Nader Al-Arfaj, managing director (China) of Aramco Asia, reaffirmed the company's long-term commitment to China's energy security, emphasized the importance of fostering strong partnerships with Chinese entities, and looked forward to a vibrant future.
Al-Arfaj made the remarks at the 7th International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference (IPEC) held in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, October 17, 2024.
In his opening speech, Al-Arfaj recounted the role of Zhejiang as the largest recipient of Arabian crude over the past years, with nearly 600,000 barrels per day imported in the first three quarters of 2024. This was not just only a strong testament to Zhejiang’s important role as a regional energy distribution hub, but also to its high ranking as one of China’s top economic powerhouse and home to over 100 of China’s largest enterprises.
“Our partnership with Rongsheng and our planned investment in each other’s unit shows our confidence in the Chinese market, which enables sustainable and common prosperity in Zhejiang and other parts of China for the decades to come. We look forward to enhancing strategic integration of our growing downstream operations in China,” Al-Arfaj articulated.
He also pledged closer collaboration with Chinese partners to advance high-quality development and identified focused areas. “The priority would be given to adequate supply, innovative lower-carbon products, petrochemical products, and advanced materials, all supported by the company’s emissions reduction technologies“ Al-Arfaj added.
This year’s IPEC attracted representatives of over 200 oil and gas producers, traders and refiners, among which 40 were from the Fortune Global 500 and 26 from the world’s top 50 oil companies1. The three-day conference strived to maintain high standards and create an international, specialized brand and industry conference where companies can explore cooperation opportunities and achieve tangible results.
1http://www.chinaview.cn/20241026/b5a7a81f90874ef78ca56d767068b1be/c.html