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OTC PREVIEW Offshore Industry's Largest Show Slated For May 4-7 In Houston Recognized the last 23 years as the world's preeminent inter-national offshore industry event, the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) will focus on the critical is- sues of economics and the environ- ment affecting the international petroleum industry. The 24th An- nual OTC will be held at the Hous- ton Astrodomain Complex, Astrohall, in Houston, Texas, from May 4 to 7, 1992. As the offshore industry moves into harsher and more environmen- tally sensitive areas, demands in- crease for higher levels of operating efficiency. The offshore industry will have to meet these challenges by utilizing cutting-edge technology. OTC has long-been a leading worldwide forum for the exchange of technical information vital for exploration and development of ocean resources and protection of the offshore environment. "Excellence in day-to-day opera- tions has always been an industry goal," said Dennis E. Gregg of Conoco Inc., 1992 chairman of the OTC board of directors. "Yet, its need is more pressing today than ever before. In today's world of roller coaster economics, it is financially imperative that the offshore indus- try pay careful attention to efficiency. Now, and in the future, energy com- panies will prosper only if technol- ogy challenges are met. OTC has a significant role to play in helping the offshore industry meet those challenges." Attendance for the show is ex- pected to exceed 30,000, as it did last year when 34,272 registrants, pri- marily consisting of offshore indus- try engineers, managers and scien- tists, pushed the show's 23-year at- tendance mark to over 1 million. Last year's attendance was its high- est since 1985. Over 1,300 of the world's fore- most manufacturers and suppliers of offshore equipment and services will display at the OTC exhibition. The display space is expected to cover an area of at least 237,020 net square feet, with exhibits showcas- ing such products and services as shipbuilding, boatbuilding and rig fabrication, cranes and deck ma- chinery, gaging and monitoring sys- tems, diesel propulsion and auxil- iary systems, offshore engineering and design, and navigation and com- munications equipment. "Although much of the current offshore activity is taking place in the North Sea, most of the engineer- ing, design and purchasing decisions that impact our products are made in Houston," stated a marketing rep- resentative with a Finnish ship- builder. As at past shows, many exhibi- tors are expected to tout new prod- ucts and services—or modifications to existing ones—designed specifi- cally to further improve the safety and environmental aspects of off- shore operations. In combination with the huge ex- hibition, OTC events of major inter- est will include a series of keynote and special sessions, as well as six topical luncheons. Additionally, the event's technical program will en- compass about 250 presentations by authors from 20 companies. Among the topics covered by the technical presentations will be subsea production systems, tension- leg platform technology, flexible pipe technology, geophysical engineering and exploration, engineering mate- rials, offshore vessel operations, oceanography, and meteorology, as well as environmental quality and safety during drilling and produc- tion operations. One keynote session will focus on worldwide ultra-deepwater drilling and production prospects, with an- other session including discussion and debate about the future devel- opment of the Arctic National Wild- life Reserve. The focus of the two OTC general sessions will be how the logistics of offshore exploration and production affect and are affected by the envi- ronment. The sessions will focus on gaining access to publicly owned off- shore lands and developing the oil and gas reserves beneath them eco- nomically and more efficiently. Monday's afternoon general session will focus on "Affordable Off- shore Development," with partici- pation by Stephen M. Cassiani, executive vice president of Exxon Exploration Co.; Edward A. Blair, president of Hamilton Bros. Oil Co.; J. Michael Stinson, chairman/ managing director of Conoco U.K. Ltd.; and Hans Meijer, director of exploration and production for Norske Shell A/S. Tuesday's afternoon general ses- sion will address "Access to Public Lands and Waters." Among the pan- elists will be Scot Sewell, director of the U.S. Minerals Management Service, as well as a senior oil com- pany executive and representatives of major environmental organiza- tions. Six topical luncheons on Monday, May 4, and Wednesday, May 6, will accompany the conference program. The topics at Monday's luncheon will be "The Hibernia Project," chaired by R.D. Owen, project general manager of Hibernia Man- agement & Development Co. Ltd.; "Soviet Joint Ventures," chaired by Charles Bare, manager, headquar- ters operations-Russia for Conoco Inc.; and "Well Control in Kuwait," chaired by Larry Flak, chief engi- neer for O'Brien-Goins-Simpson & «- ODECO's cantilevered jackup drilling unit Ocean Columbia. 23
