US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to İstanbul in July to attend the 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC), according to a statement from the World Petroleum Congress on Friday.
Taking place between July 9-13, the congress will be attended by the energy ministers of more than 50 countries around the world.
Turkey won the bid to host the 22nd WPC in 2017, widely recognized as the “Olympics” of the oil and gas industry. In a tight competition in 2013, İstanbul won the right to host the prestigious congress with 55 percent of the votes in the third round against its strongest rival, Houston, with 45 percent.
Tillerson, former chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corporation, who is being recognized for his “outstanding contribution to the oil and gas industry” with the highest honor of the World Petroleum Council, the Dewhurst Award, will accept the award during the Dewhurst Ceremony at the 22nd WPC in İstanbul on July 13.