3rd SQU/JCCP Joint Symposium on
Environmental Challenges & Mitigation Approaches
for Sustainable Development in the Oil & Gas Industry
19-21 December 2010
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
For the past 18 years, Japan Cooperation Center, Petroleum (JCCP), (1992-2001 as PEC) has been
organizing annual symposia related to the environment in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
These symposia have been held in Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Bahrain, Qatar, State of
Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, and have attracted considerable interest from
scientists and professionals in the GCC as well as in Japan. In view of the success of the previous
symposia held in 2000 and 2005 at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), JCCP and SQU have decided to
organize this 3rd SQU/JCCP Joint Symposium on “Environmental Challenges & Mitigation Approaches for
Sustainable Development in the Oil and Gas Industry.” (The 1st SQU/JCCP Joint Symposium was held in
February of 2000, titled Water Resources and Greening the Desert. The 2nd SQU/JCCP Joint Symposium
was held in February of 2005 titled Preservation of Environmental Resources amid Economic
Development.)
The 3rd SQU/JCCP Joint Symposium was organized by the Oil & Gas Research Center and Center for
Environmental Studies and Research of Sultan Qaboos University, and the JCCP Technical Cooperation
Department from 19-21 December 2010 at SQU. The aim of this Symposium was to present results of
research and innovative technologies related to environmental problems in the oil and gas industry. The
participants were from GCC countries as well as from Japan. The symposia was also to provide forums for
exchanging views and information on multitudes of issues ranging from water treatment, usage and
management, to improvement of the desert environment.

Program (JCCP_SQU)

Recommendations
Based on the deliberations that took place during the technical sessions, the following recommendations
have been made. The recommendations are addressed to the concerned government agencies and other
stakeholders in the region.
General Recommendations






Encourage and invest in research, innovations, and technology development, which are critical to
successfully address environmental management challenges posed by the oil and gas industry
Develop improved technologies and strategies addressing best management practices, Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM) and options to minimize the potential environmental damages
caused by the oil and gas industry
Invest resources in filling data and knowledge gaps and in research and development to develop
sustainable technologies, tools to cope with environmental problems arising out of operations in oil
and gas industry
Strengthen local information base and train national manpower by providing them with the necessary
technical skills to tackle environmental impacts while exploiting oil and gas resources
Create awareness and involve youth and concerned citizens in project management, communication
and leadership in addressing environmental management challenges in the industry
Develop improved and revised systems/strategies to predict and cope with management of
environmental problems towards greener and cleaner path towards sustainable development in the oil
and gas industry.
Short-term





Develop country and regional level environmental database with critical assessment of trends and
changes in the oil and gas industry
Conduct vulnerability assessment of key issues and systems to manage natural resources in the face of
new realities of the industry to environmental sustainability
Establish improved systems and sharing information and practices to better address environmental
issues arising out of oil and gas industry operations
Create regional network for efficient exchange of data and information and link it up with other
international networks
JCCP should continue to hold such symposia in the region in the coming years on a regular basis
Long-term





Initiate long-term research in integrated environmental management
Conduct in-depth studies on process technology and wastewater including oil production water
management
Develop efficient technologies for application of renewable energy in the sector
Develop strategies and tools for efficient management of natural resources in and around the industrial
operations
Continue with efforts to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emission