SPE Annual Caspian Conference 2025: Shaping the Region's Energy Future

The 2025 SPE Annual Caspian Technical Conference (CTC) in Baku gathered more than 500 delegates from over 30 countries and 100 companies, reaffirming the Caspian region's growing influence in the global energy landscape, Report informs.

Under the theme "Learning from the Past, Rejuvenating Today, Inspiring Tomorrow," the conference addressed critical developments in exploration, production optimisation, digital transformation, decarbonisation and future workforce readiness. A series of key sessions shaped the three-day programme, including Unlocking Tougher Resources in the Caspian Region, Rejuvenating Mature Fields: Extending Value and Life Cycles, Balancing Growth and Sustainability in Caspian Energy Projects, AI and Data as Strategic Enablers, Regional Integration: A Shared Path to Growth, and The Future of Gas in the Caspian: Security and Supply. These sessions explored the region's strategic potential, cross-border collaboration, shifting global gas dynamics, and the expanding role of digital technologies in operational excellence.

Digital transformation and artificial intelligence emerged as major themes throughout the conference. Leaders from across the industry discussed how AI and advanced analytics are reshaping upstream operations, improving data management, and supporting faster, more transparent decision-making. Anton Aristov, Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group, noted that companies are increasingly integrating AI agents with existing industry-standard software to streamline workflows while maintaining transparency. Local perspectives reinforced this vision: Ulvi Zamanbayov, Associate Director at SOCAR, highlighted the company's progress in building a unified, standards-compliant data platform to enable greater innovation and reduce operational silos.

The conference also featured a wide range of Knowledge Sharing ePosters, presented throughout the event. Poster highlights included studies on diagnosis and remediation treatment evaluation of annuli pressures using distributed fiber optics, novel engineering approaches for pilot-hole well design in fields with complex pressure regimes, and continuous improvement of the Kashagan reservoir model and well management logic for future production and recovery optimisation, among many other advanced technical topics.

Running alongside the conference, the 2025 SPE CTC Student Development Summit welcomed top university students from the Caspian region for technical workshops, leadership training, cultural activities and industry engagement. The programme concluded with team presentations reviewed by an industry jury, with awards presented to the strongest student groups. Since 2005, the Summit has served as a core platform connecting the next generation of energy professionals with global industry leaders.

The conversations and partnerships forged throughout the conference underscored the Caspian region's unique ability to bridge geographies, expertise and ideas. The outcomes of CTC 2025 will strengthen cooperation across the basin and accelerate progress toward a more secure, innovative and competitive energy future.

The 2025 conference was supported by leading organisations across the Caspian energy sector: Host Organisation: SOCAR. Sponsors: bp (Platinum); SLB (Gold); TotalEnergies (Silver); Baker Hughes, Chevron, Tengizchevroil (Bronze); NOV (Coffee Breaks) and Proxima, Caspian Geo (Associate).

For more information, visit https://go.spe.org/PreEventPRL/25CTC.

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