Saudi Arabia will bring together some of the world’s most influential energy leaders in Riyadh from Oct. 11-15 for high-level talks on energy security, oil and gas markets, investment and the technologies reshaping the global energy industry. At the heart of Riyadh Energy Week will be the 25th WPC Energy Congress, hosted by Saudi Arabia for the first time in the event’s nearly 90-year history. Held under the theme “Pathways to an Energy Future for All,” the congress will feature more than 30 ministerial, strategic and leadership sessions spanning global energy markets, investment and financing, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, carbon management, natural gas and the future energy mix. The congress will run from Oct. 11-15 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center, with its official opening ceremony on Oct. 12. Organizers expect more than 25,000 participants, including 100 ministers, 500 CEOs and around 800 speakers, as well as representatives from about 1,000 companies. The exhibition will cover more than 50,000 square meters. Riyadh Energy Week will also include an International Energy Forum ministerial meeting, Clean Energy Ministerial and Mission Innovation events, along with other sessions bringing together governments, international organizations and companies from across the energy value chain. The Saudi Energy Minister upon his arrival to participate in the World Petroleum Congress in Calgary, Canada in 2023 (Reuters) Global Government and Industry Leaders Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman will formally open the congress on Oct. 12 alongside WPC Energy President Pedro Miras. The executive program will include Saudi Economy and Planning Minister Faisal Alibrahim and Investment Minister Fahad Abduljalil Al-Saif, as well as Egyptian Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi, OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais, World Energy Council Secretary General and CEO Angela Wilkinson and International Energy Forum Secretary General Jassim Al Shirawi. Leading industry speakers include ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods, TotalEnergies Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne, Shell CEO Wael Sawan, BP CEO Meg O’Neill, Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli, Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruch, SLB CEO Olivier Le Peuch and ConocoPhillips President and CEO Andy O’Brien. Prominent energy-market analysts will also participate, including S&P Global Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin, RBC Capital Markets’ Helima Croft, Carlyle senior adviser Jeffrey Currie, Energy Aspects founder and Director of Market Intelligence Amrita Sen and Rapidan Energy Group founder and President Bob McNally. Energy Security and Markets Energy security and global oil and gas markets will be among the congress’s main themes, with ministerial sessions bringing together representatives of producing and consuming countries to discuss market developments and the future of supply. The agenda extends beyond oil and gas, with discussions on forces reshaping the industry, including AI and digitalization, critical minerals, energy-project financing, carbon management and renewables. AI and digital transformation will feature prominently, with companies including Aramco, Siemens Energy, SLB, Hitachi Energy, Microsoft and Samsung E&A discussing the impact of digital technologies on energy operations, productivity and efficiency. The discussions come as AI moves from experimental uses toward applications in operations, maintenance, data analysis and process optimization, while also driving increased demand for electricity and infrastructure to support expanding data centers. A panel discussion at the 24th World Petroleum Congress in Calgary Canada in 2023 Saudi Arabia’s Economic and Energy Transformation The congress will hold a ministerial session titled “Vision 2030: Economic Transformation and Global Competitiveness,” focusing on Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation and its growing role in the global energy system. The agenda covers critical minerals and supply chains, carbon capture, utilization and storage, carbon markets, renewable energy and hydrogen, broadening the discussion from security of conventional fuel supplies to the technology, infrastructure and materials required for the future energy system. The congress will also feature a technical program with more than 30 research and technical forums across five areas: primary energy supply, infrastructure, fuels and molecules, energy technologies and industry leadership. Riyadh Energy Week will include specialized programs on the circular carbon economy, women in energy, young professionals, social responsibility, AI and digital transformation, as well as an Energy Hackathon and knowledge-sharing and networking events.
