NMDC Group is an integrated energy and marine services, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) organisation. With a footprint spanning the MENA region and South Asia, the Group offers innovative solutions across several industries including energy, dredging & marine, construction and engineering.
NMDC Energy Project Director Omar Halloum spoke to Hannah Barnett about some of the organisation’s ambitious projects.
Across the Middle East and beyond, NMDC Group cuts a prominent figure.
Under the umbrella of NMDC, the Group owns and operates four business units: NMDC Dredging and Marine, NMDC Energy (formerly NPCC), NMDC Engineering, and NMDC Construction (formerly Emarat Europe). The Group’s innovative solutions include addressing the complex future challenges facing the energy EPC sector.
“We offer a wide range of specialised services,” said NMDC Energy Project Director Omar Halloum. “From offshore construction to dredging and marine, our portfolio offers truly comprehensive solutions to offshore requirements in the energy sector.”
The Group specialises in long-term, turnkey contracts for the oil, gas and wider energy sector. These include services in design, procurement, fabrication and installation, with projects ranging from relatively simple constructions like offshore jacket structures, to complex production platforms and facilities.
“We’re remarkably diverse in our capabilities and expertise across each subsidiary,” said Mr Halloum. “This amplifies our ability to execute large-scale projects with precision and excellence. We also have a global course while maintaining strong local expertise. We have the ability to adapt , and we focus on forming new modules and cross-sector collaborations.”
A history of big projects
One of the Group’s first significant projects was in 2009, constructing artificial islands in the offshore Upper Zakum oilfield for ADNOC – a project worth $1.4bn.
“This was a momentous milestone; it showcased our capability to create the four complex artificial islands and establish our footprint in the region, and in the global energy industry,” Mr Halloum reflected.
In November 2021, NMDC Energy won more work with ADNOC, this time for the Dalma gas development project. The EPC contract was awarded as a joint venture with Técnicas Reunidas and Target Engineering, and included the construction of gas conditioning facilities, wellhead topsides, pipelines and umbilicals. The project was valued at $514 million.
Another significant milestone was the signing of a long-term agreement with Saudi Aramco in 2017, which played
a vital role in the growth of the NMDC Energy subsidiary. This was followed by multiple awards from Saudi Aramco including, in 2022, the biggest award in the company’s history: $2.2 billion for two packages in the Zuluf offshore field in Saudi Arabia which is expected to take three years to complete.
“These contracts have led us to start the development of a 400,000 square metre fabrication yard in Saudi Arabia, which will support all our new projects and expansion,” Mr Halloum said.
In December 2023, the NMDC Energy business unit won further projects with Saudi Aramco worth approximately $1.7 billion, and signed another large project for ADNOC for around $600 million.
“So, there is a backlog of huge projects coming up,” as Mr Halloum put it.
The financial growth of the Group is supported by a revenue of $3 billion and
a net profit of more than $400 million in the first three quarters of 2023, thanks to markets in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well as more recent expansion into wind farm projects in Taiwan.
Innovation in the space
As a high-profile EPC organisation, safety is understandably a top priority at NMDC Group, and it is known for adhering to the most rigorous third-party certifications and safety standards. In 2023, the Group proudly recorded zero fatalities, zero injuries and zero days of lost work.
“Diversity is also a big focus; we employ over 85 nationalities,” Mr Halloum added. “We’ve got more than 350 female employees, which is unusual for an offshore construction
company. And in 2022 alone, we invested more than 65,000 hours into training our team.”
Indeed, the Group is passionate about the development of its staff and is always looking for ways to cultivate the next generation of engineers, managers and specialists.
“We also focus on extending beyond the business to participate in community development and supporting local initiatives,” said Mr Halloum. “This is something that makes the group special and which is going to help us to keep developing and improving.”
NMDC Group is also focused on capturing the potential of technology. It has introduced a digital walkthrough initiative, which means clients can virtually
inspect a project during the construction phase and give any feedback necessary.
“Innovation is central to everything we do,” said Mr Halloum. “We started by introducing new methods in the design stage, like the use of AI, but this has now extended to the actual facilities and the way we do our construction activities. For example, we’re changing to automated welding machines.”
One of the Group’s most pioneering projects involved the construction of a 32,000-tonne gas treatment platform for ADNOC.
“The installation was the heaviest single module topside on a fixed jacket,” explained Mr Halloum. “It really highlighted our capabilities in engineering and construction offshore. From the engineering phase, to construction, all the way through to the final commissioning and startup, it was an excellent project.
“The project also showcased our technological advancement, digital transformation capabilities and support for the local production units in the UAE.”
Collaboration is key
Like any effective business, NMDC Group believes in working closely with its partners. Success is often a joint effort, according to Mr Halloum: “We truly believe in collaboration, including post-tender. We strive for collaboration over competition. For some projects, like the Suez Canal duplication project, we worked with an international consortium.”
Similarly, when it comes to suppliers, understanding the constraints and challenges of the supply chain is crucial. “We focus on creating synergies and enhancing execution by communicating closely with our suppliers, to ensure we are prepared for delivery times and
know how to prioritise items,” said Mr Halloum. “Our success with this method proves that collaboration is key. Of course, we also have a dedicated task force for orders to ensure we are communicating transparently.”
Collaboration is also proving vital in progressing the energy transition. NMDC Group is actively involved in the development of carbon capture technology and green hydrogen and has diversified its portfolio to include projects on wind farms.
“We have a joint venture with Technip Energies, amongst others, to look into the energy transition further,” said Mr Halloum. “Partnerships like this allow us to explore new opportunities and make use of our offshore resources.”
Going forward, NMDC Group is set to maintain its status as a main provider of energy and EPC services in the MENA region, with further strategic and global expansions in the pipeline.
“We’re deeply committed to decarbonisation for the energy sector,” Mr Halloum concluded. “We will work with whatever infrastructure and resources required. To navigate the energy transition is a big challenge; one that all companies are having, and something that we’re working towards achieving.
“For me, the opportunity to be part of a group like this, and to work across so many diverse sectors, is really motivating. Finding technical solutions to complex problems is more than intellectually interesting; it is really exciting.” n
