Energy giant Shell is showcasing its latest global technology advancements at the ongoing Middle East Oil and Gas Show and Conference being held at Bahrain, responding to the region's growing energy demands.

Technological advancements will pave the way for reliable and efficient energy supplies in the region, said a top official.

"In the Middle East as around the globe, continued innovation and investment will be required in all forms of energy to find viable and sustainable solutions to keep up with demand, recognising that no single source will be able to carry the load," said  Mounir Bouaziz, Shell VP for commercial and new business development (Mena).

"While oil will remain dominant in the global energy mix for many years to come, countries are also increasingly aware of the need for a diversified local energy mix for sustainability in the long term," he stated.

"Energy sources such as gas, the cleanest burning fossil fuel, can play a central role in this mix, to complement oil, and is already emerging as a major source of growth in energy supply," said Bouaziz during the conference.

With 40 per cent of the world's gas reserves found right here in this region, Bouaziz said gas can be a natural solution, particularly for the many countries that are facing a pressing need to create new sources of power generation.

However, with the region only accounting for 10 per cent of current production, new technologies are needed to unlock this valuable resource, he observed.

During his panel address at the conference yesterday, Bouaziz shared Shell's innovation and progress in this regard, with a special focus on unconventional gas, which constitutes around half of all global gas reserves.

Alongside its latest investments in cleaner technologies such as natural gas, Shell will today showcase solutions focussed on more efficient energy use and reduced environmental impact, as part of its high level participation in the 'Greener Petroleum' panel with Shell vice president for social performance Dorine Bosman.-TradeArabia News Service