OGV Energy - Issue 68 - May 23 - Drilling and Well Services

THE DRILLING AND WELL SERVICES ISSUE

FEATURING

Stena Drilling

Sentinel Subsea

Mesh Global

Vulcan Completion Products

Petrasco Energy Logistics

Wellpro Group

Enerquip

Elemental Energies

Scottish Renewables

Leyton

Sword Group

Westwood Global Energy Group

Norman Broadbent

Brodies LLP

GLOBAL ENERGY NEWS

WORLD PROJECTS MAP

MONTHLY THEME

INNOVATION & TECH

RENEWABLES

CONTRACT AWARDS ON THE MOVE

DECOMMISSIONING

STATS & ANALYTICS

LEGAL & FINANCE

EVENTS

www.stena-drilling.com

COVER SPONSOR

OGV COMMUNITY NEWS

GLOBAL ENERGY NEWS

WORLD PROJECTS MAP

MONTHLY THEME

INNOVATION & TECH

RENEWABLES

CONTRACT AWARDS ON THE MOVE

A big thank you to our front cover partner Stena Drilling and you can read all about how they are redefining performance with their 5 ultadeepwater drillships inside.

In a bumper publication, we also have contributions from Wellpro, Vulcan, Elemental Energies, Sentinel Subsea, Enerquip, Petrasco Energy Logistics Group, Sword Group and Norman Broadbent.

The rest of this month’s magazine as always provides you with a review of the Energy sector in the North Sea, Europe, the Middle East, the US and Australasia along with industry analysis and project updates from Westwood Global Energy Group, the EIC and Renewables UK.

Daniel Hyland, Sales and Operations Director, OGV Energy Media Group

STENA DRILLING REDEFINING PERFORMANCE

As a leading drilling contractor, Stena Drilling has been a trusted partner for oil and gas operators since 1989, delivering high-quality services to clients around the world. The company's core values - Care, Innovation, and Performance shape the company's approach to every aspect of its business, from caring for its employees, clients, and the environment, to driving innovation and continuously improving operational performance.

This focus on ‘Performance’ is a guiding principle for Stena Drilling who recognise that improving performance as a drilling contractor is critical to meeting the evolving needs of their clients and maintaining a competitive edge in the drilling industry. Managing a global business, consisting of five ultra-deepwater drillships and two semi-submersible rigs, Stena Drilling continually challenges itself to consistently deliver safe and efficient drilling activities for their clients around the world.

“Stena Drilling’s MPD service continues to go from strength to strength with more clients securing our MPD capable rigs to improve safety and efficiency and reduce costs. We’ve now delivered 30 deepwater wells for our clients across our fleet of 4 MPD capable drillships and by the end of this year will have all four vessels engaged in MPD operations simultaneously.”

Nick Ward,

MPD

To achieve this Stena Drilling has led the way in offshore innovation across decades of business activities. Examples of this innovative business focus include the organisation’s commitment to Managed Pressure Drilling [MPD] operations, allowing them to deliver over 30x wells in a safer and more efficient manner using MPD technology. By developing a unique service model and installing fully integrated MPD-proven systems on board their entire drillship fleet, Stena Drilling can provide reliable and repeatable performance for global oil and gas companies.

As part of Stena Drilling’s continuous improvement methodology, the company recently underwent an exercise challenging what ‘industry-leading performance’ is and how this can be achieved for their clients. This process involved the entire organisation and established a clear framework outlining five enabling focus areas of performance (Health Safety & Environment [HSE], Operations, Equipment Reliability/Maintenance, Subsea, and Emission Reduction). Importantly, the process also identified the needs of the business to implement this updated performance improvement process. A dedicated performance team was established with the sole focus of leading performance improvement initiatives across the whole business, supporting strategic objectives, and improving Stena Drilling’s offering to their clients.

The multi-departmental performance team aligns internal focus and ensures projects are viewed holistically to understand and fully consider the overall advantages of improvements. For example, a project under Operations performance may have positive impacts on HSE performance, reliability/maintenance, and Emissions performance. This approach differs from the conventional assumption that performance is solely focused on improving critical path drilling activities.

That being said, the improvement on critical path flat time activities has been immediate for Stena Drilling by focussing on the areas identified. As an example, improved operating procedures developed with a performance focussed mindset have resulted in a 27% improvement in drill pipe tripping flat time performance and a 27% reduction in the time taken to perform drilling connections whilst ensuring the safety of the drillship crew remained paramount.

It is important to reinforce that increased operational performance must not come at the detriment of HSE performance on board. It is only possible to achieve industry-leading operational performance when there is a strong HSE culture that is reinforced across the entire organisation. This strong focus on a positive HSE culture has resulted in excellent historical HSE performance and Stena Drilling are regularly recognised as an industry leader for HSE.

“I’m incredibly impressed with how our offshore crews have driven performance on-board our rigs so that we can consistently provide safe and efficient operations for our clients.”

Using the five internal focus areas identified it was recognised that for the improvement of the operation, active collaboration with clients was essential. This collaboration aimed to harness the expertise and experience between teams to enable improvement projects to progress effectively and efficiently. It was found that by working closely with counterparts from the operator priority projects could be identified and often fast-tracked. This has included significant equipment modifications designed to improve performance against one or more of the focus areas. Examples include emission reduction upgrades such as the installation of Reverse Osmosis units on Stena Carron and Stena Don, the installation of CHR Lift Calculator on all the DrillMAX fleet and the Ringline boost Accumulator for Stena Carron & DrillMAX.

This is achieved by ensuring crews are informed and have the correct tools, equipment, policies, and procedures to enable them to perform their job to the best of their abilities. As an example, an HSE performance improvement Stena has implemented was the development of their own in-house behavioural-based safety system: Care (Continuously Assessing Risk Everyday) Observations. Using AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology Stena Drilling automatically assess and categorise observations as they come in providing Stena Drilling’s Operational teams with leading indicators to identify focus areas and drive the improvement of certain policies and procedures.

In addition, Stena Drilling have worked with clients to plan the installation of automation upgrades focussed on making improvements on operational critical path timings primarily to our DrillMAX series drill ships. These include the installation of a reflexive drilling system (NOVOS) which automates repetitive drilling activities and Multi-Machine Control (MMC) for automated drill pipe tripping operations on two of the DrillMAX series. In addition, the use of robotics such as NOV’s ATOM RTX on-board these vessels will remove personnel from red zone operations.

Similarly, by working closely with clients Stena Drilling are also finalising the installation of Red-Zone Monitoring systems whilst operational on another two drillships. The installation of this equipment aligns with the HSE focus area minimising the risk of injury to personnel in hazardous areas onboard.       By adopting a process to identify priority performance focus areas, Stena Drilling have identified five focus areas which have allowed for targeted improvement over the past 12 months across the organisation. By working closely with customers and proactively improving operational and safety performance Stena Drilling continue to successfully deliver ‘industry-leading performance’.

Equipment reliability and maintenance was identified as another focus area by the performance team. It was recognised that to achieve the required visibility internally regarding equipment reliability and performance transparent communication was required to allow for any issues to be addressed. To that end, Stena Drilling use Kongsberg’s KognifAI system to aid in real-time data visualisation from over 1,300 sensors on board their drilling units located all over the world. The KognifAI system allows them to visualise and live stream data onshore directly from their fleet allowing subject matter experts to conduct an in-depth analysis of each unit’s performance and identify any areas of improvement. Using the data derived from the KognifAI system has allowed for the optimisation of planned maintenance routines resulting in reliability improvements for equipment on board. An additional benefit of tracking data from a combination of sensors using the KognifAI system and manual data input has allowed Stena Drilling to improve in another focus area identified by the performance team: Emission Reductions. By optimising equipment usage and managing energy consumption, Stena Drilling has been able to exceed their performance targets for the reduction in the environmental footprint across the entire Stena Drilling fleet in 2021 & 2022.

Svein Inge Sangedal [Operations Manager –Stena Drilling]

STATS GROUP

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Leading engineering business, Brimmond, recently unveiled their ‘Charlie Coo’ sculpture, which takes pride of place outside their Kintore HQ.

Brimmond successfully bid £28,000 for Charlie in an auction at the Charlie House Ball in November. The charity supports families across the North-east of Scotland, improving the quality of life for babies, children, and young people with life-limiting and lifethreatening conditions.

with £1m investment in new global HQ

Craig International is marking its 25th anniversary by moving to new global headquarters in Aberdeen which are double the size of its previous premises.

The global procurement specialists to the energy industry have invested £1million in acquiring and refurbishing 10,000 square feet of modern, energy efficient offices at Craig House on Tern Place in the city’s Bridge of Don area.

Craig International has also taken a new warehouse at Potterton, on the outskirts of Aberdeen, which is powered by solar panels, in keeping with the company’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint.

Since being formed in 1998, Craig International has evolved from sourcing and supplying essential consumables for rigs in the North Sea to providing third party procurement of a diverse range of equipment, products and services to energy companies in 55 countries across five continents. The company now boasts a turnover of £150million and employs 150 people worldwide.

Leading training provider and hazardous area operations expert EUTEX International has been chosen by CompEx to develop and pilot a new global hydrogen safety training programme. It aims to help safeguard the lives of those working with the clean energy, which is gaining momentum as industries such as energy, transport and maritime progress decarbonisation strategies. Houstonheadquartered EUTEX is the one of the world’s largest training providers of CompEx accredited courses.

Technology SME Viper Innovations is delighted to announce the appointment of James Carnegie on the company’s Board of Directors. James joins existing board members Managing Director Edward Davies, Finance Director Hugo Mansfield, and Founders/ Directors Neil Douglas and Max Nodder. This appointment follows other senior appointments at the company over the past few years, all of which have been aimed at strengthening the board and senior management to support significant global growth.

STATS Group (STATS) is targeting growth in the Scandinavian energy sector with a new distributor arrangement with a leading equipment and services supplier.

The UK-based pipeline technology specialist has strengthened ties with Stavanger’s Asset Integrity AS in a partnership to supply a range of Process Plant Solutions to clients in Norway and Sweden.

A world-class name in specialist industrial services, specialist waste management services and process decontamination has announced plans for seven-figure investment in its UK fleet this year. Denholm Environmental Limited (a Denholm Energy subsidiary) will invest £1.5 million in significantly expanding its fleet of trucks, tankers and more. They will be spread across the company’s four sites in Invergordon, Grangemouth and Carlisle as well as its headquarters in Inverurie.

DNV, the independent energy expert and assurance provider, strengthened its commitment to tackling climate change through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) made with the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) to support their effort to set science-based targets for their net zero goals. EGPC is setting these targets within the framework of the “Egypt Vision 2030” national plan to reach the country’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in line with the 1.5°C pathway of the Paris Climate Agreement.

EUTEX develops global hydrogen safety training for CompEx

Craig International marks 25th anniversary

Seven-Figure Fleet Investment Programme

Viper Innovations Grows Board of Directors to Support Global Expansion

DNV and Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation sign MoU to support Sustainability Program

Brimmond’s latest acquisition from Charlie House is quite a ‘coo’!

STATS Group target Scandinavian energy asset integrity sector with distributor deal

Specialists in Flexible Pipe Riser and Flowline Integrity Management. TIG are also dedicated to developing a knowledge hub for flexible pipe understanding and research by utilising joint ventures with operators.

theimpulsegroup.com

Kloeckner Metals UK is the largest mill independent multi-metal stockholder & distributor in the UK, and a key member of the Klöckner & Co. group, one of the largest independent distributors of steel and other metal products as well as one of the leading steel service centre companies worldwide.

www.kloecknermetalsuk.com

One of the UK's leading insurance brokers. We invest the time to get to know and understand our clients. We leverage the scale, expertise and access to the broad range of products and services provided by Marsh & McLennan Companies for the benefit of our clients - whilst retaining the flair, flexibility and personal service that our clients have come to expect.

www.marshcommercial.co.uk

Sentinel Subsea specialises in providing advanced passive integrity monitoring solutions for subsea infrastructure and equipment. Operating assets in a marine environment can often be complex and challenging. With transformative passive technologies, Sentinel Subsea delivers continuous subsea monitoring solutions that lower risk, reduce costs and protect the environment.

sentinel-subsea.com

Engineering, design, fabrication, installation, service and maintenance of offshore assets and comprehensive project management across all phases of energy projects.

www.semcomaritime.com

Hydrasun is a recognised market leader in the provision of integrated fluid transfer, power and control solutions. We are focused on supporting the energy transition through our work in the oil and gas, renewable energy, general industrial and marine industries worldwide.

www.hydrasun.com

Revolutionising your Supply Chain Management with Digital Inventory Systems. A Platform which enables Operators and their Global Suppliers to collaborate through a trusted network, in order to minimise lead items, reduce supply chain complexity in support of local and regional manufacturing.

www.fieldnode.com

A leading provider of innovative Living Quarters Refurbishment, Architectural Outfitting, HVAC, Piping, Electrical and Modular new build to the International Marine, Offshore, Renewables and Defence sectors.

www.modutec.com

Providing E2E Corporate Training, Compliance & Education Solutions in Virtual & Augmented Reality. IoT Integration with predictive AI models, leveraging best-in-class data analytics and visualisation for collaboration and Actionable insights.

riiot.digital

Ailsa Reliability Solutions Ltd. are an independent organisation specialising in solutions to improve customers reliability and availability of their plant and assets, using the latest condition monitoring equipment and technology available on the market.

www.ailsareliabilitysolutions.com

Fugro is the world’s leading Geo-data specialist. We unlock insights from Geo-data. Through integrated data acquisition, analysis and advice, Fugro supports clients in mitigating risks during design, construction and operation of their assets, both on land and at sea. We contribute to a safe and liveable world by delivering solutions in support of the energy transition, sustainable infrastructure and climate change adaptation.

www.fugro.com

Your worldwide Supply Chain partner. With a large network all over the world, GEODIS is a true growth partner to its clients offering end-to-end solutions based on its knowhow, its infrastructure, processes and information systems that ensure operational excellence and the best service quality.

geodis.com

UK NORTH SEA Energy Review

By Tsvetana Paraskova

Before moving to restrict supplies from the North Sea, the UK must first drive down demand for oil and gas, Offshore Energies UK’s chief executive David Whitehouse said in a keynote speech at the end of March.

“Today, 76% of the UK’s energy needs are met by oil and gas. Oil powers the 32 million diesel and petrol cars on our roads and gas boilers provide heat and hot water to 85% of homes – over 23 million of them and rising. By 2025 the number of homes reliant on them is predicted to reach 24 million,” Whitehouse said.

He warned that if the UK wanted to tackle climate change it needed to “get serious” about driving down demand. But while that demand exists it should be met as much as possible from UK resources.

“Almost 40% of our domestic and industrial energy needs are met by natural gas, and the North Sea basin and wider UK Continental Shelf provides close to half of that total. It is only because of this vital resource and our offshore work force that we are not reliant on Russian imports of gas,” Whitehouse noted.

OEUK said in its Business Outlook report at the end of March that the North Sea could power the UK for decades, but a mix of windfall taxes and political uncertainty is driving away the billions of pounds of investments needed to maintain oil and gas production now and create low carbon energy in the future. According to the report, nine out of 10 of North Sea operators are cutting back investment, citing a mix of high taxes, political uncertainty, and inflation as key factors in their decisions.

Continues >

The UK’s energy policy, the investment climate for operators, and news about exploration and drilling plans and farm-outs dominated the UK’s North Sea oil and gas scene over the past month.

The report also found that UK oil and gas output has shrunk over the past five years, with gas production down by 7% and oil output by 26% since 2018, due to falling investment and regulatory delays.

A continued lack of investment “could lead to overall production falling by as much as 15% a year by 2030, so output in 10 years will be 80% less than now,” says the report.

“The windfall levies are driving investment out of the UK. The total tax rate for offshore oil and gas operators is now 75% – three times that of conventional UK business. When prices fall, as is already happening, the ‘windfalls’ will disappear – but the tax will remain because it is locked in place till at least 2028,” OEUK’s chief executive Whitehouse said, commenting on the report.

“That makes these taxes a deterrent for investors. The same issue applies to offshore wind operators who face a similar windfall levy. Together these levies risk turning the North Sea, which should be the bedrock of the UK’s energy security, into an unattractive place to invest.”

While the UK’s latest Energy Security plan recognises the “vital role” of oil and gas in powering the nation and providing the bedrock for the transition to net zero and beyond, the lack of any detail on how the current 75% windfall tax can be revised to boost the long-term investment needed to simply maintain current levels of oil and gas production and supply remains a significant obstacle for North Sea firms, OEUK warned.

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf announced in early April that Scotland would boost the Government’s Just Transition Fund with additional £25 million to help the energy transition across the North East.

The £500 million, 10-year Just Transition Fund was established to accelerate the energy transition in Aberdeen and the North East, and establish the region as a world leader in the transition to a netzero economy.

“Scotland is an energy-rich nation and the oil and gas industry has made a vast contribution to our economy, while its workers are some of the most highly-skilled in the world,” Yousaf said.

“But Scotland’s oil and gas basin is now a mature resource and, as a responsible government, we must take action to ensure the sector, and the communities it supports, are supported in a transition to cleaner, greener energy system.”

OEUK praised the First Minister’s announcement of an additional £25 million to the fund, but warned that Scotland and the UK would need secure supplies of oil and gas for many years to come.

While the funding was an important step forward, it is essential to recognise the continuing role of

oil and gas in Scotland’s economy, OEUK said. The offshore energy sector’s workers will also be key to building a low-carbon transition both now and in the future, anchoring a world-class offshore supply chain in Scotland’s energy communities.

“As we build a sustainable future, it is important to remember there is no simple choice between oil and gas or renewables. The reality is that we need both,” OEUK’s Whitehouse said.

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) at the end of March moved to speed up North Sea oil and gas production by proposing the removal of barriers to investment.

Operators and licensees worried about transaction delays which can damage working relationships, increase costs, and hold up operational and strategic decisions asked the NSTA to look into the situation. So the authority has opened a consultation on new guidance which aims to streamline the buying and selling of assets.

The consultation “will allow licensees and investors to share their thoughts on matters including how best to strike a balance between market liquidity and preserving investor confidence, the role of self-regulation and what the NSTA guidance on licence assignments should include,” NSTA said in a statement.

In company news, Shell has completed the restart of operations at the Pierce field in the UK Central North Sea, following a significant upgrade to allow gas to be produced after years of the field producing only oil. Substantial modifications were made to the Haewene Brim floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO), which is used to produce hydrocarbons at the Pierce field. A new subsea gas export line was also installed, connecting to the SEGAL pipeline system, which brings gas ashore at St Fergus, north of Aberdeen.

EnQuest increased in late 2022 its equity interest in Bressay to 100%, following the withdrawal of Equinor and Harbour Energy, EnQuest said in its 2022 results and 2023 outlook report. At Bressay, EnQuest is actively exploring farm-down opportunities while continuing to progress development planning of the asset. EnQuest aims to utilise its expertise in heavy oil developments to access hydrocarbons at Bressay and Bentley, with each field having more than 100 Mmboe of 2C resources.

Looking forward, the UK Energy Profits Levy “has also had implications for EnQuest’s capital allocation strategy as it limits the cash available for further deleveraging, capital investment and shareholder returns,” the company said. The impact of the EPL was included in the Group’s reserve based lending (RBL) facility redetermination for the first half of 2023,

resulting in a reduction of the available RBL capacity and liquidity available to the Group, with an accelerated RBL repayment profile, EnQuest said.

Jersey Oil & Gas has agreed to farm-out a 50% interest in the Greater Buchan Area (GBA) licences to NEO Energy. Jersey Oil & Gas is set to receive a $2 million cash payment on completion of the transaction, a $9.4 million cash payment upon finalisation of the GBA development solution, a $12.5 million cash payment on approval of the Buchan final development plan FDP by the NSTA, and $5 million in cash on each FDP approval by the NSTA in respect of the J2 and Verbier oil discoveries. Jersey Oil & Gas will be working in partnership with NEO to select the preferred development solution, having confirmed a short list of attractive options for the GBA which utilise existing North Sea infrastructure.

Serica Energy said its pro-forma Proved plus Probable (2P) reserves increased to 130.4 mmboe as at 31 December 2022 compared to 104.0 mmboe as at 31 December 2021, following the acquisition of Tailwind. After the purchase, Serica is now a top 10 producer in the UKCS and a significant contributor to the UK’s energy security, the company said.

In a separate announcement a few days later, Serica said the acquisition had also added considerably to the organic investment opportunities in Serica’s portfolio. Rig slots have been reserved in order to drill infill wells on the Bittern, Gannet E, Guillemot North West and Evelyn fields in 2024, all of which are existing tiebacks to the Triton FPSO. The potential developments of the Belinda field as a tie-back to the Triton FPSO and the Mansell field, situated in the UK Northern North Sea, are being evaluated.

Hartshead Resources and RockRose have executed a binding agreement for Hartshead to farm-out 60% of its UK Southern Gas Basin assets (License P2607). Hartshead will retain the operatorship of the licence.

Hartshead has also said it is starting a geophysical survey across the Anning and Somerville fields and inter-field pipeline locations using GEOxyz’s Geo Ocean III vessel. The results of the geophysical survey will form a critical component of the Environmental Statement and understanding of the seabed and pipeline route conditions at the Anning and Somerville field locations required for the platform FEED jacket design verification.

United Oil and Gas plc has extended the long stop date for the sale of its licence in the UK Central North Sea containing the Maria discovery in Block 15/18e to Quattro Energy Limited. In January, United entered into a binding asset purchase agreement (APA) with Quattro Energy, with the long stop date for the satisfaction of the APA conditions set for 16 April 2023. On April 17 United Oil and Gas announced the parties to the agreement had agreed an extension of this long stop date to the 17 May 2023 to allow additional time for the APA conditions required for completion to be satisfied.

HumzaYousaf

OVER THE YEARS

BRENT OIL PRICE MAY 2023 - $77.96

YEAR AGO 1

1 Year Ago - $112.12

Brent crude rose in May last year, as Covid-19 restrictions were lifted in Shanghai and Beijing, a move that could lead to higher demand for energy from China. The possibility of a European ban on Russian oil imports also pushed prices up, with European leaders meeting to discuss EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

THE DIGITAL MEDIA STRATEGIST

In our modern commercial worlds, digital balance is key.

By Eric Doyle

When we look to develop digital commercial solutions for our clients, we look to create ‘Digital Balance’.

Let's look at how 2 companies of a similar size, in the same sector might approach their digital commercial presence and activity.

Company 1:

YEARS

5 Years Ago - $80.09

The price 5 years ago was also on the rise, hitting $80 for the first time since 2014, as geopolitical fears caused concerns to rise over potential disruption to supplies. Donald Trump’s decision to exit a nuclear deal with Iran, cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia, political and economical crises in Venezuela, and the global economy were all factors in the rising prices.

YEARS AGO 10

10 Years ago - $103.83

Following the banking crisis, there were worries that the oil price would be the next major threat, with worries that prices would rise to a level in which weakened regions could be priced out. Arguments were made that OPEC would drive the supply, leaving the euro zone facing an energy supply problem.

This company has a website. They designed it many years ago, its shows what they do and not much more. It has a cluttered layout, an invisible navigation menu, it’s not visually stimulating, the design is non-responsive, and it has inconsistent typefaces. The main issue with their website design is the lack of user-centricity.

They have a LinkedIn company page with a few followers. It says what they do in the way their website does. Marketing occasionally post some brochure style content and ask the team to share it.

They believe they are digital but, in terms of ‘digital balance’, it's flat and barely functioning.

When asked ‘how this contributes to their bottom line’ they don’t know. When asked ‘why they do this’, the answer is ‘it's good for visibility’…but they can't measure what visibility means for them.

Company 2:

This company has taken their digital balance seriously.

They started with a digital strategy and mapped out all of their activity, campaigns and programmes in line with what needs to be delivered against their plan.

They developed a tone of voice that speaks directly to the heart of their clients’ issues – they put this to work across channels.

They developed a website that works for them and hits all the right notes in 2023. It is clear on their purpose, it has excellent navigation and flow, it has high quality imagery (pictures, graphics and video), it has fast page speeds (working for visitors and for search), it is optimised for mobile devices (they know that 91% of internet users use Smartphones to access the internet). They have focussed on the user experience, and their tone of voice is designed to show their personality and starts the ‘trust’ ball rolling.

This company understands the concept of influence in their sectors.

They have trained their team in Digital Influence to position them as the leading technical and commercial Digital Influencers in their sector. They have dynamic and active profiles across multiple social media channels and regularly post content that helps them position themselves as thought leaders in their sector.

They understand that their content is key and its all in context, harmonising with their website messaging.

They run programmed digital advertising campaigns focussed on specific sectors and geography – they know this helps the reach of their messaging and allows them to promote their value and new products and services – all working in harmony with their team’s Digital Influence work and their website.

People are now seeing them as the digital centre of their sector.

Most important of all…they measure everything, and they understand how to move all of this to commercial interaction.

They work a 70, 20, 10 model: 70% of what they do on digital channels is proven and they know it delivers, 20% is development of ‘the known’ and 10% is experimentation. They realise that keeping ahead of this is important.

They have a solid digital foundation that allows them to absorb and experiment with the latest digital advances like AI and VR. They understand that understanding how these developments can help them is important and could be a differentiator in their sectors.

Whenever anyone new comes into their digital world whether via their website or their social media channels…everything works, it fits together and makes sense.

Everything they do on digital channels is working in harmony, in balance to contribute to their revenue, profit and ebitda and, it keeps them at the leading edge in their sector.

This balance of humans interfacing with technology is the key to modern commercial growth, regardless of sector.

As our B2B commercial lives move further to digital, it’s important we get the balance right. If we don’t get the mindset and basics right now, we can’t expect to flourish in our digital commercial sectors.

Take some time today to look at how your organisation is presenting on digital channels –is it all in balance or a lop sided?

As an organisation, are you walking into the digital twin of your sector ready and optimised..?

More to the point…are you there at all?

Eric Doyle is the Managing Director of The OGV Studio, a Digital Media Strategy company whose mission is to Energise your Media for growth. Eric is a Fellow of the Institute of Sales Professionals.

“GOOD MEDIA MAKES PEOPLE VISIBLE, GREAT MEDIA MAKES THEM THE LEADERS IN THEIR SECTORS...”

Europe Energy Review

New contracts for rigs and decommissioning in the North Sea, the UK’s plan for bolstering energy security and green energy, and a number of contracts in offshore wind, green hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage were the highlights in Europe’s energy sector over the past month.

Oil & Gas

Offshore Norway, Equinor, on behalf of several licences, has awarded contracts for the use of Transocean Encourage mainly in the Norwegian Sea, and Transocean Enabler, for the Johan Castberg field. The rigs have been on eight-year contracts with Equinor that expire on 1 December 2023 and 1 April 2024, respectively. These will be the first contract extensions since the rigs were built, as so-called Cat D rigs, specialised for Norwegian conditions. The drilling programme in the Norwegian Sea consists of nine wells to be drilled on the Tyrihans, Verdande, Andvare, and Vigdis fields in the Tampen area of the North Sea, Equinor said. On the Johan Castberg field, Transocean Enabler will have a fixed drilling programme of 19 wells and options on another eight wells.

Equinor and Transocean also signed a strategic collaboration agreement to drive improvements

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in technology and innovation related to safety, efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Neptune Energy said it would spend $23 million on a targeted decommissioning program in Germany this year, plugging and abandoning wells which have ceased production and removing associated infrastructure. Operations have now been completed on the plugging and abandonment (P&A) of a well in the Bentheim gas field, located in western Lower-Saxony, with a second well on the field due to be decommissioned later in 2023.

Neptune Energy also announced in early April an agreement to create new “digital twins” of two offshore platforms in the Dutch North Sea, expanding its portfolio of digitised assets to 14. UK-based 3D technology specialist Eserv will digitise the Neptune-operated D15-A and K12-C platforms, having previously created digital versions of 12 platforms in the Dutch and UK sectors of the North Sea.

By Tsvetana Paraskova Image: equinor.com

Low-Carbon Energy

The UK’s Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps outlined at the end of March steps to strengthen Britain’s long-term energy security and independence to help deliver cleaner energy for the country.

The UK committed to fund carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) with £20 billion. The first projects will be announced to progress to the next stage of the negotiations to rollout the first carbon capture clusters in the industrial heartlands. The round for areas to apply for two additional future clusters has also been launched and there will be an opportunity for further projects to be added to the first two clusters. The government also looks to kick start investment into the UK’s emerging floating offshore wind industry by launching a £160 million fund to support port infrastructure projects and secure the UK’s leadership in this new technology. The UK will also back new green hydrogen production projects with the first tranche under the £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund. The UK government will open the fifth round of the UK’s scheme to incentivise investment in renewable electricity, backed by a budget of £205 million. Contracts for Difference are now being held annually. Support for nuclear energy, EV rollout, energy efficiency, and heat pump investments are also part of the government’s strategy.

The UK’s Offshore Wind Champion, Tim Pick, appointed in May 2022 as an independent advisor to government and industry on the development of the UK’s offshore wind sector, has issued a report on the offshore wind opportunities. Recommendations in the report include reducing the timelines for the permitting process for offshore wind farms, investment in grid connections, and reform of the queue arrangements for grid connections to reflect the changing energy system and sources.

“If I had to sum up in one sentence where we stand today, I couldn’t use words better than those of a European developer with investments across the UK: “The UK is long on seabed leases, but short on timely grid connections,” Pick said in the foreword to the report.

“If you take just one message from this report, it should be the urgent need to upgrade our national grid for a world of high renewables penetration, and widespread electrification of homes and businesses. Grid connections are increasingly becoming the rate-limiting factor for our Offshore Wind deployment going forward.”

In hydrogen development, the UK is leading the way in delivering tangible policy support to kick start investment in Europe, with the Netherlands in close second, consultancy Timera Energy said in a report. Achieving the UK target of 2 GW of hydrogen production by 2025 effectively requires multiple larger scale project FIDs this year, the analysts said.

“Even accounting for some slippage in timelines, the UK hydrogen investment landscape should be a lot clearer by the end of this year. And that is going to attract a lot of new investors & projects,” Timera Energy said.

Rystad Energy has estimated that Europe is leading global efforts to produce and import green hydrogen and its attention is now turning to building the necessary infrastructure to get the hydrogen to demand centres.

“Spain, France, and Germany are among the countries committed or considering cross border pipelines to facilitate energy flows, while the UK with its extensive gas grid finds itself in a fantastic position to switch from natural gas to hydrogen,” Rystad Energy said in new research in early April.

“The steady increase in pipeline projects for hydrogen is an early sign that the energy transition is gathering pace. Europe, with its extensive gas grid is well placed to make the jump,” said Lein Mann Bergsmark, senior analyst, hydrogen.

“Switching infrastructure from gas to hydrogen is possible and cost effective. But the greatest barrier is not financial, but the physical properties of hydrogen itself which differ substantially from oil and gas.”

Europe invested just 17 billion euros in new wind farms in 2022, down from 41 billion in 2021 and the lowest investment figure since 2009, WindEurope said in a report at the end of March. At least three commercial-scale offshore wind farms were projected to reach FID in 2022 but delayed the decision, so not a single commercial scale offshore wind farm reached FID in 2022.

While the EU wants to accelerate the build-out of wind energy to strengthen its energy security and ensure affordable electricity prices, recent market interventions and remaining barriers are deterring investors, WindEurope said, adding that Europe urgently needs to restore investor confidence.

In company news, SSE Renewables said that the world’s deepest wind turbine foundation had been installed at what would be Scotland’s largest offshore windfarm – Seagreen – off the coast of Angus. The significant milestone marks the installation of the 112th jacket at the 114-wind turbine wind farm which is a £3-billion joint venture between SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies. When complete, the 1.1-GW Seagreen wind farm will be capable of generating around 5,000 GWh of renewable energy annually which is enough clean, secure, sustainable electricity to power more than 1.6 million UK homes.

Harbour Energy and bp have entered into an agreement to develop the Viking CCS transportation and storage project. Under the terms of the agreement, Harbour continues as operator of Viking CCS with a 60% interest, while bp is acquiring a 40% non-operated share. The announcement follows the UK Government’s recent decision to launch Track 2 of its CCS cluster sequencing process, and its recognition that Viking CCS is one of two leading transport and storage system contenders for this process.

Highview Power and Ørsted agreed to carry out this year detailed technical analysis and an economic assessment to see how a potential combination of Ørsted’s wind technology with Highview Power’s liquid air energy storage can deliver a stronger investment case for future offshore wind projects by reducing wind curtailment and increasing productivity.

Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy offered two new exploration licences for CO2 storage in

the southern part of the North Sea. The eastern licence was offered to a group consisting of Aker BP ASA and OMV (Norge) AS, while the northwest licence was offered to a group consisting of Wintershall Dea Norge AS and Altera Infrastructure Group through its subsidiary Stella Maris CCS AS.

Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP) has opened a new office in Edinburgh to host its Global Floating Offshore Wind Competence Centre (GFLOWCC).

The new centre “puts Scotland and the UK at the core of our global floating offshore wind ambitions, building on strong maritime heritage, a history of innovation, and world-class energy supply chains,” said Alan Hannah, UK CEO and Partner at COP.

The UK Government on 30 March confirmed its commitment to support the deployment of largescale Power BECCS (Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage) projects by 2030 and that the Drax Power Station BECCS project had passed the deliverability assessment for the Power BECCS project submission process.

RES and Octopus Energy Generation’s green hydrogen joint venture HYRO are working with Kimberly-Clark, the parent company of household brands like Andrex, Kleenex, and Huggies, to swap gas for green hydrogen at UK factories, to reduce emissions and boost energy security. HYRO is developing electrolysers to produce green hydrogen at two Kimberly-Clark UK manufacturing facilities. The two projects in Wales and Kent have now also won places on the Government's shortlist for funding, Octopus Energy said in early April.

Petrofac and Hitachi Energy have been awarded a multi-year Framework Agreement by TenneT as it works to expand offshore wind capacity in the Dutch-German North Sea. The six projects covered under the deal are worth around 13 billion euros.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority is offering a site for a green hydrogen plant with a capacity of up to 1 GW. Several companies have plans to realise a total of some 1.35 GW of electrolysis in Rotterdam, while the ambition of the Port Authority is to achieve 2 to 2.5 GW of electrolysis by 2030. The Dutch government is aiming for 4 GW nationwide by 2030.

Spanish energy firm Iberdrola and FCC Ámbito, a subsidiary of FCC Servicios Medio Ambiente, will collaborate with Glencore to provide industrialscale lithium-ion battery recycling solutions on the Iberian Peninsula through the development of a specialised facility. The partners are working to identify the right technology partners to build and commission the recycling plant, which will be operated by FCC Ámbito and will allow the pre-separation of lithium-ion batteries for subsequent refining.

IberBlue Wind, a joint venture operating in the Iberian market, announced plans for the first cross-border offshore wind project on the SpanishPortuguese border. The Juan Sebastián Elcano and Creoula wind projects will be located off the coasts of Pontevedra and Viana do Castelo and will have a combined capacity of up to 1.96 GW.

Energy Review

By Tsvetana Paraskova

The US oil and gas sector saw growth stalled in the first quarter of 2023, the latest closely-followed survey showed, while the industry continued to call for eased permitting processes to unblock the development of critical energy projects, including in oil, natural gas, and renewable energy.

Growth in US oil and gas production and drilling activity stalled in the first quarter this year amid surging costs and worsening outlooks, according to the latest Dallas Fed Energy Survey on business conditions in the major shale basins in Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana.

US shale growth stalls

The business activity index—the survey’s broadest measure of conditions facing Eleventh District energy firms—stood at 2.1 in the first quarter, a sharp drop from 30.3 in the fourth quarter of 2022. The near-zero reading indicates activity was largely unchanged from the prior quarter, a break from the more than two-year stretch of rising activity.

Production of oil and natural gas continued to rise, but at a slower pace compared with the fourth quarter, executives at exploration and production (E&P) firms said in the survey. Both the oil production index and the gas production index remained positive but declined to 10.5 from 25.8 and to 7.4 from 29.4 in the fourth quarter, respectively.

Costs jumped for a ninth quarter in a row, oil and gas firms said.

However, the index for supplier delivery time moved into negative territory for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2020, signalling that it now takes less time to receive materials and equipment compared to the prior quarter. The index for delivery times for oilfield services firms fell to zero from 20.0, suggesting delivery times for these firms are no longer increasing, according to the survey.

Outlooks for the future worsened in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. The overall outlook uncertainty index increased by 23 points to 62.6, suggesting heightened uncertainty regarding outlooks. Sixty-eight per cent of firms surveyed reported greater uncertainty.

According to the executives in the survey, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) will average around $80 per barrel by the end of 2023, with responses ranging from $50 to $160 per barrel. Survey participants expect Henry Hub natural gas prices of $3.43 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) at year-end. For reference, WTI spot prices averaged $68.51 per barrel during the survey collection period, and Henry Hub spot prices averaged $2.23 per MMBtu.

E&P firms also reported in the survey that they need $62 per barrel on average to profitably drill a new well, higher than the $56-per-barrel price when this question was asked last year. Breakeven prices in the Permian Basin average $61 per barrel, and are $9 a barrel higher than last year. Despite recent oil price declines, most firms in the survey say they can profitably drill a new well at current prices.

Going forward, firms expect that cost inflation and the health of the global economy will be the two factors that will have the most influence on

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company profitability this year. Each of these two factors were selected by 30% of executives as having the greatest influence on the profitability of their firm in 2023.

Commenting on the business conditions in the US shale patch, one E&P executive said, “The dramatic increase in 2022 inflation has severely negatively impacted project economics.”

Another one commented, “Regulatory uncertainty continues to be a headwind. Inflation pressures appear to be moderating slightly, but we still have a long way to go.”

A third executive noted, “Mixed messages sent by the current administration respecting the necessity for fossil fuel production, scarcity of labor, increased cost of materials and supplies, domestic and foreign political risk, demand volatility and economic uncertainty domestically have each contributed to an environment that is difficult to work and make plans in going forward.”

“In addition to those factors, the increased cost of capital has negatively impacted the ability to participate in projects that could enable the organisation to grow.”

Among oilfield services providers, one executive said for the survey, “Regulatory uncertainty is a major overhang. Labor remains tight, with continued wage pressures. Supply-chain issues remain.”

Another executive at oil and gas support services firms said, “The likelihood of a recession has increased. Government at all levels is out of control. Regulation is killing the nation. Environmental issues are overblown to the point of the absurd.”

US Gulf of Mexico lease sale shows optimism for region

The US Administration held at the end of March Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 259, which generated $263.8 million in high bids for 313 tracts covering 1.6 million acres in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Lease Sale 259 offered approximately 13,600 unleased blocks, approximately 73 million acres, in the Gulf’s Western, Central, and Eastern Planning Areas.

As many as 32 companies participated in the lease sale, submitting $309,798,397 in total bids, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) said.

The biggest international oil firms, including ExxonMobil, Chevron, bp, Shell, and Equinor, submitted the highest number of total bids.

The amount of activity surpassed the previous lease sale spend in 2021, demonstrating optimism for the region, Wood Mackenzie analysts said

High bids increased by $72 million, or by 38%, compared to the total lease sale spend in 2021, and the high bid amount was the highest since 2019, according to the energy consultancy.

Bids/acre for deepwater blocks also increased, by 22% to $216 per acre.

“The Majors participated in a big way at the lease sale, bidding on 70% of the 313 blocks and their high bids were 77% of the total. We expected to see an uptick in the activity as it has been almost 18 months since the last lease sale,”

“The Majors participated in a big way at the lease sale, bidding on 70% of the 313 blocks and their high bids were 77% of the total. We expected to see an uptick in the activity as it has been almost 18 months since the last lease sale,” said Justin Rostant, principal research analyst at Wood Mackenzie.

Chevron was the most aggressive bidder with $104 million in high bids, more than all the other Majors combined. Chevron also stood out in the Atwater Valley protraction area, bidding on 28 blocks, Rostant noted.

The other US supermajor, Exxon, also bid on many blocks.

“ExxonMobil added 69 blocks on the shelf, adding to the 98 blocks it acquired at the last lease sale. The Major has plans for a CCS project in the Houston Ship Channel area and these bids are likely in support of this project, but the regulatory process for using oil and gas leases for carbon storage is uncertain,” Rostant commented.

Industry calls for eased permitting, again

While majors bid for Gulf of Mexico tracts and shale executives noted the slowdown in production growth in the key shale basins in Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana, the oil lobby in the United States continued to call on the US Administration to unblock permitting for energy projects.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) urged the Biden Administration to address the permitting process that is halting US energy development. In a comment letter submitted to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), API Director of Climate and ESG Policy Jennifer Stewart outlined the harmful provisions of CEQ’s Interim Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The American Petroleum Institute (API) on April 10 urged the Biden Administration to address the permitting process that is halting US energy development. In a comment letter submitted to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), API Director of Climate and ESG Policy Jennifer Stewart outlined the harmful provisions of CEQ’s Interim Guidance on Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and detailed how this guidance could further delay the development of critical energy projects – from oil and natural gas to renewables. API called on the Administration to rescind the interim guidance.

API supports the careful consideration of potential environmental impacts and shares the Administration’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, API’s Stewart said in the comment letter

“However, we do not believe that the Interim Guidance helps agencies advance these goals in a lawful or effective manner,” Stewart added.

The scope of NEPA reviews has expanded dramatically since NEPA was enacted more than fifty years ago.

“This expansion has unfortunately lengthened review times, fostered confusion among project sponsors and regulators, and generated regulatory uncertainty,” Stewart wrote.

“Unless the NEPA process is reformed, this Administration’s efforts to invest trillions of dollars in infrastructure improvements and environmentally beneficial projects may be compromised.”

said Justin Rostant, principal research analyst at Wood Mackenzie.

MIDDLE EAST Energy Review

By Tsvetana Paraskova

The Middle East’s biggest oil producers grabbed the spotlight in the past month after announcing a surprise additional crude output cut of over 1 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of this year, in “a precautionary measure aimed at supporting the stability of the oil market.”

OPEC also published its latest Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR), in which the organisation dominated by Middle Eastern oil producers slightly raised its estimate for China’s oil demand growth for 2023, but left global demand outlook unchanged from the previous report.

OPEC+ moves to support oil prices after banking sector turmoil

After signalling for weeks that the price selloff is no reason to alter the production agreement, several of the largest producers in the OPEC+ alliance shocked the market when they announced on 2 April, a Sunday, new cuts in production that will be valid between May and December 2023.

“This is a precautionary measure aimed at supporting the stability of the oil market,” said Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of OPEC and the world’s largest crude oil exporter, as it announced it would reduce its oil production by 500,000 bpd until the end of 2023.

On the following day, the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) of the OPEC+ group only acknowledged the cuts announced on April 2 and used the same wording as Saudi Arabia did, in a move suggesting that the producers who joined the cuts had carefully coordinated their decision before the official announcement was made.

The JMMC meeting noted the voluntary production adjustment announced by OPEC heavyweights Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait, plus OPEC’s Algeria and Gabon, and non-OPEC Oman and Kazakhstan. Those cuts will add to Russia’s

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current 500,000 bpd cut which was extended until the end of the year.

From within OPEC, Iraq is set to cut 211,000 bpd of its supply, the UAE will reduce 144,000 bpd from its production, and Kuwait is set to cut 128,000 bpd of its output. Added to the Saudi cut of 500,000 bpd, nearly 1 million bpd of supply from the Middle East are set to disappear from the market as of May 2023.

Analysts have offered various viewpoints on the OPEC+ cuts. Some say the alliance is looking to put a floor of $80 per barrel under Brent oil prices and thus ensure consistently higher revenues going forward, following the plunge in prices in March due to fears of a recession and the banking turmoil in the US and Europe. Others say that the fresh cut, by producers who have historically delivered on pledges to reduce oil output, could be an admission by the OPEC+ group that demand growth may not be as strong as many have expected earlier this year.

The US criticised the additional cuts from OPEC+, saying they are “unadvisable” at a moment of market uncertainty.

Many analysts say that with the OPEC+ cuts, the oil market deficit in the second and third quarters of this year would grow much more than previously expected and push prices higher. Some have resumed talk about $100 per barrel oil this year as the latest cuts are set to accelerate market tightening this year.

However, all analysts and forecasters warn that much will depend on oil demand, especially if the US or global economy significantly slow down due to the ongoing interest rate hikes.

OPEC sees oil product balances less tight

OPEC offered some market fundamentals-linked explanation for the cuts in its closely-watched Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) for April.

“On inventories, OECD commercial inventories have been building in recent months, and product balances are less tight than seen at the same time a year ago,” OPEC said.

Commenting on the “less tight” product balances, OPEC said, “Given these uncertainties surrounding current oil market dynamics, several countries in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) have announced additional voluntary adjustments as of May 2023 and until the end of the year, and this was in support of the ongoing relentless and determined DoC effort to support the stability of the oil market.”

In the same report, OPEC raised its demand growth estimate for China to 760,000 bpd year-on-year in 2023, up from the 710,000 bpd growth expected in the previous report. The cartel, however, left the projection for global oil demand growth unchanged at 2.3 million bpd annually for 2023, due to heightened uncertainties about the economy amid continued money tightening measures.

Saudi Aramco expands downstream presence in key Chinese market

While Saudi Arabia and other major Middle Eastern oil producers were coordinating an announcement of a market intervention for the short term, Saudi oil giant Aramco is playing the long game and looking to lock in market share in China for decades to come.

So Aramco has recently announced it was expanding its presence in China by acquiring a 10% stake in Shenzhen-listed Rongsheng Petrochemical Co. Ltd for the equivalent of $3.6 billion. Through the strategic arrangement, Aramco would supply 480,000 bpd of Arabian crude oil to Rongsheng affiliate Zhejiang Petroleum and Chemical Co. Ltd (ZPC), under a longterm sales agreement.

The agreement “promises to secure a reliable supply of essential crude to one of China’s most important refiners,” said Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani, Aramco Executive Vice President of Downstream.

The Saudi firm also plans, together with its joint venture partners NORINCO Group and Panjin Xincheng Industrial Group, to start construction of a major integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in Panjin, in the Liaoning province in northeast China.

Aramco will supply up to 210,000 bpd of crude oil feedstock to the complex, whose construction is due to start in the second quarter of 2023 after the project secured the required administrative approvals. The complex is expected to be fully operational by 2026.

Iraq and TotalEnergies agree terms on major energy deal

French supermajor TotalEnergies and the federal Government of Iraq have agreed on the terms

TotalEnergies and its partners will invest approximately $10 billion in a project to recover flared gas on three oil fields in order to supply gas to power generation plants; a project to build a seawater treatment plant in order to provide water injection for pressure maintenance to increase regional oil production, as an alternative to the use of fresh water from rivers and aquifers

MIDDLE EAST

necessary to move forward with a major energy project in OPEC’s second-largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia.

TotalEnergies and the Iraqi government have defined the necessary conditions and mutual insurances to move forward with the Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP), the company said in early April.

The main bone of contention during lengthy talks was that Iraq had insisted on a 40% stake in the consortium to develop the project, while TotalEnergies had offered a 30% stake.

The Iraqi Government and TotalEnergies have agreed on a 30% stake for the state-owned Basrah Oil Company (BOC) in the GGIP. Furthermore, in agreement with the Iraqi Government, TotalEnergies has invited QatarEnergy to take a 25% stake in the GGIP.

The consortium will thus be composed of TotalEnergies with 45%, Basrah Oil Company with 30%, and QatarEnergy with 25%.

According to these agreements, TotalEnergies and its partners will invest approximately $10 billion in a project to recover flared gas on three oil fields in order to supply gas to power generation plants; a project to build a seawater treatment plant in order to provide water injection for pressure maintenance to increase regional oil production, as an alternative to the use of fresh water from rivers and aquifers; and a project to develop a 1 GW solar power plant to supply electricity to the Basrah regional grid. In agreement with Iraqi authorities, TotalEnergies will invite the Saudi company ACWA Power to join this solar project.

Other Deals in the Middle East

QatarEnergy signed in April a definitive partnership agreement with China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) to give the Chinese state giant a 5% stake in the major North Field East (NFE) expansion project, the largest project in the history of the LNG industry.

Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, QatarEnergy will transfer to Sinopec a 5% interest in the equivalent of one NFE train with a capacity of 8 million tons per annum (MTPA). This agreement will not affect the participating interests of any of the other shareholders, QatarEnergy said.

At the end of 2022, QatarEnergy signed the longestterm contract in the history of the LNG industry in a deal to supply LNG to Sinopec for 27 years.

Aramco has recently announced it was expanding its presence in China by acquiring a 10% stake in Shenzhenlisted Rongsheng Petrochemical Co. Ltd for the equivalent of $3.6 billion

In the United Arab Emirates, ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S) has unveiled its Integrated Logistics Services Platform (ILSP), one of the largest turnkey offshore logistics offerings in the world that enables coordinated end-to-end management of logistics and maritime operations at its base in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi.

As part of the launch of the project, ADNOC L&S signed a $2.6 billion contract with ADNOC Offshore to provide integrated logistics services for five years, with the option of a five-year extension. The agreement includes the provision of port services, warehouse operations, heavy lifting, material handling and shipping, rig and barge moves, marine terminal operations, and waste management services.

NORWAY Ve Oil Discovery

Aker BP

$100 million

Aker BP has announced a new oil discovery through the drilling of the 25/4-15 exploration well. Preliminary estimates place the size of the discovery between 3.14 and 5.03 MMbbl of recoverable oil, and the licensees intend to evaluate the discovery in conjunction with other nearby discoveries with an eye towards potential development.

ENERGY PROJECTS MAP

INDONESIA

Abadi Gas Field

Inpex

$20 billion

The revised plan of development (POD) for the Abadi LNG project has been submitted. The revised POD has included the carbon capture and storage component as part of the projects development. Inpex stated that the Abadi LNG project is expected to be the first CCS project to be carried out as a cost recovery business based on the production sharing contract framework governing upstream oil and gas projects in Indonesia.

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BRAZIL

Buzios Oil Field

(Phase 11 – P-83 FPSO)

Petrobras

$3.5 billion

GE Power Conversion has been awarded a contract for the design, supply and delivery of the electrical modules to be installed in the P-80 and the P-83 FPSOs. The company was hired by Keppel Shipyard, responsible for the EPC works of both units. The modules will be built in Asia and transported to Singapore between 2024 - 2025 for topsides integration.

Energy projects and business intelligence in the energy sector

The EIC delivers high-value market intelligence through its online energy project database, and via a global network of staff to provide qualified regional insight. Along with practical assistance and facilitation services, the EIC’s access to information keeps members one step ahead of the competition in a demanding global marketplace.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Pasca Gas & Condensate Field – Phase 1

Twinza Oil

$800 million

Twinza has announced that the advanced pre-FEED work has been completed and that the company is ready to proceed with FEED and project finance arrangements. Phase 1 of the project will include a three well field development comprising, a wellhead platform, a processing platform, a storage unloading vessel and a production and treatment facility. Once operating the field will produce more 20,000 boe/d of NGL.

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MALAYSIA

Rosamari and Marjoram Field Development

Shell

$1 billion

OceanMight Sdn Bhd has received a purchase order from Samsung Engineering for the onshore gas plant for the project. The contract is valued around US$26.24mn and will involve module fabrication and supply of steel structures for the onshore gas plant.

MEXICO

Kayab-Pit Offshore Oil Field

Pemex

$450 million

CNH has approved Pit's Development Plan, which had been previously presented by Pemex in December 2022. PEMEX intends to invest about US$450mn for the development of the Pit oil field prior to startup in 2025.  Production at the fields will require the construction of two marine platforms, Kayab-A and Pit-A, as well as associated infrastructure.

NORWAY

Symra Oil Field

Lundin Energy

$300 million

Aibel has been awarded a contract to carry out modifications to the Ivar Aasen platform to allow tieback of the Symra field. Work is already underway, with engineering, procurement and project management taking place at Aibel’s Stavanger office. The construction will take place at a yard in Haugesund in September 2023 until May 2026. The entire work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.

USA

Leon Offshore Oil Field (Salamanca FPU)

LLOG Exploration

$500 million

Trendsetter Engineering has been awarded a contract to provide subsea hardware at the Leon and Castile oil fields of the Salamanca developments. The scope of the work would include the design and manufacture of the subsea production manifolds featuring Trendsetter’s TCS subsea connectors as well as valves sourced from Advanced Technology Valve S.p.A. (ATV) in Colico, Italy. They will also provide TCS connectors and ATV valves for the export tie-ins. The equipment will be delivered in Q1 of 2024.

MEXICO

Yatzil-1 Oil Discovery

Eni

$500 million

Eni has announced an oil discovery on Block 7 after drilling the Yatzil-1 exploration well. The well, located in a water depth of 284 metres, was drilled by the Valaris DPS-5 semi-sub rig to a total depth of 2,441m. According to Eni, 40-metres net pay of good quality oil was identified in an Upper Miocene play and the discovery main contain approximately 200 million barrels of oil equivalent.

FALKLAND ISLANDS

Sea Lion Oil Field (Phase 1)

Navitas Petroleum

$1.8 billion

Navitas continues to optimise the project and the company expects to announce a final investment decision in 2024, with startup 30 months later. It is understood that the company plans to redeploy an existing FPSO instead of pursuing the option of a converted unit. The new development plan proposes 18 wells to be drilled in phase 1, 11 of these coming before first oil.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Venus Oil Field

Vaalco Energy

$400 million

The Plan of Development (POD) was approved by the Government of Equatorial Guinea on March 8, 2023. The partners anticipate that the first development well will be drilled in early 2024, that they will acquire, convert, and install production infrastructure over the next three years, and that they will drill a second development well and a water injection well in 2025-26. First oil production is anticipated in 2026.

ALGERIA

Amguid Oil & Gas Discovery

Sonatrach

$100 million

Sonatrach has announced the discovery of oil and gas production in the first well in Amguid, located in EastCentral Algeria. The well produced approximately 5,599 barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil and over 170,000 cubic meters per day (m3) of gas.

DRILLING AND WELL SERVICES INDUSTRY SEES BETTER TIMES AHEAD

By Tsvetana Paraskova

Drilling and well services activity has rebounded in recent months globally, due to higher oil and gas prices and a push for energy security. Even with the macroeconomic uncertainty, energy services contractors and oilfield services providers are expected to see a sustained period of increased order volumes thanks to a jump in the midstream segment and tightening oil and gas supply.

Top Providers See Structural Upcycle

At the beginning of this year, SLB (formerly Schlumberger), Halliburton, and Baker Hughes – the world’s three biggest oilfield service providers – reported for 2022 their highest annual earnings since the 2013-early 2014 oil price and US shale boom.

The structural upcycle in the oil and gas industry, which started in 2022, is set to turn into a multi-year upcycle for the drilling and well service providers, due to improving pricing and tight equipment and service capacity in several markets.

Growth in drilling in the Middle East, North America, and offshore globally has helped SLB over the past year, SLB’s chief executive Olivier Le Peuch said

“Additionally, pricing continues to trend favorably, extending beyond North America and into the international regions, supported by new technology and very tight equipment and service capacity in certain markets,” he added.

“Looking ahead, we believe the macro backdrop and market fundamentals that underpin a strong multi-year upcycle for energy remain very compelling in oil and gas and in low-carbon energy resources,” according to SLB’s top executive.

Rising oil demand despite concerns for an economic slowdown, energy security concerns, and investments in technology for decarbonisation are set to drive strong demand for drilling and well services going forward, said Le Peuch.

Another major oilfield services provider, Baker Hughes,  reported record orders of $8.0 billion for the fourth quarter of 2022, up by 32% from the third quarter and up by 20% compared to the same quarter of 2021. Revenues also increased, to $5.9 billion for the fourth quarter of 2022, a 10% increase from Q3 and an 8% rise year over year.

“In 2023, the global economy is expected to experience some challenges under the weight of inflationary pressures and tightening monetary conditions. Despite recessionary pressures

in some of the world’s largest economies, we maintain a positive outlook for the energy sector, given supply shortages appear likely to persist,” Baker Hughes chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said in a statement.

Baker Hughes continues to have a positive outlook on the industry because “With years of under investment now being amplified by recent geopolitical factors, global spare capacity for oil and gas has deteriorated and will likely require years of investment growth to meet forecasted future demand,” Simonelli added.

Baker Hughes also remains positive on the near term and long-term prospects for the investment cycle in natural gas supply and LNG.

In the near term, demand in Europe and the reopening of China are set to keep the global gas and LNG markets tight, Simonelli said on the company’s earnings call

opportunities within geothermal energy, hydrogen, offshore wind, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), energy research firm Rystad Energy said in a report earlier in 2023.

“All signs point towards 2022 being the start of another super cycle for the energy services sector”, said Audun Martinsen, partner and head of energy service research at Rystad Energy.

Thanks to high demand for natural gas and LNG, overall oil and gas spending will stay above $920 billion annually on average for the 2022-2028 period, the research and data company noted.

“Despite the risk that another downturn cycle in oil and gas may occur after 2025, oilfield service suppliers should be able to balance out the downturn by branching out into other parts of the wider energy market – and in so doing, expanding the overall target market for contractors,” Rystad Energy said.

Energy service suppliers could balance a possible oil and gas sector downturn with continuous pursuit of obvious opportunities within geothermal energy, hydrogen, offshore wind, and CCUS.

Halliburton, the top fracking services provider, also reported a strong 2022 and said it expected a strong 2023.

“Longer term, we remain optimistic on the structural growth outlook for natural gas and LNG as the world looks to lower emissions and displace the consumption of coal,” he added.

Baker Hughes is also expanding into the new energies business by acquiring and investing in multiple new technologies around hydrogen, carbon capture, clean power, and geothermal, Simonelli noted.

Halliburton, the top fracking services provider, also reported a strong 2022 and said it expected a strong 2023.

Full-year North America revenue jumped by 51% over 2021 with improved margins driven by activity and pricing gains, Halliburton’s chairman, president, and CEO Jeff Miller said on the earnings call. Total revenue for the full year rose by 33% to $20.3 billion.

Referring to the US business, Miller said, “Given the increased spend required to grow and replace production, I expect activity to remain strong and service intensity to increase through 2023.”

“It’s clear to me that oil and gas is in short supply, and only multiple years of increased investment in both stemming declines and reserve additions will solve short supply. I believe these investments will drive demand for oilfield services for the next several years,” he added.

Globally, “The unique feature of this upcycle, as I see it, is the investor driven return discipline by both operators and service companies, which I expect drives a longer duration cycle and translates into years of increasing demand for Halliburton services,” Miller said.

Energy Services Market Set To Hit $1 Trillion in 2025

Energy services providers could see the market topping $1 trillion by 2025, due to demand for oil and gas supply and expansion into

“Together with oilfield services, this expansion into other energy areas could provide a $1 trillion market for suppliers by 2025, which could be sustained for several years after that,” Rystad Energy analysts noted.

Offshore Rig Outlook

Specifically in the offshore drilling and services business, rig activity has been robust in recent months in many regions, except in the UK North Sea, where the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) has prompted operators to scale back drilling plans, Westwood Global Energy Group said in several analyses this year.

In 2022, offshore rig activity for both jackups and floating rigs was robust in several key regions of the world, with global marketed jackup utilisation rising from 87% in January to 91% in December, Westwood said in January 2023.

This year, global marketed utilisation is set to increase from the 90% average in 2022 to around 95%, Terry Childs, Head of RigLogix at Westwood, wrote in the analysis.

“Looking out for the remainder of 2023, marketed drillship supply and demand will remain tight and utilisation will continue in the 95% plus region,” Childs noted.

The high level of utilisation will prompt rig owners to continue to push dayrates upward, Childs added. While other regions will see sustained recovery in offshore rig demand, the North Sea could see an accelerated exodus of rigs due to the UK’s windfall tax, Teresa Wilkie, Research Director of RigLogix at Westwood, said at the end of March.

“There is concern that once rigs exit the region, they may not return – especially given the high mobilisation costs incurred with the initial relocation as well as attractive contract terms and dayrates in other areas of the globe such as the Golden Triangle (US Gulf of Mexico, South America and West Africa), the Middle East or Australasia,” Wilkie wrote.

The fiscal volatility stemming from the UK levy will further challenge any previously anticipated recovery in North Sea rig demand due to higher commodity prices, as has been the case in many other areas of the world that have seen increased rig demand, utilisation and dayrates, Wilkie noted.

MARKET LEADER GOING BOLDLY INTO EMERGING MARKETS WITH AMBITIOUS GROWTH PLANS

in The Americas, spurred on by a recent Houston office expansion and a key appointment who has been tasked with fostering existing client relations in the region and spearheading additional opportunities.

low drag in the restricted cased hole. All Phazer™ Flex products are tested to API and beyond.

Headquartered at Westhill, Aberdeen Vulcan Completion Products’ (VCP) has doubled the size of its team in recent months and now employs 20 people around the world who specialise in design, manufacture, and application of bespoke, innovative, and ground-breaking solutions.

Thanks to the team’s combined 200 years of experience and the support of a global network of carefully selected agents, the company sells directly to IOCs, major players and headline service companies. From centralisation, reamer and guide shoes to float equipment, cement plugs, collars and cable protectors VCP has an unmatched record of success, with the prime directive firmly focused on being a quality service provider which consistently exceeds client expectations.

With a recent investment allowing Vulcan Completion Products to fast-track its expansion plans, the market-leading company has focused on a “live long and prosper” strategy

Regional Manager Marcus Gregson-Brown brings to the team nearly 25 years of experience in the field of primary cementing equipment, mostly in locations such as Azerbaijan, Sakhalin Island and for the last 15 years in Houston where he has gained considerable experience in supplying to North American Gulf of Mexico operations, plus land as well as South American projects.

The appointment of Marcus is seen as crucial in exploring new frontiers and rolling out Vulcan Completion Products’ complete range of solutions to the North and South American markets, with the Phazer™ Flex already taking the market by storm and providing a crucial driver for growth in the US as it has already done elsewhere.

Stars of the company’s suite of products, the industry hailed Phazer™ Flex and Phazer™: Flex TT (Tight Tolerance) are under-reamed centralisers which offer superior standoff in the open hole, while offering ultra-

The latest growth announcement comes just a matter of months after the relocation of the sixyear-old company’s Middle east office to a new, larger office space in Dubai. From here, the growing team is working hard to enhance VCP’s foothold within the Middle East region, which is also deemed to be of paramount strategic importance, both historically and in the company’s ambitious growth plans.

Ian Kirk of Vulcan Completion Products said: “Our working relationship with Marcus stretches back many years and we are delighted to have him on board to lead the charge in our growth plans for The Americas.

“The right products need the right people to deliver them to the absolute best of standards and his appointment continues our longstanding commitment to placing expertise close to our clients to ensure we can be nimble and exacting in meeting their evolving needs.

“By working hard to establish a solid network with global reach, we are now able to take a wealth of expertise into the US market where complex wells require products which can give massive cost savings – any other approach would be, as Mr Spock said, highly illogical!”

An international leader at the forefront of next generation creative solutions for the oil and gas completions market is ready to fulfil its ambitious US growth plans at warp speed.

Phazer Flex

Marcus Gregson-Brown

Innovative Well Intervention Solutions

Wellpro Group provides a complete thru tubing, inflatable packer and well intervention technology portfolio including operational design, project management, service, rental and sales.

Since founding the company in 2018, Jim Thomson and Grant Forsyth have built Wellpro Group from the ground up, driving growth organically and via strategic acquisition activity. They now head a 60+ strong international workforce that is active across the Eastern Hemisphere.

We’re proud that our regional workforces are comprised of a large percentage of local personnel and we’re committed to the development of local talent that will carry the Wellpro Group reputation for outstanding service over the coming decades.

Service Diversification

As part of the company’s strategic growth plans, Wellpro Group now designs and manufactures thru tubing and well intervention tools. In addition to facilitating accelerated market entry, this means we also have the ability to support clients’ bespoke operational requests and address the most demanding of challenges.

To support and drive this growth we have recently hired Alistair Gill as Senior Design Engineer, based in Dubai. A Chartered Engineer with over 12 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, he has been at the forefront of technology within various R&D departments and brings an extensive knowledge of both well completions and well intervention technology to the business.

We are the provider of a number of technologies across the Middle East, North Africa and Asian energy markets, via strategic alliances with downhole technology developer and manufacturer Omega Well Intervention, and Australian-based manufacturer of inflatable technology, IPI Packers.

In conjunction with Wellpro Group’s technical engineering support and service delivery via the provision of wellsite personnel, these agreements have created a highly responsive, complete well intervention solution for our customers, reducing costs and increasing service efficiency via a single source.

Eastern Hemisphere Focus

What We Do

Via industry-leading technologies and bespoke service, Wellpro Group covers intervention service portfolios, from challenging and nonroutine field operations to in-house engineering and manufacturing solutions.

As an independent provider, we can deploy the most cost effective - and innovative - well intervention technologies available on the market covering the following portfolios:

• Thru Tubing Fishing and Milling

• Thru Tubing Inflatable Packers

• Well Isolation

• Well Abandonment

• Well Surveillance and Monitoring

A Unique Team

People are the cornerstone of our success. Sean McCluskey, our Middle East Regional Manager and Niall Murray, our Asia Regional Operations Manager, are amongst some of the industry’s longest-serving and most-highly experienced well intervention experts. Many of the team bring with them track records of 25+ years to our operations. These industry experts have played an instrumental role in developing the company; building and retaining the best well intervention talent as we continue to grow and diversify.

Wellpro Group demonstrated its commitment to the Middle East with the seven-figure acquisition of a Dubai-based thru tubing and rental provider. This was quickly followed by an organic startup in South East Asia, which has resulted in Wellpro Group becoming one of the leading well intervention companies in the region. Continued growth into new countries, regions and hemispheres is of high focus.

Pictured left to right: Jim Thomson, CEO and Grant Forsyth, COO

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SAUDI ARABIA

KURDISTAN

THAILAND

MALAYSIA

Sentinel Subsea has developed the industry’s only completely passive well integrity monitoring system. The non-invasive solution provides continuous integrity monitoring without the need for any active subsea power source. The company’s mission is to provide operators with long-term monitoring solutions that help support environmental stewardship across the industry. In collaboration with Baker Hughes, Sentinel Subsea have recently deployed several of its passive systems in the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil for two major operators.

Drawing on 40 years of experience working in global leadership roles, Sentinel Subsea Chairman, Ray Riddoch, shares his insight into the importance of well monitoring as he calls for the industry to prioritise its commitment to the environment as well as safety. Having joined the company because of its simple to deploy yet innovative technology, Ray saw the opportunity to revolutionise the way the industry monitors its assets from exploration up to final abandonment. Sharing his thoughts on the importance of the oil and gas industry’s commitment to environmental responsibility, here’s what he had to say.

QCan you give a brief introduction about yourself and provide a short synopsis about Sentinel.

AMy name is Ray Riddoch. I’ve been in the oil and gas industry for over 40 years, mostly on the operator side of the fence. I am chairman of Sentinel Subsea and I joined them on this journey as I believe in what they’re trying to do, and I think passive monitoring technology has a key role to play in the transition as we advance towards a Net Zero future.

QYou have an impressive career spanning over 40 years. Can you tell me how this industry has changed from when you began compared to where it is now?

AWhen I went into the industry, everyone saw the opportunity to, let's be honest about it, make money. You worked hard, did your time offshore, and you made money. That attitude has definitely changed in the industry over the 40 years that I've been involved with it. The oil and gas industry has become more aware of its social responsibilities. We've had a mirror held up to us over the last five to ten years with regards to our impact on the environment. At one point, certainly after Piper Alpha, safety became a big topic of conversation. Similarly, the Environment is now as big as Safety in HSE context as we go towards net zero in 2050.

QSo, touching on your knowledge of the North Sea, what are your thoughts about what's being done about late life and suspended subsea wells?

AAlthough we are well on with decommissioning wells in the UK, there is still a massive task ahead of us. I think of it as almost an industry within an industry. To my mind, what we have got to be aware of is it's going to take several decades to get to a point of resolution and fully decommission of all the subsea suspended and plugged wells we have. So, what happens in that interim period is always the question. Maybe it's not a comfortable question, but I think it's a question that needs to be asked.

QTouching on well decommissioning, there's expected to be hundreds of subsea wells decommissioned in the next decade. Do you think the region is prepared enough for the wave that is approaching?

AI think there's been some incredible work done over the last five years on how we assess, approach and understand the decommissioning challenges that we face, but I don't think we should underestimate the effort and the amount of time that's involved. As you say, there are hundreds of subsea wells and each one is different and will present unique challenges.

Ray Riddoch shares his insight into the importance of the oil and gas industry’s commitment to environmental responsibility across the entire well life cycle.

QSo what's the current challenge that operators are facing in regard to well monitoring?

AI believe through necessity the industry has championed technology and innovation from the early days. These pioneering technologies have helped us deliver the fantastic industry that the UK has today. However, as the subsea industry has pushed boundaries, the unintended consequence has been added complexity, cost, and risk. I think that if there was a reliable and simple to deploy way of monitoring these wells, then operators should be looking at this seriously.

That’s what interested me about Sentinel, what they have provided into the marketplace is that simple to deploy innovation to support effective environmental well monitoring. A number of years ago the regulator made the operators, and particularly the MD's of the operators, feel uncomfortable when they asked “how do you know that your platform's safe?”. That was all about process safety. I believe that question is still just relevant, and it should be relevant, but it needs to be extended to the “E” of Environment in HSE.

QThe North Sea Transition Authority has outlined stewardship expectations, some of which were particularly relevant to the well life cycle. I understand that Sentinels technology aims to support operators with environmental stewardship, can you talk to me about how this technology is helping the industry’s social license to operate?

AThe social license to operate is a term that has come out over the last few years. But the idea is absolutely right, there is that social license to operate and we have to recognise oil and gas has got a role to play in the transition towards net zero. We need to be aware of our responsibilities to society and, in my opinion, know on a day-by-day basis that our subsea assets are secure.

Sentinel provides that and you will know in the blink of an eye if you have an issue. Whereas, just now the more prudent operators will inspect on an annual basis, fly-by with an ROV on the 1st of January and then 365 days later pass again. The question is, what happens in the interim? That is what Sentinel provides, it answers that question.

QTouching on that, what are your thoughts on the industry's ESG efforts and how do you predict this will impact the future of the industry?

AI think the industry has recognised the change in expectations, not only from society but also from governments and not just in the UK, but globally. There is now an expectation on energy companies to do whatever they can to protect the environment. There is a recognition that oil and gas is still required to provide energy on a global basis however, there is a quid pro quo that you need to do as much as you possibly can to mitigate any impact on the environment.

So is the industry doing enough? There has been huge advances since I started 40 years ago, but I think you can always do better. There's always room to improve and if we look at where we were 20-30 years ago in terms of process safety and where we are now for a hazardous industry, exactly the same can be applied now to the environment.

QHow is this technology changing the perspective of operators in the North Sea?

AWhat's been very interesting to me in my role as Chairman of Sentinel is the appetite that I can see in other global regions. When I look at it, sometimes it’s because of regulatory influence, social pressures, or because the operator is of a view that they need to understand status of their subsea assets. The UK sector has been a leader of global subsea oil and gas for many decades. Now, there's an opportunity to build a leadership in terms of well monitoring, social responsibility and mitigating the potential impacts of subsea wells on the environment.

QSo you joined Sentinel at a pivotal stage in its development, the company has seen a lot of success recently having deployed its passive technology in the Americas for two operators. Can you share a little bit of insight into this and the traction that you've seen in the region?

AWhen I was first approached by the Sentinel team, I was very UK focused. I thought this is going to really help support the industry here in the UK North Sea. I soon realised though the interest for passive technologies was also international and that for me was quite interesting. The same challenges with aging

assets and remote wells that we are facing as an industry here are also being faced on the global stage. The simple to deploy the nature of the technology means it has been easily adapted it to suit the requirements of various regions and operators. Flexibility is important for any service provided by the energy industry.

QAnd I know that Sentinel so far have typically been involved with suspended wells, is there capacity to work on monitoring active wells as well?

AWithout a doubt. There seems to be a great deal of focus on Sentinel’s technology being associated with suspended wells, plugged wells and old wells. I personally think that for active wells and producing wells it is equally as important. If I were still an operator, I would like to know if one of my active wells was leaking and causing harm to the environment and I'd like to know that as soon possible, as opposed to waiting until the next ROV inspection. So, for me live wells hold the same environmental importance as suspended wells. We need to monitor, full stop.

QWhat lies on the horizon for Sentinel?

AI think that Sentinel has brought to the oil and gas industry some remarkable new thinking and fantastic innovation on how we monitor subsea assets. The future for Sentinel is to listen to the monitoring challenges that come forward from operators, look at how the technology can support and keep things simple. I think that simplicity is the essence of success, and I wouldn't want to lose the hold on that simplistic approach.

• INTEGRATED CONTROL SYSTEMS

• BOP CONTROL SYSTEMS

• DRILLERS SYSTEMS

• CHOKE & VALVE CONTROLS

• BALLAST CONTROL & MONITORING

• UNINETRUPTABLE POWER SUPPLIES

• REMOTE MONITORING SYSTEMS

• ENERGY MONITORING SYSTEMS

• DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS

• CONDITION MONITORING SYSTEMS

• FLUID MONITORING SYSTEMS

• SCADA/HMI PACKAGES

• VALVE TEST PANELS

• PRESSURE TEST UNITS

• GLYCOL INJECTION UNITS

• MULTIPLEX CONTROL SYSTEMS

• INTEGRATED MARINE MONITORING SYSTEMS

• SUBSEA ASSEMBLIES

• PRESSURE & TEMPERATURE MONITORING

• POWER DISTRIBUTION UNITS

• HYDRAULIC POWER UNITS

• FLUSHING SYSTEMS

• HARSH ENVIRONMENT SPECIALIST SYSTEMS

• OBSOLECENCE RESOLUTION SPECIALISTS

Thirty years and counting for Petrasco in Houston

Global logistics specialist Petrasco is marking three decades in Houston with new faces, a growing order book, and plans to expand the business to keep up with customer demand.

Through its Houston operation, Petrasco supports companies in the Americas by providing:

• International logistics services

• 3PL supply base and storage (primary or overflow)

• Inventory management

• Packing solutions

• Access to technical and manpower services

• Introduction to network of support services, such as administrative, legal and commercial

The Houston team also works closely with Petrasco colleagues in Aberdeen and the Middle East. One recent project saw Petrasco awarded a long-term contract by Dubai Petroleum to provide global logistics solutions for offshore/onshore gas fields, pipelines, and support services.

Work carried out in the UAE has been complemented with support from Petrasco’s other international offices, including Houston. The city is often seen as a gateway to Latin America and another recent project involved work in Argentina and Guyana, where Petrasco managed 480 tonnes of project cargo.

With nearly 50 years’ experience in the energy industry, Petrasco is a leading provider of international logistics solutions including air, sea and road freight services.

Since establishing a US presence in 1993, the company has gone from strength to strength and continues to evolve with increased demand for logistics solutions and freight forwarding providing opportunities for business growth across North America and beyond.

Celebrating its 30th year operating in Houston in 2023, Petrasco has recently been awarded several important contracts from local and international businesses. The largest of these have involved providing inventory management, packing solutions and freight movements on behalf of clients from its purpose-built energy logistics facility.

Chris Milne, regional director (Americas) at Petrasco, has recently relocated from Aberdeen to Houston to lead operations in the US.

He said: “The past 18 months have been extremely busy across all parts of the business, especially in Houston. There is undoubtedly huge growth potential and opportunities for us to build on the reputation we’ve developed over 30 years.

“We continue to find that having a well-established name and brand in Houston is an advantage for attracting new business. Even though it is an extremely competitive market, we are respected as a niche company with specific expertise of how the energy industry operates – which has stood us in good stead.

“As well as traditional forwarding of goods from A to B, there has been a significant upturn in clients asking us to hold and manage inventory on their behalf at our Houston facility – including those who don’t yet have a local presence. This can be a low-risk route for market entry before companies are ready to take on their own premises and provides a chance for us to work together with them as their business grows and requirements change.”

Petrasco offers a one-stop-shop for equipment backed-up with specific, local knowledge of the wider Americas region to help clients mobilise quickly and cost-effectively. The Houston facility – located a short distance from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport – has its own dock and loading bay, which allows for on-site container lashing and securing.

While currently only a small part of the business, there is also rising demand from the US domestic market. Petrasco consolidates orders from across the country, completes the necessary inventory checks, and then ships worldwide.

Chris Milne added: “Like any new market entry, the key to doing business in Houston is having the right people, equipment and technology on the ground.

“With our extensive knowledge of the local market, Petrasco is well placed to navigate companies through the process, giving them time to establish their business and personnel first with minimal capital expenditure and allowing a staged and steady growth process.”

Petrasco is sponsoring and taking part in the OGV Energy networking golf day at Tour 18 on April 30th and sponsoring the OGV Energy drinks reception on May 3rd. The team is looking forward to attending OTC and meeting visitors to Houston over the course of the week.

For more information, please visit

Let’s talk about torque the EnerQuip way

EnerQuip’s portfolio offers market-leading solutions all over the world and regardless of location, clients can be sure that they have all been individually tailored to exactly what they need and supported by the established global network of service centres.

By working in partnership with and listening closely to each and every client, the EnerQuip team can tailor all kit to deliver products and services which consistently exceed expectations. They include:

Fully Rotational (FR) Machine

The Fully Rotational (FR) Machine is the premier choice when it comes to threaded oilfield drilling and completions connections and is specifically tailored towards premium connections such as VAM and Tenaris.

With the ability to record torque as low as 100 ft. Lbs – the lowest on the market – EnerQuip’s FR can achieve a maximum torque range of up to 250,000 ft. lbs giving exceptional scope to deal with a wide range of project requirements.

As well as a clamp range from 2.3/8” to 30” if required, this portfolio staple is also available with a range of accessories such as hydraulic support stands that can be automatic to improve efficiency and, uniquely, remember set height parameters. Optional “fully floating” heads allow for offset connection make ups, as found on downhole submersible pumps, while top opening tailstocks are available to improve loading efficiency and reduce manual handling. The FR machines are also fully networkable to aid remote diagnostics and support.

Stroking Machine (SM)

Used for threaded drilling connections, the SM machines also record the lowest on the market at under 500 ft. lbs and have broad clamp range from 2.3/8” to 15” or 18”. The ability to operate through a 40-degree angle of head rotation sets EnerQuip’s SM apart as one of the most efficient on the market.

A range of accessories such as hydraulic support stands that can be automatic can be added for improved efficiency in the system which also boasts the unique ability to remember set height parameters.

With push/pulls capable of 65,000lbs of force and spinners that operate to 1400 ft.lbs of torque and 58 RPM, top opening tailstocks improve loading efficiency and reduce manual handling and the SM is fully networkable to aid remote diagnostics and support.

Mobile Torque Unit (MTU)

Despite the global pandemic, EnerQuip’s drive to innovate continued unabated and 2021 brought the development and deployment of the company’s ground-breaking MTU for the rig side mobile torque makeup of drill pipe and casing in the Middle East.

The latest addition to the product line is now much in demand, not least because it can make up range three casing doubles and drillpipe triples and is able to run fully automated thereby reducing labour and improving safety and efficiency.

With a clamp range from 2.3/8” up to an optional 22” and a climate-controlled operator cabin, the MTU is torque capable up to 130,000 ft.lbs and can hit the ground running due to its remarkable ability to be operational in under two hours from equipment arriving onsite. It can be paired with any manufacturer’s catwalk for delivery of casing and drillpipe to drill floor and is capable of rig side teardown of drill string components, and BHA makeup.

Enerquip is the first choice partner for Torque Machines and Associated Products. We utilise our years of experience to support client operations to ensure their Torque Machines and Bucking Units are always running to their full potential. For more information see our website: enerquiptorque.com

SM Machine

FR Machine

EnerQuip MTU at work in the desert of the Middle East

ENGINEERING THE ENERGY TRANSITION WITH A WELLS-FOCUSED APPROACH

As the energy sector reaches a pivotal moment in its transition to net zero, the critical role of well engineering should not be underestimated, cautions

Julie Copland,

head of production technology and decommissioning at Elemental

There are clear synergies between the engineering and technical insights required to plan and safely execute an exploration or production well campaign and those required for both the decommissioning of those assets and the parallel move to carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) and other energy production technologies such as geothermal.

Within the existing upstream sector, wells are the most crucial element in maximising costeffective recovery from existing projects – the lifeblood of current energy security. Steps must also be taken in regions such as the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea to ensure wells are leaktight during decommissioning, or are suitable to convey and contain CO2 for CCUS projects.

“Wells are frequently the highest cost, and most complex, element of all of these activities yet few in-house engineering teams or independent engineering firms have the depth of knowledge needed to successfully transfer well expertise from the upstream industry to these other sectors,” says Julie.

“Elemental Energies, which launched at the end of 2022, following the acquisition of Senergy Wells from Vysus Group, has been able to do this very successfully with most of our engineers coming from a drilling or completions background. Decommissioning is an important part of the energy transition - it’s going to keep a lot of people busy for a very long time. We’ve seen a significant increase in demand for both our decommissioning and low carbon consultancy services since we announced the new company. There is clearly a need for an integrated approach to the energy transition that has well engineering at its core,” she said.

For the company, expert wells support must remain at the heart of integrated projects throughout the energy transition mix. It is their mission to engineer the energy transition by harnessing the brightest wells talent, shaping the design and delivery of wells-focused projects.

Within decommissioning, well abandonment is the most costly part of projects, and deep well engineering and geological expertise is required to permanently isolate flowing zones below ground – crucial to permanent emissions prevention.

Energies.

Low carbon energy projects such as CCUS and geothermal also require a significant wells focus, and this is amplified when looking at repurposing existing oil and gas assets. If wells expertise is embedded into the planning of these projects from the earliest phases, opportunities for efficiency can be harnessed early and engineering challenges overcome, reducing cost and complexity.

It is therefore critical to leverage wells skills and the expertise of experienced well engineers already within the industry. This transferring of skills and implementation of existing technical knowledge holds the key to unlocking the potential of these projects and supporting clients through the energy transition with highquality, low-cost solutions.

With a track record of hundreds of wells engineered, abandoned and project managed, Elemental Energies is a significant hub of well engineering talent within the industry. Their track record also includes more than a decade of experience working on CCS projects which are now a key component of the accelerating decarbonisation efforts around the world.

With a commitment to shape the wells-centric projects of the present and the future, Elemental Energies is building a world-leading offering to solve complex challenges in oil and gas, decommissioning and the low carbon sectors of CCUS, and geothermal.

For the past 20 years Elemental Energies’ team has built an impressive track record in successfully delivering varied projects, from full well project management to conceptual, desktop studies. More recently they have supported INEOS’ flagship Greensand CCS project and a deepwater development campaign offshore Israel on behalf of Energean alongside partners.

Proof of concept put into practice on Greensand carbon capture project

Elemental Energies’ team has been working on the Greensand Project, led by INEOS and Wintershall, since last year. It has led the conceptual well design assessment for the conversion and repurposing of the Nini West

and Nini Main wells for CCS and, most recently, updated the approach to reflect technical advances, ahead of a final investment decision for full commercialisation.

The company’s involvement is just one part of a major development. Helping the client understand and minimise the risks has been key to the project’s progress.

Its latest scope of work has focused on finalising the proof of concept for the conversion of three wells for CO2 injection, the decommissioning of seven other wells, and an assessment of the abandonment status/well barrier integrity of the original four exploration wells, to ensure their suitability for the use of the Nini fields for future storage of CO2.

Delivering a multi-well deepwater campaign on time and under budget.

Building on its long-standing relationship with Energean, Senergy Wells provided project management, engineering and operational supervision for a multi-well campaign, 75 km offshore Israel.

The scope included three firm wells, and two optional wells, drilled in 1400-1800 metres water depth to deliver the Energean objective of de-risking prospective resources of over 1 billion boe. The project was delivered in partnership with Stena Drilling and Halliburton, on time and under budget.

The wells were drilled using the Stena IceMAX drillship, an ice-class, harsh environment, dual-activity, dynamically positioned drillship, capable of drilling in water depths of up to 3,000 metres. Halliburton provided integrated services to deliver project management, directional drilling, drill bits, drilling fluids, cementing, solids control, wireline, slickline, completions, production enhancement, and subsea services.

To learn more about how Elemental Energies is engineering the energy transition go to elementalenergies.com

www.leyton.com

The UK’s largest innovation funding consultancy

Leyton is an international consulting firm that helps businesses leverage financial non-dilutive incentives to accelerate their growth and achieve long lasting performance.

We simplify your access to these complex incentives. Our combined teams of highly skilled Tax and Technical specialists,

enhanced with cutting-edge digital tools developed internally, maximise the financial benefits for any type of businesses.

With compliance always front of mind, we have been delivering optimal services for our clients for over 24 years. This provides peace of mind that you will always receive the maximum benefit, without taking risks.

THE FUTURE OF DRILLING AND WELL SERVICES: ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY

mud technology is the use of Non-Aqueous Drilling Fluids (NADF), which has shown to improve drilling efficiency and minimise environmental impact through the reduction in the amount of waste generated.

As a final point, it is also worth noting that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) has become increasingly important in drilling and well services. Through the analysis of large amounts of data collected during drilling operations using AI, it is possible to identify patterns and optimise drilling parameters to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

In conclusion, drilling and well services are constantly evolving fields, and there are many exciting developments underway that are sure to have a significant impact on the industry in the coming years. By leveraging technologies such as nanotechnology, NADF, and AI/ML, it is possible to improve the efficiency and costeffectiveness of drilling operations while also minimising their environmental impact.

The history of oil well drilling dates back to the 6th century in China, where the drilling process made use of drill bits attached to bamboo poles. Oil produced was transported via bamboo pipelines. The drilling process itself was carried out in a highly organised and ordered sequence, with exploration well prospects being planned before drilling started. In the modern world and current context, when it comes to drilling and well services, new technologies and techniques are being continually developed to make the process more efficient and cost-effective.

Through the analysis of large amounts of data collected during drilling operations using AI, it is possible to identify patterns and optimise drilling parameters to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

well through techniques such as hydraulic fracturing, acidising, and matrix stimulation. Over the years, there has been a growing interest in improving the effectiveness of well stimulation techniques while also minimising its environmental impact. Recently, a promising advancements in well stimulation has been the use of nanotechnology. Wherein nanoparticles are selectively delivered to the reservoir, thereby improving efficiency of the stimulation process while minimising the amount of chemicals and water required.

A key aspect of drilling and well services is a process called well stimulation, which involves improving productivity of an existing

Another key aspect of drilling and well services is drilling mud, which is used to lubricate the drill bit and cool the drill string while also carrying the rock cuttings to the surface. An exciting development in drilling

Benson John MSc CEng MIMeche Assistant Manager - R&D Tax Incentives

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. TRANSFORMED.

3t Transform

Part of 3t Energy Group’s portfolio of companies, including leading training providers AIS Training and Survivex and simulator provider, Drilling Systems, 3t Transform offers a gamechanging platform of cloud-based training management software and blended learning technologies; enabling companies world-wide to deliver, manage and monitor the training and competence of their staff and contractors.

The 3t Transform team is made up of industry experts in customer experience, technology, design, and content creation. With this knowhow, we create the ultimate, cost-effective learning solutions that can be tailored to your needs, helping you work smarter, safer and more efficiently.

At the core of the 3t Transform platform is a range of connected cloud-based software tools, designed to manage the safety, training compliance, learning, skills gaps, and competence of your workforce. Coupled with our pioneering, cost effective, learning technologies that improve workers’ knowledge, skills, and performance, our platform enables your workers to constantly improve through self-initiated learning, which can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

“We offer a complete solution for workforce development and training, ensuring our customers are at the heart of every solution we provide. We have taken a consultive approach, listening to your biggest challenges, and built technology-driven solutions that create safer, smarter workers and increase your operational efficiency.” Paul

Stonebanks OBE, President

Training and Competence Management Software

Our platform of Management Software is packed full of powerful features that enable the timely delivery of your workforce training, all from the convenience of one central, cloud-based platform. Our software includes state-of-the-art Training Management, Learning Management and Competence Management Systems, where you can simply and effectively manage and improve the training, compliance, safety and competence of your entire workforce.

Blended Learning Technologies

E-Learn: We have thousands of off-the-shelf, industry-accredited E-Learning courses available at 3t Transform, accessible on demand, 24/7, on mobile, desktop or tablet. Each course is SCORM compliant and includes a mix of theory and assessments to enhance engagement.

“We are specialists in creating bespoke content, tailored to your exact needs, and have a proven track record of designing and delivering engaging learning content that improves knowledge retention.” Linsey Horberry, Head of

Learning and Development

Micro-learning app - R3: Our ground-breaking R3 platform is based on the principles of spaced repetition learning and delivers micro-learning quizzes tailored to each worker.

E-Learn: We have thousands of off-theshelf, industry-accredited E-Learning courses available at 3t Transform, accessible on demand, 24/7, on mobile, desktop or tablet. Each course is SCORM compliant and includes a mix of theory and assessments to enhance engagement.

“We are specialists in creating bespoke content, tailored to your exact needs, and have a proven track record of designing and delivering engaging learning content that improves knowledge retention.” Linsey Horberry, Head of Learning and Development

Micro-learning app - R3: Our ground-breaking R3 platform is based on the principles of spaced repetition learning and delivers micro-learning quizzes tailored to each worker.

Designed to repeatedly test on-the-job skills and knowledge, this helps to reduce future training costs, increase learner engagement through gamification and improve knowledge retention. R3 also offers powerful reporting capabilities, providing detailed feedback about each learner.

R3 has already been used by high profile companies like McDonalds and TUI, to name a few.

Virtual-reality training and digital twin creation: Our virtual reality platform has transformed both training and learning in the workplace. We specialise in creating realistic, immersive learning environments which replicate realworld scenarios and procedures allowing your workers to test their skills and knowledge in a safe setting.

Using our powerful digital twin technology, we can recreate customers’ assets and sites in exact detail in the virtual world.

This training is unrivalled for engagement and memory retention, “VR can deliver a 75% increase in delegates’ learning retention when compared with standard methods.”

Video-Learn: Reducing contact time and safeguarding the health of employees during COVID-19 has been vital. Cloud-based learning has proven critical in continuing training and learning during this time, and in an everchanging world, businesses will increasingly rely on distance learning in the future.

Video is a great tool for breaking down complex information into bite-sized, simple, easy to understand visuals. Content-rich and engaging video-based learning allows standardised training to be delivered across multiple personnel easily and quickly. Theory backed up by practical demonstrations builds knowledge and pause and replay modules mean delegates can learn at their own pace. 3t Transform also provides multilingual versions for global teams, all accessed via our Learning Management System.

Augmented Reality: 3t Transform’s AR platform allows you to bring to life digital interactive scenarios or workplace processes in your realworld environment. You then use the AR mobile app to interact with the ‘digital’ scene that can take your learning to a new level of interaction and engagement.

Simulators: We also offer a range of advanced portable simulators, tailored to the oil & gas industry, that allow your workers to test and retest their skills in safety, maximising human performance, competence, and efficiency. All our simulators connect with the other learning technologies and software for a truly blended learning experience.

“3t Transform is truly transforming training with technology. There is no other business able to provide a holistic technology training solution, vastly decreasing the time taken to demonstrate a compliant and competent workforce while drastically reducing training and associated costs. All the while delivering a proven and robust system that can be accessed anywhere globally with full offline capabilities.” Sally Finnie, VP

Functions and Benefits

• Cost effective – all your learning and software tools in one place reducing admin time and logistics.

• Mobilise your workers with tailored induction training plans to get them job-ready and safe.

• Quick access to 6 ways to learn with 100’s of tech-driven courses.

• Full real-time visibility of the safety, compliance, and competence of your regional and global operations, giving you 100% compliance assurance.

• Rapid onboarding onto the platform to make it easy to get started.

www.sword-group.com

Jonathan Smith is a Cyber Resilience Technical Lead who has been in the industry for 11+ years. His role at Sword Ping Network Solutions involves working with our customers to help them design network and security solutions to secure and connect with their data.

Craig Neilson is a Sales Lead for Sword. Craig joined Sword 5 years ago and as Sales Lead is responsible for managing relationships with customers to align their requirements with Sword Ping’s offerings.

Being cyber resilient to protect your data

Changing landscape

The reality for our industry is that it is no longer if you have a security breach but when. With an ever-changing threat landscape, it is more important than ever before to protect your data and have suitable plans in place to recover efficiently.

With the rapid pace of change in technologies and growing challenges, many organisations are striving to find the balance between simplifying technology and designing technology solutions. As an industry continuing to face different pressures in an already complex and diverse landscape, we must continue to evolve our environment to maximise the benefits of secure digital and data-driven solutions.

The importance of cyber resilience

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) specifies the definition of Cyber Resilience as “the ability to anticipate, withstand, recover from, and adapt to adverse conditions, stresses, attacks or compromises on systems that use or are enabled by cyber resources.” Due to the breadth of diverse data sources, high data velocity and greater data veracity, we, as industry must stay on top of utilising cyber resources and solutions to be prepared for the increasing potential of cyber-attacks.

Driving Cyber Resilience

At Sword we utilise recognised cyber security frameworks and fit-for-purpose security solutions to assist our customers in their cyber resilience planning such as cyber risk awareness and planning, attack surface awareness, lifecycle management and cloud security.

Without appropriate cyber-resilient solutions and recovery plans organisations will face extended downtime at increasingly high costs.

Organisations today must look at the type of data they hold, whether its internal business, customer data or business critical data. Data today provides significant opportunities to run your business but also exposes organisations to many risks should that data be compromised or breached. What loss would you experience from downtime or GDPR implications? What reputational damage may impact ongoing or future business? These implications are only touching the surface of what needs to be considered on a continuous basis.

Mitigating risks to data

As part of mitigating risk it is advised to start with understanding and identifying risks to your organisation. Going through a risk assessment, treatment and prioritisation plan allows organisation leaders to make decisions based on the probability and impact they may have.

Understanding your attack surface and how many access points to your business exist, allows for the beginnings of a cyber resilience plan to be created. It has long been the focus for many organisations to concentrate on virtual data perimeter security utilising firewalls to create boundaries between data and external threats.

With the continual threat and risks to organisations, there must be a constant focus on security practices, threat playbooks and Immutable backups & recovery. Additionally, it is vital that organisations ensure employees are up to date with the latest end-user security training available to them.

The future of cyber resilience

Over the past three years, the energy industry has been rapidly progressing with digital transformations whilst continuing the road to net zero and maximising operational efficiency. With this transformation additional challenges arise with digital adoption and ensuring staff are up to date with training. Sword work with customers to provide an array of security solutions to ensure organisations can continue achieving business outcomes without the burden of potential cyber threats and the damage that will inevitability be caused by these threats.

Being cyber resilient to be data driven

If we, as an industry, are to achieve data driven outcomes, we need to ensure that data is placed at the heart of our operational and project thinking. The only way we do this is by ensuring our data sits in a reliable and secure environment and is protected with sustainable security plans to maintain a high level of cyber resilience.

The event will be held in The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen, where we will be joined by our partners Cisco and Cohesity. Please contact craig.neilson@swordgroup. com to register for free.

About Sword As the North Sea's largest provider of data and digital services, Sword focuses on solving the industry's most critical business technology challenges by enabling our clients to capture, manage and utilise data to make informed decisions. This is supported by people engagement and technology adoption, together with modern ways of working to give confidence that the right discission is made every time.

Craig Neilson

Jonathan Smith

The reality for our industry is that it is no longer if you have a security breach but when

V-LIFE technology supporting operators for over a decade

The most common cause of subsea electrical failures is the ingress of water into the cable insulation, which decreases the insulation resistance (IR) and may produce short circuits or leakage to earth. These faults often lead to loss of power, operability and production of the subsea system.

V-LIFE INSULATION RESISTANCE RECOVERY

Designed to recover the electrical integrity of failing subsea circuits.

If you are experiencing low IR, a timely decision is essential, as ignoring the issue may result in expensive subsea fault-finding interventions and the replacement of cables, equipment and umbilicals; not to mention a very real risk of electric shock.

V-LIFE is a tried and tested preventative and active ‘healing’ solution for low IR caused by water ingress.

Key Benefits:

• Increases IR without subsea intervention

• Recovers multiple IR failures throughout the system

• Extends the life of failing umbilicals and electrical distribution equipment

• ‘Buys time’ whilst a new umbilical is procured

• Used as an alternative to installing new, costly and long-lead time umbilicals

• Used to delay early field abandonment

• V-LIFE ‘finds’ the points of water ingress, no diagnostics required

175+ Installations

30+ Global Operators

Since 2012 Proven in Field Operation

For more information, visit www.viperinnovations.com/v-life

or speak to one of our experts on: +44 1275 78 78 78 or enquiries@viperinnovations.com

www.renewableuk.com

RenewableUK members are enabling a just transtion to a net zero future. Focusing on continuous improvement around the three pillars of our Just Transition Tracker - People, Place and Planet These inspiring companies are a true showcase of the best that our industry has to offer.

89% OF SUPPLY CHAIN FIRMS SAY RENEWABLE ENERGY IS BIGGEST ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN SCOTLAND, NEW STUDY FINDS

Scottish Renewables launches fourth edition of annual Supply Chain Impact Statement

45 organisations featured in statement thriving within renewable energy industry

Almost 90% of Scotland’s renewable energy supply chain believe renewable energy is the biggest economic opportunity facing Scotland, a study for Scottish Renewables’ Supply Chain Impact Statement has found.

Scottish Renewables today (April 20) launches the fourth edition of its Supply Chain Impact Statement, an annual showcase of the businesses and organisations working across Scotland’s flourishing renewable energy industry.

Supply chain businesses provide products and services which enable renewable energy projects to be built and operated. Examples include the Old Library, a family hotel in the Scottish Borders, Blargoans, a family-run business that provides industrial supplies, transportation, recruitment and PPE, and subsea experts Balmoral.

The Statement highlights how Scotland’s supply chain, which stretches from the Borders to the islands, is utilising its expertise, skills and capabilities to deliver specialist work across all renewable energy technologies, including on and offshore wind, solar and energy storage.

Of the 45 organisations featured in this year’s Supply Chain Impact Statement:

89% think renewable energy is the largest economic opportunity for Scotland

94% said they have invested in upskilling as a result of clean power o pportunities and;

83% said they have recruited new employees as a result of opportunities in the renewable energy industry.

Scottish Renewables is the voice of the renewable energy industry in Scotland and businesses featured in this year’s Supply Chain Impact Statement, include:

Dundee-based Ace Aquatec, which develops innovative products in the offshore marine sectors.

Peel Ports Group’s King George V Dock, on the river Clyde, which supports the development and ongoing maintenance of onshore wind farms across Scotland.

Dundee-based Coast Renewable Services, which supplies trained personnel to wind farm projects for diagnostic, repair, maintenance, installation and inspection works.

Pictured from left to right: Fraser Houston, Head of Sales at Peel Ports, Emma Harrick, Head of Energy Transition and Supply Chain at Scottish Renewables, Jamie Maxton, Head of External Relations at SSE Renewables and Sophie Pacitti, Supply Chain Officer at Scottish Renewables.

Subsea7’s Scottish sites, which have supported more than 3GW of projects including the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of foundation and cable packages on the Beatrice and Seagreen offshore wind farms.

StorTera, of Edinburgh - an energy storage innovator aiming to develop a truly sustainable and low-cost large-scale battery.

Emma Harrick, Head of Energy Transition and Supply Chain at Scottish Renewables, said:

“Scotland’s renewable energy supply chain continues to play a vital role in delivering the major infrastructure projects, such as onshore and offshore wind farms, that will help us achieve our net-zero ambitions.

“The Supply Chain Impact Statement gives us a real insight into how project developers are working closely and investing in the local supply chain, from innovative start-ups to established organisations, and how businesses are supporting a renewable energy industry that 89% consider to be the largest economic opportunity in Scotland.

“The businesses and organisations celebrated in the document demonstrate only a small proportion of the complex supplier network required to deploy net-zero technologies and there will be more and more opportunities for our supply chain to grow further as we build more renewable energy projects across Scotland.

“The renewable energy industry in Scotland really is thriving but we can’t take our eye off the ball. Both the UK and Scottish Governments must work with industry to build on the successes highlighted in this statement and support the supply chain by investing in the innovation, infrastructure and technology needed to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead of us.

“Our industry already supports more than 27,000 jobs and is worth £5.6 billion to the Scottish economy. With almost 22,000 undergraduates studying renewables-related subjects it is clear that we are on the road to growing the specialist supply chain we will need to fulfil the future pipeline of renewable energy projects in Scotland.”

Support for the Scottish Renewables Supply Chain Impact Statement comes from headline sponsor SSE Renewables and sponsors EDF Renewables and Ocean Winds.

Jamie Maxton, Head of External Affairs at SSE Renewables, said:

“Scotland stands on the cusp of a once in a generation opportunity to put green jobs at the heart of its future economic prosperity - whether it’s from our mature onshore wind market, our huge potential pipeline of offshore wind, or the chance to lead the world in the development of floating offshore wind technology.

“Scotland needs green manufacturing jobs and we’re working tirelessly to make that happen. As a national renewable energy champion, SSE Renewables is using the strength of our enviable 8GW-plus Scottish offshore construction and development pipeline. Along with partners at University of Strathclyde and National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, we’re also at the forefront of grasping the huge opportunities from the circular economy which could generate more than 20,000 jobs by 2035.

“At SSE Renewables, we stand ready to work in collaboration with developers, suppliers and government to deliver the green jobs Scotland needs.”

Emma Harrick, Head of Energy Transition and Supply Chain at Scottish Renewables and Sophie Pacitti, Supply Chain Officer at Scottish Renewables.

CONTRACT AWARDS

SPONSORED BY

www.infinity-partnership.com

Petronas inks farm-out deal for oil & gas field off Sabah

Petronas Carigali (PCSB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia’s state-owned energy giant Petronas, has entered into a farm-out agreement (FOA) for an oil and gas asset off the coast of Sabah with SMJ Sdn Bhd (SMJSB), a company wholly-owned by the Sabah state government.

This deal has been signed by Hasliza Othman, PCSB’s Chief Executive Officer and Dr Dionysia Aloysius Kibat, SMJSB’s Chief Executive Officer for the sale of Petronas Carigali’s 50 per cent of nonoperating participating interest in the Samarang production sharing contract (PSC).

According to Petronas, the transaction is currently pending regulatory approvals and fulfilment of conditions precedent. This follows a heads of agreement, which PCSB and SMJSB inked to

Infinity Partnership: Your Partner in Business

Infinity Partnership is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary accountancy and business advisory practice, with a proactive approach to customer service.

Infinity has been a five-time winner at the British Accountancy Awards and has been a three-time finalist at the Scottish Accountancy Awards in recent times.

record the duo’s agreement, confirming SMJSB’s participation in the Samarang PSC. This is superseded by the execution of the FOA, based on the firm’s statement.

Furthermore, the FOA marks the second significant development between PCSB and SMJSB, following the commercial collaboration agreement (CCA) signed between Petronas and the Sabah government on 7 December 2021.

Under the FOA, Petronas Carigali will continue to be the operator of Samarang PSC with SMJSB on board as the non-operating partner and “this collaboration bears testament to Petronas’ continuous commitment to achieving its shared aspiration of sustainable growth for the domestic oil and gas industry,” says the company.

Located approximately 50km off the coast of Sabah, the Samarang field is currently producing approximately 36,000 barrels of oil and gas equivalent per day (kboe/d). The gas, at 134

Arnlea celebrates LNG contract win in Asia

Traditionally, inspections have been done manually, with many still using pen and paper, printouts, and clipboards to conduct inspections and schedule maintenance requirements. This process is time-consuming, and the data can be difficult to interpret and collate.”

Arnlea Systems Ltd, a global leader in industrial mobile software for tracking, inspection, and maintenance, has been awarded a new contract in Asia with an LNG Operator.

The company has been working closely with the global LNG industry for several years now to support its growing demands, and the contract win overseas is a testament to Arnlea’s commitment to providing innovative solutions that address inspection and maintenance challenges.

Ross Chapman, Arnlea’s International Business Development Manager commented: “We continue to find that operators globally are facing similar challenges, particularly relating to compliance with regulations, reliance on manual data collection methods, absence of system integration, and inadequate tools for reporting and analysis.

“Our Inspection and Maintenance software addresses these issues by providing operators with a digital solution that streamlines the inspection process, ensures compliance, and provides easy access to the data they need. Operators can generate reports and analytics, which can help them identify trends and make data-driven decisions.”

Arnlea’s Chief Operating Officer, Andy Powrie adds:

“Arnlea is committed to supporting the growth and demands of the global LNG industry, and following the success of a similar win in 2022 with an operator in Africa, the latest win in Asia only reinforces our position as a leader in the field. With Arnlea on board, LNG operators can rest assured that they have a trusted partner that is dedicated to their success. We look forward to continuing to work with our clients to provide the best solutions possible and support their operations in the years to come.”

Saipem Spa announced that it has been awarded a two-year contract extension from Eni Spa for the use of the Santorini drillship. The contract extension, which will give continuity to ongoing operations, will take effect from August 2023 and is worth about USD280 of million. This amount will be supplemented by additional income related to investment in plant improvements of about USD15 million.

The Santorini is a seventh-generation ship acquired by Saipem in December 2022, capable of performing drilling activities at depths of up to 12,000 feet, or more than 3,500 meters. The ship has the latest solutions in digitisation and automation that ensure the highest standards of safety and environmental friendliness that position it at the top of technology offerings for ultra-deepwater projects.

"Through this acquisition, Saipem confirms its competitive positioning in the ultra-deep water drilling sector," the company said.

Saipem's stock closed Wednesday down 1.3% EUR1.4090 per share.

million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d), is part of the supply for customers in Kota Kinabalu and Labuan.

Saipem extends contract for use of Santorini for two years

Chevron selects InterMoor for decommissioning work in Thailand

InterMoor, a subsidiary of Acteon, a marine energy and offshore services provider, has secured a decommissioning contract from oil and gas giant Chevron, off the coast of Thailand.

The latest contract from Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production (CTEP) follows InterMoor’s completion of Phase 1 decommissioning work in the Gulf of Thailand in 2021.

The extended contract includes more packages for the disconnection and removal of pipelines.

The scope of the contract extension now comprises of project management, engineering,

procurement, offshore execution, disconnecting and removing pipelines, disconnecting and removing single point mooring (SPM) and associated subsea infrastructure along with topside modifications work.

InterMoor claims to have utilised a variety of vessels to carry out the decommissioning work. It included the disconnection and removal of SPM Buoy 1 and 2.

benefit is that it can be safely deployed from a vessel’s A-frame or crane.

JBS supplied a Sea Axe mass flow excavation (MFE) system complete with operational team for a pipeline burial project in Bangladesh. This version of the system included an electric HPU (hydraulic power unit).

Another project saw Sea Axe support a large decommissioning project in Thailand. Sea Axe was also brought in to support a harbour expansion project at a Scottish port.

Sea Axe has been used across a number of sectors including energy, power & utilities and harbours & ports and in a number of regions, including the UK, Europe, US, South-East Asia and the Middle East.

Similar to the first phase, InterMoor will use cutting tools supplied by Claxton, its sister concern for the decommissioning project.

Other subsidiaries of Acteon including Aquatic and UTEC will be providing subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) and survey spread, for the project, respectively.

Earlier this month, Acteon’s TerraSond and Benthic secured a combined geophysical and geotechnical survey contract from BlueFloat Energy and Renantis Partnership for Bellrock and Broadshore wind farms.

The two wind farms will be located off the coast of Scotland. These wind farms will have 1.2GW and 900MW of capacities, respectively. For this contract, Acteon plans to use Ocean Fortune, a geophysical survey vessel.

The latest contracts involve fabrication work, screw conveyors and its patented Sea Axe subsea excavation technology.

Peterhead-based JBS has increased its team from 50 to 62 in the past six months which includes the addition of two apprentices.

JBS delivered fabrication projects for operators and energy services firms. The work included flying lead deployment frames – part of a wider collaboration project with Scottish engineering firm HCS Control Systems – and several other large-scale fabrication workscopes for long-standing clients.

JBS also supplied dual drive screw conveyors –used for the transport of drill cuttings – to energy service firms for operations in the UK, Europe, Brazil, USA, South-East Asia and the Middle East. JBS expects to win additional work in its Brazilian market following an edict that all screw conveyors must be dual drive from now on.

JBS has also seen increased demand for its patented Sea Axe technology, which enables fast, large-scale mass flow subsea excavation. The product is manufactured at its Peterhead base.

Sea Axe is the most environmentally friendly system of its type on the market with a small spread in comparison to competitor products minimising the need for deck space. Another

Sea Axe can be used for a series of projects, including pipe/cable projects; seabed preparation; salvage and recovery; inspection, maintenance and repair, decommissioning, power plant outlet pipes; unexploded ordnance clearing; harbour clearance; subsea and windfarm structure projects.

In addition, JBS agreed deals with a series of companies in the energy and space sectors for its blast containment products, where patented fabrics are used, for ballistic, blast, fire and arc flash protection. These contracts are with clients in the UK, US, Europe and Africa. JBS has solutions engineered specifically for high-pressure testing for blast protection on rigs.

The combined value of all the contracts – secured since the start of the year – is £3m.

Jo McIntosh, sales and marketing manager at JBS, said: “The work we have landed makes this our best start to a year. The quality of our fabrication and our screw conveyors has been recognised by clients, while we also received a greater number of enquiries about our blast containment products."

“Our Sea Axe forms a central part of our offering. We’ve received excellent feedback from companies about our technology and how our in-house team supported those projects."

Norwegian offshore drilling contractor Odfjell Drilling has inked two letters of intent (LOIs) with an undisclosed client for one of its semi-submersible rigs to carry out drilling activities in the North Sea. Odfjell Drilling reported on Friday, 31 March 2023, that it had signed two LOIs with a combined firm duration of 23 months for the Deepsea Atlantic semisubmersible rig to conduct operations in the North Sea region.

These LOIs have a value of approximately $290 million, excluding integrated services, upgrades/modifications or mobilisation fees. In addition to the base value, the signed deals also include provisions for performance bonuses and fuel incentives.

Kjetil Gjersdal, Chief Executive Officer of Odfjell Drilling, commented: “In the year of our 50th anniversary these LOIs are testament to Odfjell Drilling’s experience and continued drive to innovate and remain at the forefront of change in our industry.

“While providing valuable, continuous and lengthy backlog these contracts are also a platform for us to take the next step in terms of automation, digitalisation and carbon reduction together with our valued client.”

According to Odfjell Drilling, there are four priced one-well options, following the firm period and the arrangement also provides for three further optional periods of approximately one-year each with the rates for each period to be mutually agreed before exercising.

Furthermore, the offshore drilling contractor explains that the LOIs are contingent on license approval while one of the LOIs is also contingent on governmental approval and formalisation of the contract. The work is expected to start consecutively, following the completion of the Special Periodic Survey, currently planned during the first half of 2024.

Odfjell Drilling secure order for Deepsea Atlantic

Innovative JBS secures £3m worth of contracts

To feature new senior hires and appointments within your organisation, please contact Jordan Clarke, Head of Marketing & BD at Norman Broadbent. +44 (0) 7912 564 797 / jordan.clarke@normanbroadbent.com

Paul Jones-Evans, Client Partner SPONSORED

Paul is a Client Partner within Norman Broadbent’s industrial practice, bringing over 20 years’ experience in search, talent solutions and recruitment. He supports our clients across all our service offerings including executive search, consulting, research & insights, and interim management. His specific focus spans power & utilities, renewables, chemicals, building products and automotive.

www.normanbroadbent.com

We have a simple and straightforward objective: to help our clients manage and successfully drive change, mitigate risk, grow, and succeed.

Prior to joining Norman Broadbent, Paul worked for a global talent solutions provider, working extensively over Europe and the US with large enterprises, SMEs and startups to deliver tech & digital talent across a range of sectors. Paul has held a number of senior leadership roles including managing large teams across Europe, leading company-wide strategy and building & heading client development functions globally.

Paul has vast experience in all areas of talent acquisition from executive & retained search, RPO solutions to contractor recruitment. He has also worked in-house for several years for a global telecommunications company.

realising its ambitious growth strategy and supporting the energy transition.

Based in Aberdeen, Scotland, Fraser will use his 25 years plus industry experience in subsea sector service companies to implement the company’s growth strategy.

A former chief executive of Decom North Sea, much of Fraser’s relevant experience came from his time with Bibby Offshore Limited - part of the Bibby group of companies. He was one of a small leadership team who helped grow the business from start-up to a major international player in the subsea energy market over 15 years.

Fraser himself rose through the ranks, joining as Commercial Manager and then spending his later years with the company as Chief Operating Officer, helping internationalise the business and developing the skillset which aligns with the requirements of Rovco’s current growth trajectory.

decommissioning and renewables,” said Brian Allen, Chief Executive Officer at Rovco. “His extensive experience, particularly in relation to developing and implementing both domestic and international expansion strategies, will be crucial in helping Rovco fulfil its growth ambitions over the next few years.

“Fraser’s appointment closely follows our announcement that Rovco is diversifying its activities through the creation of two dedicated business units – IRM, which will focus on continuing to grow the inspection, repair and maintenance ROV-based work that has been the foundation of Rovco’s work since it was established, and our new Site Characterisation division which will provide the full range of geotechnical and geophysical services and solutions required for marine site consenting surveys. Although specialising in different areas, each unit will be able to draw on the expertise of the other to deliver project support as required.”

Rovco

appoints Fraser Moonie as new COO as it targets global expansion

Fraser Moonie, a well-known name across the international subsea sector, has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer of Rovco.

He joins the global provider of technology-enabled project solutions to the offshore renewable energy sector, as the company forges ahead with the delivery of its plan to build a global infrastructure,

Over the past 18 months, as Regional Director for Mermaid Subsea Services UK, Fraser has worked to bring the Asia based subsea contractor Mermaid Group to the UK market, seeing it win major decommissioning contracts with North Sea operators shortly before he took up his new role with Rovco.

“Fraser joins us at an exciting time as we progress with plans to grow on an international level, bringing our industry-leading solutions closer to our clients operating around the world in

solution centre director – who will lead on the delivery of the NZTC’s recently adopted strategy.

First put in place around 18 months ago, the blueprint aims to secure the long-term future of the Aberdeen-based technology hub, which rebranded from the Oil and Gas Technology Centre in 2021.

“When the new strategy was launched, I recognised it would need a five-year horizon to deliver, and I knew I wasn’t going to be here for that long,” explained Ms Cohen, whose CV includes time spent at the likes of BP, Centrica and ConocoPhillips

2Change at the top for NZTC as Colette Cohen announces plans to step down

Energy transition pioneer Colette Cohen is to step down as chief executive of the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) after nearly seven years at the helm.

Following a short handover period, she will be replaced by Myrtle Dawes – currently the organisation’s

“I began talking to Martin Gilbert, our chairman, about making a plan in order to begin building in the roadmap, but also putting in an exit plan for me. We recognised that Myrtle has all the tools and skills she needs to take the NZTC forward, and following a comprehensive process, we identified her as a successor.”

A chartered chemical engineer, Ms Dawes – like Ms Cohen – began her career working offshore for oil

Fraser said: “I was attracted to Rovco because of its huge potential for growth, and for the opportunity to work with its sister company Vaarst, whose cutting-edge technology is already dominating the market in the energy transition space.

“In these changing times across the energy industry, I’m very excited to be working alongside such a talented group of people. I think Rovco's progression also presents a massive opportunity for individuals within the company to develop and grow as the company continues to evolve. It

giant BP, before spending time at BHP Petroleum and British Gas-owner Centrica.

She joined the NZTC in 2019, and also holds nonexecutive positions on the boards of FirstGroup and the Centre for Process Innovation, as well as an advisory role with the Association of Black and Minority Engineers.

Ms Dawes will formally take up the reins at the NZTC in July, and she has made making engaging with policy makers a key priority.

She said: “I’ve been working with Colette for a while and she’s fantastic founder – she’s leaving a real legacy and I’m ambitious to make sure that I can really take that forward. It’s a very exciting, and challenging, time for the industry, and I think in the last few years we’ve seen how the push towards net zero has become even louder. I’ve got a lot of passion, and I absolutely love working with the team. I’m 100% behind the strategy that’s been put forward, and it’s now for us to move forward and to get that delivered.

Paul Jones-Evans

4

Experienced Energy Sector Professional, Caroline Lofthouse, Promoted to Director Business Development At NOF

NOF, the UK’s business development organisation for the energy sector, has appointed long-serving team member Caroline Lofthouse as its new director business development.

Tysers is delighted to announce that Mark Moore has joined the firm as Director, Energy, to help grow Tysers’ Energy Division.

A highly regarded and experienced Energy broker, Mark previously worked at Primassure where he helped the firm join the Lloyd’s market before developing a global Energy account with a focus on Africa, North Sea, and Latin America. With over 30 years of claims and broking experience, he has held senior roles in the Energy Teams at WTW and AAA after starting his career at C E Heath. Mark has expert, technical knowledge of the Energy sector, in particular, deep water, drilling and construction projects, and has worked closely with leading markets and Energy experts on some of the biggest Upstream development projects to be placed in the London market.

Clive Buesnel, CEO, Tysers, commented: “It’s fantastic news that Mark has joined the Tysers Team. His appointment reflects our commitment to investing in industry leading individuals to further strengthen our teams and seize opportunities for growth.”

Tom Wilson, Managing Director, Marine & Aviation, Tysers, added: “Mark brings outstanding market insight and understanding to this specialist area. Mark is exceptionally well placed to continue our strategic expansion into the Energy business and provide our clients with the superior service that is synonymous with Tysers.”

Mark Moore, said: “I am thrilled to be part of Tysers’ future. Tysers is a business with a strong reputation and history and, following the acquisition by AUB, is enjoying a unique position amongst its market peers. The talent and experience of Tysers and AUB will allow us to build an extraordinary business together.”

3 6

Norway confirms ex-Shell exploration exec as director general of oil regulator

Mr Stordal has been acting in the role since June2022, and has now been appointed for an initial six-year term as director general with an option to extend.

“I’m very pleased that Torgeir Stordal will be heading up the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. Torgeir is a knowledgeable and experienced leader who is well-poised to further develop the Directorate,” said Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland in a statement.

This appointment is a clear signal from NOF of its determination to provide its members with the highest quality business development services delivered by an experienced and committed team of business professionals.

In her new role, Caroline will play a vital role at both Board and operational level in driving the business forward in a rapidly changing energy sector.

This includes collaborating with strategic partners and key clients to develop supply chain engagement activity plans that will generate new business opportunities for its members and the wider UK supply chain.

Since joining NOF in 2006 she has complemented her Degree in Business Studies (Marketing Specialism) with significant experience in business development, events management, strategic relationship building and commercial negotiation.

Caroline Lofthouse said: “I am delighted by this opportunity to play a strategic role in the continued development of NOF. We are a highly proactive organisation dedicated to supporting our network of members and partners to grow and diversify in the energy sector. We work

5

New board appointments for OEUK as drive for energy security continues

Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), the representative body for the UK’s offshore energy sector, has announced a package of changes to its board this month.

Three new board members have been appointed as outgoing members reach the end of their tenure or take up new roles elsewhere.

The appointments come as former CNR International managing director and vice

“He is intimately familiar with the industry and we’re getting an agency head who can contribute to further value creation on the Norwegian shelf moving forward.”

Mr Stordal has a cand.scient. (a master’s degree equivalent) in geophysics from the University of Bergen.

He was hired by the NPD in 2017 as director of exploration, and in 2020, he was given primary responsibility for technology, analyses and coexistence.

Before he started working for the NPD, Stordal worked as a geophysicist and has experience

hard to promote current and future business opportunities and help our network to position their business through the delivery of high quality services including marketing, industry intelligence, strategic introductions, and events.”

Joanne Leng MBE, chief executive of NOF, said: “Caroline has been with NOF for many years and is a valued and highly respected team member. Her extensive experience in developing relationships brings advantages to our growing network of members and partners who play a central role in the UK and international energy industry.

“The NOF Board and team all look forward to working with Caroline in this important role and we are confident our members will also support her and gain benefits from her continued contribution to NOF and their own businesses.”

Andrew Mills, chair of NOF, said: “Over the past few years, Caroline’s growth and progression has been a real joy to witness. We believe this promotion is the start of further success, as the organisation expands to deal with the ever increasing demands of the UK’s energy sector. Congratulations, on behalf of the Board, we wish Caroline all the best in her new appointment.”

president of development operations, Dave Whitehouse, takes over as OEUK’s new CEO.

OEUK CEO David Whitehouse commented:

“The diverse experience and knowledge that these appointments bring will be a great asset as the sector strives to boost energy security nearterm and hones the energy transition long-term.

“A range of perspectives will be needed to deliver the sector’s climate goals whilst remaining a reliable energy partner to Europe – especially during these times of unprecedented energy costs and supply disruptions.

“We thank all the departing board members for their valued contribution and support to OEUK.”

from a number of management positions, including as exploration manager for Norske Shell in 2009-2013 and a global role in resource evaluation at Shell’s headquarters in the Netherlands from 2013-2017.

He has also held positions of trust in the Norwegian Petroleum Society and Norwegian Oil and Gas (now Offshore Norge).

“The energy industry is undergoing a major transition, and the authorities will be playing a role in this transition. I’m looking forward to continuing this work alongside our skilled leaders and employees,” he said following his appointment.

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Well-Safe Solutions provides a ground-breaking approach to the safe and cost-efficient decommissioning of on and offshore wells. We offer a specialist well abandonment service that allows operators to meet the challenges and regulatory imperatives around decommissioning, while significantly reducing costs.

ABL Group appointed for decommissioning operations of L7 field in North Sea

These installations weigh a total of around 17,500 tonnes.

The L7 field was a major offshore gas field on the Dutch continental shelf.

Its initial discovery took place in the late 1960s and development of several reservoirs were carried out throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

The field’s 15 production wells produced more than 21bm³ of natural gas (about 140Mboe) with a recovery factor of more than 80%.

Following 40 years of operation, the facilities ceased production in 2017.

Managing the decommissioning project from of its office in Aberdeen, Scotland, ABL will offer marine warranty survey services for the preparations, lifted removals, transportation and relocation to the onshore dismantling yard in Norway.

ABL country manager in Scotland, Ashley Perrett said: “ABL Group has a long history in the oil and gas sector and vast experience with the challenges and important considerations that can impact decommissioning work. We are delighted to be partnering with TotalEnergies EP Nederland on the L7 project as part of our growing portfolio of work in this area.”

Planning work has begun, and offshore operations will be undertaken throughout this year and next year.

Leveraging a floating sheerleg crane, installations will be removed, and cargo will be transferred to a barge in the waters near Den Helder, Netherlands. The cargo will be transported to the dismantling yard in Vats, Norway.

TotalEnergies EP Nederland has hired ABL Group (ABL) as marine warranty surveyor to undertake the decommissioning operations of the L7 field in the Dutch part of the North Sea.

This L7 restitution project features decommissioning of nine jackets and ten topside modules, including bridge structures from the L7 field.

It will also carry out suitability surveys of all the marine units that will be used for the project.

ABL estimates the contract value to be approximately €500,000.

The Scottish office of ABL will be backed by its operations in the Netherlands and Norway.

Acteon firm gets more decommissioning work with Chevron

InterMoor, part of Acteon’s engineering, moorings and foundations division, has secured a contract extension with Chevron for a decommissioning scope in Thailand.

Following the completion of Phase 1 decommissioning work in 2021 in the Gulf of Thailand, Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production (CTEP) has extended InterMoor’s field decommissioning contract by adding more packages for the disconnection and removal of pipelines.

The scope of work includes project management, engineering, procurement and offshore execution, topside modifications work, as well as disconnection and removal of pipelines, Single Point Mooring (SPM) and associated subsea infrastructure.

AF Offshore Decom will be responsible for managing the removal and recycling of these installations.

ABL Group project manager for the L7 decommissioning project Nicholas Kaczynski said: “Decommissioning of oil and gas fields is a complex task. As a non-productive cost, we fully appreciate the importance of identifying the correct solution to ensure cost-efficiency without compromising safety and quality.”

Like in the first phase, InterMoor will use cutting tools provided by its sister company Claxton, while Aquatic will provide subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) recovery equipment and UTEC will provide the survey spread.

Speaking about the most recent companyrelated news, it is worth noting that last year UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult granted InterMoor a Fit for Offshore Renewables status.

The program verifies that UK service providers are equipped and have the key management systems and competence required to work in the offshore renewable energy sector.

The complete package for well decommissioning

TotalEnergies picks marine warranty surveyor for decom work in North Sea

Oslo-listed energy and marine consultancy ABL Group has been appointed as marine warranty surveyor for the decommissioning operations at a field in the Dutch sector of the North Sea by TotalEnergies EP Nederland, a subsidiary of France’s TotalEnergies.

ABL Group reported on the 17th of April 2023, that it had secured a marine warranty surveyor role at the L7 field decommissioning project, known as the L7 Restitution Project. This project covers decommissioning of nine jackets and ten topside modules, including bridge structures from the L7 field. The total weight of the installations is approximately 17,500 tonnes.

Ashley Perrett, ABL’s country manager in Scotland, remarked: “ABL Group has a long history in the oil and gas sector and vast experience with the challenges and important considerations that can impact decommissioning work. We are delighted to be partnering with TotalEnergies EP Nederland on the L7 project as part of our growing portfolio of work in this area.”

According to the company, it will provide marine warranty survey services for the preparations, lifted removals,

transportation and relocation to the onshore dismantling yard located in Norway. In addition, the firm will conduct suitability surveys of all the marine units that will be utilised for the project.

Furthermore, ABL intends to manage the project out of its office in Aberdeen, Scotland and will be supported by its operations in the Netherlands and Norway. ABL estimates its contract value to be approximately EUR 500,000 or about $549,916.

While planning work has already started, offshore operations are slated to take place throughout 2023 and 2024. Based on ABL’s statement, the installations will be removed using a floating sheerleg crane that will transfer cargo to a barge in sheltered waters near Den Helder, Holland, for onward transit to the dismantling yard located in Vats, Norway. AF Offshore Decom will manage the removal and recycling of the installations.

Nicholas Kaczynski, ABL Group’s project manager for the L7 decommissioning project, commented; “Decommissioning of oil and gas fields is a complex task. As a non-productive cost, we fully appreciate the importance of identifying the correct

solution to ensure cost-efficiency without compromising safety and quality.”

ABL highlights that the L7 field was one of the first major offshore gas fields on the Dutch continental shelf and initial discovery occurred in the late 1960s while the development of various reservoirs took place throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

The field produced over 21 billion m3 of natural gas (about 140 Mboe) with a recovery factor of more than 80 per cent from 15 production wells. After 40 years of operation, the facilities ceased production in 2017.

This deal comes weeks after ABL Group ABL Group was appointed as a marine warranty surveyor for the transportation and installation operations on several Aker BP-operated offshore field developments located on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

Regarding its activities elsewhere, it is worth noting that the firm’s subsidiary, Add Energy, expanded its presence in Asia earlier this month by setting up a new office in Malaysia, headed by a former ExxonMobil drilling engineer.

Exxon faces shareholder scrutiny over unclear decommissioning plans

companies risk holding stranded assets with expensive decommissioning costs. Given the uncertainty around the lifespans of assets in midstream and downstream segments such as refineries, pipelines, and wells, most oil and gas companies have only recognised upstream AROs.

While this is permissible under accounting rules, LGIM and CBIS argue this does not provide investors with the full information to assess the company’s climate plans.

report assessing the financial impact of the IEA’s net zero assumptions, including future AROs.

Exxon Mobil is facing fresh scrutiny from investors over its climate ambitions at its upcoming AGM next month.

Legal and General Investment Management (LGIM) and Christian Brothers Investment Services (CBIS) have co-filed a shareholder resolution, calling on the energy giant to provide more disclosures on potentially stranded assets post-energy transition.

The two investment groups are requesting Exxon’s board reveals whether their asset retirement obligations (ARO) are in line with the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) net zero emissions targets.

Oil and gas companies are legally required to decommission long-lived tangible assets at the end of their useful lives –known as AROs.

As the lifespan of oil and gas infrastructure is being shortened amid the low-carbon transition, there is a growing chance

The two parties believe the disclosures they are seeking will provide insight about how Exxon estimates AROs in financial statements and the effects of IEA net zero obligations.

LGIM considers the move to be a natural escalation step for its investment stewardship team, as Exxon’s business model is not aligned with the Paris Agreement climate goals of 1.5 degrees.

Michael Marks, head of investment stewardship and responsible investment integration at LGIM, said: “By filing this proposal, we are seeking greater clarity into the costs associated with the retirement of Exxon’s assets, in the event of an accelerated energy transition. We believe such level of disclosure is imperative for investors to better evaluate long-term risks and economic viability of the business in a carbon constrained future.”

John W Geissinger, chief investment officer at CBIM, noted that a majority of Exxon’s shareholders voted for its resolution last year seeking an audited

He said: “Despite this, the company’s disclosures still give investors little insight into how retirement costs might accelerate, and how large they might be. Exxon may assume an asset can operate indefinitely, but this may not prove out. Investors are simply asking: what is the total cost of meeting these liabilities?”

Shell, one of Exxon’s major rivals, has already disclosed significantly more ARO details.

The UK-based fossil fuel trader has accelerated the assessment of the discount rate from a 30-year term to a 20year term, with a provision at £26.7bn for the process.

Exxon is also not the only energy giant facing challenges from investors, with Follow This attempting to convince shareholders to force Total to commit to scope three emission targets.

A spokesperson for Exxon said: “We respect that our shareholders may have viewpoints and perspectives that differ from management and the board, and we always consider their feedback.”

Field Development Update

Offshore O&G-related engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract award value year-to-date is estimated at US$11.3 billion (excluding letters of intent). During the period under review, Eni reportedly selected Altera Infrastructure's Voyageur Spirit floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit to be deployed on its Baleine Phase II development offshore Ivory Coast. The FPSO, which is currently moored off the coast of Scotland, is scheduled to move to Dubai Drydocks' yard in June 2023. Meanwhile, Eni also confirmed that the Firenze FPSO unit destined for the first phase of the Baleine project had set sail for the field following the completion of its refurbishment and upgrade. The FPSO will be renamed Baleine upon arrival.

Other notable activity during the past month includes reports that SBM Offshore has finalised talks with China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) to build the hull and living quarters for its next Fast4Ward floating production, storage and offloading unit, internally named multipurpose floater C (MPF C) and potentially destined for operation offshore Guyana.

Aker Solutions announced an engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) contract award from Equinor for the tieback of the OMV-operated Berling development offshore Norway to its Asgard host field. Aker Solutions was well poised for the contract as it completed the project's front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies in August 2022 and continued to develop the project scope and technical solution.

Looking forward, Westwood forecasts a further US$58 billion of offshore O&G-related EPC spend for the remainder of 2023, driven by over 200 subsea tree unit awards, c.4,200km of subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF), c.6,500km of pipelines, c.175 fixed platforms and 13 FPS units. Key projects anticipated to be sanctioned in 2023 include ExxonMobil's Uaru (Guyana), Equinor's Pao de Acucar (Brazil), Petrobras' Albacora FPSO (Brazil), Equinor's Rosebank (UK) and the first floating liquified natural gas (FLNG) unit for Delfin Midstream's Deepwater Port LNG project (USA).

Offshore Rig Update

The global committed jackup count totalled 401 units in March, two rigs lower than in February. The marketed available and cold-stacked jackup counts now stand at 35 and 57, respectively. Marketed, committed utilisation maintained at 92%, while total utilisation dropped to 81%. During the month, a total of 12 new contracts were awarded and one contract option was exercised, amounting to 3,749 days (10.3 rig years) of backlog added. Drilling activities off Egypt accounted for 27% of total awarded days, including the Admarine 260 fixture for Burullus Gas for 570 days starting in 2H 2023.

The global committed semisubmersible (semi) count dropped by one to 68 during March. There are 12 available and 15 cold-stacked rigs remaining in the fleet. Marketed, committed utilisation and total fleet utilisation dipped slightly to 85% and 71%, respectively. Equinor awarded multiwell contracts to Transocean Encourage and Transocean Enabler to drill in the Norwegian and North Seas, commencing in direct continuation of their current eight-year contracts that end in December 2023 and April 2024, respectively.

Finally, drillship demand sustained at 80 units over the month, leaving only three marketed units available plus 13 rigs cold stacked. Marketed, committed utilisation and total fleet utilisation remained at 96% and 83%, respectively. There were four new contracts awarded in March, totalling 2,209 drilling days (6.1 rig years). Newbuild Stena Evolution has been confirmed for a multi-year contract with Shell in the US Gulf of Mexico starting in 2Q 2024.

Offshore Wind Update

Since the last update, Siemens Gamesa has signed a GBP1.3 billion (US$1.6 billion) contract with Scottish Power Renewables to supply 95 units of its SG 14-236 DD wind turbines for the 1.4GW East Anglia Three wind farm, located offshore UK. The turbines will have an individual capacity of 14.7MW and the contract also includes an eight-year service agreement.

Final Investment Decisions (FID) have also been taken on several projects since the last update. FIDs have been taken on the 960MW He Dreiht project in Germany, the 496MW Noirmoutier project in France and the Greater Changhua 2a and 4 wind farms in Taiwan. The Greater Changhua wind farms will have a combined capacity of 920MW.

Dominating headlines was news that a total of 13 projects have been selected by Crown Estate Scotland in the Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) leasing round. Exclusivity Agreements have been offered to the successful applicants. A total of five projects have been selected under the Innovation (IN) portion and the remaining eight have been selected for the Targeted Oil & Gas (TOG) portion of the auction.

Finally offshore wind tenders have been launched for the first time in Lithuania and Norway. Lithuania launched its first offshore wind tender for a 700MW project in the Baltic Sea after the government approved the requirements for bidders. In Norway, tenders have been launched for the rights to develop the first phase of Sørlige Nordsjø II and three sites across the Utsira Nord offshore wind area.

Westwood Global Energy Group are specialist providers of detailed market intelligence for the offshore energy sector, covering; offshore rigs, production facilities, subsea equipment, subsea services, offshore marine and offshore renewables and power.

Jackups

Drillships

UPCOMING GLOBAL EVENTS 2023

Inaugural event to shine spotlight on chemistry’s role in the energy transition

The role of chemistry in driving the global energy transition will come under the spotlight at an inaugural event taking place in Aberdeen later this year.

‘Engineering chemistry for the energy transition’ (ECET) will be held on Thursday, September 7th at OGV Podium, Aberdeen, and will bring together energy industry professionals to share experiences, highlight examples of best practice, and explore innovative technologies that are helping accelerate the move towards net zero.

Created by training and consultancy specialist Production Chemistry Training (PCT), the ECET conference will engage and inform industry by providing a forum for operators, contractors, supply chain, academics and other stakeholders to explore technical challenges and opportunities facing the offshore energies sector.

Delegates will hear subject matter experts reflect on the people, business processes and technology opportunities needed to unlock the energy transition as the sector continues to pioneer low carbon technologies and achieve net zero in Scotland by 2045.

Stephen Heath, technical director at PCT, said: “We’re extremely pleased to launch this first-of-its-kind event and look forward to welcoming a diverse audience of industry professionals for what will hopefully be the first of many important discussions as to how we maximise the opportunities presented by the energy transition.

“It promises to be a fantastic opportunity for people from all levels of the industry and different technical and non-technical disciplines to come together, share ideas, and develop new and existing connections.”

Event organisers are currently inviting industry experts to submit abstracts for presentations relating to the core themes or alternative content ideas which will be considered for session topics, while exhibitor and sponsorship packages are available and registration for delegates is now open.

Expected topics for discussion will include carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), geothermal, hydrogen, reducing emissions and CO2 footprint, sustainable chemistry and digitalisation.

Meanwhile, further announcements on the lineup of speakers are expected over the coming weeks.

Susan Caddell, business development director at PCT, commented: “It promises to be an event not to be missed for industry professionals

and those with an interest in chemistry, while giving delegates, including new engineers and chemists entering the energy industry, a unique opportunity to hear from leading figures and subject matter experts who are making the energy transition a reality.

“We are excited to feature technical presentations and expert panel sessions from our soon-to-be announced range of speakers to inspire delegates and generate new ideas on how the industry can contribute towards achieving net zero.”

PCT is a training and consultancy specialist, established to support organisations and their people within the global energy industry through the provision of world class training solutions. It offers a range of courses designed for everyone from new industry entrants to senior management, with or without a background in chemistry, which can be delivered either inhouse or virtually.

Further information and guidance on submitting an abstract can be found at pctevents-ecet.com while people are encouraged to contact PCT for more details on info@pctevents-ecet.com or by phoning +44 7340 476232.

World Class Training

For Professionals in the Oil, Gas and Energy Industries

Susan Caddell and Stephen Heath

Photograph: Cat Caddell Media

Brimmond invests in new stock fleet to strengthen marine crane offering

Aberdeenshire-based provider of hydraulic, lifting and mechanical equipment and services, Brimmond, is entering 2023 with a pipeline of new and exciting projects, as well as a new fleet of stock marine cranes available after a recent investment.

Recognising current lead times for new marine cranes are lengthy and causing issues for clients, Brimmond –the exclusive UK and Ireland provider and servicer of Heila Marine Cranes – will have a wide range of cranes available throughout 2023, with four available immediately in the UK from January.

Heila models available in January 2023:

Heila HLM10-3S: 940kg @ 10.3m

Heila HLM25-3S: 2200kg @ 10.5m

Heila HLM25-5S: 1200kg @ 14.7m

Heila HLRM45-5S: 1750kg @ 14.9m

Celebrating a successful year since the partnership with Heila, Brimmond is continuing to stock, rent, refurbish, repair and upgrade a diverse and ever-increasing range of new and second-hand marine cranes.

Managing Director of Brimmond, Tom Murdoch, said: “Heila has been a strong strategic fit for us, and we’re excited to kick off another year as the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor, service partner and agent for Heila Marine Cranes.

“Confirming our commitment to providing our clients with a high-quality product and service, we recently invested in various marine cranes in a bid to reduce lead times for clients. We’re confident this will allow us to offer an even higher level of service to our customers, providing a greater product range and enhanced delivery options.”

Heila is a global leader in the manufacture of specialist heavy-duty marine cranes with over 700 customers worldwide. Heila’s manufacturing facility in Italy has several cranes currently in build for Brimmond stock with four fully foldable versions available to purchase from January 2023.

Technical Sales Manager of Brimmond, Paul Dingwall, said: “Following the impact of Covid-19, supply chains are once again being tested this time by the current conflict which has affected all marine crane manufacturers as they struggle to source materials. This has translated into increased costs and even possible project delays.

“We pride ourselves on our high-quality service, which is a crucial reason for our ongoing client loyalty. The current situation has reinforced our decision that it is imperative for Brimmond to keep stock of Heila marine crane models which should assist our clients who require a quicker turnaround at a secure cost.”

Brimmond recently added two new fully equipped service vans for their experienced team of crane technicians who carry out servicing, maintenance and thorough inspections on client equipment throughout the UK and Ireland.

Health and Safety, it's not just physical

By Malcolm Gunnyeon, partner, Brodies LLP

One statistic which stood out when the HSE published its Health and Safety Statistics for 2022 was the confirmation that stress, depression, and anxiety are now the most common forms of workrelated ill-health in the UK. Although the overall prevalence of work-related ill-health has been decreasing year on year, mental ill-health is on the increase, and that trend looks set to continue. Last year 914,000 workers suffered from workrelated stress, depression, or anxiety, and 17 million working days were lost as a result.

Whilst the HSE's statistics relate to the entire UK, this is undoubtedly a challenge facing the offshore energy sector as much as any other. In its whitepaper "Changing minds: saving lives" published in March, the North Sea Chapter of the International Association of Drilling Contractors called for "an urgent new approach to mental health in the North Sea". The whitepaper highlights research by the International SOS Foundation which identified that 40% of offshore shift workers experienced suicidal thoughts at least some of the time while at work.

That is an incredibly sobering statistic for the offshore energy industry, and one that cannot be ignored – at any given point in time, up to 40% of those working offshore may be experiencing suicidal thoughts. The nature of working offshore presents unique challenges from a mental health perspective. Workers are away from the support of friends and family, and small arguments during a call home are not easily resolved from somewhere in the North Sea. Technology is also changing the experience of living offshore. Downtime is now increasingly spent alone watching television on a tablet rather than socialising with colleagues. For some that will only exacerbate feelings of isolation and anxiety.

The scale of the mental health challenge facing the offshore energy sector, and all UK employers, raises both ethical and legal issues. Irrespective of what the law may require, supporting both the physical and mental well-being of staff is, quite simply, the right thing to do. Society now expects a genuine focus on mental wellbeing from employers. At a time when the offshore energy sector's social licence to operate is in sharp focus, this is an expectation that can’t be ignored.

Legal duties arise too, particularly in the context of UK health and safety law. The first issue for duty holders to be alert to is that stress, anxiety, and depression materially increase the

risks of accidents offshore. Fatigue, a lack of concentration and distraction are all symptoms of poor mental health. They are also all key risk factors in relation to workplace accidents. When undertaking an assessment of the risk of physical activity, duty holders must include an assessment of the risk to that activity if a member of the team is struggling with their mental health.

Risk assessment of operational activity is second nature for the offshore industry, and any change necessary to include poor mental health as a risk factor should be easy to implement. However, dealing with the symptom is not enough. We need to address the underlying causes of mental ill-health in our workforce.

Employers have a legal duty to protect the mental health of their employees just as much as their physical health. The obligation under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 "to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees" is not limited to physical health and wellbeing. It is incumbent on every employer in the offshore energy sector to put in place measures reduce the risk to their employees' mental health to a level that is as low as reasonably practicable.

What those measures are will depend on the nature of the work being undertaken and the outcome of the stress risk assessment that the HSE expects all employers to undertake. Common measures will include training of mental health first aiders, provision of confidential counselling services and management of rotas and shift patterns to reduce stress and fatigue.

In many workplaces, both on and offshore, a culture shift will also be required. Employees must feel able to talk about mental health and to speak up about their own personal challenges. Many still do not, and there remains a degree of stigma attached to poor mental health, and employers must address that. The development of a positive safety culture with a genuine "no fault" approach to stopping work on safety grounds is something that the energy sector is rightly proud of. The next step in its evolution is to ensure a culture of inclusivity and support around mental health. There is no one size fits all solution, but the first step is understanding the challenges employees are facing and talking to them about any support that is required. One thing is clear, doing nothing is not an option. That could be as much of a threat to the industry's social licence to operate as failing to embrace the journey to net zero.

HUGH FRASER INTERNATIONAL

HFI is a specialist professional services firm led by Hugh Fraser, a Scottish corporate/energy lawyer and member of the Scottish Development International GlobalScot international trade ambassador network.

www.hfi-consulting.com

geographically do you see opportunity in the Energy sector at the moment?

Where

Looking at Egypt and indeed the wider North Africa and Mediterranean region. There are some major pivot points emerging from that region as Europe is seeking alternative energy sources from the Russian option. North Africa has very much come into focus in the last year or two for obvious reasons…

If you look to Egypt back in the 1990s we would perceive Egypt as a declining onshore, mature oil production area. Now it's been transformed by deepwater gas exploration and production from the Mediterranean. And it's very much now becoming a gas hub. The East Mediterranean Gas Forum represents and that reflects that…

What role will renewable energy play in Egypt’s future?

There is a lot of solar activity in Egypt, and a major offshore wind development was announced in the Red Sea in the Gulf of Suez. There is also a huge interest in green hydrogen projects in Egypt. So really, it's all about a huge range of energy initiatives, whether it's deepwater, gas, solar, green, hydrogen, all to play for…

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Malcolm Gunnyeon