Key Technology Themes

Following detailed advice and guidance from ITF member companies, six proactive themes are being pursued this year.  These represent ITF’s tactical approach of focusing on a small number of areas at a time.  In each case calls for proposal have been issued, and a large number of high quality proposals have been received for review.  Project selection will be finalised in Q4 for early 2003 launch.

Theme

Example Topics and Proposals

Subsea Development

"Non-stick" pipeline liners; integrity management of flexible risers; optimisation of low dosage hydrate inhibitors

Emissions Control

Understanding environmental impacts (policy setting); improved monitoring; produced water cleaning

Low Permeability Reservoirs

Identification of, and fluid dynamics within, low permeability reservoirs; remedial action for gas condensate banking.

High Resolution Imaging

Innovative ideas and technology transfer opportunities e.g. from defence, medical, astronomy or music industries

Infill Drilling

Slim-hole steerable systems and LWD; lining while drilling; multilateral field implementation; UBD applications

Brownfield Well Management

Sand management; scale control; water and gas shut-off

Pioneer Programme

With support from six operators and ITF’s surplus from 2001, the Pioneer fund has been able to support eight innovative feasibility studies.  The Pioneer call attracted over 80 proposals, calling for a very careful selection exercise.  The selected projects include the following:

• Corrosion resistant, high pressure, fibre reinforced thermoplastic pipelines
• Seabed located drilling rig for deepwater and harsh environments
• Technology transfer from blood flow modelling to enhance fluid dynamics in process pipework
• Pipeline and riser heating – technology transfer from automobile industry
• Miniature/downhole mass spectrometer

Technology Uptake

The application and commercialisation of developed technologies are key objectives for ITF’s ongoing and future work programmes. In support of this, the following initiatives have been pursued during 2002:

• Field trials workshop, showcasing candidate technologies to an audience drawn from operators
• Proactively inviting field trial proposals as part of thematic calls
• Working with PILOT’s “Progressing Partnership” group to identify commercial and cultural barriers to technology uptake, and recommend new practices
• Better engagement with major service companies, with Halliburton and Expro Group as the first to become ITF subscribers
• Linkage with other international programmes

Potential Areas for UK – Norway Collaboration

There is a strong mood in the industry in favour of better cross-border collaboration between UK and Norway, as evidenced by the PILOT and KON-KRAFT co-operation announced at ONS.  Technology can be included in this, in the following ways:

• Norwegian operators and service companies as members of ITF
• Norwegian technology providers to be supported through ITF themes
• Joint initiative to seek field trial sites
• Commonality of industry needs, e.g. frontier exploration and maximising mature field production
• Joint promotion of North Sea skills and technologies in other markets