Oil spill prevention, response on tap at DOT

David Paganie • Houston

US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has cleared operators to resume drilling in the Gulf of Mexico deepwater, but with conditions. An extensive list of new prerequisites must be passed before a deepwater well can be drilled. Deepwater Offshore Technology (DOT) International Conference & Exhibition, Nov. 30-Dec. 2 in Amsterdam, under the direction of the advisory board chaired by Bill Henry of Shell, has organized a panel of industry experts to provide insight into the scope and direction the industry is heading with respect to standards, training, oversight, regulations, and contingency development. Technology gaps also will be addressed.

This panel, New Oil Spill Prevention and Response Technologies, will be moderated by Brian Skeels, FMC Technologies. Panelists are Paul Tooms, vice president of engineering, BP E&P; Charlie Williams, chief scientist, well engineering and production, Shell Energy Resource Co., Upstream Americas, Shell International E&P Inc.; Joep Coppes, vice chairman OGP/Co-ordinator Global Industry Response Group, International Association of Oil and Gas Producers; Andy Radford, senior policy advisor – offshore issues, American Petroleum Institute; Bart Heijermans, executive vice president and COO, Helix/Canyon.

Deepwater growth

The new regulations imposed by US authorities likely will continue to delay permitting for deepwater drilling in the GoM, but analysts maintain that deepwater still represents a substantial global growth sector in terms of production and expenditures.

With an estimated $137 billion in capital spending allocated to deepwater over the next five years, oil production is expected to grow from 3% of total production (onshore and offshore) in 2002 to 10% in 2012, and deepwater is expected to be the only sector to continue to grow beyond 2015, according to Douglas-Westwood.

New reserves additions are another indicator of sector growth. Earlier this year, we reported that deepwater and ultra deepwater discoveries between 2005 ad 2009 accounted for over 41% of total new reserve additions – offshore and onshore.

A second panel organized for DOT will discuss how risk and uncertainty is managed along with the philosophies and strategies that drive the decision to select a viable deepwater floating production system.

Richard D’Souza, KBR/Granherne Americas, is moderator of this all-operator panel. Panelists are Roger Smith, project development manager, Anadarko; Michael A. Fitzpatrick, naval architect, Hess Corp., and Dr. Trond Stokka Meling, chief engineer platform technology, Statoil.

Statoil, with operator Chevron and partners, recently sanctioned the $7.5-billion Jack/St. Malo development in the ultra deep waters of the GoM. Situated in 7,000 ft (2,100 m) of water, the initial development plan comprises three subsea centers tied back to a hub production facility designed with capacity to process 170,000 b/d of oil and 42.5 MMcf/d of natural gas. Startup is anticipated in 2014.

As we announced earlier this year, DOT this month in Amsterdam marks the show’s return to a once-a-year event. Next year, DOT returns to New Orleans, scheduled tentatively for Oct. 11-13, 2011.

For 29 years, DOT has provided a forum to address technical issues, introduce pioneering technology, and discuss lessons learned while exploring, developing, and producing oil and gas in deepwater and ultra deepwater.

This month the tradition continues.

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