Deepwater Newfoundland and Labrador: Technology Application and Opportunities for Exploration and Production

Abstract

There has been considerable interest in deepwater opportunities offshore Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). The significant discovery of Mizzen, Harpoon and Bay du Nord fields by Statoil and partner Husky Energy, as well as the regional seismic data and metocean characterization projects by Nalcor, has generated industry interest in the area resulting in successful calls for bids in the deepwater region by the Canada Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board (CNLOPB) in 2014 and 2015. With the recent exploration license activity and significant deepwater discovery, the potential for further exploration and near-term development is rapidly approaching. There has been extensive operations experience and research and development within the shallow waters of continental shelf Jeanne d'Arc Basin over the past 40 years. With the progression of opportunities for exploration and development in deep water, the operations experience and applied research proven in shallow water can be utilized and adopted to deep water. The technical aspects of Remote Sensing, Ice Engineering, Ice Management and Geotechnical Engineering will be reviewed and discussed in the context of deepwater developments and opportunities for enhancement of technology will be presented.