Global opportunities for UK companies were in sharp focus at a record-breaking ninth annual Subsea show in Aberdeen yesterday.
Speaking to some of the 4,000 participants, Brazil’s Petrobras and other firms from emerging markets were said to have invited UK businesses in the subsea supply chain to bring their expertise to overseas projects.
Petrobras plans to spend about £16billion in exploration over the next four years, most of it in deep water. The Brazilian national operator said it would need 38 new platforms to meet its production target of 4.2billion barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2020.
Austin Uzoka, local-content director for Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (Snepco), said the Nigerian sector had opened up.
He highlighted three major non-Shell development projects on the near horizon.
Snepco plans to invest £19billion over nine years in two development and production projects at Bonga North and Bonga South-west.
UK Trade and Investment, which has already linked up around 50 UK firms to Shell’s Nigeria operations, facilitated meetings at the show.
It introduced delegates to Snepco and Petrobras ion addition to companies from Angola and Indonesia. Neil Gordon, chief executive of event organiser Subsea UK, said the general feeling among exhibitors and delegates was that people had come to Aberdeen to do business.
He added: “The atmosphere has been electric, in terms of the buzz and excitement about our industry. Our international delegates have left hugely impressed with our industry and our event, underlining our world-leading position.”
Steven Gray, managing director of Westhill-based ROVOP, one of the 140 exhibitors, said: “The Subsea conference brings together all the key players in the industry. This year’s event was exceptional by any standards in terms of meeting existing customers and generating new inquiries.
“This is a standout event for us on the annual calendar.”
School pupils also attended the show, accompanied by Aberdeenshire Provost Jill Webster, to find out about the sector.
Aberdeen-based subsea firm Bowtech Products showcased new products at Subsea 2013.
The firm, which provides subsea vision systems, said new products included its Explorer Lite and Pro cameras – part of its low-light camera range – plus its Surveyor-HD Pro high-definition, ultra-wide-angle camera, the OceanLaser-L underwater laser and a high-powered Led-V-Series 20,000 lumen floodlight.
Sales and marketing director Mike Winstanley, said: “The new products show our strengths within the area of new product development, and our position as underwater vision specialists.”