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The 2013 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) in October was a good meeting for facilities engineers: It offered good technical papers, an entertaining dinner panel session, and excellent networking opportunities.

This paper illustrates a numerical approach to estimate the deposition profile of precipitated wax crystals and its effect on flow-related parameters in pipelines. Options for avoiding these issues are also explored.

The challenges in achieving effective communication between facilities and reservoir engineers were addressed during a dinner and panel session held during the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in October.

Once upon a time, oil and gas production facilities were small, simple, similar, and inexpensive. Back in those times, SPE was focused mainly on the reservoir. Things have changed dramatically. There has never been a better time to be a facilities engineer.

In this study, software that is capable of modeling fully transient multiphase flow in wellbore and pipeline has been used to characterize the fluid-hammer effects of well shut-in and startup on the coupled subsurface and surface systems.

The time for the annual selection of SPE’s Distinguished Lecturers (DLs) is coming soon. If you are unfamiliar with the DL program or have not explored it in depth, consider learning more as the selection process for the 2015–2016 lecture season begins on 1 February 2014.

Black & Veatch named John E. Murphy to lead its global construction and procurement operations, a division of the company that has grown by 33% since 2011 to more than 2,000 employees. Murphy will work with current division president Hal Smith in a transitional role through the end of the year. Smith, who has been with the company for 45 years, will retire at the end …

As low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) is common for management of safety risks, but harder to apply to environmental risks. This paper explores the differences and proposes a modified method to support environmental risk analysis.

Facilities sand management is tasked with the goal of ensuring sustained hydrocarbon production when particulate solids are present in well fluids, while minimizing the impact of the produced solids on surface equipment. How to do that?

Unconventional resources are often in good supply, but difficult and expensive to develop. To develop unconventional resources, technologies like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling are key, and higher oil prices will help.

The smart-field concept is deployed through disseminating elements of tools and infrastructure integrated to bring a level of smartness that can improve the performance of an oilfield asset in a sustainable way.  How this is accomplished can vary widely depending on the field.

KBR appointed Jan Egil Braendeland as president of its oil and gas business unit. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the upstream industry, rejoining the company after a brief period of time at another firm, where he served as senior vice president of upstream global business development. He was previously employed by KBR for 18 years, where he held leaders…