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New refinery, biofuel will achieve quantum leap for Kuwaiti oil sector --

KNPC By Osama Jalal KUWAIT, June 29 (KUNA) -- Fahad Al-Ajmi, new board chairman and managing director of Kuwait National Petroleum Company ( KNPC ), asserted here Wednesday importance the two new projects of the new refinery and biofuel, noting that, "they will achieve a quantum leap to the Kuwaiti oil sector." Al-Ajmi told KUNA, in his first statement to the press following taking up his post, that these two projects, "will achieve the targeted increase of the refining capacity according to the strategy set by the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation ( KPC ), and will improve products in line with the local needs of energy, and in tandem with KPC export policy." Further, Al-Ajmi made clear that KNPC , which is a subsidiary of KPC , is ready and well-placed to carry out the fourth oil refinery, and the biofuel projects, "when there are instructions regarding them," noting that the biofuel project will make the Kuwaiti refineries able to manufacture the oil products in accordance with the world standards, while the refinery itself will produce low-sulphur fuel oil.

He also said that these projects will further improve the conservation of the Kuwaiti environment, improve the derivatives in quantity and quality, bring material and environmental returns, and achieve an added value to KNPC along with maximizing profits, noting that one of the most important goals of the two projects combined, namely oil refinery and biofuel, is to achieve the KPC strategy aiming at increasing the refining capacity up to 1.4 million barrel per day.

On his future plans in KPC in the coming period, Al-Ajmi made clear that his top priority is how to pay further attention to the human resources, noting that encouraging Kuwaiti youth to work in the oil sector is his primary concern in order to help them take part in the development of their own community through motivating the youth to join training courses, and specialized professional programs.

He also said that the oil sector has a future plan to recruit 2,200 Kuwaiti specialists in the coming period, noting that KNPC alone will employ a big percentage of them.

Al-Ajmi also promised to encourage the private sector to be a successful partner with KNPC , in a reference to the complaint made by the private sector, particularly the Oula Fuel Marketing Company , and Al-Soor Fuel Marketing Company, of the lack of petroleum products which are given to them for marketing.

On the maintenance programs within the company's refineries, Al-Ajmi asserted that these programs have definite schedules that should be abided by, noting that he was briefed on these programs during his meeting with deputies of the KNPC managing director, while asserting his keenness on carrying out such maintenance programs in what achieves their goals, then the working staff's safety and the installations's security in accordance with the cutting edge techniques.

Al-Ajmi also said that the working staff's safety is not a matter of bargain, "what we want is that each employee should return safe and sound to his family," stressing the important role played by the human resources, while noting that these human elements are able to transfer KNPC to the level of global oil refining firms.

Finally, he said that he recommended during his meeting with deputies of the KNPC mananging director the necessity of making concerted efforts in such critical stage facing the oil industry in the world as a whole, along with prioritizing the interest of Kuwait above any other consideration, noting that his work style depends on decentralization, and that every person should soulder his due responsibility, while stressing the team spirit.