Gas and Oil Tame the Desert!

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) hosted the 22^nd Gastech Conference and Exhibition at the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Centre in Abu Dhabi during 4^th – 7^th December 2006 which coincided with Abu Dhabi’s celebrations of 35 years of national freedom. 

Little more than sand and sea thirty five years ago, Abu Dhabi is now a spectacular city, well worth a visit, and succeeded in showing of its vast wealth and resources to the Gas Industry, where, at the opening ceremony we were treated to the delights of the Emirates Palace in all its vastness and splendour. Tea and coffee were served in a huge reception hall, giving delegates a chance to catch up with old friends and acquaintances from all over the world. We were slowly ushered into the equally vast and sumptuous ballroom for the opening speeches. Translators were available as the opening speeches commenced after a recital from the Quran.  

During the opening speeches it became apparent that the major players had a particular message that they all agreed upon. “This is a critical time for the gas industry”, said Thierry Desmarest Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Total Gas and Power, as he expressed his concern over gas demand growing faster than supply on both a local scale as well as globally. “LNG means supply is further away from the market place” he said and “new technologies are needed to get the gas out of difficult places”

Tony Meggs Group Vice President, Technology, BP plc had a very clear message that he wished to bring in his opening speech, as he looked at the challenges facing the World Energy Market.

• Industry has met Global demand, but demand is on a high increase
• There is enough, but can it be produced for a fair price?
• Climate change – what to do about it?

Meggs said that new technology was needed to reduce costs and inefficiency as well as to release hard to get gas. He also said that encouraging the use of gas would encourage new technology on climate change. There is a need to make fossil fuels carbon free, i.e. carbon capture. He also looked at the development of hydrogen plants as well as working with academia to help solve the world energy issues. 

Meggs also voiced his concern over the seemingly lack of interest by the next generation to get involved in energy. Oil industries have been seen as the problem for climate change, rather than the solution and is also seen as the past rather than the future of our energy generation. He also said that employees should be valued and not seen as a drain on company resources, clearly trying to address some issues from the past here, as well as giving junior members more opportunities and demanding roles within the industry. Still, putting their money where their mouth is, BP is committed to train new people and in a joint venture with ADNOC, this year will see the first 44 trained students joining ADNOC, with a hope that some may join BP. 

During the course of these speeches there were still networking opportunities going on outside the ballroom, which many took advantage of. After an opening speech from the President of PTT Group, Prasert Bunsumpun, we were all ferried to the exhibition centre for lunch and the continuation of the conference. 

Known as the place where the Commercial and Technical worlds of our industry meet, Gastech 2006 played host to over 300 exhibiting companies who were eager to show off their latest technologies as well as the more tried and tested to the 2100 delegates attending the most successful Gastech to date along with over 4300 day visitors to the exhibition.

The exhibition, like the conference was a great success. Many industry players used all the latest technology to promote themselves to delegates and day visitors alike. Wherever you walked around this vast exhibition centre you couldn’t fail to be attracted by bright clean stands, flat screens calling out the latest achievements, music, food, pieces of machinery, bits of pipe large enough to stand in and of course, as any one who was there will tell you, the PTT stand from Thailand.

One of the largest stands was that of the PTT Group from Thailand, who will be hosting the 23^rd Gastech at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre in Thailand, 10-13 March 2008. This is expected to be even bigger and better than its predecessors and PTT Group set out to woo us with a traditional Thai puppet performance two or three times a day.

But it didn’t stop there, on the last night of the conference PTT Group transported us all to Thailand as they provided the evenings entertainment. (See below)

LNG featured high, as experts discussed the rising gas demand globally (which is set to double by 2030) “There is plenty of gas in the ground, the trick is how to get the gas where you want it when you want it” I heard one speaker telling delegates. You might have thought that with LNG becoming the new versatile way of transporting and storing gas, cleaning up gas emissions as well as finding new ways of attracting the next generation to carry the baton into the future, would be enough of a challenge to keep the gas industries head above water, but no, the latest weapon to keeping gas a viable, exciting and fast moving product has emerged in the form of GTL (gas to liquid).

There was standing room only as the industries’ new hot potato was discussed as delegates heard a series of presentations on the commercial development of this fairly new technology as well as practical applications of GTL in the world today.
Part of the interest was the opportunity for an update on the ORYX GTL plant which will start to put GTL products on the market during first quarter 2007. Sasol Chevron and ORYX GTL co-chaired a session where the industry’s leading companies were able to present their latest plans and projects.

Alex Forbes, Director of Forbes Communication Ltd is reported to have said “2006 has been a momentous year for the GTL industry – on several levels. On the one level we have seen ambition projects taking large-scale steps towards commercial operation. On another, we have seen GTL products in action, with impressive results. GTL diesel, both neat and as a blendstock, has proved itself in big races, and in an epic, cross-continent expedition.” 

So exciting times for the gas industry as we look forward to this new fuel hitting the streets, helping to reduce emissions and make our transport more efficient. Not what you might expect from a prehistoric industry that has no place in the future of energy is it?  

A new Gastech initiative in a bid to help reverse the trend of young blood staying away from the Gas Industry saw 92 students from eight countries being sponsored by key companies to attend Gastech on an all expenses paid trip to attend the Fuelling The Future programme that took place at Gastech this year. Tony Stephenson Event Director of dmg world media (UK) Ltd said “We know how important it is to introduce new blood to the gas industry; this was our very positive step to ensure that students in their graduation year take a serious look at what is on offer. It is an initiative we will repeat at Gastech 2008 in Thailand.”

“The students selected came from both commercial and technical disciplines from near and far,” explains Tony Stephenson. “We know they found this special programme of immense use, and were delighted to welcome them to Abu Dhabi.” 

And the final word goes to Derek…

Social Features 

Abu Dhabi certainly provided an amazing backdrop for the social events offered at Gastech 2006. It may be more appropriate to call them ‘experiences’ rather than events since the organisers maximised the opportunity to provide a huge variety of entertainment and gastronomic delight. 

The Gala Reception hosted by ADNOC was held in the most expensive hotel ever built; the Emirates Palace. A drive along the Corniche, the three-lane sea-front boulevard, past the grandly illuminated skyscrapers, many proclaiming the 35th national day since the forging of the union. The huge graphics also sent a clear message that energy conservation is not a big issue round this neck of the woods. 

Woods, you may think are a bit of an anomaly in the desert, but the massive ‘greening’ programme in Abu Dhabi has provided vast tracts of tree-lined roads, gardens and verges, nowhere more so than in the incredible Emirates Palace gardens. 

After an excellent buffet amongst ice-sculptures and marbled architecture in one of the halls in the hotel, we were invited to watch fireworks from the terrace. The terrace overlooked the beach where delegates were invited to ride camels, watch lancers on Arabian ponies strutting their stuff on the sand, take a hawk on their arm, taste Bedouin food and watch them at their traditional crafts. All this combined to create a sensory experience of bewildering diversity. A stunning firework display crowned the evening and framed the coming days with expectation of wonders yet to come. 

Chevron’s Exhibitor and Delegate Party offered another chance to meet, network and chill out with other conference participators. Held at Hiltonia, The Hilton Hotel’s beachfront gardens, the evening was probably the most relaxing of all the events again providing all the features one might expect, but more in the shape of dancers, musicians and even a formation of illuminated micro-light aircraft flying overhead, (chevron-shaped you see). 

Finally, the 2008 Launch Party set the scene for Gastech’s next venue, Bangkok. Very much in evidence throughout the conference and exhibition, the Thai contingent entertained us beautifully with traditional dances, puppets, music and crafts. Hosted by the PTT Group and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (co-hosts of Gastech 2008), the ‘Glamour of Siam Paradise’ party was held at The Beach Rotana Hotel. This had to be the cultural experience to beat all and a serious bid for our determination to attend the next Gastech conference. 

In a dazzle of colour, sound, culinary samples, traditional crafts offered as gifts and once again, the amazing firework display, the delegates were wooed by a large number of Thai entertainers, chefs and craft-workers. I have to say that we MJM delegates were a push-over and signed-up straight away for Bangkok 2008. 

The whole occasion provided a great forum for associations to be made, business relationships to grow and industry awareness to be developed in a most acceptable environment. 

This has to be the most pleasant way to meet new business associates. MJM Energy are dedicated to a policy of relational business development opening new areas of operation by face-to-face meeting and attempting to break through present-day limitations of characterless e-mails. 

DMG World Media have excelled at the organisation of these large events and proven their ability to deal with the small issues as well as the large to create a smooth-running, not-to-be-missed experience for technician and commercial delegate alike.  

'From our roving reporters at Gastech, Paul Cassar and Derek West'

A few more pictures of a truly stunning event!