Past 2012 Luncheons

Abstract

Diamond Offshore Drilling has used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software for the past 2-1/2 years to analyze fluid-related problems encountered in our fleet of mobile offshore drilling vessels.  We currently have two seats of Star CCM+ software running full-time on a 192-core computer cluster.

Our CFD problems have included flows in pipes, sloshing in mud tanks, and exhaust gas plumes; however, it has evolved that our major use of CFD has been in Naval Architecture problems such as wave slamming, vessel motions and drag, and drag and VIV studies on drilling risers. This paper will examine the application of CFD software for Naval Architecture problems in oilfield applications, including software and hardware implementation, samples of our various studies, co-simulation with Finite Element Analysis, and comparison and correlation of CFD models to tow-tank, wave basin and wind-tunnel models.

The case of the design and implementation of Frahm-style anti-roll tanks on the Ocean Clipper drillship will be examined in detail, especially including comparison and correlation with wave basin data.

 Biography

 Harris Reynolds is the Manager of R&D at Diamond Offshore Drilling in Houston.  He has worked in the upstream oilfield for 30 years, previously for USS Oilwell International, National-Oilwell, Hydril and Greene-Tweed, in a range of capacities including international sales, marketing, product management, R&D, and intellectual property.  He holds 31 US Patents, and is a graduate of Dartmouth College.

Abstract

Biography

Sean Grigsby

Graduate of East Tennessee State University, BS Industrial Technology
20 Years of Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Experience.
Became the Managing Director of Halton Marine Americas in March 2010. Halton Manufactures Galley Hoods and Marine HVAC Components Including A60 Fire Dampers, H-120 Fire Dampers, Shut-off Dampers, Balancing Dampers, and Cabin Ventilation Equipment.  
Some notable past projects and customers include the Texas A&M University, Texas Christian University, Havard University, Yale University, MIT, Beau Ravage Casino, MGM Properties, Isle Of Capri, Caesars Palace, Cowboys Stadium, Redskins Stadium, Yankee’s Stadium, San Francisco Giants Stadium, Minnesota Twins Stadium, Methodist Hospital Houston, Baptist Hospital Beaumont, Hilton Hotels, Marriott Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels, Emeril Lagasse's Restaurants, Bobby Flay Restaurants, Todd English Restaurants, Mario Batali Restaurants, Joel Robuchon Restaurants, and the White House.

Abstract

Recently the semisubmersible has become a favorite choice as a wet-tree floating platform supporting steel catenary risers (SCRs), mainly due to its capability of quayside topside integration and cost-effectiveness. However, it is still a challenge for a conventional semisubmersible to support SCRs, particularly large ones, in harsh environment and relatively shallow water due to its large heave motion. To answer this challenge, a new semisubmersible design has been developed at Technip as a wet-tree floater which achieves significantly improved heave motion and vortex-induced-motion (VIM) performance through hull form optimization while maintaining the simplicity of a conventional semisubmersible design. The difference between the HVS semi-submersible design and a conventional semi-submersible design is in the blisters attached to the columns,  distribution of pontoon volume, and pontoon cross section shape. In the HVS semi-submersible design, the pontoon volume is re-distributed to minimize heave loading while maintaining sufficient structural rigidity, a long heave natural period and adequate quayside buoyancy. The blisters attached to the columns effectively breaks the vortex shedding coherence along the column length and therefore suppresses VIM. The blisters also provide much needed stability at quayside and during the hull deployment process, making the hull design less sensitive to topside weight increase. In the present paper the hydrodynamic aspects of this new design are discussed in detail. A benchmark case is presented in which the new design is compared against a more conventional design with the same principal dimensions. A VIM model test and wave basin test for the proposed design have been performed and a summary of the test results will be presented. The reduced heave and VIM significantly improve the riser stress and fatigue near the touchdown point. This new design makes the semisubmersible a more robust wet-tree floater concept, and even a potentially good candidate as a dry-tree host concept in relatively benign environment.

Biography

• M.S. and B.S. in Naval Architect and Ocean Engineering from Seoul National University
• Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering from Texas A&M University.
• Previously worked for Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering, McDermott and FloaTEC,LLC in the field of Naval Architecture and Hydrodynamics
• Currently a Chief Technical Advisor of Offshore Business Unit at Technip.
• Expertise in hydrodynamics, floating platform and mooring system design and dry tree semisubmersible concept development. Presented more than 30 papers in conferences and published more than 15 papers in the journals related to the ocean engineering.

Harold Keys, Noble Drilling Services
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
11:30 AM  - 1:30 PM

Westchase Marriott Hotel
2900 Briarpark Dr.
Houston, TX 77042
Houston Westchase Marriott; Map

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Abstract
During a rig moving operation off Bombay, India in July, 2001, the Noble Jimmy Puckett, a Friede and Goldman L-780 Mod II class jackup rig, encountered a severe storm. The storm caused severe damage to the unit, including loss of the unit’s drill floor assembly and the unit abandoned after jacking up on a reef just off Bombay Harbor.  Fortunately there was no loss of life from the catastrophic conditions. This presentation details the events leading up to, during and after the severe storm, giving real-life insight to surviving conditions that exceed unit design limits

Biography
Harold Keys, Marine Manager – Operations Support 
Noble Drilling Services

Harold’s Oilfield career began in 1968 with Penrod Drilling Company working offshore. He became a Rig Moving Engineer in 1973 responsible for marine operations for Penrod’s offshore fleet primarily moving jackup and submersible rigs world-wide, eventually becoming Marine Superintendent for the Company. During the disintegration of Penrod in the early 90’s, Harold worked briefly for Dual Drilling before landing at Noble Drilling as Marine Superintendent. Later he became a Drilling Superintendent, Engineering Manager – Marine and is presently Noble’s Marine Manager – Operations Support. Harold has moved over 700 MODU’s of various configurations during his 44-year career. 

Loren Steffy, Houston Chronicle
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
11:30 AM  - 1:30 PM

Westchase Marriott Hotel
2900 Briarpark Dr.
Houston, TX 77042
Houston Westchase Marriott; Map

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Abstract

J. Richard “Dick” Steffy stood inside the limestone hall of the Crusader castle and looked at the wood fragments arrayed before him. They were old beyond belief. For more than two millennia they had remained on the sea floor, eaten by worms and soaking up seawater until they had a consistency of wet cardboard. There were some 6,000 pieces in all, and Steffy's job was to put them all back together in their original shape like some massive, ancient jigsaw puzzle.

He had volunteered for the job even though he had no qualifications for it. For twenty-five years he'd been an electrician in a small, land-locked town in Pennsylvania. He held no advanced degrees – his understanding of ships was entirely self-taught. Yet he would find himself half a world away from his home town, planning to reassemble a ship that last sailed during the reign of Alexander the Great, and he planned to do it using mathematical formulas and modeling techniques that he'd developed in his basement as a hobby.

Steffy would become the first person ever to to reconstruct an ancient ship from its sunken fragments. Blessed with abundant technical skills and an encyclopedic knowledge of naval history, Steffy said ships spoke to him. This intuition often guided him as he pored over the misshapen remnants of centuries-old vessels. His journey would take him to dozens of countries, working on scores of shipwrecks. Steffy would join a team that included friend and fellow scholar George Bass to lay a foundation for the field of nautical archaeology. He eventually moved to Texas A&M University, where his lack of the usual academic credentials caused him to be viewed with some initial skepticism by the university’s administration. However, his impressive record of publications and his skilled teaching eventually led to his being named a full professor.

Steffy went on to devote the next thirty years to the study, reconstruction and modeling of submerged wrecks, winning a prestigious MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant.  He trained most of the preeminent scholars in the emerging field of nautical archaeology, and his research and publications still define the methods in use today.

Richard Steffy’s son Loren, an accomplished journalist, has mined family memories, archives at Texas A&M and elsewhere, his father’s papers, and interviews with former colleagues to craft not only a professional biography and adventure story of the highest caliber, but also the first history of a field that continues to harvest important new discoveries from the depths of the world’s oceans. 

Loren Steffy is the business columnist for the Houston Chronicle. His column appears on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and he writes a daily blog (http://blog.chron.com/lorensteffy/) that discusses business topics. He has appeared on CNBC, Fox Business, the BBC and the PBS NewsHour.

He is the author of Drowning in Oil: BP and the Reckless Pursuit of Profit published by McGraw-Hill in 2010 and The Man Who Thought Like a Ship, published by Texas A&M University Press in April 2012.

Before joining the Chronicle in April 2004, Steffy was Texas bureau chief and a senior writer for Bloomberg News in Dallas for 12 years. He covered a variety of business topics in Texas and across the country, including the collapse of Enron. Steffy is a three-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism, the business news equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. His reporting has won numerous state and national awards, and his coverage of the collapse of Arthur Andersen was selected for the 2003 edition of the “Best Business Stories of the Year.”

Steffy has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University, and he is a member of the professional advisory board for Texas Tech University’s School of Media and Mass Communication.  

Dr. John Sajdak, Alion Offshore
Mr. William Cowardin, Alion Offshore 
Tuesday, October 10, 2012
11:30 AM  - 1:30 PM

Westchase Marriott Hotel
2900 Briarpark Dr.
Houston, TX 77042
Houston Westchase Marriott; Map

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Abstract

As the offshore oil and gas industry is continually stretching out into deeper, more hostile, and challenging waters through advancements in technology, processes, and efficiencies; so too must new technologies and methods in reducing risk, enhancing safety, and protecting the environment be explored and applied. Although recent years have yielded significant advances in and experience with risk assessment methodologies, perhaps the most exciting development has been the implementation of the advanced risk-based and performance-oriented approach of Integrated Barrier Assessments (IBA).

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Mr. Robb Erickson, Dockwise
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
11:30 AM  - 1:30 PM

Westchase Marriott Hotel
2900 Briarpark Dr.
Houston, TX 77042
Houston Westchase Marriott; Map

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Abstract

The Dockwise Vanguard will soon serve the heavy marine transport market.  The vessel was engineered to surpass current heavy marine transport limitations. The vessel’s accommodation block and navigation bridge are located on the extreme starboard side. The vessel has no bow, and this, along with other design features, gives the vessel a unique appearance. Furthermore, the deck covers a surface of 275m by 70m, equipped with movable casings suitable for overhang in all directions.

In addition, the vessel has a dedicated design for ultra-heavy units weighing up to 110,000 metric tons. Optimized deck strength and extreme wide-load capabilities are at the heart of the design philosophy; as are the vessel’s stability characteristics. It is equipped with a 27 MW redundant propulsion system consisting of two fixed propellers at the aft and two retractable azimuth thrusters at the bow. These can reach a maximum transit speed of 14 knots, which translates to average service speeds of 11-13 knots with cargo. In addition, the vessel allows for 16 meters water above deck, accommodating cargoes with a higher draft.

The vessel’s design philosophy received two awards by maritime organizations. The first award was from the Royal Association of Dutch Ship Owners for the KVNR Shipping Award 2011. This award recognized the Dockwise Vanguard as the most innovative vessel. The second recognition, an OTC Spotlight on New Technology Award bestowed at this year’s conference, also recognized the vessel’s innovative design. In selecting a new technology winner, the jury’s decision was based on the following criteria: new, innovative, proven, broad interest, and significant impact.

Robb Erickson is Vice President Sales Heavy Marine Transport. Erickson began his career with Wijsmuller Transport in 1992 which subsequently became Dockwise Shipping in 1994. He has been with the company for 20 years. 

Erickson has been instrumental in Dockwise’s US commercial operations and assisted with the diversification of the company’s business portfolio to expand beyond that of a shipping company to become an offshore service company. From transport of the world’s largest offshore production systems to offshore drilling rigs and sensitive military equipment, Erickson has been instrumental in Dockwise’s constant effort to push the envelope of possibilities in the heavy marine transport business.  

Mr. Ed Horton, Horton Wison Deepwater
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
11:30 AM  - 1:30 PM

Westchase Marriott Hotel
2900 Briarpark Dr.
Houston, TX 77042
Houston Westchase Marriott; Map

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Abstract

Offshore oil & gas pioneer, Ed Horton will share his personal reflections and historical perspectives on development in the deepwater offshore industry. He will discuss past developments and some of his new ideas, and demonstrate how the technology was and is utilized from the oil patch and other sources.