The 2025 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) Board of Directors has selected its Distinguished Achievement Award recipients, honoring Jose Formigli for individual achievement and Chevron Corp.'s Anchor project for institutional achievement. This year’s Heritage Award will be presented to Dr. Arun Duggal. The recipients will be honored during the OTC Opening Ceremony on Monday, 5 May, at NRG Center located in Houston.
For more than 50 years, OTC has been the premier gathering for energy professionals worldwide to exchange ideas, insights, and the latest advancements in offshore technology and environmental sustainability. OTC 2025 will take place from 5–8 May, featuring more than 250,000 square feet of exhibit space and more than 500 presentations across 91 technical, panel, and keynote sessions.
OTC events attract more than 60,000 professionals—all committed to shaping the future of the offshore energy industry.
OTC Distinguished Achievement Award for Individuals
Jose Formigli is being honored for his distinguished career as a petroleum and subsea engineer, as well as his significant contributions to the offshore industry. With more than 40 years of experience, he is regarded as one of Brazil’s leading deepwater engineers, known for fostering collaboration with academia, R&D centers, and the technical community.
Formigli’s work has been instrumental in implementing dozens of offshore developments, including key technical contributions to Petrobras’ Marlim, Roncador, and Santos Basin Pre-Salt Cluster projects, all of which have received OTC’s Distinguished Achievement awards in the Company category in previous years. In addition to authoring several influential papers, Formigli has actively participated in numerous SPE seminars and OTC conferences over the years.
During his tenure at Petrobras, Formigli played a crucial role in deepwater field development, congregating both operational and technical expertise, encompassing critical disciplines like well completion, subsea engineering, flow assurance, and mooring systems. Notably, he oversaw the successful installation of the world’s first subsea lay-away tree in the Marimba field—a groundbreaking achievement that showcased his technical expertise and innovative approach.
His dedication to knowledge sharing, teamwork, and nurturing new talent has also contributed significantly to the advancement of the offshore industry.
OTC Distinguished Achievement Award for Companies, Organizations, and Institutions
This year’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Companies, Organizations, and Institutions is presented to Chevron USA Inc.’s Anchor project.
Located in the Green Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 140 miles off the Louisiana coast, the Anchor project stands out for its remarkable innovation in the offshore oil and gas industry, significantly advancing energy production and contributing to US energy independence.
The development features two production drill centers tied back to a new semisubmersible floating production unit with a production capacity of 75,000 bbl of oil and 28 MMcf/D of natural gas. The project also delivered industry-leading high-pressure technology, a groundbreaking achievement that sets a new standard for deepwater developments.
The journey of the Anchor project is a testament to excellence and resilience. The project successfully executed a cutting-edge technology program, maintained an exemplary safety record, and collaborated with more than 30 companies amid the challenges of a global pandemic. The result is a state-of-the-art, lower-carbon-intensity facility that will provide affordable, reliable energy to help meet the world's needs for decades to come.
OTC Heritage Award
The Heritage Award is presented to Dr. Arun Duggal in recognition of his exemplary contributions to the offshore industry. Over the 30 years he has been at SOFEC, Dr. Duggal has been a leader in the global analysis, development, and implementation of new technology for the station-keeping of floating offshore assets, focusing on turret mooring and yoke mooring systems, both permanent and disconnectable.
Widely respected within the offshore community as a world-leading subject matter expert, Dr. Duggal’s innovative contributions include several patents and more than 70 published papers, showcasing his deep expertise and commitment to excellence.
His influence spans the globe, with impactful project experience from the Gulf of Mexico to Australia, East and West Africa, Malaysia, and Brazil, among others. His dedication to mooring integrity has brought together operators, engineers, and suppliers to collaboratively share knowledge and develop robust solutions for the full life cycle of offshore moorings. Dr. Duggal’s leadership has consistently driven advancements that have enabled the offshore industry to overcome complex challenges.
Beyond his technical achievements, Dr. Duggal’s legacy extends to his leadership as a dedicated mentor for countless young engineers. By sharing his knowledge through publications, conferences, and seminars, he has fostered the next generation of offshore engineering talent.