As oil and gas projects explore more and more challenging territories, and as public opinion is increasingly aware of risks from drilling operations, it is of furthermost importance to better understand and systematically manage these risks.For every well project on the Norwegian sector, the risks from a blowout are studied from the safety and the environmental perspective, through Quantitative Risk Assessments and Environmental Risk Analyses, respectively. The blowout characteristics (probability, flow rates, durations) are among the most influent input parameters for these analyses. Traditionally these parameters have been extracted from available historical statistics from blowout databases. These databases provide generic data with very limited consideration for the well and operation specific characteristics (e.g. exploration, development, HPHT).DNV has developed a methodology for the assessment of blowout risks in order to better understand them and to be able to provide a more realistic risk picture. A multidisciplinary approach is applied during the risk assessment process, assessing the drilling or well operations according to a set of predefined criteria or risk factors. This benchmarking analysis is used as a basis for assessing the probability of a leak or a blowout. Well flow simulations are used and adjusted in order to assess the well specific leak and blowout rates for the different operations. The potential leak and blowout durations are calculated using statistical models and taking into account the context of the drilling and well operations.This new method considers the field specific reservoir challenges, best available technology and best operational practices in order to generate a more field and operation specific risk exposure. The results are more accurate risk predictions. Traditional analysis may be too conservative and would typically not reflect the actual well conditions, barriers and operational steps. Relevant examples from the Norwegian sector are presented.
Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (Macondo) oil spill incident it became clear that further focus is required in order to understand and control blowout risks. The control measures are also essential in reducing potential environmental consequences given a blowout event. The latest development in well capping techniques indicates that this might be a viable technical solution for controlling subsea oil and gas well blowouts. The limited field experience with this technology makes it however difficult to presume the effectiveness of the technology as an environmental risk reducing measure. It is assumed that successful implementation of a capping device, given a subsea blowout, would reduce the blowout duration, and thereby limit the total amount of hydrocarbons released into the environment. By combining OPERAto, a dynamic tool for assessing environmental risks from offshore oil and gas activities, and an in-house blowout duration model, the authors have evaluated the use of capping as an environmental risk reduction measure. Uncertainties related to capping used as a solution for subsea blowouts are also discussed.
While many parameters influence the environmental consequences of oil spills, the quantity of oil released remain one of the most important. The total volume may be expressed as the leak rate multiplied with the duration of the discharge. By detecting a spill at an early stage, it could be possible limit the duration and hence the amount spilled. Early detection can also instigate a rapid response, which is another crucial consequence reducing measure. Detection technologies are becoming increasingly important as the petroleum industry is progressing into Arctic areas and closer to shore or environmentally sensitive areas. With increased environmental concerns and stakeholder engagement, company integrity and accountability are essential for maintaining a license to operate. The requirement for leak detection capabilities for oil and gas activity varies. At the Norwegian Continental Shelf, operators are required to detect pollution of significance within a short time, usually between one and three hours. Leak detection systems must also be effective regardless of darkness, sight and weather conditions. On behalf of the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association, a methodology was developed for assessing and selecting remote measurement techniques for specific fields. For the leak detection system to be effective and reliable, it is vital to select appropriate techniques that complete and complement each other. The methodology firstly maps relevant requirements, risks, facility limitations and field specific factors. A BAT (best available techniques) framework is used to identify appropriate technologies, while gap analyses may map the overall limitations and flaws by comparing a proposed system’s performance with the requirements. Gaps and/or weaknesses are further evaluated through an ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable) analysis assessing the cost and benefits of additional techniques. The methodology provides the operators with valuable information concerning factors affecting the performance. Finally, organizational measures are crucial for ensuring effective operations and it is necessary to integrate leak detection into facility management systems. This paper presents the complete methodology and explains how a structured approach can be applied to both existing and new installations. It provides examples of how assessments are conducted and an overview of the most relevant remote sensing techniques. The methodology has been reviewed by several operators and been employed for numerous projects. While the framework was developed for the Norwegian sector, it is relevant and applicable for installations globally.
Best Available Techniques (BAT) is a principle originally defined in the EU directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC). The overall ambition of the directive is to reduce emissions and impacts on the environment as a whole. The purpose of a BAT assessment is to identify the technique with the best environmental performance among all available techniques for a certain industrial application. Such assessment should also take into account technical and economic constraints. A wide variety of industries fall under the scope of the IPPC requirement for BAT in Europe. The BAT approach is more and more applied in countries outside of EU, and adopted by private organisations as a best practice. In the offshore Oil & Gas industry in Norway, for instance, the BAT approach is now applied to many systems, such as power generation, produced water management, VOC recovery, or, more recently, leak detection and remote sensing. The particularity of the site-specific constraints as well as a lifecycle perspective, typical of the offshore Oil & Gas industry, makes the application of the BAT approach challenging for this sector. Best Available Techniques for offshore applications are therefore site-specific, and require a case by case assessment. In addition, in countries such as Norway, there is no guideline or directive describing how to perform a BAT assessment, which hence needs interpretation and adjustment for each individual application. DNV has developed a methodology for BAT assessments specifically for the offshore industry. This methodology is based on a ranking of the environmental performance as well as technical feasibility, reliability and costs of available industrial concepts. The approach is applicable to various stages of offshore Oil & Gas projects. This paper will describe the BAT methodology for the offshore Oil & Gas industry, and give relevant examples of its application to various systems commonly found on offshore facilities. Challenges and future opportunities will also be presented and discussed.
Energy efficiency constitutes a key solution for controlling and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas industry. The Norwegian Oil and Gas Association therefore established a joint industry project with the aim to set best practice guidance on energy management and efficiency. The project was built around the goal of facilitating experience-exchange and documenting best practice among oil and gas operators in Norway. The work consisted of five key elements. Firstly, an analysis provided an overview of the industry's maturity within energy management. Secondly, a set of company-specific meetings helped understanding each companies situation, and raising awareness internally on energy efficiency initiatives. Thirdly, workshops were organised, gathering 14 operators in Norway to facilitate experience exchange on energy management and energy efficiency opportunities. Fourthly, guidelines for implementing energy management in operations were then established based on input collected, and on practices from other industries. Fifthly, all the results are documented on an internet website available to the operators. The project provides a unique opportunity for cooperation. Project results indicate that operators have varying degrees of maturity and in-house practice with regards to energy management. Actions to improve energy efficiency also vary depending on companies, assets and resources, which provides a foundation for cross-company learning. In addition, the consultant has complemented industry experience with best practice from other industries worldwide. Furthermore, it was found that the forums for experience exchange on energy efficiency have been a key enabler for progress. It has also allowed the industry to jointly document and communicate efforts. Through sharing knowledge, the project has established best practices to seize opportunities and to help overcome challenges linked to implementing energy management and energy efficiency in the industry. Implementation of energy management in existing organisations constitute a change in practice. In order to be successful, this process requires support throughout the organisation, and is most effective when integrated with pre-existing routines. The project constitutes a step-up for the whole industry in its efforts towards a more efficient production. This paper provides further elements for successful implementation of energy management in the oil and gas industry.
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