Greetings from FTS Chair!
Even as the New Year approaches, things in the industry are still uncertain, many of us are struggling to maintain jobs and the future is dicey. However, the situation is bound to bounce back. Until then let’s all stay positive and be optimistic in the New Year. Keeping this in mind, SPE Flow Assurance Technical Section (FTS) continues to help the industry by sharing knowledge and creating networking opportunities to all upstream professionals through various activities in 2016. The leaders and staff of FTS wish the best for you with hopes for positive possibilities in 2016.
As for FTS, we have enjoyed a great year with many productive and informative activities thanks in large part to all of your support. Flow Assurance: Future State of the Art forum held in June 2015 in Newport Beach, led by Dr. Phaneendra Kondapi and Dr. Cem Sarica, championed by Prof. Dendy Sloan was one of the most productive and successful events attended by around 50 flow assurance experts around the globe, despite the budget cuts and travel restrictions due to industry turndown. ATCE Panel Session Error Analysis in Flow Assurance, Production Engineering, and Facilities design led by Gene Kouba and Matt Walsh from Chevron with 8 other industry experts on the panel had interesting presentations and views on the use of uncertainty analysis in successfully managing economic and HES risk in upstream projects. We also had a Flow Assurance paper session with 6 papers at ATCE on experimental studies that provided insights to flow assurance distribution, chaired by Steve Cochran and Phaneendra Kondapi. FTS also supported two other global events held in October 2015 through our officers. Trevor Hill from BP supported Ensuring Production Today, Creating Solutions For Tomorrow workshop held in Edinburgh, Scotland. Cem Sarica supported Flow Assurance Challenges in Shale and Tight Developments workshop held in Galveston.
The FTS held 9 luncheon meetings with Talks from Probjot Singh (ConocoPhillips), Nikunj Patel (Oceaneering), Tommy Golczynski (AFS), Brian Skeels (FMC), Mack Shippen (Schlumberger), Michael Mai (Woodgroup Kenny), Lee Norris (Schlumberger), Howard Duhon (GATE) and Carlos Avila (Chevron). FTS has also initiated global webinars for the benefit of our members around the globe and had 4 webinars this year. FTS webinars included live of three lunch talks from Lee Norris, Howard Duhon and Carlos Avila, in addition to the inaugural one from Phaneendra Kondapi on An Insight to Current Flow Assurance Technologies. FTS has already planned to have monthly lunch meetings in 2016. Please note that the future lunch meetings will be held at SPE Conference Hall near BW-8 on Westheimer in Houston.
FTS had held two elections to the committee this year, first one being in January 2015 with our first elected committee members Hassan Karimi (Schlumberger), Carolyn Koh (CSM) and Trevor Hill (BP). The second election held in September 2015. I take this opportunity to welcome Jim Bennet (ExxonMobil) as our new addition to the 2016 committee and pass on the baton to Dr. Steve Cochran. FTS also amended its By-laws and held its first annual member meeting during ATCE 2015. All the updated information can be viewed on FTS website.
The FTS leadership team has worked together well and has been a pleasure to lead from a Chairperson’s point of view. Thanks again to all the team members for a successful year.
SPE FTS 2015 Leadership:
- Chair: Phaneendra Kondapi, University of Houston
- First Vice Chair: Steve Cochran, Chevron ETC
- Second Vice Chair: Hassan Karimi, Schlumberger
- Secretary: Carolyn Koh, Colorado School of Mines
- Treasurer: John Nighswander, Schlumberger
- Technical Moderator: Taras Makogon, ConocoPhillips
- Director: Cem Sarica, University of Tulsa
- Director: Scott Bufton, Universal Pegasus
- Director: Trevor Hill, BP
- Past Chair: Jeff Creek, Chevron ETC
- Founding Chair: Dendy Sloan, Colorado School of Mines
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SPE Services and Membership:
Please check that SPE is extending their services for all the members including up to a two-year waiver of dues for those who are unemployed, a new jobs page, and the Competency Management Tool on the SPE website.
If you are a member of SPE and not a member of FTS yet, you are only a click away from being a FTS member. Please click the below link to login and check “Flow Assurance” under Technical Sections.
https://www.spe.org/ams/Custom/OnlineCommunityPreferences.aspx
Sponsorship:
Please consider sponsoring any of the FTS events in 2016. You may please contact Steve Cochran or any of the officers for further information.
For more information, please visit: http://connect.spe.org/fts/home
Wish you and your family very happy holidays and a positive, prosperous and healthy new year 2016!
Sincerely,
Phaneendra Kondapi
Chair, Flow Assurance Technical Section (FTS)
SPE International
KBR Adjunct Professor of Subsea Engineering
University of Houston
pbkondapi@uh.edu