Record attendance and investment reinforced Abu Dhabi’s position as a global energy industry hub.
ADIPEC 2026 concluded after recording more than 50,000 business deals worth an estimated US$67 billion over four days, representing a 26.4% increase compared with 2025. The record-breaking edition welcomed 240,000 attendees from 170 countries, further strengthening its position as one of the world’s leading platforms for the global energy industry.
Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and hosted by ADNOC, the event brought together government leaders, global energy CEOs, investors and technology companies. Discussions focused on advancing the partnerships, investments and projects required to strengthen energy security and meet rising global demand.
More than 40 government ministers and policymakers attended, including senior representatives from Germany, Canada, Egypt, Austria, Japan, Kazakhstan and Nigeria. Their participation underscored ADIPEC’s importance as an international platform for energy dialogue, cooperation and investment.
The event featured its largest exhibition to date by floor space, bringing together 2,260 companies across 16 halls, 30 country pavilions and four specialized industry zones. China, the United States and Italy accounted for the largest number of exhibitors. Strong international demand resulted in a fully sold-out exhibition, with additional capacity created to accommodate participation.
ADIPEC 2026 also recorded its strongest-ever participation from Asia, with 353 exhibiting companies, representing a 12% year-on-year increase. Six country pavilions from China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea reflected the region’s growing influence on global energy demand, industrial development, investment and technology deployment.
The increased international presence reinforced ADIPEC’s role in connecting global markets with the capital, supply chains and partnerships required to support future growth.
AI and Technology Took Center Stage
The AI Zone expanded by 20% compared with the previous year, bringing together leading technology companies, including Microsoft, NVIDIA, IBM, Dell, Huawei, Honeywell, Siemens, Unitree, Presight, AIQ and Etisalat.
Technology demonstrations included Gecko Robotics’ Raptor inspection robot, Honeywell’s AI-powered Honeywell Forge Upstream platform and Synectics’ intelligent surveillance solutions. These innovations demonstrated how artificial intelligence, automation and robotics were being deployed to improve operational performance, safety and infrastructure resilience across the energy sector.
Against a backdrop of geopolitical shifts, increasing demand and evolving supply dynamics, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, outlined a clear agenda for the industry during his opening address. He called on the global energy sector to fundamentally rethink how it built, protected and delivered secure energy.
Dr. Al Jaber emphasized that resilience needed to be embedded throughout the energy value chain. He identified five priorities for strengthening global energy security: expanding accessible supply, securing routes to market, leveraging operational intelligence, mobilizing the policy, capital and insurance support required to sustain trade, and investing in people.
Also addressing the opening ceremony, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence to address some of the world’s most complex energy challenges. He explained that combining advanced AI, sovereign infrastructure and industry expertise could accelerate decision-making, improve operational performance and unlock opportunities throughout the energy value chain.
Strategic Partnerships and Major Investments
Several significant announcements demonstrated how the industry was translating energy resilience into tangible action.
Among the most notable was ADNOC’s landmark partnership with OpenAI and G42, highlighting the growing convergence of energy and artificial intelligence as companies sought to improve operational performance, strengthen resilience and respond to increasing global demand.
Another major agreement involved XRG and Shell. The US$1.5 billion transaction saw XRG acquire Shell’s stake in Australia’s North West Shelf LNG project, expanding its international gas portfolio and strengthening energy links with Asia-Pacific markets.
In another significant investment development, TA’ZIZ reached financial close on AED 5.1 billion for the TA’ZIZ Terminal and TA’ZIZ Ammonia projects in Ruwais. Both transactions were oversubscribed, demonstrating strong investor confidence in Abu Dhabi’s industrial growth strategy and supporting the expansion of chemicals, export and industrial infrastructure.
Industry Leaders Emphasized Global Cooperation
Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy, Chairman of ADIPEC 2026, said: “ADIPEC 2026 has been defined by energy resilience and intelligence, not as ends in themselves, but as enablers of global stability and growth. As global energy demand continues to rise, meeting the world’s needs will require sustained investment in supply and infrastructure, stronger international partnerships and the intelligent deployment of technology across the energy system to support economic stability and growth.
“The breadth of international participation, from energy, advanced technology and investment sectors, the record exhibition scale and billions of dollars in agreements advanced this week are particularly significant against the backdrop of this year’s extraordinary challenges. They demonstrate what ADIPEC is here to do: connect energy, technology and capital to turn ambition into action. They also reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a trusted global center for the energy industry and the UAE’s commitment to working with partners around the world to strengthen energy security and unlock long-term economic growth.”
Across 13 conference programs and more than 380 sessions, over 1,800 speakers examined the forces reshaping the global energy landscape. More than 40 ministers and policymakers joined leading CEOs, industry experts and investors to discuss supply resilience, infrastructure investment, international cooperation and the growing role of AI in strengthening energy systems.
A consistent message emerged from the discussions: securing the energy future required more than expanding supply. It demanded coordinated investment in the infrastructure, technologies and partnerships underpinning energy security, economic growth and long-term resilience.
Christopher Hudson, President of dmg events, the organizers of ADIPEC, said: “The unprecedented participation at ADIPEC this week, with our greatest number of exhibitors, is a powerful demonstration of the energy sector’s resilience, confidence and determination to invest in the future. At a time of growing global demand and increasing pressure on energy systems, the industry continues to come together to develop the partnerships, technologies and solutions needed to strengthen energy security and support long-term economic growth.
“The scale of engagement, the quality of discussions and the agreements reached throughout the week show a sector focused not only on addressing today’s challenges, but on building a more resilient and connected energy system for the future.”
Record International Media Participation
The 2026 edition also attracted its largest-ever global media presence, welcoming nearly 1,000 journalists and content creators from around the world, representing a 14% increase compared with 2025.
The growth in media participation reflected increasing international interest in the discussions, strategic partnerships and technological innovations shaping the future of the energy industry.
ADIPEC is scheduled to return to Abu Dhabi from 1-4 November 2027, continuing its role in connecting the global energy sector around the investments, technologies and partnerships needed to strengthen energy security and support sustainable long-term growth.
About ADIPEC
Hosted by ADNOC and held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, ADIPEC brought together the global energy industry in Abu Dhabi from 2-5 November 2026. The event served as an international platform for government leaders, energy companies, investors and technology providers to exchange knowledge, develop partnerships and advance solutions addressing the evolving challenges of global energy supply, security and resilience.
Next edition: 1–4 November 2027, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
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