A.Hak Annual Review 2011 by A.Hak

a.hakpark magazine

annual review 2011 publication for employees and relations issue 1 | may 2012 | volume 1

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; Growth objective has yet again been achievedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; w.D. van geenhuizen Managing Director

High tech projects In renewable energy, communications and lighting technology.

Important infrastructure For oil, gas, water and electricity in the Netherlands and abroad.

Special relationships Cooperation pays off: with clients and within A.Hakpark.

PROUD FOR SEVERAL REASONS You can be proud of a project for various reasons. The work may be so exceptional that it has never before been achieved in the Netherlands. It contains so many different components as to require the contribution of at least six A.Hakpark companies. Or the end result may be outstanding: renewable energy for as many as 11,000 households and companies. In very rare cases, such as the construction of the district heating pipeline from Diemen to Almere Poort, all of these reasons apply simultaneously. The full story can be found on page 11.

PREAMBLE

A confident outlook on 2012 To be successful is great, but you get used to it quite easily and it sometimes clouds your view. During the preceding years, A.Hakpark got used to presenting brilliant turnover figures as well as an exceptional operating result. In 2011, once again we were able to achieve our growth objective. After three exceptionally good years, the operating result in 2011 could be designated as good instead of excellent. Considering the economic situation, I can only be satisfied and I‘d like to thank all the employees who have contributed to these results.

colophon Photography Harry Pelgrim Wouter Schroer Maarten van der Voorde and others TExt CONTRIBUTIONS Adriaan van Hooijdonk Richard van Santen EDITOR IN CHIEF Richard van Santen CONCEPT/Design Medamo (Barbara Lateur Loes Sikkes)

From an economic point of view, 2011 was a tempestuous year. In the fourth quarter, the Netherlands dipped into a recession. Greece could only be narrowly rescued from the brink of bankruptcy, which caused a tremendous upheaval in the euro zone. In the United States, it was only a few hours before the deadline that president Obama managed to conclude a temporary agreement between the Democrats and the Republicans, as a result of which the credit ceiling could be increased, enabling the country to continue to fulfil its financial obligations. Difficult times which, if the forecasts are correct, aren’t over yet. In 2012, the Dutch economy is likely to continue to shrink. Whether the Greek deficit crisis has been brought under control, remains to be seen and the problems elsewhere in Europe still haven’t been solved either. Meanwhile, the world market closely watches the outcome of Obama’s temporary solution. Of course, we too will be confronted with this uncertain future. But if we put our shoulders to the wheel, as it is the habit within our companies, I am convinced that A.Hakpark can face 2012 with confidence. The solvency and liquidity of our group are excellent and in the preceding years, we have heavily invested in the future. Our companies that are active in the field of overhead high voltage connections, sustainable energy and communications are ready for the market developments, which undoubtedly are to be expected. And in the markets, in which we already are a strong player – oil, gas, water and underground high voltage cables – we have become an even more complete service provider. In this annual review, the foregoing is illustrated with magnificent examples. I hope you will enjoy reading it.

Production BEK Grafische Producties

W.D. van Geenhuizen The Annual Review 2011 is a special edition of the magazine for employees and relations of A.Hakpark.

issue 1 | may 2012 | volume 1

Managing director

contents annual review 2011

Cooperation for the gas hub Gasunie makes sure that The Netherlands mainitain their important position on Europe’s gas market by developing the ‘gas hub’. Over the years, many A.Hakpark companies contributed.

Unique project underwater

Rebuilding Iraq

A project for Nuon Energy that’s special for many reasons: building a district heating pipeline under the IJmeer.

A.Hak International contributed to the rebuilding of this country through participation in the Iraq Crude Oil Export Expansion Project.

Growth in niche markets

Smart work

A.Hak Industrial Services director Johan Robbe elaborates on the growth strategy of this niche player.

The annual replacement of some 20,000 connections to the gas and electricity grid and making them ‘smart’ in the process. Alliander and A.Hak Infranet team up to make it work.

04 Preamble 06 Good result in difficult year 14 Water in the desert 15 Thermal Energy Storage 20 Masts by Kaal 21 Short items 24 Working for NAM 25 Flexible design

30 Short items 31 Renewed focus on industry 34 15 drillings on 18 kilometers 35 Short items 36 High expectations 38 Index

Good results in difficult economic times A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN TURNOVER

In the preceding years, A.Hakpark achieved excellent results and in the beginning of 2011, the economic outlook seemed reassuring. In the first quarter, the Dutch economy grew by 3%, compared with the same period in 2010 and it also showed an increase of almost one percent in comparison to the preceding quarter. However, at that time the first indications of decline were already visible. After three quarters of job growth, for the first time, there was a slight decrease in the number of jobs. Moreover, the household consumption â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is only of secondary importance for A.Hakpark, however it is a measure for economic wellbeing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; started to decrease. As from the second quarter, the economic news became increasingly gloomy. The Netherlands saw its growth reduced by half, which then started to shrink in the third quarter and continued to do so in the fourth quarter. The recession was a fact.

In this Annual Review 2011, A.Hakpark reports on a year which yielded very satisfactory results, in spite of a faltering economic situation. We start with a concise summary, containing the most important core data, after which we let the projects speak for themselves.

These circumstances have influenced the results over 2011, but not to an alarming degree. In spite of the difficult economic situation, the operating income showed a significant increase. Moreover, the operating results were solid. OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS

Key figures 2011

x EUR 1,000 Operating income Operating expenses

2011

2010

418,851 396,437

371,753 340,466 *

Operating profit/EBIT

22,414

31,287

Depreciation (incl. depreciation on goodwill)

21,806

12,935

Normalised EBITDA

44,220

44,222

*This figure has been corrected due to a change in the system of recognition of goodwill in the balance sheet.

general information annual review 2011

A.Hakpark is, both nationally and internationally, involved in the construction of transport pipelines for oil, gas and water. In the Netherlands, the moment at which most of the underground basic infrastructure will be completed, is quickly approaching. Therefore, as we expected, the domestic turnover in this field showed a decrease in 2011. However, this was compensated for by an increase of the turnover from the construction of transport pipelines abroad. We were awarded a follow-up contract in Albania and a special project in Iraq, allowing us to secure a good result, in spite of a delay in the work in Saudi Arabia. A.Hakpark expects that this shift towards international returns will be continued, not only in far-away countries but also in our neighbouring countries. Both the

national and the international projects in this field will be extensively covered in this annual overview, in which the drilling activities of A.Hak Drillcon will be highlighted on several occasions. Our drilling specialist exceeded the expectations yet again this year, with a soaring turnover and an excellent result.

Relatively increased turnover from abroad DRILLINGS

The turnover of the production companies rose slightly, while the results showed a satisfactory increase of 10%. During the preceding year, the infranet companies strongly focused on the efficiency and the effectiveness of the organisation, which resulted in an upward trend both in the turnover and the operating result. In 2012, we expect to further improve the result. We have the same expectations for our high voltage companies. Due to the economic and financial climate in Europe, this market hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t developed to its full size yet. The plans to significantly expand the aboveground electricity network in the Netherlands and Germany materialise slower than we expected. However, we are awaiting the developments in this market segment with confidence. It was a special year, both for the industrial and for the telecommunications activities, which both went through a period of transition. A.Hak Telecom heavily invested in preparation of a transition to optic fibre and wireless applications. In 2012, the companies, who are mainly active in the industrial sector, will continue their activities with a renewed focus as a part of the cluster A.Hak Industrie.

In this annual review, the activities of A.Hak Drillcon are highlighted on several occasions. Our drilling specialist significantly contributed to many projects. As was the case for this project in Saudi Arabia.

In conclusion, we mention A.Hak Industrial Services, our specialist in the field of inspection and cleaning. The results of 2011 were very satisfactory. The company achieved successes in approximately thirty countries, but particularly in South Africa and Abu Dhabi, where it realised a significant growth. Elsewhere in this annual overview, you can read about the way in which A.Hak Industrial Services intends to continue this upward trend.

ACQUISITIONS

The acquisition of the Technisch Installatiebureau H.J. Mertens took place in April 2011. This company is mainly involved in gas installation technology and reinforces the industrial activities of A.Hakpark. Since 1 January 2012, Mertens, together with Mechanical Contracting Limburg (MCL), A.Hak Industrie Noord-Oost, A.Hak ÂIndustrie Born and A.Hak Industrie Botlek, form

annual review 2011

general information

Charitable causes

In 2011, A.Hakpark supported charitable projects of Water for Life, an initiative of VEI, a partnership of the waterworks companies Vitens and Evides. In Ghana, Water for Life installed two drinking water systems which ensure the supply of clean drinking water to 8,600 people. In Mozambique, they built drinking water and sanitary provisions for 12,000 people. We expect to be able to do more in 2012, especially in the capital Maputo, by helping the local waterworks company improving its operational efficiency and management. The philosophy of A.Hakpark in respect of contributions to these charitable causes revolves around the keyword sustainability. Each man-hour and each euro has to yield a permanent benefit for the receiver of the help. During the water fair Aquatech Amsterdam, the foundation JointhePipe.org was accommodated in the stand of A.Hakpark. This foundation promotes the consumption of tap water instead of bottled spring water and drills water extraction wells with the savings. A.Hakpark supports the initiative and, where possible, provides assistance in the drilling of water extraction wells. Additionally, the A.Hakpark companies also contribute independently to local or regional charitable causes.

part of the cluster A.Hak Industrie, which will reposition A.Hakpark in the industrial sector, after a few years of relatively little activity in this field. In February 2012, even before the closure of annual financial statement, A.Hakpark acquired Plaisier Las en Montage. Plaisier is based Middenmeer and is involved in the combined construction and installation of cables and pipelines within the GWE sector. It counts amongst its clients a number of 08

general information annual review 2011

water authorities and municipalities as well as energy, waterworks, telecommunications and cable television companies. Its area of influence covers the northern part of North Holland. Additionally, Plaisier is a certified electrical installation company. This branch of the company is mainly involved in the installation of energy and water supplies at building sites. Its specialisms consist, amongst others, of mirror welding, public lighting, electrical

engineering, steel welding and digital surveying. Within our group, Plaisier will continue its activities under its own name. INVESTMENTS

In 2011, the investments of A.Hakpark amounted to â&#x201A;Ź 21 million. Besides the aforementioned acquisitions, this amount was spent on the procurement of real estate, machinery and installations. In the

Corporate Social Responsibility: ‘to operate in a careful and prudent manner ’

beginning of the year we bought a building located at the Moezelweg in Europoort-Rotterdam, which will serve to accommodate A.Hak Industrie Botlek. A second acquisition concerned a building located at the Veerweg in Hendrik Ido Ambacht, which houses our company Tjaden. In Tricht we started with a major conversion of the main office and with the construction of four warehouses, an underground parking area and a second office building. The second office building will serve to accommodate A.Hak Industrial Services. These investments are entirely financed from our own resources. Corporate Social Responsibility

Within A.Hakpak, our term for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is ‘to operate in a careful and prudent manner’. In short, this means that we conduct the planning, implementation and the completion of our work in a prudent manner, while being environmentally and socially aware and involved. This was our business practice, even long before CSR became fashionable – which is shown by the fact that in 2010 we were one of the first four Dutch enterprises, obtaining a certification at level 3 of the CSR Performance Ladder – and we are determined to keep up the good work. CSR is an umbrella term, which contains seven core themes. A.Hakpark has to make progress on all these themes, in order to retain the certification on the Performance Ladder. Det Norske Veritas conducted two audits, the first of which took place in February 2011 at A.Hak Telecom, while the se-

cond audit took place in September 2011 at A.Hak Leidingbouw and A.Hak Infranet region Zuid. Both audits resulted in a positive outcome. In 2011, we retained the certification which is valid until June 2013. In 2010, we started with the interviewing of about fifty stakeholders in regard with their expectations and requirements in respect of the CSR policy of A.Hakpark. The groups of stakeholders consisted of the own employees, clients, suppliers and authorities. This round of interviews was concluded in 2011, whereupon the data collected were centralised in a stakeholder analysis. 2011 saw the establishment of a CSR steering committee, whose purpose consists of the formulation of new objectives, the determination of the ambition level, the monitoring of the progress and the communication of the results. During the inaugural meeting, the following subjects have been designated as focal CSR points for 2012, on the basis of the stakeholder analysis. 1 Sustainable employability of the staff 2 Energy 3 Transport and conveyance We’ve set up a work group for each focal point. These work groups are assigned with the task to convert these focal points into actions. The establishment of the steering committee and the work groups also ensured a stronger organisational anchoring of CSR within A.Hakpark. The fact that the focal points are based on the interviews with the stakeholders is in line with the CSR principles.

THE SEVEN CORE THEMES OF CSR

1 Good governance to be accountable, transparency, ethical attitude 2 Labour health and safety, education, working conditions 3 Human rights no discrimination, child labour or slavery 4 Fair trade no corruption or formation of anti-competitive cartels 5 Consumers/clients privacy, publicity, safety 6 Environment consumption of raw materials and energy, impact on biodiversity 7 Regional development to contribute to the regional economy

annual review 2011

general information

Human Resources full time employees 2500

2065

2000

1500

1688 1708

1515

Following our certification on the CSR Performance Ladder in 2011, A.Hakpark was also certified at level 3 of the CO2 Performance Ladder. This means that we are transparent in respect of our CO2 emissions and that we take measures in order to reduce them. A.Hak Beheer, A.Hak Leidingbouw, A.Hak Infranet, A.Hak Electron, A.Hak Drillcon, A.Hak Telecom and A.Hak Engineering started with the publication of a CO2 footprint, which shows the aggregate emissions and the distribution over the different energy sources.

1000

500

people celebrating a jubilee

Once people start working at A.Hakpark they usually stay on for a long time. On 18 November 44 colleagues celebrated a jubilee. 38 colleagues

5 colleagues

1 colleague

YEARS

Historical overview absence through illness 8%

The general QOE objective of A. Hakpark consists of the prevention of accidents, incidents and the limitation of risks and damages, which affect the (social) environment, the health and the welfare of everyone who works for, or on behalf of, A.Hakpark. In summary: working together in a careful, prudent and sustainable manner. In 2011, we intensively focused on the QOE certifications. All the companies made efforts to be certified this year for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and, where relevant, also for SCC, the CSR Performance Ladder and the CO2 Performance Ladder. Additionally, a few companies also have other specific certifications, such as CKB (certification scheme for cable infrastructure and pipe-laying companies), NEN3834-2 and BRL SIKB7000. All in all, an impressive list of certifications. However, there is no room for complacency. In 2012, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll further implement and fine-tune the systems, as this is the only way to effectively reap the rewards of our efforts. OUTLOOK ON 2012

9 19

QUALITY, OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT (QHSE)

9 19

general information annual review 2011

10 20

11 20

Although the short-term economic outlook is still uncertain, A.Hakpark will continue to implement its growth strategy in 2012. We expect a continuation of the trend to generate a larger part of our turnover and result outside the Netherlands, especially in the oil, gas and water market. A.Hakpark doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t foresee any important changes in the size and the composition of the workforce.

No less than six A.Hakpark companies participated in a project which is unique to the Netherlands and probably to the whole world. A double district heating pipeline with a length of 8.5 kilometres was installed one and a half metres under the IJmeer.

UNIQUE PROJECT IN THE IJMEER

Underwater district heating pipelines

annual review 2011

renewable energy

IJmeer Almere Poort

Diemen Power plant Muiden Muiderberg

photography Peter van Eldik

he town of Almere hasn’t reached the limits of its growth yet. Construction work is still ongoing and the number of inhabitants continues to rise. All these inhabitants need heating for their homes. The 11,000 houses and company buildings in the city district of Almere Poort are heated with district heating from Nuon Energy. In the case of district heating, heated water is directed to houses and company buildings via pipelines. This heated water is then – without the interference of a heating furnace or boiler – used for heating and domestic hot water. Renewable energy

District heating is a form of renewable energy provision. The water in a district heating system is heated by residual heat, which is released in large quantities by waste incineration plants or power stations. The heated water is transported to a heat transfer plant (HTP), from where it is distributed to the receivers. The plant in Almere Poort is a special building. With a supply capacity of 180MW, it is the largest of its kind in Almere. Because of its location in a highly visible spot in the district, Nuon and the municipality of Almere provided the building with a special look: the roof is clad with aluminium sheets and the northern façade is made of glass, providing a view on a part of the installation. Until mid-2012, the HTP receives its heat from a power station in Almere Stad, after which the plant will be connected to a new thermal power plant in Diemen. Unprecedented

This thermal power plant is a clever piece of technology. It is built in the same location as the existing plant and it produces 435 megawatt electricity and 260 megawatt residual heat. In order to connect the thermal power plant to the heat transfer plant, a heat transport line of 8.5 kilometres between Diemen and Almere Poort had to be installed. A unique project, since both places are separated by the water of the IJmeer. The underwater installation of a heat transport line of such a length was unprecedented. A.Hak Leidingbouw, in its capacity of main contractor appointed subcontractors for certain parts of the works, including several A.Hakpark companies. A.Drillcon was involved in a number of directional drillings, including dril12

renewable energy annual review 2011

lings through the dikes at both banks of the lake. Tjaden performed the drainage. A.Hak Telecom participated in the simultaneous installation of fibre optic cable alongside the heat transport line. MCL provided the possibility to work from the water, as it took care of the engineering and construction of special components for the construction pontoon. The contribution of A.Hak Industrial Services consisted of the creation of maximum insulation between both steel pipelines, by drying and evacuating the space between the pipelines. Main contractor

Heat transport requires the installation of a double pipeline: a pipeline for the supply of the hot water and a return pipeline for the cooled-down water. This project was implemented as a steel-in-steel system: an inner pipeline of 20” and an outer pipeline of 28”, with insulation material between both pipelines. In its rôle of main contractor, A.Hak Leidingbouw was responsible for the design, supply and implementation of the project, in conformity with the specifications and the requirements, which included the conduction of detail engineering and the responsibility for obtaining the DAD, the Design Approval Document, which is issued by the independent approval body Lloyd’s Register upon approval of the design.

First Dutch project of its kind It didn’t take long before engineers of A.Hak Leidingbouw had to adapt the original design as, in the IJmeer, we needed to cross navigation channels for pleasure boating and commercial shipping. Dredging a trench in this part of the channel would have led to a lot of hassle and huge costs. For this reason, we chose to perform a third drilling, which once again was executed by A.Hak Drillcon. This drilling of 700 metres, executed from a pontoon, can be designated as a technical tour de force. Storage on the water

The installation of the pipeline required a lot of knowhow and ingenuity. The pipeline would be installed from Diemen. However, in Diemen we were faced with a lack of space. As there was enough space at the other side of the lake, this problem could be solved by processing the pipes in Almere, where they were welded together into long

pipeline parts with a length of no less than 500 to 700 metres. This preparatory work was carried out during the breeding season of the birds, which nest on the small islands De Drost, Warenar and Hooft in springtime. Subsequently, two boats dragged the pipeline parts over the water from Almere to Diemen. In Diemen, there wasn’t enough space for the storage of the pipelines either. At least, not ashore. For this reason, A.Hak Leidingbouw chose to store them on the water. All those long floating lines offered a strange view. Working on the pontoons

The installation started with a drilling in the plant in Diemen through the Diemer seawall to a sheet piling caisson in the IJmeer. This point formed the start of the longest water track, which ends at the navigation channel. The pipeline parts were welded together on a pontoon on the water and subsequently installed in a one and a half metre deep trench in the bottom of the lake. A difficult job, which heavily depended on weather conditions, since in strong winds the wave action is too high to perform these works. This method of working was implemented alongside the three islands in the IJmeer, until the pipeline reached the second sheet piling caisson, where the second drilling took

place underneath the navigation channel to a third sheet piling caisson. After the installation of a second, shorter water track, the pipeline reached the fourth and last sheet piling caisson, which forms the starting point of the last part of the pipeline, which runs to the HTP in Almere Poort through a third drilling. This drilling was executed onshore. Cooperation

This project required a close cooperation between several parties. Martens & Van Oord was an important subcontractor for the implementation of the so-called ‘wet ground works’, the dredging of an underwater pipeline trench, the realisation of a sand bedding layer, supporting the pipeline, and the ‘covering’ of the pipeline with loose soil from the bottom of the lake. We cooperated intensively with the German company Fernwärme, supplier of the insulated steel-in-steel system, for the design of the system, the prefabrication and the logistics for the timely delivery of the materials at the right place. A.Hak Leidingbouw appointed a number of subcontractors, but mainly relied on other members of the company group for the successful accomplishment of the project: A.Hak Drillcon, A.Hak Telecom, A.Hak Industrial Services, Tjaden and MCL.

storage

Because of a lack of space ashore A.Hak Leidingbouw chose to store the pipes on the water of the IJmeer. The long floating lines offered a strange, but beautiful view.

annual review 2011

renewable energy

Water! A.Hak International has left its mark behind in the desert of Saudi Arabia for many years now. Last year was no exception, as we made a contribution to a gigantic project, which includes a pipeline network with a Âtotal length of 900 kilometres. Although many people immediately associate this country with oil, this mega-pipeline will serve to transport water instead. The Saudi capital Riyadh is located in the middle of the desert at an altitude of approximately 700 metres above sea level. The inhabitants use approximately 270 litres of water per capita per day. When the Riyadh Water Transmission System is complete, the usage will be increased by an average quantity of 200 litres per person which will consist of seawater. The seawater will be processed by a new desalination plant at a rate of a million cubic metres per day. A.Hak International operates in Saudi Arabia as a partner of the Al Rashid-Hak consortium, which is, amongst others, responsible for the coating and internal cement mortar lining of almost 400 kilometres of transmission pipelines, the construction of three pumping stations and the building of 13 water reservoirs with a capacity of up to 170,000 cubic metres. A.Hak Drillcon has been appointed for a special part of the work, which consists of the implementation of forty road crossings.

RECORD-BREAKING ACHIEVEMENT

The last year was marked with a record-breaking achievement in the Saudi desert: within a timespan of 9 hours, 39 manual welds were executed on pipes with a diameter of 72â&#x20AC;?. In spite of this speed record, there is still a long way to go before reaching Riyadh.

water annual review 2011

Renewable energy from the earth

The Amsterdam Zuidas is one of the major internet junctions of the Netherlands, where data centres ensure the availability of data twenty four hours a day. The cooling of their equipment consumes an enormous amount of energy. Reason enough to look for sustainable solutions. Tjaden offers one of those solutions: thermal energy storage (TES).

Tjaden, specialist in thermal energy storage

text Adriaan van Hooijdonk

jaden installed an open thermal energy storage system for a data centre in Amsterdam. This system uses groundwater with a constant temperature to ensure cooling and heating in a sustainable way. The drillings up to a depth of 160 metres started in October, followed by the construction of four wells, a piping system and an area for measurement and control engineering. The practical completion of the project took place in February 2012. The construction of TES systems is one of the specialisms of Tjaden. The company took the lead in this form of renewable energy extraction and installed its first systems twelve years ago. Tjaden also drills sprinkler, water extraction and fire water wells; it can be deployed for water treatment and geohydrological consulting. Within the A.Hakpark group, Tjaden is deployed on a regular basis for the pumping of excess groundwater in excavations for the installation of pipes or cables. Meanwhile, the team of Tjaden is preparing the implementation of a new, special project: the construction of a TES system for the new office of A.Hak Industrial Services at the premises in Tricht. According to Ruud Dorlandt, manager final installations, it is a challenging project, because there are strict requirements for obtaining the necessary licenses due to its location in a dike area. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The interesting part is that, when finished, our customers will be able to see with their own eyes how the system works, since it will be installed aboveground in a glass housing.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

In an open TES system, groundwater is pumped up, conducted through a heat exchanger and then pumped back into the ground. In the wintertime, this water is used for heating and in the summertime for cooling. An innovative and sustainable system, as it requires hardly any fossil fuels and it makes use of natural, geological properties.

annual review 2011

renewable energy

Investments in the gas infrastructure have to ensure that the Netherlands maintains its important role in the transportation and distribution of natural gas. Many A.Hakpark companies cooperated in projects for Gasunie to turn our country into Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gas hub par excellence. text Adriaan van Hooijdonk/Richard van Santen photography Harry Pelgrim/Maarten van der Voorde

Cooperation for the gas hub

The path of the gas

The Netherlands produces, but also imports natural gas; from Russia and Norway, amongst others. The gas enters our country in Groningen, partially via Borgsweer and partially via Oude Statenzijl. From here, the gas runs to the new compressor station in Scheemda, also in Groningen. Subsequently, the gas is transported in the southern and western direction via new and existing pipelines. The pipeline runs via Drenthe, Overijssel and Gelderland to South Limburg. There is a pipeline that runs from Wijngaarden in South Holland via Dordrecht to the western side of the Western Scheldt (Dutch: Westerschelde). An extension from the Western Scheldt to the nearby Cambron has been planned. Finally, a new track will be installed from the compressor station in Beverwijk to the new station in Wijngaarden, starting 2013. 16

oil and gas annual review 2011

he gas market is in full progress. In South West Europe, the production of this relatively clean, fossil fuel decreases, but that isn’t the case for the demand. Even the Netherlands, a gas producer itself, imports increasingly more natural gas. Due to its central location within Europe, the Netherlands has the opportunity to play a pivotal role in this market. For this reason, the Dutch authorities are intensively involved with the realisation of a ‘gas hub’ in our country. The most advanced infrastructure has to ensure that the Netherlands will be able to amply supply the need for gas in our own country and abroad. For the Dutch authorities, the term ‘gas hub’ means the aggregate activities of production, transport, storage, transit, trade and development of expertise. The investments in this field should place the Netherlands in a significantly advantageous competitive position in the gas market. The possibility to transport gas in several directions increases the supply security. The gas network in the north of Germany also plays an important role. North-South Route

The North-South Route is an important part of the Dutch gas network. A mega-project, which is completed track after track so as to finally realise an addition to the ‘gas motorway’ that crosses our country from the north to the south. Several compressor stations will be built alongside the route, in order to ensure that the pressure level of the natural gas is maintained, while it is transported over a long distance. During the preceding years, A.Hak Leidingbouw contributed significantly to this pipeline net-

annual review 2011

oil and gas

work, which stretches over many kilometres. A.Hak Leidingbouw built the longest track of the route, the 88 kilometres of pipeline from Meeden in Groningen to Ommen in Overijsel, which were constructed in 2009. In 2010 and 2011, the work started again in Ommen for the construction of a track to Esveld. Yet again, A.Hak Leidingbouw was assigned with the implementation of the most complex part of the route, from Angerlo to Beuningen. This relatively short track of 37 kilometres required as many as ten horizontal directional drillings, which were executed in 2009 and 2010. Drillings

Drillings are necessary for the crossing of obstacles, such as roads, railways, rivers or canals. Within the A.Hakpark group, A.Hak Drillcon is the specialist in the design and the execution of drillings. Drillcon was the first company in the Netherlands to make use of the Direct Pipe method, which was implemented on the track Angerlo-Beuningen. This method allows for the whole pipeline to be drilled underground in ‘one go’, by attaching a tunnel boring machine at the front of the pipeline. At the entry side, the pipe is inserted by a so-called pipe thruster. It is only necessary to set up a work area at the side where the drilling takes place, the interference and the inconvenience at the exit side can be limited to a minimum. In February, two drillings of 550 metres and in March, a drilling of no less than 1400 metres were executed in this way on the track Ommen-Esveld. The last drilling still is a world record. No Dig Award Conline-Rhenania worked on all tracks

A.Hak Leidingbouw and Drillcon are important players in the realisation of the North-South Route. And also the resources of A.Hak Industrie, A.Hak Infranet and A.Hak Industrial Services are used on regular basis, while the draining activities of Tjaden ensure dry feet during the work. However, the team of Conline-Rhenania can claim that all the pipes of the North-South Route ‘have passed through their hands’. Most of the pipes are provided with a protective coating by Conline-Rhenania and also the others pipes have all been in storage with our coating specialist, who was responsible for the batch release of the pipes. At this moment, the branch in Moerdijk houses a growing stock of pipes for the track Beverwijk-Wijngaarden. ConlineRhenania takes care of the coating, the storage and the logistics for the batch release of the pipes.

oil and gas annual review 2011

The Direct Pipe method was also applied in the construction of a pipeline underneath the Hartel canal near Spijkenisse, which forms also a part of the North-South route. It wasn’t possible to execute horizontal directional drillings, as there wasn’t sufficient space to lay out the whole pipeline behind the shield driven tunnel. The 540 metres pipeline could be installed underneath the 15 metres deep canal by applying the Direct Pipe technique and by welding a pipeline part of 54 metres to each previous part. The Hartel canal project received a lot of appraisal within the industry. During the trade fair Infratech 2011, Ronald van Krieken, director of Drillcon, received, together with Enno Freese of Gasunie, the No Dig Award. Compressor stations

A.Hak Leidingbouw also left its hallmark on the project during the construction of a number of compressor stations on the North-South Route. As a member of the consortium Gasunie CS Scheemda Vof, Leidingbouw installed the pipework at CS Scheemda in 2009 and 2010. In 2010-2011, A.Hak Leidingbouw started, together with the same partners Cofely

A.Hak Leidingbouw contributed to a large number of compressor stations and Ballast Nedam, the construction of CS Wijngaarden. CS Ommen, one of the largest compressor stations for natural gas in Western Europe, is indispensable in the gas hub. In 2011, Gasunie replaced an existing 18â&#x20AC;? line of one kilometre with 36â&#x20AC;? line in this operational compressor station. This was necessary because the gas storage in Epe, Germany, required a larger transport capacity. A.Hak Leidingbouw was also awarded this project. Remaining operational

Although the installation of pipelines is the core activity of A.Hak Leidingbouw, the work at CS Ommen was certainly not a routine job, given the complex infrastructure at the compressor station, but mainly due to the fact that the station had to remain operational during the installation of the new pipeline. For this reason, it was necessary to install a provisional pipeline. Working at a compressor station entails more risks than working in an open field. Therefore, it was necessary to take several special safety measures during, amongst others, the excavation work. It was also required to obtain additional licenses and to deploy fire patrol officers. Furthermore, the work had to be supervised by employees of Gasunie. Because of the complexity of this work the installation of this pipeline of no more than one kilometre has taken six months. Progress

Meanwhile, seven important pipeline tracks of the North-South Route have been completed in the Netherlands: from the German border to Scheemda, Scheemda - Ommen, Ommen-Esveld, Esveld-Angerlo, Angerlo-Beuningen, Beuningen-Odiliapeel and Wijngaarden-West Western Scheldt. In the coming years the last tracks in Limburg, Odiliapeel-Melick and Hommelhof-Schinnenin Limburg, will be installed as well as some new tracks in the West of the Netherlands. Therefore, our country will be able to further expand its already prominent position in the transport and the distribution of natural gas.

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The masts of Kaal are everywhere Kaal Masten offers a complete range of sustainable quality masts for a variety of applications, such as lighting, security, mobility, design and communications. Kaal Masten strives for the highest degree of sustainability, both in its products and its production process. Kaal is based in Oss and in Linz, Austria, from where it serves the Dutch and the European market.

Wooden lamp posts Loon

The entire village of Loon, which forms part of the municipality of Assen, is provided with new public street lighting, in full accordance with the sustainability guidelines issued by the municipality. The lamp posts, which are manufactured from domestic wood, ensure the preservation of the typical character of Loon and have a minimal impact on the environment.

Overhead line masts The Hague

Slim, conical masts that are normally only used for street lighting. The choice for extra wall thickness rendered these masts suitable for the support of overhead lines for the tram in The Hague. It also provided the city district with a new look.

Sustainable bicycle path lighting Oss

A sustainable, autonomous system with two types of posts: a solar post with a solar panel, providing power to ten lamp posts with LED fittings. In Oss, which is the home base of the largest post manufacturer in the Netherlands, the system ensures CO2 neutral lighting of an obscure bicycle path, which previously was regarded to be unsafe.

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Onshore radar masts Maastricht

The Dutch Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) commissioned Ritzen Architects with the design of these onshore radar masts, which allow the monitoring of the ships on the Meuse River (Dutch: Maas). Kaal Masten was awarded the execution of the work. It appeared that the design required a significant amount of adjustments, which have been implemented in consultation with all parties.

An important visitor for MCL The province of Limburg is confronted with the problem of a shrinking workforce and an ageing population. This has an impact on the economy. It gives the government and businesses reason to do everything possible to create employment and to train skilled workers. MCL takes the lead in these areas, as minister Kamp could observe during a work visit on 7 February 2011. The aim of the government to cut back on education for people over 30 years old creates bottlenecks for Limburg. The province of Limburg is confronted with the problem of a shrinking workforce and an ageing population. The amount of skilled workers at retirement age outnumbers the amount of workers being trained and this also affects MCL. It becomes increasingly difficult for the machinery builder of A.Hakpark to find skilled workers in Limburg. For this reason, MCL has set up an in-company training programme under the name Metal@Work together with other metal processing companies, the project organisation Prolabor and the ROC training centre. For the training programme Metal@Work, the initiators installed a training hall on the grounds of MCL, where the students can follow a practical training for welder, construction fitter or pipefitter. Meanwhile, a number of ex-students from the project entered into employment with MCL. Other metal processing companies in the region have also recruited participants of this training in the mean time. During his work visit on 7 February, Henk Kamp was given a tour by MCL director Rob Feij. The minister spent a large amount of time talking to the students and the ex-students.

Passed! A.Hak Drillcon passed the ProRail exam for closed front drillings under the railway. In November, A.Hak Drillcon received the official certificate from ProRail, showing that the company is allowed to execute all closed front drillings up to a diameter of five metres. The certificate is valid for three years. Previously, Drillcon had already been certified for horizontal directional drillings (HDD) in all diameters. The construction of a gas pipeline between Hommelhof and Schinnen, a project for Gasunie, of which A.Hak Leidingbouw was the main contractor, appeared to be the perfect admission exam for the certification. The route included four closed front drillings with an increasing level of difficulty. First, 30 metres under a single railway for freight transport without an overhead line, then successively 33 and 60 metres under a dual railway for freight and passenger transport with an overhead line, and the last 96 metres under both the same railway and the underlying pipelines for hazardous substances.

If possible, we only dig once Combined work in Friesland has been in good hands with A.Hak Infranet region Noord-Oost for more than 25 years. The preceding year was no exception. ‘Combined work’ means the simultaneous installation of gas, water, electricity cables and possibly also data and telecommunications cables. It is obviously the most sensible method of working. Why would you break up a street several times, if it is possible to install all at once? There is, however, one prerequisite: you have to be able to turn your hand to everything. In the preceding years, a lot of work has been done to the underground infrastructure in Leeuwarden. This was necessary in order to be able to change the aboveground infrastructure of the Friesian capital. “A huge project, which has been divided into ten to fifteen subprojects”, according to the general foreman, Jelke van Minnen. “Noord-Oost participated from the beginning for the relocation of cables and pipelines and for the execution of drillings, which were necessary to cross certain obstacles.” A relatively large subproject, which will continue well into 2012. It consists of the combined work, resulting from the “Loop around Leeuwarden”, a relocation of the National Road 31, work which was started in the summer of 2011.

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Reconstruction in Iraq

‘Local contractors have another view on safety and environment. Here, everything is permitted. It is a huge challenge to try to explain in English that European companies don’t operate in such a way.’ Maarten Kerkhoff site manager

oil and gas annual review 2011

‘In Iraq, everywhere you look, you see the backlash of the war. We drove along the border of Iran, where you see trees everywhere, while in Iraq, you can’t even spot a blade of grass. It is a ravaged country which is set back by decades.’

‘Logistic delays and the extreme heat significantly complicate the works. In order to be able to nonetheless deliver the first pipeline on time, a few of us won’t be celebrating Christmas and New Year at home.’

Maarten Kerkhoff site manager

Michiel de Waard project manager

In 2011, A.Hak International started its participation in the Crude Oil Export Expansion Project (ICOEEP): the construction of two parallel oil pipelines and two valve stations. The pipelines, each of a length of 7.5 kilometres, transport crude oil from South Iraq to the Persian Gulf. From this point, the oil is transported by sea to locations all over the world. The money earned with the sales of oil is desperately needed for the reconstruction of the country. text Adriaan van Hooijdonk

raq has been afflicted by successive wars for several years. The situation still is very precarious and for this reason, there are several companies that don’t want to work in Iraq. However, A.Hak International accepted the assignment in the former war area.

MINIMAL FACILITIES

Mid-2011, a team of thirteen employees went to the area of Basrah in South Iraq. They started with the construction of the oil pipelines. It didn’t go without difficulties, as there were problems with the supply of materials. Due to a shortage of available tools, the team had to find creative solutions with a minimum of resources, and they succeeded. At the end of January 2012, the milestone “first oil” was achieved and on 12 February 2012, one of the valve stations was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, which was the symbolic starting signal for the resumption of oil export. VALVE STATIONS

However, this didn’t mean that the works were completed. The valve stations still needed to be fitted out and our team also had to install two additional measurement stations. A measurement station consists of four parts, each of which weighs more than 45 tonnes. They measure the caloric value of the oil, on the basis of which the value of each load is determined.

‘Our welding and coating equipment hasn’t yet arrived from Saudi Arabia. The client UNAOIL asked whether we were prepared to start with stuff that was locally available. So, our construction manager Wil Dijksman started with eight Lincoln diesel engine-driven welders on a flat trailer, pulled by a tractor.’ Maarten Kerkhoff site manager

‘In Iraq, tools are only limitedly available. You can’t get hold of an angle grinder, not even in Basrah. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be in compliance with the strict safety measures that we observe.’ Michiel de Waard project manager

‘During the inauguration by the Prime Minister Nouri Al-Malaki, the site was under surveillance of armed helicopters. The ground staff were equipped with heavily armoured vehicles with high calibre gun shields on the roof. In such moments, you are very aware of the fact that you’re working in Iraq.’ Jeroen Schreuder deputy project manager

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single point of contact

At the end of 2011, A.Hak Industrie Noord-Oost and A.Hak Industrial Services (HIS) entered into an agreement with the Dutch Petroleum Society (Nederlandse Aardoliemaatschappij - NAM). It concerns a contract of a minimum duration of five years for the internal and external inspection of virtually all underground NAM pipelines, as well as civil engineering and pipeline work, such as adaptations and excavation work. Bart Fleer, director of A.Hak Industrie, praises the method of working. “We operate on the basis of an integrated cooperation with colleagues from different companies who work from one location. Furthermore, we offer the NAM the convenience of a single point of contact for all their questions and instructions. All work – whether they are executed by Industrie or HIS – is treated in the same way in respect of planning, administration, preparation etc. This allows us to work more efficiently and to cut down on the costs. And this is necessary, since the more we save, the longer the contract runs. If we reach our cost saving targets, our contract doesn’t run five, but seven years.”

in the LOP partnership

Working for NAM 24

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Since 2002, A.Hak Leidingbouw participates in the Landelijke Onshore Projecten (LOP – acronym for the Dutch equivalent of ‘National Onshore Projects’), a joint venture with Tebodin and Cofely. Last year, A.Hak Leidingbouw built two pipelines in the context of the LOP partnership: a six kilometre long pipeline from Numansdorp to Reedijk, and a pipeline of 7.5 kilometres on the route Ureterp - Marum - Opende. The latter is shown on this picture.

Sensor City requires a flexible method of working

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Do we still want to go for it? â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The Stichting Sensor City and A.Hak Telecom decided to undertake an exciting joint adventure in Drenthe. The development, design and installation of a high-tech network of sensors, offering virtually unlimited application possibilities. Sensor City is the client and A.Hak Telecom is the main contractor, but important decisions are taken in mutual consultation.

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text Richard van Santen photography Wouter Schroer

he Stichting Sensor City was founded with the purpose of stimulating the development of sensor technology. In Assen, the work for the installation of a high-speed network for traffic, processing and storage of data, have started. It concerns a hybrid network, partially wireless and partially consisting of fibre optic cables, which connects 200 centres or ‘nodes’, spread throughout the whole city, with one another and with a central node in the town hall. Each node can be connected with a maximum of twenty sensors. Scientific research is the first application possibility, but the network is also open to services, products and application development by third parties. An abstract story

Intelligent communications mast

A.Hak Telecom has, together with Electel and Kaal Masten, developed an intelligent mast, which can be installed in a completely modular way. For instance, it can be equipped with a camera, a WLAN module (WiFi), an interactive display and obviously also with lighting. We implemented the pilot installation of such a mast in Assen, where it is connected to the network of Sensor City, and cooperates in traffic counts.

A vague story? Maybe; although Jan Reitsma, director of the Stichting, prefers to use the word abstract. But would he be prepared to name a few concrete examples of application possibilities? He certainly is, but if we look deep into his heart, he’d rather prefer not to specify too much since the strength of the concept is based on its abstractness and on the fact that the application possibilities are virtually unlimited. He is, however, prepared to name a few examples, but prefers to stimulate the parties to think about applications themselves. ‘Sensor City is unique’, states Reitsma, ‘when the network is ready, we’ll have the possibility to collect information simultaneously throughout the whole town of Assen. Without delays, in real time. The type of information collected depends on the type of sensor. If it concerns cameras that monitor traffic, you would be able to provide motorists with targeted parking advice. When entering a town, you sometimes see signs indicating that the parking area has FREE SPACES. If you arrive fifteen minutes later, the sign at the entrance shows that the parking area is FULL. When using real time information, you are able to continuously adjust such advice. And that’s what people want: an advice should be correct. And as a town, you can claim to be able to ensure that everybody is directed to a free parking space within ten minutes, which in itself is a distinguishing feature for a municipality.’ Impact on the surrounding area

Mobility issues form a plentiful source of examples. Meanwhile, the Stichting Sensor City, which is subsidised by the province of Drenthe, the municipality of Assen and the Samenwerkingsverband Noord Nederland (SNN), cooperates with eighteen companies, a considerable number of which is in one way or another involved in mobility. Noise is another application area being considered. Sensors 26

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that measure decibels would be able to provide an accurate picture of places that are affected by noise pollution. On the basis of this information, we would be able to, for instance, take decisions on the installation of noise barriers. But there is also the possibility of much more direct interventions. ‘We are experimenting with software that interprets sounds. For instance, it is possible to recognise emotions in human voices. If such a sound is being recorded somewhere, it could indicate the occurrence of a socially unsafe event at that location. A possible reaction is to ensure the automatic activation of more public lighting at that place. Hence, the sensors not only serve to register and to interpret, they also enable us to positively influence the surrounding area in a direct way.’

Jan Reitsma, director of Stichting Sensor City, next to an intelligent communication mast made and designed by A.Hak Telecom, Electel and Kaal Masten.

of sensor technology. In the North, there are about 80 SME companies that are involved in sensor technology. Furthermore, Assen is a highly suitable location for this project, as it is big enough to allow for experimenting with the challenges of a modern city, while featuring sufficient compactness to allow for the installation of a covering network.’

Universe, this remains an interesting task for Jan Reitsma and his foundation. ‘There are a huge amount of possibilities’, emphasises Jan. ‘Our network allows for targeted actions, whose effect can be measured, adjusted and continuously monitored on the basis of very accurate data. Now we have to challenge and stimulate the parties to develop the right services for this platform.’

A myriad of possibilities

Assen saw the establishment of the Hanze Institute of Technology (HIT), which is fully focussed on sensor technology. HIT is a partnership between

‘ The method of working is significally different from a normal project’ Sensor province

Drenthe isn’t new to sensor technology. The radio astronomy observatory in Westerbork is a terrific example of advanced measuring equipment. LOFAR, an initiative of ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, based in Dwingeloo, goes a lot further. This ICT project arose from the ambition of Dutch astronomers to observe the early beginning of our universe. This requires a radio telescope, which is hundred times more sensitive than the current telescopes. LOFAR is developing this telescope as a network, consisting of hundreds of sensors. ‘Therefore, Sensor City certainly is at the right place at the right time’, according to Jan Reitsma. ‘We have a high concentration of expertise in the field

Hanzehogeschool Groningen, representatives of ASTRON, NAM, Sensor Universe, Sun Microsystems, TNO, the municipality of Assen and the province of Drenthe. What makes this education unique is the involvement of the field of action. Many subject areas are adopted by a company or institution. Sensor Universe is housed in the same building. The organisation wants to make the expertise developed and the results of the scientific research available to businesses, industry and society. Both the province of Drenthe and the municipality of Assen are heavily invested in Sensor City. But the grant programme will stop at some point and by then, we need to have an exploitation model. Besides initiatives such as the HIT and Sensor

A.Hak Telecom

It’s a matter of finding the right stakeholders, according to Reitsma. And of continuing to enthuse and convince the SME of the abilities of his network. However, this is not the only challenge. A large part of the network has yet to be installed. ‘Even the selection of the main contractor wasn’t an easy task’, says Reitsma. ‘They were queuing up, but it wasn’t easy to select the right one. This is understandable, since the method of working is significantly different from a normal project. The contractors had to apply for this project, while the specifications were still very abstract. And to be honest, they still aren’t fully elaborated. Our ideas continue to develop. Both Sensor City and the contractor to be finally selected had to take the risk to accept that there are no certainties in that regard.’ A.Hak Telecom was the contractor, who took up the challenge. It didn’t and doesn’t always go without difficulty. ‘It is a different way of working when there are no fixed specifications. In this project, the participants actively participate in the design process, as we don’t create a network with a clear-cut objective and clearly defined requirements. On the contrary, it is essential that these requirements can be changed during the process. This requires confidence in the cooperation and giving and taking from both sides. We solve this by, amongst others, comparing lists with pros and cons on a regular basis, in order to verify if we remain in balance and to keep each other on our toes. During these consultations we regularly look each other in the eyes. “Do we still want to go for it?” The answer is still: yes!’

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Growth strategy of a niche player

A.Hak Industrial Services looks back on a year in which both operating income and profit increased. Director Johan Robbe explains how he intends to keep this up in the following years. text Richard van Santen photography Kees Stuip

oil and gas annual review 2011

t the location Tricht, 2011 was a year of building and restructuring. The main office has been extended and partially renovated and the construction of new warehouses and an underground parking area is still ongoing, while the contours of an own office for A.Hak Industrial Services (HIS) take shape. ‘We intend to continue to grow and growth requires space’, explains Johan Robbe, director of HIS. Robbe can look back on 2011 with satisfaction. Sales went up, the rate on returns was more than satisfactory and the revenues were generated in a greater number of countries than the preceding year. HIS wants to maintain this upward trend in the coming years. ‘For this purpose, we have developed a specific growth strategy for each of our main activities, inspection services, industrial services and tank services, based on the common ground that HIS will continue to look for niches in the market.’

Unpiggable

In the field of inspection, this niche consists of the inspection of so-called unpiggable pipelines. In case of a conventional pipeline inspection, or pigging, a pig is directed through the pipeline. This pig may be a kind of sponge that is pulled through the pipeline or a device that collects information on, for instance, the wall thickness of a pipeline by means of an electronic measuring device. However, many pipelines aren’t designed for the insertion of a pig. Moreover, they often have strongly varying diameters or sharp bends, which obstruct the path of the pig. Such pipelines are called unpiggable. The department Inspection Services specialised in the inspection of these unpiggable pipelines, with in-house developed tools. ‘In the coming years, we will further concentrate on the services that are associated with inspection. Currently, we often only submit a report. In the future, we’ll also follow up the results of that report’, states Robbe. ‘We can manage the data for the client and offer a continuous monitoring of the pipeline. Or provide advice in regard to the moment at which a next inspection is desirable and possibly offer a solution of the problems that emerged during the inspection. This way we approach a service provision that extends over the whole life cycle of the pipeline: Pipeline Integrity Management.’

Regionalisation

HIS provides services worldwide, which leads Robbe to the following strategic choice. ‘We will increasingly work from regional offices, which have to be self-sufficient.’ There are already offices in several European countries, in South Africa and in the Middle East and HIS will also expand to the Far East and South and Central America. ‘The office in Tricht is home to our Research & Development and the new office offers more space, which will allow us to develop new tools and set up test loops, which we can use for the training of our own employees and people external to the organisation.’ For the department Industrial Services, based in Hoogeveen, the strategy mainly aims at filling the white gaps on the map. As regards Europe, Robbe believes there are possibilities for growth in the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and the Eastern European countries. ‘We are also looking at regions in other parts of the world, but we have to follow a gradual approach. The equipment, required for this work, is very expensive. Therefore, it is not financially feasible to set up offices anywhere in the world. Currently, we are looking to set up an office in Abu Dhabi, from where we would be able to serve the Middle East. After that, we would like to target South America. Online cleaning

The department Tank Services is still in its early stage of development. ‘We started with the acquisition of a small company in Houston. Besides North America, we are also exploring the market in Europe and the Middle East from the Netherlands. Tanks are mostly cleaned and inspected offline,

Johan Robbe: ‘We intend to grow and growth requires space.’

but we’re able to perform this work while they are online, virtually without decommissioning.’ A robot enters the tank and measures the quantity of sludge – a word whose global meaning perfectly fits is sound: muck. We use an ingenious process to bring the medium in the tank into movement, causing the heavy, contaminated components to sink to the bottom, from where they can be pumped away. ‘You’ll understand that it is beneficial to the client when extended decommissioning periods for cleaning and inspection can be avoided. Niches are fun

So, HIS got hold of a nice niche in this field? ‘That’s for sure’, confirms Robbe, ‘and our approach to niches forms our strength. But don’t be mistaken in the amount of energy it requires. Niches are fun, but it is a way of working that requires continuous efforts. It takes a lot of time upfront, in signalling the possibilities and developing the tools. And when it finally works, others start to copy you and you have to find something else. But that keeps us on our toes!’

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Switch on the lights with your smart phone

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also the right partner for engineering

Public lighting, lighting systems for sports fields and objects have been specialties of A.Hak Infranet region Zuid, a department of A.Hak Infranet, for many years. Recent times saw many innovations in their branch, which is clearly reflected in the assignments. What about a LED lighting system in a tennis complex, which can be operated from a smart phone?

A.Hak Engineering conducted the engineering of a cable route between the substation Elst and the switchyard Overmaat in Arnhem, for the installation of three medium voltage cables of 20 Kv.

The tennis club Plezierig Vermaak Door Vriendschap (PVDV) in Utrecht has a new tennis complex. A.Hak Infranet region Zuid installed the lighting system, consisting of eight light posts and 32 LED fittings. A very special project in many aspects; since two of the four outdoor courts have a retractable roof, in which the fittings have been installed. A first for the Netherlands, which gave rise to some challenges as the standards for outdoor lighting are different from the standards for indoor lighting. A standard of 500 lux applies to indoor courts (competition intensity), while 300 lux (training intensity) is sufficient for outdoor courts. But the question is: is a court with a retractable roof an indoor or an outdoor court? A.Hak Infranet region Zuid decided to leave the choice up to the client. The outdoor courts are lit by eight posts, which each have one LED fitting of 2000 watts. The lighting underneath the retractable roof is ensured by 24 LED fittings, each of 1000 watts. The operator can control the fittings via a wireless network, for instance with his mobile phone or iPad. Each setting can be adjusted for each individual court, both for the on/off mode and the training/competition mode.

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The purpose of route engineering is to outline the route in such a way so as to make it suitable for implementation, taking account of a number of preconditions. The interference and inconvenience for the neighbourhood as well as the costs have to be kept to a minimum and the route has to be approved by licensing authorities. Additionally, the engineers assess the influence of the work on, for example, flora and fauna while factoring in all the environmental aspects, such as polluted soil and the possible presence of explosives in the underground. The work for the engineering of the route between Arnhem and Elst included the inventory of the existing above and underground infrastructure, a cadastral survey, the examination of the feasibility of the route and the preparation of the required working drawings. A.Hak Engineering also applied for the licenses. After a tendering process, A.Hak Electron was awarded the construction work, while A.Hak ÂDrillcon executed the directional drillings, required for this project.

Renewed focus on industry

Gas reduction plant

The Meuse plain (Dutch: Maasvlakte) saw the building of a gas reduction plant, which serves as a backup for gas supply to neighbouring companies. The gas of producer Taqa has been connected to the installation of the Gate Terminal. Specialist work for a specialist company such as H.J. Mertens. This project for the Gasunie was the first task, executed by this company under the flag of A.Hakpark. Gasunie, a client for whom Mertens has been working for forty years, isn’t unknown to the new parent company either. Granulate buffer vessel

The activities of A.Hakpark in the field of industry have been put on the backburner for a few years. An assignment from Euro Tank Terminal (ETT) proved to be the right occasion to strengthen the interrelations between certain companies and to target the industrial market once again. A.Hak Industrie can be typified as a group within our group. A.Hak Industry Botlek installed the piping system for a tank terminal and built several pipe bridges and the steel construction for a pump room under the assignment of ETT. The project proved to be an occasion to renew our focus on the industrial sector. A number of our companies, who mainly work for industrial clients, have been clustered for this purpose. It concerns Mechanical Contracting Limburg (MCL), A.Hak Industrie Born, the Technisch Installatiebureau H.J. Mertens in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, which has been taken over in April 2011, A.Hak Industrie Noord-Oost in Delfzijl (the former WTB-Noord department of A.Hak Infranet) and A.Hak Industrie Botlek in Europoort-Rotterdam. The companies retain their independence, but can, if required for their assignments, use each other’s facilities and benefit from their joint national coverage.

A granulate buffer vessel is an essential part of the production process of rubber. The rubber manufacturer Lanxess in Geleen wanted to replace such a vessel. MCL took care of the engineering, the drawings and the production of a new basis. A.Hak Industrie Born dismantled the old vessel and assembled the new vessel. Due to a lack of space, it was necessary to install two provisional foundation floors and a provisional access road. MCL and A.Hak Industrie Born finished the job in three weeks, a week earlier than previously scheduled. Tank terminal

Euro Tank Terminal (ETT) is building a tank terminal with ten tanks in Rotterdam’s Europoort. As a participant in the combination Verwater-A.Hak BV, A.Hak Industrie Botlek installed, amongst others, the pipework. More than 30 kilometres of pipelines were installed in a few square kilometres. Four fully-fledged “prefab shops” were activated, in order to be able to assemble certain pipe bridges and pipeline parts in another location. These parts were transported on large pontoons to the ETT site, where they were lifted ashore and installed.

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On 14 October 2011, the directions of the network administrator Alliander and A.Hak Infranet signed a five year, and potentially a seven year, contract. At stake is the yearly replacement of approximately twenty thousand gas and electricity connections in Amsterdam. A task that can be best performed if both contractors establish themselves as partners within the project. text Richard van Santen photography Maarten van der Voorde

Alliander and A.Hak Infranet region West Not merely fine words

Alliander based the choice of its partner for this five year contract partially on a number of criteria in respect of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). Under the heading ‘Step2Work’, A.Hak Infranet region West will, each year, recruit three people with diminished access to the labour market. Furthermore, it has been contractually established that A.Hak Infranet region West will use cars with energy label A or B. ‘These preconditions are not merely fine words at the moment of signing of the agreement’, according to Siebert van der Veen, regional manager of A.Hak Infranet region West. ‘They form a substantial part of the monthly evaluation.’

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lliander was faced with a huge challenge in Amsterdam. The government decided that the cast-iron gas pipes have to be replaced by synthetic pipes. Also in respect of electricity, metal loses out to more modern materials: steel meter panels will be replaced by synthetic material. Alliander decided to immediately provide the houses, whose gas pipes are being replaced, with smart electricity meters. And vice versa, in houses where electricity is the main task, the gas pipes are being replaced as well.

Smart meters

The government regulations are not the only reason for the work. It is expected that, in the next years, the gas consumption will decrease, due to the fact that many houses and other buildings will no longer be heated with gas, but with heat exchangers or with electricity from solar panels and wind mills. At the same time, the consumption of electricity will continue to increase, due to, for instance, the increasing popularity of hybrid and fully electric cars. This will lead to peak loads, for which the electricity network hasn’t been designed. And that’s where those smart meters will come in. These modern meters are fully digital, remotely readable and configurable; they directly read the consumption and will in the future, with peripherals connected, be able to react to power consumption peaks. ‘If, for instance, in a house a washing machine is working while the electric car is being charged, the smart meter will be able to interrupt the charging of the car until the washing programme is finished’, explains Rob van Wassem, project leader at A.Hak Infranet B.V. region West. ‘Due to the fact that the meters are all interconnected, while they continuously monitor the consumption,

it will be possible to take measures in a whole area. For instance, by redirecting the energy of solar panels to a city district, where the consumption is very high at a certain moment.’ A dream for the future? Maybe. It is, however, a future, for which Alliander is in full preparation and which will give A.Hak Infranet region West a huge amount of work in the five coming years. ‘It concerns huge volumes’, according to Van Wassem. ‘We will perform nearly twenty thousand connections on an annual basis.’ Dashboard

The project will be strictly monitored and supervised, in order to ensure that this huge amount of connections will be effectively achieved. ‘Each month, targets will be established and they will be discussed with Alliander on the basis of a dashboard with the most important KPIs (key performance indicators).’ Van Wassem shows an example of such a monthly dashboard. The monthly performance of A.Hak Infranet region West in respect of safety, quality and customer satisfaction is indicated in percentages. ‘Fortunately we’re mainly in the green, as we work on the basis of a bonus/malus points system. Moreover, if we deliver a good job, the contract may be extended for two years.’

Why smart meters?

Smart meters are far more specific about the energy consumption of the end user. Therefore they can help their users save energy. Pinpointing the exact energy consumption over a certain period of time is also much easier using a smart meter. That makes it easier to establish an undisputable energy bill when the customer is moving house or switches to another energy company. A smart digital system also helps to match supply and demand in a whole neighbourhood or village.

‘It motivates both parties’, says regional manager Siebert van der Veen. ‘The dashboard not only contains our performance. For example, Alliander is responsible for the timely submittal of subassignments so as to allow us to maintain a tight time schedule and to limit our stock to a minimum. A partnership doesn’t work without the commitment of both partners!’

annual review 2011

gas and electricity

Ready for the future

Old love dies hard. It had been a few years since A.Hak Leidingbouw worked for PWN, the waterworks company for Noord-Holland, but last year A.Hak Leidingbouw was commissioned with the construction of a water pipeline between Hoorn and Purmerend. An 18 kilometre long pipeline with as many as 15 drillings.

The new drinking water pipeline from Hoorn to Purmerend forms an important, new vein in the network of PWN. The steel pipeline ensures the supply of drinking water for more than 150,000 connections. The construction of the pipeline forms part of a package of future-oriented measures, including the doubling of the capacity of the distribution pumping station Hoorn and the construction of a new, innovative pre-purification plant in Andijk. On 28 June, the go-ahead for the works was given during the official “first pipe installation”. Although A.Hak Leidingbouw has bridged longer distances before, a pipeline of 18 kilometres entails the removal of 750 lorries of sand, the daily deployment of 30 specialists and the installation of 1,000 pipes. And last but not least: the execution of 15 drillings. `Quite a bit over such a short distance’, states Peter Hesselink, project manager, with a sense for understatement. ‘It concerns twelve horizontal directional (HDD) and three auger drillings. We’ve executed the latter three drillings ourselves, but we have appointed A.Hak Drillcon for the horizontal directional drillings.’ The length of the drillings varies between 280 and 680 metres. All the sections of the new pipeline have been connected in the beginning of 2012 and the practical completion took place in February. More information on the drilling methods can be found on the website of A.Hak Drillcon: www.a-hakdrillcon.nl/english/ activities

water annual review 2011

Good work leads to more work

Improved method of working

Gas in different shades of green

In 2011, as in 2010, A.Hak International performed works in Albania. And there are more projects in the pipeline.

If you want to continue to improve yourself, you should never lapse into a rut, but always reflect on your activities.

Natural gas is the cleanest of the fossil fuels, but it can always be greener. In 2011, A.Hak Infranet participated in several p rojects that demonstrate this.

In 2010, A.Hak International was responsible for the construction and refurbishment of a water pipeline system in the Albanian town of Vlore. In line with the habit of A.Hakpark companies, A.Hak International appointed a local contractor: Alb-Star. This cooperation proved to be a successful experience for both parties and Alb-Star submitted good references for A. Hak International to Bankers, a Canadian oil company, as a result of which our Albanian adventure continued last year with the construction of two parallel pipelines of 11 kilometres: one for oil and one for industrial water.

For instance, when installing a fibre optic network, it is tempting to do it in exactly the same way as you did it before. However, A.Hak Telecom was of the opinion that there was room for improvement, which was indeed the case.

Therefore, good work led to more work, which in turn led to a significant amount of extra work, including a water pipeline of four kilometres. This work not only involved the services of A.Hak International but also the deployment of employees of A.Hak Leidingbouw and A.Hak Industrial Services. A.Hak Drillcon was the last to swell the ranks, when it became clear that the implementation of the project required horizontal directional drillings. It is very likely that Albania will appear again in the next annual overviews. Bankers has another project in hand, namely an oil pipeline of 35 kilometres, and there are talks about a possible gas pipeline, which would run from Azerbaijan through Albania to Italy.

Mainly, by performing a large part of the works in advance, instead of waiting until the street has been broken up. For instance, it is possible to determine the exact cable length, from the power supply cable to the domestic connection, beforehand. This allows for the individual fibre optic cables to be delivered at the correct length for each connection, which saves a considerable amount of time on installation. Another example is to weld as many connections possible in advance and to subsequently test them as a whole, prior to their underground installation. The first pilot for client Reggefiber has meanwhile been implemented in Lelystad for a ‘Fibre to the Home project’ (FttH) with two hundred domestic connections. The results looked good, but A.Hak Telecom prefers to withhold plaudits until two larger pilots have been executed.

In 1997, a thermal power plant of Essent was installed in Moerdijk. This plant generates electricity and heat with natural gas and steam of the adjacent waste incineration plant. In 2008, a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine was built on the same location. A CCGT is a gas turbine, which generates electricity and uses the residual heat, which is released during this process, to generate even more electricity via a steam turbine. A.Hak Zuid performed the pipework of a second CCGT, which was built in 2011. Wijster is home to an incineration plant. The waste processing company Attero wanted to supply the biogas that is produced by this incineration plant to the natural gas network of the network administrator Rendo Netwerken. This firstly required the bridging of approximately seven kilometres to Pesse, where the pipelines would be connected to the network. This green gas pipeline was installed by A.Hak Noord-Oost. The third project was rather impressive. The sports complex It Gryn in the Friesian town of Stiens was confronted with huge energy bills. A neighbouring farmer managed to obtain a grant from The Hague for connecting his biogas plant to the sports complex. The manure of Friesian cattle now ensures the heating of the complex, which was connected to the biogas plant by A.Hak Noord-Oost.

annual review 2011

short items

High expectations It is expected that, between now and ten years, nine to eleven billion euros will be invested in the expansion of the Dutch and German high voltage network. In 2011, A.Hak Electron established a solid, all-round high voltage company that is ready for ambitious projects.

.Hak Electron is a young, but very experienced, specialist company in the field of under and aboveground high voltage connections. This apparent contradiction can easily be explained. A.Hak Kabeltechniek has, for several decades, been A. Hakparkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reliable partner for the design, engineering, construction and management of underground high voltage solutions. With the acquisition of the German ELECTRON Hoch- und Mittelspannungstechnik in 2010, this expertise was complemented with dozens of years of experience in the placement, maintenance and installation of high voltage pylons. Besides these German experts, A.Hakpark also appointed a number of highly experienced Dutch experts in 2011. Together, they form A.Hak Electron, an all-round high voltage company that is ready for the future.

electricity and lighting annual review 2011

Huge investments

A welcome boost

In 2011, TenneT disclosed that according to estimates, within ten years, nine to eleven billion euros will be invested in the expansion of the high voltage network in our region. These investments will be roughly divided between the Netherlands and Germany. The investments are necessary because of the increasing demand for electricity. Furthermore, due the liberalisation of the energy market, energy is transported over larger distances, leading to an increase of the demand for transport. Due to the economic situation, this market develops a little slower than we expected last year. In 2011, A.Hak Electron spent this time usefully with establishing a foundation for a fullyfledged organisation that is ready to participate in the competitive race for a portion of the large profits potentially yielded by this market.

Just before the end of last year, the company received a welcome boost. In the area of Den Bosch, three high voltage pylons have to be replaced for the partial diversion of the South Willemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canal (Dutch: Zuid-Willemsvaart), in order to render it suitable for larger ships. The network administrator TenneT TSO parcelled the area and tendered the project out in two parts. A.Hak Electron is certified for the work at both parcels and therefore, applied for the entire project. TenneTTSO assessed the application of A.Hak Electron to be the best application and in December A.Hak Electron was officially awarded with this large Dutch contract in the field of high voltage cables. The project concerns the construction of three high voltage pylons with the associated foundations. Also the conductors and the earth

Quality and safety

Working with underground or overhead high voltage cables and lines, require a high degree of professionalism and safety awareness from all the people involved, in order to ensure the safety of the employees and the surroundings and to provide the clients with the quality they desire. The full certification of A.Hak Electron shows that we take both safety and quality very seriously. We have our own training programmes for working at height in high voltage pylons, which are open to our own and to other employees in the branch.

Operation stork

wires will have to be adapted. The implementation of the project will take place from March until and including June 2012.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not unusual for A.Hak Electron to encounter bird nests during work in high voltage pylons, but storksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; nests are rare. Therefore, A.Hak Electron gladly met the request of the network administrator TenneT to provide assistance with the ringing of the young storks by the Stichting Ooievaars Research & Knowhow (the Stork foundation). The birds sat in nests in eight high voltage pylons, along the A6 near Lelystad. The young birds were brought down, using an articulated boom platform, whereupon they were weighed, measured and ringed by employees of Stork. Subsequently, the birds were put back in their nests.

of a third A.Hakpark company: A.Hak Infranet region Zuid. Heavy duty cable puller

Underground work

TenneT also relies on us for underground work. In Diemen, the new power station of Vattenfall has been connected to the existing network. It concerned the installation of three 380 kV connection cables over a length of 900 metres. One of the three cables contained an integrated fibre optic cable, a very delicate material that needs to be manipulated with the utmost care. 620 metres of these 900 metres had to be executed by means of horizontal directional drillings. A. Hak Drillcon was appointed for this part of the assignment. And when it came to the testing of the connection cables, A. Hak Electron could rely on the assistance

At the end of 2011, a similar project was started in the Meuse Plain (Dutch: Maasvlakte). It concerned a power station under construction of the energy company E-on. In this case, six cables were required for the connection to the network of TenneT. Prysmian manufactured these cables, upon which A.Hak Electron was appointed to install them. It is obviously impossible to reel cables of 950 metres with a diameter of 15 centimetres off a spool. For this purpose, A.Hak Electron has developed special unrolling devices. Subsequently, the cables are transported to their final destination by means of synchronised heavy duty cable pullers.

annual review 2011

electricity and lighting

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index annual review 2011

The infographic, shown above, provides a schematic representation of the group companies, who participated in the projects that are highlighted in this annual overview. It can also be used as an index, by following the page numbers, added to each project.

What projects did they work on?

Renewable energy ALL-ROUND FAMILY OF COMPANIES

A.Hakpark is an all-round family of companies. Our companies operate independently and each have their own activities and specialisms. However, there is a reason why they belong to our group. Their interrelations constitute an added value of A.Hakpark. When we join our forces, we are able to perform complex, multidisciplinary projects. A smooth cooperation with short lines of communication. Fast and flexible, cost effective and with an eye for quality we are active in the following five markets.

The market for renewable energy is continuously in progress and it has many common grounds with the other markets in which we participate. A.Hakpark is active in the field of thermal energy storage systems and district heating and builds transport lines for green gas and biogas as well as heat and cold transport lines. We are always open to new technologies. Communications

A.Hakpark offers all possible solutions for fast and smooth data and telecommunications traffic. We are a total supplier, offering design, implementation, project monitoring and Âsupport, service and management. Our focus lies on fibre optic and wireless netÂ-works. We also deliver turnkey projects for associated applications. Electricity and lighting

We are an all-round player in the electricity market and install low, medium and high voltage connections, both above and underground. Our companies are highly versatile in the field of lighting. We are active in the field of public lighting, lighting systems for objects and sports fields, while our own post manufacturer produces lamp posts and light poles. water

We transport water from the source to the end user. We install transport pipelines and distribution networks; we build wastewater treatment, pumping stations and water reservoirs, both in the Netherlands and abroad. The coating and cement mortar lining of water pipelines and the drilling of wells is also in safe hands with A.Hakpark. Oil & Gas

In this market, we are active in all the production phases: engineering, construction, procurement, commissioning, management, maintenance, decommissioning and removal. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limit ourselves to the installation of pipelines, we also perform the drilling, coating and inspection work. Additionally, we design and produce equipment such as pressure vessels and filters and we build compressor stations.

A.Hakpark: a company profile A.Hakpark is a family of companies which offers total solutions for transport and distribution of oil, gas, water and electricity, data traffic and telecommunications, lighting and sustainable energy. Our companies are active, both on a national and international level, in the field of engineering, construction, commissioning, management, inspection, maintenance, decommissioning and removal of underground and overhead pipeline and cable networks. Other activities that are performed within our group include all types of drilling, well point drainage and the coating of pipes, as well as the installation of complete systems for thermal energy storage. Additionally, we produce installations, machinery, masts and portals. This combination of forces allows A.Hakpak to serve entire chains in an efficient and cost-effective way.

MARUM, July 2011

Pipeline construction for the Dutch Petroleum Society (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij - NAM).