UK and Norway Technology Hackathon: Output Report
UK and Norway Technology Hackathon: Output Report
UK and Norway Technology Hackathon: Output Report
Technology Hackathon
Output Report November 2017: Stavanger Forum, Stavanger
UK and Norway Technology Hackathon Output Report 2
Contents
Foreword................................................................................................................................. 3
Hackathon in Numbers............................................................................................................ 4
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 5
How Does a Hackathon Event Work? ..................................................................................... 6
The Hackathon........................................................................................................................ 7
Ideas Generated at both Events .............................................................................................. 7
Actions ....................................................................................................................................7
Operator Challenges ............................................................................................................... 8
Operator 1: Aker BP ............................................................................................................ 8
Key ideas generated:........................................................................................................... 8
Operator 2: ConocoPhillips .................................................................................................. 8
Key ideas generated:........................................................................................................... 8
Operator 3: Point Resources ............................................................................................... 9
Key ideas generated:........................................................................................................... 9
Operator 4: Repsol Sinopec Resources UK ....................................................................... 10
Key ideas generated:......................................................................................................... 10
Operator 5: Shell UK ......................................................................................................... 10
Key ideas generated:......................................................................................................... 10
Operator 6: Statoil ............................................................................................................. 11
Key ideas generated:......................................................................................................... 11
Appendix A
Organiser & Participators................................................................................................... 12
Appendix B
Industry Engagement ...................................................................................................... 13
UK and Norway Technology Hackathon Output Report 3
Foreword
Norwegian Energy Partners (NORWEP), supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy
(MPE), is a strong supporter of the cross-border co-operation between UK and Norway within the area
of offshore oil and gas exploration and production. Operators, contractors and suppliers came together
in Aberdeen and Stavanger to suggest solutions to late life field production, decommission, and
plugging and abandonment of wells. The format of brainstorming (hackathon) at this scale was unusual
to the industry, but it was perceived as a good tool for creating new ideas. The learning from the process
is that it requires well defined topics up-front and skilled facilitators to capture the new ideas springing
out of the group discussions. In the annex of this document, you will find T-charts reflecting each topic
sorted by operator company. We believe that the challenge now is for the industry to actively use this
knowledge base to pursue solutions for improved safety and enhanced performance of their ageing
assets around the North Sea, in Norway as well as the UK. Norwegian Energy Partners will focus on
brownfield challenges in the North Sea as a part of its mission and we expect that this Hackathon
document can serve as an inspiration to pursue new ideas and solutions. We thank the OGA and
especially Bill Cattanach for his enthusiasm and commitment to this joint North Sea initiative. We expect
the North Sea to keep its position as a world leading offshore province with a rich and innovative
offshore industry for decades to come.
The “North Sea” (UK and Norway) has developed a global reputation being at the forefront of oil and
gas technology with highly sophisticated solutions and skilled people being deployed from the UK to
hydrocarbon basins in every corner of the world. As the global oil and gas industry evolves there has
been a gradual shift in the development of advanced technological solutions from the operator
community to the service sector with both UK and Norwegian suppliers at the forefront of this
movement. It is now estimated more than 70% of operators are reliant on the supply chain for
technology solutions. With this as a background it is paramount there is a visible flow of information
between operators and suppliers both for the development community to understand project
challenges, and for them to be able to promote to operators existing and enabling techniques which are
readily available. The hackathon concept has proved to be a successful mechanism to bring both parties
together. By extending the reach of this event across the boundary between our two countries, we have
engaged some of the brightest brains to develop advanced and value adding solutions to extract every
economic drop of hydrocarbon and to reduce the overall cost of decommissioning. I firmly believe these
cross boundary hackathon sessions will stimulate the next tranche of innovation which will add value
across the North Sea and will also be sought globally as other basins mature. Working collaboratively
with Norwegian Energy Partners, this has the potential to add prosperity to supply companies on both
sides of our median line.
Hackathon in numbers
UK and Norway Technology Hackathon Output Report 5
Introduction
In November 2017, two hackathon events were held, in Aberdeen and Stavanger, to stimulate
innovation and solutions across six operators’ challenge areas; including maximising late life
production and decommissioning.
The North Sea is a mature basin where maximising late-life value is a major opportunity that will call
for innovative solutions to ensure safe operations, minimise impact on the environment and create
value for companies and governments by lowering costs.
Many of the solutions to unlocking this value lie with the contractor community; it is estimated more
than 70% of operators are reliant on the supply chain for technology solutions. Hackathon events such
as these provide a platform for the service sector to highlight an innovative approach directly with
influential operator project specialists.
To bring together operators and supply chain from across the North Sea, the OGA, ITF NORWEP
and MPE (UK/Norway workgroup) organised a single event over two locations. These featured
presentations from operators AkerBP, ConocoPhillips, Point Resources, Repsol Sinopec Resources
UK Limited, Shell and Statoil. They each shared their current challenges in optimising late life field
assets and field abandonment, followed by interactive hackathon group sessions to discuss solutions
to the challenges. These discussions form this report which will also act as an action plan to drive
future activity.
UK and Norway Technology Hackathon Output Report 6
These hackathon events brought together UKCS and NCS operators and the supply chain to find
creative solutions to reduce costs and increase efficiency. In this case, the hackathon looked at the
ability of the oil and gas industry to maximise the economic production from mature fields and reduce
the cost of decommissioning activities through the application of new technologies. Hackathons started
in Silicon Valley as a way to inspire new ideas, and were held internally by large software companies to
promote new product innovation from staff. It’s reported that the Facebook like button was the output of
a Facebook Hackathon event. Operators such as Centrica have used the idea and used it internally for
many of its business units.
The underlying idea behind generating new ideas at hackathons is based on:
One of the key aspects of a hackathon is for participants to stay expansive, offering new possibilities
and opinions and to try to restrict reductive thinking (immediately judging ideas negatively). Any idea
generated is developed and discussed in a figurative “greenhouse of ideas” where all ideas are
understood and nurtured. While it is accepted that some of these seedling ideas may turn out to be
weeds, equally there will be some seedling ideas that can flower.
The agenda for the day was based on a series of specific challenges from six operators, three
operating in the UK and three from Norway.
1. AkerBP
2. ConocoPhillips
3. Point Resources
4. Repsol Sinopec Resources UK
5. Shell UK
6. Statoil
UK and Norway Technology Hackathon Output Report 7
The hackathon
Prior to the event, each operator stated the current challenges they are experiencing within maximising
late-life production and decommissioning. These challenges were further explained during the hackathon
sessions and it was against this backdrop that participants were encouraged to generate new solutions
and shared existing best practices.
Ideas generated during the event were presented, along with more in-depth explanation of each
challenge area. In each of the six operator areas, T-bar sheets were drawn up for ideas generated. In
the final breakout sessions, the top generated ideas were described by the relevant subject matter
experts. All participants then reviewed each idea in each challenge area and voted for those they thought
were best. The number of votes received for each idea is represented on each of the T-bar sheets on a
yellow sticky note.
Following the event, the six operators reviewed all the ideas generated and identified those they believed
had the highest potential for use and for success.
In the summary below you will see for each of the operators a summary of the challenges they presented
the group with, as well as the potential offers, solutions and suggestions that were deemed to be of most
interest by the operator in their reviews following the events.
Included in this report is a Hackathon Gallery which captures each individual idea that was generated on
the day, associated to the specific operator challenge it was seeking to address.
Actions
The UK/Norway workgroup is committed to progressing specific programmes of work associated with
developing new ideas from supply chain. The next steps towards achieving this goal are:
1. Publish this UK/Norway Joint Hackathon Output Report on the OGA and NORWEP websites.
2. High-grade (e.g. value vs do-ability) the ideas generated at the Hackathon to focus efforts and
establish relevant business cases for specific opportunities and technology needs in support
of operator requirements.
3. Engaged operators to continue conversations with supply chain present at the event, with
multiple joint projects being kicked off.
4. In addition, it is expected that new technology ideas will be driven forward by the appropriate
industry bodies. Examples of how such bodies are engaged with this work are shown in
appendices at the end of this document.
UK and Norway Technology Hackathon Output Report 8
Operator challenges
Operator 1: Aker BP
Challenge statement:
Challenges: Optimising safe, reliable and cost-efficient production from mature fields with
significantly extended lifetime
1. Maintenance strategy and efficient application of new technology
2. Fabric maintenance philosophy
3. Mitigating increased scale potential and improving chemical treatment systems
Operator 2: ConocoPhillips
Challenge statement:
Challenge statement:
Drilling
Point Resources is planning a drilling campaign at Ringhorne starting 2019 and looking for solutions
in the following areas:
Point Resources are operating Jotun A FPSO, Ringhorne WHP and the Balder FPSO. The FPSOs
have been in operation since 1999. We are working to extend the life of Balder until 2020, and plan
drilling at Ringhorne starting 2019. Ringhorne will also operate until 2030. Areas of interest for mature
assets include:
Challenge statement:
Operator 5: Shell UK
Challenge statement:
Late-Life:
Decommissioning:
5. Still use air and cabled tools; move to hands-free power tools? Much quicker, less
preparation time and less tripping hazards
Operator 6: Statoil
Challenge statement:
Facility/topside challenges:
1. Smart and cost-efficient maintenance strategies while securing integrity; smart and cost-
efficient inspection methods
2. Smart condition monitoring
3. Smart ways to handle obsolescence in equipment/spare parts
4. Cost efficient preservation of rig/plant during low activity periods
Subsurface/wells:
Decommissioning:
Graham Whitehead
Will Davies
Roger Swain
Brian Nixon
Susi Wiseman
Ken Cruickshank
Andy Clucas
Neil Edward
Marianne Baardsgjerde
Jan Inge
Engeseth Oddmar Johannesen
Bruce Alastair
Tocher Per Hagen
Thanks also to the representatives from the six operators who ran the challenge stations and
provided expert feedback to participants in each working session:
United Kingdom
It is a key element that any potential technology development areas are driven by these organisations
with OGA support to expedite the time to market through the Technology Readiness Level (TRL)
scale. A summary of the efforts in this area include:
The OGTC (which now incorporates ITF) has a solution centre which solely focuses on
decommissioning and have launched a call for ideas which includes outputs from the hackathon. See
below Focus areas:
ONE has a programme aligned with hackathon objectives. The following projects are being run,
with support from the operators listed below.