The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) unveiled the 9th edition of its Global Gas Outlook 2050 in March 2025. This report offers a detailed forecast of the natural gas industry through 2050. It examines demographic trends, economic drivers, energy policies, and technological shifts. Amid rising geopolitical tensions, energy security concerns, and the rapid adoption of […]
Author Archives: [email protected]
Oil and Gas Exploration Grows Amid Global Demand Shifts
The oil and gas exploration sector is experiencing a remarkable resurgence. As detailed in David Brown’s March 2025 article in the AAPG Explorer, titled “Oil and Gas Exploration is ‘Thriving and Making Money,’” the industry is not only rebounding but also proving profitable. This commentary delves into the facts and findings from the article. It […]
The Critical Role of Scope 3 Emissions in the Oil and Gas Industry
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are a central focus in the global effort to combat climate change. These emissions are classified into three categories: Scope 1 (direct emissions from company operations), Scope 2 (emissions from purchased energy), and Scope 3 (all other indirect emissions, including those from the value chain, such as the use of sold […]
The Transformative Role of AI and Data Analytics in the Oil and Gas Industry
The oil and gas industry, long characterized by its reliance on manual processes and legacy systems, is undergoing a digital revolution. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics are driving unprecedented efficiencies, cost savings, and sustainability improvements across the sector. From predictive maintenance to reservoir optimization, these technologies are reshaping how companies explore, extract, and deliver […]
Indonesia’s Energy Transition: Coal Phase-Out, Carbon Markets, and Regional Cooperation
Indonesia is taking significant strides in its energy transition by committing to phasing out coal, engaging in the global carbon credits market, and exploring regional collaboration in renewable energy. As Southeast Asia’s largest coal consumer, the country faces both challenges and opportunities in achieving its ambitious decarbonization goals. Phasing Out Coal by 2040 Indonesia has […]
The Rise of Floating Solar in Southeast Asia: Current Landscape, Challenges, and Future Prospects
Southeast Asia, a region characterized by rapid economic growth and urbanization, faces escalating energy demands. With a population exceeding 675 million and a projected 60% increase in energy consumption by 2040, governments are increasingly turning to renewable energy to ensure sustainability and meet climate commitments. Floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems, which install solar panels on water […]
Optimizing Risk & Volume Assessments in Mixed Hydrocarbon Fields
Mixed HC Columns – do’s and don’ts In many basins there are hydrocarbon fields containing both oil and gas. Often with a wide range of relative amounts of gas and oil: from only oil to only gas, and every conceivable gas-oil mix in between these two endmembers. How should we do Risk & Volume Assessment […]
Exploring Stratigraphic and Combination Traps: Definitions, Risks, and Applications
Petroleum traps are normally classified as structural traps or stratigraphic traps, and sometimes the somewhat confusing term ‘combination trap’ is used. The difference between structural and stratigraphic traps seems easy enough: Definitions of combination traps usually state that these are traps with both a structural and a stratigraphic component. That is a bit confusing. Most […]
Data Acquisition for Exploration: Risk Reduction or POS Polarisation?
Acquiring additional data in a basin (for example seismic acquisition or reprocessing) tends to be a costly and time-consuming affair. In many cases data acquisition programmes are simply considered an essential pre-requisite for doing exploration. However, justification to carry out such work can also be based on Value of Information (VoI) assessments. Data acquisition for […]
Prospect Police versus the Socratic Method
Prospect Review Teams and prospect review sessions are not always very popular. Many explorers are dreading the moment when their prospects must be reviewed. Especially younger explorers may feel exposed and uncertain. Some explorers become rather defensive, and some review teams may be a bit harsh in their challenges and can be rather intimidating. What […]
The Bull’s Head Risk Matrix: A Data-Driven Approach to Risk Assessment
The Bull’s Head Risk Matrix is developed to assist risk assessment, which, by nature, is a subjective affair. The Risk Matrix forces us to base the assessment as much as possible on data, information and understanding, making the assessment as objective as possible. While the matrix was developed for oil and gas exploration, it can […]
Reporting Risk & Volume Assessments: Key Insights and Best Practices
How to understand and report Prospect Volumes The results of Risk & Volume assessments of prospects are often communicated by quoting the POS and the MSV. For example: The POS of the prospect is 45%, and the MSV is 14.7 million barrels of oil. It looks like this says that there is a chance of […]
Rethinking Trap Distribution Through Seal Effectiveness
To explain the distribution of trapped oil and gas in a basin or play we normally think about variations in hydrocarbon charge. But what about the role of seals? We tend to take seals for granted; a fine-grained lithology (often shales) is either considered to be sealing or not. For reservoirs we have no problems […]