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The 1998 Station Keeping Seminar - the seventh in the series - proved to be a roaring success in Rio de Janeiro. More than 170 participants from around the world gathered to listen to expert speakers and to make the most of this annual opportunity for the frank exchange of practical information on the operation of DP vessels in deep water. The event was organised in collaboration with Petrobras and the Brazilian Chapter of the International Association of Drilling Contractors.
The tone was set by the inaugural presentation from Andre Cordeiro, Manager of Well Technology and Well Engineering, Petrobras. He highlighted the fact that 45% of production comes from operations in over 400 m water depth and 48% of potential production is in areas at depths of more than 1,000 m. Participants were briefed on eleven existing DP drilling rigs and on a further ten DP rigs that are due to arrive before the end of the year 2000 - reinforcing the criticality of effective DP operations in Petrobras’ future.
The programme was designed to be particularly relevant to activities offshore Brazil. The presentation from Dr Clovis Lopez of Petrobras on the Rocondor Field Development with a floating production, storage and off-loading (FPSO) vessel focused on the factors involved in the selection of the Sillean to facilitate early production, and the challenges involved in off-loading to tankers moored astern.
Alan Adamson’s paper on Drillships’ susceptibility to sudden changes of weather, highlighted the need for competent crews to be on the look out for such changes and to be in a position to take the necessary prompt action.
The flexible programming allowed Friday night’s ‘extravaganza’ to be followed by a workshop addressing a key issue for DP operators offshore Brazil - the unexplained loss of GPS signals for hours at a time during summer nights. Dr José Humberto Sobral of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisos Espacios (the Brazil Space Agency) was able to attend the seminar at short notice and provide the answer. He reported on Ionosphere Plasma Bubbles in the South American Sector. These can occur from October to March and effectively block radio signals from satellites.
Seminar Papers
- Keynote Address - The impact of Dynamic Positioning Offshore Brazil
Andre Cordiero - Petrobras
- Riser responses to loss of position
Earl Shanks - Transocean
- DP Signal processing and the impact of DP controller on thruster performance
Aslaug Grovlen - ABB
- Recovery of a riser from the seabed in 1,600m of water
David Padgett - Falcon Drilling
- The advantages of total integrated control
Steve Raynor - Cegelec
- Loss of redundant DP control systems from systematic faults
Doug Phillips - Nautronix
- Revision of guidelines for the design and operation of DP vessels
Chris Jenman - Global Maritime/IMCA
- Power management systems used by DP vessels offshore Brazil
Afonso Pallaoro - Petrobras
- Power management problems and solutions
Stig Bjoerfelt - Stolt Comex Seaway
- Acoustic pollution - its effects on Dynamic Positioning
Antony Wakeling - Sonardyne
- Drillships susceptibility to sudden weather changes from practical experience
Alan Adamson - Global Maritime
- DGPS positioning - offshore Brazil
Joe Kennedy - Racal
- The Year 2000 problem for DP vessels
Jane Bugler - IMCA and Pete Somner - Rockwater
- Roncador field development with a DP FPSO
Dr Clovis Lopes - Petrobras
- Reliability of DP control systems in deep water
Knut Jorgensen - Kongsberg Simrad
- The next generation of the Amethyst design
Hamylton Padilha - Maritima
- Failure modes to be considered with Azipods, Mermaids and SSPs
Tom Wilne - Global Maritime BV
- Avoiding thruster damage from oil contamination
Lars Bo Andersen - C C Jensen
- Finding and training competent crews for new DP rigs
Capella Festa - Sedco Forex
- DP information display on integrated DP systems
Frank Boonen - Diamond Offshore
- Design of operator interfaces: application of ergonomics
Dr Bill Moore - ABS New York
A number of workshops were also held, which are summarised by the workshop chairmen in this fascinating document.
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