In 1969, The Beatles played their final concert and recorded their last album, Abbey Road. Also bookending the 1960s was the first OTC. This year, the Offshore Technology Conference celebrated its 45th year, and welcomed more than 90,000 attendees from all over the world to Houston with a “Come Together” theme that gave a nod to the Fab Four’s No. 1 hit of the same name.

“We provide the venue and unique opportunities for leaders, engineers, scientists, professionals, manufacturers, investors and entrepreneurs to come together to see the state-of-the-art of our industry and explore new opportunities,” said Doreen Chin of Shell, who served as chairwoman of this year’s technical program. “It is a global community of professionals with common needs and challenges.”

That global community represents more than 120 countries, Chin said, making OTC “the largest energy-related technology conference in the world.” That’s what makes this year’s theme so fitting, she said.

Putting together such a large conference that entertains the world’s offshore elite takes a great coordinated effort. Chin said this year’s OTC Program Committee was comprised of 14 subcommittees—24 members representing 12 sponsor organizations, with the chair and vice chair of 12 subcommittees that comprise more than 200 subcommittee members—in addition to two special task committees.

For OTC 2014, planners brought onboard new sessions, including an event with former astronaut Mike Bloomfield, now vice president and general manager of Oceaneering Space Systems. As more subsea projects come online, companies are looking to NASA to partner with them in the exploration of new frontiers, she said.

But, Chin explained, there was something for everyone at OCT. Speakers presented 48 technical paper sessions on “ hot topics, key issues, new technologies, industrial trends and offshore projects,” along with nine panels that covered broader topics. All of the events were designed to educate the throng in attendance, but Chin said everyone could benefit from having attended at least one of the four networking events for the opportunity “to engage closely with the industrial leader on the hot topics in a more relaxed atmosphere.”

Conference chairman Ed Stokes said that in the days leading up to the show, his own excitement was palpable.

“OTC today isn’t just the planning for and the annual execution of the conference in Houston. It is the management of four global conferences,” he said, adding, “I’m excited about the anniversary since it signifies and confirms the great visions that people who created OTC had in the late ‘60s. Furthermore, it shows that the collaborative model among engineering and geoscience societies and trade organizations is still meeting the needs of our society members, exhibitors and attendees.”

After serving two years as vice chairman, Stokes took the reins of the chairmanship at the closing of the 2013 conference.

“I’m now the one out in front and the one leading and making many decisions for the organization,” he said. “As chairman of the board, you become the point of focus both internally and externally. It’s humbling to have the faith and support of my fellow board members.”

OTC Vice Chairman Joe Fowler said the conference’s long-term success is a result of cooperation among the 13 professional societies and two industry groups that sponsor it.

“Rarely, if ever, in the engineering profession does such a broad and diverse group of technical people and trade groups come together to share the latest, greatest and most important technical achievements of the entire industry,” he said. “To me, the greatest duty of the officers is to continue that cooperation.”

OTC has no doubt thrived on that sense of collaborating, and it has permitted conference planners to expand its offerings over the years. Stokes noted the addition of the annual dinner, at which OTC Distinguished Awards are distributed. Proceeds from the event support “a national or international charity that is making a difference in the world,” he said. Other additions included networking events, such as “Women in the Industry Sharing Experiences (WISE), and three global conferences: OTC Brasil, the Arctic Technology Conference and OTC Asia.”

And, Stokes said, OTC directors are already looking forward to 2015, when OTC will launch “the next big thing.”

While no one knows what the next 45 years will bring, the near term appears strong for the offshore industry.

“Over the next 25 years, energy demand is estimated to increase by about 30%,” Stokes said. “This additional energy will have to come from many places. Deepwater is going to be one of them. There is simply no other choice but for us to continue to do all we can to help stimulate the growth of our industry by facilitating the exchange of knowledge through networking, sharing lessons learned, encouraging the development of new technology and educating young people [who are] considering joining our industry, as well as the public in general. Through this we will be able globally to provide the energy the world needs and do it in a safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly way.”