Fourth GVF Oil and Gas Communications series conference in Abu Dhabi to feature thirty-plus participating companies

Notes and media contacts

Representatives of the oil & gas industry - ICT and Connectivity Managers & Supervisors with Rig Operators/Owners and Oilfield Services/Drilling companies - are invited to register their conference attendance on an entirely Free-of-Charge basis at www.uk-emp.co.uk/4th.O&G.Mena.AD.2009/DelegateReg.pdf or by contacting Paul Stahl of UK-EMP at paul.stahl@uk-emp.co.uk.

As at 1st June 2009 the conference programme will feature the following key sessions and noted speakers:

- Day One - 9th June 2009:

- The Technology & Topology of the 21st Century "Digital Oilfield": Evolution of Narrowband SCADA & Asset Tracking to the Cutting-Edge of Broadband Applications Sophistication
Cedric Bouleau, Digital Oilfield Programme Manager, MEA, Schlumberger
Mohammed A. Al Jaroudi, Communications Specialist, Saudi Aramco
Jeff White, Regional Director, EMEA & Russia, Iridium Satellite
Kenny Grant, Sales Director, EMEA, CapRock Communications

- The Satellite Operator in the Mena Oil & Gas Patch: Matching Transponder Provision & Service Supply to Regional Oil & Gas E&P Demand
Shawkat Ahmed, Chief Commercial Officer, YahSat
Dr. Sven Rohte, Chief Commercial Officer, Thuraya
Nabil Shanti, Marketing Director, ArabSat
Shahrokh Amiri, Managing Sales Director, Middle East Region, Intelsat

- Oil & Gas E&P Networking Dynamics: Communications Infrastructure RoI & Buying the Right Solution in Volatile Oil Price Environments
Alaa El Beheri, Head of Telecommunications and Networks, Dolphin Energy Ltd
Dr Harald W. Stange, Vice President M&S ICT, Detecon Al Saudia
Kenny Grant, Sales Director, EMEA, CapRock Communications

- The Oil & Gas Networking Potential of Bandwidth Management & Out-of-Band Redundancy Maximisation
Andy Harris, Managing Director, EMEA, Uplogix

- New Training Dynamics for Oil & Gas Communications in Mena
Mazen Nassar, Managing Director, MenaNETS & GVF Installation Trainer for Middle East & North Africa

- Day Two - 10th June 2009:

- Day Two of Conference: Opening Address from the Conference Chairman
'What the Oil & Gas Sector Needs Vs. What They Get: Envisioning a Broadband Special Interest Group for the Middle East Patch'
Martin Jarrold, Chief of International Programme Development, GVF

- E & P Convergent Digital Solutions: Real-Time Data Monitoring, Data Management Remote Collaboration & Operations Support Centres for Onshore and Offshore in the Mena Oil & Gas Patch
Ahmad Farid, IS Technical Sales Expert, MEA, Schlumberger
Roger Harfouch, Sr. International Account Manager, Middle East/East Africa/India & Pakistan, Vizada FZE

- O & G Communications & Social Responsibility: Merging Community & Profitability in the Patch
Patrick Lynch, Information Systems Manager, Pan Petroleum
Martin Jarrold, Chief of International Programme Development, GVF

- Oil & Gas Communications Mobile Networking: Extending the Integrated Maritime Application Satellite Solution from Offshore E&P to Marine Transportation of Hydrocarbon Assets & Port/Refinery Operations
Alaa El Beheri, Head of Telecommunications and Networks, Dolphin Energy Ltd
Soheil Mehrabanzad, Assistant Vice President & General Manager, Middle East & Africa, International Division, Hughes Network Systems

- The Mission Critical Link: Business and Environmental Security When Disaster Strikes
Ulrich Kiebler, Vice President, MEAPAC Region, ND SatCom Abu Dhabi
Jeff White, Regional Director, EMEA & Russia, Iridium Satellite

- E&P to the Downstream: Broadband Satellite Networking Solutions from Wellhead to the Greater Oil & Gas Sector Environment, including Production Operations Centre - An Approach Towards Excellence in Hydrocarbon Production
Anurag Kumar Srivastava, Production Operations Engineer, MEA, Schlumberger
Jon Osler, Regional Director, MEA, ViaSat
Kannan Soupramanien, Area Sales Director, Europe/Middle East/Francophone Africa/Nigeria, Hughes Network Systems

- Regulatory Open Forum: The Oil & Gas Wireless World in Mena & Mitigating Satellite Signal Interference in the "Patch"
Moderator: Martin Jarrold, Chief of International Programme Development, GVF
Shahrokh Amiri, Managing Sales Director, Middle East Region, Intelsat
Zeina Mokaddem, Director, Abu Dhabi Office, Access Partnership
Representatives of National Regulatory Authorities (to be confirmed)

Now in its fourth year, the Oil & Gas Communications Conference Series will continue in 2009 with the 2nd Annual Oil & Gas Communications Conference South East Asia: Re-Defining the Digital Oilfield Onshore, Offshore, Deep & Ultra-Deepwater in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Kuala Lumpur conference will take place at the Crowne Plaza Mutiara Hotel over 10th & 11th November.

Conference Organisers:

1. GVF

Founded in 1997, GVF is the single and unified voice of the global satellite industry. It brings together organisations engaged in the delivery of advanced broadband and narrowband satellite services to consumers, and commercial and government enterprises worldwide. Headquartered in London, GVF is an independent, non-partisan and non-profit organisation with 200+ members from more than 80 countries. The broad-based membership represents every major world region and every sector of the satellite industry, including fixed and mobile satellite operators, satellite network operators, teleports, satellite earth station manufacturers, system integrators, value added and enhanced service providers, telecom carriers, consultants, law firms, and users.

2. UK-EMP

UK Event Management Partners (UK-EMP) was founded in 2004 for the purpose of developing, organising, and managing a niche portfolio of highly specialised conferences and summits for the telecommunications industry. Our primary geographical focus is on such rapidly developing regional markets as: Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Middle East. The UK-EMP focus on these geographic areas is founded on the extensive and direct experience of our personnel in these markets, and on an extensive 'Database of Expertise', comprising professional contacts obtained, and maintained, for countries throughout these, and other, regions. The UK-EMP partnership works very closely with key industry and government bodies active in these regions to ensure that the events we develop are stakeholder driven, and that critical industry objectives related to the focused subject areas stipulated are fully explored, and analysed in depth.

Conference Media Partners:

1. Alexander's Gas & Oil Connections at www.gasandoil.com is a leading portal site for high-quality news and information for the global gas, oil, power and affiliated industry. AGOC publishes an extensive free newsletter and, with various partners, journals such as Oil, Gas & Energy Law Intelligence, Global Pipeline Monthly, and Contracts & Tenders. Various free sample issues are available at the website.

2. Argus Media - Established in 1970, Argus Media is a privately held, UK-registered publishing company. Headquartered in London, Argus also has offices in Houston, Moscow, Singapore, and Washington with bureaux in Beijing, Dubai and Tokyo. Providing price information, market data and business intelligence for the global petroleum, LPG/NGL, natural gas, power, coal, emissions, transport and biofuels industries, Argus is the largest independent energy publisher in the world. Argus publishes detailed information about the energy markets in multiple formats to suit individual requirements and in various publications.

3. EnergyCurrent provides business news and information about the offshore oil and gas, LNG, solar, wind/wave and biofuels markets worldwide. In addition to a great news product our viewers enjoy free email newsletters, job updates and online industry directories. Advertising on EnergyCurrent.com gives companies of any size the opportunity to connect with a highly targeted audience. Whether your company's objective is to grow business, introduce new products or recruiting the latest talent, EnergyCurrent.com can create a program based on your needs. To learn more about internet advertising, contact us at (832) 463-3082.

4. Gulf Oil and Gas (GOG) is the gateway to the oil and gas markets in the eastern hemisphere. Gulf Oil and Gas attracts thousands of professional regular visitors each day. Visitors are offered a prime source of quality information and news. Advertisers are offered a perfect platform to communicate their services & products effectively to the global market. GOG 3D Projects service tracks information for 1000+ projects in the Middle East and Africa. GOG career centre offers employment opportunities across the region for Oil and Gas professionals.

5. BEDigest is committed to bringing you the latest news on the Middle East & North Africa's energy sector together with the region's business and economy. This website has been devised with the aim of satisfying the growing need for up to the minute news and information of the region and has proven a valuable asset for foreign companies either active or interested in the region. BEDigest goes beyond daily news packages and offers a wide variety of other data including company profiles, project trackers and economic tables. Please visit the website for a 30-day free trial.

6. Developing Telecoms is the website and e-newsletter reporting on ICTs in developing and emerging markets world-wide. These are the world's fastest growing ICT markets - over 1 billion people will connect to ICT services for the first time in the next 10 years. Developing Telecoms provides in-depth coverage of network technologies, strategies, markets, new services and products. Developing Telecoms has over 250,000 unique users and delivers 500,000 page impressions every month. A monthly e-newsletter is distributed to 10,000 developing world ICT buyers and specifiers.

7. Satellite Evolution - The Satellite Evolution Group is a multimedia information and marketing platform for the global satellite industry covering all media and information cycles. Our portfolio of publications comprises a web portal, HTML newsletters, magazines, Yearbooks, CD-ROMs and a video and audio streaming service. Our market-leading publications Satellite Evolution Asia, Satellite Evolution EMEA and Satellite Evolution Global, have established themselves as the definitive voice of the industry around the globe. Magazines are available in both print and electronic format.

8. Satnews Publishers has over 20 years experience in providing cutting edge information on the satellite industry worldwide. Satnews Publishers is the leading multimedia information provider on the worldwide satellite industry and its convergence with the broadband, cable, telecommunication, broadcasting and internet businesses. Satnews publishes leading industry publications including the annual International Satellite Directory, Satfinder CD-ROM program and database, Satnews Daily and Weekly editions, Satmagazine, and MilsatMagazine amongst others.

9. Talk Satellite is delighted to support GVF as media partner at this important event. Established for over 6 years talk Satellite is the most read business magazine for the satellite and the associated industries. Our authoritative and comprehensive coverage of the latest developments in the global satellite market has made talk Satellite the number one choice with those key executives that are building our industry for tomorrow.

Media contact:

Martin Jarrold
Chief, International Programme Development
GVF
& Chairman
'Oil & Gas Communications MENA: Wireless, Satellite & Everything in Between' Conference
Office: + 44 1727 884 513
Fax: + 44 1727 884 800