 Initiative is led by EPPCO Distribution and Environmental Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) Department

Dubai; UAE, March 10, 2010: As part of its commitment to the highest safety standards, Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) has launched an Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) to deal with industry-related incidents and emergencies.

The Emergency Response Vehicle is ENOC’s first customized ambulance tailored to rapidly and efficiently respond to oil industry-related emergencies such as fires, oil spills and accidents inside terminals, at berths and for tank truck incidents or rollovers.

The strategic initiative for this move has been led by EPPCO/ENOC Distribution in coordination with the Environmental Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) Department. 

Saeed Abdullah Khoory, ENOC Group Chief Executive said that ENOC’s investment in the Emergency Response Vehicle is part of the company’s efforts to drive continuous improvements across operations and commitment to enhance the safety of employees and the public.

“In addition to an emphasis on proactive measures, it is extremely important to have an emergency response, which is being addressed by the new ERV. At ENOC, employee health and safety lie at the foundation of our efforts, and we will continue to invest in improving safety processes,” he said.

“The ERV will minimize risk and enhance on the job safety by having all the necessary equipment for any kind of emergency. It is designed to respond and manage almost every type of incident and under various conditions,” Khoory added.

The ERV will be operated by trained specialists and will carry all portable emergency response equipment and self-sufficient items and can be off-loaded at the emergency site.

Dubai, UAE

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), announced the launch of the Green Building Regulations – Stage II, comprising of a new set of guidelines and specifications, to regulate building standards for achieving efficiency in the use of electricity, water and renewable energy, as part of the “Green Buildings Project.” The new regulations, jointly developed with Dubai Municipality, will be launched during the Water, Energy Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2010), which will be held from 9th of March to the 11th at Zabeel Hall in the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center.

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), said, “The Authority plans to issue the Green Building  power and water regulations in April, 2010, for ensuring the efficient use of electricity, water and renewable energy in Dubai, within the green buildings framework. In the initial stage, all new buildings will be required to comply with the codes and regulations and incorporate them in their construction designs”.

Mr. Al Tayer confirmed that the implementation of green building regulations in Dubai comes in line with the launch of Green Building Project by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai with initiatives and vision that aim at providing for a sustainable urban development. He added, “Dubai will be the first city in the Middle East that officially applies the green buildings standards on its residential and commercial buildings.”

DEWA and Dubai Municipality specified both optional and mandatory regulations in order to make buildings in Dubai compatible with the environmental requirements, which include a set of factors such as; site selection, efficient use of energy and water, quality of materials used in construction, indoor environmental quality, and waste management. These standards and procedures of green buildings will ensure that Dubai will remain a healthy and environmental-friendly city.

“Green Buildings Regulations” aims generally at reducing electrical energy consumption, especially the energy used for cooling, lighting, water heating, etc. In addition, the initiative aims at rationalizing water consumption and the optimum use of renewable energy as well. All these factors will contribute effectively in reducing gas emissions, improving internal environment quality, and will reflect positively on public health. Such factors will increase the life span of buildings and will contribute in the preservation of the ecosystem that will invariably lead to increased productivity and will boost Dubai’s economic development.

Mr.Al Tayer further added, “…. by applying the new regulations, we will be able to reduce energy usage upto about 40%, and the Infrastructure, Land & Environment Committee has approved the launch of the Green Building Regulations -  Stage II..”

Mr. Al Tayer clarified that in coordination and consultation with Dubai Municipality, and through a series of subsequent meetings to determine the role of each in applying green building standards in the Emirate, both DEWA and Dubai Municipality agreed upon the specifications that will be applied into the buildings’ designs. He added “From DEWA’s part, the Authority will ensure the application of energy, water and renewable energy efficiencies. On the other hand Dubai Municipality’s will supervise and regulate the application of other major standards that fall under its jurisdiction.”

Besides other implications of adhering to green building standards, the outcome will also facilitate for the reduction in utility bills. The amount that can be saved from the facilities’ bills alone can cover in the long run, more, than the cost of installation and maintenance.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has finished its preparations for opening WETEX 2010 Exhibition, held in accordance with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the Authority. Mr. Al Tayer concluded, “The Authority took the lead in taking serious steps to reduce emissions of green house gases into our atmosphere, where the climate studies indicated that the situation in the middle east is worse than what was expected, the ‘Green’ technologies that we all have today, can immensely help in the mitigation of global warming and climate change.” 

The joint-venture between Ducab, DEWA and ADWEA appoints Jon Vail as CEO

Dubai, March 9, 2010- Ducab—one of the leading manufacturers of high quality power cables in the Middle East—has announced at WETEX 2010 the appointment of Jon Vail as the CEO of a new company Ducab HV Cable Systems. This comes exactly one year after announcing the formation of the joint venture company in which Ducab has a 50% share with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) each holding an additional 25%. 

The new company will sell cable systems in the voltage range of 66kV to 400kV, covering the highest voltage currently used in the GCC and operating as the first dedicated high-voltage facility in the region. Once fully operational, the company plans on selling over AED 1 billion of cable and associated services annually, approximately 60% of which will be consumed in the UAE.

Andrew Shaw, Managing Director at Ducab, affirms that Vail’s history of working in diverse fields ranging from technical to product development as well as business management make him the ideal candidate  to lead the launch of the Ducab HV Cable Systems.

“It is an honour to be able to serve as CEO of such a young and promising venture,” comments Vail.  “Providing a reliable, local supply of strategically vital HV cables to the Middle East is our ultimate goal, and we look forward to being the only high-voltage facility in the region dedicated first and foremost to reducing GCC dependency on foreign suppliers.”  Vail also confirmed that construction of the new dedicated factory is in progress at the Jebel Ali site and the machinery will start to be installed later in 2010.

Vail will be joining representatives from Ducab and DEWA as the companies showcase their latest technologies and projections during WETEX 2010—Dubai’s foremost water, energy technology and environment exhibition. 

District cooling service in limelight at WETEX 2010 following Dubai’s success in implementing it in most real estate projects

Dubai, UAE, 8 March, 2010: Emirates Central Cooling Corporation (Empower), the largest district cooling service provider in the region, has called on GCC countries to make district cooling service mandatory in its new real estate projects, with the goal of saving energy and preserving natural resources, following Dubai’s success in this area.

The call comes on the event of Empower’s participation in the 12th Water Technology, Energy and Environment Exhibition – WETEX 2010 which will be held under the directive of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 9 to 11, 2010. 

In line with the Exhibition’s aim of spreading awareness of rational consumption orientated towards environmentally-friendly water and energy consumption, EMPOWER said that new real estate projects in Dubai were mostly equipped with district cooling service, with statistics showing that each residential unit  achieved operational saving percentage when using DCS compared with conventional AC technologies between 40 and 45 per cent.  

On display at Empower’s stand at the show is ELIPS wire solutions. ELIPS is the newly established Empower-Logstor Insulated Pipes System and UAE’s largest pre-insulated pipe manufacturing facility, in Jebel Ali.

Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower said: “The $25 million facility caters to the requirements of District Cooling Services and Oil and Gas across the Middle East. District cooling is 50% more efficient than conventional air conditioning solutions; by the farsighted vision of the Emirate, this technology managed to remove a big portion of the heavy load on the electricity grid when demand for cooling is high.”
 
Bin Shafar added: “District cooling is the most eco-friendly air-conditioning technology in meeting the world’s CO2 reduction targets. We urge GCC countries to take UAE’s efforts into DCS as a model. The regional growth in district cooling systems will be huge in the years to come and this is why we participate in such regional exhibitions because we have a role to play in finding ways to integrate this technology across residential and commercial units in the Middle East region.”

ELIPS helps service the critical demand for high quality pre-insulated pipes, especially for district cooling, which is increasingly being seen as the most energy efficient, safe, proven and environment-friendly solution to cool buildings.
 
At the three-day show, EMPOWER will showcase its entire range of products including pre-insulated pipe products.

WETEX not only represents technologies, but also adopts and supports the issues and topics in the field of sustainable development and conservation of the environment.

Bin Shafar said: “WETEX agenda includes discussion of issues and topics focusing on climate change which is global in nature. In this part of the world cooling is essential for more than five months a year, and this make it more imperative to not only take what the modern world has to offer but also go the extra mile by innovating new technologies for the good of our children.”

In line with the Exhibition’s aim of spreading awareness of rational consumption orientated towards environmentally-friendly water and energy consumption, EMPOWER will focus on showcasing the latest standards of environmental conservation for the visitors and participants of its stand and the company will use the exhibition to discuss the latest developments and advancements in the energy industry and exchange expertise with global peers and vendors of world class technologies.

Empower is providing district cooling service to a wide array of projects in Dubai, including Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai Healthcare City, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Culture City, Business Bay and City Of Arabia.

Dubai, UAE; March 4, 2010: Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) has extended its support to Dubai Tennis Championship 2010 as a sponsor for the third consecutive year.

The event held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was held at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.

ENOC’s support to the event underlines the Group’s commitment to partnering in events that bring the community together, said Saeed Abdullah Khoory, ENOC Group Chief Executive.

“The Dubai Tennis Championship is globally regarded as a premier event in the tennis calendar and has contributed to strengthening the tourism calendar of Dubai in addition to driving interest in the sport in youngsters here. Our support to the event, for the third consecutive year, is a mark of our social responsibility to further elevate the global standing of the tournament,” he added.

ENOC supports key cultural, sports and educational events in the UAE regularly.

12th Water Technologies, Energy and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2010) opens on March 9
 
Event calls for combating global warming in the Arab World
 
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 2, 2010:

Press Conference

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority revealed at a press conference held today (Tuesday, 2nd March, 2010) the signing of a series of contracts for mega projects at the 12th Water Technology, Energy and Environment Exhibition 2010 – WETEX 2010.

The show will be held under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and President of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) at Zaabeel hall of Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 9 to 11, 2010. 

The show, which has attracted participation of 23 countries, will emphasize on the importance of adopting best standards in reserving environment as well as discussing latest techniques in energy sectors with specialized companies from around the globe. The show has different sections for national companies and numerous Pan Arab and International companies.

Emphasizing the importance of the exhibition, H.E Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA said: “Since its launch 12 years ago, WETEX has proved to be an important event on the annual calendar of companies working in the energy sector. The show is considered a value addition to the series of events hosted by Dubai throughout the year and it consolidates internationally Dubai’s position on the international map as a centre of modernization and excellence.”

WETEX 2010 will emphasize on the need to take serious steps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. This stresses on the importance of quick action to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, which has increased by 40 per cent between 1990 to 2008, according to international statistics. The Exhibition will discuss over three days the phenomenon of climate change and rising global temperatures, calling for the urging need to develop a new framework to combat global warming. It will also discuss ways of using “green” technology to mitigate the impact of global warming.

WETEX, the first of its kind show in the region, aims to tackle critical issues in Energy Conservation, Water and Electricity, including environmental protection and preservation. It attracts companies who are on the lookout for new technologies and solutions in this field. 

The environmental impact of buildings has become a priority in the Middle East region. It is crucial to further implement sustainable and eco-friendly solutions, such as green buildings. In this respect, DEWA is hosting WETEX workshops to help senior management executives in the water, energy and environment sectors meet renowned industry experts, discuss and debate key issues, including green building and environmentally-friendly technologies, renewable energy, wastewater reuse and the future of the industry in the Middle East region.

Al Tayer added: “We are pleased to say that WETEX has become an international forum that brings under one roof manufacturers, decision makers, executives and clients, offering opportunities for establishing new alliances and strengthening existing business ties.”

Al Tayer added: “The number of ministries, municipalities, government departments and public service associations participating at the show has exceeded our expectations, with more than 490 companies compared to 450 companies last year and these companies represent establishment from 23 countries.”

WETEX not only represents technologies, but also adopts and supports the issues and topics in the field of sustainable development and conservation of the environment. The Exhibition’s agenda includes discussion of issues and topics focusing on the phenomenon of climate change which is global in nature and it has crossed the borders to pose dangers to the whole world.

DEWA has dedicated national pavilions for green buildings systems and electricity and water conservation which will give specialists in this field an ideal opportunity to benefit from best of breed technologies for their projects and facilities.

Al Tayer added: “The show is held under the of H. H. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE & Ruler of Dubai where His Highness has always stressed the importance of conserving the energy resources of the Emirate for sustainable development. This goal cannot be achieved unless all community segments adopt the principles of energy conservation as their core values so that future generations will gain the maximum benefit.”

WETEX will focus on showcasing the latest standards of environmental conservation for the visitors and participants. With leading regional and international participation, it also provides an opportunity to discuss the latest developments and advancements in the energy industry.

National pavilions from Italy, USA, European Union, China and Taiwan are participating in the exhibition. Al Tayer added: “This strong participation proves that Dubai is the preferred destination for all kind of businesses in the region.”

Al Tayer added: “The Symposia and lectures on the sidelines of the exhibition will cover several critical issues in areas of water and electricity generations and conservation.  The programs are designed to help visitors, engineers and technicians from various government and private sectors in the region update themselves on the latest techniques and developments”.

WETEX is a unique opportunity for showcasing products in the fields of water, energy and environment and promotes exchange of experiences and experiments and knowledge sharing.

The exhibition has attracted rapidly increasing number of sponsors. The number of main sponsors has touched 10 compared with 8 last year, where the co-sponsors number reached 9, including local as well as international companies and establishments. 

Dubai, UAE; February 25, 2010: Three lucky winners, Zainab Jams from Somalia, Shegeer and Sachitanandan, both from India, each won AED 50,000 worth in gold, courtesy of Malabar Gold, during Emirates National Oil Company’s (ENOC)  Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) promotional campaign, ‘Win the key to your new life’. Yam Basadur Pun from Nepal, won a diamond set from the same promotion by sending an SMS to 6369.

To enter the weekly draw, customers only had to purchase AED 20 worth of non-fuel products and services from EPPCO/ENOC service stations across the UAE.

ENOC has been a key sponsor of DSF for 15 consecutive years and offers customers the easiest and most rewarding promotions during the Festival.

• Campaign held in cooperation with Al Wasl hospital

Dubai; UAE, February 23, 2010: Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) recently conducted a blood donation drive in association with Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai as part of its commitment to partner in community-oriented activities.

ENOC employees and their family members donated blood at ENOC’s in house clinic located at the ENOC complex. Held regularly, the campaign aims to help save lives by donating blood for patients in need.

Khalid Hadi, ENOC Group Brand and Marketing Manager, said: “Partnering in initiatives that make a difference to the community is part of our ongoing strategy and our cooperation with hospitals through blood donation campaigns helps us fulfill that commitment.”
 
ENOC works with many support groups and community healthcare providers to promote awareness on health issues. The participation in various awareness campaigns and initiatives has helped communities formulate better responses to health concerns through prevention, timely intervention and effective management.

Bruno S Beijer briefed on Empower’s projects in the UAE

Dubai, UAE, 23rd February, 2010: The Swedish Ambassador to the UAE, HE Bruno S Beijer, has said that the current situation offers tremendous potential for developing business tie ups between Dubai based companies such as Empower and Swedish technology vendors.

While visiting Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Emirates Central Cooling Corporation (Empower), a TECOM-DEWA joint venture, Ambassador Beijer praised Empower’s mission in providing Dubai with clean cooling.

He said: “Empower played an instrumental role in Dubai’s transformation towards a more sustainable ‘green’ society. We firmly believe that there is an obvious potential for collaboration between Empower and the many Swedish companies which focus on Environmental Technology. We hope this would lead to more mutually interesting business ties between Empower and the Swedish companies operating in Sweden or in Dubai.”

HE Beijer said: “I am really impressed with what Empower has done in such a record period of time. We discussed in the meeting the possibilities of further cooperation between Empower and the Swedish companies as far as the Swedish technical solutions are concerned.”

Dubai and Sweden has been enjoying cordial relations for several years, and the current time represents even more promising opportunities for mutual business and trade relations.

Bin Shafar said: “Empower always looks at solutions from world class companies and we believe that we need to have more joint ventures with top-notch organisations. Just a month ago, we inaugurated Empower-Logstor Insulated Pipes Systems (ELIPS), UAE’s largest pre-insulated pipe manufacturing facility, in Jebel Ali. These moves not only signify UAE’s drive towards diversification of economy and it also reflects our search for partnerships with international companies.”

Dubai’s success in bringing fresh investments into the Emirate and its investment in new ventures was hailed by the Ambassador.

Bin Shafar said: “Dubai is setting the pace for sustainable building as the only place in the world where all new developments are required to adopt green-building practices. The Government of Dubai as per the directives of HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, ensures that real estate developers create the “highest international standards” of sustainability.”

Environment reservation is always a priority in Dubai where the trend for green living and energy conservation was truly being embraced by individuals and companies alike. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has prioritized sustainable development and this is where Empower is contributing.

Bin Shafar added: “We succeeded in building world class district cooling infrastructure that is considered an ideal economic and environmental solution for residential and commercial units, offices and hotels. In Dubai, residential units  are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of using district cooling system as an alternative to conventional AC systems, leading to energy saving and environment conservation, as well as lower operations and maintenance costs. This is in sharp contrast to lower awareness of its importance in other parts of the Middle East.”

The operational savings percentage in a residential unit compared with conventional AC technologies ranges between 40 and 45 per cent which goes with the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 which places major emphasis on the prudent use of resources to build a solid foundation forming a fertile environment for sustained growth.

Oil company’s offshore workforce to undergo world-class computer literacy certification

February 23, 2010

Zakum Development Company (ZADCO), a major Abu Dhabi-based oil company, has announced that it will extend its 3-year partnership agreement with ICDL GCC Foundation, the governing body of the ICDL certification program in the Gulf Region, to ensure that its offshore workforce has computer literacy training.

The move broadens the 2006 agreement between ZADCO and ICDL GCC Foundation, which established ZADCO’s internal IT training centre as an ICDL Approved Training and Testing Centre. Under the terms of this agreement, the oil company’s new employees are required to obtain the ICDL certification in line with corporate productivity targets. The ICDL GCC Foundation has since been overseeing the delivery quality of the ICDL training and testing; and providing support in the form of courseware and guidance.

Juma Al Muhairi, Assistant General Manager, ZADCO, said: “Today’s competitive business environments require highly-skilled and multi-functional human resources. An IT–enabled workforce offers higher productivity levels that provide the desired market edge. Expanding our ICDL program to our offshore operations will enable us to further boost productivity to attain our corporate development goals.  This is also our own contribution to national and regional efforts towards the establishment of a knowledge-based economy.”

“The Gulf’s IT infrastructure continues to expand rapidly, so the region’s businesses must train their employees accordingly to take full advantage of information and communication technologies. The ICDL certification program offers an efficient and world-class approach to providing basic computer skills that will help the workforce keep pace with this growth. We will ensure that ZADCO’s successful experience in enhancing the IT literacy of its employees over the past three years will extend to its remote offshore operations,” said Jamil Ezzo, Director General, ICDL GCC Foundation.

ZADCO was established in 1977 to develop and operate the Upper Zakum Field, one of the largest oil fields in the world, on behalf of ADNOC and Japan Oil Development Company. Besides Upper Zakum, the company currently operates the Umm Al Dalkh and Satah fields. ZADCO adopts the latest technologies in developing and operating these oil fields. Its commitment to health, safety, and environmental sustainability has made it one of the leading oil companies in the UAE.

The ECDL/ICDL program recently marked its historic 9 millionth enrollment, over 1 million of which has been jointly contributed by the ICDL GCC Foundation and the UNESCO Cairo Office in the development of computer skills in Arab countries. The ICDL GCC Foundation continues to aggressively promote and supervise ICDL initiatives throughout the region to increase employability, enhance the workforce productivity, and raise economic competitiveness.