Qatar and its partners have “extended the reach” of clean gas supplies by literally “opening up” markets all over the world, said ExxonMobil Qatar president and general manager Bart Cahir.“With a clear vision before them and with the support of the country’s leadership, QP and its partners have created a world-class industry in Qatar,” Cahir said at the closing session of the International Production and Operations conference and Exhibition (POCE) of the Society of Petroleum Engineers here yesterday. ExxonMobil, Cahir said, has had the privilege to partner Qatar on the “important journey,” one was that was underpinned by a “strong partnership” with QP and the use of “unique technologies” to develop the North Field. Some examples include drilling and completing the largest wellbores ever drilled offshore to produce natural gas – designed to produce at rates over five times those of gas wells offshore the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea gas wells. Designing and building the world’s first 7.8mn tonnes per year (tpy) mega LNG trains, which process more than twice the amount of natural gas than prior trains, making them the largest and most efficient operating liquefaction facilities in the world.And developing and building two new classes of LNG carriers, the first revolution in the LNG shipping industry in over three decades, allowing the shipment of 80% more cargo with substantial efficiency versus conventional LNG carriers.“While we reflect proudly on the success these technologies have created, our work here is not done. With an eye to sustainable, safe, reliable and efficient operations, these advancements require a corresponding advancement in how we manage and maintain these assets,” Cahir said. To this end, he said experts are working with QP and joint ventures, Qatargas and RasGas, to ensure the right elements are in place to protect the long-term viability of these assets. The scale of the challenges ahead is enormous and requires an integrated set of solutions and the pursuit of all economic options. By 2040, the world’s population will reach nearly 9bn, economic output will double, and global energy demand will be 30% more than it was in 2010.For people and economies to advance, energy supplies must grow to meet their needs. Two of the fastest growing energy segments over this period underscore the importance of game-changing technologies. Oil production from so-called conventional reservoirs is relatively flat through this time. However, the biggest supply gains will come from the first segment, deep-water oil production, which should double from now until 2030. Natural gas will be the “fastest growing” major fuel to 2040, with demand rising by more than 60%, driven by a shift away from coal in order to reduce carbon emissions. Meeting this demand will be the second segment, unconventional gas, which should account for 30% of global production by 2040.“Both deep-water oil and unconventional gas segments benefited from decision made decades ago to invest in technology, which unlocked resources to meet demand for generations to come,” Cahir said.ExxonMobil recognises the importance of developing human resources where there are natural resources, he said. “In Qatar, we are committed to fulfilling HH the Emir’s vision of promoting the increased participation of Qatari nationals in the workforce. I am proud today to recognise one of our own future leaders and a key contributor to this week’s events, Ali al-Mana, a young professional and facilities engineer at ExxonMobil, who impressively chaired the steering committee responsible for all the young members, students and teacher’s activities at this week’s conference,” Cahir said.