JCCP NEWS
Newsletter of Japan Cooperation Center, Petroleum

TopicsNo. 104
June 2009

The 27th JCCP International
Symposium

In this issue:“Future Vision of the Oil Industry:

TopicsThe 27th JCCP International
Symposium

1

The 17th Joint GCC-Japan
Environment Symposium

7

Visit to Kuwait by Mr. Sase

11

First Technical Cooperation
Project in Libya

14

Vice President of PERTAMINA
Visits Japan

16

Creating Value from Hydrocarbons andApproaches to New Energy Systems”

Personnel Exchange Programs“Safety Management for Refinery”(Saudi Aramco)
19“Refinery MaintenanceManagement and TPM”
(Saudi Aramco)

23“Human Resource Management &Development” (KNPC)
27
TC Program in Vietnam,
Indonesia and Malaysia

31

Participant’s Voice33

JCCP Regular Courses Completed
January – March 200935
Technical Cooperation
FY2008 Comprehensive Survey ofTechnical Cooperation Projects 36

Participants of the symposium

On January 28 and 29, 2009, JCCP held “The 27th JCCP
International Symposium” under the auspices of the Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The two-day event drew anaudience of 372 visitors.

The Tenth Kuwait-Japan Joint
Symposium

39

Long-term Researcher Dispatch
Program: Progress Report41

1. Theme and Goal

44

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

Announcement
Personnel Changes

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Topics •1

Opening address:
Mr. Yaichi Kimura, President of JCCP

Guest of honor speech:
Mr. Shinsuke Kitagawa, Director-General,
Natural Resources and Fuel Department, METIOil 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 introduction of
relevant technologies.

oil 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 tooil-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 have

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 the2• Topics •Keynote speech:
Mr. Nasser D. Al Mahasher, General Manager,
Saudi Petroleum, Ltd.

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

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
Mr. Vikram M. Sampat

Title

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

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Vice President• Topics •3

a 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 to endure
together and successfully emerge from the current
difficulties to a bright future in the spirit of “a-unno kokyu.”

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.

(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.

(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,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)

4• Topics •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

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, inorder 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.
(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 ofPlanning and Projects Control, Pars Oil and Gas
Company; Mr. Chaohui Huang, Section Chief,
Comprehensive Plan Department, SINOPEC

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

CompanyName
Mr. Seyed Morteza Elahi

Title

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

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Director, Planning and Projects
Control• Topics •5

Summary speech:
Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP

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.

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.
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.>

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

6• Topics •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Symposium audience

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)

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Topics •7

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

8• Topics •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

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.
On the 4th, we visited the exhibition center andtechnologies. Dr. Kikkawa also introduced the “Top
Runner 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)
JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Topics •9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.

10 • Topics •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Topics

Mr. Sase, Executive Director of JCCP,
Visits Kuwait

Mr. Sase visited the KISR Head Office on
February 2 and met with Dr. Naji M. Al-Mutairi,
Director General.
Mr. Sase firstly thanked Dr. Al-Mutairi for
KISR’s cooperation in the past sixteen JointGCC-Japan Environment Symposiums, notingthat this year marks the seventeenth holding of thesymposium which was begun in 1992, and the fourth
time it has been held at KISR. The symposium has
been duly acknowledged by the six GCC countries,
and this year enjoyed the attendance of more than
210 participants from the six countries combined.
Dr. Al-Mutairi stated that the symposium hasdeveloped into a forum for the exchanging of views
among leading experts on environmental issues

from the six GCC countries. As KISR regards it
as one of its most important symposiums, Dr. AlMutairi expressed his wish to continue creatingsuch opportunities for exchange in cooperation
with JCCP.
The two leaders also talked about KISR’s 27-yearlong relationship with JCCP. Dr. Al-Mutairi stated:
JCCP has invited many management personnel andstaff members from Kuwait to Japan. I appreciate
this, as I believe that personal interaction is anextremely important aspect of technical exchanges.
Thanks to JCCP, many Kuwaitis have begun toshow interest in Japan. At the same time, I thinkthat Japan has also acquired a great asset, as a resultof having made the strategic future investment. Up
to now, the Middle East countries have tended tolook toward the United States and Europe, but fromnow on, we will also turn our eyes to Japan and the
Asian countries, with the realization that Japan has
many distinguished technologies, such as seawater
desalination.
Mr. Sase responded as follows: JCCP is a smallorganization, but one that boasts a considerable
network of personal connections in the Middle East.
Based on this valuable network, we wish to continue
pursuing new areas for technical cooperation and

Dr. Naji M. Al-Mutairi, Director General, KISR
(second from left)

At the KISR Oil Research and Studies Center:
Dr. Abdulhameed Al-Hashem, Director (third from right)

Taking the occasion of “The 17th Joint GCCJapan Environment Symposium,” which was heldat Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR)
on February 2 and 3, 2009 (see article in thisnewsletter), Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Directorof JCCP, visited Kuwait and held policy dialogues
with the top management of KISR and Kuwait
National Petroleum Company (KNPC).

1. KISR

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Topics • 11

deepen our friendly relations with the Middle East
countries. The global economic climate may look
dim, but I am convinced that a bright future awaits
us, if our countries maintain strong bonds of mutual
cooperation. Bearing this mind, JCCP hopes tomaintain its ties with KISR through cooperation intraining and technical development activities.
On the next day, February 3, Mr. Sase visited
KISR’s Oil Research and Studies Center and met
with Dr. Abdulhameed Al-Hashem, Director, Dr.
Meena Marafi, Manager, Petroleum Refining
Department, and Dr. Mamun Absi-Halabi, Principal
Research Scientist.
In FY2007, JCCP launched a program for the
long-term dispatch of Japanese researchers, anddispatched a catalyst expert to the Oil Researchand Studies Center to provide guidance on Japan’scatalyst technologies to local researchers. This fiscal
year, JCCP has asked Dr. Takeshige Takahashi,
Professor Emeritus at Kagoshima University, andDr. Hirohide Higashi, JGC Catalysts & Chemicals
Ltd., to offer their guidance to KISR over respective
periods of one and three months.
Dr. Al-Hashem, Director, stated: JCCP and
KISR began implementing full-scale joint projects
in 1992, and the projects implemented so far
have helped improve technologies at KISR. The
cooperation of Drs. Takahashi and Higashi isparticularly invaluable, and we are grateful to themfor sharing their thirty-some-year experience with
our young researchers.
Mr. Sase expressed his wish to continue thelong-term researcher dispatch program to mutuallycontribute to improving technologies, and asked for
KISR’s continued support.

2. KNPC
Mr. Sase visited the KNPC Head Office on
February 3 and met with Mr. Asa’ad Ahmad E.
Al-Saad, Deputy Chairman & Deputy Managing
Director for Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery, Mr. Ahmad
S. Al-Mudaf, Manager, Human Resources, and Mr.
Ali Abdullah, Team Leader, Career Development.

12 • Topics •Mr. Asa’ad Ahmad E. Al-Saad,
Deputy Chairman, KNPC (left)

Mr. Sase opened the meeting by thanking the
KNPC side for the participation by Mr. Ahmad S.
Al-Jemaz, Deputy Managing Director, Shuaiba
Refinery, in the JCCP International Symposium
which was held in Tokyo this January.
Mr. Al-Saad also conveyed the following words
of appreciation to JCCP: KNPC and JCCP haveestablished a long relationship, and have worked
on many projects together over the years. We haveboth learned much from these projects, which I
think were great successes. Over the course of ourrelationship, almost all major members of the KNPC
management have visited Japan and received JCCP
training. Our employees have also benefited from
JCCP courses in terms of capacity development.
Another area of cooperation which has benefited ourorganization is joint researches with JCCP members
companies. I hope to maintain this relationship ofcooperation between our two organizations.
The two leaders then discussed environmental
issues. Mr. Al-Saad explained that GCC oil-producing
countries have begun to pursue environmental
measures in earnest, and over the past several
years, KNPC has also been exploring measures forrecovering and effectively utilizing waste heat. As
this issue is a primary concern in KNPC refineries,
Mr. Al-Saad expressed his strong wish to implementa joint project with Japan on waste heat recovery.
Mr. Sase responded that JCCP would be happy to

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Mr. Ahmad S. Al-Mudaf, Manager,
Human Resources, KNPC (left)

cooperate with KNPC based on the experience andexpertise which Japan has accumulated from early
efforts to address such issues.
Regarding issues related to future oil refining,
Mr. Al-Saad observed that refineries survive onrefinery margins, but as those margins are becoming
extremely difficult to acquire, it will be necessary
to drastically reduce refining costs. Mr. Sase
shared his view that the role of oil refining will
likely see a change from the conventional one ofsimply producing oil products, to also producing
petrochemical products. He asserted that Kuwait,
as a country that has set its sights on petrochemical
processes from early on, is regarded as a frontrunner in the petrochemical industry, and reported
that JCCP is also working to incorporate the subject
in its programs.
In the area of training programs, Mr. Al-Saadarticulated his appreciation as follows: Two years

ago, JCCP began to propose customized programsin response to our requests, and owing to this effort, I
think the relationship between our two organizations
has become stronger than ever. Last year, JCCP helda seminar (Customized Program-Overseas (CPO))
in Kuwait, and at this very moment, fifteen humanresource personnel from KNPC are participating in
a JCCP course in Japan (Customized Program-Japan(CPJ)). JCCP courses not only provide technicaltraining, but also offer precious experience inlearning about Japanese corporate culture. I think
everyone wishes to know how Japanese companies
have achieved one of the world’s highest productivity,and I want KNPC personnel to also study and learn
from the Japanese experience.
Mr. Sase stated that providing training in
response to the needs of each country as closely
as possible is one of JCCP’s important policies.
He promised JCCP’s continued effort to enhanceand provide customized programs (CPO/CPJ), andinvited KNPC to make requests.
Mr. Sase’s two-day visit to Kuwait proved to be
extremely productive. It allowed him to personallymeet with a number of leading figures in Kuwait’s
oil downstream sector and obtain their views andrequests of JCCP. Technology-wise, the scope of
their requests relating to oil refining has expanded tothe borderline with the petrochemical industry, whileon a more general scale, their requests go beyond
technical training, to gaining an understanding ofJapanese corporate culture. With a renewed senseof commitment, JCCP will enhance the content
of its courses to better respond to such needs andrequests.
<by Hisayoshi Tanda, Administration Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Topics • 13

Topics

First Technical Cooperation Project in Libya
Overview of the “Study on Reduction of Flaring of
Associated Gas”
On December 1, 2008, the National Oil
Corporation of Libya (NOC Libya) and JCCP
signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on
the “Study on Reduction of Flaring of AssociatedGas,” following the signing of a Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MOU) one year ago on December
4, 2007. Mr. Eng. Mahmoud A. Camour, Manager,
and Mr. Minoru Horike, General Manager at JCCP,
signed the MOA document at NOC Libya, in thepresence of Mr. Faraji M. Said, Vice President, and
Mr. Ahmed M. Gaddah, Legal Manager.
Prior to signing the MOA, Messrs. Said andCamour expressed their appreciation of JCCP’s
cooperation. Particularly as Libya is strongly
promoting environmental measures today andregards flare gas reduction as one of its priority
issues, the two gentlemen emphasized their
gratitude to JCCP and Nippon Oil Corporation
for their support in bringing the project to reality.
They also thanked JCCP for receiving Libyan
participants to its training courses, and observed
how the cooperative relationship between Libya
and Japan has improved through JCCP activities.
Mr. Horike, in turn, thanked NOC Libya for the
precious opportunity to implement a technicalcooperation project in Libya for the first time, andwished for its successful completion. He also said
he hopes that the project would set a trend for futureenvironmental improvement in Libya.
Since this project is the first technical cooperation
project to be implemented in Libya, we fully intend
to set it in motion through close coordination withthe relevant companies, so that we may continue to
implement such projects in Libya in the future.
The background to project implementation andan overview of the project are provided below.

1. Background to the Project
Libya is one of the largest oil-producing
countries in the world (ninth among the OPEC
countries). Major oil companies throughout theworld, including Japanese oil companies, havebegun to participate in the bidding for explorationrights in Libya.
Libya ratified the Kyoto Protocol in December
2006, and has since established policies for
global warming prevention that aim at improving
automotive fuel quality and reducing CO2 emissions.
In order to pursue these countermeasures, NOC

With the executive officers of the National Oil Corporation of Libya (NOC Libya)

14 • Topics •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

the governments of various countries
toward achieving country-specificgreenhouse gas emission reduction
targets under the Kyoto Protocol and theUnited Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
(ii) FY2008
Continuing from FY2007, we
provided engineer training mainly
on environmental technologies andTop executives of NOC Libya:
flare gas reduction technologies. After
Mr. Faraji M. Said, Vice President (center),Mr. Eng. Mahmoud A. Camour, Manager (left),selecting three oilfields for the study
Mr. Ahmed M. Gaddah, Legal Manager (right)
on flare gas reduction, we created aprocess model of gas recovery facilities
for those oilfields, calculated a rough estimate of
Libya places top priority on improving refinery
capital investment needed, and used the data tooperations by upgrading refinery facilities, asassess the economic efficiency of the project.
well as on human resource development throughimprovement of engineers’ technical capabilities, (4) Project results(i) The major components of associated gas at theand actively welcomes technical support fromthree selected oilfields were light hydrocarbons
foreign firms.
such as methane, ethane, and propane. We
Amid a gradual strengthening of friendly ties
therefore determined that capital investment
between Libya and Japan since FY2005 when awould be needed for the installation of a gas-liquidJapanese company acquired petroleum exploration
separator, compressor, dehydrator, and pipeline
rights in Libya, we proposed and launched thisfor transporting gas to the gas terminal.
project on reducing associated gas flaring as a(ii) As a result of the assessment of economicmeans of supporting NOC Libya’s environmental
efficiency based on the above estimate of capital
improvement initiatives.
investment and the prices of the recovered gases,
we found that sufficient economic efficiency can
2. Project Overview
be achieved if CO2 emissions produced by the
An overview of the project is provided below.
flaring are recovered and converted to emission(1) Participating companies
rights or credits.
Nippon Oil Corporation, Nippon Oil Exploration(iii) The two training sessions on environmental
Ltd.
conservation increased awareness of global(2) Implementation Period
warming countermeasures among NOC Libya
November 1, 2007 – March 31, 2009engineers and provided a sufficient basis for(3) Outline of Activities
enhancement of environmental technologies.
(i) FY2007
Thus the project was concluded successfully.
We studied specific methods of processing
and utilizing the associated gas that continues
We hope that the transfer of Japan’s environmental
to burn near the oilfields. As our contribution to technologies to Libya will deepen the friendly ties
improving technical capabilities among NOC between the two countries, as well as contribute to
Libya engineers and supporting human resource the development and improvement of environmental
development, we also provided training on the technologies in Libya.
vast influences of greenhouse gases on climatechange and the initiatives implemented by<by Takeyoshi Haishima, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Topics • 15

Topics

Mr. Waluyo, Corporate SeniorVice President of PERTAMINA, Visits Japan
JCCP courses have received many
participants from Indonesia since
JCCP’s establishment. By FY2007, a
total of 1,434 Indonesian participants
have attended. The country produces
840,000 BD of crude oil (2007) andexports about 120,000 BD of thatamount to Japan, which corresponds toroughly 3% of Japan’s total oil imports.
Indonesia is thus without a doubt thelargest crude oil supplier in Southeast
Asia, though it simultaneously imports
crude oil today. To effectively processcrude oil imported from the Middle
East, PERTAMINA has plans to expand
and revamp its refineries. Once these
At JCCP:
plans are accomplished, Indonesia may
Mr. Waluyo, Corporate Senior Vice President, PERTAMINA
appropriate domestically produced(front row, left)
Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive Director of JCCP (front row, right)
quality crude oil to exports. At the sametime, the country is seeing a dramatic
growth in demand for oil products.
The modernization of refineries inIndonesia to respond to this growing demand will 1. JCCP Headquarters (March 2)
increase crude oil consumption efficiency andthereby increase the stability of oil supplies to
At JCCP Headquarters, Mr. Waluyo was
Japan.
warmly received by Mr. Masataka Sase, Executive
Based on this awareness, JCCP places high Director, and Mr. Katsuo Yokoyama, Managing
priority on strengthening its relationship of trust Director, of JCCP. Mr. Waluyo and Mr. Sase met
with Indonesia through cooperation in Indonesia’s for the second time since Mr. Sase’s visit to theoil downstream sector. As a part of this policy, it PERTAMINA Head Office last September. They
has invited Mr. Waluyo, Corporate Senior Vice were therefore able to exchange views in a relaxed
President, General Affair & Human Resources and friendly atmosphere. In the meeting, Mr.
Director, PERTAMINA, to Japan, from February 28 Waluyo thanked JCCP for all the cooperation it has
to March 5, 2009. Mr. Waluyo is the highest officer extended to PERTAMINA to date, and expressedin charge of the counterpart department for JCCP his expectations of further cooperation, especiallyprograms at PERTAMINA. Therefore, with the aim as the company is presently undergoing a periodof providing greater understanding of Japan’s oil of major reform. In response, Mr. Sase promisedindustry and eliciting PERTAMINA’s continued to step up efforts to strengthen cooperative ties
cooperation in JCCP activities, we designed and between PERTAMINA and JCCP.
carried out the following program.

16 • Topics •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

At METI:
Mr. Waluyo (third from left)
Mr. Norio Kadono, Director, Petroleum Refining andReserve Division, METI (second from left)

2. Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry (March 2)
Mr. Waluyo paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Norio
Kadono, Director, Petroleum Refining and Reserve
Division, METI, to extend to METI his appreciationof JCCP’s many years of cooperation withPERTAMINA, and to communicate his future
expectations of JCCP. Mr. Kadono welcomed
Mr. Waluyo to Japan, and said he was happy that
PERTAMINA and JCCP have maintained a close
relationship over many years. The two leaders thenexchanged views on PERTAMINA’s requests to
JCCP in human resource development and otherrelevant areas.

3. Information Exchange at JCCP
(March 2)
Returning to JCCP Headquarters, Mr. Waluyo
and JCCP members held an exchange of views
on future JCCP activities in Indonesia. The JCCP
side opened the meeting with an overview of future
JCCP policies and the status of its training andtechnical cooperation programs.
JCCP is making active efforts to restructure its
activities, so that it may more accurately assess theneeds of its counterpart countries and implement
practical training and technical cooperation
programs that provide solutions to relevant issues.

Exchange of views at JCCP

During FY2008, it conducted a survey on oil
downstream trends in Indonesia and other Asian oilproducing countries, and gained an understandingof the oil situation and needs in those countries.
The JCCP side presented the results of the survey
to Mr. Waluyo during the information exchange
meeting, and pointed out three issues that ought tobe addressed with top priority-that is, strengthening
the management base, upgrading refineries, anddeveloping human resources.
Next, Mr. Waluyo presented a corporate overview
of PERTAMINA, its recent business activities, andan outline of its human resource development
and management reinforcement program. Since
its privatization in 2003, PERTAMINA has beenworking to reinforce its management power, in orderto survive against international competition. Mr.
Waluyo’s presentation illustrated PERTAMINA’s
dedicated efforts in implementing an extremely
systematic management reinforcement program
across its business segments, and strongly impressed
the JCCP side. Mr. Waluyo also stated that humanresource development is a top-priority issue in
improving management, and that PERTAMINA isseeking training programs such as JCCP coursesthat not only focus on providing knowledge, butthat also provide practical experience. The JCCP
side assured Mr. Waluyo that JCCP will continue toprovide training and technical cooperation based on
the experience acquired by Japanese companies in

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Topics • 17

At the Cosmo Oil Head Office:With Mr. Yaichi Kimura, President (left)

the oil downstream sector in improving management
activities in their respective fields.

4. Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Head Office(March 3)
Mr. Waluyo paid a courtesy call on Mr. Yaichi
Kimura, President, Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., who isalso president of JCCP. A staff member gave apresentation that covered Japan’s oil situation, theglobalization of Japan’s oil businesses, the statusof overseas technical cooperation, and personnel
management and human resource development in an
oil company. After the presentation, the two leaders
exchanged views on various oil-related topics. Mr.
Waluyo took special note of how the present stateof Japan’s oil industry and JCCP activities aresupported by the cooperation of member companies
in the oil industry. As the leader of PERTAMINA’s
human resource development department, he also
expressed strong interest and asked many questions
about human resource development practices inJapan’s oil companies.

5. Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Sakaide
Refinery (March 4)
Mr. Katsuyuki Ihara, General Manager, and othersenior officers warmly welcomed Mr. Waluyo to

At Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd., Sakaide Refinery

the refinery. A staff member gave a presentation onhuman resource management/development practices
and safety operations at the refinery, and took Mr.
Waluyo on a tour of the refinery site. Based on his
prior experience as an engineer in charge of HSE(health, safety, and environmental management) at arefinery, Mr. Waluyo engaged the refinery membersin active discussions on his first visit to a Japaneserefinery.
This invitation program may have been a shortfew days, but we feel we have achieved our original
objective of providing greater understanding ofJapan’s oil industry and JCCP activities to Mr.
Waluyo, and of securing PERTAMINA’s continued
cooperation in future JCCP activities.
Lastly, we extend our deepest appreciation for
the kind cooperation of everyone who spared theirvaluable time and effort for this program.
<by Takashi Hori, Operations Dept.>18 • Topics •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 2009

• Personnel Exchange Programs • 19

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

20 • Personnel Exchange Programs •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 2009

• Personnel Exchange Programs • 21

from the perspective of process safety design werealso highly evaluated by the participants.
Each day’s lecture began at 7:30 a.m. andlasted 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

22 • Personnel Exchange Programs •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

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 2009

• Personnel Exchange Programs • 23

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, sothat 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 RefineryDay 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

24 • Personnel Exchange Programs •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,
specific examples of various improvement measures,and examples 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 2009

• Personnel Exchange Programs • 25

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 must takepositive 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.

26 • Personnel Exchange Programs •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“Human Resource Management &Development” for Kuwait (KNPC)
From February 2 to 13, 2009, JCCP held atwelve-day Customized Program-Japan (CPJ) on“Human Resource Management & Development”(CPJ-21-08) for a group of 15 members from the
Human Resource Department of Kuwait National
Petroleum Company (KNPC).

1. Background
This course was held as a follow-up to theCustomized Program-Overseas (CPO) on “Human
Resource Management (HRM)” (CPO-21-08),
which was implemented in Kuwait last October.
Initially, Mr. Ahmad Al-Mudaf, Director, Personnel
Department, and Mr. Ali Abdullah, Team Leader,
Career Development, took the opportunity of theirvisit to Japan in March 2008 to make the following
two requests:(1) Implementation of a CPO and CPJ on
Human Resource Development (HRD)(2) Time of implementation: CPJ is sometime
between mid-June and early-July 2008, and
CPO is sometime in January or February of
the following year
After due consultation with the KNPC side, JCCP
agreed to conduct a CPO on HRM in October 2008
and a CPJ on HRD in February 2009. However,during a meeting that was held after implementing
the CPO last October, the KNPC side asked JCCP
to design the subsequent CPJ so that it covers both
HRM and HRD.

2. Course Overview
In the same procedure as a regular course, JCCP
provided lectures on a general overview of HRM
and HRD at JCCP Headquarters, followed by visits
to three companies (including two refineries), where
each company introduced practical examples. Then,the group learned HRD theory at a university.

Course participants:
Tour of the training plant (Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Tokuyama Refinery)

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Personnel Exchange Programs • 27

(Lectures at JCCP)• The situation of the oil industry and physicaldistribution in Japan• Japanese-style HRM—transition and status quo,and HRD(Onsite training and study topics)• Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Tokuyama Refinery:
HRM and TPM at a refinery• JGC Corporation Head Office: HRM and HRD
at an engineering company• Nippon Petroleum Refining Co., Ltd., Negishi
Refinery: Personnel, appraisal, and education
systems in a Japanese oil company• Meisei University, Hino Campus: General
studies in training program planning (educational
needs surveys, designing educational programs,
evaluation of training results)

3. Course Details(1) Japanese-style HRM—Transition andStatus Quo, and HRD
Three days were spent on general lectures on
HRM and HRD, divided into the following fiveparts:Part 1:
Japanese history and Japanese mentality
Part 2:
Japan’s post-war rapid economic growth andJapanese-style HRM
Part 3:
Recent social changes in Japan and changes
in the HRM of Japanese companies
Part 4:
Issues and future direction of HRM in
Japanese companies
Part 5:Present state and future issues regarding HRD
in Japan
The first day’s lecture provided an insight into
Japan’s unique teamwork spirit and the reality of
the rapid economic growth achieved by Japan, inreference to the two Japanese-style HRM practicesof lifetime employment and seniority system. The

28 • Personnel Exchange Programs •second day’s lecture was on recent changes inJapanese society and companies, the performancebased system, and future HRM issues. The third
day provided a lecture on general HRD focusedon corporate education. The lectures intensively
provided an overall understanding of the main
theme of the course, and captured the participants’strong interest.
(2) Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Tokuyama
Refinery: HRM and TPM at a Refinery
After a warm welcome by Mr. Shigeki Nakashima,
Executive Officer and General Manager, refinery staff
members gave a presentation on Idemitsu Kosan’sbasic philosophy concerning career development,
principles of Total Productive Management (TPM),
and examples of TPM activities. This was followedby an introduction of the refinery’s training system,
which boasts abundant experience in providing
training to personnel from overseas, and a tour of the
training plant. During the tour, young engineers of
the refinery provided detailed explanations of actual
examples of kaizen that were achieved throughTPM activities.
The group seemed to take particular note of
the green belt surrounding the refinery and otherenvironmental considerations that are common tomost Japanese refineries.

At Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Tokuyama Refinery:
Mr. Shigeki Nakashima, Executive Officer andGeneral Manager (left of center)(3) JGC Corporation, Head Office:
HRM and HRD at an Engineering
Company
Mr. Eiki Furuta, Executive Officer, warmly

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Personality exercise using cards(JGC Corporation, Head Office)Get-together with the KNPC Fourth Refinery
Construction Project Team in Japan(JGC Corporation, Head Office)greeted the KNPC group and gave an introduction of
the company. Then, staff members of the Personnel
Department provided an overview of the company’s
personnel system, with particular reference to its
present wage and personnel appraisal systems,
followed by an introduction of employment practices,training systems, and various aspects of an engineering
company, including career path planning.
The presentation by the Personnel Department
provided a distinct understanding of both HRM
and HRD in a well-balanced manner, in response to
KNPC’s request for a program that combines both
HRM and HRD topics, and seemed to be easy tounderstand for all participants.
The last item on the training program at JGC
Corporation consisted of a “game” of self-diagnosis
and evaluation/categorization of others, using cards.
The group seemed to enjoy this exercise as a fun
approach to learning about HRM.
During their break, the group had the chance
to get together with the team of KNPC engineers
who are presently staying in Japan at the JGC Head
Office to receive guidance and support for KNPC’s
fourth refinery construction project.

speech from Mr. Katsuhiro Matsui, Deputy Director,
the group received a brief description and tour of
the Negishi Refinery. In the afternoon, refinery
staff members provided an overview of Nippon
Oil Corporation’s personnel system and personnel
appraisal system, and discussed its education system
in both general and specific terms.
The company’s new attempt at adding an
introduction and tour of the refinery to conventionalclassroom lectures at the head office lent variation
to the program and left an impression on theparticipants.

(4) Nippon Petroleum Refining Co., Ltd.,
Negishi Refinery: Personnel, Evaluation,
and Education Systems in a Japanese Oil
Company
The company used to provide mainly classroom
lectures at its head office, but has recently begun
to provide training at its Negishi Refinery, alongwith a tour of the refinery site. After a welcoming

At Nippon Petroleum Refining Co., Ltd.,
Negishi Refinery(5) Meisei University, Hino Campus: General
Studies in Training Program PlanningThis two-day seminar is regularly included in the
JCCP regular course on Training Management. Mr.
Tetsuo Ogawa, President of the university, opened
the seminar with a welcoming address.
The seminar was conducted by Dr. Hiromasa
Tanaka, Professor in the School of Humanities andSocial Sciences, and comprehensively introduced

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Personnel Exchange Programs • 29

Welcome address by Mr. Tetsuo Ogawa, President(right), and Dr. Hiromasa Tanaka, Professor (left),
Meisei University

With Meisei University students in the Shakespeare Hall
(Meisei University, Hino Campus)

the necessary knowledge for implementing
education and training programs, such as methods ofsurveying educational needs, designing educational
programs, and evaluating the results of training.
Owing to the professor’s proficiency in English andto the incorporation of a workshop, the seminar was
extremely well received by all participants and wasa great success.
Graduate students who assisted in the seminarand students from Professor Tanaka’s researchlaboratory joined the KNPC group for lunch andenjoyed friendly conversation with the participants,
followed by a tour of the campus. The participants
seemed to appreciate the precious opportunity tointeract with Japanese university students, who evenshowed the group the university’s proud collectionof Shakespeare’s rare original works and the original
copy of Sugita Genpaku’s Kaitai Shinsho (NewBook of Anatomy), at which even Japanese people
would marvel.

26, it was a young group with an average age of 32.
Five members were women.
The group completed an extremely tightschedule, arriving in Japan in the late night before
commencement of the twelve-day course, andleaving Japan on the day subsequent to the end of thecourse. As their only weekend in Japan was spent
on taking field trips to Kyoto and Hiroshima, they
did not have even a single day off to themselves. As
expected, some members expressed their impression
at the end of the course that “the itinerary could havebeen more loosely arranged.” Nevertheless, mostmembers took an enthusiastic part in the programand seemed to enjoy their field trips to Kyoto andHiroshima, though February in those cities musthave been extremely cold for them.
According to the evaluation form filled in after
the course, the majority of the participants gavehigh marks to the course content, commenting,for example, that it was extremely helpful to theirpresent work, and that the program provided morethan they had expected. Judging by the looks of theircontented smiles and attitude on the final day of thecourse, we believe that they enjoyed the program andleft for home with a favorable impression of Japan.
We, on our part, hope this course has contributed tosecuring stable oil supplies to Japan.

4. Summary
The members of the KNPC group were allfrom KNPC’s HR Department. Two of them also
participated in the CPO (for five days) held last
October. With the oldest aged 46, and the youngest,<by Akio Hoshino, Training Dept.>

30 • Personnel Exchange Programs •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Personnel
Exchange

Report on the Cooperation with Training
Center Program—Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia—
From December 1 to 7, 2008, a JCCP delegation
visited Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia under the
Cooperation with Training Center Program. The
group consisted of Mr. T. Kubota, General Manager,
Training Dept., Ms. M. Kitahara, Manager,
Operations Dept., and T. Hori, Manager, Operations
Dept. At the companies they visited, they introduced
JCCP regular courses that will be offered during
the next fiscal year, as well as explained the details
of JCCP’s customized programs (CPO/CPJ). Eachof those companies places major importance on
securing, training, and fostering capable humanresources, and expressed their wish to continue
sending outstanding personnel to participate in
JCCP courses.
By personally listening to each company’ssituations and needs, the JCCP delegation was able
to establish a close relationship with the counterpart
department in those companies. Views exchanged
and issues discussed at the working level will bereflected in future JCCP activities, to mutuallyfacilitate the continued implementation of efficienttraining courses.

1. Vietnam
On December 2, the delegation visited thePETROVIETNAM Head Office and met with Mr.
Nguyen Le Binh, Deputy Manager, Training & HRD
Division. Mr. Binh stated that JCCP’s long years of
support has been a large benefit to PETROVIETNAM
as well as to Vietnam, and asked for JCCP’s continued
cooperation. The delegation responded by expressing
its appreciation of Vietnam’s participation in JCCP
regular courses to date.
The JCCP delegation also held a meeting withmembers of the counterpart department to JCCP
training courses in PETROVIETNAM, to listen
to their specific training needs. The counterpart

At the PETROVIETNAM Head Office:Mr. Nguyen Le Binh, Deputy Manager,
Training & HRD Division (left)

members showed interest in regular courses on
Maintenance, the Environment, Safety, DCS, andHuman Resource Development, and requested
implementation of a CPO or CPJ on Maintenance,
Process Control (APC), and the Environment. They
also said they plan to send around the same numberof participants to JCCP courses this year as last year.
The face-to-face discussion between members of
the two organizations not only strengthened mutual
understanding of their relevant responsibilities,
but also helped deepen their mutual relationshipof trust.

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

Meeting at PETROVIETNAM• Personnel Exchange Programs • 31

At PETRONAS’s Melaka Refinery

2. Indonesia
On December 4, the delegation visited the
PERTAMINA Learning Center and met with Mr.
Suwardi Somantri, Vice President. PERTAMINA
has recently undertaken major organizational
reforms, and Mr. Somantri has just taken up his
present position. The JCCP delegation was therefore
fortunate to have the opportunity to introduce JCCP
activities to the new vice president.
The members of the Learning Center showed
specific interest in JCCP regular courses onmaintenance and human resource development
as well as in customized programs (CPO/CPJ) on
marketing and physical distribution, and said thatthey wish to continue sending selected outstanding
personnel to participate in JCCP courses. Afterthe meeting, the PERTAMINA members took the
JCCP delegation on a tour of the classrooms andaccommodation facilities of the Learning Center.

3. Malaysia
On December 5, the delegation visited
PETRONAS’s Melaka Refinery, where Ms. Salha
Ahmad Dahlan, Manager, HRM & Administration
Dept., and leaders of the operation and maintenancedepartments assembled to listen to the delegation’s
presentation of JCCP training activities.
The delegation was told that PETRONAS
personnel who participated in JCCP courses havelearned much about new technologies and business32 • Personnel Exchange Programs •At the PERTAMINA Learning Center

management practices of Japanese companies fromthe courses, and are effectively applying what they
have learned to their daily tasks and to improving
operations. Ms. Atifah Binti Idris, who headed
the study tour (now called CPJ) on lubricating oil
production last year, voiced a request to include acourse on lubricating oil among the regular courses,
as the study tour was extremely meaningful. Other
members who attended the meeting also shared theirpositive views of JCCP courses with the delegation,and the PETRONAS side expressed the strong wish
to continue participating in JCCP regular courses.

4. Summary
The delegation’s visit to the three countries
and meetings with members of the counterpart
department to JCCP training activities yielded
many invaluable, frank opinions and views of JCCP
activities. They indicated that counterpart members
have a deep understanding of JCCP activities, butalso expect further enhancement. Based on thisawareness, JCCP should appreciate the relationshipsof trust it has steadily established over a period of
27 years and carefully consider what more it can do
to further strengthen these cooperative relationships
in the future.
Requests and expectations of JCCP change withthe times. JCCP is aware that it must also accurately
perceive and take a flexible approach to satisfying
changing needs.

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009<by Takashi Hori, Operations Dept.>

Participant’s Voice
Mother-Daughter Participation in JCCP Courses(Kazakhstan)
Ms. Svetlana Tuitebayeva(Director of Technical Regulation Department, CDB OGI)
Upgrading Processes of Heavy Oil(ST-50-06: September 6 – September 15, 2006)
Ms. Dinara Tuitebayeva(Analyst of HSE, KazMunayGas)
Quality Management of Refinery Products(TR-18-08: January 13 – January 30, 2009)
I, Dinara Tuitebayeva, attended the JCCP regularcourse on “Quality Management of Refinery Products”(TR-18-08) from January 13 to 30, 2009, and my motherparticipated in the Study Tour on “Upgrading Processes of
Heavy Oil” (ST-50-06), which was held September 6 - 15,
2006. We thus became the first mother-daughter pair
to participate in JCCP training across two generations. I
should also note that my husband has also participatedin a JCCP regular course on “Upgrading Processes of
Heavy Oil” (TR-3-09).
As I have been asked to share my impressions of thecourse I attended, I would like to take the opportunity
to also introduce my country, Kazakhstan.
1. Introducing Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has the world’s tenth largest reserves ofhydrocarbon resources, including crude oil and naturalgas. It has a reserve of approximately 60 billion barrelsof petroleum on the Kazakhstan side of the Caspian Sea
and the world’s 15th largest proven reserve of natural gas.
President N. Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan states that “oil is
not only an important branch of Kazakhstan’s industries,
but also a symbol of national independence and a hopefor the future.” The availability of hydrocarbon resources
supports the foundation of Kazakhstan’s national strategy
of “creating an efficient economy and expanding oil andgas infrastructures.”
One of Kazakhstan’s most important tasks is toestablish a cooperative relationship with oil-related
institutions around the world, based on the awarenessthat increasing productivity is possible only in close
conjunction with scientific knowledge. In other words,
Kazakhstan’s key to achieving its goal lies in therelationship of international cooperation between Japanand Kazakhstan, where Japan receives participantsfrom oil downstream organizations in Kazakhstan, andKazakhstan participants acquire oil and gas technologies
in Japan. Capacity development of employees is the mostimportant element in further developing the bilateralrelationship between the two countries.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of
Kazakhstan, KazMunayGas, and other oil companies in
Kazakhstan have begun to participate in JCCP training since2005, and more than 100 participants from Kazakhstan
have attended JCCP training courses to date.
2. My Mother’s Impressions
My mother, Svetlana Tuitebayeva, is among the 100
participants from Kazakhstan who have attended a JCCP
training program. As director of the Technical Regulation
Department at Central Dispatching Board of Oil and Gas
Industry (CDB OGI), she participated in the study tour on“Upgrading Processes of Heavy Oil” from September 6
to 15, 2006, along with twelve other participants from
Kazakhstan.
In addition to a lecture on the oil industry in Japan,
the course covered extremely professional subjects which
proved to be highly useful to my mother’s duties back in
Kazakhstan, such as heavy oil thermal cracking technology,
selection of upgrading processes, catalytic cracking
technology and heavy oil hydroprocessing technology.
According to my mother, the most noteworthy point
about the course was that it not only provided classroom
lectures, but it also provided the opportunity to visit oilcompanies, catalyst makers, and engineering companies
throughout Japan to acquire practical knowledge. She

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Personnel Exchange Programs • 33

Participant’s VoiceAt Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Aichi Refinery

visited such companies as Nippon Petroleum Refining Co.,
Ltd., then-Catalysts & Chemicals Industries Co., Ltd., andIdemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. Each of the companies provided
detailed lectures and explanations of issues concerning
heavy oil upgrading.
At the end of the course, the majority of theparticipants commented that the course was extremelyinteresting and helpful, and was held on a high level by
qualified instructors.
3. My Impressions
I participated in the course on “Quality Managementof Refinery Products” (TR-18-08) from January 13 to 30,
2009, as an analyst of Health, Safety and the Environment(HSE) at KazMunayGas. The course covered the following
subjects: quality management and quality assurancein Japan, trends in international quality management
standards, quality control methods, ISO-9000 and TQM

At Nippon Petroleum Refining Co., ,Ltd.,
Negishi Refinery

Presenting a commemorative gift (Sept. 2006)

standards, environmental management, production
management, the latest DCS system, online analyzer,
gas chromatography, heavy oil analyzing equipment, andautomated analyzer. As part of the program, we visited
Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Nippon Petroleum Refining
Co., Ltd., Shimadzu Corporation, Yokogawa Electric
Corporation, and other companies throughout Japan.
The course was well organized to provide professional
knowledge, as well as insight into Japanese culture andhistory through excursions to various regions in Japan. I
was particularly impressed by the fact that even corporate
culture in Japan is deeply rooted in Japan’s history andculture.
My mother and I, as well as my husband, deeply
appreciate the dedicated hospitality with which JCCP
and other companies have received us, and intend to
apply our Japanese experience to our jobs and lifestyles.
Thank you very much.

At JCCP (Jan. 2009)

Upgrading Processes of Heavy Oil(TR-3-09: April 7 – April 24, 2009)
Mr. Issayev Gaziz (Ms. Dinara Tuitebayeva’s husband;
Head of Technical Regulation Dept., CDB OGI)
Through the course I attended on “Upgrading Processes of Heavy Oil,” I acquired new knowledge on process technology,
which has already proven effective in Japan, from detailed lectures and practical training at oil-related companies.
My stepmother and wife, who have respectively participated in a JCCP course in September 2006 and January
2009, also say that they have benefited greatly from the meaningful program and their exposure to the wonderfulculture of Japan. We feel very fortunate to be able to share common memories of our precious JCCP and Japaneseexperiences as a family.

34 • Personnel Exchange Programs •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

JCCP Regular Courses Completed in January – March 2009

TR-18-08 Quality Management of Refinery Products
Period:January 13 – January 30, 2009
No. of participants:
17
Country of participants: Cambodia, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Kuwait, Myanmar, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia,
Thailand, UAE, Vietnam, Yemen

TR-19-08 Energy Saving for Profitability Improvement
Period:February 10 – February 27, 2009
No. of participants:
13
Country of participants: Colombia, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Libya,
Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, Thailand, UAE, Vietnam

TR-20-08

Advanced Inspection Techniques and Diagnostic for
Static Equipment in Refineries
Period:February 10 – February 27, 2009
No. of participants:
12
Country of participants: Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Mexico,
Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Vietnam, Yemen

TR-21-08 Advanced Process Control on DCS
Period:February 10 – February 27, 2009
No. of participants:
14
Country of participants: Indonesia, Iran, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico,
Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia,
Thailand, Vietnam

IT-4-08
Petroleum Marketing and Physical Distribution
Period:January 20 – January 30, 2009
No. of participants:
13
Country of participants: Cambodia, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Kuwait, Libya, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam,
UAE

Total: 69 participants

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Personnel Exchange Programs • 35

TechnicalCooperation

Overview of “The FY2008 Comprehensive
Survey of Technical Cooperation Projects”
1. Survey Objective and Background
JCCP initiated “The Comprehensive Survey ofTechnical Cooperation Projects” in FY2007, to
explore the possibility of implementing new technicalcooperation projects in oil-producing countries inregions other than the Middle East. The FY2007
survey targeted former republics of the Soviet
Union, namely Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan,
and Uzbekistan, in addition to Libya in Africa. In
FY2008, studies of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and
Libya were continued from the previous year, basedon the understanding that they are potential exportersof crude oil to Japan and countries in which Japan
can expect to acquire crude oil development rights,
from the medium to long-term perspective. The
FY2008 survey also targeted Brazil and Venezuelain South America and Sudan in Africa.

2. Survey Method
A s eve n - m e m b e r Wo r k i n g G r o u p f o r
Comprehensive Survey of Technical Cooperation
Projects was initially established, and a researcher
from the International Development Center of Japan(IDCJ) was asked to provide consultation on theoverall aspect of the survey.
The Working Group then held meetings to selecttarget countries and institutions, examine details
and travel schedules, and analyze the findings of thesurveys. The surveys were carried out by membersof the Working Group, with the participation of
external experts.

3. Outline of Survey Results(1) Kazakhstan
The oil industry in Kazakhstan is run by the nationaloil company KazMunayGas (KMG) and its subsidiarycompanies that employ roughly 40,000 personnel.
Last summer, members of the survey delegation
36 • Technical Cooperation •At the Atyrau Refinery

visited the head office and Trade House of
KazMunayGas, the Central Dispatching Boardof Oil and Gas Industry (CDB OGI; a subsidiaryorganization of the Energy and Mineral Resources
Ministry), and the Atyrau Refinery.
At the Atyrau Refinery, a Japanese company has
recently completed the construction of additional
facilities in the attempt to modernize the refinery.
The refinery is planning further expansions in order
to meet new EU fuel property standards, and hasstrong interest in addressing environmental issues
related to refinery operations, such as reducing theemission of pollutants from the refinery.
The survey delegation is considering sending
experts to the Atyrau Refinery in the future togain a detailed understanding of the refinery’s
environmental issues and needs, and to arrange
a forum for introducing specific examples ofenvironmental measures implemented in Japan.
(2) Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan is a politically, socially, andeconomically stable country that has maintained afriendly attitude toward Japan. A Japanese company
is a member of the consortium that operates the ACG
oil fields, the country’s largest complex of oil fields,
and has already established a direct relationship with
Azerbaijan companies in the upstream sector.
The survey delegation recently visited the Baku
Oil Refinery (named after Heydar Aliyev), which
has been in operation for 55 years (processing

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

capacity: 100,000 BPD). Environmental issues havesurfaced due to its location in an urban zone, andthe refinery is expected to resolve those issues byimproving refinery operations and conserving theenvironment of Baku City.
In addition to surveying environmental
conservation issues at the Baku Oil Refinery, theWorking Group also plans to introduce Japan’senvironmental countermeasures to the refinery in
the future.

feasibility of holding a catalyst technology seminarwith PETROBRAS University, either with orwithout CENPES cooperation.
Following PETROBRAS’s acquisition of Nansei
Sekiyu K.K., Brazil and Japan have gradually
begun to deepen their mutual relationship. At
the present stage, JCCP should perhaps consider
holding short-term seminars in Brazil and receiving
Brazilian researchers to Japan as realistic first steps
in strengthening the two countries’ relationship.

(3) Brazil
In Brazil, pre-salt oil fields have recently been
discovered in the waters of the Campos Basin,
located 200 km from shore. These pre-salt oil fields
are the largest undeveloped oil fields in the world.
When considering the future crude oil production
capacity of the oil fields, JCCP should perhaps step
up its activities in Brazil.
The survey delegation visited the head office of
PETROBRAS (55% of shares owned by the state),
the Caxias Refinery, and PETROBRAS University.
PETROBRAS University is the counterpart
institution for JCCP training programs, and provides
regular employee education programs, as well
as holds seminars and symposiums conductedby external experts. The survey delegation foundthat the PETROBRAS Center for Research andDevelopment (CENPES), though not included
among the institutions of the recent survey, performs
R&D activities on exploration and production,energy and oil refining, and environmental issues.
PETROBRAS faces the challenge of reducing
the sulfur content of gasoline and diesel fuel, inorder to export oil products to Europe. To address
this issue, the Working Group is considering the(4) Venezuela
Venezuela has a confirmed crude oil reserve of
87 billion barrels (7.0% of the world’s crude oil
reserves), and a reserve of ultra-heavy crude oilin the Orinoco Belt that is said to be comparable
to Saudi Arabia’s crude oil reserve. As the world’s
oil industries, including the oil industry in Japan,
have a strong interest in achieving effective
utilization of ultra-heavy crude oil, research on
refining technologies is advancing, and some oilcompanies have already begun to make forays into
the commercialization of ultra-heavy crude oil.
The survey delegation visited the head officeof Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA(Petróleos de Venezuela S.A.), the Venezuelan
Petroleum Institute (INTEVEP), and the Puerto La
Cruz Refinery.
One of PDVSA’s priority issues is to develop
ultra-heavy crude oil processing technologies. The
company is currently working with a Japanesecompany in constructing a processing facility
developed by INTEVEP. However, to continue its
export of gasoline and diesel fuel to the UnitedStates, it needs to also reduce the sulfur content of
its products to meet US quality standards.
A realistic first step in strengthening therelationship with PDVSA would perhaps be to invite
Venezuelan researchers to engage in research at aJapanese university.

At the PETROBRAS Head Office(5) Libya
Crude oil production in Libya is increasing yearby-year; it averaged 1.72 million BPD in 2008,
and is expected to hereafter increase to around 2
million BPD.

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Technical Cooperation • 37

At the Az Zawiya Refinery

Japanese companies have acquired explorationrights in Libya that have been opened to foreign
firms, and have begun the development of gas
and oil fields in the country. As Libya is poised to
become one of the world’s largest oil-producing
countries in the future in which Japan possesses
production rights, JCCP should perhaps increase
its activities in Libya.
In continuation of the FY2007 survey, the survey
delegation visited the head office of National Oil
Corporation of Libya (NOC Libya), the Az Zawiya
Refinery, and Libya Petroleum Institute (LPI), tosurvey their needs.
The Az Zawiya Refinery utilizes pneumatic
instruments at present, but as it has plans to introduce
DCS within the coming year, refinery members
expressed their wish to participate in a JCCP course
on DCS and to hold a seminar at NOC Libya
provided by experienced Japanese engineers.
Due to the economic sanctions that have been
imposed on Libya, the country appears to be lagging
behind in conforming to EU gasoline and diesel
fuel standards. To remedy this situation, the survey
delegation received a request to hold a technicalsymposium in Libya.
At LPI, the survey delegation received requests
for JCCP’s technical cooperation in crude oil
assay, flare gas recovery, and equipment corrosion
countermeasures.
Going forward, the Working Group will examine
the possibilities of responding to the specific needsof counterpart organizations in Libya.
(6) Sudan
JCCP has neither received Sudanese participants

38 • Technical Cooperation •to its regular courses, nor has ever visited Sudan. The
recent visit by the survey delegation was JCCP’s firstinteraction with Sudan, made possible with the fullcooperation of the Embassy of Sudan in Japan.
Crude oil production in Sudan has dramaticallyincreased in recent years. In 2007, Japan’s crude oil
imports from Sudan corresponded to roughly 3%of total imports, and have made Sudan the eighthlargest exporter of crude oil to Japan.
In Sudan, the survey delegation visited Sudapet
and the Khartoum Refinery.
Sudapet is a subsidiary company of the Ministry
for Energy and Mining. It is owned 99% by thegovernment and 1% by the private sector, andpossesses exploration rights of all gas and oil fields
in Sudan. It plans to triple its number of employees
and expand its business beyond upstream activities
to include oil refining in the future. The Petroleum
Technical Centre was established to provide training
in both upstream and downstream activities, but as
the center currently lacks instructors and experts
who can foster instructors, the company is seeking
technical cooperation from Japan.
The Khartoum Refinery is located approximately
50 km northeast of the capital city of Khartoum.
Sudan and China each possess a 50% share of therefinery. Although it is a new refinery that began
operations in 2000, it seems to be experiencing
trouble in the denitrogenation of its products andin treating wastewater. To resolve these issues, therefinery expressed strong expectations of technicalcooperation from JCCP.

4. Plans for the FY2009
Comprehensive Survey
In FY2009, the Working Group will carry out
survey activities with a conscious awareness of
future developments, by amassing informationon counterpart organizations that have potential
for implementing technical cooperation projects
and actively providing information to thoseorganizations through local seminars.
<by Hiroaki Hara, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

TechnicalCooperation

The Tenth Kuwait-Japan Joint Symposium

Symposium participants:
Dr. Takeshige Takahashi, Professor Emeritus at Kagoshima University (center);Mr. Farouk Al-Zanki, Chairman, KNPC (left of center);Dr. Naji Mohammed Al-Mutairi, Director General, KISR (right of center)

JCCP and Kuwait Institute for Scientific
Research (KISR) jointly hosted “The Tenth
Kuwait-Japan Joint Symposium,” which was heldon January 20 and 21, 2009 in an auditorium at
KISR. The theme of this year’s symposium was“Clean Fuel Production and Heavy Oil Processing
Technologies.”
The symposium has so far been held ninetimes since 1993, under subcontract by Japan
Petroleum Institute (JPI). Since FY2005, it has
been held annually, with this year marking its tenth
implementation.

The symposium opened with words of greetingfrom Mr. Farouk Al-Zanki, Chairman, Kuwait
National Petroleum Company (KNPC), and Dr. Naji
Mohammed Al-Mutairi, Director General, KISR.
They expressed their appreciation to all parties
present and their expectations for the success ofthe symposium, stating that “this year’s theme is
one that is especially pertinent to the times, and is
expected to be helpful in increasing research levels
and technical capacities in the oil refining field in
both Kuwait and Japan.” On the Japanese side,
Dr. Koichi Eguchi, Professor at Kyoto University

Symposium venue: KISR auditorium

Opening address: Dr. Koichi Eguchi, Professor,
Kyoto University Graduate School

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Technical Cooperation • 39

Graduate School, gave an opening address as leaderof the group of speakers from Japan. He articulated
his hopes that the symposium will provide a forum
for the transfer of useful information to Kuwaiti
researchers and contribute to strengthening researchcooperation between Kuwait and Japan.
Under the main theme of the symposium,
presentations focused on the sub-themes of “hydrogenproduction and clean fuel oil technologies” and“heavy oil hydrocracking technology for Kuwait
crude,” which are expected to take on increasing
importance in the future, and a new sub-themeof “oil refining and petrochemical integration.”
Close to seventy Kuwaiti participants attended
the symposium, including KISR researchers andengineers from KNPC’s three refineries.

The Japanese side gave five presentations,and the Kuwaiti side four, for a total of ninepresentations. Active discussions and interaction
took place between the speakers and the audience
after each presentation.
The five Japanese speakers included university
professors and corporate researchers who have madesignificant achievements in studies on hydrogenproduction, clean fuel production, and heavy oilprocessing. Their names and the titles of theirpresentations are as shown in the table below.
The next symposium is scheduled to be heldin January 2010 under the theme, “Materials andCorrosion,” as strongly requested by KISR andKNPC.
<by Kazuhisa Okumura, Technical Cooperation Dept.>

Japanese Speakers and Their Presentation Titles
Name and affiliation

Presentation title

Dr. Koichi Eguchi
Professor, Kyoto University Graduate School

Steam Reforming of Dimethyl Ether over Copper-based
Spinel Catalysts

Dr. Mikio Miyake
Professor, Japan Advanced Institute of Science andTechnology

Determination of Individual Components during
Hydrocracking of Heavy Oil by Ultra-high Resolution
Ft-ICR Mass Spectrometry

Mr. Shigeto Hatanaka
Director, Fuel Research Laboratory,
Nippon Oil Corporation

Five Years’ Experience in Sulfur-free Gasoline and Diesel
Production

Dr. Ryuzo Tanaka
Chief Researcher, Advanced Technologies ResearchLaboratory, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.

Asphaltene Aggregation and its Impact on Coking
Reactivity

Mr. Naoto Aoyama
General Manager, Global Marketing Division,JGC Corporation

Refinery and Petrochemical Integration Utilizing Heavy
Oil Products

40 • Technical Cooperation •JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

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 oilproducing countries long term, to provide guidance
to local researchers and to promote the advancement
and invigoration of research activities in counterpart
organizations by helping them improve researchmethods and address new research themes. The
program also aims to enhance personal exchanges in
the research field and thereby build and strengthen
relationships of trust 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 theDr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor Emeritus,
Hokkaido University (center), at KFUPM

first two years of the program is presented below.
<Dispatch to KFUPM>• Researcher
Dr. Hideshi Hattori, Professor Emeritus,
Hokkaido University• TermThree-month dispatch to KFUPM, between
November 2007 and February 2008
Three-month dispatch to KFUPM, between June2008 and February 2009
• Field of research assistanceIntroduction 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

• Technical Cooperation • 41

operations of the desulfurization unit at
KNPC

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

<Dispatch to KISR>• Researcher
Dr. Hidehiro Higashi, JGC Catalysts andChemicals Ltd.
• Term3-month dispatch to KISR, between November
2007 and February 2008
3-month dispatch to KISR, between May 2008
and November 2008
• Field of research assistanceStudies 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

42 • Technical Cooperation •• Researcher
Dr. Takeshige Takahashi, Professor Emeritus,
Kagoshima University• Term
2.5-month dispatch to KISR, between October
2008 and February 2009
• Field 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 2009

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.>

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009

• Technical Cooperation • 43

Personnel Changes
Incoming Personnel
Training
Department

Kenji SAITO

Japan Cooperation Center, Petroleum (JCCP)
Headquarters
Sunshine 60 Building 58F, 3-1-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-6058, Japan• Administration Department• Operations Department• Training Department• Technical Cooperation Department

TEL. +81-3-5396-6000
TEL. +81-3-5396-6001
TEL. +81-3-5396-6909
TEL. +81-3-5396-8021

FAX. +81-3-5396-6006
FAX. +81-3-5396-6006
FAX. +81-3-5396-6006
FAX. +81-3-5396-8015

Overseas Offices• Middle East Office#904, Al-Ghaith Office Tower, Hamdan St.,
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TEL. +971-2-627-4410 FAX. +971-2-626-2166

URL: http://www.jccp.or.jp

44 • Announcement •• Riyadh Office
Al-Dahlawi Building, King Fahad Rd., Tahlia St., Olaya,
P.O. Box 61356, Riyadh 11565, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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E-mail: webmaster@jccp.or.jp

JCCP NEWS No. 104 June 2009