Gulf Downstream Association Announces Upcoming Global Symposium on Competitive Energy Systems and their Role in Creating a Sustainable Energy Future

Manama, Bahrain – 3 September 2019 - Under the patronage of His Excellency Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Oil, Kingdom of Bahrain and supported by NOGA, the Gulf Downstream Association (GDA) together with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), today announced the upcoming hosting of the “Competitive Energy Systems Symposium” taking place in the Kingdom of Bahrain on September 24, 2019 at The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa.

The one-day international symposium, which is set to gather more than 60 energy and related industry executives, will focus on highlighting cutting edge, sustainable, global energy systems and how they can be used to address the challenges of staying competitive in a changing climate with a narrowed focus on obstacles and opportunities for innovation.

The agenda features participation from a number of renowned industry, academic and governmental experts who will share their views on the latest industry trends. The programme will also preview cutting edge research and technologies and give participants the chance to explore new ideas for partnerships and means of collaboration for success. The Symposium will further look at how research in academia and industry can anticipate changes and stay ahead of the competition to continue to be profitable, including relevant drivers, innovations, emerging technologies, systems integration, and infrastructure needed to retrofit existing systems or build new ones.

A number of exciting topics to be addressed at the event during technical sessions more specifically include: “Electrification of the Chemical Industry” as this sector remains on track to move away from hydrocarbons, both for its energy and feedstock sources, “Horizon Technology”, that can disrupt an established industry in unpredictable ways, while also presenting an exciting optimisation problem with new opportunities for integration, improved maintenance and reliability, and the “Unique Applications of Solar Energy” focusing on the many available ways that solar energy can now be used in the chemical industry and beyond.

GULF DOWNSTREAM ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES UPCOMING GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM ON COMPETITIVE ENERGY SYSTEMS/2

Audah Al Ahmadi, Secretary General at GDA, said, “We’re delighted to announce this international symposium offering both GDA members and non-members alike the chance to join together and collaborate in the promotion and understanding of new technologies and systems that can accelerate innovation and further drive development in the energy sector. We encourage executives, researchers and academics, among others, that are committed to a sustainable energy future to join the event and both contribute to and benefit from this unique opportunity for knowledge sharing, discussion and networking. We have assembled a strong expert line up of speakers who we look forward to welcoming and who will lead these high-level discussions that we hope can lead to major new breakthroughs and help pave the way for further industry advancement.”

For more information, to register and to find out of sponsorship opportunities interested parties can visit https://www.aiche.org/ifs/conferences/competitive-energy-systems/2019 or contact GDA, Ms. Amal Al Aamer, at phone +973 1711 6003 or via email Amal.AlAamer@GDA.ORG.BH.

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ABOUT GDA

The Gulf Downstream Association (GDA) was established by its Founding Companies from Saudi Aramco, Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI), Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). GDA is a non-profit organisation which aims to bring leading downstream players together to further develop the industry and draw mutual benefits from sharing knowledge and best practices. In addition, strengthening generally the position of the petroleum industry in the growth of the global economy. The approval on the establishment of the Gulf Downstream Association took place at the Cabinet meeting in the Kingdom of Bahrain held on 11 July 2016. For more information and membership inquiries, contact +973 1711 6000 or visit the Association’s website at www.gda.org.bh.

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ABOUT AIChE

AIChE is a professional society of more than 60,000 members in more than 110 countries. Its members work in corporations, universities and government using their knowledge of chemical processes to develop safe and useful products for the benefit of society. Through its varied programs, AIChE continues to be a focal point for information exchange on the frontier of chemical engineering research in such areas as nanotechnology, sustainability, hydrogen fuels, biological and environmental engineering, translational medicine, and chemical plant safety and security. For more information visit www.aiche.org.