Corporate social responsibility practices in the Nigerian oil sector: The case of Royal Dutch Shell

Science.gov (United States)

Rwabizambuga, Alexis

The thesis contributes to the perspective on the role of stakeholder engagement in negotiating corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and practices in developing country context. It critically examines the role of societal pressures as drivers of Shell's CSR agenda, and explores the forms of relationships existing between Shell and its stakeholders in Nigeria, as the company implements its CSR programme, both in the light of its strategic business objectives and of its social responsibilities and environmental liabilities. Furthermore, it examines the role of government in the oil MNCs' CSR agenda, and explores the conditions under which the government, in its dual role as business partner and as state authority, promotes CSR policies and practices in Nigeria. Shell's CSR policies and practices in Nigeria were examined under the theoretical lenses of the resource-based view perspective extended to notions of legitimacy and the licence to operate. Additionally, the stakeholder engagement perspective was applied as the theoretical framework for examining Shell's stakeholder engagement, and the role of the company's stakeholders in negotiating its current CSR policies and practices in Nigeria. Data collection was undertaken during field research in Nigeria. The evidence presented is drawn from individual interviews with corporate executives at Shell Nigeria, Shell International, several stakeholders in the Nigerian oil sector, and from an online survey conducted in 2005 on Shell Nigeria's stakeholders. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used throughout the analysis presented in the thesis. The research findings suggest that the relationship between the firm's pursuit of the social licence to operate through CSR initiatives and stakeholder engagement is more complex than assumed. It adds to the understanding of the dynamics of a MNC's stakeholder engagement in the local context. It highlights the various interdependencies that develop between

State oil companies have diverse strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

The Journal's series on state-owned oil companies continues with profiles on seven more companies which already are, or could be, important players in the international oil industry. The first part of this series appeared last August. It featured the world's producing giants. This installment shows that national oil companies are definitely not cut from the same mold and that they have diverse mandates from their countries or have developed unusual niches in the oil world. The objective of these profiles is not to fully cover the plans and performance of such companies. That is done regularly in weekly editions of OGJ. Rather, these articles are written by a team of experienced Journal editors to characterize the individual companies, describe their mandates and organization, and present some professional background information, when available, on those in top management with the hope of getting some insight into the corporate cultures. The companies covered come from Brazil, China, Finland, Japan, Norway, Oman, and Vietnam. In addition the article profiles Borealis Holding A/S, created from the merger of two state companies from Norway and Finland

Oil companies and human rights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandler, Geoffrey

1997-01-01

This article highlights the need for oil companies in the future to take into account human rights in corporate decision making. The influence oil companies can bring to bear on government violating human rights, excuses for not voicing condemnation of abuses, and the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights are discussed. (UK)

Oil companies and village development in Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikporukpo, C.O.

1993-01-01

The economic interest of oil companies and the oil-producing Third World countries, together with the technological handicaps and political considerations of the latter, provide the scenarios within which the two groups interact. In the early history of oil exploitation, the relationship was such that the oil companies had the final say in all matters. Furthermore, apart from the token royalty, no taxes were usually imposed on the exploration companies. The relationship between the oil companies and the host local communities, even in the developed countries, seems to be a replica of that between the companies and the host countries. There is the feeling in many of the local communities that they have gained little or nothing from petroleum exploitation. This is the case not only in the setting of a less developed country, such as Nigeria, but also in that of a developed country, such as the United States. In these communities, the adverse environment effect of oil exploitation is usually perceived as being overwhelming. (author)

Oil companies make cutbacks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupin, Ludovic

2014-01-01

As oil prices are falling, the oil sector faces company restructuring, merger projects, closure of oil fields, and so on. Restructuring is motivated by the costs of offshore exploration and oil production projects. Saudi Arabia tries to fight the emergence of shale gases by reducing oil prices, and somehow succeeds as some projects in the USA are put into question again. Experts perceive this situation as an opportunity for the sector to improve its efficiency and reduce over-staffing

A big oil company's approach to significantly reduce fatal incidents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peuscher, W.; Groeneweg, J.

2012-01-01

Within the Shell Group of companies (Shell), keeping people safe at work is a deeply held value and the company actively pursues the goal of no harm to people. Shell actively works to build a culture where every employee and contractor takes responsibility for making this goal possible - it is

BUSINESS RISK MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE: A REVIEW OF SHELL OIL SPILLS IN SYDNEY HARBOUR AUSTRALIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ika Putri Larasati

2011-10-01

Full Text Available A business risk has been an inherent part of companies’ activities nowadays. It relates to threats and opportunities which make a majority of companies manage the risk. The business risk also has been concerned by public particularly in term of environmental risk. A failure to manage the environment may result in negative reactions from public. The negative reactions are predicaments for company’s economy. Therefore, companies have also considered the significance of the environmental risk management. An example of these companies is Shell Oil Company which suffered environmental issue in 1999. Accordingly, this paper aims to evaluate the risk management conducted by the Shell Company which focuses on company’s effort to maintain good relationship with stakeholders in its environmental risk management. There were determinant factors in the successful risk management. The first factor is an efficient and effective implementation of risk management cycle. Secondly, a practice of risk management phase. The third factor is effective social activities. The fourth factor is a significance of risk management application since the establishment of company. The fifth factor is an importance of efficient and effective communication with stakeholders. Finally, a substantial contribution from media is prominent aspect in company’s risk management.

ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF PEAK OIL FOR THE MAJOR MULTINATIONAL OIL AND GAS COMPANIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio García-Amate

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The main goal of this work is to analyze the financial statements of the five major multinational oil and gas companies, for the 2011-2015 period, in the framework of the peak oil phenomenon. Peak oil can affect key financial indicators (e.g., earnings volatility, leverage that are used by managers, investors, and stockholders and which may potentially lead to changes in the decision making by management. Our results show that the decline in oil production affects the decisions about investment in new oil wells, leverage, dividends paid, shares purchased and net income involving the five major companies. In addition, we study the evolution of oil prices, and its influence in several items of the financial statements. Even though oil prices were at high levels during 2011-2014, however, the net income of the five companies actually declined due to the impact of peak oil. Finally, data for the last year studied (2015 indicate a general deterioration in return ratios and other accounting variables. Although the new investments should have been profitable, they have been influenced by peak oil, compromising the economic position of the companies. The advice to these companies would be to relax their investments, especially during a period of falling oil prices. Company managers need to recognize the prolonged duration of peak oil and price trends to promote profitability recovery decisions.

Multinational Oil Companies and Corporate Social Responsibilities ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Niger Delta Region, Nigeria), the concept of corporate social responsibility must be fully imbibed by the multinational oil companies. Therefore, this study examines multinational oil companies and corporate social responsibilities with particular ...

New round for oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delamarche, Myrtille

2018-01-01

After three years of crisis, oil companies are now strongly reinvesting, while oil prices are stabilizing at a reasonable long-term level, notably due to a rising demand from developing countries. Examples of new investments made by majors such as Total, Shell or Exxon but also by national companies and junior companies, are given. Oil price evolution as well as cost reductions (thanks notably to the digitalisation of the sector, leading to a decrease in exploration costs) are analyzed. The importance of the US oil production, and particularly shale oil production, is pinpointed

Factors affecting the yield of bio-oil from the pyrolysis of coconut shell.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yun; Yang, Yi; Qin, Zhanbin; Sun, Yi

2016-01-01

Coconut is a high-quality agricultural product of the Asia-Pacific region. In this paper, coconut shell which mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin was used as a raw material for coconut shell oil from coconut shell pyrolysis. The influence of the pyrolysis temperature, heating rate and particle size on coconut oil yield was investigated, and the effect of heating rate on coconut oil components was discussed. Experimental results show that the maximum oil yield of 75.74 wt% (including water) were obtained under the conditions that the final pyrolysis temperature 575 °C, heating rate 20 °C/min, coconut shell diameter about 5 mm. Thermal gravimetric analysis was used and it can be seen that coconut shell pyrolysis process can be divided into three stages: water loss, pyrolysis and pyrocondensation. The main components of coconut-shell oil are water (about 50 wt%), aromatic, phenolic, acid, ketone and ether containing compounds.

Effect of temperature on energy potential of pyrolysis products from oil palm shells

OpenAIRE

Lina María Romero Millán; María Alejandra Cruz Domínguez; Fabio Emiro Sierra Vargas

2016-01-01

Context: Taking into account that near 220 000 tons of oil palm shells are produced every year in Colombia, as a waste of the Elaeis Guineensis palm oil transformation process, the aim of this work is to determine the energy potential of oil palm shells, when transformed through slow pyrolysis process. Methods: Using a fixed bed lab scale reactor, different oil palm shells pyrolysis tests were performed between 300°C and 500°C. The effect of the temperature in the process product yield an...

CONDITIONS OF FORMING OIL COMPANY INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT MODEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. N. Dmitrievsky

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Innovative development of contemporary RF oil industry enterprises and companies faces considerable difficulties. Main problems that hamper scientific and technological development and modernization of domestic oil companies are lack of demand for innovations, specific corporateculture of these companies and the country’s scientific and technological politics. Situation with advanced domestic technologies in the industry and their long-lasting and efficient use by Russian enterprises and companies is examined.

Pemex to acquire interest in Shell Texas refinery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that Petroleos Mexicanos and Shell Oil Co. have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint refining venture involving Shell's 225,000 b/d Deer Park, Tex., refinery. Under the agreement, Mexico's state owned oil company is to purchase a 50% interest in the refinery, and Shell is to sell Pemex unleaded gasoline on a long term basis. Under the venture, Shell and Pemex plan to add undisclosed conversion and upgrading units tailored to process heavy Mexican crude. The revamp will allow Pemex to place more than 100,000 b/d of Mayan heavy crude on the U.S. market. Mayan accounts for 70% of Mexico's crude oil exports. In turn, Shell will sell Pemex as much as 45,000 b/d of unleaded gasoline to help meet Mexico's rapidly growing demand

The virtual oil company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garibaldi, C.A.; Haney, R.M.; Ross, C.E.

1995-01-01

In anticipation of continuing declines in upstream activity levels over the next 15 years, the virtual oil company model articulates a vision of fewer, leaner, but financially stronger firms that concentrate only on their core competencies and outsource the rest through well-structured partnering arrangements. Freed from the ''clutter,'' these leading companies will be in better position to focus on those opportunities that offer the potential for renewed reserve and revenue growth

State companies dominate OGJ100 list of non-U.S. oil producers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

State owned oil and gas companies dominate the OGJ100 list of non-U.S. producers. Because many of them report only operating information, companies on the worldwide list cannot be ranked by assets or revenues. The list, therefore, is organized regionally, based on location of companies' corporate headquarters. The leading nongovernment company in both reserves and production is Royal Dutch/Shell. It ranks sixth in the world in liquids production and 11th in liquids reserves, as it has for the past 2 years. British Petroleum is the next largest nongovernment company. BP ranks 11th in liquids production and 16th in liquids reserves. Elf Aquitaine, 55.8% government-controlled, ranked 17th in liquids production. AGIP was 20th in liquids production. Kuwait Petroleum returned to the list of top 20 producers, ranking 12th, as it restored production shut in by facilities damage sustained during the Persian Gulf crisis. New to the top 20 reserves list is Petroleo Brasileiro, which moved to 20th position. The top 20 companies in the OGJ100 held reserves estimated at 869.3 billion bbl in 1992 vs. 869.5 billion bbl in 1991 and 854.2 billion bbl in 1990

Characterizing haploinsufficiency of SHELL gene to improve fruit form prediction in introgressive hybrids of oil palm

OpenAIRE

Teh, Chee Keng; Muaz, Siti Dalila; Tangaya, Praveena; Fong, Po-Yee; Ong, Ai Ling; Mayes, Sean; Chew, Fook Tim; Kulaveerasingam, Harikrishna; Appleton, David Ross

2017-01-01

The fundamental trait in selective breeding of oil palm (Eleais guineensis Jacq.) is the shell thickness surrounding the kernel. The monogenic shell thickness is inversely correlated to mesocarp thickness, where the crude palm oil accumulates. Commercial thin-shelled tenera derived from thick-shelled dura???shell-less pisifera generally contain 30% higher oil per bunch. Two mutations, sh MPOB (M1) and sh AVROS (M2) in the SHELL gene ? a type II MADS-box transcription factor mainly present in ...

Valuation of international oil- and gas companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmundsen, Petter; Mohn, Klaus; Espedal, Harald; Loevaas, Kjell

2002-01-01

In Norway, stock exchange quotation of Statoil has led to increased interest in valuation of oil companies. This article goes through the theory of corporate valuation. Then it compares the theory with practice, where valuation largely is built on accounts-based indicators. Taking the oil companies as a case, the article describes and evaluates the valuation methods used by analysts and investment banks

Foreign oil companies weathering Peru's political crisis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that foreign oil companies are weathering Peru's political crisis, and the outlook for increased foreign participation in Peru's petroleum sector remains promising. There has been improvement in the political turmoil and soured international relations that followed President Alberto Fujimori's Apr. 5 suspension of Peru's Congress, charging political corruption and attempts to block his fiscal reforms. But there are fresh concerns over an increase in terrorism aimed at oil industry facilities by antigovernment guerrilla groups in Peru. Meanwhile, state-owned oil company Petroleos del Peru (Petroperu) continues efforts to sell assets as part of Fujimori's mandated privatization program. And foreign companies continue to grapple with uncertainty and bureaucratic red tape in chasing investment opportunities in Peru's beleaguered but opening petroleum sector

Coal option. [Shell Co

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-01-01

This paper notes the necessity of developing an international coal trade on a very large scale. The role of Shell in the coal industry is examined; the regions in which Shell companies are most active are Australia, Southern Africa, Indonesia; Europe and North America. Research is being carried out on marketing and transportation, especially via slurry pipelines; coal-oil emulsions; briquets; fluidized-bed combustion; recovery of coal from potential waste material; upgrading of low-rank coals; unconventional forms of mining; coal conversion (the Shell/Koppers high-pressure coal gasification process). Techniques for cleaning flue gas (the Shell Flue Gas Desulfurization process) are being examined.

The oil and gas equipment and services market in New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

In terms of petroleum exploration investment, New Zealand ranks seventeenth in the world. The oil, gas, and petrochemical industry is mainly concentrated in Taranaki, a province where considerable onshore and offshore exploration and production (E and P) activity is taking place. The largest licensing round in the petroleum industry of New Zealand was recently completed, with 41 applications emanating from 21 companies were submitted, related to 26 new exploration blocks located onshore and frontier Taranaki basin. Starting in 2007, New Zealand is expected to suffer from a natural gas shortfall due to the gradual depletion of the main natural gas field called Maui. As a result, the development of the Pohokura project is being afforded top priority. In 2002, in the province of Taranaki, it is expected that 125 million dollars will be spent in support of exploration activity. The areas of oil and gas exploration such as seismic surveying services, geophysical services, drilling, monitoring and logging, and field management technologies represent potential opportunities for Canadian companies specialized in the provision of oil and gas equipment and services. For the period 2002-2005, New Zealand is planning significant offshore deep-water E and P projects with a view to ensure a secure supply of natural gas. The largest domestic oil and gas E and P company in New Zealand is Todd Petroleum Mining Company, while the largest foreign-owned oil and gas production company operating in the country is Shell Petroleum Mining Company. Responsible for over 90 per cent of oil and gas production, the largest joint oil service company in New Zealand is Shell Todd Oil Service (STOS), 50 per cent owned by Shell Petroleum Mining Company and 50 per cent by Todd Petroleum Mining Company. Canadian equipment and services might be particularly well received by companies such as STOS and Natural Gas Corporation. Partners in oil and gas projects are sought by companies such as Shell. Higher

Shell succeeded to catch the shareholders unaware two times in this year

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slovak, K.

2004-01-01

In January 2004 British-Dutch oil concern Dutch-Shell admitted that its tally of oil reserves contains the overrated entries. The financial market immediately responded to the report of this company, shareholders and competitor also responded. Shareholders united and applied a group complaint; a competitor precipitously proclaimed that a competitor does not have overrated the reserves. A revision of the stocks caused that original 13-14 years stocks have fallen to 10-11 years. Shell has also sold its 50 percent share in West Indian oil field only for 7.25 million USD. The estimations of Sairn Energy Company, which has bought this oil field, tell about the stocks on the level from 450 million to 1.1 billion barrels

Antifungal evaluation of shell pyrolysates of oil palm ( Elaeis ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The medicinal values of oil palm and coconut shells are not much known in herbal medicine and the two mostly constitute waste products. The antifungal effects of steam-distilled pyrolysates obtained from the two shells and the respective organic solvent fractions were evaluated against human pathogenic fungi ...

Shell Canada Limited 1996 annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

Shell Canada Resources Limited is one of Canada's largest producers of crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, sulphur and bitumen. This annual report for 1996 presented a summary review of operations and a summary of the Company's audited consolidated financial statements. Overall, the resources business delivered exceptional results in 1996. The oil products and chemicals businesses did not perform as well as expected. This less than satisfactory performance of the oil products and chemicals divisions of the the Company is reflected in the financial returns which, after excluding revenues from asset sales, left operating earnings $ 59 million below those of 1996. tabs., figs

Restructuring: new relationships between the oil companies and the upstream oil firms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barreau, S.

2001-11-01

Since the 1986 oil shock, international oil companies have focused on their base competencies, concentrating on activities viewed as their core businesses and steadily increasing the number of tasks to be subcontracted to the upstream oil and gas service sector. The upstream oil and gas service companies had to be restructured to face this new challenge. The strategies they launched at the end of the 80's were varied. Some firms became largely integrated (Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Halliburton) whereas other firms chose to broaden their range of services. However generally, they opted for external investment which led to an important wave of mergers and acquisitions. The first part characterizes the upstream oil and gas sector by introducing the main oil and gas service firms and their recent strategic evolution. This concludes with both an economic valuation and a typology of attempted growth strategies. To illustrate this, a matrix has been created to characterise the dynamic paths of the oil and gas service firms. The purpose of the second part is to consider the economic theories related to industrial strategies. The strategies of innovation, market protection, vertical integration and diversification have been studied to illustrate the main conclusion which is that the aim of all these strategies was to change the relationships between the oil companies and the upstream oil and gas service firms. (author)

Falling R and D in oil companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Creusen, H.; Minne, B.

2000-01-01

During the last decade, the research expenditures of the 11 major oil companies and two specialised oil engineers have dropped worldwide. To explain this trend, this article points to an R and D race among the companies and to certain common expectations. The race is due to the absence of knowledge spillovers across the companies, because they need to keep their process innovations secret. Common expectations regarding the high risks of research for new energy sources leads to wait-and-see behaviour instead of own research. A small increase in research efficiency partly compensates for the drop in R and D

The future of national oil Companies of OPEC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subroto.

1994-01-01

OPEC countries are dependent on their National Oil Companies for international trade, economy, technology transfer and social planning. With low oil prices, increasing demand and worsened financial and economic status, time has come to give priority to two major issues necessary for health existence and growth of our national oil companies : cost reduction through the application of new technologies and less support from public funds ; planning for future markets beyond national borders, particularly developing countries. (Author)

Effect of temperature on energy potential of pyrolysis products from oil palm shells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lina María Romero Millán

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Context: Taking into account that near 220 000 tons of oil palm shells are produced every year in Colombia, as a waste of the Elaeis Guineensis palm oil transformation process, the aim of this work is to determine the energy potential of oil palm shells, when transformed through slow pyrolysis process. Methods: Using a fixed bed lab scale reactor, different oil palm shells pyrolysis tests were performed between 300°C and 500°C. The effect of the temperature in the process product yield and in the energy content of produced solids and gases were analyzed. Results: With a maximum mass yield of 50%, the char is considered the main product of oil palm shells pyrolysis, containing up to 73% of the raw biomass energy. The heating value of char raised with the temperature, from 29,6 MJ/kg at 300°C to 31,34 MJ/kg at 500°C. Moreover, the gas produced in the established temperature range had up to 13% of the energy content of the raw biomass, with a heating value near 12,5 MJ/m3. Conclusions: According to the results, slow pyrolysis can be considered an interesting process for the valorization of residual biomass as oil palm shells, through the production of solids and gases that can be used as fuels, or as precursor of other value-added products.

National Oil Companies: the view from Venezuela

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez, M.

1994-01-01

National oil companies were key elements in the initial OPEC strategy and they brought a de-integration of oil industry. These companies have tried to move from crude marketing to product marketing through new investments at home and abroad in order to get higher value added and more secure markets for crude. Low prices bring new challenges. Venezuela's answers are strategic associations, operating contract for marginal fields and profit sharing agreements. (Author)

Valuation of international oil companies - size matters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohn, Klaus

2005-01-01

According to economic theory, exploration and the development of new oil and gas fields should respond positively to increasing prices. But since the late 1990s, financial analysts have focused strongly on short-term accounting return measures, like RoACE (Return on Average Capital Employed), for benchmarking and valuation of international oil and gas companies. Consequently, the demands for strict capital discipline among oil and gas companies may have reduced their willingness to invest for future reserves and production growth. We investigate the presumed positive relation between RoACE and stock market valuation. Based on panel data for 12 international oil and gas companies for the period 1997-2002, we seek to establish econometric relations between market valuation on one hand, and simple financial and operational indicators on the other. Our findings do not support the perceived positive relation between reported RoACE and market-based multiples. Recent evidence also suggests that the stock market is increasingly concerned about reserve replacement and sustained profitable production growth. The current high-price, low-investment equilibrium is therefore hardly stable. (Author)

Shell trips over its reserves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jemain, A.

2004-01-01

Some mistakes in the evaluation of the proven reserves of Royal Dutch Shell group, the second world petroleum leader, will oblige the other oil and gas companies to be more transparent and vigilant in the future. The proven reserves ('P90' in petroleum professionals' language) are the most important indicators of the mining patrimony of companies. These strategic data are reported each year in the annual reports of the companies and are examined by the security exchange commission. The evaluation of reserves is perfectly codified by the US energy policy and conservation act and its accountable translation using the FAS 69 standard allows to establish long-term cash-flow forecasts. The revision announced by Shell on January 9 leads to a 20% reduction of its proven reserves. Short paper. (J.S.)

Non-tenera Contamination and the Economic Impact of SHELL Genetic Testing in the Malaysian Independent Oil Palm Industry

OpenAIRE

Ooi, Leslie C.-L.; Low, Eng-Ti L.; Abdullah, Meilina O.; Nookiah, Rajanaidu; Ting, Ngoot C.; Nagappan, Jayanthi; Manaf, Mohamad A. A.; Chan, Kuang-Lim; Halim, Mohd A.; Azizi, Norazah; Omar, Wahid; Murad, Abdul J.; Lakey, Nathan; Ordway, Jared M.; Favello, Anthony

2016-01-01

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is the most productive oil bearing crop worldwide. It has three fruit forms, namely dura (thick-shelled), pisifera (shell-less) and tenera (thin-shelled), which are controlled by the SHELL gene. The fruit forms exhibit monogenic co-dominant inheritance, where tenera is a hybrid obtained by crossing maternal dura and paternal pisifera palms. Commercial palm oil production is based on planting thin-shelled tenera palms, which typically yield 30% more oil than dura p...

The role of transnational companies as oil suppliers to the United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palazuelos, Enrique

2010-01-01

This paper analyzes the extent to which the international oil production of transnational companies meets the oil requirements of the United States. Disaggregated data from each company have been used to determine which companies (refineries) are importing crude oil, how much oil each transnational company is produced abroad, and where this production goes to. The analysis show that American international oil production represents a small part of U.S. oil imports. Two conclusions are reached. The first is that U.S. refineries buy the majority of the crude oil they process on the international market and, as a result, are dependent on the unstable conditions of this market. The second is that the economic interests the large American oil companies have abroad are far greater than those they have within the United States and, as a result, these companies do not play a decisive role in a national strategy to guarantee foreign supply.

Turning round the tanker: oil companies and corporate social responsibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flynn-English, Teresa

1999-01-01

This article focuses on the conversion of oil companies to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and their dialogue with charities after their reputations plummeted earlier in this decade, and traces this change in corporate culture and the restructuring of toil company operations to take into account CSR. The growing business for CSR consultants and ethical investment companies, the role of charities such as Oxfam in promoting CSR, the fact that most of the world major oil reserves are in countries with human rights problems, the potency of peer pressure, and the competitive disadvantages now attached to companies having a negative impact are discussed. It is questioned whether the cultural transformation is just another PR exercise, and the unbridgeable gap between environmentally friendly operations advocated by Greenpeace and oil company operations, and the CSR performance of the oil giants are considered. Details of the Nigerian experience, codes for companies, and the views of Greenpeace and Amnesty are given. (UK)

The rise and fall of an oil company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanson, B.M.

1991-01-01

A tremendous amount of oil and gas reserves has been found. These reserves were discovered when geologists were in key positions. Exploration oriented leaders are not in key positions today. As with all living organisms, oil companies are governed by a life cycle which includes birth, adolescence, maturity, old age, and death. The life cycle of a company is characterized by its CEO/management team. During the birth of an oil company, a geologist and/or entrepreneur (leader) who has a desire to succeed is in charge. There are few tangible assets and the mortality rate is high. In the adolescence stage, the leader is willing to take high risks and is very receptive to new ideas. The discovery of company-making reserves are most likely to occur during this stage. During maturity, the key officer is usually an engineer who develops the newly found reserves. He has the desire to quantify exploration ventures in unrealistic, precise terms. Old age usually has a CPA as manager who prefers to take cash flow and transfer it to other businesses (diversification). The sale of properties starts in this stage. The last stage is death and the key officer is either a lawyer or a banker. The legal entanglement will start that inevitably plagues the cash-rich, asset-rich oil company. There is no residual expertise conducting exploration activity. We now have the liquidation of remaining assets and the company goes through mergers or sale

State companies dominate non-U.S. OGJ100

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, R.J.; Thrash, L.A.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on state owned oil and gas companies which dominate the OGJ100 list of major non U.S. holders of petroleum reserves. Many state companies report only production and reserves information and do not report financial data. Therefore, the companies cannot be ranked by financial data, as they are in the OGJ300. They instead are listed by region, based on location of companies' corporate headquarters. The top 20 companies in crude oil production and reserves are shown. The leading nongovernment company in both reserves and production is Royal Dutch/Shell Group - No. 11 in worldwide liquids reserves and No. 6 in liquids production. Crude oil reserves of the top 20 companies moved up less than 1% last year, increasing 401.5 billion bbl. The year before, when there were substantial reserves adjustments, the top 20 posted an increase of 139.3 billion bbl

Developments in the strategic planning of the major oil companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, Gilbert

2000-01-01

This paper focuses on the changes in strategic planning of the major oil companies since the 1970s, and considers the reorganisations of the companies, and upstream and downstream planning. New directions for the major companies downstream operation in the retail and aviation sectors, and the influence of the BP/AMOCO/ARCO/BURMAH, EXXON/MOBIL and TOTAL/FINA/ELF mergers on the international oil industry are explored. Tables illustrating the earnings of the major oil companies for upstream and downstream operations, and chemicals in 1999, and for BP UK exploration and production, and refining and marketing profits (quarterly) for 1983-2000 are presented

Development Efforts Of Oil Companies As Perceived By Rural ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... that the host communities are highly satisfied with companies' efforts (projects and services) to them. Based on these findings, recommendations were made. Key words: Oil producing communities; oil exploration/production; company's development efforts; Journal of Agriculture and Social Research Vol.4(1) 2004: 60-71 ...

Overseas Investments by Chinese National Oil Companies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2011-07-01

This report examines inaccuracies in some commonly held views of China's National Oil Companies (NOCs). Until now, there has been little analysis to test the widely held presumption that these companies act under the instructions and in close co-ordination with the Chinese government. Nor have critics been challenged on the validity of their concerns about investments made by these NOCs, and how they could be blocking supplies of oil for other importing countries. The IEA analysis, however, finds that contrary to these views, the NOCs actually operate with a high degree of independence from the Chinese government, and their investments have in fact largely boosted global supplies of oil and gas, which other importers rely on.

Production and detailed characterization of bio-oil from fast pyrolysis of palm kernel shell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asadullah, Mohammad; Ab Rasid, Nurul Suhada; Kadir, Sharifah Aishah Syed A.; Azdarpour, Amin

2013-01-01

Bio-oil has been produced from palm kernel shell in a fluidized bed reactor. The process conditions were optimized and the detailed characteristics of bio-oil were carried out. The higher feeding rate and higher gas flow rate attributed to higher bio-oil yield. The maximum mass fraction of biomass (57%) converted to bio-oil at 550 °C when 2 L min −1 of gas and 10 g min −1 of biomass were fed. The bio-oil produced up to 500 °C existed in two distinct phases, while it formed one homogeneous phase when it was produced above 500 °C. The higher heating value of bio-oil produced at 550 °C was found to be 23.48 MJ kg −1 . As GC–MS data shows, the area ratio of phenol is the maximum among the area ratio of identified compounds in 550 °C bio-oil. The UV–Fluorescence absorption, which is the indication of aromatic content, is also the highest in 550 °C bio-oil. -- Highlights: • Maximum 56 wt% yield of bio-oil was obtained at 550 °C from palm kernel shell. • Two layer of bio-oil was observed up to 500 °C, while it was one layer above 500 °C. • Bio-oil from palm kernel shell provides more than 40% area ratio of phenol in GC–MS analysis. • The calorific value of palm kernel shell bio-oil is higher than other bio-oil

New oil skimmer from shell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-06-01

Under a program initiated by the US Coast Guard (USCG), Shell Development Co. has developed the Zero-Relative Velocity Skimmer (ZRVS) (Abstract No. 24-30285) which can recover spilled oil in currents up to eight knots. Tests of a full-scale mockup of the system gave excellent results up to the test limit of eight knots and in waves up to 2 ft high. Conventional oil skimmers slow down the floating oil relative to the water so that it can be contained and collected. But when the relative velocity of water and skimmer exceeds 1 to 2 knots, turbulence caused by the skimmer's surface piercing equipment leads to oil escaping. The ZRVS combats this by laying twin floating, adsorbent belts on the surface so they move at the same speed as the water and oil relative to the skimmer. With no relative velocity between them, turbulence is removed, allowing the skimmer to operate effectively in fast currents. The skimmer is a 41 ft catamaran, built in three sections so it can be transported in two aircraft and assembled at the port nearest the spill. The first prototype is due to be completed at the USCG shipyard in the summer of 1978.

Strategies of African national oil companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auge, Benjamin

2017-09-01

The study and comparison of different National Oil Companies (NOC) help understanding the political history of Algeria, Nigeria and Angola. The NOC's role and activities depend on several economic and political aspects. For example, Angolan Sonangol has been the coffer for the Popular Movement of Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party to fund its struggle against the National Union for the Independence of Angola (UNITA) party during civil war. Hence the key role played by this NOC in the past and its continuing key influence today. In Nigeria, The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) became more and more bureaucratic, its efficiency is questionable as the company became the epicentre of the corruption in the country (several cases regarding billions of dollars have emerged recently). By contrast, Algeria's Sonatrach has accumulated a real know how in exploring and producing oil and gas but several successive laws discouraged private sector investments. Algeria doesn't have the necessary technology for unconventional oil and gas exploration (notably shale oil and gas), neither the funds to develop all its huge geological potential

Characterizing haploinsufficiency of SHELL gene to improve fruit form prediction in introgressive hybrids of oil palm.

Science.gov (United States)

Teh, Chee-Keng; Muaz, Siti Dalila; Tangaya, Praveena; Fong, Po-Yee; Ong, Ai-Ling; Mayes, Sean; Chew, Fook-Tim; Kulaveerasingam, Harikrishna; Appleton, David

2017-06-08

The fundamental trait in selective breeding of oil palm (Eleais guineensis Jacq.) is the shell thickness surrounding the kernel. The monogenic shell thickness is inversely correlated to mesocarp thickness, where the crude palm oil accumulates. Commercial thin-shelled tenera derived from thick-shelled dura × shell-less pisifera generally contain 30% higher oil per bunch. Two mutations, sh MPOB (M1) and sh AVROS (M2) in the SHELL gene - a type II MADS-box transcription factor mainly present in AVROS and Nigerian origins, were reported to be responsible for different fruit forms. In this study, we have tested 1,339 samples maintained in Sime Darby Plantation using both mutations. Five genotype-phenotype discrepancies and eight controls were then re-tested with all five reported mutations (sh AVROS , sh MPOB , sh MPOB2 , sh MPOB3 and sh MPOB4 ) within the same gene. The integration of genotypic data, pedigree records and shell formation model further explained the haploinsufficiency effect on the SHELL gene with different number of functional copies. Some rare mutations were also identified, suggesting a need to further confirm the existence of cis-compound mutations in the gene. With this, the prediction accuracy of fruit forms can be further improved, especially in introgressive hybrids of oil palm. Understanding causative variant segregation is extremely important, even for monogenic traits such as shell thickness in oil palm.

Non-tenera Contamination and the Economic Impact of SHELL Genetic Testing in the Malaysian Independent Oil Palm Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ooi, Leslie C-L; Low, Eng-Ti L; Abdullah, Meilina O; Nookiah, Rajanaidu; Ting, Ngoot C; Nagappan, Jayanthi; Manaf, Mohamad A A; Chan, Kuang-Lim; Halim, Mohd A; Azizi, Norazah; Omar, Wahid; Murad, Abdul J; Lakey, Nathan; Ordway, Jared M; Favello, Anthony; Budiman, Muhammad A; Van Brunt, Andrew; Beil, Melissa; Leininger, Michael T; Jiang, Nan; Smith, Steven W; Brown, Clyde R; Kuek, Alex C S; Bahrain, Shabani; Hoynes-O'Connor, Allison; Nguyen, Amelia Y; Chaudhari, Hemangi G; Shah, Shivam A; Choo, Yuen-May; Sambanthamurthi, Ravigadevi; Singh, Rajinder

2016-01-01

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is the most productive oil bearing crop worldwide. It has three fruit forms, namely dura (thick-shelled), pisifera (shell-less) and tenera (thin-shelled), which are controlled by the SHELL gene. The fruit forms exhibit monogenic co-dominant inheritance, where tenera is a hybrid obtained by crossing maternal dura and paternal pisifera palms. Commercial palm oil production is based on planting thin-shelled tenera palms, which typically yield 30% more oil than dura palms, while pisifera palms are female-sterile and have little to no palm oil yield. It is clear that tenera hybrids produce more oil than either parent due to single gene heterosis. The unintentional planting of dura or pisifera palms reduces overall yield and impacts land utilization that would otherwise be devoted to more productive tenera palms. Here, we identify three additional novel mutant alleles of the SHELL gene, which encode a type II MADS-box transcription factor, and determine oil yield via control of shell fruit form phenotype in a manner similar to two previously identified mutant SHELL alleles. Assays encompassing all five mutations account for all dura and pisifera palms analyzed. By assaying for these variants in 10,224 mature palms or seedlings, we report the first large scale accurate genotype-based determination of the fruit forms in independent oil palm planting sites and in the nurseries that supply them throughout Malaysia. The measured non-tenera contamination rate (10.9% overall on a weighted average basis) underscores the importance of SHELL genetic testing of seedlings prior to planting in production fields. By eliminating non-tenera contamination, comprehensive SHELL genetic testing can improve sustainability by increasing yield on existing planted lands. In addition, economic modeling demonstrates that SHELL gene testing will confer substantial annual economic gains to the oil palm industry, to Malaysian gross national income and to Malaysian

High strength oil palm shell concrete beams reinforced with steel fibres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Poh-Yap

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The utilization of lightweight oil palm shell to produce high strength lightweight sustainable material has led many researchers towards its commercialization as structural concrete. However, the low tensile strength of Oil Palm Shell Concrete (OPSC has hindered its development. This study aims to enhance the mechanical properties and flexural behaviours of OPSC by the addition of steel fibres of up to 3% by volume, to produce oil palm shell fibre-reinforced concrete (OPSFRC. The experimental results showed that the steel fibres significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of OPSFRC. The highest compressive strength, splitting tensile and flexural strengths of 55, 11.0 and 18.5 MPa, respectively, were achieved in the OPSFRC mix reinforced with 3% steel fibres. In addition, the flexural beam testing on OPSFRC beams with 3% steel fibres showed that the steel fibre reinforcement up to 3% produced notable increments in the moment capacity and crack resistance of OPSFRC beams, but accompanied by reduction in the ductility.

National oil companies of South East Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Gurdip

1998-12-01

Contains Executive Summary and Chapters on: Pertamina; Petronas; Petroleum Authority of Thailand; Philippines National Oil Company; Petro Vietnam; Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise; Singapore; Asean Free Trade Agreement, and Appendix on Petroleum tax legislation in the main south east Asian countries. (Author)

Ecological and Economic Indicators of Oil and Gas Companies Functioning

OpenAIRE

Anastasia V. Sheveleva

2016-01-01

This article analyzes the basic ecological-economic indicators of oil and gas companies, in particular the various volumes of oil, the number of spills per year of CO2 emissions, the costs of environmental protection. In the process of exploration, development and exploitation of oil and gas fields, production, refining, transportation and storage companies have a negative impact on the environment. Occur accidents involving oil spills, emissions and discharges of pollutants into the environm...

Cleaning oil refining drainage waters out of emulsified oil products with thermic treated cedar nut shell

Science.gov (United States)

Pyatanova, P. A.; Adeeva, L. N.

2017-08-01

It was elaborated the ability of the sorbent produced by thermic treatment of cedar nut shell to destruct model and real first kind (direct) emulsions in static and dynamic conditions. In static conditions optimal ratio sorbent-emulsion with the original concentration of oil products 800 mg/l was in the range of 2.0 g per 100 ml of emulsion which corresponds to the level of treatment 94.9%. The time of emulsion destruction was 40 minutes. This sorbent is highly active in dynamic processes of oil-contaminated water treatment, the level of treatment 96.0% is being achieved. Full dynamic sorptive capacity of the sorbent is 0.85 g/g. Sorbent based on the thermic treated cedar nut shell can be elaborated as sorptive filter element of local treatment facilities of oil refining and petrochemical processes. After the treatment with this sorbent of drainage waters of oil refinery in dynamic conditions the concentration of oil products became less than mpc on oil products for waste waters coming to biological treatment.

World oil and gas exploration trends: A comparative study of national and U.S. private oil companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghouri, S.S.K.

1991-01-01

This study hypothesizes that private oil companies and state-owned, national oil companies (NOCs) have different objectives and priorities and thus that different behavioral models are needed to explain changes over time in the level of exploration by these two groups of companies. More specifically, exploration by private companies is expected to be more sensitive to changing oil prices than exploration by NOCs. The study develops three different sets of expected determinants of change over time in the level of exploration (for private companies, and two groups of NOCs-oil importers and non-OPEC oil exporters). In the private-sector model, exploration is driven by expected determinants of profitability, such as oil prices and exploration costs. The NOC models also include national-priority variables, such as import dependency. The study then tests these behavioral models by specifying and estimating econometric models for the period 1970-1988 for 11 companies from the three company groups. Three econometric models are used: static, Koyck distributed lag, and Almon polynomial distributed lag models. The study concludes on the basis of three comparisons that different behavioral models are needed to understand changes in the level of exploration by private companies and NOCs. First, the private-sector model is estimated for all companies. For private companies, the private-sector model works well, whereas for the NOCs it does not, presumably because important determinants of NOC exploration are excluded from the model. Second, when these excluded variables are included in the specification, regression results for the NOCs improve significantly. Third, the private companies have higher elasticities of exploration in both the short run and long run than the NOCs

Standardized CSR and climate performance: why is Shell willing, but Hydro reluctant?; Shell; Hydro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boasson, Elin Lerum; Wettestad, Joergen

2007-06-15

This report aims to contribute to the ongoing discussion concerning whether CSR merely serves to streamline company rhetoric or also has an influence on actual efforts. We discuss the tangible effects of CSR instruments on the climate-related rules and performances of the two different oil companies Hydro and Shell. First we explore whether similar CSR instruments lead to similar climate-related rules and practices in the two companies. Both Hydro and Shell adhere to the Global Compact (GC), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and the Global Gas Flaring Reduction Public-Private Partnership (GGFR). The report concludes that the GC has not rendered any tangible effects in either of the companies. Concerning the other instruments, Hydro has only followed the instrument requirements that fit their initial approach, and refrained from all deviating requirements. Shell has been more malleable, but we have noted few effects on the actual emissions and business portfolio resulting from the instrument adherence. Second, we assess how the differing results of the similar CSR portfolio may be explained. The reluctant attitude of the leaders in Hydro and the strong CSR motivation of Shell's executives result in significant differences. Hydro executives are able to constrain the effects of the instrument adherence. With Shell we note the opposite pattern: Its leaders promoted the instruments to be translated into internal rules, but a general lack of hierarchical structures hinders them from governing the conduct of various sub-organisations. The very diversity of the Shell culture helps to explain why the efforts of its executives have resulted in limited impact. The strength of the Hydro culture makes the corporation resistant to the instruments. Moreover, Hydro is strikingly shielded by virtue of its strong position in Norway. In contrast, Shell is more strongly affected by the global field of petroleum and the global field of CSR

New business models for state companies in the oil industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanţău Adrian D.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In the scientific literature business models are defined as architecture of the value creation, profit formula, key processes and key resources. For the oil industry there is a need to develop new business models that have to describe the specificity of this industry and to take into consideration the new objectives after the global oil crisis. Although crude oil price has dropped dramatically since second quarter 2014, OPEC raised crude output to the its highest value in more than three years as it pressed on with a strategy to protect market share and pressure competing producers. The objective of this article is to identify and promote new business models for state companies in the oil industry. The research methodology is based on case studies that present and analyze the business models in two of the main oil producers Iran and Iraq, where the state companies are playing an important role in this industry. The subject is relevant because the business models for state companies in the oil industry have to be modified after the oil crisis and these are not real analysed in the scientific literature. Furthermore, the aspects discussed in the current article represent the main factors that will influence investment prospects of companies in the field in the next decade.

Oil and Cars: The Impact of Crude Oil Prices on the Stock Returns of Automotive Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bettina Lis

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we are testing whether the impact of oil prices is different on the overall market and automotive companies. In addition we investigate, if this relationship is nonlinear. For this we use stock return data of US, German and Japanese car companies, and returns of share indices from the same countries as control variables, and Brent crude oil price changes. We first estimate the impact of crude oil on the indices, then clean the indices from these influences, and afterwards estimate the impact on the stocks. For this we are using OLS and EGARCH (1,1. We conclude that in general the car companies‘ stocks do not react more adversely as the overall market to crude oil price increases, while Japanese companies do not show any excess sensitivity at all. German companies tend to be sensitive, and US and German companies are together more sensitive in the more recent time periods.

Development of taxation system for oil production companies in Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Salmina, S. V.; Sboeva, I. M.; Selivanovskaya, J. I.; Khafizova, A. R.; Fomin, V. P.

2018-01-01

The present article is devoted to the taxation system for oil production companies in Russia. The role of oil production companies in the realization of the fiscal function of the state is shown. Tax and due receipts at the consolidated budget of the Russian Federation from major economic sectors in the years 2013-2015 are presented and analysed. An investigation of oil production taxation peculiarities is carried out. In particular, mineral extraction tax analysis is made, the said tax being one of the basic taxes paid by oil production companies. The authors come to a conclusion that mineral extraction tax in Russia needs reforming. Based on the investigation realized possible ways of taxation system development in respect of oil production companies in Russia are proposed. Thus, taking into account the fact that oil industry is very important for budget revenue formation, initially it is planned to test the new taxation system principles in a limited number of deposits, so called ‘pilot projects’. For highly profitable minefield deposits it is planned to introduce progressive and regressive index, varying depending on oil prices. Within the framework of the investigation the authors come to a conclusion that it is necessary to introduce gradually the taxation system based on the definition of surplus profit depending on the cost effectiveness and taking into account oil prices.

The oil companies' move toward energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burucoa, X.

1999-01-01

The oil companies have taken advantage of the deregulation of the energy market to extend their core business. By choice or by necessity, they are becoming multi-energy suppliers. Their level of investment in the renewable energy sector goes to show that the trend is a lasting one. The other energy sector companies, whether they are partners or competitors, cannot remain indifferent to this development

Companies: oil and gas industry on the up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burk, V.A.

1994-01-01

The results of a 1993 survey of the oil and gas industries in the USA are reported. Exploration and development spending and production replacement rates increased for the first time since 1990 while reserve replacement costs were at their lowest for five years. Data demonstrating these improvements are included. The information is drawn from 250 publicly owned oil and gas companies, 28 of which have headquarters outside the USA. A ranked list of the ''Top 100'' companies is presented, detailing: oil and gas reserves and production revenues; results of operations from producing activities; acquisition, exploration and development expenditures; reserve and production replacement costs. (UK)

Information asymmetries, information externalities, oil companies strategies and oil exploration information efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyouki, E.

1998-07-01

Both for economics (in general) and energy economics matters, it is important to reach oil exploration efficiency. To achieve this aim, a pragmatic approach is to use the concept of information efficiency which means that the different tracts have to be drilled in the decreasing order of estimated profitabilities, estimations being made on the basis of the best (in the sense of reliability) available information. What does 'best available information' mean? It corresponds either to the information held by the most experienced oil companies (due to the existence of information asymmetries to the profit of these companies), or to information revealed by the drilling and which allows to revise probabilities of success on neighboring tracts with similar geological features (due to the existence of information externalities). In consideration of these information asymmetries and externalities, we will say that exploration is information efficient when. -- on the one hand, initial exploration choices are directed by the most experienced companies, - and, on the other hand, during the drilling phase, in the face of the information externality, companies adopt a sequential drilling, i.e. excluding both over-investment and strategic under-investment. The topic we deal with in this thesis is then to know if oil companies, when they are put in normal competition conditions, are likely to make emerge a state of information efficiency in exploration, the analysis being conducted theoretically and empirically. (author)

Oil prices and the stock prices of alternative energy companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henriques, Irene; Sadorsky, Perry

2008-01-01

Energy security issues coupled with increased concern over the natural environment are driving factors behind oil price movements. While it is widely accepted that rising oil prices are good for the financial performance of alternative energy companies, there has been relatively little statistical work done to measure just how sensitive the financial performance of alternative energy companies are to changes in oil prices. In this paper, a four variable vector autoregression model is developed and estimated in order to investigate the empirical relationship between alternative energy stock prices, technology stock prices, oil prices, and interest rates. Our results show technology stock prices and oil prices each individually Granger cause the stock prices of alternative energy companies. Simulation results show that a shock to technology stock prices has a larger impact on alternative energy stock prices than does a shock to oil prices. These results should be of use to investors, managers and policy makers. (author)

Green Biodiesel Synthesis Using Waste Shells as Sustainable Catalysts with Camelina sativa Oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yelda Hangun-Balkir

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Waste utilization is an essential component of sustainable development and waste shells are rarely used to generate practical products and processes. Most waste shells are CaCO3 rich, which are converted to CaO once calcined and can be employed as inexpensive and green catalysts for the synthesis of biodiesel. Herein, we utilized lobster and eggshells as green catalysts for the transesterification of Camelina sativa oil as feedstock into biodiesel. Camelina sativa oil is an appealing crop option as feedstock for biodiesel production because it has high tolerance of cold weather, drought, and low-quality soils and contains approximately 40% oil content. The catalysts from waste shells were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscope. The product, biodiesel, was studied by 1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The effects of methanol to oil ratio, reaction time, reaction temperature, and catalyst concentration were investigated. Optimum biodiesel yields were attained at a 12 : 1 (alcohol : oil molar ratio with 1 wt.% heterogeneous catalysts in 3 hours at 65°C. The experimental results exhibited a first-order kinetics and rate constants and activation energy were calculated for the transesterification reaction at different temperatures. The fuel properties of the biodiesel produced from Camelina sativa oil and waste shells were compared with those of the petroleum-based diesel by using American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM standards.

The thinking of Cloud computing in the digital construction of the oil companies

Science.gov (United States)

CaoLei, Qizhilin; Dengsheng, Lei

In order to speed up digital construction of the oil companies and enhance productivity and decision-support capabilities while avoiding the disadvantages from the waste of the original process of building digital and duplication of development and input. This paper presents a cloud-based models for the build in the digital construction of the oil companies that National oil companies though the private network will join the cloud data of the oil companies and service center equipment integrated into a whole cloud system, then according to the needs of various departments to prepare their own virtual service center, which can provide a strong service industry and computing power for the Oil companies.

Oil fiscal regimes and national oil companies: A comparison between Pemex and Petrobras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramírez-Cendrero, Juan M.; Paz, María J.

2017-01-01

Analysis of the determinants of the performance of national oil companies (NOCs) is and has always been among the most discussed topics in specialized literature. In this context, the uneven path experienced by two major Latin American NOCs – Petrobras and Pemex – is striking. Our work seeks to explain the uneven performance, focusing on the productive aspects. In particular, we analyze the oil fiscal regimes in Brazil and Mexico as a very crucial aspect – though not the only one – within oil-rich countries that may shed light on the disparities between Petrobras and Pemex. The contribution of our work to the existing literature derives from the relationship that we establish between the characteristics of the respective oil fiscal regimes and the productive performance of the two NOCs, with special consideration paid to the ways in which a fiscal regime contributes, or not, to promoting and guiding the investment efforts of companies. We compare investment, production, and reserve indicators of Pemex and Petrobras and conclude that the Mexican and Brazilian oil fiscal regimes can largely explain the productive and investor performance of both NOCs. - Highlights: • We analyze the oil fiscal regimes in Brazil and Mexico. • We outline the major features in both national oil companies, Petrobras and Pemex. • We compare investment, production, and reserve indicators of Pemex and Petrobras. • We conclude that the OFRs largely explain the productive performance of the NOCs.

Bio oil from pyrolysis of cashew nut shell-characterisation and related properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Piyali; Sreelatha, T.; Ganesh, Anuradda

2004-01-01

Biomass in the form of cashew nut shell represents a renewable and abundant source of energy in India. Cashew nut shell (CNS) was pyrolysed in a fixed bed pyrolysis reactor under vacuum. The CNS on heating upto 175 deg. C produced dark brown oil (oil CO1), which was extracted, and the CNS, after the removal of oil CO1, was pyrolysed under vacuum. The pyrolysis vapours were condensed to get a combustible oil fraction (oil CO2) as well as a noncombustible aqueous fraction. The detailed chemical compositional analysis of both the oils as well as aqueous fractions were carried out by various techniques like liquid column chromatography 1 HNMR, 13 CNMR, FTIR, GC-MS. The CNS oils (CO1 and CO2) were found to be a renewable natural resource of unsaturated phenols with long linear chains and marked absence of anacardic acid. Unlike other bio oils, the CNS oils have been found to be fairly stable. The oils were completely miscible in diesel and were found to have low corrosivity towards Copper and Stainless steel, and thus promise to be a potential fuel

Ecological and Economic Indicators of Oil and Gas Companies Functioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasia V. Sheveleva

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the basic ecological-economic indicators of oil and gas companies, in particular the various volumes of oil, the number of spills per year of CO2 emissions, the costs of environmental protection. In the process of exploration, development and exploitation of oil and gas fields, production, refining, transportation and storage companies have a negative impact on the environment. Occur accidents involving oil spills, emissions and discharges of pollutants into the environment. As a result contaminates water resources, soil and atmosphere, animals dying, birds and fish, but also transformed the structure of the subsurface and changes the landscape, reduced strategic reserves of fuel and energy resources are formed objects of accumulated environmental damage. The need for construction of environmental protection facilities; the protection, rational use and rehabilitation of lands; protection of water resources and atmospheric air; monitoring the environment and industrial facilities; the prevention and elimination of consequences of accidents on pipelines; disposal and recycling of waste; environmental education; conducting scientific research requires oil and gas companies to undertake large expenditures. A positive trend of modern development of oil and gas companies is the introduction of mechanisms for environmental management in practice their activities, which leads to a gradual reduction of the negative impact of their activities on the environment.

Valuation of oil companies - Implications for corporate behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmundsen, Petter

2002-06-01

The report discusses control signals given by the stock market to listed companies and relates this to agency theory. Oil companies are used as a case. The market responds to financial signals from the companies. The market response on various financial indicators represents an implicit incentive scheme for the companies. This is described and the adaptation of the companies is discussed. In addition, the report deals with the significance of a threat of acquisition, and private vs. public ownership

Oil company mergers raise concern among some geoscientists

Science.gov (United States)

Showstack, Randy

With the blessings of the antitrust regulatory agencies and the ghost of John D. Rockefeller, the proposed marriage between Exxon and Mobil would create the world's largest energy company and corporation of any type. This merger also would reunite the two biggest pieces of Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company, which the U.S. Supreme Court ordered dismantled in 1911 in an antitrust case.Exxon, Mobil, and financial analysts say the merger is driven by the need to operate more efficiently in a tough, competitive environment. The price of oil, after all, recently has been scraping near bottom of the barrel at about $11 per barrel, and companies often need to muster significant capital resources to develop more remote reservoirs.

Preliminary evaluation of physical and chemical characterization of waste palm oil shell as cool material replaced in asphaltic concrete as fine aggregate

Science.gov (United States)

Anuar, M. A. M.; Anting, N.; Shahidan, S.; Lee, Y. Y.; Din, M. F. Md; Khalid, F. S.; Nazri, W. M. H. W.

2017-11-01

Malaysia is one of the biggest producer of palm oil product and currently as main source of economy for the country. During the production of crude palm oil, a large amount of waste material is generated, such as palm oil fibres, palm oil shells and empty fruit bunches. Palm oil shell aggregate (POSA) is identified as a material that shows good potential to be used as a fine aggregate replacement in asphaltic concrete. On other hand, the chemical compound that exist in the Palm Oil Shell (POS) have shown a good potential as reflective component in cool-material. The purpose of this study is to obtain the physical and chemical properties of palm oil shell. The result shows the apparent particle density of Palm Oil Shell is 1.6 mg/m3. The specific gravity of palm oil shell was obtained with the value 1.6 and the water absorption amount of palm oil shell recorded from this study was 25.1%. The X-Ray Fluorescence study shows that palm oil shell contains the highest amount of SiO2 (46.412 wt%) and the second highest amount of Fe2O3 (34.016 wt%), both is the main output of relectivity compound. As a conclusion, waste palm oil shell has a potential to be used as alternative material for fine aggregate replacement. Besides that, the amount of chemical element that consist in palm oil shell which high in SiO2 and Fe2O3, promising the benefit to mitigate urban heat island as a cooling material agent.

Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil using calcined scallop shell as catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sirisomboonchai, Suchada; Abuduwayiti, Maidinamu; Guan, Guoqing; Samart, Chanatip; Abliz, Shawket; Hao, Xiaogang; Kusakabe, Katsuki; Abudula, Abuliti

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Calcined scallop shell was used as low-cost and effective catalyst for biodiesel production. • BDF yield from waste cooking oil reached 86% at 65 °C with a catalyst loading amount of 5 wt%. • Calcined scallop shell showed good reusability. • Calcium glyceroxide played an important role on the reusability of calcined scallop shell. • Water in the waste cooking oil had negative effect on the catalytic activity of calcined scallop shell. - Abstract: Transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO) and methanol by using calcined scallop shell (CSS) as catalyst was carried out in a closed system for biodiesel fuel (BDF) production. It is found that the optimum calcination temperature for the preparation of CSS was 1000 °C. The effects of transesterification temperature, reaction time, methanol/oil molar ratio and catalyst loading amount on the BDF yield were investigated. Compared with the commercial CaO, CSS showed higher catalytic activity and the BDF yield reached 86% at 65 °C with a catalyst loading amount of 5 wt% (WCO basis) and a reaction time of 2 h. The catalyst was reused for 5 cycles whilst the BDF yield decreased 23%. It is found that CaO in CSS was transferred to calcium glyceroxide after the transesterification reaction, and calcium glyceroxide also showed good catalytic activity and reusability. Furthermore, Water content in WCO had negative effect on BDF yield. It is found that BDF yield reduced 15% due to the occurring of saponification when the water content was increased from 0.64% to 2.48%. It is expected that CCS can be used as an alternative and cheap catalyst for the biodiesel production

Fast pyrolysis of oil palm shell (OPS)

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, Nurhayati; Sulaiman, Fauziah; Aliasak, Zalila

2015-04-01

Biomass is an important renewable source of energy. Residues that are obtained from harvesting and agricultural products can be utilised as fuel for energy generation by conducting any thermal energy conversion technology. The conversion of biomass to bio oil is one of the prospective alternative energy resources. Therefore, in this study fast pyrolysis of oil palm shell was conducted. The main objective of this study was to find the optimum condition for high yield bio-oil production. The experiment was conducted using fixed-bed fluidizing pyrolysis system. The biomass sample was pyrolysed at variation temperature of 450°C - 650°C and at variation residence time of 0.9s - 1.35s. The results obtained were further discussed in this paper. The basic characteristic of the biomass sample was also presented here. The experiment shows that the optimum bio-oil yield was obtained at temperature of 500°C at residence time 1.15s.

Sustainability Efforts of One Oil Company in Niger Delta of Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Anosike, Charles Afam

Environmental degradation and socioeconomic dilemma continue to stigmatize oil production in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Sustainability programs of oil companies often determine the improvement of living conditions in the region. This explanatory qualitative case study, guided by systems thinking theory and sustainable value framework, explored practitioners' perceptions of sustainability programs to identify its impact on business and the host communities. The research question was designed to address how sustainability efforts of a single oil company in the Niger Delta contributed to the business performance and the livelihood of the local people. Research data were gathered from a sample of 20 experienced sustainability practitioners of the oil company, partnering nonprofit organizations, and community leaders through face-to-face semistructured interviews. Data were segmented and categorized. The data analysis process revealed several themes regarding the challenges and shortfalls of sustainability programs in the region. The oil company's understanding of sustainability as programs and projects focused on preserving resources for future generations was not evident in practice. Findings from the study suggested the need for improved inclusiveness of people in driving sustainability projects. Inclusive sustainability should enhance the oil company's contemplation mechanism to ensure eco-saving thinking and processes, which could result in improved quality of life and business performance in the region. The research findings underscore the need for oil multinational corporations (MNCs) to use a business lens in viewing sustainability to achieve sustainable value.

Key concerns of U.K. oil and gas company directors for upstream oil developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

Energy 2006 is a survey published by Ernst and Young presenting the main concerns over the past decade of the UK company directors. The upstream conclusions are presented here. In the medium term (3 years) and long term (10 years), the main concerns were with replacing reserves and with oil price changes. Company re-organisation etc., de-regulation of the gas market, maximising production, return of Iraq to the oil market, and environmental issues were also of concern. (author)

Approaches of Russian oil companies to optimal capital structure

Science.gov (United States)

Ishuk, T.; Ulyanova, O.; Savchitz, V.

2015-11-01

Oil companies play a vital role in Russian economy. Demand for hydrocarbon products will be increasing for the nearest decades simultaneously with the population growth and social needs. Change of raw-material orientation of Russian economy and the transition to the innovative way of the development do not exclude the development of oil industry in future. Moreover, society believes that this sector must bring the Russian economy on to the road of innovative development due to neo-industrialization. To achieve this, the government power as well as capital management of companies are required. To make their optimal capital structure, it is necessary to minimize the capital cost, decrease definite risks under existing limits, and maximize profitability. The capital structure analysis of Russian and foreign oil companies shows different approaches, reasons, as well as conditions and, consequently, equity capital and debt capital relationship and their cost, which demands the effective capital management strategy.

A retrospect of U.S. oil industry takeovers of U.S. copper companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, G.A.

1991-01-01

This study is a retrospect of the US oil companies' takeovers of US copper companies during the era of 1975-81 and the subsequent divestitures. The oil companies' management favored these takeovers for financial and diversification purposes. Failure to meet these purposes is blamed for the immediate divestitures. This assertion is considered. The additional factor of a sharp oil industry downturn and its aftermath is found to be the key in explaining the divestitures

Big russian oil round

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slovak, K.; Beer, G.

2006-01-01

The departure of Mikhail Khodorkovsky has brought an end to the idyllic times of supplies of Russian oil to the MOL-Slovnaft group. The group used to purchase oil directly from Yukos. But now brokers have again entered the Central European oil business. And their aim is to take control over all of the oil business. The Russians demonstrated the changed situation to Slovakia last autumn: you will either accept the new model, or there will be problems with oil deliveries. Consumers got the message. The main brokers of Russian oil in Central Europe are the Swiss companies Glencore and Fisotra. Little information is available regarding these commodity brokers. But the information available is sufficient to indicate that these are not small companies. Glencore undertakes 3% of all international oil trades. With an annual turnover of 72 billions USD, it was the biggest Swiss company by turnover in 2004. Fisotra also has an extensive product portfolio. It offers financial and commercial services and does not hide its good relations with Russian oil companies. Between 1994 and 1998, it managed their financial operations with major western companies such as BP, Cargill, Elf, Exxon, Shell, Total, and Mutsubishi and also with Glencore. Fisotra states that some of its clients achieved an annual turnover of 1.5 billions USD. At present, the Swiss brokers receive a fee of 1 to 1.5 USD per barrel. The Russian political elite must be aware of these brokerage services as the oil transport through the transit system is closely monitored by the state owned company Transneft. (authors)

Comparing the effects of oil palm kernel shell and cockle shell on properties of pervious concrete pavement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elnaz Khankhaje

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, pervious concrete pavement is one of the best materials used in construction industry as a top layer of permeable pavement system to control the storm water at source. In addition, increasing production of waste materials, increased the interest in utilising the waste materials for environmental and technical benefits. Therefore, this paper compared the effect of using two different sizes of oil palm kernel shell (OPKS and cockleshell (CS as partial replacement of natural coarse aggregate on properties of pervious concrete pavement. Thirteen mixtures were made, in which 6.30-mm natural gravel was replaced with 0, 25, 50 and 75% of 6.30-mm and 4.75-mm of both shells. The relationships between the properties of pervious concrete mixtures was also determined. The replacement of OPKS and CS as the natural aggregate decreased the compressive strength, while the angular shape of both shells caused higher void content and permeability as compared to those of control pervious concrete. On the other hand, pervious concrete containing CS showed better properties than those of incorporating OPKS. Apart from that, strong relationships between density, void content, permeability, compressive strength values indicated that they can be used as a pervious concrete quality control tests for prediction of properties of pervious concrete pavement before placement in the field. Keywords: Pervious concrete pavement, Void content, Permeability, Cockleshell, Palm oil kernel shell

[Reflection on developing bio-energy industry of large oil company].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Haiyang; Su, Haijia; Tan, Tianwei; Liu, Shumin; Wang, Hui

2013-03-01

China's energy supply becomes more serious nowadays and the development of bio-energy becomes a major trend. Large oil companies have superb technology, rich experience and outstanding talent, as well as better sales channels for energy products, which can make full use of their own advantages to achieve the efficient complementary of exist energy and bio-energy. Therefore, large oil companies have the advantages of developing bio-energy. Bio-energy development in China is in the initial stage. There exist some problems such as available land, raw material supply, conversion technologies and policy guarantee, which restrict bio-energy from industrialized development. According to the above key issues, this article proposes suggestions and methods, such as planting energy plant in the marginal barren land to guarantee the supply of bio-energy raw materials, cultivation of professional personnel, building market for bio-energy counting on large oil companies' rich experience and market resources about oil industry, etc, aimed to speed up the industrialized process of bio-energy development in China.

Australian Coal Company Risk Factors: Coal and Oil Prices

OpenAIRE

M. Zahid Hasan; Ronald A. Ratti

2014-01-01

Examination of panel data on listed coal companies on the Australian exchange over January 1999 to February 2010 suggests that market return, interest rate premium, foreign exchange rate risk, and coal price returns are statistically significant in determining the excess return on coal companies’ stock. Coal price return and oil price return increases have statistically significant positive effects on coal company stock returns. A one per cent rise in coal price raises coal company returns ...

Future role of the national oil companies in the world petroleum industry. [Of Arab states

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taher, A H

1977-11-01

The history and role of national (i.e., multinational companies owned by an oil-exporting or -producing country) oil companies are outlined as they relate to international political and economic events. The governments of oil-exporting countries saw national oil companies as a way to gain some control over prices and revenues and to participate in development and marketing decisions. National companies can be more responsive to government policies than multinational companies during times of shortages. They provide a business arm to the government, which is politically involved in supply negotiations with other governments. National companies are felt to have a more stable position in terms of supplies, although their supplies may not be any more abundant. Multinationals will need increasingly selective investment activities after 1980 as government regulation and intervention changes market conditions. National companies may want to turn the marketing of crude oil over to the multinationals, while cooperating with them in exploration projects and the transfer of alternative energy technology. (DCK)

The role of the state oil company in Latin America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teixeira, A.A.

1992-01-01

ARPEL (Asistencia Reciproca Petrolera Estatal Latinoamericana -Latin America State Oil Companies Association for Mutal Assistance) is a private organization working for the benefit of its 20 member companies as well as promoting the economic integration of their respective countries. The Latin American State Oil Companies (LASOCs) are responsible for 80% of petroleum activities in the region, which in 1990 amounted to 7.4 mbd or 11.4% of the world's production. Mexico and Venezuela are responsible for 2/3 of the output. The LASOCs, besides filling domestic needs and seeking country self-sufficiency, look for opportunities for participation in international markets and to attract external investment. (authors)

The fixing of prices by the oil companies during the Gulf war

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

Developments in the global oil market and changes in the structure of the Danish market during the nineteen eighties are described. Price notation on world market spot markets had a significant influence on the fixing of prices in the consumer countries. The influence of the OPEC lands has been reduced. One must note the over-capacity which followed the two oil crises. On the Danish market many of the larger international companies have withdrawn from the scene. Reduction in the number of independent Danish oil companies continues. These factors have led to increased market concentration. Denmark's recovery of oil covers 70% of domestic consumption. It is evaluated whether oil companies have taken advantage of the Gulf War for monetary gain and whether they have changed their buying practices in order to take advantage of holding less stock. It was found that companies are very quick to follow Rotterdam prices (three days) and that more price reductions are given than before the Gulf War. Danish prices are quick to follow the rises and falls in the European market and did not differ much from the European ones during 1990. Only raw oil producers seem to have gained economically from the Gulf War, but this is not judged as speculation. Refinery and import companies have acted in a similar way to each other and have not seemed to decease their stock after the Gulf War in order to buy at a lower price. (AB)

Cultural challenges to Chinese oil companies in Africa and their strategies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, George; Mu, Xianzhong [Institute of Recycling Economy, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China)

2010-11-15

This paper investigates the cultural challenges faced by Chinese oil companies in Africa with the linguistic method and raises five corresponding suggestions in the end. First, the languages and culture of both African countries and China were studied, and the differences between them were uncovered. Second, the effects of colonization on African languages and culture were studied in a historically comparative way; the African tradition and modern culture were considered jointly. Third, the acknowledgement that African people give to Chinese culture was studied; the future development of Chinese cultural influence in Africa was anticipated. Based on all these studies, the cultural challenges to overseas investment management of Chinese oil companies in Africa were summarized into five aspects, i.e., the challenge in communication, working habit, religion, orientation and coexistence. Considering the lessons that some of the western oil companies have learnt in Africa and the development status of Chinese oil companies, five suggestions were given as follows: going aligned with the foreign policy of Chinese government, investigating and setting regulations, strengthening cross-cultural training for staff, developing harmonious relationship with the local communities and the application of localization. (author)

Cultural challenges to Chinese oil companies in Africa and their strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, George; Mu Xianzhong

2010-01-01

This paper investigates the cultural challenges faced by Chinese oil companies in Africa with the linguistic method and raises five corresponding suggestions in the end. First, the languages and culture of both African countries and China were studied, and the differences between them were uncovered. Second, the effects of colonization on African languages and culture were studied in a historically comparative way; the African tradition and modern culture were considered jointly. Third, the acknowledgement that African people give to Chinese culture was studied; the future development of Chinese cultural influence in Africa was anticipated. Based on all these studies, the cultural challenges to overseas investment management of Chinese oil companies in Africa were summarized into five aspects, i.e., the challenge in communication, working habit, religion, orientation and coexistence. Considering the lessons that some of the western oil companies have learnt in Africa and the development status of Chinese oil companies, five suggestions were given as follows: going aligned with the foreign policy of Chinese government, investigating and setting regulations, strengthening cross-cultural training for staff, developing harmonious relationship with the local communities and the application of localization.

Biodiesel Production from Castor Oil by Using Calcium Oxide Derived from Mud Clam Shell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Ismail

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The catalytic potential of calcium oxide synthesized from mud clam shell as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production was studied. The mud clam shell calcium oxide was characterized using particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and BET gas sorption analyzer. The catalyst performance of mud clam shell calcium oxide was studied in the transesterification of castor oil as biodiesel. Catalyst characterization and transesterification study results of synthesized catalyst proved the efficiency of the natural derived catalyst for biodiesel production. A highest biodiesel yield of 96.7% was obtained at optimal parameters such as 1 : 14 oil-to-methanol molar ratio, 3% w/w catalyst concentration, 60°C reaction temperature, and 2-hour reaction time. Catalyst reusability test shows that the synthesized calcium oxide from mud clam shell is reusable up to 5 times.

Delineation of Oil – Polluted Sites in Ibeno LGA, Nigeria, Using Microbiological and Physicochemical Characterization

OpenAIRE

Ime R. Udotong; Justina I. R. Udotong

2015-01-01

Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil and the highest crude oil & condensate producer in Nigeria has its operational base and an oil terminal, the Qua Iboe terminal (QIT) located at Ibeno, Nigeria. Other oil companies like Network Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd, Frontier Oil Ltd; Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd; Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd and Nigerian Agip Energy, a subsidiary of the Italian ENI E&P operate onshore, on the con...

What the new economy means for the oil business

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopeck, J.

2001-01-01

The value-creation opportunities associated with electronically transforming old economy sectors, particularly oil and gas companies, was discussed. Traditional businesses that use Internet technology extensively can shift their strategic perspective to an e-business perspective where required physical capital and working capital is very low, and where focus on product capital can be the greatest. This new strategy creates a more efficient and dynamic company with potential for long-term competitive advantages. Many oil companies have moved forward with implementing the needed technology and management infrastructure for e-business. Electronic transformation through a meta-capitalism perspective offers oil companies a great opportunity to create exceptional shareholder value. Some graphs showed that integrated oil companies have under-performed the Standard and Poors 500 even as they aggressively reduce their cost structures. The reinforcing dynamics between the responses from the integrated oil companies are creating the basis for an accelerated change of pace. The efforts that Texaco, Chevron, Shell and BP have made to move forward with e-business initiatives were highlighted. 8 figs

Corporate Social Responsibility or Government Regulation? Evidence on Oil Spill Prevention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jedrzej G. Frynas

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Major oil spills normally occur from oil pipelines and oil tankers that are under operational control of companies, namely, oil companies and tanker owners. There are two generic responses for changing the behavior of companies with regard to oil spill prevention: mandatory government regulation or voluntary initiatives often pursued under the banner of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR. Here we investigate to what extent voluntary CSR initiatives can be effective in oil spill prevention. A global perspective on voluntary mechanisms is taken by looking at the progress of 20 oil and gas firms from around the world toward oil spill prevention, using the companies' 2010 sustainability reports for self-reported oil spill information. The analysis includes ten oil companies from OECD countries (including Exxon and Shell, among others and 10 oil companies from non-OECD countries (including Brazil's Petrobras and Indian Oil, among others. The study finds that oil spill prevention has generally improved over recent decades. Government regulation played a significant part in these improvements whereas it is less clear to what extent CSR played a significant part in these improvements. Some of CSR's key limitations are highlighted. It is not suggested that CSR should be abandoned; however, new hybrid forms of regulation that combine voluntary and mandatory elements are advocated.

The effects of vertical integration on oil company performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrera-Rey, Fernando.

1995-10-01

When asked to rank industries by their degree of vertical integration, most people would agree that the oil industry should come top of the list. Underlying this belief is the fact that integration and size tend to be closely associated. As the oil industry is so large and oil companies so visible and perceived as so profitable, the common belief is a correlation between vertical integration, size and performance. If a dynamic view is taken of this cross-sectional observation we would expect to find an oil industry populated only by fully integrated very large companies. Although the public and the government agencies may have a view of the large advantages of integration, the surprising fact is that many empirical studies do not focus on its costs. The observation of dispersion and stability of integration would suggest, as theoretical studies do, that a cost-benefit analysis of integration is needed. This study uses that driving hypothesis and tests for the costs and benefits of integration. The cost-benefit analysis would suggest that each company pursues integration up to the point where its benefits are outweighed by its costs. The results in this paper confirm just that: vertical integration reduces the level of efficiency of companies while it also reduces its variability. In other words, there are diseconomies of diversification but the market also incorporates inefficient volatility. However, the results are not impervious to change, there are periods when the inefficiency associated with integration is smaller as is also the risk-reducing ability of the strategy. This may help to explain the reasons why different degrees of integration may be optimal. (author)

Biodiesel Production from Castor Oil by Using Calcium Oxide Derived from Mud Clam Shell

OpenAIRE

Ismail, S.; Ahmed, A. S.; Anr, Reddy; Hamdan, S.

2016-01-01

The catalytic potential of calcium oxide synthesized from mud clam shell as a heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel production was studied. The mud clam shell calcium oxide was characterized using particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and BET gas sorption analyzer. The catalyst performance of mud clam shell calcium oxide was studied in the transesterification of castor oil as biodiesel. Catalyst characterization and transesterification s...

The Current and Future Role of Nigerian Indigenous Oil Companies in the Mature Niger Delta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

David Rowlands, Spectrum Energy and Information Technology Ltd

2002-01-01

Over the last 10 years, there has been a steady increase in the number of successful Indigenous Oil Companies exploring for hydrocarbons in the Niger Delta. A number of these companies have already entered into partnership agreements with overseas based oil companies, however, many more are still seeking technical and financial partnership agreements with overseas based oil companies, however, many more are still seeking technical and financial partners to fulfil their licence commitments. The first exploration licence to an Indigenous Company was awarded in the mid eighties. However, it wasn't until the early nineties that the Nigerian Government's intention to privatise the oil industry gathered momentum. Between 1991 and 1993 a number of discretionary awards of acreage from various sedimentary basins in Nigeria were made to Nigerian Indigenous Companies. Many of these companies had little or no previous experience of hydrocarbon exploration.Sixteen of the Indigenous Companies have already reported discoveries in various parts of the delta, either in partnerships with foreign companies or independently. Eight of the Indigenous Companies are producing hydrocarbons. With very little production in the early 90's, the Indigenous Companies now account for over 4.5% of Nigeria's daily production. The government is intent on increasing this percentage through initiatives such as the Marginal Fields re-allocation programme, and the continued award of acreage in traditional license rounds. This paper takes a closer look at the operations and discoveries of two Indigenous Companies Solgas and Summit with the aim of providing an insight into the structure and mode of operation of typical Nigerian Indigenous Oil Companies.The more recent licensing activity in Nigeria includes the current Marginal Fields re-allocation programme and also possible participation of Nigerian companies in the join Development Zone between Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe. The paper concludes with

The new role of national oil companies - NOCs in international energy markets: a study case of BRICS; O novo papel das national oil companies - NOCs nos mercados internacionais de energia: um estudo de caso das BRICS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simas, Marcelo Marinho [Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (PETROBRAS), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2012-07-01

remarkable change is observed in the environment of the oil and gas industry from the beginning of this decade in view of several factors: raise of technical ability and investments in R and D by the National Oil Companies (NOCs); rising tendency of oil price - result of economical expansion of China and India - despite momentary falls; nationalization of oil and gas reserves in several countries and technological transfer from oil companies to services companies. Herewith a high degree of reserves concentration of oil and gas production was acquired toward a few companies and countries. According the PFC Energy, in 2009 NOCs held 77% of world reserves of oil and 51% of gas against 7% and 9% respectively of the International Oil Companies (IOCs), with impact on oil geopolitics and energy market. Contrarily, IOCs are also redefining their role in this 'chess game' of oil geopolitics due above all to the direction of exploitation programs for deep waters in the few remained areas, to the high investments in R and D to raise the recovery factor of the mature fields and to rendering specialized services to the NOCs. The objective of this research is to consider the new strategies of the NOCs, their influences in the economic and energetic policies of the home countries of the companies as well as the IOCS, their influences in the concentration of the reserves and production, integration with the productive chain and participation in several sectors of industry. (author)

What oil companies will be the most competitive in the next century?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Littlejohn, W.W.

1993-01-01

Turning oil into profit is the engine that propels the industry forward. Today, that engine is sputtering, threatened by a longtime friend and adversary, the federal government. As the authors approach the 21st century, most industry analysts expect the trend in the US toward ever more stringent regulation of oil drilling, transportation, and refining to continue. What kind of oil company can profit on that playing field? Will the 21st century favor international producers with upstream and downstream operations scattered across the globe? Or will it reward companies that focus on the American market and its myriad rules and regulations? A close look at two American-based companies offers some perspective. Exxon is a world-wide producer, refiner and seller of petroleum products and Arco, a California-based company that was among the first to view government intervention as an opportunity to gain competitive advantage

The Russian oil industry between public and private governance: obstacles to international oil companies' investment strategies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Locatelli, Catherine

2006-01-01

The low level of involvement by international oil companies in Russia seems difficult to explain given what development of its resources and production has to offer. There are still many restrictions and contradictions, born of the particular institutional and political environment of the Russian oil industry at the end of 15 years of transition, that act as a bar to international integration. Three factors currently define the establishment of relations with foreign investors. First, because of the many different levels of negotiation with Russian companies, the State and the Regions, the decisions are based on complex relations between the various forces. Second, the reforms, and especially privatisation and the allocation of rights of ownership to deposits, are considered by sizeable sections of public opinion and many political classes to be illegitimate, thus making the issue of international investment and foreign presence still more complicated. Finally, the State's wish to take back the oil industry in order to use it to fulfil its economic and foreign policies is creating further uncertainty. These three elements seriously restrict the entry of international oil companies to the Russian market

Panorama 2017 - Which strategies for Chinese national companies on the oil markets?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hache, Emmanuel

2016-11-01

Buoyed by the 'Go Global' policy launched in the early 2000's and with the support of domestic financial institutions - banks and sovereign wealth funds -, Chinese national companies (NOC) have invested in most hydrocarbon-rich geographic regions and in numerous foreign companies within the sector. Five key objectives have emerged: increase oil and gas reserves, diversify suppliers, purchase specific assets (technologies, human capital), integrate the oil and gas value chain and pursue their own globalization. Chinese NOCs are now competing with international companies (IOC) in the marketplace

Sustainable Development - An Oil Industry View

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Langcake, Peter [Shell International BV, (Netherlands)

1997-12-31

For Shell companies, according to this presentation, sustainable development is an umbrella concept that they have been dealing with for many years and that has recently been given increased focus. Over the years, concern about the depletion of non-renewable resources has been overshadowed by concern about the depletion of renewable sources such as fisheries, forests etc. and climate changes. The primary contribution that Shell can make to sustainable development now and in the foreseeable future is in the economic sphere. Some examples of the involvement of Shell are given: (1) Shell companies have for many years invested considerably in forestry projects and recently some have developed businesses in biomass to power generation projects. Some have projects in photovoltaics. (2) In the Camisea project in Peru, a Shell company is putting the sustainability principle to work by integrating economic, environmental and social aspects. Two large oil reserves lie on either side of the Camisea River. The area is home to several indigenous peoples; it borders a national park and is rich in biodiversity. (3) In Malaysia, Shell is exploiting rich offshore gas fields. These projects are examples of technology cooperation and capability building that contribute to Malaysia`s plans for becoming fully industrialized by 2020

Problems of salaries management in oil and gas companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Gennad'evna Kolosova

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Basing on the results of the author's analysis and generalization of practical experience in the organization of remuneration on the oil and gas companies of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous District — Yugra, the current state and remuneration policy were defined. The designed SWOT matrix reveals the possibilities of further improvement of the remuneration organization. Innovative development of remuneration systems involves a complex process of selecting management tools to achieve performance targets and implementing business strategies. A study of the most upfront human resources and staff practices in the Russian oil and gas sector has allowed the author to formulate approaches to building effective systems of remuneration. The suggestions described in this paper coordinate the interests of employers and employees. At the same time, they increase efficiency and job satisfaction through raising personal responsibility, which will gain the effectiveness of incentives for oil and gas companies.

Corporate and state responses to anti-oil protests in the Niger Delta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frynas, J.G. [Coventry University (United Kingdom). International Business at Coventry Business School

2001-07-01

Conflicts between oil companies and village communities in the Niger Delta have lasted for several decades, but during the 1990s they escalated further and received international media coverage. Much of it focused on the anti-Shell protests by the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) which led to Shell's withdrawal from the Ogoni area in 1993. Notwithstanding the political changes following General Abacha's death in June 1998, the conflicts are continuing. While the intensity of the Ogoni protests decreased from 1995 onwards, other ethnic and political groups across the Niger Delta began to disrupt oil activities. This article critically examines the response of the Nigerian state and the oil companies to the anti-oil protests in the Delta. The investigation focuses on three generic strategies: concessions by the state and oil companies to protesters, such as the creation of development projects; the use of public relations in dealing with the Niger Delta crisis; and the use of violence by the state and the oil companies against anti-oil protesters. The analysis suggests that the state and corporate response to the Niger Delta crisis has so far been inadequate in the sense that it fails to satisfy the demands of the local people. Judging from past experience, unless there are structural changes within Nigeria's institutional framework, which would allow for a more effective use of the country's oil wealth for the benefit of the oil-producing areas, conflicts in the Niger Delta are likely to continue. (author)

77 FR 32631 - Lion Oil Trading & Transportation, Inc., Magnolia Pipeline Company, and El Dorado Pipeline...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-01

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. OR12-13-000] Lion Oil... of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.202 (2011), Lion Oil Trading & Transportation, Inc., Magnolia Pipeline Company, and El Dorado Pipeline Company, collectively, Lion Companies...

Shell Venster

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Wit, P.; Looijesteijn, B.; Regeer, B.; Stip, B.

1995-03-01

In the bi-monthly issues of 'Shell Venster' (window on Shell) attention is paid to the activities of the multinational petroleum company Shell Nederland and the Koninklijke/Shell Groep by means of non-specialist articles

CHARACTERIZATION OF BIO-OIL FROM PALM KERNEL SHELL PYROLYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Ahmad

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Pyrolysis of palm kernel shell in a fixed-bed reactor was studied in this paper. The objectives were to investigate the effect of pyrolysis temperature and particle size on the products yield and to characterize the bio-oil product. In order to get the optimum pyrolysis parameters on bio-oil yield, temperatures of 350, 400, 450, 500 and 550 °C and particle sizes of 212–300 µm, 300–600 µm, 600µm–1.18 mm and 1.18–2.36 mm under a heating rate of 50 °C min-1 were investigated. The maximum bio-oil yield was 38.40% at 450 °C with a heating rate of 50 °C min-1 and a nitrogen sweep gas flow rate of 50 ml min-1. The bio-oil products were analysed by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GCMS. The FTIR analysis showed that the bio-oil was dominated by oxygenated species. The phenol, phenol, 2-methoxy- and furfural that were identified by GCMS analysis are highly suitable for extraction from the bio-oil as value-added chemicals. The highly oxygenated oils need to be upgraded in order to be used in other applications such as transportation fuels.

Where in the World are Canadian Oil and Gas Companies? 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niloo Hojjati

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Canada is well recognized for its prominence as an oil and gas jurisdiction in regard to its resources within its own borders. However, there is little available analysis and information regarding the presence of Canadian companies in the international arena. Begun in 2011 as an internal research tool for the development of the Extractive Resource Governance Program, this project seeks to answer the vital question: Where in the world are Canadian oil and gas companies? To answer this question, firm-level data from publicly traded Canadian companies are collected and analyzed, culminating in the development of an online tool for public use. This map allows interested users to geographically locate jurisdictions around the world where publicly traded Canadian oil and gas (hereafter O&G companies have activities, over time. The map is available at http://www.policyschool.ca/ research-teaching/teaching-training/extractive-resource-governance/ergp-map/. This project, hereafter referred to as the WIW project, provides a measure that quantifies Canadian oil and gas activity around the world and identifies key jurisdictions that are of particular interest to Canadian O&G companies. The data collected holds value for various stakeholders such as governments, regulatory bodies, academia, civil society, and industry across the extractive resource spectrum. Prior to further discussion regarding the 2011 annual data results, it is valuable to provide a brief overview of the methodology used in the collection of data for this research project. The WIW project examines the global activities of Canadian O&G companies in 218 countries spanning seven international regions of analysis.1 The aim of the WIW project is to examine the international presence of Canadian companies in foreign countries. As such, it is important to note that this project does not provide information related to the activities of Canadian companies within Canada’s border, such as the

National Oil Companies and their role in international market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

Thirteen of the top 20 international helders of oil and gas reserves are either traditional national oil company (NOC) or newly privatised NOC. The growing importance of NOC in the international energy markets raises questions about emerging policies, objectives and priorities of these organizations since, historically, geopolitical and strategic aims in addition to purely commercial considerations are factored into their foreign investment decisions [it

Effect of fly ash content towards Sulphate resistance of oil palm shell lightweight aggregate concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Muthusamy, K.; Fadzil, M. Y.; Nazrin Akmal, A. Z. Muhammad; Ahmad, S. Wan; Nur Azzimah, Z.; Hanafi, H. Mohd; Mohamad Hafizuddin, R.

2018-04-01

Both oil palm shell (OPS) and fly ash are by-product generated from the industries. Disposal of these by-product as wastes cause negative impact to the environment. The use of both oil palm shell and fly ash in concrete is seen as an economical solution for making green and denser concrete. The primary aim of this research is to determine the effects of FA utilization as sand replacement in oil palm shell lightweight aggregate concrete (OPS LWAC) towards sulphate resistance. Five concrete mixes containing fly ash as sand replacement namely 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% were prepared in these experimental work. All mixes were cast in form of cubes before subjected to sulphate solution for the period of 5 months. It was found that addition of 10% fly ash as sand replacement content resulted in better sulphate resistance of OPS LWAC. The occurrence of pozzolanic reaction due to the presence of FA in concrete has consumed the vulnerable Calcium hydroxide to be secondary C-S-H gel making the concrete denser and more durable.

The Utilization Of Resources And Regulation Along With Companys Strategies In Managing Oil And Natural Gas Industry In Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sigit Rahardjo

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Oil and gas production in Indonesia has been declined since 1995 up to now the effort to increase the production has been done but it does not result yet. In contrast day by day the investment is getting increased and huge on the other hands it becomes a problem and a challenge for Indonesia to meet oil needs as raw material for refined fuel oil either for transportation or industries. Day by day the needs of refined fuel oil is getting increased and huge as it is correlated to the increasing of the number of motorcycles either two-wheeled or four-wheeled as well as the increasing of oil and gas or non-oil and gas industries. Oil and natural industry Resource Base has specific characteristics those are internal factor that uses resource such as high technology huge investment cost as well as competent human resources. Besides the external factor those are good regulations either in the central and regional levels as well as the sector which is very important toward the production performance and the of company managements strategies to manage this industry. This paper attempts to figure out the impact of internal factor in the form of resources and external factor in the form of regulation as well as the effect of production performance toward petroleum companies of upstream sectors in Indonesia and managements role especially petroleum industrialists in managing the company. The wane of oil production and the increasing of refined fuel oil need in Indonesia as well as the increasing of oil production cost then it will affect the industrialists strategies in managing the companies. The resources consist of human resource oil reserve as well as petroleum technologies. While regulation consists of law central and regional government regulations and rules in oil and gas sector. Whereas the companys strategies are explained by production volume and selling volume of oil. Companys performance which sets to work in upstream sector is influenced by

What kind of oil company do we need? Maturity and industrial structure on the Norwegian Shelf

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noreng, Oeystein

1998-01-01

After many years with relatively high oil prices and moderately good oil discoveries, there is today an investment pressure on the Shelf. Many current development projects concern smaller discoveries made a long time ago. Thus the present rapid development depletes a capital of discoveries made at an early phase when the Norwegian Shelf was less mature. On this background, this presentation suggests that perhaps Norway, as a mature oil province, may not need the same kind of oil companies that dominated the petroleum activities during the development to maturity. It is experienced internationally that the various phases in the development of an oil province require different competence and thus different companies. Less oil has been found the last years than what has been produced. The command is now to find more oil. The question is how and by what company. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed for four categories of companies: (1) state companies, (2) large multinational, (3) independent, and (4) small newcomers. A section on maturing and the interest of the state as the property owner discusses the processes from large-scale operation to diversity, and maturing and the need for selective competence and low costs. Finally the paper discusses the negotiation policy of the state, political instruments and the company structure and reviews some experience from U.S.A. and UK. 1 table

No 2951. Proposal of law for the increase of the tax rate of oil companies profit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luca, L.

2006-03-01

The profits made in 2005 by oil companies is enormous and results from the important and continuous rise of the oil barrel price. However, this high price has led to an inflation of automotive and space heating fuel prices which has penalized the end-users. These end-users have also contributed in this way to the excellent financial results of oil companies. Therefore, this proposal of law aims at establishing a pay-back system to end-users as soon as the profits of oil companies exceed a given threshold. (J.S.)

Utilization possibilities of palm shell as a source of biomass energy in Malaysia by producing bio-oil in pyrolysis process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abnisa, Faisal; Daud, W.M.A. Wan; Husin, W.N.W.; Sahu, J.N.

2011-01-01

Agriculture residues such as palm shell are one of the biomass categories that can be utilized for conversion to bio-oil by using pyrolysis process. Palm shells were pyrolyzed in a fluidized-bed reactor at 400, 500, 600, 700 and 800 o C with N 2 as carrier gas at flow rate 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 L/min. The objective of the present work is to determine the effects of temperature, flow rate of N 2 , particle size and reaction time on the optimization of production of renewable bio-oil from palm shell. According to this study the maximum yield of bio-oil (47.3 wt%) can be obtained, working at the medium level for the operation temperature (500 o C) and 2 L/min of N 2 flow rate at 60 min reaction time. Temperature is the most important factor, having a significant positive effect on yield product of bio-oil. The oil was characterized by Fourier Transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. -- Highlights: → This study reports the results of experimental investing of conversion palm shell into bio-oil by using pyrolysis and to find the optimum condition to produce the highest yield of bio-oil. → Several parameters which have effect to the process such as temperature, N 2 flow rate, reaction time and particle size is will be investigated in this study. → The outcome of this result will be important for abatement and control of increasingly waste palm shell storage problems any energy source to the world.

Valuation of international oil- and gas companies; Verdsetting av internasjonale olje- og gasselskaper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osmundsen, Petter; Mohn, Klaus; Espedal, Harald; Loevaas, Kjell

2002-07-01

In Norway, stock exchange quotation of Statoil has led to increased interest in valuation of oil companies. This article goes through the theory of corporate valuation. Then it compares the theory with practice, where valuation largely is built on accounts-based indicators. Taking the oil companies as a case, the article describes and evaluates the valuation methods used by analysts and investment banks.

Whither Chinese involvement in the Canadian oil industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schulz, B.

2006-01-01

Chinese oil companies have become increasingly focused on securing Canadian oil. However, most of the oil sands leases with good geological and economic prospects are owned by Canadian or Canadian subsidiary companies that have proven unwilling to sell future revenue and reserves bases to the Chinese. The opportunity for a trade of Canadian oil assets for improved Chinese market entry has been limited to Husky, which has existing Chinese connections, as well as to global companies such as Exxon, Shell and BP. In May 2005, the Chinese company Sinopec completed a $105 million deal with Calgary-based Synenco and formed a joint venture for oil sands production and an upgrader. Chinese interests are also involved in the Calgary-based Value Creation Group of Companies as well as in BA Energy. Enbridge has recently invested $25 million in the Heartland upgrader project, presumably with the aim of building pipelines to move new products to Asia. The most significant problem for Canadian oil sands companies and the greatest opportunity for Chinese companies involves the utilization of trained Chinese workers for the $100 billion in oil sands construction planned for the next decade. Significant immigration barriers exist for Chinese workers in Canada, and there is a legitimate concern that Chinese workers may want to stay in Canada. It was concluded that while there may be mutual opportunities for collaboration between Chinese and Canadian energy companies, the Alberta government currently faces challenges in work shortages, immigration, and pressures from unions and environmental lobbyists. 1 fig

Whither Chinese involvement in the Canadian oil industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schulz, B. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Haskayne School of Business

2006-09-15

Chinese oil companies have become increasingly focused on securing Canadian oil. However, most of the oil sands leases with good geological and economic prospects are owned by Canadian or Canadian subsidiary companies that have proven unwilling to sell future revenue and reserves bases to the Chinese. The opportunity for a trade of Canadian oil assets for improved Chinese market entry has been limited to Husky, which has existing Chinese connections, as well as to global companies such as Exxon, Shell and BP. In May 2005, the Chinese company Sinopec completed a $105 million deal with Calgary-based Synenco and formed a joint venture for oil sands production and an upgrader. Chinese interests are also involved in the Calgary-based Value Creation Group of Companies as well as in BA Energy. Enbridge has recently invested $25 million in the Heartland upgrader project, presumably with the aim of building pipelines to move new products to Asia. The most significant problem for Canadian oil sands companies and the greatest opportunity for Chinese companies involves the utilization of trained Chinese workers for the $100 billion in oil sands construction planned for the next decade. Significant immigration barriers exist for Chinese workers in Canada, and there is a legitimate concern that Chinese workers may want to stay in Canada. It was concluded that while there may be mutual opportunities for collaboration between Chinese and Canadian energy companies, the Alberta government currently faces challenges in work shortages, immigration, and pressures from unions and environmental lobbyists. 1 fig.

Indian oil company joins efforts to reduce methane emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Mohi

The Oil and Natural Gas Corp, Ltd. (ONGC), headquartered in Dehradun, India, has joined seven U.S. and Canadian oil and natural gas companies as a partner in a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EPA's Natural Gas STAR International Program aims to reduce methane emissions from the oil and natural gas sector while delivering more gas to markets around the world. With this partnership, ONGC agrees to implement emissions reduction practices and to submit annual reports on progress achieved; EPA agrees to assist ONGC with training technicians in new cost-effective technologies that will help achieve target emissions. The Natural Gas STAR International Program is administered under the Methane to Markets Partnership, a group of 20 countries and 600 companies across the globe that since 2004 has volunteered to cut methane emissions. More information on EPA's agreement with ONGC can be found at http://www.epa.gov/gasstar/index.htm; information about the Methane to Markets Partnership can be found at http://www.methanetomarkets.org.

Case study: The Transnationalization of Russian Oil and Gas Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey Lavrov

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The value of multinational enterprises (MNEs as the main players in the global economy is constantly increasing. More and more companies from developing and transition economies are starting to do business beyond their national borders. Not all of them strictly belong to the category of MNEs, as is the case for Russia’s largest companies. This article analyzes the international activities of Russian MNEs. The authors study the place of MNEs in the modern world and examine the transformation of the concept of an MNE in the international practice. They identify the internationally accepted criteria that classify a company as an MNE. They analyze the international activities of the largest Russian companies in the oil and gas sector (Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil, Surgutneftegas, Novatek and their possible classification as MNEs. The article also assesses the influence of the economic and political sanctions on the international activities of Russian MNEs in the oil and gas sector. The methodological basis for the study is the dialectical method of investigating phenomena and processes in the modern world as the most effective way to achieve goals. The authors pay particular attention to the practical application of comparative economic analysis, classification and empirical generalization of original data. The authors came to seven conclusions. First, there is no single approach to defining the essence of MNEs. Second, the indicators that classify a company as an MNE can be divided into qualitative and quantitative criteria. Third, not all the large companies in Russia engaged in expanding into foreign markets can be classified as MNEs by the formal criteria. Fourth, most Russian MNEs have an unstable position in international ratings of MNEs, with the exception of Lukoil. Fifth, the main problems of Russian MNEs include the inefficiency of foreign assets, the lack of experience in managing international holdings and the longstanding crisis of the

Waste Cooking Oil Conversion To Biodeisel Catalized By Egg Shell Of Purebred Chiken With Ethanol As A Solvent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hellna Tehubijuluw

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The synthesis of biodiesel from the waste cooking oil was carried out using the catalyst from egg shell of purebred chiken with ethanol as a solvent. Synthesis of biodiesel was prepared in two steps, esterification and transesterification. Esterification was conducted in mol ratio of ethanol and waste cooking oil of  9:1 with H2SO4 as a catalyst. Mol ratio of ethanol and used cooking oil in the transesterification of  12:1 with the CaO catalyst of shell eggs. CaO catalyst was yielded by calcinations egg shell of purebred chicken on 1000 for two hours. Calcination product was characterized with XRD to determine of CaO. Result of biodiesel was characterized based on FTIR, H-NMR, dan ASTM (American Standard Testing of Materials. Theoretically,yielded of biodiesel was 58% and experiment was 36.779%.

Biomass analysis at palm oil factory as an electric power plant

Science.gov (United States)

Yusniati; Parinduri, Luthfi; Krianto Sulaiman, Oris

2018-04-01

Biomassa found in palm oil mill industryis a by-product such as palm shell, fiber, empty fruit bunches and pome. The material can be used as an alternative fuel for fossil fuel. On PTPN IVpalm oil millDolokSinumbah with a capacity of 30 tons tbs/hour of palm fruit fiber and palm shells has been utilized as boiler fuel to produce steam to supplyboilers power plant. With this utilization, the use of generators that using fossil fuel can be reduced, this would provide added value for the company. From the analysis, the fiber and shell materials were sufficient to supply 18 tons/hoursteam for the boiler. Shell material even excess as much as 441,5 tons per month. By utilizing the 2 types of biomass that is available alone, the electricity needs of the factory of 734 Kwh can be met. While other materials such as empty bunches and pome can be utilized to increase the added value and profitability for the palm oil mill.

The political role of national oil companies in the large exporting countries : the Venezuela case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mommer, B.

1994-01-01

This paper starts by defining the role of mining companies vis-a vis the landlords in a modern economy. Then it examines the role international oil companies played in exporting countries. Finally the role of national oil companies is analyzed following the same scheme : what is their contribution to the development of a new landlord-tenant relationship, nationally and internationally ? ''Petroleos de Venezuela'' is taken as an example. (Author). 27 refs

Oil companies: institutional and economic transformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clo, Alberto

2007-01-01

In the last century, experience in the oil industry, suggested that some particular conditions were functional to the success of big companies strategies when facing exogenous market conditions hold true even nowadays, in face of the energy market institutional and economic transformations which are in place since the start of the new century. In other ways, are the majors still able to anticipate the market shifts and changes and to profit of these in terms of growth opportunities and competitiveness? [it

On-demand oil-water separation via low-voltage wettability switching of core-shell structures on copper substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Kung, Chun Haow; Zahiri, Beniamin; Sow, Pradeep Kumar; Mérida, Walter

2018-06-01

A copper mesh with dendritic copper-oxide core-shell structure is prepared using an additive-free electrochemical deposition strategy for on-demand oil-water separation. Electrochemical manipulation of the oxidation state of the copper oxide shell phase results in opposite affinities towards water and oil. The copper mesh can be tuned to manifest both superhydrophobic and superoleophilic properties to enable oil-removal. Conversely, switching to superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic allows water-removal. These changes correspond to the application of small reduction voltages (air drying. In the oil-removal mode, heavy oil selectively passes through the mesh while water is retained; in water-removal mode, the mesh allows water to permeate but blocks light oil. The smart membrane achieved separation efficiencies higher than 98% for a series of oil-water mixtures. The separation efficiency remains high with less than 5% variation after 30 cycles of oil-water separation in both modes. The switchable wetting mechanism is demonstrated with the aid of microstructural and electrochemical analysis and based on the well-known Cassie-Baxter and Wenzel theories. The selective removal of water or oil from the oil-water mixtures is driven solely by gravity and yields high efficiency and recyclability. The potential applications for the relevant technologies include oil spills cleanup, fuel purification, and wastewater treatment.

Appearing like a state: Oil companies and local violence in the Niger Delta

Science.gov (United States)

Mattner, Mark

What determines the extent to which communities in the Niger Delta experience violence? The dissertation addresses this question by focusing on the role of multinational oil companies in local governance, where state institutions are weak. The available literature often overlooks this important dimension. Specifically, the dissertation evaluates whether the choice of community relation policies by oil companies accounts for variations in local violence. These policies often include community development projects and attempts at strengthening local institutions. The main hypothesis is that where projects are allocated and implemented through participatory processes, informal institutions are created which substitute for weak local governments and reduce violence. The dissertation tests this contention by comparing four cases which were selected according to differences in their levels of violence. It concludes that the hypothesis is valid only in highly specific circumstances. In most cases, levels of repression and the relationship between companies and local elites are more significant explanations for violence. This is because oil companies and the state continue to rely primarily on repression and co-optation in their relationship with local communities. Community development and corporate social responsibility are secondary concerns. The central implication of this analysis is that a solution to the crisis in the Niger Delta is unlikely to lie in self-regulation and non-binding commitments by corporate actors. More promising approaches are strengthening local governments by ensuring the integrity of local elections and more stringent regulation of oil company conduct.

US oil companies ready to take the high ground again

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odell, P.

1994-01-01

In the 1930s, the petroleum industry, which essentially started in the United States of America (USA), was prevented from expanding its influence to Middle East petroleum producing countries because of the colonial control exercised by Britain, France and the Netherlands. However, with the Second World War, these relationships changed, and gradually the oil traded internationally became the principle source of energy on the world market. A well-known oil industry commentator and critic describes these developments and notes that since the Gulf War, the USA has drawn closer to Saudi Arabia, a major oil producer, and hence permitted U S. oil companies to dominate the world scene. (UK)

The national oil companies and the modernization of tax regimes in oil exporting countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez-Padilla, V.

1994-01-01

The analysis of tax regimes for oil national companies leads through three conclusions : i) current tax regimes are economically inefficient but they may be corrected without changing the institutional framework ; ii) there is no optimal tax regime but certain principles such as equity, adaptability and neutrality have to be respected; iii) contracts and concessions might be appropriated tools while maintaining the monopoly of the national company but such a choice poses political and ideological problems. (Author). 26 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab

Critical Factors in Transnational Oil Companies Localisation Decisions - Clusters and Portfolio Optimisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kind, Hans Jarle; Osmundsen, Petter; Tverteraas, Ragnar

2001-10-01

Enhanced understanding of the factors determining trans national companies' localisation decisions is important for regulators and other stake holders concerned about maintaining current activity levels in a petroleum producing country. This article discusses localisation decisions in the context of theories of industrial clusters and real portfolio optimisation theory (materiality), which we argue are two fruitful lines of explanation for trans national companies' behaviour. The industrial cluster literature is concerned about the level of positive externalities associated with geographic clustering of related production activities. The concept of materiality, implying that investment projects in an oil province must be of a certain minimum size in order to be interesting for oil companies, is evaluated empirically and compared to predictions of mainstream economic theory. (author)

Critical Factors in Transnational Oil Companies Localisation Decisions - Clusters and Portfolio Optimisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kind, Hans Jarle; Osmundsen, Petter; Tverteraas, Ragnar

2001-10-01

Enhanced understanding of the factors determining transnational companies' localisation decisions is important for regulators and other stakeholders concerned about maintaining current activity levels in a petroleum producing country. This article discusses localisation decisions in the context of theories of industrial clusters and real portfolio optimisation theory (materiality), which we argue are two fruitful lines of explanation for transnational companies' behaviour. The industrial cluster literature is concerned about the level of positive externalities associated with geographic clustering of related production activities. The concept of materiality, implying that investment projects in an oil province must be of a certain minimum size in order to be interesting for oil companies, is evaluated empirically and compared to predictions of mainstream economic theory. (author)

Properties of palm oil fuel ash cement sand brick containing pulverized cockle shell as partial sand replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Mat Aris, S.; Muthusamy, K.; Uzer, A.; Ahmad, S. Wan

2018-04-01

Environmental pollution caused by the disposal of solid wastes generated from both palm oil industry and cockle shell trade has motivated researches to explore the potential of these wastes. Integrating these wastes in production of construction material is one of the ways to reduce amount of waste thrown at dumping area. Thus, the present investigation investigates the performance of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) cement sand brick containing pulverized cockle shell as partial fine aggregate replacement. All mixes used contain 20% of POFA as partial cement replacement. Total of six mixes were prepared by adding a range of pulverized cockle shell that is 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% as partial sand replacement. The mixes were prepared in form of brick. All the water cured samples were tested for compressive strength and flexural strength until 28 days. Findings show that brick produced using 20% pulverized cockle shell exhibit the highest compressive strength and flexural strength also the lowest water absorption value.

Exploring the Linkages Between Deming’s Principle, World-Class Company, Operational Excellence, and Company Performance in an Oil and Gas Industry Setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wakhid Slamet Ciptono

2005-06-01

Full Text Available This study explores the linkages between Deming’s Principle, World-Class Company, Operational Excellence, and Company Performance in the Indonesia’s oil and gas industry. The aim of this study is to examine the causal relationships model between the Deming’s Principle (DP, World-Class Company (WCC, Operational Excellence (OE, and Company Performance (Monetary Gain Performance or MGP and Value Gain Performance or VGP. The author used 140 strategic business units (SBUs in 49 oil and gas companies in Indonesia. The survey was administered to every level of management at each SBU (Top, Middle, and Low Level Management. A multiple informant sampling unit is used to ensure a balanced view of the relationships between the research constructs, and to collect data from the most informed respondents on different levels of management. A total of 1,332 individual usable questionnaires were returned thus qualified for analysis, representing an effective response rate of 50.19 percent. Path analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM are used to analyze the effect of Deming’s principle on company performance and to investigate the interrelationships between Deming’s principle, world-class company, operational excellence, and company performance. The results show that Deming’s Principle has significant positive and indirect effect on company performance (monetary gain performance and value gain performance. Although the Deming’s Principle has no significant direct effects on company performance, the Deming’s Principle has significant positive effects on the intervening variables (world-class company and operational excellence. The result also shows that a complete model fit and the acceptable parameter level that indicate the overall parameter are good fit between the hypothesized model and the observed data. By concentrating on a single industry (oil and gas, SEM specification of the causal relationship model between five constructs can be

Where in the World are Canadian Oil and Gas Companies? 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niloo Hojjati

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Begun in 2011 as an internal research tool for the development of the Extractive Resource Governance Program, this study seeks to answer the vital question: Where in the world are Canadian oil and gas companies? To answer this question, we extract firm-level information from publicly traded Canadian companies in order to establish the location of their activities around the globe.1 The data collected in the “Where in the World” (hereafter WIW project are presented through a publicly accessible interactive world map, which allows users to explore a specific country or region over time. This map can be accessed online at http://www.policyschool.ca/research-teaching/teaching-training/extractiveresource-governance/ergp-map/. For background information regarding the WIW project, including an extensive overview of the methodology, please refer to http://www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Where-in-the-WorldHojjati-Horsfield-Jordison-final.pdf. For a summarized overview of the annual data gathered in 2011, please refer to http://www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/ uploads/2017/06/2011-Where-in-the-World-Hojjati-Horsfield-Jordison-final.pdf. This report, as in the earlier report in this series, presents an extensive account of the global presence of Canadian oil and gas (hereafter O&G companies in the 2012 year of study.2 In total, 228 Canadian O&G companies conducted operations in 85 countries in 2012, extending their presence to every region of the world. While North America continued to serve as the primary destination for Canadian exploration and production activities, the role of Canadian O&G service companies increased significantly in the Middle Eastern oil and gas industry, particularly in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman. This report begins with a regional overview of the international activities of Canadian exploration and production (E&P companies, followed by a summary of the level of activities on a

The Alberta oil sands story

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1974-01-01

This report serves as a detailed introduction to the Alberta oil sands and their development. It includes a description of the oil sands deposits, an outline of crude bitumen recovery and upgrading processes, the role of Alberta Energy Company in oil sands development, environmental aspects, manpower requirements for oil sands development, research needs, and further oil sands projects. Presently proven recoverable reserves in the oil sands amount to 26.5 billion bbl of synthetic crude. Production from the Syncrude plant (125,000 bbl/d capacity) is expected to begin in 1977, followed by a Shell Canada operation around 1980. The provincial government will participate in the oil sand industry through its joint venture participation in Syncrude and its 50% share in Alberta Energy Company; the latter company participates in related aspects of the Syncrude project, such as pipelines. The result of Alberta's participation in the industry will mean that, directly or indirectly, the province will realize 60% of the total profits. The job creation potential of oil sands projects is estimated to be extensive, with a direct and indirect work force supported by oil sands activities possibly reaching 180,000 persons by the year 2000. Research needs have been identified, particularly in the area of in-situ thermal recovery technology, and the creation of the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority has been authorized in order to meet these needs. Although current reserves are sufficient to support 20-30 synthetic crude plants, a number of factors will limit expansion of the industry. 8 figs., 5 tabs.

The role of the state oil company in Latin America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teixeira, A.A.

1991-01-01

The role of the Latin American state oil companies (LASOCs) in establishing national industries to fuel economic development is discussed. LASOCs are represented internationally in an organization called ARPEL (Asistencia Reciproca Petrolera Estatal Latinoamericana) which is aimed to foster interchange, cooperation, and mutual assistance among its 20 member companies, as well as to promote economic integration of Latin America through its petroleum sector. State oil companies in Latin America date from 1922, when the oldest LASOC was created in Argentina. LASOCs are responsible for ca 80% of petroleum activities in Latin America. As of 1990, Latin American oil reserves, including gas liquids, amounted to ca 122 billion bbl or 12.2% of the world total. Regional oil production averaged 7.4 million bbl/d in 1990. Refining capacity is ca 7.7 million bbl/d, of which 80% is operated directly by LASOCs. Natural gas reserves are 7.3 trillion m 3 , ca 6% of the world total, and production averaged 360 million m 3 in 1990. LASOCs were generally created and developed under strong nationalistic climates and worked in regulated markets. They grew strongly during the 1960s and 1970s and also organized to work both in upstream and downstream operations. LASOC strategies varied according to the needs of the individual countries, but generally included promotion of long range plans to develop the local manufacturing and service industries. The larger LASOCs have developed important new technologies. In the 1980s, economic crises and financial manipulation by governments brought LASOCs into a serious crisis, and the latest trend is toward deregulation and an opening to foreign investment to encourage economic recovery. 8 figs., 2 tabs

Effects of oil palm shell coarse aggregate species on high strength lightweight concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Yew, Ming Kun; Bin Mahmud, Hilmi; Ang, Bee Chin; Yew, Ming Chian

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different species of oil palm shell (OPS) coarse aggregates on the properties of high strength lightweight concrete (HSLWC). Original and crushed OPS coarse aggregates of different species and age categories were investigated in this study. The research focused on two OPS species (dura and tenera), in which the coarse aggregates were taken from oil palm trees of the following age categories (3-5, 6-9, and 10-15 years old). The results showed that the workability and dry density of the oil palm shell concrete (OPSC) increase with an increase in age category of OPS species. The compressive strength of specimen CD3 increases significantly compared to specimen CT3 by 21.8%. The maximum achievable 28-day and 90-day compressive strength is 54 and 56 MPa, respectively, which is within the range for 10-15-year-old crushed dura OPS. The water absorption was determined to be within the range for good concrete for the different species of OPSC. In addition, the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) results showed that the OPS HSLWC attain good condition at the age of 3 days.

Study notes separability of oil company profitability, efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, R.G.

1993-01-01

In recent years, the large publicly traded oil companies have been restructuring and downsizing to improve efficiency. Newly developed decision theory forces one to question the widely held singular focus on efficiency because improving efficiency will not necessarily improve profits. This is especially likely in the oil industry, where price volatility is the norm. Because its products are so basic, its price volatility typically ripples widely throughout the economy. In light of this, efficiency and profitability in the oil industry require separate treatment. More specifically, the efficient are not necessarily the most profitable; conversely, the most profitable are not necessarily the most efficient. Such a decoupling of efficiency and profitability requires a totally new look at business strategy. In the face of highly variable prices, firms can no longer depend on the long-accepted duality norm between profits and efficiency

The adaptation of national companies to a new oil environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boussena, S.

1994-01-01

The national oil companies of exporting countries are facing a changing economic world, a remaining low oil price and many other economic and political changes. They have to adapt to this new environment. To do this they have to define a better balance between their corporate targets and the function which is given to them through state ownership. They need an actual modernization which does not necessarily imply privatization. (Author). 3 figs., 5 tabs

Meeting the challenge of future energy supply from the perspective of Royal Dutch Shell. An interview with Matthias Bichsel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bollinger, D. (ed.); Gunzenhauser, B. [Vice-President of the Association of Swiss Petroleum Geologists and Engineers, c/o Interoil AG, Zuerich (Switzerland)

2009-07-01

In this comprehensive interview in the Swiss Bulletin for Practical Geology with Matthias Bichsel, Director of Projects and Technology at Royal Dutch Shell plc, the subject of 'Peak Oil' is discussed. The question is asked on how Shell deals with the fact that oil and gas resources are limited and sooner or later will be more or less depleted or can only be used at high cost. A further topic discussed deals with how Shell wants to satisfy current shareholder interests. At the same time the company needs to be led into a viable and successful future. Shell's efforts to position itself in this difficult situation are discussed. The development of resource estimates, environmental responsibility and sustainability are further topics examined. Current scenarios are looked at and how Shell aims to solve the dilemma of meeting doubling energy demand is discussed. Finally, new technologies and renewable alternatives are looked at

What will working for an oil and gas company be like in the year 2000?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, H.L.; Sullivan, J.; Davidson, G.A. Jr.; Beghini, V.G.; Mitchell, G.P.; Noto, L.A.; Keiser, R.; Allen, W.

1994-01-01

In a period of change and uncertainty, the question has no guaranteed answer. But to people who work in the oil and gas industry, and to those who might do so someday, it is crucial. Oil and Gas Journal posed the question to top executives in a sample of oil and gas companies. Their answers, in alphabetical order by company name, make up the first part of this special report. Executives comment in the following sections: Free trade promises era of prosperity; Future will be more than extension of trends now shaping the industry; Cooperation essential in era of rising competitive pressure; Technology central to success in new world of opportunity; Crude price the biggest wildcard in the US oil industry's future; Work force diversity a key part of an increasingly global business; Looking back from the future--The seamless energy company; and Gains seen in safety, rewards, satisfaction

Compressive strength, flexural strength and water absorption of concrete containing palm oil kernel shell

Science.gov (United States)

Noor, Nurazuwa Md; Xiang-ONG, Jun; Noh, Hamidun Mohd; Hamid, Noor Azlina Abdul; Kuzaiman, Salsabila; Ali, Adiwijaya

2017-11-01

Effect of inclusion of palm oil kernel shell (PKS) and palm oil fibre (POF) in concrete was investigated on the compressive strength and flexural strength. In addition, investigation of palm oil kernel shell on concrete water absorption was also conducted. Total of 48 concrete cubes and 24 concrete prisms with the size of 100mm × 100mm × 100mm and 100mm × 100mm × 500mm were prepared, respectively. Four (4) series of concrete mix consists of coarse aggregate was replaced by 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% palm kernel shell and each series were divided into two (2) main group. The first group is without POF, while the second group was mixed with the 5cm length of 0.25% of the POF volume fraction. All specimen were tested after 7 and 28 days of water curing for a compression test, and flexural test at 28 days of curing period. Water absorption test was conducted on concrete cube age 28 days. The results showed that the replacement of PKS achieves lower compressive and flexural strength in comparison with conventional concrete. However, the 25% replacement of PKS concrete showed acceptable compressive strength which within the range of requirement for structural concrete. Meanwhile, the POF which should act as matrix reinforcement showed no enhancement in flexural strength due to the balling effect in concrete. As expected, water absorption was increasing with the increasing of PKS in the concrete cause by the porous characteristics of PKS

Restructuring: new relationships between the oil companies and the upstream oil firms; Alliances et restructurations: nouvelles relations entre maitres d'oeuvre et parapetrolier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreau, S

2001-11-01

Since the 1986 oil shock, international oil companies have focused on their base competencies, concentrating on activities viewed as their core businesses and steadily increasing the number of tasks to be subcontracted to the upstream oil and gas service sector. The upstream oil and gas service companies had to be restructured to face this new challenge. The strategies they launched at the end of the 80's were varied. Some firms became largely integrated (Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Halliburton) whereas other firms chose to broaden their range of services. However generally, they opted for external investment which led to an important wave of mergers and acquisitions. The first part characterizes the upstream oil and gas sector by introducing the main oil and gas service firms and their recent strategic evolution. This concludes with both an economic valuation and a typology of attempted growth strategies. To illustrate this, a matrix has been created to characterise the dynamic paths of the oil and gas service firms. The purpose of the second part is to consider the economic theories related to industrial strategies. The strategies of innovation, market protection, vertical integration and diversification have been studied to illustrate the main conclusion which is that the aim of all these strategies was to change the relationships between the oil companies and the upstream oil and gas service firms. (author)

Energy conservation and oil substitution at a dairy company

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1983-10-01

Energy consumption data at the Bay of Islands Co-Operative Dairy Company for the 1980-1981 season were collected and analyzed according to energy demand and supply. Although oil consumption had been significantly reduced in the last few years, it was still a disproportionately large item in the energy budget. Given the existing coal handling facilities it seemed feasible to completely eliminate the need for oil except as a standby fuel. The study examined various options and three measures were proposed to achieve this goal. These were: (1) addition of two effects to the main evaporator, (2) replacement of the oil-fired spray drying air heater with steam coils, and (3) installation of coal-fired low pressure hot water boilers and associated pipework.

National and multinational oil companies. Strategy and performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baddout, J.

2009-01-01

This article seeks to analyse the competition that has developed since the 1970's between the Majors and national oil companies o OPEC (NOCs) for the control of the global oil market. The excess production capacity strategy that the NOCs long followed was based on the exploitation of huge and low production cost oil reserves (static advantage) while that of the Majors has been based on the R and D of new technologies (dynamic advantage). The choice of NOCs did not turn out to be very effective as, apart from being static, excess capacity was not used by the NOCs as a strategically competitive weapon to dissuade Majors om staying in the market, but only to maximize their short-term profits. ts. On the other hand, the Majors' strategy turned out to be more effective, as not only did it allow them to regain their pre-1970 dominant position and to postpone the date of exhaustion of the resource by finding new reserves, and moreover, it dampened oil prices for a considerable period, thus depriving NOCs of part of their economic rent. (author)

The experience of western oil companies in Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moerland, A.

1994-01-01

The oil and gas industry is the most important industry to Russia providing 52% of all hard currency earnings for the country. The oil production is declining by more than 30% during recent years from 10.3 billion barrels per day in 1990 to 7.1 billion barrels today. The paper discusses the Amoco engagement in the Priobskoye Field in western Siberia containing up to 5 billion barrels of recoverable oil requiring capital investments of more than 25 billion dollars over the first 20 years. Over the last five years, foreign companies have worked with their Russian counterparts to complete numerous feasibility studies on many projects. In the next few months, important developments may take place such as the offshore Sakhalin in the East and the Timan Pechora region in the North. The experienced barriers connected to the activities, burden of taxes, policy issues etc., are dealt with

The experience of western oil companies in Russia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moerland, A. [Amoco Erusia Petroleum Co., Moscow (Russian Federation)

1994-12-31

The oil and gas industry is the most important industry to Russia providing 52% of all hard currency earnings for the country. The oil production is declining by more than 30% during recent years from 10.3 billion barrels per day in 1990 to 7.1 billion barrels today. The paper discusses the Amoco engagement in the Priobskoye Field in western Siberia containing up to 5 billion barrels of recoverable oil requiring capital investments of more than 25 billion dollars over the first 20 years. Over the last five years, foreign companies have worked with their Russian counterparts to complete numerous feasibility studies on many projects. In the next few months, important developments may take place such as the offshore Sakhalin in the East and the Timan Pechora region in the North. The experienced barriers connected to the activities, burden of taxes, policy issues etc., are dealt with

Measuring the Spread Components of Oil and Gas Companies from CDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliano Ribeiro de Almeida

2012-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we use the information from the credit default swap market to measure the main components of the oil and gas companies spread. Using nearly 20 companies of this industry with different ratings and nearly 80 bonds, the result was that the majority of the oil and gas spread is due to the default risk. We also find that the spread component related to the non-default is strongly associated with some liquidity measures of bond markets, what suggest that liquidity has a very important role in the valuation of fixed income assets. On the other side, we do not find evidence that the non-default component of the spread is related to tax matters.

Electrowetting-on-dielectrics for manipulation of oil drops and gas bubbles in aqueous-shell compound drops.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jiang; Wang, Yixuan; Chen, Haosheng; Wan, Jiandi

2014-11-21

We present the manipulation of oil, organic and gaseous chemicals by electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) technology using aqueous-shell compound drops. We demonstrate that the transport and coalescence of viscous oil drops, the reaction of bromine with styrene in benzene solution, and the reaction of red blood cells with carbon monoxide bubbles can be accomplished using this method.

Effects of Oil Palm Shell Coarse Aggregate Species on High Strength Lightweight Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Kun Yew

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different species of oil palm shell (OPS coarse aggregates on the properties of high strength lightweight concrete (HSLWC. Original and crushed OPS coarse aggregates of different species and age categories were investigated in this study. The research focused on two OPS species (dura and tenera, in which the coarse aggregates were taken from oil palm trees of the following age categories (3–5, 6–9, and 10–15 years old. The results showed that the workability and dry density of the oil palm shell concrete (OPSC increase with an increase in age category of OPS species. The compressive strength of specimen CD3 increases significantly compared to specimen CT3 by 21.8%. The maximum achievable 28-day and 90-day compressive strength is 54 and 56 MPa, respectively, which is within the range for 10–15-year-old crushed dura OPS. The water absorption was determined to be within the range for good concrete for the different species of OPSC. In addition, the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV results showed that the OPS HSLWC attain good condition at the age of 3 days.

Oil company profitability: observations on the use of oil product price assessments and associated errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, Gilbert

2000-01-01

Oil companies often report the exact price obtained for crude oil sales. Furthermore, crude oil prices may be linked to the price of Brent crude oil which is actively and very transparently traded on the International Petroleum Exchange. Brent crude oil prices are reported worldwide electronically and in many newspapers on a daily basis. Gas oil (No. 2 Fuel oil in the USA) is actively traded on the IPE and on NYMEX and the prices are also reported worldwide almost instantaneously. One grade of unleaded gasoline is traded on NYMEX but all other oil products do not have regulated and transparent markets. The prices of these products are assessed by price reporters following daily discussions with active oil traders. Two prices are assessed and reported, the bid (low) and offer (high) even if no trade has taken place. The oil industry itself and oil products consumers make much use of these assessed prices. The object of this paper is to provide some statistical detail on the differences between various product price assessments made through 2000. From these differences, it is possible to provide an indication of the precision of oil product price assessments However, it is doubtful if precision data based on a simple determination of the standard deviation of the differences between the assessment made by the various price reporting services would be of practical use. (Author)

The political economy of oil and the Niger Delta crisis

Science.gov (United States)

Ighodaro, Osaro O.

This study is about the burgeoning crisis in Nigeria's Oil Producing Niger Delta region. Discerning the intersecting contributive factors to the crisis, this dissertation suggests that the Niger Delta crisis is symptomatic of challenges to development in Nigeria. Due to the insidious colonial/neo-colonial practices of subjugation, and exploitation of the host communities, it is suggested that the extractive, super-profit motive of Shell, the concomitant environmental degradation, corruption of a bellicose state, ethnic conflict and suffering of the masses are outcomes of a long historically debilitating relationship with international capital which causes irreparable retardation to the host communities. From cash crop economy to a mono-oil economy resources are removed from the communities and used to enhance the colonial state and their post-colonial harbingers of misery. Hence, the indigenous people claim that the Niger Delta is in a crisis, and they are willing to confront the triple alliance of multinational oil companies like Shell, the Nigerian State and the local elite so long as these allies of subjugation continue to neglect the goose that lays the proverbial golden egg (oil that is). Theoretically, a hybrid Political Economy approach was adopted as the over-aching framework for the study, while Dependency theory, modified by what I have called African Transformative scholarly perspective, served as the conceptual tool. Primary and secondary sources of data, including personal observation, interviews, official government documents and other publications were utilized for this analysis. In view of recommendations, it is suggested that first, the Nigerian state should assume decisive and unflinching leadership in holding oil companies responsible for their activities in the host communities; second, oil companies (like Shell) should see themselves as an integral part of the host communities; invest in their development by providing employment opportunities

The role of reserves and production in the market capitalization of oil and gas companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ewing, Bradley T.; Thompson, Mark A.

2016-01-01

We examine the role proved reserves and production play in the market capitalization of publicly traded oil and gas companies engaged in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons. The paper provides two important contributions to the literature. First, we extend the existing research by utilizing the method of Robust Least Squares to estimate a multivariate market capitalization model that controls for firm type. Second, we document the impacts that oil and gas reserves to production ratios have on market capitalization. This is a key finding in the context of discounted net cash flow models and the findings suggest there is an optimal tradeoff between current and future production, given current volumes of reserves, the latter of which is valued positively by the market. Moreover, this optimal tradeoff or the optimal profit-maximizing intertemporal production choice is unique to the type of hydrocarbon being considered. Additionally, our findings highlight the importance of capital structure in the heavily capital intensive oil and gas industry. The results from this research should benefit both oil and gas companies and investors. Specifically, the results provide new and robust information as to the empirical relationships between key determinants of oil and gas company market valuations. - Highlights: • We utilized Robust Least Squares to estimate a multivariate market capitalization model. • There is a differential impact that oil and gas reserves to production ratios have on market capitalization. • The optimal profit-maximizing intertemporal production choice is unique to the type of hydrocarbon being considered. • Results provide new information as to the relationships between key determinants of oil and gas company market valuations.

Engineering and sustainability aspect of palm oil shell powder in cement

Science.gov (United States)

Karim, Mohammad Razaul; Hossain, Md. Moktar; Yusoff, Sumiani Binti

2017-06-01

Palm oil shell (POS) is a waste material which significantly produced in palm oil mills. In current practice, this waste is dumped in open land or landfill sites or is used as fuel to run a steam turbine of a boiler, which leads to environmental pollutions. The characterization, engineering and sustainability aspect of this waste for using in cement-based applications lead to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and cost, save natural resources for cement production and also sustainable usage of waste material. The characterization was carried out using particle size analyzer, XRF, SEM and total organic carbon analyzer. ASTM standard methods were used to observe the setting time and water for normal consistency. The compressive strength of palm oil shell powder (POSP) blended cement was explored with the water to cement and cement to sand ratio of 0.40 and 0.50, respectively up to 40% replacement levels of OPC. Result found that the setting time and water demand were increased, but compressive strength was decreased to replacement levels. However, the incorporation of POSP in cement was reduced 9.6% of CO2 emission, 25 % of the cost and save natural resource, i.e. limestone, clay, iron ore, silica shale and gypsum of 35.1%, 4.95%, 0.9%, 4.05 % and 1.2 %, respectively at 30% replacement level of OPC. The results of this extensive study on POSP characterization, effect on basic cement properties and sustainability aspect provide the guidance for using the POSP at industrial scale for cement production.

Restructuring: new relationships between the oil companies and the upstream oil firms; Alliances et restructurations: nouvelles relations entre maitres d'oeuvre et parapetrolier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barreau, S

2001-11-01

Since the 1986 oil shock, international oil companies have focused on their base competencies, concentrating on activities viewed as their core businesses and steadily increasing the number of tasks to be subcontracted to the upstream oil and gas service sector. The upstream oil and gas service companies had to be restructured to face this new challenge. The strategies they launched at the end of the 80's were varied. Some firms became largely integrated (Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Halliburton) whereas other firms chose to broaden their range of services. However generally, they opted for external investment which led to an important wave of mergers and acquisitions. The first part characterizes the upstream oil and gas sector by introducing the main oil and gas service firms and their recent strategic evolution. This concludes with both an economic valuation and a typology of attempted growth strategies. To illustrate this, a matrix has been created to characterise the dynamic paths of the oil and gas service firms. The purpose of the second part is to consider the economic theories related to industrial strategies. The strategies of innovation, market protection, vertical integration and diversification have been studied to illustrate the main conclusion which is that the aim of all these strategies was to change the relationships between the oil companies and the upstream oil and gas service firms. (author)

) The Application of Remote Sensing to Exploration and Production Projects in Shell Petroleum Development Company for Effective Environmental Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mpaka, O.E.

2003-01-01

Over the years (especially within the last decade) environmental issues have assumed a proportion that the oil industry appeared unprepared for. The oil industry has not been immune from the consequences of the awareness generated by various interest groups world-wide. Environmental Assessment has become an integral part of all projects in Shell Development Company [SPDC] and the remote sensing tool has shown to be vital for effective management of the environment. The Niger Delta operations area covers approximately 70.0002km, an area including mangrove swamps, extensive forest and agricultural development, and most SPDC onshore operations are carried out in this fragile environment. Project citing in this environment requires careful planning and articulation of environmentally friendly and cost effective routes and sites. The implementation of satellite image processing and analysis, using georeferenced multispectral imagery have provided information on vegetation and other land cover types, topography including drainage, and infrastructure. The derived information is used for planning new well locations; flowlines and location access routes; impact assessment and monitoring of the environment. This article discusses how the environment is better managed by applying the remote sensing technology in each project embarked upon in SPDC. Some of he projects discussed include: Forcados CCP, Oluwa-Ore and Awoba-Soku-Bonny gasline routes/site investigation and selection projects Oben, Uzere/Oroni Field Development Planning ;3D Ovio Seismic prospect planning ;Obigbo Pipeline squatter mapping

The Optimum Selection and Drawing Output Program Development of Shell and Tube Type Oil Cooler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y. B.; Kim, T. S.; Ko, J. M

2007-01-01

Shell and Tube type Oil Cooler is widely used for hydraulic presses, die casting machines, generation equipments, machine tools and construction heavy machinery. Temperature of oil in the hydraulic system changes viscosity and thickness of oil film. They have a bad effect to performance and lubrication of hydraulic machinery, so it is important to know exactly the heat exchanging efficiency of oil cooler for controlling oil temperature. But most Korean manufacturers do not have test equipment for oil cooler, so they cannot carry out the efficiency test of oil cooler and it is impossible to verify its performance. This paper includes information of construction of necessary utilities for oil cooler test and design and manufacture of test equipment. One can select the optimum product by obtaining performance data through tests of various kinds of oil coolers. And also the paper developed a program which can be easily used for design of 2D and 3D drawings of oil cooler

Successful phytoremediation of crude-oil contaminated soil at an oil exploration and production company by plants-bacterial synergism.

Science.gov (United States)

Fatima, Kaneez; Imran, Asma; Amin, Imran; Khan, Qaiser M; Afzal, Muhammad

2018-06-07

Phytoremediation is a promising approach for the cleanup of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons. This study aimed to develop plant-bacterial synergism for the successful remediation of crude oil-contaminated soil. A consortia of three endophytic bacteria was augmented to two grasses, Leptochloa fusca and Brachiaria mutica, grown in oil-contaminated soil (46.8 g oil kg -1 soil) in the vicinity of an oil exploration and production company. Endophytes augmentation improved plant growth, crude oil degradation, and soil health. Maximum oil degradation (80%) was achieved with B. mutica plants augmented with the endophytes and it was significantly (P oil reduction indicates that catabolic gene expression is important for hydrocarbon mineralization. This investigation showed that the use of endophytes with appropriate plant is an effective strategy for the cleanup of oil-contaminated soil under field conditions.

'Building on our own abilities' : Suriname's State Oil Company as a development agent

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W. Hout (Wil)

2007-01-01

textabstractThis paper analyses the conditions under which the Surinamese State Oil Company (Staatsolie) has been consolidated, not only as a firm oriented at the production of oil, but also as a development agent. Staatsolis chances to success seemed rather slim at its creation in the beginning of

Role of oil service companies in developing human resources worldwide to implement new technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baird, D.E.; Bismuth, B.

1983-01-01

The role of specialized oil service companies in helping the oil industry develop the hydrocarbon resources of the world efficiently has increased over the last 20 yr. This trend is expected to continue as the complexity and variety of the techniques required increased. In order to provide a large range of services worldwide, the oil service industry has to be highly flexible and mobile. At the same time, successful implementation of these services requires a knowledge of and empathy with local conditions and cultures. The challenge will be to attract, train, and develop technical people from all corners of the globe to become part of the process of developing and implementing new technology. The involvement of the developing nations in the technical evolution of the oil service companies is perhaps the only long-lasting method of transferring these technologies.

Trends in business management strategies of major international oil companies; Kokusai sekiyu kigyo meja no keiei senryaku no doko

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kashio, H. [The Institute of Energy Economics, Tokyo (Japan)

1995-07-01

This paper summarizes the former half part of the analysis made on business strategies of major international oil companies. The net earning of R/D Shell in fiscal 1994 increased by 1.8 billion dollars to 6.3 billion dollars. Its loan rate decreased to 16.7%. It increased the crude oil production by 3% to 2.2 million B/D, and the natural gas production by 1.2% to 7.3 billion cfd. The upstream department had the net earning decreased by 23% to 2.4 billion dollars because of decline in crude oil price. The net earning of the downstream department showed an increase by 20% over that in the previous year to 3.2 billion dollars. The chemical department had its business turned to black ink. The net earning of Exxon in the same year decreased by 200 million dollars to 5.1 billion dollars due to the reduced crude oil price and low refining margin. The upstream and downstream departments showed a decrease of 530 million and 630 million dollars respectively. The chemical department had an increase of 130% to 950 million dollars as a result of the recovery in the European markets. The net earning of Mobile in the same year showed a decrease of 2.1 billion dollars, ending in the amount of 1.1 billion dollars. The decrease has been caused by the decline in crude oil and natural gas prices and a 30% reduction in the refining margin. The chemical department changed for the better, with improved sales margins in oil products sold in overseas markets. 28 figs.

Production of biodiesel from sunflower oil using highly catalytic bimetallic gold–silver core–shell nanoparticle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Madhuchanda; Dey, Binita; Talukdar, Jayanta; Chandra Kalita, Mohan

2014-01-01

Bimetallic Gold–silver core–shell nanoparticles (Au@Ag NPs) were synthesized at room temperature, where gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) served as seeds for continuous deposition of silver atoms on its surface. The core–shell structure was examined by UV–vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The catalytic activity of these nanoparticles toward biodiesel production from Sunflower oil through transesterification was studied. The confirmation for biofuel synthesis was performed using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy. Fuel properties are determined by standard ASTM (American society for Testing and Materials) protocols. Our observations show that at certain catalyst concentration, temperature and reaction time, highest yield of biodiesel (86.9%) is attained. The fuel properties of the synthesized biofuel are at par with standard biofuel. Further, the catalyst showed sustained activity for 3 cycles of transesterification. - Highlights: • Gold–silver core–shell NPs were used for biofuel synthesis from sunflower oil. • At the optimized condition, biodiesel yield of 86.9% was achieved. • Fuel properties of the biofuel synthesized are at par with standard biofuel. • The catalyst showed sustained activity for 3 cycles of transesterification

Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Capacity of Seed and Shell Essential Oils Extracted from Abrus precatorius (L

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunday O. Okoh

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Essential oils from plants have been proven safe as natural antioxidants, and few are already marketed as digestive enhancers as well as in prevention of several degenerative diseases. This study evaluated the antioxidant capacity of seed and shell essential oils of Abrus precatorius (L, a herb used for ethno-medicinal practices in Nigeria. The essential oils were obtained by hydro-distillation. The ability of the oils to act as hydrogen/electrons donor or scavenger of radicals were determined by in-vitro antioxidant assays using 2,2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radical (DPPH. scavenging; 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS radical scavenging; lipid peroxide and nitric oxide radicals scavenging assays. The IC50 of the seed and shell oils (2.10 mg/mL and 1.20 mg/mL respectively showed that antioxidant activity is higher than that for the standard drugs (3.20 mg/mL and 3.40 mg/mL for the nitric oxide scavenging assay. The lipid peroxidation radical activity of the oils were similar to vitamin C, weak DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities were discovered in comparison to vitamin C and rutin. Generally, in the four antioxidant assays, a significant correlation existed between concentrations of the oils and percentage inhibition of free radicals and lipid peroxidation. The composition of A. precatorius essential oils reported earlier may account for their antioxidant capacity.

Competition between Chinese and Indian Oil & Gas Companies and its Implications for Sino-Indian Bilateral Relations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V V Shikin

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article concerns overseas oil & gas assets acquisitions made by Chinese and Indian national oil companies (NOCs within the last two decades. The paper analyzes whether these companies pursue commercial interests of their shareholders or political will of national governments. To answer this question the author examines Chinese and Indian corporations’ organization and ownership structure foundations of which were laid in the 1990s when both countries’ energy sectors faced structural reforms resulted in transforming archaic governmental organizations into modern competitive state-owned corporations that could compete with the leading Western oil and gas companies. The article also scrutinizes competition between Chinese and Indian companies so as to find out if it is able to affect political relations between Beijing and Delhi, exacerbates existing conflicts or cause the emergence of the new ones. To address this issue the author analyzes some cases of Sino-Indian clash of energy interests in different regions of the world.

Second quarter trims earnings gain of OGJ group of U.S. oil companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, R.J.; Biggs, J.B.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that first half of 1991 profits for the Oil and Gas Journal group of 22 large U.S. oil companies totaled $10,553 billion, down a scant 0.1% from the same period the year before. However, second quarter profits were down sharply, dipping to $3.656 billion or 27.4% below the second quarter of 1990. This is in sharp contrast with first quarter profits, which totaled $6.897 billion and were up 24.8% from the same period of 1990. First half individuals results were widely diverse, with seven companies showing profit improvements from last year and 15 companies a decline. Only one, Murphy Oil Co., posted a loss in the first half. Six companies showed profit gains of more than 20% and 11 posted declines greater than 20%. In the second quarter 16 of the group had lower earnings than they booked in the same period of 1990. Restructuring charges and gains, along with provisions for future environmental costs, continued to have a great deal of influence over year to year changes in profits. Chemical earnings were down for the 6 months and in the second quarter for most companies. U.S. refining and marketing earnings were mixed but generally lower for both periods. Due to an economic recession product demand was down in the first half of this year. Non-U.S. refining and marketing profits were up for the first half, but the gain stemmed from improved margins in the first quarter

Falling R and D but stable investments by oil companies, why? A study on R and D and investment in fixed assets in the oil industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Creusen, H.; Minne, B.

2000-04-01

In the last decade the world-wide research expenditures of the major oil companies have dropped. This is remarkable since their investments in fixed assets remained stable. This study reveals that the level of fixed investments particularly depend on their financial strength, while R and D mainly relates to competitors' research and common expectations. The decline in R and D is initiated by common expectations. In the mature oil industry, companies foresee diminishing research potential within the current technology. This is also confirmed by the declining number of patent applications. The high risks of research on renewable energy may lead to wait and see behaviour instead of new research initiatives. Actually, oil companies have hardly applied for patents on renewable energy. The R and D decline is intensified by a dwindling R and D-race, which is due to a large overlap in research topics. The companies protect their research results because they largely compete on their unique technologies which embody their research results. The research overlap appears from patents: the oil companies apply for patents in exactly the same patent classes. 19 refs

The effects of moisture content, particle size and binding agent content on oil palm shell pellet quality parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nelson Arzola

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Waste-to-energy represents a challenge for the oil palm industry worldwide. Bio-pellet production is an alternative way of adding value to oil palm biomass. This would mean that a product having major energy density becomes more mechanically stable and achieves better performance during combustion. This paper deals with oil palm shell pelleting; using binding agents having up to 25% mass keeping average particle size less than 1mm and moisture content up to 18.7% (d.b. were evaluated. An experimental factorial design used binding agent mass percentage, milled shell particle size and moisture content as factors. Pellet density response surfaces and durability index were obtained. Pellet performance during thermal-chemical transformation was also evaluated by using thermogravimetry equipment. The results led to technical evaluation of scale-up at industrial production level.

Increased productivity through waste reduction effort in oil and gas company

Science.gov (United States)

Hidayati, J.; Silviana, NA; Matondang, RA

2018-02-01

National companies engaged in oil and gas activities in the upstream sector. In general, the on going operations include drilling, exploration, and production activities with the result being crude oil channelled for shipment. Production activities produce waste gas (flare) of 0.58 MMSCFD derived from 17.05% of natural gas produced. Gas flares are residual gases that have been burning through flare stacks to avoid toxic gases such as H2S and CO that are harmful to human health and the environment. Therefore, appropriate environmental management is needed; one of them is by doing waste reduction business. Through this approach, it is expected that waste reduction efforts can affect the improvement of environmental conditions while increasing the productivity of the company. In this research begins by identifying the existence of problems on the company related to the amount of waste that is excessive and potentially to be reduced. Alternative improvements are then formulated and selected by their feasibility to be implemented through financial analysis, and the estimation of alternative contributions to the level of productivity. The result of this research is an alternative solution to solve the problem of the company by doing technological based engineering by reusing gas flare into fuel for incinerator machine. This alternative contributes to the increased productivity of material use by 23.32%, humans 83.8%, capital 10.13 %, and waste decreased by 0.11%.

Barrier function test: Laboratory evaluation of the protective function of some barrier creams against cashewnut shell oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pasricha J

1991-01-01

Full Text Available A barrier function test has been designed to screen the protective capacity of a cream against the cauterizing effect of cashew nut shell oil (CNSO on the skin. The test consists of applying the barrier cream on a 5 cm circular area of skin on the back of a human volunteer and then at its centre applying a 1 cm sq Whatman no. 3 paper disc soaked in the CNSO for 15 minutes and looking for the evidence of cauterization reaction after 48 hours. Of the various creams containing a variety of paraffins, bees wax, polyethylene glycols, methyl cellulose gel, and petrolatum, only polyethylene glycol (PEG cream was found to afford adequate protection against cashew nut shell oil. Addition of 10% zinc oxide or 10% kaolin to the PEG cream did not seem to afford any additional protection. Castor oil already being used by the workers was found to be inferior to the PEG cream.

Centennial review-forecast--oil sands, shales spar for markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pamenter, C B

1967-09-01

The relationship between possible developments of tar sands and oil shale deposits to the future of the oil and gas industry is examined. The Athabasca tar sands are estimated to contain 85 billion bbl of synthetic crude oil which can be exploited using currently available mining equipment and proven techniques. Another 240 billion bbl of synthetic crude are potentially available through in-situ extraction methods. Great Canadian Oil Sands Ltd. is using an extraction procedure which involves a surface mining operation, extraction and processing of the bitumen, and product shipments via a 266-mile pipeline. This procedure will be used to produce 45,000 bpd of synthetic crude and 300 ton per day of sulfur. Syncrude Canada Ltd. and Shell Canada Ltd. both have applied to the Alberta government for permission to operate 100,000-bpd operations. Syncrudes is a mining operation and Shell plans to use in-situ extraction. A number of companies have conducted research projects concerning shale oil recovery. The majority of these projects have been aimed at improving mining operations. In-situ retorting of kerogen and extraction of oil has also received consideration.

Shell, insurers and attorneys take on liability---and each other

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, K.A.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on liability for environmental cleanup which often pits PRPs against their insurance carriers in a high-stakes game of semantics. At the heart of these disputes are obsolete, comprehensive general liability (CGL) policies that once offered coverage for sudden and accidental pollution. The pollution clause was eliminated from most CGLs by 1985, but the controversy stemming from the policies remained. Subject to frequent interpretation, the earlier CGL policies have been stripped of the legal sacredness normally afforded written contracts and offer no guarantees to either party. In court, judges and juries grapple with the language and circumstances of each case. To date, no clear winner has emerged from the courtroom. In one recent decision, a San Mateo Country Superior Court jury in California found Shell Oil Company (Houston) liable for cleanup at the U.S. Army's Rocky Mountain Arsenal near Denver. According to Shell, the company is entitled to recover the costs under its CGL policies, which included a provision for sudden and accidental pollution. However, in its decision, the jury found that the contamination was not sudden and accidental and, therefore, was not covered by the CGL policies. The insurers had argued that Shell knew of the contamination, precluding it from coverage under the terms of the policies

Transesterification of palm oil to biodiesel by using waste obtuse horn shell-derived CaO catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seik Lih; Wong, Yong Chen; Tan, Yen Ping; Yew, Sook Yan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Cost effective CaO catalyst derived from waste obtuse horn shells. • The optimum biodiesel yield, 86.75% can be achieved under mild reaction conditions. • The catalyst can be reused up to 3 times with biodiesel yield more than 70%. • Deactivation of catalyst was due to leaching of CaO and pores-filling. - Abstract: The calcium oxide catalysts derived from waste obtuse horn shells were utilized in the transesterification of palm oil into biodiesel. This environment-friendly catalyst is thermally activated at 800 °C for 3 h. The resulting CaO catalyst was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed desorption of CO 2 (TPD-CO 2 ), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD patterns of calcined catalyst showed intense peaks of calcium oxide, consistent with XRF results that revealed calcium is the major element present in the obtuse horn shells. High calcination temperature (800 °C) tended to promote agglomeration of fine crystals, resulted in a smaller surface area (0.07 m 2 /g) as examined by BET. Catalytic activities in the transesterification process had been investigated using one-variable-at-a-time technique. The optimum palm oil conversion was 86.75% under reaction conditions of 6 h, 5 wt.% of catalyst amount and methanol to oil ratio of 12:1. Reusability of this waste shell derived catalyst was examined and results showed that the prepared catalysts are able to be reused up to 3 times with conversion of more than 70% after the third cycles. Although the reusability may not be excellent at the moment, it is still in the exploratory study. More efforts were done to improve its properties and stability

The Worldwide Oil Spill Model (WOSM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, E.L.; Howlett, E.; Jayko, K.; Reed, M.; Spaulding, M.; Kolluru, V.

1993-01-01

The Worldwide Oil Spill Model (WOSM) is a standalone microcomputer-based state-of-the-art oil spill model system for use in oil spill response decision support, planning, research, training, and contingency planning. WOSM was developed under support provided by a consortium of oil companies and government agencies. WOSM represents the next generation of oil spill model beyond the OILMAP modelling system (Spaulding et al, 1992). WOSM is designed in a shell architecture in which the only parameters that change are those that describe the area in which the spill model is to be applied. A limited function geographic information system (GIS) is integrated within the model system, and the spill modelling shell has been extended to include interfaces to other GIS systems and digital data. WOSM contains all the databases, data manipulation and graphical display tools, and models to simulate any type of oil spill. The user has control over which weathering processes are to be modelled, and WOSM data input tools enable continual refinement of model predictions as more refined data is imported. Use of WOSM is described and illustrated, showing sample screens and applications. WOSM algorithms and file structure are also outlined. An example test case of a spill in the Juan de Fuca strait is included. 29 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab

The evaluation of supply chain performance in the Oil Products Distribution Company, using information technology indicators and fuzzy TOPSIS technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daryosh Mohamadi Janaki

2018-08-01

Full Text Available Information Technology (IT plays an essential role on development of effective supply chain planning and it can improve the supply chain performance, either directly or indirectly. As a national industry, the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company involves a large number of organizations within its supply chain. Therefore, this descriptive-survey uses information sharing indicators, fuzzy TOPSIS technique based on managers and expert opinions to evaluate and to rank some oil products distribution companies. Data are analyzed and the results show that Oil Products Distribution Company of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari received the highest rank and Farsan maintained the lowest rank compared with other regional companies.

Method of fabricating nested shells and resulting product

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Timothy M.; Kool, Lawrence B.

1982-01-01

A multiple shell structure and a method of manufacturing such structure wherein a hollow glass microsphere is surface treated in an organosilane solution so as to render the shell outer surface hydrophobic. The surface treated glass shell is then suspended in the oil phase of an oil-aqueous phase dispersion. The oil phase includes an organic film-forming monomer, a polymerization initiator and a blowing agent. A polymeric film forms at each phase boundary of the dispersion and is then expanded in a blowing operation so as to form an outer homogeneously integral monocellular substantially spherical thermoplastic shell encapsulating an inner glass shell of lesser diameter.

Market entry mode and competency building of Western oil companies in the Russian up stream oil and gas industry

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, Paul M.

This dissertation investigated the market entry and competency building strategies within the context of the Russian oil and gas industry. The study was designed to be of interest to business practitioners and academics given the growing importance of fossil fuel in the energy balance of the global economy and the importance of Russia as a supplier and purchaser in the international market. The study's mixed methodology provides an understanding on the environmental factors that are postulated to impact foreign direct investment flow into Russia and the oil and gas sector. A case study of a fictitiously named Western-Russo oil company was conducted to provide a deep understanding of how capability is viewed by Russian and Western employees and the factors that influences the implementation of a successful competency development program. The case was centered on the development of a Well-Site supervisor group within a Western-Russian oil company. Findings of the study showed that there was no correlation between corruption and foreign direct investment inflow into the Russian economy. The findings also showed that both Russian and Western employees in the oil and gas industry are less focused on nontechnical competency development issues, that Western employees are more orientated towards the bottom-line than Russian employees, and that both groups see operational management as a core competency. In the area of financial management and technology application, there were significant differences in the viewpoint of both groups. Western employees saw a stronger need for financial management and less need for technology application when compared to their Russian counterparts. The results have implications for Western business contemplating entering the Russian oil and gas industry. Western firms need to understand the key drivers that will help them overcome the social and cultural barriers between Western and Russian employees. The role of the company leader is very

The oil companies in the year 2000: an analysis of their financial situation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cueille, J.Ph.

2001-01-01

The results of the oil companies in the year 2000 have been exceptionally good, due to the high prices of crude oil and the refining margins. The profits of the year rose strongly compared with those of 1999, with a capital efficiency often close to 20%. The pre-production stages (petroleum and natural gas production) are a major contribution to the results, followed from far by the downs-stream sectors, chemistry and gas-electricity. In a context of weak stock markets, the market capitalization of the companies has generally risen slightly. The growth of the financial resources has enabled the continuation of the reduction policies of indebtedness and repurchase of its own actions. However, investments have remained globally stable, the companies having anticipated a growth in the year 2000. The first semester of 2001 presents results that can be compared with those of the same period in the year 2000, yet with signs of decline at the end of the second semester. (authors)

The adaptation of the financial structures of national companies in oil producing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helder, P.

1994-01-01

The economic environment of the oil industry in the nineties contains a number of uncertainties concerning demand evolution and the persistence of low prices. National companies cannot expect high margins for financing their development. To avoid an increased debt burden these companies are looking for organizational flexibility. Their strategies imply cost cutting and a modernization of their management criteria. (Author). 19 refs., 6 tabs

Separation of oil palm shell and kernel by using kaolinite media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sukpong Sirinupong

2003-05-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research is to investigate the possibility of using kaolinite from Ranong province as media in the oil palm shell and kernel separation process by means of heavy media separation. The effect of specific gravity of the slurry, type and amount of dispersant and type of clays on suspension of media and efficiency of separation were studied. It was found that the specific gravity of oil palm shell and kernel are 1.40 and 1.20 respectively. While the average specific gravity of kaolinite grade MRD-B85, RANONG-325 and commercial clay from Univanich Group. PCL., are 2.54, 2.65 and 2.46 respectively. It was apparent that the viscosity of clay slurry increased with the specific gravity of the slurry. For MRD-B85 and RANONG- 325 clays which have the average particle sizes of 10 and 12 microns, the pH of their slurries of about 5.84 and 6.33 respectively were obtained and at these conditions stability of the slurry rarely occurred and they could not be used for separation. However, these clays can also be utilized as media when dispersant such asCalgon or sodium silicate is applied to their slurries. It was found that the efficiency of separation depends on specific gravity and viscosity of the slurry, type and particle size of kaolinite and dosage of dispersant. The optimum separating conditions for MRD-B85 clay were the dosage of Calgon of 0.15% (or 1.5 kg/t of clay at the specific gravity of the slurry of 1.20-1.24 (27-32% Solids in which a pH of 6.14 and viscosity of 104 cP to very low value (could not be measured were obtained. Thus, kernel yielded 97.57-100% and shell contamination of 1.48-6.32% was achieved. While sodium silicate was applied to the slurry about 0.15% at the specific gravity of 1.22, pH of 6.74 and viscosity of 238 cP were obtained and kernel could be recovered 100% with shell contamination of 8.36%. When 0.15% Calgon or 0.25% sodium silicate was introduced to the RANONG-325 clay slurry at the specific gravity

Hidden action or hidden strategy: China's control of its national oil companies

Science.gov (United States)

Humphrey, Charles

China's rapid economic growth has been accompanied by parallel growth in energy demand, particularly in demand for oil. Due to political and economic constraints on domestic reform, the CPC has focused on the international dimension through the creation of vertically integrated national oil companies. The foreign investments of these companies have become increasingly controversial due to the high levels of political and financial support afforded them by the CPC. I measure control by employing a model of institutional constraints on state-owned enterprises in conjunction with a managerial variant of Principal Agent theory well suited to political analyses. I conclude that the combination of institutional overlap, the process which led to the formation of the CNOCs as they currently exist and the current overseas activities of the CNOCs all demonstrate that the CPC is in control of the CNOCs.

Oil Companies and Reserves | Compagnies et réserves pétrolières

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Top 20 World Oil CorporationsTop 20 des compagnies pétrolières mondialesSources: OPEC, Annual Statistical Bulletin, 2009; 2009 official reports of oil companies; British Petroleum, BP Statistical Review of Word Energy, 2010.Crude Oil Exports per Area (in Million Tonnes, 2009Exportations de pétrole brut par région (en millions de tonnes, 2009Sources : www.iea.org; www.opec.org; www.gecforum.org; British Petroleum, BP Statistical Review of World Energy, 2010.China’s Crude Oil Imports from Afr...

'Confidence in our own Abilities': Suriname’s State Oil Company as a Pocket of Effectiveness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W. Hout (Wil)

2014-01-01

markdownabstract__Abstract__ This chapter analyses the conditions under which the Surinamese State Oil Company (Staatsolie) has been consolidated, not only as a firm oriented at the production of oil, but also as a development agent. Staatsolie’s chances to success seemed rather slim at its

Global networks and the two faces of Chinese national oil companies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Graaff, N.A.

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the patterns of transnational investments and alliances of Chinese state-owned oil companies since the mid-1990s and the social networks of their directors, taking the case of cnpc and its listed subsidiary PetroChina as the example. Using Social Network Analysis, I will map

Restructuring of oil and gas companies in financial difficulty: the Canadian experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hudec, A.J.

1992-01-01

The relationship, under Canadian law, between oil or gas company in financial difficulty and its various creditors is discussed. In particular, commercial bank lenders and non-defaulting co-venturers in the project are considered. The broad topics covered are: the financing of multi-party resource projects; recent developments in conventional oil and gas production loan facilities; alternative and new approaches to energy loan restructuring; minimizing the lender's environmental risk in realizing against an energy project. (UK)

Where in the World are Canadian Oil and Gas Companies? 2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niloo Hojjati

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Begun in 2011 as an internal research tool for the development of the Extractive Resource Governance Program, this project seeks to answer the vital question: Where in the world are Canadian oil and gas companies? To answer this question, we extract firm-level information for publicly traded Canadian companies in order to establish the location of their activities around the globe.1 The data collected in the “Where in the World” (hereafter WIW project are presented through a publicly accessible interactive world map, which allows users to explore a specific country or region over time. This map can be accessed online at http://www.policyschool.ca/research-teaching/teaching-training/ extractive-resource-governance/ergp-map/. For further information regarding the WIW project, including a comprehensive overview of the methodology, please refer to http://www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Where-in-theWorld-Hojjati-Horsfield-Jordison-final.pdf. In addition, summary reports of the annual data collection for the 2011 and 2012 years of analysis are also available at http://www.policyschool.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2011-Where-in-theWorld-Hojjati-Horsfield-Jordison-final.pdf and http://www.policyschool.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2017/06/2012-Where-in-the-World-Hojjati-final.pdf. This report, as in the earlier reports in this series, provides an account of emerging trends and highlights variations in the level of global activities of Canadian oil and gas companies (hereafter O&G for the 2013 year of study.2 In 2013, a total of 226 Canadian O&G companies engaged in global exploration and service activities in 99 countries worldwide. The Middle East and Europe experienced the greatest increase in the concentration of Canadian exploration and production (E&P companies. Meanwhile, the international presence of Canadian O&G service companies continued to grow in several countries, including Colombia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. This report

Where in the World are Canadian Oil and Gas Companies? An Introduction to the Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niloo Hojjati

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In April 2013, The School of Public Policy formally launched the Extractive Resource Governance Program, a platform to harness Canadian and international research and technical expertise to assist resource-rich jurisdictions in establishing sustainable and mutually beneficial policies for governance of the extractive sector. The program delivers applied policy research, technical assistance and executive training programs to countries with emerging or established extractive resources, working in collaboration with governments, regulatory bodies, academia, civil society, and industry. Begun in 2011 as an internal research tool for the development of the Extractive Resource Governance Program, this project was conceived as a means to identify jurisdictions where Canadian companies had ongoing projects and activities around the world. This paper introduces the methodology used to answer the question: Where in the world are Canadian oil and gas companies? To answer this question, firm-level data from publicly traded Canadian companies were collected and analyzed culminating in the development of an online tool for public use. This paper accompanies an interactive website launched by The School’s Extractive Resource Governance Program and describes the data available online as well as in the annual reports released by The school. The website and annual reports allow interested users to geographically locate jurisdictions around the world where publicly traded Canadian oil and gas companies have activities, over time. The website is available at http://www.policyschool.ca/research-teaching/teachingtraining/extractive-resource-governance/ergp-map/. While Canada is a well-recognized oil and gas jurisdiction within its own borders, the extent of activity that Canadian companies undertake in the international arena is less well known. For instance, while Natural Resources Canada collects and publishes regular data on Canadian mining assets and

No kudos for Kyoto from Imperial Oil : one company kicks at CO2 compliance, while others assume Ottawa's posturing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hope, P.

1998-01-01

Imperial Oil Ltd.'s criticisms over the high cost of complying with the carbon dioxide reduction targets set at Kyoto were discussed. Imperial Oil's document entitled 'The high cost of Kyoto' cites various independent economic-impact studies which show that Canada's commitment to lower greenhouse gas emissions to six per cent below 1990 levels by 2010 would jeopardize Canada's current prosperity and would drop the gross domestic product 3 per cent below projected growth. Several other major oil companies including Suncor share the opinion that the science on global warming is uncertain and that more research and greater public involvement is needed in the debate over the Kyoto Protocol. The oil companies are also of one mind about the need for third world countries doing their share of emission reduction. They go as far as to say that third world countries such as China and Brazil should be forced to join Canada in restricting emissions. The major oil companies operating in Canada hope that the government will consider oil industry concerns before the Kyoto Protocol is ratified. 1 fig

Determination and Quantification of metals in the shells of Crassostrea virginica after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill utilizing Atomic Absorption Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Roopnarine, D.; Patel, S.; Roopnarine, P.; Giarikos, D.; Anderson, L. C.

2017-12-01

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil rig explosion on April 20, 2010 resulted in the release of 685,000 tons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) over a period of three months. There were obvious immediate effects, but the long-term ramifications are still being studied. The primary constituent of crude oil is hydrocarbons with other organic compounds containing nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. There are also a number of trace metals with the most abundant frequently being iron, nickel, copper and vanadium. These do not degrade like organic materials. However, the exact composition varies among the production sites. The oil from the DWH rig was classified as light crude which is moderately volatile. Natural oil seeps occur in the environment, but the DWH spill represented an acute impact. Trace amounts of heavy metals are a normal part of the composition of marine organisms, but can be toxic in high concentrations. Bivalved molluscs bioaccumulate heavy metals in their tissues and shells, and are therefore often useful as monitors of environmental pollution. We thus used the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica to determine the impact of the spill by measuring the concentrations of metals in the shells utilizing flame emission atomic absorption spectrometry. We focused on the hypothesis that DWH spill exposure resulted in an increase in metal uptake into the shells. Specimens spanned the years 2010 to 2014 and ranged from Grand Isle, LA to Apalachicola Bay, Fl. Vanadium had the greatest concentration in the shells, and along with copper, cadmium, zinc and iron displayed an upward trend of increase from 2010 to 2013, with a decline in 2014. However there was unexpected variability, as the specimens from Apalachicola Bay, Fl had higher levels of vanadium when compared to those from Grand Isle, LA. Ongoing work includes an increase of sample sizes from the same geographic localities and time period.

The oil and gas equipment and services market in Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The oil and gas market in Nigeria is being expanded by the Nigerian government over the 2003-2010 period through increased exploration and production (E and P) in new areas. Other measures being implemented are the improvements of structural flaws that hamper industry growth, the modernization of the weak downstream sector, and attempts to attract foreign investment and technologies required for petroleum development. In 2001, it was estimated that the market for oil and gas equipment in Nigeria was approximately 1.03 billion dollars, and is expected to reach 1.15 billion dollars in 2002. In deep-sea areas, major offshore E and P projects are being planned by large oil multinationals. The implementation of several gas-related E and P operations and major liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas-to-liquid (GTL) projects are being supported by the government of Nigeria to develop the natural gas sector. Onshore and offshore exploration, surveying and geophysical prospecting, drilling equipment, facilities maintenance, deepwater E and P, equipment for LNG/GTL facilities, enhanced recovery equipment and services, gas re-injection technology, pipelines, and the refinery sector are all areas where Canadian equipment and service suppliers could benefit from opportunities in Nigeria. One of the most prominent foreign player in the Nigerian market is Royal Dutch Shell. As far as the offshore deepwater E and P sub-sector, the three major players are Shell, ChevronTexaco, and ExxonMobil. The Nigerian government advocate in upstream and downstream oil industries in the country is Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The primary domestic end-users of oil and gas equipment and services are member companies of the Nigerian Association of Indigenous Petroleum Exploration Companies (NAIPEC). Canadian companies are encouraged to form joint venture partnerships in oil and gas projects, as foreign majors operating in Nigeria tend to rely on the skills and expertise of foreign

The Relationship of Leadership Styles and Organizational Culture Case Study of an Oil and Gas Company in Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Darwis, Tommy K; Djajadiningrat, Surna Tjahja

2010-01-01

This study explores relationship between leadership styles and organizational culture in an oil and Gas Company in Indonesia. The respondents are employees of an oil and Gas Company in Indonesia. This study use Multifactor leadership questionnaires to define leadership styles and Denison's Organizational Culture Model to measure Organizational Culture. These questionnaires were used to measure leadership styles of immediate or direct supervisor and organizational culture ...

Features of the marketing strategy of oil and gas companies in exploration drilling

Science.gov (United States)

Sharf, I.; Malanina, V.; Kamynina, L.

2014-08-01

The implementation of national and regional programs for the development of new oil and gas provinces of Eastern Siberia poses the challenge of increasing geological exploration. The current drilling service companies' market structure, as well as the strategic task of search and exploration effectiveness requires qualitatively new approaches for choosing a contractor. The proposed strategy to select a contractor based on comprehensive analysis of certain groups of industrial, financial, infrastructural criteria allows not only to optimize the costs of exploration activities, but also to minimize preventively the risks of a poor geological exploration. The authors' SWOT- analysis of the marketing strategy of "Gazprom neft" for choosing a contractor outlined the problem of imperfection of the Russian legislation in the sphere of activities of service companies in the oil and gas sector.

The Russian opportunity and investments by international companies: the oil paradox

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Locatelli, C.

2003-01-01

The early days of 2003 saw Russia and its oil sector drawing the attention of international investors, as evidenced by the joint venture between BP and TNK, Exxon Mobil's plans regarding Yukos or Shell's. Some people saw in those agreements or plans the signs of a normalisation of the Russian economy, particularly in terms of property rights. The arresting of Mr Khodorkovsky, the chairman of Yukos put a sudden stop to such optimism and comes as a reminder of a few realities. Despite the progresses made, the economic and institutional environment of the country is still unstable, as shown by the questioning of the Production Sharing Agreement Act or the increasingly demanding access to oil resources. The BP TNK agreement is not a reproducible investment model. If there is some opening it will be on the terms set by the Russian government. (authors)

New procedures of ergonomics design in a large oil company.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhadeff, Cynthia Mossé; Silva, Rosana Fernandes da; Reis, Márcia Sales dos

2012-01-01

This study presents the challenge involved in the negotiation and construction of a standard process in a major petroleum company that has the purpose of guiding the implementation of ergonomic studies in the development of projects, systemising the implementation of ergonomics design. The standard was created by a multi-disciplinary working group consisting of specialists in ergonomics, who work in a number of different areas of the company. The objective was to guide "how to" undertake ergonomics in all projects, taking into consideration the development of the ergonomic appraisals of work. It also established that all the process, in each project phase, should be accompanied by a specialist in ergonomics. This process as an innovation in the conception of projects in this company, signals a change of culture, and, for this reason requires broad dissemination throughout the several company leadership levels, and training of professionals in projects of ergonomics design. An implementation plan was also prepared and approved by the corporate governance, complementing the proposed challenge. In this way, this major oil company will implement new procedures of ergonomics design to promote health, safety, and wellbeing of the workforce, besides improving the performance and reliability of its systems and processes.

Are we aiming for a liquidation scenario. The oil companies in Norway, a financial survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frognes, G.

1994-01-01

The article gives a financial survey of the Norwegian oil companies development. The survey is based on the documentation of statistics for the period from 1985 to 1992. This means that the time series will include one of the record years of the Norwegian oil industry, 1985, and the subsequent 1986 oil price collapse. Topics cover: The profit and loss account; sources of funds; the balance sheet; return on capital. 3 figs., 1 tab

Valuation of oil companies - Implications for corporate behaviour; Verdsetting av internasjonale olje- og gasselskaper - implikasjoner for selskapsatferd

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osmundsen, Petter

2002-06-01

The report discusses control signals given by the stock market to listed companies and relates this to agency theory. Oil companies are used as a case. The market responds to financial signals from the companies. The market response on various financial indicators represents an implicit incentive scheme for the companies. This is described and the adaptation of the companies is discussed. In addition, the report deals with the significance of a threat of acquisition, and private vs. public ownership.

Quality of environmental disclosure by multi-national oil companies: a corporate governance perspective

OpenAIRE

Babatunde, A.

2005-01-01

Over the past few years, concern about the issue of environmental sustainability\\ud has increased considerably. Closely linked to this concern is the growing disquiet\\ud over the increasing pervasiveness of multi-national companies, especially oil\\ud companies, in shaping global politics and economics. Consequently, increased\\ud awareness about the environment has led to calls for better management of global\\ud resources and for ways in which to make the corporations that benefit the most\\ud ...

Governance and regulation in the Venezuelan petroleum industry: an analysis of the evolution of the relations between the State and the oil companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benhassine, A.A.

2008-12-01

Oil is an extremely desired strategic resource which is in the center of the cooperation, the tensions and the conflicts between the producing States and the consumers, between the owners of deposits and oil companies and also between oil companies and consumers. The preoccupation of the political economy is exactly to report the interweaving of the economic and political factors in the formation and in the evolution of the structures of the national petroleum industries. Any change concerning the access to the oil resource and to its rent engenders a redefining of the behaviour, the strategies and the objectives of the main actors. So, by analyzing the process of structuralization of the industry of hydrocarbons in Venezuela, the author attempts to explain the evolution of his mode of organization according to his strategy of regulation. The functional relation which stands out from it becomes identified as a balance of power enters the Venezuelan State, the leaders of the national oil company PDVSA, the international oil companies, the consumers and the international organizations. The thesis reconstitutes the interaction between the maximization of the profits pursued by the oil companies and the forms of appropriation of the rents by the State. The control of the mechanisms of creation and appropriation of the rents allows then the main actors of the oil system to direct the oil Venezuelan policy according to their own interests. (author)

Downstream natural gas in Europe - high hopes dashed for upstream oil and gas companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikeland, P.O.

2007-01-01

Access for independents to retail gas markets was a central concern in European policy reform efforts in the 1990s. Upstream oil and gas companies reacted with strategic intentions of forward integration. By late 2004, forward integration was still weak, however. An important explanation of the gap between announced strategic re-orientation and actual strategy implementation lies in the political failure of EU member states to dismantle market barriers to entry for independents. Variations between companies in downstream strategy implementation are explained by variations in business opportunities and internal company factors. [Author

Downstream natural gas in Europe-High hopes dashed for upstream oil and gas companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikeland, Per Ove

2007-01-01

Access for independents to retail gas markets was a central concern in European policy reform efforts in the 1990s. Upstream oil and gas companies reacted with strategic intentions of forward integration. By late 2004, forward integration was still weak, however. An important explanation of the gap between announced strategic re-orientation and actual strategy implementation lies in the political failure of EU member states to dismantle market barriers to entry for independents. Variations between companies in downstream strategy implementation are explained by variations in business opportunities and internal company factors

Features of the marketing strategy of oil and gas companies in exploration drilling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharf, I; Kamynina, L; Malanina, V

2014-01-01

The implementation of national and regional programs for the development of new oil and gas provinces of Eastern Siberia poses the challenge of increasing geological exploration. The current drilling service companies' market structure, as well as the strategic task of search and exploration effectiveness requires qualitatively new approaches for choosing a contractor. The proposed strategy to select a contractor based on comprehensive analysis of certain groups of industrial, financial, infrastructural criteria allows not only to optimize the costs of exploration activities, but also to minimize preventively the risks of a poor geological exploration. The authors' SWOT- analysis of the marketing strategy of ''Gazprom neft'' for choosing a contractor outlined the problem of imperfection of the Russian legislation in the sphere of activities of service companies in the oil and gas sector

Benefit-sharing arrangements between oil companies and indigenous people in Russian northern regions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tulaeva, Svetlana; Tysyachnyuk, Maria

2017-01-01

This research provides an insight into various modes of benefit-sharing agreements between oil and gas companies and indigenous people in Russia's northern regions, e.g., paternalism, corporate social responsibility, and partnership. The paper examines factors that influence benefit-sharing

Enkele bedenkingen bij de geschiedenis van Koninklijke Shell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Buyst

2008-01-01

Full Text Available K.E. Sluyterman, J. Jonker, J.L. van Zanden, S. Howarth, Geschiedenis van de Koninklijke Shell, I, Van nieuwkomer tot marktleider, 1890-1939, II, Stuwmotor van de koolwaterstofrevolutie, 1939-1973, III, Concureren in turbulente markten, 1973-2007, [IV], Bijlagen, cijfers, toelichting, volledige bibliografie en index [inclusief drie dvd's]Some Reflections on the History of Royal Dutch ShellThe first positive feature of this impressive book is its unrelenting focus on a number of key issues. As a result, the authors succeed in presenting a coherent analysis of this complex global company. Another strong feature is the comprehensive and clear overview it provides of the rapid technological developments within the oil industry. Nevertheless, the origins of this fascinating firm could have been dealt with more thoroughly. The way in which the financial problems were solved during the start-up phase, in particular, remains shrouded in mystery. Furthermore, an interesting dimension could have been added had the concepts of Chandler been used. In addition, the chapter has not yet been closed on the ongoing conflict between Royal Dutch Shell and the local population in Nigeria.

An Examination of Strategic Philanthropy and CSR Communication Patterns among the World’s Twenty-One Largest Oil Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Brad Gatlin

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Fortune Magazine’s 2012 list of 100 largest companies included 21 oil companies. This paper seeks to discern patterns of those 21 companies’ philanthropic efforts and communication thereof. Specifically, the paper will consider issues such as ownership (all companies were either publicly-traded or state-owned, the economic development of the home country, and the citizens’ expectations of corporate citizens. The philanthropic efforts of all 21 companies are discussed in the context of Porter and Kramer’s (2001 framework of the competitive context It is concluded that the oil industry is particularly well-suited to affect factor and, to a lesser extent, demand conditions, through philanthropic efforts. A model for classifying the philanthropic based on ownership and country conditions is proposed, and suggestions for further research are made.

Decision 99-8 : Shell Canada Limited application to construct and operate an oil sands bitumen upgrader in the Fort Saskatchewan area : Shell Canada Products Limited application to amend refinery approval in the Fort Saskatchewan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board considered an application by Shell Canada Limited to construct and operate an oil sands bitumen upgrader on Shell's property adjoining the existing Scotford refinery in the County of Strathcona. The upgrader would process bitumen from Shell's proposed Muskeg River Mine, located 70 km north of Fort McMurray, and other feedstocks available in the area. The Board also considered an application for an amendment to the existing Scotford refinery approval, Industrial Development Permit 89-10, for the processing of 3.75 million cubic metres per year of sour conversion feedstock. Under a coordinated application process, Shell filed a joint Shell Scotford Upgrader application/Environmental Impact Assessment. Issues considered with respect to these applications were: technology selection, air/health, sulphur recovery, noise/traffic, and land use conflict. Shell stated that its Scotford refinery is the most energy efficient refinery in the Americas and that is has the highest liquid yield per unit volume of crude oil feedstock of any refinery in the world. The refinery's hydrocracking capacity would make it possible to use hydro-conversion technology for its upgrader which is environmentally advantageous. After examining all of the evidence pertaining to the applications, the Board found the projects to be in the public interest and is prepared to approve the Scotford Upgrader and Scotford Refinery modifications assuming that certain prescribed conditions are met

Waste cockle shell as natural catalyst for biodiesel production from jatropha oil

Science.gov (United States)

Hadi, Norulakmal Nor; Idrus, Nur Afini; Ghafar, Faridah; Salleh, Marmy Roshaidah Mohd

2017-12-01

Due to the increasing of industrialization and modernization of the world, the demand of petroleum has risen rapidly. The increasing demand for energy and environmental awareness has prompted many researches to embark on alternative fuel platforms that are environmentally acceptable. In this study, jatropha oil was used to produce biodiesel by a new transesterification routine in which cockle shell was used as source of heterogeneous catalyst. The investigation showed the catalyst that was calcined at temperature of 800 °C has the optimum capability to produce high yield. The highest yield of biodiesel production of 93.20 % were obtained by using 1.5 wt% of catalyst. The reaction was conducted at a temperature of 65 °C with the optimum methanol to oil ratio of 6:1. It was found that the physical properties of the biodiesel produced were significant to ASTM standard of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME).

Identification of the causes of risks under the conditions of innovative development of oil and gas companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khvostina I. M.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The market environment, in which oil and gas companies operate, is characterized by elements of uncertainty and is accompanied by risks of entrepreneurship and production. Insufficient attention to the issues of risk management in the conditions of innovative development of enterprises leads to an inadequate response of oil and gas companies on the risks and threats that arise in the current economic environment, and, as a consequence, the adoption of unjustified managerial decisions. All this contributes to the significant threats in the activity of enterprises, limited mobility and loss of potential opportunities. The article defines the modern state oil and gas complex of Ukraine. The main problems of enterprises operating in this industry are considered. The causes of risks influencing the innovative activity of enterprises of oil and gas complex, the necessity of building an integrated risk management system are investigated.

Independents in European Gas Markets after liberalisation - downstream integration of upstream oil and gas companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eikeland, Per Ove

2005-01-01

A central objective of gas market liberalisation in Europe in the 1990s was to increase competition by opening end-use markets for independent suppliers. Upstream oil and gas companies in Europe reacted to this opportunity by announcing strategies to integrate forward in European gas markets. By late 2004, however, upstream companies still recorded generally weak downstream strategy implementation in Europe. The article concludes that this general implementation gap should be explained by political failure in EU member states to abolish gas market barriers to entry for independents. Variation between companies in degree of implementation should be explained by variation in conditions in the companies' home markets / wider business spheres and internal company factors. (Author)

Enterprise Risk Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: An Analysis of Selected Fortune 500 Oil and Gas Companies' Reaction in 2009 and 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Violet C.; Ethridge, Jack R.

2016-01-01

In 2009, four of the top ten Fortune 500 companies were classified within the oil and gas industry. Organizations of this size typically have an advanced Enterprise Risk Management system in place to mitigate risk and to achieve their corporations' objectives. The companies and the article utilize the Enterprise Risk Management Integrated…

Management according to financial indicators. Short-termism of the oil companies; Styring etter finansielle indikatorer - er oljeselskapene kortsiktige?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osmundsen, Petter; Soerenes, Terje; Lindbaeck, Morten E.; Wigestrand, Arnstein O.

2002-07-01

Taking the oil companies as an example, the authors describe some of the valuation methods used by analysts and investment banks. The financial indicators used by the market form an incentive structure for the management of the companies. The article discusses how this affects the behaviour of the companies. It also discusses implications for resource management.

Planning ahead : although Canada could experience a shortage of some 300,000 workers within the next 20 years, long-term strategies can help companies cope : part 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, D.

2007-01-01

This article is the second in a 2-part series examining the impacts of the labour shortage in the energy industry. Most oil and gas companies are implementing long-term strategies in order to deal with the anticipated labour crisis. Labour, material, services and other factors are taken into consideration when developing business plans, and industry will adjust projects accordingly to accommodate labour constraints and uneconomic cost environments. Companies are collecting and analyzing data in order to define strategies to address retirement and longer-term workforce planning issues. EnCana is supporting a heavy equipment operator training program jointly with the government of British Columbia to help recruit aboriginal communities. EnCana is also recognizing the value of new immigrant professionals and has identified the group as an emerging recruitment talent pool. Shell Canada's long term plans for recruiting experienced staff include dedicating significant resources to a campus recruitment campaign, and connecting with Royal Dutch Shell to extend their recruitment reach. Shell Canada is also strengthening its on-boarding program for both new permanent full-time and part-time employees. The company recently announced its largest single community investment in the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology's Building on Demand campaign. The $3 million will be used to create the Shell Manufacturing Centre, as well as to provide bursaries for students pursuing apprenticeships and technical training. Petro-Canada's long-term recruitment strategy includes continually identifying and bringing in talented employees to meet the company's business goals. Devon Canada is also focusing on career path development and has established significant budgets for training and professional development. It was concluded that employers in the oil and gas industry must develop effective recruitment strategies to attract and retain critical talent for the short and long term, and not

Emulsion preparation for novel micro-porous polymeric hemi-shells

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Naidoo, Kersch

2008-01-01

Full Text Available -dichloromethane (DCM) oil phase , micro-porous hemi-shells formed as solvent evaporated. CO2 gas ) 252–254 www.elsevier.com/locate/matlet Polycaprolactone hemi-shells were prepared by using an O/W technique. PCL (15% w/v) was fully dissolved in 10ml DCM (oil 253K...-averaged particle size and hemi-shell yield with solvent evaporation time. (ImageJ, NIH), the number-average particle size and yield of hemi-shells were obtained with increasing time intervals (n=200). Scanning electron microscopy (LEO 1525 field emis- sion SEM...

Steam reforming of bio-oil from coconut shell pyrolysis over Fe/olivine catalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quan, Cui; Xu, Shaoping; Zhou, Congcong

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Steam reforming of the actual bio-oil was investigated with Fe/olivine catalyst. • Most of phenols in bio-oil were converted into gas products. • A carbon conversion of 97.2% was obtained under optimized conditions. - Abstract: Catalytic steam reforming of coconut shell pyrolysis bio-oil over Fe/olivine catalyst was conducted in a fixed-bed quartz reactor. The effects of calcination temperature, iron loading, reaction temperature, steam to carbon ratio (S/C), bio-oil weight hourly space velocity (W b HSV) on gas composition and carbon conversion were investigated. The results indicate that Fe/olivine has good activity for steam reforming of bio-oil, the couple Fe 2+/3+ /Fe 2+ may be sufficiently efficient for C–C, C–O and C–H breaking. After steam reforming, most of the phenolics in pyrolysis oil are converted into light molecular compounds such as H 2 , CO, CO 2 , and CH 4 . The H 2 concentration and carbon conversion were enhanced by increasing reaction temperature from 750 to 800 °C and the S/C from 1.5 to 2, but decreased with increasing calcination temperature. In the W b HSV range of 0.5–0.6, the hydrogen concentration decreased obviously, whereas it decreased slightly by further increasing W b HSV. The highest hydrogen concentration of 47.6 vol% was obtained among the catalysts tested, and the best carbon conversion was 97.2% over 10% Fe/olivine catalyst under the reforming conditions of temperature = 800 °C, W b HSV = 0.5, S/C = 2.

Can Latin American Oil Companies Free Themselves from the Legacy of Nationalization? (Can Latin American Oil and Gas Companies Break Free of Their Nationalized Past?) - CERI Studies No. 183

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rousseau, Isabelle

2012-01-01

Latin America's national oil companies, created at various times during the twentieth century, have each evolved in a different way. The two main companies - Petroleos de Mexico (Pemex) and Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) - provide excellent illustrations of the rich diversity of organizational and industrial development. Many factors - such as the importance of earth quakes - explain the diversity. Nevertheless, the role of governments during the period of nationalizations is key. It was then that the relationships between the owners of natural resources, public operators, regulators, the finance ministries, and international operators were defined. This process shaped the companies' institutional structures (path dependency) and set the parameters for future entrepreneurial dynamism. The path by which each of these enterprises developed continues to affect their culture as evidenced by the recent reforms which attempted to restructure Pemex and PDVSA. (author)

Oil Companies Climb Global List

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

JESSY ZHANG

2006-01-01

@@ Backed by the huge market size,China's energy companies have been ranked in the group of the world's largest industry players. On September 6th,eight companies from the Chinese mainland and six companies from Hong Kong SAR were included in this year's Platts Top 250 Energy Companies List.

Turbidity and oil removal from oilfield produced water, middle oil company by electrocoagulation technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Thamer

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Huge quantity of produced water is salty water trapped in the oil wells rock and brought up along with oil or gas during production. It usually contains hydrocarbons as oil and suspended solids or turbidity. Therefore the aim of this study is to treat produced water before being discharge to surface water or re injected in oil wells. In this paper experimental results were investigated on treating produced water (which is obtained from Middle Oil Company-Iraq, through electrocoagulation (EC. The performance of EC was investigated for reduction of turbidity and oil content up to allowable limit. Effect of different parameters were studied; (pH, current density, distance between two electrodes, and electrolysis time. The experimental runs carried out by an electrocoagulation unit was assembled and installed in the lab and the reactor was made of a material Perspex, with a capacity of approximately 2.5 liters and dimensions were 20 cm in length, 14 cm in width and 16 cm height. The electrodes employed were made of commercial materials. The anode was a perforated aluminum rectangular plate with a thickness of 1.72 mm, a height of 60 mm and length of 140 mm and the cathode was a mesh iron. The current was used in the unit with different densities to test the turbidity removing efficiency (0.0025, 0.00633, 0.01266 and 0.0253 A/cm2.The experiment showed that the best turbidity removing was (10, 9.7, 9.2, 18 NTU respectively. The distance between the electrodes of the unit was 3cm. The present turbidity removing was 92.33%. A slight improvement of turbidity removing was shown when the distance between the electrodes was changed from 0.5 to 3 cm with fixation of current density. The best turbidity removing was 93.5% , (7.79 NTU when the distance between the electrodes were 1 cm. The experimental results found that concentration of oil had decreased to (10.7, 11.2, 11.7, 12.3 mg/l when different current densities (0.00253, 0.00633, 0.01266, 0.0253 A/cm2

Canadian oil companies, engineering and geomatics professionals and CSR overseas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calderbank, B.

2002-07-01

This research project focused on the human rights issues associated with oil and gas development in Alberta. Of particular interest was the topic of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The author examined efforts deployed in Alberta to address this issue in oil and gas companies that have operations abroad. A brief review of the interest devoted to CSR in Canada over the years was provided. The United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights was introduced, before discussing the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles on Rights at Work. The author also touched on the Caux Round Table, representing senior business leaders from industrialized and developing nations. The Canadian efforts in the field of CSR for overseas operations were reviewed in the next section. Canadian oil and gas trade associations and CSR was dealt with, followed by a section on verification of CSR. The next section was devoted to Canadian engineering and geomatic professional associations and CSR. The author concluded by indicating that having a set of principles to be applied in real situations also require individuals that possess a strong ethical and moral basis of their own. 88 refs., 4 tabs.

Towards An Intelligent Model-Based Decision Support System For An Integrated Oil Company (EGPC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khorshid, M.; Hassan, H.; Abdel Latife, M.A.

2004-01-01

Decision Support System (DSS) is an interactive, flexible and adaptable computer-based support system specially developed for supporting the solution of unstructured management problems [31] DSS has become widespread for oil industry domain in recent years. The computer-based DSS, which were developed and implemented in oil industry, are used to address the complex short-term planning and operational issues associated with downstream industry. Most of these applications concentrate on the data-centered tools, while the model-centered applications of DSS are still very limited up till now [20]. This study develops an Intelligent Model-Based DSS for an integrated oil company, to help policy makers and petroleum planner in improving the effectiveness of the strategic planning in oil sector. This domain basically imposes semi-structured or unstructured decisions and involves a very complex modeling process

Bio-oil production via co-pyrolysis of almond shell as biomass and high density polyethylene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Önal, Eylem; Uzun, Başak Burcu; Pütün, Ayşe Eren

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We investigate to see the effect of HDPE addition on thermal decomposition of lignocellulosic materials. • Increasing the proportion of HDPE in mixtures increases the oil yields. • After co-pyrolysis applied, obtained oil is more stable due to having lower oxygen content and higher heating value. • The addition of HDPE to aS has a positive effect on fuel properties of obtained oil. - Abstract: Biomass from almond shell (aS) was co-pyrolyzed with high density polyethylene (HDPE) polymer to investigate the synergistic effects on the product yields and compositions. The pyrolysis temperature was selected as 500 °C, based on results of TGA-DTG. Co-pyrolysis of HDPE-biomass mixtures were pyrolysed with various proportions such as 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 2:1 and 0:1. The yield of liquids produced during co-pyrolysis enhanced 23%, as the weight ratio of HDPE in the mixture was doubled. Obtained bio-oils were analyzed with using column chromatography, 1 H NMR, GC/MS, and FT-IR. According to analyses results, produced liquids by co-pyrolysis had higher carbon (26% higher) and hydrogen contents (78% higher), lower oxygen content (%86 less) with a higher heating value (38% higher) than those of biomass oil

The oil and oil services industry international context 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serbutoviez, S.; Silva, C.

2008-11-01

Oil companies rarely do their own major work within the framework of their investments or in the operation of their facilities. They most often act as project coordinators, thereby opening up a vast market for equipment, services and engineering, involving many companies of widely-varying sizes, which constitute the oil services industry. This document provides a panorama of the international oil context in three distinct parts, for 2007, for the first three quarters of 2008, and aspects of trends for 2009. - The first part is devoted to a rapid description of the oil context and the economic environment in which it is evolving. - The second part examines the evolution of world investment in exploration-production (E and P) activities, distinguishing the investments made by oil and oil product/service companies throughout the E and P chain from the more targeted ones of three specific sectors: seismic, drilling and the construction of offshore production equipment. These markets are observed exclusively for oil product/service companies. - The last part is devoted to investments in the refining sector, focusing on the changes in the fundamentals, particularly the equilibrium between refining capacities and medium- term oil demand. This latter analysis involves both oil and oil product/service companies. (authors)

Contractor safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanton, M.L.; Montgomery, E.W.

1991-01-01

The recent trend in the United States and Shell Oil Company EandP has been to increase use of contractors to do specialized work. Many companies now use contractors almost exclusively for operations such as drilling, well workovers, construction, and many specialty and routine maintenance tasks. Today, approximately 75% of Shell Oil Company's actual operating work force in EandP is contract. Clearly, HSandE considerations must become an increasingly important part of the contractor selection process. This paper reports on the Shell Oil Company's evolution from a bidder selection process to a program of Matching Owner and Contractor. Well has begun to expand efforts to make better assessments of contractor's HSandE capabilities and values in pre-bid considerations. Focus is on pre-bid evaluations to select contractors that have strong HSandE commitments and values. Contractor safety performance in this industry must be brought up to the same standards as operating companies. In Shell Oil EandP is only willing to contractors who can and are willing to do that

Company profile: Edison of Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

The energy subsidiary of the Montedison chemicals company (Ferruzzi Group), Edison is Italy's largest private sector electricity producer. Last year production amounted to 4.7 TWh, an increase of 8.2% on 1990, and at the end of June this year, total net production of 2.4 TWh was 14.8% higher than in the first half of 1991. Edison also ranks first in the Italian league of private sector hydrocarbons producers, its Edison Gas subsidiary controlling a group that has significant exploration and development interests. These are mainly in Italy where production amounted to 333m cubic metres of natural gas and 690,000 barrels of oil in the first half of the year. The recent acquisition of Deutsche Shell's Italian fields should allow Edison to reach 2bn cubic metres of gas production by 1996. (author)

Preparation And Characterization Of Microporous Activated Carbon From Oil Palm Shell By Physical Activation Using Purified Nitrogen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allwar Allwar

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Oil palm shell, a byproduct of palm oil industry was successfully used as a raw material for the production of highly porous activated carbons. Preparation of activated carbon was carried out by physical activation under nitrogen at various activation temperatures. The nitrogen isotherms show Type I characteristics of microporous activated carbon. The maximum surface areas obtained at 900oC was 936 m2g-1. The morphology structure of the activated carbon indicated the existence of the porosities with different size pores. Keywords: Oil palm shell; Micropores; Physical activation; Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm

Corporate social policy - problems of institutionalization and experience of Russian oil and gas companies

Science.gov (United States)

Nekhoda, E.; Kolbysheva, Yu; Makoveeva, V.

2015-11-01

The article examines a range of problems related to the process of institutionalization in the corporate social policy, characterizing the social responsibility of business and representing a part of the general strategy of corporate social responsibility. The experience of the social policy implementation in oil and gas companies is analyzed.

The effect of pyrolysis temperature of palm oil shell on quantity and quality of liquid smoke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ratnawati; Singgih Hartanto

2010-01-01

Palm oil shell can be processed into carbon and liquid smoke through pyrolysis reaction where liquid smoke was obtained by condensation of smoke produced. In this research, liquid smoke was produced by pyrolysis of 5 kg palm oil shell at temperature of 200 °C, 300 °C, and 400 °C for 4 hours and the composition of liquid smoke was analyzed with Gas Chromatography -Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The pyrolysis processes at 200°C, 300 °C, and 400 °C produced 460 mL, 510 mL, and 550 mL of liquid smoke and 3.98, 3.24 and 1.49 kg of carbon respectively. The result of liquid smoke with pyrolysis process at 200 °C were 30.73 %(w/w) of antioxidant and food flavor component (guaiacol, 2,3 - butanedione, furfural and 2-methyl-2-cyclopentanone), and 34.31 %(w/w) of harmful components (phenol , 2-propanone, 2-butanone and cyclopentanone). At 400 °C, 27.39 %(w/w) of components can be used in food products and 26.51 %(w/w) of components was harmful for health. Liquid smoke produced from this experiment cannot yet be used as food preservative because it still contains harmful components which are dangerous for health, therefore it needs further separation. (author)

Profitability and taxation in the UKCS oil and gas industry: analysing the distribution of rewards between company and country

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutledge, Ian; Wright, Philip

1998-01-01

Against the background of record levels of UK hydrocarbon production and a government review of the UKCS tax regime, this paper provides evidence that the government's share of UKCS profits is very low by historical and international standards and demonstrates that the current tax regime is extremely weak. The justification for the latter is the challenged by assessing the relative profitability of UKCS companies, using data from UK national accounts and from Form 10-K and Form 20-F company reports and analysing both accounting profits and forecast discounted cash flow. This shows that companies operating on the UKCS enjoy substantially higher profitability relative to both other UK companies and other oil and gas provinces elsewhere in the world. Further evidence of the weakness of the UK regime is provided by a comparison with the Norwegian oil and gas tax regime. The paper therefore makes a strong case for the reform of the UKCS tax regime. (Author)

Mobil positioning itself to become Canada's premier oil and gas company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, A.

1994-01-01

To achieve its goal of becoming Canada's premier oil and gas company by the year 2000, Mobil Oil Canada is empowering its employees and applying appropriate technology to unlock resources and create value. Mobil produces 4.1 million m 3 of oil and natural gas liquids, 5.6 million m 3 /y of natural gas and 438,000 tonnes/y of sulfur. It also operates over 3,000 wells in western Canada and eleven gas processing plants, manages 1,700 km of pipeline, and has 33% interest in the Hibernia project on the Grand Banks. Oil lifting costs have decreased over the past three years from $3.40/bbl to $2.80/bbl and development costs are under $2/bbl. Innovative technology used to achieve high production and low costs include the use of three dimensional seismic surveys and horizontal drilling. Other techniques used at particular sites include installation of downhole injection regulators to control problems of segregation and metering between different water injection zones at the Carson Creek field, use of artificial lifts in gas wells, and a dual gas lift at the Rainbow Lake oil field. At the Lone Pine gas plant, the first Superclaus-99 sulfur recovery process was installed, reducing sulfur emissions by 60% and increasing recovery efficiency from 95% to 98%. Mobil has operated in Canada since 1940 and has made significant discoveries, including Canada's largest producing oil field, the Pembina. In 1971, Mobil discovered gas of commercial significance off the east coast and helped discover the Hibernia and Venture fields. The Hibernia project is scheduled to come on stream in 1997 and Mobil expects the economics of the project to be favorable, with a $12-13/bbl oil price needed to break even. 7 figs

Oil and gas markets, companies, and technology in the 1990`s and beyond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kennedy, J.L.

1995-08-01

During the late 1990`s and beyond, oil prices will be stagnant while costs increase, competition for markets and capital will be fierce, funds available for exploration and development will be limited, and environmental extremists will keep prospective areas off-limits. Higher taxes will limit growth in oil and gas demand and reapportion energy market shares. And a campaign to brand oil use as an ``addiction`` that must be cured will gather steam. But opportunities abound, too, even in the US High-quality properties are available throughout the US, independents can find and develop reserves cheaper than the majors, and new tools are available to reduce risks both in the field and in the market. Gas prices are firming and natural gas is often labeled the ``fuel of the future.`` To succeed in the petroleum industry of the 1990`s, all companies must accept change, be creative, and take initiative. To prosper, oil and gas producers and refiners and those who supply and serve the industry must face the new realities of the market. They cannot mark time until the return of 4,000 active rigs and $40/bbl oil. those days are never coming back. Never.

Modeling renewable energy company risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sadorsky, Perry

2012-01-01

The renewable energy sector is one of the fastest growing components of the energy industry and along with this increased demand for renewable energy there has been an increase in investing and financing activities. The tradeoff between risk and return in the renewable energy sector is, however, precarious. Renewable energy companies are often among the riskiest types of companies to invest in and for this reason it is necessary to have a good understanding of the risk factors. This paper uses a variable beta model to investigate the determinants of renewable energy company risk. The empirical results show that company sales growth has a negative impact on company risk while oil price increases have a positive impact on company risk. When oil price returns are positive and moderate, increases in sales growth can offset the impact of oil price returns and this leads to lower systematic risk.

Planning ahead : although Canada could experience a shortage of some 300,000 workers within the next 20 years, long-term strategies can help companies cope : part 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cook, D.

2007-01-15

This article is the second in a 2-part series examining the impacts of the labour shortage in the energy industry. Most oil and gas companies are implementing long-term strategies in order to deal with the anticipated labour crisis. Labour, material, services and other factors are taken into consideration when developing business plans, and industry will adjust projects accordingly to accommodate labour constraints and uneconomic cost environments. Companies are collecting and analyzing data in order to define strategies to address retirement and longer-term workforce planning issues. EnCana is supporting a heavy equipment operator training program jointly with the government of British Columbia to help recruit aboriginal communities. EnCana is also recognizing the value of new immigrant professionals and has identified the group as an emerging recruitment talent pool. Shell Canada's long term plans for recruiting experienced staff include dedicating significant resources to a campus recruitment campaign, and connecting with Royal Dutch Shell to extend their recruitment reach. Shell Canada is also strengthening its on-boarding program for both new permanent full-time and part-time employees. The company recently announced its largest single community investment in the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology's Building on Demand campaign. The $3 million will be used to create the Shell Manufacturing Centre, as well as to provide bursaries for students pursuing apprenticeships and technical training. Petro-Canada's long-term recruitment strategy includes continually identifying and bringing in talented employees to meet the company's business goals. Devon Canada is also focusing on career path development and has established significant budgets for training and professional development. It was concluded that employers in the oil and gas industry must develop effective recruitment strategies to attract and retain critical talent for the short and

Identifying Challenges and Opportunities for Residents in Upernavik as Oil Companies are Making a First Entrance into Baffin Bay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Merrild, Anne; Tejsner, Pelle

2016-01-01

The oil industry is making its first entrance offshore in Baffin Bay in a time where Inuit residents on the northwest coast of Greenland are struggling to uphold a traditional way of living. The operating oil companies are encouraged by the Government of Greenland to promote a high degree of loca...

Strategic positioning and repositioning of oil companies in the upstream business: understanding the historical evolution of firms' strategic behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teixeira Carneiro, J.M.; Ferreira Deschamps Cavalcanti, M.A.; Dos Santos, E.M.

1999-01-01

This is the second article of a series whose objective is to use the analytical framework proposed by Michael Porter, from the University of Harvard, to study the global oil competition game and the competitive advantages of oil companies. The paper focuses on the historical changes in the positioning and behavior of various actors in the upstream oil industry. The authors start by describing the main oil actors and their initial strategic positioning before 1973. Then, the changes and the firm's strategic repositioning during the oil crisis in the 1970's and 1980's are analyzed. (author)

Effects of Low Volume Fraction of Polyvinyl Alcohol Fibers on the Mechanical Properties of Oil Palm Shell Lightweight Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Kun Yew

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the effects of low volume fraction (Vf of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA fibers on the mechanical properties of oil palm shell (OPS high strength lightweight concrete mixtures. The slump, density, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity under various curing conditions have been measured and evaluated. The results indicate that an increase in PVA fibers decreases the workability of the concrete and decreases the density slightly. The 28-day compressive strength of oil palm shell fiber-reinforced concrete (OPSFRC high strength lightweight concrete (HSLWC subject to continuous moist curing was within the range of 43–49 MPa. The average modulus of elasticity (E value is found to be 16.1 GPa for all mixes, which is higher than that reported in previous studies and is within the range of normal weight concrete. Hence, the findings of this study revealed that the PVA fibers can be used as an alternative material to enhance the properties of OPS HSLWC for building and construction applications.

The Integration Aspects of Activities of the Companies in the Oil and Gas Industry Sector in the Context of Globalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panevnyk Tetiana M.

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The article considers both the dynamics and the structure of oil and gas production in Ukraine, situation of the oil and gas companies at the current stage of globalization of the world economy have been covered. The main problems impacting the functioning of the domestic industry sector have been identified, including the lack of effectiveness of the existing integration processes. The world trends and patterns of integration processes have been considered. It has been determined that the oil and gas industry sector leaders are the multinational companies that actively use integration in their practices. The current trends in creating integration linkages in different parts of the process chain in the oil and gas industry have been identified. Influence by large corporations of the innovative type on the creation of a favorable investment climate has been confirmed, as well as conducting their own policies of expansion in the overseas markets. On the basis of studying the foreign experience, expediency of development of the oil and gas sector enterprises by activating integration processes has been substantiated. Priorities and possibilities for further functioning of enterprises in the the oil and gas industry sector have been identified

Personal, place, and time characteristics of offshore accidents in five oil companies operating in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahardjo; Sudjoko; Sebayang

1991-01-01

This study is to determine personal, place and time characteristics of offshore accidents during the year of 1987, 1988 and 1989 of five oil companies operating in Indonesia. Age, length of service, employment status, job characteristics, work cycles, work schedules, marital status, citizenship, disability, anatomy and nature of accident

Properties of Activated Carbon Prepared from Coconut Shells in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Materials commonly used for preparation of activated carbons include coal and coconut shells. Ghana generates over 30,000 tonnes of coconut shells annually from coconut oil processing activities but apart from a small percentage of the shells, which is burned as fuel, the remaining is usually dumped as waste.

Oil reserves viewed from a geological and a financial perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathieu, Y.; Pozzi, C.

2004-01-01

Exactly how high are the current levels of oil reserves owned by private companies in the oil sector? To what extent are the figures that they provide in their annual balance sheets reliable? Finally, what is the relationship between their declared reserves and the value of their share prices in the financial markets? In order to answer these questions, we need to consider the various links existing between on the one hand the various problems related to the technical estimation of deposits and on the other hand the economic thinking behind their use. On 22 June 2004, a discussion focusing on these themes was organised by the Centre de Geopolitique de l'Energie et des Matieres Premieres (Centre for Energy and Raw Material Geopolitics) of Dauphine University) as part of the conference: 'Oil reserves viewed from a geological and a financial perspective'. The result of the debates was clear: various methodological justifications, several accounting standards and a lack of serious monitoring have led to oil companies developing the habit of increasing the crude reserves previously declared each year, to the extent that this practice has become a virtual expectation within the financial markets. The case of Shell, a company an whose professionalism has never been called into question until last year, has clearly revealed the dangers related to this situation. The major losses in value suffered by the Anglo-Dutch company due to the brutal reaction following the unexpected downward revision of its estimated deposits provide clear proof of a latent problem. It is to be hoped that this experience will have a paradigmatic effect, bringing about a rethink of current standards with regard to the estimation of reserves, one which is more necessary today than at any time in the past. Here, we are presenting two articles providing an overview of the discussion underway and introducing two separate points of view. The first article (by Yves Mathieu of the IFP) introduces the

Leading Players of the Global Oil and Gas Industry. Overview of Groups - SWOTs - Benchmarking - Company Profiles and Financials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-07-01

This study presents: The medium-term and mega trends of the industry market developments and geographical segments; The competitive landscape and the main corporate rankings; The main conclusions of the report, summarised in 10 analytical slides. Content: 1. Overview: The Sector, Ranking, Performance Analysis; 2. Company Profiles: Sinopec, PetroChina, Shell, ExxonMobil, BP, Total, Chevron, Gazprom, Lukoil, Eni; 3. Sources; 4. Annexes

Three Essays on National Oil Company Efficiency, Energy Demand and Transportation

Science.gov (United States)

Eller, Stacy L.

This dissertation is composed of three separate essays in the field of energy economics. In the first paper, both data envelopment analysis and stochastic production frontier estimation are employed to provide empirical evidence on the revenue efficiency of national oil companies (NOCs) and private international oil companies (IOCs). Using a panel of 80 oil producing firms, the analysis suggests that NOCs are generally less efficient at generating revenue from a given resource base than IOCs, with some exceptions. Due to differing firm objectives, however, structural and institutional features may help explain much of the inefficiency. The second paper analyzes the relationship between economic development and the demand for energy. Energy consumption is modeled using panel data from 1990 to 2004 for 50 countries spanning all levels of development. We find the relationship between energy consumption and economic development corresponds to the structure of aggregate output and the nature of derived demand for electricity and direct-use fuels in each sector. Notably, the evidence of non-constant income elasticity of demand is much greater for electricity demand than for direct-use fuel consumption. In addition, we show that during periods of rapid economic development, one in which the short-term growth rate exceeds the long-run average, an increase in aggregate output is met by less energy-efficient capital. This is a result of capital being fixed in the short-term. As additional, more efficient capital stock is added to the production process, the short-term increase in energy intensity will diminish. In the third essay, we develop a system of equations to estimate a model of motor vehicle fuel consumption, vehicle miles traveled and implied fuel efficiency for the 67 counties of the State of Florida from 2001 to 2008. This procedure allows us to decompose the factors of fuel demand into elasticities of vehicle driving demand and fuel efficiency. Particular

Four state companies are markedly different

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aalund, L.R.

1995-01-01

The Journal continues its profiles of state owned oil companies with a return to the Persian Gulf, South America, and a first time look at the state oil company of Romania, one of Eastern Europe's most active and oldest producers. The government of Kazakhstan's activities are also covered in this report. These profiles detail the organization of the companies, with emphasis on upstream and downstream operations. Support functions, though essential to a company, are not covered in detail. Company projects and capabilities are only described in this report when necessary to put the company in perspective. Following are the profiles of state companies for Bahrain, Kuwait, Romania, and Venezuela

Stuck in the tar sands : how the federal government's proposed climate change strategy lets oil companies off the hook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-10-01

The credibility of any federal climate change strategy must be measured against its ability to reduce emissions from the tar sands. However, the federal government has proposed a climate change strategy that would allow tar sands producers to double their total emissions over the next decade. This report discussed how the federal government's proposed climate change strategy lets oil companies off the hook. The report discussed the problems and harmful effects associated with tar sands development, including greenhouse gas emissions; water depletion and pollution; toxic air emissions; destruction of the boreal forest; violation of native rights; threat to energy security; and negative socio-economic spin-off from an overheated economy. The federal government's proposed strategy was also assessed in terms of its weak greenhouse gas targets; ignoring the recent growth in tar sands emissions; adopting intensity-based targets instead of hard caps on greenhouse gas pollution, allowing total emissions from the tar sands to keep climbing; putting off critical measures until 2018; awarding oil companies hundreds of millions of dollars in credits for meeting targets they have already adopted voluntarily; lowballing the price of oil and downplaying future growth in tar sands emissions; ignoring huge portions of the oil industry's greenhouse gas pollution; letting oil companies buy their way out at rockbottom prices instead of forcing them to reduce their own emissions; and subsidizing increased tar sands production. It was concluded that the federal government's proposed plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was inadequate, because it failed to crack down on rising greenhouse gas emissions from the tar sands, one of Canada's most carbon intensive and fastest growing industries. 29 refs., 1 appendix

The Shell gasification technology offers clean solutions for refineries and utility companies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vlaswinkel, E.E.; Posthuma, S.A.; Zuideveld, P.L. [Shell International Oil Products BV, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

1997-12-31

Shell has developed two dedicated gasification technologies, the Shell Gasification Process (SGP) for gaseous and liquid feed stocks and the Shell Coal Gasification Process (SCGP) for coal, lignite and petroleum coke. These processes are described. One of the most recent applications of SGP is the PER+ Shell Refinery project in the Netherlands which is nearly completed. A 250 MWe coal gasification combined cycle plant based on SCGP has recently been built by Demkolec, a development partnership of the Dutch Electricity Generating Board (N.V. Sep). These two projects are discussed.

Mitsubishi Oil to become a major oil player?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ash, N.

1994-01-01

Mitsubishi Oil became a wholly-owned Japanese company in 1984. Before that, since 1981, it had been a joint venture between Mitsubishi and Getty oil. Recently the company has discovered a major new oilfield off the coast of Vietnam. In addition it has a strategic stake in the Canadian Athabasca Far Sands, major investments in Angola and operations in Papua New Guinea and Gabon. It aims to cover 30 % of the crude oil imports to its four existing, and fifth projected, refineries from owned sources by the end of the century. Mitsubishi has a network of 4500 service stations in Japan and has become one of the largest lubricating oil producers. The company's main overseas sales are of jet fuel, lubricating and tanker oils, sulphur and some petrochemicals. (UK)

Analysis of management quality and management decisions made using the example of russian oil and gas companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kostylev A.O.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Results of empirical surveys performed by Russian and foreign researchers with regard to behavior patterns of managers, authorized by owners to make investment decisions, are systematized. Analysis of management quality and decisions made by Russian oil and gas managers are performed using the following 2 criteria: market capitalization change and opinion of professional society. The purpose of the research is to attract attention to low management quality in Russian statowned oil and gas companies.

International participation in Russia's oil sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vowinckel, G.

1997-01-01

The active role of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the oil and gas sector of the former Soviet Union was discussed. The EBRD was formed in 1991 with a mandate to help Central and Eastern European countries, particularly countries of the former Soviet Union, to make a transition from the command economy to a market economy. To date, the EBRD has made 15 investments in oil and gas projects with total project costs of nearly $2 billion US. The first projects were joint venture projects with western oil companies. Some of these were the Chernogorskoye project in the Nizhnevortovsk oil region, the Polar Lights project in the Russian Timan-Pechora region, the KomiArctic Oil project in the Komi region of the Russian Federation, two Fracmaster projects and the Geoilbent project. The first years of the projects were difficult, due to the strains of trying to adapt to new challenges and changes. The fiscal regime has changed with time and new taxes have been added and others changed. Many of the legal issues with past projects have been solved. One area of concern with the joint ventures is the export of the produced oil to western markets to achieve international market prices. At present, the joint ventures export between 30 to 50 per cent of their production, but the the Russian Federation would like to increase its export capacity. Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) have been found to be particularly suitable for the development of large oil fields such as the offshore Sakhalin Island project in the far east of the Russian Federation. Western companies such as Shell, Marathon, Mitsui and Mitsubishi are involved in the first of these developments. Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea area are other regions outside the Russian Federation which have important potential for international participation in the development of oil fields. Efforts are being made to rehabilitate the fields and to partially rebuild existing pipelines and to construct new

The effect of selected feed additives on the shell qualitative parameters of table eggs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrieta Arpášová

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Herbs, spices and their extracts (botanicals have a wide range of activities. May have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal microflora of animals, performance and quality of animal products. In this experiment the effects of supplementation of the diet for laying hens with different doses of thyme or oregano essential oil addition on egg shell quality parameters were studied. Hens of laying hybrid Hy-Line Brown (n=50 were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=10 and fed for 20 weeks with diets with thyme or oregano essential oil. supplemented. In the control group hens received feed mixture with no additions. The diets in the first and  second experimental groups were supplemented with 0.5 ml/kg or 1.0 ml/kg thyme essential oil. The diets in the third and fourth experimental groups were supplemented with 0.5 ml/kg or 1.0 ml/kg oregano essential oil.  The egg shell weight (g, specific egg shell weight (g/cm3, percentage of egg shell (%, egg shell strength (N/cm2 and egg shell thickness (mm were evaluated. The egg shell weight for the whole period was in the order of the groups 5.70±0.52; 5.65±0.44; 5.54±0.42; 5.62±0.38 and 5.49±0.48 g±S.D (P>0.05. Egg shell strength during the reporting period was in order of the groups: 27.81±6.00; 27.63±6.43; 27.17±6.36; 27.76±6.27 and 28.41±6.36 (N/cm2±S.D. Similarly, in the egg shell specific weight (g/cm3, egg shell percentage ratio (% and egg shell thickness (mm were observed statistically non-significant differences compared to the control group (P>0.05. The results suggest that the qualitative parameters of egg shell were not significantly influenced with thyme or oregano oil addition (P>0.05.

Natural gas: Governments and oil companies in the Third World

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidson, A.; Hurst, C.; Mabro, R.

1988-01-01

It is asserted that oil companies claim to be generally receptive to gas development proposals; however, the lack of potential markets for gas, problems of foreign exchange convertibility, and lack of a legal framework often hinders their engagement. Governments, on the other hand, need to secure domestic energy supply and, if possible, gain some export earnings or royalties. An extensive discussion on the principles of pricing and fiscal regimes, potential points of disagreement is provided. A course of action is outlined from the managerial point of view to circumvent the most common pitfalls in planning and financing a gas project. Eight very detailed case studies are presented for Argentina, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, Tunisia and Thailand

Countries and companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenning, J.S.

1990-01-01

The trends and factors currently emerging are likely to have significant influence on the way the upstream oil and gas industry evolves in the coming decade. This paper discusses how these trends might influence events in the 1990s, particularly how they might influence relationships between host countries and companies in the oil industry. State owned companies will dominate the industry in resource terms. These statcos fall into three groups: a small group of technically able, financially sound, well-managed companies; a group of consumer statcos that have limited domestic production but significant domestic demand; a large group that are finding it difficult to maintain their production facilities in good standing to maximize recovery from their resources. This paper describes the future private sector as consisting of the Surviving Sisters and smaller, private companies very active in the upstream. How will these various players behave in the years to come? Conventional activity in the upstream will continue as companies seek to optimize their upstream portfolios

Diversification of Oil and Gas Companies’ Activities in the Condition of Oil Prices Reduction and Economic Sanctions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasia V. Sheveleva

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the influence of the economic sanctions imposed from the USA and the EU and oil prices reduction on the oil and gas companies and the directions of diversification of their activity as a method of management of price risks are considered. In the modern dynamic and quickly developing world, in the conditions of globalization and market economy, the oil and gas companies are affected by various risks which can exert negative impact on production and financial results. Risks can arise in absolutely various spheres, beginning from natural and technological hazards, and finishing with price risks. Sharp reduction of oil prices and decrease in demand for energy resources in the world markets, first of all in the European countries, input of financial or technological sanctions from the USA and Europe against Russia in 2014 has caused necessity of search a new more effective methods of price risks management of the oil and gas company. The methods of price risk management include the creation of commodity reserves, the establishment of a reserve fund, long-term contracts, subsidies from the state and the diversification of activities. The most effective it is possible to offer diversification of oil and gas companies' activity. It is expedient to carry out diversification of oil and gas companies' activity in such directions as geographical diversification of the oil, oil products and gas realization directions, geographical diversification of oil and gas companies' purchasing activity, diversification of oil, oil products and gas transportation ways, diversification of oil and gas companies' business. This approach allows to expand the activities of the oil and gas companies and create additional ways to generate revenue and enhance efficiency of oil and gas companies.

Social Conflicts Between Oil-Palm Plantation Company and Indigenous People in Jambi Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dewi Nilakrisna

2016-05-01

The study results showed that the implementation of the large scale oil-palm plantation development policy, has caused approximately 1/3 area of Batang Hari Regency was controlled by the private companies and give negative impacts to almost 3.000 peoples of SAD Batin 9 community. They have been evicted, marginalized and face the uncertainty rights to the land. The implementation of oil palm plantation development policy without take a no tice to the existing social environmental condition has deny the indigenous people existence. It has stimulated some contradiction to the injustice government policy. Therefore this research recommends the government to consider about the social and environmental impacts before issued any policy in order to protect the social justice for all citizens.

Microcapsules with a pH responsive polymer: influence of the encapsulated oil on the capsule morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagdare, Nagesh A; Marcelis, Antonius T M; Boom, Remko M; van Rijn, Cees J M

2011-11-01

Microcapsules were prepared by microsieve membrane cross flow emulsification of Eudragit FS 30D/dichloromethane/edible oil mixtures in water, and subsequent phase separation induced by extraction of the dichloromethane through an aqueous phase. For long-chain triglycerides and jojoba oil, core-shell particles were obtained with the oil as core, surrounded by a shell of Eudragit. Medium chain triglyceride (MCT oil) was encapsulated as relatively small droplets in the Eudragit matrix. The morphology of the formed capsules was investigated with optical and SEM microscopy. Extraction of the oil from the core-shell capsules with hexane resulted in hollow Eudragit capsules with porous shells. It was shown that the differences are related to the compatibility of the oils with the shell-forming Eudragit. An oil with poor compatibility yields microcapsules with a dense Eudragit shell on a single oil droplet as the core; oils having better compatibility yield porous Eudragit spheres with several oil droplets trapped inside. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Over a barrel: Government influence and mergers and acquisitions in the petroleum industry. The case of Sun Oil Company, 1938-1980

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Powers, W.P. Jr.

1993-01-01

This dissertation examines the nature of government business relations, as perceived by the owners and managers of the Sun Oil Company, a large integrated oil and gas producer, transporter, refiner, and marketer. Sun has had a long and profitable career in the oil industry, success which came despite a complex, often bitter relationship with government in its regulatory and antitrust capacity. The founding Pew family has historically been quite outspoken in its opposition to what they perceived to be the government's chronic, unwelcome intrusion into the affairs of business. Sun's almost one hundred year history can be readily divided into two distinct phases. The first, the period from 1938-1947, could best be characterized as the time when Sun Company officials fought bitterly against what they thought to be excessive government domination over their industry, fearing either the government's outright takeover, or its imposition of burdensome restrictions. After freeing themselves from the government's oppression, Sun management then set out to build a growing, profitable oil concern. From 1938 to the present, Sun has undertaken several transactions that have established the firm as a highly successful petroleum company, including a merger, an aborted takeover, and a successful acquisition. Sun's survival in an endeavor where many perish, either purchased or driven out, provides the focus of this dissertation.

1984 CRC (Coordinating Research Council, Inc.) Octane Number Requirement Rating Workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-06-01

Richard J . Tither Mobil Oil Corporation Sam D. Vallas Amoco Oil Company Douglas A. Voss Chevron Research Company Andy Vukovic Shell Canada Dave G...Instrumentation, * Preparation a Test Fuels: Procurement of Fuels and Cans, and Coordina- tion of On-Site Handling e Data Handling and Analysis j 2 nI |S 0- B-2 V...Doug McCorkell Union Oil Company of California James D. Merritt Amoco Oil Company Michael J . Mlotkowski Mobil Oil Corporation John Pandosh Sun Tech

Fresh and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete with coarse aggregate replacement using Waste of Oil Palm Shell

Science.gov (United States)

Prayuda, Hakas; Saleh, Fadillawaty; Ilham Maulana, Taufiq; Monika, Fanny

2018-05-01

Self-compacting Concrete (SCC) is a real innovation that can solidify itself without the help of tools to ease field practice. In its implementation, SCC can use alternative materials to reduce waste, such as Oil Palm Shell (OPS). In this research, OPS used as a replacement of crushed stone as the main coarse aggregate. The concrete mixture used consists of cement, sand, crushed stone, OPS as a variation of aggregate substitutes, palm oil fuel ash, and superplasticizer. OPS used were variated with 0%, 5%, 10%, 25% and 50% of crushed stone aggregate weight with age up to 28 days. Tests were conducted on fresh and mechanical properties. From the results, it is known that replacement of aggregate using OPS meets fresh properties criteria and although the compressive strength of OPS concrete mixture is lower than normal SCC, OPS still can be an alternative in making SCC and reducing palm oil industrial waste.

Corporate Environmentalism: Notes on Conceptualization and Explanation with Anecdotal Evidence from the Oil Industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tranoey, B S

1995-12-01

This paper originates from a project on the oil industry`s reaction to calls for environmental reform caused by concern about climate change. It discusses two sets of related questions: (1) how can corporate responses in politics and industry be measured and conceptualized, and (2) how can variance in corporate environmental behaviour be accounted for. A multidimensional typology of corporate environmental responses in the ``industrial sphere`` is presented and the role of large companies as political actors and links between corporate environmental behaviour is explored. Some attempts to explain variance in corporate environmental strategy are made in the form of two ``models``. This is done by combining fragments of various theoretical bodies, like microeconomic theory, theories of strategic marketplace interaction and organizational theory. Finally, the author illustrates his ideas by drawing on findings from research on the environmental strategies of the three oil companies BP, Shell and Statoil. 51 refs., 3 tabs.

The information content of supplemental reserve-based replacement measures relative to that of historical cost income and its cash and accrual components of oil and gas producing companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spear, N.A.

1992-01-01

The empirical analysis indicated that two of the three reserve-based quantity replacement measures are very useful, in terms of explaining the security returns of full cost oil and gas producing companies during the release week of the 1982-1986 annual reports or 10-K filings of these companies. The analysis also indicated that two of the three reserve-based value replacement measures are very useful, in terms of explaining the security returns of full cost oil and gas producing companies during the release week of the 1984-1986 annual reports or 10-K filings. For the period 1987-1988, the empirical analysis indicated that all of the reserve-based quantity and value replacement measures are not useful, in terms of explaining the security returns of full cost oil and gas producing companies during the release week of the annual reports or 10-K filings. The empirical analysis showed no consistent evidence to indicate any systematic difference between the implications of the cash and accrual components of earnings of either the full cost or the successful efforts oil and gas producing companies during the release week of the annual report or 10-K filings

Characteristics of bio-oil from the pyrolysis of palm kernel shell in a newly developed two-stage pyrolyzer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Seung-Jin; Choi, Gyung-Goo; Kim, Joo-Sik

2016-01-01

Pyrolysis of palm kernel shell was performed using a two-stage pyrolyzer consisting of an auger reactor and a fluidized bed reactor within the auger reactor temperature range of ∼290–380 °C at the fluidized bed reactor temperature of ∼520 °C, and with a variable residence time of the feed material in the auger reactor. The highest bio-oil yield of the two-stage pyrolysis was ∼56 wt%. The bio-oil derived from the auger reactor contained degradation products of the hemicelluloses of PKS, such as acetic acid, and furfural, whereas the fluidized bed reactor produced a bio-oil with high concentrations of acetic acid and phenol. The auger reactor temperature and the residence time of PKS in the auger reactor had an influence on the acetic acid concentration in the bio-oil, while their changes did not induce an observable trend on the phenol concentration in the bio-oil derived from the fluidized bed reactor. The maximum concentrations of acetic acid and phenol in bio-oil were ∼78 and 12 wt% dry basis, respectively. As a result, it was possible for the two-stage pyrolyzer to separately produce two different bio-oils in one operation without any costly fractionation process of bio-oils. - Highlights: • The two-stage pyrolyzer is composed of an auger and a fluidized bed reactor. • The two-stage pyrolyzer produced two different bio-oils in a single operation. • The maximum bio-oil yield of the two-stage pyrolysis was ∼56 wt%. • The maximum concentration of acetic acid in bio-oil was ∼78 wt% dry basis. • The maximum concentration of phenol in bio-oil was ∼12 wt% dry basis.

Oil market outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Starling, Philip

1997-01-01

The role of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) ''OiMarket Report'' is described in terms of its response to and support for oil companies seeking to monitor short-term global oil market developments. The document is increasingly used for reference both by industry and governments. Data is compiled from oil companies, consultants, and government, and OECD countries provide supply/demand oil balance data by product grade on a monthly basic. (UK)

International crude oil prices and the stock prices of clean energy and technology companies: Evidence from non-linear cointegration tests with unknown structural breaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondia, Ripsy; Ghosh, Sajal; Kanjilal, Kakali

2016-01-01

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions, exhaustibility and geo-politics induced price volatility of crude oil has magnified the importance of looking for alternative sources of energy. In this paper, we investigate the long term relationship of stock prices of alternative energy companies with oil prices in a multivariate framework. To this end, we use threshold cointegration tests, which endogenously incorporate possible regime shifts in long run relationship of underlying variables. In contrast to the findings of the previous study by Managi and Okimoto (2013), our results indicate presence of cointegration among the variables with two endogenous structural breaks. This study confirms that ignoring the presence of structural breaks in a long time series data, as has been done in previous study, can produce misleading results. In terms of causality, while the stock prices of alternative energy companies are impacted by technology stock prices, oil prices and interest rates in the short run, there is no causality running towards prices of alternative energy stock prices in the long run. The study discusses the possible reasons behind the empirical findings and concludes with a discussion on short run and long run investment opportunities for the investors. - Highlights: • Cointegration between alternative energy companies stock price and oil price. • Threshold cointegration tests are employed. • Cointegration among the variables exists with two endogenous structural breaks. • Alternative energy companies stock price impacted by oil prices in short run. • No causality running towards prices of alternative energy stock prices in long run.

Shell Petroleum exploration and production 1980 to 1998: production profits, reserves analysis and key financial statistics in money and in real terms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1999-01-01

This paper presents tables of Shell's earnings from oil and gas exploration and producing activities for the eastern and western hemispheres giving details of sales and net proceeds; Shell earnings analysis money of the day for worldwide oil and gas production between 1980 and 1998; key financial ratios for 1980-1998 for Shell petroleum exploration and production; Shell oil and natural gas liquids reserves changes by technical category (1980-1998); Shell natural gas reserves changes by technical category for 1989-1998; and finally Shell's petroleum exploration and production wells for 1980-1998

The Russian oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rucker, Laurent

2003-01-01

This article proposes a brief discussion of various assessments of Russian oil reserves, of the evolutions of Russian oil production (Russia is the second world producer after Saudi Arabia), of the distribution of Russian oil exports among various regions, and of the decrease of Russian oil consumption between 1992 and 2002. It describes the evolution of the actor system as the oil sector has been largely privatised since 1992, and indicates the main companies which should control the Russia market on a medium term. It also discusses the obstacles for the development of Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) between these companies. It addresses the issue of modernisation of the oil transport system as its status and its condition are often an obstacle to oil export for Russian companies. The article finally discusses the price issue, the relationship between Russia and other OPEC countries, and the need for huge investments

State-owned companies dominate list of largest non-U.S. producers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, R.J.; Williamson, M.

1994-01-01

Because state-owned oil and gas companies dominate Oil and Gas Journal's list of largest non-US producers, data aren't fully comparable with those of the OGJ300. Many state companies report only production and reserves, with little or no financial data. Companies on the OGJ100, therefore, cannot be ranked by assets or revenues. Instead, they are listed by regions, based on location of corporate headquarters. There was no change in makeup of the top 20 holders of crude oil reserves. These companies' reserves totaled 872.3 billion bbl in 1993. The top 20 non-US companies now control 87.3 % of total world crude oil reserves, according to OGJ estimates. This is up marginally from 87.2 % of total world oil reserves in 1992. The top 20 had 87.7 % of total world reserves in 1991 and 85.5 % in 1990. The table lists company name, total assets, revenues, net income, capital and exploratory expenditures, worldwide oil production, gas production, oil and gas reserves worldwide

National oil companies and state actors : an assessment of the role of Petronas and ONGC in the foreign policy decision-making process of Malaysia and India using the example of overseas investments in Sudan and South Sudan

OpenAIRE

Steinecke, Tim

2015-01-01

The thesis addresses the role of national oil companies and their overseas engagement in the foreign policy decision-making process of states. Over the past 40 years, national oil companies have gained importance in the international oil industry and currently control around 90 per cent of the global oil reserves. A number of political and economic factors – depleting domestic reserves, economic growth – have resulted in an increasing expansion of Asian national oil companies to Africa. Throu...

The strategy of the key players in the African oil sector (the Gulf of Guinea)?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copinsch, Ph.

2001-01-01

The African oil industry, (particularly in the deep water offshore fields of the Gulf of Guinea), is symbolic of the new balance of power taking shape in the oil industry between the international companies and the host state on the one hand, and between the petrol companies themselves on the other. In an area rich in potential and which has become highly competitive, the traditional players in the region's oil development sector (Shell, Chevron and TotalFinaElf) which have for so long been sheltered from genuine competition in their respective areas of activity, must now face up to the renewed ambitions of new 'Super Majors' (in particular ExxonMobil), not to mention those of many independent companies seeking to internationalize their business. Several reasons explain this change. Firstly, the main developments are now taking place offshore with deep water drilling, and financial solidity and technological competence have replaced the closeness of political links as key factors of success. In these conditions, the risk of long term marginalization for the medium-sized companies is considerable. Secondly, the need to achieve profitability stressed by the major petrol groups is opening the door to the independents who are operating a niche policy (based on marginal or mature fields which no longer interest the majors). This type of competition tends to promote activity and to open up new countries to exploration and production (in particular Equatorial Guinea). (author)

Controlled-release and preserved bioactivity of proteins from (self-assembled core-shell double-walled microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan W

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Weien Yuan1,2, Zhenguo Liu11Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital, affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 2School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: In order to address preserved protein bioactivities and protein sustained-release problems, a method for preparing double-walled microspheres with a core (protein-loaded nanoparticles with a polymer-suspended granule system-formed core and a second shell (a polymer-formed shell for controlled drug release and preserved protein bioactivities has been developed using (solid-in-oil phase-in-hydrophilic oil-in-water (S/O/Oh/W phases. The method, based on our previous microsphere preparation method (solid-in-oil phase-in-hydrophilic oil-in-water (S/O/Oh/W, employs different concentric poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide, poly(D,L-lactide, and protein-loaded nanoparticles to produce a suspended liquid which then self-assembles to form shell-core microspheres in the hydrophilic oil phase, which are then solidified in the water phase. Variations in the preparation parameters allowed complete encapsulation by the shell phase, including the efficient formation of a poly(D,L-lactide shell encapsulating a protein-loaded nanoparticle-based poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide core. This method produces core-shell double-walled microspheres that show controlled protein release and preserved protein bioactivities for 60 days. Based upon these results, we concluded that the core-shell double-walled microspheres might be applied for tissue engineering and therapy for chronic diseases, etc.Keywords: protein delivery, protein stability, core-shell microspheres, dextran nanoparticles

40 Years of Shell Scenarios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-02-15

Shell has been using scenario planning for four decades. During that time these scenarios have helped the company and governments across the world to make better strategic choices. Scenarios provide lenses that help see future prospects more clearly, make richer judgments and be more sensitive to uncertainties. Discover how the Shell Scenarios team has helped guide decision makers at major moments in history and get a peek at the team future focus, including the intricate relationship between energy, water and food.

Design and construction work of underground pit for existing light oil tank foundation at Onagawa Nuclear Power Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuchi, Keita; Date, Masanao; Horimi, Shingo

2017-01-01

Based on the new regulatory standards for commercial power plant reactors enforced in July 2013, Onagawa Nuclear Power Station of Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc. implemented various safety measure works. One of them was a measure for the existing light oil tank foundation for emergency diesel generators for Unit 2 reactor. In consideration of tornado, external fire, and earthquake resistance, the company implemented the underground pit construction for a light oil tank basement by utilizing the existing oil retaining wall and foundation. This paper reported the outline of the planning, design, and implementation of construction works, which were carried out while securing quality and safety. Upon installation of the underground pit, the company utilized the existing oil retaining wall from the viewpoint of reducing construction costs, shortening time schedule, and reducing environmental burden. As a result of checking bending and axial force, part of these values exceeded the design reference values. So, 3-dimensional shell model was applied, and the simulation results showed sufficient seismic margin. As a measure to secure seismic margin against shear force, Ceramic-Cap-bar construction method was adopted. Upon construction, the company adopted the water jet method, and devised the sequential order of construction. In parallel with the day and night work and tank installation, it constructed the top slab, which secured the time schedule and quality. (A.O.)

Size and profitability in the international oil- and gas industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmundsen, Petter; Mohn, Klaus; Espedal, Harald; Loevaas, Kjell

2002-01-01

Many industrial sectors have gone through a series of mergers and acquisitions. In the international oil- and gas industry this has produced new companies such as ExxonMobil and TotalFinaElf. BP and Amoco merged and then subjugated Atlantic Richfield (ARCO). ChevronTexaco has been established and ConocoPhillips are currently working on the same thing. Saga was previously acquired by Norsk Hydro and Statoil, and Shell recently bought Enterprise and Pennzoil-Quaker. Taking the stock market's principles for corporate analysis and valuation as a starting point, this article discusses the forces behind this consolidation process

Waste crab shell derived CaO impregnated Na-ZSM-5 as a solid base catalyst for the transesterification of neem oil into biodiesel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijayalakshmi Shankar

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Activated calcium oxide extracted from crab shell impregnated on Na-ZSM-5 has been investigated. Crab shells were collected, powdered and calcined at 900 °C, and CaO was impregnated on Na-ZSM-5 and calcined at 550 °C for 10 h. The CaO/Na-ZSM-5 was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and BET surface area. The prepared catalyst was tested for its catalytic activity by transesterifing neem oil into biodiesel in the presence of methanol. The influence of various parameters including reaction time, temperature, methanol to oil ratio, catalyst concentration and dosage were also investigated. Produced biodiesel have also been tested using proton NMR spectroscopy. Biodiesel yield as 95% has been achieved with 15% CaO impregnated on Na-ZSM-5 at 75 °C. The optimum transesterification reaction conditions were identified as follows: reaction temperature, 75 °C; reaction time, 6 h; methanol-to-neem oil molar ratio, 12:1; catalyst dosage, 0.2 g; and catalyst concentration, 15%. Based on the above study, it can be concluded that the calcium oxide impregnated Na-ZSM-5 can be a potential catalyst for biodiesel production.

Financial Times oil and gas international year book 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, Julian

1993-01-01

The greater part of this book aims to provide narrative, production and financial details of major oil and gas companies, both upstream and downstream, across the world. Smaller sections give details on major oil and gas brokers and traders, and on the principal oil and gas associations. These sections are arranged alphabetically by company name. A geographical index towards the end of the book enables the user to identify upstream companies exploring for or producing oil and gas in particular areas. The company index includes every company mentioned in the book and includes all subsidiary and related companies to the major companies. Four introductory tables give data on world petroleum production, oil refining, tanker tonnage and oil consumption. (Author)

Business is business : China's petroleum companies come of age

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gault, S.

2006-01-01

An overview of the Chinese oil and gas industry was presented. The Chinese oil and gas sector has undergone massive changes since the monolithic Chinese Ministry of Petroleum Industry (MPI) organized large-scale oil and gas projects in the form of massive campaigns during the revolutionary period. During the 1980s, the MPI was divided into 4 sectors: (1) the China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) which controlled exploration and production onshore; (2) the China National Offshore Oil Company; (3) Sinopec, which acquired control over refining processes; and (4) Sinochem, which was responsible for importing and exporting crude oil. Although many of the production units of these companies went public on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, the president of CNPC is still appointed by the State Council. China recognized that a fundamental overhaul of the industry would be necessary to withstand international competition after it applied for WTO membership in 2001. Various national oil companies were dismantled and core businesses were consolidated. Three vertically integrated oil companies emerged : PetroChina International; Sinopec; and CNOOOC Ltd. The Chinese government has maintained majority ownership in all cases, which has led to significant financial advantages for the 3 companies. The political imperative to maintain social stability has prevented China's government from lifting pricing controls on many refined products. A failed takeover bid of Unocal that failed has caused China to lose faith in America's commitment to free market principles. China began buying oil reserves in Alberta in 1992, and made a number of important acquisitions in 2005. China is now considering purchasing an equity stake in an oil sands project, but has had difficulties in finding Canadian partners. 1 fig

Optimization and characterization studies on bio-oil production from palm shell by pyrolysis using response surface methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abnisa, Faisal; Wan Daud, W.M.A.; Sahu, J.N.

2011-01-01

In this work palm shell waste was pyrolyzed to produces bio-oil. The effects of several parameters on the pyrolysis efficiency were tested to identify the optimal bio-oil production conditions. The tested parameters include temperature, N 2 flow rate, feed-stock particle size, and reaction time. The experiments were conducted using a fix-bed reactor. The efficient response surface methodology (RSM), with a central composite design (CCD), were used for modeling and optimization the process parameters. The results showed that the second-order polynomial equation explains adequately the non-linear nature of the modeled response. An R 2 value of 0.9337 indicates a sufficient adjustment of the model with the experimental data. The optimal conditions found to be at the temperature of 500 o C, N 2 flow rate of 2 L/min, particle size of 2 mm and reaction time of 60 min and yield of bio-oil was approximately obtained 46.4 wt %. In addition, Fourier Transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to characterize the gained bio-oil under the optimum condition. -- Highlights: → The RSM, with a CCD, was used for modeling and optimization for bio-oil synthesis. → The obtained model explains adequately the non-linear nature. → An R 2 value of 0.9337 ensures a sufficient adjustment of the model. → It explains the importance of the experimental factors, their interactions.

Petrochema looks for oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beer, G.

2006-01-01

Petrochema Dubova has announced mass redundancies. The company managers, however, keep stressing that this does not mean the end of this Central Slovak refinery. Company management is searching intensely for low-sulphur oil that would help to bring back life to their fractionating column and start up production of light fuels and oils. The company has not used its equipment to produce products directly from oil for over two years. It used to specialise in the sale of oil products it purchased from other producers. About three months ago, the ownership of Petrochema changed once again. Petroinvest Bratislava became the new 100-percent owner of the company. It invested 35 mil. Sk (945-thousand EUR) in Petrochema's registered capital. The new owner has relations with people who used to cooperate with the Slovak investment group, Istrokapital. They bought Petrochema from the Czech company, Annectis. The new owners are talking about restructuring. 'We have not entered into any agreements on the purchase of oil as we did not know what the technical condition of the refinery was. Currently, we are looking for oil that meets the technological parameters of the technology used at Dubova,' said a member of the supervisory board of Petrochema, Miroslav Remeta. It is quite difficult to purchase oil for the company as the technology used for processing dates back to the first half of the last century. It requires low-sulphur oil with minimum paraffin content. In the past, the most suitable raw material used to come from Nafta Gbely. Later, the company started cooperation with Kazakhstan. 'We have to find a long-term partner to make the operation of the fractionating column profitable,' said M. Remeta. The company can process about 12-thousand tons a month. That is about 12 trainloads. In order to launch production it needs to have enough supply to cover for unreliable deliveries from unpredictable countries. 'Funds for the purchase of the oil are available from private sources

Integrating market share models with network optimizing models for strategic planning in an oil pipeline company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, L.D.; Moses, S.W.

1991-01-01

Mathematical models of market share are constructed to describe the distribution of petroleum products from pipeline terminals, water terminals and refineries in the midcontinental United States. Network distribution models are developed to analyse the constraints and economics of alternative distribution systems. This paper describes how the two types of models were integrated for strategic planning in an oil pipeline company

Cenosphere formation from heavy fuel oil: a numerical analysis accounting for the balance between porous shells and internal pressure

KAUST Repository

Vanteru, Mahendra Reddy

2016-01-18

Heavy fuel oil (HFO) as a fuel in industrial and power generation plants ensures the availability of energy at economy. Coke and cenosphere emissions from HFO combustion need to be controlled by particulate control equipment such as electrostatic precipitators, and collection effectiveness is impacted by the properties of these particulates. The cenosphere formation is a function of HFO composition, which varies depending on the source of the HFO. Numerical modelling of the cenosphere formation mechanism presented in this paper is an economical method of characterising cenosphere formation potential for HFO in comparison to experimental analysis of individual HFO samples, leading to better control and collection. In the present work, a novel numerical model is developed for understanding the global cenosphere formation mechanism. The critical diameter of the cenosphere is modelled based on the balance between two pressures developed in an HFO droplet. First is the pressure (Prpf) developed at the interface of the liquid surface and the inner surface of the accumulated coke due to the flow restriction of volatile components from the interior of the droplet. Second is the pressure due to the outer shell strength (PrC) gained from van der Walls energy of the coke layers and surface energy. In this present study it is considered that when PrC ≥ Prpf the outer shell starts to harden. The internal motion in the shell layer ceases and the outer diameter (DSOut) of the shell is then fixed. The entire process of cenosphere formation in this study is analysed in three phases: regression, shell formation and hardening, and post shell hardening. Variations in pressures during shell formation are analysed. Shell (cenosphere) dimensions are evaluated at the completion of droplet evaporation. The rate of fuel evaporation, rate of coke formation and coke accumulation are analysed. The model predicts shell outer diameters of 650, 860 and 1040 µm, and inner diameters are 360, 410

Cenosphere formation from heavy fuel oil: a numerical analysis accounting for the balance between porous shells and internal pressure

KAUST Repository

Vanteru, Mahendra Reddy; Rahman, Mustafa M.; Gandi, Appala; Elbaz, Ayman M.; Schrecengost, Robert A.; Roberts, William L.

2016-01-01

Heavy fuel oil (HFO) as a fuel in industrial and power generation plants ensures the availability of energy at economy. Coke and cenosphere emissions from HFO combustion need to be controlled by particulate control equipment such as electrostatic precipitators, and collection effectiveness is impacted by the properties of these particulates. The cenosphere formation is a function of HFO composition, which varies depending on the source of the HFO. Numerical modelling of the cenosphere formation mechanism presented in this paper is an economical method of characterising cenosphere formation potential for HFO in comparison to experimental analysis of individual HFO samples, leading to better control and collection. In the present work, a novel numerical model is developed for understanding the global cenosphere formation mechanism. The critical diameter of the cenosphere is modelled based on the balance between two pressures developed in an HFO droplet. First is the pressure (Prpf) developed at the interface of the liquid surface and the inner surface of the accumulated coke due to the flow restriction of volatile components from the interior of the droplet. Second is the pressure due to the outer shell strength (PrC) gained from van der Walls energy of the coke layers and surface energy. In this present study it is considered that when PrC ≥ Prpf the outer shell starts to harden. The internal motion in the shell layer ceases and the outer diameter (DSOut) of the shell is then fixed. The entire process of cenosphere formation in this study is analysed in three phases: regression, shell formation and hardening, and post shell hardening. Variations in pressures during shell formation are analysed. Shell (cenosphere) dimensions are evaluated at the completion of droplet evaporation. The rate of fuel evaporation, rate of coke formation and coke accumulation are analysed. The model predicts shell outer diameters of 650, 860 and 1040 µm, and inner diameters are 360, 410

Cenosphere formation from heavy fuel oil: a numerical analysis accounting for the balance between porous shells and internal pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Vanteru M.; Rahman, Mustafa M.; Gandi, Appala N.; Elbaz, Ayman M.; Schrecengost, Robert A.; Roberts, William L.

2016-01-01

Heavy fuel oil (HFO) as a fuel in industrial and power generation plants ensures the availability of energy at economy. Coke and cenosphere emissions from HFO combustion need to be controlled by particulate control equipment such as electrostatic precipitators, and collection effectiveness is impacted by the properties of these particulates. The cenosphere formation is a function of HFO composition, which varies depending on the source of the HFO. Numerical modelling of the cenosphere formation mechanism presented in this paper is an economical method of characterising cenosphere formation potential for HFO in comparison to experimental analysis of individual HFO samples, leading to better control and collection. In the present work, a novel numerical model is developed for understanding the global cenosphere formation mechanism. The critical diameter of the cenosphere is modelled based on the balance between two pressures developed in an HFO droplet. First is the pressure (Prpf) developed at the interface of the liquid surface and the inner surface of the accumulated coke due to the flow restriction of volatile components from the interior of the droplet. Second is the pressure due to the outer shell strength (PrC) gained from van der Walls energy of the coke layers and surface energy. In this present study it is considered that when PrC ≥ Prpf the outer shell starts to harden. The internal motion in the shell layer ceases and the outer diameter (DSOut) of the shell is then fixed. The entire process of cenosphere formation in this study is analysed in three phases: regression, shell formation and hardening, and post shell hardening. Variations in pressures during shell formation are analysed. Shell (cenosphere) dimensions are evaluated at the completion of droplet evaporation. The rate of fuel evaporation, rate of coke formation and coke accumulation are analysed. The model predicts shell outer diameters of 650, 860 and 1040 µm, and inner diameters are 360, 410

The Janus effect on superhydrophilic Cu mesh decorated with Ni-NiO/Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanoparticles for oil/water separation

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Zhi-Yong; Lyu, Shu-Shen; Fu, Yuan-Xiang; Heng, Yi; Mo, Dong-Chuan

2017-07-01

Janus effect has been studied for emerging materials like Janus membranes, Janus nanoparticles, etc., and the applications including fog collection, oil/water separation, CO2 removal and stabilization of multiphasic mixtures. However, the Janus effect on oil/water separation is still unclear. Herein, Janus Cu mesh decorated with Ni-NiO/Ni(OH)2 core-shell nanoparticles is synthesized via selective electrodeposition, in which we keep one side of Cu mesh (Janus A) to be superhydrophilic, while manipulate the wettability of another side (Janus B) from hydrophobic to superhydrophilic. Experimental results indicate that Cu mesh with both-side superhydrophilic shows the superior oil/water separation performance (separation efficiency >99.5%), which is mainly due to its higher water capture percentage as well as larger oil intrusion pressure. Further, we demonstrate the orientation of Janus membranes for oil/water separation, and summarize that the wettability of the upper surface plays a more important role than the lower surface to achieve remarkable performance. Our work provides a clear insight of Janus effect on oil/water separation, it is significative to design high-performance membranes for oil/water separation and many other applications.

Effect of process parameters on hydrothermal liquefaction of oil palm biomass for bio-oil production and its life cycle assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, Yi Herng; Yusup, Suzana; Quitain, Armando T.; Tan, Raymond R.; Sasaki, Mitsuru; Lam, Hon Loong; Uemura, Yoshimitsu

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Water is used as a clean solvent to liquefy palm biomass to bio-oil. • The optimum liquefaction condition of oil palm biomass is 390 °C and 25 MPa. • Optimum reaction time for liquefaction of empty fruit bunch and palm mesocarp fiber is 120 min. • Optimum reaction time for liquefaction of palm kernel shell is 240 min. • From the life cycle assessment, a net 2.29 kg CO 2 equivalent is generated per kg of bio-oil produced. - Abstract: This paper presents the studies on the effect of three process parameters; temperature, pressure and reaction time on the subcritical and supercritical hydrothermal liquefaction of oil palm empty fruit bunch, palm mesocarp fiber and palm kernel shell. The effect of temperature (330–390 °C), pressure (25–35 MPa) and reaction time (30–240 min) on bio-oil yields were investigated using a Inconel batch reactor. The optimum liquefaction condition for empty fruit bunch, palm mesocarp fiber and palm kernel shell was at supercritical condition of water; 390 °C and 25 MPa. For the effect of reaction time, bio-oil from empty fruit bunch and palm mesocarp fiber attained maximum yields at 120 min, whereas bio-oil yield from palm kernel shell continued to increase at reaction time of 240 min. Lastly, a life cycle assessment based on a conceptual biomass hydrothermal liquefaction process for bio-oil production was constructed and presented

Enterprise Oil gets going

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, Priscilla.

1996-01-01

Enterprise Oil is a mature United Kingdom independent oil exploration and production company. In its early years, with the success of the Nelson platform in the North Sea, the company had been well rated by financial analysts in the City of London. Enterprise was floated as an independent company on the International Stock Exchange in London in 1984 having previously been part of the establishment being formed by the Government from the oil and production interests of British Gas on the UK Continental shelf. Relationships with the City suffered, however, as a result of the unsuccessful outcome of moves by the company to take over Lasmo, the only other UK independent oil company of comparable magnitude. Pedestrian financial results and poor exploration results led to Enterprise dividends being stuck in a rut from 1992 onwards. This report, however, shows how that situation is changing so that the company's share price has been reaching new highs. Enterprise has been adding quantitative value to the company through swaps, farm-in deals and licensed acquisitions and now has interests in core income producing areas in the UK, Norway, Denmark and Italy. (UK)

Global brain storming : oil companies increasingly tap collective intelligence to overcome technology hurdles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, M.

2009-04-15

This article described a novel exploration approach that Toronto-based Goldcorp Inc. took a decade ago when it placed its geological data on the web for a mass collaboration effort among the global community of geologists to identify potential drilling sites. The move resulted in the identification of 110 targets, of which half were entirely new to Goldcorp, and of which four in five struck considerable quantities of gold. The article emphasized that the computer network offers a power that has not yet been fully tapped. It described other companies that have followed suite in finding solutions to proprietary challenges, including Schlumberger, Deloro Resources Ltd., Electro-Petroleum Inc., and Proctor and Gamble Inc. among others. The Web 2.0, which serves as a platform for a range of applications, can also be used for open-source science or global brainstorming. While the idea of open innovation was a novelty a year or two ago, it has now become a necessity. InnoCentive solved a long-standing oil spill problem when a chemist from the web with no ties to the oil industry suggested a way to handle the spill. The Cordova, Alaska-based Oil Spill Recovery Institute has also sought solutions for oil spills and novel boom designs. It was concluded that at a time when research and development budgets in the petroleum industry are being cut, open innovation facilitators stand to benefit. This cross-industry collaboration does not involve geoscientists alone. Rather, it includes people from completely different fields of expertise, experience or education who can add to the real issues that the oil industry needs to address and change. 1 ref.

Company maturity models: Application to supplier development program in oil&gas sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jabier Retegi Albisua

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: In order to achieve excellence, outsourced maintenance contractors in Oil&Gas sector play a key role due to the important impact of their task on security, availability and energy consumption. This paper presents the process followed in order to implement a Supplier Development Program in a refinery using Company Maturity Model (CoMM and the results obtained in three cases validating the method to obtain a strategic improvement project medium term grid. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology followed consists of constructing a CoMM capturing the knowledge existing in the refinery and applying it with three supplier improvement teams. Findings and conclusions have arised through an observation of the three processes and extracting common conclusions. Findings: The resulting CoMM has been used for self-assessment by three suppliers and has demonstrated its potential to define a medium-term improvement project road map validated by the customer. Furthermore, during the design and application processes, the contribution of CoMMs to the SECI process of knowledge management has been observed. Practical implications: The use of CoMMs in a service contractor context can be applied in other sectors. It contributes to alignment of targets between the supplier and customer companies and to knowledge sharing inside both firms. Originality/value: Maturity models in many transversal fields (CMMI, EFQM, BPMM, PEMM, etc. have been thoroughly studied in the literature. Less effort has been made analysing the case of using maturity models constructed and implemented by a company for its specific purposes. In this paper, the process followed by a company to establish a Supplier Development Process using CoMMs is described.

Computer Technology for Industry

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

Shell Oil Company used a COSMIC program, called VISCEL to insure the accuracy of the company's new computer code for analyzing polymers, and chemical compounds. Shell reported that there were no other programs available that could provide the necessary calculations. Shell produces chemicals for plastic products used in the manufacture of automobiles, housewares, appliances, film, textiles, electronic equipment and furniture.

A Survey on the Usage of Biomass Wastes from Palm Oil Mills on Sustainable Development of Oil Palm Plantations in Sarawak

Science.gov (United States)

Phang, K. Y.; Lau, S. W.

2017-06-01

As one of the world’s largest palm oil producers and exporters, Malaysia is committed to sustainable management of this industry to address the emerging environmental challenges. This descriptive study aims to evaluate the oil palm planters’ opinions regarding the usage of biomass wastes from palm oil mills and its impact on sustainable development of oil palm plantations in Sarawak. 253 planters across Sarawak were approached for their opinions about the usage of empty fruit bunch (EFB), palm oil mill effluent (POME), mesocarp fibre (MF), and palm kernel shell (PKS). This study revealed that the planters had generally higher agreement on the beneficial application of EFB and POME in oil palm plantations. This could be seen from the higher means of agreement rating of 3.64 - 4.22 for EFB and POME, compared with the rating of 3.19 - 3.41 for MF and PKS in the 5-point Likert scale (with 5 being the strongest agreement). Besides, 94.7 percent of the planters’ companies were found to comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements where nearly 38 percent carried out the EIA practice twice a year. Therefore high means of agreement were correlated to the compliance of environmental regulations, recording a Likert rating of 3.89 to 4.31. Lastly, the usage of EFB and POME also gained higher Likert scale point of 3.76 to 4.17 against MF and PKS of 3.34 to 3.49 in the evaluation of the impact of sustainability in oil palm plantations. The planters agreed that the usage of EFB and POME has reduced the environmental impact and improved the sustainable development, and its application has been improved and increased by research and development. However the planters were uncertain of the impact of usage of biomass wastes with respect to the contribution to social responsibility and company image in terms of transparency in waste management.

The oil market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amic, E.; Lautard, P.

1999-01-01

This chapter examines the structure of the oil industry and the impacts of the oil markets on the hedging strategies of the energy consumers, the oil company, and the energy derivatives' provider. An introduction to market perspectives is presented, and the hedging operations in the jet fuel market in the airline sector are discussed. Trading and risk management within an oil company, the derivatives provider, trading derivatives in a multi-dimensional world, locational risks, and the modelling of term structure and the role of storage are considered. Industrial spreads and the role of refining, future market developments and market strategies for crude oil and oil products, and marketing packages and market risk are addressed

The Necessity of a Graded Tariff System between Crude Oil and Oil Products

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, B.R. [SK Corporation, Seoul (Korea)

2002-06-01

Even though the graded tariff system between crude oil and oil products has been continuously insisted by oil refining companies since the export and import liberalization of 1997, and its necessity has been admitted by the government, press, and academia, the expanded implementation of the graded tariff system has not been yet realized. Some people says that the graded tariff system between crude oil and oil products is a kind of desperate plans, which oil refining companies suggests to stop the importing companies' rapid growth, so it will eventually restrict the competition of the domestic oil market due to the withering of importing companies. However, the graded tariff system between crude oil and oil products should have been enforced in 1997 as a complementary measure of the import liberalization like other industries or the advanced countries' cases. It is the basic tariff principle that the low tariff is levied on raw materials and the high tariff on final products in order to protect domestic industry. The remaining things are just to form the sympathy and to agree socially for the reorganization of tariff structure in the reasonable way. It is not desirable to make a fool mistake such as a proverb; t is too late to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted. owing to the unreasonable tariff system.

for palm kernel oil extraction

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Palm nut shell is an aggregate replacement material in concrete production [1]. It is also an economically and ... requirements amongst the machine parameters of vegetable oil expellers. A manually-operated screw ... using such indices as feed rate, capacity, percentage oil recovery, machine efficiency, and oil yield.

National companies : performance, ventures, utility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Didier, F.

1994-01-01

The author shows how a performing National Company can efficiently contribute, in line with the producing State, to the negotiation with International Companies and the success of large oil ventures contemplated by reserves-short countries. Fully entrepreneurial, the National Company will usefully ''explore'' touchy matters, and bring closer national rationale and petroleum rationale. (Author)

75 FR 38805 - Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-06

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP10-194-000] Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed North-South Project, Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting and Onsite Environmental Reviews June 24,...

Location and allocation decision for supply chain network of Cajeput oil (Case in XYZ company)

Science.gov (United States)

Mahardika, F. A.; Hisjam, M.; Widodo, B.; Kurniawan, B.

2017-11-01

Cajeput oil is a very promising business. And now, the fulfillment of Cajeput oil in Indonesia is still lacking. It's because the rate of production Cajeput leaves in Indonesia is still low. In Indonesia, XYZ company manages forests in 7 regions. XYZ currently are developing Cajeput oil business. XYZ is currently doing business productivity improvement of Cajeput by planting Cajeput trees in Location 3, Sragen. Besides the Cajeput trees planting program, XYZ plan to do the construction distillery Cajeput leaves. The purpose of the research in this paper is to minimize the total cost of the supply chain network of Cajeput oil in XYZ and to determine whether the construction of a Cajeput distillery should be done or not. This paper uses mixed integer linear programming to make matemathical models. To minimize the total cost, used IBM® ILOG®CPLEX software. From IBM® ILOG®CPLEX software. From the calculation ILOG®CPLEX IBM® software can be seen that the minimum total cost would be obtained if XYZ opened a new distillery with a capacity of 25000kg and a new factory with a capacity of 10000kg. Besides all the truck owned can be used entirely at optimal capacity. And the total cost from IBM® ILOG®CPLEX is IDR 113,406,250.

Sudan: the human price of oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

This series of eight information bulletins by Amnesty International is intended to draw attention to the link between the massive human rights violations by the security forces of the Government of Sudan and various government-allied militia forces, and the oil operations by foreign companies (which include Canada's Talisman Energy, Denim Pipeline Construction Ltd., and Roll'n Oil Field Industries). The human rights violations cited by Amnesty International include atrocities and the forcible internal displacement of large populations of local people living in the oil fields and surrounding areas. It is alleged that the foreign oil companies involved in this lucrative operation expect the Sudanese government to provide a secure environment and protect oil company staff and assets, and turn a blind eye to human rights violations by the government security forces in the name of protecting the security of the oil-producing areas. In raising awareness of the problem, Amnesty International hopes to establish a dialogue with the foreign oil companies and sensitize them to their responsibilities to promote a better human rights environment in the areas where they are active in oil exploration and extraction. The information bulletins provide a background to the problem; detail the human rights violations committed in the name of oil; establish the link between oil, weapons purchases by the Sudanese government and human rights violations; describe the oil companies and their responsibilities and international standards on internal displacement of populations; and makes recommendations to the Government of Sudan, to the armed opposition groups, to the oil companies and to the international community at large to bring an end to the human rights violations that over the last three decades have cost tens of thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people

Original oilpatch; the biggest Canadian oil company laid its cornerstone in Sarnia 100 years ago

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faulkner, P.

2000-01-01

The end of the 20. century also marked the occasion of 100 years of oil refining by Imperial Oil, the largest oil company in Canada. The first commercial oil well was dug at Oil Springs, near Petrolia in southwestern Ontario in the days when the only market for crude oil was kerosene for lamps and cooking. The original well today occupies the doorstep of the Oil Museum of Canada, which contains the records of the birth and growth of the industry which flourished long before anyone had dreamt of Leduc in Alberta, OPEC, or the myriads of petrochemical products, from nylon stockings and rubber tires to bubble bath and detergents, that are common place today. Documents at the Museum reveal that the first oil tanked for commercial sale came from a well at Oil Springs in 1858, a year ahead of the Titusville, Pennsylvania claim. By 1860 production reached a maximum of 800 barrels a day and Canada's first oilpatch was born. The original production equipment, primitive but durable, can be seen at the second local museum, the outdoor Discovery at Petrolia. Refining prior to the start of Imperial in 1880, was done by boiling down crude oil in cast iron vats to isolate kerosene, then the only byproduct of any use. At one stage, there were about 100 small refineries in southern Ontario. Sarnia became the centre of Canadian oil refining after Imperial was sold to the Rockefeller's Standard Oil of New York, who relocated it from Petrolia in 1898. With the arrival of the horseless carriage, gasoline had become a major byproduct. The refinery was rebuilt ; by 1927 it processed 15,500 barrels a day and manufactured 381 products, including vast numbers of candles. Today, plant capacity is up to 120,000 barrels a day. Although southwestern Ontario has long been overshadowed by Alberta as an oil producer, there are still some 600 active wells in the region, and a dozen entrepreneurs still ship about 60,000 barrels a year of southwest Ontario oil to Sarnia for refining. Imperial still

Characteristic of oil palm residue for energy conversion system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muharnif; Zainal, Z.A.

2006-01-01

Malaysia is the major producer of palm oil in the world. It produces 8.5 tones per year (8.5 x 10 6 ty -1 ) of palm oil from 38.6 x 10 6 ty - 1 of fresh fruit bunches. Palm oil production generates large amounts of process residue such as fiber (5.4 x 10 6 ty - 1 ), shell (2.3 x 10 6 ty - 1 ), and empty fruit bunches (8.8 x 10 6 ty - 1 ). A large fraction of the fiber and much of the shell are used as fuel to generate process steam and electricity. The appropriate energy conversion system depends on the characteristic of the oil palm residue. In this paper, a description of characteristic of the oil palm residue is presented. The types of the energy conversion system presented are stoker type combustor and gasified. The paper focuses on the pulverized biomass material and the use of fluidized bed gasified. In the fluidized bed gasified, the palm shell and fiber has to be pulverized before feeding into gasified. For downdraft gasified and furnace, the palm shell and fiber can be used directly into the reactor for energy conversion. The heating value, burning characteristic, ash and moisture content of the oil palm residue are other parameters of the study

Subsea prizes : companies pushing the envelope offshore

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Macedo, R.

2009-06-15

In order to make projects economic, companies are going farther offshore and deeper to find oil and gas or to use existing offshore platforms and longer horizontals. Companies such as StatoilHydro are reworking strategies on how to approach future oil finds. This article discussed examples of ultra deep and long horizontal oil finds such as Statoil's complicated but highly successful Gulltopp project. Although drilling ultra-deep wells or long horizontal wells is risky, they can also be very lucrative. The article also discussed McMoRan Exploration Company of New Orleans' high-risk deeper targets in the Gulf of Mexico and its exploration strategy. The longest well in the world, drilled by Maersk Oil Qatar AS was also described. The article noted that the Danish company reported that the entire horizontal section of the well was placed within a reservoir target which was only 20 feet thick. Schlumberger helped Maersk Oil Qatar break several records with extended reach drilling (ERD) offshore well. This well set 10 records, including the longest well ever drilled; longest along-hole departure; longest 8 and a half inch section; highest ERD ratio; highest directional drilling difficulty index; deepest directional control; deepest downlink, MWD transmission and LWD geosteering; deepest battery-less operation; longest reservoir contact; and longest open hole. Last, the article discussed an unsuccessful well drilled by Murphy Oil Corporation known as the Manhattan well. 8 figs.

Plans to revive oil fields in Venezuela on track

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on the three operating units of Venezuela's state owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA which will begin receiving bids Feb. 28 from companies interested in operating 55 inactive oil fields in nine producing areas of Venezuela. Francisco Pradas, Pdvsa executive in charge of the program, the the company expects 88 companies or combines of foreign and domestic private companies to participate in the bidding. The program, announced last year, aims to reactivate production in marginal oil fields. It will involve the first direct participation by private companies in Venezuela's oil production since nationalization in 1976

How international oil and gas companies respond to local content policies in petroleum-producing developing countries: A narrative enquiry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ngoasong, Michael Zisuh

2014-01-01

This paper uses narrative analysis to critically examine the business practices used by five international oil and gas companies (IOCs) (Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Total) to respond to local content policies in petroleum-producing developing countries (Nigeria, Angola, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Indonesia, Yemen and Indonesia) during the period 2000–2012. The business practices include the formulation of local content strategies that are implemented through programmes and initiatives aimed at developing and using host country suppliers and workforce. Such practices and the narratives used to communicate them implicitly reflect the context in which the effectiveness of local content policies on economic development can be assessed. By comparing and contrasting the narratives across the five IOCs in relation to the wider literature, four emergent narrative strategies justifying the business practices of IOCs are identified and discussed. They include: (1) direct engagement to renegotiate local content requirements with governments, (2) legal compliance framework, (3) the business case for local content strategies, and (4) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The conclusion considers the policy implications of these findings for local content development in petroleum-producing developing countries. - Highlights: • Local content policies define the local context that shape IOCs’ business practices. • Provides a narrative analysis of the business practices of IOCs in developing countries. • IOCs use four narrative strategies to relate their business practices to local content policies. • The business practices of IOCs can determine the effectiveness of local content policies

Benefit-Sharing Arrangements between Oil Companies and Indigenous People in Russian Northern Regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svetlana Tulaeva

2017-07-01

Full Text Available This research provides an insight into various modes of benefit-sharing agreements between oil and gas companies and indigenous people in Russia’s northern regions, e.g., paternalism, corporate social responsibility, and partnership. The paper examines factors that influence benefit-sharing arrangements, such as regional specifics, dependency on international investors, corporate policies, and the level of local community organization. It analyses which instruments of benefit-sharing are most favourable, and why, for indigenous communities. The authors conducted research in three regions of Russia (Nenets Autonomous Okrug; Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, and Sakhalin by using qualitative methodology that involved semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Theoretically, the paper builds on the concept of benefit-sharing arrangements combined with the social equity framework. We assessed each case study in terms of procedural and distributive equity in benefit-sharing. The paper demonstrates that the procedural equity is the highest in the partnership mode of benefit-sharing on the island of Sakhalin where companies implement globally-accepted standards recognized by investment banks. The cases in Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Khanti Mansi Autonomous Okrug represent a reset of Soviet practices on a market basis, but whereas the distributional equity may be sufficient, the procedural equity is low as decisions are made by the company in concord with regional authorities.

Valuation of investment projects by an international oil company: a new proof of a straightforward, rigorous method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierru, A.; Babusiaux, D.

2009-02-01

The problem studied is that of valuing investment projects of an international oil company subject to tax schemes that vary from one country to another. The existing disparities in the tax treatment of interest paid can lead the firm to seek an optimal allocation of its debt capacity among the various projects. In this context, the generalized ATWACC (After-Tax Weighted Average Cost of Capital) method presents numerous advantages over standard methods and is particularly well suited to the valuation of oil-field development projects where debt financing differs from the amount that would correspond to the debt ratio targeted by the firm at the corporate scale. In this paper, we discuss adapting the generalized ATWACC method to the specificities of the oil industry and offer new proof of its validity, based on a model that maximizes, under constraints, the firm's equity value. (authors)

The oil's comeback in the wake of the third oil shock - Class of enterprises and strategic group in the oil industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greggio, R.; Maffei, B.

2015-01-01

The oil industry has been characterized for several decades by a deep-rooted paradox. The western multinational companies have been denied access to the most profitable oil-fields as a result of their nationalization which occurred mainly during the seventies: they extract nowadays only a small part of the world's oil. Yet, they have consolidated their financial, technological and strategic leadership, whereas oil companies from emerging countries do not have the same unrestricted freedom of action. As there has been no substantial change in the oil business hierarchy, oil companies should be presented as actually forming 'classes of enterprises' rather than be construed as 'strategic groups'. In other words, they constitute sets of relatively autonomous entities, which may sometimes conflict and also cooperate with each other, but whose strategies are excessively determined by geopolitical and industrial constraints which cannot be easily overcome. (authors)

75 FR 63462 - Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-15

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP10-480-000] Central New York Oil and Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed MARC I Hub Line Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues, and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting and Onsite Review September 22, 2010...

Relationships between state owned enterprises and western oil companies : from contracts to cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgeois, B.

1994-01-01

The ''cooperation'' term has become one of the most ambiguous in everyday life. A first step is to make a distinction between simple contractual agreements and more demanding cooperation relationships. On the history of relations between state owned enterprises and western oil companies, that leads us to the three following periods : 1) from 1970 to 1985 contractual agreements are defined under the nationalization requirements, 2) from 1982 to 1994 new contracts are tested, 3) in the end of the 1990's decade perspectives and stakes of cooperation are discussed in a world of a commercial growing interdependence. (Author). 23 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

Heavy oils clean up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collitt, R.

1997-01-01

High production, transport and refining costs have long led oil companies to shun heavy crude oils. Advances in the technology of upgrading heavy oils, however, are likely to reduce transport costs and improve the refinery output. Research and development by Venezuela's state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), has resulted in a process called Aquaconversion which permits the upgrading of heavy crude oils using a catalyst and the hydrogen from steam. This may be carried out at the wellhead in small low-pressure and relatively inexpensive units. In addition, higher distillate yields of higher value could be produced by revamping the thermal cracking units of refineries to incorporate the new technology. This has generated considerable interest in Venezuela's large extra-heavy crude oil reserves and has led multinational oil companies along with PDVSA to pledge $17 billion to their development. Even at a $2 to $3 per barrel upgrading cost, Venezuela's extra heavy crudes are competitive with lighter oils from other countries. Other major markets for the new technology are likely to be China and Russia, given their own large heavy crude reserves. (UK)

Corporate Social Responsibility in the Angolan Oil Industry

OpenAIRE

Arne Wiig

2005-01-01

What are the responsibility of oil companies in resource rich countries? Do they take these responsibilities? Based on a utilitarian perspective and theories of the resource curse, we discuss the oil companies' corporate social responsibility (CSR) when a resource rich country such as Angola lacks accountable public institutions. We also analyse the type of responsibility oil companies take and factors driving corporate social responsibility. From undertaking a survey among oil service firms ...

High oil prices: A non-OPEC capacity game

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmundsen, Petter; Asche, Frank; Misund, Baard; Mohn, Klaus

2005-08-01

The current high oil price is partly due to low investments in the oil industry the last decade. According to economic theory, exploration and development of new oil and gas fields should respond positively to increasing petroleum prices. But since the late 1990s, financial analysts have focused strongly on short-term accounting return measures, like RoACE, for benchmarking and valuation of international oil and gas companies. Consequently, the demand for strict capital discipline among oil and gas companies may have reduced their willingness to invest for future reserves and production growth. Thus, we have experienced an unusual combination of high oil prices and low investment levels in exploration and development. In many ways, the oil companies' focus on RoACE, at the expense of reserve replacement, resembles an implicit co-ordination on low capacity among non-OPEC petroleum producers. This is a partial explanation of the current high oil prices. By examining actual parameters used by the financial markets in pricing of oil companies, we address the issue of whether the low investment outcome could represent a long-term equilibrium. This is hardly likely, as oil companies are made aware that stronger emphasis is put on reserve replacement. (Author)

Carbon monoxide and methane adsorption of crude oil refinery using activated carbon from palm shells as biosorbent

Science.gov (United States)

Yuliusman; Afdhol, M. K.; Sanal, Alristo

2018-03-01

Carbon monoxide and methane gas are widely present in oil refineries. Off-potential gas is used as raw material for the petrochemical industry. In order for this off-gas to be utilized, carbon monoxide and methane must be removed from off-gas. This study aims to adsorb carbon monoxide and methane using activated carbon of palm shells and commercial activated carbon simultaneously. This research was conducted in 2 stages: 1) Preparation and characterization of activated carbon, 2) Carbon monoxide and methane adsorption test. The activation experiments using carbon dioxide at a flow rate of 150 ml/min yielded a surface area of 978.29 m2/g, Nitrogen at flow rate 150 ml/min yielded surface area 1241.48 m2/g, and carbon dioxide and nitrogen at a flow rate 200 ml/min yielded a surface area 300.37 m2/g. Adsorption of carbon monoxide and methane on activated carbon of palm shell systems yielded results in the amount of 0.5485 mg/g and 0.0649 mg/g and using commercial activated carbon yielded results in the amount of 0.5480 mg/g and 0.0650 mg/g

Oil integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carta Petrolera

1997-01-01

Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela agree in to have a bigger exchange of information, technology and experiences in areas of mutual interest that allow in the future, combined developments of the hydrocarbons industry. In such a sense, ECOPETROL narrowed its relationships with the two powerful Latin American oil enterprises, when suiting in Bogota agreements of mutual collaboration with representatives of the respective state companies. To begin, the company signed a cooperation agreement with Petroleos de Venezuela S.A (PDVSA), with the purpose of to narrow the relationships between the two companies and to undertake combined actions in those matters of the oil and petrochemical industry of mutual interest

Oil: Economics and politics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayoub, A.

1994-01-01

A review is presented of the evolution of the international petroleum sector since 1973 with a special emphasis on the interdependence between the economic and political factors that influence it. Two issues are focused on: the effects of the nationalization of oil companies on the sharing of oil rents and on changes in the structure of the oil market; and the determination of oil prices. Definitions are presented of oil rents, and the reasons for OPEC nationalization of oil companies are explored. The effects of nationalization on market structures, expansion of free markets, and vertical integration are discussed. The existence of an oil price floor and the reasons for such a floor are examined. It is shown that nationalization induced an internalization of rents by the producing countries, leading to the emergence of a differential rent supported by the politics of the industrialized countries. Nationalization led to the breakup of systems of vertical and horizontal integration, with replacement by a new dual structure with OPEC controlling the upstream activities of the oil sector and oil companies controlling the downstream ones. Prices move between a floor price set by the costs of substitute deposits in the U.S., while the determination of ceiling levels by OPEC rests on successive fragile compromises. Overall oil is still a strategic product, despite the existence of spot markets, forward trading options, etc. 29 refs

A choice of renewable or upgraded material from oil palm solid wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farid Nasir Ani; Wong Chuan Chin; Hussin Mohd Nor

2006-01-01

Malaysian palm oil industries are producing a large amount of solid wastes from the palm oil mills. Malaysia generates around 1.10 million tons of oil palm shells in year 1980 but this amount increased up to 4.11 million tons in year 2002 as wastes. Disposal of these wastes created environmental problems. Thus, a process was designed to reuse and recycle these wastes into value added products. This research used oil palm shells as a renewable material resource by thermo-chemical process to produce pyrolysis oil. The oil could be utilized as fuel or converted to valued added products. Since it contain a significant amount of phenols, it was extracted using solvent extraction technique to gain the useful phenol and phenolic compounds. The extracted oil-palm-shell-based phenol was used in the manufacturing of phenol formaldehyde wood adhesives. Then the capability of wood bonding was tested comparing with the petroleum-based phenol formaldehyde wood adhesives. For the commercial values of this research, the total global consumption of phenol in 2000 was 11.3 million metric ton that worth USD 10.0 billions. Thus, the commercial potentiality of this research is very high as the oil-palm-shell-based phenol could replace the petroleum-based phenol. The methods and products utilize low manufacturing cost from relatively simple technology and locally abundant raw material, comparable performances in wood bonding and competitive in price. It is estimated that around USD 900 / ton for petroleum-based, but just USD 250 / ton for palm-shell-based phenol

A new method to make poly acrylate foam shells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Yongheng; Luo Xuan; Fang Yu; Ren Hongbo; Zhang Lin; Cui Yi

2009-01-01

A triple-orifice droplet generator was designed and developed for the size-controllable continuous fabrication of hollow foam micro-shells. Solutions of an internal water phase, an oil phase (trimethylpropane triacrylate monomer, dibutyl phthalate solvent, and benzoin ethyl ether initiator), and an external water phase were used to prepare micro-shells whose diameters are between 1.5 mm and 4.0 mm successfully. Characterization of the foam shells was carried out using a scanning electron microscope and X-ray radiography. The results show that cell diameters of the shells are not above 1 um. The refractive index of the polymer framework is around 1.50. Furthermore, the shells fabricated through the triple-orifice droplet generator have a high survival probability of 93% and exhibit narrow size distribution. (authors)

The Management of the Competitive Differentiation of Companies that Supply Electromechanical Equipments for the Oil Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. C. Rada

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Let us assume that the supplier ofelectromechanical devices for the oil industry hasalready selected its target market. When it is the onlysupplier for that market, it will be able to sell at a pricethat would bring it considerable profit. If the price istoo high and there are no entering barriers forcompetitors, the latter will penetrate the market andcause a lowering of the prices for theelectromechanical devices. When the same market isprovided by companies that produce non-differentiateddevices, buyers will choose the company that sells atthe lowest price. Consequently, the other companieswill have to lower the price as well. The onlyalternative for the supplier oil electromechanicaldevices is to differentiate its offer. If this action issuccessful, it will be able to practice a higher price,due to the superior quality that is being offered. Thereare four ways of defining an offer: the agent that sellsoil products can create value by offering products thatare [1]:- Better - the offer can better satisfy the needs ofcustomers than that of competitors, whichusually involves at least a minimumimprovement of the electromechanical device:- Newer – providing a solution that does not existso far, which implies a higher risk than in thesituation mentioned above, but can bring ahigher profit- Faster - the delivery time for anelectromechanical device is reduced- Cheaper – the product is identical with thatoffered by competitors, but the price is lower

Rubber Fruit Shell (Hevea brasiliensis) as bio sorbent to remove FFA (Free Fatty Acid) content in CPO (Crude Palm Oil)

Science.gov (United States)

Pandia, S.; Sinaga, M. S.; Masyithah, Z.; Husin, A.; Nurfadilla, S.; Fitriani; Sipahutar, B. K. S.

2018-02-01

This study aimed to discover the effectiveness of the shell of rubber fruit as bio sorbent for removing FFA (Free Fatty Acid) content in CPO (Crude Palm Oil). Methods used in this study were pretreatment, activation (carbonating and chemically) and adsorption process at room temperature. In the beginning, the shell of rubber fruit was cleaned and dried under the sun. Then the shell was cut for about 0.5 cm of length and carbonated in a furnace for 1h at 600°C. After that, they were crushed to pass through 140 meshes and activated using three variations of chemical such as 6 of HNO3, 6N of KOH and 6N of H3PO4 at certain ratio as 1:3, 1:4, and 1:5 (b/v). The adsorption process was carried out using bio sorbent with the highest iodine number in varying bio sorbent dosage and contact time. The highest iodine number was 913.680 mg/g and obtained at the ratio of bio sorbent to 6N of KOH as 1:5. The best removal of FFA content was 91.94% and at 1% bio sorbent dose and 30 min of contact time.

Oil industry. A hard after-party

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remoue, A.

2009-01-01

Since the beginning of the year 2009, the oil barrel price stagnates again at a three-time lower level than 8 months ago, compelling the oil companies to change their project schedule, and the para-petroleum industry to reduce its costs. The economic impact is more important for national companies than for oil majors. However, cost saving are implemented by all to save their margin. The first impact concerns the para-petroleum companies which will have to adapt their tariffs to the new situation. When the economy will start up again there is strong probabilities that the oil demand will decline thanks to changes in consumers' behaviors. (J.S.)

Effects of Security and Privacy Concerns on using of Cloud Services in Energy Industry, an Oil and Gas Company: A Case Study

OpenAIRE

Alireza Poorebrahimi; Fatemeh SoleimaniRoozbahani

2015-01-01

The topic of ‘‘the cloud’’ has attracted significant attention throughout the past few years. It allows resource sharing that includes software, platform and infrastructure by means of virtualization. Cloud Adoption in Oil & Gas companies have approached cloud with caution, but they are increasingly deploying cloud services. Energy companies have carefully weighed whether they should opt for a public cloud versus a private one, and which applications are fit for deployment via the cloud. For ...

Internet: a key element in the communication of the environmental performance of the oil and gas companies; Internet: elemento chave na comunicacao da performance ambiental de empresas de oleo e gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrade, Margareth Costa [PETROBRAS/LUBNOR, Fortaleza, CE (Brazil)]. E-mail: margarethandrade@petrobras.com.br; Abreu, Monica Cavalcanti Sa de [Universidade Federal do Ceara, Fortaleza, CE (Brazil). Pro-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pos-graduacao]. E-mail: mabreu@ufc.br

2003-07-01

A new way of behavior called the Triple Bottom Line has emerged as a consequence of the convergence of the economical, environmental and social dimensions in the strategic planning of the companies. Transparency has being presented as one of the seven revolutions established by the Triple Bottom Line and has being driven by information technology from television satellites and Internet. Nowadays, the oil and gas companies are subjected to changes of values and ideologies of society and to pressures that come from outside of the organization and influence their performance in the market. In another point of viewing, the huge availability of information allows a comparison by benchmarking and the buildup of a performance ranking among companies. This way, the flux of information activates management tasks. This work studies the transparency level of the biggest oil and gas companies by analyzing information available in their home pages. Some aspects of behavior related to environmental performance and how they answer to the demands of the society are analyzed. The main conclusion of this study is that Internet has become a key element in the communication of the environmental performance of the oil and gas companies. (author)

Safety Management in an Oil Company through Failure Mode Effects and Critical Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benedictus Rahardjo

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This study attempts to apply Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA to improve the safety of a production system, specifically the production process of an oil company. Since food processing is a worldwide issue and self-management of a food company is more important than relying on government regulations, therefore this study focused on that matter. The initial step of this study is to identify and analyze the criticality of the potential failure modes of the production process. Furthermore, take corrective action to minimize the probability of repeating the same failure mode, followed by a re-analysis of its criticality. The results of corrective actions were compared with those before improvement conditions by testing the significance of the difference using two sample t-test. The final measured result is the Criticality Priority Number (CPN, which refers to the severity category of the failure mode and the probability of occurrence of the same failure mode. The recommended actions proposed by the FMECA significantly reduce the CPN compared with the value before improvement, with increases of 38.46% for the palm olein case study.

Treatment of Oily Wastewater Produced From Old Processing Plant of North Oil Company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Faris Hammoodi Al-Ani

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The main objectives of this research were to study and analyses oily wastewater characteristics originating from old-processing plant of North Oil Company and to find a suitable and simple method to treat the waste so it can be disposed off safely. The work consists of two stages; the first was the study of oily wastewater characteristics and its negative impacts. The results indicated that oil and grease were the most dominant pollutant with concentration range between 1069 – 3269.3 mg/l that must be removed; other pollutants were found to be within Iraqi and EPA standards. The next stage was the use of these characteristics to choose the proper technology to treat that wastewater. This stage was divided into two stages: the first stage was a jar tests to find the optimum doses of alum, lime and powdered activated carbon (PAC. The second stage was the treatment by a batch pilot plant constructed for this purpose employing the optimum doses as determined from the first stage to treat the waste using a flotation unit followed by a filtration-adsorption unit. The removal efficiencies of flotation unit for oil and grease, COD, and T.S.S found to be 0.9789, 0.974, and 0.9933, respectively, while the removal efficiency for T.D.S was very low 0.0293. From filtration – adsorption column the removal efficiencies of oil and grease, T.D.S, COD, and T.S.S were found to be 0.9486, 0.8908, 0.6870, and 0.7815, respectively. The overall removal efficiencies of pilot plant were 0.9986, 0.8939, 0.9921, and 0.9950, respectively. The results indicated that this type of treatment was the simplest and most effective method that can be used to treat produced oily wastewater before disposal

[Imperial Oil's Cold Lake oil sands operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dingle, H. B.

1999-01-01

Imperial Oil Limited's Cold Lake oil sands resources, production and operations in Alberta are discussed. Cold Lake is the company's largest single asset and its largest source of crude oil production. In 1998, Cold Lake accounted for just under half of Imperial's total liquid production, averaging more than 135,000 barrels of bitumen a day. Despite the very difficult operating conditions experienced by the oil sands industry in 1998, Imperial Oil's Cold Lake operations generated a positive cash flow and earnings. Just as important, the near and long-term potential of Cold Lake property continues to be strong, even with the tough market conditions today and the foreseeable future. Proved reserves at the end of 1997 were 1.3 billions barrels, equal to about 24 years of current production, but even more important is Imperial's resource base in the Athabasca region, which represents 150 years of production at current rates. Although production forecasts for the near future are are revised downward because of production shut-in due to low prices, the company is confident of its long-term prospects mainly because of existing infrastructure, superior reservoir quality, 30 years worth of operating improvements and established bitumen-blend markets. Details of the company's future Cold Lake development plans are discussed. The need to continue technology development, which has been at the core of the industry's growth in the past and will continue to be the key to the future, are emphasized

Narrating Organisational Identities by Way of Evolutionary Tales

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Backer, Lise

2008-01-01

The article draws on publicly available data to analyse how, since the Rio Environmental Summit in 1992, the narration of the multinational oil company Shell have projected an evolution from an oil company identity to an identity also embracing renewable energies. In analysing the narrative battles...... over Shell's organisational identity the article contributes to the field of organisational identity theory. It does so by providing a rich description of the micro processes through which individual management actors seek by telling different evolutionary tales to get the larger corporate actor...

Canadian oil and gas survey 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberge, R.B.

1998-01-01

The year 1997 brought record levels of financing for the Canadian oil and gas industry which led to record levels of capital spending and unprecedented merger and acquisition activity. Production records were achieved, but soft commodity prices in the fourth quarter resulted in a significant downturn in the equity markets. El Nino reduced demand for natural gas and heating oil, resulting in increased storage levels for both commodities. Record drilling and capital spending fueled the Canadian oilfield service industry as total market capitalization rose to $10 billion. As for the 1998 outlook, the industry has turned to natural gas as the favoured commodity, as indicated by the conclusion of the Alliance pipeline hearings and the Nova/TCPL merger. This survey presents a review of crude oil and natural gas production, prices, and capital spending for development and exploratory wells, and the financial and operating results for fiscal year 1997 of selected oil and gas companies and income trusts. All listed companies are Canadian public companies, or publicly traded income trusts, traded on one of the country's four major stock exchanges. They are ranked according to gross oil and gas production revenue only (before royalties). Syncrude and oil sands production is also included. The remaining data in the financial statistics tables includes all business segments of each company included. The survey excluded companies that were wholly-owned subsidiaries, divisions or U.S. subsidiaries and private companies. tabs., figs

Company profile: Big changes revive independent's profits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tippee, B.

1996-01-01

In 4 years' time, American Exploration has changed from an aggressive acquirer and manager of producing properties for institutional investors into a geographically focused independent producer dedicated to making money by finding and producing oil and gas. Through its adaptations to unexpectedly stagnant oil prices, American Exploration reflects the type of top-to-bottom changes many independent producers have made to survive a brutal decade. It also demonstrates that an independent producer can prosper in the absence of ever-rising prices: the company reported net income of $3.9 million last year following a $54.8 million loss--much of it related to an accounting change--in 1994 and a string of losses before that. In an interview with Oil and Gas Journal, Andrews discussed his company's transformation and financial turnaround, his new appreciation for the balance between capital and technology, and future directions of his company and industry

An assessment of the radiation protection programme within a major multi-national oil service company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelis, P.; Simpkin, P.; Christie, K.

2002-01-01

In this paper we are going to look at the radiation protection programme which has been developed within one of the corporation's newer operating divisions, Baker Hughes INTEQ, which is a major supplier of drilling and real-time formation evaluation services. These enable the company to steer and drill complex wells, in the most challenging down-hole environments, into multiple target zones in oil and gas reservoirs. We will focus here on INTEQ's measurement while drilling or MWD services. These provide precise well navigation information and evaluation of the formation being drilled through, in real time, to the rig operators. Prior to the development of MWD technology, such information could only be obtained by lowering equipment into the hole after the drill had been removed, using wireline logging techniques. MWD tools carrying radioactive sources, commonly known in the oil field, albeit incorrectly, as nuclear tools, provide information on the density and porosity of the underground formation being drilled through

Ethics and the oil industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauquin, P.R.

2001-01-01

In many countries public opinions are more and more sensitive to ethical issues linked to the manner in which industries and particularly oil companies behave. Oil companies are frequently unpopular, among the public both in producing and consuming countries. After a brief analysis of the reasons for this unpopularity, the author attempts to show both the ambiguities surrounding the question of ethics, and its complexity. This is especially true when oil companies have to work in countries which are destabilized, and in which disturbances - or even civil wars - may be fuelled by the important revenue streams resulting from the oil production. The various ethical issues are reviewed, from human rights to political interference, without omitting global or local environmental problems. Despite the very deep roots of the various issues the author believe some progress is achievable and advocates that the oil industry lead the way in this difficult domain. (author)

Is oil supply choked by financial market pressures?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmundsen, P.; Mohn, K.; Misund, B.; Asche, F.

2007-01-01

Since the late 1990s, financial analysts have focused strongly on short-term profitability for benchmarking and valuation of international oil and gas companies. The increasing pressure for strict capital discipline among oil and gas companies may have reduced their willingness to invest for future reserves and production growth. The current high oil price is partly due to low exploration activity in the oil industry the last decade. We present and discuss the background for this development - based on previous academic research, industry trends and current valuation practices. An estimated econometric model of stock market valuation among oil and gas companies suggests that analysts and companies have put exaggerate weight on short-term earnings and accounting profitability. We therefore expect that the attention will shift back to long-term reserve and production growth. (author)

Is oil supply choked by financial market pressures?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osmundsen, Petter; Mohn, Klaus; Misund, Bard; Asche, Frank

2007-01-01

Since the late 1990s, financial analysts have focused strongly on short-term profitability for benchmarking and valuation of international oil and gas companies. The increasing pressure for strict capital discipline among oil and gas companies may have reduced their willingness to invest for future reserves and production growth. The current high oil price is partly due to low exploration activity in the oil industry the last decade. We present and discuss the background for this development-based on previous academic research, industry trends and current valuation practices. An estimated econometric model of stock market valuation among oil and gas companies suggests that analysts and companies have put exaggerate weight on short-term earnings and accounting profitability. We therefore expect that the attention will shift back to long-term reserve and production growth

Deutsche Shell AG. Annual report 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

This annual report of Deutsche Shell AG reflects its activities in the sector natural gas, mineral oil, chemicals and renewable energies. Environmental protection, safety at work, and the position of the group in society are further subjects. Financial data of 1997 are presented (balance sheet, profit-and-loss account,etc.). (orig./RHM) [de

Decree 316/011. It approve the bases for the oil companies selection process about the hydrocarbons exploration and exploitation in the Republica Oriental del Uruguay offshore Round II including the respective model contract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

This decree approve the bases for the oil companies interested in the hydrocarbons exploration and exploitation in the Republica Oriental del Uruguay. The energetic fossil research is regulated by the energetic sector with rules defined by the executive. Ancap evaluate the company proposals in relation of different topics such as drilling and processing, electromagnetism, sea floor sediments samples, oil well evidences and seismic information

Characterization of Activated Carbons from Oil-Palm Shell by CO2 Activation with No Holding Carbonization Temperature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. G. Herawan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Activated carbons can be produced from different precursors, including coals of different ranks, and lignocellulosic materials, by physical or chemical activation processes. The objective of this paper is to characterize oil-palm shells, as a biomass byproduct from palm-oil mills which were converted into activated carbons by nitrogen pyrolysis followed by CO2 activation. The effects of no holding peak pyrolysis temperature on the physical characteristics of the activated carbons are studied. The BET surface area of the activated carbon is investigated using N2 adsorption at 77 K with selected temperatures of 500, 600, and 700°C. These pyrolysis conditions for preparing the activated carbons are found to yield higher BET surface area at a pyrolysis temperature of 700°C compared to selected commercial activated carbon. The activated carbons thus result in well-developed porosities and predominantly microporosities. By using this activation method, significant improvement can be obtained in the surface characteristics of the activated carbons. Thus this study shows that the preparation time can be shortened while better results of activated carbon can be produced.

CNG: Aiming to be an energy company, not a gas company

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wheatley, R.

1997-01-01

Long before regulatory changes in the US paved the way for the union of natural gas and electric utility companies, Consolidated Natural Gas Co. (CNG) embarked on a strategy that would serve the company well in the 1990s. In 1995, CNG began a corporate repositioning to meet mounting competition, switching emphasis from its regulated businesses to the non-regulated side. The goal: to become an energy player, not only in the US but internationally. This paper focuses on the company's operations, business plans, and management strategies. The paper gives an overview, then discusses production of oil and gas, the growing exploration program and plans for the future

Canadian Occidental joins Hunt as Yemen oil producer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurney, J.

1994-01-01

On 23 September 1993, the Canadian Occidental Petroleum Company initiated the export of 120,000 b/d (barrels a day) of low sulphur, medium gravity crude oil from its Masila Block concession in Yemen. The oil is transported from Masila via a pipeline built by CanOxy and its partners to a new terminal at Ash Shihr, near Mukalla, in the Gulf of Aden. CanOxy is the third operator oil company to produce oil commercially in Yemen. The first, the Hunt Oil Company, began production in December 1987 and its output now totals about 187,000 b/d. The second, Nimir Petroleum, a Saudi venture which took over the facilities developed in the 1980s by two Soviet companies, is currently producing about 10,000 b/d and expects to increase its output to 25,000 b/d during this year. (Author)

India expanding oil/gas E and D, infrastructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that India continues to press oil and gas exploration and development and expansion of its petroleum sector infrastructure. One of the key moves is the government's decision to stage a fourth exploration bidding round, its most ambitious to date and one expected to elicit enthusiasm from international oil companies. At the same time, state oil companies Oil and Natural Gas Commission and Oil India Ltd. plan to maintain strong domestic E and D programs. ONGC is seeking more revenue to sustain India's ambitious oil and gas upstream plans. The state company has asked the government for a 50% hike in the price of domestic crude. The government currently pays ONGC and OIL only about $8.84/bbl, a price fixed in 1981. A jump of 50% in the domestic crude price would net ONGC another $1 billion/year in revenues, ONGC Chairman S.L. Khosla the. The government and other state companies also continue efforts to expand gas utilization and markets and match refining plans with market needs

1999 annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-03-01

Shell Canada is one of the largest integrated oil companies in Canada. It is also one of the largest producers of natural gas, natural gas liquids and sulphur. Through Shell Canada Products Limited, the Company also manufactures, distributes and markets refined petroleum products across the country. During 1999 the Company posted record earnings of $302 million; completed the construction of the offshore Sable Natural Gas Project and produced its first gas from this field on December 31, 1999; announced the decision to build a $3.5 billion joint venture oil sands project in the Athabasca Region with an upgrader near Edmonton; sold its conventional oil and gas properties in the Plains area of Western Canada for an after-tax gain of $230 million, and sold its 12 per cent equity ownership in Coral Energy for an after-tax gain of $35 million. Shell refineries achieved record first quartile performance for reliability against 1998 industry standards; received two diversity awards for its continued efforts to provide a fair and equitable work environment; achieved a seven per cent improvement in revenues from non-fuels sales over 1998; and had the highest return on average capital employed of all the integrated oil companies in Canada. Energy efficiency improvements in the basic design of the oil sands project reduced emission levels by more than 25 per cent; a further reduction of 40 per cent is the goal for 2010. Although the oil sands operation will add significantly to the Company's total emissions, the Company remains committed to achieving a six per cent reduction in emissions from 1990 levels, by 2008. This will come about through additional energy utilization improvements resulting from the application of technology. The Corporation also hopes to secure offsetting emissions reductions through innovative approaches. In its report to the Voluntary Challenge and Registry the Company claims that by the end of 1998 it was performing better than the Company's year 2000

Hurricane Andrew causes major oil spill at Florida Power ampersand Light Company's Turkey Point Power Plant, Homestead, Florida

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, M.A.; Butts, R.L.; Lindsay, J.R.; McCully, B.S.; Pickering, T.H.

1993-01-01

On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew slammed into South Florida with wind gusts in excess of 160 mph. At 4:00 a.m. that day, the eye of this category four storm passed over Florida Power ampersand Light Company's Turkey Point power plant, south of Miami. Although the plant's two nuclear units escaped any significant damage, the storm caused extensive destruction to buildings and transmission facilities, and damaged two 400 foot tall emission stacks associated with the site's two fossil fuel generating units. In addition, a 90,000 to 110,000 gallon spill of No. 6 fuel oil resulted when a piece of wind-blown debris punctured the steel of the unit One 12,000 barrel fuel oil metering tank approximately 30 feet up from the tank bottom. Despite the presence of a secondary containment structure around the tank, the intense wind blew oil throughout the plant site. The damage to the metering tank apparently occurred during the first half hour of the hurricane. As the tank's oil level fell due to the puncture, transfer pumps from the bulk oil storage tanks received a low level alarm which automatically began transferring oil to the damaged metering tank. To prevent the further discharge of oil, plant personnel entered the power block and secured the pumps during the passage of the hurricane eye. Immediately following the storm, facility personnel deployed booms across the barge canal and the Units 1 and 2 intake canal to contain the oil which had entered the water. The response strategy and implementation is described in detail. The remediation costs were approximately $14/gallon spilled, including 54,000 gallons recovered for electricity generation

Remediation plan for contaminated areas by naturally occurring radioactivity materials in Syrian petroleum company oil fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shwekani, R.; Al-Masri, M.S.; Awad, I.

2005-08-01

The present report contains a detailed plan for remediation of areas contaminated with naturally occurring radioactive materials in the Syrian petroleum company oil fields. This plan includes a description of the contaminated areas and the procedures that will be followed before and during the execution of the project in addition to the final radiation surveys according to the Syrian regulations. In addition, responsibilities of the main personnel who will carry out the work have been defined and the future monitoring program of the remediated areas was determined. (author)

Remediation plan for contaminated areas by naturally occurring radioactivity materials in Syrian Petroleum Company oil fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shweikani, R.; Al-Masri, M. S.; Awad, I.

2006-01-01

The present report contains a detailed plan for remediation of areas contaminated with naturally occurring radioactive materials in the syrian Petroleum Company Oil fields. This plan includes a description of the contaminated areas and the procedures that will be followed before and during the execution of the project in addition to the final radiation surveys according to the Syrian regulations. In addition, responsibilities of the main personnel who will carry out the work have been defined and the future monitoring program of the remediated areas was determined. (author)

Leong, K.M. (Ed.). The Petroleum Geology and Resources of Malaysia ISBN 983-9738-10-0 . Petronas (Petroliam Nasional Berhad), Kualar Lumpur 2000, A4 size, 665 pages (U.S. $100 + postage (2.5 kg)), hyperlinkhttp://www.petronas.com.my

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Richard W.; Hutchison, Charles S.

2001-08-01

This 27-chapter volume is a comprehensive review of the petroleum geology of a significant Southeast Asian oil-producing country. The authors are predominantly from Petronas (20) with contributions by Shell (2) and the University of Malaya (1). The whole manuscript was reviewed by Dick Selley and coordinated by Leong Khee Meng. Foremost among the authors is Dr Mazlan Hj. Madon, whose byline is found on 14 chapters and whose guiding hand can be recognised throughout the book. In addition to in-house reports, Petronas has drawn on oil company work, resulting both from exploration activities on PSCs and from regional assessments, based on public domain and proprietary data. The companies involved include Esso, Shell, Mobil, Sun, Texaco, Conoco, Oxy, Triton, OPIC, Idemitsu, Nippon Oil, Elf, Hall-Houston and Western Mining. The volume is a remarkable tribute to the progress made by the Malaysian National Oil Company in the 25 years since the granting of its initial charter in 1974.

Fuel oil and kerosene sales 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-08-01

The Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales 1997 report provides information, illustrations and state-level statistical data on end-use sales of kerosene; No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 distillate fuel oil; and residual fuel oil. State-level kerosene sales include volumes for residential, commercial, industrial, farm, and all other uses. State-level distillate sales include volumes for residential, commercial, industrial, oil company, railroad, vessel bunkering, military, electric utility, farm, on-highway, off highway construction, and other uses. State-level residual fuel sales include volumes for commercial, industrial, oil company, vessel bunkering, military, electric utility, and other uses. 24 tabs.

Fuel oil and kerosene sales 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-08-01

The Fuel Oil and Kerosene Sales 1997 report provides information, illustrations and state-level statistical data on end-use sales of kerosene; No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 distillate fuel oil; and residual fuel oil. State-level kerosene sales include volumes for residential, commercial, industrial, farm, and all other uses. State-level distillate sales include volumes for residential, commercial, industrial, oil company, railroad, vessel bunkering, military, electric utility, farm, on-highway, off highway construction, and other uses. State-level residual fuel sales include volumes for commercial, industrial, oil company, vessel bunkering, military, electric utility, and other uses. 24 tabs

Oil companies' customer records as a source of petroleum statistics; Oljeselskapenes kunderegistre som kilde i petroleumsstatistikken

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isaksen, Elisabeth Thuestad; Hoeie, Henning; Flugsrud, Ketil

2012-10-15

Detailed sales data from oil companies' customer records are considered a better source of data for the sales statistics for petroleum products than today's more aggregated source basis. Using detailed data from sales transactions allow for a safer, more detailed and more consistent industry classification and geographic distribution of sales than what is possible with current practice. Particularly for sale to transport and the public sector will the detailed data could make a more proper distribution of sales.(eb)

Dynamic international oil markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

van der Linde, C.

1992-01-01

Dynamic International Oil Market Developments and Structure 1860-1990 discusses the logic of changing market structures of the international oil industry. The market structures have, in the course of time, oscillated between competition and oligopoly, as the oil market expanded, matured, stagnated, and expanded again. This book provides a dynamic interpretation of the intensifying struggle among producer, and consumer governments, and oil companies, over the distribution of economic rents and profits. In particular, it shows the shifting fortunes of the governments and companies as they try to control the recurring capacity constraints between the upstream and downstream sectors, generated by the instability of the oil market. The first part of the book examines market conditions and developments between 1860 and 1990; the second part analyzes market structures after 1945

Transesterification of Jatropha and Karanja oils by using waste egg shell derived calcium based mixed metal oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Girdhar; Rawat, Devendra S.; Lamba, Bhawna Y.; Bisht, Kamal K.; Kumar, Pankaj; Kumar, Nayan; Kumar, Sanjay

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Waste chicken eggshell derived CaO(cesp) based mixed metal oxides were prepared. • Transesterification of high free fatty acid containing non-edible oils were achieved using prepared catalysts. • CaO(cesp) based mixed metal oxides have shown better activity in comparison to neat CaO(cesp). • Best Conversions were achieved with ZnO–CaO(cesp). • Catalyst has shown good reusability up to 4 cycles without significant loss in its activity. - Abstract: Solid base heterogeneous catalysts are one of the promising materials for the transesterification of vegetable oils because these catalysts are generally more reactive than solid acid catalysts which require very severe operating conditions. Calcium oxide has shown good catalytic activity due to its high basicity which is required for transesterification of triacylglycerides (TAGs). In the present study, the transesterification of non-edible, high free fatty acid containing Jatropha and Karanja oils was studied by using waste chicken egg shell derived calcium (i.e. CaO(cesp)) based mixed metal oxides (M-CaO; M = ZnO, MnO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 ) as heterogeneous catalyst. A comparison was also made on the catalytic performance of these prepared catalysts. The catalyst characterizations were done by XRD, SEM, TGA, FT-IR and BET techniques. The effectiveness of the catalysts was highly influenced by the calcination temperature. ZnO–CaO(cesp) catalyst was found to be the most efficient catalyst among all. The maximum conversion for the transesterification of Jatropha and Karanja oils were achieved using 5 wt% catalyst, 65 °C temperature and 12:1 methanol/oil ratio. The catalyst could be re-used effectively during four cycles. Use of the CaO(cesp) based mixed oxides made the process more environmental benign and economical. The biodiesel prepared has shown good fuel characteristics as per EN, ASTM and IS standards

BP Oil Company's approach to risk management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fryman, C.E.

1996-01-01

The oil and chemical industries face major challenges in deciding how to handle the numerous recommendations coming from various audits, reviews and studies conducted in the functional areas of personnel health and safety, loss prevention, and environmental protection. And, the number of recommendations continues to grow with time, as regulations and normal business requirements are met. BP Oil has developed a methodology for risk ranking the events leading to specific recommendations and then determining the cost-effectiveness of the recommendations in reducing the risk. The author completed successful pilot tests of this methodology at two of BP Oil's petroleum refineries, examining the recommendations from process hazards analyses and studies completed over the past few years. The methodology has since been implemented throughout their petroleum refining, distribution, transportation, and retail business streams

Impact of sustained low oil prices on China's oil & gas industry system and coping strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianjun Chen

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The global sustained low oil prices have a significant impact on China's oil and gas industry system and the national energy security. This paper aims to find solutions in order to guarantee the smooth development of China's oil and gas industry system and its survival in such a severe environment. First, the origins of sustained low oil prices were analyzed. Then, based on those published data from IEA, government and some other authorities, this study focused on the development status, energy policies and the future developing trend of those main oil & gas producing countries. Investigations show that the low-price running is primarily contributed to the so-called oil and gas policies in the USA. It is predicted that national petroleum consumption will reach up to 6.0 × 108 t (oil & 3300 × 108 m3 (gas in 2020 and 6.8 × 108 t (oil & 5200 × 108 m3 (gas in 2030. For reducing the dependence on foreign oil and gas, the investment in the upstream of oil and gas industry should be maintained and scientific research should be intensified to ensure the smooth operation of the oil and gas production system. Considering China's national energy security strategy, the following suggestions were proposed herein. First, ensure that in China the yearly oil output reaches 2 × 108 t, while natural gas yield will be expected to be up to 2700 × 108 m3 in 2030, both of which should become the “bottom line” in the long term. Second, focus on the planning of upstream business with insistence on risk exploration investment, scientific and technological innovation and pilot area construction especially for low-permeability tight oil & gas, shale oil & gas reservoir development techniques. Third, encourage the in-depth reform and further growth especially in the three major state-owned oil & gas companies under adverse situations, and create more companies competent to offer overseas technical services by taking the opportunity of the �

Preparation of porous carbon particle with shell/core structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Porous carbon particles with a shell/core structure have been prepared successfully by controlled precipitation of the polymer from droplets of oil-in-water emulsion, followed by curing and carbonization. The droplets of the oil phase are composed of phenolic resin (PFR, a good solvent (ethyl acetate and porogen (Poly(methyl methacrylate, PMMA. The microstructure was characterized in detail by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, nitrogen adsorption, and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA. The obtained carbon particles have a capsular structure with a microporous carbon shell and a mesoporous carbon core. The BET surface area and porous volume are calculated to be 499 m2g-1 and 0.56 cm3g-1, respectively. The effects of the amount of porogen (PMMA, co-solvent (acetone and surfactant on the resultant structure were studied in detail.

THE EFFECT OF WORKING CAPITAL ON THE PROFITABILITY OF PALM OIL PLANTATION COMPANIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tania Prafitri

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Management decisions related to working capital are based on the management of short-term assets and liabilities, aiming to ensure that the company is able to maintain the operations and have sufficient cash flows to finance short-term debt maturities and operational costs, as well as to improve the profitability of the company. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of working capital management on company profitability. Working capital is considered to be an important issue in financial management and have an effect on liquidity as well as on the company profitability. In addition, optimized working capital management contributes greatly to the achievement of company objectives. The secondary data were taken from the annual reports of 6 oil palm plantation companies registered in the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX during the year 2009-2015. Profitability as a dependent variable was measured by return on investment (ROI. Cash conversion cycle (CCC, current ratio (CR, financial debt ratio (FDR, and fixed financial asset ratio (FFAR are independent variables. The analytical model used in this study was panel regression by using Fixed Effect Model. The results showed that there is a negative effect of working capital on profitability. Profitability will increase as cash cycle conversion cycle decreases. This is because companies with short cash conversion cycle are able to collect the cash needed for the company's day-to-day operations.Keywords: working capital, cash conversion cycle, current ratio, debt ratio, fixed assets ratio. profitabilityABSTRAKKeputusan manajemen yang berkaitan dengan modal kerja didasari oleh cara pengelolaan antara aset dan kewajiban jangka pendek, hal ini bertujuan untuk memastikan bahwa perusahaan mampu untuk melanjutkan kegiatan operasional dan memiliki arus kas yang cukup untuk membiayai hutang jangka pendek yang jatuh tempo dan biaya kegiatan operasional, serta untuk meningkatkan profitabilitas

Marketing BTUs: Gas, electricity lead oil in innovation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krapels, E.N.

1996-01-01

The transformation in relations between energy providers and users--powered by reform of electric utilities and by continuation of natural gas deregulation--is challenging several fundamental precepts of how oil companies managed their deregulation. In the wake of the price decontrol completed by the Reagan administration in 1981, oil companies (1) retreated from national business structures, (2) focused on limited range core businesses, and (3) provided minimal oil price risk management services for their customers. By contrast, the electric and natural gas industry is consolidating for the purpose of playing a role in ever-larger markets, diversifying its products and services, and providing innovative hedging instruments to itself as well as its customers. From Enron, one can purchase physical and paper energy, delivered in whatever form desired, nationwide and internationally, with or without mechanisms to manage price risk. What will impede the newly integrated energy companies--which are composite electric plus natural gas firms--from also delivering products and services now rendered by the oil companies? Could utilities organize gasoline consumers better than oil companies? If the Price Club can sell gasoline at 10 cents below market, why can't the new energy companies do so? The paper discusses what consumers want, procurement and costs, and innovations and lessons

Technical forums as an instrument for knowledge management in oil pipelines and terminals companies: the experience of TRANSPETRO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Almeida, Maria Fatima Ludovico de [Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio/ITUC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Instituto Tecnologico; Santiago, Adilson; Ribeiro, Kassandra Senra; Arruda, Daniela Mendonca [TRANSPETRO - PETROBRAS Transporte S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-07-01

This paper describes the experience of TRANSPETRO's Oil Pipelines and Terminals Unit regarding an institutionalized knowledge management (KM) process of systematically promoting technical forums focused on: pipeline and terminal operations; industrial maintenance; and right-of-way activities management. This empirical work adds evidence that in the model of cooperative and communicative knowledge management it is necessary to motivate staff to provide the company with their tacit knowledge and to take a proactive part in knowledge management processes, particularly in technical forums. Within this KM perspective, technical forums have been held by TRANSPETRO for the following purposes: to discuss the main barriers and challenges the oil pipelines and terminals unit has to face in the coming years; to share and disseminate good practices concerning oil pipeline and terminal activities; to discuss new processes, methods and equipment developments with potential application in business and operational processes; to establish action plans concerning the main challenges, barriers and opportunities; to disseminate Research and Development (R and D) projects in course, new procedures, methods and equipment and to promote integration among forum attendees. The two year-experience in TRANSPETRO's Oil Pipelines and Terminals Unit revealed that technical forums have been an important instrument for cooperative and communicative knowledge management, according to evaluations from 173 attendees. (author)

Technical forums as an instrument for knowledge management in oil pipelines and terminals companies: the experience of TRANSPETRO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Almeida, Maria Fatima Ludovico de [Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio/ITUC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Instituto Tecnologico; Santiago, Adilson; Ribeiro, Kassandra Senra; Arruda, Daniela Mendonca [TRANSPETRO - PETROBRAS Transporte S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-07-01

This paper describes the experience of TRANSPETRO's Oil Pipelines and Terminals Unit regarding an institutionalized knowledge management (KM) process of systematically promoting technical forums focused on: pipeline and terminal operations; industrial maintenance; and right-of-way activities management. This empirical work adds evidence that in the model of cooperative and communicative knowledge management it is necessary to motivate staff to provide the company with their tacit knowledge and to take a proactive part in knowledge management processes, particularly in technical forums. Within this KM perspective, technical forums have been held by TRANSPETRO for the following purposes: to discuss the main barriers and challenges the oil pipelines and terminals unit has to face in the coming years; to share and disseminate good practices concerning oil pipeline and terminal activities; to discuss new processes, methods and equipment developments with potential application in business and operational processes; to establish action plans concerning the main challenges, barriers and opportunities; to disseminate Research and Development (R and D) projects in course, new procedures, methods and equipment and to promote integration among forum attendees. The two year-experience in TRANSPETRO's Oil Pipelines and Terminals Unit revealed that technical forums have been an important instrument for cooperative and communicative knowledge management, according to evaluations from 173 attendees. (author)

Russian space meets western business practices: Understanding the law in the petroleum sector in Russia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sander Goes

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This article discusses the relationship between the private international oil company (IOC Royal Dutch Shell and Russia as an oil producing and oil exporting state during a period when oil prices were moving towards unforeseen heights (2005-2007. By examining this dynamic relationship, this study aims to contribute to an understanding of Russia’s discursive and culturally produced history. The history of a state-oil company interaction has shown that the use of legal instruments is a good indicator to determine the nature of the relationship between oil-producing states and IOCs – a relationship that often has been characterized by periods of cooperation or conflict.At the centre of inquiry is how the oil major understands the law in Russia, and in particular the enforcement of the country’s formal written rules during legal conflicts over the development of the Sakhalin-II oil and gas fields (in which Shell until December 2006 controlled a majority stake. After identifying the violations of formal laws, I conclude that Shell understands that the formal rules of the game are subordinate to the unwritten laws of energy politics and in particular the informal demands of contemporary Russian society. The article also illustrates that oil-producing states have the upper hand in conflicts over the development of oil and gas resources.

Merger and acquisition in the international oil industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Imai, Yoshiichi

1988-07-01

Outlines are given of the background and evaluation of recent giant mergers and acquisitions in the international oil industry and of future trends of them. The petroleum exporting countries or OPEC nationalized oil resourses in the first half of 1970's and acquired the crude oil deposits that had been controlled by the seven majors. The percentage of the seven majors' crude oil deposits in the free world was about 70% in 1968, but decreased sharply down to about 6% in 1978 to 1979, when the world experienced the second oil crisis. The decrease of Texaco, COCAL, and Mobil was remarkable. That was the background of these three companies' giant acquisitions in 1984. For the oil companies suffering from decrease of oil deposits, the inexpensive and dependable way to secure deposits was to take over developed reserves of other companies. Although there are the pros and cons in the evaluation of the merger and acquisition, these trends continues, including the oil exporting countries, and are very likely to move to the international reconstraction of the oil industry. (10 tabs)

Oil companies make the deep-sea production reliable; Les petroliers fiabilisent la production par grands fonds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jemain, A.

2002-06-01

Today, oil companies have to face important technical challenges in deep offshore operations like drilling wells with more than 3000 m of water depth, but the main problem concerns the reliability of underwater production equipments with respect to their pressure and fatigue resistance and to their durability. New solutions have to be found to fluidify the crude in deep sea conditions (thermal insulation, 'pipe in pipe' system, electrical heating, additives, inhibitors..) and to prevent the formation of paraffin and hydrates (flow assurance), and also to reduce the weight of risers (use of low density high grade composite materials). (J.S.)

Enhancement of durability properties of heat-treated oil palm shell species lightweight concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Yew, Ming Kun; Yew, Ming Chian; Saw, Lip Huat; Ang, Bee Chin; Lee, Min Lee; Lim, Siong Kang; Lim, Jee Hock

2017-04-01

Oil palm shell (OPS) are non-hazardous waste materials and can be used as alternative coarse aggregates to substitute depleting conventional raw materials. A study on preparing the OPS species (dura and tenera) lightweight concrete (LWC) using with and without heat-treated OPS aggregate has been investigated. Two different species of OPS coarse aggregate are subjected to heat treatment at 65 and 130 °C with duration of 1 hour. The results reveal that the slump value of the OPSC increases significantly with an increase in temperature of heat treatment of the tenera OPS aggregates. It is found that the maximum achievable 28-days and 180-days compressive strength is 45.6 and 47.5 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, rapid chloride penetration test (RCPT) and water absorption tests were performance to signify the effects of heat-treated on OPS species LWC. The use of heat-treated OPS LWC induced the advantageous of reducing the permeability and capillary porosity as well as water absorption. Hence, the findings of this study are of primary importance as they revealed the heat treatment on OPS species LWC can be used as a new environmentally friendly method to enhance the durability of OPSLWC.

Pyrolysis oil from carbonaceous solid wastes in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Islam, M.N.; Jamil, M.K.; Ani, F.N.; Zailani, R.

2000-01-01

The agro-industrial sector of Malaysia produces a huge amount of oil palm and paddy rice. These generate a significant amount of renewable biomass solid wastes in the forms of oil palm shell and rice husk. Apart from this a huge quantity of scrap tyre is generated from the country's faster increasing usage of transportation vehicles like motorcycle, car, bus and lorries. These wastes are producing pollution and disposal problems affecting the environment. Besides energy is not recovered efficiently from these waste resources. From the elemental composition and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) studies of the wastes, it appeared that the wastes could be used for pyrolysis liquid oil production. Pyrolysis at present is deemed to be a potential method for the conversion of carbonaceous solid wastes into upgraded liquid products which can either be tried for liquid fuel or value-added chemical. A fluidized bed bench scale fast pyrolysis system was employed for this thermochemical conversion process of solid wastes. Silica sand was used as fluidized bed material and nitrogen gas as the fluidising medium. The products obtained were liquid oil, solid char and gas. The liquid oil and solid char were collected separately while the gas was flared. The maximum liquid product yield was found to vary with feedstock material fluidized bed temperature. The maximum liquid product yield was found to be 58, 53 and 40 wt. % of biomass fed at fluidized bed temperature at 500, 525 and 450 0 C respectively for oil palm shell, scrap tyre and rice husk. The solid char yield was 25, 36 and 53 wt. % of biomass fed at the condition of maximum liquid product yield for oil palm shell, scrap tyre and rice husk respectively. The oil products were subjected to FTIR, GC and GC/MS analysis for their group composition and detailed chemical compositions. The pyrolysis oil from scrap tyre was found to contain highest percentage of pure hydrocarbons (25 wt. % of total feed) with esters and oxygenated

Morphology and properties of periwinkle shell asbestos-free brake pad

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.S. Yawas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The development of asbestos-free automotive brake pad using periwinkle shell particles as frictional filler material is presented. This was with a view to exploiting the characteristics of the periwinkle shell, which is largely deposited as a waste, in replacing asbestos which has been found to be carcinogenic. Five sets of brake pads with different sieve size (710–125 μm of periwinkle shell particles with 35% resin were produced using compressive moulding. The physical, mechanical and tribological properties of the periwinkle shell particle-based brake pads were evaluated and compared with the values for the asbestos-based brake pads. The results obtained showed that compressive strength, hardness and density of the developed brake pad samples increased with decreasing the particle size of periwinkle shell from 710 to 125 μm, while the oil soak, water soak and wear rate decreased with decreasing the particle size of periwinkle shell. The results obtained at 125 μm of periwinkle shell particles compared favourably with that of commercial brake pad. The results of this research indicate that periwinkle shell particles can be effectively used as a replacement for asbestos in brake pad manufacture.

Size and profitability in the international oil- and gas industry; Stoerrelse og loennsomhet i den internasjonale olje- og gassindustrien

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osmundsen, Petter; Mohn, Klaus; Espedal, Harald; Loevaas, Kjell

2002-07-01

Many industrial sectors have gone through a series of mergers and acquisitions. In the international oil- and gas industry this has produced new companies such as ExxonMobil and TotalFinaElf. BP and Amoco merged and then subjugated Atlantic Richfield (ARCO). ChevronTexaco has been established and ConocoPhillips are currently working on the same thing. Saga was previously acquired by Norsk Hydro and Statoil, and Shell recently bought Enterprise and Pennzoil-Quaker. Taking the stock market's principles for corporate analysis and valuation as a starting point, this article discusses the forces behind this consolidation process.

Russian oil policy under Putin in perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossiaud, S.

2009-01-01

This article intends to explain and evaluate the interactions between the three developments which have structured the Russian oil industry since the beginning of V. Putin's second presidential term of office: the slowing down in production growth as well as the absolute decline of the latter observed in 2008, the reorganization of this industry marked by the increasing role of public oil companies and, finally, the adjustments made to the contractual arrangements surrounding the activities of the upstream oil sector. It has shown, on one hand, that the decline in current production is the result of the exhaustion of short term strategies by private Russian companies, and on the other hand, that the contract adjustments are insufficient to allow the Russian companies to adjust to more long term strategies. From this perspective, the increased role played by public oil companies can be analysed as an organisational response to this institutional dead-end. (author)

Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raebiger, R.F.; King, R.D.; Friess, R.A.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that in 1989 Consolidated Edison Company of New York which initiated a comprehensive tank cleaning and inspection program of their petroleum distillate storage facilities. The program was initiated by the issuance of new regulations of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. A total of 10 storage tanks were cleaned, inspected and detailed engineering reports prepared for each storage tank. A total of 28 distillate storage facilities will be inspected over a three year period of time. The tanks ranged in size from 18,000 to 2,701,00 gallons and contained either No. 2 Fuel Oil or Kerosene. The project included waste disposal, tank cleaning, inspection, engineering evaluations and the design of tank repairs. Of the 10 tanks inspected, three of the tanks required extensive repairs including the design and installation of a new bottom shell course and partial floor replacement for one of the tanks. The project was completed on schedule and within the budget allocated. The ten tank project was evaluated upon its completion and recommendations regarding tank operations and maintenance were provided to minimize maintenance problems for the future

Profiler : Canadian oil and gas : the First Nations : building successful partnerships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2010-05-15

Canada's petroleum and natural gas is often produced in remote areas where the majority of the population is Aboriginal. Many First Nations and Metis communities are now playing an active role in Canada's oil and gas industry. Aboriginal-owned companies have earned more than $2.6 billion in the oil sands region since 1999. In 2007, the value of contracts between Alberta oil sands companies and Aboriginal companies was estimated at $606 million. This special supplement discussed First Nations partnerships in the oil and gas industry. Articles in the supplement presented new employment, training and partnership activities in the oil and gas industry as well as activities related to emerging unconventional resources. Educational programs and training facilities were described. The employment and procurement practices of leading oil and gas operators were discussed. The supplement featured presentations by several leading oil and gas companies. tabs., figs.

Oil and gas business in changing times

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brasoveanu Sergiu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The top 5 oil majors (British Petroleum, ExxonMobil, Total, Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell are analyzed in terms of investments, earnings and financial & operational performance along the entire business value chain, for a period of 5 years. One of the key objectives is to understand how the Upstream and Downstream segments may play different roles in the definition of a winning corporate strategy, considering how they may reveal very different strengths and weaknesses during crude oil price crises. When the crude oil price goes down, the upstream sector is running big cost cutting measures, in order to reduce expenditures and keep acceptable gross margins per barrel of oil equivalent. On the other hand, the downstream segment receives cheaper raw material without a significant decrease in the final price of the oil products. Thus, how can oil companies leverage this flexibility in order to pass successfully through periods of crude oil price slides, and even take advantage of those? The paper aims to analyze the correlation between oil price and oil volume produced on one hand, and investments and earnings, split by business segments, on the other hand. The variation of investment and earnings is hence compared to crude oil price fluctuations for a clearer picture of the business profitability per segment during the peak and bottom periods of the oil market. Upstream and Downstream segments are also benchmarked against each other to understand the role that each of them is playing in the industry. The results are expected to provide some trend lines to understand how much the cost cutting measures are impacting the overall business, as well as to appreciate whether the reduction in the oil production, which in theory should be followed by a rise in prices, is indeed in the best interest of the oil majors. Going further into analysis, the paper is trying to define an optimum production interval, that will maximize profits along the entire value

Oil spills and other issues in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita : an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, D.W.

2006-01-01

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina revealed weaknesses in the command, control, communications, and information dissemination functions within a variety of emergency response systems. This paper gave an outline of clean-up procedures involving hazardous materials. To date, clean-up crews have disposed of 8.0 million tonnes of an estimated 22.0 million tonnes of debris. The clean-up involved more than 1.3 million containerized hazardous materials; more than 230,000 damaged white goods; and nearly 43,000 damaged electronic goods. More than 3,400 samples of water, soil and air have been collected. Nearly 75 chemistry laboratories in schools have been inspected, and an additional 1500 emergency assessments of potential chemical releases were investigated. The floodwaters carried nearly 4.1 million litres of oil from a Chalmette refinery. Between September and the end of 2005, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office logged in 81 spill events in southwest Louisiana involving 22,000 bbls of crude. Six major, 3 medium and 131 minor events have occurred in southeast Louisiana. More than 3000 offshore platforms were shut down or damaged during the 2005 hurricane season. At least 115 platforms were destroyed and 52 were damaged. Onshore spills of concern included incidents at Murphy Oil Refinery; Bass Enterprise Production Company; Chevron at Port Fourchon; Venice Energy Services Company; Shell Pipeline; and Sundown Energy. It was concluded work done by the spill community will result in the development of more effective response plans. 23 refs

Oil spills and other issues in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita : an overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, D.W. [Lousiana Applied and Educational Research and Development Program, Baton Rouge, LA (United States)

2006-07-01

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina revealed weaknesses in the command, control, communications, and information dissemination functions within a variety of emergency response systems. This paper gave an outline of clean-up procedures involving hazardous materials. To date, clean-up crews have disposed of 8.0 million tonnes of an estimated 22.0 million tonnes of debris. The clean-up involved more than 1.3 million containerized hazardous materials; more than 230,000 damaged white goods; and nearly 43,000 damaged electronic goods. More than 3,400 samples of water, soil and air have been collected. Nearly 75 chemistry laboratories in schools have been inspected, and an additional 1500 emergency assessments of potential chemical releases were investigated. The floodwaters carried nearly 4.1 million litres of oil from a Chalmette refinery. Between September and the end of 2005, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office logged in 81 spill events in southwest Louisiana involving 22,000 bbls of crude. Six major, 3 medium and 131 minor events have occurred in southeast Louisiana. More than 3000 offshore platforms were shut down or damaged during the 2005 hurricane season. At least 115 platforms were destroyed and 52 were damaged. Onshore spills of concern included incidents at Murphy Oil Refinery; Bass Enterprise Production Company; Chevron at Port Fourchon; Venice Energy Services Company; Shell Pipeline; and Sundown Energy. It was concluded work done by the spill community will result in the development of more effective response plans. 23 refs.

Oil investment in Latin America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kielmas, M.

1994-01-01

In the early 1990s Latin America became a favoured target for foreign investors as one of the side-effects of the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The reason is linked to macroeconomic reforms in Latin America and the failure of equivalent reforms in the former communist countries. Latin American state-owned-oil companies have been welcomed as borrowers on the international financial markets. Simultaneously private sector investment in the oil industry has increased. This chapter examines nationalisation and the state oil companies, the financing of the state sector, privatisation, the boosting of oil exploration and security issues. The sustainability of the economic reforms in the region is discussed. (UK)

A Novel Transporting System Model for Oil Refinery

OpenAIRE

Razman M. Tahar; Waleed K. Abduljabbar

2010-01-01

Problem statement: Oil refineries are widely used to store various liquids and gases. Petroleum products are in high demand. Oil companies have abundant resources of petroleum products in pipelines and storage tanks. Approach: Included are storage tanks at retail gasoline station, home heating oil tanks, lubricant storage at automotive service facilities, propane tanks in all sorts of application, and oil company terminals across the world. The aim of this study is to present a model by which...

Oil Spill Response Manual

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marieke Zeinstra; Sandra Heins; Wierd Koops

2014-01-01

A two year programme has been carried out by the NHL University of Applied Sciences together with private companies in the field of oil and chemical spill response to finalize these manuals on oil and chemical spill response. These manuals give a good overview of all aspects of oil and chemical

An economically viable synthesis of biodiesel from a crude Millettia pinnata oil of Jharkhand, India as feedstock and crab shell derived catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Madhu, Devarapaga; Chavan, Supriya B; Singh, Veena; Singh, Bhaskar; Sharma, Yogesh C

2016-08-01

Biodiesel has emerged as a prominent source to replace petroleum diesel. The cost incurred in the production of biodiesel is higher than that for refining of crude oil to obtain mineral diesel. The heterogeneous catalyst was prepared from crab shells by calcining the crushed mass at 800°C. The solid waste catalyst was characterized with XRD, XPS, BET, SEM-EDS, and FT-IR. Millettia pinnata (karanja) oil extracted from its seeds was used as a feedstock for the synthesis of biodiesel. Biodiesel was synthesized through esterification followed by transesterification in a two-step process. Characterization of biodiesel was done using proton NMR spectroscopy. Reaction parameters such as reaction time, reaction temperature, concentration of catalyst and stirrer speed were optimized. Reusability of catalyst was checked and found that there was no loss of catalytic activity up to five times. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Impact of Foreign Investment Restrictions on the Stock Returns of Oil Sands Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugene Beaulieu

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In December 2012, prompted by the proposed purchase of Nexen by the Chinese SOE CNOOC, the federal government announced revised guidelines for investments by state-owned enterprises (SOEs in the oil sands. Declaring the sale marked “the end of a trend and not the beginning of a trend,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper explained how the government would approach such decisions in the future, including placing the onus on foreign investors to demonstrate how deals would be of net benefit to Canada, as well as granting the industry minister the discretion to accept or deny proposed deals. Accounting for five per cent of Canadian GDP, $28 billion in government revenue and three per cent of all jobs nationwide, the oil sands are an integral component of Canada’s economy. The sector has long relied on foreign capital to finance projects, meaning that any move to deter outside investment could have profound consequences for the development of this critical economic asset. In this paper, the authors examine the impact of this policy change by measuring the stock returns of firms operating in the oil sands. Employing an event study analysis, they find empirical evidence that the government’s policy change has resulted in the material destruction of shareholder wealth, particularly in the case of the smaller oil companies. What is more, given the composition of the global oil industry has changed to one where SOEs dominate both reserves and production, is this a policy Canada can afford in the long term? “When we say that Canada is open for business, we do not mean that Canada is for sale to foreign governments.” - Prime Minister Stephen Harper, December 7, 2012 “…going forward, the [industry] minister will find the acquisition of control of a Canadian oil-sands business by a state-owned enterprise to be of net benefit, only in an exceptional circumstance.” - Prime Minister Stephen Harper, December 7, 2012 “A year after the new Investment

US firms still restructuring, cutting costs under oil price uncertainty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koen, A.D.

1994-01-01

Despite more than a decade of downsizing, continuing uncertainty in oil markets is forcing US petroleum companies into another round of cutting and restructuring operations. Wellhead gas prices in the US, although still volatile, in the past 2 years have risen to levels adequate to allow profits for most producers in that sector. Higher gas reserves valuations have strengthened producers' overall balance sheets. But the slide in oil prices from the middle of fourth quarter 1993 until the recent upswing the past month has withered producers' financial performances and reserves values. With little prospect of significantly higher oil prices anytime soon, US companies feel they have little choice but to continue pressing cost cutting moves in order to sustain profits in the near term while at the same time earnings a higher return on investment in the long term. Petroleum company executives are overlooking almost no operating or investment strategy thought capable of bolstering the bottom line. Because no two US oil and gas companies are alike, each profit protection plan is a unique mix of similar solutions. Oil and gas production companies most often try to lower operating costs by vigorously selling noncore properties or business units and reducing staff. The paper discusses measures taken by oil and gas companies to lower costs

Algeria, an oil state in danger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auge, Benjamin

2015-06-01

After having outlined that Algeria possesses one of the most promising geologies regarding oil, gas and shale gas proved and possible reserves, but that conditions imposed to the private sector are such that investments have been decreasing, thus leaving Sonatrach, the national public company, almost alone do develop this oil and gas patrimony, and after having recalled that the world oil sector is facing a major crisis since the collapse of oil prices in 2014, the author proposes an analysis of this situation of lack of interest of private companies in Algeria, and a discussion of the consequences for Sonatrach. He comments results published by this company in terms of drilling activities, notices the very low percentage of private drilling activities, outlines that Sonatrach is facing a very difficult situation (many contractors to be paid, collapse of revenues, and increased consumption) which may impede its ambitious exploration project for the years to come. The author also comments results of the bidding processes which have been disappointing for the last ten years. He outlines that financial scandals and arbitrations contributed to the loss of confidence of foreign oil companies. He comments how projects have been developed during these last ten years, and discusses the strategy envisaged for the exploitation of shale gases

Strategies of petroleum companies facing climate change issues; Strategies des compagnies petrolieres face a la problematique du changement climatique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gervais, St

2005-05-01

The oil industry is particularly concerned with the issue of climate change. The implementation of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) reduction policies can be perceived as an additional environmental constraint for the management of the production chain. It is also represents a first step towards a possible decarbonization of the economy. In the long-term, the fight against global warming calls thus into question the activity level of petroleum companies. Confronted with this, still uncertain, new environmental deal, some petroleum multinationals adopt proactive behaviors, e.g. with voluntary commitments to reduce GHG emissions, or with investments in alternative technologies. First of all, we present the potential economic impacts of the Kyoto Protocol on oil industry. Then, we conduct a comparative analysis of the 'Kyoto risk' for the five largest multinationals of this sector according to their activities and their geographical implantations. Then, for the purpose to interpreting proactive strategies of firms such as BP and Shell, we examine various explanations including 'win-win', public image and the response to broad societal needs. This leads us to formalize the proactive behavior as an anticipatory management of carbon contestability, particularly perceptible in financial markets. Lastly, we try to justify economically investments of companies in the field of alternative energy sources and technologies through the lens of real options theory and by a management of the exhaustible fossil resources. (author)

Strategies of petroleum companies facing climate change issues; Strategies des compagnies petrolieres face a la problematique du changement climatique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gervais, St.

2005-05-01

The oil industry is particularly concerned with the issue of climate change. The implementation of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) reduction policies can be perceived as an additional environmental constraint for the management of the production chain. It is also represents a first step towards a possible decarbonization of the economy. In the long-term, the fight against global warming calls thus into question the activity level of petroleum companies. Confronted with this, still uncertain, new environmental deal, some petroleum multinationals adopt proactive behaviors, e.g. with voluntary commitments to reduce GHG emissions, or with investments in alternative technologies. First of all, we present the potential economic impacts of the Kyoto Protocol on oil industry. Then, we conduct a comparative analysis of the 'Kyoto risk' for the five largest multinationals of this sector according to their activities and their geographical implantations. Then, for the purpose to interpreting proactive strategies of firms such as BP and Shell, we examine various explanations including 'win-win', public image and the response to broad societal needs. This leads us to formalize the proactive behavior as an anticipatory management of carbon contestability, particularly perceptible in financial markets. Lastly, we try to justify economically investments of companies in the field of alternative energy sources and technologies through the lens of real options theory and by a management of the exhaustible fossil resources. (author)

A finite-element for the analysis of shell intersections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koves, W.J.; Nair, S.

1994-01-01

The analysis of discontinuity stresses at shell intersections is a problem of great importance in several major industries. Some of the major areas of interest are pressure-containing equipment, such as reactors and piping, in the nuclear and fossil power industry; pressure vessels and heat exchangers in the petrochemical industry; bracing in offshore oil platforms; and aerospace structures. A specialized shell-intersection finite element, which is compatible with adjoining shell elements, has been developed that has the capability of physically representing the complex three-dimensional geometry and stress state at shell intersections. The element geometry is a contoured shape that matches a wide variety of practical nozzle configurations used in ASME Code pressure vessel construction, and allows computational rigor. A closed-form theory of elasticity solution was used to compute the stress state and strain energy in the element. The concept of an energy-equivalent nodal displacement and force vector set was then developed to allow complete compatibility with adjoining shell elements and retain the analytical rigor within the element. This methodology provides a powerful and robust computation scheme that maintains the computational efficiency of shell element solutions. The shell-intersection element was then applied to the cylinder-sphere and cylinder-cylinder intersection problems

Alliances and partnering: A new relationship between oil/gas producing companies and service companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gazi, N.H.; Hottman, W.E.; Logan, J.L.; Verrett, R.C.

1995-01-01

The current state of the energy industry finds both operating and service companies squeezed by lower prices and higher costs. Investment in exploration, equipment, and technology has been severely restricted. Many operators are responding to these harsh market conditions by re-engineering their work processes and focusing on core business activities. Re-engineered work processes encourage operators and service companies to work closely together. This motivates both to eliminate duplication, simplify processes, increase efficiency and capitalize on combined expertise to enhance production and optimize total system cost. Alliances and partnering are based on mutual trust and the commitment to add value to both organizations. Aligning interests is fundamental in establishing a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship. This paper presents an overview of these new relationships. The benefits and concerns of changing from traditional bidding agreements to new business arrangements between producing companies and service companies is discussed. Evaluation criteria for potential candidates, how to structure an alliance or partnering agreement, and a discussion of the key issues in the application of incentive contracts is presented

Co-firing option of palm shell waste and Malaysian coal blends in a circulating fluidized bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad Hussain; Farid Nasir Ani

2010-01-01

Palm oil shell waste is one of the main agriculture wastes in Malaysia. In order to utilize these wastes efficiently, pyrolysis of oil-palm shell waste was first carried out using Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effects of heating rate on the pyrolytic properties were investigated to evaluate its suitability for co-firing. The TGA analyses of oil palm shell waste and Malaysian coal blends suggests that there is an obvious lateral shift in the thermo grams for different heating rate. Kinetics calculations were also done using integral method. For palm shell waste powder it was found that the activation energies ranged from 112-119 kJ/mole and for the Mukah coal blends it ranged from 93.3 -100.8 kJ/mole. Combustion studies for palm shell wastes and coal blends were done in a hot circulating fluidized-bed (CFB) test rig. This is the first practical experience of using this type of rig in Malaysia. The temperature dependence on the combustion and emission behaviour were identified. The effects of variation of primary air and feed rate have also been analyzed and their influence on emissions has been established. The combustion studies of palm shell wastes were done and it was found that the emission of NO x ranged from 20-164 ppm while the CO emissions were high for some operating conditions. For the co-firing studies, the NO x and CO deceased with the percentage increase in the blending ratio of coal with palm shell waste.. The optimum blending ratio was found to be in a ratio of 40 percent coal and 60 percent Mukah coal. It was also found that Mukah coal show agglomeration behaviour with when it is blended in 80% ratio. (author)

Vertcal integration: origins of oil industry integration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rainbow, R.

2001-01-01

This article examines the structure of the US oil industry in relation to the history of the industry, capital market assumptions, and advice on the enhancement of 'shareholder value'. The driving forces behind the attempts to establish cartels and vertical integration are considered, and the emergence of US companies resulting from the break-up of the Standard Oil Trust cartel, the influence of costs and logistics on the structure of the industry outside the USA , and the structure of the natural gas industry are discussed along with the discovery of large Middle East oil reserves, the enormous growth in demand for oil products in Europe and Japan, and the formation of the OPEC cartel. Details are given of the breaking down of vertical integration in the big oil companies, the theory of conglomerates, the success of big companies, the importance of scale to balance exploration risks, and the need to adjust in time to shifts in the business environment

Oil and gas in China: The door opens wider to international oil companies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao, Wang

1993-01-01

This paper reviews new incentives offered by the China National Petroleum Corporation to help develop China's oil and gas fields. The initial offer for bids by foreign investors is for exploration and joint development contracts for western China's Tarim basin. However, the expansion to other basins and areas of China is well underway. It also discusses a pipeline project which will be connect the western China oil and gas fields with the eastern markets, approximately 2,200 miles. A historical review of the oil and gas production and utilization of China is presented along with forecasts of future production. It also provides estimates of gas and oil reserves and information on enhanced recovery techniques used to maintain a stable production level. The second half of the paper is an interview with Dr. Wang Tao, a PhD graduate of Moscow's Petroleum Institute, and president of the China National Petroleum Corporation. He reviews the government policies with regards to foreign investment in his country

Ecuador steps up pace of oil development activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that oil companies operating in Ecuador plan to quicken the pace of oil development this year. After delays in 1991, companies plan a series of projects to develop reserves discovered the past 3 years estimated at more than 600 million bbl. Oil and Gas Journal estimated Ecuador's proved crude reserves at 1.55 billion bbl as of Jan. 1, 1992. The development push is part of a larger effort needed to ensure Ecuador's status as an oil exporter into the next century. Ecuador is the smallest crude oil producer and exporter in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

Plastic buckling of cylindrical shells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandyopadhyay, K.; Xu, J.; Shteyngart, S.; Eckert, H.

1994-01-01

Cylindrical shells exhibit buckling under axial loads at stresses much less than the respective theoretical critical stresses. This is due primarily to the presence of geometrical imperfections even though such imperfections could be very small (e.g., comparable to thickness). Under internal pressure, the shell regains some of its buckling strength. For a relatively large radius-to-thickness ratio and low internal pressure, the effect can be reasonably estimated by an elastic analysis. However, for low radius-to-thickness ratios and greater pressures, the elastic-plastic collapse controls the failure load. in order to quantify the elastic-plastic buckling capacity of cylindrical shells, an analysis program was carried out by use of the computer code BOSOR5 developed by Bushnell of Lockheed Missiles and Space Company. The analysis was performed for various radius-to-thickness ratios and imperfection amplitudes. The purpose of the analytical program was to compute the buckling strength of underground cylindrical tanks, that are used for storage of nuclear wastes, for realistic geometric imperfections and internal pressure loads. This paper presents the results of the elastic-plastic analyses and compares them with other available information for various pressure loads

The Factors Affecting the Adoption of Enviromental Management Accounting in the Oil Refining and Petrochemical Companies with Structural Equation Modeling Aprpoach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zohre Karimi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Today, businesses must focus on profits on the one hand and social and environmental issues on the other hand to make balance between them. Conservation and sustainability are increasingly dependent on observance of corporate social responsibilities. For this reason, business units report on their sustainability and environmental accounting. The aim of this study was to examine and model the factors influencing the use of environmental management accounting tools from the points of view of financial managers and assistants who are in the oil refining and petrochemical companies. Method: The method used in this study was based on a descriptive survey and its design was quasi-experimental. For the field of study, a questionnaire including 5 general and 31 specific questions was used. The population consisted of financial administrators and assistants in oil refining and petrochemical companies, a subsidiary of the national oil company. There was no sampling method used and we tested the whole society including 182 people. To evaluate the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach’s Alpha and spilit-half were used. The measurement tools used in the study were reliable and none of the questions was removed. One sample t-test, Pearson correlation, confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis, structural equation modeling, two sample T-test and analysis of variance were performed by using LISREL and SPSS software. Results: The result of this test by using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation test showed that the significance level of all the factors were larger than 1/96 and all the routes specified in the model were significant. Culture of the society in dealing with environmental issues, with a significance level of 5/54, had the greatest impact among the factors influencing the use of environmental management accounting tools. Conclusion: According to the results of the study, it is recommended that, by using

ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY IN OIL COMPANIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ALBU MĂDĂLINA

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Like any other industrial activity, the production of hydrocarbons affects the environment both through the performance of actual technological process and through undesired accidents, which may occur. This paper presents environmental protection as an integral part of the sustainable development concept and it outlines the matter of environmental protection in connection with oil rigs and the assessment of ecologic impact. Environmental impact is direct or indirect effect of human activity that produces a change in the direction of development of the quality status of ecosystems. Control the impact requires detailed knowledge of the phenomenon, which involves the stages of identification, estimation, evaluation, etc. This is what is intended by the general concept of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA. The orientation of the economy towards sustainable development requires achieving a growth process conducted in terms of ensuring a social welfare of the population as high ensuring time and preserving the Earth and its natural resources. The purpose of all economic activity, as well as the activities in the oil industry, is getting competitive and efficient economic outcomes in the context of environmental-economic requirements imposed by the accession of Romania to the European Union . It is located at the interface eco-efficiency economic and social efficiency, which takes into account the ecological component in economic decision making because environmental issues are inseparable from the welfare and economic processes in general.

Privatization of oil companies in Latin America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsyth, A.; Mommer, B.; McBeth, B.

1995-01-01

Three linked articles explore the current movement towards privatization in the various countries of South America. While the progress away from state control varies from country to country, the first article argues that the movement will offer economic benefits to the Latin American petroleum industry as a whole, despite the political difficulties which must be overcome. In the second article, public distaste for the nationalization of the Venezuelan oil industry back in 1943, petroleum engineers, economists, private sector representatives and oil industry employees all oppose wholesale privatization, favouring national and private investment within Venezuela. The last author argues for an efficient regulatory framework to oversee privatization schemes. (UK)

Sharing oil revenues. Current status and good practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darmois, Gilles

2013-01-01

This document briefly presents a book in which the author analyzes and comments the evolution of the sharing of oil revenues at a time when producing countries can obtain better conditions from oil companies to exploit their resources. The author first describes the operation of the oil exploration-production industry and its three types of oil revenue. He introduces the issue of reserves with its technical, economic and political aspects. He describes the two main modalities of relationship between an oil State and an international company, discusses the organization options for an oil producing country to take the best out of its oil potential, comments the developments of contracting modalities. He proposes recommendations for States about benefits and drawbacks of the various contract options

Oil refining expansion criteria for Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavares, M.E.E.; Szklo, A.S.; Machado, G.V.; Schaeffer, R.; Mariano, J.B.; Sala, J.F.

2006-01-01

This paper assesses different strategies for the expansion of Brazil's oil refining segment, using criteria that range from energy security (reducing imports and vulnerability for key products) through to maximizing the profitability of this sector (boosting the output of higher value oil products) and adding value to Brazil's oil production (reducing exports of heavy acid oil). The development prospects are analyzed for conventional fuel production technology routes, sketching out three possible refining schemes for Brazilian oil and a GTL plant for producing gasoil from natural gas. Market scenario simulations indicate that investments will be required in Brazil's oil refining segment over and above those allocated to planned modifications in its current facilities, reducing the nation's vulnerability in terms of gasoil and petrochemical naphtha imports. Although not economically attractive, oil refining is a key activity that is crucial to oil company strategies. The decision to invest in this segment depends on local infrastructure conditions, environmental constraints and fuel specifications, in addition to oil company strategies, steady growth in demand and the definition of a government policy that eases institutional risks. (author)

Oil refining expansion criteria for Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavares, Marina Elisabete Espinho; Szklo, Alexandre Salem; Machado, Giovani Vitoria; Schaeffer, Roberto; Mariano, Jacqueline Barboza; Sala, Janaina Francisco

2006-01-01

This paper assesses different strategies for the expansion of Brazil's oil refining segment, using criteria that range from energy security (reducing imports and vulnerability for key products) through to maximizing the profitability of this sector (boosting the output of higher value oil products) and adding value to Brazil's oil production (reducing exports of heavy acid oil). The development prospects are analyzed for conventional fuel production technology routes, sketching out three possible refining schemes for Brazilian oil and a GTL plant for producing gasoil from natural gas. Market scenario simulations indicate that investments will be required in Brazil's oil refining segment over and above those allocated to planned modifications in its current facilities, reducing the nation's vulnerability in terms of gasoil and petrochemical naphtha imports. Although not economically attractive, oil refining is a key activity that is crucial to oil company strategies. The decision to invest in this segment depends on local infrastructure conditions, environmental constraints and fuel specifications, in addition to oil company strategies, steady growth in demand and the definition of a government policy that eases institutional risks

China Oil and Gas Market Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu, Yu

2004-08-01

China, with one-fifth of the world's population and one of the fastest rates of economic growth, is experiencing a boom in its energy requirements. China has been identified as a high priority market for the oil and gas sector. This priority has resulted in the high level of investment and many large-scale projects related to the oil and gas industry. Oil production from existing fields is expected to increase, new oil and gas fields will be developed, and the country's oil and gas transmission infrastructure will be extended to meet domestic demands. In addition, total domestic investment needs for the next three decades till 2030 are estimated at around $119 billion, and upstream exploration and development will account for about $69 billion. China's oil and gas exploitation business has been the biggest beneficiary of the bearish crude oil prices, national oil stockpile and the need of infrastructure. In the first six-month period of 2005, this industry has gained a profit of USD16.5 billion, up 73.4 per cent year-on-year. The country is becoming increasingly open to international oil companies, contractors and equipment suppliers, who can bring advanced technology, equipment, and management experience. In this context, considerable opportunities in the supply and service sectors are open to Dutch companies. This report analyses the present situation and market prospect of China upstream oil and gas industry, including: Current status of Chinese oil and gas industry analysis and future development forecast; Potential customers analysis, such as three stated-owned oil companies and their foreign partners;Domestic and foreign competitors analysis; Potential opportunities and challenges analysis; Providing contacts and information on main ongoing oil exploration and development projects, and business practices

Effects of dietary oil sources on egg quality, fatty acid composition of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The results of this study demonstrated that olive oil improved egg weight and egg shell quality compared to the other oils tested; fish and soyabean oil increased the omega-3 fatty acid level of egg yolk, and soyabean oil had positive effects on serum lipid concentrations. Incorporation of these oils into the diets of Japanese ...

When Oil and Wind Turbine Companies Make Green Sense Together