Post-Macondo

22 May 2013 Newcastle Evening Meeting

Chairman Dr. Malcolm Storey, Director, Worldwide Business Portfolios Ltd

 

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Overview

The Macondo Blowout caught the media attention because ‘Public opinion matters’. What this illustrates is that ‘High-Technology businesses are about much more than just the nuts and bolts’; that they are not immune from a worldview.

Yet, it is proper to ask searching quetions about the industry’s strategic awareness, and to cement the answers into practice, because the outcomes reflect the Global Oil Industry and, especially, the Subsea Sector.

This event used Post-Macondo to consider the levels of technology and the perceptions pertaining to the contemporary Oil and Gas industry.

Presentations

Design of the Marine Well Containment System

Dr. Alan Dobson, Research and Development Manager, Technip Umbilical Systems

In response to the significant risks highlighted by the Macondo incident several rapid deployment containment systems are being developed by various consortia. This presentation covered the system developed for installation in water depths up to 3000m and it will provide an overview of the system, its operation and the technology.

 

Perceptions on the British Oil and Gas Industry

Trisha O’Reilly, Communications Director, Oil and Gas UK

Oil and Gas UK’s ‘Industry Awareness’ campaign seeks to shift public perceptions that the British Oil and Gas Sector is a sunset business. It concerns efforts to improve public opinion about the contribution this Industry makes to the domestic economy because, if allowed to persist, the effects will be damaging. The initiative seeks to transform those perceptions for the better.

 

Managing Existing Fields and Assets

8 May 2013 Aberdeen Evening Meeting

Chairman Donald Thomson, Schlumberger

 

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Overview

The North Sea is often termed a ‘mature’ offshore province. Despite this, activity levels are at an all time high. A significant amount of the present activity is related to managing existing assets to maximise return, extend field life or carry out repairs to aging infrastructure. These talks look at different aspects of managing mature offshore assets.

Presentations

SUT+ Pre-talk – Developments in Riser Integrity Monitoring

Donald Thomson, Sales Manager, Schlumberger Asset Integrity Management/Framo Engineering

SUT+ Pre–talks are targeted at developing professionals and newcomers to industry, with the aim of providing attendees with additional background subject knowledge to enhance the main SUT presentations which follow.

 

The Banff Reinstatement Project

Konstantin Nazaruk, Project Engineer, CNR International

During a storm in December 2011, the Petrojarl Banff FPSO, on contract to CNR from TeeKay, lost some of its anchors. The initial operation to stabilise the vessel, and subsequent Banff reinstatement project, to repair the damage caused to the vessel, marine systems and risers has been a fast-track project for CNR and contractors. This talk describes the incident, CNR’s response and the subsequent engineering work to reinstate the Banff FPSO and the field to production.

 

Beryl Field Redevelopment – A Methodical Approach

Paul Williams, Subsea Projects and Operations Manager, Apache North Sea

Apache have significantly expanded their presence in the North Sea both with new field developments and the purchase of older brown field assets from other operators. This talk explains the approach Apache take in evaluating how to maximise brown field assets using their recent acquisition of the Beryl field as an example.

 

BP Quad 204 Redevelopment

Andrew Train, Project Director – Offshore Activities, BP

Using the Schiehallion FPSO, BP have been operating the Schiehallion and Loyal fields west of Shetland in blocks 204 and 205 since the late 90’s. In 2008 they announced the redevelopment of the fields to allow access to additional reserves. The project is one of the biggest in the UK sector at present. The talk gave an overview of the project, the new FPSO and the planned changes to the subsea facilities.

 

Underwater Rescue

10 April 2013 Aberdeen Evening Meeting

Chairman Hamish Petersen

 

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Presentations

SUT+ Pre–talk

Hamish Petersen, SUT

SUT+ Pre–Talks are targeted at developing professionals and newcomers to industry, with the aim of providing attendees with additional background subject knowledge to enhance the main SUT presentations which follow.

The presentation will provide a basic awareness of saturation diving, including the associated challenges and dangers relating to underwater rescue of divers in a hyperbaric atmosphere.

 

The NATO Submarine Rescue System

Commander Jonathan Powis, NSRS

The UK is part owner of the NATO Submarine Rescue System and enjoys a peerless reputation as the world leader for its skills both as operator and manufacturer of submarine rescue vehicles. How has this come about? What are the true figures for submarine accidents and losses? How have things improved? What key systems and technologies make up a Submarine Rescue System? In his presentation Jonathan (Jonty) Powis will give a short history of the subject and then approach these questions from the point of view of the acceptance into service of the NSRS and its subsequent exercises. Jonty will also discuss the problems encountered and their solutions.

 

Hyperbaric Rescue of Divers

Crawford W. Logan, IMCA Technical Advisor

As saturation diving becomes common in the 1970s it was quickly realised that divers living in saturation could not be evacuated from a sinking vessel (or other calamity) in the same way as the rest of the crew. Initially all that was provided was a simple chamber connected to the saturation system which had some gas cylinders attached and would float if launched. Over the years this has evolved in to the self–propelled hyperbaric lifeboats with 72 hours survival capacity that are fitted to modern DSVs. For many years all efforts focussed on simply getting the divers safely away from the danger area with little thought given to what happened after that. In recent years much more effort has gone in to the safe recovery and decompression of the divers after the SPHL is launched and IMCA has been working on a guidance note to provide advice on what is required. This presentation gives a brief oversight of Crawford’s work

 

Techbite Presentation – Frustration with Flanges

Chris Dunkerley, Technical Manager, National Hyperbaric Centre

Difficulties encountered during the reception of a Hyperbaric Lifeboat and the future implications of IMCA D051

 

Diver Rescue

David Forsyth, Risk & Business Continuity Director, Bibby Offshore

On the 18th September 2012, during diving operations within a subsea drilling template, the DSV Bibby Topaz suffered a DP system failure and subsequent loss of position. On relocating back to the bell Diver 2’s umbilical snagged on a transponder bucket on the template and severed. This is the story of his survival and rescue.

 

SUT South of England Drinks Reception

31 July 2013 South of England Drinks Reception, HMS President

Chairman Bil Loth

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