Middle East Heavy Oil Conference comes to Bahrain

The Gulf region’s biggest stakeholders in the heavy oil industry, including private sector operators and governmental organizations, gathered in Bahrain this week for the two-day Middle East Heavy Oil Congress (MEHOC).

Bahrain Minister of Energy and Chairman of the National Oil and Gas Authority Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza delivered the keynote speech Wednesday to open the conference in Manama.

MEHOC explores key issues facing the heavy oil industry such as technological advances, environmental concerns and oil exploration. Other items on the agenda include updates to refineries, diversification and better production methods.

The conference also looked at case studies from heavy oil producing nations, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Venezuela, to investigate new methods for exploration and production of heavy oil. Oil production in Canada’s tar sands was also on the agenda, with industry representatives from Alberta at the the congress.

The event is supported by Bahrain’s National Oil and Gas Authority, Bahrain Petroleum Company, Tatweer Petroleum and the Kuwait Oil Company.

DMG Global Energy organized the event and called MEHOC "a perfect platform for regional and global heavy oil experts to exchange views on heavy oil developments, the latest technologies in this sector, challenges facing major companies in this respect as well as the many opportunities the region represents."