Strategic Panel: Navigating the New Era: Strategic Synergies Across Algeria’s Offshore Frontiers and Mature Basins

Moderated by Laura Sima (S&P Global Energy)

Date: 11 May 2026 | Time: 10:25AM - 12:25AM UTC+1

Moderator:

Laura Sima

Director, Upstream Thought Leadership, S&P Global Energy

Mrs. Sima, a Director with Upstream Solutions at S&P Global Energy, brings over 15 years of extensive experience with S&P Global and its heritage companies, with a career spanning advisory and research roles covering the upstream sector and broader dynamics shaping the energy landscape.

Her areas of expertise include strategic shifts in the global oil and gas industry, risks and fiscal analysis, capital and portfolio strategies, M&A activity, IPOs and bond issuance, energy transition and low-carbon energies. A frequent speaker and moderator at high-profile conferences, Mrs. Sima is recognised for her ability to navigate complex discussions on energy transition, financing, market and industry trends.

Mrs. Sima holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School with a specialization in Petroleum Economics and Management from IFP School, both in France. A Romanian native, Mrs. Sima is fluent in both French and English.

Panelists:

Samir Bekhti

President, ALNAFT - National Agency for the Valorization of Hydrocarbon Resources

Samir Bekhti is the President of ALNAFT, the regulatory authority overseeing Algeria’s upstream hydrocarbons sector. With 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, he has played a pivotal role in shaping Algeria’s regulatory landscape and structuring major hydrocarbons contracts. Most recently, Mr. Bekhti launched an ambitious and innovative program at ALNAFT to reassess all E&P data, aiming to increase industry knowledge and unlock Algeria's full hydrocarbon potential.

Amine Remini

President, Algerian Hydrocarbon Regulatory Authority

Thierry LE MAUX

Chairman of the Management Board, BEICIP-FRANLAB

Thierry Le Maux is Chairman of the Management Board of Beicip Franlab and heads the Global Solutions division, overseeing subsurface studies for oil and gas exploration and field production and the development of advanced software solutions based on IFPEN technologies. Trained in Petroleum Engineering at Heriot Watt University (UK), he has over 30 years of international experience in reservoir development, fractured reservoirs, and enhanced oil recovery, with projects across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, South America, and Asia. He has been directly involved in numerous subsurface studies and field development projects in Algeria.

Anan Amornprabharwat

Senior Vice President & Regional Manager for Africa, PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP)

Mr. Anan Amornprabharwat is Senior Vice President at PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP), currently serving as Regional Manager for Africa. He has over 25 years of experience in the upstream oil and gas sector, covering subsurface disciplines, asset management, and complex international portfolios.

He holds qualifications in Petroleum Engineering and Business Administration, enabling him to integrate technical expertise with strategic and policy-oriented decision making. His professional experience includes reservoir management, subsurface evaluation, development planning, production optimization, and both operated and joint venture asset management.

With his extensive experience in international joint ventures, particularly in upstream projects in Algeria, he works closely with national oil companies, partners, and key stakeholders to bring a strategic perspective that aligns technical expertise with regulatory frameworks, supporting sustainable development and long-term value creation within the host country energy landscape.

Moufdi Chikh

Managing Director EP Algeria & Country Chair, TotalEnergies

Moufdi Zakaria Chikh was appointed Managing Director of TotalEnergies EP Algérie and Country Chair in Algeria in August 2023, bringing over 23 years of extensive experience in the oil and gas sector. He has a proven track record in exploration and production across a range of global locations, specializing in M&A, business development, and asset management.Mr. Chikh began his career with Anadarko and BP before joining TotalEnergies in 2002. Throughout his tenure, he has held key leadership positions in reservoir engineering and geosciences at TotalEnergies HQ in France. His contributions have been pivotal to significant projects, including the acquisition of the Elk-Antelope gas field in Papua New Guinea and the exploration initiative in Namibia that led to the notable Venus discovery. He has also excelled in managing world-class assets across key affiliates in Nigeria, Congo, and Angola, overseeing projects such as Pazflor, Egina, and N’kossa.Before his current role in Algeria, Mr. Chikh served as Vice President for Merger & Acquisition, where he successfully negotiated TotalEnergies’ entry into the North Field Expansion LNG Project in Qatar and secured a 20% stake in Adani Green Energy, the largest solar developer globally. His strategic insight also facilitated several high-profile divestment transactions, including the sale of a 50% stake in TotalEnergies Marketing Egypt to ADNOC Distribution and the divestment of TotalEnergies' interest in the Dunga Oil Field in Kazakhstan.Born in 1978, Mr. Chikh holds a master’s degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from École Spéciale des Travaux Publics, du Bâtiment et de l'Industrie (ESTP) and a master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering and Project Development from École Nationale Supérieure du Pétrole et des Moteurs (ENSPM / IFP School). His educational background complements his extensive professional experience, positioning him as a leader in the industry.

Khaled Saidi

Managing Director - North Africa, SLB

Amal Belkhirat

Executive Managing Director, Baker Hughes

Eric Delamaide

General Manager, IFP Technologies

Eric Delamaide is reservoir engineer and EOR expert, currently General Manager of IFP Technologies (Canada) Inc. in Calgary. Eric has a degree in chemical engineering from the School of Mines in Saint Etienne, and a Master in Petroleum Engineering from IFP School, both in France. Eric has been involved in various capacities in close to 100 EOR projects including over 40 polymer floods. He has published over 90 papers on reservoir engineering and EOR and has served on multiple conference technical committees and workshops. He is the former chair of the SPE Distinguished Lecturers Committee and has received numerous awards including SPE Canada Service Award in 2018, the SPE Distinguished Member Award in 2019 and the “a Peer Apart” award from SPE in 2020.

Alvaro Ranero

Managing Director, Repsol

Noureddine Boubekeur

TBC, SLB

Warren Murdoch

President & General Manager Occidental Algeria, Oxy

Warren Murdoch currently serves as the President & General Manager for Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) in Algeria, a role he has held since 2020. In this capacity, Warren oversees Oxy’s operations and strategic partnerships in Algeria, ensuring alignment with the company's global goals and local commitments. His leadership continues to strengthen Oxy’s position as a major player in Algeria’s oil and gas industry.Initially based in Houston for this role, Warren moved to Algiers in 2024.

Jon Erwin

Drilling and Workover Manager, Pertamina

Gavin Thomson

Vice Chairman, WoodMackenzie

Panel 2: Global Analogues in Deepwater Exploration

Date: 12 May 2026 | Time: 12:55PM - 13:55PM UTC+1

Moderator:

TBC

TBC, TBC

Panelists:

Eric Schmid

Associate Director, Upstream Intelligence, S&P Global Energy

Eric Schmid is Associate Director in the Saharan Africa team of the Commodity Insights group at S&P Global Energy. Eric is primarily responsible for editing and reporting oil and gas related information in north and west African countries for the company’s GEPS publication. Prior to this position he was Sub-Saharan Africa area coordinator for GEPS, focused primarily on Gulf of Guinea countries. A geologist, Eric holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Before joining IHS Markit (now part of S&P Global) in 2000, he worked as senior geologist for South African mining company Randgold.Eric speaks English, French and German.

Mohamed Arab

Senior Staff Geoscientist, Sonatrach

Mohamed Arab is a Senior Staff Geoscientist at Sonatrach/Exploration, Algeria’s National Oil Company, and a former Head of Department. His current work focuses on the structural and stratigraphy of the northern Algerian complex basins as well as the offshore domain. He also serves as a seasonal lecturer at the Algerian Petroleum Institute in Boumerdès. He holds a Ph.D. in Marine Geosciences from IUEM–UBO (Brest University, in collaboration with IFPEN) and brings more than 30 years of experience in hydrocarbon exploration. His expertise includes play evaluation, petroleum systems modeling, seismic stratigraphy, and the assessment of unconventional resources. He has also contributed to international exploration initiatives, including studies of the eastern Tunisian offshore margin and the Libyan Ghadames and Sirte basins, and has participated in the technical oversight of partnership projects with companies such as BHP Billiton, Amerada Hess, and Shell. He is widely recognized for integrating advanced geoscientific research with applied exploration, supporting Sonatrach’s efforts to evaluate and develop Algeria’s energy resources. Throughout his career, he has been involved in numerous geological and geophysical studies as well as international academic and industry collaborations.

Mostafa Benzaoui

Geoscience Solutions Advisor, Halliburton

Dr. Fahad Al Rusheidi

Senior Manager Corporate Technical Excellence and Assurance, Petrogas

Fahad Al Rusheidi is Senior Manager at Petrogas E&P Corporate , leading technical assurance of Petrogas subsidiaries and managing new business development across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the North Sea. He is a strategic, results-oriented oil and gas professional with strong expertise across both the technical and commercial dimensions of upstream new ventures. Fahad brings solid offshore experience from the UK/Europe North Sea, having managed and supported Petrogas’ operated and non-operated portfolio through subsurface evaluation, well planning, and close engagement with partners. He is recognised for identifying value-driven opportunities, managing uncertainty and risk, and delivering clear recommendations that support growth and sound investment decisions.

Panel 3: Deepwater Exploration and Development : A Technical Challenges and Operational Readiness

Moderated by Laura Sima (S&P Global Energy)

Date: 13 May 2026 | Time: 09:10AM - 10:10AM UTC+1

Moderator:

Laura Sima

Director, Upstream Thought Leadership, S&P Global Energy

Panelists:

Mourad Medaouri

Northen Assets Manager, Sonatrach

Zabuddin Zawawi

Technical Advisor, Nusantara Explorer

Mohamad Zabuddin bin Mohamad Zawawi is a Technical Advisor at Nusantara Explorer, a Malaysia-based independent exploration company, which he joined in January 2026 following over 34 years with a Malaysian E&P company.Throughout his career, he most recently served as Custodian and Head of the Geophysical Acquisition Department, leading specialised technical and operational teams across the company’s global portfolio. His expertise spans the full geophysical project lifecycle — from survey design, procurement, and contractor selection through to project start-up and on-site operational supervision — across both onshore and offshore environments on four continents.Zabuddin holds a qualification in Geophysics and has completed multiple management and leadership programmes. Notably, he has direct field experience in Algeria, having served as on-site company representative for onshore seismic operations in the early 2000s, overseeing project execution and quality control.At this workshop, he brings a practitioner’s perspective on building operation readiness and lessons from frontier basin exploration.

TBC

TBC, NOC Libya