FUTURE VISION
SNOC has several ongoing projects and is focused on ensuring they advance according to plan.
BIOGRAPHY
Hatem Al-Mosa has more than 30 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry. He received his bachelor's degree with honors in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University. He started his career with Amoco Sharjah Oil Company as a plant engineer and has held various engineering, operations, and integrity management roles in Amoco, BP, and Crescent Petroleum. He joined SNOC when it was established in 2010 as technical control manager and subsequently operations manager. He was appointed CEO of SNOC and Secretary General of Sharjah Petroleum Council by Amiri Decree in 2015.How has SNOC evolved in the last two years?
SNOC made significant progress in advancing all its strategic projects over the last two years. This includes new exploration activity in the Emirate, the Sharjah LNG Project, gas storage, and diversification into downstream markets. On exploration, SNOC completed a seismic survey of nearly 900sqkm onshore, which paved the way for the launch of a bid round for exploration. The bid round was successful, and three onshore areas were awarded to oil and gas major ENI early in 2019. Significant progress was made on all aspects of the Sharjah LNG import project toward achieving final investment decision (FID) on the project in 2019. A gas storage pilot project started in 2017, and plans are to start up the full project in 2021. SNOC also started diversification efforts into the downstream market by delivering all its LPG production to the local markets with plans to expand into other markets.
How did you choose ENI, and what are you looking from this partnership?
The bidding round was managed by SNOC on behalf of the Sharjah Petroleum Council. It was executed through a fully transparent and structured approach. ENI provided the most competitive bids, enabling it to win all three areas. We are pleased with the outcome, as ENI is one of the top-10 largest integrated oil and gas companies in the world. SNOC is also well established in Sharjah's gas sector, and by combining our local experience and ENI's international experience, this partnership will produce great results.
What have been your recent initiatives regarding the gas storage pilot you are currently developing?
We have already started a pilot project for gas storage, with the intention to commission Phase I of the storage project by end of 2020. We see this as a strategic energy security project for the country, and we are open to partnership with other national oil companies on it.
What environmentally sustainable options are on the horizon for the oil sector, and how do you seek to implement these?
Reducing our impact on global warming has been high on our agenda since 2000. We have managed to reduce our methane emissions and flaring levels by more than 90%. We track and report our greenhouse gas emissions. I personally support a phased approach to eventually replace all fossil fuels usage with renewables; however, until we get there, gas remains as the cleanest fossil fuel with the least impact on the environment.
Are you planning any new bids in the near future?
Our plan is to continue to launch bid rounds for other open areas in Sharjah. Our experience from the last round has taught us that one has to do their homework to achieve success. If we just open up areas without the proper planning, then we will either get poor bids or no bids. For example, for the latest bid, we conducted a full seismic study costing millions of dollars; we used the latest technology and put in place strict quality control measures to make sure we produce high-resolution seismic data. We made the data available to all the bidders and declared we would operate Block B to demonstrate how confident we are about Sharjah's potential. Similarly, we have to invest time and money in other open areas to ensure that future bid rounds are equally successful.
What are your major plans, vision, and priorities for the coming year?
Alongside the Sharjah LNG project, we are working on our other major plans. The exploration just started, and since it is a 30-year concession, the management of these three concessions constitutes a major part of our mid-term and long-term plans. Another important goal is gas storage. In 2018, we set ourselves a target to have gas storage facilities by 2021; that remains our target, and its establishment is planned to take place by end-2020.
FUTURE VISION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Interview
Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry is encouraging firms to undergo “smart transformation" when digitalizing their operations or introducing Industry 4.0 technologies.
read articleSpotlight Feature
Making a Difference
Sharjah has long been a pioneer in the fields of culture and education since the beginning of the UAE. Thanks to His Highness' continued focus on culture, there has been an ongoing effort to focus on educating the youth and families, encouraging greater interest in the arts, fostering social harmony, appreciating diversity, and nurturing a more mindful generation.
read articleGuest Speaker
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka , Under-Secretary-General , UN & Executive Director of UN Women
Freeing women from the fear of domestic violence and opening up opportunities for them in business is not just about doing the right thing, but also serves as a potent formula for economic growth.
read articleInterview
Taher Abu Laila , Senior Director of Northern Emirates, Consolidated Engineering Company Khatib & Alami (K&A)
The concept of smart cities is yet to be fully realized, but K&A is pioneering the adoption of digital services and working with the public sector to move toward a smarter future in an organized way.
read articleFocus: Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park
A Walk in the Park
Working toward becoming an information economy, the UAE is cashing in on the high-tech dividend, and homing in on the Emirate of Sharjah, kudos goes to the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation (SRTI) Park.
read articleInterview
Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan , Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority & Sharjah Healthcare City (SHCC)
The digital revolution underway in the healthcare sector has not skipped over Sharjah, affecting everything from patient records and software-enabled diagnostic systems to telehealth, robotic surgery, and e-pharmacy.
read articleInterview
Khalid Jasim Al Midfa , Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA)
Niche desert lodges, water parks, huge new infrastructure projects, and a world-class architectural restoration project are but a few of the things putting Sharjah on the global tourism map.
read article