Heads of oil and gas majors gathered at Adipec 2023 on Monday and pushed for a “multi-energy” transition as well as boosting spending on technologies intended to reduce emissions from fossil-fuel production.
Oil companies have come under criticism for not moving fast enough on climate targets even as chronic underinvestment in the oil and gas sector adds to crude market volatility.
Brent crude, the benchmark for two thirds of the world’s oil, gained about 22 per cent in the third quarter as Opec+ supply cuts tighten crude supplies.
There has been a “significant uptick” in investment in low-carbon energy as well as conventional energy, but its “nowhere close to where we need to be”, Wael Sawan, chief executive of Shell said during a panel session.
“We need all of it, not some parts of the energy value chain. We need all of that to come together,” Mr Sawan said.
Shell, which reported record profits last year on the back of higher energy prices, will continue to focus on “scalable” and “profitable” business models, he said.
The industry will need to take “multiple pathways” when it comes to the energy transition, Tengku Taufik, chief executive of Malaysia’s Petronas said.
"For a company like us where there's a mandate to not only provide for energy security, we've got to step up to the plate and prepare for the decarbonised systems in the future," he said
“The debate that has always been posed here is: can you keep everyone happy?”
Global energy heads have been urging governments to invest more in oil and gas projects amid an energy crisis, which has been exacerbated by the Ukraine war.
Oil and gas upstream capital expenditure rose by 39 per cent to $499 billion last year, the highest level since 2014, the International Energy Forum said.
However, annual upstream spending needs to increase to $640 billion by 2030 to ensure adequate supplies, the IEF has said.
More oil
“Oil and gas is very much needed in the world and can continue to be produced, if you are producing in a way that’s better,” said Vicki Hollub, the chief executive of Occidental Petroleum (Oxy).
The US-based company is looking to produce more oil from existing reservoirs while reducing emissions, Ms Hollub said.
“We're also doing it in a way that provides energy security, mitigates climate change and provides value for our shareholders,” she said.
In August, Adnoc and Oxy signed an agreement to evaluate investment opportunities in carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the UAE and the US.
The agreement was part of the US-UAE Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (Pace), a $100 billion partnership between the two countries announced last year.
BP’s interim head Murray Auchincloss on Monday said further investments in oil and gas would be hampered by supply chain bottlenecks.
“The supply chains are constrained right now. If you tried to do too much, I think you'd go backwards in efficiency,” Mr Auchincloss said.
Speculation grew about BP’s future energy strategy after Bernard Looney, who had been the company’s chief executive since 2020, stepped down last month.
Mr Looney aimed to cut oil and gas production to reduce emissions while investing in clean energy technology such as wind power, hydrogen and electric vehicle charging.
“The strategy is not the embodiment of a single individual. It is the embodiment of a management team and board … and we remain firmly committed to it,” Mr Auchincloss said.
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if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
RESULT
Copa del Rey, semi-final second leg
Real Madrid 0
Barcelona 3 (Suarez (50', 73' pen), Varane (69' OG)
The specs: 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS
Price: base / as tested: From Dh632,225
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 540hp @ 8,250rpm
Torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The five pillars of Islam
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
RESULT
Wolves 1 (Traore 67')
Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')
Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)
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Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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