SPE Workshop: Marine Operations Excellence Through Technology, Innovation and Sustainability

0830–0900

Delegate Reception

0900–0930

SPE Workshop Opening & Keynote Speech

0930–1030

Session 1: Best Practices, New Technologies and Innovation
The marine industry faces significant challenges, and the advancement of new technologies, best practices and regulations will allow the industry to transition towards more sustainable, efficient, and resilient operations. This session will delve into the journey from innovation to adoption, focusing on the strategies and best practices that can enable technologies’ scaling, deployment, and acceptance to maximise value creation and will explore how organisations can effectively transition from present to the future. Policies, processes and future trends concerning geopolitical factors evolving marine logistics and supply chain networks open a new era to the marine industry and decision-making that impact the capital projects cost-benefit ratio. This session will also navigate workforce skill development and collaborative ecosystems as they play a crucial role in the development of offshore oilfields and will investigate how marine safety, and integrity could be pivotal in creating new business and promoting sustainability within the oil and gas industry.

Session 2: AI and Digital Solutions
Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration is transforming marine operations, offering unparalleled advancements in efficiency, safety, and decision-making. From predictive maintenance of vessels to real-time route optimisation, AI-driven solutions are streamlining operations while reducing environmental impact. Simultaneously, the maritime industry is leveraging AI for logistics planning optimisation, addressing complex resource allocation and supply chain management challenges. These solutions use smart algorithms and predictive analytics to enhance scheduling accuracy, reduce operational costs, and improve cargo handling efficiency. The dual impact of AI on marine operations and logistics planning emphasises the synergy between innovative technologies and traditional maritime practices. It also highlights real-world applications and case studies, showcasing how AI-driven strategies reshape the industry’s future, promote sustainability, and achieve operational excellence.

Session 3: Supply Chain Challenges and Opportunities
The offshore industry's supply chain faces significant challenges and opportunities, particularly in the marine logistics sector involving vessels. The current charter model of marine support vessels and availability of marine assets are critical factors impacting the efficiency,  just as much as the cost of logistics operations. Key challenges include routing complexities, ensuring timely delivery, weather delays, and the coordination of logistics on offshore platforms, which in turn affect onshore material handling and vessel planning. Despite these challenges, there are opportunities to optimise the supply chain by improving vessel availability, enhancing routing strategies, and leveraging technology to optimize vessel routing, vessel speed (hence fuel use) predict weather patterns and mitigate delays. Effective planning and coordination between onshore and offshore operations are essential to enhance the overall efficiency and reliability of the supply chain in the offshore industry.

Session 4: Environmental Sustainability and Decarbonisation
Environmental sustainability and decarbonisation are critical imperatives for marine and offshore operations in the oil and gas industry, as the sector navigates increasing regulatory pressures and the global transition toward net-zero emissions. This workshop explores innovative pathways to reduce the environmental footprint of offshore and marine activities. This session will provide a holistic overview of actionable solutions and emerging trends to help marine and offshore operators in the oil and gas industry achieve sustainable, efficient, and compliant operations.

In the upstream world, different strategies are being considered for transitioning into cleaner operations including energy efficiency, electrification, integration with renewable energy methane emissions, flared gas recovery, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS)

Greenfields have greater flexibility for incorporating these new technologies, while brownfields require retrofitting, presenting unique technical and economic hurdles which probably requires different business model and integration between different operators to maintain fair levels of commerciality

Session 5: Asset Integrity and Operational Excellence
In the context of offshore oil and gas operations, maintaining asset integrity is paramount. This paper proposes a comprehensive risk assessment framework that combines qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the integrity of offshore assets. The framework incorporates factors such as environmental conditions, operational practices, and historical performance data. Through a series of case studies, the paper demonstrates the framework’s effectiveness in identifying vulnerabilities and prioritising maintenance efforts, ultimately contributing to enhanced safety and operational efficiency.