Pre-Salt Brazil Congress Gathers Experts as Oil Industry Prepares to Explore Massive Reserves

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 25, 2012 --(PR.com)-- As Brazil prepares to explore one of the largest oil discoveries ever, some 250 international oil and gas industry representatives are meeting with the state-run oil governing body Petrobras and other government institutions at the annual Pre-Salt Brazil Congress in Rio de Janeiro in June.

“Once again we are gathering the industry and Brazil’s who’s who to focus on the current state of exploration of the subsalt area as well as what the main challenges are to move forward,” says Bruno Araujo, the Pre-Salt Brazil Congress programme manager. “We look at national content, supply chain development, foreign investment and financing challenges. Some of the main technical challenges of exploring the pre-salt oil reserves include difficult access, and often, the lack of knowledge of technologies and equipment required for exploration; lack of skilled labor and the complex logistics when transporting equipment and staff because of the distance from the well to be explored and the coast.”

“The industry is looking for information and experts,” he continues: “Petrobras and its partners in the subsalt area need to capitalize and develop exploration technology for the area. Vendors of all offshore areas would also be needed on a global perspective to supply these consortiums with floating, drilling and subsea equipment and services. Besides, the seven largest oil companies in the world are desperate for new oil reserves and have shown themselves to be willing to pay whatever asked to have access to them.”

According to Pre-Salt Brazil Congress content manager, the subsalt activities are in the beginning phase and already represent 80% of Brazil’s total oil reserves: “It is amazing to see how the companies are restructuring their businesses to face this new scenario. The industry is looking for information, experts, specialized courses in order to be more involved and be a part of this exciting period in this country’s oil & gas history. At the same time, we notice that operators are afraid to lose their employees to competitors because certain skills are becoming very valuable right now.”

Official government participation at Pre-Salt Brazil Congress will include:
· Energy Research Company (EPE), President, Maurício Tolmasquim
· Federal Senate, Senator, Wellington Dias
· House of Representatives, Consultant, Paulo Cesar R. Lima
· Espirito Santo State Government, Development Secretary, Márcio Felix
· Sao Paulo Department of Energy, Deputy Secretary Oil & Gas, Henrique Gross
· Caixa Economica Federal Bank, Superintendent, Eugenia Regina de Melo
· National Agency of Waterway Transportation, Managing Director, Tiago Lima
· Strategies Centre in Natural Resources and Energy, Managing Director, Jean Paul Prates

Global oil & gas operators and suppliers who will be there include: BP Energy Brazil, Statoil, Chevron, Petrobras, TOTVS, Aveva, Petra Executive Search, Grupo Zorovich, Villares Metals, Wilson Sons, Technip, Swift and Horton do Brasil.

Event dates: 4-6 June 2012
Event location: Windsor Barra Hotel, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil