More than 6,000 participants, 200 exhibitors and 1,400 presentations at P&J Live underline Aberdeen’s strength as a world-class host for major international events

P&J Live has celebrated the success of the 87th EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition, which brought more than 6,000 participants to Aberdeen and delivered an estimated £13.2m economic impact for the city.

Hosted at the city’s state-of-the-art international conference facilities from 8 to 11 June 2026, with wider activity taking place across six days, the event welcomed geoscientists, engineers, academics, industry leaders, innovators, exhibitors and students from around the world.

The conference, organised by the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, featured more than 200 exhibitors and over 1,400 presentations, under the theme of Maximising Value Through Technology and Partnership. Its arrival in Aberdeen placed the city within an international host destination portfolio that has previously included Vienna, London, Paris, Madrid, Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

For P&J Live and the wider region, the success of EAGE Annual 2026 provided further evidence of Aberdeen’s ability to compete with leading international destinations for large-scale, content-rich events. Long recognised as Europe’s energy capital, Aberdeen remains one of the world’s most important energy hubs, with deep expertise in oil and gas, subsea engineering, marine technology and the North Sea, alongside growing strengths in renewables, hydrogen, carbon capture, digital technologies and the transition to net zero.

The event also created a strong education and community legacy. An EAGE Outreach Day welcomed more than 200 children from 11 schools for interactive learning sessions focused on careers in geoscience and engineering, helping young people connect classroom learning with future opportunities in the energy, science and technology sectors.

The impact of the conference was felt across the city, with almost all hotels across the city selling out, along with restaurants, bars, transport providers, local suppliers and the wider visitor economy reporting a strong upturn in trading. The event also supported local employment through P&J Live’s delivery team, with 5,500 hours provided to casual staff during the build, live event and breakdown period, demonstrating the power of events to create and develop both job opportunities as well as careers.

Steve Daun, head of sales, Associations, Legends Global, said: “EAGE Annual 2026 has been an outstanding success for P&J Live, Aberdeen and the wider region. To welcome more than 6,000 participants, 200 exhibitors and a programme of more than 1,400 presentations demonstrates the scale of what was delivered and the strength of the partnership behind it.

“This was a truly global event, and P&J Live provided the platform for a complex, multi-layered programme that combined conference sessions, exhibition activity, technical content, networking, education and offsite experiences. It is exactly the kind of large-scale international event the venue was built to host.

Professor John Underhill, Aberdeen University's Interdisciplinary Director for Energy Transition, University of Aberdeen, and member of the local advisory committee said: “Aberdeen was a natural home for EAGE because this is a city where geoscience, engineering and energy expertise are part of everyday life. The conference themes included extending, translating and repurposing basins like the North Sea for the energy transition through the application of new technologies, are directly connected to the research, industry partnerships and skills base that exist here.

“Bringing EAGE to Aberdeen was an opportunity to showcase that expertise to a global audience, while also creating a meaningful legacy through field trips, outreach and engagement with young people. It has been hugely rewarding to see the academic community, industry, P&J Live and the wider destination work together to deliver an event of this scale and quality.”

Laura Wilson, Head of Aberdeen Convention Bureau, added: “EAGE Annual 2026 is a powerful example of what can be achieved when the whole destination works together. Aberdeen Convention Bureau, P&J Live, the city’s academic and industry partners, hotels and local stakeholders all played a role in presenting Aberdeen as the right home for this event.

“The result was a conference that delivered immediate economic value and long-term destination profile. Business events are high-value, highly measurable forms of tourism, and EAGE has shown how they can support the visitor economy while also strengthening Aberdeen’s reputation in priority sectors.

Marcus Arthur, Strategic Project Manager at EAGE, said: “Aberdeen proved to be an excellent host city for EAGE Annual 2026. The event brought together our global community in a destination that understands the sector, reflects the theme of the conference and offers a strong connection between the traditional oil and gas industry and the emerging renewables and decarbonisation sectors.

“From the exhibition and technical presentations to the field trips, outreach activity and wider networking, the programme benefited from being in a city with such deep energy, engineering and geoscience expertise.”

The success of EAGE Annual 2026 follows growing momentum for Aberdeen as a host destination for major knowledge-led events across energy, health, life sciences, agrifood, science communication and civic debate. It also reinforces the role of P&J Live as a global events venue capable of delivering major conferences and exhibitions for international audiences.

Watch the EAGE highlight video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riCfKb3lvrs