Packed in at the Permian

On a day in late October, people grabbed whatever bag they could and stuffed it full of treats of all shapes and sizes. No, it wasn’t Halloween, but the biennial Permian Basin International Oil Show (PBIOS), which took place Oct 21-23 at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, Texas. And this PBIOS was bigger than ever — with 39 new booths and 50,000 prepaid attendees filling the aisles. The massive amount of metal and horsepower on display was something to behold. Freebies? Sure, corporate logos appeared on all manner of walking sticks, squishy tools, and yo-yos. But new products from companies like Dragon and Robota Oilfield Equipment broke through the noise and focused discussion on oilfield innovation. Many attendees also stopped at the Geoforce booth to see our Track and Trace location software. Our flagship device, the GT1, with its Zone 0 IECEx and ATEX ratings, also featured prominently. We were never bored, but our feet could have used a rest! While walking around PBIOS, I spoke with many customers and fellow exhibitors about the energy and optimism surrounding production in the Permian Basin, and the amazing amount of growth in the area. I’m confident the 2016 show will offer even more for the O&G professional.