Experts to focus on heavy oil later this year in Muscat
Times News Service
MUSCAT: Influential industry leaders gathered in Oman to prepare the groundwork for the World Heavy Oil Congress and Exhibition (WHOC) which will be taking place at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre from September 2 to September 4, 2019.
Supported by the Ministry of Oil and Gas and hosted by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), the Technical Conference Committee examined 255 individual papers and selected submissions showing technical expertise for eight separate specialist categories which included two newly added categories, project management and operational excellence, maintenance and HSE. 110 papers will be selected and presented to more than 3,000 international experts and specialists.
Dr Saleh Al Anboori, Director General, Planning & Studies, at the Ministry of Oil and Gas and 2019 Congress Co-Chairman said, “The Ministry of Oil and Gas is proud to fully support the Technical Conference and WHOC. WHOC is an important event for Oman, as analysis suggests demand for global crude oil will rise to 89 million barrels per day by 2030 and approximately 30 per cent will be produced from heavy oil, which currently forms about 40 per cent of Oman’s total resource base and offers enormous future potential for the Sultanate.” Echoing his thoughts, Junaid Ghulam, Field Development Manager, Petroleum Development Oman, and 2019 Co-Chairman said, “Oman has extensive expertise in developing heavy oil effectively and in an environmentally-friendly way. We are excited to share our experiences and expertise with the global heavy oil community, and also look forward to collaborating with other countries and companies to make heavy oil a sustainable fuel.”
Dr Rifaat Al Mjeni, EOR Portfolio Leader, at Petroleum Development Oman, and the WHOC 2019 Technical Committee Chairman said, “Hosting the Technical Committee members this month, then WHOC itself in September, is highly significant. The Sultanate of Oman has a number of full field developments of heavy oil using both thermal and chemical recovery processes as well as number of EOR trials, which will pave the way for the next set of heavy oil fields in which EOR will be implemented.”
“The committee’s expertise and choice of submissions for WHOC will undoubtedly help stimulate the increased production of heavy oil from emerging energy efficiency initiatives, expansion developments, and new production fields,” he added.