Houston – The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted a visiting delegation from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI), and their subsidiary and associated companies, in Houston, Texas on Sunday to kick-off the 2015 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC). The dinner featured two honored keynote speakers, CEO of Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO), Mr. Ali Rashid Al-Jarwan, and Vice Treasurer and Member of the Board of ADCCI, H.E. Hamad Al Awadhi, as well as remarks by President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, Danny Sebright.

In his comments, Sebright underscored the importance of oil and gas, and the broader energy sector to the world market, and highlighted Abu Dhabi’s global role in the field. In doing so, Sebright praised ADNOC and its subsidiaries for their work in sustainability, cultivating natural resources to reinvest in other growth sectors vital to comprehensive economic development in Abu Dhabi and the broader United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). He also highlighted the range of Emirati companies in Houston this week represented under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Chamber.

Following his remarks, Sebright introduced Mr. Ali Rashid Al-Jarwan, who took the stage to discuss the latest deal announcements and industry trends, commercial and co-development opportunities, and the trajectory of the U.S.-U.A.E. energy partnership.

“OTC 2015 creates a vital opportunity for leaders in the field of energy to come together and discuss the ever growing U.S.-U.A.E. bilateral relationship. The Emirates has worked diligently with the U.S. to diversify our energy programs in order to maintain robust production capabilities. By doing so we create an international standard of responsible energy consumption,” said Mr. Al-Jarwan.

H.E. Al Awadhi thanked Mr. Sebright and Mr. Al-Jarwan and moved onto ADCCI’s key goals and objectives in its delegation visit to the United States. He discussed the importance of the continued bilateral trade relationship between the U.S. and the U.A.E.

“The ADCCI’s visit to a number of key cities in the USA aims at expanding economic and investment cooperation relations between companies and businessmen operating in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi with their American counterparts,” said H.E. Al Awadhi. “Abu Dhabi has become an attractive investment destination and business hub for many international companies considering the services and facilities the related authorities provides in the emirate to facilitate the businesses of the companies and make their projects a success,” said H.E. Al Awadhi.

From left to right: Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.- U.A.E. Business Council, Mr. Ali Rashid Al-Jarwan, CEO of the Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company, and His Excellency, Hamad Al Awadhi, Vice Treasurer and Member of the Board, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry

H.E. Al Awadhi praised the role which the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council plays in regard to opening up new fields of economic, investment, and technical cooperation between Emirati and American companies and contributing to the comprehensive and sustainable economic development process in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

Following the formal speaking program, the floor was opened to the audience for a question and answer session. During the session, U.S. and U.A.E. private and public sector representatives openly discussed developments and issues impacting bilateral trade and investment in the oil and gas and broader energy sectors.

Sebright concluded the dinner by thanking the honored speakers and the business community for their participation.

For your reference, more information about ADNOC and Abu Dhabi Chamber can be found below.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) was established in 1971 to operate in all areas of the oil and gas industry and since then has steadily broadened its activity in establishing companies and subsidiaries and creating an integrated oil and gas industry in the fields of exploration and production, support services, oil refining and gas processing, chemicals and petrochemicals, maritime transportation and refined products and distribution.

The Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC), chaired by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al- Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, formulates and oversees the implementation of Abu Dhabi petroleum policies.

During the past four decades, ADNOC has expanded its business activities, enhanced its competitive position and so managed to become one of the world’s leading oil companies with substantial business interests in upstream and downstream activities, including transportation, shipping, marketing and distribution.

ADNOC’s efforts in the exploration and production field have concentrated on assessing undiscovered reserves and optimizing hydrocarbon recovery by improving the reservoir management.

Over the last few years significant achievements were made in the expansion and development of gas fields to meet increased demand from industry gas users and gas injection requirements in order to enhance the oil and condensate recovery from the producing fields. ADNOC is committed to sustainable development. In 2009, the company has launched the ‘ADNOC Sustainability Performance Initiative’ ensuring a harmonious balance between society’s needs and Earth’s resources, while its track record in HSE sets the standards for the rest of the Arabian Gulf.

Giving top priority to education, ADNOC established a number of institutions that train and develop a qualified UAE cadre for the energy sector. The Petroleum Institute, The Glenelg School of Abu Dhabi, the ADNOC Technical Institute, the Achievers’ Oasis and other scholarship programs are but a few examples of ADNOC’s educational projects.

ADNOC has 15 subsidiary companies working in the various fields of the oil, gas, and petrochemical industry as well as crude oil and gas transport and services. They include ADCO, ADMA-OPCO, GASCO, ADGAS, ZADCO, TAKREER, NDC, ESNAAD, IRSHAD, FERTIL, BOROUGE, ADNATCO-NGSCO, ADNOC Distribution, Elixier and Al Hosn Gas.

For more information, please visit ADNOC’s website at: www.adnoc.ae

Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) is the private sector representative working to advocate policies, connect businesses and expand member opportunities by providing world-class member services, with an aim to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s sustainable economic development.

The Abu Dhabi Chamber is an autonomous institution of public interest. It enjoys its own legal entity to represent the various productive and services activities of the private sector in Abu Dhabi Emirate. According to the provisions of the Chamber law, all natural and legal persons, having their headquarters, branch or representation office in the Emirate to exercise any commercial, industrial, vocational or professional activity in the Emirate must join the Chamber and get their membership certificates.

Hence, the Chamber is viewed to be the party concerned with patronizing the various activities of the private sector. It is among its tasks and duties to render best services to member firms and companies. Membership certificates are duly issued to such members who are kept updated on how to take the utmost advantages of the Chamber services and available data or information. They are also well apprised of the Chamber’s regular and occasional functions or events, as well as of its tasks and duties in general.

Through such data and information, the Chamber members can participate in various domestic and international functions or events through which they may be better able to introduce their companies or products. Through such interaction, the Chamber may have a much clearer vision on their problems and the obstacles they are facing. Such problems are usually discussed in a bid to find appropriate solutions. Recommendations seeking that end may, thereafter be presented to competent authorities requesting required actions to be taken whenever necessary.

The Chamber is also represented in such boards as those of the UAE-Turkish Businessmen Board, UAE-Syrian Businessmen Board and the UAE-Indian Businessmen Board. It is also member in the Federation of the AGCC Chambers of Commerce & Industry, the Federation of Arab Chambers of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture, the Islamic Chamber and the Arab Labor Organization. Such representation, of course comes within the framework of its membership in the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry.

However, the Chamber has a branch office in Al-Ain city. The said branch is meeting the demands of the business community in Al-Ain and offers them whatever services or information they need.

The Chamber has its own web site through which it avails every piece of information required by the business community in Abu Dhabi and the UAE at large. The site is also visited by individuals, tourists and organizations from different world countries.

The Chamber Web Site won the award of Best Web Site in the whole Middle East Region for the year 1999.

For more information, please visit ADCCI’s website at: www.abudhabichamber.ae