The 20th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) organising committee hosted an industry briefing and venue tour in the build-up to the 20th World Petroleum Congress which commences in 39 days.

The 5-day congress and exhibition will be held at the Qatar National Convention Centre from 4-8 December 2011. This is the first time since its establishment in 1933 that the triennial World Petroleum Congress will be hosted in the Middle East. The expectations are therefore that it will inspire a positive legacy for the energy sector in general, as well as for the State of Qatar as the host nation.

Mr. Issa Bin Shahin Al-Ghanim - Chairman, Organizing Committee of the 20th WPC, said: "The industry briefing is designed to update stakeholders of the progress of preparations for the 20th WPC as well as provide a comprehensive tour of the Qatar National Convention Center which will be home to the Congress in December. The Theme of this year's congress is 'Energy Solutions for All: Promoting Cooperation, Innovation and Investment' and the Congress Programme Committee has set forth a comprehensive programme that covers topics that are of significance to the vertical industry.

"The 20th WPC will be bringing together the world's broadest array of industry stakeholders for the first time in three years. Qatar is ready to host the 20th WPC and looks forward to welcoming the world and delivering an experience unlike any other," Mr. Al-Ghanim said.

Mr. Reda I. Ali - Project Director, Organizing Committee of the 20th WPC: "We are proud to confirm that the Congress is set to be the biggest in WPC history with 3,500 delegates already confirmed and numbers still rising. In parallel, the World Petroleum Exhibition which has been sold out for months is already the biggest in WPC history, by nearly 20% over the 19th WPC held in Madrid in 2008."

The registered delegates and speakers represent the brightest minds and the biggest names in the business, and populate a Congress Programme set over five blocks that will cover best practice keynote presentations, technical sessions and expert round tables to cover the width and breadth of the issues that drive and impact the oil and gas industry. The technical programme also includes a broad variety of posters, special sessions and plenary sessions with the confirmed participation of high-ranking industry and government authorities.

Over five days in December, attendance at the WPC is expected to be around 5000 delegates including 500 speakers and panel constituents, more than 50 ministers of various member countries, around 500 top executives representing energy companies and allied businesses, and hundreds of international journalists.

The World Petroleum Congress in 2011 has also confirmed the support of over 50 companies including some of the world's biggest brands, as partners and sponsors of the event. This includes international oil companies and the national oil companies of several countries, as well as multinational leaders in analytics, law, marketing and communication.

Led by Plenary Sessions that will bring together the most prestigious and influential industry leaders from around the world, the 2011 Congress is already being described as one of the most high-profile congresses in history.

The opening plenary will feature prominent ministers from the region including HE Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, Qatar; HE Mohamed Al Hamli, Minister of Energy, United Arab Emirates; HE Dr. Mohammad Mohsen Al Busairi, Minister of Oil, State Minister of National Assembly Affairs, Chairman of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Kuwait; HE Dr. Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil & Gas, Sultanate of Oman;

HE Dr. Abdul Hussain Bin Ali Mirza, Minister of Oil & Gas Affairs, Kingdom of Bahrain; and HE Rostam Ghasemi, Minister of Petroleum, Iran.

Following the Opening Plenary with oil and gas ministers from the Middle East, ExxonMobil’s CEO Rex Tillerson and Shell’s CEO Peter Voser will be joining Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry, HE Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, in a high-level presentation of Qatar’s role in the future energy landscape. Other names participating in the Congress include Robert Dudley from BP, Russia’s Energy Minister Sergei Schmatko, Christophe de Margerie from Total, José Sergio Gabrielli from Brazil’s Petrobras, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient FW de Klerk from South Africa.

The World Petroleum Congress is the biggest event of its kind in the world and is hosted every three years by a member nation of the World Petroleum Council. The 66-member World Petroleum Council is the only international organization representing all aspects of the petroleum sector and includes both Opec and non-Opec member countries, representing over 95% of the global energy market.

The 20th WPC organising committee will also host social events for all registered delegates on the sidelines of the Congress and Exhibition. These include the Opening Ceremony on 4th December at the Doha Exhibition Centre; the Arabian Night on 6th December at Doha’s Cultural Village (Katara); a Youth Desert Party on 7th December at the inland sea; and the official Closing Ceremony on 8th December at the QNCC.

Tags: World Petroleum Congress