The inaugural edition of the Offshore Technology Conference Asia (OTC Asia) will take place on 25–28 March 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, one of the largest oil and gas industry technical conferences in the world, has been running for more than 45 years and attracted more than 100,000 attendees last year.
“Due to the success of OTC, as well as sound due diligence on the ground in the Asian region, there are multiple reasons why we decided to launch OTC Asia,” said Edward Stokes, OTC Board chairman and a project manager at ConocoPhillips.
About 5 years ago, the OTC Board began focusing on possible expansion of its brand. OTC conferences were added focusing on Brazil and the Arctic, and now Asia. “We realized we didn’t have enough room or time to allocate toward specific regions at OTC in Houston,” Stokes said. “We recognized there was a gap in our program, and there was potential to address it through a regionally focused technical conference and exhibition. We pinpointed global activity among our board members, which facilitated conversations on Brazil and the Arctic. We then decided to launch regional conferences that focused on these specific areas.”
Before adding another region to the mix, the board wanted to ensure that the conferences were relevant and successful. “OTC in Houston will still be the international conference, but cannot delve into the minute details of each region, although a few sessions will provide specific and important accomplishments in the area,” Stokes said.
The first edition of OTC Asia will highlight Asia’s growing importance in the global energy mix, covering developments spanning from Russia to Australia and India to Oceania, with hopes of assisting the industry in meeting the current and coming challenges in Asia. The conference has the theme of “Meeting the challenges for Asia’s growth.”
The conference program will comprise timely, leading-edge topics with two executive plenary sessions, 10 panel sessions, 53 technical sessions, and 10 country-specific sessions during the 4-day event that will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. More than 150 companies will exhibit at OTC Asia’s sold-out exhibition area. There will also be an outdoor exhibition area.
The event will focus on countries that are emerging in offshore exploration and production (E&P) or those experiencing a resurgence in activity. Australia, for example, is the focus of one of 10 planned sessions. Four leading oil and gas executives will present information on Australian innovation, successful applications, and a case study.
“OTC Asia offers Woodside an important platform to share knowledge and expertise in upstream oil and gas with our many partners in the region, particularly in the areas of offshore technology solutions, engineering, and project management,” said Neil Kavanagh, OTC Asia Program Committee member and chief science and technology manager of Woodside Energy.
Renewed interest in Myanmar’s oil and natural gas resources, and increased foreign investment in the country, will be the focus of a country briefing in which industry leaders will provide insight into the nation’s opportunities.
In addition to Australia and Myanmar, OTC Asia will spotlight E&P activity in Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and other countries.
Leading international oil companies, national oil companies, and independent energy associations will address the current and future trajectory of the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply and demand balance while factoring in recent major industry developments at the panel session on “Asia Pacific Involvement in Global LNG Markets.”
As countries such as India, China, and Malaysia become more industrialized, the region’s increasing demand for energy will significantly affect escalating global demand, necessitating the use of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques. “Energy Policy in the Asian Region: From EOR Technologies to Fiscal Incentives to Increased Recovery Factors” focuses on Asia’s energy policy and its role in attracting investment in high-end technologies and capabilities related to improved oil recovery, EOR, and enhanced gas recovery.
The panel also will highlight balancing the need for increased investment in oil and gas development against mounting environmental concerns and measures, such as financial incentives, partnerships, and alliances that make investment more attractive.
The offshore oil and gas industry is constantly developing new technologies, enabling developments in more challenging conditions such as deep water and marginal fields. Panelists debating the topic, “Barriers to Technology Innovation and Global Intellectual Property: Innovation vs. Proven Technology,” will assess and comment on barriers to implementing new technologies, such as the cost and risk of proving frontier offshore innovation, industry interdependence barriers, role barriers, governmental and regulatory barriers, and intellectual property protection.
In conjunction with OTC Asia, the Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix, to be held from 28–30 March, is offering the first 300 registered OTC Asia delegates Premium Formula 1 Experience tickets at USD 600.
For more information, please go to www.otcasia.org.