Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) 2010 will take place at the Stavanger Forum, Stavanger, Norway, between 24th and 27thAugust. An estimated 42,000 visitors from 100 countries are expected to attend the biennial show which features 1200 international exhibitors.Access to more energy will be the key topic. The theme has been proposed by an international conference committee chaired by Steinar Våge, managing director at ConocoPhillips Norge, and will set the agenda for the conference.
"Energy is a prerequisite for prosperity and a better quality of life. All current trends reveal a gap between our available energy sources and future consumption. At the same time, we must address the environmental consequences. It is our aim with this theme to embrace these great challenges," says ONS CEO, Kjell Ursin-Smith.
ONS intends to focus on the need for increased access to resources, better resource exploitation, and even more environmentally sound and energy efficient production methods, while at the same time seeking new, renewable energy sources. The exhibition will reinforce this message with its own theme parks dedicated both to renewable energy and a new park highlighting carbon capture and storage - both running parallel with the traditional industry exhibition.
"Our theme also sends out a signal that the industry is aware of its responsibilities. We are getting much support for the work we are doing to bring these new issues together, and we know that by building bridges between the different industry communities we are promoting skills transfer and the exchange of ideas," says Ursin-Smith.
Participants from more than 100 countries are expected to attend ONS 2010 which, since its inception in 1974, has evolved into what is today regarded as one of the world's leading energy meeting places.
"It is neither our intention nor are we able to ignore global energy needs and the fact that everyone must have access to energy. At the same time, together with the industry as a whole, we are respectful of the demands that we must set ourselves in terms of production and consumption," says Ursin-Smith.
Renewable Energy Park
Rewable energy is a key component of the future energy industry - an industry in which the environment, security of supply, and an ever-increasing energy demand present major challenges. The focus on the importance of exploiting natural renewable energy sources is growing all the time, and in recent years this has resulted in major growth and development within this sector. The value of the renewable energy technology market is expected to grow from today's $104 billion to approx. $467 billion in 2017.
Showcasing renewable technologies Renewable energy will be an important topic during ONS 2010. A separate Renewable Energy Park incorporated within the exhibition will focus attention on the challenges and opportunities in field of renewable energy. The park will provide a unique opportunity for companies who wish to showcase their renewable technologies and solutions to an audience of more than 40,000 visitors from the global energy industry. The park will act as a knowledge exchange arena and will provide a meeting place for potential future business partners and clients in the renewable energy sector.
Technology transfer between the space and energy sectors can result in new businesses, new jobs and new technologies. During this year's ONS you will get the chance to see for yourself the exciting potential developing at the interface between space and energy.
"The energy sector is one of the world's most high-tech industries," says Brage Johansen, who is the leading light behind the Space and Energy initiative and vice president of strategy and business development at the International Research Institute of Stavanger (IRIS).
Space and energy technologies are similar in many ways, and the industries have more in common than most people believe.
Both share technology challenges involving issues such as automation, harsh environments, new materials, energy solutions, remote operations, integrated operations, communications and surveillance.
The steering committee behind the Space and Energy initiative is made up of skilled professionals from Statoil, Oceaneering, the Norwegian Space Centre, IRIS and ONS.
ONS is currently making a dedicated effort to demonstrate how critical the treatment of CO2 is for the future production and utilisation of oil, gas and coal. Finding solutions At this year's event ONS will establish a separate CCS Park where relevant organisations have the opportunity to demonstrate the challenges, dilemmas and potential solutions related to carbon capture and storage.
"The global demand for energy will continue to increase for many decades. In spite of the rapid development of renewable energy sources, oil, gas and coal will continue to be the dominant energy carriers in the foreseeable future," says ONS CEO, Kjell Ursin-Smith.
For more information, visit www.ons.no
