Record attendance expected at OERB Expo in OKC

The organizers of this week’s 22nd annual OERB Expo to be held in Oklahoma City expect to break the attendance record set last year when more than 3,650 people were on hand.

“We’re expecting to break the record we set last year,” said OERB board member Tim Munson. He’s one of 21 members on the board of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board, which through its SOER or Sustaining Oklahoma’s Energy Resources program sponsors the expo at the State Fair grounds.

He told OK Energy Today that more than 3,850 people have pre-registered to attend the event that will be held Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bennett Event center.

“This is the longest running event of its type in Oklahoma. This is our 22nd event for the Expo and it’s unique in that it’s the only event of its kind organized and hosted by local industry volunteers,” explained Munson. “It’s very well received and one of the better times when you can go out to an oil and gas event and see literally several thousand potential contacts in the industry all in one spot”

But this year’s Expo comes at a time when the oil and gas industry continues to make the headlines, either through higher prices or higher gross production taxes.

“Without a doubt,  when oil and gas prices are headed up, there’s always a lot more interest. That’s the case right now,” continued Munson. “We’re in a period right now of pretty fast paced development in Oklahoma. The industry right now is definitely on the upswing and that always drives people to the show.”

Munson said all of those things “bode well for our attendance this year.”

He said whether it’s the small player in the industry or the larger one, it’s an opportunity to see some of the techniques and equipment being used in today’s exploration in the state.

Setup for the expo is Tuesday and Wednesday. The annual SOER Oil and Gas Expo Golf tournament will be held Wednesday at the Lincoln Park Golf course.