Continued progress has been made on the construction of Outward Bound Oman’s third national training centre, in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar. The early stages of the project have involved laying down the foundations of the centre.

This project is a joint sponsorship of several oil and gas operators under the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM), aiming to oversee and highlight CSR efforts across the Sector, align these efforts by the operating companies and provide the necessary guidance to ensure projects that enhance sustainability and social responsibility.

Equipped to international standards, the centre, located at 2,300-metre altitude, will operate all year round, and will house facilities that include two fully equipped teaching rooms, an AV lecture theatre, equipment stores, environmental interpretation signage, four group-briefing pavilions, an outdoor climbing and teambuilding zone, and basic accommodation. Renewable energies will be utilized through the use of both solar panels and micro-wind turbines. The expected completion date of the centre is September 2021.

Outward Bound Oman (OBO), which has operated in the Sultanate since 2009, offers unique experiential learning and training courses to a wide variety of groups, including school and university students, organizations, government institutes and private companies.

OBO currently delivers more than 100 training courses for over 3,000 people a year. The courses normally take place out of doors and require participants to interact and engage with the natural environment through powerful and challenging expeditions, creating an immersive, impactful physical, mental and educational learning experience.

Construction of the centre has been sponsored under MEM’s CSR initiative, in cooperation with Occidental Oman, Petroleum Development Oman, BP Oman, OQ, Daleel Petroleum, and CC Energy Development. Occidental Oman is managing the construction of the centre on behalf of the contributing companies. H.E. Salim bin Nasser Al-Aufi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Energy and Minerals commented: “We are pleased to support this important project as part of the Energy Sector CSR initiative, which extends its support to include training and development of Omanis and providing them with the right skills and leadership qualities. Working with Outward Bound Oman, by building their third center in the Sultanate will enhance their capabilities and increase the opportunities for people to benefit from their extensive and unique training program, which has local and international reputation. My sincere appreciation goes to Occidental Oman, Petroleum Development Oman, BP Oman, OQ, Daleel Petroleum, and CC Energy Development who have put their hands together to fund the Al-Jabal Center. I look forward to seeing the center completed, operational and realizing its and OBO’s objectives for more and continued success.”