The 20th edition of Rio Oil & Gas—the largest event of the sector in Latin America—is kicking off today (Sep 26). The meeting is set gather the main executives and specialists of the sector in Brazil and the world at the Olympic Boulevard, in Rio’s port region.

Recognized as Latin America’s largest platform for business and knowledge generation in the oil and gas industry, Rio Oil & Gas has more than 600 technical papers registered. They should compete for honorable mentions as well as the Plinio Cantanhede award, dedicated to the best work presented. They will also be published in the online library of the Brazilian Institute of Oil and Gas (IBP), who sponsors the event.

This edition is the first held in a hybrid format and should include more than 350 Brazil and international exhibitors showcasing their business potential.

The opening online conference is expected to feature Petrobras CEO Caio Mário Paes de Andrade. Also today, Brazil’s national oil, natural gas, and biofuel agency ANP will hold the 10th Workshop on Operational Safety and Environment (X Soma), open to visitors, exhibitors, and congress participants.

Petrobras is the main sponsor of the event and will be present in 17 panels of the congress, in addition to presenting around a hundred technical papers written by the professionals from the oil giant.

Projections

IBP expects to welcome approximately 40 thousand participants, who should circulate through 51 thousand square meters of the six warehouses in the Olympic Boulevard. In this edition, Angola, Germany, Argentina, Austria, Iran, Italy, the UK, France, and Norway have confirmed their presence and will have pavilions at the fair. The event should also be joined by large companies from first-time participants, such as Iran and Angola.

Supply

IBP President Roberto Ardenghy says that the oil industry “has the mission to ensure energy supply to the world and finance the journey toward a low-carbon economy. In the current climate emergency, the sector is putting more effort into providing the investment and technology needed for the energy transition.”

According to IBP data, the oil and gas segment accounts for about 15 percent of the industrial GDP of Brazil, considered the world’s 9th top oil producer. For exploration and production activities, IBP estimates investments of $183 billion and $622 billion in tax collection from 2022 to 2031, with the average generation of 445 thousand jobs a year during the period.

Rio Oil & Gas is slated to end on September 29.