The SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) brings together emerging technologies; state-of-the-art innovations; leading-edge companies and organizations; and thousands of executives, engineers, managers, and scientists. The event will take place 30 September–2 October at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Attendees will have the opportunity to share technical knowledge, network with colleagues from around the world, and gain insights from experts.
Opening General Session
Deepwater exploration and improved recovery from existing fields will be the subject of this year’s opening session, “Deepwater Exploration and Developments—Challenging the Limits,” on Monday morning. Panelists will discuss the challenges faced in deepwater exploration and development, which include deeper reservoirs in deeper water, subsurface imagining and knowledge of petroleum systems and reservoir distribution, high-pressure/high-temperature environments, and pushing the capacity of today’s evaluation tools and equipment. The panel will also lead a forum on the complexities of reservoir management and optimization, completion technology, wellbore integrity and intervention, flow assurance, and floating and subsea facilities.
Special Sessions
On Monday afternoon, Carlos Tadeu da Costa Fraga of Petrobras will speak at a special session titled “Challenges and Innovative Solutions for the Brazilian Pre-Salt Fields.” He will present a general overview of the Brazilian pre-salt areas, the technical aspects most important for their exploitation, reservoir characterization, recovery factors, drilling technologies, subsea solutions, and a view of future technologies to be applied in the pre-salt area. The session will be moderated by Farid Shecaira of Petrobras.
A panel of industry experts will discuss issues related to the long-term viability of obtaining oil and gas production from shale in “So We Frac’d the Well, Now What?” on Tuesday morning. Moderated by James Pappas of Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America, the session will cover the long-term performance of fractured shale reservoirs, stimulation methods and tools, wellbore integrity, and community engagement. Later on the same day, the “Knowledge Sharing on Separator Design” session, sponsored by the SPE Separations Technology Technical Section, will cover topics ranging from issues with conventional separator design to emerging technology trends. The moderator is Robert Chin of Shell.
In the session titled “Powering Drilling, Completions, and Hydraulic Fracturing Operations with Natural Gas” on Wednesday morning, panelists will discuss the technical, logistical, and legal challenges concerning the use of natural gas to power operations. Rich Haut of the Houston Advanced Research Center will be the moderator.
Luncheons
A luncheon will be held each day of the conference.
- Monday: The Chairman’s Luncheon with ATCE General Chairperson Jose Formigli of Petrobras
- Tuesday: “Subsurface Hydrocarbon Containment: Challenges and R&D Needs,” held by the SPE Research and Development Technical Section
- Tuesday: “Survey Management Implications for Unconventional Reservoirs,” held by the SPE Wellbore Positioning Technical Section
Other Special Events
Drilling experts with experience in advancing automation technology applications will share updates on their technologies, systems, and projects during “DSATS Drilling Systems Automation Symposium: Shaping the Future of Drilling” on Sunday evening. A reception will follow.
A keynote presentation will be given by a former SPE president at the 25-Year Club breakfast on Monday morning. The club, which is open daily, is a special lounge for SPE members who have 25 or more years of continuous membership, Century Club members, current and former SPE Board officers and directors, and this year’s SPE international award winners and Distinguished Lecturers.
During the Projects, Facilities, and Construction Dinner to be held on Monday, panelists will discuss the impact of reservoir uncertainty, including production flow rate, oil gravity, gas density, and water composition from a projects, facilities, and construction point of view. The panel will be moderated by Paul Jones of Chevron.
On Tuesday, attendees will have the opportunity to attend a two-part workshop on critical soft skills. The morning workshop, “Negotiation Skills and Conflict Resolution—Proven Techniques to Achieve a Win/Win Solution,” will emphasize the importance of negotiation skills and conflict resolution in the workplace using hands-on, realistic examples. The follow-up workshop in the afternoon, “Factoring Personality Type in Your Professional Development and Career Choices—An Introduction to the MBTI and Its Applications for Young Professionals,” will discuss what the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator tool is and how it can be used to help build mutual understanding and tolerance, identify opportunities to leverage personality differences among team members, and improve overall teamwork effectiveness. The workshops are organized by the Soft Skills Council, Young Professionals Coordinating Committee, and the Talent Council.
On Tuesday evening, SPE members who have made significant contributions to the industry will be honored during the Annual
Reception and Banquet. Key successes within SPE and the oil and gas industry will also be celebrated.
During the President’s Luncheon and Annual Meeting of Members on Wednesday, 2013 SPE President Egbert Imomoh will share and highlight the achievements and new initiatives that benefit members. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet SPE board members, 2014 SPE President Jeff Spath, and SPE Distinguished Members.
Young Professionals, Students
Sunday morning will begin with a student meet-and-greet followed by the Student General Session and Awards Luncheon. During the luncheon, students can learn more about professional careers in the oil and gas industry, and SPE will honor outstanding student chapters and scholarship recipients. Student chapter officers can collaborate and discuss new ideas and best practices during the Student Chapter Officer Workshop later that evening.
The 12th annual student PetroBowl, featuring student chapter teams participate in a tournament-style contest quizzing their knowledge of SPE and the E&P industry, will be held on Monday morning. The event will be followed immediately by a reception for the teams. At the same time, the International Student Paper Contest will feature presenters from around the world competing in the undergraduate, masters, and PhD divisions. The College and University Alumni Receptions, including Cairo University, Colorado School of Mines, and Penn State, will be held later that evening.
On Tuesday morning, young professional and section liaisons will have the opportunity to collaborate during the Student Chapter Faculty Advisor Session.
One hundred teachers (grades 4 through 12) will be invited to attend the free, one-day Energy4Me “Energize Your Classroom” teacher workshop on Wednesday. They will receive hands-on training provided by the US National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, listen to a presentation from a prominent keynote speaker, and tour the ATCE exhibition. Educators will also receive free instructional materials to take back to their classrooms.
Approximately 200 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) high school students will see firsthand the opportunities the industry has to offer during the Energy4me High School Student STEM Event. Students will participate in a scavenger hunt of the technology exhibits, receive hands-on energy lessons provided by the NEED project, and have the opportunity to meet industry professionals and ask questions about careers in the E&P industry.