CERAWeek 2026 — S&P Global’s 44th annual energy conference — opens in Houston on 23 March against one of the most volatile LNG supply backdrops in years. Iranian strikes on Ras Laffan on 2 March and 18–19 March have injected acute supply security concerns into an agenda already focused on geopolitical risk. With the Hilton Americas–Houston hosting heads of state, supermajor CEOs, and US cabinet members across five days, CERAWeek 2026 is where the industry’s strategic response to that disruption gets framed.
CERAWeek 2026 — Key Details
The conference runs 23–27 March 2026 at the Hilton Americas–Houston and is organised by S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), chaired by Daniel Yergin — Vice Chairman of S&P Global and author of The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations. The 2026 theme is “Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics.”
The format runs two parallel tracks. The Executive Conference covers 16 named themes across plenary sessions, leadership dialogues, and roundtables. The CERAWeek Innovation Agora operates as a separate exhibition floor with three hub zones — New Energies, Carbon & Climate, and AI — where energy startups present in 20–30 minute sessions. A new feature for 2026 is the “Look Forward” closing session on Friday 27 March, focused on economics, politics, and technology.
Who Is Speaking at CERAWeek 2026
The confirmed speaker roster spans sovereign producers, supermajors, the US federal government, and global technology. Amin H. Nasser (President and CEO, Saudi Aramco) and Wael Sawan (CEO, Shell) headline the oil major contingent. Linda Z. Cook (CEO, Harbour Energy) and Tomohide Miyata (CEO, ENEOS Holdings) represent independent and Asian producer perspectives. Shaikh Nawaf Al-Sabah (Deputy Chairman and CEO, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation) joins as a key Gulf voice.
The US government presence is substantial. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright participates in a plenary with Daniel Yergin on 23 March. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum — also Chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council — joins a leadership dialogue with Yergin on 25 March. Ruth Porat (SVP and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet) represents the technology sector’s growing stake in energy infrastructure. Maria Corina Machado, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Laureate, speaks on Venezuela’s energy investment pathway. Premier Danielle Smith of Alberta addresses Canadian energy policy.
The LNG Agenda — US Export Milestone and Supply Security
LNG is a named conference theme and carries particular weight in 2026. On 24 March, a dedicated “Celebrating 10 Years of US LNG” reception brings together Secretary Wright and Jack Fusso (CEO, Cheniere Energy) to mark a decade since the first US LNG export cargo. That milestone now sits against the immediate backdrop of the Ras Laffan disruptions — placing US export capacity growth and global LNG supply resilience at the centre of the geopolitics sessions.
For context on how infrastructure is responding to LNG supply pressure, see 2026 LNG Storage Tsunami: How Infrastructure is Racing to Keep Up. The Saudi Aramco terminal network — directly affected by the regional supply shock — is covered in depth at Saudi Aramco Terminals: Ras Tanura, Yanbu & 2026 Exports.
What Storage and Terminal Professionals Track at CERAWeek 2026
CERAWeek is not primarily a tank storage event, but several of its 16 themes map directly to the operational and investment decisions facing terminal professionals. The Oil Value Chain track — framed as “Maintaining resilient, focused growth in a complex energy landscape” — covers midstream logistics and storage capacity planning. Chemicals and Materials is directly relevant to chemical storage terminal operators tracking feedstock and product flows. Managing Emissions addresses CCUS, terminal decarbonisation pathways, and carbon reporting obligations.
Finance and Investment is the theme with the most immediate practical impact: project debt availability, interest rate sensitivity, and equity appetite for new terminal and storage assets are all in scope. The AI and Technology track addresses automation, digital twins, and predictive maintenance — capabilities now being deployed across major terminal networks. S&P Global Commodity Insights — whose Platts price benchmarks are the primary reference data for terminal operators globally — produces the intelligence that CERAWeek translates into live debate. For the strategic storage trends underpinning the 2026 agenda, see 2026 Outlook: The 5 Strategic Trends Shaping Oil and Gas Storage.
CERAWeek Innovation Agora — Technology and New Energies
The Innovation Agora runs alongside the Executive Conference and is structured around three hub zones: New Energies, Carbon & Climate, and AI. Energy startups present in 20–30 minute pod sessions, with the format designed to connect early-stage technology with the capital and procurement decision-makers attending the main conference. Hydrogen, nuclear, and low-carbon fuels each have dedicated programme tracks, reflecting the 2026 theme of convergence between legacy energy systems and new infrastructure.
The AI hub is increasingly relevant to terminal and storage operators — predictive asset management, autonomous inspection, and demand forecasting tools are moving from pilot to commercial deployment across the sector.
CERAWeek 2026 — Registration and Attendance
CERAWeek 2026 takes place 23–27 March at the Hilton Americas–Houston. Registration and full programme details are available at ceraweek.com. For a full overview of March oil and gas events running alongside CERAWeek, see the Global Energy Calendar: Top Oil & Gas Events March 2026 — covering StocExpo Rotterdam, SAOGC Cape Town, GPA Midstream, CIPPE Beijing, and SPE/IADC Galveston in the same week.
What is CERAWeek 2026 and when does it take place?
CERAWeek 2026 is the 44th annual global energy conference organised by S&P Global. It runs 23–27 March 2026 at the Hilton Americas–Houston in Houston, Texas. The conference brings together energy company CEOs, government ministers, investors, and technology leaders to debate strategic direction across oil, gas, LNG, renewables, and energy technology.
Who organises CERAWeek?
CERAWeek is organised by S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) and chaired by Daniel Yergin, Vice Chairman of S&P Global and one of the most widely cited authorities in global energy analysis. S&P Global Commodity Insights — whose Platts benchmarks underpin oil and gas price reporting worldwide — produces the underlying data and research that CERAWeek translates into live conference debate.
Who is speaking at CERAWeek 2026?
Confirmed speakers at CERAWeek 2026 include Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser, Shell CEO Wael Sawan, Harbour Energy CEO Linda Z. Cook, Alphabet SVP Ruth Porat, US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation CEO Shaikh Nawaf Al-Sabah, and ENEOS Holdings CEO Tomohide Miyata, among others.
What is the theme of CERAWeek 2026?
The theme of CERAWeek 2026 is “Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics.” The conference covers 16 programme themes including Oil Value Chain, LNG, Chemicals and Materials, AI and Technology, Managing Emissions, Finance and Investment, Hydrogen, Nuclear, Geopolitics, and Power and Grids.
Why should oil and gas storage professionals attend CERAWeek?
CERAWeek’s Oil Value Chain, Chemicals and Materials, Managing Emissions, Finance and Investment, and AI and Technology tracks all have direct relevance to terminal and storage operations. The conference is also where S&P Global Commodity Insights — the primary data source for terminal operators globally — presents its forward outlook on supply, demand, and price direction. The LNG sessions are particularly relevant given the current supply disruption context.