In the run-up to the World Energies Summit | The World’s Premier Global Upstream Conference | 29th - 30th September 2026, our latest Regional Leader Thought Leadership report turns the spotlight on one of the most quietly compelling stories in global exploration.

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.

Energy security used to sit somewhere in the appendix of a strategy deck. Not anymore.

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.

The world finally understands that we need Africa. We need to all come together to be more productive for the whole world.

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.

There is a huge amount happening across Asia Pacific at the moment, and one of the things I've enjoyed most while building the World Energies Summit has been speaking directly with governments and regulators across the Asia Pacific region about where they see the next wave of investment coming from and what strategies they are deploying to attract new players.

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.

A discovery proves the geology. Everything after that is a race against the clock, and in Africa, that race is still longer than it should be.

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.

I once read that if you want to learn, write about it. That's one of the reasons I enjoy this weekly newsletter - it encourages me to explore the topics shaping our industry and learn from some of the best minds in the business.

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.

Our Frontier Global Upstream Leaders Series landed in Aberdeen last week, during EAGE 26, bringing together more than 100 senior industry professionals representing 56 companies from across the globe and creating a truly international forum for discussion, collaboration and connection.

We asked Claudia Napolitano, ExxonMobil’s Vice President – Exploration Commercial, to identify the most valuable insight she gained from this year’s Summit. Her response focused on the range of enablers required to increase the pace to first oil.

The latest edition of Frontier Upstream Insights brings leading analysts, NOCs and policy specialists together to explore the factors that separate successful licensing rounds from the rest.

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.

It was an energising week in Aberdeen for the EAGE (European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers) Annual 2026 where we had the opportunity to engage with the global geosciences community under the warm glow of the hospitality of the EAGE team and the city of Aberdeen.