We at Energy enjoy the frontier-busting nature of the energy sector, especially upstream oil&gas and renewables. It is why so much attention has been paid to the projects fostered under the wing of the UK’s Industry Technology Facilitator based in Aberdeen.
It looks very much as if the ITF is hitting the ground running in 2010 with the issue of two new calls for proposals, “Subsea Intervention” and “Reservoir Imaging in Challenging Environments”, at the end of this month.
Both calls resulted from a process that involved a series of meetings with industry experts in the UK and Houston during Q4 2009 – and, of course, the facilitator’s membership.
Feedback received by ITF from its members indicates that, while subsea wells may be the only viable option for many field developments – particularly in deep water – subsea intervention is becoming more of an issue.
All wells will require some sort of intervention during their lifetime – even if only to plug and abandon – and any subsea intervention is costly.
Neil Poxon, ITF’s MD, told Energy: “Some of the primary issues that were identified at the workshop for inclusion in the call for proposals were: improved recovery rates from subsea systems; cost-effective light well intervention vessel capability; more effective subsea power; downhole diagnostics tool; HP/HT (high-pressure/high-temperature) technology, and matching AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) technology to practical applications.
“With respect to the reservoir imaging call, issues discussed at the workshop were wide-ranging and included challenges such as imaging below high impedance layers, fracture imaging and complex overburden analysis, as well as means to improve data interpretation and integration efficiency.
“Over the next few weeks, ITF will be working to consolidate all the input received into the two calls for proposals.”
While much of ITF’s time is devoted to developing calls for proposals and launching joint industry projects (JIPs), Poxon is clear that the facilitator’s overall objectives could, and should, be met by a wider range of activities.
“ITF acts as a conduit between technology innovators and the industry users of that technology. Our objectives are to identify technology needs, foster innovation and facilitate the development and implementation of new technologies. During 2009, we have engaged in a number of complementary approaches to this end.”
These activities include the Energy Talent Development initiative, which calls on the oil&gas industry to propose ideas for postgraduate student projects.
This was seeded several years ago by the Energy Institute, with Energy also challenging companies to get involved, if only out of self-interest.
The talent scheme has a number of benefits, not least of which is to build relationships between industry and academia that may ultimately result in fruitful partnerships and innovative technology developments.
The scheme also serves to highlight to new graduates that the oil&gas industry presents a range of exciting technical challenges that can form the basis of a rewarding career.
Picking further over 2009’s progress, ITF also joined a consortium appointed to run a new energy network on behalf of the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board.
The UK Energy Generation and Supply – Knowledge Transfer Network (EGS-KTN) aims to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing between energy technology developers nationally and internationally. ITF’s role is focused on maximising oil&gas resources. The network is also involved in renewables, carbon-abatement technologies and fuel cells.
Another key development last year was the collaboration with OTM to develop a technology mapping capability – Technology Trading Post 2 (TTP2). The system will analyse users’ technology needs in relation to a knowledge base of more than 3,000 technology development projects – thus highlighting areas where technology is available or work is already ongoing, as well as gaps where new development may be required.
Poxon: “The current economic climate really highlights the benefits of this approach to ensuring the industry can access new technology and target investment most effectively.”
Bearing in mind the credit crunch and the need for JIPs to find money, was 2009 difficult for the ITF in that regard?
Poxon: “2009 was difficult for everybody, and we have certainly seen tighter budgets among our members. But, despite that, we have seen a healthy level of project launches across a range of technical areas.
“With respect to field trials, we have met our target for the year of five trials completed, plus an additional three are set to be kicked off early-2010 – securing commitment for field trials can be challenging under the best of circumstances, so I am particularly pleased with this result.
“One of the new projects that kicked off at the end of 2009, with support from six of our members, focuses on Digital Oil Fields (DOF) initiatives.”
DOF (not to be confused with the Norwegian shipping group) aims to improve business performance by harnessing evolutions in information-based technologies.
It is intended to provide experts with the ability to collaborate effectively irrespective of geographical location, allowing them to address high-value challenges in a timely fashion wherever they occur. DOF will also provide a real-time flow of information from sensor to decision-maker, enabling more informed choices.
For more than a decade, the UK armed forces have been engaged in similar change initiatives. The new DOF project, led by BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies Limited, explores how experience, expertise and technologies gained in the defence sector can be harnessed by operators.
Another project initiated at the end of 2009 aims to produce a readily deployable cutting system for use in the decommissioning of offshore and underwater structures. The work is being undertaken by a team within the School of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen, led by Dr Richard Neilson.
Poxon: “This is an important area for technology development as, in the coming years, an increasing number of offshore oil&gas installations will reach the end of their productive lives. The technology to be used in this system should obviate a number of the problems associated with existing underwater cutting techniques and provide the industry with improved capabilities for the dismantling of structures during decommissioning.
“The system will be developed initially for deployment on tubular structural members and developed further to build a suite of cutting tools.
“The proposal was originally submitted by the University of Aberdeen in response to ITF’s call on decommissioning. As a founding partner of the National Subsea Research Institute (NSRI), launched in February 2009, this project aligns well with the strategic direction of subsea-related research being developed by the university through NSRI.
“On this basis, as the project award was confirmed, it has been drawn into NSRI’s project portfolio to ensure co-ordination within a wider programme of decommissioning and related research and development. The objectives of NSRI are very much aligned with ITF’s, so we are pleased to have been involved in securing funding for this project.”
Poxon is clear that there is a need to follow through on any support rendered by ITF.
He pointed out, for example, that avoiding lengthy gaps between funding for phases of projects was particularly important for small companies and university research groups where a highly specialised team may have been brought together.
“A good example of this is a project led by Heriot-Watt University that is focused on the development of novel magnetic techniques for improved estimation and prediction of key petrophysical parameters such as reservoir permeability and typing of reservoir clays.
“Large volumes of hydrocarbons sit in relatively low-permeability reservoirs around the world. Understanding the range of permeabilities, permeability controlling factors and predicting the behaviour of the reservoir in response to production is crucial for accurately quantifying production rates and recovery factors in these reservoirs, and effectively managing the field.”
The Heriot-Watt project, Magnetic Characterisation of Petrophysical Parameters in Low Permeability Reservoirs (MLP2), is in its second phase, which is due to end next month.
Phases I and II confirmed that magnetic measurements can provide accurate, rapid, portable, lower-cost, non- destructive and environmentally-friendly ways of predicting permeability, together with content of reservoir clays.
The results of the work done to date have led to the development of Magnetic Petrophysics – a new field that has received industry recognition from the Society of Core Analysts in the form of “best paper” and “second best paper” awards.
To date, the technique has been applied successfully to case studies with sponsors’ cores, and the researchers are seeking support for a third phase which would enable them to refine the techniques to be able to quantify different permeability patterns and types of clays in more complex situations.
For this purpose, the Centre for Magnetic Petrophysics and Formation Evaluation at Heriot-Watt Institute of Petroleum Engineering has installed Variable Field Translation Balance (VFTB) equipment – the first of this kind in the UK.
This equipment will allow rapid typing of reservoir clays and detailed characterisation of petrophysical properties of reservoir rocks for the oil industry.
Companies interested in joining the new phase of this joint industry project are invited to visit the Centre of Magnetic Petrophysics and Formation Evaluation in Heriot-Watt Institute of Petroleum Engineering.
Looking ahead, on a broader front, ITF’s technology challenges for 2010 also include:
On the production side: drilling efficiency, completions technology, produced fluid management and HP/HT.
On the exploration front (subsurface): tight and shale gas, and coal-bed methane, plus mapping and development of additives technologies for extended oil recovery.
For more information about ITF or any of the above projects, get in touch with Ashleigh Martin at a.martin@oil-itf.com