MPGC 2011 to Address Impact of Arab Spring on Middle East Energy Policy and Demand

Over forty speakers representing oil industry captains and thought leaders will address the forthcoming 19th Annual Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference (MPGC 2011) in Dubai on critical energy issues facing the Middle East’s oil markets, production and the financing of energy projects in the aftermath of the Arab spring.

MPGC 2011 is held under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and hosted by The Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC) LLC.

MPGC will be held on October 2-4 at the Mina A’Salam, Madinat Jumeirah, with the official opening on October 3, 2011 by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, followed by Ministerial and Keynote Addresses by H.E. Mohamed bin Dhaen Al-Hamli, Minister of Energy, United Arab Emirates and by Mr Mark Carne, Executive Vice President-Middle East & North Africa and Country Chairman, Dubai & Northern Emirates, Shell Upstream International, respectively.

Chief Executives of key oil companies, including Mr Saeed Abdullah Khoory of ENOC, Petro Rabigh, and UOP will also present key corporate perspectives at the CEOs panel on the morning of October 3rd. Mr Khoory will address long-term implications of refining and trading dynamics and Co-Chair MPGC 2011 together with Dr Fereidun Fesharaki, Chairman of FACTS Global Energy.

Rising domestic energy demand and the G.C.C.’s strategy for meeting these needs through new production and technologies will be amongst the issues addressed on the theme “High Oil Prices, Political Crises and the Emergence of a New Market Structure,” with the financing trends and liquidity gap addressed by speakers from ABN AMRO Bank and Natixis.

The conference will also address the challenges of modernizing and expanding the region’s downstream refining and petrochemical infrastructure, and how the global refining industry is adjusting to the structural downturn and decreasing oil demand in Japan, with technology trends addressed by Chevron Global Technology Services and UOP LLC.

The role of Iraq in the global and regional equation and whether it will fulfill its oil plans and production, and the development of Iraqi reserves for the domestic and international markets will be addressed by Mr Issam Al-Chalabi, Former Iraqi Oil Minister and Ms Jennifer Coolidge, Executive Director of CMX Caspian & Gulf Consultants.

A highlight of discussions will be two specialized panels on natural gas addressing gas demand/supply and LNG options in the MENA region with presentations from the mega majors: Mr David Wells, Vice President, Global LNG Supply, Shell Gas & Power, Mr Frederic H. Barnaud, Managing Director of Gazprom Global LNG, and Mr Breck Bacon, Vice President of ExxonMobil LNG Global Market Development.

In addition Dr Fesharaki will present the “Conference Chairman’s Crystal Ball” with key forecasts on the fortunes of the oil business in the short and long term.

MPGC which is widely acclaimed for facilitating high-quality information exchange, intellectual debate, and outstanding networking opportunities, has been held annually in the Gulf since 1993, with national oil companies in the region vying to host the event. Dubai holds the record for hosting MPGC eight times, in its nineteen year history.

MPGC and the Middle East Petroleum & Gas Week 2011 events are being organised by The Conference Connection Inc and hosted by ENOC, who will also host the gala conference dinner on October 3, 2011. MPGC enjoys outstanding energy industry support from leading oil corporations as corporate sponsors including ABN AMRO Bank, Al Ghurair, Bahrain National Gas Company, Dubai Mercantile Exchange, ExxonMobil, Natixis, Petro Rabigh, RAK Petroleum, Rais Hassan Saadi Group, and Vitol, with Oil and Gas Journal as the official publication.

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Source: MPGC 2011, September 19, 2011;