Europe’s energy hub launches bid to host global assembly
Posted: 10 September 2007
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Britain ’s bid to host the 20th World Petroleum Congress in 2011 was formally launched today with Scotland ’s oil capital, Aberdeen , confirmed as candidate host city. The World Petroleum Council will be meeting in Montevideo in November of this year to decide the location for the 2011 World Petroleum Congress. The UK bid committee is asking the world’s industry players and World Petroleum Council members to lobby their national committees to support the UK bid.
The UK ’s bid for globally renowned oil and gas centre, Aberdeen , to host the 2011 Congress faces stiff competition from the other two short-listed contenders, Turkey ( Istanbul ) and Qatar ( Doha ). If the British bid, mounted by the UK National Committee of the World Petroleum Council, succeeds, it will of course deliver an economic boost to the host city. But more important is that success will pave the way for the long-term training of future generations of energy industry engineers worldwide through an innovative education initiative. This is vital as a key aspect of the congress is the social, environmental and educational legacy impact that it has had on successive host countries. This is not simply a conference.
The UK ’s legacy in hosting the 2011 World Petroleum Congress will be to work innovatively to attract young people into energy. Any surplus funds left over from the event would be ploughed back into training – creating a scholarship and placement scheme for young people around the world, but centred on UK-based education institutions and energy employers. A UK-based WPC 2011 Congress would also see the initiation of an Award for the WPC Young Professional of the Year.
The UK is uniquely placed to deliver on such a commitment and the city of Aberdeen , now home to 22,000 students of 120 nationalities, many of whom are engaged in energy/engineering-related studies, will play a key role.
Rita Stephen, development manager for Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Forum (ACSEF), which is a member of the team bidding to bring the Congress to the UK in 2011, says, ‘This is a tremendously exciting opportunity for the region to reaffirm its pivotal position in shaping the petroleum industry’s future.’
Denis Pinto, chairman of the UK WPC 2011 bid committee says, ‘Clearly the UK is a strong contender to host this prestigious event. Moreover, not only is the city of Aberdeen the oil and gas capital of Europe, it is a global hub for oilfield technology and the location selected as headquarters of a growing number of exploration and production companies.
Pinto continues, ‘The UK is home to a highly efficient supply chain and renowned for producing engineers of the highest calibre. It is therefore highly appropriate that the UK bid should be linked to encouraging future generations of engineers to join this dynamic global industry.’
John Martin, Chairman of the World Petroleum Council UK National Committee says, ‘The World Petroleum Congresses have a reputation for playing host to very senior government delegations and key decision makers from the leading national and international oil companies and contractors. Given its world-renowned strategic role in offshore oil and gas and a growing international reputation for world-class all-energy excellence, the UK and the city of Aberdeen have superb credentials to host such a prestigious gathering of international key influencers and decision makers in 2011.’
Held every three years, the World Petroleum Congress is often referred to as the ‘Olympics of the petroleum industry’. A measure of its huge strategic importance is that the 19th World Petroleum Congress, to be staged in Madrid in 2008, is expected to attract more than 3,500 delegates, over 500 speakers and 400 exhibitors. |
