A number of major oil and gas operators outlined their specific approaches to various deepwater projects at PennWell's first annual Deepwater Operations Forum held last week in Galveston, Texas. Co-hosted by BP and BHP Billiton and presented by industry leading publications Offshore Magazine and Oil & Gas Journal, the event attracted more than 400 people.
Participants explored a broad range of topics related to the efficient operation of production facilities in deepwater, focusing on the delicate balance between capital expenditures and operational costs.
Presenters were asked to speak candidly about real-world challenges. To encourage open discussion between delegates and the presenters no formal papers were drafted and no proceedings were made available.
Following each presentation, operators, contractors, and service providers discussed, in a frank and open atmosphere, lessons learned, best practices, and operational issues. No proceedings were published and the press was not invited to attend. According to William Furlow, conference director and editor-in-chief of Offshore magazine, "This novel open-forum format promotes an open exchange between the presenters and audience".
"While an ever-expanding number of conferences include sessions on deepwater technology, many fall short when it comes to operational issues," said Furlow. Session topics covered design operability, operational readiness planning, organizational challenges, HSE & regulatory issues, and risk management. Invited presenters shared case studies and best practices, as well as their hard-won experience designing and operating production facilities in deepwater.
Sponsoring companies included BP, BHP Billiton, Baker Energy, and Wood Group. In addition, an exhibition area enabled 23 companies to present their capabilities relative to deepwater operations. Building on the success of this event, plans are already underway for Deepwater Operations 2004, to be held Oct. 5-7 at Moody Gardens Hotel and Convention Center in Galveston. Dan Smallwood of ConocoPhillips will chair the Technical Advisory Board charged with developing next year's program. For information, contact Lisa Carls, event manager at 713-963-6251, email: [email protected].
10/7/03