Five reasons to attend the North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop

“This is the most important conference of its kind,” says Astrid Marie Skålvik, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Research Centre (Norce).

She is a member of the organising committee for this year’s North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop.

The annual workshop alternates between Norway and Scotland, and attracts around 200 participants. This year’s workshop, the 39th in succession, is being held in Tønsberg, Norway, with participants coming from countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, in addition to Norway and Scotland.

The event is intended for everyone involved in the field of measurement science and issues relating primarily to the oil and gas industry.

“Direct measurement of oil and gas used to be the main topic. Then there was greater emphasis on the measurement of wet gas and multiphase flow. Now the conference also includes the measurement of carbon emissions and transport, and hydrogen,” Skålvik explains.

In addition to the conference programme, the workshop also includes a separate suppliers exhibition.

“This is perhaps as important as the rest of the programme. It is where everyone heads off to in the coffee breaks. Participants can go around and talk directly to suppliers, get an overview and discuss their problems.

Here are Astrid Marie Skålvik’s five reasons why you should attend the workshop:

1. We can finally get together in person

The workshop gives you an opportunity to put a face to the new technology, products, methods and solutions. This will make it easier to pick up the phone and ask for advice or get help with an idea or a problem.

2. Important meeting point

Many people who work specifically with measurement-related issues lack a broad professional network in their workplaces. It is therefore great to come to the workshop and discover, or be reminded, that there are a lot of us who are passionate about the subject. There will be a lot of professional “nerding”, with enthusiastic discussions about technical details, though the workshop is also a good place to get a broader overview of the field, see what problems companies are dealing with and what solutions are available.

Does this sound interesting? Check out the program and book your place here!

3. Benefit from others’ experience

The workshop lays the foundation for good cooperation between suppliers, operators, authorities and scientists. You will find out what other organisations are struggling with or have discovered, from their perspective. There is a strong culture for plain speaking and sharing experiences from projects that have been particularly challenging. In this way, you can benefit from the experience of others, even though they belong to a completely different organisation. This benefits the entire community.

4. Fascinating talks in different formats

Some of the presentations are structured almost like a true crime story, where you follow the investigation into a measurement deviation step by step, until the cause is revealed in the final slide. Other lectures are more academic in nature and will subsequently form the starting point for publication in a scientific journal, which demonstrates the high quality of the conference. In addition, articles linked to the presentations are frequently referred to in a variety of contexts.

5. Gives you a professional and social boost

If you have recently begun working with measurement-related issues, or you have worked in the field for a long time but lack an arena for professional updates and social interaction, this is a great opportunity. It is not only relevant for technical personnel, but also for those whose roles intersect with the measurement field, such as lawyers working on allocation agreements, public authorities or organisations interested in environmental emissions.

Do you have a measurement challenge you are seeking answers to? Attend the North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop in Tønsberg, Norway, from 26–29 October. See the full program here!