Omar ElSherif, regional manager for the Middle East at Neo Oiltools. (Image source: Neo Oiltools)

Drilling tools provider, Neo Oiltools, has appointed Omar ElSherif as the regional manager for Middle East

Previously, ElSherif has been associated with SLB's senior leadership for more than 13 years, donning the roles of drilling product engineer, technical sales engineer and senior drilling product engineer. His blend of engineering knowledge, product management experience, and local insight positions him ideally to support Neo Oiltools’ expansion and help boost drilling performance for operators across the Middle East.

ElSherif said, “I am pleased to join Neo Oiltools. I look forward to collaborating with operators across the region to improve drilling performance in these demanding environments.”

Middle East's complex geology is characterised by deep carbonates, extended-reach wells, and high-pressure formations that generate axial, lateral, torsional, and high-frequency vibrations. This pushes up reparing and other costs for operators from the region as slow penetration leads to damaged equipment.

Neo Oiltools addresses these challenges with NeoTork, a patented cable-and-spring tool that mitigates all four vibration types while maintaining optimal bit engagement—improving efficiency and minimising downtime. Integrated with NeoSmart, which captures high-frequency, 3D vibration data, it delivers actionable diagnostics that drive smarter drilling decisions.

The signing of the agreement. (Image source: Linde)

Linde, a leading global industrial gases and engineering company, has completed its acquisition of Dubai-based Airtec, one of the largest industrial gases companies in the Middle East

The acquisition, which sees Linde increasing its 49% stake in Airtec to over 90%, enhances Linde's presence across the GCC region, including Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Airtec produces industrial gases for customers across key end markets including energy, healthcare and manufacturing. Linde's integrated business in Middle East includes air separation units, CO2 plants, onsite gas generation facilities, and additional infrastructure to produce industrial, medical and specialty gases. Its industrial gases and technologies are used in the production of clean hydrogen and carbon capture systems critical to the energy transition. The company also delivers state-of-the-art gas processing solutions to support customer expansion, efficiency improvements and emissions reductions. Together with Aramco and SLB, it is developing one of the world’s largest carbon capture hubs in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, due for completion by late 2027, which will have the capacity to capture nine million metric tons of CO2 from Aramco gas plants and other industrial sources.

"Airtec's footprint is highly complementary to Linde's existing business," said Oliver Pfann, Senior Vice President EMEA, Linde. "The acquisition creates a diversified and integrated business that will benefit from significant synergies, while strengthening supply chain reliability and customer service. By consolidating our operations, Linde has also strengthened its owned network density in a region where demand for industrial gases continues to grow."

The expansion will significantly increase OQEP's oil processing capabilities. (Image source: OQEP)

Oman's OQ Exploration and Production (OQEP) has commissioned the Bisat-C Expansion Facilities in its Block 60 license ahead of schedule, significantly increasing its oil processing capabilities

The expanded facility can handle additional gross fluids capacity of 447,000 bpd, with an oil train processing capacity of 37,000 bpd, and produced water treatment capacity of 410,000 bpd, giving Bisat C a total oil processing capacity reaching 67,000 bpd.

Achieving first crude oil in less than 18 months, the project was marked by a high level of coordination, planning, and technical execution, according to OQEP. This project main contractor was Enerflex, with the Omani companies Majees Technical Services and Special Technical Services (STS), as subcontractors.

The project has a strong HSE record, with three million safe man-hours completed without a single Lost Time Injury (LTI), while two million kilometres were driven during the project without any Road Traffic Accidents (RTA), reflecting OQEP’s strong emphasis on HSE standards across all operations.

The project has made a strong contribution to local development, with OMR 24.6 million spent on Omani goods and services and 23 Omani graduates trained and recruited,.

From a construction perspective, a total of 486 piles, each 12 metres deep, were installed to support the facility’s tanks, the largest being the produced water tank, which has a capacity of 27,784 cubic meters (approximately 174,700 barrels). Other critical processing units and elements include a gas flotation tank, a gross inlet separator, a heater treater and desalter package, and containerised substation building. To support enhanced reservoir management, the water injection pumps boasts a flow of 1,130 cubic meters per hour at 90 Barg, powered by a 4 MW system back to subsurface.

The Association has seen an uptake in its qualifications in sectors including oil and gas. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The Association for Project Management (APM) has seen a 35% growth in membership numbers in the region in the six months since establishing its regional network in the UAE

Over this period, APM also successfully conducted several networking events and educational webinars, as well as launching a pilot of its popular Project Fundamentals Qualification in Arabic.

APM’s director of Education and Lifelong Learning, Jackie Martin, said, “We are witnessing an unprecedented demand for project management professionals in the region due to increase in infrastructure projects, economic diversification and business transformation initiatives, all of which require qualified managers. The sectors that have seen the most uptake for our qualifications include construction, oil and gas, energy, engineering, and infrastructure. With growth in sustainability practices and AI adoption, project managers need to upskill to face the demands of a rapidly changing workforce, and we have several programmes to guide them through this industry transformation.”

APM’s Project Management Qualification and Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) status have also seen a growing interest from the region. The Project Management Qualification, which is designed for individuals with some experience in project management, aims to enhance knowledge and skills in all areas of project management. It covers key areas like planning, risk management and communication, and is a valuable credential for career advancement for professionals in all industry sectors. ChPP status shows a person has achieved the highest standard of expertise and proven exceptional project capabilities, through a defined level of technical knowledge, professional practice and ethical behaviour.

Miriam Al-Alawi, deputy network lead for APM in the UAE, said, “APM membership gives one access to qualifications, networking and events to research, resources and debate – all aiding a project professional’s ongoing career development.”

APM UAE Regional Network member, Rachael Keeble, founder of BuiltWell, added, “By launching in the UAE, APM are playing an important role bringing together project management professionals for networking, debate and discussion. I was delighted to be part of the recent ‘Women in Leadership’ panel which explored the themes of inclusive leadership, various leadership styles and how we can best empower and advocate for others. The key takeaway was that authenticity, passion and empathy have an important place in leadership and the success of our projects."

Upcoming APM programmes in the region

To help project managers prepare to face the challenges of a rapidly transforming workforce, APM is offering a free-to-attend webinar on ‘Career development tools and techniques’ on 2 September, 2025. To register, please click here.

The APM Project Fundamentals Qualification is now being offered in Arabic, specifically for the UAE and Middle East region, with a pilot programme taking place in September 2025. Project professionals who use Arabic, and would like to gain the APM Fundamentals Qualification, can find out more information and apply to join the pilot here.