2013 SPE Offshore Europe–held at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Center from September 3-6–will demonstrate that the industry’s engineering, manufacturing and technology excellence is set to assure a long-term sustainable future.
Anthony Onukwu, independent production technologist working for Shell UK and chairman of the SPE Aberdeen Section, said: “We received a record number of paper proposals for this year’s conference so the barrier was set very high for those accepted. The technical committees are confident that they have selected a strong program, addressing the topics and issues relevant to a global oil and gas industry audience.”
The themes of the conference technical sessions cover a variety of exploration and production topics ranging from advances in subsea construction and technology, developments in pipeline analysis, and FPSO integrity to drilling, reservoir management and health, safety and the environment. The technical papers provide case studies of operator and service company global experiences, as well as examples of new technology and research projects to allow the industry to explore and operate in more hostile environments and increasingly deep waters. Synopses of the sessions are provided below.
The conference committee has selected papers from all over the world. Speakers will come predominantly from Europe, but will be joined by colleagues from the US, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
The technical sessions run alongside the rest of the conference program which includes 11 keynote sessions on topics ranging from the future energy mix, the independent oil company, operations in frontier areas, industry progress since Macondo and oilfield goods and services to drilling, safety, skills, finance, decommissioning and technology.
A breakfast briefing and topical lunch are also planned for each day of the event.
SPE OFFSHORE EUROPE 2013 CONFERENCE TECHNICAL SESSION SYNOPSES
DRILLING
Drilling Technologies
Chairs: Dan Scott, Baker Hughes and Hermann Spoerker, OMV Group
This session includes several case studies and applications of new technology including rotary steerable drilling in a subsalt application and a novel survey process using a rotary steerable system. Analysis of critical buckling loads in drill strings in different well bore configurations are presented, along with discussion of data management and document control. A case study of the development and field application of a unique non-aqueous mud, and a risk-based analysis on pulling a subsea BOP complete the presentations. The ePosters have a diverse set of topics from use of subsea wellheads with a jack-up, improving hole quality by controlling vibrations, fatigue of subsea threaded connections, and a heavy duty riser in deep water.
Cementing and Completions
Chairs: Ron Bland, Baker Hughes and Rolv Rommetveit, eDrilling Solutions
This session highlights: how close attention to risk analysis, improved work flows and updated models can provide safer and more reliable zonal isolation even in fast creeping salts in Brazil; the first intelligent well completion in the Troll field using feed-through swellable packers for zonal isolation; the reliability and fundamentals of sand control; NPT reduction from use of a new real-time casing running advisory system; and the use of expandable liner hangers and the advantages of their use in milling compared to conventional hangers.
Cementing and Completions ePoster Session
Chairperson: Ron Bland, Baker Hughes
This ePoster session presents: a case history on ECD reduction using clay-free invert emulsion fluids in a HT Norwegian well; how in-field measurements were used for verification of a full bore HP 24-inch riser design used on a jack-up rig in the North Sea; a new 3D virtual drilling simulator that can aid the training of drilling crews for tripping operations; and how modelling was used to estimate realistic average natural fracture widths drilling a carbonate reservoir with oil-based mud where options are limited.
HEALTH AND SAFETY, OIL SPILL PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENT
Managing Oil Spills
Chairs: Paolo Linzi, ENI and Steingrim Boshein, Statoil
Preventing hydrocarbons entering the environment is the top objective of our industry and maximum effort is exercised to this end. The industry reputation and all companies’ licensed to carry out exploration and production operations are inevitably affected when significant incidents occur. It is important that the industry learns from previous events and builds the ability to implement the best available techniques to prevent incidents and mitigate their consequences, when they occur. This session will address both aspects of prevention and mitigation. Topics addressed will include: the management of abnormal situations and why it should be an integral part of a comprehensive process safety management program; the significance of human factors as underlying causes for hydrocarbon releases and where organisations should focus their efforts going forward; the management of long- term/large scale environmental responses and the challenges associated with them. Innovative methods for the containment of blow-out releases to mitigate/minimize the consequences of subsea releases (including pipeline) and the use of oil and gas tracking and monitoring autonomous systems to drive the most effective intervention to combat a spill will also be reviewed.
Managing Oil Spills ePoster Session
Chair: Paolo Linzi, ENI
Environment: Tools and Management
Chair: Emmanuel Garland, Total
Environment, although a rather recent discipline, is now seen as an absolute need. The session will look at various aspects of the subject, focusing on advanced tools for improving knowledge of the physical and living environment, for developing an environmental case, choosing the best environmental option, and minimizing the impact of drilling activities.
Health and Safety
Chairs: Howard Harte, Health & Safety Executive and Megan Thomas, ERM
The continuing importance of safety to the sector is the focus of this session and its relevance has only been further highlighted given incidents worldwide and closer to home in the North Sea. The management of accident hazards is a priority and one that this session will explore with a number of papers looking at technological advances addressing the issue, as well as lessons learned from incidents, with speakers from industry providing practical insights. Given that people are integral to safe operations, the session will examine human factors and organizational capacity to deliver excellence. Moreover, chronic health issues are an essential part of the risk management framework, and the session will also discuss this often overlooked aspect of health and safety management.
RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT
Reservoir Depletion and Production Enhancement
Chairs: Ben Stewart, Halliburton and David Dangfa, Schlumberger
With the global increase in oil and gas demand and depleting reserves, most operators are looking for innovative ways to maximize production. In some of these mature fields, low production is not necessarily associated with depleting reserves but inappropriate reservoir depletion strategies and production enhancement approaches. These inevitably result in well and reservoir performance related problems and ultimately low hydrocarbon recovery. This session presents papers and case studies which highlight a variety of reservoir management principles. Miscible gas injection, high definition seismic imaging and GOC /WOC evaluation techniques will be addressed. Other topics covered will include reservoir modeling of gas condensate reservoirs and industry collaborative forum on well intervention.
Reservoir Development: Planning and Techniques
Chairs: Astley Hastings, University of Aberdeen and Heikki Jutila, Gaffney-Cline
This session addresses the techniques and issues associated with increasing the production and reserves of mature fields. A wide range of fields are presented including HPHT and heavy oil and gas, with an interesting variety of techniques being presented.
Reservoir Development: Planning and Techniques (ePoster Session), Heikki Jutila, Gaffney-Cline
Reservoir Evaluation
Chairs: Ilaria De Santo, Schlumberger and Tim Whittle, BG Group
Extending field life and improving both the estimation of the oil in place and the recovery factor of North Sea fields is made possible by technical and operational innovation. This session looks at the emerging technologies that will further contribute to this trend such as nanotechnology, new seismic techniques and novel borehole measurements of fluid flow and reservoir properties.
FACILITIES & INFRASTRUCTURE
Developments in Pipeline Analysis
Chairs: Craig Durham, Nexen and Brian Hudson, AMEC
This session features some of the latest work on modelling subsea pipeline performance, including real-time flow simulation of pipelines to provide virtual measurement of hydraulic conditions and throughput; using experimental data to validate the effect of pipeline burial depth on heat transfer co-efficients; and modelling flow-induced vibration using computational flow dynamics and finite element analysis to establish the fatigue life remaining in existing infrastructure. The session will illustrate just how far pipeline modelling has come in the last few years and how this can be used to improve asset integrity and optimize flowline design in marginal field tie-backs.
Enabling Field Life Extension
Chairs: Howard Thompson, AMEC and Alex West, Westlord Associates Ltd
This session addresses key engineering and technical issues through which the best use can be made of existing assets to achieve healthy net revenues into the future. It includes consideration of process simplification, qualification of technology, improving asset integrity, and achieving compact solutions. The session will be illustrated throughout with practical examples of technology developments and field life extension. The interests of those concerned with future tie-backs, real estate challenges, maintaining integrity and the redevelopments of existing complexes will be engaged.
Advances in Subsea Construction and Technology
Chairs: Derek Miller, Chevron North Sea Ltd and Rene Peters, TNO
Development of subsea oil and gas fields is placing increasing demands on new technology to operate in harsher environments and to overcome production challenges. At the same time, securing integrity of subsea systems is more important than ever. This session illustrates some interesting examples of pushing the boundaries on subsea developments and also provides some insight to what is next and achievable for subsea construction and field operations in forthcoming years. The challenges of installation will be complemented by examples of the use of latest technologies.
Advances in Subsea Construction and Technology ePoster Session - Rene Peters, TNO
Inspection and Maintenance (An Inspector Calls) – ePoster Session
Inspection and maintenance are key issues in the long-term realization of value from offshore assets. The development of understanding as to the condition of structures, systems and equipment is often challenging, e.g. where access may be difficult on topsides structures, and may not even be possible in terms of achieving a good level of accuracy for some subsea systems. This session highlights new and proven techniques for assessing conditions topsides, using remotely operated aerial vehicles, and subsea, where the assessment of control, communications and power systems is particularly challenging.
New Solutions (Old Problems) – ePoster Session
Among a number of perennial problems in field development and operations are those concerned with the following: finding engineered solutions that make small fields economic in terms of the power infrastructure requirement, the repairing of large structures within ageing assets, and the achievement of economic welded subsea repairs. In this session new solutions appropriate to a range of major and lesser repairs are explored, and the feasibility of obtaining electric power from the sea, sufficient to improve the economics of marginal fields, is demonstrated.
New Solutions (Planning and Development) – ePoster Session
In this session some significant, disparate, recent advances in technologies relevant to future field development are set out. The advances considered include: compact inline gas-liquid separation, the analysis of UKCS hub assets taking into account their development under varying tariff and cost share arrangements, and how effective solutions have been found that enable the use of variable speed drives with subsea cables while avoiding the potential equipment damage that can arise through harmonic resonances and distortion.
FPSOS
Ensuring the Structural and Marine Integrity of Floating Production Installations over their Lifetime
Chairs: Martin Muncer, Health & Safety Executive and Ian Frazer, Noble Denton
The industry has well over two decades of operational experience with floating production systems in the UKCS. In that time there have been incidents with both mooring systems and with hull structural integrity that have required corrective action. Some of this work has been done while remaining on location offshore. A series of papers discusses the key issues of integrity management encountered, and summarizes some of the technologies and techniques that are currently available. Discussion on these papers will be useful for operators in developing their strategies for the maintenance of the integrity of their existing and future floating production installations.
EXPLORATION
Exploration Case Studies
Chairs: Marie Ann Giddins, Schlumberger and Verney Green, Chevron
Although the oil provinces offshore Europe can be regarded as mature, it is believed that billions of barrels of reserves are yet to be discovered. Application of innovative technology will drive future exploration success. This session highlights some challenging problems in exploration and successful technical solutions. Subjects range from the operational problems of Arctic exploration, to well testing in the HPHT environment, real-time model calibration and integrated evaluation of unconventional reservoirs.
Exploration Case Studies ePoster Session
Chairs: Marie Ann Giddins, Schlumberger and Verney Green, Chevron
This ePoster session includes exploration lessons learnt in case studies, plus new technology for data gathering. Emphasis is on effective use of data for exploration decisions. SPE OFFSHORE EUROPE 2013 FACT FILE & BACKGROUND SPE Offshore Europe 2011 achieved an all-time attendance record (31,579 unique attendees*, ABC-audited) and saw the largest ever exhibition area covering a net area of 25,288 square meters (nearly 10% bigger than in 2009) with more than 1,500 exhibiting companies and international pavilions. [*Unique attendees are individuals who are counted only once, although visiting on more than one day.] The cumulative figure for total attendance—which counts those visiting and revisiting on more than one occasion—was 48,114, including exhibitors.
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