Bahrain names climate envoy as new oil and environment minister

Bahrain named June 13 a new oil minister as part of a cabinet shuffle ordered by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa.

Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Dainah is now minister of oil and environment, replacing Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa as oil minister, according to an announcement carried by the official Bahrain News Agency.

Bin Dainah had been the Persian Gulf island state's special envoy for climate affairs and chief executive of the Supreme Council for Environment. He is also a board member and managing director of Bahrain's National Oil and Gas Authority.

In October 2021, Bahrain announced its aim to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2060. Its demand for electricity, which is almost all generated from natural gas, is growing with a rising population and industrial expansion.

The country is the Persian Gulf's smallest crude oil producer, pumping 170,000 b/d in May, according to the latest Platts OPEC+ survey by S&P Global Commodity Insights.

It made a splash in 2018 announcing an offshore discovery of 80 billion barrels of shale oil and 20 Tcf of gas, but has yet to make a final investment decision, despite surging oil prices.

"We are still working on the technical side of things, understanding the resource play, all of the above. Ultimately, it's what's the cost of the production? Well, then once you have that, yes, you can start getting into this part," Sheikh Mohammed told reporters in Manama May 16.

The country also has the 267,000 b/d Sitra refinery, which is undergoing a large-scale modernization.

Sheikh Mohammed told S&P Global in May that the upgrades were 80%-85% complete and that the expanded refinery, which is slated to have a capacity of 400,000 b/d with a nameplate capacity of 380,000 b/d, could be operational by 2023.

Bin Dainah holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from Imperial College London, a master of science in chemical engineering from the University of Wales in Swansea, and a bachelor of science in petroleum engineering from the United Arab Emirates University.

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad said in a statement that the new cabinet members "will bring new ideas and a renewed drive to continue advancing the public sector for the good and development of the country and its citizens."