Scene setter presentation: Why does innovation and technology matter to the industry’s future?
Iman Hill AA Executive Director, IOGP
The APPEA Journal 62 - https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21456
Published: 3 June 2022
Abstract
Technology is an enabler, not a metaphysical abstraction that will resolve the energy transition. Many of the technologies our industry is working on could help us reduce potential environmental impacts, advance decarbonisation, and improve efficiency.
Some cost-saving examples of innovation include centralising and automating work planning and monitoring in well operations, oil and gas production, and refining through to using Robotic Process Automation to automate manual processes.
Revenues can be enhanced by using machine learning and advanced analytics to optimise entire systems from the reservoir through to refineries, enabling intervention ahead of predicted equipment failure, optimising supply and demand functions through trading and shipping.
Huge investment is also being placed in carbon reduction technology like satellite imaging and drones. We are finally seeing some momentum in CCUS and hydrogen.
Digital technologies enable everything we do, particularly because they can be deployed relatively quickly and low cost.
But we need to consider a few things when we consider technology. First, we cannot afford to wait for game-changing technologies to solve climate change. Second, the Paris goals can be met with technologies that exist today, albeit not at the price point we would ideally like. The challenge is pace of deployment, supported by customer demand and regulation.
A technology-inclusive approach to policymaking can ensure they are able to use the broadest possible range of emission mitigation solutions possible. By picking winners early in the race and focusing public support on a small number of technologies, we are concentrating risk and increasing chances of failure.
To view the video, click on the link to the right.
Iman Hill was appointed Executive Director of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) in December 2020. She also serves as a non-executive Independent Board Director of Oil Spill Response Ltd. (OSRL) and as a non-executive Director on the Board of United Oil and Gas. Iman is a petroleum engineer with 30 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry with extensive global expertise in the technical and commercial aspects of the petroleum business, in particular field development, capital projects, and production operations. Iman’s experience has been gained in the Middle East, North and West Africa, South America, the Asia Pacific region, and the North Sea in a number of diverse settings from onshore to ultra deepwater. She began her career with BP, and worked in a variety of technical positions before becoming a Senior Reservoir Engineer. In 1995, she joined Shell International, where she held positions such as Senior Regional Adviser Africa to the E&P CEO and the Chairman of Shell, as well as GM Shell Egypt and Chairwoman of Shell Companies in Egypt. As Senior Vice President Brazil, Iman also led BG Group’s first ultra deepwater development of the super-giant Santos Basin pre-salt fields. Additionally, at BG, as SVP Developments and Operations, Iman was responsible for driving top quartile performance in operations and well engineering. Iman has also held the positions of VP Africa at Sasol and Technical Director, GM UAE and President Egypt for Dana Gas, where she also ran the one of the Egyptian join ventures in her role as Managing Director and board member of the Egyptian Bahraini Gas Derivatives Company. She is Egyptian and a mother of five. |
