Last year, the delegation was made up of 300 participants and there were over 100 requests for meetings (from American companies alone) through the B2B program. At the beginning of April, the consulate already had approximately 160 people registered for its 2014 OTC delegation. In addition to its B2B meetings, the consulate will also facilitate a range of other meetings between Brazilian and American companies during the fair. One benefit for participants will be free access to the International Business Center, which offers the facilities for these meetings to be held.  

The 2013 OTC had a record number of visitors. Regina Cunha, senior trade specialist for the American Consulate, believes that the fair will have a new record number of visitors. "International industry is warming up and everyone wants to go to the OTC to find out more about the most recent technology, to develop new business and expand their network of contacts. The quality of the participants in our delegation, which includes companies of all imaginable sizes, is proof that the fair is a huge opportunity for the whole of the oil and gas industry," she says.  

She believes that business opportunities for American companies seeking partnerships with Brazilian companies are the main reason for the fair’s huge popularity every year. Participants in the consulate’s delegation have four days of free access to the fair, access to the International Business Center and support from the US Department of Trade to facilitate their interactions with American companies."It was through contacts made during previous editions of the fair that many partnerships were formed, and consequently, new technology to develop the national oil and gas industry was brought over to the country," says Cunha.