The Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) is a frontrunner for allocation of an additional 95 million cubic feet of gas to be used for plant capacity expansion, it has emerged.

Oil and Gas Affairs Minister and National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mirza said the Noga board will soon discuss demands from several companies, including the GPIC, for the additional gas so that they could implement expansion projects.

'The GPIC is, no doubt, a frontrunner,' he said after a visit to the company's Sitra facility.

'The expansion project has been planned already and is awaiting the allocation of gas. Once that is decided, it can go ahead,' he added.

The minister said the expansion, which will nearly double the company's existing capacity, will also mean at least 250 more jobs being created at the company and 2,000 contractor jobs during the construction process.

Dr Mirza said the efforts of the company management in keeping the company profitable and at the forefront of being environmentally-friendly, had borne fruit. 'It is today one of the best-managed companies in the world that everyone in Bahrain can be proud of,' he said.

The minister said efforts of company employees had also contributed to realising these achievements and enabled the GPIC to achieve international recognition.

'Bahrain's leadership gives a lot of importance to the GPIC and to other Bahraini oil companies since they are concerned with nationals' employment,' he said.

GPIC general manager Abdulrahman Jawahery briefed the minister on the company's operations and said the visit was an opportunity for him to have a look at the facilities.

'This visit is historic since it is the first after Dr Mirza's re-appointment as oil and gas affairs minister,' he said.

Jawahery also conveyed the greetings of company chairman and the Premier's Adviser on Oil and Gas Affairs Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa to Dr Mirza.

The minister was briefed on the company's achievements in the areas of production, safety, marketing and environmental protection.

Dr Mirza also laid the foundation stone for an Olive Oasis being set up at the complex.

The oasis will include 500 olive trees and will be an addition to the environmental projects set up by the company.

The minister also visited the Princess Sabeeka garden and the medical herbs and plants garden and planted a palm tree.-TradeArabia News Service