Iraq Energy National Academy

a bright idea for new Iraq

Interview With Dr Ibrahim Bahr Alolom, Former Oil Minister

WHEN was The Iraq Energy Academy (IENA) project initiated?

The concept of the academy has been in my mind for a while; however, the developments in the oil and gas sector over the past two years encouraged translating the thought into a discussion with the working group which comprised of Academics and Iraqi Professionals during the first quarter of this year. The discussion sessions regarding the mapping and the details of the project took over the majority of the last four calendar months.  It was only until the May of this year the team formulated and mapped the project on paper and moved from the theoretical/ paper based aspect to a more practical one. 

On the 14th of  May 2011,  a seminar took place in Baghdad, where many Iraqi Professionals of varied energy expertise met to brain storm the concept of the IENA participants included, a representative from the Prime Minister’s office ,the head of the central bank of Iraq , deputy ministers and director generals at the oil ,electricity , planning , and science & technology ministries .Also present were the head and members of the energy committee in the Iraqi parliament plus a distinguished number of economy , legal and financial experts and Iraqi university Presidents. The attendee’s enthusiasm towards the project gave the concept even more momentum and encouragement to proceed to make it a reality.

Who are some of the initial founders of the ideas behind IENA?

The ideas developed through the numerous discussions that took place with the Iraqi Professionals who reside both inside and outside of Iraq. We were able to convince ourselves firstly and others secondly in the importance of such a project. The importance of this project not only for Iraq, however to the region. We acknowledge that the challenges are big which will face us, and the most difficult of challenges is how we can work to make this project retain its independence at the same time working and coordinating with different governmental institutions and national international companies to implement it.

Can you go over the basic outline of the project?

The IENA project is a developmental one, which works to develop energy in Iraq and the region. The project invests in personals to enable them to be part of the energy development sector. It is for this reason that the IENA project takes specific interest in newly graduates from Iraqi Universities;  The estimated number of graduates per year from colleges and institutions is up to 80,000.   This project will prepares the newly graduates to get involved in work related fields depending on the needs of the market. The project also works to develop current individuals in the petroleum sector as well as the electricity sector and to prepare them for technical certification in activities and specialties that are related to the backgrounds. Furthermore, the IENA will work to prepare young qualified leaders to take charge and manage the energy sector.  The implementation of research and development is a key scope of the project, in the varied fields of the energy sector, which will in turn provide consultancy and advice to other energy institutions, organizations and companies.

IENA covers more than oil and gas , Why?

The academy is a project, which deals with all the different energy sectors and at the same time takes into account the market needs. Today Iraq is open for foreign investment in the oil, gas and electricity sectors and therefore there is a great need to develop and prepare the personals.  The oil production plan is to reach 12 mmbd (million barrels daily), and even if we do hold reservations to these numbers, we believe that the current production will increase to around 5 mbd to 6 mmbd in 2017, in addition to gas utilization of gas of no less than 3000 mmscf/d with an expansion to the refining capacity to approximately 1.5 million barrels daily. Furthermore, the expansion of the electricity power supply to 15,000 megawatts. These activities require the preparation of the required number personal qualified  to perform  these tasks  who are able to work with the foreign companies. The Iraqi experts estimate the need of the upstream sector for at least ten thousand workers per million barrels. . 
Without doubt there is a need to make use of renewable energy. Hence, everything in Iraq depends on energy and it is up to us to prepare and train those who are part of this sector.
 
 
Who are some of the entities that will be involved?

There are five key entities to the academy, these include The Energy Higher Institute, which will work to develop newly graduated individuals, The Technical Energy Center for Training, Development and Accreditation, which will be involved in the training, and development of current individuals in the sector. The two above mentioned themes will form the initial functioning of the academy and after these themes will come the rest.

Is IENA a government based project, why or why not?

In our view, the government is not ready to take charge of such a project. It is important for the project to retain its independence and at the same time it needs to be able to work with the government and to coordinate with them rather than it being part of the government.  Iraq’s future depends on the ability of the private sector to take part in strategic projects, which will aide in managing the state.
The government is busy with numerous projects; however ahead of it is a long journey to make these projects successful. The petroleum sector will develop at a rate proportional to the involvement of the private sector and this is also true in the training and development of personals involved in the sectors. It is necessary for the private sector to take a role in investing to build, prepare and train and develop personals, and the core of IENA is in this challenge.

IENA consists of five significant parts, would u please elaborate and list them in order of priority as you see it?

This Academy is a multi stage project.  We have a 10 year plan to implement it, the first stage of the project is to form the Higher Energy Institute, the Technical Energy Center  and the Consultancy Energy Bureau. After a period of two years we aim to establish the Energy College and following this will be the Energy Research and information Center. 

What makes IENA significant for upstream sector in Iraq?

More than 24 International Oil Companies of varied sizes form approximately 13 international consortiums  work in the upstream  sector today in Iraq with the aim to increase oil and gas production.  In our view, we require approximately 10,000 engineers, technical and administrative personals for every one million barrel increase. It is a necessity for those individuals to be competent, and if we fail to prepare the personals for the massive task they have ahead of them, then without doubt the foreign companies will make use highly trained foreign workers. It is for this very reason that the Iraq Energy Academy project will aim to limit the use of foreign workers, and will aim to keep this number to a bare minimum, the opportunities should be made for the skilled Iraqi personals.

Why include business and law in the mix of educational needs?

In the past five decades, best exploitation of hydrocarbon was defined by the technical ability to extract, and therefore emphases were on the engineering aspect solely. Today when working alongside foreign companies, the engineering aspect on its own is not the only factor, the legal aspects governing contract negotiations, the administrative aspects as well as the economical aspects governing the energy sector are all issues which need to be considered as vital tools to reach out the best exploitation. It is for this reason that the academy will prepare, train and develop Iraqi personals with the ability to undertake and indulge in all associated aspects of energy.

How do you invitation certification possible through international standards?

The IENA project adopts dealings with universities, institutes and training centers world wide. It also deals with Iraqi experts from varied specialties of the sector. The IENA recognizes the importance of working with internationally reputable training and development centers which are recognized by oil companies, which in turn will instill confidence in international petroleum companies in the recruited Iraqi Personal. 
IENA is a project which is keen to work with training and development centers which will accredit personals in varied areas and to a high level.

Where would you classify our present institutions in Iraq stack up against international standards and how do you see IENA bridging the cap?

It is unfortunate that due to the policies of the previous regime, wars and economical sanctions that detrimental effects on disabling the personals from the energy sector. More than 65% of the workers in the upstream sector were appointed in the 1990’s and after and it is therefore they do not have the most up to date academic nor training requirements, they were not given the opportunity to get hands on experience with the most current technology and strategies available.
In the 1970’s Iraq’s Universities were the most advanced in the region, however, today, the standard of teaching is at a declining level. We hope that through correct policy and decision making, the next 10-15 will allow Iraq’s Universities to shine in the academic platform as it was the case previously.
Iraq also lacked in the area of research in the Energy sector. In 1987 the past regime dissolved the council of higher education and scientific research, and it is therefore expected that the IENA project will compensate for Iraq’s loss in equipping the energy personals with the required and most up-to-date skills.  Through the support of International organizations and foreign companies, the IENA aim’s to push forward human development capacity in Iraq.

What would energy consultancy do within IENA? Will this be a revenue maker, What other parts do you invitation that might be revenue generator to offset some of the cost?

The Energy consultancy Bureau has a pivotal role to play in the development of the energy sector as the academy has a variety of Iraqi professionals from various energy backgrounds, who have worked inside and outside of Iraq, from a wide cross section of the energy sector. The academy also has experts from the field of law, administration, economy and related fields which gives it a unique knowledge base.

The project requires full support from international energy and oil services companies, as the IENA will help the companies bypass many obstacles which it may encounter. And in actual fact, the foreign companies are the greater gainers of this project as well as the State will benefit from the project, specifically the Oil ministry and its affiliated  companies specializing in the upstream area,  as well as the ministry of electricity, and producing provinces.  International organizations such as the European Union, OPEC, IMF and the UN are needed to also support this project.

Who will be the initial seed funding sources for IENA?

We are still in communications with all those associated to understanding and refining the project. Without doubt that  the primary contributors to this project would be the direct gainers of it i.e oil and gas companies as well as the oil service companies who are currently working in Iraq,  We hope that this project will receive the support and encouragement from all avenues, as it is an optimistic project whose primary goal is in development and serving Iraq and the region.

What is going on now, Is there serious discussion to develop the ideas you have outlined for us?

Until now we are receiving feedback from foreign experts and Iraq professionals from outside Iraq regarding the project. In reference to the agenda, there are plans to hold a seminar in the Iraqi Parliament and specifically with the Oil and Energy   and Higher education committees. It is planned that discussions will take place with the Oil ministry and its companies and with foreign petroleum companies, especially oil service companies. At the end of this month a seminar will take place between Iraqi experts on the renewable energy issue. We are also working continuously to sign memorandums of understandings with universities in the UK and USA regarding this issue.

Baghdad: 15 July 2011