The Technology Inventory
Also check out the Telecom Inventory and the Resources Inventory
The U.S. is the closest it has been in almost 20 years to achieving energy self-sufficiency, a goal the nation has been pursuing since the 1973 Arab oil embargo triggered a recession and led to lines at gasoline stations.
A handheld tracker / responder with GPS and satellite communications capability can provide an emergency lifeline in harsh environments like oil and gas exploration and drilling sites.
Trident Sensors’ TRIG tracks the exact location of isolated workers anywhere in real time, be it ocean, polar regions or deserts. The portable device can be fixed on vehicles, ships and planes.TRIG can also be tracked in real time via mapping software like Google Maps or other GIS tools.
The device features an alert function which allows users to send emergency signals at a touch of a button. Users can also confirm if the emergency alert is received by a controller when the device’s LED display turns blue.
Aside from seeking emergency assistance, the rugged device can transmit and receive data and text messages, thus facilitating two-way communications via satellite. This allows people from two distant locations to communicate. Satellite data can be sent to inbox, mobile devices, websites and remote sites.
With Bluetooth capability, TRIG can communicate wirelessly with a handheld phone, notebook or other Bluetooth devices, allowing for SMS and email communications. The linked device can also perform display and processing functions if needed.
The device is rechargeable and has long battery life. Smaller than an average smartphone, the dust-proof and waterproof device only weighs 250g.
There is deep-sea version of TRIG designed for surface tracking and control of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). This model is capable of working under 1,380 bar (20, 000 psi) pressure. It is ideal for sending mission data and reprogramming mission vehicles.
The device communicates with 66 Iridium satellites to provide two-way links anywhere, including remote areas. Located in polar orbits, Iridium satellites have advantage over rival systems which do not cover higher latitudes or those confined in geostationary orbit.
Historic oil discovery in Central Australia
U.S. Oil and Gas (PLUS:USOP) has told investors that it has reached an agreement in principle in relation to its suspension on the PLUS markets exchange.
The group’s shares were suspended in August.
USOP says it has had several talks with PLUS to discuss its ‘profound concerns’ regarding the continuing suspension of US Oil and Gas shares. The most recent meeting took place on Friday January 27.
The firm says an agreement has now been reached in principle, with a PLUS Markets corporate advisor. The details of the agreement will be announced subject to the lifting of the suspension, it said.
“The company would prefer to inform shareholders of the full details of this meeting, but PLUS has insisted that publishing such detail would not be helpful,” the company said in a statement.
“US Oil regrets the anxiety caused to shareholders by the suspension and by the company’s continuing inability to communicate details of its discussions with PLUS.”
More than $800,000 in federal and provincial funding will help the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) and the University of Regina study innovative recovery methods for oil and gas production, while reducing their environmental impact.
The federal and provincial governments are each contributing about $404,000 for three initiatives through the Canada-Saskatchewan Western Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA), a cost-shared, four-year, $50-million agreement to “strengthen economic activity and improve quality of life in western Canadian communities.”
With the funding, the U of R will purchase and install laboratory equipment to develop new membranes and filtration systems to decontaminate produced water, a by-product of oil and gas production.
The PTRC will refurbish a separator unit and construct field test trailer units to sample produced water in field locations for reclamation and reuse, potentially in agricultural irrigation or other industries.
The PTRC will also undertake a broad evaluation of organic nutrient sources in Saskatchewan, leading to further research on microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) technologies.
Ray Boughen, MP for Palliser, representing Lynne Yelich, minister of state for Western Economic Diversification, said the federal government is keen to invest in innovative technologies and processes that enable companies to more efficiently and sustainably develop our oil and gas resources.
“We will continue to support research and technology commercialization that helps increase productivity, create jobs and spur sustained economic growth,” Boughen said in a press release Friday.Government Services Minister Laura Ross, speaking on behalf of Enterprise Minister Jeremy Harrison, said developing hitech innovations to extract natural resources, while protecting the environment, is a “win-win for our province.”
“We are pleased to support our research parks and universities in developing cutting edge technology that address local challenges and have a potential for commercialization to an international market,” Ross said in the release.Malcolm Wilson, CEO of the PTRC, noted that one of the most pressing concerns in the western Canadian oilpatch is the amount of produced water during oil recovery. “It is particularly difficult for smaller companies in the field because of the costs associated with clean up, so developing cost effective methods is critical,” Wilson said.
Vianne Timmons, president of the U of R, said the funding committed by the federal and provincial government demonstrates the value of government, industry and academic collaborations in finding solutions to meet challenges in the energy industry.
