Low Turnout Mars OTC 2022 As Govt Officials, IOCS Shun Event

THE Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria’s ( PETAN) 2022 edition of the yearly Offshore Technology Conference ( OTC) was a shadow of itself as all top industry officials including the operators, regulators, government functionaries and members of the National Assembly in committees relevant to the event, among others were conspicuously absent.

Some participants who frowned at the development attributed absence of industry bigwigs to poor planning by the current leadership of PETAN. To them, this year’s PETAN OTC is the worst ever.

“If not that the association has some members who are notable industry players, this year’s OTC would have been absolute disaster”, one of the participants said, adding that, “the glamour and knowledge- based information and policy statements from government’s representatives were completely lacking.

“I regret the money I spent in attending this year’s OTC, it is like lost money”, the participant added.

PETAN is the umbrella body of indigenous oil services companies in Nigeria providing specialized services to the upstream and downstream sectors of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The association anchors the yearly OTC planning and organization and leads the Nigerian delegation to the global flagship industry event in Houston.”

Besides, the conference opens members to new clients, collaborations and latest technologies in their various specializations as well offering tangible business opportunities for the supply chain.

Conspicuously absent at the event was the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva,

Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited ( NNPC), Mr. Mele Kyari, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Bitrus Bako Nabasu and the Secretary General, African Petroleum Producers Organisation ( APPO), Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim.

Traditionally, the Nigerian stand is usually declared opened by the Minister of Petroleum or Minister of State for Petroleum, supported by Group Managing Director of NNPC and its top officials, high top ranking Federal Government officials and National Assembly members.

However, this year, none of them came nor sent representatives.

Also, conspicuously missing were most of the panelists, which included Managing Directors s of the International Oil Companies ( IOCS).