Shell in the Middle East | Contents

FIRST WORD
David Pirret, Executive Vice President, with responsibility for Shell Downstream Oil Products businesses Middle East...

SADAF STEAMING AHEAD FOR THE FUTURE
SADAF (Saudi Petrochemical Company) is a 50-50 joint venture between SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) and Shell. The company operates one of the world's largest petrochemical complexes in the Industrial City of Al Jubail on the east coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To meet the company's growing demand for steam in its many production processes, and following the inception of the idea in 1997, SADAF entered into a BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) agreement for a Cogeneration (Cogen) power plant to produce 250 megawatts of electricity and 510 tonnes of steam per hour...

ABU QIR SUPPLY BASE - READY TO GO FOR SHELL EGYPT
In April Shell Egypt starts a new offshore drilling campaign in its North West Damietta concession in the Mediterranean sea, using a jack-up rig to drill one exploration well. In mid-year Shell Egypt will start the third phase of its exploration drilling campaign in its NEMED (North East Mediterranean Deepwater) concession with a three-well plus an optional well programme from a drilling ship. Vast amounts of equipment and materials will be required for these two campaigns, including thousands of metres of casing pipe and liners for the wells. ...

ALL ABOARD THE 'HANJIN SUR'
Korea's 'Hanjin Sur' LNG tanker was the first vessel to load an export cargo from Oman LNG in April 2000. As she berthed last winter at Qalhat port to load 138,000 cubic metres of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), her 65th cargo from Oman LNG, Bobby Schuck from 'Shell in the Middle East' was there to meet her...

THE RIGHT BLEND
The opening in Egypt of Shell's first lubricants blending plant by Shell Marketing Egypt (SME) in 1994 was a significant milestone in Shell's long association with the Arab World's most populous nation. Some 12 years on, with production of Shell Lubricants in Egypt at record levels, the commitment of SME to the country is as strong as ever...

A DEEPER INSIGHT INTO THE SIRTE OIL COMPANY
As seismic operations proceed in Shell's new concession areas awarded last year in Libya's Sirte Basin, 'Shell in the Middle East' goes to Tripoli to meet Shell's new Country Chairman in Libya, Mark Hope, to get to know more about what is happening on the ground. Last year's agreements included the US $100 million rejuvenation of Libya's existing LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plant at Brega and the exploration and development of gas from five blocks covering an area of 20,000 square kilometres in the Sirte Basin...

EVALUATING POTENTIAL IN THE RUB AL-KHALI
As the South Rub Al-Khali Company (SRAK) prepares to drill its first well in a seven-well campaign in the search for gas and condensates, in its two contract areas totalling some 210,000 square kilometres, 'Shell in the Middle East' goes to Saudi Arabia to meet three members of SRAK's Data Evaluation Team...

SAFETY FIRST
'Shell in the Middle East' needs to get out to the rigs in the Mediterranean to obtain first-hand coverage of Shell Egypt's exploration activities, so reporter Bobby Schuck was also sent for training. He joined seven other people on the BOSIET (Basic Offshore Safety Induction Emergency Training) and HUET (Helicopter Underwater Escape Training) courses, six of whom were from Shell Egypt, and brings back their verdicts on the value of the training course...

PERSONALLY SPEAKING
Andy Wood, Shell Country Chairman in Oman, talks about his early days, the highlights of his career with Shell, and his current role in Oman. He also talks about his love of Oman, where he has spent many years during his career - and which he considers to be his second home...

SHELL PEOPLE
Maher Nabulsi is Corporate HSE & Sustainable Development Adviser for the South Rub Al-Khali Company Limited (SRAK). SRAK is a joint venture between Shell (40 per cent), Saudi Aramco and Total (each with 30 per cent). The company was established to explore for gas and condensates in two contract areas in the Rub Al-Khali covering 210,000 square kilometres in Saudi Arabia's remote Empty Quarter. Maher talks about his background and his career to date with Shell...