World Heavy Oil Congress hits Edmonton next week
More than 1,000 delegates expected to attend
Edmonton hosts the World Heavy Oil Congress next week, a threeday gathering for executives, engineers and others in the international heavy oil industry.
More than 1,000 delegates from 20 countries will attend the event at the Shaw Conference Centre March 24- 26.
The congress includes a business conference, two days of technical seminars and an exhibition with more than 70 participating companies, some from the Edmonton area.
Q Has it been held in Edmonton before?
A The congress was first held in Beijing in 2006. Since then it has grown into the world’s largest gathering of heavy oil professionals. Alberta’s oilsands have made the event a natural fit for Edmonton. It has been held here in 2008 and in 2011.
Q What’s the theme this year?
A Appropriately enough given what’s happened with oil prices since last summer, the theme is Producing More with Less. “We’ve seeded it into most everything we’re doing,” says Miki Reeder, a Calgary- based vice- president at event producer DMG Events. The business conference is built around big topics such as maximizing market access for Alberta heavy oil and how advances in technology can lower production costs in a tough economic climate. The technical conference is devoted to producing more with less in the heavy oil supply chain in established and emerging markets around the world.
Q Who will speak at Tuesday’s business conference?
A Some of the speakers on environmental, economic and other concerns facing the industry: Mark Little of Suncor Energy, Greg Stringham of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, and John Gorman, vice- president of Halliburton’s Canadian operations.
Q What’s the technical program about?
A It will have more than 120 seminars on technical issues facing heavy oil producers. The seminars will cover “all sorts of very, very specific things that only geologists and senior engineers would appreciate,” Reeder said. Case in point: One session is titled Vacuum Insulated Tubing Behaviour during Cyclic Steam Injection in the San Tome District of the Orinoco Heavy Oil Belt in Eastern Venezuela.
Q Besides networking, what’s happening at the exhibition?
A Open all three days, the exhibition is for delegates to learn more about global and local companies in the heavy oil industry, and innovative products and services.