Abstract This paper begins by illustrating the process most commonly used to remove hydrogen sulfide from natural gas. The paper then goes on to describe an alternative method used for the removal of hydrogen sulfide and describes the benefits of this method, as well as some of the problems associated with it. Additionally, the paper points out that the water content of natural gas is an important engineering consideration concerning the sweetening process and presents an overview of the properties of pure acid gases and water and hydrogen sulfide. The paper then goes on to outline and explain additional processes and engineering considerations concerning the removal of hydrogen sulfide and includes some cost estimates and comparisons of the processes.
Properties of H2S and CO2
Vapor / Liquid Properties of Pure Compounds
Vapor / Liquid Phase Behavior
Acid Gas Compression and Dehydration
Metallurgy
Acid Gas Dehydration
Acid Gas Injection Facilities
Cost Comparisons with Small Scale Sulfur Recovery Options
Operating Costs
From the Paper "Sour natural gas contains hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which has to be removed to meet specifications for sales gas. Sour natural gas also contains carbon dioxide (CO2). The removal of CO2 and H2S, usually called acid gases, from sour natural gas is generally accomplished by means of a regenerative solvent. There are several amine solvents used for this purpose. Upon regeneration of the solvent, the acid gases are liberated, and are usually sent to a modified Claus plant, where the H2S is converted to elemental sulfur (Canjar & Manning 1967). The acid gas stream to the modified Claus plant consists of H2S, CO2, water vapor and minor amounts of hydrocarbon gas."
Abstract This paper reviews the oil and gas industry in the Middle East, specifically Oman. The author applies accounting for the industry.
From the Paper "The focus of this paper is financial accounting for the oil and gas industry. While accounting in the oil and gas industry generally is discussed in this paper where appropriate and feasible certain perspectives are provides added emphasis. The first of these perspective sis the Sultanate of Oman. Where conditions or characteristics of either the oil and gas industry or the application of financial accounting in that industry differs markedly between the general industry and the industry in Oman such variations are identified ..."
Tags: Accounting, Oil, &, gas, industry, Middle, East, Oman
Abstract This paper discusses the importance of managing natural resources, particularly natural gas. It discusses the need for management to address extraction, processing and distribution of natural gas within the United States, as well as to constructively interact with the demands of the rest of the world to secure natural gas imports. The paper also addresses economics, politics and environmental concerns that are relevant to natural gas management.
Table of Contents:
Abstract
Economic Importance
Availability of Natural Gas Management of Natural Gas Conclusion
From the Paper "Holistic management of a complete ecosystem is a highly ambitious goal. It requires enormous effort in developing critical knowledge of the area and how to manage its biological health. It requires conscientious assessment and management of the human activities present in that area. It also requires constructive cooperation between all political entities involved in the use of that ecosystem. This is a tough model the Norwegians have created. It is also very doable. It will test the ingenuity of all involved. If successful it is a model that could be transported anywhere in the world, including the United States."
Abstract This paper examines the relative risks and benefits of importing liquefied natural gas (LNG), specifically to the United States. It discusses the threat of LNG once it is brought onto land and the threats of transporting it by sea. In order to understand whether the benefits outweigh the risks, the paper discusses the value of imported LNG for the United States. Environmental, financial and industrial benefits are included in the discussion. The paper then looks at the effect of importing liquefied natural gas on the intelligence and policing community and finally discusses the challenges facing congress.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Risks of Importing Liquefied Natural Gas Benefits of Importing Liquefied Natural Gas Effect of Importing Liquefied Natural Gas on the Intelligence and Policing Community
Challenges Facing Congress and Policy Makers
The Paradox of Liquefied Natural Gas Tankers
Conclusion
From the Paper "The importation of liquefied natural gas represents, for the United States, a tremendous opportunity for the obtaining of an energy source which can not only go a very long way toward remedying the energy shortages which have plagued the US and other industrialized nations for decades, but also provides a source of low environmental impact energy as well. Conversely, there are also some risks in the importation of LNG, including concerns for the safety of the nation, political considerations, financial entanglements and more. While there is no totally reliable, risk-free energy source in the present day, LNG seems to present one of the most attractive options given the alternatives today. However, in conclusion, the quest to obtain other attractive sources of energy should not stop."
Abstract The oil and gas extraction industry in Australia is comprised of firms that are primarily engaged in producing crude oil, natural gas or condensate and in treating these products on site to produce liquefied or purified forms of oil and gas. The paper presents an industry and environmental scan of oil and gas extraction in Australia. It includes graphs and tables.
Paper Outline:
Products of the Industry
Market Structure
Market Size and Sales
International Environment
Regulatory Environment
Demographics
Industry Problems
Industry Trends and Forecasts
Porter's 5 Forces Model Analysis
Bibliography
From the Paper "According to Richard A. Kerr, many economists foresee another half-century of cheap oil; however, a growing contingent of geologists warns that oil will begin to run out much sooner--perhaps in only 10 years or so. The optimists are characterized as mainly those who place their faith in new technology for finding and extracting oil and expect that production will meet rise in demand until about 50 years from now, a period deemed sufficient to identify and develop effective energy alternatives; however, the pessimists suggest that even taking into account the best efforts of the explorationists and the discovery of new fields in frontier areas such as the Caspian Sea sometime between 2010 and 2020, the production oil from wells around the world will peak at 80 million barrels per day, then begin a steady, inevitable decline (Kerr, 1998)."
Abstract This paper explains that one of the strangest issues about gas prices is that, even though they are rising rapidly, the variance of how much gasoline costs per gallon on any given day across the country is fascinating. The author points out that many people believe that the reason gas prices have risen so high is that America basically is at war in the Middle East now; however, there are gas stations across the country that do not buy gasoline from the Middle East and instead purchase it from gasoline and oil suppliers within the United States and other countries. The paper stresses that gas prices are rising so rapidly because demand is coming from not only consumer transportation but also from almost everything, which is brought to the various grocers, supermarkets, department stores and other stores, which comes by truck at least for some part of its journey. This increased price of transportation will result in increased prices for every item in the transportation-based economy.
From the Paper "Naturally, the reasons behind why gas prices are rising are important but how gas prices and their rise is affecting the economy is even more significant. There are several affects on the economy. First, those that are involved with the ownership of gasoline stations, oil refineries, and others that work closely with this type of product are seeing higher profits, but they also have to spend more money for the items that they need to create an end product for the purchaser of gasoline (Kirms, 2005). In other words, companies that buy oil from the Middle East and other suppliers are making money because the gas prices are so high. On the other hand, these same individuals must also pay more money than they used to pay to get the barrels of oil that they need to create gasoline. Many people think that the economy is being affected generally by gas companies and oil companies gouging the public to make huge profits. In reality, however, most of the gasoline companies and many of the oil companies are not actually making any more money, because it is all being spent to purchase what is needed to finally get the gasoline to the consumer."
Tags: stations, transportation, war, profit, variance
The paper attempts to show that exploitation of Alaskan oil and gas reserves would be detrimental to the environment of the region and, effectively, destroy it.
Abstract The author of the paper contends that, as energy costs continue to increase, many Americans are facing harsh realities at the gas pump. The paper's writer says that enormous resources available in Alaska appear to represent a short-term solution to this growing demand for oil and gas. The paper's author contends, however, that the unique qualities of the environmentally fragile Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are endangered by such exploitation. To determine what both sides have to say about this issue, the author of this paper provides a review of the peer-reviewed and scholarly literature concerning further exploitation of Alaska's oil and gas reserves and its concomitant environmental impact, followed by a summary of the research and the authors findings in the conclusion.
From the Paper "The existing protections that are in place are no accident, though. The legislation that set aside the wilderness and refuge areas of Alaska are the deliberate result of the U.S. government's decision to keep oil and gas development out of the ANWR specifically to preserve the region's wilderness. According to Stanke, "In 1960, Fred Seaton, as Interior Secretary for the Eisenhower administration, designated 8.9 million acres in the northeastern corner of Alaska the Arctic National Wildlife Range -- a sanctuary for wildlife and wilderness conservation" (Stanke 905). As Grover points out, Interior Secretary Seaton's 1960 withdrawal order clearly stated the purposes for which the new wildlife range was to be managed: preserving the 'unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values' of the region" (1169). During the period 1960 and 1979, the U.S. Department of the Interior managed the Range in a fashion that was congruent with the intent of this statement in spite of the vast natural resources discovered near Prudhoe Bay (Grover 1169). According to Weaver and Asmus (2006), the Prudhoe Bay oil field is the largest oil field in the United States. Not surprisingly, these resources have attracted a great deal of attention from commercial interests, but Stanke notes that the fact that the Refuge exists at all is not a matter of chance or luck, but rather is the ". . . deliberate result of United States wilderness-preservation policy in place since the 1950s" (Stanke 906)."
Abstract The paper discusses the oil and gas shortage in the United States and the effects this has had on the American economy. The paper attributes the rise in the cost of oil to the improved standards of living and limited natural resources, a weakening American dollar, speculative operations on the international market, the regulations implemented by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the conflicts in the Middle East.
Outline:
Introduction
Oil and Gas Shortage within the United States
Causes of Oil and Gas Shortage
Conclusions
From the Paper "The contemporaneous society is marked by various changes and the primary one within highly developed countries is that of increasing rates of consumerism. Due to increased wages and improved living standards, but also due to marketing strategies that place an increased focus onto the complete satisfaction of customers' needs and wants, the individuals have become eager to purchase more than they actually need. The rate of extraction and exploitation of the natural resources is increasing alongside with consumerism. In the past decade alone, one third of the planet's natural resources have been entirely consumed; they vanished. But this behavior has tremendous negative effects upon the surrounding environment."
Tags: dollar, speculation, resources, Middle, East
Abstract This paper offers a detailed overview on the price of light, sweet crude oil on NYMEX in 2005, noting its highs, lows and its relative cost to previous months and years. It continues to discuss the reasons for the price surges namely, the war in Iraq and hurricane Ivan. The paper highlights that the movement of gas and oil is similar to that of the business cycle. In conclusion, the author of the paper offers an opinion as to why the gas and oil hike will not cause a recession as in 1973.
From the Paper "Drilling for crude oil generally moves with oil prices. A closer relationship is more evident prior to 1998. As OPEC pushed prices upward by restricting production in 1999, however, the relationship weakened. The overhang of excess capacity in OPEC created the possibility that oil prices might fall. The result was a muted and delayed response in oil drilling. Oil drilling did not pick up until growing demand pushed OPEC closer to full capacity. The story is similar today. Political uncertainty and OPEC production restraint have pushed world oil prices upward, although excess capacity is nearly 10 percent of world oil consumption at 6 million barrels per day. The overhang of capacity creates the possibility of a sharp oil price decline and adds considerable risk to future oil prices, which discourages exploration and development activities."
Abstract This paper looks at how formerly environmentally damaging methane gas from landfills is now being utilized for direct-use and gas-to-electric projects that not only benefit consumers but are actually responsible for improving the environment.
From the Paper "Three decades ago the notion of landfills was a distasteful one to most people. Landfills emit natural gases that are a by-product of decomposition of organic waste. Landfill gas emissions give off a noxious odor for those living in close proximity to landfills and the release of gases from aerobic and anaerobic oxygen free processes were thought to be detrimental to the environment. Landfill gas (LFG) is primarily composed of carbon dioxide and methane. Because of this it is flammable and potentially explosive in..."
Tags: waste management, greenhouse effect, alternative sources of fuel, heating, turbines, pollution, anaerobic processes, BMW, electricity, carbon dioxide
Abstract This paper discusses the Calpine Company, an independent power producer that was established in 2002, comparing it to the Pacific Gas and Electric company. The paper reviews these two companies from an organizational business perspective.
Contents:
Calpine
Pacific Gas and Electric
From the Paper "In order to develop its business and manage the risk, the company has extended its activities, providing also commodity investment optimization, gas aggregation and arbitrage, logistics and settlement, risk management and energy management consulting. This creases the basis for more profit but also increases the costs related to the staff know how, to provide the appropriate infrastructure and all the cost incurred to the development of new projects (marketing plans, management administration, new logistics, etc). This may be a partially explanation of the overall increase in revenues of 4% (9.2 billion dollars) for the fiscal year 2005. To sustain that fragile figure of the revenue for the year 2005, it can be added that the energy market is a stable and a constant one, with a little increase of the market share during the time (the rate of the consumption is almost constant and it is not very easy to be influenced). "
Abstract This paper argues that the natural gas vehicle is better than the electric vehicle (EV) - chiefly because it remains somewhat more convenient to re-fuel, and because the long-term durability of the EV remains in doubt. The author outlines the strengths of each and in the final analysis, while giving a slight advantage to a natural gas-propelled vehicle,he states that purchasing either type will turn out to be a judicious choice.
From the Paper "To begin with, it is simply inaccurate to suggest that gas automobiles are chronic polluters; in truth, a car or truck operating on natural gas can be quite clean. For instance, natural gas is overwhelmingly methane in composition and it is, as an added benefit, derived from plant materials. More importantly, clean gas automobiles tend to produce a very low amount of "dangerous" (carbon monoxide) emissions. If that is not good enough, then critics of gas automobiles should bear in mind that clean gas is very abundant, is a viable alternative to other fuel products, and is quite cheap ("Clean Gas Products," para.1-5). All in all, gas automobiles are operating on a fuel that is more than accessible and does not (assuming it is natural gas) cause great complications to the surrounding environment."
Abstract This paper studies the incident that took place on December 2, 1984 in Bhopal, India when a series of mechanical and human failures led to the worst industrial disaster known to mankind--a gas leak of 40 tons of methyl isocyanate from a Union Carbide chemical plant that killed an estimated 10,000 people. The effects of this tragic incident were global. Corporate environmental awareness was raised to new levels as industrial giants worldwide scrambled to preemptively reevaluate the safety of their own chemical processes, while lawmakers put together new environmental regulations in response to Bhopal. Public environmental awareness was also brought to the forefront as the "right-to-know" movement gained impetus. Ultimately, these three factors paved the way for environmental auditing and management systems--because these were the controls that gave the chemical industry the tools to prevent another Bhopal, while also meeting expected new government regulations and gathering information to satisfy the public's newly awakened interest in industrial processes.
From the Paper "One of the largest and most horrific industrial disasters of modern times took place in Bophal, India on the evening of December 2, 1984, when about 40 tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from an underground storage tank at a Union Carbide chemical plant into the environment, killing 2,000 to 3,400 people almost immediately and leaving about 8,000 others to die gradually from exposure to the killing fumes.1 The gas polluted an area of over 18 square kilometers and displaced over 500,000 people. There were at least 250,000 people injured as a result of this accident. The MIC gas caused severe respiratory distress, pulmonary edema, eye and lung diseases, gynecological problems, psychological crisis, and many other medical problems before it had run its course. The sheer magnitude of the accident drew over 12,000 relief operations personnel to the area in hopes of rendering aid, but for many of the victims, it was already too late (Bisarya & Puri, 2001; EPA, 2001; Nolan & Street, 2000)."
Tags: act, air, auditing, caer, carbide, care, chemical, clean, disaster, environmental, epcra, gas, india, mic, responsible, union
Abstract A major consideration for companies is market demand and market potential, where market demand is the total opportunity within an industry and market potential is the maximum amount of sales that can be reasonably expected within a market. The paper explains why both these figures are important to access the profit potential of a market and to decide whether entering a certain market is likely to be a success for the company. To illustrate the difference between the two figures and to show how they are calculated, market demand and market potential are calculated for the gas electric hybrid car in the United States.
From the Paper "Total market potential is the maximum amount of sales that might be available to all the firms in an industry with the current environmental and marketing conditions (Kotler 2002, p. 131). Total market potential is equal to the number of buyers multiplied by the quantity purchased by an average buyer multiplied by the price of an average unit (Kotler 2002, p. 132). According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (2002), there were 6,325,000 new passenger car sales in the United States in 2001. The total new passenger car sales were slightly higher in the previous four years, with a highest of 6,979,000 in 1999 and a lowest of 6,831,000 in 2000 (Bureau of Transportation Statistics 2002). Based on these figures, a figure of 6,500,000 is a reasonable estimate for yearly sales of new passenger cars. This figure includes all car types, both conventional combustion engines and gas electric hybrid cars. To determine the total market potential for gas electric hybrid cars, total car sales needs to be divided into combustion and hybrid engines."
Abstract This paper presents an analysis of the political/legal, economic, socio-cultural, technological and ecological factors affecting the United Kingdom-based Upstream Oil and Gas Industry. The paper then uses the analysis to identify the top three most significant issues or trends in the recent past and medium term future facing the industry and provides justification for those choices. Next, the paper develops three scenarios for the industry that relate to an environment where conditions are optimistic for the future, pessimistic for the future and middle-of-the-road. Through the analysis and the scenarios drawn, the paper attempts to provide an in-depth understanding of the situational factors that affect and have the potential to affect this industry now and in the future.
From the Paper "The Upstream Oil and Gas Industry in the United Kingdom is a mature one, and after 40 years of offshore exploration, the country remains self sufficient in oil and gas. This is an important sector for the UK, supplying most of the country's energy needs, representing 17% of the country's industrial investment and manufacturing virtually all the country's transport fuel. A PESTE analysis of the factors affecting the industry shows that it operates under legal, fiscal and environmental regulations where prices are determined by international organizations like OPEC and OECD. The economic factors affecting the industry are oil demand, price, production, investment and employment. Awareness of sustainable development and renewable energy sources is the major social factor. Technology plays a crucial role in reducing the costs of exploration and production of oil and gas, in addition to making the process safer and more environmental friendly. There is considerable attention being paid to the affect of oil exploration operations on the environment, and this will also determine the future of the industry. The three scenarios that can emerge for the industry mainly depend upon the oil and gas reserves left in the North Sea, the viability of their exploration and the development of alternative renewable energy sources."
