Oil and gas Publication Date 24-11-2020

Muratov Nurlan Ibragimovich

Director of the office of continuous improvement of production of JSC NC "KazMunayGas"

Dear friends and colleagues, the oil and gas industry has historically always been very dynamic - oil and gas have always been the engine of progress since the late 19th century. Of course, our world is now slowly changing. The world is gradually switching to the use of alternative energy sources, and this will accordingly influence the development of the oil and gas industry in the future. For our country, oil and gas are very important, and I think it is very early to “bury” this industry because of the development of alternative energy. In any case, there will be demand for petroleum products. Nowadays the dependence on oil and gas as raw material sources is quite large. This will not be replaced in a short time, but in certain regions, in my opinion, this dependence will change, shift. For example, in those countries where there is a possibility of switching to more expensive, at the moment, alternative energy sources, and where there are higher environmental requirements and massive pressure from eco-activists, this shift will occur there.

We see the transition to alternative energy sources right now. Many oil companies are changing their image from oil and gas to energy. It is inevitable that in the future alternative energy sources will become the main ones, and oil will be auxiliary, like coal now. Also, do not forget that hydrocarbon raw materials are not a renewable source of energy, and sooner or later it will not be economically feasible to search for and develop such resources. As a geologist by profession, I note that for me the main technologies in the oil and gas industry are those that allow me to remotely determine the location of hydrocarbon accumulations. One of these technologies is the collection and processing of seismic data. And in this regard, geophysical and service companies have made quite a painful progress, when the data we receive can be used not only to accurately characterize the interval of hydrocarbon accumulation, but also to determine what type of hydrocarbons they contain. If you look at the last century, when seismic data began to be used, then it was a completely different quality, a different level, and still it was a kind of revolution, and now we have come a long way in this regard, in terms of technologies for seismic data. As for other technologies that will determine the future of the oil and gas industry, these are technologies that are and will be used in the production of viscous oil, in the extraction of unconventional resources, which are very common in Europe and America. A striking example of the application of such technologies is oil production in the Permian basin in Texas (USA). There is quite inexpensive production of oil from those reservoirs that were previously considered inaccessible. I would like to note that nowadays it is very common to talk about an intelligent field, when the entire chain has been digitized, from the reservoirs to the points of departure. We have the ability to receive real-time information along the entire value chain, in the reservoir, on the ground infrastructure. We can correctly interpret and model this data. There is an opportunity to develop deposits with greater efficiency than before.

Speaking about human potential for the future of the oil and gas industry, I would like to note that, in my opinion, it is necessary to train cross-functional specialists who are versed in geology, drilling, development, commercial issues and project management issues. Such specialists see the entire chain that should take place, and these people will create value for existing and future projects. They will shape the right direction in work through critical and logical thinking. They will make the right decisions and carry out efficient manufacturing operations. Also, it is very important to have personal qualities that will allow young professionals to be champions and not “victims of circumstances”. These are the people who will succeed. The oil and gas industry of Kazakhstan should focus on large projects such as: Tengiz, Kashagan, Karachaganak. Of course, unlocking the full potential of these fields will support the development of Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry. Fortunately for us, these deposits have great potential, they can be developed and developed. Finding economically feasible development concepts, technologies, bold and deliberate decisions will allow our country to reach a completely new level.

I would like to note that many specialists who work in the oil and gas industry should not limit themselves and associate themselves only with the oil and gas industry. The oil and gas industry is an excellent school of life and an area for professional development. Experts with experience in the oil and gas sector will be able to find themselves in other sectors of the economy of our country.