YP Beyond the Borders in Milan, Italy

On behalf of SPE Aberdeen YPs, Farhan Khan and Joseph Sherratt partook in SPE Beyond the Borders in Milan. 30 delegates representing over 10 SPE sections from across Europe and Africa came together to connect, learn, and shape the future of energy.

The delegates visited Tenaris, Saipem and Eni, exploring essential parts of the upstream value chain — from high-integrity tubular manufacturing and EPC expertise to operator-level R&D and offshore workforce training. This provided a comprehensive perspective on the technical, operational, and safety foundations behind energy industry operations.

They participated in a leadership workshop illustrating the significance of aligning values and beliefs. The delegates also undertook the EN-Roads Climate Workshop, modelling global climate scenarios and testing the impact of various policy and technology levers.

Along with the thoughtfully curated technical agenda, the various social interactions including SPE Italian Section annual dinner, forged new connections, sparked ideas and helped bring YPs closer together.

Day 1

Ice-breaking, introductions and a leadership workshop. The workshop illustrated the value of aligning values and beliefs. The session led by Lorenzo Savioli was highly engaging and encouraged thoughtful reflection - leading us to a key insight: a true leader is someone who meets your needs and is able to connect with your values and beliefs.

We then visited the Saipem Training Center to observe advanced drilling simulators. The presentations focused on leveraging technological innovation and soft skills to balance secure supply, accelerate decarbonization, and build resilient energy infrastructure.

This was followed by a visit of the innovative Drilling Training Centre for an immersive experience, learning cutting-edge technologies and training solutions shaping the future of drilling operations.

Lifting operations, including crane use, are among the most critical and high-risk activities on a drilling rig. It was fascinating to see the advanced simulators and VR technologies in action — and to imagine the complex models running behind the scenes to replicate the full operational environment so realistically.

Day 2

Delegates learnt about Tenaris’s global operations through insights from Paolo Novelli.

They then visited the Dalmine FTM rolling mill and power plant with Viviana Grigolo, observing how steel pipes and components are made, offering practical insight into the infrastructure behind large-scale operations. Some of these systems support projects like 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, 𝐚 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐂𝐎₂ 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, making the link to CCS feel even more tangible.

Later, in Kilometro Rosso, innovation district - Bergamo, Italy, during the IVS Industrial Valve Summit, the conversations around valve performance, reliability, and changing operating conditions highlighted how essential these components are across the entire energy value chain.

Day 3

ENI R&D Center – Innovation Beyond Upstream

Delegates explored Eni’s research ecosystem and its multidisciplinary approach to innovation and decarbonization. They toured Eni’s CCS and biofuel laboratories to see research translated into real solutions.

The visit to ENI’s R&D labs showcased cutting-edge work not only in upstream technologies but also in biofuels, ecofining, and CO₂ capture — reinforcing the growing intersection between traditional energy solutions and sustainability-driven innovation.

EN-Roads Climate Workshop

While technical excellence remains essential, sustainability has become a core pillar of our industry. Stefania Migliavacca gave us an overview of the EN-Roads simulation which allowed us to model global climate scenarios and test the impact of various policy and technology levers. The energy was palpable, as each tweak generated engrossing discussion, and each delegate brought home the unique challenges faced in their particular county of origin and SPE chapter.

Along with the thoughtfully curated technical agenda, the various social interactions including SPE Italian Section annual dinner, forged new connections, sparked ideas and helped bring YPs closer together.

See the gallery below for more photos ⬇️