The Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) announces its 38th Annual International Conference and Exhibition (AICE), which is the largest gathering of Geoscientists and other stakeholders in the oil and gas space in Sub Saharan Africa. The event takes place in Lagos.
The theme of the conference is “Accelerating Growth in Nigeria’s Hydrocarbon Reserves: Emerging Concepts, Challenges and Opportunities.”
Speaking at a press conference with energy correspondents, NAPE President, Mr. Alex Tarka, disclosed that this year’s AICE is slated to hold physically and virtually at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos from 15-19 November 2020.
The Conference will host speakers who are high-level industry practitioners, key personnel in government and the academia, delivering technical papers on seven (7) sub-themes namely: Accelerating Nigeria’s Reserves Growth Opportunities, Novel Concepts and Approaches in Geophysics, Petroleum System Studies and Integrated Reservoir Modeling, Emerging Technologies and Current Applications in Exploration and Production, Energy Mix and Transition, Health, Safety, Security and Environment, Talent Management, Capacity Building and the Next Generation of E & P Leaders.
Tarka stated that the opening ceremony holds on Tuesday 17th November 2020. The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is the Special Guest of Honour. The Keynote paper titled, “The Future of the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry 2021-2025”, will be delivered by Chief Dr. Tunde Afolabi, MFR, FNAPE, Chairman/ CEO of Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited.
The NAPE President was of the view that oil and gas will continue to be fuels of choice for the foreseeable future and conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons are likely to remain the main component of the energy mix needed to meet the growing global energy demand in the next five decades.
He said, “in the coming period, technological innovations will be critical not only in ensuring the supply of affordable hydrocarbons, but in mitigating the environmental impact of hydrocarbon exploration, production and utilization.”
Nigeria is at risk of long-term disruption to oil and gas supplies, power generation, a collapse of industries and significant loss of revenue due to continued reduction in hydrocarbon exploration activities. Reduction in hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation has dire consequences for a country like Nigeria with a mono-economy hinged on crude oil.
Tarka stated further that technology is the heart of all the significant achievements in the oil and gas industry. The way hydrocarbon is discovered, developed and produced, has been impacted by evolutionary technologies that have emerged since the Drake well of 1859. But the challenge is how far Nigeria has travelled down the technology road.
It is against the backdrop of the foregoing that NAPE will at its 38th AICE be deliberating on the petroleum business and the regulatory environment with a view to addressing the challenges of exploration and production in terrains including onshore, offshore and Nigeria’s frontier basins, as well as government and regulatory agencies’ support and funding, Cash Call exit and incentives, competitive fiscal regimes, PIB, NIPEX operations, Licensing rounds, refining capacity, midstream infrastructure and the domestic gas market
The Conference will also be beaming its searchlight on modern technology application in exploration and production using big data, digitalization, data analytics, artificial intelligence opportunities, etc. Participants at the Conference will also be discussing the impact of renewable and unconventional energy resources in the oil and gas industry as well as grooming the next generation of E&P professionals.
According to the NAPE President, the event will have four major formats:
CONFERENCE
Pre- Conference Workshop
The theme of the Pre- Conference Workshop which holds on Monday 16th November and starting at 9: 00am is “Levers for Optimal Costs Reduction in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Production: Positioning for the New Normal”. The Keynote Speaker will be Roger Brown, CEO, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc.
The Pre-Conference Workshop is expected to set the tone for the entire conference. It is worthy to note that key pieces of legislation such as the Marginal Fields Act and the Deepwater Act were all based on templates that came out of previous NAPE Pre-Conference Workshop Communiqués.
Management Session
The Management session has the theme: “Future of 0il and Gas Industry in a Low Oil Price Environment: Survival Strategies”. It holds on Tuesday 17th November at 10:00am. The key objectives of the Management Session are to exchange views on how best to meet fiscal, infrastructural, and systemic challenges in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.
EXHIBITION
The Exhibition which will be virtual, and it will showcase latest technologies, products, services and competencies from IOCs and Indigenous operators in the upstream sector of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. There will be a dedicated pavilion for banks/financial institutions/universities and other professional associations.
TECHNICAL PROGRAMS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
The 38th AICE will provide learning opportunities and insights into best industry practices which include the Pre-Conference Short Courses from 14-15 November, a parallel session of Technical presentations and Poster sessions from 18-19 November, Young Professionals Programs, and a one-day Pre- Conference Field Trip with the theme: Coastal Environments: Relating Modern-Day Processes to Sedimentary Successions jointly hosted by NAPE and Women in Geosciences and Engineers (WiGE), a sister Association of NAPE.
INDUSTRY AWARDS
NAPE conference will showcase an Awards and Recognition Night, which is the biggest social event of the conference and it takes place on Thursday 19th November and will recognize individuals, institutions and corporate entities that have advanced the learning and practice of the geosciences in Nigeria and globally. Other social events include the African Night on Tuesday 17th November, extending the warmth of African hospitality to all conference attendees.
Tarka pointed out that NAPE is the umbrella association for persons involved in the professional application of geosciences and related disciplines to the exploration and production of oil and gas in the country. It has over 12,000 strong membership which cuts across the oil & gas industry. Founded in 1975, the Association’s flagship AICE holds every year.
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