Virtual reality has emerged as a cost-effective option. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

GlobalData has released its strategic intelligence report, titled, 'Virtual Reality in Oil and Gas' that looks into areas of application of virtual reality in the industry, from rigs and pipelines to refineries

Oil and gas companies are now investing on training modules for the workforce and visualising the asset under consideration for planning and decision making. 

Ravindra Puranik, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, said, "VR enhances the operational safety through immersive training programmes. It can help develop safety procedures at production facilities to address smaller accidents as well as for emergency response."

Companies such as Shell, bp, Chevron, and ExxonMobil, are using VR as a cost-effective option to train as well as aid regular workflows in operations. These sessions usually comprises virtual walk-throughs, away from heavy industrial equipment.

Puranik said, “Industry technicians work in hazardous environments, such as offshore rigs or at a densely packed equipment maze in a refinery. VR can be used to relay important information and instructions to the technician onsite, without the need to fly out experts to that location or carrying detailed instruction manuals for referencing.”

VR plays a key role in the digital twin set up, helping companies recreate scenarios through detailed simulations. During planning and development, the collaborating teams can share information using VR to simulate various scenarios. It is useful in optimizing equipment performance and maximizing the asset life. Digital twins help to design workflows and identify bottlenecks to optimize a plant’s performance. Twins also help to create a 3D visualization of the seismic data using VR simulations.

Puranik concludes: “Various aspects of a production platform can be modeled through VR simulations to enhance the understanding of personnel for on-field tasks. They can simulate the processes using VR before implementing on the operational floor. It thus reduces the scope for human errors during critical operations. Besides, designers and engineers can better visualize the layout under development using VR technology. This can potentially help to improve designs, and carefully plan its execution to optimize the project costs.”

According to Expro, the contract demonstrates its ability to provide technical solutions across the entire well lifecycle. (Image source: Expro)

Expro, an energy services provider with capabilities spanning well construction, well flow management, subsea well access, and well intervention and integrity solutions, has won a significant contract for the provision of a well decommissioning solution

The company has agreed to provide a surface fluid management package and its market-leading 7-3/8” large-bore subsea test tree assembly (SSTTA) with surface tree and controls, providing dual barrier and disconnect capability to facilitate re-entry into the subsea wells.

The contract is reportedly valued at more than US$10mn and will see Expro plug and abandon 52 wells – many of which the company had previously been in the construction of.

“Having been involved in the development phase for many of these fields, we have gained a life of well experience that will be invaluable for this P&A campaign,” said Iain Farley, Expro’s Regional Vice President for Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. “Our expertise and know how will help deliver key technical and commercial benefits for the client across the project.”

In receiving the contract, Expro drew attention to its unrivalled portfolio of standard and bespoke subsea solutions. The company offers subsea well access systems that interface with any Christmas tree type and can operate in open water or within a drilling riser with blow-out preventer. Expro’s surface well test systems equally provide industry-leading solutions that can be configured to specific well conditions and customer requirements.

“The contract reinforces our reputation as the leading provider of subsea safety systems and surface well test equipment, including within the P&A sector,” Farley added. “It demonstrates our commitment to delivering best-in-class equipment, allied with the highest standards of safety and service quality that Expro is renowned for.”

This is the first project to use Subsea 2.0 configure-to-order solution. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited will be deploying TechnipFMC's Subsea 2.0 production systems for the Bonga North deepwater development

The contract covers the design and manufacture of subsea tree systems, manifolds, jumpers, controls, and services.

This comes following SNEPCo's announcement of final investment decision (FID) on the Nigerian offshore project. 

Expanding deepwater potential

Jonathan Landes, president, subsea at TechnipFMC, said, “Shell was the first to adopt our Subsea 2.0 configure-to-order solution, and continues to deploy it across multiple basins – underscoring its commitment to the technology globally. This award further positions us for future deepwater opportunities in the region.” Expanding deepwater potential

TechnipFMC's expertise in modularisation and electrified LNG has defined the Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique. 

The new solution extends SLB's autonomous drilling capabilities. (Image source: SLB)

SLB has added AI-driven geosteering to its autonomous drilling solutions with the launch of Neuro autonomous geosteering, which dynamically responds to subsurface complexities to drill more efficient, higher-performing wells, while reducing the carbon footprint of the drilling operations

Using artificial intelligence (AI), Neuro geosteering integrates and interprets complex real-time subsurface information to autonomously guide the drill bit through the most productive layer or “sweet spot” of the reservoir. Instead of geologists needing to manually interpret this data to identify a well target, update the well plan and trajectory, and communicate this to the directional driller, Neuro geosteering performs all of these steps end to end — without any human intervention.

“Neuro autonomous geosteering is a remarkable industry-first achievement that is for drillers what the autonomous vehicle is for drivers,” said Jesus Lamas, president, Well Construction, SLB. “Using advanced cloud and edge AI capabilities, the system automatically selects the best route for drilling the well based on high-fidelity downhole measurements, bringing the well trajectory in line with the real-world conditions of the reservoir. By drilling more consistent and higher-producing wells, our customers can optimise their field development plan while reducing operational emissions from drilling over the lifetime of the asset.”