By Syed Shukur Ali

CALGARY, Canada, Sept 18, 2023 (BSS) - The 24th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) has focused on climate-related discussions as it started with "Energy Transition: The Path to Net-Zero" theme.

"Historically, the (WPC's) themes are about best practices in the industry, particularly in the upstream sector," said Denis Painchaud, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WPC, Canada.

"But, this is the first time that climate-related theme came and we're really excited about that. It seems to be creating a lot of excitement amongst these senior leaders who are set to talk about what they see as the path forward to a net-zero future," he said.

The congress kicked off with an opening ceremony today at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre, featuring a keynote address from Federal Energy Minister of Canada John Wilkinson.

The world's premier conference for the energy industry rolled out here, bringing an anticipated 5,000-plus delegate for five days of discussions on how the sector will transition toward carbon neutrality.

The WPC will continue until September 21, which is held every three years. There are high-profile speakers this year that include Minister for Energy Affairs of Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and CEO of Saudi Aramco Amin Nasser.

Canada's energy sector was also represented, with prominent speakers including ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods and Repsol CEO Josu Jon Imaz.

Denis Painchaud said, "There's a lot of energy conferences out there in Canada and around the world, but this one is special."

"It's a unique gathering of decision-makers and people who are very knowledgeable and have a lot of experience in the industry," he added.

More than 1,500 international delegates attend the congress and exhibition along with 10,000-plus people.

The Net-Zero Emissions Pathways Programme will highlight the approaches different types of organisations are taking to advance their net-zero emissions targets and the energy transition, and host panels and workshops to have thought-provoking discussions.

The strategic programme includes high-level sessions led by government ministers, CEOs, and other industry leaders from around the world, analysing and discussing the transformation of the industry and the developing global and regional demands.

The Congress's technical forums bring together the rest of the energy industry to discover global market trends, investment opportunities, technology advancements, process integrations and optimisations; helping businesses navigate the energy transition.

After the opening ceremony, a ministerial dialogue was held with participation of Saudi Arabia and Canada.

Besides, a ministerial session of Canada, Saudi Arabia and Peru will also be held. A ministerial round table for what the energy transition means for your country will be conducted as well.
 
WPC Energy was formed in 1933. Today, it consists of approximately 60 member countries, representing more than 96% of the global oil and gas production and consumption.

The WPC Energy is a non-advocacy, non-political organisation with charitable status in the UK and has accreditation as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) from the United Nations.