If you had any doubts about coming to the LAGCOE 2019 Conference this year, forget them and get to New Orleans today and tomorrow. LAGCOE 2019 is one of the best opening days that I have experienced with a schedule packed with informative sessions and great networking. I cannot wait to see what tomorrow has in store. We were all cautious but excited about the significant changes in the expo. The move to New Orleans brought new life, new technologies, new faces.
When I looked at the options for conference sessions, both technical and non-technical, it was difficult selecting only one per time slot to attend as the content is so relevant. I anticipate I’ll face the same challenge on Thursday and Friday.
The morning started with a keynote breakfast address by Kimberly McHugh, VP of Drilling and Completions for Chevron. She aligned her presentation “Tomorrow is Today” with the LAGCOE theme of The Future of Energy Starts Here. She mentioned how our personal lives are ever-increasingly technologically advanced, yet we have not brought the same technologies to the workplace. She noted that the “future” of oil and gas is much nearer than we think. Chevron is already implementing real-time data from drilling activities that make short-term forecasting more realistic and response time immediate. They are testing technology to remove human error, not just reduce it. Lastly, she noted that data is no longer proprietary — data sharing aides industry improvements. We can only own how we use and respond to the data to set ourselves apart.
Jack Sanford of Fieldwood led one of the sessions, which left me with a renewed confidence in the future of Gulf of Mexico production. Again, themes of technological advances and industry cooperation resonated about actions happening now, not just hopes and prayers for the future.
Here were a few items I noted from the sessions:
- New piping materials that help move high temperatures produced water from remote locations. This information was invaluable for a client currently battling that issue.
- Advances in plume modeling and capping of uncontrolled well releases underwater.
- A stong rooted corporate culture rooted in faith and family has incredible and inspiring effects on the workforce.
Another great event was the API-New Orleans Luncheon. The first speaker discussed regulatory hurdles preventing new oil and gas activity in Louisiana. His informative address was the only one that portrayed a bleak future for our state related to the industry. He applauded the efforts of so many oil and gas companies to muddle through, often repeatedly, the many regulations, laws, and now, lawsuits, preventing drilling activity. A report on national oil and gas trends presented by the LSU Center for Energy Studies followed his presentation. And although no one can predict with certainty, oil prices are anticipated to remain in the $50-60 range for the long term. The Center predicts that oil and gas production will continue to increase through at least 2025.
Lastly, I had a candid conversation with government representatives (BSEE), client regulatory managers, other facilities engineers about SAFE charts. We discussed the history of the function “dot” and brainstormed improvements to the permitting process. For the sessions that I did not attend, I only heard positive educational feedback about the technical topics and praise for the motivational effects of the non-technical sessions.
Reporting on the venue, the ENM Convention Center has done a great job. The food has been fantastic; authentic New Orleans cuisine that I would not have anticipated in banquet-style volume. Hospitality is top-notch. The devil is in the details – The signage, transportation, accommodations, etc.… have exceeded expectations in making LAGCOE 2019 a world-class event.
I hope to see you today! Follow our Adley team on social media throughout #LAGCOE2019.
Susan Frizzell
READY, SET, GO! Starting the day at LAGCOE 2019 Conference.
It was nice catching up with board members at LAGCOE 2019. Pictured (L-R) Larry Lemarie, Larry Tolleson, John Melancon, and Susan Frizzell.
International Networking Session LAGCOE Day 1