P&J Live Celebrates Landmark EAGE Conference with €15.2m Boost for Aberdeen

Aberdeen has strengthened its position as a leading international destination for knowledge-led events after welcoming more than 6,000 delegates to the 87th EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition, generating an estimated £13.2 (€15.2) million economic impact for the city.

Held at P&J Live from 8–11 June 2026, with associated activities extending across six days, the event brought together geoscientists, engineers, academics, industry leaders, innovators, exhibitors and students from around the world. Organised by the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE), the conference featured more than 200 exhibitors and over 1,400 presentations under the theme Maximising Value Through Technology and Partnership.

The event placed Aberdeen alongside a distinguished list of previous host destinations including Vienna, London, Paris, Madrid, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, further demonstrating the city's ability to attract and deliver major international conferences at scale.

For P&J Live and the wider destination, EAGE Annual 2026 highlighted Aberdeen's growing appeal as a global meeting place for sectors undergoing rapid transformation. While the city has long been recognised as Europe's energy capital, it is increasingly building its profile around renewable energy, hydrogen, carbon capture, digital innovation and the transition to net zero, creating a compelling environment for international conferences focused on science, technology and industry.

Beyond its economic contribution, the conference delivered a strong educational and community legacy. An EAGE Outreach Day engaged more than 200 pupils from 11 schools in interactive sessions exploring careers in geoscience and engineering, helping to connect future generations with opportunities across the energy, science and technology sectors.

The benefits were also felt across Aberdeen's visitor economy, with hotels operating at near-full capacity and increased demand reported by restaurants, bars, transport providers and local suppliers. The event additionally generated 5,500 hours of work for casual staff supporting the build, live delivery and breakdown phases, underlining the wider employment value created by major business events.

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 adds to growing momentum for Aberdeen as a destination for major international events spanning energy, health, life sciences, agrifood, science communication and civic debate. It also reinforces P&J Live's reputation as a venue capable of delivering large-scale conferences and exhibitions for global audiences while generating measurable economic, educational and sectoral impact.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.