More than 7,000 oil and gas professionals will converge in Bahrain to debate and shape the future of the oil and gas industry in the region.

Held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the 18th Middle East Oil & Gas Show and Conference (MEOS 2013) is organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and Arabian Exhibition Management (AEM).

It will be held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre from Sunday to March 13.

A three-day exhibition of oil and gas products and services will run parallel to the conference from March 11 to 13. It features more than 300 exhibitors from 30 countries and covers all areas of the upstream industry, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

"Together, the conference and exhibition combine to form a comprehensive current overview of the oil and gas industry in the Middle East, offering real solutions to those operating in the sector whilst facilitating new business opportunities," MEOS 2013 conference chairman Abdulaziz Al Abdulkarim said.

This year's conference agenda includes 36 technical sessions with more than 200 technical and poster presentations on topics covering exploration and appraisal; drilling and completions; reservoir engineering; production and facilities; and health, safety, security and environment. A key highlight of the conference programme, the executive plenary session on Sunday, will see leading industry figures discussing the conference theme 'Transforming the Energy Future'.

The session will open with welcome addresses from Finance Minister and Minister in Charge of Oil and Gas Affairs Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Al Abdulkarim and 2013 SPE president Egbert Imomoh.

Keynote speeches will follow from Saudi Aramco senior vice-president for upstream Amin Nasser, Baker Hughes president and chief executive Martin Craighead, Schlumberger chief executive Paal Kibsgaard, Kuwait Oil Company chairman and managing director Sami Al Rushaid and ExxonMobil Upstream Research president Sara Ortwein.

"The MEOS conference focuses on current issues facing industry players. The era of easy oil is over, and companies across the world are tapping the development of complex fields," said Al Abdulkarim.

"The event will highlight the latest technology used to develop these resources, and how to better manage them, as well as the latest findings related to enhanced oil recovery, reservoir management and drilling techniques," he observed.

Principal exhibitors include all six GCC national oil and gas companies who will be exhibiting alongside Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell.

International oil and gas exploration and production companies such as Occidental Petroleum Corporation; service industry giants Baker Hughes, Halliburton, Schlumberger and Weatherford; large national groups from North America and the UK; and numerous independent specialist suppliers and distributors from across the globe complete the lineup.-TradeArabia News Service