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Collaborating Authors
Oil & Gas UK
An Increasing Focus on the UK Oil & Gas Industry's Emissions Management
Thorne, Robert (Oil & Gas UK) | Mittal, Raaghav (Oil & Gas UK)
Abstract As a result of the 2016 Paris agreement, the challenge of climate change and the imperative of moving to a low carbon economy has intensified. This challenge has been added to the traditional objectives of affordable and secure energy sources. These three criteria are the basis for the Energy Transition. Increasingly, investors, consumers and policy makers are looking to energy businesses to reflect all these criteria as the basis of their company culture and objectives. This paper looks to explore opportunities for the UK oil and gas industry to further align itself with the drivers set out above and continue to promote investment into a sector that is key to delivering the Energy Transition: Improved communication of carbon reduction and mitigation efforts at both a national and global level Increased collaborative efforts aimed at reducing emissions resulting from exploration and production offshore The potential for UKCS oil & gas companiesโ involvement in carbon mitigation and storage Over recent years, the offshore UKCS oil and gas sector has focused on improving cost efficiency in its offshore operations. This implies a commitment to continuously improve environmental performance despite the challenges of doing so in a maturing oil and gas basin, where maximising economic recovery from fields requires greater effort. Notwithstanding these challenges, the overall long-term trends in environmental performance are improving as a result of efforts by the industry. Moving forwards, the benefits of effective emissions management will continue to intensify, beyond the regulatory requirements of environmental protection, as a result of two key drivers: To maintain investor and public confidence โ reducing both the carbon footprint of operations and carbon intensity of products used by consumers, will help position companies for a lower carbon economy. The business case - EU ETS Phase IV is modelled to cost the sector ยฃ2.2 billion from 2021 to 2030 as the cost of allowances is projected to increase combined with the reduction in free allowances. Therefore, reducing emissions at installations will continue to be imperative for improved environment performance as well as the continued economic viability of the installation. The sector must therefore continue to adapt to these ongoing fundamental changes that are taking place in energy supply more widely. As with any industry, businesses need to respond to shifting economic and societal demands and the consequent changes in energy needs. Hence, the effective management of emissions must proliferate through both operations (exploration, production and transportation of hydrocarbons), and use of the products delivered.
Abstract The Sureflex joint industry project (JIP) has focussed, and delivered, on improving industry knowledge and understanding relating to flexible pipe integrity management. The JIP has compiled global damage and failure statistics for flexible pipes across the industry and, in parallel, gathered comprehensive population statistics. The JIP also presents an extensive review and assessment of flexible pipe inspection and monitoring technologies. Furthermore, the work has reported integrity management good practice and guidance, summarised areas of current technology development focus, and shared operator case studies relating to flexible pipe integrity management. The JIP has been widely supported by collaborative engagement with industry operators, manufacturers, inspection / monitoring vendors, engineering contractors, certification bodies, and regulatory authorities of unbonded flexible pipe systems. This paper shares the key findings of the JIP with the wider industry. The JIP report includes more detailed statistics, analysis, and guidance, now publically available following the publication by Oil & Gas UK in 2017, Ref. [1]. Flexible pipe technology and experience is still relatively young when compared to the operational experience of rigid (metallic) pipeline systems. Nevertheless, overall damage and failure statistics demonstrate that, even though new failure modes are being observed as the technology matures, the failure probability rates for flexible pipe have been in decline since the mid-1990s. In addition, review of independent studies indicates that flexible pipe loss of containment rates in fact compare favourably with rigid pipe, when considering incident rates per installed pipe. However, it is considered likely that the damage and failure rates relating to late-life failure mechanisms, such as corrosion, fatigue and ancillary equipment ageing, may not yet have reached a stable equilibrium. There is now some limited experience of fatigue failure in dynamic riser systems, where previous studies did not identify any in-service experience relating to this mechanism, and a similarly marked increase in corrosion related incidents in recent years. To this extent, it is apparent that continued operator vigilance needs to be maintained for systems entering late life and that developments in inspection and monitoring technologies can increasingly be utilised to support risk-based decision making.
Achieving Common Requirements for Improved Safety and Efficiency
Popat, N.. (Shell International Exploration and Production) | Hawkes, C.. (International Association of Oil and Gas Producers) | Bergeron, S.. (Kosmos Energy) | Carvalho, M.. (International Association of Oil and Gas Producers) | Cruickshank, K.. (Oil & Gas UK) | Devincq, S.. (Total) | Gratz, G.. (ExxonMobil Development Company) | Mugno, A.. (Chevron) | Perkins, B.. (Shell International Exploration and Production) | Stroud, D.. (Kosmos Energy) | Sotoudehmanesh, S.. (Statoil) | Trapp, J.. (BP) | Burton, A.. (Shell International Trading and Shipping Company) | Vassiliev, N.. (Shell International Exploration and Production) | Valdes, O. Reyes (Shell International Exploration and Production)
Abstract The list of 13 fabrication site hazardous activities has been derived from focusing on the areas where significant incidents or near misses with fatality potential have occurred, while also taking into account existing safety practices common within the industry. Analysis of 10 years of IOGP incident data validated the final selection of the recommended practices by the IOGP Task Force. The IOGP Fabrication Site Construction Safety (FSCS) Recommended Practices document will provide standardized minimum requirements for addressing safety risks associated with the 13 listed hazardous activities, as well as a general section that addresses site-wide requirements. The objective of the FSCS Recommended Practices is to support the use of fabrication site specific construction practices that meet or exceed the requirements of the IOGP Recommended Practices, independently of the customer. This paper uses the on-going development of the IOGP FSCS Recommended Practices as a case study on how to drive for greater industry consistency to achieve a safer work environment and to remove inefficiencies.
Driving Production Efficiency Improvement on the UKCS: Implementation of the PETF Strategies
Dornan, R.. (Oil & Gas UK) | Werngren, O.. (Oil & Gas UK) | Wyllie, B.. (Oil and Gas Authority)
Abstract A significant decline in industry average Production Efficiency was observed on the UK Continental Shelf between 2004 and 2012, with a decrease from 80% to 60%. This decline led to the formation of the PETF in June 2013 to address this issue, with the target of restoring PE to 80% by 2016 being set by government and industry. Since 2012 PE has increased from 60% to 65%, which has contributed towards the stabalisation of production volumes on the UK Continental Shelf. This paper will investigate the drivers of the decline in Production Efficiency and outline the initiatives being implemented by the PETF to facilitate a basin wide improvement, including driving improvements in planned maintenance shutdowns, excellence in offshore productivity and reducing unplanned production losses.
Abstract The Well Life Cycle Practices Forum (WLCPF) was formed following the UKresponse to the Macondo tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010. Inresponse to Macondo, Oil & Gas UK brought together representatives ofoperators, drilling contractors, regulators and trade unions to form the OilSpill Prevention and Response Advisory Group (OSPRAG). In addition todeveloping and building an emergency capping device, assessing and improvingoil spill response capability, and reviewing indemnity and insuranceliabilities, OSPRAG also carried out a review of the UK industry's approach tovarious aspects of well control. OSPRAG published a series of recommendationsin October 2010 which led to the creation of the WLCPF under Oil & Gas UKto help the UK upstream industry implement the recommendations. The WLCPF alsoserves as a forum to discuss pan-industry well-related issues and to interfacewith the UK regulators. Results, Observations, and Conclusions The WLCPF has published a series of guidelines to help UK operators comply moreeffectively with regulations and to improve the UK industry's understanding ofwell integrity issues. Six workgroups, with input from over 60 companies andorganisations, have produced guidelines on:BOP issues; relief well planningrequirements; well integrity throughout the well life cycle; competency;behaviours and human factors; well examination and verification. Significance of Subject Matter The UK upstream industry has confidence that the UK regulatory environmentdrives the right behaviours to prevent a major well-control incident. Nevertheless, there are areas in which there is scope for improvement. Theguidelines produced by WLCPF, and the WLCPF model itself, could be used byother oil and gas producing provinces to reduce risks in well operations.
- Europe > United Kingdom (1.00)
- North America > United States > Texas (0.28)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Government > Regional Government > North America Government > United States Government (0.94)
The number of HCRs is also a performance indicator of asset integrity management of the offshore installations. Since the creation of Step Change in Safety (the UK offshore safety initiative) in 1997, there has been a 52% reduction in major and significant hydrocarbon releases. Industry-wide workshops, the sharing of best practice on asset integrity, and the development and use of toolkits and guidance documents led to an early period of sustained year-on-year reductions in major and significant HCRs (See Figure 1). Nevertheless, in spite of sustained efforts in recent years, this progress appears to have stalled. The total number of HCRs fluctuated between 155 and 190 in the past five years, while major and significant HCRs have remained in the 60 to 85 range in the past seven years. The offshore oil and gas industry is not complacent however and at the end of 2010, Step Change in Safety published a revised HCR reduction target. The UK offshore oil and gas industry as a whole has agreed a target of 50% reduction of HCRs by the end of March 2013 based on 2009/2010 total HCRs (187). The challenge for the UK offshore industry now is to decide where to focus its effort to reduce the number of HCRs and to achieve its revised target. 2 SPE 145449
Conclusions The work of the TRG has been widely acclaimed. Real progress is being made by the WLCPF in implementing the TRG recommendations. The WLCPF has become the permanent and focal organization to drive continuous improvement and to review and implement ongoing learning from Macondo and other similar global incidents. The OSPRAG capping device is unique in being focused on the specific UKCS met-ocean conditions while having a global applicability. The uniqueness of the OSPRAG model where all industry stakeholders work together in a proactive and collaborative manner was derived from the Helicopter Task Group that was formed following the fatal helicopter (85N) accident in the North Sea. Clearly both groups have undertaken to review two major incidents in a timely manner and produce constructive recommendations for improvement. The benefits of using such a team model should potentially be considered as an example of good practice. Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge the contribution of all members of the TRG for their dedication and determination to review, learn, and drive continuous improvement as part of the OSPRAG activities. Acknowledgement must also go to the board of Oil & Gas UK for providing leadership and resource thus ensuring the effective completion and implementation of the TRG recommendations.
Outcomes from the SureFlex Joint Industry Project - An International Initiative on Flexible Pipe Integrity Assurance
Obrien, Patrick (Wood Group Kenny) | Meldrum, Euan (Oil & Gas UK) | Overton, Chris (Wood Group Integrity Management) | Picksley, John (MCS Kenny) | Anderson, Keith (MCS Kenny) | MacLeod, Ian (Wood Group Integrity Management)
Abstract This paper presents the key findings from a significant, international joint industry initiative that took place over a period of about 20 months to September 2010. The SureFlex joint industry project (JIP) was run under the auspices of Oil & Gas UK and has had the financial support of twelve companies including operators, manufacturers and a legislative authority. The JIP has had technical contributions and provision of operational data from all the major operators of flexible pipe worldwide, flexible pipe manufacturers and flexible pipe specialists in the field. The JIP has produced two documents, namely i) a State-of-the-Art of Flexible Pipe Integrity, and ii) a Guidance Note on Flexible Pipe Integrity Assurance, and these documents are available publicly through Oil & Gas UK. The paper shows key findings from the extensive survey work performed including flexible pipe operational use worldwide, with statistics on design limits, damage and failure incidences. The paper summarises the latest inspection and monitoring techniques for flexible pipe and shows trends on how the technology is developing in this important segment. The paper very much addresses an important aspect of flexible pipe technology, subsea integrity, monitoring and inspection technologies, life extension and best practice integrity guidance for flexible pipe. Introduction In 2009 Oil and Gas UK decided that it was time to update a set of documents [1,2] that had been prepared some seven years earlier with regard to flexible pipe integrity. The focus of the earlier work had been on the use of flexible pipe mainly in the UK and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea; now it was decided that new work on flexible pipe integrity should be worldwide. After some effort, Oil and Gas UK engaged the financial support of twelve companies from around the world to perform a scope of work that would include the gathering of statistics on flexible pipe use, damage incidents and failures, the preparation of a report that would establish the current state-of-the-art on flexible integrity, and that would update the previous [2] Guidance Note on flexible pipe integrity assurance. This joint industry initiative (JIP) was coined SureFlex; the JIP was run under the auspices of Oil and Gas UK who subcontracted the performance of the work to MCS Kenny. The participants to the JIP included international oil company operators, a flexible pipe manufacturer and a regulatory authority. Over the twenty month period that the work was performed, MCS Kenny gleaned valuable input from the JIP participants as well as engaging companies outside of the JIP membership. Ultimately, the work has been performed with input from oil company operators, all the flexible pipe manufacturers and specialist flexible pipe consultancy companies from around the world. The JIP produced two deliverables, namely:A report on the current state-of-the-art on flexible pipe integrity, and a guidance note on flexible pipe integrity assurance. This paper provides a high level summary of the contents of these two documents and in doing so describes the key findings and recommendations from the work of the SureFlex JIP. State-of-the-Art Report The state-of-the-art report on flexible pipe integrity covers three broad areas as follows:Statistics of flexible pipe use, degradation, and damage and failure incidences during installation and operation Current practice on integrity management of flexible pipelines and risers Current and developing techniques for monitoring and inspection of flexible pipe
- Europe > United Kingdom > North Sea (0.34)
- North America > United States > Texas (0.28)
- Europe > Norway > North Sea (0.25)
- (2 more...)
Abstract The Helicopter Task Group was created by the UK oil and gas industry in April 2009 to address helicopter safety issues, including those arising from the tragic helicopter crash off the north-east coast of Scotland on 1 April 2009. The task group included representatives from offshore operators and contractors, including those involved in the incident, as well as Oil & Gas UK, the offshore workforce, helicopter operator companies, regulators, emergency response organisations and trade unions. Its purpose was to act on behalf of the industry as a communications focal point for sharing information, advice and learning across the industry and with other stakeholders on matters arising from this and other helicopter accidents. This included assisting the implementation of any recommendations from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) inquiries. The group also defined policies and practices for pan-industry implementation. In the 16 months since the formation of the group, it oversaw a huge amount of work aimed at improving helicopter safety for UK offshore workers. This included the implementation of modifications and maintenance checks to helicopter gearboxes, the reintroduction and standardisation of personal locator beacons for all offshore workers and the launch of the world's first wide area multilateration system. The group also worked to address workforce confidence issues. This included communication guidelines, a dedicated email inbox, a helicopter operations training course for offshore safety representatives and a DVD distributed to all UK offshore locations. The Helicopter Task Group is a unique example of collaboration and cooperation, with parties from all stakeholders working together towards a common goal of improving the safety of UK offshore helicopter operations. It has resulted in a number of significant safety improvements, as well as a much more open and constructive dialogue between the industry, aviation sector and regulators.
- Transportation > Air (1.00)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Europe > United Kingdom > Irish Sea > East Irish Sea > Morecambe Bay > East Irish Sea Basin > Morecambe Bay (0.98)
- Europe > United Kingdom > North Sea > Northern North Sea > Northern North Sea Basin (0.89)
- Europe > United Kingdom > North Sea > Central North Sea > Central North Sea Basin (0.89)
- (2 more...)
Copyright 2011, Society of Petroleum Engineers This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE European Health, Safety and Environmental Conference in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production held in Vienna, Austria, 22-24 February 2011. This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited.