The energy meeting place

ONS 2016 took place in Stavanger from 29th August to 1st September, attracting 65,718 visitors and 1241 exhibitors

ONS 2016 has exceeded our expectations and I am very pleased that we managed to gather so many people in Stavanger this year. The high participation demonstrates an optimism in the industry and confirms that ONS is a key meeting place for fostering new business in a time of transition,” said President and CEO of ONS, Leif Johan Sevland.

The ONS Exhibition was teeming with activity from the opening Monday morning and throughout the week. Business meetings, networking, stand presentations, product demonstrations, press conferences and discussions on clean energy issues at Centre Court, were just some of the activities that took place in the nine exhibition halls.

2016’s ONS event focused on the theme of Transition and issues related to this topic were debated throughout the conference side of the show. Indeed, this year’s conference was the most successful in the history of ONS, with a higher number of attendees than ever. Approximately 800 delegates attended the main conference on an average per day.

The biggest names in the industry participated, with key players such as President and CEO of Statoil, Eldar Sætre, Vice Chairman of IHS Markit, Daniel Yergin, Chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips, Ryan Lance, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell, Ben van Beurden and President and CEO of Petrobras, Pedro Parente, speaking at the conference.

“The conference programme has been more extensive than previous years – we have gone from 88 presentations in 2010 to 500 presentations this year. We have gathered a good mix of high-level executives, technical experts and representatives for energy game changers. We managed to create engaging and fruitful discussions on future solutions, among key players and decision makers and highlighted business opportunities throughout the entire energy mix,” noted Programme Director for ONS, Ingvild Meland.

Another new feature at this year’s show were the Technical Sessions, which provided an arena where the industry could present new solutions, discuss technological challenges and learn about contract opportunities. At ONS 2016, Technical Sessions were for the first time an integrated part of the programme, underpinning ONS’ role as the leading technology marketplace for the world’s energy industry. This was a big success with approximately 1050 people attending 20 sessions over three days, showcasing technology related to the whole life cycle of oil and gas fields, as well as future business opportunities.

“We are glad to hear that ONS 2016 has generated business for our exhibitors. Contracts have been signed, deals have been made and future plans have been discussed and drafted. We hope the industry returns in two years to do more business in Stavanger. We will work hard to ensure that ONS 2018 will be even better,” concluded Leif Johan Sevland.

ONS has once again shown itself to be the leading energy meeting place, and work is already underway to make sure that ONS 2018 will be even better. Reflecting the understanding that the oil and gas industry has a strong cost focus these days, the organisers have decided to freeze the rates for stand locations. This means it will be even more affordable to be part of the ONS business arena in two years time.

For further details of how to get involved in 2018 visit: www.ons.no/2016/news/book-your-stand-for-2018-now

Key figures

• 65,718 people visited ONS 2016.
• 1241 companies from 40 countries exhibited at ONS 2016.
• 800 delegates on an average per day at the main conference.
• A more extensive conference programme than ever, with 500 presentations on seven conference arenas.
• Technical Sessions: 1050 people attended the 20 sessions over three days.
• Young: 2110 participated at the ONS Young arena.
• Festival: the free after party for everyone in the harbour area has been bigger and more professional than ever. 14 pavilions offered food and culture Monday through Wednesday and thousands attended the concert with Karpe Diem and the fireworks after Wednesday night.
• Summit: the ONS Summit Meeting gathered more than 100 top leaders of governments, corporations and academia from 25.
• Journalists: 202 journalists from 14 countries.
• Innovation Awards: TechInvent and Island Offshore/Centrica.
• Best Stand Awards: Norwegian Petroleum Directorate/ Ministry of Petroleum and Energy winners for stands 50 square metres or larger, and Vestteknikk winner for stands smaller than 50 square metres.