Staying home: Gabrielli cancels visit because of flu worries.
Gabrielli cancels OTC visit
Petrobras boss Jose Sergio Gabrielli has pulled out of a scheduled talk at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston due to concerns about swine flu.
Energy Magazine, organisers of the Brazil "Country of the Year OTC-09" breakfast on 4 May, announced Gabrielli would not make the trip.
An OTC official confirmed the cancellation to UpstreamOnline today but said the breakfast will go on as planned.
Margaret Watson, OTC spokeswoman, said she expects Petrobras officials based in the US to accept the Country of the Year award.
Sources tell UpstreamOnline most of Petrobras’ representatives from Brazil have canceled their travel plans due to concerns about the flu outbreak.
Watson said she was not aware of other speakers who may have canceled.
Gabrielli’s cancellation is the second high profile loss for the conference in as many days.
Yesterday Pemex told UpstreamOnline that boss Jesus Reyes Heroles would stay in Mexico to deal with company business amid concerns about the swine flu outbreak.
Another official will make Heroles scheduled presentation.
Though Watson stressed the event would go on as planned, companies are beginning to cancel evening plans as well.
Today, the American Bureau of Shipping canceled a reception slated for Wednesday night at Hotel Derek, saying “with the heightened health concerns from the swine flu we are concerned with the safety and well-being of our employees and clients.”
Sources told UpstreamOnline yesterday that Keppel had canceled its reception, one of the hottest tickets on the OTC social circuit, due to flu concerns.