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Oil sands trade show returns to Fort McMurray

Last Updated Sep 1, 2017 at 8:05 am MDT

Suncor's base plant with upgraders in the oil sands in Fort McMurray Alta, on Monday June 13, 2017. The Canadian oilsands industry is beset with environmental concerns and low crude prices. Nonetheless, production is expected to grow. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

After a year away because of the massive wildfire, the Oil Sands Trade Show and Conference is returning to Fort McMurray.

The two day event runs September 12 and 13.

Executive Vice President of DMG Events, Wes Scott, said there is a lot of extra enthusiasm, especially since the industry is slowly picking up, and industry partners are ready to see the show return.

“In addition we’re talking to a lot of the service sector that services the Oil Sands Trade Show and they’re anxious to be able to show off new technology and keep their brand out there in the market,” he said.

He said it was tough to be away last year, but it just didn’t make sense to try and take over the conference centre and all that hotel space so soon after the disaster, which is why they held a charity pancake breakfast and golf tournament instead.

“That was a much easier thing to do without taking all those hotel rooms away from the people that needed them,” said Scott.

There will be about 275 exhibiting companies this year, compared to 550 companies in 2014 when oil was worth more than $100-a-barrel.

“2015 would have been approximately 400 exhibiting companies, so we have seen 2014 being quite a good year for us and then it started to scale down,” he said.

One of the key product categories on display this year will be digital oil sands.

“So that’s a lot of things from asset tracking to communications and the Internet of things,” explained Scott. “Environmental is certainly one of the hot topics.”

Scott expects as many as 4,000 people could pass through the doors.