This workshop is organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), jointly with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD); the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which will be held in the UN House- Beirut, the Republic of Lebanon, during the period 31 May – 2 June 2004.

The subject Workshop/Seminar will constitute energy statistics databases, classification of energy reserves and the joint oil data initiative. The main objective of this Seminar (1st June) is to demonstrate how the currently developed United Nations Framework Classification for Energy Resources (UNFC) could be used to improve harmonization of terminology, for the benefit of energy statistics and reserves valuation.

The main topics of discussion target the assessment of the current status on the subject issues and means to upgrade it.

Main Topics

The topics to be discussed in the Workshop include:

Overview of the oil and gas industry in the region;
Energy databases at international statistics agencies;
The joint oil data initiative (JODI).

The Seminar will deliberate on the following topics:

Classification of energy reserves/resources;
The United Nations Framework Classification for Energy & Mineral Resources (UNFC) and its application to all energy commodities;
The UNFC use for valuation and management purposes.