Connecting R&D with the Goals of E&P

Abstract

When researchers gathered for the SPE 2011 Research & Development Symposium in June, the topics ranged from the tiniest particle to the biggest oil fields, with an underlying theme of effectively managing an unpredictable process. During the three-day meeting in Austin, Texas, there were some common themes, including the importance of making long-term commitments, reaching out to original thinkers, encouraging collaboration, developing the next generation of talent, and focusing on the goals of the enterprise. Petrobras’ broad research program is focused on developing the country’s rich reserves, which present many technical challenges, and a research center it hopes will remain after the oil boom has passed. “Through these technologies, we are targeting a step change in how we explore and produce oil and gas, and a step change in how these technologies are developed,” said Carlos Tadeu Da Costa Fraga, executive manager of research and development center at Petrobras. In the keynote address, Scott Tinker, director of the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin, offered a detailed discussion of what it takes to create and run an industry-supported energy research program. The speech described the creation and operation of the Advanced Energy Consortium (AEC), where Tinker is also director. Its goal is to discover something as useful as seismic or well logging, and so small it can be measured in nanometers. Bringing together 10 companies to fund the consortium, top research talent, and the legal and institutional framework took about four years before the research could begin. The operation of the AEC is built on a high level of interaction with researchers at 25 institutions around the world. Every other month, it holds an update meeting on each of the 30 projects. Once a year, a decision is made on whether to continue, wind down or redirect each of the projects. “There is a lot more oversight Tinker than the researchers are used to,” said Tinker. “Most have come to appreciate the feedback and interaction when faced with difficulties, and they understand that some research ideas are not working out.” Each year about 20 percent of the projects are phased out, and another 20 percent are asked to go in another direction. “Any time you kill a project, it is hard,” said Tinker. He added that when it comes to research, generally, there is a need for more critical thinking about what is the best use of resources.