Advanced Visualization and the Future of Oil and Gas
4K Imaging Technology and Offshore Oil
How Offshore Oil can benefit from 4K Technologies
Next Generation 4K Systems for Oil and Gas
4K and Beyond: What the Future Holds
From compelling visualization to immersive entertainment to powerful data display, the benefits of Sony® 4K projection (4096 x 2160) are profound. We were the world’s first with 4K and have the largest installed base of commercial 4K projectors. Exclusive SXRD® technology delivers stunning contrast, color accuracy, consistency and uniformity. Now we’re pushing even farther ahead with ultra-short throw laser light source models that open the door to new applications. So the real choice isn’t which brand of 4K. It’s which Sony.
Schedule a demonstration at sony.com/4Kprojectors.
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Sony Electronics Inc.
Costly Business
4K (4096 x 2160) Resolution
High Dynamic Range (HDR)
Wide Color Gamut
Applying Advanced Visualization to Oil and Gas
Delivering Next-Generation Technology: Sony’s VPL-GTZ270
Leveraging Sony’s 4K Ecosystem
Seeing is Believing 4K Imaging Technology and Offshore Oil
Tom Cropper, Editor
Is the Market Ready? Why 4K?
Engaging With the Customer
Jo Roth, Staff Writer
OFFSHORE OIL and gas operators are working in a much changed landscape. The stakes are higher; deep water exploration means the strain on equipment is greater; the scrutiny is increased; in a post-Macondo disaster world, regulators want greater reassurance on safety and equipment integrity; and making profit is more difficult. A tumbling global oil price means it’s more challenging than ever to operate offshore sustainably.
In such an environment, the purchase and installation of new improved technology becomes a major consideration. However, upgrading to the latest 4K projector technology can offer real benefits. It can aid the interpretation and visualization of key data, it can improve monitoring of downhole conditions and it can reduce overall maintenance costs.
In the first article in this Report, we hear from one of the leading providers of 4K imaging technologies. Sony has long led the way in home entertainment systems and it is delivering all this know-how to develop cutting edge technologies for the oil and gas industry. Their article provides an introduction to 4K technology and how their products can be applied to the offshore industry.
We will then take a closer look at 4K technology. It is one of the buzzwords in the home entertainment industry at the moment, but not everyone understands how much of a step forward this is. We’ll examine the technical specifications behind the hype and whether it can make the transition from the entertainment industry to the offshore environment.
James Butler will then look at some of the latest innovations coming to the market in projector technology and data visualization. Advances such as 3D geoscience visualization and laser light source projectors are pushing the market forward in leaps and bounds in terms of what it can offer.
Finally, we turn our eyes to the future. How will the market be looking over the next few years? How will technology evolve and how can it best be applied to the oil and gas industry? The capabilities of 4K offer some very exciting possibilities. However, as so often, the big challenge lies in transitioning those capabilities in a practical and commercially sustainable way.
Tom Cropper Editor
Tom Cropper has produced articles and reports on various aspects of global business over the past 15 years. He has also worked as a copywriter for some of the largest corporations in the world, including ING, KPMG and the World Wildlife Fund.
Sony Electronics Inc.
WITH OIL priced between $50 and $60 a barrel, the energy industry has become increasingly alert for any technical advances that can improve exploration, increase efficiencies and trim operating costs. For example, the industry has been turning to cutting-edge video monitoring. In control rooms, superior monitoring improves yield from the well. Upgraded surveillance reduces down time. And improved geological survey analysis increases the efficiency of exploration. Now three technologies are defining the next generation in visual display. 4K resolution, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Color Gamut promise major advantages for offshore exploration and production.
The cost of offshore oil and gas drilling is daunting. High-end drilling rigs now rent for about $500,000 per day. Depending on the depth of
the well, maintenance, crew and operations can drive daily expenses to over $1 million. As drilling extends into greater ocean depths, that expense is growing with super-sized drill rigs costing billions.
Companies incur these costs during full operations, when the rig is at least producing saleable crude oil. Exploration costs, on the other hand, are also escalating with no guarantee of striking oil. A drill rig for an exploratory hole runs between $8,000 and $15,000 per day. Overall, exploratory drilling can burn more than $1 million per day – again with no guarantee of return. Rigs often drill several unsuccessful holes before they ever strike oil.
These punishing costs come against a backdrop of commercial uncertainty. Over the past year, we’ve seen the price of crude oil on a downward spiral, thanks to the increase in supply from US shale and sluggish growth in demand. From highs of well over $100 per barrel, the Coming your way: 4K,
A drill rig for an exploratory hole runs between $8,000 and $15,000 per day. Overall, exploratory drilling can burn more than $1 million per day –again with no guarantee of return. Rigs often drill several unsuccessful holes before they ever strike oil
Just as High Definition transformed industrial visualization, the new technologies of 4K, HDR and Wide Color Gamut are revolutionizing geological survey analysis and real-time monitoring
market now fluctuates at $50 to $60. In some cases, offshore exploration and production have become uneconomic, forcing oil giants to cut their budgets. But in the long term, the world needs more oil. So deep water exploration continues. At $100 a barrel, operators could tolerate a wider degree of inefficiency. But to become sustainable, the offshore industry has been forced to trim costs and increase productivity. Operations need to become leaner and more sophisticated. Producers need to become more adept at locating oil sources and maximizing extraction. These imperatives are driving the demand for advanced visualization systems. That’s why the latest video technology is so welcome. Just as High Definition transformed industrial visualization, the new technologies of 4K, HDR and Wide Color Gamut are revolutionizing geological survey analysis and real-time monitoring.
TV shoppers know that “Full HD” corresponds to a resolution of 1920 x 1080 or 2.1 million pixels. 4K, which is now well established in the entertainment market, provides 4096 x 2160 or 8.8 million pixels. (The term “4K” is sometimes also applied to Ultra HD or Quad Full HD,
3840 x 2160, which corresponds to 8.3 million pixels.) 4K is a massive leap forward, producing visibly sharper, clearer, more detailed images. And the 4K benefits are increasingly available to industrial applications. 4K video enables operators to scrutinize detail as never before. 4K computer graphics empower the presentation of far greater ranges of data, vastly increasing the power of scientific visualization and real-time system monitoring.
Resolution is only one side of the coin when it comes to the human perception of image sharpness. Subjective sharpness is equally dependent on dynamic range: the ability to reproduce bright highlights and deep blacks. This provides the visual “snap” of bright details against a deep, rich, black background. Recent video cameras and displays are designed for High Dynamic Range (HDR). These displays not only look better, their sharpness makes the incredible detail of 4K imagery even easier to see.
To display color properly, electronic imaging systems have specifically defined ranges or “gamuts” of allowable color. Improving camera
and display technology has led to broadening the color range well past the “Rec.709” HDTV standard of the 1990s. The “BT.2020” standard represents the next generation. It’s a priceless advance for color-critical scientific visualization.
Oil and gas companies can benefit greatly from increased detail, improved accuracy and a better understanding of spatial relationships. Users can gain new insights by transforming raw data into rich visualizations: intuitive graphics that bring information vividly to life. Geologists can quickly pinpoint drilling opportunities. In real-time monitoring, a richer and more complete overview of the available data can improve grid utilization, profitability, capacity and overall performance.
This richer data can also be easily presented and shared across multiple groups in many different destinations. This accelerates access to real time information and facilitates greater collaboration. Operators will be able to draw on the expertise and insights of professionals across the organization – not just those at the well-head – expanding the pool of talent and expertise from which decisions can be made.
The new visualization technologies are making themselves felt across operations, but two areas in particular offer very real promise.
Geological surveys: These are vital in pinpointing new oil sources. Drilling companies require accurate digital representations of the rock structures and rock composition in order to determine where to drill. By improving the detail of visual rendering and enriching the color of rock formations, operators can identify the optimum locations to drill, maximizing the recoverability of a reservoir.
Real-time well monitoring: In order to avoid leakage, malfunction or possible accidents, oil companies need to improve monitoring. Although equipment comes with durability ratings and life expectancy, conditions down hole are unpredictable and the deeper companies drill, the greater the potential for premature failure. Monitoring tools require high resolution images with good black levels, true colors and multi-definition windows. These advances can give operators a clearer view of conditions, allowing them to spot potential issues before they become serious threats.
As offshore operators become increasingly aware of 4K, HDR and Wide Color Gamut, these companies are increasingly installing projectors from Sony. It was Sony that created the world’s
first commercial 4K projector back in 2005, and rapidly became the world leader in digital cinema and industrial 4K installations. Now Sony is launching significant advances that take 4K performance to an even higher level for oil and gas applications. In addition, the company has made 4K projection more practical, more convenient and more cost-effective.
Introduced at InfoComm 2015, the new, 5,000-lumen VPL-GTZ270 projector is substantially smaller than its predecessors. At 35 dB SPL, it’s also whisper quiet, making it an ideal choice for a wider range of control rooms, conference centers and meeting rooms where the projector will share the same space with team members.
For high contrast, the VPL-GTZ270 uses advanced versions of Sony’s exclusive SXRD® projection chips. And the projector goes even further with the incorporation of extremely High Dynamic Range . This enables the reproduction of even more intense highlights, making details stand out even better and greatly assisting the visual analysis of complex data.
Just as Sony is the leader in industrial 4K projection, the company is also number one in projectors that use a laser-phosphor light source in place of conventional xenon or mercury lamps. The VPL-GTZ270 takes advantage of Sony’s Z-Phosphor™ laser light source. So there’s no lamp to burn out, no lamp to warm up and no lamp to require an extended cooldown period after you switch the projector off. Eliminating the lamp also means eliminating the associated parts, labor and service interruption of periodic lamp replacement. The system operates up to 20,000 hours virtually maintenance-free (varies according to conditions). And where the cooling requirements of lamp-based projectors severely restrict the installation angle, the laser light source frees installers to tilt the projector to any desired angle.
Geological surveys place a premium on accurate, repeatable colors. The VPL-GTZ270
In real-time monitoring, a richer and more complete overview of the available data can improve grid utilization, profitability, capacity and overall performance
Oil and gas companies can benefit greatly from increased detail, improved accuracy and a better understanding of spatial relationships
capable of displaying shades of gray. Colors are reproduced by inserting a rotating color wheel into the light path. This means the projector can only reproduce one color at any given instant. Like all of Sony’s industrial projectors, the VPL-GTZ270 uses three discrete chips – one each for Red, Green and Blue – to reproduce all the colors, all the time. Compared to one-chip designs, the three-chip system creates colors that are both brighter and more accurate.
The projector builds on this with Wide Color Gamut , achieving color primaries beyond those of HDTV. When used with compatible sources, the projector enables geologists and engineers to ascertain colors that that can’t be reproduced by conventional displays, including deep reds, aqua blues and emerald greens.
For added assurance of year-after-year color consistency, the VPL-GTZ270 also provides Constant Brightness Mode and Auto Calibration. Not only are these features ideal for scientific visualization, they’re key advantages in multi-projector blending. They minimize the tell-tale “tiling” effect that occurs over time as different projectors age and lose brightness at different rates.
Beyond projectors, Sony has developed an entire 4K production and playback ecosystem that extends from the sound stages of Hollywood
SONY FIELDS A RANGE OF 4K MONITORS IN SCREEN SIZES FROM 42.5 TO 84.6 INCHES, VIEWABLE AREA MEASURED DIAGONALLY.
to football and baseball stadiums to the living room. Some of this gear is of particular interest to energy companies. Sony’s Pro BRAVIA® Ultra HD TV monitors bring the benefits of 4K, HDR and Wide Color Gamut to a broad range of applications, including smaller meeting rooms and individual workstations. Screen sizes range from 42.5 to 84.6 inches, viewable area, measured diagonally. And for documenting field work, Sony builds 4K cameras and camcorders to suit every professional requirement.
Just as HDTV is a visual feast in comparison to the old standard definition television that came before, the new video technologies vastly extend the scope and power of electronic imaging. The advantages to oil and gas companies are easy to see.
Tom Cropper, Editor
4K technology has proved itself in the home entertainment market, but can it cut it in the oil and gas industry?
4 K TECHNOLOGY is one of the catchphrases in the commercial audio visual (AV) market. The ability to deliver crystal clear images and rich color tones makes it one of those must-have technologies for every self-respecting tech head. With the entertainment environment presenting a ready-made market of eager and enthusiastic customers, though, the question is whether this same technology can succeed on an industrial scale. In order to do so it must prove its efficacy in some of the harshest operational environments imaginable as well as providing value and affordability. So is 4K cut out for the rigors of oil and gas exploration?
The home entertainment market has become incredibly developed in recent years. Customers are increasingly looking to bring the cinematic experience into their own rooms. They are doing this with high tech 4K projector technology which delivers unparalleled image quality. However, success in the home is one thing. This is a highly competitive environment with demanding customers looking for ever more advanced offerings. No sooner did consumers get their hands on HD than they were looking ahead to ultra HD and beyond. It is an environment in which the heart almost always rules the head.
The success of 4K technology in home entertainment predictably prompted developers to see if there was a workable market on the industrial side. There are plenty of applications which appear to present a ready option such as signage, design simulations, corporate video walls and, of course, the oil and gas industry. However, once you start quoting to industries such as the oil and gas market, things become very different. Here the buying decisions are not the same. While oil and gas companies are always looking for new technologies, this is still a traditionally cautious market in which new technologies have
a mountain to climb before they gain acceptance. In a volatile environment such as an offshore oil rig, any new technology represents a risk. If it fails, the operator will have incurred the cost of transitioning to a new system as well as the cost of replacing a failed new acquisition. Inertia is a major factor to overcome. Many workers in this industry have been at their jobs for several decades. They have become accustomed to certain ways of working and are likely to react against change. There is often a prevailing mood of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’
In order to overcome these objections, developers of new technologies need to find answers to every single issue. They need to show that the equipment is able to operate in difficult circumstances, especially in deep water offshore environments where fragilities in technologies will be ruthlessly exposed. All new technologies inevitably come with an associated cost. The challenge is to find ways in which this can be justified to the end consumer. To do this, developers need to demonstrate what 4K can do, how its benefits can be applied to oil and gas, how products have been modified to work in offshore environments, and why they provide a superior option to anything else operators have at their disposal.
The reason why customers in the home entertainment sector are getting so excited by 4K is that it not only represents a step forward from HD, but a giant leap. The resolution is more than 4 times that of full HD. The difference when seeing images side by side is startling.
The challenge in selling to the oil and gas market is to demonstrate that this superior performance is worthwhile from an operational perspective. This means showing that this advance will have practical applications in real terms.
Operators are working on wafer thin profit margins in the offshore environment. 2014 was a
The home entertainment market has become incredibly developed in recent years. Customers are increasingly looking to bring the cinematic experience into their own rooms
The ability to see images in greater clarity and more detail enables visual inspection of downhole piping to take place on the surface without the necessity of manual intervention
year of turmoil for oil prices and, although recent months had seen a recovery, the Chinese stock market crash sent prices tumbling again at the end of August. This tighter operational environment makes high definition imaging technologies more valuable. In order to make operations commercially sustainable in this environment, activities need to be streamlined by increasing revenue flows and minimizing costs. At the same time, the move into deep water and the aging nature of much of the infrastructure they are working with makes safety a priority.
Any leakages can be a major safety concern as well as a financial headache. A single day of down time can cost thousands in lost revenue. Any manual inspections also involve an interruption to operations as well as a physical risk to any crew on site. A move to remote technologies which can deliver the highest level of clarity and accuracy is a major incentive for the oil and gas industry.
Therefore operators have plenty of use for 4K projector technology. The ability to see images in greater clarity and more detail enables visual inspection of downhole piping to take place on the surface without the necessity of manual intervention. Superior renderings of shadows, colors and surface detail make it much easier to identify the early stages of erosion and any defects in the pipe. This in turn facilitates early interventions to prevent any issues becoming a major problem at the earliest possible stage.
Image is also important in geological surveys. Oil companies are seeking to maximize production as much as possible. With images being produced in greater clarity, technicians will be able to detect subtle changes in shadowing, which can lead them to improve detection of oil reserves and better pinpoint drilling points. All this can improve the efficacy of oil and gas exploration and recovery practices.
It is vital that the end users understand precisely what the technology can do and how it can be applied to their own requirements. Developers can embark on an educational program to showcase the advantages of their technologies and demonstrate precisely why these offer superior value to existing imaging technologies. To do this, they need to do much more than just prove the technology is better, but must illustrate that this superior performance will translate itself into real operational and cost benefits.
The question, therefore, is not ‘if’ 4K provides superior performance, but ‘why’ it is useful for the business and ‘if’ its performance differential translates to workable benefits for the entire oil and gas operation. With operators looking for more remote imaging technology, the answer to these questions appears to be a qualified ‘yes’. The task for the remainder of this Report will be to demonstrate what the technology can do and how it can best be applied to the oil and gas industry.
Jo Roth, Staff Writer
The improved resolution and image rendering of 4K projector technology contains many exciting possibilities for the oil and gas industry, but making it work can be challenging.
IT’S ONE of those truths of business that it is seldom the threats you’re worried about that create the biggest problems, but those you do not see coming. This is why improved 4K technology is finding a potentially lucrative market in the offshore oil and gas industry.
4K has the potential to improve monitoring of well head conditions deep below the surface; to improve the presentation and visualization of data and to improve geological survey results. By doing so it can maximize the productivity of a well, extend the life expectancy of infrastructure and minimize the down-time due to maintenance.
In purchasing a system, though, oil and gas operators need to fully understand the technology and how to get the most out of it and their own requirements. This article will look at how 4K technology can help oil and gas operations address the challenges of the 21st century and the key issues buyers should be looking at.
The 4K market is booming. A report from Statista. com forecasts global revenue to reach $18bn by the end of 2015, almost doubling 2014’s figure of $9.4bn. By 2020 Statista suggests revenue could reach $5.2bn1. Much of this growth comes from the commercial home entertainment market, as customers seek to replicate the cinematic experience in their own homes. Increasingly, though, manufacturers are finding a lucrative opportunity in the oil and gas market.
A number of developments mean 4K offers a compelling proposition to offshore operators. A turbulent 12 months has seen the oil price tumble from well over $100 per barrel to a low of $40. Pre-crash operators were speaking in similar terms as now: they complained of tight profit margins, a need to maximize operational
efficiencies and reduce costs. Now, that imperative is even more urgent. They need to shift their operational approach from one capable of functioning sustainably in a $100 per barrel environment to one where the new norm is approximately $60.
They are rising to the challenge and finding efficiency savings throughout their operation. Much of this comes with the introduction of new technologies, which minimize running costs while maximizing revenue. As with anything, though, they must perform a detailed cost versus reward analysis to reassure themselves that any new purchases offer value for money and a swift return on investment.
In 4K imaging technology this assessment takes into account the initial cost of the technology and installing a comprehensive high performance visual imaging system, against the enhanced performance and operational savings they might expect to achieve. To do this they need to understand the full capabilities of the system, how it can be used, and to quantify the commercial returns of reduced downtime and maintenance and enhanced safety procedures.
The march into deep water continues despite a difficult economic environment. Although major operators such as Shell have cut their E&P budgets in response to the falling oil price2, deep water exploration continues. Drilling is growing in prime areas such as the Gulf of Mexico and Shell itself is also looking to push into the Arctic. Despite widespread opposition from environmental campaigners, President Obama gave the green light for Shell to start exploration3
This brings a host of challenges. Deep water places a huge strain on equipment. Although
If systems do not come with the best and most up to date monitors, the technical performance advantages of 4K will be compromised
4K has the potential to improve monitoring of well head conditions deep below the surface; to improve the presentation and visualization of data and to improve geological survey results
pressures and other hazardous conditions, operating at depth brings numerous unknowable factors into the equation. Improved monitoring and surveillance technologies, which enable the best possible view of conditions to be achieved, improve the ability of operators to spot problems before they become critical. For this, they need the highest possible quality of images.
Aging infrastructure is also an issue. As well as pushing into deep water, drilling companies are extending the life expectancy of oil fields far beyond their originally designed service life. This in turn is placing real stress on aging infrastructure. With enhanced scrutiny on safety, drilling companies will again have to demonstrate, to the full satisfaction of regulators, that monitoring procedures are in place to facilitate the prompt identification of problems.
4K technology represents a viable solution to these challenges. Oil and gas applications require close up inspection of ultra-high definition imagery. This might include a simulation model, video inspection and graphical tools, among others. Operators need to be able to zoom in on certain areas while maintaining a crystal clear image, accurately rendering variations in shading and texture. For this, they need the video systems that can accommodate the latest 4K or ultra-high definition technology. While identifying the need for higher definition imaging technology is straightforward, making it work can be a different challenge. Simply upgrading to 4K projectors will not be enough. Instead, companies need to consider the entire compatibility of the system.
Monitors need to be able to offer High Dynamic Range. This improves the sharpness of any image
allowing superior rendering of blacks, clearer and more precise images and a deeper and more detailed background. By switching to monitors with the highest possible dynamic range, operators can get the best out of 4K high resolution technology.
The latest monitors also exhibit a superior range of color displays. These will do full justice to higher resolution capabilities and render all images in their full glory. If systems do not come with the best and most up to date monitors, the technical performance advantages of 4K will be compromised.
The day to day operational challenges of life on board a rig also need to be considered. Equipment must be tough and durable offering the best possible performance while reducing running costs. Units need to be small and quiet to be run inside a meeting room or control room. This is the biggest challenge in fitting technology designed for home entertainment, which comes in relatively fragile packages, and making it tough enough for day to day use in oil and gas operations. For example, devices need to be impact-resistant and to be able to cope with many of the corrosive elements one might expect to find on an oil rig. Monitors will also need to deliver 24/7 operation in some cases, in order to facilitate the monitoring of well head conditions.
The oil and gas industry has a long track record of delivering technological innovations to address the many challenges presented to it. However, these innovations bring with them their own inherent set of challenges. To get the best from 4K technologies, drilling companies need to understand the technology inside out – what it can do and how they can make it work for them. To do that, they need to research the market and work closely with their endsuppliers. The technology is available – the challenge is to put it to work.
James Butler, Staff Writer
THE OIL and gas industry is a game of incremental gains. A little extra revenue here or some money saved there can make all the difference in the long run. Rig operators are increasingly becoming aware of what 4K and ultra-high definition (UHD) technology can offer them. Manufacturers of 4K technology, meanwhile, are targeting the oil and gas industry with a new generation of high quality solutions designed with its specific requirements in mind. This article will examine some of the latest innovations being brought to market and how they can help operators find those multiple incremental gains they are looking for.
In projector technology the main trends are towards devices which are more compact, durable, offer longer service life, reduced maintenance and power consumption. In order to deliver maximum benefit for oil and gas operations, units need to offer as long a service life as possible. In the isolated environment of an offshore rig, replacement of worn out parts is difficult and expensive. The initial focus is on products which can last longer, offering continuous reliable display without being worn out.
A key advancement is in the use of a laserphosphor light source. These offer a key advantage over conventional mercury lamps in that they are less prone to burn out and do not require as much cool down time after use. Images can be displayed at a higher quality for longer without powering down. They also reduce the need for spare parts which, in turn, allows them to be housed within a more compact container, and with fewer parts needed for replacement.
Laser light sources such as these also offer a superior image quality. Conventional models use a 1 chip projector to render the colors. The problem is that this can only differentiate between
one color at a time, which compromises the image quality. Laser light source projectors replace this with a multi-chip mechanism that can process reds, blues and greens all the time. The result is a clearer, brighter image in which true colors are reproduced in greater accuracy. This is crucial for oil and gas operations where accurate rendering of an image is of paramount importance. Minor variations in shading or texture can point to a fault in the pipe-work. The margin for error is extremely slim.
When combined with the latest high resolution 4K projector technology, the result is a unit which can deliver incredibly clear life-like images, durability and long life. In short, it’s the perfect package for offshore oil and gas.
One of the latest designs in this market is Sony’s Ultra Short Throw Laser Light Source Projector. This can be placed extremely close to the screen offering benefits for presentations by eliminating shadows. It is possible to move close to the image and inspect every minor detail without interrupting the projector itself.
The model has been designed to blend into the environment. This focuses mainly on the home entertainment market, where the emphasis is on a furniture-like module which blends into the surrounding environment. However, it also works well for offices, boardrooms and control rooms. Its small, compact and flexible design means it is possible to transform just about any white wall space into a high definition video window.
The model produces a much enhanced color brightness of 2,000 lumens, enabling it to perfectly render the highest quality images possible. It comes with a blend-in technology that enables multiple projectors to work together creating a large overall image – perfect for video walls. The high definition allows for high quality zoom in capabilities, enabling operators to focus on certain individual features of an image without experiencing any image interruption. They do not see pixels – they see a crystal clear image4
In projector technology the main trends are towards devices which are more compact, durable, offer longer service life, reduced maintenance and power In projector technology the main trends are towards devices which are more compact, durable, offer longer service life, reduced maintenance and power consumption
During oil production, improved monitoring technology delivers data on issues such as flow rates, pipe thickness, corrosion, or potential leaks via multiple sensors in real time
the operation, offshore E&P drillers are working with more information than ever before. During oil production, improved monitoring technology delivers data on issues such as flow rates, pipe thickness, corrosion, or potential leaks via multiple sensors in real time. For example, new systems such as an ePLUS Retina monitoring system uses multiple sensors placed strategically around the rig to monitor downhole events and deliver accurate real time information for operators.5 Visualizing this in intuitive and interactive formats, enables operators to process data more quickly and to improve their own decision making capabilities. For example, by bringing multiple data points into easily understandable graphs, operators can get a clearer picture without having to wade through reams of data. There is less pressure on the worker’s own experience and data analysis skills. During the exploration process, geological surveys produce information on rock formations and oil reservoirs. All this information can now be reproduced in a 3D graphical visualization
to aid the interpretation of data sets. This allows operators to gain a much more accurate overview of the rock formation. They can examine issues from multiple angles and zoom into different areas to take a closer look. This is only possible with the highest quality 4K projector technology which allows operators to gain the best possible vision of the environment from the available data. It enables multiple teams to communicate more effectively with one another and produce superior risk and opportunity analysis.
This is a fast moving environment, not only in terms of the demands being paced on the oil and gas industry, but also in the capabilities 4K can offer. The intense competitiveness of the home entertainment market filters through to other markets in that it helps drive innovations. These can then be up-scaled for industrial applications such as the oil and gas market. The onus is on operators to keep abreast of this ever-changing environment to ensure they understand the varying capabilities of the available technologies, what might be coming further down the line and how this all can translate into real operational benefits for their day-to-day work.
Tom Cropper, Editor
4K projectors offer superior performance in a range of applications –but what can the future provide?
ULTRA HIGH definition technology we would normally expect to see in cutting edge cinema systems, is now making its way into the industrial arena. Oil and gas operators, who increasingly rely on accurate remote inspection, monitoring and surveying tools represent a key market, with major players such as Sony transitioning their commercial technology for industrial application. However, in a market which is ever-developing, this may only be the beginning. In this article, we’ll examine where the far edge of development has got to at the moment and where it can take us.
Any analysis of future oil and gas technologies begins by looking at what direction the oil and gas industry is likely to take. In the short term this is difficult. After a bad 2014, in which oil prices more than halved, the oil market is experiencing another traumatic year in 2015. A recovery which saw prices bounce back from $40 per barrel to around $60 per barrel was stopped dead in its tracks by the Chinese Stock Market crash, which saw prices sink to new lows. Every time the industry thinks it spots a light at the end of the tunnel, it turns out to be an oncoming train!
A key question for the industry is how long this trend will continue. Have we reached a new normal or is this a temporary trend caused by a sluggish global economy, increased productivity in the USA and the refusal of OPEC countries to place controlling measures on worldwide prices? Opinions vary from those who expect a resurgence once US oil peaks and economies pick up, to others who predict even more trouble ahead. Treading a median line, other analysts such as Stanford economist Frank Wolak expect prices to range between $50 and $70 in the medium term 6. While geopolitical problems may push prices up in
the short term, he believes the fundamental mechanics of the market will see continued sluggishness for the foreseeable future.
According to Wolak, the oil and gas industry has been affected by numerous factors. As well as economic stagnation and increased US production, it is witnessing a reduction in the bargaining power of OPEC, and new technologies which increase production from conventional sources. All this is pushing back the point at which we will begin to run out of oil amid a continuing glut of supply.
For developers of 4K projector technology this presents challenges and opportunities. Challenges, because the market operates on increasingly tight operating budgets and is increasingly risk averse when considering potential new technologies. Every innovation will have to prove its value for money. This means it must do more than prove superior performance, but it must demonstrate a swift Return on Investment (ROI).
Opportunities, though, exist because, in a tougher economic environment, oil and gas companies have to up their game. The reality of a $70 price point, means this is the level at which they need to make exploration and production financially sustainable. If they can’t, vast reserves of oil will remain untouched in the ground.
In this environment, superior imaging technologies such as 4K play an important role. By improving monitoring capacities, they can reduce the down time for maintenance, spot problems before they become critical and reduce overall running costs. The aim of any operator is to maximize the amount of time it spends extracting oil – anything that can reduce interruptions will be useful. In terms of geological surveying the improved image rendering capabilities of 4K will make it easier to identify oil and maximize yield. In purely financial terms, this is a technology which rapidly pays for itself.
Any analysis of future oil and gas technologies begins by looking at what direction the oil and gas industry is likely to take. In the short term this is difficult
4K, therefore, represents a significant step-forward and one which can deliver real benefits to the oil and gas industry
The potential benefits of 4K are clear, but even so there are obstacles to uptake which will need to be overcome. In an InfoComm International White Paper, the speed with which the audio visual market had developed in recent years is acknowledged.
“When high-definition TVs (HD or 1080p) first entered the market, only three HDTV channels were available,” it states. “Fast forward five years, the number of channels grew to 40.”7 4K, it says, promises ‘significant improvements’, but even so there are still many challenges inherent in the 4K system including a lack of processing power and infrastructure.
“If anywhere between a 4K source and a 4K display a product is not capable of handling 4K resolution – whether it is an input card, transmitter, or cable,” it says, “that product creates a bottleneck.”
A 4K projector, therefore, is not enough. It requires an entire system with the capacity to display the required resolution. Installation of new devices therefore becomes somewhat more complicated and, potentially, expensive. The onus is on manufacturers and providers of 4K systems to work closely with their customers to make the transition process much smoother.
They also need to convince end users of the need. Technical specifications are all very
well, but describing the image clarity or color depth does nothing if the buyer cannot see solid end-goals which will deliver tangible benefits to the business.
A look at developments in the commercial AV market is enough to show that this is a market moving extremely quickly. 4K is already consigning the days of HD to the dusty past, but more is to come. In the same way as 4K resolution was available long before it became commercially applicable, 8K is now on the horizon. However, while there are some devices with 8K capacity, it remains someway off becoming practical in the commercial environment let alone the industrial. Even so, it signposts the future with devices which will be offering levels of image quality which go far beyond even the best available today.
4K, therefore, represents a significant stepforward and one which can deliver real benefits to the oil and gas industry. As products become more widely used, they are demonstrating their effectiveness in the real world. While future trends in the oil and gas industry remain uncertain – all the indications are that they are proving their success in a more slim-line business environment. It pays to investigate these technologies and assess the ways in which they can be applied.
1 Global 4K display market: http://www.statista.com/statistics/422314/4k-display-market-worldwide-revenue/
2 Shell cuts North Sea jobs: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/11496273/Shell-cuts-jobs-in-North-Sea-as-low-oil-price-hits-Aberdeen.html
3 Shell gets final clearance to begin drilling for oil in the Arctic: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/aug/18/shell-gets-final-clearance-to-begin-drilling-for-oil-in-the-arctic
4 Sony Unveils 4K Ultra Short throw Laser projector: http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/press/pr-sony-vpl-gtz1
5 New Technologies are key to changes oil and gas landscape: http://www.epmag.com/new-technologies-key-changed-oil-and-gas-landscape-816476#p=full
6 The global price drop may last the next couple of decades: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/march/oil-prices-wolak-033015.html
7 4K and Beyond: http://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xbcr/infocomm/InfoComm_4K_June15.pdf
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