Media missives from ADIPEC 2026

ADIPEC 2026 drew to a close on November 5, and the Oilholic had a great 10th outing at the event in Abu Dhabi.

Yours truly hosted three pivotal industry panel sessions at ADIPEC on subjects ranging from managing oil shocks to industrial automation.

This blogger also hit the airwaves to discuss the wider energy market, oil supply and demand scenarios for 2027, investment by the energy sector in automation and AI, impact of the US mid-term elections on the energy market, and, of course, some of the soundbites coming out of this year's ADIPEC.

These included broadcasting calls with the Azertac, Asharq Bloomberg, Business Today, CGTN and more, with the Oilholic's week also peppered with plenty of missives via the keyboard for Energy Connects, Forbes, and of course this blog.

Yours truly also partnered with Schneider Electric for a global research project on the adoption of automation in the energy sector, the first phase of which - on the Middle East - was released at the event. Further details are here. 

All blog entries for ADIPEC 2026 may be found here. And here are selected Energy Connects and Forbes copies in chronological order based on soundbites and insights from just before, during, and immediately after the event: 

Energy Connects

• Why a collaborative multi-layered rethink is required for building energy resilience, Energy Connects, October 30, 2026
• ADIPEC 2026 highlights a more realistic, technology-driven energy future, November 5, 2026

Forbes

• How The Rise Of Automation And AI Is Driving Tech Bros To Energy Shows, Forbes, October 23, 2026
• Middle East’s Leading Energy Majors Up The Ante On AI, Forbes, November 5, 2026
• Is A Steadier BP Finally About To See A Meaningful Stock Price Uptick?, Forbes, November 10, 2026

That's all for the moment folks. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo: Energy analyst Gaurav Sharma offering broadcast media commentary at ADIPEC 2026. © Christopher Pike / APCO Worldwide, November 2026. 

ADIPEC Days III & IV: Energy opportunity takes shape

As ADIPEC 2026 entered its home stretch over days three and four, the show, that convened under the masthead slogan of 'where energy opportunity takes shape' did live up to that with US$67 billion in energy deals being inked in Abu Dhabi amid a flurry of activity. 

Of all the agreements signed at the event, the standout one to emerge for this blogger was XRG's agreement with Shell. 

The deal will see XRG acquire Shell's 16.67% stake in Australia's North West Shelf LNG project, expanding its international gas portfolio and strengthening energy links with Asia Pacific markets, for nearly $1.5 billion plus further milestone-linked payments.

On the conference side, more of the nearly 400 ADIPEC sessions got underway to discuss the energy sector's approaching horizon, with the challenges and opportunities it is raising in an operating climate that appears pretty tough, at least over the near-term. 

Among the day three sessions was one of yours truly's outings as a moderator titled - Energy diversification as strategic defence: how oil shocks are accelerating the clean energy build-out - with fellow panellists Brian Sullivan, CEO of IPIECA, and Eduard Ruijs, Head of Investments and Origination, and Head of Transition at Vitol. 

In a lively session, we assessed where diversification into clean electrons, molecules and storage creates genuine security, and where it may introduce new vulnerabilities. 

More so, as the world has had to confront two energy shocks in quick succession. Clean energy investment capped $2 trillion in 2025. But this is addition not replacement, both panellists said. Global demand continues to grow, fossil fuels still supply more than 80% of the world's energy, and no single source can carry the load alone dear readers. 

Ultimately, we all agreed on the pragmatic view that the choice is not old or new energy - but rather which resource or combination of resources delivers reliability, affordability and declining emissions, suited to which particular geography or market. 

Meanwhile, the Middle East - and its two big beasts ADNOC and Aramco - continue to lead the way when it comes to investing in energy automation to improve throughput.

In fact, nearly three-quarters of regional leaders are upping their investment in automation, as this blogger's recent research with Schneider Electric, published at ADIPEC 2026, revealed. Here are the details of the study. And here's a Forbes op-ed on the embrace of AI by the Middle East's leading two energy companies and their announcements during ADIPEC week should you be interested.

The Oilholic's broadcast media commentary also came thick and fast over the course of the event, with plenty of talking points from the premium in spot oil prices (to futures prices) to market volatility, shipping rates to energy AI, and, of course, US mid-term elections to global geopolitics. 

Some of the broadcasters yours truly provided market commentary to included Asharq Bloomberg, Azertac, Business Today India and CGTN over a news-packed week at the event. 

Finally, on day four, as always - the Oilholic took time out to visit ADIPEC's sprawling exhibition halls, its ever-growing number of energy technology and AI exhibits, listening to the product seminars at the various booths, finding out what the oil and gas majors are up to and what can we expect from the global energy and industrial software vendors over the upcoming year. 

Yours truly also marked year 10 at the event with a very special visit to ADIPEC host ADNOC's booth - an energy company that's widely regarded to be leading the sector in terms of automation and AI. 

More on this special visit and an exchange with ADNOC colleagues coming soon, so watch this space.

And that dear readers is that, as the curtain falls on ADIPEC 2026, and a decade of The Oilholic being a part of the world's largest energy show. 

Over the last decade ADIPEC has routinely seen participants from over 170 countries, truly reinforcing its position as a global meeting point for the energy industry. And particularly so in recent years as the world's attention proactively and progressively turns toward addressing the energy trilemma of security, affordability and sustainability. So, here's to the next decade dear readers. More market musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo I: Crowds at ADIPEC 2026. Photo II: (left to right) Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma, Brian Sullivan, CEO of IPIECA, and Eduard Ruijs, Head of Investments and Origination, and Head of Transition at Vitol speak at an ADIPEC panel. © dmgevents, November 2026. Photo III: Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma at the ADIPEC Global Energy Club. Photo IV: Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma giving broadcast media interviews at ADIPEC 2026 © Christopher Pike / APCO Worldwide, November 2026. Photo V: ADIPEC 2026 sign-off by Gaurav Sharma. 

ADIPEC 2026 Days I & II: Upscaling energy AI & more

ADIPEC 2026 - the world's largest energy event - got underway on Monday with the Oilholic in town to hear ADNOC CEO Dr Sultan Al Jaber and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman unveil their tie-up to deploy the latter's Frontier AI for the former's operations - a first for the energy industry. 

Dr Al Jaber said ADNOC's ultimate ambition is to make it "the most customer-centric" and agile energy company in the world. 

Altman - who's keen to build his business in the Middle East - said the move highlights a much-needed symbiosis between the technology and energy sectors to meet the challenge of rising global energy consumption. Altman, of course, wasn't the only "tech bro" in town, as The Oilholic predicted in a Forbes op-ed last month (Click here to read). 

They're out here in their droves as the energy-AI nexus unsurprisingly grows bigger by the minute, with ADIPEC's ever-growing AI exhibition hall offering ample proof of that. Floor space allocated to it is up 27% compared to last year at the event's venue - ADNEC - a 154,000 sq. metre facility in Abu Dhabi. 

AIQ, Microsoft, IBM, SLB, Dell and Nvidia - they are all here rubbing shoulders with the industrial automation, AI and smart manufacturing vendors - ABB, Emerson, Eaton, Honeywell, Mitsubishi, Omron Automation, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Rockwell Automation and Yokogawa.

Following the conclusion of opening pleasantries, the conference agenda got going via 13 conference streams, with the security situation in the Middle East keeping a few C-Suites away. Yet many were here in their numbers including the bosses of Baker Hughes, Oxy, Equinor, Vitol and several others, especially Meg O'Neill, CEO of BP, with the eyes of the energy world on her after a bumper set of results, and her recent stewardship of the company that has seen its share price rise 27% year to date.

In her remarks, O'Neill was keen to stress "shareholder considerations" are behind some of BP's recent moves including the sale of Castrol, partial divestment of a stake in Aker BP, announcement of an exit from the UK sector of the North Sea, scaling down of renewables ambitions and more. Doubtless, that's music to some, if not all, shareholders' ears in light of BP's recent share price gains. 

The Oilholic got his ADIPEC 2026 speaking engagements going with two fireside chats on day two of the event. 

The first of these was the opening session of the morning, hosting Alessandro Bernini, CEO of integrated energy, chemicals and sustainable technology solutions group MAIRE. 

In an engaging Energy Talk session at the event, he highlighted how the project execution advantage is built before even the first bolt turns. 

The MAIRE Group CEO also discussed the evolving macro-climate and the challenges and opportunities it offers. Here's a full report on the session from Energy Connects.

Later in the day, the Oilholic also had the pleasure of hosting Bruno Melles, EVP and CEO of the transformers business unit at Hitachi Energy for an executive leadership session. 

It was titled: 'The power demand surge: financing, contracting and building the next 1,100 TWh'. 

We discussed how industrial expansion across Asia, accelerating transport electrification and the rapid buildout of data centres are reshaping load profiles. 

We also touched on Hitachi Energy's work in the transformers space and how generation portfolios and contracting approaches are being structured for resilience and returns where fuel security can no longer be assumed.

Well that's all for the moment folks. More from ADIPEC soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo I: Dr Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of ADNOC inaugurates ADIPEC 2026. Photo II: Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma (left) with Alessandro Bernini, CEO of MAIRE Group. Photo III: Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma (left) with Bruno Melles, EVP and CEO of the transformers business unit at Hitachi Energy. Photos © dmgevents, 2026. 

ADIPEC 2026 sessions to be hosted by yours truly

The Oilholic is delighted to be back in Abu Dhabi, UAE for ADIPEC 2026, the world's largest energy conference and exhibition of its kind, being held here from November 2 to 5. Yours truly will be hosting three panel sessions at the event with distinguished industry leaders. Here are the details of the sessions as ADIPEC week unfolds:

Tuesday, November 3, ADNEC Conference Room B - Impact Theatre @ 9:50am GST

The execution advantage: competing in an era of industrial complexity

With:

• Alessandro Bernini, CEO, MAIRE

Tuesday, November 3, ADNEC Conference Room B - Impact Theatre @ 12:50pm GST

The power demand surge: financing, contracting and building the next 1,100 TWh

With: 

• Bruno Melles, EVP & CEO, Transformers Business Unit, Hitachi Energy

Wednesday, November 4, ADNEC Conference Room A - Exchange Theatre @ 11:40am GST

Energy diversification as strategic defence: how oil shocks are accelerating the clean energy build-out

With: 

• Brian Sullivan, CEO IPIECA
• Eduard Ruijs, Head of Investments & Origination, Head of Transition, Vitol

More from ADIPEC soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

To follow The Oilholic on Twitter click here.

To follow The Oilholic on Forbes click here.

To follow The Oilholic on Energy Connects click here.

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Digital banners courtesy of dmgevents. 

Year 10 of speaking and moderating at ADIPEC nears

Delighted to announce that yours truly will be moderating and speaking at ADIPEC 2026 - the world's largest energy conference and exhibition - in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from November 2 to 5, on a number of panels and executive dialogues. This year's ADIPEC will also be The Oilholic's tenth outing at the event, where energy opportunity takes shape, and one can hardly wait. Super excited, going to drum roll and uncork the ol' champers for this one dear readers! 

Explore ADIPEC's exciting and wide-ranging agenda here. Discussions touch on critical energy issues of our age, geopolitics and technological advancements through industrial AI, automation and advanced computing. More details on The Oilholic's panels and sessions will appear here shortly. 

It's all about energy resource management and transition through innovation, visionary leadership and action.

Looking forward to the deliberations, meeting thought leaders, fellow industry professionals and colleagues. Join, if you can, for some fantastic industry exchanges and networking in Abu Dhabi. 

More from ADIPEC soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Digital banner courtesy of dmgevents. 

Mixing it up with energy startups at Norrsken

This week, the Oilholic attended the launch of Norrsken Foundation's annual selection list of the 100 most promising early-stage startups - the Norrsken 100 - in Barcelona, Spain at IMPACT/WEEK 2026. 

What's piqued this blogger's interest in the list is the rising prominence of energy startups on it. Of the 100 startups to have received the recognition, 26 happen to be energy upstarts. 

First a word on the list, the foundation curates it from nominations made by 80-odd partners including prominent global venture capital firms, NGOs, academics and industry professionals in the sphere. 

This year they received over 1,400 applications to be judged on the criteria of those attempting to solve "global challenges at scale" by outperforming legacy models that created them. "In our opinion, they shape what comes next and perhaps represent 100 ways to fix the future," said a spokesperson. 

In a rapidly electrifying, digitizing and automating world that is staring at an exponential growth in energy demand, it is perhaps no surprise that over a fourth those attempting to change the way we do things on the Norrsken list happen to energy startups. 

At the unveiling of the Norrsken 100 - at Norrsken House, Barcelona on Wednesday - was none other than former US Secretary of State, Massachusetts Senator and Climate Envoy John Kerry. 

He's the current Co-Executive Chairman of investment firm Galvanize that focuses on scaling up commercially competitive climate solutions. 

Following the unveiling and keynote remarks by Kerry, yours truly caught up with him to discuss the energy market's direction and rising global demand permutations. 

"Meeting this rising challenge will require collaboration, and encouraging startups like the ones recognised here. Question here is not which energy transition solution to back but rather what can be accelerated and upscaled where in the shortest possible time at the most competitive price," he noted. 

Yours truly also discussed the emerging energy landscape in the US. He described it as pretty "promising," despite the febrile political atmosphere stateside that he alluded to in his opening remarks at the event, albeit a tad skewed to his political leanings. 

Beyond the US, Kerry emphasised the need to bring "Global South" along for the energy transition journey as the biggest effects of energy poverty and most devastating effects of climate change are often felt there. 

Following a conversation with Kerry, this blogger headed to the event's dialogues and a rather unique 'Fixathon.' A spokesperson described it a "hackathon, but focused on solving real-world challenges that desperately need fixing."

And based on this premise, the participants collaborate in teams to turn ideas into applicable solutions or working prototypes, using AI and open tools. 

Away from the sessions, dialogues, meetings and fixathons, the Oilholic mingled with the founders and CEOs of three energy startups on the Norrsken 100. 

They included Saurabh Kapoor, CEO of Metafuels, a name the readers of this blog should be pretty familiar with. (More here, if you are not). 

The other two included - Guilherme Studart, CEO of Delfos Energy, an energy-tech firm that deploys AI via a purpose-built platform for the advanced management of renewable energy assets, and Linus van Ginhoven, Head of Product at Blykalla, a company offering lead-cooled nuclear technology solutions. It was great hearing from both about their respective firms, and their plans for the future.  

Well that's all from Barcelona folks, more market musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo I: Norrsken IMPACT/WEEK 2026 proceedings.Photo II: Former US Secretary of State John Kerry (left) with Energy Market Analyst Gaurav Sharma. Photo III (right to left): Energy Market Analyst Gaurav Sharma, with Harry Ashcroft, co-founder of Perseid and Saurabh Kapoor, CEO and co-founder of Metafuels. © Gaurav Sharma, October 2026. 

That diesel deal & the subsequent kerfuffle

Another week, another geopolitical kerfuffle courtesy of US President Donald Trump. 

On Sunday, the President announced a confidence building diesel deal with Russia, allowing the Kremlin to reenter the global diesel market. 

That's if you believe no one was buying their's in the first place - a logic only applicable in West. 

Not one to shy away from controversy, Trump did what Trump does best - spring a surprise. It seems straight after pushing fellow G7 nations into releasing 100 million barrels of diesel, Trump indicated that Russia would be putting out diesel export tranches of 2.25 million barrels (immediately), 3.75 million (November) and 7.5 million (December). 

However, both Russia's ability to provide what Trump says the country would as well as the impact of the move on diesel prices at the pump - currently north of $6 per gallon stateside - remains questionable. Here's the Oilholic's take via his column on Forbes.

Yours truly also discussed the diesel deal development and general direction of the crude oil market in interviews on broadcast media this week. 

Starting with the latter point, in an interview with Asharq Bloomberg's Mohamed Fathy, yours truly touched on the current volatility and why there's a premium in favour of spot crude prices over already elevated futures prices. 

Ultimately, the market needs a solution to the Middle East crisis - however imperfect that might be - for this to end, and for prices to come down because there is plenty of crude in the market. Were peace to prevail, $100 per barrel Brent prices simply cannot be sustained and carry considerable downside in that eventuality. 

But the market remains in the land of geopolitical risk premiums that are hitting home harder via spot markets, rather than futures trading levels. 

As for the former point - Trump's new 'diesel deal' with Russia - yours truly discussed the figures related to it in an interview with Barbara Serra on Sky News, and why as noted in the Forbes column one is wholly unconvinced.

One additional thing worth noting here - as the Oilholic said on Sky News - is that people should spare a thought for Europe where the US-Russia move may perhaps come as an economic relief of sorts, but wont ease inflationary pressures caused by multiple geopolitical crises. 

For instance, in the UK, diesel is around £2.07 per litre ($2.75) at the pump at the time of writing! European economies are indeed heading for a very tough Q4 2026. On that sombre note, its time to say goodbye for now. More market musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo I: Fueling up a car © andreas160578 / Pixabay. Photo II: Energy Market Analyst on Asharq Bloomberg © Asharq Bloomberg, October 2026. Photo II: Energy Market Analyst Gaurav Sharma on Sky News © Sky News, October 2026. 

Turning to ocean energy at ICOE OEE 2026

Earlier this week, The Oilholic also attended ICOE OEE 2026 - a global event on ocean energy being held in The Hague, Netherlands, whilst in town for another engagement. 

The International Conference on Ocean Energy (ICOE) and Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) joint event, supported by the Dutch Energy from Water Association (EWA), featured a conference programme with several technology and policy content streams. 

These were accompanied by networking events and site visits to key Dutch ocean energy sites and companies. The Oilholic viewed it as a great opportunity to meet key stakeholders in the ocean energy sector from the industry and supply chain firms to startups, research fellows to those leading corporate innovation and development.

The event offered a glimpse of "watts in the water" and how the various forms of ocean energy can potentially be amplified in service of a rapidly electrifying world. The discourse touched on the wider offshore energy ecosystem and inter-organisational collaboration that's shaping the next generation of clean ocean energy across tidal, wave and other marine energy applications. 

In a nudge to the hosts, delegates also got a showcase of research and the real-world impact of initiatives in South Netherlands.

Alongside these wide-ranging discussions, two analysis strands stood out for this blogger. The first one being pragmatic discussions on the commercialisation of ocean energy technologies and the various avenues under consideration to go down the cost curve.

Indeed, many attendees offered (and presented) approaches and strategies to reduce cost at every stage of the design and project development process of what are unsurprisingly big ticket projects.

The second one was the use of AI in ocean energy and deployment of digital twins. Real sea demonstrations are pretty complex and capital intensive projects in often intimidating operating environments. It is why the capacity to accurately model and predict how a system will behave is extremely valuable. That is where AI is proving to be pretty handy. 

ICOE OEE 2026 discussed these very AI solutions being deployed today in ocean energy to support modelling, develop predictive digital twins, and ultimately reduce operational costs and improve ocean energy devices.

Away from the dialogues and networking with industry peers, yours truly also took time out to visit the event's exhibition floor. This year's expo drew in nearly 40 exhibitors from the UK to Canada.

To round up an exciting few days of discussions, here's a parting thought from ICOE OEE 2026 - with, of course, the caveat of the investment climate attached - research suggests the tidal stream energy market carries an estimated global resource of 800-1,200 Twh that could replace nearly 13% of the world's fossil fuel powered electricity generation! Let's see where that ship sails. 

But that's all from The Hague for now folks. More market musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo I: An ICOE OEE 2026 showcasing session in The Hague, Netherlands, October 5, 2026. Photo II: Marine energy technology on display at ICOE OEE 2026. Photo III: Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma at the ICOE OEE 2026, October 7, 2026 © Gaurav Sharma, October 2026. 

Visiting ADNOC's panorama digital command center

Last week, whilst on a business trip to Abu Dhabi, the Oilholic had the pleasure of visiting ADNOC's headquarters for meetings, and view the group's Panorama Digital Command Center. 

Local media describe the center as ADNOC's new age "mission control" hub. The last time this blogger visited it was back in 2019 when functionality was just being built in and embedded across the enterprise, and amplified in a phased manner. 

The Panorama Center of 2026, now fully functional, aggregates real-time information from across all of ADNOC Group’s 14 subsidiaries and joint venture companies. Yours truly got a demonstration of how it uses smart analytical models, AI, and the power of cross-enterprise big data to generate operational insights and recommendations. 

It was explained how at any given point in the business cycle Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Group CEO of ADNOC, and the leadership team can access this data from a device remotely. This access to real-time data and analysis provided by the facility enables simulations and scenario planning, and plays an important role in business continuity. 

Business disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and the Iran War earlier this year, have put the system to test which came out with flying colours. It has added billions in business value in challenging and stable climes alike. 

In a broader sense, the center effectively acts as ADNOC's digital "eyes on the ground" and enables speed, accessibility, and integration across operations, a spokesperson added. So, what exactly are we talking about here?

According to team ADNOC, the center aggregates anywhere between 200,000 and 250,000 live data points from across the business and its subsidiaries from over 55 operating sites - both onshore and offshore. 

The system tracks end-to-end ADNOC activities across its upstream, midstream, and downstream operations. 

It can provide data right down to individual equipment layers like compressors, key business parameters like energy consumption monitoring, flaring metrics, inventory levels, and even data on ADNOC's global maritime fleet of LNG and bulk carriers. Scenario planning, predictive maintenance, and optimising product feed quality from daily up to longer operating horizons are all very much part of the equation. 

If this blogger may add - it is also quite a sight to behold with a 50 metre-long curved screen split by over 120 granular dashboards. The dashboards feed and project group-wide information. This is also accessible via portable devices for key personnel (as mentioned earlier). 

The center uses Schneider Electric's hardware and software, including its subsidiary AVEVA's open management infrastructure and unified supply chain platforms. For context, their wider industry potential was put to readers of this blog in 2024 by the SE unit's CEO Caspar Herzberg. 

Meanwhile, ADNOC continues to invest in its digital transformation and AI (e.g. smart data analytics Thamama Subsurface Collaboration Center, AI-assisted value chain modeling, rock image pattern recognition, and and blockchain-based hydrocarbon accounting, to name a few). Further updates on investments are expected at ADIPEC 2026 in November.

So, dear readers if you imagined a multi-billion dollar energy enterprise being managed from a single room with live data streaming in - that's no longer a future fantasy. It's happening here and now! The Oilholic's thanks to Team ADNOC for giving one another glimpse of it. That's all for now from Abu Dhabi folks! More market musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

To follow The Oilholic on Twitter click here.

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To follow The Oilholic on Energy Connects click here.

To follow The Oilholic on Critical Mass click here.

To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photos: Energy analyst Gaurav Sharma at ADNOC's Panorama Command Center in Abu Dhabi, UAE © ADNOC Group, September 2026.

A word on oil tanker rates

As the third quarter of 'crude' year 2026 nears its end, oil tanker rates have bounced by several multiples. In many cases, rates saw a 1000% jump compared to pre-Iran War charters and bids. And it seems $1 million-plus rates for VLCCs are all the rage. 

So, what has materially altered for such a drastic rise to happen with rates at their highest ever since the start of the Iran War on February 28? Well, for starters, it is (and remains) a market that's very news sensitive, and tanker prices are up not just due to geopolitical risk premiums but inefficient ship-to-ship transfers, longer journey times, and rising insurance costs. 

This very topic was the subject of the Oilholic's market commentary on CNA in an interview with Roland Lim. 

One's take is that while $1 million rates for VLCCs may hold over the very short-term, the situation is unlikely to last and may change pretty fast in a volatile environment.

Let's say any solution, however imperfect, is found for the crisis in the Middle East - a glut beckons six months on based on current announcements on global tanker capacity additions, currently running into billions of dollars. But for now the tanker party rolls on. More market musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo: Energy analyst Gaurav Sharma on CNA. © CNA, September 2026.

Media missives from Gastech 2026

With Gastech 2026 drawing to a close, the Oilholic capped a fantastic and engaging week out in Bangkok, Thailand by hosting three pivotal panel sessions on subjects ranging from the transformation of human mobility to the natural gas-AI nexus to regulation of the energy business.

Yours truly also hit the airwaves and spoke to media outlets about the energy market and developments at the conference. The first broadcasting call was with the TRT World, followed by Asharq Bloomberg, and the final one with Energy Connects. This blogger's week also included plenty of other missives via the keyboard for Forbes, Energy Connects and of course, via this blog.

All blog entries for Gastech 2026 may be found here, and here's an Energy Connects preview of the event. And here are selected Forbes copies based on soundbites and insight from the event. 

• Europe Faces ‘Decades-Low’ Winter Natural Gas Storage Levels, September 21, 2026
• Data Center Boom Driving LNG Demand Uptick In Southeast Asia, September 22, 2026

More market musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To follow The Oilholic on Forbes click here.

To follow The Oilholic on Energy Connects click here.

To follow The Oilholic on Critical Mass click here.

To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo I: Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma speaks on Asharq Bloomberg, September 16, 2026. © Courtesy Asharq Bloomberg, September 2026.

Gastech 2026 Days III & IV: Deals and dialogues galore

As Gastech 2026 entered its home stretch, alongside the deep dives came news of mega-deals. According to data gathered by various stakeholders and the event's organisers, billions of dollars in energy agreements were seen moving from discussion to delivery in Bangkok. 

By the end of day three, memoranda of understanding, supply agreements and investment commitments with a combined estimated value of $40 billion were either announced or advanced at Gastech.

Among the many deals and MoUs, the four that stood out for this blogger include - (1) China Gas Holdings and Venture Global LNG's 20-year sales and purchase agreement for 0.5 mtpa of US LNG from 2030, (2) GE Vernova and B.Grimm Power's agreements on natural gas-turbine supply and long-term services, aimed at new and existing power-generation capacity in Malaysia and Thailand, (3) PETRONAS, PTTEP JDA and the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Authority's formalisation of a 35-year production-sharing contract and natural gas sales agreement in the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development Area, delivering new natural gas supply to both countries, and (4) Samsung Heavy Industries' $1.2 billion order for LNG carriers and crude oil tankers, adding to the fleet capacity required to keep global energy trade moving.

As the deals flowed, Gastech's 800-plus speakers - present company included - advanced the event's discourse about the future of energy security, sustainability and affordability. 

A huge part of that is human mobility - the subject of this blogger's final moderating engagement of Gastech 2026 with Pras Ganesh, EVP & CISO, Toyota Motors Asia. 

We discussed the topic - Mobility in motion: What emerging markets teach us about real-world energy transitions. 

As the global energy transition gathers pace, emerging markets across the Global South are charting pragmatic pathways shaped by affordability, access, and rapid demand growth. Nowhere is this more visible than in mobility, where alternative fuels and electrification are unfolding in diverse and often unexpected ways. 

Ganesh explored how these markets are integrating power systems, digital technologies, and investment to support cleaner transport. Drawing on real-world experience across Southeast Asia, he shared his perspectives on how real customer needs are driving innovation, offering lessons for building resilient, inclusive, and economically viable energy systems for mobility.

The Oilholic also took time out for some energy market commentary onsite in interviews with TRT World, Asharq Bloomberg, and Energy Connects, given the situation in the Middle East. 

Elevated geopolitical risks have made the market very jittery to every new security development in the region. It's all making near-term modelling very difficult. Supply-side complications will persist for a while even if the security situation were to ease imminently. 

For yours truly, the latest moving part - disruption to the flow of the Saudi East-West pipeline - remains a big driver of elevated prices as Aramco is/was using it to mitigate the effects export constriction via the Strait of Hormuz. 

Of course, Hormuz, Ukraine-Russia and (currently) Libya are also pushing prices to the upside, while US light sweet crude is keeping a lid on a pricing overshoot to $150/bbl. 

But the global market and refining complex needs a variety of crude oils, and US light sweet crude at Asian hubs can only help so much. More so, with the shipping costs associated with it. Thanks to all the broadcasters who carried one's 'crude' thoughts. 

And as the event neared its conclusion on day four, it was revealed that 50,000-plus attendees from 150 countries, and 800+ exhibitors came to Gastech 2026. Next year, the event will return to the energy capital of the US - Houston. 

And that's a wrap from Bangkok folks! More market musings to follow soon. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

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To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo I: Gastech 2026, Bangkok, Thailand. Photo II: Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma (left) with Pras Ganesh, EVP & CISO, Toyota Motors Asia © dmgevents, September 2026. Photo III collage: Energy Analyst Gaurav Sharma speaks on TRT World, Asharq Bloomberg and Energy Connects. © Courtesy TRT World, Asharq Bloomberg and Energy Connects, September 2026.

Releasing Schneider Electric's latest automation research at Gastech

On Tuesday, at Gastech 2026, the Oilholic was delighted to release the latest instalment of Schneider Electric's global automation research on the energy sector that this blogger contributed to. 

The project is part of one's ongoing partnership with Schneider Electric. At the release, the Oilholic was joined by Devan Pillay, President of Schneider’s Heavy Industries Segment (left) and Ryoko Aoyagi, Country President of Schneider Japan (centre). 

The global study suggested that Asia ranks second in current autonomous maturity, just behind GCC, but aims to lead the pack in five years. More details on the findings are available here. Have a read. Your feedback, dear readers, is always appreciated. 

More musings to follow soon from Bangkok as Gastech progresses and the energy dialogues advance over the coming days. Keep reading, keep it here, keep it 'crude'! 

To follow The Oilholic on Twitter click here.

To follow The Oilholic on Forbes click here.

To follow The Oilholic on Energy Connects click here.

To follow The Oilholic on Critical Mass click here.

To email: journalist_gsharma@yahoo.co.uk  

© Gaurav Sharma 2026. Photo: © Schneider Electric, September 2026.