2010 almohandis...issue december 2010 almohandis bahrain society of engineers 53 the economic vision...

IssueDecember 2010

ALMOHANDISBahrain Society of Engineers

53

The Economic Vision 2030 for Bahrain

Challenges facing the Engineering Profession

2010

2030

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In this issue of ALMOHANDIS, we address a very important topic for the Kingdom of Bahrain. “The Economic Vision 2030 for Bahrain”, is a strategic initiative put forth by the Economic Development Board on the 23rd of October 2008 with the ultimate aim of ensuring that every Bahraini household has at least twice as much disposable income – in real terms – by 2030. Achieving this Vision, is dependent on the actions and initiatives of our Leadership, the youth of Bahrain, society as a whole, and on professional organizations like the Bahrain Society of Engineers.

It is incumbent upon us professionals and professional societies to become more involved and take a pro-active role in guiding the

.lareneg ni yteicos eht dna ,srotces yrtsudni detaler ,srekam noisicedIt is our duty to take the necessary steps and make the necessary choices for the continued prosperity of our country, society, and the engineering profession.

In this Issue Number 53, your professional magazine ALMOHANDIS has taken an initial step to gauge the opinion of our members and readers as part of a deliberate effort continuing through 2011 by The Bahrain Society of Engineers to align its activities and initiatives with “The Economic Vision 2030 for Bahrain.” I hope all of our members and readers will take this opportunity to voice their opinions and send us their views on this topic.

I look forward to hearing from you and wish you all a Happy New Year.

Osama T. Albaharna

OUR MISSION

The national society that represents the engineering professionals from all disciplines and takes the lead in the advancement of the profession. We will promote:

Ethical, innovative and competent practiceThe standing and role of engineersThe protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public, and the environment in the practice of the profession Participation in the national economic development of the KingdomQuality and cost effective engineering practices.

OUR VISION

We will strive for excellence as a leading Engineering Professional entity by: Gaining world-wide reputation and recognitionBeing respected and recognised for commitment to the profession, members and the community.

Editorial

ALMOHANDISBahrain Society of Engineers

Registration No.: SBSEI8I

P.O.Box : 835, Kingdon of BahrainTel. : +973 17727100Fax : +973 17729819E-mail : [email protected] : www.mohandis.org

Editor-in-ChiefDr. Osama T. Albaharna

Journal CommitteeProf. Isa Salman QamberEng. Maryam Hilal FarajDr. Majeed Safar Jassim

Eng. S. Ali HashemEng. Ali Ebrahim Marzooq

The Bahrain Society of Engineers

The Bahrain Society of Engineers is not responsible for opinions published in “Al Mohandis”.Please send your articles to the Bahrain Society of Engineers.For your ads please call Bahrain Society of Engineers.

Designed & Printed by:

Printing & Publishing Co. W.L.L.

Dr. Osama T. AlbaharnaDirector of Information

Eng. Suzan Al-AjjawiDirector of Activities

Eng. Jawad Jaffar AljabalVice President

Eng. Ahmed A.AlkhanTreasurer

Eng. Mohammed A. AlkhozaaeExecutive Secretary

Eng. Huda Sultan FarajDirector of Training

Dr. A.Imam AlsammakDirector of Membership Affairs

Eng. A.Majeed Al-GassabPresident

Eng. Jameel Khalaf Al-AlawiDirector of Conferences

CONTENTFrom the Desk of the President 01Cover Story 02

Technical Articles 12

Conference Focus 26

Engineering Careers 30

ALMOHANDIS’ Index 32Book Review 36Engineering Education 38BSE Activaties and News 40Conferences 44Training Courses 48Tuesday Forum 54Associate Societies 56Members‘ Activities 61ALMOHANDIS’ Calendar 62

The Challenges facing the Engineering Profession in view of “The Economic Vision 2030 for Bahrain”

Profile of a project engineer in Automated Control industry

Energy & Water Conservation Expo 2010

Electricity tariff and Government subsidies and the ensuing long term impact on the sector development Needs for protection and awairness from the accumulation of NORM in the Oil and Gas industryExploitation of Landsat ETM+ SLC-off data to study the expansion of land area in Bahrain from 2003 to 2009

On behalf of the society Board of Directors, let me start by welcoming all of our new and returning engineers & members. As a matter of fact, our members are the ones who make up BSE and has raised its achievements to what it has reached till this date. Our members & volunteers serve our society in many capacities by contributing time, energy and talent that help in achieving our society’s mission. A word of thanks is too little to say to those who have volunteered with us and have inspired the ones around them to create a sort of “Bahrain Society of Engineers (BSE) Spirit”.

With its strong local and international networks for the past number of years, Bahrain Society of Engineers has been carrying out its main functions successfully in the engineering discipline and brought together thousands and thousands of engineers to share, exchange and set standards and experiences in the engineering field.

In this issue of ALMOHANDIS, the first under our new Director of Information, Dr. Osama Albaharana, we made sure to combine the technical issues and the society activities & news into a colorful publication that will add value to our members and engineers. I do sincerely hope you like the presentations and production style.

Following the phenomenal changes we experienced in the last 12 months, we are shoring up our efforts by maintaining diligent focus on: • Following “Engineering Cader” with Government agencies meticulously. • Developing people capabilities towards engineering studies and through liaison with supporting Government associations, Industry and educational bodies . • Reducing complexity and on our relations with outside entities including government agencies and outside partners. • Changing behaviors of our working environment within the society

In an initiative to value the significant roles an tremendous efforts by all of our previous Presidents and board members, a brain storming session was held Tuesday, October 26, 2010, to exchange ideas and promote suggestions on how to utilize the piece of land located beside BSE building. This approach will indeed be conducted in the future as needed.

For the past little while, I personally tried my best to meet a number of Bahrain Society of Engineers partners and supporters. However, I still got a long way to go to meet the rest of our partners and supporters and at which I surely will meet within the next coming months.

The success of our society in providing information exchange and growth opportunities to its members depends greatly on the support of its members and the generous support from major companies and ministries. Bahrain Society of Engineers is truly a grass roots society. Thank you for your involvement and your continued support to our society.

From the Desk of the President

Cover Story

COVER STORY2 COVER STORY2

The Challenges facing the Engineering Professionin view of “The Economic Vision 2030 for Bahrain”

Two years have passed since

the Economic Development Board

launched “The Economic Vision 2030

for Bahrain.” The Vision document

describes the need for coordinated

reform based on national, regional, and

global developments. It states that the

guiding principles for this Economic

Vision embedded in Bahrain’s aspirations

for the future are: sustainability,

competitiveness, and fairness. It also

introduces Bahrain’s aspirations for the

economy, government, and society; and

the actions required to attain them.

Since its founding in 1972, the

Bahrain Society of Engineers has

endeavored to be the national society

that represents the engineering

professionals from all disciplines, takes

the lead in the advancement of the

profession, promote the standing and

role of engineers, and promote the

participation in the national economic

development of the Kingdom. The

Society is committed to review its

strategies, objectives, and activities in

light of the “Economic Vision 2030 for

Bahrain” in order to further develop

the engineers and the engineering

profession, and to provide guidance to

various sectors of engineering in the

Kingdom so as to achieve the economic

vision put forth by the Economic

Development Board leading to the year

2030.

This article presents the views of a

number of engineers working in the

Kingdom in order to ascertain the

most urgent immediate and persistent

challenges facing the engineering

profession in the Kingdom in light

of the “Economic Vision 2030 for

Bahrain” and how these challenges

should be dealt with. This is the first

step in the effort of the Bahrain Society

of Engineers to consider these critical

issues and challenges in detail and

in a formal manner. ALMOHANDIS

Magazine will expand on this subject in

the next issues to cover the activities of

the Society in this regard.

ALMOHANDIS requested the participants to address the following query:

Excerpts from the Economic Vision 2030 for Bahrain

In your opinion, what are the two most immediate and persistent challenges facing the Engineering Profession in view of

Economic Vision 2030 for Bahrain? How should these challenges be addressed?

• Our society and government will embrace the principles of sustainability, competitiveness and fairness to ensure

that every Bahraini has the means to live a secure and fulfilling life and reach their full potential.

• Without increased productivity and innovation, Bahraini companies will not be able to remain competitive in the

long run.

• Bahrain finds itself at a defining moment in time: our future prosperity depends on whether we can change

significantly on multiple levels to keep pace with the world around us. We need to swiftly transform our economy,

acquire the right skills, and boost productivity and innovation.

• The key is to make Bahrain a great place to do business for both local and foreign companies. Many factors

combined make a country attractive for investors in high-value-added industries: a high-quality public service, a

cutting-edge infrastructure and an appealing living environment are among the vital ingredients. Bahrain will need

to offer them all.

We aspire to shift from an economy on oil wealth to a productive, globally competitive economy, shared by the government and driven by a pioneering private sector - an economy that raises a board middle class of Bahrain who enjoy good living standards through increased productivity and high-wage jobs.

Our society and government will embrace the principle of sustainability, competitiveness and fairness to ensure that every Bahrani has the means to live a secure and fulfilling life and reach their full potential.

Economy Vission

2030

COVER STORY

COVER STORY 3

Eng. Emad Abdulrahman AlmoayedFormer President of the Bahrain Society of Engineers (1990-1994),

Businessman

(Translated from Arabic by ALMOHANDIS)

To begin with, it seems to me that the Bahrain Society of Engineers is at variance with the official agencies in the Kingdom with respect to the translation of the word “Vision”. One agency calls it “RUAYA” and that one calls it “RUAYAT”. Both renditions are correct and the difference in the meaning and definition of the English word is deliberate and provides for smart nuances. In English, it is a “dream or apparition” and it denotes a road with visible monuments that are clearly noticeable to the “eye” or “vision”.

However, this innuendo losses some of its smart sense when translated into Arabic due to the existence of two different words which are both synonymous with one of the meanings of the English word. However, the significant connotations in the attached summary of the word “Vision” signify Sustainability, Competitiveness and Justice. If so, what then is the relationship of these expressions with the engineering profession?

The immediate, persistent and most pressing challenges which face the engineering profession are, in my opinion, engineering education and regulation of the

engineering profession.Where the engineering

education is concerned, it suffers from avoidance. This is, as it seems, a universal phenomenon. However, we are in a developing region which has a pressing need for engineers in all disciplines and we need not be subject to what is happening in the rest of the world. Each country and region has its own unique characteristics and we need to exploit our advantages in our favor. For this reason, the Society needs to review, for instance, the percentage of the Bahraini engineering students in Bahrain University and other universities over the past twenty years. If the conclusion is that the percentages are in remission, it must seek to gradually increase this ratio and work with the universities and high school graduates to make it attractive for them to enroll in all engineering disciplines.

Yet, this will be easier said than done as long as the profession continues to be encumbered as it is now. The salaries of engineers in both the public and private sectors are not very enticing if compared with the salaries drawn by other professions which demand less mental capacities or acumen than those required by engineering.

The expatriate engineers and non engineers alike engage in engineering practices within legal frameworks which do not extend preference to the citizen in his own homeland. Where is justice in this? And is it competitiveness to let things loose and without any definition?

This may be a fundamental role for the Bahrain Society of Engineers to mend and remedy the situation with the executive and legislative bodies in the Kingdom before going beyond the point of no return. It is indeed the duty of the Bahrain Society of Engineers to venture opinion and advice on the issues which concern it in the Kingdom’s laws and legislations because the people of “Makkah know its nooks and crannies better than anyone else”. It is imperative to set the distinction and clarification between the practical and professional reality on the one hand and the pompous words and empty clichés on the other hand. It is my wish that the Society would organize a seminar or workshop on the position of the engineer in the 2030 vision or else maintaining the status quo of the engineering condition as is and the trend it is tanking cannot be regarded as a vision but rather a nightmare.

Cover Story

COVER STORY4

Let me deal with the first challenge first: Unfortunately today Engineering is not very much favoured in comparison with several other more attractive disciplines such as Medicine, Law, Finance, etc.

It is necessary to enhance the social status of the profession and with it to come an appropriately high level of remuneration. Engineering has to be seen no less than Medicine, for example, by the authorities and public at large. This approach will certainly enhance the acceptance of the discipline as the social and financial rewards are key elements. We need to work immediately on putting such objective in place soonest to allow ourselves to actively participate in the achievement of the vision 2030 with the right skills, dedicated and committed Engineers.

Now to the second challenge: Once we have made the Engineering Profession an

ambition and dream for many students we need to be very selective with respect to who can study Engineering. The selection process needs to take into account not only the required high academic achievement but also tests such as attitude and aptitude for the discipline. We need to create Engineers who are not only intelligent but those who are truly in love with the discipline and can be very creative and productive.

What is also most important is that the needs of the Kingdom in terms of Engineering disciplines needed is very much synchronised with the programmes offered locally or taken abroad. Furthermore, a special emphasis must be placed on the quality of engineering programmes offered/taken at various universities. Our students must be guided to select the highest standard programmes available.

I believe these are the very basic foundations for success of the profession and with it comes success of the vision. I also believe The Bahrain Society of Engineers has to play a very proactive role with all concerned to help make this happen soonest not only in good time for putting it to use for achieving the vision 2030 but also for creating a very strong Engineering Profession that would take care of the developments in the Kingdom on ongoing basis.

In my opinion it is of paramount importance that we create the highest quality Engineers if we truly want to develop the country in accordance with the vision. The current systems of education and training are not very conducive to this. Also the Engineering Profession itself requires a big boost to put it in line with disciplines such as Medicine to make it more acceptable socially and also make it more rewarding.

Eng. Abdulkarim Al-SayedChairman & CEO – Petrodar International

Previous CEO of BAPCO

“Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 places a tremendous responsibility on the shoulders of Engineers to play their role most professionally and to the highest standards to support this vision. This means we require Engineers who can

positively and actively participate in the development of the country. There are many Bahraini Engineers today who have the necessary attributes to support this vision but there is a tremendous need to develop the profession in a

much more structured manner to further enhance the role of our Engineers to further promote the achievement of the vision. . In my opinion the two most important challenges facing us for the future are:

1. How we can make the Engineering Profession an ambition for the most intelligent students whereby we can achieve dedication and commitment to the profession and,

2. How we can produce the needed Engineers at the highest standards

COVER STORY

COVER STORY 5

Eng. Jawad HassanConsultant engineer, Associate member of the Bahrain

Society of Engineers, Senior Member of IEEE-USA,

Executive Manager of ROMANI Consulting Company


The 2030 Bahrain Economic Vision is based on the following three principles:

• Producing economy.• Competition based economy.• Justice based economy.

First: The challenges which face the engineering profession in the field of productivity:

•Realization of economic prosperity is closely linked to the prosperity of the engineering sector and engineers. In other words, the economic prosperity requires expansion of the society’s middle class and the engineers are regarded as the backbone of the middle class in any prosperous economy. Therefore, if the engineering sector enjoys high standards of living as a result of increased productivity, realization of economic prosperity is a foregone conclusion.

•Linking the engineering education to high quality standards in order to ensure production of high quality outputs capable of competing in all fields.

•Non intervention in the practice of

profession and encouragement of the private sector to regulate the engineering profession practice based on the principle of reward and punishment.

Second: the challenges facing the engineering profession in the area of competitiveness: •Enactment of the principle of

transparency and consolidation of the role of the state of law.

•Total commitment to application of efficiency principle in available opportunity and encouragement of creativity and innovation.

•Review of existing laws which regulate the engineering practice in the Kingdom in order to produce a transparent competitive environment in the engineering sector.

•Deregulation of the laws and regulations in order to lift the restrictions in the engineering profession.

Third: The challenges facing the engineering profession in the area of justice:

•Adoption of policies in the engineering sector which are based on efficiency, creativity and innovation.

•Adoption of transparency policy at all economic, living and administrative levels.

•Rationalization of the engineer qualification, appraisal and classification in the private and public sectors for the purpose of enhancing productivity and encouragement of competitiveness.

•Elimination of all forms of professional segregation between men and women.

•Standardization of privileges for engineering practitioners in the public and private sectors.

•Paying attention to propagation of engineering dialogue freedom culture and proposal of creative thoughts.

Cover Story

COVER STORY6

Eng. Dheya A. Aziz Towfiqi Former President of the Bahrain Society of Engineers

Executive Director – Dheya Towfiqi Engineering Consultancy Bureau


If we need to closely examine the summary of the vision in order to deduce the key components, including the challenges related to the engineering profession, this can be summarized as follows:

• Transition from the oil riches to a producing economy capable of global competition to be nurtured by the private sector.

• Migration and expansion of the middle class of the citizens and promotion to global living standards through enhancement of production rates and high paying sectors.

• Reliance on the principles of sustainability, justice and honorable and peaceful living. • Introduction of change at multiple levels.• Modernization of the economy, acquisition of skills, changes in production methods and innovation.

From the above, we conclude that

the responsibility lies on the shoulders

of the public and private sectors in

order to make the objectives of the

economic vision come true. I wish here

to highlight the responsibility on each

of these twin sectors.

The government sector is, of course,

the primary propelling engine of the

strategic plan which will enable the

private sector to develop and grow.

We have seen several changes in order

to move along in line and keep pace

with this plan, such as regulatory

organization of the labor market,

the quality system in education and

others.

We cannot deny the new role of

the labor market and the positive

parameters introduced in the market,

especially those related to allocation

of a percentage of the income to

the Bahraini People Training Fund

(TAMKEEN). Though we are still at the

beginning of the road, it is noticeable

that there are many aspects in this

program that require development in

order to learn from our mistakes.

It is a pertinent observation that the

benefit that the organizations derive

from TAMKEEN programs is minimal,

especially where the engineering

profession is concerned. We detect

no specialized programs dedicated

to the development of the engineer

and the evidence is clear, be it in the

engineering offices or contracting

firms, in connection with the low

numbers of engineers in them which

is attributable to the low numbers

of engineers with the prerequisite

experience, particularly in engineering

offices.

On the other hand, the engineer’s

disenchantment and lack of desire

to join this category of organizations

perhaps due to the modest salary,

guarantees, work pressures or lack of

the required experience.

Therefore, we are confronted with a

major challenge involving development

of a large number of engineers in

the various engineering disciplines

which calls for creation of specialized

programs under TAMKEEN umbrella for

development of the engineers through

subsidy of the salaries and introduction

of powerful training programs and

training opportunities.

We need not be oblivious of the

extremely important role of the Bahrain

Society of Engineers to move forcibly

in this direction and to take advantage

of the Society’s Training Center. The

Society previously collaborated with the

Ministry of Labor in the organization

of a recruitment and training program

for recently graduated engineers. Now

and with the existence of TAMKEEN

programs, the conditions are more

opportune and favorable to activate such

programs which we are sorely in need of.

COVER STORY

COVER STORY 7

Moreover, the Society must take

advantage of TAMKEEN programs

through the Society’s training center

to create suitable training programs for

the engineers subject to the condition

that such programs have to be offered

at reasonable prices in order to extend

the opportunity to the biggest number

possible of the individual engineers

and organizations to participate in

them. By virtue of such programs as

well as on the job training programs

for the engineers, we shall be able to

attain an important objective, namely

upgrading the professional standards

of the Bahraini engineer.

However, the Society cannot achieve

this in isolation of the organizations

which employ the engineers. Hence,

a great responsibility falls on the

shoulders of these organizations

which must work hard to employ the

engineers. Nevertheless and under the

circumstances I spoke of, a mechanism

must be found to encourage these

organizations to employ the Bahraini

engineer and dismantle the hurdles

which preclude this act.

Based on the above premise, its

interface with the economic plan and

in order to attain the objectives related

to the engineering profession, we

must seek to develop and groom the

engineers for employment in the private

sector, especially the organizations

which provide specialized field in one of

the engineering disciplines, coupled with

creation of the necessary mechanisms

to encourage these organizations to

employ and train the engineers.

For this reason, the key factor, in my

opinion, to realize one of the aspects of

the economic vision is closely linked to,

and associated with veritable and true

advancement of the Bahraini engineer

through introduction of actual and

tangible mechanisms for the benefit of

all concerned parties.

Eng. Saleh TarradahGeneral Manager, Group Strategic Initiatives - Batelco

In my opinion the two challenges facing the Engineering Profession are: Direction and Recognition. How to address these two challenges ?

1. DirectionThere is a need to establish where we are and where we need to be in relation to the Engineering Profession. The analysis need to focus on the most common and important engineering field (civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, etc). Setting the direction requires the engagement of all concerned entities (Education establishments, Business community, student union and the EDB). There is no harm to learn from successful experiences of other countries. The direction needs to be linked to the country’s Vision. Once the direction is established there is a need to create an action plan with key performance indicators and clear targets for the concerned parties.

2. RecognitionAll engineers need to feel confident and proud of their profession and should believe that it is a worthwhile career with clear development opportunities. The society need to recognize the contribution of engineers in all aspects of life, the economy, safety, innovation and progress of the whole country .This recognition should be sustainable and rewarding. The recognition must act as a stimulus for students (both male and female) to join the engineering profession.

The recognition should also be reflected in compensation and benefits for members of the engineering profession throughout their engineering life from graduation till retirement.

Cover Story

COVER STORY8

Eng. Mariam JumaanCEng, FIET, SMIEEE

Director - Projects - Economic Development Board

Vision 2030 wants “Bahrainis to be the employee of choice for high value-adding companies.” This means that we as a profession need to ensure that the standards of Bahraini engineers are on par with the world’s best, and that they can compete on a world wide scale.

I believe that the one of the key challenges facing the engineering profession in Bahrain today is ensuring that the engineers who enter the job market not only have the required education, but also the required skills to enable them to effectively perform as engineers. This requires that the institutions who provide the engineering programs are duly accredited, have the right facilities, have the right staff, accept the right people, etc. Also, the engineering programs need to be made more relevant to the job market requirements and teach engineers skills that might not be core engineering skills like the mathematics, or the sciences, but also skills like management skills, presentation skills, negotiation skills, and work ethics.

Another key challenge facing the engineering profession is the shortage in the number of students who choose engineering as their career. We see this problem not just in Bahrain but also worldwide

wherein very few students are choosing engineering as their choice of studies. We as practicing professionals need to promote our profession, and show that engineering can be a challenging, fulfilling and rewarding career.

Maybe we need to review the entire profession as it currently exists, how it is regulated, and what can be done to ensure that worldwide standards are being upheld, and that these standards govern the profession. There are a lot of excellent engineers in Bahrain, but are we as a profession upholding these standards? I think a key challenge for the engineering profession in Bahrain is to have these checkpoints for those who practice the engineering profession similar to what is available in the UK or Europe. This might be in the form of standardized exams (that are currently available for the medical profession for example), which could also be institutionalized for the engineering profession. Another key item that would greatly assist in upholding the engineering standards would be registration with the International Engineering Professional Societies like the IET, ICE, IMechE, etc, and making this registration mandatory for all engineers before they practice in Bahrain. A review of

the profession would enable us to see what are the challenges facing us as a nation, what engineering disciplines do we need to meet these challenges and fulfill our Vision 2030, and how can we attract the top students to those disciplines.

There has recently been a trend where universities and other institutions of higher education, (whether in the Middle East or the world at large), have started accepting students who are below standard, just to increase the number of students in their programs, purely for commercial reasons. So these universities accept anyone without due regard for their previous performance and accept them in the engineering as well as other disciplines. This then affects the outputs from these institutions, and results in below standard graduates who are given exit degrees to get them out of the system, but then who fall way below expected standards in their actual professional practice. I believe that this issue has to be looked at carefully, and ways and means need to be identified to ensure that such institutions carefully review their acceptance processes with their objectives set on the outcomes, and not just commercial considerations.

COVER STORY

COVER STORY 9

Eng. Masoud Ibrahim Al-Hermi


The engineering profession is regarded as the pulsating nerve of the states and communities without which no society can develop. It is not only “construction engineering” since the various engineering disciplines do intervene in almost every other profession. A physician, for instance, will not be in a position to exercise his or her profession without the medical appliances which were invented, developed and manufactured by the engineer. So is the case for the farmer, the accountant, the academician lecturer, the merchant and others who all depend in their daily life of work and leisure or even recreation on the equipment designed and manufactured by engineers in the various disciplines.

However, a close examination of the various engineering products around us would raise the question about the percentage of the Bahraini or even the Arab engineer’s participation in their production. We do not need to think much since this percentage is close to a big fat zero because the local engineering products revolve around government work and major industries which are mostly owned by the state and the construction sector and more

often than not the focus would be on routine administrative works.

The primary challenge that the engineering profession may encounter is the issue of salaries and wages because heavy reliance on foreign expertise, especially Asian labor, in running the business in Bahrain and the Arabian Gulf region in general, had an impact on the salaries of professionals, at the top of which are the engineers, when they compare the salaries, benefits, performance, productivity and other factors, with their counterparts coming from the Indian peninsula and south east Asia. All this had a negative impact on the wage rates in general and the income of the citizens and in an aggravated sense the workers in the private sector (excluding the major industrial companies) and resulted in the migration of the citizen from these exhausting and hard working professions and at the same time the lack of interest by the employers to employee the Bahraini national (due to availability of the substitute).

Although many producing sectors benefited from the salary increases and adjustments during the past years as a result of the provisional boom, yet the increase soon evaporated as a result of the

accompanying inflation.These challenges as

demonstrated in the economic vision are associated with the middle class whose stability and expansion are used as a yardstick for measuring the development of the societies.

The second challenge is the one associated with creativity and innovation which, although part of it hinges on the first challenge which provides for material and emotional stability of the engineer and the citizen in general, requires several basic tools. At the top is the promotion of government and private education (both primary and collegial) which will be conducive to grooming of a generation of young people capable of effective contribution to the production process and creativity, ushers them toward contribution to work and participation, and lack of disdain for or belittling of any work no matter what. It should also motivate them to experiment and practice which provide, besides the academic and scientific aspects, sources of creativity and innovation, coupled with due regard to scientific research whether in universities or research centers, which is supposed to be primarily channeled and directed to serve the private sector.

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COVER STORY10

Eng. Sharaban ShareefAlhandasah Center


First Challenge: Add attraction to engineering profession:

We need all members of BSE and employers involved in engineering fields, to make the profession of engineering an attractive and desired discipline and that engineers receive respect and appreciation in the community. We also need to work towards providing employment opportunities with remuneration that suit an engineer’s responsibility and his status in the community. This is manifested in the role of BSE with regard to the engineers cadre and to work hard

.egats dnoces eht tnemelpmi otThe engineering profession must be promoted in the community through adequately underlining the role of engineers and their achievements.

The appreciation of society for this profession does not come except through avoiding “cowboy” style engineering work or through any other practices

that undermine its value and by gnireenigne eht htiw gniylpmoc

code of ethics. For the profession to progress, the engineers must respect themselves at first and to avoid comparing this profession with any other business and to act in accordance with the highest professional standards.

The engineer must be an active member of the community and ensure that he does not play a negative role that keeps him away from playing his real role and

.srehto rof elpmaxe doog a ebThe engineer must contribute in creation of a better living environment through optimum use of knowledge, technology and honest work for the benefit of the country and citizens.

ElementGlobalization will ensure open

competition and survival will be for the best. Therefore engineers need to be top serious and to

ensure that he has the knowledge in the field of his specialization starting from his academic stage and also once he begins his professional career. He must continuously develop his skills through reading, research and continuing education.

He needs to be creative while performing his duties and must spare no effort for the optimum use of the available resources while ensuring cutting down expenses, saving resources and

.sevitanretla fo hcraes suounitnocHe should ensure existence of a national cultural for respecting quality, high performance, honesty and professionalism while carrying out his duties.

On the other hand, employers must measure productivity through fair evaluation of performance and payment of incentives through using clear defined scientific criterion which need to be implemented fairly and clearly.

Every engineer may considerably contribute in the society if he/she is given adequate and fair opportunities in the field of education and training. In my opinion, the two major challenges that face engineering profession with respect to the Bahrain Economic Vision 2020 are:

COVER STORY

COVER STORY 11

Eng. David P G Hadfield Executive Managing DirectorHidd Power Company BSC

The normal economic progression

of Nations is to move from agrarian

through industrial to a service

economy. Each of those stages is

necessary in creating a platform for

the next. Unfortunately the wealth in

the GCC countries has encouraged

some Governments to bypass the

industrial stage.

So why is this stage necessary?

Agrarian economies are very vulnerable

to natural events. Too much or too

little rain can ruin a crop. Farmers

could develop ways to mitigate the

risks but they could not be avoided.

There were no opportunities to cheat

or take short cuts, there was never an

ethical dilemma regarding short term

profits. Survival was the key driver! In

an industrial society man begins to take

charge and as the technology develops

the ethical choices he has to make

become more complex. He has moved

beyond surviving and can make a profit

but must not compromise on safety,

environmental impact, or damage the

life of the asset. Prolonged activity

instills a set of rules, moral values and

ethics. By nature the people involved

are “professionals” and regard certain

boundaries as sacrosanct. The service

economy is by nature cutthroat and

the people involved are not driven by

anything but profit. To contain their

excesses a set of rules is put in place.

I believe that without the industrial

stage, society does not develop a set

of norms that help to reign in the

excesses of the service economy.

It is time for Bahrain to turn back

the clock and develop these norms

through the creation of a vibrant

industrial sector. The challenge

for the engineering profession in

Bahrain, because without this it

becomes something applied from

without rather than grown from

within, is to attract the brightest

and best and recognise them as the

important leaders in Bahrain. Not the

bankers, not the politicians, but the

Engineers. I believe that the most

important company for the Bahraini

living in a local village is mine. If

we stop functioning they will know

immediately regarding electricity and

within a day for water. When people

compile lists of the most important

companies it is filled with banks

and traders. The challenge for the

Profession is to make the man in the

village understand that the engineers

are important. Only then will you get

the right quality of people wanting

to study engineering at University.

Without that foundation, of a new

generation of excited and exciting

engineers, will the Vision 2030

succeed.

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12

in the industrialized countries where

the annual growth rate does not

exceed on the average 2 to 3%.

Consequently, the annual electricity

growth in the Arab states in general

and in the Kingdom of Bahrain and

the GCC states in particular amounts

to three folds of the international

growth rates.

These high annual growth rates pose

a huge challenge to the expansions

and developments required for in the

various facilities and infrastructure

grids for power production,

transmission and distribution. This

article is intended to address the

challenges posed to the electricity

sectors and the levels of government

subsidies in the upcoming period

that would enable the sustainability

and the development of this sector,

namely the Electricity and Water

Authority, and to meet its challenges

for the continual development of the

various systems in tandem with and

parallel to the high annual growth

rates and at the same time achieve

the required performance standards

The electricity sector in the

Kingdom of Bahrain has witnessed

fast paced developments during the

economic boom over the past seven

years i.e. in the period 2003 to 2009,

as was the case in most of the GCC

states.

The annual growth in maximum

demand reached its highest pace

in 2007, a high 12 % increase over

the previous year, while the annual

growth for the years 2006 and 2008

was also appreciably high at 8-10

%. Long term studies indicates that

the annual average growth rate of

maximum demand and consumption

will continue between 5 % and 8 %

and will be closely correlated with

the re-initiation of the economic

recovery from the present ongoing

economic slowdown, that the world

has experienced since the past two

years 2008 and 2009.

These annual growth rates in the

peak demand in the Kingdom of

Bahrain, as is the case in the other

GCC and Arab states, are regarded

as excessive in comparison with the

developed and stabilized economies

Electricity tariff and Government subsidies and the ensuing long

term impact on the sector development

Dr. Abdul Majeed Habib Abdul KarimElectricity and Water Authority, Bahrain

[annual increase (%) in maximum load]

Annual Percentage Growth of Maximum Demand15%

10%

(%)

5%

0%

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

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13

Various legal instruments were issued

in the past 7 years in the restructuring of

the electricity and water sector. Decree

No.1 issued on 20th January 1996, on

the electricity and water law, was an

all encompassing decree providing for

all of the responsibilities, jurisdictions

and powers of the past Ministry(namely

the Ministry of Electricity and Water). In

conjunction with the economic boom

and the attendant great challenges that

posed to the electricity and water sector

with respect to fulfill its responsibilities in

the best manner possible, the Economic

Development Board undertook, with

the participation of specialists from the

Ministry of Finance, detailed studies

on the best options available for the

restructuring of the electricity and water

sector in Bahrain. Based on these studies,

it was decided in 2004 to outsource all

future expansions in the electricity and

water production facilities to the private

sector.

Hence, the state adopted

a strategic decision to assign

the responsibility of all future

expansions in the electricity and

water production facilities to the

private sector under IPP or IWPP

models in line with the national

strategy requirements.

Based on subsequent detailed

consultant studies, this was

for the sector in terms of networks

stability and reliability as well as

verification and follow up on the

targeted performance levels as part of

the Authority’s institutional plan and

its role within the national strategic

plan through the year 2030 (Vision

2030).

In this paper, the author is seeking to

address the most recent changes in the

electricity sector structure during the

5recent regional boom period (2003

– 2008) and before the economic

slowdown at the end of 2008 as

well as the long term anticipation

on the financial independence of

the sector and steps towards the

minimization of government subsidies

which are conducive to enhanced

energy efficiency and conservation in

consumption and awareness.

The views expressed herein are

regarded as personal independent

judgment and futuristic vision of the

author in light of the fast paced variables

of the sector operational efficiency in

comparison with the similar institutions

in the countries of the region, and does

not in any case represent the vision of

any institution.

The recent changes in the electricity and water sector in Bahrain over the past seven year period (2003 – 2009):

[The economic indices and their bearing in the annual maximum growth rate] in [from right to left: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States of America

followed by the government’s

decision in the year 2007 to

establish a government entity

attached to the cabinet, namely

“the Electricity and Water

Authority - EWA” which was

established by decree No.98 for

the year 2007, dated 11 December

2007, whereby EWA was given the

jurisdictions previously assigned

to the “Electricity and Water” as

provided for in decree No.1 for the

year 1996.

In the year 2008, His Majesty the

King issued decree No.3, for the year

2008, dated 24th January 2008,

whereby in-charge responsibilities

of EWA was assigned to Eng.

Fahmi bin Ali Al-Jowder, Minster

of Works. The decree spelled out

the responsibilities assigned to

Minister Al Jowder, including the

undertaking of the duties and

responsibilities provided for in

the electricity and water law and

the exercise of all powers and

jurisdictions vested in the Minister

of Electricity and Water under

decree No.1 for the year 1996,

previously referred to above.

In this respect, Order No.10 for

the year 2008 was subsequently

published on the official gazette,

approving the privatization

policies and controls, including

the formation of a “Supreme

USA UK Japan China Bahrain KSA

COmparison of “GDP” and Annual Growth of Maximum Demand

TECHNICAL ARTICLES

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14

31 % 21 % 48 %

COST CENTER

Electricity &Water Servicesto Customers

Collection &CustomerServices

Meterreading and

collection

Distribution

Approximate percentage of cost throughoutthe di�erent process

Distribution11 kv and 415 V

voltage level

Transmission

Transmission220 kv, 66 kv

and 33 kv

Electricity andwater Production

Production

Sector Structure and the role of privateGeneration - for year 2011

Total InstalledCapacity in 2011

4000 MW

PrivatePlants

(IPP) or(IWPP)

80%Ownership

GCCInterconnection

Grid as perEnergy Trading

AgreemenPETA

HIDDIWPP

1006 MW25%

EnergyAvailable

fromALBA

EWA ownGeneration

855 MW20%

Al EzzelIPP

946 MW24%

Al Dur IWPP1234 MW

31%

• Keep pace with the required

expansions in the infrastructure

and systems which fall under

EWA’s responsibility, primarily

the transmission and distribution

systems.

• Achieving higher efficiency in

all operations in the various

departments or the various cost

centers within the approved EWA’s

organizational structure.

• Diversification of the Authority’s

income and migration towards

model commercial operation basis

in the medium to long term in order

to reduce the required subsidies

extended by the government.

commission” under the title “The

Supreme Privatization Committee”

to assume the duties and follow

up on the privatization of public

projects, implementation programs

and follow up. Other specialized

subcommittees can be formed as

and when required depending on

the requirements of the projects

which were under review and were

earmarked for privatization.

Based on these transformations,

the private sector has assumed over

the past five years a considerable

percentage of the electricity and

water production operations. The

private sector ownership next year

(2011) will amount to a total of

80 % of the water and electricity

production facilities, while the

balance of 20 % will continue

under the ownership of EWA,

namely Rifaa power station (700

MW) and Sitra power and water

station (125 MW & 30 MIGD of

desalinated water) as shown on the

diagram below.

The strategic shifts in the

past period from the previous

structure which was based on

the “Ministry’s” model to the

“government authority’s” model

came as a fundamental demand

to keep pace with the rapid

developments in the performance

of this vital sector and line with

similar restructuring of this sector

in a number of Arab and foreign

countries.

[Structuring of the sector and the role of the private companies in the production of electricity – 2011- List of the private companies operating in the field of electricity generation, circle in the middle (electricity 4000 megawatt) - list of companies from top to bottom on the left: The Gulf tie-in system, Al-Hidd company WPP 962 megawatt, 24 %, Al-Azl Company IPP, 950 megawatt, 24 %, Al-Dur company IWPP, 1234 megawatt, 24 %, list of companies on the right side of the diagram: Alba Company (on demand), EWA: 855 megawatt, 20 %).]

[The estimated percentage point of the cost during the various operational stages]

The challenges:The most salient challenges that will face the Authority include the following:

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15

The electricity tariff and government subsidy:As explained above, one of the focal

challenges that will face EWA in the

Kingdom of Bahrain over the coming

period is to maximize the utilization of

available financial resources and the

reduction of the cost of the electricity

unit delivered to the customer.The

electricity cost of the unit, like any

other product or commodity, invariably

includes the cost of production,

transmission and distribution. Review

of the electricity and water operations

cost center reveals that the production

cost constitutes some half the total

cost (50 %), while the other half

represents the transmission cost (@

some 20%) and the distribution cost

(@ some 30 %). The electricity tariff

in Bahrain is substantially subsidized

by the state as the price of the sold

unit represents a small fraction of the

total cost to the state, The actual cost

is represented in fact by the capital

expenses of the required expansions

for the production, transmission

and distribution facilities, or what is

called the investment cost and the

cost resulting from the operation of

these assets, namely the operation,

maintenance and fuel costs (here, it is

imperative to take into consideration

the actual cost of the unsubsidized

fuel). Add to this the cost of losses i.e.

the energy lost in the system (which

may amount to some 10 % or more).

Domestic sector consumption makes

up more than half of the total energy

sold in the system, where domestic

villa consumption constitutes about

28 %, while the residential apartments

constitutes some 14 %, as shown in

the pie chart below.

The domestic consumption pattern is

very sensitive to the climatic conditions

and as such the consumption increases

during the summer, which will in turn

lead to lower system load factor , and

the level of the load factor has ranged

52 -55 % over the past five years.

The electricity tariff in Bahrain

is considered the lowest in the

GCC. Electricity is sold in the lower

bandwidth (1- 3000 kWh) @ 3 fils

per kWh, and @ 9 fils per kWH in the

consumption bandwidth 3001 – 5000,

and @ 16 fils per KWH in above 5000

bandwidth.

The consumption pattern of

residential apartments and smaller

houses during the summer season

falls within the first bandwidth, and

normally does not exceed the second

bandwidth. However, consumption of

residential villas may exceed the first

and second bandwidth depending

on size and energy efficiency of the

premises, and can enter the third

bandwidth.

On the other hand, the median

actual cost of the electricity unit

delivered to the customer can reach 20

– 22 fils per kWh if fuel is calculated

at the international prices (BOE – barrel

of oil equivalent) and if the commercial

financing of the capital assets is taken

into consideration.

A comparison of the price of the

electricity unit sold to the domestic

sector will show that the price of

the unit sold in Dubai-UAE is the

closest to the real cost and hence

the subsidize is lowest, followed by

the median electricity price in the

Sultanate of Oman, then the Kingdom

of Saudi Arabia, then Abu Dhabi and

finally Bahrain. Consequently, the

government subsidy level is the highest

in Bahrain in comparison with other

GCC states as illustrated before.

13.70%

37.70%

4.0%0.50%10%

34.20%

Percentage Consumption of Di�erent Economicsectors of Electrical Energy

Appartment Villas Commercial Units Industrial Units Agriculture Units Others

[Percentage % of the electrical consumption by the various economic sectors]

• Creation of innovative options of

funding for the new infrastructure

and expansions in the capital assets

of transmission and distribution.

• Maximization of benefits from all

EWA’s available resources, including

financial and human resources.

• Realization of the targeted

performance indicators for the

sector’s various activities which are

based on performance comparison

against similar entities specializing in

the provision of electricity and water

services to customers and the public

at large.

• Reduction of the cost of the unit

delivered to the customer, including

reduction of the components of the

cost: production, transmission and

distribution.

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16

Conclusions:

References:

During the past economic upturn period, the Kingdom of Bahrain has witnessed rapid expansions in developmental, investment and economic projects, and expansion in the strategic industries, leading to an increase in the demand for basic services, the most important of which are electricity and water. This has in turn resulted in heavy and accelerated demand in the development of the infrastructure of the associated networks.

The electricity and water sector is facing great challenges in the upcoming period considering the massive growth in demands and the associated required expansions of the networks and the investments to satisfy these demands, to achieve the required performance standards as spelled out in the EWA’s corporate plan and the EDB’s National Strategy. This article has outlined the subsidy levels provided by the state to the electricity sector, whereby the unit is sold to the customer at a price ranging between 3 fils in the lowest bandwidth of consumption to 16 fils in the highest bandwidth, and in contrast to the electricity price sold in a number of the GCC states which are very close to the actual cost of the electricity unit, or compared with international prices as given in the literature published in specialized academic journals, and which may reach as high as 8 to 10 cents (more than 30 fils) per kWH.

Based on such cheap tariffs, the annual electricity growth in Bahrain, as is the case in many GCC and Arab states, has ranged 6 – 10 % annually, compared with 2 – 3 % in advanced

and industrialized countries.There are various opinions that

such high growth rates is not only attributable to the ensuing fast economic growth, but may also be as a result of the cheap tariffs which may encourage disuse, abuse, extravagance and wastage, with the resulting depletion of the natural and financial resources, at the expense of social and economic development.

An opportunity exists to increase

the financial resources available for the sector through strengthening the collection efforts and the consideration of adoption of the tariffs comparable to neighboring GCC states, thereby leading to greater awareness on the part of the consumers of the consumption patterns and enforcement of few initiatives to enhance consumption efficiency, conservation, and load management.

1. Speech of the Minister Eng. Fahmi bin Ali Al-Jowder on the “Strategies of Conservation and Enhancement of Electricity and Water Efficiency” the energy and water Conservation expo and symposium 2010, Kingdom of Bahrain, 15-16 June 2010.

2. “Queries and Questions raised in relation to the restructuring of the Electricity Sector and the Lessons learned from other countries” Abdul Majeed Abdul Karim, Engineer Journal, Bahrain Engineering Society, Issue 33, September 2001.

3. GCC Secretariat General - Gulf Cooperation Council “Electricity and Water Customer Services- First Issue 2009”, Electricity and Water Conservation and Customer Services Committee.

4. Technical Publications of Arab Electricity Union www.auptde.org.5. Review of OECD study into “ Projected costs of generating Electricity” Hisham Khateeb, Energy Policy, ELSEVIER, 2010 Edition – 6th May

20106. Recent restructuring of the Electricity and Water Sector in Bahrain and the migration of the Ministry into the Electricity and Water into

EWA and future Prospects, Abdul Majeed Abdul Kareem, Electricity Conference, Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Residential villas Residential apartments 2008

3600 GWH 1300 GWH Energy sold to domestic sector (GWH)

over5000

3001 –5000

Up to 3000

over5000

3001 –5000

Up to 3000

Current tariff bandwidths

16 9 3 16 9 3 Existing electricity tariff fils/KWH

6 13 19 6 13 19 Subsidy for each bracket in fils

20 – 22 fils 20 – 22 filsAverage price similar to the

electricity unit cost (fils per kWH) in a number of GCC states

38 15 3.5 -

(1)

2.5Additional revenues in the event

of application of the price close to the electricity unit sold in a

number of GCC states in million BD

(1) it is proposed that the subsidy for the targeted bracket be maintained at the current levels applicable now)

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NEEDS FOR PROTECTION AND AWARENESS FROM THE ACCUMULATION OF NORM IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

Dr. Falah Abu-Jarad

Saudi Pioneers for Specialized Services (SPSS)Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT:Technically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) is the outcome of the production and processing

operations in oil and gas industry. NORM can be accumulated at elevated concentration in sludge of storage tanks, pipe scale,

produced water, drilling mud, or evaporation ponds and pits. Accumulation of NORM, if not contained, might be a source of

external and internal radiation hazard to workers, public and environment. NORM are not necessarily present in the soils at every

well or drilling site.

NORM Risks to workers and public include direct gamma radiation, inhalation of contaminated dust, inhalation of downwind

radon, ingestion of contaminated well water, ingestion of food contaminated by well water and dust deposition.

This paper will highlight concept of needed NORM monitoring, protection, controlling NORM waste, needed awareness training

to the personnel and management about NORM, radiation Safety, and handVVling NORM contaminants.

موجز: يمكن أن يزداد تركيز المواد المشعة الطبيعية ) النورم - NORM( نتيجة استخدام تقنية اإلنتاج والتكرير في صناعة البترول والغاز. كما يمكن أن يتراكم تركيز )NORM( لمستويات عالية في الترسبات البترولية وصهاريج التخزين وترسبات األنابيب المستخدمة في الماء الناتج، طين الحفر، وبرك التخزين والتبخير. إذا لم يتم احتواء تراكم )NORM( ربما يكون مصدر للجرعات اإلشعاعية الخارجية والداخلية للعاملين والجمهور ومصدر تلوث للبيئة. كما يجب التنويه أنه ليس من المتوقع أن كل بئر وموقع حفر يمكن أن يكون

)NORM( فيهالخطر من )NORM(للعاملين والجمهور يشمل اإلشعاع المباشر من أشعة جاما واستنشاق غبار ملوث واستنشاق غاز الرادون

المنتقل مع الريح ، شرب مياه ملوثة، ابتالع اإلشعاع مع المواد الغذائية الملوثة بالمياه الملوثة والغبار الملوث.هدف هذا البحث هو لفت النظر للحاجة لقياس مستويات )NORM( والتحفظ على مخلفات ))NORM( والحاجة لتدريب العاملين

.)NORM( والسالمة اإلشعاعية وكيفية التعامل مع محتويات )NORM( والمدراء والمشرفين على خواص ومصادر

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INTRODUCTION:In a geological period, uranium and

thorium that are found in the reservoir rock formations decay producing other radioactive nuclides such as radium and radon, which is a radioactive gas. Various leaching processes transport the Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials transported to the reservoir fluids. For example, sulfate leaching removes the uranium from the formation and dissolves it into the fluids of a reservoir, while chloride leaching removes the radium. Technology Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) is formed because of turbulent flow in production system (change in temperature and pressure at the surface) will cause the precipitation of the Sulphate Salts inside the walls of the production equipment in oil production and form deposits with

enhanced levels of radioactivity. NORM is might be found in oil, gas and water production facilities and accumulated during the drilling and processing of crude oil, natural gas and well waters inside pipes, around valves and inside tanks. It can also form a thin film on the interior surfaces of gas processing equipment and vessels. NORM radionuclides of concern to the oil and gas industry are Uranium, 226Ra, 228Ra, 222Rn, 210Pb and 210Po. Without sufficient control, concentrated levels of NORM can contaminate the environment and pose a risk to human health. NORM levels in crude oil are usually negligible but it is available in the environment and varies with location.The identification and quantification of NORM assists in radiological risk assessment, leading to the

development of safe work practices. The needs of NORM services is summarized below:

Figure 1: Sludge spread on the surface near production oil well and might be contaminated with NORM

NEEDS FOR NORM CONTAMINATION SURVEYNORM contamination surveys are

needed to be conducted on potential contaminated area, facilities. This will help to protect the workers public and environment. Survey for alpha contamination (both fixed and loss) and beta contamination (both fixed and loss) might be conducted for used pipes, areas, vessels, near the equipment surfaces, tanks. Also, NORM surveys are needed before any maintenance operations, that involves opening tanks, cleaning vessels from inside.

Figure 2 show a representation surface contaminated with different types of radiation. Each type has a different range in air. Alpha particles, has the smallest range in air. Beta particles range can reach up to tenths of meters, while gamma ray has the highest range in air. Surveyor usually does not know which type of radiation exists. He has to make accounts for the range of all of these types. The instrument used in the survey has to be able to withstand working in industrial fields, heat, and unstable climate. Two types of NORM detection survey methods can be performed:

•DirectDétection•IndirectDetection Figure 3: Sample of direct NORM survey for a barrel

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a. Direct Detection:This type of surveys performed directly near to the tank surface

or expected contaminated area, as example see Figure 3.

b. Indirect Detection:Sometimes, the energy of the emitted radiation or the

amount of radiation is very small in its range, and the detector

used, cannot detect the radiation. Thus, another method is

used, which is more sensitive, especially for low alpha and

beta energy emitters, is known as smear test (Figure 4). In this

method, the suspected surface is wiped with an absorbent

material such as, filter paper, cotton, or wool. The surveyor

has to wipe an area not less than 100 cm2 (10 cm × 10 cm)

or more. The wiping material is analyzed in device called liquid

scintillation Counter (LSC) (Figure 4 and 5). The LSC can detect

a small amount of radiation. After analyzing the sample, the

result has to be compared with the limits and recorded.

Figure 4: Sample of indirect NORM survey by smear sample to the surface.

Figure 5: Analyses of wipe samples with Liquid Scintillation counter enhance the detection of low energy betas or alphas.

Sample Solution (homogeneous)

Suggested guides for performing NORM surveys:• For Gamma radiation surveys: sodium iodide (NaI) radiation

instrument is the best.• For Alpha/Beta contamination survey: uncompensated Geiger

Muller radiation detection instrument is recommended (Figure 6)

• Entering Vessels/Tanks: Cover the ground at the vessel/tank entrance with plastic sheet.

• If the meter indicates a level of gamma radiation greater than double the background reading, it is considered to be NORM contaminated. placed in drums.

• NORM Contaminated waste need to be transported to the nearest NORM waste storage area

• Contaminated pipes to be isolated in restricted area for further decontamination (Figure 7).

Figure 6: Alpha/beta contamination survey with Geiger

Muller counter

Figure 7: Pipes monitored for NORM and segregated after it

found be contaminated

NEEDS FOR STORAGE OF NORM CONTAMINATED EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS

As a results of NORM surveys, NORM contaminated items or materials must be contained in special tight containers taken to a designated storage site (as example Figure 8) . The NORM storage areas need to be protected with proper fencing and security so that uncontrolled entry is not possible. Proper signage (pictorial and written in English and Arabic) around the fence is needed, so that the hazards are understood by everybody. All open sections of equipment, i.e., flange or pipe ends, etc., need to be adequately covered , as example, by heavy gauge UV stabilized plastic or other suitable materials to ensure that no NORM material leaks from the item (Figure 9). Routine checks on all stored NORM contaminated equipment needs to be undertaken to ensure that the integrity of the protective measures are adequate. Routine checks to be carried out on regular basis. Detailed and verifiable records have to be maintained of all stored NORM contaminated equipment.

Figure 8: Temporary storage of NORM containers

Figure 9: Open sections of NORM contaminated equipment covered

with Plastic

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NEEDS FOR DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL:The Contaminated sludge, scale and

by-products of the de-contamination

activity (after removal of NORM scales

and silts), can only be disposed of

into the designated disposal facility.

Different scenarios are suggested for

final disposal. This including Land fill,

covered under asphalt, and disposal in a

waste disposal well below ground water

level. In this model (Figure 10), NORM

is lowered in disposal well (geologically

stable) and in a zone selected to be

below ground water level and between

confine layers. This last selection is the

best selection because its isolate the

NORM forever from environment, and

public.

NEEDS FOR AWARENESS ON NORM

As part of the Radiation Health and

Safety issues and issues of public concern

in radiation protection, awareness

about NORM is needed. Environmental

accountability and awareness stand as

one of the most important measures by

which any company is ranked specially

by public’s perception. Awareness of

workers and public about sources,

accumulation, and handling of NORM

is essential for protection of their

health and the environment. This can

be accomplishing through seminars,

courses, brochures, workshops and

other general programs. SPSS as part of

its participation in this issue is offering a

3 day NORM awareness course covering

various aspects of NORM management

form the point of start of NORM to

the final disposal of NORM and the

radiation sources and potential hazard

associated with its handling.

Figure 10: Model for final disposal of NORM in disposal well (geologically stable) and in zone underground water level and between confining layers.

Biographical Notes: Dr. FaIah Abu-Jarad (www.drabujarad.com) (BSc, MSc and PhD (1980) in Physics, University of Birmingham, UK). He is a chartered and licensed Radiation Protection Advisor (UK) and RSO (KSA). In 1980--1981 he was a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. In 1981-2002 he was a Researcher, Professor and Head of the radiation protection team at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia. From 2002 to 2007 he was Head of Man-Made Radiation Sources group in RPU/EPD at Saudi Aramco Co. (Saudi Arabia). Since 2008 he has been the General Manager of Saudi Pioneers for Specialized Services (SPSS) Co., (www.spss.com.sa) which deals with man-made and natural radiation protection services to the oil and gas industry in addition to services of environmental monitoring, hazards and training. He has broad experience in radiation protection and has published more than 90 international papers dealing with radiation protection such indoor radon monitoring, neutron dosimetry and environment monitoring.

REFERENCES:1. F. Abu-Jarad “Review of Evaluation Techniques for TENORM In Oil & Gas Industry”. Proceeding of the 4th speciality conference on

environmental progress in the petroleum & petrochemical Industries. February 23-25, 2004. Bahrain.2. F. Abu-Jarad Application of Radiation Sources in the Oil & Gas Industry and Shortages in their Services” International Symposium on

Peaceful Applications of Nuclear Technologies in the GCC Countries. Sept. 2008.3. Bou- Rabee, F.; .Al-Zamel, A. Z.; Al-Fares R.A. Technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials in the oil industry

(TENORM). A review., 54(1):3-9, NUKLEONIKA 2009.4. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Radiation Protection and the Management of Radioactive Waste in the Oil and Gas Industry,

Safety Reports Series No.34, STI/PUB/1171, IAEA, November 2003, ISBN 92-0-11 4003-75. Al- Masri, M.S. “Radioactive Contamination by NORM in the Oil and Gas Industry” Workshop on radiation pollution, Risk and protection

Measures, 14-18 December 2002, Kuwait6. Saudi Aramco, SAEP-358, Management of Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), 30 March 20057. Smith, Karen P.; Blunt, Deborah L.; Williams, Gustavious P.; Arnish, John J.; Pfingston, Manjula Rani; Herbert, Jennifer; Haffenden,

Rebecca A. An Assessment of the Disposal of Petroleum Industry NORM in Nonhazardous Landfills (report), 1999.

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Exploitation of Landsat ETM+ SLC-off data to study the expansion of land area in Bahrain from 2003 to 2009

Dr. Ajay Kumar SinghWorks Directorate, Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Bahrain

[email protected]

ABSTRACTThe Landsat data have been

extensively used in various remote

sensing and GIS application since

its emergence in 1972. The Landsat

mission started with lower resolution

images and with the advancement

in sensor and technology, now, it

provides high quality, medium range

spatial and temporal resolution

images with high spectral resolution.

The latest satellite, Landsat 7 was

launched in 1999 and this is equipped

with Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus

(ETM+) sensor. The Landsat 7 sensor

has been called “the most stable,

best characterized earth observation

instrument ever placed in orbit”

(NASA, 2009). Unfortunately from

May 31, 2003 onward the Landsat 7

is only providing ETM+ SLC (Scan line

corrector) off data due to failure in SLC

and an estimated of 22 percent of the

data of any given scene is lost.

However, still Landsat 7 ETM+ is

capable of providing useful data despite

of the error that can be corrected by

applying SLC-off corrections. In the

present study one such correction

has been performed to demonstrate

the usability of Landsat SLC-off data.

A set of two ETM + SLC off images,

August 2003 and August 2009, having

a temporal difference of 6 years have

been used to identify the expansion of

land area in Bahrain.

Various methods like regression

tree analysis, interpolation techniques,

segmentation, and SLC-off to off data

correction have been explored. In the

present study SLC-off to off correction

was found more suitable and yielded

satisfactory result. This also establishes

that anomalous Landsat 7 data product

still retain significant information and

can be successfully utilized for scientific

applications. Selection of suitable

techniques to correct the SLC off data

will encourage more scientific usage.

Landsat program is providing image

data from the last 30 years. It has a

collection of the longest continuous

archive of multispectral data of any land-

observing space program. LANDSAT

ETM+ instrument currently flying on

Landsat-7 is having higher resolution

(14.25 meters) of panchromatic (PAN)

data and improved resolution for thermal

infrared band. Since its launch, Landsat

data is a major source for applications in

forestry, regional planning, agriculture,

geology, education, mapping, land-use

and land-cover monitoring. It has served

as key data to study the long term

changes on the earth surface.

On May 31, 2003, failure occurred

with the Scan Line Corrector (SLC) of

Landsat 7. The SLC consists of a pair of

small mirrors that rotate about an axis

in tandem with the motion of the main

ETM+ scan mirror. The purpose of the SLC

is to compensate for the forward motion

(along-track) of the spacecraft so that the

resulting scans are aligned parallel to each

other. Without the effects of the SLC, the

instrument images the Earth in a “zig-

zag” (figure 1) fashion, resulting in some

areas that are imaged twice and others

that are not imaged at all. This is because

of the small but steady rotation of the

earth’s surface below. When the scan

data are processed to produce an image,

1. BACKGROUND OF ANOMALY

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Mosaicing of a scene with the adjacent

scenes can improve the quality to some

extent but the SLC gaps will be still visible in

various parts. In order to make the image

usable or to remove the gaps completely,

SLC off correction needs to be done by

applying different techniques. Some of

them are interpolation, regression tree

analysis, segmentation, and SLC-on to off

or SLC off to off correction. Although a

preliminary assessment articles as well as

some full papers have been published,

these methods still require further research

work and more studies for improvement

and successful utilization. Quos, Casteat,

nonsus fuissedemorsIhil verferis, vium

aventil ingulicae cam verehebunt? Icavest

prissentem publicaed facibus

Figure 2. Landsat ETM+ SLC-off image showing missing data. The portion with no gap lines is the central of the image scene. The inset (down) shows the increase in width of gap line from left to right.

2. LANDSAT SLC-OFF CHARACTERISTIC AND USAGEThe Landsat 7 ETM+ is still capable

of acquiring useful image data with

the SLC turned off, particularly within

the central part of the scene. The SLC-

off effects are most pronounced along

the edge of the scene and gradually

diminish toward the center of the

scene. In the central part of the image

around 25 km in width, a strip all

along the scene, that covers an area of

around 4600 sq km is of the same high

radiometric and geometric quality as

data collected prior to the SLC failure

(figure 2).

An estimated 22 percent of any

given scene is lost because of the SLC

failure. The gap is usually wedge shape

extending from the center to both

edge of the scene. From the center it

extends from 30 m to around 420 m

towards the outer part of the scene

(figure 2). The precise location of the

missing scan lines varies from scene to

scene. This characteristic can actually

help to reduce the intensity of SLC off

anomaly to some extent.

the lines are made to be parallel by using

data acquired by two secondary mirrors

(in parallel to one another; each rotating

completely). Landsat 7 is still acquiring

global coverage in a timely manner. It is

likely, and expected, that either or both

satellites (Landsat 5, Landsat 7) could

systematically fail completely or run out

of fuel before the launch of the Landsat

Data Continuity Mission (LDCM),

planned for mid-2011 (USGS, 2009).

3. LANDSAT SLC-OFF CORRECTION

3.1 Interpolation

The missing pixels in the SLC

off images could be filled by basic

interpolation algorithms. Usually

the interpolation is carried out

by filling the calculated values in

the missing area averaged by the

surrounding pixels. Interpolation

may visually improve the data but

there is no way to retrieve the

actual data that would have been

captured by SLC-on. The area

with more pixel gaps becomes

less accurate with the averaged

surrounding values. Linear feature

may show more noticeable

differences with the surroundings.

3.2 Composite Imagery Using

Regression Tree Analysis

The gaps of the SLC off images

can also be filled using regression

tree analysis. This approach

requires a scene acquired before

and/or after the scene that has

the gaps that need to be filled.

If all are post-SLC anomaly

data sets, there must be valid

Digital Number (DN) on the

points where there is no data

in the scene that is to be filled.

Regression tree analysis is used to

develop predictive digital number

relationships among the scenes

for each band. These relationships

are then used to infer the digital TECHNICAL ARTICLES

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23

number values for the pixels

located in the gaps on the scene.

The procedure generally involved

in collection of around 7000

pixels randomly common to both

data sets, all with good DN values.

Derived relationships between

suites of pixel values of both data

sets and this relationship is used

to estimate the missing values

(Vogelmann et al., 2003)

3.3 Segmentation

Image segmentation is the

process of grouping individual

pixels into homogenous landscape

units to generate segment

boundaries. This is similar to the

approach of classifying land use

and land cover. The segment

boundaries from a complete

Landsat image are generated

and then overlaid on the SLC-off

image. Each segment boundary

dictates the replacement of

the similar type of pixel values.

Missing pixel values within each

segment are assumed to have

the same spectral properties as

a valid surrounding pixel within

the segment boundary (Maxwell

et al., 2007). The quality of

segment model is dependent on

the selection of an appropriate

image from which to generate the

segments.

3.4 SLC off to off

This method takes two or more

complete scenes. The scenes are

radiometrically matched and then

are combined to fill the missing

pixels. The SLC off image pixel

can be replaced by the ETM+ SLC-

off or SLC-on images.

4. DATA USED AND METHODOLOGY

Table 1: Details of datasets used in the present study.

1. to correct the missing image data

and

2. to delineate/ demarcate land

and sea area from the corrected

image.

In order to correct the missing data,

two image data sets i. e. August 2003

and August 2009 were considered

as primary images and they were

corrected using March 2003 and

June 2009 respectively (figure 3). The

Landsat ETM+ PAN band with higher

resolution of 15 m was selected for

this study. The fact that the location

of the data gaps generated due to

SLC-off varies from scene to scene has

been utilized to fill the gaps using two

different temporal images of the same

area.

Four sets of image data have been used for the present study. Those are summarized in table 1. The methodology consists

of two basic components:

The corrected PAN images were

used to demarcate land and sea

boundary through two procedures,

manual digitization (figure 4) and

density slicing. Density slicing method

automates the land demarcation

process. The corrected ETM + SLC-off

PAN images were sliced into two broad

category land and water. In August

2003 data the DN 0-60 and DN 61-

255 represented water and land area

respectively whereas DN 0-78 and DN

79-255 were the water and land area

in August 2009 (figure 5a). These

density sliced image were converted

into vector (figure 5b) and the noise

and the errors were corrected to give

a final boundary of Bahrain (figure 5c).

Finally the land areas obtained

by manual digitization as well as by

density slicing were compared with the

published data (CIO, 2006 and 2007;

Zainal et al., 2009)

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The difference in land area with

the published data could be due to

several reasons. One of the reasons

is the difference in the resolution of

images utilized. The published data

(CIO, 2006 & 2007; Zainal et al., 2009)

have been derived from high resolution

satellite images and topographic maps.

Other reason may be the selection of

band. In the present study PAN band

has been selected because of higher

resolution. The PAN data includes

a portion of visible range (0.5 – 0.7

µm) and sometimes in this range the

region with shallow depth of water

or marshes are misinterpreted as land.

Detail study is required in selection of

bands for this type of study, may be

FCC merged with panchromatic band

or individual near infrared or shortwave

infrared bands like 4, 5 or 7 will be

more helpful in delineating land and

water. The variations may also be due

to selection or inclusion of inland water

body that would have been developed

in intermediate phase of construction.

6. CONCLUSIONLandsat ETM+ SLC-off images in

spite of scan line failure still have lots of

potential which can be used in different

scientific applications. These data will still

be preferred by many users over some of

the other more costly alternatives.

The presence of the anomaly and

the missing pixels does degrade the

usefulness of the imagery however there

are lots of workaround and methods

developed to correct this problem.

The present study demonstrate that

gap filling method i.e. by replacing the

missing data from SLC-on or one or

more SLC–off data of different dates can

correct the images that can be used for

simple change detection.

For the application of regional scale

mapping, the Landsat ETM+ SLC-

off images are still geometrically and

radiometrically excellent but now this

requires only a change in approach.

More number of scenes should be

collected instead using one. The adjacent

scene that overlaps the area can also

be utilized to correct the data. Major

advantage of using these ETM + SLC-off

Images are that, they are now readily

available on the USGS EROS site and can

be downloaded free of cost.

AcknowledgementThe author would like to acknowledge EROS Data Center (US Geological Survey) from where the Landsat ETM+ data

where obtained.

REFERENCECIO (2006). Central Informatics Organization Statistical abstract, 2006, Chapter 1: Area and Meteorological conditions, Directorate of Statistics, Kingdom of Bahrain , (http://www.cio.gov.bh/StatPublication/02StatisticalAbstract/File/ABS2006/2006-CH01.pdfCIO (2007). Central Informatics Organization Statistical abstract, 2007, Chapter 1: Area and Meteorological conditions, Directorate of Statistics, Kingdom of Bahrain , (http://www.cio.gov.bh/StatPublication/02StatisticalAbstract/File/ABS2007/2007-Ch01AreaMeteorologicalConditions1.pdfMaxwell, S. K., Schmidt, G. L. and Storey, J. C., 2007. A multi-scale segmentation approach to filling gaps in Landsat ERM+ SLC-off images. International Journal of Remote Sensing, Vol. 28, No. 23.NASA, 2009. The Landsat Program: Landsat7. http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/ landsat7.htmlUSGS, 2009. Landsat Data Gap Background, U. S Department of the Interior, http://calval.cr.usgs.gov/, Visited on 17 Sept. 2009.Vogelmann et al., 2003. A Report in Preliminary Assessment of the Value of Landsat 7 ETM+ data following Scan Line Corrector Malfunction EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, SD 57198Zainal, A. J. M., Al-Burshaid, F., I., Choudhury, P. R. and Abdulla, G., M, 2009. Coastal Development Changes and The Islands of Bahrain; In Marine Atlas of Bahrain. Edited by Loughland, Ronald A. and Zainal, A. J. M. 385 pp.

Biographical Notes: Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh is Head Cartography and GIS Data Acquisition at the Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Bahrain. He is a Project Management Professional with extensive experience in GIS. He did his Doctoral research at IIT Roorkee, India on the study of soil and geomorphology with GIS application, in the Himalayan foothill area. He was associated with Rolta India limited in India. He possess extensive knowledge and experience in GIS application to various disciplines like Forestry, soil, agriculture, utilities, photogrammetry, and public security. He has got several publications in National and International Journals.

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Figure 3. Primary data to be corrected (a) Landsat ETM+ SLC-off PAN data of August 2003 and (c) August 2009. The data used for correction (b) Landsat

ETM+ SLC-on PAN data of March 2003 and (d) SLC – off data of June 2009.

Figure 4. Land area (2003) demarcated through Manual digitization shown in red colour.

Figure 5. (a) Density sliced images showing water and land area (2003). (b) The land area converted to vector. (c) Land area after

correction of noise and errors.

Figure 6. The land area of August 2003 overlaid on land area of August 2009. (a) Land area expansion in the northern

part of the Bahrain shown in red colour. (b) Southern tip of Bahrain showing Durrat Al Bahrain.

5. RESULT AND DISCUSSIONIn the last 6 years northern part

of Bahrain has undergone a massive

expansion in land areas (figure 6).

Muharraq shows the major expansion

of land with the growth of several

new projects. Diyaar Al Muharraq,

Amwaj island lie in the northern part of

Muharraq with some land expansion in

the Hidd industrial area as well as some

expansion can be seen in western

part of Muharraq. Manama shows

expansion of land mainly in northern

part as the Bahrain Bay and Financial

Harbour projects. Some expansion of

land in the eastern part can also be

observed. Northern Island is major

expansion in the north western part

of Bahrain. The Southern area shows

some expansion along east coast.

Durrat Al Bahrain being the major fish

and horse shoe shaped island in the

southern tip. In 2003 ETM+ landsat

image, this could be observed as

shapeless dumps of loose material in

the sea.

The year 2003 manual digitized data

shows a difference of around 6 sq. km.

with published data (CIO, 2006; Zainal

et al., 2009), whereas the difference

is more with the area obtained from

density slicing method (table 2). The

total land area expansion from 2003 to

2009 is around 41 sq km at the rate of

6.8 sq km per year.

Table 2. Comparison of land area

expansion in sq km. The table shows

the published area (CIO, 2006 &

2007; Zainal et al., 2009). The 2003

data highlighted in blue is the average

of 2002 & 2004. The red colour

represents the projected data based on

rate of expansion per year.

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Under the patronage of His Excellency Eng. Fahmi bin Ali Al-Jowder, Minister of Works and Minister Supervisor of the Electricity & Water Authority, the 2010 Energy and Water Conservation Expo and Symposium were inaugurated Monday morning 14 June 2010 at Bahrain International Exhibition and Conferences Center. The event was organized by the Authority in collaboration with the Bahrain Society of Engineers, with the presence of His Excellency Dr. Abdul Husain bin Ali Mirza, Minister of Oil and Gas and Chairman of the National Oil and Gas m, His Excellency Mohammad bin Dhaen Al-Hamly, the United Arab Emirates Minister of Energy, Dr. Abdulmajeed Ali Al-Awadi, Executive President of the Electricity and Water Authority, Eng. Nayef Omer Al-Kalali, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Works, Eng. Abdulmajeed Al-Qassab, president of the Bahrain Society of Engineers, a number of the members of the diplomatic corps, the vice presidents of the Authority’s Executive President and a number of specialists and invited guests.H.E. Eng. Fahmi bin Ali Al-Jowder, Minister of Works and Minister Supervisor of the Electricity & Water Authority

The meeting started with a keynote speech by Eng. Fahmi bin Ali Al-Jowder, Minister of Works and Minister Supervisor

of the Authority in which he expressed pleasure in welcoming the attendees to the occasion of the inauguration of the 2010 Energy and Water Conservation Expo and Symposium which is being organized for the third year in a row by the Electricity and Water Authority with the collaboration of the Bahrain Society of Engineers and the effective support and participation by the National Oil and Gas Authority. His Excellency offered special welcome to the senior officials of the energy sector in the GCC states and the honorable guests from outside the Kingdom and wished them a pleasant stay and hoped that the expo and the symposium would meet with their satisfaction.

Eng. Al-Jowder underscored fact that the importance of this conference comes as a result of the regional and universal interest in the subject of energy

conservation and promotion of efficient utilization. We believe that this meeting should be organized periodically in one of the GCC states. We put forward this proposal in the meeting of the Electrohydraulic Cooperation Committee held in Muscat in December 2009.

He added that the effort that went into the preparation of this event this year has resulted in playing host to elite experts, specialists and researchers who were brought together to deliberate over a collection of technical issues designed to promote economy and cost effectiveness of rationalization of energy and water in the countries of the region in general and in the Kingdom of Bahrain in particular. The objective of the topics of the symposium is to shed light on the most recent breakthroughs and challenges in the fields of economization technologies, alternative energies, green buildings and sustainability and education issues.

His Excellency the Minister pointed out that the expo organized this year in tandem with the energy conservation symposium is distinguished by the presence of a collection of companies and establishments displaying state of the art scientific technologies and methods in the field of energy and water management and which will contribute in a great extent to rationalization of consumption and minimization

Detailed presentation on the 2010 Energy and Water Conservation Expo and Symposium

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of the harmful consequences on the environmental protection and green house gases.

Because of the speedy economic development, the per capita consumption of electricity and water estimated at about 9.260 kilowatt hour in Bahrain, as is the case in many of the GCC states, is considered as one of the highest rates in the world and exceeds the per capita consumption in the industrialized countries such as the United States, Japan and Germany. On the other hand the water per capita share is currently estimated at 125 gallons a day, which is five folds the minimum limit of the international standard. The technical studies indicate that the average annual growth of energy consumption is expected to grow between 6 and 10 % and will primarily hinge on the onset of the economic comeback after the end of the economic downturn which the world experienced during the past two years 2008 and 2009. This in turn will result in doubling the consumption of fossil fuel at the power plants over only one decade and will have its own ramifications on the extent of availability of primary feedstock fuel for production processes and consequently on energy security in the Kingdom and the ensuing difficult financial burdens on the State’s budget.

The Minister reasserted in his remarks that the conservation strategies must produce an integrated perspective through a number of initiatives including:• Radical and in depth review of the existing

legislations in the building code to keep

pace with the best related international

practices.

• Classification of the buildings based on the

thermal insulation efficiency and creation

of a scale that shows the building’s thermal

insulation which will be used as yard stick

for real estate trade which features the

efficiency of the thermal insulation factor.

• Encouragement of renewable energy

strategies and methods in buildings and

homes, such as utilization of photovoltaic

cells on building roofs, coupled with

establishment of the controls for granting

related incentives.

• Attention to the aspects related to the

demand side management. There are

a number of aspects which must be

considered as supplementary to the

rationalization strategies.

His Excellency pointed out that veritable efforts are being exerted by the competent government agencies and organizations and industrial establishments for conservation of electricity and that these efforts are blessed with the full an unwavering support of the leaders of these agencies and establishments. The industrial operations in the Kingdom do consume massive resources of energy. However, within the limits of their social responsibility most of them took the initiative to set up energy management teams in order to boost and consolidate the principles of conservation. For instance, Bahrain Aluminum Company (ALBA) succeeded on an ongoing basis to reduce the energy consumption cost for production of aluminum through investment in modern technologies, energy auditing, enhancement of awareness and education and improvement of controls and precision instrument processes. Similarly, Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAOCO) managed to lower the energy density index through implementation of the optimal policies for optimization of power utilization which enable the company to bag local and regional awards. Meanwhile, the modern carbon dioxide recycling plant of the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company succeeded in improving the efficient utilization of energy coupled with minimization of carbon emissions and enhancement of productivity.

Eng. Fahmi bin Ali Al-Jowder stated that the Electricity and Water Authority is closely monitoring now the operating testing steps of Al-Dawr of the private sector using the IWPP system. Its total production capacity in the first increment amounts to 1234 megawatt and will produce 48 million gallons of desalinated water with investments for construction of this plant of about 2 million dollars. This project reasserts the government’s commitment to capacity build the electricity and water desalination sector. For this reason, it is the duty of us all to conserve the natural resources through responsible commitment to wisely consume these blessings. Besides the efforts to conserve electricity and water, the Authority is investing in the design of an experimental plant that operates on renewable energy using both the solar and wind energy for generation of

5 megawatt. The Authority has in place a plan to augment the ratio of green and renewable energy utilization to the level of 10 to 15 % of the total energy generation by the year 2030. The Minister confirmed in this conference that the policy involving utilization of renewable energy resources and the electricity and water conservation programs represent the most important initiatives in our future energy strategy. There are also opportunities for investment in the electricity and water conservation and efficient use programs for increasing their productivity and profitability. The Minister hopes that the deliberations in the symposium will help in facilitating the exchange of knowledge and familiarity with the subject of water and energy management and by extension in the protection of our natural resources and guarantee of sustainable environment protection for our future generations.

His Excellency the Minister said that we had no choice but to address the concerns over the subsidy provided by the state in the electricity and water prices as the price of the unit sold represents only a tiny fraction of the total cost borne by the state. This cost covers the capital cost or the cost of investment, operation and maintenance cost and the actual cost of fuel (i.e. unsubsidized fuel), the transportation and distribution cost, cost of the energy lost in the system (which may go as high as 6 to 10 %). According to the exerts and specialists in this field, the actual price of an electrical unit may reach as high as 10 cent per kilowatt hour (or more than 37 fils per unit) while the state sells the unit at a price ranging between 3 fils at the bottom bracket and 16 fils at the top bracket. Based on this, cheap tariffs, the annual growth of demand for

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electricity in many of the GCC states and the other Arab countries amounts to 6 to 10 % annually compared with about 2 to 3% in the advanced industrialized countries. (In other words the growth rate in the Arab nation is three times the global growth rates). Opinions are at variance that this high rate is not only the result of fast economic growth, but may also be because of the cheap tariffs which may lead to abuse, squandering and wastage which will in the end lead to the depletion of the natural resources, capabilities and budges of the states at the expense of social and economic expenditure.

In the conclusion of his speech, His Excellency the Minister expressed his appreciation and thanks for the efforts of all sponsors, exhibitors, lecturers and participants both form inside and outside the Kingdom for their outstanding efforts and contributions to this scientific gathering. He also expressed his thanks to the National Oil and Gas Authority for the support it provided, to the Bahrain Society of Engineers which organized the event with the collaboration of the Electricity and Water Authority, and the heads and members the exhibition and symposium committees who contributed to organizing the function as expected.

Eng. Jasim Isa Al-Shirawi, General Manager, Oil and Gas Affairs of the National Oil and Gas Authority

Then, Eng. Jasim Isa Al-Shirawi, General Manager, Oil and Gas Affairs of the National Oil and Gas Authority, gave a speech in which he stated that Bahrain has in place an Energy Conservation Committee headed by the National Oil and Gas Authority and a membership comprising important partners such as the Electricity and Water Authority, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Industry and Commerce and a number of key industrial agencies which consume gas, including Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), Bahrain Aluminum Company (ALOPCO), in addition to Bahrain University. Besides, the Electricity and Water Authority has set up “a renewable energy committee” headed by Dr. Abdul Hameed Al-Awadi, Executive President of the Electricity and Water Authority with the membership of the National Oil and Gas Authority as one of the members

working on this committee. These twin committees complement each other and mesh closely together for the purpose of rationalization of consumption of hydrocarbons and maintenance of the sustainable development in the Kingdom of Bahrain in line with the Bahrain Economic Vision.

He stressed in his remarks the fact that the sheer number and quality of the work papers that would be discussed on this occasion and the volume of the participants in the expo were vivid evidence of the success of the collaboration between the National Authority, the Electricity and Water Authority and the other stakeholders for the purpose of energy conservation in the Kingdom and that what was heartwarming in particular was the participation by the engineering sector represented by Bahrain Society of Engineers which contributed a great deal to the energy and water conservation effort.

Eng. Al- Shirawi added that as part of the efforts exerted to identify the resources for exploitation of the wind energy in Bahrain, the Authority implemented during the month of January 2009 an experimental project in cooperation with Inter Domain Company and installed a 50 meter high mast at the Refinery with a wind velocity measuring system and documentation of related data for more than one year for the purpose of evaluating the possible utilization of wind as a source of renewable energy in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We are full of hope to see a clean energy like wind energy which makes up part of our energy portfolio in the near future.

Eng. Adnan Mohammad Fakhro, Executive Vice President, Distribution and Customer Services, Electricity and Water Authority

Then, Eng. Adnan Mohammad Fakhro, Executive Vice President, Distribution and Customer Services, Electricity and Water Authority and President of the Exposition and Symposium addressed the conference and said that the 2010 energy and water conservation expo and symposium has grown into an international scientific and professional congregation organized annually under the generous auspices and direct

supervision of His Excellency Fahmi Ali Al-Jowder, Minister of Works and Supervising Minister of the Electricity and Water Authority and that His Excellency had inaugurated this function for the first time three years ago when we aspired to create a national meet that would embrace and bring together in one location all technologies and products related to and dealing with energy conservation. In the second year around, His Excellency directed us to heighten the momentum and expand the horizon by including water conservation too which is reflected in the growing interest of more participants, academicians and exhibitors in this field.

Eng. Fakhro stated that thanks to the efforts of the steering committee and the interest demonstrated by His Excellency the Minister and his unwavering support, we managed to attract quite a number of outstanding experiences and qualifications from Japan, North America and Europe, in addition to the region’s sisterly countries and the Kingdom of Bahrain proper so that they may display the best of practical experiments and in depth research they may have.

The Distribution and Customer Services Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Exhibition and Symposium confirmed that the general trend for now is toward integrated management of the water sources as in sustainability of conventional and nonconventional resources. For this reason, we have set up several procedures for conservation of water resources and minimization of water loss in the water distribution systems, or what is called Non Revenue water where leaks from the water distribution systems represent the best part of the loss. The Electricity and Water Authority has taken some preventive arrangements to reduce

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system loss from the water distribution networks to a reasonable percentage based on the appropriate strategies devised for this purpose. It is our hope now to reduce 9% of the non-revenue water through measures that would likely upgrade the efficiency of water meter readings during periods of low flow in addition to elimination of the factors affecting increased commercial loss. A task force has been set up recently in the Electricity and Water Authority to focus in a greater measure on minimization of loss in the systems and conservation of this valuable resource.

He added that out of our keen desire to cover this aspect of the principle of water demand management, we organized a specialized workshop on the margin of this event to discuss the most recent strategies used for estimation of the quantities of nonrevenue water and method for determination of the causative factors and optimal method for its elimination. In this context, an agreement has been reached with Malcolm Farley, an expert certified by the International World Association (IWA) to manage the components of this event.

He added that based on our strong belief in the consolidated strategy and the total national vision of His Royal Highness Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Chairman of the Economic Development Council, propels us to mass work and proactive partnership with the national establishments and commissions effectual on the local arena. For this very reason, this event is being organized for the third year on end with the participation of the Bahrain Society of Engineers and with the support and back up of the National Oil and Gas Authority coordination with which was also maintained this year to launch a joint national campaign for conservation of energy and water. I also wish to express my happiness with the Labor Fund Organization (TAMKEEN) participation in this partnership by virtue of its support for some of the Bahraini companies which participated in the exhibition. I wish to take this opportunity to express our pride in this outstanding and fruitful partnership with these prestigious national commissions and organizations and look forward to more collaboration and continuity with them.

Eng. Abdul Majeed Al-Qassab,

President of the Bahrain Society of Engineers

Then, Eng. Abdul Majeed Al-Qassab, President of the Bahrain Society of Engineers delivered a speech in which he welcomed the audience and expressed his thanks to the Minister of Works and Supervising Minister of the Electricity and Gas Authority, Dr. Abdul Husain Ali Mirza, Minister of Oil and Gas Affairs and Chairman of the National Oil and Gas Authority and His Excellency Mr. Mohammad bin Dhaen Al-Hamly, the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of Energy for attending this important conference through which the Society highlights its communal participation with the efforts being exerted for conservation of energy and its commitment to work together with the official agencies to discuss the most recent methods which would allow for minimization of energy consumption, utilization of alternative and renewable energy sources and protection of the environment.

Mr. Joe Mahoney of Washington University, USA

Then, Mr. Joe Mahoney of Washington University, USA, gave a statistical and demonstrative presentation showing the carbon consumption rate for individuals, means of transportation and other sources. He also demonstrated the consumption rate of this energy in every state and underscored the necessity of rationalization of power and water consumption and conservation of the environment through utilization of renewable and alternative energy such as exploitation of wind energy to generate energy.

After that, Minister Fahmi bin Ali Al-Jowder honored the sponsoring

agencies and the companies which conserved energy and water. Mr. Abdul Majeed Al-Qassab, Chairman of the Committee and Eng. Adnan Mohammad Fakhro, Chairman of the conference and symposium presented two commemorative plaques to the Minister of Works and Supervising Minister of the Electricity and Water Authority and Minister of Oil and Gas Affairs and Chairman of the National Oil and Gas Authority.

Then, His Excellency the Minister

of Works and Supervising Minister of the Electricity and Water Authority, accompanied by His Excellency the Minister of Oil and Gas Affairs and Chairman of the National Oil and Gas Authority, His Excellency Mr. Mohammad bin Dhaen Al-Hamly, the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of Energy and the guests inaugurated the expo and toured its various pavilions which contained the products of the exhibitor companies related to rationalization of electricity consumption, such as thermal insulation materials in building, highly efficient electrical and air conditioning appliances which reduce electricity consumption, in addition to the water and energy management technologies and other modern sophisticated products that boost rationalization of energy and water consumption.

ENGINEERING CARRERS30

Engineering CareersIn this Section, ALMOHANDIS highlights an engineering career from the point of view of the daily professional activities of a

young Bahraini engineer engaged in industry. The objective is to highlight the diversity of potential jobs and careers for young engineers in Bahrain and the quality of our young engineers active in the job market.

Profile of a Project Engineer in Control Industry

Fatima Mohammed Al-Turabi

General Electric Bahrain Company W.L.L

Describe the industry you work in: GE is everywhere and is a well-known global company. Ministry of Labor nominated me for the position of project engineer/technologist in GE-Bently Nevada. I decided to join GE because the business of vibration monitoring is a highly specialized technology, which makes it a challenge and an exciting field to work at. Knowing that Bently Nevada is a pioneering company in this field, it is very amusing to see customers putting their trust and confident in the brand.

Seeing the Bently Nevada product line evolve with new technologies and products is a source of confidence and inspiration. Every project has its own flavor; however, success of every project lies within the team spirit in the company, and the willingness of every individual to contribute towards success of projects.

Name examples of major companies in the world who are part of this industry and have similar positions.SKF / Yokogawa / EMERSON / Invensys / Honeywell

Project Engineer performs work that crosses

the boundaries between engineering and project

management, leading the technical workers who

contribute to the building of structures or products. In

some cases, the Project Engineer is the same as a Project

Manager but in most cases these two professionals have

joint responsibility for leading a project.

The role of the project engineer can often be described

as that of a liaison between the project manager and

the technical disciplines involved in a project. The project

engineer is also often the primary technical point of

contact for the customer.

Project Engineer’s responsibilities include schedule

preparation and resource forecasting for engineering and

other technical activities relating to the project. They may

also be in charge of performance management of vendors.

They assure the accuracy of financial forecasts, which tie-

in to project schedules. They ensure projects are completed

according to project plans.

Project Engineers manage project team resources and

training, and develop extensive project management

experience and expertise. When project teams are

structured so that multiple specialty disciplines report to

the Project Engineer, then two important responsibilities

of the Project Engineer are inter-discipline coordination

and overall quality control of the work.

From Wikipedia

ENGINEERING CARRERS

ENGINEERING CARRERS 31

What are your main responsibilities?As a project Engineer with GE-Optimization and Control (Technology department). Executing projects for Bently Nevada Protection Systems as well as Condition Monitoring Systems. The job responsibilities include the collection of all project technical design inputs, preparation of functional design documents/drawings and software configuration taking into accounts the compliance with customer specifications, requirements and standards.

Do you have a team working under your supervision? Describe your role and your team’s role please.One of the biggest Company opportunities is the Jubail Export Refinery Project with SATORP & Invensys. I am taking care of leading a team of 8 engineers executing the project for a period of 2 years. My role is to insure team compliance to project specific requirements & overcome the challenges that might be faced. My team responsibilities are to deliver engineered drawings/documents for the supplied GE scope & seek for customer approval.

Do you work as part of a team? Describe your role and contributions to the team please.Yes I work as part of a team including 30 employees in the Technology department. My role is to influence my partners to deliver engineering packages with maintaining high quality, detailed technical data & on-time delivery.

Describe your daily routine?Wake up 6:00 morning , prepare my daughter for school. Reach office 9:00 & work till 6:00. Spend time with family till 10:00.

What kind of interaction do you have with the clients or end users?Our job dictates that we have to continuously stay in communication with our customers through the numerous meetings and calls that take place throughout the different stages of a project. Customers are keen to give their feedback, because they believe that the success of our products is the success of their plants.

How did you advance to become a Lead Project Engineer? How long did that take?It took 4 years. I needed to put up lot of efforts & maintain a high performance. The main challenge faced is to balance between home & work.

How do you view the advancement potential from your current position as Lead Project Engineer?As more tasks are added to my responsibilities, I can clearly see that this position improved my management/leadership skills & learned how important is to be a better communicator with people. One of the key things that GE is trying to polish in my personality is to improve facilitation/Influencing/leadership skills.

Did your BSc studies and degree prepare you to be where you are? When it comes to the technical side, YES, It prepared me to be in my current position.

Education:Bachelor degree In Electronics EngineeringUniversity of Bahrain

Experience:•Worked as a lecturer in the college of Information

Technology-Computer Engineering Department in University of Bahrain (UOB)

•Worked as an Industrial Trainee in the Instrumentation Department of Ministry of Water and Electricity-Bahrain for two months.

Qualifications:•Wide range of Experience with Bently Nevada

products and projects execution inthe AIM region (Africa, India and Middle East).

•Executed Khursaniyah grass root project (2006) with Yokogawa Engineering Asia (YEA) client successfully. This project was the first multi-million project for GE Bently Nevada-Bahrain.

•Awarded the (Global Award and Recognition) award for the External Focus during the beneficial Engineering for Jubail Export Refinery multi-million project.

•Experienced in producing a wide range of documentation including project reports, engineering packages, spreadsheets, drawings, specifications and costing for multi-million projects.

•Skilled in working on multiple projects, responsible for meeting deadlines while maintaining effective working relationships in individual projects.

•Proven Project Management skills including arrangement of main contractors, monitoring procurement and project timelines, negotiation and tender analysis.

•Experienced and comfortable in communicating and presenting information to a range of internal and external clients.

IT Skills:•3500 System Software (Data Acquisition, Display

and Configuration).•SYSTEM-1.•System-1 Decision Support•Assembly programming languages (8085), Pascal,

C, VHDL and Visual Basic.•Operating Systems: Windows (NT, 2000, 2003,

XP).•Computer applications: Logic aid, Logic work,

I-caps, Matlab, Circuit maker, Xilinix, Wincupl.

Certificates:•Bently Nevada (Optimization & Controls) OC

Basics Training•Condition Monitoring System Training (SYSTEM-1).•System-1 Bently Performance.•System-1 Decision Support.•Green Belt (Six Sigma).•First Aid Training.•Building Essential Leader ship Training (BELS).•Microsoft Office Applications (Diploma).•IFIX, HMI and Historian

ALMOHANDIS’ INDEX32

ALMOHANDIS’ Index

Bahrain Local Index 2008 2009Population 1,106,509 Bahrainis 537,719

GDP at current prices (Million) BD8,235.3 BD 7,743.6GDP per Capita BD7,442.6

Revenue (Millions) BD2,677.6 BD1,708.2Expenditure (Millions) BD2,060.3 BD2,082.2Surplus/Deficit (Millions) BD372.1 - BD725.5

Total domestic public debt (Millions) BD705 BD1,348As % of GDP 8.6% 17.4%

Total registered in use vehicles 397,960 426,735 Fixed telephone exchange lines 220,386 229,767Mobile subscribers 1,440,782 1,383,225Internet subscribers 114,502 139,097

Do you know?

1. Bahrain Economic Development Board 2. Bahrain Labour Market Regulatory Authority3. US National Science Foundation4. Martin K. Starr, Columbia Graduate School of Business5. Fernández-Armesto, Millennium: A History of Our Last Thousand Years (1995)6. The British Museum (London) 7. U.S. Department of Energy 8. International Institute for Strategic Studies (London)9. www.payscale.com

Sources:

1Average monthly salary for a western General Manager expatriate in Bahrain: BD5,187/-, in UAE: BD7,223/-, in 9USA: BD5,834/-

1Average monthly income of a mechanic with five years experience in Bahrain: BD222/-, in UAE: BD428/-, in USA: BD1,455/-

2Average monthly wage in all sectors in Bahrain: BD314/-2Average monthly wages for Bahrainis: BD440/-

1Rank of Bahrain as place with best quality of life in the world: 5thIn the Middle East and Africa: 1st

3Percentage of Ph.D. graduates of U.S. engineering schools who are foreigners: 59

4Ratio of engineers to lawyers graduated each year in Japan: 10:1In the United States: 1:10

5Number of Chinese engineers who accompanied the Mongol Khan Hulägu on his siege of Baghdad in 1257: 1,000

6Estimated year in which Baghdadis first harnessed electricity, using clay pots lined with copper: 230 B.C.

7Maximum portion of the chemical energy in gasoline that is used by an internal combustion engine: 1/4

8Number of Middle Eastern nations that have announced plans to pursue nuclear power since January 2007: 13

ALMOHANDIS’ INDEX 33

ALMOHANDIS’ INDEX

1. I ncludes all civilians employed persons in the private and public sectors (insured, uninsured, and self-employed) and domestic workers.

2. Total registered at GOSI.3. Total registered at Civil Service Bureau excluding Ministry of Interior and Bahrain Defense Force.4. Gross salary including allowances.

Source: Central Bank of Bahrain

Q1 2010Total domestic public debt (Millions) BD1,871 As % of GDP 24.2%

Total Employment1 593,660 Bahrainis 138,356 Non-Bahrainis 455,304

Private Sector2 449,010 Bahrainis 81,406 Non-Bahrainis 367,604 Domestic workers and self-employed 104,003

Public Sector3 40,647 Bahrainis 35,429 Non-Bahrainis 5,218

Average Monthly Wages4 Private Sector2 BD276 Bahrainis BD597 Non-Bahrainis BD205

Public Sector3 BD821 Bahrainis BD815 Non-Bahrainis BD856

World Gross Domestic Expenditures on R&D in 2007

GERD = gross domestic expenditure on R&D. Data for Israel is civilian R&D only.

Source: National Science Foundation, USA

ALMOHANDIS’ INDEX34

ALMOHANDIS’ Index

Regional R&D expenditure in billion US$ in 2007


Science & Engineering articles in all fields in 1995 & 2007

National Science Foundation, USASource:

Source of US academic R&D funding


ALMOHANDIS’ INDEX 35

ALMOHANDIS’ INDEX

Source: Doctors of the World 2007

Number of Patients per Doctors in 2007

Book Review

BOOK REVIEW36

THE GOOGLE STORYby David A. Vise

Reviewed by: S. Ali [email protected]

With an ongoing dispute between China’s government & Google Incorporation about the search engine’s censoring level, Google continues to surprise the world & invade territories with new innovative products & services.

Google Incorporation is a history of struggle only for innovation. It all sparked when two IT scientists (Larry Page & Sergey Brin) decided to try building something better than the existing search engine (Alta-vista) at their time. They had to go deep into the core philosophy of search & find methodology that give the best search results at the tip of your hand.

“The Google story” is a book that has been produced by a Google fan & insider, so it has a notable amount of bias towards the company’s vision, missions, actions, conflicts & history, nevertheless, it also illustrates the outstanding strive that has been put by it’s founders to construct a system which is completely simple, smart & unique, at the same time holding an amusing slogan for the company that said “DO NO EVIL”.

Two Mavericks:The two mavericks who descend

from a PHD holder parents, met

together at the time they where

continuing their post graduate

degree in mathematics and

computer science at Stanford

University where to decide the

subject of their PHD Thesis.

Larry & Page just loved science &

technology for the surprise it holds

& used to subscribe for different

classes in biology, chemistry,

genetics & many more subjects

just for the sake of curiosity and

enjoyment.

The quotient of their PHD

thesis came out with a new

search methodology that relies on

number “Citation” related to the

search key words in any document

or data. It had to be demonstrated

to the audience and proven much

more efficient than the existing

search engines that depend on

similarity between the search key

words. Until that point nobody

thought that this will be a base for

the golden mine of creativity and

success.

Things began rolling when the

two scientists decided to download

all of the internet on PCs built and

assembled by them. This was a

real test for their search engine

and it had showed successful and

rewarding performance. This was

done in Google first office which

was a small flat filled with a group

of clever and ambitious people

who were enjoying work with no

business plan, no strategy but the

will to do something new.

BOOK REVIEW 37

BOOK REVIEW

Google Plex:

Google Makes profit:

Going Public:

Horizons of future:

The founders had a basic rule that calls its employees to enjoy their time with positive, informal atmosphere and eventually become more productive. The company expanded day after day with two investors pouring 25 Million dollars into the pockets of Larry & Page corporation. No one had any idea on how Google is going to make its profits or how to utilize the

promising increasing statistics that showed Google to be the most popular search engine. Google was very keen in spending its money wisely when it comes to hardware or software, but had spent flexibly to develop the company’s furniture or to hire a special chief for the company. This revealed a special culture within Google that urges to keep working environment flexible

and relaxing. Today “Google-plex” is a place where business is accomplished only with joy and creativity. You can see programmers swimming with their encodings, engineers discussing their new ideas while watching a movie or playing a video game. The practice had proved to be successful. Google’s employees produce, innovative and pioneer with a smile.

At one point of Google’s life, the company was asked to make profit and had to prove a strong balance sheet if it wants to exist. Page and Larry did not accept any advertisement on their main page

and had insisted to keep it white, clean, simple and easy to browse unlike the traditional marketing approach that was followed in famous websites. It was then, Google introduced the sponsored

advertisements. Google got it’s money only when the consumers click sponsored advertisements via Google. The idea spread like fire, it killed the old virtual marketing style and was a new era in IT marketing.

During the .com (IT) bubble, wall street understood that the silicon valley had many IT companies with stock values much higher than their real capability to generate profit. At that particular moment Google decided to go public. Google went into this based on the rules of “Larry & Page” not Wall street’s SEC. They wanted to present equal chances for everyone regardless their financial abilities to get a bit of Google & also to avoid the monopoly of

large entities. The IPO was a massive success

and Google’s share kept rising up from that day on wards. Today Yahoo’s share stands at a price of 14.07 USD/share, Microsoft (23.27 USD/share) , Apple (247 USD/share) but Google stands on 436 USD/Share. This has revealed the ability to grow steadily and continuously to out rule enormous and prestigious corporations on Wall-street only in a time span of a decade.

“The Google Story” is all about innovation and how it’s return could be the highest. Some people consider Google to be the most important innovation after Gutenberg’s Copy Machine.

Google has still got ambitious plans towards space, genetics, power consumption, geography and much more, where they believe to add value. Meanwhile I urge you to go through “The Google Story”.

ENGINEERING EDUCATION38

Engineering Education

“Quality vs. quantity?”, is a question that I ask myself each time I get disappointed with students’ grades, or when I get blank stares from students who have no idea what I am talking about in class! Should I cover the whole syllabus or should I teach at the absorption rate of the (current batch of) students? What matters most? How much the students learn or how well they learn the covered material? One thing is for sure “Quality vs. quantity” is a difficult balance that must be maintained throughout the semester.

I discuss this issue occasionally with my colleagues. I keep getting different opinions regarding this issue from different faculty. Some of the senior professors believe that covering the entire syllabus is not the problem. They belief the problem lies in the quality of students, which has changed to the worse compared to that of previous students that they have taught. I personally think it’s the perceptions and the priorities of students which have changed. Apparently, many of today’s students join the university because they think that being at the university is a social obligation and activity and getting a degree is a requirement to secure a good job in the future. Hence, the learning comes as a second objective. In addition, there must be other things that the students devote their time to or should I say that there are too many distractions nowadays that it’s hard for them to concentrate on their studies. Other professors believe that the objective is not really to teach

them the entire syllabus, but to teach them as much as they can learn and understand even if that means teaching less than half of the original course material. Well, my take on this approach is that if the students sensed that this is the instructor’s technique in teaching then they will depend on spoon feeding and they will not do their job of trying to learn outside the class.

The best opinion that I have heard is that the whole syllabus, or at least its majority, should be covered during the semester; however, the depth to which the topics are taught can vary according to the students’ capabilities and interest. There will always be variations in the quality of students within each batch and from one batch to another, but the standards should not be compromised a lot.

While designing a new course syllabus and while teaching a course, one should bear in mind Paul Gary’s statement (a former MIT president) “It’s not how much you cover, it’s how much you uncover.”

Quality versus Quantity

DR. SHAKER M HAJI

ASSISTANT PROFESSORDEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL

ENGINEERING

BSE ACTIVITIES & NEWS

BSE Activities & News

40

Amid festive environment which coincided with the workers celebration of their annual day, the Bahrain Society of Engineers organized its annual celebrations for recognition of the Society’s members and friends at the Lafontaine Restaurant yesterday evening. The number of members being recognized reached 110 of prominent Society members

Eng. Abdul Majeed Al-Qassab, President of the Society, said that this recognition comes to complement the Society’s developmental march to realize the outstanding performance of the members and to encourage them to reach to higher plateaus of initiative, creativity and generous giving. He stressed the fact that the Society continued during the year 2009 to realize significant accomplishments and feats and great successes. The Society could not possibly have achieved this had it not been for the pooling of the effort and the dedication of all its members in volunteering

spirit which contributed to highlighting the Society’s functions and events during the past years in an honorable and becoming manner, whether in international conferences, training courses, or the Society’s social, professional and media activities, coupled with member and community service efforts.

He confirmed that the number of members who participated in the Society’s volunteer endeavor is growing continuously. The Society is determined to motivate its members to perfect their practice of the profession, improve performance, besides encouragement of self – development. He underscored the Society’s Since its formation, it has been the Society’s intention to place the community service, development, prosperity, hard work at the top of its priorities as the hallmark and mainstay of the Society’s endeavor in order to realize our objectives of advancing the engineer in the various disciplines in the service of the society and promotion of the engineer himself.

The annual recognition ceremony The Bahrain Society of Engineers honors 110 of its prominent members

BSE ACTIVITIES & NEWS 41



organized its first and second Ramadan

GHABQH at the Society’s headquarters

in Jufair in collaboration with the Liaison

Office of the Jordanian Engineers

Syndicate and the Institute of Electrical

Engineers (IET).

Abdul Majeed Al-Qassab, President

of the Bahrain Society of Engineers said

that: “The Society plays an effective role

in celebrating Islam and strengthening

the Islamic values through organization

of such prominent functions. It has

been the practice in the Society’s policy

to approximate and consolidate the

relationships between the Society’s

members, their families and friends in

addition to the professional societies

of similar persuasions and bring them

together at one table decorated with

beautiful Ramadan speeches and religious

songs which add special character to this

congregation.”

The celebration program, which was

attended by many Society members

and their families, in addition to the

presence of the students of the Faculty

of Engineering from Bahrain University,

Bahrain Polytechnic and Bahrain Training

Institute, included several recreation and

cultural episodes and competitions which

created special competitive ambiance in

the celebratory event.

The Bahrain Society of Engineers Organizes its Ramadan GHABQAH ?


BSE Activities & News

42


issued a communiqué by its secretary

Engr. Mohammad Ali Al-Khuzai, in

which the society joined forces with

the communiqué of the Arab Engineers

Union in which they incriminated the

Israeli forces attack in the international

waters of the Mediterranean Sea against

the freedom flotilla heading toward the

city of Gaza which has been under siege

for the last three years and in which 750

persons participated from more than 50

countries in solidarity with the besieged

city. The flotilla was carrying 10000 tons of

humanitarian aid to the citizens of Gaza.

The act was considered a grave act of

piracy which violated all international and

humanitarian laws. The attack resulted in

the death of and injury to tens of persons

and is considered an unacceptable crime,

especially as the objective of the fleet was

humanitarian, namely delivery of medical

and humanitarian materials to mitigate the

suffering of the citizen of Gaza strip.

Engr. Al-Khuzai said the barbaric attack

launched by the Jewish entity against the

freedom flotilla which was spearheaded

by the Turkish vessel “MARMARAH” and

which resulted in the death of 19 activists

and wounding of tens others aboard the

loaded vessel is regarded as international

piracy and stark violation of international

and humanitarian laws and norms and

nobody can interpret it any other way.

He pointed out that this was the first

time in history in which an assault force

maintained that it was in self-defence. Also

the usurping entity attacked “Arab and

foreign sympathizers who tried to break

an inhumane and unjust siege clamped

on our people in Gaza for no reason other

than having exercised their democratic

right of selection.

Engr. Al-Khuzai confirmed that the

freedom flotilla succeeded in breaking

the siege before it arrived at the strip

and drew the attention of the whole

world to the suffering of Gaza people

and the intransigence and arrogance

of the occupation which was clearly

demonstrated by its constant threats to

the flotilla.

Engr. Al-Khuza’i was astounded by

the world silence about what transpired

in Gaza strip and the Palestinian

lands notwithstanding the language

of the Security Council’s resolution

No.1860/2009, which considered Gaza

Strip as part and parcel of the “Palestinian

State” as well as part of the lands occupied

since 1967 which were under the Israeli

control, which confirmed that the status

of the relief campaign and the procedures

taken were completely sound from a legal

point of view at the international level,

coupled with the absence of any violation

that Israel may monitor against the

freedom flotilla and the participants in it.

Engr. Al-Khuzai pleaded to all civil society

institutions in the Kingdom of Bahrain to

reconfirm their support in various ways

and means for our struggling people in

Palestine and not to restrict their positions

to mere reactions to the massacres and

crimes perpetrated by the Jewish enemy

and documented by the media. He urged

the institutions to keep their support well,

alive and continuous at all times as long as

the occupation continues to be intransigent

and arrogant.

The Bahrain Society of Engineers demand lifting the siege on Gaza


participated, by a delegation comprising

Engr. Jamil Khalaf Al-Alawi, Director

of Conferences and Engr. Masood Al-

Harami, in the seminar on “Engineering

Profession Exercise Laws and Engineers

Classification System” which was

organized under the patronage of

Mohammad bin Al-Zubair, Advisor of

Sultan Qabus for Economic Planning

Affairs and the Oman Engineers Society,

in collaboration with the Gulf Engineering

Union in the Sultanate of Oman.

Engr. Al-Alawi said this seminar was

regarded as inauguration of a fresh

phase of the engineering professional

work and performance as it lays the

foundation work for an effective

role undertaken by the professional

societies in general and the engineering

associations in particular in the service

of the nation. The seminar also

underscored the importance of the

joint Gulf professional endeavor and

cooperation between the sons of the Gulf

which targets continuous professional

promotion and development and

appreciates knowledge, experience

and qualifications. Also, the seminar

organizes and streamlines the

professional duties and responsibilities in

addition to addressing the engagement

in the engineering profession in all

its dimensions and to a specifically

significant aspect, namely engineering

evaluation and classification.

The Bahrain Society of Engineers participates in a professional seminar in the Sultanate of Oman

BSE ACTIVITIES & NEWS 43



expressed congratulations to the Bahrain

outstanding students who excelled during

the year 2010 and wished them further

progress in their learning process for the

service of our beloved Kingdom of Bahrain.

Eng. Abdulmajeed Al-Qassab, President

of the Bahrain Society of Engineers said

the Society takes this opportunity to

congratulate the students who worked

hard and diligently to have their names on

top of the honor lists published on local

newspapers.

Al-Qassab added that the Society would

urge the students to sustain the effort in

order to keep their excellence and to nurture

their capacities and skills so as to contribute

to the Kingdom’s development plans and

consolidate the nation’s growth in all fields.

He pointed out that the Society serves

notice to the students who are interested in

studying the various engineering specialties

in Bahrain University to get in touch with the

Society to find out and acquaint themselves

with the procedures applicable to Hisham

Shihabi Educational Scholarships.

Al-Qassab drove home the message that

the culture which involves the scholarships

offered by the Bahrain Society of Engineers

to the student interested in pursuing the

various engineering specialties represents

a push to arrive at outstanding generations

of engineers capable of completing the

growth progress and pioneering spirit that

Bahrain is now experiencing. He asserted

that sponsorship by the Bahrain Society

of Engineers of the students interested in

the various engineering disciplines comes

in support of the educational movement

in the country and an extension of its

lofty message and role in participating

with the public sector and members of

the community out of consideration for its

social responsibility.

It is worth noting that the Bahrain Society

of Engineers initiated this action 15 years

ago and the number of the students who

benefitted from the scholarships offered

by the Society for the various engineering

specialties up to the current university year

stands at more than 60 male and female

students.

The Bahrain Society of EngineersCongratulates top performing students and allocates Shihabi Engineering Scholarships

Summer program for the members of the Bahrain Society of Engineers and their families


organized a summer program for the year

2010 which featured a number of activities

and events which are predominantly

recreational and educational at the same

time dedicated to the sons of the Society

members.

Suzan Ajjawi, Director of General

Activities in the Society of Engineers, stated

that the committee, and out of keen desire

to polish and hone the skills, fill the leisure

time of the male and female students, in

addition to all age categories between six

and 15 years old, allocated as part of the

program for this year two key activities,

the first a lesson in drawing and painting

and the other for chess learning, besides

associated activities organized by the

committee during the period from 10 July

through 30 August at the premises of the

Society in Jufair.

Ajjawi said those who enroll in the

activities will acquire the skill to hone

their artistic talents, give free reign to

their imagination and enthusiasm in the

fundamentals of drawing and pencil

shadowing, basics of color mixing, selection

of the appropriate color and the theme

selected for the drawing and painting, in

addition to acquaintance with the basics

of chess to create a generation which

will compete in local and international

tournaments.

CONFERENCES

Conferences

44

His Excellency Eng. Fahmi bin Ali Al-Jawdar, Minister of Works and Supervising Minister of the National Oil and Gas Authority, and with the presence of Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza, Minister of Oil and Gas Affairs, patronized the 2010 Energy and Water Conservation conference and Exhibition (EXPO 2010, organized at Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center during the period from 14 through 16 June 2010. The event was organized by the Authority in collaboration with the Bahrain Society of Engineers, the patronage of the National Oil and Gas Authority and the participation of several local and international industries and companies and specialists.

It is worth noting that the Electricity and Water Conservation Symposium and Exhibition (Expo 2010) is viewed

as a good opportunity for the participants and visitors alike to be acquainted with ways and means which will contribute to conservation of energy. It is also one of the great congregations which are organized on a regular basis in the Kingdom of Bahrain to explore and discuss several energy- related issues considering

the fact that it brings together both the energy producers and consumers. Conservation of energy is regarded as common mass responsibility for the promotion and optimum exploitation of this sector for a better future for the benefit and welfare of all in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Bahrain Society of Engineers organized, in collaboration with the Gulf Society for Maintenance Professionals, the Middle East Maintenance Conference and Exhibition under the patronage of the Minister of Oil and Gas Affairs and Head of the National Oil and Gas Authority, Abdul Hussain Mirza, during the period from 5 to 8 December, at the Gulf International

Conference and Conventions in the Gulf Hotel.

Jamil Al-Alawi, Director of Conferences in the Bahrain Society of Engineers, said that the conference addressed through specialized work papers all matters related to the maintenance, efficiency and cost of maintenance equipment and will propose alternative solutions thereto. The work papers will also

The Bahrain Society of Engineersparticipates in the organization of the Energy and Water Conservation Conference and Exhibition 2010

The Bahrain Society of Engineers organizes the Middle East Maintenance conference and Exhibition

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discuss methods of treatment and storage of the most recent instrumentation and technologies used for this purpose.

Al-Alawi stated that an exhibition organized during the conference housed the most recent discoveries and technologies for utilization in the maintenance of plant and work location equipment and machinery, noting that this conference will be held for the first time ever in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Conference Director reasserted that the Bahrain Society of Engineers is quite anxious and will go to great length to organize

such conferences and exhibitions or otherwise participate in the organization of both local and international specialized events in the various disciplines of engineering or anything closely or remotely associated with the engineering world and at the same time serves the interests of the engineer in Bahrain. He pointed out that the conference tourism is conducive to consolidating the Kingdom’s position in the light of the cut-throat competition from neighboring countries. Conference tourism is also regarded as one of the most important branches of tourism as

a true money spinner with high material yield which will favorably reflect on Bahrain’s economy and will contribute to invigorating the commercial, economic and tourism traffic, in addition to the promotion of the various investments in the Kingdom in a way that would contribute to the development and growth of the various sectors, benefit from the expertise and credentials of the participants and exhibitors and conduction of high powered dialogues and discussions conducive to the development of the work force.

Bahrain Society of Engineers organizes a conference on Environmental development in petroleum and petrochemical industries

The Bahrain Society of Engineers organized in the Kingdom of Bahrain during the period 18 to 21 April 2010 the “6th Specialized Conference on Environmental Development in Petroleum and Petrochemical Industry” in collaboration with the Environment Management and Technologies Society in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Chapter of the Air and Waste Management society and the Saudi Environment Society.

His Excellency the Minister of Oil and Gas Affairs and Chairman of the National Oil and Gas Authority, Abdul Husain Ali Mirza said during the celebration: the Authority is keen on participating in the events and functions which shed light on the environment and the challenges the environment is facing as a result of climate

change.He confirmed that the Kingdom

seeks to develop the clean energy technologies, select the necessary optimal methodology for conservation, nurturing of the environment and prevention of pollution. He underscored the fact that this keen desire of the Authority comes from the heart of the solicitous care and attention by the wise leadership in the Kingdom to the issues of the environment and its impact on man’s health and the community at large.

Mr. Mirza added that the government goes to great length to enact legislations and laws that would ensure conservation of the environment. As a result, Bahrain has landed numerous international recognition awards in the field of environment thanks to its compliance with

the international trends in the propagation of environmental awareness and conservation.

His Excellency the Minister made it clear that the oil and gas sector in the Kingdom is committed to the environmental conditions and procedures and satisfaction of the international standards in the field of

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Conferences

46

environment. The oil subsidiaries of the Oil and Gas Holding Company implemented several environmental projects designed to protect and conserve the environment.

In this area, Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) is investing massive funds on implementation of mega environmental projects. They secured financing loans to the tune of 1.1 billion dollars for investment in confronting the existing environmental challenges and consolidation of the commitment to the green environment demands, coupled with sustained growth in its other investment projects.

The subsidiaries implemented some high tech projects for protection of the environment, such as the low sulfur diesel production project and the desulfurization of the Refinery gases besides the treatment of the water used in the Refinery processes. BAPCO also inaugurated Shaikah Sabika Park in Awali which serves as a symbol of the mega environmental and aesthetic projects in Bahrain.

Also, Gulf Petrochemical Industries implemented numerous environmental projects an earned excellence awards in the areas of the environment, health and safety. On the other hand, Bahrain National Gas Company (BANAGAS) undertakes processing of all available quantities of gas using technically safe and sound methods with minimal damage to the environment.

By the same token, Eng. Abdul Majeed Al-Qassab, Chairman of the Bahrain Society of Engineers, said five successful conferences were organized on

the environmental development over the past ten years. The five conferences were held under a single title covering various topics on environmental issues. He added that the environmental issue has grown into one of the key subjects that fulfill the demands and interests of the companies operating in oil fields, petroleum industry and the industries in general.

Al-Qassab highlighted the fact that these conferences contribute in a major way to spreading awareness in the community members. For this reason, this conference is expected to attract the attention of not less than 600 participants of engineers, specialists and people interested in environmental issues in the GCC states, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, the United States of America and the Far East who will participate in the conference workshops and the exhibition which will be organized on the margin of the conference for display of the most recent and up-to-date industrial and technological products related to the environmental field.

Al-Qassab said: “the greatest credit for the sustained success

of this conference up to the highest standards primarily goes back to the support and back up by His Excellency the Minister of Oil and Gas Affairs and his constant directives to the steering committee which are designed to produce this momentous event in a manner that would do justice and honor to our beloved Kingdom. This is besides the great support provided by the Bahraini participating companies which highlight by their sponsorship of the conference their keen desire to comply with the international environmental standards and conditions and creation of partnerships between participants, be they companies or specialists, to work on elimination of the environmental pollution phenomena. This has reflected in the great popularity which we have experienced so far in the participation in the conference, exhibition and workshops.”

The Director of Conferences in Bahrain Society of Engineers and Head of the conference steering committee, Jamil Al-Alawi, pointed out that the scientific committee of the conference had received more than 100 technical

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Under the patronage of the Minister of the Bureau of His Highness the Prime Minister, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, and the organization of Bahrain Society of Engineers, the 2010 Bahrain International Property Exhibition (BIPEX) events in its 6th cycle this year was opened Thursday 11 November at Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center.

In this regard, the Head of the Media Committee of Bahrain International Property Exhibition 2010, Ridwan Mumtaz, gave a presentation on the exhibition in a ceremony staged recently by Salmaniya Rotary Club at the Bahrain Golden Tulip Hotel.

The display included information on the key sponsors of the exhibition, media partners, marketing strategy and the promotional campaign of this outstanding annual event which has been awaited for a long period of time in the region.

The most salient functions

which accompanied the exhibition included the technical property seminar which provide technical details needed by the prospective investors. The seminar covered issues such as the “challenges facing real estate financing” and “value engineering”.

papers presented by speakers from 15 countries in addition to workshops addressing the various environmental aspects such as sanitary drainage water treatment technology.

It is worth noting that the conference has received the support of Bahraini companies

and several Gulf agencies at the top of which is Saudi Aramco, Khafji Joint Operations Company as platinum sponsors. The gold sponsors included Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), AES International Company, Durrat al-Bahrain, Gulf Petrochemical Company, Saudi

SNC Laflane Company [?], while the Gulf Industrial Investment Company, Bahrain National Gas Company (BANAGAS), AL MANARAH for Development and the Environment Development Company Ltd. are silver sponsors of the conference.

Organized by the Bahrain Society of Engineers “BIPEX” launches a technology seminar on the real estate sector

48 TRAINING COURSES

Training Courses

Under the patronage of Eng. Abdul

Majeed Al-Qassab, President of the

Bahrain Society of Engineers, the project

managers’ preparation and training

course was launched. The course was

organized by the Bahrain Society of

Engineers at the Society’s headquarters

in Jufair in collaboration with the Bahrain

Chapter of the Project Management

Institute with the participation of 24

male and female participants in the

various specialties.

Eng. Al-Qassab said that the Bahrain

Society of Engineers had actively worked

since its formation on consolidating the

culture of training, engineering and

administrative excellence and associated

sciences, on building bridges for

knowledge and skills communication,

exchange of expertise and new

developments in the various fields, at

the top of which is the engineering

field through adoption and support of

a package of services, programs, events,

functions, gatherings, conferences and

workshops. The Society actively seeks

to attract the largest number possible

of members and interested parties in

the effort to make the Society serve as

a suppository of scientific reference and

an expertise home for the engineer in

Bahrain so as to attain excellence and

creativity in the engineering environment

and all things related to engineering

sciences. Through the Society, solutions

are being innovated, coupled with the

launch off activities which will contribute

to filling or burying the cultural gap in

Bahrain for the sake of introduction of

a generation with better awareness of

and familiarity with the massive and

accelerated developments that we live

through in the various disciplines of

knowledge and sciences in addition

to the formation of a clear picture of

the importance of the administration

and development courses for the

individuals of the community with the

The Training Center of the Bahrain

Society of Engineers organized a

training course on the Basic Skills of the

Successful Manager at the rate of six

courses during the month of October in

the Society’s seminar auditorium under

the supervision of Eng. Dia Tawfiqi.

The Director of Training in the Bahrain

Society of Engineers, Huda Sultan, said

that this course addresses the basic skills

to be fulfilled by the successful manager

through application of the fundamental

skills of the successful manager, including

communication skills, effective day to day

management, promotion of employee

relations, and taking advantage of group

learning and training. The Director of

Training also said that the course will

depend on the presentation made by

the lecturer on the various topics, in

addition to practical applications and

group activity by dividing the participants

in small groups. The participant will

acquire and benefit from the lecturer’s

extensive and varied experience in

several aspects of management in

addition to a copy of the book of the

lecturer recently issued under the title

“Management Fundamentals”. About

the program course, she explained that

the course would focus in its various

components on the management of

meetings, effective report writing,

communications, employee relations,

committee management, presentation

skills, conducting interviews and focus

on how to be a leader.

It is worth noting that Dia Tawfiqi is

a civil engineer who holds a master’s

degree from Lafabra [?] University in

Britain and is now preparing a doctorate

thesis in project management. He boasts

of long and extensive experience in the

arts of management and various fields

in the private and government sectors

and volunteerism. Dia is also member in

several professional and management

organizations and institutes in the

various countries of the world. He served

as president of the Bahrain Society of

Engineers from the year 1966 up to the

year 2002 and he is now the incumbent

President of the Bahrain Society for

Strategic Planning.

A training course on “Preparation and training of Project Managers” organized by the Bahrain Society of Engineers and the Project Management Institute

Basic skills of the successful manager course at the Bahrain Society of Engineers

49TRAINING COURSES

TRAINING COURSES

joint cooperation between the members,

the parties interested in training and

development and the government and

private agencies.

The President of the Bahrain Society

of Engineers stated that this course

is being offered for the purpose of

qualifying the participants to pass the

PMP examination (qualification of experts

in project management), due to the

pressing need in the gulf in general and

in Bahrain in particular for expert and

qualified managers to lead and manage

the numerous mega projects in the region

and successful management capable

of the right direction and conditioning

according to the changes in the data and

developments as they unfold. The course

has also been established for resolution

of several important inquiries which must

be fulfilled by the project managers or

the teams working with them, namely:

how to develop and generate an effective

work plan for a project, how to identify

the potential sources of problems in

your project and how to deal with them,

how to be a project manager of the type

that takes the initiative, who goes to

great length to explore and anticipate

the problems before they occur rather

than wait until they transpire to set up

procedures and solutions, how to manage

the expectations of the stakeholders and

help everyone to focus on the success of

the project? The most suitable method

for identification of the contents of the

project, how to reach a unified consensus

with all parties on a single understanding

and agreement on such content, what

really initiation [?] of the project means,

the importance of the proper preparation

of the project charter, how correct and

valid development of the project work

plan will amazingly raise the bar of the

chances of the project success, the spirit

that the project manager must entertain

during the successful implementation

of the project plan and keeping the

stakeholders’ interest channeled to and

focused on the project, how the project

control and monitoring must be closely

associated with and linked to the reference

line of the project, how to identify in

advance the potential sources of deviation

off the project, how to close the project in

a manner that would highlight its success

and keep the lessons that must be learned

in subsequent projects in the future, how

to solve and treat the disputes that may

occur between the stakeholders in a way

that would keep intact the objectives for

which the project has been established

and how to set the groundwork for an

environment for resolution of the disputes

between the stakeholders and the hurdles

that may face the project for a win-win

situation.

Al-Qassab reconfirmed that the Bahrain

Society of Engineers, in collaboration

with the Bahrain Chapter of the Project

Management Institute managed to

qualify more than 144 experts in project

management and to secure the required

accreditation. The Institute also provides

the participants with the qualified and

experienced trainers in addition to an

outstanding curriculum which is being

updated and audited ion a continuous

basis and all materials and references

required by the participant, which would

help him in the practical applications

and passing the examinations, besides

electronic documents and forms to assist

the participant in the project management

and save a lot of time, adjustment to the

amounts budgeted for the project and

how to rationalize them, in addition to

post course advantages in the form of

communication and discussion forum.

Advanced training course on FIDIC’s contracting conditions organized by the Bahrain Society of Engineers


organized a training course on FIDIC’s

contracting conditions at the Society’s

premises in Jufair under the supervision

of Dr. Munther Moosa Sakit and with

the participation of 26 participants in

the various engineering disciplines.

Eng. Huda Sultan, Manager of

Training in the Bahrain Society of

Engineers said that during this course

the lecturer Dr. Sakit shed light on the

solutions that the market needed to

exit from the difficult crisis in settlement

of disputes, problems between the

engineers and the contractors and

between developers and contractors. In

addition, the course addressed the most

important forms of VIDEC contracts. This

system has developed typical conditions

for the various construction contracts.

The conditions cover all parties

participating in the construction project

and the forms are printed and published

for utilization since the year 1957 until

today in construction projects, especially

projects of international projects. The

conditions can also be used in domestic

50 TRAINING COURSES

Training Courses

construction projects after incorporation

of certain changes therein. These

contracts cover the relationship

between the parties of the construction

project, namely the project proponent,

contactor and engineer (consultant).

The training manager stated that the

issues of business ethics and integrity

in the engineering work and correct

practices have grown to acquire added

interest by the International Federation

of Consulting Engineers and global

financial institutions, especially the

World Bank which finances many of

the developmental projects in the

world as part of the efforts of these

institutions to consolidate business

ethics and combating of dishonorable

practices. The International Federation

of Consulting Engineers, which is based

in Geneva, is a conglomeration of the

engineering organizations from around

the world, especially those concerned

with engineering consultation.

Eng. Hassan Hakim, one of the

course participants, said for many

years people were talking frequently in

local gatherings and functions about

the importance of FIDIC’s contracts

for regulation of work within the

contracting and constructions sector

and the need for them with the

surfacing of many legal disputes and

differences over construction contracts

and that during this course which is

organized by the Bahrain Society of

Engineers, I wanted to be acquainted

with ways and means for resolution of

disputes in international construction

contracts “FIDIC” and the impact of

application of these contracts to the

construction and contracting industry in

Bahrain.

It is worth noting that Dr. Mundhir

Sakit is a specialist in the field of

construction contracts and project

management and made several training

courses in a number of countries. He is

also a certified arbitrator in disputes.

Bahrain Society of Engineers and the Project Management Institute organize The “Project Managers Preparation and Training for PMP Certification”


organized at the Society’s

headquarters in Jufair and in

collaboration with the Bahrain


Institute, a training course in

technical project management (PMP)

in order to qualify the participants

for passing PMP examinations. The

course was attended by 18 male and

female participants in the various

disciplines.

Eng. Abdul Majeed Al-Qassab,

President of the Bahrain Society

of Engineers, said that this course

was considered one of the fruits of

constructive cooperation between

the Society and the effective sectors

in the community for exchange of

experiences which would favorably

reflect on the participants.

Engr. Al-Qassab said that the

course aims at the academic and

practical preparation and training of

project managers to qualify them for

PMP certification. He indicated that

the participant would enjoy a number

of advantages during participation in

this course, namely understanding the

registration mechanism, method and

scheduling, answering and dealing

with questions similar to those of

the examination, formulation of a

strategy for dealing the examination

within the designated time frame,

obtaining resources, abstracts and

hundreds of similar questions and

templates to help in passing the

examination and making a time plan

to take the examination after the

course.

Al-Qassab added that the course

had been established to answer

a number of important questions

which must be available with project

managers or persons working with

them, namely: ways and means for

developing an effective work plan for

the project, method for identification

of possible sources of problems

in the project and how to address

them, how to be a project manager

of the type that takes the initiative

who goes to great length to explore

the problems before they take place

and does not wait until they happen

to find solutions and procedures

for them, how to manage the

expectations of the stakeholders and

assist all to focus on the success of

the project, the most suitable method

for identification of the project

content and how to reach a common 51TRAINING COURSES

TRAINING COURSES

understanding and agreement with

all parties on the project content,

what really commencement of the

project means, the importance of

suitable preparation of the project

charter, how the correct formulation

of a project work plan will greatly

enhance the chances of the project

success, the spirit that the project

manager must entertain during

implementation of the plan for the

project success and maintaining the

interest of the project stakeholders

channeled and directed to the

project, how the control and

monitoring of the project must be

closely associated with and linked

to the project reference line, how to

identify in advance the anticipated

sources of deviation from the project

plan, how to close the project in a

way that would highlight its success

and keep the lessons learned for

utilization in subsequent future

projects, how to resolve and treat

the disputes that may occur between

the stakeholders in a way that would

preserve the project and the purposes

for which it has been established, and

how to set up an environment for

resolution of the disputes between

the stakeholders and the hurdles that

may scuttle the project for a win-win

situation.

Engr. Al-Qassab confirmed that

the Bahrain Chapter of the Project

Management Institute will provide

the participants with the highly

qualified and experienced trainers, an

outstanding curriculum that is being

updated and audited on an ongoing

basis, all materials and references

that the participant may be in need of

to assist in the practical applications

and ultimately passing the test, in

addition to electronic documents

and models that would assist the

participant during and post the

course in the project management

and saving plenty of time as the

Institute will organize a forum for

communication and discussion.

Development of academic and practical capacities:

Eng. Hind Bujairi, one of the course

participants, said: I enrolled in this

course out of my strong desire to

develop and promote my academic

and practical capacities as this course

will add up several issues and things,

including project management

certification, specifications, the

qualities that distinguish the

professional project manager and

how to acquire them, the ability to

compare between several projects

and determination of the best

one, establishment of the project

and definition of its requirements,

drawing up of a detailed plan for the

project covering the time and financial

tables, formation and promotion

of the project management team,

reconciling among its members,

ability to foretell and study potential

risks which may impede the project

and devising of alternative plans

to deal with them, development

of a plan for the project supplies

and procurements, utilization of

information systems appropriate

for the project, development of a

communication plan, identification

of the suitable quality standards and

policies appropriate for the project,

familiarity with and crystallization

of the requirements of the project’s

vital components to end up with

results which meet the requirements,

resolution of and redressing the

difficulties which may impede the

project progress and proper turning

over of the project in the required

manner.

Bujairi stated that the contents

of the course shed light on several

issues, including the overall

framework of project management,

the life cycle and organization

of the project, the knowledge

information of project management,

the project management processes

packages, initial planning of the

processes packages, passing by the

reference plans of the content, the

time table, and management of

human resources, procurements,

communications, risk record,

monitoring and control processes and

ending with the closure operations, in

addition to complete study cases for

several projects and model drills and

questions for the final examination.

Eng. Bujairi expressed her thanks

and appreciation to the Bahrain


Institute for organizing such

important courses which aim at

promoting the practical and career

life of the participant. She also

thanked Bahrain Society of Engineers

for sponsoring this event in addition

to each male and female student for

participating in the course because

their participation contribute to

enriching the discussion sessions in

addition to acquisition and exchange

of expertise.

52 TRAINING COURSES

Training Courses

The training committee in the

Bahrain Society of Engineers organized

the basic project management

training course at the Bahrain Crown

Plaza Hotel under the supervision of

Dr. Ghalib Abassi.

Eng. Huda Sutlan, Manager

of Training in Bahrain Society of

Engineers said the objective of this

course is to have the participants

acquire the necessary concepts for

efficient management of resources in a

way that would achieve the objectives

of the project. The participant will

discover the importance of being

proactive and a practitioner of all

leadership and communication skills.

It is worth mentioning that Dr.

Ghalib Abassi has been a certified

trainer for thirty years with vast

experience in project management,

contracting, real estate development,

contract administration, and

management of academic circles.

He also has experience in the fields

of engineering, management,

economics, feasibility studies,

project management and software

programing, including project

multiple sclerosis [?], Primavera, Excel,

Word, Power Point, Visio and others.

All this will naturally enable him to

be proficient in the management of

all aspects of the projects to meet the

time tables, budgets and performance

parameters.

Bahrain Society of Engineers organizes the basic project management training course

Bahrain Society of Engineers

organized a proposal course for

specialists in the Auditorium of Eng.

Hisham al-Shihabi at the Bahrain Society

of Engineers under the supervision of

lecturer John Blackways.



Engineers said the objective of the

course is to realize positive and

effective results in the field of general

presentation through communication

and where the participants would

acquire the necessary skills for planning,

preparation and delivery of the business

proposals with great returns.

It is worth noting that Mr. John

Blackways is a lecturer at the masters’

level in business administration and

a certified lecturer in the field of

project management certified by

the International Institute of Project

Management.

Bahrain Society of Engineers organizes a course on “Business Proposal Writing” for specialists

53TRAINING COURSES

TRAINING COURSES


allocated five seats free of charge for

attending the successful manager basic

skills course presented by Eng. Deya

Abdul Aziz Tawfiqi over six sessions in two

weeks beginning on 10 up to 21 October

from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Society’s

headquarters.

Manager, Membership and Profession

Affairs, Dr. Abdul Imam Al-Sammak said

that the Bahrain Society of Engineers had

been active ever since its establishment on

consolidating the culture of continuous

training and development in the various

sciences, especially aspects of knowledge

related to the engineering field.

Consequently, the Society goes to great

length at all times to allocate free seats in

several fields, including training courses as

well as attendance of local and international

conferences. The Society also seeks to

build bridges of knowledge and skill

communication, exchange of experiences

and development in the various fields at

the top of which is the engineering field

through adoption of a vast collection of

services, programs, functions, courses and

workshops with the agencies interested in

training and development issues whether

in the government or the private sector for

the service of the engineering sector and

engineers in Bahrain.

The Training Committee of Bahrain

Society of Engineers organized a

training course on cost estimation and

control at the Bahrain Crown Plaza

Hotel under the supervision of Dr. Tariq

Rashid.



Engineers said this course aims at

developing and honing the skills of

participation in terms of possible

estimation of the total cost of the

project which is a science concerned

with evaluation of the project cost for

feasibility study purposes in addition

to cost estimation for the purpose

of arriving at the most suitable

alternatives for implementation of the

project (system estimate) by proposing

different alternatives for evaluation of

the cost in order to arrive at the best

and most cost effective alternatives.

The Society’s Training Manager

stated that the course shed light on the

fundamentals of project management,

explanation of the technology for

setting different dates, the cost, the

time table, material control, and

presentations on the technologies of

different estimation methods, control

of project costs in addition to acquired

value management.

It is worth mentioning that Dr. Tariq

Rashid is Assistant Professor of Civil

Engineering, University of Jordan, a

lecturer in Dubai University, Faculty of

Business Administration, with extensive

interest in administrative training

courses. He is currently a certified

trainer for several administrative and

technical courses and consultant

of a number of local, regional and

international institutions for personal

and organizational development in the

evaluation of training requirements.

Bahrain Society of Engineers allocates 5 free seats for the successful manager basic skills course

Dr. Abdul Imam Al-Sammak

Cost estimation and control coursein Bahrain Society of Engineers

54 TUESDAY FORUM

Tuesday Forum

The Bahrain Society of Engineers hosted during “Tuesday Gathering” a seminar on integrated solutions for smart homes and offices in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Ms. Danah Al-Rayes, Vice President in T-LINX Company for Smart Buildings Solutions, made a presentation on the most recent breakthroughs of international technology in the field of smart buildings which play a primary role in the international trend toward endorsement of environmentally-friendly buildings in terms of minimization of power consumption in these buildings, in addition to satisfaction of the most recent means of comfort in homes and offices. The lecture comes as one of the initiatives of the Bahrain Society of Engineers to offer all things new in the field of technology to its members in particular and the interested parties in general. It also reconfirms the Society’s support for Bahraini experiences in the various fields.

The seminar addressed an explanation of the concept of integrated solutions for smart buildings which rely on interfacing the illumination, air conditioning and public address systems in the building to a single integrated unitary system which provides capabilities of control over all these systems through touch screens inside the building or otherwise remote control by cellular phone or the

internet. The illumination and air conditioning systems will operate in the presence of a person in the building and are automatically shut off if the building is not in use during the weekends or outside working hours, which would effectively reduce the electrical energy consumption. These advanced systems which boast of high specifications of accuracy, precision and quality have been in use in technologically advanced countries for more than a decade.

The seminar also included presentation of the most recent studies on the applications of integrated solutions for smart buildings form the various corners of the world, and especially the smart buildings constructed in the Gulf region. The participants also discussed the importance of adoption of these solutions and applications in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the issues which frustrate the spread of extensive utilization of this technology in the

Kingdom of Bahrain. At the end of the seminar, the participants reconfirmed the importance of sustained awareness efforts of this sophisticated technology so that everybody may be familiar with their benefits, whether for personal use or in the field of business in general.

The seminar was massively attended by the members of the Society in addition to a number of persons interested in the technology of smart buildings from the Bahrain University, Bahrain Polytechnic and interior design offices.

It is worth noting that T-LINX is a consulting Bahraini concern established in the year 2008 as a company specialized in the solutions of smart buildings and infrastructure solutions of telecommunications and information technology of the real estate sector. T-LINX is the strategic partner of ULTRA Group of Spain, a pioneering company in fabrication and the making of smart homes and office solutions.

T- LINX Consulting offers integrated solutions to smart homes and offices

55TUESDAY FORUM

TUESDAY FORUM

The Bahrain Society of Engineers organized as part of Tuesday gathering a lecture entitled “Roads in Bahrain” in Eng. Hisham Al-Shihabi Auditorium in the Society’s headquarters.

The lecture shed light on the Bahrain plans and strategies to curb the problem of traffic crowdedness in addition to identification of the most important causes of the problem, passing by the key applicable curricula, ways and means of developing them, integrated transport strategy, smart transport system and the arrangements used as candidates for boosting the public transport system.

The lecture was split up in two parts on the same topic where Dr. Hisham Mohammad Medani, associate professor in the civil

engineering and architecture department of Bahrain University addressed the “International transport strategy for traffic and human development” while Eng.

Huda Abdulla Fakhro, manager of roads department in the Ministry of Works dealt with “the strategy of the roads management in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Activity Committee in Bahrain Society of Engineers organized as part of Tuesday gathering a lecture entitled “Critical Thinking” in the Society’s building in Jufair. The lecture was delivered by lecturer Reginald Briggs [?], Student Affairs Dean at New York Institute of Technology in Bahrain.

Eng. Suzan Al-Ajjawi, Director of Activities in Bahrain Society of Engineers said that the lecture comes as one of a series of the lectures of Tuesday gathering organized by the Society on a weekly basis in order to be acquainted with the most recent occurrences and developments in

the engineering field, especially the other common matters and interests in general which aim at providing the engineer with various aspects of knowledge. The lecture will also address the scientific definition of critical thinking, the appropriate mechanisms and tools used in critical thinking, how to develop them and acquaintance with the effective solutions in the presence of obstacles at work.

The director of activities in Bahrain Society of Engineers pointed out that critical thinking is a vital and important subject used in a variety of fields as many scientists believe that critical thinking would become one of the major sciences

in the coming phases as the user of critical thinking will be able to identify the simplest ways and means and the most effective to reach the target.

“Critical Thinking”Lecture in Bahrain Society of Engineers

Bahrain Roads in a lecture at Bahrain Society of Engineers

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The Institution of Engineers Pakistan-Bahrain Chapter (IEP-BC) in cooperation with Bahrain Society of Engineers (BSE) and United Nations Country Program celebrated the World Environment Day (WED) at Bahrain Society of Engineers Auditorium in Juffair on 6th June 2010.

World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The theme for WED 2010 is ‘Many Species. One Planet. One Future’.

The welcome address was given by Eng. Abdul Majeed Al Gassab, President BSE after which the Message from UN Secretary General Mr. Ban ki Moon was read followed by the Presentation on ‘Meeting the Environmental Challenges in Bahrain’ by Mr. Ali Mansoor, Environmental Specialist, Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife, Bahrain.

He mentioned that the environmental challenges in Bahrain include, high population growth, urbanization, industrialization, dredging & Reclamation, air quality, climate change, waste & chemicals

Management, management of natural resources & biodiversity, environmental management & monitoring etc.

The year 2010 was declared as the Internal Year of Biodiversity by the United Nations General Assembly (61/203).

This is an opportunity for

the biodiversity community to encourage people to discover the biodiversity that surrounds us, realize its value, our connection to it and the consequences of its loss and act to save it.

Biodiversity provides us with Food, Building Materials, Fuel, Paper Products, Fiber (clothing, textiles), Industrial products (waxes, rubber, oils), Medicine etc.

We need to understand that Species are becoming extinct at the fastest rate known in geological history & mostly due to human activities. The species loss is between 1,000- 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate. It is estimated that species are becoming extinct at a rate of about one in every 20 minutes.

In Bahrain the biodiversity

is divided into TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM: Include wadis, springs, freshwater wetlands, vegetative deserts & agricultural land including date palm groves and MARINE ECOSYSTEM: Include open sea, sea grass, coral reef & substrates

The Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-3) report mention that industrial waste being dumped into the sea and marine construction are two major threats to species native to Bahrain.

It states a variety of animal and plant species that used to thrive here naturally, have already been lost. Bahrain’s shrimp stocks are also under threat from industrial effluent being dumped into the sea, while the dugong population has been hit by marine construction that has destroyed most of the sea grass beds on which they feed. The country has also witnessed the degradation of its date palms and natural water springs due to decades of groundwater extraction.

Bahrain has been a signatory of many international conventions and ratified the International Convention

World Environment Day 2010

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on Biodiversity (CBD) in 1996 based on Decree 18 of 1996. Bahrain has prepared the BAHRAIN NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY & ACTION PLAN (BNBSAP) in 2007. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) was ratified by Bahrain in 1994. Kyoto Protocol acceded on 31 Jan 2006 & enforced on 31st May 2006. Bahrain ratified the Ramsar Convention on 26 Feb 1997 nominating two sites on RAMSAR Site list- Tubli Bay & Hawar Islands. The Convention regarding the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (WHC) was adopted by UNESCO in 1972 and ratified by Bahrain on 28th May 1991.

Bahrain has some 229 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Of these, 0.9% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 5.2% are threatened. Bahrain is home to at least 195 species of vascular plants. 0.0% of Bahrain is protected under IUCN categories I-V There is one terrestrial and five marine protected areas declared in Bahrain.

Bahrain is taking steps to protect its environment and biodiversity, having ratified the Convention on Biodiversity & drawing up a National Environment Strategy and designating protected areas. Al Areen wildlife park, Tubli bay and Hawar islands are protected areas Raise awareness of how biodiversity is important for our lives, what people have already done to save biodiversity, Promote new and novel ways to safeguard biodiversity and encourage people to take immediate steps to reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity.

Eng. Rehan Ahmed, Senior Environmental Specialist, Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife, Bahrain and Chairman, Institution of Engineers Pakistan Bahrain Chapter spoke on ‘Our Environmental Commitments’.

Eng. Rehan mentioned that WED is a day for advocating partnerships among all stakeholders or ‘all’ species living on this one planet (earth) and sharing a common future. There are an estimated 5 to 100 million species on the planet, while Scientist have only managed to identify about 2 million species so far. What we do know is that ‘humans’ are among only a handful of species whose populations are growing, while most animals and plants are becoming rarer and fewer.

As per the data, a total of 17,291 species are known to be threatened with extinction – from little-known plants and insects to charismatic birds and mammals. While many species disappear before they are even discovered due to human activities.

Eng. Rehan mentioned that more people are using more resources with more intensity now at present than at any time in the human history.

We are living beyond Earth’s carrying capacity & are depriving our future generations.

It is regrettable to note that the human ecological footprint has reached 1.4 times the earth’s biological capacity. This means we need 1.4 planet earths to sustain us and this number is growing with the human population.

We rely on the natural world for our food, for clean water, for air, for fuel and better living. If we lose nature, we lose ourselves. For too long, we’ve been taking much more than the earth can produce & absorb. We must recognize that the natural environment, upon which we depend, is suffering as a result. We need to increase our investments in nature now. The destruction of the natural world costs the global


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economy some $2 - $5 trillion every year but economists barely notice the loss. We need to place a global financial value on biodiversity, just as we need on carbon emissions. If we fully value nature only then we can properly protect it.

Eng. Rehan mentioned that

THE PLANET NEED YOU MORE TODAY AS COMPARED TO YESTERDAY.

We can all do our part to protect the planet by taking ‘small actions’ by using less and conserving more. Resources are finite. Use them very carefully. Take care of our air, land and water resources. He mentioned that on this WED, we can at least make four commitments towards:

1. Conserving water.2. Conserving Electricity.3. Reducing Waste.4. Planting a TreeHe Mentioned that 25-50 liters

per person per day is sufficient to meet our domestic demands but we are using more than ten times in Bahrain. Water is expensive to obtain, treat and convey, which the Government s heavily subsidizing. By 2050, 45% of world’s people will live where water supply is less than the daily requirements.

Eng. Rehan mentioned that turn off the water when brushing teeth can save 3.8 gallons of water a day. TOGETHER in Bahrain we can conserve 1,525 MG water in a year. Use potable water judiciously. Don’t run the water tap un-necessarily during bath, face washing & teeth cleaning. Use a water flow reducer in each tap can save 3,000 litre of water per tap.

Secondly, Use electricity judiciously. Switch off un-necessary extra lights and when not in use. Switch off all equipment at home/ office when not in use. Replacing ordinary light bulb by energy saver

& compact fluorescents (CFLs) which consume four times less energy, and last eight times longer. Fluorescent tubes are even more efficient. Well planned use of efficient lights can reduce electricity needs up to 8 times.

Replace 4 light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs will eliminate 1 ton of CO2 emissions over the life of the CFLs.

TOGETHER in Bahrain we can save enough kilowatt-hours to power over 5,000 households.

Use a laptop instead of a desktop, as it consumes 4-5 times less electricity. The so called screen savers hardly save energy. If we do not use a computer for 30min, switch it off completely. If we all switched off TV sets and other electronic appliances instead of leaving them on standby, it would save enough electricity to power all households in Bahrain for two years.

Thirdly, if we reduce our plastic bags consumption to 25% only, we can save ~ 200 million bags per year. The energy from recycling one aluminum can is enough to run a television for three hours. By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours. 10 liters of water is required to produce one sheet of A4 paper. One tree makes about 3,077 pieces of A4 paper. Each tree provides oxygen enough for 3 people to breathe.

The Billion tree Campaign is intended to encourage people and organizations to plant at least one tree to reduce global warming & improve environment. The tree absorbs CO2 from the air & produce O2 for us to breathe.We can save > 14 million pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere annually in BAHRAIN.

Through decades of WED

celebrations, hundreds of thousands of people from countries all over the world have been mobilized for individual and organized environmental action. Develop good individual habits, green behaviour and responsible attitude supporting the environment. Help create a healthier, cleaner, and safer environment.

With our present approach to development, we have caused the clearing of much of the original forest, drained half of the world’s wetlands, depleted three quarters of all fish stocks, & emitted enough Green House gases to keep our planet warming for centuries to come. We have put our foot on the accelerator, making species extinctions occur at up to 1000 times the natural rate.

The Organizers also arranged an environmental slogan and short essay competition amongst the senior school students. The event was participated by selected senior school students and prizes were awarded to first four winners during the WED celebrations.

Winners of Slogan Competition: First Prize- Mansoor Al Bohhmaid of Naseem International School. Second Prize - Rana Osama also of Naseem International School. Third Prize - Melita Lopez of Sacred Heart School & the Consolation price-Karan Uday Shanbhag of Asian school.

Winners of short Essay Competition: First Prize- Sharon Anna Thomas of Sacred Heart School. Second Prize- Shamir Leon Colin Joseph of Sacred Heart School. Third Prize- Kimberly Monteiro of the Indian school & the Consolation price - Sawson Dawood Salam Sadeq Ghuloom of Sacred Heart School.

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The Institution of Engineers Pakistan-Bahrain Chapter (IEP-BC) under the patronage of the Embassy of Pakistan celebrated the Engineers Day on 10th May at Bahrain Society of Engineers Auditorium in Juffair.

Engineer’s day is celebrated in May every year because the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) was registered as an Institution on 28th May 1948 in Pakistan. Worth mentioning is the fact that the First Inaugural Meeting of IEP was held on 20th June 1948 which had the blessings of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Father of the Nation. Various activities and programs are organized by IEP to highlight the importance of engineering profession in our lives and to recognize the most outstanding engineers in the community.

There are 11 IEP Regional Centers located at Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Sukkur, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Karachi, Quetta & Saudi Arabia. Presently the membership of the IEP is more than 50,000 consisting of members from various categories according to their qualifications and experience. The number of the corporate members exceeds 30,000 with IEP Karachi Centre is the largest Centre.

The Engineers Day was attended by over 150 people and the event was chaired by H.E. Mr. Ikramullah Mehsud, Ambassador of Pakistan. Eng. Zaffar Zuberi, President, IEP specially came to Bahrain to attend the event.

Eng. Rehan Ahmed, Chairman IEP-BC highlighted the programs and activities of the Chapter which were held in Bahrain since IEP-BC

inception in 2002.The outstanding engineers

working and serving in Bahrain were recognized including Prof. Dr. Shamsul Haque Alvi, Eng. Aftab Ahmed, Eng. Tariq Malik and Eng. Javaid Akram. A presentation on ‘the World without Engineers’ was made by Mr. Adeel Murtaza.

Photo shows from right: Eng. Rehan Ahmed, Eng. Tariq Malik, Eng. Aftab Ahmed, Prof. Dr. Shamsul Haque Alvi, Mr. Ikramullah Mehsud, Ambassador of Pakistan, Eng. Zaffar Zuberi, President, IEP, Eng. Jawaid Akram and Eng. Abdul Majeed Al Gassab, President, BSE.

Engineers Day Celebration

SEMINAR ON “Copenhagen Climate Change Accord - The Way Ahead”

Under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Juma Ahmed Al Kaabi, the Minister of Municipalities & Agriculture, the Institution of Engineers Pakistan- Bahrain Chapter (IEP-BC) in cooperation with the Bahrain Society of Engineers

(BSE) organized an interactive seminar on ‘Copenhagen Climate Change accord- the Way Ahead’. The seminar was held at Bahrain Society of Engineers Auditorium in Juffair on 19th January 2010.

The Chief Guest was H.E. Dr.

Adel Khalifa Al Zayani, Director General, Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife, Bahrain.

There were two presentations in the seminar. ‘The Outcomes of the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change’ was made by Eng. Suzan Al Ajjawi.

The second presentation was on ‘Combating Climate Change- The Way Ahead’ by Eng. Rehan Ahmed. Both the speakers are working as Senior Environmental Specialist at the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife, Bahrain.

FROM LEFT: Eng. Ms. Zahwa Al Kuwari, Eng. Abdul majeed Al Gassab, Eng. Rehan Ahmed, Dr. Adel al Zayani and Eng. Suzan Al Ajjawi

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The winner of essay competision organized by IEP-BC in association with BSE Initiating a waste recycling project in my home / school / community

Rivers flowed rampantly, tall

green trees swayed leisurely, the

breeze caressed my face and the

sweet scent of flowers adorned

the air around. Just then, the fluffy

white clouds gave way to reveal

a clear blue sky, laden with the

melodious chirping of birds. Hold

on…was I in paradise?!?!

I woke up in my bedroom to find

myself in the same old atmosphere.

Looking out of my window, I

could observe the drab landscape

around. A surge of overwhelmed

regret swept through me. If only I

could bring reality to my dreams!

At school, the enthusiasm of

my friends brought forth newly

added strength. We concluded

that RECYCLING was our key

to success. Calling ourselves the

“Green Thumbs”, it was about

time we’d make Bahrain proud

indeed. So what does recycling

precisely mean? Recycling involves

processing used materials into

products to prevent the wastage of

potentially useful materials, reduce

the consumption of fresh raw

materials, reduce energy usage,

and reduce pollution. Recycling

saves money too.

What’s the deal with recycling? It

is such an important environmental

issue, and yet it doesn’t seem as

though there isn’t much done

about it as a community. Gar

bage and waste wouldn’t certainly

disappear by themselves according

to the law of conservation of

matter, but we can find ways to re-

use that matter efficiently in Earth

friendly ways. It all starts with, US,

each and every individual. Doing

a little bit, each person can make

a difference in the well-being of

Bahrain.

Being part of the Green Thumbs,

I can say organizing the campaign

requires efforts. Firstly, it is crucial

that there are enough recycling

bins around which are convenient,

covered and wheeled, not to

mention distinguishable. These

must be placed in major residential

communities and schools. There

can be separately coloured

containers for each item such as

paper, glass and tins etc. However, it

is obvious that many of our citizens

wouldn’t be so enthusiastic to co-

operate. Yet this could be resolved

by making each individual sign

a list for every item he or she has

brought out. Periodically, the Green

Thumbs usually collect money and

award a useful prize to the most

environment-conscious citizen.

As the old saying goes, “Many

hands do light work”, it is also

vital that there are more groups to

patronize this cause. Just like us, if

other youths try to improve their

districts or their schools, and meet

up bi-weekly in a sort of club, there

would be more

co-operation. Members would

also have the opportunity to

interact with each other.

The nation must be made aware

of our current situation. Our fellow

youths can design attractive leaflets

stating recycling and pin them

up or hand them out. With the

help of a few adults, seminars too

can be very effective. Our issue

is extremely serious and requires

sheer co-operation for if we neglect

our opportunity, future generations

would be left with a legacy of

pollution, destruction and shortage

of resources.

As a group, appealing to many

shopping centres to introduce the

usage of only purchasable and

affordable carry-home sacks is a

good idea. This would save on the

disposal of toxic shopping bags and

the expenses to the shops as well.

Another major feat, we Green

thumbs wanted to accomplish was

the cleaning up of the beaches.

On a free weekend, we set off to

the blue and priceless beaches of

Bahrain. Many an admirer is often

careless to throw away litter all

over. These take an extremely long

time to decompose, and would

emit toxins too. Our beaches would

be wiped out. To keep our oceans

clean, we have to start with our

beaches. Primarily, we alerted the

local authorities to place dust bins.

Our group also suggested placing

strict fines and watchful securities

over the country. Special recycling

containers could also be placed,

making it easier for collection.

Recycling has many advantages.

In addition to the environmental

issues it saves money and creates

employment. However, there is a

large possibility of our groups being

torn apart due to lack of enthusiasm

or funds. As our environmental

group becomes larger, there

would fortunately be many willing

sponsors, and it wouldn’t cost

a lot of money. Fairs, plays and

events organized would gather up

sufficient money. Active members

could even be given special prizes

and to make this project more

fascinating and strong-willed, all

members have a similar outfit

etc. We Green Thumbs all wear

an identical green t-shirt with the

imprint of a thumb. Weekly field

trips can be arranged too, in which

we can have fun and help out at

the same time. What would all

the more delightful is hosting

competitions like carol-singing,

walk-your-dog competitions etc to

collect funds. These experiences

would undoubtedly bring a

difference in our independence.

Finally, I would like to conclude

by using the famous quote from

Ed Anser, “We all moan and groan

about the loss of the quality of

life through the destruction of

our ecology, and yet each one

of us in our little comfortable

ways, contributes daily to that

destruction. It’s time now to

awaken in each and every one of

us the respect and attention our

beloved Mother deserves.” At

least after all the efforts with Green

Thumb, I can rest, satisfied with

what I have contributed by seeing

Mother Bahrain draped in a green

shawl, with a smile on her face, a

healthy glow on her cheeks and a

twinkle in her eye.

Sujarnie SureshkumarSr. 5 A

Sacred Heart School, Bahrain.

61

Members’ Activities

MEMBERS’ ACTIVITIES

Under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa, Head of the Board of Trustees of Isa Cultural Center, a celebration was organized at Isa Cultural Center to mark the launch of the book “Management fundamentals of basic skills for successful managers” by author Eng. Deya Abdul Aziz Tawfiqi, member of the Bahrain Society of Engineers and the outgoing president of the Society. Eng. Deya Tawfiqi presented an exposition of the contents of the book at the beginning of the ceremony and at the end of the ceremony the author signed and distributed copies of the book to the audience.

The author explained that the concept of writing and issuing the book was in view of the experience he owns and which he has acquired in the administrative field during his stint in the government sector, the civil society institutions and the private sector. He has the interest and knowledge of the administrative aspects and wanted to share this experience for the benefit of others. He also observed that in spite of the existence of numerous books on the theoretical aspect of administration sciences, yet there is a scarcity in the books which deal with practical applications and those which address the skills that the manager

must own to be successful in his work and be able to get promoted to leadership positions.

Tawfiqi exposes the issues on

management fundamentals in a book

ALMOHANDIS’ Calendar

JANUARY 2011

FEBRUARY 2011

MARCH 2011

APRIL2011

TRAINING COURSES

TRAINING COURSES

TRAINING COURSES

TRAINING COURSES

CONFERENCES

Adobe Photoshop Level-I 1 day 08 JanProject Management Leadership Skills 3 days 09-11 JanAdvanced Project Mgt in P6-Client Server (Course 102) 5 days 09-13 JanAdobe Photoshop Level-II 1 day 15 JanMS Project 2007 3 days 16-18 JanContract Administration 2 days 23-24 Jan

Planning & Scheduling with Primavera using P6 5 days 06-10 FebTechnical Report Writing Using Computer 4 days 14-17 FebFinance & Cost Control for Engineers 3 days 20-22 Feb

FIDIC Condition of Contracts 4 days 06-09 MarManaging & Achieving Through Change 3 days 20-22 MarAutoCad 2011 Fundamentals 5 days 27-31 Mar

Tendering & Procurement Practices 4 days 03-06 AprPMP Exam Preparation 5 days 10-14 AprProblem Solving & Decision Making 4 days 24-27 Apr

Infrastructure Middle East 3 days 17-19 Jan

Four (4) Days Training Workshop

JUNE 2011

TRAINING COURSES

CONFERENCES

Marketing for Non-Marketing Managers 4 days 05-08 JuneWhy Life Cycle Costing (LCC) 3 days 12-14 JuneOSHA 5 days 19-23 June

Energy & Water Conservation Expo2011 3 days 13-15 June

OCTOBER 2011

TRAINING COURSES

CONFERENCES

PMP Exam Preparation 5 days 09-13 OctTechnical Report Writing Presentation 3 days 18-20 OctAdvanced FIDIC 4 days 24-27 Oct

6th Middle East NDT Conference & Exhibition 4 days 02- 05 OctMiddle East Sustainable Development Conference & Exhibition 4 days 24-26 Oct

SEPTEMBER 2011TRAINING COURSESFormulating Contracts & Agreements 2 days 11-12 Sept3D Autocad 2010 Modeling & Designing 3 days 18-20 SeptAdvanced Techniques in Site Management & Supervision 3 days 25-27 Sept

NOVEMBER 2011TRAINING COURSESFIDIC-III - Client Consultant 4 days 13-16 Nov3D Max 5 days 20-24 NovQuality Management Skills with ISO 4 days 27-30 Nov

MAY 2011

TRAINING COURSES

CONFERENCES

Claims & Counter Claims 5 days 08-12 MayProject Risk Management with Primavera P6 3 days 16-18 MayNegotiation Skills 5 days 22-26 May

Bahrain International e-Government Forum & ICT Exhibition 4 days 16-19 May

DECEMBER 2011

TRAINING COURSESBahrain International Property Exhibition BIPEX 2011 3 days 21-23 Dec

2011

Four (4) Days Training Workshop

2010 almohandis...issue december 2010 almohandis bahrain society of engineers 53 the economic vision...

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