Qatar’s Win-Win Energy Project An Interview with Adel Ahmed Albuainain, General Manager, Qatar, Dolphin Energy Limited of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Dolphin highness sheikh hamad bin Khalifa al-thani, the Energy will be a leading and reliable supplier of emir of Qatar; his highness sheikh Khalifa bin clean energy in a socially responsible manner. zayed al-nahayan, president of the UAE and ruler Dolphin Energy will support the development of of abu dhabi; his highness sheikh mohammed substantial long term new industries throughout bin zayed al-nahayan, the crown prince of abu the region creating sustainable wealth, economic dhabi; and his highness sheikh hamdan bin growth and employment opportunities for the cit- zayed al-nahayan, deputy UAE prime minister izens of the region far into the future. and dolphin chairman. many senior ministers of the Qatar government, and representatives of What is the strategic vision for Dolphin Qatar petroleum and our shareholders, mubadala Energy, and what are its plans for the develop ment company, total, and occidental future? petroleum, were also present. our policy involves every step of the Upon completion, how will the Dolphin dolphin value chain: gas production offshore Gas Project impact the economies of Qatar, from Qatar, in our 24 wells; processing of the UAE, and Oman? gas onshore at Qatar’s ras laffan; extraction and the dolphin gas project was created in sale of valuable by-products, such as conden- 1999, when senior officials of the UAE emir- sate and liquefied petroleum gas; transport of ate of abu dhabi began to discuss with the the processed gas through our export pipeline state of Qatar the possible joint development of Adel Ahmed Albuainain across the southern gulf; and the distribution of Qatar’s extensive offshore gas reserves. Qatar’s this gas to our customers across the uae – and role was, and remains, essential – as the sov- Editors’ NotE Prior to assuming his cur- starting in september, to oman. ereign owner of the gas that we process and rent position, Adel Ahmed Albuainain served our strategic vision has been initially fulfilled export and of the land and much of the sea area as Vice President – Projects in Abu Dhabi Poly- by the completion of the construction and commis- where we operate. the cooperation has been mers Com pany (Borouge), seconded from Abu sioning of the dolphin gas project. the remaining outstanding; otherwise such a complex interna- Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) with element of our vision is the plan to expand our tional project could never have been launched. more than 30 years in the oil and gas industry. pipeline throughput to 3.2 billion standard cubic the project is seen as a win-win opportunity for Albuainain has held various project, engineer- feet per day in the future, which is a potential both parties: Qatar receives substantial revenues ing, safety, operations, and senior management increase in gas flow of 60 percent. however, this from dolphin’s purchase of its gas, as well as positions. He served in a number of senior oper- is only possible with the support and coopera- from world spot market sales of the valuable by- ational positions in ADNOC refineries between tion of Qatar government and the emirate of abu products that are separated from the raw gas at 1980 and 1998. dhabi. we are in a strategic alliance with Qatar the processing stage, and the entire construction petroleum, acting on behalf of the government of of the project has been funded by abu dhabi, CompaNy BriEf Dolphin Energy Limited Qatar, thanks to detailed production agreements which receives substantial quantities of natural (www. dolphinenergy.com) of Abu Dhabi, between us. we also have agreements with oman gas to support its planned new industries and United Arab Emirates (UAE), began gas produc- oil company, through which we first bought gas residential communities, at a highly competitive tion in July 2007. This unique strategic energy from oman for Fujairah, and we will shortly be intergovernmental price. initiative involves the production and process- reversing the flow by supplying it. Which of Dolphin Energy’s generous ing of natural gas from Qatar’s North Field and dolphin energy’s policy is very much based charitable contributions and community the transportation of the refined gas by a sub- on working with Qatar as our supplier and with service work in Qatar and the UAE are you sea pipeline across joint UAE-Qatari waters to each of the seven uae emirates and oman, as especially proud of, and why? the UAE. The overall investment in constructing our customers. the total cost of the seven-year as a marine company, we have taken im- the entire Dolphin Gas Project – wells, sea lines, dolphin project is just under $5 billion. portant initiatives over many years to protect processing plant, export pipeline, and receiving Was Dolphin Energy’s May 12th inau- our environment and to help preserve the facilities – has made it one of the largest energy- guration ceremony at Ras Laffan a success? unique maritime resources of the region. this is related ventures ever undertaken in the Middle we were delighted with the number of our the area where we have engaged most heavily East. Dolphin Energy was established as a de- distinguished peers and friends who joined us to and where we are most proud of our achieve- velopment company in Abu Dhabi to implement celebrate at this event. we were honored by hh ments. our pipeline route, for example, twists the Dolphin Gas Project and to undertake other sheikh tamim bin hamad al-thani, Qatar heir and turns. this route was designed to avoid important energy-related developments, such as apparent, who officially inaugurated our new turtle breeding, seabird nesting, and rare coral the Al Ain-Fujairah gas pipeline. This was com- plant, and his counterpart HH sheikh hamdan areas. we have made a modest donation to the pleted in December 2003 and commissioned in bin zayed al-nahyan, the crown prince of world wide Fund for nature to conduct the first January 2004, creating the first ever cross-border abu dhabi. we also want to acknowledge, for ever study of coral reefs across the southern refined natural gas transmission in the history their support and constant encouragement, his gulf from 2005 to 2007.• volume 31, number 3 posted with permission. copyright © 2008 leaders magazine, inc. leaders 59.