Tech-driven design: speed and efficiency without sacrificing precision
John Gilley, CEO at Kent, speaks to ADIPEC News about green energy, growing investment and innovation, while highlighting Kent’s wins in 2025.
In the push towards a more sustainable energy future, how do you see the global energy mix evolving?
The global energy mix is undergoing a dynamic transformation. While traditional hydrocarbons continue to play a critical role, we’re seeing heightened investment and momentum around renewables and greener solutions.
Over the next decade, I expect an even more integrated mix; one that balances energy security with emissions reduction. Carbon capture keeps gaining ground as a necessary bridge technology and simultaneously, renewable solutions are proving that circular, low-carbon systems can scale. At Kent, we support both sides of the energy equation; applying practical innovation to optimise and decarbonise existing assets, while driving forward the next generation of low-carbon & renewable solutions.
What trends or technologies are helping transform the global energy industry from your perspective?
Digital technologies are fundamentally changing how we design, deliver, and manage energy projects in an industry where speed, precision, and efficiency are critical.
Our global digital and AI engineering team works closely with clients across the entire asset lifecycle, applying the right technology at the right time to unlock value instantly, like with Ennova AI, our in-house platform that supports real-time insights, immersive simulations, and autonomous decision-making. Our in-house software development team creates solutions shaped by clients’ needs and the evolving energy landscape. One example is our Carbon Intensity Reduction Tool, which helps assess emissions across an asset’s operations and identify practical, cost-effective strategies to reduce them.
Could you share some recent projects and milestones of your company?
2025 has marked strong delivery and key wins for Kent. In the Middle East, we’ve expanded our partnership with ADNOC; one of many projects includes a $1.1 billion EPCM contract to support the growth of the Asab and Buhasa facilities.
In the Americas, we’re helping advance next-generation fuels through our work with Syzygy Plasmonics on the world’s first electrified biogas-to-SAF plant in Uruguay. In the UK, we’ve been selected for the DESNZ Net Zero Framework. We’re also supporting the Wormington Compressor Station upgrade and working with ENKA on the country’s first large-scale low-carbon hydrogen facility. Earlier this year, we also completed a six-year commissioning programme in Western Kazakhstan. This was a complex, multi-scope effort that reached First Oil with more than 24 million work hours and zero lost time incidents.
We also diversified our portfolio with the acquisition of Sudlows Consulting, bringing expertise in low-carbon data centres and strengthening our position in a fast-growing, energy-intensive sector where sustainability is key. There’s more ahead, with clear growth plans and a strong pipeline across traditional and low-carbon markets.
How important is it for your company to be at ADIPEC 2025, and what are you looking forward to this year?
ADIPEC plays a key role in bringing together the leaders who are pushing the energy transition forward. It’s where critical conversations turn into practical strategies, so this is exactly the place for Kent to be.
This year, you can find our team highlighting how Ennova AI is transforming project delivery; faster, safer, and with better outcomes across the lifecycle. We’ll also be showcasing our work across low-carbon solutions, and how we bring integrated solutions that optimise asset performance and support decarbonisation simultaneously.
