Energy transition topics will take center stage at the SPE Offshore Europe 2021 virtual conference taking place from September 7-10, 2021.
SPE Offshore Europe 2021 conference chair and executive vice president oilfield equipment at Baker Hughes, Neil Saunders and SPE President 2022 Kamel Ben-Naceur will welcome delegates to the 4 day, SPE-curated program comprising of an opening plenary, 10 keynote, and 14 technical sessions incorporating more than 50 technical papers. 7 of the 10 keynote sessions and 50% of the technical program will be related to energy transition subjects.
Keynote sessions with a net zero focus include: Delivering carbon capture, utilization and storage; CCUS and hydrogen at scale; energy islands; roadmaps to net zero; scaling up digital to enable a low-carbon industry; facilities of the future and breaking the silo paralysis.
During the opening plenary, Chris Stark, CEO of the Committee on Climate Change will join Gordon Birrell, Executive Vice President, Production & Operations at bp; Al Cook, Executive Vice President, Development & Production International at Equinor and Phil Kirk, CEO of Harbour Energy for a panel session on the event theme ‘Oil & Gas: Working Together for a Net Zero Future’.
For the first time in the history of the biennial event, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the conference and exhibition have been split. The virtual conference will be followed by the in-person exhibition across 1-4 February 2022, which will include new keynote conference content that will be developed after the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) taking place in Glasgow 1-12 November 2021.
With the two SPE Offshore Europe events ‘bookending’ COP26, oil and gas industry leaders, innovators and decision-makers will reconvene in person at the P&J Live in Aberdeen to advance the energy transition outcomes and realign strategies.
Neil Saunders, SPE Offshore Europe 2021 conference chair and executive vice president oilfield equipment at Baker Hughes said: “The conference program at SPE Offshore Europe has always been a ‘must-attend’ event for those wanting to keep in touch with industry-leading thinking strategically and at a technical level. The industry’s path to decarbonization and role in supporting net zero is top of the agenda this year, and with COP26 just seven weeks later, the program promises to be a real curtain-opener.
“The future of oil and gas in the energy mix is in our hands and SPE Offshore Europe gives us the chance to work together, before and after COP26, to secure our place in a net zero future.”
Kevin Gallagher, SPE Offshore Europe 2021 technical committee chair and digital transformation lead, CNOOC International commented: “The offshore industry has an important role to play in the transition to the low carbon economy. The timing of the conference, prior to COP26, and content of the technical program are both opportune and highly relevant as we experience an acceleration of the energy transition and the industry response. Audience members will have the opportunity to join high quality sessions ranging from decarbonization, floating wind and hydrogen to drilling and decommissioning. We look forward to informative and inspiring technical sessions which prompt numerous important discussions at this pivotal time for our industry.”
The virtual conference program will begin each day at 12 noon (BST) / 7.00am (EDT) to accommodate international participants. Full program details and registration can be found here.
