RasGas and Texas A&M University sign MoU to further process safety

DOHA- RasGas Company Limited (RasGas) and the Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center (MKOPSC) at Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMU-Q) signed an MoU paving the way for continued, mutually rewarding activities founded on the shared goal of promoting process safety in Qatar’s energy sector.

The MoU was signed byHamad Rashid Al Mohannadi, RasGas Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Dr. Mark H. Weichold, Dean and CEO of Texas A&M at Qatar.

The discipline of process safety deals with the prevention and control of incidents that have the potential to release hazardous materials and energy. It is a framework for managing the handling of these substances, by applying good design principles, engineering, and operating and maintenance practices.

“As an energy company striving for excellence, RasGas recognises that sound performance is founded on advanced safety management programmes executed in a systematic and disciplined manner. As we continue to build a strong process safety culture in RasGas, this MoU with Texas A&M at Qatar is a wonderful  opportunity for our company to help shape, improve and promote the best practices and safety excellence in Qatar,” said Al Mohannadi.

Last year, Texas A&M University at Qatar brought an extension of Texas-based Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center (MKOPSC-Q) to Doha. Under the management of Dr. Luc Véchot, managing director, the satellite center’s mission is to develop a vibrant and dynamic centre for Process Safety  comprising multidisciplinary and dedicated engineers, scientists, educators, students and staff.

“The collaboration between MKOPSC-Q, Texas A&M at Qatar and RasGas will help Qatar achieve its Qatar National Vision 2030 goals and contributes to human development. This partnership will also help Texas A&M at Qatar in its mission to enrich qatar’s greatest natural resource – its people – by creating safer process safety technologies and work environments. The five-year agreement with RasGas will add to the Doha Center’s close interaction with industry and fundamentally enhance the Center’s strength and significance by giving us an industry perspective. Specifically, this MoU offers a unique opportunity for MKOPSC-Q and RasGas to develop research projects regarding LNG safety given RasGas’ position as a major LNG producer. This has a potential for wide-ranging impact, as solutions developed here will benefit the international LNG industry as a whole,” said Weichold.

RasGas and Texas A&M at Qatar enjoy a long history of collaborations and partnerships that capitalise on the synergy between academia and industry in the State of Qatar.