Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK — The latest Technology Insights report from Britain’s North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) identifies 1,200 new technologies in operation across the UK Continental Shelf in 2023.
Fifty-five operators responded to the NSTA’s survey, which found a sharp increase in application of net zero technologies (141 last year compared with 61 in 2021), and also data and digital technologies, which have almost doubled to 381 over the same period.
The main focus for innovation has been facilities management, including deployment of monitoring equipment by aerial drones and autonomous underwater vehicles. There have also been advances in installations and topsides, reservoir and well management.
New ideas are being implemented in seismic and exploration, well drilling and construction, subsea systems, well P&A and facilities decommissioning.
The largest sums were invested in well drilling and construction and installations, with operators overall committing £200 million ($255 million) to technology bought from suppliers and £65 million ($82.83 million) to their own R&D programs. This compares with £156 million ($199 million) and £49 million ($62.5 million) respectively in 2022.
The report’s installations and topsides section highlights the emphasis being placed on emission reduction and low-carbon power technologies. Examples include fixed forward-looking infra-red cameras for methane emission measurement; higher uptake of flare gas recovery technologies to reduce hydrocarbon waste; and broader use of digital twin technologies to support offshore asset interactions.
In addition, the report notes growing adoption of low-carbon power technology and energy efficiency technologies to reduce carbon emissions, for example via hybrid power systems, waste heat recovery and electrification-enabling developments.
And the reservoir and well management section draws attention to which highlights the adoption of advanced modeling techniques and water shut-off systems to help improve and enhance recovery.
01.26.2024
