BP’s chief executive Bob Dudley will open this year’s Offshore Europe, it was today confirmed.
The company leader will underline the value of the North Sea in the oil major’s global portfolio when he leads the opening plenary session at SPE Offshore Europe 2017 being held in Aberdeen from 5-8 September 2017.
Mr Dudley previously revealed to Energy Voice the oil major would double its North Sea output by 2020. In the exclusive Energy Voice interview, he hailed the North Sea has one of BP’s “crown jewels”.
BP’s Quad 2014 and Clair Ridge development are expected to reach first production in the next year. The firm is also participating in five exploration wells in the region and in around 50 new development wells over the next three years.
Conference chair Catherine MacGregor, president, Reservoir Characterization Group, Schlumberger Limited, said: “As one of the most eminent figures in our industry, Bob Dudley will provide an inspirational scene-setter under the conference theme Embracing New Realities: Reinventing our Industry. Bob’s insight will kick-start OE2017 as we encourage the industry to think beyond cost efficiency and embrace new technologies, new types of business models and collaborations that will lead to sustainable ways of working.”
Mr Dudley spent the early part of his career in Aberdeen. He has reflected on his days in the Granite City during the 1980s crash, saying the vernacular at he time included ‘Staying alive in ’85, Get it fixed in ’86 or Chapter 11 in ‘87′.
He has been a critical component of steering the oil major away from the edge of “oblivion” and has vowed the firm will play a leading role in the North Sea’s future.
Speaking previously to Energy Voice, he said: “The myth that the North Sea is finished is absolutely that. It’s a wrong myth.
“There’s a demonstration of new activity and new big fields coming on stream. It’s not just BP fields. There are others as well, so there’s real economic activity that will support thousands of jobs. And there is an active exploration programme that could create something really new and exciting. I think it will be ‘good’ exciting – not necessarily the silver bullet.
“The reality is that the North Sea is a mature basin so some of the structural changes will stay.
“I don’t think we’ll go back to the way it was at $100 oil. I just can’t see that. Or the early days of the North Sea. But it’s going to be around for a long time and be a vibrant place and part of the global oil and gas industry – most certainly.
“And I don’t know that people who work in the industry in the North Sea realise how good they are and how much they know.”
Under the theme ‘Embracing New Realities: Reinventing our Industry’, SPE Offshore Europe 2017 will offer more than 85 free-to-attend technical presentations and 11 keynote panel sessions combined with business breakfasts and topical lunches. A ‘new for 2017’ Decommissioning Zone will feature a themed exhibition and conference space. Also free-to-attend, the zone will include over 40 decommissioning technology and service providers in the exhibition as well as a conference programme organised by key industry associations including Decom North Sea, ITF and IMechE.
SPE Offshore Europe has been held biennially in Aberdeen since 1973. It is the largest E&P conference and exhibition outside North America.
Visit www.offshore-europe.co.uk further information.
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