Thursday, January 1, 2015Issue 43 Published by The Bahrain Petroleum Company B.S.C. (Closed)

Bapco Sponsors Injaz Bahrain Programme

As part of its ongoing efforts aimed at

fostering programmes and activities of Injaz

Bahrain for development of the national

calibre and providing Bahraini youth with

a wide range of opportunities which help

them acquire new skills and experiences

to fulfill the needs and requirements of

the labour market, the Bahrain Petroleum

Company (Bapco’s) Chairman of the Board

Mr. Adel Khalil Al-Moayyed recently

received H.H. Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa

Al Khalifa, Executive Director and Board

Member of Injaz Bahrain. The meeting

was attended by Bapco’s Chief Executive

Dr. Peter Bartlett. During the meeting, Mr.

Al-Moayyed presented a cheque to HH

Shaikha Hessa, expressing Bapco’s pride

in sponsoring programmes and activities

of Injaz Bahrain which mainly aim at

supporting the Bahraini youth and helping

them acquire new skills in the labour market.

Bapco’s initiative is in line with its national

role and responsibility towards Corporate

Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavours,

and is also part of its continued efforts in

supporting the youth sector and fulfilling

the aspirations of serving the kingdom.

Also present at the meeting were Mrs.

Badriya Naqi, Deputy Executive Director

of Injaz Bahrain, Mr. Saeed Abdulrahman,

Manager - Awali Services & Acting

Manager – Public Relations in Bapco, and

Mrs. Khatoon Ansari, Bapco’s Coordinator

for Injaz Bahrain.

His Excellency Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza, Minister of Energy paid a visit to Bapco at the Refinery on Tuesday 23rd December 2014. Upon arrival, HE the Minister was welcomed and received by the Board Chairman Mr. Adel Al Moayyed and members of the Board. HE the Minister met with the Board of Directors and Executive Management and was updated on Bapco’s key achievements during 2014 and its major projects including the Modernization Project. HE the Minister shared his views on the market environment and outlook and

key areas of emphasis for the oil & gas industry, in addition to reviewing with them the challenges of this industry in the coming years. HE the Minister expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to the Wise Leadership for its valued support to this sector. He also thanked the Minister of Finance, HE Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohamed Al-Khalifa for his dedicated efforts in fostering the oil & gas sector. Following the visit, the Board of Directors held its regular meeting and discussed the items listed on the agenda, and a number of actions were taken during the meeting.

HE Energy Minister Visits Bapco and Reviews

Development

HE Minister of Energy visits Bapco stand at

MAINTCON 2014

Bapco recently participated in the 3rd Middle East Maintenance Conference and Exhibition 2014 (MAINTCON) which was held under the kind patronage of HE the Minister of Energy, Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza from 7 to 10 December at the Gulf Convention Centre in Manama. After the inaugural ceremony, HE the Minister visited the Bapco stand which featured the latest developments and services offered by the company. After the visit, HE the Minister h ailed the dedicated efforts of the company in in upgrading the maintenance sector in compliance with the latest

technologies worldwide. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Bapco’s Chairman of the Board, Mr. Adel Khalil Almoayyed, Deputy Chief Executive (Refining & Marketing) Mr. Ebrahim Talib as well as members of the Bapco Management. Bapco’s Chief Executive, Dr. Pete Bartlett participated in MAINTCON 2014 as one of the key speakers. Bapco’s participation in the event was in line with its continued efforts to enhance its regional and global presence, towards fostering the image of the company as a leading industrial entity.

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Bapco, gold sponsor of the 3rd Middle East Maintenance Conference and Exhibition 2014 (MAINTCON), has actively participated in the conference held during period December 7-10, 2014. In this regard, Bapco’s Chief Executive, Dr. Peter Bartlett was one of the keynote speakers of the conference. He delivered an inspiring and challenging message to all attendees. His prime message was in line with the theme of the conference “The Maintenance & Reliability Gateway”, discussing some of the challenges facing the industry. He referred to the massive future investment in the energy sector with the challenges facing organisations and maintenance in particular. He stressed on the importance of moving from

the reactive to more proactive mode with the aim of having zero incidents, improved reliability and availability, and optimised maintenance cost. He also referred to the importance of embracing maintenance and reliability at the initial stages of new projects and referred to different practices and tools that could be deployed. He further added “As experts, we need to accelerate our efforts to exploring best practices across industries, not just within them. We need to more

actively promote best practice exchange. We need to work more closely with colleagues in the front end of project work to ensure that the assets and practices we deploy in our new facilities are designed with the operability, safety, maintenance and reliability end game firmly in mind. This

meant involving maintenance and reliability professionals in major project teams right from the start and ensuring that all the requirements for ensuring reliability and safety and optimising life cycle cost are included in the project design from the conceptual stage right through to commissioning and ongoing operation of the plant.” Mr. Ebrahim Talib, Deputy Chief Executive (Refining & Marketing) also participated in the conference as a member of the Advisory Committee, where his guidance contributed significantly to the success of the conference. Mahmood Mirza, Conference Vice-Chairman & Bapco’s Manager- Shutdown & Major Maintenance, opened the first day of the conference where he was the moderator of the keynote speeches. Samah Al Hammad from OEMS group presented a paper titled “Operational Governance to Sustain Operational Excellence”, Nitin Kulkani from Central Reliability Engineering presented a paper by Ram K. Goyal from Risk Management titled “Which of your 100,000 equipment assets are eating up your maintenance budget”, Abhay Chandakar from Maintenance Services Department presented a paper on Performance & Reliability improvement of Critical Machines using Advanced Tools, and a paper by Atil Gurhan from Central Reliability Engineering was presented on Reliability Challenges of a Wharf Fire Fighting System.

Bapco Actively Participates in MAINTCON 2014

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Annual Long Service Awards Ceremony Held to Recognise Loyalty & Dedication of Employees

Al Basta Fair Co-Sponsored

In line with its ongoing efforts aimed at fostering the concept of community partnership and enhancing the sustained growth and development of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Bapco’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Adel Al Moayyed recently paid a visit to the

Southern Governorate and met with its Governor, HE Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Khalifa. During the meeting, Mr. Al Moayyed expressed Bapco’s pride in co-sponsoring the Al Basta Fair organised by the Southern Governorate with the support of Tamkeen and other establishments of the Kingdom of Bahrain. He also hailed the dedicated efforts and achievements of the Southern Governorate in supporting the various activities of the society, and underlined Bapco’s role in fostering the concept of community partnership and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in serving the aspired goals of the Kingdom. Present at the meeting were the Southern Governorate Director of Accounts, HE Shaikh Khalid Khalifa Al Khalifa and Bapco’s Manager - Public Relations Mr. Ali Yacoob Al Meftah.

The ISO 14001 re-certification audit was successfully carried out in Bapco from 23 to 25 November 2014 without any non-conformances. The three-day audit was conducted by five auditors from well-known international firm, Bureau Veritas (BV) covering 24 different areas within the Refinery, Sitra and Wharf. In addition, the scope of ISO 14001 certification was extended to include the Marketing Division and Gas Distribution Network. A number

of observations and opportunities for improvement were identified in the audit. A detailed action plan will be developed to address these findings. ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard for Environmental Management System designed to achieve compliance and continual improvement in environmental performance. Bapco was first certified in 2009 and now has been re-certified for another 3 years.

Successful Completion of EMS ISO 14001 Re-Certification Audit by Bureau Veritas

The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) held recently its Annual Long Service Awards Ceremony 2014 to honor a number of its employees who have completed 30, 35, and 40 years of continued service in Bapco. The ceremony was held at the Bapco Club in Awali, and was attended by the Chief Executive Dr. Pete Bartlett, Deputy Chief Executive Refining & Marketing, Mr. Ebrahim Talib and members of the

Executive Management, as well as a number of Bapco’s employees and awardees. Dr. Bartlett expressed thanks & appreciation to the awardees for their dedication and loyalty in serving the goals of Bapco for numerous decades. Later, certificates of recognition were presented to awardees in recognition of their continued dedication and diligent efforts towards the development and progress of the company. Bapco’s

long service awards ceremony is one of the major calendar events held annually to recognize the hard work & dedication of its loyal employees who are the corner stone of its aspired progress & prosperity in oil industry both locally & globally. Bapco attaches prime attention to developing its human calibre, in addition to recognizing their continued dedicated efforts towards its aspired development.

A coordination meeting was held between the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) and the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE). Bapco was represented by its Chief Executive, Dr. Peter Bartlett and Deputy Chief Executive & Chairman of Environment, Health & Safety Committee (EHSC) Mr. Ebrahim Talib. SCE was represented by its Chief Executive, Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Bin Daina. Also present at the meeting were members of the Executive

Management and environment officials from both sides. The meeting discussed key environmental issues and reviewed Bapco’s efforts in preserving the environment through the accomplished Environmental Compliance Program in accordance to the environmental legislations and regulations in Bahrain through a number of its significant purely environmental projects including the $120 million Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) project, which applies the

Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR) Technology and others which all aim at further improvement of the environmental performance of Bapco. The meeting also reviewed the latest developments of Bapco Modernization Programme (BMP) and discussed aspects of joint cooperation with SCE in order to ensure that all environmental requirements are fulfilled prior to the construction phase. Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Ebrahim Talib underlined the importance of such coordination meetings with official agencies and expressed pride in fostering close relationships with partners of sustainable development of the kingdom with SCE. “Bapco is committed to complying with the directives of the Wise Leadership regarding the environmental legislations of the kingdom, and the company exerts its utmost efforts in launching key initiatives & programmes which enhance environment compliance as per the national and international standards” he said. Mr. Talib also hailed the dedicated efforts and accomplishments of SCE under the leadership of SCE Chief Executive, Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Bin Daina in preserving the environment in the kingdom.

Bapco Attends Co-ordination Meeting with SCE

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Marking the anniversary of the establishment of the modern state of Bahrain as an Arab and Muslim country in 1783 by its founder Ahmed Al-Fateh, the 43rd Anniversary of its accession to the United Nations (UN) as a full member and the 15th Anniversary of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa’s Accession to the Throne, the Bapco Toastmasters

Club (BTMC) has celebrated the two occasions during its regular meeting no. 178. The meeting was held on Wednesday December 17, 2014 at the Bapco Club in Awali in a festive atmosphere. The theme of the night was presented as “National Day”, where a number of historical achievements were discussed in addition to Bahrainis’ patriotism. BTMC President,

TM Waleed Othman, expressed best wishes to the Leadership, Bapco and non-Bapco Toastmasters members, and honourable guests. Master of Ceremonies (MC), TM Hussain A. Karim, ran the meeting which included four sessions; Introduction of TMs with role, Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality (SHEQ) moment presented by TM Khalid Abdulla, Prepared Speeches which included speeches presented by TM Sarah Faqihi titled “My Drums”, TM Saleh Ali Saleh titled “Overdose”, and TM Shaikha Ahmed titled “Keep Going”. Following the “prepared speeches” session, each speaker received a constructive evaluation from the speech evaluator providing points of improvement and recommendations for future speeches. The meeting also included the Table Topic session, which is a session of impromptu speaking and is the most challenging part of a Toastmasters meeting. The Topics master declares the

question or topic briefly and then calls on a respondent. Each speaker receives a different topic or question and participants are called on at random. Furthermore, the Public Relations team organised a short movie clip celebrating the occasion, which was screened during the club’s business session. The movie had three main segments which addressed the diving era and education system, Discovery of Oil and Bapco’s prominent role in fostering the national economy, and the role of women in the workplace. At the end of the meeting, BTMC concluded the celebration with a cake-cutting and awarding the winners. For prepared speeches, TM Saleh Ali Saleh was presented with the Best Speaker ribbon, the Best Evaluator ribbon went to TM Ali Shaker, and Best Table Topics ribbon went to TM Ahmed Shukri. The BTMC meeting witnessed a large number of attendees who joined in the National Day celebrations.

A creativity fair was recently held under the kind patronage of Her Highness Shaikha Thajiba bint Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, as part of the celebrations marking the National Day of the Kingdom of Bahrain and within the efforts aimed at fostering the creative activities if the Kingdom. The event was organized by Bapco in collaboration with the Awali Ladies Hospitality Group (ALHG) at the Bapco Club in Awali. Over 100 exhibitors participated in the fair, which aimed at promoting the various creative

talents in the field of art, design, health, nutrition, fashion, accessories and others, in addition to encouraging creative minds to promote their creations. It also aims at fostering the spirit of competitiveness in presenting high standards creative works at the level of the Kingdom. HH Shaikha Thajiba visited the various stands of the fair and expressed thanks to Bapco and ALHG for organizing the highly cultural event. In return, Bapco and ALHG expressed pride in Her Highness’s visit and patronage of the event. The creativity fair is part of Bapco’s ongoing initiatives aimed at fostering the concept of community partnership and

within its CSR role in serving the goals of the Kingdom and its overall development.

With the aim of evaluating the company’s overall resilience in response to emergencies, Bapco held an Emergency Exercise on 25 November 2014. The exercise, code named INJAZ, lasted for 5 hours, exercising level 1 and 2 response of the Bapco Crisis and Emergency Response Plan (CERP), and involved fighting a simulated fire in the Marketing Terminal at Sitra. More than 100 Bapco employees were involved in Exercise INJAZ. “The more we practise, the more confident we become in managing emergencies,” said Mr. Ahmed Khalil, Manager - Health, Safety and Environment. “We have learnt a lot from previous exercises and have managed to further improve our performance in this latest exercise. Our vision is “Striving for Excellence”, and we will certainly utilise what we learn from these kind of exercises to further improve our procedures and resources,” he continued. “Not only did we manage to control the incident during this exercise,

but we also managed to practise our contingency plans for supplying the local market in case of interruption” said Mr. Zakaria Suliman, Incident Commander and

Manager Petroleum Products Sales. “The confidence in our response teams and the effectiveness of the support centre has greatly improved, as we continue to gain

experience in using our CERP.” The exercise observers, from the Emergency Planning College (EPC) - UK, were pleased with the outcomes of Exercise INJAZ and

praised the effective and efficient command of the exercise. “This is proof of the hard work Bapco has put in towards the development of its people and processes,” said Mr. Keith Chamberlain, Exercise Director – EPC. In the final debriefing held at the end of the exercise, in the presence of Bapco’s Senior Management, Mr. Ahmed Khalil also stated, “On behalf of the Bapco Management, I thank all those involved in the preparation and implementation of the exercise. The present resources and the organisational structure should enable us to effectively respond and manage

emergencies. We intend to further improve our processes and practices in this critical area by conducting regular training, drills and full-scale exercises. ”

BTMC Celebrates Bahrain National Day

Creativity Fair Organised in Collaboration with ALHG

Bapco Holds Emergency Response Exercise

Underlining its spirit of innovation and the commitment to fuel the nation’s progress, Bapco has launched a range of advanced automotive lubricants in Bahrain. The company showcased the new range for the first time at a specially organised event at the Bahrain International Circuit on December 10, 2014. The event was held under the patronage of Bapco’s Chief Executive Dr. Pete Bartlett, in the presence of Bapco’s Chairman Mr. Adel Al-Moayyed, nogaholding Chief Executive, HE Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, a number of Board members, Executive Management, senior officials of nogaholding and NOGA, representatives of senior companies and a number of media figures.

The new Bapco Lubricants portfolio includes 12 advanced lubricants covering petrol and diesel engines. For petrol, the range features Bapco Charger Xtreem, Bapco Charger ECO, Bapco Charger RT, Bapco Charger Super Plus and Bapco Charger Super; whereas for diesel, Bapco Frontier Megatek, Bapco Frontier Turbo LD, Bapco Frontier Turbo and Bapco Frontier Super Plus are available.Bapco Lubricants are formulated to meet different manufacturers’ standards so that customers can choose the right lubricant for their vehicle or construction equipment in order to meet their specific requirements in relation to performance, fuel efficiency and protection. The products are carefully designed by a team of highly qualified engineers and scientists at the state-of the-art Research & Development facilities, to provide high performance for an entire spectrum of vehicles encompassing cars, buses, heavy duty trucks, earthmoving

and construction equipment, two wheelers, outboard engines, coastal boats and motorsport track cars.In addition to enhancing engine performance, Bapco Lubricants offer greater cleaning power and more protection against wear and tear, especially at higher ambient temperatures.The mainstream Bapco engine lubricant is the Bapco Charger Xtreem, which is an ultra-modern, fully synthetic motor oil for Turbo Charged petrol engines in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. It is suitable for all driving conditions. Some of the key benefits offered by Bapco Charger Xtreem include more power boost for high performance, more

protection against wear in extreme driving conditions, excellent control of oil thickening, more protection from corrosion and more effective cleaning of the engine.Introducing the lubricants brings a synergy from Bapco as the fuel supplier of the nation. Bapco has been spearheading Bahrain’s progress on all fronts and the company has always been committed to delivering these innovative products to its customer base. A great example of this innovation is our new range of lubricants, which are formulated to meet the increasing demand for superior grade lubricants in the market.“Our lubricant business was set up in 2011 as part of Bapco’s product diversification strategy. Over the past three years, we have been perfecting the lubricants through multi-level testing and market trials. The focus was to create and develop lubricants that perform excellently on all fronts and we are more than pleased

with the outcome,” said Mr Khalid Buhazza, Bapco’s GM - Marketing. Bapco’s ISO 9001:2008 certified lubricant manufacturing facility is fully automated. The blending process complies with all applicable international and regional standards and regulations with a strong emphasis on environment protection. “We have paid special attention to formulating the highest quality lubricants which are on par with the world’s top lubricant brands. Stringent quality control checks are conducted at every stage of the production process, from selecting the base oils, additives and blending with laboratory controls with high quality packaging.”

“Thanks to our quality control measures, Bapco Lubricants conform to international API, SAE, OEMs and other relevant lubricant standards. For example, Bapco Charger Super Plus lubricant uses a special high viscosity index base stock and additive package with characteristics that exceed the requirements of American and European classifications,” continued Mr. Buhazza. “With a wide range of lubricants to choose from, Bapco offers customers the perfect lubricant choices for all types of machines. They truly live up to their brand promise of “The Power for a Great Performance”, Mr Khalid Buhazza concluded.Bapco lubricants are available at leading automobile parts distributors, fuel stations and workshops across the kingdom. The efficient logistics and distribution system of Bapco ensures the uninterrupted supply of Bapco Lubricants at all times.

Bapco Drives Into Lubricants Market

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Bapco Celebrates Bahrain’s National Day in Sakhir Bapco Camp in Full SwingBapco has participated in celebrations marking the National Day of the Kingdom of Bahrain. In this regard, a festive celebration was held by Bapco at its winter camp in Sakhir. The ceremony was attended by Bapco’s Deputy Chief Executive (Refining & Marketing) Mr. Ebrahim Abdullah Talib and General Manager Refining Mr. Haffedh Al Qassab. Over 1600 Bapco employees and their family members attended the National Day celebrations at the Sakhir camp, which commenced at noon and continued until 6pm. The ceremony featured a number of entertainment activities and programmes including children’s games and competitions in

addition to distribution of gifts and food. Sports activities were also organised for attendees, including basketball and football matches in addition to serving refreshments. Commenting on this occasion, Mr. Talib said: “Bapco takes great pride in its active participation in the celebrations marking the National Day of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Bapco family is fully proud to be part of these momentous national celebrations”. “Bapco is committed to continuing its leading role as a key supporter of the national growth of the Kingdom of Bahrain during the prosperous era of the Wise Leadership in Bahrain”, he concluded.

The annual Bapco Camp kicked off this December in Sakhir, in line with the company’s ongoing interest in fostering recreational activities for employees. The camp, which is scheduled to be held throughout the winter, is held on Fridays on a Divisional basis and accepts general attendance on Saturdays. A high-entertainment initiative for

all members of the family, activities include a family area, children’s games, food stalls, on-stage activities, and basketball and football matches, tug-of-war games and so on with winners being awarded. Families turned out in force for yet another edition of the annual Bapco Camp, enjoying a weekend of family fun and enjoyment.

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Bapco Celebrates Bahraini Woman Day Y.V Ramana Retires after Close to 34 Years of Service

The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) has recently celebrated the Bahraini Woman Day as part of the Kingdom’s celebrations marking this significant day which recognises the valuable contributions of the Bahraini woman. The festival was held under the patronage of Bapco’s Chief Executive Dr. Peter Bartlett. Present at the ceremony were members of the Executive Management and Bapco female employees. At the event, Dr. Bartlett gave a brief speech in which he congratulated Bapco’s female employees and lauded their remarkable contributions in serving the Kingdom. He stressed that Bapco recognizes the women’s essential role in building the

Kingdom towards fostering the gains of the Bahraini society. Dr. Bartlett gave some interesting statistics about women in Bahrain reflecting their growing active role in Bahrain’s economy, and showing the leadership’s full commitment to promote women as partners in Bahrain’s development. Bapco fully realizes the role of the Bahraini woman in all domains as a key partner of the overall development of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Bapco’s festival is a historic event and a clear testimony of the role assumed by the Bahraini woman as a key partner in the process of national growth. Upon the conclusion of the ceremony gifts were presented to all female employees.

Bapco Machining Technician Y.V Ramana has retired after a long career with the company which spanned a few days shy of 34 years. Ramana joined Bapco on 30 January 1981 as a Machining Technician, and progressed through the ranks during his time with the company, assuming tasks and roles of higher responsibility over the years. Ramana’s colleagues applaud his

enduring commitment and excellent personal attitude, and his commitment to excellence at work. “Today, we convey our sincere gratitude to Ramana for his longstanding dedication throughout the years of his service, in working to attain the goals of Bapco. With our respect and great appreciation, we felicitate his esteemed efforts and

contributions, and assure him that his remarkable achievements will never be forgotten and will always be cherished fondly by all of us in Bapco. We would like to thank Ramana for his long service with Bapco, and wish him a happy and healthy retirement” said his colleagues, at the retiree’s farewell.

Bapco’s Rod Towns, Specialist – Lifting Equipment from the Shutdown and Major Maintenance Department’s Rigging Section, has retired after a career of 8 years with the company. In this regard, a farewell party was arranged for Rod on 10 December 2014, which was hosted by Mr. Moosa Hammad – Acting Manager – Shutdown & Major Maintenance Department with the attendance of his Superintendent, friends and colleagues. Rod’s colleagues said at his farewell, “Today, we convey

our sincere gratitude to him for his longstanding dedication throughout the years of his service, in working to attain the goals of Bapco. With our respect and great appreciation, we felicitate his esteemed efforts and contributions, and assure him that his remarkable achievements will never be forgotten and will always be cherished fondly by all of us in Bapco.” Rod’s colleagues also wished him a happy and healthy retirement on behalf of the Bapco Management and Company employees.

Rod Towns Leaves Town after 8 Years

Farewell to Security Employees

Bapco has recently bid farewell to two retiring employees from the company’s Security Department, Jaffar Mohammed Ali Al Samahiji, who served the company for a long duration of over 34 years, and Abdul Samad Faraj Baqer Mohammed, who finishes his stint with Bapco at just a month shy of 33 years of service. Jaffar joined Bapco on 23 August, 1980 as a driver in the company’s transport department, and was later transferred to work as a Security Officer in February 1988, before finally assuming the position of Area Security Officer in June 2001. Abdul Samad also leaves the company with a long journey in his memoirs. He joined Bapco first on 8 February 1982 as a Craftsman, then

worked as a Mechanic in the Transport Department and transferred to Security in 1988, where he worked as a Security Officer until his retirement. Bapco wishes both Security employees the very best for their future and thanks them for their concerted efforts exerted during their many years of dedicated service with the company.

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Market Highlights:1. Pointing to a hefty supply surplus without OPEC output cuts or a slowdown in the U.S. shale boom, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and OPEC have both slashed their forecasts for the ‘call on OPEC’ crude for 2015. Both cut their 2015 forecasts by around 300,000 barrels/day (b/d) to 28.9mn b/d, some 1.5mn b/d below current OPEC output.For the global oil demand, the IEA has cut its 2015 demand growth forecast by 230,000 b/d to 900,000 b/d, but left its 2014 forecast unchanged at 700,000 b/d. Global oil demand for 2015 is forecast at 93.3mn b/d, against 92.4mn b/d this year.OPEC also trimmed its 2015 demand growth forecast. It expects demand to rise by 1.12 million b/d next year or 70,000 b/d less than previously thought. Global oil demand for 2015 is forecast at 92.3mn b/d, against 91.1mn b/d this year.2. Riyadh-based Investment bank “Jadwa said in its December report that Saudi Arabia is expected to run a fiscal deficit in 2015 and 2016 regardless of whether the oil price rebounds from current levels of less than $70/bbl. Based on its baseline forecast for Brent oil prices; $85/bbl in 2015 and $83/bbl in 2016; Jadwa project fiscal deficits of 2.7% and 5.7% of GDP for 2015 and 2016 respectively. These deficits are expected to come mainly from lower oil revenues as both current and capital expenditures are expected to remain high.3. Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Limited (SAMREF) has completed construction of major desulfurization facilities at its 400,000 b/d Yanbu refinery in Saudi Arabia. The facilities, which include a new hydrotreater, will reduce the sulfur levels in gasoline and diesel by more than 98%, to 10 ppm (parts per million).4. Kuwaiti state-owned downstream arm KNPC has laid out the bidding deadlines for the 615,000 b/d Al Zour refinery that is scheduled to come online by mid-2019. According to the CE of KNPC, bids for packages one, two and three, which make up the main components of the refinery, are due by 30 January. The winning bidder will be chosen after a two month evaluation. The bids for package four, which includes the tankage, closed on 7 December. Bids for package five, which covers the refinery terminal, are due by 31 December.5. Royal Dutch Shell is understood to have withdrawn from a joint study agreement with state Sinopec for a shale gas block after initial drilling showed limited gas reserve potential. The decision comes after Chevron and ConocoPhillips also opted to discontinue shale gas exploration alongside Sinopec, reflecting the challenges international oil companies (IOCs) face in tapping the country’s shale reserves, which are marked by complex geology, mountainous terrain and a lack of water resources for hydraulic fracturing.6. Jordan has cancelled a third tranche of cash handouts set for payment this month to offset the end of energy subsidies which started in November 2012. Recent oil price falls have eliminated the need, it says. The move will save Jordan around JD70mn ($99mn) from

a total of JD210mn ($296mn) allocated for the full year.7. China has raised consumption taxes on oil products for the second time in just two weeks, as global crude prices continue to fall. After the 12-17% increase on 29 November, taxes have been increased by 17-25% on most products effective 13 December. These taxes are paid by refiners, which then pass the costs on to consumers.The consumption tax on gasoline, naphtha, solvents and lubricants has been increased by 0.28 yuan/litre (5¢/l) to Yn1.4/l, while the tax on diesel, jet-kerosene and fuel oil increases by Yn0.16/l to Yn1.1/l. But the tax on jet-kerosene will not be imposed, as previously, to protect domestic airlines. 8. Shell plans to launch in Saudi Arabia next year an engine oil made using base oils from its Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) venture in Qatar. The move follows the launch of the Shell Helix PurePlus engine oil in more than 95 markets since the end of late last year, including some markets in Europe, and markets in Mideast Gulf like the UAE, Oman, Kuwait and Egypt. 9. Russian oil company Tatneft has started up on 2 December a 186,000 tons/year Group II-III base oils plant at its Taneco Nizhnekamsk refinery. The plant will make Tatneft the largest Group III producer in Russia. Lukoil produces Group III base oils at its Volgograd refinery but its maximum capacity is 30,000 tons/year. Tatneft is expected to export a large share of its production to the Baltic market, and from there for shipment mostly to northwest Europe. Base oils will be available for export from the refinery either in railcars or in flexibags.

Crude:

Current Trends in the Energy Market

Bapco’s Refining Division recognized a number of its employees last month, who completed 20 and 25 years of distinguished service with the company. The ceremony was held at the Bapco Club, where the long serving employees were recognised by GM Refining Mr. Haffedh Al Qassab. Below is a list of names of employees who were felicitated:

25 & 20 YEARS SERVICE AWARD CEREMONYAhmed Yousif Jassim Neamah HS&E (25)Hussain Marzooq Salman Ahmed HS&E (20)

Muneer Eskandar Karam Hussain Jaberi OS&E (20)Ammar Ahmed Abdulla Ahmed Al-Hamran OS&E (20)Mohamed Sadeq Abdul Jalil Ali Hasan OS&E (20)Hadi Sayed Ali Ahmed Al-Musawi OS&E (20)Ameen Sayed Yahya Jaafar Al-Alawi OS&E (20)Abdul Jalil Hasan Mansoor Ali Hasan OS&E (20)Sayed Ali Redha Mohsen Husain Salman OS&E (20)Ali Mahdi Hasan Ebrahim Kayed OS&E (20)

Ebrahim Ali Mohamed Deyab P&U (20)Husain Isa Ali Kadhem P&U (20)

Mohamed Habib Mohamed Abdulla OPD-N (20)Sayed Mustafa Taher Mohamed Hasan OPD-N (20)Jasim Mohamed Ahmed Jasim OPD-N (20)Mahdi Ahmed Husain Kadhem Al-Derazi OPD-N (20)A. Saheb Salman Mohamed Rashed Al Aradi OPD-N (20)Merza Ahmed Hasan Ahmed Madan OPD-N (20)Ahmed Ali Ebrahim Abbas OPD-N (20)Sayed Isa Adnan Ali Naser OPD-N (20)

Abdul Azia Hussain Baqer Hasan OPD-S (25)Jawad Abdulla Mansoor Ahmed OPD-S (20)Husain Ateya Ali Zayer Husain OPD-S (20)Ali Khalifa Madan Ali Al-Musalli OPD-S (20)

Mohamed Fardan Hasan Fardan A. Rasool TSD (20)

Mahdi Ahmed Mahdi Mohamed OS&E (20)Ali Isa Abdulla Yusuf Fakher OS&E (20)Isa Ali Hassan Abdulla Al Tooq OS&E (20)Ahmed Nabhan Rashed Nabhan OS&E (20)Husain Mirza Saeed Abdulla Arab P&U (20)Yusuf Amralla Qadratalla Jaafar TSD (25)

Refining Division Recognises Long Serving Employees

Thursday, January 1, 2015 Thursday, January 1, 2015 1514 1514 Environment, Health & SafetyEnvironment, Health & Safety

Safety Alert

Contractor Employee Stung

Safety AlertWharf Lab/Berth Operator Injured his

Right Leg While Closing a Valve

Bapco’s EHS Committee held its monthly meeting for the month of December, and the following issues were discussed:• There was no Lost Time Injury (LTI); however, there was one Non-Lost and 2 First Aid injuries during November 2014. We achieved 5 million hours without an LTI on 23rd November 2014 which is equivalent to approximately 179 safe working days. The next target of 8 million hours without an LTI can be achieved during March 2015 by remaining focused and using all the tools available to us such as “4 Keys to Safety” and “Osool Bapco” to prevent all injuries.• There was a small fire in No. 4A CDU on Sunday 7th December 2014 at 08:30 hrs during a planned maintenance activity on the unit heater (22F1B, burner No. 8 strainer). A technician suffered a minor superficial injury which was treated in the Refinery Clinic. Bapco staff responded immediately utilizing the available firefighting equipment to control the fire while the unit was safely shut down to protect employees and Bapco assets. All the necessary repairs were completed and the unit was put back in service on 8th December 2014. A team has been formed to thoroughly investigate the incident in order to identify the root causes and recommendations to prevent recurrence in the future.

• 2 minor Process Safety Incidents which have been PSE tiered were recorded during November 2014. YTD there have been 296 process safety related incidents out of which 3 have been classified as Tier 1 incidents. We must remain focused on PSM to reduce the process safety related incidents as the potential consequences of these could be catastrophic.• There were 5 vehicle accidents during November 2014 all involving Bapco drivers. YTD there have been 96 vehicle accidents compared to 79 in 2013. The computer based training package for defensive driving for 200 staff will be introduced by early next year.• The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) now stands at 6.9 versus the target of 7 which is the highest so far this year. Well Done to all and keep up with the efforts to achieve continual improvement in our environmental performance.• An update on the activities of the EHS Week Organizing Committee was presented and good progress is being made to hold the EHS week next year • A presentation on the development of a sustained well-being programme in order to maintain a healthy workforce was made, the EHSC endorsed the proposal.

Key Issues discussed at EHSC Meeting on Tuesday, 9 December 2014

GENERAL INFORMATIONLocation: Lunch Room, North of LSFO Nature of Incident: Sting Date of Incident: 4 December 2014

INCIDENT DESCRIPTIONDuring a scheduled break period, a Contractor employee sitting on a bench with his back against the wall was stung by a scorpion near his right elbow. The incident took place in the lunch room North of LSFO.

EARLY LEARNING POINTS• Check surroundings for any abnormal conditions

• Stay alert all the time, never take things for granted

• OSOOL Bapco #8: Always address abnormal conditions and never let them become normal

IMMEDIATE ACTIONS• Contractor employee was taken to the Refinery Clinic and received medical attention.

• Public Health inspected the lunch room in question for any more hazards.

• Pesticide was sprayed in all lunch rooms and operation areas.

CORRECTIVE / PREVENTIVE ACTIONSAll gaps and cracks, abnormal openings in the floor, walls and ceiling are to be sealed to prevent entry of any insects or similar creatures.

• Good Housekeeping must be maintained all times

• Lessons learnt to be disseminated to Bapco & Contractor employees during upcoming Safety meetings

With the festive season on, sweets are bound to be everywhere and you would most likely be indulging in a little more than what is good for you! Read on

Have a little of what you crave, because it can help you steer clear of feeling denied. But make sure you aren’t consuming too many calories.

Stop at once. Cutting out all sugary food might actually work for some people, although the first 2 to 3 days

are the toughest. Some people find that following this method helps their cravings diminish after a few days, while others find they may still crave sweets but are satisfied with less.

Combine foods. If the idea of stopping at a cookie or a baby candy bar seems impossible, you can still fill yourself up and satisfy a sugar craving, too. “I like combining the craving food with a healthful one,” Neville says. “I love chocolate, for example, so sometimes I’ll dip a banana in chocolate sauce and that gives me what I’m craving, or I mix some almonds with chocolate chips.” As a beneficial bonus, you’ll satisfy a craving and get healthy nutrients from those good-for-you foods.

Grab some gum. If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings.

Reach for fruit. Keep fruit handy for when sugar

cravings hit. You’ll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness, while consuming foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Have them handy so you reach for them instead of reaching for sugary foods.

Choose quality over quantity. “If you need a sugar splurge, pick a wonderful, decadent sugary food,” But keep it small. For example, choose a perfect dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized candy bar, and then eat it slowly. Don’t swear off favorites -- you’ll only come back for greater portions. Learn to incorporate small amounts in the diet but concentrate on filling your stomach with less sugary and healthier options.

Eat regularly. Waiting too long between meals may set you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger. Instead, eating every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you avoid irrational eating behavior. Your best bets? Choose protein, fiber-rich foods like whole grains and produce.

Webmd.com

Curb those Sugar Cravings!

Symposium: Spinning Heads and Blacking Out

Dizziness, vertigo and syncope (fainting) are complex subjects but very common medical problems seen in our daily clinical practice. The patient is naturally anxious and often too worried about what could be causing his or her symptoms.

These symptoms do affect patients’ quality of life to an extent that they develop a phobia that restricts many of their hobbies and activities as well as socializing, with the fear of embarrassment.

There is a wide range of differential diagnosis for the above of which some may be of very benign nature while others may be potentially serious and even life-threatening.It is therefore important that such patients have a proper triage so that they are referred to the right specialty for further management.

On the contrary, it has been seen that these patients are referred from one specialty to another without any fruitful outcome. They may undergo tests that are not only costly but perhaps also unnecessary.

It has been shown through studies that almost 50% of these patients can be diagnosed about the cause of their problem just from thorough, careful and methodical history and physical

examination alone.

Further training for medical staff and awareness amongst general public is required.

A multi-specialty symposium was organised by Dr. Syed Raza, Consultant Cardiologist, Awali Hospital at the Sheraton Hotel, Bahrain on 1 December 2014. This was a unique symposium where experts from different fields such as Cardiology, Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry, ENT and General Practice met under one roof to discuss and debate the current trends and evidence in the management of the above disorders.

GENERAL INFORMATIONLocation: Sitra Wharf No.5 Berth Nature of Incident: First Aid Date of Incident: 13 November 2014INCIDENT DESCRIPTIONAt 2325 hrs, while Wharf Operations Lab/Berth Operator was engaged in closing an isolating valve at No.5 Berth Hose Rig, the grating tilted under his foot causing him to fell backward and injuring his right leg.EARLY LEARNING POINTS

• OSOOL Bapco #2: Always work in a safe and controlled condition. • OSOOL Bapco #4: Always follow safe work practices and procedures and insist on others doing the same.

• BOOST ICB #1.3: Eyes on Path. IMMEDIATE ACTIONSA brief safety talk on the consequences of the above incident was communicated to the shift personnel on site CORRECTIVE / PREVENTIVE ACTIONSLessons learnt to be disseminated to all Wharf Operations staff during upcoming Safety meetings.

Smog is a kind of air pollution, originally named for the mixture of smoke and fog in the air. It results from large amounts of coal burning in an area and is caused by a mixture of smoke and sulfur dioxide.In the 1950s a new type of smog, known as Photochemical Smog, was first described.Smog is a problem in a number of cities and continues to harm human health.Ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide carbon monoxide are especially harmful for senior citizens, children, and people with heart and lung conditions such as emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma.It can inflame breathing passages, decreasing the lungs’ working capacity, and causing shortness of breath, pain when inhaling deeply, wheezing, and coughing.It can cause eye and nose irritation and it dries out the protective membranes of the nose and throat and interferes with the body’s ability to fight infection, increasing susceptibility to illness.

Hospital admissions and respiratory deaths often increase during periods when ozone levels are high.8 hour average ozone concentrations of 85 to 104 ppbv are described as “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”, 105 ppbv to 124 ppbv as “unhealthy” and 125 ppb to 404 ppb as “very unhealthy.” Smog can form in almost any climate where industries or cities release large amounts of air pollution.However, it is worse during periods of warmer, sunnier weather when the upper air is warm enough to inhibit vertical circulation. Smog is especially prevalent in geologic basins encircled by hills or mountains.It often stays for an extended period of time over densely populated cities or urban areas, such as London, New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Houston, Toronto, Athens, Beijing, Hong Kong, the Randstad or Ruhr Area and can build up to dangerous levels.

Smog and its Environmental Effects

Thursday, January 1, 2015 Thursday, January 1, 201516 17

Just De-light-ful!

Come January, it’s Grand Slam Season! Candy Cane, Anyone?

• Awali was decked up last month as is the annual custom, with beautiful lighting arrangements marking Bahrain’s

43rd National Day and the subsequent festive season all the way until the New Year.

Oil & Gas News

State-run Vietnam National Petroleum Corp. (Petrolimex) and JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp., a subsidiary of JX Holdings Inc., have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly develop a 10 million-tonnes/year refining and petrochemical complex to be located in Van Phong Economic Zone in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam.The MOU, which sets out principles for strategic cooperation between the two companies, was signed in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Dec. 19, Petrolimex and JX Nippon said in separate statements on Dec. 22.

As part of the agreement, the companies will obtain a license to set up a joint venture intended to revise a project feasibility study for the refinery, according to the MOU.The agreement also calls for the companies to gain approval for JX Nippon to become a strategic shareholder of Petrolimex through a share issuance package.Legal work for the share issuance and joint-venture license is scheduled to be completed by mid-2015, Petrolimex said.A timeframe for the development of the integrated petrochemical complex was not disclosed.

Southwestern agrees to second Marcellus acquisition this month

Vietnam, Japan sign MoU for grassroots Vietnamese refinery

Southwestern Energy Co., Houston, has agreed to acquire 20% of the Marcellus shale assets belonging to Statoil ASA for $394 million.The assets encompass an additional 30,000 net acres producing 29 MMcfed of natural gas as of October in West Virginia and southwest Pennsylvania. The deal increases Southwestern’s overall working interest in the assets by 5.8% to 73% and decreases Statoil’s interest by 6% to 23%.The transaction, expected to close in first-quarter 2015, comes a day after Southwestern closed on its deal with Chesapeake Energy Corp. to acquire 413,000 net acres, 1,500 wells, and related property, plant, and equipment in the

Marcellus and Utica shales for an adjusted purchase price of $4.975 billion (OGJ Online, Oct. 14, 2014). That built upon an earlier purchase of 162,000 net acres in the Marcellus, including Susquehanna County acreage, from Chesapeake (OGJ Online, Apr. 30, 2013).Combined with the acreage acquired from Chesapeake, Southwestern will hold 443,000 net acres in the play. Earlier this month, the company acquired 46,700 net acres in northeast Pennsylvania from WPX Energy Inc. (OGJ Online, Dec. 3, 2014).John Knight, Statoil executive vice-president for global strategy and business development, commented from his company’s perspective, “I am delighted that we have concluded this important transaction with Southwestern despite the turbulence in today’s energy markets.”Statoil entered US shale in 2008 by forming a Marcellus joint venture with Chesapeake, and since 2011 has been transitioning from a non-operator to an established unconventional operator.Statoil entered the Eagle Ford in 2010 (OGJ Online, Oct. 11, 2010); entered the Bakken in 2011 (OGJ Online, Oct. 17, 2011); and acquired operated acreage in the Marcellus in 2012 (OGJ Online, Dec. 19, 2012). Ogj.com

• Novak Djokovic of Serbia is jubilant after outlasting Spain’s Rafael Nadal in the championship match of the 2012 Australian Open tennis tournament. Djokovic was crowned champion after emerging victorious in the longest final in tennis history, winning the five set slug-fest 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 in 5 hours and 53 minutes of high-octane tennis. The Serbian is the number one tennis player in the world today.

Memorable Moments

The 2015 Australian Open is around the corner, as the tennis grand slam season kicks off with the Grand Slam of the Asia Pacific scheduled to be played from 19 January to 1 February 2015. The Aussie Open tournament, which has been described as the “Happy Slam” several times in the past, is the players’ first major bid into taking a lead in the race to the year-end championships.2014 champion Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland is still in robust form after a year of leaps and bounds, currently ranked Number Four in the world. “Stan the Man”, as he is commonly knows as to the tennis world, will take to the courts of Melbourne Park

to defend his title but on the women’s side, a brand new champion is bound to be crowned after 2014 winner Li Na announced her retirement from the tour in September last year. Prime contenders include 18-time Slam champion Serena Williams, Russian Career Slam winner Maria Sharapova, rapidly rising 2014 Roland Garros runner-up Simona Halep and others.This year, the 103rd edition of the tournament will also motivate players to play better with a total prize purse busting at the seams with $36.3 million dollars, a massive 10 % jump from last year. Men’s and women’s singles champs will take home a cool $ 3 million in prize money.

At a Cinema Near You...• After the Battle of Gallipoli in 1919, an Australian farmer, Connor

played by Russell Crowe, travels to Turkey to find his 3 missing

sons. While staying at a hotel in Istanbul, he meets Ayshe (Olga

Kurylenko), the hotel manager and and tries to find a way to Gallipoli.

• Bollywood legend Aamir Khan and A-list actress Anushka Sharma star

in blockbuster PK, with performances from Sushant Singh Rajput and Boman

Irani. The movie tells the tale of PK, an alien who is stranded on earth when

the remote to his spaceship is stolen.

A candy cane or “peppermint stick” is a cane-shaped hard candy stick associated with Christmas. It is traditionally white with red stripes and flavored with peppermint; but is also made in a variety of other flavors and colors.Legend has it that in 1670, the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany handed out sugar sticks among his young singers to keep them quiet during the long Living Creche

ceremony. In honour of the occasion, he had the candies bent into shepherds’ crooks. In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard of Wooster, Ohio, decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes. It wasn’t

until the turn of the century that the red and white stripes and peppermint flavors became the norm.

Thursday, January 1, 2015 Thursday, January 1, 201518 19Social Page

Bapco Basketball Championship 2014-2015

Medical Milestones in the Early Days

Clockwise from left: Awali Hospital Staff (1947), 20 years of Awali Hospital (1957), Opening of TB Hospital (1958) and Bahrain Haj Medical Mission

As part of its continued support to sporting activities and its annual tradition, the Bapco Sports Committee has organised a Divisional Basketball Tournament for the 2014-2015 season, for the third consecutive year. This year, the organisers have decided to expand the scope of the tournament to include teams from outside the company in order to enrich the tournament and increase excitement. An invitation has been sent to other industrial companies under the nogaholding umbrella. New teams in the tournament include Tatweer team and GPIC team, who will be joining the existing Bapco teams, which include teams from Maintenance, Refining, Engineering and HR & Administration. Matches will commence by the end of December 2014 and the league will continue until June 2015 at the Batelco Club’s basketball hall in Hamala. The organising committee is chaired by Mr. Abdul Redha Haqiqi, Chairman of the Bapco Sports Committee and members

include Mahmood Dashti, Nabeel Meamary, Jaffer A. Redha and Hassan Ghuloom.The photograph shows the Bapco Maintenance team, winners of the championship for the 2012-2012 and 2013 – 2014 seasons.

Solution

Number Block PuzzleTry to fill in the missing numbers. • The missing numbers are integers between 0 and 9.• The numbers in each row add up to totals to the right.• The numbers in each column add up to the totals along the bottom.• The diagonal lines also add up the totals to the right.

It is that time of year again when people draw up a long list of things they want to do in 2015, and which they forget by the end of January. For me these include losing weight and going to the gym!

However there is one resolution we all need to make and stick to, and that is to recycle more in 2015.

Why? The landfill space in Bahrain is running out and yet we as consumers throw out more and more rubbish. Packaging from our on line shopping, plastic bags from the supermarket, cans, bottles, paper, and plastic containers (eggs, milk, water bottles). Then there is the less obvious stuff- food waste (fruit and vegetable peelings, chicken bones, meat bones) garden waste (grass, weeds, and hedge cuttings), books, magazines, cardboard boxes, flipchart paper, and unwanted clothes.

Yet all of these things can be recycled. In Awali there are 3 sets

of recycling for charity bins (see photo) by the community pool/ back of the church, at the back of the Bapco club and opposite PR. The recyclables in these sealed bins are sorted here in Bahrain and sold and a donation is made to local charities for each bin emptied. They take paper, plastic, cans and coloured and clear glass. By having similar bins in your house saves time sorting it out at the bins. If you have unwanted magazines pass them to the dental surgery or Awali Hospital for people to read in reception.

The grass and garden and food waste (except fish and meat) can be composted with layers of paper or cardboard and shredded paper. Add recycled water to keep it moist and in three months you have great organic compost for your garden. Hopefully that has given you a few ideas. Wishing you all a happy environmentally friendly new year!

Neil Porter

What is your New Year resolution? FICTION

NON-FICTION

List of New Books at Awali Library

TITLE

I CAN’T BEGIN TO TELL YOU

THE SECRET PLACE

UPSTAIRS AT THE PARTY

THE SKELETON ROAD

THE BEEKEEPER’S DAUGHTER

THE TAXIDERMIST’S DAUGHTER

COLORLESS TSUKURU TAZAKI AND HIS YEARS OF PILGRIMAGE

A PERFECT LIFE

THE PAYING GUESTS

TITLETHE ICEBERG

THE MOTH - 50 EXTRAORDINARY TRUE STORIES

GREAT JOURNEYS - TRAVEL THE WORLD’S MOST SPECTACULAR

ROUTES

PRIMROSE BAKERY - CHRISTMAS

AUTHOR

Elizabeth BUCHAN

Tana FRENCH

Linda GRANT

Val McDERMID

Santa MONTEFIORE

Kate MOSSE

Haruki MURAKAMI

Danielle STEEL

Sarah WATERS

AUTHOR Marion COUTTS

Neil GAIMAN (Introduced by)

LONELY PLANET (PUB)

MartHA SWIFT

NO.

7730

7732

7734

7735

7736

7737

7739

7745

7746

NO.7749

7750

7754

7755

As you can see above, many areas in Bahrain

are enveloped in fog early in the morning these

days. Switching on your headlights and driving

at a safe speed are highly recommended while

driving in such conditions. Enjoy your winter

and drive carefully!

Pictures by: Neil Porter

Fog in Bahrain

Thursday, January 1, 201520

• A monthly newspaper issued by The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) • Editorial: Dinesh Ramanathan Photos: Duaij Khalifa Design: Sanjeeb Roy

Bapco Interdepartmental Bowling LeagueMohammed Ali scores High Series

Week 10 of the Bapco Interdepartmental Bowling League was played on Monday, 1 December 2014 at the Bapco Club, producing the following results: Tatweer beat Engineering, with Mohammed Ali of Tatweer scoring 254 for High Game and 702 for High Series for the week. From Engineering, Abdul Hadi Al Baggali managed to score 227 for High Game and 627for High Series. Retirees overcame Projects 6-2. During this match, Mahmood Oumran of Retirees scored 255 for High Game, while colleague

Saoud Al Wazeer scored 567 for High Series. From the opposition, Hassan Kamal Hubaishi managed to score 232 for High Game and 622 for High Series.Refining 6-2 to Production with the latter’s Talal Yousif scoring 230 for High Game and 639 for High Series. From Refining, Mazen Al Zayed scored 227 for High Game and 598 for High Series.Security won 6-2 against Marketing, with Ghassan Abdulla of Marketing scoring 261 for High Game for the week and 607 for High Series. From Security, Hassan Ahmed Qaed scored 246 for High Game and 632 for High Series.Ladies and Land team scored 4 point each, with Ladies’ Naziha Ahmed bagging 227 for High Game and 593 for High Series. From Land team, Salah Salem snapped up 204 for High Game, while his colleague Abdulla Al Aydi scored 554 for High Series.For the following week, the Ladies team were scheduled to play Engineering, Projects were to take on Tatweer, ITD to play Retirees, Refining vs. Security and Marketing vs. Production. Land team received a bye.

Awali Golf Club hosted a stamina testing competition; the Russell & Memorial Trophy played over 36 holes on Friday and Saturday last, 5th and 6th December. The long established competition awards the Russell Cup and prizes to those with the best aggregate gross score, while the Memorial Trophy and prizes are awarded to those with the best aggregate net score. As prizes for the gross scores are not common for normal club competitions, this event attracts some low handicap players not regularly seen competing at Awali.The day’s events were sponsored by Awali Golf Club’s primary sponsor, Bapco and prizes were presented by the Company’s Chief Executive, Peter Bartlett.A closely fought battle at the top saw Hamed Salem demonstrating his consistent , quality play to win the Russell Cup with a total of

142 Gross (Day 1: 72, Day 2: 70) edging out Khalid Salem into runner up position with 143 Gross (Day 1: 71, Day 2: 72). Close on the Salem brothers’ heels, Ebrahim Al Hashel came home in third place with 144 (71/73), Diab Sagar Al Noaimi in fourth place also with 144 (70/74). Medals were presented to those with the best gross on each day: Diab Sagar Al Noaimi capturing that for day one with 70 and Hamad Salem for day 2 with 70.In the prizes for lesser mortals, Abdulla Sultan Faraj was in fine form to win the Memorial Trophy with a net 130 (65/65), runner up, Hamed Salem 134 (68/66), third place went to Reynaldo Alejandro 134 (64/70). Prizes were also presented for the best net score on each day; Reynaldo Alejandro winning for day 1 (64) and Anurag Bajaj claiming the prize for day 2 (65).

Russell Cup and Memorial Trophy at Awali Golf Club

The inaugural Crown Worldwide Stableford competition was held at Awali Golf Club on Friday 12 December, with Andy McInnes, General Manager of Crown Worldwide›s Bahrain office, awarding the prizes. Again demonstrating his continually improving golfing competence, teenager Eid Adel Naseeb won with an incredible 46 points, well clear of the rest of the field. Of particular note was Eid›s performance on the back-nine: scoring a gross-37 (8-under a playing handicap of 20). His winner›s spoils were accompanied by a 5-shot handicap cut in an attempt to allow some other players to make it to the winner’s podium this season. In the distance, Ali Danesh claimed the runner-up position on 38, Joan Martin in 3rd place also on 38 but losing on countback. Nicky Park led the next three players home all with 37, Sultan Ahmed in 5th place and Abdulrahman Abdulwahed in 6th place. Applauded by those at the post-golf prize presentation, Crown Worldwide had specified that prizes could only be collected by those present. Thus, because two of the first six placed players were absent, their prizes were re-allocated: in 7th place Sun Kyu Kwak on 37 was invited to step forward, but was also

absent, leaving 8th-placed Maeve O’Tuama (36) and 9th-placed Sang Oak Nam (36) recipients of prizes much to their surprise. Prior to the announcement of the winners, past Captain Steve Brown announced the donation of charitable funds raised at last season›s Bahrain Open Championship to the chosen worthy causes. This was shared between Bahrain Mobility International and the RIA School for special-needs children, with Dreena Rogers and Christine Gordon collecting the donations of behalf of the two charities. Those that had the stamina to remain after the formal aspects of the prize-presentation were then treated to a new experience at the clubhouse and the initiative of one of the Club›s members: that of romantic lighting rather than the overhead fluorescent strip lighting. This change was received with nods of approval even from the stick-in-the-mud old-timers and surprisingly no-one mentioned that they preferred the dentist waiting room ambience that had been the norm for many, many decades. However, another member argued that this change was nothing new as there had been many occasions where those present had enjoyed romantic lighting - every time the power failed and the staff deployed candle-power!

Teenager Strikes Again in Crown Worldwide Stableford

Marketing Team

Mohammed Ali