BUSINESS3Gulf Times

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

RasGas sets industry-leading record in safety featRasGas has said it has set an

“industry-leading” record by achieving 130mn man-

hours without a lost time injury (LTI) at Ras Laffan.

The company is celebrating the latest feat to build on its re-cent 100mn LTI-free record set in December last year, which was described as “a testament to Ras-Gas’” ongoing commitment to worker’s welfare through employ-ment of stringent safety strate-gies, systems, and processes.”

“More than 30,000 construc-tion workers from 45 countries achieved the 130mn manhours LTI-free feat, making safety a way of life,” RasGas chief ven-ture officer Nafez Bseiso said.

“We hosted a well-earned, three-day celebration with en-tertainment, scrumptious din-ners, and raffle draws in honour of the 30,000-strong multi-na-tional workforce that made this milestone possible,” Bseiso said.

He said senior representatives from the Ministry of Labour, Supreme Council of Health, Na-tional Human Rights Commit-tee, Qatar Petroleum, RasGas management, project manage-ment team, main contractor, and JGC management also joined the festivities.

Bseiso said “workers’ wellbe-ing is a vital part of responsible

project execution and that Ras-Gas sees no room for compla-cency when it comes to the well-being, and safety of its people.”

“This outstanding record sur-passes all previous safety records both in Qatar and the region and can be considered world-class

by all standards. Achieving this level of performance does not happen overnight. It is the result of our passion and belief in the capabilities of our project man-agement teams, contractors, and subcontractors to consist-ently implement rigorous safety

programmes and set very high standards,” said Bseiso.

He said RasGas aligns its safety performance with inter-national practices, including standards established by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the

International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP).

Compliance with standards are validated through rigorous independent audits and assess-ment programmes.

The Barzan Project’s onshore construction site has more than

30,000 workers from 45 nation-alities, who speak in different languages and come with var-ied experiences and work back-grounds, he explained.

“We care for our multi-na-tional workforce and we work hard to integrate them into our

core values of safety and in-tegrity. Successfully manag-ing such a large workforce on a three-square kilometre complex project site and working at a rate of 2mn hours per week makes this achievement truly remark-able,” said Bseiso.

GCC lenders well-positioned to build on online banking trends, says SeetharamanDoha Bank group chief executive officer

Dr R Seetharaman delivered a pres-entation on changing trends in global

economy at a regional conference hosted by Bahrain’s Ministry of Finance.

At the conference, entitled “Financial Pro-fessionals - Partners in Nation Building,” Seetharaman spoke before regional bankers and finance professionals from various indus-tries on the “Future of Banking in 2020.”

Seetharaman highlighted the emerging trends in banking industry by explaining that “the old attitude, which cantered on tradition-al banking services, proprietary products, and less differentiation is shifting towards a new attitude in which we analyse needs and differ-entiate, collaborate, and diversify.”

Providing insights into the impact of dig-ital banking, Seetharaman said “The mobile device will be the world’s primary connec-tion tool to the Internet in 2020. According to Mc-Kinsey, the number of digital banking consumers in Asia would reach 1.7bn by 2020, with China, India, and Asean seeing the big-gest gains.”

“The local GCC (Gulf Co-operation Coun-cil) banks are well-positioned to build on a solid online banking trend. In the next five years, GCC region online services are expect-ed to triple and online sales to new customers to increase fivefold. This will enable banks to emphasise on small outlets rather than full-fledged branches,” he stressed.

He also highlighted on retail and wealth management in 2020 and said “Fiscal problems will reduce social support services from fed-eral, state, and local governments. Individu-

als will become responsible and accountable for most risk-related decisions in the areas of financial planning, retirement, insurance and healthcare.”

“Women in 2020 will be financial decision makers as businesswomen and consumers. According to PwC, the rise in the volume of

investable assets is set to increase to $102tn by 2020,” Seetharaman said.

“The US economy is recovering and the euro area and the UK indicate signs of recovery. There is slower growth in emerging econo-mies however, they still contribute to global growth,” Seetharaman said. “There is increas-

ing global attention in developing Asian re-gions. There are growing voices from emerging economies and their demand for more equita-ble positions.”

According to Seetharaman, removing “bottle-necks of global trade liberalisation” and enabling all countries to participate in the global economy is the “biggest challenge” for all countries.

“The use of the yuan has been increasing with China having a programme to interna-tionalise its currency by allowing the yuan to be used to settle cross-border trade. There are evolving partnerships amongst countries to cope up with global competitiveness and threats,” he stressed.

Seetharaman also provided insights into changing trends impacting the financial serv-ices industry. He said “The regulatory realign-ment is happening in the financial services in-dustry. The costs of regulation and competitive pressures will lead to industry consolidation.

“The need to improve scale advantages, spread increasing regulatory costs over a larger base of business, and lower costs by improving efficiencies will result in more mergers, acqui-sitions, and industry consolidation,” he said.

Seetharaman emphasised that through partnerships and collaboration, smaller and mid-sized players will provide the breadth and depth of services customers require at an af-fordable cost.

Non-traditional competitors will occupy a significant space in the financial services in-dustry. Some of the non-traditional players in financial services industry include Walmart, Virgin Money, Deutsche Postbank AG, and UK Post Office, he noted.

ExxonMobil wins ‘Innovation Award’ for HSE excellenceExxonMobil took home the “Innova-tion Award” during the Qatar Oil & Gas Industry HSE Excellence Awards 2013, organised by Qatar Petroleum (QP) yesterday.ExxonMobil Qatar president and general manager Bart Cahir received the award from HE the Minister of Energy and Industry, Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada.“As a long-term partner of Qatar Pe-troleum, we are thrilled to receive this important award of distinction,” Cahir said.He added: “At ExxonMobil, we are deeply-committed to sustainability. The Remote Gas Detection System can potentially improve the safety of our people, the integrity of our facilities, and the protection of the environment – ele-ments that are fundamental to success-ful operations both now and for future generations.”The HSE excellence awards recognise outstanding programmes in health, safety, and environment being imple-mented in Qatar’s oil and gas industry, while promoting continuous improve-ment and the sharing of best practices in the field of HSE. Three organisations from among QP’s

joint venture partners, contractors, and within its business units were also recognised with awards for outstanding efforts and overall contributions in 2013. The winners each received a trophy and a certificate of HSE Excellence. During the awarding rites, al-Sada explained that safety, health, and envi-ronmental protection are more than just “valuable attributes” of business and represent an organisational commit-ment aligned with the national vision of the government.“The Remote Gas Detection System, which was fully-developed and com-mercialised through ExxonMobil Research Qatar at the Qatar Science and Technology Park with patents pending, was designed to improve process safety and environmental performance at any facility where oil and gas is produced, processed, transported, stored or sold,” Cahir said. He added: “The goal of this technology is to deliver an early warning alert of hydrocarbon leaks by pairing infrared camera detection technology with a sophisticated computer algorithm that analyses camera images for hydrocar-bon plumes and then notifies opera-

tions personnel.” Cahir explained that when fully deployed, the Remote Gas Detection System can improve process safety by alerting personnel to larger leaks that could potentially lead to hazardous situations and also identify-ing smaller leaks that can be repaired. It reduces “fugitive” hydrocarbon emis-sions to the environment, improving Qatar’s air quality. “This system is a step forward in mitigat-ing risks in a plant environment, which is a top priority for ExxonMobil in Qatar and at our operations areas around the world,” said Dr Andy Wigton, research director at ExxonMobil Research Qatar.He added: “By continuously and au-tonomously scanning for hydrocarbon emissions, we can potentially improve process safety and enhance environ-mental performance.”He further said ExxonMobil is committed to addressing the challenge of sustain-ability by balancing economic growth, social development, and environmental protection “so that future generations are not compromised by actions taken today. Essential to achieving this balance is sound scientific research and data col-lected with accuracy and integrity.” Cahir (right) receiving the award from HE al-Sada.

RasGas officials lead the ceremonial cutting of the cake to celebrate its latest safety feat. Right: Jubilant RasGas workforce gather for a photo.

‘Strong’ Canada delegation to join Project Qatar

Canada will be showcasing its ca-pacity in the infrastructure sector at the 11th edition of Project Qa-

tar “with a strong delegation of Canadian companies,” Canadian Ambassador Andre Dubois has said.

The Canadian Pavilion, organised by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Devel-opment Trade and Employment, will be located at Hall 8, stands E195 to E200, he said.

“Canada’s presence will also be noted throughout the exhibition centre with in-dividual companies showcasing their own pavilions. The Canadian delegation will be holding a networking event at the Four Seasons and B2B (business-to-business) meetings with key contacts in Qatar,” Dubois said.

“As a country at the forefront of trade pro-motion and development, Canada is a world leader in infrastructure projects,” he said. “We are continuing to pursue our ambitious trade expansion plans for Qatar and we are also actively promoting Canada as a partner of choice in Qatar’s infrastructure needs.”

Canadian firms, according to Dubois, are involved in various Qatari infrastruc-ture projects such as The National Library (construction), Al Warka Hospital (con-struction, waterproof roofing materials), Arab Center for Research and Policy Stud-ies (design), new hospitals under HMC (construction and management consult-ing), Al Waab City (facility management), Lusail Marina (design and construction), W Hotel (design and construction), Phase 1 of the Msheireb Development (construc-tion), Twin Tower on the Pearl (design); and Lekhwiya Stadium (design).

“Ontario is pleased to partner with the government of Canada in this important construction event and our companies look forward to building long lasting and prosperous relationships not only in Qatar but throughout the Mena region,” the On-tario Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment said.

Seetharaman: Women in 2020 will be financial decision makers.