Energy Oil & Gas Issue 123 August 2015

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oracle A modern

New technology can make it easier to create innovations in the on- and offshore wind and solar power arenas

SPE Offshore Europe preview - Get inspired

issue 123 AUGUST

Train to gain Why the oil & gas sector needs to recognise the current skills shortages and take action to address them Feel the power The right commodity management system can enable oil and gas companies to facilitate decision-making

Realize Peace Of Mind

When you choose a DRIL-QUIP Wellhead System Setting the standards for safe, reliable and fully validated subsea wellhead systems enables DRIL-QUIP to deliver peace of mind.

We are committed to providing the most dependable subsea wellheads in the industry. The company utilizes technologically advanced design practices consistent with industry standards for design verification and system level analysis. We have taken the process one step further − our design integrity check includes physical system validation testing in accordance with API Technical Report 1PER15K-1 recommendations. Our subsea wellhead systems are compliant to the latest editions of API 17D and API 6A (PR2). DRIL-QUIP’S BigBore™ II-H subsea wellhead casing hanger and seal arrangement is now qualified to API 6A Appendix F Group 4 dynamic test requirements. The knowledge obtained through this process enabled us to develop the next generation 35-inch mandrel wellhead system, suitable for HPHT applications. This wellhead system, with a new and highly engineered wellhead profile, provides sufficient structural capacity and fatigue resistance to meet industry needs for future decades of drilling and production.

Our Quality Management System utilizes Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) methodology to ensure design and process tasks produce reliable, quality wellhead components each and every time.

Come see us at the SPE Offshore Europe Conference & Exhibition, booth 5C20 in Aberdeen, Scotland – September 8 - 11 setting industry standards

DRIL-QUIP, Inc.

Validation testing of a subsea wellhead system in DRIL-QUIP’S horizontal test machine

Editor Editors Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Profiles Editor Andrew Dann Staff Writers Jo Cooper Ben Clark Art Editor Gérard Roadley-Battin Production Manager Fleur Daniels Business Development Director David Garner Corporate Advertising Sales David King dking@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove Operations Director Philip Monument Business Development Manager Mark Cawston Research Managers Ben Richell Natalie Griffiths Editorial Researchers Jeff Johnson Wendy Russell ­Office Manager/Advertisement Administrator Tracy Chynoweth Digital Subscriptions Iain Kidd digital @schofieldpublishing.co.uk

As the world’s largest upstream oil and gas conference and exhibition outside North America the event is expecting over 63,000 visitors – will you be one?

Major event approaching!

As the first day

of SPE Offshore Europe 2015 is nearly here, I must ask – are you ready?

There’s a lot to see and do! Apart from the huge exhibition of 1500 stands, there are keynote sessions, technical conferences, breakfast briefings and business lunches to attend, alongside workshops and meetings. There’s also an ambitious programme aimed at inspiring the next generation and Professor Brian Cox is taking part in the opening plenary session – surely a ‘must see’.

Our preview for the event is on page 20 and that gives more details on what you can expect to see and do over the course of the show from 8-11 September in Aberdeen, UK. There will be a special print issue of EOG coming out especially for the event – if you’d like to be included in that, please let me know!

editor LIBBIE HAMMOND

© 2015 Schofield Publishing Limited all rights reserved 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU T: +44 (0) 1603 274130 F: +44 (0) 1603 274131

@EOG_magazine please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Regulars

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Innovation

Profiles

Those innovating in on and offshore wind, as well as solar power, can now access a new online tool that allows a ‘glimpse into the future’

SPE Offshore Europe focus

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News

24 Atlas Copco Rental

Some of the recent developments within the oil and gas industry

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Special Feature

Naomi Anderson discusses ‘Project Nexus’ and highlights what actions need to be taken to prepare your business for this change

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HSE

Different personalities regard health and safety in different ways – understanding overall team risk highlights strengths and gaps

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IT

Businesses in oil and gas need to embrace Big Data and harness the benefits

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Lead two

When it comes to the current skills shortage, the industry must first understand the reasons behind it and then take proactive action

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Exhibition - SPE Offshore Europe 2015

The future of the offshore oil and gas industry will be under the spotlight at the biennial SPE Offshore Europe 2015 conference and exhibition

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Foreword

DMOG is on hand to collaborate with its members to provide invaluable support in adapting to the present needs of the market

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26 Subsea Innovation 29 Pipetawse

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32 ESPCO 34 Houlder 36 Hubtex 34

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39 Pittsburgh Corning Europe 42 BST Supplies

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Contents

62 OceanMaster Engineering 65 Kuantan Port Consortium 67 Pentair Industrial Heat Tracing Solutions

71 Ansaldo NES

45

45 Greenray 49 Marine Assets Corporation 52 Tube-Mac Piping Technologies

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54

54 Apache Egypt 56 Fugro GEOS 58 Apache North Sea 60 MCPS

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oracle A modern

Antoni Martínez explains why now more than ever, we need the best and brightest minds to create technology that transforms power generation

Below Antoni Martínez, Chief Technology Officer Renewable Energy, KIC InnoEnergy

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F

or 1200 years, the great and the good of Ancient Greece visited the oracle at Delphi for advice on everything from their personal lives to affairs of the state. In a trance, the Sybil would speak on behalf of the sun god Apollo, answering questions, giving orders, and making prophecies.

According to legend, and more recently confirmed by Hellenic scholars, the source of the oracle’s power was not a direct hotline to Mt Olympus, but a so-called vapour – probably ethylene – that escaped from fissures in the rocks and, in the words of Plutarch ‘polluted the earth’.

Today, predicting the future is a little more prosaic: sacrificial goats and prayers to the gods have been replaced

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by data analytics and sophisticated modelling. But conversely the impact of harmful gases has now become a global issue, with countries all around the world suffering from the impact of global warming.

The path to securing a sustainable future is not always a straightforward one. We are not blessed with the assistance of an oracle, so how can the energy ecosystem – encompassing start-ups, industry, researches, and venture capitalists – best understand where to focus their efforts, and harness the ideas that stand the best chance of success?

Global energy context The importance of a stable and secure energy supply to continued international economic development cannot be

Innovation

understated. As the world nears a population of eight billion, at a rate previously unthinkable, the pressure is starting to show. What few natural resources are left will soon run out, once abundant energy supplies in many parts of the world are depleting and the environmental impact is being felt by us all.

But at the same time, the world is in flux. There are many factors at play when it comes to investing in ideas that will shape the sustainable future of tomorrow. The tumultuous international political scene, financial instability, and budget constraints; as well as grid availability and the nuances of country-specific regulation all help to muddy the waters.

With global energy demand projected to increase over the coming decades, particularly from emerging economies

such as India and China, there is a need to lift our sights and take a longer-term view, creating a reliable, affordable, and clean energy supply that is largely resilient to these unpredictable variations.

Crucially, not one technology provides the overall answer, especially as each has its own energy-generating characteristics; instead, a diverse energy mix is the best approach.

The cost of innovation Sustainable technologies are gaining ground with an energy transition that is widely supported, and indeed incentivised, albeit in smaller and smaller sums, by governments worldwide.

However, despite the clear demand for and benefit of

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Against the backdrop of a volatile geopolitical and financial scene, an international desire to mitigate the effects of climate change and increasingly complex hydrocarbon extraction, we are becoming less reliant on fossil fuels. Yet, we need to generate more energy to meet predicted future demand. The solution rests on the shoulders of the innovators

innovation, the cost of is high, it is hard to predict, and the route to market is often laborious with funding hard to access. But innovation is critical to achieving the sustainable energy future that global society demands. This dynamic must change to ensure that the benefits of innovation in sustainable technologies are realised quicker, and with fewer bumps in the road.

Now, it is imperative that innovation happens to transcend the challenges faced by the renewables sector, such as high development and deployment costs; infrastructural availability; and the length of planning and approval processes. Government incentivisation and favourable policy, coupled with cross-industry and border collaboration, is crucial; yet long-term success depends on the ability of these innovations to attract investment from both equity and debt sources. Doing that will make it easier to bring viable, efficient and powerful innovations to market quickly; and it is achieved through an improved prediction of the cost of

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innovation to prioritise development efforts, and drive down the cost of energy.

The lower the levelised cost of energy (LCOE), the lifetime cost of a technology per unit of energy generated, the better the potential of a project, and the more likely a product is to attract funding for development, build and deployment.

Enabling Innovation Innovation does not discriminate. Inspirational ideas for technology that truly make a difference are just as likely to come from individual entrepreneurs, SMEs an component manufacturers as they are from governments, major utility companies and multi-nationals.

For years, these established, large organisations have been using their own in-house predictive models to provide greater visibility of the impact their technology has on the LCOE, thereby clearly demonstrating the return on investment to attract funding, prioritise research and

Innovation

and innovators to see into the future.

Simply put, it makes it easier for those innovating in on and offshore wind, as well as solar power, to better demonstrate a product’s impact on the cost of energy. By having sight of what the future may look like, we can help them to secure funding and investment, and in turn, speed up the development process and market availability.

By providing a series of cost models and datasets to analyse the impact of technologies on the future cost of energy, Delphos can enable the research community, industry, policymakers, investors and students to make informed financial or comparative decisions on specific technologies and the role of innovation in the sector.

Users can input their own data to run specific scenarios.

Delphos, currently being used by the UK’s Carbon Trust, also takes into account the product’s marketability and considers real-world effects to ensure a realistic LCOE prediction.

Conclusion

development efforts and, for policymakers, understand the required role and reach of future incentives.

However, these tools are simply out of reach for individuals, start-ups or smaller businesses. If we allow this to continue, who knows what great ideas and inspirational approaches, to our detriment, will remain untapped.

We need an accessible, collaborative approach to channel that expertise; one that makes it easier to identify which technologies we should prioritise for development and one that consistently demonstrates the impact of the innovation on the LCOE, helping to attract investment and shape policy.

Delphos – predicting the future for renewable energy Our focus is on enabling innovators to do what they do best – creating new and exciting models that could potentially revolutionise the future of sustainable energy. And to help that happen, we’ve launched Delphos – an online tool inspired by the Oracle at Delphi – which allows inventors

Against the backdrop of a volatile geopolitical and financial scene, an international desire to mitigate the effects of climate change and increasingly complex hydrocarbon extraction, we are becoming less reliant on fossil fuels. Yet, we need to generate more energy to meet predicted future demand. The solution rests on the shoulders of the innovators.

More innovation can reduce the overall cost of energy, yet the means to easily predict specific technology’s impact on the cost of energy, to attract investment and bring powerful technologies to market quickly, has until now been out of reach for many of these entrepreneurs. The predictive powers of the Oracle at Delphi have never been more in demand.

So those that didn’t previously have access to the ability to predict their LCOE, now have free online access to the powers of Delphos. This goes someway to giving SMEs, government, component manufacturers and research organisations the tools they need to bring innovations to market – by enabling and inspiring the relentless pursuit of innovation.

KIC InnoEnergy Antoni Martínez is Chief Technology Officer Renewable Energy, KIC InnoEnergy. KIC InnoEnergy, founded in 2010, is the European company promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and education in sustainable energy. Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), and top players in the European energy industry sector, KIC InnoEnergy’s aim is to make a positive impact on the sustainable energy field. To achieve this goal, the company develops Master’s and PhD programmes, supports innovation by bringing innovative products and services to the market, and helps create successful start-ups.

For further information please visit: kic-innoenergy.com/delphos kic-innoenergy.com

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Walk to work

On the wall Ruukki Construction launched the new Ruukki on-wall solar system at London Build, where the company presented Energy Efficient Building Envelope CPD as part of the workshop programme.

Ruukki On-wall solar is a cost effective add-on system to accentuate large façade surfaces with discretely detailed photovoltaic (PV) fields. It is especially suited to new and existing buildings such as retail, industrial, warehouse and logistics facilities.

The system is based on crystal silicon panels, which convert solar radiation directly into electricity. Electricity is gathered via cables behind the panels and it is transmitted to an inverter that converts the electricity into alternating current (AC). As the system is not dependent on solar heating, it can produce electricity in conditions where there is no direct solar radiation, for example in cloudy or foggy weather.

“The On-Wall solar system is particularly well suited to taller buildings where there is a larger relative surface area of walls than roof, or where a roof area is occupied by plant equipment.

The On-wall system can be retro-fitted to an existing façade, or included as part of a new build; representing a clear commitment on behalf of the building owner to generate renewable energy as part of the overall building energy strategy,” says Gareth Ellison, Country Manager, UK.

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Ampelmann is providing one of its offshore access solutions to enable ‘walk to work’ for a commissioning campaign on Premier Oil’s Solan field, West of Shetland. The Ampelmann system enables the safe and effective transfer of the workforce in one of the world’s most challenging offshore locations.

To meet the demands of working offshore West of Shetland, the multi-purpose service vessel the Siem Spearfish is being fitted with an Ampelmann E-type system. The E-type provides a stable transfer platform in conditions of up to 4.5 metres significant wave height thereby ensuring safe, efficient and reliable transfer of personnel.

“Contributing to a commissioning project in this challenging area is a significant milestone for Ampelmann and further reinforces our position as the global leader in motion controlled offshore access,” said Wiebe Emsbroek, Area Manager Europe at Ampelmann. “This safe and efficient way of transferring personnel offshore has become a viable and effective alternative to other transfer methods and Ampelmann is extremely pleased to set the standard in safety again in this landmark project.”

The perfect blend Houston-headquartered ProSep has been awarded a contract with PEMEX to supply its ProBlend mixer technology. The six-month project – awarded through ProSep’s in-country agent AGA Process, S.A de C.V – will see the company supply proprietary equipment to blend two crude process streams on-board a platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

ProBlend was developed to combine two crude process streams to meet a required density (API) or viscosity. Based on ProSep’s proprietary mixer technology ProMix, ProBlend provides even pre-distribution of heavy or high viscosity oil into light or low viscosity oil. This blend of crudes is further mixed in ProSep’s modulating mixer design, creating a homogenous blend that is significantly easier to transport than heavy crude, and simpler to treat in dehydrating and desalting applications.

ProSep has a long-standing relationship with PEMEX, having delivered a number of successful projects for the operator since 2008. The application of ProBlend on-board the platform – ProSep’s fifth such project for PEMEX – will reduce consumption of the diluent or lighter density stream, generating significant OPEX savings by reducing the pumping power required to transport both the diluent and product streams. The technology will also generate CAPEX savings on the size and weight of downstream processes required for crude treatment.

“The longevity of our relationship with PEMEX is testament to our ability to deliver innovative yet reliable solutions to meet specific operational, regional or regulatory challenges,” comments Neil Poxon, Chief Executive Officer, ProSep.

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News

Super fast delivery One of the UK’s leading engineering information management providers has been awarded - and has already successfully delivered - a £685k

Float on

contract to deliver Software as a Service

REC has successfully completed tests to confirm that REC solar panels can be deployed in floating solar installations to the same exacting standards of reliability, performance and quality as on rooftops or in ground-mounted installations. With assured power output and quality of REC panels in floating solar installations, investors and users can rely on long-term performance in these innovative projects with an interesting potential for applications worldwide.

With projects sized from a few kilowatts to several megawatts, floating solar installations can power thousands of households, and enable otherwise underused artificial freshwater bodies to double up as real estate for floating solar installations. In general, various fresh water reservoirs are suitable – wastewater ponds at water treatment facilities and chemical plants, irrigation storage ponds at farms or vineyards, dam reservoirs and aquacultures, all largely available in all countries.

In addition, with panels shading the water surface, there is less photosynthesis in the water itself, which means algae to clear from ponds. There is also less evaporation – a welcome benefit for regions with water scarcity issues such as California.

REC also assures quality for floating installations - installation is relatively easy to implement, since the floatation structure can be assembled without heavy-duty equipment.

projects.

Common goals

the development will set a precedent for

Bibby Subsea, a provider of Diving and Diverless Support Vessels, manned diving, ROV & Engineering services on a world-wide basis, and Aqueos Corporation, a provider of manned diving and other subsea services in the Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Coast and Central America, are pleased to announce the formation of a strategic alliance to jointly provide subsea services. The goal of this strategic alliance is to increase their respective market share and expand their global footprint in targeted offshore oil and gas markets.

Ted Roche, President and CEO of Aqueos Corporation, stated: “This is a great opportunity for two quality companies, who share the same core values of safety and operational excellence, to collaborate in order to provide more enhanced services to our valued customers.”

Roche further commented: “Bibby Subsea is an extremely well-run company with significant assets, excellent leadership and it is well aligned with Aqueos’ guiding principles of safety for our people, quality based technical solutions and best in class service to our clients.”

Andrew Duncan, President and Managing Director of Bibby Subsea commented: “We are delighted to have entered into an agreement with Aqueos as we share a common goal to ensure that we deliver efficiently, but most importantly, that we deliver our projects safely. We look forward to sustaining a long-term working relationship through our shared values and culture by collaborating together in the Gulf of Mexico and the wider international regions.”

carbon emissions by two million metric

solutions that will capture engineering information for the build of the world’s most sustainable oil and gas production Datum360 – which has offices throughout the UK, Kuala Lumpur and Houston – has been appointed by Total to provide a data warehouse for the groundbreaking Martin Linge project in the Norwegian North Sea. Currently under construction – with a completion date expected of 2016 – the Martin Linge scheme brings technological innovations to the oil and gas production industry designed to significantly reduce environmental impacts and enhance operational safety.

With a water depth of 115 metres, sustainability by receiving its electrical power from the onshore grid via a 170km subsea cable that will reduce tons.

As part of its contract Datum360 has already implemented its off the shelf, proven SaaS solutions; CLS360 and PIM360 which have, not only, captured the specification for gathering the engineering information, but which will now act as the data management warehouse for its ongoing collection and assurance.

And – in an industry breakthrough – Datum360 has managed to implement both of the SaaS products in less than one week, in a sector traditionally dominated by lengthy implementation, failed delivery and spiralling costs.

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Getting ready to go Naomi Anderson discusses a step change in the UK gas market and asks ‘is your business prepared for Project Nexus?’

T

Below Naomi Anderson, Senior Consultant at Engage Consulting

he UK Link systems, operated by Xoserve, facilitate gas settlements, supply point administration and other critical functions for the UK’s gas market. These systems will be replaced through Project Nexus following successful market trials. Additional requirements will be implemented within the UK Link replacement system, which have been identified through the project.

Heralded as a ‘step change’ for the UK gas market, Project Nexus will implement process improvements and facilitate the use of additional data available from smart and advanced metering within settlements.

As Project Nexus is delayed until 2016, gas shippers, transporters and suppliers now have additional time to implement the required changes to their business processes to ensure readiness for phases two to four of market testing and subsequent ‘go live’.

Why is Project Nexus needed?

Current gas settlement process limitations, created by the Reconciliation by Difference regime mean billing and settled volume never match for domestic properties. The amount of unidentified gas is approximated by an industry expert on a

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yearly basis, which creates accounting challenges.

Project Nexus will change this by introducing individual meter point reconciliation across all meter points, in conjunction with a monthly AQ process. A new process will be implemented to adjust for unidentified gas on a daily basis.

This change will allow gas shippers to more accurately pin point where costs are incurred and for the first time, be able to reconcile settled volume and billed volume. This will lead to fairer, predictable and more equitable invoicing and settlement.

What changes will Project Nexus bring?

To ensure readiness for the ‘go live’ date, gas shippers will need to update their IT systems to communicate effectively with Xoserve’s central systems.

The changes will involve shippers updating meter read validation rules and meter read submission frequency which will ensure that more frequent meter reads are used within settlement.

Xoserve will be taking on the role of central service provider for independent gas transporters (IGTs) so disparate IGT processes will be brought together and aligned to Gas Transporter processes. This will provide one single detailed register of Meter Point Reference Numbers irrespective of

Special feature

- Project Nexus

What is the importance of industry testing?

The first phase of testing started in May 2015. Dates for phases two to four are yet to be confirmed and maybe effected by technical difficulties at the beginning of the gas year. These phases will involve shippers, independent gas transporters, gas transporters, daily meter service providers, traders, the Data Communications Company (DCC), major energy users and meter asset managers.

Level two testing will ensure that file formats and data sets are correct within each of the files. Level three testing will allow end users to run end-to-end scenarios. Level four testing will ensure that the change of shipper process is fit for purpose.

It is important that participants are involved in testing to ensure that they will be able to access all the benefits of Project Nexus from the ‘go-live’.

Complexity of implementing Nexus alongside other industry change programmes

transporter. This move will simplify the processes for the shippers and transporters, deliver significant cost savings and improve standards of service for switching and other functions. However, to ensure a successful transition, shippers will need to move from manual, often ring fenced processes, to automated processes requiring designing and testing.

Why data cleansing is key to success Ensuring industry readiness will also require extensive multi stakeholder engagement. Consistent data held by Xoserve, transporters and shippers is paramount to ensure that the processes are fully automated from the outset. This will mean future settlements are reflective of actual consumption and improve the accuracy of meter reads held centrally and used for downstream processes.

Data cleansing is an important part of the wider change programme and it will take time to check all the data is accurate before it is transitioned into Xoserve’s central system.

A separate programme of data cleansing is being completed for IGTs with extracts from IGTs being loaded into an interim database. Shippers are working with IGTs and Xoserve to ensure a consistent data set.

Xoserve’s switch over plan will also involve around 80 process changes which will be implemented alongside other industry change programmes including Gemini consequential change, the DCC implementation and faster switching, thus adding complexity to the programme for all stakeholders.

So there are many considerations for the industry in ensuring readiness for the go live date and companies will be at different stages of the project cycle. All will need a detailed project plan in place, as well as resources allocated to analyse the project requirements and implement the required business change processes.

We’re currently working with companies at different stages to prepare them for delivery. Our consultants have a detailed understanding of the transition phase and enduring solution.

The delay provides times for shippers and suppliers to ensure that the business solutions reflect and optimise business design.

Our work ranges from providing strategic advice on the changes ahead, to helping with business processes and system change requirements, as well as operational support to analyse and help to embed new processes or even advise on optimising data flows or developing meter reading strategies.

For suppliers in the gas markets, there are clearly many business benefits that will come from Project Nexus and the next few months of preparation will surely underpin project success.

ENGAGE CONSULTING Naomi Anderson is Senior Consultant at Engage Consulting, a specialist energy and utilities consultancy that delivers demanding and complex projects for government, trade organisations and operators. Engage consultants have worked on smart projects encompassing policy and strategy for government, regulatory bodies, utility companies and industry bodies.

For further information please visit: engage-consulting.co.uk

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How blind are we to our Gabrielle Ramsay Smith assesses personnel risk across the oil and gas industry

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ho are most valued and rewarded in the energy industry: the ‘safe pair of hands’ compliant, vigilant and cautious, diligently going about their work within the corporate framework; or the ‘mover and shaker’challenging, confident and sometimes reckless, reaching new heights, challenging the norm and bending the rules?

Isn’t it the ‘movers and shakers’ who get noticed and elevate, seemingly effortlessly, through the hierarchy and pay scales, travelling the globe in business or first class, winning accolades to acknowledge their contribution to the industry?

And perhaps that’s right, after all don’t movers and shakers take greater risks with their career, exposing themselves to criticism and a harder downfall? As Richard Branson once said: ‘You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and by falling over’.

But surely, in the oil and gas industry we also need to notice the people who follow the rules diligently and get upset with others when they don’t. We need to reward people who are vigilant and cautious and take their time to solve problems and make decisions. We need to encourage and support people to be able to stand their ground when normally they wouldn’t and provide them with a framework where they are comfortable to challenge authority because lives depend on their ‘safe pair of hands’.

The problem is, we don’t know for sure who is a ‘mover and shaker’ and who is a ‘safe pair of hands’, or to what extent and in what circumstances they will take risks. What we do know, through 40 years of research, is that we are all somewhere on the spectrum between the two.

Everyone adds their own unique value, but also poses their unique risk to the business when they use their discretion. People throughout the oil and gas industry are encouraged and influenced to use their initiative, make judgements and take a certain amount of risks as this is the way people ‘get on’ in business. We set a framework within which they can exercise their discretion by having policies, processes and procedures.

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Through the myriad of rules, regulations and processes that exist within the oil and gas industry, we aim to achieve competitive advantage whilst ensuring our business is not exposed to financial, safety and reputational damage. But humans are creative, competitive and unpredictable with different approaches to solving problems, making decisions and following rules, and they take risks daily that they don’t even know they’re taking which are exacerbated when they are under stress and can cause them to do things that seem completely out of character.

Use of discretion depends on: individual risk tolerance; risk appetite; characteristics; the business climate; and, on the situation they are in. Each decision that a person makes has an impact on the business, either positively or negatively.

In risk terms we need to start thinking of people risks as ‘speculative risks’ – a bit like putting a bet on a horse to win.

We are all too familiar with the high profile headlines of the Deepwater Horizon accident, which highlight that the decisions people make at work can cause a significant problem to business. But there are many stories that don't hit the headlines that cost the industry dearly somewhere in the world everyday impacting on their productivity and profitability, which could easily be avoided.

So how do businesses go about ensuring that the risks their people take daily lead to success and not failure? How do we ensure that we don’t get a phone call in the middle of the night, the one that makes our heart thump, our hands shake and fills us with dread?

Due to the many complex circumstances we face at work each day, we cannot completely programme people or push them down a scripted pipeline, or have a process and procedure for every eventuality. What we can do, however, is create freedom with responsibility and ensure that discretion is exercised intelligently. Incremental gains can easily be achieved by understanding the exercise of discretion together with the predispositions of individuals and teams, in order to plan and manage the genius and chaos that comes from opportunities and crisis.

HSE

The first step is to identify what type of risk takers exist in your organisation, where they are in your business and understand the potential impact they have, both positively and negatively. Without this detail of information, you cannot manage people risks or put measures in place, therefore, you cannot accurately plan.

Due to the sometimes perilous nature of the business, the oil and gas industry lives with the unpredictable, dealing with the unexpected which doesn’t make sense and is fraught with risk.

For example, on a personal level, most people have a ‘gut feel’ for the amount of money in their bank account, but they wouldn’t commit to a large monthly payment that stretches them, without first understanding their financial position in detail. And so if decisions are made on ‘gut feel’ alone, they becomes an unforeseen risk. The FORTUNE Knowledge Group, in collaboration with gyro, carried out a survey on emotion in business decision-making in June 2014. The sample included 720 senior executives of which 62 per cent believe that it’s often necessary or even preferable to rely on ‘gut feelings’. By understanding the basis of ones ‘gut feel’ a choice can be made as to whether it is necessary to gather more data to reach the right decision.

The second step is to understand the effects of the various different risk profiles, identify the potential risks that they create and deal with them. We all have risks we’ll tolerate and risks we just won’t. For example, workaholics wouldn’t risk their career, but they’ll certainly risk their leisure time.

You might risk your health, but never your finances.

And our risk profiles interact with each other and have a knock-on effect with others, like a kaleidoscope.

For example, if your risk profile is different from mine, I might not listen to you at all. If it’s the same we might accelerate each other’s riskiness, or ignore the things we don’t think are important. If you’re my boss, I might think that your priorities are more important than my oil and gas safety training.

Things that others might think of as risky, others will take in their stride, because they’ve been trained, or have

experienced it before or have systems in place to reduce risk.

Risky behaviour is based on how much danger an individual can tolerate and what they see is the prize of taking that risk.

Pre-empting potential problems caused by our tangle of risk profiles, allows us to put systems in place to prevent them from happening.

The third step is to look at team risk profiles to see where the strongest influence is and address the impact with regards to the company goals and team objectives. Companies across the industry will have different risk attitudes.

But what about the board of directors or the senior management team, what type of risk takers are they and what messages do they give collectively? We need a healthy tension of risky behaviour and an environment where constructive dialogue can take place to make the correct decisions for the business otherwise the company will tip one way or the other, with risky businesses spiralling out of control and risk-averse businesses standing still.

Understanding team risk taking highlights the strengths and gaps so that you can decide if you need to obtain an alternative view before reaching a decision.

Once these three steps have been achieved, businesses will be able decide what type of risk takers they will hire in the future and how teams will be formed to best meet the objectives. They will be able to put a framework in place to empower individuals and teams to intelligently exercise discretion that is no longer fraught with danger, providing a language and methodology for reducing conflict and tension whilst increasing interaction.

People will develop their own internal coach using internal dialogue to self-organise and self-manage, interacting with others for incremental change. Authority is not challenged, but a collaborative mind-set is created giving permission through understanding and awareness of working together in a recognised and rewarded way. Rules and training can be designed taking into account the risk psychology of the person it’s imposed on and how they’ll respond to it.

And not least, space and acceptance is created for the ‘safe pair of hands’, not so they compete with the ‘movers and shakers’ but so that they too can feel equally valued for contributing to business success, enhancing our industry and protecting our lives!

RAMSAY SMITH Gabrielle Ramsay-Smith is a partner at Ramsay Smith Consulting.

Ramsay Smith has worked internationally in the oil and gas industry for over 40 years. Ramsay Smith creates sustainable solutions for the challenges of risky businesses. ‘Our D-risk approach provides answers to the problems that people blindly cause and corrects the performance shortcomings that unwittingly put businesses and employees at risk’.

For further information please visit: ramsaysmith.co.uk

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13

power Feel the

Big data, big opportunity - is your commodity value chain smart?

By Michael Schwartz and Shobhit Mathur

E

veryone is talking about Big Data these days: how to capture it; how to manage it; how to store it; and how to use it. Businesses that deal in physical commodities, such as oil and gas, are no exception. But what is interesting about managing commodities is that it has always been a big data business – long before the term became fashionable.

By its very nature, commodity trading creates thousands of individual data points. Physical trades that are hedged with financial derivatives, international supply chains with touch points in every continent, pan-global networks for storage and transport, overlapping layers of national and supranational legislation, and a crowd of creditors, customers, counterparties and contractors circling at every stage.

Behind all these data points are decisions to be made that affect short-term profitability and long-term stability. If we look at the oil and gas supply chain, simply moving oil from point A to point B involves selecting the right storage, the right transport solution and the right route. That’s after deciding on the right quantity to move, the right market to send it to – and of course the right source to acquire it from in the first place. In rapidly moving energy markets, any of those decisions may need to be reconsidered before the commodity arrives at its final destination.

Then there’s the processing and refining to consider.

Is it better to move goods to a refinery or factory, or is it preferable to sell and move the unrefined commodity? How much needs to be made, and of what quality? Are there more buyers for light crude versus heavy crude oil? What grade

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would drive the greatest profit margin? Are there storage, pipeline and transport facilities that can ensure the optimum quality and integrity? How can asset-intensive stockyards with multi-million dollar machinery be optimised to get the most throughput and the most effective use of equipment?

The risk management aspect of the business adds a whole new layer of data points too. Prices move, markets change, regulations get updated. Oil and gas companies with exposure to commodities need to stay abreast of these developments and react accordingly. They also have to decide on risk policies that take into account the counterparties, geographies and commodities they wish to be exposed to, and the limits they wish to put in place on those exposures.

Again, the ability to react as these limits are approached or breached – deliberately or otherwise – is essential.

Taken together these individual dimensions create a significant amount of complexity – and produce huge volumes of data. But if the oil and gas industry has always been a big data business, it hasn’t always been the best at using that data.

Most commodity exposed firms have reasonably strong transactions systems along the supply chain to capture the data that surrounds each transaction or engagement. But as margins tighten, and conditions get tougher, it is becoming increasingly clear that systems need to do more: they need to be able to correctly interpret the data so that it can support real-time decision-making.

This is a big step on the evolution of commodity management systems: from data capture to data analytics. The ability to analyse information to create predictive models allows

IT

firms to develop accurate, repeatable formulae that take into account market conditions to identify optimal scenarios.

Going back to the beginning of the supply chain gives us an idea of what this might look like in practice. As we have established, matching both the quality and quantity of raw materials, with the right transport and logistics to meet the specific demand of an identified buyer reduces inefficiency in the supply chain.

The problem here is that the initial production of the commodity is based on the assumption that the right amount and the right quality will be available. Planning the entire supply chain depends on the coal mine producing the right amount of coal at the right quality. If the mined coal contains insufficient iron, then the carefully calibrated supply chain starts to crumble. Hope rather than fact has been the foundation of all subsequent transactions.

A system designed for the Big Data era can remove much of that uncertainty. By incorporating and analysing historic yield information or geological information for example, the system can create a far more accurate picture of the likely outcome of any given well or mine. And with the ability to predict both quality and quantity of output, the commodities business is in a better position to decide which producers to deal with, find an appropriate buyer, enter into advanced agreements and negotiate better pricing, as well as optimised logistics planning.

In this way, commodities businesses can make better use of the information they produce themselves as well as externally available data sets. Using advanced visualisation techniques coupled with user-controlled, predictive analytics, oil and gas

companies can optimise trading and supply chain operations.

The right system will be able to integrate all of these internal and external data sets, extracted from multiple sources, and bring them together in a central repository. It will then visualise that data to enable firms to pinpoint where they and their resources need to be at any time.

By using powerful analytical capabilities, the new generation of commodity management systems, such as Eka’s Smart Commodity Management solution, enables commodity exposed businesses to develop predictive capabilities that facilitate actual decision-making, rather than just monitoring activity. In other words, it’s about looking forward, rather than back: making accurate forecasts about the future, rather than just monitoring what’s happened in past.

The world has changed. KPIs and static graphs are great – but they are not enough. The better solution allows businesses that deal in oil and gas to embrace both Big Data and the future without being overwhelmed by either.

Eka Michael Schwartz is Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, and Shobhit Mathur is Vice President, Product Management and Pre Sales at Eka. Eka is the global leader in providing Smart Commodity Management software solutions.

Eka’s analytics-driven, end-to-end Commodity Management platform enables companies to efficiently and profitably meet the challenges of complex and volatile markets.

For further information please visit: ekaplus.com

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gain Train to

John Kerr explains that in order to address current concerns surrounding the UK’s skills shortage, we need to first understand the reasons behind it, and then willingly take action to do something about it 16

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report released by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and KPMG, confirms that the UK is experiencing a significant deficit in competently skilled workers in the construction and utilities industries. Indeed, if current trends continue, it is estimated that up to half of the existing employees in these sectors will leave by 2023. The report concludes that this situation can only be rectified if such skills gaps are filled quickly and effectively.

Similar concerns exist in the oil and gas sector and will be brought to the fore if the UK Government’s proposals for widespread shale gas drilling are enacted. Suddenly, the true extent of the skills gap will be laid bare.

It shouldn’t take such extreme threats to understand that a

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well-trained workforce, can bring huge benefits to employers and the wider economy alike. Such a capable workforce will not only support economic growth and future jobs but will also help to secure a high level of internationally competitive skills base that will strengthen UK industry as a whole.

Awareness of the problem is clear, but why has it occurred in the first place? I believe there are a number of reasons to explain why the skills shortage has become so severe.

The impact of the recession, and its associated economic uncertainty, is naturally assumed to be the main cause of any skills crisis, but there are consequential issues at play that better explain the exact reasons behind the current situation.

Take, for example, the findings published by UKCES, which suggest that the issues are rooted in recently diminished ‘off the job’ training, together with a reduction in training

intensity. These factors have consequentially led to the creation of a stagnant workforce and one that lacks the skillsets to perform to required standards.

Put simply, insufficient investment has been made for too long. The only way now to begin filling the growing skills gaps is to do more, and quickly, or else the disparity between abilities and needs will only increase further.

The solution, from Develop Training’s point of view, is to get workers trained, or re-trained, and that these needs have never been more pressing.

Apprenticeships are one solution for employers to address short- and long-term skills shortages, through the implementation of bespoke, managed, programmes or similar packages of individually tailored Non-Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).

Apprenticeships form a key part of the Government’s economic strategy but recent statistics suggest that there has actually been a year-on-year fall in apprenticeship programmes. One of the leading reasons as to why the adoption of apprenticeship schemes has fallen by the way side in recent years is funding. The complexity of finding means of financial support, in addition to appropriate frameworks to meet companies’ specific needs can be a hindrance.

I believe that this trend can be curbed if specialist thirdparty training providers are brought on-board. The right training partner can offer a versatile, cost-effective, and highly successful means of recruiting new operatives into the industry through either an Apprenticeship route or, more importantly, by retraining experienced practitioners who are seeking, or needing, a career change. Such partners can also serve as valuable guides within what is often seen as a training minefield with its complexities of funding, accreditations, nationally recognised frameworks and teaching methods.

Take an emerging concept, such as the Government’s commitment to Trailblazer Apprenticeships, which provides a robust and practical means of boosting skills in the workforce. This scheme will give employers greater control over the planning and implementation of their apprenticeship schemes, and heighten the need for appropriate training providers.

For this particular route to be effective, however, companies need to have the right guidance and introduce schemes that are tailored to address companies’ specific skills gaps.

I feel that this is where Develop Training excels. Using its extensive experience in the facilitation and delivery of apprenticeships Develop Training has delivered more than 1000 apprenticeships for its key clients, such as Scotia Gas Networks and McNicholas, and boasts a retention and success rate of over 95 per cent.

We take what companies need most into account and develop high quality on-site and off-site training designed to

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There needs to be more awareness and ‘take-up’ of the modern, practical and affordable solutions offered by training providers such as Develop Training, as a route to not only alter the success figures, but create opportunities for the skills gap to close

meet new requirements for Government funding and backed by rigorous independent assessment. The result: the creation of a capable and highly skilled workforce.

In discussing the apprentice market, I am not only referring to typical apprenticeship schemes for 16-24 year olds, where much of the Government’s current focus, and available funding, lies. Far from it, there are also opportunities for employees to take advance of 24+ learning loans and employers to re-skill their existing workforce.

The cross training or up-skilling of employees can also be achieved through NVQ routes or similar individually tailored learning programmes.

Balfour Beatty is one utility organisation, and a client of Develop Training that is putting this approach into practice. Balfour Beatty understands that training isn’t solely for school leavers and career starters, but a can provide long-term solutions to help keep develop and retain an existing workforce.

Earlier this year, Develop Training embarked on a pilot

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programme with Balfour Beatty to help retrain operatives working within its reduced water business in order to give them skills which could be applied to its growing gas operations.

As is often the case with big businesses, there are imbalances of work, which mean that one division may need operatives more than another. At Balfour Beatty, a down turn in the water industry is leading to operatives of that sector being cross-trained, so they can readily turn their hands to work in the sister gas division, which is experiencing a labour shortage. As such, redundancies and the associated costs of severance packages can be avoided, as can the expense of recruitment drives once work within the water sector returns.

Utilising the services of specialist training providers can pay off in terms of outsourcing the management of programmes by giving a greater focus to the essentials of training apprentices.

These can also be combined with cost saving measures,

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such as the integration with electronic portfolio (e-portfolio) systems. E-portfolio offers the collection of evidence for vocational qualifications in a digital format, giving assessors real time access to evidence uploaded to the interface. It is a more interactive and more efficient format allowing assessors a greater ability to track progress, provide feedback, and cross reference evidence of training.

I believe that with solutions such as these within Develop’s training remit, we can help any employer to improve the quality and achievement rate of their apprenticeship scheme by removing administrative burdens, recommending optimum course components and delivering high-quality training and assessment. Combined, this expertise will deliver an outcome whereby employers can concentrate on developing their apprentices into skilled and valuable workforce members.

While I see a solution in sight, I do still feel concerned that apprentices in the wider sense are still to achieve their full potential within the UK economy. This is supported by

findings, such as those reported Eurotrade Magazine, which notes that, for apprenticeship training to deliver tangible impact, industries must raise their intake figures significantly.

It just goes to show that equipping individuals with the skills to work competently, legally and safely cannot be acquired overnight. Time, training and financial investments all need to be sought and are equally critical.

I believe the scope that successful apprenticeship schemes possess is tremendous – and the reason why historically, the apprentice concept has been so popular and subscribed.

In years past, entire company divisions would have been dedicated to the recruitment, training and qualification process of the apprentice scheme, with sizeable numbers of applicants filling and succeeding within the roles, benefiting the economy and keeping the skillset both relevant and buoyant.

However, as businesses diversify or scale back expenditure, and as SMEs attempt to manage on reduced workforces, it has become increasingly difficult to successfully implement well-structured apprenticeship schemes from within the host organisation.

There needs to be more awareness and ‘take-up’ of the modern, practical and affordable solutions offered by training providers such as Develop Training, as a route to not only alter the success figures, but create opportunities for the skills gap to close. With it, employers can boost the image of their industry as an attractive career path for the next generation in schools and colleges.

So what is the advice for employers when choosing the best route or provider? In essence, employers should look for a company that understands the current regulatory landscape in which apprenticeship programmes and similar schemes are evolving. They need to understand trailblazer apprenticeships, funding, and the need to receive a return on investment. This is exactly what Develop Training offers. Develop Training has the insight to help companies identify their particular skills shortages, and can then offer specific development and training programmes to address them. In doing so, courses not only develop a person’s use and essential knowledge, but serve to benefit the economic progression currently within reach for our country.

DEVELOP TRAINING John Kerr is Operations Director at Develop Training, the UK's leading accredited provider of compliance, technical and safety training. It supports over 7000 firms with their training needs and its clients include some of the UK's largest and best-known organisations from the utilities and construction, defence, healthcare, facilities management and telecommunication sectors.

For further information please visit: developtraining.co.uk

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generation Inspiring the next

The future of the oil and gas industry will be under the spotlight at the biennial SPE Offshore Europe 2015 conference and exhibition being held in Europe’s oil capital Aberdeen from 8 -11 September

The choice of this

Above Professor Brian Cox is taking part in the opening plenary session on Tuesday 8 Sept

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year’s theme, inspiring the next generation, empowers the industry to address both the technical and people challenges facing the oil and gas business today to secure future success. At the heart of this is a need to attract and encourage the next generation of talent into the industry.

Oil and gas will remain indispensable to the world for securing heat, light, mobility and prosperity for many decades to come.

According to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook 2014, oil and gas will still supply around half of the world’s energy by 2040. Sourcing skilled, innovative and motivated people and developing new technologies are essential for the industry to be successful in meeting this demand.

Over the four days of the world’s largest upstream oil and gas conference and exhibition outside North America there will be a series of keynote sessions, technical sessions, topical lunches and breakfast briefings. Alongside the conference, visitors will have the opportunity to view the latest technology, product and service exhibits from the global industry. Taking over an entire hall, the dedicated Deepwater Zone will comprise its own conference and exhibition programme. And, for the first time, the event will include a series of workshops and meetings to connect entrepreneurs and investors. An energy-oil-gas.com

ambitious ‘Inspire’ programme aimed at the younger generation will feature as well. A key message throughout will be that the industry is far from over and that it has a long and bright future, despite the current difficult market conditions.

The keynote conference programme, chaired

by Michael Engell-Jensen, Executive Director of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP), will offer 11 sessions focusing on the basic challenge of meeting energy demand while balancing concerns over climate change, security of supply and consumer affordability. Topics to be addressed include: health; the safety and security of people and assets; well intervention; financing investments; oil spill response; and inspiring the next generation to join the industry.

Michael Engell-Jensen says: “Our licence to operate ultimately depends on addressing society’s concerns about the industry’s operations and the hydrocarbons on which the world relies. Our activities must be regarded as both acceptable and useful.”

The technical conference programme, chaired

by Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive Officer, Expro, will present more than 75 papers, demonstrating that the industry’s engineering, manufacturing and technology excellence is set to assure a long-term sustainable future.

Speakers drawn from all over the world will

PREVIEW

discuss topics such as asset and well integrity, maximising economic recovery, smarter field development, pipelines and risers, subsea processing, talent development, unconventional gas development, process safety, and decommissioning.

Charles Woodburn adds: “Attending this key global conference is even more compelling given the current challenging industry backdrop. SPE Offshore Europe 2015 allows people from all parts of the industry to come together under one roof to discuss and debate the challenges we are facing today - and into the future.”

Meanwhile, on the exhibition floor, around 1500 global organisations will showcase their technologies, services and expertise. At least 300 companies, large and small, will be exhibiting for the first time at the show. Exhibitors will represent the complete supply chain of companies including operators, drilling contractors and oilfield service companies, consolidating Aberdeen’s established reputation as a supplier of services and products to global projects.

Reflective of the global nature of the industry as a whole there will be a large overseas exhibitor presence with participating organisations from 44 countries and 33 international pavilions. UK Trade & Investment commercial officers from around the globe will also be available to meet with UK companies to discuss the opportunities that exist in each of their respective markets. Countries and regions that are likely to be represented include Brazil, East Africa, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Norway.

Continuing the commercial theme, entrepreneurial visitors will have the chance to meet potential investors on Wednesday 9 September. After a morning of investment workshops presented from the operator, venture capitalist and entrepreneur perspectives, a limited number of companies will be invited to one-to-one meetings to discuss investment projects with some grant, early seed and direct industry funding providers.

Planning is also well under way on the Deepwater Zone, dedicated to the latest state-of-the-art technologies helping the industry advance into one of the world’s most challenging, harsh – yet potentially commercially rewarding – environments. Despite pressures on operator budgets deferring the sanctioning of certain projects, a Douglas Westwood report of April 2015 still expects deepwater expenditure

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to increase by 69 per cent, compared to the preceding five-year period, totalling $210 billion from 2015 to 2019. A dedicated theatre will host sessions programmed by Subsea UK and the Society for Underwater Technology on topics such as deepwater developments; the future of inspection, repair and maintenance; new technologies for efficiency and effectiveness; and subsea challenges for enabling deepwater production. In the event’s largest Deepwater Zone to date, more than 30 companies from this rapidly evolving sector will display their latest products and services.

The exciting breakfast briefings and topical lunches are bound to sell out fast. Confirmed breakfast briefing speakers include Steve Varley, UK Chairman and Managing Partner, EY; Lars Christian Bachar, Executive Vice President, Development & Production International, Statoil; and international oil and energy consultant, Manouchehr Takin.

BP’s Bernard Looney, Chief Operating Officer, Production, is the confirmed lunch speaker on Tuesday 8 September. And on Thursday 10 September, the lunch session will be given over to a small operators’ panel chaired by Neil McCulloch, President, North Sea, EnQuest.

With its emphasis on recognising the longterm need for a secure talent pipeline, SPE Offshore Europe 2015 will be running ‘Inspire’, its largest ever programme of activities for a younger audience. A wide range of events and workshops throughout the week will allow students to engage with the industry face-to-face and learn more about this impressive industry.

SPE Offshore Europe 2015 Visit offshore-europe.co.uk for more information about this free-to-attend global event, and to register.

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together Stronger

Andrew Dann talks to Mogens Tofte Koch about the formation of DMOG and how the organisation has championed the cause of Danish oil and gas service providers for close to 15 years

‘Together we are strong!’

Below Mogens Tofte Koch, Managing Director of DMOG and Offshore Denmark

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was the guiding principle behind the foundation of the Danish Marine & Offshore Group (DMOG), when the association was established during 2001. The association was founded by Offshore Denmark; an organisation that plans and executes joint Danish export drives with national pavilions at important international offshore exhibitions. To establish DMOG Managing Director of Offshore Denmark, Mogens Tofte Koch, worked in conjunction with key Danish companies supplying into the offshore and marine sectors of the oil and gas industry. The fundamental idea behind the establishment of DMOG was the development of industry networks and to raise the profile of its member companies both within Denmark, as well as the wider European and international markets.

Mogens has significant experience in understanding the importance of international exhibitions like Offshore Europe and others, as well as the challenges, concerns and opportunities facing the companies that attend the shows. “DMOG started when some of the exhibitors present at some of the big shows in the offshore industry thought that it might be a good idea to meet in between events to share information regarding the market, begin collaborations or simply to share knowledge and gain advantages through the synergies between them,” he explains. “Today

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the association is actually made of a mix of different companies such as service companies; producers of single products; and components and producers of systems – meaning complete turnkey units. We also have consultancy companies involved, but all of them together are suppliers to the offshore industry.”

Acting as Managing Director of both Offshore Denmark and DMOG, Mogens has headed the association since its inception. In the years since it was first incorporated DMOG membership has swelled from 17 founding members to 120 active members, which taking into account the association’s broad base of industry applications gives the organisation an impressive knowledge base within the offshore market. Commenting on the growth of DMOG Mogens explains: “At the time of the formation of DMOG there were no associations of this type in Denmark where companies could share views. One of the most important factors in forming the association was that during conversations at exhibitions companies who had previously thought of each other as competitors, quickly found that they had more to offer each other by way of complementary services. The association has grown naturally little by little, because we are basically a low cost association and it is largely through word of mouth that we grow. For example, when a member meets a client or company that they think may benefit

PROFILE

Danish Marine and Offshore Group

from membership of the association, they will contact our secretary and we will then contact the potential member and tell them about the association and its values. Within Demark there could presently be as many as 500 potential members of the association, so there is plenty of potential for DMOG to grow.”

While DMOG is an internationally recognised association that promotes and supports Danish offshore operators, the association is proud of its position as an independent organisation despite working in collaboration with the Danish government. This means that while DMOG works with the Danish government to share information and highlight the needs of its members, it does not receive funding or grants from governing bodies, which enables DMOG to serve its members without hindrance. “We work with the Danish government because it is interested in having pavilions around the world and will actually give a grant to individual companies participating in some exhibitions – especially in areas where there is potential growth for example,” Mogens observes. “The association itself however decided from the very beginning that it would not take government grants, so that it is not in anybody’s pocket. We want to remain as an independent association with our own board of directors. We are a non-profit association and we keep the cost of membership as low as possible so that even a very small company can participate.

Our members are presently made up of small, medium and very large companies and we presently offer two membership fees, which are basic and extended and these are not priced according to number of employees, they are priced at a fixed price for all.”

As an informative body operating within the oil and gas industry, DMOG is acutely aware of the issues caused throughout the market by the present low oil price. However while the depressed price of oil has undoubtedly seen a slowdown of operations in some regions, DMOG is on hand to collaborate with its members to provide invaluable support in adapting to the present needs of the market and in preparing for an increase of activity in the future. “We encourage our members to be proactive in developing ways to cope in the present market.

Naturally this can involve cutting prices and of course companies should try to be more efficient in their production, however with competitive pricing and efficient technology it is still possible to make a profit in the current market and to prepare for an increase in activity,” Mogens says. “We have also changed our focus

from newbuilds to maintenance and service operations to help members meet the current need within the market.”

Looking to the future of the oil and gas market and the way DMOG will continue to support its members, Mogens concludes: “In the short term our focus is really to help our members to find new customers. In the past clients and contractors were so busy that they did not have the time to find new suppliers, but while the market is slow they have the time to evaluate new suppliers ready for the time that the market picks up again. In the longer term our focus will also be to help develop our members and enhance their knowledge through new networks.

We promote co-operation in that if a member is in talks with a customer and observes a need for a product or service that another member is able to supply, we encourage them to share information. This is based on building trust, so that our members give something and offer help and in return they too will be helped by other members. It is a network association and we want to make the network stronger.”

Danish Marine and Offshore Group offshore-denmark.com

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Faster transit times during catalytic

During June 2015, Atlas Copco Rental revealed the method that we employed with our client, Mourik in the removal of catalyst material from the reactor of a large refinery in Antwerp, Belgium with a production capacity of around 360,000 barrels per day.

Mourik is an international specialist in the field of cleaning technologies for petrochemical sites and is regularly tasked with clearing catalyst material from such sites. The technically challenging operation calls for the cool down of the reactor itself, for which Mourik counts on Atlas Copco Rental.

The majority of catalyst material can be removed from the reactor through the use of a high-pressure drill, however the remaining coked catalyst requires workmen to enter the reactor and remove it manually with a pneumatic hammer. Temperatures of around 45˚C inside the reactor make it impossible for the workmen to enter and carry out their work, which necessitates a way of cooling the reactor to a safe temperature. To solve this problem we proposed to inject cool, dry and 100% oil-free air into the reactor. To carry out the cooling, the air was generated on-site by our equipment and operated by operators 24 hours a day. Our engineers designed a setup comprised of Atlas Copco Rental equipment including a PTS 1600 oil-free air compressor, CDE 47 dryer, HD 95 after cooler, chiller and generator. The PTS 1600

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is a Class Zero certified oil-free air, diesel driven, screw compressor that operates in pressure ranges between 0.5 to 10.3 bar. The compressor is iT4 and IIIB compliant and offers high reliability, maximum fuel efficiency and low fuel emissions that ensure environmental protection.

The chiller we provided allowed us to cool the dry air to 3˚C and even negative temperatures are possible when using glycol as a coolant.

Using this equipment the cold, dry compressed air of 3˚C was blown into the reactor to create a suitable working environment for the workmen. The ambient temperature was cooled to 30˚C, which allowed cleaning of the reactor to go ahead. Commenting on the operation, Project Manager at Mourik Tom Verheyen says: “Atlas Copco Rental have lived up to their name of being a reliable, innovative company that always puts safety first. They came up with a completely new solution: using compressed air instead of nitrogen to cool down a reactor. By injecting cool, dry, 100% oil-free compressed air we are able to create improved working conditions for our workmen. This new method allows us to respect health and safety regulations while entering a reactor. In addition, the allowed working times inside the reactor are significantly longer, resulting in faster transit times.”

Bespoke equipment & services globally The solutions we provide are bespoke units

PROFILE

that meet the individual requirements of our clients. As a member of the wider Atlas Copco group, we have access to all of the engineering capabilities of our parent company within our portfolio. This has resulted in a number of innovative rental products, including the TwinAir screw compressor, which is effectively two individual diesel driven compressors in one container. This is unique in the market as it generates a market leading high volume of air for the site with the smallest footprint, saving customers valuable on-site space.

Our company was founded during 2007 as the Speciality Rental Division of the Atlas Copco Group (°1873). Presently we have approximately 700 employees operating in over 130 locations around the world, 44 of which are situated within Europe. That allows us to meet any planned or emergency rental demand rapidly and effectively.

Our engineers design the most suitable temporary installation (air, power, steam or nitrogen), at highest cost- and energy-

ATLAS COPCO RENTAL

effectiveness possible. We will also take care of all logistic services, installation, maintenance, (de)commissioning if desired by our clients.

Quality, environment, health & safety: triple certification With the support of the wider Atlas Copco Group and a strong global presence, Atlas Copco aims to be ‘First in Mind, First in Choice’ with all stakeholders. Core to our strategic vision is our commitment to providing the highest levels of quality and operating in an environmentally friendly manner. As an industry first, Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance has awarded Atlas Copco with triple certification: ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001. Furthermore we ensure that the equipment we provide is both safe and reliable, which has allowed us to become the strongest provider of downstream equipment throughout Europe relating to the refinery business. As we continue to grow we will look to further establish our presence in midstream and upstream markets as well.

Atlas Copco Rental has lived up to their name of being a reliable, innovative company that always puts safety first

Atlas Copco Rental atlascopcorental.com

Services New method to cool down refinery reactor

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innovation Subsea solutions and

Following the establishment of the company during 1985, Subsea Innovation has provided state-of-the-art engineering products to clients within the offshore oil, gas and energy industries throughout the world. Over the past three decades Subsea Innovation has continued to grow in strength and has gradually relocated and developed its facilities as the business has expanded. During September 2014 Subsea Innovation moved into a new purpose built manufacturing facility on Faverdale Industrial Estate in Darlington.

Encompassing 40,000ft2 the facility has increased the company’s operating space covered by 50 tonne cranes and also features a 4.5m3 test pit that can be flooded for test procedures.

Furthermore the site also has the facility to cater for pull tests of up to 100 tonnes. “The decision to invest in a new facility was based upon the requirements of our customers – we had secured long term contracts with major oil and gas contractors from the UK, Australia and the Middle East and in order to be able to deliver on these projects more space was necessary,” explains Finance Director, Phil Heathcock. “We are lucky to have such an attractive working environment to operate from and feedback from our clients so far has been very positive.”

Today Subsea Innovation continues to build on its proven track record in the provision of a range of products for the offshore oil and gas market. Its range of offshore equipment handling systems portfolio includes launch and recovery systems, tether management systems and moon pool systems that are operational throughout

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the world. The company also supplies a range of subsea sealing systems for J and I Tube’s that include passive, diver and ROV installed seals as well as environmental plugs. It has also delivered suction pile plugs that have assisted with monopile installation in Australia. Furthermore pipeline repair is another business stream in which Subsea Innovation is active, with permanent and temporary solutions available to clamp and connect pipelines of up to 40” in diameter.

Despite the challenges created within the global market that have been caused by the present low oil price, Subsea Innovation has remained active and during April 2015 successfully refurbished launch and recovery systems (LARS) for a major offshore oil and gas contractor. “The oil and gas market is going through a period of readjustment as an impact of the current oil price, which is forecast to remain at the $65-$70 per barrel price for a prolonged period. We are focusing efforts on ensuring that we can support our clients in providing quality solutions to their requirements at sustainable prices for all concerned,” Phil elaborates. “The refurbishment of the LARS that Subsea Innovation recently completed is a line of business that we would like to do more of.

At present the capital investment on projects is being deferred, meaning that customers are looking for extended life from their current assets. With over 120 operational LARS all over the world we are ideally placed to be able to repair and service this equipment as well as that of others.”

Further to its competencies relating to LARS

PROFILE

and other subsea equipment, Subsea Innovation also has a strong history for the provision of bespoke engineering services that allow it to solve the problems of its clients in the offshore sector. Here too the company has enjoyed great success as well as exciting developments during 2015. “Previously we have designed and manufactured a grouting tool that is used to repair damaged subsea structures. More recently we have designed and manufactured a mattress deployment system for the laying of concrete mattresses around offshore wind farms. This was designed for Offshore Marine Management (OMM) and went into active service for the first time in July 2015,” Phil reveals.

Key to meeting the demanding requirements of its clients is the employment and further development of highly skilled designers, engineers and technicians. As such Subsea Innovation maintains a staff training programme that enables employees to study towards NVQ, HNC, HND, CIPD and degrees at the Open University. “We are dedicated to attracting

Subsea Innovation

and retaining the highest quality of staff to our company and offer a fantastic working environment, so we see ourselves as an employer of choice in the North East engineering sector,” Phil says. Commenting on the strengths of the company that have enabled it to consistently grow and weather the challenges of a volatile marketplace he concludes: “The main strength of Subsea Innovation is its the ability to design and manufacture a wide range of equipment for a variety of applications in the offshore energy sector. Additionally the 30 years of experience that has been built up by the company is demonstrated by its products that are still operational in the field, as well as the volume of repeat work that clients can put our way – safe in the knowledge that they will get a professional service and a high quality product. Having fully offshore trained personnel ready to assist clients wherever they are in the world is another major asset that should be mentioned, as it means that Subsea Innovation is always on hand when its expertise is required.”

Subsea Innovation subsea.co.uk

Services Supplier of subsea equipment

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

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PROFILE

PIPETAWSE

Plans in the Established in 1981, Pipetawse Limited has developed its services and expertise to become a high quality pipework specialist in activities such as shop fabrication, project management, pipework fabrication, erection and testing; skid mounted units, pipework, steelwork, skid and vessel design, vessel manufacture, testing and installation and pipework inspection.

This diverse range of services stems from the 30 years of experience the company has gained in supplying pipework and steelwork across a wide range of industries; these include offshore oil and gas, energy, petro-chemical, pharmaceutical, food processing, shipbuilding, breweries and the environment. “We have worked since 1981, not only in the oil and gas sectors, but also the petro-chem, pharmaceutical, food processing, brewing and industrial sectors.

We provide not only off-site fabrication and welding, but also provide the ability to fabricate, install & test on a client’s site and / or using our off-site facility to support an on-site project,” explains Bill Armstrong, Managing Director at Pipetawse Limited.

Pipetawse consists of a 24,000 square feet production area, which is divided into three modern and well-equipped workshops for carbon steel, stainless steel and exotic materials.

Because these workshops are each dedicated to specific materials, Pipetawse has eliminated

the risk of cross-contamination through complete material segregation. This is available to various material types, including stainless steel and hastelloy, carbon steel, six per cent moly, duplex/super duplex and cupro-nickel alloys. In addition to this large fabrication area, the company also has a covered storage area of 3300 square feet, three acres of fenced lay down area, and 1300 square feet of reinforced concrete slab for the trial-erection of steelwork; the latter of which can take loads of up to 600 tonnes.

Furthermore, to ensure optimum security, all areas within the facilities are secured by both CCTV and alarms.

“We are established to meet the needs of each individual company and are able to carry out

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PROFILE

PIPETAWSE

work as a principal contractor or sub-contractor that works directly to the client’s instruction.

Our policy is that no job is too small and we are comfortable working on large or small projects, as well as maintenance and repair type works.

We are also able to work closely with design and management companies and work in accordance with client specifications,” says Bill.

Having worked on a wide range of projects over the years, the ISO 9001 company has proven itself a reliable and quality focused option for blue chip organisations in need of mechanical, pipework and steelwork fabrication & installation solutions.

Discussing the reasons behind Pipetawse’s notable success, Bill says: “Over the years we have worked on a variety of projects with companies such as AMEC, Heerema, Fabricom, ENI and Haskell Energy, to name a few. The reason behind our competitiveness in the market is our workforce, which we view as our main strength. Some of our employees having been with ourselves over ten years. This means that our employees know our clients, and our clients’ expectations, having worked in the industry for many years. Not only that, but our healthy apprenticeship programme ensures that young trades are also coming through, with six of our current workforce being retained apprentices.”

He continues: “Welding is another one of our strengths, with over 275 qualified WPQR’s, and we ensure that all of our welders are multicoded, and qualified by third party inspection (such as Lloyds & DNV). Our goal is to achieve BSEN 3834 by the second quarter 2016.”

Indeed, with welding such an integral part of the company’s service, Pipetawse is constantly searching for ways to improve the quality and productivity within this business area. “Due to the need to weld some heavy bodied valves (up to 12”NB), we recently invested in new pipe welding manipulators to enable to not only handle this material more safely, but to also improve the production turn-around of the fabrication,” says Bill.

Firm in the belief that quality is key, Pipetawse employees are highly skilled craftsmen that are able to provide a broad range of welding procedures that cover all materials, thicknesses and diameters, thus ensuring Pipetawse always has the correct procedure in place for any project. With a ‘zero defects’ mentality, the company uses its extensive experience in fabricating pipework and steelwork to ensure customers receive exactly what they requested. Further proving its commitment

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to quality, Pipetawse has all of its fabrication and welding backed up by extensive nondestructive examinations from its approved NDE sub-contractors. For example, hydrostatic pressure testing of pipework will take place to the client’s specific test pressures, or x-ray radiography of the company’s welds will take place to check for weld integrity. Other nondestructive tests include gamma-ray radiography, magnetic particle inspection (MPI), dyepenetrant inspection (DPI), and positive material identification (PMI). Furthermore, all jobs include a full documentation package to ensure full traceability of materials, consumables, weld histories, and non-destructive examinations as well as optimum quality over the years.

With 100 per cent provided on every project, Pipetawse guarantees a quality end product.

Aware that working in hazardous or challenging industries requires a stringent view of health and safety, Pipetawse and all of its workforce are involved in an ongoing training programme with the goal of achieving the minimum level of accidents. “I became qualified to NEBOSH Certificate & DipSim level whilst working at Pipetawse at manager level, and now that I am Managing Director it means that health and safety can be driven from the top down, however I also have a safety assistant qualified to NVQ3 in Health & Safety who helps with the day to day safety within the company,” explains Bill. “We also have an open door policy that encourages a pro-active approach to health, safety & environment by all our employees; so far we have achieved over 1,564,224 man-hours without an LTA.” Relied upon by blue chip organisations to deliver optimum quality solutions in a safe and efficient manner and benefiting from a diverse customer base, Pipetawse is certain to continue growing over the coming years, despite the current challenges within the oil and gas market.

“The Offshore oil & gas market is going through a challenging period at the moment, which is why it is important to look at ways of improving production, turn-around time, and the service that we provide to our clients,” says Bill.

“We are always looking for new business and new challenges, but we are also conscious not to over diversify, thus diluting our core focus and services. Our aim is to continue to develop and improve the service we provide to our existing clients, and to also expand our welding and fabrication services to new clients. We are also aiming to hopefully expand our services to the renewable energy sector,” he concludes.

Having worked on a wide range of projects over the years, the ISO 9001 company has proven itself a reliable and quality focused option for blue chip organisations in need of mechanical, pipework and steelwork fabrication & installation solutions

Pipetawse Limited pipetawselimited.co.uk

Services Providers of mechanical, pipework and steelwork fabrication & installation solutions

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Potable water Founded in 1992, EPSCO began as a business focused on bringing advanced European technologies in remedial water treatment to the mains water industry in Scotland. EPSCO then further developed its presence throughout the UK and diversified its service offerings to deliver water management solutions to clients within the oil & gas and marine industries. Today the organisation maintains offices near Aberdeen, Scotland as well as Stavanger, Norway and continues to provide specialist chemical cleaning and services to clients within the marine and offshore, industrial and water utilities sectors as well a host of support services that allow EPSCO to meet all of its clients’ needs.

The strategic location of the company’s bases within the UK and Norway, coupled with its high levels of knowledge and experience, has allowed EPSCO to become a premier provider of water solutions to clients operating within the North Sea. “EPSCO is able to draw on a multidisciplinary technical knowledge of water along with extensive practical experience onboard offshore installations,” explains Operations and Compliance Manager, Fraser Inglis. “This includes microbiological, chemical, engineering and logistical factors, which enables us to provide a more holistic understanding of why clients’ may have particular issues with their water quality.

Also, we do not use sub-contracted operatives and provide all services in-house enabling a tighter control of quality and the most efficient delivery of projects. We assign projects cradle to grave - the same staff will be involved in planning the scope of work and delivery offshore.”

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EPSCO’s in-depth understanding of water hygiene, safety and treatment allows it to reach a broad base of clients, including any duty holder that is responsible for an installation providing water. The company also works extensively with project teams and EPC contractors to provide water system design improvements through commissioning services and best practice advice.

Within the offshore industry its clients are primarily global oil and gas operators, drilling contractors and owners of various support vessels.

Elsewhere its client base is also comprised of onshore facilities and infrastructure companies, including downstream refining and petrochemical clients seeking increased efficiency and compliance in process water systems.

As well as overseeing the design and application of water treatment systems, EPSCO is also heavily involved in providing consultancy and educational services. In response to demand across its client base, and particularly within

the oil and gas sector, EPSCO has recently introduced a market-leading suite of potable water and legionella awareness training modules.

“Having worked with our oil and gas industry clients for many years, we have regularly encountered a demand for more accessible and offshore applicable training in this area,” Fraser says. “As an organisation we wanted to respond to this demand and provide something that sets a new standard, and leads the market by teaching people using visual aids and removing unnecessarily complex material. In order to do this, we have chosen to develop an e-learning course with computer based training (CBT) specialist provider Oilennium, due to their industry knowledge, bespoke approach and ability to deliver the required level of animated technical detail. Module One provides Legionella Awareness & Introduction to Potable Water Offshore and is applicable for personnel at all levels. This module also acts as a lead-in for several more specific and detailed modules, which are following very soon and are aimed at

PROFILE

responsible persons and key personnel.”

These training courses will be deliverable either online or offline as required by clients.

Indeed technology is at the forefront of the service offered by EPSCO, which is further demonstrated through the implementation of online resources in support of in-field monitoring operations, as Fraser reveals: “To complement our water sampling and monitoring support services, we have invested in the development of an online portal tailored exactly to meet the need of our clients with multiple offshore installations. It is called EPSCO

‘WATERSafe’™ and allows an improved way to gather, share and view essential water quality data by all persons across various installations and onshore support staff.”

While EPSCO has established a long history and proven track record as a full service water management company within the North Sea and in onshore applications, it is keen to further expand its presence globally and further engage new and existing clients, as Fraser concludes: “With the maturity of our core market in the UK North Sea we are starting to explore growth in other areas, with our sister company in Norway still able to gain opportunities from a larger amount of new activities. As water becomes more of a focus globally, we are starting to see growth opportunities in regions more challenging for water management such as West Africa and South East Asia, which will require development of further operational bases.

In summary, EPSCO is now well positioned and setup to deliver full service potable water support for clients across the globe.”

epsco

EPSCO Ltd epsco.co.uk

Services Potable water, treatment systems, cleaning and disinfection, sampling, consulting, monitoring and advice

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

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expertise Award-winning

With a history

Apex Hydraulics Apex Hydraulics offers a comprehensive service for the design, manufacture, supply and repair of a wide range of hydraulic equipment for the oil and gas industry.

It prides itself in understanding its customers’ needs and respects the absolute need to deliver quality products and services on time.

With the launch of Corex it leads the market in innovative solutions to prolong equipment service intervals making it a natural choice for quality driven customers like Houlder.

Independence and employeeownership mean we are nimble enough to respond to new opportunities

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dating back to the 1840s, Houlder boasts more than 150 years of experience within the marine and ship building industry. Today, Houlder Limited delivers design, analysis, engineering, innovation and project management to customers across the maritime sector, with a particular focus on oil and gas, renewable energy, marine and gas vessels. Core clients for the company include oil and gas majors, offshore vessel owners and operators, drilling contractors, pipe and cable layers, subsea inspectors, maintainers and repairers; an impressive range that includes blue chip organisations such as BP Exploration, Shell Trading and Technip over recent years.

Working across the UK, the USA and further afield, Houlder supports its clients through each stage of a project’s lifecycle, from initial concept through to commissioning and operation. Key to the company’s success in serving customers is its ability to fully understand requirements through developing trusted partnerships and delivering reliable technical support as well as innovative solutions. By combining forces and working together with clients, Houlder’s engineers, naval architects, designers and project managers can bring clarity to challenges within the industry and offer solutions. Due to this co-operative way of working, Houlder is committed to recruiting only the brightest and best in the industry.

Since previously featuring in Energy, Oil & Gas magazine in April 2014, Houlder has witnessed strong growth despite the low oil price and enjoyed recognition for its business development

energy-oil-gas.com

strategy, as Rupert Hare, CEO of Houlder Ltd discusses: “Houlder now has a headcount of approximately 200 including engineers, designers, draughtspeople, construction supervisors, site QHSE teams and project managers. All are experienced in managing the build, upgrade, conversion and repair of floating assets including offshore support vessels, pipe and cable layers, semisubmersibles, jack-ups, FSOs and FPSOs. “Since last featuring, Houlder’s business development strategy has been rewarded with a top five place in the Sunday Times International Fast Track 200 list. The Track 200 list, published July 12 2015, ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies with the fastest-growing international sales. This national media coverage recognises a two-year average 187 per cent increase in overseas sales.”

An integral part of the company’s growth is the establishment of its subsidiary Houlder Americas Inc. in Houston, Texas in 2013.

Launched to support clients headquartered in the US, this expansion also signifies the company’s position as a global operator and reliable provider of services to the world’s leading offshore operators. “Houlder Americas has the task of building on a very positive award winning start,” says Rupert. “Although a lot of Houlder’s Oil & Gas work still centres on supporting floating assets for North Sea drilling contractors, our recent experience is a broader range of clients that value this hard-won expertise. We have had enquiries from the Middle East, the Baltic, Asia and

PROFILE

the Americas lately. We are now in a stronger position to respond due to our increased capacity and capabilities, including a growing team in Houston.”

One recent project for Houlder was delivered in 2015, when Saipem’s field development, 100 kilometres off the coast of Azerbaijan, required equipment to support the installation of eight steel jacket foundations for two new platforms, as Rupert notes: “The Saipem project is a great example of our turnkey approach at work.

The project involved innovative designs for a challenging set of operational constraints, fabrication within a tight window and installation at the quayside, in this case, a long way from home. Saipem deployed Houlder’s innovative pile installation equipment on the deck of the heavy lift ship Derrick Barge Azerbaijan (DBA) tasked with the jacket installation. It horizontally restrained and adjusted the inclination of 140 metres, 525 tonne steel foundation monopiles – keeping them vertical as they were driven in 95 metres of water. This requires the frame to deliver operational horizontal force resistance of 75 tonnes in any direction within a four metre diameter operating envelope. Houlder delivered the contract under a typical turnkey arrangement – being accountable for the design from initial concept through to fabrication. The 80 tonne frame was supplied ex-works and packed ready for transport. Houlder then sent a team of engineers to manage the installation in Baku.”

In addition to growth in the US, Houlder has also increased its UK headcount (in London, Tyneside, Aberdeen and Portsmouth offices) significantly. The Tyneside office, in particular, is becoming an increasingly vital part of the North East marine supply chain due to key equipment and offshore engineering projects.

One reason for this increase in demand is the company winning the 2014 Innovation and Technology award at the South Tyneside Business awards. The black tie event celebrated the ingenious approach of Houlder’s engineering and design team in Boldon and their ability to deliver enhancements to maritime assets and offshore operations through innovative thinking.

“Houlder is very conscious that innovation begins at home so we were delighted to win the award,” says Rupert.

The company will be showcasing its handling equipment expertise in particular at this years’ Offshore Europe exhibition, 8-11 September, Aberdeen. Houlder is delighted to be teaming up with National Instruments and ISC Ltd at the event to share its track record of utilising advanced control systems in marine applications.

The joint stand (3E180) presents the perfect opportunity for operators and developers to understand how large, complex hydraulic pieces of deck equipment can be operated with pinpoint control.

As Houlder continues to make innovations in pile handling and other areas such as deep water jacking, launch and recovery and subsea deployment, the future is looking positive thanks to the company’s diversified services, independence and flexibility, as Rupert concludes: “Independence and employeeownership mean we are nimble enough to respond to new opportunities – be they new markets, products or geographical regions.

Over the coming years we will continue working towards doubling our capacity and capability. We are hitting commercial, financial and business milestones, which is gratifying.

Houlder Americas has the task of building on a great start. Elsewhere, we have the task of converting a higher profile and greater interest into more business. It’s a challenge we’re thoroughly enjoying.”

HOuLDER

Houlder Limited houlderltd.com

Services Engineering, design, analysis and marine equipment

ENERGY,oil&gas

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Raising

expectations HUBTEX

has historically supplied its innovative materials handling solutions to oil & gas organisations worldwide. However, to support a focus to further develop its presence in the sector HUBTEX will be showcasing its products and expertise on Stand 4D151 at the SPE Offshore Europe Conference & Exhibition in Aberdeen come September. Based on previous successes in the sector, HUBTEX believes that its diverse product portfolio of electric multidirectional sideloaders, 4-way sideloaders, heavy duty transport systems, platform trucks, heavy duty reach trucks and specialist vehicles can add real value to the specific challenges found in and around these industries.

Since it was founded in 1981, HUBTEX has grown into a leading supplier in the field of specialist handling equipment. The business was incorporated in Germany primarily to serve clients within the textiles industry and has since evolved to supply a broad base of applications including clients within the automotive, avionics, foundry, float glass, metals, timber, manufacturing and oil and gas sectors. Today HUBTEX is headquartered in Fulda, Germany from where it supports its 13 subsidiaries

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and dealer networks worldwide. In Fulda the company currently employs approximately 300 members of staff, of which 30 are qualified engineers while a further 20 are employed as apprentices, projecting the company’s future.

“HUBTEX was established effectively to build highly sophisticated electric multidirectional sideloaders and the business has grown from there to utilise experience and technology to branch out and build a wide range of machinery that help in the transit of long, difficult and heavy loads specifically in confined spaces,” elaborates Business Development Manager, Steven Murby.

Indeed the ISO 9001:2008 certified company is committed to the construction of vehicles and machines to a high engineering level, with a comprehensive portfolio of products encompassing some 60 series types and specialist vehicles. Core to the success of HUBTEX is its ability to provide innovative bespoke designed solutions. A large percentage of its products are tailor-made to exactly match the end user’s specific needs and are characterised by their longevity and functionality. “We design and build extremely robust and durable machines,” Steven adds. “If you consider the life of a standard

PROFILE

forklift truck for example, it would be something like five years in a full application and a further one to three years in a second life span. When correctly maintained we are quite happily seeing our products last between 15 to 20 years with one customer.”

Commenting on the unique requirements of supplying to customers in oil and gas markets Steven says: “The challenge in these markets primarily comes from the diversity of requirements and from physical scale. Within the oil and gas sector equipment is generally bigger and heavier, which is something that is shared with the utilities supply chain within the electrical market. Additionally production pressures dictate that all equipment used is highly reliable as any form of down time can be very expensive. HUBTEX has the necessary experience of producing missioncritical equipment for the most demanding of applications where operational durability is paramount. The challenges are therefore multiplied by the fact that the equipment provided has to get larger, which has an impact on manoeuvrability especially in confined spaces. However addressing these challenges is

part of the HUBTEX DNA and we have a highly talented group of experienced engineers that are able to provide cost effective solutions to a host of handling problems.”

By proving niche solutions to clients that need to handle materials and components that are difficult to transition, often in confined spaces, HUBTEX has established a strong and growing market presence. Its solutions and handling systems are manufactured in Germany and delivered to valued customers around the world. As the market continues to recover from the global economic crisis, many sectors are enjoying a resurgence in activity resulting in an increased demand for material handling solutions. “There is certainly increased activity within the metals industry, particularly with raw stock holders and manufacturers,” Steven observes. “We see growing opportunity in the oil & gas, automotive and avionics sectors and the timber and plastics industries are also beginning to recover. The present situation is most encouraging from our position, as most of the industry members we speak to are increasing their capabilities or are partnering companies that are investing into the UK for the first time.”

The ability and willingness of HUBTEX engineers to develop bespoke solutions to the unique requirements of its clients is a key strength of the company that differentiates it as a market leader. Its long-serving engineers are able to call on over 30 years of industry experience and work closely with clients to offer a fresh perspective on how technically challenging applications might be addressed.

Furthermore HUBTEX is committed to providing lifetime support for its products, allowing its clients to invest in equipment in the knowledge that assistance is on hand where and when it is required. “We know that we build extremely good equipment proven to stand the test of time, however pragmatically these are effectively workhorses and at the end of the day sooner or later they will be worked hard and need attention.

HUBTEX

HUBTEX is committed to providing lifetime support for its products, allowing its clients to invest in equipment in the knowledge that assistance is on hand where and when it is required

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PROFILE

HUBTEX

“HUBTEX fully recognise this and focus on providing high level aftermarket support. We have our own team of factory trained service technicians and hold a comprehensive spare parts stock centrally located in our Milton Keynes HQ. This stock is further supported by a much larger spare parts inventory in Germany.

Furthermore, where possible our designs are modular, we have many components that fit across our entire product portfolio. This further facilitates HUBTEX to respond to clients’ needs efficiently and quickly.”

As it continues to support increasing activity

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throughout several targeted market sectors, HUBTEX will maintain its focus on the delivery of leading bespoke handling equipment while further expanding its global presence.

Commenting on company’s strategy now and over the coming years, Steven concludes: “Within the next couple of years we will have more of a focus on our special products offerings, including larger projects where we can add tangible advantages to operations, through increased efficiency, increased storage density and enhanced safety.

HUBTEX is committed to provide innovative technical and commercial solutions for the most demanding of material handling applications.

“We aim to support our valued partners in a way that others are not able to and look forward to discussing challenging projects with prospective future clients during the SPE Offshore Europe Conference & Exhibition in Aberdeen 2015 in early September. You will find us on Stand 4D151 where HUBTEX extend a warm welcome to all interested parties.”

You will find us on Stand 4D151 where HUBTEX extend a warm welcome to all interested parties

HUBTEX hubtex.com

Services Specialist Handling Equipment

PROFILE

Pittsburgh Corning Europe

protection Asset

With roots dating back as far as 1937, Pittsburgh Corning has a 78-year history as a leading supplier of high-performance glass insulating products for clients operating within the building, energy and industrial markets. The company was formed from Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company and Corning Glass Works and over the past seven decades it has supplied its innovative glass block technology to clients within a spectrum of industry sectors. Today Pittsburgh Corning is active in every corner of the world through the delivery of its technically advanced FOAMGLAS® insulation and glass block products, and continues to grow while further investing to allow the company to better reach its clients.

Pittsburgh Corning was previously featured in Energy, Oil and Gas magazine during January 2015, during which time Director of Sales EMEA, Frank Ergeerts elaborated on the company’s on-going investment in its manufacturing capabilities. Indeed since first introducing FOAMGLAS® to the US market during the mid-1940s, Pittsburgh Corning expanded its presence into Europe with a large manufacturing facility located in Belgium, which opened for production in 1965. Throughout the decades that followed, the company established additional factories within Europe, the US and most recently Asia. Today the company boasts the largest fabricating workshop in the world where FOAMGLAS® insulated blocks are transformed into elements designed to fit on piping and equipment.

The latest investments by Pittsburgh Corning within Europe and China incorporate its unique continuous product manufacturing process, which enables it to maintain an extended global reach underpinned by expert technical support.

The company’s most recent expansion in China has been driven by the strong and growing demand within the Asia Pacific region and is supported by a newly implemented global focus.

“Since May 2015 our China Plant has been fully completed and is now up and running producing FOAMGLAS® insulation blocks. All of the company’s plant production meets global material standards and its strong capacity and network of locations allows for prompt and economic supply to all projects worldwide,” explains Frank.

“Our new global organisation structure will reinforce Pittsburgh Corning’s core values and help us improve our customer focus, deepen our understanding of our various customers’ needs and provide responsive products and services that profitably grow the business,” he adds.

“Standardised key business processes improve efficiency and strengthen our competitive position. Therefore we continue to deliver projects worldwide in applications such as tank base insulation for piping and equipment.

For example, deliveries to yards catering for Gazprom’s Yamal LNG project in Russia have started and will run over the coming years.

Because the LNG plant is situated in an area with a harsh climate, FOAMGLAS® insulation ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

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FOAMGLAS® Insulation’s New TEROSTAT system

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Pittsburgh Corning

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Protecting Companies and Their People Worldwide™

PROFILE

was specified for all of the insulation work.”

FOAMGLAS® is a unique product with a manufacturing process comprised of four stages; glass production, grinding of the glass to glass powder and mixing it with carbon, foaming and annealing of glass and finishing of the product.

The result is an extensive range of different grades of FOAMGLAS® insulation, which have varying degrees of compressive strength and thermal conductivity. “All FOAMGLAS® insulation materials are inorganic, incombustible, closed cell and impervious to liquids and vapour,” Frank explains. “Our main product is FOAMGLAS® ONE™ cellular glass insulation that is available in block format as well as in numerous prefabricated formats such as pipe shells, fittings, cones and tank and vessel heads.

We also offer a specific high load bearing range called FOAMGLAS® HLB insulation, this has a unique combination of high compressive strength and low thermal conductivity, which makes it ideal for a wide range of tank base construction and other industrial load bearing applications.”

As an expert in the field, in addition to the provision of its range of FOAMGLAS® installation materials, Pittsburgh Corning puts an emphasis on the delivery of full installation solutions. As such it has developed its range of PC® Accessory Products, which comprises adhesives, coatings, sealants, fabrics and jacketing options. “We recommend this ‘total system’ approach when specifying insulation and accessory products as a total solution package,” Frank says. “This is why Pittsburgh Corning recommended accessories are formulated, designed and tested to ensure proven performance of the client’s insulation system.”

A key application in the use of Pittsburgh Corning products is the prevention of corrosion under insulation (CUI). In the simplest terms, the prevention of CUI requires that water be kept out of insulation systems. One of most effective ways of keeping water out of insulation systems is through the use of a closed cell insulation material, together with an applied flexible coating that provides a seamless weatherproof membrane that can prevent water ingress and retention. To address the problem of CUI, Pittsburgh Corning has developed its Terostat anti-CUI system, which is a combined system of FOAMGLAS® closed cell insulation with Terostat PC® FRi. Terostat PC® FRi is a single component silicone-based sealant, coating and adhesive which cures by reaction with moisture to a soft elastic monolithic product. The product

Pittsburgh Corning Europe

is free of solvents, isocyanates, and PVC. This combined with its excellent flame retardant properties (Class O as per BS476) makes it the preeminent anti-CUI insulation system. “Many offshore and onshore installations have switched to working with closed cell insulation like FOAMGLAS® insulation and have started to see the benefits in CUI prevention and increased long-term thermal efficiency,” Frank reveals.

“Pre-coating cellular glass in flexible coatings like in the FOAMGLAS® - Terostat system has simplified this process by giving quick installation with easier and more effective sealing

to maximise CUI protection. One hundred per cent closed-cell FOAMGLAS® insulation plus a pre-applied flexible Terostat PC® FRi coating with fully sealed joints will provide an exceptional insulation system for CUI prevention and longevity.”

Pittsburgh Corning will be present at Offshore Europe 2015, where it will take the opportunity to meet with some of its clients and potential future clients as part of its strategy of continued product innovation and market growth, as Frank concludes: “Events such as Offshore Europe are of big importance for us as they create the chance to meet with all your clients from a specific market over the course of just a few days. We are constantly working on improving our products so an exhibition like this provides a great opportunity to communicate to our clients when a product’s properties have been improved or to launch a new product. During the coming months the main focus will remain on keep further penetrating the market with a main focus on the voice of the customer. Main market segments we will keep targeting will be the CUI and fireproofing markets, which still have some developing potential and we will also keep working towards globalising our fabricating facilities to even further develop our global reach.”

Our new global organisation structure will reinforce Pittsburgh Corning’s core values and help us improve our customer focus, deepen our understanding of our various customers’ needs and provide responsive products and services that profitably grow the business

Pittsburgh Corning Europe foamglas.com

Services Insulation systems for industry

ENERGY,oil&gas

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together High Integrity -

BST Supplies Co. Ltd. is a worldleading manufacturer of bespoke, high-integrity, fully traceable fasteners. Proudly independent, the core business for BST is manufacturing for safety critical / ‘must not fail’ applications for the harshest environments. Whether the client requires dimensionally standard components made from specialist materials, or ‘unique design’ components manufactured from standard materials, BST has the flexibility to produce all types of fasteners.

As Sales Manager Raphael Smets explained: “Every single component BST manufacture conforms to international standards or is specifically produced in line with the customer specifications, drawings or samples.” He gave Energy, Oil and Gas further details on how the company operates: “We don’t design the product, we are given the exact specifications and requirements by the client and we manufacture precisely to those.” He continued: “However, we do work very closely with many OEM’s, and feel privileged that they will come to us for advice if they need to adhere to particular regulations or a new demand from their

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Holding it all

customers. Changes in specification happen fairly regularly within the oil and gas sector and every time a new spec or a new requirement comes out, BST is one of the first to know and stock material accordingly.”

He added: “Our real strength is the peace of mind that customers get from our expertise in manufacturing bespoke products – they trust us to deliver fasteners exactly as ordered, that are of the highest integrity, offer true and fully comprehensive traceability and are made from only the best quality western European raw materials. This is especially important when you consider the applications that we manufacture for. Our customers demand the very best quality products that 'will not fail' during their lifecycle as they are often incorporated into equipment in inaccessible places and the costs of accessing them is very high. They look to invest in our fasteners, in order to get the quality and reliability they need and demand.”

Supporting this excellence in manufacture is a company structure that has always placed the highest quality at its heart. The creators and owners, Tony Lawless and Stuart Mee

PROFILE

established the company in 1987, and over the subsequent 28 years it has grown to employ 110 staff and turn over circa £10 million a year. “The focus of the business has never wavered from always being the most reliable supplier of bespoke threaded products and to position BST as the number one supplier of quality fasteners,” Raphael confirmed. “Once the business was up and running, profits were meticulously re-invested into the company, in order to purchase the right machinery and set up an in-house manufacturing plant.

That philosophy has remained since those early days, meaning that profit is still largely invested into new machines and creating new infrastructure. For example, the last major investments were in a PTFE plant, a new computer system and, lately, a new on-site UKAS ISO17025 approved laboratory.

“So from very humble beginnings when the owners started the business with a telephone, we have grown to become a fully internationally recognised manufacturing facility, where we are able to control the whole production process from sourcing raw materials to finished product.

However, the quality philosophy of the company remains and that transfers to our customers viewing BST as the most reliable supplier in terms of delivery and quality.”

Being independently owned also allows for flexibility and quick reactions and Raphael noted the significance of this: “We are very customer focused and if we need a fast decision to answer a customer’s challenge, we meet with our managing director, James Mee, and if needed get an investment approved the very same day.”

This degree of reaction time is invaluable to BST’s clients in the world’s most demanding sectors of subsea oil and gas, nuclear, power generation, defence and marine. “If you look at the history of BST, previously the company’s business was split at approximately 50 per cent nuclear and defence and 50 per cent oil and gas.

But around ten years ago there was a change of attitude within the oil and gas industry towards high quality fasteners with full traceability and our growth has been pushed by that increase in demand. Subsea equipment fabricators were historically buying threaded components that were simply poor quality, with no traceability or reliability of raw materials origin. They were spending significant amounts on weld procedures, forging and so on, and holding the equipment together with low cost sub-standard fasteners. As a result the risk of failure was high,

and eventually it became clear that there was a need to change the requirements for fasteners,” explained Raphael.

“Since 2008, in the North Sea for example, there has been a real improvement in the required subsea specifications and the need for increased traceability, and as a result companies came to us because they needed the very highest quality fasteners of the type we manufacture. I would say that this growth in demand changed the distribution of our business from 50-50 to closer to 75 per cent oil and gas and 25 per cent in other sectors,” noted Raphael, before adding: “But we are keen to also increase our business activities in other sectors, especially energy and nuclear. The nuclear power station industry in the UK is something that we are also manufacturing for and we would very much like to develop further into it. We are already registered with NAMRC, in a program called ‘Fit for Nuclear’. At the moment our business with defence remains more in volume than energy and civil nuclear, but it is something we are looking to expand over the coming months and years.

“Furthermore, there are always other industries to consider, so for example we are also keen to get involved with wind turbines, tidal technology and other renewable sources of energy. Most of them are fairly easily accessible so the question is whether they need fasteners with such a high level of testing and quality as our products.”

So BST is viewed as an expert when it comes to underwater applications, which alongside wellheads and subsea equipment for oil and gas, also includes submarines and ship’s defence with the Navy and MoD. “When it comes to subsea and marine applications we are very well known worldwide,” stated Raphael.

What unites all of these markets is their need for a no-compromise approach to quality and reliability, not just from products but also from people. Because BST manufactures to exact customer specifications, it’s essential that its products are right first time, every time. This makes knowledgeable and dependable staff a vital necessity. Their expertise and commitment, from initial order through to production, testing and quality assurance, ensures that integrity is prevalent throughout the business.

Thanks to its culture of excellence that extends companywide from the shop floor to the board room, BST Supplies is still welcoming new clients to its order books, despite the downturn in the oil and gas market at the moment due to oil prices. As an established business with nearly

BST Supplies

Changes in specification happen fairly regularly within the oil and gas sector and every time a new spec or a new requirement comes out, BST is one of the first to know and stock material accordingly

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PROFILE

BST Supplies

Our real strength is the peace of mind that customers get from our expertise in manufacturing bespoke products

three decades of experience, BST has seen dips in the oil industry before, and is confident that its dedication to quality will always remain a firm foundation for success. “The companies that aren’t robust will struggle and some may even close, but we are still seeing some positive signs and have opened accounts with major subsea manufacturers. So we are confident that the drop in the market will be countered by new accounts within Oil and Gas and new clients from other sectors,” said Raphael.

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He concluded: “We have come a long way in the manufacturing process of subsea components, over the last two decades we have had the privilege of working with FMC Technologies. In the last 12 month we have also been approved by Onesubsea, Aker solutions and GE. It has taken us long time to be awarded these approvals by these leading companies. To become a trusted supplier to them is another indication of the high quality services we provide to our customers.”

BST Supplies Ltd bstsupplies.com

Services High-quality, fully traceable fasteners and components

PROFILE

Greenray

success Fast track to

Since it was founded in 1981,

Below Iain Lister, Greenray CEO

Greenray has developed a proven reputation in offering specialised engineering solutions for maintaining gas turbines and rotating equipment throughout the oil and gas and power generation industries. Over the course of more than three decades the company has grown to offer a complete range of OEM equivalent services and equipment to over 30 countries worldwide.

Furthermore through its representative agreements, it maintains a presence in over ten countries globally and is able to deliver a wide range of service solutions with a flexible approach to meet its clients’ unique needs.

During the early years of the company’s history, Greenray was active in North Africa in the supply of water well drilling equipment by providing drilling equipment and land based exploration rigs on behalf of a number of American companies. This gave Greenray valuable experience and commercial expertise in international trade and finance, which would prove to be an important asset when the company took the decision to transition into new areas of business. “Greenray was originally established by individuals who had previously worked for GEC Gas Turbines and having worked in the field before, it wasn’t a huge intellectual step for the business to move into gas turbines,” elaborates Greenray CEO, Iain Lister.

“The then owners of the business decided to review the portfolio of services provided by the

company and soon after founded its relationship with what was European Gas Turbines. The concept of the business was to carry out service work primarily on gas turbines, this included niche services that OEMs found difficult to carry out themselves.”

Today Greenray operates as an Advanced Partner to Siemens and in November 2006 the company entered into an exclusive agreement with Greenray to provide customers that own industrial gas turbines originally manufactured and supplied by GEC Gas Turbines Ltd, with spare parts, technical services, field service, workshop overhauls, control system retrofits and technical support directly and in the name of Greenray to all owners of these machines worldwide. Greenray currently supports over 375 active machines globally and many of Greenray’s key personnel are past employees of GEC Gas Turbines and were involved in the design and supply of the original GEC Gas Turbine equipment.

Later during 2007 Greenray reached a further important milestone when Iain joined the company as Managing Director of the Energy Division, a position he held until 2012 when Iain acquired the business and became the Greenray Chief Executive. “Prior to joining the business, I had previously worked for Alstom as one of its company directors in the UK. When I joined Greenray it was a relatively small business with around 19 employees and a turnover of ENERGY,oil&gas

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Sameday Freight & Courier Service Merlin Logistics, an independent family run business that provides same day Logistics, courier & freight services nationally with 20 years experience in the transport and warehousing industry.

Services include: ● Same day Logistics ● Door to door courier service ● Groupage Services ● Multi-drop Deliveries ● Parcel Delivery/Collections ● Freight Delivery ● 24 Hour Service

Tel: 01777 22 88 88 Mob: 07717 308 040 Fax: 01777 22 88 22 E-mail: ian@merlinlogistics.co.uk Web: www.merlinlogistics.co.uk

AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF DEDICATED COURIERS

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PROFILE

£7 million. It was always the premise that I would eventually buy the company and when I eventually did acquire Greenray through a management buyout, we identified a number of opportunities to move the business forward. One of these was in the provision of control systems and the other, which is rapidly becoming a very successful part of the business is in complete gas turbine package rehabilitations.”

Today Greenray operates with a turnover fast approaching £32 million, with a network of facilities in Lincoln and Aberdeen within the UK, as well as Abu Dhabi, UAE. Furthermore the company maintains close links to representatives operating within Asia and the Middle East, proving support to its customers’ needs. Its portfolio includes a comprehensive suite of upgrade and retrofit; workshop overhaul; on site maintenance; spares, support and management; and component repair services. Within its projects division, Greenray provides revamp and overhaul services to gas turbine packages, this includes: control systems, filtration systems, ventilation, lubricating oil, and fuel systems as well as supporting the driven units and exhaust systems. “We have developed Greenray as a holistic one-stop-shop of gas turbine package solutions and the strategy has developed very well,” Iain says. “We have been highly successful and to date have won two major projects, one of which is currently being completed for Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) in

India, while the other was signed this year for Shell UK operating offshore North Sea.” The company’s operations for ONGC in India were comprised of refurbishment work of its three gas turbine packages on the Water Injection North (WIN) Platform at Mumbai High Field. The contract was valued at some $30 million and following its completion, guarantees a further 20 years of operation of turbine equipment. The contract was awarded during 2013, with site works commenced during 2015 and projected to continue through 2016. Greenray represents the project’s principle contractor revamping the complete gas turbine package including the power turbine, acoustic enclosures, ventilation systems, fuel systems and Lube oil cooling systems. The work is currently being carried out on the units whilst maintaining operation of at least one Gas Turbine Generator to facilitate continued platform operations.

The recently signed contract between Greenray and its client, Shell UK further underscores the company’s ability to deliver niche and technically challenging services to some of the oil and gas industry’s most widely recognised blue chip organisations. The project itself will focus on works on a North Sea Platform. “The contract is first of all, a major milestone for us, we have done similar in India and to do it for another blue chip company is quite prestigious. We competed with a highly regarded OEM for the contract, and to win against this service provider was good for the business internally and we have demonstrated that we have the internal processes, capability and the engineering strengths to be able to deal with what is a very heavy engineering related project,” Iain says.

With an increasing scope of services within its niche service offering and the award of several prestigious, high profile projects, Greenray represents a growing force within the international oil and gas market. This was further highlighted during 2015 when the company was listed at number 41 in the Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200. “This was a real achievement that really reflects how our international experience has given us an edge,” Iain concludes. “We also have very highly skilled people across the business and I am very proud to be part of the team. Greenray can provide engineered solutions and I think that is a key part of our business moving forward, not just in gas turbines but in steam turbines and rotating equipment.”

Greenray

Greenray provides revamp and overhaul services to gas turbine packages, this includes: control systems, filtration systems, ventilation, lubricating oil, and fuel systems as well as supporting the driven units and exhaust systems”

Zafire Limited In 2010 Greenray Turbines partnered with Zafire Limited, global software provider to some of the world’s largest organisations, to develop a future-proof software solution designed to manage their complex business processes. Using their SmartService software platform and over 20 years’ experience Zafire delivered a robust solution removing the need for disparate systems whilst providing critical business intelligence around project cost profiles engineer planning and resource management.

Following a two phase roll-out and an established partnership Greenray now have full visibility and total control of all projects from customer orders and product build through to installation on-going maintenance and accurate timely billing.

Greenray greenray.com

Services OEM services and equipment

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PROFILE

Marine Assets Corporation

A growing

reputation From its headquarters in the Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) free zone, Dubai, Marine Assets Corporation strives to operate as the leading provider of marine vessels and specialised equipment. The roots of the company date back to 2006, when it was founded as Minnow Marine Projects Ltd (MMPL). Marine Assets Corporation (MAC) was formed during 2009 when MMPL was

sold to the Stanford Marine Group (SMG) in Dubai. During the sale SMG did not acquire the rights to the MAC niche compact semi sub design (CSS), which formed part of the initial MAC service offering and remains as part of its portfolio. Today MAC provides a comprehensive

range of design and build, agency and offshore support services to clients throughout the marine industry, with an annual turnover of $100 million per annum. “MAC’s core business is the design and construction of both standard and specialist vessels for the oil and gas, offshore and renewable industry,” explains CEO, Robin Reeves. “MAC seeks to acquire the latest technology and incorporate it into modern sophisticated designs, with a view to what the market will require in 24-36 month time with a focus on industry requirements as opposed to minimum standards.”

Incorporating close to a decade of industry experience and a tradition of providing innovative design options, MAC has a growing reputation for delivering market-leading and highly specialised vessels to the offshore industry. During November 2014 for example, it was announced that MAC had signed a contract with Nautilus Minerals Inc. for the build and delivery of a large offshore and construction vessel, which will be built at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding – China’s oldest shipyard, with a 150-year heritage. Commenting on the award of the contract Robin elaborates: “MAC was successful in securing a contract with Nautilus Minerals for the world’s first vessel to be purpose built for subsea mining activities. The vessel is 227 metres in length and has a beam of 40 metres, it will have 32 Mw of installed power to support the vessel’s power management for DP positioning and supply power to the deck ENERGY,oil&gas

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PROFILE

mounted mining equipment. The vessel will also include 199 beds to accommodate marine crew, hotel staff and operators for the mining equipment.”

With its unique features and bespoke design to meet the requirements of subsea mining, the new vessel is anticipated to remain active for several years. Once completed the vessel will commence a five-year charter on delivery operating initially as part of the Solwara 1 Project in the waters off Papua New Guinea, with options to extend operations by a further five years. During the course of the project remotely operated seabed mining equipment will be launched from the vessel’s deck and used to cut ore from the seabed and pump it in the form of slurry, some 1700 metres back to the surface.

Once the ore is retrieved residual water will be removed and the ore stored for offloading to shuttled bulk carriers, which will tranship the cargo to consumers in China.

The diversification of the company into new sectors remains an important focus for MAC and one that it will continue to pursue in the future, as Robin reveals: “With the slump in the global oil price, this new contract for MAC within the sector of deep sea mining represents a balanced diversification. Activity in deep sea mining is on the increase and I think the market will see much more interest in this area in the coming years. Further to deep sea mining, we have also been in discussions within the renewable energy sector and have some designs of suitable vessels for deployment during various stages, including the long term maintenance and as a wind farm ‘mother ship.’

We have also opened a new division, which is focusing on waste management for both on and offshore environments. This division is currently developing the garbage converter vessel (GCV) a new concept to facilitate the handling of offshore waste disposal for common garbage.”

While MAC continues to develop innovative,

Marine Assets Corporation

new vessel designs, its core business is still in the niche design of its CSS accommodation and maintenance vessels. These are also built at the Fujian Mawei shipyard, with seven units currently contracted – three of which have been delivered, while the remaining four are still under construction. The CSS design was developed to respond to the need for greater flexibility, coupled with the capacity to provide cost-effective solutions in the provision of accommodation and offshore support services.

The CSS design allows for the provision of multiple services desired by oil and gas operators to improve production and reduce costs, with weather working capabilities which significantly exceed that of units of similar dimensions.

Furthermore precise and fuel-efficient manoeuvring capabilities are achieved through the highest class of dynamic positioning system (DP3) and a diesel electric propulsion system.

As the company continues to adapt to the changing needs of the marine market, it will rely on its strong ties to its partner shipyard and its pioneering approach to vessel design.

With the growing opportunities within the deep sea mining and offshore sectors, MAC is set to remain an important market player well into the future, as Robin concludes: “Our strength lies with our close relationship with our partner shipyard, whereby we enjoy costeffective building contracts with favourable payment terms. Most of our clients have returned for further vessels, and continue to utilise MAC as their provider going forward, which demonstrates our commitment to our clients throughout the vessel’s life, not just the warranty period. MAC will continue with new building activity, having 26 vessels still under construction for delivery throughout 2015, 2016 and 2017. We will also seek to place new orders for targeted sectors where we can identify needs will be in the coming years.”

The CSS design allows for the provision of multiple services desired by oil and gas operators to improve production and reduce costs, with weather working capabilities which significantly exceed that of units of similar dimensions

Sperre Coolers AS Both Sperre Rack coolers and Sperre Pleat coolers from Sperre Coolers are developed from scratch with focus on easy maintenance and low life cycle cost to give predictable cooling for all seas. This fits perfectly with the philosophy of MAC, and we feel that we together have managed to shape the vessel of the future by combining the robust ship design from MAC with the next generation of cooling products from Sperre Coolers. The co-operation with MAC works very well.

Marine Assets Corporation macoffshore.net

Services Marine vessels and specialised equipment

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market Joining a global Since the company

TME Hydraulics TME was originally formed back in July 1995 and over the years has expanded into hydraulic installations and partnered with Tube-Mac. Jerome Dardillac, the Managing Director, central to TME Hydraulics activities has helped the progression of the Tube-Mac division. Like many TME has seen projects put on hold and cancelled recently but also has seen an influx of new business from customers looking to reduce costs and project times without compromising on quality.

TME’s Sales Engineer Benjamin Chapman said: “We have the resources to assist customers make significant cost reductions, which project engineers and buyers currently welcome.”

TME has developed an impressive portfolio executing complex engineering projects and will continue to grow its blue chip customer base.

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was founded during 1977, Tube-Mac Industries (TMI) has grown to become a market leader in the provision of specialised ‘non-welded piping systems’ for lubrication and hydraulic lines.

Early on in its history Tube-Mac supplied and installed hydraulic piping systems from two locations, comprised of its headquarters a 5500m2 manufacturing and fabrication facility located in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada and a 2500m2 fabrication facility in the USA. The corporate name was recently changed to TubeMac Piping Technologies Ltd., and employs over 250 members of staff in facilities within Canada, the USA, Spain, Brazil and Austria.

Tube-Mac provides products and services to industries such as; oil and gas; marine and offshore; steel; mining and automotive to name a few. Within the oil and gas market, Tube-Mac clients include globally respected companies such as Shell, Esso, BP, Chevron, and SASOL of South Africa. Further to continuing to establish its clients within its established markets, TubeMac is committed to expanding its global reach and delivering solutions to existing and new clients globally, as Vice President for Business Development, Chris Peitchinis elaborates: “My view is that conducting business globally is the only way to survive in business. We are always looking for new business opportunities and last year we expanded our operations in both Pennsylvania and Houston and we have plans to open several new sales offices in strategic locations around Europe. The Brazilian market has taken longer than we anticipated and as such

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our expansion plans at the moment are being cautiously held back. Our distribution network is also very important for our growth and expansion globally. We have a dedicated group of distributors located throughout the world, which we support on a daily basis.”

With its strong global footprint of production and warehouse facilities and its network of suppliers and agents, Tube-Mac is able to deliver non-welded piping solutions to clients, in various market sectors all over the world. “Tube-Mac supplies complete non-welded piping solutions for various applications. The systems can be installed on many types of fluids and gases such as hydraulic oil, lube oil, gas distribution, CNG, fuel oil and fuel gases, steam and steam trace lines, air, water glycol, and many other fluids and gases,” Chris explains. “All that is required is to ensure the O-ring material is compatible to the fluid or gas and the fitting meets the working pressure. Furthermore Tube-Mac provides the necessary installation and pipe fabrication tools as well as training, supervision or labour to supply a complete turnkey solution. Tube-Mac can also supply more than just TMI flanges and PYPLOK fittings. We can supply pipe, hoses, clamps, ball valves and supports. Pressure testing and oil flushing services for hydraulic and lube oil systems can be provided as well.”

Tube-Mac presently provides three nonwelded technologies that allow the joining of steel pipe or tube without any need of welding.

These are comprised of its TMI 37° Flare Flange System; TMI Retain Ring Flange System and PYPLOK mechanically attached fittings. All of the solutions within the Tube-Mac range offer significant benefits in terms of reliability as well as ease of use and prefabrication. “Our specialised non-welded technology sets TubeMac apart from traditional methods of joining pipe or tube. TMI non-welded piping systems offer customers a cost-effective and easier-toinstall alternative to traditional systems, which is important because in today’s world, skilled highpressure certified pipe welders are becoming more difficult to find, especially in remote parts of the world,” Chris observes. “To maintain our competitive edge we continuously invest in the latest CNC technology and we are in the process of completing a state-of-art zinc nickel plating line at our manufacturing centre located in Stoney Creek, Canada.”

With its broad base of clients operating within a spectrum of industries, Tube-Mac has provided solutions to several highly publicised projects.

PROFILE

For example, Chris says: “Our Tube-Mac group in Austria recently completed an order from RENK Austria for the on-board and field installed hydraulic piping system for two wind turbine drive train test equipment (7.5 MW and 15 MW) installed at Clemson University in South Carolina, US. RENK Labeco Test Systems built the world's largest wind turbine drivetrain test rig to test the next generation of wind turbines. This 15 MW test stand features a fully dynamic load application unit that uses hydraulic cylinders to impart forces and moments onto the rotating shaft of the test turbine. Such loads simulate wind gusts, wind shear, and other disturbances that the turbine blade assembly would experience in the natural environment.

“Another high profile project is the expansion of the Panama Canal. Tube-Mac received the order from Bosch Rexroth to provide our TMI 37° flare flange and PYPLOK mechanically attached fittings for the hydraulic piping system to operate the new 16 rolling gate systems,” says Chris.

The advantages provided by its portfolio of

Tube-Mac Piping Technologies

products have allowed Tube-Mac to establish itself as a trusted solution provider and a market leader of non-welded piping systems across the world. Commenting on the future of the business and the source of its success, Chris says: “I would have to say it is not only our technologies but our people, their knowledge and quality of service that really sets us apart.

Most of the office staff and plant supervisors have been employed by Tube-Mac for over 20 years. The dedication of a key group of individuals in the office and manufacturing facility also rubs off on new employees. The focus of the business will be Brazil for the next 12 months. We need to get the operation up and running and establish our brand name in the region. We will continue to support our current customers and distributors but we are always seeking to find new customers, distributors and markets to explore.”

Tube-Mac Piping Technologies Ltd tube-mac.com

Services Non-welded piping solutions

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Desert discoveries

Operating as part of the wider Apache Corporation, the activities of Apache Egypt began in 1994 with the company’s first Qarun discovery well. Today, Apache Egypt represents one of the largest acreage holders in Egypt’s western desert, and – at the end of 2014 – Apache Egypt held 6.8 million gross acres, of which 71 per cent is undeveloped. As such, the company benefits from access to considerable exploration and development opportunities for the future. “We are the leading oil producer in Egypt with gross production of more than 210,000 barrels of oil and condensate per day, which represents roughly 30 percent of Egypt’s total oil and condensate production,” elaborates Apache Corporation Region Vice President - Egypt Region and General Manager of Apache Egypt Tom Maher. “We are currently the third-leading producer of natural gas at 900 million cubic feet per day, which represents approximately 20 per cent of Egypt’s total gas production.”

Presently, the company holds some 6.8 million acres in Egypt leasehold, almost all

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of which – apart from the NW Abu ZenimaGulf of Suez exploration concession – is located in Egypt’s western desert. Of its total acreage, almost two million acres is comprised of 127 development leases, leaving 4.8 million acres in exploration concessions. “In the last five years, we have added 57 development leases, an average of 11 development leases per year,” Tom expands. “In 2015, we already have four new development leases approved. We expect to make additional new field discoveries with our 2015 exploration drilling program that will add more going forward.”

During Q4 2014, Apache Egypt made discoveries in its Berenice and Ptah fields, each of which are located in close proximity along the same fault in the Faghur Basin. Following the announcement of the discoveries, development leases were approved in record time in November 2014, during which time the company also achieved its first production from the fields and development started. “Since November 2014, we have drilled a total of ten wells, five in each field. Nine of the ten wells are producing more than 23,000 barrels of oil per day. That is an average of more than 2,500 barrels per day per well, which gives you an indication of how good these two fields are. We have produced more than three million barrels of oil to date, and the wells are exhibiting shallow declines. We expect ultimate recovery from both fields to be around 50 million barrels,” Tom says. “There is still more development drilling to do, particularly in Ptah Field, which is the larger of the two fields and has two major producing formations (AEB-3D, E and Shiffah). We are currently adding additional production facilities, particularly pipelines, in

PROFILE

order to increase production from these two fields when we resume development drilling late in the third quarter.”

Throughout the rest of its holdings in the western desert, Apache Egypt is keen to continue development and has recently enjoyed further success, as Tom reveals: “As far as our outlook for the western desert, we are very bullish. We have made four additional new field discoveries thus far in 2015 in four different basins; two of these are oil, while the other two are gas-condensate. In addition, we have made great strides in understanding the geological complexity of the Paleozoic strata traps, such as in our Ptah Field. We are working hard to improve the quality of our deep-seismic imaging to enable more reliable mapping of these strata traps, which tend to be larger than conventional structural traps.”

Further to its current operations, Apache Egypt is also implementing projects to deliver Egypt’s first unconventional stranded-gas

uneconomic amounts of gas. It is our belief that employing the latest in horizontal drilling and multi-stage fracture technology, as used in North America, will result in much higher producing rates and ultimate reserve recoveries that will make this gas resource economic to develop.

If we are correct, we will move into a full-field development,” Tom says.

“Our Khalda Petroleum joint-venture company will be operating this project through a service agreement with Shell’s joint-venture company Badr El Din Petroleum (Bapetco). In our pilot project, we have committed to the government to drill three horizontal wells which will undergo multi-stage fracture stimulation. We are currently drilling the first of two vertical data wells, which will be cored to provide some additional data we need to better plan the horizontal drilling and completion operations. We expect to drill the first of the three horizontal wells in the fourth quarter this year and see first gas production in the first quarter of 2016,” he concludes.

Apache Egypt

We are currently the third-leading producer of natural gas at 900 million cubic feet per day, which represents approximately 20 percent of Egypt’s total gas production

Apache Egypt apachecorp.com

Services Oil and natural gas production

development in conjunction with Shell, as well as further works that are due to offer returns early in 2016. “Apache and Shell are moving forward together on Egypt’s first unconventional stranded-gas project on the JD Development Lease within the Northeast Abu Gharadig Concession (NEAG). The project is often referred to as the Apollonia Project. There is a misconception in the media that this project targets shale gas, but the Apollonia is actually a shallow porous chalk (limestone) that is gascharged in many parts of the Abu Gharadig Basin. Three old vertical wells produce small, ENERGY,oil&gas

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anywhere Subsea data

With roots dating back

to the 1920s and the establishment of Wimpey Laboratories, Fugro Global Environmental and Ocean Sciences (GEOS) has evolved from a combined venture between Wimpey and the Fugro Group. Fugro GEOS was itself first established in 1994 and became a whollyowned subsidiary of the Fugro Group during 1996. Today Fugro GEOS represents a global leader in the provision of meteorological and oceanographic (metocean) services for offshore and coastal engineering applications.

Its clients are able to benefit from the talents, expertise and consultancy skills of 200 dedicated members of staff comprising experienced oceanographers, meteorologists, engineers and marine environmental scientists. These are further supported by fully qualified engineering, workshop, administration, development and information technology staff, who are able to meet the needs of the company’s clients from its global network of offices within Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway Singapore, UAE, the UK and the US. Commenting on the focus and competencies of the business, Global R&D Manager Mark Calverley says: “Measurement services have always been at the core of our business offerings.

We have invested in sensors and equipment to

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create the largest commercial equipment pool in the industry, and this allows us to react to our clients’ needs in a timely fashion. Clients use the measurements of environmental conditions, such as waves, currents and tides, to feed into offshore design and operational planning. We undertake the quality control of the measured data in-house and provide reports that are accessible to nonspecialists, as well as more detailed analysis for metocean engineers. We also analyse data to support engineering design activities from a combination of measured and modelled data, including our own regional and local models.”

The portfolio of services offered by Fugro GEOS includes the design, engineering, commissioning and maintenance of permanent, integrated offshore monitoring systems for major oil companies. This involves the integration of metocean sensors with other sensors and instrumentation in systems that provide realtime data display as well as data storage for additional analysis. The data can be used to improve the structural integrity of design particularly important in understanding the level of fatigue that infrastructure has actually experienced when compared against the design.

These capabilities combined with its ability to measure structural responses through its online monitoring system allow Fugro GEOS to offer a holistic service, with which it is able to respond to its clients’ concerns regarding wellhead fatigue. This led to the development of its ‘DeepData’ solution, which has been successfully sold to several oil majors. DeepData is an extension to existing response measurements that allow engineers to understand the actual structural behaviour compared against the engineering models used to predict fatigue, allowing safer, more reliable engineering and operation. Indeed further improvement of engineering operations is vital within the offshore oil and gas industry and as such, Fugro GEOS established a dedicated R&D team during January 2015 that has already engaged with a number of on-going projects.

The systems developed by Fugro GEOS have been proven in numerous projects around the world, including wellhead monitoring operations on behalf of BP in the Gulf of Mexico.

Completion of the project was announced during June 2015 following a year-long project for BP Americas Inc, measuring BOP stack motions and calculating wellhead fatigue. The drilling campaign was conducted throughout 2014 at a water depth of 6000ft, utilising the

PROFILE

Fugro Wellhead and Riser Instrumentation Service (WARIS). The client was provided with access to real-time subsea data to aid the decision making process throughout the project by transmission of motion spectra from the BOP stack and riser using standard hydroacoustic modems and the automatic processing of this data with topside environmental data to show levels of motion and fatigue and their correlation with sea states and ocean currents.

The main component within the system was the inclusion of DeepData subsea motion monitoring pods. These were deployed to positions on the BOP stack and riser via remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and were integrated with hydroacoustic modems with a battery capacity for at least one year of deployment. An additional topside system was supplied that included vessel motion monitoring systems and links to existing environmental monitoring systems. This was supported by the use of Fugro’s onshore data delivery system to plot and display all of the processed data from

the WARIS system. This allowed data to be accessed and utilised by BP engineers anywhere in the world. Commenting on the project, Stuart Killbourn, Principal Engineer at Fugro said: “This was a project with challenging timescales and some demanding engineering. By working closely with BP and with Fugro staff in our Houston office, we managed to create success for both companies.”

Throughout all of its projects Fugro GEOS is committed to delivering the highest levels of quality, safety and service. It therefore ensures all of its services and systems comply with the requirements of its customers and relevant industry standards. Its quality management system is an integrated risk-based management system, which is accredited to OHSAS 18001 (safety); ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environment) standards. By delivering advanced and effective monitoring systems of the highest standards, Fugro GEOS is set to remain a vital force within the offshore oil and gas market and beyond for years to come.

Fugro GEOS

Today Fugro GEOS represents a global leader in the provision of meteorological and oceanographic (metocean) services for offshore and coastal engineering applications

Fugro GEOS fugrogeos.com

Services Meteorological and oceanographic services

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A culture of

opportunity

Apache Corporation’s

Below Mark Richardson Projects Group Manager, Apache North Sea

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operation in the North Sea is currently achieving unrivalled levels of performance across operational efficiency and cost effectiveness, while maintaining a singular focus on safety. Currently the third-largest oil producer in the North Sea producing around 70,000 barrels equivalent a day, Apache is achieving greater than 90 per cent production-efficiency levels compared to a 65 per cent basin average. On top of this, it has one of the best safety records and is achieving a lifting cost that is approximately 45 per cent more economical than the North Sea norm. So how is Apache able to achieve this? Energy, Oil and Gas spoke to Projects Group Manager, Mark Richardson to find out.

“We have access to the same technology, tools and contractors that every operator in the North Sea has,” he begins. “The only differentiator is our leadership, our culture and our behaviours – basically, the way we do business.” The key to this culture is in the company’s people, and the way they approach opportunities. “Our adaptability and flexibility to understand the opportunities available is central to this culture,” Mark continues. “So, we encourage risk taking, not safety risk, but around commercial, contractual, technical, reservoir, subsurface and project opportunities, because where you take risk, there is often reward. We encourage personal initiative – we want people to use their competence and their capability to maximise what they can deliver, so we don’t constrain them with a system that doesn’t allow them to achieve excellence.

“With this comes the ability to make fast energy-oil-gas.com

decisions and execute them and this is down to having people with the right attitude, aptitude and approach to doing business, plus the wish to take on accountability and responsibility. We then give them the authority and autonomy to make those decisions in the best interest of the company. You give someone a mission, a task, resources and boundaries and then they are allowed to go and deliver in the best way possible,” he continues. Additionally, with this autonomy in place, the company as a whole is able to flexibly respond to any new opportunities in the best way possible.

Apache North Sea is proving with its unprecedented results that it can be both efficient and effective within the industry with the right culture in place. One place it is clear to see how this culture thrives is in the ten attributes it looks for in its employees. These include: fire in the belly – to exhibit real passion and drive for success in the business; working managers, to lead by example and to make decisions with sound judgement and emotional maturity in a quick and effective way. “This is about making good, timely decisions based on facts, and if you don’t have all the facts available then you still have to make a decision because it’s such a dynamic environment,” explains Mark. Next is the ability to see the bigger picture and translate this understanding into actions; to focus on team accomplishments over personal gain and then to be an effective communicator both internally and externally.

Responsibility features heavily in the list, as it is key to being decisive, invested and committed and to have responsible irreverence. “You have to be able to make tough decisions, take ownership and act like it’s your own company.

We’re all shareholders here,” points out Mark.

“Everybody can challenge anybody as well, that includes beliefs and ideas – new technologies are

PROFILE

used, new areas are explored and conventional thinking is challenged.” This leads to the understanding that the best answers always win and the ability to listen to the company’s contractors who often know better at how to solve a problem. The final attribute is to be an ambassador for this culture and set of values for Apache – to be able to live by and demonstrate it on a day-to-day basis.

Implemented by a flat management structure, this culture is embedded deep within the company. Apache North Sea is therefore able to operate an extremely efficient programme with the relatively small office team of slightly more than 400 employees. This is clearly demonstrated not only in the company’s performance figures, but also in its current activity to continue developing opportunities despite a downturn in the industry. As Mark highlights: “Presently we’ve got two platform drill strings running in the Beryls and one in the Forties. Plus a heavy-duty jack-up rig at the Forties Alpha Satellite Platform (FASP) and two semi-subs drilling in the Beryl fields. One is doing exploration and appraisal work, the other development drilling.”

On top of this culture of performance is the company’s approach to safety. “We have a mantra: ‘safety, compliance, production’ – in that order; it is Apache’s primary responsibility to provide a safe working environment, but the vast majority of safety incidents are now down to human factors and we firmly believe safety to be a personal responsibility,” points our Mark. If someone has an issue, we don’t spend time overanalysing it; we solve it with a bias for action, rather than writing reports.”

This attitude is made possible through continuous training and education within the company. “Even through the downturn, we’re not making anybody redundant; we’re still taking on apprentices, and we continue to focus on training and competence. We’re using this opportunity with additional workforce to enhance our maintenance and training, and to think long-term,” he adds.

Jim House, the former region vice president and managing director of Apache’s UK operations, has been summoned back to the company’s Houston headquarters for a new assignment after more than nine years in charge of Apache North Sea. “A lot of the company’s success has been down to his leadership and his commitment to embedding the Apache culture into the organisation,” says Mark. “He’s

Apache North Sea

not only been great for the company, but also for the local industry working with Oil and Gas UK leading a group on production efficiency.”

With changes at the very top as well, as the corporation has recently appointed a new CEO and CFO, the Apache North Sea region’s future is defined by the opportunities it can present and the operational performance it can deliver.

“We are in a global competition for capital investment both internally and externally, so we need to highlight our growth opportunities in comparison to other opportunities around the globe,” Mark expresses. Not only will this be helped along by government tax incentives and improved investment opportunities in the North Sea, but will also be bolstered by the company’s exemplary culture. In a concluding point Mark ends optimistically: “There is a lot of doom and gloom in the industry at the moment, but there is a lot of value which can be unlocked given the right leadership, culture and behaviours and a bias for action.”

Everybody can challenge anybody as well, that includes beliefs and ideas – new technologies are used, new areas are explored and conventional thinking is challenged

Apache North Sea apachecorp.com

Services US based oil and gas operator that owns Forties and Beryl fields

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assets Protecting offshore

Founded in 1999 by its owner and

Managing Director Glenn English and based in South Shields, MCPS Ltd initially provided corrosion control systems to the local shipping industry when shipyards on the River Tyne were in abundance. Since that time MCPS has grown into one Europe’s major players in the supply of Galvanic Anode Catholic Protection systems for corrosion control. “MCPS now boasts over 15 years of manufacturing and design experience in providing comprehensive cathodic protection (CP) and marine growth prevention systems (MGPS) to the marine; offshore oil and gas; offshore wind farms; and marine civil industries,” elaborates MCPS Project Manager, Robert Forsyth. “MCPS’ core business is to produce CP systems for corrosion control of submerged steel structures which consist of aluminium anodes, zinc anodes and magnesium sacrificial anodes.

The company’s anode manufacturing facilities consist of a foundry and head office located in the North of England. MCPS is ISO 9001:2008

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and ISO 18001 accredited and manufactures in accordance with NACE SP0387-2006 and DNVRP-B401. Furthermore it also holds DNV type approval for its aluminium alloy ‘A Guard’.”

Customers ranging from corrosion companies to major European energy operators use the products supplied by MCPS across a broad base of applications. These include corrosion control solutions for submerged assets such as jacket structures for production and accommodation modules; offshore wind turbine and substation foundations; offshore pipelines; offshore manifolds; subsea structures; flexibles and FPSOs. Recognising the need for the highest standards of quality within the offshore environment, MCPS ensures that the products it supplies are fully accredited and tested, as Robert explains: “Everything that we supply to the offshore industry is provided with full 3.1 certification including 100 per cent spectrometer analysis of all of the melts our products are produced from as well as electrochemical testing and destructive testing when required.

Furthermore MCPS is presently the only European manufacturer with DNV type approval to the most recent DNV test utilising an actual anode. Previous type approval test requirements were of small samples proving MCPS as a market leader.

“As well as being a manufacturer MCPS also offer a full technical support from NACE qualified cathodic protection technicians. Where some foundries outsource a lot of fabrication MCPS have a highly qualified experienced fabrication and production team, which makes us a ‘one-stop-shop’ for our clients. The MCPS inspection team has recently increased in numbers to ensure our product is of the highest quality for our clients.”

Further to its growing inspection team, MCPS is in the process of increasing its machine capacity, staff level and facility square footage in response to increased activity within the offshore wind market, including export contracts valued at £2 million for two large European wind farms.

“Due to current works awarded and with Round 3 offshore wind currently gathering pace it is our intention to invest in a new premises and new machinery to increase our capacity to service the market and our clients,” Robert says. “We have recently been awarded large contracts to supply the Galvanic Anodes for the Wikinger and Burbo Bank OWF’s. It is key to the business to secure such large contracts and it is also good

PROFILE

for the UK economy and North East England as a whole to see works placed within the UK for UK wind farms, such as Burbo Bank, producing new job opportunities for the North East of England. As well as offshore works we are currently supplying large harbour extensions - supplying over 100 tonnes of aluminium sacrificial anodes for corrosion control of the harbour steel foundations in the next six to eight weeks with other harbour supplies expected on the horizon.”

While MCPS has profited from the application of its products within the renewable and harbour sectors, the drop in oil price has had an inevitable impact on the number of projects going into operation in the oil and gas sector, as Robert reveals: “Market conditions remain tough and we as a company have seen a decrease in supply to the oil and gas industry due to current low oil prices. Luckily the offshore renewable market has resulted in MCPS being awarded large projects however due to other works being cancelled/postponed the market has become

extremely competitive which we must adapt to by streamlining our production processes to ensure we remain competitive.”

However despite the challenges of the present market, MCPS remains highly active and optimistic about the future. Indeed the company is in the midst of preparations for future expansion to new clients and new markets, as Robert concludes: “Over the next 12 months myself and our Managing Director Glenn English will be concentrating on setting up distribution in various countries throughout the world with the aim to expand the business globally securing the long term future of the company. As well as concentrating on distribution we have a keen eye for the offshore market. Corrosion costs the US economy $278 billon a year. Over one third of these costs could be prevented through existing technologies like sacrificial anodes. Prevention saves lives and valuable resources that could be better spent on other things and this can also be reflected into the oil and gas industry.”

MCPS

MCPS’ core business is to produce CP systems for corrosion control of submerged steel structures which consist of aluminium anodes, zinc anodes and magnesium sacrificial anodes

MCPS Ltd mcpsltd.com

Services Corrosion control systems

ENERGY,oil&gas

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globally Maintenance, Repair and Overhauling (MRO) services

Incorporated during 1989 OceanMaster Engineering Pte Ltd is a Singapore based ship repair and general engineering company, certified in compliance to ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001. The business incorporates full office, workshop, storage and warehousing facilities comprising more than 70,000 square feet, from which it currently employs over 150 employees, including well trained and experienced service teams capable of carrying out operations on various types of marine vessel, offshore rig and platform, FPSO and offshore supply vessel. “The business was founded by its current Chairman, Mr. David Lee Fook Choy,” explains OceanMaster Engineering Managing Director, Lee Ee Win. “OceanMaster Engineering started as a general engineering company servicing the marine shipping industry and over the years it evolved to also service the offshore industry, including offshore platform and drilling rig, FPSO and offshore supply vessel applications.”

Further to its ship repair and general engineering capability, OceanMaster Engineering also specialises in the field of marine refrigeration and air conditioning and carries a large stock of new and reconditioned refrigeration compressors and spare parts. As the company has continued to grow it has developed a service package that incorporates its general engineering roots and a

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specialised niche in marine air conditioning and refrigeration, while establishing a proven track record of maintenance and repair. “OceanMaster Engineering has always offered a specialised service,” Lee says. “Historically this specialisation has been in refrigeration, heating, ventilation and air conditioning services. However we have also developed strong capabilities in terms of our steel, electrical, carpentry and machine works.”

OceanMaster Engineering is able to provide workshop facilities equipped with all of the necessary machines to cater to various vessel repair requirements from its base in Singapore.

Furthermore through a fleet of workboats and sea launches for work at sea it is able to provide emergency and routine maintenance across the globe. “We are strong in Singapore because a lot of our customers, especially rig owners, will bring their assets here when they are due for maintenance so that we can do the repairs on rigs in the shipyard,” Lee says. “However OceanMaster Engineering is also specialised to deliver services offshore, we have a team of highly trained people who have approved offshore medical, BOSIET certification as well as helicopter underwater escape training. This allows teams to go by helicopter out to the rigs to carry out works on an ad-hoc basis to answer emergency calls. As such we are active throughout Southeast Asia and we also serve rig

PROFILE

owners in Australia, Russia, India, the Middle East and Africa. We have also recently carried out major upgrade work in a shipyard in Holland.”

As the company has grown to include a strong base of competencies, OceanMaster Engineering has perceived and adapted to the needs of the offshore market and its clients. “Previously 80 per cent of our business was in marine repairs with the remaining 20 per cent in offshore work,” Lee elaborates. “Today as much as 90 per cent of our work is in the offshore sector while the remaining ten per cent is in marine. This change has happened gradually over the past ten years.”

Although the market within the offshore sector has slowed due to the low oil price with less vessels arriving for maintenance work and a surplus of rigs on the market, causing a decrease in newbuilds, OceanMaster Engineering has maintained a consistent level of business through its maintenance work on existing rigs.

The strength of the business that differentiates it from possible competitors when the market is strong and that identifies it as a proven solution when the market is challenging, is OceanMaster Engineering’s total commitment to customer satisfaction. This is built on its focus on four key factors, comprised of understanding its customers’ needs; the right team; the right process; and the correct control. “We focus on these key areas treating safety as a priority as well as quality and accident prevention,” Lee observes. “We also supply quick service reliably, so while we may not be the cheapest air conditioning or vessel maintenance service on the market, we are certainly not the most expensive and we provide what we say we will deliver every time. Furthermore all of our engineers are equipped with Environment Protection Agency (EPA) certification as well as Australia Refrigeration Council (ARC) certification. As such we are able to carry out air conditioning services all over the world and I believe that we are currently the only company in Singapore to hold this level of certification. Our electricians are all also COMPEX certified, which means that they can

OceanMaster Engineering

deal with explosion proof equipment onboard any offshore rigs and platforms.”

With a high level of expertise and a proven track record of service, OceanMaster Engineering has a proven reputation, which will aid it as it navigates the turbulent offshore market and continues to deal with clients old and new. In the short term this will involve further increasing in service level, while preparing for new ventures in the future, as Lee concludes: “Moving ahead over the next few months we will be taking time to strengthen ourselves internally in order for us to be stronger and faster to provide our customers with more competitive prices and improved service. In the long term we want to increase our services to include our own products that we will sell into the market, so it is possible that we will develop a manufacturing arm. We are currently also work with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) here in Singapore, to provide more on the job training to our workforce, customers and clients so they can be better educated on the maintenance of air conditioning systems onboard vessels and rigs.”

OceanMaster Engineering oceanmaster.com.sg

Services Marine and offshore repair, air conditioning and general engineering

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PROFILE

Kuantan Port Consortium

future Port for the

From its strategic location on the eastern seaboard of Malaysia, Kuantan Port is quickly developing into a hub port for the region’s East-Coast Industrial Corridor.

Operating as a subsidiary of Malaysia’s IJM Corporation, Kuantan Port Consortium (KPC) manages the port and is able to respond to the rapid changes in the demand for its facilities.

From its headquarters in Selangor, Malaysia IJM has expanded its operations into ten countries with a primary focus in Malaysia, India, China and Indonesia. As such KPC is able to draw on the significant expertise in construction, property development, manufacturing and quarrying, infrastructure concessions and plantations of its parent company in the running of Kuantan Port and shares the commitment of IJM to ethical business conduct. This includes the principles of good corporate citizenship, allowing sustainable growth and development.

“KPC operates Kuantan Port as a multipurpose port that is strategically located in the fastest growing region of Indo-china and China,” elaborates Chief Operating Officer, Dato’ Ir. Haji Khasbullah Bin A. Kadir. He added: “Its proximity with the numerous industrial areas, which are yet to be fully developed on the east

coast of the Malaysian Peninsular also make it a suitable port of import and export within the region. Kuantan Port is able to offer suitable berths for petroleum and chemical products and even dedicated berths to major petrochemical players. The liquid bulk operations at Kuantan Port are certified with ISO 9001. KPC is committed to providing the right infrastructure and the highest level of customer experience for its customers.”

Presently the port’s main activity is export of minerals such as iron ore and bauxite to China, which accounts for around 52 per cent of Kuantan Port’s total cargo throughput. Next to the exports in minerals the port is heavily involved in the petrochemical industry through the import and export of both liquid and containerised cargos as well as the transit of palm oil, mineral oil, bare and coated pipes and other commodities. As the demand for these products continues to increase KPC has worked to increase the capability of the port through an ongoing expansion plan.

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PROFILE

Kuantan Port Consortium

expected to be completed by the end of 2015,” said Dato' Ir. Haji Khasbullah. He further revealed: “The main feature of the expansion of Kuantan Port is the development of a new deep water terminal (NDWT) to cater for large ships up to 150,000 DWT from the current capacity.

By providing a deeper port and an additional two kilometres of berth, our clients will no longer be restricted by the size of ships and the limitation of shipment volume, facilitating existing and new clients to expand their operations in Kuantan.”

Malaysia has recently unveiled several major upstream and downstream oil and natural gas projects, as part of the country’s strategy to enhance its output from existing oil and natural gas fields and to further its exploration in deep water areas. Malaysia’s ambitious energy strategy represents a significant opportunity for Kuantan Port and on 1st June 2015 a privatisation agreement including both the current port and the new deep-water port terminal providing a concession period of 30 years plus an additional 30 years was signed with the Malaysian Government. “KPC believes that there are immense opportunities to reap from the oil and gas sector by providing facilities to conduct ancillary services to the oil and gas players including vessel lay-ups, ship repairs and supply of stores,” Dato' Ir. Haji Khasbullah says. “KPC is 40 per cent owned by the Guangxi Beibu Gulf Group and will leverage on the partnership to establish new shipping lines with major ports in China. The establishment of the MalaysiaChina-Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) and its sister park in Qinzhou will also enhance bilateral trade between the two countries. From its strategically beneficial location facing China, Kuantan Port will be able to take full advantage of this opportunity and coupled with the port expansion, will definitely serve as an attraction to value adding activities and container lines.”

Indeed the strength of Kuantan Port as an integrated industrial and logistics hub is further

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highlighted by its identification as of significant importance by the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC). “ECERDC is spearheading the industrialisation of the East Coast Region and Kuantan Port has been earmarked as the logistic centre for the East Coast region. The development of the NDWT and both MCKIP and MCKIP II would further enhance the capability of ECERDC’s Special Economic Zone to develop Pahang to be at par with the West Coast states of Malaysia,” said Dato' Ir. Haji Khasbullah and he further related: “The strategic location of Kuantan Port in the Peninsular of Malaysia would further develop trade links with China taking into consideration the location of Kuantan Port, which is the closest port to China and having the capability to provide modern port facilities with additional industrial landbank.”

Amid a flurry of activity and development, the future of Kuantan Port Consortium is certainly an exciting one. Commenting on the focus of the port over the coming years, Dato' Ir. Haji Khasbullah concludes: “KPC will continue its focus on fast tracking the port expansion project.

At the same time, we will also continue with our efforts to promote Kuantan Port to new and potential clients both internally within Malaysia and overseas. Over the next three to five years, our strategic vision is to place Kuantan Port on the maritime map as the preferred port not only on the East Coast but in Malaysia as a whole.

IJM’s partnership with Guangxi Beibu will spur more traffic and cargo throughput for Kuantan Port as well as bringing with them best practice of port management and a wide network of clientele from China. Most importantly, Guangxi Beibu will play a pivotal role in linking the shipping network and cargo movements between China and South East Asia which forms part of the Maritime Silk Route. This will set the stage for Kuantan Port to be a vibrant port city in the future.”

The main feature of the expansion of Kuantan Port is the development of a new deep water terminal (NDWT) to cater for large ships up to 150,000 DWT from the current capacity

Kuantan Port Consortium Sdn Bhd ijm.com

Services Petrochemical and cargo hub

PROFILE

Pentair Industrial Heat Tracing Solutions

Tracing

innovation Operating as part of

the wider Pentair corporation, Pentair Industrial Heat Tracing Solutions is an industry leader in the provision of heat management systems. These systems are mainly applied throughout the; oil and gas, (petro-) chemical , mining; and power generation; industries. Pentair encompasses some 30,000 employees, across four global business units that collectively generate yearly revenue of $7 billion. Pentair Industrial Heat Tracing Solutions is one of the 20+ global platforms of Pentair.

“We are a global company with local presence,” explains Marketing Manager for Europe, Koen Verleyen. “Our platform has over 2000 employees in 55 locations globally and we are focused on increasing our presence in fast growth regions such as India, Russia, China, Africa and the Middle East. As such we have recently opened new offices in Saint Petersburg, Kazakhstan, Spain, Turkey, and Kenya. We are also increasingly active in sub-arctic regions, and in offshore applications. These include projects with Canadian oil sands, Russian ice-infested regions, the Norwegian continental shelf and West Africa.”

Pentair Industrial Heat Tracing Solutions offers a wide range of innovative electric heat tracing products under the trusted brand RAYCHEM, and is recognised as market leader in the field of heat management systems. The Raychem brand is synonymous with self-regulating electric heat trace cables that are used in industrial, commercial as well as residential applications.

Raychem introduced the first self-regulating electric heat trace cable to the heat tracing industry during 1974. The technology was revolutionary at the time and remains unique today due to the ability to adjust power output to compensate for pipe and ambient temperature changes. Of additional benefit is the fact that Raychem self-regulating heating cables are cut to length and can be field terminated, which makes them simple to design, install and maintain. The brand remains the industry standard and since inventing the technology, Pentair has sold over 1.6 billion feet (500,000 km) of Raychem brand self-regulating cable.

Today Pentair is a global solutions expert in the provision of electric heat tracing systems, with the ability to provide engineering design services, procurement, fabrication and site services to clients anywhere in the world.

Pentair is committed to offering safe, reliable and cost-effective heat tracing installations and is capable of handling heat-tracing projects of any size and scope.

“With every sale of Pentair products the application is not just about making the product available; it’s about integrating it with the infrastructure that is already in place. It is not just a product sale, it is an overall solution and services sale,” elaborates Growth Applications Manager, Rick Newell. “It is great having a heater to heat a pipe, oil well or the surface of a helideck, but it is important that the product is designed correctly to do what it is supposed to, that the infrastructure has been designed ENERGY,oil&gas

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Heat tracing technologies for anti and de-icing of handrails, emergency routes and heli-decks and freeze protection of pipes, instruments and other equipment on offshore platforms and marine vessels.

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PROFILE

Pentair Industrial Heat Tracing Solutions

appropriately and that the system has been installed correctly. It’s about making sure the clients get the true value out of the product over what can be a 20 year lifespan.”

Despite challenging market conditions, Pentair has remained strong and continued to grow as the market leader in heat management systems. From a European standpoint in particular, the combination of the crisis within the Ukraine and the present low oil price has resulted in a slowdown of speculative projects and a requirement for increased efficiency and cost-saving in sound oil and gas extraction operations that promise a greater certainty of return. However while the oil and gas industry has been less active than in previous years, Pentair has successfully navigated a volatile market through innovative design solutions and the broad application of its products. “The challenges in the market have resulted in a major slowdown within the oil and gas industry and there are obviously some knock-on effects that come from that. For example the low oil price means that the petrochemical industry – which is another area that we are very active in – has had a chance to expand, because the broad product for the petrochemical industry has come down in price. Overall while the current oil price has had an impact on the business, it has not been highly dramatic,” Rick reveals.

In response to the present and future needs of its clients, Pentair stands ready to deliver tailored heat management solutions that are designed to meet the requirements of several growth areas. “The Ukraine crisis, the low oil price and significant uncertainty are definitely present within the market, but Pentair has a growth strategy and there are definitely new opportunities,” Koen says. “We identify our growth opportunities as applications in oil field services (OFS), where we also provide heating technologies to raise the oil temperature and reduce its viscosity for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), and to mitigate the risk of wax or hydrate formation in the production tube for Flow Assurance; pipeline services including versatile heating technologies for flow assurance in pipelines up to hundreds of kilometres long to transport oil from these remote and hostile areas; and winterisation solutions using heat-tracing for anti-icing and de-icing of handrails, emergency routes and heli-decks and freeze protection of pipes, instruments and other equipment of offshore platforms and marine vessels.”

With every sale of Pentair products the application is not just about making the product available; it’s about integrating it with the infrastructure that is already in place. It is not just a product sale, it is an overall solution and services sale

As the oil and gas market continues to evolve, Pentair will continue to develop its products and services to meet the unique requirements of its clients as they continue to operate in increasingly demanding environments. “No matter what anybody says about dwindling reserves, more and more reserves are being found. These reserves may be harder to extract, but they are being found therefore demand will not decline in this area over the next ten to 20 years,” Rick concludes. “Definitely there are all sorts of issues around extracting oil from the Arctic region, but it will happen. Likewise other areas that have traditionally not been big oil producers will also become important, such as Africa and India, which still produces very little oil compared to what they have. For Pentair the strategy is to be ready for those developments and to support these areas because anything that is peripheral at the moment will eventually become mainstream.”

Pentair Industrial Heat Tracing Solutions pentairthermal.com

Services Heat management systems

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PROFILE

complexity Overcoming

Below Paul Brown, Divisional MD, Ansaldo NES

NES’ history

spans back to as early as 1810 when John Thompson started manufacturing boilers for the booming industrial revolution occurring across the UK and Europe.

Over a century later in 1955, after extensive development in the industry, the company secured its first nuclear contract to supply the reactor housing to the UK’s Dounreay site.

What followed was a strong establishment in the nuclear secor, specialising in the design and manufacture of bespoke engineering solutions for the nuclear energy decommissioning, new build and defence sectors. It has supplied equipment and solutions, such as fuel routes, remote handling, inspection, encapsulation, waste handling, glove boxes, shielded

Ansaldo NES

containment and reprocessing to most of the UK’s nuclear power stations.

Since 2014, Ansaldo NES has been wholly owned by Ansaldo Nucleare, part of Italian Group Ansaldo Energia. The financial strength and backing provided by Ansaldo Energia supports the group. Headquartered in Genoa, Italy with offices located worldwide, Ansaldo Energia employs more than 3500 employees and is a worldwide recognised brand in Power Generation with an installed capacity of more than 176 GW over 1800 projects completed in over 90 countries.

Together the companies offer over 60 years’ of UK and international experience in design and manufacture of safety critical engineered products and specialist support services for the nuclear and related industries. With extensive experience in the international nuclear market, the Ansaldo Group brings a wealth of knowledge, capability and skills to support UK programmes in nuclear decommissioning, service to operating plants and new build in particular.

The company’s vision is to establish itself as the supplier of choice for the provision of unique engineering designs, manufacturing products and services, and to be recognised for consistently adding value, delivering excellence and delighting clients in the nuclear and defence markets. To achieve this Ansaldo NES places emphasis on committing to its core values of safety, integrity, people, service and continuous improvement.

With six decades of proven experience and success in the nuclear industry, it is consistently called upon to tackle some of the most complex technical and manufacturing challenges within the decommissioning programme. Ansaldo NES applies its knowledge to offer a full range of services from concept design to onsite installation and operator training, and with everything retained in-house it can ensure to offer the best value solution to its clients.

One of Ansaldo NES’ major clients is Sellafield Limited, to which it has been a long-standing tier two supplier. As Paul Brown, Divisional MD explained, Sellafield is an important customer to Ansaldo. “We have a long valued supplier relationship with Sellafield and the success of the MSSS project has been based around finding collaborative solutions to the most challenging technical issues of any project in the world,” he said. “The technologies required to achieve a successful project outcome are complex and painstaking - this requires a very patient and collaborative customer/supplier ENERGY,oil&gas

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which is testament to the laser focus our people have towards safety every day. World class safety performance is an aspiration shared by all Ansaldo NES employees and our commitment to that standard will help us continue to be a supplier of choice to our key customers.”

With regards to new build, NES is a tier one board member of the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC), which gives the company access to world-class nuclear research and development facilities and programmes, as well as involvement in determining strategy and research directions. Coupling this to the experience and knowledge already inherent in Ansaldo NES makes the company ideally positioned to meet the challenges and assist in the timely and safe delivery of the UK’s nuclear new build programme. It can support the new Multi-Contact Multi-Contact, a world leading interconnect solutions provider, engineers high integrity connection systems based on its proven MULTILAM technology.

With a broad range of standard products and years of experience, it has the capability to offer flexible solutions across many market sectors.

In addition, it works closely with clients on projects, from concept to commissioning, developing bespoke connection systems.

Within the nuclear industry it has developed multi-coupling systems to reduce human intervention time, based on its most versatile connectors, the CombiTacline.

Multi-Contact looks forward to further close collaboration with Ansaldo NES and other Tier 1 suppliers to the nuclear industry.

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relationship. Ansaldo believe the experiences of the last decade positions us very well to deliver projects, which exceed Sellafield’s needs and expectations.”

In 2015, Ansaldo NES completed a significant milestone for Sellafield Limited, entering the dismantling and transportation of the first of three silo emptying plant (SEP) mobile caves, which will be used to retrieve intermediate level waste from 22 vertical silos containing Magnox swarf and miscellaneous beta gamma wastes.

Each machine weighs 400 tonnes each, and is assembled from over 13,500 parts. The contract represented significant challenges for purchasing and supply chain management, document control, quality assurance and health and safety, which were all overcome using the extensive expertise supplied by Ansaldo NES. Mike Hawe, Managing Director at NES commented on the completion of the contract saying: “We are delighted to announce completion of this significant milestone for what is undoubtedly one of the most complex decommissioning programmes in the world.

Ansaldo NES has consistently demonstrated the skills and capability to deliver to unique and complex requirements.”

In 2015, Ansaldo NES received the RoSPA Gold Award roll of honour for the third consecutive year. Paul noted that safety is at the forefront of all activities at Ansaldo NES. “So whilst we are very proud to achieve awards such as this, our values standards and expectations dictate that we should,” he said. “We are very proud to have achieved the same award in 2015

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build sector through the supply of services and equipment for a wide range of complex applications from mechanical fuel handling and waste management equipment, to specialist mechanical devices, steel structures and generic machining and fabrication.

“There is great expectation in the nuclear market and this has been the case for many years,” added Paul. “The future looks very promising with multi billion pound projects on the horizon across all sectors. The challenge for all suppliers in the industry is to develop and retain SQEP people and world-class technologies in what is at the moment a crowded market.

At Ansaldo NES, we believe our key strategies will allow us to win our desired share of the current market opportunities whilst positioning ourselves to significantly grow our business when opportunities such as Nuclear New Build come to fruition.”

In order to meet the demands for high quality and service present in such a critical industry, Ansaldo NES places a significant emphasis on its people providing them with a wealth of training

PROFILE

and development opportunities. As such, the company is a recognised investor in people and highlights its workforce as a part of its overall continues improvement strategy. Through a range of development schemes, managed through a personal development review for each employee, the company focuses on spotting and enhancing talent and has supported both on and off the job training opportunities such as undergraduate and postgraduate university degrees, NVQs, City and Guilds and BTEC qualifications. Supporting this is a concerted effort to attract the highest quality graduates and apprentices, through a number of ever-growing and specialised programmes.

“Our strategy is based on delivering long term sustainable growth with the right people on board to deliver,” Paul explained. “We are focused on the continued development of the skills and capabilities that we need to operate successfully and realising the additional opportunities now available as part of the Ansaldo group. Our specific focus over the next 12 months is to further develop the combined capabilities of Ansaldo in the UK and Italy to provide a distinct set of services and products aligned to the current and future needs of our customers.”

Ansaldo NES very much sees its continued success in the hands of its people and therefore pays close attention to attracting and developing the best talent in the industry. It attracts its people into a thriving environment founded on a highly regarded heritage and reputation for delivering complex solutions to the nuclear industry. Committing to this strategy and continuing to adhere to its core values will provide the company with the best possible chance to achieving future success, and realising its vision to become the supplier of choice in the UK nuclear industry.

Ansaldo NES ansaldo-nes.com

Services Designs and manufactures bespoke engineering solutions for the nuclear energy, new build, defence and decommissioning markets ENERGY,oil&gas

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Ansaldo NES

Schofield Publishing Ltd 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU T: +44 (0) 1603 274130 F: +44 (0) 1603 274131 Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove jwoolsgrove@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

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