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Director's Blog

December 2025

Abdullatif A. Al-Omair

Delivering on the Energy Call: SPE MENA’s Reflections

This is my first article to you as MENA Regional Director, serving the region alongside our other Regional Director, Abdullatif Al-Omair.  I want it to feel like an open conversation with reflections on our progress, successes, as well as outline challenges and opportunities within our MENA region.

I would like to start with my latest engagement at our MENA iconic energy event, ADIPEC, held in Abu Dhabi from 3-6 November 2025. This conference, which was established jointly with SPE in 1984, and continued since then to grow as largest worldwide energy conference. This is a testimony of SPE's crucial role to connect and boost our industry through Solutions, People and Energy. 

Key reflections from these conversations, panels and technology demonstrations, summarized below without pointing the “Call” vs. “Answer” that varies across countries and regions:

  • Energy demand forecast is increasing significantly, almost all different scenarios are aligned on “More”, debate is mainly on “How much”, especially related to data centers' exponential power requirements. The narrative today is Energy addition rather than just transition. “More Energy for AI”
  • Artificial Intelligence "Al" isn't hype anymore. It's a reality and literally everywhere across our industry. Booths, talks, deals... all pointing to the significant opportunities and envisioned added value. Our industry is “racing” in AI deployment at scale, including smarter subsurface analysis, faster decisions, safer operations, huge efficiency gains ..etc. “More AI for Energy”

Relating to the above items, we live in the MENA region that fuels global energy, significantly investing and embracing massive AI and technology world-scale projects. Let’s continue to capitalize on SPE as a global platform to help every one of us in the industry to interact, explore and innovate. To put things in scale for the SPE MENA region, it is large, diverse, and absolutely essential to the future of the energy industry, with more than 25% of SPE's global professional members here in MENA (27,200 members). They are located geographically across 18 Professional Sections in 14 different countries.

These sections and members are sparing no effort to progress forward; accordingly, SPE highly recognizes, showcases and celebrates the achievements of individual members and sections regionally and internationally. In addition, the key focus is on future talents and university programs, with the main MENA region achievements in 2025:

  • Four student chapters won the Global Presidential Award for Outstanding Student Chapter, all in the category of Technical Dissemination and Professional Development.
  • Three MENA SPE students made a “clean sweep” at the International Student Paper Contest… winning 1st place in all divisions!  More info on the winners here.

I will also take this opportunity to extend a warm “Congratulations” to the 2025 MENA regional awards recipients (for details, please visit the JPT article here.)

As we close 2025 full of achievements, we have priorities and focus areas going forward:

  • Sections stronger together - more collaboration, fewer silos!
  • Accelerating AI and digital applications across the SPE-relevant activities
  • Supporting students and young professionals as they step into industry
  • Making sure our region stays visible globally, simply because we have a lot to show!

Looking ahead to 2026, the main SPE conferences and exhibitions, with “Calls & Answers” … Not to be missed:

  • IPTC Summit on AI for the Energy Industry- January 2026, Dubai
  • Kuwait Oil & Gas Show (KOGS)- February 2026, Kuwait
  • GOTECH- April 2026, Dubai
  • Oman Petroleum & Energy Show (OPES)- May 2026, Muscat
  • International Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability- September 2026, Abu Dhabi
  • ADIPEC- November 2026, Abu Dhabi

At last, every one of you in the region plays a role in delivering the Answers for the Energy Call that keeps the world moving and improving lives everywhere. Remind yourself and be proud!

Note:  I would like to hear from you about opportunities and challenges. Please reach out via your LinkedIn account.
 

Best regards, 

Maged Mabrook
Regional Director