OREANDA-NEWS. March 02, 2012. The annual Atyrau Oil and Gas exhibition, held on 3-5 April 2012, will have almost twice as must exhibition space as the previous year’s event, as this year the exhibition will be held in an exhibition pavilion temporarily erected by Iteca at the Atyrau Sports Complex.

The event is again being organised by the Kazakhstan exhibition company Iteca and its British and German partners.

“Such extensive growth of the exhibition has not been seen since 2009, when the exhibition was based in a similar fashion at two spaces. This is undoubtedly clear evidence that business and investment in Atyrau and the whole Caspian region is accelerating. Exhibition space has increased due to an increase in domestic and international exhibitors. For the first time in the event’s history there will be significant representation from a group of French and Canadian companies. The French companies’ participation is being organised by the UBIFRANCE trade mission, while the Canadian firms are exhibiting together at the Canadian Embassy stand,” says Boris Danilenko, Sales Director of Iteca.

More than 120 companies from countries such as Azerbaijan, Germany, Italy, Canada, Lithuania, Russia, USA, Ukraine and France are taking part in Atyrau Oil and Gas 2012. As is tradition, they will present the latest equipment for oil exploration, production and refining, and crude oil transportation. Companies from Kazakhstan will be major participants at the event; firms from all over the country will display their products. During the exhibition there will also be a series of thematic seminars sponsored by Hempel which will be delivered to a wide audience.

“This year we have even introduced innovation in the organisation of the exhibition. The business programme of the exhibition will take place within the OilTech Atyrau conference as a Technical Workshop during the second day of the conference, 4 April. This will result in exhibitors’ seminars and presentations reaching a combined audience: exhibition participants and conference delegates. Exhibiting companies will be able to showcase their latest developments as a 15 minute presentation in the conference hall of the Rennaisance Hotel. Participation for two company representatives is included in the price of this option, allowing the distribution of information amongst the participants and the continuation of communication during the coffee break. Please speak to the managers for more information on participation,” Danilenko continued.

OilTech Atyrau takes place at the Rennaisance Hotel in Atyrau in a format of thematic sessions. This year’s conference is on 3-4 April, and the sponsors of the exhibition and conference are Lloyd’s Register Kazakhstan, Prime Aviation, Swagelok and Hempel.

Globally recognised leaders of the industry, as members of the recently established Conference Committee of OilTech Atyrau, took part in putting together the conference programme. The committee is formed of representatives from the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Republic of Kazakhstan and high-ranking managers of Tengizchevroil, DNV, Shell, Mubadala, Embavedoil, Lloyd’s Register Kazakhstan, Salans, HSBC and Strategic Partners International, alongside scientists from Kazakhstan and the UK (from Queen’s College and the University of Dundee)

“It is an undeniable fact that staging an event of this quality is not possible without information and advice from direct industry representatives and high-level professionals. The committee’s primary aim is for the event to be a platform where industry professionals can highlight and discuss the most relevant problems and issues of the sector. It should also be an opportunity to exchange information related to the development of the industry, both on a regional and nationwide scale and in terms of international cooperation, along with helping to choose influential and knowledgeable speakers,” underlined Danilenko, commenting on the creation of the OilTech Atyrau Conference Committee.

At present, the confirmed participants of the plenary Conference session are: Zhandarbek Kakishev, Chariman of the Board of Directors of the National Agency for Development of Local Content (NADLoC); Fuad Serikov, Deputy General Director of the Kazakh Institute of Oil and Gas; Stephen Millar, Ambassador of Canada to the Republic of Kazakhstan; Peter van Leeuwen, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Republic of Kazakhstan; David Moran, UK Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; and Angus Miller, Caspian Energy Adviser of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The technical sessions will also feature presentations from representatives of the Atyrau Refinery, the Atyrau Institute of Oil and Gas, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Kaspimunaigaz, Caspecoand other service companies.

The regular official supporters of the exhibition and conference are the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Mayoral Administration of Atyrau and the Atyrau region, and KazmunayGaz, which is testament to the high status of the events organised throughout the forum’s history.