A high-level Bahrain delegation is showcasing the vast opportunities awaiting US oil and gas majors in the kingdom’s fast-expanding energy sector at the Oil & Gas Forum being held in Houston, Texas, today (April 3).

 

The American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain), in cooperation with Nogaholding, has organised the visit of Bahrain’s delegation to the forum.

 

Bahrain recently announced a new tight oil discovery off its coast, estimated to be the kingdom’s biggest-ever find. 

 

The delegation is being led by Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Oil. He is joined in the visit and forum by other senior US and Bahraini officials, the management of AmCham Bahrain and industry leaders and decision makers from Bahrain’s energy sector. Among those taking part are: Sameer Abdullah Nass, chairman of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al-Khalifa, Bahrain’s Ambassador to the US; Justin Siberell, US Ambassador to Bahrain; Dr Dawood Nassif, director, Bahrain Petroleum Company – chairman of BMP Steering Committee; Dr Peter Bartlett, CEO, Bahrain Petroleum Company; James Eastlake, CEO, Tatweer Petroleum; Yahya Al-Ansari, general manager, exploration & development, Tatweer Petroleum; Dr Simon Galpin, managing director, Bahrain Economic Development Board; Khalid Rashid Al Zayani, co-chairman of US Bahrain Business Council; and Qays Zu’bi, president, AmCham Bahrain.

 

The visit consists of an all-day forum on April 3, taking place at The St. Regis Hotel, a breakfast roundtable with the Bilateral Chamber of Commerce as well as planned one-to-one B2B meetings with US companies. Over 100 US companies are expected to attend the forum and meetings over the two-day visit. 

 

Among the companies taking part are leading US oil and gas services companies with expertise in unconventional and shale oil extraction; companies with expertise in drilling, offshore support and logistics providers and related bankers and investors in the sector, all of which can benefit from the significant development and investment opportunities that Bahrain is currently offering in both offshore and in-field development.  

 

Speakers from the delegation are set to address the Houston oil community on the substantial recent discoveries in the kingdom as well as ongoing and planned projects for which Bahrain is seeking participation and partnership from US companies. Specifically, the forum will look at opportunities in conventional and unconventional exploration and extraction of high-quality shale oil reserves; drilling of approximately 100 wells per year; and other projects related to the multi-billion Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) investment, including refinery expansion, modernisation and the increasing of crude processing capacity, together with further downstream opportunities in petrochemicals allocated with the refining investments. 

 

Shaikh Mohamed said: “We’re delighted to be in Houston, the preeminent energy capital of the world, to meet with leading US oil and gas companies to discuss the significant opportunities for partnership that exist as Bahrain moves swiftly forward with projects to develop our existing resources and the sizeable new finds that we have recently been announced. Cooperation between US firms and Bahrain in the oil and gas sector dates back nearly 100 years and we look forward to leveraging this long history to establish new partnerships today. It is our belief that US technologies in the field of oil and gas exploration, service provision, logistical support and complementary industries are second to none in the world. With this visit, we are seeking cooperation with industry leaders in Texas and other energy centers around the United States.”

 

Qays Zu'bi added: “In our mission to promote trade, investment and goodwill between the United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain, we are honoured to facilitate this high-level engagement between government officials and companies from both countries in this key sector. The opportunities being presented and the cooperation being sought from companies in Houston and those located elsewhere throughout the US can result in shared benefits for all parties. I would also like to thank all those taking part and wholeheartedly expect that this visit will be an important first step in new US-Bahraini partnerships and investment in the Kingdom’s oil and gas sector.“

 

Following on from the Houston program, the delegation will head to Washington DC where they will meet with the US Chamber for a networking and oil and gas briefing session with top company representatives from the sector.  – TradeArabia News Service