ABU DHABI – November 02, 2026 -- Nearly one billion barrels of crude have been drained from inventories since the Strait of Hormuz disruption, ADNOC Group CEO Sultan Al Jaber said at the opening of ADIPEC 2026, as he urged the energy industry to fundamentally rethink how it builds, protects and delivers secure energy.
Hosted by ADNOC under the patronage of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the event is the largest in its history. Organisers expect 239,000 participants from more than 170 countries. The four-day programme runs until 5 November, with more than 1,800 speakers across 13 conference programmes and over 380 sessions.
Al Jaber sets out five steps to limit future supply shocks
Al Jaber, who is also UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said no one can remove every risk, but the industry can reduce the impact of shocks. His first step is accessible supply: expanded strategic storage, larger product stockpiles and flexible refining capacity closer to consumer markets. The second is routes to market, with infrastructure built before it is needed and supported by advanced logistics.
The third step is operational intelligence, a shift from automated operations to intelligent systems that anticipate risk and cut the cost of every barrel. The fourth is that capital follows confidence: policy must create it, finance must accelerate it and insurance must keep trade moving. The fifth, which he called the most important, is people.
He said ADNOC's resilience playbook was written years before the disruption and cited integrated trading, logistics and the global gas, chemicals and energy solutions portfolio of XRG. He also pointed to an end-to-end AI-enabled operating model. ADNOC aims to become the most customer-centric energy company in the world. "When it counts the most, you can count on the UAE," he said.
Altman links AI expansion to a sharp rise in energy demand
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said AI can make energy systems more efficient, reliable and innovative, but its rapid expansion will require significantly more energy. He described AI as a platform for scientific discovery with potential in energy operations, materials development and system design.
Altman called the ADNOC-G42-OpenAI partnership a model for applying advanced AI to real-world industrial challenges. He also said the UAE has been the most forward-looking country for AI adoption since the launch of ChatGPT.
Ministers and CEOs focus on spare capacity and durability
UAE Energy and Infrastructure Minister Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei said the country needs additional layers of protection and spare capacity, and will need AI to design more resilient systems. He spoke on the opening ministerial panel alongside Nigeria's Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.
The opening CEO panel brought together Meg O'Neill of bp, Richard Jackson of Oxy and Markus Krebber of RWE AG. Jackson said Oxy's strategy after this year's shocks is durability, built on sustainable cash flow and production and on investment in more durable production.
Exhibition opens with 2,260 exhibitors and record Asian participation
The exhibition spans 16 halls and 30 country pavilions, including China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea. Organisers describe Asian participation as the strongest in the event's history. Four specialised zones cover AI, Digitalisation, Low Carbon and Chemicals, and Maritime and Logistics.
Remaining sessions are set to focus on turning strategic priorities into investment decisions, partnerships and practical solutions.