W I R E L I N E
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Q: Why is technology so high on today’s agenda for the
UK Continental Shelf?
A: The easiest-to-recover UK oil and gas reserves have been
extracted and advances in technology have already helped
companies recover hydrocarbons from more technically-
challenging fields, including those with heavy oil and very deep
reservoirs, difficult shallow-water gas fields, or those with high
pressure, high temperature characteristics.
In the future, however, activities on the UK Continental Shelf
(UKCS) are likely to be characterised by an
even greater number of smaller upstream
companies, less prolific fields, the need
to achieve higher levels of oil and gas
recovery, an increased focus on asset
integrity and tougher economics. It is
crucial therefore that we continue to
develop new technologies to meet these
challenges so that we can sustain
production over the coming decades.
Sir Ian Wood outlined technology’s
central role in maximising economic
recovery of the UK’s oil and gas in his
recommendations following an independent
review of the UKCS, which was commissioned by energy
secretary Edward Davey MP and published earlier this year.
Sir Ian emphasised that industry and government must work
together to identify the key technology requirements and make
sure the resources are put in place to deliver them. The Scottish
Government’s recent report on “maximising the total value added”
also prioritises technology.
Q: What is the Oil and Gas Technology
Leadership Board?
A: The Oil and Gas Technology Leadership Board (TLB) has
evolved from the Technology Work Group, which was created
in 2012 as part of PILOT, the government-industry forum. That
group’s objective was to develop a strategy that ensures technology
development is collaborative, focused on priority areas and suitable
for multi-field application. Both PILOT and the Department for
Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) acknowledged the need for a
body, such as the TLB, to drive this strategy forward. The rate of
technology development and deployment
to improve exploration success, increase
recovery and safely extend the operating
lives of oil and gas fields is, after all, one
of the key factors that will determine the
UKCS’ future.
The TLB is made up of senior leaders from
industry, academia, and representatives
from the Natural Environment Research
Council (NERC), Innovate UK
(the Technology Strategy Board), BIS, the
Department of Energy & Climate Change
(DECC) and the Industry Technology
Facilitator (ITF). The NERC representative
will also connect the TLB with the other relevant research
councils (especially the Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council).
Q: What is the TLB’s remit?
A: The TLB will drive focused UK-wide activity by establishing
technology delivery groups in priority areas, as identified by the
PILOT Technology Work Group and the Wood Review
(see organogram left for the key technology themes). These groups
will develop technology road maps for research and development
(R&D) by the end of this year.
The TLB will also clarify the business processes needed to support
research through to deployment and undertake an R&D
oil and gas funding study, recommending a model for the UK.
It will liaise with the UK Government’s R&D funding and
support mechanisms through the auspices of PILOT and the
Oil and Gas Industry Council. The Council is implementing
the joint government-industry Oil and Gas Industrial Strategy
launched last year.
The TLB will strengthen connections between industry and
organisations such as the ITF and the Oil and Gas Innovation
Centre (OGIC), which was established by the Scottish
Technology talks
The drive to put technological innovation at the forefront
of the strategy to maximise economic recovery has shifted
up a gear.
Wireline
finds out more from the chairman of
the new Oil and Gas Technology Leadership Board,
Paul Warwick of Talisman Sinopec Energy UK.
TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY
Q&A
Enhanced oil recovery
Improved oil recovery
Production efficiency
- integrity and reliability
Small field
development/
subsea
Seismic imaging
and evaluation
Well plugging
and abandonment
Mature Field
Oil and Gas
Technology
Leadership Board
Decommissioning
Exploration
Field
Development
“The rate of technology
development and deployment
to improve exploration success,
increase recovery and
safely extend the operating lives
of oil and gas fields is, after all,
one of the key factors that
will determine the
UK Continental Shelf ’s future.”
Priority technology areas for the Oil and Gas Technology
Leadership Board
