bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Use of VR Technology for MAH Awareness Training
Authors: Luoma Christine , Wardrope Martin 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
This paper aims to demonstrate how Virtual Reality (VR), a technology that gives the user an immersive 3D experience, is being used successfully as part of major accident hazard (MAH) awareness training and how this has been sustained to provide an innovative, powerful method of ongoing workforce engagement.
In the VR scenarios designed by DNV, the user carries out a typical operational task, but an error then leads to a loss of containment and fire, or explosion. The realism of the scenario creates a memorable experience and helps users remember key safety messages from the VR and the training programme they are embedded in. The immersive learning environment, which is engaging and fun, has proved to be a highly effective method of learning. Direct learning points include hazards and SECEs that are specific to each scenario, risk assessments and incorporation of the IOGP process safety fundamentals and lifesaving rules, but the discussions that can be had around the VR have proven to be equally valuable.
Like the majority of the 10 operators currently using the MAH VR, Harbour Energy have tailored their MAH awareness training around the virtual reality, which has played a critical role in engaging the workforce and facilitating training around the consequences if mistakes are made. The result of the VR technique and planned deployment by Harbour has been further improvement in MAH engagement across the whole company. In a clear demonstration of this success, Harbour Energy have recently won the IChemE Training and Development Award in 2022 for Fostering Process Safety Culture Through Innovation, for their VR programme.
The use of VR is a novel method for MAH awareness training, which gives the industry a new approach to this. Harbour's application has shown how to keep this live and engaging over a number of years. It is a safe, cost effective and interactive method that could revolutionise training. In collaboration with Harbour Energy and other Operators, DNV are looking for even more novel ways to develop and use the VR technology.
More than just Rules! Safety as a Universal Language- Transition to Industry Life-Saving Rules Embedding Human Performance in Practice
Authors: Abbasi Shariq , Hobbs Marie , Yildiz Gokhan , Bryden Robin 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Goal Zero underpins Shell's strategic ambitions and Life-Saving Rules are a proven enabler in achieving Goal Zero. Shell has embraced the opportunity of transitioning from twelve Shell Life-Saving Rules to nine industry Life-Saving Rules (IOGP) in pursuit of eliminating Serious Injuries, Illness and Fatalities (SIFs). This is not just a simple switch from one set of Rules to another. It is part of a multi-year journey to strengthen the mindset and behaviours of ‘Who we are’ in Shell and deepen our commitment to Human Performance. This paper explains the context of the Life-Saving Rules, why Shell decided to transition, an overview of how we managed this large-scale change, and the impact so far and remaining dilemmas in the journey.
Since Shell introduced 12 Life Saving Rules in 2009, the Rules have helped to save many lives and prevent life altering events. Shell decided to transition to industry nine Life-Saving Rules across whole company due mainly to a) inclusion of Line of Fire Rule; b) strong desire to standardise based on the pull from our major suppliers; c) rolling out ‘I-statements’ instead of ‘dos & don'ts’.
Preparations for the transition began in early 2020 for a global launch on Safety Day 2021 (an annual dedicated engagement session with all staff and contractors about safety led by leaders across Shell). The "I statement’ language of the new Rules empowers individuals to figure out with their peers how to comply and encourages peer-to-peer intervention to enable compliance throughout the work task. This means the Rules are more than just Rules; they help create the environment in which people feel safe and responsible to speak up triggering conversations about what can make compliance difficult, resolving any dilemmas before work starts.
When failures do occur, how leaders respond matters. Leaders must engage to understand how context drove behaviour and encourage people to speak up with their improvement ideas. People are the key to solutions, when leaders respond productively the whole system is improved and learnings reach those at the point of risk. In Shell we now call this Fair Event Handling.
After a successful launch of the industry Life-Saving Rules on Safety Day, we recognise there is still a long learning journey ahead. We share the content of the paper as a means to encourage further sharing as we all strive to overcome dilemmas in what makes work difficult and together make compliance easier.
Decarbonisation on the UKCS a Comparative Study of Electrification Options West of Shetland
Authors: Milne A , Dodd M , Joyce A 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Meeting the Paris Agreement targets and rapidly transitioning towards renewable energy are critical. Despite significant renewable energy growth, projections indicate fossil fuels will meet almost half the UK's energy demand by 2050. The oil and gas industry is facing increasing decarbonization mandates due to environmental concerns and the need for a sustainable energy future. However, the UK is unlikely to completely achieve its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target.
Offshore oil and gas industry emissions are primarily due to energy-intensive processes that could be significantly reduced by shifting towards more sustainable practices and electrifying these processes. The West of Shetland region holds strategic significance in energy security, economic contributions, and potential for further exploration.
The rapidly evolving offshore wind power sector and technological innovations in this field present a promising path towards a sustainable energy future. However, the electrification of oil and gas assets in the West of Shetland area will encounter challenges relating to grid connectivity, wind intermittency, environmental impact, and potential large-scale wind power generation elsewhere in the UK.
Three key network design options are suggested for supplying required offshore electricity: a coordinated approach, an individual approach, and a local supply approach. There are three key groupings in the West of Shetland region: the Clair grouping, Schiehallion-Lancaster-Solan, and Rosebank-Cambo. Each has potential for electrification, but also unique challenges to be addressed.
The adoption of renewable energy and energy storage technologies for oil and gas facilities in the West of Shetland area involves a variety of factors. Initial costs can be substantial, especially offshore, but these could be offset in the future due to tightening emissions regulations and carbon pricing. Older assets nearing their end of life may not be worth electrifying. Overcoming these challenges necessitates a collaborative strategy among industry players, the government, and regulators. Norway is leading in electrification, while the UK North Sea is moving much more slowly. A coherent energy policy for the West of Shetland area addressing oil and gas developments alongside renewable energy developments appears essential.
The Impact of Dynamic Wettability Alteration and Phase Behavior on the VES Flooding Recovery at the Pore-Scale
Authors: Ahmed M. Elmuzafar , Sultan Abdullah S. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Wettability plays a crucial role in the recovery of hydrocarbons as it governs the adhesive forces between oil and rock samples, directly influencing the efficiency of the displacement process. Numerous research efforts have focused on modifying rock wettability to a more favorable state. Typically, the contact angle measurement with smoothed rock discs has been employed, but this experimental design has limitations in reflecting reality since the wettability effect occurs within the pores. The coverage area of a single drop is substantial, encompassing a wide range of pore and grain spaces, introducing uncertainties regarding the validity of the measurement. In this study, we delve into the pore-scale level to observe the actual process of contact angle alteration during flooding, utilizing microfluidic technology. Three different concentrations of Viscoelastic Surfactant (VES)—specifically, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.25% vol%, prepared using 57K ppm synthetic seawater—were employed. The microfluidic model initially underwent saturation with formation water and was subsequently displaced by oil to establish the initial oil saturation. The microfluidic setup encompassed a precise pump for flood control and a high-speed microscope to capture images, which would later be analyzed using image processing software to obtain the real contact angle. To ensure the reliability of our data, we divided the pore space into twenty divisions and measured the contact angle through image analysis. The contact angle was measured at various injection stages to observe the dynamic changes from the initial state to the final state and the resulting recovery from each fluid system. Additionally, we analyzed the in-situ generated emulsion to establish a link between phase behavior, wettability alteration, and recovery. The results demonstrated that using 0.5% VES altered the wettability from slightly oil-wet to slightly water-wet, resulting in a 55% recovery of the original oil in place (OOIP). Conversely, employing 1.25% VES did not significantly alter the wettability but yielded a recovery of 52% OOIP. The 0.75% VES altered the wettability from slightly oil-wet to extremely water-wet; however, this alteration did not translate into higher recovery. Instead, a water breakthrough was observed, which diminished the sweep efficiency, resulting in a recovery of 47%. This pore-scale investigation successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing VES solutions to modify rock wettability and enhance oil recovery.
Remote Monitoring and Separation of Unmanned Solids Producing Assets to Improve Oil and Gas Production
Authors: Nilsson O. , Taylor S. , Greenland S. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Energy companies need access to reliable and continuous sand production information to improve their understanding of sand-producing wells. Removing sand directly downstream of the wellhead while also monitoring the separated sand in real-time enables quantified sand data to be transformed into valuable insights on the well production and provides an understanding of reservoir behaviour. With the increase in the deployment of Normally Unmanned Installation (NUI) and satellite platforms by energy companies, it is becoming increasingly important to have remotely operated systems that traditionally have been manually operated.
This paper introduces a system for optimizing production through remote monitoring and quantifying offshore sand production in an "industry-first" case study. The operation was conducted in 2022 on a NUI in the North Sea. The asset was anticipated to produce more than 4 000kg of clay/proppant mix solids with the potential for producing Benzene and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). Typically, wells producing solids are kept closed in, but in this case, a desander with a closed-loop system was utilized to enable production and avoid personnel exposure. Project results included stable production, remote monitoring of sand production, POB (Personnel On Board) and emissions reduction compared to a conventional operation while preserving the operator's process safety requirements.
With continuous measurement and solids removal, the operator could continue operations without personnel onboard. The desander provided data directly to production engineers. It gave them access to information that enabled fact-based decisions, ensuring a holistic methodology for production and integrity for the asset without needing personnel offshore.
New ground breaking technology is shared in this paper to help more energy operators manage sand-producing wells. With the increased focus on POB, remote solutions are part of the solution. This paper shares a project with documented success.
Wireline Formation Tester Multi-Probe and Packer-Probe Pressure Transient Tests in Dry Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Alan Cihan 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Most of interpretation and analysis procedures developed for pressure transients acquired by multi-probe and packer-probe wireline formation testers (WFTs) are used to conduct are based on the slightly compressible fluid of constant viscosity and compressibility. Hence, these interpretation and analysis procedures apply for oil and water bearing formations. There is a concern that the interpretation/analysis methods based on the assumption of slightly compressible fluid may not be applicable in the case of testing a single-layer or a multi-layer gas zone(s) with the effects of nonlinear gas properties including non-Darcy flow for multi-probe or packer-probe wireline formation testers. In the literature, to the best of our knowledge, there is no a comprehensive study investigating the validity of the above stated assumption for the interpretation of WFT pressure transient data in gas zones.
In this work, variety of cases considered for investigating the effect (or sensitivity) of non-linear gas flow on the pressure transients from multi-probe and packer-probe wireline formation testers (WFTs). These effects include gas gravity, variation of gas viscosity and compressibility with pressure, non-Darcy flow, position of active (flowing) and observation probes, mechanical skin and radius of skin (or invaded) zone, and reservoir heterogeneity in the vertical direction. A three-dimensional r-θ-z single-phase-gas fully-implicit finite-difference model for a limited-entry vertical well has been developed for the purpose of this investigation. The results show that for multi-probe wireline testers, the sink (or the flowing) and horizontal probe pressure responses are highly affected by the effects of the non-Darcy flow and invaded zone, while the vertical probe pressures are mainly influenced by the properties of the uninvaded zones with non significant non-Darcy flow effect. For packer-probe testers, similar results are obtained. Both synthetic cases are presented to confirm the theory and procedures developed in this work.
Safe and Successful Gas Hydrate Plug Remediation in Vega Asset – Norwegian Gas Condensate Subsea Production System
Authors: Navaneetha Kannan Seetharaman , Torsvik Magne , Ugueto Luis , Hatscher Stephan , Ravichandran Sriram , Sloan Dendy , Zerpa Luis E. , Koh Carolyn 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Gas hydrate plugs formed in subsea flowlines create complex challenges in plug remediation operations and can result in significant operational expenditures. In Vega, a Norwegian gas condensate subsea asset, a hydrate blockage was identified in a 12" ID flowline in June 2020. This work chronicles a series of operational activities in the detection of the hydrate blockage, modeling assessment, and safe and successful plug remediation efforts. Under the assumption that multiple plugs were present in the flowline, gas pockets could have formed in between the plugs, creating intermediate high-pressure regions. The two-sided depressurization of the flowline below hydrate equilibrium pressure (10 bara at 5°C) established successful pressure communication from both ends of the flowline. The field data interpretation showed the release of gas pockets and the corresponding pressure spikes during plug dissociation. The operational experiences from hydrate plug detection and melting, as well as modeling activities, provide valuable input for future hydrate remediation operations. The collective team effort in recording and analyzing all the instances addresses three main concerns of paramount significance in the oil and gas industry, which include the safety of personnel, equipment, and the environment.
Case Study: First Deployment of a Subsea Well Foundation by Jack-Up Rig with Surface Wellhead
Authors: Young J. , Gourlay D. , Mathieson G. , Eatough O. , Mathis W. , Alsvik J. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
This case study presents the first deployment of a Conductor Anchor Node (CAN®) well foundation with a surface wellhead on the high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) Isabella Appraisal well, located in interbedded seabed conditions in the UK Central North Sea. Previous use of similar well foundations has been limited to subsea wells drilled with floating rigs. In this "world-first" application, the system was used with a heavy-duty jack-up (HDJU).
A well foundation is a steel cylinder which is installed on the seabed in a similar manner to a suction anchor. The unit contains an open guide pipe that can be drilled through, with a landing shoulder to support the well’s conductor pipe. To date, installations of well foundations have always been performed by a dedicated vessel prior to the rig’s arrival. In this case, the foundation was installed after the HDJU was positioned on location, using the drawworks to conduct the installation offline, during pre-spud preparations. This reduced cost and removed the risk of clashes or disturbance during the positioning of the HDJU.
The well foundation was mobilised by supply vessel and lowered to seabed by the drillstring. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was used to apply suction to install the unit. The inclination of the well foundation was manipulated by adjusting drillstring tension and skidding the drilling package to apply horizontal loading. The unit was successfully installed with the observed inclination and penetration within the target range. Next, the 36 in. tophole was drilled through the foundation guide pipe, and the 30 in. conductor was run and cemented back to the foundation top. A cuttings and cement removal system was used to prevent accumulation of solids that could hinder the recovery operation.
The main motivations for operator TotalEnergies in using the well foundation technology were: ensuring adequate structural support for the well in challenging shallow formations; reducing wellhead movement and hence improving fatigue life; and achieving a competent cement sheath due to reduced conductor movement. This paper will provide details on the well delivery drivers of using this technology to mitigate technical risks on this challenging appraisal well.
Autonomous Slickline and Wireline Conveyance Improves Performance of Offshore Interventions
Authors: Segura J. , Tran V. V. , Meirkhan J. , Rustad L. H. , Varveropoulos V. 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
The recent implementation of autonomous wireline and slickline conveyance and spooling in the North Sea represents the first offshore wireline autonomous operation and the first slickline autonomous operation. With more than 50 runs completed, it is now possible to establish a baseline of the performance of the automated system and compare the performance to that of manual job execution.
Traditional wireline/slickline units implement limited automation capabilities. Even the more advanced models rely on basic control systems (such as programmable logic controllers) to provide features such as speed control or static tension limits. The wireline and slickline autonomous conveyance system represents a technological leap, introducing an automation server in the unit. This device runs advanced software applications to seamlessly conduct run-in-hole and pull-out-of-hole activities without human intervention. The system employs reasoning algorithms to determine the optimal and safe actions required to achieve a given goal, even in a changing environment. An advanced tension model enables dynamic tension limit updates to maintain safety throughout the job.
During its 1 year in operations, the system has been extensively used in multiple wells and is now a standard operating practice. Data collected to compare the performance of manual and autonomous operations demonstrate the increased consistency of the automated system. The current work presents an analysis of the running speeds and tension limits. Experience has enabled identification of areas where autonomous operations bring the most value to the operator, as well as potential areas for improvement.
Autonomous intervention is one of the digital transformation goals for many operators and service providers. This paper provides a strategy for its implementation, as well as an analysis of its performance and value based on the collected data.
Automated Non-Destructive Weld Inspection in Splash/Subsea Zone
Authors: Husby Karsten , Bjerkeng Magnus , Thielemann Jens T. , Denstadli Johannes H. , Johnsen Christian Eirik 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Jacket structures all over the world are now reaching the limit of their estimated service life, but new discoveries and improved production methods require lifetime extension of the assets. In this paper, an automated underwater robot and a Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) eddy current probe for Alternating Current Field Measurement analysis of jackets main welds, is presented. This robot makes integrity testing possible, which often is required for lifetime extensions.
Once the robot is attached to any welded brace, it has the potential to move around the pipes and at the same time control the position of the eddy current probe. The robot is guided by a 3D vision system that includes two lasers and two cameras. The camera system also supplies visual information useful for the pilot. The quality of the measured data is improved by using an eddy current probe that tolerates challenging conditions. The robot collects the measured results and stores them together with positioning information.
Eddy current surveys in the splash zone is challenging, time consuming and exhaustive for the pilots. Prototypes of the robot and eddy current probe has been tested in lab. The results confirm that this robot will ease the pilot's job and help the operator to make more accurate detections of the jacket integrity.
The robot control system can operate in either a First Person View (FPV) mode where the pilot has full and easy control, or the robot can operate in closed loop mode where the robot places the eddy current probe in optimal alignment against the weld.
The eddy current probe includes multiple Alternating Current Field Measurement sensors that tolerates some miss alignment, lift-off, and even variations in permeability.
The robot presented has already been used offshore, but the newly added 3D vision and control system will reduce measurement time and increase quality of the data. In addition, the eddy current probe presented will make it easier for NDT technicians to stay focused and to make correct decisions.