JUS271A Energy Law

Dr Tina Hunter
Reader in Energy Law, University of Aberdeen; and
Associate, Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law

Exploration
determine whether petroleum is present

Appraisal
determine extent of the resources

Development
facilities and infrastructure construction

Production
extract petroleum

Abandonment
close down the field

Regulatory areas
Regulation of offshore petroleum production
1. Safety
Lecture 3

2.
Environment
Lecture 5

3. Resource management

field
development
plan
lecture 2

well drilling and

abandonment
lecture 4

field
abandonment
after production
lecture 5

STAGES OF PRODUCTION
ACCESS

PETROLEUM EXPLOITATION

LCS

EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT(L2)

or

PRODUCTION: SAFETY IN EXPLORATION AND

PRODUCTION (L3)

PSC

PRODUCTION: REGULATING WELLS IN

EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION (L4)

(L1)

PRODUCTION:ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION
IN EXPLORATION, PRODUCTION
DECOMMISSIONING (L5)

This lecture will cover...

RECAP OF REGULATORY BOW TIE

REGULATION OF OPERATIONS - WELL
INTEGRITY AND WOMPs
WHAT IS WELL INTEGRITY
IMPORTANCE OF WELL INTEGRITY

CONVENTIONAL WELLS
UNCONVENTIONAL WELLS

GOP VS ALARP
USE OF STANDARDS IN ONSHORE PETROLEUM
ACTIVITIES

SPILL RESPONSE
WELL CONTROL RESPONSE

REGULATORY BOW TIE

The Regulatory Bow Tie

Regulatory Bow Tie

Prevention and response both critical
Prevention

Safety
Environment
Well

Integrity

Response
Critical

response
Well control response
Environmental clean-up response

IS PREVENTION BETTER THAN RESPONSE?

WELL INTEGRITY AND WOMPS

Well integrity

Defined by NORSOK as
application

of technical, operational and

organizational solutions to reduce the risk of
uncontrolled release of formation fluids
throughout the life cycle of a well

Various facets to well integrity including:

Accountability

and responsibility,
well operating processes
Well service processes
Annulus Integrity
Wellhead integrity and testing

Montara in Australia

August 2009
Well kick
Poor barriers
Cementing of the shoe
Inexperienced operator
Inadequate regulation

Deepwater Horizon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=
FCVCOWejlag

Also known as the Macondo

blowout
complex systems almost
always fail in complex ways

space shuttle Challenger

Causes

Cementing of shoe
Lack of barriers
Depth
Technology race
Regulation not keep up with
technology
MMS

Response

wait and see

hair
dumping garbage
topkill
robotic arm

Your perceptions
?

Well integrity

Happen again?
DWH was a catastrophic
facility integrity failure
(CFIF)
This could happen any time
anywhere, but
Theoretically less likely due
to method of regulation

Individual installation
assessment

Problems facing all activities

Deeper water

Do we really know the

issues?

Regulation keeping up
Ageing installations
Gannet Alpha in August 2011
North Sea

Regulatory response to Montara

Commonwealth
Waters

Joint Authority

NOPTA

NOPSEMA

Why is well integrity important?

What prevents groundwater damage or

well blowout
No single HF caused damage is Loss of
well control or failure of integrity of the
well..
Dont want wells to leak when wells leak
need environmental response

WELL INTEGRITY BOW TIE - HOW WELLS

FAIL
PREVENTION

RESPONSE

Well Control
Response Plan
CBL

Monitoring

EVENT

THREAT:
Well Integrity
Cement
Job

Well
integrity
test

BOP

Hydrocarbon
Spill Response
Plan

Barriers
Adapted Bow Tie analysis of prevention of, and response to, loss of well integrity in conventional
petroleum operations

Why is well integrity so important?

Prevention of environmental
harm - barriers
Cement Job
Cement Bond Log
Well integrity test
Well monitoring
BOP

Regulation of wells Norway

Regulation of wells Norway

REGULATIONS
RELATING TO HEALTH, SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN T
HE PETROLEUM ACTIVITIES AND AT CERTAIN ONSHORE FACI
LITIES (THE FRAMEWORK REGULATIONS
)

REGULATIONS RELATING TO TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL MA

TTERS AT ONSHORE FACILITIES IN THE PETROLEUM ACTIVIT
IES, ETC. (TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL REGULATIONS
)

REGULATIONS RELATING TO CONDUCTING PETROLEUM ACTIVI

TIES (ACTIVITIES REGULATIONS)

CHAPTER XV

Other forms of regulation

investigations and orders

Other forms of regulation

Risk reduction
S11

framework regulations

Use of recognised standards

S24

framework regulations
NORSOK D-010

Information and assessment

http

://www.psa.no/well-integrity-challenges/category
1031.
html

Acknowledgement of Compliance Scheme

Regulations of Wells UK

Law
General

Provision Petroleum Act

The offshore installations and wells
(design and construction etc)
regulations

UK HSE
http://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/wells.htm

Current issues of importance in North Sea

Monitoring and maintaining well lifecycle

integrity
Arrangements for examination of well design
and construction by independent and
competent third parties
Verification of well control safety critical
equipment by independent and competent
third parties
Arrangements for ensuring competence for
safe working, especially complex well
operations (eg HPHT)