Petroleum Review - October 2011
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Perspective – Modelling the UK’s gas future
DECOMMISSIONING – NORTH SEA
Decommissioning – tax takes its toll
With a £27bn decommissioning market expected between now and 2040, one of the issues confronting North Sea operators is how fiscal changes will impact imminent removal programmes, writes John Bradbury.
DECOMMISSIONING – NORTH SEA
Tackling the cost burden challenge
The UK has an opportunity to become a global leader in the as yet embryonic decommissioning sector, however, as Mark A MacArthur, Decommissioning Service Leader at EC Harris Aberdeen explains, it’s a complex area that raises specific challenges. All of the associated risks need to be identified and managed from the very outset, new contracting strategies must be established and intelligent asset management solutions implemented.
DECOMMISSIONING – SUPPORT SERVICES
Delivering safe and efficient decommissioning
As the oil and gas industry approaches the challenges of cessation of production and the decommissioning of assets it is essential that in the effort to reduce costs, projects are carried out safely, efficiently and competently. Contractors that provide integral support services, such as specialist cleaning, waste removal and management, NDT (non-destructive testing) and access solutions, have a direct role in delivering decommissioning to these high standards, writes Roger Esson, Decommissioning Director, RBG.
ENERGY INSTITUTE – PRESIDENT
Joan MacNaughton – looking to the future
Joan MacNaughton HonFEI, Senior Vice President – Power & Environmental Policies, Alstom Power, who recently took over as the Energy Institute’s President, talks to Petroleum Review about her career to date and the challenges facing both the industry and the Energy Institute in the future.
AVIATION – FUEL HANDLING
Representing the global aviation fuel industry
Most systems on an aircraft are duplicated in order to ensure flight safety in the unlikely event that one of the systems should fail – but there is only one load of aviation fuel on board an aircraft. For that reason, it is vitally important that the fuel is handled correctly, delivered to the aircraft safely and meets the specification governing its properties, so that it will burn cleanly and efficiently and provide the required amount of energy for the aircraft’s engines. As the saying goes in the aviation industry, there’s ‘no parking’ up there, so it has to be right. Andrew Chubb, Chairman of the Joint Inspection Group (JIG), outlines the collaborative work worldwide that goes in to ensuring that it is.
Going green
Mark Rowe looks at how the aviation sector is aiming to reduce fuel emissions.
SHALE GAS – EUROPE
Assessing shale gas potential
Shale gas has been hailed as the next energy revolution, but is controversial for its uncertain economics and feared environmental impacts. Ruud Weijermars and Crispian McCredie, Alboran Energy Strategy Consultants, explain why European shale gas development is likely to be led by Warsaw and not Brussels.
SHALE GAS – EUROPE
Between reality and propaganda
Popular and political opposition to unconventional gas exploration in Germany has generated escalating emotions exceeding those opposing nuclear energy. Even if produced, unconventional gas would not alter Germany’s energy profile much. The political fallout from this frenzied debate, however, could be serious, writes Maria Kielmas.
SKILLS – NATIONAL OIL COMPANIES
Delivering the national mission
With increasingly ambitious growth agendas, national oil company (NOC) executives need the right leadership skills to meet their changing operational requirements. Whether they are expanding at home or abroad, NOCs need to build on the traditional capabilities they already have in place to exploit resources, markets and talent more effectively in a landscape of new opportunities and greater levels of complexity. Colin Sloman and Kent MacMillan, Accenture, report.
TRAINING – PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The challenge of change and deep leadership coaching
In today’s fast moving society, and faced with an increased complexity and multitude of challenges, energy companies need to develop an effective response to environmental social-political, demographic and economical issues, which will have a dramatic impact on their performance and the way they are perceived by the general public. This is not just about technology; it is about adaptability and leadership. Adaptability in leadership is about changing, and stimulating change in others, to meet the demands of a rapidly transforming global environment. Wim Kuit, Head of Leadership Coaching and Damien Deighan, Managing Director of Powerful Organisations, together with co-author Ennio R Senese, CEO of STOA International, explain.
ENERGY INSTITUTE – TRAINING
Technical training at the EI
The Energy Institute (EI) has long been a centre for technical excellence within the energy industry. The depth
of knowledge that exists within the membership base has been central in developing internationally-recognised
good practice and standards since the Institute of Petroleum was formed in the early 20th century. This work is essential in ensuring the energy industry is able to make use of the expertise within the EI membership, but in some areas, publications alone cannot provide a full subject understanding. Here, Will Sadler, Training Manager, outlines the benefits of technical training courses at the EI.
FRANCE – CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE
France considers CCS
Due to its vast array of nuclear reactors and wide experimentation with alternative energy, France is one of
the lowest carbon emitters in the world. However, it is perhaps down to the success of nuclear power that the
country has not – until recent years – seriously considered developing carbon sequestration technologies. That is changing with the launch of the France Nord project, writes Pacifica Goddard, in Pau, France.
TRANSPORT – FUTURE MOBILITY
The sustainable mobility challenge
How are we going to reduce emissions and fuel use in the transport sector when the number of vehicles on the road is set to rise dramatically in the next 30 years? Marc Height visited Berlin for a glimpse into the future of mobility.
EI TECHNICAL – FILLING STATIONS
Blue Book revision
The Energy Institute (EI) has long been a centre for technical excellence within the energy industry. The depth
of knowledge that exists within the membership base has been central in developing internationally-recognised
good practice and standards since the Institute of Petroleum was formed in the early 20th century. This work is essential in ensuring the energy industry is able to make use of the expertise within the EI membership, but
in some areas, publications alone cannot provide a full subject understanding. Here, Will Sadler, Training
Manager, outlines the benefits of technical training courses at the EI.
EI TECHNICAL – FAME
New FAME guidance
An Energy Institute (EI) project has led to new FAME measurement guidance, writes Paul Harrison, EI Technical Manager, Hydrocarbon Management.
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