Reflections on CERAWeek 2025

‍Reflections on CERAWeek 2025: A Chat with Richard Madden

By Maryam Alremeithi, Marketing Associate at WeConnect Energy

I sat down with our CEO, Richard Madden, to check-in on his whirlwind visit to CERAWeek 2025 in Houston. We laughed about the Texas-sized barbecue portions and shared stories from the conference. In a light, storytelling style, here’s a recap of our conversation – a day-by-day reflection on the highlights Richard brought back from the “Super Bowl” of energy events.

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Positive Energy and “Making Energy Great Again”

Richard’s eyes lit up as he recalled the opening keynote by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber of ADNOC. “He had this slogan – make energy great again – and kept talking about positive energy,” Richard said, Dr. Sultan’s message set an optimistic tone for the week. He urged the industry to turn “positive energy into positive action” and championed a pro-growth, pro-investment mindset (Positive Energy and Pragmatic Actions Needed to Drive Global Growth and Rise of AI: Dr. Sultan Al Jaber - ADNOC). That phrase “we need more positive energy” echoed through the halls, and Richard noted how it resonated with delegates looking to balance energy security with sustainability. It was a refreshing start, focused not on gloom and doom, but on energy as a force for good.

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Long-Term Demand and Energy Poverty: Insights from ExxonMobil

Over breakfast one morning, Richard attended a talk by Dan Ammann of ExxonMobil. “Dan really drove home the scale of future energy needs,” Richard recapped. Ammann pointed out that roughly 4 billion people – about half the world – still live in energy poverty, lacking access to reliable modern energy (Sergio Chapa on X: "Four billion people around the world live in ...). That stark fact underscored a theme of the week: global demand isn’t shrinking; it’s rising, especially as developing regions grow. Richard explained how Ammann highlighted the dilemma of meeting this long-term demand while cutting emissions. There were also candid discussions about policy challenges in Europe. From high natural gas prices to complex regulations, Europe’s experience has shown how tricky it is to balance climate goals with keeping the lights on. “It was a reality check,” Richard noted. The takeaway? Energy strategies must tackle affordability and access for billions of people, not just carbon targets.

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Capturing Carbon from Air – Direct Air Capture and Oxy’s Stratos

Richard sat in on a fascinating Direct Air Capture (DAC) session featuring Robert Zeller from Occidental, Professor David Victor, and Microsoft’s Brian Marrs. “It felt like sci-fi becoming real,” Richard joked. The panel discussed pulling CO₂ straight out of the atmosphere and safely storing it – a potential game-changer for climate action. Richard was especially excited about Occidental’s Stratos project, which got a big mention. Stratos is poised to be the world’s largest DAC plant, aiming to capture 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year once it comes online in Texas later in 2025 (Occidental and BlackRock Form Joint Venture to Develop Stratos, the World's Largest Direct Air Capture Plant). Developed by Oxy’s 1PointFive subsidiary, it’s not just a lone plant – Oxy plans to deploy dozens of these DAC facilities worldwide by 2035 if all goes well (1PointFive Holds Groundbreaking for World's Largest… | 1PointFive). WeConnect’s ears perk up at this because we thrive on global partnerships in low-carbon innovation. The session also touched on using captured CO₂ for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) as a bridge application, which sparked debate. But consensus was clear: DAC technology is coming of age, and companies like Oxy (one of our key partners) are leading the charge.

(A 'powered up' day at CERAWeek: Data centers, AI, supply chains, the future of renewable energy, and much more - Factor This™) A panel discussion on solar power at CERAWeek 2025.‍Photo: Paul Gerke / RenewableEnergyWorld

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Solar Power Shines Bright with Abigail Ross Hopper

Switching gears to renewables, Richard recounted an evening session on solar energy that left him feeling hopeful. Abigail Ross Hopper, President & CEO of SEIA, was one of the speakers and she didn’t mince words. “Abigail basically said, enough with the myth that solar is unreliable,” In fact, the U.S. had just hit a record 50 GW of solar capacity added in 2024, and even managed to establish its first complete domestic solar supply chain (A 'powered up' day at CERAWeek: Data centers, AI, supply chains, the future of renewable energy, and much more - Factor This™). That’s an astounding achievement – one that had the room nodding in approval. Abigail described it as “being in the midst of history” for clean energy (A 'powered up' day at CERAWeek: Data centers, AI, supply chains, the future of renewable energy, and much more - Factor This™). Of course, she acknowledged challenges, like rebuilding know-how in manufacturing components locally, but the vibe was optimistic. Richard noticed how this positive outlook on solar balanced well with the oil & gas discussions. The message was clear: solar and renewables are now mainstream and are crucial to the future energy mix. For WeConnect, which bridges traditional and renewable sectors, hearing this was validation that our diverse approach – supporting both solar projects and cleaner hydrocarbon development – is the right path.

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The Human Factor: Multi-Generational Teams and AI

No energy conference these days would be complete without talking about people and technology. Richard and I discussed a couple of forward-looking sessions on talent and the future workforce. One panel focused on optimising a multi-generational workforce, which struck a chord for a company like ours with seasoned oilfield veterans and Gen-Z grads working together. Experts talked about the unique strengths and needs of different age groups in our industry (Optimizing a Multi-generational Workforce - CERAWeek). For instance, how do we transfer knowledge from an experienced geologist nearing retirement to a young data analyst fresh out of university? Mentorship programs, tailored training, and flexible career paths were all part of the recipe. Richard chuckled, “It made me think of our own team – how Dan mentors his team during coffee breaks. We’re already doing some of this, maybe without realising!”

Another hot topic was the impact of AI on energy jobs. Far from doomsaying about robots taking over, the tone was practical. The session “Developing Workforce to Leverage AI” explored how AI can augment human workers (NextGen - CERAWeek). Richard learned about AI tools helping engineers predict equipment failures or optimise drilling plans – essentially saving time and boosting safety. The consensus was that AI won’t replace the human touch, but it will change skill requirements. Companies need to invest in upskilling employees to work alongside AI and data analytics. For WeConnect, which prides itself on innovation, this was a welcome message. It reinforced that our efforts to train staff in digital tools and data science are not just trendy, but necessary for staying competitive.

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Hydrogen, LNG, and Upstream Strategy in the Mix

By mid-week, CERAWeek felt like an all-you-can-eat buffet of energy topics. Richard shared highlights from discussions on hydrogen and LNG – two key pieces of the evolving energy puzzle. Hydrogen, especially green hydrogen produced from renewables, was showcased as a promising decarbonisation tool for industries like steel and heavy transport. There was buzz about new hydrogen projects and the need to scale up demand and infrastructure. While some speakers were candid that hydrogen is still finding its footing, policy support (in the US and Europe) is fueling early projects. We heard that unlocking the hydrogen value chain – from production to end-use – requires massive collaboration (and likely more favorable economics) (Hydrogen and Low-Carbon Fuels | CERAWeek). For WeConnect, which keeps tabs on hydrogen developments for our clients, this was an exciting glimpse into a future market.

LNG, on the other hand, was treated as today’s workhorse. In multiple sessions, leaders emphasised how liquefied natural gas is crucial for near-term energy security, especially after Europe’s recent supply crises. New LNG export terminals and long-term contracts are booming to supply gas to Europe and Asia. Richard mentioned a chat about Europe’s scramble for LNG last winter – a vivid reminder that while we transition, we still need reliable gas to keep homes warm and factories running. Upstream strategy also featured prominently. Executives from majors like ExxonMobil discussed how they’re planning projects amidst uncertainty. Richard was impressed by Exxon’s bold growth plans – Dan Ammann noted Exxon aims to boost oil and gas output by focusing on “advantaged” areas like Guyana and the Permian Basin, and to double Exxon’s LNG business in the coming years (CERAWEEK-Exxon to raise output to 5.4 mln boepd by 2030 from 4.3 mln, exec says -March 12, 2025 at 09:35 pm IST | MarketScreener). That drew both praise (for meeting demand) and questions (about climate alignment). The general vibe in these strategy talks was pragmatic optimism: oil and gas aren’t disappearing overnight, but companies are striving to make production cleaner and more efficient even as they invest in low-carbon tech. It’s a balance that aligns well with WeConnect’s philosophy of energy diversity.

(CERAWeek: Trump 2.0 looms over energy conference) Setting the stage at CERAWeek 2025 in Houston – where global energy leaders gathered to chart the industry’s future.
Photo: Aaron M. Sprecher/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Global Partnerships in Focus: ADNOC, Oxy, bp and More

As Richard and I reflected, we realised how often our key partners and clients took the spotlight at CERAWeek. It felt like a reunion of the global energy family that WeConnect works with. For instance, ADNOC was everywhere – from Dr. Sultan’s keynote to discussions of new projects. Richard caught up with contacts from ADNOC’s new XRG division, a massive $80 billion investment arm for natural gas, chemicals, and low-carbon solutions (ADNOC LAUNCHES XRG: AN $80+ BILLION LOWER-CARBON ...). “They launched XRG to invest in exactly the areas we’re focusing on too,” Richard noted. This bodes well for joint initiatives, as ADNOC and its subsidiaries expand internationally with an eye on both profitability and sustainability.

Occidental (Oxy) was another headliner – not just for DAC. CEO Vicki Hollub spoke about their vision of “net-zero oil” using DAC and carbon sequestration, which is bold to say the least. For WeConnect, Oxy is a valued partner, so seeing their leadership in climate-tech gave us pride by association. It reinforced that our partnerships are with companies at the cutting edge of innovation. We also saw bp in the mix. There was chatter about bp’s strategic moves, balancing renewables and hydrocarbons. And with the UK buzzing about the creation of Great British Energy, a new public clean energy venture, it put a spotlight on companies like bp operating back home. (The UK government just announced Great British Energy’s first major solar projects for schools and hospitals ( Great British Energy to cut bills for hospitals and schools - GOV.UK ) – a reminder that the energy transition is also a national conversation.) Richard and I agreed that being at CERAWeek helped us contextualise what our partners are doing globally and how WeConnect can support or collaborate on those efforts. Our global partnerships were truly in focus, whether in Middle Eastern gas developments, American carbon capture, or European renewable plans.

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Thanks to SDI and Looking Ahead

Before wrapping up our chat, Richard made a point to acknowledge something important: our trip to Houston was made possible by Scottish Development International (SDI). Through their Low Carbon Energy initiative, SDI supported WeConnect’s visit as part of a Scottish delegation. We’re immensely grateful for that support – it’s a fantastic example of public-private collaboration to push low-carbon know-how.  

Finally, we stood up from our meeting with a shared sense of purpose. Yes, CERAWeek was a blur of business cards, panels, and Texas BBQ, but it crystallised a message that’s at the heart of WeConnect Energy. We support the low-carbon transition wholeheartedly – championing renewables, carbon capture, and new technologies – and we also believe in responsibly produced natural oil & gas to keep energy secure and affordable during that journey. It’s not an either/or proposition. As Richard summed up, “It’s about energy diversity, job creation, innovation, and collaboration across all sectors.” Houston reminded us that when positive energy meets pragmatic action, great things happen.

Richard is back in the UK now, energised (in a positive way!) and ready to turn the insights and connections from CERAWeek 2025 into real action for our clients and partners. On behalf of Richard and the team, thank you for reading this recap. Let’s keep the conversation and the positive energy - going!