The third Middle East Technology Forum (ME-TECH), focusing on gas processing, oil refining, residue upgrading and petrochemicals, will take place on 18-20 February 2013 at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai
The event, which has been backed by the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), will focus on the core issues surrounding technological developments that aim to transform the downstream oil and gas sector.
Speaking ahead of the forum, GPCA secretary general Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, said, “We are seeing a rapid increase in the growth of the Middle East downstream sector and as such, the role of ME-TECH is an important one in providing a platform and meeting place for local oil & gas operators to become updated on the key developments in their field as well as meeting the major vendors and technology providers.”
ME-TECH 2013 is set to attract key players, who are working on new developments in both technology and the downstream sector, to both the exhibition and conference.
A growing number of technology companies based in the Middle East are seeking new solutions, that aim to maximise profitability in these sectors.
Andy Gibbins, vice-president Middle East for Euro Petroleum Consultants, said, “Technology companies understand that the Middle East market is becoming increasingly sophisticated. End-users want solutions to increase reliability, drive productivity and ensure maximum profitability - while ensuring the very highest HSE standards.”
“In the post-investment phase, operators are seeking operational excellence. This is done by working hand-in-hand with technology companies to identify and implement solutions in order to drive performance,” added Gibbins.
Engineering and construction company Foster Wheeler will set-up a pre-conference seminar before the event to showcase its latest technologies and solutions for the oil and gas sectors.
The key areas that the seminar plans to explore include maximising margins and return on investment for new and current assets, using design and operational best practice and how to optimise integration of petrochemicals investments with refinery assets.
Last year’s event addressed the challenges that downstream producers in the region needed to overcome, including overcapacity, low margins and rigorous quality environmental regulations.
Commenting on the success of last year’s conference, Michael Paul, business development manager for hte, said, “This conference combined excellent networking opportunities, high-level participants and state-of-the-art contributions.”
