09 December 2015
OptaSense, a QinetiQ company and the global leader in Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), has signed an agency agreement with Abu Dhabi's Gulf Automation Services and Oilfield Supplies (GASOS). The agreement has been registered with the UAE Ministry of Economy.

The contract marks a significant milestone in OptaSense's Middle East business strategy and covers the Abu Dhabi oil and gas market, represented by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) group of companies, which focus on the oil and gas production cycle from exploration and production to processing and distribution.

Under the agreement with GASOS, upstream activity including well completion, production and evaluation will be covered by OptaSense's Oil Field Services division. Downstream activity, primarily focusing on pipeline integrity monitoring, will be supported by OptaSense's Infrastructure Security Monitoring division.

OptaSense's industry-leading DAS solution provides enhanced data acquisition, monitoring and visualisation systems which retrieve detailed information across multiple functions via a single fibre-optic cable. Any changes to conditions in a well or pipeline are fed back through an interrogator unit in real time, allowing users to identify and address issues early and maintain the highest level of integrity and product throughput.

James Pollard, the CEO of OptaSense, explained the benefits of the newly formed relationship. "We are extremely proud to announce our association with GASOS, which has been a prominent company in the local oil and gas market for many years. Its business belongs to one of the most respected and successful families in the country," he said.

"We have high optimism and expectations that our combined technical capabilities and award-winning DAS solutions, with the in-depth market expertise of GASOS, will yield great benefits and efficiency gains for our clients in the UAE, particularly given the current low oil price."

Samir Al Gharbi, General Manager of GASOS Ltd, added: "We at GASOS are delighted to be associated with and represent a well-established high-tech company who has an impressive and proven track record. We are excited and look forward to a mutually beneficial, fruitful and long term relationship with OptaSense."

For further information

Katherine Fair, Fifth Ring -Katherine.fair@fifthring.com /+44 (0) 1224 628061

QinetiQ Press Office - pressoffice@qinetiq.com / +44 (0) 1252 39 3500

About GASOS
GASOS was established in 1972. The company was formed with a view to serve as a focal point for providing requisite technology and services to the oil and gas sector in the UAE. GASOS has since provided many pioneering services to the oil and gas industry. First, through sponsorship of world-renowned oil service companies; second by marketing oilfield related equipment and services and last by introduction of fire fighting, safety and protection related equipment and services. The GASOS name has become synonymous with both the current and future projects in the UAE.

About OptaSense

OptaSense is a platform technology, which has applications in a number of markets, including infrastructure security where the technology is already under contract to monitor 23,000kms of assets, principally providing leak detection and third party intrusion detection for oil and gas pipelines.

OptaSense is the World leader in Distributed Acoustic Sensing and operating in 50 countries globally with operations across multiple industries including Oil & Gas, Defence & Security, Transport and Utilities. It is managed as a subsidiary of the QinetiQ Group.

Website: www.optasense.com

About QinetiQ
A FTSE250 company, QinetiQ uses its world-class knowledge, research and innovation to provide high-end technical expertise and advice, to customers in the global aerospace, defence and security markets. QinetiQ's unique position enables it to be a trusted partner to government organisations, predominantly in the UK and the US, including defence departments as well as other international customers in targeted sectors.

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Visit our blog www.qinetiq-blogs.com

© Press Release 2015