Technology and Knowledge Management

PTTEP applies technologies in petroleum exploration and production to enhance petroleum production efficiency, reduce production costs and minimize environmental impact. Examples of technology that have been developed and implemented include the following:

1. Enhancing Petroleum Production Technology

Improving efficiency and resolving issues in the production process are crucial to increase production and lower unit costs. PTTEP has been developing technologies to continuously enhance production in various fields as follows:

• Condensate treatment: Various condensate treatment technologies have been developed to increase efficiency and reduce costs such as the adsorbent, liquid-liquid coalescer to separate the contaminant water from condensate and filter, the improvement of unwanted component measurement, etc.
• CO₂ removal: PTTEP has developed technologies to increase the efficiency of Carbon Dioxide separation and reduce the loss of saleable gas, such as development of CO₂ removal membrane technology, development of advanced absorbents, etc.

2. Operational Efficiency Improvement Technology

Operations in the petroleum production process in an efficient way are beneficial in terms of increasing production, reducing costs, and increasing work safety. PTTEP has developed technologies to improve operations in many areas such as:

• The development of autonomous robots to perform field operation activities and detection of equipment abnormalities on petroleum production platforms
• The project of “Advanced Material Upgrading and Engineering Parts Cloning to prevent process equipment from corrosion and erosion.

3. Petroleum Facility and Installation Decommissioning Technology

In the petroleum production process, both onshore and offshore, various types of facilities and installations are involved, such as petroleum production platforms, petroleum pipelines, and production wells. When production ends, these installations must be decommissioned from the production area. Decommissioning is a costly process with potential environmental impacts. Therefore, PTTEP has been developing technology to support the decommissioning of these installations, including:

• Offshore petroleum pipeline decommissioning technology: PTTEP has developed innovative chemicals for decontamination (MERClean) and a sampling device for collecting samples from inside pipelines (MERIns) to support environmentally friendly pipeline decommissioning. The development of these innovations began in 2015 through collaboration with educational institutions, government research institutes, private sectors, and environmental experts. This collaboration successfully led to the development of these innovations. PTTEP is currently implementing this project in decommissioning in Gulf of Thailand.
• Petroleum well plug and abandonment technology: This technology uses high heat from the combustion of materials to melt metal, effectively sealing the production wells.

These technologies are new innovations that help reduce costs, increase safety in decommissioning operations, and minimize long-term environmental impacts.

The development and application of new technology is part of supporting the Company’s goal to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The research and development of various technologies have been carried out including technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions such as Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS), the development of low heating value flare tip, and the development of post-combustion carbon capture technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from machinery on petroleum production platforms. Additionally, there are technologies for generating electricity from renewable energy sources, such as wind turbines for electricity generation on wellhead platforms and the study of various renewable energy sources for electricity generation on offshore production platforms.

Staff’s competency is enhanced through induction, roadshow, training and e-learning to ensure staff awareness of the importance and understanding in Knowledge Management. Moreover, PTTEP has launched an enterprise-wide KM implementation through the establishment of a KM Facilitator programme. More than 60 certified KM Facilitators have been embedded across business functions to integrate KM practices into daily operations. This approach enables knowledge sharing and collaboration to become part of routine business processes, while ensuring the sustainability and continuity of KM practices across the organization.

PTTEP identifies critical knowledge for both current and future operations. The Company manages its knowledge systematically based on the identified critical knowledge as well as seeking for knowledge essential for day–to–day operations as well as to support business growth.

The Company identifies experts based on the identified critical knowledge and develops a specialist directory for staff to easily access and search in the event they require support and recommendations.

The Company conducts a workshop after each project ends to capture lessons learned from operations. The lessons learned can be used for the next project to minimize mistakes that might occur and to increase operation effectiveness. The Company also captures knowledge and experiences from experts and retirees in various forms which are then posted on the KM website.

The ‘Human Library Project’ is an integral part of the knowledge management activities with primary objective to support PTTEP’s vision and knowledge transfer. The Company identified 17 areas of expertise within PTTEP and selected ‘experts’ from Management and staff as Human Books for sharing their unique experiences, best practices and serve as a resource for creative problem-solving, allowing employees to consult and receive guidelines or tips. The value created by the Human Library Project significantly contributes to the essential skills and competency development of PTTEP’s employees as well as strengthening knowledge exchange within company, in line with our goal of being a Learning Organization. The Human Library session is held in a small group informal setting, which allows participants to engage in in-depth discussion, ask questions and gain insights.

The corporate knowledge sharing sessions are one of the major activities in KM, designed to promote continuous learning and knowledge exchange across the organization. These sessions are open to all staff, as the content is less technical and suitable for a broad audience. The sessions cover a wide range of topics, both technical and non-technical, and feature speakers from within the company as well as external experts.

Corporate Knowledge Sharing sessions are arranged into themes to strengthen understanding in strategic and operational areas. These thematic sessions provide fundamental knowledge on key business activities such as Exploration and Appraisal, Drilling, and Wells, etc., enabling employees from different functions to gain broader business awareness and cross-functional understanding. The sessions are conducted both onsite and online to maximize participation across the organization and are recorded and uploaded to the KM website for future learning and reference.

Furthermore, site visits to leading companies and organizations are arranged to allow staff to gain external perspectives, benchmark best practices, and broaden their knowledge beyond their immediate line of work.

The Company develops and continually upgrades the KM website, known as Knowledge Intelligence, as a central hub for searching and sharing various forms of knowledge, incorporating AI to enhance the search function and improve accessibility to information. In addition, the Company utilizes an online application, Viva Engage, as an internal community platform that enables employees to collaborate, ask questions, exchange experiences, and share best practices.

PTTEP launched the ‘Recognition’ program, to praise individual employees or teams whose contributions support the Company’s 3-step knowledge management cycle: Create, Share and Apply. The Individual Awards celebrate outstanding contributors in three categories Best Expert, Best Contributor and Best Learner. In addition, the Community of Practice (CoP) Award recognizes CoPs that drive collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing.

PTTEP has developed a year-long communication plan to promote a clear understanding of Knowledge Management (KM) across the organization and to enhance awareness of KM tools and practices. The communication plan leverages multiple channels, including newsletters, podcasts, campaigns, and knowledge-sharing activities, to ensure continuous engagement with employees. Through these initiatives, personnel are encouraged to effectively apply KM tools and knowledge in their operational responsibilities and daily work practices, supporting a stronger learning culture and improved organizational performance