GPCA Podcast

In this special episode of the GPCA Podcast held on the sidelines of the 18th Annual GPCA Forum in Muscat, Oman, Lama N. Al Otaibi, Learning and Development Specialist, EQUATE Petrochemical Company, and Vice Chair of the GPCA Youth Council, sat down with Dima Al Horani, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, GPCA, to share the latest updates about the GPCA Youth Council and what were some of the Council’s key initiatives and achievements in 2024.

The conversation ranged from:
-        New partnerships and alliances that the Youth Council formulated in 2024
-        The GPCA Youth Forum and plans for the forum in 2025
-        The importance of the platform and the youth’s contribution to a more sustainable future
-        The GPCA Youth Council's priorities and objectives in 2025
 

Ammonia is a key component in the green energy transition. A chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, ammonia is a vital raw component in the production of numerous key nitrogen compounds. It is produced worldwide, with its most common use being agri-nutrients, considered as the cornerstone of food security in today’s landscape.

Historically, ammonia has been produced through Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC), a process utilized in ammonia production plants to convert crude oil in order to extract the hydrogen atoms and convert it into ammonia. The traditional process releases high amounts of CO2 to the atmosphere. The production of ammonia where CO2 is released to the atmosphere is labelled as grey ammonia. Globally, countries and industries pledged to reduce their CO2 emissions to combat climate change. In order to combat climate change, countries have pledged to net-zero production after the climate change conference in Paris 2015. In an attempt to reduce the CO2 emissions resulting from ammonia production, the CO2 product gets captured. This reduces the CO2 emissions as the CO2 can be stored or utilized instead of releasing it to the atmosphere. Producing ammonia while capturing the CO2 is labelled as blue ammonia. 

Ammonia has the potential to become an important zero-carbon fuel for maritime shipping, as well as an energy and transport carrier given its higher volumetric energy density compared to hydrogen. What are the enablers and challenges in producing blue and green ammonia? What is the chemical industry’s role in driving the energy transition and where do we stand today on our journey to net-zero? To answer these questions and more, Mohamed Almoosawi, Mechanical Supervisor, GPIC, and Co-Chair of the Sustainability Sub Council, GPCA Youth Council, sat down with Munif Al Munif, General Manager, T&I, SABIC Agri-Nutrients, to shed more light on this important topic and get the latest updates.

Today, the WTO has 166 members and 23 member countries with observer status. Between them they account for 98% of world trade in goods & services. The global integration of economies has been a key driver of global GDP growth, but it has also introduced instabilities as the benefits of globalization have not been uniformly distributed across societies. As a result of this, there have been winners and losers at the global stage, leading to varying levels of economic prosperity. This disparity has sparked debates and movements advocating for more localized and protectionist economic policies which lead to barriers that can reverse certain elements of globalization. This has the potential of impacting the chemicals trade, with drastic ramifications for the GCC region, which is largely export-oriented.

To address these questions and more, GPCA has bought together two leading industry experts, Lisa Schroeter Senior Government Affairs Director, Dow | Member, GPCA International Trade Committee and John Mathew Vice President, Business Development Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company, in conversation with Mohamed Zaman Senior Committees Affairs Specialist, GPCA, who delve into the implications of deglobalization on trade. Drawing upon their extensive experience, they address:

- The challenges and opportunities in chemicals trade today 
- Key contributors to the reversal of elements contributing to a free trade/investment environment
- The need for market liberalization and the removal of tariffs
- The role of the WTO and the need for its modernization

Plastics are under the spotlight once again with the INC-4 concluding in Ottawa in April and the INC-5 set to take place in Busan, South Korea this December. Important issues will come under discussion to form part of a global treaty on plastics which will shape the industry’s future for decades to come.

Just as the energy transition looks at new forms of energy to power our planet, a materials transition is taking place in how we produce and consume products, with far-reaching implications on plastics. As global legislation, end-user demand and industry innovation continue to drive impact on the reuse, reduce and recycling of consumer packaging, the sector is finding itself in the midst of a perfect storm.

What are the drivers that will accelerate the pace of change and how will they impact virgin and post-consumer plastics? To answer these questions, and more, GPCA has hosted two industry experts, each of whom shares extensive insights from their own fields into:

- The materials transition and what it means for plastics

- The impact of legislation on the industry globally and within the GCC region

- The role of EPR schemes, chemical recycling, product design and innovation in accelerating the transition

- What will be the hurdles, barriers and opportunities in this fast-moving transition? 

https://www.gpca.org.ae/gpca-podcast/

Supply chains all over the world have witnessed an unprecedented level of disruption. Geopolitical tension,
rising cost, nearshoring and onshoring, ongoing talent shortages and trade wars have all come together to
create an environment in which agility and efficiency are the key to success in any supply chain operation.
Sustainability requirements are adding further pressure on supply chain leaders, bringing net-zero and ESG
imperatives to the forefront of the industry agenda. With a future more uncertain than ever before, what will
the next frontier in GCC chemical supply chains look like?

To address this question and more, GPCA has brought together leading industry experts, who’ll delve into the
latest considerations and disruptions that will shape the next supply chain Renaissance. Drawing upon
decades of supply chain leadership experience across the region, they’ll address:

➢ In today’s uncertain world, what are the key imperatives for regional supply chain leaders?
➢ How can the industry transform its chemical and petrochemical supply chains to ensure business
continuity, eliminate inefficiencies and mitigate supply chain risks?
➢ How can we evaluate the state of the GCC’s supply chain landscape today, what is the role of regulations,
and much more.

Guest: 

Saleh Al Shabnan
Chairman of the Board,
Saudi Supply Chain &
Procurement Society

Arun Bruce
Co-Founder & CEO
Transformation X

Host
Noora Mukhtar
Research Specialist
GPCA

For more podcasts and the latest insights on the regional chemical markets,  visit https://www.gpca.org.ae/thought-leadership/

The process of energy transition presents a monumental challenge and an incredible opportunity, as the world seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. At the heart of the energy transition lies the chemical industry. On one hand, the chemical sector is vital to enabling sustainable solutions like the production of clean energy technologies, and minimizing food waste, therefore significantly reducing CO2 emissions. On the other hand, the chemical sector is very energy intensive. It is the largest industrial energy consumer and the third largest industry subsector in terms of direct CO2 emissions1, making it hard-to-abate.

Beyond direct emissions, the industry faces a significant challenge tackling "Scope 3" emissions. These emissions account for half of its total emissions and include all activities along an organization's value chain or its assets. These emissions are also the most difficult to address. 

Recent global commitments and ongoing discourse paint a clear picture: embracing sustainability is no longer a choice, but the essential path for the chemical industry's survival and contribution to a cleaner world. This demands innovation and decarbonization within the industry, while it simultaneously develops the very solutions for a greener future. With rising pressure on industries globally to comply with climate abatement targets in the run up to the mid of the century, GPCA has invited two industry experts to address the contentious issues surrounding the climate debate and the speed and scale at which chemical firms can enact change within their own products and operations, while continuing to deliver the vital materials that the world needs. 

Dr. Shihab Elborai, Partner, Strategy& Middle East, joins Mohamed Zaman, Sr. Committees Affairs Specialist, GPCA for this episode of the GPCA Podcast to address these issues and much more. 

For more podcasts and the latest insights on the regional chemical markets,  visit www.gpca.org.ae/thought-leadership

In this special episode of the GPCA Podcast, Surendra Patawari, Founder and Chairman of Gemini Corporation, speaks to Aseel Al Masoudi, Member, GPCA Youth Council, and Commercial & Downstream Business Partner, OQ, on the sidelines of the 17th Annual GPCA Forum. 

Patawari opened the interview with a staggering statistic: “The world generates almost 1 million tons plastic waste and less than 10% is recycled. In the next three years this is going to triple,” he tells listeners. 

In an insightful conversation with the GPCA Podcast host, he covers pertinent topics ranging from:

• Gemini Corporation’s work in plastic recycling 
• His vision for the circular economy
• How well is the GCC positioned to make the circular economy a reality?
• Extended producer responsibility – its benefits and challenges
• The industry’s role in addressing climate change 
• The role of sustainability and transformation in securing the industry’s future
• His impressions from this year’s forum 

For more podcasts and the latest insights on the regional chemical markets,  visit www.gpca.org.ae/thought-leadership

On the sidelines of the 17th Annual GPCA Forum, the GPCA Podcast hosted Dr. Bob Maughon, EVP, Sustainability, Technology & Innovation and Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, SABIC, and Chairman, R&I Committee, GPCA, in conversation with Aseel Al Masoudi, Member, GPCA Youth Council, and Commercial & Downstream Business Partner, OQ. 

In this podcast, Dr. Maughon tells listeners: “You have significant opportunities for growth in this region, opportunity to leverage technologies around feedstocks, and an immense opportunity to invest in the development of talent in the region. But at the same time, you have a global environment where increased regulatory pressure and increased pressure to embrace sustainability exists.”

He also discusses:

• The key challenges for the chemical industry on both a regional and global level
• The SABIC Decarbonization Roadmap, what it involves and how it plans to achieve it
• The role of innovation in driving impact on sustainability in the chemical industry
• The top innovation priorities at SABIC 
• The future of the plastic industry and the role of the World Plastics Council (WPC) in enabling a more sustainable tomorrow
• His impressions from the forum 

For more podcasts and the latest insights on the regional chemical markets,  visit www.gpca.org.ae/thought-leadership

François Good, SVP Refining & Chemicals Middle East, Africa & Asia, Strategy and Growth, TotalEnergies, joined Aseel Al Masoudi, Member, GPCA Youth Council, and Commercial & Downstream Business Partner, OQ, on the sidelines of the 17th Annual GPCA Forum, to discuss the company’s energy outlook and its work with the company’s JV in the region with Saudi Aramco – SATORP. 

The podcast also covers:

• The topic of sustainability and TotalEnergies’ commitment to climate action 
• The industry’s progress on the Paris Accord and the feasibility of the 2 degrees target
• TotalEnergies’ plans for future projects and partnerships in the GCC region
• Its long-standing partnerships in the region and Qatar, including QAPCO
• His impressions from the forum 

For more podcasts and the latest insights on the regional chemical markets,  visit www.gpca.org.ae/thought-leadership

Adriano Alfani, CEO, Versalis, speaks to Sara Soleja, GPCA Youth Council Sub-Committee Chair, and Project Engineer, Saudi Aramco, on the sidelines of the 17th Annual GPCA Forum as part of a special episode of the GPCA Podcast. 

Reflecting on the challenges of 2023, Alfani admits the past 12 months were not the most favorable for chemical and petrochemical producers globally, but he remains positive, highlighting some of Versalis’ key achievements, including a recent acquisition and realizing its objectives on advancing sustainability and circularity. 

He discusses:

• Key highlights and challenges for the chemical industry and Versalis in 2023
• His expectations for 2024, the challenges facing chemical producers in the next 12 months and how they should address them
• How can the industry scale up for the clean energy transition? 
• What can companies do individually and collectively to enable the transition and be a part of it?
• Is the industry on track to meet ambitious net-zero targets for 2050? 
• The roadblocks and challenges along the way
• Opportunities presented by the energy transition to chemical and petrochemical producers and how chemical players can capitalize on them
• The role of legislation and infrastructure building to ensure clean energy transition is accelerated