OSIG Learning Breakfast in Houston
SUT Houston’s Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics Committee (OSIG) hosted a Learning Breakfast and International Webinar on March 26, 2015, at Fugro USA’s headquarters in Houston, Texas. Over 30 people registered to attend the breakfast presentation including geoscientists and engineers from a variety oil and gas companies as well as industry contractors. In addition, there were approximately 50 registrations for the simultaneous webinar broadcast spanning a variety of international locales including our sister OSIG committees based in the UK and Australia. Proceeds from the breakfast and webinar were used to support the SUT-Houston Scholarship Program.
Dr. Zack Westgate, Registered Professional Engineer – Fugro GeoConsulting
The featured speaker was Dr. Zack Westgate (Registered Professional Engineer – Fugro GeoConsulting), who gave an excellent presentation entitled “Geohazards, Superspans, Walking Pipelines, and Slippery Foundations: Challenges for Subsea Pipelines”. The presentation described a variety of geohazards and seabed conditions that present challenges for the design and installation of subsea pipelines. Dr. Westgate also discussed how these challenges can be mitigated through advances in seabed characterization tools and testing facilities from investment in Joint Industry Projects (JIP’s), as well as improved route optimization techniques and advances in pipe-soil interaction. The presentation also highlighted some case studies from recent offshore projects where subsea pipelines were installed in a variety of soil conditions around the globe.
The next SUT Houston Learning Luncheon will be held in June 2015.