DUBAI, 29th September, 2026 (WAM) — Under the patronage and in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Gas & Oil Technology Conference and Exhibition (GOTECH 2026) opened today at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Hosted by Dragon Oil in collaboration with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the event runs until 1 October and brings together leading executives, specialists and experts from across the energy sector.
Following the opening ceremony, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum toured the exhibitors stands at GOTECH 2026.
Accompanying H.H. Sheikh Ahmed were Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Chairman of ENOC Group and Dragon Oil, and Abdulrahman Al Saleh, Director-General of the Dubai Finance Department and Acting Director-General of the Court of His Highness the Ruler of Dubai.
Also attending the opening ceremony were Ahmed Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy; Abdulla Bin Kalban, Managing Director of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA); Hussein Lootah, Chief Executive Officer of ENOC Group; Abdulkarim Al Maazmi, Chief Executive Officer of Dragon Oil; Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Alebri, Chief Executive Officer of ADNOC Onshore; Khamis Abdullah Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC); and Jennifer Miskimins, President of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
This year’s edition takes place at a time when global energy markets are experiencing rapid geopolitical, economic and technological shifts, reinforcing the importance of energy security, supply resilience and operational efficiency, alongside continued progress in sustainability, innovation and investment in the technologies and capabilities required for the next phase.
GOTECH 2026 is held under the theme “Energising the Future through Leadership, Innovation, Sustainability, AI, and Talent”, with an agenda focused on the evolving requirements of energy operations, improving asset and production efficiency, developing talent and capabilities, and applying advanced technologies and digital solutions to support operational performance.
H.H. Sheikh Ahmed was accompanied by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Chairman of ENOC Group and Dragon Oil.
In his opening address, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, highlighted the transformations shaping the global energy sector and the importance of continuing to strengthen energy security and supply resilience while advancing a more diversified and sustainable energy system capable of responding to economic and technological change.
He said, “It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, on the occasion of the opening of the Gas and Oil Technology Showcase and Conference (GOTECH 2026), which brings together participants from more than 50 countries, including distinguished leaders, experts, and innovators from across the global energy sector. For more than half a century, the UAE has successfully transformed its natural resources into sustainable and diversified prosperity, world-class infrastructure, and a globally recognized hub for trade, investment, innovation, and economic development. This remarkable journey continues under the visionary leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Their forward-looking vision has positioned the UAE among the world’s leading nations in innovation, sustainability, and future readiness.”
He added, “We meet at a time when our region and the world continue to navigate rapid geopolitical and economic transformations affecting energy security, supply chains, trade routes, and the stability of our industry. At the same time, global energy demand is projected to grow by more than 20% by 2050, even as the world moves towards a more diverse and lower-carbon energy mix. This is precisely why the theme of GOTECH 2026 – “Energising the Future through Leadership, Innovation, Sustainability, AI, and Talent”, is so relevant to the future of our industry. When it comes to sustainability, the contribution of clean energy in electricity generation in the UAE reached 32.4% in 2025 with a target of 35% by 2031. Here in Dubai, clean energy capacity share in the energy mix is crossing 24% before the end of this year with an ambitious target of 36% by 2030 and 100% by 2050, supporting our journey towards net zero. As part of their efforts to enhance operational efficiency, UAE oil and gas companies are increasingly accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence and digital transformation technologies across drilling and production operations. These technologies contribute to sustaining energy supplies and strengthening the reliability of global energy security. The Stargate UAE project, which aims to develop a 5-gigawatt AI infrastructure campus, forms part of a broader portfolio of investments and strategic partnerships with leading global technology companies to establish advanced computing facilities. The initiative reflects the UAE’s commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence as a key driver of innovation, economic development, and sustainability.”
He continued, “Within the UAE’s success story sits Dragon Oil, based in Dubai, the upstream exploration and production arm of ENOC (Emirates National Oil Company), driven by an ambitious vision: to become a leading international upstream energy company powered by innovation, technology, and operational excellence. In alignment with the UAE’s vision for artificial intelligence, Dragon Oil is actively advancing several AI-driven initiatives across its operations, exploring opportunities to enhance efficiency, strengthen decision-making, and support sustainable growth. This vision is being translated into action through transformative projects across its portfolio. In Turkmenistan, Dragon Oil is advancing a landmark Centralized Power Generation & Compression project that supports its environmental stewardship and commitment to achieving zero flaring. In Egypt’s Gulf of Suez, the company is deploying cutting-edge Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) seismic technology, unlocking a new era of subsurface imaging to identify and develop additional hydrocarbon reserves within the Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO). Meanwhile, in Iraq, the approval of Phase II of the Block-9 development marks another significant milestone, with world-class facilities being delivered that showcase the highest standards of technological innovation, efficiency, and sustainable field development. Together, these initiatives reflect Dragon Oil’s determination to shape the future of energy through bold investment, advanced technologies, and a relentless pursuit of growth and value creation. “
He concluded, “I would also like to recognise the important role of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and extend my sincere appreciation to Dragon Oil, the Executive and Technical Committees, our sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, delegates, young professionals and students, and everyone working behind the scenes to make GOTECH 2026 a success. As we embark on these three days of dialogue and discovery, let us aim not only to discuss the future, but to shape it. Let this forum spark partnerships that transcend borders, commitments that outlast this event, and actions that advance our industry. Together, let us champion leadership, celebrate innovation, accelerate sustainability, harness the potential of artificial intelligence, and invest in the talent that will shape the energy systems of tomorrow. I wish you all a successful and productive GOTECH 2026.”
Abdulkarim Ahmed Al Maazmi, Chief Executive Officer of Dragon Oil and Conference Chair of GOTECH 2026, said this year’s edition focuses directly on the realities and evolving requirements of energy operations, combining executive perspectives, operational experience and technical expertise, with an emphasis on solutions and technologies that can be applied across different operating environments.
AlMaazmi said, “The GOTECH 2026 agenda reflects the priorities shaping the energy sector today, from production efficiency and the management of assets and mature fields to advanced technologies and digital transformation, as well as developing the talent and capabilities that will lead the next phase. We have designed the sessions to bring together executive and technical expertise while maintaining a strong focus on solutions and applications that can make a tangible difference to operations.”
The conference agenda features a series of high-level executive and technical sessions, led by the CEO Plenary Session, bringing together Abdulkarim Ahmed AlMaazmi, Chief Executive Officer of Dragon Oil; Sara Akbar, Chairperson & Chief Executive Officer of Oil SERV Kuwait; Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Alebri, Chief Executive Officer of ADNOC Onshore; Khamis Abdullah Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC); Song Yu, Chairman of United Energy Group (UEG).
The session is moderated by Dr. Carole Nakhle, Chief Executive Officer of Crystol Energy.
The session addresses strategic and operational priorities facing energy leaders, changes affecting companies and markets, and the role of leadership, technology and capabilities in navigating a rapidly evolving operating and economic environment.
The agenda also includes the Executive Plenary “CIS as Emerging Powerhouse”, highlighting the growing role of the Caspian and Central Asian region in the energy landscape and opportunities related to production, investment, technology and connecting energy resources with international markets. The session brings together leaders and specialists from Baker Hughes, Rystad Energy, PETRONAS Turkmenistan, Dragon Oil Turkmenistan, the Petroleum Institute of Pakistan and SLB.
Another key session, “Commercialising Marginal & Mature Assets”, examines approaches to enhancing value from marginal and mature assets, improving their operational and economic performance, and applying modern solutions in reservoir management, well intervention, production optimisation and extending asset life. The session includes representatives from United Energy Group, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, BGN Energy and Baker Hughes, and is moderated by Loris Tealdi, Vice President Business Growth at Dragon Oil.
The GOTECH 2026 technical agenda covers a broad range of specialised topics, including mature field development and reservoir management, drilling and well technologies, surface facilities and pipeline optimisation, digital transformation and data analytics, asset integrity, robotics and drones, carbon management and carbon capture, utilisation and storage, as well as advanced applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning to support production and operational performance.
The conference places particular emphasis on developing young talent and capabilities, recognising human capital as a central element in the energy sector’s ability to keep pace with rapid technological change. It also provides students and the next generation of professionals with opportunities to engage with industry leaders and technical experts and gain exposure to emerging technologies and solutions.
The accompanying exhibition showcases the latest solutions, services and technologies for the oil and gas sector, alongside a dedicated Startup Zone that provides companies and innovators with an opportunity to present new solutions and technologies addressing the sector’s operational requirements and challenges.
GOTECH 2026 continues at Dubai World Trade Centre until 1st October 2026, with a programme bringing together executive leadership, operational expertise, specialists, technology providers and young talent, focused on solutions and applications that support energy-sector efficiency and its ability to respond to a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Source: Emirates News Agency
