WIREDGOV

The Energy Industries Council (EIC), the leading trade association for UK companies that supply goods and services to the energy industries worldwide, will lead a trade delegation of 19 UK company representatives to Azerbaijan on 10-14 March.

The mission, supported by UKTI, will visit companies in the capital city of Baku with a view to establishing links and strengthening trade relationships with the Azerbaijani oil and gas industry. The participating companies will have the opportunity to find out more about the local business environment and foster links with companies active in the market through group meetings with operators such as BP, Total and GDF Suez, and major contractors such as AMEC, KBR and CB&I. The UK supply chain has a proven reputation for excellence, developing advanced technologies that have been refined over more than four decades of operation in the North Sea. UK companies have helped unlock billions of barrels of oil through project management and engineering capability; the design, manufacture and installation of advanced equipment; in conducting groundbreaking research and development; and in providing learning and skills training across the entire energy spectrum. Activity on a number of major oil and gas projects in Azerbaijan are picking up pace, offering substantial opportunities for UK companies to do business. The Caspian region’s hydrocarbon reserves are relatively untapped and located strategically for gas supply to European markets, driving growth and global interest in Azerbaijani projects across upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. In December 2013, a BP-led consortium sanctioned the US$28 billion Shah Deniz II project to target reserves in the deepwater portion of the huge Caspian field, which followed not long after the consortium chose the US$10 billion Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) to transport gas from the field to Europe.

Companies attending the mission are: Atmos International, developer of pipeline application software; BS&B Safety Systems, manufacturer of pressure relief devices; Control Risks, global risk consultancy; Foster Wheeler, engineering and construction contractor; Jo Bird & Co, manufacturer of lifesaving and fire safety equipment storage; John Bell Pipeline, distributor of piping and associated materials; Knowsley SK, supplier of fire safety equipment; Lokring Europe, manufacturer of piping joints; Mott MacDonald, global engineering consultancy; Pipe Supports, supplier of pipe supports; R & M Electrical, distributor of electrical equipment; RPV Group, stockist of valves; Tratos, manufacturer of electrical cables; Voith Turbo, manufacturer of drive and control systems; and NOV Wilson, distributor of pipes, fittings, flanges and valves. The EIC runs up to 16 Overseas Trade Delegations a year, giving UK companies the opportunity to explore new markets, seek out specific project opportunities and showcase their goods and services directly to key decision-makers. Also coming up on the EIC calendar in the region are oil and gas delegations to Russia on 12-17 October 2014; to Kazakhstan on 9-13 March 2015; and an energy delegation (Nuclear, Renewables, Power) to Turkey on 17-21 November 2014.

Notes to Editors:

About the EIC The EIC is the leading trade association providing dedicated services to help members understand, identify and pursue business opportunities globally. Established in 1943, the EIC is a not-for-profit organisation with a large membership of UK-registered companies who deliver goods and services to the energy industries worldwide.

The EIC’s membership operates across the oil & gas, petrochemical, pipeline, power, nuclear and renewable industries, collectively employing over a million people and generating over £100 billion in revenues out of their UK-based operations.

Headquartered in London, the EIC has a global network of offices, from regional UK offices in Billingham and Aberdeen, to international offices in Rio de Janeiro, Houston, Dubai and Singapore.

To find out more about the EIC and see a full list of members, visit: www.the-eic.com

For further information: Andrea Frost, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 8614

Email: andrea.frost@the-eic.com

Or

Laura Tavernor, Overseas Events Manager, Tel: +44 (0) 20 7091 8618

Email: laura.tavernor@the-eic.com