Now the dust has settled on the first Middle East Process Engineering conference (MEPEC), Saad Al-Omani, Chairman of Publicity Committee, talked to Oil Review about MEPECs first outing and plans for the future.
MEPEC is set to return in 2013 according to Al-Omani. “MEPEC went successfully and we are determined to make the next MEPEC which will take place in 2013 even better,” he said.
“We hope that constructive feedback from our sponsors, delegates and media partners will be channelled into making MEPEC even more successful in the next edition. We want to hear and listen from everyone involved in the show,” added Al-Omani.
The show received a great response and over 800 delegates attended MEPEC and according to Al-Omani it was more like 1,000 delegates that turned up. Which was a “great reward” to the whole team who helped put MEPEC together.
MEPEC was two years in the making and Al-Omani was pleased that the event proved to be so popular.
The various committees who worked so hard to bring MEPEC to reality worked “like a family,” according to Al-Omani. He extended this close knit working relationship to the sponsors and media who helped promote MEPEC. He thanked all the various sponsors from silver, gold to Platinum.
Al-Omani talked about the importance of MEPEC’s focus on process engineering which plays such an important role in the oil and gas industry. He felt that MEPEC is unique in offering a forum dedicated to process engineering in the Middle East.
The key themes of innovations and technical excellence will remain core themes for future MEPEC shows.
MEPEC received over 220 technical papers to review with over 50 per cent of the submitted papers were presented at the show. Al-Omani said that they will try for even more papers at the next MEPEC.
Al-Omani ended by emphasising how the first MEPEC really tried to attract and target the young Arab generation. MEPEC encouraged students and facility students from many regional universities to come to the show. The universities involved included Bahrain, Qatar and three from Saudi Arabia.
The aim is to foster “technical exchange” with the younger generation. Al-Omani said, “that the organisers wanted to create a real platform for the young generation. We want to help and support the young generation in the Gulf region.”
“We look forward to seeing everyone again in 2013,” concluded Al-Omani.
Pic - Mr. Tariq Al-Ghamdi, Sponsorship & Exhibition, Vice Chairman and Saad Al-Omani, Publicity Committee Chairman
