Deepwater Operations 1 - sep 2011 by Kent Gasmann

October 2011 / Published by Brodd Communication

22 deepwater horizon aftermath The oil industry aims to eliminate any possibility of a major accident.

32 huge reward for optimal information Better reservoir understanding optimizes recovery.

38 Thousands of vacant jobs Norwegian Oil companies look abroad for professionals.

Cutting edge subsea technology ILLUSTRATION: OCEANEERING

Norwegian subsea technology will become increasingly important for tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil field developments. page 8

INDUSTRY

Deepwater Operations

GE Energy

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The increasing difficulty to access oil and gas reserves has led to a rapid growth of the subsea sector. With the Subsea Power Grid, Siemens has now created a milestone on the road to large-scale processing.

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www.siemens.com/energy/subsea-power-grid

introduction / trond olsen

CONTENT

The next mile is not the last Did you think it was over? Could you see the end of the Oil and Gas industry? It’s not going to happen within our or the next generation.

ubsea technology has become an enabler for developing cost efficient offshore oil and gas production. New discoveries, often in deep waters, depend on subsea technology in order to extract proven resources. Most technology steps within subsea have been achieved on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Recent examples are such as Subsea processing at Tordis, Subsea-to-beach and long tie-back at Snøhvit and Ormen Lange, and Riserless Light Well Intervention. And there is more to come. The upcoming Subsea Gas Compression at Åsgard, Gullfaks and Ormen Lange will cover a new technology gap in the search for the full subsea facility.

Growth in the global subsea market Within ten years it is likely that oil & gas production from subsea wells exceeds production from dry offshore wells. Then the total offshore production will be higher than onshore production. However, no segment is increasing more than subsea. Rystad Energy estimates that the growth in the global subsea market will be 13 % annually for the next six years. All segments within subsea will see substantial growth. The development is global. According to Rystad, all continents will see production growth from floaters and subsea in the years to come. From 2011 to 2016 the number of producing subsea fields will double,

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from proximately 450 to 900 fields. The number of yearly subsea x-mas trees startup is expected to double from proximately 300 in 2012 to 650 in 2016. The vast number of new subsea installations creates an enormous aftermarket, paving way for business for decades. In this issue of Deepwater Operations, you can read about some of the latest technology achievements made by Norwegian engineers. You got to hold it to them, it’s impressive. You might wonder how a small country like Norway could become the technology leader in such an advanced industry. There is no single cause. However, I believe that the close cooperation between operators, main suppliers and their sub suppliers you will find in Norway is a key enabler. In addition Norwegian authorities constant focus on increased recovery, HSE and exploration through the tax regime and active ownership, is an important factor. So is the many industry supporting organizations in Norway, like the research council, INTSOK and NCE Subsea. I do hope you enjoy this issue of Deepwater Operations.

TROND OLSEN

GENERAL MANAGER, norwegian centre of expertise subsea

08 SUBSEA TECHNOLOGY LEADs the way 12 MODEL OF MAINTENANCE 14 pumping up recovery rates 18 GIANT SEABED PROJECT 21 PANEL OF EXPERTS 22 DEEPWATER HORIZON follow up 24 LEADER TO LEADER WITH GJERDSETH 28 SUBSEA power challenges 30 direct electrical heating 32 better reservoir understanding 36 well intervention 38 Huge need for professionals 41 addressing global challenges 42 environmental monitoring

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Prosjektleder: Kent Gasmann Telefon: +47 938 13 879 Mail: kg@broddcom.no Design: Brodd Communication Tekst: Kime Kommunikasjon Distribusjon: Upstream / Maritime & Energy Trykk: Mortons Print Limited Feedback? Brodd Communication aims to produce magazines that inspire and provide insight to our readers. In order to achieve this we need all the feedback we can get. Please share your thoughts and ideas with us at:

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inspiration / subsea technology

/ inspiration

Subsea technology leads the way There are still large remaining petroleum resources on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Norwegian cutting edge subsea technology has become more and more important to tap the resources, cut costs and increase cash flow from the oil fields. Such technology will be even more important for tomorrow’s field developments.

TEXT: Lasse Bergesen, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

ccording to Norwegian authorities, about sixty percent of the expected resources on the continental shelf remain to be produced. For tomorrow’s development solutions Norwegian subsea technology will be important both in mature areas in the North Sea and in frontier areas such as in the Barents Sea. How did Norwegian companies become world leading in subsea technology?

ANDREAS SANDVIK Director at OG21

Oil Companies and suppliers Joint efforts in the petroleum sector Andreas Sandvik, director at OG21, a Task Force established to formulate a national technology strategy for added value and competitive advantage in the oil and gas industry, points out several reasons why subsea technology has grown to be such an important industrial cluster in Norway. – Firstly, Norway has coordinated the joint efforts in the petroleum sector in an excellent manner. It has also been a tremendous technology need on the Norwegian continental shelf. Operators like Statoil, and previous Hydro Oil and Gas, and others, have seen this as a great challenge and opportunity. Over the years these players have led the way internationally by showing willingness and ability to adopt, develop, and implement new technology. In addition, the Norwegian government has done a good job in both preparing for

Gulbrand wangen Managing Director at INTSOK

8 / brodd communication - oct.2011

good research conditions for the operators, and established strict requirements for what should be achieved environmentally and energy-wise on the NCS. Development of advanced subsea technology has been essential for development of smaller fields and field life extension of maturing fields, resulting in increased profitability. Sandvik emphasises that the supplier industry has also made a tremendous effort to develop the technology further, with good support from the venture and technology-focused oil companies.

photo: stig jarnes

– After we had built fixed platforms and moved out into deep water, floaters were introduced as the new technology. To be able to produce oil and gas and make money based on the oil prices at that time, there was a need to find solutions to cut costs. Thus began the development of subsea solutions tied back to floater, says Mr. Gulbrand Wangen, Managing Director at INTSOK. INTSOK’s objective is to work with companies throughout the industry to expand the business activities in the international oil and gas markets on the basis of the industry’s leading edge experience, technology and expertise. – Discoveries were made, but we needed solutions consistent with current oil prices. The development was driven at that time by two dominant oil companies, Statoil and Hydro. They challenged each other professionally and also challenged the supplier industry, brodd communication / 9

inspiration / subsea technology

/ inspiration

Q&A DEVELOPMENT OF SUBSEA SOLUTIONS

FACTS

Mr. Gulbrand Wangen, Managing Director at INTSOK.

investments

»»In 2009, Subsea expenditure in the INTSOK

Target Markets decreased slightly for the first time since 2005. This development was reversed in 2010, and growth is expected to continue going forward. Overall spend increased from USD 10 billion in 2005 to USD 22 billion in 2010 driven by growth in most markets, especially in Angola, Brazil, US Gulf of Mexico and the United Kingdom. Markets are expected to reach USD 44 billion of annual subsea spend by 2015, a more than fourfold increase from 2005. SOURCE: INTSOK

»»What impact has competition in

the supplier industry had on the development of subsea solutions?

revolutionary CHANGES. The Norwegian economy was traditionally based on local farming communities combined with other types of industry, basically fishing, hunting, wood and timber. This all changed with the discovery of huge stocks of natural resources. These resources combined with the adoption of new technology made Norway a prosperous country and a world leader within subsea technology.

which fought for market shares, says Wangen. The competition was the main driving force in technology development.

Increasing demand These companies turned to different technology environments, thereby the development also was driven by four major contractors (Aker, ABB, FMC and Kvaerner at that time) that urged to resolve the oil company’s challenges. When it turned out that the subsea solutions were viable, the industry became more industrial and eventually Norway became the largest subsea market in the world. – At the same time there was global market demand for these solutions. Now it’s increasing all over the world. In Brazil, the UK, the Gulf of Mexico, and in distant markets in Australia and East Asia as well. Today, perhaps Brazil has more field developments based on subsea solutions, but these solutions have partly been sought on the Norwegian continental shelf over the past 10-15 years, says Wangen.

Pull in the same direction While INTSOK - Norwegian Oil and Gas Partners - was established in 1997 by the Norwegian oil and gas industry and the Norwegian Government, OG21 was established in 2001 by the Nor-

10 / brodd communication - oct.2011

PHOTO: scanpix

wegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. The goal is to coordinate the research and development activities for the national petroleum sector. The OG21 strategy should guide the governmental funding and be used as input to technology strategies in the oil & gas industry. – Our contribution is to coordinate and get the players to pull in the same direction. There is a need to coordinate these activities. Last year OG21 established a new main strategy, simply because times are changing on the Norwegian shelf. The past decade the environment has attained increased focus, the main parts of today’s new fields are getting smaller and more complex, and the increased recovery methods are important to squeeze out as much as possible from existing fields. In addition, the focus will be more and more towards the North with harsher climate and

rougher weather conditions, says Sandvik. This month we will issue four new sub-strategies ranking the most important R&D areas in the years to come.

Mobil. The groups are populated with a number of professionals from the whole petroleum industry.

Education Technology Target Areas OG21 has four priority Technology Target Areas (TTA): »»Energy efficient and environmentally sustainable technologies »»Exploration and increased recovery »»Future technologies for cost effective drilling and intervention »»Future technologies for production, processing and transportation These TTA groups are led by prominent professionals from the sectors, two from Statoil, one from Shell and one from Exxon

Sandvik points out education as an important issue. – In general, the universities, the schools and the research institutes have focused well and adapted the industry needs sufficiently the past decades, even with tight budgets. However, at primary school level, we would like to see increased attention to natural science and math, to craft the curiosity and skills for the young students. There are several good initiatives on-going to improve this lack of focus, but there is still need for a step-change to keep track with the rest of the world, says Sandvik.

Our contribution is to coordinate and get the players to pull in the same direction. There is a need to coordinate these activities. Andreas Sandvik, Director at OG21

– The diversity in the Norwegian supplier industry has made it possible for Norway to take this position. Competing vendors developed this technology. Many of these innovative people did not work for only one company throughout their careers. They have been able to move between major competing environments, which have stimulated competition and exchanged ideas.

»»Which companies have been in forefront of the development?

– FMC, which began as a Kongsberg company - Kongsberg Subsea - has been and remains the market leader. Aker, Kvaerner and ABB Offshore Systems were among the major players from the beginning. Cameron and GE Oil and Gas (today the subsea part of former ABB Offshore Systems is a vital part of GE) are chasing FMC. Cameron, who is based in Houston has a shorter path to Exxon, Chevron and BP, and is probably the strongest challenger.

»»How big is the need for subsea solutions in new fields?

– We have used subsea solutions for a long time, but the trend is moving in a rapid pace and these solutions are becoming more and more important in new field developments. Subsea Solutions are cost effective and saves energy. In Norway we have two well known examples (Ormen Lange and Snøhvit) where a subsea solution even has made a platform redundant.

brodd communication / 11

Design: www.steinariversen.no

news / IMR

Photo: www.geiroyvind.no

The Norwegian model of maintenance management Good maintenance management reduces the likelihood of disruption in oil production and makes lifetime extensions easier. Inger Anda, press spokesperson, PSA

Taking our clients to greater and more prosperous depths.

Cato Bruarøy, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

isruptions in oil production are very expensive. Planned turnarounds are an exception, even if they lead to production stop and income loss in the periods affected, they contribute to increase safety and production earnings in the longer term. Turnarounds have to be planned well ahead to ensure the good processing of the operation and restart the unit or the plant as soon as the operations have succeeded.

Aging and lifetime extensions

PHOTO: Noordhoek Offshores

Dialogue Safety is a priority on the Norwegian continental shelf. The Norwegian government wants the petroleum sector to have a strong focus on HSE, continuous improvement and a proactive approach. The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) are the regulatory authority for technical and operational safety, including emergency preparedness, and for the working environment. According to PSA, Norway does not have stricter regulations than other countries. – There are actually very few regulations that are stricter in Norway than elsewhere. We believe we are on a Northern European standard and apply ISO regulations and other international references. The PSA is focused on enforcing the Norwegian HSE regulations with a risk-based approach. If Norway is percieved as the best when it comes to safety, then it probably has more to do with the three-partite collaboration and the dialogue between the authorities and the industry, says Inger Anda, PSA´s press spokesperson. The regulations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) are functional. This means that the industry has to define - within the framework of the regulations - how they understand HSE-culture and how they implement it in their daily work practice.

All our policies and regulations are based on prevention and continuos improvement to avoid major and serious incidents. Inger Anda, PSA

There is a number of installations on the NCS from the 1970s that are older than the life span they originally were designed for. The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway ’s 2009 survey project showed that aging and lifetime extension have a number of consequences for maintenance management. The survey was carried out in the form of presentations in half-day meetings and a questionnaire survey among the companies ConocoPhillips, Talisman, Songa, Dolphin and BP. The companies made various statements about the aging mechanisms that constitutes a major challenge when it comes to maintenance. Microbial corrosion (MIC) of the pipes, corrosion under insulation (CUI) and corrosion in general, degradation of the surface, deposits in processing equipment, and subsidence of the permanent facilities were areas that were most frequently mentioned. Other key challenges include access to spare parts, competence related to old equipment and the fact that equipments such as control and safety systems become outdated long before the facility’s design lifetime.

Prevention first priority – All our policies and regulations are based on prevention and continuous improvement to avoid major and serious incidents. It is important that everyone – including as contractors and vessel operators – participates actively and accepts their share of the responsibility, says the PSA´s Inger Anda. The survey from 2009 showed that the companies regard continuous adjustment of the maintenance management as a normal activity in all phases of the installation life span, and not specifically related to life extension. «As long as you control the risks, age is not an issue», said one company representative. Aging is not primarily about age, but rather the technical condition.

PiPeline and structure insPection | rePair and maintenance | installation and construction | seabed maPPing and Profiling | decommissioning

12 / brodd communication - oct.2011 www.deepocean.no

insight / multiphase pump technology

/ insight

pumping up recovery rates

PUMP IT UP! The Multiphase Pump is installed on the MultiManifold at the flow line outlet. The pump will boost all the wells tied into the manifold to the production platform. PHOTO: FRAMO ENGINEERING

»»Different pumps for different

purposes When selecting pumps for the challenging duties of subsea multiphase flow which may contain large amounts of sand, any combination of oil, gas and water, the selection of the technology is very important.

»»The winning concept

Lasse Bergesen, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

Cheap improvement Subsea wells has traditionally had problems with fairly low reservoir recovery factors (percent recovery of anticipated oil in place) compared to the topside completed wells. Where topside wells have shown increasing recovery rates as high as 60-70 percent, subsea developments are sometimes sanctioned based on recovery rates of less than 15 percent. A lot of research and development have been put in place to improve this, as any im-

14 / brodd communication - oct.2011

PUMP TECHNOLOGY WITH POSITIVE FIELD EXPERIENCE Subsea suppliers can today provide pump systems which incorporate all the equipment necessary for integration with subsea production systems, and that can safely be operated from topside SCADA systems via the variable speed drives and pump control systems located in dedicated Power and Control Modules (PCM), or in local equipment rooms.

More and more of the world’s oil production come from subsea completed wells, and Subsea Multiphase Pump technology will be introduced in many more subsea fields in the years to come. t has proven to be a very cost effective tool to increase the recovery rate and the instantaneous production rates quite significantly. We very often read in the press that millions of barrels of oil are pumped from the bottom of the sea either in the North Sea or other oil provinces of the world. This is however a quite common misperception. As a matter of fact, most of the subsea oil production in the world today is based on free flow, gas lift or by reservoir pressure support by either gas or water. This is, however, about to change as the oil industry is moving into more challenging conditions with regards to both much deeper waters, heavier oils and more difficult reservoirs. More and more of the world’s oil production come from subsea completed wells in new and existing field and field developments.

FACTS

Based on the field experience the dynamic pump principle seems to be the winning concept due to its inherent robustness and forgiving characteristics with regards to the above mentioned challenges.

provement in the recovery factor constitute relatively cheap additional oil, as most of the development cost in infrastructure may already have been taken.

»»The key to ensure a successful system

Increased oil recovery Subsea process in general and subsea multiphase boosting in particular has proven to be a very effective and competitive method for Increased Oil Recovery (IOR) around the world. Although this is by some people still perceived, or really misperceived, to be new technology it has proven to be a very cost effective tool not only to increase the recovery rate, but also to increase the instantaneous production rates quite significantly. In some cases, more than doubling of the production has been reported. In some cases, the operator has reported that the subsea multiphase pumps have completely enabled the production from certain fields. It is very reasonable to believe that the Subsea Multiphase Pump technology will be introduced in many more subsea fields in the years to come. As the subsea fields are aging and the reservoir pressure is depleting and the water cuts are increasing, this technology will have a strong role to play. In mature provinces like the North Sea, time is however of the essence as the general ageing of the general infrastructure may prohibit the introduction of this normally very profitable technology.

A number of benefits Subsea pumping systems have enabled a considerably increased recovery rate in oil and gas fields, but such use of pumps in subsea installations have also a number of other properties that will benefit the operator, such as:

»»Improved utilization of resources »»Extended life of fields »»Improved economy in the project »»Unprofitable fields can be made profitable »»More commitment to invest in fields which only

lot of effort into increasing the recovery rate. Reservoirs, which a few years ago were considered unprofitable, have in recent years become profitable thanks to subsea pumps. Such subsea installations also provide a better ability to control the wells and thereby speed up the recovery.

02 STRICTER REQUIREMENTS

»»Reduced costs

Authorities in several countries are also imposing stricter requirements for increased production from oil and gas fields. This varies from country to country, but a lot of oil producing nations, even Saudi, are now using pump technology to tap the resources and increase cash flow from the oil fields. Today, engineering companies offer a complete range of pumps to meet the variety of market demands.

01 BETTER TECHNOLOGY

03 BOOSTING PRESSURE in the well

Thanks to better technology as well as higher oil prices, oil companies have in recent years put a

Many oil companies have the objective of a recovery rate close to 60 percent from subsea develop-

a few years ago were unprofitable

»»Improved control and stabilisation of the production

ments. Such objectives can only be achieved by boosting the pressure in the well.

04 ULTIMATE RECOVERY Subsea multiphase boosting can enable both ultra deepwater light-oil and heavy-oil production by increasing ultimate recovery of deepwater oil and gas fields.

05 SUBSEA PUMP TECHNOLOGY Subsea pump technology will in the near future be most important both in mature areas and in frontier areas such as in the Arctic, where harsher climates challenge the operators and technology suppliers to create innovative solutions.

06 THE MOST APPROPRIATE AREAS Brazil, West Africa, the Gulf of Mexico, and perhaps first and foremost the British sector of the North Sea, is the most appropriate areas to make use of subsea pump technology in the near future.

Subsea boosting is not just about the pump knowledge, but also about the total system engineering and supply. Understanding the operational process regimes from start-up and continuous flow, through to managing operational upsets such as emergency shutdowns and the process dynamics is the key to ensuring a successful system. The typical pump system from the market leading company takes this onboard, and is designed in a standardized modular approach for intervention and connection. Critical components minimize weight but add flexibility, thereby reducing the need for intervention. Their subsea pumps implement the use of fully integrated subsea pump control systems based on large bandwidth electro-hydraulic control systems with fibre optical communication. They also incorporate expandability, both topside and subsea, through industry standard interfaces, and establish a data highway from topside to subsea.

brodd communication / 15

insight / multiphase pump technology

ItÂ´s an Increased Recovery System

SUCCESS in deep waters

Deepwater field developments have been made possible through the use of subsea pumps. Such pumps have been used successfully on several projects on oil and gas fields round the globe.

8,5 KM TIE-BACK. The Brenda is an 8.5 km tie-back to the Balmoral platform in UK, and the manifold is arranged to route five wells to topside from day one. PHOTO: FRAMO ENGINEERING

number of fields have shown a significant improvement in economics and total recovery rates following subsea pump deployment. The Ceiba field, operated by Amerada Hess, and located outside Equatorial Guinea, came on stream in November 2000, with production from four early production wells. Amerada Hess has since then drilled a large number of new producers and water injections in the field which still is in full operation. In October 2002 the pump systems was successfully installed in 750 meter of water. Today, the pump systems are still running, pressure boosting the wells, and largely contributing to the extended life of these wells. The objectives with the multiphase pumps are to accelerate the production and to increase the recoverable reserves from the Ceiba Field.

The Brenda tie-back In 2007 Framos MultiManifold was successfully started up on Premier Oilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brenda Field. The Brenda is an 8.5 km tie-back to the Bal-

16 / brodd communication - oct.2011

moral platform in UK, and the manifold is arranged to route five wells to topside from day one. Four wells are located nearby the manifold, while one is a satellite well located 10 km from the manifold. Initially, Oilexco, the original operator, performed an artificial lift evaluation. Dual ESPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, multiphase pump, wellbore gas lift and combined gas lift and multiphase pump were evaluated. Oilexco selected multiphase pump in combination with gas lift based on total production recovery, reliability and lifetime cost today. The integrated Multiphase pump, in combination with gas lift, meets and exceeds the production rate requirements throughout the field life of Brenda.

Viable solutions Main artificial lift for the Brenda manifold is a single Framo multiphase pump which will boost the production back to the Balmoral platform. Gas lift will mainly be used to kick off the wells and to enable production at high water cuts. Subsea pumping systems from Framo Engi-

neering have contributed to make this a viable solution for Increased Oil Recovery (IOR) for many of the most difficult field developments in the world with the latest in the Gulf of Mexico at nearly 2600 meter water depth at well shut-in pressures at some 1000 bar.

FACTS

The umbilical system

ÂťÂťThe Umbilical System forms the connection

between the platform and the subsea MultiManifold/pumpstation and production wells, including the electrical power cables, hydraulic and chemical lines and control cables.

ÂťÂťThe umbilical provides high voltage electric

If experience matters, work with us.

power, small power, signals, hydraulic fluid and chemicals to operate and control the multimanifold and the trees.

ÂťÂťAn 8.5 km long power and control umbilical is installed between the Brenda multimanifold and the Balmoral platform.

Â Â? Â? Â? Â?

news / gas compression and separation PHOTO: FMC TECHNOLOGY

GIANT SEABED PROJECT Statoil is now installing a gigantic seabed construction in order to extract more gas and condensate from the Asgard field. The underwater compressor is almost as big as a football field and the price tag is close to 15 billion Norwegian kroner.

FACTS SUBSEA SEPARATION SYSTEM AT TORDIS Tordis separation and injection technology is a breakthrough solution in the oil industry. For a few years now, it has been looked at as a vital solution for deepwater O&G development. Subsea processing technology was first developed to overcome challenges posed by extremely deep wells but in time it has become a proven solution in mature fields by decreasing the amount of equipment on the surface. The subsea development is part of a project which will improve the recovery factor for the Tordis field by 49-55 percent. This amounts to roughly millions barrels of oil, in addition to associated gas. The full potential of the subsea facility has not yet been realized, due to unforeseen challenges with the injection well, but alternative solutions are currently being evaluated.

WHY IS SUBSEA SEPARATION A GREAT ASSET

The Subsea Future is All Electric The drive to convert hydraulic subsea applications to electricity, with all the benefits this would mean for many oil and gas fields, has gone on for many years. Oceaneering Subsea All Electric is at the forefront of this progress with cutting edge products and solutions. Oceaneering Subsea All Electric’s product portfolio meets the expectations and signal the oil industry requires for future subsea systems; Expanded use of electric sensor equipment and electric valve actuators. Infrastructure for under-ice and ultra deep water applications are challenging.

The efforts are focused on Subsea Electrical Actuation, distributed electrical subsea power, and inductive-contactless-galvanic sealed connection of power and communication. As future offshore develop-ments will be dominated by subsea solutions in deep water, we know we are moving in the right direction: Subsea All Electric!

Benefits of “All Electric” Using the “All Electric” subsea technology will reduce the response time dramatically and produce higher control accuracy. It provides increased opportunities for acquisition of control data for monitoring the status and condition of subsea equipment. Systems can be used without hydraulic umbilicals which provides huge opportunities for cost savings and increased efficiency. No hydraulic also means zero environmental spill. Oceaneering Subsea All Electric is well prepared and ready to contribute to the future of all electric subsea fields. For further information about subsea all electric equipment please visit: www.oceaneering.no

»»With this process, Oil, water and gas Hans Brundtland, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

he main purpose is to accelerate the production and get a higher recovery rate. Compression on the seabed near the wells will help to get more gas out of the reservoir. The closer to the wellhead compression occurs, the greater efficiency, says Torstein Vinterstø, project director of facilities for Asgard subsea gas compression in Statoil.

Dives into the depths Until recently, compressors have been installed on the platform or onshore. Now, Statoil dives into the depths. – Compression on the seabed provides benefits like improved energy efficiency and lower costs compared with compression on the platform or on land, says Vinterstø. He emphasizes that the progress of the project is on track and according to plan. – We made an investment decision earlier this year based on a comprehensive technology training program. The first part of the

18 / brodd communication - oct.2011

project will, among other things, involve fullscale testing, which we are preparing now. According to Vinterstø, the investment will reach nearly 15 billion Norwegian kroner, including the project backlog – funding to cover any additional costs due to significant changes in the plans.

The total underwater plant Statoil have a vision of «the total underwater plant» - a platform on the seabed. – This will make it possible to extract hydrocarbons in areas such as the Arctic. The Asgard project brings us a step closer to the goal. Processing on the seabed, and especially gas compression is a significant technological leap for developing fields in deep water in vulnerable areas, says Vinterstø, who expects that recovery from the gas reservoirs Midgard and Mikkel in the Asgard field will increase by about 278 million barrels of oil equivalent, thanks to the subsea compressor. – At the same time we are extending the oil fields life, providing enhanced recovery of the reservoirs.

are separated from each other in a processing facility on the seabed, the new Tordis subsea separator removes water and sand before the oil and gas are pumped to the Gullfaks C platform.

»»An energy saver. This method of separation means that large amounts of water from the reservoir avoid the 10-kilometre journey to Gullfaks C at sea level. The separated water and sand are pumped down into the Utsira formation directly from the subsea installation and stored there.

»»The technology is particularly suitable in developments at great depths or far from shore and in areas where natural conditions and weather make subsea developments most appropriate.

»»The technology provides added re-

covery of oil in cases where production is limited by pressure and capacity at the processing plants.

»»Seabed separation makes it possible to improve recovery and accelerate oil and gas production.

SOURCES: Seadiscovery.com, subseaworld.com

3Stab

Subsea Power Bank system The Subsea Power Bank system is a distributed power and control Anti Surge Actuator system. It is the cost effective way of extending instrumentation of The Anti Surge Actuator (ASA) is a your existing subsea installation. High End Electrical Linear Actuator The system have multiple with built in Fail Safe Spring and canNorway be hooked-up Package for accurate operation Jåttåvågen, Hinna - P.O.Box 8024 -connections 4068 Stavanger, to, and communicate through, the and positioning of 82 Subsea Phone: +47 51 51 00Linear - www.oceaneering.no existing subsea control systems. Control Valves.

This is a connector for easy and reliable connection/ disconnection of ROV Tools and Subsea Equipment where hydraulic energy, electrical power and communication are required or desired

www.oceaneering.no brodd communication / 19

norwegian subsea industry / panel of experts

Pump, compressor and turbine technology

Tocircle Industries AS has developed a patented technology with potential to transform the pump, compressor and turbine industries.

The core technology has been proven over several years by focusing on R&D and prototyping of multiphase solutions. The first product in the market is a multiphase expander. Going forward, both wet gas compressors and multiphase pumps will be commercially available. The Norwegian developed technology has an enormous potential. It offers true multiphase capabilities and scalability. It has the potential to replace existing technologies, deal with unsolved challenges and become a substantial contributor to technological and environmental innovations in the oil and gas industry. OIL AND GAS APPLICATION AREAS • Pumps (high pressure and multiphase) • Compressors (wet gas) • Multiphase expanders • Mixed fluid applications • High reliability subsea systems

www.tocircle.com

eField production management

Maintaining proven, accurate and versatile products through continuous innovation and validation

Drilling & well operations Multiphase flow

Reservoir optimisation

Compositional changes

Subsea separation

ARILD SELVIG

Director Sales and Marketing, FMC

Slugging challenges

Corrosion prediction

Project Engineer, A/S Norske Shell

Eliminating the use of divers was an issue from early on in the Norwegian sector. Shell’s development of the Draugen field, which came into operation in 1993, was one of the first projects to use unmanned submarines instead of divers. Companies on the Norwegian sector have been pioneers, and their innovations have increased ability and reduced cost of subsea solutions. The Norwegian sector is also one of the most likely to use subsea equipment.

What are the major structural challenges in the future?

Challenge number one for the oil and gas industry, including subsea industry, is the supply of skilled personnel, creative and well trained professionals. Since the era of major field developments on the Norwegian shelf is diminishing, major projects can no longer carry the costs of developing new technologies.

Apart from the recent major discoveries, Aldous and Skrugard, the fields are less accessible, deeper and more difficult to produce. This will affect the future technology development, and both innovative and standardized solutions will be important. Subsea separation, subsea compression and multi-phase transport will be key areas.

First of all access to qualified engineers, to meet future demand for current technology, but also to be prepared to deal with complex systems on the seabed, which include subsea compression on the Ormen Lange and Asgard, and subsea multiphase pumping on Draugen and Perdido.

How important is cooperation within clusters and between clusters?

The clusters are important because they can trigger projects within product development, education and research which the members individually would not be able to get started. Moreover, clusters are an important driving force towards authorities, and they are stimulating individual members in the cluster to growth and development.

Clusters’ major importance will be described in the document «Et Kunnskapsbasert Norge», which is released in January 2012. Undoubtedly, strong academics and clusters such as Trondheim (NTNU, SINTEF, Statoil and others), the maritime cluster in Møre og Romsdal, the NODE environment of Agder, Akershus / Oslo with FPSO and engineering clusters, «Subsea Valley» and NCE systems engineering in Kongsberg have contributed to the success.

It’s hard to say, but the market demands engineering companies who can deliver comprehensive solutions. It is surprising that not many Norwegian players are active here. The connection between topside experience and complex subsea solutions is becoming increasingly important.

Hydrate predictions

Multiphase boosting

BERNT GRANÅS

The most important factor is systematic development, qualification and implementation of new technology through the offshore project developments. The challenges on the Norwegian continental shelf have been resolved step by step, where the subsea compression on Åsgard is the latest step. Furthermore follows requirements to technology and high HSE standards set by government and industry, the cooperation between government, trade unions and industry and competent technology environments.

Wax prediction & pigging

Inhibitor management

Head of Secretary, KonKraft

The Norwegian Shelf was the area where the first major subsea developments took place, and we have had access to very good competence. This has made the industry able to develop cutting edge technologies and has established Norway as a subsea powerhouse. There has been a willingness to take risks and invest in new technology, both from the oil companies, the suppliers and the authorities, and we have had good public programs for user-oriented research as well.

CO2 transport and storage

Thermal transients

HANS PETTER REBO

How has the Norwegian subsea industry come so far?

TECHNOLOGY CHARACTERISTICS • Ability to operate at high pressures • Handles mixture and variation of gas and liquids • Compact and uniquely simple design • Highly scalable and energy efficient products • Endurable and reliable products with low maintenance

Tocircle Industries AS: P.O. Box 1462 Vika NO-0115 Oslo Tel: +47 22 82 36 00 – Fax: +47 22 82 36 01 – email: industries@tocircle.com

Blow out control (ABC)

QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL

Does the Norwegian government allocate sufficient funds to R&D in the oil and gas business?

YES

Will Norway still be a world leader in subsea i 2020?

YES

Should common standards for components of gas compression be developed?

YES

brodd communication / 21 be dynamic

www.sptgroup.com

insight / deepwater horizon

/ insight

FACTS

DEEPWATER HORIZON FOLLOW UP PROJECT

THE WORLD’S BIGGEST OIL SPILLS The largest oil spills have happened on land. The worst oil spill in the history was not an accident.

»»1991 Gulf War

The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion in April 2010 caused the largest accidental marine oil spill in history. A series of mistakes and flawed decisions had compromised safety.

During the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi forces attempted to prevent American soldiers from landing by opening valves at an offshore oil terminal and dumping oil from tankers. The resulting oil slick spanned an area just larger than the size of the island of Hawaii.

Cato Bruarøy, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

t was a tragic accident. The explosion killed 11 men working on the platform and injured 17 others. – Almost 5 million barrels of crued oil was spilled in the Gulf of Mexico, says Olav Skotheim, the project manager of the Norwegian Oil Industry´s Deepwater Horizon follow-up programme. Shortly after the explosion the Norwegian Oil Industry took the initiative to gather available facts surrounding the incident. A project team systematically reviews published investigation reports to ensure experience transfer and to recommend measures for the Norwegian continental shelf. The project group also holds regular meetings with PSA and unions. – Our aim is to further reduce any possibility of a major accident on the Norwegian continental shelf, says Mr. Skotheim.

PHOTO: scanpix

Many failures and mistakes The blow out from Deepwater Horizon´s drilling was caused by failures in several barriers: There were improper well design and improper cement design. The early warning signs were not properly detected, analyzed or corrected. The pressure barrier were removed, displacing drilling mud with sea water. There were also flawed design and maintenance of the final line of defense – the blowout preventer. – The crew discovered too late that something was wrong. And when they found out then bad decisions were made. Gas got to the surface and a fire started. The flow of flammable gases should have been redirected away

22 / brodd communication - oct.2011

»»Kuwait Oil Fires, Iraq/Persian Gulf

Kuwait Oil Fires, spill from Kuwaiti oil lakes and spill in Iraq and the Persian Gulf in 1991 were the worst oil spills in history.

Our aim is to further reduce any possibility of a major accident at the Norwegian continental shelf.

»»The Lakeview Gusher, California

Olav Skotheim, project manager of the Norwegian Oil Industry’s Deepwater Horizon follow-up programme.

from the rig, explains Olav Skotheim. Luckily the weather was good and all the survivers from the explosion was evacuated by boat or helicopter. 115 of the 126 workers survived. However the workforce was exposed to chemicals during the cleaning up and the work enviroment was less than satisfactory.

Need of a safety culture – There was not a sufficient culture of safety on that rig, occupational health and safety was not the priority it should have been, says Skotheim. Many of the structural changes recommended in several US reports were already a part of the Norwegian regulations. But there is still room for improvements. The ongoing improvement work includes prevention, intervention and response. – In the future both the industry and the regulators need to focus more on avoiding large accidents, says Skotheim. Improvements in blow out prevention and a better incident command system are among the recommendations Skotheims project group will give in their report due in January 2012.

The Lakeview Gusher in California from May 1910 until September 1911 ranks second. The Gusher was a result of insufficient and less advanced technology that was being used for the oil drilling at the time.

»»Campeche, Gulf of Mexico

Norway’s response and follow up After the DWH accident on 20th April 2010, the Norwegian Oil Industry took the initiative to gather available facts surrounding the incident and to compare relevant regulations in Norway and the United States. OLF - The Norwegian Oil Industry Association is a professional body and employer’s association for oil and supplier companies engaged in the field of exploration and production of oil and gas on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.

Facts about OLF´s Deepwater Horizon follow-up project ONGOING IMPROVEMENT WORK Prevention

»»Well Design, Planning and Execution; Well

Cementing; Well Control, BOP, Reporting of well incidents

»»Management Systems; Culture and Leader-

ship; Competency; Roles and Responsibilities Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU) Design

»»

Intervention

»»Capping and Containment – Subsea Well Response Projectt

Response

»»Unified Command »»Oil Spill Preparedness and Response »»Working Environment and Chemical Exposur »»Environmental impact THE MOST IMPORTANT SOURCES/ INVESTIGATION REPORTS:

»»BP internal investigation (Sept 2010) »»Presidential Commission Report (Jan 2011)

»»Report from the US Coast Guard (April 2011) »»PSA assessment (June 2011) »»Report from BOEMRE (September 2011) »»Report from US Chemical Safety Board (due in 2012)

THE WAY FORWARD

»»Continue to implement findings from published reports

»»Continue co-operation with the Subsea Well

Response Project for capping and containment Continue the co-operation with the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway, unions, as well as international groups such as OGP and Oil & Gas UK The project is planning to publish a final report at the end of 2011

»» »»

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill from April 2010 until July 2010 is the world’s largest oil spill at sea, surpassing the Ixtoc Oil spill. Ixtoc I was an exploratory oil well in the bay of Campeche in the Gulf of Mexico. On 3rd June 1979 the major blowout was caused in the well. A pressure buildup sparked an accidental explosion. Oil began gushing out of the well into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate of 10,000 to 30,000 barrels a day for almost an entire year.

»»Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan

The world’s largest inland oil spill happened in Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan in 1991. The ground absorbed this spill, leaving nothing for the cleaning crews to handle.

»»The Exxon Valdez oil spill

The Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska is one of the most famous accidents. The supertanker hit a reef off the Alaskan coast. Based on number of oil barrels spilled, the oil spill is around number 35 on the list.

Source: OLF

brodd communication / 23

leader to leader / ann-christin gjerdseth

/ leader to leader

Full speed ahead

We meet Ann-Christin Gjerdseth at Oslo Airport Gardermoen. She has just come from a board meeting of OG21. She has pushed through four sub-strategies. Now she is heading back to Drammen where her daughters Malin (18) and Maiken (16) and her partner Espen are waiting. Hans Brundtland, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

t is just before the October school holiday. The family will soon be heading off to Orlando, Florida, and they have a lot of planning to do. But Ann-Christin seems calm. She is accustomed to a hectic pace. This summer, she became head of OG21, ‘Oil and Gas in the 21st century’, a task force whose strategy is intended to guide government funding and be used as input to technology strategies in the oil and gas industry. Ann-Christin has been a board member since 2003. ‘The first time, I was actually appointed to the board because of the rule that Norwegian boards must have at least 40 percent women.’ ‘This is an important mission, and I am confident that we have appointed the right person for the job,’ said the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Ola Borten Moe when Ann-Christin was chosen. ‘I have approached this task with great humility. OG21 is an important and influential organisation,’ she says.

and graduated as a project engineer. In the summer of 1988, she started working on the Shell concept study for Troll A. The year after, she was hired as an engineer by ABB and, in 1994, she started at Kongsberg Maritime as product manager for safety systems. In other words, within six years she had worked her way through the entire value chain from supplier to customer. Ann-Christin was prepared to stay a few years in the supplier industry in Kongsberg, but new challenges soon arose. In 2000, she started with FMC as director of HSE and Quality before becoming Project Manager and European Manager. Her CV is as long as a pipeline, and today she is head of all FMC Technologies’ projects in Europe, Africa and Russia. Despite being responsible for budgets worth billions of kroner, she still sleeps well at night. ‘I think it’s great to be entrusted with so much responsibility by FMC,’ says AnnChristin, who otherwise prefers to work on strategy and take part in the initial phase of implementation.

On her own feet In her father’s footsteps In 1982, Ann-Christin started studying at St. Hallvard high school in Drammen. She chose science, inspired by her father. ‘My dad was an engineer in the oil division of Kongsberg arms factory and it was tempting to follow in his footsteps.’ The first step was Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh in Scotland, where she started offshore studies

24 / brodd communication - oct.2011

There were few women in the oil industry when Ann-Christin started her career in the late 1980s, but she never noticed any discrimination either as a new recruit or as an aspiring leader. ‘The requirements were the same, whether you were a woman or man. We learned to stand on our own feet and, most important of all, we learned that the most important thing is to deliver results.’

Today, one of her highest priorities is to motivate young Norwegians to study technology and science. The petroleum industry needs fresh thinking, new technology and new knowledge. One of the goals of OG21 is to get the oil companies, universities, research institutions, suppliers and the authorities to agree on a national technology strategy for the oil and gas industry.

Changing dramatically Climate change is making it increasingly important to produce oil and gas in a cleaner and more energy-efficient way. ‘This issue is always high on the agenda in OG21. Norway is a world leader when it comes to safety and the environment, and we aim to continue to be so,’ says Ann-Christin. She emphasises that conditions on the Norwegian continental shelf are changing dramatically. ‘Instead of a few large discoveries, we now have to deal with many small ones. This means it is becoming even more important to develop new, cost-effective technology. We must invest today if we are to be ready when needed in field developments.’

New solutions This was also emphasised by the Aam committee of which Ann-Christin Gjerdseth was a member. Last year, the committee presented its report on the future of Norwegian oil production.The committee’s vision is to increase the recovery rate on the Norwegian continental shelf from 46 to 60 per cent, where every percentage

INVEST TODAY. ‘Instead of a few large discoveries, we now have to deal with many small ones. This means it is becoming even more important to develop new, cost-effective technology. We must invest today if we are to be ready when needed in field developments,’ says Ann-Christin Gjerdseth, head of OG21 and head of all FMC Technologies’ projects i Europe, Africa and Russia. PHOTO: FMC TECHNOLOGIES

leader to leader / ann-christin gjerdseth

/ leader to leader

profile ANN-CHRISTIN GJERDSETH

TIPS ANN-CHRISTIN’S 5 PIECES OF MANAGEMENT ADVICE

Age 44 Marital status Lives with her partner Espen, who is a police officer. Two children. Position Project Manager, FMC Technologies for the eastern region (Europe, Africa, Russia, Canada and the Caspian). In the news Newly appointed Chairman of the Board of OG21, ‘Oil and Gas in the 21st century’. Hobbies She enjoys crosscountry skiing, cycling, and blues and rock music, and she is constantly on the move.

the WORLD LEADER. ‘Today’s infrastructure will soon be outdated. There is an urgent need to develop new technology and, if Norway is to remain the world leader, we must devote more funds to research and development in the petroleum sector,’ says Ann-Christin. PHOTO: FMC TECHNOLOGIES

point is worth a staggering NOK 270 billion. The gross value of Norwegian oil and gas produced to date is estimated to be more than NOK 8,000 billion, more than NOK 3,000 billion of which are invested in the Government Pension Fund. The remaining resources on the Norwegian continental shelf are estimated to be worth more than NOK 4,000 billion, but the committee believes it is possible to extract resources for an additional NOK 3,000 billion. ‘Today’s infrastructure will soon be outdated. There is an urgent need to develop new technology and, if Norway is to remain the world leader, we must devote more funds to research and development in the petroleum sector. This challenge can be resolved jointly by industry, academia and the government,’ says Ann-Christin. She strongly denies that oil and gas production on the Norwegian continental shelf is a ‘sunset industry’, as some have claimed. ‘On the con-

26 / brodd communication - oct.2011

trary! If we manage our resources properly, we can have a hundred-year perspective.’

Blues, rock and exercise Does she find time for other things than her job with FMC and as chair of OG21? Yes. For several years she has served as Chair of Lier Swimming Club. ‘My daughters were active swimmers, and as a parent I naturally have to contribute. It was really hard work to get the club’s finances on track and to get proper coaches in place.’ She likes both cross-country skiing and cycling, and, like so many other business leaders, she has taken part in in the ‘Birken’ crosscountry skiing race as well as the cycling race from Lillehammer to Oslo. ‘But I really prefer smaller races like Torleif Haug’s ski festival, which takes place every year in the Drammen area. I am also lucky

to have a partner who shares many of my interests, including music.’ When the chance is there, they go to live concerts. ‘Amund Maarud was a positive surprise this summer. I saw him in concert three times,’ says Ann-Christin. Her favourite musical moment is nevertheless a live gig by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band many years ago. ‘«Blinded by the Light,» «Davy’s On The Road Again» .... it was a great atmosphere!’

Ups and downs When Ann-Christin Gjerdseth worked as HSE and Quality director at FMC, she decided to visit every location the employees travelled to. She was on the move 160 to 170 days a year. ‘I have had so many good experiences. I once got the chance to promote an FMCfunded school project in Luanda, the capi-

We learned to stand on our own feet and, most important of all, we learned that the most important thing is to deliver results. Ann-Chrisin Gjerdseth

tal of Angola. It was a great and different experience, and one of my best memories. I’m proud of how FMC operates abroad.’ But she acknowledges that there have been ups and downs in her life. The toughest period was when she was going through a divorce. ‘I had it good in the work context, but experienced a downturn in private. It was a hard time.’ Today, she travels less, but she still does not have much time to spare. ‘My mother is there for me every time something unexpected happens, for example if I am stuck at an airport. She is unique, and she takes care of the children when I am away. She means a lot to me,’ says Ann-Christin, and mentions another person she admires. ‘Statoil manager Margaret Øvrum is a source of inspiration. Not because she is a woman, but because she is really good at her job. And she is genuine.’

Look beyond the here and now!

1 2

Allow time for reflection about the future. Don’t get drowned in details.

Foster diversity!

Good leaders should know their strenghts and weaknesses. Choose people who are skilled in areas where you are weak. Diversity in this case is not about gender or ethnicity, but about having managers who complement each other.

3 4 5

Pick and develop talent! Look for talent with the right leadership skills, and make sure they are developed. You can actually influence your future boss.

Be interested – not interesting! No matter what position you have, you always have something to learn from others. Do not waste time talking about yourself.

Do as you say!

It is easy to ‘forget’ that you are a role model. As a leader, remember to have proper focus on safety, and lead by example.

brodd communication / 27

news / subsea power

subsea power challenges To reduce the risk of power failure with downtime in oil and gas production, it is of most importance to have a secure power supply.

• 3 coordinated JIPs • Duration 2006- 2012 • Budget: 70 MNOK/ 12MU$D/ 8M€

– Also, the depth of the fields makes the pressure on the components at the seabed high, resulting in great demands on the housing of the components. Some components, especially frequency converters, have until now not been provided with the technology that makes them suitable for use on the seabed, says Hernes. Current research involves placing this type of components in liquid to equalize the pressure. So far this research has yielded promising results.

DC power supply The use of DC power supply is also a possibility. DC power will reach as far as you need, but you still depend on components at both ends, including the seabed, which can convert it to AC power. – Most of the research is done on the materials and components being used in the subsea end of the power supply. There are still great challenges left that needs further research in order to provide rugged and reliable solutions, says Hernes.

Power Insulation Materials

Power System

• search for new solutions for subsea multi‐MW converters that can obtain reduced weight and volume

• research on ageing mechanisms in electrical insulating materials

• developing new improved component models

• @ 300 bar pressure Critical components have been proved to operate at high voltage under high hyperbaric pressure when made with proper pressure balanced encapsulations.

FACTS

power supply system components

»»Subsea transformers

• endurance of electrical insulation materials and systems at HTHP during high electrical stress An HV penetrator with excellent PD characteristics has been developed. Our subsea laboratory facilitates component testing and ageing performance as well as qualify materials and components for challenging subsea conditions.

• performing case studies including causes and effects New and fast simulation tools and methodology have been developed. We have evolved into an internationally recognised competence centre on design, analysis, verification and safe operation of subsea electric power systems for oil and gas exploitation.

Are used in the power distribution systems to adapt voltage levels to the various subsea equipment.

»»Subsea switchgear

Provides protection and automatic, remote disconnection of individual branches of a subsea power grid.

»»Subsea variable speed drives

Illustration: FMC Technologies

High pressure at the seabed

Power Electronics

• studying operability of pressurized power components and power circuits

PHOTO: STATOIL

n addition to downtime in production, with loss of income for contractors, the installations control and safety systems can be out of function during power failure. All of this can be avoided with a high quality subsea power system. SINTEFs latest research on insulating materials, system analysis and pressure tolerant power electronics has provided important results for supporting development of new technologies, but it has also exposed new challenges. – One of the challenges in the future of subsea power supply is the distances from shore and the depths where new oil and gas fields are discovered. Today, most of the power sources are placed on shore or on production platforms. With fields far from shore, the AC power supply has its limitations in distance, says senior researcher Magnar Hernes at SINTEF. The Ormen Lange field has a distance from shore of approximately 120 km. This is almost as far as you can reach with the current available technology based on 50Hz/60Hz AC power.

SINTEF joint research projects on Subsea Power Supply

• keeping costs and reliability within acceptable limits

long distance. The Ormen Lange field has a distance from shore of approximately 120 km. This is almost as far as you can reach with the current available technology based on 50Hz/60 Hz AC power.

Åsmund Pedersen, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

We make it possible

(VSD) and controls Power electronic converters for controlling speed or torque of subsea motors for providing process optimization.

»»Subsea motors

Converts electrical energy to mechanical energy for linear motion (e.g. valve operation) or rotational motion (e.g. pumps or compressors).

28 / brodd communication - oct.2011 www.SUBSEAPOWERSUPPLY.com

Welcome to utilize our world class laboratory facililties: 30 pressure vessels • Volumes 1 - 1000 liters • 30 - 1000 bar • Temperature -20 to 200 OC • Voltage range 0 – 150 kV

Technology for a better society

news / direct electrical heating

taking it further subsea

Money saved on electrical headting of subsea pipelines In the 1990s, the world’s first and only system for Direct Electrical Heating (DEH) of subsea pipelines was developed in Norway. Statoil was the first company in the world to use the method, and their experience has been positive. Today, several operator companies are using the same process.

Geir Endal, advisor – Submarine Pipeline Systems at Statoil

Astrid Tomassen, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

ipelines branch off in all directions on the seabed of the Norwegian continental shelf. The pipelines, which extend for miles and miles, transport valuable oil and gas worth billions of kroners. Problems with hydrate and wax formation can occur inside the pipes because of the cold water.

Ensures free multiphase flow of oil, gas and water Water, oil and gas flowing from subsurface reservoirs typically have a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. This mixture is cooled by the sea water surrounding the pipeline on the seabed. The water on the seabed of the coast of Norway is below 10 degrees, even in summer. During shut down of production, when there is no longer a steady supply of heated fluid from the reservoirs, hydrates or wax plugs can form inside the pipelines. They slow down or stop the through flow up to the platform. Direct Electrical Heating (DEH) is used to warm pipelines thus preventing the formation of hydrate and wax. Heating the pipelines to typically 25 degrees Celsius ensures that blockage is prevented, and the oil flows freely. ‘What’s so great about the technology is that it’s easy to operate, and it means we don’t have to use chemicals in the pipelines,’ says Geir Endal, Advisor – Submarine Pipeline Systems at Statoil. Traditionally, we had to use far more time-consuming processes to prevent hydrate and wax formation, often in combination with injections of methanol, glycol or other chemicals added to the oil. In the North Sea, chemicals are used on a daily basis to keep the oil pipes open, so heating the pipelines electrically also provides an environmental benefit.

Works well in deep waters

On the Tyrihans oil and gas field in the Norwegian Sea, Statoil together with partners saved NOK 1 billion by installing pipelines that could be heated electrically. Geir Endal, Statoil

in deep water, where it is colder and where the pressure is more consequent, heating is a particularly interesting method in this case,’ Mr Endal says. In addition, a lot of money can be saved by using this method. On the Tyrihans oil and gas field in the Norwegian Sea, Statoil, together with partners saved NOK 1 billion by installing pipelines that could be heated electrically. In this case one pipeline with DEH was required, while other alternative solutions involved at least two pipelines in order to prevent hydrate and wax.

Experience transfer Today, Statoil has 17 pipelines where DEH is used, and so far it has been almost the only company to use this type of technology. Other operators are, however, now implementing the DEH, and Endal believes that more companies will use this method in future, even though other and newer methods are also under development that can be competitive in the long term. ‘Statoil was the first user of DEH of pipelines already back in the 1990’s, and gained valuable operational experience which has based utilized in continuous improvement of this technology, and we have been actively promoting it as a reliable and cost efficient field development technology,’ Geir Endal says.

FACTS

direct electrical heating (DEH)

»»For safety and reliability reasons, the heating sys-

tem is electrically connected to surrounding seawater through several sacrificial anodes. These anodes must be rated for both corrosion protection and for sufficient grounding of the system during the expected lifetime of the flowline and the service life of the heating system.

Electrically Trace Heated Pipe-in-Pipe, Unique Flow Assurance and Technology Deployment Technip has developed the Electrically Trace Heated Pipe-in-Pipe (ETH-PIP) system over several years of intensive research and development (R&D) work. This has been the result of the decision to focus on the development of a low power active heating system that can be combined with the proven reel-lay installation method. It represents a step change in flow assurance management through the combination of very efficient passive insulation, high performance trace heating technology and continuous temperature monitoring. The very low power consumption for the system will further minimise risks of wax or hydrate blockage on long tie-backs and enable optimised flow conditions to achieve maximum production. This ETH-PIP technology will be deployed, for the first time worldwide, for the TOTAL Islay Development Project located in the UK sector of the North Sea.

‘Heating pipelines with DEH work particularly well

30 / brodd communication - oct.2011

www.technip.com

insight / reservoir understanding

/ insight

Better reservoir understanding optimizes recovery

FACTS CHEMICAL TRACERS Traditional methods to obtain reservoir and well surveillance information are challenged by long horizontal completions, multilateral wells, multiple layered reservoirs, sand management solutions and deepwater operations.

01 FLUIDS, SOLIDS or slurries Tracers (radioactive or chemical) can be used to «tag» fluids, solids, or slurries that have been spotted in a well. This includes cement, gravel pack slurries, and stimulation services. Knowing where produced fluids are coming from and when they arrive at surface is critical to understanding reservoir and completion behavior. Tracers gives the engineers tools to analyze treatments and injection processes.

Obtaining and interpreting information necessary for effective reservoir management are particularly challenging for subsea installations. The reward for optimal data can be huge, says Dr. Dennis Dria of Myden Energy.

02 RADIOACTIVE Traditionally tracers have been radioactive, using radioisotops that are gamma ray emitters. Usually, radioactive tracers are used to tag different stages of a job.

03 SEVERAL ADVANTAGES

Cato Bruarøy, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

s a significant part of its efforts to find new resources, the oil and gas industry continues to push the boundaries of deepwater exploration and development. Subsea installations have many advantages. However, there are several challenges unique for subsea installations. – The fact that the wellheads are isolated from easily accessible surface locations provides certain challenges in reservoir monitoring and control. Obtaining correct data, communication of data, powering the electronic instrumentation and sensors, and

32 / brodd communication - oct.2011

04 EXAMPLE CHEMICAL TRACERS testing of new equipment are included in subsea developments, says Dr. Dria. Some challenges are of course common to all subsea installations due to depth and distance. Others are unique for each reservoir enviroment. – Some regions have geopressures reservoirs conditions that are abnormally high, which will lead to challenges both in aquiring data and in drilling and completing the well. As one goes deeper or closer to subsurface structures such as falts and salt bodies, one can discover additional challenges: basic engineering challenges or conditions that can lead to accidents if not handled correctly. Each reservoir has its own particular set of

challenges due to its unique pressure, depth, temperature, fluid composition and geological structure. For example, there may be specific challenges related to sand control and to sour reservoir fluid, says Dria.

Downhole sensing critical for optimization Use of data obtained from the well is neccessary and valuable in several ways. Firstly sensing of downhole properties is critical to optimize production as well as to optimize total asset management . Such optimization requires continous or near-continuous information. Secondly the operators have a desire to not shut in or reduce the production while doing measurements. Any halts in production are

costly and potentially damaging to the reservoir or completion, and should be avoided or kept at a minimum. Thirdly, gathering of data gives the operator the ability to identify problems at an early stage, early enough to take action before it develops into a major problem like a leak or sand production. Sand production, for example, can cause problems with surface equipment, erode components such as chokes, valves and tubulars, acting basically like sandblasting. and lead to serious HSE-issues.

Difference between short and long timeframes – The data gathered may be used almost immediatelyby fitting it into a simple model

which can be run very qickly to determine if the well is functioning as it should. Results of this could be as simple as the sending of alarms or alerts if the temperature or pressure are outside preset levels or upon detection of sand production. These short-timeperiod responses frequently will address safety and enviromental concerns, so they have to be monitored closely, says Dr. Dria. The data can and should be used for long term optimization which can give significant financial gain. – There are geological, reservoir and field models that are used to optimally manage the well, reservoir and field. If new data gathered shows that the original models do not

Treatment fluids are tagged with uniquely identifiable chemicals when they are pumped. Then flowback fluid is sampled and analyzed to help engineers determine cleanup efficiency, impediments to flow, proper operation of downhole flow control devices and zonal contribution. The chemical tracers lie dormant until they are triggered; then they emit trace amounts of unique chemicals into the flowstream. The tracers can be designed so the triggering medium can be either oil or water, depending upon the application.

brodd communication / 33

PHOTO: RESMAN

Chemical tracers have several advantages, e.g. can detection be done by catching samples of produced fluid at the surface without downhole logging instruments.

insight / reservoir understanding

Wireless reservoir surveillance

In my opinion it is very important to choose the right measurement techniques depending on the measurement objective and the specific well environment. Dr. Dennis Dria, Myden Energy

accurately describe the reservoir then these models can be updated to honor the new data and used to improve long term optimization and recovery rate. Downhole sensors collect information like temperature, pressure, flow and acoustic data. Some electronics are placed on the seabed. Preprocessed information will then be transferred to a onshore location where the data will be used in data models. The models are compared and tested against performance data. After action is taken based on the model resuts, one then uses the sensors to find out if that action positively influenced the field performance.

An example Output from the various data models are essential parts of managing reservoirs. When the data are different then expected changes will be made. Sometimes even the model has to be altered, explains Dria. - I can give one example of a very expensive subsea well in deep water which was designed to produce 20-30,000 barrels a day for a sustained period of time. From the start it did not perform as predicted. Measurements were made, and the operator used the data to

34 / brodd communication - oct.2011

find out if the problem was related to a model error or if the problem was due to the way the well was completed. Further investigation showed that the model was correct. Immediate action was taken to bring the well back to it´s predicted performance, says Dria. Dr. Dria is a world class expert in solving these kinds of challenges. He has authored or coauthored 10 technical papers and 23 US Patents, and is a contributing author for the current Society of Petroleum Engineers Petroleum Engineering Handbook. He has a PhD in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Prior to forming Myden Energy Consulting in March 2010, Dr. Dria worked for The Standard Oil Company (now BP) Research and Development as a Research Chemist and, more recently, for 21 years as a Staff Research Engineer for Shell Oil Company. Today he is a consultant for oil companies and operators in Asia, Europe and North America.

Choose the right tools! - In my opinion it is very important to choose the right measurement techniques depending on the measurement objective and the specific well enviroment. Normally there is an abundance of data. You have to know what too look

Find hidden value in your reservoir, with no risky well modifications or interventions

for and know how to prioritize, says Dria. He believes that the need for and use of subsea installations will increase the next decade. - Absolutely! Simply in order to continue to replace reserves and add production, the industry will continue to drill more in deep water and many of those wells will be subsea installations. Even in existing fields additonal subsea wells will be drilled, with some of the new monitoring data providing information regarding the entire reservoir or field , says Dr. Dria.

PROFILE

DR. dennis dria

»»Petroleum Technology Advisor and President

of Myden Energy Consulting, PLLC, with more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He provides technical and project management consulting to technology developers, implementers and users in the energy sector.

»»Dr. Dria earned his PhD in Petroleum Enginee-

ring from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a 2011-2012 SPE Distinguished Lecturer for E&P Applications of Fiber-Optic Technologies.

For more information, visit www.resman-themovie.com or www.resman.no

DEH-

news / well intervention

Technology for electrical heating of pipelines developed at SINTEF

IMPROVING RECOVERY WITH INTERVENTION

SINTEF roles and deliverables: DEH design work • Electrical and thermal rating • AC corrosion protection • Anode system design Verification and qualification • Tests of materials and components • Laboratory facilities • Field tests

Well intervention increases recovery from subsea wells, creating added values to the operator by being cost effective and release rigs for drilling.

Deployment and commissioning • Measurements of electrical data on installed system

Åsmund Pedersen, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

Logging reservoirs As a part of increasing recovery from wells, logging of the reservoirs data is of great importance. – Through production logging, our custom-

36 / brodd communication - oct.2011

PHOTO: FMC TECHNOLOGY

ell intervention is a way to increase the oil production from existing wells, with proven technology and methods which meet the challenges related to increasing oil recovery from subsea wells. The cost of moving a rig is high and ineffective as a method, especially if it´s only a small correction, says director for Well Intervention Services Bjarne Neumann at FMC. With purpose-built vessels for light well intervention, the efficiency in the intervention process increases and the operating costs are maintained at a low level. Also, operations can run all year around, and at high seas. The equipment gets evenly strained and regularly maintained, ready to be used at any time.

ers increase their understanding of the reservoir and are capable of initiating “increased oil recovery” initiatives. This could mean among others: re-perforating the production tubing because it’s producing water and not oil, scale milling due to incrustation, plugging of none productive zones and downhole safety valve replacement, says Neumann. FMC´s technology makes it possible to connect to an existing well and without riser, and it enables their customers to preform the maintenance program of their most important assets – the oil well producers.

High efficiency In April of 2011, senior vice president of drilling and well in Statoil, Øystein Arvid Håland, stated that compared with conventional drilling units, light well intervention vessels reduce the cost of well interventions by 50 to 70 percent. – To maintain this efficiency, a good interaction between contractors and operator is of great value, and to secure predictability for all parts, long-term contracts are of great importance, says Neumann.

FACTS

Well intervention

»»Riserless Well Intervention (RLWI)

Operations are normally carried out from a dynamically-positioned intervention vessel to perform various wireline downhole work through subsea deployed equipment installed on top of seabed installations.

»»Riserbased Well Intervention. I.e.

Through Tubing Rotary Drilling (TTRD) While the Riserless system is limited to wireline operations – this system enables wireline, coiled tubing and drill pipe to work downhole with the possibility to perform heavier type of intervention compared to Riserless Intervention. This enables efficient drilling, intervention and completion of existing wells through existing subsea completion systems from a light Intervention Rig.

www.sintef.no/DEH

Technology for a better society

BERGEN THE SUBSEA CAPITAL maintenance – modiﬁcation – operation

The Bergen area Norway, constitutes a world leading cluster in subsea technology. Focusing on the markets for maintenance, modiﬁcation and operation, as well as innovative and cutting edge technical products – the cluster provides a full spectrum of products and services for the industry. Around 120 companies and organizations forms the body of the Bergen area subsea cluster. www.ncesubsea.no

brodd communication / 37

insight / great need for manpower

/ insight

HUGE NEED FOR PROFESSIONALS

QUESTION & ANSWER WORKING ABROAD Simon Davis, Technology Project Manager at Statiol. He has previously worked for Shell Technology in Norway, Hydro Oil & Energy and Aker Kvaerner (now Aker Solutions.)

Norwegian petroleum industry has a great need for manpower, and the companies look beyond national borders for skilled professionals. The employers make a great effort to facilitate for those who come to Norway to work.

»»What did you know about Norway

and the Norwegian oil industry before you started working here? – Quite a lot, thanks to my first job. For 11 years, working in Edinburgh and the Orkney Islands, I managed various contract R&D projects, where more than 50% of the clients were Norwegian-based oil companies. As a result, I visited Norway many times and was impressed by the high focus on technology and the strong will to build strong local competence.

Lasse Bergesen, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

arianne Harg, president of Tekna, an employee organization with more than 57 000 highly skilled members in science and technology, confirms that the need for professionals is huge in the Norwegian petroleum industry. – We have now come to the point where those who have been employed in the petroleum industry since the beginning of the 1970s begin to retire. Everyone is looking for new employees to fill this void. A lot of companies have a great need for skilled employees in geology, drilling, process and design. We are talking about thousands, says Harg.

Cutting edge Norwegian suppliers are continually developing new technology that makes it possible to extract more oil from reservoirs than anyone thought was possible just a few years ago. Norwegian subsea technology is cutting edge, and new oil discoveries on the Norwegian continental shelf will keep the business going

FACTS

NEED FOR PROFESSIONALS

PHOTO: KJELL ALSVIK/STATOIL

»»Drilling engineers, geologists and geophysi-

cists with 10 years experience or more from the Norwegian continental shelf, can more or less pick and chose jobs, according to major players in the Norwegian petroleum industry. In particular, the supply industry is in need of such labour.

38 / brodd communication - oct.2011

We have now come to the point where those who have been employed in the petroleum industry since the beginning of the 1970s begin to retire. Marianne Harg, president of Tekna

for decades, and will help to keep a strong demand for professionals for many years. To meet this need, the Norwegian companies bring in workers from abroad. How do we attract talented, skilled and experienced people into the country? – There are some things that need to be in place. Salary is obviously an important thing, but also that the employer facilitates housing, education and networks and can provide jobs for spouses. It is easier to get hold of graduates, but the real challenge is to recruit experienced workers, says Harg.

Flat organizational structure According to Marianne Harg, the perception of Norway from abroad varies significantly. – I have experienced to hire people in Belgium who specifically approached Hydro because they wanted to work in a Norwegian company with Norwegian culture. They were fascinated by the Norwegian flat organizational structure, in which participation is a prominent part. They stayed a long time, while others found it difficult to deal with. Norwegian employers expect independence, and unlike in most other countries most Norwegian bosses appreciate suggestions, and they more or less expect to be challenged, says Harg.

»»What do you most enjoy about

working here? – The ability to combine my fascination for technology and innovation with a productive and meaningful job! I also very much appreciate the fact that all my employers in Norway have valued what I have brought with me from another culture.

»»What is your advice to other

Respected companies

The Norwegian oil and gas industry is considered one of the best workplaces for engineers and other technical expertise. Several Norwegian oil and offshore companies score high on the rankings of the world’s most respected companies. These are some of the reasons:

01 SALARY & SOCIAL BENEFITS Companies in the Norwegian petroleum industry pay well. Norwegian companies are also known to create conditions favourable for their employees.

02 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Basically, all have equal opportunities for development. Norwegian petroleum companies reward their employees fairly, and basically provide equal job opportunities for all.

03 FLAT ORGANIZATION Norwegian leaders listen to their employees. You have great opportunities to influence the organization and your own job.

07 authorities

04 LEGISLATION

Norwegian authorities are heavily engaged in the petroleum industry and has a good working relationship with the companies working on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Norwegian working environment legislation is among the worlds strictest.

08 ENVIRONMENT

05 COMPETENCE Norwegian oil industry has global leading expertise, particularly in subsea technology.

06 DEVELOPMENT As an engineer in the Norwegian subsea industry you get unique opportunities to participate in developing cutting edge subsea technology.

Norwegian petroleum companies set high standards for environment. The Norwegian continental shelf is world leading when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. Nowhere is the emission per unit as low as here.

09 MARKET The market for oil and gas is strong and will need Norwegian petroleum products for a long time.

foreigners who are applying for jobs in Norway? – Speak to colleagues / friends who have worked in Norway. Know what to expect before you move. Focus on the positives and be pragmatic about the negatives. Be prepared to learn Norwegian if you are planning to stay. Last but not least, travel around the country and make use of the fantastic nature and sporting opportunities that the country provides.

»»What advice do you have for Norwegian employers who consider hiring skilled personnel from abroad? – Be aware of cultural differences and way other people may react to the open and collaborative way of working. Norwegians can sometimes appear rather blunt and direct to some cultures.

brodd communication / 39

addressing global challenges / opinion

Focusing on solutions - for a better tomorrow Demand for energy is increasing. Through the production of oil, gas and hydroelectric power, Norway will be an important contributor to cover energy needs in the foreseeable future. RUNAR RUGTVEDT

Head of oil and gas at the federation of norwegian industries

www.randstad.no

Randstad Professionals Engineering Randstad Professionals in Norway is part of the worldwide Randstad brand forming part of 2nd largest HR-services provider in the world. The Norwegian officers are dedicated to providing quality recruitment solutions for the Oil & Gas Engineering market across a diverse range of specialisation. Amongst these, Randstad has a number of significant framework agreements with major employers in the Subsea Engineering market place and as such we are looking to hear from interested job seekers in the following disciplines: Structural Engineers Mechanical, Electrical & Process Engineers Valve Engineers XMT (Xmas Tree) Engineers Pipeline Pigging Engineers

Tender & Project Managers QHSE Managers Support Engineers Product Engineers

Finance & Accounting | IT | Engineering | HR & Admin

orway also has a potential within renewable energy that few other countries in the world can rival. Norway runs the world’s cleanest industry. We invite the employees of the future to join us and help to solve the global challenges, for a better tomorrow. For many years, the Norwegian continental shelf has been the biggest offshore market in the world. Today, the investment level is higher than ever. The investments are extensive as a result of new discoveries, costeffective development of old discoveries, technological development and alterations to existing installations.

Important supplier industry Through more than 40 years of recovering oil and gas on the Norwegian continental shelf, we have developed a supplier industry that is the country’s biggest industry by far in terms of both value creation and employment. The supplier industry employs more that 100,000 people and has a turnover of NOK 250 billion. The maritime industry (shipping companies, shipyards, equipment suppliers) is also strongly affected by the Norwegian and international petroleum industry.

Cost and energy-efficient products are attractive

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR FOR AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION ON CURRENT OR UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT US AT RANDSTAD.NO – OR CALL ONE OF OUR ADVISORS: Amy Gough: +47 945 10 276 amy.gough@randstad.no

Diana Wasilewska: +47 405 53 747 diana.wasilewska@randstad.no

vessels, and systems that are cost-efficient, have energy-efficient production, high quality, and are built to specifications and requirements with extremely high safety levels. The desire for a higher standard of living is driving global demand for energy. This applies especially to countries such as China and India. Even though the development of technological advances in renewable energy production are progressing in the right direction, oil and gas will be the dominant energy carriers for many decades to come. With cutting edge technology and development experience from the oil and gas industry, Norwegian suppliers are also involved in substantial deliveries in the international market in connection with the development of offshore wind farms.

The Norwegian supplier clusters are experiencing increasing international activity. With our technologies, we can deliver equipment,

Keep the industry in Norway There are still many resources to be discovered on the Norwegian continental shelf. Safety and environment have been guiding principles that have made the Norwegian oil industry the cleanest in the world. This is a position we must take steps to strengthen. And the authorities must also encourage this. It is important that relevant research is carried out, and that we prioritize areas where we lead the field and where there is a big international potential. It is vital that we have framework conditions and incentives that get the oil companies to base their research and technological development activities in Norway. This is necessary in order

to secure forward-looking competence-raising jobs. New development will help to ensure Norwegian value creation in the years ahead and contribute to ensure the country’s prosperity. The authorities must allocate sufficient funds to technology development programmes. It is an exciting industry that offers excellent opportunities for many occupational groups. It is crucial that young people realise this and that they develop the skills and competence this industry needs.

Sit in the driving seat and solve the challenges! If you really want to do something about the climate and environmental challenges of the future, you should choose an education in technology and science. That will put you firmly in the driving seat - and in a position to do something about these challenges in practice. The Federation of Norwegian Industries wishes to be a driving force for recruitment by highlighting the exciting and diverse opportunities industry has to offer.

For many years, the Norwegian continental shelf has been the biggest offshore market in the world. Today, the investment level is higher than ever. Runar Rugtvedt

brodd communication / 41

news / environmental monotoring

World-class Norwegian environmental monotoring

TROMSØ

Monitoring of the Norwegian continental shelf constitutes perhaps the world’s most comprehensive system for monitoring offshore petroleum activities. Norway is a pioneer in the field of environmental monitoring, from which other countries seek to learn. Morten Hald, geology professor and Dean og the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Tromsø

ASTRID TOMASSEN, redaksjonen@broddcom.no

to contribute to developing methods for monitoring potential impacts of the emissions.

he development of environmental monitoring in Norway has been formidable, says Morten Hald, geology professor and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Tromsø. The University of Tromsø is among the Norwegian academic environments that are developing and working on environmental monitoring of Norwegian ocean areas, and Tromsø has become the headquarters for remote sensing in Norway. Remote sensing includes both satellite monitoring and monitoring of the seabed and mapping of the extensive Norwegian ocean areas.

A pioneering country

Important environmental responsibility Norwegian ocean areas are roughly six times larger than the Norwegian mainland and are very important in relation to Norway’s financial, resourcerelated, environmental and political interests. This also means that Norway has a great responsibility for looking after these areas, and the Norwegian petroleum industry has a particular responsibility for protecting the environment on the Norwegian continental shelf. Environmental monitoring relating to emissions from the petroleum activities has been carried out since 1973, but there have been enormous developments since the goal of zero emissions from the industry was established. At the University of Tromsø alone, millions of kroner are spent annually on research and education relating to environmental monitoring, and the industry itself contributes large sums as the operator companies are obligated

42 / brodd communication - oct.2011

Norway was among the first to introduce regulations that require operations on the Norwegian continental shelf to be sustainable. Morten Hald

The University of Tromsø also cooperates with the large oil companies, including Statoil and Eni Norway, and the research environment experiences that the industry takes the environmental requirements seriously. ‘We are at the leading edge of environmental monitoring and measures,’ says Hald. We are a pioneering country. Norway was among the first to introduce regulations that require operations on the Norwegian continental shelf to be sustainable. Hald points to one of the research projects that is a collaboration between the University of Tromsø, the Research Council of Norway and the oil company Eni Norge. ‘The project studies the problem of waste from shipping and the petroleum industry, and is a good example of the successful collaboration between researchers and industry on environmental monitoring,’ says Hald. He has no doubt that long-term basic research must be carried out in order to develop even better methods of environmental monitoring. Together with the industry, we, as scientists, are faced with the important task of contributing to the protection of our ocean areas. To this end we need to educate experts in this field. We have built up a robust environment for environmental monitoring in Norway, but we can – and should – do even more in the future.

When moving to explore and exploit the petroleum resources in the Arctic and at larger water depths, the industry faces an even stronger environmental concern, both internally and from external stakeholders. Due to extremely challenging environmental conditions, the Arctic and deep waters are intrinsically has a lower possibility of successfully amending an accident, e.g. recovering an oil spill. The Arctic environment is vulnerable to human impacts due the adaptations of Arctic plants and animals to low temperatures and prolonged periods without food, while deepwater organisms tolerates extreme pressure and continuous darkness. However, ability to permanently or periodically resist starvation or extreme temperatures or pressure leavers little physiological capacity to cope with additional stressors like e.g. oil, drilling discharge noise or physical disturbance. These types of single species adaptions are key elements in the functioning of Arctic Marine ecosystems, but still much knowledge need to be generated. To provide updated knowledge serving optimal activity, design and planning, several major petroleum operators have engaged with leading Arctic researchers with profound practical experience from the cold part of the world. Knowledge on ecological adaptations and stress tolerance in Arctic and deep water organisms is essential Akvaplan-niva AS: Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway Tel: +47 77 75 03 00 – Fax: +47 77 75 03 01 – e-mail: info@akvaplan.niva.no

for proper environmental risk- and impact assessments. The Arctic marine research network ARCTOS was founded in 2001 by scientists at the University of Tromsø, the University on Svalbard, and the research and consultancy company Akvaplan-niva, and later joined by a number of other Norwegian and international scientists. The ARCTOS research projects has been supported by Statoil, ConocoPhillips and ENI since 2005. More than 100 international research papers have been published, and 12 PhD students have defended theses in Arctic biology with support from ARCTOS. Akvaplan-niva has its main office and laboratories in Tromsø, Northern Norway, and the company has since the establishment in 1984 undertaken an increasing number of Arctic projects for the oil and gas industry. In addition to play a central role within research itself, Akvaplanniva is the contact point to the industry, taking research results into operational assessment and advice. Research results are published in peer reviewed international journals, but at the same time results of research projects are being used as decision support by operating companies in improving their Arctic decision power. This ensures environmental credibility in planning and operations.

Take a position

at the forefront of subsea production technologies We are looking for individuals who are prepared to take a position. Not only a position within Aker Solutions, but also a position on the exciting challenges the global oil and gas industry face now and in the future. Aker Solutions provides engineering services, technologies, product solutions and field-life solutions for the oil and gas industry globally. Over the past decades, Aker Solutions has reached several offshore oil and gas exploration and production technology milestones. We have built up our presence globally and have become a major supplier of subsea production systems and other advanced systems for use in the oil and gas industry. We need talented professionals who can strengthen our team and support our ambitious growth plans within the oil and gas market. We are looking for individuals who want to develop an engineering career within the areas of projects, product development, systems, design, technology, service, and research and development. We are also looking for lifecycle information (LCI) coordinators to support our document management department.

Visit akersolutions.com/career