Schlumberger recently announced the release of its new MaxCO3 Acid degradable diversion acid system. This new polymer-free, non-damaging acidising system can be used for both matrix and fracture stimulation in carbonate reservoirs with permeability contrasts or natural fractures.

SAUDI ARAMCO HAS announced that its research and development centre has built a 'truly unique' instrument designed to identify oil by using a laser. The laser is used to excite the fluorescence spectra of oil within extremely short time frames — two to five nanoseconds. All the fluorescence data is coalesced, and two dimensional diagrams are produced. These act as oil spectral 'fingerprints'.

A new thermocouple has been launched that offers high performance and longer life in harsh process environments, providing improved resistance to temperature, vibration, impact, corrosion and abrasion.

STERLING, AN OIL and gas exploration and production company with interests in Africa and the Middle East, has announced the spudding of the Sangaw North-1 exploration well. The well, in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, was spudded on 1st February 2010.

INVENSYS OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT, provider of technology systems, software solutions and consulting services to the process and manufacturing industries, has announced it has reached a multi-year agreement with US company, ConocoPhillips.