ADIPEC 2026 opened in Abu Dhabi on November 2, bringing together global leaders from the energy, government, finance and technology sectors, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, to discuss energy security, infrastructure investment, artificial intelligence (AI) and international cooperation amid rising global demand and geopolitical uncertainty.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and hosted by ADNOC, the four-day event is the largest in its history, with an expected 239,000 participants from more than 170 countries.

Opening-day discussions focused on the need to strengthen supply chains, develop intelligent energy systems, mobilise investment and build partnerships capable of supporting reliable, accessible and affordable energy supplies.

In his keynote address at the opening ceremony, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, called on the global energy industry to rethink how it builds, protects and delivers secure energy, following a year of unprecedented disruption that exposed vulnerabilities in international supply chains.

Emphasising that not every risk can be prevented, Dr Al Jaber said: “The choices we make today will determine the energy landscape a decade from now. Let’s apply the lessons we have learned. Let’s build capacity and everything that supports it. Let’s forge partnerships that hold when it matters. And if you want a partner you can count on you are in the right room, in the right city, in the right country. Because when it counts the most, you can count on the UAE.”

Highlighting the scale of recent market disruption, Dr Al Jaber said nearly one billion barrels of crude had been drained from inventories since the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. He outlined five priorities for strengthening the industry's ability to withstand future shocks: accessible supply, reliable routes to market, operational intelligence, investor confidence and investment in people.

“First, accessible supply. We need expanded strategic storage, larger stockpiles of products and flexible refining capacity closer to consumer markets. Second, routes to market. Supply only counts when it arrives. Infrastructure must be built before it is needed and enabled by advanced logistics. Third, operational intelligence. Moving from automated operations to intelligent energy systems that anticipate risk, optimise performance and drive down the cost of every barrel. Fourth, capital follows confidence. Policy must create it, finance must accelerate it and insurance must keep trade moving. Fifth, which is in my view the most important, is people. Because behind every barrel that arrives is a person who made sure it did. Systems don’t carry responsibility, people do. “

Reflecting on the UAE's response to recent market disruptions, Dr Al Jaber said the country's resilience was the result of long-term planning and investment rather than measures introduced during a crisis.

“We did not write our resilience playbook during this disruption. We wrote it years before. And at ADNOC, it did not make us immune, it made us prepared. Our leadership’s foresight in modernising ADNOC made the difference, from integrated trading, to investing in people, to world-class logistics, to XRG’s global portfolio in gas, chemicals and energy solutions.

“The evident result is our end-to-end AI-enabled operating model, built for a world of rising demand and delivering what customers need, when they need it, where they need it. Our ambition is to make ADNOC the most customer-centric energy company on earth.”

The opening ceremony also featured an address and interview with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who highlighted the growing relationship between artificial intelligence and energy, describing the technology as both an opportunity to transform the energy industry and a driver of increased electricity demand.

“I am tremendously excited for AI to help and enable the energy industry, and I even more excited to see what the world can do with the inspiration, ideas, output, and leverage that people can get out of AI, with abundant energy to make all these wonderful things happen.

Altman said AI could improve energy efficiency, reliability and innovation, while supporting scientific discovery, materials development and the design of more advanced energy systems. However, he noted that the rapid expansion of AI applications and infrastructure would require significantly greater energy supplies.

He also praised the UAE's approach to adopting artificial intelligence across government and industry, highlighting its leadership in integrating the technology into the wider economy.

“I think the UAE has consistently been the most forward-looking country in the world for AI adoption. Going back to the launch of ChatGPT, this is a country that has decided to go all in on AI -- through its government and across its economy. It’s an incredible embrace, and it has come from the leadership. There has been an acknowledgement that societies need to bet on these technologies,” he said.

The discussions continued during the opening ministerial panel, titled ‘Energy security is national security: building resilient supply in an uncertain world’, featuring H.E. Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and Rt. Honourable Dr Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas).

The ministers discussed their respective countries' strategies for securing reliable energy supplies to support economic development and meet future demand.

Al Mazrouei highlighted the importance of building additional capacity and strengthening protection against potential disruptions, while emphasising the role of technology in improving preparedness.

“We need to build additional layers of protection to ensure we have enough resilience and spare capacity. All of this will require technology, and we will need AI to design better and become more resilient.”

At the opening CEO panel, ‘Energy security in a fragmented world: designing systems that can absorb disruption’, industry leaders examined how companies can protect supplies, strengthen operational resilience and expand production capacity.

The discussion brought together Meg O'Neill, CEO of bp; Richard Jackson, President and CEO of Oxy; and Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE AG.

Addressing the industry's experience of recent disruptions, Jackson highlighted the importance of long-term operational and financial sustainability.

"For us, having gone through these shocks, our strategy has been durability. We talk a lot about resilience, but within our team, we think about durability over time...We have focused on sustainable cash flow and production, and we have taken advantage of the opportunity to invest in more durable production."

Beyond the conference programme, the ADIPEC exhibition opened with 2,260 exhibitors across 16 halls, showcasing technologies and solutions spanning the global energy value chain.

The exhibition includes 30 country pavilions, with participation from Asia reaching its highest level in the event's history. China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea are among the countries represented.

Four specialised zones focusing on AI, Digitalisation, Low Carbon and Chemicals, and Maritime and Logistics are also showcasing developments across the sector.

The event provides a platform for companies, investors and industry leaders to explore commercial partnerships, exchange expertise and advance technologies aimed at strengthening energy security and supporting the industry's long-term transformation. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service