The roundtable gathered the leaders from the industry’s top oil and gas companies and government agencies, including NCDMB executive secretary Ernest Nwapa, Amni International chairman Chief Tunde Afolabi, Energia managing director Felix Amieyeafori, Schlumberger group managing director West Africa Eke U. Eke, Weatherford International managing director Femi D. Thomas, and Saipem managing director Giuseppe Surace, Tenoil CEO Tony Chukwueke and Makon Group CEO Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde. The Oil & Gas Year’s country director for Nigeria chaired the event.

The panelists discussed the challenges, opportunities and solutions related to attracting investment into the country’s oil and gas industry, with a number of key findings and topics emerging throughout the discussion. While challenges including falling global oil prices, rising costs of doing business in Nigeria, and the continued uncertainty surrounding the passage of the country’s Petroleum Industry Bill were brought to the fore, the consensus surrounding the industry’s growth remained optimistic, most notably through a focus on the gains in local content capacity development and the presence of strong investment fundamentals in the market. The international oilfield services companies, represented by Femi Thomas of Weatherford and Eke U. Eke of Schlumberger, brought up concerns related to excessive permit requirements and impractical laws related to the re-export of equipment to neighbouring markets. On the operators’ side, Tony Chukwueke of Tenoil stressed the opportunity for indigenous companies to weather oil price shocks by adopting an integrated approach to the value chain, while his counterpart from Amni International, Chief Tunde Afolabi, countered with a strategy of focusing on core business and creating appropriate partnerships.

Ernest Nwapa, Executive Secretary of NCDMB, spoke to the media after the event. “The Oil & Gas Year’s Strategic Roundtable has once again served as a key catalyst for continued local content development, with this year’s edition serving as a vehicle through which capacity development initiatives and success stories can be showcased to the international investment community. While global market forces including the oil price are affecting everyone, Nigeria is becoming a more attractive destination for investment as it builds a stronger foundation and more fertile investment climate through the development of local capacity within the oil and gas sector and its supporting industries.”

The roundtable will be printed in The Oil & Gas Year Nigeria 2015 and will feature the comments and views shared by the participants throughout the event.

Click here for more Nigeria news and features 

Peruvian charity Asociacion Proyecto Peruanos handled the donation and The Oil & Gas Year Peru 2013’s country director went to Peru so that she could meet the family and help with building work.

Participating were Perupetro president Luis Ortigas, Hydrocarbons director Juan Ortíz from the Ministry of Energy & Mines, Odebrecht Latinvest head Jorge Barata, CEO Barbara Bruce of Hunt Oil, Former Prime Minister Beatriz Merino for the Peruvian Hydrocarbons Society, Andre Velarde Chainskaia of Schlumberger, general manager Luis Alfonso Carrera of Credicorp, and senior regional specialist Enrique Rodrigues Flores of IADB’s energy division.

The event tackled a range of issues including foreign investment in Peru’s hydrocarbons sector, the new national energy plan for 2014-2025, the effects of falling oil prices on the sector; relations between operators, government and local communities; and the implementation of new technologies and best practices in action. The event was moderated by Beatriz de la Vega, oil and gas leader at EY Peru.

A full report on the roundtable will be printed in the The Oil & Gas Year’s third edition on the country, The Oil & Gas Year Peru 2015. The book will highlight Peru’s most important and influential companies, projects, individuals and policies throughout the energy chain.

Click here for interviews and news about Peru’s oil industry

The event will be held at the Kuwait International Fairground, starting with the opening ceremony at 9am on March 3, 2015. The exhibition runs for three days until March 5. The conference will be held on on March 4 and 5.

GOGCE serves as an excellent opportunity for KOC to exchange information with the community at large and provide them with details pertaining to the company’s activities and operations.

By raising awareness and strengthening the partnership between KOC and its contractors and suppliers, GOGCE plays an important role for KOC in its drive for broader business relationships and knowledge-based expansion. The conference also creates value for all participants by providing KOC staff and others with information related to the latest techniques, material, equipment and services on offer in the oil industry.

The event itself showcases KOC’s main groups, KOC’s contractors and suppliers and a number of local universities and private institutes. GOGCE’s activities are distributed over a three-day period in March, with many speeches and activities being held over the course of the event.

Elshad Nasirov, SOCAR’s vice president for investments and marketing delivered the keynote address at the launch event, which was followed by the year’s awards ceremony. Commenting on the progress made in Azerbaijan’s energy industry over the past year, he addressed the major projects further connecting Azerbaijan to the global energy community. Expressing his support for The Oil & Gas Year Azerbaijan 2015, he added, “The Oil & Gas Year team have acted with the highest standards and produced the best resource for our oil and gas industry…this book is not for [those in attendance] but for the international community to be aware of what we are trying to achieve.”

At the ceremony, Ikhtiyar Akhundov, general director of BOS Shelf was honoured with the Man of the Year. Leading the largest fabrication yard in Azerbaijan, general manager of the BOS Shelf Yard – formerly the Baku Deep Water Jacket Factory – Ikhtiyar Akhundov has effectively managed to keep the yard involved in all the major projects in Azerbaijan, such as the Chirag Oil Project and Shah Deniz Phase One.

In order to fulfil its responsibilities for the Shah Deniz Phase Two project – where BOS Shelf has the responsibility of all the fabrication of offshore structures and marine support base services – and future offshore subsea developments, BOS Shelf will undergo a major strategic upgrade that will make the yard one of the most developed in the Caspian region. A training facility will be developed for the training of welders, fitters and riggers, developing 250 new welding procedures for the first time in Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, in order to cater for Shah Deniz and future subsea projects, BOS Shelf will build a special subsea facility, coating facility, new warehouse and new quays. Perhaps the most exciting visionary project of the yard is its push for becoming a logistic centre for servicing offshore projects, through the development of a $300 million-400 million, 1.7-kilometre quay with the necessary facilities for servicing vessels including those for bunkering, fuelling, water storage and mud storage.

Saipem-BOS Shelf-Star Gulf consortium was presented with the Contract of the Year award. In April 2014, the Saipem-BOS Shelf-Star Gulf signed a master agreement with BP for the fabrication, transportation and installation of the offshore facilities for the Shah Deniz phase two gas development project. Inside this master agreement, the consortium also signed two call-off agreements, a $750 million-contract for the construction of more than 45,000 tonnes of jackets, piles and subsea structures and a $1.8-billion contract for offshore transportation and installation of the jackets, piles, topsides and subsea infrastructure, laying export and in-field pipelines and diving services.

BP was presented with the Upstream Project of the Year award for the Shah Deniz Phase Two Development. On December 17, 2013 the Shah Deniz Consortium led by BP announced the final investment decision for the stage two development of the Shah Deniz gas-condensate field. Shah Deniz will be the first fully subsea development in the Caspian Sea, demanding the drilling and completion of 26 subsea wells and the construction of two bridge-linked platforms. The upstream development together with the expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline to transport the 16 bcm (565 bcf) per year of gas from phase two will cost around $28 billion and create 15,000 jobs in Azerbaijan.

The launch and awards ceremony was sponsored by SOCAR-AQS and Fairmont Hotel Baku.

The Oil & Gas Year Azerbaijan 2015 is available here.

This first edition of The Oil & Gas Year series on the Congo-Brazzaville oil and gas industry presents an in-depth look at the key companies involved in the country’s oil and gas sector. It highlights in particular the country’s largest ongoing project, Total’s Moho Nord offshore, deep-water development.

At the event, The Oil & Gas Year held an awards ceremony to recognise the most outstanding companies and individuals operating in Congo’s oil and gas sector over the last year. Six awards were presented. The Moho Nord team from Total received the award for the Offshore Development of the Year award following the start launching of work on the project in 2014. The MKB Project, operated by Congo’s state-owned company SNPC, was awarded the Onshore Project of the Year award for its work on the largest onshore project ever undertaken by the country’s national oil company. Italian firm Eni was recognised for the country’s largest discovery of the year (1.2 billion barrels proved reserves) in 2014 at the Nené Marine field. And finally, French firm Necotrans was highlighted for its mandate to expand the river port at Brazzaville, an initiative that will open up the development of the nation’s onshore oil and gas opportunities.

This fourth edition of The Oil & Gas Year series in Oman examines the government’s promotion of innovative oil and gas extraction techniques in 2014 and beyond, and highlights the nation’s drive to enhance the professional development of Omani nationals in all sectors of the economy.

The book also offers an in-depth look at the country’s success in the field of enhanced oil recovery, steps taken to monitor and improve the in-country value performance of companies in Oman and the development of the Khazzan field. The amended production-sharing agreement between the government and BP was named Upstream Deal of the Year. Petroleum Development Oman’s Rabab Harweel Integrated Project, which is expected to yield in excess of 5 mcm (177mcf) of natural gas per day in 2019, was heralded as Investment Decision of the Year.

TOGY’s country director presented the Joint Venture of the Year award to Special Technical Services and Tebodin & Partners while Masirah Oil was presented with the Offshore Discovery of the Year award for discovering hydrocarbons in its second offshore exploration well in Block 50 in February 2014.

The Oil & Gas Year Oman 2014, published by Wildcat International and produced in partnership with the Ministry of Oil and Gas and OPAL, also featured a chapter on the Strategic Roundtable held on May 8, 2014. The sector focus debate highlighted the government’s task to pioneer the use of innovative oil and gas extraction techniques, ensure the development of Omani nationals and encourage technology transfers.

According to Mohamed Abdel Aziz Metwally, chairman and CEO of refinery operator MIDOR, Egypt’s downstream sector would benefit from “the modernization of existing refineries and the construction of new ones.” He also urged the country to think big saying that “Egypt must think of itself as a global hub.”

Cabron Holdings chairman and CEO Basil El Baz echoed Metwally’s sentiment, and stated that Egypt had to concentrate on manufacturing rather than assembling. “Producing feedstock for petroleum plants and refineries within the country is essential, El Baz said.

Co-moderator and executive chairman of energy distribution company TAQA Arabia Khaled Abubakr pointed to the role the Suez Canal Expansion could play. “The new Suez Canal project will help in making Egypt a global hub for petrochemicals.

For that to happen, Wafik Hanna, partner at Deloitte, said that free zones would have to be created to attract investors. The “revision of existing regulation” would be needed in that regard as well.

The Commercial International Banks Heba Abdel Latif presented an equally long-term vision. “We need to look beyond the short/medium term and liberalise the oil and gas industry to go forward.”

TOGY’s Egypt 2015 strategic roundtable event was sponsored by Deloitte and Carbon Holdings.

The Minister of Energy, H.E. Suhail bin Mohamed Faraj Fares Al Mazrouei, delivered the keynote address at the launch event, which was succeeded by the year’s awards ceremony and a roundtable discussion. Commenting on the progress made in Abu Dhabi’s energy industry over the past year, he said, “Abu Dhabi continues to fulfil it’s responsibility as a reliable supplier to the world and an active member of OPEC, targeting the stability of the global energy market. In a time of unstable oil prices, we are showing in Abu Dhabi and across the country that, we remain dedicated to reaching our long-term production goals, which will be used in the future to meet the market requirements. ” Expressing his support for The Oil & Gas Year Abu Dhabi 2015, he added: “I wish to express my congratulations to The Oil & Gas Year on another successful publication. The report highlights the progress made in Abu Dhabi’s hydrocarbons industry.”

At the awards ceremony, H.E. Al Mazrouei presented the Man of the Year award to H.E. Sultan Al Jaber, chairman of Masdar and CEO of energy at Mubadala. The award recognised H.E. Al Jaber’s crucial role in developing Abu Dhabi’s sustainable energy initiatives and a continuous progression in his vision to embrace a cleaner energy mix through investment in renewable resource development and clean technologies at Masdar City.

In his award acceptance speech at the event, H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Energy at Mubadala, explained how the UAE is alleviating its natural gas dependency by enhancing the diversity of energy supply and increasing energy security. “The UAE leadership’s foresight has been fundamental in ensuring our growing economy is powered by a mix of energy sources,” said H.E Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, “Our investments across traditional and new forms of energy, has expanded our role as a responsible and reliable global energy leader. Ensuring our leadership role will require us to continue expanding our expertise, to invest in new technologies, to innovate and to transfer our knowledge to the next generation of energy leaders.”

Schlumberger was presented with the Technology and Innovation of the Year award for its new GeoSphere reservoir mapping-while drilling service. The Petroleum Institute received the Local Content Development of the Year award. The Oilfield Services Company of the Year award recognised Abu Dhabi’s National Drilling Company, while Linde Engineering picked up the EPC Company of the Year award. A new award, the Strategy and Execution Project of the Year, was given jointly to the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company, the Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Company and Abu Dhabi Gas Industries.

After the launch, H.E. Al Mazrouei chaired a roundtable discussion that brought together executives of several of the largest companies operating in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry to review local and international co-operation in increasing the UAE’s supply of natural gas.

The Oil & Gas Year Abu Dhabi 2015 provides an in-depth analysis of the challenges faced by the emirate to supply enough energy to meet the needs of the UAE’s growing population and soaring energy demand. In The Oil & Gas Year Abu Dhabi 2015, ADNOC Director General H.E. Abdulla Nasser Al Suwaidi offered an insight into the national oil company’s evolving operational partnerships, particularly those with Asian entities. “ADNOC has been looking to develop new fields with good hydrocarbons prospects through new joint venture partnerships approved by the Supreme Petroleum Council,” H.E. Al Suwaidi said. “Rapidly growing Asian economies are large consumers of hydrocarbons and Abu Dhabi has built relations with several Asian countries through the oil and gas industry,” he added.

The event was sponsored by AlMansoori Specialized Engineering, Maersk Oil, PwC, Schlumberger and United Safety. The roundtable was sponsored by BP and Tenaris.

Minister Hawrami delivered the keynote address at the event attended by lead sponsor ExxonMobil and co-sponsors Chevron, Genel Energy, Gulf Keystone Petroleum, WesternZagros, UB Group and KAR at The Dorchester Hotel in London.

Attendees also raised money to support the hundreds of thousands refugees fleeing the violence in Iraq and Syria and seeking a safe haven in the Kurdistan Region. Proceeds went to Rise and Kurdistan Emergency Appeal.

Minister Hawrami was also presented with the Oil Minister of the Decade award in recognition of his leadership in bringing the Kurdistan Region of Iraq into the spotlight, and attracting key names in the oil and gas industry and working tirelessly to make the Kurdistan Region a recognised industry success.

Produced in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources, the fifth edition of the report presents a premier analysis of the region’s energy industry.

2014 was a transformative year for the Kurdistan Region. With the first independent pipeline exports through a soon-to-be 1-million-barrels of oil per day pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan and a ramp-up of production from recently discovered giant oilfields, the region maintains its status as the last great onshore exploration and production frontier.

Some of the region’s recent discoveries built-up production in 2014, including the Taq Taq and Tawke oilfields, with respective production capacities nearing 150,000 and 200,000 bopd, and the giant Shaikan field, which is expected to reach 100,000 bopd in phase one of its development plan.

Increasing production from these fields and increasing production at new licences under development, including Atrush, Akri-Bijeel, Hawler, Garmian, Ain Sifni, and Sarsang, will help reach a production target of 1,000,000 bopd by early 2016.

The report takes a detailed look at the landmark strategic energy alliance between the Kurdistan Regional Government and Turkey, and the importance of this partnership in facilitating the flow of oil and gas to international markets.

In less than a decade, the Kurdistan Region has gone from a high-risk gamble to a global exploration powerhouse, ranking amongst the top-10 oil reserves in the world. The Oil & Gas Year’s 2014 edition also features a special commemorative chapter detailing the KRG’s success in developing its oil sector in the decade since the spudding of the Region’s first oil well, Tawke-1, following the fall of the Ba’athist regime in Iraq.