MEOS 2013 opens in Bahrain

The associated 14,800 square metre exhibition of industry products and services will open in a separate ceremony on Monday 11 March under the patronage of His Royal Highness the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

The event, which runs until 13 March, is expected to attract over 7,000 attendees over the course of 4 days.

The MEOS 2013 conference opening session on 10 March assembles a panel of high ranking industry figures, who will deliver their own perspective on this year's theme 'Transforming the Energy Future'.

The theme focuses on current issues the oil and gas industry faces as it strives to meet global demand for energy in the face of increasingly difficult challenges; with emphasis on the processes, technologies, business models and human skills required to meet future energy needs effectively and efficiently.

The session will open with welcome addresses from H.E. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and Minister in Charge of Oil & Gas Affairs, Bahrain; Abdulaziz Al Abdulkarim, MEOS 2013 Conference Chairman, Saudi Aramco and Egbert Imomoh, 2013 SPE President.

Keynote speeches will follow from Amin Nasser, Senior Vice President, Upstream, Saudi Aramco; Martin Craighead, President and CEO, Baker Hughes; Paal Kibsgaard, CEO, Schlumberger; Sami F. Al-Rushaid, Chairman and Managing Director, Kuwait Oil Company and Sara Ortwein, President, ExxonMobil Upstream Research.

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 3 days of the conference. Topics range from exploration and appraisal; drilling and completions; reservoir engineering; production and facilities; and health, safety, security and environment.

MEOS 2013 will also offer 5 panel sessions led by presidents, vice presidents, CEOs, deputy managing directors, and chairmen of key players in the industry such as Baker Hughes, Bapco, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Petroleum Development Oman, Saudi Aramco, Schlumberger, Shell, Total and Weatherford amongst others. 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 during the course of the conference include a special breakfast session entitled 'Financing the Change' delivered by H.E. Abdullatif A. Al-Othman, Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). The session will address how the oil and gas industry can manage and finance itself in light of forecasts that approximate 15 trillion dollars will be spent in the next 10 years to meet expected future oil and gas demand.

The Exhibition
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 - who will be exhibiting alongside supermajors 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.