DAMMAM: The seventh Saudi Arabia International Oil and Gas Exhibition 2015 (SAOGE) ended Wednesday, marking a turnout of 10,000 visitors during its three-day run.

Khaled bin Muhammad Al-Batal, undersecretary of the Eastern Province (EP), inaugurated the event on behalf of the Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Naif,

Participants said SAOGE 2015 realized its objectives like disseminating information on developments in the gas and oil sector as well as the production and consumption patterns worldwide.

Italian Ambassador Mario Boffo visited the expo’s various pavilions that showcased the latest advancement in the world’s gas and oil industry. Boffo had a word of praise for the event that brought together specialized firms and consumers as well as potential investors.

Dhahran Expo CEO Muhammad bin Hamad Al-Hussaini said: "SAOGE focused on the challenges facing the oil and gas industry and provided a platform for exchanging information and experiences among its participants."

Participating firms included 60 percent local and the rest international.

The event benefited the national gas and oil companies a great deal and highlighted factors like augmenting investment and improving their capability by self-financing projects, sourcing new technologies from specialized companies, and developing their HR, administrative and technical expertise, as also their resource management, Al-Hussaini said.

He added that the show served its purpose of providing a clear vision for the gas and oil sector; natural gas is one of the most environmentally clean energy sources because it contains very low amounts of sulfur, and is completely free of aromatic and unsaturated materials. Besides, gas accounts for 42 percent of the total energy used worldwide.

A cross-section of visitors said SAOGE 2015 marked a giant leap in the field of oil gas as it provided a platform for both the participants and visitors to interact and gain necessary information related to production, consumption and the latest technological developments.