- Email: [email protected]
Midwest interstate pipeline planned
Filtration Industry Analyst
Water Aftairs and Forestry have called for stricter measures to limit the consumption of water. The CMC has accepted a recommendation from its Water and Waste Committee that certain water-saving projects in all the MLCs should be supported.
()!1~ ANI) ( ; A S
t::l-,
© [-
<
April 1999
large cost reductions. Howev er, while mergers mitigate risks through greater efficiency and gains in scale, they also pose the considerable challenge of integrating people, cultures, knowledge, technology and processes. WorM Oil Trends is available fl)r US$95 from Arthur Andersen. Tel: +1 713 547 4166 Fax: +1 713 237 5673.
OIL COMPANIES URGED TO RESTRUCTURE AND RETHINK
MIDWEST INTERSTATE PIPELINE PLANNED
After a year of crisis, the global oil industry is beset with uncertainty over its future, according to the 1999 edition of World Oil Trends, a joint report by Arthur Andersen and Cambridge Energy Research Associates. Although 1998 was the 15th straight year in which world oil demand increased, it was the smallest increase since 1985, up only 0.3 per cent over 1997. World crude oil and natural gas liquids production in 1998 reached 72.75 mbd, an all-time high. The study found that the oil production and demand imbalance produced a substantial build of inventories throughout the year. In North America, crude stocks during 1998 climbed to their highest level since 1993. In Europe, the increase in inventories was even more apparent. Worldwide crude oil prices in 1998 fell in real terms to levels not seen since 1973. The price fall reflected the Asian economic crisis, OPEC's decision in November 1997 to raise production, mild winter weather, and sharply higher production from Iraq. The oil industry has attacked its cost structure since 1986 with everything from leading edge technology to joint ventures, with spectacular results. Now, mergers and acquisitions are strategies for
CMS Energy Corporation, Wicor and Viking Gas Transmission Company are to build an interstate natural gas pipeline to serve the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin markets. The three Midwesternbased energy companies will each hold one-third ownership in the proposed new pipeline. The project, called Guardian Pipeline, will transport natural gas from proposed interconnections with major pipelines at the Chicago hub near Joliet, Illinois to northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin. The US$230 million facility wilt consist of approximately 24 000 horsepower of con> pression and approximately 147 miles of 36 inch pipe extending from Joliet to tile Watertown, Wisconsin area. The pipeline is projected to transport about 750 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
4
WESTERN GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS A N G O L A Western Geophysical is undertaking another phase of its 3-D multi-client seismic survey of approximately 35 000 square kilometers offshore Angola. Exploration interest m deepwater Angola has increased
with the significant oil discox,eries such as Girossol and Dahlia. Western's new seismic survey phase covers both licensed and open acreage in highly prospective deepwater blocks, and has been selected alter the evaluation of a previously acquired high-quality 2D grid. To dale, 16 000 square kilometers of data have been acquired, with this new phase is expected to add an additional 19 000 square kilometers by year end.
SHII)BITII+i)IN(;
ALSTOM CRUISES AHEAD Alstom is to supply Festival Cruises with two new cruise ships. The 625-cabin passenger ships, will be built at Saint Nazaire, Western France, by Alstom's Chantiers de l'Allantique subsidiary. They are scheduled to enter service at the beginning of 2001 and 2(102.
PI!IA ~ ANI) PAIq£1I
KRUGER OUTLINES 1998 INVESTMENT SPEND Montreal-based Kruger lnc invested C$155 million in mill upgrades during 1998. Half of the capital projects were carried out at the company's newsprint and specialty mills in Trois-Rivieres and Bromptonvill, Quebec: Corner Brook, Newfoundland: and Manistique, Michigan. In addition to the C$32 million investment in Scierie Manic in Ragueneau during 1997. another C$10 million was spent on Quebec's North Shore Mill in 1998. Kruger's other wholly owned sawmills, Scierie Parent. Scierie Jacques Beaulieu and Scierie HCN,
\*,elc also upgraded to cnIu.ulcc
production and increase their competitiveness in the lumber market. During 1998, Kruger also completed u C$22 million expansion at its Montreal paperboard mill, inanufacturing white top lincrboard lrom recycled paper. In tile consumer and industrial tissue products sector. Kruger invested C$35 million in Canadian and UK mills.
INTERNET PAPER VILLAGE LAUNCHED An Internet-based subscription service designed specifically for the pulp and paperrelated community can be |ound at http://www.ei.org/ paper. Launched b3 Hoboken, New Jersey-based Engineering Information lnc and the hlsli tutc of Paper Science and Technolog} (IPST). tile P;i Paper Village is the latest step in Ei's a\vard winning c.vherspace set\ices. It offers innnodiate desktop accexs to IPST's PaperChem. the WOl'M's largest database of international journal literature related to pull+ and paper, S u b s c r i b c l s Call bloVvS¢ tH
select specific topics, and receive e-mail updates of abstracts. As part of the service. subscribers ,aill rccci,,c a complimentary electronic docuuleut
dclivcf\
service.
This \,,,ill eivc thc user full text access to up to 50 selected articles, supplied direct to their desk-top within 24 hours.
The Ei Paper Village leatures paper c o m m u n i t v set vices such as on-line discussion fora, and expert help is
avaihtble for specific technical and industr\+rehtted topics. Links are provided to all the leading pulp and paper related technical wcbsitcs. A free 30day trial i~, available from thc web site.
Water Aftairs and Forestry have called for stricter measures to limit the consumption of water. The CMC has accepted a recommendation from its Water and Waste Committee that certain water-saving projects in all the MLCs should be supported.
()!1~ ANI) ( ; A S
t::l-,
© [-
<
April 1999
large cost reductions. Howev er, while mergers mitigate risks through greater efficiency and gains in scale, they also pose the considerable challenge of integrating people, cultures, knowledge, technology and processes. WorM Oil Trends is available fl)r US$95 from Arthur Andersen. Tel: +1 713 547 4166 Fax: +1 713 237 5673.
OIL COMPANIES URGED TO RESTRUCTURE AND RETHINK
MIDWEST INTERSTATE PIPELINE PLANNED
After a year of crisis, the global oil industry is beset with uncertainty over its future, according to the 1999 edition of World Oil Trends, a joint report by Arthur Andersen and Cambridge Energy Research Associates. Although 1998 was the 15th straight year in which world oil demand increased, it was the smallest increase since 1985, up only 0.3 per cent over 1997. World crude oil and natural gas liquids production in 1998 reached 72.75 mbd, an all-time high. The study found that the oil production and demand imbalance produced a substantial build of inventories throughout the year. In North America, crude stocks during 1998 climbed to their highest level since 1993. In Europe, the increase in inventories was even more apparent. Worldwide crude oil prices in 1998 fell in real terms to levels not seen since 1973. The price fall reflected the Asian economic crisis, OPEC's decision in November 1997 to raise production, mild winter weather, and sharply higher production from Iraq. The oil industry has attacked its cost structure since 1986 with everything from leading edge technology to joint ventures, with spectacular results. Now, mergers and acquisitions are strategies for
CMS Energy Corporation, Wicor and Viking Gas Transmission Company are to build an interstate natural gas pipeline to serve the northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin markets. The three Midwesternbased energy companies will each hold one-third ownership in the proposed new pipeline. The project, called Guardian Pipeline, will transport natural gas from proposed interconnections with major pipelines at the Chicago hub near Joliet, Illinois to northern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin. The US$230 million facility wilt consist of approximately 24 000 horsepower of con> pression and approximately 147 miles of 36 inch pipe extending from Joliet to tile Watertown, Wisconsin area. The pipeline is projected to transport about 750 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
4
WESTERN GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS A N G O L A Western Geophysical is undertaking another phase of its 3-D multi-client seismic survey of approximately 35 000 square kilometers offshore Angola. Exploration interest m deepwater Angola has increased
with the significant oil discox,eries such as Girossol and Dahlia. Western's new seismic survey phase covers both licensed and open acreage in highly prospective deepwater blocks, and has been selected alter the evaluation of a previously acquired high-quality 2D grid. To dale, 16 000 square kilometers of data have been acquired, with this new phase is expected to add an additional 19 000 square kilometers by year end.
SHII)BITII+i)IN(;
ALSTOM CRUISES AHEAD Alstom is to supply Festival Cruises with two new cruise ships. The 625-cabin passenger ships, will be built at Saint Nazaire, Western France, by Alstom's Chantiers de l'Allantique subsidiary. They are scheduled to enter service at the beginning of 2001 and 2(102.
PI!IA ~ ANI) PAIq£1I
KRUGER OUTLINES 1998 INVESTMENT SPEND Montreal-based Kruger lnc invested C$155 million in mill upgrades during 1998. Half of the capital projects were carried out at the company's newsprint and specialty mills in Trois-Rivieres and Bromptonvill, Quebec: Corner Brook, Newfoundland: and Manistique, Michigan. In addition to the C$32 million investment in Scierie Manic in Ragueneau during 1997. another C$10 million was spent on Quebec's North Shore Mill in 1998. Kruger's other wholly owned sawmills, Scierie Parent. Scierie Jacques Beaulieu and Scierie HCN,
\*,elc also upgraded to cnIu.ulcc
production and increase their competitiveness in the lumber market. During 1998, Kruger also completed u C$22 million expansion at its Montreal paperboard mill, inanufacturing white top lincrboard lrom recycled paper. In tile consumer and industrial tissue products sector. Kruger invested C$35 million in Canadian and UK mills.
INTERNET PAPER VILLAGE LAUNCHED An Internet-based subscription service designed specifically for the pulp and paperrelated community can be |ound at http://www.ei.org/ paper. Launched b3 Hoboken, New Jersey-based Engineering Information lnc and the hlsli tutc of Paper Science and Technolog} (IPST). tile P;i Paper Village is the latest step in Ei's a\vard winning c.vherspace set\ices. It offers innnodiate desktop accexs to IPST's PaperChem. the WOl'M's largest database of international journal literature related to pull+ and paper, S u b s c r i b c l s Call bloVvS¢ tH
select specific topics, and receive e-mail updates of abstracts. As part of the service. subscribers ,aill rccci,,c a complimentary electronic docuuleut
dclivcf\
service.
This \,,,ill eivc thc user full text access to up to 50 selected articles, supplied direct to their desk-top within 24 hours.
The Ei Paper Village leatures paper c o m m u n i t v set vices such as on-line discussion fora, and expert help is
avaihtble for specific technical and industr\+rehtted topics. Links are provided to all the leading pulp and paper related technical wcbsitcs. A free 30day trial i~, available from thc web site.