v Pål Rasmussen addresses ARPEL 2015 in Punta del Este.
project 17km from Abu Dhabi, which aims to
perfect city to reflect both the global reach of
become the world’s first zero emissions city.
IGU and the tremendous gas developments in
The guided tour of the area was a good supple
the Middle East region.
ment to the workshop. The word Masdar means “source” and the city is intended to be
ARPEL 2015
a source for knowledge, being a community
Pål Rasmussen attended the Oil & Natural
where academics and business professionals
Gas Conference organized by the Regional
live, work, play and learn in an environment
Association of Oil, Gas and Biofuels Sector
devoted to pushing the boundaries of sustain
Companies in Latin America and the Caribbean
able design, construction and operation. The
(ARPEL) in Punta del Este, Uruguay, April 7-9.
city hosts the headquarters of IRENA, an inde
The conference is a biennial regional forum for
pendent graduate research university, Masdar
dialogue between the different energy sectors
Institute of Science and Technology, and the
in Latin America and the Caribbean and
region’s only free zone industry cluster focused
gathered together the main players of the
on sustainability, clean tech and renewable
regional energy industry. The conference
energy. When finished the city will be the home
theme was “Cooperation and Innovation for
of 50,000 people.
a Sustainable Energy Development”. The
A press conference was held with good
Secretary General participated in the opening
participation from the Abu Dhabi press. Jérôme
plenary session and gave a speech on the
Ferrier, David Carroll and Pål Rasmussen spoke
global and regional perspective of the energy
on several themes, amongst others the rele
sector from the gas point of view.
vance of having an IGU meeting in the Middle East, the organization’s strategic cooperation
Energy Charter Transit Seminar, Brussels
and the role of gas in the global energy mix.
Torstein Indrebø, Honorary Secretary General,
IGU thanks ADNOC Distribution for hosting
attended the International Meeting of Experts
this important meeting and agrees with the IGU
on Reliable and Stable Transit of Energy in
Regional Coordinator for the Middle East and
Brussels, Belgium, April 22. He gave a presen
Africa, Khaled Abubakr, that Abu Dhabi was the
tation in a session on the role of governments
30 N e w s f r o m t h e P r e s i d e n c y a n d S e c r e t a r i a t