Monday, February 28, 2011

What Does Oil Drilling Entail?

Oil drilling can be a risky venture, but not if it is tackled the right way. It is also an expensive endeavor. The costs associated with oil and gas drilling can begin at a minimum of $400,000. Most oil wells also produce some amount of gas. The first ever oil wells are believed to have been sunk in China. Oil and gas drilling usually is completed in stages, such as planning the process, drilling the well, completing the well, producing crude oil, and, eventually, abandonment of the well after it has served its purpose. Energy Exploration, Inc. is trying to bring about innovation in the field of energy investments and is on the lookout for serious investors. Investing in energy exploration can prove to be a very lucrative venture in the long term.

Besides making a profit from the discovery of natural gas or oil, there are many tax advantages available to people who are involved in oil investments or gas investments. This is because the government recognizes the potential benefits associated with discovering new forms of energy. These include Congressional incentives, intangible drilling costs tax deductions, and alternative minimum taxes. The intangible drilling costs deduction can even mean that a substantial portion of the investment may be 100 percent deductible. The tax benefits differ for each individual, and consulting with your tax advisor will help you calculate the exemptions you can benefit from by investing. For example, a person in the tax bracket of 35 percent may claim up to an 80 percent deduction on an initial investment of $100,000. Energy Exploration, Inc. is focusing on drilling re-entry wells with proven resources to up the benefits to its investors. They are working toward establishing long-term investment relationships with prospective investors.

Choosing to rejuvenate old oil wells by using new means of technologies is catching on amongst oil exploring companies. These wells, which are known as re-entry wells, first have to be identified by experts from among different wells that are declining in terms of production. The re-entry process in itself is not a new one. In fact, it has been used by oil companies since the 1950s for various reasons.

Re-entry drilling systems can be of two types-conventional drilling or coiled tube drilling (CTD). The method used will depend on various factors, including the location of the well and the possible resources that it has left. Sidetracks are the chosen method for re-entering a well. This involves using conventional drilling fluids. Oil base mud systems and air drilling systems are the different types of options available for the purpose. If all factors involved are not considered fully, the chances of a successful operation are further weakened. Oklahoma and Arizona are believed to have a number of wells that are suitable for re-entry purposes. The staff at Energy Exploration, Inc. are qualified to help you understand what investing in Energy Exploration, Inc means to you and for the company. Their goal is to pursue projects that have at least a 90 percent success rate.  (ArticlesBase SC #3824785)

Saturday, February 26, 2011

All About Diamond Drilling Equipments

Diamond is the hardest naturally formed mineral found on earth. It is used not only for making expensive and beautiful jewelry but also for making drilling equipments. Since diamonds are very hard, they are ideal for making cutting and grinding equipments. Diamonds can be used to cut, drill, grind and polish. Thus it is greatly used in various industrial applications. Some of the common equipments used are the diamond tipped drill bit and the saw blades. Diamond powder is used as an abrasive in industries. The diamonds used for these purposes are of lesser quality and are called ‘bort’. Thus, there are two grades of diamonds - the gem grade diamond and the industrial grade diamond. The industrial grade diamonds should be hard and have heat conductivity.

The demand for diamonds is greater than the supply, so the diamond drill is very expensive. Although, there are a number of types of drills, the diamond drill is a very essential piece of equipment in an industry that needs to do a lot of drilling. The diamond drill is actually a drill with the diamond drill bit attached to the end of hollow drill rods. The diamonds used are fine to micro fine diamonds. To keep the sharpness and hardness of the diamond drill, it is necessary to give it sufficient lubrication and cooling. The holes made are very clean and giving the best results. The drilling has to be done slowly so that the life of the drill bits can be extended for a longer period of time. Drilling is a laborious process. It is also a tiring and demanding task and uses up a lot of physical energy. But, it needs to be done.

The diamonds drills can make holes in any type of substance, right from a soft one to a hard one. It includes bricks, metals, concrete and any other material without giving out much noise. The holes can be made quickly without any vibrations and much effort, since the drill is made of hard diamond. The diamond drilling equipments are long lasting and penetrate fast to drill a hole.

The diamond drilling equipments are used in all kinds of industrial applications. We are generally not aware of it many uses. They are used by the construction industry for making holes in bricks, concrete and iron. It is used in the mining industry to drill holes at places where there are mines. Wherever holes have to be made for placing cables, where anchoring bolts have to be placed and also where load carrying machines have to be installed, the diamond drilling equipments are used.

There are two types of drilling techniques. The dry drilling technique is used when concrete, hard surfaces, pavements, bricks or any hard surface has to be drilled. The wet drilling technique is used when the place that has to be drilled is fully under water.

The diamond drilling equipments are of different types. Synthetic diamonds are used in the impregnated bit’s matrix series. The matrix layer has the diamonds in a powdered metal bond. They have a long life and also penetrate fast. They are used in many forms of drilling. Surface set diamond bits have a single natural diamond layer. They have a hard matrix compound on the face of the bit. They are used while drilling soft to medium hard surfaces.

Diamond reaming shell has natural or synthetic diamonds. It is used to attach the drill bit to the core barrel. The main work of the reaming shell to make a hole that is exact in diameter for the core barrel to go through, having enough space for a new drill bit, when the old one has to be changed. Long diamond reaming shells are also available for drilling purposes.

Diamond core bits are thing walled core bits that are used in a large number of applications. They are used to drill holes in are concrete, glass, ceramics and also in all kinds of pipes used in electricity, drainage etc. Wet cut drill core bits and dry cut drill core bits are available for various purposes.

Synthetic diamond polycrystalline is also used in making drilling equipments. They are used in making drill bits, reaming shells, saw blades etc. Polycrystalline diamond pads or cutters (PDC) are placed in rows of polycrystalline diamonds kept on tungsten carbide substrate on the bit face, to drill holes in areas that are too sticky or soft. You have PDC core bits and PDC drill bits which are cost effective and very useful in drilling and cutting activities.

The diamond drilling equipments are no doubt expensive, but they are very effective in making clean holes that are necessary for all construction, mining and power, drainage, gas lines purposes. We should check out the various companies that manufacture these equipments, obtain details about the equipments and the price and then order the equipment that we need. The internet would be the best place to gather all the information.(ArticlesBase SC #852022)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Hammer Drills and Impact Drills and Their Differences

There are many differences in a lot of different power tools. Two tools that everybody loves are Hammer Drills and Impact Drills. These drills are used for different reasons. Both have there pros and cons in there usages. Hammer drills have more power to it as an impact drill will provide you with more torque. People use these drills for all different reasons. Depending on the manufacture that your drill is from you are able to get a drill in all different sizes and speeds and torque. A lot of drills are no capable to be battery powered as opposed to plugging them into the outlets. There are a few different voltages. They range from 12 volt up to 120 volts. There are many brand names that you can choose form. The list starts with DeWalt, Hilti, Hitachi, Milwaukee, and Makiti. They all have there differences between each manufacture and the differences between hammer drills and impact drills are not so common to always see.

When using a Hammer Drill it is important that you use the one that will get your job done correctly. There are so many different reasons to use a hammer drill. Whether you are just drilling in to the wall or if you are drilling into the ground there is always a hammer drill that will fit your needs. Its important that when looking for a drill you take a look at your job requirements and see what type of job it will be. A lot of drills are capable to provide you to use any size drill bits that will get you hole to the adequate size. There are safety precautions that you will need to know before you manually use these power tools. Authorized personal only.

Now as far as Impact Drills are concerned they have a lot of different qualities that will help you attack any type of job you are looking to pursue. From small to large you are able to use a variety of different brand name impact drills and drivers. People now use impact drills as there new screw driver. It's more convenient to use an impact drill/driver as opposed the the old school hand screw driver. The reasoning there is that you are not straining your hand or wrist when tightening a screw. The impact drill provides an easier way for you to do what you need to do whether the job is on a construction job site or just simply tightening the loose screw to your toilet paper rack. It is very easy to use and that is why people are turning to power tools now a days because they are more equipped for the ordinary user and installer. Impact drills also are able to insert different drill bits and spade bits so that you can attack any drilling need that you need to have done.  makita 7104l   (ArticlesBase SC #3613640)

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Oil Well Drilling Tools, Completion Tools

The advancements in oil and gas industry have fuelled the rapid growth of Indian economy. With the rise in consumption and sale of the oil products the efforts for oil drilling and oil extraction are increasing day by day. With a skilled team of trained application & completion engineers and two decades of manufacturing experience in oil industry, Sparta Oil Tools is a well recognized oil well drilling and completion solutions provider who can support reservoir recovery operations any where in the world.

Oil well drilling solutions

Drilling, completion and production are important phases in oil extraction process. These complex processes require employing advanced well drilling machinery, well completion machinery and production machinery for effective, quicker and easier extraction of oil from the wells. Sparta Oil Tools provides innovative technology developments in the form of flow control systems which are oil field flow control products to accelerate and control the flow of fluids during oil production processes. We excel in providing well designed external casing inflatable packers for oil drilling that are ideal for applications in HPHT, H2S and CO2 environments. These are manufactured with high strength casing steel materials and are best suitable for preventing gas migration and cement loss from thief zones. Our multiple set inflatable packers are field proven, reliable and flexible packers for open-hole applications which are designed to be inflated, deflated and re-inflated multiple times per run. Being well known manufactures of effective cementation for petroleum E & P companies we can provide latest welded and non-welded types of spring centralizers, turbolizers, hinged stop collars and stab-in float equipment for remedial cementing processes, squeeze cementing operations and other cementing and cement moving operations. Various kinds of liner hangers are often employed during oil drilling and production processes for hanging the liners in the existing casings. Sparta Tool's range of liner hangers offers well designed rotating and non-rotating types of mechanical set liner hangers and hydraulic set liner hangers which help to simplify your liner applications by offering well design options for hanging exceptionally heavy liners. Our exclusive line pipe accessories range includes swivel flanges, adapter flanges, weld neck flanges and steel hose assemblies designed to meet various piping needs of the customers.

Oil well completion solutions

Once the drilling and casing operations are finished, completion process is employed for enabling the well to produce oil and gas. Sparta provides advanced well completion tools for E & P companies that have the ability to offer best services for onshore and offshore hole completions. Our mechanical set production packers and compression set production packers are the ideal packers for production, stimulation and injection purposes that can withstand the pressure ratings up to 6000 psi. We also offer high quality rotation set production packers which are best sources for zonal isolation applications. Our wireline set retrievable bridge plugs provide safe and economical methods for zone isolation, formation fracturing, acidizing, and surface equipment repair. The cast iron bridge plugs and composite bridge plugs are ideal varieties of high pressure bridge plugs made of drillable cast-iron available for different tubing purposes.

So whatever may be the requirement for oil drilling and completion equipments whether it is exotic alloy steel, specialized elastomer, premium thread connections or special coatings, Sparta Oil Tools leverages its best expertise to provide ESP 'Y' tools and accessories, NACE, API & ISO oil tools to satisfy customer's needs for high quality and cost effective oil tools.    (ArticlesBase SC #3482365)

Monday, February 21, 2011

Comparison of CO2 Emissions for Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel

Table 1and Figure 1summarize CO2 flows from the total life cycles of biodiesel and petroleum diesel and the total CO2 released at the tailpipe for each fuel. The dominant source of CO2 for both the petroleum diesel and the biodiesel life cycles is the combustion of fuel in the bus. For petroleum diesel, CO2 emitted from the tailpipe represents 86.54% of the total CO2 emitted across the entire life cycle of the fuel. Most remaining CO2 comes from emissions at the oil refinery, which contribute 9.6% of the total CO2 emissions. For biodiesel, 84.43% of the CO2 emissions occur at the tailpipe. The remaining CO2 comes almost equally from soybean agriculture, soybean crushing, and soy oil conversion to biodiesel. Figure 2 shows the effect of biodiesel blend levels on CO2 emissions.



Figure 1: Comparison of Net CO2 Life Cycle Emissions for Petroleum Diesel and Biodiesel Blends*

*Net CO2 calculated by setting biomass CO2 emissions from the tailpipe to zero.



Table 1: Tailpipe Contribution to Total Life Cycle CO2 form Petroleum Diesel and Bio diesel (g CO2/ bhp- h)



Figure 2: Effect of Biodiesel Blend Level on CO2 Emissions

At the tailpipe, biodiesel (most of which is renewable) emits 4.7% more CO2 than petroleum diesel. The nonrenewable portion comes from the methanol. Biodiesel generates 573.96 g/bhp-h compared to 548.02 g/bhp-h for petroleum diesel. The higher CO2 levels result from more complete combustion and the concomitant reductions in other carbon-containing tailpipe emissions. As Figure 1 shows, the overall life cycle emissions of CO2 from B100 are 78.45% lower than those of petroleum diesel. The reduction is a direct result o  carbon recycling in soybean plants. B20 reduces net CO2 emissions by 15.66%.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Oil Sorbents - Step by Step Easy to Follow Directions For Using Them

Cleaning up oil spills is a responsibility that all users whether in land or in water need to take seriously. The harmful effects of oil spills on the environment stretches not only to the marine life but to the fishing industry and to the resorts and recreation areas. Even our drinking water supply could be affected by oil spills. Luckily, cleaning up these spills are now easier with various efficient implements now available. Sorbents or absorbent sponges made from substances much like those used in diapers. There are those oil sorbents though that are made of natural materials such as straw, grasses, coconut husks, or wood chips. In most spill cleanup materials, the most common oil sorbents used is polypropylene.

When you buy oil sorbents, they usually come with easy step-by-step directions for use. Depending on what and where the oil spill is as well as the size of the spill, there are oil sorbents that can perform the clean up task effectively. Oil sorbents are among the widest product lines in the spill cleanup implements industry. There are booms to contain spills from boats in open waters, and mats and pads to wipe up small machinery oil spills. Here is a rundown of some of the most popular oil sorbents:

1. Universal Absorbent Pads - these pads are multi-purpose spill pads. These can either be used for water-based or oil-based spills. Its dimpled pattern makes the pad more efficient in soaking up liquids while at the same time keeping its shape and integrity. These pads can be used in regular everyday oil spillages in small machine shops.

2. Economy Oil Pads - these pads are oil-only pads capable of absorbing hydrocarbons and oil-based fluids. Made of one layer of hydrophobic oil-only polypropylene, these pads are water repellent and floats on water. They come in white colored pads that are considered to be cost-effective and economical.

3. Anti-Static Absorbent Pads - are especially useful in cleaning up flammable substances in low humidity areas where sparking can occur at any time. These pads absorb all hydrocarbons and repels water.

4. Oil Absorbent-Oil Containment Boom - these sausage-shaped poly sock skin is filled with highly absorbent polypropylene and covered with a mesh outer sleeve. These booms are best used in oil spills in open waters. They float on the water's surface along with the oil and keeps the oil within its perimeter preventing its spread.

5. Oil Absorbent Sweep - this is used to skim off whatever oil film is left behind after a cleanup. Sweeps are made of multilaminates that are durable and sturdy to withstand the rigors of cleanup. These sweeps float on water and will not sweep even when saturated with oil.

Even with the variety of oil sorbents, these sorbents are generally used in the same way. There are those that are used for containment, those that are used for wiping off, those that are used for soaking, and those that are used for prevention. Knowing the right oil sorbent to use for particular spills is something that the spill response team should be trained on. When spills happen, the spill response team should follow the following easy steps:

1. Contain the spill.
2. Soak up and mop up the spill.
3. Dispose of the collected spill material properly.
4. Recommend and install preventive measures for future spills. (ArticlesBase SC #1310289)

Buy and Sell Crude Oil - Most Profitable Way to Do It

There is a profitable way to buy and sell petroleum. There are four major things you will need in order to succeed from this business. They are namely:

1. Funds: you will need funds to buy petroleum. You will need a minimum of $100,000,000 US. The amount of money can get you up to 2 million barrels of petroleum. You will also need about 5 to 10 million USD for expenses.

2. Petroleum seller: you will need a crude oil seller or supplier where you can purchase the petroleum from. This one is not a major problem as long as you have the funds.

3. Tanker: you will need a tank where you will be able to store the crude oil. If you want to build a petroleum storage tank, then you may as well rent one. This one is going to be costly, so it is better for you to build your own tank and save cost.

4. Petroleum buyer: this one is also not a major problem. The reason is because they are many buyers of crude oil aggressively searching for available crude oil to buy mainly in USA and Europe. As long as cars and factories are concerned, crude oil will always be in high demand.

The idea to make lots of money from buying and selling crude oil is to buy crude when it is very cheap and sell it when it is expensive. That is you will buy it when the price is low and sell it when the price is high. You will need to buy a piece of land and build the crude oil storage tank that can be able to store as much crude oil as you want. The crude oil storage tank could be an underground tank or surface tank.

Once you have finished building a storage tank, the next step is to buy petroleum. If you have funds at hand building storage tanks that can store up to 2 million barrels of petroleum or as much as you want will not take more than 2 months. The next step is to find petroleum available for sale. This will be an easy process if you know where to look. You can start to source for crude oil available for purchase at oil producing countries. You will be able to buy them through this means for cheap rather than when you do so through resellers.

There are two ways to get petroleum from Nigeria. One is through getting oil allocation from NNPC. NNPC fully means Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation. It is a government agency responsible for selling and buying of crude oil. You will need:

1. Proof of up to $100,000,000

2. Performance bond of up to $1,000,000

3. You will be required to own a local oil refinery, international refinery and a major oil trader.

If you are not ready for these conditions, then you can buy from persons who have already gotten oil allocation. People who have got oil allocation from NNPC must always end up selling the petroleum they have purchased. You can buy from this set of people. Example of this type of oil trader to buy your crude oil from is Yamal Gas Progress etc.

Once you have found a seller, the next step is to negotiate and close a deal. There are four ways used for selling petroleum. They are namely FOB, TTT, TTO, and CIF. CIF means cost, insurance and freight. It is a method of selling petroleum where the seller does everything from loading and sending the crude oil to the place the buyer wants. This kind of method is usually hard to fit and most sellers do not like dealing this way. FOB fully means freight on board.

The most widely method used method for selling oil is TTO and TTT. TTO simply means tanker take over. In this method, the buyer takes over the vessel to his destination, offloads the crude oil and brings it back.

TTT simply means tanker to tanker. It requires the buyer to come with a tank while the oil is transshipped and everything is settled.

Payment for the product is usually through swift or wire transfer. This can either be done through bank to bank by means of MT799. Irrevocable of letter of credit may also be used for payment etc.

Once you have bought the product, transfer the crude to your storage tank and relax. Continue to monitor the price of oil to see when it will increase. Conflicts between Iran and USA, and USA and Iran, and the one between South Korea and North Korea, and North Korea and the rest of other countries can cause the price of petroleum to increase. Conflicts in Niger Delta of Nigeria and Middle East as a whole can also cause the price of crude to skyrocket. Disasters like Hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding cities in USA along the gulf may also increase the price of oil.

Once the price of crude increases, it is time to sell it off. If the price of a barrel of crude was at $78 and it increased to $100 or more, I believe you know how much you would have gained. Let say all the expenses you made and the price of a barrel of petroleum stands at $70 per barrel, then crude oil increases to $100 and you sell it off. The amount you will gain becomes $30 times 2,000,000 which will give you $60,000,000. This is cool bucks to make in a day. The way to find buyers for your petroleum is to write a letter with your company letterhead and POP (proof of product) to oil refineries. State the price you want to sell per barrel and anything to convince the oil refineries to buy your petroleum. This is tested and proven to deliver profitable type of oil trading.

Now Pay Close Attention --

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Friday, February 18, 2011

Mud Density and Its Importances for The Drilling Operation

Mud weight or mud density is one of the important drilling fluid properties because it balances and controls formation pressure. Moreover, it also helps wellbore stability. Weight of drilling mud is measured and reported in pounds per gallon (PPG), pound per cubic feet (lb/cu.ft), or grams per milliliter (b/ml).

Mud density is normally measured by a conventional mud balance; however, if you have some air inside a fluid phase, reading from the conventional mud balance will give you an inaccurate number. Therefore, the most accurate method to measure the mud weight is with a pressurized mud balance.

The pressurized mud balance looks like the convention one, but it has a pressurized sample cup. When you press mud sample in the cup, any gas in fluid phase is compressed to very small volume so the mud weight measurement is more accurate.

What will be happened if there is insufficient drilling fluid density?
1. Well control - The well will be in an under balance condition so any formation fluids - gas, oil, and water- will enter into the wellbore.

2. Wellbore collapse (wellbore instability) - the wellbore will possibly become unstable, if the hydrostatic pressure provided by a mud column is below formation pressure.

What will be happened if the mud weight is too high?
1. Lost circulation - If the hydrostatic pressure from mud column exceeds formation strength, it will cause formation to break. Once the formation is broken, the drilling fluids will lose into the induced formation fractures.

2. Decrease in rate of penetration - The more density you have while drilling, the less ROP will be. Practically, while drilling, low mud weight is used at the beginning and weight will be increased as the well is drilled deeper in order to optimize ROP.

3. Stuck pipe - Since there are differences between the formation pressure and the hydrostatic pressure, there will be a lot of chances that a drill string will get differentially stuck across permeable rocks.

4. Formation damage - The more mud weight is in the well, the more mud filtration invades into porous formations. The invaded mud will cause damage to formation rocks. (ArticlesBase SC #3808190)

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

What are Oil Seeps?

Put simply, oil seeps are naturally occurring oil and natural gas “springs” which rise from oil reservoirs within the earth and emerge at the surface. Seeps usually contain some mixture of natural gas, crude oil, water and asphaltum, which is a thick substance commonly known as tar. Similar to the manner in which freshwater springs on the earth’s surface originate from collected water underground, oil seeps originate from underground collections of oil that have accumulated within porous rock and have been contained by impermeable rock.

Oil seeps occur both on shore and under water, and provide valuable insight about the location of oil reservoirs deep within the earth. Since we have yet to develop a one hundred percent accurate way of determining the location of underground oil reservoirs, the presence of oil seeps provides valuable clues that can reduce the risk of wasted capital for oil drilling endeavors by companies such as Western Pipeline Corporation. The first project believed to have been dedicated to drilling for oil, led by Edwin Drake, took place in Titusville, Pennsylvania, in an area that was chosen in part because of the known oil seeps.

Oil seeps provide a natural resource which has been used by humans for various purposes throughout history, long before the advent of commercial drilling as we know it today. Native Americans are believed to have used resources collected from oil seeps for such purposes as lantern fuel, lubricant for wagon wheels and adhesive for weapons and canoes centuries ago. Asphaltum from seeps is also believed to have been used by such civilizations as face paint and for decorative additions to bowls and jewelry.

Oil seeps on land, though they may only release small amounts of oil and be difficult to see, provide scientists with important clues about the underground environment and the potential of an oil reservoir being located beneath. Likewise, oil seeps in the ocean are evidence of possible oil reservoirs below the sea floor, which modern oil drilling technology is now capable of extracting. Oil and natural gas released through vents in the ocean floor float and collect on the surface of the water, often forming oil covered natural gas bubbles and eventually a film of oil on the surface, making them easy to locate. Over time, large amounts of oil collect on the surface that eventually become visible from satellite images. Combined with information from other technologies, satellite analysis of oil seeps can provide scientists important data about the type of oil that is present as well as the potential for successful excavation.

The presence of oil seeps leading to further exploration has resulted in the discoveries of numerous productive oil reservoirs in the past. Without the natural clues about subsurface activity provided by oil seeps, we may have never discovered oil and its many commercial uses that are so common today. (ArticlesBase SC #173478)

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Risks of Fuelling up

A great number of industrialists want to purchase gasoline station establishments for business opportunities because the industry has always managed to carry on whether if the economy is strong or unstable. Similar to a grocery outlet or energy and water provider, a gasoline station provides a commodity that almost everyone needs. Having a second business in addition to the station will return more profit especially if it goes together with the main service such as a car wash or convenience store. To run such business, no special college degree or study is required as it only needs the most basic knowledge of buying and selling to run it competently.

This kind of enterprise, however, is not for everyone. When planning an undertaking on the gasoline station business, an approaching franchise buyer must understand that there are many risks involved and if possible, he must learn the ways on how to avoid them as so the entrepreneur can enjoy the success of having an established investment. Getting the grounds contaminated is the most frequent problem among petroleum merchants who have not upgraded to the latest leak-proof bunds and storage tanks. Many residential areas near the station have imposed safety and environmental rules and regulations and any leakage found within the area is subject to having the gas station closed and the contaminated area cleaned. The more advanced petroleum operators have resorted out into using the newest in waterproofing and sealing technology system which is the Polyprufe Bund Lining from MacLennan LSE. In this process, the bund tanking is coated with Polyurea bund coating which makes the storage structure of the bund resistant to corrosion, rust and other factors that might cause liquids to combine accidentally.

Having a gasoline station is a sure ball business. Everyone needs it and no matter how expensive it becomes, people will always find a way to acquire some. Keeping the facilities and area clean and well maintained by having bund waterproofing is a contributing factor in keeping your business thriving for many years to come.
(ArticlesBase SC #3395439)

Commercial fuel Pipelines.

Commercial pipelines deliver fuel to the base fuel storage tanks. These pipelines are usually underground except at tie-in connections to the base pipelines. These pipelines are constructed on government property by issuing real estate easements. Typically, crosscountry pipelines are owned, operated, and maintained by civilian agencies. When a pipeline system is under contract to a civilian agency, civilian responsibility for maintaining the pipeline usually terminates at some point near where the pipeline enters the base. From this point to the bulk fuel storage area, the responsibility for maintenance is assigned to the BCE. The BCE is authorized to perform emergency maintenance on on-base commercial pipelines, if necessary, to protect against environmental damage to public property or meet emergency wartime mission requirements. The real estate easement agreement with the pipeline owner takes note of this and provides for suitable contractor reimbursement to the government. Government-owned or -leased cross-country pipeline systems and marine facilities are in common use in oversea areas. In some areas Air Force personnel maintain these systems.

Monday, February 14, 2011

High Oil Prices Mean Invest in Coal-to-liquid Technology (ctl)

Who in their right mind would consider a Coal-To-Liquid Technology(CTL) investment when we have plenty of oil supplies? You should. Because we dont.

Yes, oil prices are high. But crude production has peaked. Output in all major fields is fixed, or is declining. New oil fields are smaller and harder to get at, and extraction techniques are getting more difficult and expensive. Energy demand around the world is rocketting. Oil prices are rising steeply. Increasing political unrest means uncertain supplies, and the markets hate uncertainty.

That suggests oil substitute fuels like liquid coal will be needed soon. The obvious oil substitutes-liquid natural gas, oil sands, biofuels, fuel cells, renewable sources and nuclear power can't meeting total demand at a reasonable cost for the next decade at least.

What is likely to be the solution? Large supplies of coal. Combined with a long-used proven technology which can convert coal into a clean pumpable liquid with low burnoff emissions- CTL. Both are now readily available at competitive costs.

There are vast available coal deposits in the USA, China, India ,Canada, and Australia, allowing enough liquid coal for scores, maybe hundreds of years, even if demand accelerates.

Note that the Middle East has declining oil and virtually no coal.

Once oil prices rise above $35 a barrel, coal-to-liquid technology providing liquid coal at $20-$30/barrel begins looking very attractive as an oil alternative. Presently oil prices remain above $60, show no sign of descending and could peak at $100-$150 a barrel - IF available from anywhere. This would potentially lead to gasoline at $8/gallon at US pumps and widespread recession.

Other technologies such as coal gasification and gas-to-liquids (GTL) are currently cheaper than coal liquefaction and so some companies afraid of a downturn in oil prices and seeking the best current investment returns may be tempted by those instead.

However China and the US-now the two major powerhouses of world industry-are likely to opt for liquid coal on the basis of huge cheap domestic supplies and the incentive of non reliance of volatile outside markets.

China is an fast awaking industrial giant. They need vast amounts of energy badly for electricity for factories homes and schools, have little oil but lots of coal. Trouble is, the coal is in the north, and industrial developments in the south, China is huge and the roads and railways are presently poor.

It's hard to transport solid coal then burn it and create lots of pollution, but much easier and ultimately cheaper to pump clean liquid coal by pipeline.

The government there doesn’t argue or debate issues with the public-with collaboration with Royal Dutch Shell, they have already started to build a liquid coal plant in the Ningxia region, with three more on the way.

Also, consider the car. Demand is growing worldwide. But so are demands for cleaner more efficient vehicles. Liquid coal can be used to make both gasoline or diesel fuel. But the most ecofriendly efficient car of the near future probably WON'T be a electric-gasoline hybrid but an electric-diesel hybrid. This will have similar refinement and performance but far better overall miles per gallon, lower emissions.

Also note that China and India plan to break into the car production market and will be in a powerful position to provide cheap clean fuel-efficient cars to their own vast markets and overseas.

Extra pressure on car manufacturers (dependent on crude oil and suffering from high production costs) and already hovering on the brink of bankruptcy in the US? Or to switch production heavily towards hybrids?

Liquid coal - way to go!

Present coal plants can't and wont use oil for a fuel- burn profile is wrong and way too expensive. However any existing coal plant that presently burns coal will be able to burn liquid coal too. Efficient, kinder to the environment, no sulfur, mercury or ash AND less smells dust and fumes.

Expect politicians to push CTL and give it an easy tax ride for the same reasons they are presently favoring biofuels like ethanol:

(1) there’s the lure of a vote winning rural job-creation side from an industry otherwise viewed as declining.

(2) Many Western voters and investors are getting worried about the security implications of depending on their energy supplies from increasingly unfriendly or unstable nations.

(3) Many environmentalists, given the right conditions (e.g. high carbon capture at CTL plants, alternatives like nuclear energy), are likely to warm to CTL because of its overall cleaner profile.

Many firms are already investing in CTL. Forget oil and other oil substitutes for the moment. Look into it now if you are interested, and look for CTL specialists like Headwaters, Syntroleum Corp, and Rentech, and particuliarly, the highly experienced South African company, Sasol.  (ArticlesBase SC #114657)

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Installation of Gas Pipes

Installation, repair and replacement of gas piping or appliances shall be performed only by a qualified installing agency or gas fitter.

Protection of piping
Piping shall be buried to a sufficient depth or covered in a manner so as to protect the piping from physical damage. Measures should be taken to protect the piping from physical damage when it passes through flower beds, shrub beds and other such cultivated areas.

Protection against corrosion
Gas piping in contact with earth or other materials which will corrode the piping shall be protected against corrosion in an approved manner. When dissimilar metals are joined underground, an insulated coupling shall be used. Metallic piping shall not be laid in contact with cinder or ash.

Piping through foundation wall
Underground gas piping, when installed below grade through the outer foundation or basement wall of building, shall be either encased in a sleeve or otherwise protected against corrosion. The piping or sleeve shall be sealed at the foundation or basement wall to prevent entry of gas or water. 

Piping underground beneath buildings
If the laying of gas piping underground beneath buildings can not be avoided, the piping shall be encased in a conduit. The conduit shall extend into a normally usable and accessible portion of the building and, at the point where the conduit terminates in the building, the space between the conduit and the gas piping shall be sealed to prevent the entrance of gas from any possible leakage. The conduit shall extend at least 100 mm outside the building, be vented above grade to the outside and be installed in such a way as to prevent the entrance of water and moisture.

Building structure
The building shall not be weakened by the installation of any gas piping. Existing beams and joists shall not be cut or notched.

Piping supports
Gas piping in buildings, shall be supported with pipe hooks, metal pipe straps, bands or hangers of an approved type and material suitable for the size of piping, and located at specified intervals so that the piping cannot be moved accidentally from the installed position. Gas piping shall not be supported by other piping.

Piping entrance to buildings
When gas pipe enters a building through a wall or floor of masonry or concrete, it shall be sealed against the entrance of water, moisture or gas.

Piping in floors
Piping in solid floors, such as concrete, shall be laid in a channels in the floor suitably covered to provide access to the piping with a minimum damage to the building.

Changes in direction of gas pipe shall be made by the use of approved fittings, factory bends or field bends. Field bends shall be made by employing approved procedures and equipment.

Gas piping inside any building shall not be run in or through an air duct, chimney or gas vent, ventilation duct or elevator shaft. Gas piping shall not be taken through inaccessible or concealed areas where its condition cannot be inspected and accumulation of gas due to undetected leakage may create a dangerous condition.

Provides Drips Where Necessary
A drip shall be provided at any point in the line of pipe where condensate may collect. When condensation is excessive, a drip should be provided at the outlet of the meter. This drip should be so installed as to constitute a trap wherein an accumulation of condensate will shutoff the flow of gas before it will run back into the meter. All drips installed shall be readily accessible to permit cleaning, inspection or emptying. 

Cap All Outlets
Each outlet, including a valve or cock outlet, shall be firmly closed gas tight with a threaded plug or cap immediately after installation and shall be left closed until an appliance is connected thereto. Similarly, when an appliance is disconnected from an outlet and the outlet is not to be used again immediately, it shall be firmly closed gas-tight. The outlet shall be closed with tin caps, wooden plugs, corks or by other improvised means or objects. Use of a listed quick disconnect device is acceptable.

Prohibited Devices
Any device that will reduce the flow cross-sectional area or otherwise obstruct the free flow of gas shall not be inserted or placed inside the gas pipe or fittings.

Branch Pipe Connection
All branch pipe connections and outlets shall be taken from the top or sides of horizontal lines and not from the bottom.

Electrical Bonding and Grounding
The gas piping shall be electrically continuous throughout its length and earthed except in sections where cathodic protection system is used for protection against corrosion. The piping shall not be used to ground any electrical equipment.

Distance from Electrical Wiring
The distance between the gas piping and electrical wiring system shall be at least 60 mm. They shall be fixed to prevent contact due to movement. The gas piping should be installed below the electrical wiring. 

Distance from Stream piping
The gas piping and stream piping,if installed parallel, shall be at least 150 mm apart. The gas piping should preferably be installed below the steam piping. 

Gas piping to be Graded
All gas piping shall be graded not less than 1 in 750 to prevent accumulation of condensate or liquids in the line. All horizontal lines shall graded to risers, and from the risers, to the meter, or service regulator when there is no meter, or to the appliance.

The gas piping shall be painted red in order to differentiate it from other piping. Where the piping is exposed to sun rays, it shall be painted silver gray.

Documentation shall be maintained for all gas supply installations.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

What Is Directional Drilling And Why Is It Used?

Directional drilling is the practice of drilling non-vertical wells.  This was invented in the 1920s when it was originally used in the oil fields to increase oil production.  In the earlier 1990's the technology was adapted for utility installations. Directional bores have been installed for pipelines carrying things such as oil, natural gas, petrochemicals, water, sewerage and other products.  Besides crossing under highways, railroads, airport runways and areas with a lot of building congestion, installations have been made under rivers and waterways and protected wetlands.

There are three stages to go through when installing directional borings.  The first stage is called Pilot Hole.  A pilot hole is horizontal drilling that continues under and across an obstacle.  An electronic transmitter sends a signal to the surface which is read by the receiver.  This then transmits the information back to the drill rig operator.  The driller can then steer the bore path in any direction needed.

The second stage is called Pre-ream.  Once the pilot hole is complete, the hole must be enlarged to a suitable diameter to safely install the product lines.  This is accomplished by "pre-reaming" the hole to a larger diameter.  A reamer is pulled back and rotated while drilling fluid is pumped to cut and remove solids in the hole.  Usually, the reamer is attached to the drill string on the opposite end of the borehole and pulled back into the pilot hole.

Lastly, the third stage is called Pullback.  Once the drilled hole is enlarged, the conduit can be pulled through it.  A reamer is attached to the drill string and then connected to the product by a swivel.  The swivel allows the reamer to turn without turning the product with it.  The drilling rig then begins the pullback operation, rotating and pulling on the drill string as well as circulating the drilling fluids.

The use of directional drilling is growing rapidly and is expected to continue to grow in popularity in the future.
(ArticlesBase SC #3318825)

Friday, February 11, 2011

Line Patrols: A Off-Base Piping System Inspections

Inspections are made by line walkers, vehicles, and light aircraft. Air patrols should be flown not less than once every three weeks at an elevation of less than 152 meters (500 feet) from the ground and at speeds from 104 to 128 kilometers per hour (65 to 80 miles per hour). The pipeline should be marked with posts or signs at 1.6-kilometer (1-mile) intervals and at bends. The pilot acts as an observer who checks for unnatural changes in vegetation color and oil slicks on lakes and streams which are evidence of leaking pipelines; area construction work (e.g., roads, sewers) that could cross and possibly damage the pipeline; and the overall condition of the right-of-way. Line walkers or vehicle patrols make detailed inspections once a year of the entire pipeline, checking the general condition of the right-of-way, valves in remote areas, supports on above ground pipelines, and any condition that may indicate a leak.

Seismic Energy Dissipation Devices

Seismic Energy Dissipation Devices