Key oil and gas exhibition opens in Dammam Monday

A record number of exhibitors have lined up for the three-day Saudi Arabia International Oil & Gas Exhibition (SAOGE) 2010 that opens here today. Close to 190 companies will host in excess of 8,000 visitors as industry representatives from 21 countries will be attending SAOGE 2012. The International Exhibition Service (IES) and Dhahran International Exhibitions Center (DIEC) have teamed as co-organizers of the event. They are extremely proud that SAOGE has maintained its position as the sole oil and gas exhibition in the Eastern Province, and has continued to deliver an essential platform for key industry professionals, specialists and decision-makers. “Attendees travel from across the Gulf region, and beyond, to Dammam where SAOGE provides the perfect platform to meet, network, learn and strengthen relationships,” the IEC said in a statement. Launched in 2009 at the 2nd Edition, the initiative to support the Kingdom’s Saudization program continues this year with the “SAOGE Student Program,” which once again offers the industries’ next generation a place to ask questions of the experts, as they consider their career options. An extremely interesting and high-level group of industry and country representatives will participate in the opening ceremony. Piero Zipoli, president of IES, which organizes several exhibitions specializing in oil and gas all over the world, said: “We pay special attention to the Saudi Arabian International Oil and Gas Exhibition (SAOGE) and regularly see great demand from multinational companies to participate and be at the heart of the industry. SAOGE clearly offers them a platform for more insight into the possibilities for new investments, developments and technologies, aimed at the global petroleum sector.” In addition to the considerable industry endorsements that SAOGE enjoys, SAOGE 2012 will also be supported by the Saudi Arabian Section of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (SAS-AIChE) and the Bilateral US-Arab Chamber of Commerce (BUSACC). The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is a professional society that provides a forum for the advancement of the theory and practice of the Chemical Engineering profession, and the Saudi Arabian section (SAS AIChE) holds meetings and company visits to support this. Based in Houston, BUSACC is an association that serves as a conduit to create strategic connections between prominent US and Middle East/North Africa (MENA) organizations. Their board of advisers, is gathered from a cross-section of the major global oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil Corporation, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), GDF Suez Energy North America and ConocoPhillips. Meanwhile, SABIC have confirmed their participation and will be joining SAOGE 2012 as a new gold sponsor. SABIC joins an already prestigious group of gold sponsors who continue to support SAOGE, such as Abdulla Fouad Holding Co., Al-Abdulkarim Holding Co. and Industrialization & Energy Services Co. (TAQA). From : Arabnews