The Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) is an integrated petroleum company that is the national oil company of Bahrain.
 | |
| BAPCO | |
| Company type | State-owned enterprise |
| Industry | Petroleum |
| Founded | 1929 (original company) 1999 (current company) |
| Founder | Standard Oil Company of California (original company) |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Abdulrahman Jawahery (CEO) |
| Owner | Government of Bahrain |
| Website | www |
History
edit
BAPCO was established in 1929 in Canada by Standard Oil Company of California for oil exploration activities in Bahrain.[1][2][3] It took over Bahrain's assets of Gulf Oil.[1] In 1930 it obtained the only oil concession in Bahrain.[4] BAPCO discovered first oil in 1931.[5] On 31 May 1932, the company discovered the Bahrain Field (Awali Field). After exporting oil and constructing a refinery, it started with 10,000 barrels per day (1,600 m3/d) refining capacity in 1936.[3] Later that year the Standard Oil Company of California signed an agreement with Texaco, which acquired a half of BAPCO's shares.[1] In 1975 more than 60% BAPCO's shares was acquired by the Government of Bahrain. In 1980, all BAPCO's shares were taken over by the Government of Bahrain.[1][6] In 1978 the oil sector was nationalized and BAPCO assumed full control of the national energy sector.[5] In 1999, the current Bahrain Petroleum Company was created when the Bahrain National Oil Company, established in 1976, merged with BAPCO.[1][6] In 2018 BAPCO commissioned a new pipeline that replaced the over 70 years old pipeline infrastructure between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.[3] In March 2019 construction work was started to upgrade the main oil refinery Sitra. The $5 billion project will increase the capacity to 380,000 barrels per day (60,000 m3/d).[3] Abdulrahman Jawahery is CEO of the BAPCO.[7]
In August 2021, BAPCO signed a five year agreement for catalyst management with Chevron Joint Venture for $240 million. The clean fuels group specialist Advanced Refining Technologies (ART) which is the joint venture of Chevron and W. R. Grace & Company, will supply there Resid Hyrdocracking catalyst technology for the new Resid Hydrocracking unit (1RHCU) that is to be operational by 2023.[8][9]
In October 2021, BAPCO was released from the base oils joint venture with Neste and Nogaholding, ending the presence of Neste in Bahrain.[10]
On 6 February 2022, BAPCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) for the implementation of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives.[11][12]
In 2023, BAPCO became part of the BAPCO Energies brand together with Bahrain National Gas Company (Banagas), Bahrain National Gas Expansion Company (Tawseah), Bahrain Aviation Fueling Company (Bafco) Tatweer Petroleum, and Bapco Retail Company (Tazweed).[13]
BAPCO is a founding company of the Gulf Downstream Association (GDA).[14]
The Bapco Modernisation Programme (BMP) completed the construction of the main control building in July 2023 and celebrated with a ceremony, in which for the first time ever in the Middle East a three-dimensional model of the BMP was presented. The ceremony was attended by Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who was also given a tour of the facilities and briefed about further BMP project progress. The BMP was 90% complete by August 2023.[15][16]
In July 2023, Bapco Energies launched its Sustainability Linked Finance Framework, which fits into Bahrain's sustainability and climate change commitments to reduce emissions by 30% by 2035 and a net zero by 2060. In accordance with Bahrain's new energy strategy, Bapco Energies B.S.C began additional developments in August 2023 to become an energy company with fossil fuel based renewable energies. The company aims to generate 20% of Bahrain's energy from renewable sources by 2035 and continues to seek investment opportunities in renewable energy projects and carbon reduction technologies.[17][18][19]
Operations
editBAPCO is an integrated oil company operating in the field of refining, and marketing. It operates a 267,000-barrel-per-day (42,400 m3/d) oil refinery which lies midway between the original BAPCO expat workers accommodation township of Awali and Sitra.[20] The complex also includes storage facilities for 14 million barrels (2.2 million cubic metres), a marketing terminal, and a marine terminal. 95% of the company's products are for exports.[5] About one-sixth of this crude originates from the Bahrain Field, with the remainder being pumped from Saudi Arabia. Saudi Aramco supplies approximately 350,000 barrels per day (56,000 m3/d) through the 112-kilometre (70 mi) pipeline from Aramco's Abqaiq Plant.[21][22] Once the flagship Sitra refinery's expansion is completed in 2023, its capacity will be increased from 267,000 bpd to 380,000 bpd.[22][23][24]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Vassiliou, Marius (2018). Historical dictionary of the petroleum industry, 2nd Ed. Historical dictionaries of professions and industries. Vol. 3. Rowman and Littlefield. p. 621. ISBN 978-1-5381-1159-8.
- ^ Lobna Ali Al-Khalifa (2010). Foreign Direct Investment in Bahrain. Universal-Publishers. p. 146. ISBN 9781599423210.
- ^ a b c d "Boosting production to 380,000 bpd". The Japan Times. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ The United States and Arab nationalism: the Syrian case, 1953-1960. Greenwood Publishing Group. 2009. p. 6. ISBN 9780275954260.
- ^ a b c Olimat, Muhamad S. (2016). China and the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: Strategic Partnership in a Changing World. Lexington Books. p. 92. ISBN 9781498545037.
- ^ a b The Middle East and North Africa 2003 (49 ed.). [Routledge]. 2002. p. 225. ISBN 9781857431322.
- ^ "Bapco board restructured; new Chairman, CEO named". tradearabia.com. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ "Chevron JV wins $240m catalyst management deal from Bapco". www.tradearabia.com. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ "PROJECTS: Bahrain's BAPCO set to announce 2021 investments". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ "Neste to sell its base oils business to Chevron". www.petrolplaza.com. 2021-10-05. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ "Alba and BAPCO join forces to foster green and sustainable industrial development". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ "Aluminium Bahrain And Bahrain Petroleum Company Ink Agreement On Sustainability Cooperation". Aluminium Insider. 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- ^ "Bahrain nogaholding rebranded Bapco Energies, eyes big role". www.zawya.com. 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ^ "GDA Conference and Exhibition returns to Bahrain for second edition". Oil & Gas Middle East. 2023-01-26. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ^ "Bapco's multibillion-dollar expansion project on track". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
- ^ "Bahrain: Bapco's multi-billion refinery expansion project on track for completion". Oil & Gas Middle East. 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ "No Credit Impact from Bapco Energies' Strategic Transformation". www.fitchratings.com. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
- ^ Rahman, Fareed (2023-05-08). "Bahrain aims to double renewable energy targets as Gulf countries step up production". The National. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
- ^ "Bahrain says committed to national energy transition plan". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
- ^ Minerals Yearbook, 2008, V. 3, Area Reports, International, Africa and the Middle East. United States Geological Survey. 2010. pp. 45–3. ISBN 9781411329652.
- ^ Rais, Ahlam (15 October 2018). "Saudi Aramco and Bapco Commission New Pipeline to Support Bahrain's Energy Demand". Process Worldwide. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ a b "Bahrain's Bapco sees oil trading opportunities as it expands refinery". 2019-03-10. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ^ "Refinery news roundup: Fujairah to get fourth refinery in 2021". S&P Global. December 22, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ^ "PROJECTS: Bahrain's BAPCO set to announce 2021 investments". www.zawya.com. 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
