Offshore Resources Research Articles

Top Year for High-Impact Global Exploration in the Cards

This year is being viewed as a bounce-back period for high-impact oil and gas drilling after a lackluster 2023, with Africa and Latin America pegged to lead the way. Researchers at Rystad Energy have identified 36 potential high-impact wells to be drilled or spud in 2024, the highest annual total since it started tracking the market in 2015. This year’s slate would mark a sizable jump from the 27 high-impact wells drilled in 2023. Of the 36 potentially significant wells, 13 are in Africa and 10 in Latin America, accounting for almost 64% of the global total. Explorers will drill six of these in Asia, two each in the Middle East, Europe, and North America, and one in Oceania with TotalEnergies’ planned exploration in Papua New Guinea. Rystad found only eight of the 27 high-impact wells drilled in 2023 resulted in commercially movable volumes, a success rate of less than 30%, well below the annual average of 42%. These wells discovered volumes of 1 billion BOE, a sharp decline from the 3.5 billion BOE found in 2022, and they accounted for 20% of the 5 billion BOE discovered by all exploration activities globally last year. In addition, 2023 was an expensive year, with drilling costs rising due to a significantly tighter rig market than in prior years, worsening the blow of a low success rate. Rystad Energy classifies high-impact wells through a combination of factors including the size of the prospect, whether they would unlock new hydrocarbon resources in frontier areas or emerging basins, and their significance to an operator’s strategy. Of the high-impact wells planned this year, 14 will be drilled in frontier and emerging basins, with three opening new plays entirely. Eight planned high-impact wells target prospective offshore resources of more than 430 million BOE and considerable prospective onshore resources of more than 230 million BOE, according to the research firm. The remaining 11 wells are strategically relevant for their respective operators, meaning exploration success would help them gain traction in the region or inform future operational decisions. If all planned wells proceed as scheduled, 2024 would see the highest number of high-impact wells drilled in at least 10 years. Oil majors like BP, Chevron, Eni, ExxonMobil, Shell, and TotalEnergies will dominate high-impact well drilling. About 16 (44%) of the total wells planned will be drilled by these companies, with TotalEnergies planning five, Shell three, and Chevron, Eni, and ExxonMobil targeting two each. Most drilling will be undertaken in the Atlantic margin and Asian waters. National oil companies and internationally focused NOCs will account for eight (22%) of this year’s planned wells, with upstream operators responsible for 17% and smaller operators for the remainder, according to Rystad. Around 70% of African wells will be drilled in frontier and emerging basins or will open new plays. Important frontier wells include in the Red Sea offshore Egypt, in the Angoche Basin offshore Mozambique, and in the Namibe Basin offshore Angola.

National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys Web Portal Provides Public Access to US Exclusive Economic Zone Marine Seismic Surveys

AbstractSeismic reflection data collected within the US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) represent a scientific resource with inestimable value. The US Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), provide unrestricted public access to seismic data acquired since 1975 through the National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys (NAMSS) portal. This map‐searchable web portal provides access to over 1,100 two‐ and three‐dimensional (2D, 3D) marine seismic data sets collected by the USGS and by the offshore resource industry. The industry data sets are released by BOEM under The Code of Federal Regulations 30 CFR Parts 551 and 580, allowing for the release of seismic reflection data after the completed 25‐year proprietary term from the issuance of the Geological and Geophysical (G&G) permit. The web portal provides tools to filter and identify surveys within the US EEZ and navigation and shapefiles can be downloaded with each survey. Seismic data sets downloaded from NAMSS have been instrumental in numerous scientific investigations along the US EEZ. These include studies focused on offshore marine geohazards, such as fault systems and submarine landslides, as well as gas hydrates and other geologic processes. Acquisition of such data sets, especially pneumatic‐sourced surveys, is becoming progressively more difficult due to environmental concerns and associated costs, thus preservation and public access to such high‐quality data sets is critical to maintaining the ability to conduct offshore seismic reflection scientific research along the US EEZ.

Mechanical characterization procedure of HMPE fiber for offshore mooring in deep waters

For several offshore installations, especially those for exploration of offshore resources, such as Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO), the stability of subsea pipelines and exploration risers are closely related to the mooring system. High performance polymeric fibers have been used in recent decades for offshore mooring, more recently polyester has been challenged by advancement in ultra-deep waters due to its considerable elongation. A candidate fiber for lower elongation mooring systems is high modulus polyethylene (HMPE). The work describes mechanical characterization procedures in high modulus polyethylene fibers envisioning the possibility of offshore mooring systems made entirely with HMPE, which allow deeper water depths, as well as stability to the pipelines. As a result, the fiber is suitable for mechanical strength and linear tenacity. It still shows good performance in abrasion resistance, and loss of inelastic portions in cyclic loads. However, the behavior in creep, due to its slightly high strain rates, restricts its use, but recent fibers known as "Low creep" can be studied, allowing complete mooring systems made with HMPE.

From guano to green hydrogen: food security and fertilizer disputes in international energy law

Abstract Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered energy and food crises, driven by demand for natural gas as fuel and fertilizer feedstock. By adopting a recent framework for analysing the diverse ways in which international law regulates energy transactions, I extend the category of end-use energy products to include food for human consumption, given the economic importance of dietary energy and the entangled agendas of energy and food security. To highlight the intermediate roles played by international law in securing resources for conversion into dietary energy, I show how rules allocating entitlements over fossil fuels were inherited from an earlier generation of international disputes over fertilizer resources, including the taxation of nitrate exports, alien entitlements to guano discoveries, and the well-known confiscation of a factory at Chorzów. Many of these disputes between States and commercial actors prefigured the reliance of the modern energy industry on investment arbitration and retain currency in case law. Yet, the fertilizer trade also informed the development of offshore resource entitlements, the local regulation of global externalities, and the belated recognition of the rights of peoples over natural resources. Despite this normative evolution, dispute settlement in the energy sector is still driven by States and commercial actors, although the underlying transactions may have profound implications for food security. By reframing food as energy and integrating fertilizer disputes into a long history of international energy law, the anticipated transition from fossil fuels towards green hydrogen as a dual-use fuel and fertilizer feedstock may generate familiar sites of distributive conflict over resources for the production of dietary energy, calling for closer attention to whether food security may be enhanced by the entitlements of collective subjects (food sovereignty), individuals (right to food), corporations (investment protection), and States (economic regulation).

Data science in wind energy: a case study for Norwegian offshore wind

In the digital and green transitions, rapidly growing renewable energies are accumulating more and more data. Big data gives room to apply emerging data science to solve challenges in the energy sector. Offshore wind power receives accelerating attention due to its sufficient resources and cleanness. This paper uses data science, including statistical analysis and machine learning, to systematically analyse three coastal wind sites in Norway. The results show that although Norway possesses ample offshore resources, its development could be improved by natural, technical, and economic challenges that can be addressed with the help of data science. Technically, the statistical attributes and forecasting intricacy of offshore wind resources differ across various regions of Norway.

GIS-based MCDM dual optimization approach for territorial-scale offshore wind power plants

Despite the relevant potential of offshore resource to substantially mitigate the effects of climate change through the generation of renewable electricity, the full exploitation of such wind resource currently remains incomplete. To promote offshore wind energy projects, it is crucial to engage in comprehensive planning processes that encompass technical, social, environmental, stakeholder, and political considerations. Within this framework, this paper presents a combined approach based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodology to optimize the selection of offshore wind farm locations. The proposed methodology includes annual net electricity production as a critical factor in the decision-making process, which has been previously optimized with regard to the wake effect. Subsequently, the determination of potential locations involves key criteria such as technical feasibility, environmental impact, economic viability, and power generation potential. This MCDM-GIS approach was applied and evaluated in a case study along the Spanish coastline, considering 92 initial alternatives. The results indicate that the offshore wind energy targets established for Spain in 2030 and 2050 should be reevaluated, as the optimal utilization of the available area represents only 16% of the total potential area. Based on the aforementioned criteria, a suitability map was generated by integrating all relevant map layers, including their respective buffer zones.

Research on environmental and resource benefits of offshore multifunctional power generation platform

With the development of science and technology, land resources have been over-exploited and cannot meet the needs of development, so people gradually turn to the ocean for development. The ocean not only occupies two thirds of the earth, but also contains a variety of rich resources. They not only meet people's huge demand for energy, but also most of the resources in the ocean are green and renewable energy, which not only reduces the cost of resource development to a certain extent, but also reduces the impact on the environment in the development process. An offshore multifunctional power generation platform is designed in this paper. The impact of chemical substances produced when the anti-corrosion coating on the surface of the platform on the Marine environment is analysed. Compared with the construction cost of offshore resources development, the reduction of carbon emissions and the impact of offshore platforms on the marine environment were studied respectively. The final cost per kw of the platform is at the average level of an offshore power generation project. Carbon emission reduction is much less than traditional onshore power generation projects. The pollution to the marine environment is also within the provisions of the marine pollution index.

Sustainable Energy Governance and the Notion of State Failure

Intractable sovereignty disputes and outside interventions driven by geo-political calculations challenge the rules-based global order and undermine sustainable development and governance, including of energy resources. States facing chronic conflict and instability, and falling short of fundamental norms of international law as enshrined in the United Nations Charter, are labelled as ‘failed States’ without recognising the deterioration of the global order. This article submits that the one-dimensional notion of a ‘failed State’ is problematic and unhelpful. It advocates a more nuanced, sustainability-based approach of State failure in addressing problems associated with governance of energy resources. It does so with reference to two examples from State practice: Russia’s position in the Arctic region in light of the receding ice cap and estimated hydrocarbon reserves in the Arctic Ocean, and the recent US-brokered maritime boundary agreement between Lebanon and Israel enabling Lebanon to gain access to disputed offshore resources without Russian involvement.

Bangladesh: The Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones (Amendment) Act of 2021

Abstract Bangladesh passed the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones in 1974. In 2001, Bangladesh became a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (unclos). In 2012 and 2014, Bangladesh resolved its maritime disputes with Myanmar and India, respectively. These developments necessitated the amendment of the 1974 law. In 2021, the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones (Amendment) Act of 2021 was enacted into law. The law brings the domestic legislation of Bangladesh into conformity with unclos and establishes the sovereignty of Bangladesh over its maritime areas and offshore resources in order to facilitate the exploration and extraction of its marine resources. This article highlights significant changes and provisions in the new law.

Reconnaissance Survey for Potential Energy Storage and Carbon Dioxide Storage Resources of Petroleum Reservoirs in Western Europe

Energy producers and utilities use oil and gas reservoirs for gas storage to meet peak seasonal demand or to supplement intermittent energy production. These reservoirs are also suitable for the long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas. This study reports on a reconnaissance analysis of the potential magnitude of storage resources in 9424 known oil and gas reservoirs from 24 countries within highly industrialized western Europe. To standardize the storage resources of the oil and gas reservoirs, their volumetric capacity is expressed in terms of metric tons (mass) of CO2. Estimates of recoverable oil and gas at the surface are converted to subsurface volumes and then converted to the equivalent mass of CO2 at reservoir conditions. The results indicate 36.7 gigatons of CO2 could be stored, with oil reservoirs accounting for 32% of that total and natural gas reservoirs comprising the remaining 68%. About four-fifths of the reservoir storage resource is offshore, with about three-fourths of that offshore resource at water depths of 200 m or less. Most countries do not have the reservoir storage resources to store 15 years of CO2 at 2017 emission levels. With few exceptions the bulk of the storage is offshore for countries that do have at least 15 years of storage. The expansion of natural gas storage for strategic purposes in abandoned onshore gas reservoirs is not expected to seriously impact CO2 storage. The contribution of this analysis is the description of the spatial distribution of potential storage and physical accessibility.

An approach to assess offshore wind power potential using bathymetry and near-hub-height reanalysis data

Offshore wind power is emerging option in wind industry due to relatively consistent wind behavior over ocean. This study aims to access offshore wind resource employing a novel approach using bathymetry data, in-situ measured and 5th generation European Reanalysis (ERA-5) wind data. The measured wind data for four near-coast locations was used in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Pakistan. The percentage bias for wind speed and wind direction of ERA-5 data compared to measured data for coastline location is −0.2% and −0.9% respectively, which shows suitability of ERA-5 data for offshore resource assessment with acceptable accuracy. Annual mean wind speed and wind power density of the EEZ is 6.1 m/s and 263 W/m2 respectively. The northeastern part of the EEZ near coastline of Sindh province is most suitable for offshore wind farms. An offshore wind farm site suitable for monopile foundation having wind power class as Fair was selected. The performance of more than 400 commercial wind turbines was evaluated and a 4.5 MW turbine having highest net capacity factor (NCF) was selected. The capacity factor of suggested wind farm having installed capacity of 540 MW is computed as 55% which can avoid 1.45 million tons in CO2eq emissions annually.

Dynamic Analysis of the Lifting Arm System in the Integrated Offshore Platform Decommissioning Equipment in Complicated Sea States

With the further exploitation of offshore resources, there are more and more offshore oil and gas fields which cannot meet the production capacity requirements. So, it becomes extremely urgent to pay attention to the decommissioning of the exploitation equipment in abandoned offshore fields. A new decommissioning solution is offered by the double-ship integrated offshore platform decommissioning equipment comes. However, as the equipment will inevitably bear the combined actions of various dynamic and static loads during operation, the strength and stability of the overall unit and the connections between different modules will be greatly challenged by the complex ocean. Firstly, the dynamic characteristics of the integrated decommissioning system are analyzed in this paper. Mathematical modeling of the lifting arm system is established based on the unit characteristics matrix, and a dynamic equation of the flexible lifting arm unit and system is developed based on Lagrange’s equation and solved through numerical calculation. Secondly, modal analysis and transient analysis of the lifting arm in specific working conditions are performed according to the prototype parameters of the designed decommissioning system. Finally, according to the principle of similitude, a hydrodynamic experiment method is proposed with an integrated decommissioning multi-dimensional vibration test bench. The decommissioning system model test bench is designed and built to perform the dynamic response test, and this paper compares the test results and the simulation results for verification. The comparison verifies that the theoretical analysis and the tests prove each other valid and the results are accurate, meaning this work provides a powerful theoretical reference and offers effective research methods for future studies on super-large-scale integrated decommissioning equipment.

Impact of endogenous and exogenous factors on catches: A case study of Vietnam’s offshore fisheries

The performance of fishing vessels is influenced by both endogenous and exogenous factors. This study aims to investigate the impact of these factors on the catch quantity of offshore gillnet vessels in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam, by estimating the harvest function using survey data from three fishing seasons (2008, 2013, and 2018). The study has revealed that endogenous factors, such as engine capacity, the number of nets, the number of fishing days, and variable costs, exhibit a positive impact on catches at the 1% level of significance. Among these factors, the number of nets has the highest effect on catches. Nevertheless, the effect coefficients are generally smaller compared to those observed in previous studies within the same area or on the same fishing grounds. Conversely, the coefficient estimate for the age of the vessel owner is negative, though statistically insignificant. Exogenous factors manifest varying effects on the quantity of catches. The research result found no discernible effect of fuel cost support, while the stock proxy exhibited a minor impact coefficient, and climate change awareness had a noteworthy impact on catch quantities at the 1% level of significance. The findings imply that offshore resources could be experiencing a growing scarcity. Additionally, as fishermen's awareness of climate change increases, they might be more inclined to adjust and manage its impacts. Moreover, it raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of open-access fisheries that rely on subsidies. The study suggests that fishing policies should focus on regulating offshore vessels' input factors to prevent the overuse of offshore resources. In addition, policies should support fishermen in adopting appropriate coping strategies when faced with climate change. Furthermore, subsidy policies that do not harm offshore resources should be promoted.

Enhanced Offshore Wind Speed Forecasts along the US East Coast: A Deep Learning Framework Leveraging NDBC Buoy Data

Offshore wind speed is a critical factor that influences various aspects of human life, and accurate forecasting is of utmost importance for the efficient utilization of offshore resources. In this paper, we present a novel deep-learning-based model for multisite offshore wind speed forecasting along the US East Coast. The proposed model is trained using the collected 2018–2020 National Data Buoy Center buoy data and tested using the 2021–2022 data. By inputting historical wind speed data into the model, simultaneous forecasting results can be obtained for multiple buoy sites through the embedding layer, feature extraction layer, and long short-term memory layer. Notably, the embedding layer, which is specifically engineered to capture spatial dependencies between multiple sites, proves to be highly effective in the context of multisite wind speed forecasting, as substantiated by our conducted ablation experiments. The evaluation metrics display satisfactory results: The 12-h average root mean square error at 1-h forecasting intervals is 2.09 m/s, the correlation coefficient is 0.7, and the mean absolute error is 1.24 m/s. Through case studies, the proposed model demonstrates its effectiveness in forecasting wind speeds during hurricanes, underscoring its potential for use in the offshore wind energy assessment and maritime disaster warning domains.

Societal Applications of HF Skywave Radar

After exploratory research in the 1950s, HF skywave ‘over-the-horizon’ radars (OTHR) were developed as operating systems in the 1960s for defence missions, notably the long-range detection of ballistic missiles, aircraft, and ships. The potential for a variety of non-defence applications soon became apparent, but the size, cost, siting requirements, and tasking priority hindered the implementation of these societal roles. A sister technology—HF surface wave radar (HFSWR)—evolved during the same period but, in this more compact form, the non-defence applications dominated, with hundreds of such radars presently deployed around the world, used primarily for ocean current mapping and wave measurements. In this paper, we examine the ocean monitoring capabilities of the latest generation of HF skywave radars, some shared with HFSWR, some unique to the skywave modality, and explore some new possibilities, along with selected technical details for their implementation. We apply state-of-the-art modelling and experimental data to illustrate the kinds of information that can be generated and exploited for civil, commercial, and scientific purposes. The examples treated confirm the relevance and value of this information to such diverse activities as shipping, fishing, offshore resource extraction, agriculture, communications, weather forecasting, and climate change studies.

MARITIME BORDER MANAGEMENT AND CHALLENGES IN WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN (WIO)

Unsettled maritime boundaries can hinder economic exploitation of offshore resources and complicate the management of maritime borders. They thwart states from getting on path of prosperity and progress. This article explores factors which when taken together makes most likelihood of effective border management in WIO. It uses descriptive-analytical method of qualitative research to conduct retrospective analysis. The paper highlights key factors concerning WIO’s border management in terms of theoretical subjects. Findings revealed 14 main factors which make most likelihood of effective border management in WIO. In terms of the importance of the components, the greatest scale corresponds to the political dimension, and among the factors is the foreign policy of WIO states. Geopolitical, geostrategic, and topographical realities all have a significant impact on the efficient administration of maritime boundaries. To make matters worse, WIO's geostrategic location has the greatest intervening influence on states. The paper concludes that as per guidance of UN collective security patrols, forces had to be raised in CTF model. The punch line is that no country could be a ‘Net Security Provider’ in IO region.

Emerging Deep-Sea Smart Composites: Advent, Performance, and Future Trends.

To solve the global shortage of land and offshore resources, the development of deep-sea resources has become a popular topic in recent decades. Deep-sea composites are widely used materials in abyssal resources extraction, and corresponding marine exploration vehicles and monitoring devices for deep-sea engineering. This article firstly reviews the existing research results and limitations of marine composites and equipment or devices used for resource extraction. By combining the research progress of smart composites, deep-sea smart composite materials with the three characteristics of self-diagnosis, self-healing, and self-powered are proposed and relevant studies are summarized. Finally, the review summarizes research challenges for the materials, and looks forward to the development of new composites and their practical application in conjunction with the progress of composites disciplines and AI techniques.

Допустимый риск для экосистем арктического шельфа на основе вероятностных модельных расчетов

The article presents environmental risk assessments for Arctic shelf ecosystems based on a probabilistic model. Calculations were carried out using observations of seasonal variations of phytoplankton biomass in the Arctic seas. To calculate the environmental risk according to the probabilistic model, the authors used data on the probabilities of impact on marine ecosystems from stressors, taking into account the risks from technological processes of offshore resource development. The results made it possible to calculate the probabilities of acceptable impacts on highly productive and low-productive ecosystems of the Arctic shelf. Comparison of risk modeling results showed that due to the low productivity of marine ecosystems, reliability requirements for technological processes that ensure the safety of Arctic resource development should not be reduced.

STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP IN OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

Offshore operation in oil and gas industry defined as any drilling and production operation located or operating on a body of water, at some distance from the shore relatively to what identified as onshore operation which is generally means in land operation. Offshore drilling and production operation was a relatively new industry compare to the history of oil industry itself. Technologies take major part in development of offshore project, technologies make what impossible become possible in offshore industry. Offshore drilling and production industry can be possible because of technology innovation. However the drive to explore offshore resources come from high demand on oil and gas as well as depleted resources in onshore resources. One suggested that there is strategic interaction among entities in oil industry, as for offshore operation the strategic interaction lead to evolution of offshore technology. The strategic interaction between two relatively same profiles oil related company will depend on the cost of technology. There is tendency in oil and gas industry, if one company successful in using a kind of technology the other companies will follow the pad. Technology takes a big part in offshore drilling and production industry. The strategic interaction in offshore industry related to the cost of technology.

Impacts of Climate Oscillation on Offshore Wind Resources in China Seas

The long-term stability and sustainability of offshore wind energy resources are very important for wind energy exploration. In this study, the Cyclostationary Empirical Orthogonal Function (CSEOF) method, which can determine the time varying spatial distributions and long-term fluctuations in the cyclostationary geophysical process, was adopted to investigate the geographical and temporal variability of offshore wind resources in China Seas. The CSEOF analysis was performed on wind speeds at 70 m height above the sea surface from a validated combined Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) and Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) wind product (2000–2016) with high spatial resolution of 12.5 km, and Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) wind data (1979–2016) with a grid size of 0.5° × 0.5°. The decomposition results of the two datasets indicate that the first CSEOF mode represents the variability of wind annual cycle signal and contributes 77.7% and 76.5% to the wind energy variability, respectively. The principal component time series (PCTS) shows an interannual variability of annual wind cycle with a period of 3–4 years. The second mode accounts for 4.3% and 4.7% of total wind speed variability, respectively, and captures the spatiotemporal contribution of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on regional wind energy variability. The correlations between the mode-2 PCTS of scatterometer or CFSR winds and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) are greater than 0.7, illustrating that ENSO has a significant impact on China’s offshore wind resources. Moreover, the mode-1 or mode-2 spatial pattern of CFSR winds is basically consistent with that of scatterometer data, but CFSR underestimates the temporal variability of annual wind speed cycle and the spatial changes of wind speed related to ENSO. Compared with reanalysis data, scatterometer winds always demonstrate a finer structure of wind energy variability due to their higher spatial resolution. For ENSO events with different intensities, the impact of ENSO on regional wind resources varies with time and space. In general, El Niño has reduced wind energy in most regions of China Seas except for the Bohai Sea and Beibu Bay, while La Niña has strengthened the winds in most areas except for the Bohai Sea and southern South China Sea.