New Mexico State University and ExxonMobil said this week they are collaborating on a research project on wastewater produced by the oil and gas industry. Chancellor Dan Arvizu said Monday the agreement “illustrates NMSU’s strength in water and environmental engineering research.” Professor Pei Xu is leading NMSU’s participation “to develop cutting-edge technologies for produced water […]
H2S: Subtle But Deadly
Greetings and salutations my fellow safety enthusiasts. Another day and another dollar, if the oil price goes back up, lol. We’ve been through downturns before, and in all likelihood we will go through it again. I think this is the 7th downturn that I’ve experienced in my short 49 years in the Patch—give or take […]
Texas LNG receives TCEQ permit for export terminal
Houston-based Texas LNG received a state permit last week for its proposed export terminal at Port of Brownsville. Houston Chronicle said the permit received May 6 from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality had “stricter air pollution standards than the company had previously proposed.” The permit authorizes Texas LNG to produce up to four million metric […]
Commission allows temporary storage of oil in other underground places
Railroad Commission of Texas voted at its meeting this week to allow companies to store crude oil underground in places other than salt caverns. “This order does not suspend any rule that protects public safety, health or the prevention of pollution,” chairman Wayne Christian said Tuesday. Associated Press said the new rule, proposed by the […]
Where Will All the Water Go?
As operators in the Permian and elsewhere across the United States and around the world announce capex cuts of 50 percent or more, drilling rigs are stacking up like dry bones in the valley. A two-thirds (so far) reduction in drilling means a similar cut in frac’ing. Saltwater disposal wells (SWDs) and their attached pipelines […]
Industry groups dispute new EDF research on growing emissions
A new study from Environmental Defense Fund and Harvard University released April 22 said methane emitted by oil and gas companies through venting and flaring in Permian Basin continues to grow to record levels. And industry groups such as Texas Methane and Flaring Coalition and Texas Oil and Gas Association continue to criticize the EDF […]
Riding the Wave
With the proliferation of hydraulic fracturing since around 2010, the good news is that oil and gas production have exploded, reaching never-before-seen levels and practically eliminating net imports. The challenge, however is that fracturing requires millions of barrels of water—fresh or recycled—and also produces millions of barrels of water that must be reused or returned […]
Situational Awareness
Greetings and salutations! Welcome back to this month’s discussion on Safety in the Permian Basin! Let’s get right to it. As you are keenly aware, the global and stateside political climate is strained. (That’s like calling Moby Dick a guppy.) Tension in the Middle East is also high. American society is divided and in a […]
Recipe for Success:
A new breed of service companies seeks to combine efficiency and environment. The word “green” can mean different things to different people these days. To the accounting department it means money. To the public, including investors, it can mean environmentally friendly. Often those two meanings are at odds. At least two service companies with a […]
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Greetings and salutations! Another great day in the wide world of safety, said no one ever, LOL. Not many people even like the subject of safety, but it is extremely popular among safety people. It’s kind of like when engineers get together and tell engineer jokes, when no one understands the jokes except for engineers. […]
