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Ministers explored how national energy priorities can be aligned to support a more connected, resilient and secure global energy system. (Image source: dmg events)

The infrastructure requirements of the global energy system were in focus on Day 2 of ADIPEC 2026, as ministers, CEOs and industry leaders came together to discuss how the world can build and strengthen the networks needed to meet growing energy demand as well as to ensure resilience

As economies expand, industries electrify and AI accelerates power consumption, speakers highlighted the need for increased investment in the physical systems that underpin energy delivery, from grids and transmission networks to supply chains, storage facilities and critical industrial infrastructure. Discussions centred on how to accelerate project delivery, strengthen resilience and ensure energy systems can respond to both rising demand and greater geopolitical uncertainty.

Across ministerial dialogues, executive panels and strategic discussions, the need was highlighting not only for expanding energy supply, but for building resilient networks, diversified supply chains and the operational capabilities required to deliver energy securely, reliably and at scale.

International co-ordination required

In the ministerial panel ‘Beyond borders: can national energy strategies deliver a connected global system?’, ministers explored how national energy priorities can be aligned to support a more connected, resilient and secure global energy system, highlighting the importance of greater international coordination across the energy value chain.

His Excellency Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Egypt said, "The world needs more energy, and unlocking and delivering this energy can only be done through collaboration and partnership. No single country or company can do this alone. Collaboration and partnership are the essence of unlocking these opportunities."

In his session titled ‘Powering what comes next: energy for a changing world’, Dr. Christian Bruch, President and CEO, Siemens Energy AG, explained how building resilient energy infrastructure requires a better understanding of local manufacturing capabilities, strategic storage requirements and how global supply chains can be integrated with local demand during periods of disruption.

Dr Bruch said, “There are new criteria emerging in the design of our energy systems. This region will be the first and leading region in building resilient energy systems. If you want to learn what the resilient energy infrastructure of the future will look like, this is where it is going to happen…The key question now is how to ensure more resilient supply chains in the event of global logistics disruptions. This means understanding what local capabilities are needed, which global supply chains can be leveraged, and what kind of storage is required.”

Technology investment

In the panel titled "The energy productivity opportunity: unlocking more value from every kilowatt", Olivier Blum, CEO of Schneider Electric, highlighted how long-term investments in digital technologies, combined with emerging AI capabilities, are helping utilities and operators better match supply with demand, improve system performance and optimise energy use. He argued that these technologies will be critical in addressing one of the industry's biggest challenges: meeting rapidly growing electricity demand while improving efficiency across the energy system.

He said, “We have to increase electricity generation. We do not really have a choice, as demand continues to rise. Industries are electrifying, cities are expanding and electric cars are becoming increasingly common. We need to produce more energy while also consuming it more efficiently.”

The close relationship between electrification, infrastructure and AI was also central to the session titled ‘AI-driven energy demand: planning infrastructure for an accelerating growth curve’.
Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA, said: "It is clear that AI requires significant amounts of power and that its infrastructure is being deployed very quickly. Other resources and infrastructure are developing at a slower pace. However, I see this more as a question of coordination than simply one of speed.”

Energy resilience and secured delivery was a recurring theme throughout the day. In the CEO panel ‘Turning disruption into advantage: resources, power and global growth’, executives discussed recent energy sector disruptions and the efforts made before and after to build resilience, agility and optionality into their strategies.

Highlighting the scale of the task, Lorenzo Simonelli, chairman and CEO, Baker Hughes, said, "We should never stop examining our different vulnerabilities and alternatives. This means looking across the supply chain and logistics, and making sure you have secondary, tertiary and even fourth sources of supply. You cannot afford to be dependent on single choke points; you need to be able to navigate and respond to different circumstances."

ADIPEC 2026 has opened in Abu Dhabi, bringing together more than 40 ministers, alongside policymakers, regulators, global CEOs and decision-makers to examine how resilient energy systems, infrastructure investment, AI and international partnership can strengthen energy security and support long-term economic growth

Taking place from 2-5 November at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), ADIPEC 2026 is set for its biggest exhibition to date, with a record 2,260 exhibiting companies, 16 halls fully booked, 30 country pavilions and more than 239,000 attendees expected from over 170 countries. Among the participants are 54 national and international oil and energy companies (NOCs, IOCs, NECs and IECs), including bp, TotalEnergies, Eni, Oxy, ExxonMobil, Chevron, NNPC and INPEX. Major technology and industrial companies including Siemens AG, IBM and Microsoft will also participate.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and hosted by ADNOC, ADIPEC 2026 takes place at a critical time for the global energy industry. Rising energy demand, geopolitical shifts and growing infrastructure requirements are placing energy security, resilience and investment at the centre of global economic priorities. Discussions on the opening day highlighted the growing importance of supply resilience, intelligent energy systems and long-term investment in meeting rising demand while ensuring energy remains reliable, accessible and affordable.

Keynote address

Delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony, His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC managing director and Group CEO, set the direction for four days of strategic dialogue and commercial engagement.

He highlighted that energy security has shifted from a specialist topic to a critical concern for every industry and household. Global supply buffers have eroded, evidenced by the loss of nearly 1bn barrels from inventories due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. In some markets, stocks of diesel are at their lowest seasonal level in 35 years, while others are facing a 600 billion cubic feet LNG supply gap.

“But supply is only half the story. The other half is delivery. Before the disruption, logistics were less than 5% of the cost of a barrel. Today, they are more than 30%. In short, energy security is not only measured at the point of production. It is now also measured at the point of delivery.”

Five key steps for energy resilience

Dr. Al Jaber outlined five steps the energy industry can take to reduce the impact of future shocks.

“First accessible supply. We need expanded strategic storage, larger stockpiles of products and flexible refining capacity closer to consumer markets.

“Second, routes to market. Supply only counts when it arrives. Infrastructure must be built before it is needed and enabled by advanced logistics.

“Third, operational intelligence. Moving from automation operations to intelligent energy systems that anticipate risk, optimise performance and drive down the cost of every barrel.

“Fourth, capital follows confidence. Policy must create it, finance must accelerate it and insurance must keep trade moving.

“Fifth, which is in my view the most important, is people. Because behind every barrel that arrives is a person who made sure it did. Systems don’t carry responsibility, people do.”

Dr. Al Jaber praised the UAE’s armed forces, Civil Defense, firefighters, first responders and ADNOC’s front line employees for their selfless service in testing times and also acknowledged regional and global partners in the energy community for their contribution to keeping energy flowing during this period.

Dr. Al Jaber paid tribute to the example set by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, highlighting his leadership and the values of unity and belonging that underpin the country’s resilience.

“Talent stayed. Capital stayed. Investment kept coming and the economy kept moving. That is the UAE model, pressure-tested and proven by results.

“The UAE will always advocate for dialogue, active diplomacy and pursue political solutions that bring stability to markets, to energy flows and to the global economy.”

Reflecting on the UAE’s resilience during recent market disruptions, Dr. Al Jaber said, “We did not write our resilience playbook during this disruption. We wrote it years before. And at ADNOC, it did not make us immune, it made us prepared. Our leadership’s foresight in modernising ADNOC made the difference, from integrated trading, to investing in people, to world-class logistics, to XRG’s global portfolio in gas, chemicals and energy solutions.

“The evident result is our end-to-end AI-enabled operating model, built for a world of rising demand and delivering what customers need, when they need it, where they need it.”

AI initiatives

Dr Al Jaber announced a new agreement between ADNOC, OpenAI and G42 as an example of how strategic collaboration and advanced AI can help reshape the energy industry, to optimise energy production and meet rising global demand. This collaboration will make ADNOC the world’s first energy company to deploy OpenAI Frontier to create smarter, safer and more resilient energy systems.

“From the moment ChatGPT was born, the world has asked what energy can do for AI. And now, together, we will find out what AI can do for energy.”

Following on from this, the gathering was addressed by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI who noted that while the AI industry has long requested energy, AI can now repay the favour by optimising the energy sector, describing the current era as a “new renaissance” where AI enables humans to solve complex problems and innovate at scale. He said AI is increasingly being used not just as a productivity tool, but as a platform for scientific disovery and problem-solving, with the potential to transform energy operations, materials development and system design.

Altman praised the UAE as “the most forward looking country in the world for AI adoption” and noted the partnership with G42 and ADNOC is an opportunity to apply frontier AI models to the hardest problems in the energy industry. He stressed however that humans must remain in control of the future, ensuring AI serves as a tool for people rather than a replacement for human agency.

“This is a value that we intend to really go fight for.”

Teledyne Flir will showcase its OGI portfolio at ADIPEC. (Image source: Teledyne Flir)

Teledyne Gas and Flame Detection and Teledyne Flir will showcase their latest innovations in gas and flame detection and thermal imaging at booth 9413, Hall 9 at ADIPEC 2026

Teledyne Gas and Flame Detection will spotlight FREEDOM, its new-generation gas detector range. The X model features certified hot-swap technology for cartridge replacement under power in hazardous areas, while the XP is designed for explosive atmospheres and meets SIL2/SC3 certification requirements. Built around a common electronic architecture, all FREEDOM models blend modularity with intelligent connectivity and simplified maintenance. The Teledyne GF SYNC Bluetooth app enables users to configure, calibrate, and diagnose FREEDOM detectors directly from a mobile device, with support for automatic certificate generation.

Teledyne GFD will also highlight its Saudi manufacturing partnership with Industrial Detection Solutions (IDS), which has received Aramco approval for products manufactured in the Kingdom. These include the DM-Tox toxic gas sensor and FP-LEL and IR-LEL combustible gas sensors, supporting local supply chains and industrial development.

Also showcased will be he PS500 personal multi-gas detector. Certified to the EU Marine Equipment Directive, the PS500 can monitor up to five gases, including CO₂, O₂, CO, H₂S, and LEL. Its capabilities support the latest maritime enclosed-space safety recommendations, including new recommendations for CO₂ monitoring.

Other Teledyne GFD highlights include GDCloud for secure data sharing, compliance reporting and field-event visualisation, alongside MethaSense Trace and GS700 handheld detectors for methane emissions monitoring, which utilise Flir optical gas imaging (OGI) technology. Also present will be the Spyglass Xtend triple-infrared flame detector, which offers simultaneous detection of hydrogen and hydrocarbon fires.

“ADIPEC provides an ideal opportunity for visitors to explore how our latest technologies address the evolving demands of industrial safety. From FREEDOM’s serviceability and connectivity to locally manufactured, Aramco-approved products and marine gas monitoring, we’re demonstrating practical solutions that support safer, more efficient operations,” said Thomas Moeller, VP of Sales and Marketing, Teledyne Gas and Flame Detection.

Thermal imaging solutions

Teledyne Flir will present a broad selection of thermal inspection solutions, including the E8 Pro, i65, E96, T560, and T865 thermal cameras, along with the K85 thermal imaging camera, Si2-Pro and fixed Si2A Pro acoustic imaging solutions, as well as the Scout Pro thermal monocular.

The exhibition is also set to feature Flir’s OGI portfolio, including the GF77LR, Gx320 ATEX-rated camera, and QL320 quantitative OGI system, enabling operators to identify and assess gas leaks from a distance.

A Flir highlight will be ADGiLE 2.0, a newly enhanced automated gas emissions monitoring solution. Combining OGI, advanced analytics, and configurable camera sensors, the platform provides continuous monitoring of methane and VOCs, as well as hydrocarbons. investigation and response.

“ADIPEC is an important meeting point for organisations looking to improve safety, reliability and environmental performance. Our combined offering demonstrates how advanced imaging, intelligent monitoring, and established detection technologies can provide operators with greater visibility across their facilities,” said Steve Beynon, sales director, EMEA, Optical Gas Imaging (OGI), Teledyne Flir.

The upcoming edition is set to reinforce SteelFab’s position as a major international platform. (Image source: Expo Centre Sharjah)

Expo Centre Sharjah is preparing for SteelFab 2027, building on the achievements of the exhibition’s 2026 edition and its growing importance as a leading international platform for the metalworking and steel fabrication industries

SteelFab 2027 will bring the global industrial community together in Sharjah, connecting manufacturers, investors, technology providers, suppliers and decision-makers with new opportunities across the UAE, GCC and wider Middle East and North Africa markets.

The upcoming edition reflects Expo Centre Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening SteelFab’s role as a strategic business platform that facilitates commercial partnerships, encourages technology exchange and enables international companies to enter and expand across high-potential regional markets.

Building on the achievements of SteelFab 2026

SteelFab 2026 brought together 350 exhibitors and more than 600 leading local and international brands from 35 countries across 25,000 square metres of exhibition space. Participating companies represented major industrial markets, including the UAE, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Türkiye, India, Taiwan, Thailand and Egypt.

The participation of global companies exporting to more than 70 countries demonstrated SteelFab’s international reach and its ability to connect regional buyers and investors with leading manufacturers and advanced technology providers from around the world.

Meeting and discussions held during the exhibition resulted in major commercial agreements, business deals and strategic partnerships, supporting the expansion of distribution networks, strengthening industrial supply chains and creating new opportunities for cross-border trade and investment.

SteelFab 2027 will build on this foundation by providing an integrated environment in which international businesses can showcase their capabilities, establish partnerships and explore opportunities across regional and global markets.

His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah, said, “SteelFab 2027 will build on the exhibition’s strong international momentum and further strengthen its role as a gateway connecting global industrial expertise with opportunities across the UAE and the wider region. By bringing manufacturers, investors, technology leaders and buyers together in Sharjah, the exhibition creates a highly effective environment for partnerships, knowledge exchange and sustainable commercial growth.”

“SteelFab contributes directly to Sharjah’s economic development by attracting international businesses, supporting industrial activity and strengthening the Emirate’s position as a destination for business tourism and specialised exhibitions. Its impact also supports the UAE’s industrial ambitions by encouraging high-value investment, accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies and connecting local and regional manufacturers with international markets and supply chains.”

Advancing the future of industrial exhibitions

SteelFab 2027 will also benefit from the digital transformation introduced during the 2026 edition, which became the first exhibition in the UAE and the region to adopt fully integrated, AI-powered exhibition technologies.

A key component of this transformation was AetherEx, a digital twin platform that enables exhibitors to maintain their market presence, showcase products and continue engaging with international audiences beyond the physical exhibition.

The platform features interactive virtual pavilions and smart tools for tracking customer sentiment and analysing buyer behaviour through a central dashboard. These capabilities extend the commercial value of participation, support continuous buyer engagement and create opportunities for partnerships beyond the exhibition floor.

This digital model reflects Expo Centre Sharjah’s broader strategic direction to develop internationally influential exhibitions that contribute to the future of trade, investment, innovation and business tourism.

A comprehensive platform for industrial technology

Building on SteelFab’s established industry scope, the 2027 edition will provide a platform for the technologies and solutions influencing the future of steel fabrication, metalworking and advanced manufacturing.

The previous edition featured next-generation steel production equipment, cost-efficient laser-cutting systems and AI-powered manufacturing robots developed for complex production processes. It also showcased heavy-duty CNC machinery for oil, gas and aerospace applications; metal-forming and press brake equipment; advanced welding and laser-marking technologies; and comprehensive automation solutions. Additional exhibits included powder-coating technologies ranging from manual units to fully automated systems, alongside pre-treatment tunnels, curing ovens, production-floor measurement systems and specialised solutions for manufacturing electrical cabinets and air-conditioning systems.

This comprehensive industry offers positions SteelFab as a platform capable of addressing diverse manufacturing requirements while advancing efficiency, innovation and sustainability.

Sharjah: a strategic gateway for international business

Hosting SteelFab 2027 in Sharjah reinforces the Emirate’s role as a strategic meeting point for international industry and a gateway to regional markets. Through its specialised exhibitions, Expo Centre Sharjah connects global businesses with investors, buyers and partners while supporting Sharjah’s economic diversification and enhancing its visibility within the international trade and exhibition landscape.
SteelFab 2027 will continue this role by enabling companies to establish valuable commercial relationships, explore new markets and participate in the continued development of the UAE’s industrial economy.

The upcoming edition is set to reinforce SteelFab’s position as a major international platform where industrial expertise, advanced technology and business opportunity converge in Sharjah.