San Jose Mercury News: Oil firms boost spending on personnel
27 May 2005
Major oil companies including San Ramon-based Chevron Corp. (CVX), BP Plc and Royal Dutch/Shell Group are spending more than ever for workers and equipment as surging energy consumption increases demand for geologists, drilling rigs and pipe.
Finding and pumping a barrel of oil — including labor, equipment and seismic testing — cost a record $17.12 last year, up 43 percent from a year earlier, data compiled by Bloomberg show. One example: A rig that can drill in mile-deep water averaged $183,217 a day in the first quarter, up from $127,990 the year before, according to Houston consultant ODS-Petrodata.