This eighth conference is bound to be an outstanding event, given the vibrant state of this country's energy industry as it contemplates the rapidly-approaching post-Maui age.

Close to 500 delegates, mostly from around the Asia-Pacific region and North America, are expected to attend the conference in Auckland - the only New Zealand city with large enough conference facilities to hold this event. Each conference since the inaugural 1987 event at Wairakei, near Taupo, has been bigger and better than its predecessors.

However, clouds of confusion hang over conference organiser Crown Minerals as it is being restructured by the Ministry of Economic Development and its publicity unit disestablished. It is not yet known what will rise from the ashes of reorganisation, though it is hoped the new-look Crown Minerals will do an even better job of promoting and regulating this country's minerals estate than the existing body.

Associate Energy Minister Harry Duynhoven is to officially open the 2004 conference, with Ramsay giving the Paris-based IEA's perspective on the global upstream industry.

New Zealand energy executives - from Todd Energy's Richard Tweedie and Contact Energy chief Steve Barrett to NGC's Phil James and Indo Pacific Energy boss Dave Bennett - are also scheduled to speak.

Questions remain over the attendance of Royal Dutch Shell, with The Hague recently deciding to suspend exploration activity in New Zealand. This contrasts with the presence of then East Asia-Australasia regional business director Tim Warren and Asia-Australia regional business advisor Pete Jeans at the 2002 conference, which was held only a year after Shell took over Fletcher Challenge Energy.