Participation important for boosting local content opportunities – GCCI

Offshore Technology conference

– as Guyanese contingent showcases local technology in Texas

Guyana made its presence known at the opening of a three-day conference on Monday in Houston, Texas, with several booths showcasing what the country has to offer as it created opportunities for business and networking.

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is being held this year under the theme “OTC: The Next 50 Years”.
Speaking at a recently held press conference, President of GCCI Nicholas Boyer said that participation at the OTC is necessary for local content development. He had noted that it allows for Guyanese businesses to learn and seek partnerships in pursuit of the emerging opportunities in the South American country.
GCCI represents more than 240 companies in Guyana and has been advocating for local content development, with emphasis on oil and gas, over the past two years.
“Participating at OTC will help us to bring more of the supply chain on to Guyana’s shores,” he said. “It was very important that Guyana has representation at this conference, and as such, in January, I reached out to the CEO of GO-Invest and the Ministry of Business to pursue a partnership so that we can ensure there is an adequate representation.”

“One of the key things we are aiming for in this mission is first education, secondly connection and networking. The underpinning of these two is to promote local content,” he said
Meanwhile, the Business Ministry on its social media page posted the Guyanese contingent interacting with other high-level experts in the field.
“This year, 24 representatives of Guyanese companies are in Houston, Texas, to market their companies, interact with potential investors and partners and to learn of modern advances in the oil and gas sector. Guyana’s participation at the conference is being coordinated by the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI),” the Ministry said in its post.
Before leaving to attend the Conference, Chief Executive Officer of GO-Invest, Owen Verwey told media operatives on Thursday that Guyana will form part of more than 60,000 that will be in attendance and it will create opportunities for business networking and education sharing among Guyana and other countries.
He had explained that the goal of the mission is to foster relations with other oil-producing companies to benefit the country and its economy. Furthermore, Verwey said the aim is to allow members of the Guyana delegation to network with other participants, as well as to gather relevant information on the offshore oil and gas sector.
“We will have two booths at the Conference and we will be looking into specific activities that are Guyana-focused and that will also complement OTC activity that is Guyana-focused, with emphasis on the country’s upcoming oil and gas industry,” Verwey explained.
There will also be a Guyana night of information sharing and networking in collaboration with a major partner ExxonMobil.
Some of the businesses attending the conference include Roraima Airways, Hughes Fields and Stoby, Ramps Logistics, GTT, Guyana National Shipping Corporation, Sterling and Japarts.
The Offshore Technology Conference was founded in 1969 and forms a series of conferences and exhibitions focused on the exchanging of technical knowledge relevant to the development of offshore energy resources, primarily oil and natural gas.