R&D/innovation
Findings from two new SPE papers argue that the tight-rock sector needs to rethink longstanding assumptions about how hydraulic fractures form underground.
The newest recipient of the title SPE Legend of Hydraulic Fracturing talks about his career, the evolution of fracture stimulation, the development of increasingly useful simulators, and the future of the oil and gas industry. The honor was given at the 2026 SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition.
SLB's and Baker Hughes' partnerships with NVIDIA and Google Cloud, respectively, will develop advanced AI-enabled power optimization and sustainability solutions for the global data center sector.
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Getting a good well for a field test can make or break a new idea. A government backed research group in Saskatchewan is offering up to CAD 100,000 break on royalty payments to test ways to extend the life of conventional, heavy-oil fields. -
Tyer Wind in Tunisia developed a wind turbine that mimics the flapping motion of hummingbirds' wings. Rated power output is 1 kW, using two carbon-fiber wings, each 5.25-ft long. At rated power, it operates at 450 rpm. The machine is currently undergoing open air/real conditions testing.
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Scientists have developed oxidized carbon particles that extract radioactive metals, such as cesium and strontium, from water. They said the materials may help purify contaminated waters stored after the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident and also can trap common radioactive elements found in waterfloods from oil extraction, such as uranium, thorium, and radium,
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A recently launched joint industry project (JIP) is working to improve petrophysical analysis methods to reduce the time and expense of characterizing tight sandstone gas reservoirs for exploration, appraisal, and production.
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Investment in digital technologies may increase project efficiency and reduce costs. However, Technip’s chief executive officer (CEO) said it is equally important to strengthen relationships with companies along the supply chain.
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A number of ongoing industry research projects are developing nanoparticles that work at the reservoir level and for fluid treatment. Though they may be a few years away from finalization, these efforts highlight nanotechnology’s increasingly sophisticated and growing application scope.
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This article is a summary of the 2016 follow-up paper on carbon capture and sequestration, one of the five grand challenges to the industry identified by the SPE R&D Committee in 2011.
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ADNOC and BP will collaborate to form an earth surface technology center in Abu Dhabi. ADNOC has also reformed its stage gate process for advancement of new technologies.
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New leadership aims to make positive, lasting changes at RPSEA.
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Researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, are building replica core samples using 3D printers and installing sensors inside them as they go. Their goal is to directly monitor pore-scale flow behavior from the inside of these so-called “smart rocks.”
