Prime Minister launched Tawteen initiative

Tawteen initiative to enhance localisation, expand SME sector

Doha: Prime Minister and Interior Minister, H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, launched yesterday Qatar Petroleum’s (QP) ‘Localisation Program for Services and Industries in the Energy Sector’ (Tawteen) – an initiative to enhance localising the sector’s supply chain and expand the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) base.

H E the Prime Minister also launched the initiative’s electronic website, which will act as an important link to the various components of the supply chain.

The launch was part of a dedicated conference and exhibition held with a large participation of official bodies and entities, energy sector companies, and a wide spectrum of service providers and supporting industries. Activities during the two-day event are designed to present a unique opportunity for private sector companies to know more about the initiative, and about the incentives it offers to guarantee effective participation in the energy sector’s supply chain and to generate high quality job opportunities.

In his opening speech, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QP, H E Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, said this programme comes as part of QP’s dedicated efforts for the advancement of our country under the leadership of Amir H H Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani.

The Minister reviewed QP’s efforts towards optimising Qatar’s natural resources, higher efficiency and returns, and growth and expansion. He also highlighted its recent decisions and achievements, which included cutting operational cost by QR4bn annually, adopting a strategy to raise QP’s production output from 4.8 million to 6.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per year, raising Qatar’s LNG production from 77 to 110 million tonnes per year by 2024, developing a new world-scale Petrochemicals Complex with the largest ethane cracker in the Middle East, and Qatar Petroleum’s most recent decision to invest more than $10bn in the Golden Pass LNG export facility in Sabine Pass, Texas.

Al Kaabi said: “As part of our national duty to develop the industry in Qatar and to promote self-reliance, we saw the need to localise many of the supporting industries in our sector to help enhance our independence as well as support the private sector through Tawteen.”

He added: “This programme provides local alternatives to exports, with a value of between QR8 and QR9bn a year, which would raise GDP by about 1.6 percent.”

He added: “Tawteen is made up of two parts. The first is creating 100 new investment opportunities within the energy sector. In this effort, Qatar Petroleum and its companies will offer incentives and offtake guarantees according to the program’s guidelines. The second part is an In-Country Value policy, which rewards suppliers and contractors who execute their contracts and agreements by maximising local content.”

The launch ceremony witnessed the signing of three agreements with leading international companies with a total value of QR9bn. This will give an important momentum to the program’s objectives, which target adding QR15bn of in-country economic investment value to the local economy, which reflects investor confidence in the Qatari economy.

QP and Baker Hughes, a GE company, signed a memorandum of understanding designed to help create new opportunities to expand its presence Qatar, and to enhance its operations through continued investment in technologies and services in the years to come. The agreement would also help strengthen the oil and gas supply chain in Qatar and boost the skills of Qatari talent in the industry.

QP also signed a memorandum of understanding with Schlumberger, which recently celebrated 70 years of presence in Qatar. The agreement will help increase the footprint of Schlumberger, which plans to expand its current operations in Zikreet, open a new integrated base facility in Ras Laffan by the end of 2019, and establish a Center of Efficiency in the Free Zone to be used as a regional maintenance centre.

Also on the sidelines of the launch ceremony, Nakilat and McDermott signed an agreement to form a joint-venture company providing offshore and onshore fabrication services in Qatar. The new company will help increase productivity levels at Nakilat’s Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard and developing local construction capabilities meet the increasing demand for the construction of offshore and onshore structures. This project will provide a range of new services that will support the construction, maintenance, repair and refurbishment of offshore and onshore structures, and all types of vessels.

A number of Qatar Petroleum senior officials presented overviews during the opening of the conference on Tawteen and the opportunities it offers to the various stakeholders, as well as the In-Country Value policy. They also discussed plans to develop strategic sectors that would help attract investments in Qatar and create more business for small and medium enterprises.

Fifteen of the biggest energy sector companies are taking part in “Tawteen” in what will provide greater support to the oil and gas industry, and will reinforce the State of Qatar’s position as a leading, reliable, and trustworthy supplier of clean energy and high quality hydrocarbon products to the world.

QP is working with various government authorities and stakeholders to facilitate the provision of the required infrastructure and for the creation of appropriate policies, regulations and incentives to attract local and international companies to establish operations in Qatar. It is also coordinating with other stakeholders to help facilitate the development of new industries in the energy sector in order to ensure they acquire the capacity for greater competitiveness and financial sustainability.

By Mohammad Shoeb | The Peninsula

دشّن معالي الشيخ عبدالله بن ناصر بن خليفة آل ثاني رئيس مجلس الوزراء وزير الداخلية، صباح أمس، برنامج «قطر للبترول» لتوطين الخدمات والصناعات في قطاع الطاقة «توطين»، وذلك في حفل أُقيم بفندق شيراتون الدوحة. حضر الحفل عدد من أصحاب السعادة الشيوخ والوزراء وكبار المسؤولين من أصحاب الشركات والمؤسسات المشاركة في البرنامج وضيوف الحفل.

في بداية الحفل، أُطلق عرض تقديمي عن البرنامج الذي تناول سلسلة التوريد في قطاع الطاقة، إضافة إلى زيادة قاعدته من مؤسسات القطاع الخاص الصغيرة والمتوسطة، كما عُرض فيلم وثائقي حول القيمة المحلية المضافة لبرنامج «توطين». وعقب إطلاق البرنامج، افتتح معالي رئيس مجلس الوزراء وزير الداخلية المعرض المصاحب، والذي تشارك فيه عدد من الجهات بالدولة والشركات العاملة في قطاع الطاقة والمؤسسات الرسمية وشركات تقديم الخدمات والصناعات المساندة.

حيث قام معاليه بجولة اطّلع خلالها على ما توفره الجهات المشاركة من فرص تعزيز برنامج «توطين»، والعوائد الإيجابية التي سيحصدها اقتصاد الدولة جراء تطبيق هذا البرنامج.

كما استمع معاليه لشرح حول الدور الذي تقوم به البنوك المحلية في الدولة من خلال توفير حلول تمويلية للمشروع.;