More Than 900 Industry Experts Took Part in the 2016 SPE Russian Petroleum Technology Conference and Exhibition

The seventh SPE Russian Petroleum Technology Conference and Exhibition took place on 24-26 October 2016 in Moscow, gathering over 900 oil and gas industry professionals including more than 500 delegates from the largest production and service companies, research institutes and universities. Many NOCs and IOCs took part in the exhibition as exhibitors, including Tatneft, Halliburton, KCA Deutag, Rock Flow Dynamics, Roxar, Targin, TGT Oilfield Services, Resman, NewTech Services, EPAC-Service, OZNA, DrillScan and others.

The event was conducted with the support of sponsors: BP, LUKOIL, Statoil, Tatneft, Schlumberger, Halliburton, Roxar, Rock Flow Dynamics, Targin, and Frank’s International.

Traditionally, the programme committee has chosen a conference motto that reflects the situation in the oil and gas industry worldwide and at the national level, and sets the tone for the whole conference. This year they decided on quotation Albert – “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity”. The reasoning behind this choice was the challenges that industry faces every day. On one hand, the current industry poses high-level risks for Russian energy companies, which have to operate in an unstable political and economic environment. On the other hand, complex and stressful situations often stimulate action and become catalysts in the search of new solutions and ideas.

How best to address industry needs was the major theme of all the events of the extensive technical programme comprised 4 plenary and panel sessions, 22 technical sessions, and knowledge sharing ePoster sessions, in which 215 specialists from oil and gas production and service companies, roundtables, and special young professionals technical session.

The first day was opened with the plenary session that echoed the conference motto ‘In the Middle of Difficulties Lies Opportunity’. The programme committee co-chairs became the session moderators: Stanislav Buchinsky, Tyumen Petroleum Research Centre; Mikhail Gelfgat, Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas; Rustam Khalimov, Tatneft.

The first speaker, Tatyana Mitrova, Head of Oil and Gas Department, Energy Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented ‘Global and Russian Energy Development Forecast to 2040’.

The next presentation ‘Good Business for All Seasons – Improving Brownfield Efficiency’ was delivered by David Campbell, President, BP Russia. David Campbell stated that the significance of the brownfields and improving their efficiency has never been greater, because the Russian oil industry will likely continue to rely on its portfolio of brownfield assets to deliver its near term production targets. He also mentioned that Russia’s brownfield portfolio is world class, producing 11.4 mln bpd in 2015, 2nd in the world.

Vladimir Mulyak, Doctor of Engineering Science, in his paper ‘Golden Miles in Oil Recovery’ highlighted new in-depth sweep improvement technology that uses innovative reagent – inorganic polymer.

‘Global Challenges and Opportunities’ was the topic of the paper presented by Nathan Meehan, SPE President 2016. In this presentation Dr. Meehan provides examples of innovations in technology, collaboration and thinking that have enabled breakthroughs and points to four areas where huge gains can be had in the industry.

Panel Session ‘Hard to Recover Reserves. Problems and Solutions’ was held on 24 October and was moderated by Vera Bratkova, State Committee of Reserves, and Alexander shandrygin, DeGolyer and MacNaughton Corp.

During this session Mars Khasanov, Director of Technology, Upstream, Gazprom Neft, CEO Gazpromneft STC, shared the experience of Gazprom Neft in application of Integrated Approach to Unconventional Reserves Development. Azat Zaripov, First Deputy Director, TatNIPIneft, presented his paper ‘Innovation is Drive of Tatneft Sustainable Development in the Era of Tight Oil’. This report presented the primary trends and results achieved due to development and application of innovative technologies. The next speaker at this panel session was Ivan Likhoded, Chief Reservoir Engineer, Tyumen Petroleum Research Centre, who delivered presentation ‘Evolution of Engineering Solutions on the Development of Hard-to-Recover Reserves from Low-Permeable Reservoirs of Tyumen Suite Oil Reserves on an Example of Krasnoleninskoe Oilfield’.

The first day was ended by the reception where SPE President Nathan Meehan handed out the regional awards to 16 winners for their significant input to the industry and SPE activities. Regional Distinguished Corporate Support Award was given Gazprom Neft.

On the second conference day the participants attended panel session ‘Innovation technologies. New Ideas in New Reality. The session was moderated by Mikhail Gelfgat, Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, and Edmund Ongemakh, ROSGEO, who have opened the session with the report on ‘ROSGEO Innovation Technologies and Solutions’. Other speakers at this session were:

• Alexander Nikonov, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Roman Capital, with presentation on ‘An Innovative Approach to Oil Production Efficiency Enhancement’;
• Valery Shaposhnikov, Head of Vessel Durability and Marine Facilities Department, Krylov State Research Center with ‘Scientific Basis for Reducing Regulated Ice Load on Fixed Platforms and Ice-Going Vessels’;
• Alexey Salimon, Associate Professor, NUST «MISIS» with ‘Expert Systems in Material Science: Basics for Material Selection in Mechanical Design and Development of Tailored Materials’.

Panel Session ‘Well Construction Efficiency Improvement Challenges in New Market Reality was held on the third day. Vladimit Sledkov, LUKOIL-Engineering, and Alexey Samarskiy, Halliburton, moderated this session. The first speaker, Nikolay Smirnov, Chief Engineer, PetroGM, told about ‘Engineering Approach or Playing Risk Management’, and Stanislav Kulikov, Project Manager for MPD and DwC, Weatherford Russia, delivered a presentation on ‘Drilling Hazard Mitigation – An Individual Approach to Each Task’.

During the three conference days, industry specialists had opportunity to take part in three roundtables and have a chance to discuss the most interesting and relevant topics with colleagues from all over the world. Roundtables were dedicated to three most pressing topics: ‘Digital Field – Questions of Integrated Modelling and Operational Response’, ‘Young Professionals Skills Improvement, and R&D.

The annual Special Young Professionals Session was organized in at the conference. At this session 14 young professionals from such companies Gazprom Neft, LUKOIL, Rosneft, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, and others.

Society of Petroleum Engineers expresses its utmost gratitude and appreciation to the Programme committee, World Trade Center Moscow representatives, translators, sponsors and student volunteers.

For any queries or to request photographs for the 2016 SPE Russian Petroleum Technology Conference and Exhibition, please contact Lilia Khalmuradova lkhalmuradova@spe.org.