NOCs, IOCs Make Most of Each Other's Strengths
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Author: Saudi Aramco News
Released 9 January 2008
DUBAI, U.A.E., January 09, 2008 -- More than 3,000 people from more than 70 countries participated in the Dec. 4-6 International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC), titled “A Changing World - Interdependence, Innovation and Implementation.”
Delegates to the conference, hosted by HH Sultan ibn Saeed Al-Mansoori, Minister for Government Sector Development, gathered to address energy in the modern world.
Abd Allah S. Al-Saif took part in a panel session and was a keynote speaker at the International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC).
A number of Saudi Aramco executives and subject-matter experts contributed papers and presentations, including a panel session in which Abd Allah S. Al-Saif, senior vice president, participated.
Al-Saif discussed the relationship between national and international oil companies (NOCs and IOCs) in terms of the technical cooperation needed to exchange expertise. He also noted the growing need to build cooperative relationships in the industry.
He said there are three types of national oil companies: those that are fully self-sufficient, those that rely significantly on technical contractors, and those that are self-sufficient in some areas but rely on technical contractors for others.
“The manner in which NOCs and IOCs partner depends on the unique needs of the individual NOCs. NOCs wish to utilize an optimum arrangement that makes best use of the parties’ strengths,” said Al-Saif.
He said most national oil companies already have relationships with IOCs.
Al-Saif also said that the nature of its business makes Saudi Aramco reliant on its human and material resources to develop the technologies required to operate and to solve technical problems. He stressed that all national and international oil companies need to develop their human resources because markets do not always provide qualified employees.
He stressed the importance of finding ways to encourage students to enroll in majors that the oil industry needs, such as petroleum, geology and geophysics engineering. He also called for international collaboration to guarantee political stability in oil producing areas around the world.
Al-Saif concluded by encouraging the industry to avoid procrastinating on improving its infrastructure.
“If the industry does not deal with this problem I’m afraid that it would encourage governments to impose more red tape and more regulations, for which consumers would eventually pay,” said Al-Saif.
Fahad A. Al-Moosa, vice president of Northern Area Oil Operations, received an award for Saudi Aramco for the company’s leading role in the management and operation of the smart fields in the Haradh GOSP-3 expansion. Smart fields contributed to a decrease in operating costs while increasing the efficiency and productivity of the fields.
Saudi Aramco’s exhibition booth at the conference featured multiple television monitors that showed films ranging from drilling methods to Saudi Aramco’s efforts to protect the environment.