Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): A source informed on the oil sector in the country said that the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) has lost 40% of its production capacity since the fire that broke out on November 26, 2016.

Based on the figures, BAPCO used to produce 260,000 barrels per day, but the fire led to the loss of 104,000 barrels, producing only 156,000 barrels per day. The fire incident was caused by the negligence of a new employee, who was not held accountable.

According to information, the fire broke out due due to the negligence and incompetence of a naturalized employee of Yemeni origin, who was recruited among the dozens who were employed after the events of 2011, both foreign and naturalized, and this employee is deemed to be part of the team of the current Minister of Oil Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa (Commander-in-Chief Marshal Khalifa bin Ahmad's son).

The informed source stressed that the company dropped many stringent requirements in recruitment and safety procedures after the arrival of the new employees. "For instance, a number of new employees still insist on carrying their phones in areas where cell phones are prohibited," he said.

The source further confirmed that the employee caused a fire that led to the destruction of the electronic control center, a room that controls a large number of pipes, which contain different materials and require different pressures, and the control room that was destroyed by the fire also controls a large part of the refinery.

Since the fire whose ramifications were not covered in the media, BAPCO has lost at least 45 million dinars, according to the source.

Arabic Version