According to a report by Houston based consulting company Ziff Energy Group Ltd, unconventional natural gas production will account for more than half of North America's gas supply by 2030. One of the main methods will be through Barnett Shale production, which in 2008 accounted for 70% of the 5 billion cubic feet of natural gas produced daily. Shale gas production accounts for around 8% of the total North American gas production. Incorporating new technology such as horizontal drilling and multi-stage fracture stimulation combined with rising natural gas prices has meant that shale production has become more economically viable.
According to a report by Houston based consulting company Ziff Energy Group Ltd, unconventional natural gas production will account for more than half of North America's gas supply by 2030. One of the main methods will be through Barnett Shale production, which in 2008 accounted for 70% of the 5 billion cubic feet of natural gas produced daily. Shale gas production accounts for around 8% of the total North American gas production. Incorporating new technology such as horizontal drilling and multi-stage fracture stimulation combined with rising natural gas prices has meant that shale production has become more economically viable.
Traditional Oil
But it's not just natural gas that is looking to more unconventional methods of extraction. Non-conventional oil is also back on the table, after years in the wilderness and being cited as too expensive or inefficient to use as a method of production. Non-conventional oil is produced or extracted using techniques other than the traditional oil well method and is a bone of contention with some environmentalists as it is seen as a particularly dirty' method of producing oil, including such methods as tar sands, heavy oil, oil shale and the conversion of coal or natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons through processes such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. However, as conventional oil reserves dwindle, these not so friendly methods are being looked at again to meet the growing demand for liquid oil.
Oil Supplies
It can also include more environmentally friendly production and extraction methods though, as the surge in interest in biofuels has shown. Thermal depolymerization of organic materials is also an area that oil companies are looking at to fill a gap in the market left by dwindling conventional oil supplies. These days, oil jobs and oil careers are not just about drilling and rig work - the biochemists are getting a look in on the field as well. Drilling jobs and oil rig jobs are set to continue, but the marketplace for oil workers has expanded beyond the conventional and into alternative methods of extraction and refining an end product that may come from different sources in the future.
Oil and gas experts have been having a plethora of meetings and symposiums to discuss the ever-changing face of oil and gas production, and all of them agree that the industry has to diversify into alternative methods of exploration and extraction to meet demand. This new approach to oil and gas production has the financial backing of some of the world's largest investors as they see alternative production methods having a far bigger role to play in the coming years. As a result, production is set to rise, but in unexpected quarters. Oil and gas experts feel that traditional, rig-based drilling methods will still continue to hold a dominant position in the production of gas and oil, but unconventional methods are seen to be playing a far bigger complimentary role in overall policy. Some of these methods, such as tar sand and shale production, may meet with stiff opposition from environmental quarters as the production methods involved can have a far greater environmental impact than traditional drilling methods. However, the industry is desperate to squeeze every precious drop of oil and gas from resources and as a result research and development into making these methods cleaner is being prioritized. The economic return from shale extraction is also increasing, as methods of extraction become more efficient and less costly. It seems that unconventional oil and gas production will become the new growth areas in an industry that is seen as an essential part of economic life.
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The Norwegian Government has approved the plans for the development of the Oselvar Field, which could result in a sharp rise in the number of drilling jobs, oil rig jobs and oil careers connected to the huge project. The Oselvar Field and further development of the enormous Troll Field in the North Sea could mean job security for hundreds of oil jobs for many years to come, with an estimated 11,000 man years needed to complete the projects.
The Norwegian Government has approved the plans for the development of the Oselvar Field, which could result in a sharp rise in the number of drilling jobs, oil rig jobs and oil careers connected to the huge project. The Oselvar Field and further development of the enormous Troll Field in the North Sea could mean job security for hundreds of oil jobs for many years to come, with an estimated 11,000 man years needed to complete the projects.
Department of Oil and Energy Analysis
According to the Department of Oil and Energy, the investments on these two fields will amount to a total of NOK10.3billion. Aker Solutions has been awarded an EPC contract by DONG E&P Norge to act as operator for the Oselvar Field and to deliver a subsea production system to the North Sea field development. The contract is valued at approximately NOK350million. The work is to include engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of a four-slot template with manifold, three subsea trees, control systems, subsea wellheads and 28 kilometres of steel tube umbilicals. The sheer scale of the contract will lead to the creation of oil jobs in both downstream and upstream sectors.
Exploration of One of the North Sea's Biggest Oil Reserves
The Oselvar field is expected to start producing in 2011, and reserves of the development are estimated to be around 52 million barrels. The field is located in the south west area of the North Sea at approximately 70 meters water depth. The subsea production system will be tied back to the BP-operated Ula platform, 23 kilometres from Oselvar. A similar EPC contract for the Trym field was signed between Aker Solutions and DONG E&P Norge earlier this year and the Oselvar job is a contract option to the Trym agreement. The contract is subject to Norwegian government approval of the plan for development and operation, but currently optimism is high that this approval will be granted and the exploration of one of the North Sea's biggest oil and gas reserves can begin.
Aker Solutions are delighted to be chosen as DONG E&P Norge's partners and are planning on using their extensive knowledge of the North Sea and production methods best suited to that particularly demanding environment to ensure that the project is delivered on time and is successful in maximizing production from the field. The creation of a number of jobs throughout the industry - from design and development through to drilling and other rig-based jobs will ensure that the industry has a plentiful supply of jobs for a whole range of workers for many years to come.
The use of subsea production equipment is designed to operate without any hindrance to the extensive trawler fishing grounds in the area, ensuring that the fishing industry faces minimum impact from the development of the field. The project is to be managed from Aker Solution's headquarters in Oslo and the subsea equipment will be manufactured at their Norwegian facilities at Tranby, Moss and Egersund. This will also ensure that Norway's heavy engineering and manufacturing industries benefit from the development of the Oselvar field and guarantee jobs within these industries as well as within the oil and gas industry. The go ahead for the Oselvar field is a boon for oil jobs and will ensure that the North Sea continues to produce high quality oil and gas for many years to come.
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Duncan freer - Director - Oil and Gas Jobs Search is a job site dedicated to candidates & recruiters in the Oil and Gas industry. An online service that is effective in terms of cost and ease of use for a range of drilling jobs, oil careers & oil rig jobs Contacts For interviews, images or comments contact: Duncan Freer Email: duncan@thejobsearchgroup.com
