Expanding on long-term collaboration efforts, AAPG and SEG announced in 2014 a joint venture to co-present ICE around the globe to provide members and the greater oil and gas global industry with the highest level of geosciences information and data exchange opportunities.

Despite the current industry challenges, the first part of this series of co-presented events the AAPG | SEG 2015 International Conference and Exhibition in Melbourne, Australia was technical and networking success. Attracting 1,386 of the world's best and brightest geologists, geophysicists and engineers from students and young professionals to the most seasoned industry experts and senior management representing 39 countries.

Hosted by the AAPG Asia Pacific Region (AAPG), the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG), the Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia (PESA) and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), the conference incorporated PESA's Eastern Australasian Basins Symposium (EABS) which featured recent advances in our understanding of petroleum basins along Australia's eastern margin and across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.

Highlights included Opening Ceremony with General Chair Phil Loader, Woodside Energy serving as Master of Ceremonies, The Honorable Ian Macfarlane sharing insights during the Plenary Session, Reg Sprigg Memorial Symposium taking a look back and forth at Australia's major petroleum provinces, Discovery Thinking Forum, the Marita Bradshaw Symposium I & II honoring the career of recently retired Dr. Marita Bradshaw and a special talk by Professor Iain Stewart at the Featured Speaker Luncheon.

ICE 2015 by the Numbers

Attendance Breakdown:

Professionals, 1128
Students, 210
Exhibitors, 40
Press, 8
Total, 1,386*
*(excluding AAPG staff, contractors and guests)

Attendance By Country:

Percent of non-US Attendees, 97%
Countries Represented, 39

Attendance By Region:

• African Region, 10
• Asia Pacific Region, 1,158
• European Region, 87
• Latin American Region, 10
• Middle East Region, 52
• North America Region, 69

Top 10 Most Highly Represented Countries at ICE:

1. Australia
2. United States
3. China
4. United Kingdom
5. Indonesia
6. New Zealand
7. Saudi Arabia
8. Kuwait
9. Malaysia
10. Singapore

Top 5 U.S. States Represented at ICE:

1. Texas, 67
2. Oklahoma, 22
3. Colorado, 11
4. California, 6
5. Utah, 5

Ticketed Events and Networking:

2 Field Trips planned, 24 attendees
5 Short Courses planned, 83 attendees
1 Paid luncheon, 148 attendees
Career Planning Workshop - Students and Young Professionals Only, 64 attendees
Women in Geosciences Forum, 70 attendees

Exhibition:

Number of exhibiting companies, 60
Number of net square feet sold on Exhibition Floor, 897