H. E. Thamer Ghadban, Iraq's Oil Minister, is an oil man through and through, having dedicated his whole life to his country's oil industry. With a BSc (Bachelor of Science) in Geology and an MSc (Master of Science) in Petroleum Reservoir Engineering from Imperial College, London, he began his career in the Basra Petroleum Company back in 1973 as an assistant engineer. Despite facing many problems, not least of which was a 48-day spell in jail, he has risen through the ranks to become the leader of Iraq's oil industry which today faces innumerable challenges, including the daily sabotage of the country's oil infrastructure. 'Shell in the Middle East' was granted an exclusive interview with him in Amman as he was on his way to an OPEC meeting in Vienna. Bobby Schuck reports...

Shell Chemicals Arabia is a 50 per cent shareholder in the Saudi Petrochemical Company (Sadaf), which has grown from strength to strength to become one of the world's largest petrochemicals complexes. Situated on the east coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Al Jubail Industrial City, Sadaf produces a wide range of petrochemical products, in a world-class complex, which are sold around the globe. Shell's share of these products is sold through Shell Chemicals Arabia's Dubai-based sales and marketing arm, known as the Sadaf Business Unit, whilst the balance is sold by SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Company), the other 50 per cent shareholder in Sadaf. 'Shell in the Middle East' talks to Aman Amanpour, President of Shell Chemicals Arabia and a Member of Sadaf's Board of Directors, who explains how it all works, "as the Middle East becomes ever more the centre for the production and export of base chemicals for the rest of the world"...