Technology/R&D

An Operator’s Perspective: How to Comply with New US Gas Gathering, ILI Regulations

(P&GJ) —Traditionally, most gas gathering lines were small-diameter, low-pressure systems traversing sparsely populated areas, posing little risk from a business, safety, and environmental perspective. More recently, the volume of gas transported through gathering systems has increased significantly due to the advancements in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques.

FDE Discovers Natural Hydrogen in Eastern France

(P&GJ) — FDE, an independent multienergy producer with a negative carbon footprint, announced that it has discovered significant concentrations of natural hydrogen in one of the wells previously drilled by FDE in Eastern France.

What's New May 2023

LeakVISION, Takeuchi, Enduro, NIBCO, Servomex and more!

Value of Advanced Sensor Capabilities in Pipeline Management

(P&GJ) — For companies in the energy sector, optimizing systems and processes can bring as much growth as does innovating new products and services. Such optimization typically involves eliminating inefficient or unreliable steps in business systems and processes – a practice sometimes referred to as “getting the barnacles off the boat.”

ADNOC Launches $1 Million Decarbonization Technology Challenge

(P&GJ) — ADNOC has launched a global competition to find innovations that will reshape the global energy landscape. The competition was launched at UAE Climate Tech Forum in Abu Dhabi, where over 1,000 global policy makers, innovators, and industrial leaders met to drive technological solutions for decarbonization.

Using Resonance Technique to Test Pipeline Weld Fatigue

(P&GJ) — Steel catenary risers (SCRs) are a critical element within many offshore pipeline installations. The ability of these risers to withstand the installation and in-service loading is vital to the success of the projects in which they are used.

Academics Come Together to Pool Hydrogen Hub Ideas

(P&GJ) — The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstration encouraged a Texas consortium spearheading the development of a regional clean hydrogen hub on the U.S. Gulf Coast to submit a full application in response to a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) designated in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Honeywell Announces Tech to Turn Hydrogen, CO2 into Lower-Carbon Aviation Fuel

Honeywell International Inc. announced on Wednesday a new technology to produce lower-carbon aviation fuel from green hydrogen and carbon dioxide captured from industry, which can help cut greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, one of the hardest sectors to electrify and decarbonize.

Cleveland-Cliffs Completes Successful Blast Furnace Hydrogen Injection Trial

(P&GJ) — Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. has successfully completed a hydrogen (H2) injection trial at its Middletown Works blast furnace. This groundbreaking introduction of hydrogen gas as an iron-reducing agent in the blast furnace is the first-ever use of this carbon-friendly technology in the Americas region.

DOE Selects Crescent Midstream-Supported Project to Advance Commercial-Scale CO2 Storage

(P&GJ) — The company plans to repurpose an existing 110-mile pipeline corridor it owns and operates, positioning Crescent to become one of the first full-service midstream solutions for CCS while also reducing the initiative’s carbon footprint.

As Oil Output Peaks, US Gulf of Mexico Makes Room for Carbon Capture

Some companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp., have been dumping assets in the Gulf, the nation's primary offshore source of oil, and are instead targeting capturing and storing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases underground.

Practical Preservation Strategies for Valves

(P&GJ) — Ball valves, gate valves, globe valves, butterfly valves, check valves and valve assemblies: all these are common and critical components in the oil and gas industry. Their job of regulating hazardous fluid flow in pipelines and piping systems underscores the importance of keeping them in peak operating condition.

STATS Claims Record Diameter for Subsea Pipeline Intervention

(P&GJ) — Pipeline technology specialist STATS Group has been commissioned to complete a range of work in the Asian Gulf that is believed to include a record subsea intervention on a 56-inch pipeline.

What's New April 2023

Denios, OleumTech, NDT Global, Sensirion and more!

Pig Removal: Recovering an Obstruction in Pressurized 48-Inch Pipeline

(P&GJ) —Following the completion of an offshore pipeline isolation project, STATS were asked by the client if they could offer a solution to a problem of an obstruction in their 48-inch gas export pipeline. During routine launching of an inline inspection tool, a slipper tray was accidently carried into the pipeline and lodged in the first pipeline bend, above grade, about 39 meters from the launcher door.

Offshore Pipeline Design for CCUS

(P&GJ) — Design and construction of CO2 pipelines are similar to natural gas transmission pipelines. However, there are differences like: thermodynamic modeling, blow down modeling, specifying the maximum water content, pipeline fracture propagation control, use of elastomer materials and performing a quantitative risk assessment, mainly related to release modeling and defining the allowable exposure limits. These factors require special attention for CO2 pipelines, when compared with natural gas.

Offshore Innovation Seen as Key to Overcoming Obstacles

(P&GJ) — At mid-year 2022, an online industry report service using artificial intelligence (AI) enabled analytic tools released a worldwide assessment of offshore oil and natural gas prospects with a decidedly upbeat tenor.

Control Rooms: Achieving SCADA Operational Readiness, Compliance

(P&GJ) — Implementing a comprehensive control room management (CRM) plan in today’s energy market can be a challenging task in that integrating it with modern supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems adds layers of complexity to the project’s implementation and compliance requirements.

EPA to Issue Power Plant Rules That Lean on Carbon Capture

The U.S. government may soon require natural gas-fired power plants to install technology to capture carbon emissions, sources said, as President Joe Biden's administration enacts new rules to help decarbonize the power sector in 12 years.

Tech Notes: Unpiggable In-Line Inspection Completed in South America

(P&GJ) — A team of Dexon pipeline engineers recently completed the inspection of a 20-mile (32-km), 3-inch diameter unpiggable or “challenging” underground petrochemical distribution pipeline, running from an onshore processing facility to a port on the South American coast.

Oilfield Firm Baker Hughes Beats Profit Estimate, Shares Rise

Baker Hughes Co. on Wednesday said it beat first-quarter profit estimates as rising oil prices boosted demand for its equipment and services, sending the oilfield firm's shares higher.

Official: Louisiana on Track for Carbon Well Permitting by Year-End

Louisiana likely will receive permitting authority over wells designed to capture and store greenhouse gases by the end of the year, U.S. Congressman Garret Graves, who represents a southern section of the state, said on Tuesday.

Innovation Accelerates Drive to Sustainability

This week, as we pause to mark Earth Day, it’s worth taking the time to highlight the progress that’s been made in recent years to create a more sustainable world, and to reflect on the challenges that still lie ahead.

Canada Offers $26 Billion Green Tax Credits But Still Trails Behind US Incentives

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government has been under pressure to level the playing field with its largest trading partner since Washington passed massive, uncapped incentives for clean energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act last year.

Boosting Pipeline Performance and Savings with Dual-Layer Barrier Systems

Oil and gas pipelines take a beating – both before and after they’re installed underground. From transportation and storage to installation and service, pipes face potential scrapes, impacts, flexions and more. These stresses threaten the integrity of the pipes themselves and, especially, the external barrier systems that protect pipes from corrosion.

JDR Secures Umbilical Contract with Petrogas Transportation

(P&GJ) — JDR, the global subsea cable supplier and servicer, has been awarded a contract by Petrogas E&P Netherlands to supply two umbilicals for the A15 and B10 offshore conventional gas fields in the Netherlands.

Creative Coating Solutions Make for Smooth Pipeline Expansion

(P&GJ) — How does an ambitious gas pipeline expansion, running nearly half the width of Texas, get coated? One spiral weld section of pipe at a time. To protect the more than 250 miles of new pipe added to the Whistler Pipeline in the southwest of the Lone Star State, applicators got inventive – creating an efficient and resourceful approach that helped the job flow as smoothly as the energy resources the pipeline now carries to millions of customers.

Tech Notes: Getting Pipeline Integrity Data Assessment Under Control

(P&GJ) — Effective integrity management and compliance with newly released regulatory requirements rely on accurate and reliable data. Many operators have data management systems containing voluminous datasets representing their pipeline systems.

Pipeline Leak Detection Audits Provide Invaluable Insights

(P&GJ) — Ensuring the continuing effectiveness of leak detection systems (LDS) is paramount for pipeline operators to meet tightening safety and environmental regulations and minimize the potential risks of catastrophic events.

Learning to Manage Risk of Over-Pressurizing Gas Pipelines

(P&GJ) — According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 2020, the world consumed 3.7 Tcf of natural gas. In other words, nearly 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas was transported daily from production sites to homes, businesses, and power plants worldwide through pipelines spread across millions of miles. Most of these pipelines operate underground, 24/7, quietly delivering a vital service to people across continents.