Monday 1 August 2011

Oil & Gas UK and Decom North Sea Open Bookings for UK Decommissioning Conference

Bookings have opened for the Offshore Decommissioning Conference 2011 organised by Oil & Gas UK and Decom North Sea,   which takes place in Dunblane on 4-6 October. This year’s event, sponsored by Aker Solutions and Wood Group PSN, will focus specifically on the role and requirements of the oil and gas industry’s offshore decommissioning supply chain.

More than two hundred delegates attended the 2010 conference and the event has continued to attract increasing interest from companies keen to expand their awareness of the significant business opportunities available in this burgeoning sector of the oil and gas industry.

The conference will be chaired jointly by Paul Dymond, Oil & Gas UK’s operations director, and Brian Nixon, Decom North Sea’s chief executive. They will be joined by a line-up of industry experts, who will share their knowledge of decommissioning and encourage delegates to participate in a range of interactive discussions on topical issues including technology, contracting strategies, market opportunities in the southern North Sea and the environment.

Mr Dymond said ”The theme of the 2011 conference is ‘Where demand meets supply –The North Sea decommissioning market’. Our key objective is to facilitate open and honest dialogue across a wide spectrum of the oil and gas industry including small supply chain companies, contractors and many of the major operators; in this way, we can make progress on the initiatives that emerged from last year’s successful conference and identify further actions that support the industry’s decommissioning plans strategy.

“On the second day of the conference we will be focusing on decommissioning and the environment, which will enable delegates to consider a wide range of topical issues such as the new marine bill and waste management. The 2011 conference will close with a workshop session on the theme of technology, in which delegates will have the opportunity to discuss current technologies and pinpoint new developments that could potentially deliver  additional benefits to the decommissioning sector.”

Mr Nixon said: “Much of the success we achieved at past conferences was due to delegates contributing their questions, ideas and perspectives on decommissioning. With costs for decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure estimated to reach £29 billion by 2040 it is vital to capitalise on this opportunity to work collaboratively to prepare for the challenges ahead. It is in everyone’s interest to encourage the emergence and development of supply chain companies with the capability to deliver the full range of technologies and services required for decommissioning.”

The conference will provide an enlightening and interactive opportunity to develop knowledge and learn from industry peers.  More information is available at http://www.oilandgasuk.co.uk/events/Offshore_Decommissioning_Conference_2011.cfm Ends

For further information, please contact Lucy Gordon on 01224 577331.

NOTES TO EDITORS 1. Oil & Gas UK is the leading representative organisation for the UK offshore oil and gas industry. Its members, who number nearly 150, are companies licensed by the Government to explore for and produce oil and gas in UK waters and those who form any part of the industry’s supply chain. 2. Decom North Sea is the UK-based industry forum set up  to maximise the business opportunities presented by North Sea decommissioning. The main objective of the forum is to deliver practical industry support to its 150 members, to improve knowledge transfer and stimulate collaborative activities across the North Sea supply chain. This is achieved by the delivery of effective member events, activities and information services. 3. There are limited places available for media to attend the conference. Please email Lucy Gordon at  lgordon@oilandgasuk.co.uk if you would like to reserve a place.