INDUSTRY EVENT
Offshore Europe 2019: Artificial Intelligence, Energy Diversification and Workforce Transformation, Major Talking Points ...As PETAN leads Nigerian oilfied service companies to Conference, makes case for employment creation. By Jerome Onoja
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rtificial intelligence energy diversification and the transformation of the workforce will be some of the major talking points at the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Offshore Europe 2019, which will hold in Aberdeen, United Kingdom, from 3-6 September with the theme: ‘Breakthrough to Excellence – Our license to operate’. Attending will ensure PETAN and its Nigerian delegates are brought up to date with the most significant technologies and can connect with a global network of 36,000+ attendees across four days. Sequel to the deployment of the world’s first fully automated oil and gas platform in the North Sea by Norwegian energy giant Equinor, more daring innovations are in the offing. To this end, it is expedient for Nigeria’s service companies to be abreast with these technicalities the future brings. Speaking to Majorwaves Energy Report in a phone interview, the Chairman of PETAN, who also sits on the board of NCDMB, Bank-Anthony Okoroafor hinted, “Participating in Offshore Europe and other major industry events, globally, is one
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Majorwaves Energy Report
certain way we, as the foremost industry advocacy group in Nigeria, facilitate in-country value retention. It’s not enough to pride ourselves in having the NOGICD Act; as private stakeholders, we should be the drivers of the Act, and not leave it to government. We need to continually improve on capacities. He further added, “after we’ve built capacities on very technical areas, we will have the effrontery to challenge stakeholders on reasons our members should get the jobs. We can’t sit back and watch foreign companies export work meant for our growing population. Already some PETA N companies are working as multinationals in other parts of the world because they have built capacity. We need to continue raising the bar on service delivery such that we can compete internationally”. Earlier this year in Houston Texas, PETAN led some delegation to the 50th anniversary of Offshore Technology Conference, OTC. With more than 900+ suppliers on the exhibition floor, from international market leaders to new innovative technology companies, the Nigerian delegates aren’t just disposed to finding new technical partners, they
SEPTEMBER 2019, Vol 2 No 6
have the option to compare effective competing solutions. As part of PETAN’s push for industrialisation of the nation, Offshore Europe offers meeting opportunities with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) who the delegates intend to form alliances with in order to establish manufacturing plants locally. When such is achieved, the immediate benefit will be seen in huge cost reduction, reduced industry spend on procurement and foreign exchange. Senior international industry figures will co-chair 12 keynote sessions which also includes late life and decommissioning, underwater i n n ov at i o n, t r a n s fo r m at i ve technologies to lower the carbon footprint, digital security, integrated tech nolog ie s, d ig ita l i sation, standardisation and finance. There will be 70+ technical session papers in key disciplines, including Safety & Environment, Pipelines, Drilling, Well Automation & Analytics and more. The Director of SPE’s Europe and Caspian Events, Phil Chandler said: “Led by our experienced co-chairs, there will be a strong mix of discussion of both current and future issues facing the region across all four days.
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