More than 60 research papers will be presented during the three-day conference on corrosion to be held in Bahrain this month, according to the Bahrain Society of Engineers (BSE), the organiser of the event.

The Ninth Middle East Corrosion Conference and Exhibition will be staged in co-ordination with the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) from February 12 to 14 at the Gulf Hotel's Gulf International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The meeting is to be held under the patronage of Electricity and Water Minister Shaikh Daij bin Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Khalifa.

Among the keynote speakers will be Professor Dr Su Su Wang from the University of Houston, Professor W Paul Jepson from the University of Athens (Ohio), CC Technologies president Dr Neil G Thompson and KTA-Tator vice-president and technical director Kenneth Trimber from the US.

"More than 100 delegates from around the world have already registered and 22 companies have booked exhibition stands so far. We expect the numbers to increase substantially over the next two weeks," said BSE vice-president and conference organising committee chairman Abdul Majeed Al Gassab.

Conference chairman Dr Omar Abdulhamid said corrosion costs billions of dollars each year and causes serious injuries and loss of lives. The Arabian Gulf region, due to its wide temperature ranges and high humidity, affords unique corrosion problems, he said.

Because of the magnitude of corrosion problems in the massive oil production facilities and industry in the Gulf, the conference will present a diversity of papers. Formal presentations, informal technical meetings and round table and panel discussions are planned to maximise sharing of knowledge and experience.

The formal sessions will include cathodic protection, protective coatings and chemical treatment.