8th Annual Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Technical Symposium

Deepwater Symposium in New Orleans
August 19th and 20th, 2004
 
The theme of this year''s symposium is how the GOM deepwater development has evolved over the last 25 years, and will include case studies of field developments, lessons learned, and their application for future discoveries, as well as presentations of new technologies and developments.It''s been 25 years since the first GOM deepwater production began at Shell''s Cognac field in 1979.  It took another 5 years before the next deepwater field, Exxon''s Lena development, came on line.  Both developments relied on extending the limits of platform technology used to develop the GOM shallow water areas.  However, in the late 1980s, more technology began to emerge.  A patent for deepwater spar technology was obtained in 1987 and in 1988, the world''s tallest pile supported fixed steel platform was installed at Shell''s Bullwinkle field.  In 1994, the Auger TLP was the first floating production facility.  In 1996, the world''s first spar platform was installed at Kerr McGee''s (ORYX) Neptune field, in almost 2000'' of water.  In 2001, the first Truss Spar was installed at Kerr McGee''s Nansen field, in 3675'' of water.  Shell''s Na Kika development of 6 separate fields now holds the record for the deepest Gulf of Mexico water depth at 7300''. Many of the earlier fields are undergoing further reexamination, including possible secondary and tertiary recovery methods which will extend their economic lives.  In addition, as infrastructure extends into deeper and deeper waters, the advances in subsea technology allow once marginal fields to be developed.Although the traditional mini-basin play is far from mature, technology and infrastructure is in place to exploit the play.  However, the Mississippi Fan Fold Belt, Perdido Fold belt, and Tertiary Fan/Mesozoic plays still represent exciting frontier areas, where new discoveries lead to challenges in technology and economics. The Agenda The two-day symposium will include sessions with presentations covering Well Completions and Interventions, Reservoir and Economics, Geoscience, Drilling Technology, Production Systems and Flow assurance, and Health Safety & Environmental / Regulatory.  The symposium will also include a luncheon key-note speaker on day 1 and on day 2, a panel discussion composed of Deepwater Industry Leaders.
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