Abu Dhabi is quickly becoming one of the world’s most influential energy hubs for the 21st century, and Adipec’s strategic location in the UAE capital further bolsters the event as the global meeting place for oil and gas professionals

The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec) continues to expand in size and scale as new features are introduced to meet the industry’s evolving requirements, and as the event consolidates its position as the world’s premier meeting place for oil and gas knowledge and information.

"We are expecting the participation of more than 2,000 exhibiting companies, 700 speakers, and over 100,000 trade professionals from 125 countries. This would be a considerable growth from the more than 94,000 visitors who attended last year," Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of Al Yasat Petroleum Operations Company and Adipec 2016 chairman, tells OGN in an exclusive interview.

The event, which takes place from November 7 to 10 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, is already at full capacity, covering 130,000 gross square metres of floor space. "We are expecting the participation of 15 national oil companies, including Saudi Aramco, Qatar Petroleum, the Kuwait Oil Company, and the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation, as well as 16 international oil companies, including ExxonMobil, Total, BP, and Shell.

"We will also host 25 international pavilions this year, including major oil producing countries, such as the US, Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia, as well as emerging markets, such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Spain," he adds.

Excerpts from the interview:

As the world’s leading oil and gas exhibition, how will Adipec 2016 be different compared to its previous editions? In its 32nd year, what new features and initiatives have been added to the show?

We are expecting the participation of more than 2,000 exhibiting companies, 700 speakers, and over 100,000 trade professionals from 125 countries. This would be a considerable growth from the more than 94,000 visitors who attended last year.

New to Adipec this year is the inaugural Adipec ‘Security in Energy’ Conference, bringing the best and brightest minds in cybersecurity and critical infrastructure under one roof to address the ever-growing challenges in today’s increasingly interconnected energy landscape.

Adipec’s hallmark features will also return this year, including the Conference Programme, which will see more than 700 speakers share their industry knowledge and expertise across more than 160 conference sessions, including 2 Ministerial Sessions, 3 Global Business Leader Sessions, 8 Panel Sessions, 8 Offshore & Marine Sessions, 8 Women in Energy Sessions, and 106 Technical Sessions.

Confirmed headline speakers for the Opening Ceremony and Global Business Leader sessions include Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and CEO of the Adnoc Group of Companies; Rex W Tillerson, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil Corporation, Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and CEO of Total; Bob Dudley, CEO of BP; Alexander Medvedev, deputy chairman, Management Committee, Gazprom; Vicki A Hollub, president and CEO of the Occidental Petroleum Corporation; Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, president and CEO, Qatar Petroleum; Claudio Descalzi, CEO, Eni; and Mario Mehren, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, Wintershall.

The exclusive VIP Programme is also back stronger than ever, inviting industry officials and decision makers to engage in open dialogue with members of the prestigious Middle East Petroleum Club (MEPC), the definitive networking and knowledge-exchange platform for senior oil and gas executives. Headlining this year’s programme is Mohammed Barkindo, Opec Secretary General, who will be providing insights on the world outlook for oil.

Al Shamsi ... Adipec continues to expand

Driving efficiency in the energy sector is the cornerstone of Adipec 2016. Can you reflect on this and how the region is faring with respect to energy efficiency?

Achieving operational efficiency has become a priority for every producer and service provider in the industry as organisations recognise that streamlining business activities to be cost efficient is fundamental to creating a resilient corporate infrastructure for the future. This is precisely what inspired our theme for Adipec this year, ‘Strategies for the New Energy Landscape’.

Although the region has made great strides in terms of adopting tools and strategies that promote efficiency, there is still considerable untapped potential for cost transformation across the supply chain. Knowledge-exchange, as well as continuous developments in research, technology, and innovation will not only help future-proof the industry from ongoing market fluctuations, but also align it with the evolving global energy mix.

What tangible benefits do the UAE and Abu Dhabi hope to achieve by organising Adipec year after year? What benefits does the Adipec Conference Programme bring to the global oil and gas dialogue?

The oil and gas industry is currently going through a transformation, and having access to real on-the-ground intelligence and world-leading expertise is critical to remaining competitive in today’s market. According to ExxonMobil’s report ‘The Outlook for Energy: The View to 2040’, global demand for energy is expected to rise by 25 per cent between 2014 and 2040, with fossil fuels still serving the majority of the world’s energy needs. According to the same report, 40 per cent of this growth in global energy demand is projected to be met by natural gas.

By supporting Adipec year after year, we are offering petroleum industry experts, business leaders, and decision makers a common platform where they can come together and engage in productive discussions that will enable them to survive and thrive in this new energy landscape.Abu Dhabi is quickly becoming one of the world’s most influential energy hubs for the 21st century, and Adipec’s strategic location in the UAE capital further bolsters the event as the global meeting place for oil and gas professionals.

Adipec’s Technical Conference has seen phenomenal growth over the years. What will be the hallmarks of the Technical Conference Programme this year?

Our distinguished Adipec Technical Conference Programme has broken industry records yet again, having received 2,775 abstract submissions from 571 organisations across 71 countries, building on the success of last year’s call for papers, which received 1,806 abstracts. This makes Adipec officially host to the world’s largest technical conference for the oil and gas industry. This year, the number of sessions have increased by one-third compared to last year – further cementing Adipec’s position as the premier event for technical knowledge in the industry.

Now in its fourth year, what has been the response to the Young Adipec initiative?

We are delighted to announce that this year we have partnered with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) for Young Adipec, marking a first time cooperation for the common goal of cultivating tomorrow’s generation of homegrown energy leaders.The response so far has been phenomenal.