News

His Excellency Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance, Minister in Charge of the Oil and Gas Affairs opened on April 22 the Bahrain Energy Forum and Exhibition organized by MEED, a group specialized in news and analysis of Middle East economies, in cooperation with the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA).

More than 150 delegates participated in the event, including officials, researchers, local and international policy-makers and businessmen in the oil and gas and banking sector. Contractors, consultants, engineers and representatives from oil and gas transportation and supply companies and other interested parties involved in the production process, in addition to prominent oil and gas sector officials in the Gulf Cooperation Council states also participated.

In his opening address, the Minister stressed the importance of the conference goals, reviewing opportunities and challenges in the energy sector projects in Bahrain until 2030. He pointed out the key role of the Kingdom’s continuing as a regional power centre and global driving force in the oil and gas sector, and the country’s historical significance in the Gulf and the Middle East. H.E. Shaikh Ahmed said the conference was a great opportunity to discuss energy management, modern techniques and environment protection. The presence of participants from various sectors provided an ideal venue to exchange information, highlight important projects and build a clear vision for the future of the vital sector, he said.

The Minister said that Bahrain was launching a number of new projects in the field of oil and gas, electricity and water, and other industries worth billions of dollars, which proved the strategic direction of the country, which presented opportunities for the oil and gas sector investment companies and others.

A number of expert speakers from oil companies under NOGA participated in the conference sessions, including His Excellency Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of nogaholding Company, Eng. Adel Khalil Al Moayyed, Chairman of Board of Director in Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) and Dr. Edward Hanley, Chief Executive of Tatweer Petroleum.

The conference included a panel discussion on energy demand and supply in Bahrain and its impact on industrial development and economic diversification. A review of MEED’s comprehensive annual report on the challenges faced in the completion of mega power projects in the GCC was done in another key session.

A workshop was organised on the sidelines of the conference on April 21 on how to build energy efficient governance structures. A field visit was organised to the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) for delegates to see the company operations and environmental initiatives which supported protection of human and environment health. The conference date coincided with the anniversary of the first shipment of crude oil from Bahrain to Japan in 1934, and was designed to celebrate the achievements made by the oil and gas sector in the Kingdom.