OREANDA-NEWS. December 12, 2012. Hosted by the Global Gas Flare Reduction (GGFR) Partnership in association with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, the forum brought together the oil majors and national oil companies (NOCs) to examine successes and challenges associated with improving the environment through minimizing the practice of flaring wells around the globe, reported the press-centre of Saudi Aramco.  

The objective was to mark the 10th anniversary of the World Bank-led GGFR Partnership, review past activities, successes and challenges to gas flaring reduction and to determine the way forward for years to come. The World Bank issued a challenge to all oil producers to join global efforts on reducing gas flaring by 2017.

Saudi Aramco was one of the five platinum sponsors, along with BP, Chevron, Statoil and Total. The theme of the forum was “10 Years of GGFR Partnership — Scaling up Flaring Reduction & Gas Utilization for Development.”

Gas Operations vice president Ahmad A. Al-Saadi delivered a keynote address on "10 years of GGFR partnerships — The Saudi Aramco Journey."

"In line with the GGFR Partnership, Saudi Aramco and the Saudi Arabian government are cooperating closely to redirect flared associated gas and to optimize this valuable resource’s beneficial uses," Al-Saadi told a crowd of more than 200 forum delegates. "But to reach that point, we first had to overcome challenges like virtually eliminating flaring while continuing to meet the global demand for crude oil. I believe our approach is worth sharing, as a strategy for organizations addressing similar concerns."

Al-Saadi later took part in a panel debate along with senior representatives from the World Bank, Chevron, Statoil and the Minister of Hydrocarbons from the Republic of Congo.

At an awards banquet, Saudi Aramco garnered a special award for "Excellence in Gas Flare Reduction Program." Al-Saadi accepted the award on behalf of the company and recognized all those parties who contributed to the program and brought it to its successful fruition.

"Saudi Aramco has been a pioneer in terms of reducing flaring and developing gas utilization projects, and thanks to their visionary policies, they have not only successfully avoided millions of tons of CO2 emissions, but they have also created thousands of jobs, by developing a huge gas related industry," GGFR manager Bent Svensson said of the company. "This is a model for other countries in their approach to gas flaring reduction."

For further information on the GGFR or World Bank: www.worldbank.org/ggfr