Share Fair's record-breaking turnout reflects buoyant mood
December 2010
More companies, delegate and exhibitors than ever befor attended the 2010 PILOT Share Fair in Aberdeen in November. Breaking all previous attendance records, this year’s event, sponsored by CAN, attracted well over 1,000 attendees who were among the first to gain valuable insights into the forward work plans of major operators and oil services companies active in the UK continental shelf (UKCS).
A record-breaking line up of 20 speakers from both the operator and contractor communities gave 160 presentations throughout the day on a range of projects on the UKCS, in total estimated to be worth more than £4 billion in the next 18 months.
Brian Kinkead, Oil & Gas UK’s supply chain director, celebrated the success: “PILOT Share Fair has a vital role to play in providing an interactive forum to encourage learning and sharing of information across the industry. In addition to the presentations, major players from both the operator and contractor communities hosted 1,152 individual oneto-one appointments, compared with just 800 in 2009. This year we have set a new and incredibly high standard for open and constructive dialogue on our industry’s forward investment plans and the work streams and employment which will flow from these.”
2010 Pilot Share Fair fast facts
- Attendees = 1,000
- Exhibiting companies = 48
- Presenting companies = 20
- Presentations given = 160
- Number of projects displayed = > 80
- Number of contracts showcased = > 30
- Total value of contracts = > £4b
Supporting the supply chain code of practice
The sharing of information at PILOT Share Fair about forthcoming projects aligns with the Supply Chain Code of Practice’s aim of improving supply chain capability by encouraging transparent planning of contracting activity by major purchasers.
Brian Kinkead notes this: “All the presenting companies this year are signatories to the Supply Chain Code of Practice which exists to encourage improvements in efficiency, reduce waste and avoid duplication of effort so that we can boost competitiveness across the supply chain in the upstream oil and gas sector. Operators said they benefited from meeting a wider cross-section of the supply chain and from raising their business profiles with new contractors. For the supply chain, this PILOT Share Fair has been an invaluable chance to hear about the immense diversity of work available and the technologies that will be required to support those activities.
“One contractor who benefitted from attending PILOT Share Fair was Kevin Styles, procurement and materials manager at Wood Group Engineering (North Sea). He summed up his company’s view on the event: “We are strong supporters of the event and are regular contributors, viewing it as an important forum for sharing information with existing and potential suppliers. Both the presentations and one-to-ones were well attended and well received.”
Confidence check: upbeat
A snapshot of business confidence in the form of a micro-survey was taken at the event. The feedback was positive with 96 per cent of respondents expressing the same or greater optimism about their business in 2011 compared to 2010. The micro-survey also revealed a more positive year for employment in the supply chain, with 90 per cent of respondents saying that employee numbers in their organisation have either risen or remained the same over the last 12 months.
Mr Kinkead said: “Opportunities for business development exist at every stage of the industry’s lifecycle. These range from predevelopment work for new discoveries like Catcher and Jasmine announced earlier this year through to carbon capture and storage and decommissioning projects. They also include all the activities associated with contract renewals including drilling, infrastructure support, production operations and logistics.”
Building on information exchange
To gain further value from the project information displayed at PILOT Share Fair, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has launched Project Pathfinder which helps the supply chain to pinpoint and target oil and gas project opportunities as they emerge. Project Pathfinder provides real-time information on oil and gas projects, including location, type of development, timing and company contact details, for both new field developments and decommissioning of redundant facilities in the UKCS over the next few years. More details can be found here.
You can view the presentations made at PILOT Share Fair here.
