First-timer's guide · Nov 2–5, 2026 · Abu Dhabi
Working ADIPEC 2026 for the first time.
2,200 exhibitors, 145,000 attendees, and a rhythm you only learn by working it. Here's what matters — for the booth side and the buying side — plus the Abu Dhabi logistics nobody puts in the brochure.
If you're exhibiting
New exhibitor tips
Country pavilions are the shortcut
Thirty country pavilions anchor the floor, and delegations walk them systematically. If a full stand is out of reach, your national pavilion organiser is the cheaper route onto the same routes senior buyers already follow.
Know which zone your buyer lives in
ADIPEC runs dedicated zones for AI, Low Carbon & Chemicals, and Maritime & Logistics alongside the main halls. Booking outside the zone your category belongs to means paying full price for the wrong footfall.
Fifty-four national and international oil companies attend
NOCs, IOCs, NECs and IECs are here in force alongside 2,250+ exhibiting companies and 239,000+ attendees. The people who can actually sign are on the floor — staff for seniority, not headcount.
The conference pulls your buyers off the floor
1,800+ speakers across 380+ sessions in 13 programmes means the halls empty in waves. Learn the session timetable and schedule stand meetings into the gaps rather than fighting it.
Four days, and the last one is short
Hours run 10:00–18:30 for the first three days and 10:00–17:30 on the last. Consolidate captured leads each evening; nobody reconstructs a Monday conversation on Thursday.
If you're visiting or buying
New visitor tips
Visitor pass or delegate pass — decide first
The visitor pass covers the full exhibition floor, all zones and country pavilions. The delegate pass adds the conference sessions and the enhanced networking programme. If you came for the conference content, the visitor pass will not get you in.
Your badge is print-at-home, and it arrives late
Register, get a confirmation email, and the badge follows about a week before the show. Do not wait for it to book flights, and do print it before you fly.
No under-18s, and no childcare
Children under 18 are not permitted in the exhibition, and there are no childcare facilities at the venue.
Use the venue map before you arrive
ADNEC is large and the zones are distinct. With 2,250+ exhibitors across four days, an unplanned walk covers a fraction of what a mapped route does.
Capture the technical spec, not the company name
Energy procurement runs on certifications, capacities and delivery windows. Photograph the stand sign with the spec sheet and voice-note the specifics — the follow-up cycle here is measured in quarters.
How the days flow
- —Day 1: opening ceremonies, ministerial keynotes and the heaviest delegation traffic — the day the floor is most senior.
- —Days 2–3: the working days; technical meetings, zone-focused conversations, and the bulk of the conference programme.
- —Day 4: a shorter 10:00–17:30 close — follow-ups, revisits, and the last chance for terms before teardown.
Abu Dhabi logistics
Getting there
ADNEC, Abu Dhabi. Roughly 30 minutes from Abu Dhabi International and about 90 minutes by road from Dubai — many attendees commute daily from Dubai during the week, which is worth planning around at opening and closing.
Hours
2–4 November 10:00–18:30; 5 November 10:00–17:30.
Visas
UAE entry rules vary sharply by nationality — visa-on-arrival for some passports, advance application for others. Check your own case as soon as you commit; November is peak season in Abu Dhabi.
The tip every guide agrees on
Capture at the booth. Never "the stack for later."
Whichever side of the aisle you work at ADIPEC 2026, DaGaMa turns photos of cards, badges, and products into a structured Google Sheet you own — in WhatsApp, Telegram, or WeChat. Free for your first 24 hours.
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