Backbone for Escape, Evacuation and Rescue From Arctic Facilities: A Systematic Approach

Author(s):  
Mark Longrée ◽  
Sven Hoog

In turn of the global warming and driven by the constant need for resources an increasing number of commercial and scientific activities conquer the Arctic in order to benefit from almost untouched resources like oil and gas but also from the overwhelming nature. These activities are accompanied by a steadily increasing number of vessels transporting goods but also operating personnel, scientists or tourists. Especially the number of tourists visiting the Arctic can reach far more than 1000 per vessel, resulting in growing headaches for the responsible safety and security authorities in the Arctic surrounding countries. Up to now no suitable Escape, Evacuation and Rescue (EER) concept is in place to cope with these challenges when it comes to hazardous situations. In this context IMPaC ([1]) developed a new and appropriate EER concept for the Arctic, exceeding the currently dominant small and isolated settlements along the coastlines in Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russia, Canada and the US. One question seems to be central: Is there any requirement and benefit beyond the currently used small rescue station? Yes, we strongly believe that there is a growing demand for suitable infrastructure coming from various industries. Beyond rescue objectives there is a demand for people working and living in this area all year long, for a few days, weeks or months using these settlements for their specific needs. This led us to the idea of the provision of a common-use infrastructure for multiple industries. The commonly used infrastructure maximizes the use of the remote and very expensive infrastructure and minimizes the impact on the environment in this part of the world. Potential users of this infrastructure would be: • Oil & Gas Industry, driven by the increased world energy demand • Marine Transport & Tourism Industry, driven by declined arctic ice and new sea routes via the Arctic sea • Fishery Industry • Scientific community Any EER concept for the Arctic has to cope with several specific environmental and spatial challenges as addressed by the EU joint research project ACCESS ([2]), where IMPaC participates. The paper introduces the new EER concept and focuses especially on its beneficial, efficient and safe operability in the Arctic recording an increasing number of commercial and scientific activities.

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 50-59
Author(s):  
O. P. Trubitsina ◽  
V. N. Bashkin

The article is devoted to the consideration of geopolitical challenges for the analysis of geoenvironmental risks (GERs) in the hydrocarbon development of the Arctic territory. Geopolitical risks (GPRs), like GERs, can be transformed into opposite external environment factors of oil and gas industry facilities in the form of additional opportunities or threats, which the authors identify in detail for each type of risk. This is necessary for further development of methodological base of expert methods for GER management in the context of the implementational proposed two-stage model of the GER analysis taking to account GPR for the improvement of effectiveness making decisions to ensure optimal operation of the facility oil and gas industry and minimize the impact on the environment in the geopolitical conditions of the Arctic.The authors declare no conflict of interest


2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 323-347
Author(s):  
Robin Warner

Abstract As the Arctic ice recedes, the opportunities for all year round routing of merchant shipping through Arctic waters rise. The freeing up of Arctic waters may also attract increased numbers of scientific research vessels, vessels servicing oil and gas installations, foreign fishing vessels and warships. The prospect of major navigational channels opening up in this region bring risks to a pristine Arctic environment and its indigenous inhabitants. This article highlights the threats posed to the species, habitats and ecosystems of Arctic waters from increased shipping transits of the region including the potential for increased vessel source discharges of noxious and hazardous substances and the catastrophic consequences of groundings for the Arctic environment and its biodiversity. It reviews the legal controversies over the status of certain parts of Arctic waters and the navigational regimes applicable to foreign flag vessels transiting Arctic waters under the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC). The need to balance navigational rights with appropriate environmental safeguards under an increasing array of international environmental principles including the precautionary approach and obligations to assess the impact of ship based activities on the global environment and its marine components is examined. The article then analyses some of the regulatory mechanisms which have been devised to promote environmentally sustainable navigation for shipping in sensitive areas of ocean space subject to high levels of shipping traffic through the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Kazanin

The modern oil and gas industry is heavily dependent on the processes and trends driven by the accelerating digitalization of the economy. Thus, the digitalization of the oil and gas sector has become Russia’s top priority, which involves a technological and structural transformation of all production processes and stages.Aim. The presented study aims to identify the major trends and prospects of development of the Russian oil and gas sector in the context of its digitalization and formation of the digital economy.Tasks. The authors analyze the major trends in the development of the oil and gas industry at a global scale and in Russia with allowance for the prospects of accelerated exploration of the Arctic; determine the best practices of implementation of digital technologies by oil and gas companies as well as the prospects and obstacles for the subsequent transfer of digital technologies to the Russian oil and gas industry.Methods. This study uses general scientific methods, such as analysis, synthesis, and scientific generalization.Results. Arctic hydrocarbons will become increasingly important to Russia in the long term, and their exploration and production will require the implementation of innovative technologies. Priority directions for the development of many oil and gas producers will include active application of digital technologies as a whole (different types of robots that could replace people in performing complex procedures), processing and analysis of big data using artificial intelligence to optimize processes, particularly in the field of exploration and production, processing and transportation. Digitalization of the oil and gas sector is a powerful factor in the improvement of the efficiency of the Russian economy. However, Russian companies are notably lagging behind in this field of innovative development and there are problems and high risks that need to be overcome to realize its potential for business and society.Conclusions. Given the strategic importance of the oil and gas industry for Russia, its sustainable development and national security, it is recommendable to focus on the development and implementation of digital technologies. This is crucial for the digitalization of long-term projection and strategic planning, assessment of the role and place of Russia and its largest energy companies in the global market with allowance for a maximum number of different internal and external factors.


2020 ◽  
pp. 42-45
Author(s):  
J.A. Kerimov ◽  

The implementation of plastic details in various constructions enables to reduce the prime cost and labor intensity of machine and device manufacturing, decrease the weight of design and improve their quality and reliability at the same time. The studies were carried out with the aim of labor productivity increase and substitution of colored and black metals with plastic masses. For this purpose, the details with certain characteristics were selected for further implementation of developed technological process in oil-gas industry. The paper investigates the impact of cylinder and compression mold temperature on the quality parameters (shrinkage and hardness) of plastic details in oil-field equipment. The accessible boundaries of quality indicators of the details operated in the equipment of exploration, drilling and exploitation of oil and gas industry are studied in a wide range of mode parameters. The mathematic dependences between quality parameters (shrinkage and hardness) of the details on casting temperature are specified.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-65
Author(s):  
P. N. Mikheev

The article discusses issues related to the impact of climate change on the objects of the oil and gas industry. The main trends in climate change on a global and regional (on the territory of Russian Federation) scale are outlined. Possible approaches to the identification and assessment of climate risks are discussed. The role of climatic risks as physical factors at various stages of development and implementation of oil and gas projects is shown. Based on the example of oil and gas facilities in the Tomsk region, a qualitative assessment of the level of potential risk from a weather and climatic perspective is given. Approaches to creating a risk management and adaptation system to climate change are presented.


Author(s):  
Sven Hoog ◽  
Joachim Berger ◽  
Johannes Myland ◽  
Günther F. Clauss ◽  
Daniel Testa ◽  
...  

The demand for natural gas from offshore fields is continuously increasing. Especially future production from Arctic waters comes into focus in context with global warming effects leading to the development of a dedicated technology. Relevant approaches work with floating turret moored production terminals (FLNG) receiving gas via flexible risers from subsea or onshore fields. These terminals provide on-board gas treatment and liquefaction facilities as well as huge storage capabilities for LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), LPG (Liquefied Petrol Gases) and condensate. Products are transferred to periodically operating shuttle tankers for onshore supply reducing the need for local onshore processing plants providing increased production flexibility (future movability or adaptation of capacity). Nevertheless, in case of harsh environmental conditions or ice coverage the offshore transfer of cryogenic liquids between the terminal and the tankers becomes a major challenge. In the framework of the joint research project MPLS20 ([1]), an innovative offshore mooring and cargo transfer system has been developed and analyzed. MPLS20 is developed by the project partners Nexans ([2]) and Brugg ([3]), leading manufacturers of vacuum insulated, flexible cryogenic transfer pipes, IMPaC ([4]), an innovative engineering company that has been involved in many projects for the international oil and gas industry for more than 25 years and the Technical University (TU) Berlin, Department of Land- and Sea Transportation Systems (NAOE, [5]), with great expertise in numerical analyses and model tests. The overall system is based on IMPaC’s patented and certified offshore ‘Mooring Bay’ concept allowing mooring of the vessels in tandem configuration and simultaneous handling and operation of up to six flexible transfer pipes in full aerial mode. The concept is outlined to operate with flexible transfer lines with 16-inch inner diameter like the newly designed and certified corrugated pipes from Nexans and Brugg. The mooring concept and its major subsystems have proven their operability by means of extensive numerical analysis, model tests and a professional ship handling simulator resulting in an overall transfer solution suitable to be used especially under Arctic conditions like addressed by the EU joint research project ACCESS (http://access-eu.org/). The paper introduces the new offshore LNG transfer system and focuses especially on its safe and reliable operability in the Arctic — with ice coverage as well as in open water conditions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Maria João Mimoso ◽  
Clara da Conceição de Sousa Alves ◽  
Diogo Filipe Dias Gonçalves

Since the beginning of the 19th century, we have assisted major proliferation of the oil and gas industry. This phenomenon of exponential growth is due to the fact that oil companies hold the world’s oil monopoly on the extraction, processing and commercialization. Therefore, as being one of the most influential sectors in the world, is crucial to strictly regulate how oil and gas contracts concerns the potential environmental and social impacts arising from the conduct of petroleum operations and how such behavior affects the human rights. As a matter of fact, the social issues field is an emerging area, and despite such importance, oil contracts do not often deal with them in great detail, corresponding to an actual emptiness of the human rights provisions. In terms of responsibly, oil companies, have an inalienable obligation to ensure that their actions do not violate human rights or contribute for their violation. This study aims to trace a detailed analysis of the impact of the oil and gas agreements in human rights. In order to fully comprehend the deep effects of this industry, we will examine, in detail, numerous of published oil and gas agreements, as well as, decode which are the real standards and practices accepted by this industry. We will use a deductive and speculative reasoning. We will try to demonstrate how incipient and short protection is given to human rights and what responsible conducts must urgently be developed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
Dike Ike

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has taken the center stage in almost every aspect of human endeavor. ICT help companies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of services offered to customers, and thus enhances business processes, managerial decision making, and workgroup collaborations, thus strengthening their competitive positions in rapidly changing and emerging economies. This paper considers the impacts and trends of ICTs on core sectors of the Nigerian economy. Three core industry sectors of the Nigerian economy were examined namely: Banking Industry, Oil and Gas Industry, and Agricultural Industry in order to examine the level of impact ICTs have on the overall Nigerian economy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 55-61
Author(s):  
Thuong San Ngo

Oil and gas is a non-renewable resource that plays an important role in the economy. It is forecasted that by the middle of the twenty-first century, oil and gas still holds the leading position in primary energy balance in many countries. The world energy consumption in 2020 was over 4.1 billion tons of oil and 3,853 billion m3 of gas [1]. During 60 years of construction and development, Vietnam's oil and gas industry has made important contributions to the economy, especially helping the country overcome the energy crisis and budget deficit in the 1990s. By the end of 2020, the total production amounted to over 424 million tons of oil and condensate, and over 160 billion m3 of gas; at one time even contributing nearly 30% of the State budget and 22 - 25% of the GDP. Especially, the formation of important coastal petroleum industrial zones and oil and gas projects on the continental shelf have contributed to ensuring national sovereignty and national security. The demand for oil and gas in the energy balance increases rapidly with the speed of socio-economic development. It is forecasted that in the near future, Vietnam will no longer be self-sufficient in supply and must import completely to meet the country's energy demand. In parallel with proactively implementing urgent technical and technological solutions, Vietnam's oil and gas industry needs mechanisms to increase reserves and maintain oil and gas output, as well as prepare the next steps for transition to energy forms with low greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy.


Author(s):  
Sean Garceau ◽  
Amar Jawalkar ◽  
Ryan McKennon ◽  
Christopher Moffatt ◽  
Anthony Pocengal ◽  
...  

Abstract The Oil & Gas industry and environmental agencies around the world are working to find solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A comprehensive study by the US EPA found that emissions from compressor stations, blow down and purge, accounted for 97.7 Bscf or just over 31% of the total methane emissions attributed to the Natural Gas industry. [1] With methane (CH4) having 25 times the impact on global warming compared to carbon dioxide (CO2), and global legislation like the Regulations Respecting Reduction in the Release of Methane and Certain Volatile Organic Compounds Upstream Oil and Gas Sector (or also called Canadian Methane Rule) and regional methane reduction regulations, developing solutions to further mitigate methane emissions from process gas vents and centrifugal gas compressor seals becomes necessary as the industry moves towards near-zero targets. This paper addresses the design requirements and selection of a process gas vent recapture system and primary dry seal vent recapture system. In addition, this paper will review the design consideration during the design phase to the data collected during site operation.


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