Defence and Energy Industries will come together in Calgary as this Unique Industry Conference Premiers in February

Featured in the January 2016 Canadian Defence Review release

BRINGING TOGETHER TWO OF THE MOST POWERFUL INDUSTRIES: DEFENCE and ENERGY
ConvergX™ 2016
Canada will be host to a new progressive and dynamic conference next February 9-11, 2016 in Calgary, Alberta where WāVv, a company dedicated to developing strategic partnerships, will unveil its inaugural ConvergX™ conference. This will be the first ever Global Defence and Energy Conference, designed to introduce key executives from two powerful and demanding industries. Building upon each industry’s demands, lessons learned, and the need for growth and profitability – the ultimate goal is new growth.
WHY ENERGY COMPANIES WANT TO ATTEND
For profitability to continue while the Oil & Gas sector is facing pricing challenges, with layoffs imminent, strong market forces are urging the industry to find new efficiencies and cost-cutting measures. With the extra margins stripped, the timing has never been better to look beyond their own industry. New technologies may provide the answers, however, they must be proven in equally demanding mission critical environments, needs for ruggedization, traceability, integration and survivability in severe weather conditions.
OIL & GAS Industry – Key Divisions
Upstream
Explores, finds and produces crude oil and natural gas.
Midstream
Processes, stores, markets and transports commodities such as crude oil, natural gas and liquids
Downstream
Oil refineries, petrochemical plants, petroleum products distributors, retail outlets and natural gas distribution companies.
The Service, Supply and Manufacturing sector provides the specialized services and equipment needed for exploration, preparation, completion, testing and the processing of crude oil, natural gas and liquids.
In addition, they also utilize their experience and technology to meet client specifications and government regulations. The industry is made up of over 1,000 companies that consist of services such as:
Exploration & Production
Pipeline
Construction
Manufacturing & Fabrication
Electrical, Instrumentation & Control
Refining & Petrochemicals/Gas Processing
Health, Safety & Environmental
The Canadian Upstream petroleum industry has attained an international reputation for excellence in many areas including:
• High-tech exploration and production methods
• Cold-climate operations
• Development of oil sands, heavy oil and sour gas
• Gas processing, sulphur extraction and heavy oil upgrading
• Construction and operation of pipelines
• Specialized controls and computer applications
• Services, equipment and training for environmental protection and safety
TECHNOLOGIES OF INTEREST
The Oil & Gas sector have their specialized processes and systems. However, as they view the Defence sector, multiple areas of interest have come to light:
• Information integration
• Improved training to increase safety
• Security improvements
• Cyber security
• Infrastructure protection
• Composite Adaptations
• Advanced Materials and Coating Adaptations
• Process Control Networks
• Network Intelligence and Control System Improvements
• Strong Communication capabilities in remote and northern communities
• Remote Management
• Fluid Dynamics
Other areas of interest include tool improvement for environmental and asset protection that can leverage reliable integration of information from UAVs. This makes the UAV an enabler with data links and security provisions to support:
• Site Inspections
• Environmental Protection
• Airborne observation of leak detection and remediation with the ability of almost immediate transfer of data
The Defence and Security Sector
With both the Energy and Defence sectors already engaged either as part of the Advisory Council or as key sponsors, they view ConvergX™ as a new marketing opportunity that is receptive to current technologies and technologies that are planned as part of several technology road maps. The Oil & Gas sector represents an ideal market for tested products that assist with:
o Communication
o Security & Protection
o Cyber Security
o Integration of Systems
o Integration of Data into accessible central repositories
o Sensors
o Composites
o Propulsion
In addition to the new market opportunity represented by the Oil & Gas sector, with multi-billion dollar contracts worth of programs on the precipice of being launched for trucks, aircraft and ships, the defence industry is ripe for partnerships and expansion leveraging Canadian capabilities and export opportunities.
Industry Comparisons; Window of Opportunity
Each industry has its own personality and its own dynamics. The defence sector tends to be more similar to its government clients, measured, planned and deliberate, while the Oil & Gas sector tends to move more quickly to commercial and market demands.
Both communities have a language and acronyms unique to their community that are as common as hello and goodbye, but it’s pretty certain an Oil & Gas exec won’t be familiar with CSC’s and ITB’s or RFRE’s.
Still despite these differences in syntax and pace, there is strong commonality between the industries in their demand for excellence, need for growth and desire for expansion within a Canadian base with export intent.
The Conference
ConvergX™ is a 2 day program that strives to provide information, introduction and a balanced approach to providing both industries with new opportunities for growth and efficiencies. A B2B session on Day 2 will provide attendees with the opportunity for meaningful face-to-face dialogue between two major industries, poised for growth, to investigate and develop long term strategic relationships.
The Conference will include several information discussion panels in a plenary format that address shared areas of interest that include but are not limited to:
• Cyber Threat Protection; Infrastructure Protection
• Security and Risk Management: Focusing on critical security boundaries and from extraction to deployment
• Ensuring Success in the Arctic
o Improving Communication Systems
o Specialized Construction Solutions
• Improved Sensors and Data from UAV’s
Fire, Earth & Water, and Air
With a nod to the Elements, the session blocks are broken down by the unifying themes of Fire, Earth & Water, and Air to discuss specific technological advancement. A few of the topics on the agenda are:
• Fluid dynamics
• Sensing Technologies
• New Membrane Technologies
• Combustions, Burners and Explosives
• Northern Communication
ConvergX™ Awards
The recipients will be chosen based on their work, in either Defence or Energy, in one of the three following categories:
Most promising Pre-Commercial Technology
Cross-Sector Technologies
Cross-Sector Companies
This will also increase support by creating awareness, and encourage new research and development projects.
WHY ATTEND
ConvergX™ is a targeted conference to offer sponsors, attendees, and presenters the opportunity to review progress, lessons learned and capabilities in an adjacent market with little or no risk. There are several networking opportunities and valuable feedback sessions built into the program to facilitate introductions and create meaningful partnerships.
Register at: http://convergx.co/registration