Table of Contents
1. Training Program
New JCCP Training Initiative: Implementation of a Long Course ............................................................................. 1
Information Exchange and Training for Young Engineers in Japan and Saudi Arabia ..................................... 8
Seminar on Refinery Maintenance Management and TPM Held at Saudi Aramco ........................................ 14
Seminar on “Refinery Maintenance Management and TPM” Held in Iran and Saudi Arabia....................... 17
Seminar on “Refinery Maintenance Management and
TPM” Held at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Refinery ...................................................................................................... 20“Safety Management for Refinery” Held at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Refinery ............................................ 24
Customized Program in Japan on “Maintenance & Safety Management” for Saudi Aramco...................... 28
Tailor-made Program on Refinery Plant Maintenance Held in Saudi Arabia .................................................... 33
Report on the Cooperation with Training Centers Program (No. 107) ................................................................ 36
Report on the Cooperation with Training Center Program (No. 106) .................................................................. 39
Report on the Cooperation with Training Center Program (No. 103) .................................................................. 42
Total Number of Participants to JCCP Courses in Japan Has Surpassed 17,000! ............................................. 46
JCCP Participates in “Third OPEC Summit Exhibition” in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia................................ 47
Participant’s Voice“Petroleum Marketing and Products Delivery” .................................................................................................... 49“Project Management for Mechanical Engineers” .............................................................................................. 50“Petroleum Marketing and Physical Distribution” ............................................................................................... 51“Advanced Technologies for Rotary Machinery” .................................................................................................. 52
Interviews with JCCP Counterparts ................................................................................................................................. 53

2. Technical Cooperation
Agreement Signing Ceremony for a New Project in Saudi Arabia........................................................................ 56
Experimental Application of In-SAR Technology in Saudi Arabia ........................................................................ 58
Signing Ceremony for the Project on “Mild Hydro-cracking of LCO & Evaluation of
Gas Oil HDS Catalysts” in Saudi Arabia ............................................................................................................................ 60
Article on HS-FCC Process (High-Severity Fluid Catalytic Cracking)in Saudi Aramco Journal of Technology ......................................................................................................................... 62
Cover photo from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KingdomCentre.JPG

Signing Ceremony for the Joint Project on FCC Catalyst Development and
Evaluation Technologies in Saudi Arabia ....................................................................................................................... 63
Establishment of New JPI Award for Technical Developments in Oil-Producing Countries........................ 65
Activity Report from Researchers Participating in the Long-Term Researcher Dispatch Program ........... 67
Progress Report on “The Long-term Researcher Dispatch Program” (No. 104) ................................................ 73
Progress Report on “the Long-term Researcher Dispatch Program” (No. 99) ................................................... 76
The 19th Saudi Arabia-Japan Joint Symposium .......................................................................................................... 79
The 18th Saudi-Japan Joint Symposium ........................................................................................................................ 81
The 17th Annual Saudi-Japan Joint Catalyst Symposium........................................................................................ 83

3. International Cooperation
The 28th JCCP International Symposium ...................................................................................................................... 84
Keynote Speech (Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair).................................................................................................... 90
The 27th JCCP International Symposium ...................................................................................................................... 93
Keynote Speech (Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher) ........................................................................................................ 99
The 26th JCCP International Symposium ....................................................................................................................102
Guest Speech (Mr. Waleed H. Albedaiwi) ..............................................................................................................107
The 18th Joint GCC-Japan Environment Symposium .............................................................................................110
The 17th Joint GCC-Japan Environment Symposium .............................................................................................113
The 16th Joint GCC-Japan Environment Symposium .............................................................................................117
Delegation from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources Visits Japan .................120
Follow-up Meetings Visit to Saudi Arabia and Malaysia .........................................................................................122
H.H. Dr. Turki Al-Saud, Vice President of KACST, Visits Japan ................................................................................125
Mr. Kojima, Executive Director of JCCP, Visits the Middle East..............................................................................128
Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama, Managing Director of JCCP, Visits the Middle East .......................................................133
Participation in the 7th Middle East Petrotech 2010 in Bahrain (sponsored by Saudi Aramco) ..............139
Participation in “The 6th Middle East Refining andPetrochemicals Conference & Exhibition” in Bahrain (sponsored by Saudi Aramco)...................................142

Personnel
Exchange

New JCCP Training Initiative:
Implementation of a Long Course“Practical Training for Young Instrumentation andControl Engineers”
JCCP launched a long course called “Practical
Training for Young Instrumentation and Control
Engineers” this fiscal year as a new initiative in training.
Intended for young engineers in the instrumentation andcontrol fields in Middle East oil-producing countries,
the course was designed to provide practical training
through a systematic program that covers a broad rangeof topics, from basic to applied technologies in the two
fields, with a main focus on hands-on learning.
For successful implementation, the course required a
net number of 39 days. Including weekends, it spanneda total of 53 days, from May 25 (Tue) to July 16 (Fri),
2010. An overview of the course is provided below.

1. Background to Implementation of the
CourseSince last year, we at JCCP have been contriving
ways to enhance the practicality of our courses in order
to offer training that more closely responds to the needs
and requests of oil-producing countries and is even more
beneficial than before. Particularly in the instrumentationand control fields, regular course participants havevoiced strong requests for systematic training on wideranging topics, from basic to applied technologies. The
said long course was formulated under this situation,
after much trial and error.
Our main concern was in designing a program that
ensures both systematic and practical implementation.
While basing it on a regular course program, we alsoneeded to take steps to prevent obsolescence, byfeaturing the latest technologies, maintaining a highlevel of specialty, and incorporating hands-on training
in addition to lectures. Toward this end, we obtained fullcooperation from multiple Japanese companies related
to instrumentation and control, and began designing the
program roughly a year ago, around summer 2009.
Another major issue we faced was in the selectionof countries and companies that are interested in1

Course participants

participating in a long course and that could afford
to send participants to Japan over such a long periodof time. With the cooperation of JCCP’s various
departments, we spent many occasions making a carefulselection of potential countries mainly among the
Middle East oil-producing countries. Throughout thisselection process, Iran and Saudi Arabia, which haveconsistently supported JCCP’s efforts since the very
beginning, have taken strong interest in the new course
as having potential to produce significant results, byoffering various suggestions and requests. Therefore,
in the end, we designed a long customized course fora group of participants from two countries, Iran andSaudi Arabia.

2. Course Overview(1) Participants
The course was offered to Iran and Saudi Arabia, andwas attended by a group of nine participants, four from
Iran (NIORDC) and five from Saudi Arabia (ARAMCO).
Members from the two countries included one leader
and one middle-level engineer each from different
refineries. The engineers were aged 35 and above on
average (Iranian participants were between the ages of
35 and 41; Saudi Arabian participants were between 27

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

and 39), and equally represented the instrumentationand control fields.
It was evident in their every action that theparticipants came to the training filled with enthusiasm
as selected representatives of their countries. Although
they may have felt some worries about leaving theirworkplace responsibilities for close to two months,
they displayed a high degree of determination to makethe most of the training opportunity and take home all
the necessary knowledge and experience. For example,
while they gave unstinting applause to lectures they felt
were particularly satisfying and agreeable, when they
had a question, they continued to seek clarification of
the issue until they were fully satisfied. Many of the
Saudi Arabian participants were especially quick to
ask questions whenever a lecturer presented even theslightest information they did not understand. At thesame, however, they also warned each other when theyfelt that their questions were interrupting a lecture for too
long, and maintained a good balance among the group.
The Iranian participants, on the other hand, tended to ask
relatively few questions during the lectures but saved
them until the end so as not to interrupt the flow of thelectures. The lecturers noted with interest this difference
between participants from the two countries.
The two-country makeup of the group, with eachcountry’s members coming from different refineries
and regions in their countries, seemed to have a positiveeffect on the participants themselves during theirprolonged stay in a foreign country. It allowed themto mutually share and gain a different perspective on
specific workplace issues while also providing a sense ofreassurance in number. Members from the same country
tended to stay together as a group outside of the course,
but during hands-on exercises and practical training, they
actively communicated with each other and worked in aconcerted manner irrespective of nationality.
(2) Selection of Program Topics
The course was designed to provide knowledge ofbasic to applied technologies in the instrumentation andcontrol fields in a practical fashion, as mentioned above.
Under the two large headings of “instrumentation” and“control,” four categories of topics were organizedaccording to basic and applied technologies.
For example, for the control field, the “basic”
part included lectures on controller tuning theory andpractice using a simulator, which is also a popular topic
in JCCP regular courses, and an overview of advanced

control; the “applied” part featured a lecture on model
predictive control (MPC), a representative method ofadvanced control, and practical training on a methodof optimization combining MPC and a process model.
For the instrumentation field, the “basic” part provided
lectures on basic measurement principles for flow rate,
temperature, pressure, and other such parameters, and the“applied” part covered equipment maintenance, practicaltraining on relevant tasks from the formulation of basic
design to onsite construction, the advanced technology
of field bus designing, and loop designing based onprocess control characteristics.
Details of each program are provided in the following
section under “Control-related training provided at
JCCP,” “Instrumentation-related training provided at
JCCP,” and “Offsite training.” Offsite training focusedon providing first-hand knowledge of applied and newtechnologies in instrumentation and control throughvisits to refineries and plants.
The programs were specifically developed withtremendous cooperation from nine major companies
related to instrumentation and control in Japan. A
total of 29 programs were developed, including ten
control-related programs provided at JCCP, nine
instrumentation-related programs provided at JCCP,
and ten offsite training programs. Of these programs,
more than 60%, or 19 programs to be exact, were newprograms offered for the first time (12 JCCP programs
and seven offsite programs). The nine cooperatingcompanies agreed to dispatch 67 employees as lecturers,
and to implement ten of the offsite training programs
over a period of 16 days.
The number of cooperating companies, the names ofcompanies that provided offsite training, and the numberof lecturers are as follows.
1) Name of companies by ﬁeld: 9 companies(i) Instrumentation and control device
manufacturers (4 companies):
Yokogawa Electric Corporation
Yamatake Corporation
Emerson Japan, Ltd.
Oval Corporation(ii) Engineering companies (3 companies):
JGC Corporation
Toyo Engineering Corporation
Chiyoda Corporation(iii) Oil companies (2 companies):
JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 201122) Offsite training: 10 programs
A total of 10 programs (7 new programs) were
implemented at 9 sites of 6 companies, including 2
oil companies. JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation
implemented 2 programs.
(i) JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation(ii) Yamatake Corporation, Niigata Operational
Training Center (Niigata)(iii) Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Tokuyama Refineryand Training Center (Tokuyama)(iv) Emerson Japan, Ltd., Solutions Center(Kurashiki)(v) Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Mitaka Head
Office (Mitaka)(vi) Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Kofu Plant(vii) Oval Corporation, Yokohama Operation
Center (Yokohama)(viii) Yamatake Corporation, Shonan Plant(Chigasaki)(ix) Yamatake Corporation, Fujisawa Techno
Center (Fujisawa)(x) JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Oita
Refinery* New programs were implemented at sites (i), (ii),(iv), (vi), (vii), (ix), and (x).

(i)

Yokogawa Electric Corporation:
23 + plant personnel(ii) Yamatake Corporation:
15 + plant personnel(iii) Emerson Japan, Ltd.:
5 (including 4 engineers dispatched fromabroad)(iv) Oval Corporation:
2 + plant personnel(v) JGC Corporation:
4(vi) Toyo Engineering Corporation:
7(vii) Chiyoda Corporation:
4(viii) JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation:
5 + refinery staff(ix) Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.:
2 + refinery staff(3) Main Details of Programs
Most of the programs were well accepted by theparticipants, but since not all details can be provided,
the following is a general summary of programs thatsuccessfully embodied our goal of providing “trainingthat is more practical than before.”
1) Control-related training provided at JCCP:
10 programs(i) The nine programs in the control field provided
a verification of basic theories and technologies
related to process control, but the content
sufficiently satisfied and captured the attentionof the technically advanced participants of thecourse.
(ii) Among these programs, the combinationof skillful lecture techniques and hands-on
simulator training seemed to be especially valid

At the Niigata Operational Training Center3) Lecturers
Lectures and offsite training were conductedby four JCCP lecturers and a total of 67 specialist
employees from cooperating companies. At offsite
locations, 45 engineers provided training, assisted bylarge numbers of plant personnel and staff members
who facilitated equipment maintenance exercises andthe smooth implementation of lectures.
The following is a list of the number of lecturers
by company.

3

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

Simulator training at JCCP

in the practical training on DCS (distributed
control systems) related to offsite training at
JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation’s Niigata
Operation Training Center and the practicaltraining on classic control theories.
(iii) A lecture on Kaizen was provided in response
to a strong request from the participants.
Although it was not directly related to thetheme of the course, the request reflected theparticipants’ high level of interest in Japanesestyle operational improvement practices, andoffered a perspective for observing various
initiatives implemented at the sites of offsite
training provided by cooperating companies.
2) Instrumentation-related training provided at JCCP:
9 programs(i) Beginning with a basic lecture on measurement
principles for instrumentation devices, threemajor engineering companies in Japan wereasked to conduct programs on equipment
maintenance, tasks from basic designing toonsite construction work, and the flow of
operations in an actual project. As all programs
were newly developed for this course, we tookcare so that the lectures by the three companies
do not overlap each other.
(ii) Each cooperating company applied creativeideas to their lectures and hands-on training, andprovided an understanding of the significanceof “designing,” a concept with which theparticipants were not necessarily familiar.
Furthermore, combined with hands-on training
at an instrumentation device manufacturer using
actual devices, the program proved to be highly
effective.
3) Offsite training: 10 programs(i) JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation and
Yamatake Corporation, Niigata Operational
Training Center (Niigata): May 31 (Mon.) –June 2 (Wed.)
s !S THESE TWO COMPANIES UTILIZE THEIR IDLE
refinery production facilities for hands-on
operational training, they were asked to
implement two new programs that use thosefacilities.
s /NE OF THE THEMES OF THE NEW PROGRAMS WAS
to provide practical training using actual
facilities on the functions and maintenanceprocedures for DCS and instrumentation

Training using an actual plant

devices at Yamatake Corporation. The otherwas to provide a series of operational training
from the startup of standalone equipment toemergency countermeasures at JX Nippon
Oil & Energy Corporation.
s 4HE PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED BY THESE TWO
companies composed an integral part of thesystematic, practical training that included
computer simulation at JCCP, mini plant
operations, and actual plant operations at oilcompanies.
s )T SEEMS THAT MOST OF THE PARTICIPANTS HAD
already received training in instrumentationand control in their countries or at a training
center in Europe, but they neverthelessshowed interest in the Niigata Training
Center’s training methods, mostly owing
to the lecturer’s high teaching skills.
They seemed particularly interested in its
methods of providing skills for handling
instrumentation devices in an actual plantand operational control techniques throughtraining.
(ii) Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Tokuyama Refineryand Training Center (Tokuyama): June 14(Mon.) – June 15 (Tue.)s 4HE4OKUYAMA2EFINERYUSESANINDEPENDENTLY
developed advanced process control system
in its actual operations, and provided theparticipants with an invaluable opportunity
to observe first-hand a control application in
operation in an instrument room.
s 4HE PARTICIPANTS HAD MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
the refinery’s maintenance system prior

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 20114

to making the visit and asked even moredetailed questions in the instrument room
about the division of roles among theofficers and their daily routines and tasks.
Refinery engineers responded to each andevery question with sincerity, and createdan extremely favorable impression among
the participants.

(iv) Yokogawa Corporation, Mitaka Head Office(Mitaka) and Kofu Plant (Yamanashi): June 21(Mon.) – June 23 (Wed.)s 9OKOGAWA #ORPORATION PROVIDED A HIGHLY
motivating program covering many newtechnologies as requested by the participants,
and also provided a tour of its instrumentation
device plant in Kofu for the first time.
s 4HE PARTICIPANTS RATED THE PROGRAM HIGHLY AS
it covered products that they familiar with,while also emphasizing new technologies.
s 4HE VISIT TO THE +OFU 0LANT NOT ONLY
provided an engaging look at Japanese-style
management, including the 6S+S (5S +safety + sense) concept and practice, but also
allowed the participants to witness the scenic
beauty of Japan as they traveled to the plant,
located at some distance from Tokyo.

At the Tokuyama Reﬁnery(iii) Emerson Japan, Ltd., Solutions Center(Kurashiki): June 16 (Wed.) – June 17 (Thu.)s )N RESPONSE TO THE PARTICIPANTSSTRONG REQUEST TO
study the latest instrumentation technologies,
Emerson Japan provided thorough training on
a wireless instrumentation system by bringing
in an expert engineer from abroad and using
a specially built demonstration unit.
s !S A RESULT OF THE PARTICIPANTS STRONG INTEREST
in wireless instrumentation coupled withthe company’s effective presentation of the
topic, the program was highly appreciatedand well received by all participants.

Placing special emphasis on new technologies

5

Participants displayed strong interest in new technologies(v) Oval Corporation, Yokohama Operation Center(Yokohama): June 25 (Fri.)s 7E ASKED /VAL #ORPORATION TO ORGANIZE A
new offsite training program, because thecompany is well known in some of theoil-producing countries as a manufacturerof flow meters, and also because it is able
to provide training in the disassembly andmaintenance of independent devices at its
facility.
s 3INCE THE PARTICIPANTS HAD ALREADY STUDIED THE
structure and functions of instrumentation
devices in advance, the program provided
at the company’s Yokohama Operation
Center focused on hands-on disassembly,
maintenance, and assembly of actual
devices. Learning about relevant devices

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

and at the same time acquiring knowledge
and practice in actually disassembling andassembling those devices in a single training
program seemed to be a new experienceeven to the instrumentation engineers of thecourse. With perspiration glistening on theirforeheads, they happily applied themselvesto the disassembly/assembly exercise.

Participants practicing the disassembly and assembly of
instrumentation devices(vi) Yamatake Corporation, Shonan Plant (Chigasaki)
and Fujisawa Techno Center (Fujisawa): July 5(Mon.) – July 7 (Wed.)s 9AMATAKE #ORPORATION HAD ORGANIZED A
program centered on the maintenance of
DCS and instrumentation devices (control
valves), but in response to the participants’request, we asked them on short notice toallot some time to providing training on DCS
and safety instrumentation systems.

s ! WELL BALANCED TRAINING ON THE MAINTENANCE
of control valves was achieved throughthe combination of a detailed introductionof the product manufacturing process at
Shonan Plant, and lectures and disassembly/
maintenance practice of independent devices
at Fujisawa Techno Center.
s 4HE PARTICIPANTS POSSESSED EXTENSIVE
theoretical knowledge about instrumentation
to begin with, but the program provided avaluable and highly meaningful experienceby offering the opportunity to confirm
the functions of a device while actuallydisassembling it.
(vii) JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Oita
Refinery: July 12 (Mon.) – July 13 (Tue.)s 7E ASKED *8 .IPPON /IL  %NERGY
Corporation to provide a training program at
its Oita Refinery for the first time, because itis advanced in the digitization of documents(specifications, systematic diagrams, etc.)
and has a well-established maintenancesystem in place.
s 4HE REFINERY HAD JUST COMPLETED MAJOR
periodical repairs in June, immediately prior
to providing the offsite training program, andhad little time for preparation. Nevertheless,the staff were kind and patient in responding
to the participants’ many questions withdetailed answers.
s 4HE OPPORTUNITY FOR DIRECT EXCHANGES WITH
refinery engineers was also a significant
factor of the program to the participants.

Participants practicing maintenance

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

At the Oita Reﬁnery

63. Observations
Initially, we intended for the course to be attended
by young engineers with around three years’ experience
in instrumentation and control, but the participants
who actually took part in the course were middle-levelengineers specializing in the two fields. To match theirhigh level of technical expertise, we had all of ourlecturers modify their originally planned programs, andwere thus concerned until the very end as to whether
the participants would find the course to be satisfactoryon the whole.
Upon completion of the course, we were relieved
to find that all nine participants evaluated the course as
almost entirely satisfactory, and that we had achieved
our goal of providing courses that are “more practicalthan before.” While we are proud of having designed
an optimum course, we also owe the successful
implementation of the course to the outstanding qualityof the participants and to the generous cooperation ofhighly advanced Japanese companies.
Despite spending close to two months attending an
extended training course in a foreign country, an Iranianparticipant noted that he never once felt homesick. We
are glad, and hope that other participants also felt thisway owing to the fact that they were with other members
from their country, and also to the Japanese people whointeracted with them in a friendly manner.
It is particularly worth mentioning that the group of
middle-level engineers who participated in this course

displayed a high level of expertise and knowledge, anenthusiastic attitude toward training, and a strong senseof responsibility as a representative of their country andcompany, not to mention mature traits and qualities.
Furthermore, they possessed the necessary attitudes andabilities to adjust to living in a foreign country for close
to two months, and maintained high conscientiousness
from the beginning to the end of the course. They were
so well adjusted by the end of the course that some of
the Saudi Arabian participants noted that they would liketo adopt the good customs and aspects of the Japanese,such as punctuality, and even had one participant saying,“We are Japanese now.”
The contribution and cooperation of all companies
that provided specialized programs centered on practicaltraining was especially instrumental to the successful
completion of the course. They consistently acted in apositive and sincere manner, which demonstrated thequalities and corporate culture of the Japanese people
aside from their technical capabilities. They also showed
flexibility and broadness in changing and improving
their program content to accommodate participants’requests (mainly for advanced levels of training), evenin the midst of implementing their program.
Lastly, JCCP takes pride in having planned sufficiently
in advance for the two-month-long course, having
established a cooperative framework that cuts across all
relevant departments, and in having ensured the basic
requirements for the participants’ extended stay in Japan,
all toward bringing the course to successful completion.
<by Teruhiko Sasaki, Training Dept.>

7

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

Personnel
Exchange

Information Exchange and Training
for Young Engineers in Japan andSaudi Arabia
As a new undertaking, JCCP has implemented
a training program intended to contribute to humanresource development in oil-producing countries andJapan through information exchange among young
engineers. Selected young engineers visit refineries andoil-related facilities in the counterpart country to assess
training needs at the field level and to seek and discovermutual knowledge of technologies, business operations,the background to those operations, and solutions tocommon issues. Through this interaction, they are also
encouraged to share future visions, form friendships,
and strengthen relations between oil-producing andconsuming countries.

With young engineers from Japan and Saudi Arabia

1. Young Japanese Engineers Dispatched
to Saudi Aramco
1-1. Objective
Under the program, five young engineers fromJapan visited Saudi Arabia from May 12 to 20, 2010,
to exchange information and establish relationshipsof trust with young engineers at Saudi Aramco. The
five engineers were Mr. Hidetaka Morishige (Safety
and Environmental Protection Section, Aichi Refinery,
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.), Mr. Masaya Hashimoto(Maintenance & Engineering Section, Sakaide Refinery,
Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.), Mr. Gakushi Yamagishi (Petroleum
Refining Department, Japan Energy Corporation), Mr.
Tomohito Shimpo (Technological Section, Showa

Yokkaichi Sekiyu Co., Ltd.), and Mr. Masahiro Suzuki(Planning Group, Negishi Refinery, Nippon Petroleum
Refining Co., Ltd.). They were accompanied by F. Tone
from JCCP’s Training Department.
1-2. Destinations and Overview(1) Ras Tanura Reﬁnery, Saudi Aramco
The Ras Tanura Refinery sends many participants
to JCCP training programs. For this exchange program,the refinery’s training division provided generous
cooperation in recommending departments that the young
engineers from Japan should visit at Saudi Aramco, andin providing advice and making appointments.
After a staff member introduced the Ras Tanura
Refinery to the Japanese group, Mr. Khalid Al-Mutairi,
Training Unit Supervisor, explained that the Training
Unit has the responsibility not only to teach skills, butalso to develop human resources capable of contributing
to Saudi development with the goal of elevating Saudi
Arabia to a leadership role in the Middle East region.
Mr. Al-Mutairi also said he would like the Japaneseengineers to take advantage of the exchange program andgain a good grasp of Saudi Aramco’s present situation.
After the warm welcome from Mr. Al-Mutairi and his
staff, an employee (Mr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Shahrani)
who participated in JCCP’s Safety Management Course(TR-9-09) last year gave a tour of the refinery’s Northand South Oil Operation Divisions and their respective

With management personnel at the Ras Tanura Reﬁnery

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 20108

control rooms. In both control rooms, Saudi operators
greeted the Japanese group with warm handshakes,
which resonated in the hearts of the Japanese engineers.
The engineers also met with the maintenance manager
and operations manager of the refinery, and received arequest for revamping JCCP’s training course programs
and other precious advice.
(2) Ras Tanura Terminal
In cooperation with OSPAS (mentioned later), thisterminal receives crude oil that is sent from the oilfields
via pipeline to shipping stations located in Ras Tanura
and Juaymah, and transfers it to tankers and othervessels, as well as receives and transfers oil products
produced in the Ras Tanura Refinery and the Juaymah
NGL Fractionation Plant. It is also responsible formanaging tanks and guiding tankers to shipping berths.
As the terminal essentially operates a tank farm, staff
members here expressed interest in learning about tankaccident cases in Japan, and requested a course on tankinspection and management.

department was unfamiliar with JCCP courses until thistime, the JCCP members promised to maintain close
contact in the future.
(4) Oil Supply Planning and Scheduling Center(OSPAS)OSPAS is the oil supply center of Saudi Aramco. It
monitors and controls the operation, production, andtransportation data of all oil and gas operations in Saudi
Arabia. A large screen displays five different categories of
data: Refining Network, Terminal Planning & Scheduling,
Crude Oil Network, Gas & NGL Network, and Electric
Network. As it is difficult even for Saudi Aramco
employees to visit OSPAS, the Japanese engineers felt
both honored and humbled at the opportunity and were
impressed to no end by all its trappings.

Giant screen in the OSPAS control room(from the Saudi Aramco website)

View of the South Terminal (from the Saudi Aramco website)(3) Dhahran Shop DivisionThis division was established for the purpose of
supporting the stable supply of crude oil by providing
inspections of rotary and other equipment, when there
were no major equipment manufacturers in Saudi Arabia.
Today, it operates three plants in Dhahran, Juaymah,
and Yanbu, and specializes in the repair of motors,
pumps, steam turbines, heat exchangers, and gearboxes.
Engineers undergo training at the Training Unit for the
first two years after they join the company and receiveon-the-job training (OJT) once they are assigned to thisdepartment. They are also given opportunities to receive
training at foreign manufacturing companies (in the US,
UK, etc.) to strengthen their technical skills. Since the9(5) North Oil Operation Division
The North Oil Operation Division operates a crude
oil processing plant which commenced operationsin 2004 with a capacity to supply 500,000 BD of AL(Arabian light) crude oil, 300,000 BD of AM (ArabianAt the Qatif crude oil processing plant

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

medium) crude oil, and 40,000 BD of condensate. The
Qatif Oilfield, discovered in 1945, is spread over an
area of 50km × 10km. The Japanese group was unable
to visit the actual oil wells, but they were allowed insidea plant that transports crude oil from the oil wells to theprocessing facility. Members of the division expressedinterest in all JCCP regular courses, and requested JCCP
to implement the same TPM course that was previously
implemented at Abqaiq in the north region.
(6) Ras Tanura Laboratory Division
Here the Japanese group received an overview andtour of the facility from staff members who participatedin a JCCP course in the past. As Saudi Aramco exports
oil products worldwide, the laboratory performs
various tests and activities to increase the integrity ofquality control data. Staff members noted that many ofthem have participated in a JCCP course, and are now
producing significant results in bringing improvements
to the workplace. In fact, it was evident throughout thefacility that hints and ideas acquired from visits to oilrelated facilities in Japan during the courses were applied
to the laboratory with successful results.

the exchange of technical information, discussions on
trouble cases, process issues and their countermeasures
are also held at these conferences.” The Saudi engineers
indicated strong interest in the fact that there are forums
for sharing technical information in Japan, and appeared
to want to participate in them if at all possible.
In regard to JCCP training programs, there were
opinions that hands-on training is essential to programs
related to maintenance themes, and that the 11 to 18 days
that are currently allotted to hands-on training should be
expanded to 2 to 3 months. Other opinions noted thatan evaluation system is needed to assess participants’degree of understanding. The JCCP side replied that it
will give due consideration of these opinions.

Young engineers of Saudi Aramco(7) Exchange of views with young engineers
The young engineers from Japan held a deep andmeaningful exchange of views with five young engineers
at Saudi Aramco after introducing themselves and sharing
their expectations and impressions of this program.
Here are a few of the main Q&As that took place.
Question from the Saudi side: “There is an extremely
large number of refineries in Japan. Why are there somany, and how efficient are they?”
The JCCP side explained as follows: “Refineries withsmall capacities tend to lag behind in terms of efficiency.
In the past, there were many more refineries throughout
Japan, but their numbers were reduced throughconsolidation and amalgamation. For this reason,competition is severe, and there is an extremely highlevel of awareness concerning operational improvementin Japan.”
Question from the Saudi side: “There are many oil
companies in Japan, but do these companies actively
exchange information with each other?”
The JCCP side explained as follows: “Exchanging
information among different companies is not necessarily
common practice, but active exchanges of technicalinformation take place in technical conferences that areheld in regard to specific unit categories. In addition toWith the JCCP participants, after holding an exchange of views

1-3. Summary
This program was the first of its kind, but thanks to thecooperation of Saudi Aramco and its various departments,
we feel it was a meaningful program that produced
substantial results. The young engineers from Japan cameinto the program with a forward-looking and assertive
attitude as representatives of the companies they belong
to, and inquired about many aspects of Saudi Aramco’s
operations with the aim of understanding the differences
between their companies and Saudi Aramco.
One of the main objectives of the program was to collectviews about JCCP’s training programs, but we received

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201010

proposals and ideas far surpassing our expectations,which underscored the importance of implementing
this type of program on a continuous basis. Included
were proposals for courses in which veteran employees(management) and young employees can mutually engage
in discussions, technical courses specifically designed inreference to the equipment configuration and future plansof the participant company, courses that analyze failurecases relevant to engineers, and courses on analysis of
failure cases intended for operators.

Aramco. In the control room they acquired knowledge
about TPM activities, and in the field they examinedvarious improvement measures, some of which they felt
were applicable to their refineries. Furthermore, they
visited a gasoline station located in front of the Chiba
Refinery and inspected the tires, lubricating oils, andservicing tools sold in the station. They also observedwith interest service station staff receiving training on
window wiping and car washing, and reflected on thelevel of services in Saudi Arabia.

2. Invitation of Young Engineers from
Saudi Aramco to Japan
2-1. Objective
A group of six young engineers from Saudi Aramco
were invited to Japan for the period between June 8
and 18, 2010, to gain an understanding of Japan’s oil
industry and strengthen ties of information exchange andtrust with young engineers in Japanese oil companies.
With the cooperation of a number of oil companies
in Japan, they observed the import, transfer, storage
system and the operational, safety, and maintenancemanagement systems in Japanese refineries, and gained
an understanding of uniquely Japanese activities such as
TPM activities, and the market situation in Japan.
2-2. Companies and Overview
At JCCP, we provided an outline of the present
state of the oil industry in Japan through lectures on
the “Present State and Issues in Japan’s Oil Industry,”“Safety Management in the Refinery, the Creation and
Activities of a Safety Culture,” and “Energy Saving for
Profitability Improvement.”(1) Chiba Reﬁnery & Anesaki Oil Station, Idemitsu
Kosan Co., Ltd.
The arrival of the group of engineers from Saudi
Aramco coincided with the early-morning shift change
at the Chiba Refinery. They therefore experienced theshift-change process, performing the “radio exercise”
that begins each workday, observing safety confirmation
activities and the TBM (Tool Box Meeting) activity,
and taking part in the “point and call” (pointing with afinger and calling out for confirmation) of safety slogans.
The Saudi engineers said the experience was valuable,
and that they wish to introduce the activities to Saudi

11

Taking part in the “radio exercise”(2) Kiire Terminal, Nippon Oil Staging Terminal
Co., Ltd.
The group of Saudi engineers were ferried to a berthwhere a VLCC was actually docked, and received
an explanation of the crude oil discharging task.
They also inspected the control room from where all
terminal operations are controlled, and gained a general
understanding of the system that controls and manages
the process of discharging crude oil and loading it
onto domestic vessels, through detailed explanations.
In the tank yard, the group inspected the tanker vapor
recovery (TVR) unit that was independently developedby Nippon Oil Staging Terminal. As vapor emissions
that are released when loading crude oil to a VLCC aresimply burned as flare gas at Saudi Aramco, the Saudi
engineers took an interest in the explanation that vapor
recovery could lead to an increase in profit, and seemed
impressed with its environmental management and costmanagement aspects.
(3) Sakaide Reﬁnery, Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.
The training at Sakaide Refinery focused on
maintenance management, and the group from Saudi

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

Aramco examined the operational management
system in the integrated control room and toured therefinery site. Mr. Masaya Hashimoto, Maintenance &Engineering Section, who was one of the members of
the group of young Japanese engineers to Saudi Aramco,
explained the importance of preventive maintenancethrough a comparison of daily maintenance and periodic
maintenance activities. The importance of diagnosis
technologies in addressing aging facilities was also
discussed.
(4) Yokkaichi Reﬁnery, Showa Yokkaichi Sekiyu
Co., Ltd.
The focus of the training at Yokkaichi Refinery was onproviding an understanding of the upgrading processes ofheavy oil in Japanese oil companies. The Saudi engineersvisited the control rooms of various units and received
detailed explanations about diverse technologies. For
example, in the control room of the heavy oil processing
unit, a miniature model of the facility that was createdat the detailed design stage was used to explain how
the initial design was revised after confirming the ideal
equipment layout for routine rounds and inspections andthe role of engineers. Since designs are confirmed using
a 3D simulation model in most cases today, the Saudi
engineers seemed to recognize anew the important roleof physical models in facilitating understanding. Mr.
Tomohito Shimpo, Technological Section, who was
one of the members of the group of young Japaneseengineers to Saudi Aramco, explained the upgrading
process of heavy oil in Japan in detail, and engaged theSaudi engineers in a discussion on technologies related
to RFCC risers and catalyst regeneration columns andtechnologies related to catalyst direct desulfurization.

engineering companies in Japan, the group of Saudi
Aramco engineers received an inspiring practical lecture
on project management based on the lecturer’s own
experience. They were also given a presentation on
A-MIS (Advanced Maintenance Inspection Supporting
System), a system for estimating maintenance andinspection periods from inspection logs and time changes
observed in static equipment, and actively discussed
the technology from various angles. The lecture on
equipment life prediction technology for turnaroundmaintenance, however, was highly technical and achallenge to fully comprehend for some members.
2-3. Group Discussions(5) JGC Corporation World Operations Center
At JGC Corporation, one of the most prominent

The young engineers from Saudi Aramco took part ingroup discussions with the young engineers from Japan
who earlier visited Saudi Arabia, to compare issues ofconcern and future challenges of young engineers, seek
points in common to both countries, and deepen mutual
exchanges. Divided into three groups composed of both
Japanese and Saudi engineers, they were instructed tocome up with a topic related to the theme of “workplaceissues and countermeasures, and personal action plans”
by having each person share issues that he perceives,contemplates or faces daily, and discussing common
issues and their priority as a group. As a result of
discussions, each group happened to select an issue
related to the disparity between veteran and young
employees or to the handing down of knowledge andskills. Not only Saudi engineers but also Japaneseengineers took an active part in sharing their thoughts,
and helped move the discussions along by initiating theanalysis of causes and summarizing the key points. Eachgroup examined the causes from various angles andproposed solutions. In the analysis of causes, the groups
did not go beyond identifying such general factors as

At Showa Yokkaichi Sekiyu

Engineers engaged in discussion

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201012

Presentation of group discussion results

the superficial system, management method, and the
responsibility of superiors. As solutions, they articulated
their wishes without proposing specific measures, andin the final analysis they were unfortunately unable tocreate personal action plans for taking voluntary action.
However, their discovery that young engineers in both
Saudi Arabia and Japan share the same issues was anachievement in itself. We hope that these engineers willtake the opportunity of their group discussions to keepin contact with each other and develop a relationship offriendly competition.
2-4. Observations of the Program
To design a completely new type of program, werealize we may have made some challenging demandsof companies we visited, but we are simply grateful thatthey more than came through for us, providing training
in locations that are not accessible in regular courses
and giving lectures in the greatest detail. Judging by
the responses of the participants, they also appreciatedthe experience to a great degree. However, some notedthat they would have liked to experience an actual siteof training implemented by refineries and case-based
training backed by scientific facts. Some others said
that the program might have been even more helpful if it
included training at an equipment or device manufacturer.
We will take these opinions into consideration in future
programs. As this was the first attempt at implementing
this program, we only invited the participation of oilcompanies, but we hope to expand the scope of the
program more widely in the future.
The overall evaluation of the program was that it was
beneficial to the respective duties of each participant.
Some of the practices and qualities of Japanese companies

the participants discovered and wished to apply to theirworkplaces were the following: good teamwork, mutual
trust and respect, large collective office spaces that
promote communication and facilitate the disseminationof discussion results, and energy-saving initiatives. In
regard to the composition of participants, many opinions
indicated that a mixed group of young engineers froma multiple number of countries would be ideal, so thatvarious views could be exchanged among engineers ofdifferent countries and not only with Japanese engineers.
In a sense, we feel that this type of request is alsocharacteristic of a JCCP program.
The engineers who participated in this program
were consciously aware that they are officer candidates
at Saudi Aramco, and that they were selected for thisprogram to represent the company. Their questions werealways to the point, and they engaged in discussions withsuch active and open minds that even the lecturers andmember company staff members were duly impressed.
As this program was the first of its kind to be
implemented, many factors need to be considered, toupgrade the program next year. For example, we needto consider including an element in the program thatwould satisfy participants’ desire to learn about Japan asa country, respond to their strong request for training at
an equipment manufacturer (in consideration of the factthat they are engineers and the equipment they operate
is mostly Japan-made), develop an idea for providing
a look at how training is implemented in Japan, andexplore the validity of extending the program by a few
days and inviting the participation of young engineersfrom several countries at a time.

3. General Summary
This program was planned and implemented forthe first time this year, with the objective of deepening
mutual understanding and creating a foundation for new
relationships among young engineers in Japan and Saudi
Aramco. Given its recent completion, we wish to interview
the superiors of the young Japanese and Saudi engineers
who participated in the program, as well as staff members
who were in charge of the training units, to obtain theirevaluations of the program, and their opinions, suggestions,and requests for continuation of the program in the future.
In addition to their input, we will also consider designing
an exchange program for young engineers from multiple
countries, in planning next year’s program.
<by Fumihiro Tone, Training Dept.>

13

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

Personnel
Exchange

Seminar on Refinery MaintenanceManagement and TPM
Held at Saudi Aramco

JCCP-side lecturers with the management of Southern Area Oil Operations and participants of Part 2 of the seminar

Saudi Aramco is currently implementing improvement
and reform activities with a focus on safety management
and preventive inspection, with the aim of upgrading
facility inspection technologies in Saudi Arabia. To
complement its efforts, it sought JCCP’s cooperation inlearning about the current state of improvement activities
such as Total Productive Management (TPM) and thelatest maintenance management techniques employedby Japanese refineries. In response to this request, JCCP
and Saudi Aramco have begun to hold a Customized
Program-Overseas (CPO) on a regular basis.

This year’s seminar was divided into two partsand held at two different venues. Part 1 was held at
Yanbu NGL Fractionation Department from April 22
to 30, 2010, and Part 2 was held at the North Ghawar
Producing Department (Southern Area Oil Operations)from May 1 to 5, 2010. Part 1 has been held in turnamong four refineries and two NGL fractionation
departments, and was held for the third time this year.
Part 2 was held this year as a result of a request made bya participant who attended a TPM seminar in fiscal 2008
for implementation of the seminar in his department.

With the management of Southern Area Oil Operations

Part 1 lecture session: Mr. Keisuke Suzuki from Idemitsu Kosan

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201014

Part 1 presentation of group discussion results

Part 2 presentation of group discussion results

Four Japanese lecturers conducted the seminar. They
included a lecturer from JCCP’s Training Department (F.
Tone) and three external experts (Mr. Akio Higashi fromShowa Shell Sekiyu K.K.; and Messrs. Yoshisumi Tamao
and Keisuke Suzuki from Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.). A
carefully selected group of 27 participants from Saudi
Aramco’s four refineries and two NGL fractionation
departments attended Part 1 of the seminar, and 36
participants from departments related to Southern Area
Oil Operations attended Part 2.
As the seminar was to be held at Southern Area Oil
Operations for the first time, Part 2 was held with theattendance of Mr. Saad A. Turaiki, Vice President, and all
management employees of the North Ghawar Producing
Department. The Southern Area Oil Operations’ strong
expectations of the seminar were also evident in the
opening speech given by Mr. Abdullah Al-Helal,
Manager, North Ghawar Producing Department. Mr.
Al-Helal spoke about Saudi Aramco’s company-wide
maintenance activities launched in 2005 and theirrelationship to JCCP training programs, and also
introduced the historical relationship between Saudi
Arabia and Japan.

The seminar program was designed in considerationof the fact that the majority of the participants in both
Parts 1 and 2 of the seminar were maintenance engineers.
On the first day, a lecture provided an outline of thehistory and present state of maintenance management inJapanese refineries. The second day’s lecture introduced
maintenance management issues that Japanese refineries
have confronted and resolved, and discussed thenecessity, purpose and aim of TPM activities. The third
day’s lecture provided greater understanding of TPM
by presenting case examples of improvement measurestaken by two refineries which introduced TPM in advanceof other refineries in Japan and faced various frustrating
experiences in the process of its introduction. On the
fourth day, participants engaged in group discussions,which were particularly well received in previous TPM
seminars, to provide an awareness of the significanceof small-group activities. As typical of TPM activities,
the participants divided into small groups and discussed
various issues to gain conscious awareness of the actions
they take in order to solve a problem.
In the performance exercise on “workplace issues
and solutions,” each group discussed the gap (problem)
between their ideal images of the workplace and reality,and presented the results of their discussions with theother groups.
Specific discussion themes for the group in Part 1of the seminar were “the handing down of technicalexperience,” “fire-extinguishing water control system,”“employee capability,” and “refinery margin.” In Part2, they were “experienced employees,” “generational
gap in experience,” “employee morale,” “reliability ofrotary equipment,” and “manpower.” As can be seenfrom these themes, the handing down of technologies
across generations and the quality of engineers areWith participants of Part 1 of the seminar

15

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

main issues of concern, as they are also in Japan. To
prevent the groups from identifying problem areas
without careful consideration, or from trying to denypersonal involvement by simply dismissing the issue
as a management problem, the lecturers guided the
direction of discussions by asking “why, why, why”
over and over again.
We noted some noteworthy changes in this year’s
discussions. For one, the discussion on the theme of“refinery margin” indicated that cost awareness has
also begun to spread throughout the operational field.
Another major change from last year’s discussions
is that younger employees have begun taking a more
assertive role in addressing and seeking improvement in
employee-related issues. The early retirement of longtime employees in their 50s was raised as a common
issue in the discussions on “employee capacity” in Part 1
and on “experienced employees” and “employee morale”
in Part 2. The participants claimed that this is one of
the factors relating to the handing down of technology.
Moreover, the recognition that a large generational gap
exists, with employee age distribution peaking in the
50s and 20s age groups, underscored the issue of how tohand down experience and knowledge from the older toyounger generations and prevent the decline of employee
technical skills as a whole. This also happens to be anissue of concern in Japan, but the difference is thatthe under-16 population accounts for 40% of the total
population in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco is addressing
the issue by expanding job categories (increasing

equipment capacities, constructing new refineries) toincrease employment, but the company is still facing a
dilemma, due to the large difference in the motivationlevels of long-time employees and younger employees.
Even during group discussions, the younger employees
accurately assessed the issue of their poor motivation as
stemming from early retirement, and actively sought toimprove the situation.
Judging by the lively group discussions and the many
comments we received that the course was extremely
helpful, we feel we have accomplished the expectedgoal of the seminar, for the most part. However, assome of the younger employees noted that they desirea deeper technology-oriented program, some changes
might be needed to respond to differing needs among
participants of different age groups. Some otherparticipants suggested providing comparisons with thesituation in Japan, premised on the lecturers’ preliminary
efforts to understand the situation at Saudi Aramco. As
these opinions seem to indicate, perhaps it is time toreassess and review the future direction of the seminarin reference to Saudi Aramco’s needs.
We intend to maintain close communications withthe seminar staff on the Saudi Aramco side, to moreaccurately grasp the needs of each department at Saudi
Aramco and implement as meaningful a seminar as
possible in the future. A strong partnership is especially
important, in order to respond swiftly to policy changes
that occur when personnel changes are made every two
to three years at Saudi Aramco.
<by Fumihiro Tone, Training Dept.>

Article of the seminar in the Arabian Sun (June 16, 2010)

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201016

Personnel
Exchange

Seminar on “Refinery MaintenanceManagement and TPM”
Held in Iran and Saudi Arabia
1. Iran
The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution
Company (NIORDC) is focusing its efforts on
upgrading facility maintenance technologies andimproving safety management at its refineries.
Mr. S. Mahjoubi, Deputy Director, Production
Coordination and Supervision, who attended the
FY2009 JCCP Program Seminar (TCJ) last July,
took the occasion of the program seminar to convey
to JCCP NIORDC’s request for a seminar designed to
introduce TPM (Total Productive Management) andother kaizen activities that are employed by refineries
in Japan. The principle aim of implementing sucha seminar, Mr. Mahjoubi explained, is to bringchanges in awareness among refinery engineers
in Iran. Responding to this request, JCCP sent a
three-member team to NIORDC’s Tehran Refinery
to conduct the requested seminar from November
7 – 11, 2009. The members included a lecturer from
JCCP’s Training Department (F. Tone, lecturer) andtwo external experts (Messrs. Yoshisumi Tamao andAtsushi Ishizawa from Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.).
Mechanical engineers and process engineers were
eligible to apply, and 21 participants were ultimately
selected to attend the seminar from the NIORDCHead Office and its nine refineries.

A lecture on “Oil Industry in Japan” was given
first, to provide a general understanding of the current
situation in the oil industry in Japan. It particularly
focused on the structure of Japan’s dependency on
the Middle East region for crude oil, and hence theimportance for Japan to build a stable relationshipwith the Middle East. The lecture on “Overview
of Safety Management and TPM Activities in the
Refinery” introduced serious accidents that haveoccurred in refineries and petrochemical plants inJapan due mostly to poor maintenance management.
These examples illustrated the reason why there has
been a surge in voluntary improvement activities
and why TPM activities came to be introduced inJapan. The lecture also discussed ideal management
practices and the significant role of the manager
in increasing motivation in the workplace, andintroduced TPM and small-group activities that havebecome common practices in Japanese refineries. In
the lecture on “Case Examples of TPM Activities/
Improvement Activities for Refinery Management,”
the significance and achievements of TPM activities
were discussed in reference to step-by-step examplesof TPM activities implemented in two refineries ofIdemitsu Kosan, from the introduction to the resultsof those activities.
Group discussions were also held for the first

Seminar participants
17

Group discussion
JCCP NEWS No. 106 March 2010

is to achieve an effective coordination not only ofequipment and tools, but also between managers andemployees.” Furthermore, a participant noted thatthe seminar had, as hoped, reminded him anew thatmaintenance is the steady accumulation of simple
and concise practices.

2. Saudi Arabia
Lecture session

time in a TPM seminar in Iran, as a means forallowing participants to actually experience themeaning of engaging in small-group activities. The
participants were given an assignment of “raising
an issue in their workplace, identifying the gap(problem) between the ideal image and reality, andcoming up with a measure for reaching a common
ideal.” As instructed, the participants divided into
small groups, and within their group they shared
an issue they face in their workplace. They thenselected an issue of high priority, analyzed theissue’s essential cause, and created an action plan
for resolving the issue as a group. The topics of
discussion varied from group to group, ranging fromissues related to energy consumption to discussions
on electrical shock accidents with electric drills,
and were discussed in detail using completion
diagrams and diverse factor analysis methods to
explain the fine points of the issues to each other.
The group discussion session thus turned out tobe a highly productive learning experience for theparticipants.
Mr. Mahjoubi summarized his impression of
the program by saying that it has planted seeds ofcompletely new management ideas in the minds ofthe participants and has given them a new vision.
Through this experience, many participants said
they feel they have acquired a better understandingof TPM. Other participants said they intend to apply
what they learned in this program to improving
their workplaces, based on the understanding that“cooperation between managers and employees
underlies the efforts of Japanese refineries to improve
productivity and profits,” and that “the goal of TPM

Saudi Aramco is striving to improve facility
maintenance technologies, and is focusing
on implementing activities related to safety
management and preventive maintenance. To
strengthen these activities, it requested JCCP’s
cooperation in acquiring knowledge about TPM
and other improvement activities and the latest in
maintenance management employed by Japaneserefineries so that it may improve and reformrefinery maintenance management technologies
in Saudi Arabia. In response to this request, JCCP
implemented a seminar last fiscal year on humanresource development centered on TPM and otherimprovement activities, and the second seminarof the series was held at Saudi Aramco’s Riyadh
Refinery from October 31 to November 4, 2009. A
team of four Japanese lecturers from JCCP’s Training
Department (F. Tone) and external companies (Mr.
Akio Higashi, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.; Messrs.
Yoshisumi Tamao and Atsushi Ishizawa, Idemitsu
Kosan Co., Ltd.) conducted the second seminar,
which was attended by 20 carefully selectedparticipants from Saudi Aramco’s four refineries
and two NGL Fractionation Departments.

JCCP NEWS No. 106 March 2010

Group presentation

18

The main lectures on “Maintenance Managementin Japanese Refineries” and “Overview of Safety
Management and TPM Activities in the Refinery”
first introduced the reality and transition ofmaintenance management practices in Japan.
They then expounded on issues facing Japaneserefineries and the voluntary initiatives through which
they resolved those issues, before discussing thebackground to introduction of TPM in Japan. They
also discussed management principles in Japan andthe important role of the manager in raising worker
motivation in the workplace, as well as introduced
examples of small-group activities. Many of theparticipants seemed to find Japan’s “Point and Call”
practice highly interesting, and said they would
like to include it in their daily operations. In thesession on “Case Examples of TPM/Improvement
Activities for Refinery Management,” the various
case examples of refinery improvements achieved
through TPM activities captured the participants’strong attention. At the end, all participants voiced
their opinion that TPM activities are extremely
effective, and that there is a lot to learn from them.
In the small-group discussion session, each group
was asked to “raise an issue in their workplace,identify the gap (problem) between the ideal
image and reality, and to think of a measure forreaching a common ideal,” as in the session in Iran.
Under the guidance of the lecturer, the participants
probed deeper and deeper to identify the roots of
an issue and analyzed its essential cause to comeup with specific countermeasures. Some groups
engaged in particularly in-depth discussions onsuch challenging issues as changes in maintenancesystems, the construction of a system that would

Presentation of the completion certiﬁcate
Mr. Ali A. Al Hazmi, General Manager, Riyadh Reﬁnery(right)enable the procurement of raw materials as quickly
as possible, and issues relating to single equipmentin the workplace. Since the issues were common
themes to all departments, the participants said
they were able to engage in active discussions andexchanges of views, and evaluated the session as
highly meaningful.
At the end of the program, the participants notedthat they could perhaps more easily adapt the TPM
concept to their workplaces if they could gain a better
understanding of actual TPM activities through onsite
training. They thus requested the implementation of apractical TPM training program at a Japanese refinerythat practices TPM activities. The participants’ earnest
desire to more fully understand TPM activities andto apply them to improving and restructuring theirworkplaces was a significant change from theprevious seminar in 2008, in which participants
showed greater interest in holding group discussions
than in the TPM concept itself. The lecturers feelthat this change in focus clearly demonstrates theeffective outcome of the seminar.
<by Fumihiro Tone, Training Dept.>

Seminar participants

19

JCCP NEWS No. 106 March 2010

Personnel
Exchange

Seminar on “Refinery MaintenanceManagement and TPM”
Held at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Refinery

Seminar participants

1. Background to the Seminar
Saudi Aramco is striving to improve facility
inspection technologies, and has begun to implement
improvement and reform activities with a focus onsafety management and preventive inspection. To
step up its activities, it has been seeking to learn
about the state of improvement activities such as
Total Productive Management (TPM) and the latest
in maintenance management in Japanese refineries,
as a reference for improving and reforming refinery
maintenance management technologies in Saudi
Arabia. Mr. Fareed Z. Kamfar, then-MaintenanceManager, Ras Tanura Refinery, in particular has had
a strong interest in human resource development
through improvement activities represented by
TPM, and had been wishing to invite Japaneseexperts to implement a seminar at the refinery.
In response to these wishes, JCCP conducted aseminar at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Refineryfrom January 24 to 28, 2009.
JCCP sent a team of four lecturers, consisting of alecturer from JCCP’s Training Department (Fumihiro
Tone) and three external experts (Mr. Akio Higashi

from Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.; and Messrs. Hideru
Muto and Yoshisumi Tamao from Idemitsu Kosan
Co., Ltd.), to conduct the seminar. Each lecturer gavea presentation on a pre-assigned topic.

2. Overview of the Seminar
JCCP planned and implemented the TPM
seminar in response to Saudi Aramco’s strong
request. As a Customized Program-Overseas(CPO), it posed many new challenges to JCCP.
In organizing the course content, we paid special
care to create a practical course that is not limited
to providing textbook knowledge, but that would
provide immediately useful information in theworkplace. We avoided providing information that
could be obtained from the numerous books on TPM
that have been translated into English and publishedaround the world. Instead, we aimed to provide
an understanding of why TPM is necessary, andfocused on introducing the actual trials, tribulations,and achievements of Japanese refineries.
The topics of the four-day program were as
follows:

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 200920

provided deeper knowledge of TPM activities
by introducing case examples of improvement
activities that were borne from the concept that it ispossible to “wring water from even a dry towel.”On the fourth day of the seminar, group
discussions were held for the first time in a CPO,
so that participants could learn the meaning of small
group activities not only from lectures, but also fromhands-on experience.
Opening address: Mr. Fareed Z. Kamfar,
then-Maintenance Manager, Ras Tanura Reﬁnery

Day 1:
Maintenance Management in Japanese
Refineries
Day 2:
Overview of Safety Management and TPM
Activities in the RefineryDay 3:
Case Examples of TPM/Improvement Activities
for Refinery Management
Day 4:
Group Discussion on “Problem Solving”
Since the majority of the participants weremaintenance engineers, the first two days of lectures
provided an outline of the history and present stateof maintenance management in Japanese refineries.
They presented the objectives and aims of TPM
and why TPM was necessary, by discussing how
Japanese refineries have confronted and resolved
various maintenance management issues.
The third day’s lecture, based on Japaneserefineries’ bitter experience in introducing TPM,

3. Details of the Seminar
At the opening of the seminar, Mr. Kamfar urged
the participants to acquire a good understanding of
the TPM concept. He noted that, after completion ofa training program, participants often complain thatthe program had given them no new knowledge orthat it did not provide high-level information; but hetold them not to make superficial judgments, and to
grasp what lies within. Thus began the seminar.
On the first day, the lecture on “MaintenanceManagement in Japanese Refineries” presented
the background and factors involved in the global
cost competition facing Japanese refineries, and an
insight into the Japanese mentality, with a focus on
the problem-solving technique that demands thefull participation of all members concerned. The
lecture also provided a general view of Japaneseculture and customs.
On the second day, the lecture on “Overview
of Safety Management and TPM Activities in the
Refinery” introduced a case example of a serious
accident that occurred at a Japanese oil complex,
and described the background behind the rise inimprovement activities and introduction of TPM
activities in Japan’s equipment industries in the

Lecture scenes

21

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Discussion processeffort to reduce human error and management
system insufficiencies. It also discussed management
principles in Japan’s oil refining companies andthe important role of the manager in increasing
worker motivation in the workplace, as well as
introduced an overview of how Japanese refineries
have improved and advanced TPM activities andrepresentative small group activities.
The third day’s lecture on “Case Examplesof TPM/Improvement Activities for Refinery
Management” introduced and discussed TPM
activities implemented at Idemitsu Kosan’s Chiba
Refinery. The lecture emphasized the significanceand achievements of these activities by presenting key
points in firmly establishing such activities, specificexamples of various improvement measures, andexamples of trouble cases. The specific examples
and discussions seemed to facilitate understandingof TPM and other improvement activities.
On the fourth day, group discussions were held
for the first time in a CPO. Each group discussed“ideal images (‘to be’) of the workplace and the gap
with reality (‘as is’),” according to the process shownon the following page, and mutually presented theresults of their discussions with the other groups.
The participants were grouped so that theirGroup discussions
from the TPM
point of view

Presentationsof discussion
results

Group discussions and presentations

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 200922

4. Reﬂections

Presentation of the completion certiﬁcate

engineering levels and positions were evenly
balanced out among the groups. After deciding ona group leader and presenter amongst themselves,members shared ongoing problems with each otherand selected a problem that they decided has highpriority. They analyzed the gap between “to be” and“as is,” and created their action plan for solving the
problem.
Each group raised many current problems. At
first, they tended to attribute the causes of those
problems to organizational and system flaws, butthey began to discuss causes relating to their own
actions soon after the lecturer noted that they needto “make the problems their own” in order to solve
them. The participants extensively discussed thecauses, countermeasures, and action plans fortheir problems, gave substantial presentations, andreached a high level of awareness that they musttake positive action to solve problems.
After the group presentations, we
asked all participants, “Do you want tochange?” and the response was, “Yes,we want to change.” When we asked,“Can you do that?” they responded,“Yes, we can!”At the closing of the seminar, Mr.
Kamfar said he felt that the TPM
seminar produced results beyond his
expectations and expressed high hopesof seeing more positive effects of theseminar in the future. He mentionedthat most of the participants gave good
remarks about the seminar and expressed
a commitment to act on their own.

23

With all participants giving us their fullconcentration, we were able to hold highlyinteractive lectures over four days. The participants
at times surprised us lecturers with their rapid chainof questions and observations, and made for an
intensive and fruitful seminar.
The group discussions were our first attempt ofits kind, and we initially worried whether it would
proceed as we had planned. However, it turned outthat we had nothing to worry about: the discussions
had a strong impact on the participants, and were
extremely well received. We even received a request
to include workshops relating to each day’s lecture
in future seminars.
By introducing not only the best practices ofJapanese refineries but also numerous examplesof their failures, we think the seminar presented arealistic view of situations that the participants arecertain to confront in the future. In this respect aswell, we hope to continue implementing the TPM
seminar.
We were able to bring the seminar to a successful
completion thanks to the support and cooperation of
everyone concerned. Thank you all very much.
<by Fumihiro Tone, Training Dept.>

The Arabian Sun (March 18, 2009)

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Personnel
Exchange“Safety Management for Refinery”
Held at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Refinery

Seminar participants

1. Background to the Seminar
Saudi Arabia is the largest crude oil producer inthe world. As a country that supplies roughly 26% ofJapan’s total crude oil imports, it is one of the mostimportant countries holding the key to stabilizing
crude oil supplies to Japan.
In response to a survey conducted by JCCP on
training needs in major oil-producing countries in
the Middle East, we received a request from Saudi
Aramco for the implementation of a Customized
Program-Overseas (CPO) on safety management in
the refinery. We visited the Ras Tanura Refinery last
May to discuss the details, concept, and scheduleof the program, and implemented the seminar in
December, as presented below.

2. Overview of the Seminar(1) Name of the seminar
JCCP-Saudi Aramco Seminar on Safety
Management for Refinery (CPO-23-08)(2) Seminar schedule
December 13 – 17, 2008 (5 days)(3) Venue
Ras Tanura Refinery, Saudi Aramco(4) Lecturers
JCCP Training Department: Yoshiaki Ueno,
Fumihiro ToneJGC Corporation: Mr. Eigai Hamada
Sompo Japan Risk Management Inc.:
Mr. Susumu Adachi

3. Details of the Seminar
The seminar was held at the Saudi Aramco
Training Center at Ras Tanura Refinery, under thefollowing schedule.
Dec. 13th:
Opening ceremony, introduction of the seminarprogram, introduction of JCCP activities,
overview of Japan’s oil industry
Dec. 14th:
Safety Management for the Refinery, its Theory
and PracticeRefinery Activities for Safety Management
Dec. 15th:
Safe Plant Design Technology and Risk
Management
Safe Plant Design Technology and Process
Safety Management

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 200924

Opening address: Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair, then-General Manager, Ras Tanura Reﬁnery

Dec. 16th:
HSE Risk Assessment and Methods
Risk Management from the Perspective of a
Nonlife Insurance Company
Risk Analysis and Evaluation Methods in
Refineries and Petrochemical Plants
Dec. 17th:Comprehensive Q&A, course review, closing
ceremonyrefineries, and ultimately selected 26 participants.
At the opening of the seminar, Mr. Mohammed
A. Al-Omair, then-General Manager, Ras Tanura
Refinery, urged the participants to “take fulladvantage of the opportunity of this JCCP seminarto learn about Japanese-style safety management
and methods for establishing a safety culture,” andexpressed the significance and his expectations of
the seminar.

We designed the seminar with two major
objectives in mind. The first was to introduce
activities and methods that have been adopted by
Japanese companies to establish a safety culture andsafe working environment. The other objective wasto provide detailed information on risk management
methods from the perspective of process safety
design.
Saudi Aramco, attaching substantial importanceto the seminar, notified and nominated participants
not only from the Ras Tanura Refinery but all its

4. Overview of Lectures(1) Safety Management for the Reﬁnery,
Its Theory and PracticeThis lecture provided knowledge of the concept ofsafety management, the importance of establishinga safety culture, and key points of safety activities.
It also introduced safety activities and methods andvoluntary small group activities that have emerged
from corporate and social awareness of safety inJapan, while showing a video of danger prediction

Lecture scenes

25

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Presentation of the completion certiﬁcate

activities and physical finger-pointing confirmation
activities. The lecture was well-received andappreciated by the participants.
(2) Reﬁnery Activities for Safety Management
This lecture introduced examples of refinery
accidents, their causes, and countermeasures. It
also explained management methods and specificpractices for accident prevention. Everyone showedstrong interest, particularly in the description of
Total Productive Management (TPM) activities,
which are proving extremely effective in Japan’s
refineries, and had many detailed questions
concerning them.
(3) Safe Plant Design Technology and Risk
Management
From the perspective of an engineering company,
this lecture systematically introduced technical issues
relating to equipment design and risk management,
and discussed methods and principles that areconsidered effective in managing plant operations.
It specifically covered such topics as plant disasterand countermeasures, safe plant design, safety
and risk management, safety management in the
United States, and safety and risk evaluation
methods (HAZOP, LOPA, and OHR). The lectures
on safety and risk management and evaluation
methods also provided practical training using
actual case examples, and elicited active responses
from the participants and encouraged their active

Closing address

participation in discussions.
(4) Risk Management from the Perspective of a
Nonlife Insurance Company
This lecture introduced refinery risk evaluation
and assessment in detail, from the perspectiveof a nonlife insurance company. For example, it
discussed what factors a nonlife insurance company
focuses on when surveying, analyzing and assessing
accident trends and risks in Japanese refineries andpetrochemical plants. It also covered risk evaluation
methods, the underwriter’s point of view, and rate
calculation methods, and captured the participants’strong interest, particularly in regard to risk
evaluation methods.

5. Evaluation and Impressions of the
SeminarThis seminar was a touchstone for JCCP in many
respects. To fully satisfy Saudi Aramco’s needs,
we designed the program with considerable care,particularly in regard to introducing Japan’s small
group activities, which are commonly believed to be
extremely effective in establishing and developing
a safety culture. To facilitate understanding ofthese activities, we included detailed discussionsof their theories, theoretical backgrounds, andactual results. The lectures we delivered to fulfill
the second objective of the program of providing
detailed information on risk management methods

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 200926

from the perspective of process safety design werealso highly evaluated by the participants.
Each day’s lecture began at 7:30 a.m. and lasted
until 3:30 p.m. with an hour’s lunch break in
between, but the participants remained so intensely
focused on the lectures that we lecturers had also
fully concentrated on the seminar, almost oblivious
to the time.
On the final day of the seminar, Mr. Fareed Z.
Kamfar, then-Maintenance Manager, Ras Tanura
Refinery, personally held a meeting with theparticipants, and later relayed their impressions of
the seminar to the JCCP team. Mr. Kamfar happily
reported that the participants considered the seminar

one of the most meaningful seminars they haveattended, and that they feel they have benefited
greatly from it. It was extremely rewarding to us
lecturers to receive such high praise. We hopeto maintain strong channels of cooperation with
Saudi Aramco, so that we may carry over the recent
success to further achievements.
Saudi Aramco ran an article on the seminar on
its website and in its weekly journal, The ArabianSun, as shown below.
In closing, we would like to extend our deepest
appreciation to everyone for their time andcooperation in planning and implementing thisseminar.
<by Yoshiaki Ueno, Training Dept.>

Article of the seminar in The Arabian Sun

27

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Topics

Customized Program in Japan on“Maintenance & Safety Management”
for Saudi Aramco

At JCCP:Mr. Fareed Kamfar (second from right in front row)

1. BackgroundIn recent years, Saudi Arabia has become thelargest supplier of crude oil to Japan, supplying as
much as 30% of Japan’s total crude oil imports, andmaking Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco)
an extremely strong presence in the world crude oilmarket.
Last March, an Expert Service program on“Refinery Plant Maintenance” was implemented
in Saudi Arabia (Feb. 28 – Mar. 7, 2008), and Mr.
Mikio Kojima, then-Executive Director of JCCP,

who had been visiting Saudi Arabia at the time,delivered a speech at the seminar venue. Taking
the opportunity of Mr. Kojima’s attendance, Mr.
Fareed Z. Kamfar, RT Refinery MaintenanceManager, strongly requested an opportunity toobserve maintenance & safety management andtotal productive maintenance (TPM) activities inJapanese refineries. In response to the request,
JCCP designed and implemented a program titled“Maintenance & Safety Management by TPM in
Japanese Refineries” (CPJ-20-08), from October
16 to 30, 2008.

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 200928

2. Overview of the Program
Saudi Aramco is presently seeking to upgrade its
facility maintenance technologies, and has launched
improvement/reform activities, with an emphasis on
safety management and preventive maintenance.
Mr. Kamfar therefore wished to observe TPM andother improvement activities, as well as the latest
maintenance management technologies in Japaneserefineries, to gain a perspective on measures for
improving and reforming refinery maintenancemanagement technologies in Saudi Arabia.
The program was designed to mainly cover “safety
program,” “total productive maintenance (TPM),”and “maintenance services organizations,” throughclose examination of relevant initiatives implemented
by JCCP member companies participating in
the program, in addition to discussions. Unlike
conventional courses, it placed emphasis on holding
frank discussions with management-level personnel
at each company, rather than on classroom lectures.
To insure that focused discussions were held, eachcompany prepared for discussions based on a list ofquestions that had been prepared in advance.
The participants were Mr. Kamfar, acting groupleader, Mr. Abdulsalam Ashi, Yanbu Refinery,
Maintenance Division Superintendent, and Mr.
Nezar Lamfon, Jeddah Refinery, Maintenance
Division Superintendent.

3. Program Details
The program featured onsite training at a chemicalcompany and a maintenance company under contract
with a Japanese refinery at Mr. Kamfar’s request, in
addition to oil companies, engineering companies,
and machine & equipment manufacturers. At JCCP
Headquarters, a lecture entitled “Maintenance &Safety Management in Japanese Refinery” examinedcauses and countermeasures to accidents in Japanas an approach to understanding the history ofsafety & maintenance management, and introduced
representative TPM activities that oil refiningrelated companies in Japan have implemented todate. The lecture also served to put into perspective
the significance of the facilities visited.

29

At Nippon Petroleum Reﬁning Co., Ltd.,
Muroran Reﬁnery(1) Reﬁneries
At Nippon Petroleum Refining Co., Ltd.’s MuroranRefinery, detailed discussions were held on the safety
education mechanism of the refinery’s maintenancedepartment and its safety management frameworkwith a contractor employed to undertake daily
maintenance activities. At Japan Energy Corporation’s
Mizushima Refinery, Mr. Kazuo Yamada, Deputy
General Manager, personally described maintenanceand TPM activities implemented by the refinery inan easy-to-understand manner, while introducing
case examples. With respect to safety management
activities, an executive officer gave a detailed accountof the status of various initiatives, and explained
efforts to achieve “visualization” at the refinery, inreference to concrete examples. The information
provided helped establish a general understandingof the status of equipment maintenance management
at the Mizushima Refinery. At Idemitsu Kosan Co.,At Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Chiba Reﬁnery

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 2009

Ltd.’s Chiba Refinery, the study group watched
the early-morning change of shift, observed safety
activities and TBM (Tool Box Meeting) activities,
and received an overview of TPM activities in a
discussion session attended by Mr. Akira Kitayama,
General Manager. The group also visited a company
that undertakes daily maintenance management at
the Chiba Refinery, and obtained information on
the maintenance management system and safety
management framework binding the contractor to
Idemitsu Kosan’s standards.
(2) Chemical company
The group visited the Mizushima Plant of
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, one of thelargest chemical companies in Japan. They gained
a general understanding of the company’s education
system, through hands-on experience in safety
management at the safety training center, which
was independently established by a cooperation
council, and a tour of the T-TEC Center, where new
employees regularly receive training.

exchange with each other: “Go-anzen ni,” meaning“Please be safe.” This came as a strong reminder thatwords of greeting are extremely important in staying
consciously aware of safety. At the Haneda Plant
of Ebara Corporation, a leading Japanese pump
manufacturer, the group received a description of
the company’s large-pump maintenance service
framework in the Middle East, as well as on its
engineer training system. Detailed discussions werealso held on the order receiving/placement system
for spare parts and other components, and on thedelivery lead times for new large-pump orders, inaddition to other specific topics.

(3) Equipment manufacturers
At the Muroran Plant of Japan Steel Works,a world-renown manufacturer of pressure vesselmaterials and equipment, the group received
pointers on the maintenance management ofpressure vessels, toured the high-pressure vessel
production site, and renewed their understanding of
the company’s scale, high technical expertise, andquality. What most captured the group’s attention,
however, were the words of greeting the employees(4) Engineering companies
Visits were made to three leading engineering
companies in Japan. Chiyoda Corporation, acontractor for Saudi Aramco’s principle refineries,
gave a presentation that primarily focused onplant life cycle engineering and work safety. JGC
Corporation gave an overview of its overseas
O&M (operation & maintenance) status anda detailed description of its maintenance andinspection activities in Japan. Toyo Engineering
Corporation delivered a presentation titled “O&M,
a View from Safety,” which covered its policies forsafety management as a contractor and its training
system for subcontractors, and illustrated Japaneseengineering companies’ attitude toward safety.
Listening to these presentations, the members of thestudy group articulated their concern regarding thetechnical level of contractors in Saudi Arabia andtheir wish for them to consider receiving training.

At Japan Steel Works, Muroran Plant

At Sompo Japan Risk Management, Inc., Head Ofﬁce

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 200930

(5) Insurance company
Based on its extensive knowledge of risk
management trends in Japan, Sompo Japan Risk
Management, Inc. provided training in basic policies
for risk assessment as seen from the perspective of an
insurance company and the diverse aspects involvedin assessing hazards and other risks, including thosein relation to the flow of activities, organization,
progress management, cost management, risk
management, and change control.
(6) Maintenance companies
At Sankyu Inc., a medium-sized company
specializing in maintenance activities, detailed
discussions were held on the training system for
employees who perform maintenance activities andon specific human resource development programsfor employees involved in maintenance. At Shinko
Plantech, discussions centered on specific issues in
the maintenance and inspection of refinery facilities,
and focused particularly on daily maintenanceand “Turnaround Maintenance” systems. These
discussions were helpful in gaining an accurate
understanding of the high level of maintenancetechnologies in Japan.

At Shinko Plantech, Head Ofﬁce

4. Evaluation and Impressions
Mr. Kamfar and the other two members of
the study group stated that the opportunities topersonally visit representative companies in Japanand discuss various issues with experts in thosecompanies have been extremely beneficial, and thatthey have fully satisfied their intended objectives.
They also voiced their intention of applying theirexperience in Japan to management practices at
Saudi Aramco, and with a renewed awareness, inparticular, of the importance of having managers
take initiative, they mentioned that they would
like manager-level employees of Saudi Aramco
to attend similar training, to improve management
capabilities in their organization.
This program has been designed considerably
differently from conventional customized programs.
Toward resolving various issues confronting Saudi
Aramco’s maintenance department, it featured
detailed discussions with the management of oilrelated companies in Japan, as a means of providing
a point of reference on how Japanese companies are
addressing such issues. We feel that this approachhas, in a way, established a foundation for practicaltraining programs in general.
From the designing stage of this program, we paid
meticulous attention to details to offer a programthat would satisfy the study group from Saudi
Aramco, and have selected companies for onsite
training that would satisfy the members’ intended
objectives, following a series of negotiations. In
terms of the specific topics of the program, what was
initially a vague idea, gradually began to take shape,
again thanks to the generous cooperation from
related companies and their help in establishing
topics to be discussed at each company. Owing
to these efforts and to the study group preparing
questions in advance, all of the companies were able
to adequately prepare and insure that discussions
would not end up being superficial, but would havea definite focus and provide pertinent information,even within a short period of time.
On a final note, JCCP would like to extend its
deepest gratitude to everyone who has generously
offered their cooperation in the planning andimplementation of the program. Thank you verymuch.
<by Fumihiro Tone, Training Dept.>

31

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 2009My Impressions of the Customized Program in Japan
Mr. Fareed Zainaldeen Kamfar, RT Reﬁnery Maintenance Manager

It has been a tremendously

Management, Sankyu Corporation, Shinko Plantech,rewarding experience for me andand Toyo Engineering were extremely fruitful, andmy team to have participated inprovided us with valuable information related to this

this program. We were quite moved by the warm

program’s objectives, with a focus on HR development

and hearty welcome with which JCCP received us. On

and employee well-being.

behalf of Saudi Aramco and the team accompanying

Over the past 27 years, JCCP has always been atme, I would like to thank Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive

the forefront of building bridges of friendship between

Director of JCCP, and his staff, for developing andJapan and oil-producing nations, and has contributedorganizing the program.

tremendously to enhancing mutual cooperation

The visits to various industries and institutions

between companies in major oil-producing nations

provided us an excellent opportunity to learn about

and Japan. In these days of energy reliance, JCCP’s

procedures related to TPM and safety practices ininitiatives have gone a long way in reaching out to oil

Japan’s industries. It was indeed a great experience toproducers.

observe ﬁrst-hand the intricate details of these activities

On a personal note, about 24 years ago I had

and how meticulously they are being implemented,

the opportunity to attend one of JCCP’s programs,

as well as the methods employed to achieve excellent

and since then I have greatly valued Japanese culture

quality levels.

and work practices. I am impressed by the fact that

We were also impressed with how plant personnel

every Japanese worker, irrespective of his level ofand contractors work in tandem in accepting

responsibility in his organization, places “trust before

ownership, responsibility, and accountability for plantbusiness” and ultimate importance on “maintaining

maintenance and operation. It is a living example ofhighest quality standards.” This speaks loudly of Japan’s

the application of the TPM concept.

remarkable development following World War II into

Our visits to Idemitsu Kosan, Nippon Petroleum
Refining, Japan Energy’s refineries and Mitsubishi

one of the most developed and industrialized nationsin the world.

Chemical gave us an insight into TPM and safety

In closing, once again I would like to extend ourconcepts that are being implemented and practiced

thanks and appreciation for your warm hospitality,

in Japan. The discussions we held with various

graciousness and courtesy during our trip, and lookpeople in Japan Steel Works, Ebara Corporation, JGC

forward to maintaining cooperation between Saudi

Corporation, Chiyoda Corporation, Sompo Japan Risk

Aramco and JCCP in the future.

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 200932

Personnel
Exchange

Tailor-made Program on Refinery Plant
Maintenance Held in Saudi Arabia

Participants of the seminar from various Saudi Aramco reﬁneries (closing ceremony)

1. Background
Saudi Arabia is indisputably theworld’s greatest producer of crude oil,with its Ghawar Oil Field said to containthe world’s largest crude oil reserve.
As a major supplier of crude oil, Saudi
Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco),the country’s state-run oil company, is,and will continue to be, a dominatingpresence in the global crude oil market.
Today, Saudi Arabian crude accounts forroughly 30% of Japan’s total crude oil
imports, making Saudi Arabia Japan’s
leading supplier of crude oil.

For Japan to secure a stable supplyof crude oil, Saudi Arabia is certainly
becoming ever more important to Japan.
Yet, no JCCP-initiated Expert Service(ES) programs have been implemented
in the country for close to 20 years,
since 1988. Seeking to establish a closer
relationship with Saudi Aramco, Mr.
Mikio Kojima, Executive Director of
JCCP, approached Mr. Abdulaziz F.
Al-Khayyal, Senior Vice President,
Refining, Marketing & International,
last January, and held a policy dialogue
on future JCCP cooperation. As aresult of the meeting, the two leadersagreed to commence working-level
consultations on the implementation of
a tailor-made program at Saudi Aramco.
Soon thereafter, Mr. Abdul Majeed
H. G., Supervisor, Human Resources
Development, who is JCCP’s counterpart
at Saudi Aramco, participated in a
JCCP Program Seminar held in July
2007, so JCCP took the opportunity of
his visit to Japan to discuss the tailormade program in detail. In response to
Saudi Aramco’s request for a seminaron refinery plant maintenance, JCCP
organized and implemented the seminarfrom February 28 to March 7, 2008.

Area around the seminar venue(Left) The coastline extends north, all the way to Iraq; (Right) Saudi Aramco’s safe and attractive guest house

33

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

Members from Japan included
four lecturers from the JCCP Training
D e p a r t m e n t ( M e s s r s . Sh i nt a r oMiyawaki, Akio Higashi, Kazumasa
Nakazawa, and Fumihiro Tone) and an
external expert (Mr. Naomi Fujisawa,
Shin Nippon Machinery Co., Ltd. Kure
Works). The members each lectured ona specific topic.
As a matter worthy of special
mention, the seminar was honored toreceive a speech by Mr. Kojima, who
had also been visiting Saudi Aramcoat that time. Mr. Kojima’s speechpresented a rare opportunity for theparticipants to reaffirm the significanceof JCCP activities and the importanceof the cooperative relationship between
JCCP and Saudi Aramco.

coast of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Abdul
Majeed, JCCP’s counterpart at Saudi
Aramco, gave his full cooperation
to the seminar, from making all thenecessary arrangements, to attending
to the JCCP team during their stay in
Saudi Arabia.
The seminar venue was located ina corner of Najmah Camp, at the tip ofa large peninsula far removed from thecity center. The camp also provided
simple yet clean and comfortableaccommodations for the Japanese
lecturers. The seminar began andproceeded smoothly as planned, thanks

to efficient preparations for receiving the
JCCP lecturers and seminar participants,
as well as for processing identification
procedures and other paperwork, andwas able to successfully achieve its
intended purpose.

3. Details of the SeminarT h e s e m i n a r wa s o r ig i n a l ly
planned to cover three lecture topics(3 days), but in response to a strong
request from Mr. Fareed Z. Kamfar,
RT Refinery Maintenance Manager,
during preliminary discussions, two

2. Overview of the Seminar
The Ras Tanura Refinery is Saudi
Aramco’s largest refinery, located on
the east coast of Saudi Arabia, and Ras
Tanura Port is known as a major port
from which crude oil from the world’s
largest Ghawar Oil Field is shipped to
the world. Crude oil tankers bound forJapan also leave from this port.
The seminar took place in anauditor ium in the HR D (Human
Resource Development) Departmentbuilding, located in close proximity
to the Ras Tanura Refinery, with theattendance of 22 personnel from all
the 5 refineries belonging to Saudi
Aramco, including those on the west

Seminar lecturers with Mr. Abdul Majeed H.G., Supervisor,
Human Resources Development (center)

Seminar scene

Exchange of commemorative gifts
Mr. Mohammad A. Al Omair, General Manager (right), and
Mr. Fareed Z. Kamfar, Reﬁnery Maintenance Manager (left)

Gift presented to Mr. Mikio Kojima, Executive Director of JCCP,
in commemoration of the seminar

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 200834

more topics (2 days) were added(diagnosis, inspection, and repair ofmain rotary equipment, and refinery
safety management), and adjustments
were made with respect to the selectionof an external lecturer. After selecting
an external lecturer and making thenecessary ar rangements with thecooperating company, the seminar
was re-scheduled to cover a five-day
period (extending the seminar duration)
featuring one lecture presentation a day,by different lecturers.
The seminar covered the following
lecture topics.
s $AY  2OTARY MACHINERY
maintenance management
s $AY  %SSENTIAL TECHNOLOGY AND
maintenance of rotating machines
s $AY  -AINTENANCE MANAGEMENT
of Japanese refinery
s $AY  3TATIC EQUIPMENT TROUBLE 
countermeasures in Japan
s $AY  2EFINERY ACTIVITIES FOR SAFETY
management
T he le ct u r er s ea ch le ct u r e don their respective topic, based on
their achievements in technologicalimprovement and abundant experience inJapan, and elicited enthusiastic responses
from the participants. JCCP hopesthat the knowledge of TPM activities
and various improvement measures inJapanese refineries that the participants
have gained through the seminar will be
put to practical use in enhancing Saudi
Aramco refineries in the future.
In response to a questionnaire thatwas handed out to the participants on

the final day, all of them indicatedthat they would like to participate ina JCCP regular course some day, andprovided a bright prospect for future
JCCP activities.

4. Evaluation and Impressionsof the Seminar
The implementation of the JCCPinitiative ES seminar for the first timein roughly 20 years was largely madepossible by the generous support ofMr. Fareed Z. Kamfar, RT Refinery
Maintenance Manager, and Mr. Abdul
Majeed, JCCP’s counterpart at Saudi
Aramco. Their valuable advice andcooperation, from the preparations of
the seminar to its proceedings, weregreatly instrumental to the successful
completion of the seminar. JCCP
extends its deepest appreciation andgratitude to them.
In terms of the fact that the seminar
period coincided with Mr. Kojima’s

meeting with the head of the Ras Tanura
Refinery, that Mr. Kojima delivered amessage at the seminar in person andboosted the participants’ motivation, andthat the timing of the seminar was ideal
for promoting JCCP activities to the Ras
Tanura Refinery, which is considered tobe the central facility of Saudi Aramco,
the seminar provided the perfect ending
to the FY2007 programs.
With the implementation of thisseminar, JCCP has added anotherpage to its long history of cooperation
activities, and sees this achievement
as an indication of a bright future. In
this respect, JCCP sincerely hopes thatthe success of this seminar will lead tothe further development of customized
programs in the future.
Lastly, JCCP would like to extend its
deepest appreciation to everyone who
generously cooperated in the planningand implementation of the seminar.
Thank you very much.
<by Shintaro Miyawaki, Training Dept.>

Presentation of completion certiﬁcates

Auditorium where Mr. Mikio Kojima, Executive Director of JCCP, delivered a special speech

35

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

Personnel
Exchange

Report on the Cooperation with
Training Centers Program—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Oman—
A two-member delegation from JCCP, consisting of
A. Yamanaka, General Manager, Operations Department,
and K. Kojima, Lecturer, Training Department, visited
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Oman from February 18
to March 1, 2010 under the Cooperation with Training
Center Program.
The main objectives of the visits were to introduce
and promote the FY2010 JCCP regular course programs,
explain and discuss in detail the implementation ofcustomized programs, and exchange views with JCCP
counterparts in those countries.

Aramco and Japanese oil companies. As the training ofyoung employees is an important issue at Saudi Aramco,
the proposed program, which focuses on training young
employees, was well-received by Saudi Aramco. To
JCCP , the program would provide a means for assessing
new training needs in oil-producing countries.
Following the meeting, the delegation was shown
Saudi Aramco’s impressive laboratory, meticulously
managed to ensure safety and health.

Saudi Arabia

On February 22, the JCCP delegation visited Qatar
Petroleum (QP) and met with Mr. Mohamed Normarzuki
Bin Yaacob, Senior Supervisor, Short Tech., Corporate
Training, and his staff.
Mr. Yaacob thanked JCCP for its cooperation throughtraining programs and technical cooperation projects,
and then mentioned a few points in regard to QP’s future
participation in JCCP regular courses. He explainedthat QP was unable to send many participants overseas
last year due to the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza
virus, but plans to increase its participation this year,
given the improved situation. He also said he willconsider QP’s participation in JCCP training programs
comprehensively, in reference to JCCP member company
courses as well.
On February 23, the delegation visited the

The JCCP delegation visited Saudi Aramco’s Ras
Tanura Refinery on February 20 and held a meetingwith Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair, Executive Director,
Refining & NGL Fractionation, and his staff. Mr.
Al-Omair is responsible for overseeing all refineries
operated by Saudi Aramco.
After expressing his appreciation of JCCP training
programs and technical cooperation projects, Mr.
Al-Omair noted that he has recently begun requiring
participants to submit a report after completing theirtraining courses at JCCP. He also put forth a request fora Customized Program-Japan (CPJ) in fiscal 2010.
JCCP proposed the implementation of an informationexchange program between young employees of Saudi

Meeting with Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair, Executive Director(center), at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Reﬁnery

Qatar

Meeting at the QP Head Ofﬁce

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201036

Meeting at the TASWEEQ Head Ofﬁce

Qatar International Petroleum Marketing Company(TASWEEQ) and met with Mr. Anton Bray, Marketing
Director, Condensate & Refined Products, and his staff.
TASWEEQ is wholly owned by the Qatari government,
and mainly engages in the export and sales of petroleum
products. This was the first visit made by a JCCP
delegation.
The delegation introduced JCCP and its activities,
gave an overview of the FY2010 regular course programand customized training program. They also explained
and requested TASWEEQ’s participation in the FY2010
JCCP Program Seminar (TCJ) that is scheduled to be heldin Japan this July for JCCP counterpart personnel.
Mr. Bray said he would need to discuss the possibilityof customized programs with other officers of TASWEEQ,
but wishes to implement several Customized ProgramsJapan (CPJ) and Customized Programs-Overseas (CPO)on separate occasions during the year. He also said hewould like the CPJ to be designed mainly for Qataripersonnel, in consideration of the number of participants
the program could accommodate and the duties of theparticipants, and the CPO, for all employees.

to better implement the capacity increase project planned
for the Ruwais Refinery, that TAKREER wishes to senda member to participate in the FY2010 TCJ program,and that they are thinking positively about the next VIP
invitation of JCCP.
Following the visit to TAKREER, the delegation
visited Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), andmet with Mr. Hashem Y. Al Refaei, Marketing Research& Administration Division Manager, Marketing &Refining Directorate, who participated in last year’s
JCCP International Symposium, and his staff.
Mr. Al Refaei expressed his appreciation of JCCP
training programs and technical cooperation projects, andsaid he wishes to continue sending ADNOC employees
to participate in JCCP’s FY2010 regular courses. He
also thanked the JCCP members for their proposal for
a CPJ on oil marketing and physical distribution, andpromised to make the necessary internal arrangements
to realize the program.
After the meeting, the delegation had the opportunity
to inspect a large-scale service station complex operated
by ADNOC.

At the TAKREER Head Ofﬁce

UAE
On February 24, the JCCP delegation visited Abu
Dhabi Oil Refining Company (TAKREER) to meetwith Mr. Ja’afar Salem Al-Jaberi, HR & Administration
Division Manager, Mr. Ahmed Herzallah, Senior Career
Development Officer, HR & Administration Division,and other staff members.
TAKREER thanked JCCP for its support throughtraining programs and technical cooperation projects,
and talked about several topics, such as the fact that
officers at the president’s assistant level were reshuffled

37

Meeting at the ADNOC Head Ofﬁce

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

Oman
In Oman, the JCCP delegation visited Oman
Refineries and Petrochemicals Company (ORPC) on
February 28, and met with Mr. Mohammed Rabia
Al Ghailani, General Manager Corporate Support,
and his staff.
Mr. Al Ghailani has only recently been appointed
to his present position, but on welcoming the
JCCP delegation, he promptly expressed his
appreciation of JCCP training programs andtechnical cooperation projects. Because ORPC was

With Mr. Mohammed Al Ghailani, General Manager,at the ORPC Head Ofﬁce (center)founded by a merger between the former Oman
Refinery Company (ORC) and the Sohar Refinery,
Mr. Al Ghailani showed strong interest in the merger
and consolidation of Japanese oil companies.
The delegation introduced JCCP activities,
thanked ORPC for its participation in JCCP
training programs and technical cooperation
projects, gave a rundown of Oman’s past record ofparticipation in JCCP training programs, presented
an overview of FY2010 JCCP regular courses andcustomized training programs, and explained andrequested ORPC’s participation in the FY2010 TCJ
program.
The delegation learned from its recent visitsthat countries and organizations with a steadyrecord of participation in JCCP training programsand technical cooperation projects, such as Saudi
Arabia and UAE, have stronger interest not onlyin JCCP regular courses but also in CPO and CPJ
programs, and more specific requests of JCCP
training programs. JCCP takes this as a testament
to the achievements and relationships of trust thatit has established over its history of close to 30
years.
In recent years, JCCP has been concentrating its
efforts on providing even more practical training
programs than ever before, but the recent visits
made the delegation renew their awareness of thesignificance of meeting and exchanging frank views
with JCCP counterparts.
<by Kazuo Kojima, Training Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201038

Personnel
Exchange

Report on the
Cooperation with Training Center Program—Kuwait and Saudi Arabia—

In Kuwait, the delegation’s main destinations
included the head office of Kuwait National
Petroleum Co. (KNPC), KNPC’s Mina Abdullah
Refinery, and the Leadership Development Center(LDC) and Petroleum Training Center (PTC) of
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC).
Under the leadership of KPC, the oil industry
in Kuwait is promoting corporate reforms in aneffort to develop companies that are capable ofpursuing results and gaining a global competitiveedge. Human resource development, in particular, isregarded as an important part of corporate reform,
and initiatives are being implemented toward thedevelopment of human resources—from leaders tofield operators—with an emphasis on real ability.
At KNPC’s HR Department, which sends thelargest number of participants to JCCP every year
from Kuwait, Mr. Waleed Al-Hamad, AssistantManager, introduced to the delegation its humanresource development programs and a check sheetof strict standards that KNPC uses to evaluate theeffectiveness and results of refinery engineers.
At KPC’s Leadership Development Center(LDC), Ms. Salma Al Hajjaj, Director, described
LDC as an institution established specifically for the
purpose of developing top management personnel,
and explained that potential top management
candidates are registered in a database from early on
to provide education and training from a companywide perspective.
At the Mina Abdulla Refinery, managers who
participated in a JCCP course in the past shared
their expectations and requests with regard to JCCP
training. Mr. Mohammed G. Al Mutairi, Deputy
Managing Director, in particular, expressed deep
understanding of JCCP activities, as one who has
participated in JCCP training programs twice.
He spoke about his impression of the Japanesepeople’s work ethic and Japanese-style management
practices, and about how the knowledge he gained

At KNPC’s Mina Abdulla Reﬁnery
Mr. Mohammed G. Al Mutairi, Deputy Managing
Director (fourth from right), and other ofﬁcers

At KPCMs. Salma Al Hajjaj, Director, Leadership Development
Center, KPC (fourth from left)

A JCCP delegation visited Kuwait and Saudi
Arabia from October 11 to 21, 2009, under the
Cooperation with Training Center Program toexchange views with the counterparts of JCCP
regular courses regarding their evaluation of thecourses and future needs. The delegation especiallyemphasized that JCCP will launch long-term CPJ
programs and new regular courses in fiscal 2010, toprovide even more practical training than before.

Kuwait39

JCCP NEWS No. 106 March 2010

At the Saudi Aramco Head Ofﬁce
Ms. Huda M. Al-Ghoson, General Manager,
Training & Career Development (second from left)

At the Ras Tanura Reﬁnery
Mr. Al-Sultan, Maintenance Manager, RT Reﬁnery(second from left), and JCCP graduates

through JCCP personally benefited him in his
career thereafter, and expressed his strong desire
to continue sending as many refinery personnel to
JCCP courses as possible in the future.

operates very much like a real plant and large training
facility that is comparable to a vocational school inscale, while receiving detailed descriptions from
Mr. Al-Hamdan, Supervisor, NA Industrial Training
Dept., and managers of other departments.
At the Saudi Aramco Head Office, the JCCP
delegation exchanged views with Ms. Huda M.
Al-Ghoson, General Manager, Training and Career
Development, who explained that Saudi Aramco
is currently concentrating its efforts on developing
leadership. According to Ms. Al-Ghoson, Saudi
Aramco seeks two specific abilities in potential
leaders: the ability “to forecast the future of the oil
industry from a global perspective, establish concretetargets, and see those targets through to the end,”
and the ability “to efficiently organize and develop
younger workers who adhere to new values.”
At the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral
Resources, H.E. Mr. Yahya J. Shinawi, Director
General, spoke about the ministry’s initiatives forcapacity development of its staff members, with aview to creating environmental and safety criteria
for the oil industry in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, the delegation mainly visited thefollowing five destinations: the Saudi Aramco Head
Office, the Ras Tanura Refinery, the Ras Tanura
Training Center, the Eastern Province Branch of
the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources,
and a Saudi Arabian government office in chargeof human resource development.
At the Ras Tanura Refinery, the JCCP delegation
held a meeting with JCCP graduates in the companyof Mr. Al-Sultan, Maintenance Manager, andobtained their views on how JCCP training is
helping them in their current workplaces, as wellas their expectations and requests for improvement
in regard to JCCP. There were those who said
they developed an interest in Japanese corporate
management as a result of their exposure to Japanesecompanies through JCCP training, and those who
said they wish to learn how to apply Japanese-style
management to Saudi Arabia. Others requested a
training program that not only offers classroom
lectures but places more emphasis on providing
practical knowledge.
At the Ras Tanura Training Center, the JCCP
delegation toured the center’s training plant that

The visits to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia yielded
the understanding that both countries place strongemphasis on human resource development as apriority issue, that they have a high regard for thebasic qualities of the Japanese people, culture andcustoms, and also for Japanese-style management.
Furthermore, the JCCP delegation noted that oil-

JCCP NEWS No. 106 March 201040

producing countries have strong interest in training
programs that include lectures on kaizen, TPM and
TQC activities. In light of such new needs in Saudi

Arabia and Kuwait, JCCP acknowledges that it must
further enhance and improve its training courses in
the future.
<by Masumi Kitahara, Administration Dept.>

With H.E. Mr. Yahya J. Shinawi, Director General of theEastern Province Branch of the Ministry of Petroleum andMineral Resources (second from left)

41

JCCP NEWS No. 106 March 2010

Personnel
Exchange

Report on the
Cooperation with Training Center Program(Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain)
From November 8–18, 2008, a five-member
JCCP delegation visited four countries in the Middle
East, to hold working-level conferences with JCCP
counterpart training departments in those countries.
The delegation specifically sought to introduce the
FY2009 JCCP regular course program, promote andpropose the implementation of customized programs(CPO/CPJ) that are designed in response to specificneeds in each country, and to exchange views with
JCCP counterpart personnel. The members of thedelegation were Mr. Akio Yamanaka, General
Manager, Operations Department, Mr. Yasuo
Tabei, Master Lecturer, Training Department,
Mr. Shoichiro Yagi, General Manager, Middle
East Office, Mr. Toshimi Kinoshita, General
Manager, Riyadh Office, and Mieko Onai, Manager,
Operations Department.
Each of the four countries sends participants
to JCCP courses on a continuing basis, and plays
an important role in sustaining JCCP cooperation.
For this reason, personally meeting with people
in charge of or involved in sending participants to
JCCP courses and directly obtaining their views andrequests have proved to be extremely meaningfulin further strengthening cooperative relationships.
The visits also presented an ideal opportunity to
explain in person course details that could not
be fully communicated by writing only, and topromote JCCP activities planned for the coming
fiscal year.

At the NIORDC Head Ofﬁce,with Mr. Saeid Mahjoubi, Deputy Director,
Production Coordinator & Supervision (second from left)

Mahjoubi, Deputy Director, Production Coordinator& Supervision. NIORDC sends many participants to
JCCP each year, but in order to secure its continued
participation, the delegation provided an overview
of FY2009 regular courses, as well as proposed theimplementation of customized programs. After due
consideration, Mr. Mahjoubi stated that he wishes
to place priority on receiving a customized program

1. Iran
On November 10, the delegation visited theHead Office of National Iranian Oil Refining
and Distribution Company (NIORDC) locatedin Tehran, and held a meeting with Mr. Saeid

At the NIORDC Esfahan Reﬁnery,with Mr. M. Aghanejad, Managing Director(ﬁfth from left)

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 200942

on safety management, saying that he would like
NIORDC employees to learn about the Japanesementality of preventing accidents from occurringin the first place.
After the meeting, the delegation met with Mr.
Aminollah Eskandari, Director Refining Affairs,
who expressed his growing expectations in JCCP’s
cooperative framework.
On the following day, the delegation visited theEsfahan Refinery. After receiving a warm welcomeand engaging in a follow-up discussion with Mr.
M. Aghanejad, Managing Director, and other JCCP
graduates, the delegation members toured the site
and gained an overall understanding of the refinery’s
operations.
During this trip, the delegation also had theopportunity to visit the Tehran Head Office andEsfahan Branch Office of National Iranian Oil
Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC), a
subsidiary of NIORDC specializing in logistics,

At the NIOPDC Head Ofﬁce

At the NIOPDC Esfahan Branch Ofﬁce

43

from which the numbers of participants to JCCP
regular courses have been increasing during thepast few years. The meeting at the Head Office
was attended by Mr. Rahman Ghasemi, Directorof Human Resource & Training, and many othermembers who participated in a customized program(Human Resource Management & Development)
held in Japan last February for a study group from
Iran. As they were familiar with JCCP regularcourses, they offered diverse opinions and requests
for future regular courses. At the Esfahan Branch
Office, the delegation met with Mr. Farazmand
Mohammad, Manager, Esfahan Region, andMr. Soleiman Malakan, Deputy of Commercial
Department, both of whom participated in a JCCP
regular course in the past, in addition to a numberof other personnel, and gained an understanding of
the current state of an oil logistics facility in Iran.

2. Kuwait
On November 13, the delegation visited Kuwait
National Petroleum Company (KNPC) andheld a meeting with a number of key personnel,
including JCCP counterpart Mr. Ali Abdulla,
Team Leader, and Ms. Saud Abdullatif A. AlAwadhi, Senior Specialist, both from the Career
Development Division, HRD, Ms. Haifa AlYouhah, Specialist, Mr. Mohammad J. Burahmah,
On-the-Job Training (OJT) Personnel, and Mr.
Deven Kotecha, Safety, Health & Environment(SH&E) Training Personnel.
In addition to receiving participants fromKNPC to regular courses, since 2004 JCCP has
implemented four customized programs in Kuwait
and one in Japan. In the meeting, the KNPC side
requested the implementation of a new course on
the environment, with a focus on safety, health& environment (HSE), an area that KNPC isparticularly seeking to reinforce within its HRD
structure. The KNPC side also maintained that
JCCP training is an indispensable part of their HRD
system.
As KNPC is also striving to promote the OJT
system, the KNPC members provided an overview

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 2009

Meeting at the KNPC Head Ofﬁceof in-house OJT training and SH&E training. The
delegation members felt that the training system
chart and evaluation table that the company actuallyuses could be useful references for JCCP training
as well.
KNPC invests a substantial amount of expenses
in training its 5,000 employees. Its HRD systemaims to assign the right people to the right places,
and fosters human resources with care, so that each
person can exercise his or her full potential. In regard
to engineers, its policy appears to be to provide
thorough education on safety management issues
and attitude from the early stages of employment.
Based on this understanding of KNPC’s commitment
to training its employees, JCCP should perhaps
reexamine how it can continue contributing to
KNPC through its training programs.

customized programs to many training managers
all at once. There have been increasing numbers of
Saudi Aramco participants to regular courses during
the past few years, and there are plans to hold acustomized program at the Ras Tanura Refinery
again this fiscal year in December and January,
following those implemented during the previous
year. Therefore, the Saudi Aramco side showedstrong interest in regular courses and customized
programs for FY2009, and in the end requested acourse on gas operations.
Among themselves, the training coordinators
discussed measures for streamlining the feedbackof participants’ requests of JCCP courses, as wellas the series of procedures from announcing
course offerings within Saudi Aramco to sending
in applications. Hopefully, their discussion will
facilitate smoother coordination between Saudi
Aramco and JCCP in the future. The meeting
also produced specific requests relating to course
improvements. JCCP will consider these requests
seriously, and reflect them in the management andoperation of future courses.

3. Saudi Arabia
On November 15, the delegation visited Saudi
Aramco’s Ras Tanura Refinery. Regardless of it
being the beginning of the week in Saudi Arabia,
13 people turned out for the meeting, including
Mr. Lloydie A. Jonson, Assistant to Vice President,
Refining, who is also JCCP’s counterpart at
Saudi Aramco, and training coordinators for gas
operations from Saudi Aramco’s other refineries
and oil fields. The meeting provided an ideal stage
for presenting an overview of regular courses and

At Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Reﬁnery,with participants of the meeting

4. Bahrain
On November 16, the delegation held a meetingat a refinery operated by the Bahrain Petroleum
Company (BAPCO), with Mr. Mohamed Abdulla

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 200944

At BAPCO, with Mr. Mohamed Abdulla Al Jamea,
General Manager, Human Resources & Administration(third from left)

Al Jamea, General Manager, Human Resources& Administration, and JCCP counterpart Mr. Ali
Salman Ali, Superintendent Technical Training.
Due to its small population, Bahrain has so far sent
only a small number of participants to JCCP courses
compared to other Middle East countries, but there
has been steady participation from Bahrain every
year since 1990.
BAPCO also enjoys a strong cooperative
relationship with Japanese companies. As Mr. Al
Jamea has stated, BAPCO is extremely grateful for
JCCP’s technical assistance, and holds particularly
strong expectations of training in the operational
maintenance sector. In addition to JCCP regularcourses, however, BAPCO would also like toparticipate in courses initiated by JCCP member
companies.

5. Summary
During its recent visit to the Middle East, the
JCCP delegation not only visited oil companies in
oil-producing countries, but also paid courtesy callson the Japanese Embassies in Iran and Bahrain andgained a deep understanding of current situations in
the countries visited. At the Japanese Embassy in
Bahrain, the delegation members had the opportunity
to meet with H.E. Mr. Takeshi Kondo, Ambassador

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, who emphasized
the significance of Bahrain to Japan. He stated that
“Bahrain may not produce as much oil as othercountries, but it plays an important role in securing
the navigation safety of tankers.” At the Japanese
Embassy in Iran, the delegation obtained invaluable
information on current situations in Iran from Mr.
Toshiyuki Shirai, Head of the Economic Section.
Mr. Shirai showed support of JCCP activities
by expressing his conviction that continuous,
hardworking activities over a long period of time,
like JCCP activities, are what is most necessary to
Iran today. The delegation also visited Yokogawa
Electric Corporation’s offices in Saudi Arabia andBahrain, and obtained significant insight into thecountries through the eyes of a Japanese company
that has succeeded in making inroads into theMiddle East region.
In each country, the percentage of young
employees is beginning to increase along with theincrease in population, and many companies arehoping to have them learn from Japan, not only
in regard to technical capabilities, but also suchspiritual aspects of the Japanese as their diligenceand sense of responsibility toward their work. To
many organizations, this is an extremely important
aspect of JCCP activities, and one for which
they have great expectations. At the same time,
however, some countries have articulated theirhonest opinions of JCCP courses without reserve.
These opinions will be reviewed and reflected in theplanning and implementation of future courses.
Over the years, JCCP has established close bondsof friendship with Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, andBahrain. However, the recent visits have provided
the delegation with the opportunity to reaffirm theimportance of continuously doing the utmost to
support counterpart countries and making steadycooperation efforts through JCCP activities.
I would like to take the opportunity of this report
to send my warmest and sincerest appreciation to
everyone who has supported us throughout our recent
trip through the four countries in the Middle East.
<by Mieko Onai, Operations Dept.>

45

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 2009

Topics

Total Number of Participants
to JCCP Courses in Japan
Has Surpassed 17,000!
November 27, 2007 was a landmark
day for JCCP. With the two coursesthat were begun that day—T T-1(Training Management) and TR-16(Gas Processing for LNG)—the total
number of participants JCCP has
received since its founding has surpassed
17,000. As the commemorative 17,000th
participant, Mr. Mohammad Ali AlQahtani received congratulatory words
and a commemorative gift from Mr.
Mikio Kojima, Executive Director of
JCCP. At that moment, all the membersof JCCP, wrapped in feelings of profoundfulfillment and pride, were convincedthat JCCP’s 26 years of steady efforts
in assisting oil-producing countries has
resulted in the remarkable achievement.
Many of the 17,000 participants havegone on to become refinery directors
and senior officials in national oil
companies in their respective countries.
JCCP is convinced that they willplay a central role in the continued
implementation of JCCP activities,

toward further strengthening thefriendly relationships between Japanand oil-producing countries.
Encouraged by the astounding result,
all of us here at JCCP have renewed ourcommitment to continue directing steadyefforts to implementing effective andmeaningful cooperation activities.
Below is a message from the 17,000th
participant, Mr. Al-Qahtani (Saudi
Aramco / Saudi Arabia).
Message from the 17,000th participant
Mr. Mohammad Ali Al-Qahtani(Saudi Aramco / Saudi Arabia)
I am very honored to be the 17,000th participant at JCCP, since its
establishment in 1981. I hope to return home to Ras Tanura Reﬁnery andacquire more experience in my ﬁeld. I am also looking forward to beparticipant number 20,000.
Since I came to Japan, I have discovered many fabulous things about
JCCP and Japanese industries, particularly in the LNG ﬁeld.
Japanese people are very kind and friendly, and I would like to thankthem.
Finally, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to JCCP.

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

46

Topics

JCCP Participates in“Third OPEC Summit Exhibition”
in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
1. Background
The Third OPEC Summit washeld in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, on November 17 and 18,
2007. Under the three primary themesof “Reliability,” “Prosperity,” and“Protection,” the heads of delegationsof OPEC member countries adopted the
Riyadh Declaration, which highlighted
environmental issues for the first timeas OPEC. Prior to the summit, a fourday international oil exhibition washeld from November 13 to 16, under
the sponsorship of the Saudi Ministryof Petroleum. JCCP participated in the
exhibition as part of its efforts to build
friendly relations with oil-producing
countries, and introduced and promoted
increased awareness of JCCP activities
to representatives from oil-producing
countries attending the exhibition.

2. JCCP Exhibition
In a booth occupying a 15 m 2 (3 ×5 m) space, twelve information panels
provided details of JCCP’s training
programs and technical cooperation
projects, and an introductory DVD

With H.E. Ali Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

presented a n over view of JCCP.
The booth received as many as 200
visitors throughout the duration of theexhibition. On the first day, it had thehonor of receiving a visit from H.E.
Ali Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleumof the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
It was also honored by visits from
H.E. Gholamhossein Nozari, Acting
Minister of Petroleum of Islamic
Republic of Iran, H.E. Dr. Purnomo
Yusgiantoro, Minister of Energy andMineral Resources of Indonesia,

Mr. T. Kinoshita, General Manager of the JCCP Riyadh Ofﬁce,with H.E. Al-Naimi

47

and H.E. Abdullah bin Hamad Al
Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister andMinister of Energy and Industry of
Qatar. To each visitor to the JCCP
booth, JCCP members handed out
brochures introducing JCCP activities,
and provided detailed information on
its training programs and technicalcooperation activities. Many who
visited the booth showed strong interestin the fact that JCCP offers technicalassistance in cooperation with Japanese
private companies.

H.E. Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister of
Qatar, visits the JCCP booth.

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

H.E. Gholamhossein Nozari (second from right),
Acting Minister of Petroleum of Islamic Republic of Iran,at the JCCP booth

H.E. Dr. Purnomo Yusgiantoro (center),
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia,
listens to an explanation at the JCCP booth.

With Iranian exhibition participants in front of the JCCP booth

JCCP booth

Near the JCCP booth were the large
and attractive booths of Iranian oil
companies such as NIOC, NIORDC,
and NPC, in addition to Saudi Aramco,
ExxonMobil, Saudi Arabian Chevron,and ADNOC.

3. Impressions
During the exhibition, many JCCP
graduates visited the JCCP booth andconveyed their support of JCCP, but evenpeople who, for example, had only heardof JCCP’s technical cooperation projects
visited the booth, which indicated anincreased awareness of JCCP activities
in oil-producing countries. Visitorscommented that Japan’s cooperation is“deeply appreciated by all oil-producing
countries,” and that they hope JCCP
will continue to implement its personnel
exchange activities, “as human resource
development is becoming ever more
important.” Others expressed theirsupport of JCCP technical cooperation
projects, saying that “the practical natureof the projects bring tremendous benefits”
to the counterpart organization.
At this exhibition, visitors wererestricted for the most part to people
from within the oil industry, but with theattendance of important dignitaries fromvarious countries, the exhibition provided
an ideal opportunity to effectively
promote JCCP activities. Taking toheart the precious views and requests

it has received at the exhibition, JCCP
intends to further enhance its activities
in the future, and plans to continue
participating in such opportunities as
this exhibition, to increase its profile
among oil-producing countries.

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 200848

<by Nobutaka Sumikawa, TechnicalCooperation Dept.>

Participant’s VoicePetroleum Marketing and Products Delivery(TR-14-08: October 21 – November 7, 2008)
Mr. Mohammad A. Al-Yahya (Saudi Aramco / Saudi Arabia)

It has been a wonderful opportunity to explore technicaland cultural aspects of Japan, and to experience the Japanese
lifestyle and environment, thanks to JCCP and other expert
authorities in Japan. Most importantly, we have observed
Japan’s vast knowledge base, which provides the foundation
for the development of high-quality, reliable, and longlasting products in Japan. Through this excellent course on
Petroleum Marketing & Product Delivery, which was carriedout by professional JCCP training staff, all participantsacquired invaluable experience and a broad perspective inJapanese technology, industry and culture.
Throughout my 16-year career, this was the ﬁrst time that
I have experienced a course in which the agenda featured
a unique combination of industrial and cultural aspects. I
believe this approach was extremely effective in promoting
comprehensive understanding.
On behalf of all the participants in the course, I would
like to express our sincere thanks and deep appreciation to
the entire JCCP management and staff, and in particular to
Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP, Mr. Kazuo
Kojima, Course Coordinator, and his assistant, Mr. Yasuo
Tabei, for their untiring guidance, support and care during
our entire stay in Japan.
When people hear the name Japan, probably theﬁrst thing that comes to their mind is “superior quality.”
However, people would be amazed to learn the secretbehind the Japanese people’s commitment to maintaining
this characteristic quality. I truly believe that Japan is theleader in quality and standardization. I have traveled to many
wonderful places and seen many things, but to me, Japan
seems by far the most unique, especially with respect topeople’s discipline and their pursuit of high living standards
through modern infrastructures. This commitment to quality
is perhaps what makes the Japanese people appear uniquein the eyes of foreigners.
The course was well structured, and included ﬁeld trips
to several industrial facilities and cultural sites in six major
cities in Japan, in order to provide exposure to the Japanesehydrocarbon chain industry, as well as to the Japaneseheritage. We ﬁrst visited Japan Energy Corporation’s headofﬁce in Tokyo, where we received an overview of Japan’s
oil industry and JOMO’s business outlook, in relation to oil
terminals, distribution tankers and the logistics mechanism.
The next day we visited Nippon Oil Corporation’s Ichikawa
Depot, and observed how customer orders for oil products
are logged and processed for delivery to various regions,and how delivery trucks are loaded and controlled. Next,
we visited Nippon Petroleum Reﬁning Company’s Negishi

49

Reﬁnery in Yokohama city, and had the opportunity to take aclose look at the oil fractionation unit and the manufacturing
and processing systems of reﬁned products, including various
lube oil ﬁlling facilities. At Haneda Airport, we witnessed Sanai Oil Corporation staff fueling an All Nippon Airways (ANA)
airplane via a sophisticated pipe network. The third visit was
to JFE Steel Corporation in Fukuyama. Here, we observed ademonstration of the iron and steel manufacturing process
and the steel molding mechanism, then toured the steel
factory and steel storage yard. The fourth visit was to Cosmo
Oil Company’s branch ofﬁce in Hiroshima city, where we
received an overview of the company’s core business areas—
reﬁning, distribution and product retailing—and toured oneof its service stations.
Last but not least, we enjoyed visiting several culturalsites in Hiroshima and Kyoto that strongly represent thehistory of Japanese culture and heritage cultivated throughthe rise and fall of many empires. It was truly amazing to
track the development of the Japanese lifestyle across thegenerations. We were fascinated with the visits and impressedwith the way the members of the host companies shared
their knowledge with us and responded to our questions
with warm hospitality.
We all realize that the impressive course content was a
result of the tremendous effort and dedication of the JCCP
management and staff. Thanks to them, the course turned
out to be much more than we expected. Moreover, we wereblessed with stable, favorable weather during the entire
course period, and were fully able to taste and explore thebeauty of Japan’s nature.
Finally, I would like to express my personal gratitude bysaying, Watashi wa JCCP ni kansha shiteimasu. I really doappreciate JCCP for its magniﬁcent work and support. I hope
to see you again in the near future. Arigato Gozaimashita.

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 2009

Participant’s Voice
Project Management for MechanicalEngineers(TR-10-08: June 24 – July 11, 2008)
Mr. Raed Mustafa Attar (Saudi Arabia / Saudi Aramco)

I would like to thank JCCP for selecting me tocontribute to JCCP News through the kind considerationof the editorial staff.
First of all, on behalf of all the participants of thecourse, I would like to express my deepest appreciation
to the JCCP management and kind staff for their efforts
in organizing this excellent and beneﬁcial course, andfor their warm hospitality.
Fifteen participants representing 10 nations took
part in this course, which presented an unforgettable
experience to us all. We were impressed with Japanese
history, culture, tradition and economy, all of which
embody the Japanese values of a strong work ethic,
respect for colleagues, and deep dedication to one’sorganization and its goals. We were also taken by thepoliteness and impeccable manners of the Japanesepeople in their beautiful country.
The 18-day course greatly beneﬁted us in enhancing
our project management skills. The various approaches
to the subject matter, and especially the site visits, were
extremely valuable.
We first visited Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’
Yokohama Plant, where we observed the manufacturing
process of steam turbines and boilers using the latest
technologies. Also in Yokohama, we visited JGC, oneof the leading engineering ﬁrms in the oil industry anda major player in ongoing projects being implemented
abroad, and learned about project management for
EPC projects.
We then visited Idemitsu Kosan’s Chiba Oil Reﬁnery,
where we observed reﬁnery processes, utility andcontrol rooms outﬁtted with all the latest technologies,
in addition to the refinery’s project planning andmaintenance management systems.
From Chiba, we traveled to Hokkaido, to visit
Hokkaido Joint Oil Stockpiling, which is one of thelargest crude oil storage facilities in the world, fully
automated with state-of-the-art technology. At theJapan Steel Works’ Muroran Plant, we had the valuable
experience of observing how steel is melted, cast, andformed into huge pressure vessels and columns using
different machining and forming techniques.
Our journey also included a ﬁeld trip to Sapporo.
We will always remember the beautiful attractions of
the city. The nine-day trip wasn’t an easy trip, but it
was worth every moment.
Through the course, we learned from A to Z how
an oil or gas facility is designed, constructed, managed
and maintained in Japan. We will take back with us all
the knowledge and best practices we have acquired inthis course, and plan to establish a shared site to further
exchange knowledge and extend our friendship.
In conclusion, on behalf of all my colleagues from
TR-10-08, I would like to thank JCCP and all who havecontributed to this excellent program, and above all,
Messrs. Fumihiro Tone and Akio Higashi for their special
care, guidance, understanding, and kind tolerance to
our cultures, throughout the course.
Domo arigato gozaimashita.

JCCP NEWS No. 102 November 200850

Participant’s VoicePetroleum Marketing andPhysical Distribution(IT-4-07: January 21 – January 31, 2008)
Mr. Hytham Adnan J. Al-Saati (Saudi Aramco / Saudi Arabia)

Participating in the Petroleum Marketing and PhysicalDistribution course (IT-4-07) was an eye opener to me inthree ways. First, I was introduced to Japan as a nation
and as a culture. Second, I gained a fresh perspective of
the oil industry and its future trends. Third, I was able toexperience the ﬂow of oil in detail from its arrival at theoil staging terminal in Kagoshima, south of Japan, all theway to the vehicle at a service station outside of Tokyo.
I have seen that two factors make Japan an interesting
environment to learn about petroleum marketing andphysical distribution. Japan is the second largest economy
in world, and crude oil is its largest import commodity,
which fuels that economy. Both factors make this country

At Nippon Oil Staging Terminal’s Kiire Terminal

an excellent arena for observing how a complex anddynamic fuel production system works. Japan is also aleader in the world in terms of transportation means

even allowing us to see, photograph and record virtuallyand industrial activities. Knowing that more than 97%

the entire facility.

of reﬁned products is manufactured within the borders

Finally, and equally as interesting as the rest of theof Japan indicates the size and level of sophistication ofcourse, we were introduced to the cultural and human

its reﬁning industry.

resources side of the country. A journey through Japan’s

During the course, we visited an oil staging terminal

history highlighted the roots of the current lifestyle,in Kagoshima, where we boarded a crude oil carrier andmajor historical events, and how the current business

saw the inside of a crude oil storage tank. We also saw

management practices originated. We realized thatthe environmentally conscious efforts of the terminal to

the signiﬁcance of Japan’s impressive accomplishments

reduce pollutants using an on-site vapor recovery processlies not in what the Japanese did to achieve thoseplant to recover vapor during loading. We next traveled

accomplishments, but how they achieved them.

to Haneda Airport, the fourth largest airport in the world

This was a brief description of the Petroleum Marketingin terms of passenger volume, to observe jet refuelingand Physical Distribution course from my perspective. I

operations. We specifically saw how a sophisticatedhonestly did not know what to expect from the program

hydrant system is used to effectively supply jet fuelprior to arriving in Japan. However, the efforts andto aircrafts. We stood under the wings of a passenger

dedication of the JCCP management and staff members

airplane that was scheduled to take off, and witnessed

raised my level of satisfaction beyond what I can describe

the refueling activity. In Yokohama, we were invited

in words. I would like to dedicate my sincere thanks to all

to a lube oil ﬁlling facility, which produces numerous

who have contributed to this program, and above all, togrades of ﬁnished lube oil for retail. We also witnessed

Mr. Yasuo Tabei and Mr. Akio Hoshino, for their care andhow lorry trucks are loaded with fuels in a bulk plant.

company during every minute of this journey.

Finally, we visited a typical car service station and a service
station training facility, which are the ﬁnal destinationsin the journey of petroleum products. This was a truly
intensive tour. Most fascinating was that at each location
we visited, the host company was completely open to
sharing information, responding to our questions, and

51

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

Participant’s Voice
Advanced Technologies for Rotary Machinery–Reliability Enhancement–(IT-2-07: December 5 – December 19, 2007)
Mr. Khalaff M. Al-Ghamdi (Saudi Aramco / Saudi Arabia)
On behalf of all participants of the IT-2-07 course, I

are making every effort to incorporate English into

sincerely thank all the JCCP management and staff for

their lives. We wish you success in this regard, as English

arranging such a wonderful training program and giving

proﬁciency will further open Japan to the international

us the opportunity to participate. I would like to extend

world and make Japan a technological giant, in the true

my special gratitude to Kojima-san, Executive Director,

sense of the word.

and to JCCP coordinators Miyawaki-san, Higashi-san,It is on this note that I, on behalf of all participants ofthis program, say “Thank you very much, and God blessand Tone-san.
The program was structured in a systematic manner,you.”comprising classroom lectures, site visits to factories, visits
to historical places, buffet lunches, and subway rides thattook us across the breadth and width of Japan. There is
no doubt that this training program will beneﬁt us, ourcompanies, and our countries.
The par ticipants of this program included 16
engineers from different companies in 8 countries. We
are grateful to JCCP for the wonderful welcome given
us and for imparting in-depth knowledge of advanced
technologies. In the future, we may perhaps see new
business opportunities arise between our companies and
JCCP-afﬁliated companies.
One thing I would like to mention, however, is theissue of communication. We noticed that the Japanese

At Shin Nippon Machinery Co., Ltd.’s Kure Works

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

52

Topics

Interviews with JCCP Counterparts(Saudi Arabia & Oman)
To produce a promotional DVD of JCCP, JCCP has interviewed Mr. Fareed Z. Kamfar, MaintenanceManager (then), Ras Tanura Refinery, Saudi Aramco, and Mr. Masoud S. Al-Msalmy, General Manager,
Corporate Support, Oman Refinery and Petrochemicals Company, on their views of JCCP activities seenfrom an oil-producing country. Since the views the two gentlemen shared with us are highly valuable andenlightening, we introduce some excerpts from the interviews below.

1. Saudi Arabia
Mr. Fareed Z. Kamfar
Maintenance Manager (then), Ras Tanura Reﬁnery, Saudi Aramco
Interviewer: Mr. Kamfar, thank you very much for
accepting this interview. You participated in
a JCCP course once in 1984, so you are oneof our oldest participants and are probably
very familiar with JCCP activities. What has
impressed you most, in your first participation
in a JCCP course in 1984 and your second in2008?
Mr. Kamfar: I was 25 or so when I participatedin a JCCP course for the first time in 1984.
The JCCP course was my window to Japan’sculture and business environment.
Since then, I began to read books, attend
lectures, and watch TV programs on Japan to
become more familiar with Japan. After mylast visit to Japan in October 2008, I personallybegan giving lectures about Japanese culture
and how business is run in Japan.
There are many differences between Japanand the Middle East. We live by the Middle
Eastern culture and receive the influence ofthe Western business culture. We cannot fully
understand how the Japanese conduct business
unless someone who has a perspective on
both cultures provides a link. Only then can
we see the true picture of Japanese businesspractices. Therefore, we need someone who
would make that effort.
I cannot say that I understand Japan to the53

Mr. Fareed Z. Kamfar,
Maintenance Manager (then)level that is necessary to provide that link, but
I think I have gained a good understanding ofJapanese business practices. I see that Japanesebusinesses are founded on a culture thatvalues personal relationships, and have learnt
the concept, “trust before business,” fromJapan. In our business environment, businesscomes first, then trust. This is probably one of
the greatest differences between how businessis conducted in Japan and the Middle East.
I have also learnt that Japanese companies
place importance on educating their employees
to further improve business. To us, this is acompletely different approach to conducting
business.

JCCP NEWS No. 105 October 2009

These are some of the brief impressions
I have of the past 25 years of exposure to
Japanese culture.
Interviewer: What do you think is the mostdistinctive feature of JCCP programs, comparedto those of other training institutions?
Mr. Kamfar: This is an interesting question.
We have oil, and we have the money to buy
anything we need, be it technology, hardware,or training. However, we cannot buy people’s
minds and brains.
Japan has a precious resource that we do
not have-human resources. We could benefit a
lot if we can manage to tap into that resource.
In this respect, I think JCCP is unique in thatit shows and teaches us the importance ofhuman resources and how we may apply thatknowledge to the Middle East.
Many people in the Middle East still do notknow much about Japan. However, creating
more opportunities to experience Japan could
cultivate more interest in learning about thecountry. Japan has good business practices,successful businesses, and high-quality
products. From there, we take an interest inJapan and wish to know more. Therefore,
what I think is outstanding about JCCP isthat it taps into people’s brains and minds.
It is a remarkable approach. For me, JCCP
is the only window through which I can see
Japanese culture, but I am hopeful that thiswindow will expand and become a large
gateway to Japan in the future.
Interviewer: How has JCCP contributed to Saudi
Aramco in the past?
Mr. Kamfar: Many practices in Japan are similar
to what we have, in terms of culture, society,and values, so it is not necessarily difficult to
introduce Japanese practices to Saudi Arabia
and adopt them at Saudi Aramco.
The Japanese are good at working together
as a team. That is not to say that only theJapanese engage in teamwork, because so do
many other countries throughout the world.
However, I think the Japanese particularly
excel at teamwork.
As a result of adopting the idea ofteamwork from Japan and beginning to workin teams, we are seeing large improvements
in work efficiency compared to working as
individuals. For example, we have an OME(Operation Maintenance Engineering) team in
our company whose members are producing
greater results by working as a team than as
individuals.
Quality is another element. As all products
produced by the Japanese are of high quality,
by bringing that concept to our environment,
we could also take our business to a higher
quality level. The Japanese are diligent, andstrive to deliver their work with precision. I
think it is admirable that they spend a lot oftime and energy performing their work but
also enjoy it. We also believe that enjoying
one’s work is an important element in ourjobs.
We are adopting many Japanese practices
in our company. This past January, we had
JCCP staff hold a TPM seminar. As TPM isa new concept to Saudi Aramco, it made alarge impact on the participants, and we saw
a lot of energy in the workshop. Even during
the seminar, they gave instructions over thephone to start implementing TPM in theirworkplaces. They said they were glad they
participated in the seminar, and that they wish
to apply what they had learned to their own
workplace. I think this would be a starting
point for the implementation of TPM at Saudi
Aramco, and in this way, what JCCP has beendelivering since its founding has had a large
impact on Saudi Aramco.
Interviewer: What future expectations do you
have of JCCP?
Mr. Kamfar: I have been thinking about this since
I visited Japan last October. We buy a lot of

JCCP NEWS No. 105 October 200954

Japanese products, including technologies
and cars, because they provide high quality.
However, we cannot buy the Japanese spirit
and mind. I think Japan needs to open its small
window and create a larger gate. I ask this not
only of JCCP, but the entire country of Japanand its government.
I would like to make three proposals on
how the Japanese can capture the minds ofpeople in the Middle East by performing
business in the Japanese way. Firstly, Japan
could come to the Middle East and invest in
education, and particularly in universities
and vocational schools. This would capture
the heart of every mother in Saudi Arabia,
because they would want their children
to receive a higher education and to havegreater job opportunities. It would also open
our window wider to Japanese business andculture.
Another proposal concerns the media.
When we wish to learn about Japan, we needto read a book, see somebody who would
lecture about Japan and Japanese businessstyles, or visit Japan. However, if there areprograms on satellite TV that introduce
Japanese culture and business, we could study
about Japan more conveniently. Japan needs
to make a stronger approach to penetrate thewall separating us.
Finally, I would also like Japan to bringto the Middle East businesses that will touch
our lives. Such businesses would make us
more familiar with the Japanese style of doing
business, or at least allow us to experience forourselves the true value of Japanese business.
For example, American and European fastfood shops and coffee shops are changing thenewer generation in the way they eat, the way

55

they behave, the way they interact with others,
and the way they conduct themselves. In thesame way, Japan should establish a presencein our daily lives, in order to understand us
more. Japan has done an outstanding job of
selling cars and IT, but it needs to make more
effort to transform people’s lifestyles.
This pertains not only to JCCP, but to all
Japanese. Through the collective efforts of all
Japanese people, I am certain you can makeit happen.
Interviewer: I understand that managerial
personnel at Saudi Aramco do not have theirname on their uniform, but what made you
decide to have your name on your uniform?
Mr. Kamfar: My last visit to JCCP in October 2008
had a profound impact on my personal actions.
I saw that in Japanese refineries and industries,
the management approaches the employees,
whereas in our business, the management
has employees come to them. After returning
to my country, I decided to spend 70% of
my time with my subordinates, and to put
my name on my uniform so they can easily
identify me. In Japan, personal relationships
among employees and the trust that is bornfrom those relationships are extremely
important to success in doing business. Basedon this understanding, I want everyone at therefinery to know me not as refinery manager,
but as an individual. This is why I have myname on my uniform, and not my title.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for sharing
your invaluable views.
Mr. Kamfar: Thank you.

JCCP NEWS No. 105 October 2009

TechnicalCooperation

Agreement Signing Ceremony fora New Project in Saudi Arabia
On February 21, 2010, JCCP and King Abdulaziz
City for Science and Technology (KACST), a state-run
research institution in Saudi Arabia, held an agreement
signing ceremony for the project on “Application of
Ground Deformation Monitoring Technologies towards
Preserving the Natural Resources Infrastructure’s
Potential.” The ceremony took place at KACST.
The project aims to survey and develop comprehensive
ground deformation monitoring technologies that would
prevent ground subsidence and induced earthquakes
in oil fields from impacting oil facilities (refining
equipments, pipelines, etc.), and to ultimately transfer
those technologies to KACST. On the Japanese side, NTT
Data CCS Corporation and Nippon Mining Research and

Identify the undergroundpoint where change
occursTechnology Co., Ltd. are participating in the project.
In oil fields, pressure and stress inside the reservoir
can be changed by oilfield operation. This leads toground subsidence. In order to preserve the production
potential in the oil fields, it is necessary to identify
the status and causes of ground deformation and also
forecast and prevent further deformation. To this end, it isimportant to introduce monitoring technologies enabling
the observation within reservoirs to determine the causes
as well as status of ground deformations.
Pressure changes inside the reservoir may cause stress
imbalance, which could trigger earthquakes (induced
earthquakes). Although the scale of an induced earthquake
is normally minimal, it is reported that the magnitudeLocation

Identify the type andextent of change
underground

Type of change
Extent of change
Identify the extent or impact
caused aboveground(e.g. earthquake, groundsubsidence) by theunderground change

Analysis ofinducedearthquakes
ACROSSInSAR-based
earthquake
information

Interrelationship between ground deformation monitoring technologies

Integrated ground deformation monitoring in oil fields
Monitor grounddeformation

Identify impacts
on oil facilities

Identify aboveground status

InSAR technology
Identify the occurrenceof induced earthquakes(Retain oil facility capacities)
Examine sites of ground deformation

DD tomography
Identify changes inunderground structure

Examine causes for ground deformation
Applicable

CCS (Carbon Captureand Storage) monitoring
for CO2 from associatedgases and oil refining
equipments

Forecast earthquakes and ground deformation,and take preventive action

Integrated ground deformation monitoring in oil ﬁelds

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201056

sometimes exceeds 3. Because the source depth of such
induced earthquakes is shallow, its aboveground motion
is relatively large, which may impact on oil production
facilities directly. In fact an earthquake that occurredin northern Haradh in September 2007 was relatively
small on a Japanese scale, with a magnitude of 4.2 anda depth of 33 kilometers (the maximum acceleration was
estimated at about 12.5 Gal). Nevertheless, all oil wellequipments were shut down in the Hawaiyah oil refinery.
In the Haradh oilfield, some 300 induced earthquakes
occurred in two months, including minimal ones.
For comprehensive ground deformation monitoring
technologies, the project will investigate and develop
the InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar)
remote sensing technology, the Double-Difference
Tomography (DD tomography) and the ACROSS
system (Accurately Controlled Routine-Operated Signal
System) technology. The InSAR technology monitors
ground surface change in oilfields using satellite data.
The DD tomography analyzes induced earthquakes andidentifies the accurate locations where ground change
is likely to occur. The ACROSS system monitors
microseismic waves on a continuous basis to identify
the type and extent of stress change in ground change
locations. The project will apply these technologies tocreating a risk management system.
The signing ceremony was held with the attendance of

H.E. Dr. Mohammed ibn Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel, President,
and H.H. Dr. Turki bin Saud bin Mohammad Al Saud,Vice President, on the KACST side; and H.E. Mr. Shigeru
Endo, Ambassador of Japan to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Tatsuo
Baba, Executive Officer at NTT Data CCS Corporation,and Mr. Morihiro Yoshida, Managing Director of JCCP,
on the Japanese side. The press were also present to reporton the commemorative event.
With Dr. Al-Suwaiyel presiding over the ceremony,
representatives from the participating companies eachgave a speech. KACST members, in particular, expressed
their pleasure in the fact that the mutual relationship ofcooperation between JCCP and KACST has continued
for so many years, and said that the new project is anextremely important undertaking that they expect will
be fruitful.
Following the speeches, Dr. Al Saud and Mr. Yoshidaaffixed their signatures to the agreement, and members
from the two countries gave a technical overview ofthe project. Active questions and answers, including
some highly professional ones, were exchanged, anddemonstrated KACST’s extremely strong interest in
the project.
We feel that the signing ceremony was instrumental
in promoting mutual awareness of the significance of
implementing the project in Saudi Arabia with Japanesetechnical cooperation.
<by Haruhiko Oshima, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

Signing of the agreement(Front row) H.H. Dr. Turki bin Mohammad Al Saud, KACST Vice President (left)
Mr. Morihiro Yoshida, Managing Director of JCCP (right)(Back row) H.E. Dr. Mohammed ibn Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel, KACST President (left)
H.E. Mr. Shigeru Endo, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (center),Mr. Tatsuo Baba, Executive Ofﬁcer at NTT Data CCS (right)

57

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

TechnicalCooperation

Experimental Application of
In-SAR Technology in Saudi Arabia
As part of JCCP’s FY2008 technical cooperation
program, King Abdulaziz City for Science andTechnology (KACST), a royal research institution
in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is jointly
implementing the “Experimental Application of
In-SAR Technology in Saudi Arabia to Assess theEffect of Reservoir Activity on Surface Subsidence”
project with NTT Data CCS Corporation, Nippon
Mining Research and Technology Co., Ltd., andNichiyo Engineering Corporation.
Remote sensing is a method of acquiring remote
information on land formations, features, andobjects, by monitoring any change of the earth’s
surface by satellite and from aircraft. One of themost representative remote sensing technologies is
In-SAR (Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar)technology, which is the main feature of the project.
It uses satellite-mounted synthetic aperture radar(SAR) to obtain pairs of observation data froman extremely close range, and analyzes the phasedifference between each data pair. Today, In-SAR
technology is attracting attention as an effectivemeans of acquiring elevation data and measuringchanges in terrain (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Fundamental principle of In-SAR technology

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 200958

The study examines the feasibility ofsystematizing the series of tasks from mappingchanges in the earth’s surface over a wide area, withhigh precision using the latest In-SAR technology,
to assessing the impacts of ground deformations andother risk factors on oil facilities and others, basedon the obtained data (see Fig. 2).
This project is expected to contribute to further

improvement of KACST’s technical level in the areaof In-SAR technology. In the future, the In-SAR
system that is being developed through the project
would allow prompt, high-precision assessments ofland deformations throughout Saudi Arabia’s vast
2.15 million square kilometers of land (5.7 times thearea of Japan), and greatly contribute to the effective
management of oil fields and other areas.
<by Shigeru Nanbara, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

In-SAR

Measurements

Civil Engineering
Norms
Development
Level / Typesof DamageAmount ofSubsidence

Susbsidence
Velocity

Estimated
Amount ofSubsidence

Media News
& Reports

Scientific
Literature

Kinds of
Exposure

Norms for
Subsidence
Geological
Characteristics

Fig. 2 Risk assessment system using In-SAR technology

59

JCCP NEWS No. 103 February 2009

Hazard Ranking

Topics

Signing Ceremony for the Project on“Mild Hydro-cracking of LCO &Evaluation of Gas Oil HDS Catalysts”
in Saudi Arabia
On May 17, 2009, JCCP and King Fahd presented a commemorative gift to Dr. AbdulUniversity of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) Jauwad, and brought the ceremony to a successful
held a ceremony for signing a Memorandum of close.
The project will be implemented in the following
Agreement (MOA) on the joint technical cooperation
project, “Mild Hydro-cracking of LCO & Evaluation four stages, over a period of three years, from April
1, 2009 to March 31, 2012.
of Gas Oil HDS Catalysts,” in Saudi Arabia.
The objective of the project is to lay the basic
groundwork for the development of mild hydro- 1. Patent and Literature Survey
cracking technology toward the effective utilizationof the surplus of light cycle oil (LCO) that is
The latest patents and technical literature relating
expected to grow in the future, and to develop a to the project will be surveyed, to establish a roadmap
technology for the evaluation of catalysts that are for the project using the acquired information.
used to produce low-sulfur diesel fuel with a sulfur
content of less than 10ppm from Saudi Arabia’s 2. Installation of Testing andhigh-sulfur heavy crude oil.
Analysis Apparatus
For the first time in a JCCP technical cooperation
project, a Japanese university (Kyushu University)
The following three types of testing and analysis
has participated as a member of a consortium headed apparatus will be installed.
by Nippon Oil Research Institute Co., Ltd.
i) Micro-testing unit
Dr. Sahel N. Abdul-Jauwad, Vice Rector forii) Gas chromatograph with atomic emission
Applied Research, and Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama,detector (GC-AED)
Managing Director of JCCP,
signed the agreement in the
ceremony, which was also
attended by Mr. Fumio Iwai,
Minister, and Mr. Toshiki Nagano,First Secretary, from the Embassyof Japan in Saudi Arabia, and
Dr. Isao Mochida, Professor at
Kyushu University.
Preceding the signing, Mr. Iwaigave a congratulatory speech in
Arabic, and Mr. Yokoyama, Dr.
Abdul-Jauwad, and Dr. Mochidaeach offered a few words ofgreeting in English. After signing
Signing ceremony: Dr. Sahel N. Abdul-Jauwad,
Vice Rector for Applied Research (seated right)
the agreement, Mr. Yokoyama

JCCP NEWS No. 105 October 200960iii) High-performance liquid chromatograph(HP-LC)The micro-testing unit will be used to evaluate
catalyst performance. The GC-AED and HP-LC
will analyze the feed oils that will be loaded in thetesting unit and the oil products derived from thecatalyst performance test conducted in the microtesting unit.

3. Analysis of Gas Oil and Light
Cycle Oil (LCO)
Various types of feed samples from Saudi
Arabian crude oil will be acquired by distillation
and used to produce gas oil. LCO, a by-product of
fluid catalytic cracking, will also be used as gas
oil feed. These feed samples will be analyzed bya method proposed by Kyushu University. Lastly,
they will be loaded in the micro-testing unit toinduce a reaction, and the derived desulfurized oilwill be analyzed by the same method used to analyze
the feed samples.

Mr. Yokoyama presenting a commemorative gift to
Dr. Sahel N. Abdul-Jauwad, Vice Rector for
Applied Research, KFUPM

4. Catalyst Performance Evaluation
Experimental catalysts will be researched andtheir performance evaluated in the micro-testing
unit, in reference to commercial catalysts. Initially,
commercial catalysts will be evaluated with gas
oil feed and LCO, to gain an understanding ofdesulfurization trends.
Following the ceremony, the Japanese delegation
toured the research facilities at KFUPM, then paid acourtesy call on H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rectorof the University. Dr. Al-Sultan explained that, on
learning of Kyushu University’s participation in
the project, he pushed back the boundaries of hisuniversity’s organization and instructed two up-andcoming young faculty members from the Chemical
Engineering Department (Dr. K. Al-Hooshani,
Associate Professor, and Dr. M. Al-Daous,
Associate Professor) to join the project members on
the KFUPM side. More so than previous projects, hesaid he hopes this project will further evolve in the
future as a mutual sharing of intellectual knowledge.

61

H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM,
presenting a commemorative gift to Mr. Fumio Iwai,
Minister of the Japanese Embassy in Saudi Arabia

After enjoying a pleasant exchange of views, Mr.
Yokoyama presented a commemorative gift to Dr.
Al-Sultan, who in turn, presented a commemorative
gift to Mr. Iwai.
A brief overview of the project was introducedin three local newspapers the following day, basedon a press release distributed to the media.
This project marks a milestone as the first
JCCP technical cooperation project that includes
a university on both the Saudi and Japanese sides.
We hope that the successful completion of the
project will contribute to the further developmentof friendly ties between our two countries.
<by Hiroaki Hara, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 105 October 2009

Topics

Article on HS-FCC Process(High-Severity Fluid Catalytic Cracking)in Saudi Aramco Journal of Technology
JCCP and King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia havecarried out a number of years developing the HSFCC (High-Severity Fluid Catalytic Cracking)technology, with the cooperation of Nippon Oil
Corporation and Saudi Aramco. Studies of thetechnology first began with a 0.1 b/d pilot plant,
and thereafter moved on to test operations of a
30 b/d demonstration unit. Following a series of
feasibility studies on increasing the scale of the unit,
significant advancements have been made toward
the construction of a commercial-scale unit. Today,a new project is underway, for the construction of
a 3,000 b/d semi-commercial unit.
HS-FCC is an innovative process that aims tomaximize the production of propylene and otherpetrochemical feedstock, by using a down-flow
reactor, instead of the conventional up-flow system.
It is attracting widespread attention as a new
solution to the needs of the times.
The new process was introduced in a leading
article in the Spring 2008 issue of Saudi Aramco
Journal of Technology. Titled “Developmentof a New Oil Process: From Experiments toCommercialization,” the article describes thecharacteristics of the HS-FCC process, results oftests conducted using the 0.1 b/d pilot plant, resultsof test operations of the 30 b/d demonstration unit
carried out at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura Refinery,
analyses of those results, and future plans for its
commercialization. The cover of the journal features
a photo of the 30 b/d demonstration unit constructedat the Ras Tanura Refinery. On the following pageis an article on receiving the Noguchi Memorial
Award. Last year, the award was presented to
JCCP, KFUPM, Nippon Oil Corporation, andSaudi Aramco by the Japan Petroleum Institute(JPI), in recognition of their efforts in the HS-FCC
development project. The article is accompanied
by a photo of Mr. Khalid Al-Buainain, Senior Vice
President of Saudi Aramco, and Saudi Aramcoengineers who have participated in the project. The
journal’s special focus on the HS-FCC process isa clear indication of the extreme importance that
Saudi Aramco attaches to the development of thetechnology.
<by Minoru Horike, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

The HS-FCC Process

Cover of Saudi Aramco Journal of Technology
The photo is of the 30 b/d demonstration unit

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 2008

Article on receiving the JPI Noguchi
Memorial Award

62

Topics

Signing Ceremony
for the Joint Project on FCC Catalyst Development
and Evaluation Technologies in Saudi Arabia
On April 27, 2008, JCCP and King Fahd
University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)
held an MOA signing ceremony for the “TechnicalCooperation Project on FCC Catalyst Development
and Evaluation Technologies in Saudi Arabia,”
which the two organizations will be jointly
implementing. The ceremony was held at KFUPM in
the presence of Mr. Hiroshi Oka, Japanese Minister
to Saudi Arabia, followed by a press conference andother related events. Other attendees included Mr.
Takahiko Yamaji, President of Nippon Oil ResearchInstitute Co., Ltd., who attended on behalf of the twocompanies that will be responsible for implementing
the project (Nippon Oil Research Institute Co., Ltd.
and Nippon Oil Corporation), as well as a numberof members from Saudi Arabian Oil Company(Saudi Aramco). Amid this gathering, Dr. Sahel N.
Abdul-Jauwad, Vice Rector for Applied Research
at KFUPM, and Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama, Managing
Director of JCCP, mutually signed the agreement.
News of the signing ceremony was broadcast on
Saudi national TV, followed by a press conference.
Dr. Abdul-Jauwad expressed his joy in being able
to sign the project agreement. He stated that thegoals of the project are to strengthen the relationshipof joint research with Japan and develop research

capacities at KFUPM. He also emphasized his firm
belief that the project will bring beneficial results
to the oil refining industry in both countries. Mr.
Yokoyama expressed his confidence that the projectwill contribute to the oil industry in Saudi Arabia
and ultimately help KFUPM researchers develop
new, advanced catalysts on their own, toward
improving productivity in their refineries. Statingthat building a strong relationship of trust between
the two countries based on the project is JCCP’s
ultimate goal, he affirmed JCCP’s commitment toachieve that goal.
The new project is based on the results of theTechnical Cooperation Project on the Effective
Utilization of Light Oil Distillates in Saudi Arabia,
which was also jointly implemented by JCCP andKFUPM, from April 2006 to March 2007, as part of
JCCP’s project-finding (PF) activities. It is estimatedthat FCC catalysts could be used ten times more by
installing new FCC units and expanding existing
units in Saudi Arabian refineries, as planned. The
new project therefore aims to transfer to KFUPM
evaluation technologies that Saudi Arabian refineries
would need in the future to select an optimum FCC
catalyst. It also aims to take this objective further,to help Saudi Arabia build the necessary capacities

Courtesy call on H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan,
Rector of KFUPM (left)
Mr. Oka (right), Mr. Yamaji, President of Nippon Oil
Research Institute Co., Ltd. (second from right)

Exchange of the contract
Dr. Sahel N. Abdul-Jauwad (right),
Mr. K. Yokoyama (left)

63

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 2008

for independently developing new catalysts suitable
to the country’s FCC units in the future.
The project is scheduled to be implemented
over a period of three years, from April 1, 2008 to
March 31, 2011, with the participation of Nippon
Oil Research Institute Co., Ltd. and Nippon Oil
Corporation, and is to be implemented in thefollowing four stages.
(1) Introduction of facilities
An advanced cracking evaluation unit (ACEunit) will be installed at KFUPM, and operational
training provided to KFUPM researchers, toupgrade research activities related to the evaluationof FCC catalysts.
(2) Technical transfer
Technologies for producing FCC catalysts andfor conducting tests using the ACE unit will betransferred to KFUPM.
(3) Evaluation of FCC catalysts
Further technologies will be transferred to
KFUPM, to allow KFUPM researchers to actually
use the technologies transferred to them in stages (1)and (2), and to evaluate catalysts that are planned
to be used.

strong interest in the advancements being made withregard to the high-severity fluid catalytic cracking(HS-FCC) technology, which has been jointly
developed by KFUPM, Saudi Aramco, Nippon
Oil Corporation, and JCCP. He took note of thedevelopment of the semi-commercial HS-FCC unit
in Japan, and inquired about the future registrationof patents for that technology.
Mr. Yokoyama expressed his strong hopes thatthe project will further deepen the relationship oftrust that KFUPM and JCCP have cultivated throughthe implementation of numerous projects, to date.
News of the signing ceremony was covered by
local newspaper Al-Watan (April 28, 2008 edition)and on its English website.
JCCP hopes that the successful completionof the project will further strengthen friendly
ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan, and thatthe transfer of evaluation technologies for FCC
catalyst development will contribute to upgrading
oil refining technologies in Saudi Arabia.
<Keikoh Sasaki, Technical Cooperation Dept.>(4) Development of FCC catalyst
Efforts will be made to foster the ability in
KFUPM researchers to research and develop
advanced FCC catalysts suitable to FCC units in
Saudi Arabia.
The project is expected to improve the processing
technologies of FCC units in Saudi Arabia, and to
ultimately play an important role in the global oil
refining sector.
Prior to the signing ceremony, the Japaneseparties to the project paid a call on H.E. Dr. Khaled
S. Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM. His Excellency
acknowledged the significant relationship that
JCCP and KFUPM have cultivated through theyears, and expressed his strong expectations thatthe new project will further strengthen and develop
the cooperative relationship. He showed especially

Articles of the signing ceremony featured in
the local newspaper and its English website.

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 200864

Topics

Establishment of New JPI Award
for Technical Developments
in Oil-Producing Countries
Japan Petroleum Institute (JPI) establisheda new award for technical developments in oilproducing countries this year, in commemorationof the 50th anniversary of its founding. The award
is to be presented to individuals or organizations inboth oil-producing countries and Japan, who havetogether made a significant achievement in the
research and development or improvement of oilrelated technologies in oil-producing countries, or
have contributed to promoting technical exchanges.
The commendation is expected to deepen mutual
understanding between oil-producing countries
and Japan, increase technical exchanges in the oil
sector, and thereby promote future international
exchanges of technologies. It is also expected tocontribute to the development of infrastructures inthe downstream sector in oil-producing countries,
and ultimately play a significant role in securing oil
resources and stable supplies of energy. For thesereasons, JCCP is fully supporting the new award.
An overview of the award is provided below, asa prime example of strong collaboration between
JCCP and organizations to which JCCP is directing
its cooperation efforts in recent years.

1. Background to Establishment of
the Award
In February 2007, JCCP arranged a mission
for experts from universities and industries inJapan to tour the sites where technical cooperation
projects are being implemented in Middle East oilproducing countries. A university professor who
participated in the mission proposed the use of anaward hosted by JPI, an authority in its field, as ameans of facilitating technical transfers to Middle
East oil-producing countries. In response to this
proposal, JCCP held a series of discussions with
the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and
65

JPI, as well as consulted in detail with the professor
who proposed the idea, and the award was finallybrought to fruition this fiscal year.
JPI itself is actively involved in technicalcooperation projects with Middle East oil-producing
countries. In fact, it has been implementing catalyst
seminars with King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia, since1991. JPI was considered the ideal host of the newaward, because it possesses abundant experienceand expertise in bestowing awards, such as the JPIAward and the Noguchi Memorial Award. It wasalso fortunate that JPI had already been planningto create a special commemorative award to bepresented as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations,and had set up a 50th Anniversary Commemorative
Awards Subcommittee for that purpose.

2. Composition of the Award
The award will be composed of the Japan
Petroleum Institute Award for Invaluable
International Cooperation and the Japan Petroleum
Institute Award for International Cooperation
on Technology. The Japan Petroleum InstituteAward for Invaluable International Cooperation
will be presented to individuals or organizations
in both oil-producing countries and Japan, whohave together made a significant achievementin transferring oil-related technologies to oilproducing countries, or in developing humanresources in oil-producing countries by means oftechnical exchanges. The Japan Petroleum InstituteAward for International Cooperation on Technology
will be presented to individuals or organizations inboth oil-producing countries and Japan, who havetogether made a significant achievement in the
research and development or improvement of oilrelated technologies in oil-producing countries. In

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 2008

other words, the former focuses on “people” whohave contributed to technical exchanges between
Japan and oil-producing countries, and the latter,on “technologies.”

3. Presentation of the Japan
Petroleum Institute Award
for Invaluable International
Cooperation
The JPI 50th anniversary ceremony was heldon May 15, 2008. Mr. Toshikazu Kobayashi, Vice
President of Nippon Oil Corporation and newly
appointed president of JPI, presented the Japan
Petroleum Institute Award for Invaluable International
Cooperation and commemorative gift to Dr. Sahel N.
Abdul-Jauwad, Vice Rector for Applied Research at
KFUPM, who attended the ceremony on behalf of
H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM,
and Dr. Tatsuaki Yashima, Professor at Nihon
University Advanced Research Institute for Scienceand Technology. H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan wasrecognized for his leading role in promoting technicalexchanges with Japan and in developing humanresources in Saudi Arabia through the technicalexchanges. Dr. Yashima was recognized for his many
years of effort in promoting international exchanges
between Japan and Saudi Arabia/Kuwait, as chairmanof the JPI Overseas Cooperation Subcommittee.
Upon receiving the award, Dr. Abdul-Jauwad

Mr. Toshikazu Kobayashi, President of JPI, presenting
the Japan Petroleum Institute Award for Invaluable
International Cooperation to Dr. Sahel N. Abdul-Jauwad,
Vice Rector of KFUPM(Front row, from right) Dr. Sahel N. Abdul-Jauwad,
Vice Rector of KFUPM, and Dr. Tatsuaki Yashima,
Professor at Nihon University Advanced ResearchInstitute for Science and Technology(Back row, from left) H.E. Mr. Faisal H. Trad,
Ambassador of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Japan,
and Mr. Toshikazu Kobayashi, President of JPI

expressed his appreciation for the award, stating thatthe prestigious award holds great significance as astrong incentive to continue contributing to building
a fertile relationship with Japan. Dr. Yashima also
thanked JPI for the award, and affirmed that it would
certainly be instrumental in building constructive
relations between the GCC countries and Japan.

4. Strengthening Cooperation with
Oil-Producing Countries
As Dr. Abduljauwad stated, the Japan Petroleum
Institute Award for Invaluable International
Cooperation was interpreted as a strong incentive
for oil-producing countries to strengthen cooperative
relations with Japan. The award is therefore expected
to strengthen collaboration not only between oilproducing countries and JCCP, but also between
those countries and other relevant organizations in
the oil industry.
Unfortunately, there were no recipients of theJapan Petroleum Institute Award for International
Cooperation on Technology this time around.
Continued efforts need to be made to establish arecord of outstanding performance.
(by Toyonori Uemura, Administration Dept.)

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 200866

Reference

Activity Reportfrom Researchers Participating in theLong-Term Researcher Dispatch Program
Introduction

FY2010 Researchers

Over the years, JCCP has developed cooperative
relationships with major counterpart institutions suchas King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals(KFUPM) and Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research(KISR) through international joint research programsand technical cooperation projects. To further strengthen
and improve these relationships, JCCP sends veteranJapanese researchers to counterpart institutions longterm to provide research support and engage in direct
exchanges with researchers at those institutions under
the Long-term Researcher Dispatch Program.
JCCP has dispatched three honorary university
professors and a corporate researcher during the three
years from FY2007 to FY2009. They mainly help their
host institution develop research personnel and provide
detailed research assistance in response to its needs.
Three researchers have been dispatched in FY2010.
These researchers were asked to share some of the local
information they have obtained by staying long term in
the country of their host institution and interacting withlocal researchers, and to also introduce their researchsupport activities.

N Dr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor Emeritus,

Brieﬁng session at JCCP, July 14, 201067

Hokkaido University(1) Host institution:
Center of Refining and Petrochemicals (CRP),
Research Institute (RI), King Fahd University ofPetroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)(2) Term of dispatch:
Approxmately three months each year since FY2007(this year’s schedule is being planned)(3) Research field:
Application of solid acid catalyst and solid basecatalyst to oil refining and petrochemistry
N Dr. Katsuomi Takehira, Professor Emeritus,
Hiroshima University(1) Host institution:
Center of Refining and Petrochemicals (CRP),
Research Institute (RI), King Fahd University ofPetroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)(2) Term of dispatch:
Approximately three months each year since FY2009(this year’s schedule is being planned)(3) Research field:
Research of catalysts for petrochemical feedstock
production by ethylbenzene dehydrogenation
N Dr. Hidehiro Higashi(1) Host institution:
Petroleum Refining Department, Petroleum
Research and Studies Center (PRSC), Kuwait
Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)(2) Term of dispatch:
Approximately three months each year since FY2007(this year’s schedule is being planned)(3) Research field:
R&D on enhancement of practical evaluation
performance of pilot plant tests and improvement ofrefinery operations

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

1．Research Activities at KFUPM in Saudi Arabia
Dr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor Emeritus, Hokkaido University

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals(KFUPM) is the leading university for science andtechnology in Saudi Arabia. It is located on a small,rocky hill that sits on a massive oil field discovered in1938 in Dammam Dome and was previously ownedby the national oil company Saudi Aramco. In addition
to numerous departments, the university also has aprominent Research Institute. Headed by Dr. Sahel
N. Abduljauwad, Vice Rector for Applied Research,
the Research Institute is composed of six research
centers run by 140 staff members. The six centers
are: (1) Communication & IT (CCIT); (2) Economics& Management (CEMS); (3) Environment & Water(CEW); (4) Engineering Research (CER); (5) Petroleum& Minerals (CPM); and (6) Refining & Petrochemicals(CRP).
The Center of Refining & Petrochemicals (CRP)
has 24 staff members, and belongs to the Center ofResearch Excellence (CoRE) in Petroleum Refining &Petrochemicals. The CoRE program was establishedin 2007 to promote highly focused interdisciplinary
research. It is a cross-sector research group composedof the university’s departments of chemistry andchemical engineering, plus a number of outside research
institutions (both national and international).
As a selected member of JCCP’s Long-term
Researcher Dispatch Program, I visited Saudi Arabia
for three months each year (one month’s stay × 3) from

FY2007 to FY2009. I understood that my mission was“to strengthen our mutual research foundation andpromote friendly relations between Japan and Saudi
Arabia by providing research guidance and deepening
ties between our two countries,” and have worked towardachieving this goal.
The main focus of my activities was to promote studies
of solid acid and solid base catalysis and to initiate newresearch projects. In my first year, I submitted several
research plans to KFUPM and discussed projects thatwould be applicable for implementation with KFUPM.
One of the projects I proposed, on alkane isomerization
over tungstated zirconia modified by platinum catalyst,
was taken up as a theme for a student’s master’s thesis.
The student who was placed under my charge was an
excellent student, who completed his thesis in two years
and received his degree in the beginning of 2009.
To acquire research subsidies needed to pursue thisresearch project, we applied to the Ministry of Higher
Education for a research grant. The following year, in
2008, our application was accepted, and we received a
24-month research grant. The objective of our research
was to develop a catalyst that would deliver highperformance in the skeletal isomerization of alkanes
higher than C6. This skeletal isomerization is a key
to producing high-octane, high-quality gasoline that
contains only small amounts of aromatic compounds,
and is a theme related to technologies that are certain

The center of KFUPM, sitting atop a rocky hill(from the rooftop of the RI building)

The Research Institute, a prominent building on campus
The photo insert is of Dr. Sahel N. Abduljauwad, Vice Rector
for Applied Research

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 201168

to become necessary in the near future, as increasingly
stringent global environmental regulations require
gasoline to have an ever lower content of aromaticcompounds. The research also corresponds to the flowof Saudization, the general policy of implementing
production activities by the hands of Saudi Arabians asmuch as possible.
In FY2009, my third year at KFUPM, I continued
to assist in the development and continuation of theresearch project that was approved by the Ministry ofHigher Education. I also provided advice for the projects
that are being carried out or planned by CRP, as well as
for the formulation of a new plan for a project on solidbase catalysis.
The thesis written by the master’s degree student was
published as two separate papers in the international
journal, Applied Catalysis A: General, and thesubsequent research that was conducted in FY2009 waspresented at the TOCAT6/APCAT5 Conference heldin Sapporo in July 2010 as the only oral presentationfrom Saudi Arabia. A full paper of the presentation isscheduled to be included in a special issue of Catalysis
Today dedicated to TOCAT6.
KFUPM has been receiving technical assistance andcooperation from JCCP (or PEC) since around 1990,
and has implemented numerous joint studies with JCCP
over many years. It also has an ongoing relationshipwith JCCP in sponsoring research seminars on catalyst
technologies and in sending participants to JCCP
courses in Japan, and has strengthened and advanced
the foundation of its research centers through thesecooperation schemes. As a university-affiliated research
center, CRP should perhaps focus on fulfilling its originalrole of strengthening basic research capacities. In thisregard, I feel that more emphasis should hereafter beplaced on basic research, in relation to CRP’s future
management policy.

69

The master’s degree student who was in the charge ofDr. Hattori and the research scientist who provided his
assistance in conducting experiments

Speaking of basic research, King Abdullah Universityof Science and Technology (KAUST) opened last year
and is gathering human resources in basic research
fields from all over the world. Its research plan shows anextensive list of themes related to leading-edge scientifictechnologies. KFUPM is also expected to contributeto technical advancement in its specific research field.
JCCP’s cooperation is highly evaluated at present, but
university needs constantly change. To continue to beheld in high regard in the future, I believe that JCCP andKFUPM should thoroughly discuss the future visionof the university at the global level before deciding on
specific cooperation and assistance measures.
The weather in Saudi Arabia has been pleasant,perhaps because I have been visiting the country inmoderate seasons. At KFUPM, I live in an on-campus
guesthouse, which occupies a section of a residential areafor university faculty. As the area is safe and comfortable,
I have never worried about physical danger. The adhan,or ritual call to prayer that is heard from the mosque fivetimes a day, has become a part of my daily rhythm.

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

2．Research Assistance at KFUPM in Saudi Arabia
Dr. Katsuomi Takehira, Professor Emeritus, Hiroshima University

1. Introduction
I have spent three occasions in FY2009 and FY2010
providing R&D assistance on petrochemical feedstock
production catalysts at the Center of Research Excellencein Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals in King Fahd
University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) located in
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. My first stay was from October
16 to November 20, 2009; the second was from January 6
to February 5, 2010; and the third was from February 19
to March 10, 2010. While JCCP’s Long-term Researcher
Dispatch Program began in FY2007, my participationin the program has been from FY2009.

2. Research ThemeThe focus of my research in FY2009 was specificallyplaced on the development of a styrene production
catalyst by ethylbenzene dehydrogenation. This project
was sponsored and funded by King Abdullah Universityof Science and Technology (KAUST), a new research
institution established last year on the coast of the Red
Sea in Jeddah, and was implemented at KFUPM as
one of several projects adopted by KAUST in various
fields including the catalyst development field. For thisreason, I belong to the KAUST Center in Development
at KFUPM. In FY2009, I also received a request from
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) for thedevelopment of a propylene production catalyst by
propane dehydrogenation. In January 2010, I proposeda project for development of a new hydrotalcite catalyst,
but received a message in June that it will not be
implemented, due to the tight supply of raw propane
in Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, as worldwide demandfor propylene production has been growing in recent
years, KFUPM has thereafter commenced a research anddevelopment project with SABIC to address propylene
production by catalytic cracking of naphtha.

3. Research Progress
With respect to the development of a styrene
production catalyst by ethylbenzene dehydrogenation,
I proposed to develop an oxidative dehydrogenation
catalyst using air or carbon dioxide as a soft oxidant, asshown in Fig. 1. My plan was to produce a highly dispersed
iron oxide catalyst derived from Mg-Al hydrotalcite
and conduct an activity test using a fixed-bed gas flow
reactor, at KFUPM. For catalyst characterization, I
requested KFUPM to undertake the atomic absorption
analysis and differential thermogravimetric analysis(Mr. A. Khurshid); the analysis of X-ray diffraction, N2
absorption, and CO2-TPD to Hiroshima University (Prof.
T. Sano); Mössbauer absorption analysis to the Universityof Tokyo (Prof. K. Nomura); and TPR and XPS analyses
to Ehime University (Prof. H. Yahiro). I intended toprepare different types of catalysts and evaluate their

Conventional method
With Mr. A. Khurshid in front of the styrene production
reactor

New method

Fig. 1: New styrene production method

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 201170

Fig. 2: Hydrotalcite

possible with the reactor we used, we could not examineoxidative dehydrogenation reaction using air or carbon
dioxide, but we examined the simple dehydrogenation
activity of ethylbenzene by preparing Mg/Fe/Al oxide
catalysts with a part of the Fe replaced with Cu, Zn, Cr,
Mn, Co, or Ni. Because iron catalysts were used in thepresence of hydrogen, the activity test was conductedunder the inert gas atmosphere of He and not N2, toavoid producing NH3. Among the metal species added,
Co displayed the best effect as an additive, followedby Ni, while the other metals showed negative effects(Fig. 3). Then, we tried to clarify the factors improving
catalytic activity by Co addition in comparison withthe effect of Ni. As the result, the high activity of the
Mg3Fe0.25Co0.25Al0.5 catalyst seemed to be promoted by
the reduction-oxidation between Fe3+ and Fe2+ and by
the stabilization of Fe3+/Fe2+ by the formation of Fe-Co
binary system. Moreover, a part of Mg2+ in Mg3Fe0.5Al0.5
mixed oxide was replaced with Zn2+ to test the effectof MgO as the support. We found that catalyst activity
declines with an increase in Zn replacement (Fig. 4). It
was concluded that the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene
was initiated by the B-H+ abstraction to form an electronrich intermediate on Mg2+O2- basic sites, followed by
A-H- abstraction on Fe3+ acid sites to produce styrene.
As previously mentioned, this research was pursued
as a project commissioned by KAUST, a new research
university which has just recently opened. KFUPM
has also begun to show strong interest in our academic
research and new findings in recent years. Based on thissituation, we compiled and contributed the results we

Fig. 3: Mg3Fe0.25Me0.25Al0.5 catalyst activity

Fig. 4: Mg3-xZnxFe0.5Al0.5 catalyst activity

activities, but lacked the necessary manpower andreactor environment at KFUPM. Therefore, I shared
the reactor that Prof. H. Hattori (KFUPM) was using in
his research on “alkane isomerization over tungstatedzirconia modified by platinum catalyst,” and had Dr. R.
Jermy, a post-doctoral researcher, perform the activity
test. Thereafter, a third-year undergraduate student andlater a master’s course student (Mr. A. Al-Ali and Mr.
L. Atanda) offered to help prepare the catalysts, and theresearch gradually began to make progress.

4. Research Results
It has already been confirmed that Mg/Fe/Al oxide
catalysts derived from a hydrotalcite precursor (Fig.
2) display high activity.1) Since gas analysis was not

71

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

obtained in the following three papers: (1) “Ethylbenzene
dehydrogenation over binary FeOx-MeOy/Mg(Al)O
catalysts derived from hydrotalcites”; (2) “Ethylbenzene
dehydrogenation over FeOx/(Mg,Zn)(Al)O catalysts
derived from hydrotalcites: Role of MgO as basic
sites”; and (3) “Ethylbenzene dehydrogenation over
Mg3Fe0.5-xCoxAl0.5 catalysts derived from hydrotalcites:
Comparison with Mg3Fe0.5-yNiyAl0.5 catalysts.”

5. Research Summary
The research progressed smoothly in FY2009, andthe KFUPM researchers and I were able to compile
our results in three papers, as mentioned above, tobe submitted to international journals under our joint
names. We intend to continue with the research, andto apply ourselves to the development of oxidative
dehydrogenation catalysts. The results we have achieved
so far will be presented at the KCC Symposium on
Catalysis on 7-9 December 2010 by Dr. Sulaiman S. AlKhattaf, Director of the KFUPM Center of Refining &Petrochemicals and leader of this project. An additional
piece of information worthy of note in regard to thisresearch is that the Mg-Al hydrotalcite that we usedin preparing our catalysts is garnering attention for
its possible application to the PSA separation of CO2.
In fact, KFUPM has just recently received an inquiry
about it from Saudi Aramco. The widespread applicationof the hydrotalcite not only to catalysts, but also toseparators and diverse other purposes, can be expectedin the future.
I received support from many people in implementing
my one-year research project at KFUPM. With thecooperation of the people at KFUPM, we were able tocompile the results of our research in the three papers
mentioned above in a relatively short period of time.
Many researchers at KFUPM’s research center havebeen to Japan as participants of training programs, andare friendly and cooperative with Japanese people on
the whole. Even aside from the research, I have enjoyedspending time with them. To enhance the potential of
the research center even more in the future, it is perhaps
necessary to install a new reactor that is compact enoughto ensure mobility, and to maximize the operations ofvarious analysis equipment for catalyst characterization.
KFUPM prides itself on its long history, but it is at atime when it needs to further improve its standing asa university originally devoted to basic research areas,
particularly given the opening last year of KAUST, a new
global-scale graduate university. In this regard as well,it seems that publishing research results in international
academic journals is becoming increasingly important.
Reference
1) Y. Ohishi, T. Kawabata, T. Shishido, K. Takaki, Q. Zhang, Y.
Wang, K. Nomura, and K. Takehira, Appl. Catal. A: General 288(2005) 220-231.

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 201172

TechnicalCooperation

Progress Report on “The Long-term
Researcher Dispatch Program”
1. Program Objective
JCCP launched “The Long-term Researcher
Dispatch Program” in FY2007 as a new initiative
under the International Joint Research Scheme.
Through the program, JCCP sends honorary
university professors and senior corporate
researchers to universities and research institutions
in major oil-producing countries long term, toprovide guidance to local researchers and topromote the advancement and invigoration ofresearch activities in counterpart organizations byhelping them improve research methods and address
new research themes. The program also aims toenhance personal exchanges in the research field
and thereby build and strengthen relationships oftrust between oil-producing countries and Japan.

2. Implementation Status
In FY2007, the year of commencement of the
program, the months between May and Octoberwere busily spent making the necessary preparations,and researchers were actually dispatched overseas
in November. Two researchers were respectively
dispatched to King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) in Kuwait
for a period of three months, from November to
February. The two organizations were selected
as counterpart organizations of the program, as
they have built a solid relationship with JCCP in
the technical cooperation field going back morethan 15 years, through the joint implementationof international research programs, technicalcooperation projects, and periodical symposiums.
In FY2008, three researchers were dispatched to
KFUPM and KISR as before. An overview of the73

Dr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor Emeritus,
Hokkaido University (center), at KFUPM

first two years of the program is presented below.
<Dispatch to KFUPM>
s 2ESEARCHER
Dr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor Emeritus,
Hokkaido University
s 4ERM
Three-month dispatch to KFUPM, between
November 2007 and February 2008
Three-month dispatch to KFUPM, between June2008 and February 2009s &IELD OF RESEARCH ASSISTANCE
Introduction and guidance in new themes incatalyst research(1) Production of clean gasoline composed
primarily of multi-branch alkane throughthe use of zirconium solid acid catalysts
and elucidation of the catalyst action
mechanism(2) Production of high added-value aromatics
through the use of solid base catalysts
and elucidation of the catalyst action
mechanism

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

operations of the desulfurization unit at
KNPC

Dr. Hidehiro Higashi, JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd.
(front), at KISR

<Dispatch to KISR>
s 2ESEARCHER
Dr. Hidehiro Higashi, JGC Catalysts andChemicals Ltd.
s 4ERM
3-month dispatch to KISR, between November
2007 and February 2008
3-month dispatch to KISR, between May 2008
and November 2008
s &IELD OF RESEARCH ASSISTANCE
Studies on improving catalyst research methods
and refinery operations(1) Studies and guidance for increasing
assessment performance of pilot tests ondesulfurization catalysts and others(2) Implementation and analysis of a coldflow model experiment for improving theDr. Takeshige Takahashi, Professor Emeritus,
Kagoshima University, at KISR

s 2ESEARCHER
Dr. Takeshige Takahashi, Professor Emeritus,
Kagoshima University
s 4ERM
2.5-month dispatch to KISR, between October
2008 and February 2009s &IELD OF RESEARCH ASSISTANCE
Implementation of lecture presentations on
catalyst research and guidance of individual
researchers(1) Implementation of lecture presentations on
the deactivation mechanism of atmosphericresidue hydrodesulfurization catalysts andprevention of catalyst deactivation(2) Individual counseling and guidance:
Individual research issues, development ofyoung researchers, research policies, etc.

3. Summary
During the first two years of the program, threeresearchers have been dispatched to KFUPM in
Saudi Arabia and KISR in Kuwait long term, toprovide research assistance and guidance to local
researchers. Careful consideration was given sothat researchers were not dispatched in the midstof the extremely hot summer season and theIslamic fasting month, but even so, the intensive
weather and differences in customs and the living
environment must have required some getting used
to. Nevertheless, the researchers quickly adapted
to their new environment and cultivated personal
exchanges with researchers, and began carrying out
assistance activities as appropriate to the researchsituation at the counterpart organization. By residingin the host country over a relatively long term, theresearchers were able to apply themselves to diverse
areas of research, including the launch of new
research themes, improvement of research methods,
and implementation of lecture presentations andindividual guidance, and thereby contributed todeveloping the capacities of local researchersand enhancing research in their counterpart

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 200974

organizations. The counterpart organizations haveexpressed strong appreciation of the program as aprime example of interpersonal cooperation.
On March 18, 2009, the researchers reported on
their local activities in a debriefing session heldwith the participation of members from the Ministryof Economy, Trade and Industry, JCCP member
companies, and Japan Petroleum Institute. Based on
the experiences gained through the program during
the past two years as presented in the debriefing
session, JCCP hopes to continue responding to thespecific needs of the counterpart organizations bydispatching highly experienced researchers willingto blend in and offer research assistance to local
researchers.

Debrieﬁng session (March 18), at JCCP Headquarters<by Kazuhisa Okumura, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

75

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Topics

Progress Report on the“Long-term Researcher Dispatch Program”
1. Background
JCCP launched the Long-term
Researcher Dispatch Program in
FY2007, as part of its research assistanceactivities under the International Joint
Research Scheme. Through the program,
JCCP sends honora r y university
professors and senior researchers fromprivate companies in Japan, who havemade remarkable achievements intheir specialized field, to universities
and research institutions in major oilproducing countries. The researchers
reside in their respective host country
long term, and routinely assist in the
R&D activities of local researchers, in
response to the needs of the counterpart
organization. In addition to providing
guidance, Japanese researchers who aredispatched to oil-producing countries
apply their expertise to improving
research methods, identifying new
and promising research themes, andotherwise promoting the advancement
and vitalization of research activities
within their counterpart organizations.
By providing research assistancein response to the requests of theDr. Hattori in a meeting with the Vice Chancellor of KFUPM, Sept. 2007

counterpart organization, the program is
not only expected to strengthen personal
exchanges in the R&D field, but also
to build and increase the counterpart
organizations’ trust in Japan.
King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia
and Kuwait Institute for Scientific
Research (KISR) in Kuwait have been
selected as counterpart organizations of
the program. Over many years, the twoorganizations and JCCP have built a solid
relationship through the implementationof joint research projects under the

Dr. Hattori inspecting KFUPM’s research facilities, Sept. 2007

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

international joint research schemeand technical cooperation programs,
and by holding joint symposiums on aregular basis.

2. FY2007 Program(1) Overview
Following meticulous planningand preparation among the Japanese
researchers and their affiliated andcou nt e r pa r t orga n i z at ions, t wo
researchers have been dispatched to
KFUPM and KISR this fiscal year.
They have already commenced theirresearch guidance activities at theircounterpart organization, and arescheduled to reside in Saudi Arabia
and Kuwait, respectively, for a periodof three months, from November to
February.
Dr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor
Emeritus at Hokkaido University, hasbeen asked to work under appointment
with KFUPM. Dr. Hattori is a prominent
researcher in the field of catalytic
research, specializing in the action
mechanisms of solid-base catalysts.
At KFUPM, he is engaged in joint
research on solid-base catalysts withlocal researchers.

76Dr. Higashi inspecting KISR’s research facilities, Sept. 2007

KFUPM’s vast campus consistsof educational and research facilities,
residential facilities, a medical center,and various other faculty and student
facilities. Dr. Hattori commutes to his
research laboratory from a guest housein the faculty residence area, which
is only about a 15-minute walk fromthe laboratory. Taking advantage ofthe holiday break in the latter half ofDecember, Dr. Hattori temporarily
returned to Japan to celebrate the New
Year holiday in Japan, and has left once
again to Saudi Arabia to continue his
research until the end of February.
Dr. Hidehiro Higashi from Catalysts
and Chemicals Ind. Co., Ltd. has beenasked to work under appointment with
KISR. Dr. Higashi is a leading researcher
in the development of oil refining
catalysts. In response to a strong request
by KISR, he has commenced researchguidance activities for improving theassessment performance of a pilot
plant. As KISR has no corporate guest
house, Dr. Higashi has a long-term
accommodation arrangement at a hotel
located about 20 minutes by car fromthe institute, and is daily driven to theinstitute.
The two researchers began theirlong-term stay in the Middle East in
early November, when the lingeringsummer heat was still intense. By the
middle of December, however, they

had acclimated themselves to their new
environment, and had begun providing
steady research assistance and guidance
to researchers at their counterpart
organizations.
At the moment, JCCP’s primary goalis the successful completion of the threemonth-long program for this fiscal year.
Hopefully, this particular experience
will be applied to enhancing next fiscal
year’s program, upon hearing the viewsof the researchers, and gaining an
accurate understanding of the researcher
acceptance situation at the counterpart
organizations.

77

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

(2) Send-off gathering
Pr ior to the two resea rchers’

departure in November, JCCP organizeda small send-off gathering for them on
October 22. The gathering took place ina fraternity house at Tokai University,and was attended by members fromPetroleum Refining and Reserve
Division at the Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry, namely Mr. Shuzo
Ta kada, Director, Mr. Ta kanobu
Yasunaga, Deputy Director, and Mr.
Tsuyoshi Kamijo, in addition to Messrs.
Mikio Kojima, Executive Director, andKatsuo Yokoyama, Managing Director,
from JCCP.
The small party began with a brief
speech by Mr. Kojima. He stated that
this new scheme of cooperation to oilproducing countries has been “madepossible by the generous cooperationof the two distinguished researchers,”
and that he has “strong expectations
for its successful completion.” To that
end, he also promised JCCP’s full
support in all aspects of their long-term
stay in the Middle East. Dr. Hattori
expressed his commitment to the effectthat he intends to “fully apply himself
to research activities” at KFUPM, andhas prepared to “respond flexibly to thesituation and requests of the counterpart
orga n izat ion.” D r. H igash i a lso
articulated his resolve to direct his best
efforts toward the effective applicationof Japan’s world-class hydrogen refining
catalyst technology to the counterpart
organization. Finally, Mr. Takada

Mr. Kojima (right), Executive Director of JCCP, speaking at a send-off gathering forDrs. Hattori and Higashi

Brief speech by Dr. Higashi (center)delivered words of encouragement to
the two researchers. Based on his strong
conviction that cultural exchanges are
just as important as technical guidance
and transfers, he expressed his highexpectations of the two researchers’
steady activities at their counterpart
organizations, and wished them ahealthy and fulfilling sojourn. Afterexchanging words of encouragement
and resolve, over lunch the members
engaged in animated conservation,
mainly on topics about cooperation tooil-producing countries.
(3) Letter from Dr. Hattori
After completing the first halfof his appointed period, Dr. Hattori
temporarily returned to Japan on
December 13 to spend the New Yearholiday in Japan (Sapporo, Hokkaido).
He has written to JCCP on the occasionof his return, and reported on the statusof his research at KFUPM so far, as wellas various aspects of his stay in Saudi
Arabia, as follows.
<Research status>
Prior to assuming the
APPOINTMENT AT +&50- ) VISITED
the organization in September and
SPENT TWO DAYS DISCUSSING VARIOUS
matters related to the dispatch

Mr. Takada (left), Director of the Petroleum Reﬁning and Reserve
Division, METI, giving his best wishes to the two researchers

PROGRAM $URING THAT MEETING THE+&50- SIDE ASKED ME TO PROPOSE A
RESEARCH THEME AND ) RESPONDED BY
proposing a theme concerning solidacid catalysts and another theme
CONCERNING SOLID BASE CATALYSTS
both of which were related tozirconia catalysts. We ultimately
DECIDED ON BOTH THEMES AND AGREEDon the participation of postgraduate
chemical engineering and chemistry
students in our experiments.
By the end of the first one and ahalf months of my stay until the Hajji
HOLIDAY WE FINISHED PREPARING 
types of catalysts and successfullylaunched a high-pressure reactor.
)N THE LATTER ONE AND A HALF MONTHS
WHICH WILL BEGIN AFTER .EW 9EARS
reaction experiments will probably
comprise the main part of our
ACTIVITIES "Y ALL MEANS ) HOPE TO
reach a point where we can obtainsufficient basic data to write apaper.
<Personal views on the research andlocal life>+&50-S #ENTER FOR 2EFININGA N D 0ETROCHEM ICAL 2ESEARCH)NSTITUTE IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM
research laboratories in Japanese
UNIVERSITIES PERHAPS PARTLY OWINGTO ITS PROVEN ACHIEVEMENTS IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROCESSES FOR
PRACTICAL APPLICATION 7HEN ASKED
WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT PUBLISHINGan academic paper or acquiring a
PATENT SOME +&50- RESEARCHERSIMMEDIATELY RESPONDED IN FAVOR
OF THE PATENT 4HIS MENTALITY )THINK DIFFERS FROM THAT IN *APANESE
UNIVERSITIES WHERE NOVELTY AND
ORIGINALITY OF INVENTION ARE VALUEDABOVE ALL ) HOPE TO SOMEHOWCONVINCE THE LOCAL RESEARCHERS THATBASIC RESEARCH IS ALSO IMPORTANT
PARTICULARLY IN UNIVERSITIES/FFICIALLY OUR WORK HOURS AREfrom 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. The
UNIVERSITY HAS OFFERED ME THE USE
of an on-campus guest house thatIS LARGER THAN  M2 in total area.
) CAN OBTAIN FOOD AND OTHER DAILY
NECESSITIES AT A SUPERMARKET THAT
IS ONLY A STONES THROW AWAY SO )BASICALLY WANT FOR NOTHING UNLESS) GET THE URGE TO GO OUT INTO THE
city. Prices here are reasonable.
!LTHOUGH ) CANNOT LEAVE THE CAMPUSWITHOUT A CAR ) AM LUCKY TO BE IN
AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE
AROUND ME KINDLY OFFERS HIS HELP
when needed.

<by Kazuhisa Okumura, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 200878

TechnicalCooperation

The 19th Saudi Arabia-Japan
Joint Symposium—Oil Refining and Petrochemical Catalyst Technologies—
The 19th Saudi Arabia-Japan Joint Symposium
on “Oil Refining and Petrochemical Catalyst
Technologies” was held on November 8 and 9,
2009, under the joint sponsorship of King Fahd
University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in
Saudi Arabia and JCCP. The symposium took placein an auditorium at KFUPM in Dhahran.
With the Japan Petroleum Institute (JPI)
undertaking its implementation every year, thesymposium has taken root in Saudi Arabia as

an annual event at KFUPM. It enjoys the large
attendance and participation of researchersand speakers not only from KFUPM, but otheruniversities in Saudi Arabia and Saudi Aramco’s
R&D center as well.
At the planning and preparation stage of theseminar, the Overseas Cooperation Committee
established under JPI and headed by Dr. Koichi
Eguchi from the Kyoto University Graduate School
carefully decides on the seminar theme, speakers, andSpeakerAfﬁliation

Presentation Title

Dr. Yasuaki Okamoto

Professor, Shimane University(head of the Japanese group)

Preparation of Highly Active Co-Mo HDS Catalysts
by the Addition of Citric Acid as a Chelating Agent

Dr. Toshihide Baba

Professor, Tokyo Institute ofTechnology

Catalytic Propylene Production from Ethylene Using
Zeolite Catalysts

Dr. Wataru Ueda

Professor, University of Hokkaido

New Complex Metal Oxide Catalysts for Chemical
and Energy Conversion

Dr. Kotohiro Nomura

Associate Professor, Nara Instituteof Science and Technology

New Transition Metal Complex Catalysts for
Synthesis of New Polymers by Precise Oleﬁn
Polymerization

Mr. Keisuke Nishii

Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.

A Newly Developed & Introduced Process to Remove
Bad Smell from Petrochemical Naphtha

Mr. Hideki Ono

Nippon Oil Corporation

Production of BHD (Bio Hydroﬁned Diesel) with
Improved Cold Flow Properties

Symposium venue: KFUPM auditorium(Nov. 8, 2009)

79

Meeting with Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM(Nov. 7, 2009)

JCCP NEWS No. 106 March 2010

their presentation topics as appropriate to the needs on
the Saudi Arabian side, to ensure that an academicallymeaningful symposium is implemented.
This year’s symposium was attended by anaudience of approximately 100, and featured morethan 20 presentations on the results of studies on oil
refining and petrochemical catalyst technologies.
They included presentations on desulfurization,
catalytic cracking, hydroprocessing, and olefin
production technologies, and elicited various

questions and discussions.
On the Japanese side, six researchers participatedin the symposium as Japanese speakers chosen
by the JPI Overseas Cooperation Committee andpresented their latest R&D achievements in theirrespective fields.
The secretariat of the symposium included Mr.
Shigeru Hojo from JPI; K. Nita, General Managerof the JCCP Riyadh Office; and K. Okumura fromthe JCCP Technical Cooperation Department.
<by Kazuhisa Okumura, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 106 March 201080

TechnicalCooperation

The 18th Saudi-Japan Joint Symposium—Oil Refining and Petrochemical Catalyst Technologies—
On November 16 and 17, 2008, JCCP andKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals(KFUPM) sponsored a Saudi-Japan Joint
Symposium on oil refining and petrochemical
catalyst technologies at the KFUPM auditorium
in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The symposium is held
every year under organization by KFUPM and theJapan Petroleum Institute (JPI), and was held forthe 18th time this year. It has taken root in Saudi
Arabia as an annual event at KFUPM, and attracted
the attendance of a large number of researchers not
only from KFUPM, but also from Saudi Aramco’s
research department and others.
Following the preparatory discussion among
KFUPM, JPI and JCCP, a twelve-member JPI
Overseas Cooperation Committee headed by Dr.
Koichi Eguchi from Kyoto University Graduate
School actively discussed details of the symposium,including its theme, Japanese speakers, and theirpresentation topics, to deliver an academicallymeaningful symposium that suitably corresponds
to needs in Saudi Arabia. The committee ultimately
decided to feature presentations centering on the
results of studies on environmentally friendly
catalysts and catalysts that promote the effective
production of high value-added products whose
demands are expected to increase in the future.
JCCP and KFUPM have previously cooperated
in conducting international joint research projects
on advanced catalyst research (FY1992–2000) and
HS-FCC (high-severity fluid catalytic cracking)technology (FY1996–2004). The last project wascompleted in FY2004, but the joint symposium,
which has been held in parallel with the research
projects, was continued as a forum for sharing new
research results among researchers in Japan and oilproducing countries and supporting the activities of
Saudi researchers.
Seven Japanese researchers participated in thisyear’s symposium, presenting their latest R&D

81

Dr. Abdul-Jauwad, Vice Rector for Applied Research,delivering an opening addressachievements in their respective fields.
On the Saudi side, Dr. Shakeel Ahmed, aresearcher at KFUPM, gave a presentation on a
joint study on hydrogen production, which KFUPM
is jointly implementing with Saudi Aramco. Titled“Development of Thermoneutral Reforming
Catalyst for Hydrogen Production from Liquid
Hydrocarbons,” the presentation received highmarks from all attendees, including the Japanese
attendees. We hope to include increasing numbers ofpresentations on such conventional yet academicallysignificant research themes in future symposiums,
while also responding to trends of the times toward
globalization and diversification of topics.
On the first day of the symposium, Dr. AbdulJauwad, Vice Rector for Applied Research,delivered an opening address on behalf of Dr.
Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM, who was
suddenly called away on business in Riyadh. Thiswas followed by opening speeches by Dr. Sachio
Asaoka, Professor at the University of Kitakyushu
and head of the Japanese delegation, and Kazuhisa
Okumura from the JCCP Technical Cooperation
Department. An audience of approximately 100

JCCP NEWS No. 102 November 2008

Dr. Akinobu Shiga giving a presentation

Symposium venue:
KFUPM Research Institute auditorium

people sat in on the opening proceedings, and 60
to 70 people attended the ensuing presentation
sessions. Approximately 130 participants werefrom the KFUPM Research Institute and colleges,
Saudi Aramco, King Abdulaziz City for Scienceand Technology (KACST), and various companies
and universities in Saudi Arabia.
An average of five questions were raised after
each presentation, and the speakers and participants
engaged in lively discussions based on thosequestions. They also took the opportunity of rest
breaks between presentations to continue their
discussions and cultivate personal exchanges.

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude
to all speakers of the symposium, Dr. Sulaiman AlKhattaf, Director of KFUPM Center for Refining
and Petrochemicals, members of JPI’s Overseas
Cooperation Committee, and all members of bothsecretariats, for their support and cooperation. With
the continued cooperation of Japanese universities,
companies, research institutes, and JPI, we hope tocontinue working closely with KFUPM to further
improve and develop the symposium as a high-level
forum for advanced technical needs in Saudi Arabia.

Japanese Speakers from JPI<by Kazuhisa Okumura, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

Presentation Title

Dr. Sachio Asaoka
Professor, University of Kitakyushu

Hydrocracking on Nanoporous Zeolite Catalysts

Dr. Atsushi Satsuma
Professor, Nagoya University Graduate School

Synthesis of Bisphenol-A from Phenol and Acetone Using Organic-inorganic
Modiﬁed Heteropolyacid Catalyst

Dr. Takao Masuda
Professor, Hokkaido University Graduate School

Preparation of Mono-dispersed MFI-type Zeolite Nanocrystals in Watersurfactant Oil Solution and their Application to Synthesis of Oleﬁnes from
Oxygen-containing Compounds

Dr. Toshio Tsutsui
Associate Professor, Kagoshima University

Enhancement of Conversion and Selectivity by Unsteady-state Operation in
Shape Selective Synthesis of 2,6-Dimethylnaphthalene with ZSM-5

Dr. Akinobu Shiga
Lummox Research Laboratory, Japan(formerly Senior Researcher of Sumitomo
Chemical Co., Ltd.)

Development of Propylene Polymerization Catalysts and Polypropylene
Manufacturing Processes

Mr. Katsuya WatanabeGroup Leader, Central Research Laboratory,
Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.

Development of New Isomerization Process for Petrochemical By-products

Mr. Hiroyuki Nakamura
Chief Researcher, Reﬁning Technology Center,
Japan Energy Corporation

Development of Hydrodesulfurization Catalyst Using Comparative Studies ofModel Feed Experiments and Quantum Chemical Studies

JCCP NEWS No. 102 November 200882

TechnicalCooperation

The 17th Annual Saudi-Japan Joint Catalyst Symposium

Opening address by H.E. Dr. Khaled S.
Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM

Opening speech by Dr. Eiichi Kikuchi,
Chairman of JPI

Dr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor Emeritus at
Hokkaido University andguest researcher at KFUPM

On November 11 and 12, 2007, a
Saudi-Japan Joint Catalyst Symposium
was held at King Fahd University ofPetroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The symposium,
which is jointly hosted every year by
KFUPM and the Japan Petroleum
Institute (JPI), under commission by
JCCP, has taken root in Saudi Arabia
as an annual event at KFUPM.
To deliver a symposium that suitablyreflects the trends of the times, JPI’s
Overseas Cooperation Committee,
chaired by Dr. Takashi Tatsumi from theTokyo Institute of Technology, has held
highly active discussions with membersof KFUPM headed by Dr. Sulaiman S.
Al- Khattaf, Director, Center for Refining& Petrochemicals, Research Institute,prior to the symposium, from which
the symposium theme and presentation

topics have ultimately been decided.
The 17th such symposium held
this year featured presentations by agroup of seven researchers from Japan,
headed by Dr. Eiichi Kikuchi, Professor
at Waseda University and Chairmanof JPI. Dr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor
Emeritus at Hokkaido University, wasalso invited to give a presentation. Dr.
Hattori currently resides in Saudi Arabia
as a guest researcher at KFUPM, under
JCCP’s long-term researcher exchange
program.
The symposium began with an
opening address by H.E. Dr. Khaled S.
Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM, followedby opening speeches by Dr. Kikuchi,
leader of the Japanese delegation, andMinoru Horike, General Manager
of JCCP’s Technical Cooperation
Department. The technical sessions

began after the speeches.
The Japanese researchers andparticipants from KFUPM, Saudi
Aramco, Saudi Arabia Basic Industries
Corporation (SABIC), universities andresearch institutes in Saudi Arabia, andresearchers from Kuwait and the U.S.,
together delivered 19 presentations inall, mainly on issues related to catalyst
technology in the oil refining andpetrochemical fields. An audience ofapproximately 100 people filled thesymposium venue. They took an active
part in the Q&A sessions, and boosted
the symposium’s spirit of mutual
cooperation. Even lunch and rest breaks
between presentations provided an ideal
opportunity for personal exchanges
among researchers and engineers.
J C C P ex t e n d s it s p r o fo u n dgratitude to all who have supported theimplementation of the symposium—
e sp e c ia l ly D r. A l-K h a t t a f, D r.
Tatsumi, and Mr. Hideki Konishi,
head researcher of the JPI Secretariat,
who began preparing and coordinating
the event from early on, as well as
members of the KFUPM Secretariat andmembers of JPI’s Overseas Cooperation
Committee—and would like to ask fortheir cooperation, again in the future,
for the continued development of thesymposium.
<by Minoru Horike,Technical Cooperation Dept.>

Symposium session

83

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

Topics

The 28th JCCP International Symposium“Innovation of Technology and Management in Oil Downstream:
For Security of Oil Supply”

Panelists and guests of honor

The 28th JCCP International Symposium was heldon January 27 and 28, 2010, under the auspices of the
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), andwith the attendance of approximately 350 visitors.

In this year’s symposium, leading authorities fromoil producing and consuming countries were invited
to exchange views on management and technology
innovation toward advanced utilization of oil.

1. Theme and Goal

2. Overview

The theme of this year’s symposium was “Innovationof Technology and Management in Oil Downstream:
For Security of Oil Supply.” Over the medium to longterm, the global balance in oil supply and demand is apt
to tighten, as a result of the increase in oil consumption
particularly in newly emerging economies. Amid thissituation, oil producing and consuming countries must
share the responsibility of mitigating inordinate increases
in oil consumption by promoting advanced utilization ofoil without undermining economic growth.

(1) First Day: Opening Ceremony (January 27)
The symposium opened with an address by Mr.
Yaichi Kimura, President of JCCP, and a greeting fromthe guest of honor, Mr. Masaaki Kimura, DirectorGeneral of the Natural Resources and Fuel Department,
METI. These were followed by keynote speeches by
Mr. Nobuo Tanaka, Executive Director, International
Energy Agency (IEA), and Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair,
Executive Director, Refining and NGL Fractionation,
Saudi Aramco.

Symposium venue

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201084

Mr. Yaichi Kimura, President of JCCP, reiterated
the theme of this year’s symposium—Innovation ofTechnology and Management in Oil Downstream: For
Security of Oil Supply—and presented a perspective on
the issue. He said that we have spent decades developing
oil utilization technologies and mechanisms to create
today’s affluent society, but oil is a limited resourcethat we must use wisely. The extent to which we canachieve the effective utilization of oil depends on thetechnical and management capabilities of all of us who
work in the oil industry. Mr. Kimura closed his addressby emphasizing the importance of technology andmanagement innovation in handing down the precious
resource to the next generation.

Mr. Yaichi Kimura, President of JCCP,
giving an opening address

Mr. Masaaki Kimura from METI spoke as follows: Oilproducing countries and Japan have established friendly
relationships over many years as the foundation of oil
security. However, as oil demand is expected to increase
mainly in emerging countries over the medium to longterm, one of the priority issues of the worldwide oil
industry lies in how to address such changes in the global
energy situation. Therefore, in the face of anticipatedchanges in the global oil supply-demand environment,
the theme of this symposium holds great significance,
as it provides an opportunity to explore how technology
and management innovation in the oil downstream sector
could prevent the wasteful use of oil and promote its
effective utilization to the greatest possible extent as
an extremely valuable resource. Moreover, since issues
in the oil downstream sector are common issues to oil
producing and consuming countries alike, forums suchas this symposium, in which various parties assemble
to discuss a common theme, are certain to contributelargely to building consensus and stabilizing the global
oil supply structure. In the end, Mr. Kimura expressed his
expectation that the collective wisdom of oil producing
and consuming countries will expand the possibilitiesof the precious and superior resource called “oil,” forthe future of our society.
(2) Keynote Speeches
Mr. Nobuo Tanaka from IEA gave a keynote speech
as follows: Future increases in demand for oil will
come mainly from non-OECD countries, or in otherwords, from developing countries, and oil demand willcontinue to growth steadily and eventually outpace theproduction capacity of worldwide suppliers. Inevitably,spare production capacity will become tighter than it istoday. Nevertheless, the situation will not cause a sudden
insecurity in oil supply as in past oil crises, but will
constrict oil supplies in a gradual manner. Experts call thisphenomenon “creeping oil crisis*.” Needless to say, thebest way to ensure stable supply of oil while maintaining
economic growth is to realize advanced applications ofoil, conserve energy, and prevent wasteful oil use.

Mr. Nobuo Tanaka, Executive Director of IEA,
giving a keynote speech
Mr. Masaaki Kimura, Director-General of the
Natural Resources and Fuel Department, METI,
giving a speech as a guest of honor85* Creeping oil crisis: an oil crisis that occurs as a result of a
gradual constriction of oil supplies over time

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair, Executive Director of
Saudi Aramco, giving a keynote speech

Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair from Saudi Aramco also
gave a keynote speech, firstly presenting an overview
of Saudi Aramco’s role in the global oil industry. He
said that Saudi Arabia has the world’s largest reserveof hydrocarbon resources. In order to assure consumers
that oil will continue to be a reliable source of energy,
Saudi Aramco has striven to secure stable supplies ofoil as a leading oil-producing country. Ensuring oil
security requires considerable investment, but Saudi
Aramco has established a consistent system for the
stable supply of oil, from the oilfields to consuming
regions. For example, it has maintained its 12 million
b/d oil production capacity through the developmentof oil resources, acquired the capacity to also supply
oil products by strengthening its refining capabilities,
and invests in Vela International Marine Limited (Saudi
Aramco’s wholly owned shipping subsidiary). Mr.
Al-Omair also spoke about the importance of humanresource development, stating that Saudi Aramco has
been able to continue the difficult and challenging
business of supplying oil, precisely because it isblessed with “people” who constantly pursue higher
levels of technology and management. Based on the
belief that “people” are the most precious asset of thecompany, it has spared no investment in human resource
development. Saudi Aramco’s success today is the resultof this policy. Mr. Al-Omair said that Saudi Aramco willcontinue to contribute to the global stabilization of oil
supplies by directing its efforts to developing humanresources and achieving advanced utilization of oilbased on innovating technologies and management.
(3) First Day: Special Lectures (January 27)
The latter half of the symposium agenda on the firstday featured special lectures by Mr. Mubarak S. Al Ketbi,
Manager, Crude & Condensate Division, Marketing &Refining Directorate, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company(ADNOC); Mr. He Zhoyun, Vice President, Economics& Development Research Institute, SINOPEC; and Mr.
Pramod Kumar Karunakaran, Managing Director/CEO,
Ethylene Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., PETRONAS.
Mr. Al Ketbi of ADNOC said that UAE is not only
focusing on the development of renewable energy
systems, but also on the development of nuclear power,
and has plans to invest 40 billion dollars in nuclear
power development by 2017. With the completion of asecond unit at the Ruwais Refinery, clean fuel supplies
will also be available. Mr. Al Ketbi stressed that
UAE will endeavor to secure stable energy supply bycomprehensively developing various types of energy.
Mr. Zhoyun of SINOPEC said that oil consumption
is increasing in China, and particularly the consumptionof automotive fuels such as gasoline and diesel fuel. The
country is therefore directing its efforts to creating social
systems that promote efficient utilization of oil. For
example, it is focusing on developing alternative energy
and technologies such as coal liquefaction, bioethanol,
biodiesel, hydrogen energy and electric vehicles, and has
also implemented a policy for shifting the mainstream
transportation mode from automobiles to railways bydeveloping inter-city high-speed railways and inner-city
subway networks.
Mr. Karunakaran of PETRONAS spoke about theimportant role of the oil industry. He explained that
PETRONAS commenced operations related to oil
development in 1974, and has increased its corporate
value and developed into a company that contributes
to society by producing petroleum and petrochemical
products from hydrocarbons. Although various difficult
issues lie ahead, such as rising oil prices and intensifying
international competition, Mr. Karunakaran said the oil
industry has a responsibility to continue providing stablesupplies of oil.
(4) Second Day: Discussion Sessions (January 28)(i) Session 1 (morning session) “Management
Innovation”
Under the chairmanship of Mr. Takeshi Kurosaki,
Executive Corporate Officer in Charge of Petroleum
Refining Dept., Japan Energy Corporation, five panelists
delivered presentations on management innovation
at their company. The panelists included Mr. Masoud
Salim Al Msalmy, General Manager, Corporate Support
Division, Oman Refineries & Petrochemicals Company(ORPC); Mr. Hashem Y. Al Refaei, Manager, Marketing
Research & Administration Division, Marketing

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201086

& Refining Directorate, Abu Dhabi National Oil
Company (ADNOC); Ms. Nina Nurlina Pramono, Vice
President, People Management of Human Resources,
PERTAMINA; Mr. A. O. Oniwon, Group Executive
Director, Refineries & Petrochemicals, Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); and Mr.
Shinji Takasu, General Manager, Refining Technology,
Petroleum Refining Dept., Japan Energy Corporation.
In a summary of the panelists’ presentations,
Mr. Kurosaki noted as follows: In this session, fivepanelists spoke about management innovation in theirrespective companies. Each company bears a largesocial responsibility to ensure stable oil supply, butliberalization and globalization trends have created anenvironment of intense international competition. Unlessthe companies embrace technology and management
innovation and build a competitive corporate culture,they will not be able to fulfill their responsibility. In all
five presentations, “people” were the common key tocreating a competitive company. New technologies andmanagement systems may be developed, but they would
have no effect if “people” do not change. Therefore, it isimportant, above all else, for people to interact with eachother beyond national and corporate boundaries and touse that experience to mutually acquire the wisdom of“human development.”

Session 2 panelists

Mr. Asaad Ahmad Al-Saad, Deputy Chairman & Deputy
Managing Director, Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery, Kuwait
National Petroleum Company (KNPC); and Mr. Takashi
Yasuda, Executive Officer, Senior General Manager,
R&D Division, JGC Corporation.
Mr. Tange summarized the presentations as follows:
Today, we listened to presentations on measures
for improving the value of hydrocarbons in four
countries. A new trend seems to be emerging in both
oil producing and consuming countries, to use oil invalue-added applications instead of simply burning it
as fuel. However, comprehensive capacity to manage
diverse technologies is required to continue the trend.
Oil producing and consuming countries may havetheir differences, but they nonetheless share the same
objective of seeking more advanced uses of oil andnatural gas. We hope to develop new oil energy systems
through mutual cooperation.

Session 1 panelists(ii) Session 2 (afternoon session) “Technology
Innovation”
Under the chairmanship of Mr. Sei Tange, Executive
Vice President and CMO, JGC Corporation, four panelists
delivered presentations on technology innovation in theirrespective companies. The panelists included Mr. MarkG. Lawrence, Head of GTL Product Marketing, Qatar
Petroleum Marketing Services (Tasweeq); Mr. Aminallah
Eskandari, Managing Director and Chairman of Board of
Directors, Hormoz Oil Refining Company (NIORDC);

87

Q&A session

3. Summary
In the closing ceremony, Mr. Masataka Sase,
Executive Director of JCCP, summarized the discussions
that took place in this year’s symposium, which focusedon management and technology innovation for security

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

of oil supply. In regard to management innovation, he
indicated that all panelists identified “human resource
development” as the key to innovation and raised strong
awareness that no company can survive the trend of
globalization unless all ranks of personnel, from top
management to site workers, unite their strengths.
With respect to technology innovation, Mr. Sase
said the panelists gave inspiring presentations on thechallenges that are being addressed in their respective
countries to produce high-value products from all typesof hydrocarbon resources, from methane to heavy oil.
However, as each country is working independently
to attain a goal that is common to both oil producing
and consuming countries, Mr. Sase emphasized thesignificance of all countries coming together to learn
from each other in an exchange of information, andcalled on all participants to further strengthen their bondsof mutual cooperation in the future.
In this year’s symposium, the keynote speechdelivered by Mr. Nobuo Tanaka, Executive Director of
IEA, noted that we must prepare to address a “creeping
oil crisis,” which distinctively differs from the oil crisesof the 1970s. JCCP has consistently focused on stable oil
supply as an overriding theme of our annual international
symposiums, and feel that the time has come for oil
producing and consuming countries to cooperate inachieving technology and management innovation basedon their longstanding relationships of trust. For our part,
we will strengthen our commitment to serving as a bridge
between oil producing and consuming countries andcreating opportunities for mutual cooperation.
<by Hisayoshi Tanda, Administration Dept.>

The 28th JCCP International Symposium Program“Innovation of Technology and Management in Oil Downstream: For Security of Oil Supply”
Date

Time

Jan. 27 (Wed)14:00 – 15:45

Proceedings
Opening ceremony
Opening address:
Mr. Yaichi Kimura, President of JCCP
Guest of honor speech:
Mr. Masaaki Kimura, Director-General, Natural Resources and Fuel
Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, METI
Keynote speeches:
Mr. Nobuo Tanaka, Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA)
Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair, Executive Director, Reﬁning and NGL
Fractionation, Saudi Aramco

15:45 – 17:30

Special lectures(1) Mr. Mubarak S. Al Ketbi, Manager, Crude & Condensate Division,
Marketing & Reﬁning Directorate, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company(ADNOC) (UAE)(2) Mr. He Zhoyun, Vice President, Economics & Development ResearchInstitute, SINOPEC (China)(3) Dr. Pramod Kumar Karunakaran, Managing Director/CEO, Ethylene
Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (PETRONAS) (Malaysia)

Jan. 28 (Thu)

18:00 – 20:00

Reception

9:30 – 12:00

Session 1 “Management Innovation”

13:30 – 16:00

Session 2 “Technology Innovation”

16:00 – 16:10

Closing address: Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 201088

Keynote Speeches
Country

Organization

Name

Title

Japan

International Energy Agency(IEA)

Mr. Nobuo Tanaka

Executive Director

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco

Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair

Executive Director, Reﬁning and
NGL Fractionation

Guest Speeches
Country

Organization

Name

Title

UAE

Abu Dhabi National Oil
Company (ADNOC)

Mr. Mubarak S. Al Ketbi

Manager, Crude & Condensate
Division, Marketing & Reﬁning
Directorate

China

SINOPEC

Mr. He Zhoyun

Vice President, Economics &Development Research Institute

Malaysia

Ethylene Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
(PETRONAS)

Mr. Pramod Kumar
Karunakaran

Managing Director/CEO

Session 1: Management Innovation
Chairman: Mr. Takeshi Kurosaki, Executive Corporate Ofﬁcer in Charge of Petroleum Reﬁning
Department, Japan Energy Corporation
Country

Company

Name

Title

Oman

Oman Reﬁneries &Petrochemicals Company(ORPC)Mr. Masoud Salim Al Msalmy

General Manager, Corporate
Support Division

UAE

Abu Dhabi National Oil
Company (ADNOC)

Mr. Hashem Y. Al Refaei

Manager, Marketing Research &Administration Division, Marketing& Reﬁning Directorate

Indonesia

PERTAMINA

Ms. Nina Nurlina Pramono

Vice President, People
Management of Human Resources

Nigeria

Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC)

Mr. A. O. Oniwon

Group Executive Director,
Reﬁneries & Petrochemicals

Japan

Japan Energy Corporation

Mr. Shinji Takasu

General Manager, Reﬁning
Technology, Petroleum Reﬁning
Department

Session 2: Technology Innovation
Chairman: Mr. Sei Tange, Executive Vice President and CMO, JGC Corporation
Country

Company

Name

Title

Qatar

Qatar Petroleum Marketing
Services (Tasweeq)

Mr. Mark G. Lawrence

Head of GTL Product Marketing

Iran

Hormoz Oil Reﬁning
Company (NIORDC)

Mr. Aminallah Eskandari

Managing Director and Chairmanof Board of Directors

KuwaitKuwait National Petroleum
Company (KNPC)

Mr. Asaad Ahmad Al-Saad

Deputy Chairman & Deputy
Managing Director, Mina
Al-Ahmadi ReﬁneryJapan

JGC Corporation

Mr. Takashi Yasuda

Executive Ofﬁcer, Senior General
Manager, R&D Division

89

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

Keynote Speech 2

Management ofHydrocarbon Resources
Mr. Mohammed A. Al-Omair
Executive Director, Reﬁning and
NGL Fractionation, Saudi Aramco

1. Relationship between Saudi Arabia andAsia
We at Saudi Aramco highly value our longstanding
and mutually beneficial relations with Japan. As acompany deeply involved in the Japanese economy asa major supplier, refiner and marketer of petroleum andpetroleum products, Saudi Aramco appreciates all that
we share from Japan’s distinctive approach, not only toeconomic development, but to human development in
the fullest sense. This distinguished and unique center(JCCP) plays an important role in this regard, and instrengthening cooperation and relations in the very
important petroleum business.
Today, Saudi Aramco is an investor in the Japanesepetroleum sector, and Japan is an investor in the Saudi
petroleum sector. Yet it is not only in the area of
petroleum that our relations with Japan are clear. We
enjoy many fruitful exchanges of culture, commerce
and technology.
When it comes to energy trade relations, Asia
accounts for more than half of our exports of crudeoil, refined products and natural gas liquids. Looking
ahead, Asia’s demand is projected to be met mainly fromsupplies from Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states.
More broadly, Asia is Saudi Arabia’s largest trade partner
among continents, with a 45% share of our overall trade.

PetroRabigh Petroleum Reﬁning and Petrochemical Complex(photo supplied by Saudi Aramco)

At the same time, Saudi Arabia is Asia’s principal trading
partner in the Middle East. Such a relationship is only
natural.
The investment relationship is just as important.
Today, our largest refining assets outside of Saudi Arabia
are in Asia, with a total equity refining capacity of over
1.3 million barrels per day in Japan, China and South
Korea. Japanese companies are also investing in Saudi
Arabia. One of the largest refining and petrochemicalcomplexes in Saudi Arabia, PetroRabigh Company,
commissioned last year, is a joint venture that we are
extremely proud of with Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical.

2. Investment in the Oil Upstream Sector
Given our longstanding relationship, Saudi Aramco
understands Japan’s emphasis on achieving long-term
stable supplies of energy. In fact, as a custodian of someof the world’s largest hydrocarbon reservoirs, we have avested interest in the stability and longevity of petroleum
as a reliable source of energy. For this reason, Saudi
Aramco places top priority and focus on the responsible
management of hydrocarbon resources.
The past few years have been critical for theenergy markets and their stakeholders. The world has
experienced the deepest economic downturn in morethan 70 years, and is only just starting to show somepositive signs of economic recovery. We hope that thepositive economic trends of the past few months are
sustainable.
Fueling economic recovery and prosperity requires
significant investments all along the oil and gas value
chain and in all regions, especially Asia and the Middle
East. Saudi Arabia alone has been executing investment
plans totaling more than $100 billion, involving
maintaining and increasing oil and gas production
capacities, as well as increasing and upgrading refining

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 201190

and processing facilities, both in and out of Saudi
Arabia.
We have recently achieved a crude oil production
capacity increase to 12 million barrels per day, whichis equivalent to nearly 15% of total global demand.
This was achieved by putting on line one of the largest
production increments ever, the 1.2 million barrels per
day Khurais field complex. This new complex is justone of our recent mega-projects.

association to petrochemical complexes.
Our downstream involvement is not only in
manufacutring, but also includes a cross-country productdistribution network and air fueling responsibilities in
Saudi Arabia, as well as a large world-class fleet ofmarine vessels under the Vela Corporation.
These investments in the upstream and downstream,
as well as our international investments in joint venturerefineries in Japan, China, South Korea and the UnitedStates highlight our overall endeavor towards global
market stability, continuity and reliability. Our special
commitment to the Asian market is a cornerstone of thisendeavor. These investments are also complemented
by our strategic commitment to reliability throughoperational excellence in everything we do.

Khurais Oil Field(photo supplied by Saudi Aramco)

These new projects are intended to enable us tomaintain a strong spare capacity to allow us to react
almost immediately in the event of urgent energy demandrequirements or supply disruptions. We have constantly
demonstrated our capabilities in this regard and today,
we are in an even stronger position to do so, thanks toall of our investments, supported by one of the mosttechnologically advanced exploration and drilling teamsin the world.
Having achieved our crude oil production increase,
we also are working to expand our gas production andprocessing capacities by 40%, which is mainly to fuelthe local needs for electricity generation, desalination
plants, petrochemicals and other industries.

3. Investment in the Oil Downstream
SectorOf course, Saudi Aramco’s role is much more thanoil and gas production. We are also a prominent player
in the downstream sector, with seven refineries in Saudi
Arabia, and several more across the world, including
Japan. We are executing plans to build two new refineriesin Saudi Arabia, in partnerships with international oil
industry, with a total capacity of 800 thousand barrels
per day. We are also upgrading existing refineries with

91

Vela Corporation’s state-of-the-art tanker (Saiph Star)(photo supplied by Saudi Aramco)

4. Initiatives for Stable Oil Supply
On average, Saudi Aramco identifies new provenreserves each year at least equivalent to the amount of
crude oil produced, a number that currently exceeds 3billion barrels per year. We expect to be able to maintainthis pattern for several decades, even with projected
increases in demand and production.
Sustaining this level of achievement requires constantinvestment in new and promising technologies. We
operate in an environment of smart wells employing
nanotechnology for sensing, and of remote geo-steeringthat can navigate drill bits thousands of meters below
the earth’s surface from control centers located hundredsof kilometers from the wellhead. Globally, seismic
technology and other sophisticated imaging and reservoir
modeling technologies have dramatically increased
success in finding oil and gas fields and help the industry
maximize recovery levels from reservoirs.

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 2011

5. Training Human Resources for the
FutureCentral to Saudi Aramco’s success as an energy
producer is human talent. For all of the wonders oftechnology, we recognize that all technologies are simply
extensions of human ingenuity. We attach the utmost
importance to our investment in training and careerdevelopment for our tens of thousands of employees.
Developing our people was, and continues to be, one of
the key success factors of our company.
JCCP has been for years a solid provider of learning
resources for our employees, and we will be continuing
to rely on your own level of excellence in helping us toenhance the training and knowledge of our young andmotivated employees well into the future.

KAUST students(photo supplied by Saudi Aramco)

6. Future Energy Supply
Managing the hydrocarbon resources that we areso fortunate to have in our country is not only about
producing, manufacturing and distributing; that aspect
is required, but is relatively straightfoward. At Saudi
Aramco, we also place a high and equal value on
protecting the environment, health and safety of ouremployees and surrounding communities.
In this regard, we share Japan’s emphasis, and that of
the entire world, on achieving ever more efficient uses ofenergy. The world’s leading economies, including Japan,
are already more energy efficient than at any time inhistory. Today, the world consumes 20% less energy per$1,000 GDP as it did back in 1990. For our part, Saudi
Aramco is partnering with institutions throughout theworld to help optimize energy efficiency.
For example, we are partnering with our affiliate
here in Japan to develop pilot plants for solar-powerelectricity generation in Saudi Arabia. If anyone wonders
why, it is because Saudi Arabia has not only the world’s
largest petroleum reserves, but also an abundance of thebasic requirements for solar energy power generation.
We have plenty of sunshine as well as pure-silica sandto use as raw material for solar panels.
However, while there are worthy aspirations for thedevelopment of renewable and alternative sources ofenergy in the future, sound projections indicate thatJapan, like other leading nations, will continue to rely
upon petroleum for decades to come. But as realists,
we need to keep sight of the fact that renewable energy
sources are projected to remain complementary to ourenergy needs for at least the next two decades.
As a result, for the well-being of the people on thisplanet who will need continued access to fossil energy,both energy producers and consumers will need to workas partners to make petroleum energy more efficient andfriendly to the environment. We have made improving
the quality of the transportation fuels to reduce theirenvironmental impact a key focus area. We have been
investing heavily in reducing the content of sulfur,
benzene and aromatics in transportation fuels with theintent of reducing the company’s environmental footprint.
We are also investing in research and development
efforts in the areas of carbon management, whole crude
oil desulfurization, and fuel reformulation.
Finally, our emphasis on safety continues to provide
demonstrated results as a world-class leader amongst ourpeers in the industry. Although we have been recognizedmany times for our safety performance, we will not besatisfied until we can sustainably achieve our goal ofzero incidents.
We recognize that energy enables economic andsocial progress like no other commodity. As the largest
producer with the largest reserves in the world, Saudi
Aramco uniquely contributes to energy security for Japanand the entire global market.
Arigato gozai-mashita.

* This transcript has been produced by the JCCP Secretariat based on the speech given at the 28th JCCP International Symposium(January 27, 2010).
* The responsibility for the wording of this transcript lies with the JCCP Secretariat.

JCCP NEWS No. 108 January 201192

Topics

The 27th JCCP International Symposium“Future Vision of the Oil Industry:
Creating Value from Hydrocarbons and Approaches to New
Energy Systems”

Participants of the symposium

On January 28 and 29, 2009, JCCP held “The27th JCCP International Symposium” under the
auspices of the Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry (METI). The two-day event drew anaudience of 372 visitors.

Opening address:
Mr. Yaichi Kimura, President of JCCP

93

1. Theme and Goal
The theme of this year’s symposium was “Future
Vision of the Oil Industry: Creating Value from
Hydrocarbons and Approaches to New Energy
Systems.”

Guest of honor speech:
Mr. Shinsuke Kitagawa, Director-General,
Natural Resources and Fuel Department, METIJCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Oil consumption is increasing in newly emerging
economies, and is adding new strains on the global
oil market. Oil-producing and oil-consuming
countries must therefore cooperate in addressing
the common issue of mitigating the increase inoil consumption, by seeking even more advanced
utilization of oil through promotion of energy
conservation, introduction of renewable energies,
and petrochemical integration.
In this year’s symposium, leading engineers from
Middle East and Asian oil-producing countries,
as well as from Japanese oil companies, wereinvited to share the initiatives for effective oilutilization that are implemented in their respective
countries. By providing a forum for mutual sharingof experience, the symposium aimed to create acommon awareness that such personal exchange
of information is vital to the efficient introductionof relevant technologies.

2. Overview(1) First Day: Opening Ceremony (January 28)
The symposium began with an opening address
by Mr. Yaichi Kimura, President of JCCP. This wasfollowed by a greeting from the guest of honor,
Mr. Shinsuke Kitagawa, Director-General of the
Natural Resources and Fuel Department, METI, anda keynote speech by Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher,
General Manager, Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.
Mr. Kimura stressed the need to appreciate more
seriously than ever the true value of oil today, andspoke about the important responsibility of theoil downstream sector in oil-producing and oilconsuming countries. Based on the understandingthat the oil refining industry plays an important rolein converting oil into petroleum and petrochemical
products, Mr. Kimura pointed out that the extent
to which we can achieve effective utilization ofoil depends on how much we are able to develop
advanced oil refining technologies. Therefore, inthis respect, we need to renew our awareness that
we bear an important responsibility to the next
generation.
Mr. Kitagawa of METI stated that creating newvalues in the oil industry is a common issue toKeynote speech:
Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher, General Manager,
Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.

oil-producing and oil-consuming countries, andexpressed his expectations that fruitful exchangesof views will take place in the symposium.
Mr. Al Mahasher, in his keynote speech, spoke
about increasing the value of oil, summarized asfollows: Saudi Aramco has the responsibility toprovide stable supplies of oil to the world. We havea continuous production capacity of 12 million b/din the upstream sector. In the downstream sector, weare developing integrated petrochemical refineries,
including the PetroRabigh joint venture with
Sumitomo Chemical, to increase the value of oil.
Oil still exists in relative abundance today, but the
precious resource will eventually run dry. Therefore,
Saudi Aramco will continue to make every effort
to maximize the value of our precious oil resource.
Today, we are seeing less implementation of major
projects due to the recent global downturn, but Saudi
Aramco is looking beyond this short-term trend.
We must not lose sight of long-term oil-related
needs and opportunities. Companies that are able
to keep a steady eye on the future are sure to enjoy
even greater success when the global economy
recovers.
Mr. Al Mahasher also used the Japanese
expression “a-un no kokyu,” which roughly
translates into “being in sync with each other without
using gestures or words,” and called on everyone toendure together and successfully emerge from thecurrent difficulties to a bright future in the spirit of“a-un no kokyu.”

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 200994

The 27th JCCP International Symposium Program“Future Vision of the Oil Industry:
Creating Value from hydrocarbons and Approaches to New Energy Systems”
Date

Time

Jan. 28 (Wed)14:00 – 15:00

15:15 – 17:40

Proceedings
Opening ceremony
Opening address:

Mr. Yaichi Kimura, President of JCCP

Guest of honor speech:

Mr. Shinsuke Kitagawa, Director-General of
the Natural Resources and Fuel Department,
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy,
METI

Keynote:Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher, General
Manager, Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.

Guest speech(1) Mr. Vikram M. Sampat, Vice President, Petroleum Business,
Reliance Industries Limited (India)(2) Mr. Seiji Takeuchi, General Manager, Planning and Coordination
Ofﬁce, Rabigh Project, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. (Japan)(3) Dr. Fereidun Fesharaki, Chairman, FACTS Global Energy(United States)(4) Mr. Abubakr Amer Al-Saiari, Liaison Coordinator, Human Resources,
Qatar Petroleum (Qatar)Jan. 29 (Thu)

18:00 – 20:00

Reception

9:30 – 12:00

Session 1 “Challenge of the Petroleum Industry to Seek Maximum Valuefrom Hydrocarbons—Towards the Best Mix of Future Energy Systems—”

13:30 – 16:00

Session 2 “Challenge of the Petroleum Industry to Seek Maximum Valuefrom Hydrocarbons—Towards Consumer-Producer Cooperation—”

16:00 – 16:10

Closing address: Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP

Keynote Speech
Country

Organization

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.

Name
Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher

Title
General Manager

Guest Speeches
Country

Organization

Name

India

Reliance Industries Limited

Japan

Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. Mr. Seiji Takeuchi

General Manager, Planning and
Coordination Ofﬁce, Rabigh Project

USA

FACTS Global Energy

Dr. Fereidun Fesharaki

Chairman

Qatar

Qatar Petroleum

Mr. Abubakr Amer Al-Saiari

Liaison Coordinator, Human
Resources

95

Mr. Vikram M. Sampat

Title

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Vice President

(2) First Day: Special Lectures (January 28)
Following Mr. Al Mahasher’s keynote speech,
guest speakers Mr. Vikram M. Sampat, Vice
President, Petroleum Business, Reliance Industries
Limited; Mr. Seiji Takeuchi, General Manager,
Planning and Coordination Office, Rabigh Project,
Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.; Dr. Fereidun
Fesharaki, Chairman, FACTS Global Energy; andMr. Abubakr Amer Al-Saiari, Liaison Coordinator,
Human Resources, Qatar Petroleum, gave special
lectures.
Mr. Sampat stated that maintaining competitive
strength is extremely difficult to do in the turmoilof today’s global economy, and emphasized theimportance of enhancing technological capabilities
and strengthening business management technologies.
Mr. Takeuchi spoke about PetroRabigh, and defined
it as a major project that offers three benefits:large-scale equipment, advanced technologies, andinexpensive feedstock, and that aims to contributeto promoting industries and creating employment in
Saudi Arabia as a worldwide leader in the chemicalindustry. Dr. Fesharaki estimated the fair prices ofcrude oil, and gave note that investments need tobe made extremely carefully, especially since somany countries are pushing forward with projects
for the construction of refineries and cracking units,that by 2010 or so the global market may become
saturated with excessive supplies of oil products.
Lastly, Mr. Al-Saiari articulated the importance ofhuman resource development, emphasizing the needto systematically develop outstanding personnel,
as they are the key to the success of large-scale
projects.

(3) Second Day: Discussion Sessions(January 29)(i) Session 1 (morning session)
Mr. Keizoh Takeuchi, Director and SeniorVice President, Nippon Petroleum Refining Co.,
Ltd., chaired Session 1. The panelists included
Mr. Howard Bevan, Senior Business Planner,
Corporate Planning Department, Qatar Petroleum;
Dr. Jihad M. Mohaidat, Technology Department
Manager, Industries Unit, MASDAR-Abu Dhabi
Future Energy Company; Mr. Ahmad S. Al-Jemaz,
Deputy Managing Director, Shuaiba Refinery,
Kuwait National Petroleum Company; and Mr.
Hiroji Adachi, Executive Officer and General
Manager, Technical Service Department, Nippon
Oil Corporation.
After the panelists delivered their presentations,
Mr. Takeuchi summarized Session 1 discussions asfollows: Oil-producing and oil-consuming countries
are both actively implementing initiatives for theeffective utilization of oil resources. However,in order to bring success to such large projects, aframework of worldwide cooperation based on a
global perspective is essential. In this respect, JCCP
serves an important role: to more strongly than everpromote training, technical cooperation, and humanresource development.

Session 1 panelists: Representing Japan, Kuwait, UAE,
and Qatar (from the left)

Session 2 panelists: Representing Japan, Saudi Arabia,
UAE, China, and Iran (from the left)(ii) Session 2 (afternoon session)
Mr. Junjiro Kuramochi, Director and General
Manager, Manufacturing Department, Idemitsu Kosan
Co., Ltd., chaired Session 2. The panelists included
Mr. Seyed Morteza Elahi, Director of Planningand Projects Control, Pars Oil and Gas Company;

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 200996

Mr. Chaohui Huang, Section Chief, Comprehensive
Plan Department, SINOPEC Zhenhai Refining &Chemical Company; Mr. Ahmed Omar Abdulla,
Assistant General Manager, Operations, Abu Dhabi
Oil Refining Company (TAKREER); Mr. Hussain A.
Al-Qahtani, Director, Joint Manufacturing Program,
Ras Tanura Integrated Petrochemical Project, Saudi
Aramco; and Mr. Katsumi Teraoka, Executive Chief
Engineer, Manufacturing Department, Idemitsu
Kosan Co., Ltd.

After the panelists delivered their presentations,
Mr. Kuramochi summarized Session 2 discussions,and concluded as follows: When considering thefinite nature of natural resources, it is imperativethat oil-producing and oil-consuming countries
mutually pursue the noble use of oil, by promoting
oil and petrochemical integration, increasing thevalue of oil, and saving energy.

Session 1: Challenge of the Petroleum Industry to Seek Maximum Value from Hydrocarbons—Towards the Best Mix of Future Energy Systems—
Chairman: Mr. Keizoh Takeuchi, Director, Senior Vice President, Nippon Petroleum Reﬁning Co.,Ltd.
Country

Company

Name

Title

Qatar

Qatar Petroleum

Mr. Howard Bevan

Senior Business Planner,
Corporate Planning Department

UAE

MASDAR – Abu Dhabi
Future Energy Company

Dr. Jihad M. Mohaidat

Manager, Technology Department,
Industries Unit

KuwaitShuaiba Reﬁnery, Kuwait
Mr. Ahmad S. Al-Jemaz
National Petroleum Company

Deputy Managing Director

Japan

Nippon Oil Corporation

Executive Ofﬁcer and General
Manager, Technical Service
Department

Mr. Hiroji Adachi

Session 2: Challenge of the Petroleum Industry to Seek Maximum Value from Hydrocarbons—Towards Consumer-Producer Cooperation—
Chairman: Mr. Junjiro Kuramochi, Director and General Manager, Manufacturing Department,
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
Country

Company

Name

Iran

Pars Oil and Gas Company

China

SINOPEC Zhenhai Reﬁning & Mr. Chaohui Huang
Chemical Company

Section Chief, Comprehensive Plan
Department

UAE

Abu Dhabi Oil Reﬁning
Company (TAKREER)

Mr. Ahmed Omar Abdulla

Assistant General Manager

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco
Ras Tanura Reﬁnery

Mr. Hussain A. Al-Qahtani

Director, Joint Manufacturing
Program, Integrated Petrochemical
Project

Japan

Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.

Mr. Katsumi Teraoka

Executive Chief Engineer,
Manufacturing Department

97

Mr. Seyed Morteza Elahi

Title

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Director, Planning and Projects
ControlSummary speech:
Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP

3. Summary
In closing the symposium, Mr. Sase summarized
the two days of discussions as follows: In the
Middle East and Asia, there are many plans for theconstruction of new refineries. Through advanced
integration, these refineries are designed under the
principle of pursuing added value to the extreme.
This situation has made me realize anew that adding
value is a common issue for both oil-producing
and oil-consuming countries. From the corporate
perspective, pursuing added value translates intohigher productivity, and from the social perspective,
it means achieving efficient use of petroleum,
reducing environmental burden, and conserving
precious oil resources. Therefore, enhancing thevalue of oil is an important challenge for both oilproducing and oil-consuming countries, one whichmust be addressed through mutual cooperation.

Symposium audience

Mr. Sase then closed the symposium byarticulating JCCP’s commitment to promotepersonnel and technical exchange between oilproducing and oil-consuming countries andcontribute to creating new values of oil.
This year ’s symposium was held amidst
the worldwide financial crisis that began lastSeptember. However, country representatives
agreed that “although projects may see a slight delay
due to the temporary fluctuation in the economy,
it is important to look ahead to achieve advanced
utilization of oil in the long term,” and voiced their
expectations of Japan’s cooperation in developing
human resources and corporate culture as a means
for bringing those projects to success. To respond tothese expectations, JCCP will continue promoting
training and technical cooperation programs in the
future.
<by Hisayoshi Tanda, Administration Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 200998

Reference> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >The 27th JCCP International Symposium
Keynote and Special Speech Summaries“The 27th JCCP International Symposium” was held on January 28 and 29, 2009 under the theme,“Future Vision of the Oil Industry.” For your reference, we have provided below the summaries of
the keynote speech and three special speeches that were delivered at the symposium.
Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher from Saudi Arabia described Saudi Arabia’s three major areas of
responsibilities as the following: (1) the provision of a reliable and stable supply of petroleum toglobal markets; (2) contribution to the economic development and diversification of the Saudi
economy; and (3) operation based on commercial considerations and profitability. Mr. Vikram M.
Sampat from India stated that we need the following four factors in order to increase competitiveness:(1) business excellence regarding feedstock and products; (2) supply chain flexibility; (3) technology
innovation; and (4) environmental preservation. Dr. Fereidun Fesharaki from the United Statescautioned that the refining industry needs to be very careful in making future decisions, because
the upswing on the refining side may be “slow in coming.” Mr. Abubakr Amer Al-Saiari from Qatar
explained that Qatar will continue to work with its partners in the educational field and other fields
to further promote Qatarization and develop human resources in the energy sector.

Keynote Speech“Hydrocarbon Development in Saudi Arabia:
Maximizing Value, Maximizing Benefits”
Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher
General Manager, Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.
At Saudi Aramco, the notion of a “tripod”
encapsulates the company’s three major areas of
responsibilities. These are: first, the provision ofa reliable and stable supply of petroleum to global
markets; second, contributions to the economic
development and diversification of the Saudi
economy; and third, operation based on commercial
considerations and profitability.
The understanding that we must strive tosimultaneously fulfill each of these objectives
means not only striking a balance between
meeting domestic energy needs and supplying
99

global markets, for example, but also seeking out
opportunities which contribute to all three goals.
In the upstream sector, we will achieve a massive
1.2 million barrel per day production capacity
addition later this year. This includes some 1.5
million barrels a day of spare capacity.
Further downstream, the company is engaged ina series of refinery expansions and the developmentof grassroots refining facilities, in conjunction
with partners both at home in the Kingdom andabroad. In addition to the PetroRabigh joint
venture with Sumitomo Chemical, we are also

JCCP NEWS No. 105 October 2009

applying the integrated refining-petrochemical
model in China’s Fujian Province, in conjunction
with SINOPEC and ExxonMobil. At Ras Tanura
Refinery, we are working with Dow Chemical on
the Ras Tanura Integrated Project for constructionof a large petrochemical complex. While these
integrated facilities help us increase profitability anddiversify the product portfolio in the Kingdom, theprojects also provide additional benefits to the local
economy. These include new job opportunities for
local investors and a hub for the growth of domestic
industrial clusters.
While the current global economic downturn
has impacted the short-term commercial outlook
for some of these projects, these initiatives were
designed with a long-term vision. We are well awarethat these facilities will have to be profitable overthe next several decades, not just over the next year
or two, and we believe the fundamentals of thesevarious downstream projects remain strong.
Of course, the ability to see these projects throughhinges upon the abilities, skills and dedication ofindividuals and teams hard at work in all partsof the business. That in turn requires proactive
human resources development efforts and a slateof educational programs. Our human resource
efforts also include developing a corporate culturethat encourages self-development by employees, acommitment to lifelong learning, and an innovative
approach to business and operational challenges.
The emphasis on people and their development
will continue, and the company will continue toinvest significantly in the men and women who callthemselves “Aramcons.”
To tackle all of the challenges and opportunities
we face, we are working with a wide range ofbusinesses and institutions related to energy,
such as other oil companies; specialized oilfield
service firms; leading petrochemical corporations;engineering, procurement and construction
contractors; advanced research laboratories; anduniversities and educational institutions. I take anenormous degree of satisfaction from the fact thatso many of those business partners and related
institutions are based here in Japan.
Petroleum is a plentiful but an ultimately depleting

Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher
General Manager, Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.

resource, and at Saudi Aramco we are working hard
to maximize the value of the Kingdom’s precioushydrocarbons to fulfill our obligations in each areaof our strategic tripod.
Today, we are witnessing what many analysts
are terming the most serious worldwide economic
downturn in generations. Major developed
economies are in the midst of a recession, growthhas flagged in the developing nations, and someof the world’s best-known financial, industrial andcommercial enterprises have been laid low. The
current crisis is certainly remarkable not only forits severity but also for its widespread scope. Thoseof us working in the petroleum industry have seen
the effects of the slowdown firsthand, with sagging
demand and crude oil prices which are roughly athird of the levels we saw last summer. Moreover,funding for major projects has become scarcer due
to lower revenues and tighter credit markets.
However, at Saudi Aramco we believe it isimperative to look beyond the short-term volatility
in both the global economy and the oil markets,
and we understand that the long range prospects
for energy in general remain robust. The world’s
population will continue to grow, and as standardsof living in the developing world continue to rise, so
will demand for energy in general, and in particularfor petroleum.
While short-term cost containment andreexamination of activities and projects is certainly

JCCP NEWS No. 105 October 2009100

in order given the current economic crisis, wemust not lose sight of the long-term needs andopportunities for petroleum. That is why intelligent,targeted, and selective investments all along thepetroleum value chain are so essential, and why thedecisions that will be made across our industry in
the next year or two will be so critical.
On the upside, crises always bring opportunities.
Forward looking companies will be able to position
themselves for even greater success once the global
economy recovers, if they continue to look at the
big picture and the next decade or two, rather thanfocusing on just the next quarter or two. On thedownside, there is a risk that underinvestment
in vital infrastructure today will result in supply
shortfalls and tight petroleum and refining markets

101

tomorrow, once demand recovers, as it inevitably
will.
When I look to the long-term trends for energy
and petroleum, I remain bullish on the prospects
for the global oil industry, and feel privileged tocontinue playing the liaison role between Saudi
Aramco and the hydrocarbon industries in Japan
as well as in this part of the world.
My message to you this year is A-un no Kokyu.
A-un no Kokyu means that people are on thesame wavelength when they are doing something
together, a relationship people can communicate
without gestures or words, anticipating each other’s
movement. Ladies and gentlemen, let us endure
together and overcome the current difficulties for ourbright future through the spirit of A-un no Kokyu!

JCCP NEWS No. 105 October 2009

Participants of the symposium

TopicsThe 26th JCCP International Symposium“The Role of the Oil Downstream Sector
from the Perspective of Stable Energy Supply”
On February 6 and 7, 2008, “The 26th
JCCP International Symposium” washeld under the auspices of the Ministryof Economy, Trade and Industry. As the
symposium took place just as the crude
oil price had exceeded 100 dollars per
barrel, it attracted greater attention thanever before, and drew an audience of
close to 300 participants.

Symposium ThemeT h i s y e a r ’s s y m p o s i u m w a s
conducted under the theme, “The Roleof the Oil Downstream Sector from the
Perspective of Stable Energy Supply—
The Necessity and Possibilities ofInternational Collaboration.”
Today, the issue of securing a stableoil supply is a worldwide concern.
The objective of the symposium
was to therefore seek avenues forsecuring a stable supply of oil, throughdiscussions among guests and panelists
from Japan and abroad, on issues andcountermeasures commonly faced in
the oil downstream sector. JCCP hoped
to promote the awareness that “it isimportant for oil-producing and oilconsuming countries to step beyond theirroles, to cooperate in resolving issues
in the oil industry, while sharing theirexperience with each other,” and that“promoting cooperation and deepening
the engagement between oil-producing
and oil-consuming countries is the key
to securing a stable energy supply.”

Symposium Overview(1) Opening Ceremony(February 6, 2008)
On the first day, the symposium
began with an opening address by Mr.
JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

Akira Idemitsu, President of JCCP,
followed by a greeting by the guest ofhonor, Mr. Shinsuke Kitagawa, DirectorGeneral of the Natural Resources andFuel Department, Agency for Natural
Resources and Energy, Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI),
and an introduction of the chairmen
and panelists of Sessions 1 and 2 by
Mr. Mikio Kojima, Executive Directorof JCCP. Following this, Mr. Idemitsu
gave a keynote speech.
In his greeting, Mr. Kitagawa firstwelcomed all the guests from abroad
who had come to Japan to participate in
the symposium. He then spoke about thesignificance of the close relationshipsthat oil-producing countries and Japan’soil downstream sector have built over
the years. Today, the crude oil market isundergoing a great change in response
to increasing global demands for oil, but
102

Guest of honor speech
Mr. Shinsuke Kitagawa, Director-General
Natural Resources and Fuel Department
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, METI

Japan nonetheless continues to receive
a stable supply of crude oil, owing
precisely to the strong relationship oftrust it has cultivated with oil-producing
countries. Representing METI, Mr.
Kitagawa also expressed his hopesthat JCCP will continue to implement
activities that respond to the needsof oil-producing countries, and thatthe mutually beneficial relationships
between JCCP and those countries willcontinue to grow even stronger.
Mr. Idemitsu, in his keynote speech,
stressed the importance of oil and thenecessity of ensuring its sustainable supply.
He explained that oil is indispensable toautomobile, airplanes, and other modernmeans of transportation, as well as animportant petrochemical raw material,from which various types of plastics
and chemicals are made. It is a precious
resource that must not be depleted byour generation. Mr. Idemitsu emphasizedthat it is our responsibility to the next
generation, to reconsider the role of theoil downstream sector and ensure a stableoil supply for the future.
(2) Special Lectures(February 6, 2008)
Following Mr. Idemitsu’s keynote
speech, Dr. Ken Koyama, Board
Member of The Institute of Energy
Economics, Japan, and Mr. Waleed H.
Al-Bedaiwi, General Manager, Saudi
Petroleum, Ltd., were asked to give a
special lecture as guest speakers.
After briefly summarizing today’s
global energy situation, Dr. Koyama
discussed the evolving relationshipbetween the Middle East and Asia. He
stated that the Middle East and Asia
are gradually forming an inseparable
relationship, in which they mutually

Special lecture
Dr. Ken Koyama, Board Member
The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan

103

Keynote speech
Mr. Akira Idemitsu, President of JCCP

depend upon each other. This is because
the two regions are the growth centersof the world. Asia’s growth could
provide an enormous oil market to
the Middle East, and growth in the
Middle East would allow Asia to importa large supply of oil. In the future,investments are expected to increase inboth directions, from the Middle East toAsia, and vice versa, and bring the tworegions closer to each other.
Mr. Al-Bedaiwi spoke about thesignificant relationship between oilproducing and oil-consuming countries,
likening the relationship to “the twosides of a coin,” which are inseparablefrom the other. He closed his lecture,by articulating Saudi Aramco’s strong
vow to join hands with its partners in
the oil downstream sector, to upholdits responsibility of providing a stablesupply of oil.

Special lecture
Mr. Waleed H. Al-Bedaiwi, General Manager
Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

(3) Discussion Sessions(February 7, 2008)
The second day of the symposiumfeatured Session 1 discussions in themorning and Session 2 discussions
in the afternoon. They arrived at thefollowing conclusions.

1) Session 1
Theme: Management Issues in
the Oil Downstream Sector for
Contributing to Globally Stable
Supply of Energy
The chairman of Session 1, Mr.
Isao Kusakabe, Executive Officer& General Manager, International
Ventures Department, Cosmo Oil Co.,
Ltd., summarized Session 1 discussions
as follows: “Many countries today areexperiencing rapid economic growth, asituation that will make the world evermore oil-dependent in the future. At

26th JCCP International Symposium Program
The Role of the Oil Downstream Sector from the Perspective of Stable Energy Supply
Date
Feb. 6 (Wed)Time
2:00 – 3:00 pm

Proceedings
Opening ceremonyUÊ "«i}Ê>``ÀiÃÃ\Ê
Mr. Akira Idemitsu, President of JCCPUÊ ÕiÃÌÊvÊ ÀÊÃ«iiV \Ê
Mr. Shinsuke Kitagawa, Director-General, Natural Resources and Fuel
Department, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, METIUÊ ÌÀ`ÕVÌÊvÊÃiÃÃÊV >ÀiÊ>`Ê«>iÃÌÃ\ÊMr. Mikio Kojima, Executive Director of JCCPUÊ iÞÌiÊÃ«iiV \Ê
Mr. Akira Idemitsu, President of JCCP

3:15 – 5:40 pm

Special lecturesUÊÀ°ÊiÊÞ>>Board Member, The Institute of Energy Economics, JapanUÊ À°Ê7>ii`Ê°Ê i`>Ü
General Manager, Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.
UÊ À°Ê-ÕÌ>Êi >À
Director, Marketing & Reﬁning, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC)

Feb. 7 (Thu)

6:00 – 8:00 pm

Reception

9:30 am - 12:00 pm

Session I “Management Issues in the Oil Downstream Sector for
Contributing to Globally Stable Supply of Energy”

12:00 – 1:30 pm

Lunch break

1:30 – 4:00 pm

Session II “Technological Issues in the Oil Downstream Sector for
Contributing to Globally Stable Supply of Energy”

4:00 – 4:10 pm

Closing greeting: Mr. Mikio Kojima, Executive Director of JCCP

Special Lectures
Country

Organization

Name

Title

Japan

The Institute of Energy Economics,
Japan

Dr. Ken Koyama

Board Member
Director, Strategy and Industry
Research Unit

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.

Mr. Waleed H. Al-Bedaiwi

General Manager

UAE

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC)

Mr. Sultan Al-Mehairi

Director, Marketing & Reﬁning(on behalf of Mr. Hashem Y. Al-Refaei, Marketing Research &Administration Manager)

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

104

Session 1 panelists(From the right: Indonesia, Oman,
Qatar, UAE, Japan)

Session 2 panelists(From the right: Iran, Kuwait,
Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Japan)

the same time, however, we are facing
a number of serious issues, such as
drastic increases in crude oil prices,
environmental issues that call for
stringent regulations, growing demands
for petroleum products, and the needto seek measures for securing a stableoil supply. Given this situation, urgent
attention must be directed to expanding
and upgrading refinery facilities anddeveloping human resources. As Japanand oil-producing countries share thesame oil downstream issues, we must
harness our efforts to secure a globallystable supply of oil. Relationships of trustthat are born from such collaboration
would also provide greater ‘energy
security.’”2) Session 2
Theme: Technological Issues in
the Oil Downstream Sector for
Contributing to Globally Stable
Supply of Energy
The chairman of Session 2, Mr.
Keiichi Matsumoto, Director & Senior
Executive Officer of Toyo Engineering
Corporation, identified the following
three technical issues from among
various issues confronting the oil

105

downstream sector in each country, as
common issues that have a particularly
large impact on a globally stable supplyof energy.
The first issue is the growing demand
for gasoline and diesel oil, and measures
for satisfying that demand, such asincreasing heavy oil cracking capacity
and adopting deep desulfurization
technologies. In every country, demands
for transportation fuel, such as gasoline
and diesel oil, are increasing, while
demands for heavy oil are decreasing.
For this reason, there is an urgent needto construct and expand the capacities
of facilities that crack heavy oil andconvert it to gasoline and diesel oil.
Desulfurization technologies are alsosought, to produce petroleum productsthat comply with environmental
standards that are becoming more andmore stringent the world over.

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

The second issue is the decrease inheavy oil demand and the increase ofvalue-added petroleum products. As acountermeasure to the decreasing demandfor heavy oil, heavy oil should either be
converted to light oil, by introducing acracking unit, or to higher value-added
products, such as by introducing a
residual oil direct desulfurization unit,
solvent dewaxing unit, or IGCC, toproduce thermal power, steam energy,
electric power, or synthetic gas.
The third issue is safety andenvironmental measures. Ensuringsafety requires the proper maintenancemanagement of facilities, utilization of
appropriate tools, and awareness-raisingof employees. Environmental measures
should not only focus on preventing air
and water pollution, but must also pay
due consideration to other issues, such as
the reduction of industrial waste.

(4) Summary
Lastly, Mr. Kojima summarized
the two days of discussions and poseda thought for everyone to consider. He
stated that the oil downstream sector

must fulfill an important role in securing
a globally stable supply of energy.
“Therefore,” he asked, “shouldn’t
the players in the downstream sector
mutually cooperate and make active

efforts to serve as a bridge between
oil-producing and oil-consuming
countries?” The symposium came toan end on this thought-provoking note.
<by Hisayoshi Tanda,
Administration Dept.>

Session I:
Chairman:Country

Management Issues in the Oil Downstream Sector for Contributing to Globally Stable Supply of Energy
Mr. Isao Kusakabe, Executive Ofﬁcer & General Manager, International Ventures Department,
Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.
Company

Name

Title

Indonesia

PT PERTAMINA

Mr. Gigih Prakoso

Manager, Corporate Business
Planning and Development

Qatar

Qatar Petroleum

Dr. Ali Hamed Al-Mulla

Manager, Corporate Environment
and Sustainable Development

Oman

Oman Reﬁnery Company L.L.C.

Mr. Said Waleed Q. Al-Zadjali

Manager, Procurement, Contracts &InventoryUAE

Abu Dhabi Oil Reﬁning Co.
(TAKREER)

Mr. Sultan Saeed Al-Muhairi

Abu Dhabi Reﬁnery Division
ManagerJapan

Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.

Mr. Hirohiko Kato

General Manager, International
Business Dept.

Session II:
Chairman:Country

Technological Issues in the Oil Downstream Sector for Contributing to Globally Stable Supply of Energy
Mr. Keiichi Matsumoto, Director, Senior Executive Ofﬁcer, General Manager, Plant Engineering Center,Toyo Engineering Corporation
Company

Name

Title

Iran

National Iranian Oil Reﬁning and Mr. Amin Allah Eskandari
Distribution Company (NIORDC)

KuwaitKuwait National Petroleum Co.

Mr. Mohammed Ghazi Al-Mutairi Deputy Managing Director,
Mina Abdulla Reﬁnery

Nigeria

Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation

Engr. Onochi A. Anyaoku

Group Executive Director, Reﬁning
and Petrochemicals Directorate

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Aramco

Mr. Ali Alhazmi

Superintendent, Riyadh Reﬁnery
Operation DivisionJapan

Toyo Engineering Corporation

Mr. Tomomichi Tomita

General Manager, Process Systems
Engineering Division

Scene of the Symposium

Director, Reﬁning Affairs

Closing address
Mr. Mikio Kojima, Executive Director of JCCP

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008106

Reference> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >“The 26th JCCP International Symposium”<Speech Summaries and Closing Address>“The 26th JCCP International Symposium” was held on February 6 and 7, 2008 (see JCCP NEWSNo. 100, pp. 3-7 for a general report of the event).
Summaries of the keynote speech by Mr. Akira Idemitsu, then-President of JCCP, the guest speech
by Mr. Waleed H. Albedaiwi, General Manager, Saudi Petroleum Ltd., and the closing address by Mr.
Mikio Kojima, then-Executive Director of JCCP, are provided below.
Mr. Idemitsu gave a strong message that “we have an important responsibility to the next generation,
to reconsider the role of the oil downstream sector in ensuring a steady and stable supply of oil formany years to come.” Mr. Albedaiwi likened the relationship between oil-producing and oil-consuming
countries to “the two sides of the same coin,” and emphasized that “just as it is impossible to split
the obverse side of a coin from the reverse, there is no way to decouple oil-producing countries fromoil-consuming countries.” Mr. Kojima shared his conviction that “oil downstream sectors in both oilproducing and oil-consuming countries stand on common ground, and are in a position to serve as abridge of cooperation between the two.”<Guest Speech>“Toward Closer Collaboration
Between Oil Suppliers and Consumers:
Two Sides of the Same Coin”
Mr. Waleed H. Albedaiwi
General Manager, Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.
1. Current State of the Oil
Downstream Sector
At Saudi Aramco, we believe that some of
the most serious challenges facing the petroleum
industry have less to do with subsurface issues
than with above-ground considerations. Subsurface
issues are those relating to the upstream sector,
while above-ground issues are those relating todownstream issues.
Worldwide, demand for oil remains strong,and consumption is increasing. As a result, global
oil transportation networks are facing increasingstresses and strains.
107

The world’s refining capacity is stretched to its
limit. Crude oil supplies are growing heavier and

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 2008

increasingly sour, though demand for products is
becoming lighter and whiter. To meet this demand,
substantial investment is required to upgrade
refineries, which leads to even higher prices for
consumers.
We are also seeing substantial increases in
the prices of raw materials, and a shortage ofexperienced engineers. These twin dynamics are
driving up investment costs. New investments are
becoming riskier, and investment decisions evenmore difficult.
The complex interaction of these various trends
is fueling oil price volatility. Certainly, today’s
prices cannot be explained by the supply-demand
fundamentals. Supplies are secure, and global
inventory levels are adequate, but crude oil prices
are seen hovering around the USD90 per barrel
level. To make sense of that fact, we must consider
the role that speculation plays in today’s oil markets.
A considerable influx of money is pouring into theglobal oil trade.

2. Search for a New“Producer-Consumer Relationship”
From a supplier’s perspective, it might be easy
to write off downstream issues as someone else’s
problem. However, we at Saudi Aramco believe that
downstream issues are of concern not only to oilconsuming countries, but also us to oil-producing
countries, as we all have a stake in the health of ourindustry as a whole.
Meaningful cooperation and collaborationmust begin with a reconsideration of conventional
producer-consumer relationships. In the past, wetended to put suppliers and consumers into opposite
camps, which are bridged by cooperative ties atbest, and divided by tension and mistrust at worst.
In this outdated view, however, a true joining offorces cannot be achieved. The fates of producers
and consumers are joined, and are inseparable.
In reality, producers and consumers occupy twosides of the same coin. Just as it is impossible tosplit the obverse side of a coin from the reverse,
there is no way to decouple oil-producing fromoil-consuming countries. Similarly, the upstream

sector of the global oil industry cannot be separated
from the downstream sector, the supply destination.
As long as we continue to ignore the reality ofthe downstream sector and correlations in the oil
industry, we cannot bring the full weight of ourresources, capabilities and expertise to bear on thetask of providing sustainable energy solutions forthe future.

3. For the Healthy Development of
the Downstream Sector
At Saudi Aramco we believe that meaningfulprogress in the downstream segment is best
achieved by working closely with the world’s
leading firms.
Internationally, Saudi Aramco holds stakes inoil refining and marketing enterprises in the UnitedStates, Korea, China, the Philippines, and Japan.
Last December, we broke ground on an expansion of
the Port Arthur Refinery in the United States, whichis part of our Motiva joint venture with Shell. By
2010, the refinery will be the largest single refineryin the United States. In China, our joint ventureswith SINOPEC, the government of Fujian Province,and ExxonMobile began operations last year.
In the Kingdom, we are augmenting our existingrefining portfolio with work on a pair of newexport-oriented refineries. One is a joint venturewith ConocoPhillips, and the other, with Total. Bothrefineries are slated to begin operations in 2011.
Each will be a full-conversion facility configured
to refine Arab Heavy crude, with a nameplate
capacity of 400,000 barrels per day. This heavy
crude configuration will avail more lighter crude
for export to global markets, while also helping tonarrow the gap between current worldwide refining
capacity and tomorrow’s heavier, increasingly sour
global crude supplies.
The most ambitious projects in the Kingdom are
the integrated refining and petrochemical projects
being developed in Rabigh and Ras Tanura. The
first is a PetroRabigh joint venture with Sumitomo
Chemical. Saudi Aramco is supplying the projectwith 400,000 barrels per day of crude oil, 95 million
cubic feet per day of ethane, and 15,000 barrels

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 2008108

per day of butane. This feedstock supply will beprocessed by a state-of-the-art plant that includes
the world’s newest and largest high olefins fluid
catalytic cracker and an ethane cracker. Oncecomplete, PetroRabigh will produce 18.4 million
tons per annum of petroleum products and 2.4
million tons per annum of ethylene and propylenebased derivatives, and contribute to ensuring stablesupplies of petroleum and petrochemical products
inside and outside the country.
These projects combine Saudi Aramco’s massive
oil reserves, extensive production infrastructure, andexisting refining assets with our partners’ technicalexpertise and marketing networks. The integration
with petrochemical facilities will maximize thevalue of our existing refineries, and lead to anatural migration down the value chain for Saudi
Aramco. Furthermore, these integrated refining
and petrochemical facilities will form the hubs ofassociated industrial clusters, and play host to smalland medium-sized companies in the manufacturing,
services, and conversion industries.

Saudi Aramco is not trying to carry its downstream
load all by itself. Instead, we are working incollaboration with the world’s leading firms, withhigh expectations of their technical expertise,proprietary technologies, and marketing knowledge.
At the same time, we will continue to help ourpartners meet their obligations to their customers
and their wider societies.

4. In Consideration of Our 75-Year
HistoryThis year, Saudi Aramco is celebrating its 75th
anniversary.
We are taking the occasion to not only reflect
on the past, but also to consider the future of ourplanet’s energy and our role in shaping it.
We at Saudi Aramco and all of you occupy one
side of the same coin. Together, let us build an
oil industry that is remarkable, sustainable, andbeneficial for people around the world.

Mr. Waleed Albedaiwi, emphasizing how “we occupy two sides of the same coin”

109

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 2008

Topics

The 18th Joint GCC-Japan
Environment Symposium—Environment & Water Resources for Our Future—
The 18th Joint GCC-Japan Environment Symposium
was jointly organized with Bahrain Centre for Studies &Research (BCSR), and was held over a three-day period
from February 8 to 10 in Bahrain, under the theme,“Environment & Water Resources for Our Future.”

Background
JCCP has held the Joint GCC-Japan Environment
Symposium annually to provide a forum for informationexchange among environmental experts in the GCC
countries and Japan, and fiscal 2009 marked the 18th
convening of the symposium.

Overview
Some 230 participants from the GCC countries
and Japan, the largest number ever, attended theopening ceremony, which was held on the 8th. They
included such key figures as H.E. Dr. Mohammed J.
K. Alghatam, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of
BCSR; Dr. Abdulla M. Alsadiq, Secretary-General of
BSCR; Dr. Eion Turnbull, Deputy Chief Executive(Refining & Marketing) of the Bahrain Petroleum
Company (BAPCO), which provided special assistancein implementing the symposium by hosting a BAPCOsponsored reception on the evening of February 8; H.E.
Mr. Hideo Sato, Ambassador of Japan to Bahrain; andDr. Junzo Kasahara, Professor Emeritus at the Universityof Tokyo (and leader of the Japanese delegation).
Dr. Alsadiq, Dr. Turnbull, Ambassador Sato and Mr.
Morihiro Yoshida, Managing Director of JCCP, eachgave an opening address.
Dr. Alsadiq thanked the guests for attending the
symposium, and expressed his expectations that the
symposium will provide hints for resolving water
resource and climate change issues in the GCC region.
He noted that, as environmental issues are a large
concern to the GCC countries where water resources
are limited, it is highly meaningful to have Japaneseand GCC experts mutually share their knowledge andexchange views on issues of concern to the region inthis symposium.
Dr. Turnbull emphasized our responsibility toseriously address environmental issues today as leadersin the field, although whether we succeed or not in doing
so can only be judged by the next generation. He said
he was confident that technological innovations thatwill be introduced in the symposium would bring us
new possibilities.
Ambassador Sato noted that this environment
symposium, launched in 1992 as a greening seminar andheld for roughly 20 years since, provides an opportunity
to address the issue of global warming, particularlyin the GCC region where environmental issues havebecome pronounced after the Gulf War. He encouraged

Commemorative photo at the opening ceremony

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010110

all participants to learn and benefit from the knowledgeof the Japanese and GCC experts.
Mr. Yoshida, after giving a brief introduction of
JCCP and an overview of JCCP technical cooperation
projects and training programs, asserted that Japan’s
advanced environmental technologies would be effectivein addressing environmental issues that are raisingwidespread concern in the GCC countries, and stressed
the importance of this symposium.
Three keynote lectures followed the opening
speeches. On the Japanese side, Dr. Kasahara gave alecture under the title, “An innovative method for the
4D monitor of storage in CCS (Carbon dioxide Captureand Storage) and oil and gas reservoirs and aquifers.” On
the Bahrain side, lectures were given by Mr. Essa G. AlAnsari, General Manager of Major Engineering Projects
at BAPCO, and Prof. Waleed Al-Zubari, Vice-Presidentof Academic Affairs at Arabian Gulf University.
After the keynote lectures, 19 Japanese GCC experts
gave presentations in four separate discussion sessions.
N February 8
Session 1: Energy and Gas Industry andSustainability
Session 2: Water Resources and Environmental
Protection
N February 9
Session 3: Climate Change and Global Warming
Session 4: Future Perspective for Energy, Water
and Environment
Many of the presentations given by GCC experts
focused on “water” and “the environment.” This isunderstandable, since the symposium was originallydesigned as a greening seminar. However, it also
indicated the GCC countries’ consistently strong interest
and concern in issues related to the environment andwater resources.

A closing ceremony was held on the 9th following
the final discussion session. Dr. Mohammed S.
Al-Ansari, Director of the Publication & Data Warehouse
at BCSR and Chairperson of the Organizing Committeeof the Environment Symposium, and M. Nakamura,Manager of the Technical Cooperation Dept. at JCCP,
officially closed this year’s symposium after thanking
all symposium participants and everyone from BCSR
and BAPCO for their cooperation.
On the 10th, the Japanese delegation visited a
BAPCO refinery, accompanied by many people fromthe Bahrain side. There they visited the Low Sulphur
Diesel Production Control Center among other facilities,
and recognized anew Bahrain’s strong commitment toenvironmental conservation.
On the 7th, the day before the opening of theenvironment symposium, the JCCP Secretariat held apress conference at BCSR to present an overview of
JCCP activities and explain details of the environment
symposium. Dr. Alghatam, Dr. Alsadiq, Dr. Al-Ansari,
Mr. Yukio Ishibiki, Second Secretary of the Japanese
Embassy in Bahrain, and six Japanese lecturers also lent
their presence to the event.

Summary
The participants of the environment symposium engagedin active discussions in the four discussion sessions.
GCC experts took particular note of the presentations on
Japan’s advanced environmental technologies as potential
solutions to their environmental challenges.
Members on the JCCP side hope that this environment
symposium has helped deepen relationships between oilrelated companies and organizations in the GCC region
and JCCP. Moreover, public recognition of JCCP in
the GCC countries has increased, owing to local media
coverage of the press conference and symposium.
<by Makoto Nakamura, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

Discussion session

111

Press conference

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

The 18th Joint GCC-Japan Environment Symposium
No.

CountryName

Organization

Session 1: Energy and Gas Industry and Sustainability
Chairpersons: Prof. Hidenori Yahiro, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Japan
Dr. Mohammed S. Al-Ansari, Bahrain Centre for Studies & Research
1

Saudi Arabia

Mr. Mohammad A. Hajri

Saudi Aramco

2

Japan

Mr. Shigeyuki Funada

Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.

3

Bahrain

Mr. Ijaz Ashraf

The Bahrain Petroleum Company

4

BahrainDr. Tarek Ghalwash

Bahrain Centre for Studies & Research

Session 2: Water Resources and Environmental Protection
Chairpersons: Dr. Muhammad Al-Rashed, Kuwait Institute for Scientiﬁc ResearchEng. Nassema Al-Marzouqi, Water Distribution Directorate, Bahrain
1

KuwaitDr. Mohammad Al-Murad

Kuwait Institute for Scientiﬁc Research

2BahrainDr. Khaled BurashidElectricity & Water Authority

3

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Alaadin A. BukhariKing Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

4

Oman

Dr. Mahad Said Baawain

Sultan Qaboos University

5

Qatar

Dr. Kamel Mostafa Amer

Ministry of Environment

Session 3: Climate Change and Global Warming
Chairpersons: Dr. Waheeb Al-Naser, University of Bahrain
Dr. Ali Hamad Al-Mulla, Qatar Petroleum
1

UAE

Dr. Sayed A. M. Marzouk

UAE University

2

Japan

Dr. Ken-ichi Fujimoto

Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative
Association

3

Japan

Ms. Hikari Egami

JGC Corporation

4

BahrainDr. Mohammed S. Al-Ansari

Bahrain Centre for Studies & Research

5

BahrainDr. Majeed Safar Jasim

University of Bahrain

Session 4: Future Perspective for Energy, Water and Environment
Chairpersons: Eng. Ebrahim Al-Kaabi, Electricity and Water Authority, Bahrain
Dr. Ken-ichi Fujimoto, Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative Association, Japan
1

Japan

Dr. Kayoko Tsuruga

JGI, Inc.

2

BahrainDr. Waheeb Al-Naser

University of Bahrain

3BahrainDr. Nader Al-Masri

Bahrain Centre for Studies & Research

4

Japan

Prof. Hidenori Yahiro

Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ehime
University

5

Bahrain

Prof. Ibrahim Abdel Gelil

College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University

Symposium venue

One of the Japanese lecturers: Ms. Hikari Egami,
JGC Corporation

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010112

Topics

The 17th Joint GCC-Japan
Environment Symposium(The 4th Joint KISR-JCCP Environment Symposium)

Participants of the symposium

JCCP and Kuwait Institute for Scientific
Research (KISR) jointly held the 17th Joint GCCJapan Environment Symposium (the 4th Joint
KISR-JCCP Environment Symposium) fromFebruary 2 to 4, 2009. The symposium was held in
Kuwait City, under the theme, “Water Resources in
the GCC and Environmental Challenges.”
This symposium has been held annually in a GCC
country as a forum for information exchange among

environmental experts in the GCC countries andJapan, and was held for the 17th time this year.
The opening ceremony was held on the 2nd, withthe attendance of more than 200 people from the
GCC countries and Japan. They included such key
figures as Dr. Naji M. Al-Mutairi, Director Generalof KISR, Mr. Jamal Al-Nouri, Managing Director –Planning of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)
who provided special assistance in implementing

Dr. Naji M. Al-Mutairi, Director General, KISR (left),
Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP (right)

Dr. Takeo Kikkawa, Professor at Hitotsubashi University
Graduate School (leader of Japanese delegation)

113

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Mr. Jamal Al-Nouri, Managing Director – Planning, KPC(left), Dr. Muhammad F. Al-Rashed, Director,
Water Resource Division, KISR (center)

Dr. Al-Mutairi (left), H.E. Mr. Masatoshi Muto,
Ambassador of Japan to Kuwait (right)

the symposium, H.E. Mr. Masatoshi Muto,
Ambassador of Japan to Kuwait, and Dr. Takeo
Kikkawa, Professor at Hitotsubashi University
Graduate School of Commerce and Management(leader of the Japanese delegation). Dr. Al-Mutairi,
Mr. Al-Nouri, H.E. Ambassador Muto and Mr.
Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP, eachgave an opening address.
Dr. Al-Mutairi acknowledged that environmental
issues are of growing concern to the GCC countries
where water resources are limited, and stressed how
important and meaningful it is for experts fromJapan and the GCC countries to exchange viewsand engage in serious discussions on environmental
issues. He also expressed his wish that matters
discussed in this symposium will provide clues toaddressing issues concerning water resources andclimate change in the GCC countries.
Mr. Al-Nouri noted that holding the symposiumin Kuwait this year was well-timed, as it coincidedwith KPC’s company-wide undertaking to addressenvironmental issues, and said that he was looking

forward to the presentations.
H.E. Ambassador Muto explained that Japan
experienced serious public pollutions in the
1960s and 1970s, but has overcome those issues
through its own efforts, and is presently applying
the knowledge it has acquired through thatexperience to the Kuwait Gulf Treatment Projectthat is being implemented jointly with the Kuwait
Ministry of Higher Education. He also expressed
his wish that the symposium will encourage more
Japanese companies and organizations to addressenvironmental issues in Kuwait and other GCC
countries, and produce significant achievements.
Mr. Sase firstly gave a brief introduction of
JCCP, followed by an overview of JCCP technicalcooperation projects and training programs
implemented in Kuwait. He then explained theeffectiveness of Japan’s advanced environmental
technologies in addressing environmental issues
that are becoming of increasing concern in the GCC
countries, and emphasized the importance of thisenvironment symposium.

Symposium venue

Symposium session

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009114

Press conference at KISR

Japanese delegation at the press conference

The last but not the least item of the opening environmental technologies seemed to attract theceremony was Dr. Kikkawa’s keynote lecture titled strong interest of all GCC experts.
“Energy Conservation and Technological Innovation:
On the 3rd, a closing ceremony was held
Japan’s Contribution to Cool Earth.” The lecture following the completion of the second day offocused on the “Cool Earth 50” initiative, which discussions. Dr. Khaled Hadi, Manager, Hydrology
Japan had proposed in May 2007 as a post-Kyoto Department, representing KISR (on behalf of Dr.
framework. Dr. Kikkawa stated that achieving an Muhammad F. Al-Rashed, Director, Water Resource
appropriate balance between global environmental Division), and Mr. Mitsuyoshi Saito, Councilor forconservation and economic growth is essential JCCP, summarized the two days of discussions andto realizing the “Cool Earth 50” initiative, and proposed twelve recommendations concerning thethat this balance could be effectively achieved by symposium presentations. In closing, Mr. Koichi
promoting energy conservation and technological Io, Deputy General Manager, expressed his deep
innovation such as Carbon Dioxide Capture and appreciation to KISR, KPC and all participants, on
Storage (CCS) and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) behalf of JCCP.
technologies. Dr. Kikkawa also introduced the “TopOn the 4th, we visited the exhibition center andRunner Program” and “Sector by Sector Approach,” oil field (artificial oil lake created on the Burgan
which are Japan’s unique methods for reducing Oil Field) of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), whichgreenhouse gases toward realization of “Cool Earth appeared to symbolize the deep commitment of50.” He explained that the former is producing steady Kuwait’s oil-related companies and organizations
results in the residential, commercial
and transportation sectors, and thatthe latter is proving effective inindustrial sectors.
Discussion sessions were heldon the 2nd and the 3rd. A total of 18
presentations were given under four
themes: (i) Renewable Energy for
Water Treatment and Desalination;(ii) Clean Development Mechanisms(CDM); (iii) Protection andManagement of Water Resources;and (iv) Oil & Gas Industry andEnvironmental Issues, and were
Local newspaper article on the
Local newspaper article on thefollowed by active discussions.
environment symposium
press conference
Presentations on Japan’s advanced(Arab Times)(Al Watan)
115

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

toward the environment.
In this environment symposium, Mr. AlNouri, Managing Director – Planning of KPC,
not only attended the opening ceremony, but also
generously hosted a KPC-sponsored reception on
the evening of the 2nd. We hope that the occasionof this environment symposium has helped deepen
relationships between oil-related companies andorganizations in Kuwait and JCCP.
Prior to the symposium, a press conference washeld at KISR on February 1, with the attendance of
Dr. Al-Rashed, Director, Water Resource Divisionof KISR, Mr. Takanori Yamashita, First Secretary at
the Embassy of Japan in Kuwait, and eight Japanese
lecturers. The JCCP Secretariat gave a statement on
the environment symposium, as well as introduced
an overview of JCCP and JCCP activities in Kuwait.
The local newspapers ran many articles on the press
conference and environment symposium, and helped
increase public recognition of JCCP in Kuwait.
We would like to extend our deepest appreciation
to everyone who has cooperated in the successful
implementation of this symposium.
<by Makoto Nakamura, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

List of speakers
No.

CountryName

Organization

Session 1: Renewable Energy for Water Treatment and Desalination
Chairperson: Dr. Muhammad F. Al-Rashed, Kuwait Institute for Scientiﬁc Research (KISR)
Prof. Katsuyuki Fujinawa, Shinshu University
1

KuwaitDr. Essam El-Sayed

Kuwait Institute for Scientiﬁc Research (KISR)

2

Japan

Mr. Eiji Wada

Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative
Association

3

Japan

Mr. Kei Omura

NTT Data CCS Corporation

4

Japan

Mr. Sueo Nagasawa

Water Re-use Promotion Center

Session 2: Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
Chairperson: Prof. Morihiro Kurushima, Toyo University
Mr. Mohammad Al-Fodari, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC)
5

Japan

Prof. Morihiro Kurushima

Toyo University

6

KuwaitDr. M. M. Oskay

Chevron Company

7

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Mansor Kashir

Saudi Aramco (ARAMCO)

8UAE

Dr. Ali H. Al-Marzouqi

UAE University (UAEU)

Session 3: Protection and Management of Water Resources
Chairperson: Dr. Alaadin Bukhari, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM)
Mr. Mohamed Al-Senafy, Kuwait Institute for Scientiﬁc Research (KISR)
9

KuwaitDr. Meshan Al-Otaibi

Ministry of Electricity and Water

10

Japan

Prof. Katsuyuki Fujinawa

Shinshu University

11

BahrainDr. Nader Al-Masri

Bahrain Center for Studies & Research (BCSR)

12

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Nassim Al-Abed

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM)

13

Oman

Mr. Saleh Said Mohammed
Al-Shoukri

Ministry of Environment and Climate

14

KuwaitDr. Amr Fadlelmawla

Kuwait Institute for Scientiﬁc Research (KISR)

Session 4: Oil & Gas Industry and Environmental Issues
Chairperson: Dr. Ali Hamad Al-Mulla, Qatar Petroleum (QP)
Mr. Fahad Al-Dihani, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)
15

KuwaitMr. Fadhel A. Al-Ali

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)

16

Japan

Dr. Kazuo Okamura

Shimizu Corporation

17

Qatar

Mr. Said Abdi Yusuf

Qatar Petroleum (QP)

18

Japan

Mr. Takaaki Izumi

Nippon Oil Research Institute Co., Ltd.

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009116

Topics

The 16th Joint GCC-Japan
Environment Symposium(The 4th Joint KFUPM-JCCP Environment Symposium)

Participants of the symposium

T h e 16 t h J o i n t G C C - Ja p a n
Environment Symposium (the 4th
Joint KFUPM-JCCP Environment
Symposium) was held in Dhahran, Saudi
Arabia, from January 28 to 30, 2008,by the joint sponsorship of JCCP andKing Fahd University of Petroleum &Minerals (KFUPM). The main theme ofthe symposium was “GCC Environment
and Sustainable Development.”
The symposium is held annually in a

GCC country under basic environmental
themes, and provides a forum fordiscussions among experts in theenvironment field.
An opening ceremony officiallyopened the symposium on the 28th. It
was attended by H.E. Dr. Khaled bin
Saleh Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM,
Dr. Sahel N. Abdul-Jauwad, Vice
Rector of KFUPM, Mr. Isam A. Bayat,
Vice President, Engineering Services,

H.E. Dr. Khaled bin Saleh Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM

117

Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi
Aramco), and H.E. Hiroshi Oka, Chargéd’Affaires, Embassy of Japan to Saudi
Arabia, in addition to more than 140
participants. H.E. Dr. Al-Sultan, Mr.
Bayat, H.E. Mr. Oka, and Mr. Katsuo
Yokoyama, Managing Director of JCCP,
each gave an opening address.
H.E . D r. A l- Su lt a n st rong ly
acknowledged that environmental
considerations are essential to the

Mr. Isam A. Bayat, Vice President of Saudi Aramco

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

H.E. Hiroshi Oka, Chargé d’Affaires,
Embassy of Japan to Saudi Arabia

sust a i nable development of t he
GCC countries, and expressed highexpectations that the symposium will
discuss topics of particular relevanceto the environment in the region, suchas water resources and climate change.
Mr. Bayat com mented on thetimeliness of holding this environment
symposium in Saudi Arabia, just at atime when Saudi Aramco is making
company-wide effor ts to addressenvironmental issues, and said he waslooking forward to what would be
discussed.
H.E. Mr. Oka stated that Japan and
the GCC countries have a long-standing
relationship in the energy sector, but arelationship of cooperation is rapidly
evolving in the environment sector as
well. He said that he is extremely pleased
to see a strengthening of relationships
between JCCP and the national oil
companies, research institutions, anduniversities in the GCC countries, in

Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama, Managing Director of JCCP

the environment sector.
Mr. Yokoyama, after giving a brief
overview of JCCP technical cooperation
projects in Saudi Arabia, stated that
it was a great pleasure to be able tohold this environment symposiumin the GCC countries each year, andemphasized the fact that environmental
issues cannot be solved by one country’s
efforts alone, but requires global level
initiatives.
Discussion sessions held on the
28th and 29th featured 15 presentations
on fou r topics : (i) Sust a i nable
Environmental Development; (ii) Oil
Industry and Environmental Issues;(iii) Environmental Rehabilitation;and (iv) Research and Development inEnvironment. Active discussions took
place in each session.
On the 29th, a closing ceremony
was held following the completion of
the discussion session. Representing
KFUPM, Dr. Walid A. Abderrahman,

Opening ceremony

Professor, Water Resource Management,summarized the two days of sessions,and representing JCCP, Koichi Io,
Deputy General Manager, TechnicalCooperation Department, took theopportunity to thank KFUPM, Saudi
Aramco, and all participants for their
participation in the symposium.
During the two days of discussion
sessions, some participants from the
GCC countries asked whether theJapanese lecturers could also delivera presentation at an environmental
conference to be held in their respective
countries. The participants apparently
found the presentations on Japan’s
advanced environmental technologies
to be highly beneficial.
On the 30th, we visited a coastalmangrove nursery at Saudi Aramco’s
Ras Tanura Refinery. We saw thenursery as an indication of Saudi
Aramco’s strong commitment to theenvironment.

Symposium session

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

118

In this environment symposium, Mr.
Bayat, Vice President of Saudi Aramco,
not only attended the opening ceremony,
but also hosted a reception for all guests(on the 28th). Taking the opportunityof his generous cooperation, we hope
to further deepen JCCP’s relationshipwith Saudi Aramco.
On January 27, the day prior toholding the symposium, we held apress conference at KFUPM. With theattendance of Dr. Abdul-Jauwad, Vice
Rector of KFUPM, H.E. Mr. Oka,
and five Japanese lecturers, we madean announcement on the environment
symposium scheduled to be held thenext day, and provided an overview
of JCCP activities in Saudi Arabia.
News of the press conference received
coverage in the local newspaper, andcontributed to increasing JCCP’s profile
in Saudi Arabia.
We extend our deepest appreciation
to everyone who has cooperated in
the successful implementation of this
symposium.
<by Koichi Io,
Technical Cooperation Dept.>

Symposium venue

Local newspaper article on thepress conference

List of Speakers
No

Country

Session 1:
Moderator:

Name

Organization

Sustainable Environmental Development
Dr. Kenichi Fujimoto, Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative Association (KITA) <Japan>

1

Japan

Dr. Takehiko Matsui

Tottori University

2

KuwaitDr. Amr Fadlemawla

Kuwait Institute for Scientiﬁc Research (KISR)

3

BahrainDr. Nader El-Masri

Bahrain Center for Studies & Research (BCSR)

Session 2:
Moderator:

Oil Industry and Environmental Issues
Prof. Abdul Malik Al AlShaikh, King Saud University (KSU) <Saudi Arabia>

4

Japan

Mr. Masayuki Aida

Nippon Oil Corporation

5

UAE

Dr. Muftah H. El-Naas

UAE University (UAEU)

6

Japan

Dr. Masaharu Tasaki

Shimizu Corporation

7

Qatar

Dr. John Kilani

Qatar Petroleum (QP)

Session 3:
Moderator:

Environmental Rehabilitation
Dr. Mohammed Al Ansari, Bahrain Center for Studies and Research (BCSR) <Bahrain>

8

Japan

Dr. Kenichi Fujimoto

Kitakyushu International Techno-cooperative
Association

9

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Hussein Al-Beshrey

Royal Commission for Jubail

10

Oman

Dr. Andy Yaw Kwarteng

Sultan Qaboos University (SQU)

11

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Ahmad S. Bajahlan

Royal Commission for Yanbu

Session 4:
Moderator:

Research and Development in EnvironmentProf. Abdulaziz M. Al Bassam, King Saud University (KSU) <Saudi Arabia>

12

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Walid Abderrahman

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals(KFUPM)

13

Japan

Dr. Ryoji Ohba

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

14

Saudi Arabia

Dr. Khaled Al-Damegh

King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology(KACST)

15

Saudi Arabia

Dr. William G. Conner

Saudi Aramco

119

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

Topics

Delegation from the Saudi Arabian
Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources
Visits JapanOn June 1, 2010, H.E. Yahya J. Shinawi, Director
General, and Mr. Abdullah I. Al-Jof, Technical Training
Coordinator, from the Eastern Province Branch of the
Saudi Arabian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral
Resources visited JCCP.
The ministry’s head office is located in Riyadh, andthe Eastern Province Branch is located in Dhahran. While
the Riyadh head office is in charge of oil policies, theEastern Province Branch is responsible for supervising
the technical aspects of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry. Mr.
Shinawi is the chief officer of this department.
At JCCP, Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director, Mr.
Morihiro Yoshida, Managing Director, Mr. Mitsuyoshi
Saito, Counselor, and other executive officers welcomed
the two gentlemen from Saudi Arabia.

1. Background to the Visit
JCCP and Mr. Al-Jof corresponded a number of times
since last year about participation in JCCP’s technicaltraining programs on environmental management in
the refinery. When JCCP members visited the Saudi
Arabian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources
last October under the Cooperation with Training Center

Tour of JCCP training facilities

Program, they provided an overview of JCCP courses
related to environmental management and extended aninvitation to Mr. Al-Jof to visit JCCP Headquarters inJapan. Mr. Al-Jof took the occasion of Mr. Shinawi’s
recent visit to realize the visit to JCCP.

2. Environmental Management in theReﬁnery
Saudi Arabia has plans to construct several large-scalerefineries with 400,000 b/d-level capacities in various
parts of the country, and in conjunction with these plans,
there is a need to assess their environmental impact andto formulate a proper environmental management plan.
To facilitate the smooth implementation of the refinery
construction projects, the Ministry of Petroleum andMineral Resources is aware that it needs to explore
environmental management technologies employedaround the world and to formulate a plan specificallysuited to the state of affairs in Saudi Arabia. It also hasstrong interest in Japan’s environmental management
technologies, and said that it would like its employees toparticipate in JCCP courses and hold technical exchanges
in a broad range of topics.

H.E. Yahya J. Shinawi, Director General (front row, left), and
Mr. Abdullah I. Al-Jof, Technical Training Coordinator (backrow, second from left), from the Eastern Province Branch of
the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Petroleum andMineral Resources

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010120

As Saudi Arabia is an important counterpart country
to JCCP, we promised JCCP’s cooperation, giving an
outline of the implementation of JCCP courses andtaking the Saudi delegation on a tour of the training
facilities in JCCP Headquarters. As a regular course on“Environmental Management for Refineries” is slated
to be held in September, we also provided a detailed
description of this course, as it pertains to Saudi Arabia’s
current issues of interest.
In Saudi Arabia, refineries essentially form anentire town. As the governing authority of refineries,
the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources must121

not only assess the impact of refinery waste on thesurrounding water, air, and soil environments, but it isalso responsible for regulating the output of domestic
waste from employee housing belonging to the company,
as well as medical waste produced by hospitals.
We understand that the ministry hopes to systematize
its environmental management technologies andincorporate them in environmental laws and regulationsin Saudi Arabia in the future, and intend to do all we canto contribute to their efforts.

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010<by Hisayoshi Tanda, Administration Dept.>Topics

Follow-up Meetings
Visit to Saudi Arabia and Malaysia
In a bid to strengthen relationships with oil-producing
countries, Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of
JCCP, visited Saudi Arabia and Malaysia from February
1 to 10, 2010, and held policy dialogues with the
management of counterpart organizations in the twocountries.

1. Saudi Arabia—King Fahd University ofPetroleum and Minerals (KFUPM)
On February 3, Mr. Sase paid a courtesy call on
H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM. Dr.
Katsuomi Takehira, Professor Emeritus at Hiroshima
University, who is currently engaging in research
at KFUPM under the JCCP Long-term Researcher
Dispatch Program, was also asked to lend his presence
to the meeting.
The relationship between KFUPM and JCCP goesback to 1992, when the two organizations sponsored thefirst Saudi-Japan Joint Symposium. The symposium has
been held every year since then, with the 19th and mostrecent symposium held in November 2009.
Mr. Sase took the lead and expressed his deep
appreciation for Dr. Al-Sultan’s and KFUPM’s generous
cooperation, without which they could not have held theseminar every year for 19 years.
Dr. Al-Sultan said KFUPM is also pleased to have

H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector of KFUPM (center)

held the annual seminar continuously for 19 years, andthanked JCCP for its cooperation. The most valuable
achievement, he stressed, is the relationship of trust thathas developed between the two organizations throughlong years of cooperation, because relationships like thiscannot be achieved overnight, but require gradual andsteady accumulation of mutual efforts.
Dr. Sulaiman S. Al-Khattaf, Director, Center ofRefining and Petrochemicals – Research Institute,
thanked JCCP for sending researchers to KFUPM under
the Long-term Researcher Dispatch Program, and said
KFUPM is privileged to welcome Dr. Hideshi Hattori,
Professor Emeritus at Hokkaido University, who beganproviding research guidance at KFUPM in FY2007,
followed by Dr. Katsuomi Takehira. Dr. Al-Khattaf asked
JCCP for its cooperation in continuing the program, asa request from both him and Dr. Al-Sultan.

2. Saudi Arabia—Saudi Aramco Training
and Career Development Department
Also on February 3, Mr. Sase paid a visit to Ms. Huda
M. Al-Ghoson, General Manager, Training and Career
Development, Saudi Aramco. The Training and Career
Development Department is located in a central area ofthe company’s Head Office site among top management
offices. As general manager of this department, Ms.

At the Saudi Aramco Head Ofﬁce
Ms. Huda M. Al-Ghoson, General Manager, Training andCareer Development (center)

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

122

Al-Ghoson assumes an important role in planning andmanaging the development of human resources who
support the future of the company.
Mr. Sase firstly outlined JCCP’s relationship with
Saudi Aramco, explaining that a fruitful exchange ofJapanese technologies and management practices hasdeveloped between the two organizations throughthe participation of Saudi Aramco members in JCCP
regular courses and through the implementation ofCustomized Programs-Overseas (CPO) at Saudi
Aramco’s refineries.
Ms. Al-Ghoson described Saudi Aramco’s policy
in regard to training. That is, the company firmly
believes that studying corporate cultures in worldwide
countries and incorporating their strengths into Saudi
Aramco’s management style is extremely importantto the company’s own future. Based on this policy,
Saudi Aramco selects outstanding employees to takeadvantage of learning opportunities in various countries
around the world while they are young, and to absorb
their cultures in the language of those countries. Ms.
Al-Ghoson said that JCCP courses also provide a good
opportunity to experience Japanese corporate culture
and study Japanese management practices, and that
Saudi Aramco employees who have participated inthem have brought back knowledge which has provenuseful in many ways to Saudi Aramco’s management.
Based on this awareness, she also said that she wishes
to send not only refinery staff members but also head
office members to JCCP courses to study leadership andmanagement skills.
In response, the JCCP side explained the basic
concept of JCCP training programs, that they aredesigned so that manager-level employees can explore
future management styles through visits to Japanesecompanies. In other words, JCCP training programs offer
manager-level employees an opportunity to review andenhance their management styles and prepare to assume
higher positions in the future.

on “Application of Ground Deformation Monitoring
Technologies towards Preserving the Natural Resources,”the signing ceremony for which is slated to take place atthe end of the month.
Dr. Al-Saud said that KACST is placing large
expectations on the success of the joint project,
especially because the project focuses on technologies
for maintaining the capacity of oil production facilities,
and that he hopes to share the achievements of the projectwith oil companies in Saudi Arabia.
On a more personal note, Dr. Al-Saud also spoke
about his visit to Japan in June 2008 under the JCCP VIP
Invitation Program, recollecting how the staff membersof the research institute he visited then had all lined up
along both sides of his path and welcomed him withwarm applause. He said he would always remember
the warm hospitality he received wherever he went inJapan.
Mr. Sase stated that JCCP’s exchanges with KACST
through the years have had significant meaning to JCCP,
and that he hopes their relationship will continue into the
future. Agreeing with Mr. Sase’s view, Dr. Al-Saud said
he wishes to engage in even more projects with JCCP in
the future and further deepen their relationship.

H.H. Dr. Turki Saud Mohammed Al-Saud,Vice President of KACST (left)

3. Saudi Arabia—King Abdulaziz City for
Science and Technology (KACST)

4. Malaysia—Petronas

On February 7, Mr. Sase made a courtesy visit to H.H.
Dr. Turki Saud Mohammed Al-Saud, Vice President for
Research Institute of KACST.
Mr. Sase took the opportunity of his visit to KACST
to express his gratitude to Dr. Al-Saud for his generous
consideration of the joint technical cooperation project

As the last destination of his agenda, Mr. Sase visitedthe Petronas Head Office in Malaysia on February 9,
and paid a call on Datuk Anuar Ahmad, Vice President,
Human Resources, and Mr. Kamarudin Zakaria, Vice
President, Petrochemical Business.
At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Sase noted that123

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

of going to Japan, experiencing a foreign culture, andopening one’s own perspective.
Mr. Sase, pleased to hear Mr. Anuar’s high evaluationof JCCP courses, said oil-producing countries and Japan
have both become stronger and more capable over the
29 years that JCCP has offered training programs, and
JCCP is now seeking to evolve to a higher level to create
a new type of relationship based on mutual learning. He
also said he hopes JCCP and Petronas would continue
to develop their ties all the same.

At the Petronas Head Ofﬁce
Datuk Anuar Ahmad, Vice President,
Human Resources (center)

JCCP and Petronas have a long history of cooperationthat dates back to the establishment of JCCP, andthanked Petronas for sending as many as 800 members
to JCCP courses in the past 29 years. Agreeing that 800
is indeed a substantial number, Mr. Anuar thanked JCCP
anew for its cooperation. He said that the significanceof participating in a training program in Japan lies not
only in learning skills and technologies, but also inacquiring first-hand experience in Japanese society. As
an example, Mr. Anuar spoke about his own experiences
when he came to Japan to receive training in his youth.
He said his exposure to Japan’s development opened hiseyes to a world he had never seen before. His interaction
with Japan’s foreign culture and society made him wantto know more about how the Japanese people engage
in their work, why they have such a strong sense of
responsibility, what cultural and social factors affecttheir behavior, and so on. Recognizing that the very
experience in thinking these thoughts had a large impact
on his future, Mr. Anuar emphasized the significanceAt the Petronas Head Ofﬁce
Mr. Kamarudin Zakaria, Vice President,
Petrochemical Business (center)

The 10-day visit to Saudi Arabia and Malaysia
yielded precious exchanges of views with the senior
management of counterpart organizations. The factthat they regard JCCP training programs not simply asa means for technical training, but as an opportunity
for manager-level employees to experience Japanese
corporate culture and prepare to become future
leaders, particularly reaffirmed JCCP’s commitment tocontinuing its activities into the future.
<by Hisayoshi Tanda, Administration Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010124

Topics

H.H. Dr. Turki Al-Saud,Vice President of KACST, Visits Japan
In response to an invitation from JCCP, H.H.
Dr. Turki Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Saud, Vice
President of King Abdulaziz City for Science andTechnology (KACST) in the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, visited Japan from June 21 to 28, under the
JCCP VIP Invitation Program.
KACST is a state-run scientific researchorganization located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi
Arabia. It promotes research and development
not only in oil and gas technologies, but also invarious other areas of development, including
biotechnology, nanotechnology, and space andaeronautics technology. KACST and Japan haveengaged in a number of joint technical cooperation
projects over a period of more than a decade, datingback to the beginning of technical cooperation
programs implemented in collaboration with thePetroleum Energy Center (PEC).
H.H. Dr. Turki Al-Saud is a specialist in spaceengineering technology. Prior to his appointment as
Vice President of KACST, he has been successful inlaunching a number of satellites in Saudi Arabia as
Director of the Space Research Institute. In addition
to his position as Vice President of KACST, Dr.
Turki Al-Saud also holds other important positions,
including Chairman of the National Science &Technology Planning Council, which governs
national science and technology policies and theimplementation of programs under those policies.
In these capacities, Dr. Turki Al-Saud plays a central
role in the development of science and technology
in Saudi Arabia.
During his recent visit to Japan, Dr. Turki AlSaud made courtesy calls on various research
institutes, companies, and governmental agencies inJapan, in addition to oil-related research institutions,at his strong request. An overview of those visits
is as follows.

1251) JCCP Headquarters
Dr. Turki Al-Saud first visited JCCP Headquarters,
where he met with Mr. Mikio Kojima, thenExecutive Director of JCCP, and Mr. Katsuo
Yokoyama, Managing Director of JCCP, andreceived an overview of JCCP activities.

With Mr. Mikio Kojima, then-Executive Director of JCCP,
and others at JCCP Headquarters

2) Japan Energy Corporation,
Petroleum Reﬁning Research &Technology Center
At the Petroleum Refining Research &Technology Center, Dr. Turki Al-Saud received
a warm welcome from all staff, followed by awelcome speech by Mr. Kenichi Matsuda, Directorof the Center, and a presentation of the Center’s
activities. He then toured the research buildings
while listening intently to the details of a wide
range of research projects, including a pilot test
on desulfurization catalysts, fuel cells, and biotreatment of spilled crude oil. During the tour, Dr.
Turki Al-Saud showed strong interest not only in the
research projects, but also in the pilot test equipment

JCCP NEWS No. 102 November 2008

and other research facilities, because the researchfacilities at KACST are presently undergoing largescale expansion work.

years ago, and as a strong supporter of research insatellite-related technologies at KACST, Dr. Turki
Al-Saud engaged in active discussions with the
ERSDAC staff.

4) Toyota Motor Corporation

A warm welcome from Mr. Matsuda,
Director of Petroleum Reﬁning Research &Technology Center, and the staff

3) Earth Remote Sensing Data
Analysis Center (ERSDAC)ERSDAC processes and analyzes various earth
observation satellite data to extract information on
rocks and geological structures that provide indicesof oil and natural resource distribution and otherrelated forms of data. It also conducts research anddevelopment on the application of such remotesensing data to resource exploration, as well as
applied research in the environmental field.

Dr. Turki Al-Saud first observed the car
assembly line at the Toyota Tsutsumi Plant in Aichi
Prefecture, one of the largest automotive plants inJapan. He then received a tour of the Toyota Kaikan
Exhibition Hall and a presentation by Mr. Takayuki
Kusashima, Chief Manager, and others on “Toyota’s
Initiatives toward Sustainable Mobility.” At the
Tsutsumi Plant, Dr. Al-Saud appeared impressedwith Toyota’s kaizen activities and the “jidoka”
and “just-in-time” concepts, and seemed surprised
to learn that new employees are trained to become
capable of front-line work on the shop floor in justtwo months. He also expressed strong interest in
Toyota’s new initiatives, such as the developmentof fuel cells.

Presentation on Toyota Motors’ latest initiatives5) National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science and Technology(AIST)
Active discussions at ERSDAC

Dr. Turki Al-Saud first received a warm greetingfrom Mr. Yoshiro Kamata, Chairman of ERSDAC,
followed by an overview of the status of various
research and development projects and a tour of the
facilities. Having visited ERSDAC before, about 10

At AIST, Dr. Turki Al-Saud received a greetingby Mr. Akira Ono, Vice President, an overview
of the organization, a presentation on the statusof research and development in nanotechnology
and other projects in progress, and a tour of the
facilities.
Through this visit, Dr. Turki Al-Saud and the
AIST side identified possibilities for cooperation

JCCP NEWS No. 102 November 2008126

in various areas, and agreed to establish mutualcontacts for creating a partnership under concreteterms.

We, JCCP, believe that this invitation program
has helped Dr. Turki Al-Saud further his knowledgeof JCCP activities, and the opportunities to witness
first-hand Japan’s latest technologies, in particular,
deepened his understanding of trends in oil andenergy situations in Japan. That such an important
person as Dr. Turki Al-Saud, who plays a central
role in promoting science and technology in Saudi
Arabia, gained a better understanding of Japanand increased his confidence in Japan, has great
meaning to Japan.

Nanotechnology laboratory at AIST

6) Governmental agencies
At their strong request, Dr. Turki Al-Saud and
H.E. Mr. Faisal Trad, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to
Japan, visited a number of governmental agencies
in Japan, to exchange views on the developmentof cooperative exchanges in the fields of scienceand technologies between Japan and Saudi Arabia.
At the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry(METI), he met with the Deputy Director-Generalof the Manufacturing Industries Bureau, theDirector of the Aerospace Industry Office in the
Manufacturing Industries Bureau, and the Directorof the Middle East and Africa Office in the Trade
Policy Bureau. They also paid a courtesy call on
the Council for Science and Technology Policy in
the Cabinet Office, and the Director-General of
the Science and Technology Policy Bureau in the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology (MEXT).

7) Reception at the Embassy of
Saudi Arabia in Japan
In the evening of the last day of visits, H.E.
Ambassador Trad kindly hosted a reception at
the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Japan, inviting
ambassadors of other Middle East countries and key
figures from companies and organizations which
Dr. Turki Al-Saud visited in Japan.

127

With H.E. Ambassador Trad of Saudi Arabia

With the ambassadors of Middle East countries in Japan

We would like to take this opportunity to report
the successful completion of the invitation program
to everyone at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Japan,
METI, MEXT, the Cabinet Office, Japan Energy
Corporation, ERSDAC, Toyota Motor Corporation,
AIST, and all others who cooperated with theprogram, and extend our deepest appreciation for
their kind support.
<by Shigeru Nanbara, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 102 November 2008

Topics

Mr. Kojima, Executive Director of JCCP,
Visits the Middle East
—Iran, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia—
Between January and March 2008,
Mr. Mikio Kojima, Executive Directorof JCCP, visited Iran, Qatar, UAE,
and Saudi Arabia, to reaffirm basic
principles for strengthening its relations
with those countries, through policy
dialogues with the heads of national oil
companies.
As outlined below, Mr. Kojima
received full understanding andagreement regarding the reorganizationof JCCP and its basic policies for futurecooperation activities, and successfully
paved the way toward strengthening ties
between JCCP and the four countries.

I. Iran(January 20 – 24, 2008)
On January 22, Mr. Kojima visited
NIORDC (National Iranian Oil Refining& Distribution Co.) and met with
Mr. Amin Allah Eskandari, Director
Refining Affairs. Mr. Kojima first
thanked Mr. Eskandari for agreeing toparticipate in the JCCP International
Symposium that was scheduled to beheld the coming February, despite hisbusy schedule. He then discussed thestrong cooperative relationship thatexists between NIORDC and JCCP
in training activities, and explainedthat JCCP receives many NIORDC
participants to JCCP regular courses
each year. Mr. Kojima also gave abrief account of the Expert Service(ES) program that was implemented
last year and an overview of the Study
Tour (ST) program that was scheduled
to be implemented in February, andencouraged NIORDC to make further
use of JCCP regular courses and tailormade courses in the future. In response,
Mr. Eskandari expressed his deep
appreciation of the cooperative efforts
of JCCP, and requested their continued
cooperation in establishing even closer
ties between the two organizations. In
the area of human resource development,
Mr. Eskandari specifically requested
JCCP’s cooperation in cultivating
human resources capable of creating
basic refinery designs, as well as humanresources qualified to engage in projectand safety management activities at
NIORDC. The two leaders agreed tocontinue exchanging views, in search of
the best means of future cooperation.
On January 23, Mr. Kojima visited
NIOPDC (National Iranian Oil Products

Meeting at NIORDC
Front row, right: Mr. Amin Allah Eskandari,
Director Reﬁning Affairs

Distribution Co.) and met with Mr.
S. N. Sha hnazizadeh, Managing
Director. Mr. Kojima first thanked Mr.
Shahnazizadeh for his participation in
a JCCP International Symposium inthe past, when Mr. Shahnazizadeh had
been Managing Director of Esfahan Oil
Refining Company. The two leadersthen discussed NIOPDC’s participationin JCCP regular courses, and agreed towork toward further strengthening ties
between the two organizations.
Also on January 23, Mr. Kojima
paid a call on H.E. Akio Shirota,
Ambassador, and Mr. Fujisawa, First
Secretary, at the Embassy of Japan in
Iran. Mr. Kojima gave an overview of
his meeting at NIORDC, and described
JCCP’s reorganization efforts and future
policies for strengthening relations with
oil-producing countries in the Middle
East. Ambassador Shirota noted that
Iran has abundant human resources,and heartily agreed that providing
continuous cooperation through JCCP
tailor-made courses and technicalcooperation would be key to building
strong ties between the two countries.
<by Takashi Hori, Operations Dept.>

With H.E. Ambassador Akio Shirota
at the Embassy of Japan in Iran

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008128

II. Qatar and UAE(February 10 – 15, 2008)
1. Qatar
On February 12, Mr. Kojima met
with H.E. Abdullah Bin Hamad AlAttiyah, Deputy Prime Minister andMinister of Energy and Industry, andChairman and Managing Director of
Qatar Petroleum (QP). Mr. Kojima
first expressed his deep gratitude to his
Excellency for his strong leadershipin the Joint GCC-Japan Environment
Symposium, which was held last year,
then discussed the favorable relationshipof growing cooperation between QP
and JCCP, with reference to the large
increase that has been observed in thenumber of QP participants to regularcourses, particularly over the past five
years. Mr. Kojima also gave an overview
of the ST and ES programs held last year,
and finally emphasized the significant
role of JCCP in further solidifying thecooperative relationship between thetwo organizations, and in increasing
synergistic effects from the combinationof training and technical cooperation
activities. Deputy Prime Minister
Al-Attiyah expressed his profoundappreciation of JCCP cooperation, anddeclared his full support for further
expanding the relationship between thetwo organizations. Sheikh Abdulaziz
Bi n Ja ssi m A l-T ha n i, D i re ctor,
Administration, QP, also stressed thetwo organizations’ shared views on
strengthening bonds between QP and
JCCP.
Mr. Kojima also held meetings
with Mr. Essa Al-Kaabi, Director,
Qatarization, QP, and members of the
Human Resource Department. The
members of the meetings agreed tomake good use of both regular courses
and tailor-made courses, and articulated
their wishes to further strengthen QP’s
cooperative relationship with JCCP.

They also requested JCCP’s continued
support in the numerous large-scale
projects that are being implemented
across the energy industry in Qatar
today.
2. UAEOn February 13, Mr. Kojima met
with H.E. Yousef Omar Bin Yousef,
CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil
Company (ADNOC). While ADNOC
a nd JCCP a re enjoyi ng a go o dcooperative relationship through theimplementation of significant projects,
including projects for flare gas recovery
and the establishment of a research
center, Mr. Kojima stated that he would
like to develop stronger ties between
ADNOC/TAKREER and JCCP, byimplementing JCCP’s new schemeof tailor-made courses. H.E. Yousef
Omar Bin Yousef responded by firstexpressing his deep appreciation of
JCCP activities, and upon agreeing

At QP
H.E. Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry(second from right) and Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Jassim Al-Thani,
Director, Administration (right)

At QP
With Mr. Essa Al-Kaabi, Director, Qatarization

At ADNOCWith H.E. Yousef Omar Bin Yousef, CEO (center)

At ADNOCWith Mr. Abdulla Saeed Al-Badi, Human Resources Director

129

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

At TAKREERWith Mr. Jasem Ali Al-Sayegh, General Manager

that tailor-made courses are indeed an
extremely interesting scheme, requested
working-level discussions for theirimplementation in the future.
Mr. Kojima also met with Mr.
Abdulla Saeed A l-Badi, Huma nResources Director. Mr. Al-Badilistened with interest to Mr. Kojima’s
proposal for implementing tailor-madecourses, but based on the reason that
sending an entire group of supervisorlevel officers to Japan at once would
pose some difficulties, he stated that hewould prefer to begin with ES programs.
In fact, Mr. Al-Badi mentioned that hewould like JCCP to implement a numberof ES courses on different themes andfor different groups of participants.
On February 14, Mr. Kojima met
with Mr. Jasem Ali Al-Sayegh, General
Manager of Abu Dhabi Oil Refining
Company (TAKREER), who accepted
Mr. Kojima’s proposal for implementing
a tailor-made program with enthusiasm,
a n d e n c o u r a ge d wo r k i n g-l evel

discussions
fo r d eve l o p i n geffective programs.
The two leadersconcurred on thesig n i f ica nc e ofutilizing ta ilormade prog ra ms
to strengthent he cooperative
relationshipb et we en JCC P
and ADNOC /TAKREER.

3. Embassy of Japan in Qatar and
UAE
Mr. Kojima took the opportunityof his visit to Qatar and UAE to pay
a call on the Embassy of Japan in thetwo countries. In Qatar, he met with
H.E. Ambassador Yukio Kitazume
and Mr. Homma, First Secretary, andin UAE, he met with H.E. Ambassador
Takuma Hatano and Mr. Inokuchi,First Secretary, to give an overview
of his meetings at QP and ADNOC,
and to explain the restructuring of
JCCP and future policies. In regard to
tailor-made courses, both Ambassadors
expressed their concern that it could be
difficult for a number of personnel tosimultaneously leave their workplaces
for a substantial period of time toparticipate in tailor-made courses inJapan, and that perhaps ES programs
could be more readily implemented,
in this respect. Ambassador Hatanosuggested dispatching exper ts toWith H.E. Ambassador Yukio Kitazume
at the Embassy of Japan in Qatar

ADNOC’s Petroleum Institute (PI).
According to Ambassador Hatano,
ADNOC and TAKREER personnel arehighly interested in learning about fieldmanagement in Japan, so it may be agood idea to have Japanese experts visit
the working environment at ADNOC
and TAKREER, point out potential
problem areas, and provide guidanceon improvement measures.
<by Koji Hori, Administration Dept.>

III. Saudi Arabia(February 29 – March 5,
2008)
1. Saudi Aramco
Ras Tanura Reﬁnery
In the morning of March 2, Mr.
Kojima attended a tailor-made seminarthat had begun the previous day at
the Ras Tanura Refinery. He gave aspeech that emphasized his strong
wish to strengthen ties with Saudi
Aramco, and with the Ras Tanura
Refinery in particular, Saudi Aramco’s
mother refinery, and exchanged views
with refinery officers on future JCCP
cooperation. (For details, see “Tailormade Program on Refinery Plant
Maintenance Held in Saudi Arabia,” onpages 18-20 of this newsletter.)In the meeting with Mr. Mohammed
S. Al-Gusaier, Vice President, Refining,
Mr. Kojima extended his gratitude
to all who supported and cooperated
in implementing the first tailor-madeseminar at the refinery, but declaredWith H.E. Ambassador Takuma Hatano (center)at the Embassy of Japan in UAE

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008130

of the tailor-madescheme.
2. Saudi Aramco
Head Ofﬁce
In the afternoono f M a r c h 2 , M r.
Kojima visited theSaudi Aramco Head
Office and met with
Mr. Abdulaziz F. AlKhayyal, Senior ViceAt the Ras Tanura Reﬁnery
President, Industrial
With Mr. Mohammed S. Al-Gusaier, Vice President
Relations. Mr. Kojima
paid a call on Mr. Althat this is “only the beginning” of Khayyal last January, to clarify JCCP’s
the new phase of JCCP cooperation, desire to strengthen its ties with Saudi
and that JCCP intends to continue Aramco, and to ask for Saudi Aramco’s
enhancing its activities in the future. Mr. cooperation in sending participants
Al-Gusaier expressed his appreciation to regular courses and implementingof JCCP activities, saying that refinery tailor-made programs. As a result,personnel who have participated in through Mr. Al-Khayyal’s kind offices,past JCCP courses have returned to the JCCP has received 36 participants fromrefinery not only with new technical Saudi Aramco in FY2007, the largest
knowledge, but also with a keen interest number from the company since JCCP
in Japanese corporate culture, as a result first launched regular courses, and hasof having been exposed to a refinery implemented a tailor-made seminar atwork environment where employees of the Ras Tanura Refinery. Mr. Kojima
their same generation work with pride gave an overview of those achievements,
and responsibility. He stated that he and deeply thanked Mr. Al-Khayyal forwould therefore like to continue sending his generous cooperation and thoughtfulrefinery personnel to take part in JCCP consideration.
Mr. Al-Khayyal in turn expressed
regular courses. Mr. Al-Gusaier also
requested the development of a new his high expectations of JCCP activities.
cooperation scheme that would allow He stated that Saudi Aramco has alonger-term onsite experience and responsibility of providing a stableguidance, and Mr. Kojima promised to supply of oil to the world, and must
explore the best means of responding maintain the world’s highest level ofto the request based on the foundation safe and stable operations. To thisAt the Saudi Aramco Head Ofﬁce
With Mr. Abdulaziz F. Al-Khayyal, Senior Vice President

131

end, he hopes to send as many Saudi
Aramco personnel to participate in JCCP
regular courses, not only to acquire
technology and knowledge, but also togain first-hand experience in “Japan’s
wonderful corporate culture,” foundedon responsibility and discipline.
The meeting ended with the two
leaders agreeing that the successful
implementation of the recent tailormade seminar is merely the first step
toward the strengthening of cooperative
ties between the two organizations, andthat they shall build upon that successto deepen cooperative efforts based ona “face-to-face” relationship of mutual
trust.
Mr. Kojima again visited the Saudi
Aramco Head Office in the afternoon ofMarch 3, to meet with Mr. Adil A. AlTubayyeb, Vice President, Marketing,
Supply & Joint Venture Coordination.
Mr. Al-Tubayyeb played a central
role in establishing the Saudi Aramco
Tokyo Office, and possesses a deep
understanding of the relationshipbetween Saudi Arabia and Japan. He
took part in a lecture event in Japan
sub-hosted by JCCP last December, andspoke to attending executive officers
from energy-related companies inJapan, on the significance of JapanSaudi Arabia cooperation in securing
a stable supply of oil. Mr. Waleed H.
Al-Bedaiwi, General Manager, Saudi
Petroleum, Ltd., who had temporarily
returned to Saudi Arabia from Japan,
also joined the meeting.
In the meeting, Mr. Al-Tubayyeb

At the Saudi Aramco Head Ofﬁce
With Mr. Adil A. Al-Tubayyeb, Vice President

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008

explained that the population in the
Middle East is increasing so rapidly
today that the Greater Middle East
Region, composed of the traditional
Middle East countries and neighboring
countries, is certain to become a majoroil-consuming region in the near future.
As the Middle East region also has theworld’s largest hydrocarbon reserves, it
is poised to become a major supplier ofpetroleum and petrochemical products,
in addition to crude oil. As a result,
Mr. Al-Tubayyeb predicts that the
Middle East region will develop into
a global hydrocarbon trading hub.
This significant information came at
an opportune time for JCCP, as it ispresently in the process of creating anaction plan that identifies the directionof its efforts for strengthening relations
with the countries of the Middle East.
3. King Fahd University ofPetroleum and Minerals(KFUPM)
In the morning of March 3, Mr.
Kojima paid a courtesy call on H.E.
Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector of
KFUPM. The university has been acting
as JCCP’s partner in implementing
various technical cooperation projects,

including the HS-FCC
development project,a nd is a n i mpor t a nt
counterpart of JCCP’s in
Saudi Arabia.
After fondly
reminiscing about Dr.
Al-Sultan’s visit to Japanin FY2004 under JCCP’s
VIP Invitation Program,
Mr. Kojima expressed his
gratitude to Dr. Al-Sultan,
With H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector, at KFUPM
for warmly receiving Dr.
Hideshi Hattori, Professor
Emeritus at Hokkaido University, under to spend more time to exchange views on
the Long-term Research Dispatch a wider range of issues than before, with
Program, and for his cooperation key persons in oil-related organizations
in holding the Joint GCC-Japan in major oil-producing countries. The
Environment Symposium last January. role of the Middle East is increasing in
Dr. Al-Sultan graciously accepted importance to Japan, as well as to the
Mr. Kojima’s words of appreciation, entire world, in securing a stable supply
saying that building trust is the hardest of oil. Expectations of JCCP have alsopart about establishing relationships, increased, accompanying this trend, andbut “JCCP and KFUPM are way past cooperation requests have diversified.
that stage,” and have entered a new JCCP intends to take into consideration
stage where the two organizations the recent series of dialogues that Mr.
should strengthen their bonds based the Kojima has held with oil industry
foundation of mutual trust that they have leaders in the Middle East, as well as
built over the years.
various other relevant factors, to develop
The follow-up meetings held between new, enhanced cooperation schemes inJanuary and March allowed Mr. Kojima the future.
<by Hisayoshi Tanda, Administration Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 100 May 2008132

Topics

Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama,
Managing Director of JCCP,
Visits the Middle East
Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama, Managing Director of JCCP in charge of technical cooperation projects, traveled to the Middle East
twice, between October-end and November 2007, and visited a total of six countries in the region. This was Mr. Yokoyama’s
first visit to the Middle East, since his appointment as managing director in July 2007. He attended important ceremonies,
paid calls on various counterparts to introduce himself and exchange views on future implementation of technical cooperation
projects. Major details of his visits are presented below.

I. Oman, Iran, UAE(October 26 – November 8,
2007)
1. [Oman] Contract Signing
Ceremony with ORC<October 30, 2007>
Mr. Masoud Salim Al-Msalmy,
General Manager of Oman Refinery
Company LLC (ORC), and Mr. Katsuo

Yokoyama signed a memorandumof agreement (MOA) for the joint
implementation of the “Study for
Process and Operational Improvementin Mina Al-Fahar Refinery in Oman”(FY2007 – 2009). The study aims
to enhance process and operational
performance levels at the Mina AlFahar Refinery, so that ORC may better
respond to the increasing demand foroil in Oman. Over many years, JCCP
has continued to introduce Japan’s
oil refining technologies to ORC, asa fundamental part of its technicalcooperation activities, and has built astrong cooperative relationship with
ORC. Based on this proven trackrecord, ORC and JCCP have agreed to
implement the joint study project.
The signing ceremony took place

Greetings by Ambassador Keiji Omori

Greetings by Mr. Tsuyoshi Kamijo, Deputy Director, METI

Exchange of the MOA
Left: Mr. Masoud Salim Al-Msalmy, General Manager of ORC
Right: Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama, Managing Director of JCCP

Exchange of commemorative gifts
Center: Mr. Yasushi Hotta, President, Cosmo Research Institute Inc.
Right: Mr. Msalmy, General Manager of ORC

133

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

in a reception room at the Grand Hyatt
Hotel in Muscat, Oman. H.E. Keiji
Omori, Ambassador of Japan to Oman,
and Mr. Tsuyoshi Kamijo, Deputy
Director of the Petroleum Refining
and Reserve Division, the Agency for
Natural Resources and Energy, Ministryof Economy, Trade and Industry(METI), honored the ceremony with
their presence, and spoke briefly on the
project’s significant role in strengthening
the friendly relationship between
the two countries and in promoting
personnel exchanges. Mr. Msalmy and
Mr. Yasushi Hotta, President of Cosmo
Research Institute Inc., a participant
company in the project, also delivered
words of gratitude and expectations forthe successful completion of the project,
and thanked all parties concerned
for their cooperation. Mr. Yokoyama
delivered a greeting and extended
his appreciation to all parties. The
local newspaper covered news of theceremony, and contributed to increasing
public recognition of the JCCP technicalcooperation project in Oman.
2. [Oman] Visits to H.E.
Dr. Mohammed Bin Hamad
Bin Saif Al-Rumhy,
Minister of Oil and Gas, andSultan Qaboos University<October 31, 2007>
On the day following the signingceremony, Mr. Yokoyama paid a visit

MOA signing ceremony
Senior ORC ofﬁcials, Mr. Nitta, Secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Oman,
JCCP members, and members from Cosmo Research Institute Inc.,
with Ambassador Omori and Deputy Director Kamijo

to H.E. Dr. Mohammed Bin Hamad
Bin Saif Al-Rumhy, Minister of Oil andGas, to thank him for his cooperation
and ask for his continued support of
JCCP activities in Oman. Dr. Al-Rumhy
spoke favorably about his experience inparticipating in a technical cooperation
project implemented by the Petroleum
Energy Center (predecessor of JCCP’s
technical cooperation department)
in 1996, when he was an associate
professor at Sultan Qaboos University.
He welcomed the developments that
JCCP projects have made in Oman sincethen, and expressed his wish to maintainfriendly relations with JCCP.
Dr. Al-Rumhy also explained thatAt the Omani Ministry of Gas and Oil
Right: H.E. Dr. Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Saif Al-Rumhy,
Minister of Gas and Oil

he has been inviting large numbers ofuniversity students from Japan to Oman
every year since the 1990s, to promotea deeper understanding of Oman. He
wishes to extend this activity not only
to workers in oil and gas companies
in Japan, but to people in many othersectors as well. More recently, Dr.
Al-Rumhy has taken strong interest inJapan’s technologies for reducing CO2
emissions, and appears to have large
expectations of Japan.
Following the visit to the Ministryof Oil and Gas, Mr. Yokoyama visited
Sultan Qaboos University, where he
had the opportunity to meet with H.E.
Dr. Saud Nasser Ali Al-Riyami, Vice

At Sultan Qaboos University
Second from right, front row: H.E. Dr. Saud Nasser Ali Al-Riyami,
Vice Chancellor

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008134

Chancellor, and verify the progressof a JCCP project that is currently
being implemented jointly with theuniversity.
3. [Iran] Courtesy Call on
Mr. Mohammad Reza
Nematzadeh, Deputy Ministerof Petroleum and President of
National Iranian Oil Reﬁning
and Distribution Company(NIORDC), andVisit to National Iranian Oil
Company (NIOC)<October 29, 2007>
In Iran, Mr. Yokoyama paid acourtesy call on Mr. Mohammad
Reza Nematzadeh, Deputy Minister ofPetroleum and President of NIORDC,
and senior officials of NIORDC.
Mr. Yokoyama discussed JCCP’sachievements in relation to its training
courses and the huge number ofparticipants who have so far participatedin them, as well as exchanged views
with the NIORDC members on future
NIORDC support in implementing
JCCP technical cooperation projects
in Iran. Mr. Nematzadeh responded
in a positive manner, expressing
his intentions of prioritizing humanresource development as an issue ofcompany-wide importance, based on his
previous experience working at National
Petrochemical Company (NPC).
Mr. Yokoyama also visited National
Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), a major

At NIOC
Left: Mr. S.M.A. Khatibi Tabatabai,Vice Executive Director

producer and distributor of oil and gas
in Iran, and paid a courtesy call on
Mr. S.M.A. Khatibi Tabatabai, Vice
Executive Director for International
Affairs.
4. [UAE] Visit to Mr. Jasem Ali
Al-Sayegh, General Manager of
TAKREER<November 6, 2007>
In UAE, Mr. Yokoyama visited
Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company(TAKREER), to pay his respects to Mr.
Jasem Ali Al-Sayegh, General Manager,
as the new managing director of JCCP,
and to thank him for TAKREER’scooperation in JCCP projects. Mr.
Al-Sayegh expressed his appreciationof JCCP projects and his expectationsof further cooperation from JCCP indeveloping engineers and conducting
joint projects.

At NIORDC
Right: Mr. Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh,
Deputy Minister of Petroleum andPresident of NIORDC

Presenting a commemorative gift from
JCCP to TAKREER
Left: Mr. Jasem Ali Al-Sayegh,
General Manager

135

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

5. Visits with Other Senior Ofﬁcials<November 3 – 7, 2007>
In addition to the above figures,
Mr. Yokoyama also met with senior
officials and leaders of other companies
and institutions in Oman and UAE, andexchanged views on their cooperationand implementation of future JCCP
activities. Other gentlemen with whom
Mr. Yokoyama greeted included Mr.
Ahmed Mohammed Al-Haddabi, Acting
CEO of Sohar Refinery Company inOman; H.E. Dr. Hadef Bin Jouan Al
Dhahiri, Vice Chancellor, and H.E.
Dr. Maitha Salem Al Shamsi, Assistant
Provost for Research Affairs, of UAE
University; and Mr. Ali Mohd. Al Jaberi,
Division Manager of TAKREER’s
Ruwais Refinery.
T he Sixt h Scientif ic Council
Meeting with UAE University washeld on November 4 and 5, during Mr.
Yokoyama’s visit to UAE. An article on
the details of the meeting is provided in
the Topics section of this newsletter.
<by Wataru Maekawa,Technical Cooperation Dept.>

II. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait(November 15 – 30, 2007)
1. Contract Signing Ceremony withKing Abdulaziz City for
Science and Technology(KACST)<November 19, 2007>
H.H. Dr. Tu rk i bin Saud bin
Mohammed Al-Saud, Vice Presidentof KACST, and Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama
signed a memorandum of agreement( MOA) to conduct a project on“Experimental Application of InSAR
Technology in Saudi Arabia to Assess
the Effect of Reservoir Activity on
Surface Subsidence” (FY2007 – 2008).
The signing ceremony took place at thehead office of KACST in the Kingdomof Saudi Arabia.
In FY2006, JCCP conducted apreliminary study on the assessment ofpartial ground deformation (upthrustMOA signing ceremony with KACST
Right: H.H. Dr. Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saud, Vice President
Center right: Dr. Mohammed ibn Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel, President
Center left: H.E. Shigeru Nakamura, Japanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

and subsidence) in Saudi Arabia,
using InSAR (interferometric synthetic
aperture radar) analysis technology,
which numerically analyzes InSAR
data (microwave data reflected from asatellite) to assess ground deformation.
As KACST has taken a strong interestin the technology, JCCP has promptly
initiated a study for the creation of asystem for technical transfer and dataprocessing, and designed the study
with the objective of developing andtransferring technology that is capableof managing risks to oil facilities andareas caused by ground deformation in
Saudi Arabia.
The signing ceremony was attended
by Dr. Mohammed ibn Ibrahim AlSuwaiyel, President, H.H. Dr. Turki bin
Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saud, Vice

Exchange of commemorative gifts
Right: H.H. Dr. Turki bin Saud bin
Mohammed Al-Saud, Vice President
Center: H.E. Shigeru Nakamura,
Japanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

President, and Dr. Tariq A. Alkhalifah,
Director, on the KACST side; and by
H.E. Shigeru Nakamura, Ambassadorof Japan to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Masanori
Tsuruda, First Secretary, and Mr.
Tadanori So, Second Secretary, from theJapanese Embassy in Saudi Arabia, as
well as Mr. Hirokazu Kanai, Executive
Director of Nichiyo Engineering
Corporation, and a representative fromCentral Computer Services Co., Ltd.
(CCS), as representatives of participant
companies on the Japan side.
Firstly, Dr. Al-Suwaiyel expressed
his appreciation and his sincere wishes
for the success of the project and for thefurther deepening of the cooperative
relationship between JCCP and KACST.
Dr. Al-Saud also expressed his gratitude
for the implementation of the “extremely

Article featured in the local newspaper:“KACST and JCCP have signed an MOA
for a joint study, with the attendance of
H.E. Ambassador Nakamura”

significant technical project,” andconveyed his expectations of its successful
completion as well as his hopes that it
will lead to the implementation of manyother cooperation projects in the future.
Ambassador Nakamura stressed thesignificance of Saudi-Japan technicalcooperation as declared by then Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe during his visit
to Saudi Arabia in spring 2007, andexpressed his hopes for the successful
implementation of the project, as wellas thanked all parties concerned fortheir cooperation. Mr. Yokoyama, after
delivering a few words of greetings as

At the signing ceremony
Center: Dr. Mohammed ibn Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel, President

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008136

the new managing director of JCCP,
pronounced his commitment to theproject, and thanked KACST for its
continued cooperation over many years.
On behalf of the participant companies,
Mr. Kanai from Nichiyo Engineering
Corporation expressed his firm resolve
to carry out the project with success andsteadily transfer the InSAR technology
to KACST.
After both leaders of the projectsigned the agreement, presentations
were given on example applicationsof the InSAR technology. KACST
reported on an effective applicationof the InSAR technology in capturing
ground deformations caused by anearthquake that had previously struck
the northwestern part of the country.
The representative from CCS used
actual case examples to show how theInSAR technology could be used tocapture deformations of the groundsurface. The ceremony ended on a
successful note, and was covered by
local newspapers. Implementation of the
project is expected to promote further
understanding of JCCP activities in
Saudi Arabia.
2. Visits to JCCP Counterpartsin Saudi Arabia, Qatar, andKuwait(1) King Fahd University ofPetroleum and Minerals(KFUPM)<November 20, 2007>
Mr. Yokoyama met with H.E. Dr.

Attendees of the meeting with KNPC
Center: Mr. Sami F. Al-Rushaid, previous Chairman of KNPC (current Chairman of KOC)
Second from left: Mr. Fahed Fahhad Al-Ajimi, Deputy Managing Director
Third from left: Mr. Asa’ad Ahmad E. Al-Saad, Deputy Chairman

Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector, and Dr.
Sahel N. Abdul-Jauwad, Vice Rector,
and thanked KFUPM for its pastcooperation in JCCP activities. The
Rector stated that “the university has
participated in the HS-FCC project, so
investigating the commercialization of
the HS-FCC technology is a welcome
development, from which the university
expects great results.”(2) Saudi Aramco<November 21, 2007>
Mr. Yokoyama met with Mr. Isam A.
Al-Bayat, Vice President, and Dr. Omar
S. Abdul-Hamid, Manager, to thankthem for their long years of cooperationin JCCP activities, and to seek further
development of t he cooperat ive
relationship between Saudi Aramco and
JCCP. Saudi Aramco thanked JCCP for

Exchange of commemorative gifts
Left: H.E. Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan, Rector

137

its generous support and cooperation,and exchanged views on future technicalcooperation projects.
(3) Kuwait National Petroleum
Company (KNPC)<November 28, 2007>
Mr. Yokoyama first paid a visit
to KNPC and exchanged views ontechnical cooperation projects with Mr.
Sami F. Al-Rushaid, previous Chairmanof KNPC, Mr. Asa’ad Ahmad E. AlSaad, Deputy Chairman, and Mr. Fahed
Fahhad Al-Ajimi, Deputy Managing
Director.
(4) KNPC’s Mina Abdulla
Reﬁnery (MAB)<November 29, 2007>
M r. Yokoya ma met wit h M r.
Mohammad Ghazi Al-Mutairi, Deputy

Exchange of commemorative gifts
Left: Mr. Isam A. Al-Bayat, Vice President

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

Attendees of the meeting at KNPC’s Mina Abdulla Reﬁnery
Center: Mr. Mohammad Ghazi Al-Mutairi, Deputy Managing
Director
Second from left: Mr. Ousama H. Shammas, Manager

Managing Director, and Mr. Ousama
H. Shammas, Manager, and exchanged
views on the progress, issues, and future
strategies of the “Development Studyof Residue Hydrocracking to Distillate
in KNPC ARD Units (Phase II),” athree-year project that KNPC and JCCP
launched in FY2005.
(5) Kuwait Institute for ScientiﬁcResearch (KISR)<November 28 & 29, 2007>

Attendees of the meeting at KISR
Second from left: Dr. Nader Al-Awadhi, Deputy Director General
Right of Mr. Yokoyama: Ms. Maraﬁ, Manager
Third from right: Dr. Abdulhameed Al-Hashem, PRSC Director

M r. Yokoya ma met wit h D r.
Nader Al-Awadhi, Deputy Director
General, and Dr. Abdulhameed AlHashem, Director of the Petroleum
Research & Studies Center (PRSC),
and thanked them for KISR’s long yearsof cooperation in JCCP activities. Drs.
Al-Awadhi and Al-Hashem outlined
future issues that KISR, including
the PRSC, needs to address in the
future, and exchanged views on various
cooperation issues. They also expressed

their deep appreciation for the technicalcooperation they have received from
JCCP to date.

JCCP NEWS No. 99 February 2008

138

A contract signing ceremony with
Qatar Petroleum (QP) was held on
November 26, during Mr. Yokoyama’s
visit to Qatar. An article of the ceremony
is provided in the Technical Cooperation
Section of this newsletter.
<by Takeyoshi Haishima,
Technical Cooperation Dept.>Topics

Participation in
Middle East Petrotech 2010 in Bahrain
The 7th Middle East Petrotech 2010 was held over athree-day period from May 24 to 26, 2010 at the Bahrain
International Exhibition & Convention Centre, and JCCP
participated in the exhibition part of the event.
Middle East Petrotech is held once every two years
under the auspices of Arabian Exhibition Management,
and is sponsored by state-run oil companies andpetrochemical companies in the Middle East region,such as Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO),
Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC), Saudi Arabian
Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), Qatar Petroleum (QP),
Petrochemicals Industries Company (PIC), Kuwait
National Petroleum Company (KNPC), and Petro
Rabigh; and Western oil and petrochemical companies
such as ExxonMobil, UOP, Dow Chemical, and Shell.
It is the largest international event held in the Middle
East, and plays an important role in the development andVenue of the 7th Middle East Petrotech 2010

exchange of technologies in the oil downstream sector.
This year’s conference sessions and exhibition evolved
around the main theme of “Downstream Challenges:
Financing, Market Changes & Technology.”

1. Background
JCCP participated in the past three Petrotech events asa booth exhibitor, and has steadily increased its profile byintroducing JCCP activities to oil-related companies andinstitutions from Middle East oil-producing countries.
Recognizing that Middle East Petrotech provides anideal opportunity to widely publicize JCCP activities to
Middle East oil-producing countries, we have once again
operated a booth at this year’s exhibition.

2. Preparation
The JCCP booth occupied an 18-square-meter area,and featured 12 information panels. To attract as many
visitors as possible to the booth and promote accurate
understanding of JCCP activities within a short time, thebooth was designed to make maximum use of limited
space, with the following considerations.
s 'ROUP THE PANELS ACCORDING TO THE TWO MAIN PILLARSof training programs and technical cooperation
projects to introduce the organizational structure of
JCCP while emphasizing international friendshipand mutual understanding.
s +EEP EXPLANATIONS SHORT USE LARGE SIZED TEXT AS
much as possible, and select photos that have
impact and would capture visitors’ interest.
s #REATE A SENSE OF UNITY BY GIVING ALL PANELS A
common design element associated with Japan, tovisually appeal to visitors.
As a result of these considerations, the booth was
designed and arranged as shown in the photos below.
Moreover, to promote an understanding of JCCP activities
at a glance, a slogan was employed for the first time:“Connected by technology, person-to-person.” Under thisslogan, the booth displayed tapestries of 4 sub-themes
accompanied by two explanatory posters each.

JCCP members

139

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

Exhibition panels

JCCP exhibition booth

3. Visitors to the JCCP Booth
During the course of the exhibition period, executive
members from sponsor state-run oil companies,
including Saudi Aramco, BAPCO, QP, and KNPC,
visited each of the booths. Among them was Mr.
Mohammed A. Al-Omair, Executive Director, Refining& NGL Fractionation, Saudi Aramco, who also served
as vice chairman of the Middle East Petrotech 2010
Executive Committee. Mr. Al-Omair, having participatedin the JCCP International Symposium held in January
as a keynote lecturer, visited the JCCP booth with thefondness of a close associate and expressed delight in
JCCP’s participation in the exhibition.
The JCCP booth received many visitors from Middle
East oil-producing countries, and particularly from
Bahrain’s BAPCO and Saudi Aramco’s Head Officeand Ras Tanura Refinery, which are located within close
distance to Bahrain.
Many JCCP graduates and members who have taken
part in a JCCP technical cooperation project also visited

Mr. Mohammad A. Al-Omair, Executive Director, Reﬁning &NGL Fractionation, Saudi Aramco (second from right)

the JCCP booth upon spotting the familiar JCCP logo,
to exchange news about their present situations. There
were many familiar faces, from those who completed a
JCCP course just recently, to those who participated ina course more than ten years ago. Some graduates notedthat they continued to take an interest in JCCP activities
even after completing their respective courses, and have
kept track of current developments in JCCP activities
through JCCP NEWS. Many others said they gainedsuch a valuable experience from their participation
in a JCCP course that they actively talk about it with
their superiors and recommend their colleagues to also
attend. Through such conversations, we reaffirmed theimportant role that JCCP graduates assume in spreading
word about JCCP activities.
There were also many people who have neverattended a JCCP course themselves but have heard
about JCCP from subordinates and colleagues who haveattended a JCCP course or participated in a technicalcooperation project. To visitors unfamiliar with JCCP, weused the posters in the booth to introduce JCCP activities
and elicited their strong interest. Many even ended up
requesting more information on the types of training
programs JCCP offers and how to apply for them.
Among the visitors to the JCCP booth, there were
those who saw the tapestries and poster slogans andmerely stopped by to find out what they mean, as wellas those who were simply drawn to the booth by the
keywords in and of themselves. For instance, they asked
what the expression “Fostering friendship” means andwhat “Hands-on training” specifically refers to, and gave
us the opportunity to provide an overview of JCCP and
its activities and to introduce regular training courses byshowing them the regular course program for the year.
In other words, these interactions demonstrated that the

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

140

Visitors at the JCCP booth

Visitors inquiring about participation in a JCCP training
programslogan, which was used for the first time at this event, washighly effective in drawing visitors to the JCCP booth.
In regard to JCCP training programs, the JCCP booth
received many requests for participation in a course
on environmental and safety issues. With respect totechnical cooperation projects, visitors posed manyquestions concerning water, and learned that JCCP isactively providing cooperation in addressing waterrelated issues such as refinery wastewater treatment andtreatment of crude oil-associated water. These requests
and inquiries were indicative of the high level of interestin environmental issues among refineries in Middle East
oil-producing countries.

By participating in the Middle East Petrotech 2010
exhibition, JCCP introduced its activities to a wide
audience and received greater public recognition in
the Middle East. The opportunity to communicate theessence of JCCP activities to a large number of people
over the three-day period proved to be extremely
beneficial, as the international event brought together
diverse parties from the oil downstream sectors in the
GCC countries, as well as key figures from major oilproducing countries in the Middle East. Encouraged bythis experience, JCCP will seek further opportunities like
Middle East Petrotech 2010 to more widely introduce
JCCP activities.
<by Masumi Kitahara, Administration Dept.>

141

JCCP NEWS No. 107 September 2010

Topics

Participation in “The 6th Middle East
Refining and Petrochemicals Conference& Exhibition” in Bahrain
From May 26 to 28, 2008, “The 6th Middle
East Refining and Petrochemicals Conference &Exhibition” (ME Petrotech 2008) was held at the
Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, located in
Manama, Bahrain, under the auspices of nationaloil companies of GCC oil-producing countries,
including Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi
Aramco), Kuwait National Petroleum Company(KNPC) and Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO),
as well as western oil and petrochemical companies
such as UOP, Shell, and Dow Chemical.
Held once every two years, ME Petrotech
is the largest event in the Middle East, for oiland petrochemical business in the oil-producing
countries of the region. JCCP participated in the
exhibition part of the event for the third time,
following its previous participation in the 4th (2003)
and 5th (2006) exhibitions.
This year, JCCP was allotted a space at the end of
the central aisle of the exhibition floor to set up its
booth (18 m2: 3 m x 6 m). Owing to this favorable
location, the JCCP booth received more than 1,000
visitors, mainly from oil-related companies in GCC
oil-producing countries, throughout the duration of
the event, a number far exceeding JCCP’s original
expectation.

The booth introduced JCCP using 16 information
panels, an introductory DVD on JCCP activities,
publication materials including brochures, annual
training programs, and newsletters.
A number of the panels used in the previous
exhibition were revised this year. A new panel
was added to two existing panels that provided an
overview of JCCP activities, and the comprehensive
view of JCCP activities was designed so that twopanels connect to form a single image, to facilitate
understanding. Where two panels previously
introduced JCCP training courses and recent
achievements, two new panels were added toshow step-by-step how regular courses and tailormade courses are implemented, in an easy tounderstand design using photographs. In the areaof technical cooperation projects, a panel provided
an overview, another introduced the Joint GCCJapan Environment Symposium, and seven panels
featured representative technical cooperation
projects, including the joint international research
project with King Fahd University of Petroleum
and Minerals (KFUPM) and the joint project on
high-severity fluid catalytic cracking (HS-FCC)
technology (demonstration study) conducted with
Saudi Aramco.

The entrance to the ME Petrotech venue

At the JCCP booth

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 2008

142

Using information panels to explain
technical cooperation projects

JCCP graduates focusing their attention on
an introductory DVD on JCCP activities

In addition to key figures from major oilproducing countries and top executives of JCCP
counterparts such as Saudi Aramco, a large numberof people who have heard about JCCP training
courses and technical cooperation projects visitedthe JCCP booth. JCCP members received the strong
impression that JCCP activities are becoming
more widely recognized in the Middle East region.
Nevertheless, few people had a full understandingof both training courses and technical cooperation
projects, and many inquired as to why JCCP isproviding support to oil-producing countries.
Therefore, the exhibition provided the perfectopportunity for JCCP members to personallyexplain JCCP’s overall activities and its mission indetail to each visitor.
The JCCP booth also received visits by many
JCCP graduates from JCCP counterparts such as
Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company(Takreer), and BAPCO. Many of them planned torecommend that their colleagues and subordinates

attend a JCCP regular course, since they themselves
have greatly benefited from participating in JCCP
training courses. This indicated a strong need forhuman resource development in the Middle East. In
addition to JCCP graduates, many engineers cameto the JCCP booth, inquiring detailed informationon technical cooperation projects. Their detailed
questions were also indicative of the high level ofinterest in technical cooperation projects in oilproducing countries.
JCCP values the opinions and requests thatwere obtained through direct communications withvisitors to the JCCP booth, and will use the feedback
to further enhance activities in response to their
expectations. Events such as this ME Petrotech,which offer opportunities for JCCP to directlyinteract with parties in the oil industries in Middle
East oil-producing countries, are an ideal forum
for publicity activities. JCCP will continue to seize
such opportunities to introduce JCCP activities andpromote greater understanding of its mission.
<by Kaoruko Nakamura, Administration Dept.>

Responding to questions from visitors

143

JCCP graduates(Saudi Aramco engineers in front of the JCCP booth)

JCCP NEWS No. 101 August 2008