Market and product

MANAMA: The challenges and opportunities the refining and petrochemical industries in the Middle East are facing will come under the spotlight at the conference opening session of the Seventh Middle East International Refining and Petrochemicals Conference and Exhibition (Middle East Petrotech 2010) today.

Oil and Gas Affairs Minister and National Oil and Gas Authority chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mirza will open the event at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

He will outline Bahrain's oil by-product industries and projects aimed at developing refining activities.

He will shed light, particularly, on the recent GPIC Carbon Dioxide (CO2) recovery plant. Started in December, the facility boasts a daily output of 450 tons of CO2. They are used to boost the productivity of the urea and methanol plants.

A panel of high-ranking industry figures will share their perspective on this year's conference theme 'Downstream Challenges: Financing, Market Changes and Technology,' to an audience of more than 1,000 oil and gas professionals.

The speakers include Petrotech 2010 chairman and Qatar Petroleum Downstream Ventures director Ali Hassan Al Sidiky, Dr Mirza, Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Energy and Industry Minister Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation vice-chairman and chief executive officer Mohamed H Al Mady and ExxonMobil Chemical Company president Steve Pryor.

More than 90 technical presentations and three executive guest speaker sessions will follow over the subsequent three days, exploring issues relating to the technology, management, equipment, health and safety, manufacturing and economy of refining and petrochemicals.

"With a highly technical conference programme, senior keynote speakers and an exhibition of international significance, Petrotech 2010 will help ensure that downstream professionals in the Gulf and throughout the Middle East remain at the forefront of the latest developments in our industry," Mr Al Sidiky said.

The associated exhibition of refining and petrochemicals products and services will be inaugurated in a separate ceremony under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa tomorrow.

A total of 121 exhibitors from 25 countries will attend Petrotech 2010, including major participants such as Bapco, Kuwait National Petroleum Company, Saudi Aramco, Qatar Petroleum, ABB, Air Liquide, Dow, ExxonMobil, Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company and Yokogawa.

Smaller specialist companies and a dedicated UK pavilion consolidate this line-up.

Since its inauguration in 1996, the Petrotech series has established itself as a key industry forum for these highly significant sectors of the region's economy. In 2008, a total of 2,705 trade visitors and conference delegates attended the event.

The event is organised by Arabian Exhibition Management in conjunction with London-based Overseas Exhibition Services, both members of Allworld Exhibitions.

(Source: www.gulf-daily-news.com)