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.
ADIPEC 2014 will host more than 400 speakers from 111 organisations, with 84 technical sessions, a strategic programme, and a Middle East Petroleum Club member VIP programme, breaking its previous records with the largest conference to date.
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. Driven by population growth and continued economic growth, global energy demand is expected to increase by approximately 35% by 2040, according to latest figures from US-based Exxon Mobil Corp.
Mr Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, the ADIPEC 2014 Chairman, and Strategy & Coordination Director at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), said, "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," he added.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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," said 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," he added.
Improving hydrocarbon recovery and developments in research and technology will also be among the panel discussions at the conference. Hydrocarbons are likely to remain the primary energy needed to meet the growing global energy demand, however the worldwide production of crude oil could potentially drop by nearly 30-40 million barrels per day(B/D) in the next decade due to natural depletion of current fields and lack of new discoveries. It is estimated that an additional 25 million B/D of oil will need to be produced for supply to keep pace with consumption.
Achieving excellence in capital projects, securing energy, and health, safety and environment are also among the eight industry panel discussions taking place at the conference.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, ADIPEC 2014 will be held from 10-13 November 2014 under the theme of "Challenges and Opportunities for the Next 30 Years". ADIPEC 2014 is supported by the Ministry of Energy, ADNOC, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.