The most pressing technology challenges facing the oil industry were agreed at an international gathering in Aberdeen.
More than 60 people attended the annual technology conference held by ITF, the oil and gas industry technology facilitator.
ITF members reviewed 60-plus suggestions and shortlisted six top ideas from which detailed themes will be developed.
These were: drilling, ageing assets, well intervention, enhanced oil-recovery technologies, unconventional reservoirs, and subsea technologies.
Neil Poxon, managing director of ITF said: “It has been an incredibly productive conference and we now have a good understanding of the proposals that our members want to see from technology companies and academics during 2011.”
ITF supports novel technology development and implementation through joint industry projects funded by its members.
It has already brought more than 150 new technologies to market and secured £50million-plus investment from its member companies.
Max Rowe, chairman of ITF and managing director of Selkie Solutions, said: “The fact that our members travelled from all over the world, despite the snow to be here, gives validation to ITF’s ambitious plans to increase the number of groundbreaking technologies launched to market.”
Awalludin Harun, senior manager of technology, strategy and planning at Petronas, said: “We have been involved in funding two joint industry projects through ITF so far and are interested in getting involved in more.
“This level of collaboration delivers cost savings in developing new technologies.”
Marathon is the most recent member to join ITF.
Randall Cooper, manager of petrophysical operations at the oil firm, said: “ITF brings a high level of organisation, matching operators with technology developers with a great work ethic. There is no doubt about the importance new technologies have for the industry and we have to keep looking ahead.”
Tamara Sebire, vice-president of reservoir development at Woodside, said: “It is great to have the opportunity to get together face-to-face to speak about technology and there has been some very lively debate. I’ve enjoyed meeting people from other oil operators who have common technology interests.”
BP well engineer Calum Munro said: “BP sees ITF as key to sourcing new technologies in a collaborative manner. The organisation is growing globally and this can only be good for joint working between operators and service company members.”
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