Press Conference Rio - 19th WPC South American Launch
As part of the Rio Oil and Gas Show 2006
Dr Randy Gossen , President, WPC:
Opening remarks
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I am delighted to be here today. Rio holds a very special place in the annals of the
WPC. We were here 4 years ago when Brazil was host to the 17th World Petroleum
Congress, an event with 4000 delegates and 50,000 visitors to the exhibition
We are now preparing for the 19th WPC and before my colleagues here tell you more
about our plans, let me first give you a brief overview of what the WPC is and what
we stand for
• The WPC was established in 1933 with the intent to promote the
management of the world’s petroleum resources for the benefit of mankind. –
a pretty broad mandate
• Headquartered in London - 60 member countries representing over 95% of
global oil and gas production and consumption: a very international
organisation.
• Membership includes both OPEC and Non-OPEC countries and consists of
NOC’s as well as IOC’s
• WPC is a non advocacy, non partisan organisation and has accreditation as
an NGO from the UN.
How does the WPC add value?
• The WPC’s prime function is to catalyse and facilitate dialogue among
stakeholders, both internal and external to the petroleum industry on key
technical, social, environmental and management issues in order to contribute
towards seeking solutions to those issues.
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Accordingly the WPC does not have a formal position on sustainability but does
act as a forum to bring together in dialogue the various sectors of society that
have views on this and other issues.
Mission – how we will do it!
The WPC is the only global organisation that represents all aspects of the petroleum industry,
with the purpose of providing:
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Networking opportunities in a global forum
Common understanding of issues and challenges
Co-operation with other organisations
The promotion of science / technology, social and environmental issues,
economics and management
A showcase for the industry – walking the talk
A forum for developing business opportunities
Information dissemination
WPC cooperates with a broad range of organisation from within our industry and with other
stakeholders such as:
• United Nations
• International Energy Agency (IEA)
• Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
• The Latin America Petroleum Association (ARPEL)
• Oil and Gas Producers Association (OGP)
• International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association
(IPIECA)
• International Standards Organisation (ISO)
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International Gas Union (IGU)
Associations and Institutions from WPC member countries
Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
European Association of Geological Engineers (EAGE)
The World Coal Institute (WCI)
The World Bank / IFC
The World Energy Council
World Petroleum Congress:
• Main event is a triennial congress
• Many of us gathered here today have fond memories of the Congress hosted
by Brazil 4 years ago
• In 2005 the WPC was held in Africa for the first time
• Madrid will host the 19th congress
• Congresses attract 4 – 5000 delegates representing all sectors and all
regions of the petroleum industry
• In Rio: 4000 for the congress and 50, 000 for the exhibition
• I refer to the Congress as the “Olympics” of the petroleum industry
Other events:
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Not a one event organisation – some examples of recent intra-congress
events:
Alternative dispute resolution – in collaboration with the International
Association of Arbitrators in London
SA – High Commission for Sustainable Development in Africa
Youth forum in China
Qatar regional conference
OPEC/IEA workshop on carbon sequestration and methane abatement
Slovenia – smallest members – workshop 1 – energy policy in the EU.
Workshop 2 – downstream marketing and use of technology.
I will now pass to Jorge Segrelles from the 19th WPC Organising Committee who will
share with you the plans and preparations for the next Congress.