The hefty development of shale gas in China is attracting the world oil and gas industry to exhibit their technologies, services and equipment at the 14th China International Petroleum & Petrochemical Technology and equipment exhibition (CIPPe Zhenwei International Petroleum exhibition), which opens in Beijing today at New China International exhibition Centre. The show, which runs to 21 March, is the largest of its kind in the world, with exhibiting floor space exceeding 90,000 square metres, and featuring more than 1600 exhibitors for the expected 60,000 visitors. The lingering smog that has blanketed the Chinese cities and increased reliance on energy imports have triggered Chinese oil and gas companies to launch large-scale shale gas exploration and development, creating business opportunities for exploration equipment manufacturers. The Ministry of Land & Resources expects China’s shale gas production to reach 100 billion cubic metres by 2020. About 100 shale gas equipment providers are exhibiting at CIPPe 2014, including international giants such as Baker hughes, Schramm and Caterpillar. Much of the equipment is being exhibited for thie first time in China. Shale gas will see even faster development as the government gradually opens the sector to private investment, which will lead to fiercer competition in the equipment market. Many venders are trying to diversify into service sectors in order to stay ahead of the competition. The domestic venders involved in shale gas technology and equipment are Sinopec Oil engineering Machinery Company,

Yantai Jereh Oilfield Services, RG Petro-Machinery, honghua Group, Kerui Group, Shanghai SK Petroleum & Chemical equipment, Northern heavy Industries Group, SJ Petroleum Machinery, Petrokh Machine Manufacturing, Panjin Liaohe Oilfield Tianyi Petroleum equipment and Anton Oil. As the leader in machine building, SANY heavy energy Machinery is introducing shale gas equipment to CIPPe visitors for the first time. CIPPe 2014 has six sections — oil and gas equipment, shale gas technology and equipment, offshore oil and gas technology and equipment, pipeline and storage technology and equipment, anti-explosion electric equipment, and marine technology and equipment. More than 100 foreign and Chinese companies have sent procurement delegations to the show, including Saudi Aramco, National Iranian Oil Company, exxonMobil, BP, Shell, Total, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Gazprom, Petrobras, Petronas, PetroChina, Sinopec, CNOOC, Overseas Project Team of PetroChina, CNPC Pipeline Bureau, Sinotrans and Purchasing department of the General Logistics Department of PLA. Offshore equipment is also a major attraction of the show which covers close to 40% of all the exhibitors. As China’s offshore oil and gas recovery rate is low, marine economy development is now a national strategy. cippe 2014 also hosts more than 30 workshops and will launch cippe exhibit innovation prize award. The major forums to be held at the show are The 6th International Petroleum Summit, Forum on Columbia Oil & Gas Investment, Forum on offshore engineering In Denmark, and pipeline construction strategy. The annual event is jointly organised by Zhenwei exhibitions and Petroleum & equipment magazine. It is supported by China Petroleum & Chemical Industry Federation, China Petroleum & Petrochemical equipment Industry Association and CCPIT Sub-council of Chemical Industry.