The UAE capital is set to welcome thousands of oil and gas professionals, industry leaders, and decision-makers as the world’s most influential oil and gas event, the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, ADIPEC, begins its 20th edition on Monday, 13th November.

Held under the theme, "Forging Ties, Driving Growth," ADIPEC’s the conference will be the largest yet, with the exhibition bringing together more than 2,200 companies, 27 country pavilions, and 100,000 trade professionals from more than 125 countries. It will span 135,000 square metres of floor space, including a dedicated quay-side exhibition area with tours of offshore vessels.

At the same time, ADIPEC’s renowned strategic and technical conference programmes will feature more than 900 speakers, in 185 conference sessions, with around 10,000 delegates taking part in the global industry’s premier knowledge exchange platform.

Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of Al Yasat Petroleum Operating Company Ltd. and Chairman of ADIPEC 2017, said, "The global oil and gas industry is undergoing profound change, and organisations are investing in innovation and technology to ensure sustainable, long-term growth. Increasing investments by NOCs in the downstream sector is a key example, as resource owners move to access value throughout the value chain. Within this environment, ADIPEC continues to evolve, providing a powerful, strategic, knowledge-sharing platform for the industry’s most influential decision-makers, reflecting the most important executive priorities and playing a significant role in guiding the industry forward."

Christopher Hudson, President – dmg events, Global Energy, said, "ADIPEC draws on the power of high-level strategic discussion to supercharge its value as a commercial showcase for exhibition exhibitors. More than half of the all attendees have the authority to make purchasing decisions, while exhibiting companies range from the largest NOCs and IOCs, through to global oilfield services companies, to suppliers of new and niche technologies. From both a strategic and operational perspective, ADIPEC creates value and enables excellence."

Hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC, the conference will commence with an official opening ceremony, which will include keynote presentations by Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO; Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry; Mohammed Barkindo, Secretary-General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, and Lord O’Neill, former Commercial Secretary at the British Treasury..

Ministerial speakers on day one include Suhail Al Mazrouei representing the UAE; Tarek El-Molla, Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mohammed Hamad Al Rumhy, Oman's Minister of Oil and Gas; Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and Dr. Fabian Pok, Minister for Petroleum and Energy of Papua-New Guinea.

The opening day will also feature two Global Business Leader sessions with speakers including Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO, Total; Bob Dudley, Group Chief Executive, BP; Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, President and Group Chief Executive Officer, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) of Malaysia; Vagit Alekperov, President, Member of the Board of Directors, Chairman of the Management Committee, Lukoil, of Russia; Musabbeh Al Kaabi, CEO, Petroleum and Petrochemicals, Mubadala Investment Company; José Antonio Gonz?lez Anaya, CEO, PEMEX, of Mexico; Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman, Management Committee, Gazprom, of Russia, and Dr. Rainer Seele, CEO, OMV, Austria.