The Egypt Petroleum Show (EGYPS) returns with its third annual flagship strategic conference this February, kick-starting the opening of the Show on Monday 11 February, 2019 at the Egypt International Exhibition and Conference Center (EIEC). Held under the patronage of the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and with the support of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the central theme for EGYPS is “North Africa and the Mediterranean's Journey in Delivering the Energy Needs of Tomorrow”. This year's Show has expanded bringing with it a highly-anticipated and enhanced programme. "As the oil and gas market in Egypt continues to progress we continue to receive overwhelming international interest enabling the Egypt Petroleum Show to remain relevant and central to providing high-level knowledge exchange to discuss commercial opportunities across the region and facilitate business partnerships and collaboration between leading NOCs and IOCs and industry stakeholders," said Jean Phillipe Cossé, Vice President of dmg events, organisers of EGYPS. With more than 20 panel discussions, presentations, strategic roundtables, and investment and finance briefings, the 2019 agenda covers the entire value chain. More than 30 speakers, including thought leaders and high-level decision makers will participate in robust discussions on new oil and gas discoveries, investments, downstream diversification and integration, data-driven operations, and digital innovations through to human capital and talent management. The first day of the conference will feature a ministerial session on fostering collaboration between nations to secure energy accessibility, efficiency and sustainability, serving as a platform to discuss critical actions required from governments to develop global security of supply and harness disruptive technologies to create social value. The session assumes significance given that Egypt plays a pivotal role in establishing much needed energy infrastructure to secure greater production levels in the region. The North African country is planning to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe following massive discoveries in recent years, including the largest gas field in the Mediterranean, Zohr, ensuring energy security and to achieve gas self-sufficiency. Senior level representatives including His Excellency Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), His Excellency Dr Xiansheng Sun, Secretary General, International Energy Forum (IEF) and His Excellency Abbas Al Naqi, Secretary General, Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and Dr Houda Ben Jannet Allal, General Director, Observatoire Méditerranéen de l'Energie (OME) will also discuss critical industry topics, such as the rebalance of global markets and reinventing global trading routes. Day one will further feature three global business leader sessions with speakers including Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO, Total, Bob Dudley, CEO, BP, Marco Alverà, CEO, Snam, and Russell Hardy, Group CEO, Vitol. Global business leaders will share their insights on creating open gas markets, moving towards cleaner-burning fuels, and capitalising on the new era of digitalisation. Moreover, a series of parallel strategic roundtables will take place on the eve of the first day to examine opportunities within North Africa and the Mediterranean region's oil and gas industries, promote collaboration, and share knowledge. Day two of the conference will feature five leadership panels, which focus on creating a sustainable energy mix and adopting data driven initiatives. Industry leaders will share insights on European supply cooperation agreements, the progress of new infrastructure and pipelines that support the European Union's mission to diversify its energy supply. Speakers include Josephine Wapakabulo, CEO, Uganda National Oil Company, Ali Al Jarwan, CEO, Dragon Oil, Nick Boyle, CEO, Lightsource BP, Mathios Rigas, CEO, Energean, Mahdjouba Belaifa, Head Gas Market Analysis Department (GMAD), Gas Exporting Countries Forum Secretariat (GECF), Dr Patrick Allman Ward, CEO, Dana Gas, Stefano Cao, CEO, Saipem, and Dr Symeon Kassianides, Executive Chairman, Natural Gas Public Company (DEFA), Cyprus. The second day of the conference will also include two investment and finance briefings. Government representatives, NOCs, IOCs, local operators, local and international banks and private equity firms will convene and share insights to unlock project finance and create investment opportunities in the global oil and gas industry. Key panellists include Panos Banos, Chief Financial Officer, Energean, Alan Haywood, CEO Global Energy Trading, BP and Tameer Nasser, Chief Financial Officer – North Africa, Baker Hughes, a GE Company. The Strategic Conference will be held as part of the third edition of the Egypt Petroleum Show (EGYPS), North Africa and the Mediterranean's largest specialised event, which is expected to attract over 20,000 attendees from more than 40 countries.
