BACKGROUND

The Oil and Gas Industry Forum has met twelve times typically using a panel-discussion format, and facilitating open dialogue focusing on technology, market development, and the government role. The page on Previous Forums provides a link to the agendas and presentations for each of the previous events. The OGIF meetings have rotated between the United States and China with the first event being held in Beijing in 1998. The most recent event occurred in San Antonio, Texas in September of 2012.

The agendas for the various forums demonstrates the broad and evolving range of topics that have been presented at these meetings; similarly, the organizations presenting have evolved as the oil and natural gas industries have evolved. The rotating venues have also facilitated tours of energy infrastructure sites in each country prior to or post-event.

In the recent past, the focus has included outlook and trends for natural gas in China, including the development of an LNG industry; global energy market competition; new and unconventional oil and gas production; increasing oil recovery; shale gas; new technologies for producing and efficiently utilizing natural gas; coal bed methane; gas utilization; and deepwater development.

The OGIF meetings are a cooperative bilateral effort that explores solutions to existing challenges and promotes commercial oil and gas opportunities. The Forum contributes to gas policy development and provides a platform for commercial policy dialogue. Details about each meeting including topics discussed can be accessed under the "Forums" link.