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Shaikh Ahmed inaugurating the SPE Middle East Artificial Lift Conference and Exhibition

Technology key to success in advanced oil recovery: Shaikh Ahmed

MANAMA, November 26, 2014

Technology is the key to success for exploiting unconventional hydrocarbon resources and enhancing recovery methods from mature wells, which requires the employment of advanced oil recovery technology, said Shaikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and the Minister in Charge of Oil & Gas Affairs, Bahrain.
 
The minister was inaugurating the second edition of the SPE Middle East Artificial Lift Conference and Exhibition, which has attracted more than 300 attendees from 69 companies and 24 countries.
 
Organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the event will highlight best practices in artificial lift techniques, communicate ways of applying innovative ideas to unlock the potential of artificial lift technologies, and share information about new technologies, enhanced capabilities and new applications in artificial lift systems.
 
The opening ceremony included welcome remarks by Shaikh Ahmed and Jamal A Alkhonaifer, conference chairman. 
 
Shaikh Ahmed said: “This conference is very topical as many oil producing countries increasingly turn to exploiting unconventional hydrocarbon resources and enhancing recovery methods from mature wells, which requires the employment of advanced oil recovery technology.
 
“The conference will serve as a platform to compare global exploration undertakings, promote the regions potential and discuss ideas to further advance the oil and gas sector.”
 
Although artificial lift technology has been used for many years, global energy systems that adapt to the changing world need increased investment in leading technology. Companies in this sector have taken note of the fact that artificial pumping is used in the great majority of oil-producing wells around the world thus creating the need for strategic alliances between operators and service providers to minimise operational costs, he said. 
 
Indeed, artificial lift operations become most successful when operators succeed in reducing the life-cycle costs of current operations together with overall cost, whilst increasing production, he pointed out. 
 
Technology is key to reducing environmental impact, accidents and cost, and to improving oil recovery, reliability, run life, and accuracy among other benefits. Operators and service companies are working to increase the reliability of artificial lift systems so that their use in challenging environments can be increased, which helps reduce intervention cost and deferred production, he said. 
 
Most of the oil wells in Bahrain Oil Field utilise artificial lift systems. “We have also employed progressive business strategies and successful joint ventures, such as Tatweer Petroleum in partnership with US oil company Occidental Petroleum and Mubadala of the UAE, where we have used the latest advanced technologies to optimise oil production,” Shaikh Ahmed said.
 
In Bahrain, the National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) is responsible for ensuring the country’s future oil and gas requirements. Noga formulates strategies to modernise and apply the best international standards and practices in Bahrain’s oil and gas companies. 
 
Noga’s activities are aligned with the guiding principles of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 and the National Economic Strategy to develop the country in a sustainable fashion, providing prosperity, health and safety to its population while protecting our environment. 
 
Noga’s strategies continually assess the needs of its upstream and downstream businesses, develop mid-term plans and utilise advance technology and training to optimize productivity in all of its oil and gas companies.
 
Accordingly, it is encouraging to note that this conference will address key oil and gas industry issues together with separate technical sessions dedicated to artificial lifts, all of which are of relevance to Noga. 
 
Alkhonaifer said: “With the conference theme being “Intelligent Production—What is Next”, the conference will discuss how artificial lift technologies help to mitigate loss with intelligent production. This two-day event will share existing best practices and explore new artificial lift technologies in the areas of deployment, efficient operations, and surveillance.”
 
“This conference and exhibition will provide an interactive business platform that will bring together leading minds, top officials and key industry figures under one roof here in Bahrain.”
 



Tags: Conference | SPE | lift |

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