08:30 – 10:00
Exhibition Hall
Programme
Opening of the OPEC International Seminar Exhibition
10:00 – 11:10
Plenary Room
Opening ceremony & Special introductory Session
11:10 – 11:30
Networking Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:20
Plenary Room
Ministerial Session 1
Oil Markets: Energy Security, Growth and Prosperity
Oil is the main energy source for the global economy. It has a multitude of uses, supports key industry sectors and essential services, and the products derived from it are central to our daily lives. It is vital not only to consumers, but producers too, underscoring the importance of both security of supply and security of demand, alongside energy availability, affordability, and the need to reduce emissions. This all highlights the value that needs to be placed on stable and balanced oil markets, to help enable energy security and deliver economic growth, prosperity, and a sustainable and resilient energy future for all.
12:20 – 13:10
Plenary Room
High-level Roundtable 1
Global Energy Markets: Immediate Prospects and Longer-Term Horizons
A massive energy expansion is required in the decades to comes, as populations expand, economies grow and given there remains a critical need to bring modern energy services to those billions that continue to go without basic energy access in many parts of the world. In this regard, it is vital to appreciate what each energy can deliver and recognize that there are a myriad of medium- and long-term pathways that countries can take. These will be dependent on a range of factors, including specific circumstances, market conditions, energy policies, investments, and technology developments. Taking stock of the variability of forecasts and finding common ground is crucial to help align the goalposts and not lose track of the common goal of safeguarding a sustainable and equitable energy future that leaves no one behind.
13:10 – 14:20
Lunch
14:20 – 15:10
Plenary Room
Ministerial Session 2
Mobilizing Finance to Boost Investments in Energy
The global energy sector is at a pivotal juncture, requiring substantial investments to meet growing demand and transition towards a cleaner energy system. OPEC’s World Oil Outlook forecasts that until the year 2050 a cumulative $17.4 trillion in oil investments alone would be required to ensure that demand is sufficiently met. Furthermore, mobilizing the finance necessary is crucial to accelerating the deployment of cleaner energy technologies. Innovative financial mechanisms and partnerships, public and private sector collaboration, as well as an amplified role for international financial institutions to support energy investments, will be vital to help unlock the potential of future energy projects, particularly in emerging and developing economies.
15:10 – 16:00
Plenary Room
High-level Roundtable 2
Policies and Regulations: A Just and Realistic Energy Future
The predictability and viability of energy policies and related recommendations are critically important to securing just and realistic energy futures. It is important to navigate away from prescriptive guidance in the realm of energy policy, given the potential avenues countries can take in developing a sustainable energy future. Ideologically driven policy targets are likely to backfire and result in undesired consequences for energy security, affordability and sustainability. With many governments around the world making ‘u-turns’ on various ambitious energy policies, with a renewed focus on energy security issues, it is vital to appreciate there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
16:00 – 16:20
Networking Coffee Break
16:20 – 17:10
Plenary Room
High-level Roundtable 3
Energy Investments: Challenges and Opportunities
Investment is the lifeblood of every industry. Today, the energy investment landscape is at a pivotal crossroads, and the future paths taken will have an impact on both consumers and producers. What is clear is that meeting expected future energy demand growth, while also lowering global emissions, requires unprecedented investment and collaboration. This means all policymakers and stakeholders, both public and private, working together to ensure a long-term investment-friendly climate, with sufficient finance available. One that works for producers and consumers, as well as developed and developing countries. This requires an all-energies and all-technologies approach, that helps build a resilient and diversified energy system that meets the requirements of both today and tomorrow.
17:10 – 18:00
Plenary Room
High-level Roundtable 4
Developing Countries’ Energy needs and priorities – Roads to Eradicate Energy Poverty
Developing countries around the world face the intertwined challenges of meeting the growing energy needs of their burgeoning economies and populaces, investing in infrastructure, technology and resources and adapting to the challenges posed by climate change. By tailoring energy strategies to specific national contexts and taking advantage of available resources, developing nations can foster economic growth, enable social development and eradicate energy poverty. This can also benefit from collaboration between the Global North and the Global South, as well as South-South cooperation, bilateral dialogues and inputs from development finance institutions. All this can assist in unlocking the latent economic potential of developing countries and help ensure just and equitable energy futures for all.
Evening
City Hall Vienna
Gala Dinner
08:30
Exhibition Hall
Start of the Seminar Exhibition
09:00 – 09:10
Welcoming Summary of First Day
09:10 – 10:00
Plenary Room
Ministerial Session 3
Climate, Energy and Solutions for Sustainable Development
Recognizing the urgent need to reduce global emissions, Parties to the Paris Agreement are called on to increase climate ambition and implementation and scale up international cooperation. This year, new national action plans are expected to be developed and introduced. Policymakers, however, particularly in developing countries, continue to face the dual challenge of tackling climate change while addressing competing priorities that ensure equity and inclusivity, meaning that no one is left behind. In addition, the accessibility and adequacy of financial and technological support provided to developing countries puts the ambition and implementation of their Nationally Determined Contributions at risk. Collective efforts to enhance mitigation and resilience should consider the diverse needs and circumstances of each economy, ensuring long-term global energy security and prosperity for all.
10:00 – 11:00
Plenary Room
High-level Roundtable 5
Evolution of OPEC Member Country NOCs: Opportunities and Challenges
Throughout the years, national oil companies have acted as a driver of global energy dynamics, technological advancements, and have acted as a bedrock for economic and social development in their respective countries. Building on decades of commercial success, they are now expanding operations, embracing integrated strategies across the entire oil value chain and leveraging their revenues to diversify into new frontiers. Their ability to balance national interests with global energy market demands will be the key to remaining competitive in the evolving energy landscape of tomorrow.
11:00 – 11:20
Networking Coffee Break
11:20 – 12:10
Plenary Room
High-level Roundtable 6
Pioneering Technologies: Innovation for Our Energy Systems
As global demand for energy continues to rise, pioneering energy solutions and technologies will be required to enable environmental stewardship, energy security and economic growth. This includes further advancements in renewables, as well as innovations across all energies, including cleaner extraction methods, advanced combustion techniques and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). State-of-the-art technologies and concepts like Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS), Direct Air Capture (DAC) and the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE) have huge potential, turning waste into valuable resources and creating a more sustainable energy loop. It is vital that governments, policymakers and industry leaders support both new and existing technologies, through research and development, and deployment, to help build ever more efficient, reliable, and cleaner energy systems.
12:10 – 13:30
Lunch
13:30 – 14:30
Plenary Room
Ministerial Session 4
Pathways for a Resilient Energy Landscape
The energy landscape in 2025 is at a crossroads. Both populations and policymakers are looking for ways forward that embrace energy security, energy access, socio-economic development and reducing emissions. There is an increasing focus on the need for resilience, a prerequisite being the understanding that all nations have their own future energy pathways. This means taking an honest look at the energy realities on the ground, and emphasizing the need for just and inclusive energy pathways that follow an all-energies, all-technologies and all-peoples approach. All-encompassing approaches, with policies, incentives and investments that support economies, workforces and the wider society, are vital to build energy resilience into the fabric of economic, social and environmental systems.
14:30 – 15:30
Plenary Room
High-level Roundtable 7
Collaboration to Build Future Energy Systems
The world will need more energy in the decades to come, as populations expand, economies grow, and the world looks to alleviate the challenge of energy poverty. Local, regional and global collaboration will be vital to build future energy systems to help mobilize resources, share knowledge, enhance lives and livelihoods, and implement just and inclusive solutions that can deliver in terms of energy security, energy availability, technological change and reducing emissions. It is thus essential to continually strengthen collaboration at all levels – individuals, communities, industries and governments – and consider that there are variety of future energy pathways for nations across the world. Future energy systems need to be built in a just and equitable manner and consider differing national circumstances.
15:30 – 16:00
Plenary Room