The 23rd International Conference on
OFFSHORE MECHANICS AND ARCTIC ENGINEERING
Vancouver, CANADA, 20-25 June, 2004

The permanent OMAE 2004 Web Site is now ready.  Click to connect.

The 23rd International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering (OMAE 2004) will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from June 20 to 25, 2004. ASME International, the OOAE Division, and the University of British Columbia are organizing the conference. The conference will draw together members of the scientific community, researchers, academia and the ocean engineering industry from several parts of the world. British Columbia has known oil reserves and the current government is considering lifting the moratorium on the development of oil fields.

The University of British Columbia is the host of OMAE-2004.  Following on the tradition of excellence of previous OMAE conferences, OMAE-2004 will be held to advance the development and exchange of information regarding ocean, offshore and arctic engineering. It will be the setting for researches, engineers, managers, technicians, and students, to discuss new and advanced technology developments and their applications in industry. It will also help promote international cooperation.

More than 400 technical papers shall be presented at the conference distributed in its symposia:

Also, industry workshops, special sessions and keynote lectures will be included in the technical program. National and international oil companies are expected to sponsor and participate in the conference.

Conference Venue

Vancouver – Spectacular by Nature

OMAE-2004 will be held in Super Natural Vancouver, British Columbia. Located on Canada’s West Coast, Vancouver is nestled between rugged Coastal Range Mountains and the brilliant blue Pacific Ocean.  Consistently ranked as one of the top three cities to live in, Vancouver has been described as one of the most spectacularly situated cities on earth. 

Vancouver’s scenery is unmatched, as are its recreational opportunities.  Sailing, golfing, hiking, kayaking and one of Vancouver’s favorite pastimes, strolling along the Seawall, are just some of the many activities awaiting you.  The climate in Vancouver is one of the warmest in Canada; the average daily high temperature in June is 19 Celsius or 68 Fahrenheit. Vancouver is also a food-lover’s dream with more restaurants, a wider selection of ethnic cuisine, and better prices than any comparably sized city in the world. World-class shopping is available from the stores along Robson Street. For a map of downtown Vancouver click here.

Vancouver is also a great place to begin your summer vacation with an Alaskan cruise, or excursions to enchanting Victoria, the beautiful mountain resort of Whistler, the Okanagan wine country, or the stunning Canadian Rockies.

Conference Venue Information

OMAE 2004 will be held at the newly renovated Hyatt Regency Vancouver Hotel. Centrally located in the heart of the downtown business and entertainment core, the Hyatt Regency Vancouver overlooks the mountain-rimmed harbor and is adjacent to shopping in the Royal Centre, Robson Street and Pacific Centre. Amenities include a heated swimming pool, fully-equipped health club, two-line data port phones in all rooms, video messages, and the attention to detail you can expect from a Hyatt hotel. The Hyatt’s meeting facilities are world-class and provide exceptional space for the OMAE conference.  For more information on the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, visit www.vancouver.hyatt.com.  To reserve your room you can also call central reservations at 1-888-591-1234, or call the hotel directly at 604-683-1234, and state that you attending the OMAE 2004 conference to obtain the special conference rate, or

  Book hotel rooms on-line:
  http://vancouver.hyatt.com/groupbooking/omae

Early Registration

Click www.pware.com/2431registration to register on-line now for a chance to win five (5) complimentary nights at the conference hotel, the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. Payment is required by October 31, 2003 to be eligible for the draw. Alternatively you can call +1 604-683-7718 or email OMAE2004@seatoskymeetings.com to request a registration from.

Getting to Vancouver

Most visitors to Vancouver fly into the Vancouver International Airport, located 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver. An efficient airport transfer service called “YVR Airporter” (www.yvrairporter.com) transports delegates from the airport to all the downtown hotels including the Hyatt Regency Vancouver at a cost of $12.00 each way or $18.00 return.   Taxi fares are approximately $27.00 Cdn. and private limousine service is $34.00 each way plus gratuity.  All of these services accept credit cards. Visitors flying home through Vancouver International Airport are required to pay an Airport Improvement Fee ($10 for travel within North America and $15 elsewhere).

Passports and Visas

At the time of writing, Canada permits citizens (with valid passports) from designated countries (USA, Britain, Australia, for example) to visit Canada without a VISA. Citizens from countries not on the designated country list will require a VISA. Please check with your Canadian embassy or visit www.cic.gc.ca for current information on what arrangements you need to make to visit Canada. Persons who wish to enter the USA from Canada should make proper arrangements before leaving their home country.  A drivers’ license is NOT proof of citizenship.  

Canadian Currency

The Canadian dollar is currently valued at $1.47 U.S., providing a tremendous shopping advantage to foreign visitors.  Bank debit or credit cards are the most convenient means of getting cash at the many 24-hour access automated banking machines.  As in the U.S. and Europe, these machines accept cards with Plus, Interac and Cirrus, symbols and there is one on almost every block in downtown Vancouver.  Most Canadian businesses accept U.S. currency and travelers cheques. International currency exchanges are available at the airport and at all the banks in the city.  Major credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express) are generally accepted.

Taxes and Tax Refunds for Visitors

A provincial tax of 7.5% is charged on the majority of purchases. An additional Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 7% is charged on most goods and services sold or provided in Canada. Under the Visitor Rebate program you may get a refund of the GST you paid on goods you take home and on your accommodation in Canada.  The total of your purchase amounts (before taxes) for eligible goods and accommodation must be at least CAN$200 and each individual receipt must be at least CAN$50 (before taxes). GST refund forms are available throughout the city and at Vancouver International Airport.  For more information or to download the rebate form, visit http://www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/tax/nonresidents/visitors/tax-e.html.

Vancouver is:

Preliminary Publication Deadlines

* Publication is not guaranteed for Final Manuscripts, 1903 Forms and Hard Copies received after March 29, 2004.  Conference registration by one of the authors or presenter is required for publication of the paper in the proceedings.

** One author is allowed to present up to two papers at the conference.

Symposia/Coordinators
(Click on the symposium name to go to the symposium web page)

Offshore Technology: Dr. Subrata K. Chakrabarti, Offshore Structure Analysis, Inc., 13613 Capista Drive, Plainfield, IL 64544 USA, Tel: 815-436-4863, Fax:815-436-4921, E-mail: chakrab@aol.com
Safety and Reliability: Prof. Carlos Guedes Soares, Unit of Marine Technology and Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais 1096 Lisboa, Portugal, Tel.: 351-1-841-7957 Fax: 351-1-847-4015, E-mail: guedess@alfa.ist.utl.pt
Materials Technology: Dr. Mamdouh M. Salama, Conoco Inc., 1000 S. Pine (2370RW), P.O. Box 1267, Ponca City, OK 74602-1267 USA, Tel.: 580-767-2783 Fax: 580-767-6381, E-mail: mamdouh.m.salama@usa.conoco.com
Pipeline Technology: Mr. Terry Jones, 15607 Dawnbrook Dr., Houston, TX 77068-1921 USA, Tel.: 281-893-2949, Fax: 281-893-8048, E-mail: tmjones@asme.org
Ocean Space Utilization: Prof. Takeshi Kinoshita, IIS, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505, Japan, Tel: +81-3-5452-6169, Fax: +81-3-5452-6170, E-mail: kinoshit@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp 
Ocean Engineering: Prof. R. Cengiz Ertekin, Dept. of Ocean and Resources Eng., Univ. of Hawaii, 2540 Dole St., Holmes Hall 402, Honolulu, HI 96822-2303, USA, Tel: +1 808 956-6818, Fax: +1 808 956-3498, E-Mail: ertekin@hawaii.edu 
Prof. Daniel T. Valentine, Dept. of Mechanical and Aeronautical Eng., Clarkson University, 4 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, NY 13699-5725, USA, Tel: +1 315-268-7689, Fax: +1 315-268-6438, E-Mail: clara@clarkson.edu and
Polar and Arctic Sciences and Technology: Dr.-Ing. Walter L. Kuehnlein, Director, HSVA, Bramfelder Strasse 164, D-22305 Hamburg, GERMANY, Tel: +49-(40)-69 203-240, Fax: +49- 89-1488-269 356, Eml: Kuehnlein@OMAE2006.com

Local Organization

Chair
Prof. Sander M. Calisal, P.Eng.
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
2054 - 2324 Main Mall, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC  V6T 1Z4
Tel:  604-822-2836, Fax:  604-822-2403
Email:  calisal@mech.ubc.ca

Co-Chair
Mr. Jon Mikkelson, P.Eng.
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
2054 - 2324 Main Mall, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC  V6T 1Z4
Tel:  604-822-2709, Fax:  604-822-2403
Email: mikk@mech.ubc.ca

Conference Manager
Sarah Lowis, CMP, CMM
Sea to Sky Meeting Management Inc.
3435 West 3^rd Avenue
Vancouver, BC  V6R 1L6
Tel:  +1 604 681 7718
Fax: +1 604 733 6850
Email:  OMAE2004@seatoskymeetings.com  or sarah@seatoskymeetings.com
Web:  www.seatoskymeetings.com

The permanent OMAE 2004 Web Site is now ready.  Click to connect.

Last updated on 15 July 2008. Copyright © 1996-2008, OOAE Division, ASME International Petroleum Technology Institute (IPTI). All rights reserved worldwide.