ITF, a driver of innovative technologies within the oil and gas industries, has joined forces with Tullow Oil plc in a bid to improve global data sharing around the integrity of wells.
The proposed global database is aimed at tackling efficiency and safety issues related to well integrity. Users would have access to an expansive library of well types and the information would be actively shared across the industry.
Will Davies, senior technology analyst at ITF, said information sharing could “transform the industry’s ability to manage well stock more efficiently and ultimately improve safety”.
Mr Davies explained: “We have already seen a healthy level of interest in this project, but the key to its success is in maximising the amount of data collected in order to build up an accurate and representative picture of the performance of well components operating under a range of conditions encountered by users.
“In other words, the value of the database will increase with the number of active participants.”
A number of active well databases are already in existence, but the partnership says the proposed information library would be much more comprehensive.
Knowledge sharing on a global basis
Simon Sparke, group head of well integrity for Tullow Oil, said the initiative would ultimately generate a knowledge bank about well types far richer than those already available.
Mr Sparke commented: “Over time, this will develop into a vast library of wells and their associated parts, so that a range of interrogations can be carried out to identify which components provide the most reliable operating efficiencies and under what operating circumstances.
“Furthermore, I hope that existing databases can be knitted together into the new package to provide a significantly more powerful tool.”
Should the initiative prove successful, the database would also be aligned to the rigours of the recent EU Directive on Safety of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations.
More than ten operating companies have expressed interest thus far and both ITF and Tullow are calling on more operators to join the project.
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