Over 2,000 oil and gas professionals will converge at the Ritz Carlton Hotel tomorrow (March 6) for the opening session of the 20th Society of Petroleum Engineers Middle East Oil & Gas Show and Conference (MEOS 2017).

The associated 12,000 sq m exhibition of industry products and services will open in a separate ceremony on March 7 under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister of Bahrain Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

The event, which runs until March 9 is expected to attract over 8,000 attendees over the course of four days.

The MEOS 2017 conference opening session will begin with addresses from Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Minister of Oil, Bahrain; Nabeel I AlAfaleg, MEOS 2017 co-chairman, chief petroleum engineer, Saudi Aramco; Darcy Spady, 2018 SPE president, Broadview Energy.

More than 270 technical and eposter presentations designed to share the knowledge and experience of managing, operating and supplying companies will follow over the subsequent three days of the conference at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

The 2017 conference theme ‘Transforming the Industry through Innovation and Operational Excellence’ focuses on the challenges the industry faces in meeting world energy demand efficiently, safely and responsibly whilst ensuring a positive financial outcome in a fluctuating oil and gas market. The conference will reflect on industry transformation from many perspectives through presentations and panel discussions throughout the conference.

MEOS will deliver a high level executive plenary session on March 7 discussing this year’s theme, and six panel sessions led by chief executive officers, managers and presidents of national and international oil companies and the service industry. Panel discussion topics include the importance of technology, localisation policies, operational excellence, cyber security, energy economics and industry / academic collaborations.

Other highlights during the course of the conference include a special breakfast session entitled ‘Oil Price Volatility: Continue Investing in the Future to Meet Future Demands or Control Cost to Survive?,’ on March 8. This special session will address the challenges of operating in a fluctuating oil price environment, and what is required to strike the right balance between short-term return and long-term sustainability of supply.

Two one-day SPE seminars entitled ‘Advanced Hydraulic Fracturing Design and Treatment’ and ‘Artificial Lift and Production Optimisation Solutions’ will also take place in conjunction with MEOS 2017 for delegates looking to improve technical skills.

A full programme of events aimed at the next generation of oil and gas professionals will meanwhile offer high school students, university students and teachers the chance to engage and gain valuable career advice.

The Exhibition
More than 200 companies from 25 countries will be in attendance at the parallel MEOS 2017 exhibition, which covers all areas of the upstream oil and gas industry.

Principal exhibitors include GCC national oil and gas companies, who will be exhibiting alongside international supermajors, service industry giants and independent specialist suppliers and distributors from across the globe. – TradeArabia News Service