To view the technical programme for Offshore Oil and Gas , please download the programme.

For the last 200 years, hydrocarbons have formed the basis for world energy supplies. In today’s evolving energy market the industry is facing not only the challenges of new and frontier regions such as deepwater and marginal fields but at the same time focussing on developing and deploying technology to help mitigate production decline in mature basins. This conference stream addressed the complex and changing role of offshore E&P and considered the impact of new knowledge and technology on ultimate recovery.

Chairman - David Brookes, Director, Deepwater Technology Programme, BP chairs the WMTC 2006 offshore oil and gas stream with its theme ‘Facing the Challenges for a Hydrocarbon Future’.

The Chairman’s views prior to the conference:

 “There are a number of challenges facing the industry including skills shortages, and cost pressures as the reserves become more inaccessible with increasing depth, pressure and temperature,” says David Brookes. “We will focus on the impact that new technology can have to mitigate these issues.

“Developing fields in ever increasing depths from 500 to 2000 metres in the space of just 10 years is one of the great successes of the industry. In our stream at WMTC 2006 we will be presenting the best of recent field development achievements and the opportunities to move the game forward to 2015.”

Some of the themes focused on will be:

• Floating production systems
  deepwater challenges • metocean considerations • riser design

• Production and operations
  seabed processing • HP/HT • completion design • production optimisation • remedial operations • SMART technology • deepwater installation vessels

• Increased recovery
  enhanced oil recovery • artificial lift • water management and control

• Development challenges
  marginal fields • mature fields • deepwateroperations • arctic

David Brookes is looking forward to WMTC 2006: “The multi stream forum will provide the opportunity to network across a broader range of maritime professionals than I would meet at pure oil and gas conferences,” he explains.

He welcomes the IMarEST’s “clear and articulate interest in developing a broad body to represent all professions in marine science and technology,” explaining that: “As Chairman of the Society for Underwater Technology, I helped to form the MEST (Marine Engineering, Science and Technology) Federation with the IMarEST and the joint interest in marine /underwater technology.”