The UAE opens its annual oil-and-gas summit as industry weathers Mideast wars and awaits US election

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates opened its annual oil-and-gas summit on Monday as it plans to increase the country's energy output as global prices stay volatile and world politics remain uncertain ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

The massive Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference comes after the UAE just last year hosted the United Nations COP28 climate talks. Those talks ended with a call by nearly 200 countries to move away from planet-warming fossil fuels — the first time the conference made that crucial pledge.

But the UAE as a whole still plans to increase its production capacity of oil to 5 million barrels a day in the coming years as it pursues more cleaner energies at home. Meanwhile, UAE officials have made a point to dodge any questions about the U.S. election while maintaining their close ties to Russia despite Moscow's war on Ukraine.

“Allow me to say that we in the United Arab Emirates will always choose partnership over polarization, dialogue over division and peace over provocation,” said Sultan al-Jaber, who heads the state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., or ADNOC, and who also led the COP28 talks in Dubai.

Crude oil prices have been depressed this year. Benchmark Brent crude traded around $74 a barrel on Monday as prices have dropped after concerns over the ongoing Mideast wars growing into a regional conflict faded in recent days.

Slowing economic growth in China and ample supply in the market are additionally dragging down prices.

In his speech opening the summit, al-Jaber pointed to artificial intelligence as a future technology that could be deployed by the energy industry — and one with a voracious appetite for electricity.

“No single source of energy is going to be enough to meet this demand,” he said. He called for a variety of energy sources to meet that challenge, including fossil fuels.

“Oil will continue to be used for fuel and as a building block for many essential products,” al-Jaber added.

Scientists have called for drastically slashing the world’s emissions by nearly half in the coming years to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with pre-industrial times.

The 2015 Paris Agreement mentions that limit without specifically calling for a stop on using fossil fuels — something that OPEC Secretary-General Haitham al-Ghais seized on in remarks.

“The Paris Agreement, ladies and gentlemen, is about the reduction of emissions,” he said. “It’s not about phasing out or phasing down or keeping the oil under the ground.”

Suhail al-Mazrouei, the Emirates’ minister of energy and infrastructure, separately stressed that “investments in the oil and gas need to be taken care of” to support demand in the market.

“We are committed to invest in making more resources in the future to ensure the world will have adequate oil and gas resources,” he said.

Hardeep Singh Puri, India's minister of petroleum and natural gas, separately made a point to criticize what he described as his “ideologically motivated colleagues” who sought an end to fossil fuel production.

“As we accelerate other green energy transition, we will still need affordable traditional energy at least for two decades, if not longer,” he said.

Politics was also close at hand at the summit on Monday. Whispers among the crowd attending the opening pondered who would be better for their businesses, Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump.

Al-Mazrouei dodged the first question by a presenter over whether his country preferred Trump or Harris.

“Of course, we will be discussing energy politics here and I (would) rather not ... talk about the election in the United States,” al-Mazrouei said. “As a political contest, we wish both candidates the best.”

Later, ADNOC executive Musabbeh al-Kaabi said he worried that “escalating tensions and trade wars may have an impact on the energy transition going forward.” However, he declined to comment directly on the election.

The UAE maintains close ties to Russia despite Western sanctions over Moscow's war. An announcer told the crowd where to find Russian translation for the event, while one of the main partners of the summit was Lukoil, Russia’s largest non-state oil firm.

Meanwhile, the Mideast wars remain a top concern.

“I think the conflict in the Middle East is probably the top risk,” U.K.-based BP CEO Murray Auchincloss said. “We’re worried about the safety and security of our people and the security of energy flows.”

Tengku Muhammad Taufik President and CEO PETRONAS speaks on a panel, during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Murray Auchincloss CEO BP talks in a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Musabbeh Al Kaaba Executive Director ADNOC talks at a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Murray Auchincloss CEO BP, left, watches as Wael Sawan CEO Shell, speaks during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Claudio Descalzi CEO Eni talks at a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Musabbeh Al Kaaba Executive Director ADNOC talks at a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

From left to right, Moderator Becky Anderson, Murray Auchincloss CEO BP, Wael Sawan CEO Shell, Tengku Muhammad Taufik President and CEO PETRONAS , Musabbeh Al Kaaba Executive Director ADNOC and Claudio Descalzi CEO Eni, participate in a panel during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

A delegate takes a selfie during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Moderator Hadley Gamble, left, looks on as UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei talks in a panel during the the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Delegates leave the hall after the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei talks in a panel during the inaugural session of the annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, center, talks in a panel as UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei, second left, Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Egypt Karim Badawi, second right, and Uganda's Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu look on during the the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail al-Mazrouei arrives on the stage to participate in a panel discussion during the the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Egypt Karim Badawi, left, talks in a panel as Uganda's Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu looks on during the the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), Oil and Energy exhibition and conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), Oil and Energy exhibition and conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Managing Director of state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber speaks during the inaugural session of annual Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), Oil and Energy exhibition and conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Rafael formed Monday in the Caribbean and will bring heavy rain to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before strengthening into a hurricane and likely hitting Cuba, forecasters said.

Later in the week it also is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Florida and portions of the U.S. Southeast, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for Jamaica, and a hurricane watch was in effect for the Cayman Islands and for parts of Cuba including the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth. A tropical storm watch was issued for Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, and Las Tunas in Cuba.

A tropical storm watch also was issued for the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge, and for the Dry Tortugas.

The storm was located about 150 miles (245 kilometers) south of Kingston, Jamaica. It had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) while moving north-northwest at 9 mph (15 kph), the center said.

The storm was expected to move near Jamaica late Monday, be near or over the Cayman Islands late Tuesday as a hurricane and approach Cuba on Wednesday.

Most forecasts show the storm peaking as a Category 1 hurricane, “but conditions over the next few days will favor strengthening so we’ll need to monitor how quickly it organizes, and a stronger hurricane can’t be ruled out,” wrote Michael Lowry, hurricane specialist and storm surge expert, in an analysis Monday.

On Monday morning, the government of the Cayman Islands offered people sandbags and announced schools would close on Tuesday.

“Residents are urged to take immediate precautions to protect themselves and their properties,” the government said in a statement.

Schools in Jamaica also were scheduled to close on Tuesday, with government offices closing on Monday afternoon.

Cuban authorities said Monday night that some 37,000 people remained under evacuation orders in far eastern Cuba, in the province of Guantanamo, due to bad weather.

The latest development comes on the heels of Tropical Storm Oscar, which dumped heavy rains in Cuba in October, leaving eight people dead and a widespread blackout across the island due to a collapse of the national energy system.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Observer newspaper reported a large landslide in a rural area north of the Kingston capital on Sunday that officials blamed on persistent rains ahead of the potential storm. No injuries were reported, but a couple of communities were left isolated.

Heavy rainfall will affect the western Caribbean with totals of 3 to 6 inches (7 to 15 centimeters) and up to 9 inches (23 cm) expected locally in Jamaica and parts of Cuba. Flooding and mudslides are possible.

Rafael is the 17th named storm of the season.

On the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Patty dissipated.

Andrea Rodríguez in Havana contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Storm in the Caribbean is on a track to likely hit Cuba as a hurricane

This satellite image provided by NOAA shows weather systems Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (NOAA via AP)

Storm in the Caribbean is on a track to likely hit Cuba as a hurricane