This study examines workforce composition trends across artificial intelligence companies, focusing on the balance between technical and non-technical roles. Using a comprehensive dataset of 19 AI companies across six industry segments, we analyze employment patterns, job function distributions, and growth trends from 2023-2025. Our findings reveal a significant shift toward non-technical roles, particularly in sales, operations, and strategic functions, as AI companies mature. Foundation model leaders are increasingly investing in go-to-market capabilities, while enterprise platforms are reinforcing their sales functions. These patterns suggest that as AI technology matures, complementary organizational capabilities become crucial for commercial success. This research contributes to our understanding of industry life cycles in technology sectors and has implications for workforce development, educational institutions, and management strategy.

Low back pain remains a pervasive global health challenge, with significant disability and socio-economic burden. While contemporary biomechanical and occupational factors are well-studied, the role of human spinal evolution and its divergence from modern postural behaviors is less frequently examined. This study aims to visually explore and illustrate the historical evolution of human spinal posture through artistic representations, conceptually highlighting the potential biomechanical mismatch between our spine's evolutionary adaptations and current lifestyle-driven postures. We conducted a qualitative visual analysis of human figures depicted in selected artworks from three distinct historical periods: the hunter-gatherer era, the agricultural transition, and the post-industrial age. Observed spinal postures were qualitatively compared to established biomechanical data on intradiscal pressure levels, derived from previous in-vivo studies. This comparison was used to illustrate potential physiological or pathological loading on the spine across different historical contexts. Our visual observations suggest a noticeable shift in depicted human postures over time. Figures from the hunter-gatherer period primarily exhibit upright, dynamic positions with an apparent absence of prolonged sitting or significant forward flexion. In contrast, artworks from agricultural and post-industrial societies frequently portray individuals in more flexed, static, and often ergonomically suboptimal postures, including prolonged sitting, bending, and heavy lifting with improper form. These observed postural trends visually align with positions independently associated with increased intradiscal pressures and greater spinal strain in biomechanical literature. This study visually traces the evolution of human spinal posture from the hunter-gatherer era to modern industrial life, highlighting a shift from dynamic, biomechanically healthy positions to static and suboptimal postures. These changes, reflected in historical art and linked to lifestyle transitions such as agriculture and industrialization, may underlie the rising prevalence of spinal disorders. The findings suggest that aligning modern practices with the spine's evolutionary design could help prevent and manage spinal pathologies.

Background and objectiveLow back pain remains a pervasive global health challenge, with significant disability and socio-economic burden. While contemporary biomechanical and occupational factors are well-studied, the role of human spinal evolution and its divergence from modern postural behaviors is less frequently examined. This study aims to visually explore and illustrate the historical evolution of human spinal posture through artistic representations, conceptually highlighting the potential biomechanical mismatch between our spine’s evolutionary adaptations and current lifestyle-driven postures.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative visual analysis of human figures depicted in selected artworks from three distinct historical periods: the hunter-gatherer era, the agricultural transition, and the post-industrial age. Observed spinal postures were qualitatively compared to established biomechanical data on intradiscal pressure levels, derived from previous in-vivo studies. This comparison was used to illustrate potential physiological or pathological loading on the spine across different historical contexts.ResultsOur visual observations suggest a noticeable shift in depicted human postures over time. Figures from the hunter-gatherer period primarily exhibit upright, dynamic positions with an apparent absence of prolonged sitting or significant forward flexion. In contrast, artworks from agricultural and post-industrial societies frequently portray individuals in more flexed, static, and often ergonomically suboptimal postures, including prolonged sitting, bending, and heavy lifting with improper form. These observed postural trends visually align with positions independently associated with increased intradiscal pressures and greater spinal strain in biomechanical literature.ConclusionThis study visually traces the evolution of human spinal posture from the hunter-gatherer era to modern industrial life, highlighting a shift from dynamic, biomechanically healthy positions to static and suboptimal postures. These changes, reflected in historical art and linked to lifestyle transitions such as agriculture and industrialization, may underlie the rising prevalence of spinal disorders. The findings suggest that aligning modern practices with the spine’s evolutionary design could help prevent and manage spinal pathologies.

Abstract We analyze how patents, R&D subsidies, and subsidized R&D collaborations influence firm survival in the German photovoltaics industry. We collected data on 154 firms, covering the whole industry life cycle from the emergence of the industry in 1964 until 2016, including the industry’s shakeout and decline. We utilize time-variant data for these measures for innovation activity and use discrete-time hazard models to estimate their relationship with firm survival. Our results show that patenting increases a firm's probability of survival. In contrast to previous findings, process patents do not increase survival, but product patents do. Furthermore, we do not find a relationship between public R&D subsidies or subsidized R&D collaboration and firm survival. Other factors, such as entry timing, the dynamics in the industry, and demand-side policies, show expected relationships. We provide recommendations for managers and policy makers who seek to engage in innovative activities to enhance firm survival.

Working the Fabric: Resourcefulness, Belonging and Island Life in Scotland's Harris Tweed Industry. By JoanaNascimento, Berghahn Books. 2023. 230 pp. New York: Berghahn Books Series: Anthropology at work; volume 4 ISBN: 9781800738829 (hardback) ISBN: 9781800738836 (ebook).

This study focused on isolating fatty acid esterase from finger millet flour and examining its physicochemical and kinetic characteristics. The enzyme was partially purified from fresh flour of the GPU 28 finger millet variety using ammonium sulphate precipitation and dialysis, followed by Size Exclusion chromatography. Gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 separated the enzyme into two novel isoforms, named Fatty acid esterase I and II. These isoforms were purified 4.33 and 9.83-fold, with recoveries of 18.35% and 14.48% of the initial enzyme activity, respectively. Both isoforms exhibited optimal activity at pH 8.0 and 45 °C. Their molecular weights, as determined by gel filtration, were 112.2 kDa for isoform I and 19.95 kDa for isoform II. Fatty acid esterase I showed greater thermal stability compared to isoform II. The catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) values were 13.74 units mL⁻¹ µM⁻¹ for isoform I and 12.11 units mL⁻¹ µM⁻¹ for isoform II. Both isoforms were inhibited by ascorbic acid. The enzyme displayed a preference for substrates with short-chain fatty acids, especially p-nitrophenyl butyrate. The low Km values for p-nitrophenyl butyrate indicate a strong substrate affinity, which may contribute to the rapid lipid hydrolysis observed in stored pearl millet flour. These properties suggest the enzyme’s potential in producing low molecular weight esters, enhancing flour shelf life in the food industry, and use in chemical applications. Increase in fat content was directly proportional to an increase in Specific fat acidity and fat acidity in finger millet flour. Use of the in vitro inhibitory response of fatty acid esterase by ascorbic acid may be explored in arresting in situ hydrolysis of lipids in flour for increasing the shelf life of millet flour. Thus, the Development of fat acidity and specific fat acidity in stored flour strongly correlated with lipid content. Additionally, no specific studies exist in the literature on the shelf-life kinetics of finger millet flour. Recent research has instead focused on pearl millet flour shelf-life kinetics, providing essential quantitative kinetic data for predicting shelf life and optimizing storage conditions. Research is required to advance novel processing interventions that suppress both hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity pathways in millet flour, thereby achieving superior storage stability.

The results of life cycle assessments (LCAs) are used for sustainable decision-making. Parameters that impact environmental performance during a product’s lifetime, e.g., operational electricity mix, are subject to future change. Especially in energy technologies with a long lifespan, future developments need to be included early in the tender stage by utilizing prospective LCA. Existing studies of transformers show that the significant global warming potential (GWP) impact results from operational electricity losses. The influence on industrial LCA from considering future developments already in a project’s tender phase is analyzed in this paper by implementing a future German electricity mix for the operation stage of a power transformer. The results show a reduction of 85% in the transformer’s GWP by integration of prospective data from 2030 and 2050 and 90% when prospective data are integrated in 5-year steps until 2050. This reflection of further developments makes product LCA results more accurate and therefore impacts, e.g., reported scope 3 emissions. The increased resolution of a product model allows focusing on parameters that are relevant during a product’s lifetime and developing, e.g., tailor-made circularity measures to improve the product’s environmental performance, thereby supporting sustainable decision-making.

ABSTRACT This case study examines how DGB Life Insurance transformed from Korea’s worst-performing life insurer into an industry leader through “human-centered entrepreneurship,” an entrepreneurial strategic posture that integrates people-centered management with traditional entrepreneurial orientation dimensions. Chief Executive Officer Kim Seong-han’s implementation from 2020 to 2024 achieved remarkable results, including a 750 percent increase in net income, industry-leading customer retention rates, and a cultural transformation. Through a qualitative analysis of organizational changes and a quantitative assessment of business outcomes, this research demonstrates that an entrepreneurial strategic posture can drive superior performance in mature industries when channeled through human-centered entrepreneurship principles. We integrate this analysis with the CORE performance model (capacity + opportunity + relevant exchanges = performance) and innovation leadership frameworks to provide an understanding of how entrepreneurial transformation occurs across multiple organizational levels. The findings challenge conventional assumptions about the effects of the industry life cycle on the effectiveness of entrepreneurial orientation, while contributing to the emerging literature on human-centered entrepreneurial orientation and multilevel performance systems.

ABSTRACT In early June 2020, a few residents of Stepnogorsk learned of a clandestine, state-initiated plan to import toxic PCBs (polychlorinated biphenols) into the city for storage and eventual disposal by a local firm. Alarmed by later news that an incinerator for that waste, among additional waste from throughout Kazakhstan, would be built in ‘their’ city, grass-roots activists organized through social media, door-to-door petitioning and public demonstrations to halt the operation. This public act of refusal gained much media attention for the former Soviet secret city, well known for its uranium mines and myriad environmental issues associated with decades of extraction and waste storage. Rather than opposing industrial development championed through their pro-growth city leadership outright, demonstrators expressed a moral demand for transparency and civic respect without rejecting industrial life, what I describe as aspirational pragmatism. This form of hopeful accountability is a civic position grounded in historical dependencies on state and industry, shaped by post-Soviet economic decline and ongoing toxic exposure, revealing how residents of marginalized industrial cities negotiate survival, recognition and dignity amid environmental harm.

Back in the early 1980s, computer technology was actually in an incomparable state compared to today. At that time, could the human brain be replicated? Could a robot be created that could behave like a human? Can computers think? Can they learn things? Answers to questions like these have not yet been found. In fact, such questions have been asked continuously for years. They have continued to be asked, and as a result, some of these questions have been partially answered today. Numerous artificial neural network models have been developed, and countless applications have emerged. Developments show that these systems will enter more and more people's lives in the future. These studies have actually emerged as a result of curiosity about how the human brain works and how it learns. How the human brain works is not yet known today? However, studies have shown that computers can learn and produce successful results. These systems are used effectively, especially in events that require the evaluation of a large amount of information. Applications are seen in many fields, from industrial life to financial life, from medical science to military systems. The successes obtained in these applications both increase the importance of artificial neural networks and increase interest in these systems. In the mining industry, there is a need for improved quality control systems in the production of minerals. In addition, the desire to recover minerals of low economic value in a cost-effective way requires a higher level of control and automation. As a result of these demands, the success and necessity of instant messaging mineral classification and the use of this information have led to the use of artificial neural networks in the mining industry. Since the 1990s, the use of artificial neural networks has been increasing day by day. However, artificial neural networks should also be selected appropriately. In this article, information about the use of artificial neural networks in the world is given, and how they are used with mineral processing systems is explained. Multifaceted research results are given on the benefits of its use in mineral processing systems.

The present research aims to investigate the explanatory effects of demographic factors, such as gender, generation types, and tenure, on employees’ post-transition QWL and commitment in the oil and gas sectors. This research used two oil and gas companies in Indonesia, one state-owned and one private company, that have just transitioned from foreign to national management. A survey of 159 employees was conducted to collect primary data. The analysis employed descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis. While gender did not elicit significant differences, generation types and tenure, on the other hand, generated substantial differences in employees' QWL and commitment. The X-er employees and those who had higher tenure in the post-transition scenario demonstrated the highest QWL and commitment. Furthermore, the most pronounced effect of QWL on commitment was found among employees with lower tenures than those with moderate or higher tenures. This study offers a novel approach by applying psychological contract theory to explain how QWL influences employee commitment within the oil and gas sector following a transition from foreign to national ownership and management. In addition, the use of gender, generation type, and tenure as explanatory variables offers fresh insights into understanding the dynamics of employee commitment in the transitional context.

In recent years, Taiwan’s coffee industry has experienced rapid expansion, driven by evolving consumer preferences, rising cultural significance, and increasing specialization in the food and beverage sector. However, the industry is now encountering significant structural shifts, as market saturation, consumer behavioral changes, and intensifying competition redefine the strategic landscape. This study explores the development and transformation of Taiwan’s coffee industry through the lens of the Industry Life Cycle (ILC) theory, supported by the Resource-Based View (RBV) and cultural branding theories. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, we analyze five representative firms across distinct stages of the life cycle, examining their strategic positioning, brand value creation, and adaptive capabilities. The findings reveal a fragmented and asynchronous development pattern within the industry, where firms must navigate complex transitions through context-sensitive strategies. The paper concludes with strategic and policy recommendations aimed at fostering sustainable growth, value differentiation, and cultural innovation. This research can help companies grasp industry trends and strengthen brand differentiation strategies. It can also assist policymakers in designing industrial policies to cultivate talent, promote cultural brands, and foster sustainable development.

_ In June, another US supermajor made a big bet on the still-emerging practice of extracting lithium from what some call brine and what those in the oil patch tend to just call produced water. The investments coming from oil and gas companies mostly hinge on the use of direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies that capture the precious metal that is suspended in oilfield wastewater. The latest entrant is Chevron, which now holds 125,000 net acres across Texas and Arkansas atop the Smackover Formation, a reservoir that began its industrial life more than a century ago as an oil field. Chevron joins ExxonMobil and Equinor in the Smackover, which the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank recently described as “ground zero” in the race to commercialize lithium-laden brine. ExxonMobil revealed plans more than 2 years ago to produce enough lithium from the Smackover to make the batteries for 1 million electric vehicles by 2030, with first production expected in 2027. Norway’s Equinor entered the play last year through a joint venture with US-based Standard on the still-emerging practice of extracting lithium from what some call brine and what those in the oil patch tend to just call produced water. The investments coming from oil and gas companies mostly hinge on the use of direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies that capture the precious metal that is suspended in oilfield wastewater. The latest entrant is Chevron, which now holds 125,000 net acres across Texas and Arkansas atop the Smackover Formation, a reservoir that began its industrial life more than a century ago as an oil field. Chevron joins ExxonMobil and Equinor in the Smackover, which the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank recently described as “ground zero” in the race to commercialize lithium-laden brine. ExxonMobil revealed plans more than 2 years ago to enough lithium from the Smackover to make the batteries for 1 million electric vehicles by produce 2030, with first production expected in 2027. Norway’s Equinor entered the play last year through a joint venture with US-based Standard Lithium. That venture recently drilled its fifth well that averaged 582 mg/L. That is the highest lithium concentration seen on the lease since drilling began. A final investment decision on scaling up commercial production is expected by year-end. The Dallas Fed, which monitors industrial activity in Texas and surrounding states, has cautioned that the Smackover may be more the exception than the rule when it comes to lithium-rich brines in US oilfield wastewater. However, that hasn’t slowed interest. Companies are exploring upstream synergies beyond the Smackover which straddles parts of east Texas and southern Arkansas. One example comes from the Permian Basin, where a Canadian company called LibertyStream (formerly known as Volt Lithium) reported at the start of the year that it achieved up to a 99% lithium recovery rate from a facility capable of processing more than 10,000 B/D of brine. The same firm announced another successful field trial in July using its DLE system in North Dakota’s Bakken Shale where it achieved an average lithium recovery rate of 96% from oilfield brine at a saltwater disposal facility. A 2024 paper, SPE 220910, authored by researchers from the petroleum engineering departments at the University of North Dakota and the University of Texas, estimated that with enough capital investment the Bakken could yield up to $1.6 billion annually in lithium from the region’s produced water over the next 40 years. The potential rise of a new lithium industry in the US isn’t going unnoticed elsewhere. In fact, some of the forerunners in this space are based in Canada where multiple projects are underway in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Among them is E3 Lithium, which plans to launch a phased demonstration of a new DLE facility this year and continue into next. The project will start with two new wells but is seeking permits for up to 56 to tap Alberta’s Leduc oil and gas field north of Calgary. Discovered in 1947, the Leduc field established the region as a major petroleum hub. Today, with an estimated 3 million metric tons (Mt) of lithium reserves, it may be looking at a new future in helping make battery packs. E3 has highlighted that the reservoir is “well understood” thanks to decades of oil and gas development and that “Alberta’s workforce will require little to no upskilling to transition from oil and gas to lithium.” In Saudi Arabia, university researchers have joined forces with Saudi Aramco to pilot DLE technology using the oil giant’s various sources of brine. The UAE is following suit with similar early-phase work. German producer Neptune Energy is also dabbling in this space. In June, it was announced that the German gas producer was partnering with a California-based DLE developer to pull lithium from its produced water in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Every DLE pilot seems to come with claims of a “breakthrough” process. But there are still significant hurdles before oil and gas companies can secure a meaningful foothold in the lithium business. DLE is one of the most expensive ways to produce lithium, largely due to high energy requirements. The process is also inherently water-intensive, raising concerns about both freshwater use and the reinjection of the stripped brine. Simply sending lithium-free water back into the reservoir can further dilute the remaining resource. The handful of oil and gas firms entering the lithium space is also doing so at one of the worst times in the sector’s modern history. The International Energy Agency reported that despite global lithium demand surging 30% year-over-year in 2024, supply continues to outpace even that record growth. Since topping more than $74,000/Mt in 2022, lithium prices have plunged by 80%. Among those issuing a few words of caution is Wood Mackenzie, which has outlined how the lithium map is undergoing tectonic shifts. In a May 2025 report the energy consultancy projected that Australia’s share of global lithium supply will fall from one-third to one-quarter over the next decade. Outside North America, Africa is expected to play a larger role, while Argentina is poised to overtake Chile as the world’s second-largest exporter before 2030. WoodMac also warned that the global lithium market remains “on the brink of a significant supply glut” that may peak in 2027 before switching to a potential shortage sometime next decade. It’s not just about upstart producers chasing peak prices. China, the lithium industry’s longtime leader, is operating at overcapacity and playing a major role in pushing prices down. Others blamed for the oversupply include producers in Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The downturn in lithium production has already resulted in project delays and cancellations, particularly for those developers that have not locked in investors. The outlook is further clouded by trade and geopolitical tensions between the US and China, which currently controls about two-thirds of global lithium refining capacity and remains firmly in the driver’s seat when it comes to market dynamics. Meanwhile, US oil producers looking to enter the market—such as ExxonMobil, with its goal of supplying enough lithium for 1 million battery packs each year—may be in for a dose of supply chain reality. According to WoodMac, the lack of domestic refining infrastructure means that US-produced lithium must still be shipped to Asia before it can become a battery. All of this should be a familiar story to the oil and gas companies looking on. Tight supply raises prices, prompting a rush of new projects that are then followed by oversupply and falling margins that squeeze weaker players out. But just as with past attempts to diversify into other energy sectors, oil companies are not the incumbents. They are just getting in line which for now makes them the underdogs in the great lithium race. For Further Reading SPE 220910 - Economic Analysis of Lithium and Salts Recoveries From Bakken Formation by M. Jakaria, K. Ling, D. Wang, and J. Crowell, University of North Dakota; and D. Zheng, The University of Texas at Austin.

The Industrial Revolution in Western Europe, spanning from the late eighteenth to the mid-nineteenth century, was not merely an economic transformation but a catalyst for the birth of modern society. This paper explores the Revolution as a multidimensional process that reshaped economic systems, social structures, political ideologies, cultural outlooks, and intellectual life. It examines the preconditions that made Western Europe—particularly Britain—the cradle of industrialization, including resource availability, agricultural innovation, financial infrastructure, demographic growth, and Enlightenment rationality. The paper then investigates the profound social consequences of industrialization, highlighting rapid urbanization, the emergence of new class identities, the restructuring of family and gender roles, and the paradoxical experience of freedom and alienation in industrial cities. Politically, the study traces how industrial society stimulated liberal, socialist, and communist ideologies, while compelling governments to expand their role in public health, education, and welfare. Culturally and intellectually, it analyzes how industrialization transformed perceptions of time, space, and progress, fostered faith in science and technology, and inspired both Romantic critiques and realist depictions of industrial life in literature and art. By synthesizing these perspectives, the paper argues that the Industrial Revolution was the crucible of modernization, embedding values of rationality, efficiency, individualism, political participation, and faith in progress that continue to shape contemporary global society. Its legacy lies not only in the machines it produced but in the enduring mindset it forged, making it one of the most transformative epochs in world history.

Background/Objectives: Quality of work life (QWL) in the healthcare industry emerges as an important factor for enhancing positive and preventing negative work-related outcomes, including quiet quitting. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of quality of work life on the indication of quiet quitting among healthcare professionals. Methods: A cross-sectional study design and convenience sampling method were applied. A minimum sample was estimated by applying Cochran's formula with a 5% significance level and 95% confidence interval. The target population of the study consisted of healthcare professionals employed in public health organizations in central Serbia, with a total sample size of 647 respondents. Testing the relationship between determinants of quality of work life and quiet quitting was conducted through a structural equation modeling approach based on partial least squares (PLS-SEM). Results: The results indicate that psychological, physical, and cultural quality of work life have a significant impact on the manifestation of quiet quitting among healthcare professionals, especially among women. Conclusions: Findings suggest that social well-being is significant only for men in relation to quiet quitting. The findings reveal the elements of quality of work life are associated with the occurrence of quiet quitting among healthcare professionals, thus serving as a solid starting point for formulating effective human resource management strategies that can prevent negative consequences.

In order to be able to deal successfully with the challenges of increased competition tourism enterprises have to take measures to acquire adequate labour resources and to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage based on these resources. The aim of the paper is to create a conceptual model explaining relations between the quality of work life and competitive potential in the tourism industry. It is argued that the quality of work life, which is measured as a discrepancy between expectations towards work and its perceptions, is affected by individual and organisational factors, whilst its influence on competitive potential is moderated by individual characteristics and local labour market conditions.

ABSTRACT This study aims to explain the continuous growth of total factor productivity (TFP) despite the significant negative impact of financial constraints. Adopting an intellectual capital (IC) perspective, this study decomposes TFP and incorporates it as a threshold variable to examine how its varying levels influence the relationship between financial constraints and productivity. TFP is estimated using the Olley – Pakes and Levinsohn – Petrin methods, employing panel data sourced from Chinese listed manufacturing firms from 2007 to 2016. A financial constraint index was constructed using a binary logistic regression model based on six financial indicators, including the debt-to-equity ratio. Subsequently, the Hansen threshold panel regression was applied to identify the threshold effects of IC and assess variations in the impact of financial constraints across different knowledge capital intervals. The findings reveal a clear non-linear relationship; the effect of financial constraints on TFP depends significantly on the development stage of knowledge capital. IC mitigates the negative impact of financial constraints only after the critical threshold levels are surpassed. These results offer novel theoretical insights into the industrial life cycle and highlight the stage-specific moderating role of IC in promoting productivity.

In today’s era, the use of renewable energy is increasingly becoming a major focus in energy increasingly becoming carbon emissions. One of the applications of renewable energy in industrial life is the use of solar panels for street lighting systems, especially on toll road lights that require continuous and efficient lighting. This study aims to analyze the basic theory of how solar panels work an their application to toll road lights, taking into account energy efficiency, power deviation, and stability of electricity supply. The analysis method is carried out through literature studies and mathematical calculation in the application of solar panels to toll road lights. The result of the analysis show that the solar panle system is able to meet the energy needs of toll road lights, especially in areas with high sunlight intensity. In addition, the use if lithium batteries as energy storage has proven effective in maintaining the stability of electricity supply at night or in cloudy weather

Development of PVA-chitosan based smart packaging with the addition of red cabbage (Brassica Oleracea Var. capitata F. rubra) anthocyanin extract and copper-based metal-organic material (Cu-Mof).

At this year’s Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), industry representatives from Brazil took to the stage and podium, laying out how the country will hit expansion targets while managing an aging infrastructure that’s quickly becoming a liability. Much of that effort will rest on the shoulders of Petrobras which has increased its exploration budget for the period between 2025 and 2029 to $77 billion to tap into new frontiers and boost production, all while staying committed to the energy transition and its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. “We see Petrobras as one of the top 10 producers in the world and one of the top 10 explorers in the world,” Petrobras CEO Magda Chambriard said during the conference in Houston. “We will be adding 225,000 new [B/D] to the market this year. This is huge for our company, our country, and the world.” Her remarks came while announcing that Petrobras’ new spending plan includes the addition of 14 new platforms over the next 5 years in Brazil’s southeastern basins, the northern equatorial margin, and beyond its home waters. While oil prices have been trending down in recent months, the cost of oilfield equipment and services is on the rise. Chambriard addressed these strains while emphasizing that the national oil company is well positioned. “I’ve been challenging our staff, as well as our suppliers, to confront these issues head-on,” she said. “We have long-term projects, which require us to be both flexible and resilient. Our suppliers need to be flexible and resilient too—this is life in the oil industry.” Petrobras is maintaining its ambition to become a net-zero operator, but the company’s CEO who was appointed to the position last year said the national oil company’s primary focus remains on expanding oil and gas production in Brazil. “I prefer molecules over electrons, by far,” she quipped, drawing laughter from OTC attendees. “Much of our focus in recent years has been on Brazil’s pre-salt reserves,” she added. “But we can’t stop there. There’s no future without exploration.” Brazil produces over 3 million B/D, a volume that must be replaced as global demand continues to grow. Not helping matters is the country’s drastic decline in offshore exploratory wells, drilling 88 wells in 2011 compared with just 2 in 2024. “For the last 9 years we have been drilling less than eight offshore exploratory wells, and we all know that between the signing of a contract to production startup takes between 7 and 10 years. So, this is really urgent to talk about reserve replacement,” said Tabita Loureiro, technical director at Brazil’s Pré-Sal Petróleo (PPSA), a state-owned company that manages and sells production-sharing contracts in Brazil’s pre-salt fields. While Brazilian oil production is expected to climb to 4.6 million B/D by decade’s end—nearly all from offshore fields—that could represent the peak, Loureiro said. With domestic demand at 2.5 million B/D, operators must accelerate activity to ensure Brazil remains a net exporter and avoids becoming import dependent.