Industry

Hassan Abdulhak, general manager of Integrated Rectifier technologies (IRT) at ADIPEC. (Image source: IRT)

In an exclusive interview with Oil Review Middle East at ADIPEC, Hassan Abdulhak, general manager of Integrated Rectifier technologies (IRT), discussed IRT’s regional presence, its product applications and the strategic benefits of its acquisition by GPT Industries

The Alberta-based company, which supplies rectifiers, junction panels and control systems for the cathodic protection industry, became part of GPT Industries this year. This strategic acquisition unites GPT’s expertise in flange isolation technology and remote asset monitoring with IRT’s long-standing reputation for reliable rectifier systems. It further strengthens GPT’s role in helping operators mitigate corrosion and maintain asset integrity across energy and infrastructure sectors, while better positioning IRT to support customers and partners worldwide through expanded regional sales, technical expertise and customer support.

Leveraging synergies

Abdulhak stressed the synergies between the two companies and how the acquisition will strengthen GPT Industries’ portfolio and create a more integrated offering for end-users, with GPT’s isolation gaskets complementing its rectifiers and together resulting in a complete cathodic protection offering – helping operators isolate, protect and monitor critical assets while supporting long-term integrity and corrosion prevention.

“GPT’s isolation gaskets align with our rectifiers, as they help contain the protective current to specific pipe sections, giving protection in emergencies such as fire and explosions. Without an isolation gasket, the current we are putting in will go along the whole pipe,” he explained.

At ADIPEC, IRT exhibited with GPT Industries, showcasing its cathodic protection rectifiers and control equipment alongside GPT Industries’ Pikotek isolation gaskets and kits, EVOLUTION isolation technology, monolithic isolation joints and Iso-Smart remote integrity monitoring solutions.

Discussing its air-cooled rectifier, Abdulhak explained that its primary function is to protect pipes from corrosion by converting AC current to DC through a diode bridge.

“The negative lead goes to the structure, and the positive lead goes to the end node,” Abdulhak said. “The end node will corrode with time, but the pipe is protected from corrosion.”

IRT has a strong presence in the utilities and water sector as well as oil and gas, with products including its Aqua-Line rectifiers designed specifically for water and wastewater applications, which protect water tanks from corrosion. While its main customer base in the water sector currently remains in the USA, Abdulhak suggested this could change following the acquisition.

Strong presence in the Middle East

Abdulhak highlighted IRT’s significant presence in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where it is the only rectifier company approved by Aramco. The company operates through three manufacturing partners in the Kingdom who assemble products locally using parts supplied by IRT’s Edmonton, Alberta facility. It is looking to expand beyond the Saudi market, leveraging the access it now has to global markets worldwide through its acquisition by GPT with its network in South America, Middle East, Europe and China. IRT has already begun moving into the Africa market, starting with Nigeria. Looking ahead, the company is setting its sights on further growing its footprint in the Middle East, whether through a physical presence or through distributors and partners, further expansion in South America, where it is already doing business with Columbia and Mexico, and growing its market share in the USA, where there is strong competition.

The future looks bright for IRT!

The agreement with Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE), will explore future natural gas supply arrangements for new power generation capacity across the Northern Emirates. (Image source: ADNOC Gas)

ADNOC Gas has announced two major agreements in ADIPEC week, expanding its domestic market and strengthening its position as a global LNG trading hub

The company signed a five-year LNG supply agreement with TotalEnergies for up to 1.6mn tonnes of LNG, supporting ADNOC Gas's long-term growth ambitions as it continues to expand its LNG business and strengthen its presence in global markets. Ruwais LNG, which comprises two LNG liquefaction trains with a total export capacity of 9.6mmtpa, will more than double ADNOC’s LNG production output when it comes online in 2028, and help meet the growing global demand for natural gas, with global LNG demand forecast by Shell to rise by 65% by 2050. ADNOC Gas is therefore well positioned to establish itself as one of the world's leading LNG suppliers.

Advancing LNG marketing and trading

The agreement comes as ADNOC advances its newly launched global LNG marketing and trading platform, which brings together the LNG marketing activities of ADNOC Gas and XRG with the trading capabilities of ADNOC Trading in an integrated commercial platform. This will expand access to a broader and more diversified LNG portfolio while enabling more flexible and customer-focused supply solutions.

Targeting 47 million tonnes per annum of marketable LNG beyond 2030, the platform is expected to rank among the world's leading LNG marketing and trading organisations and further strengthen Abu Dhabi's position as a global energy trading hub.

Fatema Al Nuaimi, chief executive officer of ADNOC Gas, said "Global demand for LNG continues to grow, and ADNOC Gas is well positioned to capture that opportunity. This agreement reflects the strength of our LNG business, the competitiveness of our supply offering and our ability to secure long-term partnerships that support growth, enhance resilience and create lasting value for shareholders."

Stéphane Michel, president Gas, Renewables & Power at TotalEnergies, said the agreement marks another significant milestone in its long-standing partnership with ADNOC.

Expanding natural gas supply for power generation

ADNOC Gas also announced an agreement with Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE), to explore future natural gas supply arrangements for new power generation capacity across the Northern Emirates.

The collaboration would open a new domestic market for ADNOC Gas’ growing gas volumes arising from the expansion of its gas growth programme, while providing a reliable fuel source for additional UAE power generation capacity, thereby both supporting the country's growing electricity needs and expanding the domestic market as new supply comes online.

Eng. Yousif Ahmed Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Water and Electricity, said: “EtihadWE is developing a balanced portfolio of gas-fired and renewable energy generation to support the Northern Emirates’ long-term growth and evolving energy needs. Our partnership with ADNOC Gas, strengthens our access to reliable, long-term gas supplies, supporting our commitment to delivering a secure, resilient and sustainable electricity system for the communities and businesses we serve.”

The collaboration comes as ADNOC Gas is delivering one of the world's largest integrated gas growth programmes, in August announcing the investment of US$28bn capex between 2026 and 2030. The programme includes Rich Gas Development, which will expand gas processing capacity and increase the availability of natural gas for domestic customers, and Estidama, which will optimise and modernise ADNOC Gas' pipeline network to support growing demand across the UAE.

Also set to advance ADNOC’s gas growth strategy and provide a new source of energy for domestic and international markets is the Ruwais Diyab Unconventional Gas Development in Abu Dhabi, with ADNOC announcing final investment decision (FID) at ADIPEC. The project will deliver 345 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of raw gas from 2029 over a 25-year period with the potential to reach up to 1 billion scfd in the future.

ADNOC Gas operates right across the gas value chain, supplying around 60% of the UAE’s sales gas needs and supplying end-customers in over 20 countries.

Lula Mohanty, managing partner for Middle East & Africa at IBM Consulting. (Image source: IBM Consulting)

Organisations that connect operational and enterprise data, embed intelligence into workflows, build workforce trust, and establish clear governance will be best positioned to convert digital ambition into lasting operational value, says Lula Mohanty, managing partner for Middle East & Africa at IBM Consulting

Digital modernisation remains a priority for oil and gas companies across the Middle East, with significant investments in connectivity, automation and AI. Yet many organisations still struggle to translate these investments into faster decisions, more resilient operations and consistent performance improvements at scale. For energy leaders, the priority is no longer simply deploying digital technologies, but ensuring those investments deliver measurable operational value.

New research from the IBM Institute for Business Value, based on surveys of more than 750 C-suite and senior executives across the chemicals and oil and gas industries, highlights the gap between digital ambition and operational impact. While three in five organisations globally are scaling or embedding digital initiatives, only 8% say digital transformation is fully integrated and driving competitive advantage.

The stakes are significant: oil and gas organisations with more advanced digital deployment report 23% less production deferment, 16% less non-productive time and 13% lower operational costs. For companies that haven’t closed the gap, realising those potential gains remains challenging

This gap reflects a broader challenge. Generating intelligence is no longer the hard part: many organisations already have dashboards, analytics, digital twins and AI-enabled insights. The harder task is making sure those insights consistently shape operational decisions and actions. Value is created when intelligence becomes part of workflows, maintenance activities, production planning and frontline decision-making, supported by connected systems, workforce capabilities and clear governance.

Turning digital capabilities into operational outcomes

Those gains are increasingly within reach. The IBM research shows that globally 84% of oil and gas respondents report deploying digital production optimisation across many sites or enterprise-wide, highlighting the growing focus on translating digital capabilities into repeatable operational performance.

These findings reinforce why digital transformation should be measured by operational outcomes rather than the number of technologies deployed. Predictive analytics, digital twins and AI can help organisations anticipate disruptions, optimise production and improve asset reliability. However, their value depends on whether these insights influence decisions and actions across the business.

For oil and gas companies operating across complex and geographically distributed assets, this requires stronger connections between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). When operational and enterprise data remain fragmented, decisions take longer and opportunities to improve performance can be missed. Integrating these environments creates the foundation for better visibility, more coordinated responses and the responsible adoption of automation and AI.

Workforce readiness is essential to scaling transformation

Technology integration alone is not enough. Organisations must also equip employees with the capabilities and confidence to apply digital intelligence in their daily work.

This remains a challenge across the Middle East. IBM’s research finds that only 25% of UAE and Saudi respondents describe their workforce as mostly ready or fully capable of supporting digital transformation, compared with 35% globally.

For energy leaders, addressing this gap requires more than technical training. It means investing in change management, developing cross-functional capabilities and ensuring that engineers, operators and technology teams can work together to translate insights into action.

Embedding intelligence into maintenance planning, production optimization and operational workflows can help employees make more informed decisions. The objective should be to make digital capabilities part of how work gets done, rather than additional tools that operate alongside existing processes.

Governance is critical to sustainable performance

As organisations embed AI and automation more deeply into their operations, governance becomes essential. Clear accountability, defined decision rights and appropriate human oversight are what allow digital capabilities to scale responsibly.

Trust is central to this shift. Many organisations have established confidence in their operational data; the harder part can be developing trust in the recommendations, predictions and actions generated from it. That confidence grows when recommendations consistently deliver better outcomes and when accountability and oversight remain clearly defined. Without trust, intelligence may inform decisions, but it rarely changes them.

Middle East organisations are taking a measured approach to autonomy: only 20% report that agentic AI currently executes defined actions autonomously under human oversight, compared with 36% globally. Rather than treating autonomy as an end goal, energy companies should identify where automation improves efficiency and where human expertise remains necessary.

Governance should also extend beyond technology. Aligning operations, engineering, IT and cybersecurity teams around shared performance objectives keeps digital initiatives tied to operational priorities and helps deliver improvements that can be replicated across sites and assets.

From digital ambition to operational impact

For Middle East energy companies, the next phase of digital transformation should focus on turning existing investments into measurable and sustained performance improvements.

This starts with prioritising operational challenges where technology can deliver tangible results, such as reducing downtime, improving production efficiency and strengthening asset reliability. It also requires connecting operational and enterprise data, equipping employees to act on digital insights and establishing clear governance and accountability.

Ultimately, success will be defined by how effectively energy companies turn intelligence into execution. Organisations that connect operational and enterprise data, embed intelligence into workflows, build workforce trust, and establish clear governance will be best positioned to convert digital ambition into lasting operational value.

Tanker shipping is fundamental to global energy trade. (Image source: Noatum Maritime))

Capt. Ammar Al Shaiba – CEO, Noatum Maritime and Maritime & Shipping Cluster, AD Ports Group discusses Noatum Maritime’s role in global energy transportation

Tanker shipping is fundamental to global energy trade. Every day, crude oil and petroleum products move between producing regions, refineries and consumer markets, often across thousands of nautical miles. With production and refining centres spread across the world, maritime transportation remains essential to meeting global energy demand.

Geopolitical developments, changes in oil trade flows and disruptions along major shipping routes continue to influence freight rates and vessel availability. For oil producers, refiners and traders, these conditions make access to suitable tonnage, experienced operators and flexible chartering arrangements particularly important.

As part of AD Ports Group's Maritime & Shipping Cluster, Noatum Maritime provides tanker transportation services to major oil companies, refiners, and commodity traders, operating across global energy markets.

Noatum Maritime's tanker fleet serves both crude oil and petroleum product markets, with Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), Suezmax, and Aframax tankers primarily serving crude oil and dirty petroleum product trades, alongside Long Range 1 (LR1) and Long Range 2 (LR2) tankers serving clean petroleum product markets. With a combined capacity of approximately 1.6 million deadweight tonnes (DWT), the fleet accommodates different shipment sizes, cargo grades and trading requirements.

Over the past 12 months, Noatum Maritime has expanded its tanker fleet by adding two VLCCs, two LR1 tankers, and two LR2 tankers, further strengthening its capacity to serve crude oil and petroleum product markets worldwide. In 2025, Noatum Maritime's tanker fleet completed over 180 voyages, transporting approximately 5.5 million tonnes of crude oil, fuel oils and clean petroleum products.

Noatum Maritime offers voyage and time charter arrangements for individual shipments and longer-term transportation requirements. From vessel selection and cargo compatibility to port limitations and voyage planning, its commercial and operational teams ensure each shipment matches suitable tonnage and meets customer requirements.

In the Caspian Sea, Noatum Maritime provides crude oil transportation between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, supporting regional energy trade and access to international export markets. Its operations include specialised ice-class tankers suited to the region's seasonal and navigational conditions.

Across the Middle East, its tanker services include ship-to-ship (STS) cargo transfers, short-distance shuttle transportation and offshore floating storage. Shuttle tankers transport crude oil from loading facilities to VLCCs operating as Floating Storage Units (FSUs), where cargo is stored before being transferred to export tankers for onward shipment.

Tanker shipping is also one part of Noatum Maritime's wider business. Its portfolio spans shipping, offshore and subsea services, marine operations, drydocking and shipbuilding, and maritime agency services, giving the company a broad presence across the maritime sector and the industries it serves.

As global energy trade evolves, access to suitable vessels, established maritime expertise and flexible commercial arrangements will remain essential to keeping crude oil and petroleum products moving safely and efficiently between markets.

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