[en] The state-of-the-art in oil spill modeling is summarised, focusing primarily on the years from 1990 to the present. All models seek to describe the key physical and chemical processes that transport and weather the oil on and in the sea. Current insights into the mechanisms of these processes and the availability of algorithms for describing and predicting process rates are discussed. Advances are noted in the areas of advection, spreading, evaporation, dispersion, emulsification, and interactions with ice and shorelines. Knowledge of the relationship between oil properties, and oil weathering and fate, and the development of models for the evaluation of oil spill response strategies are summarised. Specific models are used as examples where appropriate. Future directions in these and other areas are indicated. (Author)

[en] As we approach the end of the 20th century, the global oil picture starts to look more like the early 1970s, which set the scene for the first oil crisis in 1973. The 'security margin' -- the gap between demand and production capacity, has been shrinking since the early 1990s. In 1985 OPEC was producing at only 55% of capacity. By 1997 capacity utilisation had risen to 95% and, barring the full re-entry of Iraq into the oil market, capacity utilisation in 1998 is projected to rise to 96% with a growth of more than 1.6 million barrels a day (mbd) in global demand. No wonder, then, that the 'capacity question' has been termed 'oil's perennial problem'. The dilemma confronting producers is either they face the danger of over investing if demand grows slowly or not at all, or they run the risk of investing too little, too late. Yet, without outright investment, the capacity constraint may start to bite at some point in the near future. This paper will endeavour to analyse the origins of the shrinking 'security margin' and its impact on the global oil supplies, the price of oil and the global economy. It will argue that under such conditions, one has to seriously consider the possibility of a third oil crisis capable of again disrupting the global economy, triggered again by political upheaval in the Middle East. (Author)

[en] Bio marker fingerprinting of 2O crude oils from Putumayo Basin, Colombia, shows a vertical segregation of oil families. The Lower Cretaceous reservoirs (Caballos and 'U' Villeta sands) contain oils that come from a mixture of marine and terrestrial organic matter, deposited in a marginal, 'oxic' marine setting. The Upper Cretaceous ('T' and ^N' sands) and Tertiary reservoirs contain oils with marine algal input deposited in a reducing, carbonate-rich environment. Lithology, environmental conditions and organic matter type of source rocks as predicted from oil bio marker differences correspond to organic composition of two Cretaceous source rocks. Vertical heterogeneity in the oils, even those from single wells, suggests the presence of two isolated petroleum systems. Hydrocarbons from Lower Cretaceous source rocks charged Lower Cretaceous reservoirs whereas oils from Upper Cretaceous source rocks charged Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary reservoirs. Oil migration from mature source rocks into multiple reservoirs has been stratigraphically up dip along the regional sandstone units and vertical migration through faults has been limited. Bio marker maturity parameters indicate that all oils were generated from early thermal maturity oil window

[en] About 1600 m of core from two major oil fields, and 600 m of outcrop sections near to one of the fields, integrated with thousands of core, side-wall core and outcrop porosity and permeability measurements show that petrophysical properties and reservoir continuity change consistently with the Accommodation to Sediment Supply (A/S) ratio. Channel sandstones exhibit regular, recurring motifs that are associated with changes in A/S conditions. Manifesting the lowest accommodation conditions are amalgamated channel sandstones, up to 5-m-thick, with intraclast-rich bases capped by up to 1m thick flood plain mud stones. AT higher A/S conditions, slightly amalgamated channel sandstones have lateral accretion surfaces and are capped by a thicker unit of flood plain mud stones. Channel sandstones in the highest A/S conditions are single-storied, possess conspicuous lateral accretion surfaces with thick mud drapes, and have a thick cover of over bank and flood plain deposits. Detailed well log correlations, oil production and pressure data support that the former are more lateral continuous while the latter form laterally discontinuous bodies embedded in flood plain mud stones. Petrophysical properties are closely associated with subtle variations in facies, particularly degree of preservation of original bed forms, and both are stratigraphically sensitive. Petrophysical properties of identical sedimentological facies change regularly as a function of its stratigraphic position because of variations in the rates of accumulation und degree of preservation of the sediments. In the case of fluvial strata deposited during an increase in A/S, porosity and permeability are highest in trough cross-stratified sandstones immediately above channel scour bases, und decrease upward to the next scour base. Successive channel sandstones within the same stratigraphic sequence and channel sandstones from one sequence to the next have progressively lower porosity and permeability values in an overall increase in the A/S. An inverse trend is observed during a decrease in A/S

[en] This paper concerns the German and French heating oil market and attempts to establish long- and short-term relationships between German and French monthly heating oil prices in dollars, the Rotterdam spot price for the same product and the DM/US$ and FF/US$ exchange rates during the period from January 1987 to December 1997. To model the market over the period under consideration, incorporating the Gulf War, we have used conventional unit root tests and sequential tests allowing structural changes. Long-term relationships, with shifts in regime detected by cointegration tests taking structural breaks into consideration, are estimated. The short-term dynamics defined by a vector error correction (VEC) mechanism is derived in a classic manner when in presence of a cointegrated VAR system. The econometric results obtained are commented on from an economic point of view. Weak exogeneity tests are performed and the conditional VEC model is deduced, enabling measurement of the instantaneous impact of variations in weakly exogenous exchange rates on variations in heating oil prices in Germany and France. Lastly, a study is made of the asymmetric reaction of domestic prices to positive and negative variations in exchange rates and the Rotterdam spot quotation. 25 refs

[en] The ISO/TC 67 Technical Committee is devoted to the standardization of oil equipment at world level. Its activities cover both upstream and downstream (as well as the production of natural gas) and the equipment and services associated with them. TC67, which includes 20 member countries, holds a plenary meeting once a year; in between seven sub-committees prepare draft standards for the members of the TC to study and vote upon. Out of 120 subjects programmed for standards covering oil equipment, around fifteen should be completed in the year 2000. In 2000 about sixty experts from 18 countries will attend the TC67's plenary meeting which will be held in France from 20. to 22. September under the chairmanship of Mrs Cheryl Stark. This event will be sponsored by TotalFina Elf. The General Meeting will take place on 20. and 21. September in the Afnor Tower at La Defense and then the IFP will host the meeting of the management committee on 22. September at Rueil. In fact, it is Afnor which represents France on TC67 but for working out standards it has delegated its powers to the Oil Standardisation Office (BNPe). The GEP (Paraoil and Paragas Companies Group) also contributes its expertise, in consultation with other organisations in the trade. The ISO/TC67 Committee and its management group met in September 1999 in Oslo. The attendance of 60 delegates representing 15 countries attests to the interest shown in this sectorial committee, reorganization of which, decided on in 1998, has accelerated the production of drafts: 12 ISO standards were published in 1999 and 30 are planned for the year 2000. The target is to finalize all the drafts by the end of 2003. (author)

[en] Recent developments in Western Australia' petroleum industry, in particular, the current trend of petroleum exploration and development in light of sustained high oil prices are presented. It is estimated that WA has reserves of 120 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas reserves and up to 5 billion barrels of oil. The majority of this resource is found in three major basins Carnarvon, Browse and Bonaparte, off the northwest coast of Western Australia. This is sufficient for up to 60 years of oil and 140 years of gas at current rates of production. In 1999-2000 sales of petroleum product in WA exceeded 115 million barrels of oil and condensate, around 113 million barrels of liquefied gas (LNG, LPG) and a further 6550 million cubic metres (230 Bcf) of domestic pipeline gas. The increased volumes were due to companies capitalising on high oil prices and the return to full production of the Cossack/Wanaea fields that was temporarily shutdown in 1998-1999

[en] The development of oil well fire fighting techniques, and some of the more famous fires in the Alberta oil patch such as the Atlantic 3 blowout at Leduc Alberta in 1955 and the Lodgepole fire in 1982, are described, leading up to a discussion of the outstanding work done by Canadian oilfield fire fighters in Kuwait. During the Gulf War in 1991 the retreating Iraqi forces blew up 732 oil wells, sparking the largest oilfield emergency in history. Fire fighters from the Drayton Valley, Alberta, firm of 'Safety Boss' snuffed out 180 wells in 200 days, establishing Canadian oil well fire fighters as among the best in the world. Since then, the company was called upon to assist in extinguishing fires at the Tupras Refinery following the earthquake in Turkey in the summer of 1999, and at the Hub Oil Ltd. fire in southeast Calgary, just a week prior to the earthquake in Turkey. 2 photos

[en] The article shows how globalisation of the petroleum industry continues to expand and accelerate with a strong trend to internalisation of national companies and corporate share capital. Globalisation tends to safeguard against shortages and the dependence of the West on the Middle East. Although geopolitical factors are important, it is economic considerations that are decisive. Technological innovation is the key to boosting competitiveness and offsetting the depletion of reserves. Worldwide, energy interdependence is growing but environmental factors cannot be overlooked. The behaviour of cartels with respect to pricing is explained

[en] Fuel biocatalytic conversion is a process that removes, through selective enzyme-catalyzed reactions, sulphur, nitrogen and metals. The mild operating conditions, the specificity of reactions and the quality of coproducts (particularly the organo sulphur compounds, a source for the petrochemical industry) are just a few of the attractive aspects of this new technology which could open a new world of possibilities in the technology and in the environmental impact of fuels. The paper shows the state-of-the-art of the research and applications of bioprocesses to the petroleum field