The largest-ever Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec) was formally inaugurated on Monday by Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court and member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, marking the start of four days of industry-related discussions and activities, and bringing together leading international and regional decision makers to set the agenda for meeting the growing global demand for energy.

 

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, Adipec 2015 is supported by the UAE Ministry of Energy, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), the Abu Dhabi Chamber, and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), and is organised by dmg events.

 

The official opening ceremony featured intriguing speeches from Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy, UAE, Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi, director general of Adnoc, Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Strategy and Coordination director, Adnoc and Adipec 2015 chairman, followed by riveting insights and projections on the transforming energy landscape by keynote speaker Dr Daniel Yergin, award winning author and world’s leading authority on energy.

 

Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi, director general of Adnoc, said: “Industry leaders, decision makers, and stakeholders have all gathered in Abu Dhabi today to focus on innovation by using Adipec as a knowledge-sharing platform for driving industry change. Together, we can advance the energy sector and develop creative solutions for meeting the world’s energy needs. At Adnoc, through the guidance and support of the Supreme Petroleum Council, we are still on track to reach a total oil output capacity of 3.5 billion barrels per day in the UAE within the next two to three years.”

 

Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Strategy and Coordination Director, Adnoc and Adipec 2015 chairman, said: “Adipec has been an integral part of Abu Dhabi’s hydrocarbon industry since it was established in 1984, and has transformed over the years to become one of the world’s largest oil and gas events. With growing global recognition and interest from both major industry players, and emerging markets, Adipec will continue to raise Abu Dhabi’s profile as a global knowledge hub for the energy sector.”

 

Held under the theme “Innovation and Sustainability in a New Energy World”, Adipec 2015 marks its 18th edition by breaking its previous records with the largest event to date, bringing together 2,050 exhibiting companies, including the world’s leading national and international companies, more than 600 speakers, 7,000 delegates, and 85,000 attendees from more than 120 countries. 

 

The Ministerial Panel brought together international ministers and decision makers who offered insights on the challenges and opportunities presented by the new energy landscape. Speakers included  Suhail Al Mazrouei, the UAE Minister of Energy,  Dr Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, Minister of Oil and Gas for the Sultanate of Oman, Tarek El Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources for the Arab Republic of Egypt, and Etienne D Ngoubou, Minister of Petroleum and Hydrocarbons for the Gabonese Republic. The session focused on driving innovation, future sustainability prospects, the future energy mix, the role of technology in the energy sector, and offered global and regional viewpoints. 

 

The first of two CEO Plenary Sessions that are being held at Adipec 2015 brought together chief executives from the world’s leading to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the ever-growing global demand in energy.  Plenary speakers included representatives from ADCO, JOGMEG, STATOIL, and Lazard. 

 

“Bringing together global, regional, and local industry leaders and decision makers to reflect on key industry topics, Adipec serves as a platform where innovation, best practice and latest developments are shared from all corners of the globe. Adipec has seen continuous growth over the years, in terms of both visitors, and global recognition, demonstrating the importance of the event in the energy industry,” said Christopher Hudson, president - Global Energy at dmg events.

 

The first day of Adipec 2015 concluded with the announcement of this year’s winners of the Adipec Awards at the ceremonial Gala Dinner, which is hosted by Adnoc and held at the Emirates Palace Hotel. The Adipec 2015 Awards, which celebrate excellence in energy and recognise innovation in the Middle East, welcomed a record 501 submissions this year, featuring¬¬ some of the most innovative people, companies, and projects in the region.