 miles of new lines by 2015 to bring natural gas to consumers, expanding the current system by about 25%. In Asia Pacific of the 41,525 miles of new and planned pipelines, 29,072 miles represent pipelines in the engineering and design phase, while 12,453 miles reflect projects in various stages of construction with China, India and Australia remain the most active. In Eastern and Western Europe, Middle East and even in Africa pipelines are being planned and built. (Source: Pipeline & Gas Journal – “2011 Worldwide Pipeline Construction Report”).

There are millions of kilometers of gas transportation networks worldwide and the regulation and measurement technologies play a more and more important role in all gas pipeline stations. Over the long term, the countries must ensure that natural gas supplies keep pace with growing demand, and that adequate infrastructure is in place to bring supplies to regional demand areas. With increasing transport distances and the ever-growing concentration of regional transport networks, the demands on these technologies continue to rise.

“The quality and accuracy, supported by complex automation technology, are today the answer to the development of the gas network. We’re talking more and more about design criteria and the importance of accuracy in gas quantity and quality measurements, trying to eliminate the measurement uncertainty.”, says Ion Andronache, the CEO of the Romanian company Syscom18, one of the national leaders on the process control and automation market, company that provides integrated solutions for gas applications.

Briefly, wherever gas needs to be transported, measured or stored, there are necessary adequate solutions for design and manufacture of natural gas control, measurement and analysis equipment, including flow metering technology, regulating products and safety devices for the most demanding applications. The gas metering systems are used to measure and manage the custody transfer of gas in a pipeline and designed specifically for the environment where they will be used. The measurement systems usually manage product transfer at critical points for a range of operations including: pipelines, Onshore and Offshore production facilities, floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units, liquefied natural gas plants, refineries, and petrochemical plants.

Typically, the gas metering systems are located at critical measurement points on a pipeline such as international borders, interstate / county boundaries. But the gas metering systems may also be located on gas producing platforms, gas separation plants, gas storage facilities, LNG plants and gas processing facilities. The pipeline engineering offers solutions for gas measurement and transmission through pipelines. The measurement systems may include ultrasonic and orifice meter skids, flow control/SCADA, valve switching, inter-connect piping. The complete skid mounted metering systems that are fabricated in-house help ensure consistently high quality gas metering systems and they are produced faster than field-built options.

“The works within the gas sector are complex. Syscom18, for example, realized locally in recent years, several projects in natural gas systems, mainly works of automation at gas compression stations, and natural gas measurement-metering systems at the main gas stations.”, as Mr. Andronache shows. The works at the measuring-metering gas stations were made accordingly to different principles of measurement used in Europe (systems with ultrasonic meters, systems with turbine meters or orifice plate). The measuring stations are made ​​at the interface between the main operators on the natural gas market in Romania (Transgaz, Romgaz, Petrom). Syscom18 also modernized the measuring stations Isaccea 1 and Negru Voda 1 for the international transit Ukraine-Romania-Bulgaria and has provided years of service among all the import and transit stations in Romania. During 2011 and continuing in 2012, the company will perform, produce, install and commissioning measuring-metering systems for the new transit station Giurgiu-Ruse, connecting Romania and Bulgaria.

“It is important to have a system integrator’s expertise along the entire gas supply chain, particularly in the areas of natural gas transportation, storage, distribution and industrial consumption. Organizations managing automation systems must ensure the long-term security and compliance of those systems, while maintaining availability and reliability. These new capabilities will help our customers enhance operational excellence while more efficiently managing security and compliance infrastructure.”, says Ion Andronache.

The environmental legislation in Europe, the growth of many of Eastern Europe's LPG markets, and the expansion of the natural gas network, have all presented operators with unparalleled opportunities. In Romania, the LPG market, including the cylinders, the auto gas and the propane bulk, is situated around 440.000 tonnes annually. If in 2009 the cylinders took almost half of the LPG market, in 2010 the auto gas dominated the market with about 45% from the entire market, growing with over 10% comparative with 2009. In 2010 there were traded almost 200.000 auto gas tonnes from about 1.200 LPG auto skids existing in Romania (according to the Romanian Association of LPG). The growing was first of all determined by the price of auto gas, situated at half of the price of the gasoline.

Romania seems to enter the European trend concerning the LPG situation, fuel that is intensely promoted as viable alternative for the traditional fuels, both directly by the legislative rules, and by the auto vehicles producers who deliver cars already provided with LPG installations from the factory.

In neighboring countries as well, the LPG sector is growing. Although Serbia remains an import oriented market, the share of big market players in retail motor fuel LPG business increased. Since 2007 for all kind of LPG activities (wholesale trading, storage, retail Sale etc.) there is needed “Energy license” issued by state authority-Agency for energy. The minimum required LPG storage capacity in one depot is 1000 m3, but the condition is for a min. 3000 m3 storage capacity for “Energy license” for LPG trading and production activity. If in 2009, 78% of LPG consumption was through motor fuel mixture (35% Propane, 65% Butane), in 2010 there was almost the same level of consumption (320.000 tones). The motor fuel LPG represents 78 % of LPG consumption in Serbia. There are about 500,000 cars (25 % of 2 000,000 total cars) with LPG installations and more than 650 motor fuel LPG stations. In the last couple of years companies like OMV, EKO HELLENIC, MOL, LUKOIL, MB Gas, EUROGAS established their own network.

In Bulgaria the auto gas represents about 90% from the entire LPG market. The retail chains such as Lukoil, OMV, Shell, Eko, Petrol, Rompetrol represent more than 60% of the auto gas market and a share of about 40% is represented by independent from retail sites. Autogas is very popular with commercial users in Bulgaria, as 90% of minibuses and taxicabs were able to run on the fuel.

With the expansion of the LPG use and beyond the decisive aspect of its use, namely reducing the cost of fuel, the operation and safety measures in the auto LPG skid sites will also expand and diversify, so that the new equipment is not endangered. The market trend also reflects upon the suppliers of equipment dedicated to LPG industry.

“It is clear that the consumption of LPG in the coming years will grow. Therefore it is important for providers to expand supply, but at the same time to provide services safely away from the risk of gas leaks or explosions that could occur when the systems are not inspected or properly used.”, says Ion Andronache, the CEO of the Romanian company Syscom18, a national leader on the process control and automation market, company that provides fiscal metering systems for LPG applications.

The extensive applications of LPG in the local market leads to growth among the local suppliers of equipment needed for the implementation of the projects or for the control of the systems and facilities. "Over the last five years, I found a real increase on the local LPG market, reflected in new orders placed. One of the last projects we’ve completed was the warehouse automation system at ButanGas, one of the largest LPG distributor in Europe.”, says Ion Andronache.

About the role that the LPG plays in the automotive sector and beyond, the industry leaders and policy makers in Europe and the world will debate at the Annual Congress of the European LPG Association to be held this year in Bucharest, between 22 and 24 June.

Romania's alignment to the European Directive 94/63/EC relating to control of the volatile organic compounds emissions resulting from gasoline storage and distribution, has been a challenge and an opportunity for the Romanian industrial automation and process control companies to expand their activities within the downstream branches of the main players on the petroleum products market.

At Petrom’s warehouses, Romania’s largest oil company, from each loaded truck the gasoline vapors can be fully recovered, following the implementation of vapor recovery systems by the Romanian company Syscom 18, one of the national leaders in industrial automation. In the same time, use of truck bottom loading increases the safety standards and environmental protection in the loading zone.

Syscom 18 has in its portfolio 16 vapor recovery systems, being the most experienced company in Romania and one of the most important in Eastern Europe.

Over the years, for the vapor recovery systems at oil companies’ tank farms, Syscom 18 served as general contractor and systems integrator, providing the basic engineering, contracting with third parties for the design works, contracting and delivering the necessary equipment, performing the implementation of the application software and the execution of special high tech works.

The years 2004/2005 were the stage of analysis and adopting the most appropriate vapor processing and recovery technology, completed with the implementation of a comprehensive, balanced system for vapors coming from fixed roof gasoline storage tanks and loading operations in trucks and wagons loading bays in a Romanian refinery, RAFO SA.

The “heart” of this installation was a vapor processing skid connected to a vapor holder - specialized tank to integrate the peaks of the vapor stream and to intermediately storage the vapors, before being processed. We have chosen a membrane based VRU, manufactured by Borsig MT in Germany. In fact it was the first application of its kind in Romania, verified and approved by the competent environmental authorities.

The achievement, based on a turn-key contract, was a success, the proof being that the largest operator on the petroleum products market – Petrom, member of OMV Group, used our services for the implementation of other 5 systems in its tank farms, systems also based on Borsig VRUs. The projects were started in 2006 and completed on time in 2007. Because some clients have requested also the installation of recovery units based on adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in active carbon, this technology was also examined, starting cooperation with Jordan Technologies. The decision was timely, because in the coming years 2008/2009 Syscom 18 has been implemented another 10 such plants, of which 7 are working with active carbon and the rest with membrane separation. Most of these projects, as well as the first, were turn key projects, Syscom 18 providing the engineering, installation and commissioning.

 

With the current down turn in the oil industry and a recent trend for pay cuts and pay offs, a record number of people in the industry are now seeking employment. The decline in oil prices has lead to projects being put on hold and some projects being cancelled altogether. Major oil companies are looking to reduce costs, and in doing so are cutting their work force.

This has an immediate impact on the recruitment industry, with some recruitment companies reporting half the amount of positions and double the amount of available candidates, compared to this time last year. With the market even more competitive than ever before recruitment companies are also looking to cut costs. Unfortunately this isn’t so easy as in a down turn, recruitment agencies work loads actually increase, as more people seek employment.

Most recruitment companies covering the oil and gas sector use sites like oilcareers and oilandgasjobsearch to find candidates and advertise positions. These sites are so well established that they are a must have resource for recruitment companies. They charge extortionate rates and do nothing to help recruiters cut costs. They know there model works and they know recruiters have to use them, as there is no alternative! Until now…

www.oilandgaspeople.com is a new recruitment site developed by Kevin Forbes, a contractor who works in the Oil Industry. Kevin seen the problems faced by recruiters and also the frustration faced by candidates seeking work. He says: “Oilandgaspeople fills a gap in the market and offers a solution that is genuinely better for recruiters and candidates”.

No longer do recruiters have to pay for job postings and access to a database. Candidates benefit by being automatically matched to positions that they meet the requirements for. Candidates don’t have to browse for new jobs every day and they will never miss out on suitable positions. Recruiters don’t need to wait for candidates to reply to job postings and no longer have to sort through hundreds of irrelevant CV’s often received in response to job ads.

The best thing is the above process is totally free, with recruiters only ever paying a fee when they have a candidate match. There are no hidden fees and the site includes many features that other job sites charge for, for free!

Oilandgaspeople has been created from a clean slate; the site follows a new model and has been designed to offer a better solution for candidates and recruiters. We aim to be the largest oil and gas job site, which we will achieve by working with recruiters and candidates, listening to feedback received and building a site that works for Oil and Gas People and not for the media companies profiting vastly from other sites!

To prove our commitment to the industry we have also launched a community site that will allow oil and gas people the world over to network and exchange information. www.oilandgascommunity.com aims to create safer work environments by allowing oil and gas people world wide to learn from each others experiences, mistakes, lessons learned and to share advances in technology and improved work methods.

www.oilandgaspeople is live to candidates now and will be live to recruiters soon.

More information on how the site benefits recruiters and candidates can be found here http://www.oilandgaspeople.com/about.asp
 

Social networking is growing more popular every day, LinkedIn, Facebook, Bebo, Twitter and others, have fast became a part of our every day lives. The ability to network and connect with like minded people all over the world is not only a great way to socialise and keep in touch with friends; it is also a very powerful business and marketing tool.

Lots of small companies and even some larger ones are releasing the power of the web and using it as a way of generating interest in their business. Lots of companies now recruit on social networking sites and the chances are if you don’t have an online presence you are probably missing out.

All of the above are reasons why people join such sites. www.oilandgaspeople.com hopes to take it a step further. We believe social networking could be used to improve safety within the oil and gas industry. In terms of safety, some countries are much further ahead than others, some companies have strict policies in place, and others have next to none. The standard varies from country to country and from individual to individual.

It comes down to training, knowledge and education. We see the same accidents occurring time and time again. Often those involved will say they ‘didn’t know’ or ‘weren’t aware’ Accidents and incidents that probably would have been avoided, if only we had managed to learn from other peoples lessons and mistakes.

Let’s use the powers of social networking to share lessons learned and to educate others in the industry. Wouldn’t it be great to have a massive resource of people from all aspects of the oil industry? A bank of knowledge and information that can be tapped at any time! From every day tasks to huge projects, you can bet someone has done it before. They may know a better way, a product you wasn’t aware of or a procedure that could save you time, money and improve safety.

The industry is ever changing, ever developing and pushing the barriers of new technology every day. It’s impossible to keep track with everything. Let’s use social networking to expand our knowledge, share our experiences and to improve safety across the board.

www.oilandgaspeople.com is not just another oil and gas jobs site. It has been created by oil and gas people, for oil and gas people! As part of the site and to prove our commitment to the industry, we are proud to announce the launch of www.oilandgascommunity.com a brand new social networking site for anyone working in oil and gas.

It doesn’t matter where you work or what you do, we are confident you will have something to bring to the table. We are going to be developing the site over the coming months and hope to include lots of pages with information, lessons learned, new technology, industry news etc, etc…

People can post requests for help and information on the forums. Join groups of like minded people, create events, chat instantly with other members, share information through blogs and build a profile advertising their company.

If you work in health and safety our sister site www.hsepeople.com will also be very relevant to you. HSE people is a well established community site that will give people an insight into the potential of www.oilandgascommunity.com

Hope to see you all there soon.

Kevin Forbes
www.oilandgaspeople.com
www.oilandgascommunity.com
www.hsepeople.com
 

CONTITECH BEATTIE GIVES SAFETY THE GOLD MEDAL TREATMENT

ContiTech Beattie Ltd’s has launched two new products to help with health and safety in the oil and gas industry, giving them the Gold Medal treatment at the prestigious Offshore Europe exhibition and conference.

Great Britain Olympic hero Victoria Pendleton joined the Ashington and Aberdeen-based market leader in hose technology for the oil and gas industry to help celebrate the launch.

The six times World Champion, Commonwealth Champion and Olympic Champion in track sprint attended the event in Aberdeen, one of the major showcasing events in the industry’s calendar.

Both of the new products have safety at the forefront of their design. While the first new product is specifically designed to be fire retardant, the second has built-in floatation capability.

The athlete’s success in the Beijing Games in 2008 reflect the company’s own Olympic Challenge of raising its turnover to £42 million by 2012 through further overseas sales growth, developing internal processes and developing new products and services

Victoria also uses inner tubes produced by ContiTech Beattie’s parent Continental group.

Andrew Esson, managing director of ContiTech Beattie, said: "Victoria Pendleton is a national sporting hero and her Olympic pedigree is an inspiration to our team who, like Victoria, have their own 2012 targets to achieve. It was a great honour to have someone who has achieved the highest standards time and again while burning rubber on the track launch our new hoses – one of which has been designed specifically so that the rubber does not to burn when deployed in its own field.

"The Floating Hoses mean that there is now no longer a need for a separate hose and floatation collar arrangement, making life easier for the customer who may previously have had to search for the right matching partnership.

"With the fire retardant hoses, the benefits are clear for customers who use our products for flammable environment. Safety is a priority in the oil and gas industry, so products like these are there to save lives and avoid disasters happening."

ContiTech Beattie’s Fire Rated Diesel Hose has been tested and is certified by Lloyds Register to OSG/1000/499 to withstand 700ºC for 30 minutes and its typical usage would be for fuel oil suction and delivery, with up to 50 per cent aromatic content. This hose design is also suitable for seawater, mud and other offshore applications, as well as long lasting bunkering applications.

This hose allows the safe use of oil/fuel suction and delivery in high fire risk areas.

High tensile textile cords with embedded steel helix wire and antistatic wires provide the reinforcement, while ozone and hydrocarbon resistant covers lie over layers of heat resistant fibre.

The Floating Hose range, offers Bulk Material, Diesel and Potable Water applications.  The range eliminates the need for cumbersome floatation collars, providing a high quality solution for floating bulk hose applications.

Integral buoyancy layers eliminate the need for separate tie-on floatation collars. This removes the possibility of the collars moving in service and affecting buoyancy, ensuring the satisfactory floatation and high visibility at all times is provided through appropriately coloured bands on the hose body, while removing the possibility of snagging under water.

The high tensile textile cord-reinforced hoses use multi-layers of PE foam for floatation and have black CR/BR blend, abrasion, ozone and hydrocarbon resistant covers.

ContiTech Beattie is a world leader in the design, manufacture and supply of flexible hose assemblies and associated hardware to the oil and gas sector. Originally formed in 1960 as Beattie Hydraulics Limited, a manufacturer of carbon steel hydraulic hose fittings, the firm rebranded from Phoenix Beattie Limited to ContiTech Beattie Limited in 2008 and now employs 97 people, including 82 in Ashington and 14 in Aberdeen, with one in Singapore.

Pic caption: Victoria Pendleton (centre) launches the new hoses with Dr Tamas Katona (MD, Continental, left) and Andrew Esson (MD, ContiTech Beattie, right)