E&P産業における技術開発の新しい動きとTRCの方向性

抄録

The lower oil price during 1990's, with the sudden collapse of price from 1997 through 1999, had forced international E&P industry to accelerate the process of consolidation and rationalization, and hence to restructure and reform itself. At the same time, this environment gave a strong pressure to many IOC's to change their technology strategy.
Technical competence of E&P company is most crucial for being competitive in the international market and for surviving in the future. However, the major role of technical research group in the IOC has shifted during the last decade from pure innovative R&D to technical service to the business activities. Further more, many national oil companies are in a process of privatization and will soon become competitive players in the international market.
The international E&P market is becoming further competitive for the smaller IOC's. Japanese companies must be competent in this harsh global market, where they must provide highly competitive operating performances at the fields and technical proposals with the best practices and economics to its business partners of NOC's and IOC's.
As E&P technology has continuously been advanced during 1990's, to maximize oil and gas recovery with the best economics under lower oil price environment, the following 4 areas of technologies are considered to be most advanced in 90's. These are seismic technology, advanced-innovative drilling technology, reservoir characterization through multi-disciplinary team approach, and deep water technology.
Author believes that the mission of TRC in such environment is to provide efficient technical support to Japanese E&P industry by conducting business oriented R&D mainly by multi-disciplinary project teams. As a government agency, TRC should also contribute to the promotion of natural gas utilization in Japan by conducting R&D on new technology to enhance its utilization and promoting further collaborative activities with NOC's to strengthen relationships.kn-abstract=