Second IPTC To Focus on Upstream, Midstream Challenges and Innovations

Building on the success of the first SPE International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) 2 years ago, this year’s event will bring together leading energy experts from multiple disciplines to discuss challenges and trends in the upstream and mid-stream sectors. The conference will feature panel sessions with top industry officials, more than 250 technical papers, and a large exhibit. The second IPTC, which carries the theme “A Changing World—Interdependence, Innovation, and Implementation,” will be held 4–6 December at the Dubai World Trade Center in Dubai.

The event is again sponsored by four leading industry societies—SPE, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, and the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers. IPTC provides an in-depth technical program and a forum to discuss technological and general industry challenges in exploration, production, reservoir, and midstream gas in the context of petroleum engineering, geology, geophysics, and related disciplines.

The first IPTC, held in Doha, Qatar, attracted professionals from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Russia, Asia Pacific, and the United States and included 97 exhibitors. Executive Committee Cochairpersons of this year’s conference are Farouk Al Zanki, Chairman and Managing Director of Kuwait Oil Co., and Tony Hayward, Chief Executive Officer of BP. Nasser Jaidah, Director of Oil and Gas Ventures for Qatar Petroleum, is Adviser to the Executive Committee.

Special and Panel Sessions

After ministers representing the oil and gas industry in Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates open the conference, a keynote session titled “Energy Issues for a Changing World” will be held, featuring addresses by several industry leaders. A special session on climate change will follow. Among the speakers will be Stephen W. Pacala, Director of the Princeton University Environmental Institute. Five panel sessions will take place during the conference:

“E&P Strategies for Short- and Long-Term Delivery,” which will include a discussion of future oil and gas demand, eroding spare capacity in both production and refining, oil resources, and producing countries’ major capacity-expansion projects. The moderator of the panel will be Rick Vierbuchen of ExxonMobil. Panelists include Robert Ryan of Chevron, Michael Naylor of Shell, and Peter Stark of IHS Energy.
“Delivering Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) Excellence,” which will examine effective ways to raise HSE expectations, maintain organizational focus on HSE, and embed sustainable HSE enhancements in business strategies and work practices. Panel moderator will be Ali Al Jarwan of Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company, and panelists will include Abdul Aziz Al Kayumi of Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company, Helen O’Connor of Halliburton, and Sherri Stuewer of Exxon-Mobil.
“Responses to Constraints in Meeting Energy Challenges,” covering the constraints of a tight oil market, shortage of labor, security of supply, difficulties in finding new hydrocarbons, and sustainable development. The panel, made up of representatives from oil and gas companies, the service industry, government, and national oil companies, will assess these constraints and suggest how industry actors and organizations can best respond to them. The moderator will be Gavin Graham of Shell, with panelists to include Eamon Gorman of Petroleum Development Oman, Ladislas Paszkiewicz of Total, and Raoul Restucci of Shell.
“Billion-Dollar Project Execution: Interdependence and Innovation,” focusing on the large number of world-class oil and gas development projects currently being planned and implemented, which will require continuing improvement in execution to deliver efficiently on the objectives and expectations of stakeholders. Discussion topics will include effective project planning, high-quality project execution, and financial aspects of these projects. The panel will include Bruce Luberski of BP, Jean-Marie Guillermou of Total, and Jerry Wolahan of ExxonMobil.
“Meeting Our Global Responsibilities to People and the Industry—Development, Diversity, and Demographics.” This session will focus on the major labor shortages facing the industry as skilled workers retire without a sufficient number of juniors to replace them, compounded by industry growth. Included on the panel will be Chakib Sbiti of Schlumberger and Deborah Grubbe of BP.

Project Integration Awards

An awards and cultural program will be held on the opening night of the conference. Awards for “Excellence in Project Integration” will be presented to recognize project teams that have made significant and unique achievements in managing and directing integrated oil or gas projects from discovery to delivery. Information on the winning projects also will be displayed during the conference. Kuwaiti musicians and dancers will entertain during the awards program.

Registration and hotel information, along with other conference details, is available at www.iptcnet.org/2007.