Offshore Petroleum Research Articles

Exposure to fibres and risk of pleural mesothelioma in the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers cohort

ObjectivesPleural mesothelioma is a rare respiratory cancer, mainly caused by inhalation of asbestos fibres. Other inorganic fibres are also suggested risk factors. We aimed to investigate the association between exposure...

Carboxylic Acids in the Synthesis of Chemicals for Addressing Flow Assurance Challenges in Offshore Petroleum Production

Abstract: Flow assurance encompasses the technical challenges of transporting hydrocarbon mixtures from the reservoir to the platform and refineries. Challenges in flow assurance include gas hydrate plugs, deposition of paraffin wax, asphaltenes, naphthenates, scale, and corrosion. Managing these deposits incurs high costs due to production interruptions and remediation operations like pigging, solvent injection, acid dissolutions, and thermal treatments. Therefore, prevention methods, such as the use of chemicals that inhibit deposit formation, are preferred. This review consolidates scientific works highlighting the role of carboxylic acids in the synthesis of chemicals for addressing flow assurance challenges as starting materials or final products for direct use. These organic compounds are already employed for the mild remediation of scale and naphthenate deposits and inhibiting gas hydrate, paraffin wax, asphaltene, scale deposits, and corrosion. Moreover, they play a crucial role in developing green flow assurance challenges inhibitors, given that some, like fatty acids, amino acids, and aromatic carboxylic acids, can be derived from natural sources. The presence of the carboxylic acid group in polymers and biopolymers is also essential for the effectiveness of these products as inhibitors. The literature further suggests that carboxylic acids will play a key role in the future development of simultaneous gas hydrate, corrosion, and scale inhibitors.

Managing deepsea oil spills through a systematic modeling approach

Offshore oil exploration and production in deepwater are associated with environmental risks to marine ecosystems. This research introduces DWOSM (Deep Water Oil Spill Model), a three-dimensional Lagrangian model, which is developed to simulate the transport and fate of oil spills resulting from subsea blowouts. DWOSM comprises three interconnected modules: DWOSM-DSD, which predicts the oil droplet size distribution from a blowout release; DWOSM-NearField, simulating plume dynamics and tracking oil droplets within the plume region; and DWOSM-FarField, modeling the evolution of dispersed oil beyond the near-field. Compared to other oil spill models, this integrated approach improves the transition between near and far fields using a near-field particle tracking algorithm. It also employs the thermodynamic models to enable the prediction of oil properties under varying deep water pressure and temperature. To gauge the reliability and efficacy of DWOSM, a hypothetical case situated within a North American context is employed for model testing. The DWOSM and its each module are juxtaposed with other established oil spill models. The outcomes indicate that DWOSM yields comparable results to these models by providing reasonable predictions of a deepwater blowout. The model's verification through case scenario testing and comparison underscores its potential as a decision tool for assessing and managing the potential environmental impacts of offshore petroleum activities.

Building a carbon storage portfolio for the Barrow and Dampier sub-basins – a national resource

The Australian government has recently legislated a 43% emissions reduction target for 2030 to drive net zero ambitions for 2050. The government plans for carbon capture and storage (CCS) to play a significant role in achieving this through greenhouse gas storage licence rounds. Rapid screening of Australia’s carbon storage opportunities is necessary to position future acreage release and ultimately identify and mature carbon storage sites. An industry collaboration between Geoscience Australia and SLB has conducted a basin-scale carbon storage assessment project for the Barrow and Dampier sub-basins. The project has built and modernised a subsurface database fit for CCS screening. The dataset was used as the foundation to create a carbon storage opportunity portfolio and storage resource assessment for the area. The project has three major streams: (1) CCS-focussed reprocessing, depth imaging and merging of 29 legacy seismic surveys covering 26,150 km2 – focussed on detailed image resolution for containment analysis. (2) A basin-wide audit of 1620 wells and databasing of available log data, 129 wells were carried through for petrophysical and rock physics analysis relevant to CCS. (3) A portfolio of carbon storage opportunities and associated capacity assessment for the Barrow–Dampier including saline aquifers and depleted fields ranked on storage capacity, reservoir and seal properties and integrity. The results of this study will be released via the National Offshore Petroleum Information Management System as a public resource to expedite CCS implementation for the region.

2023 Exploration and appraisal year in review

Petroleum exploration expenditure in 2023 increased modestly over that of 2022, but remains well below expenditure highs of a decade ago which were dominated by offshore activity. Exploration is dominant in onshore state jurisdictions and has been since 2019, and will continue to be with no Federal offshore petroleum exploration acreage release rounds or exploration permit awards in 2023. Despite the modest increase in exploration expenditure there were 38 exploration wells drilled in 2023, an increase from the 26 wells drilled in 2022. Three of these 2023 wells were located offshore, targeting prospective resources in the vicinity of liquefied natural gas (LNG) project upstream gas fields. Thirty-four conventional onshore exploration wells were drilled in 2023 compared to 18 in 2022, a significant increase. The Cooper–Eromanga Basin was the focus of onshore exploration drilling with 21 exploration wells, compared to 13 in 2022, which yielded six discoveries. The onshore Northern Perth Basin continues to be an exploration hot spot with five wells drilled in 2023, compared to four in 2022. The Permian Kingia Sandstone exploration play continues to deliver exploration success, with discoveries at North Erregulla Deep-1, Trigg Northwest-1, South Erregulla-3 and Tarantula Deep-1. Five exploration permits were awarded in onshore Western Australia and two in Queensland. These permits were awarded with modest exploration work programs. The interest in carbon capture and storage projects and assessment acreage continues with a Federal offshore greenhouse gas (GHG) release round in 2023 and 26 onshore state jurisdiction GHG assessment permits awarded or nominated preferred tender status.

Reducing risk of sexual harassment: a positive duty of care

The oil and gas sector has made progress towards becoming safer and more respectful for all employees. However, recent public reports, including the Western Australian Parliament’s ‘Enough is Enough’, and increasing engagement from National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), continue to demonstrate that sexual harassment remains pervasive across the industry – 32% of people still experience sexual harassment in their workplace. The social, physical, psychological, and financial costs of sexual harassment are devastating, both to individuals and employers. The damage can carry long-term business and reputational consequences. All Australian employers are under a new, legally enforceable positive duty to take ‘reasonable and proportionate measures’ to prevent sexual harassment. It requires proactive steps to ensure sexual harassment is prevented from happening in the first place. Vicarious liability provisions have been expanded so that employers can now be held accountable – even if no complaints are lodged. Employers require a clear framework to ensure they are meeting their positive duty obligations. There are three key areas that can enable the oil and gas sector to strategically leverage their compliance activities, maximising benefits for their business and for their people. These key areas include: (1) capability and engagement of leaders and management; (2) understanding the risk factors and drivers of sexual harassment for the industry, and for individual organisations; and (3) understanding employee experiences of psychological safety, culture, and behaviours.

Distribution Characteristics and Pollution Sources Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Phthalate Esters in the Seawater of Land-Based Outlets around Zhanjiang Bay in Spring

This study analyzed the distribution characteristics and sources of pollutants in the coastal estuaries of Zhanjiang Bay (ZJB) to provide theoretical and data support for the scientific prevention and control of bay pollution. Monitoring data from eight rivers and flood drains flowing into ZJB in March 2021 were used to analyze the composition and spatial distribution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) in the water bodies of the bay. The dominant components in the eight rivers and flood drains were 3–4-ring PAHs, with Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), and Dibutyl-O-phthalate (DBP) being the main PAE compounds. Higher pollutant levels were observed in residential areas, aquaculture zones, and industrial areas. Eigen-ratio analysis and principal component analysis were used to identify pollution sources, including atmospheric inputs (coal, petroleum products, biomass combustion products), offshore petroleum pollution, and plastic pollution sources. The assessment showed that atmospheric inputs contributed to 89.75% of the total PAHs in the bay, with coal and biomass combustion accounting for 62.12% and petroleum fuel combustion accounting for 27.63%. The content of ΣPAEs ranged from 588.43 to 1427.26 ng·L−1, with a mean value of 906.59 ng·L−1, which is at a low to medium level compared to other regions of China and abroad, indicating a medium-low level of pollution risk. The results of this study have important implications for guiding urban development, adjusting energy consumption structures, and planning pollution prevention and control measures in ZJB.

Naturally occurring radioactive materials in offshore infrastructure: Understanding formation and characteristics of baryte scale during decommissioning planning

Contaminants, including naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) of the 238-uranium and 232-thorium decay series, have been recognized as a global research priority to inform offshore petroleum infrastructure decommissioning decisions. This study aimed to characterize pipeline scale retrieved from a decommissioned subsea well tubular pipe through high-resolution elemental mapping and isotopic analysis. This was achieved by utilizing transmission electron microscopy, Synchrotron x-ray fluorescence, photostimulated luminescence autoradiography and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry. The scale was identified as baryte (BaSO4) forming a dense crystalline matrix, with heterogenous texture and elongated crystals. The changing chemical and physical microenvironment within the pipe influenced the gradual growth rate of baryte over the production life of this infrastructure. A distinct compositional banding of baryte and celestine (SrSO4) bands was observed. Radioactivity attributed by the presence of radionuclides (226Ra, 228Ra) throughout the scale was strongly correlated with baryte. From the detailed scale characterization, we can infer the baryte scale gradually formed within the internals of the tubular well pipe along the duration of production (i.e., 17 years). This new knowledge and insight into the characteristics and formation of petroleum waste products will assist with decommissioning planning to mitigate potential radiological risks to marine ecosystems.

Application Comparison of the Lex Loci Delicti Commission Theory between the Oil Spill Case in the Gulf of Mexico and the Carbon Emissions Case in the Netherlands

The event of a disastrous oil spill from British Petroleum's offshore drilling installation on the 20th of April 2010 was caused by a leaking underwater pipeline, which polluted the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Subsequently, there was the Carbon Emission Case in the Netherlands, which required Shell to reduce their carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 from the carbon emissions generated in 2019. Both events were deeply concerning and directly effected the citizens of the respective countries. In the first case, the spill of approximately 5,000 barrels or 210,000 gallons (795,000 liters) of crude oil spread extensively due to ocean currents where the contaminated area ended up covering 9,933 square kilometers of ocean (77 x 129km). This oil spill, which was a result of British Petroleum's negligence, lead to legal action taken against the company for violations of international environmental laws, due to environmental pollution. In the second case, Shell, was deemed to have contributed significantly to climate change in the Netherlands. The company was responsible for twice the amount of greenhouse gas emissions than the Netherlands. The research method employed in this journal uses a normative juridical research approach, focusing on legal norms within the decisions for Case MDL No. 2179 and the Verdict issued by the Haugue District Court. In this journal, the author concludes that both British Petroleum and Shell have been proven to commit unlawful acts against the international environment laws through environmental pollution.

A REVIEW ON GLYCEROL-BASED DRILLING FLUIDS AND GLYCERINE AS A DRILLING FLUID ADDITIVE

A significant increase of energy demands all over the world and production decline from available oil and gas reservoirs have led the industry to invest in major offshore petroleum resources. However, drilling operations in offshore environments are usually restricted by environmental constraints. Therefore, recent studies are devoted to the development of environmentally compatible fluids with adequate technical properties. Glycerine is a non-toxic, lubricating, colorless, odorless substance with a higher density than water. Due to the properties of glycerine, it can be used as the base of drilling fluid to formulate synthetic-based fluids. This research aimed to review the studies on the applications of glycerine in the composition of drilling fluid. Based on the results, glycerine-based fluids can be considered as an environmentally compatible fluid with sufficient technical properties to replace other drilling fluids. However, there is a lack of experimental studies on the glycerine fluid properties for a reliable decision. For the application of glycerine fluids, an economic feasibility study is mandatory for both pure and crude glycerine. Also, the thermal stability of glycerine fluids is an important aspect, which should be covered in future research studies.

Benzene exposure and risk of lung cancer in the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Worker cohort: a prospective case-cohort study

ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to examine whether occupational exposure to benzene is associated with lung cancer among males in the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers cohort.MethodsAmong 25 347 male...

The Western Arctic – Tariuq (Offshore) Accord: A Long Time Coming

On 10 August 2023, representatives of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the governments of the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Canada signed the Western Arctic–Tariuq (Offshore) Accord.1 The Accord establishes a system for the shared management and regulation of offshore petroleum resources north of the Arctic Circle, west of Nunavut to the limit of Canada’s jurisdiction in the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Ocean and the equitable sharing of benefits. Upon the consent of all Parties, implementing legislation will be introduced to establish the Accord and will, among other things, amend or replace relevant federal legislation. The Accord is a step towards Canada’s implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.2 It is also part of a quest for meaningful participation dating back to the initial activities concerning oil and gas in the region that fuelled negotiations leading to the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. This contribution situates the Accord in the context of these developments to illuminate its potential significance.

O3PO: A domain ontology for offshore petroleum production plants

The challenge of integrating data from many data sources has persisted as an issue in several industry areas. With the evolution of technology in the upstream petroleum sector (i.e., exploration and production), the petroleum business must contend with technological silos from diverse service providers and suffers from the associated waste of time to locate data and information throughout siloed databases. Based on a thorough compilation of industry-oriented requirements in the form of use cases and competency questions, this document defines a domain ontology for defining entities in offshore petroleum production plants. The objective is to develop a uniform and clearly defined reference vocabulary to aid engineers and information technology professionals in labeling and relating production plant monitoring, simulation measures, and facilities. BFO is the top-level ontology, while GeoCore and a continuing version of the core ontology developed by the Industry Ontology Foundry (IOF) configure the middle-level ontologies. We have studied and combined several other resources to build the ontology, such as glossaries from the industry and related ontologies. The research resulted in a well-founded domain ontology that provides universals, defined classes, and relations that can be useful in several types of applications in the domain. We have demonstrated the utility of the ontology within an actual scenario in an offshore petroleum field in Brazil, where we conceived and applied the domain ontology. This study is a component of the PeTWIN project,22Petwin is an academic cooperation between UFRGS, UiO, and Libra, Equinor, and Shell companies (www.petwin.org). which looks at the best approaches for creating digital twins of offshore petroleum plants.

Multiple Elimination Based on Mode Decomposition in the Elastic Half Norm Constrained Radon Domain

Multiple reflection is a common interference wave in offshore petroleum and gas exploration, and the Radon-based filtering method is a frequently used approach for multiple removal. However, the filtering parameter setting is crucial in multiple suppression and relies heavily on the experience of processors. To reduce the dependence on human intervention, we introduce the geometric mode decomposition (GMD) and develop a novel processing flow that can automatically separate primaries and multiples, and then accomplish the suppression of multiples. GMD leverages the principle of the Wiener filtering to iteratively decompose the data into modes with varying curvature and intercept. By exploiting the differences in curvature, GMD can separate primary modes and multiple modes. Then, we propose a novel sparse Radon transform (RT) constrained with the elastic half (EH) norm. The EH norm contains a l1/2 norm and a scaled l2 norm, which is added to overcome the numerical oscillation problem of the l1/2 norm. With the help of the EH norm, the estimated Radon model can reach a remarkable level of sparsity. To solve the optimization problem of the proposed sparse RT, an efficient alternating multiplier iteration algorithm is employed. Leveraging the high sparsity of the Radon model obtained from the proposed transform, we improve the GMD-based multiple removal framework. The high-sparsity Radon model obtained from the proposed Radon transform can not only simplify the separation of primary and multiple modes but also accelerate the convergence of GMD, thus improving the processing efficiency of the GMD method. The performance of the proposed GMD-based framework in multiple elimination is validated through synthetic and field data tests.

EMULSIONS IN OFFSHORE PETROLEUM PRODUCTION: STABILITY AND FLOW ASSURANCE

Emulsions represent a relevant concern in offshore petroleum production. Besides the topside oil-water separation, other topics related to flow assurance have received increasing attention from industry and academy. This paper reviews petroleum emulsions and their aspects that impact offshore petroleum production. Topics discussed in this review include emulsion stability, emulsion samples, and flow assurance related topics like pressure-drop, wax, and hydrates. The knowledge around petroleum emulsions has reached a fair level in terms of stabilization and destabilization mechanisms. Nevertheless, challenges, such as understanding the emulsion formation in presence of pressurized gas and comprehending how emulsions affect the multiphase flow behavior as well as the precipitation of solids, remain.

Two new species of Travisiidae (Annelida, Sedentaria) from Thailand.

Two new species of Travisiidae, Travisia satunensis sp. nov. and T. thailandensis sp. nov., were collected from different locations in Thailand waters. Travisia satunensis sp. nov. was collected in the Andaman Sea, at 214 m water depths. Travisia thailandensis sp. nov. was collected from offshore petroleum concession areas in the Gulf of Thailand, at 5080 m water depths. Travisia satunensis sp. nov. differs from all other species by having branched annulated branchiae on chaetigers 235, each annulated with a single filament, chaetae throughout the body and pygidium with 10 anal cirri, six digitiform and four short cirri, alternately arranged. Travisia thailandensis sp. nov. differs from all other species by having 21 pairs of cirriform, annulated branchiae from chaetiger 2, a mid-ventral groove along body, two last segments achaetous, and nephridiopores on chaetigers 714. A key for Travisia species from the Indo-Pacific region is also provided.

Validation of a full-shift benzene exposure empirical model developed for work on offshore petroleum installations on the Norwegian continental shelf

Workers on offshore petroleum installations might be exposed to benzene, a carcinogenic agent. Recently, a full-shift benzene exposure model was developed based on personal measurements. This study aimed to validate this exposure model by using datasets not included in the model. The exposure model was validated against an internal dataset of measurements from offshore installations owned by the same company that provided data for the model, and an external dataset from installations owned by another company. We used Tobit regression to estimate GM (geometric mean) benzene exposure overall and for individual job groups. Bias, relative bias, precision, and correlation were estimated to evaluate the agreement between measured exposures and the levels predicted by the model. Overall, the model overestimated exposure when compared to the predicted exposure level to the internal dataset with a factor of 1.7, a relative bias of 73%, a precision of 0.6, a correlation coefficient of 0.72 (p = 0.019), while the Lin’s Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) was 0.53. The model underestimated exposure when compared to the external dataset with a factor of about 2, with a relative bias of −45%, a precision of 1.2, a correlation coefficient of 0.31 (p = 0.544), and a Lin’s CCC of 0.25. The exposure model overestimated benzene exposure in the internal validation dataset, while the precision and the correlation between the measured and predicted exposure levels were high. Differences in measurement strategies could be one of the reasons for the discrepancy. The exposure model agreed less with the external dataset.

Reducing the risk of gas leaks into the ocean floor induced by offshore production well failure

Considering the high number of wells in offshore formations such as the Gulf of Mexico having a risk of leaking gas into the surrounding formations, a deep understanding of the fate and transport of gas released from damaged wells is of special relevance for hazard assessment and prevention in offshore petroleum operations. This work explores a robust strategy to reduce the risk and impact of contaminant releases in an offshore formation by analyzing the applicability of machine learning technology as a tool to forecast the information regarding a possible broaching in a loss of containment scenario of an offshore well. Numerical simulations to describe the system behavior in hydrate-bearing media were implemented to generate the data regarding the broaching day and location, and the hydrate mass generated and the total released CH4 in gas phase in the system. Using the data generated from the different scenarios, we trained multiple Artificial Neural Networks for the prediction of the different outputs, which showed excellent correlations between the input and output features. This is the first study to combine machine learning technology for advanced reservoir simulation to reduce the broaching hazard of gas escaping from an offshore production well.

Exposure to benzene and other hydrocarbons and risk of bladder cancer among male offshore petroleum workers

BackgroundOccupational exposures constitute the second leading cause of urinary bladder cancer after tobacco smoking. Increased risks have been found in the petroleum industry, but high-quality exposure data are needed to explain these observations.MethodsUsing a prospective case-cohort design, we analysed 189 bladder cancer cases (1999–2017) and 2065 randomly drawn non-cases from the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers cohort. Cases were identified in the Cancer Registry of Norway, while work histories (1965–1998) and lifestyle factors were recorded by questionnaire at baseline (1998). Occupational petroleum-related hydrocarbon exposures were assessed by expert-developed job-exposure matrices. Hazard ratios were estimated by weighted Cox-regressions, adjusted for age, tobacco smoking, education, and year of first employment, and with lagged exposures.ResultsIncreased risks were found in benzene-exposed workers, either long-term exposure (≥18.8 years, HR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.14–3.13; p-trend = 0.044) or high-level cumulative benzene exposure (HR = 1.60, 95% CI: 0.97–2.63; p-trend = 0.065), compared with the unexposed. Associations persisted with 20-year exposure lag. No associations were found with skin or inhalation exposure to crude oil, mineral oil (lubrication, hydraulics, turbines, drilling), or diesel exhaust.ConclusionsThe results suggest that exposures in the benzene fraction of the petroleum stream may be associated with increased bladder cancer risk.

Researching Offshore Facilities and Choosing an Appropriate Platform for Hydrate Extraction in the Bay of Bengal

Offshore buildings are used in various locations and sea depths for several reasons. Different equipment, platforms, and design techniques are needed depending on water depth, climatic conditions, structural arrangement, and new concepts. Offshore constructions usually generate and transport oil, gas, and other commodities. Bangladesh has yet to use the Bay of Bengal's hydrocarbon potential for oil and gas. Bangladesh lags behind India and Myanmar in maritime oil and gas discovery. In 50 years, Bangladesh's sea barriers have yielded no benefits. Bangladesh's economy is hindered by its high crude oil imports. Focus on offshore petroleum exploration to locate "black gold" now. Therefore, an offshore structure is needed. This thesis paper covers the fundamentals of all offshore systems, broadens the research, and recommends appropriate platforms for various sea-water depths, which those platforms are meant to be built for hydrates predicted in the Bay of Bengal. The paper uses the Bay of Bengal sedimentation and estimated water depth to choose offshore constructions. The country's maritime boundaries have 26 oil and gas blocks. There are 11 in shallow water and 15 in deep sea. According to statistics, the blocks are on the continental shelf and deep-water region. Five zones make up the Bay of Bengal continental shelf. They are shores A-B, B-C, C-D, D-E, and E-F after region F continental slope continues till the deep sea area. The continental slope zone C-D has 64-106 m water depth. Therefore, the Bay of Bengal continental shelf is suitable for all permanent offshore buildings except this zone. Only concrete gravity platforms fit this zone. We need the technology to search for oil and gas in water. It takes a lot of work to get foreign companies to work together. Thus, skilled people should work on it and encourage government or private businesses to develop oil and gas production technology.