ADNOC CEO Sultan al-Jaber at the ADIPEC opening ceremony
Letter from Abu Dhabi: AI and the new energy guzzlers
The energy sector will need all viable technologies to meet surging demand as AI and datacentres drain power grids
This year’s ADIPEC conference took place against a backdrop of acute geopolitical risk for global energy markets, from conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine to trade tensions and a contentious US election with potentially big ramifications for the industry. But it was hard not to conclude that an even bigger disruptor was the showstopper in Abu Dhabi: AI. This technology’s influence over energy supply and demand is growing at a rate that threatens to wrongfoot swathes of the industry. “This is probably the biggest revolution that we will see in our careers on productivity and enhancement” Auchincloss, BP AI and datacentres are the new energy guzzlers. They are already driving up e
Also in this section
21 February 2025
While large-scale planned LNG schemes in sub-Saharan Africa have faced fresh problems, FLNG projects are stepping into that space
20 February 2025
Greater social mobility means increased global demand for refined fuels and petrochemical products, with Asia leading the way in the expansion of refining capacity
19 February 2025
The EU would do well to ease its gas storage requirements to avoid heavy purchase costs this summer, with the targets having created market distortion while giving sellers a significant advantage over buyers
18 February 2025
Deliveries to China decline by around 1m b/d from move to curb crude exports to Shandong port, putting Iran under further economic pressure
