An important factor in the exploitation of the world's oil and gas resources is the mode of transportation away from the exploration and production facilities to regions where processing can be performed. Commonly, pipelines are employed providing annual transport capability for billions of dollars worth of crude oil, natural gas and associated products. This paper focuses on the offshore transportation of crude oil via inter-platform and platform-shore flowline systems, In particular, the study addresses the dynamics of riser-flowline configurations under conditions generated by the topsides rupture of one of the risers. The problem is of a complex dynamic multiphase nature, necessitating the use of a reliable mathematical tool. Here, the OLGA code was used to provide predictions of the transient phenomena occurring in the system. Field data relating to operating conditions and fluid properties were used throughout the simulations. The investigations focus on the system dynamics subsequent to a rupture with the aim of predicting the mass release from the flowline-riser system. Various factors are seen to contribute to the resulting predictions. These include the oil bubble point pressure, flowline topology as well as modelling assumptions. Introduction Over the past recent years, events within the petroleum industry have contributed to a substantial increase, among pipeline operators, in the awareness of safety and environment related issues. As a result of this, increased efforts are now being made to employ the latest technology in pipeline integrity monitoring techniques. Offshore production platform scenarios, in particular; provide for a higher order of complexity in aspects of safety and loss prevention. The Cullen Report[l] calls for measures to mitigate the effects of any accident that may occur, one of which relates to the minimisation of hydrocarbon inventory on the platform and in risers and pipelines and isolation of pipelines. This may be achieved by the installation of valves that shut off flow. These may include topside emergency shut down valves (ESD) as well as subsea valves, whether a non-return valve (NRV), or a subsea isolation valve (SSIV). The effect of installat ion of a SSIV in a gas transport flowline is clear in that the maximum inventory available for evacuation through a rupture is bounded by the SSIV. In the case of an oil line the hydrocarbon release may be said to be governed by a mobility effect determined by, among other factors, the oil volatility. The merits for installation of a SSIV in an oil line must therefore be investigated on a case by case basis. Such investigations necessitate an appreciation of the phenomena associated with the dynamics of pipelines under leaking or rupture conditions. This paper shall address the latter topic, reporting the application of the OLGA model to the rupture of crude oil lines. A brief approach to pipeline rupture calculations will first be presented followed by a description of OLGA. The application of the model to cases of riser rupture is presented next with model predictions subsequently detailed and discussed.

The title of the article might cause one to pause momentarily since I am sure that we all know what a consultant is and what his associated role should be. I am equally sure that if one were to ask a group of consultants the same question, the answers would be interestingly varied. As an engineer, consultant, and ultimately, a business owner, I take this opportunity to distill more than 25 years of experience that I have used to build a leading consulting organization, while sharing some of the more controversial issues that arise. Dictionaries proclaim that a consultant is an expert who gives advice. Additionally, it is believed that the word consultant has been used for some time, since before 1892. So, what is it that has driven the need for this "species" from as far back as the 19th century? The answer is simple and partly has to do with the expertise factor, but, above all, it has to do with the time/money factor. A client employs a consultant to get something done more quickly (and, one hopes, better) than he could have done it himself given his lack of available and qualified resources. As a result, the job should cost less. In addition, the value added must always be significantly greater than the value paid out. Consultants are prevalent in a number of industries including medical, aerospace, transport, and construction. The energy industry is no different, and one comes across a wide spectrum of, on the one hand, independent consultants and, on the other, larger organizations geared to take on and execute large projects. Wherever you are in the spectrum, there are a number of fundamental prerequisites that define a true consultant. These include the following: Expertise. This comprises the technical and, possibly, commercial background necessary to address the problems at hand and deliver a successful solution. Experience. Armed with the technical knowhow, this relates to the fact that the individual or company has successfully executed the type of work currently under consideration. Deliverability. No matter how smart and how experienced one is, if one cannot deliver on time, on budget, and to the client's satisfaction, then it is all for naught, and the client's time and money have been wasted. Integrity. This is a key element in today's business environment and hinges on one doing what one says one is going to do while ensuring that there are no conflicts of interest along the way. This is especially important given the fact that a consultant is usually exposed to sensitive client data that must not be seen by any third party. Sanctity of contracts is key, whether constituted on the basis of a handshake or resulting from a 20-page document.

Knowledge management—an oxymoron? Indeed it might be. Knowledge cannot be managed because it is an abstract quantity. Some would argue otherwise, but eventually it comes down to the definition of knowledge. One that I tend to favor is "the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned." However defined, we have seen knowledge management rise to its apogee in the late 1990s, and soon thereafter fall to a nadir in the new millennium. In line with the cyclic nature of our industry, knowledge management has been placed out front again. What is intriguing, however, is the variety of avenues along which corporations track that science (or is it an art?). The following are the primary tracks. Data Track. More often than not, knowledge is equated to data. While this idea is not entirely correct, data are an important cornerstone in the knowledge-management framework, and the ability to share and exchange data is a major contribution toward the gaining of knowledge. Operations Track. A critical element in any operation is that related to collaboration. Enhancing the opportunity to learn across any organization brings one closer to its optimum goals. This idea may be counter to human nature, so one might focus on developing and deploying technology and associated environments that encourage collaboration. People Track. This link is key in the knowledge-management chain because perception, discovery, and learning are "people things." It is important that people are groomed to be knowledge thinkers. This idea may be a new slant to customary career paths but is organizationally worthwhile nonetheless. The papers featured this month are good examples of each of the above tracks, providing a diverse insight into current activity in the industry at both the demand and supply level. We have all heard about the "big crew change," and we realize that it is happening. It is, therefore, refreshing to see that initiatives are in place to begin to address the challenges that such a turnover in our industry will bring with it. Knowledge Management additional reading available at the SPE eLibrary: www.spe.org SPE 95292 "Harnessing the Wisdom of Crowds—Case Study" by G. Velasquez, SPE, Halliburton, et al. SPE 95813 "Enhancing Collaboration Between Engineering and Operations—A Case Study of Alaska Work Processes" by J. Anders, SPE, BP plc, et al. SPE 99873 "The Use of Integrated Decision Making To Embed Sustainable Development" by M. Kuijper, Shell E&P, et al.

Technology Focus The inevitable cycles of the energy industry will continue, as will the perceived need for intellectual capital by the oil and gas finders and producers. Intellectual capital is not a line item on a company's balance sheet, yet it is probably one of its most important assets. Organizations take varying approaches to building intellectual capital, from organic development of knowledge to outright acquisition. In an industry that is gradually evolving away from traditional business models, knowledge management will remain a keystone. A wide spectrum presents itself among the 61 papers that comprise this year's offering for this feature. The recurring themes of real-time data capture, data validation, and protocol for data transmission are prevalent. However, a few new, refreshing, worthy trends emerge. These trends appear to evolve beyond the rudimentary "nuts and bolts" of how to handle the substantial volumes of data [now measured in petabytes (1015 bytes)] to building somewhat cerebral processes that will deliver, yes, intellectual capital. Surveillance. Deepwater is a province counted on to deliver the next tranche of significant reserves from known basins of the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, or Brazil or from evolving areas offshore India and Oman. Experienced engineering resources are, more often than not, focused on project engineering rather than on routine surveillance. Yet, this expertise is necessary for surveillance to be both efficient and successful. To bridge this business dichotomy requires development and deployment of knowledge-management tools whereby the expertise of engineers with 25+ years" experience is captured and made available to the 5-years"-experience resources. Advanced Collaborative Environments. It is encouraging that significant investment is being made in environments with clearly stated objectives of improving knowledge capture and eventual application, as well as leveraging the skills and knowledge of experts both internally and externally. Furthermore, an exciting readiness exists to learn from other industries (e.g., the military has had large-scale collaborative projects in place for many years). Strategic Decision Making. The use of tools in decision making, such as advanced risk analysis, value-of-information evaluation, and real-options analysis, is becoming commonplace. How does one guarantee the optimum subjective judgment by experts, or, put differently, how does one invest the company's intellectual capital wisely? With at least a decade of talk on knowledge management under its belt, clearly, the energy industry is refining its approach and beginning to realize dividends of investing in its intellectual capital. Knowledge Management and Training additional reading available at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org IPTC 12035 • "Improvements in the Management of Structured and Unstructured Data" by Mike Garbarini, ExxonMobil, et al. SPE 123213 • "Strategic Decision Making in the Digital Oil Field" by B. Jafarizadeh, SPE, University of Stavanger, et al. SPE 123096 • "What Lessons Can Digital-Oilfield Practitioners Learn From Defence Initiatives Such as Network-Enabled Capability?" by Michael Popham, SPE, BAE Systems, et al.

The topic of knowledge management has matured considerably over recent years, evolving from abstract discussion about the translation of raw data into useful information on to knowledge while presenting an exposé of the differences between explicit and tacit knowledge. These dialogues, more often than not, lacked cohesion as well as a clear impression of the effect on the industry's bottom line. In reviewing the various papers for this year's feature, I have to remark about the superior quality and high degree of relevance of the various publications. One can witness a foundation of data acquisition and management in a continuum, which spans from the large volumes of data that comprise the static domain of the shared Earth model to the capacity to collect data on a continuous basis along the full profile of the wellbore. The latter is a clear demonstration of the great strides in technology made by the providers of data-gathering systems. Until recently, many knowledge-management initiatives were hindered by an environment that was unable to make immediate and efficient use of all the data being acquired to benefit the operation of the asset. A mainstay in the downstream operation of refinery and pipeline systems, the upstream E&P industry has evolved slowly in accepting the value of real-time data. Clearly, we are now at an advanced stage of integration of technology and information that does, indeed, drive decision making on a continuous basis. Coupling the advances described above with the ascribing of value to specific information provides added capability in making decisions that are bottom-line driven in an industry that depends increasingly on marginal assets as we focus on sustainability of current and future reserves. The papers featured this month provide an interesting wealth of information on the state of play of data-gathering technology, integration initiatives, operational deployment of digital oilfield environments, and the use of mentoring as a means of capturing and retaining knowledge. These are all excellent ingredients in a recipe for the continuing success of integrating knowledge management into mainstream E&P operations. Knowledge Management and Training additional reading available at the SPE eLibrary: www.spe.org SPE 106916 "From Sensors to Models to Visualization—Handling the Complex Data Flow" by Ø. Kolnes, SINTEF Petroleum Research, et al. SPE 103287 "Sustained Competitive Advantage Through Structured Mentoring" by G. Arango, SPE, Hughes Christensen, et al. SPE 108175 "Value-of-Information Applications in Unconventional Resource Plays" by Patrick E. Leach, Decision Strategies, et al.