• Home
• News Article

UAE Minister of Environment and Water Inaugurates the Sixth Edition of Offshore Arabia Conference and Exhibition

Dubai - United Arab Emirates, 28^th of March 2011: H.E. Dr Rashid Ahmad bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water inaugurated today the sixth edition of the Offshore Arabia Conference and Exhibition which is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. Offshore Arabia will run until March 30^th at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and is held under the Motto "Global Partners for Energy and Environment - from Crisis to Sustainability".

At the opening ceremony, H.E. Dr. Rashid had reiterated his support to the Offshore Arabia Conference and Exhibition as an important platform to discuss lots of challenges and changes that we are facing at the moment such as; disruption of oil prices, the aggravation of climate change and the effect of these changes on the economic, social and environmental systems. These changes represent the challenges that are affecting the energy and environment sectors.

In his speech, H.E. also encouraged all stakeholders and the sectors involved to endorsement of the dialogue process while discussing issues related to oil and energy in order to achieve sustainable development. He also said "Offshore Arabia conference and exhibition was able to showcase the most important issues related to energy and environment throughout the past years. The safety of energy presents an enormous challenge for the environment and growth alike, where it is considered as a problem and a solution at the same time."

H.E. continued: "Even though the energy has played an important part in economical growth, yet it has negative repercussions on natural resources; whether it was emissions resulting from energy usage and it's impact on air pollution and global warming phenomenon, or as a result of leakages occurring from the process of extraction of some energy resources or by sea transport... and other causes. These negative repercussions do not only occur from traditional energy resources, it goes beyond it to other modern energy resources. The side effects of this issue have been felt in the past few years; for example, the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico last year, and the disastrous damage to the nuclear reactors in Fukushima, Japan caused by the unfortunate earthquake which was accompanied by a Tsunami. We hope that these unfortunate experiences help us in developing our legislative, organizational, and precautionary procedures to avoid such occurrences in our region and other regions of world".

The conference this year focuses on several key issues addressed by a group of elite professionals in the field of Oil, Gas, and Environment. These experts will discuss issues like Oil, Chemical and other Harmful substance, Spill prevention, Response, Protection, contamination of Marine and Coastal Environment, Crises and Disaster Management, Global and Regional Environmental Issues and Climate Change, Oil & Gas Future Outlook, The Marine Industry and Global Trade and New Technologies and Renewable Energy.

Mr. Khamis Juma Bu-Amim, Chairman - Dubai Drydocks World and Maritime City, Chairman of Offshore Arabia and President & CEO - Regional Clean Sea Organization (Recso) said: "Offshore Arabia Conference and Exhibition 2011 is considered the only major venue for all leading companies in the East and West that aim at surpassing the challenges and difficult circumstances by taking strategic decisions and increasing their business income through effective energy and environmental initiatives. We support the global partnership because we believe that team work helps in overcoming future problems and crisis".

Bu-Amim added that "Offshore Arabia Conference and Exhibition will provide some of the answers related to Oil & Gas, environment and renewable energy. A team of high-level speakers, from a wide range of sectors will address those related topics and will try to provide some solutions for those pressing issues.

Offshore Arabia Conference and Exhibition provides all participants and experts, arriving from all parts of the globe, an opportunity to exchange opinions and information. In addition, it will offer investors a prospect of creating strategic partnerships with the exhibitors and the conference participants. The Exhibition will also showcase the newest technology and tools that companies must comply with in order to preserve the energy and sustain the environment.

The conference, which runs for 3 days, will contain research and lectures in topics such as Oil, Chemical and other Harmful substance Spill prevention, response, Protection, contamination of Marine and Coastal Environment, Crises and Disaster Management, Global and Regional Environmental Issues and Climate Change, Oil & Gas Future Outlook, The Marine Industry and Global Trade, New Technologies and Renewable Energy.

Mr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, President of INDEX Holding said: "Offshore Arabia Conference and Exhibition is considered one of the most important events in the Middle East. The conference tackles environmental issues, renewable energy as well as Gas and Oil. Therefore, a plethora of organization, companies, and associations from different parts of the world are participating in this event. In addition, the event will exhibit equipment and advanced technologies in the field of Marine and Coastal Environment contamination, as well as specialized equipment for Renewable Energy."

Al Madani also said that "we are expecting more than 6,000 visitor and participant at Offshore Arabia Conference and Exhibition for this year. The number of companies exhibiting had reached 120 coming from 54 countries." He also stated that the oil, gas and environment sectors are very active sectors and attract the interest of world's leaders and activists in this field.

Offshore Arabia 2011 is organized by INDEX Holding in cooperation with the Regional Clean Sea Organization RECSO and is supported by Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), Kuwait Oil Company (KSC) , Kuwait Gulf Oil Company / Aramco Gulf Operations Company (KGOC / AGOC) , The Bahrain Petroleum Company B.S.C, Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC), Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Qatar Petroleum (QP), Saudi Arabian Chevron (SAC), Maersk Oil Qatar AS (MOQ), National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (NSCSA), SESME, Emarat Maritime and Fairdeal. The event is sponsored by Dubai Drydocks and Kuwait Oil Company.

-Ends-

© Press Release 2011