I think we would be better off using the phrase "game changer" in terms of districts instead of the entire city for developments like this. Even then, I'm not necessarily sure it will be a game changer for the district it's in.

Developments I would consider game changers in districts:

CBD
- Devon Tower Complex
- The 'Peake

Deep Deuce
- Bricktown apartments @ Deep Deuce
- Aloft Hotel

Midtown
- The Edge
- Plaza Court Renovation
- The Ambassador

Uptown
- The Rise
- Any development on the Tower Theater

Plaza
- Lyric Theater
- Streetscape improvements

Film Exchange
- Streetscape improvments
- 21c

Bricktown
- Ballpark
- Canal (though not as much as most of us would like)

BOOOM!

Excellent list.

Okay, so game changer on this thread means as a building or development and not a buisness development or image issue...just the real estate and urban development. In this sense, GE Building is not a game changer.

I like PhiAlpha's list as well but would have to include St. Anthony -- both their staying put and expansion -- because if they had left Midtown as they had originally planned, things would have unfolded very differently in that part of town.

I think whether it will be a game changer remains to be seen, but I do think it could have that potential. If the work there spawns industry in other sectors, then we could see a more diversified local economy. That would be a game changer, imo, but we don't yet know if 1) it will only affect the already dominating O&G sector or 2) if any spin off industry would remain in the city.


the financial enrichment to the OKC economy for the last 100+ years as a result of being a provider.

Minus a couple of decades here and there....

Slightly off topic, but does anyone if ODOT is going to add the 10th St offramp from 235 at the same time this area is already under construction for the GE Center?

It would be a game changer if it is 10 ft. from the street and has a sidewalk and bike-lane in front out by the streetcar tracks. That is the only definition of a game changer that is real. Who cares about its international prestige. Who cares about who it can influence to locate or relocate here. Who cares about the spin off companies. Who cares about how GE can grow here. Who cares about the high paying jobs. Who cares about the talent pool it attracts here. Who cares about the message of an international giant locating a large strategically important R&D center here. It is only a game changer if they install bike racks.

Sarcasm definitely intended. :)

I laughed, been some good jokes around here lately.

I drove by this afternoon, and counted 5 pieces of large equipment. Two of them were working near the road on the North side and the other 3 were more to the Southern portion of the property.

Somebody take a photo, please. :)

Dirt is moving! Thanks to Plutonic Panda for the photo:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/7631d1398469188-ge-global-research-center-ge042514.jpg

Here are a few more I took earlier:

GE Global Research Center - Imgur (http://imgur.com/a/5DAJs)

There are construction trailers on this site now.

Slightly off topic, but does anyone if ODOT is going to add the 10th St offramp from 235 at the same time this area is already under construction for the GE Center?

As identified in the 8-year plan by ODOT the I-235/Harrison Ave. North bound off ramp relocation to 10th street is currently scheduled for fiscal year 2014 with work starting 01/2015 on a budget of $2,750,000.

As identified in the 8-year plan by ODOT the I-235/Harrison Ave. North bound off ramp relocation to 10th street is currently scheduled for fiscal year 2014 with work starting 01/2015 on a budget of $2,750,000.

So, sort of. Thanks for the info.

GE Announces New Technology Partnership with Devon Energy at Global Research Oil & Gas Technology Center in Oklahoma City | Business Wire (http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140512005932/en/GE-Announces-Technology-Partnership-Devon-Energy-Global)

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE Oil & Gas (NYSE:GE) announced today a new Technology Collaboration Agreement with Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:DEC) to accelerate the development and testing of products in the field to enhance the performance and economics of unconventional oil and gas projects. Under the alliance, GE will collaborate with Devon Energy on driving technology advancements for artificial lift systems used for increasing the flow of liquids from production wells, advanced drilling technologies and water treatment solutions.

Awesome! That didn't take long.

It's hard to imagine all the ways this new facility will aid the local economy. So many ripple effects.

Here is a newish rendering of the facility facing north; this is the exposure that will be seen from the freeway:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/7812d1399914488-ge-global-research-center-ge25.jpg

Screams NASA to me. Not sure why. Might be the blue logo on white. I like it though.

Nice.

I like that it looks like a research facility; will definitely be unique and highly visible.

Here is a newish rendering of the facility facing north; this is the exposure that will be seen from the freeway:

http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/7812d1399914488-ge-global-research-center-ge25.jpg

I really hope to work here at some point in the future (current GE O&G employee in Houston). I met one of the program managers for this facility last week at OTC, he seemed really excited for the direction that the research center is taking and expects it to be at the center of innovation in the industry. Despite what some of the Anti-corporate types and dogmatic urbanists think about this development, I don't see how it could be anything but a home-run for OKC.

GE Announces New Technology Partnership with Devon Energy at Global Research Oil & Gas Technology Center in Oklahoma City | Business Wire (http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140512005932/en/GE-Announces-Technology-Partnership-Devon-Energy-Global)

I'll bring it up again just for the point discussed earlier in this thread - 'Game Changer'. As in industry.

How about a grand slam home run here ?

Birds-Eye View of Planned GE Global Research Oil & Gas Technology Center in Oklahoma City - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyAfe9W-8U8)

Birds-Eye View of Planned GE Global Research Oil & Gas Technology Center in Oklahoma City - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyAfe9W-8U8)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyAfe9W-8U8

Great video and thanks for sharing!

Very, very cool!

nyAfe9W-8U8

Steve's update about today's groundbreaking ceremony.

Construction should go quickly on Oklahoma City GE research center | News OK (http://newsok.com/construction-should-go-quickly-on-oklahoma-city-ge-research-center/article/4791032)


Construction is set to move rapidly on the $125 million GE Global Research Oil and Gas Technology Center following a groundbreaking Monday led by Gov. Mary Fallin and top officials from one of the world’s largest employers.

This is a much bigger deal then anyone realizes. We are going to become the Silicon Valley of energy research.

This is a much bigger deal then anyone realizes. We are going to become the Silicon Valley of energy research.

How I hope you're right, but something tells me that isn't happening.

Any particular reason you think this way?

This is a much bigger deal then anyone realizes. We are going to become the Silicon Valley of energy research.
I don't know about the “Silicon Valley of energy research”?

But this is a lot bigger deal than what most locals are recognizing.....
It helps elevate the OKC metro area in the minds of outside investors and researchers around the world and in ways that are almost sure to eventually attract other types of research to our area..
Research normally leads to discovery's that help create good spin off jobs.
Our 2 major state university's can (if we make it happen) play a major roll in helping our area become a much larger research center.

I don't know about the “Silicon Valley of energy research”?

But this is a lot bigger deal than what most locals are recognizing.....
It helps elevate the OKC metro area in the minds of outside investors and researchers around the world and in ways that are almost sure to eventually attract other types of research to our area..


Totally agree. This lab will bring industry people to OKC who have previously dismissed it. This will help us with recruiting both individuals and companies in the future. Just one of many knock-on effects.

Any particular reason you think this way?

GE wants to be a major player in O&G. They are one of the largest companies in the world deciding they want to be a player in one of the largest industries in the world. All of that is going to be centered in OKC. The potential is enormous.

The energy chat this morning mentioned that they've already landed contracts with Chevron, Devon and like 3 other massive oil companies. They said it's like landing a free agent superstar in basketball. Everything you need is there now they just have to perform.

It will grow and expand which will lead to more GE jobs. Plus whenever something is successful there is always people to follow and copy. OKC will be the hub of energy research so they will more then likely start up in OKC. (ie Silicon Valley) The other thing is a lot of the oil companies that have GE contracts will want to have a presence near the research facility. That's more jobs for OKC.

I read somewhere they are researching how to fracture a well with CO2 instead of frac water. That would be a tremendous breakthrough.

I used Silicon Valley as an example because a majority of tech innovations come from there. I believe we now have the anchor in place to put the rest in motion and make us a hub for energy research. Things tend to hub up in one place. NY has finance. Chicago has bonds. LA has entertainment. Vegas has gambling, (You can gamble just about anywhere now, but Vegas keeps growing anyway), Portland is green energy, etc etc.

Things tend to clump to one area. I think OKC will be the energy research area.

GE wants to be a major player in O&G. They are one of the largest companies in the world deciding they want to be a player in one of the largest industries in the world. All of that is going to be centered in OKC. The potential is enormous.

The energy chat this morning mentioned that they've already landed contracts with Chevron, Devon and like 3 other massive oil companies. They said it's like landing a free agent superstar in basketball. Everything you need is there now they just have to perform.

It will grow and expand which will lead to more GE jobs. Plus whenever something is successful there is always people to follow and copy. OKC will be the hub of energy research so they will more then likely start up in OKC. (ie Silicon Valley) The other thing is a lot of the oil companies that have GE contracts will want to have a presence near the research facility. That's more jobs for OKC.

I read somewhere they are researching how to fracture a well with CO2 instead of frac water. That would be a tremendous breakthrough.

I used Silicon Valley as an example because a majority of tech innovations come from there. I believe we now have the anchor in place to put the rest in motion and make us a hub for energy research. Things tend to hub up in one place. NY has finance. Chicago has bonds. LA has entertainment. Vegas has gambling, (You can gamble just about anywhere now, but Vegas keeps growing anyway), Portland is green energy, etc etc.

Things tend to clump to one area. I think OKC will be the energy research area.

Forgive my naïveté, but in reference to the bolded portion, is Houston not already the hub of energy research?

GE wants to be a major player in O&G. They are one of the largest companies in the world deciding they want to be a player in one of the largest industries in the world. All of that is going to be centered in OKC. The potential is enormous.

The energy chat this morning mentioned that they've already landed contracts with Chevron, Devon and like 3 other massive oil companies. They said it's like landing a free agent superstar in basketball. Everything you need is there now they just have to perform.

It will grow and expand which will lead to more GE jobs. Plus whenever something is successful there is always people to follow and copy. OKC will be the hub of energy research so they will more then likely start up in OKC. (ie Silicon Valley) The other thing is a lot of the oil companies that have GE contracts will want to have a presence near the research facility. That's more jobs for OKC.

I read somewhere they are researching how to fracture a well with CO2 instead of frac water. That would be a tremendous breakthrough.

I used Silicon Valley as an example because a majority of tech innovations come from there. I believe we now have the anchor in place to put the rest in motion and make us a hub for energy research. Things tend to hub up in one place. NY has finance. Chicago has bonds. LA has entertainment. Vegas has gambling, (You can gamble just about anywhere now, but Vegas keeps growing anyway), Portland is green energy, etc etc.

Things tend to clump to one area. I think OKC will be the energy research area.
I like your enthusiasm but don't get to exited about waterless fracturing just yet....!

People have been trying to use CO2 and other methods for awhile now...... Results seen to vary a lot depending on the geological formation..... In some places the formation doesn’t respond as well to water and the other methods work better. In some places water works best.
For now at least fracturing with propane is probably a more practical alternative?


The GE center is a great deal for us but the Oil & NG industry in the Houston area including its research dwarfs what we have in the entire state of OK and that's not going to be changing.

I like your enthusiasm but don't get to exited about waterless fracturing just yet....!

People have been trying to use CO2 and other methods for awhile now...... Results seen to vary a lot depending on the geological formation..... In some places the formation doesn’t respond as well to water and the other methods work better. In some places water works best.
For now at least fracturing with propane is probably a more practical alternative?


The GE center is a great deal for us but the Oil & NG industry in the Houston area including its research dwarfs what we have in the entire state of OK and that's not going to be changing.

What research centers does Houston have? Anything like this center? Or is the research in Houston company specific and they work on their own research (if that makes sense)?

What research centers does Houston have? Anything like this center? Or is the research in Houston company specific and they work on their own research (if that makes sense)?

Baker Hughes and Halliburton (GE O&G's rivals in many of its sub-businesses) have similar research center in Houston and a lot of the Exploration and Production companies (GE O&G's customers) have their own research centers in Houston as well.

Schlumberger (another of GE O&G's rivals) has a network of research centers around the globe, none of which are located in Houston.

What research centers does Houston have? Anything like this center? Or is the research in Houston company specific and they work on their own research (if that makes sense)?

I can't really give you a list but they have far more energy company’s located in the Houston area. More than a few are much larger than what we have in OKC but in many cases their research is done in that area..... The university of Houston, Rice and some of the university’s in Texas with branch locations in Houston also participate.... There are several disciplines of research. They also have the Houston Advanced Research Center.

The Houston area is also projected to add ten's of thousands of new energy jobs in the future, which is far more than what OKC will add.

Step son works in Exxon Mobils R&D in Houston.

Step son works in Exxon Mobils R&D in Houston.

The Houston Upstream Research Lab you mention employs around 600 Ph.D. level engineers and geoscientists. 600 Ph.Ds. Any support staff is on top of that. That is more PhD's in one facility than some universities. Amongst the largest if not the largest accumulation of geoscience PhDs on the planet.

GE will employ 125 total. So, I certainly think this GE thing is a big deal, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Speaking of exxon. I was driving to the woodlands from Houston a few weeks ago and saw their new campus. It is getting its own interstate interchange and is quite impressive. Looks like a more condensed CHK with a little taller buildings

Exxon Mobil Corp. Woodlands-area campus: A bird's eye view - Houston Business Journal (http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2014/03/exclusive-bird-s-eye-view-of-exxon-mobil-campus.html)

I like your enthusiasm but don't get to exited about waterless fracturing just yet....!

People have been trying to use CO2 and other methods for awhile now...... Results seen to vary a lot depending on the geological formation..... In some places the formation doesn’t respond as well to water and the other methods work better. In some places water works best.
For now at least fracturing with propane is probably a more practical alternative?


The GE center is a great deal for us but the Oil & NG industry in the Houston area including its research dwarfs what we have in the entire state of OK and that's not going to be changing.

You're definitely right, we CO2 frac'd several Cleveland wells in the Texas Panhandle. It was hit or miss, good with Cleveland wells, not greatly effective with other formations we tried it on.

Speaking of exxon. I was driving to the woodlands from Houston a few weeks ago and saw their new campus. It is getting its own interstate interchange and is quite impressive. Looks like a more condensed CHK with a little taller buildings

Exxon Mobil Corp. Woodlands-area campus: A bird's eye view - Houston Business Journal (http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2014/03/exclusive-bird-s-eye-view-of-exxon-mobil-campus.html)

That is a massive campus.

Speaking of exxon. I was driving to the woodlands from Houston a few weeks ago and saw their new campus. It is getting its own interstate interchange and is quite impressive. Looks like a more condensed CHK with a little taller buildings

Exxon Mobil Corp. Woodlands-area campus: A bird's eye view - Houston Business Journal (http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/blog/breaking-ground/2014/03/exclusive-bird-s-eye-view-of-exxon-mobil-campus.html)wow

The Houston Upstream Research Lab you mention employs around 600 Ph.D. level engineers and geoscientists. 600 Ph.Ds. Any support staff is on top of that. That is more PhD's in one facility than some universities. Amongst the largest if not the largest accumulation of geoscience PhDs on the planet.

GE will employ 125 total. So, I certainly think this GE thing is a big deal, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Yep, I know all about EOM R&D. It was actually started in Tulsa by Standard Oil but was bought out years later. They will be moving out to The Woodlands next year, to a campus facility designed by Pickard Chilton, the same firm that designed Devon Tower. They also only allow 2 weeks vacation per year for the first 5 years of service.......

When was the start of that Exxon/Mobil R&D endeavor?

Certainly they started much smaller and grew to that number of Ph.D's. E/M employs something like 10,000 people just in Houston.

Remember the rumors that the new Spring campus will also serve as the new XOM headquarters? They said they were going to conduct a study on moving the headquarters to Houston, then shot that down, or so they said. Are they still really planning to keep the "corporate headquarters" in Dallas? It's just around 300 people, but Houston would still love to add that feather to its cap.

You're definitely right, we CO2 frac'd several Cleveland wells in the Texas Panhandle. It was hit or miss, good with Cleveland wells, not greatly effective with other formations we tried it on.
The Niobrara Formation apparently doesn’t respond well to water but they have had good results fracturing with propane.
Propane might be worth a look in water sensitive formations?

Yeah, we already CO2 frac. There is also nitrogen and gas fracing. My company also uses a method with fiber. It's a total pain in the ass,lol

No pics, but they're pushing over trees at lunch today.

If finding oil requires this much R&D we are worse off than I thought. 80 years ago it floated to the surface on its own.

In 1934 oil just was there in abundance for the taking on the surface....I had no idea. Now, tell me again where that was. Oh wait, it was Arkansas and Jed Clampet just fired a bullet in the ground and up came a bubblin crude.

Progress...who needs it. LOL

No pics, but they're pushing over trees at lunch today.

Just a guess, but for the past month i'd say they were relocating utilities. I bet we see it ramp up now.

In 1934 oil just was there in abundance for the taking on the surface....I had no idea. Now, tell me again where that was. Oh wait, it was Arkansas and Jed Clampet just fired a bullet in the ground and up came a bubblin crude.

Progress...who needs it. LOL

I'm just saying - this stuff is getting harder and harder to find, as evidenced by the massive R&D it takes to find and recover it. I guess it safe to say that the easy oil is gone.

I'm just saying - this stuff is getting harder and harder to find, as evidenced by the massive R&D it takes to find and recover it. I guess it safe to say that the easy oil is gone.

It's gone full cycle. Since they've cracked the code on horizontal drilling, fracking and ALS, it's easy again.

It is easy again. Now its time to make it more feasible and economical and hopefully this center helps with that.

I'm just saying - this stuff is getting harder and harder to find, as evidenced by the massive R&D it takes to find and recover it. I guess it safe to say that the easy oil is gone.

The father of my college sweetheart (50 years ago) was the VP in charge of R&D for Conoco and my best friends father was a director in the R&D department. Trust me, they have been spending lots of money on lots of research for many, many years....just like in many industries. The US has stayed ahead of the developed world in energy because of lots of R&D. To stay a world leader will take lots more R&D. Glad it is now starting to happen in a big way in OKC.

BTW, since I knew how much was being done and spent 50 years ago, I was surprised to hear just 30 years prior it was free for everyone to just gather from the surface. I guess things went downhill quickly. :tongue:

In 1934 oil just was there in abundance for the taking on the surface....I had no idea. Now, tell me again where that was.

When I was in grade school, the woman who lived next door used to really believe that in Oklahoma, if you dig down six feet, you hit an ocean of oil. That was her explanation for why homes didn't have basements in such a tornado prone area.

Hard to see from I-235, but they have really cleared the property where they are going to build. The larger trees are now being removed. Should be great seeing this come out of the ground along the highway.

The father of my college sweetheart (50 years ago) was the VP in charge of R&D for Conoco and my best friends father was a director in the R&D department. Trust me, they have been spending lots of money on lots of research for many, many years....just like in many industries. The US has stayed ahead of the developed world in energy because of lots of R&D. To stay a world leader will take lots more R&D. Glad it is now starting to happen in a big way in OKC.

BTW, since I knew how much was being done and spent 50 years ago, I was surprised to hear just 30 years prior it was free for everyone to just gather from the surface. I guess things went downhill quickly. :tongue:

Once you stop being a jack*** have a read.

Petroleum seep - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_seep)

http://www.elsmerecanyon.com/dewittcanyon/oil/d03.jpg

I stand corrected... it does just flow out of the ground. Need to let Devon, Continental and the others know. Who knew it was so easy.

BTW, the response was to the fact that there is some implication that this oozing oil is the norm and that because of that O&G companies are somehow being irresponsible for conducting R&D. Poking fun and being silly regarding certain assertions may be the appropriate way to call attention to the silliness of some arguments.

BTW, I've been to tar pits, so I actually did know that sometimes it seeps. LOL

I've been reading OKC Talk for about 3 months now even though I live in Orange County, CA . I moved from Oklahoma in 1987, but when I lived in OKC I always enjoyed any development news, however, rare it was back then. Now I'm amazed at the transformation that's taken place and is still taking place to OKC, especially downtown. Up until now I've just been trying to educate myself as to what's been happening by reading, but I finally decided to chime in on this topic. But first I wanted to acknowledge some of the more interesting characters who contribute so much to my enjoyment of this website. Zookeeper, you crack me up with your political zeal. JTF you roll me over with your black and white urbanist dogma (never seeing things in gray). Sid I like your attitude even if you're a bit too dogmatic (like JTF) just more pleasant about it. Urbanized with your wisdom and especially Pete for his evenhanded, informative and diplomatic manner in keeping things on track. There's so many others like Rover, Spartan, UnFrSaKn, metro and Steve that I can't get enough. That said I wanted to say I'm proud of OKC for making the City so attractive to firms like GE that they're willing to locate and build such a prestigious R&D complex near downtown.
Now, to my point which refers to JTF's earlier criticism of the GE site layout. I read many of your points with interest and appreciate your urbanist take on the GE site layout. However, now that future plans have shown a new building fronting 10th, are you more comfortable that this complex will contribute to a more urban environment? I understand your point about the parking structure being located adjacent to I-235 to minimize the danger to pedestrians, but they may have also wanted to hide the parking out of view from the freeway. IMO the building that's going up now will look fantastic from all angles driving along the freeway and if they expand as contemplated with two additional similar buildings this complex will be a beautiful site to see. Of course if they added some retail facing 10th St. on the ground floor of the parking structure that would be even better.