Offshore
Europe 2003 attracts global audience
Posted: 17 September 2003
Offshore Europe 2003, the eastern hemisphere’s premier oil
and gas show, saw a total of 26,337 visitors in Aberdeen for the
four day event.
With confirmed contract deals totalling more than US $325 million
announced or signed at the show earlier this month, and visitors
from 104 countries (30 more than the previous show), the latest
event has been acclaimed as the “best ever” by the industry,
especially for its clear international relevance to the global E&P
sector.
The event at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre featured
more than 1,400 exhibitors from 34 countries.
There were also high-powered delegations attending, with nine having
a ministerial presence.
These included delegations from Azerbaijan, Canada, Egypt, Australia,
Morocco, Venezuela and Mauritania. Trade Partners UK — the
government’s international trade support service — says
it brought more than 160 visitors from 20 countries.
The general consensus is that the show brings in at least an estimated
UK £13 million in revenue to the Grampian region alone.
Global Hub For The E&P Industry
According to Lesley-Ann Sandbach, Project Director for organisers
The Offshore Europe Partnership,a joint venture between the Society
of Petroleum Engineers and Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd, Offshore Europe
has again confirmed Aberdeen’s importance as a global hub
of the international E&P industry.
Although it is a mature area, the North Sea continues to attract
new players, particularly the independent operating companies, and
to export both technology and expertise worldwide. Exhibitors have
told me how many more overseas visitors have attended than in previous
years, and that is vitally important. The high quality of these
visitors is also apparent, with a significant number of chief executives
of oil companies and prime contractors here.
There has also been a very high level of rebooking for our 2005
show, so we have a firm platform already for the next event.
Industry players backed Offshore Europe’s ‘feel good’
factor. Tom Botts, managing director of Shell Expro, said: “There
has been a real buzz about Offshore Europe this year, which says
to me that there is a heightened sense of realism about how we tackle
the challenges of a maturing basin.
“There is no doubt Offshore Europe provides an ideal platform
for the industry to work together in dealing with these challenges
— including safety, maximising recovery and sustainable development.
As far as Shell is concerned, it has been a great opportunity for
us to share our move to the European EP organisation and underline
our continued commitment to the North Sea.”
Sir Ian Wood, chairman and chief executive of the Wood Group, commented:
“Offshore Europe is now very much an international exhibition.
Wood Group formally met six overseas delegations and representatives
from 70 other countries, some of which are existing clients and
others certainly potential new clients round the world.”
Steve Harris, acting director general of the UK Offshore Operators
Association, added: “The impression I have is that this may
well have been the most successful Offshore Europe yet. One of the
most exciting features has been the way in which the city and the
industry have worked so closely together to ensure the week ran
smoothly.”
Murray Strachan, managing director of RGIT Montrose, said: “The
calibre of visitors has been top-notch – representing operators,
new entrants and major contractors. Attendance and interest from
international visitors was very high and we made valuable contacts
which may well lead to future business from organisations in West
Africa, the Caspian and South America. The international element
is crucial to local companies and the increase in serious inquiries
is a result of overseas organisations looking at the North Sea as
a model for their own provinces and even as an investment opportunity.”
Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd
Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd. is an industrial trade show organiser.
Spearhead organises dedicated tradeshows in the defence, offshore
oil and gas, aerospace and marine science and technology industries.
In 2003 it will organise 11 major tradeshows all around the world.
The Society of Petroleum Engineers
The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) is a non-profit, technical,
and professional association whose more than 53,000 members from
more than 100 countries are engaged in energy resources development
and production. SPE’s mission is to provide the means for
collection, dissemination, and exchange of technical information
concerning the development of oil and gas resources, subsurface
fluid flow, and production of other materials through wellbores
for public benefit; and to provide opportunities through its programs
for interested (and qualified) individuals to maintain and upgrade
their individual technical competence in the aforementioned areas
for public benefit.
News Update
Reed Exhibitions last week announced that it has acquired Spearhead
Exhibitions. The agreement represents a further, significant step
forward as part of Reed’s strategy to grow its business and
build on the company’s existing strengths.
Spearhead Exhibitions organises a total of 11 events in 3 main
industry sectors — aerospace and defence, oil and gas and
marine science and ocean technology.
Within these sectors, the 3 key shows comprise DSEi (Defence Systems
and Equipment International), Offshore Europe and Oceanology International.
The addition of the DSEi, Helitech and Helitech Latin America events
will significantly enhance Reed’s aerospace and defence portfolio,
which will now total 7 international events worldwide, including
Asian Aerospace and Latin American Aero & Defence, (LAAD). DSEi
is now the world’s largest and fastest growing integrated
aerospace, land and maritime defence event.
Offshore oil and gas and marine science and ocean technology are
new industry sectors to Reed. Offshore Europe, based in Aberdeen,
has been a sell-out for the past 10 years and is a partnership with
the Dallas-based Society of Petroleum Engineers. Oceanology International
has relocated to ExCel from Brighton, which will allow further growth
for this world-leading event.
Bob Munton, Chief Executive of Spearhead Exhibitions said, “Spearhead
Exhibitions views this as a very positive step forward. It is the
logical conclusion to the management buyout on which we embarked
two years ago. The strengths of Reed Exhibitions and its international
network are highly complementary and will enable us to build on
our current success.”
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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