Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) is a joint venture equally owned by Bahrain-based National Oil and Gas Authority, Saudi-based SABIC Agri-Nutrients Investment Company and Kuwait-based Petrochemical Industries Company.
GPIC’s Board of Directors comprise representatives of the three shareholding states, which is chaired by Dr. Ahmed Ali Al Sharyan. GPIC’s executive management is led by President Dr. Abdulrahman A Hussain Jawahery.
GPIC considers itself a role model in the protection of the environment and was the first industrial company to use practical demonstration projects to verify the environmental credentials of its operations. In addition to the production plants, the GPIC Complex, which was built in Sitra on a reclaimed area of 60 hectares, comprises utility plants, maintenance workshops, offices, stores, and laboratories. The company uses natural gas which is readily available in Bahrain as a feedstock for the production of ammonia, urea, and methanol.
A fish farm, bird sanctuary, palm tree plantations, and herbal garden have been established at the GPIC site.
The challenges of regional and global climate change have always been at the forefront of GPIC’s strategies. It was with this key focus and, to manage green-house gas emissions, the Middle East’s first Carbon Dioxide Recovery (CDR) Plant was commissioned at GPIC in 2010.
The unit captures 450 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per day from the reformer flue gases which has substantially improved its carbon footprint.
GPIC has a robust and internationally recognised Safety, Health and Environmental Management System.
The company has won many accolades including the Sir George Earle Trophy from Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), UK and the Robert W Campbell Award from the National Safety Council, USA for excellence in health, safety and environment (HSE) management systems.
Fully integrated into the company’s everyday operations, these management systems have received many accreditations including ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 18001.
GPIC is also certified in ISO 27001 which deals with information security and has voluntarily embraced process safety management at its facilities.
GPIC is a significant contributor to the national economy of Bahrain in its activities, represented by natural gas purchases, employment, and training of Bahraini nationals, utilisation of local contractors, power consumption and other financial and commercial operations.
GPIC injects around $271 million annually into the economy and its vision is to be a world-class petrochemical and fertiliser company of choice, recognised for excellence.
The company, which is based in Sitra was formed in December 1979 and has over 400 members of staff.
For more information, visit www.gpic.com.