OSEA2020 goes virtual, physical version planned for 2021

Physical meetings were still possible in 2018, but that has changed due to the current pandemic

The biennial trade event for the oil and gas industry, OSEA, will be held virtually this year, replacing the physical event which is scheduled for November 24-26, 2020.

The physical event will be moved to 2021, with the exact dates yet to be confirmed, according to event owner Informa Markets.

Physical meetings were still possible in 2018, but that has changed due to the current pandemic

The decision came as the world continues to see ongoing border controls and travel restrictions due to the pandemic.

In pivoting to an online stage, OSEA2020 will now comprise a virtual exhibition with booths that allow exhibitors to personalise content and product showcases, and a chat platform for live interaction between exhibitors and buyers. Attendees can transit from the exhibition to industry thought-leadership panels and seminars held across three event days.

Thereafter, the exhibition hall will become an online marketplace where exhibitors can source for business leads throughout the year.

The virtual version will maintain the event’s networking role, enabling attendees to connect with existing and new business partners, and set up meetings using an Artificial Intelligence-powered business matching platform. Attendees will receive personalised suggestions on who to meet at the event based on their interests and profile, and be able to hold meetings in a virtual video conferencing room.

LNGgc Asia Congress will be co-located alongside OSEA2020, where more than 25 speakers in a virtual environment will share commercial, strategic and technical insights to enable competitive advantage and open up new business avenues.

Carol New, head of sales, energy, utilities & resources, Informa Markets, said: “OSEA has served the oil and gas industry in Asia as a key business platform and biennial meeting place for industry professionals for the last 44 years. As we work together to navigate these unprecedented circumstances, we remain committed to serve our community and deliver solutions that will provide business value and return of investment for all our attendees.”

Marjan Lacet, trade promotion manager, Netherlands Maritime Technology, the organiser of the Netherlands Pavilion at OSEA2020, commented that Informa Markets had made the “right decision…to postpone OSEA2020 as a physical event, given the current economic uncertainties, travel restrictions, and quarantine measures across the globe”.

Lacet added: “We need to adapt to the new normal and focus on what is possible in this unprecedented times.”

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