On Thursday 6th May, Day 4 of OTC, Infield's Director of Analytical Services and Publications will be the moderator in a panel discussion on "Independent Operators, The Future of the North Sea."

We currently taking written submissions so if you have something that you would like to have discussed by the panel then please forward these to Infield. Alternatively, if you are attending the exhibition and conference, then Infield's senior staff will be available on Stand/Booth 2740 for a pre-panel discussion.

Panel Discussion Briefing:-

North Sea discoveries have historically been large finds requiring large capital expenditures and associated with large infrastructures. This created a culture well suited to major and integrated oil and gas companies. The situation has now changed and this oil and gas province is now mature, the discoveries are smaller and the majors are moving their investments to areas offering greater reserves leaving behind profitable fields to be discovered, developed and operated by independents. The Gulf of Mexico's Continental Shelf stumbled then thrived through a similar transition in the 80's and 90's.

• Are there sufficient similarities between the North Sea and the GoM so that the lessons learned during the Gulf’s metamorphosis can be applied to the North Sea?
• Will the lessons being learned today in the North Sea enhance operations in the GoM?
• Are current UK tax and regulatory practices friendly towards this transformation?
• Are changes required before independents can profitably exploit fields in the North Sea thereby maintaining a healthy UK service industry?

We hope to see you there.

Best wishes.

Quentin D'A Whitfield
Director

Infield Systems Limited is exhibiting on Stand/Booth 2740