The South African government’s planned R9.2-billion investment to develop Saldanha Bay into a world-class hub for Southern Africa offshore oil and gas drilling will create substantial opportunities for companies operating in the sector. As such, the Oil & Gas Africa (OGAF) 2016 expo forms an effective services showcase and business networking platform for this rapidly expanding industry.

OGAF is one of five exhibitions that comprise the Cape Industries Showcase (CIS), an industrial expo which attracts many operators, stakeholders, suppliers and service providers. OGAF takes place at CIS from July 13 to 15, 2016, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone (SBIDZ) is the first major step in government’s Operation Phakisa initiative to expand and develop South Africa’s ocean economy. This is the country’s first dedicated facility aimed at providing support services for upstream exploration and production developments in South, West and East African coastal oilfields and gasfields.

“[The SBIDZ’s] main functions will focus on ship and rig repairs; maintenance, exploration, production and logistics support; and marine/subsea engineering and fabrication,” says OGAF organiser John Thomson.

He adds that the SBIDZ is rapidly creating a number of business opportunities for the local marine and maritime sectors, owing to accelerated oil and gas exploration off South Africa’s shores. Further, Thomson highlights that, in the last four years, almost all offshore exploration blocks have been licensed or independent companies have applied for exploration applications.

Meanwhile, heavy lifting and transport services provider Mammoet will make its OGAF début this year and is one of many companies that have signed up to exhibit.

“We provide solutions for lifting, transporting, installing and decommissioning large and heavy structures,” explains Mammoet marketing and business development manager Ryan Amos.

“We are running a project in Saldanha Bay for the offloading, transportation and installation of gas bullets for the storage of liquid natural gas.”

The CIS combines the Maritime & Offshore Marine Africa Expo, the Oil & Gas Africa Expo, the Cape Logistics Expo, the Temperature Controlled Storage and Distribution Expo and the Empowertec Cape Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Expo as part of one colocated event.