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North Dakota’s Bakken Shale has gained significant attention in the past few years, and recent recoverable oil estimates have sparked interest on a national level. Estimates reveal that three to four billion barrels of oil are recoverable through the use of enhanced drilling technology. This presents a promising opportunity for ambitious operators and allows the United States to slowly reduce their reliance on foreign oil. Operators use horizontal drilling to recover these expansive reserves. Drilling deep within the earth, operators can now angle the direction of their drill bit and move laterally to access new locations. Fracking techniques are used to fracture the formation and allow oil to flow more freely. High volumes of pressurized water, sand, and chemicals are then pumped through the pipe to aid this process. This can dramatically increase the volume of oil recovered. As with most endeavors, complications arise.  In the past, horizontal drilling and fracking techniques have posed environmental problems. One main focus is the protection of ground water from contamination. The chemicals used in the fracking process can inadvertently contaminate an underground water supply if the well is not drilled properly. So what does this mean for the Bakken Shale? First, the Bakken Shale is the largest oil discovery since Alaska’s Prudhoe Bay, and drilling activity is bound to increase dramatically. Horizontal drilling is the future of exploration and production and a key driver in the Bakken’s success. Secondly, geologists and operators need to establish further preventive measures to avoid ground water contamination and reduce the environmental concerns of horizontal drilling. The untapped potential of the Bakken Shale may prove to be one of the greatest shale plays in U.S. history, but only time will tell. Resources: http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/04/news/economy/oil_shale_bakken/index.htm http://oilshalegas.com/bakkenshale.html http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911

Early this week, refineries that collectively process some 2.4 million barrels of oil a day were being threatened by the heightening flood waters of the Mississippi River.  These refineries account for some 14% of U.S. oil capacity.  Since opening 15 gates on Louisiana’s Morganza floodway, the flooding risk has severely decreased, but is still apparent for refineries lining the Gulf Coast. Restrictions on river ship and barge traffic have limited transportation through the waterway, causing fear of delivery shortages.  Coast Guard reopened the Mississippi north of New Orleans on Tuesday, allowing cargo vessels to pass slowly, one at a time. The river crested yesterday afternoon at about 17 feet in New Orleans, 2.5 feet below forecast. The levels probably won’t get much higher in those cities, even with the bulge of the Mississippi’s high water still days away, said Col. Ed Fleming, district commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This was positive news for the nine refineries lining the Coast between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Resources: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576315311153967364.html http://www.freep.com/article/20110518/NEWS07/105180362/Oil-refineries-get-relief http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/11/usa-flooding-refineries-idUSN1022997520110511

Minerals, metals, coal and diamonds – they’re useful and valuable commodities that come from mines. We can easily recognize these tangible benefits from mining. But have we considered the potential for mining by-products – the dust and particles, sludge and residue that’s left once we’ve mined what we came for? Dr. Grant Douglas has. As project leader for CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia’s national science agency, Dr. Douglas has a suggestion: Algae. A joint project between CSIRO and Western Australian Department of Water found that mineral mining by-products may be a cost-effective, plentiful and yes, green, option for removing key nutrients that contribute to algal blooms – a rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Algal blooms can multiply quickly, turning water green, creating thick green layers under water or scum on the surface.  Algal blooms can block sunlight from reaching underwater vegetation and can wreak havoc on an ecosystems oxygen levels. Harmful algal blooms can release toxins that are harmful to fish, birds and people. Cue mining by-products. “The largely unexploited by-product materials we generate in Western Australia could be developed as ‘designer’ contaminant adsorbents,” Dr Douglas said. When added to a soil, certain mineral mining by-product was very effective in removing nitrogen and phosphorous, both elements that occur naturally but can cause imbalances in aquatic ecology if present in high amounts. Using the by-product this way would be equivalent to removing about two tons of the same elements annually from groundwater in the Australian Swan Coastal Plain. With similar mining by-products and water conditions, these findings could be valuable to any waterway in the world. Click here for more information on the study. Resources: http://www.csiro.au/news/Mining-by-products-to-reduce-algal-blooms.html http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110207091756.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/algal_bloom.htm http://www.sjrwmd.com/algae/index.html#2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Coastal_Plain

Late this year, ISN will launch ISN 10.0, the latest version of ISNetworld. This user-friendly database will be more intuitive and powerful and is set to be released to ISNetworld subscribers in the Fall. New enhancements will include a comprehensive To-Do list and centralized document management system, among numerous other enhancements. In preparation for ISN 10.0’s release, Usability Groups comprised of Owner Clients and contractors provided feedback and guidance on the new enhancements. The updates were made to ensure that all subscribers can easily navigate the system, while also maximizing the additional benefits included in an ISNetworld subscription. Additional details on ISN 10.0 will be released in the coming months…

Owner Clients and Contractors Utlize ISN to Prepare for SEMS Requirement Americas Styrenics Selects ISNetworld for Contractor Management DSM Selects ISNetworld for Contractor Management Walter Energy Selects ISNetworld for Contractor Management Caltex Supply & Distribution Utilising ISNetworld for Contractor Management Bell Helicopter Textron Selects ISNetworld for Contractor Management