Arab News | Riyadh to host global WPC Energy Congress in October

RIYADH: The Saudi capital will host the 25th WPC Energy Congress from Oct. 11 to 15, marking the first time the global gathering has been held in the Kingdom.

The five-day event, themed “Pathways to an Energy Future for All,” will take place at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center, bringing together energy ministers, industry CEOs, policymakers and global energy leaders.

The program will feature more than 30 plenary, strategic and ministerial sessions covering energy security, global oil and gas markets, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, investment, critical minerals, carbon management, natural gas and the evolving energy mix, according to a press release.

The congress comes as global energy investment is projected to reach a record $3.4 trillion in 2026, up 5 percent, according to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Investment 2026 report. About $2.2 trillion is expected to go toward clean energy, grids, storage and efficiency, compared with approximately $1.2 trillion for oil, gas and coal.

“The 25th WPC Energy Congress is the flagship event of WPC Energy and will bring together governments, international energy companies, industry leaders, investors and experts from across the global energy value chain to explore practical pathways towards an energy future for all,” the press release said.

Record attendance expected

The congress is expected to attract more than 25,000 delegates, including 100 energy ministers and 500 CEOs, alongside 800 speakers and representatives from 1,000 companies. The exhibition will cover more than 50,000 square meters.

The WPC Energy Congress Ministerial Gala Dinner on Oct. 11 will launch a week of high-level engagements, followed by the official inauguration on Oct. 12. Speakers will include Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and WPC Energy President Pedro Miras.

Prince Abdulaziz and Miras signed the agreement to bring the congress to Riyadh during the 24th World Petroleum Congress in Calgary, Canada, in September 2023.

Energy security and markets

Opening ministerial dialogues will bring together leaders from major energy-producing and consuming economies to discuss the future of energy and global oil and gas markets. Key sessions will be moderated by Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global, and Helima Croft of RBC Capital Markets.

AI, technology and investment

Executives from Saudi Aramco, Siemens Energy, Microsoft and Samsung E&A will discuss how AI and digital technologies are transforming energy operations, productivity and performance.

Other sessions will examine financing, critical mineral supply chains, carbon capture, utilization and storage, carbon markets, renewables and technologies aimed at strengthening energy security and sustainability.

Among the participants will be BP CEO Meg O’Neill, ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods, and TotalEnergies Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne.

Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation

A dedicated ministerial dialogue, titled “Economic Transformation and Global Competitiveness,” will examine Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation and its expanding role in the global energy economy.

The technical program will feature 30 forums with paper and poster presentations by international experts. Organized around five themes — primary energy supply, energy infrastructure, energy fuels and molecules, energy technologies, and energy leadership — it will address market trends, technological advances, process optimization, innovation and emissions reduction.

Riyadh Energy Week

Riyadh Energy Week will run alongside the congress from Oct. 11 to 15, incorporating the IEF17 Ministerial, CEM17/MI-11, OAPEC-led sessions and industry and networking events.

The wider program will include initiatives covering the circular carbon economy, women in energy, young professionals, social responsibility, and AI and digitalization, alongside the Energy Hackathon, Knowledge Sprints, Energy Games and WPC Energy member country presentations.

The congress will conclude on Oct. 15 with a closing and handover ceremony.