The future of energy discussed by leading industry scientist

BP's Chief Scientist talked to packed audience at Imperial College London about the future of the oil and gas industry.

Dr Angela Strank gave the annual 2014 Huxley Lecture entitled “The factory of new knowledge - science, technology and innovation in the oil and gas sector”, which was held in the Royal School of Mines. She focussed on the history of oil extraction, the energy challenges that lay ahead and the technologies that are being developed to meet the challenge head-on.

Dr Strank’s fascinating history of oil extraction showed pictures and videos of the earliest drillers and prospectors, building up to the incredible depths and accuracy of modern off-shore wells, and the technology and design of the trans-Alaskan pipeline.

Addressing energy challenges, Dr Strank pointed out the tremendous growth in energy demand of the future. She stated that by 2035, 40 per cent more energy will be required - the equivalent to that of another China and USA - and 80 per cent coming from fossil fuels. Asking the question whether there is sufficient oil available to satisfy this, she noted that there is sufficient oil currently available until at least 2050, with “peak oil” no longer being an issue as more and more diverse sources are discovered.

However, Dr Strank said that energy security will be an increasingly pressing issue. She noted that the big oil users are not necessarily the big producers, but that the global sources and supply chains that have been developed will ensure energy security in the future. Sustainability of oil use should be addressed by carbon pricing, switching to lower carbon fuels and through innovation, which brought her to her third part.

Dr Strank described examples of technological advances through the chain of discovery, recovery, processing and consumption. Starting with seismic measurement of geological features, she described the BP 3.8 petaflop supercomputer, and the use of “big data” to develop a well advisor system for greater safety. Details of Enhanced Oil Recovery methods were of particular interest to the ESE audience, and the point that more oil is still available in existing reservoirs than in new wells.

The need for energy efficiency was brought home by the prediction that by 2035 vehicles numbers will more than double, but fuel demand will increase by less than a third, due to smaller, better engines. This was illustrated by the presence of a Ford Fox engine, brought specially for the occasion.

In her summary, Angela noted that energy is abundant, but that technology is vital to ensure a safe, efficient, reliable and sustainable supply. This is done in partnership with many researchers, including Imperial. These strategic relationships are critical. She concluded with the statement that oil and gas is a business of the world, at the forefront of human endeavour, to provide the energy that we need.