OGI Summer 2022 by Emery Hill Media Ltd

Oil & Gas

INNOVATION Summer 2022

FOCUS: THE ENERGY TRANSITION

THE CURRENT GAS MARKET

A Leading Voice of the Energy Transition

EUROPE’S CHANGING ENERGY CLIMATE

CONNECTIVITY: OFFSHORE

MudCube



A modern, safe, and cost-effective solution for primary solids control ▪ Reduce carbon footprint and total well cost while optimizing solids control performance ▪ Minimize mud losses and reduce waste levels without compromising mud quality ▪ Improve working conditions and operator environment

Cubility AS Tel. +47 47472550

www.cubility.com

sales@cubility.com

linkedin.com/company/cubility Cubility AS

tel. +47 47472550

www.cubility.com

sales@cubility.com

linkedin.com/company/cubility

www.oilandgasinnovation.co.uk

Summer 2022 CEO Matthew Patten Managing Editor Simon Milliere Publishing Director Edward Findlay edward@oilandgasinnovation.co.uk Commercial Director & Advertising Enquiries Nicholas Parker nparker@oilandgasinnovation.co.uk Technical Director and Website Ashish Jaswal it@oginnovation.co.uk Office Assistants Janet Elseberg admin@oilandgasinnovation.co.uk Contributing Journalist Emma Patten Business Development Executives Mylene Daugan mylene@oilandgasinnovation.co.uk Augusto Trinidad Jr augusto@oginnovation.co.uk Hazelle Ramirez hazelle@oginnovation.co.uk Daryl Cruz daryl@oginnovation.co.uk Bella Granzo bella@oginnovation.co.uk

Emery Hill Media Dalton House 60 Winsor Avenue London SW19 2RR Tel: +44 330 043 4969 Follow Us

Oil and Gas

Ever since the start of the Norwegian oil adventure, Crane Norway Group has played an important role in construction and maintenance work in the oil and gas industry in Norway.

Offshore

Crane Norway Group has extensive experience with mobile cranes on offshore installations on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Refineries

We have more than 25 years of experience in the field. Our cranes and personnel are in action every day at refineries in Hammerfest, Aukra, Mongstad and Kollsnes to name a few.

Industry

We perform all kinds of services for industrial customers. We lift heavy structures with one or more cranes as needed, and we can transport them from A to B.

CRANE NORWAY GROUP W: www.cranenorway.com E: post@cranenorway.com T: +47 51444100

Creating Safe Connections Solutions for today and tomorrow. In a world constantly on the move, safety at the highest level isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. Bridges2000 contributes to that safety by building and supplying reliable bridges and gangway connections. Connections that ensure people’s safe movement from one world to another during their work. So that at the end of the day (shift) they can safely return to that important world of home.

BO OFFSHORE GANGWAY i

FULL SERVICE:

We do the engineering production and installation ourselves. This way the highest possible safety can be guaranteed.

FAST DELIVERY: Need a solution quickly? We might even deliver in the same week.

IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION: We produce fast, safe and always fit for purpose.

- We deliver, fast, safe and fit for purpose -

BRIDGES

FENDERS

GANGWAYS

INNOVATIONS

MULTICATS

+31 (0)10-820 1770 - info@bridges2000.com

PONTOONS

CONTENTS

COVER STORIES & SPECIALS

The Right Connection

OGI sits down with industrial network provider, Tampnet AS to find out more about the state of Fibre Optics in the offshore industry and help us understand why a reliable connection is increasingly becoming essential to performing safe and efficient offshore operations.

The Gold Standard

OGI sits down with Jeyhun Najafli, Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Upstream Ltd to talk about a range of topics affecting the modern oilfield. There is pressure to boost energy production, to meet present demands, but also to make sure that it is done in an environmentally friendly manner. We learn how this is possible with Mr Najafli below.

Responsible Offshore Energy Production

OGI sits down with regular contributor, energy infrastructure and technology company, Yinson, to discuss responsible offshore energy production.

Europe’s Changing Energy Climate The Current Gas Market

WORLD INDUSTRY NEWS Europe MENA South America Asia Pacific

32 87 92 96

EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION Oliver Valvetek Ltd, Wins the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Again Cheshire based Oliver Valvetek Ltd is to be recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its excellence in international trade.

Remote Flare Monitoring

Enabling safety, sustainability and profitability with Remote Flare Monitoring.

Cryogenic Bidirectional Ball Valves 6

SOLVING SUBSEA COMPLEXITY

RISERS FORGINGS

PIPE & FLOW LINES

BODIES

FORGED BAR STOCK

subseatec.se

CONTENTS MIDSTREAM & PIPELINES Go Full Digital Twin with LoRaWAN Sensors.

A new generation of sensor technology now makes it incredibly easy to fully digitise a facility to deliver on the predictive maintenance promise.

Safe Lifting Starts with Better Pipe Handling

Offshore safety has always been a focus area for drilling operations and should be a priority for all oil and gas companies. There are several important aspects to look at, when it comes to offshore safety, but lifting and crane safety should be of the highest priority, to reduce offshore incidents.

Saving Time and Money with Smart Pipe-Spool Prefabrication HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT Best Practice to Safely See Inside Critical Rig Equipment

76 52 64

In his latest article, Geo Therm Ltd, Managing Director Tony Dale describes how best IR equipment can be utilized to safely inspect inside equipment with a thermal camera without opening or disrupting critical operations.

Aviation Friction Assessments

By, Justin Lewis, Managing Director of Pro Friction Services Ltd.

SPECIAL: CYBER SECURITY PROCESSING Mega-Size Valves?

Control Seal B.V., located in Appingedam, the Netherlands, holds the worldwide reputation when it comes to ‘big-size’, or ‘mega-size’ valves. Officially approved for unlimited size from Aramco, Control Seal currently possesses the world record of the largest-ever made double block and bleed dual expanding plug valve of 48” RB 150 LBS.

EVENTS PAGE

107

HAMPRO High Pressure Pumps tailor-made and fully integrated

HAMPRO MC5 - 7 plunger 180 m³/h, 250 bar, 1100 kW

Hammelmann Process Pumps are used in the Oil and Gas Industries to pump a

Reciprocating pumps to API 674

very wide range of fluids. Due to their special

• Glycol pumps

design features, the pumps meet the stringent

• Leak test pumps

requirements of the relevant safety and reliability

• Methanol pumps

regulations.

• Produced water injection pumps • Sea water injection pumps

Our team of experts will help you configure the

• 50 – 4000 bar

perfect solution for your individual application.

• 0,1 – 180 m³/h

Hammelmann GmbH hammelmann-process.de

Carl-Zeiss-Straße 6–8 59302 Oelde • Germany

Tel. +49 (0) 25 22 / 760 pp@hammelmann.de

„Start your Process“ catalogue hammelmann.com/process

COVER STORY

The Right Connection OGI sits down with industrial network provider, Tampnet AS to find out more about the state of Fibre Optics in the offshore industry and help us understand why a reliable connection is increasingly becoming essential to performing safe and efficient offshore operations. OGI: Could you start by explaining Tampnet AS’ credentials and experience in terms of your products and services for the oil and gas sector? Could you tell our readers the breadth of your experience, how long the company has been active, and its reach? Tampnet: Tampnet was founded in 2001, in Stavanger, Norway, operating a subsea fibre network and delivering telecommunication services in the Norwegian North Sea. Since then, Tampnet has grown considerably, now owning and operating a network consisting of 4500km of subsea fibre, 200 microwave links and approximately 100 LTE base stations covering over 500,000 km2 across the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, and Eastern Canada. Services provided on our network include Fibre and Microwave backhaul, 4G LTE advanced mobile services and NB-IoT. We have recently signed a partnership with a leading Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite operator to further expand our capabilities and coverage solutions for customers across the various geographies and industries, including oil and gas, wind energy, aviation and mobile marine vessels. OGI: Could you talk a bit about the history of fibre optic communications and where that has led us today? Tampnet: Fibre optics has been the backbone of the general communications industry for decades now, with an increasing number of customers getting their connectivity directly through optic fibres. In recent years, more communication networks are built solely on fibre optics due to its ability to transfer data at high speeds and in large volumes, unaffected by weather and atmospheric conditions. The offshore industries are no different, however, depending on the type, age and location of the facility, optic fibre is not always present. In these cases, communications have relied on satellite and microwave technologies. As the industry has developed, optic fibre cores have been incorporated into facility design,

further expanding the capabilities of offshore communications. Connectivity is no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity to support efficient operations, sustainability and robust, secure offshore operations. Fibre optics are still the backbone for connectivity in these industries, but we also test and incorporate the latest technologies, such as LEOS, to provide backup to fibre, enable connectivity in new areas and add flexibility to meet the needs of the mobile marine industry. OGI: What are some of the advantages for your clients, having better connectivity to their offshore assets? Tampnet: Reliable connectivity is paramount to safe and efficient offshore operations. The oil and gas industry is working hard to reduce its carbon footprint, while maintaining a constant focus on safety and reliability of its assets and operations. In the earlier days, these structures were not only isolated, but requiring a plethora of manual checks and tasks to be carried out in person by experienced professionals. Analog instrumentation was manually read and data incorporated in calculations. Preventative maintenance was commonly carried out on a schedule as machinery breakdown could have a detrimental effect on operational efficiency, safety and budget. To maintain a high standard, a wide range of skill sets were required onboard at all times. Now, with increased digitalization of the facilities and workflows, remote operations can be run effectively from shore and collaboration with remote experts allows work scopes to be carried out sooner and at a lower cost. Online predictive maintenance and condition monitoring systems offer visibility into real-time plant and asset health, providing reliability engineers and operators clear parameters to work from when ramping up to meet market demands, or when scheduling maintenance tasks. High capacity and low latency communications means that data is now available, where and when it is needed. New digital twin technologies can further enhance the benefits of accessing granular data, allowing operators to leverage the insights of big data analysis to determine optimal next steps.

North Sea Coverage. For workers, the benefits include having the capability to maintain contact with their family and friends onshore, they can now surf the web or even use streaming services while offshore – a true gamechanger for wellbeing initiatives on these remote facilities. OGI: What are some of the difficulties associated with connectivity offshore? Tampnet: Offshore installations are generally located in areas with some of the most inhospitable weather conditions, battered by high seas, strong winds, hurricanes and extreme temperatures. Salt and humidity can wreak havoc on structures, assets and equipment, and the isolation and distance from shore add further complexities for both installation and ongoing maintenance activities. Over our 21 years of operation, we have developed comprehensive engineering processes for planning and implementing offshore projects. Our engineering teams work closely with equipment manufacturers to ensure installations are fit-for-purpose, robust and reliable, meeting our customer’s needs and high standards. To ease mobilization demands, our network design engineers will supply the necessary equipment in kits for installation at sea by qualified technicians already onboard. Our operations engineers are available to assist remotely if needed and the Network Operations Centre, with full visibility of

our entire network, is available 24/7 to ensure commissioning is completed correctly. For more complex installations, our engineers are fully certified and experienced in offshore installation procedures and will work with onsite teams to complete commissioning on time, minimizing interruption to operational communications. OGI: Could you talk about the work you do in relation to IoT? Tampnet: IoT, automation and big data analysis are shaping the future of all aspects of offshore operations, from personnel safety through to drilling, production and maintenance operations. Efficiency, sustainability and security are paramount for our clients. The key to harnessing the latest technology and cloud computing power lies in having access to secure, reliable, high capacity, low latency communications networks. Tampnet provides connectivity via various channels from shore to site, with built in redundancy to maintain connectivity for the most critical data. Mobile facilities, including supply and service vessels, drilling rigs and floatels are able to leverage these communications through our expansive 4G networks. For complex structure designs, such as rigs and vessels, we install signal amplifiers, providing complete 4G internal coverage throughout these facilities. Ultimately, both fixed and mobile assets can connect to shore via private or hybrid networks, allowing our customers to solve challenges including: •

Better coverage to replace WiFi and achieve seamless connectivity

•

Enhanced authentication and security

•

Full access control to public networks

•

Autonomous operations / “island mode”

•

On-premise edge computing capabilities.

IoT sensors and platforms can then be deployed and enabled en-masse across the network to improve equipment efficiencies and predictability without the expensive and time consuming cabling installations previously needed. Tampnet is dedicated to bringing the benefits of onshore connectivity to all our offshore customers. Our laboratory can carry out testing

of 3rd party IoT devices to ensure connectivity and compatibility with our network, prior to mobilizing and commissioning offshore. OGI: Finally, could you enlighten our readers of a case study where you helped a client with your solutions? Tampnet: We have many great examples. The best ones where we really demonstrate our footprint, cost efficiencies, expertise and capabilities is when we come into the early discussions of new field developments. The major oil companies will have typically have subsea fiber to shore in their basic design, but will settle for something less if this proves to be too difficult. In our established basins, Tampnet may have existing infrastructure on the seabed only 2030km away, while the alternative would be to run a new, non-redundant, fibre to shore 200-300km away. Needless to say, there are huge cost benefits to this, and with Tampnet taking on the turnkey fibre project to connect this new asset, this significantly reduces hassle and risk for the project organisation. Once the new facility is in place, Tampnet will establish the physical fibre connection and install all telecom transmission equipment in the telecom equipment room. Furthermore, Tampnet will also install an LTE base station, adding to its overall coverage, while simultaneously ensuring that the new asset has full LTE and NB-IoT coverage throughout its asset as well as in the marine area around the platform of a 40-50km radius. The latter means that all subsea and drilling operations will get the benefit of a “wireless extension” of the fibre connectivity to this asset. For the last 8 years Tampnet has completed 12 projects like this for companies such as Shell, Total, Equinor, Neptune and AkerBP. We are also currently amid two such projects in the Gulf of Mexico. For these new field developments it is a way of future proofing their upcoming needs for ever increasing, reliable data connectivity, as well as their need for wireless connectivity to leverage new technologies. This is all in an effort to minimise carbon footprint, improve safety and to enable digitalisation and efficient operations.

Another example lies with one of the most challenging offshore oil & gas facilities in the world which is located in 3000m water depth. This is the world´s deepest permanent offshore production asset, and sits about 300km from shore. This facility is also quite far away from other offshore facilities in the area. The asset was initially commissioned using a low capacity satellite solution with high latency for the data traffic. Tampnet was able to first connect this asset to our 4G network, and will later this year complete installation of a subsea fibre optic cable to serve the asset. This cable will be connected by using remotely operated vehicles in 3000m of water depth. This has never been done before for a communications cable. The new system of fibre and 4G connectivity will enable our customer to deploy all of its efficiency solutions and make production safer, more efficient and reliable than before. Our customers have already started installing IoT sensors on their most challenging applications, including structural corrosion and vibration monitoring for fatigue. The sensors installed are enabled with 4G sim cards, transmitting data to the control center for analysis and action. This is a game-changer for operators, as both structural fatigue and corrosion can result in catastrophic results if not identified and managed effectively. Maintenance needs are now more accurately predicted, and can be scheduled accordingly with all the necessary equipment at hand. Another customer has been using remote viewing technology on mobile drilling rigs to carryout daily safety walkarounds and close visual inspection of components where machinery faults may be suspected. Through these tools, a mechanical fitter can use the handheld high-definition camera to provide visibility to a specialist onshore for faultfinding and reducing the guesswork on spares selection prior to mobilization for any repairs. The use cases for remote collaboration are extensive, not only reducing costs for personnel mobilization, but also planning work scopes and simultaneous operations (SimOps). OGI: Thank you for your time. • If you would like to know more about the topics discussed in this article, or would like to know more about Tampnet AS’ solutions please contact them at: Tampnet AS T: +47 908 03 803 E: info@tampnet.com W: https://www.tampnet.com

Gulf of Mexico Coverage.

COVER STORY

The Gold Standard OGI sits down with Jeyhun Najafli, Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Upstream Ltd to talk about a range of topics affecting the modern oilfield. There is pressure to boost energy production, to meet present demands, but also to make sure that it is done in an environmentally friendly manner. We learn how this is possible with Mr Najafli below.

OGI: Could you start by explaining Advanced Upstream’s credentials and experience in terms of your products and services for the oil and gas sector? Could you tell our readers the breadth of your experience, how long the company has been active, and its reach? Najafli: Advanced Upstream was founded in 2018, and we have accomplished so much over a short period of time. Boosting energy production while reducing environmental impact has been Advanced Upstream’s goal from day one. The company’s mission is to set the “Gold Standard” in completions technology. As global energy demand increases, commodity prices are volatile and environmental laws continue to be stricter, creating a great deal of pressure for producers. It is also expected that energy will be produced cheaper and environmentally friendly at the same time. This can not be

achieved without innovation. That is exactly what our company’s versatile professionals are passionate about. Advanced Upstream Ltd., a Calgary-based oilfield equipment company specializing in the engineering and production of downhole completion tools, came to the market with a revolutionary fracturing system that helped us to widen our operations from Canada to USA. OGI: Have there been advances in hydraulic fracturing since the method has been widely used? What are the risks associated with traditional unconventional completions? Najafli: The hydraulic fracturing technology has evolved significantly over the past two decades. In order to increase the overall number of fracturing stages and the

Jeyhun Najafli, Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Upstream Ltd.

length of the lateral, multi-stage completion systems continue to develop. Plug-andperf is currently the most commonly used fracturing method in North America. Plugand-perf requires the use of perforation guns, wireline, milling operations and significant amount of water. Casing deformation and required operational interventions also create challenges contributing to limited lateral length. For extended reach wells, frac sleeves are thought to be a better option compared to plug-and-perf. Ball-drop sleeve activation systems are available and have many successful installations. However, such technology requires coiled tubing as part of the operational intervention which is not the most cost effective and practical well completion method, in particular for single well pads. Here at Advanced Upstream we always believed that more can be done to improve project economics, reliability and help operators to meet their Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. OGI: Can you talk about how Advanced Upstream both enhances energy production while at the same time, reduces environmental impact? Najafli: Natural resource sustainability cannot be achieved without innovation. In spite of the recent downturn in the industry, creativity and innovation have flourished. Thus, Advanced Upstream Ltd. came to the market with a revolutionary frac system, the Limitless® Frac System, that enables any number of fracturing stages, non-stop frac stimulation without the need for well intervention and allows operators to reduce their carbon footprint. I have decades of work experience in the oil and gas industry around the world, from the field operations to R&D, and a great passion for new technologies. The intent in designing Limitless® was to provide continuous pumping operations without the need of any explosives, wireline, coiled tubing, and milling-outs. We wanted to develop a fracturing system that would be safe, quick, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective. We are very excited to see that after a series of successful field trials, the technology is at the commercial stage. OGI: Can you talk about your LIMITLESS® - Fracturing System? How is it different from existing technologies on the market? Najafli: Our patented Limitless® Frac System utilizes Contactless Sleeve Recognition (CSR) technology and features a compact, intelligent,

programmable dart made of a dissolvable magnesium alloy. The dart is programmed and launched at surface to land in a specific sleeve. Reliable, miniature electronic onboard sensors allow the dart to know its position within wellbore and “activate” the dart before landing in to the target sleeve. The dart dissolves after the fracturing treatment leaving behind a large bore for production. Compared to plug-and-perf or ball-drop, Limitless®: •

Has a smaller footprint, requires less equipment and personnel.

•

Allows operators to reduce complexities and risks, increase operational efficiency, save time, money and improve their ESG requirements while using less water and fuel.

•

Eliminates the use of wireline, perf guns/ setting tools/plugs, coiled tubing milling and wellbore cleaning which are required in plug-and-perf operations.

•

Allows constant frac rates and limitless number of frac stages.

•

Offers a Limitless® Cluster Sleeve configuration that provides multiple frac treatment points per stage.

OGI: What are some of the advantages of working with Advanced Upstream, and how do you save your clients money with your solutions? Najafli: Advanced Upstream brings value to both completion and production operations, provides operators with a number of economic and operational benefits by eliminating the use of wireline, perf guns/setting tool/plugs, coiled tubing milling and wellbore cleaning. The Limitless® technology that AU offers to its

customers, allows constant frac rates, more frac stages in extended-reach horizontal wells and also allows to access the farthest stages at the toe of the lateral. Additionally, Limitless® helps to reduce drilling and completions risks offering the innovative sleeves that ensure to prevent erosion and washout, and darts which are not susceptible to sand/solids due to no mechanical indexing. Advanced Upstream always prioritizes customers needs. Our tools can be customized to Operator’s requirements. As was mentioned above, we offer the technology that eliminates the use of wireline, guns/setting tools/ plugs, coiled tubing milling and wellbore cleaning which are required in plug-and-perf operations, therefore helping the Operator to significantly reduce the expenses needed for

those operations. OGI: Finally, could you enlighten our readers of a case study where you helped a client with your solutions? Najafli: As of today, we have successfully completed around 30 jobs for major Canadian Operators and have installed more than 1000 Sleeves. One of the examples of a successful project completion with the Limitless® Cluster and Landing Sleeves is the job performed in the Montney formation, Canada. CSR technology enabled opening of 74 sleeves. 20 stages were successfully treated leaving behind 95% drift. A single dart allowed opening of 4 entry points per stage (3 cluster, 1 landing sleeve). Acoustic monitoring was used to verify opening of all sleeves. The Canadian Operator was able to achieve the following: •

Time improvement: 70% of time saving per frac job.

•

Cost improvement: about 400,000 USD per well (depends on well) due to reduction of additional equipment and man hours.

•

Process complexity reduction: no issues of mechanical indexing, constant frac rates, no intervention

•

Environmental input: over 20% water savings, about 35% fuel savings and 40% reduction in CO2 emissions.

•

Safety improvement: no perforation guns, less personnel.

Thanks to Limitless®, Operators don’t have to make sacrifices between appropriated spending and unrestricted well completion quality. OGI: Thank you for time. • If you would like to know more about the topics discussed in this interview, please contact: Advanced Upstream Ltd T: +1 403 890 8990 E: info@advancedupstream.com W: http://www.advancedupstream.com

COVER STORY - THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Responsible Offshore Energy Production OGI sits down with regular contributor, energy infrastructure and technology company, Yinson. Yinson provides a good example for offshore energy companies and the role they can play in their journey towards building a more sustainable energy supply system. With a fleet of 8 FPSOs around the world, Yinson is involved in multiple offshore energy production projects, along with their renewable energy goals, which we learn more about below. Yinson Renewables 175 MWp Rising Bhadla 1&2 Solar Plants. OGI: Can you talk about your sustainability journey? Yinson: Since setting sustainability as a core value in 2018, Yinson has embarked on an ambitious journey that puts sustainability considerations at the core of all our decision-making. This has required us to step out into the unknown to pioneer, innovate, and forge new partnerships toward achieving our goals and targets. We aim to enhance long-term shareholder value with due regard to the environmental, economic, social and governance aspects by being a reliable and adaptable partner to all our stakeholders. Yinson contributes directly to seven SDGs across our business divisions. We advocate and invite businesses across our value chain to do the same and encourage their contribution to the wider SDGs. You may read about our commitment to the UN SDGs on our website: https://www.yinson.com/our-commitment-toun-sdg/ Some notable recent sustainability milestones include the announcement of our climate goals, improvements to our various sustainabilityrelated ratings, raising RM 1.0 billion through Malaysia’s first Sustainability-Linked Sukuk Wakalah Programme and the release of our inaugural TCFD-aligned climate report. Today, ESG considerations form part of our employee compensation evaluations, supplier selection

and project selection as examples of how we are integrating ESG into how we operate. OGI: Can you talk about your climate goals? Yinson: At Yinson, we aspire to be part of the solution towards solving the global climate issue. In line with the Paris Agreement, Yinson established our climate goals to be carbon neutral by 2030 and net zero by 2050 in May 2021. Yinson’s climate goals roadmap provides a forward-looking trajectory of Yinson’s carbon profile up to 2050, highlighting specific action plans and operational changes to reduce carbon emissions. The projected key milestones for emissions reductions of Yinson Production is also outlined within the roadmap, providing a realistic direction towards the achievement of our climate goals. We ensure that our climate actions are aligned with our Group strategies. We believe this alignment will create greater value for our stakeholders and the wider community. Yinson announced our support for the TCFD framework in August 2021 and aims to work towards implementing the recommendations. In December 2021, Yinson released our first climate report aligning with the TCFD recommendations, outlining our strong governance and commitment to transparency in climate disclosures covering the four core elements – Governance, Strategy, Risk

FPSO Helang is currently deployed in Miri, Malaysia

Management, and Metrics and Targets. OGI: What is Yinson’s role in the oil and gas lifecycle? Yinson: Yinson is an energy infrastructure and technology company with businesses in offshore production, renewables, green technologies and offshore marine. Yinson Production designs, constructs, and operates industry-leading production assets for the offshore oil and gas industry towards improving global access to stable and affordable energy. Yinson’s services primarily contribute to the development and production phases of the offshore oil and gas field lifecycle. In the development phase, Yinson uses our experience to ensure that the FPSO is designed and constructed to be fit for purpose at the intended location, while in the production phase, hydrocarbons are produced and processed safely and with an uptime close to 100%. An FPSO asset is designed to receive and process hydrocarbons, and then store them until they can be offloaded. Essentially, Yinson is the de facto production arm of the oil companies we work for. OGI: What are some key projects you are currently working on around the world? Yinson: Yinson Production has a fleet of 8

Yinson GreenTech investment in EVs and EV charging infrastructure.

FPSOs and 1 FSO, with 6 of them operational in the Africa and Southeast Asia regions and 3 currently under construction, bound for the Latin America region. We have a USD16.8 billion strong orderbook over firm and option periods until 2048. Our FPSO Anna Nery project which is bound for the Marlim Field in Campos Basin, Brazil remains on track and will sail away planned in Q3 2022. Our team’s hard work and adaptability, as well as the close working relationship with our client, vendors and shipyard, have been able to mitigate the additional risk brought on by Covid-19. Even with the pandemic, our progress on the project is in line with where we would expect to be on a normal FPSO project. The FPSO Maria Quitéria project commenced on 12 November 2021. Works are well underway at Cosco Changxin shipyard. Thus, the project is on track to achieve its challenging 32-month schedule with scheduled deployment in 2024. FPSO OSX-2, now renamed FPSO Atlanta, safely arrived in Dubai from Indonesia on 14 March 2022, where she will be retrofitted for redeployment over an 18-month period. The engineering for the project is well advanced and we are on track with the scheduled deployment in 2024 at the Atlanta field in Brazil. Apart from the offshore production business, Yinson is also working hard to build our renewables business. Yinson Renewables currently has 175 MWp operational renewable energy assets and 285 MWp renewable energy assets under construction. Beyond this Yinson has 5 GW of pipeline renewables projects focusing mainly on onshore wind and solar. On the Green Technologies front, Yinson GreenTech is currently active in multiple investments related to clean technologies and digitalisation, including EV charging solutions and swappable batteries, autonomous and robotic technologies with application in EVs, advanced hydrofoil systems for electric vessels and energy storage solutions. OGI: Where do you see Yinson in the future, medium and long term? Yinson: Yinson’s vision is to be a global energy solutions provider that is known for

being reliable, open, adaptable, decisive and sustainable. We will continue to build on our strong leadership team, skilled workforce and corporate culture.

purposeful opportunity is something we look forward to delivering in future on both the production of the energy and the use of the energy.

Yinson Production’s goal is to increase our portfolio of profitable assets while leading the way towards net zero with responsible solutions, in line with our Climate Goals to be carbon neutral by 2030 and net zero by 2050. We are committed to working with our stakeholders to execute projects on time, on budget and deliver high-quality operations. In the short to medium term, Yinson Production will focus on building a sustainable pipeline of conversion and redeployment projects, proactively drive ESG projects towards achieving our carbon intensity reduction goals and pursue a proactive digitalisation strategy. In the longer term horizon, we aim to create a strong order book with stable cashflows to capture market opportunities.

To read more details on Yinson’s goals, short to medium and long-term strategies, please visit https://www.yinson.com/about-us/

In the shorter 5 year horizon, Yinson Renewables will focus on developing a significant presence in three core markets, expanding to 5 to 7 markets within the next 6 to 10 years through both organic growth and acquisitions. Our GreenTech division aims to continue to identify and invest in strategic green technology companies while driving innovation and developing assets within the marine, mobility and energy segments. In the longer term, the division aims to establish Yinson as an established brand within net zero technologies and businesses, helping businesses to achieve their own net zero goals. We are investing in our future. We believe in a future where reliable, affordable and clean energy will be a reality. This

Yinson GreenTech investment in advanced hydrofoil system for electric vessels.

OGI: Finally, could you enlighten our readers of a case study where you helped a client with your solutions? Yinson: In collaboration with our clients, Yinson has adopted three innovative technical solutions for our new FPSOs. These solutions include a closed flaring system, combined cycle technology, and a seawater turbine generator. Through these solutions, we aim to actively manage and reduce the GHG emissions from an FPSO project in Latin America. A closed flaring system reduces GHG emissions to zero from the flare system during normal operation. The closed flaring system recovers all gas sent to the flare through the topside process systems. Combined cycle technology typically uses a gas turbine to drive an electric power generator for power production and recovers waste heat from the exhaust gas via the heat recovery steam generator to generate steam. The steam produced is used for additional power production in a steam turbine. By installing a combined cycle system, the efficiency is improved for the overall power generation system, which means less fuel consumed per unit of energy generated, hence lowering the overall GHG emissions of the operation. To augment power generation onboard the vessel, additional power can be generated by installing turbines in the overboard seawater discharge caissons. Testing indicates a potential saving of up to 50% of the consumed power for the seawater lift system. OGI: Thank you for your time. • Yinson Holdings Berhad T: +603-2289 3888 E: info@yinson.com W: https://www.yinson.com

EUROPE’S CHANGING ENERGY CLIMATE Germany’s Energy Future

ew could have predicted the seismic changes to Germany’s energy policy over the past six months. In 2021 it seemed certain that Nord Stream II would come online and become one of the main providers of German gas. Meanwhile Germany could slowly build up its investment in renewables, meeting the initial targets set out in the EU’s Green Deal. The crisis in Ukraine has changed all of that. Now, Germany is investing heavily in LNG as it seeks to rapidly replace supplies from the Russian pipeline, while simultaneously securing new agreements with suppliers for renewable energy. The move away from Russian gas has shaped much of the activity around Europe’s energy policy in the last months, but nowhere has this been more striking than in Germany. After years of relying on Russian supply, and an anticipated commitment to further dependence, Germany has now pivoted to LNG deals with other suppliers, with plans in place to reduce Russian gas imports from 55% down to 10% by the middle of 2024. Efforts are already underway to build Germany’s first permanent LNG terminal, while four FSRUs (tankers that can convert LNG back into gas) have also been rapidly secured. With pressure on the country from industry and consumers to meet existing demand, the challenge for the German government is sourcing enough supply from the relevant partners. The US has been a key player here, agreeing import deals not just with Germany but much of Europe, while Qatar, one of the world’s largest suppliers of LNG, is also expected to contribute significantly. Co-operation with the Middle East more broadly has been a defining characteristic of Germany’s new energy policy. Earlier in the year, the Green Party’s economy minister Robert Habeck visited both the UAE and Qatar to discuss ways to increase energy trade. As well as LNG, Habeck agreed hydrogen co-operations deal with ministers from both countries, reflecting Germany’s efforts to step up its investment in the energy transition as a means of easing the extent to which it has to solely replace Russian gas with LNG. Germany’s preexisting hydrogen strategy had already set down a demand of 3mtpa by 2030, but this spate of agreements, alongside similar commitments with Japan and India, suggest hydrogen has now become a core priority, not just for Germany’s energy transition, but also its energy security. Based in Milan this September, Gastech will be a key platform for the industry to discuss not only the policy changes taking place in Germany, but across Europe and around the world. Host to the leading companies in LNG and naturas gas across the value chain, and on the doorstep of Europe’s major policymakers, Gastech will be uniquely placed to generate discussions around the industry’s future. Also host to the Gastech Hydrogen conference, Gastech will provide a meeting point for the entire sector to discuss and shape Europe’s energy future. By Sarah Howell, Vice President, Gastech •

Hydrogen, From Strategy to Delivery

ast week, Gastech and Energy Connects hosted a webinar bringing together senior executives from Baker Hughes, Siemens Energy, Technip Energies and McKinsey & Company to discuss the key challenges shaping the hydrogen industry. Attended by over 1000 executives and professionals from around the world, the panel surveyed the changes taking place in the industry, and the opportunities on the horizon. Over the last six months, investment in hydrogen has taken off. According to moderator Bernd Heid, Senior Partner at McKinsey, since last year’s COP26 the number of hydrogen investments has increased by 50%, reaching $160bn worldwide. With more than 520 projects in train, and roughly half of these at a mature stage, momentum appears to have swung behind hydrogen as a major technology in the global energy transition. As our panellists outlined, one of the key obstacles for hydrogen has been affordability – something which has become less of an issue over time due to the increase in cheap renewable power and carbon capture projects. As a result, we could well see hydrogen become competitive with other renewable technologies, and even conventional fuels. Another major topic of discussion was where these hydrogen projects are developing. Dr. Stefan Diezinger, Head of Sustainable Energy Systems at Siemens Energy, suggested that hydrocarbon economies will be in a strong position to ramp up hydrogen production because they already have the abundance of energy required to quickly do so. Australia, India, and the MENA region were all touted as future hydrogen hubs. Alessandro Bresciani, Senior Vice President, Climate Technology Solutions at Baker Hughes, argued that we may also see the approach to hydrogen development change. He suggested that Europe may increasingly act collectively as a single hydrogen terminal to reduce its infrastructure and production costs, something already in development under the new EU Energy Platform. The webinar showed that while there is plenty of debate around how the global hydrogen market will develop, the industry is taking hydrogen more seriously than ever before. The future of hydrogen will be a major component of this year’s Gastech Hydrogen event in Milan, 5-8 September. Bringing together policymakers, and energy leaders from around the world, Gastech will be the major forum for the industry to take stock of the changes made so far and set out a roadmap for hydrogen’s development. •

EUROPE’S CHANGING ENERGY CLIMATE Low Carbon LNG Norway, Europe’s Energy Powerhouse

uropean energy markets are in flux. As the industry moves fast to cope with a resurgence of post-pandemic demand and continued disruptions to energy flows caused by the crisis in Ukraine, Europe is looking for long-term sources of reliable energy. In this volatile landscape, Norway’s abundance of oil, gas, and hydropower resources make it uniquely well-positioned to strengthen European energy security, without compromising on its green transition. Exporting close to 90% of its total energy production, Norway is the seventh-largest natural gas producer in the world. With comparatively low production costs and reduced carbon emissions, Norway has been a strong position to support global markets, even before the global increase in demand. As Russian gas cut-offs upend energy security, and transatlantic LNG tankers struggle to top up supplies, Norway is playing an important stabilising role on the European continent. If worst-case projections of a long and harsh winter and large-scale energy-rationing come to pass, Norway’s supply capacity will be ever more critical. The Nordic country has a range of natural advantages that make it wellequipped to lead Europe’s energy transition. As one of the first countries to implement a carbon tax, Norway has a long history of leading the wider Scandinavian region’s energy policy. Its almost entirely renewables-based electricity system has sustainably exported electricity to neighbouring countries for decades, and positions Norway well as a future leader in hydrogen production. European neighbours can learn from Norway’s successful efforts in decarbonising a range of sectors with innovations in electric vehicles, carbon capture and storage, and the hydrogen space all likely to have an influence on Europe’s ongoing efforts to meet net zero targets. Innovations from across Norway’s energy value chain will be on full display at this year’s Gastech through the Norway country pavilion on the Gastech exhibition floor. Hosting over 4,000 delegates, and over 38,000 attendees, Gastech will feature more than 750 exhibitors from across the energy value chain, and 16 national pavilions showcasing the latest innovations in the industry. By Christopher Hudson, President, dmg events. •

022 has become a banner year for LNG. Europe’s pivot away from Russian gas has caused a surge in demand, with prices rising as supplies tighten. As such, the LNG market has become even more critical for solidifying global energy security. Every week sees an announcement of a new investment in LNG facilities, accompanied by the rationale that existing capacity will struggle to meet global demand. As the LNG market booms, attention is turning to how the market’s leading players can reduce their emissions. As important as energy security is, many voices in the industry are also keen to make sure LNG’s market expansion does not ignore the global energy transition. One solution to this issue could be the development of a market for what is sometimes called low carbon, carbon-neutral, or ‘Green’ LNG. Rather than a mechanism for producing LNG with zero emissions, low carbon LNG is a process of offsetting the carbon emissions produced through production, liquefaction, and transportation. This offsetting process is typically used through carbon credits which go towards green projects such as reforestation. The market for low carbon LNG remains in its infancy. The first low carbon LNG cargo was traded as recently as 2019 when Tokyo Gas and GS Energy purchased a carbon-neutral LNG cargo ship from Shell. Since then, a market for this kind of product has begun to grow, and last year it was reported that over 30 liquefied natural gas offset deals had been agreed, with BP, Total, and Mitsui among those involved. While enthusiasm for the practice seems to be growing, critics of the practice are concerned that there is not always a clear and transparent method for measuring emissions along the LNG value chain. They argue that it is vital for the industry to develop an accurate methodology for measuring the real emissions of individual cargos, including scope 3 emissions. If this is to be put into practice, it is very likely that it will require the participation of the entire LNG value chain, and that will only happen if the market for low carbon LNG considerably expands. Gastech’s strategic panels will explore the debates around low carbon LNG and how we grow its use. Our ‘Establishing a certified market for low carbon LNG’ will focus on key factors driving standardisation for green LNG and scenarios for certification and include BP’s Global Head of LNG Jonty Shepherd. Meanwhile Gastech will be hosting several technical and commercial sessions on low carbon LNG, looking at emissions standards in general, and relating specifically to methane. Bringing together leaders from across the energy industry, Gastech 2022 will be the forum for the entire value chain to come together and discuss the trends and challenges shaping the future of energy. •

EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION

Oliver Valvetek Ltd, Second Time Winner of the Prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise Cheshire based Oliver Valvetek Ltd is to be recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its excellence in international trade.

stablished in 1994, Oliver Valvetek is a world leading manufacturer of subsea valve technology, predominantly for the oil and gas industry. Working with some of the most advanced deep-sea oil and gas extraction infrastructure manufacturers, the company produces an ever-expanding range of valves and related products that are vital components in the extraction of oil and gas. More recently Oliver Valvetek has also found new opportunities for its technology to be used for CO2 injection into depleted oil & gas wells as part of a growing demand for carbon capture and storage applications, delivering the decarbonisation of industrial emitters. Now a second time winner of the Queen’s award for Enterprise earning recognition by achieving consistent growth in its international sales for three consecutive years. With more than 67% of the company’s entire order book being for export sales, Oliver Valvetek boasts a truly international reputation for innovation, customer service, quality and reliability. The rigorous Quality Control and Quality Assurance systems and advanced manufacturing techniques needed to produce valves that can operate at depths of up to 3,000m, at up to 20,000psi, for more than a quarter of a century, in some of the most aggressive environments

in the world is “run of the mill” for the 77 staff, including 9 engineers and 38 valve technicians, at the Knutsford headquarters. Oliver Valvetek has over 140,000 valves deployed subsea, all designed in its dedicated Engineering facilities located in Knutsford and Glenrothes, Scotland. Highly trained Sales Engineers, Quality Assurance/Control teams and Customer Care teams support a number of global customer manufacturing hubs which service a truly international customer base spanning over 55 countries. Utilising Oliver’s state of the art research and development facilities, which include a deepwater hyperbaric chamber, high pressure with high and low temperature environmental testing capability, Oliver Valvetek is able to continually innovate whilst ensuring extreme levels of reliability and meeting ever more stringent customer specifications. This has made Oliver Valvetek the first choice for many of the world’s leading oil and gas operators, utilising its in-house testing facilities to replicate actual “real world” operating conditions; just one of the many ways in which Oliver Valvetek partners with its customers to ensure the best possible outcome for even the most challenging applications. Founder

and

Chairman, Michael Oliver is rightfully extremely proud of this achievement commenting, “To win the prestigious Queen’s award is a great business achievement and of immense personal pride to me. This has only been made possible by the extraordinary talent pool of people we employ in Cheshire and from the surrounding area. Our people are the jewel in the crown – it’s with their enthusiasm, commitment, and hard work that drive’s our

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the UK. The awards were first established in 1965 and since then over 7000 companies have achieved a Queen’s Award. The awards celebrate the success of exciting and innovative businesses which are leading the way with pioneering products or services, delivering impressive social mobility programmes or showing their commitment to excellent sustainable development practices. This year 225 UK businesses have been recognised for their contribution to international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity (through social mobility). 7 of these businesses won double awards meaning that a total number of Queen’s Awards for Enterprise which were awarded in 2022 is 232. global success and I’m extremely proud of the UK engineering excellence we’re delivering to the Global Oil and Gas industry of today and how we’re significantly investing in the energy demands of tomorrow with technological research and development in Hydrogen and Carbon capture.” “This is an exciting and transformational time for Oliver Valvetek and the global energy sector, and it excites me to see our new generation of engineers involved and learning from industry experts working at our facilities in Knutsford, to continue providing first-class solutions to the world’s energy needs in more environmental and sustainable ways. For the business to be crowned with such a royal award for the second time demonstrates that the future of Oliver Valvetek has never looked as strong as it does today” • Piece written by Tony Goodwin, Business Development Manager, available at: tgoodwin@valves.co.uk Oliver Valvetek Ltd T: +44 (0) 1565 632 636 E: sales@valves.co.uk W: www.valves.co.uk

ANT Applied New Technologies AG

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MADE IN GERMANY

EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION

Focusing on API 676 Compliance Because of their operating principle and roots in wastewater treatment, progressive cavity (PC) pumps typically deviate in several respects from API 676, the petrochemical standard. Some of these deviations can be avoided while others cannot. This article describes what aspects you should pay particular attention to when using a progressive cavity pump.

rogressive cavity pumps are positive displacement pumps that handle fluids gently with only minimal shear or turbulence. They are suitable for fluids with very high viscosities and the highest solids content, even large or abrasive particles. They can deliver high pressure of 48 bar or more. Even high vapor pressure (low NPSH) or multiphase fluids are not a problem. With their linear curve and minimal pulsation, they are also suitable for dosing applications. Since PC pumps were originally used in wastewater treatment plants, their design and production are optimized for this market. They can also be used in petrochemical applications, also the much higher demands are a challenge. Furthermore, the petrochemical industry is based on US standards whereas most PC pump manufacturers are located in Europe. The modifications and upgrades necessary to adapt standard PC pumps for use in the petrochemical industry has a dramatic effect on both price and lead time. Typical PC pump issues Two issues, in particular, give rise to debates and result in customizing, namely the casing and the shaft seal. The typical PC pump cast casings fail to meet the requirements of API standards: •

•

Design pressure (MACP) >16 bar, in line with ASME flange ratings or to achieve higher containment pressure for upset conditions. Operating pressure >12 bar if the pump operates clockwise.

•

Suction and discharge region designed for the same MACP (API 676 para. 6.3.3.2).

•

Fully ASME compliant flanges (para. 6.6).

•

Nozzle loads as per API 676 (para. 6.7.1) or higher to simplify the piping layout.

•

Flanged casing drain (para. 6.4.2).

•

Corrosion resistance exceeding 316 stainless steel.

•

NORSOK qualification.

An order-specific welded design is common practice with associated high effort and costs for planning, approval, manufacturing, nondestructive testing and inspection as well as

documentation. PC pumps have articulated rotor joints to allow for the eccentric rotor movement. A rotor with such joints comes with assembly restrictions that are not compatible with an API 682 mechanical seal. At best, a heavily engineered seal in the spirit of API 682 is possible. PC vendors generally use universal cartridge seals adapted to the pump’s dimensional restrictions. Design deviations Other deviations and exceptions are rooted in the design of PC pumps and cannot be avoided. For example, its operating principle is based on permanent tight contact: the clamping of a steel rotor and an elastomer stator. There is no gap. Elastomer cannot be produced with the same precision as steel and it yields to pressure. This leads to performance tolerances exceeding the limits of API 676 (para. 8.6.3) which is +3/-0% of characteristic capacity. PC pumps typically achieve +10/5% and the tolerance is even larger for small pumps or high pressure. Another challenge is that the clamping causes wear of the stator. It has to be exchanged at regular intervals depending on the application, which is hard to predict. Non-stop operation over three years (API 676 para. 6.1) is something no PC pump can ever guarantee. The eccentric kinematics of the rotor effect

vibration. The vibration levels of a PC pump are generally higher than with other API 676 pump types based on concentric motion. A standard PC pump may well exceed the limit of 3.8 mm/s (para. 6.11). This low frequency vibration is inherent in the design and not a sign of trouble. Nevertheless, vibration is a limiting factor for vertical, semi-submerged PC pumps where the shaft can be several meters long.

PROGRESSIVE CAVITY PUMPS: API 676 COMPLIANT In the oil and gas industry, PC pumps are often used to convey sludge or oily water as well as in situations where light hydrocarbons raise the vapor pressure to a level at which other pump types would cavitate. To make life easier for project engineers and offer buyers an attractive price and lead time, SEEPEX introduced a range of horizontal PC pumps: The BNA range that was designed based on API 676. They eliminate the problems typically associated with the casing and the shaft seal and completely avoid welding. One of the main features of these BNA pumps are their heavy, cast stainless-steel casings with 50 bar design pressure. The pumps have Class 300 flanges and a flanged casing drain as standard. Fully API 682 compliant mechanical seals are used. All materials are suitable for highly corrosive or harsh environments.

PC pump advantages PC pumps typically operate at slow speeds (100-300 rpm) – about 10-20% compared to a centrifugal pump. There is no need for balancing or exact alignment and baseplates hold without precision machined pads and jacking screws. The shaft bearings of PC pumps are grease lubricated and typically sealed for life. An oil lubrication system requiring monitoring and cooling is unnecessary. It is common practice to not use dedicated shaft bearings and to instead use gearbox bearings to support the shaft – these so-called block pumps also have no coupling. The shaft seals do not generate much frictional heat. Seal cooling is rarely needed and the standard seal plans offered by PC vendors may omit the cooler stipulated by API 682. References to other US standards There are references to other US standards, for example regarding gearboxes, bearings and welding. API 676 references AGMA and ABMA standards and requires gearboxes to conform to AGMA 6010 or even API 677. However, AGMA and ABMA standards are not used outside America. European gear manufacturers design and calculate according to DIN 3990 or ISO 6336. API 677 gears are generally unavailable for a PC pump’s ratings and drive configuration. For structural welding, API 676 references AWS D1.1 (American Welding Society). Once again, welding to AWS is unusual in Europe and hardly ever available. Structural parts are mainly welded according to ISO. Project engineers preparing or evaluating a bid typically spend many hours in discussion with pump vendors to identify which of these points are relevant for the actual project, which can be accepted to cut cost and which are viewed

critically by the client so that a concession request becomes necessary, adding to the time. API 676 compliant pumps: SEEPEX BNA range To provide project engineers with smooth sailing and purchasers with favorable price and lead time, the pump manufacturer, SEEPEX, introduced a new range of horizontal PC pumps. The BNA pump range is designed based on API 676 requirements and has builtin conformity to the key points outlined below, all while avoiding welding completely. Main features •

Heavy-duty cast casing with design pressure of 50 bar

•

Flanges class 300

•

Standard flanged casing drain

•

High nozzle loads

•

Full uncompromised compliance to API 682 Cat. 2 / API 610 for shaft seals

•

Materials suitable for corrosive or harsh environment and for fluids including chloride and H2S

Short lead time equals success ENI SpA had to retrofit their Val D’Agri plant and quickly install additional pumps in order to restart the plant. The pumps were specified as API 676 and NACE MR-0175 compliant including double-acting seals API 682 Cat. 2 with seal plan 53B. The fluid was produced water and oily foam (gas fraction) with H2S. The required discharge pressure was 16 bar: high vapor pressure leading to NPSH < 1 m. After being awarded the contract, SEEPEX delivered complete API 676 pump skids with BNA pumps within 11 weeks, to the surprise of the ENI engineers who were accustomed to lead times of 20 weeks and more. API standard - Guideline or Law? From the vendor’s point of view, unfortunately many EPC contractors and clients do not use the API standards as the guidelines they were intended to be but tend to view them as a law book. Any deviation from the guidelines is considered as undesirable even when it may not create problems. PC pumps with their characteristics are not well represented in API 676, thus we keep discussing the same inevitable topics. We hope this editorial helps you understand the specific situation of progressive cavity pumps and how they can efficiently help in this industry. If there is anything SEEPEX can do for you, please let us know. • SEEPEX GmbH T: +49 2041 996-0 E: info@seepex.com W: www.seepex.com

EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION

Remote Flare Monitoring Solutions Enabling safety, sustainability and profitability with Remote Flare Monitoring By Jeff Hebb, VP Strategic Marketing & Applications & Joerg Roessler, Product Manager, Petrochemical Monitoring Products, Advanced Energy, Critical Sensing & Control Products.

lare systems on oil and gas platforms are subject to strict controls to ensure safe operation and minimize the release of environmentally harmful gases. These controls dictate that gases that are burnt off must be ignited in a carefully controlled manner to ensure that the possibility of uncontrolled ignition from sources other than the pilot flame is eliminated. Achieving this control and complying with regulations demands robust, reliable systems that can continuously monitor the pilot flame and alert operators to potential problems such as lost combustion. Traditionally, many monitoring and control systems have employed thermocouple-based sensing. This approach places the sensor in close proximity - or actually within - the flare. One major drawback is that the harsh flare environment in which these sensors must operate makes them prone to failure from corrosion or thermal shock. Timeto-failure is notoriously unpredictable. When failure happens, it requires system shut down for repair or replacement, which is both hazardous to maintenance personnel and costly in terms of lost production. Because of these associated costs, repair or replacement may not be done until the next scheduled maintenance window, leaving operators with a dilemma in terms of how to safely continue operations. In addition, the latest legislative requirements combined with pressure to improve overall combustion efficiency means that there are

many other parameters that operators are now looking to record and manage. As a result, they are increasingly turning to remote flare monitoring technologies based on pyrometry or thermal imaging. Not only do these technologies deliver much better flexibility and reliability, but they also offer a number of other powerful advantages when compared to conventional, thermocouplebased approaches. Remote Flare Monitoring Using Pyrometry and Thermal Imaging

Introduced over 20 years ago as backup for conventional thermocouples, pyrometer systems offer proven, robust remote flare stack monitoring, low maintenance and easy accessibility. Systems typically consist of a pyrometer housed in a protective enclosure with optics that collect emitted IR energy from a single stack at distances of hundreds of meters. Figure 1 Remote flare monitoring using pyrometry A flare monitoring system must be able to detect the presence or absence of a pilot light or flare (or both). Indeed, this is often the extent of a thermocouple-based solution. Pyrometers can do both from a distance, away from the harmful and hazardous flare environment. Some pyrometer systems will also detect the presence of smoke which can occur if the flare is not burning gases efficiently. Minimizing or eliminating smoke is an effective strategy to optimize the flaring process, improve the safety and sustainability of the flare and comply with regulations. Equipped with smoke detection data, operators can then optimize flare temperature by manually or automatically adding oxygen or water mist to the combustion process. Thermal imaging systems are ideal for cases where multiple flare tips or multiple, overlapping pilots need to be monitored, and where even more data on flares needs to be collected and collated. Instead of employing multiple pyrometers, a single thermal imaging

Figure 1: Remote flare monitoring using pyrometry.

Figure 2: Flare monitoring with thermal imaging. image processing and data analytics, recording, analyzing and transforming the flare stack and pilot flame data into useful and actionable information. Integrated with distributed control system (DCS) via protocols such as Modbus and OPC, this software provides operators with a better understanding of the thermal characteristics of the flaring process and can be configured to send out warnings, alarms and signals to reignite pilot flames if specified parameters go outside user-defined limits. An ability to provide thermal snapshots, real-time camera feeds, captured sequences and temperature profiles over large areas or precise locations further contributes to information that supports process characterization, control and safety. Finally, connection to I/O relay switches can allow for integration with automatic flare reignition systems.

camera can be used. Monitoring using thermal imaging does not only provide the simultaneous monitoring of pilot lights and flares – even if they are invisible to the naked eye – but also allows for signal conditioning and wind compensation algorithms to eliminate false alarms when flames move away from the focus area. And unlike thermocouples and pyrometers, thermal

imaging can measure other characteristics of the flare stack which yield valuable information about combustion. This allows operators to optimize the process and reduce the emission of harmful gases. Understanding flare size and shape, for example, provides insight into combustion process parameters that relate to efficiency while measuring the flare’s emitted spectrum can be used to extract critical information about both efficiency and flame chemistry. Figure 1 shows an example of a thermal imaging flare monitoring system built around Advanced Energy’s FlareSpection solution. FlareSpection installations typically consist of a highresolution thermal imaging camera installed in a housing that is explosion-, weatherand water-proof and mounted on a heavy-duty swivel base to maintain stable alignment at long distances. Powerful, high-quality magnification optics work with the highresolution camera to give clear images that resolve each pilot light. Flare optics are used to focus on the flare from a large distance and the cameras incorporate protection against environmental conditions that typically include techniques to prevent dust and dirt from collecting on the window. Long detection wavelengths reduce sensitivity to interference from sunlight compared to UV and video camera alternatives. Software running on the plant control system performs

Figure 3: Advanced Energy’s FlareSpection infrared camera system for continuous pilot flame and flare stack monitoring.

As with pyrometer-based systems, thermal imaging technologies can be deployed hundreds of meters away from the target while still providing a clear focus irrespective of ambient conditions such as moisture, heavy rain or fog. This makes maintenance safer, easier and less costly as camera hardware can be mounted outside of restrictive areas such as no-go zones or areas requiring special work permits. Combining Pyrometer and Thermal Imaging Solutions Finally, a growing number of operators are choosing ‘the best of both worlds’ by bringing together pyrometer systems and thermal imaging solutions in a single installation. Such integrated solutions provide high levels of redundancy and may even be combined with thermocouple sensing for maximum monitoring capability and system availability. By combining the smoke detection capability of pyrometers and the ability of thermal imaging solutions to characterize flame geometry, operators can optimize combustion efficiency. In addition, a failure of the “in process” solution becomes less catastrophic and allows the facility to continue operation, avoiding unscheduled and costly flare shutdown for emergency repairs. Deploying multiple flare monitoring systems at different locations and only generating alarms if both systems detect an issue also minimizes ‘false positive’ alert scenarios that can sometimes occur as a result of changing flame size, adverse weather and wind. If you would like to know more about the topics discussed in this article, or would like to know more about Advanced Energy’s solutions please contact them at: Advanced Energy W: https://www.advancedenergy.com E: info@aei.com T: +44 800 032 1546

EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION

New Developments to Reliably Address Leaks and Pressure Loss in DHSV and Production Packers Some traditional solutions used to repair leaks within DHSV Control Lines are only partially effective and in some cases, unreliable; occasionally blocking the Control Line entirely where the sealant is squeezed through a restriction which it may unhelpfully plug in the same way as a leak.

imilarly, isolating and repairing leaks in deep-set Production Packers has historically posed huge challenges, despite leaks being almost inevitable when the Packer Element becomes brittle, cracked, or perished over time. KCI Engineering has developed solutions for both issues, having evolved and tested new technologies in response to customer demand. IG-FP (Isolation Gel- Fluid Piston) IG-FP is designed to isolate leaks in Down Hole Safety Valve (DHSV) Control Line Compression Fittings where hydraulic fluid is leaking out of the system. (Thought to be the most common instance of Control Line leaks), also DHSV piston seals, Wireline Retrievable DHSV’s and some old-style Tubing Hanger /Control Line interfaces. A Well may have to be shut in and taken offline if hydraulic leaks are excessive, or if the DHSV cannot be kept open. The Hydraulic Control Panel will try to keep up with any leak but the

hydraulic fluid reservoir will become depleted quite quickly if not constantly topped up with expensive hydraulic fluids.

bore sizes and at pressures up to 10,000psi. The sealant has also been tested at temperatures up to 175°C and continued to work well.

IG-FP offers a genuine alternative to Pressure Activated Sealants. The product has been extensively tested by KCI (Kinetics, Controls & Innovation) at different leak rates, variable

Kevin Watt, Managing Director at KCI Engineering said, “In response to customer feedback, we sought to develop a simpler yet more robust product that would create longlasting and reliable isolations in DHSV Control Lines while retaining full functionality. Our solution is a pre-cured, tough gel with microfilaments which can be pumped into the Control Line at surface level, and which continues to move along the Control Line until it reaches the leak path. The chemically engineered gel then creates an initial block and starts to raise the system pressure. As the gel is forced through the leak path, the microfilaments are pulled through and start to build up and fill all the spaces in and around the leaking compression fitting. With pressure slowly increasing, more sealant gel is squeezed into the leak path until it is fully blocked and isolated.

Any remaining IG-FP remains at the leak path, shuttling back and forth as the DHSV is operated, acting as a back up to reseal in the unlikely event that the leak reappears”.

managed.

IG-H (Isolation Gel – Heavy) is the second, newly reformulated solution from KCI.

Until recently, there have been few options available to isolate Production Packers but IG-H has been developed as an effective and easy way to deploy sealant. It offers a very high chance of success and low risk of creating any damage or operational issue to the Well.

IG-H is designed to isolate leaks in deep-set Production Packers where integrity has been lost and well pressure or fluids are building in the A-Annulus, or where the completion fluid in the A-Annulus is being lost past the Packer. A Production Packer is a standard component of the completion string of oil and gas wells, used to anchor the bottom of the Tubing string and provide a seal or barrier between the outside of the Production Tubing and the inside of the casing, liner, or wellbore wall. Leaking Packers typically create well integrity issues, and the well may have to be plugged if the issue cannot be

Once cured, IG-H will remain in position until any major well work is required, such as re-completion, re-drill, or abandonment.

IG-H is mixed and deployed as a weighted liquid gel which is heavier than the completion or annulus fluid. When pumped into a fluidfilled annulus the IG-H simply sinks to the bottom of the annulus, where it lands on top of the Packer element. The liquid gel drops down through the completion/annular fluid then settles on and around the Packer.

to form a ring of sealant above and around the Packer in the annular space, blocking any Well fluids from passing either upwards or downwards. The IG-H remains soft and flexible to move with the metalwork in the well and, when the Packer is retrieved, the IG-H simply breaks up and falls to the bottom of the Well. If you would like to know more about the topics discussed in this article, please contact KCI at: W: https://www.kciltd.co.uk/ E: info@kciltd.co.uk T: +44 (0) 1224 255480

The short column of IG-H bonds together

Above left: Packer & Casing Shoe Isolation. Above right: Leak detected.

EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION

Cryogenic Bidirectional Ball Valves Four main valve technologies are used in cryogenic applications such that new technology opens the way for rethinking the optimal valve technology selection out of the globe valves, ball valves, trunnion valves, and topentry trunnion valves.

idirectional cryogenic ball valves are successfully operable in a variety of cryogenic flow systems, especially in the Small-Scale LNG growing market. The combination of a ball valve, bidirectional sealing, and cryogenic service revolutionizing piping systems designs. As trunnion/ top-entry trunnion valves and globe valves were traditionally the main choice for media control and shutdown in cryogenic applications. Including tank filling and emptying, pressure build-up in closed and empty lines, gasification and liquefaction, and multi-use lines in LNG terminals, shipping, tankers, dispenses, pumps, and fueling stations. One of the main drivers for this was the fact that traditionally cryogenic ball valves are unidirectional, yet the availability of these with bidirectional sealing capability, is a game changer especially where systems are smaller, and projects are challenged

with an aggressive ROI. The legacy choice of valves has more than one downside with a significant impact on the system performance, size and cost when compared to the alternative of using ball valves, including a smaller Cv size, the need for a linear actuation device for both shutoff and control, and additional complexity when emergency shutdown functionality is required. Ball valves offer a higher Cv as compared to globe valves of the same size, which means that they are smaller in size without compromising on flow rate. As a result, the entire piping system can be reduced in size, and this reduces the overall system’s size, weight and cost – significantly improving ROI in such applications. HABONIM’s Patented bidirectional cryogenic floating ball valves HABONIM, with more than 70 years’ experience with industrial applications, including 21 years of cryogenic manufacturing experience, have developed and offers the unique, patented bidirectional cryogenic floating ball valve. This valve comes with all the benefits of the high flow

Bidirectional C47 Cryogenic valve with Actuation.

(Cv) Quarter turn ball valve, with the benefits of bidirectional full Δp sealing. Offering bidirectional, full Δp sealing capabilities, this valve can be used on a bidirectional loading and offloading single pipeline and as a shutoff valve for a storage tank, developing back pressure to the downstream side while empty without upstream line pressure. It also has a safer design for cryogenic use, a smaller size and weight and a lower level of complexity than globe and trunnion valves. Moreover, it requires a simpler and smaller actuator (quarter turn), which makes the entire system smaller, lighter, and much more cost effective. These valves are also equipped with HABONIM’s Total HermetiX Integrity Package, which includes double-body sealing for body-to-ends and for body-to-bonnet superior atmospheric sealing; The patented HermetiX™ stem sealing with zero fugitive emission sealing capability, tested and certified to ISO 15848-1 and API641 standards with up to 500,000 maintenance-free cycles life span; Fire-safe design certified to ISO10497 and API607; and superior spring-loaded seat design for stabilized operational torques. In addition to all of this, for marine applications a full range of TAC approvals is available adding to the reduced maintenance requirements, safety and durability granted by these Habonim valves. The added benefits of bidirectional floating ball valves in Small Scale (SSLNG) applications

The bidirectional cryogenic floating ball valve is a game changer in the design of cryogenic systems, and has an even greater impact and benefits in systems used to transport, store and handle small scale LNG (SSLNG). The main reason for this is that these systems need to be smaller, lightweight, and more cost-effective,

while still maintaining maximal flow for shorter load and offload operations. For this reason, the flow capacity of bottleneck components has a growing impact on the total efficiency of the system. As mentioned above, ball valves have a higher Cv than globe valves of the same size, and this offers a significant advantage for smaller systems. To meet these needs, this patented technology has been successfully implemented during the last few years in SSLNG systems. Such systems take advantage of the unique ball valve capabilities to facilitate full-bore flow, high flow efficiency and pipe drainage, and benefit from reduced piping size, overall weight, complexity, and system costs without compromising on flow rates. Bidirectional cryogenic ball valves for the first inland bunker pontoon in Europe

Bidirectional C47 Cryogenic valve with manual handle.

HABONIM’s proven track record in supplying robust cryogenic valves for LNG applications, are what led Titan LNG to select HABONIM’s fire-safe floating ball valves for the first inland bunker pontoon in Europe. These valves are capable of sealing in both directions (bidirectional) for both

standard on/off as well as control (V-ball) in both manual and automated operations. This bidirectional sealing capability was required due to the two standard operation sequences, which means that in cases where the pontoon LNG bullets are refilled via road tankers (at approximately 13 bar overpressure), the pressure side will be on the upstream seat side; and in cases where the pontoon’s LNG bullets refuel a ship (at approximately 4 bar pressure), the pressure side will be on the downstream seat side. The valves also met the project’s budget restrictions, which stemmed from the relatively small scale of the vessel and the challenges related to transporting small bulk LNG. There was no need to ever abort or cancel a single operation – resulting in a 100% delivery score of fuel to customers. Before each operation, all valves are tested for ESD operation (full open and close capabilities), and here too, the success rate has been 100%. Titan LNG also integrated HABONIM’s cryogenic fire-safe quarter turn ball-valves with its fast-acting, four-piston-based CompActTM pneumatic actuator, which offers long-term operation capability and an exceptionally fast reaction time. • If you would like to know more about how HABONIM can help your company and its operations, please contact them at: HABONIM W: https://www.habonim.com

EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION

Innovative Subsea Power Supplies for Oil & Gas Applications By Stefan Marx, SubCtech GmbH; CEO Lithium-ion batteries are used in a wide variety of applications in the oceans such as for vehicles, to supply sensors, as energy storage systems and to electrify the oil & gas production. Kiel-based SubCtech has solutions for a sustainable, reliable and safe energy supply based on Li-Ion batteries.

Fig. 1 Subsea Energy Storage System (Subsea-ESS) with up to 7 Skids 1 MWh each connected to the power and data distribution, fully API17F approved Q4 2022.

or many years, SubCtech recognised the ever-increasing demands for power and capacity within the subsea sector. It recently responded by introducing a new Li-Ion Battery series particularly aimed at large subsea storage, vehicle propulsion but also for the electrification of oil & gas production facilities (see fig. 1) – playing a crucial role within the transition from electro-hydraulic to “All-Electric” Systems. The special requirements of the offshore oil & gas industry have triggered the development of extremely reliable batteries with a lifetime of up to 25 years. With the UN T38.3, MIL-STD, DNV-GL or API17F standards & qualifications depending the target market, batteries have to withstand rapid temperature changes as well as extensive shock and vibration tests. Such qualifications as well as highest reliability are compulsory for operations in the deep sea and shallow waters, as service or failure would cost millions. SubCtech is present in especially for Li-Ion underwater applications. and cooperation with

many communities technologies and Regular meetings leading institutes,

manufacturers, users and standardization bodies guarantee the latest information for reliability, security and performance. At present, SubCtech is supporting the future revision 5 of the API17F on the subject of fully electric production facilities “AllElectric Systems” containing batteries. With this standardization and consideration and integration of functional safety according IEC 61508, the safety of future electrical underwater systems is significantly increased. The energy of the batteries is easily scalable by stacking SmartPowerBlock™ (SPB) battery modules. Power distribution units (PDU) and voltage conversion as well as data interface can be added to the titanium or duplex steel housing completing a battery system. Combining these functions in a single pressure housing reduces the number of subsea connectors and simplifies system integration. The Li-Ion cell technology, which is used, offers enormous advantages in terms of safety, energy and power density at moderate costs. Due to the flexible design, the charger can be

external or can be integrated into the pressure housing, e.g. for AUV/ROV docking stations or subsea storage solutions. SubCtech has developed DC and AC converter technology that allows high charge power and therefore short charging times without complex cooling. The transformation into an “All-Electric System” technology protects the oceans and enables a sustainable, careful use of our limited resources. Here, the innovative, modular SubCtech battery system plays an elementary, almost indispensable role and offers new, equally innovative “All-Electric Systems” a wider range of options. Economic Value of SubCtech Li-Ion Batteries All markets and applications have in common that the use of the oceans is advancing, but must be more sustainable and safer. With the aim of making technologies more efficient and using ocean resources cost-effectively, future solutions must always consider protection and sustainability. With SubCtech’s standardized, safe and reliable Li-Ion batteries with longest design

Fig.2: Typical 400V subsea UPS in 300 bar SEM canister, fully API17F approved.

life, we make underwater energy reliable and cost-effective. The high level of safety, the elimination of maintenance reducing OPEX significantly.

and purchase. With this product, an industrial standard could be created that would add significant value for many other oil & gas production platforms.

Another part to optimize OPEX costs and increase sustainability is the pressure housing. Unlike traditional duplex and 316L steel canisters, SubCtech specializes in titanium. A coating and corrosion protection (CP) is not required and thus reduces the possible entry of pollutants into the water. In contrast to regular expensive maintenance at subsea structures with ROV support, titanium housings are 100% maintenance-free over their design life. The same applies to the Li-Ion batteries used. These also have a service life of up to 25 years, so that here, too, no maintenance or even replacement is necessary, which reduces cost significantly.

Furthermore, we develop standards for safe operation, maintenance and obsolescence, commissioning, decommissioning and disposal, but also data exchange with major companies. SubCtech therefore also supports the further development, standardization and implementation of the framework of SIIS (Subsea Instrumentation Interface Standardisation). With its long-term focus on safety-critical applications, SubCtech is

ideally positioned to meet the current and coming industrial requirements. For the future world market, we see great opportunities for all-electric systems and SubCtech’s Li-Ion Subsea UPS and storage batteries. It’s a safer way to cut costs. • If you would like to know more about how SubCtech can help your company and its operations, please contact them at: SubCtech GmbH W: https://www.subctech.com T: + (49) 431-22039-880 E: info@subctech.com

Since SubCtech also produces large titanium housings, battery systems can also be easily scaled to different water depths and formfactors. This, as well as the battery itself, through innovative and modular engineering and construction methods and processes with little effort, i.e. extremely cost-efficient. The ability to adjust operating parameters during operation without retrieving and service on board enables simple testing at significantly reduced costs. “All-Electric Systems” - Industry impact The benefit of SubCtech’s “All-Electric Systems” Technology is global for the offshore Oil&Gas industry. A current large Energy Storage System is being build right now, which offers enormous added value through the installation of an electrical backup system for a large gas extraction system. The “All-Electric Systems” offers cost advantages compared to conventional systems, which are more expensive to maintain

NEWS - EUROPE Shell to Start building Europe’s Largest Hydrogen Plant

BASF Introduces Portfolio of Catalysts and Adsorbents

he 200MW electrolyser will be constructed on the Tweede Maasvlakte in the port of Rotterdam and will produce up to 60,000 kilograms of renewable hydrogen per day. The renewable power for the electrolyser will come from the offshore wind farm Hollandse Kust (noord), which is partly owned by Shell. The renewable hydrogen produced will supply the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam, by way of the HyTransPort pipeline1, where it will replace some of the grey hydrogen usage in the refinery. This will partially decarbonise the facility’s production of energy products like petrol and diesel and jet fuel. As heavy-duty trucks are coming to market and refuelling networks grow, renewable hydrogen supply can also be directed toward these to help in decarbonising commercial road transport. “Holland Hydrogen I demonstrates how new energy solutions can work together to meet society’s need for cleaner energy. It is also another example of Shell’s own efforts and commitment to become a net-zero emissions business by 2050,” said Anna Mascolo, Executive Vice President, Emerging Energy Solutions at Shell. “Renewable hydrogen will play a pivotal role in the energy system of the future and this project is an important step in helping hydrogen fulfil that potential.” Shell’s ambition is to help build a global hydrogen economy by developing opportunities in the production, storage, transport, and delivery of hydrogen to end customers. Holland Hydrogen I’s approval marks an important milestone on that journey not only for the Netherlands, as a leader in the hydrogen economy, but also for Shell globally. •

Equinor’s Second Quarter 2022 Safety Results

he second quarter 2022 safety results show that the serious incident frequency remains at the same level as in the first quarter, while the frequency for personal injuries went up. There were no incidents with major accident potential in the second quarter. At the end of the second quarter the serious incident frequency (SIF) was 0.5. Most of the incidents are related to dropped objects. The total recordable injury frequency (TRIF) during the past 12 months was 2.5, up from 2.4 in the first quarter. The number of serious injuries is also included in the serious incident frequency. “We have not succeeded in bending the curve when it comes to injuries. It is not enough to learn from each individual incident, we must also intensify the work we do every day to strengthen a proactive safety culture,” says Jannicke Nilsson, executive vice president Safety, Security and Sustainability. Ten oil and gas leaks have been recorded during the past 12 months. “We are actively strengthening our capacity and fortifying our safety work. This has contributed to a reduction in pending safety critical maintenance and an increase in proactive reporting of possible weaknesses,” says Nilsson. Through the alwayssafe.no annual wheel, Equinor is cooperating with other operator companies and external suppliers. In the third quarter, the focus is to enhance awareness of how to prevent incidents involving dropped objects and situations in the “line of fire”*. The annual wheel and the learning packages help repeat and strengthen the safety work. •

ASF launches PuriCycle®, a new line of advanced high-performance products for the purification of most complex waste plastics pyrolysis feeds. The PuriCycle portfolio includes novel catalysts and adsorbents developed to selectively remove or convert a wide range of impurities in pyrolysis oils and enable downstream processing of circular plastics streams. PuriCycle can help customers meet industry compositional compliance standards, benefit from high efficiency purification and upgrading solutions, and increase their flexibility in the chemical recycling process of plastics. PuriCycle purifies pyrolysis oils, a secondary raw material obtained from the chemical recycling of plastic waste that is fed into the production process for new plastics at the beginning of the value chain. Purification of pyrolysis oils obtained from waste plastics is among the most demanding technical tasks in chemical plastics recycling. Impurities, such as halogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur compounds but also higher levels of reactive components such as dienes, complicate the downstream use and impose strict limitations on the further processing of such streams in the production of new materials. “With our PuriCycle portfolio, we are in a very strong position to make a difference in chemical plastics recycling and to enable plastics circularity. The ability of the PuriCycle products to purify the most challenging pyrolysis oil streams is a major contribution to help closing the plastics loop, minimizing waste and ultimately opening up new feedstocks for the chemical industry”, said Detlef Ruff, Senior Vice President, Process Catalysts at BASF. •

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NEWS - EUROPE Russia Could Lose $85 Billion in Tax Income Over Urals Crude Price Discounts, but Production Is Resilient

ussia’s government could lose as much as $85 billion in oil and gas tax income this year due to the significant discount to Urals blend crude, Rystad Energy research shows. The Urals blend – Russia’s key oil reference – has been trading at around $30-$40 per barrel lower than Brent – the global benchmark price for oil – since April. The steep discount on Urals shows that some of the sanctions imposed on Russia are having an impact and are reducing potential oil and gas income to the Russian government. The Brent price surged past $100 per barrel following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February, but not all producers are benefitting equally from the sustained high crude prices as the war rages on. Price differentials between Brent and other crude streams have widened considerably, and Brent is currently trading at a premium to almost all other crude streams. For Russia, Rystad Energy estimates that the total government income for 2022 would be around $295 billion if all oil assets realized the Brent oil price.

day (bpd) to the previous forecast of 8.7 million bpd. Crude exports from Russia continued to grow in May and stayed above 5 million bpd, in marked contrast to a widely held belief that exports would fall due to Europe’s deepening cuts to imports. With the EU finalizing its embargo in June, Russia has successfully redirected more and more volumes to Asia – primarily China and India. In spring, total crude exports were higher than pre-conflict levels, signaling that Russian producers have managed to swiftly readjust to the new market reality. Refinery runs in Russia also began to recover in May. While Rystad Energy previously expected refinery runs to drop significantly due to what we anticipated to be a more pronounced economic downturn inside the country than what materialized and lower oil product exports, actual volumes increased by 135,000 bpd to just above 5 million bpd. In June, refinery runs showed an unprecedented growth by 700,000 bpd driven by higher oil products demand inside the country. •

By using an average fixed spread of $40 per barrel between the realized price and Brent, we estimate that the tax income is reduced by $85 billion over the whole year, an almost 30% reduction compared to the “no spread” case. Rystad Energy estimates that the Russian government will earn around $210 billion in oil and gas tax income this year. “We could potentially start to see the impacts of Western sanctions on Russian oil and gas revenues. The steep discount on Urals is costing the Russian government, while providing cheaper energy to some Asian economies. While the sanctions are likely to hit revenues, oil production has remained higher than expected, demonstrating that Russia’s upstream sector has adapted quickly to sanctions on sales,” says Daria Melnik, senior analyst at Rystad Energy. During the first months of the Covid-19 crisis, between March and May 2020, several crude streams, such as Middle Eastern blends, traded at premium to Brent. At peak, this premium was close to $15 per barrel. Since the summer of 2020 until the beginning of this year, the spread between the different crude streams and the Brent price has been hovering around plus or minus $5 per barrel. Spreads started to increase again at the beginning of this year, widening to between $5 and $15 per barrel for most of the largest crude streams, with Maya heavy oil blend increasing to almost $20 per barrel. With the outbreak of the Russian-Ukraine war, Urals blend started to trade with a large discount to Brent. From the middle of February to the beginning of March, the differential increased from $10 per barrel to $40 per barrel – this is the largest differential to date. Since 1 March 2022, the price differentials between the field realized price and Brent have widened, all Russian oil and some Canadian oil sands blends have experienced a discount of more than $20 per barrel. In addition, Middle East crude is showing a discount of between $5 and $10 per barrel. Russian crude production for this year is on track to be more robust than previously expected as the country’s industry has proven surprisingly resilient to Western sanctions over the country’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Russia continues to export crude at pre-conflict levels, following a huge drop in April, while refinery runs and oil output remain strong. Despite the European Union (EU) recently finalizing an embargo on Russian oil, its impact on Russian crude exports and production will be milder than Rystad Energy previously expected as we have made an upward revision to the country’s ability to redirect volumes. We now assume a more gradual phase-out of Russian volumes to Europe, with some undercompliance and lags expected in the first few months after the embargo comes into effect. At the same time, demand for Russian oil products, both inside and outside the country, ended up above expectations, leading to upward revisions in refinery runs for this year. As a result of this resilience, Rystad Energy has significantly revised Russian crude production for 2022, adding almost 700,000 barrels per

TenneT Awards Contracts for Cable

n the tendering process for the award of the contract to build the 235-kilometre-long offshore grid connection system BorWin6, TenneT has now also awarded the contract for cable pro-duction and laying. Nexans will be the contractor for the sea, tidal flat and land cables. This means that the important contracts for the construction of the BorWin6 grid connection have been awarded. TenneT had already commissioned the converter stations at sea and on land in February. “We have a long and trusting partnership with Nexans, which guarantees us reliability and quality at the same time,” said Tim Meyerjürgens, COO of TenneT. BorWin6 is the last grid connection project in the German North Sea to be realised by TenneT before the technologi-cal leap to two gigawatts and 525-kilovolt cables. Various direct current cables with 320 kilovolts will be used in the project. Among other things, about 400 kilometres of cables with copper conductors, which have a diameter of up to about 14 centimetres, will be produced for laying at sea, including reserve cables. They weigh about 47 kilogrammes per metre. On land, cables with an aluminium conductor are also used, which weigh 16 kilograms per metre with a diameter of 12.5 centimetres. In sections of about 1,400 metres, these will then be connected to each other with sleeves. The laying work is scheduled to start in 2025. Two cable strings will be laid for the grid connection, one positive and one negative pole, as well as an additional fibre optic cable, which will later be important for controlling the system. The wind turbines are connected directly to the BorWin kappa offshore platform via innovative 66-kilovolt three-phase cables. This eliminates the need for the transformer stations that were previously required in each wind farm and the 155 kV three-phase cables that were previously used to connect to TenneT’s offshore platform. Using the extra-high voltage direct current cable, which is 235 kilometres long in total, TenneT transmits the electricity to the converter station in Büttel (Schleswig-Holstein) on land after conversion using low-loss direct current technology. Here, the direct current is converted back into three-phase current and fed into the extra-high voltage grid. •

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NEWS - EUROPE BASF Group Exceeds Profit Expectations

ASF has released preliminary figures for the second quarter of 2022. Sales increased by 16 percent in the second quarter of 2022 to €22,974 million (Q2 2021: €19,753 million). This was mainly driven by higher prices; currency effects, primarily relating to the U.S. dollar, had a positive effect as well. Volumes declined slightly compared with the prior-year quarter. Sales thus exceeded average analyst estimates for the second quarter of 2022 (Vara: €21,737 million). Income from operations (EBIT) before special items amounted to an expected €2,339 million in the second quarter of 2022, almost on a level with the prior-year quarter (Q2 2021: €2,355 million) and significantly above the analyst consensus for the second quarter of 2022 (Vara: €2,092 million). Increased prices for raw materials and energy were largely passed on through higher selling prices. All segments except Nutrition & Care exceeded average analyst estimates for EBIT before special items in the second quarter of 2022. The Agricultural Solutions, Chemicals and Surface Technologies segments significantly exceeded average analyst estimates. In the Nutrition & Care segment, earnings were slightly lower than the average analyst estimates. In Other, EBIT before special items was significantly less negative than analysts had expected on average. The BASF Group’s EBIT amounted to an expected €2,350 million in the second quarter of 2022, slightly above the figure for the prior-year quarter (Q2 2021: €2,316 million) and significantly above the analyst consensus for the second quarter of 2022 (Vara: €2,012 million). Net income reached an expected €2,090 million, considerably above the figure for the prior-year quarter (Q2 2021: €1,654 million) and significantly above average analyst estimates for the second quarter of 2022 (Vara: €1,408 million). The considerable increase compared with the prior-year quarter primarily resulted from the higher income from the shareholding in Wintershall Dea. The forecast published by the BASF Group for the 2022 business year remains unchanged for the time being. •

Strike-Affected Fields Resuming Production

he Gudrun, Oseberg South and Oseberg East fields have started runup of production, after the strike among members of the Norwegian Organisation of Managers and Executives (Lederne) has been called off. Last night, the government proposed a compulsory arbitration to resolve the labor dispute between the workers’ organization Lederne and Norwegian Oil and Gas (Norog) in connection with this year’s basic collective bargaining agreement. Shortly afterwards, work began to restart production safely on the strike-affected facilities. All fields are expected to be back in full operation within a couple of days. Strike affecting Equinor-operated fields on the Norwegian continental shelf Equinor has initiated a safe shutdown of the Gudrun, Oseberg South and Oseberg East fields after members of the Norwegian Organisation of Managers and Executives (Lederne) trade union went on strike from midnight. The background for the strike is that the members of Lederne in a referendum voted against the mediator’s proposal during the wage negotiations for offshore personnel between the labour organisations and the employers’ organisation, the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association (Norog). Total production from Gudrun, Oseberg South and Oseberg East is around 89,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day, of which 27,500 boe per day is natural gas. A further extension of the strike has been notified for the Heidrun, Kristin and Aasta Hansteen fields, taking effect from the night before Wednesday 6 July. To Equinor this means that the above-mentioned installations will perform a controlled shutdown of production, including the Tyrihans field, which is tied to the Kristin platform. Total production from Heidrun, Kristin/Tyrihans and Aasta Hansteen is around 333,000 boe per day, of which 264,000 boe per day is natural gas. A further escalation has been announced from 9 July at Sleipner, Gullfaks A and Gullfaks C. Consequences of this escalation is not yet clear. •

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NEWS - EUROPE bp and thyssenkrupp Steel Work Together to Advance the Decarbonisation of Steel Production

thyssenkrupp Steel currently produces 11 million tonnes of crude steel per year and is targeting the production of 400,000 tonnes of CO2reduced steel by 2025.

bp is working to pursue green hydrogen production at its refineries in Lingen in Germany, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Castellón in Spain. It is developing both blue and green hydrogen production projects around the world, including in the UK and Australia. •

p and thyssenkrupp Steel today announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) focused on the development of long-term supply of low carbon hydrogen and renewable power in steel production, helping accelerate the steel industry’s wider energy transition. thyssenkrupp Steel accounts for 2.5 percent of CO2 emissions in Germany, mainly at the Duisburg site where the main emitters, the blast furnaces, are operated. By replacing the coal-fired blast furnaces with direct reduction plants where iron ore is reduced with low-carbon hydrogen, thyssenkrupp Steel intends to make steel production climateneutral in the long term. The companies will explore supply options for both blue and green hydrogen, as well as power from wind and solar generation through the use of power purchase agreements. “As part of our strategy to provide a range of decarbonisation solutions to corporates, bp is already investing in and working to develop a portfolio of industrial-scale hydrogen projects in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and Australia. With our aligned ambitions and complementary investments, thyssenkrupp Steel and bp can together help this hard-to-abate sector decarbonise faster.” William Lin, bp’s executive vice president regions, cities and solutions said: “The steel and energy industries have of course long been closely linked. We provide fuel and feedstock for steel production while our platforms, pipelines, and turbine towers are made from steel. “thyssenkrupp Steel has the ambition to make its steel production climate-neutral by 2045 and low carbon power and hydrogen will play a critical role in achieving that. As part of our strategy to provide a range of decarbonisation solutions to corporates, bp is already investing in and working to develop a portfolio of industrial-scale hydrogen projects in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and Australia. With our aligned ambitions and complementary investments, thyssenkrupp Steel and bp can together help this hard-to-abate sector decarbonise faster.” Dr. Arnd Köfler, Chief Technology Officer at thyssenkrupp Steel, added: “The decarbonisation of the steel industry will require enormous quantities of low-carbon and in the long term green hydrogen. This will increasingly require the use of electricity from renewable sources. All this can only be achieved through a well-developed hydrogen infrastructure with a supra-regional pipeline network. The MoU is an important milestone for us to set the course with bp for a reliable supply of energy in the future.” Steel accounts for 8 to 11% of global CO2 emissions. It is essential for the automotive and construction industries and for the manufacturing of industrial machinery. It also forms the foundation for a string of decarbonisation technologies, including wind turbines, generators and smart power grids. The companies also intend to jointly advocate for policies that will support the development of low carbon hydrogen and the growth of green steel in Europe.

Aker Solutions Wins 5-Year Partnership Agreement With Vår Energi

ker Solutions has been awarded a strategic partnership agreement with Vår Energi to deliver subsea production systems for all upcoming subsea projects for the next five years, for all Vår Energi operated assets and projects on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS). The agreement has an option to be extended for a further 2+2 years. The scope of the agreement includes the full range of equipment and services to deliver complete subsea production systems, including umbilicals, all based on Aker Solutions’ standard product portfolio. It also includes front-end engineering and design work (FEED) for the upcoming field developments. The work under the frame agreement is expected to start during 2022. Vår Energi is a pure-play Norwegian operator producing nearly 250,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day from a robust portfolio of 36 producing fields. With the producing fields and an active ownership in 148 licenses, the company is well positioned for value-adding growth – expecting a production growth to 350,000 boe by 2025. The strategic partnership model is built on a one-for-all and all-forone principle and contrasts with the conventional model of separate contracts with split scope and responsibilities. Vår Energi is seeking increased overall collaboration with suppliers throughout the value chain with a clear ambition of more sustainable and efficient production of oil and gas. “This agreement with Vår Energi builds on our strong track-record in working in partnerships and alliances and demonstrates the benefits of our standardized product portfolio,” said Maria Peralta, executive vice president and head of Aker Solutions’ subsea business. “We are excited to work for a customer who shares our high ambitions for sustainable solutions. In the tendering for this contract, we have experienced that Vår Energi has taken a leading role among oil companies to weigh the sustainability in proposed solutions from suppliers. This is a market development which creates new opportunities to use our expertise for both increased competitiveness and for growing our business activities. We have worked with Vår Energi for many years on the NCS and we look forward to continuing our relationship and creating value and enhancing performance on their upcoming Subsea projects. With their hub-centric strategy, we see large opportunities for subsea tie-backs moving forward.” The value of the work to be called off under the frame agreement will only be recognized by Aker Solutions as order intake when each new project is called off, in the Subsea segment. The total value of work called off during the lifetime of the frame agreement is expected as a minimum to correspond to what Aker Solutions defines as a significant1 contract award. •

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NEWS - EUROPE

Stats Group Post Revenue Increase of £49.7 Million

TATS (UK) Ltd increased revenues to just under £50 million while EBITDA earnings rose to £7.8 million from £6.5 million, its latest annual accounts show. Revenues increased by £7.2 million to £49.7 million (up 17% from £42.5 million) while earnings rose by £1.3 million according to trading results for the year to 31 December 2021. The group’s pre-tax profits rose from £1 million to £1.5 million. Headquartered in Kintore, near Aberdeen, STATS principal activity is the provision of pressurised pipeline isolation, hot tapping and plugging services to the energy industry. STATS Group Chief Executive Officer, Leigh Howarth, said the company had delivered “an excellent trading result for the year” despite the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Mr Howarth said: “Internationalisation remains a key strategic objective for the group with 87% of revenue in the year derived from contracts executed outside of the United Kingdom. “The Middle East was one of the strongest performing regions with revenues increasing from £7.9 million in 2020 to £11.6 million, while in Malaysia income rose sharply to £1.4 million. The group consolidated growth in its domestic UK market with revenues up from £5.1 million to £6.7 million, while the Canadian market grew from £6.7 million to £7.8 million.” STATS recorded a number of important operational milestones, including its continued expansion in the North American market and development of new client relationships in the US. In the Saudi Arabian market, the company strengthened its position with the award of a major subsea intervention project, while in Australia the completion of several major intervention projects using STATS’ patented BISEP tools built on the firm’s excellent track record. In Nigeria, STATS completed a long-term isolation project on a FPSO on behalf of a major oil and gas operator, whilst in the UKCS, the company completed the largest number of simultaneous pipeline isolation projects in its 24 year history, delivering six concurrent North Sea pipeline shutdown campaigns on behalf of several clients. Mr Howarth added: “Notwithstanding the continuing impacts of Covid-19, we’re expecting to see a further rise in revenue over the coming year and in support of our strategy to further internationalise, we’ll be considering plans to increase our local presence in both Saudi Arabia and Australia.” •

Kongsberg Increased Its Operating Revenues by 12% “KONGSBERG maintained its good progress and had strong growth in its order intake and operating revenues in the second quarter. The order backlog has risen to NOK 54 billion. Kongsberg Maritime had a record-high order intake during the quarter and its operating revenues grew by 14%, while Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace increased its operating revenues by 10 per cent and produced an EBITDA margin of more than 20% despite continued delays in weapon station deliveries. Kongsberg Digital increased both its operating revenues and recurring operating revenues. All the business areas have grown profitably and I’m very pleased with the quarter,” says Geir Håøy, the president and CEO of KONGSBERG. Strong order intake Kongsberg Maritime (KM) had an order intake of NOK 6.6 billion, which is 57 per cent higher than in Q2 2021. There were a large number of new orders both from the after-sales market and for deliveries to new vessels. At the same time, there is also a very good order intake from the Sensors & Robotics area, among other things linked to the Hugin family of autonomous subsea vessels. The order intake of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) came to NOK 4.1 billion, equal to a book-to-bill ratio of 1.52. A new significant contract for deliveries to the F-35 programme and a start-up order for deliveries of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) to Australia were just two of the agreements entered into during the quarter. Kongsberg Digital (KDI) continued to sign up new customers for its digital solutions, and the number of both customers and installations in operation increased. This included a contract for the delivery of a further four digital twins to one of the world’s largest oil and energy companies, as well as a contract with Mediterranean Shipping Company for the digitalisation of almost 500 vessels.In total, the Group’s order backlog increased by NOK 3.9 billion during the quarter and now stands at NOK 53.8 billion. Vigilance and continual measures The world is currently experiencing increasing inflation, logistics difficulties and component shortages. This also affects KONGSBERG both directly and indirectly. “KONGSBERG’s deliveries consist to a large extent of systems and products composed of a considerable number of components. Even with the beforementioned delays linked to remote weapon stations, we feel we have a generally good overview of the component situation. We are also affected by high inflation and price rises. This requires an extra level of vigilance, and we are continually implementing measures to neutralise any negative consequences. For some of our order backlog, we have inflation adjustment clauses in the contracts. The part of the order backlog that does not have such clauses mainly consists of contracts with a shorter delivery horizon or where the cost picture is tied to subcontractors,” says Håøy. Solid foundation for continued growth “The current turbulent state of the world leads to more unpredictability in the short term than we have had for the past few years. At the same time, we have a solid foundation and a record-high order backlog. Our positions in both established and new markets have never been stronger. This makes me confident that KONGSBERG will grasp new opportunities and while also dealing with the external challenges. In total, we expect our operating revenues to continue to grow and we are on schedule to achieve our ambitions for 2022,” concludes Håøy. •

FERRARI STANDARDISED ATEX FANS Ferrari have standardised their zone 2 and zone 22 fans making it easier to order. The zone 2 fans are suitable for general explosive gases (excluding Hydrogen and Acetylene). The zone 22 fans for non-conductive explosive dusts. Both suitable for internal and external explosive atmospheres or internal only explosive atmospheres. The fans can be supplied with certain accessories such as, counter flanges, flexible connections, dampers, anti-vibration mounts and protection guards.

info@ferrarifantechnologyuk.co.uk +44 0845 634 2174 www.ferrarifantechnologyuk.co.uk

NEWS - EUROPE Subsea Trees Take Root Across Energy Transition

ker Solutions is pioneering next-generation standardization of subsea trees as part of a wide-ranging commitment to boosting the global energy transition. Standardization of subsea trees offers the oil and gas industry the chance to build better, to build faster, and to simultaneously reduce its carbon footprint. The components are central to offshore oil and gas systems and ongoing development is focused on better performance, sustainability and future-orientation. Standardization offers multiple benefits to operators during constructions and throughout the project lifecycle, with knock-on benefits for total capital and operational expenditure. And by making oil and gas more efficient, and so less CO2-intensive, subsea trees can make a significant contribution to decarbonization. Branching Out At their most basic, subsea trees serve as a connection between wells and the infrastructure required to bring oil and gas to the surface and onwards to market. They are the precision engineered, high-pressure hearts beating in tandem across subsea production systems. Installation is comparable to docking at a space station, with all the accuracy and tolerances that are required to establish a perfect fit in demanding conditions beneath thousands of metres of water – with the added complication of working with volatile materials at extreme pressure. Operators understandably have strict requirements covering documentation, quality standards, manufacture, testing and vendors. And they have traditionally approached subsea trees as bespoke engineering that reflects experiences, preferences and history – project by project, field by field, region by region. The result was a challenging environment for both design, development and manufacture, with all that means for costs, resources, man-hours and carbon-intensity. Flexible, Focused Standardization provides a different model of subsea development based on serial production, cost efficiencies, emission reductions and sustainability. Aker Solutions, working with an operator eager for change, developed a new concept that combines a uniform base unit with modules specific to a given project – providing flexibility within the framework of a standardized system. The impacts are immediate. Production of these standardized units benefits from increased industrialization, which allows for reduced costs, lower emissions and accelerated development schedules on the back of much shorter lead times. Serial production further serves as a cornerstone for continuous improvement of the product, working with customers and operators to refine the concept. Standardized subsea trees will also enable the circular economy. Components used for a given project can be retrieved, refurbished by Aker Solutions and redeployed in a new field or by a new operator. Northern Lights The technology also extends to the emerging carbon capture and storage sector, where the standard units are already being used. At the Northern Lights project off Norway, for example, Aker Solutions will provide its subsea tree technology as part of a contract from operator Equinor covering the equipment required to inject captured CO2 into a reservoir for permanent storage. •

Schlumberger and Subsea 7 Renew Global Subsea Integration Alliance

chlumberger and Subsea 7 announced today that they have signed an agreement to renew Subsea Integration Alliance for a further seven years. Subsea Integration Alliance is a worldwide non-incorporated alliance between Subsea 7 and Schlumberger’s OneSubsea® subsea technologies, production and processing systems business, to jointly design, develop and deliver integrated subsea development solutions through the combination of subsurface expertise, subsea production systems (SPS), subsea processing systems, subsea umbilicals risers and flowlines systems (SURF), and life-of-field services. “The success of Subsea Integration Alliance is a result of the drive and commitment of both Subsea 7 and OneSubsea to deliver an enhanced experience and outcome for our clients,” said John Evans, Subsea 7 Chief Executive Officer. “Driven by the demonstrable benefits to clients of this mode of collaborating, integrated projects are expected to remain a significant component of the subsea market. We look forward to extending our relationship with OneSubsea as we address the opportunities of the offshore energy market.” Over the past seven years, the alliance has successfully combined the complementary capabilities and market-leading technologies of OneSubsea and Subsea 7, and worked collaboratively with clients to design, develop and deliver integrated SPS and SURF solutions proven to optimize the cost and efficiency of deepwater developments. The alliance continues to build momentum and, in recent years, has been awarded major greenfield projects in Australia, Brazil, Africa and Turkey, as well as significant tie-back work in the Gulf of Mexico and Norway. Since January 2020, Subsea Integration Alliance has won the majority[1] of integrated SPS and SURF projects worldwide. “Subsea Integration Alliance has proven to be a tremendous success,” said Abdellah Merad, EVP, Core Services and Equipment, Schlumberger. “Having been awarded 12 integrated projects and more than 130 early engineering studies around the world, it has helped—and will continue to help—customers achieve maximum value from their subsea developments through industry-leading innovation and expertise.” •

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MIDSTREAM & PIPELINES

Go Full Digital Twin with LoRaWAN Sensors. By John Tillema, CTO, TWTG A new generation of sensor technology now makes it incredibly easy to fully digitise a facility to deliver on the predictive maintenance promise.

Oil & Gas - An Evolving Industry Advancing technology is rapidly transforming the oil and gas industry. Wireless sensors are not new, but recent innovations such as LoRaWAN communication unlock a new, never-seen-before equilibrium between price and performance. Combined with the rapid expansion of digital data platforms, we can give real-world interpretation to these data points. Right now, we have a revolution underway. I-Iot (Industrial Internet of Things) is proving to be a disruptive force for the better. It enables companies to continually gather data and have a real-time overview of what is happening on site. Generate enough data, and you can create a Digital Twin, which can be used to hone procedures, rewrite methodology, and accurately scrutinise efficiency and accountability. Factor in the benefits of predictive and preventative maintenance, and it’s easy to understand why many large players are implementing these systems. So, knowing this, the question becomes not if but when will your site be next in this global wave of transformation. What has changed? Since the creation of automation, there has been the question of which assets to monitor. Until now, the typical strategy was simply monitoring the top 10% of assets - namely, the assets used most and those most critical. In which infrastructure do you invest thousands of dollars to monitor digitally? Alternatively put - with which assets is it financially acceptable to risk failure? This approach made a lot of economic sense. Till now Over the past few years, a tremendous technological shift has greatly affected the oil and gas industry. This shift has allowed concepts - long dreamed of - to now become realistic, affordable options. In our everyday, nonindustrialised way of life, it is hard to imagine a world without the Internet and its technology. But, until recently, wireless technology, Machine Learning and Data Analytics were still a long way from the control room.

The truth is, having only the first 10% of assets connected doesn’t come remotely close to achieving a sufficient data overview. While system architects long contemplated integrating super-intelligent systems in the past, it was never feasible financially. Technology was simply too expensive. Today, things are different. Over the past few years, a perfect alignment of technical advances and capability - combined with far lower costs - at last makes these concepts financially viable. These include innovations such as; •

Enhanced Sensor Capability,

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Machine Learning and Processing,

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Better Wireless Capability,

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Increased Battery Power & Power Harvesting,

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Better Internet Capacity, Speed and Stability,

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Improved Security,

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Lower Price-point.

There are also a few hidden benefits. Companies are increasingly aware of the benefits an advanced I-IoT platform can bring

to a facility - in physical and financial terms. CIOs can see the benefits of bringing cutting-edge technology into the business. It dramatically raises the company profile and kudos for being involved in such technologies; played well, it places the company in the position of market visionary, potentially attracting new customers. This technological investment also has a very positive effect on retaining knowledgeable engineers and attracting new ones. Sophisticated I-IoT platforms allow engineers to produce detailed reports showing greater accountability and value. Data-driven reports will ensure customers know how products are handled, and if there are any complications or losses, account for how they occurred. The Future Facility - Achieving Smartification We at TWTG have a clear vision of how digitalisation should operate in a modern facility. We use this to guide our development of products. We understand that it’s not commercially viable to physically replace every asset to

achieve digitisation. Because of this, we ensure every NEON sensor is retrofittable. Meaning, that the new sensor attaches to the existing asset to achieve digitisation. We call this smartification. By making retrofittable sensors, smartification can be achieved for a fraction of the price of the previous solutions. Literally, a few hundred dollars, as opposed to several thousand. With a far lower price point per sensor, it becomes financially viable to create the level of smartness needed to achieve a total holistic view. A fully connected facility connecting thousands of assets contributing data from every relevant measuring point. Such an amalgamation of data creates a solid foundation for applying machine learning techniques. By learning the data sequences that occurred before particular events, a sophisticated I-IoT monitoring solution can spot these and issue a warning before the event reoccurs. True predictive analytics. Viewing a site, not as a series of disassociated nuts and bolts, but as a single living entity with a virtual nervous system allows engineers to understand a facility at both macro and micro levels. At the macro level, an engineer can interrogate the complete facility or a group of assets. Here, an engineer can see connections,

sequences and nuances that weren’t obvious before and begin to understand the hidden relationships between these different assets. At the micro-level, an engineer can analyse a single device and its data - assessing performance or looking for anomalies or other tell-tale signs of deterioration. Having a mirrored digital understanding of a facility - the Digitial Twin - gives engineers the ability to fine-tune the functionality of assets, identify event sequences, and even model scenarios. Benefits In simple terms, a facility will run more easily. Operations will be less routine-driven. Day-to-events will become more agile and less reactive. Engineers will have the ability to see things coming, and predict events before they happen. This isn’t a vision of the future. This is now. After safety, for senior engineers and site managers, maintenance and planning are about one thing: Reducing Downtime. A single hour of downtime can negate weeks, possibly months of advantage gained from multiple other activities designed to increase efficiency or save costs. A few hours of downtime could be the difference between success or failure over a year.

The Future is Now In 2021, Shell announced they had chosen TWTG’s NEON Vibration Sensor to monitor their Pernis Site. In 2022, installation began with the roll-out of 2,500 sensors integrated with TWTG’s SolidRed middleware solution. And so by becoming the world’s most comprehensive site for vibration monitoring. Felix Fikke, Instrumentation Project Engineer at Shell Pernis, is excited about having NEON Vibration Sensor on site: “These devices change the way that we monitor our pumps and allow us to react faster. We can measure root-mean-square [RMS] velocity as well as fast fourier transform [FFT], and all this is possible with a LoRaWAN sensor - which is fantastic!” With customer roll-outs such as Shell at Pernis, it’s clear that the era of small monitoring set-ups, supported by manual inspections, is at an end. Conclusion TWTG is proud to play a part in this revolution. Helping companies gain a competitive advantage by utilising the latest technology, employing new methodology, and redefining their industry practices. However, like most revolutions, this is only the beginning of a process, but it’s a process set to continue as increasingly more Oil and Gas companies implement LoRaWAN. As the industry becomes increasingly datasavvy, companies understand that procedures and maintenance cannot be left to chance, and their future depends on data backed by knowledge and experience. • TWTG E: info@twtg.io T: +31 10 203 7905

MIDSTREAM & PIPELINES

Safe Lifting Starts with Better Pipe Handling Offshore safety has always been a focus area for drilling operations and should be a priority for all oil and gas companies. There are several important aspects to look at, when it comes to offshore safety, but lifting and crane safety should be of the highest priority, to reduce offshore incidents.

oo many incidents occur in the oil & gas industry when handling and transporting tubulars to and from the well site. This includes crane lifts on the boat and on offshore drilling rigs. According to official offshore incidents statistics from the BSEE, lifting has by far the most incidents every year, and it is regrettably getting worse, as in 2020 we reached the highest number of lifting incidents recorded by the BSEE. It is a specific target for the BSEE to cut offshore lifts in half. Lifting is paramount for oil & gas operations and cannot be avoided which is why we need to drastically improve the method of our pipe handling to achieve safer work environments for offshore employees. There are great dangers associated with crane lifts, but new methods that make a fundamental difference already exist. 10 years ago, the Danish company, Global Gravity, invented a tubular transport and running system (TTRS), that not only improve lifting safety for all personnel involved – it reduces the need for crane lifts by 50%, impacting both safety, efficiency, finances, and CO2 emissions. The system, TubeLock TTRS, has been in use on offshore drilling rigs around the world for the past 10 years, and there has been 0 reported

Loadout in Aberdeen. Pipes in TubeLock stacked on boat.

Pipes stacked in TubeLock during loadout.

Pipes in TubeLock TTRS mid crane-lift on offshore drilling rig.

incidents when using the system.

saved on the supply boats allow for more cargo and will ultimately mean the need for fewer trips to and from rig, which will result in reduced CO2 emissions and cost savings.

What is the TubeLock TTRS? TubeLock TTRS consists of a series of patented aluminum frames, that locks the pipes securely in place, eliminating any possibility of the pipes moving about or relocating mid-air, which is a well-known risk with other methods such as slinging and bundling. That feature alone immensely reduces the risk of hand and foot injuries, which is regrettably plentiful on many rigs. The pipes are packed in several layers in the TTRS systems and several systems can be stacked on top of each other, enabling more efficient stacking on supply boats. The space

Apart from the safety and logistical benefits on the supply vessel, the TubeLock TTRS system has been designed with the intent of also improving running efficiency. Onshore, the pipes are packed and marked in running order, using only a forklift, meaning that the need to lay out and tally pipes is entirely eliminated. Offshore, the pipes can be lifted directly from the supply vessel and onto the pipe deck ready to run directly from the frames. The pipes need never touch down on the main deck, which effectively saves space

Pipes stacked and marked in running order in the TubeLock TTRS system.

and eliminates an entire round of crane lifts. The TubeLock TTRS system is certified as an offshore lifting appliance under DNV ST-0378 and Norsok R02 and is in compliance with ILO and LOLER requirements. It is manufactured from aluminum to ensure it is easy to handle and no single part weight more than 15 kilos. The aluminum base product also ensures there is no galvanic corrosion between TubeLock TTRS and chrome alloy tubes. Furthermore, the system is an effective and secure way of transporting and running sand-screens, saving the operators time and space by not having to use large transport baskets which take up cumbersome space on the supply vessel even when returned empty. TubeLock TTRS is also valuable for chrome and super chrome tubulars. The cost of these tubulars are some of the highest costs when drilling and completing wells and there is a high risk of damaging these tubulars when bundling and slinging Chrome Tubulars. When the CR and HiCR tubulars are transported in the TTRS frames they are protected and at minimum risk of being damaged.

What is a TTRS? • A Tubular Transportation & Running System takes the whole journey of the pipe into consideration and is designed to work all the way from pipe yard through cantilever, improving all aspects along the way. • Replacing crane lifts with forklifts for onshore loading on to trucks. • Can be stacked high securely on boat, taking up less space and without risk of moving around. • Can be lifted directly from boat to pipe deck, ready to run in hole – never touching down on main deck. • Eliminating the need to lay out pipe from pre-slung bundles. • Certified and inspected to the highest standards for offshore lifting equipment. • Stacked in running order and visibly marked – ready for pipe handler pick up.

Reducing the risk for offshore personnel is not luxury, but a necessity, and it is no longer a question of how. Several methods exist, that can improve the safety and efficiency from day one of implementing it. The question is not whether these methods should be implemented or not, the question is when. The first-movers in the oil and gas industry made the switch years ago, so who is going to be the last to prioritise personnel lifting safety? Case Study: Offshore drilling operation saves 24,000 lift pr. year by using TubeLock TTRS. One of Global Gravity’s clients have been using the TubeLock TTRS system for several years and have recently tallied up the savings using the system provides, in an effort to expand the use of the system to several other of their offshore drilling rigs. The client started using TubeLock to reduce risk and manual handling offshore. However, they have found the system to have several more advantages. Foremost, the client found that by using the TubeLock TTRS system, they have successfully reduced their crane lifts by an astonishing 24,000 lift per year. “The intention was originally to reduce the amount of manual handling and crane lifts offshore. Since adapting the TubeLock frames on all rigs we see several more advantages,” said the Drilling Superintendent for the client.

Photos. Above: Pipe deck om offshore drilling rig. Pipes run directly from the TubeLock TTRS system. Bottom Left: Offshore drilling rig. Pipes stacked and marked in running order in the TubeLock TTRS system (right).

One of the key benefits of using the TubeLock TTRS system is that it enables the rig cranes to lift the tubulars directly from the supply vessel to the position on cantilever/pipe deck where the tubulars will be run from. Also, no cranes are used for packing pipes in frames or loading to trucks at the pipe yard, only forklift. “To put it all into perspective; in a ‘Standard’ well we used to prepare 300 bundles of tubulars. Now we pack the same number of pipes in only 115 set of TubeLock frames,” said the Drilling Superintendent for the client, and continued: “The aim was to reduce risk and manual handling offshore. Now we have reduced the unbundling of tubulars by almost 2,400 pr. rig pr. year. Crane lifts onboard the rig has been reduced even more than that.”

lifts pr. year with 5 rigs in operation. •

Crane lifts at Port has been reduced from 300 to 115 per well when loading out tubulars.

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Deck space taken up by tubulars on vessel have been reduced by 25%.

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Handling time to offload tubulars at rig site has been reduced by 60%.

The reduction in crane lifts as well as cargo handling time naturally have a positive impact on CO2 emissions as well as financially with the reduction in fuel that follows. The exact numbers are not yet ready, but the client is currently working on the calculations. • If you would like to know more about how Global Gravity can help your company and its operations, please contact them at:

These are some key figures provided from the client:

Global Gravity ApS

• Crane lifts at the warehouse has been reduced from 600 to 0 per well. This equates to a reduction of 24,000

E: support@globalgravity.dk

T: +45 71 99 20 10 W: https://www.globalgravity.dk

MIDSTREAM & PIPELINES

The Right Connection, Easy as 1-2-3 Safetrack, established 1988, is the leading developer and manufacturer of patented electrical cable connection systems for the Railway, Grounding and Cathodic Protection industry.

ne of these systems is the world-renowned PinBrazing System, which Safetrack has further developed to a patented automated, digitally controlled system.

“Installation of cable connections are made quickly and safely, in all weather.”

Safetrack’s patented electronic PinBrazing system is an extremely efficient, low temperature arc brazing method used for attaching electrical connectors to steel structures within Cathodic Protection systems such as pipelines, vessels, reinforcement bars, wind power, grounding, etc, without the need for welding which can melt the base steel material. No need for different carbon molds for different wires. Safetrack’s application methods always use materials of the highest quality to ensure the best electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance and strength. The secret behind the patented system is a specially developed silver-based alloy which melts (650ºC) through a strictly controlled energy distribution from a self-developed, patented, and an automated Brazing Gun. The automated Brazing Gun is connected to one of the lightweight, easy to use, battery powered, patented PinBrazing units which controls all the electronics. Installation of cable connections are made quickly and safely, in all weather, at any time. Rain or snow is no longer a problem for making installations. There is no risk for the operator or the material which is PinBrazed upon. Safetrack’s PinBrazing is used in many industries to connect cables and is particularly suitable for use in the cathodic protection industry for connecting cables to pipelines, ships, rebar, etc. Furthermore, Safetrack manufactures and distributes many other products, such as rail trolleys/scooters, connection clamps, overhead contact lines, powerful lightings, signaling systems, professional work tents and much more. Safetrack represents several international Railway and Cathodic Protection companies. The construction and utility industries are also areas where Safetrack’s product line and systems are being increasingly used. The product portfolio also consists of many new product groups, such as different types of lighter rail vehicles, railway aids and equipment as well as products for police, crime scene and rescue service. The process The process of connecting cables through

Safetrack’s PinBrazing system is as easy as 1, 2, 3. 1.

Grind the surface

Attach the grounding device

Pull the Brazing Gun trigger.

The automated equipment will distribute an exact amount of energy (patent) to the brazing pin. The flux cleans the surface and the special silver alloy melts onto the connected material and surface. In about 1 second, you have created an extremely efficient and reliable silver contact between the cable and the pipeline. Safetrack® PinBrazing: Invented, developed and manufactured in Sweden •

Fast: The PinBrazing process only takes one second and the whole procedure is completed in minutes.

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Low temperature: Does not affect internal coatings.

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Safe for the material: Does not melt the work surface as exothermic welding does. Only a thin layer of silver is applied between the pipe and the cable wires.

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Safe in all weather.

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Suitable for use on pipe-laying barges, No need for special molds

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Safe for the operator: Battery-powered 36VDC system without hazardous materials.

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Strong molecular bonding: Silver ensures strong molecular bonding with the lowest possible transition resistance.

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Easy-to-use, automated process: Just press the trigger and the automatic 1-second process does the job.

For Pipelaying vessels, it is very important to connect the bracelet anodes to offshore pipes fast and safe, both in a horizontal and vertical position. PinBrazing has all these advantages compared to thermite welding or other welding methods; PinBrazing is easy and fast to use also on vertical surfaces, can be made in any weather conditions, does not melt the steel down in the pipe (which is not very popular among the infrastructure owners), PinBrazing just melts a layer of silver between the cable from the anode to the pipe which also gives the best electrical properties to the bonding. Use the Safetrack PinBrazing system when attaching the Jumper Bonds over the joints. When you need the very best (silver) connection with the lowest possible transition resistance of your Cathodic Protection cables to steel, ductile or cast-iron pipe, vessel, tanks

Cathodic protection at site.

or reinforcement bars. No more confusion and maintenance with thermite weld molds and weld portions. Just Pin Braze your cables, easy and quick! Cable Protection One of Safetrack’s other important areas is Cable Protection through the brand Protectus. Protectus is a high strength divisible cable protection pipe which saves money and is environmentally friendly at the same time. Thanks to the use of recycled plastic, one reduces the environmental impact with 80%. The use of Protectus will save millions of liters of oil each year, thanks to clients caring for the environment and therefore preferring Safetrack products. Protectus is lightweight, divisible, can be angled 15º and requires no tools for installation. Protectus has been tested at the Technical Research Institute of Sweden to make sure that they meet the high demands from customers worldwide.

from the beginning. Many successful years have passed and since the establishment 1988, today Safetrack have distributed electrical cable connection systems to over 70 countries worldwide within the Railway, Grounding and Cathodic Protection industry. The CEO today is Johan Baavhammar, the son of Torsten. The company has developed several innovative cable bonding systems and has also branch offices in Australia which is a growing market for Safetrack. Most of the staff

that were hired in the early years still work there and have been of utmost importance to the success of the company. • If you would like to know more about how Safetrack Baavhammar AB can help your company and its operations, please contact them at: Safetrack Baavhammar AB T: +46 (0) 40-44 53 00 E: sales@safetrack.se W: www.safetrack.se

Background The founder and entrepreneur Torsten Baavhammar, who worked for a long time in a subsidiary of the gas and welding company AGA and Esab, had for a long time been thinking about how to further develop and modernize the PinBrazing method to minimize or even eliminate the need for maintenance or training. The only way to fully implement these ideas was to start a new company specializing in electrical cable connection systems. The year was 1988 and the company Safetrack Baavhammar AB was formed. After years of hard work, Banverket (now Trafikverket) became an important customer for Safetrack moving forward. Outside of Sweden, Alstom were also one of the very first important companies to start cooperating with Safetrack

Natural gas valve station.

MIDSTREAM & PIPELINES

ADNOC L&S Acquires 3 Additional NewBuild Vessels to Meet Growing Global Demand for LNG ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S), the shipping and maritime logistics arm of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and the region’s largest shipping and logistics company, announced today its decision to purchase three additional liqueified natural gas (LNG) vessels. ADNOC L&S is the region’s largest shipping and integrated logistics company and the state-of-the-art new-build vessels will bolster the company’s capacity as it responds to the growing global demand for LNG.

The new-build LNG vessels, each with a capacity of 175,000m3, are significantly larger than the current ADNOC L&S fleet which have a capacity of 137,000m3 each. ADNOC L&S previously announced in April 2022 that it will acquire two LNG vessels which brings the total number of new-build LNG vessels ordered to five, with the vessels scheduled for delivery in 2025 and 2026. Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC L&S, said: “ADNOC is an active player in the evolving global energy landscape, where natural gas and LNG are playing an increasingly important role. ADNOC L&S’ strategic acquistion of five state-of-the-art LNG vessels will support ADNOC’s existing LNG business as well as its significant growth plans. “Several dynamics are stengthening the LNG market which makes the timing of these acquisitions particularly significant. This includes a renewed emphasis on energy access and security, as well as new environmental regulations that favor more fuel-efficient vessels, such as the new-builds that we are purchasing.” All five new-build LNG vessels will be built at the Jiangnan Shipyard in China. Jiangnan Shipyard was also previously commisioned

by ADNOC L&S in 2020 to build five Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGC) for AW Shipping, ADNOC L&S’ Joint Venture company with China’s Wanhua Chemical Group. Mr. Lin Ou, Chairman of Jiangnan Shipyard, said, “We would like to thank ADNOC L&S for its continued collaboration with Jiangnan. We are committed to the promotion of new efficient, energy-saving and environmentally-

conscious vessels and proud to be able to support ADNOC L&S’ growth strategy for the future.” The acquisition of larger, more energy efficient vessels will allow ADNOC L&S to meet growing customer demand while improving the environmental footprint of its fleet. The new vessels’ engine technology will reduce emissions (CO2, NOX and SOX) and in combination with the innovative Air Lubrication System, further reduce fuel consumption by at least 10%. ADNOC L&S has the largest and most diversified fleet in the Middle East, with more than 200 vessels transporting crude oil, refined products, dry bulk, containerized cargo, liqueified petroleum gas (LPG), and LNG to global markets. When combined with its 1.5 million square meter integrated logistics base in Mussafah and its comprehensive endto-end logistics capabilities, ADNOC L&S is the region’s leading provider for integrated maritime logistics solutions. Over the past 24 months, ADNOC L&S has acquired 16 deep sea vessels, including eight Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) in 2021, that added 16 million barrels of capacity. Furthermore, the company acquired six product tankers, which expanded the product tanker fleet capacity to over 1 million metric tonnes as well as five VLGC for AW Shipping.

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MIDSTREAM & PIPELINES

Saving Time and Money with Smart Pipe-Spool Prefabrication Whether it is refineries, rigs, tankers or processing plants, the oil and gas industry uses a lot of pipes, ranging from large-bore pipes running for hundreds of kilometers to small lines with a length and diameter of a few centimeters. Thus any means of streamlining the processes of planning, fabricating, testing, installing and documenting these lines can save companies significant amounts of money.

nfortunately the highly diverse nature of oil and gas projects means that in contrast to for example the automotive industry, automating fabrication is challenging. Because while car companies work with relatively few different geometries and types of spools, which they then need to fabricate tens of thousands of times, the oil and gas industry works with tens of thousands of different geometries, each of which only has to be fabricated a few times. In fact, especially for small lines which are prepared and installed on-site, sometimes there are not even actual drawings to follow. However, these challenges are not unsurmountable, and streamlining or automating even part of the overall amount of piping required in an oil and gas project will still result in significant savings, if done properly. 3R solutions from Germany is a world leader in the field of smart pipe-spool fabrication, with more than 40 years of experience in planning and setting up automated pipe-shops. By conducting an extensive analysis of each customer’s actual requirements they can prepare concepts for fabrication lines that combine sophisticated machines from leading manufacturers, streamlined handling systems and a powerful software suite for planning, controlling and documenting fabrication processes, which has been constantly refined and improved by 3R’s in-house developers. And due to their expertise they can not only find the best suitable machines and arrangement for each customer, but they can also gauge the scope and level of automation that is economically viable. “The goal of automating your fabrication should be to improve your processes and save you time and money, not to automate for its own sake,” says CEO Georg Schulze-Duerr. “So

if you can automate 70% of your fabrication range for 10 million Euros, saving 2 million Euros each year in manpower and operating costs, that is a better solution than trying to automate 100% of your fabrication, at a cost of 40 million Euros, saving 3 million Euros a year. It is our job to advise our customers what works best for their specific needs.” 3R solutions is active worldwide, with major reference projects in Europe, South-East Asia and the MENA region, but takes pride in their close and cordial contact with their customers. “We want our customers to know that their feedback and ideas matter to us. We do not tell them what to do, we make suggestions and work out a solution everybody is happy with,” explains Schulze-Duerr. “We not only want the operators who have to work in the shop to be heard, but also the maintenance people, quality control and safety engineers. A pipe-shop is like clockwork, every machine and every handling system has to work together perfectly in order for it to operate smoothly. But in addition there are a lot of supportive departments, who may need to adjust their operations to fit the new processes within the shop. If they are not involved in the original planning, there may be problems during operation, which could have been avoided by having a few meetings during the planning stages.”

One of the key features of the 3R concept is the in-house software, which consists of a number of applications which all connect to a central database. By connecting to the customer’s 3D engineering platform, as well as material and scheduling applications, 3R can turn 3D CAD models into isometric drawings, from which all fabrication relevant data are extracted. Once spools have been checked and released for fabrication by the software operator, the software can be used to create optimized work packages, allocating work orders to the different machines and stations in the most efficient manner. At each station the operator receives their work orders in digital format, and each process can be tracked in real time. This gives the shift foremen or shop managers full awareness of the performance of their shop, and also facilitates the generation of required documentation. “The software is really the brain of the workshop,” says Schulze-Duerr. “It is what sets us apart, and it is what really helps customers save money. Because you can have the best machines in the world, but if they stand idle because of subpar planning and work preparation, you will never achieve the level of efficiency that they are capable of.” • If you are interested in learning more about 3R’s smart spool-factory solutions, you can contact them at info@3r.de, visit their website at www.3r.de, or meet them in person at various industry trade-shows, including OGA in Kuala Lumpur (September 13th – 15th, Booth 1022), and Adipec in Abu Dhabi (October 31st – November 3rd, Booth 9574).

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MIDSTREAM & PIPELINES

Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipes (RTP’s) - The Future of Oil and Gas Pipelines

The end is rapidly approaching for old style steel pipes being used for the transportation of oil and gas. A new breed of pipes has been developed with the added benefits of no corrosion and higher flowrates due to smoother bores. Installation is rapid and without the need for the usual highly skilled workforce, especially qualified welders. The pipes can be run overland or buried, dependent upon the local requirements and conditions.

The pipe construction comprises a liner pipe, a number of reinforcement layers and an outer covering for general protection.

LINER OUTER

The most popular liner is high density polyethylene (HDPE) but other polymer materials are available. The reinforcing materials are typically glass, carbon fibre or aramid embedded in polymer tapes.

REINFORCEMENT

RTP’s are available in sizes from 2” to 8” bore and suitable for pressures up to 45MPa and temperatures up to 105C. Higher temperature RTP’s are being developed for harsh environments and for downhole applications. RTP’s can also be used for hydrogen, carbon capture, water injection, brine, etc. The pipes can be unbonded, semi-bonded or fully bonded dependent upon design requirements.

End fittings are swaged to each end of the pipe to enable connection to existing pipelines or to join multiple lengths of RTPs. RTP’s are manufactured in factories or plants where they are spooled onto reels for easy transportation. For offshore pipes, the factories are usually located near the coast.

There are already a number of companies in the world manufacturing RTP’s and several new players entering the market every year. There is a global requirement, and RTP’s are currently being shipped to most continents. There is a need for more manufacturing plants to be built on most continents closer to where the RTP’s are required, reducing the shipping costs and hence the cost of the RTP’s. Setting up a manufacturing plant is expensive but the return on investment is rapid. Strohm are the world leader in the supply of Thermoplastic Composite Pipes (TCP’s). These are similar to the land based RTP’s but used offshore. They are typically a lot stronger as they not only have to resist the burst pressure of the fluid inside the pipe, but also the external pressure of the sea water when used at depth. Ridgway Machines, a UK based company are the world leading supplier equipment to manufacture RTP’s and TCP’s. They can supply the reinforcement lines including haul offs, wrapping machines, heating systems and control systems. They partner with other suppliers to incorporate reels stands/carousels as required. They can supply production lines to manufacture 2” to 10” RTP’s and TCP’s and have already supplied equipment to a number of high profile companies.

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FOCUS: THE CURRENT GAS MARKET Siemens Energy to Power World’s Lowest-Emission LNG Facility

iemens Energy has been selected as the single solution supplier for the all-electric Woodfibre LNG project near Squamish, British Columbia, Canada. The environmentally friendly LNG facility will be located at the site of a former pulp and paper operation. It will be sized for 2.1m tonnes per annum and utilise clean, renewable hydroelectricity, reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80%. Siemens Energy’s scope includes all equipment associated with the main refrigeration trains, including compressors, synchronous motors, variable speed drives, converter transformers, harmonic filters and numerous powerhouses. The main refrigeration compressor trains are one of the components of the liquefaction process that produces the LNG that will eventually be stored in tanks and then transported to LNG tankers for shipping abroad. The project is expected to reach substantial completion in 2027 and begin commercial operation by September of that year. •

seriously harming the industry’s ability to innovate and transform itself during the energy transition. Both within companies and among future leaders, gas companies must demonstrate to talented individuals that they are part of a dynamic, diverse, technology-led industry making a positive and impactful contribution to emissions reduction. The sector’s role as an enabler of the energy transition must be more than a pitch to investors and policymakers. It should be a mission statement for companies and source of motivation for their workforces, underpinned by credible and robust action plans to reduce carbon intensity and tackle fugitive emissions. At Gastech, we’re excited for these conversations to come to the fore. On the conference floor, we’ll hear from industry leaders grappling with how to build diverse, highly skilled workforces capable of meeting transition objectives. Meanwhile, the Gastech Future Leaders programme will give 200 young graduates and early-career executives the opportunity to discover the skillsets they could acquire and diverse careers paths available to them throughout the industry. By Sarah Howell, Vice President, Gastech. •

Delivering a Carbon Neutral Energy Mix

nergy companies are no strangers to scepticism about their role in delivering a carbon neutral energy mix. As countries accelerate their climate plans, the gas sector has faced pressure from regulators and activist investors to clearly articulate its role as an enabler of societywide net-zero ambitions. In response, industry leaders have made the case – with increasing success – for the sector’s value proposition in a rapidly evolving energy landscape. This is both in terms of European energy security and as a bridging fuel for meeting emissions reduction objectives both in the West and the Global South. Their audience, however, extends far beyond investors and policymakers involved in providing financing and regulatory support for new projects. Increasingly, companies recognise their own employees and prospective talent pool as key stakeholders in this conversation. In a recent article for the FT, Margaret Heffernan argued that the enduring “stigma” associated with the oil and gas sector is causing real difficulties for companies’ ability to attract and retain talent. Her argument follows that negative perceptions of the industry, as a hindrance to energy transition rather than part of the solution, are dissuading newcomers from pursuing a career in the sector. Just as worryingly, long-time employees with highly specialised skills may be persuaded to switch to competing companies in the renewables sector, an industry that may be seen to better align with their values. The gas sector must take this challenge seriously. A talent drain risks

Delfin and Vitol Establish 15-Year LNG Agreement

elfin LNG has secured a 15-year sales and purchase agreement (SPA) with Vitol for 0.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The SPA’s value is calculated to generate revenues of US$3bn during the contracted period. The LNG will come from the Delfin Deepwater Port, a floating liquefaction facility located in the Gulf of Mexico. Delfin Deepwater Port will feature four moorings and four floating liquefaction and storage vessels (FLNGVs) with a capacity of 3.5mtpa each. With production scheduled to start in 2026, the agreement with Vitol should move the project closer to a final investment decision (FID), expected for late 2022. •

FOCUS: THE CURRENT GAS MARKET

Re-Gen Robotics, the Safe Choice Fintan Duffy, Managing Director of Re-Gen Robotics discusses his ethos that there is no higher priority for the oil terminal sector than the safety of personnel. Ensuring tanks and related equipment are operated, maintained, and inspected according to the highest industry safety standards should sit at the heart of every company’s priority list.

il terminal operators are aware of the moral and business imperatives of providing safe practise to protect employees, contractors, the community, and the environment in which they operate. That’s why Re-Gen Robotics is relentlessly pursuing our vision of safety first before all else – to eliminate fatalities and personal injury in the sector, for good. Following the Piper Alpha Inquiry, Sir Brian Appleton said: “Safety is not an intellectual exercise to keep us in work. It is a matter of life and death. It is the sum of our contributions to safety management that determines whether the people we work with live or die.” Ignoring safety critical maintenance and asset performance optimisation can lead to enormous loss – damage to infrastructure, loss of production time, public investigations, environmental damage, and fines can have a very negative impact on a company’s brand value and reputation. So, our focus to achieve and maintain world class safety standards to mitigate risks and hazards is wholly justified. Safety and innovation are embedded in the culture of Re-Gen Robotics and underpin everything we do. The 100% no man entry, Zone 0 EX rated robotic tank cleaning solutions we provide, ensure the integrity of oil tanks, enhance performance, and support all regulatory compliance. In just three years we have established a step change in safety performance by providing new systems and service to help oil majors protect their workforce. There has been a cultural change in safety thinking across Europe and companies are now willing and ready to adopt our 100% no man entry service. Following a successful round of exploratory talks with our clients’ US counterparts, the statistics we’ve ascertained coming out of the US tank cleaning sector are concerning. About 2.1 million workers enter permit confined spaces annually and on average two workers die every single week in accidents related to confined spaces. Sadly, around 60 percent of those confined-space fatalities are would-be rescuers, leading to Industry initiatives calling for an end to confined space entry in the U.S. by 2025. Decisions made in the moment have a higher

likelihood of leading to accidents. People make mistakes, even when they are well meaning so instead of trying to predict why and when accidents might happen, why not eradicate the problem altogether by taking men out of tanks? Inherent safety can be achieved by avoiding hazards altogether, rather than trying to control them and that’s where massive cost savings are made. Our transformational technology delivers entirely new scale, reliability, and flexibility. What we can offer clients is a truly reimagined product and service that makes tank cleaning inconceivably better than anything that has gone before. Our self-contained system includes vacuum, jetting, cranage, and robotics, with nothing extra to hire or buy, simplifying the entire tank cleaning process. Productivity is enhanced and tanks are brought into operation again more quickly. The market has been redefined and is waking up to the capabilities of our new technology and service. We have gradually built a major position in the mainstream tank cleaning sector as it in turn, makes a seismic shift in attitude towards safety. At no time during their cleaning process is there a need for human presence in a tank. The operator remains in a Zone 1 control unit where activity is scrutinised through a

series of ATEX cameras and gas monitoring equipment fixed to the robot. The entire tank cleaning operation is recorded on CCTV from the ATEX cameras and is made available to clients upon completion of the works. A record of gas detection readings is also issued on completion of each vessel cleaning, produced by the onboard gas monitoring equipment. This gives them a vital insight into the progress of the clean, energy consumption and waste generation. We employ a robust process for measuring, managing and continuously improving our systems. The feedback gained during and after every tank clean is invaluable and it helps us to refine our service. We gain critical insights from clients and by working together we can create a bespoke version of our service, for every tank. The lessons learned are captured and taken back to our Business and R&D Departments and are regarded as an opportunity for sharing and learning lessons for improvement. Our willingness to learn and adapt after each and every tank clean is an essential feature in our success, vindicates our 100% client retention rate and helps us maintain the highest levels of customer satisfaction. For further information visit: www.regenrobotics.com

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FOCUS: THE CURRENT GAS MARKET

Welding the LNG Tanks By Dr. Eng. Pablo Ozaeta L. SoldOza SL LNG Tanks are structures designed to store natural gas in a liquid state at atmospheric pressure. Depending on its chemical composition, the liquid state at atmospheric pressure is achieved by cooling the natural gas to a temperature below -160°C. Flat bottom cylindrical tanks can be from simple containment to full containment tanks. The outermost is usually a concrete cylinder with a framework of cryogenic bars and pre-stressed with circular and vertical steel cables. The full containment tanks are typically made up of 4 containers.

he lower concrete slab also contains a framework of cryogenic bars and a heating system to prevent ground damage by freezing it. Depending on the terrain’s characteristics and the area’s seismology, these slabs can be piled or placed on seismic isolators. In their upper part, these Tanks are usually crowned with a semi-spherical concrete dome, which is poured directly onto the metallic dome of the Vapor Barrier. Because the concrete is not tight to the gaseous phase of natural gas, it is necessary to line the entire interior surface of the concrete with a carbon steel liner called Vapor Barrier. This Vapor Barrier is usually made up of 5mm thick carbon steel plates welded on carbon steel plates embedded in the concrete wall. The bottom is also often made with lap-welded carbon steel plates. The transition between the vapour barrier bottom and wall can be made with an embedded angle or toroidal section. The Vapor Barrier wall is welded to a compression ring that distributes the loads from the Tank dome to the cylindrical section of the tank. For schedule, security and costs, the metal dome of the tank begins to be built in segments outside the tank during tank slab concrete pouring and the first rings of the concrete wall. Once the temporary supports of the roof are placed inside the tank, the dome sections are assembled inside the tank while the concrete wall continues growing to its final height, where the compression ring is built. Once both structures are finished, the metallic dome of the tank, which, depending on the tank’s dimensions, can weigh up to nearly 900 tons, is pneumatically raised with one of the most spectacular maneuverer in the LNG Tanks construction. Due to the structural rigidity of the connection between the concrete wall and the concrete slab, known as the “Corner”, it is a highly delicate area which is incapable of withstanding the thermal shock produced by any possible leakage of the primary container liquid. To protect this critical area of the tank, used to build a leak collector tank, about 5 meters high, is made of cryogenic steel plates over the thermal insulation section, preventing sudden cooling of the concrete tank

corner. This Corner Protection is usually assembled from a cryogenic steel ring about 5 meters high in the concrete wall. A membrane criteria is used to design this structure with a special requirement for thermal shock. The most common is that they are designed within the elastic range, but elasto-plastic models adjust very well to the structural requirements of this critical zone of the Tanks. The Fourth Container of these Tanks is the Primary Container of Natural Gas in the liquid state at a temperature below -160°C. This container is cylindrical with a flat bottom and without a roof, with storage capacities between 30,000 and 200,000 m3. which are made of cryogenic steel, commonly applying the allowable stress criteria suggested by the main design codes. Base material. The storage temperature of the LNG is below -160°C, so it is impossible to use any ferritic steel due to the ductile-brittle transition of these materials. Aluminum and austenitic stainless steels are commonly used for cryogenic applications but are not the most suitable for manufacturing the primary tank shell due to their low mechanical resistance. Nickel steels are typically used to build the inner tank of the LNG tanks due to their high toughness and high mechanical strength,

which is achieved after a set of heat treatments that modify the ferritic structure by tempered martensite. These steel have an average charpy value of around 100 joules, an yield strength in the range of 580 MPa and rupture above 700 MPa. Within these steels are the 5, 6.5 and 9% Ni steels with different heat treatment sequences that give them slightly different mechanical properties. The quenched and tempered 9%Ni steel, ASTM A 553T1, is the most common steel used to build the corner protection and the inner container of the LNG tanks. Welding the Nickel Steels. Flat bottom cylindrical tanks cannot be heat treated with a similar heat treatment program used on the plates during manufacture. Then is impossible to use welding consumables with chemical compositions matching the base material used. Nickel-based alloys have been, without a doubt, the preferred choice due to their excellent toughness at low temperatures, their coefficient of expansion close to 9% Ni and their relatively high mechanical strength. In the last decades of the 20th century and Asia, NiCrFe type alloys were mainly used for vertical welding joints with the SMAW process, while NiMo was used for welding the horizontal joints with the SAW process. While in the West, Ni Cr Mo alloys have been the

most widely used. Nickel Alloys. Nickel is an austenitic metal entirely soluble in iron. It has a density of around 8,9 g/cm3, yield strength of 70MPa and ultimate tensile strength of 345MPa. Nickel can be alloyed with a significant amount of other elements that increase its mechanical resistance by two mechanisms, by solid solution or by the formation of precipitates. The alloys frequently used for welding 9% Ni are the NiCrMo-6, NiCrMo-4 and NiCrMo-3, with Ni% 60, Cr% 14-20 and Mo% 7-16 increasing their mechanical resistance by solid solution mechanism, reaching a yield strength above 400 MPa and ultimate tensile strength above 690MPa. Weld metal Welding nickel steels using nickel-based alloys as weld metal is not difficult, but it is different. The physical properties of these two materials must be considered to understand the weldability of this pair of materials. The first property to consider is the difference between the melting temperature. The NiCrMo alloys melt around 1370ºC, close to 1000ºC below the steels melting point. This melting point difference promotes the lack of fusion defects, especially in fillet and horizontal welds. Joints with large bevel angles should be machined to reduce the risk of producing lack of fusion defects. Even the horizontal joints are machined with 45º for the upper bevel and 15° for the bottom bevel. It is also recommended that the weld beads be as flat as possible, reducing their convexity. The width of the bevels also facilitates the execution of the welding due to the less fluidity of the molten weld metal, which behaves more like a thick oil than water. This higher viscosity significantly affects deslagging, especially when welding the horizontal joints of the tank shell with the Submerged Arc process. When 2.4mm diameter

wire with basic or semi-basic flux is used, it is common to find in the radiographic images a series of aligned rounded discontinuities in the upper section of the weld metal. Many of these indications are produced by slag drops that have not had enough time to reach the surface from the weld metal. This high viscosity also difficult degassing of the weld metal, producing pore-type defects.

Submerged Arc process, where an increase in the distance between the contact tip and the piece produces overheating of the wire that further compromises the electrical resistance of the material. This increase in electrical resistance produces an additional potential drop that weakens the power of the electric arc, sometimes causing major welding and wire feeding problems.

The fluidity of the weld metal is greatly improved if it increases the molten metal’s temperature by increasing the current density. The current density is defined as the amperage of the welding current divided by the crosssection of the welding wire.

Using last-generation welding machines with active control of the electric arc dramatically improves the performance of the Submerged Arc welding process with flux-cored wires and, therefore, the results.

When welding with Submerged Arc using 2.4mm wire, current densities are in the range of 80 to 90 A/mm2. Increasing the current within the acceptable welding parameters has minimal impact on this current density, but if the diameter of the wire is reduced to 1,6mm the current densities reach 130 to 180 A/mm, a range in which the rounded discontinuities almost entirely disappear.

In general, most austenitic materials have a high sensitivity to cracking, mainly determined by the welding parameters used, so it is advisable to carry out a Cracking Sensibility study before using a new brand of consumable or when welding parameters want to be changed.

The Marangoni effect defines the direction of circulation of the weld metal that affects the taking of the weld bead. In nickel alloys’ case, the molten metal’s flow direction produces wider beads with lower penetration rates than steel welds. Increasing the welding current has a more significant effect on the bead width than on its penetration. The filler metal’s electrical resistance significantly affects electric arc welding processes in which the filler metal is part of the electrical circuit of the welding process. The resistivity of pure nickel is around 95 nano-ohm/m, which is close to the of carbon steels, 166 nano-ohm/m, but increases to 1300 nano-ohm/m if alloyed wires are used. This effect is significant in the case of coated electrodes for the SMAW process. The electrodes of the NiCrMo classification, including NiCrMo-6, are used to be made from low-alloyed nickel wires with lower electrical resistance so that they can be manufactured in lengths of 350 to 450mm with admissible currents of 80 amps. At 250 amps on 5mm electrodes. On the other hand, the electrodes of the NiCrFe classifications are usually manufactured from a nickel alloy metal rod with a very high electrical resistance, so their length is limited to between 300 and 350 millimetres with admissible currents up to 30% lower, which significantly reduces the weld metal deposition rate. If these electrodes are used above their allowable currents, they immediately overheat, turning red. This overheating deteriorate the coating of the electrodes, causing them not to perform all their functions properly, so it is completely forbidden to work in these ranges. This electrical resistance also has an important effect in the

Sensitivity to Cracking.

To perform this crack sensitivity study, shall understand the cracking mechanisms that occur during welding. Here, we will talk about three mechanisms; stress cracking, solidification cracking and warm cracking due to weld metal reheating by subsequent passes. The heat input effect on cracking sensitivity has U-shape, with the highest cracking risk with lower and higher heat inputs. At lower heat inputs, the weld bead is so tiny and weak that it breaks due to overload because the amount of deposited material cannot withstand the stresses produced by thermal contraction. On the other side, if the heat input or the amount of metal deposited is so high, then the solidification rate is reduced, favoring the formation of precipitates due to solute segregation during solidification. There is a safety parameter range at medium heat inputs values where it is possible to produce sound welds free of cracking risk. Of course these ranges depend on the welding process, joint configuration and welding consumable rating. The third mechanism of figuration occurs at average temperatures normally above 0.6Tf, affecting the weld beads previously applied in the multi-pass process. This phenomenon is known as ductility dip cracking and is sensitive to the stress state in the material and to the time the material is in the temperature range. These cracks used to be observed during bend test, tensile test and or All weld test samples. To avoid the formation of these cracks, it is necessary to weld with the lowest possible temperature between passes, which reduces the time at which the heat-affected zones are within the dangerous temperature ranges. • If you would like to know more about the topics discussed in this article, please contact: SoldOza S.L. E: pablo.ozaeta@soldoza.com T: (+34) 691 077 514 W: https://www.soldoza.com

FOCUS: THE CURRENT GAS MARKET

Europe Continues to Scramble for LNG Supplies Europe’s pledge to rapidly reduce and ultimately eliminate its reliance on Russian energy imports by the end of the decade – and likely sooner – marks a generational change in the continent’s energy landscape. Alongside energy efficiency savings and further ramping up of renewables, diversity of supply is now firmly at the forefront of policymakers’ minds. With any new natural gas projects years away from coming on stream, Europe must look further afield to the global market of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for alternative supplies. Much of that market is tied up in long-term supply contracts, presenting Europe with significant, immediate difficulties in bridging its gas shortfall.

The United States has stepped in to help alleviate some of the pressure by directing an additional 15 billion cubic metres of LNG to the continent by the end of the year. But the emergency supplies, while much needed, account for less than 10% of Europe’s total annual reliance on Russian gas. Europe must quickly look to other major LNG exporters – such as Qatar, which plans to double LNG production by 2025 – to draw down its dependence on piped Russian gas. Increasingly, however, European policymakers are wrestling with another policy headache – that of its own capacity to import LNG. After being cooled to liquid form for easier transportation and storage, natural gas in LNG shipments must undergo a process of regasification to enter domestic pipeline systems. But Europe is chronically short of the LNG terminals required to meet the sudden surge in demand. Germany, in many ways the standard-bearer of Europe’s dramatic 180-degree turn away from piped Russian gas, has no regasification terminals. New import terminals will take years to build and at no small cost. As a result, European policymakers are eyeing up floating storage and regasification units (FSRU) to receive LNG offshore and turn it into gas for onshore networks. According to the FT, these can be set up in under a year. That, however, is only if you can find them. Only 33 of these vessels exist worldwide and supply is not expected to improve soon. France is reportedly in talks with TotalEnergies to install a FSRU in Le Havre. Other European gas consumers will be competing with each other to follow suit. The number of FSRU buyers will significantly outstrip supply. How Europe can solve its LNG challenges in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – both in terms of securing additional supplies and boosting its import capacity for the fuel – will be a key theme of Gastech 2022. As industry leaders, policymakers and investors gather in Milan, we may get used to hearing a lot more about floating terminals to unlock Europe’s supply crunch. Supply Chains: Challenges & Opportunities

The predominance of complex, internationalised supply chains is one of the defining characteristics of the global economy in the 21st century. When economists talk about globalisation, they are in part talking about the interconnectedness of the world’s economic trade, thanks to the ability for supply chains to link countries together. Cobalt mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo becomes a battery in China, Superconductors made in Korea are fitted into cars made in America.

commentators believe the crisis in Ukraine will push industries further in this direction – not least the energy sector, which is facing heavy disruption in the new Zero Russian Gas paradigm.

Global supply chains have opened up enormous opportunities for innovation, not least in the global energy sector, which, with its transcontinental pipelines, and fleets of LNG-carrying ships, is composed of an intricate web of supply chains.

In many cases, this is easier said the done. For renewables, China’s dominance of rare earth metals used in battery production and materials for solar panel production is causing headaches for policymakers in the West, South Korea and Taiwan’s dominance of highend semiconductor manufacturing the same.

Criticism of supply chains, and globalisation more broadly, has tended to focus on the neglect of domestic industries and commercial activity in favour of cheaper suppliers overseas. However, the impact of the global pandemic, and the crisis in Ukraine, is now causing some industry commentators, both in the energy sector and its partner industries, to question the reliability and integrity of the global supply chain system. The pandemic laid bare the vulnerabilities of many industries, with a report from Accenture suggesting 94% of Fortune 1000 companies saw supply chain disruptions from COVID-19. For many companies, one of the key lessons from the pandemic was to step up efforts to relocate the production of critical resources closer to end-customers. Now, some

The debate across the globe now centres on how best to meet this challenge: diversification and greater regionalisation are at the top of the agenda. With time and investment, new regional production centres will open up ‘shorter’ supply chains, which may in turn strengthen the resilience of numerous sectors.

But in the gas sector, Europe’s geopolitical turn is presenting opportunities for the industry to drive supply chain resilience and diversification. For example, investments in the Eastern Mediterranean gas basin, alongside new LNG terminals to boost access to diverse global suppliers, could play a major role in rewiring and strengthening Europe’s energy supplies. Major transformations in global supply chains will not happen overnight. Interconnectedness will inevitably remain central to the global economy over the next decade. However, the nature and shape of those supply chains may well undergo a transformation in the coming years. •

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HEALTH SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT

IR Windows – Best Practice to Safely See Inside Critical Rig Equipment Infrared (IR) thermography is a proven technique for locating hot spots in electrically powered equipment and defining their inspecting status, however, one of the major disadvantages when using this technology is the requirement for a direct line of sight into an electrical enclosure. In his latest article, Geo Therm Ltd, Managing Director Tony Dale describes how best IR equipment can be utilized to safely inspect inside equipment with a thermal camera without opening or disrupting critical operations.

nfrared (IR) thermography is a proven technique for locating hot spots in electrically powered equipment and defining their inspecting status, however, one of the major disadvantages when using this technology is the requirement for a direct line of sight into an electrical enclosure. In his latest article, Geo Therm Ltd, Managing Director Tony Dale describes how best IR equipment can be utilized to safely inspect inside equipment with a thermal camera without opening or disrupting critical operations.

An arc-flash victim, injuries can include extreme heat and molten splatter burns. Internal burns, intoxication due to the inhalation of hot toxic gases, and hearing damage due to explosion. Other physical and emotional trauma caused by the explosion (blast pressure and flying debris, including PTSD).

For the past 30 years, handheld thermal cameras have become commonplace in many offshore work environments. Mostly as part of the maintenance tool kit, becoming the rig electricians’ tool of choice after the multimeter. Thermal imaging or thermography does not rely on external illumination, rather it passively detects IR energy (heat) if the direct line of sight is unobstructed. When overheating electrical equipment cannot be detected an outage or panel fire could quickly ensue. Regular IR checks are the key to any sustainable reliability program. Rig PM checks combined with impartial annualized thirdparty thermographic surveys are responsible for providing real-time feedback to determine if equipment temperatures are within the manufacturer’s operating parameters. The human eye is ill adapted to see heat in the infrared (IR) wavelength. Heat is only seen by the human eye when a component is glowing cherry-red, a scenario that no-one wants when working offshore.

Temperatures and the resulting thermal behaviour of rig electrical equipment is critical to ensure the reliability of service is maintained. Without safe access to power everything stops - a rig black-out is a major cause for concern for both Rig Owner and Client. Electrical equipment must be energised to 40% load to make the thermal survey viable, access into locked equipment require defeating of interlocks, permit approval, isolation, removal of secondary internal barriers and competent individuals donning specialist arcflash PPE just to gain unobstructed line of sight to perform the survey. The opening of switchboard doors and other enclosures, and the removal of internal dead-front plastic screens (which are non-transmissive to infrared energy) expose’s energised equipment and the potential for electrocution and triggering an arc-flash event. An arc-flash (often called a flashover) is a type of electrical explosion or discharge that results from a connection through air to ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system.

Geo Therm Ltd surveyor using a thermal camera to safely scan inside a transformer housing.

Although rare, influencing factors from the surrounding environment, equipment age and condition, including disturbance all play a part in the likelihood of an arc flash event. At the source of an arc-flash, temperatures can reach 20,000°C - around four times the surface of the sun, with an explosive force ejecting molten metal, equipment parts and debris up to speeds of 300 meters per second. Needless to say, no one wants to be on the receiving end of a catastrophic arc-flash event! An arc-flash study, and the arc-flash protection boundary defines the level of PPE and safe working limits of the area. Without adequate protection, injuries can be devastating, third-degree burns to exposed skin, including internal burns, inhalation of hot gasses and vaporised metal, hearing and eye damage, including secondary causeand-effect injuries. Furthermore, damage to rig equipment, resulting in downtime and expensive reactive repairs. Acknowledging incidents are preventable, whereby Rig companies and Operational managers are seeing the benefit of proactively improving safety by encouraging the retrofitting of IR inspection windows into vital rig equipment to prevent downtime. Especially equipment that is normally difficult to access when high load drilling or mud pump operations are ongoing.

The use of IR window safety devices are gradually becoming well known, with Geo Therm Ltd supplying and installing several thousand units to the offshore energy sector, with quantities ranging from tens to several hundreds per rig. Understanding installation time takes less than 20 minutes per unit. With installation of one or more IR window units per cabinet section, a Thermographer can examine a large quantity of live electrical equipment quickly and safely. Potentially saving thousands of man-hours over the life cycle of the asset. To maximize their effectiveness IR window placement must consider several factors that include the location of components within each enclosure while avoiding internal obstacles such as arc barriers, cable tray runs, etc., and offer the dielectric clearance necessary from internal energised components. Working with a professional installer such as Geo Therm Ltd will yield the best results for IR window placement and installation. Most of the shelf IR windows are circular. The main body or its housing ring is fastened to the exterior of the electrical enclosure, securing a crystal lens typically a Calcium Flouride (CaF2) or polymer viewing pane. Viewing diameters are 50mm, 75mm or 100mm, with a hinged or removable covering plate that protects the lens from impact. The IR window forms the necessary barrier protection between the interior and exterior environments, and depending on its manufacturer, protective ratings can encompass up to 11KVA equipment. Larger IR windows are available, albeit these are mesh type with a polymer lens, (with one IR window manufacturer - IRISS providing bespoke sizes, multiple certification, environmental and

protective rating). Benefits of IR windows… •

Mitigate dangerous work practices, inspect live equipment safely.

•

Maximize investment, remove from old equipment and re-install onto new.

•

Reduce the time it takes to perform regular thermal and visual PM’s.

•

Variation in sizes and rated to suit equipment systems.

•

Quick and straightforward to install with minimal specialist tooling.

•

Ease of use, enabling greater inspection frequency.

Additionally - IR windows come in various sizes and shapes to suit equipment, offer impact protection and are quick and easy to install with minimal specialist tooling, moreover ease of use. Installation enables greater inspection frequency of safety critical items, while allowing maintenance personnel to view internal components with ease, such as to confirm switching positions for lock-out tag-out compliance. The installation of IR windows also negates the requirement to don bulky arc-flash suites, whilst maintaining NFPA 70E compliance. Leading IR window manufacturers include: IRISS, FLIR, FLUKE and CorDEX Instruments. When installing IR windows, the hole is typically punched out of the enclosure using an electro-hydraulic punch, to minimize swarf. Each circular IR window takes no more than 20 minutes to install. IR window installation effectively place’s a barrier in front of the thermal camera, and since all IR windows are not 100% transmissive to IR radiation, the thermal imager will be inaccurate when viewing through them, hence adjustment to the thermal camera settings to compensate this IR window install engine generator.

is needed to ensure radiometric (non-contact) accuracy. It must be stated, the installation of IR windows will not prevent an arc flash incident; however, their use will reduce the risk of exposing the crew member or inspector to it. Installation further permits regular visual access into each electrical enclosure at any time. Typically, rig critical equipment prime for IR window installation include, transformer housings, main engine generator terminal box covers, main switchboard circuit breaker section covers, and thruster terminal box covers. Over the last twenty years Geo Therm Ltd has installed and supplied thousands of infrared windows to multiple offshore energy companies, with installations on drill-ships, jack-up rigs and semi-submersibles, in all global regions. In conclusion, IR windows support rig based safety initiatives, improve maintenance consistency, facilitate improved worker safety, and provide timely inspection outcomes. Furthermore, provide a hands-free noncontact means to eliminate the need for opening enclosures to perform energised IR inspections on critical rig equipment and the threat of arc flash injury significantly so you can get more done while stay in compliance with international and rig health and safety requirements, while achieve near-term ROI with an immediate safety improvement and client kudos from the get-go. • If you would like to know more about the topics discussed in this article, please contact: Geo Therm LTD (Head Office) T: +44 (0)1502 723241 E: tonydale@geothermltd.co.uk W: https://www.geothermltd.co.uk

HQSE TECHNOLOGY

Aviation Friction Assessments By, Justin Lewis, Managing Director of Pro Friction Services Ltd.

Pro Friction Services grew out of what was previously the ‘Friction Testing’ department of Cranfield Aerospace Solutions based at Cranfield University. At a time where the COVID pandemic had changed the world and has had a particularly disruptive effect on the aerospace industry, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions decided to develop other areas of the business, leading to my decision to take ownership of the sector in which I had been project manager for numerous years. Runway Friction Assessment RAF Gibraltar.

he decision was to purchase the friction testing business and create a new company under my own vision and with my own core values. We are currently a micro company with my wife and I as directors and I personally conduct all matters of the business. Our goals when we set up the company were to offer a unique suite of services to our potential clients that other companies may not be able to offer. We are able to offer friction testing services on both helidecks and runways, along with being able to offer consultancy services and project management of aircraft water ingestion trials. The oil & gas industry is in a position of inevitable change, and since entering this industry almost 10 years ago, it is clearly noticeable how many offshore installations have been decommissioned or now have limited usage. With fewer installations operable, and competition within the sector still strong, we pride ourselves on putting our customers requirements and safety at the forefront of our plans.

As the business is owned and run by Kimya and I, we have put our heart and soul into everything and we really will go out of our way to ensure that our projects are successful and most importantly that our customers are

happy. I make myself available around the clock, every day of the year to be at hand with any requests as I fully understand that there may be urgent requirements that were not easy for customers to foresee or plan ahead. Currently our core business is in and around the UK waters but we are pushing forward into new markets and have already received some positive interest in our services from North America, Africa, and the rest of Europe. Having worked within this industry and conducting the actual friction testing activity personally for almost 10 years, I have seen the changes that have been implemented such as the use of more practical and transportable equipment, and the changes that have been made to CAP 437, and it is clear that as an industry, we are working together to make a safe and positive environment for those that work in, lets be honest, an extremely hazardous and unforgiving industry. From our perspective, we are keen to see the continued revaluation of processes and testing parameters that have been implemented over the last few years with updated editions of CAP 437. The continued strive towards the removal of helideck landing nets where practicable, is surely a positive goal given the inherent dangers involved with the potential trip hazards. The aim of the friction testing of the helideck is to ensure that both the area that

Texas, OTC 2022.

Water Ingestion Trials Flooded Runway Facility at Cranfield Airport. which the helicopter lands, and the area that is predominantly used for pedestrian activity is safe and meets the required numerical value. A helideck friction test should be conducted on fixed and moving helidecks (such as jack up rigs, vessels etc), and the test conducted shall cover the entire deck at spacings of no more than 1 x 1 square metres. Friction tests are generally conducted in ‘dry’ conditions, simulating ‘wet’ conditions by use of the Findlay Irvine Helideck Micro GT which deploys a specific volume of water on the test tyre. This method enables comparable test parameters to be met when testing all helidecks. Test runs are generally performed in two directions of the deck (depending on surface type, as profiled decks are only tested along the profiled ribs), to enable a comparison to be made for directional variance on the surface. The results of all runs conducted in both directions are combined to give an overall numeric friction value for the various areas of the helideck. The required numerical value inside the TD/PM circle (typical landing zone) and on the TD/PM circle painted area (where helideck lighting is not installed) is 0.60µ for fixed, and 0.65µ for moving helidecks, and for outside the TD/PM circle is 0.50µ for fixed and moving helidecks. Friction tests also highlight any specific points of the helideck that may fall below the required values enabling the installation operator to plan ahead for future maintenance. Depending on the results obtained, various levels of certification can be applied such as use whilst retaining a landing net, use for 12 months without a landing net, or use for 24 months without a landing net. We try to work with our clients and can offer advise on ways to maintain the friction levels, or improve them if the requirements are not met.

Inevitably, there have been certain occasions where a helideck has not met the required standards; on the occasions this has happened on overseas tests, it could prove highly problematic for the client, in that another friction test will be required following rectification of the helideck surface. Because I personally make the business and strategic decisions, it allows me to make key choices on site. We are able to offer immediate advice for rectification and can offer to stay longer than planned and retest the surface to gain valid certification of the deck, thus providing a much more cost effective solution for our clients. Alongside our helideck friction services, we offer runway friction testing of both civilian

Findlay Irvine Helideck Micro GT

and military runways, along with working in conjunction with Cranfield Airport in offering a facility that enables aircraft water ingestion trials, for both of which, more information can be found on our website: https://profrictionservices.com/ We are still within our first year as the new company and there have been testing times along the way, but the vision to have meaningful control over the way the business is run in sector I am extremely passionate about is coming to fruition, and we look forward to the future. • Pro Friction Services E: j.lewis@profrictionservices.com T: +44 (0) 7538933993

HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT

Depro AS: Reduced Costs and Environmental Savings Can Go Hand in Hand The Norwegian subsea tool company, Depro AS, deliver subsea tools to the offshore oil and gas industry all over the world. Now they offer a rental solution directly from the manufacturer. The result is lower costs and less environmental impact.

OGI: Why do you as a producer offer a rental solution for ROV tools?

Kenneth Olsen, Chief Marketing Officer, Depro AS

ROV skid with a VideoRay Defender Observation ROV.

Renting equipment can help companies to reduce CAPEX, storage space and maintenance cost. So, in many cases this would be a good solution, and our customers want this as an alternative to purchasing the tool. When you rent equipment directly from a manufacturer there are experts who have the knowhow on how to perform maintenance, upgrades and optimize setup of the product to secure reliability and uptime in operation. This means that a customer will always get a subsea tool that is fit for purpose, says Kenneth Olsen, chief marketing officer. OGI: Does the rental solution have other benefits? By focusing on a design that provides a long lifetime, easy maintenance, upgrades, reuse and recycle, we make products that gives additional value to the customers and at the same time a sustainable attractive concept for the customer. Many tools and equipment are often stacked away in a warehouse for years and when it is needed it’s difficult to find and less reliable in operation. Reliable tooling is vital to reduce operational risk. By letting Depro take care of the product during its lifetime it makes us a stronger partner in providing a more sustainable lifecycle solution for our industry, says Olsen.

Today there is high focus on sustainability and circular economy. How much influence

does this have on product development and production cost? We are constantly looking at how we can develop products and systems that help save the environment from emissions, in all phases of the tool’s lifecycle. This often goes hand in hand with saving costs. When we develop more efficient and sustainable products it benefits both the customer and the environment. As an example, we have developed torque tools that have high speed and high precision. This makes the operations faster, thus saving time and in that way reducing customer cost and environmental impact. The latest development is the ROV Buddy Skid with a VideoRay Observation ROV system mounted underneath a Work Class ROV. This system provides the opportunity to bring one additional ROV system subsea and be a support system to the Work Class ROV. The Buddy ROV is easy to operate, and it`s designed so the ROV operator can operate Observation ROV and Work Class ROV at the same time. This gives access to better visual control, access to areas with limited space, and reducing operational risk. Our Buddy ROV

The skid includes electrical TMS and ROV system.

system provides great savings for the customer. OGI: You produce standard subsea tools and specially designed solutions. Are there any specially designed products you have produced recently that are environmentally friendly? Depro have over the last 3 years intensified focus to become a front runner in ESG and a more sustainable supplier to the Oil & Gas industry. Our focus is expanded to include the whole lifecycle when designing new products, including reuse and recycling. During this work we realize that concepts and products that are reducing offshore operation time is

our most important contribution to reduce environmental impact. Every hour in operation, with the personnel, equipment, and vessel in use, exceed our environmental footprint to produce the tool. Our newest and ongoing development is an electrical Torque Tool which exceed the hydraulic one in all aspects and reduces energy consumption by 50%. OGI: Can you tell us about measurements taken at your factory to reduce environmental impact? We have taken many steps in the right

direction to save energy and providing the best working environment for our employees. Examples of this are only using hydroelectric energy, motion-controlled LED lighting, heat recovery from wastewater, test pool water is cleaned and reused, and we have installed an advanced ventilation system that prevents the building from emitting unnecessary heat. We also have charging options on site for electric cars and electric bikes. The waterborne heat system in the floor provides good utilization of energy and a pleasant climate to work in. We also have a modern waste treatment and recycling system implemented where non recycled waste is burned with energy recovery, and CO2 capture & storage planned. This contributes to 99 percent of our waste being managed with minimum environmental impact. Our facilities are designed to reduce distance between departments and teams, resulting in seamless project execution. Making our activities more energy-efficient means that we leave behind a smaller carbon footprint, says Olsen. Depro will be an exhibitor at the energy conference ONS in Stavanger. Come and visit us at booth 2540 if you are in Stavanger at the conference. We would be pleased to meet with you to talk about cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions, says Olsen. • If you would like to know more about how Depro AS can help your company and its operations, please contact them at: Depro AS W: https://www.depro.no T: +47 51 48 21 90

Torque Tool with TCU in operation

E: sales@depro.no

HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT

Safety Hook Extreme

CableSafe Safety Hooks are used in cable management while conducting maintenance, turnarounds, construction works and industrial works. The Safety Hook is used as a safety product to suspend cables and hoses of the work floor. Multinationals prescribe the use of Safety Hooks in company procedures to adhere to the highest safety practices.

Safety Hook Extreme While our Safety Hook is a high quality product, CableSafe’s engineering team found a way to improve it. That is why we are proud to introduce our new Safety Hook: the Safety Hook Extreme. The development of this Safety Hook Extreme is done in cooperation with a Norwegian oil & gas multinational. The Safety Hook Extreme is manufactured with glass reinforced PBT and is UV stabilized, Flame Retardant (class: 94V-0, Flame Class Rating 3) and Cold Weather rated. British Standard British Standard recently adopted the Requirements for Electrical Installations [BS7671:2018] for the electrical design

industry. This standard is developed after the death of two firefighters at Harrow Court, Hertfordshire, in 2005. The two firefighters got entangled as a result of the collapse of an electrical installation during a fire. The implemented standard states that it requires cables to be adequately supported against their premature collapse in the event of a fire. Installations designs from 2019 onwards have to comply with this new standard. This has implications for personnel involved with design, erection and verification of electrical installations. Our Safety Hook Extreme is developed with this standard in mind. OSHA The

Occupational

Safety

and

Health

Administration (OSHA) is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. OSHA claims that fire safety must be everyone’s job at a worksite. Employers should train workers about fire hazards in the workplace and on what to do in a fire emergency [OSHA Part 1926.150, Subpart F]. During a fire hazard it is of vital importance to suspend cables and hoses of the work floor to prevent slip, trip and fall accidents. That is why we made our Safety Hook Extreme flame retardant. CPR In the European Union (EU), the product ‘cable’ was added to the Construction Product Regulation (CPR) in 2017. Thereby, creating an obligation to classify cables according to fire behaviour in order to be able to market them in Europe for use in buildings [NEN8012:2015]. The EU recognizes the danger of fire due to unsafe cables. Cables must be flame retardant, so should Safety Hooks be. Different Sizes The Safety Hook Extreme is available in 4 sizes: 15 inch which holds 265 kg, 12 inch which holds 190 kg, 9 inch which holds 55 kg and 6 inch which holds 40 kg static load. The Safety Hook Extreme color is yellow, as this is often used in safety equipment. • CableSafe is powered by Westmark BV If you would like to know more about how CableSafe can help your company and its operations, please contact them: CableSafe / Westmark BV E: info@cablesafe.com T: +31 334614844 W: https://www.cablesafe.com

HIGH PRESSURE FLEXIBLE LINES FOR DRILLING & WELL SERVICE APPLICATIONS Drilling wells miles deep, technology demanding high pressure, high temperature (HP-HT) wells and increased lateral and directional drilling productivity requirements demand your hose systems perform in some of the most challenging working conditions in the world. That’s why Gates offers a full line of products and services to manage your critical Flexible Hose Assemblies (FHA) in the oil & gas industry. Gates Oil & Gas hose assemblies are rated up to 15,000 psi working pressure and designed to meet or exceed the stringent performance requirements of API 7K and API 16C, in addition to many application-specific and regulatory standards. Researched, designed, tested, and

made in the UK and other global locations, customized Gates hoses can be assembled and delivered to meet your needs - including emergency call-out responses via Gates Hose Management Services.

For in-depth technical support, contact

GATES ENGINEERING & SERVICES UK LTD.

Bassington Drive, Bassington Industrial Estate Cramlington, NE23 8AS T. +44 1670 706 210 GATES.COM ™ E. Sales_E&S_UK@gates.com

SPECIAL: CYBER SECURITY

Cyber Security in the Oil and Gas Sector (And What it Means for You) Cyber security is a growing concern and a necessity for many businesses and industries. As technologies evolve, so do the ways they can be misused or hacked by cybercriminals, and this is not helped by our growing use and dependence on technology. Critical national infrastructure (CNI), including oil and gas sectors, are huge targets for cybercriminals due to the potential devastation that can be caused if the technology that supports these systems were to be compromised and controlled by malicious actors. Attacks on CNI industries continue to be a growing threat, and since the beginning of the Ukraine war, 78% of cyber security experts in UK CNI organisations have reported an increase in cyber attacks. This highlights the need for CNI industries to implement robust security strategies to combat the threat of cyber threats targeting oil and gas industries. What cyber security challenges are the oil and gas sectors facing? 86% of CNI organisations in the UK have experienced a cyber attack on their operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICS) – computer systems in place to protect CNIs. The attack surface continues to widen as these legacy systems become connected, with 84% of CNI organisations confirming that OT and ICS environments are accessible from corporate networks. To reduce the threat of cyber attacks and their lasting impact, CNI organisations need to reinforce their cyber resilience to prevent the impact of an attack. So, what are the cyber security challenges that critical national infrastructures are facing? Phishing attacks Phishing remains the most common attack vector and has been identified as one of the most widespread attack methods to target CNI industries. Phishing is a form of social engineering that targets organisations through their employees. It’s an effective technique as it relies on social engineering methods such as impersonation, usually mimicking a trusted source such as a C-suite executive, to elicit sensitive information from targets.

Phishing is popular among cybercriminals due to the low effort and high reward involved – it relies on the principle that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Therefore, cybercriminals will target a high proportion of people with the hope that one of their targets falls into their trap. If one employee clicks a malicious link in an email or opens an infected attachment, the entire network is vulnerable to viruses or a ransomware attack. Internal resources A lack of internal resources is not just an

issue for CNI organisations but across the entire security industry as the cyber security skills gap widens. Without skilled security personnel, it becomes immensely difficult to address and resolve security concerns. A strong cyber security posture relies on a combination of security experts and technology to help mitigate and remediate cyber threats effectively. Without funding and resources, CNI organisations will remain vulnerable to an evolving threat landscape. Complacency A threat for all businesses is complacency. This most often expresses itself through meeting, but not surpassing, the basics of compliance and by not training employees to recognise a potential cyber attack. Compliance is often met with rolling eyes and the belief that it will take too much time, money and resources to prepare for a situation that may never happen. While it may never happen, and ideally it won’t, the threat of being subjected to an attack, such as the DarkSide ransomware attack detailed below, is cause for concern at the very least. Complacency can also manifest through a lack of training among staff. The human aspect of any business is one of the biggest threats to its security, but regular and effective security

awareness training can turn employees into your most effective line of defense. Case Study In 2021, Colonial Pipeline, one of the USA’s leading fuel pipeline operators, was forced to close its entire 5,500-mile network due to a ransomware attack, affecting 45% of the fuel supply of the country’s eastern seaboard. The outage lasted for 11 days. The attack has been attributed to DarkSide, a cybercriminal gang from Eastern Europe that provides ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS). DarkSide was able to infiltrate the IT systems at Colonial Pipeline and steal around 100GB of data before supplying a notice of encryption and instructions to pay the ransom, reportedly $5m. The customer billing system was taken offline as part of a deliberate effort from Colonial Pipeline to contain the threat, and fuel flows were subsequently halted, despite there being no physical attack on the pipes themselves. With the fuel supply for nearly half of the east coast made void, there was an immediate and widespread impact that manifested through a cycle of fuel shortages, panic buying, rising fuel prices and a huge disruption to both homes and businesses. The scale of this disturbance meant several US states declared states of emergency. The ransom demand is believed to have been paid – a relatively low price given similar attacks have garnered circa $30m. What can CNI organisations do to protect themselves from cyber threats? CNI organisations can take the following steps to ensure their security posture is robust and counteract the security threats posed by cybercriminals: Security awareness training Security training has the potential to turn staff from a threat to an asset and is a huge piece of the cyber security puzzle. Effective cyber security training can be achieved by making training engaging, relatable and by combining learning with assessments to enhance knowledge retention. Security training should cover areas such as: •

Practising best security practices, such as password and email security and safe

browsing •

Understanding the most common cyber threats and their dangers

•

Social engineering techniques

•

The importance of protecting business and personal data (GDPR and data privacy)

Phishing simulators After training naturally comes the test – phishing simulators allow you to do just that. Phishing simulators can deliver convincing but harmless phishing emails to help organisations identify how susceptible employees are to phishing emails. Combining phishing simulators with security training greatly reduces the risk of your business falling victim to phishing attacks. Threat monitoring Threat monitoring tools help to continuously collect, analyse and detect cyber threats from multiple sources, including networks and endpoints, to understand an organisation’s existing vulnerabilities that could be leveraged by cybercriminals. Threat monitoring tools can give CNI organisations a holistic view of their threat landscape. This allows their security teams

to remediate their most pertinent threats. Additionally, threat monitoring will allow CNI organisations to quickly identify, evaluate and prioritise their most critical threats to ensure they deliver efficient protection to safeguard national infrastructures. How can you protect remote devices (such as IIoT sensors) from cyber attacks? The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a network of connected devices commonly found in industrial environments. These include location tracking sensors, gas sensors, and motion sensors, to name a few. To protect IIoT sensors from cyber threats, it’s important to understand what makes these devices vulnerable in the first place. Vulnerable components and a lack of security awareness are among a couple of weaknesses that hackers can exploit to gain access to networks to steal data and deploy attacks that can debilitate critical infrastructures. To protect these devices, it’s essential for security teams to change default passwords to IIoT devices, provide continued device management and regularly updating software, and ensure there are additional layers of protection, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the chances of unauthorised access. Key takeaways •

CNI organisations face similar common cyber threats as other industries, including phishing attacks, a lack of internal resources, and complacency

•

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•

By following security best practices, IIoT devices can be secured. Remember to change default passwords, update software regularly, and implement stricter access controls to prevent cybercriminals from exploiting vulnerabilities in these devices •

PROCESSING

Mega-Size Valves? The World Is the Limit for Control Seal Control Seal B.V., located in Appingedam, the Netherlands, holds the worldwide reputation when it comes to ‘big-size’, or ‘mega-size’ valves. Officially approved for unlimited size from Aramco, Control Seal currently possesses the world record of the largest-ever made double block and bleed dual expanding plug valve of 48” RB 150 LBS. Not to one’s surprise, the previous world record was also by them-42” fullbore 150#, which proves that there are no real competitions when it comes to big size valves. In this article, we addressed some of the biggest valves which Control Seal produced over the recent years. 48” RB 150# Dual Expanding Double Block and Bleed Plug Valve The 48” RB 150# Dual Expanding Double Block and Bleed Plug Valve is one of the proud achievements of Control Seal. The engineering team of Control Seal cleverly came up with the most cost-effective design to keep the existing tooling and machining cost to the minimum. An accurate trim calculation and 3D model in combination with Control Seal’s Helixtrunnion® frictionfree design enabled for this 48” valve to operate perfectly with a handwheel actuator. Putting safety first, Control Seal’s valves boast the highest-integrity in the market with a 100% shut-off with provable sealing through integrated bleed system. Control Seal’s DBBV can be made in either fullor-reduced bore, fully piggable, and with extended stem or short pattern. The whole process from manufacturing, machining, assembly to testing was done in-house. 28” Rising Stem Ball Valve RB 600# Control Seal’s capacity to produce big-size valves does not end at DBBV. They successfully manufactured a 28” RB 600# Rising Stem Ball Valve by using their friction-free, quarter-turn mechanism Helixstem®, which ensures no abrasion on the seal and an exceptionally long lifetime with high-integrity. Standard API max size is 24”, but when customers require, Control Seal provides unlimited size possibilities. “Over the years, there have been many attempts to duplicate Control Seal’s RSBV. Nonetheless, none were able to do correctly, as it is not something that can be mimicked overnight. It is a proud milestone of ours that was possible through decades of R&D, passion for perfection and communication with clients and eventually understanding the market demand. We ask our clients to not comprise safety and quality. Of course, there are valves that are cheaper, but what do you do if your critical valve component fails in a matter of days? And how do you expect that the problem will be solved in days?” says J. Dana, CEO of Control Seal B.V., emphasizing the importance of choosing a reliable valve with proven records.

Control Seal was awarded ISO 15848 certification among the first vendor in the industry and all their valves are fire-safe tested. ITIS B.V. successfully tested Supagraf® Premier in Control Seal valves for fugitive emissions according to ISO 15848-1 2006 CO2 Class A-this is the lowest rating of leakage definable under ISO 15848-1. This leakage limit was only reserved for bellowed sealed valves until now. Control Seal assists in FEED study, ensuring that everything goes smoothly from installation, operation, until the decommissioning of the plant. 34” Dual Expanding Double Block and Bleed Plug Valve FB 150# Control Seal recently sent off 15 pieces of 34” Dual Expanding Double Block and Bleed Plug Valves as part of delivering 579 valves in total-consisting of 19 DBBV (of which 15 of them were 34”) and 500 Rising Stem Ball Valves. It is a milestone to deliver not only one, but 15 big-size 34” valves, contributing to one of the bigger orders which Control Seal

received in terms of quantity and the overall value. The valves will be used for Bapco’s Modernization Programme (BMP), Kingdom of Bahrain’s largest modernization unit for using hydrogen. Thanks to the unique nonfriction mechanism, it can be operated by handwheel by one hand. 34” Dual Expanding Double Block and Bleed Plug Valve FB 150# Early this year, Control Seal delivered a 34” FB 150# Double Block and Bleed Valve for Société Du Pipeline Sud Européen (SPSE). The uniqueness of this valve lies in the two different connection flanges-weld end on one side and raised face on the other. In addition, 2x2” 150# RF flushing connections is attached to the valve body. Control Seal is eager to deliver even bigger size valves and mega-projects with their experience, know-how, and continuously improving engineering excellence. For more information, contact Control Seal B.V. • Website: www.controlseal.nl Email: sales@controlseal.nl

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PROCESSING

Fast Tracking Flowmeter Design for the Measurement of Fuel Consumption With increasing fuel prices, all sectors of the transport industry, from small trucks to larger super-tankers, are taking an interest in effective ways of measuring their vehicle’s fuel consumption and hydraulic oil flow.

nfortunately, it’s not a simple task! Engine fuel consumption and efficiency generally goes unmonitored, the performance of a diesel power unit assessed from the manufacturer’s engine test figures and seldom checked again. Whilst vehicle manufacturers do spend a lot of time and effort checking the consumption figures for an engine, this is done on dedicated dynamometers and, later, with very sophisticated mobile set ups. These test systems are very costly and unsuitable for general use; on the other hand, a dashboard fuel gauge simply measures the fuel left in the tank, rather than the fuel consumed by the engine. Flow Meter Type is Critical Metering fuel consumption can be achieved using positive displacement flow measuring devices such as Oval Gear flowmeters. However, differing results in flow meter accuracy and error rates can be seen depending on a number of factors. For example, an increase in the return fuel temperature will affect the density and viscosity of the diesel and, on a poorly maintained engine, it may even contain combustion gases or air. A small amount of this may make the engine look very efficient, as apparently more of the fuel is being returned to the tank and less used. The density change alone could easily result in a 1% change in volume if the return diesel is around 25°C higher than the supply from the fuel tank. The choice of flow computer is critical; it must have flowmeter linearization on both channels as well as the ability to perform density corrections using pre-determined fuel characteristics, together with fuel flow and return temperature measurements. The flow sensors should, preferably, be positive displacement types and they must be very repeatable; certainly better than ±0.1%. If the flow sensors have ±0.1% repeatability and built-in temperature measurement, density and flowmeter temperature correction are then performed to give a more precise result. As indicated previously, if the condition of the engine is not in good running order, the return line could contain spurious amounts of gas which would increase the apparent volume of the return flow. An engine flow measurement system installed and correctly monitored could be a useful indicator of engine decline or other

anomalies in the fuel system. So, although installing a fuel flow measuring system is not simple, it can be achieved with careful consideration of all flow parameters. Case Study 1: High Performance Boats In 1986, Titan was approached by the Virgin Atlantic Challenger II team. They were searching for a flowmeter manufacturer who could supply a device to measure their fuel consumption on their Trans-Atlantic Blue Riband attempt. The engine manufacturers had put severe restrictions on the permissible pressure drop in the fuel lines to guarantee the engine performance. Calculations suggested a venturi meter would have a low enough pressure loss but the dynamic flow range would be insufficient for the overall engine fuel usage. To solve the problem Titan inserted one of its Pelton wheels as a type of undershot water wheel into the throat of the venturi. This proved to have an acceptable overall pressure loss and excellent linearity. Richard Branson completed the crossing in the Virgin Atlantic Challenger II, in three days, eight hours and 31 minutes, beating the 1952 record set by the United States. Case Study 2: High Performance Vehicles Titan had been supplying flow meters to high performance vehicle and power train manufacturers for a number of years, measuring engine and hydraulic oil both in vehicle and on the test bench. In 2014, Titan was approached by a Formula 1 racing team to

design bespoke flowmeters for two very niche applications: direct fuel and engine oil flow measurements were required for the F1 racing cars. For the fuel system, Titan developed an ultra-lightweight oval gear meter capable of being safely housed inside the fuel tank itself and submerged in the fuel. F1 vehicles typically run without cooling fans so measuring the oil flow on engine test required a flowmeter accurate to 200°C with no undue pressure drop. Using the inherent very low pressure drop of their oval gear flow meter design, Titan produced a 200°C, 50 L/ minute flow meter with a pressure drop of less than 100bar utilising specially manufactured oval gears specific to the application. Both modified flow measurement designs provided accurate flow measurement whilst housed directly in or around the noisy electrical environment of the F1 vehicle. For everything from generators, boats, high performance vehicles and trains through to hydraulic packs and even microlights, Titan works with their OEMs to find viable solutions for fuel consumption issues, delivering accurate and reliable results. To discuss an optimised flow measurement device for your OEM application please contact: Titan Enterprises T: +44 (0)1935 812790 E: sales@flowmeters.co.uk W: https://www.flowmeters.co.uk

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Titan Enterprises is a leading design and manufacturer of innovative end user and OEM high-performance flow measurement solutions. Titan’s flow meters are: • Designed and manufactured to ISO 9001 with traceable calibrations. • Robust and reliable delivering high accuracy and repeatability. • Capable of measuring a wide range of liquid flows. • Ideal for use in a variety of environments, temperature & pressure ranges, and chemical compatibility. Titan’s flow meter and instrument range includes: • Ultrasonic Atrato® and Metraflow® flow meters • Low cost turbine flow meters • Oval gear flow meters • NSF-approved mini turbine flow meters • OEM bespoke design To discuss your specific flow meter applications, contact us today: T: +44 (0)1935 812790 E: sales@flowmeters.co.uk W: www.flowmeters.co.uk

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PROCESSING

Dow Becomes First to Achieve Traceability and Recycled Content Certification for PE Compounds Dow announced today its post-consumer recycled-rich resins, REVOLOOP™, are the first polyethylene (PE) compounds to be certified in accordance with the Standard UNE-EN 15343 for plastics recycling traceability and recycled content. The certification has been granted by AENOR, a global company and the Spanish leader in conformity assessment and extends to all three grades offered by Dow in Europe.

EVOLOOP™ grades are part of Dow’s plastics circularity portfolio and incorporate a high percentage of post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. The single-pellet solution enables a simpler PCR process integration, meeting the needs of converters, brand owners and sustainable packaging designers, and can be used in a broad range of applications. Providing access to quality, consistent waste streams, and increasing reliability in the waste value chain, the REVOLOOP™ family of PCR-rich resins expand Dow’s sustainable offerings portfolio to help advance a closed loop system for plastic waste. “REVOLOOP™ represents a tangible step towards realizing our vision for a circular plastics economy,” said Peter Sandkuehler, European Sustainability Director for P&SP. “It exemplifies Dow’s efforts around the world to enable mechanical recycling and the incorporation of PCR in a variety of technologically demanding applications. Such progress will bring all the players in the value chain further in their sustainability journey.” The UNE-EN 15343 is the European Standard that specifies the procedures needed for the traceability of recycled plastics and covers two schemes: the traceability and characterization in the plastic recycling process, and the minimum content of post-consumer recycled plastic used in the processing of a plastic product. This certification was awarded following a full independent, external audit to ensure that

the control of incoming plastics waste, the traceability in the production processes of recycled material and the percentage of postconsumer recycled material included in the certified products, Dow XZ98612.00 (30%), Dow XZ98615.00 and Dow XZ89169.00 (70%), complies with the requirements set out in UNE-EN 15343 standard. Therefore, AENOR has verified that the manufacture of Dow’s polyethylene compounds contains up to 70% of postconsumer recycled products, which have

either fulfilled their intended purpose or can no longer be used for the purpose for which they were conceived. In order to grant this certification, AENOR first checks the origin of the post-consumer recycled material. The process continues with the analysis of the main processes applied by the organization in the manufacture of the products in the scope of the certification, with special emphasis on the control of the equipment that fixes the dosages during the manufacturing process. Finally, the calculation protocol applied by the organization to determine the percentage of recycled material incorporated into the products is audited, verifying that it provides the necessary confidence, by means of periodic controls, so that the products marketed over time effectively contain the minimum declared. “This certification demonstrates Dow’s commitment to offering products that minimize the use of the planet’s resources, offering the plastics transformation chain the possibility of including materials with recycled content endorsed by AENOR certification, and showing its commitment to the environmental values shared by society as a whole. Dow is now the first company to obtain this certification for polyethylene compounds”, says Yolanda Villaseñor, Director of Product Certification at AENOR. •

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PETRONAS Retains Position as World’s Strongest Oil and Gas Brand

ETRONAS has maintained its position as the world’s strongest Oil and Gas (O&G) brand for the third consecutive year, according to Brand Finance’s 2022 annual report on the most valuable and strongest O&G brands. The company also remains among the top 10 most valuable O&G brands globally in 2022. PETRONAS’ rank has been attributed to the result of its Brand Strength Index (BSI) which increased from 87 last year to 87.7 in 2022. BSI is judged on a brand’s performance, focusing on intangible measures relative to its competitors.

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According to Brand Finance, PETRONAS is well placed to further strengthen its brand as the company aims to provide a diversified range of energy options in line with its aspiration to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

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PETRONAS President and Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Tengku Muhammad Taufik said, “We are grateful that this achievement by PETRONAS continues to demonstrate the resilience and tenacity of our workforce in contending with two years of extreme disruptions to the energy ecosystem. Even as we navigate a riskier and more volatile environment with relatively steadier footing, PETRONAS’ priority is to ensure security of energy supply for Malaysia and our customers around the world. Delivering on this commitment becomes more daunting as heightened geopolitical conditions continue to threaten an already fragile post-pandemic recovery.

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Looking ahead, PETRONAS believes that with the strength and reliability of its core portfolio combined with a new suite of offerings in cleaner energy solutions, it will evolve into an ‘energy superstore’ that powers businesses and fuels progress in a just and sustainable manner both at home and in the countries where we operate.” In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 100,000 respondents in more than 35 countries and across nearly 30 sectors.

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In the 2022 Brand Finance Global 500 report on the world’s most valuable brands released early this year, PETRONAS’ consistent brand performance had contributed to a Brand Value of US$13.6 billion in 2022, a 13 percent increase from 2021. •

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(LCR) operates globally, processing non-ferrous metal containing secondaries and distributing a range of chemicals and alloys which, in many cases, are recycled from these secondaries. The company has been involved for many years with cobalt, copper, molybdenum, nickel, tungsten, 74 vanadium and zinc secondaries and has now expanded into precious metal containing secondaries – including platinum, palladium, ruthenium, silver and others. We hold exclusive agencies from international fully 28 licensed processors including Full Yield Industry Co Ltd in Taiwan and RS Bruce in UK and operate a joint venture with AGR Catalyst Recovery in Spain. Through these and our other international relationships, we can 78 process a range of waste and unwanted catalysts, plating sludges, ashes, residues, concentrates and tailings. We use these to produce vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) and other chemicals 46 and alloys which are distributed to our international customers.

LCR offers commercially competitive recycling options with an emphasis on environmentally sound management. Our experienced, friendly and knowledgeable staff are familiar with relevant legislation, transport procedures and documentation including trans-frontier notifications, REACH, SDSs and ADR dangerous goods. Service, quality, consistency and reliability are all important watchwords for LCR ensuring that our customers return again and again.

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We are regularly purchasing and recycling metal containing secondaries containing typically: BASE METALS: COPPER, NICKEL, ZINC. MINOR METALS: COBALT, MOLYBDENUM, TUNGSTEN, VANADIUM. PRECIOUS METALS: PLATINUM, PALLADIUM, RUTHENIUM, SILVER, GOLD. THESE ARE ALL IN SECONDARY FORMS AND ROUTINELY FOUND IN: BOILER ASHES AND SLAGS, CATALYSTS SPENT – UNUSED OR OUT OF DATE, DROSSES, DUSTS, FILTERCAKES, FURNACE DUST, GALVANIC SOLUTION RESIDUES, GRINDINGS AND GRINDING SLUDGES, METALLICS, SHAVINGS, METAL POWDERS, PICKLING SOLUTIONS, PLATING SLUDGES, PRODUCTION WASTES, RESIDUES, SKIMMINGS, SLUDGES, TAILINGS, WASTE WATER TREATMENT RESIDUES

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THE ENERGY TRANSITION

Why Rejuvenation of the Southern Gas Basin Reflects the Realities of Energy Transition This article explores the context and background of what is driving this exciting mature basin rejuvenation and why the SNS should continue to be an important focus area for the energy sector more than 50 years after the journey began. It is a story with compelling commercial and industrial logic.

xploration in the Southern Gas Basin has its roots in the very earliest successes of the European gas industry, and the discovery of the onshore Groningen gas field by the Slochteren-1 well in 1959 when gas was discovered in Permian-aged Rotliegende sandstones. This reservoir was to become a significant target in the basin as the first offshore exploration wells in the North Sea targeted the Rotliegende sandstones beneath the Zechstein salt sequence, and the first commercial gas discovery was made in 48/6-1. This was to become the West Sole gas field. More than 50 years later, the basin continues to attract explorationists pursuing established plays but also progressing new ideas in underexplored targets. It is not uncommon for mature basins to undergo periods of rejuvenation, but this time it’s different, with the focus on traditional gas exploration occurring alongside new energy developments in hydrogen, carbon storage, and other energy transition projects. It is within this new context that significant opportunities could exist for PGS to leverage its fully integrated geophysical capability and create new value streams in new energy. April 2022 saw PGS announce the SNS Vision project, one of several exciting seismic rejuvenation projects to re-process vintage data in mature areas. The project will deliver over 12 000 sq. km of PSDM-merged, reprocessed data in a single volume and sets the stage for a new class of seismic data product that will not only enable the evaluation of new exploration prospectivity but also the assessment of energy

transition opportunities. Alongside SNS Vision, PGS is winning accolades as a preferred supplier in the energy transition space with the recent seismic acquisitions, including the BP-operated Endurance carbon storage site, a cornerstone of the Northern Endurance Partnership. A transitional theme connects the conventional with new energy opportunities in and around the basin reflecting the changes now transforming the energy sector. The journey to net-zero is a stepwise process, not an abrupt change. Hence, the ability to find more gas resources in provinces that are envisaged as key, future net-zero energy hubs and clusters, is essential to their success and long-term viability. Establishing markets and infrastructure for blue hydrogen production (with CCS) via established, industrial-scale processes (e.g., steam methane reforming) will set the scene for the future expansion of green hydrogen, a technology that remains under development and is yet to scale. This is why data rejuvenation products like PGS’ SNS Vision are now so relevant: they serve the dual imperatives of energy security through continued energy supply (i.e., gas) and the need to deliver the energy transition to netzero, by enabling the industry to combine secure access to the gas it needs and provide sites to store carbon and help neutralize industrial emissions. What are the technical opportunities? In the conventional exploration domain, the last few years have seen a re-appraisal of underexplored plays motivating new activity. Perhaps the best example of this is the Permian Zechstein Reef play, which is on the margins of the traditional fairways that have been successfully explored. 2022 will see this play tested by Shell and Deltic Energy, and success here can be expected to drive further activity in the region. This activity is off the back of other finds in the last decade, further to the south, closer to the SNS Vision area and the infrastructure-rich heartland of the Southern Gas Basin. New discoveries in old plays continue to feature the Permian Leman Sandstone, the reservoir that started it all. Significant examples include the Tolmount Field and its satellites, which bring the story right up to date, with the field commencing its first gas production in April 2022.

There is also significant recent activity in CCS, with the focus on the development of the BP-operated Endurance storage site and award, in May 2022, of two further CCS licenses near Endurance, to BP and Equinor, two of the members of the Northern Endurance Partnership. CCS development in the region currently targets the Triassic Bunter sandstones. This reservoir is not usually a priority exploration target, sitting above the Zechstein evaporite seal, and being challenged by access to deeper hydrocarbon sources. However, its position above mobile Zechstein salt has resulted in an attractive configuration of relatively simple structural closures beneath a regional seal, readily imaged on seismic data. Many of these features are known to exist within the SNS Vision project area and PGS has just completed acquisition over the most prominent of these, the Endurance structure. This feature has already been assessed as viable for carbon storage, with the Quad 42 structure being tested by the 42/25d-3 well in 2013. Following PGS’ acquisition of the 3D seismic data over Endurance, the partnership is now set to continue the development of the region’s first offshore CO2 storage site, storing up to 100 million tons of CO2 over the 25-year lifespan of the project, receiving captured emissions from a diverse range of industrial emitters in the region. Topping off recent seismic acquisition activity by PGS over Endurance, the project has received another boost with the news that Equinor and BP have been offered two further storage licenses by the NTSA. Get Ready for the Next Chapter The positive news flow does not end there. On 14 June 2022, we witnessed another important milestone in UKCS history with the announcement by the NSTA of the UK’s first carbon storage license round. No less than eight areas are made available for competitive bids in the Southern North Sea, definitively setting the scene for the next phase of the basin’s rich history as an important energy province well into the 21st Century. With the North Sea emerging as a key new energy hub, the SNS Vision project will support assessments of the shallow subsurface alongside carbon and energy storage, helping to de-risk wind, CO2 storage, and traditional exploration activities. •

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NEWS BRIEF Nexans Selected as Preferred Bidder for Euroasia Interconnector

uroAsia Interconnector Limited, the Project Developer of the European electricity interconnection project linking the national grids of Israel, Cyprus and Greece (Crete) has announced that Nexans has been selected as the preferred bidder for the award of the supply and installation of the HVDC 500kV HVDC Mass Impregnated (MI) Cables for the 1,000MW Cyprus – Greece (Crete) Link. The EuroAsia Interconnector is a leading project of common interest (PCI) of the European Union. It consists of the electrical interconnection of the power systems of Cyprus-Greece (Crete) and CyprusIsrael with direct current (DC) subsea cables and with HVDC converter stations at each connection point. The link will have a total capacity at present stage of 1,000MW with capability to increase to 2,000MW. The EuroAsia Interconnector will be the energy bridge between Asia and Europe, with a total length of 1,208km, creating a reliable corridor for bidirectional transmission of electricity between Asia and Europe. When completed, the EuroAsia Interconnector between Greece and Cyprus will be the longest and the deepest HVDC subsea cable project ever, with bi-pole cables of 2x900km and a water depth of 3,000m.

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500kV HVDC Mass Impregnated (MI) is the only field proven technology for deep water subsea power cables utilizing Nexans long term developments for 3,000m ultradeep waters together with the installation capabilities of Nexans’ flagship vessel CLV Nexans Aurora. •

Interior Department Invites Public Comment on Proposed Five Year Program for Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing

s the second step in a three-step planning process, the Department of the Interior today issued the “Proposed Program” for the National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (National OCS Program) for years 2023-2028. “Today, based on my team’s work and my direction, the Department of the Interior is inviting the public to comment on a proposed offshore leasing program that will chart our course forward over the next five years. This is the second step in a three-step planning process to determine whether or how many offshore oil and gas lease sales to hold over the next five years. The proposed plan puts forward several options from no lease sales up to 11 lease sales over the next five years. Like the current program finalized in 2016, it removes from consideration the federal waters off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts while inviting public comment on 10 potential sales in the Gulf of Mexico and one in the Cook Inlet off south-central Alaska. A Proposed Program is not a decision to issue specific leases or to authorize any drilling or development,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “From Day One, President Biden and I have made clear our commitment to transition to a clean energy economy. Today, we put forward an opportunity for the American people to consider and provide input on the future of offshore oil and gas leasing. The time for the public to weigh in on our future is now.” Release of the Proposed Program follows the 2018 publication of the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) and is the second of three required steps before the Secretary of the Interior can approve the Final Program. Following publication in the Federal Register, the Interior Department will seek public comment on the Proposed Program and the accompanying Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS).

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The DPP released in 2018 by the previous administration proposed 47 lease sales across 25 of 26 OCS planning areas. Under the Proposed Program announced today, the Secretary significantly narrowed the area considered for leasing to the Gulf of Mexico and Cook Inlet, where there is existing production and infrastructure. Inclusion of an area or a potential lease sale in the Proposed Program does not mean that it will be included in the final National OCS Program. However, any area or sale not included in the Proposed Program will not be considered for inclusion in the final 2023–2028 National OCS Program. Following publication of the DPP during the previous administration, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) considered more than 2 million comments from the public and stakeholders, including governors, federal agencies, state agencies, local agencies, energy and non-energy industries, Tribal governments, non-governmental organizations including environmental advocacy groups, and the public. All materials – including the Proposed Program, a map of the program areas, directions for commenting on the Proposed Program and Draft PEIS, and information on how to register for the upcoming virtual meetings, can be found on BOEM’s website. Next Steps for the 2023-2028 Program The Proposed Program includes no more than ten potential sales in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and one potential lease sale in the northern portion of the Cook Inlet Planning Area offshore Alaska, which is the same as in the Five-Year Program finalized in 2016. These potential lease sales, including in the GOM, could be further refined and targeted, based on public input and analysis, prior to program approval. The Final Program also may include fewer potential lease sales, including no lease sales. •

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NEWS - MENA Stats Group Adds to Middle East Operation

TATS Group is adding more staff to its Middle East operations as the result of a post-Covid uptick in project activities, while one of its most experienced pipeline intervention experts has relocated to the region. Dale Millward has been appointed Vice President Technical Assurance in Doha in response to the increased demand for STATS products and services as Qatar makes significant investment in its liquified natural gas production facilities. Internationalisation remains a key strategic objective for the group with its latest financial accounts noting that 87% of its £49.7 million revenue in 2021 was derived from contracts executed outside of the United Kingdom. STATS Group Chief Executive Officer, Leigh Howarth, said: “The Middle East was one of the strongest performing regions with revenues increasing from £7.9 million in 2020 to £11.6 million.” In the Saudi Arabian market, the company strengthened its position with the award of a major subsea intervention project and STATS plan to increase their local presence in the Kingdom to support further growth. In addition to securing a swathe of new contracts in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and KSA, STATS has extended its Master Service Agreement with Petroleum Development Oman for the provision of pipeline isolation and hydrostatic testing services for a further 5 years. STATS is also conducting what is believed to be the world’s largest diameter subsea pipeline intervention campaign on behalf of a Middle East client, which involves the hot tapping and isolation of 10 pipelines with diameters ranging from 42” to 56”. Dale Millward has more than 25 years’ experience in the pipeline and subsea intervention industry and, since joining STATS in 2005, has played a leading role in the design, development and delivery of engineered pipeline isolation, repair and recovery solutions on numerous major global projects. Leigh Howarth, added: “As one of our most experienced technical experts, Dale Millward’s relocation from Aberdeen to Qatar underscores the importance we place on providing in-country support to our clients. Dale’s knowledge and expertise will be invaluable in mentoring our local teams and supporting our clients during an exciting growth period.” STATS has also appointed two Business Development Engineers, with Abdullah Al Riyami strengthening the company’s presence in Oman, while Saudi Arabia-based Mohammed Alfaqih will focus on opportunities in KSA. STATS Group, which employs more than 80 staff in the Middle East at bases in Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar, is also looking to recruit additional technicians and engineers to support its activities across the Gulf region. Mark Gault, STATS Group’s General Manager Middle East, said: “We are benefiting from our well-established localisation policy which has involved significant investment in establishing regional facilities in the Middle East and the employment of locally based staff, leading to strong relationships with key players. “The wider approval of our technologies by the region’s key operators and acknowledgement that our tools, equipment and services have been proven over an extended period and on a range of diverse projects, is another driver which is bringing in new business. “I am delighted to welcome onboard Abdullah and Mohammed who will be pivotal in further embedding the STATS brand and reputation in the Omani and Saudi markets as we continue with our growth plans.” •

TotalEnergies to Partner with QatarEnergy

ollowing the request for proposals in relation to partner selection for the North Field East (NFE) liquified natural gas project, TotalEnergies has been awarded a 25% interest in a new joint venture (JV), alongside national company QatarEnergy (75%). The new JV will hold a 25% interest in the 32 million tons per annum (Mtpa) NFE project, equivalent to one 8 Mtpa LNG train. The World’s Largest LNG Project The NFE, launched by QatarEnergy in summer 2019, is currently under construction. It is intended to increase Qatar’s total LNG export capacity from 77 Mtpa to around 110 Mtpa by 2027, thanks to the construction of four 8 Mtpa trains. The upstream part of the project will develop the southeastern area of the field with 8 platforms, 80 wells and gas pipelines to the onshore plant. A Low-Carbon LNG Project Paying special attention to environmental and climate challenges, the project will apply the highest standards to reduce emissions. The native CO2 from natural gas production will be captured and sequestrated in a saline aquifer. In addition, the facilities will be connected to the country’s electrical grid, which will supply a growing portion of renewable electricity – in line with Qatar’s climate ambitions – thanks to the giant Al Kharsaah solar power plant, which is scheduled to come on stream in 2022, and in which TotalEnergies is a partner. At the award ceremony, Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies, said: “This is another historic day for TotalEnergies in Qatar, where we have been present for more than 80 years. Qatar has huge natural gas resources that it intends to develop further to increase the production of the least expensive, the most environmentally respectful and the best located LNG. TotalEnergies was present at the beginning of its LNG industry in Qatar some 30 years ago through its interest in Qatargas 1, and then Qatargas 2 in 2005. We are very proud that Qatar has chosen again TotalEnergies, this time as the first partner for its new major phase of LNG expansion. It is a clear testimony of the profound trust that the teams have developed together, and it will extend our strategic partnership with Qatar and QatarEnergy for more than 25 years. It is good news for the fight against Climate Change as gas and LNG are key to support the energy transition, and notably the shift from coal to gas in many countries. With its low costs and low greenhouse gas emissions – thanks to carbon capture and storage – the North Field expansion will be an exemplary and major contribution to our low-carbon LNG growth strategy. This new partnership will indeed enable us to reinforce our global LNG portfolio and, together with Qatar, it will support our ability to contribute to Europe energy security.” In his remarks during the ceremony, His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said: “This is a historic landmark for Qatar’s energy industry and for the world’s largest LNG development. The North Field East project is an iconic achievement that will not only ensure the optimal utilization of Qatar’s natural resources but will also provide the world with the cleaner and more reliable energy it needs. Today, QatarEnergy is standing at the threshold of a new era with a stronger commitment to energy transition and to the safe, reliable, and trustworthy access to cleaner energy. We will continue to power lives in every corner of the world for a better tomorrow for all. This is our commitment. We look forward to working closely with TotalEnergies, who are a long-term strategic partner that we have always trusted to support the efficient and safe delivery of our projects. I would like to thank all the team members in QatarEnergy and TotalEnergies for the excellent collaboration and for all their hard work that has led to this important moment. I also would like to express thanks and appreciation to the project’s team and to the Qatargas organization for continuing to deliver the NFE project, and with an outstanding safety record. We are forever grateful to the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and for His unlimited support of Qatar’s energy sector.” •

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NEWS - MENA Aramco Expands Namaat Industrial Investment Programs

he Saudi Arabian Oil Company (“Aramco” or “the Company”) today announced a major expansion of its Namaat industrial investment programs, with 55 agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) across the sustainability, digital, industrial, manufacturing and social innovation sectors. Namaat, which has grown from 32 to 55 investments since last year, supports industrial investment partnerships, helping to create jobs for Saudis and contributing to national growth and capacity building. The program aims to enable opportunities for local and international companies and leverage various incentives offered through the government’s Shareek program and other initiatives. Ahmad Al-Sa’adi, Aramco Senior Vice President of Technical Services, said: “Namaat enables Aramco to be a catalyst for change across the Kingdom’s economy, while maintaining our reliability as a global energy supplier at a time of market uncertainty. Our collaboration with industry leaders in areas of strategic importance for the Kingdom, demonstrates how Aramco is creating National Champions that will bring long term benefits to our value chain, our economy and our people.” This latest phase of expansion for Namaat reflects even greater integration with other venture life cycle programs that aim to add value and support sustainable growth. It also represents significant progress for the program, with 19 of the 22 MoUs signed last year already reaching fruition, with a total investment of $3.5 billion. The new agreements bolster Aramco’s long-term growth strategy and the Kingdom’s expanding energy and chemicals value chains. They include: Kent & Nesma; Larsen & Toubro and Gulf Consolidated Contractors; Samsung Engineering & Al-Rushaid Group; Hyundai & Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting Co. (RTCC); Saipem & Nasser S. Al-Hajri Corporation (NSH); and Sinopec Shanghai Engineering Co. Ltd (SSEC) & Abdel Hadi Abdullah Al-Qahtani & Sons Co. (AHQ) – Six joint ventures involving the engineering, procurement and construction of new projects: •

Honeywell – Joint venture to develop and implement digital technology solutions across industrial facilities

•

Armorock and AlKifah Precast – Joint venture to localize the use of polymers in concrete production

•

Shell & AMG Recycling and United Company for Industry (UCI) – Signing of the Vanadium concentrate sales agreement, enabling the construction of an in-Kingdom metal reclamation and catalyst manufacturing facility

•

Accenture, Al Gihaz Holding and Impulse Partners – Consortium for establishing and operating the Spark Digital Center

ADNOC signs Strategic Collaboration Agreement

bu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced today that it has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (NAFIS) to accelerate recruitment of UAE talent in the private sector, with the aim to create 3,000 additional jobs for UAE nationals in its supply chain by 2025. Through this agreement, ADNOC will step up its efforts to ensure that companies in its supply chain are making use of the programs and incentives offered by NAFIS for hiring local talent. ADNOC will also contribute to raising the competitiveness of UAE nationals, by encouraging them to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the NAFIS programme. The signing of the agreement was witnessed by His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC, as well as His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The agreement was signed by His Excellency Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary General of NAFIS and Mr Abdulmunim Al Kindi, Executive Director of People, Technology and Corporate Services in ADNOC. H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said: “Through the creation of the NAFIS programme, the UAE leadership has demonstrated its strong commitment to unlocking opportunities for local talent to work and succeed in the private sector. Inspired by this vision, ADNOC is fully committed to working with NAFIS and private corporations in our supply chain to facilitate and promote the matching of UAE talent with private sector opportunities. I warmly welcome this agreement, which is closely aligned to our broader efforts to support the expansion of a dynamic industral sector in the UAE, and create new high quality job opportunities.” As the UAE prepares for its next 50 years, NAFIS will support a sustainable and diverse economy by enabling UAE nationals to play an increasing role in the private sector and to continue to make a vital contribution in advancing the nation’s economic development. Through tailored initiatives, NAFIS works to integrate UAE nationals in existing and new fields within the private sector. •

Shell to Participate in Qatar’s LNG Expansion

hell has been selected by QatarEnergy as a partner in the North Field East expansion project in Qatar, the single largest project in the history of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry. Shell will hold a 25 per cent share in a joint venture company which will own 25 per cent of the North Field East expansion project, including the four mega LNG trains with a combined nameplate LNG capacity of 32 million tonnes per annum. Shell’s investment in this LNG expansion will support delivery of much-needed supplies of natural gas to markets around the world. The project will also be integrated with carbon capture and sequestration to reduce emissions. Shell Chief Executive Officer, Ben van Beurden said: “I am honoured that Shell has been selected by QatarEnergy. Through its pioneering integration with carbon capture and storage, this landmark project will help provide LNG the world urgently needs with a lower carbon footprint. Lower carbon natural gas is a key pillar of our Powering Progress strategy and will also help us achieve our target of becoming a net-zero emissions business by 2050. “This agreement deepens our strategic partnership with QatarEnergy which includes multiple international partnerships such as the worldclass Pearl GTL asset. We are committed to maximize the value of the LNG expansion for the State of Qatar and continue to be a trusted, reliable and long-term partner in Qatar’s continued progress.” •

NEWS - MENA Bahri Wins Two Prestigious Awards

McDermott Awarded FEED By North Oil Company for Qatar’s Largest Offshore Oil Field

ahri, a global leader in transportation and logistics, was recently honored with two coveted awards at the 2022 Global Good Governance (3G) Awards in recognition of its unwavering commitment to nurturing employee-centered workplace culture and adopting responsible and sustainable business practices. The company received the ‘3G Championship Award in Human Resource Development’ and the ‘3G Sustainability Reporting Award’ from the premier awards program that celebrates excellence in good governance and commitment to social welfare. The awards come as a reflection of Bahri’s continued efforts to add tremendous value to its more than 4,000 employees and develop local talent with a focus on women and youth in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, all while reducing environmental impact with a dedication to safe and sustainable business practices. In its efforts to ensure transparency and improve its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance, the company has adopted best disclosure and reporting practices, including the Annual Sustainability Report for 2020. Notably, Bahri improved its ESG Invest ranking among the companies listed on Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange, Tadawul, from 16 in 2019 to 5 in 2020. As a global maritime leader, Bahri always seeks to set benchmarks in all aspects of business operations and relationships. Human capital and sustainability are at the core of the company’s quest for excellence. And as an employer of choice, Bahri attracts and retains the best talents. With a committed workforce being its biggest asset, it takes a holistic approach to human capital development, covering all aspects of employee welfare and well-being and professional growth and development. In addition to many internal initiatives that provide its both onshore and offshore staff with opportunities for upskilling and development, Bahri, in partnership with various public and private entities, has introduced many programs aimed at nationalizing the labor force and attracting the best talent across different roles, including the Graduate Development Program (GDP), Cooperative Training Program (COOP), and Onboard practical trainings to maritime students from King Abdulaziz University, among others. Bahri’s sustainability framework strategy encompasses four pillars, including Environmental Protection, People and Safety, Responsible Business, and Creating Value. The company ensures strict adherence to the highest standards and local and international regulations for environmental protection in all aspects of its commercial operations. It has pledged to fight climate change by supporting the use of innovation and technology to achieve a cleaner, more energy-efficient, and sustainable global economy. The company’s modern, state-of-theart maritime vessels are on track to burn less fuel and reduce overall nitrogen oxygen emissions, in line with the International Maritime Organization’s objectives. •

cDermott International has been awarded a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract by North Oil Company (NOC) for the Ruya Development, previously referred to as Al-Shaheen Phase 3-Batch 1, located offshore Qatar. This award is one the largest FEED projects undertaken in McDermott’s history and follows the successful completion of the pre-FEED contract. “This is a strategic contract for our offshore business in Qatar and a game-changer for McDermott as it represents the largest offshore FEED we have ever received in the Middle East,” said Tareq Kawash, McDermott’s Senior Vice President, Offshore Middle East. “As was the case for the Pre-FEED with NOC, work will be led from our highly skilled Doha operating center and will be supported by our Chennai engineering office.” “The award strengthens our successful collaboration with NOC and demonstrates the continuity of our business relationship with them,” said Neil Gunnion, McDermott Qatar Country Manager and Vice President Operations. “Utilizing our comprehensive experience and indepth knowledge of the offshore sector in Qatar, we look forward to continuing to work closely with NOC to contribute to the development of Shaheen, which is Qatar’s largest offshore oil field.” The scope of the contract comprises developing FEED studies and deliverables suitable for an engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) project. This includes creating technical output data (FEED data), providing EPCIC schedule and cost estimates, and developing an early work plan for the brownfield scope with necessary site surveys. The scope also ensures that new greenfield facilities design and brownfield modifications comply with applicable rules and regulations. McDermott has decades of experience delivering projects in Qatar, a historically strategic market, and is significantly increasing localization efforts with the Tawteen In-Country Value (ICV) program. The Ruya Project will be managed from the McDermott Doha office with support from Chennai. McDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. Our customers trust our technology-driven approach engineered to responsibly harness and transform global energy resources into the products the world needs. From concept to commissioning, McDermott’s innovative expertise and capabilities advance the next generation of global energy infrastructure—empowering a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. Operating in over 54 countries, McDermott’s locally-focused and globally-integrated resources include more than 30,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world. •

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NEWS - SOUTH AMERICA Howden Continues to Grow in South America

Scatec and Partners Start Construction of Mendubim Solar Power Plant

n May VMC hit an important sales milestone by placing orders for Howden bare shaft screw compressors, taking the total to over 1000 compressor units sold within South America. VMC and Scottish based firm Howden established a solid relationship in 2000. Howden, a world leader and pioneer of screw compression technology, continues to support its package partner VMC within the region. During the past two decades VMC has grown steadily in the Latin American industrial refrigeration market, and for the last ten years in the oil and gas sector, with an enormous potential in Argentina. Both teams celebrate this achievement as the result of excellent work from the VMC sales force, by selling units into a wide range of applications with the refrigeration, food and beverage and oil and gas markets. The success and the high volume of units sold is underpinned by the robust Howden screw compressor technology combined with the provision of engineering, equipment, service and aftermarket support provided by VMC.

catec, along with Equinor and Hydro Rein, has started construction phase for its 531MW Mendubim project in north-eastern Brazil. The solar power plant, located in the municipality of Assu, Rio Grande do Norte state, requires an investment estimated at US$430m. According to an already secured power purchase agreement (PPA), about 60% of Mendubim’s output will be delivered to Norsk Hydro’s Alunorte refinery. The rest will be negotiated in the free market. Ahead of financial close, which is expected to take place by the end of the year, the three developers (each with a 33.3% stake in the initiative) have already begun site preparation. Scatec has stated that Mendubim will be able to power 620,000 homes after completion. •

Howden is a leading global provider of mission critical air and gas handling products. Based in Glasgow, Scotland, Howden has over 160 years of heritage as a world-class application engineering and manufacturing company with a presence in 35 countries. Howden manufactures highly engineered fans, compressors, heat exchangers, steam turbines and other air and gas handling equipment, and provides service and support to customers around the world in highly diversified end-markets and geographies. •

From Dust to Drug

n electrical engineering, hazardous areas are defined as places where fire or explosions may occur. Sources of such hazards include gases, vapours, dust and fibres. All are combustible or flammable.

can be followed by a secondary explosion if dust is present. The second event can be many times more severe than the first, causing greater harm to people, products and facilities.

Little is needed to trigger an explosion

One of the reasons why such accidents occur is the fact that employees – both at the managerial and staff levels – are unaware of the risks associated with dusts and heat. This is why it is of the highest importance to train people who operate in such an environment and to put in place measures that will minimize or eliminate the accumulation of dusts on the work floor. The installation of explosion-proof electrical and mechanical equipment wherever possible and the development and implementation of a complete housekeeping plan that all employees need to follow are of the highest importance. Housekeeping may include the use of vacuum cleaners specifically designed for dust collection, elimination of hidden areas and avoiding horizontal surfaces where dust accumulates, and proper electrical and ventilation systems.

Switching a light on or off can emit a small spark. While this goes unnoticed in an ordinary household environment, just one spark may have dire consequences in a flammable atmosphere and cause a fire and/ or explosion. Flammable atmospheres are often found in industrial, scientific and commercial settings, such as the oil and gas sector, as well as mining. But it doesn’t stop there. Many more industry sectors have hazardous areas within their premises. Chemical processing plants, printing, paper and textiles industries, hospital operating theatres, automotive refuelling stations or petrol stations, aircraft refuelling and hangars, surface coating industries, sewerage treatment plants, grain handling and storage woodworking areas, sugar refineries and food processing, as well as metal surface grinding, especially aluminium dusts and particles. More than anywhere else, protection against fire and explosion is a necessity to ensure personnel safety and equipment reliability. The pharmaceutical industry, not listed above as such, is also a potentially hazardous area. Difficult to imagine when having in mind the pills, tablets, caplets, vials, sprays and liniments found in medicine cabinets? The finished product is harmless, as far as fire or explosion is concerned. It is less so when considering the ingredients listed in the composition of products of all types. A great number of ingredients used in the formulation of drugs may be combustible when still in dust form. Industrial dust is highly combustible where fine particles accumulate, and heat is present. Combustion occurs rapidly when particulates are suspended in the air, often in an enclosed location. These explosive incidents can happen anywhere where there is dust in combination with various ignitable sources such as uncontrolled heat and oxygen. Incidents often start with a small fire when a flammable material comes in contact with an ignition source. This is the primary explosion, which

Because of the hazards associated with the presence of dusts, all electrical and non-electrical equipment – electric, hydraulic and pneumatic motors, cables, enclosures, isolators and vents, lamps and switches, control systems, pumps, gearboxes, brakes, and many, many more – used in manufacturing processes should have the relevant level of dust explosion protection. Failure to do so can result in major industrial accidents and have fatal consequences. Through its standardization and conformity assessment work, the IEC has a solution for all sectors of industry that are operating in such hazardous environments. The IEC has been at the forefront of Ex standardization for many years, preparing international standards and establishing a conformity assessment (CA) system that provides testing and certification for all types of Ex equipment and related services as well as personnel competence. IEC Technical Committee (TC) 31: Equipment for explosive atmospheres, has a complete series of international standards, IEC 60079, that cover all specific requirements for electrical Ex equipment and systems, from general requirements to protection levels for apparatus used by all sectors that operate in hazardous environments, such as pharmaceuticals, food processing, sugar refineries, flour mills, grain silos as well as the paper and textile sectors. •

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NEWS - SOUTH AMERICA PGS Releases Uruguay 2022 Licensing Opportunities

GS 2D data from the Pelotas to the Punta del Este basins enables assessments for Uruguay’s 2022 license round, with conjugate margin analogs to discoveries in Namibia and South Africa. Final time and depth products are available. PGS has completed its 11 600 km rejuvenation project offshore Uruguay. Data released this week covers acreage for the 2nd Uruguay License Round, scheduled for November 2022. This reprocessed 2D volume covers the great extension of Uruguay’s shallow and deepwater provinces, with ties to 15 600 sq. km 3D GeoStreamer data. Notable improvements in data quality are visible across the entire basin. Increased resolution reveals mini basins in the shallow water areas, and confirms sizable amplitude leads in the deepwater. A better understanding of the petroleum system is now possible, by identifying the distribution of the source rocks, seal and trap mechanisms of the reservoirs. PGS has rejuvenated datasets from the 1970s through 2011, using a state-of-the-art broadband pre-processing flow and modern depth velocity model building, with imaging benefiting from PGS hyperBeam tomography and Kirchhoff pre-stack depth migration. •

Yinson Signs Firm Contracts With Enauta for FPSO in Brazil

inson Holdings Berhad (“Yinson” or the “Group”) has signed firm contracts with Enauta Energia S.A. (“Enauta”) for the provision, operation and maintenance of a floating, production, storage and offloading (“FPSO”) asset in the Atlanta Field located in the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil (“Project”). Pursuant to the Letter of Intent dated 17 December 2021, agreements were entered into through indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, Yinson Production Offshore Pte Ltd, Yinson Production EPC Pte Ltd, Yinson Bouvardia Holdings Pte Ltd and Yinson Bouvardia Serviços de Operação Ltda. The engineering, procurement, construction and installation of the FPSO are expected to be completed by the first half of 2024. Prior to the completion of the construction of the FPSO, Yinson has the discretion to exercise the call option to acquire the asset-owning company of the Project with a 15-year time charter agreement and operation & maintenance agreement, whereby Enauta has a right to extend the agreements by a further 5 years. The Project has an estimated aggregate value of USD505 million (including a 2-year operations and maintenance agreement), with a further increase to USD1,981 million (inclusive of 5 years extension period) should Yinson exercise the call option. The FPSO is one of Yinson’s three assets in Brazil, bringing the Group’s total fleet to nine floating assets. Yinson Group Chief Executive Officer Lim Chern Yuan commented, “Brazil awarded majority of the FPSO contracts in 2021 and we expect it will continue to be the dominant FPSO market going forward. With our strong track record, Yinson aims to passionately deliver powerful solutions for Enauta. Our goal is to contribute positively towards the development of Brazil’s energy industry.” Yinson Chief Executive Officer Offshore Production Flemming Grønnegaard said of the award, “Our steadfast commitment is towards pioneering low-emission designs from the get-go and this Project is no different. Both Yinson and Enauta have been working closely since last year and we are making solid progress. We believe that our close working relationship with Enauta will help us move a step closer toward Yinson’s zero emission FPSO concept of the future and our goal of achieving net zero by 2050.” •

Maersk Drilling secures extension for Mærsk Developer in Brazil

aroon Energy Ltd has exercised options to add the drilling of up to two wells at the Neon field offshore Brazil to the work scope of the semi-submersible rig Mærsk Developer. The contract extension has a duration of 80 days, in direct continuation of the rig’s previous work scope. The contract extension has a firm contract value of approximately USD 21m. “We’re delighted to confirm this extension which will expand Mærsk Developer’s activities in Brazil to include assisting Karoon in the further evaluation of the Neon discovery. During our preparations for the initial Baúna work scope, the Developer team has established a strong and close collaboration in our partnership with Karoon, and we’re looking forward to building on that in the Neon campaign,” says Thomas Lysgaard Falk, Head of International Division, Maersk Drilling. Dr Julian Fowles, Karoon Energy Limited’s CEO and Managing Director said: “We are looking forward to the commencement of workover activities on the Baúna field by the Mærsk Developer shortly and are very pleased to have extended our contract to include the planned drilling on Neon subject to the receipt of normal regulatory approvals, which will further consolidate our already strong relationship with the team at Maersk Drilling.” Mærsk Developer is a DSS-21 column-stabilised dynamically positioned semi-submersible rig, able to operate in water depths up to 10,000 ft. It was delivered in 2009 and is currently preparing for operations offshore Brazil with Karoon Energy Ltd. •

Man Energy Solutions Supplying Compressor Trains for New FPSO in Brazil

inson has chosen MAN Energy Solutions to deliver seven compressor trains for the Maria Quitéria FPSO, of which five will be centrifugal compressor trains for gas production and two will be screw compressor trains for gas recovery. The Maria Quitéria FPSO is part of a redevelopment project at the Parque das Baleias complex in the Campos Basin, operated by Petrobras approximately 77km off the Brazilian coast. Estimated to enter operations in 2024, the vessel will have a daily production capacity of 100,00 barrels of oil and 5 million sm³ of gas. Parque das Baleias is formed by the Jubarte, Baleia Ana, Cachalote, Caxareu, Pirambu and Manganga fields. •

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NEWS - APAC Dow Seals Value Chain Partnership With WantWant Group

ow (NYSE: DOW), a global materials science company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China’s leading food and beverage group, Want-Want, to drive zero-solvent emissions and develop a circular economy for flexible packaging. This agreement aims to deepen value-chain partner collaborations with customized adhesives solutions to address the needs of the industry for more sustainable packaging choices. Solvent emissions are a source of pollution and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Enabled by Dow’s water-based and solventless adhesives technologies, Want-Want is dedicated to using environmentally friendly laminating adhesives for all its flexible packaging while exploring opportunities to adopt recyclable packaging across more products under its portfolio. “Investing in sustainability is an ongoing process; this significant step with Want-Want can help both parties optimize our sustainability roadmaps in the long run,” said Bambang Candra, Asia Pacific commercial vice president, Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “We will continue to drive innovative solutions and support more partners in achieving their sustainability goals.” “Adhesives is an important sector that can help reduce emissions and enable a circular economy. Not only are we advancing sustainable packaging on a larger scale, but we are also exploring benefits such as efficiency optimization and energy savings, supporting customers in reducing carbon footprint during production and transportation processes,” said Jayne Wong, global adhesives business director, Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. The signing of the MoU agreement aligns with Dow’s sustainability goals for carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as supports Want-Want’s sustainability goals to achieve carbon neutrality and adopt recyclable packaging for all products. “In order to tackle climate change and create long-term value, we have an important part to play as one of China’s largest food and beverage companies to establish an environmentally-friendly value chain – that inspires and encourages our consumers to make positive changes for the planet,” said Yongmei Cao, general manager of operations, Want-Want Group. “Solving sustainability challenges is not a one-man nor a oneorganization job, but also falls on the shoulders of all stakeholders. Not only are we thrilled to advance further in this journey with Dow, but we are also encouraged by the reality that we can offer our customers’ favorite products that are enveloped by Dow’s sustainable packaging innovation.” •

East Coast Gas Crisis

ast coast gas crisis: if you pull the trigger be careful you don’t shoot off your foot

EnergyQuest has just released its Australian LNG Monthly for May 2022. The lead article is: If you pull the trigger, be careful you don’t shoot off your foot Amid the east coast electricity crisis there are strident calls for the federal government to limit Gladstone LNG exports to divert gas to the domestic market. “We should tear up contracts to get access to our gas.” However, it is much more complicated than that. While east coast spot gas prices spiked in May, Gladstone LNG exports actually fell, from 2.1 million tonnes (Mt) in April to 1.9 Mt in May. In fact, in May the Gladstone LNG projects were only operating at an average 86% of nameplate capacity, down from 96% in April. Of a total 29 LNG cargoes from Gladstone in May, industry sources estimate that 27 cargoes were delivered under long-term contracts, with only two spot cargoes in May. Figure 1 shows the destination of cargoes from Gladstone in May, with 48% to China, 23% to Japan, 13% to Korea, 10% to Malaysia and 6% to Singapore. In April we estimate that 30% of all the LNG imported by China came from Gladstone. Any desire to redirect gas to the domestic market that is already contracted by one of these countries under longterm contracts obviously needs to be handled with extreme sensitivity, as appears to have been the case with the introduction of the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the major buyers have already invested in developing the fields from which they expect to receive their supply. The Chinese companies CNOOC and Sinopec have shares of 50% of QCLNG Train 1 and 25% of APLNG respectively. Petronas and Kogas have 27.5% and 15% shares respectively in GLNG. They have already made substantial down payments on the gas they have contracted. The gas is not ours; it has already been sold. They are also investing hundreds of millions of dollars a year to maintain supply. Fifty percent Chinese owned Arrow Energy is doing the same. That is not to say that there is not scope to direct more gas south from Queensland to alleviate the current crisis with coal generator outages. However, the options need to be carefully assessed with a full appreciation of the international ramifications. •

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NEWS - APAC The First BRICS Energy Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing

ith the theme of “Deepening BRICS Energy Cooperation for Green Transition and Development”, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and the Division of Energy and Mining Engineering of Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) hosted the First BRICS Energy Cooperation Forum during which an initiative was released. On the eve of the opening of 2022 BRICS Business Forum, the First BRICS Energy Cooperation Forum, co-hosted by CNPC, a member of the BRICS Business Council China Chapter, and the Division of Energy and Mining Engineering of CAE, was held in Beijing on June 21st. Aiming at serving BRICS and embracing the world through business cooperation, and themed with “Deepening BRICS Energy Cooperation for Green Transition and Development”, the Forum was divided into three parts: Opening Session, Release of Initiative, and Dialogue Sessions. Dai Houliang, member of BRICS Business Council China Chapter & Chairman of CNPC, Chen Siqing, Chair of BRICS Business Council China Chapter & Chairman of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Zhou Shouwei, Director of Division of Energy and Mining Engineering of CAE, delivered welcome remarks at the opening session. A total of 71 guests attended the forum, including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CAE, working groups of BRICS Business Council, energy companies of BRICS countries, diplomatic envoys to China, and international organizations and universities. Dai Houliang expressed that the BRICS countries, as representatives of emerging markets and developing countries, have been given much attention and expectation in participating in global governance and stabilizing global energy market. BRICS countries covering both major energy producers and consumers play a pivotal role in global energy governance. In recent years, the scale of bilateral energy trade among BRICS countries has been expanding and collaboration on energy projects has been deepening, laying a solid foundation for further cooperation. To build the “Energy BRICS” and shoulder the responsibility of the Energy and Green Economy Working Group of BRICS Business Council China Chapter, CNPC will strengthen cooperation with energy companies of BRICS countries to promote development and innovation for win-win achievement. First, translating BRICS energy cooperation into tangible benefits with efforts being made to research on relevant policy systems, infrastructure facilities and fundamental theories for promoting transformation and application of technological achievement. Second, pushing forward co-construction and sharing of BRICS energy information platform with priorities being given to enhancing the exchange and sharing of energy policies, information, cases, and cooperation projects for exploring energy cooperation opportunities. Third, making efforts to improve opening-up and multilateral collaboration in the energy sector among BRICS countries to deepen allaround and multi-layer cooperation, and jointly participating in global energy governance to form a multi-party cooperation environment for development integration and benefit-sharing. Fourth, working to convene BRICS Energy Cooperation Forum annually in a bid to consolidate the BRICS cooperation mechanism through communication and exchanges, expand the market and strengthen the momentum for development. Chen Siqing pointed out that the BRICS Business Council attached great importance to energy cooperation, and highly recognized and placed great expectations on the work of the Green Economy Working Group. The Council would actively respond to the Initiative and provide high-quality energy financial services, he added. Zhou Shouwei said that CAE would fully leverage the multidisciplinary, cross-domain and inter-industry expertise of its academicians, take CNPC as the bridge to strengthen partnership with the Energy and Green Economy Working Group of BRICS Business Council, further promote the progress of energy technology through cooperation and

innovation, and contribute wisdom and strength to energy security as well as economic and social development of the BRICS countries. Heads of Working Groups of Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa Chapters of the BRICS Business Council congratulated on the successful convening of the forum via videos. Citing Brazil’s power grid layout planning as an example, the head of Brazil Group pointed out the significance of regional integrated development in the fields of energy and green economy. The head of Russia Group stressed that partnership was an effective way to solve the global energy supply crisis. The head of India Group discussed the roadmap to achieve the goals of energy equality and net-zero emissions. And the head of the South Africa Group reiterated that it was necessary to make use of the BRICS countries’ energy resources and technological advantages to contribute to the sustainable development of energy. At the forum, Dou Lirong, head of Energy and Green Economy Working Group of BRICS Business Council China Chapter & Executive Vice President of Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, CNPC, released the Contributing Energy to BRICS Sustainable Development in the Post-Pandemic Era Initiative. Published in four languages of Chinese, English, Russian and Portuguese, the Initiative advocated ten actions from four aspects, including maintaining energy market stability, energy poverty alleviation, cooperation across energy industrial chain, and promoting the achievement of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions. All parties agreed that energy companies should work shoulder to shoulder to implement the consensus reached at the BRICS summit, contribute to promoting the “2030 Sustainable Development Goals” and the Nationally Determined Contributions agreed in the Paris Agreement, and help BRICS countries achieve high-quality development in the post-pandemic era. The release of this Initiative enriched BRICS’ “China Year” results and marked a new milestone for BRICS cooperation in energy. •

Boskalis Completes Sale of KST and Maju

oskalis and its co-shareholder KS Investments Pte. Ltd. (Keppel) have completed the sale of their equity stakes in their harbor towage activities in Singapore and Malaysia (Keppel Smit Towage Pte Ltd and Maju Maritime Pte Ltd) to Rimorchiatori Mediterranei S.p.A. The intended sale was announced on 15 November 2021. Boskalis received EUR 92 million in cash for its 49% equity stake in the joint ventures resulting in a pre tax book gain of approximately EUR 50 million, both of which will be included in the 2022 first half year results. The activities and results of KST and Maju were deconsolidated as per 1 January 2022. Keppel Smit Towage (KST) was established in 1991 as a joint venture between Keppel and SMIT, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boskalis. Over the past thirty years, KST/Maju has developed into one of the largest and leading providers of harbor towage services in Southeast Asia. KST/ Maju operates a large fleet of tugboats in Singapore and through its joint venture in Malaysia. The sale of KST/Maju follows the strategic decision taken by Boskalis in 2019 to divest its harbor towage activities. Boskalis divested its stakes in Saam Smit Towage and Kotug Smit Towage in 2019. Rimorchiatori Mediterranei S.p.A. is a subsidiary of Rimorchiatori Riuniti Group, a leading maritime service provider headquartered in Genoa, Italy established in 1922. Rimorchiatori Mediterranei operates a fleet of more than 100 modern vessels in more than 20 major ports employing approximately 900 people. •

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NEWS - AFRICA PGS Releases Additional 3D Data for West Africa

Maersk Viking Named Floater Rig of the Year by Shell

In partnership with PetroCi and Direction Générale des Hydrocarbures, PGS has expanded the Côte d’Ivoire MegaSurvey, bringing the total coverage to 33 861 sq. km of 3D and 31 743 line-km of 2D. The various 3D input datasets have been matched, merged and re-binned onto a common grid resulting in a single, continuous volume of full-stack seismic data in the time domain.

Maersk Viking commenced a two-well exploration drilling contract with Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn. Bhd. (BSP) in April 2021, and Shell justifies the Rig of the Year award with an all-round excellent performance in every area including safety, operational efficiency, and the safe and successful start-up of the campaign with BSP.

ôte d’Ivoire’s prospective Tano Basin is targeted with this additional 3108 sq. km of 3D seismic data targets open acreage, which expands continuous MegaSurvey data coverage from Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria.

n recognition of the drillship’s outstanding performance in all aspects during its time in Brunei Darussalam, Shell has named Maersk Viking its 2021 Global Rig of the Year in the Floater Category.

The Cote d’Ivoire MegaSurvey spans the western extension of the prolific Tano Basin and covers the high-profile Baleine-1X (Eni) discovery with preliminary resource estimates of up to 2.0 billion barrels of oil in place and up to 2.4 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of associated gas in two main Cretaceous reservoir levels. The dataset also occurs alongstrike of the 2021 Eni “Eban-1X” discovery, offshore Ghana which is reported to have found light oil in an 80m thick section of Cenomanian sandstones. These discoveries highlight the significant remaining potential of Cretaceous shelf edge play along the margin.

“2021 was an amazing year with many highlights for Maersk Viking, and it is a great honour to receive this award and recognition from Shell. The award is testament of how we have delivered best-in-class performance during the start-up and completion of operations in Brunei in a year that was still challenged by COVID-19. I would like to thank everyone that helped us deliver this success, both our highly dedicated and capable crew and many onshore colleagues including the virtual rig team based in Gdansk. We’re proud to be able to build on this success in our current campaign with Shell in Malaysia,” says Menno Bosma, Unit Director, Maersk Viking.

MegaSurvey regional seismic enables exploration for analogs, the identification of new prospects, and allows detailed play analysis from shelf to deep water, along the entire margin. Five key regional horizons have been tied to well and interpreted allowing field-scale geological understanding to be placed into a basin-wide context and open acreage opportunities to be assessed with confidence. •

Maersk Drilling’s successful customer relationship with Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) dates back to 2007 and has resulted in multiple Rig of the Year awards including three consecutive wins in the Jack-up Rig Category for Maersk Convincer from 2018 to 2020. In total, Maersk Drilling has now won nine Rig of the Year awards from Shell during the last decade.

International Energy Company Partner Selection in the NFE Expansion Project

atarEnergy announced the selection of Shell plc. as partner in the North Field East (NFE) expansion project, the single largest project in the history of the LNG industry.

“We’re extremely proud to receive this award which recognises the extraordinary efforts of the entire Maersk Viking team in close collaboration with our long-term customers at BSP. I want to congratulate everyone that has contributed to this success, including both onshore and offshore colleagues as well as our partners with both the customer and the service companies involved. The award is also a testament to how well aligned Shell and we are in our approach to all aspects of operations, and how this collaboration produces great results,” says COO Morten Kelstrup of Maersk Drilling. •

The partnership agreement was signed today in a ceremony at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha, by His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, and Mr. Ben van Beurden, in the presence of senior executives from both companies. Pursuant to the agreement, QatarEnergy and Shell will become partners in a new joint venture company (JV), in which QatarEnergy will hold a 75% interest while Shell will hold the remaining 25% interest. In turn, the JV will own 25% of the entire NFE project, which includes 4 mega LNG trains with a combined nameplate LNG capacity of 32 million tons per annum (MTPA). In remarks at the signing ceremony, His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said: “We are very pleased to have Shell join us as a partner in this mega project, to which we have committed ourselves. We have lived up to that commitment, as well as to our global reputation as a reliable and trustworthy energy provider. Today’s announcement marks the successful conclusion of the selection of our international energy company partners in the North Field East project, through which QatarEnergy and its partners reaffirm their commitment to the energy transition and to the safe and reliable supply of cleaner energy to the world.” His Excellency Minister Al-Kaabi said: “We value our long and fruitful relations and strategic partnership with Shell, not just within the State of Qatar, but in many other locations around the world. And, as one of the largest players in the LNG business, they have a lot to bring to help meet global energy demand and security.” H.E. Minister Al-Kaabi thanked the working teams from QatarEnergy and Shell, as well as the management and working teams of Qatargas, and concluded his remarks by saying: “We are always indebted to the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al

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Thani, and to His continued guidance and support of the energy sector.” On his part, Mr. Ben van Beurden said: “I am honored that Shell has been selected by QatarEnergy as a partner in the NFE project. Through its pioneering integration with carbon capture and storage, this landmark project will help provide LNG the world urgently needs at a lower carbon footprint. This agreement deepens our strategic partnership with QatarEnergy which includes multiple international partnerships such as the world-class Pearl GTL asset.” “We are committed to maximize the value of the LNG expansion for the State of Qatar and continue to be a trusted, reliable and long-term partner in Qatar’s continued progress,” Mr. van Beurden concluded. This agreement is the fifth and last in a series of partnership announcements in the $28.75 billion NFE project, which will raise Qatar’s LNG export capacity from the current 77 MTPA to 110 MTPA.•

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NEWS - NORTH AMERICA Le Peuch Speaks at the JP Morgan Energy Conference 2022

adies and gentlemen, good morning. It is a pleasure to join you today. I would like to thank Arun Jayaram and J.P. Morgan for the invitation to speak with you once again. Today, I would like to share our latest perspectives on the growth cycle that is upon us and describe a few of its characteristics, and more importantly, how this cycle is firmly aligned to Schlumberger’s established strengths, our expanded capabilities and leadership, and most critically, our returns-focused strategy. Before I start, let me remind you that some of the statements I will be making are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our results to materially differ from those projected in these statements. Therefore, I refer you to our latest 10-K and other SEC filings. First, the market fundamentals are very constructive for our industry as it emerges from a period of underinvestment with spare capacity and global inventories at decade lows, while oil and gas prices remain elevated. Energy security, inflation, and the potential for a slowdown in the pace of economic growth have emerged among a set of new opportunities and risks in the landscape. Despite the uncertainties, the need for reliable energy supply and reinvestment in our industry remain very compelling, and will ultimately extend the growth cycle, both in terms of duration and magnitude. Second, E&P capital investment is poised to accelerate broadly across all geographies and operating environments, to drive new production and capacity increases to not only address short-term supply dislocation, but also to meet projected demand growth on the horizon. Significant activity growth is occurring in short- and long-cycle projects in North America and internationally, both onshore and offshore, which results in a very favorable mix for Schlumberger. Third, the secular trends of digital and decarbonization are gaining momentum as additional attributes of this growth cycle. The industry is embracing decarbonization as a critical element that will ensure the long-term resilience of the industry and deliver on the mandate to lower emissions for a sustainable future. In parallel, digital is also being embraced as an enabler of higher performance, value creation, and as a part of the industry’s path to decarbonized operations. Finally, this is a cycle that will see improved pricing in the service sector, as we enter a new era of performance and capital discipline across operators and service providers. These factors result in a growth cycle particularly aligned to our strengths: a cycle that is global in scope, impacts all phases of oil and gas development from exploration to production, includes all operating environments—from high-volume onshore to deepwater offshore—and has digital, decarbonization, and pricing as defining characteristics. Let me illustrate this alignment of market conditions and our differentiated value proposition using the power of our core portfolio— one of our three engines of growth. With growth materializing across all geographical basins, and investment flowing into every phase of exploration and production, Schlumberger is distinct in its breadth and depth of market participation. Compared to the previous upcycles, we have broadened the scope of our core through the addition of subsea and surface production systems, processing solutions, and drilling equipment. These additions expanded our addressable market and advanced our market positioning in several segments. Additionally, disruptive fit-for-basin technologies, combined with the industry’s most comprehensive technology portfolio and digital capabilities, provide Schlumberger with an unmatched ability to integrate across the entire value chain—from subsurface to midstream facility. This elevates our ability to capture growth, create more value for customers, and generate new revenue streams. The third element of differentiation in our core, is the foundation of

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enhanced operating leverage that we have established—a foundation that will further benefit from pricing tailwinds that have already begun. These tailwinds are not just a function of service capacity discipline and inflation, but also of increasing adoption of new technology and customer recognition of superior performance. Altogether, our core is performing exceptionally well, very early in the cycle, as already demonstrated by our significant margin expansion and cash generation thus far, and we are set to extend this outperformance as the cycle continues to expand in North America and accelerates across the international basins and the offshore environment. In fact, the return of offshore represents an exceptional opportunity for our core. Let me show you what this looks like. The growth cycle is developing across the entire offshore market, and we are better positioned for this than we have ever been, because of our breadth, technology, integration ability, and the addition of digital, which will maximize upside performance. Current industry FID estimates project a nearly 50% increase in offshore investment over the next four years, compared to the period from 2016 through to 2019. This is already manifesting in several FIDs year-to-date and a considerable increase in the pipeline of pre-FIDs across offshore basins. Our presence in offshore markets is very significant, with a leading footprint across global offshore rigs, and is the most far-reaching geographically—estimated at twice the size of our nearest competitor— from the Gulf of Mexico, the Arabian Gulf, Caspian, to Brazil and Mozambique. Everywhere there is an offshore operation, Schlumberger is there! To emphasize the resounding implications of the return of offshore for Schlumberger: offshore operations currently represent an average of five times the revenue potential of onshore, from the combination of higher market penetration, broader service and product offering and higher technology intensity. Offshore operators today are looking for every opportunity to accelerate discovery and development cycle time and increase productivity. This performance focus results in a premium for our technology, digital operations, and integration capabilities that reduce cycle time, lowers breakeven price, and enhances project returns. Altogether, the return of offshore will be a very potent driver for further growth and margin expansion in our core. To summarize, this is possibly the strongest position from which we have entered a growth cycle. Moreover, this is a unique cycle that increasingly favors our strengths as the leading global technology provider with exceptional performance attributes. The foundation of operating leverage we previously established is contributing to our margin expansion, and now, the power of our core, which has a combination of unmatched breadth, scope, differentiated technology, and integration, is set to drive distinctive earnings growth and cash flow generation as pricing momentum develops. All of this is amplified by digital—an aspect where our industry is advancing at an accelerated pace and where our digital leadership enables superior margin generation. These very favorable conditions are unfolding as we speak. Our second quarter is shaping up solidly, further strengthening our confidence in our ambition for 2022 and beyond. Directionally, all the growth and activity attributes are in our favor, positioning us to seize this cycle like never before. •

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NEWS - NORTH AMERICA

Boskalis Expands Presence in the US

oskalis, with a presence in the US market spanning more than forty years, has recently opened a new office to support the rapidly developing US offshore wind market along the east coast. The office, located in Providence, Rhode Island, will serve as the Boskalis renewables hub from which multiple project teams will be supported. On Thursday, 30 June, the office was officially opened during a ribbon cutting ceremony where Governor McKee of Rhode Island, President Fagan of RI Commerce, David Ortiz, the head of New England market affairs for Ørsted, and Michael Ausere, the Vice President of Business Development for Eversource Energy participated. The event was attended by a variety of company representatives from the offshore wind business community, including Waterson Terminals, Crowley and RI Building Trades whom Boskalis will work closely with over the coming years. Boskalis has over the last number of years expanded its activities in the US domestic market to serve the renewables market. This initially covered numerous marine survey campaigns needed in the early phase of offshore developments. More recently, Boskalis has been awarded three contracts for foundations, scour protection, transport and export cable scopes in the northeast. Boskalis will be performing monopile and substation transport and installation works and scour protection works for Ørsted-Eversource as part of the South Fork, Revolution and Sunrise wind farm developments off the US east coast. Boskalis has been present in the United States since the early 1980’s, initially through Stuyvesant Dredging Company and since then through amongst others Dockwise USA and Donjon Smit. With its wealth of maritime contracting expertise, the company has been involved in numerous offshore projects, the remediation of contaminated soil from rivers and salvage operations. To facilitate the energy transition to renewable sources, Boskalis has in recent years expanded its activities in the renewables market with scopes on more than 100 offshore wind farms globally and is proud to contribute to the transition to clean energy in the US. •

Marathon Petroleum Corp and North Dakota Celebrate Groundbreaking of Green Bison Production Facility

eaders from ADM (NYSE: ADM) and Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: MPC), along with local, state and federal policymakers, today celebrated the groundbreaking for North Dakota’s first dedicated soybean processing facility. By harvest 2023, the plant – owned by the previously announced ADM-MPC joint venture Green Bison Soy Processing – is expected to be producing approximately 600 million pounds of refined vegetable oil annually, which will be supplied exclusively to MPC as a feedstock for renewable diesel. “The need for lower-carbon, more sustainable products is one of the fundamental trends underlying ADM’s strategy and purpose, and we’re proud to continue to scale up our leadership in this critical area,” said Ken Campbell, ADM’s president of North America Oils, Biodiesel and Renewable Chemicals. “Renewable diesel is a potentially transformative opportunity for the oilseed industry, for farmers, and for the sustainability of our transportation system. We’re excited to celebrate our bright future, and we look forward to working with MPC and producers across North Dakota as we bring this state-of-the-art plant online in less than a year and a half.” “The Green Bison Soy Processing facility represents another step in MPC’s commitment to investing in a sustainable, energy-diverse future,” said Dave Heppner, MPC’s senior vice president of Strategy and Business Development. “The Green Bison Soy Processing facility will help us further optimize our renewable feedstock sourcing, and we are excited about the opportunity to partner with ADM and the state of North Dakota as we move forward with the development of this facility.” When complete, the approximately $350 million complex will feature state-of-the-art automation technology and is expected to have the capacity to process 150,000 bushels of soybeans per day. Vegetable oil from the plant will be supplied exclusively to MPC to serve as feedstock for the production of a targeted 75 million gallons of renewable diesel annually. The construction of the new complex is supporting hundreds of jobs in the region, and the facility is expected to employ approximately 75 people once operational. “The new Green Bison Soybean Processing Plant brings together several important and necessary components for success,” said Dwaine Heinrich, mayor of Jamestown, North Dakota. “This joining of two of the most important components of North Dakota’s economy – agriculture and energy – is made possible by a willingness to work together to achieve goals that will in the end benefit the city of Jamestown, Stutsman County and the entire state of North Dakota. Our thanks and congratulations to ADM and MPC for their collaboration to make this day possible.” “As a Top 10 soybean-producing state, the ADM-MPC joint venture is a game-changer that will provide lasting benefits for North Dakota soybean growers,” North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said. “Green Bison will add value and expand the market for one of our farmers’ most important crops, while also creating 75 direct jobs and diversifying our economy to support our communities, our citizens and the entire state. It’s also a shining example of the growing synergy between our agriculture and energy sectors in North Dakota. We appreciate ADM and MPC for this significant investment in our state and their wellplaced faith in our highly productive and innovative farmers, and we’re grateful for the efforts of Lt. Gov. Sanford and so many other state, federal and local partners who helped make this happen.” •

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