–to focus on advancement of local content, participation of indigenous companies

(Guyana Chronicle) EVEN though the flurry of physical activities and extravagance will be absent this year, the organisers of the Guyana International Petroleum Business Summit and Exhibition (GIPEX) intend on facilitating engaging discussions on the country’s advancement in the petroleum sector through an innovative, virtual platform.
This, the third annual GIPEX, will run from June 28-30 via a virtual platform hosted collectively by Valiant Business Media (VBM), the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GMSA).
The activity, which is being organised by VBM, will comprise a virtual conference and exhibition and include private breakout rooms, facility for one-on-one virtual meetings, integrated chat and video conferencing, and the virtual exchange of business cards and brochures.

The Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, in a recent statement, said the ministry is pleased to be hosting the event jointly with VBM.
“GIPEX remains our largest oil and gas conference and exhibition, providing a great opportunity for all stakeholders to converge in order to discover opportunities, be updated on the latest developments, network, establish business contacts and discuss opportunities and developments within the oil and gas sector in Guyana,” the minister said.

He added: “This year we would like to put more focus on the advancement of local content and are looking forward to facilitating maximum participation of the indigenous companies, the small and medium-sized enterprises as well as the startups in addition to international companies interested in exploring tremendous opportunities in our oil and gas sector.”
The exhibition will allow participants to interact closely with peers across the globe and conduct business, generate qualified leads and gauge instant market reaction with real-time engagement metrics.
The conference will include presentations and panel discussions, giving insights on the latest trends and techniques in the industry as well as prevalent challenges and solutions to tackle business disruptions caused by the pandemic, and the implication of COVID-19 on the global oil and gas supply chain. In addition, leading experts in the market will field participants’ questions on the industry.
Chief Executive Officer of VBM, Shariq AbdulHai, said the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the organisers’ decision to hold a virtual version of GIPEX before returning to in-person events. However, he anticipates that the benefits of participating will be equivalent to what was offered during the physical events and even more.

“We are confident that the benefits will not be diminished in any way. GIPEX will be hosted via a new-age, interactive virtual platform that will maximise communication and networking among participants,” AbdulHai said.
Speakers at GIPEX 2021 will include Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat; Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond; Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal; President of the GMSA, Rafeek Khan; President and Chief Executive Officer of Saipem, Giorgio Martelli; Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr. Paloma Mohamed; President of the American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana, Zulfikar Ally; Chairman of the International Association of Drilling Contractors, Carlos Ortiz Rigeur, and many other industry experts.
GIPEX has a history of successful execution, with over 250 local and international companies participating in the 2019 summit in addition to more than 70 exhibitors.
Major industry operatives have already signalled their interest in being a part of GIPEX 2021. Saipem is on board as a gold exhibitor, while JHI Associates, TechnipFMC and Oceaneering are silver sponsors. Associate sponsors include Sol, Parker and Digicel.
The third annual GIPEX is particularly timely because business opportunities in Guyana’s oil and gas sector are growing quickly, as news of the nation’s nine billion barrels continues to attract the interest of the international business community.