The 2012 edition of the Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, ended in Houston, Texas, USA, last week with a record 89,400 attendees in its 30-year history.

According to the organisers, the feat, which represents 14 percent increase over 2011 figures, makes it the third highest in history.

“Attendance surpassed the 2011 total of 78,645, and the sold-out exhibition was the largest in event history at 641,350 ft² with the addition of the outdoor pavilion, up from 603,000 ft² in 2011,” they proudly said in a statement issued to journalists.

The exhibition had 2,500 companies representing 46 countries, including 200 new exhibitors that included exhibitors from Bahrain, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, New Zealand, and Twain, they added.

The statement quoted the Chairman of OTC, Mr. Steve Balint, as saying, “OTC 2012 was the most successful event we have had since the early 80s. In terms of strength of the technical sessions and technology on display, OTC reached a record-breaking number of people and offered the most ways to connect, educate, and conduct business. The industry is on the rise and challenges are ahead, making it more important than ever to collaborate and share best practices with colleagues all over the world.  OTC is the place to do that.”

This year’s event featured eight panel sessions, 29 executive keynote presentations at luncheons and breakfasts, and 300 technical papers. Speakers from major, independent, and national operators; global government officials; and academia presented their views on the current challenges and future directions of the industry.

Technology, which is the hallmark of the OTC, saw some 13 technologies winning the OTC Spotlight on New Technology awards.  The recipients were recognised for their innovation in allowing the industry to produce offshore resources.

OTC also introduced new technical topics and ways to connect through two focused networking events one on health, safety, and environment professionals and the other on women working in the industry.

“What we hoped to accomplish in this session was to bring women together to network and talk about what’s on their minds and how the industry can help,” said Ms. Cindy Yielding, a member of the OTC Board of Directors.

The Annual OTC Dinner was attended by approximately 900 industry leaders and conference attendees, and raised about $225,000 for Engineers Without Borders USA.

“Engineers Without Borders works to achieve a vision of a world in which all communities have the capacity to meet their basic human needs. The financial support from OTC will be put to use in communities around the world by the exact same engineers and employees who work for the corporations attending this year’s event,” said Cathy Leslie, Executive Director EWB-USA.

OTC also presented its 2012 Distinguished Achievement Award to Joe Burkhardt, and the Distinguished Achievement Award for Companies, Organisations, or Institutions to Shell’s Perdido Development project.

Founded in 1969, the OTC, which rakes in between $3 and 5 billion annually, is the world’s foremost event for the development of offshore resources in the fields of drilling, exploration, production and environmental protection. The next edition of the conference will take place from May 6-9, 2013, at the Reliant Park, where it is hosted annually.