While all the final numbers were still being tallied Thursday, Permian Basin International Oil Show Executive Director Tony Fry was optimistic about this year’s edition being a success.
This year’s Permian Basin International Oil Show was pushed back from last year due to COVID-19.
The three-day event which took place at Ector County Coliseum and featured vendors from all around the world came to an end Thursday.
“I’ve been very pleased with the attendance,” Fry said. “Obviously, with Thursday being the last day of the show, attendance won’t be quite as good. Tuesday and Wednesday, the grounds were full. I don’t have the attendance numbers but I’ve been pleased with the attendance and the exhibitors. We’ve had a few no-shows but for the most part, we were pretty full. Everybody seemed to be in a good mood and saw what they wanted to see.”
While Fry said he doesn’t expect to have the final attendance numbers until after Thursday, he saw encouraging signs from the amount of traffic.
“Given the amount of traffic we’ve had and based on the parking lot that was filled, that tells me that our numbers should come in pretty nice,” Fry said.
Thursday’s attendance was expected to be lower than that of Tuesday and Wednesday, Fry said.
“Everyone’s been out here for three days and they’re tired but everyone is putting their best foot forward. We’ll have some people still come in. It’s not the same quantity as (Wednesday) or the day before.”
After a longer than usual wait for this edition of the Permian Basin International Oil Show, Fry said it was great to see businesses and customers back.
“It feels wonderful to the organization and I think everyone out here was happy to get out and see their customers and have the customers see their vendors and get out and enjoy the nice weather that we’ve had,” Fry said. “I think everyone was happy to come together again.”
In the past, the Permian Basin International Oil Show has taken place on even numbered years.
But after this year, Fry confirmed that it will now take place on odd numbered years, with the next oil show scheduled to take place in 2023.
“It cost these exhibiting counties some money,” Fry said. “I don’t think they want to do it again next year. I guarantee that our board of directors and volunteers, they need that extra year so we’ve made it official. It’ll be on odd-numbered years now.”
Fry and numerous vendors were mostly in agreement about the weather being better at this year’s Permian Basin International Oil Show compared to the last one in 2018 when rain and cold temperatures played a part.
“I feel like it’s been a good show,” Fry said. “It’s equal to ’18, of course the weather was better than in ’18. 2016 was a great show and I think this was equivalent to that too.”
Director of Business Development for Seepex Inc. Aaron Renick, whose company was back at the oil show for the second consecutive time, thought Mother Nature was more cooperative this time around.
“Three years ago, prior to COVID, it was cold and wet so it was a little bit tougher,” Renick said. “This time around, the weather has been much better. It’s been great.”
Seepex, which is based out of Enon, Ohio, is a progressive cavity pump company that Renick says has recently gotten more in-depth with oil and gas.
“This is a great way to represent our products,” Renick said. “It’s been great for us to be here.”
Renick says they aim to be back at the next show.
“We’re looking forward to the next show in two years,” Renick said. “We’ll definitely be back. We’ll get a better sense of what the ins and outs of the show are and we’ll be better prepared.”
President of Midland’s Mechanical Equipment Kevin Fikes said it felt good to be back at the Oil Show.
“It’s an opportunity to catch up with the customers that we don’t see as often as we’d like to,” Fikes said. “It’s also an opportunity to meet new customers that come in from different areas.”
Regional Sales Manager for Advanced Industrial Devices Randy Langen echoed those thoughts.
“There are a lot of people here that we needed to see including the vendors as well as the walkers so it’s been a good show,” Langen said. “We’ve gotten some good prospects. It was worth our time and money.”
For Langen, it was at least a step back towards normalcy as the oil and gas industry tries to recover from last year’s historic oil prices collapse.
“It’s good to be back,” Langen said. “It’s not back to normal yet but it’s for sure a step in the right direction.”
