Upstream engineering covers all activities in the oil & gas Industries under the term "exploration & production", but does not include distribution.
Typically this will mean seismic activities, drilling and testing to determine the viability of a hydrocarbon reservoir, or resource. This could be conventional crude oil or natural gas, or unconventional deposits such as shale oil or gas, coal bed methane, or developments in liquefied natural gas. It also includes the fabrication, installation, safe and reliable operation and maintenance of the Production Facilities in accordance with local legislation. This ultimately will also include their decommissioning and safe disposal.
Where production is offshore, it also includes export pipelines and onshore receiving terminals. Thus the Forties pipeline all the way to its Kinneil gas/ liquids plant, at Grangemouth, is regarded as upstream, as are all the onshore gas terminals at St. Fergus, Tees-side, Bacton etc. Generally, the test is whether the oil is stable or not and the gas wet or not.
What is offshore renewable energy?
Offshore renewable energy sites to date consist primarily of offshore wind farms. A number of tidal stream turbines and wave energy converters are in development, with many at some point of commercial or prototype development, but these forms of offshore renewable energy remain nascent.
The Offshore wind market originated in Denmark and now consists predominantly of Denmark, UK, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Sweden. China has a few sites, and sites are also in development elsewhere in Europe and North America. Sites have typically been built in 30m or less of water, but are now being built in waters of up to 45m. Post Fukushima, Japan is adding its impetus to the fast developing floating offshore wind market, enabling development in much deeper waters.
At the end of 2012 there was a total offshore wind generation portfolio, globally, in excess of 5GW, or approximately 10% of the total wind (onshore and offshore) market. Within Europe this was spread across more than 50 sites, and in the UK there were more than 20 sites, 1000 turbines and 3.5GW of capacity. Offshore wind farms are now typically built with 30 or more turbines, with the turbines being in the range of 3MW up to 7MW.
The UK has a number of companies, be they operators, consultancies, contractors or OEMs, involved in all aspects of offshore, upstream and offshore wind, from development through construction to operations and maintenance. It is likely