Exploration & Production

The UK excels at exploration, identification, analysis, quantification and production of oil & gas reserves

The UK is active in technology, consulting and project management related to exploration, identification, analysis, quantification and production of oil & gas reserves. This ranges from provision of seismic and geophysical expertise, assessment of development options, contracting, asset management, through to production optimisation and decommissioning.
 
The UK’s academic and research institutions are centres of excellence for understanding the behaviour and performance of oil & gas reservoirs. For example, the British Geological Survey’s Edinburgh Anisotropy Project (EAP), which is leading the way in the geophysical characterisation of small structures within underground rock reservoirs that influence the movement of oil, water, gas or CO2. Prominent UK-based companies providing geotechnical and reservoir services include IMC Geophysics International, Scott Pickford, Gaffney Cline and Fugro Survey. 
 
UK companies have a wide range of capabilities in the drilling sub-sector. Offshore platform drilling is a particular strength. KCA Deutag is the leading UK contractor in this area. In addition to its substantial North Sea platform drilling operations, it operates in demanding areas such as Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. UK-based companies, such as FMC and Expro UK are involved in many specialised areas of consultancy ranging from well planning and management through to well decommissioning.
 
The UK has particular skills in the subsea sector and the key enabler technologies used in the development of the North Sea have been developed, improved and continue to have many applications worldwide.
 
Subsea wells tied back by seabed flowlines were used to produce the UK’s first oil in 1974 and the North Sea became the largest market for subsea production, with virtually all the hardware including subsea well heads, flexible flowlines, control umbilicals and control systems being designed and produced here. Subsea production is a major growth area worldwide and the UK is a leader in this field.
 
Although the UK is not an owner of major offshore installation vessels, many of the technologies in use were developed for the North Sea. The high levels of expertise gained in this environment make Aberdeen especially a centre of excellence for subsea contracting with many international companies running part, or all, of their international operations from there. Examples include Oceaneering, Subsea 7, Technip UK and Acergy. In support of this, the UK is also a world leader in the development of remotely controlled underwater vehicles (ROVs) and designs and manufactures a very wide range of underwater electronics, cameras, sonars and sensors used in the oil & gas industry and other subsea sectors.

 

Featured Case Study

Going with the flow

Weatherford International Ltd designs and manufactures technology applications used in the oil and gas industry. The company is now benefiting from a joint venture contract with Russian oil equipment company, Kosmos-Neft-Gas
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