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| Image: Bill Maddock/Subsea Systems Institute |
Bill Maddock has been named director of the Subsea Systems Institute, a national research center established in Houston to develop the transformative technologies, engineering and operational practices to safely and sustainably produce deepwater offshore energy resources.
Maddock is an experienced marine and offshore engineer with expertise in offshore structures, marine operations and the ice sciences.
A collaboration between the University of Houston, Rice University and NASA Johnson Space Center, the institute serves as a neutral third party to provide industry and government regulators with new technologies, science-based policies, education and workforce training.
Maddock, who most recently worked on Arctic issues for BP America, said the institute's goal is to reduce the risk of offshore accidents and build public trust in the safety of offshore drilling and production.
The Subsea Systems Institute was established in January with initial funding from the state of Texas, and it is expected to attract substantial federal support over the next 10 years from the RESTORE Act trust fund that was created with funds from the Deepwater Horizon settlement. Maddock said plans call for the institute to become self-sustaining through broader industry and government support.
“Over the next few months, I will be engaging with our partners to ensure that the Subsea Systems Institute’s goals align with the needs of industry and government for safety and for the economic exploitation of offshore energy resources,” Maddock said.
He will provide day-to-day leadership for the institute, which is governed by representatives from UH, Rice and NASA, along with representatives from industry and government. Additional institute partners include Texas Southern University, Houston Community College and Lone Star College.
A technical advisory committee comprised of specialists from industry and academia will also offer input.
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