Offshore Europe keynotes to address post-Macondo challenges, sustaining market upswing
The industry’s post-Macondo challenges and initiatives and long-term planning for the North Sea drilling market will be featured topics for two keynote sessions at the 2013 Offshore Europe, 3-6 September in Aberdeen. The event, which will convene under the theme of “The Next 50 Years,” will offer a total of 11 keynote sessions, more than 100 technical papers and ePosters, and daily breakfast and lunch meetings. Supporting the event’s drilling and completion focus are sessions on drilling technologies chaired by Dan Scott, Baker Hughes, and Herman Spoerker, OMV Group, and on cementing/completions chaired by Ron Bland, Baker Hughes, and Rolv Rommetveit, eDrilling Solutions. IADC is an endorsing organization for the conference and will be exhibiting at Stand 3C180.
Since Macondo, the oil and gas industry in the US, the UK and elsewhere have been propelled into a significant number of investigations, reviews and initiatives to address findings from the incident and to prevent reoccurrences. Individual companies, cross-industry bodies and regulators have executed preventive initiatives that have led to enhanced operational guidelines and procedures. In addition, many technical initiatives for blowout prevention have been put in motion. This keynote session, chaired by Gordon Ballard, Schlumberger UK, intends to review these technical and regulatory initiatives and how they have impacted the industry.
Confirmed speakers are Keith Lewis, Subsea Well Response Project; Robert Limb, Oil Spill Response Ltd; Owen Kratz, Helix Energy; Michael Bromwich, The Bromwich Group; and Jan Panek, Directorate General for Energy for the European Commission.
Another keynote session, addressing the long-term outlook for North Sea drilling, will reflect on market fluctuations in the region in recent years. A period of intense drilling activity, fueled by high oil prices and strong energy demand, was followed by a dip in 2010 as a delayed reaction to the 2008 financial crisis and the credit squeeze experienced by many oil and gas operators. However, a revamped UK tax regime and strong oil prices have contributed to a surge in drilling orders since 2012, injecting renewed confidence in the sector. This session will examine outlook for the market and how industry can try to sustain the uptrend.
Confirmed speakers for this session include Mark Burns, Ensco; Gavin Sutherland, KCA Deutag Drilling; Jasmin Begagic, Transocean; Roddy Smith, Awilco Drilling; Mike Tholen, Oil & Gas UK; Rod Hutton, IHS Petrodata; John Rune Hellevik, Rig Management Norway; Kjell Jacobsen, Energy Ventures; David Heslop, EnQuest; Jim Pearce, AT Kearney; and Jean-Claude Perdigues, GDF Suez E&P. Leo Koot, TAQA Bratani, will chair the session.
In addition to the technical sessions and keynotes, more than 1,500 organizations are expected to display their technologies, services and expertise in the exhibition halls.
For more information or to register for the event, click here.
