Despite the current boom being seen in the oil and gas industry of the United Arab Emirates, there remains a shortage of technical training facilities, it has been claimed.

Recent estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) show that oil resources in the UAE are likely to last for a further 100 years and generate a total net wealth of around $1.6 trillion.

However, according to the health and safety training firm Special Risks, a relative lack of educational facilities and fully-trained personnel could hinder this growth over the short-to-medium term.

The company's president Jacques Du Plessis told Arabian Business: "Something that Special Risks has noticed with interest and surprise in the UAE is the lack of international quality oil and gas training facilities, specifically for fire fighting.

"It is quite astonishing considering that the UAE is the fifth largest oil exporter, yet we still have not found a facility where we can go locally to train."

The comments come as growing numbers of international oil and gas firms arrive in Dubai to take advantage of the industry potential, with Hailburton the latest operator to announce a move there.

Oil & Gas Directory: Training & Development