OTC '05 attendance hits 20-year high

HOUSTON — New technologies and new ideas to sustain the growth of the petroleum industry overflowed here at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), bringing a record 51,320 attendees to Houston for four days in May at Reliant Park.

Founded in 1969, the OTC is the world's foremost event for the development of offshore resources in the fields of drilling, exploration, production and environmental protection. Sponsored by ASME's International Petroleum Technology Institute, OTC is held annually in May at Reliant Center. This year's theme was "A Sea of Resources. An Ocean of Knowledge."

Rod Allan, the OTC '05 chair, said, "Industry leaders gathered in sessions focused on the future of financing the offshore oil and gas industry to meet the world's increasing energy demands and on recruiting personnel to replace the aging workforce. Those who participated in these sessions took part in creating history — some of the industry's brightest minds discussed ideas that will define the course of the industry during the next decade."

An array of new technologies was presented for the first time, he added, explaining that the Spotlight on New Technology program highlighted 14 innovative technologies that are already making the industry more successful.

This year's 51,000 participants, arriving from 110 nations, represented OTC's highest attendance since 1985.

The exhibition at OTC this year included 2,087 exhibiting companies, totaling more than 410,000 net square feet, filling all available indoor and outdoor space.

The 2006 OTC, "New Depths. New Horizons," will take place May 1–4 at Reliant Center at Reliant Park. For more information, visit otcnet.org/2006.

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