Capital, projects & the path ahead

Senior executives will share how their organisations are shaping the next chapter of petrochemicals and refining through strategic investments and innovation. From modernising existing facilities to delivering new mega-projects and embedding sustainability, this discussion will explore how operators are directing capital to enhance resilience, competitiveness, and long-term growth.

• Identifying landmark projects and facility enhancements that are setting new benchmarks for the industry

• Where are companies focusing capital today: Integration, decarbonisation, advanced recycling, new product streams?

• Embedding sustainability and innovation into capital programmes and operational upgrades

• How do senior leaders balance near-term performance with transformative long-term investments

Petrochemicals & Refining Outlook: Profitability in a Volatile World

The petrochemicals and refining sector is navigating a period of reduced profitability  and shifting demand patterns. While profitability is under pressure, operators are adapting with new approaches to investment, portfolio mix, and operating models. This session will examine the forces reshaping the market and the strategies companies are using to build resilience and position for sustainable returns in the years ahead.

• Global demand trends and the impact of China’s capacity growth.

• The role of tariffs and trade in shaping the outlook.

• How companies define and pursue “sustainable profitability.”

Capital projects: Cost control vs. cost accounting

Many companies still blur the line between accounting and true cost control. This discussion would highlight how project teams can track costs in real time, link scheduling impacts to budgets, and build effective breakdown structures that feed into financial systems. With budgets under pressure and projects often set on partial or recurring scope, strong project controls are critical to avoiding overruns.

• Lifecycle cost control versus after-the-fact reporting

• Aligning project controls with contractor invoicing and manpower tracking

• Gate-marking mechanisms that keep spend aligned with milestones

Pathways to a Low-Carbon Future: Decarbonisation

Petrochemical and refining operators are playing a central role in advancing the energy transition. By embedding low-carbon solutions into design, operations, and supply chains, companies are finding new ways to enhance sustainability while maintaining competitiveness. This fireside chat will highlight how industry leaders are rethinking asset design, collaborating with partners, and applying next-generation technologies to drive meaningful progress on decarbonisation. 

• Transitioning refining and petrochemical processes to support a low-carbon future

• Designing facilities with decarbonisation built in from the outset

• Working with EPCs, vendors, and suppliers to reduce emissions across the value chain

• Unlocking efficiency and sustainability gains through advanced technologies such as furnaces, dual-fuel power systems, and carbon capture

• Managing grid congestion and interconnection delays as new power plants come online

Shaping the future of operational performance

With margins under sustained pressure, operators are being asked to deliver the same or better output with fewer resources. This discussion will look at how companies are aligning project execution with long-term operational performance, embedding efficiency into daily operations, and using digital tools to support smarter, leaner decision-making. 

• Linking capital project delivery to operational performance over the asset lifecycle.

• How companies are streamlining operations to lower cost without compromising reliability

• The role of AI, predictive analytics, and real-time data in supporting efficiency and decision-making

Integrating operations and projects for turnaround success

Turnarounds remain one of the most complex and high-stakes activities in the sector, with scope decisions, contractor availability, and budget pressures often creating friction between project and operations teams. Yet when integration happens early and effectively, turnarounds become opportunities to improve readiness, reliability, and long-term performance. This panel will highlight how operators are embedding operations input from the start, leveraging subject matter expertise, and applying digital tools to deliver smoother, safer, and more cost-effective turnarounds.

• Ensuring operations input is factored into turnaround planning and scheduling

• Exploring the role of subject matter experts in bridging turnaround and ops teams

• Using digital tools and real-time updates to improve execution readiness

• Unlocking opportunities to enhance safety, reliability, and cost performance through stronger integration

Case Study: Digital Twin in Action

A practical example of deploying digital twin technology across a refinery or petrochemical facility to improve turnaround planning, operator training, or lifecycle asset management.

Panel: Getting digital right in petrochemicals & refining 

For operators under mounting cost pressure, the challenge is not adopting every new tool, but choosing the technologies that truly enhance operations and generate measurable returns. This panel will focus on where digital twins, AI, and advanced operational technologies are proving their worth and how leaders can ensure that investments deliver value rather than complexity.

• Predictive maintenance and reliability improvements through AI

• Real-time data tools that improve operational decision-making

• The role of digital twins in improving planning, execution, and lifecycle performance

• Proven case studies showing return on digital investments