Oil & Gas Technology Centre calls for transformational ideas

• Technology Centre seeks solutions to transform offshore well plug and abandonment
• £1 million available to fund a portfolio of projects with deliverable within two years
• Successful submissions will receive specialist guidance and support

On 1 May, the Oil & Gas Technology Centre will launch its first ‘Call for Ideas’ inviting innovative technology concepts and ideas to transform the way that offshore hydrocarbon wells are plugged and abandoned, and will invest c.£1 million to fund a portfolio of projects that result from the call.

We are looking for innovative concepts that will have a material impact on this transformation, against three specific themes: modelling the probability of hydrocarbon flow to surface; verification of permanent barriers; and new and alternative methodologies and barriers.

Malcolm Banks, Well Construction Solution Centre Manager at the Oil & Gas Technology Centre said:

“Over the next decade, 1,400 wells are forecast to be abandoned on the UKCS, at a cost of c.£7 billion creating a significant burden for the industry and UK taxpayers. Reducing the costs of drilling, maintaining and abandoning wells is a key priority for the Oil & Gas Technology Centre.

“A large proportion of these costs are driven by the need for drilling rig-based activities.  Therefore, a significant opportunity exists to significantly reduce well plug and abandonment costs, and thus total decommissioning costs, through ‘rigless’ methodologies.”