Industry weighs up deepwater challenges

摘要

The Macondo oil spill has forced the industry to re-evaluate operating prac- tices, but deepwater developments are likely to account for a growing share of global output. BP estimates that the industry’s total deepwater production — in water depths of over 1,000ft (300m) — will account for 10pc of global oil consumption by 2030, up from 7pc now, with Brazil adding 2mn b/d of supply. Deepwater drilling has proved largely impervious to recent eco- nomic turbulence and 25-28 new rigs are due to start up this year, compared with about 30 in 2011, says Satish Pai, execu- tive vice-president of operations at US oil services firm Schlumberger. UK consul- tancy Douglas Westwood predicts 2012- 16 deepwater capital expenditure will be 90pc higher than in the previous five-year period, at $232bn, with Latin America overtaking Africa.