Leading Companies Gather for GDS International's 2012 NG Oil & Gas Summit in St Petersburg

St Petersburg, May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

On 3^rd - 5^th July 2012, a selection of the nation's most influential oil and gas companies will congregate at the Park Inn Pribaltiyskaya Hotel, St Petersburg, Russia, to attend one of the most well respected events in the industry - the Next Generation Oil & Gas Russia and CIS (NG O&G) Summit.

Global interest surrounding untapped oil in the Arctic Circle is heating up as the United States, Canada and Russia all begin to compete to exploit the reserves nestled within. With one third of Russia located in the Arctic Circle, regional oil and gas companies are well positioned to benefit from this find. The 2012 NG O&G summit has been specifically designed to cover the most pressing issues faced by executives in the Russian oil and gas sector today.

GDS International summits provide the forward-thinking executives with a client-focused platform from which to assess emerging trends and strategies that are proving critical to organisational effectiveness in 2012. The summit's programme combines high-level roundtable discussions with next generation technology solutions that have been carefully selected to address core challenges faced by decision makers in the sector. Exploration in the Arctic Circle, the Sakhalin Project, the Yamal region, and Siberian exploration and production are but a few of the hot topics to be discussed at the forthcoming event.

According to Ben Williams, Summit Director for the event, "Leading decision makers from Shell, BP, Lukoil, Rosneft, and Gazprom are attending to outline strategies and solutions to solve immediate challenges when approaching harsh, icy and relatively unknown productive environments. More than 60 of the attendees arriving at the Park Inn Hotel in St Petersburg will be top-level executives from operators and they will be keen to discuss operations in the Arctic Circle and the Yamal. They will also be looking to see how they can strengthen HSE (health, safety and environmental) practices in the region and how innovative technology can help improve company operations."

Executives will be given the opportunity to network and participate in a variety of comprehensive workshops and peer-led panel discussions that cover key industry issues. In attendance will be a selection of the industry's most prominent thought-leaders who will be contributing to the direction of the summit through a series of focused panel discussions.

Included within this summit's senior delegation are Ilya Mandrik, VP, Lukoil; Thomas Quigley, VP Yamal Oil Upstream, TNK-BP; Alexander Terentiev, VP Drilling, GazpromNeft; Chris Mawyer, VP HSE & Engineering, BP and Sergey Khafizov, First Deputy Director, GazpromNeft NTC.

Anatoly Kozlov, Deputy Chairman of the Board at Chornomornaftogaz attended last year's event, and was particularly impressed by the structure of the summit. He says: "I attend almost all of the oil and gas conferences, and this summit does stand out among the rest. The format is very different from the traditional format of such events. In my opinion, this is a more efficient approach, as it gives the opportunity for all parties to participate actively and communicate. I think this is the best approach to a summit." In agreement, Mikhail Ivanov, the CEO of Volga Gas says: "A great investment of my time. I have scheduled to continue talks with several potential solution providers. Excellent organisation, an outstanding event!"

The summit has been specifically tailored to prepare the forward-thinking executive for any challenges that the industry's rapidly evolving landscape may present. Drawing on experiences and discussing industry-specific topics, the summit will securely lay the foundations for 2012 and beyond.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ngoilgascis.com

About GDS International

GDS International is the global business event organisation behind iStrategy, and is one of the most innovative events and media companies worldwide - and a globally renowned producer of business-to-business summits, conferences, online information and advisory group gatherings. Founded in 1993, GDS International specialises in meeting the B2B marketing needs of our clients. Having a strong presence in mature industrial sectors but a finger on the pulse of emerging markets - as well as up-and-coming B2B business verticals - means we are perfectly placed to capitalise on the exciting developments brought about by the advent of a globalised economy. Our value proposition is simple: we deliver tangible business results from world-class events.

http://www.gdsinternational.com

Contact: Rachel Sandeman
rachel.sandeman@gdsinternational.com
+44-1179-261-421