Bapco celebrates 80 years of glory

Manama : The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Bahrain Refinery. A ceremony marking the milestone was held yesterday at the Bapco Club in Awali, under the patronage of Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Oil and Chairman of the Bapco Board. 

Attendees at the event included Board members, members of the Executive Management and key figures from the oil and gas sector. 

The event featured a number of key activities including a documentary film narrating the major milestones of the Bahrain Refinery and its journey to the present day scenario. 

At the outset of the event, Shaikh Mohammed said, “Under the Wise Leadership of H.H. the late Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, The Bahrain Refinery was established as the first refinery in the Arabian Gulf in 1936, at a capacity of 10,000 barrels per day. Bapco pioneered the discovery of oil in the Arabian Peninsula in 1932 before commencing the export of its products in 1934, and beginning refining activities in 1936. Eight decades later, Bapco and the Bahrain Refinery have grown steadily into a national and economic behemoth, refining 260,000 barrels a day and employing over 2000 people today.”

Shaikh Mohamed continued, “With the Bapco Modernization Programme leading numerous strategic projects, we are poised for the gradual, but sustained expansion of the Refinery and ultimately our economy.” Bapco’s Chief Executive Dr. Pete Bartlett highlighted Bapco’s story, including its establishment, the discovery of oil and the operation of the Refinery in 1936.