Hottest topics on Oil and Gas Industry

Here you can find 13 topics which can be used as a basic concept for the next conference. The reason why I have chosen such topics is written in the short description underneath the each headline.

1. HSE – Health and Safety Regulation

The consequences of many disasters at oil refineries speak for themselves, Health and Safety should be on top of the list of every organization especially when it comes to refinery and drilling business. Real understanding of all the risk factors and ability to manage them can save money, time and effort for all the organizations within the industry. This can include also offshore safety regulations.

2. The Digital Oilfield

The new trends in digitalization of oilfields meaning a webbased platforms which can conduct visualization, managing and tracking data coming from the oilfield itself. It can read all the data on pipelines, platforms, mechanical parts etc. This can cut down the human errors extremely, optimize production, minimize downtimes and increase NPV of oil and gas.

3. The Future Role of Petroleum (The Future of Oil and Gas)

Continuation of the Fossil Fuels success, business adaptation for unforeseen challenges, what will be the possible price changes, will it remain the leading energy source, bio regulation, exploration technologies, upstream and downstream optimization, challenges to find another sources, environmental fears etc.

4. Shale Gas in Europe (Fracking in Europe)

Fracking as a new trend and a new way of getting a natural gas. In America, there is more than half a million of active fracking wells. The production has increased from 4 percent to 24 percent in last 5 years and it’s still booming. It can create thousands of jobs directly and indirectly. What are the dangers of fracking, opportunities etc.? What is the situation in Europe? How to enter the golden age of gas?

5. New trends in Biofuel Production

There is an EU regulation trend of rising the percentage of biofuel compound in both Diesel and gasoline. Companies will have to fulfill this regulations and think of widening the plant base of bio components and raising the percentage or portion of bio components in the fuels. There is an opportunity for the new technologies which can cause less environmental issues.

6. LNG Project Financing

LNG development is among one of the most complex and challenging projects in the world. The industry has developed significantly over the last decades. New plants are being constructed usually in developing countries. Companies have to find the right way and strategy to finance these projects and learn the trends that have the potential of changing the way projects are funded.

7. Renewable Sources vs. Fossil Fuels

While renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and biofuels experience great level of growth and attention, it still seems that fossil fuels will remain the energy leader for some time. Which factors could have the largest impacts on whether oil and gas remain so prominent or whether they are replaced with other fuel sources. What are the most promising fuel alternatives to oil and gas?

8. Oil and Gas Cyber Security

In 2011 many oil and gas companies suffered increased amounts of cyber-attacks with criminal intent. These attacks are a great risk to machinery, which can cost lives, stop production and cause environmental threats. The risk of a cyber-attack is growing and companies become vulnerable if not protected well. What are the steps large companies are currently taking to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks, what are lessons learnt from previous incidents and what would be the best practice for the future?

9. Drilling Africa (Drilling Middle East)

New opportunities for upstream in Africa. How to maximize operational results, how to achieve bankability for the drilling projects, safety and security measures, technologies, cost optimization, infrastructure challenges, environmental issues, building relationship with the local communities.

10. Risk Management and Process Safety

Covering the latest strategies and technologies to tighten up health and safety and improve the working environments in oil and gas facilities. Learn how to protect organization’s people and assets from the process dangers, operational risks, and potential costs of hazardous industrial processes. Risk management, hazard assessments, including onshore and offshore as well as worst-case scenario analysis, hazard reviews, and development of procedures and supporting documentation.

11. Oil spill crisis management

Learning from BP case. How to avoid such disastrous environmental consequences in the future.

12. Managing Shutdowns to decrease Downtime

Shutdown is amongst the most complex and costly maintenance projects. If not executed well it can face several risks and loss of extensive amount of money. Realizing the importance of pre-planning and discovering its key aspects is the most significant part of shutdown management. Executing a shutdown in the planned time minimize downtime costs and it is one of the most important factors along with learning how to secure the right resources for a shutdown and learning how to be prepared for unplanned shutdowns.

13. LNG pipeline structures and terminals

Driven by rising oil prices major economies are building or planning to build more LNG terminals to diversify their energy supply and increase their energy security. Oil and Gas companies have to fully understand the LNG demand development and how it is impacting LNG infrastructure strategies. Explore best practices on planning, design, safety standards, pipeline project implementation and future of offshore LNG terminals.