Top-class energy industry executives present their views every year in the Executive Dialogue sessions at the Offshore Technology Conference. This year might be OTC’s most interesting lineup yet.
It’s definitely wide-ranging, with multiple sessions scheduled from May 4-6. Discussions will feature a dozen speakers and seven moderators from all parts of the industry, including exploration, development, investing, academia, analysis, and government.
OTC promotes the series as a premier forum that “convenes decision-makers for candid, high-level conversations that influence strategy, policy, and investment across the global energy landscape.”
The Demand Decade
Nikki Martin will serve as moderator for the Tuesday, May 5 session, “Exploration in the Demand Decade.” Martin is president and CEO of the EnerGeo Alliance, a trade alliance for the energy geoscience and exploration industry.
She described the demand decade as “a period from roughly 2026 to 2035 when global energy demand is set to rise faster than at any point in modern history.”
“Industrial growth across the Global South, AI (artificial intelligence), data centers, and electrification are reshaping the energy landscape. Electricity demand from data centers alone is expected to double by 2030, and AI-related energy use will grow severalfold,” Martin said.
“The industry’s central challenge will be meeting this surge reliably and affordably while continuing to lower emissions. That means the world will need every available energy source, and, in this energy mix, oil and gas remain foundational to global security and economic stability,” she added.
Martin predicted successful companies will be those that embrace and incorporate new technologies, improve efficiency, and invest in discovering and developing low-carbon, lower-cost barrels.
Offshore Exploration Outlook
John Ardill, vice president of global exploration and new ventures for ExxonMobil, is a featured speaker for the session. Discussion themes include oil and gas exploration’s continued role in meeting global energy needs.
“Exploration will play a strategic role in ensuring secure, flexible supply chains, particularly as geopolitical uncertainty, resource nationalism, and infrastructure constraints continue to shape markets,” Martin said.
“Exploration is no longer just about finding hydrocarbons – it’s increasingly becoming a key element in strengthening global resilience,” she noted.
OTC’s Executive Dialogue series this year begins the morning of Monday, May 4, with the session “Fueling the Future and Powering the World,” moderated by Jennifer Miskimins. She’s head of the petroleum engineering department at the Colorado School of Mines and 2026 president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Kyle Haustveit, U.S. Department of Energy assistant secretary for the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, will also speak. The May 4 afternoon session features Rob Cordray, partner and managing director, Americas, for analysis firm Rystad Energy. That session, “Filling the Production Gap: Opportunities for the Offshore Industry,” will be moderated by K Energy Consulting founder Neil Kavanagh.
Several of the OTC Executive Dialogue sessions and session themes focus on the outlook for the offshore industry. Those range from offshore investment to current development projects to government regulation.
“Offshore is entering a renaissance. It offers some of the most resilient, lower-carbon, and cost-competitive barrels in the world. Advances in seismic imaging, digital operations, subsea systems and autonomous technologies are reducing risk and improving returns,” Martin observed.
“Frontier and deepwater basins will remain highly attractive, provided host nations offer stable terms and predictable pathways to development, including stable regulatory and policy frameworks,” she said.
Other Offerings
The May 4 afternoon session, “Charting the Next Chapter of U.S. Offshore Energy Leadership,” aims to provide insights into upcoming U.S. policy priorities, regulatory streamlining and government-industry collaborative strategies.
Scheduled speakers include Matt Giacona, acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Megan Carr, associate director of BOEM’s Strategic Resources Program.
Speakers from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement will be Kenneth Stevens, acting director and principal deputy director, and Bryan Domangue, Gulf OCS Region director. Evan Zimmerman, executive director of the Offshore Operators Committee, will moderate.
On a related theme, the Wednesday, May 6 morning session “From Policy to Paychecks: How Washington’s Energy Decisions Impact Your Bottom Line,” will feature John Dabbar, executive director of the National Petroleum Council, and moderator Katie Mehnert of ALLY Energy.
Among the more timely topics for discussion at OTC will be the realities of international energy trade in the 21st century. Recent events have highlighted the possibilities and dangers of trade disruption, while global patterns of energy investment and supply continue to shift.
“Global energy trade is becoming more interconnected and more competitive. Demand growth is shifting toward Asia, Africa, and Latin America, while supply diversification is accelerating,” Martin said.
“We’ll see greater emphasis on fiscal stability, transparent regulation and longterm policy alignment as countries compete for the exploration industry’s investment. Partnerships across industry, government and technology providers will be essential to unlocking new resources and developing them responsibly,” she noted.
Offshore Capital Flow
Offshore industry investment will be the theme of the May 5 afternoon session “Venture Capital at OTC? The How and Why of Investing in Game-Changing Offshore Technologies.” Venture capital executives from private and corporate funds will discuss how investment decisions are made in offshore energy. Kemal Anbarci, general manager of venture capital for Chevron Technology Ventures, and George Coyle, managing partner at Energy Innovation Capital, will be featured.
The Executive Dialogue presentations conclude May 6 with moderator Sarah Kern, director of strategic engagement for EIC Rose Rock, and speaker Roddie Mackenzie, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Transocean Ltd.
Martin sees offshore energy projects aligning well with the world’s long-term energy demand growth because they can deliver large, durable volumes combined with lower-carbon performance.
“In short,” she said, “offshore exploration and production will be a cornerstone of meeting global energy needs throughout the ‘Demand Decade’ and beyond.”