eXPeRtS uSe ‘maRGinal’ thinkinG Now that all the big fields have been found and exploited, the challenge is to extract hydrocarbon fuels from smaller, more marginal reserves. This is where a different operating approach comes into play. A company at the leading edge of this technology is Perenco (UK) Ltd, which has its operational head office in Great Yarmouth. Operations manager John Sewell said: “It’s in the operation of these marginal
fields that Perenco prides itself. We can come in behind some of the big operators and make these fields profitable for us, extend their life and ensure that they contribute to the ongoing and future UK energy needs.” Perenco is now one of the biggest operators in the southern North Sea in terms of infrastructure with 31 offshore platforms and 1,100 km of subsea pipeline. It also operates one of the gas terminals at Bacton on the Norfolk coast.
faith in the communitY A good example of how the offshore sector can directly benefit the local community is Perenco, which employs 520 staff and contractors to run its operations at Great Yarmouth, offshore and at the Bacton terminal. When it comes to supply chain management, the strategy of
Perenco is to use local companies wherever possible. Value for money is the guiding principle. In 2008 Perenco spent about £50 million – 45 per cent of its operational budget – with companies in Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and the East of England region.
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