In an otherwise contentious 115th Congress, the US House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at improving career opportunities for women, minorities, and veterans in the energy and other major US industries. Source: News

Safely operating natural gas pipelines through inclined tunnels in seismic regions requires stress analysis research. Incline angle, inclined pipe length, cover depth, pressure, and temperature are among the factors affecting pipe stress. Proper consideration of these factors can determine limit length at varying incline angles. Source: News

Underground gas storage (UGS) operators need a full understanding of the recommended practices and regulations enacted by the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2016, their interactions, and their potential impacts on the UGS industry. Source: News

The US Bureau of Land Management began to revise its planning procedures by soliciting comments on ways it can be timelier and more efficient. The July 3 action came after US President Donald Trump signed House Joint Resolution 44, which nullified the agency’s Planning 2.0 rule, in March. Source: News

PetroKazakhstan Oil Products LLP, a joint venture of state-owned KazMunaiGas and China National Petroleum Corp., has commissioned a 600,000-tonne/year naphtha isomerization unit as part of the first phase of the long-planned upgrade of its 5.25 million-tpy Shymkent refinery in Kazakhstan. Source: News

BP Oil International Ltd., a subsidiary of BP PLC, has reissued an assay for Schiehallion crude oil to coincide with the May 2017 resumption of production from the Schiehallion area. Field redevelopment is part of the multibillion-pound Quad 204 project in the west of Shetland region offshore UK. Source: News

Following installation of a new air-cooled condenser as part of its crude distillation unit’s preflash tower overhead, a US Midwestern refinery began producing off-spec light naphtha that led to catalyst coking in a downstream naphtha reformer. Source: News

Oil and gas companies are investing in data analytics and big data. Most industry executives expect corporate strategy increasingly will include the ability to compete on data management and analytic proficiency. Source: News

Complex data packages associated with bid appraisals require operators’ time and careful attention. Financial stakes are high, yet bid organizers typically limit the time allowed for preparation work to a few weeks. Source: News