The IGU Executive Committee workshops, Muscat, Oman By Anette Sørum
In the last week of March, the IGU Executive
Nordal
and Coordination Committees gathered in
the Ministry of Oil and Gas in Oman, HE Salim
Muscat, Oman, for their first meetings of the
al Aufi. In his position as Undersecretary, HE al
year. A workshop on topical and informative
Aufi manages the exploration and production
themes was also offered to the delegates. These
activities in the Sultanate of Oman and he
workshops have become a central part of the
talked about the internal and external chal
IGU Executive Committee and Council meeting
lenges facing the country’s industry. He said
weeks. Oman LNG was the host of the meet
being an efficient, cost effective and reliable
x The workshop drew high level speakers from government and the gas industry, from left to right, Khalid Al Massan, CEO, Oman LNG Develop ment Foundation; Yousuf Al-ojaili, President, BP Oman; David Carroll, IGU President; HE Salim al Aufi, Undersecretary of the Omani Ministry of Oil and Gas; Luis Bertrán Rafecas, IGU Secretary General; and Salim Al Sikaiti, Gas Director, Petroleum Development Oman.
The first speaker was the Undersecretary of
ings and provided an excellent atmosphere
supplier is important to the country and that
both professionally, culturally and socially.
so far they have been able to deliver on their
The Muscat workshop was divided into three parts, starting on the national level with the characteristics of the gas industry in Oman,
promises. Oman is determined to continue doing so, in an increasingly competitive market. Mr Salim Al Sikaiti, Gas Director at Petroleum
before moving the focus first to regional issues
Development Oman (PDO), gave an insight into
and opportunities for the gas industry and
the development of the gas industry in Oman.
finally to the global gas industry.
As Gas Director at PDO, Mr Al Sikaiti is responsible for the development and manage
The Omani gas industry
ment of the company’s entire gas portfolio.
The first session highlighted the unique geo
He highlighted the key events that have shaped
political location that Oman holds with regards
the industry and said that the Sultan of Oman’s
to energy supply, looking at the main production
interest in its development has been important.
and economic principles and future investments.
He concluded by elaborating further on the opportunities and challenges of the Omani gas industry. Mr Yousuf Al-ojaili, President of BP Oman, talked about the Khazzan Gas Development. Khazzan is one of the largest natural gas deposits in Oman and the largest tight gas development in the Middle East. The field covers an area of 3,950 km² and has an estimated development cost of $16.5 billion over the lifetime of the field. BP is operator of the project, which is just about to move from development to production, with the first gas expected in the fourth quarter of 2017. The first session concluded with a presen tation by the CEO of the Oman LNG Develop ment Foundation, Mr Khalid Al Massan, who
92 T h e I G U E x e c u t i v e C o m m i t t e e w o r k s h o p s , M u s c a t , O m a n
