Italy’s Growing Role in the UAE’s Energy Future

As ADIPEC 2026 unfolds in Abu Dhabi, Italy emerges as a crucial partner in the region's energy transformation, with Italian companies supplying advanced technologies that underpin the UAE's strategic objectives.

The relationship between Italy and the United Arab Emirates has long been characterised by mutual respect and shared ambition. This year’s Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference has brought that partnership into sharper focus, revealing the depth of Italian engagement in the UAE’s energy sector and the growing trust Italian industry places in the region as a strategic market.

During the first half of 2026, Italy has become the second-largest supplier of oil and gas equipment to the UAE, with its market share rising significantly to 17.3 percent from 9.8 percent during the corresponding period in 2025. Italian exports of this equipment reached €188.5 million in that six-month window. These figures represent more than mere commercial transactions; they signal a deepening technical collaboration that touches every stage of the energy value chain, from transmission pipes and drilling equipment to the gas turbines and compressors that form the backbone of modern energy infrastructure.

The breadth of Italian participation at ADIPEC 2026 speaks to this commitment. More than 169 Italian companies are present at the exhibition, of which 52 are small and medium-sized enterprises, gathered within a dedicated Italy Pavilion that serves as a meeting point between Italian innovation and regional decision-makers. This constellation of businesses represents the full spectrum of mechanical and engineering expertise that Italian industry brings to the table.

Lorenzo Fanara, Ambassador of Italy to the UAE, has described the relationship as one rooted in decades of cooperation, exchange of expertise, investment and innovation. Energy, he notes, forms one of the key pillars of this enduring partnership, extending across both conventional oil and gas sectors and the emerging landscape of clean energy development. For Italian companies, the UAE market has proven both substantial and dynamic. Throughout 2025, Italy’s exports of oil and gas sector equipment reached €378.5 million, with Italy ranking fourth among supplying nations as the UAE market itself expanded by 38.6 percent to €3.97 billion.

The current exhibition itself carries particular significance. As we reported in our recent analysis of ADIPEC’s market outlook, the global energy sector is experiencing unprecedented confidence, with industry leaders identifying substantial investment opportunities throughout the Middle East. Italian companies are positioned to benefit from this momentum, bringing specialised expertise in decarbonisation, hydrogen technologies and low-emission solutions that align with the UAE’s broader energy transition objectives.

The Italian Trade Agency has orchestrated this year’s pavilion in collaboration with four major Italian industry associations: ANIMA, ANIE Federation, ANIMP and FEDERTEC, each representing clusters of excellence across mechanical engineering, fluid power systems, smart automation and industrial control technologies. This institutional architecture ensures that Italian participation reflects not merely individual enterprise ambitions but the collective strategic thinking of Italian industry as it addresses the energy challenges of the coming decades.

Pietro Almici, President of ANIMA, emphasises that Italian mechanical engineering companies provide advanced technologies and specialised expertise alongside the globally recognised quality that characterises Made in Italy products. The work of these companies, he notes, plays an essential role in developing more efficient, reliable and sustainable energy systems.

Marco Ferrara, Director of FEDERTEC, has similarly highlighted the exhibition’s significance as a platform where industry leaders, innovators and specialists converge to showcase pioneering technologies and sustainable industrial solutions. For Italian enterprises, the convergence of regional ambition, technological readiness and market receptivity creates an environment of genuine opportunity.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

Italy’s emergence as the second-largest supplier of oil and gas equipment to the UAE reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a nexus of global energy excellence. The ability to draw on world-class expertise from multiple regions strengthens the technical foundations upon which the emirate’s energy infrastructure rests, whilst the competition for market position ensures that suppliers maintain the highest standards of innovation and quality. This diversity of supply partners provides resilience and choice as Abu Dhabi pursues its energy strategy.

For the broader UAE economy, the deepening Italian partnership exemplifies the kind of strategic industrial relationship that underpins diversification and non-oil economic development. As we have previously noted regarding the Make it with ADNOC initiative, the energy sector serves as a catalyst for wider manufacturing capability and industrial resilience. Italian participation in this ecosystem, coupled with the sector’s shift toward operational artificial intelligence applications, positions Abu Dhabi at the convergence of traditional engineering excellence and digital-era innovation.

Source: WAM, 2nd November 2026