OTC 91

A Preview Offshore Technology Conference And Show Set For May 6-9 In Houston, Texas One of the world's foremost international showcases for offshore services and equipment annually for the past 22 years, the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is a leading worldwide forum for the serious exchange of information regarding the development of offshore resources and protection of the offshore environment. Nearly one million registrants from more than 100 countries have attended the combined technical programs and exhibitions of OTC since its inception in 1969.

This year's show, OTC '91, is slated for May 6 to 9 at Houston's Astrodomain complex, site of the Astrodome. More than 30,000 managers, engineers and scientists from around the world are expected to attend and more than 1,200 leading manufacturing and service companies will market their latest technology to industry leaders who seek techniques and tools that can make a difference to their bottom line.

For example, the overwhelming consensus—from registrants, exhibitors, authors, panelists and the media—is that the 1990 OTC was the best in years, if not ever. Attendance was 31,451, the largest since 1985. Net occupied exhibit space increased by 25,000 square feet, to 210,000 square feet.

Equally important was the positive attitude that pervaded all aspects of the conference. "OTC is the best show I've been to, both in numbers and quality," said Mike Kiefer of Whittaker Corp.'s Electronic Resources Division. "I haven't been to a show where we've made deals more substantial than the three we made here," he said.

Sea Level Supply Inc.'s M. Kent Crawford commented, "The quality of people who come to OTC can't be beat. We see people here that we've been trying to see for years." With about 275 technical presentations by authors from 20 countries, as well as an exhibition showcasing the latest products, equipment and services of over 1,200 companies, OTC '91 is expected to surpass the success of the 1990 show.

"Much of the earth's future energy supplies lie beneath the oceans.

The key to developing these supplies is a combination of ever-expanding knowledge, sophisticated equipment and unyielding commitment to human and environmental safety," said OTC program chairman Cor Langewis of Conoco Inc. in New Orleans.

Subjects to be explored at OTC '91 include oil spill response and mitigation, tanker safety and regulations, riser systems, platform concepts and designs, pipelining, corrosion, and more. The Freeport McMoRan Sulphur, Snorre, TOGI, and Santa Ynez Unit projects are among the individual developments to be covered. In addition, political and economic considerations will be important parts of the program agenda.

Two special management sessions will feature perspectives from industry executives and government officials and are expected to draw extra attention Tuesday and Wednesday, May 7-8. Tuesday afternoon's "Future Directions in Offshore Technology—Deep Water and Frontier Areas" will focus on future worldwide offshore opportunities and challenges and the new technologies that will be required to bring new projects to fruition. Wednesday morning's "Offshore Safety—The Regulatory Environment" will address recently enacted regulations and discuss proposed steps to enhance further safety and environmental measures in offshore operations.

The discussion will include industry and government responses to major safety studies, including the findings of the Cullen Enquiry, an extensive 13-month review of the July 1988 Piper Alpha accident in the U.K. North Sea.

John Wakeham, the U.K. Secretary of State for Energy, will be the keynote speaker at the Tuesday OTC Awards Luncheon. Mr.

Wakeham will discuss future offshore development and energy policies for the U.K. Continental Shelf, which remains the world's most active offshore operating area.

The seven OTC topical luncheons, scheduled Monday and Wednesday, May 6 and 8, will offer registrants opportunities to learn details of current offshore developments, forecasts for future operating environments, new concepts for increasing ocean awareness and an assessment of clean-up operations in Prince William Sound.

On Monday, C.D. Sabathier, Mobile area producing manager for Mobil Oil Corp. in New Orleans, will discuss the unique exploration and production challenges of the Gulf of Mexico's Mobile Bay Region in his address, "Mobile Bay: An Extraordinary Challenge." Rear Adm. James M. Loy of the U.S. Coast Guard will examine the various tools used in oil spill containment and clean-up operations in the aftermath of the June 9,1990, Gulf of Mexico incident in his luncheon address, "The Mega Borg Incident." On Wednesday, Jerry Dees, vice president of exploration for Arco Alaska, Inc., in Anchorage, will address the challenges and opportunities that exist in the largely unexplored high arctic offshore basins at the luncheon entitled, "Offshore Arctic Potential." Steve Clifford of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston will discuss evidence both for and against global warming caused by human activity in his address on "The Greenhouse Effect." A panel of industry executives representing both drilling contractors and operators will discuss the design and operational challenges of drilling in water depths of 10,000 feet and deeper at the luncheon on "The Challenges of Ultra Deepwater Drilling." And finally, Otto R. Harrison, Alaska operations general manager for Exxon Company USA, in Anchorage, will present his company's perspective on the Exxon Valdez tanker accident that occurred in Prince William Sound on March 24, 1989, in a luncheon address, "Valdez Revisited—The Rest of the Story." Mr. Harrison will assess the clean-up operations of the resulting oil spill as well as share the findings of scientific studies on what lasting effects, if any, the oil spill will have on the region. He will also discuss lessons learned in the aftermath of the incident and assess technologies developed to aid clean operations.

Eleven prominent engineering and scientific organizations, with worldwide membership of more than 700,000 people, sponsor the technical conference and exhibition each year in Houston. The Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc., manages the event for the other OTC sponsoring organizations.

For further information of the technical program and conference exhibition, contact OTC Headquarters, P.O. Box 833868, Richardson, Texas 75083-3868; telephone: (214) 669-0135.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM (Session Topics) Monday, May 6 9 a.m.-Noon •"Platform Concepts and Designs" •"Platform Construction and Installation." •"Safety and Oil Spill Control." •"Mineral Exploration and Mining Systems." •"Subsea Wellheads and Systems." •"TLPs." •"Offshore Stratigraphic Traps and Ocean Drilling." •"Drilling Technology Applications." 12:15-1:45 p.m.—Topical Luncheons— "Mega Borg Incident," by Rear Adm. James M. Loy, USCG; "Mobile Bay: An Extraordinary Challenge," by C.D. Sabatheir, Mobil Oil Corp.; and "Auger and Beyond," by C.L.

Wickizer, Shell Offshore Inc.

2-6 p.m.

•"Design and Analysis of Bottomfounded Structures." •"Offshore Platform Repair and Salvage." •"Foundation and Soil Structure Interaction." •"Wave and Current Forces." •"Diverless Maintained Subsea Systems." •"Oil Spills: Response and Mitigation." •"Estimation & Practical Use of Seismic Velocity." •"Mooring Design and Analysis." Tuesday, May 7 9 a.m.-Noon •"Non-Metallic Materials and Offshore Use." •"Marine Corrosion." •"Flexible Pipe Technology." •"Response to Wind, Wave & Currents I." •"Freeport McMoRan Main Pass Mine Development: Structures & Subsidence Design." •"Wind and Wave Environment." •"Borehole Seismic Imaging." •"T0GI Project." •s • 12:15-1:45 p.m.—Awards Luncheon— Rt. Hon. John Wakeham, U.K.'s Secretary of State for Energy, is the keynote speaker. Awards to be presented include the "1991 OTC Distinguished Achievement Award for Individuals" and the "1991 Distinguished Achievement Award for Companies, Organizations and Institutions." 2-5 p.m.

•"Exploration Geoscience." •"Mitigating Offshore Corrosion Problems: Various Techniques." •"J-Pipe Laying in Deep Water." •"Response to Winds, Wave & Currents II." •"Freeport-McMoRan Main Pass Mine Development: Mine Technology, Production." •"Drilling Operations & Equipment." •"Jackup Design & Analysis." Wednesday, May 8 9 a.m.-Noon •"Environmental Assessment: Instrumentation." •"Instrumentation & Control." •"Subsea Pipeline Design & Construction." •"Safety of Riser Systems I." •"Completion Operations & Equipment." •"Snorre Project." •"Santa Ynez Unit Project I." 12:45-1:45 p.m.—Topical Luncheons— "Offshore Arctic Potential," by Jerry Dees, Arco Alaska Inc.; "The Greenhouse Effect," by Steve Clifford, Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston; "The Challenges of Ultra Deepwater Drilling," will be a discussion by a group of panelists representing both drilling contractors and operators; and "Valdez Revisited—The Rest of the Story," by Otto R. Harrison, Exxon Company USA.

2-5 p.m.

•"Environmental Assessment: Operation." •"Geophysical Data Acquisition & Processing." •"Pipeline Stability Analysis." •"Blast and Fire Resistance Design." •"Tanker Safety/Tanker Regulations." •"Santa Ynez Unit Project II." Thursday, May 9 9 a.m.-Noon •"Mechanical Connections." •"Multiphase Metering and Subsea Separation." •"Pigging of Underwater Pipelines." •"Welding and Corrosion Pipelines." •"Risk and Reliability Assessment."