Energy
From The Report: Bahrain 2019
View in Online Reader

By utilising technology to maximise value from existing reserves and investing in exploration, Bahrain’s energy sector is working to maintain and even increase levels of oil and gas production. Efforts in this direction have been helped significantly by the recent discovery of a large-scale, unconventional oil and gas reserve, which could substantially boost output over the coming decade. Officials are also moving to upgrade oil refinery and hydrocarbons import infrastructure, as well as expand the use of renewables and energy efficiency initiatives in the utilities sector, in part to free up locally produced gas for industry. This chapter contains interviews with Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Oil; Pete Bartlett, CEO, Bahrain Petroleum Company; and Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO, Banagas.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

New lease of life: Major hydrocarbons find and efforts to bolster existing reserves to increase production
OBG
plus

By utilising technology to maximise value from existing reserves and investing in exploration, Bahrain’s energy sector is working to maintain and even increase levels of oil and gas production. Efforts in this direction have been helped significantly by the recent discovery of a large-scale, unconventional oil and gas reserve, which could substantially boost output over the coming decade. Officials are also moving to upgrade oil refinery and hydrocarbons import infrastructure, as well as…

Interview

Pioneering finds: Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Oil, on the development of two recent discoveries
OBG
plus

How advanced is the development of the newly-announced oil and gas finds? SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN KHALIFA BIN AHMED AL KHALIFA: In April 2018 we announced two major new discoveries. The first is an offshore shale formation with an estimated 81.5bn barrels of tight oil, our biggest oil discovery since 1932. To put this amount into context, we have extracted around 2bn barrels in the last 88 years of oil production in Bahrain. This new find is currently undergoing commercial evaluation for its…

Interview

Promising yields: Pete Bartlett, CEO, Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), on progress in modernising and expanding
OBG
plus

Interview:Pete Bartlett What is the status of the Bapco Modernisation Programme (BMP), and how prepared are suppliers, contractors and employees for this project? PETE BARTLETT: The BMP is progressing through the engineering, design and procurement stages, managed by the consortium of TechnipFMC, Técnicas Reunidas and Samsung Engineering in their respective offices in Rome, Madrid and Seoul. The project is a mixture of greenfield and brownfield work. Site preparation is complete, and the…

Analysis

Creative energy: Officials are finding new ways to fund energy development
OBG
plus

In recent years the Bahraini authorities have taken steps to raise financing for the development of the kingdom’s energy sector, including the launch by nogaholding, the investment and development arm of the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA), of its first international bond programme and the announcement of a new national energy investment fund. The sector is also seeking to raise financing for the development of a major new oil find in the Khaleej Al Bahrain basin from international…

Analysis

Lucky strike: Sector seeks investors for major hydrocarbons discovery
OBG
plus

In early September 2017 Bahrain’s state-backed hydrocarbons entities made a major new tight oil and gas find in the Khaleej Al Bahrain basin. The discovery, which covers more than 6000 sq km, contains probable reserves of around 81bn barrels of oil and 14trn standard cu feet of associated gas. Assessing Potential When the discovery was first made public in April the following year, initial enthusiasm about the find was partially tempered by suggestions that its unconventional nature and…

Interview

Exciting finds: Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO, Banagas, on globalisation and expanding gas production
OBG
plus

Interview:Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa What are the most pressing global factors affecting the local gas market? SHEIKH MOHAMED BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFA: Globally speaking, gas supply is increasing. The US has been building up its shale gas production, and more liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) infrastructure continues to be constructed around the world. This has given rise to a new, globalised dynamic in the industry. The effects of globalisation can be…

Overview

Cheaper and greener: As costs decline, renewable sources are seeing an inexorable rise, particularly in developing economies
OBG
plus

Although the world remains largely dependent upon fossil fuels for power generation, a gradual transition towards renewable sources has been taking place since the 1990s, underpinned by multilateral deals such as the Kyoto Protocol, the Doha Amendment and, more recently, the Paris Agreement. Investment and development in renewable technologies has historically been led by developed countries, however, in recent years the renewable energy industry has been expanding in emerging markets. In 2017 these markets accounted for 63% of new global investment in renewables. Taking the Lead Emerging markets exceeded developed economies in terms…