Qatar s prime minister and interior minister,

2 DAY T H E O F F I C I A L S H O W D A I LY O F T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L P E T R O L E U M T E C H N O L O G Y C O N F E R E N C E 21 January...
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2 DAY

T H E O F F I C I A L S H O W D A I LY O F T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L P E T R O L E U M T E C H N O L O G Y C O N F E R E N C E

21 January 2014

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DOHA • QATAR

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U n l o c k i n g E n e r g y T h r o u g h I n n o v a t i o n , Te c h n o l o g y & C a p a b i l i t y

Prime Minister Calls Technology Key to Future Abdelghani Henni, JPT Middle East Staff Writer

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atar’s prime minister and interior minister, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Naser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, said during the inauguration of the seventh edition of the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) on Monday that Qatar is eager to host and sponsor this event because of the importance of the energy sector in the prosperity and the development of the country. Qatar holds the third largest gas reserves in the world, and the prime minister said that this natural wealth comes with responsibilities and obligations. “We are keen to invest these resources to build a modern and advanced country, and we also work hard to preserve these reserves for future generations.” Al-Thani said that the State of Qatar encourages all initiatives and participation in activities that will help in enhancing knowledge in science and technology across all domains, mainly those related to the oil and gas industry, because it will help in achieving the 2030 Qatar National Vision, which aims to transform Qatar to a well-advanced country able to achieve a sustainable development, and also will play a key role on the global level. Meanwhile, His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, minister of energy and industry,

Delegates and visitors listen to Qatar’s prime minister and interior minister, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Naser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, during the opening session of the seventh International Petroleum Technology Conference. Photo by Barchfield Photography. said that Qatar’s success in developing its natural resources and exploiting them wisely is mainly because of the long-term strategy that involved the development of infrastructure, a solid and diversified economy, and a stable investment climate. “Added to that the adoption of the best-in-class technologies and joining hands with major energy sectors in the world,” he said. The theme of this year’s conference, Unlocking Energy Through Innovation, Technology, and Capability, highlights that IPTC has reached major milestone in its history by focusing mainly on how technology and innovation are helping solve the challenges that

the oil and gas industry is facing today. “Amid these increasing challenges, we are obliged to constantly renovate ourselves, and this can only be achieved through innovation. That’s why technology is key enabler in renovation and a means of promoting our industry through innovation.” A key characteristic of the industry is the way it deals with changes and the number of success the industry has achieved. “We are confident that this conference and exhibition will contribute in achieving the expected success and reach the best results to promote the oil and gas industry to the level we are all looking for,” the minister said. 

Shell’s Pearl GTL Wins Excellence in Project Integration Award IPTC award committee chairman Mitchitaka Ohta, left, presents the Excellence in Project Integration award to Matthias Bichsel, projects and technology director for Shell Global, in recognition of the company’s successful commissioning of the Pearl Gas to Liquids facility in Qatar. Photo by Barchfeld Photography.

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Trent Jacobs, JPT Staff Writer

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t Sunday evening’s IPTC awards dinner, Shell was bestowed with the conference’s highest honor in recognition of its Pearl Gas to Liquids (GTL) facility in Qatar. Shell is the seventh recipient of the Excellence in Project Integration award and was singled out for its successful implementation of what is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s most complex and capital-intensive projects ever commissioned. Mitchitaka Ohta, IPTC award committee chairman and director of project coordination for INPEX, presented the award to Shell at Doha’s St. Regis Hotel before representatives of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamid Al Thani, emir of the State of Qatar, as well as hundreds of executives

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from both international and national oil companies. “Over the years, the award has been receiving increasing interest from the industry, resulting in establishing itself to be one of the most prestigious forms of commendation of those involved in the upstream industry,” Ohta said. Many of this year’s submitted projects included world-first introductions of new technology, record-breaking achievements, and outstanding efforts to maximize production. To be considered, the projects must have been completed within the past 5 years and involve more than USD 500 million in costs. The criteria the committee used to select the winner included strong examples PLEASE SEE AWARD ON PAGE 3

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TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0730–1730 Qatar National Convention Center

Speaker Check-In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0730–1800

International Young Professionals Competition: World Energy … Gate to the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0830–1300

Room 102

Room 235

Exhibition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0830–1730

Industry Breakfast Session: New Partnership Models Between NOC, IOC, and Service Companies: Keys to Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0700–0930

Technical Sessions 8–15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0830–1000

Conference Hall

Halls 3, 4, 5

Panel Session 2: Fundamentals of the Natural Gas Revolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1045–1215

Education Day: Energy 4All . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0800–1400

he Theatre

Hall 2

Technical Sessions 16–22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1045–1215

International Education Week: Energy Challenges + Education = Our Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0800–1600

Delegate Luncheon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1215–1330

Field Trip

Nontechnical Seminar: Introduction to Oil and Gas for Nonengineers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0800–1300 Hospitality Suite 4

Roundtable Briefing: Participating in Qatar Petroleum Tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0800–1300 Hospitality Suite 5

Hall 6

Panel Session 3: Natural Gas Revolution—Sustaining Future Economic Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1330–1500 Technical Sessions 23–30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1330–1500 Technical Sessions 31–37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1545–1715 Future Engineers and Geoscience Parents Dinner . . . . . . . 1900–2140 Texas A&M University at Qatar Campus

AWARD FROM PAGE 1 of multidisciplinary integration, a clear scope of work from discovery to delivery, exceptional application of technology, and exemplary performance in regard to health, safety, and the environment. This year, 16 nominations were submitted, representing 11 companies in 11 countries, and, out of those, the IPTC Awards Committee selected three finalists.

Pearl GTL by Qatar Shell The Pearl GTL facility in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar, is the world’s largest GTL plant and, at full capacity, produces 140,000 B/D of liquid fuels. Read about the Pearl GTL project on Page 12.

Manifa by Saudi Aramco The USD-17-billion Manifa project is Saudi Aramco’s chief accomplishment for 2012 and demonstrated the

company’s ability to develop a technically challenging resource with exceptional considerations made in regard to preserving the environment. Production is projected to peak ahead of schedule at 900,000 BOPD by the end of this year. The field is producing 90 MMscf/D of sour gas and 65,000 bbl of gas condensate. Located off the northeast coast of Saudi Arabia, the Manifa Bay heavy oil field is estimated to be the world’s fifth largest. Saudi Aramco was faced with major environmental challenges in developing the field. Using conventional offshore drilling rigs would have required the dredging of dozens of access channels that meant destroying large swaths of coral reef and irreparably endangering the marine ecosystem that the local fishing industry depends on.

Saudi Aramco’s Manifa project is expected to reach peak production of 900,000 BOPD by the end of the year. Photo courtesy of Saudi Aramco.

To develop the field without harming the environment, Saudi Aramco devised a radical plan to construct man-made islands to serve as drilling platforms. In all, 27 islands were built and connected with 41 km of causeways from coast to coast across the bay. The system of causeways and 14 bridges allows the ocean currents to flow into the bay, bringing vital nutrients and oxygen that will ensure the vitality of the bay.

Perdido by Shell Netherlands Perdido is a record-breaking deepwater project operated by Shell Netherlands in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 220 miles offshore Texas. The Perdido spar is the world’s deepest operating offshore platform, producing from the deepest offshore fields in the world. In 2011, Perdido began production from the world’s deepest well, at a depth of 2824 m. The platform is moored at a depth of almost 2450 m and has a production capacity of 100,000 BOPD and 200 MMcf/D of natural gas. First oil from Perdido was achieved on 31 March 2010, and, since then, the host facility has been producing with 22 subsea wells from three ultradeepwater fields; Great White, Tobago, and Silvertip. Shell initially considered a safe and successful development of the fields, discovered between 2002 and 2004, to be technically impossible. In addition to the extreme water depth, other challenges Shell faced in completing the project involved a rugged seafloor terrain and low-pressure reservoirs that would require the use of unique separation, boosting, and pumping technologies. The realization of the Perdido project involved more than 11 million man-hours of work, all completed without a single worker missing a day of work because of a safety accident. 

Shell’s Perdido project in the Gulf of Mexico required more than 11 million man-hours of work. Photo courtesy of Shell.

IPTCDAILY IPTC Daily is the official show daily of the seventh International Petroleum Technology Conference. Inquiries? Contact [email protected] IPTC Daily Editor Adam Wilson Director Magazines and Web Content John Donnelly Senior Manager Publishing Services Alex Asfar

SHOW DAILY STAFF Pravin Bajaj Keefe Borden Rajiv Gopalan Abdelghani Henni Trent Jacobs Laurie Sailsbury Mary Jane Touchstone

Published for the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC). The opinions and content expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IPTC or its sponsoring organizations. Copyright 2014 International Petroleum Technology Conference.

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Plenary Session Focuses on Technology of Future Resources Trent Jacobs, JPT Staff Writer

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t Monday’s ITPC plenary session, panelists described a world where the conventional wisdom of yesteryear has been supplanted with a new outlook for the future, ushered in by a wave of new technologies. The speakers, representing six international and national oil companies, spoke about the challenges facing the industry with optimism based on the industry’s increasing success in tapping into complex resources to produce them safely and more efficiently. “From the dawn of the modern petroleum industry up to this moment, not only has technology been fundamental to ultimately finding, producing, and using oil and gas, it has time after time redefined and reinvented

our destiny,” said Amin H. Nasser, vice president of upstream for Saudi Aramco. “When it comes to the big questions about energy, from security, to supply, to sustainability, and all points in between, technology has always had the last word.” Saudi Aramco is focused on highimpact technologies to address specific challenges the company is facing. Nasser said that his company’s highest priorities include finding new ways to quadruple the amount of seismic data acquired while cutting acquisition time in half. In regard to petroleum engineering, the company hopes advancements in enhanced oil recovery technologies can increase its recovery T:21 cm rate by 20%.

Matthias Bichsel, project and technology director for Shell Global, used Qatar as an example to highlight the importance of new natural gas technologies that are being used to supply the world’s growing appetite for the cleaner burning fossil fuel. “Not only are Qatar’s gas resources vast, but the scale and sophistication of its gas projects are unrivaled,” he said. “Qatar has embraced technologies that allow it to deliver its natural gas to customers in a wide variety of forms—LNG [liquefied natural gas], GTL [gas-toliquids] products, to petrochemicals.” Bichsel said that a decade ago Qatar was exporting less than 20 million tonnes of LNG when the volume of globally traded LNG was about 130

Oxy-operated PS-1 complex, offshore Qatar

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million tonnes and the country had no GTL production. “Today, Qatar is the world’s largest LNG and GTL producer and North America is preparing to join the export market for LNG in a world that already handles over 240 million tonnes of that commodity,” Bichsel said. He stressed that the changes in the energy landscape, especially the North American shale gas boom, were brought on by continued development and application of new and existing technological innovations, as well as the will power and know-how to apply them successfully. The resurgence of North America as a leading energy producer was brought on in large part by the marrying of two long-existing technologies—hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. “These technologies were both available well before 10 years ago,” he said. “But they were incremented at scale and in combination for the first time in early 2000s, and we all know the result. The shale gas portion of total North American natural gas production increased from 4% to almost 40% within that 10-year period.” Jakob Thomasen, chief executive officer of Maersk Oil, said his company is developing new technologies and methods to increase the overall energy efficiency in its exploration and production operations, a reflection of the global effort to reduce energy consumption and lower carbon emissions. In a joint venture with Qatar Petroleum, Maersk Oil is producing 300,000 BOPD from the Al Shaheen field with technologies that have reduced its environmental footprint and eliminated nearly all flaring of associated gas at the field by routing it to onshore facilities for domestic consumption. The company is working on a potentially even more environmentally friendly system that would be capable of using any type of gas, from clean dry gas to sour gas for energy use. Thomasen said that, together with partners Siemens and Clean Energy Partners, Maersk Oil is developing this emerging zero-emission power technology. “Try to imagine burning gas, generating power and there is no CO2 being emitted into the environment,” he said. The technology is called Tri-Gen and involves using a turbine to combust the gas at a low temperature, resulting in pure water and clean CO2 that can be used for reinjection for enhanced oil recovery operations. “We ought to be able bring that technology into operation in 2015, and, right now, we are finding the right places to go for the start,” Thomasen said. “There is almost no limit to how this technology can revolutionize power generation in a highly energy efficient and emission free way.” Other companies represented at Monday’s session were the China National Petroleum Corporation, India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Total, and Qatar Petroleum International. 

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Shell Looks Toward Continued Cooperation, Innovation

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ndrew Brown has been upstream international director for Shell since April 2012. He joined Shell in 1984 after completing his degree in engineering science from Cambridge University. In 2002, Brown was chosen to head up the Pearl Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) project in Qatar. He became executive vice president for all of Shell’s activities in Qatar in 2009. In 2012, Brown was selected as upstream international director for Royal Dutch Shell and a member of the executive committee.

Q: What are the major projects that you’re currently involved in? Brown: We have a rich array of projects ongoing across the world, which play to our technological strengths. I’ll highlight just a few that fall into our upstream operations. In deepwater development, we are building Mars B and the recordbreaking Stones project, both in the Gulf of Mexico. Stones will host the deepest production facility in the world at 2896 m and Shell’s first FPSO [floating production, storage, and offloading vehicle] in the region. In Malaysia, also in deepwater, we have the GumusutKakap project. Here in the Middle East, we are ramping up production in the Majnoon field in Iraq. And, in Abu Dhabi, Shell FOOTBALL-AD-2667X1905+BLEED.pdf

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was chosen by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to participate in a 30-year joint venture to develop the Bab Sour Gas project. In LNG [liquefied natural gas], we have a portfolio of both large and small projects. We are constructing the world’s first floating LNG (FLNG) facility, which will tap the Prelude gas field, 200 km off Australia’s northwest coast. We believe FLNG is complementary to onshore LNG—and, at times, even a competitive alternative—and we see potential for its use in many other regions in the world. On a smaller scale, we are deploying Shell’s Moveable, Modular, Liquefaction System, which is an innovative liquefaction plant design that converts natural gas into LNG. Shell is already setting up LNG transport corridors in Canada and the USA and is looking at others opportunities around the world.

Q: What are your company’s major accomplishments in terms of upstream technology development? Brown: I’m proud to say that there are many that I could mention worldwide. But, looking here in the Middle East, where we have a long history and technology development has been a key differentiator, I would like to highlight Pearl GTL and the application

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of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies in projects in Oman. Pearl GTL, developed in partnership with Qatar Petroleum, is the culmination of 4 decades of research and development, which have yielded some 3,500 patents related to gasto-liquids technology. The scale and complexity of the engineering and project management challenges were unprecedented. Pearl GTL is capable of producing 140,000 bbl of GTL products each day, as well as 120,000 BOE/D of natural-gas liquids and ethane. In Oman, in partnership with Petroleum Development of Oman, we are leading the way in EOR implementation. It won’t be news to the expert reader that only about 30–35% of the oil in a reservoir can normally be extracted. EOR can help to extract a further 5–20% of the oil in place. Depending on the reservoir, total recovery levels up to 50– 70% are possible. EOR is not something new; it has been in use for decades. However, technology application and evolution has been a hallmark of that history and will continue to be so for the future.

Q: What are the major engineering challenges you faced since you joined the company, and how did you overcome them?

Brown: As an engineer myself, I think my most significant challenge was the execution of Pearl GTL here in Qatar. This project was launched in 2006 and started up in 2011. Its construction required 500 million hours of work, executed at peak by 52,000 workers. The project utilized Shell’s world-leading GTL technology and achieved many records in terms of scale. But most significantly, the project was executed safely ..., setting new standards in worker welfare, through the groundbreaking Pearl Village that we built for the workers. These achievements would not have been possible without the excellent support we received from Qatar Petroleum throughout.

Q: What will be your main focus in IPTC? Brown: At Shell, our main focus will be continuing to strengthen our partnerships with the region’s NOCs through open dialogue and collaboration. The way that NOCs choose to work with international oil companies varies significantly across the Middle East/ North African region. However, we at Shell approach all these relationships in the spirit of aligned partnership; we are here for the long term, and so we ensure we align our business objectives with the priorities of the NOCs. 



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Session Examines How Innovation Enhances Megaprojects Keefe Borden, Oil and Gas Facilities Assistant Editor

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il and gas professionals who attend the seventh International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) will hear multiple presentations describing the ongoing evolution of technology needed to develop the world’s resources. One of these presentations, the technical session Projects and Facilities—Enhancing Megaprojects Through Innovations, will be held in Meeting Room 236–238 today. Roald Rijnbeek, manager of frontend projects at Shell, will open the panel on megaprojects with the paper Subsea Compression at Ormen Lange. The Ormen Lange is a natural-gas field 120 km offshore in approximately 1000 m of water in the More basin in the southern part of the Norwegian Sea. Its potential is huge, with approximately 300 billion sm3 of recoverable gas reserves. At its peak, the Ormen Lange is expected to produce 20% of the UK’s natural gas demand, he said. The first phase of the Ormen Lange was the construction of an onshore processing plant and the installation of the first two subsea production templates. The third template was installed in 2009 and the fourth in 2011. Today, 19 wells produce from the four templates in place. In early 2013,

the operators decided to expand the plant’s processing capacity to 84 million sm3/d to accommodate third-party gas from elsewhere on the Norwegian continental shelf. Today, production from the field has fallen to less than 65 million sm3/d, down from its peak of 70 million sm3/d. “To maximize production on it, we need to put compression on the field,” Rijnbeek said. “Onshore compression will not maximize the production … . We look forward to the application of the technology on the Ormen Lange.” The subsea natural-gas compression is a unique configuration and poses its own challenges. The system includes an electric motor compressor system, which includes a separator, compressor, pump, control system, electrical components, transformer, and variable-speed drives for the pump and compressor, all on the seafloor. “This doesn’t exist anywhere else,” he said. “We’ve built the technology, and we are in the process of running the tests.” William Bacon, a representative from RasGas, is scheduled to follow Rijnbeek with his paper Barzan Gas Project: Clean Source of Energy Supporting Qatar’s Vision. RasGas is building the Barzan Gas Project on behalf of Qatar

Petroleum and ExxonMobil Barzan. The project includes two of the largest natural-gas processing trains in the world and is expected to provide Qatar with natural gas and associated liquids. At its peak, more than 30,000 people from more than 40 nations will execute this project in a safe and environmentally sensitive manner, he said. Qatar’s North Field, the world’s largest nonassociated gas field, will be produced at a rate of 1,900 million scf/D by Barzan Gas Project offshore facilities. RasGas will operate three unmanned wellhead platforms, two subsea pipelines and two onshore gas processing trains. Barzan will produce natural gas, ethane, and field condensate for the domestic market and will export liquefied petroleum gas, sulphur, and plant condensate, he said. The development of the Barzan Gas Project will be used to transform Qatar into prominence on the world stage, Bacon said. Natural gas from the field will fund the country’s long-term development plans, Bacon said. Salem Al Attas, a representative from Gasco, is scheduled to present his paper Safe Execution of a World-Class EGR Facility in Abu Dhabi—The Elixier

Session 21: Projects and Facilities—Enhancing Megaprojects Through Innovation 1045  Paper 17649: Subsea Compression at Ormen Lange 1115  Paper 17317: Barzan Gas Project: Clean Source of Energy Supporting Qatar’s Vision 1145  Paper 17627: Safe Execution of a World Class EGR Facility in Abu Dhabi—The Elixier Mirfa Project

Mirfa Project. Abu Dhabi needs natural gas for electrical energy and to develop its oil and gas fields. Pressure on gas fields is usually maintained through water and hydrocarbon gas injection. Habshan is one of the first sites using an alternative approach: the injection of 600 million ft3/D of nitrogen into the Thamama F reservoir, he said. Nitrogen injection improves gas recovery with only a very limited reduction on condensate recovery. ADNOC and Linde formed a joint venture called “Elixier” and started two major air-separation plants to produce nitrogen in Mirfa and transport it through a pipeline to Habshan, he said. 

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Unconventional Resources Need Unconventional Techniques Keefe Borden, Oil and Gas Facilities Assistant Editor

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he participants in the seventh International Petroleum and Technology Conference (IPTC) are expected to hear detailed information about unconventional resources at a technical session titled Unconventional Resources—Unconventional Drilling and Completions. The session is scheduled for today in Meeting Room 239–241. Ahmed M. Gomaa is scheduled to present his paper New Insights Into Hydraulic Fracturing of Shale Formations. Current shale-fracturing practices and technologies are mainly based on simulation models and experience from conventional formations. This paper presents an

experimental setup to measure the hydraulic breakdown pressure for fractures in shale cores and to study the effects of different parameters such as fluid types and characteristics, injection rate, shale bedding, and acid injection. The study evaluated cores from the Mancos shale outcrop. Experiments showed the breakdown pressure in shale formations are related to the fluid viscosity, where higher fluid viscosity increased the breakdown pressure. The injection of hydrochloric acid reduced the breakdown pressure of the shale formation. Increasing the contact time with the acid also reduced breakdown pressure, he said.

Additives designed to improve the flow of fracturing fluid in microfractures tend to reduce the breakdown pressure and enhanced fracture complexity. Fracture complexity increases with reduced viscosity and increased acidity. Nitrogen gases will maximize fracture complexity. Charles Edouard Cohen, senior engineer of modeling at Schlumberger, is scheduled to give a presentation based on a paper he and other engineers completed recently. The paper, titled Parametric Study on Completion Design in Shale Reservoirs Based on Fracturing-toProduction Simulations, will describe

Session 22: Unconventional Resources—Unconventional Drilling and Completions 1045  Paper 17594: New Insights Into Hydraulic Fracturing of Shale Formations 1115  Paper 17462: Parametric Study on Completion Design in Shale Reservoirs Based on Fracturing-to-Production Simulations 1145  Paper 17439: Emerging Technologies and the Future of Hydraulic Fracturing Design in Unconventional Gas and Tight Oil

advances in horizontal drilling and how they have changed practices in hydraulic fracturing. Completion and stimulation still face serious challenges from the physics of hydraulic fracturing. Insight is sought into how hydraulic fractures interact with natural fractures, stress shadow effects, and the transport of proppant in complex fracture networks. “One of the main questions is how to optimize the number of stages and the placement of perforation clusters accounting for these complex physical phenomena and the wells’ economics,” Cohen writes. Ernesto Fonseca, team leader for unconventional gas and tight oil completion and stimulation research and development at Shell, will follow with a presentation of the paper titled Emerging Technologies and the Future of Hydraulic Fracturing Design in Unconventional Gas and Tight Oil. Current research on hydraulic fracturing design tends to focus on the identification of novel approaches that can lead to more effective practices in the future. Fonseca will describe emerging technologies for hydraulic fracturing design in multistage horizontal wells. His paper proposes application of these technologies and describes future industry practices. “This paper describes emerging technologies within the building blocks of hydraulic fracturing design for multistage horizontal wells and proposes how application of these technologies can lay a foundation for the development and evolution of future industry practices,” he said. The current debate on designing hydraulic fracturing revolves around a perceived need for more powerful software tools that can capture complex fracture geometries. Rather than focus on the ability of the software to replicate complex fracture geometries, Fonseca recommends a higher-level and integrated review of hydraulic fracturing design. Fonseca is also expected to describe how emerging technologies within are evolving and how the industry is making progress in new and relevant engineering choices in the design of hydraulic fractures. Fonseca said the expertise required of hydraulic fracturing includes subsurface diagnostics and modeling capabilities.  



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ExxonMobil Examines Energy Environment of the Future

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ach year, ExxonMobil releases The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040, its global perspective of energy demand and supply. The report’s conclusions guide ExxonMobil’s business decisions and help inform a broader audience about the issues shaping the world’s energy future. William Colton, Exxon Mobil Corporation’s vice president of corporate strategic planning, leads the team of economists and energy experts that produces the Outlook.

Q: Where does ExxonMobil see global demand for energy during the period covered by this year’s outlook report? Colton: As economies and populations grow and living standards improve for billions of people, the need for energy will continue to rise. By 2040, the end of our current Outlook period, we expect to see 2 billion more people on the planet and a global economy that has grown by 130%. Those two factors will help contribute to about a 35% increase in global energy demand. Obviously, there are a lot of other smaller contributing factors behind that projection. For example, we discuss urbanization a great deal in this year’s Outlook. As we have seen in developed economies over the past century, an

important fundamental of demand is the migration of people from rural to urban areas. Expansion of urban infrastructure will naturally create a greater demand for energy-intensive goods and services, and cities also attract and support industries that require a lot of energy. By 2040, the number of people living in urban settings in countries that are not part of the Organisation for Economic CoOperation and Development (OECD) is projected to increase by about 60% from 45% in 2010. Demand for energy in nonOECD nations will grow by about 67%.

Q: How do you break that demand projection down into the needs for certain types of fuel? Colton: Natural gas will be the world’s fastest-growing major energy source through 2040. We expect that demand will increase by nearly 65%, enabling gas to surpass coal as the secondlargest energy source by 2025. Half of the demand growth for natural gas is being driven by the need for electricity, which is expected to increase by 90%. Through 2040, the largest source of energy demand will be for fuels used to produce electricity. Demand for oil is projected to increase by about 25%, led by increased commercial transportation activity. Over

the next few decades, energy demand for commercial transportation, such as trucks, planes, ships and trains, is expected to rise by 70% as economic activity increases along with the movement of goods and freight. We expect fuel demand for personal vehicles, met almost exclusively by oil, will increase slowly over the next decade before gradually trending downward over the remainder of the Outlook period. This shift in demand won’t be because of fewer vehicles in the world. In fact, from 2010 to 2040, the number of light-duty vehicles is expected to more than double to about 1.7 billion as the global population grows and more people in developing economies are able to afford cars. The mileage, or efficiency, of cars will be much higher in the future, and this will slow the growth in fuel demand for this sector.

Q: As a global operator, how does ExxonMobil determine where to invest in resource development? What are the ideal circumstances for a multinational firm to be successful? Colton: First, all regions of the world can benefit from access to the global market and expanded trade opportunities. These benefits can be

enhanced by trade rules and policies that facilitate open markets, support infrastructure development, and promote international cooperation. Success in creating value only comes as a result of innovation, cooperation, and sound execution. The world will depend on partnerships between international oil companies and national oil companies to access new energy supplies, apply technologies, and manage safety and environmental risks. The world’s energy markets will be shaped by those who understand the importance of sound energy policy in allowing these partnerships to be formed and succeed. Qatar is an excellent example. Qatar is the world’s largest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG). It supplies LNG to markets all over the world and brings diversification to the world’s energy portfolio. Qatar is perfectly positioned to meet growing needs for natural gas for power generation in Europe and Asia. Qatar is a model for other resource owners as it has pursued stable and sensible policies that facilitated development of a world-class natural gas industry. As its partner, we believe our joint success demonstrates what is possible when national and international energy companies work together. 

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General Information Exhibition Hours The exhibition is open to delegates and visitors during the following hours: Monday 1000–1730 Tuesday 0800–1730 Wednesday 0800–1730

Coffee Breaks Coffee breaks will be served daily on the exhibition floor. Monday 0900–1100 and 1500–1545 Tuesday 1000–1045 and 1500–1545 Wednesday 1000–1045 and 1500–1545

Luncheons Luncheons will take place in Hall 6 at the following times: Monday 1300–1500 Tuesday 1215–1330 Wednesday 1215–1330

Conference Proceedings A copy of the conference proceedings is included in the full conference registration fee. One-day attendees can purchase the conference proceedings for USD 200 for members and USD 300 for nonmembers. Additional copies can be purchased from the registration desk. Conference proceedings can be collected at IPTC Stand Number A1 in Hall 3.

Delegate Bags Conference delegate bags can be collected from the desks outside Hall 6.

Business Center The business center is on Level 1, next to registration in the central foyer.

IPTC Organizers Office The organizers office is on Level 2 in Room 232.

Medical Assistance A professional medical team will be located on the mezzanine level in Exhibition Hall 5. A fully equipped ambulance will be on site in case of emergencies.

Prayer Rooms Prayer rooms are located next to the reflection pool on Level 1.

Press Room The press room is on Level 2 in Room 201.

Shuttle A complimentary shuttle bus will run between selected hotels in Doha and the QNCC on each day of the conference. Full schedules and information are available at registration.

Travel and Transportation Desk Travel and transportation assistance is provided by Gulf Adventures. Find more information at the registration and information desks.

Lucky Draw and Closing Session Drop your business card at the entrance to the closing session for your chance to win a lucky draw prize at the Closing Session on Wednesday at 1715 in Auditorium 3. Participants must be present to win.

Technical Zones The IPTC Technical Zones are new for the seventh IPTC. Visit the dedicated zones covering the following technical disciplines: • Drilling and completions • Gas processing • Geoscience and reservoir • Health, safety, and environment • Projects and facilities

Technology Theatre The IPTC Technology Theatre will showcase the latest technologies in the oil and gas industry. This feature will help visitors discover opportunities to innovate and remain at the cutting edge of the industry. The Technology Theatre is at Stand Number F71 in Hall 4. 

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Largest GTL Project, Pearl Fully Integrates Gas Value Chain

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he Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) project is the world’s largest GTL plant and one of the world’s largest, most complex, and challenging energy projects ever commissioned. From its origins with Shell GTL technology nearly 40 years ago, to its first commercial debut in Shell’s Bintulu GTL plant in Malaysia in the early 1990s, to the creation of the world’s GTL capital in Qatar today, the delivery of GTL on such a vast scale as Pearl GTL is an integrated development. It has involved all aspects of the gas value chain, incorporated some innovative technologies, and created value locally as well as globally. It has also demonstrated excellence in project implementation and, above all, delivered all of this while achieving outstanding HSE performance. Pearl GTL is a fully integrated upstream/midstream/downstream greenfield development. It captures in one project an extended gas value chain starting from offshore subsurface development, moving through onshore gas processing to natural gas, the conversion of natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, and the refining to finished products and storage, and ending with the dispatching and worldwide marketing of GTL products. The dimensions of Pearl GTL were so massive that no single contractor could manage it. As a result, the project was subdivided into 12 major elements, with an average cost of USD 1 billion–2 billion. Each element was its own megaproject. Pearl GTL covers 250 hectares and took more than 500 million hours to design and build. At peak, more than 52,000 workers were employed in building the facility. Some 2 million t of freight were shipped and imported through a dedicated berth constructed by the project at Ras Laffan port. A total of 750 000 m3 of concrete was poured, enough to construct eight Wembley Stadiums or two Burj Khalifas. Approximately 300,000 t of pipe and steel structures were erected, enough to build 40 Eiffel Towers. At peak, the structures were erected at an equivalent rate of one Eiffel Tower every

12 days. Twenty-four large synthesis reactors were installed, each weighing 1,200 t, and each with tens of thousands of tubes filled with almost 5,000 t of catalyst. Pearl GTL converts up to 1.6 billion ft3/D of wellhead gas from 22 offshore wells in Qatar’s huge North Field using Shell’s proprietary Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis (SMDS) process, built on some 40 years of development and involving approximately 3,500 patents. From this, a range of high-performing GTL products is created, including gasoil to be used as diesel fuel, kerosene to be used as jet fuel, base oil to be used for high-quality lubricants, and naphtha and normal paraffin for the petrochemicals industry. The integration challenges were many and complex and span the entire breadth of the project. This integration is perhaps best illustrated by highlighting a few of the many diverse elements making up this complex undertaking.

Upstream (Subsurface, Offshore) Elements • The design, drilling, completion, and hook-up of 22 production wells used a ground-breaking approach called simultaneous operations (SIMOPS). The SIMOPS approach saved more than 600 days of drilling time compared with previous performances, resulting in considerable cost savings. • Drilling for the 22 wells was finished in early 2010 and was completed in an average of 45 days, with the fastest well taking just 28 days. Previously, the industry standard for completing a production well on the North Field was 75 days. • Two offshore production platforms were designed and implemented. • Two 30-in. pipelines were designed and implemented to bring the multiphase wellhead fluids to shore.

Midstream Elements • Two onshore gas plants were designed and implemented to process the wet, sour wellhead fluids to produce clean, dry natural gas and

All off- and onshore facilities for Pearl GTL are controlled from one common, central control room. Photo courtesy of Shell.

The Pearl GTL project is the largest in the world and covers 250 hectares. Photo courtesy of Shell. other upstream products—treated condensate, butane, propane, ethane, and sulphur.

Downstream Elements • Two onshore GTL plants were designed and implemented to convert the natural GTL hydrocarbons on the basis of the Fischer-Tropsch process. • Two refining units were designed and implemented to upgrade the liquid hydrocarbons to finished GTL products. • Eight air separation units were designed and implemented to supply the pure oxygen required by the GTL plants. • Water treatment plants required to treat the (“synthetic”) water produced in the GTL plants were designed and implemented to allow this water to be fully reused in the plant. • Integrated control systems were designed and implemented to control all off- and onshore facilities safely and efficiently from one common, central control room. The downstream elements also included the development of all necessary logistics facilities, agreements, and capabilities to effectively market the finished GTL products worldwide, which derived benefits from the use of Shell’s existing global hydrocarbon logistics, shipping, and trading capabilities. GTL technology provides an alternative route for natural gas monetization, thus complementing other options, such as gas by pipeline, and liquified natural gas (LNG) as already deployed on a grand scale in Qatar. For Shell’s partner in Pearl GTL, the State of Qatar, GTL technology has allowed for diversification, transforming decades’ worth of gas reserves into economic progress by opening up new markets and opportunities and by allowing liquid hydrocarbon products to be sold into the vast and entirely fungible global oil products markets, thereby offering full upside to higher oil prices. In the case of Qatar, Pearl GTL has helped cement the country’s position as the GTL capital of the world. Products from Pearl GTL are shipped to customers across the world—for example, gasoil to Europe, naphtha and normal paraffin to east Asia, and base oils to the US, Europe, and China.

The interest from customers comes in part as a result of the fundamental hydrocarbon composition of the GTL products, which is different to that of crude-oil-derived products because it is composed almost exclusively of saturated paraffins. This results in unique products performance, such as during combustion. Furthermore, because GTL products are derived from pure methane, they are free of impurities such as aromatics, sulphur, or metals. GTL products, therefore, burn cleanly and with less emission than conventional crude-oil-derived products, such as in diesel and jet engines. Despite the massive number of workers involved and the complexity of Pearl GTL’s construction, a strong safety culture helped the Pearl GTL project break industry records. In 2010, the project achieved 77 million hours worked without a single lost time injury (LTI) and an overall LTI frequency of 0.04 LTI/million manhours, corresponding to approximately one-tenth of the industry average. Pearl GTL also set new standards with the creation of Pearl Village, a radically new approach to contractor accommodation, emphasizing worker welfare and specialized training to help drive safety, productivity, and quality. Applying technology on this huge scale and investing so heavily in a single project does not happen everywhere in the world. It needs an enabling environment, and that enabling environment exists in Qatar. Not only is the country blessed by abundant gas resources but it also possesses strong leadership, fast decisionmaking, and an absolute drive to deliver transparency in all business dealings. Today, Pearl GTL is hardwired to the largest gas field in the world and delivers GTL products to customers in all corners of the world, lubricating and fueling cars and aeroplanes, generating feedstock for plastics and detergents, and helping the world to grow. The delivery of Pearl GTL is an integrated development involving all aspects of the gas value chain and represents a ground-breaking project leveraging one of Shell’s key strengths: bringing innovative solutions to the energy challenge. 



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Total Supercomputer Takes Spot as Industry’s Most Powerful

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he International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) once again will welcome many of the top decision-makers from France’s oil and gas major Total, but human capital will not be the only company asset on show in Doha. Also taking the stage will be Total’s newest supercomputer, Pangea, the most powerful machine ever owned by the oil and gas industry. Capable of 2.3 million billion operations per second, or 2.3 petaflops, the futuristic mainframe is helping to unlock the potential of ever-morecomplex oil and gas reservoirs around the world. Installed at Total’s global headquarters for exploration and production (E&P) technologies in southwest France in January 2013, Pangea can process in hours complex geological equations that once took previous generations of megacomputers weeks. At the Total booth at IPTC, a dedicated interactive exhibit will provide

visitors an intriguing glimpse of the USD-60-million machine’s unique features. These include a novel cooling system that pipes water directly onto the computer’s processing cores, increasing space and energy efficiency. With the combined strength of 27,000 personal computers, Pangea allows Total’s geologists to generate seismic images of oil and gas reservoirs with increasing accuracy and to do so more quickly. This helps save costs, enhance health and safety, and improve environmental safeguards out in the field. Approximately 15 times more powerful than Total’s previous supercomputer, Pangea is made up of 110,000 processing cores fed by 120 km of fiber-optic cable and has a storage capacity equal to 1.75 million DVDs. It consumes a staggering 2.8 megawatts of electricity and generates enough heat to supply the entire complex of the Centre Scientifique et Technique Jean Féger, Total’s E&P technologies hub.

Pangea, Total’s new supercomputer, is capable of 2.3 million billion operations per second, or 2.3 petaflops. Photo courtesy of Total. Pangea is named after the supercontinental landmass that made up the Earth’s surface 300 million years ago, a fitting label considering its epic computing strength. “Pangea is one of the largest supercomputers of its type in private industry and is evidence of our significant and ongoing investment in technological leadership in the E&P domain,” said Arnaud Breuillac,

Total’s newly appointed president for exploration and production. “Designed to run off the latest algorithms, Pangea is helping teams in the field make decisions more swiftly and reliably. This complements our strategy to bring what we do in cutting-edge research and day-today operations closer together and to ultimately expand our capabilities in frontier hydrocarbons.” 

Qatargas Implements CSR Initiatives To Boost Communities

Q

atargas wants to have a positive effect on the communities in which it works, and it has created corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to meet that goal. The company’ CSR initiatives are spread over four broad areas covering education, environment, health and safety, and community development. Qatargas says it is committed to making positive, lasting contributions. Consequently, in the course of the company’s CSR work, it looks for sustainability of investment and opportunities to promote transparency and accountability. The company says it strongly believe in capacity building at the local level and recognizes that engagement with the community is not dependent on the measure of visibility. Rather, the company says, what is inspiring is the potential found in social investments and their power to add value to the Qatar National Vision 2030 objectives.

In regard to the education aspect of the initiatives, Qatargas has a long-standing relationship with Qatar University. Qatargas and Qatar university have been sponsoring a Research Engineering Chair with the objective of promoting genuine research in the field of gas-processing technology. Qatargas is also supporting several other educational initiatives from the university, such as the Gas Processing Centre Consortium, the Gasna competition, a plant design contest, seminars, workshops, and symposiums. All of these efforts are organized by the university. Qatargas also extends its support to other educational initiatives. For example, the company sponsors a technical annex at the Qatar Independent Technical School. In regard to the health and safety aspect of the CSR initiative, Qatargas has sponsored a number of events, including the second Qatar Petroleum Occupational Health Congress, which was organized by the Medical Services

Department of Qatar Petroleum. Qatargas also has conducted a series of blood donation drives in cooperation with the Hamad Medical Corporation. The company is also a long-term sponsor of the Dream and Promise Awards Benefit, which is organized by the US-based Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, and various road safety awareness campaigns organized by the ministry of interior’s Road Safety Campaign. With respect to the community development aspect of the CSR initiative, Qatargas is an integral member of the Ras Laffan Community Outreach Program, working closely with companies in Ras Laffan Industrial City to develop the northern areas of Qatar. The company also cooperates with charity organizations such as Qatar Red Crescent, Qatar Charity, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Thani Humanitarian Foundation, and the Sheikh Eid Charitable Society to extend all possible support to communities inside Qatar and abroad.

Qatargas also extends its support to various games and sports teams inside the country. The company is a title sponsor of a variety of tournaments, such as the Qatargas League (Second Division League) of the Qatar Football Association, Qatargas Open Chess Tournament of Qatar Chess Association, and the Qatargas Open Badminton Championship, which is organized by the Qatar Badminton Association. The company also supports the Qatar Minor Ice Hockey Team, Doha Oilmen’s Golf Tournament, AmCham Golf Tournament, Junior Golf Program of the Doha Golf Club, and the QP Chairman’s Cup Football and Cricket. Qatargas also organizes various sports activities for its employees and families during the National Sports Day every year. Recently, Qatargas sponsored the prize money for the top three teams of the 2014 West Asian Football Federation Championship, which was held in Doha from 26 December to 7 January. 

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QP Celebrates 40 Years, Expects Continued Growth

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his year, Qatar Petroleum (QP) is marking 40 years since its establishment in 1974. The national oil and gas company entrusted with harnessing Qatar’s hydrocarbon resources, QP has worked to transform Qatar into a knowledgebased society while maintaining a link with Qatar’s plans for sustainable social, economic, human, and environmental development. QP aspires to be a world-class oil and gas corporation with roots in Qatar and a strong international presence. The company aims to ensure that Qatar receives maximum benefit from its oil and gas resources. The company plans to accomplish this by contributing to the

national wealth of Qatar and focusing on the country’s national vision through the safe, efficient, and environmentally acceptable exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources.

Qatar National Vision and QP’s Sustainable Development Goals Qatar’s proposed route to sustainability is contained within the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV) and the National Development Strategy 2011–2016 (NDS). These national-level frameworks are based on the four pillars of human, social, economic, and environmental development and aim to harness Qatar’s current rapid economic growth in a way that ensures future

A Qatari PhD student tests rock cores at the Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre. generations can prosper and enjoy a higher quality of life based on social and environmental harmony. A key enabler of the QNV and NDS is the QP-led Sustainable Development

TOTAL, PROUD PARTNER OF YOUR ENERGY Total principal sponsor of

total.com

Industry Reporting (SDIR) plan under the leadership of Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, minister of energy and industry. The SDIR is the first of its kind in the region and collects sustainable development initiatives and performance for each year from 35 major operators in the oil and gas sector and consolidates it into an industry report. It is the sector vehicle for demonstrating progress and compliance with Qatar’s sustainability ambition. Each year’s sustainable development industry report focuses on issues relevant to Qatar. The focus in 2012 was health, energy, and water management. Guidance on these topics is provided to standardize and improve reporting approaches. The SDIR program has established a platform for stakeholder engagement, baseline company and sectorwide reporting, and awards for best performance. These are all elements of the envisioned sector framework for sustainable development that will also include a forum for collective policy alignment and input, sector strategy development, and performance assessment. The SDIR initiative remains the cornerstone for advancing the Qatar energy and industry sector’s performance and leadership on sustainable development and a key enabler of the QNV and the NDS.

Innovation and Technology

© Total / E-Motion International FZ LLC / All rights reserved

QP has made substantial investments in research and development (R&D) of environmentally friendly technologies, including carbon capture and storage, enhanced oil recovery, and implementation of best available technology and international practices. The Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre (QCCSRC) is a USD-70-million, 10-year research partnership between Qatar Petroleum, Shell, Qatar Science and Technology Park, and Imperial College London. The program addresses the key science and engineering challenges for the safe and permanent storage of CO2 in Qatari carbonate reservoirs. It is providing Qatar with state-ofthe-art predictive reservoir carbon storage capabilities and enhanced understanding of its subsurface reservoirs. QCCSRC is increasing Qatar’s expertise and research capacity and will develop local talents, capabilities, and skills in geoscience and engineering. Key accomplishments of the QCCSRC include: • An improved fundamental understanding of the geological history, depositional environment, and digenetic processes that led to the formation of the carbonate reservoirs • The characterization of previously unknown thermophysical properties of CO2 brine/hydrocarbon systems under reservoir conditions • Observations of CO2 injection into carbonate rocks under reservoir conditions (temperature/pressure/ brine salinity) at multiple scales to characterize the flow and chemical reaction within the reservoir 

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Around the Exhibit Floor A roundup of technology being showcased at IPTC Software, Integration Help Realize the Digital Oilfield The digital oilfield is now a reality as industry experience and new technology drive results aimed at addressing multiple challenges, including asset management, reaction time to dynamic well environments, production, and safety. Weatherford’s automation approach to building digital oilfields employs a suite of specialized software tools and integrated systems. These enabling technologies include OmniWell production and reservoir monitoring, comprehensive artificial-lift systems monitored by WellPilot surface optimization controllers, and RedEye MP water-cut meters and multiphaseflow control. All lift types can be fitted to this operational paradigm on the basis of field requirements. Field Office production software for process automation and real-time analytics provides the data for better workflows and decision making. This production software suite works with all major industry hardware and existing infrastructure.

Low-Friction Chock Liner Reduces Wear, Increases Safety The move from steel wire to highmodulus polyethylene (HMPE) as a mooring-line material has given significant benefits to industry, mainly in terms of safety. HMPE mooring lines have good strength-to-weight ratio, ease of handling, and low risk of injury to personnel. However, HMPE mooring lines are prone to damage through abrasion in steel mooring chocks, and the rope jackets can tear. Nylacast’s low-friction chock liner offers a solution to these challenges. With years of comprehensive field research showing no wear is present on the ropes through the use of Nylacast’s chock liner, more than 450 of these technological components have successfully been deployed worldwide on a range of vessels, particularly liquefied-natural-gas carriers. The use of Nylacast’s lowfriction chock liner will eliminate any wear on the HMPE mooring line and will stop tearing of the jacket. Better equalization of mooring-line loads is also achieved, eliminating any snatching and jerking as the line moves in the

Nylcast’s low-friction chock liners help increase the longevity of highmodulus polyethylene mooring lines. Photo courtesy of Nylcast.

liner. Importantly, the use of Nylacast chock liners results in no need for regular maintenance because there will be no issues with corrosion, and no additional greases or lubrication are needed because of the low-friction material used.

Production Chokes Improve Automation Performance Lancaster Flow Automation’s production chokes feature an operating torque 90% less than those of typical commodity-style designs, allowing simple choke adjustment. In addition,

the chokes offer metallic bonnet seals (several different types of bonnet seals, both metallic and nonmetallic, are offered), and no elastomers are in direct contact with wellbore fluids. Standard seal temperature range is from –40 to 325°F. Single bonnet and trim configuration may be used for manual, linear pneumatic piston or diaphragm, linear hydraulic, or rotary electric actuation. Converting between needle-type trim and cage type requires the replacement of only the stem, seat, and orifice indicator. A stainless-steel micrometer-style position indicator

provides precise readout of the orifice size. The entire surface of the orifice indicator is always visible and displays trim-design details and open/close directions. An adjustable stainless-steel pointer provides for easy reading of the choke-orifice size. With only 27 lbf/ft of torque required for closing the stem against 15,000 psig downstream of the orifice, a small 17-lbm electric actuator (drawing 2.6 amps at these conditions) is all that is required for automation. The unit may be operated using solar power and is easily removed while the choke is in service and under pressure.

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Drilling-Optimization Service Promotes Improvement of Data TDE Group’s proNova drillingoptimization service enables organizations to monitor and organize their global drilling activities and rig-fleet performance accurately and efficiently. The service uses rig-sensor data, typically available on most rigs, to generate an objective description of the drilling process automatically using a patented Automatic Operations Recognition System. ProNova uses sensor data for automated reporting, allowing clients to analyze the drilling

process with a high level of detail that complements traditional morning reporting. The proNova operationsrecognition system has the potential to reduce drilling time significantly by setting standardized and objective benchmarks in order to identify nonproductive or invisible lost time. The service provides a flexible and modular infrastructure along with the relevant services required to integrate third-party well and drilling-process data, apply quality control, and process the data collected in order to facilitate a step change in an organization’s

TDE Group’s proNova service uses rig-sensor data to automatically generate an objective description of the drilling process. Image courtesy of TDE Group.

drilling performance. It measures rig performance and enables a continuous improvement process from rig floor to drilling management. Operation duration can be optimized through crew and rig comparisons, and performance trends can be monitored on a daily, weekly, or quarterly basis. Users may define customizable reports using proNova’s Web-based reporting and analysis service.

Wireline Tractor Simplifies Operations in Challenging Wells High-angle and extended-reach wells have opened up new possibilities for development, production, and recovery. However, for wireline operations, they present new challenges. To avoid the additional time, cost, and operational complexity of coiled-tubing or drillpipe conveyance in these wells, some operators forego logging advanced measurements, or the so-called tough-logging-conditions technique, relying only on measurement-whiledrilling and logging-while-drilling basic information. The UltraTRAC all-terrain wireline tractor readily conveys large payloads in challenging borehole conditions and across highangle and extended-reach wells. The UltraTRAC service provides the highest tractor force available—combined with traction control, reverse tractoring, and higher efficiency—to simplify and streamline wireline logging operations,

thereby reducing cost, time, and risk in both open and cased holes. Since commercialization, the UltraTRAC wireline tractor has been used on more than 180 jobs in 10 different countries to convey every type of wireline service. For example, a boreholeimaging service was conveyed using the new all-terrain wireline tractor in 3,500-ft horizontal sections of three Mississippian wells to obtain highquality image logs. In these particular borehole conditions, the new all-terrain wireline tractor was able to convey toolstrings at up to 2,400 ft/hr. This solution made it possible to obtain all the requested data for formation evaluation and completion operations while saving 24 hours and USD 40,000 in rig costs per well, compared with traditional drillpipe conveyance. To learn more about the UltraTRAC all-terrain wireline tractor, visit Schlumberger at Booth C23.

Fluid-Capture System Reduces Costs, Environmental Impact Katch Kan works with industry oil and gas companies and drilling contractors to ensure access to tangible, efficient, safe, and proactive solutions to prevent the loss of drilling fluids and the contamination of drilling sites. The patented Zero Spill System (ZSS) not only captures drilling fluids but also assists in the prevention of the need to go fishing for objects dropped down

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the wellbore. The ZSS was designed in response to industry feedback, regulatory concerns, and environmental stewards demanding an easier way to contain production fluids and drilling fluids from releasing into the natural environment. The ZSS leads to less water usage, less trucking and emissions, and, consequently, a larger return on investment. Because of the

recapture of the fluid, the well site is minimally affected, operational costs are reduced, and the rig runs more cleanly, safely, and efficiently. Katch Kan has been able to provide tangible results regarding environmental performance. Initial testing of the ZSS included a positive return on investment. It revealed that, not only were operating companies reducing long-term contamination liabilities, but they were also able to recycle expensive drilling fluids, thus leading to lower operating costs with minimal effect at the well site. Katch Kan products are now exported to operators in more than 60 countries.

High-Definition Camera Offers Versatility Downhole

Katch Kan’s drilling-fluid-capture system prevents the loss of fluids and the contamination of drilling sites. Photo courtesy of Katch Kan.

EV has launched its Optis HD Electric line camera to the well-intervention market. The camera’s new technology allows operators to stream color video at up to 25 frames/second on monoconductor cables with the use of high-speed telemetry and videocompression techniques. It has been designed for well-integrity inspection and monitoring of downhole corrosion and mechanical damage, including those found in marginal conditions, and it successfully completed a wide run of 100 field-trial jobs in Canada before becoming commercially released in the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Australia. The camera

features improved speeds and picture quality compared with similar downhole video cameras, allowing for advanced inspection of oilfield subsurface equipment for integrity issues. The system tunes itself to a wide range of cables so that the Optis HD Electric camera works on virtually any cable length or cable type. Its modular design allows it to be run with downview, sideview, or both. Deviation and internal temperature are digitally transmitted to a surface laptop, providing essential information when viewing images.

Downhole Cable Protector Offers Versatility, Toughness HCL Clamping is launching its Smart Protector, a new polymer-based range of downhole cable protectors developed in cooperation with Shell. The new range was showcased at the 2013 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans and at the 2013 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi. The lightweight, patented Smart Protector range can be used for a variety of cable sizes and configurations. It is the first product of its kind capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 250°C and fits any tubing diameter while avoiding the use of metals. The Smart Protector can be used alongside HCL’s Smart Tie range of high-strength straps. It is also guarantees lower friction than

HCL Clamping’s Smart Protector downhole cable protector is the first of its kind able to withstand temperatures of up to 250°C. Photo courtesy of HCL Clamping. do metal-based alternatives and can be used for multiline installations; additionally, it will not hang up in the blowout-preventer stack. It is lightweight (less than 100 g), and does not suffer from galvanic corrosion. 

h Qatar

Exclusively

E&P Focused on Excellence

Since becoming an independent exploration and production (E&P) company in May 2012, we have been focused solely on our core business of finding and producing oil and gas globally. Our vision is to be the E&P company of choice by pioneering a new standard of excellence. This applies to our financial and operational performance and also to the way we do business. ConocoPhillips has a time-honored tradition of placing safety, health and environmental stewardship at the top of our operating priorities. Our technical capability, asset quality and scale, and financial strength are unmatched among independent E&P companies and uniquely position us to compete anywhere in the world. Our production includes light oil, heavy oil, oil sands, natural gas liquids, conventional natural gas, coal seam gas, tight oil and gas, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ConocoPhillips employs more than 17,000 people around the world.

www.conocophillips.com © ConocoPhillips Company. 2013. All rights reserved.

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Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was established in 1971, to operate in all areas of the oil and gas industry and since then has steadily broadened its activity establishing companies and subsidiaries and creating an integrated oil and gas industry in the fields of exploration and production, support services, oil refining and gas processing, chemical and petrochemical, maritime transportation and refined products distribution. The Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC), chaired by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, formulates and oversees the implementation of Abu Dhabi petroleum strategies and policies.

ADNOC’s efforts in the exploration and production field have concentrated on assessing undiscovered reserves and optimizing hydrocarbon recovery by improving the reservoir management. Giving top priority to education, ADNOC established a number of institutions that train and develop a qualified UAE cadre for energy sector. Glenleg School, the Petroleum Institute, the ADNOC Technical Institute, the Achievers’ Oasis and other scholarship programs are but a few examples of ADNOC’s educational projects.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) www.adnoc.ae

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The World’s Premier LNG Company As the world’s largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) company, Qatargas has the capacity to deliver up to 42 million tons per annum. Known for the expertise of our people, our operating excellence, our spirit of innovation and our commitment to corporate social responsibility, we are able to deliver LNG safely and reliably to our valued customers around the globe.

www.qatargas.com.qa

QatarGas Day 2 cropped.indd 1

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