Inuvik (Mar 10/03) - The third annual Inuvik Petroleum Show is set to go June 18 and 19.

The theme of this year's show is "Preparing for the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline."

The show is expected to draw some 110 exhibitors from the oil and gas patch.

The event is held in the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex, with exhibitor booths in both the arena and curling rink.

Although still weeks away, exhibitor space is sold out in the arena and going fast in the curling club, said coordinator Colleen Mitchell.

"It is filling very quickly," said Mitchell. "Companies who planned to come but haven't booked yet should let us know as soon as possible."

Mitchell said the show is anticipating about 600 delegates and exhibitors all told, about the same attendance as last year.

That's about 430 more people than there are hotel rooms in town, but somehow it all works out, said Mitchell.

Last year, every hotel room and bed and breakfast in town was booked weeks in advance.

To augment that, the Arctic Star barge camp was floated down the Mackenzie River to provide another 44 rooms.

Aurora College provided 25 student residence rooms and another 30 came via the McDonald Bros. Electric camp about a kilometre out of town.

"It will be very similar this year," said Mitchell.

"If necessary, people billet out their homes. The entire community really pulls together very well to make this happen.

"The Mackenzie Delta Hotel Group in particular does a great job organizing accommodation. The message is, whoever wants to come, we will find a place for them."

The economic benefit to the community is estimated at about $2 million.

Workshop sessions and keynote speeches geared to this year's theme include:

-Mackenzie Valley pipeline project update.

-Realistic business and work opportunities (pipeline and exploration).

-Oil and gas exploration projection, 2003 and 2004.

-Lessons learned from past mega-projects in the NWT.

"One thing that will be different this year is that we will have more town-hall style forums and panel discussions," said Mitchell.

"We think that will initiate a better dialogue in the plenary sessions, rather than just in the breakout sessions."