Abu Dhabi will be at the heart of a global dialogue, as industry leaders and policy makers gather at Adipec to understand how responses to supply constraints will evolve in 2023

Every edition of Adipec can be said to be vital for the future of the energy sector. The 2022 event comes at a crucial crossroads as energy geopolitics remains the elephant in the room.

The event, being held from October 31 to November 3 in Abu Dhabi, will highlight the balanced approach needed to advance a successful energy transition; fast-tracking decarbonisation of today’s energy sources, while diversifying into future energies. The theme this year is ‘The Future of Energy: Secure, Affordable and Sustainable’.

Taking place a week before COP27 in Egypt, a particular focus will be on how the industry is delivering on climate action, turning net-zero commitments into realised emission reduction.

Al Mazrouei ... UAE to lead the global energy dialogue

The UAE will be at the heart of this global dialogue, as industry leaders, policy makers and innovators from around the world gather to understand how Opec+ responses to supply constraints will evolve in 2023.

Global ministers will be revising energy policy to deal with the short-term impacts of high energy prices, and bring out into open discourse on the issues facing the energy sector today and for the coming 12 months, at least.

It will be known if the world’s net-zero ambitions will either be put on the slow burner or accelerate as countries seek to develop their energy future with climate targets in mind.

Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said: 'This year, global industry must use the event to highlight the action they are taking to meet the world’s energy needs and rapidly decarbonise oil and gas production, while investing to diversify into new and cleaner energy sources.'

Speeches & conferences

Adipec 2022 will be opened with a keynote address by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Climate Envoy, and Minister for Industry and Advanced Technology, and Group CEO and Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc).

The ministerial panel discussions will encompass the most pressing geopolitical, sustainability and economic issues.

The sessions will explore the future of energy supply, security, and affordability, including ‘Geopolitics of today: how the energy industry is navigating through change’, and ‘COP27: Key policy considerations to deliver net-zero ambitions in an uncertain time’.

A series of conferences will be hosted to provide strategic and technical insights. More than 1,200 speakers, including over 40 Ministers, CEOs, and policy influencers, will participate in more than 350 sessions.

In addition to Dr Sultan and Al Mazrouei, the CEOs of top global energy companies including BP, Oxy, Eni, INPEX, OMV and others will also be among the high-level speakers.

This year, ADIPEC’s conference programme will focus on five strategic themes:

• The long-term impact of geopolitics on the global economy and energy industry.

• The road to COP27 and COP28.

• An industry transition: Adapting to the new fundamentals of supply, low-carbon and new energy solutions.

• Innovation and the energy transition: pioneering a new era of technology development.

• The new management agenda: future workforce and the leaders of tomorrow.

Adipec 2022 will also see the launch of the new Decarbonisation Zone and Decarbonisation Conference.

Centred on the latest developments in methane, hydrogen, carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and new energies, the conference will put the spotlight on the industry's path towards net-zero through deployment of cleaner forms of energy and innovative technologies.

This year’s Adipec will accommodate 54 NOCs, IOCs and IECs, and 28 international country pavilions, providing a world-class environment for trade across the industry’s full value chain.

More than 150,000 energy professionals from 160 countries are projected to attend the event, with more than 2,200 exhibiting companies set to unveil what the industry has in store.

Key reports

Adipec will see the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) launch ‘An Eye on Methane’, the second edition of its International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) report.

The report will outline the progress made to set, track and achieve a reduction of methane emissions, with a particular focus on the oil and gas industry through the Oil & Gas Methane Partnership 2.0.

In addition, Opec will release its annual World Oil Outlook report to highlight and further the understanding of the many possible future challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the oil industry. It will also work to encourage dialogue, cooperation and transparency between OPEC and other stakeholders within the industry.

By Abdulaziz Khattak