OTIC Offshore Technology Innovation Centre

Abstract

The "offshore of tomorrow" is being defined in our generation. Awaken by climate change, we were made aware that the exploration of fossil fuels for the sole use of thermal energy cannot be sustainable in the distant future. The effect humanity has played in changing the climate of the planet by the emission of greenhouse gases is a pressing agenda for many, if not all, countries committed to the future of their generations. COP26 in Glasgow 2021 was pivotal - especially during the pandemic - as to ascertain that climate change must be tackled by an intensive transition in energy generation and consumption. It is well established that humanity will continue to consume more and more energy by the simple fact that world population will grow, and energy demand will always increase. But transitioning from a carbon-based energy mix to a completely clean energy mix is something we cannot achieve in a moment; it requires a process that starts with cleaner energy generation and substitution with more efficient processes. The offshore industry is paramount to that transition, not only because it explores oil and gas feeding in hydrocarbons in our systems, but also because it shows huge potential to play a significant role in the energy transition. So, the "offshore of tomorrow" does not mean the end of offshore exploration. On the contrary, it means the rebirth of a sector with more science and technology, applying novel operations, products, and processes. Many believe that the energy of the future will be strongly based on hydrogen. Many will target decarbonization of the current processes while the development of new processes to capture, store and transform carbon are under development. Many expect ocean renewable energy to play an important role to reduce the carbon footprint of the entire offshore systems. As we write this proposal, several of these areas are being developed by research centers. Possibly the "offshore of tomorrow" will look quite different from what we see today. Some may say the glory of the offshore industry is something of the past. We, on the other hand, believe that technological and scientific breakthroughs will fuel the development of a promising, perhaps revolutionary Industrial sector. The OTIC proposal will bring together the best of the Brazilian scientific and technological community, united by the triple helix of academia, industry, and government, to tackle the big question with quick wins and long-term disruptive solutions. Many professionals have participated in the previous offshore revolutions in Brazil, like the exploration of ultra-deep waters and the pre-salt reservoirs, but the researchers we gathered at OTIC will look ahead with a clear focus on solutions for decarbonization, safe operations and minimal environmental impact. OTIC will provide educational, scientific, and technological support to innovate "the offshore of tomorrow". There are two main goals for the centre based on main expectation of the today's offshore industry:*Decarbonization of all offshore E&P operations targeting zero emissions of GHG.*Safety of operations targeting zero accidents involving human and environmental casualties. Therefore, the original 28 project of OTIC are organized in the following five connected programs to reach these goals, strongly relating human and environmental safety in the context of climate change.*NPO - New Processes & Operations*LCP - Low-Carbon Power*DGT - Digital Transformation*NMT - Novel Materials & Nanotechnology*HSE - Health, Safety, Environment & Circular Economy (AU)