On 1 March 2024, the Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of the GECF, preceding the 7th GECF Summit of Heads of State and Government, recognized and celebrated the recipients of the second edition of the GECF Awards.
This esteemed event, occurring biennially, serves as a prominent occasion where we pay tribute to remarkable individuals and distinguished institutions. The awardees have demonstrated exceptional achievements in the natural gas sector throughout their careers or have made noteworthy, substantial, and enduring contributions to the gas industry. This impact is particularly evident through their advocacy, policy initiatives, international collaborations, research, education, or media involvement.
The ‘GECF Award for Long-Term Commitment to Natural Gas’ was awarded to three highly-decorated institutions that have demonstrated an outstanding record of accomplishment in the natural gas sector during a career span.
•SONATRACH, the national oil and gas company of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, which has been a pioneer in the natural gas industry with first baseload LNG plant in 1964, first LNG long-term contract in 1969, and gas exports through intercontinental subsea pipelines, and has played a pivotal role in the country's economy for over 60 years.
•The Research Institute of Petroleum Industry from the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has been instrumental in the development and commercialisation of key technologies in the national gas industry.
•ADNOC Gas from the United Arab Emirates, which as a central pillar of the nation’s energy ecosystem, has enabled gas self-sufficiency and industrial growth, while expanding export capacity to meet increasing global gas demand.
The ‘GECF Foundation and Advancement Award’ is an elite recognition bestowed upon individuals who have been instrumental in establishing the Forum and/or achieving its strategic goals.
In this edition, the GECF Foundation and Advancement Award was proudly bestowed onto two esteemed individuals, in recognition of their substantial and long-standing contributions to both our organisation and the energy sector throughout their distinguished careers.
•Mr. Ali Hached, former Executive VP Marketing at SONATRACH, from the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, who was one of the founding members of the GECF and served as a member of the GECF Executive Board between 2008 and 2015.
•Dr. Denis Leonov, who serves as the Russian Federation’s long-standing representative to the GECF’s Technical and Economic Council and the Gas Research Institute Scientific Committee.