Egypt: Shaping a pragmatic and realistic energy future

Having faced unprecedented energy challenges, escalating geopolitical shifts and ongoing energy crises, Egypt stands at a pivotal moment in a complex energy landscape. With a new government steering the country’s key strategic priorities, opportunities for international partners are at an all-time high with the new cabinets immediate focus on building a competitive and investment attractive economy.

Under the stewardship of the new Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and at the forefront of the sectors reforms are the priority issues of tackling short-term secure energy supplies, alongside reliable gas import and export infrastructure and storage. Plus, a renewed focus on accelerating new discoveries and enhancing upstream production programs across the country, whilst at the same time, pledging a just and realistic pathway to an energy efficient and decarbonized energy future.

Roundtable attendees will participate in a frank and open discussion on these multifaceted issues fostering dialogue to enhance international investment and cooperation, to ensure regional energy resilience, capturing growth and expediting progress.

Ministerial Roundtable: Policy innovation to enable decarbonization in tandem with stable energy markets

The European Central Bank says governments need to implement ‘ambitious climate policies immediately and gradually’ to avoid a hot-house scenario which could see global economic output fall by 4% by 2050. Central to achieving net zero, the ECB argues, is the tripling of energy from renewable sources by 2030 and slashing GHG emissions. Landmark policies, including the European Green Deal and the US Inflation Reduction Act, are already disrupting traditional energy sector investment flows and accelerating the development and deployment of low carbon solutions globally. Ministers will review how well these policies are achieving their goals and what learnings can be applied in other regions to transform labor markets, drive infrastructure development, conversions and upgrades, develop supply chains and nascent technologies and minimize socio-economic shocks, while maximizing energy transition opportunities.

Are we entering the 'platinum age' of natural gas? Exploring the strategic role of natural gas in addressing global supply needs and accelerating the energy transition

Wood Mackenzie forecasts that natural gas will continue to supply around 25% of total primary energy demand through 2050, demonstrating the resilience of gas as a source of energy through global decarbonization. And the LNG industry, which will grow by 50% by the early 2030s, is enabling this resilience by bringing supply to markets that require it - whether that's Europe in the near term or emerging Asia in the long term.

However, the nature of gas's role in the energy landscape will also evolve; for example, in some markets, the opportunity to displace higher-polluting fuels remains, while in other markets, gas will provide the energy stability required to support the deployment of renewable energy. This evolution in the role of gas will be enabled by a number of factors, ranging from the introduction and implementation of new technologies, including those focused on emissions reduction, to innovative commercial solutions.

Against this backdrop of the gas industry's evolution-enabled resilience, Roundtable participants will discuss how to harness the industry's momentum to meet energy transition ambitions in both the immediate and longer-dated future.

Advancing U.S. Methane Monitoring and Abatement Solutions in Global Markets
(By invitation only)

Methane monitoring and abatement solutions offer a low-cost and quick-win opportunity to reduce emissions across the oil and gas value chain while countries work on deep decarbonization through a just energy transition. The International Energy Agency estimates that globally, a 75% reduction in oil and gas methane is possible with today’s technologies – many of which are already being offered by U.S. companies as well-proven and global solutions. However, to increase deployment of methane monitoring and abatement solutions globally, we must overcome challenges such as the availability of methane emissions data and monitoring, measurement, reporting, and verification frameworks; limited technical capacity of foreign governments; lack of regulatory frameworks; and insufficient methane abatement financing. 

The U.S. Department of Commerce and DMG will co-host a policy roundtable to convene U.S. government officials and U.S. industry executives to discuss deeper public-private sector coordination and opportunities and challenges facing increased adoption and deployment of U.S. methane solutions globally. The policy roundtable will identify priority markets of focus and help inform current and future U.S. government workstreams on methane abatement. 

Powering Humanity through Energy

Abstract coming soon

Financing energy transitions and ensuring energy inclusion in emerging economies

An estimated US $1tn is required annually to enable developing countries to reduce coal-fired power and high-polluting cooking fuels, unlock universal access to electricity and transition to net zero energy supplies.

What do governments need to do to strengthen national policies, regulations and governance to create enabling environments for increased levels of investment and signal their country is ready for larger inward flows of clean energy capital? How can international partners unlock the new research and development pathways through the knowledge and technology transfers key to enhancing clean energy affordability?

This roundtable, a continuation of a discussion held at the recently hosted Global Energy Transition Congress (GET), will explore how international stakeholders can work together to help advance the conversation on practical solutions to achieving fair and equitable energy transitions.

Bridging the gap between pilot-phase technologies and commercially viable solutions to drive decarbonization and emissions reduction through stakeholder collaboration

Although investment in climate technologies is at an all-time high (US $1.7tn in 2023), it is estimated US $196tn will be needed between now and 2050 to deploy existing technology at scale and ensure new technologies become market ready.  

From risk-mitigation mechanisms, including co-investments, as well as long-term price and offtake agreements to open dialogue over permitting and procurement processes, what can fledgling climate technology companies do to build relationships with policymakers, technology and joint venture partners to provide the assurances to investors and customers to enable them to build commercially viable businesses? 

With time running out to meet critical climate goals, roundtable participants will explore what new partnership models can be formed to accelerate the development and scalable deployment of both existing and new climate technologies needed to decarbonize and reduce emissions. 

Hydrogen: Global opportunities and lessons learned from the United States Inflation Reduction Act

Putting a spotlight on the United States Inflation Reduction Act, this Leadership Roundtable will bring together global industrial leaders to discuss: the status and outlook for the development of the clean hydrogen economy in the United States and its influence on global hydrogen policies and incentives, discuss the impacts of macro-economic headwinds and supply chain constraints, as well as opportunities for transatlantic and regional partnerships.  

Leveraging a broad range of financing sources and mechanisms to secure investment in gas and LNG infrastructure

Recent geopolitical events have increased the focus on ensuring the security and longevity of gas and LNG supply, creating a requirement for significant additional investment in natural gas and LNG infrastructure. In parallel, the pressures for decarbonization and a transition to lower carbon energy remain, creating gas and LNG demand uncertainty, tensions around the development of gas and LNG infrastructure and necessitating built-in decarbonization technologies or the option of future proofing infrastructure.

Capital gets caught up in this battle, raising questions about whether the necessary financing will be available. Some providers are exiting or de-prioritizing the gas and LNG sector, others are stepping up their allocations with new sources emerging, while the position of other investors is hard to fathom. Overall, the process of securing financing is becoming more complex, with new approaches, mechanisms, recipes and providers.

Against this complex backdrop Roundtable participants will discuss whether financing should be a concern for the gas and LNG sector, the relative attractiveness of the sector to capital and what the industry and capital providers can do to ensure that appropriate financing can be structured to satisfy the priorities of a range of stakeholders in the context of a dynamic energy environment.

Balancing LNG supply with demand growth to drive an interconnected and globalized gas market

Global LNG supply capacity is forecast to increase by 25% from 2022 to 2026. Additional liquefactions plants are under construction in the United States, Canada and Qatar, with many more awaiting FID. Meanwhile, LNG demand is forecast to increase for the next 20 years as the world’s population grows in tandem with a need to decarbonize energy systems. Dozens of receiving terminals are under development in both existing and new markets.

The continued growth of LNG will, however, need to address market volatility challenges, that are expected to characterize global LNG supply and demand over the next few years, with clear measures to manage price fluctuations to reassure buyers. In addition, carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies, methane emissions management and increased operational efficiencies will all play a role in strengthening the credentials of natural gas as a credible fuel for the transition.

Roundtable participants will explore how LNG producers can work with aggregators, consumers and policy makers to facilitate the stable growth of the global LNG market as the energy transition proceeds.

Leveraging collaborative action and funding to achieve 2030 methane emissions goals

Reductions in methane emissions from oil and gas operations are essential to meeting climate goals, with a cut in global emissions of 30% projected to bring US $250m of direct economic benefits globally.  

COP28 saw a raft of announcements supporting the rapid acceleration of methane reduction efforts to achieve meaningful progress against 2030 targets. The Global Methane Emissions Pledge increased its membership to 150 countries; two funds were launched to focus on methane reduction and anti-flaring and the US unveiled new legislation focused on identifying and penalizing oil and gas sector methane emitters.  

With new mechanisms in place to drive methane emissions reduction, roundtable participants will debate the options for deploying these initiatives to achieve maximum impact against 2030 targets. What can industry stakeholders do to support producers in tackling methane emissions and ensure these measures support the principles of an equitable energy transition?