The industry has moved from energy transition to energy expansion. The question now is who moves fastest, and where.

Draw a line from France down to South Africa, and another from the Cape Verde Islands across to Pakistan. Much of the serious exploration and production interest inside that vast arc sits around a single London table.

Before a single well is drilled on the frontier, someone has to see what's down there - and 2026 has kept Searcher busy beneath the seabed.

There's no such thing as an upstream decision made in a vacuum. Every frontier basin sits inside a map of sanctions, shifting alliances, contested waters and fragile states.

Why Shell is in the room at World Energies Summit ‘26

Welcome to The Surge, as we cut through the noise to tell you what actually matters in global upstream; the thinking shaping the market, the deals and rounds worth watching, and where you can join the conversation in person.

As one of the most trusted independent voices in energy market intelligence, Rystad Energy brings exactly the kind of data-driven perspective our community comes to the Summit for: clear, evidence-based insight into where global upstream is heading next.

This news lands just weeks after we revealed the participation of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Energy Regulator (C-NLOER) at this year's Summit, and the timing couldn't be sharper.

Our Strategic Partners play a key role in shaping the Summit, bringing regional expertise and market insight that ensures every discussion is grounded in real-world market conditions.

As 2026 progresses, Woodside Energy continues to advance a portfolio of major developments that reflect the scale, complexity, and global reach of today’s energy industry.

As the global upstream sector looks ahead to the next wave of investment opportunities, ExxonMobil once again joins the World Energies Summit to share its latest developments and future strategy. And there will be plenty to discuss.

From frontier exploration in Asia Pacific and Africa to deepwater growth in the Americas, licensing opportunities across MENA, basin renewal in Europe and resource expansion in the Caspian and Central Asia, the global competition for upstream investment is intensifying.

The announcement comes at an important time for Canada's offshore sector, just days after C-NLOER launched its 2026 Calls for Bids, offering 16 exploration parcels covering more than 3.68 million hectares across the Eastern and South-Eastern Newfoundland offshore regions.

Welcome to The Surge, where we update you on the latest news from the Frontier Energy Network.

We are pleased to confirm the dates for Frontier’s flagship Global Summits in 2027 - two strategically crucial gatherings where the upstream industry comes together at the highest level.

Welcome to the World Energies Summit, where global upstream industry leaders meet to connect, collaborate and get deals done.

Tamoor Ali of Trafigura shares his thoughts on the impact of the smaller independents and why global upstream needs to figure out how to support them and realise the associated opportunities.

We are pleased to confirm the dates for the Frontier’s flagship Global Summits in 2027 - two strategically crucial gatherings where the upstream industry comes together at the highest level.

Welcome to The Surge, where we update you on the latest news from the Frontier Energy Network.

Back in October, we asked Emmi Sanchez Vargas - EXD Global NV Manager, SLB to share her thoughts on the biggest upstream opportunities across the globe.