EUROPE’S largest oil exploration and production event, SPE Offshore Europe 2017, being held in Aberdeen next month, has secured the Treasury’s Exchequer Secretary Andrew Jones MP as a speaker at its opening plenary.

Jones, who oversees UK growth and productivity, with interests in industrial strategy and North Sea oil and gas, will attend the conference and exhibition’s gala dinner and deliver a 10-minute address during the plenary.

It will also feature industry heavyweights such as BP CEO Bob Dudley, Royal Dutch Shell’s CEO Ben van Beurden, Wood Group’s CEO Robin Watson and Petrobras’s chief E&P officer Solange Guedes.

Organisers have also confirmed a strong line-up for its new Tech Trek, where more than 30 pioneering new technologies will form part of an innovation trail.

The idea is to highlight new technologies and make them easily identifiable to visitors via the OE app and website, the show catalogue and onsite through floor stickers.

The line-up includes a deep-water survey camera system by 2G Robotics, a warehouse logistics module developed by Kardex Systems, an ROV lifting device to reduce shedding and snagging by Ralston Instruments and a cable retrieval tool by Allspeeds, developed in consultation with international certification body DNV GL.

SPE Offshore Europe 2017 takes place at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre from September 5-8. It includes more than 65 technical papers and 11 keynote panel sessions combined with business breakfasts and topical lunches.