Technology - Technology

ADIPEC 2026 to reflect rapid digital transformation of energy sector

The submissions reveal an industrial shift towards smart, resilient and efficient energy systems.

Reflecting rising demand, growing energy security pressures and rapid technological change, this year's ADIPEC 2026 Technical Conferences, hosted by ADNOC, have attracted a total of 7,261 paper submissions from energy professionals and researchers worldwide

Comprising submissions for SPE's Technical Conference and dmg events' Downstream Technical Conference organised by dmg events, these reveal an industrial shift towards smart, resilient and efficient energy systems that is rapidly redefining the industrial value chain.

For AI & Digital Transformation segment of SPE's programme, the increased number of submissions captured the dynamism of today's energy landscape, as optimisation, automation and decision-support applications continue to reshape the industry’s efficiency and delivery.

Speaking on the submissions, Haitham Al Jenaibi, executive vice president - development and production (Gas), ADNOC Upstream, ADIPEC 2026 Technical Conference Chairman, said, “At a time when energy systems are being asked to deliver more than ever, this record number of submissions reflects the depth of innovation across our industry. It reaffirms that ADIPEC remains the trusted leading technical platform that attracts state-of-the-art technologies and innovation, convening global experts to advance scalable solutions and strengthen the energy sector’s resilience and competitiveness.”

Digital Transformation & Advanced Manufacturing segment of dmg's programme, on the other hand, remained a frontrunner, pointing towards the rapid adoption of digital technologies across refining, chemicals and industrial operations.

The Techno-Economic Design & Strategic Decision-Making segment was introduced this year, with submissions implying the rising relevance of sustainable technical approaches that combine engineering excellence with commercial and strategic thinking, helping organisations navigate an increasingly complex operating environment.

Thomas Loeffler, senior vice president – ADIPEC, dmg events, said, “This year’s Technical Conferences’ submissions send a clear signal: that AI has moved from theory to infrastructure. The range and complexity of submissions confirm that the technical community is doing the hard work of embedding these solutions across operations; not as a future ambition, but as an essential component of efficient and resilient energy systems.”

Across the SPE programme, submissions grew in Drilling and Unconventional Resources, demonstrating an increased focus on near-term supply and production resilience. Integrated Field Development and Energy Addition/Low-Carbon submissions indicated a rebalancing of technical attention towards immediate supply delivery needs.

In the Downstream programme, Circular Economy, Resource Efficiency & Recycling saw increased submissions, pointing to sustained technical interest in resource efficiency alongside the broader supply-side shift and confirming that longer-term sustainability considerations continue to command serious technical attention - even as near-term security pressures intensify.

The top five SPE submitting countries were the UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, China and the USA, spanning the world's major producing nations and its largest emerging energy market, and underscoring the genuinely global reach of the Technical Conferences. The breadth of participation reinforces ADIPEC's role as the platform where the technical community convenes across geographies and disciplines to share knowledge and advance the solutions the industry needs.

ADIPEC 2026 will take place in Abu Dhabi from 2–5 November 2026, bringing together more than 239,000 attendees, 1,800 speakers, 16,500 delegates and 2,250 exhibiting companies to advance the partnerships, technologies and practical solutions needed to strengthen energy systems under pressure and support long-term economic growth.

MODEC's mooring system to support Coral Norte

MODEC's mooring system to support Coral Norte.

MODEC, Inc has announced that it will supply a SOFEC Internal Turret Mooring System for the Coral Norte FLNG project offshore Mozambique, developed by Eni and its partners CNPC, ENH, XRG and KOGAS

The company is collaborating with the Technip Energies JGC joint venture (JV) to support seamless integration, efficient execution and reliable long term performance.

With Final Investment Decision achieved in October 2025, the hull launch completed in January 2026 at Samsung Heavy Industries’ Geoje shipyard in South Korea, and first LNG targeted for 2028, the project is advancing on schedule. MODEC has supported the project since the early stages and is progressing engineering and supply activities in line with the overall timeline, underscoring the company’s contribution to mission‑critical station‑keeping for large‑scale gas developments.

Building on proven performance on the companion Coral Sul FLNG, this engagement reinforces MODEC’s track record in complex offshore station‑keeping. Designed as an enhanced replica of Coral Sul — incorporating lessons learned and optimized for improved efficiency and performance — Coral Norte will add 3.6 MTPA of liquefaction capacity.

The turret mooring system is a mission‑critical element of FLNG performance, enabling safe weathervaning, high uptime, and resilient operations in the metocean conditions of the Rovuma Basin. Drawing on decades of experience across FLNG and FPSO projects worldwide, MODEC is applying advanced engineering, robust risk management, and disciplined execution to deliver the SOFEC® Internal Turret Mooring System for Coral Norte from design through delivery.

“Coral Norte is an important milestone for the industry and for Mozambique, and we are honored to contribute to this landmark FLNG project,” said Arun Duggal, Head of MODEC’s Mooring Solutions Business Unit. “Our team’s performance on Coral Sul set a high bar for safety, reliability, and schedule discipline. This engagement reflects the trust we have built together, and we look forward to delivering a SOFEC® turret mooring system that enables best‑in‑class operability — while continuing to invest in local capability and laying the foundation for future projects in the region.”

A Technip Energies–JGC JV spokesperson commented: “The work delivered by MODEC on Coral Sul established a strong operational baseline and demonstrated clear excellence in engineering and execution. Our partnership on Coral Norte builds on that success and supports our broader commitment to sustainable development in Mozambique.”

Saipem onboard Eni's Phase 3 Baleine project offshore Ivory Coast

Construction vessels FDS and Shen Da will be deployed.

Saipem has bagged a million euro contract offshore Ivory Coast for the third development phase of Eni's Baleine project

Saipem will be overseeing the engineering, fabrication, transportation and installation work at water depths up to 1,300 meters, building approximately 50 km of rigid pipelines and associated subsea structures. The project aligns with the energy services provider's reputation in delivering complex energy infrastructures of strategic importance to global operators.

Construction vessels FDS and Shen Da will be deployed for around three years to support operations of scale, involving the transportation and installation of flexible risers, flexible jumpers, subsea production systems and a 3-km-long flexible gas export flowline, as well as 22 km of subsea umbilical.

The strategically significant offshore project's engineering, procurement and construction works across multiple wells will be undertaken by SLB's OneSubsea joint venture. This will involve the installation of complete subsea production systems (SPS) for 13 wells.

This contract will support the entire well life cycle, starting with the installation of subsea trees, umbilical, manifolds, multiphase flowmeters and control systems, through to commissioning and life-of-field services. This integrated approach will streamline execution and support the project’s fast-track development schedule.

"Baleine Phase 3 brings together scale and execution certainty," said Mads Hjelmeland, chief executive officer of SLB OneSubsea. "Through our subsea production system technology and by leveraging our established local presence, we are supporting Eni’s efforts to advance a complex, deepwater project efficiently while contributing to the long-term development of offshore resources in Côte d’Ivoire."

TechnipFMC, too is contributing to the fast track development, establishing a network of flexible flowlines and risers to be connected to a new floating production unit.

Jonathan Landes, president-subsea for TechnipFMC, said, “This award marks the continued expansion of our collaboration with Eni. We are excited to apply our expertise to provide a robust flexible pipe solution with schedule certainty in support of this fast-track project.”

SLB to deliver EPC for Baleine project

Global energy technology company, SLB's OneSubsea joint venture has been awarded a major multi-well engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract by Eni for Phase 3 of the deepwater Baleine project offshore Ivory Coast

Under the contract, SLB OneSubsea will deliver complete subsea production systems (SPS) for 13 wells, reinforcing its role as a core technology and execution partner on one of the most strategically significant offshore developments currently underway in the region.

The EPC scope includes subsea trees, umbilical, manifolds, multiphase flowmeters and control systems, along with installation, commissioning and life-of-field support. The integrated delivery model is designed to streamline execution and support the project’s fast-track development schedule.

Project execution will be supported by SLB OneSubsea’s in-country presence and local capabilities, contributing to efficient delivery across the life of the project.

SLB launches digital marketplace for energy companies

SLB launches digital marketplace for energy companies. (Image source: SLB)

Global energy technology company, SLB, has launched the SLB Digital Marketplace, a curated digital destination to give energy companies easy access to specialised AI agents, domain models, skills, tools, data connectors and digital applications within their existing digital environments

This launch builds on the industry shift to agentic AI; a software-led energy sector where complex technical workflows get automated. SLB has tapped into this market potential where energy companies will need support to stay updated in a dynamic environment. As these capabilities proliferate, energy companies will need access to a broader ecosystem of specialized tools that work together across planning, operations, data and AI.

The SLB Digital Marketplace extends the company’s open platform strategy to its Tela agentic AI assistant by enabling SLB, partners, independent software vendors (ISVs), developers and customers to bring purpose-built digital capabilities to the energy industry through a single, governed channel. All marketplace offerings are certified against SLB standards for security, interoperability and compatibility before listing.

“AI in energy is shifting from promise to performance,” said Olivier Le Peuch, chief executive officer of SLB. “The SLB Digital Marketplace is designed to accelerate that shift by creating an open ecosystem where innovation can scale, solutions can interoperate and customers can move faster from insight to action. This is how we translate AI into real performance across the energy system.”

“No single company can build every agent, model or application the energy industry will need,” said Rakesh Jaggi, president of SLB’s digital business. “The SLB Digital Marketplace is the next expression of our commitment to openness, giving energy professionals more choice while maintaining the governance and quality standards required for enterprise operations.”