What energy leaders are really talking about ahead of ADIPEC 2026

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As the energy industry prepares for ADIPEC 2026, the conversation is shifting. The focus is no longer on what digital technologies might achieve, but on where they are already delivering measurable results. AI, operational resilience, and infrastructure delivery have become more than strategic ambitions – they are now operational priorities.

Ahead of the event, we spoke with Falkor's Growth Director EMEA, Misha Alexander Crastes, about the trends shaping industry conversations and what operators should focus on as digital investments move from experimentation to measurable impact.

ADIPEC brings together operators, technology providers, and industry leaders from around the world. What conversations do you expect to dominate this year's event?

In short, the industry is asking three questions: How do we grow supply? How do we operate more intelligently? And how do we make sure it delivers at scale?

Falkor will be represented at both the ADNOC and Shell stands during ADIPEC. Why are those conversations important for the wider industry?

Our presence at both the ADNOC and Shell stands reflects a broader industry focus on turning digital ambition into operational reality. The greatest value comes from bringing operators, technology providers, and industry experts together to share experiences and solve challenges collaboratively.

Falkor representatives will be available at the following locations throughout the event:

 

Falkor Platform will also be displayed in the AI zone at the Genius Hub 2 hours a day as part of Enterprise digital twin (time will be announced soon).

Join the conversation on how energy operators are turning digital ambition into measurable operational outcomes.

Everyone is talking about AI. Where are you seeing real operational value emerge today, and where is the industry still finding its footing?

The strongest results are appearing in areas where AI is directly connected to operational workflows and decision-making. At Falkor, we see significant potential for value creation in four key areas:

1. Production and asset optimization
   Operators are exploring how AI can support drilling performance, reservoir management, increased recovery rates, and downtime reduction by making operational data accessible – and actionable.
2. Predictive maintenance and reliability
   By analyzing operational and sensor data, AI can indicate emerging equipment issues, support intervention planning more effectively, and improve asset reliability.
3. Process efficiency
   Refining, chemical, and process industries are evaluating AI to identify energy consumption optimizations, improve yields, and enhance efficiency across complex facilities.

4. Safety and decision support
   Real-time situational awareness, early identification of operational issues, and decision-support capabilities can help teams make faster and better-informed decisions in dynamic operating environments.
   
   

Where the industry is still finding its footing is around large-scale autonomy.

Many organizations have successfully moved beyond experimentation, but fully autonomous, self-optimizing operations remain some way off. The challenge is often not the AI itself. As our CEO Shane McArdle often says, you don’t put intelligence on top of chaos. Without strong data foundations – including quality, governance, integration across legacy systems, and clear ownership – scaling AI remains difficult. Organizations are also under increasing pressure to demonstrate repeatable, measurable returns rather than isolated pilot successes.

Many companies have invested heavily in digital initiatives. What separates those achieving measurable outcomes from those struggling to scale?

The organizations making the biggest progress tend to start with operational challenges rather than technology programs. They focus on specific business outcomes, whether that's improving reliability, reducing flaring, lowering energy intensity, or increasing production. Success is tied to measurable KPIs and operational priorities, not broad digital transformation ambitions.

Another differentiator is integration. Insights only create value when they can be translated into operational action. That requires connected data, workflows, systems, and decision-making processes.

People are equally important. Technology alone doesn't change performance. New ways of working, workforce capability development, and strong change management remain essential for turning digital investments into operational results.

Finally, organizations that scale successfully tend to have strong governance, cybersecurity frameworks, and ecosystem partnerships that allow them to move faster while maintaining trust and resilience.

Looking across the energy sector, what operational challenge deserves more attention than it's currently getting?

One of the most underestimated challenges is integrating advanced digital capabilities into real-world operating environments. Many organizations are working with decades-old infrastructure, diverse asset portfolios, and complex technology landscapes. Legacy control systems, fragmented data sources, and inconsistent instrumentation can limit what digital technologies can realistically deliver. At the same time, workforce considerations are often overlooked. Even the most advanced tools will struggle to create value if they aren't embedded within roles, processes, and day-to-day decision-making.

This means strengthening data foundations, establishing clear ownership and governance, embedding new capabilities into everyday workflows, and ensuring teams are equipped to use them effectively. That's where long-term value is ultimately created.

If attendees leave ADIPEC with one idea about the future of industrial operations, what would you hope it is?

That the future isn't simply about deploying more AI - everyone can do that.

It's about building intelligently connected operations where data can be transformed into trusted decisions at the right time, in the right context, and within clear operational and governance boundaries.

The organizations that succeed will balance technology investment with strong data foundations, workforce capability, operational discipline, and execution excellence. We look forward to seeing how ADIPEC 2026 will reinforce this mindset and help the industry learn more about operating with intelligence every day.