Offshore Europe 2005 (OE05), this year’s premier upstream event, offers up an exciting, agenda-setting conference programme packed full of high profile speakers. This combined with a record number of exhibiting companies has helped to send pre-registration figures to record levels.

The conference includes plenary sessions that are tailor-made to gather valuable opinions and vital suggestions towards answering many of the industry’s major questions, talking points and important challenges.

Top Names & Hot Topics
The hot topics under review during the conference at the Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre (AECC) between 6-9 September include; increased recovery; reservoir management; smart production; drilling; enhancing field life; and health and safety.

These sessions are aimed at specifically tackling the burning issues associated with this year’s focus on mature field production and management.

Among the cosmopolitan list of top industry names acting as mediators and panelists at these session are: Andrew Gould, Chairman and CEO, Schlumberger & OE05 Chairman; Mahmoud Abdul-Baqi, Vice President Exploration Saudi Aramco; Tom Botts, Executive VP Europe, Shell International E&P; Luis F Vierma, VP E&P, PDVSA; Michel Bènèzit, VP Northern Europe, Total; Malcolm Wicks MP, Minister for Energy UK; Mike Bowyer, UK Managing Director Halliburton; Robert Olsen, Chairman and Production Director, ExxonMobil International; Sir Ian Wood, Chairman and Chief Executive Wood Group; and Dave Blackwood, Director and Business Unit Leader – Developing Assets Business Unit, BP.

Exhibiting Numbers Soar
In addition to the impressive cast at the conference, the exhibition will boast some 1,540 exhibiting companies, which represents an increase of more than 9% on the total of 1,392 exhibitors at OE03.

At this year’s show an impressive 16 operators will be exhibiting from around the world, such as Gazprom of Russia and Venezuala’s PDVSA. There is a wide international spread of both attendees and participating companies, with more than 100 nations represented in many forms at both the exhibition and conference.

This strong demand for floor space, which is now sold out, is mirrored by attendees’ desire to be at the OE05 because pre-registration figures are vastly increased compared to those for the record-breaking and hugely successful 2003 show. By 17 August 2003, 15,535 had pre-registered to attend OE 2003, by the same date in 2005, 23,875 registrations had been received. All this adds up to the promise of another massive show full of business opportunities, a host of networking events, a world-class conference and a vast exhibition full of diverse companies.

Extra Features
Besides the first class conference and exhibition there is the ‘show within a show’ that is the Digital Energy Zone, which will showcase the innovative and beneficial technologies that are leading the industry towards the next generation oil field.

Also there is the OILCAREERFAIR that offers great recruitment opportunities for employers and employees alike. Companies from all over the world can benefit by registering with this vital recruitment tool, aimed at bridging the skills gap that exists in the industry.

Then there’s the interactive conference session on Wednesday 7 September tackling the issues of mature production. This high-tech session will see every audience member given a voting pad to register their opinion on numerous different questions, resulting in deliverable results on the day and a session that will see the debate evolve to every view as they are keyed in on the voting pads.