The Eighth Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition - "Geo 2008," was hailed as a massive success by exhibitors hours after the event opened its doors on Monday.

International and local companies praised the organisation of the show and the size of this year's event, which saw visitors queuing up before 9am to get into the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre which is hosting the exhibition.

"We have only been here three hours and we have already done business," iSys sales director Terry Reese.

His Canadian company, part of a big contingent from North America at this year's show, specialises in making printers used in gathering seismic data for the oil exploration industry.

"The Middle East is extremely important to us because of the size of the market and shows like this, which is a lot bigger than it was when we were here two years ago, are crucial."

"Shows like this allow us to meet existing customers as well as future prospects and we find it well worth the cost of coming all the way from Canada for our business."

That was a view echoed by Ascend Geo vice-president of sales BJ Crouse, who travelled all the way from Denver, US, for the event.

The company make systems for acquiring land seismic data using uncabled vibrators.

"So far it has been good and we have discussed some business opportunities with visitors already," he said.

"We are a fairly young company and we need to have a presence in the Middle East and an event like GEO 2008 is tailor- made for us to get our product onto the market out here."

Bapco senior exploration geologist Yahya Mohamed Al Ansari said the event was an opportunity to attract more people, particularly students into the geosciences.

"One of the main aspects of this conference is human resources," he said.

"We at Bapco and across the whole oil and gas industry are facing a shortage of geoscientists and an event like this can help attract more people into the industry."

He said that with Bapco recently offering offshore and onshore exploration blocks, the event was proving a good place to meet people and talk about the development of these prospects.

"This is a great opportunity to exchange experience and look at areas like how to deal with mature fields," he added.

Shell Exploration and Production Middle East, Caspian and South Asia communications manager Ahmed Mokhtar said he believed that they would know a lot more when they left than when they arrived because of the quality of debate and delegates.

"Hydrocarbons are becoming more difficult to access and the industry is focusing on areas like sour high sulphur gas which was once not economic but it is now," he said.

"We came here to show and display our latest technological advances and to hear from others who are doing the same."

Wavefield Inseis, a specialist marine seismic acquisitions, based in Norway but with a world-wide presence also sees the exhibition as an opportunity to gain a footprint in the region.

"So far it has been very good and we have been very busy," said marketing and sales supervisor Ana Gibbs.

"We do not have much business in this part of the world and this is an opportunity for us to expand. Last time we were here and shared a stand with one of our partners but that was so successful that this time we chose a bigger presence with out own stand."-TradeArabia News Service