AADE Houston IETG Virtual Meeting

1.   Philip Grossweiler (M & H Energy Services)

Presenting - “Impact of Climate Issues on Energy Industry Through 2050”

 

The world population, energy companies, industry associations, professional societies and most policy makers increasingly view climate change and Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) as an existential threat to a sustainable future. Demands to “decarbonize” energy grow rapidly and pose a serious challenge to the energy industry.

 

This presentation (1) summarizes the need for oil and gas as a worldwide energy source at mid-century and beyond, (2) highlights ideas of several key thinkers regarding climate issues, (3) describes the range of activities beyond “pure climate science” needed to address AGW, and (4) highlights industry activities addressing AGW including strategies to get to “zero net emissions” by mid-century.

 

The author challenges industry leaders and professionals to avoid thinking “We are not climate scientists” as a barrier to engaging proactively in addressing climate issues. Broad systems analyses are needed to develop energy solutions - working across the nexus of the realms of energy, environment, and economics. SPE’s Technical Disciplines, as professionals working in energy, can contribute a broad range of energy expertise needed to address AGW. We must be proactive in engaging the worldwide community – earn trust as serious solutions providers.

 

A political leader in climate policy offered a message to energy industry leaders: “If you don’t have a seat at the table (influencing policy), you will be part of the meal.” The author adds a quote by Von Karmen - “Scientists discover the world that exists; engineers create the world that never was.” The world needs energy professionals to claim a seat at the table alongside of the climate scientists to solve climate challenges.

Phil retired from ExxonMobil after 25 years in Production, Development, and Research Companies with assignments in engineering, project management, breakthrough research, and corporate planning. He consults at M&H Energy Services on Risk Management and LNG projects. His perspectives on climate policy and energy are based, in part, on work on staff of a Member of U.S. Congress and as Chair of an advisory committee to the U.S. Secretary of Energy for energy R&D Programs. He holds MS Degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and in Marine Engineering from U.S. Coast Guard Academy. He Chairs SPE’s Sustainable Development Technical Section and Co-Chairs SPE’s Climate Advisory Committee.

 

Presenting - “CO2 Emissions Reduction with USWS Clean Fleet®”

 

Reporting of emissions by companies in the oil and gas sector has become an ever-increasing ESG issue. As a result, US Well Services engaged in an extensive study on comparing emissions from Clean Fleet®, our electric hydraulic fracturing solution, to the current diesel engine based fracturing solutions that have been used in the market. This presentation will highlight those comparisons along with the various emission calculation methods that are the most widely recognized.

 

Lon Robinson’s career in oil and gas includes many design and management positions, starting with an entry level equipment design engineering position with Halliburton. He progressed within the organization to become a Senior Technology Manager, and later to Chief Global Technical Advisor. Later, he started his own engineering consulting company and provided his services to several oil and gas clients, including US Well Services. He joined the company as an employee in the role of Technology Fellow, followed by promotions to Vice President of Engineering Technology, and then to his current role of Chief Technology Officer in 2020. Robinson earned his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University, and is a member of the Academy of Mechanical Engineers at Texas Tech. He is a registered Professional Engineer, and holds a Project Management Professional certification. Lon has multiple patents related hydraulic fracturing and other heavy equipment.

 

3.   Moji Karimi (CEO, Cemvita Factory)

Presenting - “The Future of Oil is Carbon-Negative”

 

The energy transition is upon us. The common story that we are told is that eventually, emission-free energy sources (i.e.solar and wind) will replace oil and gas entirely. This is also projected by the current trend for ESG investments and nation-wide efforts to combat climate change as guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. But, what if Oil and Gas could be emission-free? what if it could be carbon-negative? In this presentation, Mr. Karimi tells a new story for the energy transition while painting a realistic future for the oil and gas industry that's enabled by nature-inspired carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology. 

 

Moji is the co-founder and CEO at Cemvita Factory, a biotech startup on a mission to create a carbon-negative future by transforming CO2 into valuable products. He is a multidisciplinary entrepreneur and engineer who helps ideate, develop, and commercialize groundbreaking technology. He has a proven track record of taking ideas to market, both at big companies and startups. Moji's experiences range from developing advanced deepwater drilling methods to nature-inspired technologies with applications in energy, mining, and aerospace industries. Moji holds BS and MS degrees in drilling and petroleum engineering, respectively.

 

Presenting - “Life Cycle Well Integrity of CO2 Storage wells: Engineering Imperatives for Success”

 

Geologic storage of CO2 has gained significance, largely due to it being a green-house gas (GHG) and concerns related to impacts on climate from GHG emissions. The literature and experience from industrial analogs indicate that wellbores (both active/inactive or abandoned) may represent the most likely route for escape of the injected CO2 from the storage reservoirs. Therefore, sound injection well design and life cycle well integrity of all wells is of critical importance in such projects, particularly from a storage perspective of 1000 years or more.

 

Challenges related to safe long-term CO2 storage and its economics, principally in deep saline formations and to a lesser extent in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, can be broken down into two main categories: (1) Well integrity challenges and (2) Injectivity or Regularity challenges. This presentation will present key engineering factors that have to be addressed from a well integrity (primary) and injectivity/injected volume (secondary) perspective to enable a CO2 geologic storage project to be a success.

 

In a CO2 injection well, the principal well design considerations include pressure, thermal stresses, corrosion-resistant materials (tubulars and cements) and injection rates. Proper maintenance of CO2 injection wells is important to avoid loss of well integrity. Plugging and abandonment procedures (and risks from legacy wellbores) are also important to ensure that the injected CO2 will not escape out of the stored reservoir and are adequately addressed with sound engineering practices and regulatory compliance. Industry experience, particularly with CO2 EOR, natural gas storage and acid/sour gas wells shows that new CO2 storage injection wells can maintain life cycle well integrity if designed, constructed, operated and monitored as per current state-of-the-art design specifications (e.g. use of WELLCATTM, DrillPlanTM, and other in-house proprietary software) and regulatory requirements.

 

Talib Syed, P.E. holds a B-Tech (Chemical Engineering – Univ. of Madras, India) and an M.S. in Petroleum Engineering (Univ. of Oklahoma) and is a Registered Petroleum Engineer in CO and WY. Talib started his oilfield career with ARAMCO – Saudi Arabia and has U.S. and international experience – both onshore and offshore. Talib currently serves as a SPE Distinguished Lecturer on Life Cycle Well Integrity. He has served as SPE Denver Section Chair – HSES/Facilities and as SPE Member-at-Large CCUS Technical Section and is a member of American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE), Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) and Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC).