Low oil prices have reduced oil exploration and development activity around the world. Tens of thousands of workers have lost jobs with oil companies and in the oil service industry in recent months. So it was no surprise that attendance was down at the recent Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas. The conference has been a meeting place for oil and gas industry representatives for the past 47 years. In other years, large crowds attended the event. A number of oil services companies were represented at the conference this month. That is because these businesses know that oil prices will one day rise and their services will be needed. Milo Lu works for the Chinese company HuangHua Group. He told VOA that low prices have reduced oil exploration activity almost everywhere. “The only area that we still have something going on is probably (the) Middle East -- everywhere else its pretty dead.” But he said it was important for his company to attend the conference this year.