Continues

Demand for drilling equipment in North America’s onshore continues to be strong, with the backlog of capital equipment orders in rig technology doubling in the final quarter of 2011 from a year ago, National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) reported Thursday.

Demand for drilling equipment in North America’s onshore continues to be strong, with the backlog of capital equipment orders in rig technology in the final three months of 2011 double year-ago levels, National Oilwell Varco Inc. (NOV) reported Thursday.

North Dakota’s oil/natural gas boom continues to be a mixed blessing for state energy planners, and future pipeline infrastructure’s adequacy is one of many questions state officials hope to have some answers for by mid-year. A study is under way by the state Pipeline Authority to determine if existing infrastructure will be adequate.

The global market for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) services continues to grow at a double-digit pace but not nearly as much as in 2011 since natural gas prices have begun to discourage exploration, according to a survey by Spears & Associates Inc.

Only a day after issuing them, Tennessee lifted two meter-specific Balancing Alert OFOs. The pipeline also said it continues investigation of a November rupture near Main Line Valve (MLV) 205-4 in Morgan County, OH, about four miles southeast of the city of Glouster (see Daily GPI, Nov. 21, 2011). Currently line 4 is isolated and Tennessee is maintaining a reduced pressure from Station 200 in Greenup, KY, to Station 219 in Mercer, PA. The Rockies Express (REX) interconnect flows into Line 4 between MLVs 208 and 209. To further evaluate the section between the valves, Tennessee was required to reduce the pressure there. Thus it was not accepting any nomination increases at the REX meter Tuesday and effective Wednesday until further notice will not accept any nominations at all from the REX meter.

North Dakota continues to set all-time records for oil and gas production based on the most recent statistics available as of the end of October, according to Lynn Helms, director of the state Industrial Commission’s Department of Mineral Resources (DMR). He noted that the oil and gas industry still plans to invest more than $3 billion in the state through 2013.

North Dakota continues to set all-time records for oil and gas production based on the most recent statistics available as of the end of October, according to Lynn Helms, director of the state Industrial Commission’s Department of Mineral Resources (DMR). He noted that the oil and gas industry still plans to invest more than $3 billion in the state through 2013.

Tennessee lifted Wednesday a longstanding Imbalance Warning in upstream Zones 0-4 but said it continues to request that all parties match physical flow with scheduled quantities.

The U.S. natural gas rig count peaked more than a year ago in August 2010 and continues to drift slowly lower, but the country’s still swimming in gas and there’s no drought in sight, Raymond James & Associates Inc. said last week.