A technology showcase designed to boost the cost-efficiency of energy production and emissions reduction projects has grown rapidly, thanks to backing from the industry regulator.
The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) provided £57,500 to grant suppliers and operators access to the UK Energy Technology Platform (UK ETP) as part of a year-long pilot scheme which finished at the end of 2023.
The UK ETP has been a hit with everyone from multinationals to smaller operators and suppliers. UK user numbers jumped from 530 at the end of 2022 to 1,800 now, and technologies added to the site by UK suppliers have soared from 140 to 900 over the same period.
It encourages the uptake of emerging and field-proven solutions. At the click of a button, users can find detailed information about technologies and discover who has deployed them previously, helping them decide whether the solution on display is the one they need.
Low-carbon, plastic-free cable and pipeline protection equipment and a system which can boost or restore production from wells by unblocking valves and pipes with pressurised CO2 are examples of the technologies showcased on the site.
New features include an AI-assisted search tool, while operators have used a new section of the site to seek support from the supply chain for nearly 100 specific challenges. One of those, relating to downhole safety valve failures, led to the identification of 42 potential solutions.
The UK ETP complements the NSTA’s annual Technology Insights Report, the most recent of which showed that the industry’s appetite for innovation remains healthy, as technologies were used 1,250 times in the UK continental shelf in 2023, up from 1,200 in 2022.
The 10 technology categories in the NSTA’s report are reflected on the UK ETP. This alignment makes it easier for operators to develop and update their annual technology plans, as required by the regulator.
The UK ETP also hosts growing numbers of net zero technologies, including carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, wind and solar.
Ernie Lamza, NSTA technology manager, said: “I’m hugely encouraged that the UK ETP has gone from strength to strength as suppliers seize the opportunity to raise awareness of their technologies which will support the North Sea’s transition to net zero and help ensure that energy production is as clean as possible.”
The UK ETP is a collaborative initiative between technology deployment service company Carjon-NRG and business-to-business technology platform TechnologyCatalogue.com, which now showcases more than 2,700 solutions globally. Suppliers can join the platform free of charge with a basic subscription.
Colin Black, UK partner for the UK ETP and managing director of Carjon-NRG, said: “The UK ETP is helping nurture a technology deployment community where solutions to operators’ challenges are quickly found, driving efficiency, transparency and innovation in the UK.
“Its growth has been tremendous, thanks in no small part to the NSTA, and further expansion is on the cards as more energy transition technologies enter the market.”
- Access the UK Energy Technology Platform here.
- A user account on the UK ETP is free of charge:- Create new account | Technology Catalogue
- A Demo can be arranged via:- Book a Demo | Technology Catalogue