Over 100 participants from Qatar and abroad are participating in the two day annual Qatar Process Safety Symposium hosted by Texas A&M University in Qatar (TAMUQ) and ConocoPhillips.
The two-day event, titled “Investing in Process Safety for a Sustainable Future,” featuring  18 speakers presenting topics such as  incident case studies, best practices in process safety, research on process safety, incident investigations and safety success stories,  started yesterday at Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).
Dr Kenneth Hall, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at TAMUQ who addressed the opening ceremony of the symposium said “This event represents the University’s commitment to research that yields new knowledge while supporting industry, and has become a focal point for discussions on process safety in Qatar, the region and beyond. Pursuits such as this symposium directly contribute to Qatar’s development goals and to the Qatar National Vision 2030”
He stressed that the national vision was the touchstone for the university’s work to provide the country expertise and knowledge for sustainable and safe growth and prosperity.
Gary Sykes, president of ConocoPhillips Qatar said that his organisation was happy to continue the journey with TAMUQ to enhance the industry’s drive towards zero safety incidents. He explained “I have been very impressed with the level of knowledge sharing by which we continue the much-needed dialogue on best practices, individual and corporate achievements, incident case studies and the latest innovative technology and research on process safety.” He continued that at ConocoPhillips, safety was number one priority and at the essence of the SPIRIT values.
“I encourage everyone to refocus our collective attention on renewing our vigilance, and tracing the path forward towards furthering the cause of safety,” he added.
Dr Luc N Véchot, assistant professor of Chemical Engineering at TAMUQ and the Chair of the Process Safety Symposium organising committee, said: “We are very proud that this annual symposium has become a key event for the process safety community in Qatar. TAMUQ and ConocoPhillips have put in a significant effort to provide an opportunity for the industry, regulatory institutions and academia to share knowledge, expertise and experience in the field of process safety and loss prevention.”
Dr Ali Hamad al-Mulla, manager of Corporate Health, Safety & Environment, Qatar Petroleum, delivered the plenary keynote address on the first day. Mike Ferrow, vice-president, Health, Safety and Environment, ConocoPhillips, USA, delivered lecture titled “Process Safety for a Sustainable Future”. It was followed by a panel discussion, “Challenges and Benefits Associated with Building a Business Case for Process Safety.”
12 posters covering a wide range of process safety topics such as research, experimentation and incident investigation were prepared and presented by undergraduate and graduate students from the TAMUQ’s Chemical Engineering Programme.

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