08 November 2009
Balhaf: Yemen LNG celebrated on Saturday, 07 November 2009 the First Gas Export attended by H.E. President of Yemen, Mr. Ali Abdullah Saleh, Prime Minister, Ministers, members of the Parliament and Shura Council, ambassadors, governors, representatives of the shareholders, gas buyers and representatives of the Marib and Shabwah communities. Hyundai Ecopia, the LNG carrier, left the Balhaf Terminal at 11:00a.m. This marks the entry of the Republic of Yemen into the world’s club of LNG producers.

The ceremony started with the national anthem followed by the recitation of verses of the Holly Quran. Right after, Mr. Francois Rafin, the General Manager of Yemen LNG welcomed H.E. the president and the other guests. “Yemen LNG has successfully conducted a multibillion dollar investment in Yemen and did better than the industry in the rest of the world,” noted Mr. Rafin.

H.E. Minister of Oil and Minerals then highlighted the economic importance of the project to Yemen and how much it has helped in encouraging other investors to come to Yemen. “The project has created more than 11,000 jobs for Yemen”, noted H.E. the Minister.

Speaking on behalf of the shareholders, Mr. Yves Louis Darricarrere, President of Exploration and Production at Total SA, noted that “it’s a mark of success for all of us associated with this project, that Yemen LNG has become a successful endeavour for the whole world to witness and take note and it has reinforced the links weaved for the last twenty years between Total and Yemen”.

In his speech, H.E. President Ali Abdullah Saleh congratulated Yemen LNG and all Yemenis for the success of the project which should benefit all Yemen. He also thanked the people of Marib and Shabwah for their cooperation and contribution to this success.

H.E. President Ali Abdullah Saleh then pressed on the button giving the LNG carrier the green light to start sailing.

For additional information about Yemen LNG, please visit the Yemen LNG Company website at WWW.YEMENLNG.COM, or contact the Public Relations team at: PR@YEMENLNG.COM