Energy China Forum 2026
16th Asia-Pacific Unconventional Energy Conference
I. Conference Overview
The Energy China Forum 2026 — the 16th Asia-Pacific Unconventional Energy Conference will be held in Shanghai, China, from October 20 to 23, 2026, under the theme:
“Resilience · Efficiency · Impact”
Unconventional oil and gas will remain at the core of the programme.
ECF2026 will focus on the efficient and commercially viable development of shale oil and gas, tight oil and gas, coalbed methane, deep coalbed methane, and low-permeability, deep and complex reservoirs. Key areas will include geological-engineering integration, drilling and completion, hydraulic fracturing, multi-well pad and factory-style operations, AI-enabled field development, intelligent oilfield operations, equipment and materials innovation, CCUS, geothermal energy and underground storage.
Based in Shanghai, serving the Asia-Pacific region and connected to the global energy community, ECF2026 will bring together government representatives, energy companies, oilfield service providers, equipment and technology companies, research institutions, universities and international organizations.
Through keynote presentations, technical sessions, field case sharing, innovation awards, technology showcases and cooperation discussions, the conference aims to connect technical innovation with field application, project cooperation and technology commercialization.
Concurrent activities will include:
The 11th ECF Energy Technology Innovation Award
ECF2026 Academic Paper Collection
ECF FracX: Hydraulic Fracturing Innovation Symposium
Geological-Engineering Integration Symposium
Technology showcases and industry networking activities
Submissions are now open for innovation award applications and academic papers.
II. Dates & Venue
Check-in: October 20, 2026
Conference Dates: October 21–23, 2026
Overall Event Period: October 20–23, 2026
Location: Shanghai, China
Conference Languages: Chinese and English
Keynote sessions, technical presentations, award activities, specialized symposia, technology showcases and industry networking will take place during the conference period.
III. Call for Submissions
1. The 11th ECF Energy Technology Innovation Award
The ECF Energy Technology Innovation Award was jointly established in 2016 by the Shanghai United Institute for Unconventional Resources and the Coordinating Committee for Geoscience Programmes in East and Southeast Asia (CCOP).
The award recognizes technologies and technical achievements with originality, engineering value, practical application and deployment potential.
Award Categories
Technological Invention Award
Celebrates original breakthroughs with independent IP and major technical advances.
Science and Technology Progress Award
Honors solutions in full-scale deployment that deliver significant economic or social impact.
Technology Innovation Award
Rewards incremental improvements or “small” inventions that boost efficiency or reduce costs.
Applications are welcomed in areas including unconventional oil and gas, drilling and completion, hydraulic fracturing, AI and digital technologies, new equipment and materials, cost reduction, low-carbon development, geothermal energy and other related subsurface technologies.
Application Deadline: August 31, 2026
Submission Email: ecf2@energychinaforum.com
Email Subject: Application for the 11th ECF Energy Technology Innovation Award
2. ECF2026 Academic Paper Collection
ECF2026 welcomes original academic and technical papers related to the conference theme and technical programme.
Accepted papers will:
Be included in the ECF2026 Conference Proceedings
Be indexed by the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI)
Be considered for oral or poster presentation
Be eligible for the ECF2026 Outstanding Paper Awards
Outstanding authors will receive the International Outstanding Paper Award, jointly presented by the Shanghai United Institute for Unconventional Resources and CCOP.
Papers should be original, unpublished and supported by reliable technical or field data. Chinese-language submissions should include an English title, abstract and keywords. Full English-language submissions are also welcome.
Submission Deadline: August 31, 2026
Submission Email: ecf2@energychinaforum.com
Email Subject: ECF2026 Paper Submission
IV. Concurrent Technical Symposia
1. ECF FracX: Hydraulic Fracturing Innovation Symposium
Date: October 22, 2026
ECF FracX is a field-results-focused symposium examining how hydraulic fracturing can deliver more reliable, efficient and economical field performance.
The programme will connect operators, fracturing service companies, equipment manufacturers, completion and downhole tool suppliers, materials companies, monitoring providers, digital technology companies and research institutions.
Priority will be given to field cases supported by operating data, production results, measurable efficiency gains or economic indicators.
Main Topics
Fracturing performance and field economics
Intelligent and automated fracturing
Real-time monitoring and dynamic optimization
Deep and complex reservoir stimulation
Multi-well pad and factory-style operations
Refracturing and mature-well stimulation
Fracturing equipment, completion systems and downhole tools
Proppants, fluids and functional materials
Fracture diagnostics and production evaluation
Well interference, well integrity and operational risk control
2. Geological-Engineering Integration Symposium
Date: October 22, 2026
The symposium will focus on how geological understanding can be translated into engineering and development decisions, and how drilling, completion, stimulation and production feedback can continuously improve subsurface models.
It will bring together geologists, geophysicists, reservoir engineers, drilling and completion engineers, stimulation specialists, production engineers, data scientists, operators and research institutions.
Priority will be given to integrated field cases demonstrating improvements in well placement, uncertainty reduction, operational efficiency, cost control or production performance.
Main Topics
Integrated geological-engineering workflows
Subsurface data integration
Reservoir characterization and uncertainty management
Sweet-spot evaluation
Geomechanics and rock-mechanical analysis
Well placement, trajectory design and geosteering
Completion and stimulation decisions
Production feedback and dynamic model updating
Well spacing and development optimization
AI and digital tools for integrated decision-making
Development economics and risk-based planning
V. Main Conference Topics
Energy security, energy transition and Asia-Pacific cooperation
Shale oil and gas, tight oil and gas, coalbed methane and deep coalbed methane
Low-permeability, low-abundance, deep and complex reservoirs
Integrated conventional and unconventional resource development
Geological-engineering integration and sweet-spot evaluation
Drilling, completion and hydraulic fracturing
Multi-well pad and factory-style operations
Equipment, materials and downhole-tool innovation
AI-enabled field development and intelligent oilfield operations
Low-carbon technologies and CCUS
Geothermal energy, underground storage and integrated field systems
Technology evaluation, field application and commercialization
VI. Additional Information
Submission Deadline
The deadline for both innovation award applications and academic paper submissions is: August 31, 2026
Conference Proceedings and Promotional Opportunities
A printed Conference Proceedings & Paper Collection will be prepared. Advertisement inquiries are welcome.
Registration Fees
Pre-event Registration Payment: USD$980/Person
Onsite Registration Payment: USD$1,100/Person
The registration fee includes:
Conference materials
Tea and coffee breaks
Interpretation services
Accommodation and other personal expenses are not included.
Innovation Technology Exhibition
Exhibition Package: USD$4,500/per booth
The package includes:
Shale Technology Showcase (Available only to companies registered outside China)
Showcase Package: USD 4,500
The package includes:
A limited number of exhibition and showcase opportunities will be available. Participation is subject to confirmation by the ECF2026 Organizing Committee.
Organizing Committee Contact
Telephone: +86 21 5438 3583
Mobile:
+86 189 1724 8413
+86 189 1797 8976
Email: ecf2@energychinaforum.com
Conference Website: 2026.energychinaforum.com
Venue: Shanghai, China
