Inward investment on SNS2013 agenda

Extending the life of North Sea infrastructure will be among the topics at the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR) conference next month.

With up to 500 delegates due to attend the SNS2013 Sea of Opportunity event, another main topic will be how the region is establishing itself as a global highway for the industry – with offshore wind and gas featuring heavily.

The event will look at the local supply chain opportunities, but also how windpower and gas resources are persuading worldwide companies to consider opening bases in the region.

Among those already doing that is Fred Olsen United, which will have managing director Torgeir Ramstad among the keynote speakers.

Others speaking include Alstom, GDF Suez, Shell ONEgas, Perenco, and ScottishPower.

“We know many major energy players are impressed at the skills, expert knowledge and resources here and inward investment is a key part of EEEGR’s portfolio,” said Simon Gray, chief executive of EEEEGR.

“Speakers will focus not just on the potential growth of windpower but underline that we are nowhere near the end of the road for the SNS (Southern North Sea) gas sector, as many had predicted.”

Although decommissioning will be a topic for the conference, even more attention will be on asset management to extend the lives of gas fields and infrastructure to extract many remaining pockets far into the foreseeable future.

It is an area where developing technology plays a significant role and another session of the conference will focus on how the region’s innovation and inspiration are driving not only the energy sector into a new era but the wider industry world.

Much is based on the region’s research and development expertise of universities like UEA and Cranfield and centres of engineering excellence.

“It is an exciting and rapidly-developing time for the region – even though inevitably there will be many reminders at conference that cost-efficiency is the underlying essential for the industry to progress and succeed,” said Holly Harvey-Perdicou, EEEGR events manager.

“All the ingredients are there and there is no doubt that the East of England is becoming a global leader in a wide range of energies. The conference will reveal just how many people and businesses want to be part of it.”

The two-day event, supported by the European Regional Development Fund Programme, is at the Norfolk Showground on March 5-6 and will include an exhibition of 80-plus stands.