Panels and Special Sessions

Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as saying 'an army marches on its stomach', which was his way of recognizing that an army in action was dependent on a long and possibly fragile supply chain behind it to provide the basic supplies. The same is true for the offshore oil and gas industry, in that it needs a complex supply network for people, equipment and supplies to maintain successful operations. As oil and gas exploration considers moving into harsher and more remote locations, the implications on the logistics chain must be considered.

Companies in Newfoundland and Labrador have developed expertise for moving people and equipment in the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic Ocean, where strong winds, high waves, poor visibility, pack ice and icebergs are routine occurrences. Each panel member will present their point of view on the challenges to be overcome in moving to even more remote and harsher environments, such as the coast of Labrador, Greenland and even into the Arctic. This will be followed by a question and answer session.

• Geoff Cunningham, Director of Offshore Operations, A. Harvey and Co.
• JJ Gerber, Director of Flight Operations, Cougar Helicopters
• Tom Swift, Offshore Operations Manager, Atlantic Towing Ltd.

The "Insurance and Legal Aspects of Projects in Ice Covered Waters Panel" is a must for people dealing (or planning to deal) with ice related projects, as it is providing knowledge and information of all kinds of important and relevant ice related issues, necessary to improve their performance and avoiding expensive errors. How can/have insurance and legal issues to be integrated in the project planning? Learn also what partners you might need and meet some of them already at ATC

Panelists:

• Thomas Friedrich, Underwriter, Munich Re (Re-Insurance)
• Henning Jessen, LL.M., Professor, Law of the Sea and Maritime Law, World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö
• Wylie Spicer, Counsel, McInnes Cooper
• Per Olav Moslet, Senior Principal Engineer, DNV GL – Oil & Gas Representatives from Operator and Contractor Companies

Newfoundland and Labrador’s location in the extreme North Atlantic operating environment makes the province ideally suited to develop the solutions that will advance the efficiency, productivity, and safety of Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry. This session will explore how government, industry, and research and development partners have shaped the expansion of the province’s offshore resources and how these solutions can be applied to other harsh environment developments.

Panelists:

• Dave Finn, Chief Operating Officer, Petroleum Research Newfoundland & Labrador
• Nancy Winchester, Vice President of Research and Development Solutions, Research and Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Bill Carter, Assistant Head, School of Ocean Technology (Interim) and Assistant Director, Centre for Applied Ocean Technology, Marine Institute (Holyrood Marine Base)
• Mike Taber, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, Falck Safety Services Canada

The U.S. Federal Government has finalized a set of new U.S. Arctic Regulations explicit to operating in the offshore environment of the U.S. Arctic waters. There has been much debate regarding the value to the environment versus the economic implications of the new rule. This panel will discuss the pros and cons of the new regulations and positive and negative impacts to the future offshore oil and gas activities and the influence in the Pan-Arctic.

Panelists:

• Mark Fesmire, Alaska Region Director, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
• Mitch Winkler, Arctic Senior Technical Advisor, Shell
• Garth Pulkkinen, Director of Technical Marketing, Noble Drilling
• Drue Pearce, Senior Policy Advisor, Crowell and Mooring, LLP

New U.S. Arctic Regulations – (Part 2): Ask the Experts: The Arctic Rule, Question and Answer Session

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will provide a brief overview of the Arctic Rule, which was released earlier this year. Finalization of the Arctic Rule resulted in reforms that ensure any future exploratory drilling activities from Mobile Offshore Drilling Units on the U.S. Arctic Outer Continental Shelf in the Beaufort and Chukchi Planning Areas are conducted under the highest safety and environmental standards and subject to strong and proven operational requirements. This panel will provide audience members the opportunity to ask specific questions about how to comply with the rule.

Panelists:

• Mark Fesmire, Alaska Regional Director, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
• Jim Kendell, Regional Director, Alaska, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
• David Moore, Chief, Oil Spill Preparedness, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement

In 2013 the U.S. Secretary of Energy requested the National Petroleum Council (NPC) to conduct a comprehensive study to identify the research and technology opportunities to enable prudent development of U.S. Arctic oil and gas resources. An extensive study involving more than 250 stakeholders worked on the study in 2014 and a report titled “Arctic Potential – Realizing the promise of U.S. Arctic Oil and Gas Resources” was presented to the Secretary in March 2015. The report includes recommendations in three main areas: Environmental Stewardship, Economic Viability, and Government Leadership and Policy Coordination. This session will present the main recommendations from the NPC report and provide an opportunity for the audience to ask questions to the panelists who participated in the study.

Panelists:

• John Guy, Deputy Executive Director, National Petroleum Council
• Mitch Winkler, Arctic Senior Technical Advisor, Shell
• Tim Nedwed, Oil Spill Response Senior Technical Professional Advisor, ExxonMobil
• Drue Pearce, Senior Policy Advisor, Crowell and Mooring, LLP