GE is introducing a wide range of advanced technologies to boost the oil & gas sector operational efficiencies at the ongoing Middle East Process Engineering Conference & Exhibition (Mepec) 2013 in Bahrain.

This demonstrates the company's commitment to strengthen support to the regional industry, said a statement from GE, which is also the diamond sponsor of MEPEC 2013.

GE Oil & Gas and GE Digital Energy will be presenting their most-comprehensive showcase of the newest products and technologies, including advanced turbomachinery, for application in gas-to-liquid, natural gas liquefaction and gas-reinjection, which are regarded as the key growth areas for the industry, it added.

GE will also present its customer training initiatives that will further strengthen the skills of oil & gas sector professionals in the region.

In addition, GE is the sole sponsor of the Student Program, a new component of the exhibition and conference, which aims to engage and enrich graduates and undergraduates in the region.

To further encourage young graduates to pursue rewarding careers in the oil & gas sector, GE will also introduce the Young Engineers Panel (YEP!) at MEPEC, following the overwhelming response to the initiative last year in the UAE. The panel will offer tremendous insights on career opportunities in the industry through thoughtful and productive dialogues with the participants.

Rami Qasem, the president and CEO of GE Oil & Gas for the Mena and Turkey region, said: "With significant capacity expansion and new projects coming online in the oil & gas sector of the region, the industry is gearing up for a new wave of productivity with a focus on strengthening its operational efficiencies."

"Mepec serves as a strong networking platform that brings together all stakeholders to discuss industry trends and work together to meet the goals of the regional governments in driving the oil & gas and energy sector development," he stated.

This year's Mepec is envisaged to add value to the process industry through smart engineering and manufacturing solutions and operational excellence.

The new technologies complement the current pace of growth of the industry, with petrochemical capacity in the GCC countries expected to increase by 46 per cent to 113 million tonnes per annum, according to an estimate by the Gulf Petrochemical & Chemicals Association

To meet the growing demand for energy, the region plans to invest in 113 power, water and energy projects, valued at over $180 billion, according to the World Energy Council.

“Through our participation, we are addressing the key theme of the event – meeting future challenges through engineering excellence – with a focus on demonstrating our advanced technologies as well as emphasizing on local talent development," explained Qasem.

"GE’s global experts will also share their learning with the participants highlighting our commitment to knowledge transfer in the Middle East region, one of our key markets where we have a history of over 80 years of operational partnerships," he added.
 
Besides showcasing its innovative solutions for the energy industry, GE executives will also be presenting technical papers on the innovative technologies and R&D initiatives of GE Oil & Gas.

Eric Gebhardt, the VP of Engineering at GE Oil & Gas, will present a keynote address on ‘Manufacturing Excellence and Localization’ tomorrow (September 30) from 8 -10am, and Robert Hultz, the regional executive for Mena region of GE Water & Process Technologies, will participate on a panel discussion on ‘Shale Oil & Shale Gas: Retooling Process Technologies’ on October 2 from 2-2.20pm.

Key presentations will be made by GE professionals covering the offerings of GE Oil & Gas in the petrochemical arena, and a technical session on measurement and sensing on September 30 and October 1.

The Student Program will be officially opened by Qasem, who will also interact with student participants on his experience in the industry on September 30 from 11-11.30am.

GE’s Global Talent Recruitment team will engage the students on a wide range of topics including career navigation, power networking, how to impress the recruiter, personal brand and social media on October 2.

GE is also nominating its women professionals for the Leadership Excellence Awards for Women (LEWA), another integral part of Mepec 2013 in the Rising Star category.

A world leader in advanced technology equipment and services for all segments of the energy industry, GE Oil & Gas, has established a strong footprint in the Middle East region, with its core competencies being an ideal match for the regional industry requirements.

Among the key areas of service offered by GE Oil & Gas include support for drilling and production, LNG, pipelines and storage to industrial power generation, refining and petrochemicals.-TradeArabia News Service