Over 50,000 industry experts, government officials and oil and gas companies are converging on Stampede Park this week for the 50th annual Global Petroleum Show (GPS).
Organizers said this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever, with five sold-out show floors in the BMO Centre and the Stampede Corral in addition to outdoor displays.
GPS is Calgary’s biggest city-wide convention with representatives from over 115 countries taking part, but the event had been shrinking in recent years due to the recent recession in Alberta.
“We are seeing companies that haven’t participated either last year or in a couple years because of the downturn coming back in. We are seeing other companies that had to shrink their space a little bit during the downturn that are now taking greater space,” said Nick Samain, vice president of DMG Events.
“We are also seeing brand new companies on the show floor, in particular…new exciting technologies such as digital blockchain and really those technologies that are revolutionizing the way…oil and gas business is being conducted,” he said. “Companies are looking for ways to do it faster, cheaper and cleaner and those are the companies we are seeing lots of growth in as well.”
Artificial intelligence, deep machine learning, and pipeline expansion are just some of the topics that will be covered in a series of seminars.
Premier Rachel Notley will also be addressing the convention Tuesday.
An awards gala will be held Tuesday night and a concert will also take place Wednesday.
The event wraps up Thursday.
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