Minister of Oil opens the SPE Workshop: Unconventional in the Middle East: Potential, Challenges and Opportunities

​His Excellency Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Oil, opened on Wednesday, 9 May 2018, the SPE Workshop: Unconventional in the Middle East: Potential, Challenges and Opportunities, which will be during the period 9-10 May 2018 at the Sofitel Hotel Bahrain. This workshop is organized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in cooperation with The National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) with the support of Saudi Aramco, Tatweer Petroleum, Society of Petroleum Engineers (Bahrain Branch), and a number of world oil companies with broad participation of specialists, experts from all over the world. With a view to discuss various technical challenges in the working environment, which encourages the sharing of knowledge and open dialogues in this regard.

H.E. the Minister of Oil stressed the desire of the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain in providing the best support for such specialized events that contributes in the support of the economical system, cognitive and developmental. By also having an establishment of a system of exchange of information, experience and expertise, and participation in capacity-and skills-building. This contributes to the enhancement of the efficiency of the human element, which is an essential element for the promotion of sustainable development in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Middle East region.

Moreover, H.E. the Minister of Oil stated that the importance of holding workshops was to meet the needs of this period, and to explore the potential of unconventional resources in line with global trends. He also added that it was important to highlight recent developments and technical and technological advances in the field of exploration and other related areas. Such workshops are a platform for scholars and specialists from the nations of the world to discuss and shape the future of this vital industry and build capacity, skills and communication for the affiliates of this important sector.

The participants were around 150, from various countries of the world, such as the Gulf Cooperation Council, the United States of America and other countries of the world, with 14 specialized panels and more than 60 working papers by global experts specializing in this vital sector. That have referred to the most important topics specializing in challenges and techniques in the field of unconventional fields and the ways to maintain wells using modern technologies.