The year 2019 began with the the frac industry under pressure as a whole, and pressure pumpers were no exception. A sudden oil price drop in December, coupled with downward pricing impetus from backlogged pipelines and year-end budget exhaustion led to a drop in completions—and a freefall in demand for fracturing crews and frac sand. […]
Big Spring, Moviemaking Mecca
by Jesse Mullins BIG SPRING, TEXAS—Members of the cast and crew of The Iron Orchard descended upon Big Spring, Texas, in late February as part of their publicity tour for the theatrical release of their new film. On the evening of the 21st, they were in attendance at the city’s Cinemark multiplex for a screening […]
Legislature Picks Up Pace
Oil Industry Keeps Watchful Eye on High-Impact Proposals by Julie Anderson As March came to a close, Texas lawmakers had cleared one major hurdle: March 8. The 60th day of the 86th Legislative Session was the deadline for the unrestricted filing of bills and joint resolutions other than local bills, emergency appropriations, and emergency […]
Character Matters
The prime mover behind Midland Energy, S. Javaid Anwar, was feted by a full house as the PBPA bestowed its highest lifetime honor, the Top Hand Award, on this deserving recipient. MIDLAND, TEXAS—This year’s year’s Top Hand Award Banquet honoring S. Javaid Anwar of Midland Energy Inc. fetched hundreds of PBPA members and other individuals […]
Determining Legislative Fate
Industry Issues Spread Across Multiple Committees by Julie Anderson On the 45th day of the Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, the Legislative Reference Library published a set of statistics that paints a clear picture of the intrinsic value of legislative committees. As of Feb. 21, the Texas House of Representatives had filed 2,277 bills, […]
I.T. is what I.T. is
In the field and in the back office, information technology, and the automation that arises from it, continues to boost efficiency. This is not your father’s automation. By Paul Wiseman For decades, oilfield automation was controlled by devices called Programmable Logic Controllers. A PLC is a small, limited function computer that controls process in […]
Drilling Deeper: Fresh Approaches and First Steps
In this month’s roundup of news and views, the business of starting afresh strikes a common chord. These are the full versions of the “Drilling Deeper” news items that appeared as abbreviated versions in the print edition of PB Oil and Gas Magazine’s March 2019 issue. IAC Opens In-Basin Facility For Resin Coating Industrial […]
Automation Gets in Gear
The steps-saving discipline that is automation keeps expanding its realm. From a service company’s back office to a producer’s onsite operations to injection chemicals at remote locations—and far beyond—automation continues to spread its ability to streamline and inform oil patch operations. Innovators in those three areas share their expertise. By Paul Wiseman Transparency and Accountability […]
Digging Into The Dug, Part 2
It was sand, water, logistics, services, and completion technology as the second full day of the DUG Permian Basin Conference brought the event to a conclusion. The two days in Fort Worth were an immersion course in Basin basics. By Jesse Mullins | Photography by Tom Fox Last month we shared the messages of Day […]
Driven to Succeed
Basin-area trucking firms face a shortage of trained drivers. Like, 3,000 drivers. “We noticed, with this [recent] downturn, that a lot of the drivers that left—they haven’t come back,” said Endeavor Energy Services’ Trucking Division General Manager Patrick Martinez. By Paul Wiseman “We noticed, with this [recent] downturn, that a lot of the drivers […]
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