The US has announced it will withdraw from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global standard on transparency in the resource industries, particularly oil and gas. We investigate the US government’s claim that the country’s legal framework prevents full EITI implementation and ask what the country’s withdrawal could mean for transparency and accountability in the global oil and gas sector.

We also take a look at new developments off the Namibian coast, draw up an interactive map of deepwater exploration winners and losers around the world, and speak to some of the winners of the 2017 Oil & Gas UK awards.

Plus, we ask whether a new conversion technique for methane could help to reduce methane flaring from gas operations, and take a look inside the subsea diving and testing facilities at the Underwater Centre at Fort William.

In this issue

Celebrating the best of UK oil and gas talent

The Oil & Gas UK Awards 2017 recognised individuals and companies that are fighting to push innovation, acceptance and training, ensuring the oil and gas industry remains an exciting and productive place to work. Molly Lempriere caught up with some of the winners to find out how they feel about training, industry trends and diversity.

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What does US withdrawal mean for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative?

The US has taken the controversial decision to withdraw from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global standard on accountability in the oil, gas and mining industries. Julian Turner talks to Jonas Moberg, head of the EITI International Secretariat, about the potential ramifications.

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Chasing opportunities offshore Namibia

Interest in Namibia’s offshore oil and gas potential is growing, Tullow Oil, Total, and others making investments in recent years. Yet, despite high expectations for the geology, only small volumes of hydrocarbons have ever been produced. Heidi Vella asks whether this is about to change.

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Deepwater development outlook for 2018

Brazil’s pre-salt region is among the areas driving deepwater oil and gas development, while others struggle with costs and technical complexity. So, in a low oil price environment, are such projects viable? Julian Turner checks out the winners and losers in the high-stakes world of deepwater E&P.

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Could electrifying methane flaring unlock a wasted resource?

MIT researchers have developed a new method to convert methane into methanol – a process that is essential for the further processing of methane which is currently flared during gas production. Dr Gareth Evans asks whether the approach is viable for large-scale commercial offshore application.

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Subsea training and testing at the Underwater Centre

Dr Gareth takes a look inside the Underwater Centre at Fort William, one of the world’s most advanced subsea testing and training facilities.

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Making the most of the Industrial IoT revolution

The world is on the cusp of another industrial revolution, driven by the Industrial Internet of Things. The oil and gas industry could be one of its principal beneficiaries, writes Dr Graham Kerr, technical director at CENSIS, the Scottish Innovation Centre for Sensor and Imaging Systems.

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Next issue preview

The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has concluded a review of offshore safety regulations in response to President Donald Trump’s order to reduce “unnecessary burden on industry”. We ask whether the resulting proposals can uphold safety standards while stripping down safety guidelines.

We also take a look at the progress of the Zohr natural gas field project, which began production in December 2017, find out how the UK’s TechX technology accelerator aims to support innovation by smaller companies, and speak to Pinnacle Consulting Engineers about the life extension project for the Leman Alpha ICCP gas field.

Plus, we explore the challenges of repairing critical oil and gas infrastructure and look into the controversial suggestion that decommissioned platforms should be left in the UK North Sea rather than removed completely.

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