IN THE NAME OF GOD,

THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL

Your Excellencies The Shaikhs and Ministers,

Your Excellency Chairman of the Conference

Higher Organizing Committee,

Members of the Conference,

Honourable Guests,

It is a pleasure to welcome you at The Third Doha Conference on Natural Gas which has become the focus of keen interest in the field of energy and gas trade all over the world.

 This time your conference coincided with highly complicated financial and economic conditions, namely the difficulties and negative effects reflected on the national economies of oil and gas exporting countries, in the light of falling oil prices since the beginning of last year and until now.

 We are perhaps right when we say that these conditions will burden the participants in this conference and those specialized in the field of the natural gas industry, with heavy responsibilities during their deliberations and discussions on the future of natural gas, means of its development and making it available for consumers, as well as the technical, financial, and commercial challenges facing gas projects, with the objective of finding proper solutions which consolidate the foundations of this industry and deepen confidence in its future.

 We would like here to emphasize that an important aspect of the State of Qatar’s strategy of exploiting its hydrocarbon resources requires us to go ahead with the implementation of our ambitious plans to achieve the optimum exploitation of our huge gas reserves, particularly in the North Field, and exerting all efforts to create a favourable atmosphere for the success of industrial projects dependent on gas, and endeavouring to consolidate the status of Qatar as a major supplier of gas to various regional and world markets.

 We are looking forward to fostering a close and long term cooperation with gas importing countries and corporations for the benefit of both parties and indeed the two projects of Qatar Gas and Ras Laffan for liquefied natural gas as well as other projects which are being carried out or studied are real embodiment of this policy.

 Brothers,

 We are at the beginning of the road to developing our gas reserves, and laying down the foundations of the industrial base connected with these reserves; and we aspire to making our production capacity in this field proportional to the size of these reserves with a view to support the development march and the future of our coming generations, taking into consideration the hindrances and difficulties facing our ambitions, since exporting gas to main consumption areas requires enormous financial investments, and incurs high operational costs in connection with its production and transportation to the consumer which in turn requires favourable levels of gas prices which make such projects economically feasible.

 You might be aware of the fact that exploitation by any country of its natural resources is aimed at and connected with the realization of reasonable return for the needed investments in this field, as well as a yield to the state proportionate to the depletion of these resources.

 Therefore it is unthinkable that the State of Qatar would be committed to producing and providing gas to consumers without realizing this just objective.

 Brothers,

 Taking care of the environment, protecting it and reducing carbon dioxide emission rate in the atmosphere became a sublime objective and a world quest which all countries attempt to realize recalling what was achieved in this connection in Kyoto conference in Japan. Therefore policies and efforts need to be coordinated to promote gas production and consumption as it is considered the cleanest source of conventional energy. This could be achieved by the provision of necessary criteria either by facilitating financing operations or by reviewing the basic principles of gas pricing.

 At the same time it should be indicated that technological developments are considered one of the most significant factors prompting the implementation and expansion of gas projects for export purposes at less investment and operational costs in order to produce and bring gas to the consumer, since this plays an important role in improving the project’s economics.

 Brothers,

 We are quite confident that this elite of participants in this conference will give these issues their due attention and will do their best to reach the desired solutions in an effort to increase gas stake in the overall consumption of energy, and to encourage gas international trade for the interest of both producers, consumers and humanity in general.

 We wish your conference all success and wish you a good stay in your second country, Qatar.

 May God help you, bless your efforts and guide your steps on the path to prosperity.

 May the peace and mercy of God be upon you.