LEADING EDGE technologies with a truly international flavour are the key ingredients at the GEO2002 exhibition, which runs alongside the conference.

Many of the world's leading exploration and production companies have a presence, as do scores of geotechnical and geophysical service companies.

A record number of 105 exhibitors from 16 countries have taken to the exhibition floor.

The state oil companies of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states - namely Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Saudi Aramco and Qatar Petroleum - all have a prominent presence.

International oil companies are also well represented. Petronas is making its GEO debut and will be joined by BP, ChevronTexaco, Conoco, ExxonMobil, Japan National Oil Corporation (JNOC), Shell and TotalFinaElf.

Consolidating this impressive line up are service industry giants, including Baker Hughes, Compagnie GŽnŽrale de GŽophysique (CGG), Landmark, Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) and Schlumberger amongst many others.

Other exhibitors include:

ADNR Arabia

This joint venture company in Saudi Arabia has its head office in Switzerland.

The parent company - ADNR Technology Services - has developed the ADNR Explorer, a revolutionary technological approach for direct hydrocarbon detection based on low-frequency acoustic and seismic spectroscopy.

The Explorer system is currently set up for hydrocarbon detection in any onshore environment.

Archimedes Consulting

This Australia-based company specialises in advanced processing and analysis or aeromagnetic and gravity data over onshore and offshore sedimentary basins.

Archimedes conducts extensive research on the application of potential field data to hydrocarbon exploration and deep crustal studies, and has developed proprietary software for special processing and interpretation of magnetic data.

Emirates Link Reslab

This Abu Dhabi-based company specialises in conventional and special core analysis; PVT analysis; integrated reservoir description; geological services; formation damage studies; block mechanics testing and NMR core/LOG calibration.

GOCAD T-Surf

Dubai-based T-Surf says it provides a unique and cost-effective suite of tools for oil and gas and mining companies. GOCAD, an innovative 3D earth modeller, enables multidisciplinary teams the share not just the same data, but the same reservoir model, from exploration to exploitation.

Imation Middle East

Imation Corporation is a $1.2 billion global company widely recognised as a leader in removable Data Storage ''information management'' offerings.

The company's office in Jebel Ali Free Zone (Dubai) serves the Middle East, East and Central Africa and Egypt.

Saudi Geophysical Consulting

The Saudi Geophysical Consulting Office (SGCO) is a national office for geophysical, geological, hydrogeological and environmental services.

The company was formed in 1998 to fill a gap in the market for specialised companies in this field in the Gulf.

SGCO says it is now a leader in the geoservices sector in Saudi Arabia.

The company uses highly specialised local and international consulting to improve and develop services for its clients. The office provides services for data acquisition, interpretation, processing of gravity, microgravity, magnetic, GPR, resistivity, electromagnetic and seismic.