Industrial Insights
Industrial Insights
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- HSE
- Topic: HSE
- Date: 12 August, 2024
- Year: 2024
This month, we are taking a break from the Paradigm Shifts to let you know that the visionary author behind this series will be speaking at three events in the Middle East this fall.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dubai, UAE: With a rare blend of unique insight and engaging storytelling, Larry Wilson has captured the attention of HSE practitioners worldwide, by delving into the human factors that lead to over 95% of accidental injuries. These events promise to be a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the insights of an intellectual pioneer whose ideas are at the forefront of Human Factors Safety discourse.
Larry has been a leader in human factors management for over 25 years. The state-to-error pattern he uncovered is involved in over 95% of accidental injuries. His Critical Error Reduction Techniques have been proven by neuroscience to reduce injuries on and off the job. These techniques have been taught to over 4.5 million people in over 75 countries.
Larry is one of the most active keynote speakers at HSE conferences around the globe, speaking in over 80 cities a year. Known for his ability to distill complex concepts into accessible and thought-provoking narratives, Larry’s sessions are a testament to his thought leadership and expert insight. His new keynote session, “New Perspectives on the Hierarchy of Controls and the Bowtie Model,” offers a unique viewpoint on the role of Human Factors in incident causation and outcomes.
This fall, attendees in the Middle East will have the opportunity to witness Larry’s expertise live at three key events.
These gatherings are more than just lectures; they are interactive experiences designed to provoke thought, inspire dialogue, and foster a deeper understanding of the human factors that impact our safety every day. Whether you are a professional seeking to stay ahead of industry trends, a student eager to expand your horizons, or simply someone with a passion for safety, these events are guaranteed to provide value.
Don’t miss your opportunity to see Larry Wilson, author of the Paradigm Shifts series, live at these events:
HSE 2024 KSA – Riyadh, September 17 - 18
Health, Safety and Environment Forum – Dubai, November 12 – 13
HSE Learning Summit – MENA – Abu Dhabi, November 19 - 20
If you have questions, just send us a note at
We hope to see you in one of these events!
The SafeStart Team
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- Details
- Sania Aziz
- HSE
- Topic: HSE
- Date: 9 August, 2024
- Year: 2024
The acclaimed HSE MENA Forum returns to Dubai in November for its eighth edition, providing exclusive insights into the latest HSE innovations and breakthroughs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dubai, UAE: The health, safety, and environment (HSE) market in the MENA region is experiencing significant growth, driven by developing economies, advancements in technology, increasingly stringent standards and new HSE approaches, frameworks and practices. These factors are reshaping industries by emphasising safety, compliance, and sustainability.
Taking place on 12-13 November at Le Meridien Hotel & Conference Centre Dubai, HSE MENA has an expanded focus on HSE across a variety of sectors, including oil and gas, construction, and critical infrastructure, with the aim to elevate compliance standards, protect operations and advance risk management strategies.
More than 200 key decision makers are expected to attend the Forum, which will see HSE experts from the region’s regulators and industry leaders share the strategies and best practices that have strengthened their HSE standards. They include ADNOC, Department of Health, DP World - Drydocks World, Dubai Holding Real Estate, Environmental Agency - Abu Dhabi, IOSH, Innovo, Petrofac, and the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Authority.
With presentations and panel sessions across themes ranging from technology advancements and company culture to skills development and sustainability, the agenda will facilitate deep dives into topics such as effective governance and leadership, psychological safety, emergency preparedness and response, integrating digital technologies and managing and mitigating workplace hazards.
In addition, the latest innovations will be on show in the technology showcase hall, and there will be unrivalled networking opportunities throughout the event.
The growing list of sponsors includes DEKRA, ISN, ITT Innovations, Milwaukee and SafeStart.
“Don't miss this opportunity to connect with industry leaders and enhance your expertise in HSE. Let's unite to drive innovation and excellence for HSE practices across the MENA region,” said Elle Hawkins, project manager.
Download the brochure at https://events.offsnet.com/HSEMENA2024#/Brochure?lang=en
For further information, contact Elle Hawkins,
-ENDS-
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- Technology
- Topic: Technology
- Date: 8 August, 2024
- Year: 2024
OPSWAT, a company specialising in critical infrastructure protection (CIP) cybersecurity solutions, has acquired InQuest, a cybersecurity provider renowned for its innovative Deep File Inspection and RetroHunting technologies.
InQuest is well-regarded for safeguarding the United States Department of Defense (DoD) with its network appliances that extend up to and beyond Layer 7. Coupled with their threat intelligence solutions, they have a strong track record of protecting the nation’s most critical networks.
This acquisition will enable OPSWAT to expedite its go-to-market strategy for the government sector and bolster defense against network-based threats. Integrating InQuest’s threat intelligence capabilities with OPSWAT MetaDefender Cloud and FileScan.io into a unified repository will significantly enhance OPSWAT’s intelligence capabilities. Additionally, InQuest customers will benefit from improved Network Detection and Response (NDR) through seamless integration with MetaDefender.
“The combination of InQuest’s technology with OPSWAT’s MetaDefender platform will enhance the efficacy of threat intelligence and prevention, further enabling public sector organisations and other critical sectors to operate securely and efficiently,” said Benny Czarny, founder and CEO of OPSWAT. “I have personally worked with Michael Arcamone for more than 10 years and I am excited to take our partnership to the next level. Together, we will accelerate our commitment to providing critical organisations with comprehensive, prevention-based protection against evolving threats.”
“We are thrilled to join the OPSWAT team,” said Michael Arcamone, former CEO of InQuest and now chief strategy officer and VP of federal sales at OPSWAT. “This acquisition allows us to leverage OPSWAT’s extensive resources and expertise to further develop our technologies and provide even greater value to our customers."
Pedram Amini, former CTO of InQuest, will join OPSWAT’s leadership team as Chief Scientist. In this role, he will spearhead advancements in threat intelligence, machine learning, and email security solutions, driving innovation and enhancing the company’s capabilities in these critical areas. Amini launched InQuest Labs during his briefing at Blackhat USA 2019, and the community has since grown to thousands of users working in collaboration to discover and disrupt malware operations. Amini will help drive the integration of the InQuest Labs, MetaDefender.com and FileScan.io communities to further empower independent researchers around the globe in our collective battle against malicious campaigns.
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- HSE
- Topic: HSE
- Date: 6 August, 2024
- Year: 2024
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has signed a feasibility study grant to help the Alexandria Petroleum Company (APC) improve the health, safety, and environmental protocols of its El Max refinery in Alexandria, Egypt
The grant will fund a series of studies to identify and address the facility’s priority safety and fire protection needs, advancing APC’s priority to upgrade and expand its safety programmes and equipment, improving forecasting and emergency response capabilities, and updating protocols and trainings. By adopting cutting-edge technologies and best practices, the El Max refinery, founded in 1962, will increase safety for workers and limit greenhouse gas emissions and environmental damage in the event of a fire or other emergency. The feasibility study will also serve as a model for other refineries in Egypt.
“Egypt’s commitment to bolstering the safety and health of its workers creates new opportunities for collaboration between organisations like USTDA and APC,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s director. “This grant will help create opportunities for U.S. companies to supply the technologies and services that Egypt’s refineries will require.”
Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, H.E. Tarek El Molla said, “Health, Safety, and Environment have been key elements of the sector’s modernisation since 2016. Today, they remain strong among the sector’s core principals, along with upgrading our refineries to enhance safety and operational excellence.”
APC chairman Alaa Amin added, “Partnering with USTDA on this feasibility study marks an important step forward for APC. This study demonstrates our unwavering commitment to excellence in process safety, ensuring the highest safety standards for our operations in line with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources strategy.”
APC is a subsidiary of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), under the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- Industrial
- Topic: Industrial
- Date: 5 August, 2024
- Year: 2024
ADNOC has announced that its offshore Satah Al Razboot (SARB) field has increased production capacity by 25% to 140,000 bpd through the implementation of advanced digital technologies
The digital solutions implemented onsite at SARB allow the field to be operated remotely from Zirku island, 20km away. Remote monitoring, smart well operations and production management technologies are integrated at the remote control centre for optimised real-time decision-making. This has enabled the accelerated growth in field capacity with reduced costs and emissions. The field’s digitalisation will enable the deployment of additional AI solutions to further enhance and optimise operations. AIQ solutions DrillRep and OptiDrill process data from rigs and wells at the field, enhancing drilling efficiency and optimisation. By utilising daily drilling data reports and rig sensor data, AIQ’s technology supports drilling operations with the necessary insights and actions to optimise the drilling process.
Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy, ADNOC Upstream executive director, said, “AI and digitalisation are at the heart of ADNOC’s smart growth strategy to help responsibly meet the world’s growing energy demand. By deploying industry-leading technologies at SARB field, we have increased production capacity while enhancing the safety, sustainability and efficiency of our operations, strengthening ADNOC’s position as one of the world’s lowest-cost and least carbon intensive energy producers.”
See also https://oilreviewmiddleeast.com/technical-focus/adnoc-accelerates-deployment-of-robowell-solution
https://oilreviewmiddleeast.com/technical-focus/the-ai-revolution-in-oil-and-gas
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- Industrial
- Topic: Industrial
- Date: 2 August, 2024
- Year: 2024
KROHNE Group, a prominent global manufacturer of process instrumentation and measurement solutions, is expanding its service team in the Middle East.
The new hires aim to maintain the company's high service standards and expertise, ensuring best-in-class measurement solutions across various industries. This expansion reassures customers that their KROHNE equipment will have an extended lifespan, reduced wastage, and increased precise measurement uptime.
As part of an internal assessment and upgrade process, KROHNE now boasts a hybrid workforce across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq. Adhering to strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to ensure ongoing service excellence and accountability, KROHNE aims to provide peace of mind for its growing client base in the region.
“KROHNE is always looking to enhance customer service and solution delivery as our competitive advantage, as it complements our superior quality cross-industry portfolio. We continuously evolve our offering to exceed customer expectations and have boosted our in-house capabilities across the Middle East region. We are committed to the Middle East, further deepening our relationships with key industrial players looking for expertise and partnership in critical situations,” added Jay Gadhavi, general manager, KROHNE Solutions Middle East and Africa.
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- Industrial
- Topic: Industrial
- Date: 1 August, 2024
- Year: 2024
Sanad, the global aerospace engineering and leasing solutions provider owned by Mubadala, has signed an exclusive three-year partnership with Air Mauritius to deliver Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services for Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.
Mansoor Janahi, managing director and group CEO of Sanad, stated, “As the only independent MRO service centre for Rolls Royce’s Trent 700 engine platform in the world, we are proud to welcome Air Mauritius as our newest partner. This collaboration epitomises our commitment to not only expanding our global presence but also supporting the global aviation supply chain ecosystem from our home-base in Abu Dhabi.”
Charles Cartier, chief executive officer of Air Mauritius, added, "Air Mauritius, the national carrier of the Republic of Mauritius and the leading airline of the Indian Ocean, is further consolidating its network. Our steadfast commitment is to uphold the highest standards of safety, reliability, and operational efficiency for our Airbus A330 fleet across our international routes spanning the Indian Ocean region, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia, whilst enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. We are delighted to announce this exclusive three-year partnership with Sanad for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services for our Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.”
Leveraging its status as the largest and only independent service provider of Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, Sanad harnesses its extensive expertise to deliver MRO services from its cutting-edge facilities in Abu Dhabi. Sanad's comprehensive MRO solutions have established it as a vital player in the aerospace industry, servicing a significant share of Trent 700 engines worldwide. With the addition of Air Mauritius as a new customer, Sanad is poised to unlock new avenues for growth and excellence in the industry which strongly reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global aviation hub.
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- HSE
- Topic: HSE
- Date: 31 July, 2024
- Year: 2024
Dubai Municipality conducted 52,233 inspections in the realms of environment, health, and food during the first half of 2024.
These inspections aimed to ensure that various activities and establishments in the city complied with standards related to consumer products, food safety, health and safety, and environmental regulations.
Dr. Naseem Mohammad Rafee, Acting CEO of the Environment, Health & Safety Agency at Dubai Municipality, emphasised the Municipality’s dedication to performing regular inspections and campaigns year-round. This is to foster a strong food and health ecosystem and to create a sustainable environment that supports flexible food supply chains and secures food safety in Dubai. Dr. Rafee also mentioned the Municipality's goal to sustain the environment and conserve natural resources, thus enhancing Dubai’s reputation as a sustainable and desirable city with a high quality of life.
Dr. Rafee said, “Dubai Municipality places a major emphasis on the food, environment, and safety sectors. We constantly strive to develop these sectors and enhance their safety through monitoring to guarantee the highest standards of safety and quality of life in the Emirate. Additionally, we seek to offer a cutting-edge infrastructure that supports the growth of businesses and initiatives while ensuring strict compliance with all the laws, regulations, and guidelines enacted in Dubai and the UAE.”
Health and safety
Dubai Municipality’s health and safety team, consisting of 95 supervisors, conducted 26,566 inspections across six campaigns targeting hotel facilities, shisha cafes, hair salons, beauty centres, worker accommodations, and community markets. They also ensured the safety of public spaces, playgrounds, event venues, industrial and professional enterprises, infrastructure projects, and temporary activities.
The Municipality also conducted campaigns at ports, assessing over 17,000 shipments of consumer products, equivalent to 145,000 tons, to ensure compliance with approved consumer specifications and safety standards.
Environmental sustainability
Dubai Municipality’s environmental team completed a total of 4,331 inspections. This included 3,378 inspections of projects, industrial, and service facilities, using a smart inspection system to efficiently plan and execute environmental monitoring tasks. Additionally, the Municipality organised a virtual awareness campaign to ensure businesses adhere to approved environmental laws and regulations.
Furthermore, the Municipality conducted 783 inspections to monitor the marine environment, coastal regions, and collect sea samples, ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations. Campaigns also included 170 inspections as part of the monitoring program for natural reserves in Dubai.
- Details
- Louise Waters
- HSE
- Topic: HSE
- Date: 30 July, 2024
- Year: 2024
Blackline Safety has launched the Blackline Safety Impact Awards, an international safety awards programme to recognise individuals and organisations that go above and beyond to keep their employees, communities and the environment safe
“Blackline’s No. 1 priority is ensuring that every worker returns home at the end of the day in the same form they arrived, and that communities and the environment are protected from life-threatening situations,” said Christine Gillies, chief product & marketing officer of Blackline Safety, whose suite of safety devices are used by hundreds of fire and hazmat, oil and gas, petrochemical, food production, biotech, transportation, utilities, and water and wastewater organisations globally.
“Our goal is to recognise Blackline technology users who are aligned with our mission and have helped save lives by avoiding serious incidents or causalities in their pursuit of safety,” Gillies explained.
Blackline’s gas detectors and gas monitors are supported by a cloud-connected monitoring and analytics platform, enabling organisations to view in real time all their workers’ locations and gas readings in the field, and configure their devices, from any Internet-connected smartphone, tablet or computer, no matter how remote the location.
Blackline Safety Impact Awards will be presented annually in a variety of award categories, including customer, channel partner and environmental heroes, in addition to community heroes. For more information and to nominate an organization, group or individual for the award, visit https://www.blacklinesafety.com/blackline-safety-impact-awards.
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- Training
- Topic: Training
- Date: 29 July, 2024
- Year: 2024
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) conducted 61 training courses and awareness sessions on occupational health and safety in the first half of 2024.
These sessions saw the participation of 2,110 employees from various departments. This initiative is part of DEWA's ongoing efforts to enhance its employees' knowledge and skills in occupational health and safety.
Trainings throughout the year
“We are dedicated to effectively implementing quality, health, safety, and environmental management systems according to the highest international standards. We strive to cultivate a culture of occupational safety and health among all employees, enabling them to keep pace with the latest developments in this field. This is part of our responsibility towards our employees, customers, and the employees of suppliers and contractors who work on DEWA’s projects. Additionally, we are committed to providing our services according to the highest standards of quality, efficiency, availability, and reliability,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, CEO of DEWA.
“We offer the best training and awareness programmes to enhance the safe work environment and raise health and safety standards across all DEWA’s projects and operations. This contributes to achieving employees’ happiness and enhances productivity and quality,” said Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, executive vice president of business support and human resources at DEWA.
In addition to the training courses, DEWA organises many events and awareness activities throughout the year. These include Public Health and Safety Week, Internal Health and Safety Week, Contractor Health and Safety Awareness Day, and other activities and events aimed at improving the health and safety systems of human resources. Employees who complete the training provided by DEWA staff are awarded certificates in occupational health and safety.
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- Industrial
- Topic: Industrial
- Date: 26 July, 2024
- Year: 2024
Masdar reached an agreement with Endesa to become a partner for 2.5GW of renewable energy assets in Spain
This is subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions. The transaction would see Masdar invest US$817mn to acquire a 49.99% stake, with an enterprise value of US$1.7bn, representing one of Spain’s biggest renewable energy deals.
The portfolio Masdar plans to acquire consists of 48 operational solar plants of 2GW aggregated capacity. Endesa and Masdar aim to add 0.5GW of battery energy storage system (BESS) to the projects. The partnership reinforces Masdar’s reputation as a trusted global energy partner for governments, investors, developers, and communities.
In addition to the acquisition Share Purchase Agreement (SPA), Masdar and Endesa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore an alliance aimed at jointly developing renewable energy projects in Spain.
The deal reflects Masdar’s ambitious growth plans in Europe, having recently announced that it has reached a definitive agreement with Greece’s GEK TERNA SA and other shareholders of TERNA ENERGY SA to initially acquire 67% of the company’s outstanding shares, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions. With a strong portfolio of projects in Greece and Europe, TERNA ENERGY is targeting renewable energy operational capacity of 6GW by 2030.
In March this year, Masdar and Spain’s Iberdrola also reached financial close on the 476MW Baltic Eagle offshore wind project located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Germany.
HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber, chairman of Masdar, said, “Building on Masdar’s global expertise and pioneering approach to renewable energy innovation and development, this partnership underscores our commitment to unlocking clean energy capacity in Spain, Europe, and around the world, supporting the global mandate enshrined in the COP28’s UAE Consensus to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 enabling a just, orderly and equitable energy transition. Masdar is accelerating its ambitious growth plans as we target 100GW of renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade.”
- Details
- Sania Aziz
- Industrial
- Topic: Industrial
- Date: 25 July, 2024
- Year: 2024
KBR has announced that its blue ammonia technology has been selected by Shell for its Blue Horizons low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia project in Duqm, Oman
The facility will utilise KBR's leading ammonia synthesis loop technology to deliver cost-competitive and low-carbon intensity ammonia. KBR will provide licensed proprietary engineering design for the 3,000 metric tons per day ammonia plant utilising hydrogen produced by Shell's Blue Hydrogen technology.
"We are excited to work with Shell on this breakthrough project in Oman and contribute towards achieving Oman's Vision 2040 targets," said Jay Ibrahim, president, KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions. "Our blue ammonia technology allows our clients to implement their energy transition projects with a cost-competitive solution at the lowest carbon intensity."
KOC contract
This news follows KBR’s earlier announcement that it has been awarded an advisory consulting contract by Kuwait Oil Company for the development of a country wide masterplan for the production of 17GW of renewables and 25GW of green hydrogen by 2050. KBR will provide advisory consulting services to develop a phased strategy for the deployment of wind and solar power, combined with power storage capability. The renewable power capability will be linked to the production of green hydrogen for internal industrial use, as well as for export purposes.