The MENA Oil and Gas Technology Summit, a one-day virtual event hosted by MEED, will take place on March 24, bringing together stakeholders from national oil companies (NOCs), large end-users and utilities companies to explore topics including digitization, automation, cybersecurity and asset integrity within the region’s oil and gas sector.
The oil and gas industry is currently witnessing global oil price volatility coupled with an increasing emphasis on operating more sustainably. A forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects the GCC’s GDP growth to return to pre-COVID-19 levels only in 2023 — citing weak oil demand, aggravated by the sharp downturn in oil prices due to the pandemic, as the main culprits.
“The region’s NOCs are undergoing a major transition as they roll out new strategies aimed at diversifying and decarbonizing their activities, while at the same time trying to optimize the performance of their assets and operations,” said MEED editorial director Richard Thompson. “The key to success for the NOCs is investment and effective deployment of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, smart sensors, robotics, advanced materials, and so on.”
“Next-generation technologies will help modernize operating models and build a workforce for the future to meet demands of the evolving energy consumer,” said Thompson. “MEED’s virtual summit examines advanced technology investment by the region’s oil and gas industry and what it means for companies and workers in the region’s most important industry.”
Key players from the sector will discuss the potential that oil and gas companies can unlock with the use of emerging technologies. The first panel discussion will see experts from ADNOC, Saudi Aramco and Petroleum Development Oman explore ways to improve business efficiency with the optimized use of data across global oilfield operations.
HKA will explore mapping historical data to mitigate future risk, followed by a panel discussion on digital transformation featuring speakers from Kuwait Oil Company, Sharjah National Oil Company, Khalifa University and GlobalData.
Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti, head of cybersecurity, UAE, and Qasem Kharbat, head of digital investments, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, along with experts from Khalifa University and KPMG will explore cybersecurity in the final panel of the summit.
The discussion will explore minimizing risks while undergoing digital transformation, the evolving threat landscape in oil and gas and how to remain agile.
The summit will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The virtual event is free to attend, but pre-registration is required.
