MEETING the ever-present global energy demand through developments in technology, unconventional resources, and international collaboration, will top the agenda at the largest ever Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (Adipec) programme.

This year Adipec will host more than 600 regional and international speakers from 111 organisations across 37 countries, a strategic programme, and a Middle East Petroleum Club member VIP programme, breaking its previous records with the largest conference to date.

There are 88 technical sessions (81 technical, three special IT and four academia sessions) planned, covering the complete ambit of the energy industry. There will be three IT sessions, eight global plenary sessions, two executive plenary sessions and a high-level ministerial session, as well as informative breakfast briefings and lunches, drawing together global industry movers and shakers across four days of extremely informative knowledge sharing.

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) is returning as conference organisers for this year’s event, bringing a host of innovators, policymakers and experts to discuss both challenges and opportunities facing the industry over the next 30 years.

Claire Pallen, conference director at dmg events, organisers of Adipec, says: “As Adipec celebrates its 30th anniversary, we look forward to welcoming the global oil and gas industry to Adipec 2014 this November. The Adipec conference has historically been an event ‘created for the industry by the industry’ and this year is no different. Under our theme ‘Opportunities and Challenges for the Next 30 years’ we look forward to providing delegates with a whole host of information exchange and learning from leading international speakers and companies within the oil and gas sector.”

MEETING WORLD ENERGY NEEDS
Driven by population growth and continued economic growth, global energy demand is expected to increase by approximately 35 per cent by 2040, according to latest figures from US-based ExxonMobil Corp.

Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, the Adipec 2014 chairman, and strategy and coordination director at the Adnoc, says: “The global energy demand is growing as economies prosper. Innovation enables the energy mix to adjust, and to meet resource recovery expectations.

“Collaboration and commitment among the stakeholders is vital. Industry events, such as Adipec, facilitate creative collaborative ventures. These ventures then increase value along the value chain.”

The conference will include an industry-setting strategic programme with a Ministerial panel session and two executive plenary sessions that will offer key insights from leading experts on how to enhance energy production by developing sustainable models that meet international, regional or country specific needs.

Starting the event, after the official opening and keynote speech, a high level Ministerial panel will examine how to develop in-country value. Senior government ministers will discuss government efforts to transform today’s oil wealth into a broader framework.

The panel will include Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy, as well as three other international energy ministers. The panel will debate how developing and sustaining local content can most effectively be achieved at a pace and in a manner that meets the needs of the region. It will revolve around the government’s efforts in transforming today’s oil wealth into a broader framework, investing in the country’s people – particularly on youth – with a focus on technical skills, training and developing technical professionals who are qualified and capable of working both in the country and abroad.

EXECUTIVE FOCUS
Two executive plenary sessions aim to provide an overarching view of the big issues. The first one, “Challenges and opportunities for the next 30 years – innovation and leadership” will deliver insight into leadership development, strategy, international collaboration, creativity and innovation as a means to successfully deliver the future energy landscape against the challenges of today’s changing energy environment.

Hot topics such as unconventional resources will be discussed

Discussions will explore the challenges of the changing landscape and need for collaboration as we strive to meet future energy needs. This session will debate the major obstacles the oil and gas industry faces today and the developments associated with innovation and leadership.

Speakers include Amin H Nasser, senior VP Upstream of Saudi Aramco; Nizar Al-Adsani, CEO of KPC; Bob Dudley, CEO of BP; Lorenzo Simonelli, president and CEO of GE Oil & Gas; and Naoki Kuroda, chairman of Inpex Corp.

The second executive plenary session, “Challenges and opportunities for the next 30 years – technology and Ssstainability” brings delegates closer to understanding how organisations have embraced innovative technical solutions while delivering upon sustainable improvements in practice.

Participating speakers are Andy Brown, Upstream International director at Shell; Choong Heum Park, president and CEO of Samsung Engineering; Paal Kibsgaard, CEO of Schlumberger; Arnaud Breuillac, president of Exploration and Production at Total; and Rainer Seele, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at Wintershall.

EXTRA SESSIONS
Breakfast sessions, topical luncheons and four academic sessions are also on the conference agenda, offering experts a platform to share innovative and ground-breaking ideas to meet the world’s pressing energy requirements.

Additionally, it will provide delegates with industry and region-specific information, including the UAE, East Africa and the US. There will also be sessions within this series on EOR and CO2 recovery, and research and development.

A VIP programme for industry leaders and policymakers will offer exclusive discussions on the important role of women within the oil and gas sector, and country-specific briefings – including a close look at Mexico – and a UAE downstream briefing.

Industry professionals will also have an opportunity to engage in eight panel discussions, covering critical topics that form the pillars of driving and sustaining energy growth. Discussion topics include the importance of on-going research and technology development, the collaboration between national and international oil and gas companies, and the ability for countries to attract and develop a talented workforce for the next three decades.

UNCONVENTIONAL RESOURCES
Experts will shed light on the use of unconventional resources, which comprise almost two-thirds of the world’s hydrocarbon resources, as a potentially innovative solution for meeting energy demands. Unconventional resources, such as tight gas, coal bed methane, and shale oil, currently comprise almost two-thirds of the world’s hydrocarbon resources.

More than half of the world’s oil reserves are held in the Middle East, where there is a fast emerging focus on these resources. “Demand for fuels is rising, and that means there is a growing need to find new resources or use new technology to get more out of existing ones,” says Musabbeh Al Kaabi, chief growth officer at Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Petroleum.

“This is a reality that is of great importance in the Middle East, which has significant untapped potential in unconventional reservoirs.”