Exxon Mobil Deepwater Solutions

Technology is our lifeblood and the key to our future competitiveness - a fact we recognized early in our history. Our company hired one of the industry's first research scientists over 115 years ago. Today, ExxonMobil employs more than 1,250 scientists and technicians from 39 countries in support of our upstream operations worldwide.

Proprietary volume interpretation technology for accurate reservoir description

ExxonMobil developed robust technology for accurate fault interpretation, which is used to optimize well locations and hydrocarbon recovery.

Geoscientists and engineers use ExxonMobil's custom-designed Center for Interpretive Interaction to evaluate deepwater reservoirs. The center can also be used to optimize the paths of multi-target wells, such as the Diana field.

ExxonMobil's 3-D seismic interpretation systems use neural networks - a form of computer-based artificial intelligence - to provide unprecedented levels of reservoir definition.


				Company Awards 1992 CARE Award presented to Mobil by the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) for Mobil's conservation and environmental efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. 1993 Excellence in Environmental Conservation award presented to Mobil Exploration Producing U.S. by the National Ocean Industries Association. 1998 MMS Corporate Citizen Award to Exxon for outstanding offshore operating performance. 1999 Distinguished Achievement Award from the Society of Exploration Geologists credits Exxon with the invention of 3-D seismic exploration.

Offshore Technology Conference Distinguished Achievement Awards to ExxonMobil and its employees

The world's largest convention of its kind, the prestigious Offshore Technology Conference honors companies and individuals for distinguished achievements in advancing the technology of oil and gas operations in oceans. Several times, these awards have recognized ExxonMobil for its role in advancing the industry's capability to operate offshore.

Examples of applied research

Hoover-Diana - proprietary technology for record water-depth developments.
Before building the Hoover platform, we used unique model tests to learn how ocean currents would affect the structure and to give us a firm basis for designing the hull and mooring lines. What we learned from critical fatigue strength tests over the last decade gave us the confidence to use 18-inch diameter steel catenary risers at record water-depths. Drilling technologies we developed to solve hole quality problems saved time and money on Diana's technically challenging horizontal wells. These same tools have also been used for fields in West Africa and California.

Corrosion testing - to optimize material selection and reduce the cost of offshore developments.
ExxonMobil employed proprietary corrosion analyses and its advanced materials test facilities to qualify carbon steel for use in wells offshore Indonesia and low-alloy stainless steel for offshore Canada. The result was a considerable savings over the cost of using high-alloy stainless steel.

Tubular Goods - proprietary methods for selecting the lowest cost tubulars and pipelines.
Unique analysis and testing techniques, such as ExxonMobil's Load and Resistance Factor Design for casing, allow us to develop reliable systems that can withstand the challenging loads and conditions placed on drilling and production tubulars. Pipe and threaded connections for deepwater use are evaluated at ExxonMobil's tubular goods research facility near Houston. Recent deepwater applications include the Gulf of Mexico and Trinidad.


				Individual Awards 1973 Tom Barrow (Exxon) - Offshore Technology Conference recognition as early advocate for exploring deepwater basins. 1983 Pete Vail (Exxon) - Offshore Technology Conference award for being the lead developer of sequence stratigraphy, a technique used to predict the location and properties of rock formations. 1994 Alex H. Massad and E.J. Medley (Mobil) - Commander Cross of the Royal Order of Saint Olav. Presented by King Olav of Norway for success in developing and operating the Statfjord field offshore Norway. 1998 Pat Rickey (Exxon) - Offshore Technology Conference award for pioneering subsea technology that led to the development of industry standards.