International Energy Agency Report Research Articles

Technology Focus: Decarbonization (July 2023)

With several applications under its belt, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is a proven technology. Costs are a concern, however, when it is not accompanied with CO2 enhanced oil recovery. Naturally, the effort is now to bring down costs by understanding various aspects of the process. This is reflected amply in the overwhelming majority of the approximately 300 papers on emissions reduction produced since late 2021 at various SPE conferences. These cover a range of CCS-related topics, such as onshore to offshore applications, drilling operations, well metallurgy, well-flow modeling, repurposing wells, storage capacity, and reservoir suitability. Because the basics of CCS and carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS) are mostly familiar to a large part of the readership, I am choosing to bring to your attention the summary of those articles that are devoted to approaches other than or beyond CCS, even if they have to climb further on the development ladder. These include bio-based approaches, geothermal, and use of hydrogen as a substitute fuel. The first of these papers discusses the generation of biomethane and hydrogen from palm oil mill effluent and using hyperthermophile bacteria. The second deals with making use of seaweeds such as Macrocystis pyrifera, commonly found in desertic or semidesertic climates though thermal conversion to hydrogen. The third deals with mangrove restoration for biomass growth and carbon fixation. For further reading and interest I have two topics to suggest: geothermal and hydrogen. Geothermal is not a new technology, but selecting and targeting the right reservoir can make a huge difference to its commercial viability. In this respect, the readers will find the included paper to be a good atlas. While I have been skeptical about hydrogen’s capacity to play an immediate role in decarbonization, the recommended paper focused on hydrogen challenges my preconceptions to an extent, and I think is therefore worthy of mention. In a 2019 International Energy Agency report, the cost of blue hydrogen from natural gas was mentioned to be approximately $1.50/kg in a few favorable jurisdictions, including the US. Can the cost of producing clean hydrogen from noncommercial gas pools be in the same range? The recommended-reading paper on this subject estimates the calculation-based cost of green hydrogen to be even 5–10 times more favorable. Although it may be premature to celebrate, given that this is still based on paper estimates and that other challenges in hydrogen storage and transport exist, it still bodes well for the commerce of clean hydrogen. While it causes optimism, caution is warranted, given significant challenges (not dwelled upon in the paper) in purification and sustainability of a subsurface hydrogen-production process. I am confident you will find these papers to be interesting and stimulating reads. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. OTC 32035 A Fully Integrated and Updated Geothermal Gradient Atlas of the World by Susan Smith Nash, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, et al. SPE 209558 Subsurface Hydrogen Generation: Low-Cost and Low-Footprint Method of Hydrogen Production by Roman Berenblyum, Hydrogen Source, et al.

Technology Focus: Data Analytics (October 2022)

Oil and gas companies are starting to invest more in the energy transition and establish emissions-reduction goals, such as an end to routine gas venting and flaring, with some going as far as setting net-zero goals by mid-century. A wide range of climate technologies with varying degrees of maturity levels are needed to pave the road to net zero. These include electrification and grid decarbonization, advances in battery technology, blue and green hydrogen fuels, bioenergy, carbon capture use and storage, and mitigating emissions of potent greenhouse gases such as methane. The COVID-19 pandemic has helped accelerate the pace of the digital transformation in the oil and gas industry. Digitalization is, in effect, a part of the broader energy transition that is occurring in the industry. This includes a move from on-premises data centers to the cloud, building digital twins of physical assets, process automation using the Internet of Things (IoT), leveraging reams of data from oil and gas operations for artificial intelligence/machine leaning (AI/ML) applications, cloud-based high-performance computing for applications such as seismic imaging for carbon capture and storage, and predictive maintenance to fix leaky equipment to reduce the environmental footprint of operations. These technologies serve to improve productivity, increase operational efficiency, reduce downtime, increase cost savings, and reduce the carbon intensity of operations. The International Energy Agency report “The Oil and Gas Industry in Energy Transitions” states that reducing methane leaks to the atmosphere is the single most important and cost-effective way for the industry to bring down these emissions. This is a domain that can benefit significantly from the use of AI/ML techniques for leak detection and remediation (LDAR) efforts. ML techniques such as computer vision and anomaly detection can be used to identify both large and localized methane leaks from remote-sensing data and data streaming in from IoT sensors in the field. A combination of data modalities, with varying spatiotemporal resolutions, together with appropriate AI/ML technologies, would be essential for an effective methane LDAR program. As companies look to reduce their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, breaking down data silos and establishing data standardization with common data models becomes critical in systems integration to develop an optimal emissions-reduction strategy. A seamless flow of information will enable the generation of high-fidelity data sets, which can be used to lower the operational footprint and drive business effects with AI solutions. With cloud-enabled technologies, driven by the application of ML and deep learning, companies can combine speed of implementation with scalability to accelerate their energy-transition efforts. I would like to invite readers to review the selection of papers to get an idea of various applications in the upstream oil and gas space where ML methods have been used. The highlighted papers cover the use of transformer-based models to predict oil production, the use of data analytics to study parent/child well relationships in shale plays, and the use of convolutional neural networks in core analysis. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 207744 Accelerating Subsurface Data Processing and Interpretation With Cloud-Based Full Waveform Inversion Systems by Sirivan Chaleunxay, Amazon Web Services, et al. SPE 205443 Natural-Language Processing and Text-Mining Approaches in Production-Shortfalls Analytics: Methodology, Case Study, and Value in the North Sea by Edgar Bernier, Total Denmark, et al. URTEC 208367 Real-Time Applications for Geological Operations: Repeatable AI Use Cases by Alfio Malossi, Eni, et al.

Dynamic 4E (energy, exergy, economic and environmental) analysis and tri-criteria optimization of a building-integrated plant with latent heat thermal energy storage

The buildings energy sector is expected to account for 40% of total world energy consumption and 40% participation on total carbon dioxide emissions, according to the International Energy Agency reports. The present study proposes a novel integrated system to meet all loads of the house's energy requirements. The system employs a heat storage tank rather than pricey batteries, which helps to keep the total cost of the system as low as feasible. Also, the system is developed for an on-grid operation, being capable to sell surplus energy to the grid helping to reduce the payback time. Dynamic modeling is conducted to analyze the system performance to provide heating, cooling and power demands of a case study building, for which two scenarios of with and without Phase Change Material (PCM) incorporation is considered. The influence of critical design factors is investigated, after which a tri-objective optimization is carried out. It was found that, the integration of PCM energy storage would reduce the annual heating and cooling demands of the building by 25.6%. As a result, the exergy efficiency of the proposed system increases by 13 % and the product cost is reduced by 8.57%. Based on the obtained yearly average results, the proposed building energy system yields exergy efficiency, unit product cost, and CO2 emission of 64.3 %, 0.26 $/kWh, and 0.21 kg/kWh, respectively.

North Africa Builds Back With the Rise of Egypt and East Med Gas

With Europe facing winter gas shortages, North Africa’s role as an energy supplier is in the spotlight, particularly as Algeria’s 1 November closure of the Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline to Spain via Morocco further tightens volumes of gas that Europe can import. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects a 40% drop in Europe’s domestic gas production by 2025 outside of Norway, with the Netherlands and the UK accounting for more than 80% of that decrease. The Netherlands is closing its Groningen field, source of almost half the country’s production in 2019 but also a cause of earthquakes. Its output will be cut by more than 50% to 3.9 Bcm in the year through October 2022, which will be the last year of regular production, according to the Dutch government. The UK cannot seem to offset declining North Sea production despite Total’s 2018 Glendronach discovery in the West of the Shetland Island area and its 2019 Glengorm discovery in the central North Sea with China’s CNOOC. Norwegian production remains flat, averaging 120 Bcm per year over the next 5 years, the IEA reports. And despite the energy policy voiced from Brussels that focuses mostly on renewables, few in the know dispute that gas is and will remain a critical component of the energy transition moving forward for transport, power generation, and as a feedstock to produce hydrogen. North Africa can provide gas—specifically from the Eastern Mediterranean where Egypt, Israel, Cyprus, and Greece are developing a world-class resource base while Cairo positions itself, buoyed by support from the EU and the US, as a regional hub for pipeline gas to Europe as well as LNG and electricity distribution between North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. North Africa’s Future Shifts From Sand to Deep Water Eni is Egypt’s largest gas producer. The Italian major is active across the North African upstream, investing in new exploration in Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, but its crown jewel is Egypt’s Zohr gas field in which it has a 50% operator interest and partners with Russia’s Rosneft (30%), BP (10%), and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Petroleum (10%). The Zohr gas field is located in the Shorouk concession which Eni holds under a production-sharing agreement with Egypt. Situated 190 km north of Port Said, Zohr is Egypt’s largest-ever gas discovery and the largest-ever discovery in the Mediterranean Sea. Eni brought Zohr’s gas on stream in record time, 2 years after the field’s initial discovery in 2015, according to the company’s website. Production reached a targeted 2.7 Bcf/D in August 2019, nearly 5 months ahead of plan, due to the swift completion of eight land-based treatment units including those for sulfur removal, as well as the commissioning of three wells and a second 30-in., 216-km-long gas pipeline to join underwater production facilities to the land-based treatment plant, Eni reported. Eni’s 2020 plan included drilling of two more production wells to boost gross capacity to 3,200 MMscf/D and the upgrading of subsea facilities and onshore treatment.

HEALTH EFFECT OF EMISSION FROM ELECTRIC AND BIO-DIESEL VEHICLES – A REVIEW

The transport vehicles have been using the internal combustion engine for many decades. The internal combustion engine is used because of their high reliability. The transport sector plays a vital role in the country’s economy. It is estimated that about 90% of the transportation sector uses fossil fuels. With the increasing industrialization, there will be a shortage of fossil fuels. Every year there is an increase in the energy demand by 2%, stated by International Energy Agency Report. There would be 39% increase in the greenhouse gas emission by the year 2030 from fossil fuels. With the rising concern about climate change and the increasing amount of toxic emissions, manufacturers of the car are getting aware and are shifting towards less polluting vehicles or green vehicles. Biodiesel is also gaining interest and is being preferred because of its continued availability, emission characteristics showed that biodiesel have low CO emission. With addition of ethanol the emission of CO further decreases but NOx emission increases. NOx decreased with jatropha methyl ester & 50% turpentine oil. On the other hand use of electric vehicle or hybrid electric vehicle would also decrease the emission by 51% but would increase the load on power grid by 3% for every 30% penetration. Which would increase the emission/air pollution from the thermal power plant. Emission in the human body can cause illness, increase the death of can be hazardous to the health of humans. This paper gives a review of the emissions from biodiesel and electric vehicles and the health effects

New International Energy Agency report pressures oil industry to speed transition

New International Energy Agency report pressures oil industry to speed transition

Анализ использования индикаторов оценки энергетической безопасности в научных публикациях

The article analyzes the general picture of the use of five indicators for assessing energy security: World Energy Trilemma Index, International Index of Energy Security Risk, SES. Sustainable Energy Security Index, Global Energy Architecture Performance, The IEA Model of Short-term Energy Security, proposed by international energy agencies in research studies on energy security. Their rare use in scientific publications and even in the texts of reports of a number of agencies is noted. As an example, the case of China shows that the use of indicators in conjunction with the regular International Energy Agency reports can only give a general picture of the country’s energy security, but does not allow a deeper analysis due to the lack of access to the source data. A brief bibliometric analysis of publications on energy security indicators is provided. It is shown that bibliometric indicators can be verstatile markers of expert attitude to the topic under study and identify promising areas of research on energy security issues.

Over the hump: Have we reached the peak of carbon emissions?

ABSTRACT Recent news reports have focused on the so-called collapse of coal, which indeed is in free-fall in many nations. And it’s not limited to the news media; an International Energy Agency report said “… Only renewables are holding up during the previously unheard-of slump in electricity use.” Coal use is down to record low-levels in the United States. This decrease is also underway for oil and natural gas. Meanwhile, new solar and wind projects are up 4 percent since the start of the year, and the most affordable projects worldwide over the past three years have all been renewable energy installations. These cost trends, and the slow-down in demand for fossil-fuels that came with the COVID-19-induced recession tipped the balance in favor of clean, renewable energy – at least temporarily. But from here on in, much depends on what we do next: How will we respond to this accidental and costly emergency? Will we double-down on pollution and the racial injustices that are inherent with the use of fossil fuels? Or will we use this hiatus to craft a new, green, and job-creating economy?

A Research on the Factors Influencing Carbon Emission of Transportation Industry in “the Belt and Road Initiative” Countries Based on Panel Data

Carbon emissions in countries in the “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)” account for more than half of the world’s total volume. According to the international energy agency report, the world transportation industry carbon emissions in 2015 came second on the list for the proportion of global carbon emissions across all industries, accounting for 23.96% of the total. Along with the advancement of the BRI construction, transportation industry carbon emissions will continue their rapid growth. Therefore, studying the factors affecting the carbon emissions of the transportation industry in countries in the BRI is conducive to the formulation of policies to control carbon emissions. In this paper, the CO2 emissions of the transportation industry in countries in the BRI line from 2005 to 2015 were measured, and then the influencing factors of 57 countries in the BRI were analyzed by using the panel data model. The results show that per capita GDP, urbanization level, and energy consumption structure have positive effects on the carbon emissions of transportation industry, while technology level and trade openness have negative effects on carbon emissions of the transportation industry. Therefore, in order to effectively control the carbon emissions of the transportation industry in the BRI countries, it is necessary to reasonably control the transportation industry carbon emissions caused by urbanization, optimize the energy consumption structure of the transportation industry, optimize the structure of the transportation industry, and improve the openness of trade and the technical level of the BRI countries.

Energy, Environment, and Social Development: What If You Had No Modern Energy? The Realities of Solving Energy Poverty

President's column Hurricane Harvey gave many SPE members in Houston at least a few days’ experience of life without electricity. Most of us find it hard to imagine what life would be like without the access to energy that we take for granted—the flip of a light switch, heating something in the microwave, or climate control in our homes. Yet nearly 1 billion people on our planet go through their days without electric lights, refrigeration, heating/cooling, clean fuel for cooking food indoors, and more. Those who rely on wood, peat, or dung for cooking spend hours each day gathering fuel. The gatherers are often the women and children, precluding their access to education and other opportunities. Use of kerosene for lighting has been linked to lung cancer, pneumonia, heart disease, and other health problems. Lamps are easily knocked over and start fires. A lack of access to electricity has ripple effects across many aspects of people’s lives, health, and safety. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that in 2017 more than 120 million people worldwide gained access to electricity, causing the total number of people without access to fall below 1 billion for the first time ever. IEA is expecting this reduction in energy poverty to double when 2018 data are available. The United Nations is targeting zero energy poverty by 2030. The gains during 2017 are largely attributable to a significant government effort in India to bring electricity to all of its villages and progress in a few African countries. Despite these gains, more than 55% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa and around 9% of those in Asia still lack access to the benefits of electricity. In 15 African countries, the percentage of the population without access to electricity is 75% or more. Where did the electricity for those 120 million new consumers come from? Since 2000, according to IEA, 26% of this additional access to electricity has come from natural gas, and to a lesser extent, oil. Another 45% has come from coal (commonly used for electricity in India). Since 2012, renewables have grown in the mix and now constitute 34% of new electric connections in developing areas, led by solar power. Those who argue we should stop using all fossil fuels immediately may not realize that they would be limiting the opportunity of those without power to improve their standard of living. Progress on ensuring access to clean fuels for cooking has been much slower. IEA estimates that 2.8 billion people lack access to modern cooking fuels, virtually unchanged from 2000. China and Indonesia have made progress through policies encouraging use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas, and electricity for cooking. IEA reports that 2.5 billion people cook with traditional biomass sources, while another 120 million use kerosene and 170 million use coal for cooking. Natural gas, LPG, and natural gas liquids have the potential for replacing these sources, with significant environmental and health benefits as well.

Business Model Innovation Approach for Commercializing Smart Grid Systems

The depletion of fossil fuels, increased environmental concerns, rising cost and the demand for clean energy are causing the transformation of energy generation and distribution system, to shift towards the consumption side. Electricity generation sources and distribution systems are drifting from non-renewable to renewable, centralized to decentralized and localized, and traditional grid systems to smart grid systems. New technologies nurture the concept of transformation of energy firms, all the way from energy production to electricity consumption. Smart grid systems are one of the disruptive and emerging technologies that might influence the entire electricity system. This disruptive technology demands a new business model which can be used to commercialize the new power distribution system and thus create value for all stakeholders, from production to consumption. The Smart grid has the potential to revolutionize the electricity industry if it is commercialized successfully. It allows information and communication technology firms to contribute with their modern technology to empower their consumers to regulate the usage of electricity. To investigate the reasons for shifting from the old to the new energy system, the impact of this disruptive technology on energy providing firms, the demand for the new business model and the approach of the new business model in terms of creating and capturing values published peer-reviewed articles, and international energy agency reports have been reviewed. This paper encourages energy providing firms to redesign business models for commercializing new energy distribution system and to offer new services to the energy consumers for their future survival in the new trends of the energy market. These services include integrating with renewable energy sources, electric vehicle services, and demand response services to create more value for the consumers and in return gains more profit for each actor. The services provided through integration of renewable energy with smart grid and the electric vehicle will empower consumers involvement in the electricity system which will give them more control over electricity. CO2 production will be reduced, helping to create a clean environment and will enable operators to improve grid security and network stability. Finally, demand response services will provide multiple electricity package options to the consumers in which they can select an appropriate package according to their need which will give them more control over their electricity bill. System operators can optimize their grid operations to provide better power quality, and service providers can increase their income by offering additional services.

Comments: Signs of Recovery

Editor's column After 3 tough years of cost cuts and downsizing, the oil industry is seeing signs of new life in a lower-price environment. Companies are hiring again, salaries have rebounded, and large producers are posting profits. The oil and gas industry is finally hiring and may begin to face worker shortages in some areas. Since oil prices crashed in 2014, more than 440,000 jobs in the industry have been cut worldwide. But next year, almost 90% of employers expect that staffing levels will either stabilize or increase in 2018, according to a survey by NES Global Talent and oilandgasjobsearch.com. Almost 60% of employers expect to recruit significantly over the next year. Of the companies that are hiring, 23% expect to increase their workforce by 5%, 19% plan to increase staffing by between 5 and 10%; and 17% expect to increase hiring by more than 10%. Almost half of employers expect salaries to rise. SPE’s annual industry salary survey also paints a brighter picture. Industry professionals reported average total compensation of $194,649 this year, a $9,000 increase from 2016 although still down from 2014 and earlier. Compared with 2016, mean base pay, other compensation, and total compensation all rose in 2017. Oil prices have finally crossed the $50/bbl threshold, with Brent over $60/bbl in mid-November. Rising prices, along with sharp cost cutting, are leading to operator profits. The supermajors—including ExxonMobil, Total, Chevron, Shell, and BP—all posted healthy third-quarter earnings and solid year-over-year improvement in cash flow and profits. In delivering their earnings, both BP and Shell said they would remain profitable even if oil prices dipped into the high-$40/bbl range. The large service companies, such as Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, and Halliburton, were more circumspect in their outlooks but see a foundation laid for better days ahead. OPEC also sees positive days ahead in its latest forecast. It predicts that global oil demand in 2018 will grow and that non-OPEC production will not increase as fast as previously thought. Along with its production cuts, that will continue to reduce excess oil in storage. OPEC, Russia, and a handful of other producers agreed to cut output by 1.8 million B/D, and compliance with the agreement has been stellar. OPEC’s report concedes that it did not kill off North American shale when it flooded the market with oil 3 years ago, and that shale will continue to see strong supply growth. A new International Energy Agency reports confirms OPEC’s conclusion on shale’s staying power. The IEA said the supply surge in shale output will lead to the largest gains in the history of the industry. By 2025, the US will match Saudi Arabia in oil production and surpass the former Soviet Union in gas output, according to its World Energy Outlook. The US oil industry “weathered the turbulent period of lower oil prices since 2014 with remarkable fortitude,” according to the report.

Kicking the Oil Addiction

Kicking the Oil Addiction

Electricity in a Climate Constrained World [Book Review

This latest study by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on world electricity consumption, its current status, and the most likely developments we are going to see during the next few years. If you are familiar with other IEA reports, you may find this one a bit of a change as it is not just a detailed collection of data, an account of the methodology applied, and the resulting statistical analysis. In this particular study, the IEA has also included a set of more general topical essays from various experts within the organization. There are actually ten of these essays/chapters in the first part of the book. The compiled essays presents all the latest data if you are working in an area associated with the global electricity industry. It also provides many insights into the current status of the electricity industry and, if you are concerned with such matters, you will find information on key trends and issues.

Green technologies for Asia–Pacific economies

United Nations recently reported that the current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to rise to 8.1 billion in 2025, and next hitting 9.6 billion in 2050. This additional population growth of 2.4 billion in the next 3.5 decades translates into additional requirements of energy, transportation and many other needs for which resources will have to be extracted from planet Earth. Note that approximately 50 % of the projected population will live in the Asia–Pacific region, which means greater attention is needed to ensure the practice of sustainable development in this region. According to the World Energy Outlook 2012 of the International Energy Agency (IEA), with the New Policies Scenario (which takes into account policy and plans of various countries in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and in phasing out fossil-energy subsidies), the global energy demand is projected to grow to 16,730 million tonnes oil equivalent (toe) in 2035, i.e. an increase of more than one-third compared to the figure in 2010 (12,380 million toe). Once again, 60 % of this growth is contributed by China and India in the Asia–Pacific region, as well as the Middle East countries. Despite the growth in low carbon energy sources, fossil fuels remain dominant in the global energy mix. Closely related to the issue of energy use is the deterioration of environmental quality. Carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere has been reported to exceed 400 ppm in May 2013 for the first time in human history. The 2013 IEA report (Redrawing the EnergyClimate Map) also reported that global energy-related CO2 emissions has increased to 31.6 Gt in 2012, with 60 % of the emission contributed by non-OECD countries, i.e. an increase of 45 % over 2000. In the IEA’s perspective, energy is the core of the problem, since fossil fuels accounts for 80 % of global energy consumption, and hence contributes approximately two-thirds of the global GHG emissions. In the past decade, we have seen active developments in the Asia–Pacific region of various green technologies. One may define the latter as any technique, strategy or procedure which helps with movements towards the goal of sustainable development. Some had also known it as ‘clean technology’. Some governments in this region have been weaving green technology into their respective national culture and policy as a mean of ensuring sustainable improvement. For instance, a number of laws were enacted by China to implement green policies, including the Law on Promotion of Clean Production and the Law on Renewable Energy. In Japan, the Council for Science and Technology Policy aims to contribute to sustainable development by constructing mutually beneficial relationships with partners. As one of the leading developing countries, Malaysia has launched National Biomass Strategy to enhance Malaysia’s competitiveness as a clean technologies hub. With the main objective of ‘Biomass to Wealth’, the Malaysian National Biomass Strategy would pave the way for the growth of new high value industries from locally-developed innovation and technologies, including of bio-based chemicals and bio-energy. In the Philippines, Biofuels Act of 2006 is in place for the mandatory use of biofuel blends for transportation. Recent experience has shown significant opportunities to explore D. C. Y. Foo (&) H. L. Lam Centre of Excellence for Green Technologies, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Broga Road, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia e-mail: Dominic.Foo@nottingham.edu.my

Wall Street Journal front page: "U.S. redraws world oil map"

An age of energy adequacy is foreseen for the US based on an International Energy Agency report.

New R&D White Paper Addresses Challenges for Future Energy Supply

R&D white paper Over the next 30 years, the world's economies will need more energy to fuel their growth, and the oil and gas industry will have to increase investment substantially in research and development (R&D) in order to keep pace. This fact is the central theme of a new white paper from SPE's R&D Advisory Committee titled "The R&D Challenges to Secure Energy Supply for the Third Trillion Barrels and Beyond." The third trillion refers to a US Geological Survey estimate that there are more than 3 trillion bbl of recoverable conventional oil worldwide, with one-third already consumed and the remaining two-thirds largely in the possession of national oil companies (NOCs). As worldwide energy demand grows by more than 50% by 2030 [according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) World Energy Outlook 2006], the oil and gas industry will need to rely heavily on R&D advances, according to Vikram Rao, SPE, Chairman of the R&D Advisory Committee and Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Halliburton. "The 12-member R&D Advisory Committee has raised a number of initiatives since its inception in 2002, all designed to raise the profile of R&D in the energy industry," Rao said. "The committee's new white paper was written with one initiative in mind, to promote awareness of R&D challenges impacting the industry to an audience outside of the petroleum community." "The white paper is mainly concentrated on demographics of what the next 1 to 2 trillion bbl will look like," said Arnis Judzis, SPE, one of the paper's main committee coauthors and Vice President of Schlumberger Data and Consulting Services. "We wanted to relate the myriad challenges associated with producing the unconventional and alternative energy sources that will be needed." Rao agreed, adding that, "It was intended to be a manifesto, a way to shed light on the imperatives for the industry, and to begin a dialog on the areas of endeavor that are fruitful for R&D." Before the industry can bear the fruits of an increased energy offering, a significant increase in oil and gas R&D spending will be needed. According to 2007 estimates by the IEA, this investment will need to be on the order of USD 8.2 trillion over the next 25 years. Over the past 25 years, energy R&D investment as a percentage of total R&D declined from 10% to roughly 2% in the US alone. The IEA reports similar declines on a global scale over the same time period. Major R&D investments over the past 15 to 20 years have focused on technologies designed to find and produce more conventional hydrocarbons, including advances in 3D and 4D seismic, directional drilling, and production in frontier areas such as the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and Brazil. "These technologies will not meet our future needs, and we will need to collaborate on new technical innovations and diversify our energy supply going forward," said Rao.

The Beat

Vol. 115, No. 4 EnvironewsOpen AccessThe Beat Erin E. Dooley Erin E. Dooley Search for more papers by this author Published:1 April 2007https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.115-a189bAboutSectionsPDF ToolsDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InReddit Global Map of Malaria RiskScientists from the University of Oxford and the Kenya Medical Research Institute have just completed the first data-gathering stage of the Malaria Atlas Project, which will identify populations most at risk for malaria and predict the disease’s impact. Malaria data have been gathered from more than 3,000 communities in 79 countries. A final map will be generated using data from satellites, censuses, and other sources, with statistical methods filling in data gaps. Policy makers and funding agencies can utilize this information to better target resources. The open-access project is described in the December 2006 edition of PLoS Medicine.China Top CO2 Producer by 2010An International Energy Agency report issued in November 2006 estimates that China will overtake the United States as the largest producer of carbon dioxide by 2010, a decade sooner than earlier studies projected. A large percentage of the carbon dioxide emitted in the world comes from coal consumption. Seventy percent of China’s energy comes from coal, which is cheap and abundant in that country. China has stated it will try to limit coal production to 2.6 billion metric tons by 2010, but experts say this goal will probably not be met—the Chinese government is planning 500 new coal-fired power plants to meet the nation’s energy demands.Airline Rules Stir Up ControversyIn December 2006 the European Commission proposed new rules to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from the airline industry. Such emissions have increased 87% since 1990, and by 2020 are expected to more than double over present levels. The regulations place a cap on carbon dioxide emissions, with each airline receiving a set number of pollution allowances each year. Those using up their allowances must buy carbon credits from companies that still have them. As proposed, the rules will apply by 2012 to all flights to and from airports within the European Union. However, U.S. industry and government officials feel the rules violate international trade agreements and may fight the regulations if they are passed.The Sting of Climate ChangeThe number of people treated for jellyfish stings in Australia doubled to 26,000 between 2005 and 2006. An Australian jellyfish expert warns that the number of people stung each year could continue to rise as rising ocean temperatures may result in longer jellyfish seasons and larger jellyfish populations. Lisa-Ann Gershwin, an advisor to Surf Life Saving, also says that jellyfish, an ancient species, are “very good at taking advantage of changing conditions.” The nonstinging Mnemiopsis leidyi, for instance, thought to have been introduced to the Black and Caspian Seas via ballast water, has flourished to the point of decimating local ecosystems.Antimicrobial Nanoparticles to Be RegulatedThe U.S. EPA announced in November 2006 that it would begin regulating consumer items made with nanoparticles of silver, the first time the agency has regulated any nanomaterial. Among the products made with these bactericidal nanoparticles are food-storage containers, air fresheners, shoe liners, and washing machines. Environmentalists worry that the growth of this technology may contribute to the killing off of beneficial bacteria and aquatic organisms, with adverse ramifications for human health. Only products that claim to kill germs will be affected by the rules.Asbestos Found in Korean SubwaysInspectors with the Seoul Metro subway in South Korea found asbestos in passenger-accessible sections of 17 of 30 subway stations they inspected in the winter of 2006. This follows a January 2004 Environment International study that found that Korean repair workers were being exposed to chrysotile and tremolite fibers in the subway. Asbestos was used in the construction of the stations to absorb noise and vibration from trains and is mainly present in ceiling tiles and insulation. Seoul Metro issued a statement on 22 January 2007 that it will remove the asbestos, though experts in Korea say the lack of trained asbestos removal specialists in the country will make it difficult to complete the job safely and effectively.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 115, No. 4 April 2007Metrics About Article Metrics Publication History Originally published1 April 2007Published in print1 April 2007 Financial disclosuresPDF download License information EHP is an open-access journal published with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. All content is public domain unless otherwise noted. Note to readers with disabilities EHP strives to ensure that all journal content is accessible to all readers. However, some figures and Supplemental Material published in EHP articles may not conform to 508 standards due to the complexity of the information being presented. If you need assistance accessing journal content, please contact [email protected]. Our staff will work with you to assess and meet your accessibility needs within 3 working days.

Substantiation of a lower estimate for the bunker inventory: Comment on “Updated emissions from ocean shipping” by James J. Corbett and Horst W. Koehler

Substantiation of a lower estimate for the bunker inventory: Comment on “Updated emissions from ocean shipping” by James J. Corbett and Horst W. Koehler

Limiting Atmospheric CO 2

W orldwide emissions of CO2 continue to increase, and prudence dictates that technologies be developed to help limit this trend. One of several ways to attenuate the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere is to sequester it.[*][1] The technology for doing so exists. The injection of CO2 into oil fields is having economically beneficial effects while at the same time sequestering CO2. In addition, under the surface of the earth in the United States and elsewhere, many structures that once were filled with fossil fuels have been exploited, leaving space that might be used to store CO2. In the United States, some of the structures from which natural gas has been extracted are being used to safely store high-pressure gas produced elsewhere. In the exploitation of petroleum fields, about 20 to 40% of the oil can usually be obtained. In the early days, production was often enhanced in neighboring wells when water was forced down into one of them. Later it was discovered that CO2 under pressure was also effective. In many oil wells, pressures and temperatures are high enough that CO2 becomes a mobile fluid that is miscible with oils having densities of about 0.90 grams per cubic centimeter or less. These liquids tend to move toward lower pressures in production wells, and with this technique an additional 10 to 15% of the oil in an oil field can often be produced. Much of the CO2 is recycled, but part of it remains in the oil-bearing formations. The net result can be profitable use of CO2 and sequestration of some of it. In the United States in 1998, CO2 had a major role in producing 6% of domestic crude oil. Later this year, a project using CO2 will begin at Weymouth Sasketchawan in Canada. A field there that has been producing oil since 1952 will receive 5000 metric tons of CO2 per day via a 300-kilometer pipeline. The source will be the Dakota Gasification Company, located in Beulah, North Dakota. During the course of a multiyear injection, 20 million metric tons of CO2 will be sequestered, and an extra 130 million barrels of oil will be produced. An international team will monitor the behavior of the field, and details of their findings will be made widely available. Another benefit could be that more attention will be focused on the Dakota Gasification Company. Among the plant's other outputs are electricity, methane, hydrogen, ammonium sulfate, phenols, and cresols. Its principal inputs are liquid oxygen, steam, and lignite coal. Almost all of the efforts to use CO2 in enhanced oil recovery have occurred in the United States. A notable exception is a large Bati Roman field in southeast Turkey. Its heavy oil has high-molecular-weight components, and primary production was capable of achieving an ultimate recovery of only 1.5% of the original oil. Injection of CO2 was successful in increasing production. Total miscibility was not achieved, but a large volume of CO2 dissolved in the oil and its viscosity decreased from 1000 centiposes (cp) to less than 100 cp. This facilitated flow, and a recovery of 6.5% is expected. The present amount of geological sequestration of CO2 is small in comparison with emissions. However, the ultimate global potential is substantial. In addition to its use in petroleum fields, a substantial volume of CO2 could be sequestered in deep unmineable coal and in depleted natural gas fields. A 131-page report commissioned by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy has included estimates of what might ultimately be achieved. [†][2] The IEA report estimates that the ultimate storage capacity of the oil and gas fields equates to over 125 years of total current CO2 emissions from fossil-fueled power plants. A major source of CO2 is the combustion of fossil fuel in power plants. Coal is the major and the cheapest fuel, but CO2 formed by burning it is polluted. The gas must be cleaned and pressurized before injection. The total cost of these procedures is roughly $53 per metric ton or more. This cost is a barrier to segregating it. A vigorous program aimed at cutting the cost of cleaning CO2 emitted by power plants should have a high priority and adequate funding. Success in such a program would be an important help in reducing the overall costs of whatever sequestration methods were ultimately employed. Controversy exists about the possible extent of the contribution of CO2 to present and future global warming. However, if international agreements are implemented to attenuate the buildup of atmospheric CO2, sequestration of it in unused or abandoned fossil hydrocarbon fields is one good step to take. [1]: #fn-1 [2]: #fn-2