NOC Group Talks Tech Solutions
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Author: William L. Siegel (Saudi Aramco News)
Released 2 May 2008
DHAHRAN, April 30, 2008 -- Saudi Aramco’s Research and Development Center (R&DC) hosted the 7th NOC Technology Workgroup Meeting. The objective of the gathering, which ended April 16, was to find common ground for solving technological challenges for national oil companies, such as desulfurization, clean fuels and carbon management.
“We are pleased to be hosting this very important event because it enables us to share and build on selective approaches each NOC is engaged in,” said Omar S. Abdul-Hamid, manager of R&DC.
Hege Ebeltoft compliments the company on “the amount of energy Saudi Aramco has put into the NOC.” (Photo by Faisal I. Al-Dossary)
“We can understand each other’s work and see where collaboration can help us all reach solutions more quickly and more cost-effectively,” he said. “If there are difficulties, concerns and developments that face the whole industry, then why not share the load? So we develop joint projects and report on progress at this periodic workgroup meeting.”
Participants included Petrobras, China National Petroleum Corp., StatoilHydro, the National Iranian Oil Co., the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. and Petronas.
Day one was a review of joint projects that had been determined and endorsed at previous meetings. There are seven active joint projects at different stages of advancement. In parallel with the workgroup meeting, detailed technical discussions were held by teams of scientists to review the progress of the two Saudi Aramco-led projects to develop nonconventional technology to upgrade whole crude and refined products.
The NOC’s participating research and development leaders also put forward proposals for additional joint efforts, putting six additional proposals on the table. They will be considered by each member for consolidation at the next planned meeting.
Day two was a review of best practices in technology management. Guest speaker Bilal Mughal from the Research and Technology Executive Council talked about research and technology development management best practices.
Each NOC member presented the way it conducts its own R&D business. The topic was previously chosen by the workgroup because it presented a major opportunity to exchange know-how.
Hege Ebeltoft of Norway’s StatoilHydro, NOC Technology Workgroup leader, complimented Saudi Aramco and the R&DC.
“I was here in Saudi Arabia in 2006,” she said, “and am enjoying my visit this time as well. Saudi Aramco has done a good job setting up the meeting, and the attendees are actively engaged. That is thanks to the amount of energy Saudi Aramco has put into the NOC.”
It wasn’t all business, however, and the guests visited Heritage Village in Dammam for a tour of the museum and restaurant on the first day. On the second day, they enjoyed a barbecue at the beach with camels, falcons, traditional dancers and traditional local foods. The third day was used to let the visitors get to know Saudi Aramco and its people better. They visited the Saudi Aramco Exhibit and R&DC facilities.
Delegates from the China National Petroleum Corp., right, discuss issues at 7th NOC Technology Workgroup Meeting.
There were additional meetings of scientists from each of the participating NOCs for the Saudi Aramco-led projects. One of the subjects was Whole Crude Oil Upgrading by Non-Conventional Technology. That meeting was led by R&DC’s Dr. Ki-Hyouk Choi. The second subject was Non-Conventional Upgrading of Refined Products, led by Dr. Omer R. Koseoglu.
At the progress review meeting, companies delivered presentations on unconventional technologies for whole crude-oil upgrading. The presentations created a positive atmosphere for the exchange of knowledge, ideas and practicalities of each technology.
The discussion that followed the presentations focused on proof of concept and expected performance of the technologies for upgrading whole crude oil.
“This project could result in a major advancement in understanding nonconventional technologies from various viewpoints, identifying potential benefits and risks of the tech-
nologies, and establishing consensus on methodology for technology evaluation and development,” said Choi.
He added: “Participating companies agreed to conduct more detailed investigation of technology with experimental work and to test various crude oils of other project members.”
In the second meeting, the status of unconventional upgrading of refined products was reviewed. In the first phase of the project, each company will carry out proof-of-concept experiments in desulfurizing standard diesel oil.
The team will meet in Vienna in November to review the findings.
Koseoglu said NOC technical collaboration gives an opportunity to the participating companies to share knowledge and best practices and develop technologies from which all will benefit. The collaboration is an opportunity to develop and acquire technologies, Koseoglu added.
“Our meetings were very successful in continuing to invest in this valuable NOC partnership,” Abdul-Hamid said.
“We were able to effectively engage our counterparts at other NOCs and to share both our concerns and our technological advances,” he added. “We expect this good work to solidify a foundation that delivers useful products to the NOC CEOs.”
(Article by William L. Siegel)