First Break September 2024 - Reservoir Engineering & Geoscience
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FIRST BREAK ® An EAGE Publication
CHAIR EDITORIAL BOARD
Clément Kostov (cvkostov@icloud.com)
EDITOR
Damian Arnold (arnolddamian@googlemail.com)
MEMBERS, EDITORIAL BOARD
• Lodve Berre, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (lodve.berre@ntnu.no)
Philippe Caprioli, SLB (caprioli0@slb.com) Satinder Chopra, SamiGeo (satinder.chopra@samigeo.com)
• Anthony Day, PGS (anthony.day@pgs.com)
• Peter Dromgoole, Retired Geophysicist (peterdromgoole@gmail.com)
• Kara English, University College Dublin (kara.english@ucd.ie)
• Stephen Hallinan, Viridien (Stephen.Hallinan@viridiengroup.com)
• Hamidreza Hamdi, University of Calgary (hhamdi@ucalgary.ca)
107 Source rock presence and maturity along the Northwest African (MSGBC) margin: results from a seep sample and basin modelling study Felicia Winter, Tiago Cunha, Marianne Nuzzo and David Gardiner
114 Calendar
cover: Underground cross-section showing water aquifer, oil reservoir, and mineral veins.
European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers Board 2024-2025
Near Surface Geoscience Circle
Andreas Aspmo Pfaffhuber Chair
Florina Tuluca Vice-Chair
Esther Bloem Immediate Past Chair
Micki Allen Contact Officer EEGS/North America
Hongzhu Cai Liaison China
Deyan Draganov Technical Programme Officer
Eduardo Rodrigues Liaison First Break
Hamdan Ali Hamdan Liaison Middle East
Vladimir Ignatev Liaison CIS / North America
Musa Manzi Liaison Africa
Myrto Papadopoulou Young Professional Liaison
Catherine Truffert Industry Liaison
Mark Vardy Editor-in-Chief Near Surface Geophysics
Jonathan Redfern Editor-in-Chief Petroleum Geoscience
Robert Tugume Member
Anke Wendt Member
Martin Widmaier Technical Programme Officer
Sustainable Energy Circle
Carla Martín-Clavé Chair
Giovanni Sosio Vice-Chair
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Sanjeev Rajput Vice-President
Laura Valentina Socco President
Martin Widmaier Technical Programme Officer
Andreas Aspmo Pfaffhuber Chair Near Surface Geoscience Circle
Maren Kleemeyer Education Officer
Yohaney Gomez Galarza Chair Oil & Gas Geoscience Circle
Carla Martín-Clavé Chair Sustainable Energy Circle
Diego Rovetta Membership and Cooperation Officer
Peter Rowbotham Publications Officer
Christian Henke Secretary-Treasurer
Prepare for our 2025 Annual in Toulouse
Message from the Local Advisory Chair Kevin McLachlan (SVP exploration, TotalEnergies).
It’s my pleasure to welcome the global geoscience and engineering community to the EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition 2025 in the dynamic French city of Toulouse.
The theme for our flagship event is ‘Navigating change: Geosciences shaping a sustainable transition’. This reflects
the challenge of navigating the energy transition in which our disciplines and professionals have a crucial role to play if we are to achieve a sustainable and resilient future.
Our conference is intended to evaluate what progress we have made so far and explore the technology developments and all the possibilities which can accelerate the advance to Net Zero. We hope once again to provide a world class programme designed to inspire and engage, featuring keynote presentations from renowned experts, in-depth technical sessions, hands-on workshops, and a comprehensive exhibition showcasing the latest in geoscience technologies, especially involving oil & gas decarbonisation initiatives, CCS, renewables and infrastructure geosciences domains. Whether you are presenting research, networking
with industry peers, or discovering new trends and tools, we are confident that there will be something of value for you.
As organiser, we must acknowledge and thank our sponsors and exhibitors for their contribution to making such a comprehensive event possible, something I am sure delegates and visitors will appreciate.
As we convene in a city renowned for its history of innovation and its commitment to technological advancement, we encourage you to take full advantage of the opportunities our event provides for exchange of ideas, building lasting connections, and contributing to the ongoing dialogue about our role in a world undergoing profound transformation. We are not just responding to the changes around us, but are actively shaping the future of our planet.
Look forward to seeing you in Toulouse in 2025.
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Kevin McLachlan.
Pont Saint Pierre, Toulouse.
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GEO4.0 in Al-Khobar to take comprehensive look at digital transformation
With ongoing digital innovation revolutionising industries on a global scale, the field of geoscience is currently experiencing an incredibly exciting period. To find out just how this transformation is unfolding, join us at the first edition of GEO4.0: Digitalization in Geosciences Symposium at the Grand Hyatt Al-Khobar Hotel, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia from 21-24 October 2024.
GEO4.0 is hosted by DGS and Aramco, and supported by AAPG, EAGE and SEG. It is a direct response to the need for enhanced knowledge sharing and
collaboration among professionals who are actively involved in implementing digitalisation technologies and machine learning algorithms in geoscience applications. The Symposium’s theme of ‘Shaping innovation for a sustainable future’ highlights the importance of leveraging digital technologies to drive growth, innovation, and sustainability in the industry.
The Symposium will commence with an opening ceremony featuring high level industry leaders sharing their insights. An executive plenary session on ‘Digital Transformation in Upstream’ will then bring together top executives to discuss how digital technologies are reshaping the industry and driving innovation. Speakers will explore the impact of data analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation on operations, as well as the importance of fostering a culture of digital innovation within organisations.
Varied menu for Aberdeen Local Chapter
There was significant interest in a CCS talk organised by Aberdeen Local Chapter and Geoscience Energy Society of Great Britain (GESGB) attracting a standing-room-only crowd at the venue and 35 additional participants online. Callum Inglis and Tom Calder (Spirit Energy) elaborated on their CCS presentation, initially delivered in Vienna during the 84th EAGE Annual Conference, focusing on the Morecambe Net Zero project.
The North Morecambe and South Morecambe depleted gas fields, located in the East Irish Sea Basin, have been assessed for their potential as future CO2 storage sites. As of 2022, these fields had produced 6.6 Tcf of gas from the Triassic age Sherwood Sandstone reservoir, with peak production reaching up to 2 Bcf/day from 1992 to 2002. The evaluation for CO2 storage suitability follows the European Union directive on the geological storage of carbon dioxide, examining criteria such as containment, injectivity, capacity, integrity, hydrodynamics, and monitorability. The presentation concluded with an engaging Q&A session with a highly interested audience.
In June, the Chapter welcomed Prof Matteo Spagnolo (Aberdeen University), who discussed how remote sensing
Sixteen technical sessions are due to be held over the course of three packed days dedicated to sharing knowledge. A total of 127 presentations will be delivered by representatives from 36 companies spanning 23 countries, guaranteeing a diverse and global range of content. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with industry professionals, network with other participants, and enjoy a special gala dinner on the second day, sponsored by DGS.
The closing ceremony will be an open forum to consolidate the event’s learning and envision future progress in digitalisation in the geosciences.
Be a part of this exciting journey towards a more digitally-driven future for geosciences. Together, we can shape the future of our field and unlock new opportunities for growth, innovation, and sustainability.
Learn more and register at www. geo4event.com.
of glacial extent on volcanoes can serve as an early warning for geohazards. He explained that prior to an eruption, volcanoes heat up, reducing glacial cover. However, practical application involves challenges such as correcting for local climatic conditions, establishing altitude measures, dealing with cloud cover, and calibrating against measured volcano temperatures. Seasonal glacial speeds were also discussed, with Mount Veniaminoff in Alaska serving as an example, where a speed increase was observed six months before an eruption.
Steam rising from the Veniaminof volcano in the waning stages of an eruption. Photo credit: M.E. Yount, US Geological Survey.
Explore how technologies are moving from a vision to a reality to empower geoscience at the GEO4.0 Symposium.
Local Chapters share best practice in Oslo
Just how to make the most of Local Chapters provided the topic for an invaluable session at the recent Annual in Oslo.
Netherlands (Best LC of 2023), Paris (Best LC 2024) and Oslo (representing the home team in Norway) jumped at the chance to host a panel to discuss best practices for running a EAGE community. Joeri Brackenhoff, current president of LC Netherlands, moderated the panel composed of Dong Zhang (LC Netherlands), Hayet Serradji (LC Paris) and Artem Kotenev (LC Oslo).
Many of those attending were members of other Local Chapters and were eager to learn and compare experiences. Some of the lessons learned and ideas should be of benefit to anyone interested in volunteering for a Chapter or starting a new one, while recognising that each Chapter is unique with its own challenges and strengths.
One of the main discussion points was the funding required to host LC meetings. While support from companies is a great option, it was noted that the EAGE has a special PACE Event Support Programme that communities can apply to for particular activities.
Many Chapters aim to organise the majority of their meetings in-person, relying primarily for support from host companies and universities. Some limit online events to the winter when people prefer joining remotely.
LC Netherlands also organises a special event once a year - usually in summer - that is specifically aimed at networking for students. This is in collaboration with the Student Chapter of EAGE at TU Delft. It consists of team building activities, a scientific presentation and a BBQ. LC Paris is launching a happy hour event every month, at the same day every month. This is not a sponsored event, but a networking opportunity and simply a great opportunity to interact with other members of the local community. Online meetings offer an easy way to collaborate with other Chapters across the world. LC Germany, for example, recently led a round of online meetings throughout Europe creating a continuous series of events. The challenge in this case is ensuring topics are of interest to all communities involved, and to avoid a sense of ‘fatigue’ when too many activities are organised within a short period of time.
As Local Chapters tend to be multi-disciplinary it is important to cover a broad range of topics that fit under the umbrella of EAGE and the interests of their members. Chapters usually identify topics first, then look for speakers, and finally narrow down the content of the talk. A good practice highlighted by LC Netherlands is to look at the thesis defences by PhD candidates in nearby universities. These are often supervised by experts or visiting professors, who make for excellent speakers at in-person meetings. The community itself is also a great source of prospective speakers. Trying to contact a speaker without any connection is much harder, as all Chapters have experienced.
Other questions regarded student participation and how the community of each chapter is split in terms of academia, industry and students. Both Paris and Oslo expressed a desire to have a greater number of students at their meetings. Chapters like the Netherlands invite a member of the nearest Student Chapter to join their team and collaborate on projects that are of interest to the students community.
As for the composition of the event organising team, it became evident that some Chapters have a more defined system than others, but all agreed their structure is flexible as the volunteers who take over a higher degree of responsibility do not all have the same availability and all contributions are valuable. Regardless, being part of a Local Chapter’s ‘board’ requires time, although this fluctuates from week to week, and it is important to ensure candidates are aware of this.
Overall the panel was a great success and all the participants voiced their intention to bring the concept back in Toulouse in 2025, while improving on the format. There was also a very strong willingness by all Chapters involved to collaborate on future events. Everyone interested in joining them can find them on the EAGE website and on LinkedIn.
The EAGE Local Chapters Netherlands, Paris and Oslo shared experiences and lessons learned during a dedicated panel at the EAGE Annual 2024.
EAGE Communities identify strategies to navigate the emerging energy landscape
How can we get prepared to face the energy transition challenges? The EAGE Technical and Special Interest Communities discussed this topic during the recent Annual in Oslo and came up with the following four strategies.
Talent diversification
Two animated panel discussions between high-level executives, academic authorities, and the Young Professionals and the Women in Geoscience and Engineering communities concluded that ‘the need for geoscientists is going to increase in the years to come’, according to Yuriy Ivanov, Young Professionals committee member and moderator of the panel ‘Attracting and Retaining Talent’. ‘The energy transition is not in conflict with this but rather the opposite — it will require more geoscientists with diverse backgrounds to secure sustainable energy in the future.’
Currently the interest in geoscience (education and careers) in many countries is declining. However, summarising the panel discussion, Ivanov says, ‘To ensure that the supply of energy professionals is sufficient
away on how to use AI to reduce energy consumption in our industry or to reduce the energy consumption of AI applications themselves.
Ashley Russell, AI Committee member, reported that through language model-based solutions, Team GeoEmbed, this year’s winner, used CLIP to recognise similarities across geoscience images, e.g., screenshots of different gas chimneys in seismic, and to look for data via a text prompt. The concept was that with better ability to find all data we can better identify risks in the subsurface, and better mature subsurface understanding. All teams demonstrated impressive contributions to the intersection of data science and subsurface (all three codebases can be found as public repositories on Github!).
During the session ‘Tips and tricks
to fulfill the high demand in the long term, the work must start at the grassroots. To make that possible, a close communication between (and across) the energy sector, academia, the public, and regulators is the key, and professional societies, such as EAGE, provide an important platform for that’.
New technologies
The EAGE Technical Community on Artificial Intelligence advocated the leveraging of new technologies to tackle the current (and future) energy challenges. A good example would be the EAGE Annual Hackathon, when three teams spent two days hacking
with Chatbot apps for geoscientists and engineers’, the AI Community also presented the use of tools such as ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot to improve the efficiency in our technical work.
Continued training
This strategy was presented by the Decarbonisation and Energy Transition Technical Communities, in collaboration with the EAGE Education Committee. Maren Kleemeyer, EAGE education officer, explained: ‘Navigating the energy transition can be challenging for both the industry and professionals. To facilitate role transitions,
we introduced the Skills for the Energy Transition tool last June. Based on skills mapping and an ongoing survey, the tool aims to assist our members in identifying necessary skills for new roles, recognising skill gaps, and finding suitable courses from EAGE’s short course catalogue to bridge those gaps, such as CO2 storage, offshore wind and geothermal energy.’ The tool, presented during the Interactive Session ‘Skills for the Energy Transition’, is available at eage.org.
Effective communication
To navigate the emerging energy landscape, knowledge and experience exchange is crucial. For example, the dedicated session ‘Decarbonisation and Energy Transition’ provided the opportunity for five new technical communities launched this year, Carbon Capture and Storage, Wind Energy, Geothermal Energy, Critical Minerals, and Hydrogen and Energy Storage to showcase some of the latest trends in their fields.
Topics such as raw materials criticality assessment; technical cooperation for carbon sequestration; subsurface hydrogen storage in salt formations; and resolution requirements for characterisation of sedimentary environments in glaciated margins were discussed during the session.
Connect with the EAGE communities
The winners of the Hackathon presented their project at the Energy Transition Theatre.
During the Annual conference, the EAGE Communities analysed how we can make significant contributions to the energy transition.
Strategic Programme for GET 2024
will focus on key energy themes
A major feature of our 5th EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference & Exhibition in Rotterdam on 4-7 November is the popular strategic programme, this year focusing on three pivotal themes: building resilient value chains, fostering societal engagement, and harnessing digital innovations.
Here’s a brief overview
Resilient value chains for the energy transition
In this panel, attendees can look forward to insights from industry experts on how to fortify value chains in CCS, hydrogen, geothermal, and wind energy. The session will illuminate effective business models, the importance of strategic partnerships, navigating regulatory challenges, and managing commercial risks. Speakers include Marit Brommer, CEO of the International Geothermal Association, Ruben van Grinsven, general manager of advanced fuels and products at Shell, and Sarah Buchanan, CCUS subsurface manager at BP.
Bridging the gap: How societal engagement can propel the transition
Here we will address the critical role of community and societal involvement in the energy transition. This session will feature insights from behavioral psychology, environmental management,
Yolanda Verbeek, COO of EBN and conference chair, says, ‘The strategic programme provides context to the work that is being done by the engineers and the geoscientists. With all that knowledge that we bring together in the GET conference, I am convinced that we can make the next step in the energy transition journey.’
of the panels:
and education experts, aiming to enhance energy literacy and lobbying efforts. Speakers such as Ellie MacInnes from Viridien, Esther Pijs from the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate, Christopher Jackson from Imperial College, and Iain Stewart from the Jordan Royal Scientific Society/University of Plymouth will share their perspectives on mobilising society for a sustainable energy future.
Digitalising the energy transition: Innovations in technology, markets, and talent
This final panel will explore the pivotal role of AI and digital technologies in decarbonising energy systems and opening new market opportunities. The session will discuss the necessary policy support, investment, and workforce skills required to leverage these technologies.
Carel Hooijkaas, EVP of New Energies at TGS, will lead this crucial discussion on the future of digital innovation in energy.
Education Calendar
The call for late-breaking abstracts is open until 15 September, making it the perfect time to share your recent discoveries. Note that submissions will be considered for poster presentations only.
The technical programme schedule and detailed information about the sessions and speakers are available on the GET event website. Free visitor passes are available. Register by 1 September for early bird discounts on the conference passes. Opt for an all-access pass to join workshops, field trips, and short courses.
Learn more at eageget.org.
More EAGE short courses for GET 2024
The addition of two more short courses will provide even more learning choices for participants at the upcoming 5th EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference & Exhibition (GET 2024) in Rotterdam in November.
The programme will now include the Geophysical monitoring of CO2 storage course, led by Prof Martin Landrø from the
Norwegian University of Science & Technology, which explores techniques for monitoring subsurface CO2 injection. It covers rock physics, time-lapse seismic methods, gravity, and electromagnetic techniques, addressing saturation and pressure effects, early leakage detection, and mapping overburden geology to identify potential weak zones.
Also now on the schedule is the Geoscience communication and public engagement course presented by Iain Stewart from the University of Plymouth/Royal Scientific Society of Jordan. The course will offer expert guidance and hands-on training on effectively communicating technical geoscience issues to non-technical audiences.
Previously announced courses at GET 2024 are Exploration of subsurface natural geologic hydrogen and stimulation for its enhanced production course (Dariusz Strąpoć); Geothermal energy production (Denis Voskov); An introduction to offshore wind (Jeroen Godstchalk) and CO2 storage project design and optimization (saline aquifers) (Philip Ringrose).
Why CCS initiatives are so important
This year’s recipient of the EAGE Desiderius Erasmus Award, Prof Philip Ringrose, professor in energy transition geoscience at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), has been sharing his internationally recognised expertise in carbon capture and storage issues at EAGE events, notably with his upcoming EAGE CO2 Storage Masterclass and GET 2024 Short Courses. Here he answers some of our questions on these topics.
What led to your focus on reservoir characterisation, CCS and large-scale CO2 storage projects?
Throughout my career I have worked on different aspects of fluid flow in porous rock media – from radionuclide transport in groundwater, to multiphase flow of oil/gas/water in hydrocarbon reservoirs, and then to CO2 in saline aquifers. At Heriot-Watt University, I was part of a group developing multi-scale geologically based flow forecasting approaches – methods that got coded up in numerous software packages. At Statoil/Equinor in Norway, I was able to apply these methods to optimising production from numerous oil and gas fields. Over the last 20 years, I have mainly worked on CO2 storage technology as part of CCS projects, where the same knowledge of multi-scale ‘flow in rocks’ can be applied to understanding CO2 storage — both for forecasting the storage process and for assuring containment. My contributions are summarised in the textbooks How to Store CO2 Underground (2020) and Reservoir Model Design (2021, 2nd Edn, written with Mark Bentley).
What do you hope will be achieved with your EAGE CO2 Storage Masterclass?
It is exciting to see many CCS projects progressing from ‘concepts on paper’ to real project developments needing to qualify the expected storage volumes for investment decisions. Within that context, the EAGE CO2 Storage Masterclass should be really useful in getting down to the details of how CO2 storage projects actually work – such as how to forecast storage volumes, track plume expansion, and assure stakeholders that the store will be safe. The four days will
More valuable learning possibilities.
be quite multi-disciplinary – covering geomechanics, multi-phase flow, phase behaviour, geological characterisation, and geophysical monitoring. Participants can expect to be stretched in their skills base – but at the same time, the material goes from intermediate to more advanced levels in an accessible way.
At GET 2024, what are some of the emerging trends and technologies in geological and environmental sciences that you plan to highlight in your sessions?
I am quite passionate that it is technically possible to dramatically cut CO2 emissions to the atmosphere to achieve the net-zero goals to which our politicians have committed us. The challenge is: are we willing to make the changes needed in our society, since it will be costly and will require behavioural changes and societal commitment. In the field of CCS, we need to scale up from the currently installed capacity of 40 million tonnes per year to one gigatonne/yr by 2030 and then seven gigatonne/yr by 2050. This is technically possible. Societal commitment to implementing these goals is the tricky question. Also, note that this decarbonisation activity is complementary to the required growth needed in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors. Concerted action is needed across all sectors of the climate-energy challenge. The good news is that geoscientists should have a vital role in enabling this transition to happen.
Sustainability top of the agenda at Associated Societies congress in Serbia
EAGE with CEO Marcel van Loon in attendance provided support to the 12th Congress of the Balkan Geophysical Society (27-31 May 2024, Kopaonik Mt, Serbia) hosted by the Association of Geophysicists and Environmentalists of Serbia (AGES) and the Student Sections of the Technical Faculty Mihajlo Pupin, University of Novi Sad.
Held under the theme ‘Geophysics for the better world’, the conference aimed to emphasise the importance of working together for a sustainable, inclusive and growing future. Highlights from the programme included a panel discussion on how to scale up CCUS – ‘from technology to safety, considering economics, expanding policies, including social justice and equity’, moderated by Professor Mileva Radonjić (Oklahoma State University), and the workshop from the EPOS project ‘Learning how to use the EPOS data portal: harnessing cross-disciplinary research’ by Harald Nedrebø, Jan Michalek and George A. Donoso.
Among invited lecturers, Aldo Vesnaver presented ‘Amplitude and traveltime inversion for mono-channel boomer surveys’; Aleksandra Kolarski presented ‘Solar-terrestrial interactions: solar flares as earth’s lower ionospheric perturbers’; Florina Chitea Tuluca discussed ‘The role of geophysics and cross-sector technologies for methane abatement strategies in the waste sector’, and Magdalena Marković talked about ‘Postgraduate education in Earth Sciences: where are we heading?’.
Attendees were also invited to participate in Special and Distinguished Lectures such as ‘Insights into dike nucleation and eruption dynamics from high-resolution seismic imaging of the magmatic system at the East Pacific Rise’ by Milena Marjanović; ‘The strategic opportunity of sustainability in the energy sector’ by Maria Angela Capello; ‘Contribution of geophysics to disaster assessment and community development – an example from a GwB Project’ by Koya Suto, and ‘The adventure begins: discovering joyful and simple ways to mastering skills for the future you want’ by Marko Vanić.
Honouring distinguished colleagues who established geoscience and geophysics in Balkan countries, a special session and exhibition entitled Pioneers of Geoscience, was held. This tribute inspired the production of a booklet that was distributed to the participants.
The programme was completed with 28 oral and 20 poster presentations, a technical exhibition, various panel discussions and workshops for students and young professionals, and exciting side activities. Attendees could take part in a gala dinner, accompanied by traditional folklore, music and dancing; walking tours to the National Park Kopaonik, and a field trip to the most beautiful walking destination at Kopaonik - Metođe.
The Congress ended with a clear message - No matter the role, we are all important on this journey towards a positive change; we are working together.
The event counted on the support of the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, the Serbia Convention Bureau, as well as local partners.
Participants of the 12th Congress of the Balkan Geophysical Society.
WORKSHOP REPORT
Advances in carbonate reservoirs makes for lively discussion in Kuwait
Report on the First EAGE Workshop on advances in carbonate reservoirs: from prospects to development held on 23-24 April in Kuwait.
Despite the strategic choice of Kuwait (making something of a comeback to event hosting), the workshop was not limited to the prolific carbonate reservoirs of the Arabian Gulf region. The workshop drew submissions that featured carbonate reservoirs studies from other regions and countries, such as Morocco, Indonesia, Russia and France highlighting the diverse technical content of the workshop.
The technical committee agreed to dissect the workshop’s overarching theme into six topics, which were discussed in six oral presentation sessions as well as two poster sessions. These basically covered the carbonate reservoirs from their time of genesis all the way to their development and monitoring stages. This was also supplemented by a core display session of the Mauddud Formation from Kuwait at the end of each day, which allowed the delegates to observe some of the concepts and interpretations discussed in the presentations.
On day one, the delegates were addressed by the event chair, Talal Al Adwani of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), who introduced the event and the expected outcomes from the workshop followed by a welcome from Mohammed Al-Ajmi, EAGE Local Chapter Kuwait president and exploration group manager at KOC.
The first session on reservoir characterisation and modelling began with a keynote speech by Dr Anna Mathews of BP, who highlighted and emphasised the importance of integrating core data in reservoir characterisation as a means for risk reduction in production and development decisions. Ensuing presentations covered various aspects of carbonate characterisation, including the utilisation of sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy to provide a reinterpretation of the Gotnia Formation in Kuwait; seismic mapping using 3D PSDM data to propose exploration targets off the coast of Morocco; and the application of geochemical methods for sequence stratigraphy and the construction of the burial history through determining
the timing of diagenesis. A pioneering geomicrobiology study was also discussed in terms of the role of microbes in driving the dolomitization process.
The second session covered integrated case studies where multi-disciplinary techniques were adopted for the optimal well placement and completion in fractured reservoirs. In one case, a modelling approach was utilised to assess the risks related to the hydrocarbon system in the Miocene of offshore Sumatra.
A return to the reservoir characterisation theme marked the start of the second day. In his keynote speech, Jeremy Harris of Shell discussed the challenges and opportunities offered by improving the ultimate recovery in carbonate reservoirs. The succeeding presentations built on his talk with examples of carbonate characterisation that improved reservoir performance. A few presentations utilised geochemistry, artificial intelligence, and machine learning for carbonate characterisation. The session also witnessed a promising concept for an exploration play for the Shu’aiba Reservoir in the UAE that excited the explorationists present.
In the second session of the day on advances in drilling and completion, Ahmad Shoeibi of Geolog in his keynote presented the evolution of innovative tools and mudlogging techniques for well-placement and decision-making. This was followed by a series of presentations that illustrated the use of advanced LWD tools and drilling parameters for geosteering and optimal well placement, as well as the integration of geomechanical parameters and machine learning for predicting crucial parameters for wellbore stability.
A session on reservoir modelling and simulation started the final day with a keynote from Modi Al-Ajmi of KOC on the plan to boost natural gas production in Kuwait through the adoption of fit-for-purpose strategies to overcome the associated challenges. Further presentations discussed fracture modelling, advances in matrix stimulation utilising particulate diverters, consideration of low salinity flood as EOR/IOR techniques, and a novel rock wettability characterisation for improving recovery.
In the second session, the integrated case studies theme covered an approach for mitigating the effect of heterogenous mechanical layering for better well placement, an integrated LWD methodology to reduce lateral uncertainty of reservoir properties, and the effectiveness of pressure build-up tests as a surveillance technique for monitoring asphaltene deposition.
At the end delegates provided overwhelming positive feedback about the event which provided an opportunity for industry professionals to network and hopefully prompt future collaborative studies to help us improve our understanding of carbonate reservoirs.
More than 90 delegates from local and international organisations came together in Kuwait to share their ideas and shape the future.
World class EAGE Digital 2025 set for Edinburgh next March
Building on the success of the previous four editions, EAGE’s premier digital transformation conference is set to return in 2025. The Fifth EAGE Digitalization Conference & Exhibition (EAGE Digital 2025) will take place in Edinburgh from 24-26 March 2025.
EAGE Digital is the forum where industry operators, service providers, tech companies, startups, and academia come together to network, share solutions, foster collaboration, and accelerate progress in digital transformation. Hosted by BP, this event will showcase cutting-edge technologies, the latest developments, state-of-
EAGE
the-art products, and innovative services in the digitalisation of the energy sector.
Over 450 delegates attended the 2024 conference, with 30% representing C-Suite, VP, EVP, Director levels and above. This makes EAGE Digital an unparalleled opportunity to connect with key industry players.
We invite you to submit abstracts on a wide range of topics. In Digitalisation and Insight Generation, we seek insights on data as an asset in digital transformation, decoding the building blocks of digital such as cloud and data lakes, learning from unstructured documents, moving from relational to knowledge graph approaches, digital ecosystems and partnerships, generative AI, and case studies of successful technology implementation.
In Applied Analytics & Machine Learning, topics include automated subsurface interpretation, machine learning assisted geophysics, data-driven production and operations optimisation, wells, core, thin sections, and logs, model interpretability, machine learning models in production, case studies in subsurface
analytics, and data management and expert systems.
For The Digital Subsurface and Digital Toolkits, we welcome abstracts on digital twins, robotics, drones, unmanned vehicles, geoinformatics (including remote sensing, GIS, and spatial data management), augmented reality and remote operations for HSSE, real-time and continuous monitoring technologies, IoT, connectivity and remote operations, and high performance and quantum computing.
Lastly, in Digitalisation as a Lever for Energy Transition, we are interested in technologies for structures integrity analysis and environmental monitoring, energy trading, smart grids and energy forecasting, digitalisation for new energies (such as CCS, wind farms, and geothermal), digital innovations in critical mining, and AI-driven optimisation for sustainability, efficiency, resource utilisation, and waste reduction.
Mark your calendars for 24-26 March 2025 and join us in Edinburgh for the Fifth EAGE Digitalization Conference & Exhibition. For more information and to submit your abstracts, visit eagedigital.org.
launches first symposium on Moroccan Atlantic margin hydrocarbon exploration opportunities
EAGE and the Morocco’s Office of National Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM) are joining forces to organise the First EAGE Atlantic Geoscience Resource Exploration & Development Symposium (AGREDS) on 5-7 May 2025 in Marrakech where the old fortified city is a world heritage site.
This event is dedicated to enhancing our understanding of the geological evolution and petroleum potential of the conjugate margin areas. Backed by prominent industry leaders, government bodies, and top-tier universities, the symposium will offer a distinctive platform with the spotlight on the North, Central, and South Atlantic regions and their adjacent basins improve knowledge of petroleum prospectivity in these areas.
The Moroccan Atlantic margin is underexplored with only 44 exploration wells and offers promising exploration opportunities with significant oil and gas resources. Extensive Mesozoic and Cenozoic petroleum systems, combined with favourable geology, create an ideal environment for hydrocarbon accumulation. Numerous offshore blocks, in shallow and deep waters, are available for exploration along the Moroccan Atlantic margin, with
several developed plays that are analogue to many recent discoveries and producing fields in Africa, Gulf of Mexico, and Nova Scotia. Additionally, the proximity to major European markets and well-established infrastructure makes Morocco an attractive destination for energy investments.
Topics planned for the symposium include Geology, Geodynamics and Tectonics of Atlantic Conjugate Margins; Hydrocarbon Resources and Exploration: Advancements in Geoscience Technologies; Lessons from Exploration and Production - Case studies; Energy Transition in the North Atlantic; and Country Showcase.
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your abstracts.
approaching on 20 January 2025.
What it takes to win the Laurie Dake Challenge
An impressive 29 universities from around the world participated in the 2023-2024 EAGE Laurie Dake Challenge. But only six teams could advance to the final round, which took place in Oslo during our 85th EAGE Annual Conference and Exhibition. The University of Stavanger emerged as the winner of the challenge, followed by the University of Manchester in second place, and TU Clausthal securing third place.
The Stavanger team (Syed Nazim bin Syed Sabeer Ali, Yan Wu, Faiz Hirzi Ridhadin, and Edgar Ricardo Del Pino Bullon) had this to say about their win. ‘The competition offered us a fantastic opportunity to work with real data from an oil field, propose a sustainable development plan, and gain practical experience from it. It required us to think beyond conventional methods, adding value and
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fresh perspectives to the whole working process. Following the competition, we now have a broader understanding of various sustainable technologies, greenhouse gas emissions, revenue analysis, and other crucial topics in the field development. Additionally, the competition taught us the importance of teamwork. Coming from diverse backgrounds, countries, and cultures, we learned to leverage each other’s strengths and compensate for weaknesses, growing significantly as a team.’
The University of Manchester runners up (Gyuzel Yeltay, Kampanart Jankham, Khaliza Binti, Khalid Marziya Dursunova, and Meijun Pan) said: ‘One of our primary obstacles was managing the intense time constraints of our one-year MSc programme alongside the rigorous demands of the Challenge. While the programme provided a strong theoretical
foundation, the Challenge allowed us to apply our knowledge practically and see its real-world implications. We are deeply grateful for the invaluable support from our mentor, Camilo Salazar, and professors Mads Huuse and Jonathan Redfern.’ Team members of third place TU Clausthal (Waithera Gakio, Jonathan Heetlage, Indira Yessenaliyeva and Mahmoodzia Zamaninia) commented: ‘This year, TU Clausthal embraced the Laurie Dake Challenge for the first time and proudly secured third place in the final round. We firmly believe that effective communication is an essential skill in finding solutions. Therefore, we proactively reached out to industry experts for their valuable advice.
The Laurie Dake Challenge is a great way to enhance the soft and technical skills of students and prepare them for the industry’s demanding environment.’
The EAGE Student Fund was instrumental in making the Laurie Dake Challenge possible, offering crucial support to the finalist teams by covering travel tickets, accommodation, and other expenses. We encourage you to continue contributing to the EAGE Student Fund to support the student community, which is vital to both the present and future of the industry. We also invite the entire student community to stay informed about the upcoming edition of the Laurie Dake Challenge for 2024-2025. Your participation is essential to uphold this tradition of excellence and innovation. Contestants and judges in Oslo.
The 2024 winning teams.
OUR JOURNALS’ UPDATES
Near Surface Geophysics (NSG) is an international journal for the publication of research and developments in geophysics applied to the near surface. The emphasis lies on shallow land and marine geophysical investigations addressing challenges in various geoscientific fields. A new edition (Volume 22, Issue 4) has beeen published in August, featuring 6 articles.
Geophysical Prospecting (GP) is inviting contributions for its Special Issue ‘Advances in Geophysical Modelling and Interpretation for Mineral Exploration’. This special issue seeks to advance our understanding of the subsurface and its practical implications for mineral resource exploration and extraction. Submissions are welcomed until 30 September 2024.
Geonergy has launched a new Thematic Collection ‘The sustainable future of geoenergy in the hands of early career researchers’. This collection is offering opportunities for PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, academic tenure track researchers, and early career scientists in the industry sector to submit novel research papers in the broad field of sustainable geoenergy. Expressions of interest to publish should be submitted by 30 November 2024.
Meet best EAGE Student Chapter
The EAGE Student Chapter of the Universidad Autónoma del Carmen (UNACAR), Mexico was selected as the Best EAGE Student Chapter 2023-2024. The students recap their year.
At UNACAR, we have dedicated ourselves to the promotion of geosciences and engineering with a deep social commitment. We have organised scientific outreach talks and exhibitions for students in local schools to explore concepts, observe hand samples, and understand what geological engineers do in the industry. In addition, we have collaborated with the social development area of the Grupo México company, Casa Grande, in promoting a PET collection contest to win a rainwater harvesting system.
One of our major activities in 20232024 was our participation in the beach cleanup of Playa Norte, Cd. del Carmen. This was an activity of great social impact and benefit for our entire community.
As a student chapter, we feel it is important for us to foster connections with the EAGE community and other student chapters around the world. That’s why, during Earth Day, we participated in a technical conference day alongside the EAGE chapters of the region. It was a great experience for both us as organisers and for the audience.
It is an honour for us to be recognised as the Best EAGE Student Chapter 20232024, and we will continue working to achieve new goals and continue exploring and learning.
Members of the EAGE Student Chapter UNACAR.
Beach cleaning.
‘GeoGenius’ geoscience knowledge contest, an initiative by the Chapter.
GP Geonergy
Memorable experience for students at the Oslo Annual
There was plenty at EAGE Annual 2024 in Oslo to make the event remarkable and rewarding for students from around the world, thanks to the support of the EAGE Student Fund and other key sponsors.
The EAGE Career Advice Centre was a key highlight for many student participants, organising various activities to support the development and
aging young professionals and students to explore career opportunities in their organisations. The session concluded with a networking activity, providing a platform for students and professionals to connect and explore roles in the field.
The Student Programme itself was rich with engaging activities designed to help students build their future careers,
for winning the EAGE Global GeoQuiz 2024. Let’s also applaud the teams from the Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (EOST) for securing second and third places.
A memorable event for many was the dedicated students field trip, where participants explored fault outcrops in carbonate rocks along the beach at Huk in Oslo. This hands-on experience offered insights into the geological history of the area, including contractional structures from the Ordovician Period and Permo-Carboniferous rifting.
We also featured a session specifically for Norwegian students, introducing them to various EAGE engagement opportunities. This was followed by a Networking Café, where students could connect with representatives from companies and academia, and the EAGE Student Chapters Meeting. This in-person meeting allowed representatives from EAGE Student Chapters worldwide to share their
personal growth of EAGE members. Another notable session took place in the Energy Transition Area where the Education Committee, along with representatives from the EAGE Decarbonisation and Energy Transition Communities, introduced a tool designed to outline the skills necessary for successfully navigating a career in the evolving energy landscape. The session also featured companies seeking new talent with energy transition-related skills, encour-
learn from professionals, and connect with peers and potential employers. Participants had the chance to interact with a variety of exhibiting companies, gaining industry insights and the opportunity to win exciting prizes. The EAGE Community Hub also hosted the Global GeoQuiz, where student delegates demonstrated their geoscientific knowledge and skills, competing with peers from around the world. Congratulations to Hao-Chun Chang and Kilian Glatz from ETH Zürich
experiences and best practices, fostering a spirit of collaboration and community.
We were thrilled to have 322 students attending the EAGE Annual 2024, with substantial engagement in all activities. We extend our thanks to our sponsors - Equinor, Chevron, Aker BP, Viridien, Shearwater, and the EAGE Student Fund - for their support and the participation of their experts in our activities. We eagerly anticipate continuing our efforts for the EAGE Annual 2025 in Toulouse.
Maicon Fiuza (Global talent acquisition operations lead at Viridien) shared his experience at the Networking Café.
Student field trip at the fault outcrops in carbonate rocks along the beach at Huk in Oslo.
EAGE Student Fund supports another successful GAP event
Around 120 student participants, including enthusiastic helpers, gathered in Münster from 30 May to 2 June 2024, for the annual Geophysical Action Program (GAP). GAP2024 was brought to life thanks to the generous support of the EAGE Student Fund.
GAP continues to be a premier platform for networking and collaboration among geophysics students, companies, and universities. The event kicked off with an engaging introduction at the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Münster, followed by a dinner and icebreaker. Activities during the event included a range of exciting excursions, a guided tour of the Geomuseum Münster, a visit to the planetarium, a scenic hike at Dörenther Klippen, and tours of the Ruhr region and the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven.
The energy and enthusiasm from this year’s meeting highlighted its significance and impact. To keep these valuable opportunities thriving, we invite you to support the EAGE Student Fund with your donations. Your contributions will help ensure the success of future events and support the next generation of geophysicists. We look forward to seeing you at GAP 2025 in Hamburg, made possible by the continued generosity of our supporters.
Student Chapter launched in Iraq
An EAGE Student Chapter at Basra University for Oil & Gas (BUOG) in Iraq has been established to give students the chance to deepen their knowledge in geoscience and engineering, enhance their skills, and actively connect with classmates who share similar interests. Students say the Chapter is committed to fostering a student community driven to make a positive change with the ultimate goal of building a new generation of innovators.
They believe that associations like EAGE offer an optimal environment for self-development and expertise exchange through webinars, workshops, and training courses. The Chapter hopes to create a
strong framework based on the spirit of teamwork among students by assigning tasks within each group according to their interests and talents in order to achieve common educational goals and foster teamwork.
The Chapter’s teams include scientific research, graphic design, support, social media activities, and communication. Each team consists of a number of active members who work together under the umbrella of EAGE to achieve synergy. Since the student chapter is the first of its kind in Iraq, the members hope to involve as many geoscience and engineering students as possible and expose them to the EAGE community. Field trips are being planned so that students
can learn more about their areas of study and supplement their academic knowledge with real-world experience.
Members of the EAGE Student Chapter at Basra University for Oil & Gas.
Students gathered at this year's GAP in Germany.
Sclocchi graduate awards promote a new wave of innovation
The Sclocchi Awards ceremony was held on 31 May 2024 at the Politecnico University of Milan. In association with the SPE Italian Section and AssoRisorse, EAGE recognised the individual brilliance of the winners and the collective progress and innovation in geosciences. Since the award’s inception, nearly 900 theses have been submitted. From these, more than 150 have been honoured,
a testament to the extraordinary talent and dedication of the students who have participated.
On this occasion, Rafael Leonardo Sandoval Pabon received the ‘Outstanding Award’ for his thesis Probabilistic study of fluid migration and allocation of underground energy resources. Other notable contributions from the graduates receiving awards included advancements
in renewable energy through transcritical power cycles with CO2 mixtures, smart vibroacoustic monitoring for pipeline safety, and microbial bioconversion of CO2 to fine chemicals promoting a circular economy.
The awarded thesis authors received their prizes and joined a roundtable with industry and academic experts. Moderated by Alberto Di Lullo, the discussion focused on future energy competencies. A special thank you goes to the EAGE Student Fund for its generous sponsorship, which made this award possible. We invite everyone to consider making a donation to support and sustain these valuable initiatives at donate.eagestudentfund.org.
For all students and recent graduates, save the date for next year. The 32nd Sclocchi Award could be your chance!
Learn more
The EAGE Student Fund supports student activities that help students bridge the gap between university and professional environments. This is only possible with the support from the EAGE community. If you want to support the next generation of geoscientists and engineers, go to donate.eagestudentfund.org or simply scan the QR code. Many thanks for your donation in advance!
The winners of the Special Mention Certificates, together with EAGE, SPE and Assorisorse Representatives.
The winners of Outstanding and Excellent Awards: Rafael Leonardo Sandoval Pabon, Ettore Morosini, Francesca Di Benedetto, Pasquale Capozzoli, Elisabetta Billotta, Daniel David Suarez-Riera, and Silvia Tamburelli.
Personal Record Interview
When life takes an unexpected direction
Senior vice-president for Upstream Solutions and CI Consulting at S&P, with earlier career oil field experience, is not where Leanne Todd expected when graduating as a political science and business studies student in Calgary. In her leadership role today she has become a well regarded industry voice advocating for diversity and opportunity for young talent.
Calgary upbringing
I grew up in Calgary, a resource-based city that has gone through a lot of economic challenges over the years. My father was a chemical engineer and in the 1980s we experienced one of the biggest industry downturns in history. This had a significant financial impact on our family but it did instill a work ethic in me. I was working part-time jobs from the age of 13.
Path to energy business
I did a political science and business degree at the University in Calgary. My plan was to head to law school. Advice from one of my business professors changed that trajectory – ‘Leanne, you could be a CEO one day, go into business’.
Early work experience
Being in Calgary at that time, my network and connections were all energy related and opportunities were abundant to join the then booming energy industry. As a result, my work experience began with an oilfield service company on the environmental side. The chance to gain experience in the field, understanding wellsite to rig operations was incredibly valuable in giving me a technical foundation. In the early 2000s many new software companies were emerging offering technical sales and business development roles which appealed to me. So, my next move was to work for consulting companies, one focused on reserves economics software and then one dealing with reservoir performance and optimisation. The reservoir engineer-
ing company, Fekete, was particularly critical in my technical development as they were big proponents of both internal programmes teaching reservoir dynamics and optimisation, but also supporting education opportunities in engineering.
Decision moment
My favourite saying is ‘no one will care more about your career than you, so go own it’. While I really enjoyed the commercial roles and client relationships, I wanted to be involved in solving the problems and challenges facing the industry. I wanted to be the leader to inspire change and help talented people grow their own career. I started at IHS (now S&P Global) in GG&E software sales but transitioned to the business side. Where I could run the teams designing and building the industry’s future. The evolution of a different direction in my career began from there. Today I lead teams creating new analytic tools and new models leveraging data science. This includes market analysts and researchers, and the teams coming up with new data and insights.
Industry diversity
Early on in my career I was often the only woman in the room. While I had incredible support from leaders and mentors, there were challenges and hurdles. I always wanted to be chosen for skill, talent and capability not diversity. Nowadays I speak on this topic and coach in the company, it is about creating opportunity and identifying a path to support indi-
viduals with many different qualities so they can shine. While diversity remains a challenge, I have seen progress with more incredible talent than ever being successfully nurtured.
Energy transition status
I find the energy story fascinating, and how the world will progress in balancing energy security, affordability and reliability. While energy transition will be much slower than originally hoped for, there is a whole new era of companies driving technology innovation and testing new business models. Policy and regulation can create some push, but there are so many other complexities that will require a lot of capital, markets and infrastructure to get where we need to be.
Advice to young professionals
Have a development plan, work towards creating career goals and be willing to take risks. Learn what drives you, locate that foundational north star that gets you up every day and find ways to incorporate that into your lifelong career journey.
Weight off you mind
Personal downtime is allowing to dial back the ‘work voice’ and do something that gives space for creativity and resetting. We are a very active family on weekends, I also spend my time going to the gym to lift weights. The focus is on form, for a heavy lift you must be present in the moment. This is great stress reliever for me. Every time you lift a heavy weight is a sense of accomplishment.
Leanne Todd
MORE TO EXPLORE
CROSSTALK
BY ANDREW
M c BARNET
Shetland’s wind of change
Spare a thought for Shetland, the famously, windswept near treeless group of islands north of Scotland, closer to Oslo than London, that have played such a major but largely unacknowledged role in the UK’s energy history, and may do so again. At a guess most people today, if anything, probably associate Shetland with a distinctive breed of miniature ponies or the ‘Sheltie’ sheepdog, or maybe the popular Shetland TV series based on the books of crime writer Anne Cleeves which at least provides a glimpse of the traditional crofting and fishing activity that sustained the islands over the centuries.
Largely forgotten is Shetland’s equivalent of 15 minutes of fame in 1974 when its local government anticipated the likely disruption to the local economy and way of life foreshadowed by the oil industry’s plan to create a reception terminal for offshore oil from northeast of Shetland at Sullom Voe, initially from the Brent and Ninian pipelines. (Later a Clair oil pipeline was added plus the West of Shetland Gas Pipeline System (WoSPS) to receive gas from Clair and neighbouring fields. At peak in the 1980s the terminal was receiving 1.5 million b/d of oil, a quarter of the UK’s offshore production, offloaded to some 670 tankers per year).
upkeep of harbour facilities and ‘any other purpose which in the opinion of the council is solely in the interests of the county or its inhabitants’. The council also obtained extraordinary powers to do business with the oil industry and thereby agree favourable terms for Shetland. Today the Shetland Island Charitable Trust continues to receive millions of pounds per year in tanker dues, far less than in the 1980s heyday but nonetheless significant. The reserve fund itself has sometimes suffered from the vagaries of the investment market and internal wrangling over its ties to the council. However, the fund has gone some way to insulate Shetland from the plight of cash strapped councils on the UK mainland and provide significant community assets over the years.
‘An epic moment in the fortunes of Shetland’
The recent death of Ian Clark, widely regarded as architect of the agreement when treasurer then chief executive of Zetland (later Shetland Island) County Council, is a poignant reminder of an epic moment in the fortunes of Shetland. Clark, then only 35 years old, and some astute council colleagues successfully stood up to Big Oil and brokered a special deal. A major feature was the creation of a charitable trust funded by the industry to provide lasting benefit to the community. This necessitated legislation (Zetland County Council Act 1974) allowing Zetland (later Shetland Island) County Council special powers, unique in the UK.
The Act granted community ownership of a key asset – the port of Sullom Voe. It enable the council to charge fees for tankers entering the harbour and to establish a reserve fund including
Shetland’s special treatment was undoubtedly facilitated by a combination of fortuitous factors in UK politics in the early 1970s. The Conservative government led by Edward Heath was understandably anxious to accelerate the development of the UK’s nascent offshore oil and gas treasure trove, while conscious of a surging Scottish National party sloganising that this was ‘Scotland’s oil’ as part of its call for independence, and even some islanders proclaiming ‘Shetland’s oil’.
To steer the legislation through Parliament needed a Private Members Bill because it was not officially backed by the two main political parties. The persistence and persuasion required to win sufficient all party support came in the unlikely guise of Jo Grimond, the ex-leader of the Liberal party, longtime Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland. Perhaps belying his ‘toff’ upbringing (Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford), always suspect in Scotland, he was ever popular in his constituency and well-liked nationwide for his charm and principled approach to politics including advocacy of home rule for Scotland. Grimond successfully argued that the bill would ‘ensure that the facilities required in connection with the discovery of oil off the coast of Shetland should be provided
in an orderly, coordinated and effective manner’ along with arrangements ‘for the retention in the islands of a fair share of the income which will arise from these [oil] discoveries.’ His hopes were largely realised in subsequent years when the impact of thousands of temporary construction workers was well managed with special housing and accommodation vessels.
A mark of Sullon Voe’s importance was the official opening in 1981 by Queen Elizabeth with King Olav of Norway attending, an occasion unaffected by a minor bomb explosion in the vicinity said to have been orchestrated by Irish extremists. The David and Goliath aspect of the Shetland saga would inspire the 1982 humorous movie Local Hero (directed by Bill Forsyth, with US actor Burt Lancaster in a leading role and a music score by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits) in which an American oil company attempts to impose a massive refinery on a local West of Scotland fishing village with predictably comic results.
From chief executive of the UK’s smallest local authority responsible for a population of around 17,000, Clark so impressed the incoming Labour government succeeding Heath that in 1976 he was appointed a director of the newly formed British National Oil Corporation (BNOC), based in Glasgow and then joint managing director of Britoil, the entity split from BNOC to be responsible for E&P exploration and production as a limited company. However, by 1988, the Margaret Thatcher government had sold off the whole enterprise to BP and Clark left. In later retirement he pursued his lifelong evangelical Christian leanings, often referred to as the foundation of his resolute defence of Shetland’s community interests. In a bizarre plot twist, in 2009, Clark’s son David, also an administrator, was briefly appointed Shetland chief executive but with less success, leaving with a controversial payout of £250,000 after less than a year in office.
Fast forward to today’s energy transition era and Shetland once again finds itself subject to the attention of big energy business, inevitably with some complications. Leaving aside a wave energy project that failed to attract investors, the new script superficially seems impressive. Taking advantage of the extraordinarily windy conditions in Shetland, UK-listed multi-national SSE Renewables (evolved from the UK’s once nationalised electicity generation business) is in the process of inaugurating the 443 MW Viking wind farm powered by 103 turbines. When fully operational it is being billed as the UK’s most productive onshore wind farm providing power for nearly half a million homes including those in Shetland. This is dependent on pending completion of the 260 km Shetland high voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable to the mainland national grid, the efficiency of which is open to question according to some critics.
‘UK’s most productive onshore wind farm’
The Shetland oil experience has not always been a feel good story although the most obvious glitch turned out to be far less catastrophic than first feared and was not directly caused by local activity. It was on 5 January 1993 that the Braer tanker en route from Mongstad, Norway to Quebec, Canada carrying 84,700 tonnes of Gullfaks oil lost power in a severe gale and ran aground in Quendale Bay, just west of Sumburgh Head, on the south tip of Shetland. The captain and crew of the vessel were airlifted to safety. However, it was clear that a disastrous oil spill was imminent as the oil cargo spewed out of the vessel while it broke up and eventually sank. Ironically it was the stormy weather and a beneficial prevaling wind that mitigated fears of a disaster on the scale of the Exxon Valdez spillage off Alaska in 1989 sweeping much of the oil out to sea. It also helped that the light crude was more easily dispersible. Even so the Shetland shoreline was impacted and environmental agency WWF Scotland reported 1500 dead birds and a quarter of the local grey seal population affected along with damage to local fishing interests.
More poignantly, as part of the original plan hatched 15 or more years ago, Shetland Island Council took a 45% interest in the project, transferred in 2009 to Shetland Charitable Trust. Most of the next decade was consumed by UK approval wrangling and local unrest about the scale and potential environmental impact plus concern over the likely financial benefit to the community. Eventually when SSE decided to proceed with the Viking windfarm in 2019, the Shetland Charitable Trust felt it could not justify coming up with its share of a major £580 million capital investment, thus diminshing any sort of bonanza for the population, now grown to 22,000. It will receive compensation apparently not coupled to its original investment of just under £10 million. Instead the trust will be paid an undisclosed percentage based on the output of the wind farm, said by Dr Andrew Cooper, chair of the trust, to be a ‘very comfortable return’. SSE is also committed to separately paying an annual £2.2 million to the Shetland Community Benefit Fund, presciently set up in 2011 to benefit from commercial renewable energy development revenues.
More wind farms are in prospect with Norwegian company Statcraft a significant investor, and then there is hydrogen. Shetland has ambitious plans to create green hydrogen on a large scale as part of the Orion Project (Opportunity, Renewables, Integration, Offshore Networks), a partnership between the Shetland Islands Council and the Oil and Gas Technology Centre in Aberdeen, involving Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the wider UK energy industry using existing infrastructure and know-how gained from the Sullom Voe terminal.
Shetland hopes to export 350,000 tonnes of green hydrogen a year by 2050, around 12% of the UK’s predicted demand, as well as producing the 60,000 tonnes needed to replace the diesel, petrol and marine oils currently used on the islands. Just how that goes down in Shetland remains to be seen.
Views expressed in Crosstalk are solely those of the author, who can be contacted at andrew@andrewmcbarnet.com.
New generation of Seismic instruments
Nodal Seismic data acquisition system
550,000 Seismic nodes to be delivered.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Global oil reserves are still around 1500 billion barrels, says Rystad
Latest research from Rystad Energy shows that global recoverable oil reserves are ‘largely steady at around 1500 billion barrels’.
This figure was ‘down some 52 billion barrels’ from Rystad’s 2023 analysis, said the company, noting that “of this year over year decrease, 30 billion barrels are due to one year of production, and 22 billion barrels are mostly due to downward adjustments of contingent resources in discoveries.’
‘Of course, this upper limit is only realistic and economical if oil demand is not impacted by the energy transition, meaning oil prices would rise far above $100 per barrel,’ it added. In this scenario total oil production would peak around 2035 at 120 million barrels per day, then decline steeply to 85 million barrels per day in 2050, Rystad said.
In the company’s ‘more realistic outlook’ for oil production, total output would peak in 2030 at 108 million barrels per day and decline to 55 million barrels per day in 2050, with oil prices staying around $50 per barrel in real terms. ‘Under this scenario, about one-third of the world’s recoverable oil, 500 billion barrels, would become stranded due to unprofitable developments,’ Rystad said.
‘Such an aggressive energy transition scenario would theoretically limit global warming to 1.9 degrees, but given the
current trajectory of oil demand, this path seems unlikely,’ it added.
In the release, Rystad reported proven oil reserves at 449 billion barrels. This provides a lower limit for remaining oil reserves if no new development projects were to be approved and all exploration activities were stopped.
Head of analysis at Rystad Energy Per Magnus Nysveen, said: ‘The world’s remaining oil reserves are insufficient to support oil demand if there is no transition to electric vehicles.
‘Attempts to limit the supply of oil will have hardly any effect on limiting global warming. Instead, the only feasible way of keeping global temperatures rising less than 2 degrees Celsius is to ensure fast electrification of road transportation,’ he added.
Rystad estimates of total recoverable oil resources have fallen by 700 billion barrels since 2019 due to reduced exploration activities. ‘Exploration has fallen as investors fear new discoveries will remain stranded due to the ongoing electrification of vehicles and the expected slump in both oil demand and crude prices.’
Rystad said that Saudi Arabia was the country with the most recoverable oil at 247 billion barrels. The US ranked second with 156 billion barrels, Russia was third with 143 billion barrels, Canada was fourth with 122 billion barrels, and Iraq was fifth with 105 billion barrels.
‘The largest downward revisions are seen in Saudi Arabia, where development priorities have shifted from offshore capacity expansions to onshore infill drilling,’ Rystad said. The only country with any significant increase in 2024 is Argentina, with a gain of four billion barrels thanks to the derisking of shale projects in the Vaca Muerta formation, it added.
According to the Energy Institute’s (EI) 2024 statistical review of world energy, Saudi Arabia produced 9.60 million barrels of crude oil and condensate per day in 2023. The US produced 12.92 million barrels per day, Russia produced 10.55 million barrels per day, Canada produced 4.93 million barrels per day, and Iraq produced 4.27 million barrels per day, the review showed. Total world crude oil and condensate output was 82.75 million barrels per day in 2023.
The EI’s review outlined that, in 2023, Saudi Arabia produced 11.38 million barrels of oil per day, the US produced 19.35 million barrels of oil per day, Russia produced 11.07 million barrels of oil per day, Canada produced 5.65 million barrels of oil per day, and Iraq produced 4.35 million barrels of oil per day.
Total global oil production in 2023 was 96.37 million barrels of oil per day, according to the review, up 2.2% year on year.
TGS completes largest wind and metocean mega-survey off US East Coast
TGS has completed a pioneering mega-regional wind and metocean data collection campaign along the US East Coast – the largest of its kind in the region.
The multi-client campaign involved deploying and simultaneously operating five offshore LiDAR buoys covering nearly 600 km from Massachusetts to the Virginia/ North Carolina border. Data were collected from July 2022 to July 2024.
TGS used the collected data to bias-correct its high-resolution Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model simulations, creating the most extensive and validated high-resolution wind resource dataset along the US East Coast, it said.
Both the quality-controlled measurement data and the bias-corrected NWP model data are being utilised by developers to inform and refine their bidding strategies for BOEM’s upcoming Central Atlantic offshore wind lease auction. The measured LiDAR data reveals significantly different wind speeds compared to prior wind modelling studies, clearly demonstrating the value of direct measurements and the risks of relying on uncorrected model results for decision-making.
TGS completed the five deployments in partnership with EOLOS, with an average LiDAR data availability of 94% at a 140-m measurement height. A comprehensive range of wind and metocean data were collected at each site, including wind speed and direction across a range of turbine hub heights, wave heights, and ocean current data across the full water column. Additionally, four of the five buoys were equipped with in-air acoustic recording devices to monitor bird and bat activity, seabed-mounted sensors to measure additional metocean parameters, and whale and porpoise acoustic monitors to identify marine mammal vocalisations.
‘These measurements form a unique dataset, recorded across a vast stretch of the US Coast, providing exclusive insights for mega modelling and extreme weather event studies, and wide-scale calibration of numerical models,’ said TGS in a statement.
Carel Hooijkaas, EVP of New Energy Solutions at TGS, said: ‘These unique measurements empower developers to accurately assess the true wind resource variability across most of the US East Coast offshore wind lease areas.’
Data were continuously acquired and quality-controlled throughout the deployment, with customers receiving daily access via the Wind AXIOM platform, TGS’s site evaluation and wind data analytics tool. The combined measurement campaign and its baseline model derivatives provide a baseline dataset for wind resource analysis for future lease sales and project construction over the next 15 years, said TGS.
Polaris completes 2D survey in Namibia for 88 Energy
88 Energy’s 2D seismic data acquisition programme for PEL 93 over the Owambo Basin in Namibia, has been completed on time and budget.
The programme acquired 203 line-km of 2D seismic data utilising Polaris’ vibroseis crew to interpret the subsurface geological structures of the Damara play. Processing of the data
is ongoing both in the field, where quality control stacks continue to be produced, and at Earth Signal Processing in Calgary, the onshore, high-resolution 2D seismic data processing specialists responsible for finalising the imaging of the dataset. Interpretation of the new lines is currently expected in Q4 2024.
New 2D seismic data will be used as part of the validation process for a number of the 10 independent structural closures identified from airborne gravity and magnetic data. The 2D seismic data will also be integrated with existing historical exploration data to refine current prospect interpretation. Determination of the size and quality of a number of the Damara fold structures that are expected to be present in PEL 93 is the key purpose of the programme; this work will form the basis for an independent Certified Prospective Resource assessment. This will allow for more accurate drilling location identification and enable planning for future wells.
PEL 93 covers 18,500km2 of underexplored sub-surface within the Owambo Basin in Namibia.
Map indicating the locations of LiDAR deployments in the TGS multi-client wind and metocean campaign offshore the US East Coast.
Exploration at the Owamba Basin in Namibia. Source: Vox Market.
UK releases seismic data for CCS sites
The search for UK offshore carbon storage and wind farm sites has been boosted with the transfer of files from the UK National Hydrocarbons Data Archive (NHDA) to the National Data Repository (NDR).
More than 4000 files, some dating back to 1978, but most from the 1980s and 1990s, and containing information about wellbores and seismic surveys, have been uploaded to the NDR and are now available for users including those from industry and academia.
The data was moved from the NHDA, held at the British Geological Survey, to the North Sea Transition Authority’s (NSTA) NDR –- a freely-available archive which already contains one petabyte of North Sea data, including seismic surveys and wellbore information – in order to consolidate legacy information in one place and help users.
The information, which includes offshore surveys and well data, now more easily supports various potential energy transition projects, such as carbon storage and offshore wind.
There is some seismic survey information covering areas in and around carbon storage licence and wind farm developments
in the East Irish Sea, as well as carbon storage areas of the Central North Sea, said NSTA. This includes original ‘raw’ data that can be reprocessed using modern techniques to potentially shed new light on the subsurface, it added.
NHDA’s contents were reviewed to determine which had ‘reportable information’ and which overlapped with the existing NDR collection. The remaining files – 2437 related to wellbores and 1892 related to surveys – were migrated with the assistance of Moveout Data, an NDR service subcontractor.
The NSTA/BGS collaboration will enable the NHDA’s decommissioning after nearly two decades of operation. ‘The integration of data previously reported to the NHDA into the NDR marks a significant step in streamlining petroleum licence information management,’ said the NSTA. ‘This consolidation ensures consistent management and enhanced accessibility for stakeholders requiring this data.’
Emma Bee, head of National Geoscience Data Centre, said: ‘By working collaboratively with the NSTA, we have enhanced access to this nationally important data archive to support the UK’s energy transition.’
Forty seven exploration wells are being drilled in Norway this year, says Westwood
Westwood Insight’s Norway State of Exploration Report has shown that 47 exploration wells are expected to be operating on the Norwegian Continental Shelf in 2024 with a combined pre-drill resource of 2.85 bnboe.
The report showed that 289 wells were drilled and completed on the NCS between 2014 and 2023 at an estimated drilling cost of $12.1 billion.
Eighty commercial discoveries were made with total resources of 2.5 bnboe, at a drilling finding cost of $4.8/boe. The average commercial success rate (CSR) was 28% for the decade but varied from a low of 6% in 2015 to a high of 55% in 2023.
‘There has been a general upward trend in CSR since 2015 which correlates to an increasing proportion of infrastructure-led exploration (ILX) wells being drilled, as companies look to sustain production levels in older hubs and improve project economics and cycle times,’ said Westwood.
ILX drilling accounted for 70% of all activity and spend and contributed 2.2 bnboe with a CSR of 36%. Only seven commercial discoveries were made from 100 high impact wells during the decade, with associated resources of 555 mmboe, of
which only two made a discovery that was >100 mmboe post-drill.
‘The Northern North Sea not only had the most exploration through the decade, it was also the best performing basin in terms of commercial resources discovered, CSR and drilling finding cost,’ said Westwood.
‘The Barents Sea continues to have a low CSR, reflective of the frontier nature of the basin. Despite having the highest proportion of high impact wells, discovered commercial resources were low. Even large discoveries in the Barents are not currently commercial due to the lack of infrastructure and gas offtake solutions.’
Seventy seven companies participated in exploration drilling. All but two made
at least one commercial discovery, with an average CSR of 30% and average net commercial resources discovered of 77 mmboe per company. Equinor was not only the most active explorer but also discovered the most net commercial resources. Vår Energi discovered the most net resources of the independent companies, followed by Aker BP, Wellesley Petroleum and Wintershall Dea.
Of the 47 exploration wells expected to be operating in 2024, 15 wells were completed in the first half of 2024 and although a CSR of 40% has been achieved, discovered volumes are just 86 mmboe with all six discoveries being small. The remaining 2024 wells that are either active or expected to spud in H2 have pre-drill resources of 1.8 bnboe and include four HI wells.
‘Looking to 2025 and beyond, we expect that the high proportion of ILX drilling will continue, with less emphasis on HI prospects as the basin matures and there are fewer large play openers,’ Westwood said. ‘An exception might be in the Barents Sea where there is still potential for large discoveries.’
Annual well count and commercial and technical success rates.
UK launches Great British Energy to boost investment in clean energy
The UK has announced a partnership between the newly formed Great British Energy and The Crown Estate, which has the potential to leverage up to $76 billion of private investment into the UK’s drive for energy independence.
Great British Energy will be publicly owned and backed with $10.5 billion to own and invest in clean power projects across the UK. Its formation came soon after the UK scrapped its ban on onshore wind and unblocked the production of cheap solar energy.
Great British Energy’s first major partnership will be between The Crown Estate, which has a £16 billion portfolio of land and seabed, operates independently, returns its profits to the government, and brings new investment and borrowing powers recently announced by government. Great British Energy will bring the critical strategic industrial policy that the state can provide, as well as its own ability to invest.
The Crown Estate, which runs one of the world’s largest commercial-scale floating wind leasing programmes in the Celtic sea, estimates that the partnership will lead to up to 20-30GW of new offshore wind developments reaching seabed lease stage by 2030.
The UK public sector is undertaking additional early development work for offshore wind projects, said the UK government in a statement. ‘This will ensure that future offshore wind development has lower risk for developers, enabling projects to be built faster after leasing.’
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed that Great British Energy
will be headquartered in Scotland and chaired by Juergen Maier, former CEO of Siemens UK. Starmer added: ‘This agreement will drive up to £60 billion in investment into the sector, turbocharging our country towards energy security.’
With accompanying reforms to policy, it is hoped that the partnership will cut the time it takes to get offshore wind projects operating by up to half.
The Great British Energy Bill will support the creation of the new publicly owned company by setting out its objectives and ensuring it has access to finance.
The Crown Estate Bill will remove outdated restrictions on the organisation’s activities so it can, for example, invest in digital technologies that will further enhance its award-winning spatial mapping of the seabed. The bill will also expand The Crown Estate’s investment powers and grant borrowing capabilities, unlocking significant investment in public infrastructure. This includes essential marine investment to help support the acceleration and growth of offshore wind capacity by 2030.
Sercel sells land nodal system for geothermal projects
Sercel has delivered two WiNG land nodal systems to European customers during the second quarter of this year. Representing a total of 25,000 nodes, the two WiNG systems will be mainly deployed on geothermal projects.
‘Unlike other commercial node systems that operate blindly, the WiNG system has the advantage of being able to provide near real-time data on the status of each node thanks to its Pathfinder technology,’ said Sercel. ‘A survey can be conducted confidently knowing that data is being recorded and that a lost node can be found easily.
‘The digital WiNG node also offers unique ground coupling performance, enabling operators to simply place the node on the ground instead of having to bury it,’ the company added. ‘This design feature, allowing easy and rapid survey layout without ground impact, is a major advantage, particularly in urban environments.’
Jérome Denigot, CEO, Sercel said the company was expecting more sales of the WiNG system for geothermal operations. ‘Since its
launch in 2021, WiNG has shown impressive results in geothermal surveys and is particularly well suited to this market. As a result, it has attracted interest across many European cities wanting to exploit this local, renewable and continuously available energy.’
Operators are able to place the node on the ground rather than bury it.
More offshore wind energy is targeted.
TGS launches three Indonesia projects
TGS has launched a 2D seismic acquisition project offshore Seram, Indonesia, covering 1800 km across the southeastern part of the basin and using a 12 km long offset streamer.
The project will leverage processing techniques such as broadband Pre-Stack Time Migration (PSTM), Pre-Stack Depth Migration (PSDM), and 24 Hz
Full Wave Inversion (FWI) to achieve high-quality imaging and detailed subsurface insights.
Kristian Johansen, CEO at TGS, said, ‘In the Seram basin, we are focused on using high-quality acquisition and processing methods to improve imaging below the shallow carbonates in the Seram thrust belt, where there are clear indications of active petroleum systems.’
This marks the fifth seismic survey TGS has conducted in Indonesia this year.
Meanwhile, TGS has launched a 2D seismic reprocessing project in East Java, Indonesia, covering more than 4600 km of seismic data in the southwestern part of the basin.
The fifth project in the East Java basin processed by TGS this year, it employs advanced processing techniques, including broadband Pre-Stack Time Migration (PSTM), Pre-Stack Depth Migration (PSDM), and Full Wave Inversion (FWI).
David Hajovsky, EVP of Multi-Client at TGS. ‘Our data in the region aims to provide new insights into the deeper basin structure and stratigraphy, targeting a broad range of geological features including conventional traps, carbonates, stratigraphic plays, and fractured basement.’
Finally, TGS has completed the reprocessing of a 2D seismic survey in Indonesia’s Sumatra basin, tying key discoveries in the region to open acreage.
The 7756 line km 2D reprocessing project utilises a broadband pre-stack processing workflow and covers a play-diverse proven hydrocarbon basin
comprising Miocene-Oligocene synrift clastic and carbonate plays. The survey coverage extends both outboard and inboard from the existing North Sumatra 3D project, which includes the Pase sub-basin of the North Sumatra Basin. Recent discoveries such as Timpan-1, Layaran-1, and the latest Tangkulo-1 all lie within the 3D, providing important well calibration points.
The combined 2D and 3D data will enhance the understanding of existing discoveries and shelfal wells along the southern and eastern margins of the basin. The current proven plays include Miocene carbonates, Miocene/Pliocene clastics, and the Oligocene syn-rift. Additionally, the dataset has clearly imaged an untested older syn-rift play, said TGS.
Hajovsky said, ‘By enhancing this legacy North Sumatra dataset through a modern broadband PSDM processing workflow, we can tie high-quality, modern seismic data to several of the region’s most significant discoveries of the last five years. This will enable the extension of key play concepts into open acreage, creating exciting exploration opportunities across this Indonesian basin.’
Chevron’s $60 billion deal to buy Hess delayed by Stabroek arbitration
Chevron will not be able to complete its acquisition of Hess Corp until after mid-2025, having failed to convince a US tribunal in a dispute over the Stabroek block.
A centerpiece of Chevron’s $60 billion purchase of Hess, announced October 23, 2023, is a 30% stake in the 6.6 million-acre block in Guyanese waters. Stabroek is estimated to hold nearly 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent recoverable resources. Hess’ co-developer of the Stabroek block ExxonMobil is claiming a right of first refusal (ROFR) to purchase Hess’ stake.
Operator ExxonMobil (45%) initiated arbitration proceedings on 6 March,
‘Hess and Chevron had expected and requested that this hearing be held earlier, but the arbitrators’ common schedules did not make this possible’.
2024, before the International Chamber of Commerce tribunal, asserting that its pre-emption right applies to the Chevron-Hess merger. The pre-emption right or ROFR allows a partner to prevent a co-venturer from selling a stake to an outside party without first offering the stake to the partner.
Hess filed for arbitration on 11 March, 2024, with the opposite claim. China’s state-owned CNOOC, which holds the remaining 25% interest, followed suit on 15 March also asserting its pre-emption right against Chevron’s potential entry.
The three Stabroek owners later agreed to unify the arbitration cases into one.
BRIEFS
Geoteric has appointed Mitch Sutherland as chief executive officer, taking over from Nicola Blanshard, who was in the role for 13 years. Sutherland has held a variety of senior management roles, most recently as UK & Africa managing director of Cegal Ltd.
TGS has won an Ultra High Resolution 3D (UHR3D) acquisition contract in Europe. The vessel Ramform Vanguard will mobilize for the survey in Q3. TGS will also handle the imaging and interpretation of the collected data including UHR3D and Auxiliary measurements.The company has also won a six-month Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) data acquisition contract in North America from a repeat client.
Sea1 Offshore, formerly known as Siem Offshore, had reported that its current contract with PXGeo for Siem Dorado has been extended by two years up to April 2027.
Lebanon has extended the deadline for submitting Third Offshore Licensing Round bid applications from 2 July 2024 to 17 March 2025.
Viaro Energy is acquiring the UK Southern North Sea assets of Shell and ExxonMobil. Pending regulatory approval, Viaro will acquire 11 operated offshore assets and one exploration field: Shamrock, Caravel, Corvette, Brigantine, Leman, Galleon, Skiff, Carrack Main, Cutter, Carrack East, Barque, and Clipper. The assets all tie back to the Shell-operated onshore Bacton Gas Processing Terminal via the Leman and Clipper fields. In 2023, production from the assets was around 28,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boepd), around 5% of the UK’s total gas production.
Bp has signed an agreement with the government of Iraq to negotiate a redevelopment programme for the Kirkuk region, spanning oil and gas investment, power generation and solar, together with wider exploration activities. The agreement includes the Baba and Avanah domes and three adjacent fields – Bai Hassan, Jambur and Khabbaz.
Viridien reports second quarter net income of $35 million
Viridien has reported second quarter net income of $35 million on revenues of $317 million, compared to net income of $39 million on revenues of $339 million in Q2 2023. Operating profit of $52 million compared to $82 million in Q2 2023.
Digital, Data and Energy Transition revenue was $177 million. Geoscience revenue of $105 million was 31% up making Q2 the strongest quarter since Q4 2015. Order intake was up by 64%. Earth Data revenue of $72 million was up 15%. Prefunding revenue was $41 million, down 3%, but after sales of $31 million were up 15% with significant sales in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico both for Exploration and Production and CCUS.
Sensing and Monitoring Revenue was $82 million, down 44% across land and marine products.
Sophie Zurquiyah, Viridien CEO, said: ‘The second quarter confirmed the favourable environment that we anticipated for our Geoscience and Earth Data businesses, with strong order intake and a good pipeline of multiclient projects leading well into 2025. In particular, we started a significant ocean bottom node project in the Gulf of Mexico, featuring several of our leading technologies that are critical to solving subsurface complexities.
‘Sensing & Monitoring revenue lowered this second quarter without mega crew equipment orders in 2024 and we are making good progress with its transformation plan to mitigate the impact on financial results.
‘Following our recent S&P credit rating upgrade, we have signed an extension of our $100 million revolving credit facility to October 2026, a key element of our financial roadmap.’
Halliburton launches fracturing data service
Halliburton has launched the Sensori fracture monitoring service, a fracture monitoring solution for automated, continuous measurement and visualisation of the subsurface.
The Sensori service combines non-intrusive technologies, automated data acquisition and processing, and real-time subsurface answers into a single solution to empower operators with visibility and control over fracture performance.
Shawn Stasiuk, vice president of production enhancement, said that the tool simplifies the routine use of
big data for fracture monitoring: ‘The Sensori fracture monitoring service provides true, real-time data acquisition and processing of near-well and farfield subsurface measurements. Through automation, cloud processing and big data analytics, the Sensori service provides continuous, real-time subsurface feedback for multiple well pads across an entire asset. With the integration of non-intrusive downhole diagnostics, the service allows more frequent, cost-effective acquisition of quality, subsurface measurements.’
Sensori simplifies the use of big data for fracture monitoring.
TGS reports second quarter net income of $35 million
TGS has reported second quarter net income of $35 million on POC revenues of $215 million, compared to Q2 2023 net income of $23 million on POC revenues of $241 million. Operating profit of $55 million compared to $23 million in Q2 2023. Operating revenues of $224 million compared to $206 million in Q2 in 2024.
Early sales of $49 million compared with $66 million in Q2 2023. Late sales of $66 million compared to $66.2 million in Q2 2023. Proprietary sales of $100 million
increased 30% sequentially and compared to $112 million in Q2 2023. Multi-client investments of $52 million compared with $86 million in Q2 2024. Total POC order backlog, including acquisition, is $611 million.
Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS, said: ‘Without any special sales events, such as licensing rounds and transfer fees, we are satisfied with the development in multi-client revenues in the quarter. Late sales increased by 6% compared to the same quarter of last year and we continued to show strong sales of ongoing surveys with an early sales rate of 94%. Proprietary revenues increased approximately 30% sequentially and our operational performance was solid for ongoing projects. Furthermore, I’m pleased to see strong order inflow in our Acquisition business in the quarter, reflecting continued growth in demand for OBN data acquisition services.’
Meanwhile, TGS has signed an agreement with the Mauritania to integrate, enhance and license additional subsurface data.
This agreement allows TGS to significantly expand the onshore and offshore
Petrosys acquires seismic data management provider
Petrosys has acquired Talus Technologies Inc, a provider of seismic data management solution Exploration Archives.
For over two decades, Calgary-based Talus Technologies has supported companies involved in handling large amounts of geophysical and geological data. Deployed widely across North America and Europe, Exploration Archives streamlines the geological and geophysical data lifecycle, from acquisition and storage to retrieval and collaboration, said Petrosys. Built-in tools empower exploration companies to
organise information, work with partners, and offer multi-client services – all with secure online and offline storage and robust search for reliable data access, it added.
Suri Bhat, Petrosys CEO, said ‘Talus’ Exploration Archives software for seismic data management complements the Petrosys growing suite of data management solutions which includes, Interica OneView, dbMap, and Exchange. This powerful portfolio will allow us to deliver a comprehensive subsurface data management toolkit.’
data available across Mauritania. The new subsurface data includes ten narrow azimuth input 3D seismic surveys, processed by ION in 2022 using 3D pre-stack depth migration, resulting in a fully merged and migrated volume of 19,092 km². Additionally, there is approximately 84,000 km² of 3D surveys from offshore block relinquishments, offshore and onshore wells, and around 20,000 line km of onshore 2D seismic data within the Taoudeni Basin.
Offshore exploration in Mauritania has focused on the Cenozoic salt-draped channel plays, highlighted by the discovery of the Chinguetti field in 2001 and most wells have targeted this proven play. Recent exploration in deepwater and neighbouring regions has revealed significant potential in the Cretaceous channel sand plays and shelf clastics above the carbonate platform. Untapped potential also exists in the carbonate platform and syn-rift areas.
Finally, TGS has announced an extension of its deepwater Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) data acquisition campaign in West Africa. This additional program for a major customer will extend the acquisition cooperation well into Q4 2024.
Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS.
Suri Bhat, Petrosys CEO.
ENERGY TRANSITION BRIEFS
An SLB and Aker Carbon Capture joint venture has won a contract from CO280 Solutions for front end engineering and design of a large-scale carbon capture plant at a pulp and paper mill on the US Gulf Coast. The project aims to remove 800,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. SLB-ACC JV will use modularised Just Catch 400, a modular technology that enables pre-fabrication of carbon capture units.
The UK Government has announced a budget for this year’s renewable energy auction has been increased by $640 million to more than $1.9 billion with the biggest boost for offshore wind.
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has published its final Environmental Impact Statement for a proposed wind project offshore Maryland. Two of the three phases, MarWin and Momentum Wind, have received offshore renewable energy certificates from the State of Maryland.
Commercial terms have been established with The Crown Estate in the UK to enable Dogger Bank D wind farm to progress offshore UK. The proposed fourth phase of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm will unlock up to 2GW of additional energy capacity.
bp has been granted funding, provided jointly by BMWK and Lower-Saxony Government, as part of the European IPCEI Hy2Infra wave to develop a 100MW green hydrogen project next to bp’s Lingen Refinery in Germany.
Petronas has signed a land rental agreement with Kuantan Port Consortium to progress plans for its Southern Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) hub in Pahang, Malaysia. The hub is expected to have its first injection by 2029.
Total Energies has acquired a 50% stake in OranjeWind, a 795 MW offshore wind farm under development in the Netherlands, from RWE. TotalEnergies will use its share to produce about 40,000 tons a year of green hydrogen.
Hecate Energy makes unsolicited bid for US offshore wind energy lease
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has received an unsolicited lease request from Hecate Energy to acquire commercial wind energy leases on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico. In response, BOEM is seeking information regarding whether competitive interest exists in the areas included in Hecate Energy’s request. The areas are located off the coast of southeast Texas and had been previously identified by BOEM as potential Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) suitable for offshore wind leasing in 2021. WEA Option C totals 74,113 acres, and WEA Option D totals 68,239 acres.
As required by the OCS Lands Act, BOEM is issuing a Request for Competitive Interest (RFCI). If BOEM receives one or more indications of interest in acquiring a commercial wind lease from qualified entities, it could launch a competitive lease sale. If not, BOEM could
issue a noncompetitive lease to Hecate Energy.
The areas contained in Hecate Energy’s unsolicited lease request are different than the areas (WEA I-1, WEA I-2, WEA J, and WEA K) included in BOEM’s Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) for a second Gulf of Mexico offshore wind lease sale, published on 21 March 2024. https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/gulf-mexico-activities.
ESG develops seismic mine monitoring technique
Rajant and ESG Solutions have developed a successful underground mine seismic monitoring system in Ontario, Canada.
The collaboration integrated ESG’s precision time protocol (PTP) with Rajant’s wireless network, which the developers believe is a significant advance in underground mine monitoring.
‘Traditional wireless networks struggle with PTP, which is essential for precise time synchronisation,’ said ESG in a statement. ‘Rajant’s kinetic mesh, however, ensures reliable PTP performance, providing microsecond precision necessary for advanced automation in mining.
ESG’s director of engineering Chris Hawryluck said, ‘Offering to our mining clients wireless PTP time synchronisation of our micro-seismic data, as well as the wireless transfer of the data, will give customers the flexibility to rapidly and cost-effectively expand a micro-seismic monitoring system to new excavations in a mine and lower network maintenance costs.’
Rajant sales director for Canada Darrell Gillis said both PTP and wireless communications are critical for large-scale automation. ‘Rajant’s extremely low-latency and high-reliability are essential for enabling wireless PTP over multi-hop, mobile wireless networks.’
Precision time protocol (PTP) is combined with a wireless network.
US offshore wind turbines.
TGS signs deal to manage Tanzania’s seismic data
TGS has signed an agreement with Tanzania to manage and license the country’s extensive offshore subsurface data. This collection includes 2D and 3D seismic data covering an area of more than 132,000 km2
Under the agreement with Tanzania’s Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA), TGS holds exclusive rights to license all of Tanzania’s offshore mainland data on behalf of the government. The agreement also grants TGS the authority to conduct future acquisition of new seismic data and to reprocess existing data. Additionally, it includes support for upcoming licensing rounds, which are anticipated to commence in 2025.
‘Tanzania boasts strong play diversity, proven through exploration success across much of the stratigraphy, from Early Cretaceous to Miocene reservoirs,’ said TGS in a statement. ‘This comprehensive dataset, which includes regional seismic and well data, will enable detailed plays and allow for prospect-specific analysis and mapping of robust trapping configurations. By providing critical insights into the maturity and distribution of source rocks, this dataset will enhance our understanding of the region’s oil and gas potential.’
David Hajovsky, EVP of multi-client at TGS, said: ‘Tanzania remains an attractive exploration target with its world-class gas fields and excellent sands proven across multiple source intervals. By providing access to high-quality seismic data ahead of potential future licensing activities, TGS will empower exploration and production companies to evaluate opportunities in this underexplored but highly promising region of East Africa.’
Meanwhile, TGS has announced a strategic partnership with PetroAI that will allow E&P companies to access TGS’s licensed data via the PetroAI platform. By leveraging PetroAI’s advanced AI models, the partnership will aim to enhance the ability to accurately quantify exploration and development trade-offs.
PetroAI will utilise TGS’ subsurface, production and well data to create advanced AI models capable of accurately predicting well performance and identifying design sensitivities. The partnership will offer quick access to pre-built, high-quality models tailored for both Proved Developed Producing (PDP) and Proved Undeveloped (PUD) wells at county or basin levels.
‘TGS’ data library, including production, completions, logs, geology, pressure data and well economics, provides a wide range of seed data to allow PetroAI to generate on-demand Earth models,’ said TGS in a statement. ‘These models will adapt to varying reservoir qualities, well-to-well interactions and diverse completion designs, providing E&P companies with real-time insights to optimise development strategies. Subsurface-informed AI models can also be used to create well performance heat maps.’
Oil majors results round-up
Exxon Mobil has announced second-quarter 2024 earnings of $9.2 billion. Cash flow from operating activities was $10.6 billion and cash flow from operations excluding working capital movements was $15.2 billion.
Equinor has reported adjusted operating income of $7.48 billion and $2.15 billion after tax in the second quarter of 2024. Equinor reported net operating income of $7.66 billion and net income at $1.87 billion. Adjusted net income was $2.42 billion.
Shell has reported Q2 2024 adjusted earnings of $6.3 billion compared to $7.7
billion in Q1. CFFO of $13.5 billion for the quarter includes a working capital outflow of $0.3 billion. It achieved $0.7 billion of structural cost reductions in the first half of 2024, bringing the total reductions since 2022 to $1.7 billion. Cash capex outlook for 2024 remains unchanged at $22-25 billion. Net debt has reduced to $38.3 billion compared to 40.3 billion a year ago.
Chevron has reported second quarter earnings of $4.4 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.7 billion, compared to Q2 2023 earnings of $6 billion and adjusted earnings of $5.8 billion. Worldwide
production, including record Permian production, was 11% higher than last year.
TotalEnergies has reported adjusted net income of $4.7 billion (down 9% year on year) and cash flow of $7.8 billion resulting in first half adjusted net income and cash flow of close to $10 billion and $16 billion.
BP has reported second quarter underlying replacement cost profit of $2.8 billion, compared to $2.7 billion in Q1 2024 and $2.6 billion in Q2 2023. Operating cash flow is $8.1 billion. Net debt has been reduced to $22.6 billion.
President of Tanzania Samia Hassan. Photo: REUTERS/SCANPIX.
STRYDE completes seismic acquisition and processing for Ukrainian energy company
STRYDE has recently completed data processing of a land survey for Ukraine’s largest private energy operator, DTEK Oil&Gas.
DTEK Oil&Gas purchased STRYDE's nodal acquisition system, and the data acquired during a recent seismic survey in Ukraine has been processed using the company’s infield processing solution STRYDE Lens.
The use of STRYDE Lens allowed data processing to commence immediately after the first batch of data was downloaded from the seismic recording devices, thereby reducing the time between the end of acquisition and the delivery of the seismic image by 88% (when compared to conventional processing), STRYDE claimed.
The project is one of 11 that STRYDE has secured over the past year, delivering subsurface insights to companies in the
geothermal, CCUS, oil and gas, mining, and water exploration sectors. In doing so, STRYDE has provided both its conventional, and in-field processing services for 2D and 3D seismic surveys from countries including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Ukraine, the US, Colombia, and Brazil.
STRYDE Lens has been selected for four of the 11 processing projects.
Yevgeniy Solodkyi, head of the exploration department at DTEK Oil&Gas, said: ‘We received fully processed and migrated seismic volumes within just two weeks of concluding our seismic survey in Ukraine. The quality of the Lens image rivalled that of the conventional processed image that was concurrently being progressed and took four months to deliver.
‘During a critical phase of our drilling program, this rapid delivery was instrumental. The detailed structural insights provided by the STRYDE Lens image
Oil and gas round-up
CNOOC has achieved a major exploration breakthrough in Mesozoic buried hill offshore Bohai Bay, offshore China. Longkou 7-1 oilfield is located in eastern Bohai Bay, with an average water depth of about 26 m. The discovery well LK7-1-1 was drilled and completed at a depth of approximately 4400 m, which encountered a total of 76 m oil and gas pay zones. The well was tested to produce about 210 m3 of crude oil and nearly one million m3 of natural gas per day, a new record for gas-tested productivity in Bohai Bay.
The government of Bolivia has announced a discovery of a 1.7 trillion cubic foot (TCF) natural gas reserve located north of the country’s administrative capital, La Paz, according to a Reuters report.
CNOOC has drilled a high yield well in Beibu Gulf, offshore China, producing more than 1000 m3 a day of oil equivalent. Wushi 16-5 structure is located in Wushi Sag, Beibu Gulf, with an average water depth of approx. 25 m. The appraisal well
WS16-5-4 was drilled and completed at a depth of 4185 m, encountering 65 m oil pay zones. The discovery is expected to become a medium-sized oilfield. Total proved oil in-place at Wushi oilfields has exceeded 100 million m3
Equinor, Repsol Sinopec and Petrobras have awarded Valaris a $500 million contract for drilling of wells offshore Brazil, starting in 2026 with production starting in 2028.
Energean has taken a final investment decision for the Katlan development project offshore Israel. First gas is planned for H1 2027. Capital expenditure is expected to be approximately $1.2 billion, which includes drilling the first two production wells Athena and Zeus (170 mmboe and 26 bcm of gas).
Shell has started drilling operations for the Selene exploration well 48/8b-3 at Licence P2437 in the Central North Sea.
bp has taken a final investment decision on the Kaskida project in the US
enabled us to swiftly pinpoint optimal drilling locations and move the drilling equipment to the relevant location much earlier than expected.’
Companies in the mining, water exploration, and oil and gas sectors have also chosen STRYDE for conventional production processing of 2D lines and 3D seismic surveys.
Mike Popham, STRYDE CEO said: ‘With this growth, I am excited to announce that the strong market demand for STRYDE’s data processing capabilities has allowed us to invest further in our own Centre for High-Performance Computing (CHPC) at our Asker facility in Norway.
‘This new CHPC empowers our team to efficiently process, manage and store large volumes of data from both conventional and high-density seismic surveys and provides us with an effective platform for our processing team.
Gulf of Mexico. Kaskida will be bp’s sixth hub in the Gulf of Mexico, featuring a new floating production platform with the capacity to produce 80,000 barrels of crude oil per day from six wells in the first phase. Production is expected to start in 2029. Owned 100% by bp, the Kaskida field has discovered recoverable resources currently estimated at around 275 million barrels of oil equivalent from the initial phase. Additional wells could be drilled in future phases, subject to further evaluation.
Petronas has made a ‘notable discovery’ in Malaysia with the Bekok Deep-1 oil and gas exploration project. The company was also successful in Suriname’s Block 52 with the Sloanea-2 appraisal well, which was drilled in June. The project opens the possibility of developing a standalone floating liquified natural gas (FLNG) project at the field. Petronas is assessing the feasibility of an integrated development strategy for gas and oil extraction within Block 52.
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING & GEOSCIENCE
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As the energy transition unfolds, there is a need to continue exploring for oil and gas in deeper water and to get more out of the existing fields with enhanced oil recovery. As a result, geoscientists continue to apply ingenious reservoir geoscience and engineering solutions that are also required to prepare reservoirs for CCUS.
Ali Tura et al show concrete 3D and 4D pre-stack (AVO/AVA) examples to demonstrate how PS data can provide more quantitative results and improve seismic interpretation.
Bill Goodway et al present a case study of AVO and Inversion as a tool to assess the impact of sparse cost-efficient environmentally responsible land 3D survey designs on AVO amplitude fidelity.
Chris Gravestock et al show how the application of a regional sequence stratigraphic approach to the Mesozoic succession of the Middle East highlights the remaining exploration and production opportunities associated with these hydrocarbon-rich successions.
H. Kazemi et al present laboratory results, mathematical modelling concepts, and field results to illustrate several enhanced oil recovery techniques.
Reinier van Noort et al establish the key properties of wellbore sealants that can help to ensure long-term seal integrity during CCS, and identify testing methods for these properties.
Wahyu Triyoso et al discuss an approach to applying AVF attribute for identifying and mapping gas-saturation values (Sg) in low impedance sand reservoirs.
Felicia Winter et al present the results of a basin petroleum systems model investigation combined with a surface seep geochemistry survey to address the key exploration risks of source presence and maturity.
First Break Special Topics are covered by a mix of original articles dealing with case studies and the latest technology. Contributions to a Special Topic in First Break can be sent directly to the editorial office (firstbreak@eage.org). Submissions will be considered for publication by the editor.
It is also possible to submit a Technical Article to First Break. Technical Articles are subject to a peer review process and should be submitted via EAGE’s ScholarOne website: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/fb
You can find the First Break author guidelines online at www.firstbreak.org/guidelines.
Special Topic overview
January Land Seismic
February Digitalization / Machine Learning
March Reservoir Monitoring
April Underground Storage and Passive Seismic
May Global Exploration
June Technology and Talent for a Secure and Sustainable Energy Future
July Modelling / Interpretation
August Near Surface Geo & Mining
September Reservoir Engineering & Geoscience
October Energy Transition
November Marine Acquisition
December Data Management and Processing
More Special Topics may be added during the course of the year.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2-4
2-5 Sep
3-5
3-4 Oct Third EAGE Workshop on EOR www.eage.org
3-5 Oct 59 th CEEC Event www.ceecsg.org
6-8 Oct EAGE Workshop on Naturally Fractured Rocks (NFR) www.eage.org
7-9 Oct GeoTerrace 2024 - International Conference of Young Professionals www.eage.org
14-16 Oct Third EAGE Conference on Seismic Inversion www.seismicinversion.org
15-16 Oct EAGE Conference on Energy Excellence: Digital Twins and Predictive Analytics www.eage.org
16-17 Oct Third EAGE Workshop on Advanced Seismic Solutions in the Gulf of Mexico www.eage.org
21-24 Oct GEO 4.0: Digitalization in Geoscience Symposium www.geo4event.com
29-30 Oct EAGE Workshop on Borehole Technologies - Pioneering Sustainable Solutions in Energy www.eage.org
Windhoek
November 2024
3-7 Nov 15 th General Assembly of Asian Seismological Commission www.asc2024.org
4-7 Nov Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition www.eageget.org
EAGE Carbon Capture and Storage Conference
Part of GET 2024 (Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition)
EAGE Geothermal Energy Conference
Part of GET 2024 (Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition)
EAGE Hydrogen and Energy Storage Conference
Part of GET 2024 (Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition)
EAGE Offshore Wind Energy Conference
Part of GET 2024 (Fifth EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference and Exhibition)
Rotterdam The Netherlands
6-8 Nov First EAGE Conference on Energy Opportunities in the Caribbean www.eage.org Port of Spain
12-13 Nov 2 nd EAGE Workshop on Integrated Subsurface Characterization and Modeling www.eage.org
14-16 Nov GEOSCIENCE International Symposium www.geosymposium.org Bucharest Romania
20-21 Nov Asia Petroleum Geoscience Conference and Exhibition (APGCE) icep.com.my/apgce Kuala
25-27 Nov First EAGE/SBGf Conference on The Roadmap to Low Carbon Emissions in Brazil www.eage.org
December 2024
3-5 Dec First EAGE Symposium on Geosciences for New Energies in America www.eage.org
3-5 Dec 3 rd SEG/EAGE Workshop on Geophysical Aspects of Smart Cities www.eage.org Seoul
