Islamabad, January 29, 2026 — The Society of Petroleum Engineers Pakistan Section successfully concluded its 31st Annual Technical Conference (ATC) and Exhibition 2026 at a local hotel in Islamabad on Thursday, following two days of technical sessions, panel discussions, and engagement between industry and academia.
The conference, held on January 28–29, brought together stakeholders from Pakistan’s oil and gas sector to discuss resource development, production enhancement, and emerging technologies aimed at strengthening national energy security.
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Addressing the closing ceremony, ATC Chairman Faheem Haider highlighted the unity and collaboration within Pakistan’s oil and gas industry. He appreciated the quality of technical papers presented during the conference and emphasized the importance of focused efforts to discover and develop indigenous resources to boost production. He also acknowledged the support of the government in creating a conducive environment for sectoral growth and energy security.
Government reiterates support for oil and gas sector
Federal Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division) Ali Pervaiz Malik attended the closing ceremony as chief guest. He lauded the strong participation of local and international companies and praised the innovative technical contributions made during ATC 2026.
The minister assured industry participants of the government’s continued support and presented awards to winners of the Student Paper Contest. He also commended the organizers for the successful conduct of the conference.
In his address, the minister underscored the need for decisive, investor-friendly, and forward-looking policies in light of rising energy demand and global uncertainties. He reaffirmed the central role of the oil and gas sector in Pakistan’s national energy security strategy.
Reforms, offshore revival, and future outlook
Highlighting ongoing reforms, the minister said the government was focusing on policy certainty, regulatory stability, improved project economics, streamlined approvals, and enhanced investment facilitation. He also referred to simplified licensing procedures, improved fiscal incentives, and revised pricing mechanisms, particularly for frontier and technically challenging areas.
He further noted the revival of offshore exploration after nearly 18 years, supported by a major offshore bid round, updated regulatory rules, and facilitation of joint ventures, which he said reflected renewed investor confidence.
Aligned with the theme “Energizing the Future from Within: Sustainably, Securely, Strategically,” ATC 2026 featured technical discussions on AI-enabled subsurface modeling, production optimization, well integrity, offshore basin studies, and carbon management. The programme also included a high-level panel on technology, data, and execution in Pakistan’s upstream sector, along with a student career counselling initiative.
Concluding his remarks, the minister stated that Pakistan remains open for business, offering clear policy direction, a supportive regulatory framework, and significant untapped resource potential.
The successful conclusion of ATC 2026 reaffirmed the conference’s status as a leading national forum for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and technology showcase, fostering collaboration among government, industry, academia, and international stakeholders in support of sustainable growth and energy security.
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