Dr. Abili is an Internationally Experienced Chief Technology Officer, Energy Transition Leader, Digital Technology Strategist and Management Advisor, accomplished in operating commercially within the Energy, Marine and Digital industry. He is a dynamic and proactive Energy Transition Adviser and Engineering Project Consultant, who excels at developing low carbon solutions to accelerate clean energy adoptions and commercial evaluations, with more than 2 decades of leadership experience on project value drivers across the value chain. Prowess in minimizing project costs while delivering results in advance of scheduled deadlines. Dr. Abili is actively involved in decarbonization projects, new energies, offshore & Onshore renewable wind, deepwater field developments, intelligent operations, cutting-edge green technology innovations, value engineering, digital and techno-economic enablement, strategic business development, financial risk management, policy formulations, and management of multi-disciplinary teams in the Energy Industry. Throughout his career, he has overseen the completion of multiple CAPEX projects valued at over $12 billion in growth opportunities and cash flow.
Dr. Abili holds a PhD in Energy & Power and MSc in Subsea Engineering from a prestigious school at Cranfield University, England; an MBA in Energy at Middlesex University London, England; and a BEng in Electronic & Electrical Engineering (Hons) at the University of Sunderland, England. He has working experience with Major IOCs, including Shell, Eni International, Schlumberger, and top management consulting, as a Chief Advisor, covering several Oil & Gas, FPSO, Offshore Renewables, CCUS, hydrogen, Smart Grid, LNG and FLNG development projects, etc. Dr. Abili is well-travelled internationally on energy development projects with regional executive experiences across UKCS, Norway, Germany, Italy, France, Americas, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa (East & West Africa), particularly on Greenfield, Brownfield, Marginal field developments in onshore and offshore energy assets, and digital enablement across the enterprise ecosystems.
Dr. Abili is the Chairman of IMarEST Houston (US Gulf Coast) Branch and Offshore Oil & Gas Special Interest Group (OOGSIG). He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), Chartered Marine Engineer (CMarEng) and a Fellow of the Institute of Marine, Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST). Dr Abili is a Council Member, Board of Trustee & Membership Committe with the IMarEST UK, charged with governance, leadership, assessment of membership, Chartered Engineers, Chartered Scientists and Fellows through the Institute’s Royal Charter, the UK Engineering and Science Council. He has published several international journals and made major international oil and gas conference presentations, such as in Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC), Deep Offshore Technology (DOT) International Conference, Offshore West Africa (OWA) Conference and Subsea UK, as a Thought-Leader and Speaker, where he bagged 3 international industrial 'Best Awards', and has been a reviewer for top international journals, including Journal of Marine Engineering & Technology (JMET) of the IMarEST. Dr. Abili has a passion for executive coaching, mentorship, and distinctive leadership development with transferable skills.
Welcome Address and Recognition of Sponsors & Key Stakeholders Wednesday @ 9:00 AM
Joined the Institute in 1968. Spent the first years in the development and maintenance of hull automation systems aboard a wide range of vessel types – oil and product tankers, stability systems for Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU’s) and FPSO’s (hull and turret controls).
He lived in Spain for 14 years as well as working in Europe, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.
In 1996 he and the family moved to Venezuela. There he established an oilfield measurement services company which eventually led to a 4 year stay in Brazil as Project Director of major upgrade offshore measurement projects - completed in 2008.
Since 2010 he has been resident in Houston, Texas providing professional engineering consultancy services. Several years were devoted to the on-going development of guidelines covering the fiscal measurement of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons before accepting, in 2017, an appointment at Cameron Schlumberger to provide high level measurement consultancy.
Upon the formation of the SLB/Rockwell Automation joint venture company Sensia LLC in October 2019 he was responsible for the delivery of Intelligent Measurement Solutions, prior to retiring in January 2024.
Roger remains an active member of IMarEST & Secretary of the Oil & Gas Special Interest Group (OOGSIG). He also participates in API Committee on Petroleum Measurement
He was appointed Honorary British Consul, San Cristobal, Venezuela, between 1998-2012.
Panel 3 - Discussion - Challenges and Strategies for attracting and retaining the next generation of skilled talents in future-proofing the Marine and Offshore Sectors Wednesday @ 2:00 PM
Obtained a Honours Degree in Mechanical and Structural Engineering (BEng Hons), a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a Doctorate in Structural Engineering (PhD).
Over 25 years of experience in the Oil & Gas industry. Previously the Group Managing Director for MCS Kenny, a Division of wood (formerly Wood Group). Currently the Director of Engineering for Pond & Co. in Houston.
Joined the IMarEST as a Graduate Member in 1998, Member and a Chartered Engineer in 1999, and became a Fellow in 2005. Honorary Secretary for the South East England Branch (SEE) of IMarEST (1999-2005) and Chairman for the ‘IMarEST Young Members Network’ (2005). Past Regional Co-ordinator for the Young Marine Professional (YMP) (1999-2002), and judge for the SET Awards (2003-2005). Previously Chairman of the Houston Gulf Coast Branch (2006 – 2012). Council Member (2010-2013). Board of Trustees (2007-2012). Obtained President’ Commendation Award in 2006.
Coauthor of the ‘Encyclopedia of Maritime and Offshore Engineering’ jointly with Carlton, J., and Sang Y, Wiley Books, March 2018.
Summary of the day’s proceedings and closing remarks Wednesday @ 4:45 PM
Rajnish Kelkar is a Houston, TX based Maritime executive. He has international experience in management, operations, assurance and safety roles in Oil, Gas, Energy and Maritime industries. He is currently the Global lead for Environmental, Energy and Regulatory Programs at Excelerate Energy, Texas, USA, where he is engaged in various new FSRU terminal development projects and in managing environmental, energy management & global maritime regulatory compliance programs and initiatives in the FSRU fleet and Regas Terminals. Prior to this he was the Marine Projects Manager for the Jordan Cove LNG Marine export terminal in Coos Bay Oregon. His main accountabilities were to lead the marine team and manage the JCLNG project marine interfaces and budget by working with the EPC contractor, the local, National & International stakeholders, Government Agencies, LNGC Owners/Operators, and other contactors.
After completing his Marine Engineering training at the Indian Maritime University, Rajnish served on large ocean going tankers, initially with Chevron Shipping Corporation, USA before joining Vancouver based Teekay Shipping Ltd., where he rose to the rank of a Chief Engineer. In his career till 2009 with Teekay, he also served in various management roles ashore in Teekay’s Vancouver (Canada) based headquarters. During this time, he was accountable for Fleet Performance Management, Maintenance Management, Condition, Risk and Reliability Improvement programs, Maritime Safety and Legislation, Oil Spill and Emergency Response and various Safety, Quality and Environmental programs, projects, and budgets for a fleet of over 150 vessels (oil, product, and LNG).
From 2009 to 2016 Rajnish was the Director, Maritime and Global Shipping HSSE, Asset Integrity and Risk Management at BG Group in Houston, TX. In this role he was the Functional Head of Maritime, HSSE, and process safety disciplines, with an accountability to provide leadership, SME input and assurance for all maritime activity across BG Group globally. This role spanned over marine operations in 10 different BG locations, projects and countries and covered ~150 different sites/assets including 28 LNG Carriers, 8 terminals, 10 oil and DP Shuttle tankers, 100+ offshore vessels including LSVs and tugs/barges.
Rajnish is a Chartered Engineer and holds a Class 1 Marine Engineering Officer international license equivalent to a BS degree in Marine Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (FIMarEST-UK) and the Vice Chair of its US Gulf Coast Branch. He is also a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (FIE) and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in business administration (project management) from the Henley Business School, Oxfordshire, UK.
His passions outside of work include travel, raising funds for local charities, theatre, and music.
Afternoon Chair Wednesday @ 1:29 PM
Julian Moreno is a strategic Principal Product Manager and Senior Industry Advisor from Venezuela with almost three decades of experience leading digital transformation in the Energy and Resources sector. At Microsoft, he drives data and AI innovation, specializing in Agentic AI to help organizations unlock intelligent automation and scalable insights. Julian has held leadership roles across the world at EPAM Systems and SLB, where he launched pioneering SaaS products, authored multiple patents, and built high-performing global teams. His expertise spans product management, cloud platforms, and AI-driven data strategies, with deep involvement in the OSDU™ data platform and Azure Data Manager for Energy. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Julian is known for blending technical depth with business acumen to deliver impactful, future-ready solutions.
Energy Transition 4.0 and 5.0 Enablement to Drive Human Integrations with Digitalization, Automation and Optimization for Sustainability Wednesday @ 3:15 PM
As a visionary leader in the realm of Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI), Jorge Peña Alarcón stands at the forefront of innovation at Microsoft. As the Director of Data & AI, Jorge's expertise in engineering and operations is pivotal in leading organizations in adopting and transitioning to cloud native digital platforms. His strategic approach integrates data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance business value, particularly within the Energy sector.
Jorge's leadership is characterized by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a commitment to driving tangible business outcomes for executive clients. His experience spans over a decade in technology and energy operations, with a rich background in Aerospace, Oil and Gas, Mining, and Utilities industries. His proficiency in enterprise software development, sales, go-to-market strategies, and business development has been instrumental across various vertical markets.
A specialist in IT-OT convergence and Automation Industries, Jorge's academic foundation in Aerospace Engineering, with a concentration on Advanced Analytics and Propulsion Engines from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, empowers him to innovate in digital transformation initiatives with a unique blend of technical acumen, industry insight, and unwavering focus on achieving operational excellence.
Morning Chair Wednesday @ 8:00 AM
