Woodward, Okla. — This Thursday will mark the inaugural Tri-State Oil and Gas Convention (TSOGC) to be held at the Woodward Conference Center.

According to Junior Long, TSOGC chairman, he had a vision for a convention in Woodward for the oil and gas industry but started looking for others in the industry to help him get his idea off the ground.

"We wanted to include all of the surrounding areas, and Woodward is one of the central hubs for the oil and gas industry, so it was just a natural fit for the convention," Long said.

The convention has taken 34 months to put together and they are expecting between 300 and 500 attendees, according to Long.

"The purpose of this convention is to educate people in the oil and gas industry on  hot topics," such as the latest industry technology, he said.

According to the TSOGC mission statement, the convention is designed "to provide an annual opportunity for our industry to assemble, discuss and implement more productive and efficient ways to accomplish company objectives. Our convention will also provide an educational forum for industry leaders that will enhance that regional energy industry as a whole."

This year attendees will have the opportunity to attend 2 of 3 break out sessions:

• Greg Flournoy of Schlumberger will give a presentation on Borehole Image Interpretation Techniques and Examples of that work, i.e.: Missippian of Northeast Oklahoma;

• Allan Clark of Halliburton will present "Completions Technologies: Rapidstage and Rapidfrac Sleeves;"

• and Baker Hughes representatives Bridget Todd and Steve Denney will discuss environmental considerations of hydraulic fracturing and StarTrak LWD Imaging.

According to Long, each session will be offered twice during the day once at 11 a.m. and again at 2:30 p.m., so attendees will have their choice of programs that will best fit their needs and/or interests.

The convention schedule also includes keynote addresses from Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy and Frank Young, vice president of Unit Petroleum of Tulsa.

The convention is open to all that are involved in the oil and gas industry and according to Long will contain lots of great information about the industry today. There is a fee charged at the door to cover the costs of the seminars and lunch.

"We will be honoring the legacy of Bobby Joe Cudd on Thursday night with an awards dinner," Long said.

During the dinner there will be 4 individuals recognized and given the inaugural Bobby Joe Cudd Legacy Award, the dinner is by invitation only, he said.  The awards recognize individuals who have made important contributions to the oil and gas industry over the years.

"We plan to continue to honor Bobby Joe Cudd's legacy for years to come," Long said. "There will be a picture of Bobby Joe in the hallway of the convention center with a plaque below listing all of the honorees of this award."

The convention recognizes Cudd because he was a local individual who garnered worldwide renown for his leadership and innovation within the industry.

The 2012 convention will conclude on Friday with a golf tournament, also in the memory of Bobby Joe Cudd.  The tournament will be held at Boiling Springs Golf Course, and according to Long there are still some slots available for the golf tournament.

"None of this would have been possible if not for the support of local industry leaders and the City of Woodward," Long said.



Here is a schedule of the events to take place during the Tri-State Oil and Gas Convention this week.

All activities will take place at the Woodward Conference Center except the golf tournament.

Wednesday, August 8

8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Exhibitor set-up



Thursday, August 9

8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Exhibit viewing

10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Featured Speaker, Dana Murphy, Chair Oklahoma Corporation Commission

11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Breakout sessions

12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch and Exhibit viewing

1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Speaker, Frank Young, Unit Petroleum, VP of Central Division, Tulsa

2:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Exhibit viewing

2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Exhibit viewing

7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Recognition and awards dinner, with keynote speaker Robert D. (Bob) Grace, president of GSM Enterprises



Friday, August 10

Bobby Joe Cudd Legacy Golf Tournament, 7 a.m. at Boiling Springs Golf Course