As our industry moves to new offshore frontiers, with exploration wells being drilled in increasingly deeper waters, this presentation will discuss some of the technical challenges present in such operations, the magnitude of the costs involved, the risks and the need for well-structured planning, operation follow-up and post-drilling analysis. This will include possible risk analysis studies, use of real time data and importance of compliance with safety and environmental standards and regulations. An approach to optimize deepwater drilling operations will be described.

Speaker JC Cunha, Drilling Manager for Ecopetrol America

Dr. Cunha is responsible for the company’s offshore operations in the GOM and gives support for Ecopetrol offshore operations in South America. Prior to his current position JC was Well Operations Manager for Petrobras America working on the company’s ultra-deepwater drilling program in the GOM.

Previously Dr. Cunha was a professor at the University of Alberta in Canada and before that he held several technical and managerial positions for Petrobras and Petrobras International in projects in South America, the GOM and Africa.

He has authored more than 50 technical papers and also wrote chapters for two recently published SPE books. JC has a PhD in petroleum Engineering from the University of Tulsa, USA. A past JPT Editorial Committee Chair, JC is currently the co-chair for the SPE  Technical Communities Coordinating Committee (TC-CC).