Preparations were in top gear for the SPE Lagos, Nigeria Section’s Technology Symposium and Exhibition, just about the time the pandemic began to spread across the globe. The symposium was planned to elicit conversation on the theme of “Unlocking Oil and Gas Field Productivity through Technology and Innovation,” with industry experts driving the discourse.
Social-distancing requirements, while halting planned physical events, unlocked the door to more virtual events—a new normal which the section embraced. The Virtual Technology Symposium and Exhibition proved successful in drawing more than 1,500 participants from several continents despite the differences in time zones.
The event, held 5–9 May, featured a panel session, an exhibition of technologies, and 13 short courses provided for free. Keynote speaker Chikezie Nwosu of Waltersmith Petroman Oil said that “The Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stones; hence, the oil age will not end because we’ve run out of oil but because we lose the focus of applicable technologies that would help reduce cost and make this more useful and affordable to the world population.”
The panel discussion participants offered diverse perspectives on the topic of technology driven by data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, and the way technology yields cost savings, efficiencies, and incentives for new worker competencies.
Panelists agreed that innovative ideas and solutions were needed to address three main challenges: low oil prices, Nigeria’s uncompetitive production cost, and slow adoption of modern technological innovation for business improvement.
Seasoned instructors delivered short courses on oil and gas production, well engineering, quality management system, digital-oilfield transformation, business accounting for nonaccounting professionals, business writing skills, chemical security, and effective leadership.
The avalanche of positive feedback received on social media and survey forms proved the event was well received. The event showed that with a good publicity strategy, a can-do spirit, and industry collaboration, this new virtual normal can provide innovative and valuable member-benefit programs.
Find full details of the symposium, including a recording of the short courses, on the Lagos Section website.
[The article was sourced from the section by TWA editor Yogashri Pradhan.]