energeia issue 5

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Fracks & figures

Decommissioning Special: Lasers & Law

Iceberg vs Pipeline

NEWS FROM THE ABERDEEN INSTITUTE OF ENERGY ISSUE 5 | SPRING/SUMMER 2014

ENERGEIA

Next Gen Subsea Sensors

The science behind the headlines

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cONTENTS3/5 Cutting edge technology

6/7 Decommissioning a legal overview

8/9 The man with two hats

10/11 Fracks & figures

12/13 oilfield of the future

14/15 Just the tip of the iceberg

16/17 A picture tells a thousand words

18/19 Capturing the energy

20/21 Powering our business

22/23 Student energy summit

As I write this, energy is firmly at the forefront of the public debate now gathering pace in the run-up to this autumns referendum on the constitutional future of Scotland a debate to which I am delighted to see academic colleagues contributing their experience and expertise.

Whatever the people of Scotland decide this September, fundamental challenges will remain. They will include the balance of investment between recovering remaining hydrocarbons including unconventionals and efforts to increase the contribution of renewable developments; achieving energy security across a world of troubled regions and volatile politics; protecting our environment and ecosystems from human activity; and all the while gaining greater understanding of climate change and how we might mitigate its extremes.

one challenge understandably close to my heart is the contribution universities can make both in finding solutions and answers, and in developing the talent and skills of those who will take them forward.

This is the rationale behind our new Aberdeen Institute of energy, and the reason we are committing over 90 million to a state of the art facility which will send a powerful statement of confidence and ambition from north east Scotland to all corners of the globe.

our commitment is to work for and with the industry, for those charged with making and influencing social and economic policy, and for the next generation of professionals who will make energy their career.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond FBA FrSe AcSS

Principal and Vice-Chancellor

University of Aberdeen

ENERGEIA

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ISSUE 5 | SPRING/SUMMER 2014

With the cost of decommissioning in the North Sea estimated at 4.5bn over the next five years and up to 35bn by 2040, operators are focussed on establishing safe and effective strategies for the removal of structures while keeping costs to a minimum.

The legislation surrounding North Sea decommissioning is discussed on p6-7 but when it comes to physically removing the installations that have reached the end of their operational life, cutting is generally involved because of the size and complexity of the structures and the fact that most were never designed to be removed.

Although a number of underwater cutting technologies exist, each has its own drawbacks. Diamond Wire Cutting Systems, which act a bit like band saws

but with a diamond coated wire, are vulnerable to jamming due to compression between the cut faces. Hydraulic Shears as seen in some of the footage from Macondo are extremely heavy and difficult to deploy whilst also requiring large power packs. Their size also limits their deployment in areas around the nodes of the structure where it is often desirable to cut. Abrasive water cutting, meanwhile, involves high pressure pumps and the large amount of grit required can result in pipeline blockages.

Under test conditions, weve managed to cut through 40mm steel using a 4kW laser

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ENERGEIA

As a result of the need for new technologies for decommissioning, around four years ago the Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) put out a call for proposals for technologies that could be used to tackle the problem.

Dr Richard Neilson, from the Universitys School of Engineering, along with Professor William Deans and Dr Peter Gledhill of Deep Ocean Limited, put forward a bid to explore the feasibility of developing an underwater laser cutting head.

The idea behind the cutter was to have something smaller, lighter and more agile than existing techniques, explains Dr Neilson. Space is restricted, so mobility is a key requirement, as well as something that doesnt use excessive power. Lasers seem to fit the bill in that they can cut with relatively low power compared to the likes of abrasive water jet cutting.

The proposal was the only one in the call to be supported and sponsors BP, ConocoPhillips, and Shell, contributed 239,000 for the first phase of testing between 2009-2011 and a further 104,000 between 2012-2013 for phase 1a.

The project is ongoing but Dr Neilson says progress has so far been promising.

Under test conditions, weve managed to cut through 40mm steel using a 4kW laser, he said. The thickest sections of steel weve come across to date are

from legs of the jacket supporting CNRs Murchison platform which are about 85mm thick. We are unlikely to attempt to cut these thicknesses but if we can get to the stage where we can cut through 50mm steel, then we estimate we can cut about 70-80% of the members on a typical steel jacket. We think we can do that using around 8kW of power, which is significantly lower than current underwater cutting methods.

Aside from the technological challenge of developing a device to cut through sufficient thickness of steel, the physical demands of underwater work makes the task even more complicated.

Dr Neilson added: Were looking at working in depths of up to 160-180m of water which means 16-18 bars of water pressure. These depths would allow us to work in the vast majority of the North Sea. Youve got optics, sensors, lighting and cameras to see what you are doing, along with loads of salt water at high pressure - the challenge is trying to keep everything clean and clear as well as watertight.

Weve been working with Professor Bill ONeill, Professor at the Institute for Manufacturing at the University of Cambridge, during the early development stages in the lab. He has cut through about 80mm steel in air using a laser with pure oxygen as the cutting gas. His work is state of the art and the thickest cut of this type that we

For more information contact: Dr Richard Neilson at [email protected] or +44(0)1224 272797

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know of. However, within our underwater cutting trials, weve not been using oxygen because underwater, any build-up of high-pressure oxygen has the potential to cause large explosions with consequent risk to divers, ROVs or the structure itself. Although we could use oxygen underwater to cut thicker materials, the risk is increased massively and one of our aims was to produce a safe cutting system. Weve been balancing this by using nitrogen. With a readily available inert gas, theres no risk of explosion but the cuttings slower because you dont have the oxygen burning the metal.

There are more than 600 offshore oil and gas installations in the North Sea, 470 of which

The idea behind the cutter was to have something smaller, lighter and more agile than existing techniques. Space is restricted, so mobility is a key requirement, as well as something that doesnt use excessive power. Lasers seem to fit the bill in that they can cut with relatively low power compared to the likes of abrasive water jet cutting

are in UK waters, so the scope for the application is massive. We are currently seeking funding for the next phase of development which involves purchase of a laser and are in discussions to bring two more partners into the Joint Industry Project. Our aim is to undertake large scale tank testing followed by shallow and then deep water open water testing in near deployment conditions.

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ENERGEIA

The United kingdom continental Shelf (UkcS) has had considerable exposure in the mainstream media in recent months. Offshore oil and gas have been a key focus of the debate surrounding the forthcoming referendum on Scottish independence. But what exactly is the casual observer to make of the information they are being presented with?

Seemingly contradictory information abounds: some reports focus on record investment by the oil & gas industry last year and high levels in the current year while others point to a dearth of exploratory drilling activity. Some focus on a hydrocarbon province well past its peak, yet others point to the fact that a significant proportion of the exploitable value remains to be extracted and to new opportunities on the Atlantic Margin.

North sea decommissioningmore questions than answers

Which, if any, of these presents the true picture? The answer is that they all do: the UKCS is a complex thing.

While there has been a very significant amount of spending on both brownfield and new developments, it is also true that exploratory drilling is at a low level. Similarly, while there appears still to be a significant amount of oil and gas to be found, much of the province can now be regarded as mature.

Professor John Paterson from the University of Aberdeens Centre for Energy Law discusses the key legal and regulatory issues.

For more information contact: Professor John Paterson on [email protected] or +44 (0)1224 273888

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Working with colleagues from other disciplines in the Aberdeen Institute of Energy, the Centre for Energy Law is attempting to identify and provide answers to the emergent legal and regulatory questions

But in the midst of this complexity, the last point is beginning to weigh ever more heavily in the thinking of the industry. An increasing amount of the infrastructure on the UKCS is at or beyond its design life and is associated with reservoirs where production levels are declining. Operators therefore need to calculate whether additional investment in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and upgrading of infrastructure is justified by

the additional returns obtainable from the reservoir or whether the time has come to decommission.

For a number of years the predicted imminent surge in decommissioning projects appears to have been delayed by relatively high and rising oil prices. With oil prices currently stable and costs on the UKCS rising, it is not hard to see why some are suggesting that this time the surge in decommissioning projects may well indeed be close.

The legal and regulatory dimension of decommissioning presents a rich context for research. Even as from time to time it seems issues that were once uncertain have become clearer, things have a habit of becoming less certain again. Following the controversy surrounding the disposal of the Brent Spar in the mid-90s it seemed clear that dumping of installations (including whole or partial leaving in place) would only be countenanced in specific circumstances where removal was difficult. And yet one detects an increasing questioning of whether the disturbance of ecosystems that have grown up around infrastructure will actually cause a greater environmental impact than leaving at least some of that infrastructure in place. What is the international and regional legal position on this possibility?

Similarly, the question of residual liability for infrastructure left wholly or partly in place appeared to have a clear answer: the owner of the infrastructure would bear residual liability in perpetuity. But since the Crown Estate now issues leases in relation to renewables and carbon capture and storage projects, this would appear to indicate a claim of ownership in the seabed on the continental shelf. So who actually owns fixtures such as installations left wholly or partially in place?

And what of the innovative decommissioning relief agreement which guarantees that should a future parliament reduce the

decommissioning allowances available against tax, then the operator would receive a balancing payment to provide the expected level of relief? What happens if a future parliament also removes the provision of money required to meet the contractual obligations of the Minister of the Crown who signed the deed? The usual answer to the last question is that it would not arise given the damage to investor confidence such a move would occasion. But might Parliaments attitude to decommissioning allowances change if the expected cost is not, as is currently reported, 35 billion, but ultimately 50 billion or even 100 billion?

These are just some of the legal and regulatory questions raised by decommissioning and the ease or difficulty with which any one of them may be answered is also affected by the fact that they are, of course, interconnected. For example, decommissioning costs (and thus the amount essentially borne by the tax payer via allowances) may be reduced if

more infrastructure is left in place for environmental reasons, but that picture would be complicated by concern over residual liability.

But perhaps the answers to these questions can to some extent be deferred as a consequence of the reforms proposed in the review by Sir Ian Wood into Maximising Economic Recovery on the UKCS published in February 2014. These could see a more powerful regulator taking a more interventionist stance to ensure assets are not prematurely decommissioned in order that infrastructure is available to assist the development of reserves that might otherwise be stranded. Might such powers in the hands of the regulator require existing petroleum licences to be retrospectively amended? What are the implications for the Health and Safety Executives concerns with ageing assets? And what happens if the vote in the independence referendum is yes?

These are interesting times for the UKCS. Working with colleagues from other disciplines in the Aberdeen Institute of Energy, the Centre for Energy Law is attempting to identify and provide answers to the emergent legal and regulatory questions.


ENERGEIA

Having worked for a number of leading companies across the globe, John Scrimgeour, a University alumnus, was the person chosen to front the Institute launched last year with the aim of creating a focal point for all the energy-related research being carried out at the University.

John has been in place for more than six months, but he admits the role was not originally on his radar.

I didnt see myself taking on a role in an academic situation, he explains. My skills are other than academic. I think Im a people person, but Id always seen academics as people sitting in rooms, looking at problems. But I enjoyed my time at the University of Aberdeen, it set me up for life, so I agreed to listen to what they had to say.

I spent a day on campus, where I met some very impressive researchers and I realised how great the capability was here something that I previously wasnt aware of and that sold me on the position.

What really surprised me is the breadth of the research being carried out here. In industry you have a very narrow perception of what, for example, law is about, and what lawyers do. But here the lawyers are looking at all manner of things with wide-ranging consequences that enable other things to happen. Such as getting the legislative framework correct to make North Sea decommissioning work, and investigating how the Crown Estate needs to handle windfarms in order for the industry to develop in a proper matter. In industry you think inside the box, but here at the University theres a lot of out of the box thinking.

Ive been in the industry for 35 years, and

used to work as a reservoir engineer. I think Ive a pretty good idea conceptually of how a reservoir works. But some of the geologists here are looking at things in ways I had never thought of. Some of it is simply genius!

John has quickly established that in some areas there is a lack of understanding about the full extent of expertise that resides at the University.

The industry is aware there are bright people here but I dont think they realise how applicable the research is to problems that industry is facing right now, he added. I think some sections of the industry, nor even some of the academics fully realise that.

My main focus is speaking to industry, finding out where their issues lie, letting them know about the capability here at the University and trying to get our academics involved to see what we can do to help solve their problems.

The University of Aberdeen has been working in conjunction with the oil & gas industry for decades but some may ask what role it can play when it comes to addressing the big challenges facing the future of the North Sea sector and beyond.

John added: My strategy on technology has been to only use what was tried and tested. Small companies tend to leave the larger firms to pioneer new technology because the feeling was that smaller firms wouldnt reap the same benefits. But that thinking is flawed in my opinion. Youve got to advance technology. There are things happening in the North Sea, that if the technology isnt advanced, the North Sea will suffer, and could even suffer a premature death. So I think adapting new

technologies, new strategies and thinking is important for the future and the industry needs to find ways to encourage this.

It is getting tougher but there are some brilliant minds, and its going to take some innovative thinking. We have people with that capability here at the University and they are being strongly encouraged and supported to apply that thinking to address industry problems.

The man with two hatsWith more than 30 years oil & gas industry experience, the new Executive Director of the Aberdeen Institute of Energy is now viewing industry problems through the prism of what the University of Aberdeen can do to solve them.

For more information contact: The Aberdeen Institute of Energy on [email protected] or +44 (0)1224 272081

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While all firms would support doing something for the greater good of the industry long-term, the question will remain, what can the University of Aberdeen do for my company?.

A lot of the smaller technology-driven companies could really use the help of the University, and they dont know about things like Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and how easy and cost-effective it can be to work with us, said John.

Theres a large, broad capability here that is keen to work with industry. When Im meeting with industry representatives, Im stressing how affordable and simply it can be accessed.

If the University can help the industry further, it is a mutually beneficial relationship. That in turn helps the city to grow its capability and anchor the capability and supply chain here in Aberdeen.

The response from industry has been good. Theyre pleased that the University is reaching out to them.

As well as collaborating with individual companies to address specific industry problems, the University is addressing the wider skills shortage with its extensive range of taught postgraduate courses, including brand new offerings in Petroleum Engineering; Reservoir Engineering; Geophysics; Renewable Energy Engineering; Oil and Gas Computing; Energy, Politics & Law, and Energy Management, adding to the existing suite of around 20 distinctive programmes. This makes the University an important energy educator globally.

Even before I joined the University, I was a strong advocate of postgraduate study, John added. A Masters in Petroleum Engineering gave my career a real kick start all those years ago and the demand for trained specialists in the energy sector is still high today. I always say to those about to graduate, or people in industry looking for a change in career direction extra study can make all the difference.

I spent a day on campus, where I met some very impressive researchers and I realised how great the capability was here something that I previously wasnt aware of and that sold me on the position

Fracking works by drilling into the earth, usually horizontally, before pumping a mixture of water, sand and chemicals at high pressure into the well to cause a fracture, allowing gas to escape and flow to the wellhead.

You can understand that people dont like the sound of chemicals being pumped underground, but at the Caf Scientifique event, we explained whats in the fluid thats used to create the cracks, and what the additives actually do. Dr Bond added.

Generally, its around 94.6% water and 5.23% sand or ceramic beads which prop the cracks open when the water pressure drops the cracks close. Theres about 0.17% other stuff descaler like you would find inside a domestic kettle; a biocide to stop corrosion of the well; a very small amount of acid which helps the cracks propagate; surfactant to decrease the viscosity of the fluid, and a friction reducer to decrease friction between the fluid and the well. All the chemicals used are found in normal household cleaners, shampoos etc. and unlike when we wash our car, or how the liquid may be dealt with in the USA, UK operators wont just be able to flush the fluid down the drain.

There have been issues in the USA, as there was little in the way of legislation to regulate the fracking process companies

Few energy issues in recent years have provoked such controversy as that of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. As this article is written, anti-fracking demonstrators remain in situ at a protest camp near the Barton Moss exploration facility in Greater Manchester, where theyve been since last October.

Is it any wonder the development of proposed fracking plans in the UK has provoked such a furore from some? A quick trawl of the internet reveals videos of flammable tap water in the USA, mentions of earthquakes and other environmental concerns.

In a bid to educate the public about the scientific facts behind the media headlines, University of Aberdeen geologist Dr Clare Bond has taken part in a public discussion event in the city specifically about fracking.

I think its part of a scientists job to explain the science, and to stick to the facts and to flag up misrepresentation, she explains.

At the Caf Scientifique event, run by the Universitys Public Engagement with Research Unit, we tried to explain some of the jargon and do some myth-busting. It gives people the opportunity to ask questions. But we stick to the facts and dont get involved in the politics!

& figuresFracks

The science behind the headlines


ENERGEIA

didnt have to disclose what they were putting into the ground, and afterwards, they were allowed to release it back into the ground water. Thats something that just wont happen in the UK. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) is already starting to think about regulations and the British Geological Survey is also pulling together a report to look at the Scottish resource.

Other concerns centre on whether or not the process can cause earth tremors. It is generally recognised as a potential hazard of the technique but these are tiny micro seismic events that no one would be able to feel. The two that happened in Blackpool in 2011 following fracking were just 1.5 and 2.3 magnitude.

The industry and government sees fracking as an opportunity to prolong the UKs gas security and as such licences have been granted and are being considered across large areas of England and parts of the central belt in Scotland.

In Scotland were really looking at potential for finding coal bed methane as well as shale gas and if theres to be any resource potential, it will be in the central belt area. Shale-gas is the most common gas that theyll be looking for in other parts of the UK, but in Scotland, it seems coal bed methane might play a bigger role.

As this is a new area of exploration in the UK, theres little baseline data. In Scotland there are plans to collect information from the areas where the licences are going to be monitoring greenhouse emissions and peoples general health and wellbeing.

Within the University of Aberdeens acclaimed School of Geosciences, research related to fracking is already under way, with the potential for more to come.

The central belt in Scotland used to be a big fresh water lake, and with any lake, layers and layers of sediment build up over time. In reality, they may not be very thick, theyre more likely to be little layers rather than one big thick layer. Each layer is mechanically different from another. Some will behave more plastically, and some will be more brittle and are more likely to fracture.

So if you initiate a fracture in one layer, my interest lies in how that crack propagates, and when it hits one of these boundaries between layers, what happens to it? Whether it propagates through or whether it dissipates.

Im also interested in examining at what level of water pressure does the fracture fail and what the mechanics are in that failure. Faults are bigger features that offset horizons. Faults have different mechanical properties to the surrounding rock, so Im looking at how they fail, if we can calculate how strong a fault is, and if we can determine how much pressure is required to activate it.

The industry drive focuses on optimising the fracturing process, to ensure just the right amount of fluid and pressure is used to create the cracks. This cannot be done without a fundamental understanding of how the process will react with the different mechanical layers involved, and how the fractures themselves will develop.

Dr Bond added: When they drill in, they try to go in at an angle, so theyll produce the most optimum fractures. There is a need to understand the stress field. They need to find the least compressive stress because the rock will fracture in the direction where the rock is being squeezed least. You dont want the fracture to be too big or too small.

Weve been studying existing fractures in outcrops and seeing how representative they may be of 2-5km below the ground.

There are still a lot of unknowns about the science behind fracking, and theres a lot of research being done by universities across the country.

In a bid to educate the public about the scientific facts behind the media headlines, University of Aberdeen geologist Dr Clare Bond has taken part in a public discussion event in the city specifically about fracking

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For more information contact: Dr Clare Bond on [email protected] or +44(0)1224 273492

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Subsea sensors are an invaluable tool in the modern oil and gas field, measuring everything from pressure and temperature, to water movement.

Dr Alastair Allen of the University of Aberdeens School of Engineering is exploring the next generation but one of these sensors in collaboration with Professor Marian Wiercigroch and assisted by PhD student Beenish Ayaz.

Oil firms are interested in sensors that talk to each other and pass

information back to the surface, he explained. With a trend towards more complex and more extensive fields fields that are marginal or deep water theres a need to have more automation. The use of divers is expensive and carries its own complications and dangers. Sensors can help reduce these.

Currently most of these sensors are hardwired, with information travelling by wires or optical fibre back to the platform. Cabling at such depths presents various difficulties and expenses,

so an important part of the future is wireless.

If you have an offshore renewables installation such as a windfarm or tidal farm, you might want 20, 50 or 100 sensors distributed to record movement of the water etc. and it would be a nightmare to wire them up. So you put down the wireless sensors, switch them on, and the data comes back automatically.

Conceivably these could have helped in incidents such as the Gulf of Mexico. It was a complicated scenario and I wouldnt try to simplify the causes, but it can only help to have more sensors near where things might potentially go wrong.

As well as the need to operate wirelessly, sensors of the future will be required to be more energy efficient.

For the foreseeable future were going to be up against constrained power for these sensors. If you have a standalone device on the sea bed, its going

to be powered through some kind of energy scavenging approach, such as differences in temperature, or water movement. These can be used to produce small amounts of power enough to power a pressure sensor, for example, and enough to send an acoustic signal back to the surface.

With energy at a premium, sensors will need to be wirelessly networked to improve efficiency and smart enough to adapt autonomously to change or system failure, in order to ensure the data stream remains unbroken.

You might have a group of sensors measuring temperature, for example, and they all

Subsea sensors and the

oilfield of the future

The oilfield of the future has many different definitions but what is certain is there will be a drive towards a greater degree of automation.

Chemical sensors are one of the next big areas being worked on at Aberdeen. The ability to sense very small quantities of a constituent of oil and gas accurately


ENERGEIA

have exactly the same reading at a particular time. Rather than send four or five messages back up to the surface, if theyre close enough together, they can pass all their information on to one designated sensor which can then send the combined information back up. So were looking at ways of compressing data and making the sensors more efficient.

Similarly, if you have a number of sensors taking readings from different points, if one of these sensors stops working then the system should be designed so that doesnt matter. Wed need neighbouring sensors to detect when one has failed and they

would automatically choose the next best route to the surface a dynamic reconfiguration of the network.

As well as coping with failed sensors, the network would also be able to incorporate new sensors into the group, such as an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). The AUV would come within range of the acoustic signals of the other sensors; become part of the network whilst it transmitted its data, and then move out of the network again.

As well as the requirement for sensors to communicate and behave more intelligently, there is an industry demand to collect data on a far greater range of variables.

Chemical sensors are one of the next big areas being worked on at Aberdeen. The ability to sense very small quantities of a constituent of oil and gas accurately and quickly is very desirable. It can already be done to a degree, but not with the range of potential chemical substances that companies might want to detect.

Relatively recently theres been some development of using electromagnetic waves underwater. Theres a lot of acoustic noise and interference when youre near the surface, so for relatively shallow applications, theres something to be said for sending electromagnetic waves through the water. That is okay over short distances but you really need acoustic waves over long distances. Our design takes account of both of these approaches. You could have a network with a mix of acoustic and electromagnetic waves.

In related work, Dr Allen is involved in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Nautronix relating to a subsea positioning system.

It works by putting acoustic transmitters on the sea bed. Perhaps a ship is servicing a component of a wellhead. There is a need to position the boat in the appropriate place, taking into account current, so the component can be lowered as close to the wellhead as possible. You can position the boat using GPS, but beneath the water you need a different system for positioning the item thats being lowered down, as the current means it may not be directly below the boat.

The system is sold to firms that want to position things accurately underwater. Were involved in developing the system further and making it easier to send positioning data from one part of the field to another by hopping data from one positioning node to the next.

Wireless communications systems are usually inferior to wired systems due to physical barriers that the signal must overcome such as buildings, mountains and the atmosphere - but underwater the problem is further exacerbated.

Dr Murilo Baptista from the University of Aberdeens Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology is conducting research into how wireless communication could be implemented with chaotic signals, and has found that these could result in superior performance.

The research could have implications for all wireless communication systems underwater included.

When you transmit a signal over wireless technology, over different paths, there is a direct path, but also an indirect path. The signal can be reflected in many ways and eventually reach the receiver at different times with delay into the same receiver. In a harsh environment like underwater a signals bandwidth is reduced and the amplitude is dampened.

With chaotic signals, you never have the same signal, ever. Each signal is always a little different.

Our findings have shown that the information transmitted by a chaotic signal is not modified the information remains the same from where it was transmitted to where it was received even though it has travelled through wireless media.

Usually when you transmit a signal, at the other end you have to do a lot of complicated mathematical equations to recover the signal, which takes time, software and energy. In chaotic signals you dont need to do this. The decoding of the information is absolutely clean.

chaotic communications



For more information contact Dr Alastair Allen at [email protected] or +44(0)1224 272501

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Rather than send four or five messages back up to the surface, if theyre close enough together, they can pass all their information on to one designated sensor which can then send the combined information back up

For more information contact Dr Murilo Baptista at [email protected] or +44(0)1224 272501

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These massive, almost majestic blocks of ice are a vision of serenity above the surface, but below the waterline, they are causing a major headache for the oil industry in new areas of exploration.

Pushed and pulled by tidal currents and wind, as they drift into shallower waters the base of icebergs scour the seabed displacing massive amounts of soil and potentially disturbing trenched pipelines.

Pipelines are usually buried around 1.5m 2m into the seabed, explains Dr Ana Ivanovic from the University of Aberdeens School of Engineering. These icebergs scours can be as wide as 50m and as deep as 5m, and

obviously once they start moving, it will disturb the soil which can produce strains and stresses that can be potentially transferred to any nearby buried pipeline, which could be damaged.

Canada and Russia are the main areas of interest for this research at the moment. It has been an issue in Canada for over 20 years. As new areas of exploration open up, then the interest in solving this problem could increase.

Attempts have been made elsewhere to develop a tool that can trench pipelines at greater depths but more research is required into what is the ideal depth to bury them at.

In collaboration with energy services giant Technip, Dr Ivanovic and

her team are attempting to find the optimum safe burial depth to place pipelines in areas likely to come into contact with icebergs.

Its about developing a better understanding of the scour process in order to determine the optimum depth more accurately. Too shallow and you risk icebergs moving the pipeline. But of course the deeper you dig the more expensive and time consuming it is, so the industry is desperate to find the happy medium. The scouring could happen over just ten metres, or up to kilometres, so it is quite varied.

The project was born out of a separate study by Dr Ivanovic into the

effects of trawling gears used in commercial fishing on the sea bed.

There are many different tools and gear elements used in commercial fishing such as roller clamps that weigh half a tonne. They scratch the surface or penetrate the sea bed, in a very similar process to icebergs.

We were invited by industry to give a master class into our findings. Technip realised the similarities to the issues posed by iceberg scour, so they asked us if we could work together to look at the problem.

An experimental rig, originally developed for Dr Ivanovics trawling gears research has been adapted to mimic the movement

When it comes to problems facing the expanding search for oil and gas in remote parts of the world, few are as physically big as the icebergs found in the Arctic


ENERGEIA

of icebergs across sand. The device drags a variety of scaled down, iceberg-shaped blocks horizontally across a seabed and the resulting displacement of the soil is analysed.

Meanwhile, experts at Technip have been numerically modelling the laboratory experiments using ABAQUS software to carry out numerical analysis.

A paper by Dr Ivanovic, Oliphant and Banimahd submitted at the 2012 ASME International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering in Rio de Janeiro reported that the type of soil icebergs come into contact with has massive implications for how much soil is displaced.

Dr Ivanovic explains: Unsurprisingly, it was found that the deeper the burial depth, the less pipe was displaced. Also, the horizontal pipeline movements were reported to be larger at a lower angle of attack.

Technip have also provided partial funding for a researcher and contributed towards some equipment.

John Oliphant, Geotechnics Manager at Technips Offshore Engineering Division, said: The objective of the collaborative work between Technip and the University is to develop a numerical model to optimise the design burial depth of the pipeline which has been validated through the laboratory tests.

The work could prove to be a key differentiator for Technip in the Arctic offshore pipeline and trenching market to ensure it remains ahead of the game."

Dr Ivanovic added: Techniques such as PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) and sand pluviation have been implemented to obtain better and more accurate results. With PIV it is possible to study the soil failure mechanism i.e. the movement of soil in front and beneath the iceberg whereas sand pluviation is used to control the density of the seabed samples.

The laboratory tests confirmed that the steady state (when the depth of the scour no longer changes along the scour

track) can be reached after a certain period of time. This happens due to the combination of several factors such as soil resistance, or the physical destruction of the keel when its maximum resistance is exceeded.

The study is a mixture of mechanics and soil behaviour. There is still much to be looked at. We are looking at the different types of soils dense and loose packed with a view to understanding the mechanics of the movement in relation to different iceberg shapes and sizes. It is not just the study of the moving soil that comes in direct contact with the iceberg but also the effects that movement has throughout the soil deeper down. How

For more information contact Dr Ana Ivanovic on [email protected] or call +44(0)1224 273265

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much of that movement is related to the pipeline? Everything is connected.

Obviously we cant do these tests to scale, so everything is scaled down, but when you start introducing scaling loads, that is another layer of science and difficulty that we must use our expertise to address.

At the moment we are using steel icebergs but ideally the prototype would be made of iceof course that presents a whole different set of problems!

Left: The model iceberg is dragged across the seabed and its effect on displaced sand is analysed

Below: Dr Ana Ivanovic and PhD student Sergi Arnau with their experimental rig



Subsea biodiversity surveys have come a long way over the last 15 years, with the University of Aberdeens oceanlab at the forefront of developing technology to accurately record underwater environments.

In 2000, a proposal for a partnership was drafted between the University marine biologists and engineers at Oceanlab and Bp a relationship that continues to benefit all parties today.

There are two ways to assess deep ocean marine species, explains David Sproule, Business Unit Manager at Oceanlab. You can trawl the seafloor for physical specimens to examine diversity and population structure, or, as developed at Oceanlab, do non-invasive, non-destructive deployment of deep sea camera landers such as ROBIO to gain

quality digital images and build up an accurate visual representation of what is living down there and at what depth.

Built to BPs specifications the ROBIO lander was designed and built at Oceanlab to autonomously photograph the biodiversity of benthic communities around possible subsea oil and gas exploration sites.

The ROBIO can be deployed in two different ways. It can be tethered two meters above the seafloor with the camera pointed directly downward looking at some bait, which attracts a huge

range of scavengers. Alternatively, ROBIO can be landed on the sea floor with the camera directed outward and gaining side-on, time-lapse images of the fauna.

Today, ROBIO is fully equipped with a digital stills camera, capable of taking up to 1,400 digital images over a time period of up to one year a far cry from its inception.

Twelve or 13 years ago we used black and white wet film and we had to allow 1,400-1,500 in each exploration for wet film development, added David. From mechanical cameras and wet film, its now

The ROBIO adds great value to our baseline surveys through capturing photographs of large benthic fauna which other survey techniques would have missed

A picture tells a thousand words

Pictured: Main image: roBIo captures an image of this 1.2m long Bluntnose sixgill shark (hexanchus griseus) and the deep-sea decapod (Acanthephyra eximia) attending the bait, 2209m down off the coast of libya, in the gulf of Sirte. Small image: roBIo being deployed


ENERGEIA

Oceanlab provided test facilities for a new subsea safety product that recently scooped a top industry award.

The highly innovative light umbilical Lightpath was developed by Photosynergy Ltd and won the Innovation for Safety Award at Subsea UK 2014.

Lightpath has a reliable low power source that can provide guide path illumination for a number of subsea applications including diver safety, with battery back-up to provide a fail-safe system in the event of mains outage.

Utilising the through lid portals in the Oceanlab pressure vessel, the Lightpath prototypes were monitored with the use of a photocell assembly supplied into the project by Oceanlab.

Typically Lightpath operates at 150m depth with a 70m excursion umbilical but Photosynergy, in response to industry target depths, have extended the working depth rating to 350m and tested at Oceanlab to 500m depth equivalent pressures.

David Sproule, Business Unit Manager at Oceanlab, said: This award is fantastic recognition for Don Walker and Graham Miller at Photosynergy, and Oceanlab are delighted to have been able to provide facilities for them to test the products capability. We wish Don and Graham well in their next development and look forward to assisting in their future test requirements.

gone to high quality digital and BP have supported that.

The lander has been tested in the Faroe-Shetland channel and has been deployed off West Africa. Having proven itself in various different environments across the world, BP is now incorporating ROBIO into its baseline surveys operations.

The success of the partnership was demonstrated at the end of 2013 when Oceanlab responded promptly to meet BPs programme of extensive survey requirements.

BP awarded Gardline Environmental Ltd. the contract for biological and geophysical data collection in the Mediterranean Sea north of Libya and subcontracted ROBIO technical support, training and data analysis to the University via the Oceanlab Business Unit. It has become one of the largest pieces of commissioned work BP has given to ROBIO since it was built.

We carried out pre-survey maintenance, repair, testing of all the components, as well as carrying out pressure, electrical and bench tests, explained David.

The lander is being deployed onto the sea bed, so as well as ensuring it carries out all its survey requirements, we need to make sure we can retrieve it afterwards. It is absolutely essential that preparatory tests are carried out to minimise risk of loss.

Last year was the first time the ROBIO was to be operated by someone other than the Oceanlab researchers, and three offshore survey technicians from Gardline Environmental were trained to operate the equipment.

Communications were maintained between Oceanlabs Dr Alan Jamieson and the survey vessel throughout the festive period and the first deployments yielded their hard-gained data.

The work was carried out in an area which, biologically, is largely un-documented

and lies north of Libya.

Dr Jessica Craig at Oceanlab has now received the full data sets for analysis. She will produce depth-related species lists adopting a strict predetermined selection from the data sets.

David said: It was originally planned everything would come back to Oceanlab for maintenance, repair and refurbishment but the equipment was needed in West Africa, so any known breakages were taken off the lander and sent back to Oceanlab. We had to check it out, manufacture new parts and send it back, as well as building a new battery, within 48 hours.

ROBIO is now being prepared for the West African surveys which will target five times the data volume of that returned from Libya.

The enthusiasm for gathering marine data non-invasively at BP continues through Group Marine Biology Expert Anne Walls, a graduate from the University.

Anne said: The ROBIO adds great value to our baseline surveys through capturing photographs of large benthic fauna which other survey techniques would have missed. In addition, the pictures of the wonderful animals that live in the deep sea are of great interest. Even non-biologists are fascinated to see what creatures live in the areas where BP works.

David added: Anne has been in continual support of the biodiversity work at the University for more than a decade and particularly in support of Oceanlab. Thanks are due to those with whom we have joined to deliver into BPs aspirations and we look forward to a long and continued future as a supplier.

lightpath wins safety award

Further information contact Photosynergy on [email protected] or +44 (0)1334 463327 or visit www.photosynergy.co.uk

For further information contact oceanlab Business Unit manager, Mr David Sproule at [email protected] or +44 (0)1224 274403 or visit www.oceanlab.abdn.ac.uk

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But a University of Aberdeen archive aims to keep a record of the industrys engineering and technological achievements, as well as documenting the social and cultural impact the industry has had in the North East of Scotland.

Capturing the Energy was established in 2005 to bring together a collection of industry-related archive material spanning 40 years and to provide a repository for documenting new developments.

Now housed in the state-of-the-art Sir Duncan Rice Library, the archive has recently entered a new phase, with support from Oil & Gas UK enabling the appointment of a Project Development Officer, Katy Johnson.

She will now be liaising with operators, trade associations, professional bodies, companies in the supply chain and other organisations from across the industry to develop the collections and take the project forward.

The aim is to develop an interactive website on the history of the industry which will include images, film and testimony about key North Sea installations in UK waters, and act as a portal of information and resources for those interested in exploring the history of the offshore oil and gas industry.

Katy says: Capturing the Energy was initially motivated by a concern that this evidence could be lost as North Sea assets are decommissioned and exploration and production licences are passed to new operators.

The fact that much of the industrys work is carried out at sea, hundreds of miles from the mainland, means that the general public have little understanding of the North Seas platforms as a workplace, so Capturing the Energy provides a forum for material and personal testimony from individuals who have experienced life offshore.

Many of these voices were captured through the fascinating Lives in the Oil Industry oral history archive, which comprises recordings of over 170 interviews with those involved in or affected by the North Sea oil and gas industry and interviews with a survivor of the Piper Alpha disaster.

It is vital that this material is collated and documented accurately to preserve it for generations to come.

As well as the records of trade associations, trade unions and supply chain companies, a large amount of personal material has been donated to the archive and Katy adds that it is only by bringing this together that its true significance becomes apparent.

Many of the records may seem inconsequential when viewed in isolation. A picture of something as simple as

It is vital that this material is collated and documented accurately to preserve it for generations to come.

In a fast-paced sector such as the energy industry, the rapid speed of change often goes unnoticed by those involved day-to-day.

Pictured: Frigg Field, circa late 1970s, showing drilling platforms CDP1 and DP2 with two treatment platforms, TP1 and TCP2, and the Quarters Platform QP grouped in the centre. The British-norwegian border runs through the middle, with CDP1 in British waters and DP2 in norwegian waters.

capturing the Energy


ENERGEIA

For more information visit www.capturing-the-energy.org.uk or contact Katy Johnson on +44(0)1224 272545 or email [email protected]

For more information about the Frigg project or lives in the oil industry visit the project websites at www.abdn.ac.uk/historic/friggexhibition/ and www.abdn.ac.uk/oillives/

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offshore workers eating their Christmas dinner may not seem important but when we look at these over the years it is clear to see how much has changed from the food and drink to attitudes to safety.

In its early stages the Capturing the Energy project focused on the UK sector of the Frigg field, which at the time was the deepest offshore gas field and required significant engineering innovations to exploit.

More than 1500 paper and digital records relating to the gas compression platform MCP-01, the Frigg gas transportation system (FTS) pipelines and the St Fergus gas terminal were catalogued including engineering drawings, technical manuals, operational records, company journals, photographs and film, as well as oral history interviews with people who worked on Frigg.

As a result the collection represents a record of the technical and engineering feats achieved on Frigg, as well as capturing the experience of those who worked there.

The initiative prompted the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) to issue guidance which encourages operators to make adequate provision for their historically important records as assets are decommissioned.

This has led major operators to approach Capturing the Energy and it is hoped that these approaches will lead to further important documentation projects.

Pictured: Top - bottom: The crew on mCP-01 enjoying their Christmas dinner in 1984. Twelve of the maintenance crew on the helideck of mCP-01, with a helicopter behind, circa 1983. A photograph of the Wives' Visit to mCP-01 in 1987.



The University is very conscious of the need to do all we can to run our business and our large and complex campuses as sustainably as possible, and equally to be a good neighbour and responsible member of our community. We know too that people look to us to set an example in everything we do. After all, we bear a major responsibility in nurturing the personal as well as academic development of our students. Our aim is to help them leave us as global citizens engaged in the world they are inheriting, as well as top-class professionals in their chosen career. This is a central tenet of our recently reformed curriculum.

our business

For a university at the heart of the North Sea industry, with over 500 years experience in producing outstanding graduates and research which has changed society in many ways, Energy and the Environment are predictable priorities in its ambitions for the decades ahead. But with leadership comes responsibility and example. How is the University tackling its own carbon footprint and becoming an exemplar organisation in pioneering new technologies to run its business?

Energeia asked Professor Stephen Logan, Senior Vice-Principal, to tell us more.


ENERGEIA

Hi-tech, hi-energy

Our huge investment in new research facilities on the Kings College and Foresterhill campuses has attracted not only students but leading researchers from across the world. In winning hefty research grants our scientists require ever more high-tech equipment to stay at the forefront of their fields, whether in life sciences and medicine, physics, chemistry, engineering and other disciplines. The challenge is that state-of-the-art facilities and technology can be very energy-hungry.

Notwithstanding the size of the task, the University drew up its first Carbon Management Plan in 2010 in consultation with the Carbon Trust and identifying a series of energy reduction projects and initiatives to cut emissions as much as was achievable over the following years. Knowing that the goalposts would inevitably shift in line with campus expansion and research successes, the commitment was made to change team tactics and to invest in some new signings.

The replacement some years earlier of the old Central Heating Station at Kings with a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant was already proving its worth in generating electricity while also diverting the waste heat by-product to heat the campus. Meanwhile on the health campus we share with NHS Grampian at nearby Foresterhill, we contributed to the capital costs of a new 13.5m CHP plant and continue to gain the benefits of reduced energy costs for our health research and teaching buildings on the site. Energy-management software was installed on 6,000 computers across our two campuses, and technologically advanced building management systems now control and monitor energy use, including programmable settings for lights to conserve electricity.

From panels to passive

We are committed to ensuring that all our new buildings and refurbishments conform to high energy efficiency standards. For example, the quality of student accommodation is a powerful recruitment tool and vital for the university in an increasingly competitive global higher education market. The ongoing refurbishment of the Hillhead student village involves installation of 2,500 square metres of solar panels, and we are investigating biomass and other renewable and passive technologies to help improve energy performance.

For our big showpiece developments this is proving an added advantage in winning awards, attracting additional investment, and supporting the Universitys core values, business and research priorities. The Sir Duncan Rice Library, Suttie Centre at Foresterhill, and the Rowett building (currently under construction adjacent to Suttie) have all achieved the excellent accreditation in the industry-standard environmental performance BREEAM ratings (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) showcasing photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting and other engineering designed to maximise energy efficiency.

The stunning faade of the library, for example, while providing a new landmark for the City, is high-performance glass, maximising daylight while minimising solar gain and heat loss. Inside, the spectacular free form twisting atrium is designed to maximise natural lighting and minimise electricity use. The library, opened by Her Majesty the Queen in September 2012, was the first campus building to be fitted with solar panels.

The University is also investigating cutting edge design solutions. The new facility being planned to replace the ageing Rocking Horse Nursery for the children of staff and students could be among the first passive house constructions in the region. This architectural standard for ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling has been imported from Germany, and is estimated to achieve a 75% reduction in space heating requirements compared to a standard UK new build.

Good to share

Not many organisations win awards for how they store their data. A major success story and a brilliant example of benefit through partnership has brought several trophies to North East Scotland over recent months, attracting accolades

from national computing, educational and environmental organisations and media.

For Higher Education institutions, storing and handling data is another huge and energy-intensive challenge. However, a major collaborative project between the University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University, and what is now the North East Scotland College, has resulted in all three institutions replacing their ageing data centres with a 1.2 million shared facility on the University's Old Aberdeen campus. A secondary centre is now being planned on the RGU campus at Garthdee, which will enable further servers to be removed and consequent carbon reduction.

Operational in 2013, the North East Scotland Shared Data Centre (NESSDC) has scooped several national awards, including a prestigious Green Gown Award, a British Computing Society UK IT Industry Award, and a Scottish Green Energy Award. In a double celebration, the project was also named Data Centre Project of the Year in the BCS & Computing UK IT Industry Awards covering the UKs entire IT industry and beating off competition from Tesco, Capital One and the NHS.

This ten month, complex and high risk project involved upgrading the live primary data centre at the University of Aberdeen, re-locating all 400 servers at this University alone and hundreds from the other partner institutions while at the same time operating business as usual.

Colleagues at all three organisations did a fantastic job in keeping business operations and IT services running including over exam periods while such a major upheaval and improvement was completed. Their efforts will reduce the carbon footprint of the three partners by almost a thousand tonnes annually, as well as slashing energy bills by almost a quarter of a million pounds each year.

Were immensely proud of this success, and the attention it has focused on our organisations and our region. Its another great example of our serious commitment to fulfil our responsibility as educators, researchers, citizens and businesses and to be recognised across the UK and beyond for big, bold thinking, innovation and partnership.

Further information contact Fraser Lovie on [email protected] or +44 (0)1224 273165

Pictured: Main image: The north east Scotland Shared Data Centre (neSSDC) based at the University of Aberdeen. This page: The Combined heat and Power (ChP) plant at Kings College.



Aberdeen prepares to host

European StudentEnergy Summit

Aberdeen will take its place alongside the international metropolises of Cape Town, new york, Shanghai and mexico City on June 19-20, 2014, as host of one of five regional Student energy Summits.


ENERGEIA

The European Student Energy Summit (ESES) was secured for the North East of Scotland following a successful bid by a 35-strong team of students from the University of Aberdeen, whilst sister events take place simultaneously in North America, latin America, Africa and Asia.

An offshoot of the Calgary-based not-for-profit Student Energy organisation, the ESES 2014 is part of a global student initiative to organise energy forums across the globe. Initially introduced in Canada in 2009, the movement has steadily increased its audience which now represents 75 nationalities. This year will see the organisations first attempt to hold a different summit on five continents, with 1,500 students due to attend the events.

The event in Aberdeen will be an opportunity for attendees to debate important energy issues with experts, industry leaders and policy makers. The summit will also be an opportunity to showcase Aberdeen as a long-standing European energy capital. Home to a unique concentration of oil and gas related businesses, the city has also started to harness its post-oil future by becoming a hub of innovation in renewables. With the ambitious objective of supporting

European Student

For more information visit www.studentenergysummits.com/europe-event-info or www.facebook.com/StudentEnergyEurope or email [email protected]

the global transition towards a sustainable energy future, it is no surprise Student Energy thought of Aberdeen as the perfect place to host the European leg of the event.

Malgorzata Olesiewicz, the Chair of the summit, also thought it was particularly important that an energy event organised by students for a student audience be held in a city where the oil and gas industry is always keen on complaining about the skill gap.

When the industry talks about the skill gap, they keep calling for more petroleum engineers, she explained. One of the aims of the conference is to show them that the delicate issue of sustainability should be approached from a broader perspective. Engineers have to understand the concerns of the policy makers and vice-versa. If the industry wants to succeed in its transition to a sustainable future, it will have to adopt this same perspective.

It is hoped the industry will recognise that many of the students who will attend the event will make up the next generation of energy sector workers and welcome the opportunity to discuss the future of the business with those that may succeed them tomorrow.

Malgorzata added: Not only do I believe that it is important to show the industry that we are here and ready to take over, but also to underline that from our own perspective, the status quo is unacceptable. The Millennium generation will be responsible for meeting the 2030 and 2050 emission targets that we are setting up today for the whole of society.

Powering the Future has been chosen as the theme for the summits, reflecting the need to address the worlds growing demand for energy without compounding climate change. The program, which is being finalised, will gather a number of recognised experts in their fields and give attendees the chance to exchange on a broad range of topics like marine energy, the future of North Sea oil and gas, emissions trading, carbon capture and storage or shale gas.

Awareness for the main event is being built up through a focussed social media presence and a number of sub-events, such as a discussion on what ramifications a Yes vote on Scottish independence could have on the energy sector, organised in partnership with the University of Aberdeen Debaters, the School of Law and the Aberdeen Institute of Energy.

The ESES team are now careful to shadow every energy-related initiative across the University, making sure they draw more supporters in with every project. A Climate Week Art Competition in conjunction with the Universitys Carbon School held in March called for artistic contributions on the theme Carbon Cool Showcase how YOU think about the Environment. An ongoing writing competition is also being organised on the Student Energy blog, with a chance for the best author to be re-published in the press.

The ESES camera crew have also been stopping students around campus and asking them what energy represents for them. The organisation boasts its own YouTube channel where fresh interviews of team members are posted every couple of weeks. The marketing team has taken a comprehensive and proactive approach to their promotional strategy. Beyond established social networks, they are even developing their own energy-related computer game.

With more than 3,500 supporters on its Facebook page by the start of March, awareness of the event is growing rapidly. As marketing lead Demetris Hadjiosif, puts it, with the conference drawing closer, the greatest challenge that lies ahead is now to surpass ourselves.

If anything, the quality of the build-up and the energy deployed by the ESES team are reasons enough to believe that the conferences in June will be a genuine success.

The European Student Energy Summit takes place in Aberdeen on June 19-20, 2014 and in addition to Host Partner the University of Aberdeen, is supported by the Aberdeen and Exhibition Conference Centre, Young Petro magazine, Visit Aberdeen, Aberdeen City Council and the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain.

Pictured: Main image, members of the european Student energy Summit team gather for a meeting ahead of the successful bid. This page, Co-organisers of the european Student energy Summit 2014 (left - right) malgorzata oIesiewicz and lora Dimitrova.



FOR MORE INFORMATIONvisit: www.abdn.ac.uk/prospectusemail: [email protected]: +44 (0)1224 272090/91

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OUR ENERGY COURSESThe University of Aberdeen offers a wide range of Undergraduate, Postgraduate and CPD programmes designed to meet the industrial needs of the energy sector.

Courses on offer include:

Undergraduate Open DayThe University will host its UndergraduateOpen Day; Tuesday, August 26, 2014.For details visitwww.abdn.ac.uk/openday

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