Inaugural World GTL Congress Wraps Up

Doha, January 15 (QNA) - The World GTL Congress on Tuesday concluded its three-day inaugural edition in Doha as it shed the light on the significance of the GTL industry and its pivotal role in the future. As befitting of an industry chalking a bigger role in the global energy future, more than a dozen students from various universities across Qatar seized the opportunity to enable them for roles in the oil and gas industry on the final day of the inaugural World GTL Congress. Empowering the university-level engineering students for the prospective environment was a day-long case study challenge organized by Qatar Shell in parallel to today's exhibition, during which students had to overcome the odds and present their solutions on injecting life into a theoretically broken refinery. "It was a great opportunity to participate in a real life simulation such as Shell's case study challenge. We read about these things in the books but to actually be out here and involved in some of the processes was a truly enlightening experience," said Abdullah Al-Anzi, a Chemical Engineering student from College of North Atlantic in Qatar (CNA-Q). Wael Sawan, managing director and chairman of Qatar Shell, said: "We are very pleased to be able to organize the students' day on the side-lines of the first World GTL Congress. We engaged with university students through this Shell case study enabling them to take crucial decisions to salvage a failing refinery. This simulation is a stimulating way of giving students a feel of working in the oil and gas industry. This engagement is part of our continued commitment to support Qatar's national vision of developing human resources. This engagement also allows us to tap into the pool of talented resources in Qatar with the potential of attracting and recruiting the brightest talent into Qatar Shell." Shell's case study complemented the last day of the inaugural World GTL Congress which, following two days of stimulating debate around the entire gamut of GTL from processing to promotion, featured a series of technical and educational forums, as well as an open public exhibition at St. Regis Doha, the event venue. "By the end of the first-ever World GTL Congress, nearly every topic on the GTL industry has been pried open. We are extremely thankful to our speakers and sponsors for supporting and joining us at this unique event that has already emerged as a perfect conduit for GTL ideas and knowledge for years ahead," said Symon Rubens, Middle East, Africa and South Africa managing director of the International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC). Held under the patronage of HE Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, and Chairman and Managing Director of Qatar Petroleum (QP), and organized by IQPC, the event welcomed more than 500 delegates from around the world to Doha, where a range of topical discussions ensued around this new oil and gas industry. Carrying the momentum gained from the first two days forward, the sessions on the final day featured the annual energy outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, data management, the industry's do's and don'ts, and water reuses for GTL facilities, as delegates soaked up new information on gas-to-liquid. "GTL plants are very energy- and water-intensive, as the energy and water intensity for the large part is the intrinsic character of the Fischer-Tropsch method (that forms the heart of GTL technology). These challenges can be met by implementing the integration of water treatment at various block stages," noted Jeroen Boom, Business Development Manager, Veolia Water during his presentation, which was largely themed around reusing GTL water and using Qatar Shell's Pearl GTL plant as a case study. Meanwhile, the exhibition hall was swamped by industry associates and members of the general public curious to learn more about GTL, its possibilities and derivatives. (END)