The Oilfields 101 course will provide attendees with a fundamental, well-rounded understanding of oilfields and all their moving parts. Beginning with a comprehensive overview of oilfield history and essentials (terms, composition, important organizations, etc.) and building up to the oil industry’s current challenges and its future, attendees will leave the program feeling more confident and comfortable when it comes to deeper conversations about oilfield reservoirs, production, midstream activities, decommissioning, and more. This program will also dive into geology, drilling wells, completions, market value chain, and storage, with details spanning from importing and exporting, to oilfield tools, to environmental regulations, to everything in-between.

Throughout the 1-day event, it is highly encouraged that participants ask questions, start discussions, share stories, and voice challenges so all attendees leave not only with the expertise from the instructor, but with real-world experiences from fellow attendees as well.  

Learning Outcomes

• Review oilfield fundamentals and history, including composition, refined oil products, types of oils, regulations, and planning
• Examine the role of reservoir engineers and geologists in terms of technical and leadership expectations in economics, analysis, evaluation, and more
• Discuss drilling wells and how the mechanical process is performed
• Define “completions” and their types and tools
• Discover how oil is produced from a reservoir and discuss the testing, acidizing, drilling, and fracking processes
• Analyze the oil market value chain and how it plays into U.S., Canada, and Global markets
• Review the different types of crude oil storage and midstream activities when it comes to locations, above vs. below ground, operations, and environmental reviews
• Realize today’s challenges and how oilfields fit into discussions on climate change, environmental regulations and reforms, and decarbonization

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2022

Oilfield Fundamentals

• Oil Composition
• Oil, Wet Natural Gas, and Dry Natural Gas
• Distinguishing Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream
• LPG’s – Liquid Petroleum Gases
• NGL’s – Natural Gas Liquids
• Refined Oil Products – Gasoline, Diesel, Jet Fuel, etc.
• Types of Organizations Involved in the Oilfield
• Various Types of Oils
• Benefits, Global Market, and Terminology
• Measurements and Conversions

Oil Industry History & Overview

• Spindle Top
• 1800’s – Standard Oil – Breakup to the Current Oil Giants
• OPEC
• Oil Tankers
• U.S. Importing and Exporting
• U.S. and Global Regulations
• Recognizing Surface Facilities and Subsurface (Downhole) Activities
• Schedules and the Planning Processes Used in the Industry

Oil Reservoirs and Geology

• Role of Reservoir Engineers and Geologist: Both Technical and Leadership
• Economics, Planning, CAPEX, and OPEX
• Determining Where to Drill, Infill Spacing, Injection, and Similar Activities
• Logging, Reservoir Evaluation, Correlation, and Log Analysis
• What Data Do We Get from Logs and What Is It Used for?
• 3D Models and New Technology
• Reserves Estimation and Secondary Recovery
• Why Do We Need It and What Does It Entail?

Drilling Wells

• How is the Mechanical Process Performed?
• Circulation and Drilling Mud
• Casing and Cement – What Are They Used For?
• What is an Annulus, Fluidity, and Isolation?
• Data Acquisition and Deciphering Reports
• How and Why Do They Drill Horizontal Laterals?

Completions

• What is a “Completion”?
• Types of Completions
• Perforated or Cased?
• Fractured, Slotted Liners, and Gravel Pack
• Oilfield Tools: Hammers and Wrenches
• Packers and Bridge Plugs
• Sleeves and Frac Ports

Production

• How is Oil Produced from a Reservoir?
• Operations Examples
• Oil Well Testing and Pulling Wells
• Mechanical and Operation Reliability and Failures
• Acidizing
• Waterflood, Steam, and Carbon Dioxide Injection
• Artificial Lift and Why It Is Needed
• Types of Pumping Units
• Long Stroke and Traditional Units
• Rods, Balls, and Seats
• Plunger Lift and Gas Lift
• Submersible Electric Pumps
• Drilling Technology
• Hydraulic Fracking

The Oil Market Value Chain Overview

• The Oil Industry Value Chain
• Major Oil Plays in U.S., Canada, and Global
• Oil Wells and the Different Types of Standards of Oil
• LPG’s and Their Importance
• Conventional and Unconventional Drilling
• Costs of Drilling and Fracking

Decommissioning

• What is a “Completion”?
• Plugging and Abandonment
• Well Summary and Well History Reports
• Squeeze Cementing Reports

Crude Oil Storage and Midstream Activities

• Different Types of Storage and Location
• Above Ground and Below Ground
• Operations and Storage Development
• Oil Gathering, Transportation, and Refining
• U.S. Oil Reserve
• Regulatory Issues
• Pipeline Planning, Shippers, and Construction Costs
• Environmental Reviews of Oil Pipelines and Federal & State Regulators

Oil Industry Challenges Today

• Climate Change
• Presidential Election and Ban on Drilling in Federal Lands
• FERC’S 1999 Pipeline Policy Statement
• Landowner Opposition and Eminent Domain
• Opposition by the States and Environmental Groups
• Keep It I the Ground and the Green New Deal
• Environmental Regulation and Reforms
• Decarbonization

Pete Berzins, Senior Director – Oil & Gas, TTL

Pete Berzins has broad experience in various sectors of the energy Industry. This includes project management and design from preliminary engineering report (PER) preparation to design of meter stations, compressor facilities, processing plants, pipelines containing natural gas or liquid petroleum products, HDDs, and underground utilities. Mr. Berzins has also performed specification preparation, subcontractor oversight, utility coordination, inspections, and construction oversight/support.

Mr. Berzins received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA in Finance and International Business from University of Houston.