His Excellency Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, the Sultanate of Oman’s Minister of Oil and Gas, today launched the 2008 BG Energy Challenge – Oman.  The challenge is an annual fundraising and industry networking event sponsored by BG Oman, a subsidiary of the UK-based BG Group plc.  BG Oman is working together with Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman’s leading adventure tourism specialists, to organise the event.

This year’s event will raise money for the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs.  The funds raised will allow the Association to provide its comprehensive early intervention services to additional at-risk or disabled children.  The inaugural event in 2007 raised a record RO 100,000 for the National Association of Cancer Awareness, as the result of the huge fundraising efforts of 160 participants from the 26 teams who took part.  The money raised has funded the construction of Oman’s first mobile cancer awareness unit, which is currently being built. 

Participation in the 2008 event is open to companies and organisations associated with the energy industry.  Corporate teams of four to six employees will endure a series of challenges set in the mountains and on the beaches of the Batinah coast near Muscat, but the first challenge participants will face is to raise a minimum of RO 2,500 per team.  Each team must raise funds through events they organise themselves prior to the BG Energy Challenge event.  All funds raised will go directly to the Association of Early Intervention.

"RO 2,500 is the minimum requirement for teams to get to the start line, but we are challenging everyone in the industry to exceed the RO 8,400 raised by last year’s winning team—Baker Hughes.  We are delighted to help the Association of Early Intervention so they can provide more of their essential services to special needs children and their families in the Sultanate" said Peter Dranfield, Vice President, Middle East, BG Oman.

The BG Energy Challenge 2008 – Oman, takes place on 27-29 February. For further information please visit www.bg-energychallenge.com or contact challenge.oman@bg-group.com or call +968 24 485 663.
    
- End -

Notes to Editors: 

About BG Group:
BG Group plc is a global natural gas business. Active on five continents in over 25 countries, it operates four business segments - Exploration and Production, LNG, Transmission and Distribution and Power. BG Group seeks to support the social and economic development in the communities where it does business by providing structured funding for community initiatives that match its skills transfer theme. For further information, visit www.bg-group.com

About the BG Energy Challenge:
The BG Energy Challenge is an annual test of teamwork and commitment taking place in several countries, drawing support from a wide variety of companies in the energy sector and raising substantial funds for charity. Since 1996, worldwide BG Energy Challenges have contributed over £3.7 million (US $6.8 million) to charity.For further information, visit www.bg-energychallenge.com 

About Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre:
Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre is a registered Tourism Company that constantly strives to provide a new and unique experience for visitors to Oman. It is proactive in running an environmentally-sound business and provides responsible and sustainable tourism, utilising the local labour and resources of the areas in which they operate. As a member of the advisory committee to the Ministry of Tourism, Muscat Diving and Adventure Centre is at the forefront of the industry and best placed to help ensure good practice is adopted across the board and high standards maintained. For further information, visit www.holiday-in-oman.com

About the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs:
The Association of Early Intervention for Children with Special Needs is an officially registered and recognised charitable organisation.  The Association serves children from birth to 6 years, who are at risk or disabled, with a comprehensive early intervention programme that covers social, medical, physical, academic and therapeutic services; with the objective of having the children enrol in regular schools or minimise their disabilities to ensure a better quality of life for them and their families. The Association also undertakes an educational and advocacy role to improve societal awareness of people with special needs.  For further information, visit www.aei.org.om.