Events & Courses

The Future of the Oil Industry 
 
Rapid technological advances across a variety of industries are enabling society’s quest for sustainability. The resulting ‘Energy Transition’ is causing an unprecedented shift in how the world’s population consumes energy and natural resources, driven by a range of factors including decarbonisation, economics, access to energy, societal expectations around environment and climate, energy efficiency, political and regulatory forces and emerging technologies. 
 
However, the fossil fuel era will not be over soon. Despite the rapid growth in the use of renewable energy resources, in all reasonable scenarios there will still be a need for oil, gas and coal for the foreseeable future - if we are to meet the social and economic expectations of the world’s growing population. But how will the oil industry look in the future given differing national economic priorities, political will and public opinion as well as changes in financing and increasing automation within the industry? How do we ensure that the ‘Energy Transition’ is just, addressing societal expectations around climate change and emissions, while simultaneously meeting the predicted continued growth in energy demand, addressing the issue of global energy poverty and preventing the collapse of oil and gas-based economies worldwide? How will the world’s largest Energy Companies adapt and what role will geoscientists play in driving and delivering the new energy solutions? 

SPEAKER: Professor Jonathan Craig, ENI

Jonathan is the Head of Exploration Strategies and Professional Areas for Eni Natural Resources based in Milan, Italy where he has responsibility for Eni’s global exploration strategy and its geoscience staff worldwide. He serves on numerous Energy Industry committees and is the chair of the Advisory Boards of the Energy & Geoscience Institute (EGI) at the University of Utah and of Getenergy Ltd. He also holds Honorary Professorships at University College London, Royal Holloway University of London, the University of Durham and the University of Jammu in India and is the Earth Resources theme Council member of the Scientific Board of the UNESCO/IUGS International Geoscience Programme.

LOCATION: Like other organisations, our meetings over the past 18 months have been entirely by Zoom, which has resulted, unsurprisingly, in a much greater audience than our traditional Discussions which take place in London over dinner in the evening. 
 
On this occasion, we are planning to return to this face-to -ace format, but we wish to combine it with the benefits of the internet. To do this, the speaker will record his ten-minute presentation on Zoom and this will be circulated to you a week beforehand. 
 
At the Dinner itself, the presenter will reproduce his Introduction the diners at 7 pm, then at 8 pm the meeting will be opened on Zoom so that HGS members and others will be able to both hear the London Discussion and ask questions themselves - if the technology links allow!  It will be an experiment, but if successful, will be repeated on future occasions. 
 

TIME: opens 6.30pm, starts 7pm

REGISTRATION: Registrations for this event are via Eventbrite. Please note that this event is not free to attend in person. Prices are as follows:

£55 for Discussions Group members

£62 for non- members

Details of how to pay will be provided with your registration confirmation email.