Drilling & production

The Arctic region holds large reserves of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas. Exploration and drilling challenges exist due to harsh conditions and environmental concerns.

The short-term outlook for the offshore oil and gas industry has become more difficult to predict than ever. The last few years saw an unprecedented boom in activity but there is now uncertainty and, in some quarters, despondency.

Increased difficulties in obtaining utility right-of-way and the concept of utility corridors have brought pipelines into close proximity with electric power transmission/distribution systems. Metallic objects subjected to the alternating electromagnetic field will exhibit an induced voltage. Also, power conductor faults to ground can cause substantial fault currents in the underground structure.

There is no one solution to the global energy crisis, but fusion scientists think that they can make an important contribution. Fusion, if successfully developed, will be both clean and green, producing large quantities of energy from non carbon emitting sources and without the burden of long-term radioactive waste.

Petrobras has announced a new light oil find in the Campos Basin. This article looks at the new oil find; Petrobras’ International Business Plan; relations between Brazil and China; foreign participation in the Brazilian market and prospects for the Brazilian pipeline sector over the next few years.

FMC Technologies will provide Petrobras with a subsea oil-water separator system for the Marlim field, located in the Campos Basin, offshore Brazil.

OPITO – The Oil and Gas Academy, is focusing on attracting skills and talent to the oil and gas industry, through its ‘Energise Your Future’ event, which took place at this year’s Offshore Europe in Aberdeen.

British companies can be found in all aspects of the energy industry all over the world. A track record of more than 40 years of expertise in exploring and developing oil and gas as well as nuclear energy has created a wealth of experience that is now being used globally.

The article looks at the prospects for the continuing availability of hurricane insurance in the offshore energy markets, discusses some of the problems with the products offered, reports on efforts to improve these products and the effect that low product take up is having on the energy insurance market. Windstorm premium makes up 15 to 20% of the offshore energy insurance portfolio.

Joint ventures focused on unconventional natural gas opportunities and related capability transfer will require effective governance to be successful.

With a commitment from US policymakers to domestic renewable energy, the US wind energy industry will continue to grow and provide manufacturing jobs at home, and investment opportunities to the global financial community.

December sees the UN climate talks in Copenhagen. Tasked with developing a new climate agreement to replace Kyoto post-2012, government negotiators, NGOs, industry, media, and other interested parties will convene to try to work out how the world can meet the challenge of climate change. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) from coal mining activity should be an important part of the discussions.

The US electric utility industry must quickly find ways to acquire and integrate a large percentage of its electricity from clean renewable sources in order to meet existing and anticipated state and federal requirements.

With the long-term prospect of increasing global energy demand, securing future energy supplies has become a common global issue. For those countries with dwindling production rates or low hydrocarbon reserves, the pressure for energy security is set to increase.

Pipeline integrity: lessons learnt from across the globe can prevent unnecessary failures and lead to improved long-term pipeline durability.