Offshore staff
GALVESTON, Texas – As the deepwater arena continually evolves, the industry is faced with ensuring safer operations, executing projects effectively, and controlling ever-increasing costs. These challenges will provide ample fodder for discussion at this year’s Deepwater Operations Conference & Exhibition in Galveston, Texas.
The 2014 event, presented by the editors ofOffshore, now in its 12th year, takes place November 4-6 at the Moody Gardens Hotel & Convention Center. More than 90 exhibiting companies and conference registration numbers are almost double of what they were at this time last year attendance should be the highest ever.
This year, the conference will open with the plenary session on Tuesday, November 4 from 3:3-5:00 pm, which is a big change in schedule from years past. This day also marks the annual golf tournament at the Moody Gardens Golf Course benefitting the Gulf of Mexico Foundation.
The conference gets under way Wednesday with opening remarks by the 2014 conference chairman Craig Sherer, Operations Manager, Deepwater Projects, Chevron Deepwater Exploration & Projects Business. The keynote address will be by Eric Sirgo, Chevron’s General Manager, Major Capital Projects, who will discuss this year’s theme, “Exploring the Operational Depths.”
The first conference session, Rigs vs. Rigless Interventions, begins with a presentation on light well intervention on subsea wells on the Norwegian continental shelf. Statoil ASA will discuss how the performance of LWI on a regular basis is a key element used to increase oil recovery from more than 500 subsea wells; followed by Chevron describing the Tahiti well stimulation program, and Anadarko discussing riserless lower abandonments at Viosca Knoll.
The afternoon sessions then kick-off with talks about integrity management, including subsea repairs and maintenance from a speaker with Hess Corp.; asset integrity/process safety management with a speaker from Shell; and a final presentation from Hess again, discussing the principles of risk-based integrity management to the GB260 and Tubular Bells facilities.
Wednesday’s program closes with a panel discussion on project operational readiness, focusing on planning and the need to have a robust process in place to deliver a project to the receiving business unit. The panel will include representatives from Chevron and Shell, along with service companies Wood Group PSN and Granherne.
Regulatory Compliance tops the agenda Thursday. The US Coast Guard will discuss alternative vessel platforms for well interventions from a safety and regulatory perspective. The Coast Guard has recently explored the safety and regulatory implications for some of the novel intentions/plans that will materialize in the Gulf of Mexico soon. The US Coast Guard Maritime Security Response team will also be on hand to provide an overview of recent training with the industry in the GoM, focused on government response to armed security threats. Chevron will also provide an overview of the USCG inspection for Certification Process on new floating production facilities.
The morning continues with presentations concerning flow assurance – successful remediation of hydrate blockage within the Cascade and Chinook gas export system. Petrobras will discuss the attempt and successful restart of the gas export pipeline using minimal intervention. W&T Offshore will deliver a presentation on its hydrate inhibition in long subsea tiebacks, including the Pyrenees, Fastball, and Daniel Boone projects. And Anadarko will offer details on low dosage hydrate inhibitor experience in deepwater fields.
The conference agenda wraps up with guest speaker at the Thursday lunch, Vicki Hitzges, who started her career communicating with the public in the front office for the Dallas Cowboys. Fifteen years later, she hosted its weekly TV show, “Special Edition.”
Throughout the event, attendees will have the opportunity to meet and greet colleagues on the exhibition floor, learn about new products and services, and to register for the Hog Heaven prize, a 2015 Harley Davidson motorcycle. A drawing will be held on the exhibit floor the last day of the event where the winner will be announced. One must be present to win.
For more information or to register, please visit www.deepwateroperations.com.
