A four-day conference on refining and petrochemicals kicks off on September 26 in Bahrain.

The 10th Middle East Refining & Petrochemicals Conference and Exhibition (Middle East Petrotech 2016) will have more than 3,500 refining and petrochemicals industry professionals from 30+ countries taking part.

The event will be held under the patronage of Bahrain’s Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

The bi-annual event, established 20 years ago, incorporates a four-day high-level conference organised by a committee of NOCs, IOCs and major service providers spearheaded by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and Saudi Aramco, and a parallel three-day exhibition organised by Allworld Exhibition’s member Arabian Exhibition Management.

The Middle East Petrotech 2016 conference takes place under the theme “Teaming Up for Excellence: Industry, Government and Education.” Middle East Petrotech 2016 chairman and president and CEO of Kuwait Petroleum International Bakheet Al Rashidi says the event is a bright spot for the region and the industry alike, and an important opportunity to convene as it looks to the future.

Health, Safety and Environment will be showcased in a bid to encourage the creation of a culture of plant safety and environmental practices to help ensure a safer and healthier future for coming generations.

The pre-conference forum will discuss the vital roles of industry, education and government across three sessions. Invited speakers include: Dr. Jean-Lou Chameau, president, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Dr Jawaher Al Mudhahki, CEO, the Bahrain National Authority for Qualifications & Quality Assurance of Education and Training; Dr Roy Blatchford, advisor on Education Reform, Government of Bahrain; Majid Jafar, CEO, Crescent Petroleum; Abdulaziz Al Abdulkarim, VP procurement &

supply chain management, Saudi Aramco; Rebecca Liebert, president & CEO, Honeywell UOP; Jean Sentenac, chairman and CEO, Axens; Atul Chandra, board member and former president, Reliance Industries; Nizar Al Adsani, CEO, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation; Emilio Lozoya Austin, former CEO, Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and former advisor to the President of Mexico; Tarek El Molla, Egyptian Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources; and Lord David Howell of Guildford, former UK Minister of Energy and writer on energy issues.

The conference opening ceremony will begin with welcoming addresses from Bahrain’s Minister of Oil, Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and the Middle East Petrotech 2016 chairman Bakheet Al Rashidi. An executive plenary session will follow under the theme ‘The Economic Downturn and Its Effect on the Oil Downstream Industry” with addresses from Amin H Nasser, president and CEO, Saudi Aramco, and Prince Faisal Bin Turki, advisor, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources.