PETAN’s OTC 2022 records low turnout as FG, IOCs shun event
*Participants blame officials’ absence on poor planning
By Emeka Ugwuanyi
The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria’s (PETAN) 2022 edition of the annual Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) was a ghost of itself as all top industry officials including the operators, regulators, government functionaries and members of the National Assembly in committees relevant to the , among others were conspicuously absent.
Some participants who frowned at the development attributed absence of these industry bigwigs to poor planning by the current leadership of PETAN. To them, this year’s PETAN OTC is the worst ever. Thank God the Association has some members who are notable industry players, this year’s OTC would have been absolute disaster, one of the participants told The Business Intelligence Africa (TBI Africa), adding the glamour and knowledge-based information and policy statements from government’s representatives were completely lacking. I regret the money I spent in attending this year’s OTC, it is like lost money, the participant added.
The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) is the umbrella body of indigenous oil services companies in Nigeria providing specialized services to the upstream and downstream sectors of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The Association anchors the yearly OTC planning and organization and leads the Nigerian delegation to the global flagship industry event in Houston. Besides, the conference opens members to new clients, collaborations and latest technologies in their various specializations as well offering tangible business opportunities for the supply chain.
Conspicuously absent at this year’s event was the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mr. Mele Kyari, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Bitrus Bako Nabasu and the Secretary General, African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) , Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim.
Traditionally, the Nigerian stand is usually declared opened by the Minister of Petroleum or Minister of State for Petroleum, supported by Group Managing Director of NNPC and its top officials, high top ranking Federal Government officials and National Assembly members. However, this year, none of them came nor sent representatives.
Also, conspicuously missing were most of the panelists which included Managing Directors s of the International Oil Companies (IOCs).
It was only the Managing Director of TotalEnergies, Mr. Mike Sangster that sent a representative while Chevron Nigeria Chairman/MD, Rick Kennedy was also present.
Also absent was the chief upstream regulator of the industry, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr. Gbenga Komolafe.
Some of the participants who spoke to The Business Intelligence Africa (TBI Africa) attributed the absence of these industry chiefs to poor organization by the current leadership of PETAN as that has never happened in the past.
The participants noted that the level of awareness creation 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 Dr Idris Salimon 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, Mr. Chinedu Ambrose, 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.
