Once again oil and gas digital experts joined AUTOMA Congress to discuss the pressing issues of digital transformation in the industry. Due to last-minute changes in European travel policies, the event was held entirely online at our BGS Online platform on October 4-6, 2021. Despite all challenges and only one and a half weeks’ notice to act, we are proud to say AUTOMA 2021 was a success!

We welcomed more than 450 delegates from industry-leading companies such as OMV Petrom, Romgaz, Rompetrol, MOL Group, NIS, CEPSA,  Saudi Aramco, Wood, McDermott, Worley, and many others.

The 3 days of the Congress were packed with high-level networking, dealmaking, and ground-breaking insights. Over the course of 8 sessions, 2 panel discussions and 1 roundtable, 65 expert speakers presented their digital strategies and covered all issues up-, mid-, and downstream. Among the discussed topics were digital transformation, smart plant and digital twin technologies, data management and processing, asset management and performance optimisation, and digital sustainability. 

AUTOMA 2021 began with the CDO Panel Discussion, where corporate executives from OMV Petrom, McDermott, UERP APPS and Nozomi Networks talked about the digital-forward mindset as one of the key factors in the shift towards Industry 4.0. Christopher Veit from OMV Petrom, our Host Sponsor and long-standing partner, presented the company’s latest upstream solution - the DigitUp programme based on artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and digital twin technology.

Day 2 was full of informative discussions on the topics of advanced technologies and digital game changers. Start-ups had the opportunity to meet the leaders of the oil & gas segment and present the latest digital solutions, such as monitoring systems using distributed network of seismic sensors or mitigating ground deformation and vegetation risks with AI-powered satellite analytics.

Our attendees had a chance to dive into industrial applications of innovative tech at the special Day 3 of the Congress prepared by OMV Petrom and Microsoft. Delegates attended the top-levels strategic panel featuring executives from OMV Petrom, Hellenic Petroleum, Rompetrol and NIS, and got to see the exclusive tech demos by Microsoft and their partners. 

Tibor Bacsó, Director Industry Solutions Oil & Gas at Microsoft, skillfully moderated the presentations of the Day 3 programme, providing AUTOMA participants with an excellent opportunity to learn about exciting digitalization projects for the energy industry. Experts from NetGAS, SecurifAI and PTC touched upon operational excellence and predictive operation during the Oil & Gas Value Chain Diorama, showcased cognitive services automation based on OMV Petrom case studies, and shared brilliant AR solutions during the Energy IoT demonstration.

The participants of AUTOMA got to fully enjoy the advantages of the online format - we are happy to say that we arranged over 720 online business meetings with representatives from more than 170 companies! Our self-developed BGS Online platform provided our attendees with all the tools needed to reach out to a large number of potential partners, and unlimited chats and video call options meant that delegates had the opportunity to network with an unprecedented level of ease and efficiency. 

Networking Games have become a staple of all BGS online events, and AUTOMA 2021 was no exception! Each day of the Congress the participants had a chance to win valuable prizes like Apple gadgets and gift cards. Congratulations to all the networking champions of AUTOMA 2021! 

We are very grateful to our attendees, sponsors and partners for your trust, support and active networking. We hope you had a fantastic time during the 3 days of AUTOMA 2021, created steadfast partnerships, and found inspiration for your digital strategies! 

Thank you for your insatiable passion for the oil & gas industry! We are looking forward to meeting you again at the next edition of AUTOMA in Milan!

The registration for AUTOMA 2022 is already open. Don’t miss the chance to meet digital oil & gas experts next year! Request business programme.