2006年VOA标准英语-Conference in Houston Highlights Latest in

By Greg Flakus
Houston
12 May 2006
 
watch Offshore¹ report
 
  
  
One of the oil and gas industry's biggest annual events was held recently in Houston (May 1-5). It's the Offshore Technology Conference, which focuses mainly on methods of exploiting energy resources that are under water, whether along coastlines or out in deep-water environments. The search for such resources has intensified² as demand for energy has grown and the price of oil has risen dramatically.

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As the name of the conference implies, technology is the main topic here. And there are a lot of interesting devices, machines and materials to see.

A representative of PV Fluids described her purpose for attending and wearing a costume. "Hello, I am Aegis³ and I am here with PV Fluids and I am representing an aeromatic resistance elastomer."

That's a flexible rubber used in tubes. Tubes and pipes are a big part of this industry and improving their efficiency at moving oil and gas is a big focus of research and development.

Aspen Aerogel  
  
Aspen Aerogels has a feather-light gel that is 95 percent air and is considered the best insulation⁴ material on Earth, but it's very fragile. Using nanotechnology applications, this company now produces this same insulating material in a flexible form that, when used in a pipe, reduces the size and cost considerably⁵.

The Milton Roy Company brought some alternative energy to the hall. One device is a pump that can operate on its own, using either solar or wind power. 

 
Tom Day 
  
Company representative Tom Day says it can save offshore platform operators money by continuously pumping anti-corrosive chemicals into the oil extraction pipes. "You don't need a lot of it, but you need to inject it at a pressure greater than the wellhead pressure and that is what this will do."

Most participants come to the Offshore Technology Conference every year to hear speakers and panel discussions and to read papers on new technology and methods.

 
Osten Olorunsola
  
Osten Olorunsola, a Shell Oil executive from Nigeria, says there are two main reasons he comes. "One, it's really to see the trend of technology in oil and gas development and one, of course, is also to meet with people and share experiences."

More than 59,000 people came to this year's conference, drawn⁶ to a great extent by the chance to meet and talk with each other.

 
Izeusse Braga
  
Izeusse Braga is Communications Director for Brazil's state-owned oil company, Petrobras. "The Offshore Technology Conference is for us a very important event. As a matter of fact it is the most important event for the petroleum⁷ industry.  And for us it is a very important opportunity to meet a lot of people in only one trip. If we had to plan to see, to visit, all of these people in their own countries, probably it would take six months, seven months."

Petrobras has become a worldwide player in the energy business by developing cutting-edge technology, especially in deepwater operations. The Brazilian company is using its technology to compete with U.S. companies in the Gulf⁸ of Mexico.

The president of Petrobras America, Renato Bertani, is enthusiastic. "We are ready to drill. We have the rigs for that and we're gonna drill one, probably two wells [in the] second half of this year."

Bertani says floating platforms developed by Petrobras could be especially effective in the hurricane-prone Gulf. "You simply disconnect with two or three days notice, move out of the way, and once the hurricane passes, a week later or ten days later, you come back, reconnect and start producing again."

The promise of these new oil and gas-producing technologies is what gives participants in the Offshore Technology Conference something to celebrate.

1 offshore   

adj.海面的，吹向海面的；adv.向海面

参考例句：

• A big program of oil exploration has begun offshore.一个大规模的石油勘探计划正在近海展开。
• A gentle current carried them slowly offshore.和缓的潮流慢慢地把他们带离了海岸。

2 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 aegis   

n.盾；保护，庇护

参考例句：

• Medical supplies are flied in under the aegis of the red cross.在红十字会的保护下，正在空运进医药用品。
• The space programme will continue under the aegis of the armed forces.这项太空计划将以武装部队作后盾继续进行。

4 insulation   

n.隔离；绝缘；隔热

参考例句：

• Please examine the insulation of the electric wires in my house.请检查一下我屋子里电线的绝缘情况。
• It is always difficult to assure good insulation between the electric leads.要保证两个电触头之间有良好的绝缘总是很困难的。

5 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

8 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。