AI investment and adoption are accelerating across the energy industry as leaders increasingly recognise the potential for it to strengthen energy reliability and resilience in the current volatile environment, according to the third annual Powering Possible report from ADNOC, XRG and Microsoft

The report, entitled Energy Resilience in the Intelligence Era, highlights a significant shift from AI ambition to implementation, with AI delivering growing financial returns as well as creating new infrastructure challenges.

Key findings

• AI becomes a top corporate priority: 62% of energy leaders now rank AI among their top two priorities, up from 42% in 2025, while 89% report increased investment over the past year
• AI investments begin to deliver returns: 63% expect returns on existing investments to cover or exceed costs, rising to 89% for future investments
• Energy demand creates new infrastructure challenges: 74% expect AI to increase energy consumption by 2030, yet only 52% are confident existing infrastructure can meet AI-driven electricity demand – unchanged from 2025. Grid modernisation and smart-grid technologies are the leading investment priority for supporting AI growth, cited by 67% of respondents, followed by energy storage at 42%.
• Importance of energy reliability rises as a measure of AI value: 39% identify supply stability and reliability as AI's most important contribution, up from 26% in 2025, reflecting the current supply volatility. While the share giving cost savings as AI's leading contribution fell from 19% to 13%.
• AI has the potential to accelerate sustainable energy production: 71% of energy leaders expect AI to increase the speed at which the energy sector becomes more sustainable, alongside growing expectations that AI can strengthen resilience, efficiency and the ability to meet rising energy demand. 57% of respondents identify the optimisation of power flows, dispatch and balancing as the area where AI could make the greatest contribution to the energy transition.
• AI moves into everyday operations: The share of organisations deploying integrated agentic AI workflows more than doubled from 15% to 33%, while 60% are piloting or deploying robotics in physical operations, from inspecting infrastructure to performing hazardous tasks.

His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, ADNOC managing director and Group CEO and executive chairman of XRG said: “AI is creating significant new opportunities for the energy industry to drive greater value, strengthen resilience and improve safety and reliability. At ADNOC, we are embedding AI, robotics and advanced technology across our operations to optimize every barrel, every molecule and every megawatt we produce. As AI scales, energy and technology must advance together.”

Brad Smith, vice chair and president, Microsoft, added, “As AI becomes embedded in the sectors that underpin the global economy, the measure of progress will not be adoption alone, but whether it delivers lasting value while earning public trust. In the energy sector, where reliability and security are fundamental, that requires strong governance, clear accountability and sustained investment in people and skills. Innovation at scale must be matched by responsibility at the same scale.”

The findings underline the need for investment in energy and digital infrastructure to advance together, backed by strong cybersecurity, trusted AI-ready data, common standards, sound governance and a skilled workforce, so AI can be deployed safely and reliably at scale.

Powering Possible 2026 is being published ahead of the fourth ENACT Majlis in Abu Dhabi and ADIPEC 2026 and is based on a survey of almost 400 senior energy and finance leaders.

In a development that is set to strengthen Sharjah’s energy security and help the UAE achieve its goal of gas self-sufficiency by 2030, Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC) has successfully completed Phase 1 development of the Hedebah gas-condensate field

Discovered in May 2024, the Hedebah Field represents Shrajah’s fifth onshore gas and condensate field and is located northeast of the Sajaa gas field. Thanks to an accelerated appraisal and development programme, first gas from the field was achieved within less than a year of discovery. SNOC has now completed all key Phase 1 objectives, including appraisal drilling, well evaluation, gathering infrastructure, pipeline installation and commissioning activities.

Appraisal results have confirmed strong reservoir quality, favourable pressure characteristics and encouraging production performance across the field, increasing confidence in Hedebah’s long-term commercial potential and its future contribution to Sharjah’s energy needs. The field has already more than doubled the company’s current gas production, ensuring a steady supply of gas and condensate.

SNOC has already commenced preparations for the next stage of development, with activities being accelerated to ramp up production during 2027. The field is expected to reach plateau production by 2028 and make a substantial contribution to meeting future energy demand across the Emirate.

The project was delivered despite significant logistical and procurement challenges, including regional shipping disruptions and material supply constraints, demonstrating SNOC’s ability to execute complex developments on an accelerated timeline.

Khamis Al Mazrouei, CEO of SNOC, said, “Hedebah is one of the most significant gas developments in Sharjah in recent years and a cornerstone of SNOC’s long-term growth strategy. Completing Phase 1 and bringing the field into production demonstrates our ability to move quickly from discovery to delivery while supporting the Emirate’s growing energy requirements. As we move into the next phase of development, Hedebah will play an increasingly important role in strengthening energy security and creating long-term value for Sharjah.”

SNOC remains committed to advancing Sharjah’s energy independence through the exploration and development of its hydrocarbon resources, complemented by its strategic gas storage and processing infrastructure.

Contributing to UAE gas growth

The SNOC development is good news for the UAE's strategic gas growth plans. The UAE possesses 297 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of conventional natural gas reserves, ranking as the seventh-largest gas reserve holder globally. Major projects are underway to exploit these to secure domestic self-sufficiency, help meet rising global gas demand, provide critical feedstock for the nation’s growing industrial and petrochemical sectors and establish the UAE as a global gas and LNG player. 

They include:

Umm Shaif Gas Cap Megaproject: ADNOC’s US$6.2bn project in partnership with TotalEnergies, Eni and CNPC will unlock more than 600 million standard cubic feet per day (scfd) of natural gas and associated gas liquids by 2030, equivalent to almost 10% of the UAE’s current daily gas consumption

ADNOC Gas Rich Gas Development (RGD) project: With a total investment value of US$13.2bn across three phases, the RGD project is expanding the company’s gas processing capacity. Phase 1 expands key processing units to increase throughput and improve operational efficiency across multiple gas assets; Phase 2 will add a new natural gas processing train at the Habshan facility, while Phase 3 will add a new natural gas liquids (NGL) fractionation train at Ruwais.

Ruwais LNG project: This is scheduled to start operations in 2028, adding 9.6 mtpa of LNG production capacity, more than doubling ADNOC’s LNG production output to around 15 mtpa. Supported by ADNOC and XRG’s integrated global LNG ma

In an exclusive interview with Oil Review Middle East, Thomas Löffler, executive vice president, dmg events discusses what we can expect at ADIPEC this year

Oil Review Middle East: At this time of geopolitical volatility, rising energy demand and infrastructure constraints, how will ADIPEC help to advance the investments, projects and partnerships required to support the delivery of secure, reliable and affordable energy systems?

Thomas Löffler: The last few months have reinforced something important: the energy system that was carefully built over decades is no longer the system the world now needs. We need a system that can absorb shocks, adapt to changing conditions and continue delivering the energy required for long-term economic and societal progress. That is why energy security is economic stability, and resilience has become fundamental to both.

The imperative is now twofold: secure the energy the world relies on today, while investing in the infrastructure, technology and capabilities needed to expand capacity and strengthen resilience for the future. That requires significant capital, faster execution and much closer collaboration across sectors and borders.

ADIPEC 2026 is where those priorities come together. Across the Strategic and Technical Conferences, Leadership Roundtables and the exhibition, we bring together governments, energy producers, investors, technology companies, engineers, manufacturers, infrastructure providers and major energy consumers to address the practical questions that determine delivery: where capital needs to go, what makes projects bankable, how infrastructure can be built faster and how technology can move from pilot to scale.

Collaboration is critical because no single company, country or sector can deliver the next energy system alone. ADIPEC brings together the full breadth of the global energy industry, from every part of the world, creating the conditions for ideas to become decisions, partnerships to become projects and investment to translate into real-world capacity. As a global centre for energy, investment and technology, Abu Dhabi and the UAE are uniquely positioned to convene those conversations and help accelerate progress.

Given the convergence of rising energy demand, AI-driven power growth, infrastructure constraints and geopolitical volatility, this is one of the most important editions of ADIPEC in recent years. The focus is not simply on discussing the challenges facing the industry, but on strengthening supply, mobilising capital, accelerating technology deployment and advancing the partnerships needed to build a more resilient energy system for the future.

Oil Review Middle East: What will be the key themes and topics at ADIPEC this year, and how has the strategic conference been refreshed to reflect changing priorities?

Thomas Löffler: The Strategic Conference has been significantly refreshed this year to reflect the issues now determining how the global energy system develops and performs. At its core are three priorities: strengthening energy security and resilience; mobilising the capital and infrastructure required to meet rising demand; and embedding intelligence and technology across energy systems to improve performance, reliability and decision-making.

New programmes include Energy Security & Resilience; Policy, Regulation & Governance; Upstream; Clean Power, Molecules & Carbon Management; Grids, Infrastructure & Industrial Execution; and Workforce & Skills, alongside updated programmes focused on AI, digital technology and integrated industrial value chains.

These changes reflect how interconnected the industry has become. Energy security cannot be separated from infrastructure and investment. AI is both changing how energy systems operate and creating significant new demand for power. And delivering projects at the scale required will depend as much on regulation, workforce capability and partnerships as it does on technology.

There is also a much stronger emphasis on execution. The conversation is no longer simply about long-term ambition. It is about what makes projects investable, how capital moves into infrastructure, how technology gets deployed at scale and how partnerships accelerate delivery.

Ultimately, the programme is built around the decisions the industry needs to make now — where to invest, what to build, which technologies to scale and how to deliver the capacity the world will need.

Oil Review Middle East: What is the role of the ADIPEC exhibition and its specialised zones in showcasing the latest innovations and technologies and catalysing commercial partnerships?

Thomas Löffler: The exhibition is where a lot of the commercial activity at ADIPEC happens. More than 2,250 companies come together not simply to showcase technology, but to meet customers, identify project opportunities, build partnerships and move solutions closer to deployment.

Across 16 halls, 30 country pavilions and four specialised zones, the exhibition connects energy companies, technology providers, manufacturers, service companies, investors and project partners in one commercial environment.

The AI Zone shows how AI, robotics, automation and advanced analytics are moving from pilot to real-world deployment across energy assets and operations, while the Digitalisation Zone focuses on the digital infrastructure, automation, analytics and cybersecurity capabilities making energy systems more connected, responsive and resilient.

The Low Carbon & Chemicals Zone brings together technologies and commercial models spanning carbon management, lower-carbon solutions, chemicals and advanced materials; and the Maritime & Logistics Zone focuses on the shipping, ports, supply chains and infrastructure required to keep global energy flows secure, efficient and reliable.

These zones play an important role in bringing operators, technology companies, project owners and investors into the same environment. That is where technology moves from being demonstrated to being evaluated, financed and deployed.

Oil Review Middle East: With the rapid expansion of AI and the transition from pilot projects to large-scale deployments, and as AI safety concerns come to the fore, how will ADIPEC shape the effective and responsible deployment of AI and intelligent energy systems?

Thomas Löffler: As AI moves into mission-critical energy infrastructure, the focus must extend beyond capability to include governance, transparency, cybersecurity and human oversight. ADIPEC will bring together operators, technology providers and policymakers to ensure AI is deployed safely, responsibly and at scale.

The AI Zone will show how artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and advanced analytics are moving from pilot to real-world deployment across energy assets and operations. At the same time, the AI, Digital & Technology conference programme will bring energy and technology leaders together to examine how these technologies can improve performance, strengthen resilience and support increasingly complex energy systems.

That depth extends across ADIPEC. Some of the world’s most influential energy and technology leaders will be part of the conversation this year, including Dr Roland Busch, President & CEO, Siemens AG; Olivier Blum, CEO, Schneider Electric; Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA; Girish Rishi, CEO, Cognite; Dennis Jol, CEO, AIQ; Uljan Sharka, Founder and CEO, Domyn; Dr Olivier Oullier, CEO, Inclusive Brains; and Tim Bawtree, Chairman and Founder, Quantum Switch.

Bringing that level of leadership together with more than 2,250 exhibiting companies, investors, project owners, engineers and technology providers is what creates the opportunity for ideas to move into partnerships, investment and deployment.

The point is not scale for scale’s sake. It is what that scale enables: bringing the people developing technology together with the companies that need it, the investors that can finance it and the decision-makers who can take it to market.