Business Desk :
The MENA Oil and Gas Technology Summit, a one day virtual event hosted by MEED, will take place on Wednesday, 24 March 2021, bringing together stakeholders from National Oil Companies, large end users and utilities companies to explore topics including digitalisation, automation, cybersecurity and asset integrity within the region’s oil and gas sector, reports arabnews.com.
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’s (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 national oil companies (NOCs) are undergoing a major transition as they roll out new strategies aimed at diversifying and decarbonising their activities, while at the same time trying to optimise the performance of their assets and operations,” says 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 modernise operating models and build a workforce for the future to meet demands of the evolving energy consumer,” says Thompson. “MEED’s virtual summit examines advanced technology investment by the region’s oil & 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. Attendees will have a chance to further their understanding of how embracing new technologies can reduce waste, save time and minimise costs.
The first panel discussion, Data Driven Operations, will see experts from ADNOC, Saudi Aramco and Petroleum Development Oman discuss the opportunity to multiply the value of data in to big gains in efficiency, productivity and cost savings. The panel of experts will discuss the ways to improve business efficiency, predictive maintenance, secure, scalable and reliable data management, and optimized use of data across global oilfield operations.
Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security, United Arab Emirates Government, 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.
