New technology, new science, new possibilities - all in a new location.
There's a lot that's new waiting to be introduced at this year's Arctic Technology Conference (ATC), a multi-disciplinary meeting that offers the latest in Arctic exploration, development and production.
That includes a new setting: For the first time, the event will be held somewhere other than Houston. The fourth annual ATC will be held March 23-25 at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark.
"There are two new and exciting events this year at ATC 2015," said program chair Brian Miller.
The first is the "Arctic Next Wave," which, as described by Miller, will be "a session centered on what you need to know if you are just starting out in the Arctic."
The Arctic Next Wave will be on Tuesday, the second day of the three-day event. It's designed to serve as a focused orientation and networking event for both seasoned energy veterans and YPs who have been recently assigned to the Arctic or who might be assigned responsibility for an Arctic project in the future.
Along with a roundtable session and networking reception, the Arctic Next Wave will include a presentation by AAPG member Nathan Meehan, senior executive adviser to Baker Hughes and president-elect of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, on "Arctic Skill Demands and How People Gain Those Skills."
Another talk in the session will be a keynote address by Shell's Arctic Vice President Don Jacobsen, titled "What Makes the Arctic Unique?"
The second new event will be the ATC Distinguished Achievement Awards, which are modeled after the prestigious Offshore Technology Conference awards of the same name (See story on page 32).
Also to be held on Tuesday, the awards will recognize significant technological, humanitarian, environmental and leadership contributions to the industry.
The conference also will include, of course, all of the features that have made it so successful over the past four years:
- Plenary Session.
- Five panels.
- More than 150 technical presentations (some of which are covered in this issue of the EXPLORER).
- Topical breakfasts and luncheons.
ATC also includes a bustling exhibition, which typically attracts more than 1,500 industry professionals from at least 26 different countries and about 80 exhibiting countries.
An offshoot of the Offshore Technology Conference, ATC is supported and endorsed by AAPG and 13 of the world's top scientific and engineering organizations.
This year's venue was chosen for its ease of access for European and Asian operators in the Arctic, while still providing easy access for participants from North America.
"Copenhagen's central location and broad accessibility make it a strategic choice to host ATC 2015 and attract these international professionals who wouldn't normally attend in Houston," said Han Tiebout, who was the technical program chair for last year's event.