Johan Sverdrup: the Final Lap of a True North Sea Giant

The second phase of Johan Sverdrup came on stream in December 2022. This paper focuses on the execution of Johan Sverdrup phase 2 and describes the assessments and investments for improved oil recovery (IOR) from one of the largest oil fields in Norway. The Johan Sverdrup field development has been called Equinor's ‘digital flagship', and this paper includes the proof of concept for the digital initiatives after more than three years of operation. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic Johan Sverdrup phase 2 has been able to deliver on schedule, under budget, and with an excellent safety record. The paper includes experiences from the concept development and engineering phase to the global contracting strategy, through the construction on multiple building sites in Norway and globally, and until the end of the completion phase offshore Norway. Johan Sverdrup is the third largest oil field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), and with recoverable reserves estimated at 2.7 billion barrels of oil equivalents, has the resources to be a North Sea Giant. Start-up of the Johan Sverdrup phase 2 extends and accelerates oil and gas production from the NCS for another five decades. This paper aims to highlight what it took to make Johan Sverdrup a true North Sea Giant, fit for the 21st century: a safe and successful execution of a mega-project, with next-generation facilities adapted to a more digital way of working, with an ambition to profitably recover more than 70% of the resources, while limiting carbon emissions from production to a minimum. In many ways the Johan Sverdrup development has set a new standard for project execution in Equinor. The impact of different variables made during the execution of the project, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, market effects, procurement strategies, value improvement initiatives, execution performance and reservoir characteristics is addressed, as well as describing assessments and investments for improved oil recovery (IOR). Data acquisition, Permanent Reservoir Monitoring (PRM), fibre-optic monitoring of wells, innovative technologies, and digitalization, as well as new ways of working are included. Equinor ´s digital strategy was established in 2017, and Johan Sverdrup was highlighted as a digital flagship at that time and a frontrunner in applying digital solutions to improve safety and efficiency from the development to the operational phase. What has been implemented so far together with experiences will be shared. © 2023, Offshore Technology Conference.

#OceanOptimism: Balancing the Narrative About the Future of the Ocean

The ocean is facing multiple pressures from human activities, including the effects of climate change. Science has a prominent role in identifying problems and communicating these to society. However, scientists are also increasingly taking an active role in developing solutions, including strategies for adapting to and mitigating climate change, increasing food security, and reducing pollution. Transmitting these solutions to society changes our narrative about the ocean and motivates actions. The United Nations triple initiatives for this decade-the Sustainable Development Goals, the Decade on Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration-provide the momentum for this change in narrative and focus. Here, we reflect on the search for solutions and the need for better ways of communicating science in a positive way. We synthesize insights from a summer school held during the COVID-19 pandemic and present some examples of successes and failures and the lessons learned from these.

Editorial Note: Radical as Reality Itself

A careful meditation on the three nostalgic forces shaping anti-systemic processes, Bonds commentary focuses on uneven development in the capitalist world-economy, and the complex peripheral and semi-peripheral reality in which BRICS, as an alternative, presents no real challenge to a world-system driven by overaccumulation of capital. The next article takes us from the field of contemporary power relations to the high middle ages to focus on two distinct world-ecologies, in the North Sea and the Mediterranean, evaluated on its own terms from the World-Ecology Perspective. [...]our book review section includes the 2020 book Give and Take: Developmental Foreign Aid and the Pharmaceutical Industry in East Africa by Nitsan Chorev, reviewed by Patricia Ward.

Development and evolution of an anomalous Asian dust event across Europe in March 2020

This paper concerns an in-depth analysis of an exceptional incursion of mineral dust over southern Europe in late March 2020 (27–30 March 2020). This event was associated with an anomalous circulation pattern leading to several days of PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 µm) exceedances in connection with a dust source located in central Asia;this is a rare source of dust for Europe, which is more frequently affected by dust outbreaks from the Sahara Desert. The synoptic meteorological configuration was analyzed in detail, and the aerosol evolution during the transit of the dust plume over northern Italy was assessed at high time resolution by means of optical particle counting at three stations, namely Bologna, Trieste, and Mt. Cimone, allowing for the revelation of the transport timing among the three locations. Back-trajectory analyses supported by Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) maps allowed for the location of the mineral dust source area in the Aralkum region. Therefore, the event was analyzed by observing the particle number size distribution with the support of chemical composition analysis. It is shown that the PM10 exceedance recorded is associated with a large fraction of coarse particles, which is in agreement with mineral dust properties. Both the in situ number size distribution and the vertical distribution of the dust plume were cross-checked using lidar ceilometer and aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from two nearby stations and showed that the dust plume (in contrast to those originating from the Sahara Desert) traveled close to the ground (up to a height of about 2 km). The limited mixing layer height caused by high concentrations of absorbing and scattering aerosols caused the mixing of mineral dust with other locally produced ambient aerosols, thereby potentially increasing its morbidity effects.

Characteristics of the Wind and Wave Climate along the European Seas Focusing on the Main Maritime Routes

European seas have a strong economic role both in terms of transport and tourism. Providing more knowledge, regarding the mean and extreme values of the wind and sea state conditions in the areas characterized by high maritime traffic, helps to improve navigational safety. From this perspective, six zones with high maritime traffic are studied. ERA5 database, a state-of-the-art global reanalysis dataset provided by ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts), is used to assess the average values and the percentiles for the wind speed and the main wave parameters in the target areas considering the period 2001–2020. The main European routes and the extreme conditions along them as well as the areas characterized by high values of wind speed and high waves were also identified. A more comprehensive picture of the expected dynamics of the environmental matrix along the most significant shipping routes is useful because in this way the most dangerous areas could be avoided by ships for the safety of passengers and transported goods.