From Adewale Sanyaolu, Houston,Texas
The Nigerian delegation to this year’s Offshore Technology Conference(OTC)organised by the Petroleum Technology Association(PETAN) recorded low turnout of participants, especially top industry operators, policy molders, government functionaries among others.
The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), an association of indigenous technical oilfield service companies providing specialized services to the upstream and downstream sectors of the Nigerian oil and gas industry has been responsible for leading the Nigerian delegation to the prestigious event annually and is still offering tangible business opportunities for the supply chain.
Conspicuously absent at this year’s event was the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr.Timipre Sylva, Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mr. Mele Kyari, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr.Bitrus Bako Nabasu, Secretary General of African Petroleum Producers Organisation(APPO), Dr.Farouk Omar, among other top government functionaries.
Traditionally, the Nigerian stand is usually declared opened by the Minister of Petroleum or State with support from the NNPC and other high top ranking Federal Government officials and National Assembly members.
Also, conspicuously missing were most of the panelists which included MDs of the IOCs except the Managing Director/Chairman, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Rick Kennedy and TotalEnergies, Mr.Mike Sangstar who sent a representative.
Also absent was the Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission(NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe.
Some of the participants who spoke to Daily Sun in separate interviews, expressed disappointment at the organistion of this year’s event as put up by PETAN.
They maintained that the level of awareness by PETAN was poor, saying most of the regulators that ought to have interacted with operators to know their challenges and how best to address same were absent.
A participant who simply identified himself as Victor said this is the worst OTC put by PETAN, saying the organization lacks the quality expected of an international event.
Another participant and industry stakeholder, Mrs.Abosede Junaid, said having attended that last 10 editions of the event, the 2022 PETAN organized OTC falls far below pass mark.
She urged the organizers to ensure that subsequent ones are improved upon in order to give stakeholders value for attendance.
