Press Releases
View All Press Releases| SPE Offshore Europe | 22 Feb 2011 |
+++Dive into the Deep Water Zone at SPE Offshore Europe+++
Global capital expenditure on deepwater projects is forecast to total US $167 billion between now and 2015, confirming its status as a major platform in the growth strategies of the world’s oil and gas players. The crucial role that this sector now plays in the E&P industry’s future will be reflected at this year’s SPE Offshore Europe exhibition and conference, with the launch of the Deep Water Zone. This will be a brand new area dedicated to the latest state-of-the-art technologies helping the upstream sector advance into one of the world’s most challenging environments.
Deep and ultra-deepwater discoveries are being made almost every week, most notably the giant finds in Brasil’s pre-salt frontier in the Santos Basin. These have been accompanied by other significant discoveries off the east and west coasts of Africa, as well as west of Shetland, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean, SE Asia and Australasia. Deep water therefore represents a core area for adding future offshore reserves, not only for National Oil Companies and western supermajors, but also for small and medium-sized independents. The International Energy Agency conservatively estimates that deepwater oil production will increase from 6% to 9% of the total global offshore figure, adding a forecast 2.8 million barrels/day by 2015. Recent advances have seen deepwater developments brought onstream or currently underway in water depths ranging out towards 3,000 metres (9,843ft).
The organisers of SPE Offshore Europe 2011 are dedicating an entire hall to the technologies and expertise being employed by the deepwater E&P industry at this year’s event, which runs from 6-8th September in Aberdeen, the energy capital of Europe.
Dedicated technical presentations area and displays
The OE Deep Water Zone will feature a dedicated technical presentation area where experts will present case studies and participate in panel discussions. This will give attendees the opportunity to learn about some of the very latest developments in the sector, with content programmed by the leading organisations in the field, including the Brasilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute (IBP), the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) and the European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers (EAGE).
This will include presentations by Petrobras, a world-leader in deep water developments, and which is leading the way offshore Brasil, where capital expenditure of up to $54 billion is forecast between now and 2015 - the vast majority of that in deepwater pre-salt projects. There will also be a technical presentation session in the Zone entirely dedicated to deepwater exploration, organised by the EAGE.
A special feature area in the OE Deep Water Zone, meanwhile, will enable visitors to view up close specialist displays showcasing some of the most advanced subsea, seabed and floating production hardware and expertise being utilised in frontier projects around the world. This will include a display showcasing the frontier Laggan-Tormore project West of Shetland, being developed by Total via an innovative subsea-to-shore scheme.
There will also be a Brasil Pavillion (organised by IBP) featuring key manufacturers and suppliers from the fast-expanding Brasilian deepwater industry, as well as exhibits by many of the world’s leading deepwater suppliers demonstrating their products and services.
In addition the OE Deep Water Zone will also feature the Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Showcase (UUVS) pavillion, dedicated to unmanned remote and autonomous vehicle technologies and expertise.
The main conference programme at SPE Offshore Europe will also feature a Deep Water Panel Session, as well as other deepwater presentations within its technical programme and a dedicated Business Breakfast over the course of the event.
The overall theme for this year’s conference is ‘Securing Safe, Smart, Sustainable Supply’. SPE Offshore Europe is the largest upstream oil and gas event outside North America, and is held every 2 years. The last edition in 2009 broke all-time attendance records and saw the largest-ever exhibition area, with 1,421 companies participating from around the world.
The biennial conference and exhibition is organised by The Offshore Europe Partnership, a joint venture between Reed Exhibitions Ltd. and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
Visit www.offshore-europe.co.uk and enter the Deep Water Zone for further information
