The Offshore Technology Conference, which annually draws tens of thousands of visitors to Houston, will be deferred from May 3-6 to August 16-19, the board of directors of the event announced Monday, citing the pandemic's continuing threats and health and safety issues.

"By postponing OTC to the second half of 2021, we aim to preserve the significant work of the program committee and authors, as well as minimize the economic impact this decision has on businesses in Houston and throughout the industry," announced the organizers.

Each May since 1969, the long-running conference has been held annually in Houston.

The OTC attracted more than 100,000 attendees from over 100 countries at its peak in 2014.Because of coronavirus challenges and concerns, the 2020 event was delayed and later cancelled.

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