And on August 1st, we added the words “sustainable energy” to the name of our organization to clarify where we stand, and to emphasize both internally and externally that we are a flexible and dynamic organization. Carbon neutrality initiatives have accounted for a large portion of our activities in fiscal 2022, and we believe their presence will continue to strengthen going forward.

We also published a history of JCCP that looks back on the past 40 years of our organization. It not only tracks our achievements to date, but just as importantly, it sets the tone for how all officers and employees should join together to continue operations over the next four decades.

The 41st JCCP International Symposium was held, inviting speakers from overseas for the first time in three years. Approximately 600 people from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, oil- and gas-producing countries, embassies in Japan, government offices, private companies inside and outside of Japan, relevant organizations, etc. participated either in person or via live streaming.

The bi-annual meeting of the Friendship Committee for Women Career Development (FCW) was respectively held in UAE and Japan, with deeper discussions than were possible during the pandemic.

Details of each program are provided below.

More specifically, participants’ level of satisfaction in regular courses was increased by improving the implementation method of hybrid courses and by introducing participatory programs in the form of gamification and workshops to promote interaction among participants. 3D virtual reality materials were also used to incorporate the element of onsite visits that participants particularly seek.

In addition to regular courses, customized courses were implemented in response to individual requests from oil-producing countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. In fiscal 2022, 12 customized courses (including a course for female managers) were held for Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman and Vietnam, among a number of other countries. As a result, a total of 573 participants attended JCCP’s human resource development programs, including 440 participants in courses conducted directly by JCCP and 133 in corporate courses conducted in cooperation with member companies.

The breakdown of the number of participants to courses conducted directly by JCCP is as shown under “2. Completed Activities” below.

For the record, the cumulative total number of participants JCCP has received since its founding in 1981 had reached 27,019 by the end of fiscal 2022.

The two researchers engaged in their studies at their respective institution in Japan from January to February and received a certificate of completion following a results presentation at JCCP.

Meanwhile, the researcher dispatch program could not be implemented in fiscal 2022, as there were no requests for the dispatch of Japanese researchers from overseas research institutes due mainly to COVID-19. Instead, an online workshop for young researchers was held with the participation of five doctoral researchers from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, and one assistant professor and two doctoral researchers from Japanese universities. The participants deepened mutual exchanges through presentations on their respective research themes and engaging in questions and answers.

The six newly launched joint projects include the “Steam System Optimization Program (SSOP) Pilot Project in Saudi Aramco,” “Collaboration to Apply the Advanced Inspection Technologies for Saudi Aramco,” “Joint Project for the Enhancement of Oil Spill Response Abilities of ADNOC Group Phase Ⅱ (UAE),” “Joint Support with ADNOC Refining Research Centre & Quality Control Division (ARRC) for ADNOC Refining Refinery Operation (UAE) Phase III,” “Technical Collaboration for Operation Improvements in Bangchak Refinery,” and “Joint Project for the Treatment of Refinery Waste in Malaysia.”

With the COVID situation apparently coming to an end, practically all project meetings were held locally in-person, and researcher invitations have been resumed. Using the experience gained during the pandemic, in-person meetings and web conferences were combined to promote efficient operations.

In fiscal 2022, the 41st JCCP International Symposium was held on January 26, 2023, in an in-person format by inviting foreign guest speakers to Japan for the first time in three years. Some 600 persons either attended the venue or viewed a live-streaming webcast of the symposium. Featuring 17 speakers representing 13 countries, panel discussions probed into the main theme of the symposium on “Strategies and initiatives for oil and gas in times of global economic upheaval: Stable supply and green transformation.” Each panel provided the speakers and audience an opportunity to reconfirm their relationships of mutual cooperation and exchange views toward solving diverse issues.

In Leaders Panel 1, the theme of “Strategies and initiatives for oil and gas in times of global economic upheaval: Stable supply and green transformation” was discussed by government officials, representatives from oil companies in Japan and overseas, and energy experts, from both policy and business perspectives. In Leaders Panel 2, panelists discussed the theme of “Leadership and HR development responding to management strategies in times of change.” Focusing on human resource development and management, they each introduced their initiatives for the development of human resources as a common issue. In Leaders Panel 3, themed “Looking to the future with carbon management technologies,” panelists introduced carbon-related issues and specific technical development initiatives in their countries. By sharing the latest information and situation in each participating country, the panels cast light on common issues and deepened mutual understanding of each country’s policies and strategies.

Please see the following for details.

[FCW: UAE-Japan Joint Survey]

As part of the activities of FCW*, a three-year joint survey was conducted in UAE and Japan with regard to changes in women’s ways of working amid COVID-19 and impacts and issues that have arisen in relation to women’s empowerment. The survey was designed in fiscal 2020, and field surveys and quantitative analyses were performed in fiscal 2021. In fiscal 2022, the findings were compiled into a survey report following a comparative analysis and study of the two countries, with cooperation from UAE University and Waseda University.
A survey on women working in the oil and gas industries was carried out with a focus on “Impact on Women Working in Oil & Gas Industry in UAE and Japan” and “A Comparative Study of COVID-19.” In Japan, it was carried out on men and women working in seven companies to which members of the FCW planning and executive committee belong, and in UAE it was carried out on women working in companies affiliated with the ADNOC Group. Responses were obtained from 2,347 individuals in Japan (1,885 men, 455 women, 3 others, 4 no answer) and 403 women in UAE.
In preparing the joint report, comparative observations were made exclusively between women in Japan and UAE (455 in Japan, 403 in UAE), and the findings were academically analyzed by a survey team composed of university professors in the two countries.

They also support Japanese companies that do business in the oil downstream sector in Middle East oil-producing countries by leveraging the network that JCCP has established since its founding with national oil companies and other such organizations in those countries through the implementation of human resource development programs, technical cooperation projects and international cooperation activities.

In fiscal 2022, state-run oil companies in Middle East oil-producing countries have fully resumed in-person meetings with outside business partners after a prolonged period of suspension due to COVID-19. Thus, in addition to providing online business support, JCCP overseas offices engaged in support activities for the implementation of symposiums and other such events in those countries with relevant parties visiting from Japan.