1. OIL AND GAS
ALONGSIDE UAV’S: A
STEP FORTH INTO
ALADDIN'S ARABIA.
By: Damien Howard.
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2. CONTENTS
The importance of the Middle-East: Slides 3 & 4.
How a UAV market could benefit from this industry: Slides 5 & 6.
Case study: Por qué the Falkland Islands?: Slide 7.
The current set backs: Slide 8.
Potential partners: Slide 9.
The future horizon: Slide 10.
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3. OIL & GAS: WHY IS
THE MIDDLE-EAST
CONSIDERED
IMPORTANT?Brief historical overview: The Middle East, or more commonly
known as the cross road between the West an the far East
has been a place subject to change over the centuries. From
the Umayyad caliphate (661-750) to Ottoman and then
Anglo-French colonization in the 18th-20th centuries, the
region has been under constant influence from both internal
and external (mostly) powers. Plans for a British withdrawal
from Aden in the 1960’s marked an end to imperial rule in
the region and by 1971, the Union Flag had finally been
lowered in the Trucial Sheikhdoms.
However…: As colonialism came to a sudden end, the newly
independent countries discovered a ground breaking source
for economic sustainability; oil and gas. Currently half of the
world’s known oil reserves reside in the Middle East with
Saudi Arabia alone contributing to 18% of total world
reserves.
Key factors: Easy to
retrieve and a current
reserve for substantial
usage.
*Interest is not only
subject to the Middle-
East, the region simply
provides a strong starting
ground for the usage of
UAS tech. Both South and
North America are also on
the table.
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4. Diagram A is an illustration of the
different oil and gas lines
extending from the both inland
and offshore sources. The industry
however will eventually face a
decline, though is still expected to
be profitable through out this
century as shown by the
predictions below.
Diagram A Graph 1
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5. UAV’S: THE POTENTIAL USAGE
IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.
With any emerging industry, the same question is posed over and over again, “Where should we
start?”, and as previously explained in the “UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems)”, the possibilities
are practically endless. However the oil and gas industry than most, ticks off all the boxes for
UAV practicality and usage.
UAV’s are able to help detect oil leakage, faults and poisonous
gases along the pipelines reducing the liability of staff members
and the prevention of unnecessary profit losses.
Time is saved by using the devices for off shore flare stack
inspection and maintenance, which also reduces the amount of
equipment needed.
Companies will also have the opportunity to boost their corporate
image as oil spills gather negative press and by having UAV’s it
shows the public their “care and affection” for the environment.
The introduction of this
newly established
technology will also allow
companies to re structure
and re evaluate their
mission plans.
External information:-
http://solidcon.com/solid20
14/public/schedule/detail/3
5373 : The role of UAV’s in
oil an gas pipeline 5

6. MALE UAV’S: THE FUTURE OF
OFFSHORE EXPLORATION.
Another factor adding to the advantage of UAV’s would be their usage to
discover new inland and offshore sources. MALE UAV’s as a result would
have to be used for this. Miniature UAV’s are opening the near future market
for larger drones with companies such as Shell, BP and Conoco Phillips that
have already benefited and realized the advantages from using drones.
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7. CASE STUDY: POR QUÉ THE
FALKLAND ISLANDS (LAS ISLAS
MALVINAS)?.
Though not related to the Middle East, the Falkland Islands add an interesting twist to the
eventual usage of this technology. With a land mass slightly larger than Qatar and a
population of roughly 3,000 people, the majority of the general public tend to gloss over the
existence of this rocky British outpost (1982 revival). Despite legal threats from Argentina, it
is expected the Islands are sat around roughly 1billion barrels of potential oil reserves. As of
this year (2015), oil has been found north of both East and West Falkland. Regardless of
political motives, the potential usage is inevitable.
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8. SMALL SET BACKS
Rules and regulations: As previously stated in
the “UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems)”
presentation, the biggest issue facing the
implementation of drones currently are the
various aviation authorities. However, unlike the
FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) for the US, Gulf
countries appear more eager to lift the barrier
between manned and unmanned aircrafts.
Organizations such as the GCAA are paving the
way for the future usage of drones after H.H
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice
president of the UAE and prime minister of
Dubai sparked an interest for the idea with the
“UAE Drones For Good Award”.
The UAE has already bought a drone for civil
surveillance to be used by Dubai Police around
the end of this month; further regulations are
expected to be uplifted and developed by
January 2016.
http://www.leparisien.fr/montereau-sur-
le-jard-77950/le-succes-des-avions-et-
drones-de-lh-aviation-concus-a-
villaroche-21-06-2015-
4880091.php#xtref=https%3A%2F%2Fww
w.google.fr%2F : Le succès des avions et
drones de LH Aviation conçus à
Villaroche.
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9. POTENTIAL PARTNERS
British Petroleum: According to Le Monde, the company
set up its first drone as of June last year.
“C'est un feu vert qui pourrait changer l'avenir du ciel
américain. Pour la première fois, les Etats-Unis ont
autorisé mardi 10 juin un vol de drone à usage
commercial, en validant l'envoi par le pétrolier BP d'un
appareil en Alaska .
En savoir plus sur
http://www.lemonde.fr/ameriques/article/2014/06/10/a
ux-etats-unis-le-premier-vol-de-drone-a-usage-
commercial_4435598_3222.html#vRw31i6XhoRbBg3i.99
« C'est la première fois que la FAA a autorisé le vol
commercial d'un appareil sans pilote au-dessus de la
terre ferme »
Sky Futures is an
upcoming
provider for UAS
tech. in the oil &
gas industry.BP UAV
provider
BP currently produces
235,000 of oil per day in the
Mid-East.
Further potential partners will be realized as the industry opens
up.
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10. THE FUTURE HORIZON
The industry looks promising from figures gathered
with a rather large number of undiscovered yet
possible reserves still out there (a future shift in
market figures for oil and gas to rise even further is
not entirely impossible).
The UAV industry will, without a doubt take off in
the Middle East (regarding this industry solely)
given the current abundance of oil & gas and will
spread from there as the technology advances to
provide future discoveries for the possible billions
of barrels to come.
Consideration must also be taken into account for
companies that have either found oil such as those
in Falklands, Philippines and even the newly found
reserves near Gatwick airport in England as they
will prove to be our most valuable partners.
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