Pioneering Technologies

Technology evolves from the fertile minds of individuals, and is nurtured by the culture and vision of companies and organizations.


The oil and gas industry, especially the offshore, owes its existence to the development and application of technology to solve seemingly insurmountable challenges in the search for energy. Certain technologies stand out as milestones in the development of our offshore resources. We honor the organizations and individuals who dreamed, who believed, who struggled, and who achieved their prize, and we honor the innovations they used in their success.


These are the technology pioneers.

Pioneering Technologies

  • Construction Technology

    a black and white drawing of a building with cranes and a truck .
    • Rig Building Shipyards, 2007
    • Underwater Hydraulic Pile Drivers, 2013
    • Early Development of Suction Piles, 2015
    • Polyester Deepwater Mooring Systems 2016
    Learn More
  • Drilling (Mobile Drilling Units)

    • Drillships (Moored Vessels), 1999
    • First and Second Generation Semisubmersible Drilling Rigs, 2000
    Learn More
  • Drilling Equipment

    • Underwater Wellheads, 1999
    • Dynamic Brakes, 1999
    • Marine Riser Support Systems (Tensioners), 2000
    • Marine Riser Systems, 2001
    • High Holding Power Anchor Development, 2002
    Learn More
  • Drilling Technology

    • Tender Rigs, 1998  
    • Submersible Rigs, 1998  
    • Jackup Rigs, 1998  
    • Subsea BOP Control Systems, 2001  
    • Development of Offshore Drilling Equipment, 2003  
    • Drillstring Motion Compensators, 2004 
    • Top Drive Drilling System, 2006  
    • Spiral Drill Collar, 2007  
    • Heavy Weight Drill Pipe, 2008  
    • Measurement While Drilling (MWD), 2011  
    • Drill Floor Mechanization & Automation, 2012  
    • Marine Drilling Riser Phase I Analysis, 2013  
    • Marine Drilling Riser Phase II Analysis, 2014
    • Horizontal Drilling, 2014    
    • Marine Riser Buoyancy, 2015  
    • High Strength Pressure Flexible Joints, 2016  
    • Polyester Deepwater Mooring Systems, 2016
    Learn More
  • The Forces of Nature

    • Wave Forces, 1998 
    • Wind, Wave & Current Hindcasting, 1998 
    • Offshore Foundation Design, 2001 
    • The National Hurricane Center, 2003
    • Wind, Wave & Current Hindcasting, 2007 
    • The DeepStar Project, 2010 
    Learn More
  • Health, Safety & Environment

    • Code Development: ABS Rules for MODUs, 1998  
    • Rigs-To-Reefs, 1998  
    • Mariculture, 1999  
    • Environmental Protection - Clean Gulf Associates, 2000  
    • The Personnel Transfer Net, 2001  
    • Development of Offshore Safety Programs, 2003  
    • Offshore Safety and Survival Training, 2004  
    • The Cullen Report—Offshore Safety Case, 2005  
    • Offshore Structures and Activities Insurance, 2006  
    • Zero-Discharge Rigs, 2007  
    • API Recommended Practice 14C, 2008  
    • Minerals Management Service (MMS) Federal Regulations, 2009  
    • Safety Training Observation Program (STOP), 2011  
    • IADC Safety Case Guidelines, 2013  
    • API Recommended Practice 75 Safety and Environmental Management Programs, 2014  
    • Dynamic Positioning Reliability, 2015  
    • Use of Human Factors Engineering in Design, 2017   
    • Ocean Ranger Investigation and Reports, 2017
    Learn More
  • Marine & Air Transportation

    • Helicopters, 1998
    • Supply Boats, 1998
    • Anchor Handling Vessels, 2010  
    Learn More
  • Marine Construction

    • Crane Vessels, 1999 
    Learn More
  • Offshore Services

    • Technology Conferences & Exhibitions, 2010
    Learn More
  • Production Technology

    • Platforms: Piled, 1998  
    • Pipelines, 1998  
    • Pipelay Vessels, 1999  
    • Concrete Gravity Structures, 2004  
    • Reeled Pipeline Laying, 2004  
    • Spar Floating Platforms, 2005  
    • Tension Leg Platforms, 2005  
    • Flexible Pipe Technology, 2006  
    • Concrete Gravity Structures, 2007  
    • Coiled Tubing, 2008  
    • Floating Production Storage and Offloading Systems (FPSO), 2011  
    • Submersible Mobile Offshore Production Units (MOPU), 2011  
    • Steel Catenary Risers, 2012  
    • Horizontal Multiphase Flow, 2012  
    • Umbilical Control Technology, 2013  
    • Humble Submerged Production System, 2014 
    • Induced Gas Flotation for Produced Water Treating, 2016  
    • Hydrocyclones for Produced Water Treatment, 2017
    Learn More
  • Science & Technology

    • MOHOLE - Phase I, 2008  
    • First Generation Dynamic Position (DP) Vessels, 2009  
    • MOHOLE - Phase II, 2009  
    • Dynamic Positioning Reliability, 2015  
    • Spread Mooring System Analysis, 2015
    Learn More
  • The Search for Oil & Gas

    a black and white drawing of a boat in the water .
    • Marine Exploration, 1998  
    • Marine Seismic, 1999  
    • Suited Divers for Seafloor Geology, 1999  
    •  
    • Geophysical Subsurface Imaging, 2002  
    • Reliability-based Design of Marine Structures, 2002  
    • Multi-Lateral Drilling, 2003  
    • First Marine 3D Survey, 2005 
    • Bright Spot Seismic Interpretation, 2006 
    • Three Dimensional Subsurface Imaging, 2010  
    Learn More
  • Subsea Technology

    • Diving, 1998  
    • Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), 2009  
    • Subsea Wet-Mateable Electrical Connectors, 2016  
    • Subsea Electric and Hydraulic Flying Leads, 2017 
    • Subsea Pumping & Compression (Boosting), 2018
    Learn More
Share by: