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?

The panel will discuss the future growth of downstream. Members of the panel will share their points of view on the key enablers for a robust growth in this sector. Changes in the demand side will be discussed with special emphasis on how downstream can turn demand changes into opportunities. Supply side will also be covered where panelists will elaborate on the changes in Upstream and how they can be potentially leveraged to make downstream more profitable.  Panelists will shed light on the challenges facing downstream growth. In addition to the general theme, the session will zoom into downstream growth in GCC and deliberate the growth potential along with the challenge.

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, 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.

For downstream refiners to become highly competitive and flexible to meet future challenges and capture growth opportunities, panelists would share their latest success-story in projects execution, best practices and lessons learned. This will enable GCC refiners to achieve the highest capital efficiency and achieve flawless commissioning and startups as well as safe operations.Panelists are expected to discuss current challenges and issues faced by refiners during the project's life cycle, especially in GCC. Such topics include Project Definition, Engineering Duration and costs as well as construction delays and costs overruns.Discussions will also include How and What Refiners, PMCs’ and EPCs’ can do to execute projects efficiently while minimizing potential risks. Panel discussion should aim to identify current gaps in project delivery in GCC and/or downstream refineries and how can project stakeholders bridge these gaps.