A new method developed in Britain over the past 17 years for extracting oil is now at the forefront of plans to exploit a massive heavy oilfield in Canada. Abnormal vibrations can be among the first signs that a machine is about to break down. However, monitoring them can be a tricky procedure, especially in offshore situations. Emerson Process Management has been awarded a contract to digitally automate an oil sands bitumen upgrader facility to be constructed by North West Upgrading 28miles north-east of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in the Industrial Heartland area of Sturgeon County. The reliability, flexibility and security of the system ensure that oil and gas customers receive the telephony functionality a desk-bound user can typically expect. Wireless technology has come of age in terms of its use offshore. Stan DeVries outlines the benefits Engineers at the University of Bath are working on a new £175,000 project that will help reduce the size and cost of the drilling systems used to reach oil reserves found as deep as six miles (9.5 kilometres) underground. A leading global provider of IP-based voice, data and video managed services to the oil and gas industry has teamed up with an independent single source supplier of components to design and build real-time collaboration and decision environments for both drilling and production. The Brazilian Marlim complex comprises the Marlim, Marlim East and Marlim South fields and is the largest deepwater producer of oil and gas in the world. An offshore oilrig may not be the most commonly recognised field of application for refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) technology, but it is certainly an important one. The oil and gas sector in particular is benefiting fromthe growth in collaboration solutions. Here Jason Webb shows how the technology is being applied, the benefits it brings, and what the future holds. An industry first is being claimed by two companies who have linked their asset and information management skills - a true warehouse-to-desktop information management solution. British engineers at global IT giant IBM have won the £50 000 Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award with its innovative WebSphere MQ software. Manufacturers are constantly striving to get more from existing facilities and equipment. As Jane Lansing explains, the key to manufacturing improvements lies in 'hidden' process information. The competitive edge a near-invisible logistics service can give you an advantage over your competitors, says Roland Thomas. The 2004 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) marks 35 years as the offshore industry's largest annual gathering. next