The CWC Group's 'Iraq Mega Projects Conference and Exhibition' concludes

Held on 1-3 October 2012 at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, the event brought together stakeholders from across the value chain to identify project and infrastructure investment opportunities in support of oilfield production in the country.

The event's opening day kicked off with a Masterclass hosted by Ernst & Young and Eversheds for businesses wanting to operate in Iraq. Ahmed El Kady, Partner - Advisory Services, Ernst & Young presented a session on the Iraqi investment landscape and the macroeconomic environment, offering a summation of key economic, social and cultural issues to consider. He followed up with a session on legal and accounting considerations, offering delegates recommended processes for registering a foreign business, and an overview of customs duty and accounting practices in the country.

As part of the Masterclass, Tawfiq Tabbaa, Managing Partner, Eversheds Jordan & Iraq, delivered a talk on doing business in Iraq's legal environment, offering best practices for forming and managing joint ventures and alliances, and raising finance.

The two-day conference, attended by over 300 delegates, kicked off on 2 October 2012. H.E. Thamir Ghadhban, Chairman, Prime Minister's Office Advisory Committee for the Iraqi Government, moderated an overview session on Iraq's oil and gas field development for 2012 and 2013. This session helped delegates understand the current landscape for mega projects in Iraq, and their possible impacts on business. It reviewed field progress and updates on development and rehabilitation, while also discussing key lessons from the fourth oil and bidding round in the country. The session also examined the role of the Iraqi government in facilitating oil and gas field development in the country.

Zahra Al-Hammadi, Head of Process, SCOP, moderated a session on water demand and infrastructure. The discussion examined the infrastructure and technology advances needed to sustainably supply fresh water, and the environmental assessments for meeting water demand. It also offered updates on the progress of water injection projects and the requirements for maintaining reservoir pressure to oil and gas fields, while also looking at new technologies that could improve oil and gas production levels.

Falah Alkhawaja, Former Director General SCOP & Legal Affairs Former Board of Directors, moderated a discussion on the utilisation of gas to unleash power. The session looked at the positive effects of gas development in improving electricity and industrial infrastructure in the country, assessing the best use of associated gas to meet increasing energy needs, and key challenges in capturing and processing gas. There was also discussion on business opportunities for gas transportation and private investments in power.

The first day was concluded by Ben Lando, Bureau Chief, Iraq Oil Report, who moderated industry round tables facilitating interactive discussions between contract holders and influential Iraq mega projects stakeholders. The discussion centered round the opportunities and challenges facing key operators, and facilitated the building of partnerships and alliances with key stakeholders

The second day saw Falah Alkhawaja return to moderate a session on regional cooperation with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies. The session discussed how best to take advantage of tender opportunities, and the attributes EPC contractors look for in suppliers.

Chris Parker MBE, Chairman, Charmogen, conducted a session on best practices and innovation in logistics, examining decision making for security, providing medical services to employees working in the oil and gas fields, and adhering to ethics and standards.

Ruba Husari, Managing Director, Iraq Insight, led a discussion on optimizing oil and gas evacuation to meet project production and export targets. The talk identified opportunities for private investors, and focused on the construction and rehabilitation of pipelines.

Jabbar Allibi, Senior Oil-Gas Consultant, moderated a talk on retention and training strategies for product success in Iraq. The discussion focused on strategy adaptation to build a dynamic labour force and build capacity, the availability levels for expertise in petroleum technology, working towards a sustainable workforce, and recommendations to retain skilled and experienced Iraqi employees.

Iraq expert Natteq Al-Bayati offered concluding comments at the Conference, summing up key highlights and discussing the way forward.

A two-day Exhibition held in conjunction with the Conference showcased the latest technologies, tools and services pertinent to oil field production and development in Iraq. The Product Showcase Theatre sessions running alongside the Exhibition saw key companies in the field such as Technology Partners, Rolls Royce Energy, Honeywell and Larson & Toubro deliver presentations on key technologies in the industry.

"The purpose of the Iraq Mega Project event was to facilitate investors with the information and tools required to navigate Iraq's investment landscape," said H Frederic Ponton, Director of Government Relations - Middle East, The CWC Group. "We are delighted with the success of the event and the role it is playing in bringing together leading stakeholders in the country's oilfield development sector to explore the tremendous investment opportunities the country presents."

"Iraq Mega Projects has taken concrete first steps towards becoming the definitive platform for industry stakeholders to communicate, network and drive investment to Iraq. We are very pleased with the level of communication, exchange of ideas and energy that we saw at the third Iraq Mega Projects Conference and Exhibition, and we look forward to continuing our facilitation role for investors exploring opportunities in Iraq's energy sector," said Natalie Bacon, Conference Producer, CWC Group.

The Iraq Mega Projects event was supported by Platinum sponsors Caterpillar, Iratrac, Unatrac and Habboush Group, and Gold sponsors Emerson Process Management and Lakeshore Toltest.