More than 2,000 oil and gas industry delegates, including young engineers and industry professionals, will be discussing key industry issues at the third edition of Kuwait Oil & Gas Show and Conference (KOGS 2017) which opened yesterday (October 15).

The four-day event is being held under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Kuwait, HH Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah at the Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre, said the organisers, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

Issam Al Marzooq, Kuwait Minister of Oil and Minister of Electricity and Water and chairman of the board of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC); Nizar M Al Adsani, the chief executive and deputy chairman of the KPC board and Sami Al Neaim, the SPE president delivered welcome addresses.

"Now in its third edition, KOGS 2017, themed, Shaping the Energy Future: Integration and Diversification, brings to the forefront the key issues that need to be discussed to ensure that the energy future that we work together towards builds our legacy for future generations," remarked Al Neaim.

"We should ensure that it continues to be sustainable, efficient, and collaborative," he added.

The opening ceremony was followed by the ministerial panel with speakers Al Marzooq and Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, the secretary general, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec). The session was moderated by Adnan Shihab Eldin, the director general at Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS).

An executive plenary session on this year’s conference theme ‘Shaping the Energy Future: Integration and Diversification’ followed the ministerial panel.

Keynote speeches were delivered by Mohammad Al Mutairi, the CEO of Kuwait National Petroleum Company; Isam Al Zadjali, the CEO of Oman Oil Company; Andy Brown, the upstream director at Shell; Frederico Justus, the president for eastern hemisphere at Weatherford; Bernard Looney, the chief executive, Upstream, BP; and Stephane Michel, the president E&P Mena, Total. The session was moderated by Nader Sultan, the chairman of Ikarus Petroleum Industries.

"KOGS 2017 will be a valuable opportunity for the oil and gas community, professionals and young engineers to tap into the latest market and regional development, subject as major refineries expansion, integration and diversification will be presented at the three-day event," stated Al Mutairi.

"I will have a chance to paint the picture of how KNPC will be transformed to deep conversion after implementing our mega strategic CFP Project," he added.

In his opening remarks, Al Zadjali said this energy expo will stimulate engaging dialogue whilst exploring the complexities and also the possibilities of how we can continue to play a pivotal role to diversify the economy in the energy sector.

“The caliber of speakers and thought-provoking sessions will make for an event rich in business value and strategic insights. Greater synergies across is needed to achieve energy integration and deliver sustainable business, and to deliver value, and growth,” he added.

Brown said: "In Kuwait, Shell is committed to deploying innovative technologies, supporting local staff development and delivering full value from our existing commitments."

More than 100 technical and poster presentations designed to share the knowledge and experience of managing, operating and supplying oil and gas companies, will be held at the conference at Kuwait International Fair, delivered by over 150 expert speakers from more than 60 companies.

The pace-setting agenda at KOGS 2017 also includes 4 industry panel sessions, 7 special sessions and 3 technical special sessions led by chief executive officers, managers and presidents of national and international oil companies and the service industry. Panel discussion topics include upstream integration, value chain optimisation, upstream innovation and challenges, and offshore exploration.

The associated 14,000-sq-m exhibition of industry products and services opens in a separate ceremony today (October 16) at Kuwait International Fair, and runs until October 18.

More than 200 companies from 24 countries will be in attendance. The global showcase features key stakeholders, major players, suppliers and service providers and serves all areas of the oil and gas industry.-TradeArabia News Service