Petroleum Resources: With Emphasis on Offshore Fields

Lessons learned and experience gained from mature Norwegian offshore projects form the cornerstone of this timely new book, whose principle aim is to increase the reader's general understanding of the 'upstream' part of the petroleum industry - the locating of underground resources and their conversion to valuable products. Starting with Chapter (1): The Geology of Petroleum Resources, the text follows the hydrocarbons from their origin in reservoirs through Chapter (3): Drilling, Well Design and Well Completion to Chapter (6): Hydrocarbon Off Take. Against the backdrop of Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico, Chapter (7): Overall Field Design and Support Facilities has beneficial advice for the industry, and the authors did not shy away from their responsibilities and devoted subsequent chapters to: · Decommissioning· Safety Management· Environmental Management· Licensing and Fiscal Regimes· The Economics of Petroleum Operations and Investments· Responsibilities to Society and Business Ethics The book s interdisciplinary approach and the links between different parts of the value chain make it a useful contribution to the published literature. Its emphasis on the need for careful handling of natural resources, the safety of the development in the most environmentally friendly way, and business ethics and responsibility to society make it especially relevant today.The book is intended for readers who have a professional or student interest in the petroleum industry, and a modest level of prior knowledge of the technical and commercial aspects of the industry, including university students specializing in petroleum sciences; specialists from the industry who want to upgrade their competence; engineers in oil and gas companies and governmental bodies and institutions who would like to have a desktop reference book; people in the contracting industry serving the offshore market who want to understand how their contribution fits into the totality of developing oil and gas resources; and interested readers from the general public, such as teachers and policy decision makers.