New era, new opportunities
For the first time since the Industrial Revolution, Britain now obtains more power from zero-carbon sources than fossil fuels. 然而, with demand predicted to increase at a faster rate than renewables can meet, 在可预见的未来，石油和天然气可能仍然是英国能源供应结构的关键部分.
For the UK oil and gas sector, this is now driving a dual focus;
- Delivering a cleaner industry by decarbonising offshore operations
- 通过整合英国大陆架内的基础设施和网络，实现净零盆地
Achieving these two goals will require the industry to pull on multiple levers including; adopting clean power generation on offshore assets, investing in carbon capture and storage infrastructure particularly around industrial clusters, 在退役或再利用现有资产时，拥抱循环经济原则.
From an operator’s perspective, 需要立即关注的一个领域是通过更好地管理现有管道基础设施来减少排放泄漏和燃烧. 长期以来，逸散气体问题一直困扰着油气行业，但这也是一个相对容易解决的问题, 特别是随着技术主导的解决方案的出现，这些解决方案促进了更智能的资产设计, management and modifications work.
未来几年，减少排放泄漏的重点将更加突出，但这也为运营商提供了一个机会，通过采取协调一致的措施，帮助他们减少上游和下游活动的碳影响，来展示他们对环境议程的承诺.
通过智能设计和监测解决方案实现海上作业脱碳的七个步骤:
Across the globe, Wood正在为许多运营商提供技术支持的解决方案，这些解决方案可以帮助他们减少其资产组合(陆上和海上)产生的排放量。. 这包括采取实际措施，改善新建和现有基础设施的完整性，并以一种最终将碳氢化合物留在管道中而不是泄漏到大气中的方式管理资产.We make seven recommendations to help customers avoid or minimise unwanted emissions:
1. Prioritise dynamic simulations and an engineering assessment on compressor design
使用专有软件和领域专业知识来评估压缩机制造商提出的管道包设计，可以确定问题发生的位置，并提供定制的解决方案来解决这些问题. In recent years, 这种方法已经防止了数十万吨碳氢化合物在高压下泄漏.
2. Address small-bore pipework potential failures
This has been identified as the source of circa 20% of all hydrocarbon leaks in the North Sea, and yet it can be anticipated and engineered out using relatively simple software. If all operators followed this screening, and acted on what it told them, there would be 20% less hydrocarbon emissions from pipework failures. This would be a significant step on the journey towards creating a ‘net zero’ basin.
3. Invest in volatile fugitive emissions screening
通过将振动测试的筛选和分析方法与在实施阶段部署的摄像头监控技术相结合, it’s possible to identify, quantify and then minimise the leaks associated with items including valve stem packing, mechanical bolted joints and mechanical seals. 该技术已被证明在炼油领域有效，但在上游海上资产中仍处于早期阶段.
4. Embrace machine-learning augmented condition monitoring
This is an evolution of the standard machinery health monitoring, whereby machine augmented decision-making reviews and anticipates problems, allowing the specialist engineers to focus on the biggest challenges. With one customer, 这种方法直接节省了200万美元的监测成本，每年避免了超过1500万美元的不必要的维护支出. 这使得状态监测从被动的报告过程转变为主动的干预过程, adding significant value to the operations.
5. Leverage machine learning for corrosion classification
通过评估不同定性损伤水平的样本图像并将其分组为可重复的结果, 我们建立了一个非常有效的神经网络，可以在几秒钟内对任何管道跨度图像的腐蚀程度进行分类. 这使我们的团队能够大大缩短对检查后提供的数千张照片进行分类所需的时间，从几周缩短到几天. 通过确定腐蚀最严重的区域和最有可能发生排放泄漏的区域, we were able to take steps to address in a much quicker timeframe.
6. Embrace computational pipeline monitoring
Continuous monitoring of pressure, 来自系统中数千个点的温度和其他关键数据可以使操作人员快速识别任何可能表明可能泄漏的异常情况，并允许他们快速响应这些变化.
7. Complement standard monitoring with acoustic emission inline inspections
On many pipelines, 最先进的监测技术还包括可以“监听”泄漏的敏感声学设备. This is a smart approach that fortifies existing monitoring solutions.
New target zero
Building credibility and securing a future licence to operate:
设定一个雄心勃勃的目标，试图实现“净零流域”，这不仅是正确的做法, 但这也将使运营商能够展示他们对建设低碳未来的承诺，并强调为什么他们应该被视为应对气候变化挑战的一部分.
专注于降低其运营的碳强度并不是一个短期承诺或公关活动, 但运营商需要将这种理念融入到运营的各个方面，包括他们的设计方式, 构建, manage and maintain their portfolio. On existing assets, we find there are typically multiple opportunities, and that relatively small changes can help to drive significant improvements.
As well as environmental benefits, a stronger level of governance around emissions also makes compelling commercial sense. It can help to safeguard an operator’s future license to operate, reduce risk if a carbon tax is subsequently introduced, 并开始与公众建立信誉和信任，提供一种产品，使英国能够满足其主要能源安全需求，与气候变化议程并不矛盾.
There’s no doubt that achieving a ‘net zero basin’ will require a huge step change. 然而, 油气行业可以也应该从过去的经历中获得信心——油气行业在开发技术上具有挑战性的解决方案方面有着杰出的记录，而这些解决方案是许多人不敢想象的. 同样的愿景和企业家精神将有助于运营商在低碳世界中规划未来的道路.
On existing assets, we find there are typically multiple opportunities, and that relatively small changes can help to drive significant improvements.
