Dr Mirza, on the sidelines of the Bapco’s Process Control and Instrumentation (PC&I) Expo held at the Bapco Club marking two decades of success for PC&I Department, told the 24X7 News that he held talks with his Indian counterpart Jaipal Reddy, during the 20th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) recently held in Doha, Qatar.
Dr Mirza highlighting the existing co-operation between NOGA and Indian Oil Companies said India being one of the largest energy markets would continue to be a primary focus for Bahrain to explore further opportunities in oil and gas sector beyond the import of manpower from India.
“We want to enhance the existing co-operation as part of a strategy by possibly adding the crude, finished oil products and the modernisation project of Bahrain’s refinery in the upcoming levels of bilateral co-operation. The meeting with Indian Oil Minister was very helpful especially by discussing and understanding the needs and areas of co-operation in oil and gas sectors between the two nations,” Dr Mirza explained.
The Indian Petroleum Minister during his meeting with his Bahraini counterpart Dr Abdul Hussain Bin Ali Mirza discussed possibilities of Indian investments in Bahrain oil projects and of greater supply of crude oil to India.
Dr Mirza said Bahrain also invited Indian oil companies to take up new projects available after restructuring of the oil and gas sector in the country.
It was said crude production in Bahrain has now increased by 50% which has earlier seen to decline. India sought more supply of crude oil on term contract.
On the sidelines of the WPC Indian Minister of Oil held series of meetings with his counterparts around the world to explore new opportunities for domestic oil companies and investments and the outcome had been positive.
Dr Mirza during his speech at the WPC talked about energy solutions from the Middle East and to discuss projects, future plans for the oil and gas sector and cooperation between the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) and international oil firms and the Kingdom of Bahrain’s attractive facilitation to overseas investments and the solutions which contribute to growth of the energy sector worldwide.
The Minister of Energy said that the Kingdom of Bahrain’s participation in the WPC’s Conference was an explicit translation of the of the wise leadership’s keenness to boost the Kingdom of Bahrain’s accomplishments and representation at regional and international functions as manifested in NOGA’s executive strategy for this purpose.