JEDDAH — The Middle East's energy industry needs to invest in innovation and sustainability initiatives to meet increased global demand, according to industry experts attending this year's Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC). Global energy demand will be 37 percent higher by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook. With the Middle East expected to become the major source of oil supply growth, investment in cutting-edge innovation and technology will help the region's energy industry meet growing needs. “Innovation and Sustainability in a New Energy World” forms the theme of ADIPEC 2015, where global experts, industry decision-makers, and senior government executives will come together to address how innovation in products, services, and processes will deliver safe, reliable energy solutions and achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability targets. The 18th edition of ADIPEC will take place on Nov. 9-12, 2015 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). More than 2,000 exhibitors, 85,000 visitors, and 7,000 delegates are expected to attend this year's event, surpassing ADIPEC's record 2014 numbers. Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, ADIPEC 2015 Chairman, and Strategy & Coordination Director at ADNOC, said: “Innovation is a continuous process, and ADIPEC 2015 is the best place to see the latest innovations in the hydrocarbon industry, both regionally and worldwide. In line with the announcement from our visionary UAE leadership that 2015 will be marked as the ‘Year of Innovation', ADNOC and its companies are focused on innovation across all its projects.” “ADIPEC provides a perfect platform for collaborating, sharing and partnering as we maximize our joint resources and expertise. The event continues to raise Abu Dhabi's profile as a global knowledge hub for the energy sector,” Al Shamsi added. ADNOC, the show's main sponsor, is one of the largest oil production companies in the world, producing more than 2.7 million barrels of oil a day. The company is committed to adopting the best safety and sustainability standards in all its practices. According to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, global daily demand for oil will rise from around 91 million barrels a day in 2014 to 111 million barrels a day by 2040. Major National and International Oil Companies have once again confirmed their participation in ADIPEC this year, including the Bahrain Petroleum Company, the China National Petroleum Corporation, the Korea National Oil Corporation, the Kuwait Oil Company, Qatar Petroleum, Saudi Aramco, as well as BP, ExxonMobil, the Japan Oil Development Co., Ltd., Oxy, Partex Oil and Gas, Shell, Statoil, and Total. Following strong demand, ADIPEC 2015 will feature the launch of the Offshore & Marine exhibition area, allowing companies to showcase products, services and solutions for the maritime and offshore industry in an actual marine environment. Located in a purpose-built zone on the waterfront at ADNEC, the new exhibition area will be complemented by a dedicated Offshore & Marine Conference, running across all four days of ADIPEC 2015, and providing additional opportunities for knowledge exchange. “ADIPEC has now firmly established itself as one of the world's top three energy events and continues to attract more national and international oil companies and service companies than any other event in the world,” said Christopher Hudson, Senior Vice President, Energy at dmg events. “We are delighted to add the Offshore & Marine Exhibition and Conference to the event, and welcome back features such as the globally renowned ADIPEC Awards and the Middle East Petroleum Club to make ADIPEC 2015 more successful than ever.” — SG
