The 2024 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) Board of Directors has selected its Distinguished Achievement Award recipients, honoring Kerry J. Campbell for individual achievement and Petrobras’ Marlim field and Campos Basin for institutional achievement, while recognizing EnerGeo Alliance with a Special Citation.
Recipients will be honored during the OTC Distinguished Achievement Awards event reception on Sunday, 5 May, at NRG Center located in Houston.
OTC Distinguished Achievement Award for Individuals
Kerry J. Campbell was selected for his pioneering work in developing modern deepwater site characterization practices and for teaching and mentoring generations of site characterization professionals.
Campbell is no stranger to the OTC technical program. He has served on OTC’s Marine Technology Society program subcommittee and has helped co-chair and organize several OTC technical sessions. He has authored or coauthored 17 OTC papers. He authored his first paper in 1982 and went on to receive the 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers OTC Hall of Fame Award for the 1988 paper (OTC 5757) titled, “The Importance of Integrated Studies to Deepwater Site Investigation,” for which he was the lead author.
Prior to his retirement from Fugro in 2020, Campbell helped pioneer the use of 3D marine seismic data for engineering applications: 3D exploration seismic data for preliminary regional characterization and field development screening applications and AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) ultrahigh-resolution 3D seismic data for detailed characterization of faults and other potential geohazards at proposed suction anchor sites.
He is recognized as one of the world’s foremost experts in engineering site-survey design and the interpretation of marine high-resolution seismic data for geohazards assessment, site selection, and foundation engineering purposes.
OTC Distinguished Achievement Award for Companies, Organizations, and Institutions
This year’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Companies, Organizations, and Institutions is awarded to Petrobras for the deployment of a wide set of new technologies for the successful revitalization of the Marlim field and the entire deepwater Campos Basin, unlocking new paths for mature deepwater asset redevelopment, with significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The exploration of the Campos Basin dates to December 1974 with the drilling of the first wildcat well in the Garoupa field. This heralded a series of discoveries in shallow waters from 1974 to 1983 and in deepwaters (greater than 1,000 ft) from 1984 onward.
Petrobras played a pioneering role in the deepwater industry and was recognized by OTC in 1992 for "outstanding technical achievements related to the development of deepwater production systems " in Marlim. Now, 31 years later, Petrobras will be recognized for its commitment to the redevelopment of these mature fields and the pioneering subsea, drilling, reservoir, and decommissioning technologies for such endeavor.
This is notably evidenced by the successful launch of two new floating production storage and offloadings (FPSOs) within the Marlim field, both of which began production in 2023, along with the drilling, completion, and interconnection of more than 30 new production wells and 15 new water-injection wells to other existing infrastructure in Campos Basin since January 2020. The two new FPSOs replace nine floating units currently in decommissioning, some of which date back to Marlim's original development in the 1990s.
Petrobras’ pioneering technologies dedicated to life extension and reuse of existing subsea equipment, which include the largest flexible pipe life extension and reuse program in the world, are some of the many SURF innovations applied in Campos Basin and shaping guidance being incorporated in worldwide standards.
Their innovative construction method TOT-3P (True One Trip 3 Phases) reduced well construction duration in Campos Basin by up to 50% and set a new benchmark for efficient well construction in the area. Its innovative riser decommissioning pullout procedure, which eliminates the use of a topside pullout winch and diving operations, is also contributing to safe and efficient decommissioning of five FPSOs and four large-scale subsea structures just over the next 3 years.
OTC Special Citation
A Special Citation is presented to EnerGeo Alliance for its longstanding leadership in promoting efficiency and environmental sustainability in offshore seismic data collection.
For more than 50 years, EnerGeo Alliance has been a stalwart in the quest for accessible, affordable energy around the globe, while also being a standard-bearer for safety and the environment.
The EnerGeo Alliance has set the standard in the energy geoscience industry by establishing best practices and recommended guidance in key energy areas for its members, including its Environmental Impact Assessment Handbook and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Guidance.
In addition to this critical work, EnerGeo Alliance works to ensure that key stakeholders have access to factual, science-based information. EnerGeo Alliance helps people to understand how the energy geoscience industry fits in the global energy scene.
With nearly 55 years of successfully conducting business, OTC has become the place where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters. The 2024 conference offers quality, value, and networking opportunities that are unmatched by others, including more than 276,000 ft2 of exhibit space showcasing the latest industry innovations, 350+ peer-selected technical sessions, and an expected 31,000+ energy professionals from more than 100 countries in attendance.
Learn more about 2024 OTC. View the technical program for technical and panel sessions, networking events, special events, keynote speaker series, exhibitors, Young Professional events, and Around the World sessions.