The 12th International Conference and Exhibition for Oil and Gas Development in the Russian Arctic and the CIS Continental Shelf, RAO/CIS Offshore 2015, was held in St. Petersburg, according to the Arctic-Info news agency.

The conference participants discussed offshore oil and gas production, new technology and equipment, international cooperation and promising projects. The conference was attended by government representatives, the leading scientists and professionals from Russian and foreign companies such as Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil, Gazprom Neft, Zarubezhneft, Gazprom Neft-Sakhalin, Gazprom Neft Shelf, Statoil, FMC Technologies, SOCAR, Kvaerner, and Aaker Solutions.

Over 170 Russian companies presented their offshore oil and gas development solutions. Some 4,000 professionals from Russia, the United States, China, South Korea, Norway, Finland, Germany, Iran and Azerbaijan visited the exhibition.

Overall, 230 companies from 17 countries sent delegates to the forum. The business program attracted 640 delegates who listened to over 250 reports.

The participants in the first plenary session discussed the role of offshore oil and gas resources of the Arctic in ensuring global energy safety in the 21st century. Denis Khramov, Russian Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said that more attention should be given to oil and gas exploration and development at offshore and Arctic developments. "Exploration projects, research and technical solutions for mineral use, and the training of personnel are key industry development areas for the next few years," Mr. Khramov said.

RAO/CIS Offshore 2015 was sponsored by the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Emergencies Ministry, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use, the St. Petersburg Government, and the National Research Center Kurchatov Institute.