Marginal Wells
(1994)
This report is an assessment of the costs and benefits of incentives for maintaining production from the more than 500,000 marginal oil wells in the United States. These wells produce approximately 700 million barrels of oil equivalent per year and represent $10 billion of avoided imports each year. They contribute nearly 80,000 jobs and generate close to $14 billion per year in economic activity.
The report is in response to Secretary O’Leary’s request for the NPC to evaluate the costs and benefits of various actions to maintain this production. The report presents the NPC’s recommendations for four federal income tax incentives to encourage continued operation of marginal wells, particularly in periods of low prices. Because of the cost structure of marginal wells, the NPC also recommends that regulatory, royalty, and state tax incentives and relief are needed to reduce the impact of increasing costs.
The report describes domestic oil and gas marginal well production and the access to potential reserves that those wells provide. Physical and economic characteristics of such wells are examined and evaluations of marginal well contributions to the national, state, and local economies as well as to the oil and gas industries are provided. U.S. producing wells are evaluated for marginality on a before federal income tax basis. Detailed economic analyses on an after tax basis are presented for several types of marginal well credits as well as for an improved EOR credit and an inactive well incentive. In addition, state incentives are examined and federal regulatory issues are reviewed.
(356 pages) Price: $65.00
Enhanced Oil Recovery
(1984)
The 1984 EOR report presents estimates of the amount and timing of incremental oil that might be recovered through the application of EOR techniques to known reservoirs in the United States. The analysis is based on a resource data base consisting of over 2,500 reservoirs with approximately 325 billion barrels of oil originally in place. Incremental ultimate recovery achievable from EOR processes, and potential producing rates during the 30-year time frame of the study are calculated for a wide range of technical and economic assumptions (four oil prices, three minimum rate of return requirements, and two technology cases).
Three general classifications of EOR methods are considered: chemical flooding, miscible flooding, and thermal recovery. In addition, the report outlines the significant changes affecting enhanced recovery since the 1976 report was issued. The potential environmental impacts associated with EOR operations are assessed, as is the relative importance of enhanced oil recovery to the nation’s energy supply.
The report also addresses recent research efforts and the future implications for research and development programs.
(302 pages) Price: $37.50
Third World Petroleum Development: A Statement of Principles
(1982)
The report analyzes the factors that affect the decisions of U.S. private petroleum companies to explore for and develop petroleum in oil-importing developing countries (OIDCs). The report recommends measures that the OIDCs and U.S. government can take to encourage private companies to explore for and develop oil and gas. The NPC’s view of the appropriate role for certain third party public agencies, in particular The World Bank, is also discussed.
The report does not include detailed resource assessments, critique the programs of specific OIDCs, or discuss oil and gas exploration and development activities of countries outside the free world.
(52 pages) Price: $10.00
U.S. Arctic Oil and Gas
(1981)
The report estimates the potential contribution to U.S. oil and gas supplies from production in currently undeveloped areas in the Arctic regions of the United States. In the report, the Arctic region is broadly defined as territory under U.S. jurisdiction north of Alaska’s Aleutian islands offshore and north of the Brooks Range onshore. The report discusses: resource assessment information; exploration, production, and transportation technology and economics; environmental, community, and regulatory considerations; and jurisdictional issues.
(326 pages) Price: $35.00
Unconventional Gas Sources
(1980)
The report consists of five volumes: Volume I - Executive Summary; Volume II - Coal Seams; Volume III - Devonian Shale; Volume IV - Geopressured Brines; Volume V - Tight Gas Reservoirs.
For each gas source, reserve additions and producing rates are calculated at five gas prices, three rates of return, and at least two levels of technology. The volumes also include an overview of the resource, an analysis of the technological state of the art, an examination of constraints or uncertainties that may impede development or production, and a comparison of the NPC findings with those of other studies on the resource.
Volume I - Executive Summary
(56 pages) Price: $ 2.50
Volume II - Coal Seams
(128 pages) Price: $15.00
Volume III - Devonian Shale
(252 pages) Price: $20.00
Volume IV - Geopressured Brines
(212 pages) Price: $20.00
Volume V - Tight Gas Reservoirs
Part I - Resource Assessment
(492 pages) Price: $30.00
Part II - Basin Analyses
(800 pages) Price: $40.00