All articles by Chris Lo
Chris Lo
Revamped Kishorn Port hosts an offshore titan
Diamond Offshore’s Ocean GreatWhite, the largest semi-submersible drilling rig in the world, arrived at Kishorn Port in northwest Scotland on 15 January. The arrival is a great success for the port, which has been regenerated over the last decade to make it suitable for more oil and gas-related work.
UK North Sea outlook: the truth behind the numbers
New research from the University of Aberdeen confirms that significant gains in long-term production on the UK Continental Shelf are within reach of the industry. But optimistic numbers don’t tell the whole story. With a future peppered by uncertainties, what is standing in the way of the UK oil industry hitting its long-term production goals and maximising economic recovery from the region?
Oil strikes: the North Sea’s summer of discontent
Offshore strikes in Norway and the UK have made summer 2018 a season of discontent for the industry. What are the production impacts of strikes such as these in mature hydrocarbon regions, and how can the industry reduce the chances of further disruption from strike action?
Decommissioning North Sea platforms: should we let sleeping giants lie?
With massive decommissioning costs on the horizon in the UK North Sea, University of Aberdeen academic Tom Baxter has argued that there is no reason to actually remove offshore oil platforms. Instead, they should be made ‘clean’ and able to support marine life. Many environmental groups disagree. Given the costs involved in removing offshore infrastructure, would it make sense to avoid outright removal?
US gas production will continue to grow into 2021
GlobalData’s latest analysis of US natural gas production expects the country’s production to grow to 86 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) by 2021.
Timeline: game-changing gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean
Massive gas discoveries in the Mediterranean Sea’s Levant Basin have attracted a flood of investment – and no shortage of geopolitical tension. This timeline brings together some of the most important milestones in the development of offshore gas projects in the eastern Mediterranean.
Jumping ship: Danish giants pull out of the oil industry
Two major Danish players have divested from offshore oil, with the recent sale of Maersk Oil to Total for $7.45bn following Dong Energy’s decision to exit oil & gas and focus on wind power earlier this year. So why the exodus and what does it mean for the once-strong Danish oil industry?
Targeting neutral: big oil and the carbon dilemma
From carbon offsetting to diversification and supporting carbon pricing schemes, the oil and gas industry is attacking the carbon dilemma from a number of angles. But can oil companies really transition away from their primary products, and what is the right balance to strike between supporting the climate change agenda and protecting an industry’s core business?
Is privatisation working out for Mexico’s oil industry?
The Mexican government’s decision to open its oil sector, historically monopolised by national oil company Pemex, to private investment has been a controversial process. But with a major recent discovery by private partners and bidding on new offshore rounds now gaining momentum, has privatisation proven its worth to an oil-exporting nation that has been struggling with declining production rates?
Sulphate-reducing bacteria: terrors of the deep
Sulphate-reducing bacteria add up to a huge problem for offshore oil producers, so how can a better understanding of these microbes’ functions help the industry tackle the problem of corrosion and reservoir souring? Dr Casey Hubert of the University of Calgary discusses his research into these bacteria, and how they might even help identify new hydrocarbon deposits in the future.