His Excellency
Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa opened on Sunday morning 19 February
2017 a workshop addressing the challenges and opportunities for propagation of
carbon gathering, exploitation, transmission and storage. The workshop was
organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia
(ESCWA) in collaboration with the
National Oil and Gas Authority at Bahrain Crown Plaza Hotel with considerable
attendance by officials from ESCWA, oil and gas sector, specialized government
organizations, persons of interests and stakeholders.
His Excellency
the Minister lauded the positive
cooperation between the United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for West Asia (ESCWA) and the National Oil and Gas Authority where such
cooperation has been crowned with the
hosting of this workshop that zeroed in on a very important issue providing for
minimizing emissions of the concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
while highlighting the fact that the Arab region is facing a number of
challenges and opportunities with respect to spreading the technologies which
involve the trapping, utilization, transmission and storage of carbon products,
thereby dictating the need for review of all academic, scientific, economic and
environmental aspects and ramifications of this issue.
Keynote
speakers in the workshop included experts from ESCWA, others form several Arab,
regional and international experts who made presentations, audio-visual themes
and discussion boards to exchange opinions on the subjects and issues related
to the climate change and environmental concerns. The carbon harvesting,
utilization, transmission and storage technology is considered one of the
significant ingredients for elimination of carbon in global energy systems,
which will in turn contribute to reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases by
about 13% by the year 2050 according to the International Energy Agency.
The workshop
focused on aspects which depend on the carbon trapping, utilization,
transmission and storage and prevention of carbon elements from reaching the
atmosphere through recapturing and recycling of carbon or otherwise injection
in geological formations which house oil, gas and coal reservoirs and deep salt
water aquifers. The purpose of the workshop was to explore the challenges and
opportunities for extensive use, propagation and spreading of the carbon
trapping, utilization, transmission and storage technology while conducting a
survey of the side effects of this technology within the context of the
international and regional environmental laws and from the perspective of the
link between water and energy.
Also speakers
in the workshop included Dr. Khawlah Matar, Deputy Executive Secretary for
supporting the programs of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for West Asia (ESCWA) and Dr. Ayman Shasly Chairman of the Arab Negotiation
Group in the negotiations of the United Nations Framework Agreement on Climate
Change and Head of the Green Climate Fund.
ESCWA also
organized in collaboration with NOGA another workshop at the same location
(Crowne Plaza Hotel) during Monday and Tuesday (20 and 21 February entitled
(Efficient Exploitation of Resources – Energy- Water Association". The
purpose of the workshop is to enhance the efficiencies of processes involving
the resources production and consumption and provision of water and energy
services, besides promotion of the mental capacities of government officials
who manage or supervise provision of water and energy services, arming them
with the technological strategies which will contribute to attainment of
sustainable management of water and energy services that will in turn
contribute to sustainable development. Oil production processes guzzle massive
amounts of water in order to crank up well production and maximize the value
added scope.
