Rob is based in Abu Dhabi and leads our counsel and delivery for clients throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

He has developed strategic communication and stakeholder engagement programmes in the GCC and wider Middle East since 2001. With regional experience in the corporate sector (the latter part of his 10-year career with Shell was spent in the Middle East) and as a diplomat (as Middle East Energy Adviser to the UK Foreign Office between 2006 and 2008),

Rob is an expert in B2B and B2G reputation management across the Arab world. Rob now advises some of the region’s largest, most dynamic and highest-profile companies. Working for foreign multinationals as they invest in the region, locally-based government-backed and publicly-listed companies as they invest internationally, and numerous complex joint ventures between the two,

Rob helps them to earn, maintain and expand their licence to operate. Rob is a regular speaker on corporate reputation risk. He has a first class honours degree in Commerce from the University of Birmingham (UK).

Captain Farhat Imam began his career in the merchant navy with Shipping Corporation of INDIA. He joined Neptune Orient Line in Singapore, accruing experience on AFRAMAX, VLCCs, non-tanker container and bulk carriers and assuming responsibility for the Ship Management Operations team. He later played a role in establishing American Eagle Tankers (AET) and helped build a fleet of 38 vessels. After earning a MBA from National University of Singapore, Imam joined RESOLVE Marine Group, Inc., an international marine salvage and emergency response company and leading provider of United States Oil Protection Act of 1990 Salvage & Marine Firefighting Services. As Chief Operating Officer of RESOLVE, Imam leads corporate planning, operations and administration and overseas the OPA-90 division of the company. In the United States, RESOLVE is a leading OPA-90 Salvage & Marine Firefighting Primary Resource Provider. In China, RESOLVE has established a Shanghai based Spill Response Organization joint venture that is certified by PRC MSA for Level 1 response in China ports. Worldwide, RESOLVE is a recognized maritime emergency response company with extensive experience with vessel spills and other maritime casualties -- including the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon spill cleanup.

Richard has worked for Oil Spill Response for 14 years and has completed placements in Operations and Preparedness departments. He has responded to numerous international incidents including the Erika in France and Miss Rodina barge incident on the Amazon, Brazil. During his placement in the Training department Richard worked with various agencies such as ITOPF and the IMO developing and delivering training in many locations including Indonesia, South Africa, Singapore, Siberia, Gabon, Tunisia and Panama. Richard has managed the UK based Operations team dealing with numerous incidents worldwide. In April 2010 Richard relocated from the UK Operations to Bahrain and is the Regional Manager for Oil Spill Response in the Middle East. In 2009 Richard completed a Masters Degree in Disaster Management from Coventry University, UK.

Prior to working for Oil Spill Response Richard worked for 4 years as a commercial diver in the areas of salvage and construction and also completed 11years in the British Army.

Mohammed Al-Ghareebi is the Corporate Security & Emergency Response Manager of Petroleum Development Oman, LLC (PDO), which is the largest E&P operator in Oman. His mandate covers a broad range of emergency response and business continuity responsibilities including the response to oil spills. He liaises national (tier-3) oil spill exercises with the various Government agencies and the custodian of PDO’s oil spill contingency plan. The focus of his keynote speech will be on the importance of managing and aligning external stakeholders so that PDO is well prepared to respond effectively to any oil spill.

Col Sulaiman Albusaidi is a regional expert on the protection of the marine environment based in the Sultanate of Oman, working in close collaboration with both the Ministry of Environment and regional oil industries.

He held the position of Superintendant General of Pollution Control at the Ministry of Environment & Climate Affairs in the Sultanate of Oman from 1997 until December 2011, being directly responsible to His Excellency the Minister for all matters relating to local and international incidents – both on land and sea, and was the co-ordinator for both the Oman National Oil Spill and National Disaster Contingency Plans with other responsibilities including being the Task Force Commander, in the case of oil spills, and coordinating with all relevant government agencies as well as oil and gas industries.

Preceding this civilian career, Col Albusaidi completed his military training at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, UK before returning to Oman to undertake active duties in the Dhofar War. Part of his responsibility at this time was with the special forces operating behind enemy lines. He then spent a period of time with the parachute regiment in Dhofar following specialised training in the UK. After the war ended, he undertook several staff posts within the headquarters of the Sultans Armed Forces, based in Muscat, after which he was made Defence Attaché at the Oman Embassy in London for a period of three years.

After this time, he was seconded into the civilian apparatus as Director General for the Rapid Development of Buraimi and bordering cities of the UAE, a position he held for 5 years. Then, in 1994 he joined the Ministry of Environment as Advisor to the Minister for International Affairs, responsible for all conventions, protocols and ratifications.

Col Sulaiman won the European Environmental Award in 1995 for his services towards the protection of the environment, and is presently a member of “Prevention is Better than Cure” – the UN body set up to help avoid depletion of the ozone and to lessen its impact on the environment. In 2002, he was awarded the Arab Achievement Environmental Award, the top environment award within the Arab world. As well as this, he was the permanent representative to the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment within the GCC, including Iran and Iraq.

Peter Rigby is the Managing Director of Lamor Clean Globe Oman, the market leader in the region for the provision of diversified environmental and emergency response solutions in the Sultanate of Oman. Lamor Oman focuses on Oil Spill Response Management, Hazardous Material Response Management, Confined Space Clean-up Services (e.g. Water Tanks and Oil Tanks), Training (accredited to provide IMO level 1,2,&3 training courses) and Site Remediation (including waste oil, sludge etc and emptying waste oil pits, tanks and containers). Lamor Clean Globe Oman is a part of Lamor Corporation Ab, a Finnish based company which has global operations developing, manufacturing, and supplying best available technology (BAT) oil spill recovery equipment and services.

Mr. Jerry is presently working as Sales & Project Manager for Desmi Ro-Clean. He has done his Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering and has been working in the oil spill industry for the past 10 years. Currently based in UAE and handling all Middle East clients including major oil companies, terminal operators, coast guard, salvage companies & EPC contractors. Actively involved in the promotion of the latest technologies for cleanup operations and assisting in the equipment specification for loading terminals, desalination plants, shoreline response packages and offshore spill response packages.

Capt. Mohammed joined Saudi Aramco in 1991 and he studied Nautical Science in UK, graduated on Dec 1996 from South Tyneside College, and have spent his cadetship onboard VELA tankers. On Jan 1997 he started his training as harbor pilot in Ras Tanura Port. In 2001, he became full clear pilot, then he was trained in the Red Sea Ports operated by Saudi Aramco till he became full clear pilot in the Arabian Gulf and red sea ports operated by Saudi Aramco. 2007 he obtained his master degree from "Newcastle University" in UK. he became Senior Pilot in 2008 till now.

Chad received a B.S. in Physics from Gettysburg College in 1994 and an M.S. in Applied Marine Physics from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Science in 1998 where he investigated extraction of directional wave spectra from VHF radar Doppler spectra. He is a member of AGU and a Senior Member of the IEEE Ocean Engineering Society with over 17 years experience working with developmental and commercial HF Radar systems for ocean monitoring. From 1998 to 2001, he was the HF radar technician for the Innovative Coastal Ocean Network (ICON), a NOPP-funded ocean observatory centered around the Monterey Bay. Since 2001, he has been the Lead Field Engineer and Technical Projects Manager for CODAR Ocean Sensors, manufacturer of the SeaSonde HF Radar ocean monitoring system, located in Mountain View, CA. Chad has managed a number of technology development projects including Rapidly Deployable SeaSonde HF RADAR for Oil Spill Response and Multi-Static SeaSonde® HF RADAR Current Mapping by Ships Underway and has managed radar deployments and installations around the world.

Hussein Harahsheh with 20 years’ experience in the field of geospatial technologies is serving as General Manager of Global Scan Technologies, Dubai, UAE (2003-present). Previously Professor of remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS)/ United Arab Emirates University, project manager and researcher at the Royal Jordanian Geographic Center, and researcher at the Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, Chiba University, Japan. Dr. Harahsheh holds a diploma of Civil Engineering from France (1986) and PhD in Remote Sensing and GIS application from Chiba University, Japan(2000). His research and writing interests have spanned Remote Sensing and GIS application for Environmental analysis and monitoring, Land use, land evaluation and degradation, land resources management, Urban planning, and Oil pollution detection and monitoring. Hussein Harahsheh has more than 45 publications in international reviewed journals and proceedings of Conferences and workshops, and co-author of five books: "Asia 30-second Land Cover Data Set", "Degradation of Dry Lands of Asia", "JICA NET distance education 2005, Remote Sensing & GIS successful application", "Oil Pollution and Its Environmental Impact in the Arabia Gulf", and "Towards Digital Earth".

MSc in Computer Science by the Complutense University of Madrid and MBA by CECO Business School. He has worked during the last 5 years for both public and private entities in technology intensive industries. After a few years working at the System Engineering, Control, Automation and Robotics Research Department of the Complutense University of Madrid, Jorge joined Indra, the premier IT company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe. During his time in Indra, Jorge participated on the development, testing and delivery of the first full flight simulator for the A400M European military-transport plane. In 2008 and after getting an MBA degree, he joined a special Spanish Government Program for International Trade and he was working for the Spanish Embassy in Ankara promoting and giving support to Spanish IT and energy companies willing to invest or sell their products in Turkey. In the last two years Jorge is carrying out an activity with special focus in Business Development and consolidation of HF radar as a core element of Global Ocean Observing Systems as part of the QUALITAS and CODAR Ocean Sensors team.

Geraint has been a member of Lamor Corporation since 2004 in which time he has conducted and coordinated Accredited IMO Level 1 Responder Training for clients in the Middle East, Northern Africa and Indian Sub Continent. As an OSR industry representative he has attended IOSC, INTERSPILL and other regional OSR related conferences, IPIECA workshops, Industry OSR training and exercises in; Oman, Abu Dhabi, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Denmark, Estonia and Finland.

Recent Oil Spill Response experience includes participation in EMSA Baltic Exercises, marine and land based spills in the Sultanate of Oman, and project management during the BP / Deepwater Horizon incident of 2010.

Geraint has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia and Brazil and is now settled in Finland.

Olov Fäst holds a Master of Science in Applied Physics Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.

He joined SSC (Swedish Space Corporation) in 1982 and has since then acquired close to 30 years of experience in the design, development and operational application of airborne systems for oil spill detection and mapping as well as for general maritime surveillance.

Today Olov is the President of the Airborne Systems Division at SSC. Under his leadership SSC has installed more than 30 MSS 5000 and MSS 6000 Maritime Surveillance Systems. These systems are operated on a number of different types of aircraft, typically by government authorities with responsibility for environment, fisheries and border patrol in more than 20 countries in Europe, America and Asia.

Nina Soleng is International Sales Manager at Kongsberg Satellite Services, KSAT in Norway. A world leading company providing services related to polar orbiting satellites; offering support to satellite operators and services based on analysis of satellite data.

She has been 4 years with the company and is currently part of the Earth Observation team with responsibility for maritime applications in new EO markets, where her main focus is the KSAT oil spill detection service.

Sara Coates Sara has a background in the marine environment studying and working as an Oceanographer. She also worked for several years as an Oil Spill Responder where she attended international oil spills and managed a team of responders on site. Sara has conducted IMO level 1, 2 and 3 training, as well as writing all hazards emergency response plans for clients.

Arife Tuğsan İŞİAÇIK ÇOLAK, was born 30.01.1982 in Tarsus, graduated from Tarsus Anadolu Lisesi then graduated from Nearest University Maritime Faculty Dept. Deck with scholarship, She has sea experince more than 5 years, lastly she made service as a Chief Officer with Oceangoing Master degree in UN Roro Shipping Company. After having baby she left trading vessels, now working as a Chief Officer at training vessels of Istanbul Technical University Maritime Faculty, tuzla since Feb 2010, she has graduated master of science education at istanbul technical university maritime faculty . Now she is preparing for her phd.

Mr Brara has over 20 years experience in the field of environment including Oil Spill Response. He has visited many Oil Spill equipment manufacturing facilities and oil spill response centres all over the World to study various alternatives available for deployment and management of Oil Spill Response equipment in a cost effective and efficient manner. He has dealt with Coast Guards of USA, Maldives and India extensively and has been instrumental in bringing into India latest Oil Spill Response equipment for Indian Coast Guard for the very first time.

Mantec Consultants Pvt Ltd under his leadership provides Environmental services covering EIAs & EMPs, Disaster Management Plans, Environmental lab based analysis & research etc. He has worked with Ministry of Science and Technology to help bring in new Environmental friendly technologies into India and arranged for transfer of technology to other countries as well. He is an author of two books and has written many articles on oil spill response related topics which have been published over the years.

Mr. DeBerry is the Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer of BriteWater International. He has thirty-two years’ experience in the oil & gas and petrochemical industry sectors. For the past twenty-nine years, he has worked in roles responsible for developing large gas pipeline, petroleum refining, gas processing, gasification and petrochemical projects, many of these involving new technologies. Mr. DeBerry has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and completed an Executive MBA Program. He has published and presented many technology related papers both domestically and internationally and is the author of patents in unique petroleum industry technology applications.

Sebastian Nokes lives in Dubai and is a partner and Director in Aldersgate Partners, an international management consulting firm based in London, Hong Kong, Chicago and Dubai. Sebastian founded the firm in 1999 after working in the investment banking and high technology fields at Credit Suisse First Boston and at IBM. He is an experienced, senior project and programme manager who also has telecomms experience. He is 47 years old and used to operating in complex political environments. In his work in the Arabian Gulf and elsewhere he has personally dealt at the level of government ministers, heads of the largest trading families, and five star military officers. Sebastian is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (MIEEE). He has formal qualifications in project management and is also the author of a number of books, mostly published by Financial Times / Prentice Hall.

Chemical Engineer, Quality & Environmental Consultant. Working for Fairdeal Group Management for the last 23 years. Started in Marketing & Scientific Support for all the activities of the Group. Then manager of Fairdeal Marine Services Oil Spill Response Center, Internal Auditor & Quality Management Representative. Handling all Quality and Environmental Matters of the Group. Presently Environmental Manager & Director of the Oil Spill Response Center. Fairdeal Run own ships, shipping agents, safety services providers, bunkering, floating deslopping facilities beside the oil spill response activity.

Technical investigations have been made to evaluate the impact of the disposal of produced water from the offshore operations of Qatar Petroleum into the Umm Er Radhuma (UER) aquifer. A comprehensive desk study was performed to collect information on historical ground water quality, injection volumes, operating parameters, geological and hydrological conditions. The following aspects were addressed using a 3D finite element ground water flow and transport model that was adapted to local geological and hydrological conditions.

The effect of produced water (PW) disposal on ground water pressure levels in the UER.

1. The density difference between produced water and UER groundwater and its possible effects on the aquifer.
2. Aquifers risk as a result of the disposal of produced water and the areas affected by continued disposal for 10, 20 or 30 years, considering increasing PW disposal in the neighboring fields.
3. Impact of oil content and the risk of Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPL) formation for the aquifer.
4. The effect of the disposal of produced water on subsurface equipment corrosion.
5. The risk of produced water migration to the surface through leaking wells and well equipment.
   

The following results were obtained from the study:

1. he expected increase of the injection pressure in the disposal wells due to increased disposal rates is found to be of the order of 25% to 60%.
2. Assuming a similar salinity of PW and UER groundwater, migration of PW occurs homogeneously in the UER aquifer.
3. After 30 years PW will spread out from around Halul disposal wells at a maximum radius of 3.5 km. The estimated disposal in UAE has no measurable effect on the ground water flow in Qatar offshore region.
4. Assuming similar TDS for PW and UER groundwater, no PW will migrate towards the Qatar peninsula. Cumulative oil disposal could reach up to 50,000 tons by 2030. Accumulation of free product around disposal wells is most probable and should be monitored.
5. No corrosion was recorded on the outer surface of the casing even in the aquifer zone. So, there is only a minor risk to the well casing and the sealing of the annulus.
6. A risk of PW or oil-phase migration is seen close to Halul Island. Sealing function of Rus and Miocene is possibly disturbed around Halul. It can be assumed that PW will reach Halul Island in the near future.
   

Capt. Ibraheem Joined Saudi Aramco in 1992 then went to Southampton, UK to study navigation at the Warsash Maritime Academy. He completed his studies in 1997 then joined Aramco Pilotage Operation Division. Currently he is working as a Senior Harbor Pilot at the Port of Ras Tanura.

This paper will present a tested and easily utilized method for identifying the sources of hazardous waste, hazardous air emission, and worker safety issues associated with the use of traditional solvents in most Industrial, Oil & Gas and Offshore processes. It will provide a method for identifying potential green solvent substitutes for these processes.

This paper provides examples of successful solvent substitution projects that have been undertaken by recognizable members of the oil and gas industry. By adopting the use of green, non-hazardous solvents in some of their processes, they have successfully reduced hazardous emissions, hazardous waste generation and reduced their carbon footprint.

This paper will present specific guidelines for successfully implementing the adoption of alternate green chemistry in a given process. Chemical characteristics dictate that any solvent that will have a more benign environmental and toxicological characteristic will have different behavioral characteristics as well. In order to account for these differences, it becomes necessary to adopt systematic implementation guidelines for the required substitution. Employing these guidelines will help insure a successful implementation.

These guidelines will include: procedures for analyzing the chemical usage requirements for a given process, as well as procedures for investigating green solvent substitution opportunities in a facility. This includes examination of contaminants, substrates, and follow-on process requirements.

Solvent substitution guidelines include:

• Identification of suitable substitution candidates.
• Engineering and QA analysis of candidates
• Off line testing
• Orientation of technicians and supervisors
• Training employees
• Implementation
• Evaluation