Interest is continuing to build in the 2005 edition of the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Show, as booth spaces are filling up and seminar spaces are being finalized for the show, to take place Wednesday and Thursday, June 1 and 2 at the Weyburn Exhibition Grounds.

Show coordinator Marlene Nedelcov said that as of Monday the show was 84 per cent booked overall. Breaking down the spaces, the Colosseum is 88 per cent filled up, the Sports Arena is 77 per cent, and outdoor exhibition spaces are 95 per cent filled.

Requests for the golf tournament and banquet are also coming in, and interest is building for the noon luncheon on June 1, which will feature keynote speaker Hank Swartout, CEO of Precision Drilling. Some of the Oilpatch Awards will also be presented at that noon luncheon.

Estevan oilmen will man the barbecues for the luncheon, while The Family Place will provide the rest of the meal and will serve.

The evening banquet, served by the Young Fellows Club, will include the Southeast Oilman of the Year award, plus another surprise yet to be announced, said Nedelcov.

With the interest in the main speaker, no other seminars will run on June 1. On June 2, there will be a seminar at 10 a.m. by EnCana and Apache, who will provide updates on their CO2 projects, and at 2 p.m., Enbridge and Seminole will give information on the transportation and marketing of southeast Saskatchewan oil. The noon luncheon on June 2 is yet to be confirmed.

Preceding the two days will be a golf tournament on Tuesday, May 31, and a steak and lobster banquet that evening, to be served by the Weyburn Red Wings players.