Conference Programme

This panel will discuss novel ways of transforming the downstream business. This includes the application of new business strategies and business models, doing things in a new way, establishing new joint-ventures or business agreements, and adopting new approaches to achieve business goals. Shifting business focus, such as shifting from a volume driven business to a margin driven business, as well as dealing with an increasingly competitive environment are key elements of the discussion. The integration and utilization of existing assets in the transformative journey. What kind of approach should different levels within a downstream organization adopt to achieve this transformation? Has the current pandemic triggered a need for accelerated business transformation, or a time to consolidate? Success stories and case studies will be shared, especially of a case where a failing business has been transformed into a successful one using novel business strategies and approach.

Downstream industry is currently passing through many uncertainties and fluctuations, such as: feedstock availability, market demands, regulatory / environmental constraints, competitive energy systems, technology disruptions and geo-politics. It is vital for refiners and technology/service providers to understand these trends and prepare proactively. This special session will discuss several questions such as: -How to make sense out of diverse trends and market analyses from different sources? -What refiners and technology/service providers should focus on? -When is the oil/product demand most likely to peak? Is fuel demand threatened by the EV/FCEV growth, shared mobility, autonomous vehicles, regulatory framework or policies? -When and how they may cause real disruption to gasoline demand?

Zero-carbon energy sources, including hydrogen, nuclear, biofuel and renewable energy sources like wind, solar, as well as lithium-ion batteries, coexist with the fossil-based sources e.g. oil, natural gas and coal.  However, transformation of global energy from fossil-based to zero-carbon energy sources is currently going on at a fast pace and will be enforced in many countries before the second half of this century, creating a new challenging environment to the downstream industry.   This panel discussion will focus on the energy transition from fossil-based to zero‑carbon energy, and the challenges for the downstream industry.  What are the roles of government policies in enforcing this transition? How environmentalists, business analysts, refiners and automakers are predicting the future as electric vehicles grow in popularity? What is the impact on fossil fuel demand? How refiners will keep growing in the energy business while reducing cost and improving CO2 intensity performance? Where will be the downstream industry in the future?

Downstream industry is agile and dynamic. Process technologies are continuously evolving, to improve performance, increase margin, stay competitive and/or to keep meeting the ever-changing customer requirements and environmental regulations which is becoming more stringent.   This session will focus on the challenges the downstream industry is facing, including enforcement of more stringent changes in customer requirements and environmental regulations, the evolvement of new market competitors, higher operating cost and minimal refinery margin. What is the impact of these challenges on the downstream industry? What strategies oil refiners are taking to overcome these challenges, and how transforming to innovative process technologies can help refiners to stay in business and be competitive.

This session will emphasize on the sustainability strategies, their implementations, and impact in both upstream and downstream. The speakers will share their successful environmental sustainability practices and will discuss the most critical sustainability risks. In addition, the experts will discuss : -Environmental considerations in oil and gas industries, related to Water Management, Carbon Capture, Waste Management and co-processing of renewables -Characteristics of products and processes targeting sustainability -Best practices in the field of sustainability that are being applied -Sustainability solutions with some highlights on their potential benefits and drawbacks