Dr Carole Nakhle, CEO of Crystol Energy, participated in the 16th IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium, where she moderated the session on the medium-term outlook for global energy markets. The high-level event was chaired by HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, and brought together senior policymakers, industry leaders, and energy experts from around the world.
The symposium featured sober and forward-looking discussions on the challenges facing global energy systems, including market volatility, energy security, investment adequacy, and the pace of the energy transition. A notable highlight of the event was the renewed spirit of dialogue between OPEC and the International Energy Agency (IEA), underscoring the importance of cooperation across institutions. The International Energy Forum (IEF) played a central role as a trusted convener in facilitating this engagement.
In her opening remarks, Dr Nakhle challenged the notion that the energy sector is operating in an entirely “new” global risk environment, noting that many of today’s pressures — including security of supply, technological change, and system reliability — have long shaped energy markets. What has changed, she argued, is the growing number of objectives energy systems are now expected to deliver simultaneously, and at scale, amid a more active role for governments.
The session explored critical medium-term questions facing the industry, including the extent of structural change achievable over the next five years, how companies can navigate short-term policy uncertainty, the scaling of upstream oil and gas investment, the security of critical minerals, and the potential implications of data centres and artificial intelligence for energy demand.
In her concluding remarks, Dr Nakhle highlighted two key observations. First, she cautioned that much of the current debate around an “investment gap” assumes a fixed energy system architecture, overlooking the dynamic ways markets adapt to price signals and technological change. Second, she emphasised that projections around AI-driven energy demand should be treated with humility, noting that past periods of rapid demand growth have often prompted system-wide adjustments rather than linear infrastructure expansion.
“Energy systems are not static,” said Dr Nakhle. “Markets, technologies, and incentives interact to reshape system architectures over time. Understanding that dynamic is essential for sound policy, investment decisions, and long-term energy security.”
Dr Nakhle was joined on the panel by leading industry experts, including:
- Cosmin Ghita, CEO, Nuclearelectrica SA
- Amrita Sen, Founder and Director of Market Intelligence, Energy Aspects
- Helen Currie, Chief Economist, ConocoPhillips
- Tom Smeenk, Executive Vice President Growth, VTTI
- Tatiana Mitrova, Global Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University SIPA
Crystol Energy continues to engage with policymakers, industry leaders, and international institutions to provide independent analysis and strategic insight on global energy markets, geopolitics, and the energy transition
Related Events
“Dr Carole Nakhle joins Energy Connects Global Advisory Board“, Jan 2026
“Crystol Energy leads strategic LNG discussions at the World LNG Summit in Istanbul“, Dec 2025
