As Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Jones MP oversees UK growth and productivity, with interests in industrial strategy and North Sea oil and gas (photo: GOV.UK)

SPE Offshore Europe 2017 has secured Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Jones MP as a speaker at the opening plenary and has also confirmed a strong line up for its all new Tech Trek.

As Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Mr Jones oversees UK growth and productivity, with interests in industrial strategy and North Sea oil and gas.

He will attend the conference and exhibition’s gala dinner and deliver a 10 minute address during the plenary, which also features industry heavyweights BP CEO Bob Dudley, Royal Dutch Shell’s CEO Ben van Beurden, Wood Group’s CEO Robin Watson and Petrobras’ chief E&P officer Solange Guedes.

Also featuring at OE17 is Tech Trek, where more than 30 pioneering new technologies will form part of an innovation trail. The idea is to highlight new technologies and make them easily identifiable to visitors via the OE app and website, the show catalogue and onsite through floor stickers.

All exhibitors were invited to be part of Tech Trek through a free submission process. The line-up includes a deep-water survey camera system by 2G Robotics, a warehouse logistics module developed by Kardex Systems, an ROV lifting device to reduce shedding and snagging by Ralston Instruments and a cable retrieval tool by Allspeeds, developed in consultation with international certification body DNV GL.

Gareth Rapley, SPE Offshore Europe exhibition director, says, “We welcome Andrew Jones MP and anticipate that he’ll benefit from meeting key industry players and hearing first-hand about the opportunities and challenges being experienced at this pivotal time.”

“New technologies are a big part of our central theme Embracing New Realities: Reinventing our Industry and we’re excited by the products we’ve gained a sneak preview of during the Tech Trek selection process. Feedback from previous shows found visitors wanted an easier way to find new technologies and we see Tech Trek as the answer. With detailed information, maps and an app we have a ready-to-go route amongst our expected 1,000 exhibitors,” continues Rapley.

The wider Technology Zone at OE17 by the Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) will present a series of technologies used in alternative sectors to encourage the oil and gas industry to think differently about the adoption of new products.

The OGTC believes technologies such as robots, composite materials, additive manufacturing and augmented reality are all currently underutilised in offshore oil and gas, despite being part of a general industrial transformation in other industries.

SPE Offshore Europe 2017 which will be held at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, Aberdeen, Scotland from 5-8 September 2017.

It will offer more than 65 technical papers and 11 keynote panel sessions combined with business breakfasts and topical lunches. Also new in 2017, a Decommissioning Zone will feature a themed exhibition and conference space. Free-to-attend, the zone will include decommissioning technology and service providers in the exhibition as well as a conference programme organised in association with key industry associations including Decom North Sea, ITF, SUT and IMechE.

Visit www.offshore-europe.co.uk for further information. The Tech Trek app is available to download from iTunes or http://www.offshore-europe.co.uk/en/Visiting/Download-the-app/

Tags: BP, Decom North Sea, IMechE, ITF, Petrobras, Royal Dutch Shell, SPE Offshore Europe 2017, SUT, Wood Group