WA delegation gearing up for Offshore Europe 2011
Western Australian industry representatives are gearing up ahead of this year’s Offshore Europe Oil and Gas Conference to be held in Aberdeen, Scotland later this year. A group of more than a dozen executives from companies including Hertel Modern, Civmec and BAE Systems are set to attend the three day event from the 6th to the 8th of September. The conference will draw hundreds of exhibitors and representatives from all over the world. The delegation will have the opportunity to attend seminars about industry developments and meet representatives from some of the world’s leading oil and gas companies.
They will also take part in meetings with senior representatives from several Engineering Procurement Construction and Management (EPCM) companies. The meetings are designed to raise awareness Western Australia’s capacity to provide engineering and construction skills and support to a broad range of developments being planned in the state.
Senior Trade and Investment Manager Stuart Russell from the WA European Trade Office says the delegates will continue on to other parts of the UK and Europe during the fortnight long trade mission.
“The group will travel to London and Reading, before stopping off in Rotterdam where they will meet representatives from the Association of Dutch Suppliers of the Oil and Gas Industry,” he said.
Whilst in the Netherlands the delegation will also have the chance to meet representatives from Shell to discuss developments in the oil and gas sector, including the companies proposed floating LNG plant. Mr Russell says the fortnight long visit will give the representatives the chance to increase the profile of WA businesses in the European market.
Last year WA exported 71 percent of Australia’s natural gas and 89 percent of its oil, putting the local industry at the forefront of national trade. According to figures from the Western Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum the value of the state’s mineral and petroleum industry reached a record A$91.6 billion in 2010. More than A$20billion of that came from the Oil and Gas sector alone.
