Mexico Oil Research Articles

U–Pb calcite dating reveals the origin of a 600 km‐long intraplate fault: The Balcones Fault System of Texas

AbstractTiming is a key data for understanding the origin of faulting. The Balcones fault system (BFS) extends ~600 km along the northern margin of the Gulf of Mexico oil basin and controls springs that supply the major cities in Texas, but its origin is unclear. We provide its first direct timing by applying U–Pb geochronology on seven calcite‐mineralized fault surfaces. We have found that this extensional fault system formed during the Palaeocene‐middle Eocene time (from 61.3 ± 2.7 to 45.4 ± 2.1 Ma), which is much earlier than previous estimates. We show that the formation of the BFS coincides with the largest clastic influx in the northern Gulf of Mexico basin that resulted from Laramide uplift and erosion. This timing and the location of the BFS along the Ouachita suture, support our interpretation of this fault system formed as the result of lithospheric flexure related to Paleogene sedimentary loading.

Failure Analysis of CT-90 Coiled Tubing Used in Oil and Gas Industry in Mexico

Failure Analysis of CT-90 Coiled Tubing Used in Oil and Gas Industry in Mexico

The Impact Path of the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill on Fisheries A Case of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Oil spills not only affect the Marine ecosystem, but also affect the economic benefits of human beings. Therefore, this paper studies the impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWH) events on fisheries from the perspectives of demand and supply, which is helpful to understand the harm of oil spills, improve public awareness of environmental protection, and formulate effective prevention and control measures. On the supply side, oil spills have reduced fish numbers, polluted seawater, and reduced biodiversity. To clean up the spill, the government changed the water quality, which may have further killed some Marine life. On the demand side, consumers are concerned about fish pollution, which will have an impact on the health of consumers. Consumer demand is reduced, which in turn leads to a reduction in the income of local fishermen, and the demand of local fishermen is also reduced. Finally, this paper proposes to strengthen the management of the U.S. oil exploration access system, protect marine life, and install more guardrails.

The Potash Identification (PID) Plot: A Rapid Screening Crossplot for Discrimination of Commercial Potash

Potash minerals are the primary source of potassium (K), which is used for the manufacture of gunpowder, fertilizer, and as a sodium-seasoning substitute. Commercial potash minerals are all evaporites. Because potassium-40 (40K) is radioactive (decaying to argon-40 (40Ar) and releasing a gamma ray (GR) in the process), commercial potash mineralization is often discovered when GR (γ ray) logs in petroleum wells drilled through evaporite sequences “go off scale.” However, not all potash minerals may be commercial sources of potassium via underground mining techniques, and potassium is not the only radioactive element. For example, the mineralogy of the McNutt “potash” Member of the Salado Formation in southeast (SE) New Mexico is extremely complex, consisting of multiple thin (i.e., less than 10 ft thick) beds of six low-grade (radioactive) potash minerals, only two of which are commercial for underground mining. There are also four nonradioactive evaporite minerals, one of which may interfere with potash milling chemistry and numerous claystones and marker beds (shales and/or volcanics), with GR count rates comparable to the low-grade potash mineralization in this sequence. Because of this complexity, traditional borehole wireline (WL) and logging-while-drilling (LWD) potash assay techniques, such as GR log-to-core assay transforms, may not be sufficient to identify potentially commercial potash mineralization for underground mining (Teufel, 2008) in SE New Mexico. Crain and Anderson (1966) and Hill (2019) developed linear programming and multimineral analyses, respectively, to estimate potash mineralogy and grades from multiple borehole geophysical measurements. However, both of these approaches require large sets of multiple log measurements. In SE New Mexico, petroleum wells are drilled through the Salado Formation evaporite (including the McNutt “potash” Member) with air, then cased and cemented in place without running WL measurements. Then, the wells are drilled out to total depth (TD) in the underlying sediments with water-based mud. Complete log suites are run from TD to the casing shoe, with only the GR and neutron logs recorded through the cased evaporite sequence for stratigraphic and structural correlation. As a result, essentially all recent oil and gas wells in SE New Mexico have casedhole gamma ray and neutron logs through the Salado evaporite. Hill and Crain (2020) developed a simple crossplot involving only GR and neutron log data, which could discriminate between anhydrous and hydrated potassium evaporite minerals. Logs from these wells could provide a rapid potash screening database if used properly. This technique can be used with both openhole and casedhole petroleum well logs, as well as corehole WL logs, and provides discrimination of commercial potash mineralization from noncommercial (potash and non-potash) radioactive mineralization. Case histories of the use of PID crossplots in evaporite basins of Michigan, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and SE New Mexico are described. This technique may also be useful in screening potential potash deposits elsewhere in the world.

Multiscale Feature Fusion for Hyperspectral Marine Oil Spill Image Segmentation

Oil spills have always been a threat to the marine ecological environment; thus, it is important to identify and divide oil spill areas on the ocean surface into segments after an oil spill accident occurs to protect the marine ecological environment. However, oil spill area segmentation using ordinary optical images is greatly interfered with by the absorption of light by the deep sea and the distribution of algal organisms on the ocean surface, and it is difficult to improve segmentation accuracy. To address the above problems, a hyperspectral ocean oil spill image segmentation model with multiscale feature fusion (MFFHOSS-Net) is proposed. Specifically, the oil spill segmentation dataset was created using hyperspectral image data from NASA for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, small-size images after the waveband filtering of the hyperspectral images were generated and the oil spill images were annotated. The model makes full use of having different layers with different characteristics by fusing feature maps of different scales. In addition, an attention mechanism was used to effectively fuse these features to improve the oil spill region segmentation accuracy. A case study, ablation experiments and model evaluation were also carried out in this work. Compared with other models, our proposed method achieved good results according to various evaluation metrics.

Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Generative Voluntary Safety Reporting Culture (GVSRC) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas (O&G) Sector Using the Offshore Safety Action Program (OSAP)

To fill a gap in understanding of the Generative Voluntary Safety Reporting Culture (GVSRC) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas (O&G) sector, perspectives of stakeholders based on their experiences were explored using attributes of a proposed Offshore Safety Action Program (OSAP) modeled after the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). A phenomenological approach encompassing semi-structured interviews (n = 18) and five focus-group sessions (n = 18) was used to collect data from a cross-section of top management, supervisors, regulatory representatives, and subject-matter experts (SME). Four themes emerged from a Thematic Analysis: (1) Voluntary safety reporting culture, (2) Voluntary safety reporting bottlenecks, (3) Universality, and (4) Organizational review of safety events. Most respondents strongly supported the OSAP because it ensures a formalized adjudication of voluntary safety reports by an Event Review Committee (ERC) with representation from employees, management, and regulators. Most respondents supported the non-punitive and confidential attributes of the OSAP as a means to enhance GVSRC. However, there were varying perspectives on defining intentional disregard for safety under the OSAP. Due to the enumerated challenges of cost, respondents agreed that organizations use a scalable process commensurate with the complexity of their operations when adopting the OSAP. A veritable framework for data-driven corrective actions, organizational learning, and enhanced GVSRC in the offshore sector is a potential policy implication of adopting the OSAP.

Excess methane emissions from shallow water platforms elevate the carbon intensity of US Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production

The Gulf of Mexico is the largest offshore fossil fuel production basin in the United States. Decisions on expanding production in the region legally depend on assessments of the climate impact of new growth. Here, we collect airborne observations and combine them with previous surveys and inventories to estimate the climate impact of current field operations. We evaluate all major on-site greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide (CO2) from combustion, and methane from losses and venting. Using these findings, we estimate the climate impact per unit of energy of produced oil and gas (the carbon intensity). We find high methane emissions (0.60 Tg/y [0.41 to 0.81, 95% confidence interval]) exceeding inventories. This elevates the average CI of the basin to 5.3 g CO2e/MJ [4.1 to 6.7] (100-y horizon) over twice the inventories. The CI across the Gulf varies, with deep water production exhibiting a low CI dominated by combustion emissions (1.1 g CO2e/MJ), while shallow federal and state waters exhibit an extraordinarily high CI (16 and 43 g CO2e/MJ) primarily driven by methane emissions from central hub facilities (intermediaries for gathering and processing). This shows that production in shallow waters, as currently operated, has outsized climate impact. To mitigate these climate impacts, methane emissions in shallow waters must be addressed through efficient flaring instead of venting and repair, refurbishment, or abandonment of poorly maintained infrastructure. We demonstrate an approach to evaluate the CI of fossil fuel production using observations, considering all direct production emissions while allocating to all fossil products.

Development of a generative voluntary safety reporting culture (GVSRC) model for the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil and gas (O & G) sector using attributes of the aviation safety action program (ASAP)

Generative voluntary safety reporting culture (GVSRC) fosters proactive reporting of hazards, near-misses, potential violations, and operational errors that are precursors of accidents. The Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) has been effective in sustaining a GVSRC in the U.S commercial airline industry. To assess the potential cross-disciplinary application of an ASAP-style initiative in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil and gas (O&G) sector, a GVSRC model was developed from employee perceptions of ASAP attributes using structural equation modeling. Hypothesized underlying factors of GVSRC: safety reporting policy fundamentals (SRPF), organizational support, personnel engagements in voluntary safety reporting processes (OSPE), and safety reporting benefits (SRB) were validated. The GVSRC model had a good fit index (RMSEA = 0.031). All underlying factors had significant predictive relationships with GVSRC, with high effect sizes. The GVSRC model has utility in gauging the levels of understanding and acceptance of ASAP attributes in the O&G sector. There were significant linear relationships between the factors and OSPE significantly mediated the relationship between SRPF and SRB. Results suggest that top management support for voluntary safety reporting programs through resource provision can motivate personnel to engage in safety reporting processes. In terms of voluntary reporting propensity, younger respondents significantly underreported safety issues than older personnel, highlighting the need for better hazard identification, safety risk management training, and effective mentoring for younger personnel. Implication for policy is that despite different operating environments and processes, an ASAP-styled initiative has positive value for safety management and engendering a proactive safety reporting culture in the O&G sector.

Monitoring Marine Oil Spills in Hyperspectral and Multispectral Remote Sensing Data by the Spectral Gene Extraction (SGE) Method

Oil spill incidents threaten the marine ecological environment. Detecting sea surface oil slicks by remote sensing images provides support for the efficient treatment of oil spills. This is important for sustainable marine development. However, traditional methods based on field analysis are time-consuming. Spectral indices lack applicability. In addition, traditional machine learning methods strictly rely on training and testing samples which are in short supply in oil spill images. Inspired by the spectral DNA encoding method, a spectral gene extraction (SGE) method was proposed to detect oil spills in hyperspectral images (HSI) and multispectral images (MSI). The SGE method contained a parameter and two strategies. The parameter of elimination was designed based on the population genetic frequency. It was used to control the number of spectral genes. The spectral gene extraction strategies, named largest in-class similarity (LIS) strategy and largest inter-class difference (LID) strategy, were proposed to mine the spectral genes by oil spill samples. The oil spills would be determined by calculating the similarity of the extracted spectral genes to the DNA encoded images. In this research, the SGE method was validated by two AVIRIS images of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, one MODIS image of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and one Landsat 8 image of a Persian Gulf oil spill. The oil spills in different remote sensing images could be detected accurately by the proposed method in a small set of samples. Experimental results indicated that the proposed method was suitable for detecting marine oil spills in AVIRIS, MODIS, and Landsat 8 images. In addition, the SGE method with the LIS strategy was more suitable for detecting oil spills in HSI. Its proper elimination rates were 0.8~1.0. The SGE method with the LID strategy was more suitable for detecting oil spills in MSI. Its proper elimination rates were 0.5~0.7.

Handling of used lubricating oil in Tabasco, Mexico

The improper handling of used lubricating oil (ULO) in Tabasco, Mexico, and worldwide is a serious problem posing a high risk of soil and water pollution. Therefore, this study evaluated the handling of ULO in 10 municipalities in the state of Tabasco. Collection sites were chosen by simple random sampling. The ULO collected was assessed for solids, water, oil and density. The results show that small generators have the greatest potential to generate ULO in Tabasco. Huimanguillo, Comalcalco and Cardenas were the municipalities with the highest ULO generation. The ULO with the highest quality for its low water and solids content was collected in Jalpa de Mendez, Comalcalco and Car Dealerships. 1,287 automotive repair shops were tested in the 10 municipalities that were included

Legacy Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Facilities Hold Promise for Role in Blue Economy

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 31940, “Repurposing Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Facilities for the Blue Economy,” by Roy Robinson, SPE, Excipio Energy; Georg Englemann, Diamond Infrastructure Development; and Kent Saterlee, Gulf Offshore Research Institute. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ This synopsis presents portions of the results of a Department of Energy (DOE) study of the potential for repurposing legacy oil and gas facilities in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) for uses in a blue economy. The study was limited and was designed to summarize practical options for repurposing. The conclusions list those areas in which further modeling or studies are warranted, with the objective of building an integrated modeling tool to assist companies, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations in assessing benefits and risks of repurposing facilities. Scope Limits of the Repurposing Study The term “blue economy” is defined by the World Bank as a sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health. The study upon which the paper is based was confined to the repurposing of oil and gas facilities in the GOM, specifically platforms, wells, pipelines, and rights of way. Producing, idle, and abandoned assets were considered. The objective was to explore how leveraging these existing facilities can reduce the carbon load of offshore oil and gas production, speed the energy transition by tapping the tremendous energy potential of the ocean, reduce US dependence on imported seafood and minerals, and create secure long-term employment along the Gulf Coast. Energy Resource Potential and Definition In 2020, the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), at the request of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), produced a report on the renewable energy potential of the GOM. NREL divides resource assessments into gross and technical potential. “Gross” is intended to be the total available resource. “Technical” is based on NREL’s assessment of how much of the resource could be captured economically using proven technology. Details are included in the complete paper because the NREL/BOEM report has caused some questions to be raised by those reviewing the DOE study. The authors’ commentary on this report is detailed in the complete paper.

The coastal state obligation not to impede the laying or maintenance of submarine pipelines on the continental shelf according to United Nations convention on the law of the sea

The exploitation of submarine cables and pipelines, notwithstanding its transboundary character, has become an inseparable element of the world economy over the last century. However, this maritime activity is associated with a high risk, and accidentally occurring events. Both may supervene as caused by human venture and natural factors, that may lead to damage to seabed pipelines or weaken their structure, which subsequently may threaten the safety of the marine environment. Suffice it to say that the intermission of the pipeline could lead to an environmental disaster comparable to the consequences of an oil spill in case of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil rig fire. The 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), among the freedoms of the high seas mentioned in Article 87 refers to, inter alia, the freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines. In addition however, under article 112, UNCLOS states that this principle is fully applicable to those areas of the seas that extend beyond the outer limits of the continental shelf established by Coastal States. However, on the shelf itself this freedom is limited by the Coastal State's right under Article 79(2) of the UNCLOS to use reasonable measures to explore and exploit the shelf's natural resources and to prevent, reduce and control pipeline pollution. The next paragraph of the above mentioned article 79 also requires the consent of the Coastal state to route the pipeline whereas the last paragraph, requires the States concerned to pay due regard to the laying and maintenance of pipelines. This article is putting forward the analyzes of the scope of the indicated in UNCLOS regulations, based on the work of the UN International Law Commission, as well as documentation of the 1st and 3rd conferences on the law of the sea, in reference to the practice of states and the judgments of international tribunals. The article also refers to the theories presented in the contemporary doctrine on the subject. The core of the considerations contained in this article is a comprehensive approach to the concept of reasonable measures, and the way of interpreting Article 79 of UNCLOS. that comes along with it.

Methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and isotopic ratios of methane observations from the Permian Basin tower network

Abstract. We describe the instrumentation, calibration, and uncertainty of the network of ground-based, in situ, cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS) greenhouse gas (GHG) measurements deployed in the Permian Basin. The primary goal of the network is to be used in conjunction with atmospheric transport modeling to determine methane emissions of the Delaware sub-basin of the Permian Basin oil and natural gas extraction area in Texas and New Mexico. Four of the measurements are based on tall communications towers, while one is on a building on a mountain ridge, with the recent addition of a small tower at that site. Although methane (CH4) is the primary species of interest, carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and the isotopic ratio of methane (δ13CH4) are also reported for a subset of the sites. Measurements were reported following the WMO X2004A scale for CH4 and the WMO X2019 scale for CO2. CRDS instruments were calibrated for CH4 and CO2 in the laboratory prior to deployment. For H2S, data were offset-corrected using the minimum 40 min running mean value of the day, and for δ13CH4, calibrations were based on laboratory data. We describe the characteristics of the dataset with a set of illustrative analyses. Methane and carbon dioxide showed strong seasonality, with a well-defined diurnal cycle during the summer, which was opposed to the winter, when a diurnal cycle was absent. CH4 enhancements to the background, during the winter, are up to twice the summer values, which is attributed to the changes in boundary layer depth and wind speed. The largest CH4 enhancements occurred when winds blow from the center of the Delaware sub-basin, where most of the methane emissions come from. The magnitude of enhancements of CO2 did not present seasonality. H2S enhancements indicated a potential source northeast of the tower (Hobbs, New Mexico) where the inlet is installed. Isotopic ratios of methane indicated that oil and natural gas extraction is the source of local methane in the region. The hourly-averaged data, starting on 1 March 2020 and described in this paper, are archived at The Pennsylvania State University Data Commons at https://doi.org/10.26208/98y5-t941 (Monteiro et al., 2021).

Birth of the Mexican Problem: Oil in Mexico, U.S. Social Sciences, and Transnational Labor, 1917–1920

Abstract Birth of the Mexican Problem is a historian’s version of a postcolonial analysis. I use the narrative history and research materials of one of the earliest think tanks in U.S. history to show how and why Mexico was made legible to U.S. audiences. Not just a response to early twentieth-century Mexican migration, the so-called Mexican problem was also deeply tied to U.S. capitalists’ economic interests in Mexico. I argue for the centrality of ties between big business, academics, and government in constructing ideas about Mexico and Mexican transnational labor. The story begins with an oilman named Edward Doheny.

New Mexico

This article examines significant developments in New Mexico oil and gas law.

Fate of Methane Released From a Destroyed Oil Platform in the Gulf of Mexico

In 2004, destruction of a Gulf of Mexico oil platform by Hurricane Ivan initiated a discharge of oil and gas from a water depth of 135 m, where its bundle of well conductors was broken below the seafloor near the toppled wreckage. Discharge continued largely unabated until 2019, when findings partly reported herein prompted installation of a containment device that could trap oil before it entered the water column. In 2018, prior to containment, oil and gas bubbles formed plumes that rose to the surface, which were quantified by acoustic survey, visual inspection, and discrete collections in the water column. Continuous air sampling with a cavity ring-down spectrometer (CRDS) over the release site detected atmospheric methane concentrations as high as 11.7, ∼6 times greater than an ambient baseline of 1.95 ppmv. An inverse plume model, calibrated to tracer-gas release, estimated emission into the atmosphere of 9 g/s. In 2021, the containment system allowed gas to escape into the water at 120 m depth after passing through a separator that diverted oil into storage tanks. The CRDS detected transient peaks of methane as high as 15.9 ppmv ppm while oil was being recovered to a ship from underwater storage tanks. Atmospheric methane concentrations were elevated 1–2 ppmv over baseline when the ship was stationary within the surfacing plumes of gas after oil was removed from the flow. Oil rising to the surface was a greater source of methane to the atmosphere than associated gas bubbles.

Voluntary Safety Reporting in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas (O&G) Industry – Stakeholders’ Perspectives of the Offshore Safety Action Program (OSAP)

Voluntary Safety Reporting in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Oil and Gas (O&G) Industry – Stakeholders’ Perspectives of the Offshore Safety Action Program (OSAP)

Emissions and Air Quality Implications of Upstream and Midstream Oil and Gas Operations in Mexico

Mexico approved amendments to its constitution in December 2013 that initiated transformational changes to its energy sector. This study developed a 2016 bottom-up emissions inventory for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from upstream and midstream sector sources, including onshore and offshore well sites, gas flaring, natural gas processing facilities, and natural gas compressor stations, throughout Mexican basins. Crude oil storage tanks at onshore oil well sites and venting and fugitive sources at offshore oil production sites were the primary sources of VOC emissions. Key contributions to NOx, CO, and PM2.5 emissions were from internal combustion engines at offshore oil well sites and midstream operations. SO2 emissions were associated with onshore and offshore gas flaring and boilers and process heaters at natural gas processing facilities. Application of the inventory with the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) indicated that oil and gas production operations could contribute to ozone and PM2.5 concentrations in Mexican and U.S. states under favorable transport patterns. This study provides a foundation for assessing the implications of Mexico’s future energy policies on emissions and domestic and cross-border air quality and public health.

E&P Notes (November 2021)

E&P Notes (November 2021)

Metagenomic Investigation of a Low Diversity, High Salinity Offshore Oil Reservoir.

Oil reservoirs can represent extreme environments for microbial life due to low water availability, high salinity, high pressure and naturally occurring radionuclides. This study investigated the microbiome of saline formation water samples from a Gulf of Mexico oil reservoir. Metagenomic analysis and associated anaerobic enrichment cultures enabled investigations into metabolic potential for microbial activity and persistence in this environment given its high salinity (4.5%) and low nutrient availability. Preliminary 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed very low microbial diversity. Accordingly, deep shotgun sequencing resulted in nine metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), including members of novel lineages QPJE01 (genus level) within the Halanaerobiaceae, and BM520 (family level) within the Bacteroidales. Genomes of the nine organisms included respiratory pathways such as nitrate reduction (in Arhodomonas, Flexistipes, Geotoga and Marinobacter MAGs) and thiosulfate reduction (in Arhodomonas, Flexistipes and Geotoga MAGs). Genomic evidence for adaptation to high salinity, withstanding radioactivity, and metal acquisition was also observed in different MAGs, possibly explaining their occurrence in this extreme habitat. Other metabolic features included the potential for quorum sensing and biofilm formation, and genes for forming endospores in some cases. Understanding the microbiomes of deep biosphere environments sheds light on the capabilities of uncultivated subsurface microorganisms and their potential roles in subsurface settings, including during oil recovery operations.