‘Glider’ uses ocean power to fly
An undersea robot "glider" that harvests heat energy from the sea to propel itself across oceans? You have to be kidding - surely?
Oil & Gas
Energy ills and an ancient Scottish pile
Glamis Castle is not the most obvious setting for me to engage in a spot of contemplation about how the world's energy needs could be met and climate crisis averted. Even less would I expect to be doing so in the company of a Nobel Prize-winning physicist.
Ships are key to cost-effective well intervention
Light well intervention using ships rather than cumbersome, expensive mobile offshore drilling units rigs is gaining momentum. The population of vessels capable of handling this type of work is poised for a growth spurt and the technologies required to carry out the work are maturing.
Global wind capacity set to rocket by 2012
The Global Wind Energy Council is forecasting that the global wind market will grow by more than 155% to reach 240GW (Gigawatts) of total installed capacity by 2012.
Chevron looking for clean sweep
Chevron is working on a project designed to boost the recovery rate from the UK North Sea Captain heavy oilfield to 50%. If successful, this could deliver up to 160million additional barrels of oil and boost recoverable reserves past the 450million barrels mark.
Seawell places WSU order
Norwegian company Seawell Management has stated its intent to order a new well service unit (WSU) from German company Streicher at a cost of $50million. If options for a further two units are exercised, this will bring the bill to $150million.
Leeds University offers new petroleum engineering degree
FROM Q3 2008, the University of Leeds is offering a new three-year BEng (Honours) undergraduate degree course in petroleum engineering. The diet comprises:
Annual subsea oil and gas sector awards
MORE than 600 people attended the annual subsea oil and gas sector awards dinner at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, Bridge of Don.
EDS Burns supper
POSITIVELY the last Burns Supper of the season was held the other night by the Aberdeen office of the global IT services firm EDS.
It’s corporate memory loss
Forgetting things is normal and is often a factor of the ageing process. In my case, and I am sure many others, too, it is sometimes a question of choice to conveniently forget something.
Ernst & Young search on for entrepreneurs
If you haven't already done so, there is still just enough time to enter the new energy category at Ernst & Young's Scotland Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards 2008.
Getting to grips with geomechanics
Rockfield Software is near the end of a three-year joint industry project focused on prediction of the initiation and evolution of fractures and faults within hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Flurry of promising activity as year begins
2008 has begun with a flurry of exploration, with 12 of the 14 wells spudded to date targeting prospects, and only two appraisal wells.
First Technip scholars appointed
Subsea engineering and construction contractor Technip has appointed its first undergraduate scholars - the result of establishing a scholarship scheme originally launched early-2007
Competition time for young engineers
Energy has just received the latest SCDI Young Engineers Clubs newsletter and what leaps off the pages is the number of competitions there are this year. Engineering is becoming cool.
Supply chain gateway builds muscle as membership grows
WITH more than 75 purchasing organisations now using FPAL as their supplier management and selection tool, the organisation is becoming the world's leading oil & gas industry supply chain database.
Ocean Rig sets new deepwater semi day-rate record
NORWAY'S Ocean Rig has set a record $637,000 per day for premier-division semi-submersible rigs by securing a three-year $723million contract with UK-listed independent Tullow. There are two one-year options on offer that must be exercised before the end of 2008.
Wellness management crucial
Healthy people are generally happier people, who are more productive and contribute more to the organisations they work for.
R is for renewables – an energy revolution
RENEWABLE energy is a hot topic these days with bold targets set to boost the amount of electricity we generate from devices like wind turbines and biomass-fuelled heating and power-generation systems. The five renewable sources used most often are biomass, hydro-power, wind, solar and geothermal.
Ship based on MST concept
THE Alvheim production ship is, as indicated earlier, a rebuild of an existing vessel. The Odin had been competed as a tanker to a flexible design originally developed by Aker.
Japan claims hydrogen first
KYUSHU University in Japan is establishing what it says will be the world's first graduate programme in hydrogen energy technologies.
Carbon Trust launches Pyrolysis Challenge
THE Carbon Trust is calling for expressions of interest from potential partners within the scientific community to collaborate in the development of a world-class commercially viable pyrolysis oil upgrading process.
$1.2billion Alvheim within ace of first oil
Within the current quarter, Marathon expects to start production from its much-delayed Alvheim cluster development on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
Abbot boss says P/E deal best for group
Formal completion of a £906million deal that takes Abbot Group off the London Stock Market and into private equity is imminent.
Goal – to turbo-charge business
Locke says the game plan isn't a secret; returning to the market after three to five years, perhaps longer, is quite likely, but only after growing the business substantially.