Perth hosts oil mayors
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Tuesday, 12 September, 2000 - 21:00
THE Annual General Meeting of an organisation set up to encourage business development between the world’s leading oil cities has been hosted by the Perth City Council.
The World Energy Cities Partnership is an organisation of the mayors of nine of the world’s leading oil cities.
The member cities are Aberdeen (Scotland), Baku (Azerbaijan), Daqing (China), Houston (Texas), Maracaibo (Venezuela), Stavanger (Norway), Villahermosa (Mexico), Vungtau (Vietnam) and Perth.
Aberdeen Lord Provost and WECP president Margaret Smith said the AGM was the one meeting all mayors tried to attend.
“That is where we draw up a program and budget,” Ms Smith said.
The organisation is drawing up its first business plan this year.
Aberdeen City Council economic development director Gordon McIntosh said the partnership’s five-year settling period was over and it was time to get serious.
“In Perth we’ve been going through the direction the partnership will take,” Mr McIntosh said.
“We’re going to expand the organisation. We’re looking at expanding into Africa, the Middle East and South American cities.
“We aim to build on the individual relationships that exist between individual partner cities.
“We’re looking to expand that to encourage companies to look at other markets.”
Perth Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass suggested trade missions be linked with future WECP AGMs, although it could be some time before that happens.
Mr McIntosh said there were already strong relationships between Aberdeen and Perth’s oil companies.
“There has been a growing interest in the WA market,” he said.
“Every two years we do an export market survey that asks companies not only which markets they are exporting to but also which companies they are interested in.
“There has been a growing interest in WA over the past three surveys.
“We now have several WA companies taking North Sea technology to the North West Shelf.”
However, despite the increased harmony the partnership fosters, there are some issues that need to be looked at, such as the differing safety training requirements required by Norway and the UK in the North Sea.
Mr McIntosh said one the partnership had agreed to conduct another survey of the elements oil companies found attractive.
“We’re doing a survey of what hospital facilities are available in oil cities, what the oil companies would prefer and where there are gaps,” he said.
“In Stavanger we conducted a similar survey of international schools in the oil cities.
“It helps countries find out what the oil companies want.”
Ms Smith said there was a need for mayors to become involved in such partnerships for business and social opportunities.
She said oil company involvement in cities could have huge social benefits.
Dr Nattrass said WA Agent General Clive Griffiths had been the catalyst for Perth winning the WECP AGM.
The World Energy Cities Partnership is an organisation of the mayors of nine of the world’s leading oil cities.
The member cities are Aberdeen (Scotland), Baku (Azerbaijan), Daqing (China), Houston (Texas), Maracaibo (Venezuela), Stavanger (Norway), Villahermosa (Mexico), Vungtau (Vietnam) and Perth.
Aberdeen Lord Provost and WECP president Margaret Smith said the AGM was the one meeting all mayors tried to attend.
“That is where we draw up a program and budget,” Ms Smith said.
The organisation is drawing up its first business plan this year.
Aberdeen City Council economic development director Gordon McIntosh said the partnership’s five-year settling period was over and it was time to get serious.
“In Perth we’ve been going through the direction the partnership will take,” Mr McIntosh said.
“We’re going to expand the organisation. We’re looking at expanding into Africa, the Middle East and South American cities.
“We aim to build on the individual relationships that exist between individual partner cities.
“We’re looking to expand that to encourage companies to look at other markets.”
Perth Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass suggested trade missions be linked with future WECP AGMs, although it could be some time before that happens.
Mr McIntosh said there were already strong relationships between Aberdeen and Perth’s oil companies.
“There has been a growing interest in the WA market,” he said.
“Every two years we do an export market survey that asks companies not only which markets they are exporting to but also which companies they are interested in.
“There has been a growing interest in WA over the past three surveys.
“We now have several WA companies taking North Sea technology to the North West Shelf.”
However, despite the increased harmony the partnership fosters, there are some issues that need to be looked at, such as the differing safety training requirements required by Norway and the UK in the North Sea.
Mr McIntosh said one the partnership had agreed to conduct another survey of the elements oil companies found attractive.
“We’re doing a survey of what hospital facilities are available in oil cities, what the oil companies would prefer and where there are gaps,” he said.
“In Stavanger we conducted a similar survey of international schools in the oil cities.
“It helps countries find out what the oil companies want.”
Ms Smith said there was a need for mayors to become involved in such partnerships for business and social opportunities.
She said oil company involvement in cities could have huge social benefits.
Dr Nattrass said WA Agent General Clive Griffiths had been the catalyst for Perth winning the WECP AGM.