Shaping Industry Future!
The oil and gas industry has transformed remarkably to meet global energy demands and tackle environmental challenges. With its deep integration into economies and societies, this sector remains a core of energy security and industrial development. It is not merely about extraction and production; the industry’s evolution involves adopting innovative technologies, enhancing operational efficiencies, and aligning with sustainability goals. These advancements are redefining the boundaries of what is possible, ensuring that the sector remains relevant while contributing to global energy transitions. The interplay between technological innovation, resource optimization, and environmental stewardship shapes the industry’s future.
As the Executive Technical Director, Sami Al Lawati characterises transformative leadership in this challenging and growing industry. His visionary approach focuses on operational efficiency, innovation, and talent development. Sami’s leading approach highlights collaboration and accountability, empowering teams to achieve remarkable milestones. By cultivating a culture of integrity and transparency, he ensures that strategic decisions align with the broader goals of progress and sustainability. His ability to inspire and lead through purpose-driven initiatives underscores his role as a catalyst for change within the technical domains of oil and gas.
Under Sami’s technical stewardship, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has established itself as a leader in hydrocarbon production while remaining committed to sustainability and innovation. As Oman’s largest oil and gas producer, PDO uses advanced technologies and integrated processes to enhance production efficiency and reduce its environmental footprint. The company’s approach is a testament to its dedication to Oman’s Vision 2040 and Net Zero 2050 commitments, balancing growth in core operations with the imperatives of decarbonisation and energy security. Through strategic partnerships and a commitment to nurturing talent, PDO continues to drive value creation and contribute significantly to the energy resilience of the region.
Let’s explore Sami’s purpose-driven leadership for advancing energy security:
Strategic Development of Hydrocarbon Reserves
Sami has achieved numerous milestones throughout his distinguished career at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO). In his current role as Technical Director, he oversees all technical functions within the company, including Well Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Engineering, and Operations. Together with the PDO Executive team, he is central to setting the Company’s strategy to develop and mature PDO’s hydrocarbon reserves most cost-effectively.
As a result, the company’s hydrocarbon production has increased at a competitive cost of production, with a reduced carbon footprint and improvement in operational efficiencies, including a change in Asset Integrity and Process Safety. He led the team which designed the scheme to develop local Omani talent in PDO through the Professional Ladder, which has been an enabler for the above achievements.
Previously, as Infrastructure Director, Sami was responsible for eight distinctive departments that reflect the vast scale, of services and support required by PDO. Over a career spanning more than 34 years, he has held Project Management roles for key projects such as the multimillion-dollar Qarn Alam Steam Thermal EOR Project, a novel Enhanced Oil Recovery project based on thermally assisted Gas-Oil Gravity Drainage with no fullfield analogue worldwide, and delivered the concept for the multibillion-dollar Rabab Harweel Integrated Miscible Gas Injection EOR project.
In the early part of his career, Sami led the formation of the first-ever FEED office in PDO, delivered multiple studies for the Government, like the Batinah Gas Line and Salalah Gas Line, and revived and optimised the artificial lift mechanism of various wells to increase PDO production. He was the first Omani to complete A levels in one year with Distinction (As) in all subjects and the first to win the Shell-Cambridge scholarship under the patronage of His Royal Highness (then) Prince Charles.
Commitment to Safety and Ethics
According to Sami Petroleum Development Oman’s (PDO) operation, it is underpinned by safety, health, and environmental mandates and ethical compliance, with zero tolerance for breaches of ethics and compliance. This is a key business and leadership principal value for him.
As a leader, Sami strives to inspire through personal integrity, transparency, and humility, leading from an overarching sense of individual purpose and bringing meaning to work. Adapting the business to changing contexts in this business environment is essential, as is courageously taking appropriate risks while collaborating across boundaries at pace and embracing diversity and different cultures.
Managing a Diverse Oil and Gas Portfolio
He highlights the breadth and depth of the technical functions at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO). PDO’s ability to perform, deliver, innovate, and excel is recognised locally, regionally, and globally. While Sami has grown up in technical domains, he emphasises that it is not about being the “Google” of each function but integrating these functions to maximise value for the enterprise, shareholders, and Oman.
PDO manages a large and diverse portfolio of oil and gas fields in terms of field sizes, reservoir and hydrocarbon types, development methods, and maturity. By integrating and collaborating all functions, PDO has overcome the challenges of arresting reservoir declines and improving the recovery factor by applying world-leading Well and Reservoir Management and deploying the latest innovative technologies.
Sami believes in experience-based leadership. Personal and passionate involvement in these challenges has helped build his leadership attributes in authenticity and collaboration.
Influencing and Empowering Teams
Sami strives to create a competitive advantage through strong partnerships within the diverse functions, teams, and directorates and with contracting partners. The key is to build win-win solutions for all. A leader needs to influence without formal authority, lead by example, empower teams, and hold them accountable. Collaboration and innovation are impossible without authenticity, proper external focus, and the relationships underpinning it.
The people are central to innovation and collaboration. They are the main asset. It is of paramount importance that they work in a safe, healthy, friendly, rewarding, and motivating environment where talent is allowed to flourish and progress, regardless of background, gender, religion, age, or nationality. This environment creates the space for collaboration and innovation.
Balancing Professional and Personal Life
He strongly believes in being just in both professional work and personal life. Sometimes, the pendulum can shift in either direction for short durations, but sustainability is a must for prosperity, development, and tranquility. By the grace of Allah, Sami is fortunate to have the needed support at work and home to manage this delicate balance.
Adapting to Global Energy Priorities
Sami acknowledges that while the oil and gas industry will remain essential to the energy sector, global priorities are changing faster than ever. Implementing the strategy addresses the volatile energy sector and mounting climate change realities while delivering on commitments to Oman Vision 2040 and Net Zero 2050. The aim is to maximise production and minimise operations’ financial costs and environmental and social impact by following best oilfield practices.
Technology implementation is a key enabler for that. Given the pace at which digital technologies are progressing, the question often asked is whether the level of adoption is disruptive enough. Although digital technologies have been embraced quite significantly, it is believed that the adoption is not yet disruptive enough.
Presently, there is active involvement in certain digital technologies. Robotics are used in finance, tank cleaning inspections, and warehouses. 3D printing and plastics are utilised for components. An extensive program uses artificial intelligence to monitor production facilities. Compressors have been programmed with a standard operating process, which indicates when an issue is going to arise and urges intervention. All this happens through collaboration and connectivity with the market, industry, and local, regional, and international operators.
Tradition of Developing Future
Sami highlights that Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has a tradition of being a development ground for future country leaders, with many of the country’s leaders having past employment and experience with PDO. The company prides itself on developing leadership skills and training people.
This legacy needs to continue. Success is often measured by how people are remembered when they leave the Company. Sami wants to leave a legacy of building PDO’s resilience to weather any storm. He aims to set the company up to continue growing safely in an ‘autopilot’ mode by utilising the talent that has been groomed.
Supporting Energy Security and Resilience
He notes that many young engineers are turning away from the oil and gas industry, not realising that demand for the region’s oil and gas will continue for many years. Sami reflects that switching to alternative energy sources and energy transitioning is not straightforward. There is $55 trillion of energy-related infrastructure that uses fossil fuel, which has taken 150 years to develop and build. Therefore, the focus is on diversifying the energy mix.
The oil and gas industry is integral to the Oman 2040 vision. The intention is to continue to maximise value to Oman through growth in core oil and gas businesses. The aim is to support Oman’s energy security and resilience by mobilising domestic and global partners, inspiring a new generation of world-class Omani talent, and deploying new technologies across the business to enhance production while reducing the associated carbon footprint. To achieve these goals, talented people in leadership positions must display entrepreneurship.
Sustainable Growth and Decarbonisation
Sami takes great pride in being part of the company and industry that, for generations, has contributed to some of the most significant advancements in economic and human development in Oman. As the Sultanate’s largest oil and gas producer, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has developed plans to sustainably grow oil and gas production while also delivering against its decarbonisation roadmap.
To continue the aggressive growth path in a cost competitive environment requires constant transformation. This will require processes, structure, an integrated supply chain, digital disruption, and technology deployment to respond and adapt to this change. The key for Sami is also driving operational excellence and developing world-class Omani talent. It is this exciting journey and the change management that he looks forward to in the coming years, so that PDO sustains its position in the industry.
