Tech talk
You are here:
Tech talk
 |
BP's computing centre in Houston now has a capacity of a little more than one petaflop, making it one of the world's fastest civil supercomputers |
For more than a century, the oil and gas industry has developed increasingly sophisticated technologies in order to better understand rock formations, produce more advanced fuels and lubricants and keep facilities running safely and efficiently. BP's head of technology, David Eyton, talks to BP Magazine about the company's approach and what the future holds. |
In 1961, former BP geologist-turned-lecturer Dr John Vernon Harrison received the prestigious Lyell Medal from the Geological Society of London. In his acceptance speech, Harrison – who had worked for BP between 1918 and 1938 – recalled ‘strolling’ about the Zagros Mountains in Iran with a colleague for almost eight years while “we mapped upon the clean paper on our plane-tables [used by geologists to rest on as they drew contours on their maps] the topography and geology of some 155,000 square kilometres [60 square miles] of southwest Iran as we saw it on the ground.”
In Harrison’s day, this onshore surface geological mapping was the only way to ‘see’ the geology of any potential hydrocarbon-bearing structures below the ground. Fast-forward a century and all that has changed.
Today, understanding the geology of the rocks around us remains important, but now BP is able to use advanced seismic imaging technologies that produce evermore precise maps of structures that lie below the Earth’s surface, aided by some of the most powerful computers on Earth. In 2012, that technology took another leap forward as BP’s computing centre grew to a capacity of just over one ‘petaflop’ – making it one of the world’s fastest civil supercomputers. A petaflop is a measure of a computer’s processing speed amounting to one thousand trillion (15 zeros) floating point operations per second.
In Harrison’s day, this onshore surface geological mapping was the only way to ‘see’ the geology of any potential hydrocarbon-bearing structures below the ground. Fast-forward a century and all that has changed.
Today, understanding the geology of the rocks around us remains important, but now BP is able to use advanced seismic imaging technologies that produce evermore precise maps of structures that lie below the Earth’s surface, aided by some of the most powerful computers on Earth. In 2012, that technology took another leap forward as BP’s computing centre grew to a capacity of just over one ‘petaflop’ – making it one of the world’s fastest civil supercomputers. A petaflop is a measure of a computer’s processing speed amounting to one thousand trillion (15 zeros) floating point operations per second.
Throughout its history, BP has been a leading explorer for oil and gas, enabled by its geophysical skills. What this extraordinary example shows is the critical role that technology plays, both in acquiring the data and processing it. “We invest more in seismic technology than any other upstream programme,” says BP’s head of technology, David Eyton, underpinned by this massive computing capability.”
It’s true that science and technology underpin everything that BP does. But the organisation is also careful about how it chooses to develop its technology capability. The first call on BP’s technology investment is helping the organisation manage its safety and risk management priorities. A good example of this is the installation of hundreds of corrosion sensors, codeveloped with Imperial College London, at all of its refineries worldwide. These sensors are designed to help refinery teams understand the real-time impact of acidic crude oils and, therefore, whether they should run a particular type of crude through the facility or not, and are paying the correct price for it. “Examples like this show how technology can support BP as it manages its risks more effectively, while at the same time being good business,” says Eyton.
It’s true that science and technology underpin everything that BP does. But the organisation is also careful about how it chooses to develop its technology capability. The first call on BP’s technology investment is helping the organisation manage its safety and risk management priorities. A good example of this is the installation of hundreds of corrosion sensors, codeveloped with Imperial College London, at all of its refineries worldwide. These sensors are designed to help refinery teams understand the real-time impact of acidic crude oils and, therefore, whether they should run a particular type of crude through the facility or not, and are paying the correct price for it. “Examples like this show how technology can support BP as it manages its risks more effectively, while at the same time being good business,” says Eyton.
Another driver for BP’s investment in technology is to create distinctive competitive advantage. In the upstream business, seismic imaging and its interpretation is one of the company’s 16 major technology programmes, as is enhanced oil recovery (the ability to sweep more oil out of pores in the reservoir), along with the application of digital
technologies that boost production. In refining and marketing, BP’s petrochemicals and lubricants technologies are benchmarked as being at or better than the best and, while it’s early days for biofuels, the breadth of BP’s technology portfolio in this area is second to none. “We span the entire ‘field-towheels’ spectrum,” says Eyton, “from our research into advanced energy crops, to demonstration plants in which to convert these, and the creation of advanced fuel molecules, all informed by our sugarcane production operations in Brazil.”
Supporting Eyton at the helm, BP’s technology group now has three chief scientists – Ellen Williams, Vernon Gibson and John Pierce – who, broadly speaking, cover the core science subjects that children study in school – physics, chemistry and biology. BP has long had a chief scientist role, but Eyton decided the role needed to expand. “It was clear to me,” he says, “that scientific skills underpin transformative technology development and that if we wanted to be a technology leader and manage our links with the external scientific world well, then we needed to build these capabilities. So between them, Ellen, Vernon and John spend part of their time working with our external academic partners and the rest supporting and stimulating the technology teams inside BP.”
Supporting Eyton at the helm, BP’s technology group now has three chief scientists – Ellen Williams, Vernon Gibson and John Pierce – who, broadly speaking, cover the core science subjects that children study in school – physics, chemistry and biology. BP has long had a chief scientist role, but Eyton decided the role needed to expand. “It was clear to me,” he says, “that scientific skills underpin transformative technology development and that if we wanted to be a technology leader and manage our links with the external scientific world well, then we needed to build these capabilities. So between them, Ellen, Vernon and John spend part of their time working with our external academic partners and the rest supporting and stimulating the technology teams inside BP.”
This balance between internal and external capability is important. BP spends roughly half of its technology budget inside the company, with the other half going to universities, small- and mediumsized enterprises and other joint venture partners. The decision on how to spend that money is taken on a case-by-case basis and, like everything else, is aligned with the company’s strategy. “The danger of doing it all inside the company is you can become very insular and miss an important development,” says Eyton. “But if you do too much outside, then you might not be able to generate as much value from the intellectual property generated. There is a balance to be struck.”
Eyton believes that BP is establishing an appropriate balance, having developed strong collaborative relationships with universities around the world, mostly by adopting what is known as an ‘open innovation’ model. “The word ‘open’ is important. We have a number of such institutes that we fund, such as the BP Institute at Cambridge university, and the Energy Biosciences Institute [EBI] at Berkeley and Illinois,” he says. “Academics are free to work on whatever they want. We present them with interesting challenges and they can choose to work on those if they wish. I think we have learned how to make the most of the academic freedom and support that exists in universities.”
Eyton believes that BP is establishing an appropriate balance, having developed strong collaborative relationships with universities around the world, mostly by adopting what is known as an ‘open innovation’ model. “The word ‘open’ is important. We have a number of such institutes that we fund, such as the BP Institute at Cambridge university, and the Energy Biosciences Institute [EBI] at Berkeley and Illinois,” he says. “Academics are free to work on whatever they want. We present them with interesting challenges and they can choose to work on those if they wish. I think we have learned how to make the most of the academic freedom and support that exists in universities.”
One of the best examples of this internal/external approach can be found in BP’s biofuels business. In just five years, the company has moved from having a handful of bioscientists working inside the company, to setting up major external research programmes (including the EBI) and buying the cellulosic ethanol research assets and expertise of Verenium, adding more than 100 highly qualified bioscientists to BP’s staff. “Balance is very important, but there is no single approach; it all depends upon the business and its circumstances,” says Eyton.
Technology both informs and is informed by BP’s strategy. This strategic alignment is crucial if the company is to continue to adapt to external trends, in technology and policy development. By keeping one eye on these, the technology group can help the company make key strategic decisions that will have an impact that lasts for decades.
“We monitor policy trends for issues such as water or climate change, which are often informed by science and technology,” says Eyton. “And we monitor science and technology trends themselves. We also scan for gaps in our capability and disruptive technologies.”
Technology both informs and is informed by BP’s strategy. This strategic alignment is crucial if the company is to continue to adapt to external trends, in technology and policy development. By keeping one eye on these, the technology group can help the company make key strategic decisions that will have an impact that lasts for decades.
“We monitor policy trends for issues such as water or climate change, which are often informed by science and technology,” says Eyton. “And we monitor science and technology trends themselves. We also scan for gaps in our capability and disruptive technologies.”
One area that may have a significant impact on BP is nanotechnology – which is not so much a technology as progressive miniaturisation and the ability to measure and manipulate materials at an atomic or molecular scale, says Eyton. “For example, everybody would like to have batteries that are more cost-effective and smaller, because then electric cars would be viable and renewable power could be stored more cost effectively. Therefore, there’s a vast amount of effort going into
nanotechnology for batteries. It’s a long way off from being solved, but it is a potentially disruptive technology for our industry, so we keep a very close eye on it.”
Helping BP is a group of eminent independent scientists and technologists from different countries, industries and academia, who sit on BP’s technology advisory council (see panel below). This group meets four times a year to, as Eyton puts it, “kick the tyres” on BP’s 16 major technology programmes. Each member sits on the council for up to six years, providing external challenge, advice and experience to BP’s internal team.
By applying this additional external lens to everything the technology group does, BP can continue to adapt and invest in the areas that it sees as sources of strength, using science and technology to discover, recover and conserve more energy for another 100 years.
Helping BP is a group of eminent independent scientists and technologists from different countries, industries and academia, who sit on BP’s technology advisory council (see panel below). This group meets four times a year to, as Eyton puts it, “kick the tyres” on BP’s 16 major technology programmes. Each member sits on the council for up to six years, providing external challenge, advice and experience to BP’s internal team.
By applying this additional external lens to everything the technology group does, BP can continue to adapt and invest in the areas that it sees as sources of strength, using science and technology to discover, recover and conserve more energy for another 100 years.
 back to top
|
|
© 1996-2013 BP p.l.c.
|
