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Gastech 2023 to feature exclusive roundtable discussions on gas, LNG and hydrogen

A series of 10 invitation-only roundtable discussions will be held as part of the Gastech 2023 conference and exhibition, which will focus on the major themes of energy supply security, low-carbon energy for sustainable global growth, energy transition alliances, and the development of the energy industry workforce globally

The roundtable discussions will see participation from more than 10 energy ministers and 100 C-suite executives from across APAC, Europe, the US, and beyond, to discuss action and tangible solutions accelerating the future of the gas and energy industries and supporting global decarbonisation goals towards a more secure energy future. They will focus on gas, LNG and hydrogen as key enablers and accelerators of the energy transition.

UNEP will host a Roundtable asking: ‘How will the gas and LNG industry make a step change in its decarbonising efforts?’. UNEP OGMP 2.0 manager Giulia Ferrini will be joined by representatives from the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Zhero, SLB, the World Bank, the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, ENGIE, Linde, and TES to debate strategies to tackle the existential issue of methane emissions curbs.

Giulia Ferrini  said, “The oil and gas sector needs to act and curb methane emissions as a first step towards their decarbonisation efforts. It is only through collaboration, accountability, and transparency that industry can be part of the transition to sustainable energy and urgently address the climate crisis.”

A range of measures are already being evaluated, from responsibly produced gas to CCUS to more efficient engines in ships. Convening a broad panel of public and private sector players will ensure that these important questions are not just asked but answered.

A session on ‘Hydrogen - unlocking the off-takers and market signals needed to secure demand’ will be led by Siemens Energy, addressing the critical role of hydrogen in the path to net zero and reducing scope 3 emissions in hard-to-abate sectors. Insights will focus on accelerating APAC’s ability to unlock the roll-out of its hydrogen economy, while balancing decarbonisation, energy security, and affordability.

Anne-Laure de Chammard, member of the Executive Board of Siemens Energy, said, “Engaging in conversations about hydrogen becomes crucial as we seek to shape policies, attract investments, and establish markets. Nevertheless, the road towards a thriving hydrogen economy is complex, requiring careful navigation to ensure tangible benefits for all stakeholders while considering its impact on our planet.”

Key outcomes from the Gastech 2023 Leadership Roundtables will feed into industry reports produced by Wood Mackenzie, with the aim to support the global energy agenda and inspire the industry to develop the crucial strategies required to accelerate energy progress and meet net zero targets.

Simon Flowers, chairman & chief analyst, Wood Mackenzie, said: “The gas outlook remains bullish, for LNG in particular. LNG demand growth, mainly from Asia, requires another 100 mmtpa of new capacity to be built by the mid-2030s on top of that already under construction. While this growth is positive, suppliers also face multiple challenges: margins are at risk from cost inflation, developers must meet growing calls for low-carbon-footprint LNG and securing long-term offtake with Asian buyers is key. I can’t think of a better time and location for the industry to be meeting than in Singapore for this year’s Gastech.”

Gastech takes place from 5-8 September in Singapore. For the opportunity to participate in the Gastech 2023 Leadership Roundtables, apply to become a Gastech Energy Club Member by registering your interest here.

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Kuwait's offshore exploration programme is yielding results. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Exploration & Production

Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has announced a new discovery in the Al-Jazah offshore natural gas field

According to a KOC statement, the initial exploration well recorded the highest production rate from a vertical well in the Minagish formation in Kuwait’s history.
Initial tests at the Jazah-1 well indicate production exceeding 29 million cubic feet per day (mcf/d) of natural gas and more than 5,000 barrels a day of condensate, according to the statement.

With an area estimated at around 40 sq. km, the field is estimated to hold potential reserves of around one trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas and more than 120 mn barrels of condensate, which may be revised upwards with further exploration in surrounding areas.

KOC said the reservoir has low CO2, no hydrogen sulfide and no associated water.

The new discovery follows other offshore discoveries including the Nokhatha field discovery last year, which is estimated at about 2.1bn barrels of oil and 5.1 trillion cubic feet of gas, and the Julaiah field early this year, described by KOC CEO Ahmad Jaber Al Eidan as a “strategic breakthrough.”

This is a result of KOC’s push to develop its offshore resources as it seeks to boost gas output and reduce its dependence on imported LNG. Phase 1 of its offshore exploration programme, consisting of the drilling of six wells, is underway, with planning for Phase Il also underway, with nine additional locations identified for further exploration and appraisal, according to Al Eidan.

Kuwait is the fifth-largest producer in OPEC, currently producing approximately 2.7mn bpd of oil, with plans to increase its production capacity to 4mn bpd by 2035. Al Eidan commented in an earlier interview with Oil Review Middle East, “Our strategy focuses on optimising production from mature assets, accelerating the development of high-potential reservoirs, and unlocking new growth frontiers, both onshore and offshore, to ensure sustainable and resilient capacity growth.”

He said the new offshore discoveries “significantly expand Kuwait's hydrocarbon frontier beyond the onshore legacy and add a new dimension to our long-term production sustainability,” adding that offshore development will play an increasingly vital role in KOC’s production mix in the coming decade.

An unprecedented expansion of LNG supply is forecast by the IEA. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Industry

Around 300 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year of LNG export capacity is set to be added by 2030, mainly thanks to liquefaction capacity additions in the USA and Qatar, according to the IEA’s newly-released Gas 2025 report

This unprecedented expansion of LNG supply, which the report forecasts will translate to a potential net LNG supply increase of 250 bcm a year by 2030, is expected to strengthen global supply security and ease market pressures following a period of tightness, spurring demand and making natural gas more affordable – including in emerging, price-sensitive import markets.

The USA and Qatar together account for 70% of the record additional capacity, further concentrating global supply in today’s top two exporting markets. Canada is set to account for a further 9% of capacity growth on its own due to its first two liquefaction projects coming online. African projects – led by Nigeria LNG train 7 – are expected to cover around 6% of global capacity growth to 2030.

Despite macroeconomic uncertainty, 2025 has seen the second highest amount of LNG liquefaction capacity reaching final investment decision (FID) in a single year. More than 90 billion cubic metres per year (bcm/yr) of additional capacity has been sanctioned so far in 2025.

Over 80 bcm/yr of liquefaction capacity has been approved year-to-date in the USA, an all-time high for the US LNG sector. The projects include Louisiana LNG, Corpus Christi Train 8&9, CP2 phase 1, Rio Grande LNG Train 4 & 5 and Port Arthur phase 2.

The amount of LNG projects reaching FID highlights the industry’s confidence that demand for LNG will continue to expand strongly, reflecting the supportive policy environment in the USA for natural gas projects. This new wave of LNG projects is set to further solidify the USA’s position as the world’s largest LNG exporter. By the end of the decade, the country could provide around one-third of global LNG supply, up from around 20% in 2024, according to the IEA.

Rising demand

The report’s base case sees natural gas demand rising by nearly 1.5% annually between 2024 and 2030, an increase of 380 bcm in absolute terms; in the report’s higher case scenario this could be as much as 1.7%. The Asia Pacific region would account for half of growth, and the Middle East, where countries like Saudi Arabia are switching from oil to gas for power systems, would contribute almost 30%. At the same time, a prolonged period of lower LNG prices could reduce the incentive for project developers to invest in the sector. This could lead to a potential tightening of global gas markets after 2030, especially if demand growth follows a higher trajectory.

The report forecasts that the global LNG market will become increasingly liquid and flexible, with the share of destination-free contracts accounting for just over half of total LNG volumes contracted by 2030.

“The coming LNG wave is set to offer some respite for global gas markets, which have been tight and volatile for several years. As new supply comes to market, notably from the United States and Qatar, it should apply downward pressure on prices – offering welcome relief for gas importers worldwide,” said IEA director of Energy Markets and Security Keisuke Sadamori.

“But elevated geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty mean there is no room for complacency. Global cooperation remains essential to ensure supply security – especially with rising electricity consumption set to drive gas demand higher in many regions.”

Gas 2025 provides a comprehensive overview of potential supply, demand and trade trends in global natural gas markets for the coming years.

The inauguration of the new plant. (Image source: Farabi Petrochemicals)

Petrochemicals

Farabi Petrochemicals Company has inaugurated its fourth integrated Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) plant in Saudi Arabia

The US$950mn state-of-the-art facility, located in Yanbu Industrial City, adds 120,000 metric tons per year of LAB capacity. Built adjacent to Aramco’s refineries, the plant leverages locally produced kerosene and benzene feedstocks, ensuring world-class integration, efficiency, and sustainability performance.

The new plant underlines Farabi’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives of downstream diversification, localisation and GDP growth.

The company also signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Unilever to expand their 20-year strategic partnership. Unilever is the world’s largest buyer of LAB, a key ingredient in household and industrial cleaning products.

The expanded agreement aligns Farabi’s capacity growth with Unilever’s constantly growing global demand in home care products, supporting innovation and sustainable growth. Both companies expressed confidence that this deepened collaboration will generate long-term value and advance their shared sustainability goals.

Eng. Mohammed Al Wadaey, CEO of Farabi Petrochemicals Group, said, “Farabi Petrochemicals is proud to be the world’s largest producer of LAB and NP which is the result of consistent growth, product diversification, advanced industrial infrastructure and dedication of our talented employees. We actively support Vision 2030 driving economic diversification, creating job opportunities, contributing to Saudi Arabia’s position as a global industrial hub, while maintaining a positive impact in the environment.”

FliCS will provide valuable diagnostics for matrix acid stimulation for Middle East clients. (Image source: WellSense)

Technology

WellSense, a specialist in fibre optic well diagnostics, will demonstrate the results from its successful field trial of its new well conveyance technology at ADIPEC

Developed at WellSense’s UK headquarters and R&D hub in Aberdeen, the FiberLine Intervention Conveyance System (FliCS) well conveyance technology, designed to improve the speed, quality, cost and efficiency of diagnostic surveys in horizontal wells, is able to rapidly deploy bare fibre into highly deviated wells.

WellSense successfully completed a technology field trial for a major international operator in August 2025, where the single-use, jet-propelled and battery powered system deployed bare fibre into a 19,000 foot uncompleted well in the Permian Basin for cross well strain monitoring. The deployment took just 50 minutes, around 10 times faster than a standard pumpdown operation. The prototype model deploys 25,000 feet of fibre in little over an hour, travelling around ~350ft./min. versus ~35 ft./min. for a conventional tractor conveyance. The lightweight components can be left in the toe of the well or pushed to the bottom. The new well access solution introduces the ability to deploy Fli into horizontal wells to acquire distributed acoustic sensing and distributed temperature sensing data across the reservoir.

The operator has confirmed its intention to redeploy the technology in four further projects over the next three months.

In the Middle East, the technology promises to provide valuable diagnostics for matrix acid stimulation, an approach widely used to improve carbonate rock matrix permeability and flow channels, so improved knowledge of fluid placement can enhance treatment and diretly improve well performance.

Annabel Green, CEO at WellSense, said, “FliCS will provide well operators a cost-effective, low risk well surveillance solution for horizontal wells for the first time. While it will have many applications in well integrity, it also enables a major expansion of injection profiling capabilities. This has global application, providing performance data to enable water injection to be optimised for effective pressure support and oil displacement."

WellSense is looking to deliver its first, multi-unit, prototype order while developing a slimmer model for deployment through smaller tubing, with a view to commercial launch early next year. It is looking to actively engage with customers at ADIPEC and beyond to discuss opportunities.

The webinar will transform confined space inspections. (Image source: Flyability)

Webinar

Despite advances in digital technology, many oil and gas sites across the Middle East still rely on manual entry for tank and vessel inspections, resulting in days of downtime, high scaffolding costs and risk to human life

What if you could change all that with drone technology?

Inspections drones such as the Elios 3 are revolutionising the world of confined space inspections, improving safety, reducing downtime and enhancing operational efficiency.

Join us for an exclusive live webinar hosted by Flyability in association with Oil Review Middle East on ‘Transforming oil and gas operations with the Elios 3 drone’ on Tuesday 2 September at 2pm GST. Industrial experts will explain how drones such as the Elios 3 are transforming confined space inspections, and how you can integrate this technology into your operations seamlessly.

Key highlights:

Drone integration: learn how to safety and effectively implement drones in confined space
Safety and training: understand essential safety protocols and training strategies for your team
ROI: discover how to measure and achieve a strong return on investment with drone technology
Real world use cases: hear from the engineers using drone tech in the field on the impact Elios 3 is having on in oil and gas inspections.

Speakers and host:

Fabio Fata – senior sales manager, Flyability (moderator)
Eralp Koltuk – inspection lead engineer, Tüpraş
Danijel Jovanovic – director of operations, ZainTECH

Take your operations to the next level! Don’t miss out on gaining valuable insights into how drones can make inspections safer, faster and smarter .

From making inspections in hazardous confined spaces much safer to streamlining the whole process and providing valuable real-time data, you will get to see exactly how the Elios 3 is changing the game.

Register for the free webinar here.

Fadi Al-Shihabi, sustainability solutions lead, KPMG Middle East. (Image source: KPMG)

Energy Transition

Fadi Al-Shihabi, sustainability solutions lead, KPMG Middle East, discusses how decarbonisation is transforming the lubricant oil industry and accelerating the Middle East’s journey to net zero

The lubricant (lube) oil sector is under growing pressure to minimise its environmental footprint as industries worldwide confront the realities of climate change. A rapidly growing industry in the UAE, it is currently estimated at 166.27mn litres, and is expected to reach a staggering 202.68mn litres by 2030. In the Middle East, where the current lubricant market is estimated at 2.94 billion litres and expected to reach 3.31bn litres by 2030, similar trends are evident in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar.

From the automotive industry to power generation, the lubricant oil sector is a widely growing area. It plays a critical role in keeping engines, machinery, and industrial systems operating efficiently, but its traditional production, packaging, and end-of-life management contribute significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), oil and gas operations, including extraction, processing, and refining, account for approximately 5.1 Gt CO2e annually, or about 15% of global energy sector emissions. To remain on track for net-zero by 2050, these emissions must fall by over 60% by 2030.

The UAE has set itself enormous emissions targets – the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 – with stakeholders in key sectors, including energy, implementing projects to decarbonise in line with their needs and growth requirements. Saudi Arabia’s Circular Carbon Economy framework and Oman’s Net Zero 2050 pledge echo similar decarbonisation ambitions.

The deployment and use of clean energy solutions is one of the UAE’s main pillars to address climate change and reduce GHG emissions. The country began financing clean energy projects more than 15 years ago and has invested over US$40bn in the sector to date. The Middle East region as a whole is set to receive over US$75bn in investments for renewable energy projects by 2030, according to a report released by the Energy Industries Council (EIC). Ahead of the COP28 summit in the UAE in 2023, more than 60 top executives from the oil and gas, cement, aluminium and other heavy industries agreed to cut their emissions to meet their climate obligations.

Within the lubricants sector, electrifying process heat, cutting methane leaks, and using low-emissions hydrogen, particularly in energy-intensive refining steps like hydrotreating and hydroisomerisation, are vital for efficiency improvements. These innovations are critical as it is estimated that a single liter of lubricant can generate over 3.5 kg CO₂e. Refineries across the GCC are piloting hydrogen and CCUS technologies to curb emissions in lubricant production.

Innovation powering the lubricants industry

The journey of lube oil begins with crude oil extraction, followed by vacuum distillation to separate heavier fractions suitable for base oil production. These base oils undergo further refining processes such as hydrotreating, hydroisomerisation, dewaxing and other processes, enhancing their viscosity, stability, and longevity.

Recent innovations in catalyst technology and feedstock selection are driving both product quality improvements and emissions reduction. Producers are also blending biomass-derived feedstocks with conventional inputs to create lower-carbon base oils. These bio-based oils perform similarly to fossil-based ones but have less carbon footprint and can be processed using existing infrastructure. Scientists are also exploring entirely renewable base oils.

However, innovation doesn’t stop at production. Digital monitoring tools help reduce lubricant waste during use. For example, Finnish company Lassila & Tikanoja installed real-time oil monitoring across its hydraulic systems and reduced oil use by 13,400 litres over four years, saving around 10 tonnes of CO₂e annually. They also cut lubricant-related emissions by up to 80% through smarter maintenance without affecting performance.

Packaging and handling

When it comes to packaging, manufacturers are increasingly optimising designs by reducing material use and enhancing handling and distribution. While traditional rigid plastics and metals have historically provided the necessary protection, they also present significant challenges in terms of disposal and GHG emissions.

Consequently, the lubricant industry is undergoing a transition toward low-carbon packaging alternatives that can maintain safety and performance while addressing environmental concerns. Lightweighting and design optimisation reduce raw material demand, shipping weight, and CO2 emissions per litre delivered, without compromising safety or performance.

TotalEnergies has been at the forefront with the integration of 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) HDPE in its premium lube oil bottles, launched in France and Belgium since September 2023. These bottles retain the same weight, design, and performance while significantly reducing the carbon footprint.

Lowering cradle-to-grave emissions

Beyond production and packaging, extending lubricant life is key to decarbonisation. Modern additives have enabled lubricant change intervals to increase from 5,000 km in legacy vehicles to upwards of 30,000 km in modern engines.

Bio-based or biomass-balanced additives further support environmental goals by reducing the emissions linked to additive manufacture and enhancing overall oil performance. The result is less frequent oil manufacture, transport, and disposal.

As the UAE accelerates its journey towards decarbonisation, these steps will be crucial in ensuring the responsible end-of-life management of lube oils. Technological advancements and environmentally friendly formulations will create new growth avenues and set a new benchmark in the UAE’s industrial revolution. As neighbouring countries pursue similar ambitions, regional collaboration in innovation and policy will be key to transforming the Middle East lubricant landscape.