From Adewale Sanyaolu, Houston,Texas
Nigerian delegation to this year’s Offshore Technology Conference(OTC) organised by the Petroleum Technology Association(PETAN) recorded low turnout of participants, including top industry operators, policy molders, government functionaries at an event held as part of programmes planned for the occasion.
The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), an association of indigenous technical oilfield service companies providing specialised services to the upstream and downstream sectors of the Nigerian oil and gas industry has been responsible for leading Nigerian delegation to the prestigious event annually held for explore business opportunities for oil and gas supply chain.
Conspicously 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 and Secretary General of African Petroleum Producers Organisation(APPO), Dr. Farouk Omar, among other top government functionaries.
Traditionally, Nigeria’s stand is usually declared opened by the Minister of Petroleum or State with support from the NNPC and other top ranking Federal Government officials and National Assembly members.
Also missing at this year’s event were key panelists that ought to have added coloaur to the event including MDs of the IOCs besides the Managing Director/Chairman, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Rick Kennedy and TotalEnergies, Mr. Mike Sangstar, who sent a representative.
Even the Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission(NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe was not seen at the event.
Some of the participants who spoke to Daily Sun in separate interviews, expressed disappointment at the poor outing of this year’s event as organised by PETAN.
They lamented the low level of awareness created by PETAN ahead of the OTC conference, adding that most of the regulators that ought to have interacted with operators to know their challenges and how best to address same were no where to be seen.
A participant who simply identified himself as Victor said this is the worst OTC put by PETAN, adding that the organisation lacked the quality expected of an international event.
Another participant and industry stakeholder, Mrs. Abosede Junaid, said having attended the last 10 editions of the event, the 2022 PETAN organised OTC falls far below pass mark.