bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Art of Building Horizontal and Highly Deviated Wells Help Maximize Recovery and Production from Heavy Oil Fields in Colombia
Authors: Mauricio Patarroyo , Gloria Carvajal , Milena Quintero , Javier Urdaneta , Alberto Gomez , Jaime Pacheco
Published: June 2014

An increasing energy demand combined with the natural decline of old field discoveries has forced oil producers to develop and improve returns from existing assets. In Latin America, many major oil companies have been interested in heavy oils. Higher oil prices and improvements to technology allowing recovery factors up to 30% have made these reservoirs more attractive to operators.

In Colombia, heavy oil fields are being developed in the Magdalena Medio area using steam injection as a thermal recovery method. Cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) is used and consists of three stages: injection, soaking, and production. Steam is first injected into a well for a certain amount of time to heat the oil within the surrounding reservoir to a temperature at which it flows. After sufficient steam has been injected, the steam is usually left to "soak" for a predetermined time period. Finally, oil is produced out of the same well. This process can cause high stress in the wellbore because of the high temperatures used and the cyclical nature of dramatic temperature changes. The elevated temperatures can reach up to 350°C (650°F) during thermal cycling, which, in turn, can potentially cause radial fractures or debonding of the cement, thus potentially compromising the zonal isolation.

Achieving zonal isolation within these shallow vertical and horizontal wells (90° and 2, 200 ft measured depth [MD]/1, 396 ft true vertical depth [TVD]) and avoiding water communication between zones are the primary challenges encountered during these projects. This paper presents a successful methodology, lessons learned, and engineering design changes applied during the past three years to more than 200 wells in the Magdalena Medio area.
Occupational Stress and Hypertension in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Umege Declan Chukwuma
Published: June 2014

This study is aimed at comparing occupational stress and hypertension among onshore and offshore engineering professionals in Nigeria for informing regulatory bodies and oil and gas companies, so that recommendation for improvements can be made.

Questionnaires were distributed via a two-stage Delphi technique. 104 Engineering professionals responded to the questionnaire. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data were carried out with SPSS software.

A response rate of 52% was achieved. 90% of the respondents were males and 10% females. Age group responses include 20-29 (6%), 30-39 (44%), 40-49 (46%), 50-59 (4%).80% work on-shore whereas 20% work off-shore. 99% were Nigerians and other nationalities constituted 1%. Identified stress factors were cross tabulated with different demographic factors like age, gender, job location, and department.

Result shows that for test of awareness level of occupational stress at α = 0.05, association does not exist between the measures of awareness level of occupational stress and the demographic factors tested.

For test of association between stress factors and demographic components, results show that association exists. For test of current methods being employed to manage occupational stress induced hypertension, results shown that no association exists.

For test of evaluation of the sources of occupational stress, results show that association exists between stress factors and age, gender and department.

Results also show that association exists between the incidence of high blood pressure and job location. On-shore professionals were observed to be more prone than their off-shore counterparts.

The present study show that younger engineering professional (age group 30-39) are more at risk of occupational stress than other age groups with males being more at risk than females.

This study recommends among other things, discouraging subordinate micromanaging through robust human resources innovations, review of work hours from 8am/5pm to 7am/4pm and establishment of occupational stress committees by oil Companies.
Private and Corporate Coping in Crises Management: Concepts Versus Occurences
Authors: Odemene Glory C.
Published: June 2014

No region is immune to crises. Global crises often emerge as local issues that escalate over time with irreversible losses hence the importance of findings from this study to the future of the industry. Understanding crises and effective crises management is critical for the success of any industry and society. Adverse impacts of lingering crises threaten oil and gas operations around the world. The study focused on ongoing crises in the industry, the trend of escalation in a region, and implications on the future of oil and gas activities. Conditions were tested against coping capabilities of those going through crises using theories of Sweeny on crisis decision, Lazarus and Folkman on coping, and existing literature. Results reveal correlation between human coping and crises management approaches.

This paper focused on private and corporate coping and outcomes. It confirms human coping processes to crises and how decisions and actions metamorphose over time. Findings reveal that the trend went from harassment of the public to corporations, to arms acquisition and proliferation, and eventually to militancy. The trend of escalation confirmed that as parties adjusted their coping to meet dynamic challenges, it elicited reactions with implications on individuals and corporate entities. Field study focused on experiences in an African region where lingering crises pose significant threats to oil and gas operations, and refereed literature considered worldwide operations.

Impacts of crises linger, resulting in huge expenditure on security, which when defeated, leave lives and assets in jeopardy. Throughout the considered region, none is spared the wrath of restive youths. Findings have tangible implications for successful and sustainable operations in areas of stakeholders engagement, conflicts management, community relations, grievance and claims management, and interactions of corporate social responsibility with mitigation of risks; safety, security, and resources utilization.
Catchment Scale Water Modelling and its Role in Generating a Social License to Operate in Unconventional Resource Exploration and Production
Authors: Gibbons S.. , Tillotson S..
Published: June 2014

Unconventional oil and gas exploration is often carried out in remote areas, where the well field will be the most significant and visible user and potential contaminator of water resources. However, wherever it is located, the use of water must be managed in the context of two key aspects: 1) the natural parameters of the resource; its abundance, its temporal variability, and its chemical and physical qualities; and 2) other users of the resource; other industry, potable water supplies, and ecological requirements of local habitats. It is vital, therefore, that this commodity be assessed to an appropriate degree to help establish the viability and sustainability of the project and identify stakeholders who may be affected by the exploration activities.

This paper outlines a cost effective method for establishing a robust water baseline and creating a water management and evaluation tool for the whole project life cycle. Numerical surface and groundwater modelling has long been established as a tool for reactive management, following collation of years' worth of data. Now, using freely available remote sensing data and desk study information, analytical and numerical modelling techniques can be used cost effectively to provide oil & gas companies with a tool for assessing and managing their water consumption requirements at the outset of a new project venture.

The paper includes extracts from case studies to show how the use of analytical modelling can be used as an evaluation and management tool to help not only assess general watershed parameters and water availability but also how it can be used as a tool to provide decision makers with the information to complete ‘what if?’ scenario assessments.

Water evaluation and management during oil and gas exploration and production activities is crucial to minimise direct and indirect operational costs and in delivering companies the less tangible, but equally critical ‘social license to operate’.
Planning for Waste Management: The Challenges Facing Oil and Gas Companies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Fletcher Paul , Hewett Sarah Sanders
Published: June 2014

Driven by the imperative to replace reserves, buoyant demand and societal need for energy security, the upstream oil and gas industry is investing heavily in exploration – much of this is in Sub-Saharan Africa. Waste management infrastructure in these frontier geographies can be variable. It is often difficult to find waste management facilities that meet companies' corporate environmental requirements and/or those of any funding agencies that might be involved. This paper discusses the challenges faced by the industry and successful approaches that can be adopted for managing exploration and production wastes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Options discussed include: pre-treatment of waste; developing dedicated in-house waste treatment facilities or facilities that are shared with other international oil companies (IOCs); working with existing waste contractors to help raise standards to an acceptable level; and export of waste.

The most important point is to plan for how each of the different wastes will be managed. This requires an understanding of the wastes that are expected to be generated by the different stages of a project, proper consideration of how wastes can be minimised and/or made less harmful and a careful assessment of existing and potential capabilities of local waste management facilities. Undertaking a comprehensive assessment of the different options for managing each waste stream will allow a waste management plan to be developed that meets corporate and international finance environmental health and safety (EHS) standards, which significantly reduces potential future liabilities and which enhances local and international reputation.
Understanding and Managing The Social Impacts of Water Use Beyond Operational Boundaries
Authors: Cummins Claire , Phillips Callie , Perumalpillai Shahila
Published: June 2014

The management and protection of water resources is critical for sustainable development. To effectively manage the challenges and opportunities related to water resources, oil and gas operators should look beyond their fenceline and beyond legal compliance. Companies are increasingly likely to encounter threats to their project and operations where they have not taken account of, and responsibility for, their role as a user of a shared, and in some cases limited, resource. The failure to respond to this challenge may have potentially long-lasting implications for both the sustainability of an operation and the human health and human rights of those within the river catchment.

An overview of current and future water resources challenges facing the conventional and unconventional oil and gas sector in sub-Saharan Africa is presented drawing on case studies and supporting evidence. As well as identifying some of the challenges, this paper will propose some potential solutions and benefits of an integrated approach for assessing and managing water resources risks and impacts. Adopting an integrated approach can help businesses prepare for water-related physical, reputational and investment risks and decisions that if not a priority now, are likely to become so in the future.

Some of the management activities and tools for achieving this will be presented.

This paper will conclude that effective management of water resources requires an integrated approach that takes into account the wider social dimensions of an operational setting. It will also conclude that through the deployment of a range of tools there is potential to enhance the understanding, mitigation and management of operational impacts on the social dimensions of water as a shared resource between business and the wider community.
Mozambique Creates a Star of Africa – A World Class Petroleum Engineering Program at the University of Eduardo Mondlane (UEM)
Authors: Sevilla A. P. , Blasingame T. A. , Cotter R. B. , Markwardt C. E.
Published: June 2014

This work documents the creation of a post-graduate (Master's) degree program in Petroleum Engineering (MSPE) at the University of Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) in Maputo, Mozambique. The genesis of this program was a request from the government of Mozambique to a corporate entity to provide assistance with the development of a domestic talent pool in petroleum engineering (in this case, the entity is Anadarko Mozambique Area 1 [AMA1], a subsidiary of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation [APC]).

This program is unique in that it is a working partnership amongst the sponsor (AMA1), the education entity (UEM), and a team of renowned U.S.-based faculty.

Historically, multinational companies would simply make philanthropic contributions to a local institution and then turn their focus on their core business. Today, all parties expect more from each other; host governments and their industry partners want equal input on where and how social responsibility projects are directed, including which projects should be undertaken. Likewise, the beneficiaries of these contributions are requesting increased levels of involvement and assistance to deliver maximum benefits for their constituents. This is the situation in Mozambique; all of the parties--the government, the University of Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), and Anadarko Mozambique Area 1 (AMA1)--have agreed to and fully support this collaborative development model.

The goal of this project is to provide an approach which fully meets the academic standards and rigor of a world-class post-graduate degree program in Petroleum Engineering while providing sustainable capability development in terms of the students and the faculty. This model relies on the commitment of all parties to achieve “steady-state” in as short a time as possible; in this case, the planned time-scale from inception to independence is on the order of four years. At present, the project is on schedule with two cohorts of students and seven UEM faculty progressing.
Managing Safety of Oil and Gas Operations in a Wildlife Area
Authors: SURIPNO Suripno , MOUSSA Amar , TUMWESIGYE Justus
Published: June 2014

Commercial Oil and Gas discoveries have been made in Uganda, mainly in the Albertine Grabben area. The Grabben area is also a natural habitat to hundreds of flora and fauna species, especially in the Murchison Falls National Park, where significant discoveries of Oil and Gas have been made.

Oil and Gas operations in this wild life area must coexist in harmony with the permanent ‘inhabitants’; the flora and fauna. This coexistence poses imminent safety hazards ranging from encountering deadly reptiles, stealthy lions, charging buffalos, startled warthogs, gigantic elephants, stinging bees, mosquitoes, tsetse flies, dashing antelopes, whizzing birds, to mention but a few. Statistically, wildlife related incidents present a significant percentage of recorded incident occurrences within TOTAL E&P Uganda.

This paper presents an experience of Total E&P Uganda on Managing Safety in regard to wildlife hazard in its Oil and Gas Operations within their Block. It highlights descriptions of the current safety realities, various preventive and reactive measures that Total E&P has implemented to manage the wildlife hazards and the success that has been obtained, despite the prevailing challenges.
Effective Engagement of Stakeholders By Oil and Gas Companies: A Case of The Stakeholder Relationship Management Tool in Kenya
Authors: Mumma-Martinon C. A.
Published: June 2014

TEPK opened its office in Nairobi in November 2012, to manage its oil exploration activities. TEPK is the operator of Block L22. As part of its mission, TEPK started consultations with stakeholders (in February 2013), prior to carrying out different studies related to its offshore operations. Missions were carried out both at the national and the county levels including Lamu, Kilifi and Tana River counties.

For this engagement with stakeholders to be effective, TEPK employed the Stakeholder Relationship Management (SRM+) Tool at the very beginning and immediately after the creation of the new exploration and production affiliate. This is a tool developed for Total and used throughout its operations (including upstream and downstream).

The main objective of SRM+ is to compare the internal vision of stakeholders through internal multidisciplinary workshops, with stakeholder perceptions tested through interviews using a standard questionnaire. A gap analysis is carried out and a strategy developed. The tool also measures the degree of social exposure of the TEPK. While the tool has been deployed in numerous subsidiaries, this is the first time that the tool has been used so early in the E&P process.

TEPK mapped out stakeholders according to priorities, identified contact persons on the ground, and translated communication documents in Kiswahili. Furthermore, the General Manager (GM) travelled personally to the different counties to meet people on the ground starting with the Government authorities including Governors, Senators, and Members of Parliament among others. Thus, opening great avenues and making it easier for the Social Affairs team to meet other stakeholders.

Some challenges included: bad weather, poor roads and long distances, interesting stakeholders to meet with limited time, competition, conflicts and economic challenges.

Lessons learnt, perceptions can be very different from realities; expected needs differ from actual needs. Integration of all stakeholders is imperative for acceptability.
New Environmentally Friendly Organic Crosslinker for Water Shut-off Applications
Authors: Bhaduri Sumit , Cutler Jennifer , Jayakumar Swathika , Gould John
Published: June 2014

Complete fluid shutoff using crosslinked polymer gels represents an effective means of water control in reservoirs producing uneconomical volumes of water. To achieve this goal, a new organic crosslinker was developed for complete matrix shut-off in lower temperature reservoirs (80 to 140°F). The system uses a low molecular weight, crosslinked polymer that is injected directly into the target zone, reducing the permeability in the matrix.

The crosslinker represents a significant improvement over traditional organic crosslinkers like polyethyleneimine (PEI) and chromium-based metallic systems. The new product has very similar gelation time (<12hr) profiles to the chromium systems, but requires shorter times than PEI, which could have gel times to ~24hr at 80°F. Additionally, the system has a much smaller environmental footprint, easing operator's concern over the sustainability of their chemical shutoff system. Results indicate that the new crosslinker yields ringing gels at lower dosages than traditional organic crosslinkers like PEI. (Sydansk gel code J).

This product enables easy generation of ringing, rigid gels for low-temperature reservoirs within a reasonable gelation time (<12hr), making it ideal for applications including water shut-off, casing leak repairs, cement squeeze alternatives, zone abandonments, etc. It represents a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to heavy-metal containing chromium systems where current available organic systems require longer shut-in times and increased concentrations to achieve similar gel strengths. A series of performance tests including laboratory core analysis was conducted to determine it's operating effectiveness. The product was successfully field tested in the Spraberry formation in the Permian basin.
Next Generation Relative Permeability Modifier Application in Acid Stimulation Treatments: An Effective Water Management Strategy for Mature Fields in Ecuador
Authors: Bhaduri Sumit , Cutler Jennifer , Jayakumar Swathika , Gould John , Rivera Herman , Santamaria Juan , Eras Jose
Published: June 2014

The paper combines a brief case history of applications with supporting laboratory data, for using a new relative permeability modifier (RPM) in conjunction with a conventional acid stimulation treatment. This design was targeted at mature oil wells with high water cuts in Ecuador. The recommendation was proposed after mineralogical characterization of core samples, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) followed by laboratory core flooding with treatment fluids. The methodology described in the paper comprises stimulation of certain areas of the sandstone formation with an acid followed by a RPM treatment to prevent the water from the stimulated water-bearing zones from entering the wellbore. Coiled tubing is used for effective placement of the treatment.

Conventional stimulation treatments in the Hollin sandstone formation in Ecuador result in high water cuts because of encroaching water from an active aquifer. The acidizing technique with RPM improved the economic life of many mature wells in the field. Both laboratory and field data indicate excellent results from the treatments. The overall water cut in the treated wells decreased (by 8 to 15%), while oil production increased (~200%). Coiled tubing enables accurate placement of the acid and RPM into the desired zones, with the benefits from this targeted treatment far outweighing the cost of using coiled tubing units.

Successful implementation of the laboratory core flood results in the field resulted in field-wide protocols aimed at oil wells producing water at unacceptable rates. The optimized stimulation treatment increases oil production and selective placement of RPM using coiled tubing decreased water cut, thereby prolonging the economic viability of mature wells.
The Pressure Performance of Five Fields Completed in a Common Aquifer
Authors: Moore W.D. , Truby L.G.
Published: June 2014

This paper presents the results obtained after calculating matches of the observed pressure performance of five fields completed in a common aquifer. A general description of the Central Basin Platform area in West Texas in which the five fields, Andector, Embar, Martin, TXL, and Wheeler, are located is contained in the paper. The method of utilizing the electric analyzer to calculate simultaneously matches of the observed pressure performance of the five fields is outlined. The determination of boundaries of pressure communication is discussed and the extent of pressure interference between fields consistent with the configuration of the area aquifer is shown graphically.

Introduction

Anomalies in the pressure performance of the Andector Ellenburger Field resulted in an investigation of pressure interference between several Ellenburger fields located on the Central Basin Platform in West Texas. Four fields, Embar, Martin, TXL, and Wheeler, were found to contribute significantly to the pressure drawdown at Andector.

An initial investigation of the pressure performance of the Andector Ellenburger Field revealed that the reservoir pressure could not be matched by the calculation technique usually applied to water drive reservoirs. In the past, many have advanced the opinion that fracturing in the Ellenburger was a local condition restricted to the immediate uplifted area around the field, in which case each field would in all probability be surrounded by its own relatively small aquifer. Following several unsuccessful attempts to account for the pressure performance at Andector, a system assuming a common aquifer involving several fields in the immediate vicinity of Andector was placed on the electric analyzer and the effect of inter field interference was noted. A refinement of the initial analyzer calculations involved the determination of the approximate boundaries of the aquifer, the calculation of detailed matches of the pressure performance of the interfering fields, and an evaluation of the degree of communication between fields.

Discussion

Geology and Development

The fields considered in this work are located in the Central Basin Platform, a north.south trending structural feature in West Texas lying between the Delaware Basin to the west and the Midland Basin to the east. The locations of various individual Ellenburger fields in this general are shown in Fig. 1 with the five major fields which appear to be definitely intercommunicating colored in black and located in the circled portion of the figure.
An Oil-Land Law
Authors: Smith George Otis
Published: June 2014

Introduction

That an oil-land law is the most needed item in the proposed program ofmineral-land legislation follows, from the fact that Congress has never enacteda law really applicable to petroleum and natural gas. The action of Congress in1891 in, authorizing entry of oil lands under the placer law, enacted 21 yearsbefore for the mining of gold in surface gravels, was plainly only, makeshiftlegislation. Naturally the provisions of this placer law with its requirement, of discovery as a. prerequisite to location are nothing less than absurd whenapplied to petroleum deposits, hundreds or thousands of feet beneath thesurface. Other reasons which 'render oil-land legislation an urgent? necessityarise first from the large acreage of lands believed to be valuable for theirdeposits of oil and gas and therefore withdrawn by Executive order from allentry pending the enactment of an appropriate law for their disposition-awithdrawal that has been specially ratified by Congress in the case of oneState, Utah-and second from the exceptional importance of this resource to thenation, the large industrial worth of petroleum, and indeed its paramount valueto the navy, not being suspected 17 years ago when Congress last legislatedupon this subject.

Mineral land of this type is also well adapted to serve for purposes ofillustration in discussing the general principles that demand recognition inlegislative reform. Most of the issues involved in the consideration ofoil-land legislation are clean-cut, and essential differences of opinion will be seen to be based upon radical divergence in economic theory rather than uponconflicting views concerning unimportant details.

For the last five years or more the geologists of the Federal Survey havediscussed this subject and prepared memorandums and reports on the variousbills introduced in Congress. Most of the provisions suggested ill the presentoutline have been under consideration at one time or another during thatperiod, and many of the statements which follow can be said to represent theconsensus of opinion among those of us who, both in the field and in theoffice, have given special attention to the public oil lands.

AIME 048–40
Is It Feasible to Make Common Carriers of Natural Gas Transmission Lines?
Authors: Wyer Samuel S.
Published: June 2014

Over 8,000,000 people in the United States depend on natural gas for theircooking, heating and lighting service. This service has been made possible onlyby the investment of large amounts of capital in transportation linesconnecting the gas wells to the various communities, thus combining a hazardousmining operation with a public utility service. The effect that making theselines "common carriers" will have on the present and future service tothese 8,000,000 or more people is of far reaching ethical and economicimportance, and deserves careful consideration. As an introduction, it must beconceded that:Natural gas, although a mineral and obtained by a mining operation with moreuncontrollable and uncertain features to cope with than exist in the mining ofcoal or other minerals when served to the public becomes a public utilityservice.The governmental power to regulate all public utilities in the interests ofthe public cannot be successfully disputed.Mere suggestion of inconvenience to the utility is wholly irrelevant, as itcannot be considered or allowed to influence in making a defense againstgovernmental regulation. Unfortunately it is not generally appreciated that:Legislative enactments are not necessarily laws, and cannot abrogateeconomic laws or alter engineering facts.There is a clear distinction between "common carrier' and "publicutility," although the terms are frequently confused. "A common carrieris one who undertakes for hire to transport persons or goods, or both, fromplace to place for all persons indifferently, the term implying indifference asto whom shall be served, and an equal readiness to serve all who apply, in theorder of their application."

On the other hand, property becomes a "public utility" only "whenfor a particular purpose the public have a right to resort to the premises and make use of them."

It is, therefore, important to note that not all public utilities can beregarded as common carriers.

AIME 048–42
The Origin of Petroleum
Authors: Von Hofer Hans
Published: June 2014

Apart from the hypothesis of a cosmic origin (which failed of acceptancebecause it was not adequately supported by facts), the only important controversy concerning the origin of petroleum has been, fora, long time, between the advocates of inorganic and of organic origin respectively. Each of these theories has had along history of development, and is still being perfected, under the influence of two causes:the increasinglyextensive and thorough study of the oil-fields (of which new examples are periodically discovered and opened; andthe progressof synthetic experiments devoted to this question.

Moreover, the advance in our physical and chemical knowledge of theproperties of this peculiar natural product has necessarily modified all criticism of conflicting views.

I. The Hypothesis of Inorganic Origin

That the nation of an inorganic origin of petroleum, first set forth byBerthelot in 1866, and afterward ingeniously developed and formulated by Mendelejeff, should thus have proceeded chieflyfrom chemists, is quite natural; for the question was one of possible chemical processes in the earth's interior, and of imaginedchemical reactions to be verified by experiment. Hypotheses of this kind were suggested by many chemists, of whomtwo, P. Sabatier and J. H. Senderens, may be specially named by reason of their highly interesting chemicalexperiments.

Among geologists, Mendelejeff's hypothesis was received at first with muchinterest and favor; for it rested on the assumption of a central terrestrial mass of iron carbide, and the geologistshad good reasons for adopting that assumption.

Yet comparatively few of them attempted to furnish geological proofs of thehypothesis: the majority either silently believed in it, or for one or another reason rejected it altogether.

An apparently weighty support of Mendelejeff's view was furnished by theAmerican, G. F. Becker, who found in the oil-regions of the United States important and abnormal disturbances of the isogons ofterrestrial magnetism, and inferred that in these regions the central iron mass must come nearer to the surface thanelsewhere.

AIME 048–43
Rock Disturbances Theory of Petroleum Emanations vs. the Anti-clinal or Structural Theory of Petroleum Accumulations
Authors: Coste Eugene
Published: June 2014

Although some of the observers who first paid especial attention to theoccurrences of oil and gas in the strata (such as Hunt in 1859, Andrews in1861; Winchell in 1865, Mendelejeff in 1876, Hofer in 1876, Minshall in 1881, and I. C. White in 1883) seem to have been impressed with the fact that oil andgas deposits were connected with the disturbances in the rocks caused by theirupheaval yet, with the exception of Mendelejeff, and possibly Andrews, theseobservers do not appear to have understood what is really the one essentialfactor in the occurrence of oil and gas in the strata: viz., the faulting, uplifting, fracturing, fissuring, and jointing always accompanying even slightrock disturbances, and in certain districts (petroliferous province) allowingsolfataric hydrocarbon emanations to force their way up from the interior andto reach and impregnate the porous portions of sediments subjected to thedisturbances. Instead of this simple explanation to account for the observedconnection between petroleum deposits and rock disturbances, most of theobservers mentioned above, and many others who have followed them on the samelines since, have entirely reversed the problem. To them, instead of thedissemination of gases from fissures into the sediments, it presented theaccumulation and concentration, according to anti-clinal or other geologicstructures, of oil and gas originally present throughout the whole mass of thestrata where they were produced by the decomposition or distillation of organicremains.

Whether this important problem involves accumulation from sources within thestrata themselves, or infiltration and dissemination from out- side sources, may be easily determined if all preconceived ideas are put aside and theestablished facts only are considered.

AIME 048–44
The Russian Oil Fields
Authors: Adiassevich A.
Published: June 2014

Petroleum has been found in Russia in various localities from north tosouth, as may be seen from the list given below:In the basin of the Petchora river, Northern Russia.In the basin of the Volga river, in the governments of Samara andSaratoff.In the government of Astrakhan and in the Uralsk territory, close to thenorthern and eastern coast of the Caspian Sea.At Grozny in Northeastern Caucasus.In the Daghestan territory, Eastern Caucasus, on the Caspian Sea.On the Apsheron peninsula (Baku and other districts) close to the CaspianSea shore.On the island of Tcheleken in the Caspian Sea, also on the island ofSviatoi.In the Transcaspian territory on the Neftianaia Gora (Oil hill) and on thesurrounding hills.In the Ferghana valley in Russian Central Asia.On the Kertch and Taman peninsulas on the Black sea.In Siberia it has been discovered in the Transbaikal territory and on theisland of Sakhalin.

In the above-mentioned districts petroleum has been found to exist underdifferent geological conditions and to vary in its chemical and physicalproperties.

At the present time petroleum is produced in Russia at Baku, Grozny, on theisland of Tcheleken, in the Ferghana district, and in the Uralsk territory. Theyearly production in 1912 throughout the Russian Empire amounted to 69,400,000barrels, of which the Baku fields were responsible for 52,000,000 barrels. Thisshows that the Balm fields on the Apsheron peninsula are the chiefoil-producing centers in Russia, being at the same time the oldest of all ouroil fields. In this paper I shall discuss the Baku fields only, leaving all theothers until a later date.

The Apsheron peninsula in the Eastern Caucasus protrudes into the Caspian seain the shape of a triangle some 47 miles long covering a total area of some 750square miles.

AIME 048–48
Some New Methods for Estimating the Future Production of Oil Wells
Authors: Lewis J.O. , Beal Carl  H.
Published: June 2014

Introduction

Oil wells usually reach their maximum daily output shortly after they arecompleted. From that time they decline in production; the rapidity of declinedepending on the output of the wells and on other factors governing theirproductivity. The production curve of a well shows the amount of oil producedper unit of time for several consecutive periods; if the conditions affectingthe rate of production are not changed by outside influences, the curve will befairly regular, and, if projected, will furnish useful knowledge as to thefuture production of the well. By the aid of this knowledge the value of aproperty may be judged, and proper depletion and depreciation charges may bemade on the books of the operating company. Certain difficulties peculiar tooil production are encountered when estimating the future production of oilwells, and the oil producer has been more uncertain regarding the futureproduction of his property than the producer of almost any other mineral.

In recent years much attention has been devoted to this problem, andconsiderable progress has been made in the development of methods forestimating future production. As valuable as these methods are, to the producerwho knows how to use them, they still leave much to be desired in accuracy andease of application. Methods are needed that are more dependable, that willfurnish closer estimates from data obtainable early in the life of theproperty, that show the limitation of the estimates, and that may be quicklyand easily applied. The present paper discusses some new methods which meetsome of these requirements.

So far as we know, the information given is new. The methods outlined havegreatly assisted us in evaluating oil properties in certain fields during thelast 2 years, and if confirmed by data now being gathered in other fields, their value will be still greater. Although the deductions here presented havebeen derived from enough data to warrant the belief that further investigationswill confirm them, some of them are advanced only tentatively.

AIME 059–48
Age of the Oil in Southern Oklahoma Fields
Authors: Powers Sidney
Published: June 2014

Introduction

Since the opening of the Wheeler oil and gas field in Carter County and thediscovery of oil near Lawton, Comanche County, Okla., in 1904, interest hasbeen aroused regarding the origin of the oil in the Permian ?Red Bed? regionwhich lies between the Wichita and Arbuckle Mountains on the north and the RedRiver on the south. The later development of the Healdton, Loco, Duncan, Fox, and Graham fields south and west of the Arbuckle Mountains has brought theregion into prominence, Recent discoveries of Ordovician and of Pennsylvanianfossils in wells in the Healdton field and of Pennsylvanian fossils in the Foxand Graham fields are of such importance from a scientific and a commercialstandpoint that the occurrences and the problems arising therefrom are herebriefly described.

Producing oil and gas sands in the southern Oklahoma fields, with the exceptionof those in the Cretaceous and underlying rocks in the vicinity of Madill, Marshall County, are associated with the Permian ?Red Beds? or with theunderlying Paleozoic strata. In the two fields farthest south of the ArbuckleMountains, Healdton and Loco, production has been entirely confined to sands atdepths of 700 to 1400 ft. (213 to 416 m.) and only recently has a producingsand as deep as 1860 ft. (567 m.) been encountered. These sands are found nearand below the base of the red rocks and were supposed by Wegemann and Heald tobelong in large part to the basal Permian, Wichita formation, or to theimmediately underlying formations. Fossils in the blue shales and in thelimestones associated with the deeper sands now prove them to be Pennsylvanianand all the producing sands at Healdton are found to be of this age.

AIME 059–51
Possible Existence of Deep-seated Oil Deposits on Gulf Coast
Authors: Lucas Anthony F.
Published: June 2014

The discovery of oil in 1901 on the Spindletop dome, Texas, inaugurated anew industry on the Gulf Coast, an industry which has grown with the discoveryof successive fields, until today it engages the services of thousands ofworkers and employs enormous capital. New fields are being discovered from timeto time and doubtless some still remain to be found, though of late yearsdiscoveries have become more infrequent. Nowadays several hundred dry holes aredrilled each year in a fruitless and blind effort to discover new fields, foras yet geologic science has developed no effectual method of locating thecoastal oil deposits in advance of drilling.

Moreover, despite the occasional discovery of new fields, the totalproduction of the Gulf Coast is today no greater than it was in 1906, for theadded production of the new fields has been offset by the rapid decline andmore or less complete exhaustion of some of the older ones. Careful geologicwork within the fields has in some cases increased the production temporarily, but has developed no really new supplies. The Gulf Coast oil industry seems tohave passed its period of greatest expansion and to be declining at a fairlysteady rate, and this condition is naturally viewed with alarm by the morefarsighted operators.

In my opinion, the time has come for the adoption of radical and aggressivemethods of prospecting; and a fraction of the money wasted yearly in drillingshallow wells in hopeless locations might well be devoted to this purpose. Manyfacts lead me to believe that all the salt-dome oil has had a common origin;that it has migrated up from considerable depth along lines of structuralweakness; and that a deep well, properly located, stands an excellent chance ofdiscovering the parent reservoir and thus of developing new and probably greatsupplies. This paper is presented as a discussion - necessarily hypotheticaland based largely on personal opinion - of the possibility of encounteringdeep-seated oil deposits beneath the salt domes.

Salt-Dome Structure

All of the oil produced in the coastal region of Texas and Louisiana isprobably associated with salt domes, though in Goose Creek, Edgerly, and one ortwo other fields no salt has yet been actually penetrated.

AIME 061–46
Oil Fields of Persia
Authors: Hunter Campbell M.
Published: June 2014

Petroleum is found in almost every province in Persia. On the northernfrontier, along the southern shore of the Caspian Sea, it is found near Enzelliand Shakhtesar and gas at Khoremabad. Oil is also found at Gumish Tepe, northwest of Astrabad, on the southeastern shore of the Caspian Sea. Furtherinland, to the south of Astrabad, oil is found at Dchahkuh-i-balae, also on themargin of the Khorasan desert at Semnan, 115 mi. (35 m.) east of Teheran.

Along the western frontier, from northwest to southeast, oil is encounteredat Ouschachi, north of Lake Urumieh; in the province of Azerbaijan, at Zohab, Khanikin, and other places in. the district of Kormanshah in the province ofArdelan. Further south, in the province of Luristan, oil is found east ofMendeli and in the Pusht-i-kuh districts. Considerable quantities of oil arealso obtained from Schuster, Maidani-Naphtun, Ram-Hormuz, Beheban, which arealmost on a straight line, running northwest and southeast along the foothil1sof the Bakhtiari Mountains. At Ahwaz, in the province of Arabistan, oil hasbeen found along another range of hills whose axis also lies in anorthwest-southeast direction.

In the Fars province, boring for oil has taken place at Daliki, andindications of oil are found at Kheri, Fasa, Darab, and other places. A gasshow is also recorded at Kuhi-Sung-Atush in this province, 30 mi. (48 km.) eastof Darab. In the south of Persia, oil is encountered on Qishm Island, also atAhmedi and other places north of Bunder Abbas. On the southeastern frontier, oil is found on the Sarhad range of hills. Thus, oil indications have beennoted over a distance of approximately 1100 mi. along the western and 700 mi.along the northern frontiers of Persia.

History

The first working of oil in Persia of which there is any record took placeat Kir-ab-us, Susiana, now known as Kirab, about 57 mi. northwest of Schuster.Herodotus (about B. C. 450) reported a well near Ardericca that produced threedifferent substances; namely, asphalt, salt, and oil. The oil, which was blackand had a strong smell, was called Rhadamance by the Persians.

AIME 065–06
Oil Possibilities in Northern Alabama
Authors: Semmes Douglas R.
Published: June 2014

The possible oil territory of Alabama can be readily divided into tworegions, the Paleozoic area of the north, and the Coastal Plain province of Cretaceous and younger formations lying to the south. This latter area hasreceived much attention in the last few years and has been described by anumber of writers. Although the possibilities of the Cretaceous series havebeen much emphasized by recent writers, the fact remains that the two, orpossibly three, localities where oil or gas have been found in anything likepaying quantities are confined to the area of Carboniferous rocks. Moreover, almost all of the oil seeps and a good percentage of the gas seeps are confinedto this area.

Topographically, as well as structurally, the Paleozoic area can be dividedinto three rather well defined provinces:The broad, open Coosa Valleylying adjacent to the crystalline oldland, with comparatively little relief, except for occasional longitudinal ridges and rather intense folding;theplateau region of horizontal or gently warped Pennsylvanian strata broken byoccasional anticlinal valleys aligned northeast and southwest, outliers of theCoosa Valley proper, in which the older Paleozoic formations are exposed - aregion of much relief (200 to 300 ft.) and thorough dissection, well wooded, and of little agricultural importance; andthe Tennessee Valley region ofhorizontal or gently warped Pennsylvanian and Mississippian strata, where therelief is not so marked, the wooded area is less extensive, and the country isof more importance agriculturally.

Stratigraphy

The following generalized section gives an approximate idea of the thicknessand lithologic character of the formations of the region as a whole. TheCarboniferous series, especially, shows lateral variations of strikingprominence, but certain horizons are persistent throughout the area.

AIME 065–17
Irvine Oil District, Kentucky
Authors: St. Clair Stuart
Published: June 2014

In view of the great interest shown in the oil possibilities of Kentucky, one is impressed with the paucity of reliable literature on the oil fields ofthe state. A few brief reports by the Federal and State Geological Surveys areabout the only reliable data available. When the estimated production figures, for 1918, are published by the U. S. Geological Survey, they will show arevival of the oil industry in the Blue Grass State during the past halfdecade. There will also be an increase in the production for 1919 and 1920, atleast. Although as an oil-producing state Kentucky is small, compared with someof the other oil states, the present production and the area of undrilledproved territory is large enough to classify it as one of the important oilstates of the Union. This paper will be confined to the Irvine District and theimmediately adjoining areas which have been prospected with varying success.The Corniferous limestone or Irvine sand is the oil-producing formation in thearea discussed.

In my divisional nomenclature, the Irvine District includes the Irvine field, which extends from the town of Irvine eastward toward Campton; the Big Sinkingarea, which joins and lies to the south of the eastern part of the Irvinefield; the Beattyville area, which lies to the north and northeast of the townof that name and joins the Big Sinking area; and the Ross Creek pool, whichlies to the southwest of the big production and across the Kentucky River.Except for the Ross Creek pool, the main producing area is bounded on the eastby the L. &E. R. R. and on the west and south by the Irvine Branch of theL. &N. R. R. Winchester and Lexington form the gateways and Torrent on theeast, Irvine on the west, and Beattyville on the south are the principleentrances to the main fields. Evelyn, on the L. &N. R. R., south ofIrvine, is the point of entrance to the Ross Creek area.

Geology

The geology of the Irvine District is very simple. The rock formations withwhich the oil man should acquaint himself lie between the lower measures of thePennsylvanian sandstones and shales and the Devonian or Corniferous limestone, or Irvine formation. Only a very brief description of these formations will begiven, as they have been described fully by E. W. Shaw.

AIME 065–20