PennEnergy has posted a complimentary white paper describing the emerging generation of more capable, cloud-based contract lifecycle management solutions.

The paper, sponsored by SciQuest, examines powerful trends driving oil and gas firms towards greater supply chain efficiencies, the elements in a modern contract management environment, and how best to implement such a solution.

On its website, PennEnergy says oil and gas firms often struggle with manual and obsolete contract management systems.  The costs of those outdated methods are high: wasted administrative time and money, lost operating efficiencies, missed opportunities including loss of potential revenue, and greater risk to the organization and to executives.

Download the white paper.

KPMG has made available a free on-demand webinar on the latest tax developments affecting companies in the oil and gas industry including legislative update, transfer pricing – state considerations, oil and gas current developments and year-end planning issues.

Speakers for the Webcast include:

John Gimigliano, Principal in Charge, Federal Legislative and Regulatory Services practice, KPMG LLP (U.S.)

Doug Maziur, Principal, SALT Income Franchise, KPMG LLP (U.S.)

Bob Swiech, Director, Washington National Tax, KPMG LLP (U.S.)

Mike Terracina, National Tax Leader, Oil and Gas practice, KPMG LLP (U.S.)

Watch the on-demand webinar.

Oil & Gas Journal presents a complimentary on-demand webinar on using predictive analytics to help an oil and gas organization maximize productivity, operational performance and associated processes to drive enterprise wide productivity and profitability.

On its website, the Journal says that in today’s asset-intensive marketplace, operating, maintaining and managing  oil and gas operations’ assets throughout their lifecycle can be costly on many fronts.  The benefits associated with preventing asset down time can be huge.

“Even small delays in detecting an issue can result in large costs from process & quality deviation, spare part costs, process down time, product quality issues and much more,” the Journal says.

Watch the webinar.

ICF International presents a complimentary on-demand webinar featuring its gas experts discussing the outlook for the coming winter in the context of last year’s polar vortex and the subsequent performance of the North American natural gas market.

After exiting last winter with relatively low working gas levels, gas supply systems seem poised to enter the winter season in relatively good form, ICF says on its website.

Topics for the webinar include:

• What could a rerun of last winter mean this year?
• What lessons, if any, have been learned?
• In the longer run, how is the outlook for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports shaping up, and what other factors will drive the gas market going forward?

View the on-demand webinar.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has posted a free on-demand webinar on how hydraulic fracturing technology works and just how much oil and gas it might uncover.

On its website, ASME says that not long ago, the United States was facing a future where the demand for oil and natural gas was being met by ever-dwindling domestic supplies — and ever-growing imports. But thanks to the new use of some clever technology, including horizontal drilling and the hydraulic fracturing of deep shale rocks, U.S. production of oil is growing and natural gas has become both cheap and plentiful.

Steve Mathis from Chevron and Philip Budzik from the U.S. Energy Information Administration were presenters for the webinar as part of the ASME Energy Forum series.

Watch the on-demand webinar.

The Oil & Gas Journal will present a complimentary webinar optimizing asset management strategy to stay in business when the market turns down.

The webinar will be Thursday, Dec. 11, at 11 a.m. Central time.

On its website, the Journal says the oil and gas market is in constant flux, and as the price of BOE (Barrel of Oil Equivalent) goes down it is increasingly important to optimize your asset management strategy to stay afloat.  Attend this webinar to learn how developing a solid asset management plan can help your company mitigate costs in any market.

Speakers will be Kevin Price, Product Director for EAM Solutions Infor, and Dwayne Maxwell Business Solutions Consultant Infor EAM.

Register for the webinar.

Halliburton Co. will buy Baker Hughes Inc. for about $35 billion in cash and stock, Reuters is reporting.

The combined entity could challenge oilfield services market leader Schlumberger as customers begin to cut spending due to falling oil prices.

Halliburton expressed confidence that the deal would clear regulatory hurdles, but Baker Hughes shares were trading well below the offer, suggesting that investors were not so sure.

Reuters reports that Halliburton also said it was ready to divest businesses that generate revenue of $7.5 billion to satisfy regulators and would pay Baker Hughes $3.5 billion if the deal was not cleared.

Read the story.

Oil and Gas IQ has posted a complimentary on-demand webinar designed to serve as a primer  on energy inefficiencies, as well as opportunities to improve operational efficiency.

On its website, Oil and Gas IQ says that, as the industry moves into deeper and more costly arenas to produce hydrocarbons, energy demand will grow even further.

This webinar introduces the challenges of reliability programs that are now standard practice in companies reliant on machines, equipment, and other physical assets.

The presenter is Shane Golaup, a Business Solutions Consultant for Infor specializing in Enterprise Asset Management.

Watch the on-demand webinar.

Platts and Bentek Energy offer a complimentary on-demand webinar on recent changes in drilling technology that have altered the energy landscape in North America.

On its website, Platts says drill times have been reduced and unconventional drilling accounts for more than 60 percent of current activity.  Oil and gas production continues to grow as operators are pursuing more producing basins than ever. How will future price changes affect drilling trends in the United States? Is there sufficient demand to absorb the production growth?

The webinar covers drilling activity, drill times, and emerging plays; returns’ impact on producer activity, natural gas production future, and how future oil & gas prices will change the landscape of U.S. drilling activity?

Watch the on-demand webinar.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has posted a complimentary webinar on new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) technology.

The ASME says on its website that some experts believe that the U.S. is in the middle of an energy revolution due to advances in the production of natural gas. But up to now, the effects of that revolution has been limited because natural gas is hard to store and transport globally, like oil or distribute as a transport fuel, like gasoline. Now companies are working to build plants in the U.S. that can turn natural gas into a liquid to export and others are developing new LNG dispensing technology for engines to use liquefied natural gas instead of gasoline or diesel.

George Hu, Technology Manager LNG at Technip USA, and Justin Capouch, LNG Technology Manager at CB&I, are presenters for this live webinar about these technologies and how they could deliver American shale gas to the world.

Watch the on-demand webinar.

Penn State Extension has posted an on-demand webinar on how processing of natural gas affects income streams to mineral rights owners, particularly in the Marcellus Shale area.

The discussion covers wet gas and dry gas production, condensate, natural gas processing plants, natural gas liquids (NQLs), petrochemical integration, the absorption process and related technology.

The presentation is a part of the Penn State University Cooperative Extension Shale Webinar Series.

The speaker is Steven M. Karabin, PNGE, RL, President and CEO, The Rhino Group. Matt Henderson is the moderator.

Watch the recorded webinar and see the presentation slides.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance has posted a white paper on fossil fuel divestment, “a concept that can reflect various societal or practical considerations. Environmental concerns, moral and ethical stances, concerns about asset stranding, and portfolio diversification are all potential rationales.”

On its website, Bloomberg New Energy Finance says the white paper “explores the motivations behind fossil fuel divestment, the scale of existing fossil fuel investments, and potential alternatives for investment re-allocated from oil, gas, and coal stocks.”

Divesting from fossil fuels does not equate to investing in renewables, according to the white paper. “Clean energy will attract $5.5trn in investment between now and 2030, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, but not every dollar will be suitable for every institution. Projects, public equities, YieldCos and green bonds offer stability, growth, and yield, but not all in one package,” it says.

Read the white paper.

EY will present an analysis of U.S. midterm elections as the results may affect the nation’s energy policy. The webinar will be Thursday, Nov. 6, at 11 a.m. Eastern time.

The midterm elections this year are on Nov. 4, and many key seats are in contention, including control of the U.S. Senate. The changes in some of these hotly contested races may have long-term impacts on US energy policy, EY says on its website.

EY’s Washington Council EY will give a post-election analysis and share their insights on tax legislation and tax reform.

Panelists will be Donna Steele Flynn, Tim Urban and Jeff Petrich. The moderator will be Deborah Byers.

Register for the webinar.

The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) has posted an on-demand webinar on the newly-proposed carbon pollution limits for existing power plants.

Webinars in this series are an opportunity to learn about emerging environmental regulations, clean energy technologies, opportunities and issues that SACE engages in everyday, the Alliance says on its website.

On June 2 the Environmental Protection Agency released proposed standards for the first-ever limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants. These carbon pollution standards, under section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act, will be designed to significantly reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity sector.

This webinar provides an introduction to the proposed 111(d) regulations, explain what this means for utilities and regulators in the Southeast, and how you and your organization can be involved in this rule-making process.

Watch the on-demand webinar.

Gibson Dunn presents a 90-minute on-demand webinar that reviews regulatory and litigation developments for hydraulic fracturing (fracking), including national, state and local initiatives to regulate and – in some instances – prohibit fracking.

On its website, the firm says the program discusses the key subjects of these regulations, including disclosure of chemical usage, access to water supplies, and potential groundwater and seismic impacts. It also provides an in-depth view of how these fracking battles are playing out in California and throughout the country with the varying and complex legislative and regulatory initiatives.

The moderator is Thomas McHenry, Partner in Gibson Dunn’s Los Angeles office. And the panelists are Rock Zierman, Chief Executive Officer, California Independent Petroleum Association (CIPA), and Jeffrey Dintzer, Partner in Gibson Dunn’s Los Angeles office, and a member of the Environmental Litigation and Mass Tort practice group.

Watch the on-demand webcast and see the presentation slides.

Oil and Gas IQ has posted a free on-demand webinar on better management of contractual information to reduce major cost overruns and delays in oil and energy projects.

Information can be both structured and unstructured, formal and informal, and marshalling these efficiently will guarantee a successful formula for all oil and energy companies to better do their business, Oil and Gas IQ says on its website.

The three pillars discussed in this webinar include understanding and organising all that constitutes Contract Relationship Information, fostering communication between buyer and contractor teams, and maintaining a structured approach to information throughout the lifecycle of a project.

Watch the on-demand webinar.

Baker Hostetler has posted a complimentary webinar on current federal regulatory developments as they affect oil and gas exploration and development in the United States.

On its website, the firm says that federal agencies and legislators are debating issues that impact oil and gas operations across the country and have international implications. Such issues include authorizing natural gas exports, increasing federal regulatory scrutiny over hydraulic fracturing activities (both onshore and offshore) and ensuring the safety of new and existing oil and gas infrastructure such as pipelines.

In addition, there is a political and legislative debate over whether LNG should be exported from the United States as well as what role, if any, the federal government should play in the regulation of hydraulic fracturing. This multitude of emerging issues presents complex challenges to continued development, he firm says.

Watch the webinar.

PwC presents a complimentary on-demand webinar discussing possible solutions to some of the major challenges affecting the oil and gas industry and the role of knowledge management in building solutions.

On its website, PwC says the oil and gas industry is weathering an onslaught of change – from the arrival of new hires with little to no experience; to the expanded use of new, accelerated and evolving drilling techniques; to the unpredictable behavior of new reservoirs and different types of hydrocarbons, few companies are able to conduct business as usual.

A comprehensive knowledge management strategy aims to provide the right information to the right individual in the right situation at the right time, PwC says. It breaks down barriers between segmented and isolated parts of a company. It values the wealth of industry knowledge that has been accumulated over the years by our esteemed colleagues, and allows it to be shared across organizations, and in global locations where experts may not exist, or where they may not speak the local language.

Watch the on-demand webinar.

BakerHostetler and Young Professionals in Energy co-hosted a symposium focused on the shale phenomenon in the United States and its implications in the energy industry.

That presentation is now available online as a free webinar.

Speakers included Jorge Leis – Partner and Head of Americas Oil & Gas Practice, Bain & Company, and Kenneth M. Fisher – Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Noble Energy.

The webinar covers:

• The history of the shale phenomenon and its future
• The disagreement between various groups on the shale industry
• Long-term strategic planning for the shale industry
• North American shale gas and the implications both domestically and globally
• The status of LNG and NGL exports and what the industry is projecting
• An operator’s perspective on the current state of the energy industry, including opinions on how to produce energy safely and sustainably
• The anti-fracking movement and the community outreach and educational programs implemented to resolve it
• The shale industry’s positive effect on the U.S. economy

Watch the webinar.

A webinar on the future of U.S. energy security hosted by the Energy Security Initiative (ESI) at Brookings Institution is now available on-demand at the Brookings website.

This event was the launch of ESI’s new report, “Changing Markets: Economic Opportunities from Lifting the U.S. Ban on Crude Oil Exports,” which looks at the economic and national security impacts of allowing U.S. crude oil exports based on a macroeconomic study contracted from National Economic Research Associates (NERA) Economic Consulting.

On its website, Brookings says that as unconventional oil and natural gas production in the United States skyrockets amidst increasing energy instability around the globe, the role of the United States in the global energy security landscape is changing. Countries such as China, India and Japan have looked to diversify their energy supply, offering a potential market for U.S. oil and gas exports. In the United States, intense debate has emerged around a decades-old ban on crude oil exports, with policymakers looking to balance the potential economic and security benefits of allowing free trade for crude oil with concerns about the role of fossil fuels in U.S. climate change mitigation.

Watch the on-demand webinar.