Huge turnout expected at MEOS 2013

In excess of 2,000 oil and gas professionals are expected to attend the opening session of the 18th Society of Petroleum Engineers Middle East Oil & Gas Show and Conference (MEOS 2013) at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre tomorrow. A panel of high ranking industry figures will deliver their own perspective on the theme ‘Transforming the Energy Future’. The focus this year is on issues the oil and gas industry faces as it strives to meet global demand for energy in the face of increasingly difficult challenges. The emphasis is necessarily on the processes, technologies, business models and human skills required to meet future energy needs effectively and efficiently. The 14,800 square metre exhibition of industry products and services will open on March 11 under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister, Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. The four-day event, which runs until 13 March, is expected to attract over 7,000 attendees. . The welcome addresses will be delivered by Minister of Finance and Minister in Charge of Oil & Gas Affairs, Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa,; MEOS 2013 Conference Chairman Abdulaziz Al Abdulkarim, and 2013 SPE President Egbert Imomoh. Saudi Aramco Senior Vice President, Upstream Amin Nasser, Baker Hughes President and CEO Martin Craighead, Schlumberger CEO Paal Kibsgaard, Kuwait Oil Company Chairman and Managing Director Sami F. Al-Rushaid and ExxonMobil Upstream Research. President Sara Ortwein. More than 200 technical and poster presentations designed to share the knowledge and experience of managing, operating and supplying companies will follow over the subsequent three days of the conference. Topics at this event range from exploration and appraisal, drilling and completions; reservoir engineering; production and facilities to health, safety, security and environment. MEOS 2013 will also offer five panel sessions led by presidents, vice presidents, CEOs, deputy managing directors, and chairmen of key players in the industry, including Baker Hughes, Bapco, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Petroleum Development Oman, Saudi Aramco, Schlumberger, Shell, Total and Weatherford. Discussion topics include the gas challenge; talent development and knowledge sharing; technologies required to unlock unconventional resources; greener petroleum; and developing local content. Other highlights of the conference include a special breakfast session Financing the Change entitled, delivered by Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors Abdullatif A. Al-Othman. The session will address how the oil and gas industry can manage and finance itself in light of forecasts that approximate $15 trillion will be spent in the next decade to meet expected future oil and gas demand. More than 300 companies from 30 countries will be in attendance at the MEO 2013 exhibition, which covers all areas of the upstream oil and gas industry, including production, reservoir management, drilling, completions, measurement systems, geology, geophysics, automation, transportation, health and safety, and information technology. Principal exhibitors include all six GCC national oil and gas companies - Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Bapco, Kuwait Oil Company, Petroleum Development Oman, Qatar Petroleum, and Saudi Aramco –will exhibit alongside super majors including Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell. International oil and gas exploration and production companies such as Occidental Petroleum Corporation; service industry giants Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Schlumberger and Weatherford; large national groups from North America and the UK; and numerous independent specialist suppliers and distributors from across the globe complete this line up.