Techbits: Report of the SPE Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Drilling and Completions Advisory Summit

Abstract

Techbits On 17–18 March 2011, SPE sponsored a two-day summit to answer questions proposed by a US National Academy of Engineering/National Research Council (NAE/NRC) panel examining US Gulf of Mexico deepwater operations. The NAE/NRC committee, which has been asked by the US Secretary of the Interior to identify ways of reducing the risk of incidents similar to the Macondo well blowout from occurring in the future, prepared a list of questions for consideration by the summit participants. This SPE Technology Summit, titled “Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Drilling and Completions Advisory Summit to NAE/NRC Committee,” was attended by oil and gas industry professionals from operating companies, service companies, consulting companies, and academia. The participants were accepted based on their industry experience, and were explicitly asked to contribute their own views as engineers, not as advocates for their organizations. Summit participants met in five breakout groups and as a whole to discuss the questions. The following are excerpts from the report, organized by session topic. The complete report is available online at www.spe.org/industry/hse. Section 1: Oversight What are the potential values and feasibilities of using a separate path of reporting and oversight for cost and schedule versus decisions affecting the integrity and safety of the well? Summit participants do not believe there is value in using a separate path of reporting and oversight. Safety cannot be separated from operational decisions. Good safety practices and good business practices (including cost and schedule) go hand in hand. The industry has reduced occupational injuries in the past by integrating operations and safety reporting and oversight. Further improvements can be made in well integrity and process safety by applying similar integration principles. To what extent should the oversight be performed by the companies, independent third parties (e.g., classification societies), or regulators? All three parties need to be involved in various levels of oversight. Company oversight should include a quality assurance process. The company is ultimately responsible for its safe operations. Independent third parties (both external and internal) have a role in providing specific expertise, broader industry perspective, and objectivity. Government regulators have a critical role in ensuring that all parties meet compliance obligations.