OTC at a glance
OTC is the biggest offshore event of its kind in the world, and attracts more than 70.000 people during the 4 days it lasts. For Norwegians in the energy sector, OTC is the most important annual conference and exhibition event along with the biannual ONS in Stavanger. The Norwegian Pavilion at OTC is the largest non-American national exhibit, this year with 60 different companies presenting their products to the world. As the Norwegian presence is large, several special events were arranged to gather the participants in different settings during OTC.
Greater Stavanger Economic Development and Region Bergen breakfasts
On the first day of OTC, Greater Stavanger Economic Development kicked off the week with their annual breakfast seminar. This year’s title was “Driving technology – defining the limits!”, and was opened by the Mayor of Stavanger, Christine Sagen Helgø. Speakers featured representatives from both governmental and industry organizations, including Petrobras, Ernst & Young, Statoil, Espirito Santo, and the Royal Norwegian Consulate General. The well attended seminar was chaired by the CEO of the Greater Stavanger Economic Development, Jan Soppeland.
Simultaneously, Region Bergen held a similar breakfast event titled “The Future Solutions: Technologies for Increased Oil Recovery. The participants were welcomed by County Mayor of Hordaland, Tom Christer Nilsen, and keynote speakers included representatives from Infield Systems, Center for Integrated Petroleum Research in Bergen, FRAMO Engineering, FMC Technologies and Statoil. The event was chaired by Juli Jansing Freiburger, Manager Oil & Gas, Innovation Norway and John Hurter, Country Manager, INTSOK.
Network gathering at the Consul General’s residence
The Consul General of Norway, Jostein Mykletun, graciously welcomed more than 300 guests to his residence Monday evening. This networking event gathered key persons from the energy industry, and speeches were held by Consul General Mykletun and the Director General of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, Bente Nyland. Also, the American Ambassador to Norway, Barry White, who visited Houston during OTC, gave a speech on American and Norwegian business relations. In addition to the representatives from the energy industry, the Consul General had invited many expats, participants from the Norwegian Seamen’s Church, the Mayor of Clifton and representatives from the consular corps. This annual event served as a fine gathering point in a hectic schedule for most OTC participants, and was well received by both the guests and hosts.
NACC Lunch
The Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) invited to their annual OTC Business Lunch at the Westin Galleria Hotel on Tuesday. Around 160 participants attended the luncheon, which featured Øyvind Eriksen, Executive Chairman of Aker Solutions and President and CEO of Aker ASA, as speaker. Mr. Eriksen presented his views of the future of Norwegian economy and his vision for Aker.
Norwegian Industry Breakfast at Reliant Stadium
A new event of the year, more than 100 participants showed up for the Norwegian Industry Breakfast on Wednesday morning. The event was organized by OTC and the US Department of Commerce. A panel of four provided a common forum for discussing trade and investment possibilities. The panel consisted of Espen Myhra, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Bente Nyland, Director General of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, David Hendicott, Manager for Norway Development of ConocoPhillips, and Leif Johan Sevland, President and CEO of ONS Foundation. The speakers discussed recent and potential findings on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, and how Norway should promote itself to remain an attractive country with which to do business.
Following the breakfast, a Norwegian VIP delegation consisting of Johannes Kjøde, Director of Strategy, Communication and Prospects, Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, Maryann Løcka, Deputy Director General, Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, and the already introduced Bente Nyland and Espen Myhra, lead by John Hurter, Country Manager, INTSOK Houston, visited BP’s lounge at the Reliant Stadium. BP presented lessons learned from the Macondo accident, and future possibilities as result of technological advancement were discussed. Afterwards, the delegation was given a guided tour of the Norwegian pavilion and stands at OTC, lead by Bjørn Akselsen, Director, Innovation Norway Houston.
The Annual and Traditional OTC Dinner
This closing event of OTC 2012, organized by NACC, had record participation this year. More than 650 guests met up at the River Oaks Country Club where the dinner was held. There was ample opportunity for mingling before and after dinner, and the event featured several speakers, including Anne-Brith Berge, Executive Director of NACC, US Ambassador to Norway, Barry White, Elisabeth Tørstad, COO for Division Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa of DNV, Pastor at the Norwegian Seamen’s Church, Ingvild Mydske Fallegård, and Consul General Jostein Mykletun. Dinner was rounded off with a lottery, where one lucky person went home with two SAS business class tickets from US to Norway.