Day 1 - Monday 8 June
Part of Opening Session
BP Leadership Interview
Moderator:
Speaker:
Power Plays - The Geopolitics of the New Energy Era
The ongoing shift towards a multipolar world is fundamentally reshaping approaches to the energy transition as geopolitical volatility impacts energy policy and investments. Meanwhile a rapidly growing energy demand looks to result in an energy addition scenario rather than a sudden and complete replacement of hydrocarbons. The AI technology race and fierce competition for critical minerals are also emerging as strategic battlegrounds for global influence and national security. This opening debate will take a strategic look at how shifting global alliances, AI demand, and mineral dependencies are rewriting the rules of the energy transition.
Day 2 - Tuesday 9 June
(Room Strauss 2-3)
Collaborating for a Resilient North Sea
The nations that share the North Sea face the challenge of extending the productive life of one of the most successful hydrocarbon basins in history whilst accelerating clean energy and carbon capture and storage developments and possibilities. The scale of investment opportunities in this transition and the future technology requirements will be the focus of the panel, along with how government and industry at both national and international levels can collaborate to maximise energy security, job and revenue creation, and meeting decarbonisation goals.
Building a Winning Strategy - Navigating Uncertainty in Exploration
Replacing depleted reserves to meet both commercial objectives and global energy demand may soon see a change in the oil industry’s disciplined approach to exploration spending. The questions for the panel are how and where will oil companies focus their investment. Will there be a breakout from current productive locations, for example, to frontier deep water or even the Arctic? What are the barriers to where the industry can go? Can current technology meet the cost and efficiency requirements of next generation exploration? Does current practice meet environmental protection standards or need refinement?
Women Leading in the Energy Transition: Resilience for a Sustainable Future
This session explores the pivotal role of women in advancing technological innovation and leadership within geoscience to tackle contemporary energy challenges. It highlights the resilience demonstrated by women as they navigate career transitions in a dynamic industry. Furthermore, it showcases their significant contributions toward fostering a resilient and sustainable future for the energy sector.
Day 3 - Wednesday 10 June
Plenary Room
The Future for Seismic: Maximising Value while Ensuring Innovation
For at least a decade the global market for seismic services has been problematic with a history of persistent low demand and industry consolidations. The panel will consider how this scenario might change. Possible cause for optimism is that major oil companies are edging towards increased exploration spending, also investment in transition technologies with associated seismic applications is increasing every year. In question, therefore, is the capacity of a fragile marine seismic business to meet these more positive scenarios. Can advances in acquisition and interpretation technologies, plus promising applications of AI, answer the need for more cost-effective operations? Could innovative financing and new partnership models also play a part? More broadly, how can seismic companies maximise their contribution to developments in carbon capture and storage and renewable energy initiatives?
Future of Geosciences and the Promises of AI
Companies are aggressively investing in digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the entire value chain with hopes of maximizing recovery, efficiency gains and enhancing safety. This shift positions AI beyond a simple automation tool to a core strategic driver for business transformation. This panel explores the critical integration of digital technologies and AI into geoscience applications, focusing on strategy, operational efficiency, and people. What are the practical strategies for deploying AI in subsurface workflows, moving beyond pilots to enterprise-wide scalable applications? As the industry’s use of agentic systems expands, what impact will it have for the role of geoscientists and other domain experts?
Day 4 - Thursday 11 June
Plenary Room
Breaking In and Standing Out: Young Professionals Navigating a Changing Energy Landscape
The energy sector is navigating political, fiscal, and technological change. Windfall taxes, fluctuating investments, and the energy transition make entering or advancing in the petroleum industry increasingly challenging. Opportunities are evolving — from traditional oil and gas roles to emerging sectors such as CCUS, hydrogen, geothermal, and digital energy. This session will provide young professionals with practical guidance, mentorship, and insights on career pathways, skills development, and networking.
Strategic Programme Sponsor
