Business Monitor has just released its latest findings on Ghana’s burgeoning Oil & Gas sector in its newly-published Ghana Oil & Gas Report.

As the Jubilee field, which secured Ghana's place as a West African oil exporter, approaches peak output of 120,000 barrels per day following a series of technical problems, the nascent producer is increasingly looking to continue the boom as interest in the region's untapped deepwater potential remains high. Approval of the TEN project will see Ghana's second major oil development come online from late 2016; however, Business Monitor see risks that without a positive investment decision on a number of promising new discoveries under appraisal and/or new finds, the country's overall output will begin to gradually slip from the end of the decade. Although the Jubilee gas project now seems on track, tensions between Eni and the government over the Sankofa project will result in delays to Ghana's push to bring online more gas. This could see the government turn to liquefied natural gas to meet the shortfall in the wake of a precarious outlook for imported gas via pipeline from Nigeria.

Examples of the main trends and developments discussed in the report:

■ After a troubled start, output from the Tullow Oil-operated Jubilee field is on track to reach the target production rate of 120,000 barrels per day (b/d) by the end of 2013. According to Tullow's H213 operational update, output was averaging 110,000b/d and remained on track to reach the plateau rate of 120,000b/d the end of the year. With operators Tullow and Kosmos noting that current well deliverability at Jubilee exceeds the current capacity of existing infrastructure, further development may be required to allow for maximum monetisation of the field. Further development of Jubilee poses upside risk to Business Monitor’s forecasts, with plans designed to extend the fields plateau.

■ In another sign of strength for Ghana's oil sector, regulatory approval was given to the Tullow-led Tweneboa-Enyerna-Ntomme project (TEN), which will see peak output of 80,000b/d (less than the 100,000b/d initially planned) and is due to come online by late-2016. Tullow is in the process of seeking a buyer for up to 20% stake by Q114 in order to fund the US$4.9bn project.

■ This increased upstream activity will support rising production, which Business Monitor expect will grow from around 110,000b/d in 2013 to 243,000b/d by the end of their forecast period in 2022. However, these volumes assume the contribution of new supplies beyond fields currently approved, namely liquids from Eni's Sankofa development. With the introduction of new supplies from fields under appraisal such as the Mahogany, Teak, Akasa and Banda (MTAB) or the Cape Three Points Block, Business Monitor see risks that output will begin to fall from the end of the decade. There is added downside risk to this view from the prospect of a faster-than-expected rate of decline at the Jubilee field.

■ New production will be important, in line with a strong macroeconomic picture; oil demand is expected to rise, which will in turn reduce the amount of oil available for export, hitting earnings. However, with added supplies, should Ghana fail to invest in its downstream, it will continue to rely on expensive imports of refined products from abroad as the ageing refinery at Port Tema falls short of domestic demand.

■ A deal announced in late September would see Tema upgrade aging equipment in order to increase capacity from 45,000b/d currently to 60,000b/d by 2015. Current utilisation is 60% according to Tema officials, but the facility has struggle in the past given financing and equipment woes since 2009. Ghana continues to seek private investment, with the government acknowledging it alone will be unable to finance operations. There is a chance capacity could rise to as much as 245,000b/d over the long term if new facilities come online toward 2018. An absence of firm plans prevents inclusion of new capacity in Business Monitor’s current forecast.

■ Business Monitor see that the outlook for gas is promising, but as indicated by recent delays to the US$700mn project to capture gas from the Jubilee field, there are a number of risks to developing the necessary infrastructure to monetise gas, given the primary target for operators is liquids. After Sinopec halted work and threatened to completely pull-out of the Jubilee gas project following a row over missed financial obligations by the Ghanaian government, Business Monitor pushed back first gas to 2014. While the project is likely to come online next year, they see risks to future phases from both a lack of funds and the prospect that greater volumes of gas will be directed to increasing recovery rates from the Jubilee oil field as output plateaus.

■ While Business Monitor see scope for Ghana to eliminate its reliance on imported gas, uncertainty regarding supply and demand calls leads them to maintain a small import requirement fed by the WAGP for the duration of their 10-year forecast period.

To find out more about this report please click here.

Ferguson Group’s accommodation service vessel, the ASV Pioneer, is ready to be deployed on its next contract having successfully completed a salvage operation support project on the Costa Concordia in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Ferguson Group, specialists in the rental of offshore DNV 2.1-1/EN12079 containers, refrigeration/freezer modules, engineering modules and accommodation solutions to the global offshore energy industry, has worked on the salvage contract since October 2012. The ASV Pioneer played a key part in supporting the salvage operation, providing offshore accommodation for up to 90 team members plus deck space for diving spread and specialist grouting equipment.

Mike Melville, Commercial Director, at the Ferguson Group, said: “After taking delivery of the ASV Pioneer in 2011, we invested in an extensive refurbishment programme for the vessel to bring it up to the highest standards, in line with our wider product range.

ASV Pioneer supporting the Costa Concordia salvage operation

“The Pioneer has already demonstrated its versatility, with its most recent involvement on the Costa Concordia Mediterranean salvage mission. The large, open deck space and the high quality accommodation offered by the ASV Pioneer demonstrated that the vessel is an extremely flexible solution for offshore projects, across a wide range of industries and many global locations.” In a previous project the vessel was equipped with an A-frame and associated carousel for a cable-laying contract in the North Sea.”

Following completion of the salvage support operation the ASV Pioneer is now berthed in the central Mediterranean and available for charter immediately.

Currently the ASV Pioneer can provide an accommodation complex for up to 120 people on-board, including two person cabins complete with en-suite facilities, galley, mess, gym, medic and recreational facilities. The vessel accommodation complex is manufactured to DNV 2.7-1/EN12079 standards and provides a large working open deck area measuring 1100m², with a load capacity of 15 tonnes/m².

The combination of the high standard accommodation and the large capacity of the deck space, which can be configured to suit a variety of industrial equipment, means that the ASV Pioneer is particularly suited to projects within the oil and gas and renewables sectors.

By using the Earth’s magnetic field, combined with new innovative technology, oil and gas drilling companies are increasing oilfield productivity while reducing development costs and environmental impacts.

An article in the fall 2013 issue of Oilfield Review highlights this technology and its applications across the world. It also discusses the public-private collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and partners to successfully implement the technology.

These days, multiple reservoirs of oil and gas can be accessed from a single platform by drilling vertically and then horizontally. Drill operators need to know which way their drill bits are going to maximize oil production and avoid collisions with other wells. One way to accomplish this important task is to install a magnetometer—a sort of modern-day “compass”—in a drill-string instrument package that follows the drill bit.

The USGS plays a unique role by monitoring the geomagnetic field every single second at magnetic observatories throughout the country. Through a process called geomagnetic referencing, simultaneous measurements of the magnetic field in the drill hole are combined with those from magnetic observatories at the Earth’s surface to produce a highly accurate estimate of the drill bit position and direction.

The Earth’s magnetic field changes all the time across the world as a result of factors like periodic daily tides or rapid magnetic storms that are related to the 11-year sunspot solar cycle. And at high latitudes, such as in northern Alaska or the North Sea, the geomagnetic field can be very active and can change dramatically during magnetic storms.

“Drill-bit positioning requires directional accuracy of a fraction of a degree, and this can be accomplished with advanced technology and expert understanding of the Earth’s dynamic magnetic field,” said Carol A. Finn, USGS Geomagnetism Group Leader. “USGS operational systems measure the magnetic field on a continuous basis. These data are provided as a service to research scientists, civilian and defense government agencies, and to customers in the private sector, including the oil and gas drilling industry.”

The USGS Geomagnetism Program monitors variations in the Earth’s magnetic field through a network of 14 ground-based observatories around the United States and its territories. There are many customers for geomagnetism data, since the variable conditions of space weather can interfere with radio communication, GPS systems, electric power grids, the operation and orientation of satellites, and even air travel as high altitude pilots and astronauts can be subjected to enhanced levels of radiation.

Internationally, the USGS magnetic observatory network is part of the global INTERMAGNET network. Domestically, the USGS Geomagnetism Program works cooperatively with government partners within the U.S. National Space Weather Program, including NOAA and the Air Force Weather Agency, and with private companies that are affected by space weather and geomagnetic activity.

Read the Oilfield Review article: Geomagnetic referencing - The real-time compass for directional drillers.

Read a USGS factsheet: Monitoring the Earth’s dynamic magnetic field.

Watch a 7 minute video about the USGS Geomagnetism Program.

Royal Dutch Shell plc ("Shell" )has announces the successful completion of the acquisition of Repsol S.A.'s ("Repsol") liquefied natural gas (LNG) portfolio outside North America for a headline cash consideration of $4.1 billion. As part of the transaction, Shell will also assume $1.6 billion of balance sheet liabilities relating to existing leases for LNG ship charters, substantially increasing the shipping capacity available to Shell's world-class LNG marketing business.

The deal gives Shell an additional 7.2 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of directly managed LNG volumes. The company's already diverse and flexible portfolio will be boosted with LNG supply in the Atlantic from Trinidad & Tobago, and in the Pacific from Peru. In addition, it immediately contributes additional cash flow, while requiring limited on-going capital expenditure.
Since the announcement of the transaction in February 2013, certain value adjustments have been made in accordance with the terms of the sales and purchase agreement. These are expected to lead to a net cash purchase price of $3.8 billion (subject to post closing adjustments), compared to purchase price of $4.4 billion announced in February 2013, and balance sheet liabilities of $1.6 billion, compared to $1.8 billion at the initial announcement. This includes the exercise of pre-emption rights of the BBE power plant in Spain by an existing partner as well as other adjustments such as the financial performance of the portfolio and working capital movements since the effective date of 1st October 2012.
The deal closed in 2014. Shell's capital investment in Q4 2013 will reflect $3.4 billion for this transaction with the remainder of $2.0 billion booked in 2014 of which $1.6 billion is a non cash item relating to finance ship leases.

The transaction will add:
a) Net 4.2 mtpa equity LNG plant capacity, increasing the company's equity LNG capacity by around 20%, from 22 to 26 mtpa.
• Atlantic LNG trains 1-4; 14.8 mtpa capacity on a 100% basis (20-25% equity per train); operated by Atlantic LNG Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
• Peru LNG 4.45 mtpa capacity, on a 100% basis (acquisition: 20% equity: 100% offtake); operated by Peru LNG Company.
• A fleet of LNG carriers, comprising both long term and short term time charters.
b) 7.2 mtpa of LNG volumes through long term off-take agreements.
c) As part of this agreement, as previously disclosed, Shell has committed to supply around 0.1 mtpa of LNG to Repsol's Canaport LNG terminal in Canada over a period of 10 years.

New Industries, Inc. has announced the completion of the expansion of its Morgan City piping fabrication shop. The expansion adds an additional 10,000 square feet of useable space, two additional overhead cranes, and a new automatic Submerged Arc welding system. The piping fabrication shop is used for manufacturing subsea piping components and assemblies.

"The expansion of the pipe shop provides additional fabrication space and includes an indoor storage area for customer property and a climate-controlled storage for welding consumables," stated Bill New, company President. "This new addition is a part of our ongoing commitment to increasing our capacity and efficiency in the fabrication of subsea equipment."

The expansion oubles the Company's available capacity for piping fabrication and is the response of New Industries to a growing volume of customer orders for subsea piping components.

Founded in 1986, New Industries, Inc. is a Morgan City, Louisiana based specialty steel fabricator serving the offshore oil and gas and marine industries. The company specializes in large diameter ASME pressure vessels; subsea production hardware such as suction piles, jumpers, PLETs, PLEMs, and manifolds; and DNV type-approved portable buildings including blast resistant design and pressurization for hazardous locations. 

NYC-based PIRA Energy Group reports that midcontinent fundamentals improve as weather turns cold.  In the U.S., product stocks build while crude draws.  In Japan, there is a big crude stock draw, but weaker product demands. Specifically, PIRA’s analysis of the oil market fundamentals has revealed the following:

Midcontinent Fundamentals Improve as Weather Turns Cold

Crude oil fundamentals improved throughout the Midcontinent in December, with stocks declining at least modestly at Cushing, Patoka, West Texas, the Rockies, Western Canada and the Gulf Coast. Winter has begun with a vengeance in the Midcontinent – from ice storms in Texas and Oklahoma to subzero temperatures in the Far North. Production impacts are likely to be most pronounced in the oil sands of Alberta and rural areas of North Dakota. Weather is also affecting truck and rail deliveries, with the latter exacerbated by yet another crude-by-rail accident.

U.S. Product Stocks Build while Crude Draws

Total commercial inventories increased this past week with a decline in crude oil more than offset by an increase in products. Crude runs remained very high. Reported demand was down largely due to the New Year’s Holiday as well as severe winter weather impacts (less travel, power outages, people hunkered down in many areas). For the same week last year, stocks built, so the year-on-year stock deficit widened.

A Big Japanese Crude Stock Draw, but Weaker Product Demands

The most notable items were a sharp drop in crude stocks for the latest week (1/4) and the relatively weak demands to begin 2014, which strongly built finished product stocks. The overall balance in total commercial stocks, however, rose only 1.1 MMBbls from the data that had last been reported on 12/21. We expect the data to normalize in the next week or so, with demand rebounding for all the major products.

U.S. Propane – Market Leader

U.S. propane continues to provide market leadership as stocks ended the year at a historically quite low level. The warming this coming week will provide some relief to end-users, and enable more resupply downstream, but cold will likely resume thereafter, keeping propane as the leader of the NGL complex. International markets have been generally pressured lower by the arrival of cargoes from the USGC and West Africa, in addition to milder weather especially in Europe. The arb has shifted to favor USGC exports to Europe over Asia, although Latin America will certainly remain the prime outlet for US product.

U.S. Ethanol Prices Decline

Ethanol prices fell the week ending December 27 due to reduced demand for gasoline blending. In addition, inventories in PADD II were the highest since May. Shortages of rail car space supported prices on the coasts.

Ethanol Production Increases

U.S. ethanol production started the year by rising to 919 MB/D from 913 MB/D during the prior week. The manufacture of ethanol-blended gasoline tumbled for the second consecutive week after having reached a record 8,856 MB/D during the week ending December 20. 

The information above is part of PIRA Energy Group's weekly Energy Market Recap, which alerts readers to PIRA’s current analysis of energy markets around the world as well as the key economic and political factors driving those markets. 

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) have announced that it is soliciting proposals for oil spill response research projects and will be investing up to $7 million to support these projects in 2014. In a Broad Agency Announcement released on the federal governments business opportunities website, www.FedBizOpps.gov, the bureau called for white papers focusing specifically on one of 10 topic areas for proposed research covering oil spill response operations on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.

"This announcement continues and enhances BSEE's commitment to a comprehensive research program dedicated to improving oil spill response operations," said BSEE Oil Spill Response Division Chief David Moore. "Through efforts such as this, we hope to spur further innovation and to improve upon the techniques and technology available to respond to potential oil spills."

The deadline for submitting white papers is January 20, 2014. Topics should be limited to the following:

- cataloging BSEE's oil spill response research programs funded research recommendations and key findings that may have an Impact on BSEE regulations;

- scientifically based planning standards for dispersant effectiveness and usage rates;

- scientifically based planning standards for burn boom effectiveness and usage rates;

- oil spill detection and analysis using remote sensing technologies;

- subsea oil spill detection sensors;

- mechanical recovery capability of chemically treated oil;

- solidifying the scientific capabilities of Ohmsett - quantifying mixing energy;

- solidifying the scientific capabilities of Ohmsett - effect of ambient chemical levels;

- development of "smart" skimming technologies; and

- establishment of technology readiness level definitions for oil spill response equipment.

For more information on these topics and directions for submital, please view the announcement here at www.FedBizOpps.gov.

Commentary from Bentek Energy Director of Energy Analysis Jack Weixel:
Platts oil and gas analytics unit, Bentek Energy, said that natural gas demand hit yet another milestone on Tuesday as the U.S. endured another day of subzero weather. Gas delivered to consumers across the U.S. on Tuesday hit 134.3 Bcf/d – supplanting Monday's short lived record demand mark of 130.4 Bcf/d. The increase in demand was most notable in the Northeast where residential and commercial demand jumped 30% from the prior day. Bentek Director of Energy Analysis, Jack Weixel, said that natural gas use for consumers is up across the board, regardless of weather, and that big temperature swings in the future will cause the same result. "You've got this massive supply source in the Marcellus, about 300 miles west of major New York and Mid-Atlantic market places, and prices of natural gas nationally have moderated considerably over the past five years, so utilities are leaning on the fuel as a go-to fuel source," said Mr. Weixel. "When cold strikes and more people are connected to the system, you have more systemic gas demand, so it becomes a pipeline capacity issue." The lack of pipeline capacity into New York could be responsible for the massive spot price increases seen in day ahead trading for Tuesday. Platts price data indicates that day ahead prices for gas delivered on Wednesday have decreased dramatically as demand is forecast to ease. Mr. Weixel concluded by saying that 'this is not the last time we'll see these big daily spikes in price, probably not the last time this winter, or at least until more capacity is built to serve an increasing customer base."

Platts Natural Gas Alert article which ran on Monday 1/7/14:
NE US SPOT NATURAL GAS PRICES FALL NEARLY $37/MMBTU ON WARMER WEATHER
Houston (Platts)--7Jan2014/1019 am EST/1519 GMT
Some spot natural gas prices in the US Northeast fell nearly $37/MMBtu
Tuesday, with forecasts calling for warmer temperatures Wednesday following a
bout of extremely cold weather.
Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Zone 6 non-New York sank $36.80 to average
in the lower $35.00s/MMBtu on IntercontinentalExchange, after hitting a new
all-time high Monday.
Transco Zone 6 New York dropped $20.79 to average in the lower
$32.10s/MMBtu, narrowing its discount to non-New York to $2.90 from $18.91
Monday.
Texas Eastern M3 dropped $25.26 to average in the lower $15.00s/MMBtu.
Algonquin Gas Transmission dropped $7 to average in the lower
$26.50s/MMBtu, with Tennessee Gas Pipe Line Zone 6-200 leg down $6.35 to
average in the upper $27.60s/MMBtu.
Iroquois Gas Transmission, receipts dropped $17.62 to average in the
mid-$19.00s/MMBtu, with Iroquois Zone 2 down $14.63 to average in the lower
$23.10s/MMbtu.
Other Northeast prices were mixed, with production region points up as
much as $1.30 as multiple pipeline companies posted notices restricting
secondary nominations amid the record demand seen Monday.
A mass of cold air swept into the northern US Monday, bringing wind
chills down to the minus 40s Fahrenheit from western New York to Wisconsin,
boosting spot natural gas prices to record highs in Monday trading.
By Wednesday, high temperatures below zero will be virtually gone from
the lower 48 states, said a report from The Weather Channel. By Thursday,
highs in the teens, 20s, or 30s will come to the Great Lakes and northeast
areas, the report said.
Washington was forecast to have a high of 27 F Wednesday following a high
of 14 F Tuesday. New York will see a high of 27 F, following a high of 13 F
Tuesday.
Platts unit Bentek Energy projected total northeast load to drop to 34.4
Bcf Wednesday, from 38.9 Bcf Tuesday.

Monday's Platts-Bentek's Gas Daily Market Fundamentals:
Demand surges to new record high of 134 Bcf/d

Demand continues to surge to 134.3 Bcf/d, breaking the record of 130.4 Bcf/d
set Monday, as frigid temperatures expand eastward.
The day-on-day gain can be attributed primarily to an 10.3-Bcf/d strengthening in Northeast
residential/commercial demand, which rose to 28.8 Bcf/d from 18.5 Bcf/d.
Total Midwest demand remains strong, falling only 2 Bcf/d to 31.3 Bcf/d, which
still ranks as the fourth-highest level since 2005.
The cold snap will start to taper off starting Wednesday, providing relief to the Midwest and Northeast
and likely pushing total demand below 100 Bcf/d by Friday. Production is up
roughly 0.3 Bcf/d, with a rebound of nearly 0.5 Bcf/d in the Fayetteville
basin, after its production was revised 0.7 Bcf/d lower in Monday's I2 cycle,
indicating possible freeze-offs.

Demonstrating how GE technology helps operators extend the life of aging offshore production equipment, GE Oil & Gas (NYSE: GE) is supplying Statoil Petroleum AS (OSE: STL, NYSE: STO) with its fifth generation SemStar5 Subsea Electronics Module to upgrade and extend the life of the subsea production control system for the Troll B field.
GE Oil & Gas designed, built and installed the original Troll B subsea production system in 1995. The new Troll B subsea control system will upgrade all wells on manifolds D, E, F, G and H.

The award-winning SemStar5 will be designed to be backwards compatible with the existing system and will replace the reliable, but now obsolete technology that was provided originally. The SemStar5 offers architectural flexibility for a variety of production control system applications, and has successfully been deployed on several Statoil fields in recent years and has been field proven as a robust and reliable solution for upgrading subsea production control systems.

Featuring a modular design approach, SemStar5 is an example of the Industrial Internet's role in boosting equipment efficiency and performance by providing the infrastructure that supports the higher bandwidth requirements of modern instrumentation while also offering high reliability. The modular design draws on GE's nearly 30 years of experience with subsea systems.

The first application of the new technology was for Statoil's Tordis Vigdis Controls Modification project in the North Sea, west of Norway, in about 656 feet (200 meters) of water.

Troll B was originally installed with a 20-year field life. Two decades later, GE is successfully maintaining the system on behalf of Statoil through its obsolescence management and active brownfield offerings.

"GE's subsea production control system upgrade for Statoil underscores the important role that advanced and ultra-reliable controls technology can play in supporting new and existing offshore production projects," said Tom Huuse, regional leader—Subsea Systems Services, Nordic Region for GE Oil & Gas. "GE's Subsea Controls and Services team worked closely with Statoil for more than a year to offer its expertise and support Statoil in identifying the optimum, cost-effective solution that minimizes production downtime and provides an expandable controls solution for the future."

In recent years operators have recognized the increased oil recovery opportunities in older fields by targeted technology insertion, and GE has responded to this need with an integrated support suite of offerings based on its leading edge technologies being installed in new green fields. Deployment of common modules and units such as the SemStar5 assure supportability and improved reliability and availability through the extended life of the field. This approach has been successfully validated on a number of projects already, and positions GE to be the brownfield controls supplier of choice for both GE and others' legacy fields.

GE's equipment is scheduled to be delivered in first half of 2015.

The Troll B agreement also marks the latest of several equipment supply orders announced between the two companies in 2013.
Based in Stavanger, Norway, Statoil Petroleum AS explores, produces and transports oil and gas including petroleum and petroleum-derived products. Statoil Petroleum AS is a subsidiary of Statoil ASA.

The Troll field is in the northern part of the Norwegian North Sea, around 65 kilometres west of Kollsnes, near Bergen. The license is operated by Statoil, (30.58 percent) and partners include Petoro (56 percent); Norske Shell (8.10 percent); Total E&P Norge (3.69 percent); and ConocoPhillips Skandinavia (1.62

Cameron (NYSE: CAM) has announced the retirement of John Carne as Chief Executive Officer of OneSubsea effective February 28, 2014. John has served as CEO of OneSubsea since the Cameron and Schlumberger joint venture was formed in June 30, 2013. Previously, John served Cameron for over 40 years in several senior level management positions, including Cameron's Chief Operating Officer. Scott Rowe, President, Production Systems for OneSubsea, will succeed John effective March 1.

Scott Rowe joined Cameron in 2002, and most recently served as Vice President of Cameron and President of the Company's Subsea Systems division, which later became part of OneSubsea. Prior to his Subsea Systems role, Scott served as President of Cameron's Engineered and Process Valves business in the Valves & Measurement Group and as Corporate Development Manager. While at Valves & Measurement, Scott played a leading role in the acquisition of the Dresser valve business. Before joining Cameron, Scott served in the US Army and worked for Varco International. He is an Engineering Management graduate from the US Military Academy at West Point and holds an MBA from Harvard University.

Jack Moore, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Cameron stated, "John has been instrumental to our success and has been a valued and respected member of my leadership team. His tremendous experience leading operations across our many business segments has been invaluable. He has shown a tireless commitment to our customers and has helped develop strong leaders that will support our business for many years to come." Moore went on to say, "We are very excited to have Scott succeed John in the top job at OneSubsea. Scott has an outstanding track record in each of his successive assignments at Cameron. His leadership and success in our Engineered and Process Valves business followed by his achievements in leading our Subsea Systems business make Scott highly qualified for his role in leading OneSubsea."
Cameron (NYSE: CAM) is a leading provider of flow equipment products, systems and services to worldwide oil, gas and process industries.

• GE's Site in Niteroi–Rio de Janeiro Increases Efficiency and Benefits Operations with NOC Petrobras

• Operation Creates 250 Jobs

• Base Hosts Largest Hammerhead Crane in the World, with 320-Ton Capacity

GE Oil & Gas (NYSE: GE) has announced the opening of the most modern logistics base for the Brazilian oil and gas sector. With an area of 590,000 square feet and investments that exceed $100 million, GE's base in Niteroi in the state of Rio de Janeiro was designed primarily to load and unload installer ships. These vessels carry heavy equipment, such as giant reels of flexible pipes, and target the mobilization and maintenance of oil wells.

"GE is proud to start the operations of this logistics base, a state-of-the-art structure that will enable a more efficient delivery of products and services for our client, Petrobras. This inauguration is an important step in strengthening GE's presence in the oil and gas sector and a significant contribution in terms of productivity gains for pre-salt fields exploration," said Marcelo Soares, global president and CEO of Wellstream, a GE Oil & Gas business.

 The base has a 320-ton capacity crane, the largest "hammerhead" in the world. The crane, which gets its name from its long arm and T-shape, required an investment of $7 million. It is 140 feet tall, equivalent to a 14-story building.

The operation of the logistics base creates 250 jobs. The project reinforces the company's innovation strategy in Brazil that has become a reference for GE worldwide. The new base will serve NOC Petrobras, a strategic client and partner of GE Oil & Gas in Brazil.

"The potential of the Brazilian oil market requires innovation. GE Oil & Gas will continue its historic partnership with the country to help promote new discoveries. It is of vital importance for us to be increasingly efficient in Brazil, strengthening our presence in the constantly growing local industry," said Joao Geraldo Ferreira, president and CEO for Latin America—GE Oil & Gas.

Facility Details
Aside from its offshore capabilities, the base also features advanced land transportation infrastructure. The facility has, for example, two straddle trucks, which sit high above the ground and carry cargo beneath their structure, and other equipment for moving large pipes on the ground with capacities of 300 and 350 tons each.
The site also has three warehouses that have a total area of 55,000 square feet for storage of accessories and parts.

The new logistics base is positioned close to a number of key components for Petrobras such as service providers and next to Wellstream's existing plant in Niteroi. This GE unit is a supplier to Petrobras and to other operators in Brazil with high-quality products and flexible pipes for oil and gas subsea transportation. The base also is strategically located nearby the Santos Basin in the Brazilian pre-salt area.

New Orleans based Harvey Gulf International Marine, announces the launching of its completely remodeled corporate website.   www.HARVEYGULF.com. The website has been updated to reflect the growth and presence of Harvey Gulf as one of the leaders in the US oil and gas industry as well as being the leader in LNG powered offshore support vessels. Visitors to the website will be able to access detailed specification sheets for the fleet, information regarding the LNG vessels and LNG facility, Alaskan operations as well as information about Harvey’s continued commitment to safety and quality.

CEO Shane Guidry commented:

"I am pleased to present my company’s new website as an extension of our commitment to our customers and their needs to have a clear understanding of the Harvey Gulf fleet and corporation. In particular the Go Green webpage provides important information for our customers regarding the LNG vessels under construction and the first LNG refueling facility to be located in Port Fourchon, LA.”

Founded in 1955, Harvey Gulf International Marine is a marine transportation company that specializes in towing drilling rigs and providing offshore supply and multi-purpose support vessels for deepwater operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. 

Subsea Riser Products (SRP), an Acteon company, has won a multi-million pound contract with Total to supply a 3,500-psi drilling riser and deployment tooling for the Moho Nord project in The Republic of the Congo. This is the first time that Total, an oil and gas super-major, has awarded SRP a direct contract.

The scope of the contract includes 43 joints for drilling from a tension leg platform in a water depth of 780 m, located 75 km off the coast of Pointe Noire. Manufacturing and assembly work will take place in the UK and mainland Europe, and the equipment will be delivered by March 2015. The project will call on skills from a range of departments within SRP, including design, engineering, quality and procurement.

Johnny Shield, managing director, SRP, said, "This is a major project award that confirms our ability to engineer and provide complex turnkey riser projects directly to major oil and gas companies. This contract provides a solid base from which SRP will grow and provide its riser engineering and procurement capability offering to other companies. A key aspect of the contract win was our ability to deliver to the highest quality level against an aggressive schedule at a competitive price."

Wood Group Mustang, delivering over 25 years of technical excellence in engineering, design and support services to the offshore industry, announces Christopher M. Barton as senior vice president, global offshore business development. He will lead and motivate the offshore division's global business development team in implementing the strategic growth plan.

Barton's 30+ years of industry expertise include business development, marketing and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project execution and management. His roles have encompassed both onshore and offshore facilities, ranging from subsea systems, fixed platforms and deepwater floating production facilities.

Barton holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Texas A&M University and serves on a number of industry conference boards, including the executive committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) petroleum division.

Wood Group Executive Vice President Michele McNichol shared, "Chris is an industry veteran with a proven track record in business development, who is well suited to take our offshore business to the next level globally. I look forward to working with Chris and his team in developing new ventures."

The offshore division provides complete and independent global project solutions, from pre-concept studies through startup, with continuing support throughout the life of the field in water depths from 10 feet to more than 7,000 feet.

A bill for what is arguably the most liberal energy reform in Mexico to date presents an opportunity for ending an inertia situation that has surrounded the region's oil and gas industry for longer than necessary; however, a number of clarifications are required in the secondary laws that are due to be drafted and negotiated later in 2014, says an analyst with research and consulting firm GlobalData.

Adrian Lara, GlobalData's Lead Analyst covering Upstream Oil & Gas, states that while Mexico's energy reform introduces new arrangements, such as profit-sharing contracts, production-sharing contracts and licenses, the most ground-breaking aspect is the change in the Constitution that will allow private companies to participate in exploration and production (E&P) activities under specific contracting schemes.

However, as Lara says: "The changed law does not specify which type of contract will be applicable to the different types of hydrocarbon E&P. Industry observers and participants will therefore have to wait for the so-called secondary laws that will frame the fiscal terms for the new contracts.

"This additional information will allow for a more rigorous test in assessing the effectiveness of the 2013 energy reform. While it is still not decided when this fine print will be drafted and voted on, the second half of 2014 could be viewed as the best-case scenario."

Progress towards the current reforms began in August 2012, when a proposal for reforming Mexico's energy sector was submitted to Congress. This argued that the bulk of the region's remaining hydrocarbon reserves are located in challenging areas, both from geological and engineering perspectives, and that sophisticated and expensive technology is required to recover these reserves.

Furthermore, while Mexico's Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) possesses ample expertise in shallow waters, it lacks the experience needed for entering more complex projects located in offshore deep waters or onshore shale plays.

Lara continues: "Pemex's necessities, in a way, indicate ideal opportunities for private investment. Deepwater, shale and even shallow-water areas can benefit from different combinations of technology transfer, capital expenditure in E&P and managerial expertise."

A crucial test of Mexico's reforms will be the reaction of international oil companies when the first new opportunities are offered, which will depend to a great extent on what exactly is offered. In any case, Lara believes there is a long way to go before the approved reform materializes in new production, or has a significant effect on the wider Mexican economy through lower energy prices.

The analyst concludes: "For the time being, this reform seems to bring about the opportunity for ending Mexico's inertia situation. The most important point is that the bill's passage removes the barrier of the Constitution from a wide range of future reforms, allowing Mexico's energy sector to adapt to prevailing conditions in the future."

Comments to be attributed to Adrian Lara, GlobalData’s Lead Analyst covering Upstream Oil & Gas.

NYC-based PIRA Energy Group reports that Aramco formula crude prices for February cut for Asia and Europe, but U.S. raised. In the U.S., crude leads stocks lower. Specifically, PIRA’s analysis of the oil market fundamentals has revealed the following:

Aramco Formula Crude Prices for February Cut for Asia and Europe, but U.S. Raised

Saudi Arabia's formula prices for February were recently released. Pricing adjustments for the key markers were lowered for the Asian and European destinations. The reductions for Asia were greatest on the lighter grades, though there was also a reduction in the Arab Heavy differential. European pricing while also reduced, was generally less aggressive than for Asia while the largest reduction was on the heaviest grades.

Crude Leads Stocks Lower

Total U.S. commercial inventories fell this past week with the entire decline occurring in crude oil. Product inventories increased marginally as crude runs stayed at an extremely high rate while reported demand fell on the week in large part because of the Christmas Holiday. For the same week last year, stocks fell so the year-on-year stock deficit narrowed.

U.S. Refinery Turnarounds, January

The first six months of 2014 are expected to experience above average turnaround related refinery downtime. This compares survey results from previous years and does not take into account the high level of unplanned events which occurred over the past several years and are quite likely to be experienced in the new year as well. For example, PIRA's U.S. Refinery Turnarounds survey published on December 31, 2012 expected an average planned crude unit downtime for the first half of 2013 of about 1.6 MMB/D, also the highest level for the five year period from 2009 to 2013. Actual outages turned out to be closer to 2.3 MMB/D.

Tanker Markets Exited 2013 On a High Note

Tanker markets exited 2013 on a high note, with rates in most crude trades hitting new highs for the year in December while exceeding earlier expectations by a wide margin. The recent seasonal improvement in tanker rates is a reflection of higher global refinery runs, which rebounded strongly from autumn maintenance, increasing by 3.8 MMB/D from October to December, with 2.4 MMB/D of the increase in the Atlantic Basin. Tanker markets in the Atlantic Basin also benefited from weather, and strike-related delays in December.

Tight U.S. Propane Market and Looser Overseas Conditions

U.S. propane storage continues to fall to record low levels, with PADD II especially low.  The extremely cold weather is causing production and logistical bottlenecks as well, and, of course pulling demand higher.  The relatively warm weather overseas, especially in Europe, falling crude prices and the arrival of cargoes from the USGC and West Africa have been pulling international LPG prices lower.

U.S. Ethanol-Blended Gasoline Reaches a Record High

U.S. ethanol-blended gasoline production reached an all-time high during the week ending December 20. Ethanol prices were mostly higher in the holiday-shortened week ending December 27, and manufacturing margins rose for the first time in three weeks.

The information above is part of PIRA Energy Group's weekly Energy Market Recap, which alerts readers to PIRA’s current analysis of energy markets around the world as well as the key economic and political factors driving those markets.