HOUSTON -- Nearly 19,000 attendees helped mark two decades of extraordinary networking and deal-making at the 20th annual Winter NAPE Expo at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston — the largest Winter NAPE yet, and testimony to the staying power of this event.

No single play concept dominated the show this year, as companies displayed a wide variety of drilling ideas. There were close to 1,000 exhibitors. Tight-oil and unconventional resource plays were prominent as many companies showed prospects in the Utica, Bakken and Eagle Ford shales, and ...