On 9–11 October, the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) will again assemble exploration and production (E&P) professionals from around the world for the 2017 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, USA.
A leading technical conference in the upstream oil and gas industry for the past 93 years, ATCE will present current best practices and emerging technologies to attending engineers, scientists, academia, managers and executives. At the same time the conference’s exhibiting companies, which represent more than 50 countries, will feature the latest products and services.
“SPE members and companies know the value and return on investment of meeting and networking at ATCE. There is simply no other event in the industry that brings the level of insights, innovations and technological dialogue covering all things E&P,” said ATCE 2017 General Chairperson Vicki Hollub. “This year’s robust technical offerings and our great new programs, should inspire everyone – from students to more experienced professionals – and generate solutions that can be applied back at the office or in the field.”
This year’s conference received a record 2,521 paper proposal submissions, with close to 400 selected for presentations. The technical sessions, ePosters and panel sessions will cover digital energy, chemicals, hydraulic fracturing, flow assurance, unmanned vehicles, and other timely topics. Anticipated session highlights include:
- “Driving Sustainable Value From Digital Energy Revolution,” which will present various case studies for showcasing the use of digital automation;
- “Chemical Oil Enhanced Recovery,” showcasing the current interest in the E&P industry;
- “Frac Modeling: From Injection Test to Treatment Simulation,” featuring papers ranging from pre-fracturing tests to post-fracturing diagnostics and assessments;
- “The Smarter Flow Assurance Path Toward Improved Offshore Production Economics,” which explores opportunities for flow assurance to help decrease costs and make offshore more competitive with onshore and unconventional; and
- “Can Unmanned Vehicles and Robotics Create a Step Change in the Oil Industry,” a special session about new technologies to improve operational efficiency and asset integrity as well as minimize personnel exposure to dangerous environments.
New to ATCE, Startup Village will feature new business-focused table discussions and expert presentations on Tuesday. It also includes the inaugural Energy Startup Competition, in partnership with Rice University. This competition will showcase promising emerging technology companies in the energy sector as they pitch venture capitalists, angel investors, and industry leaders.
“Downturns have traditionally been a catalyst for startups, and ATCE has always embraced this industry’s entrepreneurial spirit. While widely known as the launching pad for new onshore and offshore technologies among leading E&P companies, programs like this equip future oil and gas leaders with the right tools, insights, and networks to turn these business ideas into realities that can benefit the broader industry,” said 2017 SPE President Janeen Judah.
ATCE continues to deliver training courses, special awards recognitions and specialized topics for students and young professionals, such as:
- 20 pre- and post-conference training courses covering a wide range of industry topics;
- Its traditional ATCE Annual Reception and Banquet on Tuesday to recognize outstanding SPE members who have made significant contributions to the industry, and the President’s Luncheon and Annual Meeting of Members on Wednesday, where new achievements and upcoming initiatives will be presented.