Press Releases

Rio Oil & Gas has 100% of its available area already sold

Of the 30 thousand square metres set aside for the Rio Oil & Gas Expo 2002, 100% have already been marketed. Organisers' estimates show that roughly 800 companies will exhibit their products and services in the oil, gas and energy areas to 35 thousand visitors who will move about the exibition's four pavilions set up in the Riocentro conventions centre, where the event will be held.

International pavilions will hold great potential for impressing visitors. The fact that the Rio Oil & Gas Expo 2002 is to take place concurrently with the 17th WPC has contributed towards raising high hopes on the part of exhibitors for enhanced business and networking opportunities. Evidence of this is clearly seen in the remarkable growth of the national pavilions. The area of the British pavilion, for example, doubled in size from the 600 metres it occupied in 2000. The Chinese companies in turn have purchased 850 square metres, while the Italian pavilion, the Expo's third largest, is to take up 360 square metres, trailed by the Norwegian pavilion with 220 square metres in size. Also for the first time, India has made the decision to take part in the Expo.

A highlight available to all is the virtual reality lab to be set up in the Rio Oil & Gas Expo premises. There, state-of-the-art 3D seismic technology employed for mapping oil reservoirs is the attraction. The cutting-edge equipment works by "x-raying" the underground at depths of up to 5 thousand metres to spot oil fields and thus provide very specific data for the development of highly detailed reservoir exploitation projects. The use of this technology has led to significant cost cuts in E&P and to a hike in well productivity rates. Visitors to the lab will embark on a virtual voyage through the inside of the earth by means of 3D and stereoscopic images of underground layers.

The convenience court, which will take up 2 thousand square metres, and is to be set up by BR Distribuidora. BR is in the process of signing partnership agreements with service providers in various branches of activity with the aim of offering solutions designed to meet visitors' needs. Some of the services available to all visitors: Business Centre, cybercafé, Blumar Travel, Varig Airlines, Banco do Brasil branch office, DHL courier, laundry, cloakroom, seamstress, men and women's apparel shops, convenience stores, gift shops.

Rio de Janeiro, May 7, 2002

For further information, please contact:

Edelman Public Relations Worldwide
Malu Fernandes - malu.fernandes@edelman.com
(+55 21) 2271-3109 / 9306-6988
Vania Santos - vania.santos@edelman.com
(+55 21) 2271-3100 ext. 428 / 9672-2209