Baku Energy Week kicks off

The Baku Energy Week, a significant event in the region's energy sector has kicked off, Report informs.

The event will last till June 6.

It encompasses three prestigious events: the 29th International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition - Caspian Oil&Gas, the 12th Caspian International Energy and Green Energy Exhibition - Caspian Power, and the 29th Baku Energy Forum. The Caspian Oil&Gas and Caspian Power exhibitions will be held in the Baku Expo Centre, while the Baku Energy Forum will be held in the Baku Convention Centre, which is built with an ecological concept.

Every year, the Baku Energy Week, comprising three important events, gathers energy industry leaders from across the globe, drawing attention to Azerbaijan. The participation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, at the opening ceremony of the Baku Energy Week, underscores the prestigious status of this event.

The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan supports the events held within the Baku Energy Week, and the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) acts as the main partner.

Approximately 300 companies from 37 countries have confirmed their participation in the Baku Energy Week. Alongside Azerbaijan, Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States and Uzbekistan participates at the event. The composition of this year's exhibition has been enriched by new companies, constituting 15% of the total participants, with a notable interest in green energy in Azerbaijan. Well-known companies, accounting for 40% of the exhibition space, are also prominently featured.

In 2024, the Baku Energy Week is coinciding with a significant event. This year marks the 30th anniversary since the signing of the Contract of the Century, a pivotal moment that ushered in a new era in the oil history of the country. This milestone will be duly reflected in the program of the Baku Energy Week. The Contract of the Century is widely regarded as the bedrock of Azerbaijan's energy strategy. It was established under the guidance of the esteemed politician and statesman, National Leader Heydar Aliyev, and transformed Azerbaijan into one of the world's oil exporters. Hence, it was through the Contract of the Century that the cornerstone of our independent state's oil strategy was laid.

Concurrently, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Caspian Oil & Gas exhibition. The initiative for Azerbaijan to host international exhibitions was brought forward by Heydar Aliyev, the founder of the Independent Azerbaijan State. In 1994, National Leader Heydar Aliyev supported the initiative to hold Azerbaijan’s first specialized exhibition of the oil and gas industry. Ever since then, the Caspian Oil & Gas exhibition has become a gathering place for top professionals in the field of oil, gas and energy.

Heads of state institutions, energy companies, and diplomatic missions of foreign countries to Azerbaijan actively partake in the Baku Energy Week. It is anticipated the attendance of high-ranking dignitaries at this year's Baku Energy Week: Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technologies of the United Arab Emirates, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Chairman of Masdar Company, and President of COP28, Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye, Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Csaba Lantos, Minister of Energy of Hungary, Harry Kemian, Senior Adviser on Multilateral Energy Diplomacy at the US Department of State's Bureau of Energy Resources, Haysam Al-Qais, Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Cristina Lobillo Borrero, European Commission Director General for Energy, Mohamed Hamel, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Atsuko Hiroshe, Acting Secretary General of the International Energy Charter, Angela Wilkinson, Secretary General and Executive Director of the World Energy Congress, Abdulbaqi K AlSalait, energy adviser to the Iraq Ministry of Oil, Tina Sersen, State Secretary for Energy at the Ministry of Ecology, Climate and Energy of the Republic of Slovenia, Abdelkrim Aouissi, Secretary General of the Algerian Ministry of Energy and Mines, and Gordon Birrell, Executive Vice President of Production & Operations for bp.

By bridging traditional energy sectors with emerging green energy fields, Baku Energy Week serves as a platform for pioneering achievements and best practices in this domain. Thus, in 2024, Baku Energy Week coincides with another important event. By the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, 2024 was declared the " Green World Solidarity Year " in Azerbaijan. This notable event will be reflected in the program of events of the Baku Energy Week.

In recent years, Azerbaijan has become recognized as a center where international business events are organized. Azerbaijan actively participates in congress and exhibition activities and has a developed infrastructure. Entrusting Azerbaijan with the organization of such a prestigious event as the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - COP29, corroborates once again the status of the country as a successful organizer of international and large-scale events in the world. As Baku Energy Week gathers energy industry stakeholders ahead of this landmark event, it reaffirms Azerbaijan's pivotal role in the energy sector and its contribution to global energy security.

Baku Energy Week serves as a platform where current issues in the energy sector are discussed, and important parties in the energy industry come together. This event attracts international representatives and organizations to discuss energy security, energy production, transportation, and other critical global issues. Events, projects, and conferences held during the Baku Energy Week help establish new cooperation in the field of energy, exchange experiences, and determine new directions of development.

The Caspian Oil & Gas exhibition will focus on major oil and gas projects in the Caspian region and energy security in the region. Important topics covered by the exhibition include the development of oil and gas fields, oil and gas transportation and production, telecommunications and IT, oil and gas processing, construction and installation works in the energy sector, and innovative technologies, among others. The exhibition will also showcase innovations in artificial intelligence, the drilling sector, as well as the production and storage of oil and non-gas products.

At the Caspian International Energy and Green Energy Exhibition - Caspian Power, innovations in the field of development and use of energy and renewable energy sources by international and local companies, as well as any related proposals will be on the agenda. Solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, thermal energy, nuclear energy, engineering and energy equipment, electric vehicles and electric cars, energy and resource-saving technologies, as well as other topics will be discussed at the exhibition.

A series of sessions and panel discussions will also take place within the framework of the exhibition. Throughout the course of the exhibition days, panel discussions will be held on the topics of " Breaking the mold: Reshaping energy solutions", “New technologies and digitalization", "Paving the Way Forward: The Future with Eco-Cars and the Increasing Popularity of Electric Vehicles in Azerbaijan", "Radiation safety during the transport of radioactive materials", "Pioneering AI in Energy", "Challenging to inspect pipelines – An update on in-line inspection methods and technology", "Carbon accounting in the gas value chain and how trends will shape carbon markets of the future", as well as " The role of women in the oil and gas sector of Azerbaijan".