May 2018 Oil and Gas Leaders Issue 014

OIL & GAS LEADERS

Chemical | Drilling | Exploration | Finance | Offshore-Onshore | Petroleum | Storage | Refinery | Up-Mid-Downstream

Jurgen Joman Director

Mazrui Energy Services

The Latest Updates American University of Sharjah’s New Engineering and Science Building Complex to House World-Class Research Facilities and a State-of-the-Art Learning Environment BBBF’s Oil, Gas & Energy Special Interest Group Meeting Discusses Energy Saving Technology Abu Dhabi Launches Six Historic Oil and Gas Licensing Opportunities To Boost Cybersecurity Readiness, ITA and Oman Oil Company Sign Partnership Agreement Solar Park Veendam – From Polluted Land to a Sustainable Energy Development

MAY 2018 ISSUE NO. 014

GINEERSNOW TEAM Ems Bagatsing

Sales & Marketing Director Ems@LincolnMartin.com

Robert Bagatsing

Editor-In-Chief editor@GineersNow.com

Engr. Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-At-Large

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Raymond Gerard del Valle

Hina Sapra

Engr. Dion Greg Reyes

Marketing and IT Manager

Senior Editor Asia-Paci!ic Senior Editor South Asia

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Engr. Aaron Kesel

Engr. Emmanuel Stalling

Junior Editor

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Video Editor Creative & Layout Guest Editor North America

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Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers' particular circumstances.

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Mazrui Energy Services is a subsidiary of Mazrui International LLC, consisting of 5 operating companies strongly connected through its corporate services in terms of business development and strategy support, human resource management, financial management, and last but not least, a very strong commitment to QHSE. It has operations across the UAE, Qatar, Iraq, and Yemen, providing solutions and services in Drilling & Completion Fluids, Solids Control & Waste Management, and Advanced Production Chemicals. It has the capability to design, manufacture, install and support across a broad range of products and services for the oil and gas industry.

EDITOR’S NOTE

In this exclusive interview with Jurgen Joman, the Director of Mazrui Energy Services, learn more about their activities and relevance to the oil and gas industry and how he is leading the organizational strategy and overseeing the operation of five subsidiaries that make up Mazrui Energy Services. Find out what the company’s future plans and expansion goals are and how they are positioning the company to make an impression and support industry changes to deliver success for all of their stakeholders.

We have also included several special features on the magazine such as the following: • American University of Sharjah’s New Engineering and Science Building Complex to House World-Class Research Facilities and a State-of-the-Art Learning Environment • BBBF’s Oil, Gas & Energy Special Interest Group Meeting Discusses Energy Saving Technology • Abu Dhabi Launches Six Historic Oil and Gas Licensing Opportunities • To Boost Cybersecurity Readiness, ITA and Oman Oil Company Sign Partnership Agreement • Solar Park Veendam – From Polluted Land to a Sustainable Energy Development Lastly, we have prepared special articles to help you be the best at what you do. Read our guide on how to become a quick learner. Find out how you can do more in less time and why engineers should make a personal development plan. Learn what your boss wants to tell you without directly saying it to you and find out which of our suggested creative ways you can apply to earn extra money.

So go ahead, scroll through our pages and read the latest stories that put the spotlight on the oil and gas industry. It’s that time of the month to sit back and relax. Get your monthly dose of engineering and technology news and stories with GineersNow: Oil and Gas Leaders!

Engr. Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-at-Large

Contents American University of Sharjah’s New Engineering and Science Building Complex to House World-Class Research Facilities and a State-of-the-Art Learning Environment

8

Why Engineers Should Make a Personal Development Plan

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4 Things That Engineering Bosses Want to Tell You But Won’t Say

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CHINT Cooperates with the Bangladesh Power Commission Supporting the 300MW IPP HFO Power Plant Project

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Solar Park Veendam – From Polluted Land to a Sustainable Energy Development

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ADNOC Distribution Announces Positive Early Results of ADNOC Flex

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How Engineers Can Do More In Less Time

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How Engineers Can Be The Best At What They Do 24 Undisclosed Potential: How Mazrui Energy Services Is Meeting The Needs of Today’s Society

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Shell Oman Opens the First Solar-powered Shell Service Station in the Sultanate

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Creative Ways Engineers Can Increase How Much They Earn

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Abu Dhabi Launches Six Historic Oil and Gas Licensing Opportunities

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An Engineer’s Guide to Becoming a Quick Learner

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To Boost Cybersecurity Readiness, ITA and Oman Oil Company Sign Partnership Agreement

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LEADING GLOBAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND INTEGRATED SUPPLIER CHINT is committed to providing the world with safe, reliable and stable electrical equipment and clean energy solutions.

After more than 30 years of growth,CHINT has developed from Asia’s largest LV apparatus supplier to leading global electrical equipment and integrated supplier,with strength transformation,distribution to terminal consumpion.

To date,with the annual sales revenue exceeding more than 6.7 billion euros and over 30,000 employees around the world,CHINT has provided reliable electrical equipment and solutions for more than 130 countries and regions worldwide as an active player of electric power construction in the global market.

ZHEJIANG CHINT ELECTRICS CO.,LTD. ADD: Office NO.LB182406,P.O.Box:263174,Jebel Ali,Dubai,United Arab Emirates TEL: 00971-48848286 FAX: 00971-48848287 E-mail: chintwaa@chint.com Website: www.chint.net

American University of Sharjah’s New Engineering and Science Building Complex to House World-Class Research Facilities and a State-of-the-Art Learning Environment Faculty and students in the College of Engineering (CEN) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) are set to benefit from a stateof-the-art building currently being constructed on campus, and full renovation of the existing engineering building complex.

The new, two-story Engineering and Science Building will cover close to 30,000 square metres, and contain 25 classrooms and 33 new laboratories, equipped with the most upto-date facilities. The renovated engineering buildings will house a modern project-based learning environment with makerspace and fabrication facilities, along with research laboratories for faculty that will contribute to four new research institutes being established

at AUS: the Biosciences and Bioengineering Research Institute, the Materials Science and Engineering Research Institute, the Gulf Environments Research Institute, and the Smart Cities Research Institute.

The new building will assign a substaintial area as collaborative work space (“makerspace”).

The area will house equipment and supplies where CEN’s engineers-in-training can put their skills together to come up with ideas, and refine and perfect them to design an amazing range of projects. The space will also be used for the design aspect of the college’s Introduction to Engineering course where students are asked to design bridges, catapults, domes, planes, and cars using simple daily-used material.

With the recent launch of CEN’s first PhD program, Dean Dr. Richard Schoephoerster believes the new building will set the standard for engineering studies in the region, at both the undergraduate, and graduate level. He says: “We are witnessing impressive developments in engineering and science here at AUS, in large part thanks to the outstanding resources and facilities made available to faculty and students.

Increasingly, students undertaking a bachelor’s or master’s degree expect that laboratories and other university resources will meet the highest international specifications and afford them the opportunity to participate in research and learning that has a meaningful impact in their field of interest. The new Engineering and Science Building at AUS will exceed these expectations, providing our students and faculty with the same level of resources that can be found in the world’s very best engineering schools. As we launch our new PhD in Engineering – Engineering Systems Management, our doctoral students will also benefit from the world-class facilities housed by the new building.”

The construction is setting new standards for environmental sustainability, with a comprehensive waste and recycling management plan underpinning the new build. The building’s design has been awarded a “2 Pearl” rating

by Estidama, the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s sustainable development initiative.

The Pearl Rating System, or PRS, functions as a way of assessing the sustainability of a building, rating a building on a scale of one to five against four criteria; environmental, economic, social and cultural. The Engineering and Science Building is the first to achieve a “2 Pearl” rating outside of Abu Dhabi.

Dean Schoephoerster says of the building’s environmental achievements; “From the very earliest design phase of the new building, we wanted to ensure that we were setting an example for sustainable construction.

Engineers are at the forefront of developing solutions that will overcome challenges associated with global warming, renewable energy and waste management. We, therefore,

needed to be confident that this new building utilizes the latest technology in energy and water use, and that it sets the benchmark for other new buildings, not just at the university, but throughout the UAE, and even further afield.”

As one of the largest engineering schools in the region, the College of Engineering at AUS currently has 2,438 students enrolled at the undergraduate level, and 254 students enrolled at the master’s level. With demand for places at the college high, the new building will be able to accommodate a growing number of engineering students at the university without compromising the quality of education for which AUS is well known. The new facility will also allow AUS to expand the number of programs it offers through the College of Engineering, with plans to expand the number of graduate programs, and enhance the university’s research impact.

Dr. Schoephoerster says: “We are currently developing a Strategic Plan for the College of Engineering, with one of the main objectives of this plan to expand the scope of programs we offer, particularly at a master’s and doctoral level. With seven bachelor’s programs and eight master’s programs currently available (and the first PhD program offered this coming Fall), we have one of the Middle East’s most

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extensive engineering offerings. However, with a growing youth population in the Middle East, and more and more school students seeking a university place, demand continues to grow.

We, therefore, need to be taking action that will address this need and provide those students with the capability to undertake an engineering degree, the opportunity to do so “It is also of importance to us that we make a real contribution to research outcomes in the engineering and science fields. Part of our mission is to deliver research results that promote the UAE’ s aims of becoming an advanced, knowledge-based economy. This new Engineering and Science Building Complex will, therefore, help us deliver upon two of our key goals: opening up more places for talented engineering students, and giving these students and our faculty the sort of facilities that will allow for impressive research outcomes to be realized.”

With approximately 20 percent of the building now finished, the expected completion date for the new building is June 2019.

To find out more about the College of Engineering at American University of Sharjah, please visit: www.aus.edu/CEN.

Why Engineers Should Make a Personal Development Plan This tool can have a great impact in your career.

More often than not, the career plans of engineers are only made inside their minds. They are almost never written or stated explicitly, which lacks the opportunity and convenience in checking if the current status of employment is in line with the career goals.

For engineers to be able to plan effectively for their future, establish a direction for career growth, and take responsibility for their career paths, they need to have a Personal Development Plan or PDP.

What is this exactly?

A Personal Development Plan is a structured tool in creating an action plan based on an individual’s learning, performance & achievements, to plan for his or her personal, professional and educational development. Its primary purpose is to help employees, like engineers, to reach shortand long-term career goals as well as improve current job performance.

It has be written in print or stored digitally, whichever is convenient. Because the PDP has to be constantly reviewed and updated since it is a lifelong process of guiding the engineers’ career.

There are four critical areas of 12

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importance that can be found in a PDP. Here are those listed below:

What goals are you aiming for?

The most basic aspect of all PDPs is the statement of goals, which is the first step. Without this, it’s fairly difficult to have a strategic plan and make career decisions along the way.

Goal statement requires an honest analysis of oneself. For engineers, this means that they should have a vision of what they want to do in the future, and which goals are considered short, medium, and long term.

Weigh in on your current situation Where are you now as an engineering professional? This question asks engineers to identify their key competencies, skills to develop, and resources available. To be able to establish the current situation helps in strategizing.

A concrete actionable plan This step is where engineers are needed to put into details what needs to be done to achieve career goals. Activities like completing trainings,

choosing employers, looking for other sources of income, and even planning family life, among others, are done in this stage. A concrete action plan should come with a reasonable timescale depending on objectives.

Review your progress After a considerable time, engineers should go back to their PDPs and check whether the goals have been met and action plans have been executed. The PDP has to be reviewed constantly if engineers want a much more secure career in the future.

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4 Things That Engineering Bosses Want to Tell You But Won’t Say Your engineering manager will not spoon-feed you all the stuff you need to know. There will be times that you will need to figure them out on your own.

When you are an engineer who is new to the field, you are most likely to work for a boss in a company. He or she will give you commands, guide you on how to do your work, and share some advice that could help you in your 8-to-5 job.

But your engineering manager will not spoonfeed you all the stuff you need to know. There will be times that you will need to figure them out on your own, and your boss will refuse to say it on your face.

Here are 4 things that could help you on your engineering job but your boss will never tell you:

Ask questions It’s a common newbie mistake to be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be. Bosses actually appreciate engineers who do not hold back when it comes to reaching out to others. Inquiry doesn’t make you vulnerable, it only says that you are paying attention, avoiding confusion, and thinking critically.

Invest in relationships 14

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This include every single one of your coworkers not only engineers and your boss but also the janitor and the security guard. Having quality work relationships tend to enhance work productivity, efficiency, engagement, and communications. This is critical especially when engineers work with different departments in various levels of the company.

Use those vacation days Only good engineering managers actually promote this one, so be careful about this advice. Nonetheless, engineering managers also want you to maintain a work-life balance. They want you to take vacation leaves to take a break.

They understand that doing so avoids work burnout.

Plan beyond your next paycheck Your boss is also concerned about how you handle your money. This is one of the great sources of stress of which affects the quality of work of engineers. Engineering managers want its employees to have a financial security, so better develop smart habits early on and maximize your options.

www.recapetroleum.com Oil & Gas Leaders

May 2018

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CHINT Cooperates with the Bangladesh Power Commission Supporting the 300MW IPP HFO Power Plant Project CHINT Cooperates with the Bangladesh Power Commission Supporting the 300MW IPP HFO Power Plant Project In February, 2018, CHINT began collaboration on the IPP project of the Bangladesh Power Development Commission in Jessore and Comilla. The HFO power plant’s total capacity of electricity is about 400MW and installed capacity is more than 300MW. When finished, the electricity supplied by the plant will be incorporated directly into the National grid of Bangladesh, which will provide electricity throughout the local areas of that region.

Bangladesh is one of the most important countries in the one belt, one road and maritime Silk Road. Because of this important initiative, CHINT has expanded investment and has begun cooperation on projects of the governments of Pilipinas, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, Turkey. The Bangladesh economy has poised for great things most recently. When this project goes into operation, it will greatly relieve

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the local demand and promote local economic development and social development within the country.

CHINT can offer the one-stop solutions for our customers with a complete product line portfolio that provides solid power protection and complete global certification standards. Although this construction project has aggressive timetables, CHINT can be expected to complete its part on budget, on time, and also delivering top product quality. The Bangladesh Power Development Commission’s tough evaluation of CHINT’s capabilities resulted finally in beating out all other competitors through a determined and sustained effort by the CHINT team.

The installation and construction of the substation is currently under way and is

expected to be completed in April. CHINT is providing 132 kV primary equipment, complete integration covering three product lines for high voltage transmission and distribution: power transformers, high-voltage switch (isolation switch, circuit breaker), high-voltage components (current Transformer, voltage transformer, lightning arrester), 35kV and below power cable.

This project is perfectly aligned with CHINT’s market positioning. The end result will be a thriving, growing economy in Bangladesh as a result of this project.

CHINT’s Product Line will Launch in Algeria From Feb 12-15th, CHINT attended the 2018 SEER fair in Algeria. During the exhibition, multiple products and systems were presented to many professional participants on site, such as House building, solar power supply system, Industrial control, Industrial inverter and softstarter solution, and the NEXT series. Even though it was the first appearance at this event,

CHINT’s booth attracted much attention from more than 200 participants. Because the event was held during the China Spring Festival, CHINT staffers all wore Chinese traditional costume to celebrate!

The 2018 SEER fair is the first event dedicated exclusively to electricity and renewable energies in Algeria. This fair was held from February 12th through the 15th, 2018 in Alger, and exhibitors included most of the local equipment manufacturers, distributors, design institute, panel builders etc.

The stable growth of international trade in CHINTAlgeria market, is a result of CHINT’s strategy of local events and Marketing focus within the region to boost sales. Participation at the SEER fair demonstrates CHINT’s determination in following through on this marketing strategy.

Later this year in 2018, the first overseas CHINT assembly line will begin production in Algeria, further accelerating CHINT’s regional development in the Algeria market.

Solar Park Veendam – From Polluted Land to a Sustainable Energy Development Astronergy / Chint Solar officially inaugurates a new 15.5 MW solar park in the municipality of Veendam, Province of Groningen, Netherlands.

Astronergy / Chint Solar officially inaugurates a new 15.5 MW solar park in the municipality of Veendam, Province of Groningen, Netherlands.

The project, which was the largest solar PV project connected in 2017 in the Netherlands, was acquired end of 2016 from a local developer and was brought to a successful completion and connection in December 2017

by Chint. The polluted land that was found unsuitable for agricultural use found in solar a new purpose.

The 15 hectares strip of land located in the heart of the industrial area of Veendam, was vacant for a long time and part of the ground had suffered from contamination during years 18

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of industrial use. Solar presents itself as perfect solution for such cases, where little to no disturbance of the soil is desirable and can convert an otherwise unusable land into an economic and sustainability landmark for the region. The solar park, which will, during its operational lifetime, offset more than 240 kiloton of CO2, will produce enough energy every year to power 5900 homes. “We are proud to have stepped into this project and to have contributed to its full success. It was a team effort which enabled the realization of the project with a strong collaboration and participation from all public stakeholders. We see the Veendam Solar Park as a landmark

and role model that we wish to replicate in the Netherlands in the coming years. Chint is a pioneer in the solar energy sector and is fully committed to contribute to a successful energy transition in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe, away from fossil fuels and into a sustainable and clean energy future.” Dr. Lu, Chuan the CEO of Astronergy/Chint Solar commented.

The project was initially developed by local company Powerfield and acquired by Chint in December 2016. From that point onwards Chint was actively engaged with the Municipality of Veendam, the Province of Groningen and other local entities, private companies and advisors to ensure the project’s development would be carried on fulfilling all of the regulatory and legal requirements. During the first half of 2017 all the open technical and development items were concluded, and the project reached financial closure in the summer time. Construction of the solar park, which was carried out by the specialized firm Golbeck Solar, started on the 4th of September and progressed at an impressive rate to mount all 57.288 solar panels and connect by 29th of December to the Enexis

Veendam substation across the canal from the project location.

“The end phase of the construction was quite challenging as the bad weather and amount of water on the ground threatened to delay the progress and endanger a timely connection.

With the excellent support of the local grid operator Enexis and all involved parties in construction we finally connected the park and achieved first energy export before the last days of 2017.” Dr. Lu, Chuan said What’s next?

Chint intends to remain very active in the Netherlands and is already planning the construction of the next solar park with 15.2 MW in Andijk, Municipality of Medemblik, province of Noord-Holland. The medium term goal is ambitious. The company is working on early stage development of additional 500 MW to be built over the course of the next 2 to 3 years.

This will be achieved in close collaboration with several municipalities, provinces and many other public entities, and in partnering with local private companies in the industry.

ADNOC Distribution Announces Positive Early Results of ADNOC Flex ADNOC Distribution, the UAE’s largest fuel and convenience retailer, has released early results from a free trial period of ADNOC Flex which shows customers are embracing the new choice of fuelling services.

Twenty service stations in Abu Dhabi began a free trial period last Wednesday, where a Premium Service and a Self-Serve option is offered, while another 20 stations rolled out ADNOC Flex on Sunday.

Since last Wednesday, 157,000 transactions have occurred at the 40 ADNOC Flex stations with 69% of customers choosing the Premium Service and 31% taking the Self-Serve option.

Saeed Mubarak Al Rashdi, ADNOC Distribution’s Acting CEO, said: “The early results of the ADNOC Flex free trial period are encouraging and clearly show that customers, while still familiarizing themselves with the new fueling options, like the greater choice of fuel services that ADNOC Distribution is offering. Staffing levels have been increased at ADNOC Flex stations and our attendants have been assisting customers to understand and choose the service that best suits them.”

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ADNOC Flex provides customers a choice in how and where they refuel. The new service is being rolled out in Abu Dhabi first before being introduced in other parts of the UAE. Nasser Al Hammadi, ADNOC Distribution’s Chief Retail Officer, commented: “I’m pleased that our customers appear to be embracing the new fuel options as part of ADNOC Flex. It’s still early days, and we will be rolling ADNOC Flex out to many more stations over the coming months, but the results to date are certainly encouraging. Over the coming days and weeks, our attendants will continue helping customers so they can make an informed decision about which service suits them best.”

When fully introduced, customers who choose the Premium Service option will receive an enhanced level of customer service, promotional products, discounts on other ADNOC Distribution products and services and exclusive deals from partners.

The Elderly and People of Determination will be exempt from the Premium Service fee, and attendants will be sensitive to customers who cannot genuinely leave their car.

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How Engineers Can Do More In Less Time Get things done in the least amount of time possible

Studies show that most people are unproductive at work. And when you’re an engineer trying to get to the top, that can be a very dangerous trap to fall in. But if there’s just so much to do in so little time, how do you handle it without the burnout?

Well luckily, Science has given us a few ways to help: Some people are more energized in the morning, some in the afternoon, and some at night. Try to find out where you stand in the spectrum.

If you tend to wake up early and do fine with the standard work hour, you’re likely to be a morning person. If you’re tired during the first half and get into full work mode on the second half, you’re an afternoon person. If you’re eternally exhausted throughout the workday but tend to stay up at night, you’re most likely a night owl.

Find out when you’re at your peak and try to adjust your work schedule to it.

Get enough sleep

Research has shown that sleep allows the body to rest and repair itself for the grind the following day. So despite our culture’s tendency to pull allnighters, just sleep in and set that work aside for tomorrow. Your body will thank you for it.

Take a break

Our bodies aren’t exactly designed to keep working and working for 8 hours straight. We get tired for a reason. Remember, Productivity is about excelling at the tasks that generate the highest value, not doing the most number of tasks.

Our body can only focus for 90-120 minutes at a time. To help you through this, you need to take the “basic rest-activity cycle”, where after every 1-2 hours you take a 15-20 minute break throughout the day. It gives you enough time to rest and refocus and still get stuff done.

Get an office plant

Yes, I know, this is a bit odd. But science says it helps. Apparently, houseplants in the office helps workers become 15% more productive. Maybe it’s the fresh air and reconnection to nature where we belong.

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How Engineers Can Be The Best At What They Do Here is a guide to help bring out the best version of yourselves.

There are some people with simple dreams.

Mostly they just want to live a normal life and earn enough to support themselves. Others dream big, and these people have the most exciting journeys.

Then again, dreaming bigger also means having to face bigger obstacles, and in order to overcome these, you have to become a master at what you do, and be the best version of yourself.

Doing just that can be difficult. We already have little free time as working engineers, giving us little room to develop our skills. Most people fall into the trap of pushing it aside, or just giving up. There’s just too little time and too much competition.

But a simple change in lifestyle can give anyone the strength to push through, and become a better version of themselves in the process. This

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is phase 1: and at this point, you’re good enough that you’re in a high position, a boss or manager at a firm or the founder of your own startup.

Here, you’re earning enough off of your passion for engineering to support yourself plus a little more, and are closer to your dream than most.

But that isn’t enough. Being the best means being in that top 1% at your own game. And getting there requires a total change of your very being. Your habits, your thoughts, and your way of thinking.

How do you do that, well here’s where to start:

Start As An Amateur This is where a lot of people get stuck. Some people are just way too much of a perfectionist.

They want their first work to immediately become a masterpiece. But that shouldn’t be the case.

Instead of worrying about perfection, just do it to finish it– and as you continue on you’ll learn and

improve your way to mastery. There are a lot of online sensations that start of simple like posting random YouTube videos continuously for a few months. Usually they would go unnoticed until eventually, one or more of their content becomes viral.

marathon. Most burn out and quit. It’ll test your commitment and will. Keep doing what you’re doing, no matter how long or exhausted you are.

Remind yourself that you’re doing this because you love it, not because you want to be rich or popular.

The goal at first is “finish, not perfect”. If you’re an engineer who loves to design, or maybe invent new gadgets and gizmos, go ahead and plan something out and finish it. Don’t stress too much on additional details. Finish a project first and keep creating more consistently. You’ll soon get to that breakthrough moment.

Allow Time For Recovery

Get Coaching/Education Next is that you have to take your dreams seriously. That means getting a mentor, because there’s always more to learn to improve your craft. Get a teacher. Go to graduate school. Take an online course. Get a few business courses.

Whatever it takes, you need to learn from the best to become the best.

Stop Living The Broken Rules Everyone Else Is Living Most people play by the rules- it’s the normal thing to do. But you know what? Sometimes to get something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done. So go ahead, think outside of the box. Take calculated risks.

When everyone else is zigging, you zag. Do the opposite of what everyone else is doing, it’ll help you stand out.

“The day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a crazy idea,” says Peter Diamandis. A crazy idea to some means it’s the right path for you.

C’mon, Bill Gates didn’t say “I’ll just optimize the performance of this blue-screened textonly machinery.” He wanted to create a digital revolution, and he did.

Be Consistent Until You Have A Break Through Waiting for that breakthrough moment can be tough, since we never know how long it’ll take. While you’re waiting for it to happen, make sure to be consistent. Remember, life is a

Learn to be 100% on when you’re working, and 100% off when you’re not. While it’s great to work hard, doing too much will burn you out and bring you towards a downward spiral of fatigue and procrastination. So give yourself a break from time to time. Hang out with friends. Take a vacation. Party. Do whatever makes you feel great and you’ll have much more energy to jump back into work.

Get in the zone You need to warm up before the marathon. The same goes for working. Before you start, you need to ease yourself into the zone before you obtain that optimal performance. Give yourself 20-60 minutes to do any routine that’ll help alter your emotional state. Get rid off all that fear and anxiety and negativity before you work. Gear your mind. Begin to focus. This can be yoga, exercise, doing a simple part of your work and progressively working towards harder stuff.

Embrace the anxiety Let’s face it, fearlessness doesn’t exist. We all have fear, it’s part of our biology. So instead of learning how not to be afraid, learn to deal with it. The moment before euphoria is a moment of pain. When most people hit this block, they quit.

Remind yourself that getting through this will put you ahead of them. Charge on. Push yourself beyond what you think your limits are.

Do it because you love it Finally, remind yourself this is all because of what you love. If you live for the fame and the fortune, you’re doing it wrong, and you’re more likely to quit when a mountain is in your way.

Your passion for engineering is what drives you towards success. It’s this passion that makes you want to become the best.

Undisclosed Potential:

How Mazrui Energy Services Is Meeting The Needs of Today’s Society Mazrui Energy Services is a subsidiary of Mazrui International LLC, consisting of 5 operating companies strongly connected through its corporate services in terms of business development and strategy support, human resource management, financial management, and last but not least, a very strong commitment to QHSE. It has operations across the UAE, Qatar, Iraq, and Yemen, providing solutions and services in Drilling & Completion Fluids, Solids Control & Waste Management, and Advanced Production Chemicals. It has the capability to design, manufacture, install and support across a broad range of products and services for the oil and gas industry.

In this exclusive interview with Jurgen Joman, the Director of Mazrui Energy Services, learn more about their activities and relevance to the oil and gas industry and how he is leading the organizational strategy and overseeing the operation of five subsidiaries that make up Mazrui Energy Services. Find out what the company’s future plans and expansion goals are and how they are positioning the company to make an impression and support industry changes to deliver success for all of their stakeholders.

Jurgen Joman

Director Mazrui Energy Services

What are the activities and relevance to the oil and gas industry? I believe you have at least six or seven entities that are heavily active in the oil and gas industry, correct?

MAZRUI ENERGY SERVICES JOMAN JURGEN: Mazrui Energy Services is a subsidiary of Mazrui International LLC, a privately held, Abu Dhabi-based conglomerate that operates across numerous diversified industries and sectors.

The group companies are market leaders in sectors including, but not limited to, Oil & Gas, Construction & Logistics, Healthcare, Retail, and Education.

Mazrui Energy Services has operations across the UAE, Qatar, Iraq, and Yemen, providing solutions and services in Drilling & Completion Fluids, Solids Control & Waste Management, and Advanced Production Chemicals. It has the capability to design, manufacture, install and support across a broad range of products and services for the oil and gas industry.

Where do you get the chemicals?

Do you have local facilities?

JOMAN: Let me start by explaining Mazrui Energy Services’ unique position.

Currently, Mazrui Energy Services consists of five companies that work independently or collectively to address individual client needs.

We recognize that having skilled, knowledgeable individuals in the right place is valuable for our business and our customers. We have an impressive line-up of technical staff, locally based in the Middle East, making access to expertise easier and more immediate. Working with our teams provides a seamless collaboration with specialists in a range of highly technical service areas, from oil field services to advanced chemistry production.

JOMAN: Mazrui Energy Services acts in partnership, rather than as a representative.

What we mean is that we aim to have long-term relationships with our principles and take over a substantial part of the responsibility in country.

Sigma Oilfield, one of our five group companies, is responsible for these partnerships, carefully selecting partners on a customer needs basis.

This enables us to build-up a local knowledge base and much needed local intelligence insights, underpinned by a solid service platform.

In return, our clients benefit from our local strategic intelligence in the form of a one stop shop.

For example, we have worked in partnership with Cameron for more than 20 years refurbishing BOP’s (Blowout Preventers). Our clients benefit from our fully equipped facility in Mussafah, which is designed to serve a comprehensive range of engineering and fabrication services to the oil & gas industry.

Cameron is the Schlumberger company?

JOMAN: That is correct. Cameron engineers, designs, and manufactures flow and pressure control technologies for customers working in the oil & gas industry worldwide. Besides this, Sigma Engineering Works LLC undertakes fabrication and associated engineering services for other clients, such as tanks, offshore baskets, silos, boilers, etc.

Mazrui Energy Services consists of 5 operating companies strongly connected through its corporate services in terms of business development and strategy support, human resource management, financial management, and last but not least, a very strong commitment to QHSE. Another of our five subsidiaries is Sigma Specialized Inspection, which provides advanced NDT and quality control services, which again fits seamlessly and uniquely within the group’s strategic structure.

Does Mazrui Energy Services act as a representative?

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That is something similar to what Applus Velosi was doing.

JOMAN: Yes that is correct. However we are fully focused on our territory of expertise, the Middle East region; whereas they are global in their outreach. We recently acquired Total Solutions Middle East, a company specialized in rope access. Rope access is now considered by many companies as a viable alternative to scaffolding and other traditional high altitude access methods. The uniqueness of this service combination makes it possible to provide our offshore clients in a more complete and comprehensive manner. We are an IRATA (Industry Rope Access Trade Association) member, which is recognized as the world’s leading authority in terms of industry rope access.

We also provide Rope Access training, which is carried out in our dedicated training center, under the strict IRATA training programme. This allows us to train our customer employees and transfer knowledge on the ground, locally.

Regrouping seems to be the trend.

JOMAN: I would not categorize this as regrouping. From the outset, we have evaluated market needs strategically, carefully calibrating our service provision because in the oil & gas offshore market there is a need for this combination of services supported by in-depth local market knowledge. The enhancement of our service provision through the acquisition of Total Solutions, for example, means that our skilled inspectors are able to gain work access to areas which at first glance would seem impossible. This allows them to complete a variety of projects quickly, safely, and with minimum disruption to the surrounding environment.

As I mentioned before, it is the unique positioning of Mazrui Energy Services that makes our group of particular interest to customers across the Middle East. The crosssynergies among our five operating companies provide a very strong brand with a very strong service offering. Petrochem, for example, one

of our five, provides technical solutions in Drilling Fluid Systems, Specialty Chemicals, Solids Control Equipment and associated services for the oil & gas industry.

Here our strategy is to provide quality products backed by superior quality service, and engineering practices supported by Petrochem’s local technical staff. Our strength in the fluid industry is a direct result of our commitment to the provision of quality products and services based on strong technical alliances with our customers and understanding of fluids/hole related problems, Maximize Rate of Penetrations, eliminate Non-Productive Time and help to deliver Well Quality Assurance.

Last but not least is our subsidiary Sichem, which is our leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals for the Middle East region. Our products are used by blue chip multinationals and leading regional players in the oilfield.

Besides an extensive product range, we offer a comprehensive range of services including toll manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, QA/QC and analytical services that we carry out in our own laboratories.

Out of these 5 subsidiaries which one is the biggest?

JOMAN: I outlined the unique position that Mazrui Energy Services has as a group. Each subsidiary forms a cornerstone of our future strategy and growth. So, it is not about the size of any single subsidiary it is about the collective force of service. Together, we are able to mobilize people, equipment, and technologies to remote locations throughout the Middle East.

Currently, Mazrui Energy Services employs close to 1000 men and women, each dedicated to providing our customers first class quality service, which is critical to customer field operational success To support our efforts in providing our customers with industry leading services and technologies in the field, we have fully operational bases in various countries in the Middle East.

When it comes to the regional outreach, you have mentioned several times in the media that you are trying to be one of the leading companies.

JOMAN: We are actively positioning Mazrui Energy Services at the forefront of the industry by responding to the ongoing pressure of commoditization and by actively expanding our opportunity in a period where the industry in many ways lacks overall direction.

We do this by leveraging our regional footprint, the unique capabilities of our workforce, and most importantly the willingness and appetite we collectively have to bring technological advantages to our clients in the region, supported with local support and services.

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There is a need for broader and more integrated technology platforms capable of delivering improvements for operational performance by consolidating our services under one roof, to address our customer needs.

It sounds like what ADNOC is doing as well. Last year, all the subsidiaries of ADNOC were running on their own, independently, and today they are all centralized.

JOMAN: As I said, the ongoing pressure of commoditization is changing the ways we will work in the future. Operators are seeking smart solutions to work more efficiently and this provides new opportunities for service companies.

ADNOC is a very good example, their new approach will enable them to unlock and maximize significant value across the group. Technology will

The 2017 E&P spend, which still makes up around 50 million barrels-per-day of production is expected to be down 50% compared to 2014. At no other time in the past 50 years has our industry experienced cuts of this magnitude and this duration.

When it comes to Mazrui’s 2016 highlights across the companies, are there any major contracts to report or any new clients acquired?

JOMAN: Against this backdrop, I have outlined how we are positioning Mazrui Energy Services. So far, 2017 has started with a number of challenges, in particular the continuing price pressure on new tenders.

become extremely important in this new energy era, and we want to be part of it. We need to think new and act differently if we want to realize future growth.

It used to be “Here is the money and get it done.” Today, they ask, “What do I get from this particular one dollar or one barrel?”

JOMAN: That is correct. So far this year, Brent prices have oscillated between 50 and 55 dollars per barrel as the record OPEC production from the fourth quarter of last year. At present the only region in the world showing clear signs of increased activity.

Nevertheless, we remain confident and optimistic about the future of Mazrui Energy Services as we continue to carefully navigate the current industry landscape, which remains challenging but also presents significant opportunities to those that have the ability to adjust together with the operators.

In light of this we are investing in our manufacturing facility, to ensure a more efficient operation that translates in a less costly operation that benefits our customers.

Is that manufacturing facility going to be here?

to be close to our customers and we are running a 24/7 operation.

When is it going to be operational?

JOMAN: The entire refurbishment will be finished by the end of 2017 and constitute a considerable investment and a large part of these activities is to bring more efficiency in our manufacturing process, which directly benefits our customers in terms of reduced cost, and less time consuming manufacturing processes.

Our strategy is to develop Mazrui Energy Services with broader and more integrated technologies capable of delivering operational improvements to project performance. The transition isn’t easy and does not happen overnight, however, building on the engineering group which focuses on regional expertise in blow-out preventers, pipe handling, and top drivers; this will further enhance us to accelerate the integration of the surface downhole parts of drilling as well as other affiliated services.

This strategic transfer is a direct result of the changes we see unfolding with our customers.

You provided ADNOC as an example, here you see that they have adopted a different approach to partnerships in order to meet ambitious targets and we need to transition alongside our prime clients.

JOMAN: Yes, it’s at our existing location in Mussafah. We want Oil & Gas Leaders

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Mazrui Energy Services wants to become the preferred choice for our customers.

It seems that collaboration is of the utmost importance?

JOMAN: Yes, commercial alignment with our customers is the most important priority, and this can only be done with collaboration and a thorough, strategic understanding of customer needs and requirements.

We take responsibility using the complete range of our technology portfolio and expertise. Here we invest the entire value of our products and services in one single approach towards our clients, which not only offers a new avenue of local support, it also fosters closer collaboration with our clients, unlocks knowledge transfer, and allows the company to achieve its desired ‘preferred supplier status’.

That is also a trend for a lot of companies who are coming here.

They are trying to say, “We are building the facilities here, we are hiring the people here, and we are here for the long-run. What is your

view on this and how do you standout?

JOMAN: You see being a local company, incountry value becomes a very important factor.

We are more flexible and we are willing to take risk so we can go the extra step with the local suppliers to develop their quality. Another important factor is in-country knowledge transfer.

What I mean is that we are growing a local technology expertise platform that provides local sustainability and service capability throughout the region.

As you rightfully say; we are not leaving, but we need to ensure that we create local technical know-how, which ultimately makes the local companies independent. This ambition can only be realized by completely rethinking the current technology development. As an example, within Sichem we have a strong emphasis on our own product research and development for the manufacturing of drilling fluid chemicals.

Here we develop products specifically to suit the requirements of specific applications. This development is often done in collaboration with our local partners.

Speaking of many companies, there is a huge presence of oilfield service companies and many of them are local.

JOMAN: Competition in the oil and gas industry is intense, and many of our competitors have greater financial, technological and other resources than we do, which indeed may adversely affect our ability to compete. Mazrui Energy Services has for example capitalized on the expected synergies among the five business units to realize our full product and market value. Optimizing these synergies, realized a decrease in operational expenditure and increasing collective revenues simultaneously, made us stay ahead of the game.

Taking a structured, detailed, top-down financial and operational look at the organization to find key performance areas ensures sustainable operational effectiveness. We are competing with multinational service companies and that by itself provides a good indicator on our pricing structure, deliverables and quality of our products and services.

How do you feel about the market today? Are your clients asking for discounts?

JOMAN: The current downturn has now persisted for many months since the US land rig count peaked in October of 2014. The ‘wait-for-bettertimes’ approach has in the past allowed our industry to live through shorter-term demand down-turns while waiting for business to return to normal. The major difference in the current industry situation is that we are unlikely to see oil prices returning to the $100 level, hence the reason that we need to address our strategic plans for this new era in our industry.

We should not forget that this downturn also provided a natural elimination of industry players.

This shift is likely to have deep and long-term consequences for our industry, while service prices are further commoditizing. The market outlook for oilfield services in the coming quarters will remain challenging as the pressure on activity and service pricing is set to continue.

When you are talking about the market – let’s compare the local players and the international players like Schlumberger. They have shareholders and deeper pockets.

The local companies here have a different dynamic?

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JOMAN: Let us be very clear, everyone in the oilfield service industry, whether you are directly in this business or affiliated, has been affected by this turmoil whether you are a local or an international player.

mindset, leaving behind traditional management styles. It is easy to look back over your shoulder; the challenge is to focus on our forward thinking and to respond in a timely manner on the requirements of our customers.

The service industry has also lowered its cost base. They are operating 24/7, consolidating infrastructure, and employing multiskilled crews.

But one of the largest contributions has come from the service industry’s acceptance of lower pricing. We have shifted our focus towards the recovering of our pricing concessions and renegotiating contracts that have become financially unviable and to work with our customers to help improve their project performance and in this way support them with the ultimate goal of partnership creation, rather than a purely supplier relationship.

In the case of ADNOC, they are looking for the ideal partner and this is something, in our opinion, that cannot be done through a preference selection criteria, such as protection protocol for local companies. Local companies such as ourselves, should take advantage of being a local company and adhere to these changes and create a competitive portfolio that brings added value to our customers. ’Only than are we in the driving seat.’

Do you think that the government, or ADNOC itself, has to place some policy to protect the local markets?

JOMAN: It’s more a question of willingness for transformation. This will require a flexible 36

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What will be the driver of the growth?

JOMAN: As I mentioned before, the impact of the oil price downturn, which we have experienced since 2014, will likely have long-term effects on the industry in a number of areas, including capital allocation and people.

The layoffs across the industry threaten to

damage the industry’s brand as a career destination. This seems to make it more imperative than ever that oil and gas companies need to be innovative in their approach to talent acquisition, development, and deployment.

While we called 2016 the ‘worst year’, we characterize 2017 as ‘the year of slow return.’

Supply and demand are still slow to return to a sustained equilibrium, but it remains to be seen how quickly and to what extent US shale oil drillers might respond by resuming more active drilling programs.

People is one and Capital allocation is the other?

JOMAN: Looking ahead, Abu Dhabi is looking to increase its output over the next five years, and Mazrui Energy Services intends to support this with its services. In order for them to realize this increase, they will need capital allocation.

This is not an Abu Dhabi specific challenge; it’s an industry challenge. While we are not expecting a steep recovery in either oil prices or E&P investments, we still believe that it’s time to shift our focus from cost cutting, headcount reductions, and decremental margins toward

how the industry now needs to re-invent itself by rebuilding both capability and capacity as well as establishing new and more collaborative business models.

There is also an underlining bringing in investment to the offshore sector in the industry?

JOMAN: ADNOC is serious about building up its offshore presence to ensure sustainable longterm production. This will require investment and leaves Abu Dhabi’s offshore as the main focus of activity in its oil and gas sector, although it’s offshore greenfield developments are planned to have shorter production plateaus and will decline more rapidly than the existing fields.

Some other local players are also gearing up.

JOMAN: If you want to survive this downturn you are forced to gear-up and it would concern me if others would not do the same. It’s all about getting more oil by doing this more efficiently and more cost effectively.

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I can only speak for Mazrui Energy Services; we’re most focused towards our customers with whom we closely collaborate and who value what we do in terms of supporting them during these difficult times. We’ve worked closely with them during the down cycle to improve their project economics through technology and operating efficiency. I believe we are now coming to the point where we need to shift our focus from maintaining to building market share, while improving profitability.

What do you think of the new ADNOC concessions when it comes to onshore?

How is this going to change the dynamic?

JOMAN: These new partnerships that ADNOC is creating with these concessions provide us, as a local Oilfield Services company, new opportunities and will unlock new partnerships. It will bring new technologies to the country, where local service companies can tap-in with their services and products. Most of the future developments will be related to mature fields or high sulfur content gas. Therefore the expertise and technology will be of significant importance.

These agreements will bring expertise and carry significant in-country value in terms of knowledge transfer. The bulk of the spending is planned for the next three years, and this will lift output capacity from its current levels.

What is your strategy for the companies that you are chairing? What is your plan and what are you going to do in terms of services and acquisitions?

Geographically, how are you going to steer the companies?

JOMAN: Mazrui Energy Services is at an exciting and expansive stage of future growth. To guide this next stage of growth we have integrated a long-term strategy, which is essential to transform our business to the new oil & Gas era. It is focused on three main pillars, technology transformation, partnerships, and profitability.

Our long-term strategy will enable Mazrui Energy Services to realize and maximize its added value

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across our subsidiaries. We want to establish new partnerships that are more technology driven to drive operational improvements that we can transfer as added value towards our customers.

We are actively positioning Mazrui Energy Services at the forefront of collaborative service offerings for the Middle East’s oil & gas sector. Pre launched at last year’s ADIPEC, customers have responded very positively to our positioning.

At this year’s ADIPEC, we will present our rebranding in full, in Hall 1, where we will fully showcase our ‘Service In Focus’ proposition.

Geographically, our strategy is to expand further into various regions within the Middle East. We will use the same strategy for the successfully established operations in Iraq, Yemen and Qatar.

Are there any other regions like India or Africa?

JOMAN: We will not exclude them, however, our main strategic focus is the Middle East.

We would like to become the first choice of our local customers by means of price, quality and deliverables.

We often hear that local companies want more support from ADNOC. JOMAN: I can understand the request, but I believe it is really up to local companies to make themselves desirable to ADNOC. In other words you need to adjust as a service company to the needs of your customer. We at Mazrui Energy Services have set our long-term strategy to address these needs.

How do you translate the commitment to the region?

JOMAN: At Mazrui Energy Services, we aim to help meet the energy needs of our society in ways that are economically, environmentally and socially responsible. As explained, in-country value is high on our agenda. Being fully committed towards HSE makes us aware of our surrounding community. Mazrui Energy Services is fully committed to ensuring human health, operational

safety, environmental protection, quality enhancement, and community goodwill.

This commitment is in the best interests of our customers, employees, contractors, our owners, and the communities in which we live and work. Mazrui Energy Services requires an active commitment to, and accountability for, HSE from all employees and contractors. Management has a leadership role in the communication and implementation of, and ensuring compliance with, HSE policies and standards.

After a career with Schlumberger spanning nearly two decades, what was in particular that attracted you to Mazrui Energy Services.

JOMAN: I can sum that up in two words: Undisclosed potential.

I could clearly see the tremendous potential of Mazrui Energy Services’ collaborative services 40

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proposition. That was a key compelling attraction, coupled with the quality and dedication of our owners. There is a market for our services and I am fascinated about how technology can help the oil and gas industry and make a difference by bringing this to the market as well as our customers.

In the future, my ambition is to see Mazrui Energy Services as an oilfield service company that keeps the customer at the centre of its business, and innovates new technology solutions to ensure business partnerships grow ever stronger.

We believe the industry is witnessing important transformations. Our ambition is to position Mazrui Energy Services so that it continues to make an impression and supports industry changes to deliver success for all our stakeholders.

Thank you.

JOMAN: You are welcome.

Shell Oman Opens the First Solar-powered Shell Service Station in the Sultanate Shell Oman opened the first solar-powered service station in the Sultanate of Oman in Mukhaizna, Al Wusta Governorate, as an initial phase of “Solar Into Stations” Project which was launched in quarter three of 2017, with more sites planned in Muscat to be announced in 2018. The installation of solar system at Shell Mukhaizna Service Station is expected to contribute to the reduction of the site’s carbon footprint by approximately 900 tons in an average of 25 years.

Through a Tender, Shell Oman awarded the project to Continental Shelf of Solar Tech, an Omani enterprise, to provide the solar system technology at the Mukhaizna Service Station after successfully completing a Shell Intilaaqah training course on the fundamentals of Solar Photovoltaic Technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Khalid Hashil Al Awaisi, Retail Country Manager at Shell Oman stated: “Through our strategically positioned Shell Service Stations we continue to look for opportunities to create value in the communities we are part of. This solar project demonstrates 42

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that by encouraging renewable energy solutions.

Solar Into Stations project will help support the growth and development of SMEs in Oman in its energy transition journey, and our partnership with Continental Shelf of Solar Tech is a great example of that.”

The “Solar Into Stations” project comes in line with the Company’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, and the efforts dedicated to playing a proactive role in the progress of energy transition while creating in-country value through business opportunities for Omani enterprises Commenting on the announcement, Majid Salim Al Alawi, General Manager of Continental Shelf of Solar Tech said: “Shell Oman’s commitment to energy transition inspired us as a start-up and encourages us in growing our business and creating new jobs”.

Continental Shelf of Solar Tech has recently been awarded by RIYADA, the Public Authority for Development of SME’s, as one of the outstanding enterprises in Oman.

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Creative Ways Engineers Can Increase How Much They Earn How can you increase your value at work to be able to earn more?

Everyone wants to earn more. However, most of the time working hard has little effect on how much you earn. It may seem harsh, but most of the time it’s true. No matter how much overtime hours you render at work, will have little or no effect on your current salary. In our society, what you earn is usually based on the value of what it is you do.

Dollar amounts are placed on everyday tasks, and payment is offered based on who can give the desired outcome. Payment is also related to supply and demand. For example, lots of people are capable of scrubbing toilets, but not everyone can manage a construction project.

you to earn more for yourself. Do some research and look for different parties that are willing to pay for that role.

Choose long term jackpots Learn to be patient. No one becomes an instant expert at something overnight. Even those who are innately talented still have a lot to learn through experience. Once you’ve chosen a role don’t just focus on short term raises, focus on long term jackpots instead. As you are still in the lower end of the learning curve, continue to prove yourself and improve your abilities. Forget asking for extra pay for the extra 2 hours you’ve spent at a certain task. When you’re still starting, it’s better to focus on quality, as well as connections.

Instead of asking for that extra 2 hours pay, ask your client to introduce you to someone that you could add to your connections. This will help you ladder up your success to your next projects.

Master your craft while making connections.

Don’t tell people why they should pay you more. Show them.

So, as engineers who want to improve in their field and earn more, what can you do? How can you increase your value to the point where you are earning more than what is considered average for your responsibilities?

Research and Absorb Do some research and learn what is most valuable about your role. You can try rereading your job description that was given to you when you first started your job, and from the list of responsibilities find out which one is of most value. Or if you currently don’t have a job, find a strong characteristic that you have that can help

Action speaks louder than words. We all know this. If you’re an engineer who is currently employed, then show everyone (especially your bosses) that you deserve to be paid more or be given a promotion. If you have a business on the side, show your clients that what they are paying for is so worth it that they will want to come back again.

Stop telling. Start showing.

Ask Not everything will be served on a silver platter for you. While there are bosses who suddenly call you up and give you that raise you deserve, most aren’t like that. If you feel that you deserve to be paid more, in whatever you are working in, it’s your responsibility to ask. Talk to your boss.

You may need to be prepared for a “no”, but don’t be disheartened. Explain to them what value you provide that makes you believe you deserve those earnings.

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Abu Dhabi Launches Six Historic Oil and Gas Licensing Opportunities The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced, today, as part of Abu Dhabi’s first ever block licensing strategy and on behalf of the Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC), the details of the initial round of six geographical oil and gas blocks open for bidding. This follows the 46

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announcement last month by His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO that Abu Dhabi was to launch its first ever competitive exploration and production bid round.

The licensing strategy represents a major advance in how Abu Dhabi unlocks new opportunities and maximizes value from its hydrocarbon resources. It is also consistent with ADNOC’s approach to expanding its strategic partnerships across all areas of its business. The successful bidders will enter into agreements granting exploration rights and, provided defined targets are achieved in the exploration phase, be granted the opportunity to develop and produce any discoveries with ADNOC, under terms that will be set out in the bidding package.

and within the combined area there are 310 targeted reservoirs from 110 prospects and leads. In addition to the country’s conventional oil and gas accumulations, some of the offered blocks also contain significant unconventional resource potential.

The six blocks open for bidding, two of which are offshore and four are onshore, cover an area of between 2,500 and 6,300 square kilometres, which, by comparison, is up to three quarters of a U.K. North Sea quadrant, consisting of 30 blocks. In total, Abu Dhabi’s six blocks comprise an area of almost 30,000 km2 .

H.E. Dr Al Jaber said: “The launch of these large new licensing blocks is an important step for Abu Dhabi and ADNOC as we develop and apply new strategies to realize the full potential of our resources, maximize value through competitive bidding and accelerate the exploration and development of new commercial opportunities.

ADNOC has established a dedicated website – www.adnoc.ae/Block-Bid – where the company provides information on the blocks and which has a portal where interested bidders can register to participate, subject to a strict prequalification process undertaken by ADNOC.

“This approach is central to our expanded partnership strategy, which aims to introduce new opportunities as we broaden and diversify our partnership base. In addition, as we begin to expand our downstream portfolio, the new licensing blocks reinforce our long term production growth ambitions and builds on our successful legacy as a leading upstream player. This is a rare and exciting opportunity, for both existing and new partners, in a secure and stable investment environment.”

The website also provides details of a global roadshow of technical and commercial information on the new blocks. After the roadshow, bidders will confirm their participation through an Expression of Interest and will be able to purchase a comprehensive data package on the six blocks. The data package will include full bidding instructions and regional geological information, in addition to well and seismic data, in both raw and interpreted form, on all six blocks.

The UAE is the world’s seventh largest oil producer, with about 96% of its reserves within the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Located in one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon super-basins, there remains undiscovered and undeveloped potential in the numerous stacked reservoirs.

Based on existing data from detailed petroleum system studies, seismic surveys, log files and core samples from hundreds of appraisal wells, estimates suggest these new blocks hold multiple billion barrels of oil and multiple trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Some of the blocks already have discoveries,

Registration is open to companies with suitable expertise and technology that can contribute to accelerating the exploration and development of new conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon opportunities in Abu Dhabi.

The closing date for the receipt of bids will be in October, after which ADNOC will evaluate the bids, using the criteria set out in the bidding instructions, and the SPC will award the successful bidders. The first bid round is planned to conclude this year.

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An Engineer’s Guide to Becoming a Quick Learner Picking up on things quicker than other people is not really a ‘gift’. Simple practices allows young engineers to be quick learners themselves.

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a knack for learning things faster. Here are some ways on how you can improve your speed of learning.

You have to learn how to fail If you want to develop a skill or to learn something new, you have to be prepared for everything. Failure is a step that’s bound to be inevitable, especially to people who are just starting out. You don’t get good at one things by just being successful all the time.

Newbies become experts through constant practice, and constant practice means undergoing multiple failures.

Quick learners are people who are the first to fall and the first ones to try again. They don’t wallow on failure, they accept it.

Practice makes perfect

People often think that being a quick learner is not something everyone can do. Do you often wonder how some people learn quicker than others? What practices do they do to absorb information quickly? If you’ve asked these questions before, you’re in for a surprise. With these strategies and processes, almost everyone can acquire

You’ve thought of it before and you might still think it today — people who “pick up” faster are generally “smarter”.

Well, that’s not completely true. In some cases, people who perform better may have practiced more. In order to learn efficiently, you have to put time and effort in. The more practice you put, the better results you’ll get.

Try out some memory tricks You don’t need a high IQ to be able to memorize certain things. There are numerous mnemonic devices that you can use to remember things

easier. This removes the creepiness of having to sit in a corner murmuring something to yourself repeatedly. For example, if you’re trying to remember which months have a 31st, line your knuckles together and count your knuckles and the spaces in between from left to right.

All the months that line on a knuckle have a 31st while those that land in between only have 30 or less days.

Make it a habit Rome didn’t get built in a day, and learning also doesn’t get done in a day. If you do things constantly you’ll find it easier to absorb anything related to it faster. Writing on a daily basis helps keep your brain active, allowing it to retain information faster. This also applies to things like learning an instrument or a sport. If you continuously do it and set your mind to it, you’ll learn different principles such as patience, discipline, and other things that would help you grow.

Find yourself a good mentor The quickest way to learning things quickly is to have someone each you. Learning from someone who knows what they’re talking about is the best way to speed up your growth.

They’ll be able to tell you about their experiences, how they overcame hurdles, and why they had to do specific things to tackle those hurdles. They’ve seen it, all you’ll have to do is listen, and listen well.

Oil & Gas Leaders

May 2018

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To Boost Cybersecurity Readiness, ITA and Oman Oil Company Sign Partnership Agreement

The Information Technology Authority (ITA), represented by the Arab Regional Cybersecurity Centre of ITU hosted in Oman and Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C (OOC), signed a Partnership Agreement to enable OOC and its group of companies to benefit from the cyber security services offered by ITA and Regional Centre.

assessment and detection of vulnerabilities, which will contribute in protecting the organizations from attacks that may occur as a result of these vulnerabilities or reduce the impact of the risks in case they occur, additionally the services also include cybersecurity assessments and cyber threat and risk notifications services.

This was announced in an event held yesterday Monday at the OOC Head Quarters, where Eng, Bader Ali Al-Salehi, head of the Arab regional cyber security center, and the DG of Oman National CERT at ITA and Saleh bin Abdullah AlMusalhi, Director General of Human Capital, ICT and Supply Chain, at Oman Oil Company signed the agreement, with the attendance of representatives from both parties.

On the importance of this agreement, , Eng. Bader bin Ali Al-Salhi, head of the Arab Regional Security Centre and DirectorGeneral of OCERT said “signing this partnership agreement comes under the initiatives adopted by the centre to promote cooperation with the private sector particularly to enhance the cybersecurity within the critical national infrastructure industry (CNIs). The partnership agreement aims to enable CNIs to benefit from the cybersecurity services offered by the regional centre to enhance cybersecurity readiness at CNIs as well as engaging Omani companies to contribute to the delivery of cybersecurity services.”

The partnership consists of providing specialized cyber security services including customized training opportunities in the field of information security for OOC and its subsidiaries, which are in line with the internationally recognized standards. The training programs will include a number of technical and specialized topics in the field of cybersecurity , such as risk

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Oil & Gas Leaders

May 2018

“The partnership takes place at this critical period where CNIs especially the oil and gas industry

have been always targeted by cyber security threats regionally and internationally. Thus the [partnership includes specialized cyber security training and awareness programs , cyber threat and notification services, security assessment services and the opportunity for OCC and its subsidiaries to participate in the regional center events,” he further added.

Commenting on the strategic partnership between OOC group of companies and ITA, Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Musalhi, Director of Human Capital, ICT and Supply Chain said “Choosing ITA as a strategic partner is to further enhance our collaboration as a company with the government sector, as well as to learn and train from the best expertise in the market.” Adding, “Due to the continuous rapid development of the IT platform, and the on-going IT security issues the world has faced recently, it is of utmost importance for us as a group of companies to ensure we create partnerships with industry experts to enhance our training opportunities for further knowledge transfer and to adopt the best practices to mitigate threats.”

It is worth mentioning that the establishment of strategic partnerships in the field of cybersecurity should contribute to the protection of government and CNI entities especially through the application of the best international standards and practices.

The partnership with OOC is to enhance cooperation based on capacity building and training to ensure a higher level of system development and enhanced skills to deal effectively with threats that the organization may face in the future.