Current Issue Contents - January 2020

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Instead of continuing to force the round peg of sweet unconventional oil production into the square hole of sour-oriented U.S. refining capacity, the United States has reversed an anachronistic law and re-introduced its crude to global markets. The fact that U.S. oil exports have skyrocketed 400% in the less than half a decade since evinces the wisdom of that decision, but connecting still more U.S. energy supplies with consumers worldwide requires plenty of new infrastructure. Fortunately, far-sighted companies have been investing in the types of projects that will get more U.S. crude oil to end-users around the world. A profile of Contango Oil & Gas Company shows how it is returning to its roots with a heavy dose of Gulf of Mexico Shelf exploration. February’s special sections open with part two of the Unconventional Resource Science reports, which include a look at how high-definition downhole video lifts the veil on completions to enable a whole new level of understanding. The Improved Oil Recovery reports look at how multiphase pumping can improve economics for a variety of projects, including wells that have been pumping for years. Association news includes Official Convention Sections for IOGA, OOGA and LOGA. Cover courtesy of the Port of Corpus Christi. Issue photography courtesy of Leistritz Advanced Technologies Corp.

U.S. CRUDE OIL

COVER STORY: U.S. crude oil export volumes are climbing by the month. In the four years since Congress lifted the ban on oil exports and the inaugural shipment of American oil debarked the South Texas coast from the Port of Corpus Christi, outbound cargos have quadrupled. This rapid export growth reflects the slower, but equally impressive ascent in total domestic oil production, which has effectively doubled over the past decade. The incremental growth, of course, is coming from onshore tight resource plays, which generally produce light, sweet crudes. While U.S. refineries designed for heavier grades are retooling to take full advantage of the domestic bounty, a maze of new pipelines, midstream plants and export facilities is moving American oil to Europe, Asia and other international markets, where it often commands premium prices. This is tying U.S. crude prices more closely with regional price benchmarks in other parts of the world. | by Colter Cookson

• Gulf Shelf Pivotal To Contango’s Strategy | by Al Pickett

UNCONVENTIONAL RESOURCE SCIENCE

• High-Definition Video Offers Useful Insights Into Completion Efficiency | by Curtis Jerrom and Ashley Cote
• Automation Optimizes Water Handling | by Jonathan Cox

IMPROVED OIL RECOVERY

• Multiphase Technologies Increase Production, Improve Recovery | by Sven Olson Sr.