April 2016, Vol. 243, No. 4
Features
2016 Offshore Technology Conference Highlights
The Offshore Technology Conference, (OTC 2016) – where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources – will be held May 2-5 at NRG Park in Houston. The event is the world’s largest meeting place for offshore energy resource development with an estimated 90,000 industry leaders and buyers expected to participate in technical sessions, workshops and networking events.
OTC is sponsored by 13 nonprofit organizations in the energy industry which combine to develop the technical program. Revenue from OTC directly benefits members of these societies who also receive discounted conference registration.
OTC 2016 featuring 56 technical sessions and 18 topical breakfasts and luncheons continues the expansive coverage of topics of past conferences. Tickets for breakfasts and luncheon that showcase top executives and technical experts should be bought early as seating is limited. In addition to recurring topics, emphasis will include current industry conditions, outlook for the future, cost containment and improved oil recovery techniques, while keeping best safety practices at the top. There will also be geographic coverage of key producing regions, including Mexican law reforms.
The event offers access to the industry’s largest equipment exhibition with over 2,100 exhibitors representing 45 countries including 18 international pavilions.
Distinguished Achievement Awards
The OTC Distinguished Achievement Awards Luncheon (formerly known as the Annual OTC Dinner) recognizes the OTC Distinguished Achievement Award recipients, raises funds for a worthy cause and provides an opportunity for industry leaders to network with colleagues worldwide.
Don Vardeman will receive the Distinguished Achievement Award for Individuals for his leadership and contributions to global deepwater developments. He is vice president of worldwide project management for Anadarko Petroleum Corp. which has significant operations in the onshore U.S., Algeria, Mozambique, West Africa, and Gulf of Mexico.
The Marine Technology Society Dynamic Positioning (DP) Committee will receive the Distinguished Achievement Award for Companies, Organization and Institutions for facilitating incident-free DP operations through knowledge sharing. Comprised of dedicated volunteers, it provides vessel owners, operators, marine class societies, engineers, and regulators with conferences and workshops. It also shares guidance documents covering DP design philosophy, operations, and professional development and has developed a growing set of documents called TECHOP, which address specific topics of interest and impact.
The first of two Heritage Awards will be given to George Hirasaki for research on reservoir simulation, enhanced oil recovery, formation evaluation, well logging, and reservoir wettability. He had a 26-year career with Shell before joining the chemical engineering faculty at Rice University in 1993.
The second Heritage Award recipient, Yuri Makogon, is an expert on gas hydrates and a research scholar of the water-gas phase behavior in the earth’s stratum.
Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas is a beneficiary of an OTC Distinguished Achievement Award.
“The Executive Advisory Board selected this year’s charity because of its strong focus on students whose families have been directly affected by the industry downturn,” said Brian Evans, senior vice president of Worley Parsons and member of the Executive Advisory Board.
Said Rick Franke, president, Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas. “With this support, we will offer scholarships in the name of OTC to students pursuing degrees and certifications needed for, and careers in, the offshore industry. Priority will be granted to those students whose family has been impacted by layoffs related to the economic downturn.”
Registration
OTC registration fees include admittance to the technical sessions and exhibits. Special events tickets must be purchased separately. Students with a valid university ID can obtain a one-day complimentary registration. A four-day registration is available to students with a valid university ID for $100.
Members in any of the OTC-sponsoring, endorsing, supporting or invited organizations can get a four-day registration for $180 while a four-day non-member registration is $240. The one-day registration for members is $140 and $240 for non-members.
OTC proceedings can be purchased for $110 for members and $175 for non-members. The proceedings are offered on CD-rom and electronically.
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