WPC Energy, formerly World Petroleum Council, also announced this week an official memorandum of understanding signed by HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy, and by WPC Energy President Pedro Miras. The MOU signing, which occurred during the first session of the Congress – a Ministerial Dialogue with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy – officially passes organising privileges of the World Petroleum Congress to Saudi Arabia, which will host the 25th edition in Riyadh in 2026.

Following the Ministerial Dialogue on Monday, WPC Energy President Pedro Miras presented Aramco President and Chief Executive Officer Amin Nasser with the prestigious WPC Dewhurst Award, which recognises his leadership and contributions to the oil and gas industry. Amin Nasser is only the 12th recipient of the Dewhurst Award in the nearly 90-year history of WPC Energy.

News Highlights at WPC: Leadership vacuum could set back energy transition, Petrobras on verge of awarding key contract, Indonesia’s LNG ambitions, Ghana reviews interest in its offshore blocks, and Canada Night’s memorable rodeo pics

New uncertainties and differing priorities brought about by energy security concerns will slow down the pace and direction of the energy transition, delegates heard at the 24th World Petroleum Congress.

The disruption to energy flows that followed the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine created new imperatives for governments and accelerated an agenda of energy nationalism, whereby countries and regions look for ways to protect their energy supply.

But the priorities around energy security can differ significantly between countries, and between energy producers and importers, leading to “schisms” that are affecting the world’s approach to tackling climate change and the energy transition, Raad Alkadiri, managing director for energy at Eurasia Group, told the audience at the Calgary conference.

Differing priorities will make consensus more difficult, leaving a vacuum in political leadership to drive the transition, he said.

This leadership vacuum, while the industry requires investment to achieve scale and drive down costs, will open up a gap that financial operators – rather than governments – would have to fill, despite financiers being especially risk averse.

Meanwhile, Brazilian oil giant Petrobras is on the cusp of awarding a multimillion-dollar contract to subsea player TechnipFMC for the manufacture and supply of a game-changing technology that is expected to revolutionise the way it deals with carbon dioxide-rich associated natural gas in the pre-salt province.

Upstream reported in January 2023 that TechnipFMC was in negotiations with Petrobras to win the coveted Hi-Sep contract – a cutting-edge technology focused on achieving dense-phase separation of carbon dioxide through the use of subsea centrifugal pumps.

Petrobras Engineering, Technology and Innovation Director Carlos Travassos gave Upstream an update on the company's Hi-Sep plans in an exclusive interview on Wednesday at the 24th World Petroleum Congress in Calgary.

“We are in the final stage of this process and we expect to approve the contracting of Hi-Sep very soon, hopefully before the end of the month,” he said.

Petrobras is running field tests to see how the Hi-Sep technology performs on site ahead of its planned deployment to serve the Marechal Duque de Caxias floating production, storage and offloading vessel at the Mero pre-salt development in the Santos basin, he said.

Indonesia is welcoming the proposed growth in its liquefied natural gas sector through the large Abadi export scheme and potential new projects such as the Andaman scheme, according to its Director General of Oil and Gas, Tutuka Ariadji.

At the World Petroleum Congress, Ariadji told Upstream that Indonesia is pleased with the progress being made on Abadi, and is fully supportive of LNG export plans being proposed by Harbour Energy in the Andaman area.

If Andaman progresses, it could potentially leverage off the unused throughput capacity at the nearby Aceh LNG facility.

Ariadji expressed optimism that Andaman and Abadi would not be the last new LNG developments for the Southeast Asian nation. The country has good remaining gas prospectivity, including interesting plays in the western region where BP, among others, is formulating exploration plans.

Indonesia was once one of the leading LNG exporters worldwide, and it is hopeful of a return to that type of leadership, he said 

The government of Ghana is reviewing expressions of interest received for available offshore oil and gas blocks in the West African nation as it pursues a growth agenda in exploration and development.

There are about 46,000 square kilometres of offshore area available for licensing in Ghana's waters. The government has a particular focus on six blocks, three of which are available for farm-in, and the other three are available for exclusive rights via direct negotiation with the government.

Egbert Faibille, the chief executive of Ghana's Petroleum Commission, told Upstream at the World Petroleum Congress that a number of expressions of interest have been received and are being evaluated by the government, which is promoting the idea that the companies should form partnerships.

He said Ghana wants to grow its exploration and production sector beyond its currently producing assets - Jubilee, Tweneboa-Enyenra-Ntomme (TEN) and Offshore Cape Three Points.

And on Tuesday night at WPC, throngs of delegates did not let a little Calgary rain dampen their spirits as they headed over to Canada Night at Stampede Park.

Those who participated were treated to a delicious dinner, followed by a rodeo complete with riders on bucking horses, angry bulls, or defying gravity with acrobatics on horseback. Several young competitors also joined in on the action, attempting to mount flailing ponies.

Interviews with the rodeo regulars, including the 2023 First Nations Princess, offered insights into their experiences with the Calgary Stampede and rodeo competitions.

Check out our photo gallery from a memorable night of fun at the rodeo. The images were snapped by Photos With Finesse for the 24^th WPC.