NAPE Summit Week - North American Prospect Expo

Event overview

Overview

NAPE Summit is the upstream energy industry's annual deal floor, held 3-5 February 2027 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

Prospect and property sellers, capital providers and service vendors work the same hall, while the Energy Business Conference runs business, technical and capital tracks alongside six expo hubs covering renewable energy, bitcoin mining, data centers, critical minerals, minerals and non-operated interests, and offshore. Two attendee badges split conference access from the expo floor, and the week opens with an icebreaker and closes with a Friday brunch.

It is a working show: meetings are booked, acreage is pitched, and capital is committed.

TL;DR

13-5 February 2027, George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, with NAPE Week running 1-6 February.
2Two badges: NAPE Experience Plus (conference and expo, from $695) and NAPE Experience (expo only, from $355).
3Exhibitor space is split by type: E&P and capital providers from $500 per 10x10, vendors and service firms from $6,250.
4Six expo hubs plus a business conference spread across business, technical and capital tracks.
5Exhibits open Thursday 09:00-17:30 and Friday 09:00-13:00; Wednesday is registration, awards and the keynote.

Why visit

If your job depends on finding acreage, funding a package or meeting the people who own the minerals, this is the week Houston clears its calendar for. The floor mixes sellers with the capital and service firms that close around them, and the hubs let a geologist, a landman and an A&D director split up and still compare notes at the icebreaker. Two badge tiers keep the cost controllable: expo-only if you are there to work the booths, conference-plus if you need the business, technical and capital sessions.

Why exhibit

Exhibiting puts a prospect, a producing property or a service line in front of the buyers who travel to Houston specifically to compare deals. Booth pricing is tiered by exhibitor type, so an E&P company showing a package pays a fraction of what a vendor pays, and the Prospect Previews format lets a seller pitch a room rather than a single visitor. Booths come with drape, signage and a listing in the programme and app, but no badges, so staff passes are a separate line in the budget.

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Visitor profile

Typical attendee groups you can expect to meet.

Independent and major operator A&D teams screening packages before a bid round.

Land and mineral owners, family offices and non-op holders looking for buyers or partners.

Geoscientists and reservoir engineers assessing plays and technical risk.

Capital providers, lenders and investors sourcing upstream deals and portfolio exposure.

Exhibitor profile

Main supplier and exhibitor segments present at the show.

E&P companies marketing prospects, producing properties or non-operated interests.

Capital providers and energy lenders presenting available funding.

Vendors and service firms selling seismic, evaluation, data and operational technology.

Renewable, critical minerals, data center and bitcoin mining operators using the expo hubs to reach upstream buyers.

Product categories

Key solution areas showcased across the event.

Prospects and exploration acreage

Producing properties and non-operated interests

Mineral and royalty interests

Energy capital and deal financing

Geoscience, seismic and evaluation services

Field services and operational technology

Location & Facilities

Venue

Open in Google Maps

George R. Brown Convention Center

George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston, TX 77010, United States

Entrances & gates

Avenida de las Americas main entrance

Primary street address entrance, used for registration and badge pickup on the first floor.

Facilities

Parking

Paid GRB garages and nearby surface lots; event-day pricing posted at each entrance.

Food options

Expo floor beverage stations, Downtown Houston restaurant blocks

On-site dining

Parking: Several paid garages and surface lots sit around the convention center, including the GRB garage on Avenida de las Americas and lots along Polk Street and Chartres Street. Rates rise on event days and the per-day charge is only posted at each entrance, so budget a daily fee and arrive before 8:30am on the Wednesday opening.

Gate: Registration and badge pickup are on the first floor of the GRB, per the show FAQ. The main Avenida de las Americas entrance is the usual route from downtown hotels; the Polk Street side is quicker from the light rail.

Attend

Entry & tickets

Trade-only

Event days & opening times

DayOpening hours

Wed 3 Febregistration 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM, NAPE Charities awards 15:25, keynote 15:50, icebreaker 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Thu 4 Febexhibits 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM, registration from 08:00

Fri 5 Febexhibits 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, registration from 08:00

Event daysAll times US Central

NAPE Experience Plus (Business Conference + Expo), preferred rate
Valid 29 Jul 2026 - 9 Oct 2026
$695.00
NAPE Experience Plus (Business Conference + Expo), priority rate
Valid 10 Oct 2026 - 11 Dec 2026
$895.00
NAPE Experience Plus (Business Conference + Expo), standard rate
Valid 12 Dec 2026 - 1 Feb 2027
$995.00
NAPE Experience Plus (Business Conference + Expo), onsite rate
Valid 2 Feb 2027 - 5 Feb 2027
$1,095.00
NAPE Experience (Expo), preferred rate
Valid 29 Jul 2026 - 9 Oct 2026
$355.00
NAPE Experience (Expo), priority rate
Valid 10 Oct 2026 - 11 Dec 2026
$455.00
NAPE Experience (Expo), standard rate
Valid 12 Dec 2026 - 1 Feb 2027
$555.00
NAPE Experience (Expo), onsite rate
Valid 2 Feb 2027 - 5 Feb 2027
$655.00
Student pass
Bought at the registration desk only, with valid student ID; no advance sale.
$75.00

Ticket info

Badge collection

Badges are collected at the first-floor registration desk at the GRB. Bring photo ID; exhibitor booth purchases onsite are also handled at that desk, subject to availability.

Ticket notes

Two badge types: NAPE Experience Plus adds the one-day Energy Business Conference plus Expo access; NAPE Experience covers the 1.5-day expo only. No single-day discounts. Student passes are desk-only at $75. Badges are not included with booth purchases.

Registration deadline

2027-02-01

Build-up & tear-down

Setup starts1 Feb 2027

Setup ends3 Feb 2027

Teardown starts5 Feb 2027

Teardown ends5 Feb 2027

Who runs the show

Organisers

NAPE Expo LP

Organiser

Email Website

American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL)

Managing partner

Website

What's on

Programme

Awards

Competition

Event days

09:30–19:00

Typical time

Official agenda Updated Sunday, Nov 1, 2026

This agenda is still being finalised. Check the official agenda for the latest sessions.

Wednesday, Feb 3, 2027

15:25 – 15:50

NAPE Charities & American Hero Award Presentations

Awards

15:50 – 16:45

Keynote

17:00 – 19:00

Icebreaker

Networking

Thursday, Feb 4, 2027

09:30 – 16:00

Prospect Hub

Hub

Prospect Hub

10:15 – 11:00

Switch Regional Competition - Americas Winning Presentations

Competition

10:15 – 11:15

Bitcoin Mining Hub Education Sessions

Hub

Bitcoin Mining Hub

10:15 – 15:00

Career & Professional Development Hub Education Sessions

Hub

Career Services Hub

11:15 – 13:15

Expo Lunch Buffet with Keynote Speaker

Networking

13:30 – 14:30

Renewable Energy Hub Education Sessions

Hub

Renewable Energy Hub

14:00 – 15:00

Minerals & NonOp Hub Education Sessions

Hub

Minerals & NonOp Hub

14:30 – 15:30

Data Center Hub Education Sessions

Hub

Data Center Hub

15:00 – 16:00

Critical Minerals Hub Education Sessions

Hub

Critical Minerals Hub

15:30 – 16:30

Offshore Hub Education Sessions

Hub

Offshore Hub

16:30 – 17:30

Cocktail Reception with Attendee Games

Networking

Friday, Feb 5, 2027

11:15 – 11:45

Government Affairs Session

Session

12:30 – 13:00

Summit Sweepstakes Drawings

Networking

Topic tracks

Energy Business Conference: Business, Technical and Capital TracksExpo Hub Education SessionsDeal Floor and Prospect Previews

Co-located events

NAPE Charities Golf & Pickleball Tournaments

Separate ticket

Charity tournaments presented by NAPE Charities during Summit week, benefiting the NAPE Charities Fund for veterans.

Separate registration and fee; Houston-area courses and courts.

Website

Co-located seminars

AIEN Seminar

Paid

International energy negotiation seminar included in the NAPE Experience Plus badge.

Included with the conference-plus badge; confirm the room on arrival.

Energy Business Conference

Paid

One-day conference across business, technical and capital tracks with breakfast and lunch keynotes.

3 tracksIncluded with NAPE Experience Plus.

Awards

American Hero Award

Annual

Presented during the NAPE Charities segment on the Wednesday afternoon of Summit week, alongside other NAPE Charities presentations.

source

How the last edition performed

Previous edition

Last edition

2026

Completed

This edition

2027

Forecast — not final

Visitors: 8,000

Exhibitors: 420

Next edition

Not announced yet

Edition recap

The 2026 edition ran 18-20 February at the George R. Brown Convention Center and kept the format that has made NAPE the upstream calendar's February anchor: a deal floor split by exhibitor type, a one-day business conference, and a run of expo hubs that now covers renewables, bitcoin mining, data centers, critical minerals, minerals and non-operated interests, and offshore.

The 2027 edition returns to the same hall on 3-5 February with NAPE Week running 1-6 February, exhibitor setup from Monday 1 February, and the conference and icebreaker on the Wednesday.

Impact

A bigger and stronger platform

NAPE's value is concentration rather than scale. A seller can put a package in front of every serious Houston buyer in three days, and a buyer can compare competing opportunities without leaving one hall. The 2027 edition adds weight to the energy-transition side of the floor through the data center, critical minerals and bitcoin mining hubs, which widens the pool of buyers for acreage with power or infrastructure attached. For anyone whose pipeline depends on North American upstream transactions, missing the February window means waiting a quarter for the same audience.

Audience quality

High-value decision-makers

The floor skews decisional. Job titles that travel to Houston in February are A&D directors, land managers, geoscientists, reservoir engineers, mineral and royalty buyers, energy lenders and attorneys, which is why the badge price holds at four figures for conference access. The expo-only badge brings a broader operator and service audience, and the Thursday lunch and Friday brunch keep people on the floor instead of scattering to downtown restaurants. Expect a working crowd in business attire rather than a browsing public: this is a trade-only show with an 18-plus rule.

Exhibitor outcomes

Real business growth

Return on a booth depends on which side of the deal you sit. An E&P company showing a prospect pays the lowest tier and is the reason buyers walk the floor, so the cost per qualified conversation is low. Vendors and service firms pay several times more for a 10x10 and should arrive with a defined meeting list, because the audience is there to transact acreage, not to shop software. Value is highest for exhibitors who book meetings before arrival, use a Prospect Preview slot, and follow up within a week while the package is still live. No audited attendance or rebooking data is published, so treat any ROI figure as planning arithmetic.

Intelligence

Market context

Key market insights, trends, news and related events to help you understand the bigger picture.

North America, anchored on the US Gulf Coast upstream market

Why it matters

Upstream deal flow in North America still clears through Houston, and NAPE is where packages are compared side by side. A seller can test pricing against competing offers in three days, and a buyer can screen operators, minerals and services without a roadshow. The hub line-up also shows where upstream capital is drifting: critical minerals, data centers and bitcoin mining now sit beside conventional prospects.

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

Consolidation keeps squeezing the independent tier

Public operators keep absorbing private and small-cap producers, which pushes more packages onto the market and concentrates buyer attention on fewer, larger transactions.

What it changes: Sellers should expect more scrutiny of undeveloped inventory, and buyers should arrive with a clear price band before the floor opens.

Minerals and non-operated interests are a mainstream asset class

Royalty and mineral buyers now sit alongside working-interest sellers, and the show gives them a dedicated Minerals and NonOp hub with its own education sessions.

What it changes: Land and mineral owners can price a package against active buyers, and operators can monetise non-op positions without a full divestment process.

Energy-adjacent capital is moving into upstream venues

Renewable developers, bitcoin miners and data center operators now exhibit at upstream shows, chasing land, power and infrastructure relationships.

What it changes: An upstream operator with acreage, water or power access has a second set of buyers on the same floor.

The upstream deal circuit around NAPE

Book Houston hotel space as soon as the badge is bought; late January inventory near the GRB tightens quickly.

NAPE anchors the February window in Houston. Buyers who work the Gulf Coast usually pair it with the spring Permian technology shows, the autumn geoscience meeting and the international November cycle. Dates below follow the circuit's usual pattern and should be reconfirmed against each organiser's site.

20–22 Apr 2027

DUG Permian Basin 2027

Fort Worth, United States

Spring Permian-focused conference; dates follow the usual April pattern.

website

30 Aug – 2 Sep 2027

IMAGE 2027

Houston, United States

Annual AAPG/SEG meeting; late-August Houston slot is the circuit norm, confirm the published dates.

website

8–11 Nov 2027

ADIPEC 2027

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

November Abu Dhabi window; the international leg for sellers with exportable opportunities.

website

2–4 Feb 2028

NAPE Summit 2028

Houston, United States

Expected to return to the George R. Brown Convention Center in the same early-February slot; not yet announced with printed dates.

website

February

NAPE Summit Week

Houston's upstream deal window.

April-May

DUG Permian Basin

Operator and technology cycle in Texas.

August-September

IMAGE

Geoscience and exploration cycle.

November

ADIPEC

International capital and NOC cycle.

Circuit dates other than NAPE's own 2027 dates are pattern-based planning estimates, not fetched calendars.

Plan your trip

Travel & logistics

Local currency · USD

Arrival airports

Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.

IAH

George Bush Intercontinental Airport

The long-haul gateway: nonstop to Europe, Latin America and most US hubs. Rideshare from IAH into downtown lands at roughly $35-55 depending on demand.

about 22 miles north

to venue

30-50 minutes by car, longer in the Thursday morning peak

by car

HOU

William P. Hobby Airport

Domestic and short-haul focus; closer to the convention center and usually quicker to clear. Rideshare into downtown runs roughly $22-35.

about 9 miles southeast

to venue

20-30 minutes by car

by car

Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

budget

Downtown east / EaDo

USD 150–210 / night

Walkable to the GRB in 8-15 minutes; rates climb during NAPE week and the Super Bowl-adjacent February calendar, so book early.

mid

Downtown core / Avenida de las Americas

USD 240–360 / night

The two closest large properties to the convention center; both walkable in under 10 minutes and used for show housing blocks.

premium

Downtown / Discovery Green

USD 400–650 / night

Four Seasons is a short ride from the hall; Post Oak is Uptown, about 20 minutes by car and not walkable.

Local transport

Get around the city with these convenient transport options.

METRORail

Estimated cost$1.25 per ride

Best forRed Line between Downtown Transit Center and the Theater District / Central Station

Cheap and frequent, with stops a short walk from the convention center; buy at platform kiosks or the METRO Q app.

Rideshare / taxi

Estimated cost$22-55 one way

Best forIAH or HOU to George R. Brown Convention Center

Uber and Lyft both serve the airport pick-up levels; allow extra time on Thursday morning and Friday midday.

Walk

Estimated cost$0

Best forDowntown hotel grid to the GRB

Most downtown hotels sit within 5-20 minutes on foot; the Avenida de las Americas entrance is the usual approach.

Plan your trip

Visa & entry documents

Check the latest visa requirements and entry guidelines before travelling.

Visa required

ATA Carnet: check with organiser

Type	Who needs it	Fee	Processing
B-1 business visitor visa	Attendees from countries outside the Visa Waiver Program, travelling for meetings, deal discussions or exhibiting without paid local work.	$185.00	Interview appointments and processing vary widely; apply at least three months ahead.
ESTA under the Visa Waiver Program	Passport holders from Visa Waiver Program countries, for stays up to 90 days.	—	Usually approved within 72 hours; apply at least two weeks ahead.

US citizens and lawful permanent residents need no visa; Canadian citizens generally enter for business under a simplified process.

The United States is not an ATA Carnet member for this purpose; check with the freight handler before shipping display goods, and expect a customs broker to be involved for temporary imports.

Official visa page

Weather

February is Houston's mild, changeable month: daytime highs typically 18-21C (65-70F) and nights around 8-11C (47-52F), with rain on roughly a third of days and occasional sharp cold fronts. Indoor halls run cool, so bring a jacket for the floor and a compact umbrella for the walk between hotel and venue.

Plan for the climate

Check temperatures and pack accordingly

Venue connectivity

Complimentary Wi-Fi is provided throughout the convention center, per the show FAQ, which is enough for email and CRM lookups but not for large file transfer. Mobile coverage is strong on all US carriers downtown; a local eSIM is cheaper than roaming for international visitors.

Ride-hailing

Taxis

Public transit

Car rentals

Cultural notes

Useful information to help you have a smooth and respectful visit.

Business attire is the norm

The organiser asks attendees to dress in business attire and to conduct themselves professionally; suits or smart separates are standard on the deal floor.

Tipping and small talk

Restaurant servers expect 18-20% before tax, and bar tabs are tipped per drink. Dealmaking small talk usually starts with the play or the basin rather than the weather.

Deals move on the floor

Conversations are direct and time-boxed; bring a one-page summary with acreage, working interest, production and asking price, because the first question is usually the number.

Practical guides

Visitor & Exhibitor Essentials

Everything needed to arrive prepared, navigate the event, and make the visit productive.

Flights

Destination: IAH (George Bush Intercontinental) for international and long-haul; HOU (William P. Hobby) for domestic

Book 6-10 weeks out for February; the conference-plus badge discount window closes 9 October 2026, so pairing the badge with flights early is the cheapest route. Houston has two airports, so check both before booking.

Visa

Most international visitors need either a B-1 business visa or an ESTA approval under the Visa Waiver Program. Apply early: February is a busy travel month and interview slots fill.

Estimated cost: $185 B-1 application fee, or the current ESTA fee for Visa Waiver Program travellers

Processing: Weeks to months for a visa; up to 72 hours for ESTA

Carry a printed invitation or badge confirmation and a hotel booking for the border interview.

Official

Transport

Get to the venue and around the city with these options.

Airport → venue: Rideshare or taxi from IAH takes 30-50 minutes ($35-55); from HOU 20-30 minutes ($22-35).

Hotel → venue: Most downtown hotels are a 5-20 minute walk; use the Avenida de las Americas entrance.

Ride-hail: Uber and Lyft are both active; pick-up points are marked outside the GRB on Avenida de las Americas.

Public transit: METRORail Red Line links downtown stations at $1.25 per ride; buses cover the wider city.

Parking: Paid garages and lots surround the GRB; event-day rates are posted at each entrance and fill before 9am.

Weather

Plan and pack for the event climate.

Month: February

Temperature: 18-21C daytime (65-70F), 8-11C overnight (47-52F)

Seasonality: Mild with rain on roughly a third of days; occasional cold fronts drop temperatures sharply for a day or two.

Packing: Light layers, a business jacket for the cool halls, a compact umbrella and comfortable shoes for the walk between hotel and venue.

Plan your trip

Planning

Best day to visit: Thursday 4 February 2027

Thursday is the only full day when exhibits (09:00-17:30), the Prospect Hub, all six industry hubs, the lunch keynote and the cocktail reception run together. Wednesday is registration, awards and the keynote with the icebreaker at the end of the day, and Friday closes the floor at 13:00. One badge covers both days, so book Thursday as the anchor and use Friday morning for callbacks.

T-14

Buy the badge in the current price window and book the hotel — The rate steps up at each window; the conference-plus badge closes at $995 before the onsite $1,095 tier.

T-10

Build a target list of exhibitors and request meetings — Use the exhibitor list and programme to pick 12-15 companies; ask for a 20-minute slot before the floor opens.

T-7

Plan the hub and session timetable — Hubs run in parallel on Thursday, so split them across colleagues and agree who covers which.

T-3

Prepare a one-page buyer brief and deal criteria — Acreage, basin, working interest, production and price band; sellers ask for the number first.

T-1

Check travel, badge confirmation and Thursday start time — Exhibits open Thursday 09:00; registration is on the first floor of the GRB.

Sample visitor itinerary

Route-optimised day