The opening ceremony witnessed remarks from Saleh Al Anboori, Conference Chairperson, Director-General of Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas, Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Sultanate of Oman; Sayyid Khalid bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Chairman, CONNECT, SABCO Group, and Kamel Ben-Naceur, 2022 SPE President, Chief Executive Officer, Nomadia Energy Consulting. The ceremony was followed by the OPES Awards Presentation that recognises companies that have made significant advancements and achieved excellence in major industrial fronts.

While OPES will serve as an effective business and networking platform for energy professionals, oil and gas companies, policy and decision-makers, and stakeholders, a key highlight of the event is the conference that is organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). Themed ‘Shaping the Future of the Energy Industry’, the conference will be chaired by Saleh Al Anboori, Director-General of Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas, Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Sultanate of Oman.

With a fine selection of highly acclaimed experts, the participants will convene to exchange ideas, share industry insights, and drive engagement through informative discussions and technical presentations on key topics shaping the current and future needs of the energy industry.

The conference agenda will feature an Industry Dialogue Session themed ‘Shaping the Future of the Energy Industry’. An Executive Plenary Session will focus on ‘How the Petroleum Industry is Preparing itself for the Era of Decarbonisation and Energy Transition’. Other engaging features of the conference agenda include 4 panel sessions, an Energy Think Tank session, 28 technical and knowledge sharing ePoster sessions, and an OPES Awards Showcase Pavilion.

Commenting on OPES, His Excellency, Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy & Minerals, Sultanate of Oman said, “The Oman Petroleum & Energy Show is a national event that has, over the years, become a respected platform for the oil and gas industry across the region. This year’s conference theme reflects the major developments happening not only in the Sultanate, but in the wider region. Oman has made significant advancements in IOR/EOR methods, offshore drilling and field development, digitalization and artificial intelligence, and these will be debated and shared by leading experts through panel sessions, technical discussions, and presentations at the SPE Conference at OPES.”

Highlighting PDO’s involvement in the event, Dr. Bader Al Kharusi, PDO Oil North Director and Programme Committee Chairperson said, “We are indeed delighted to act as the host organisation of this prestigious event and are confident that all participants and visitors to the exhibition will find it to be a truly rewarding and fulfilling experience. OPES 2022 brings together the very best the Oman hydrocarbons sector has to offer. As we work together to support Oman Vision 2040 by reducing our carbon footprint, embracing technological innovation on an unprecedented scale, and operating more efficiently, it is evident that the Sultanate’s energy industry is taking monumental strides in its energy transition to a sustainable economy with net-zero emissions. The upcoming event will showcase many examples of how operators are delivering excellence, growth, and sustainable value creation within and well beyond our industry.”

OPES will also host a Digital Oil and Gas Zone featuring Digital Oil and Gas Talks that will unite senior executives, service providers, contractors and related suppliers, technology innovators, and industry experts to develop business ideas and exchange thoughts on revolutionizing the oil and gas industry with an emphasis on increasing profitability through sustainable measures.

The Sultanate has achieved significant progress in line with its energy vision to attain a green and circular economy that places sustainability at its core. Through national level, industry-leading events like OPES, the country will continue to stay committed to its goal of achieving energy independence while effectively developing resources such as renewable energy to lower production costs and enhance competitive elements in economic sectors.

It is worth noting that a special pre-conference seminar on current and advanced Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) took place on 20 March. Additionally, The OPES 2022 Young Leaders Forum, an important feature of the conference, will take place on 22 March and provide young professionals with key insights on trending topics and industry challenges while also offering a platform for them to learn more about innovative ideas and pioneering initiatives from experts and senior executives.

For more information on the exhibition, visit www.omanpetroleumandenergyshow.com and for the conference, visit go.spe.org/OPES22.

Ashley Roberts, Portfolio Director and Acting General Manager of Omanexpo, comments, “We have been having regular dialogue with the Ministry of Health, Oman, as well as the Ministry of Oil and Gas, Oman in relation to COVID-19. We as organisers must commend the way that the COVID-19 situation is being very competently controlled in Oman. We must be conscious that many organisations within our community are currently facing difficulties travelling around the world. It is for these travel reasons that OPES will be postponed until later in 2020.”

“Whilst we realise that the change in dates may amount to some inconvenience for companies it is paramount to put the health of those due to visit OPES 2020, and the wider population of Oman, at the centre of this decision. The outbreak of COVID-19 is a situation affecting the globe and it is having an unprecedented impact on businesses around the world, events, are of course part of this due to nature of the large gathering of people that they represent.”

“We believe that the postponement allows for the event to be fully inclusive and it is likely that it will be even better for the communities that they serve,” he concludes.

Ashley Roberts, acting General Manager and Portfolio Director, Omanexpo says "We deem it our responsibility to tightly support the government’s direction in its long-term development strategy to continuously advance the industry. The evolving global energy landscape and the optimism that comes along with it as a result of more buoyant global oil prices, major gas discoveries, huge investments in large-scale energy projects, and increased hydrocarbon, crude, offshore oil and gas production and exploration activities, has necessitated the restructuring of our oil and gas event."

More than 400 local and global oil and gas companies from over 20 countries are participating in the exhibition, with some of the biggest oil and gas companies such as BP Exploration, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Schlumberger, Oman LNG, Halliburton, Shell, Qatar Petroleum, MOL Group, Baker Hughes, CTS Middle East, and much more, leading the nearly filled venue space.

The conference, once again organized by esteemed Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), will revolve around the theme "Shaping the Future of the Energy Industry" and will feature a well-selected speaking faculty of highly acclaimed experts from the Ministry of Oil & Gas Oman, Saudi Aramco, Petroleum Development Oman, Shell, Halliburton, Schlumberger, BP, ENI Oman and more.

Distinguished industry leaders from representing 28 countries will share insights and success stories through informative, technical discussions and presentations on key topics such as gas exploration, production, offshore drilling and field development, IOR/EOR methods, offshore emerging technologies, HSE and asset management, digitalization, artificial intelligence, among others.

OPES is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Oil and Gas, with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) as Host Organization and backed by a sponsor lineup that includes BP, Shell, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Oxy Oman, Schlumberger, CCED, Petrofac, Petrogas, Total, Gulf Energy, among others.

Ashley Roberts, portfolio director, Omanexpo, says, "We are pleased to welcome Qatar Petroleum to OPES at a propitious time in Oman due to the increasingly lucrative gas market and growing LNG demand worldwide. Along with this, Qatar Petroleum plays a valuable role in bringing its technical experience and expertise and helping to strengthen regional technical capability and capacity."

Qatar Petroleum has signed an agreement in 2017 to acquire a 30 per cent share in the contractor’s interest under the exploration and production sharing agreement (EPSA) for Oman’s offshore Block 52, which covers a total area of over 90,000 square kilometres. This will be operated by Italian energy company Eni. Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production (OOCEP), the upstream investment arm of recently merged Oman Oil Company and Orpic Group, owns 15 per cent participating interest.

The Oman-Qatar Joint Committee session in June of this year, which centered on aspects of cooperation, particularly on investment projects, underlines the strong economic relations between the two countries. According to statistics, there was a 56 per cent increase in trade exchange during the first quarter of 2019 to QR2.1 billion compared to QR1.3 billion in 2018.

OPES anticipates higher numbers in the 2020 edition, with more than 500 exhibitors occupying the entire venue, the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. Top names from the industry who have already signed up for the exhibition and are part of the sponsor roster are Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Schlumberger, BP, Oman LNG, Seven Seas Petroleum, Shell, ARA Petroleum and TMK, who will showcase the best of their products, services and technology to over 12,000 trade visitors.

OPES is happening from March 9 to 11, 2020 at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre and is organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Oil and Gas.

The broader event, Oman Petroleum and Energy Show (OPES), integrates OGWA (now on its 12th edition), the SPE Conference at OPES, and the newly launched Gas & LNG Show, Offshore & Marine Show and Stainless Steel World Middle East.

Ashley Roberts, portfolio director, Omanexpo, says, “We are excited about the growth prospects in Oman’s oil and gas sector. Seeing the government’s long-term development strategy allows us as organizers to continue to play a crucial role in helping advance the industry, as events such as OPES play a pivotal role in supporting the development.”

“We are equally grateful for the Ministry of Oil and Gas’ support to our timely rebranding initiative and our decision to make OPES an annual show. This milestone enables us to evolve our product and service offerings and stay relevant to our customers and stakeholders,” he adds.

OPES will be the largest B2B event in the Sultanate of Oman, with more than 500 exhibitors occupying the entire venue, the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. Country pavilions which include India, Iran, Italy, Korea, Qatar, Russia, China, Turkey and United Kingdom pavilions are testimony to the increased international interest that the Oman oil and gas sector commands.

Top names from the industry who have already signed up for the exhibition and are part of the sponsor roster are Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Schlumberger, BP, Oman LNG, Seven Seas Petroleum, ARA Petroleum and TMK, who will showcase the best of their products, services and technology to over 12,000 trade visitors.

Adding sustained value to the event is the SPE EOR Conference, organized by Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), which will highlight the advances in enhanced oil recovery (EOR), LNG and gas developments, and offshore and marine operations, technologies and activities.

According to MEED, about $51.1 billion of oil and gas projects are in the pipeline and underway in Oman, of which contracts worth about $20.8 billion are scheduled to be awarded from now until 2021. Despite the government’s plans to diversify from oil, Oman remains bullish over the industry’s continued growth.

OPES is happening from March 9 to 11, 2020 at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre and is organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Oil and Gas.