Wednesday 13 August 2008

Oil & Gas UK addresses importance of the UK oil and gas supply chain in its biggest events of 2008

Up to 1,000 delegates from the oil and gas industry will be attending the annual PILOT Share Fair and the first Oil & Gas UK supply chain conference on 11 and 12 November 2008 at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. During the two days, delegates will find out about new business opportunities, best supply chain practice and the compelling case for a long-term sustainable supply chain in the UK.

Malcolm Webb, chief executive of Oil & Gas UK, said: "The UK offshore oil and gas industry is Britain's most successful industrial sector. The UKCS supply chain has rapidly developed a reputation as a global centre of excellence for the provision of oilfield goods and services and there is now growing recognition of the contribution to the UK economy the supply chain is making in its own right, whether measured in terms of employment, direct taxation or exports. Currently, each £1billion spent by the industry provides around 20,000 jobs across the supply chain whether the money is operating expenditure or capital investment. There is an estimated 25 billion barrels of oil and gas still to be recovered from the seabed around the British Isles. Increasing focus on higher risk developments, which may be challenging technically and commercially, will be needed to recover these remaining reserves, requiring sustained access to the knowledge skills and expertise of contractors and suppliers across the full spectrum of the supply chain."  

Oil & Gas UK's first supply chain conference has been developed in recognition of the importance of this ever thriving industry and the challenges it faces, focusing on supply chain efficiency, sustainability and best practice learning from within and outwith the sector.

Bookings are now open for both events, which will be kicked off with the 2008 PILOT Share Fair on 11 November. The annual event, sponsored this year by CAN, a leading provider of engineering, inspection and maintenance solutions for major operators in the UK and worldwide, aims to provide small and medium sized suppliers to the oil and gas industry with information necessary for long-term business planning.  Around 16 leading operating and major contractor companies will inform attendees about their project development work plans and activities scheduled over the next 18 months, representing potential new business estimated to be worth in the region of £4billion.

Whilst the 2008 PILOT Share Fair will focus on creating new business opportunities for the supply chain, the supply chain conference, sponsored by Shell U.K. Limited, on the following day will look at enhancing business efficiencies within the supply chain; focusing on three key topics, business perspectives, supply chain sustainability and cross industry learning.

The first part of the conference, business perspectives, will examine different perceptions from within the oil and gas supply chain, looking at both UKCS based strategies and export strategies. The second part of the day will look at the broad area of supply chain sustainability, including the business as well as the people perspective.

In addition, conference delegates will hear about best practice from other sectors including defence, aerospace, construction and government.

For more information on both events and to book your place, visit www.oilandgasuk.co.uk or contact the Oil & Gas UK events team on 01224 577250.

More information on the UK oil and gas supply chain can be found on: http://www.oilandgas.org.uk/issues/operations/supply_chain.cfm

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Oil & Gas UK is the leading representative organisation for the UK offshore oil and gas industry.  Its members 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. 

 

For further information, please contact:

Britta Hallbauer

Oil & Gas UK Media Relations                                                                       

Tel:      01224 577331

Fax:     020 7802 2401

Email: bhallbauer@oilandgasuk.co.uk

Mob:   07891769113