Offshore oil rigs are productive, yet sometimes, dangerous places to work. Unfortunately, when safety is ill-managed on an offshore rig serious injuries and fatalities occur. With large amounts of equipment, risk involving the handling of mined materials, and even just being out on the water, it’s no wonder that safety is imperative to so many rig managers.

If you run a facility that manages offshore drilling, make sure that your team stays safe this summer. Here are five safety tips that should keep your offshore rig running smoothly.

Make Orientation a Requirement

In order to instill a safety-first mentality on your offshore rig, safety orientation is an essential part of the culture. Rig workers move between rigs on a regular basis. Even though most of them would communicate that they are up to speed on safety culture, fatal mistakes can still be made.

A mandatory orientation helps lay down your specific safety culture and ensures that your safety expectations are met to the best of your staff’s ability.

Continuously Train Your Staff

One orientation doesn’t cut it. Safety standards constantly change and your team should always be on the same page as industry standards. Ongoing training with machinery, safety procedures, and equipment helps express your rig’s commitment to safety and drives the point home for your busy team.

Sanitize Your Equipment

COVID-19 knows no boundaries, so your offshore rig should always be as germ-free as possible for your staff’s safety. Health safety is important on your rig because not only can disease spread quickly, but illness leaves your rig short-handed in the end.

Create some routine cleaning shifts and ensure that heavily touched surfaces are sanitized and that all employees practice social distancing and wear face coverings and gloves where required.

Keep Required Safety Equipment Stocked

Oil rigs require a large amount of safety equipment that promotes oil & gas employee safety. So, it’s important that your site keeps safety equipment clean and available at all times for your workers. Aside from the current need for safety masks, your rig should stay stocked with gear like:

• Safety glasses
• Hard hats
• Respirators
• Fire-Resistant clothing

Maintain Your Machinery

Heavy-duty machinery like gas-coolers or fuel conditioners can be dangerous pieces of equipment when they aren’t maintained. Make sure that your site has a set maintenance schedule for your equipment that guarantees optimal functionality for years to come.

Keep Your Oil Rig Equipped With Pro-Gas, LLC

One of the most important ways to keep your oil rig safe is with reliable equipment. The team at Pro-Gas, LLC prides itself on providing only the best equipment to both on-shore and offshore drill sites. Whether you need efficient gas coolers or somewhere to store your LNGs, we have the equipment that keeps your rig operational. Contact us today to get your equipment orders prepared and to learn more about our other services.

By the time oil and gas reaches consumers, the materials have already been measured out and mass-produced from the sites and facilities they originated from. While most people know that oil is measured out by the barrel, most don’t quite understand what that measurement means and how natural gas is measured at a drill site.

Here’s a closer look at how these products are measured at their sites, which will hopefully provide a deeper understanding of the terminology used in current industry articles that discuss results by the measurement.

Measuring On-site Oil and Gas Production

Oil production is measured across the globe in barrels. Barrels can also be referred to through their abbreviated term, “bbl.” One barrel is the equivalent of 42 gallons by the United State’s standards.

Measurements are usually described on daily and quarterly terms. However, the abbreviations used throughout the industry may leave the average person scratching their heads. For example, 1,000 barrels of oil is often referred to as “M,” and 1 million barrels would be abbreviated as “MM.”

So, when someone reading an article sees that a site produced 5 Mbbls per day, that’s the industry’s way of abbreviating 5,000 barrels of oil in one day.

Gas Production Measurements

Gas production is measured in cubic feet or “cf.” Much like oil, natural gas numbers are based on how much is produced per day or per quarter. However, since natural gas seems to be a more plentiful commodity for facilities to harvest, the industry uses abbreviations that reach up into the billions and trillions of cubic feet in the United States.

These abbreviations are “Bcf” for one billion cubic feet and “Tcf” for one trillion cubic feet.

Is Gas Always Measured in Cubic Feet?

While we’ve discussed measuring gas in cubic feet, keep in mind that unlike barrels, cubic feet isn’t something that is used to measure natural gas products across the globe. Across the seas, natural gas is measured in British thermal units (Btu) and can even be reported as cubic meters in order to further simplify the measurement process at a global level.

Learn More About Oil and Gas Industry Practices With Pro-Gas, LLC!

At Pro-Gas, LLC, we are committed to providing facilities and drill sites with our state-of-the-art equipment and highest quality services in the industry. However, we also believe that education in uncertain times for our industry is equally important. So, regardless of if you need the latest updates on the oil and gas market news or if you just need some NGL tanks to transfer some product, we are always here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services.

While many oil companies have to face the dire consequences of a geopolitical feud that makes production especially expensive, consumers are reaping the benefits of lower gas prices. Although we’d love to see local facilities thriving at maximum production, this is just something we’ll have to wait for as the economy begins to inch its way back up.

For now, we will continue to supply essential equipment like NGL tanks and gas coolers to facilities and sites that need them as they pursue oil and gas production. However, we also see the brighter side of savings from the consumer point of view.

In the spirit of saving and surviving in the world of Coronavirus, here are some extra tips for using consumer-ready oil and gas wisely this summer.

Time When You Fill Up!

According to an article published in Forbes, one of the easiest ways for someone to save even more money on gas in their vehicle is timing when they decide to pump!

Based on information from Breitling Oil and Gas’ CEO, Chris Faulkner, gas prices generally rise at 10 a.m. on Thursdays in order to increase the cash flow of the weekend drivers. So, if you’ve been impacted by the economic circumstances of Coronavirus, remember to hit the pumps at the beginning of the week before gas station prices change.

Keep Up You Car’s Maintenance

The amount you spend on gas also depends on how well you maintain your car. Simple maintenance practices like filling up your tires with air, getting your tires rotated, and cleaning your car’s air filters can help you save a fair amount of gas money every month!

Invest in a Programmable Thermostat

Your air conditioner and heating unit use up gas in order to keep your home feeling comfortable. However, you don’t need your home at extreme temperatures at times when you’re not there to enjoy it. Save some money this summer by picking up a programmable thermostat and getting your home on a temperature timer. Not only will you remain happy with your home’s energy bill, but you’d never even know the temperature had changed if you time your adjustments right.

Let Your Dishwasher Do the Dirty Work

While we aren’t necessarily saying to let your dishes pile up in the kitchen, we are saying you should take a little time to fill up your dishwasher for one swift cleaning. Although your dishwasher does use energy to get its job done, we guarantee that when you frequently wash your dishes by hand every night, you’re consuming much more energy.

When your water heater has to consistently work to produce hot water for hand-washing dishes, be prepared to watch your energy bill increase during the summer months.

Trust Pro-Gas, LLC to Help Keep Your Facility Producing

The team at Pro-Gas, LLC understands that times are tough for many of the facilities we support. The best we can advise is to continue pushing forward and help us make the economy a better place for everyone. Stay safe, and remember, we are always here to help out with quality equipment and the latest updates about major news in our industry. Contact us to learn more about any of our products and services.

By now, the evidence is clear that COVID-19 and the global oil price war have had a significant, negative impact on the United States shale industry. In the past, we’ve discussed how the government could possibly help the oil industry through meticulously planned bailouts. However, there are steps the shale industry can take that can help ensure its long-term survival as a global competitor.

Here’s a look at our shale industry insights going forward and how drill sites and production facilities can work together to bring the industry back up.

Oil Will Survive, But Slowly…

According to an article from Forbes, the falling oil prices can’t last forever. Eventually, they will hit their limit and become forced to move back up. However, the article says that even though our industry should ultimately survive, the process will be slow as long as a vaccine for COVID-19 hasn’t been created and approved.

Even after we’ve returned to “normal,” the oversupply of oil will still remain a problem. Experts predict that it could take up to a year for the current oil supply to get used up when prices begin to increase again.

Lower Oil Prices Provide Tax Relief

As oil companies drill on private property, they must pay taxes and royalties to the owners of the property. These payments are based on the overall value of the oil that’s farmed and generally fluctuates with the market.

Though it’s never comforting for oil prices to dip too low, when they do reach the depths that they have, oil companies do receive tax and royalty relief. In the long-run, this relief can help keep U.S. shale production functioning. While it may not be at the levels we want to see at facilities, it at least shows promise for the future of our industry.

Well Site Automation

Although we are still in the early stages of using artificial intelligence (AI) at drill sites, the idea has become something that many companies are considering based on the overall benefits. Currently, one of the biggest factors that financially holds oil companies back is the expense of equipment training and ensuring that sites are well-staffed by numerous employees that are capable of safely maintaining the site.

AI takes the complexity of adjusting drill direction by automatically following the site’s proposed drill path. This use of AI alone provides several benefits that include:

• Decreasing the strain of equipment
• Drilling wells quickly
• Allowance of remote task oversight
• A cleaner work site

Continuous Best Practices

Best practices have always been one of the biggest priorities of our industry. From proper maintenance of equipment like gas coolers to studying specific reservoirs for the best drilling opportunities, continuing to focus on being the best industry we can be will eventually help us to press forward.

Stay Updated on Shale’s Survival With Pro-Gas, LLC

At Pro-Gas, LLC, we know how resilient our industry is. Despite the current economic climate, we are certain that U.S. shale will make it through as we adjust to this new normal. As always, we are here to provide your site with the best equipment at an affordable price, as well as keep you caught up on the latest industry news. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

Learn more about your trusted oil and gas industry service provider, Pro-Gas, LLC.

The shifts in how COVID-19 and events surrounding the pandemic impact the energy industry as a whole are drastic. Unfortunately, the oil and gas sector has been hit the hardest, with record-low crude oil prices and giants in the industry filing for bankruptcy. However, at Pro-Gas, LLC we know that the ebb and flow of oil prices can change in an instant.

For now, here are some of the latest new insights that we’ve seen over the last month.

Currently, the Oil Surplus Outweighs Demand

Summer is right around the corner, and usually, this is the point in time where oil prices begin to rise. As people think about travel and plans get made, oil is bought up and sold at market-thriving prices.

However, with the current pandemic and most of the country under shelter in place orders, the demand just isn’t there and it’s hurting our industry, with oil trading in the negatives.

The Industry Looks Towards Renewable Energy

Although times aren’t the easiest for crude oil, according to an article from Forbes, our market could naturally begin to turn around in the fourth quarter of 2020. According to the article, now, oil producers must diversify their portfolios to remain competitive. This means we could see a move into renewable energy territory. These forward steps could bring on some serious consolidation that could actually strengthen our industry.

The Global Price War Rages On…

One of the biggest issues that set our industry off on this downward domino effect is geopolitics! The crude oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia has been going on for over a month now, with devastating effects on our crude oil’s price per barrel.

Although the world has yet to see concrete steps towards resolution, according to energy specialist, Wal van Lierop, the low prices on oil won’t last forever within either political power’s nation.

With prices as low as 25 dollars per barrel, the situation isn’t sustainable without either nation suffering the economic consequences. We will continue to keep our eyes on this crucial story that could end in a huge step towards recovery once tensions cool down.

For the Latest Industry News, Trust the Experts at Pro-Gas, LLC

At Pro-Gas, LLC we love the industry and everyone who plays a role in making it succeed. Right now things may seem grim, but the truth of the matter is, that the sun will eventually shine on us again. With federal efforts and the hope of global quelling in the price war, we will adjust to a new normal that allows us to excel again.

Coronavirus has impacted our nation’s health and economy in many crippling ways. However, we implore you to stay safe, stay patient, and help us win the war against this virus together. For the latest updates on oil’s way back to the top stay tuned with us and remember, we’re always here to help.

Oil and gas has always been an industry that has faced its fair share of ups and downs. However, right now with the spread of COVID-19, our oil wells and production plants have begun to face unprecedented difficulties.

While the initial outlook for many companies in our industry seems dire, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, says that he has plans to get the oil flowing freely once again. Here is a deeper look into the current oil & gas industry and how the POTUS expects to help out our industry.

The Problem Oil and Gas Faces

Right now our markets are in a tug of war between geopolitical arguments that have deeply impacted the price of crude oil. While gas being at an all-time low seems like a great thing for the average consumer, it’s something that can severely harm the overall job market in our industry.

As we face an oversupply of oil, our drill sites continue to try to meet daily production goals. However, with demand on the rise and prices so low, the danger is real that many oil sites and companies may not survive this aspect of the coronavirus effect.

Presidential Goals

According to an article from CNBC.com, President Trump is adamant about getting our energy business back amidst collapsing oil prices.

“I’m with you 1,000%. It’s a great business. A vital business,” the article quoted Trump.

Although tariffs are currently being discussed but not solidified, this is one direction the President could go in as a “tool in the box.”

DOE to Buy Crude Oil

Another way the President has tried to assist the oil industry is through his recent announcement that the Department of Energy will buy crude oil for our national reserve. According to an article from NPR.org this move is meant to:

• Help increase the price of oil (which raised by 5 % since the announcement)
• Save taxpayers “billions and billions of dollars”

Keep Up With COVID-19 Industry Developments With Pro-Gas, LLC

From equipment for production facilities to news about the status of oil drill sites across the nation. Pro-Gas, LLC is your go-to source for industry information while shelter in place mandates are in order. We know that our industry greases the wheels of the economy and are just as eager to see life go back to normal. However, in order to do so, it’s going to take a joint effort. If you can stay at home and stay safe; but remember, if you need us we’re always here to help!

Oil is one of the biggest natural commodities that Texas is known for. Over the years, it’s helped to stimulate our economy and has even been the focus of a famous show that really put one of our cities in the spotlight.

While we’re all still tucked inside and staying safe from the novel coronavirus, the team at Pro-Gas, LLC decided to take a look into the rich history behind our success in oil and how it’s truly impacted our state over the years.

The Big Boom

January 10, 1901 will always be known as the date that oil truly reared its head into the Texas market. On this date, Captain A.F. Lucas was drilling a well at Spindletop, when suddenly a geyser of oil erupted from the earth.

Before the well could be controlled, this geyser at Spindletop had already expelled thousands of gallons of crude oil. This was the moment when future oil moguls knew that Texas had something special beneath the ground, and was the start of the big oil boom in our state.

Was Oil Found Before 1901?

While the big boom was the true start of the petroleum industry in Texas, Lucas wasn’t the true first man to discover the natural resource. In fact, even before Lyne T. Barret created the first drilled well in 1868, early settlers were shown this natural product by the Native Americans in the 1500s. However, earlier oil was used for medicinal and caulking purposes. The oil refineries that we know today didn’t come to fruition until 1898.

The Permian Basin and the Big Lake Discovery

One of our biggest sources of oil is the Permian Basin. Based in West Texas, the basin was part of a massive discovery of oil, deemed the Big Lake Discovery. From that point on, the Permian Basin dropped its renown for being a “petroleum graveyard.” The basin currently produces around 4 million barrels of crude oil per day.

What Were the Socio-Economic Effects of Oil in Texas?

Economically, oil has been a major factor in Texas. Currently, the oil and gas industry pays billions in taxes on its oil production gains. This means that every year Texas earns a large quantity of money that goes towards government programs, schools, and public works needs.

Socially, the boom also proved beneficial to rural individuals and created jobs for the jobless. Many people during the great oil boom sought out to make a name for themselves as wildcatters, drilling across the land. However, much like a gamble on when one would actually strike oil, some were successful and others were not.

Stay Connected with the Oil and Gas Industry Through Pro-Gas, LLC

Right now, the oil and gas industry is in a strange place as prices continue to plummet due to geopolitical circumstances and the threat of the virus that’s spreading through our communities. Pro-Gas, LLC is here to say that no matter what happens, we’ll be here to help our customers pick up the pieces when work returns to normalcy. Stay safe, stay healthy, and remember, we are always available to help.

The oil and gas industry is one that is filled to the brim with terminology. From the inner workings of local facilities to the swarm of activity at an active drill site, there are several terms we throw around that would leave the average person scratching their heads.

At Pro-Gas, LLC, we understand that the community as a whole is what makes our industry go ‘round, and have decided to let you in on some of our ‘top secret’ jargon. Here are seven terms that are old hat to us but could be a fun conversation topic the next time you use an appliance powered by American oil and gas.

1.  Blowout

No, this isn’t in reference to a baby’s diaper, but a blowout in the oil and gas industry can still actually get quite messy. When gas or other mined fluids flow from a well uncontrollably, this is called a blowout. When this happens oil can shoot up to 200 feet in the air. This is primarily caused by a pressure control system failure.

2.  Bottom Hole Assembly

Ever wonder what connects the bit from a drill to the drill pipe at a site? Well, now you know! The bottom hole assembly is an important piece of a drilling rig that extends from the bit of the drill to the pipe itself. These assemblies come in numerous variations which are selected based on the drill site’s needs.

3.  Doglegs

A well for drilling is meant to be a steady, straight location. However, sometimes when a well is created there can be crooked sections that pop up. While it doesn’t impact how well we can drill from the site, it does give the section this special name.

4.  Chainhand

Have you ever wondered what a drill worker who knows their way around the entire rig is called? Wonder no more, and allow us to introduce you to what we call the “chainhand.”  This worker is someone with a wide range of experience across a rig. They are essential to the functionality of a site and are able to help out offshore and onshore managers where needed.

5.  Pig

Although the term “pig” isn’t one that is widely used as a compliment in most situations, a pig is actually an extremely important device that is used at every drill site. Oil and water being pumped through a well will eventually create some messy build-up. A pig is a tool that we have that is a cleaning device for clearing out the pipes. One could say it literally has its snout in the ground!

Cut Past the Jargon with the Help of Pro-Gas, LLC

There is so much more terminology beyond these five favorites we’ve provided. If you have any questions about a term on the job, reach out to us, we are here to be the industry’s number one local source for site products and relative information! We are eager to help you make your facility or site a more effective environment with our leading products and services. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our current product lines.

Most consumers understand that the oil and gas industry provides energy and fuel to society. However, keeping consumers on the go isn’t the only way we contribute to the national economy.

Even though the market is in a constant state of flux, our industry continues to give back to the communities we serve. Here are some of the ways that the country benefits from the continuous efforts and site development from the oil and gas industry.

Oil and Gas Creates Permanent Jobs

With the constant need for employees at local production facilities and drill sites, it’s no wonder that the oil and gas industry creates so many permanent jobs for the economy. In fact, the oil and gas industry supports 5.6 percent of the nation’s total employment.

That’s around 10 million jobs a year. With people happily employed and enjoying the benefits of a free market, funds are traded and the economy sees natural boons.

We Produce Trillions of Gross Product a Year

Oil and gas reserves create so many more products beyond sole energy. The products that our industry helps to create puts trillions of dollars back into the market’s circulation every year. Some of the products that oil and gas produce include:

• Plastics
• Computers
• Healthcare Devices
• Medicines, and much more

Funds Go Towards Infrastructure

The money that comes from oil and gas products is taxed and distributed to benefit infrastructure efforts around the nation. According to the Texas Oil and Gas Association, in the 2018 fiscal year alone, the industry paid over 14 billion dollars in state and local taxes that directly funded local:

• Schools
• Universities
• Roads
• First Responders

Boosts National Security

Most consumers are unaware of the Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts that were created during World War II to benefit the nation’s security. Fuel is essential to national defense and the ability of our government to secure its people. From tanks, to jet fuel, and commercial travel, the defense districts our country has in place ensures that fuel from the market is allocated towards keeping the United States of America a safer place.

Continue to Benefit Society With Pro-Gas, LLC

If your facility or drilling site needs the right equipment to carry out its duties efficiently, Pro-Gas, LLC has the products your team needs. Our Texas-based company is dedicated to providing the best in production equipment and can have you covered from the cooling process to general storage. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our current offerings.

When serious illnesses begin to show their severity throughout the human population, it’s only natural for industrial markets to take financial hits. However, with the current rise of the coronavirus, the oil and gas industry is gearing up to face some economic hits that make current geopolitical industry issues pale in comparison.

What is Coronavirus?

Although coronaviruses have been a common occurrence since the 1960s, the recent strain that hails from Wuhan, China, is the first of its strain. The most recent coronavirus causes pneumonia and results in symptoms that include:

• Coughs
• Fever
• Difficulty Breathing
• Organ Failure

According to an article from The Guardian, “as of January 30, the death toll in China stands at 170, with 7,711 confirmed cases of infections.”

There has also been further confirmation of the virus in several other countries, including the United States. Since this is a viral disease.

Why it Matters to the Oil and Gas Industry

During a viral outbreak, even something as intangible as fear can have a negative impact on economic markets. When the fear of acquiring the disease takes hold of a population, travel to and from infected areas begins to take a steep decline.

When traveling patterns shift, so does the demand for oil. Even though oil prices already have significant threats on the horizon due to oversupply, demand has now been further reduced due to quarantines and general unrest.

We’ve Seen This Story Before

This is a pattern the industry has already lived through numerous times. Most recently, similar pricing issues were seen during the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak.

At this time in our industry’s history, oil prices fell nearly 20 percent. However, the instability was relatively short-lived as health organizations swiftly brought the disease under control.

Where Does Out Industry Stand Now?. 

Currently, without a cure for the disease or relative control, the oil and gas industry will surely take a hit because China is one of the globe’s largest oil consumers in the market. Remember, oil demand growth keeps the market moving, and without use or purchases from one of the industry’s largest backers, the impact on total demand and pricing is something that we will all have to brace for.

Stay Up to Date on Industry News With Pro-Gas, LLC

The oil and gas industry may always be shifting, but the team at Pro-Gas, LLC remains consistent with what we do! Our Dallas-based company provides the equipment necessary for facilities and drill sites to continue operations, despite the financial threats that loom in the distance. 

If you are a facility manager who needs reliable NGL storage, cooling systems, or other related products, we have the equipment to help you! Contact us today to learn more about our catalog.