Workforce & management synergy helped GPIC move forward amid COVID crisis: GPIC Chairman

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Close cooperation between the workforce and management proved significant in enabling GPIC to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis in 2021, said GPIC Chairman Dr Al Sharyan.

The pandemic, he said, failed to produce any significant challenges to GPIC, thanks to an effective response in mitigating the infections among the workforce.

“GPIC continued implementing flexible policies and procedures to ensure the sustainable operations, whilst putting the safety of its workforce as their number one priority.”

He also commended the awareness of the employees and Directors in enforcing strict measures to protect the employees and their families from Coronavirus.

“This ensured that the operations were unaffected, especially considering the importance of the Petrochemical and Agri-Nutrient Industry and its connection to food security.”

The Chairman also said that despite the challenges, the company continued to win many prestigious awards, including the MRM Business Award and the MRM Business Innovation Award.

GPIC also maintained its record of no lost-time accidents since 2002 by achieving more than 35 million hours of no lost time accidents.

Dr Al Sharyan thanked His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister and His Highness, Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the National Oil & Gas Holding Company, for their support to the company and the entire industry.

Operational milestones The President of GPIC, Yasser Alabbasi, said GPIC witnessed a 7.7% increase in production compared to the production budget for 2021.

“This represents an increase of 1.1% and excludes the expenditure saved due to postponing the Major Turnaround originally scheduled for 2021 into 2022.”

Plant Operations achieved a growth of 9% in product export compared to the export plans of 2021, representing an increase of 1%, which excludes the Major Turnaround expenditure.

The Ammonia plant completed 1,068 days of continuous daily production on March 30, 2021, a new record surpassing the previous record of 950 production days achieved in 2012, The Urea plant completed 1,070 days of continuous daily production on March 30, 2021, a new record surpassing the previous record of 941 production days achieved in 2012.

On environmental care, Alabbasi said the company reduced the daily gas consumption by shutting down the Carbon Dioxide Recovery Unit (CDR) steam boiler and utilised the conserved natural gas to generate more power in 2021.

“This resulted in reducing the total cost of energy as well as GPIC’s carbon footprint,” he added.