The 2nd Saudi Arabian Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference (SAOGE) was officially inaugurated today by Zareb bin Sa’eed Al Qahtani, Deputy Governor of the Eastern Province. Held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the inauguration was attended by several senior officials including Joseph A. Kenny, US Consulate General, US Consulate, Dhahran, and industry leaders.
In its 2nd edition, SAOGE, plays host to 273 companies from 31 countries which includes an Italian and a Chinese Pavilion. Co-organised by International Exhibition Services (IES), internationally renowned for the organisation, management and supply of services to exhibitors at exhibitions in the Oil & Gas industry, and the Dhahran International Exhibition Centre (DIEC), recognised for providing exhibitors with a unique open gate in specialized trade show business throughout the GCC and the Far East, it enjoyed a 30% growth in the number of companies exhibiting in comparison to SAOGE 2008. Covering a total of 9200sqm the exhibition, SAOGE 2009 sees global participation from all continents with 40% of exhibitors from the GCC and 60% of exhibitors from international countries.
Following the inauguration, Piero Zipoli, President, IES gave a welcoming speech, thanking all SAOGE 2009 sponsors and media partners for their support and said “We are honoured to be holding SAOGE 2009 under the Patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad Bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Province.”
He added that ‘We strongly believed in the validity of an Oil and Gas show based in Saudi Arabia, and the increased demand for the 2009 show proves that given its prominent position in the oil and gas sector, Saudi Arabia is the perfect location. We are extremely encouraged by this global participation and feel it is a great achievement to have reached in just 2 years, and to be building an Oil and Gas show in the Eastern Province.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Lord Digby Jones in his opening address said ‘We are at the fulcrum of the world - where the world is in economic balance. It hinges on the Region that is how important this (SAOGE) is”.
Dr Randy Gossen, President of the World Petroleum Council, a keynote speaker at SAOGE added that “We at the World Petroleum Council recognize the key importance of Saudi Arabia and Saudi Aramco for the global oil and gas industry” and reiterated H.E. Ali Al Naimi’s, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, key address at the 19th World Petroleum Congress.
The 3-day Conference will cover an expanded agenda with an international panel of speakers discussing alternative energy and sustainability, the challenge of fluctuating oil prices, exploration potential and future opportunities and the role of technology.
The newly launched ‘Industry Meets University’ initiative also, received wide acceptance and praise with 100 students selected from the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals and King Faisal University to participate during the University Sessions. The initiative is aimed at encouraging Saudization by providing selected local students with the opportunity to meet with key industry representatives, from the region, as well as international oil and gas companies.