AFPM 2027 Security Conference

The program is intended for key executives and site-level Labor & HR employees, with industry-specific information to help maximize organizational expertise in navigating current workforce challenges and opportunities for the future.

The meeting brings together executives, decision-makers, and technical experts from refining businesses, technology providers, contracting and consulting firms, and equipment manufacturers. Sessions are designed to examine policies, regulations, geopolitics, and disruptions affecting the downstream sector.

Technical conference focused on improving plant-wide performance in the refining and petrochemical industries.

Jointly sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), the symposium features technical presentations on lessons learned from facility incidents and near misses, and accident avoidance in refineries and petrochemical plants. It also provides a forum for exchanging information on safe operating practices and procedures and sharing best practices. Attendance is limited to refining and petrochemical operating companies.

The program focuses on cybersecurity for the oil and natural gas industry, with an emphasis on safety, best practices, innovation, and resilience. Listed subjects include application security and SecDevOps; compliance and new regulations; ICS cybersecurity; identity and access management; cyber incident management; next-generation SOC and security orchestration; generative AI platform risks and security; zero trust; threat hunting and threat intelligence; cyber insurance; the human element; and cybersecurity architecture. The program also includes a CISO leadership panel, a cyber incident management workshop, an API conference retrospective and past-chair panel, and the keynote session “AI Made Me Do It: Confessions of an AI-Era CISO.”

The meeting brings together executives, decision-makers, and technical experts from refining businesses, technology providers, contracting and consulting firms, and equipment manufacturers. Sessions address policies, regulations, geopolitics, and disruptions affecting downstream businesses. The agenda includes general sessions, concurrent breakout sessions, and a Government Relations Breakfast.

The conference theme is “Pipeline to Possibilities: Securing Energy, Shaping Futures.” Stakeholder Engagement & Outreach covers community and public engagement, API Recommended Practices 1162 and 1185, environmental justice, Tribal and First Nation considerations, emergency responder education, and damage prevention. Pipeline Operational Excellence addresses safety performance, in-line inspection lessons, pipeline safety management systems, safety culture, management of change, asset remediation, and operational and enterprise risk management. Technology, AI & Innovation includes inspection tools, engineering practices, control room technologies, artificial intelligence, API RP 1165, and emerging fuels. Workforce Training & Development covers succession planning, knowledge transfer, recruitment and retention, multigenerational workforces, operator qualification, inspector certification, and competency-based learning. Sustainability & New Fuels addresses CO2, hydrogen and other low-carbon fuels; safety, integrity, leak detection, corrosion management, emergency preparedness, methane emissions, and environmental stewardship. Other tracks address pipeline construction, project management, commissioning, major maintenance, contract management and trenchless technologies; leak detection systems and predictive analytics; SCADA/OT modernization, industrial control system cybersecurity, threat response and regulatory compliance; and alarm and control room management, including fatigue mitigation, controller training, management of change, records, and regulatory interpretations.

Described as one of the largest petrochemical events in the world, the conference draws participants from companies across the globe to hear from industry leaders on political, economic and environmental issues facing the petrochemical sector. Sessions include Reflections from the C-Suite with the CEO of BASF Corporation, a TotalEnergies refining and petrochemicals SVP, and Dow's Chief Operating Officer; The Evolving Global Policy Landscape and its Impacts on the Petrochemical Industry; and Supply Chains Under Stress, examining how leaders are responding to global supply disruptions with executives from LyondellBasell, Brenntag North America, and the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region. A workforce-focused session, Shaping Tomorrow: The Petrochemical Workforce and Next-Gen Leaders, addresses talent pipeline challenges. Market analysis sessions include S&P Global's "Petrochemicals: The Phoenix Amid the Flames" and Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS's "Chemical Crossroads: Mapping the Route to 2060." A Women in Industry panel addresses mid-career leadership in the chemical industry, and the International Petrochemical Luncheon features a conversation with former President George W. Bush.

The program spans chemical engineering, process industries, and process safety. Spring Meeting topics include process intensification; automation, data analytics, and machine learning in Industry 4.0; ethylene production; gas processing, conversion, and utilization; refinery operations; distillation; petrochemical processing; and energy-transition technologies, policies, and industry strategies. The AI and Energy Nexus and Chemical Engineering & the Law are also listed as program areas. Process-safety programming includes the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) International Conference, the Process Plant Safety Symposium (PPSS), the Annual Loss Prevention Symposium (LPS), the Process Safety Management Mentoring (PSM2) Symposium, and a Process Safety Topical Conference. Listed subjects include process-safety management practices, plant-level methods and tools, explosion prevention, fire protection, lessons from incident investigations, hydrogen production, storage and use, and process-safety issues affecting regions around the world.

The conference brings together offshore energy, maritime, defense, and technology industries around shared infrastructure, capabilities, and supply chains. Its preliminary program will examine offshore energy and autonomous systems, ports and vessels, subsea infrastructure, and maritime security, alongside market developments and opportunities for established companies to apply their expertise across emerging ocean technology markets. Related sectors include offshore wind, shipbuilding, manufacturing, engineering, marine robotics, grid innovation, and advanced manufacturing. The agenda is in development, with additional sessions and speakers to be announced.