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europeanoilandgas.co.uk

this issUE: Whistleblowing in business

Full analysisanalytics are an effective way to maximise production

Manage your environmentpC power management software can reduce costs

increasing global demand is driving uK oil and gas industry growth

industryperspective

SOG_almaco_living_quarters_200x280mm.indd 1 6.5.2013 14.05

Say what you will about

the UK economy, while many industry sectors continue to

struggle, the UK oil and gas industry is experiencing ongoing

growth and optimism. The fact is that, as well as opportunities

close to home, in particular decommissioning in the North

Sea, emerging markets around the world are providing UK

companies with a wealth of prospects.

“Recent research conducted for Bank of Scotland’s Oil & Gas

Report found that 77 per cent of oil and gas executives are

planning company growth in 2013 and 2014. The future

outlook has never been so good and there is even more of an

opportunity for expansion on a global scale.” This is what Stuart

White of the Bank of Scotland explains in the first of our lead

features in this issue.

From page four Stuart highlights the key areas of expected

growth for the UK oil and gas industry, giving some great

insight into future market developments. In particular, he is

keen to illustrate the prospects of some of the more recently

discovered regions, saying that “there is now little doubt,

given the changing global economic situation and fresh oil

discoveries, that the emerging markets of Asia, Africa and

South America are set to play a crucial role in the future of this

exciting industry.” Read more to see what the coming years

could hold in store for your business.

editors Libbie Hammond & matt HigH

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The future outlook has never been so good and there is even more of an opportunity for expansion on a global scale”

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.

Chairman andrew Schofield Group Managing director mike tulloch

Managing editor Libbie Hammondlibbie@schofieldpublishing.co.ukeditor matt Highmhigh@schofieldpublishing.co.uk staff Writers Kirsty birkett-StubbsJo Cooper editorial Administrator emma Harris

Art editor gérard Roadley-battinAdvertising design Jenni newmanProduction Manager Fleur ConwayProduction AdministratorVicky Howes

sales director david garnerCorporate Advertising sales david Kingdking@schofieldpublishing.co.uksales Finlay JohnsonHead of research Philip monumentBusiness development Manager mark Cawstonresearch Managers natalie martin ben Richell editorial researchers ed Hipperson Kieran ShukriJeff Johnson

office Manager tracy Chynoweth

© 2013 Schofield Publishing Limited all rights reserved

10 Cringleford business Centreintwood Road Cringleford norwich nR4 6aU

T: +44 (0) 1603 274130F: +44 (0) 1603 274131schofield-media.com

Editors

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Contents

Profiles

Regulars

4 Lead feature Increasing global demand is driving UK oil and gas industry growth

8 News A look at some of the recent developments in the oil and gas industry

10 IT PC power management software can reduce a company’s costs

12 Lead feature Companies need to be ready to respond to whistleblowing

16 Special feature - Analytics Analytics are an effective way to maximise business production

42 Cummins Middle East FZE

45 SeaMar

49 TRIYARDS

52 A.Hak Drillcon

54 Gemini Corrosion Services

57 Xcite Energy Resources

59 TITAN Containers

62 AFI

65 CAN Group

70 Sevan Marine

72 Frederikshavn Havn

74 Analytical Technology & Control (ATAC)

76 Blackburn Starling

79 Apply Leirvik

19 MMHE

22 ASCO

26 Thermtech

28 Amarinth

30 Romica Engineering

32 Megarme

34 ALZ GmbH

36 Port of Sohar

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ritain’s oil and gas sector is witnessing

continued growth and optimism. Recent

research conducted for Bank of Scotland’s

Oil & Gas Report found that 77 per cent

of oil and gas executives are planning

company growth in 2013 and 2014.

The future outlook has never been so good and there is

even more of an opportunity for expansion on a global scale.

International expansion intentions are marginally greater

than they were when we questioned businesses in 2011. Two

thirds (66 per cent) of executives told us they were intending

to grow overseas within the next two years. Three quarters of

those who had initial thoughts on overseas expansion a year

ago have already converted that into action. It’s a positive

sign and confirmation that Britain’s oil and gas firms are

continuing to think and act on a global scale.

The industry’s spotlight is beginning to shine on emerging

markets with more than half (56 per cent) of explorers and

producers we questioned revealing an uplift of international

interest. The Far East, South America and West Africa present

exciting potential – particularly regions such as the South

China Sea, bordered by China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei

and, to a lesser extent, Indonesia, Taiwan and the Philippines,

where offshore production potential is still largely unknown,

but where estimates have reached as high as 125 billion

barrels of oil and 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Emerging markets are now offering potential returns

greater than those in the developed world. The latest statistics

place Russia at the top of the league table when it comes

to potential deepwater market growth over the coming five

years, and it is closely followed by China and India.

Africa has been in the industry’s line of sight for some

time now. Nineteen countries in the continent are now

significant oil and gas producers. Nigeria has led the pack,

with the latest figures suggesting the continent has eight per

cent of proven world oil reserves but only 3.9 per cent of

world consumption. In 2010 African reserves were thought

to be between 200 and 210 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

Forecasts suggest growth in the region will continue to

rise rapidly, albeit at a slightly slower pace than in recent

times. However, the risks associated with the region cannot

be ignored. As a frontier country, Africa presents extreme

modern day challenges to the industry. Despite this,

continued fresh discoveries are now being made across the

entire continent - as far north as Senegal and as far south

as Namibia. Offshore gas discoveries have been made in

Tanzania and Mozambique, proving enticing enough for six

per cent of all companies to name it as a growth region for

them, while oil finds have been made in the East African rift

valley around Uganda and South Sudan. There is no doubt

B

IndustryperspectiveWIth groWIng global demand for energy, the UK oIl and gas sector WIll contInUe to be bUoyant, as Stuart White explaIns

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Belowstuart White,area director - aberdeen & north of scotland, bank of scotland

Lead one

increasingly interested in looking abroad, but many focus

on the traditional markets of the Middle East and North

America. These regions have their benefits. In particular,

long established links and the ease of selling in and building

relationships make them lower risk opportunities. However,

there is now little doubt, given the changing global economic

situation and fresh oil and gas discoveries, that the emerging

markets of Asia, Africa and South America are set to play a

crucial role in the future of this exciting industry. Now is the

time for the UK’s oil and gas industry to embrace them and

witness even greater growth and success.

More than 5000 jobs are likely to be created by the growth

and international expansion planned by the 100 companies

we surveyed for our oil and gas report. The majority of

that in the years to come, Africa will become a dominant

player in oil and gas.

Overseas exploration carries its risks. Resource

nationalisation is one such threat, as was witnessed in

Argentina when national energy company YPF was placed

back into the hands of the government, at the expense of

private Spanish owner Repsol. However, this should not be

viewed as an obstacle to entering new regions and markets.

With economic power shifting towards new world powers

such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, the secret for

British businesses is to bridge cultural divides and manage

risk by working with businesses already on the ground in

these fast moving markets.

According to our research, the UK’s oil and gas firms are

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beyond their current business model. Just under a fifth (17

per cent) of all companies (nine per cent of exploration

and production firms; 21 per cent of equipment and service

suppliers) said they are interested in diversifying into

unconventional oil and gas opportunities, including fracking.

Global industry interest in extracting oil and gas from

‘tight’ shale deposits has soared as new techniques have

made the tapping of these unextractable resources possible.

In December 2012, Ed Davey, energy and climate change

secretary, announced that the UK government was setting

up an Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil, widely seen as

confirmation that the government is keen to encourage the

development of this industry in the UK. This survey suggests

that Britain’s oil and gas industry was well aware of the

potential gains to the national economy and, more especially,

to them from its development even before a recent report

sought to quantify them as significant.1

The excitement about unconventional oil and gas

opportunities is more than twice as great as interest in

decommissioning and renewables. Though the market for

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employment is mainly being created by equipment suppliers

and servicing companies (4810 jobs), rather than by

explorers and producers (543 jobs). Adjusting these numbers

to allow for the different numbers of companies in each

sector, it means that the equipment and servicing sector is

likely to be five times more jobs creative than exploration

and production.

The development of new oil and gas fields normally grabs

the headlines for sheer size of investment and job creation.

For example, Statoil announced in December 2012 that

it intended to invest $7 billion (£5.4 bn) in developing

the Mariner field, which would create 200 jobs onshore

in Aberdeen and 500 offshore. But our research found

that some equipment and service suppliers may create

even bigger numbers of jobs, albeit in a series of growth

steps rather than the one big project. One firm declared its

intention to create 750 jobs in the next year, and another an

expectation of filling an extra 1200 posts.

In addition to international expansion plans, over 30

per cent of companies in the sector are hoping to diversify

However, there is now little doubt, given the changing global economic situation and fresh oil and gas discoveries, that the emerging markets of Asia, Africa and South America are set to play a crucial role in the future of this exciting industry

bank of scotlandStuart White joined Bank of Scotland in 1986. He qualified as a CA in 2001, and joined the Corporate business in Scotland. Three years in acquisition finance was follow by senior roles in business development and relationship management, latterly in the West Midlands. Stuart returned to Scotland in late 2011 and leads the Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking Mid Markets team in the North of Scotland, with a responsibility for a portfolio of around 150 corporate clients.

for further information please visit:bankofscotland.co.uk bankofscotlandbusiness.co.uk

Lead one

decommissioning work was £490 million in 2012, it is not

expected to reach more than £1 billion until after 2017.2

The Bank of Scotland’s research found that a higher

proportion of equipment and service suppliers (38 per cent)

plan to diversify than exploration and production companies

(16 per cent). This may be because explorers and producers

consider there to be more than enough profitable work for

them in doing what they know best. Supply chain firms, on

the other hand, may see their skills as more transferable to

other types of activity in the energy business.

This sectoral divide is partly why there is a geographical

divide in the focus on diversification. Some 21 per cent

of Scottish-based companies, which are predominantly

in equipment and service supplies, are interested in

unconventional oil and gas, compared to 16 per cent of firms

in England. Scottish companies are also more interested in

decommissioning and renewables work.

A third of companies identified skills shortages, now a

persistent issue, as the biggest problem they expect to face

in the next 24 months. This is a bigger issue for equipment

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and services suppliers (identified by 37 per cent) than for

explorers and producers (25 per cent), probably because their

workforces, once into production phase, tend to be more

settled. Worryingly, given ageing North Sea infrastructure, 75

per cent of inspection, repair and maintenance firms named

skills shortages as their biggest headache.

Exploration and production companies, in contrast, see

access to finance as their main challenge (31 per cent) as

field development requires heavy capital expenditure with

long lead times before returns begin to flow. Oil and gas

sector funds raised through the AIM has dropped from £2

billion in 2010 to £644.5 million in 2012, which may, in part,

explain the sentiment expressed here.

Finance is less of an issue for equipment and service firms

(ten per cent). Taxation is felt, not surprisingly, to be more

of an issue by explorers and producers (six per cent) than

supply chain companies (one per cent) but, from other

evidence in this survey (see Chart 5.4), this should not be

taken as a sign that the high offshore tax regime is no longer

an irritation. Among other challenges, the invention and

adoption of new technology, and identifying the right growth

points in the market for new contracts were mentioned.

The results of our survey are further encouragement for

us to work even more closely with businesses in this sector

to gain a greater understanding of their individual needs and

overall sector strategies. It is vitally important we keep pace

with what is predicted to be a period of not just expansion

but diversification – with anticipated moves into new growth

markets giving us the opportunity to provide expert support.

With growing global demand for energy, the oil and gas

sector will continue to be buoyant for years to come and

Bank of Scotland is committed to playing its part to ensure

that the UK and Scotland continue to make their mark in

this key industry.

1 PricewaterhouseCoopersUK. February 2013. Shale Oil: the next energy

revolution. This report suggested that development of shale oil could

boost the UK economy by up to £50 billion by 2035 and that North Sea

companies were well placed to profit from it. Available at: ukmediacentre.

pwc.com/imagelibrary/downloadMedia.ashx?MediaDetailsID=2249 2 Oil and Gas UK. 2012 Economic Report. Available at: oilandgasuk.

co.uk/2012economic_report.cfm

A revolutionary approach to tackling the critical need to attract thousands of new recruits into the

oil and gas industry has been unveiled by sector skills body OPITO.

In what could lead to the biggest shake-up of skills provision in the North Sea’s history, OPITO is

responding to the urgent need for a less fragmented approach to the skills issue with a £1.2 million

annual investment that will result in the creation of the first ever national oil and gas skills agenda.

The move will see six jobs created immediately, based within OPITO’s headquarters at Portlethen,

Aberdeen, with further recruitment likely in the coming months.

“Despite significant investment largely from industry, but more recently from Government, and

a raft of private and public initiatives, we are still not properly addressing the skills challenges in

oil and gas. It is vital that more definitive action to deliver a sustainable supply of people into the

industry is taken. As the body responsible for skills, it is up to OPITO to take control and lead

the charge for a step-change,” said Larraine Boorman, managing director of OPITO in the UK. “A

landmark shift has to happen if the industry is to break the cycle, which it has been struggling to

overcome for decades.”

Key acquisition

Revolutionary approach

Market leading energy production technology services company Proserv has strengthened its global

position with the acquisition of pioneering subsea engineering firm Velocious.

The deal for the business, based in Perth, Australia, will see Proserv integrating more than

20 members of staff specialising in intervention, tooling, engineering innovation and project

management into its business.

Established in 2006, Velocious has been involved in providing innovative solutions to some of the

most demanding projects faced by oil and gas companies across the globe. The company specialises

in the subsea domain with intervention on subsea production equipment being a particular area of

strength, has a strong track record for oil and gas project management and has worked for a host of

international companies.

The deal sees Proserv increase its talent pool to in excess of 1900 employees and reinforces the

company’s position as a leader in drilling and subsea innovation.

David Lamont, Proserv’s chief executive officer, said: “Velocious is a widely respected business

which fits well with Proserv’s ethos of ingenuity and innovation. As we have shown in the past, we

are always looking to invest in companies that strengthen and diversify our suite of products and

services. The Velocious team bring a variety of skills and a great depth of knowledge to Proserv.”

Above: Arnlea's Allan Merritt with the firm’s RNID scanners that are used in the oil and gas, petrochemical, and food and drink industries

Above: Proserv CEO David Lamont

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growing assetsAsset integrity specialist Arnlea

Systems Limited has announced it

expects to increase turnover by 60

per cent by the close of 2013 thanks

to an expansion in international

trade. The firm, based at Inverurie,

Aberdeenshire, is targeting a growth

from £1.3 million during 2012 to

more than £2 million by the end of

the year.

Arnlea is the leading asset

management operator in the North

Sea and has supported companies

operating in hazardous and harsh

areas for more than 20 years to

maximise operational efficiency and

effectiveness. The company’s suite of

mobile and frequency identification

tracking technology, used by the oil

and gas, petrochemical, and food

and drink industries, enables users to

manage and monitor their assets.

Executive chairman Allan Merritt

said Arnlea’s anticipated growth

included a particular focus in South-

east Asia. “The company is in a

healthy position just now, demand

for our services is high and we have

put in a solid framework to harness

our expansion. We will continue to

grow domestically in the UK but the

international side is where we expect

to increase sales by 70 per cent to 80

per cent.”

Axiom Process Management has been confirmed as the

latest occupier at ABZ Business Park, Aberdeen. Axiom,

which delivers solids control technology to the exploration

and production industry, is investing in the purchase of 1

International View at ABZ, a 16,000sq.ft. warehouse and

office facility with associated yard.

ABZ Development Ltd, the family firm behind the

business park adjacent to Aberdeen International Airport, developed the premises at 1 International

View as a speculative property for the open market, with construction having recently been completed.

Marshall Bailey, chairman of Axiom said: “Axiom’s investment will expand the company’s production

capacity, provide space for extension of our research and development functions and add a purpose-

built training facility for customer and company personnel."

ABZ Business Park is zoned for 750,000 square feet of vital commercial, industrial and hotel

development land for Aberdeen City and Shire. Overall investment in ABZ is expected in the region

of £100 million for the construction phase alone – with the potential for up to 2000 jobs to be created

when units onsite are fully-occupied.

The outline plan for ABZ phase two – on land south of Wellheads Drive directly opposite the main

park – will include land zoned for class 4, 5 and 6 use focussed on workshop, warehouse and open-

storage facilities.

Above: Axiom’s new headquarters at 1 International View, ABZ

Voice commandsAberdeen-based Hydrasun has recently invested nearly £100,000 in installing a cutting-edge system

in its warehouse to enhance productivity and aid customer service

The company, a speciality provider of integrated fluid transfer, power and control solutions, has

become one of the first companies within the oil and gas industry to introduce the eSmart Voice

Control system in its main Aberdeen warehousing facilities.

The innovative voice-activated technology will increase picking efficiency by 20 per cent and will

significantly contribute to environmental objectives by reducing the amount of paperwork needed to

process customer orders.

Hydrasun stocks more than 30,000 items covering a range of fluid connectors, hoses & fittings

and processes on average 6000 orders per month, comprising of 20,000 line items.

Bob Drummond, Hydrasun CEO, said: “The introduction of this system was entirely based on

delivering increased value to our customers and demonstrates Hydrasun’s overall dedication to

customer service. This system is a visible sign that we are committed to continuous improvement

and advancement in our business.

“We have already seen benefits of the new system, which is intended to advance our speed of

response as well as allow improved pick accuracy to reducing the possibility of human error.”

On the move

Above: Phil Hart

Above: Jeffrey Lewis

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news

By appointmentBMT Scientific Marine Services

has announced an expansion of its

operations team with the appointment

of Phil Hart as the new vice president

of operations and Jeffrey Lewis as vice

president - client support operations.

Phil has over 17 years of

experience in the offshore industry,

including project management,

technology development, designing

and implementing new product

lines and company revenue streams,

building and directing multiple cross-

functional teams, and budgeting.

Phil previously was a project

manager and consultant at Cranfield

University, and then moved on to

Global Marine Systems Ltd where he

worked as general manager, senior

product development manager, and

engineering director. Following

Global Marine, he was the Senior

VP, chief technology officer at Ocean

Power Technologies.

In his new BMT role, Phil will

be responsible for ensuring the

operational efficiency of BMT

projects, providing consistency

between projects. He will manage the

operations group and will oversee

project management, engineering,

client support and technical services.

In addition, longstanding BMT

employee Jeffrey Lewis has been

promoted to vice president - client

support operations. In his new

position, he will lead a team to

support the design and delivery

of new maintenance and service

products and customer-based

application software. Jeffrey and

his team will also support all three

major business lines with equipment

and systems testing activities and

installation services.

nergy consumption in the UK and Europe

is on the rise, as are energy costs. A March

2013 report by the UK’s Department of

Energy and Climate Change suggested that

whilst bills were coming down for home

owners, businesses that are medium-sized users of energy

currently face costs that are on average 21 per cent higher as a

result of UK Government energy and climate change policies.

Costs for businesses were expected to rise further by 2020.

However, with simple changes, and with external support

to manage their environment, oil and gas firms can reduce

the energy they consume and save costs. Typically scalable to

100,000 seats and suitable for notebook, desktop, Windows

and Mac PCs, PC power management technology can

provide a demonstrable cost reduction at every level – IT,

staff and the overall business – through reduced energy

consumption. Depending on the environment, this saving is

around £60 per PC per year or £60,000 per year for a 1000

computer organisation.

IT managers are interested too; a May 2013 survey of

127 UK IT managers showed the most popular cost saving

measures, technologies and activities for IT managers were

‘reducing IT power and cooling costs’ (20 per cent) and the

‘introduction of PC management software’ (17 per cent).

Global oil and exploration company, Tullow Oil, recently

implemented PC power management software across all of

its 2800 PCs in use at multiple sites across 15 countries in

Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. It can now create

a baseline of energy consumption and then implement

power policies to reduce its IT energy usage. The IT team

can generate reports, detailing power usage of individual

workstations worldwide, and enforce optimum energy

efficiency across the organisation.

In practice, an IT department like Tullow Oil’s might use

PC power management systems during ‘working’ hours

of 8am to 6pm - PCs and monitors remain always-on, but

monitors turn off after 20 minutes of inactivity and PCs

go into standby mode after 30 minutes of inactivity. At

6pm every night, if there is no activity, PCs go into standby

and the monitors turn off. Employees working after hours

can delay the software from powering down. IT typically

performs software updates at 11pm so a maintenance

window can be created to power on all assets for 30 minutes

at that time. The savings data is then recorded and is

accessible via a management console, where organisations

can report on financial savings and environmental benefits.

More advanced PC power management systems can also

personalise ‘the energy saving experience’ to individual users.

The system can learn user behaviour – start time, coffee time,

lunch break, finish time, etc. – fine-tuning the powering

down of energy consumption and throttling back of energy

at specific times of day.

It is also possible for PC power management systems

to be connected with building control systems, enabling

the powering-on of specific PCs as individuals pass

through security control. By the time a user arrives at

their workstation, their PC is ready for use. This takes PC

power management systems into a new realm – improving

employee productivity.

Speaking about his use of PC power management software

Andy Harper, device management analyst, Tullow Oil,

explains: “PC power management software gives us a unique

insight into power usage behaviour of our devices, whether

located at our head office in the UK, on a remote oil rig in

sub-Saharan Africa or a vessel in the Atlantic Ocean.”

He adds: “It is set to give us significant cost savings with

a reduction in energy usage and its advanced functionality

can detect if an employee is interacting with a PC or out at

a meeting; whilst at the same time avoiding any shut down

on workstations that are running modelling or monitoring

software. We can manage our environment, whilst also

supporting our Environmental Health and Safety [EHS] policy.”

DeploymentThe process of putting a PC power management

programme into action has never been easier. With

simple onsite evaluation software that is easily installed,

and agents that deploy the same day, companies can

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How oil and gas companies can use pc power management software to reduce tHeir costs, by ashlEy lEonarD

manage your

Belowashley leonard ceo of Verismic

VerismicAshley Leonard is CEO of Verismic, which has developed the most advanced, non-disruptive computer energy management product on the market. Verismic Power Manager allows organisations around the world to reduce energy costs with a quick to deploy and easy to manage solution.

For further information please visit: verismic.com

IT

workplace energy usage. As with many things that require

repeated human interaction, continual reinforcement to

maintain the effectiveness of this manual process becomes

imperative. This is one example of why businesses invest

in automated systems.

Although many organisations have tried in the past,

creating home grown solutions to remedy the need for an

energy management solution may be more trouble than

it is worth. Writing computer scripts that list commands

to turn off a computer without user interaction, or using

a group policy (GPO) to control what users can and

cannot do on a computer system will only get you so far.

Production environments have many complexities that self-

scripting will need to overcome, making the highlighted

methods less effective. Without flexibility and granularity,

homegrown solutions soon wither and die due to lack of

available resources or human skills. PC power management

is a discipline of systems management and there are very

few companies that do not have some kind of investment

in these tools. To patch and deliver software these tools go

above and beyond what the plain OS and GPO/login scripts

provide, and PC power management is no different.

There is a common misconception with regards to screen

savers and energy conservation because screen savers actually

consume more energy than if they were not enabled at all.

Once used for screen burning, where static images burnt

themselves into the screen, today they are purely used for

entertainment purposes, and should not be confused with

power management.

The futureSadly, energy costs will continue to rise. The requirement

for reducing PC energy consumption will not go away.

The ‘cloud’ might reduce power consumption in the data

centre as IT services are moved off-site, but endpoints will

remain onsite and within the control and responsibility of

the IT team. Even factoring in the rise of tablet PCs, the

requirement for PC power management will not abate.

For most professional IT users, the tablet has become a

second screen not a primary screen - the laptop is not being

replaced, but is being augmented by a tablet. This means

that businesses are consuming even more energy. The time

is right for IT teams and leaders to begin more effective

management of their environment.

collect metrics and position policies just hours after

PC power management software has been installed.

Some PC power management solutions even offer cloud

capabilities so businesses do not have to worry about

running and maintaining the software on their own

server infrastructure – it can be hosted and maintained

for them.

To begin, it is important to note that an organisation’s

first move towards power management should be phased.

Most users would have not yet encountered their machines

automatically going to sleep during the day, or turning

completely off at night, it might take a little time for them

to adjust to the new policies. That is why it is better to start

with less strict power management policies initially and then

fine-tune policies over time.

Users notice everything about their computers, especially

if it has been altered in some way. This is why it becomes

so important for the management team to help the IT

department enforce these new changes.

Reporting In the same survey referenced, 28 per cent of 127 IT

managers suggested that they did not regard energy-based

cost savings as a priority because [despite high interest] cost-

savings cannot be clearly identified. This is actually a mis-

perception. PC power management software offers metrics

to help IT determine just how effective their energy policy

is by tracking the savings that are being made – even with

a 100,000 seat deployment reporting is near real-time. PC

users are also provided with feedback and stats promoting

the benefits of the policies and its solutions – costs savings

and environmental benefits by way of example.

It might be hard to believe, but PC power management

comes at little cost. Full return on investment is achievable

in just six to twelve months for on-premise software

installations. PC energy management benefits the overall

organisation – by implementing such systems, the IT team

can take a lead on helping organisations reduce costs.

PC power management can be placed in a rare category

of IT projects that not only save money, but help the

environment, while providing a positive public image for the

company. Some of the most successful business projects are

those that focus on a company’s environmental endeavors,

or willingness to make eco-friendly changes. There are

so many ways a company can win by saving money and

helping the environment, and it all starts with taking

necessary, but small steps toward energy efficiency and green

IT energy management.

Alternatives Some users may think it would be more efficient to just

switch their machines to ‘off’ in the evening than to

use power management software. The reality is that PC

power management is just an afterthought for most users

as they do not personally benefit from reducing their

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n 2001, Sherron Watkins, a vice president

at Enron Corporation, uncovered evidence

that some of the company’s accounting

practices were unethical. She approached

the board to get the matter resolved, but

they didn’t listen and Watkins was forced to go public. Her

actions led to the collapse, not only of the company, but

also of its auditors, and to convictions (some with lengthy

jail terms) for many of Enron’s senior officers. Arguably, the

episode led to changed global attitudes towards corporate

dodgy-dealing, bribery, and the culture of ‘success at any

cost’. In fact, whistleblowing had such ramifications globally

that all three of TIME Magazine’s 'Persons of the Year' in

2002 were major corporate whistleblowers.

Whistleblowing is the blanket term for a situation where a

member of staff (or other stakeholder) provides confidential

information about suspected wrongdoing either to their

employer (‘internal whistleblowing’) or to a regulator

(‘external whistleblowing’). Although both of these situations

are covered by the same term, they have very different results

and consequences as far as companies are concerned.

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Blowing the

Companies need to Be readyto enCourage, and respond to employees speaking up, By Dr DaviD lawlEr, partner, ForensiC risk allianCe

Belowdr david lawler

get your house in orderOver a decade later, to maintain reputation and integrity

(and to comply with legislation such as the Foreign Corrupt

Practices Act and Sarbanes-Oxley), the majority of companies

have mechanisms in place to avert unethical practices. But

policies and procedures are not enough by themselves. A

shared commitment to doing business ethically requires

fostering an environment in which people are encouraged to

speak up, and employees trust management to deal internally

with problems that have been flagged.

An internal whistleblowing policy shows commitment to

good governance, and is a guide for employees for raising

concerns responsibly. Whistleblowing policies are now

essential ‘adequate procedures’ to prevent and deter bribery

under the Bribery Act, but they need to be more than mere

‘paper’ policies. Indeed, what distinguishes a good company

from a poor one (or a great company from a good one) is

not the extent to which it has problems, but its willingness

to learn about those problems, understand them and quickly

put them right. Companies which have not embraced this

approach find that employees feel that they have no other

Lead two

and Snowden, an ex-US intelligence operative, both turned

whistleblower, leaking classified information - in Manning’s

case, military secrets, and in Snowden’s, details of US phone

and internet surveillance to the media. Although apparently

motivated by the public good, they will be lucky not to

spend the rest of their lives in prison.)

Indeed, these ‘bounty’ payments may already have had

an impact on whistleblowing around the world. In its first

report on the Dodd-Frank scheme, the SEC reported more

than 320 foreign tip-offs in the last financial year, with

nearly one in four coming from the UK, 14 per cent from

Canada and ten per cent from India. This might simply

be representative of the large number of US companies

operating abroad, and in these countries in particular, or it

could be part of a more general trend in the UK that has seen

the number of whistleblowing cases reported to the Financial

Services Authority (FSA) up 276 per cent in four years. It

could also point to the fact that none of these countries have

similar pay-out schemes in place, and it’s also worth noting

many of the other countries whose citizens have tipped off

choice than to ‘go public’ with their concerns, and resort to

blowing the whistle externally.

Motivation - morals or money?As part of the regulatory reform legislation introduced

in response to the fraud perpetrated by Bernie Madoff,

the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s little-used

Whistleblower Bounty Program was extended to cover

people coming forward to the regulator with evidence of any

type of securities fraud. Specifically, the new ‘Dodd–Frank

Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010’ now

means that individuals coming forward with information

about frauds or bribery stand to receive between ten and 30

per cent of amounts over $1 million recovered by the SEC

through subsequent enforcement actions. (Although the US

Government actively encourages private-sector employees to

betray their employers’ confidences and hand over internal

corporate material, it has a somewhat different perspective

when its own secrets are leaked, as the cases of Bradley

Manning and Edward Snowden testify. Manning, a soldier,

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Responding to whistleblowingGetting calls on the whistleblowing hotline is not a sign

of failure as any effective programme will receive calls, but

hopefully most will be comparatively trivial. Some will be

simply vindictive, but to maintain integrity in the process all

should be seen to be taken seriously, investigated, and resolved.

If an initial triage suggests that bribery might have taken

place, it is important to act quickly. Continually ask yourself

whether the Serious Fraud Office, or the Department of

Justice - with the benefit of hindsight - is going to think what

you did thorough yet proportionate?

Ensure that the questionable conduct has stopped. Put a 6

hold on anything potentially dodgy. Suppliers won’t like it

if payments to them are delayed pending an investigation,

but the alternatives are far worse. Change suppliers to

ensure continuity of supply if there is any doubt at all.

Instruct forensic accountants to review the accounting data 6

haystacks for the needles that might highlight a presence

- or absence - of illicit payments. Ensure communication

passes through lawyers and thus becomes – as far as

possible – confidential, and resist the urge to go straight to

the company’s auditors, who may have missed the signs of

problems for some time, and if so, will be keen to minimise

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the SEC do not have any significant whistleblower protection

enshrined in law - a fact which may also influence potential

whistleblowers to deal directly with the US.

Given the large fines in foreign bribery cases in recent

years, there could be some big rewards for those prepared

to tell all to the government. Most compliance officers

agree, however, that external whistleblower incentives risk

changing the dynamic of internal investigations. As well as

destroying trust internally, these bounty programmes risk

undermining internal compliance programmes, as employees

who would once have approached the compliance team

directly with their suspicions, may now decide instead to go

straight to the regulators in the hope of a financial reward.

The SEC goes some way to encouraging internal

reporting as a first measure by stating that a whistleblower

is eligible for a reward if they report internally and the

company informs the SEC about the violations. It also

offers financial incentives for whistleblowers that support a

company’s existing compliance and reporting systems and

disincentives to those that interfere with internal compliance

and reporting. However, whistleblowers aren’t directly

required to report violations internally to qualify for an

award, so many could be tempted to take the least painful

option and report to the SEC straight away, even when there

are processes in place to hear and act on their findings. We

are aware of some oil and gas companies that, in an attempt

to pre-empt this, actively reward internal whistleblowers

with bonus payments.

an effective mechanism A recent EuroFinance survey suggests, on a global basis,

that almost a third of organisations still have no formal

process for their employees to report financial wrongdoing,

or else their employees are unaware that any process exists.

The report also highlights that employees in organisations

without a formal whistleblowing process reported witnessing

much higher levels of undetected, serious financial

wrongdoing (40 per cent) than those in organisations with a

formal process in place (six per cent).

These surveys imply that there is a relationship between

companies encouraging their employees to report their

concerns and reduced levels of misconduct. This only works,

though, if there is a formal policy in place which offers near-

absolute confidentiality. Otherwise, a culture of fear and

‘looking the other way’ will develop - with people afraid to

speak out at the risk of intimidation and being ostracised by

their peers.

For companies subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, this

anonymous reporting requirement must also be extended

to third parties. Accordingly, companies often establish an

anonymous telephone hotline or use an internet-based

mechanism for anonymous communications and to

encourage employees to express concerns, making it easier

and more comfortable for employees to report to their

employer rather than to a regulator.

Forensic risk AlliAnceDr David Lawler is an expert forensic accountant with over 20 years’ experience in anti-corruption investigations and compliance. He has quantified gain and disgorgement for several of the ‘Top-10’ oil and gas FCPA settlements, and has performed compliance audits and tightened the FCPA/anti-corruption systems and controls for several multinational energy and mining companies. David is the author of the book, ‘Frequently Asked Questions in Anti-Bribery and Corruption’, published by John Wiley & Sons. (amzn.to/HRElEb). He can be contacted at dlawler@forensicrisk.com

For further information please visit:forensicrisk.com or contact +44 (0)20 7 831 9110 (london) or +1 (202) 627 6580 (Washington Dc)

Lead two

both the impact of any problems, and their culpability.

Preserve and gather potentially relevant evidence using 6

electronic data experts with expertise in international data

protection and privacy laws.

Conclusion External whistleblowing isn’t going to go away. Perhaps this

is due to individual awareness of corporate compliance, a

growing confidence amongst employees to ‘go public’ with

their findings because of increasingly positive press coverage,

the increasingly publicised financial incentives, or perhaps

the freedom afforded to individuals to break whistleblowing

stories through social media outlets.

But there remains a very clear message – companies’

formal procedures have a direct influence on both the risk

of external whistleblowing, and on the levels of bribery

and corruption. It is increasingly important that companies

get the message across that they take employee concerns

seriously, to encourage any would-be whistleblower to report

directly to the company, and not to the government.

Finally, it’s worth remembering that whistleblowing is

not easy. For most people, fear is a more common cause

of corrupt behavior than greed. Most people want to avoid

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conflict and speaking up can taint a career, or in extreme

cases have even worse consequences, so many individuals just

keep quiet. It takes courage to report wrongdoing. Even the

terminology used can send an important message: so perhaps

we should start by changing the name. ‘Speaking up’ has a far

more positive connotation than ‘whistleblowing,’ and perhaps

that’s what should really be encouraged in the future. t

A recent EuroFinance survey suggests, on a global basis, that almost a third of organisations still have no formal process for their employees to report financial wrongdoing, or else their employees are unaware that any process exists

The challenge of dataWith the major global companies moving on from the North

Sea to the Middle East, the Far East and Australia, there are a

number of mid-tier oil companies seeking the best software

solution to access data. The data is necessary for a range

of reasons, but increasingly to facilitate production where

extraction is complex, the fields are smaller and optimising

production techniques is a priority. Excel spreadsheets

remain a popular tool, and are certainly a favourite of many

engineers. But, despite this reluctance to move away from

them, spreadsheets are generally recognised to be clunky,

manual and time-consuming. An added complication comes

when second-hand assets are purchased and bought into

an existing organisation. This can mean managers working

with disparate systems – a mix of manual, automated and

spreadsheets – that are not compatible. This also makes it

very difficult to interpret the data correctly and get a true

picture of any financial or operational situation. And with

vast amounts of data being produced from every aspect of

oil and gas exploration and production, data storage and

retrieval are important, but data analysis is crucial.

Multiple electronic systems are used to collect data

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he oil and gas industry in the UK is under

mounting pressure to optimise existing

assets by increasing process uptime,

reducing lifting costs and minimising

the impact on the environment, whilst

maintaining or indeed, improving, safety. Some of the

assets in the North Sea are nearly 40 years old and as time

progresses they are becoming more difficult to maintain and

increasingly costly to run and keep fully compliant.

Working to maximise production is firmly at the top

of every asset manager’s agenda, and it is becoming more

challenging when dealing with the ageing infrastructure

prevalent amongst smaller oil companies. The state-of-the-art

technology currently being built into the new multi-million

dollar oil and gas platforms of tomorrow will bring all the

monitoring and reporting systems necessary together to

provide the information required to ensure production is

maximised. This option, with its high price tag, is beyond the

reach of many companies but with bespoke IT systems falling

out of fashion and the advent of ‘buy not build’ software, it

is much simpler today to use analytics to ensure that your

organisation works and acts more effectively and efficiently.

alan MaTThEw, AventA SyStemS, And Simon RyAn, Logi AnALyticS, diScuSS AnALyticS AS A coSt effective wAy to mAximiSe pRoduction

analysisfull

BelowSimon Ryan, Logi Analytics

BelowAlan matthew, Aventa

T

interpreting data, and then aiding key decision making. In

addition, the ability to deliver the data visualisations to a

mobile device means that business critical decisions really

can be made from anywhere, at any time, secure in the

knowledge that the data is accurate, reliable and secure. This

isn’t just about delivering charts and reports to a tablet or

phone, but fully interactive extensions of operational systems.

This means that managers are not hampered by data being

inaccessible – stored offshore, for example – or having to

wait for data updates, before crucial operational or financial

decisions can be made that affect production, asset integration

and health and safety. With the right analytics software, data

can be pulled from disparate sources and quickly validated to

ensure that relevant personnel have the necessary information

for analysis, creating what-if scenarios and making

recommendations based on current, valid data sets.

Cost effective analyticsCan all this be delivered and be seen as value for money?

Many organisations have found that implementing a flexible

analytics system has meant that they have been able to cut

the number of expensive ERP licences they need and reduce

the overall cost of managing and interpreting data. Using

analytics to interrogate big data to support the decision-

making processes is a key focus for high performing

companies. Automating some decisions – the least complex

ones – as well as using analytics to guide the more involved

decisions, will help keep costs and risks down, and ensure

compliance guidelines are fully adhered to. Using analytics

to deliver the information necessary to make business-

critical decisions without delay, wherever the decision maker

is and whatever the time of day, will not only ensure existing

assets are optimised, but also make the oil and gas industry

a safer place.

AventA SyStemS And Logi AnALyticSAventa Systems and Logi Analytics have formed a strategic partnership to offer oil and gas organisations their combined expertise in analytic intelligence and implementation.Aventa Systems specialises in delivering integrated production data systems to the international oil and gas industry. The company’s technically advanced systems enable operators to effectively analyse production data for business decisions over the life of their assets. Logi Analytics enables organisations to put information to work by allowing customers to create web-based BI and analytic environments that can be integrated directly with industry specific applications, systems and processes that support their business – all at a fraction of the cost of other solutions.

For further information please visit:aventa-systems.comlogianalytics.com

Special feature - Analytics

on a per-discipline and sometimes a per-asset basis:

health and safety, production reporting, maintenance

management, finance and procurement are all managed

by different ‘off the shelf’ systems. A lot of time is still

spent building complex Excel spreadsheets that pull data

from these disparate sources of information in order to

present management with the corporate intelligence that

they need. But this can cause delays and problems, as well

as being time consuming to collect and collate. Only a

select number of individuals may know how to compile

the management information reports and this can create

bottlenecks and hold-ups, leaving engineers without access

to the information they need to make timely decisions and

recommendations. And fulfilling ad-hoc requests for the

management team is nigh on impossible.

Having access to key information wherever you are, at

any time of the day or night – and knowing that the data is

accurate and reliable – ensures smooth, safe production. But

more than this, being able to access accurate and reliable

data will make the business more efficient and smarter in

many areas, and help to achieve a competitive advantage.

Data security is a key issue too. With business critical and

highly confidential information potentially being delivered to

a mobile device – be it phone, laptop or tablet – security for

these devices must be tightly aligned with the organisation’s

existing security hierarchy to avoid any data breaches. But

how do you ensure that the software you implement to

monitor and manage key metrics is secure, cost effective and

is really going to do the job you need?

A range of optionsTraditional business intelligence (BI) systems are notoriously

expensive and inflexible. On the other hand, building the

system from scratch may be highly flexible, but this takes

a large amount of developer time and resources, and so

often delivers a system that would have been just what the

business needed – a year ago. The situation can change

dramatically in less than 12 months, leaving the ‘new’ system

out of date even before it is implemented. A popular solution

is to take an ‘out of the box’ system and customise it to

suit your specific requirements. This is a much more cost-

effective solution than a tailor-made BI system and not only

delivers the functionality required, but generally exceeds it

as the system implementer will bring experience, expertise

and best practice from the industry. Despite the considerable

amounts of data being produced every day by oil and gas

companies – and there is no slow down expected in these

increasing volumes – big data and analytics were seen by

the industry as more useful to organisations that track

consumer behaviour. However, the concepts are now both

more familiar and more accepted by many as the benefits of

harnessing data to work in smarter and faster ways are seen.

An analytics system that is easy to deploy and has a robust

application development platform and straightforward

architecture, can bring real benefits to understanding and

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Global oil and gas industry distributor£1.6 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR HOWCO IN SHEFFIELD

our market sector.”

“The demand for quality, precision and

accuracy is the core ethos of our business

– everything we do is designed to give our

customers a competitive edge. This latest

round of investment underlines our objective

of delivering optimum cost and quality for our

customers by facilitating quicker deliveries and

tighter control on specification resulting in

improved performance.”

Howco Group plc, the leading

distributor of raw materials and manufactured

components for wellhead, downhole, safety

valves and completion equipment to the

international oil and gas industry, has invested

over £3m in new equipment and machinery at

three of its UK plants, with £1.6m spent at its

facility in Sheffield.

Howco’s capital expenditure increases the

plant’s overall capacity, capability and helps to

secure future growth – it sees investment in

a new CNC milling machine along with two

purpose built batch heat treatment furnaces.

Explains Andrew Marwood, European

operations director: “Our two new aerospace

standard heat treatment furnaces feature the

latest technology in pulse fired burner control.

Each offers precise temperature control

throughout the operating range and, along

with a dedicated rapid charger for loading and

unloading products, they exceed the demanding

standards required by our clients.”

“Both furnaces have access to the multiple

quench media of water, polymer and oil making

the entire treatment process more cost efficient

and effective. They complement our existing

range of 30 ton and 10 ton capacity furnaces to

form our centre of excellence for processing the

high integrity Nickel and Duplex parts which are

used extensively throughout the global oil and

gas industry.”

Continues Andrew: “We have also purchased

further machine tools to enhance our pre-

weld production cell and provide powerful

new machining capability. This state-of-the-art

horizontal boring machine, the Hyundia Wia

KBN 135, provides both additional capacity and

capability to finish machine components quickly

and efficiently with a maximum component

weight of up to 10 ton. This, alongside our

continuous investment in specialised tooling,

ensures unrivalled capability for Howco within

PROFILE HOwcO GROuP plc

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Over 40 years of experience it has successfully

expanded organically, improving its capabilities

and offering by entering strategic partnerships

with leading companies such as Technip,

Samsung Heavy Industries and ATB Riva.

The business was incorporated in Malaysia

in 1989 as a private company, and today it

has built a credible reputation for its ability

to deliver integrated and complex services,

including deepwater oil and gas support

services and projects for international clients.

In a further expansion of its capabilities it

has more recently developed its expertise in

LNG ship repair and dry-docking activities,

thus making it a one-stop-shop for marine

conversion operations.

During its recent history, MMHE’s yards have

delivered a number of key milestones and major

projects. For example, in late 2006 Malaysia’s

first deepwater project was completed at the

site when the FPSO Kikeh and the Kikeh dry

tree unit truss SPAR were delivered by MMHE.

Not only was this the first deepwater FPSO in

Malaysia, it was the first SPAR platform to be

installed outside of the Gulf of Mexico. MMHE

has also constructed the Gumusut Kakap semi-

floating production system, the largest of this

type of facility in the world to have been fully

Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Sdn Bhd (MMHE)

is focused on the provision of oil and gas

engineering and construction works and marine

conversion and repair services. These extensive

services are offered from two yards – MMHE

West Yard and MMHE East Yard, both of which

are able to handle complex heavy engineering

works for offshore and marine projects.

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proFilE MalaySia MarinE & HEavy EnginEEring (MMHE)

dutyHeavy

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Malaysia Marine & Heavy Engineering (MMHE)mhb.co.my

ServicesMarine and heavy engineering services

are equipped with the latest technology. For

example, in April 2012 the business implemented

a comprehensive yard optimisation initiative to

both expand yard size and capacity through the

acquisition of new land and updating existing

equipment. The acquisition of additional land

was made to enable the fabrication of offshore

oil and gas related structures by being able to

cater to the increased engineering, procurement,

construction, installation, hook-up and

commissioning work. This has increased overall

capacity from 69,700MT to 129,700MT, making

the business the largest fabricator in Malaysia.

It was during this optimisation programme that

the yards were renamed MMHE West Yard and

MMHE East Yard.

Alongside its work in the oil and gas industry

MMHE provides its expertise to marine repair

projects, carrying out work such as general

vessel repairs as well as more focused repair

and refurbishment programmes. While this

work extends to a wide range of marine clients

and operational areas, it is primarily aimed at

energy-related vessels such as ULCCs, VLCCs,

petroleum tankers, chemical tankers, oil rigs and

gas carriers.

During their operational lifetime MMHE’s

yards have developed a strong reputation

for their services in the offshore and marine

industries. The business has continued to

provide clients with the highest levels of services

based around its core values of loyalty, integrity,

professionalism and cohesiveness. The market

continues to look favourable for the foreseeable

future, with the company continuing to gain

impressive contracts, such as the recently

awarded TLP Malikai deepwater project for Shell

Petroleum. With the major names in the oil

and gas industry continuing to chose MMHE, it

appears that the future looks to be successful for

the business into the long-term.

built and integrated on land.

Today the business is globally recognised as

a regional heavy engineering and deepwater

support services provider for the oil and gas

deepwater industry, as well as a major player in

the LNG ship repair sector. The range of services

provided by MMHE is vast, covering engineering

and construction, marine conversion, repairs and

associated services.

When it comes to offshore construction,

MMHE’s yard in Pasir Gudang, Johor, is the

only yard in Malaysia that has constructed

deepwater oil and gas structures, giving it a

considerable advantage over its competitors.

For oil and gas clients the company offers the

full range of construction services, from detailed

engineering, design and procurement through

to construction, installation, hook-up and

commissioning (EPCIC).

Typical projects include construction of

various offshore equipment such as deepwater

facilities like SPAR and semi-submersible

structures, integrated platforms, wellhead

platforms, compression, dehydration and water

injection modules, jackets, living quarters,

turret and mooring buoys, and topsides.

MMHE’s capabilities do not just extend to

offshore construction, as the business regularly

manufactures process skids and modules, steel

tubular and piles, and process equipment.

Alongside construction services MMHE

provides offshore conversion projects, and is the

only of its kind in Malaysia to have completed

FPSO and FSO conversion projects. In this field

the company represents a one-stop solution for

the conversion of a broad range of vessels, such

as VLCCs, Aframax tankers, and offshore oil rigs

and LNG carriers, into floating structures like

FPSOs and FSOs.

In order to provide the high levels of service it

is renowned for MMHE ensures that both yards

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proFilE Malaysia MarinE & HEavy EnginEEring (MMHE)

Today the business is globally recognised as a regional heavy engineering and deepwater support services provider for the oil and gas deepwater industry, as well as a major player in the LNG ship repair sector

ASCO is the leading provider of integrated

offshore support and logistics services to the

oil and gas industry. The company, which has

operations in the UK, Norway, Holland, the US,

Canada, Australia, India, the Caspian, Oman,

Singapore and Trinidad, prides itself on tirelessly

working to provide the best possible customer

service levels. This aim, combined with the

highest standards of quality, safety and efficiency,

underpins all of ASCO’s extensive services.

“As a sales and services company, customer

service has to be at the forefront of everything

we do,” confirms Andrew MacDonald, CEO

of ASCO Europe. “Not only do we constantly

examine the way in which we can improve our

services but we continuously look to ways in

which we can make it safer, more reliable, more

efficient and effective in order to reduce the risk

that customers import into their operations by

doing business with us.

“We play a role that is often ‘mission critical’,

it may be low profile, but we provide services

that are essential to our clients, so from the start

this approach has been key to our success and

the way that we have evolved as a business. So,

we’ve built upon a reasonably simple business

model of adding value to our customer services

by providing clients with the benefits of our

fully integrated offering. We can leverage those

services by focusing on extremely high levels of

client service and the management of safety in

the workplace.”

This attitude has been crucial to ASCO’s

success and instrumental in building the

company’s excellent reputation in the industry,

which is respected by clients worldwide. “We

have worked hard to build lasting relationships,”

asset

Andrew says. “In fact, in some respects it is

easier to name who we don’t work with than

who we do, but our customer base covers all

of the key operators in the market, as well as

a large majority of the tier one contractors. As

a service company, however, we feel that it is

important to always look to ways of improving

our services, and this is something that we have

really worked on recently.

“Over the last 12 months for example, we

have really ramped up our whole attitude

to customer service even further. For a long

time we have built our business on the solid

principle of delivery of value for our customers

- if it doesn’t deliver value to our clients then

we don’t want to think about it. So, this year

we have enhanced our customer service

team quite considerably by investing in and

recruiting managers that have specific skills in

certain areas of customer service development.

We’ve implemented ‘client advisory boards’

where we listen to our customers in terms of

gathering feedback, and we have also launched

our Knowledge Zone, which establishes

and identifies best practices, processes and

procedures all built into a commercially

attractive model. All of this enables our clients

to get the advantages of ASCO’s experience and

shared learning over the years.”

ASCO’s experience, skill and knowledge

extends across its service portfolio, enabling the

business to provide a fully integrated range of

logistics services both on-and offshore. “In terms

of our European capabilities we have a fairly

comprehensive network of bases that we provide

our services from,” Andrew comments. “We

operate from a number of locations stretching

from the Shetlands, down past Peterhead and

Aberdeen in Scotland and Great Yarmouth, and

these are our key onshore supply bases.

“On the continent, we have a base in Ijmuiden

in the Netherlands, from which we principally

support drill units with their waste activities

in the Dutch sector, and we also have a strong

presence in the Norwegian market supporting

oil and gas operations on the Norwegian

Continental Shelf (NCS). This stretches from

the South right up to the North of the country,

where we are well positioned to capitalise on the

future developments in the Arctic regions.”

The business is also involved in waste

management, which it provides through

Enviroco, its specialist environmental services

business. “Most recently Enviroco has brought

an award winning tank cleaning system to the

A vital

PROFILE ASCO

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ServicesIntegrated logistics solutions

that we have the people, the technology and

the preparedness to assist and support in a cost-

effective, efficient and sound and safe fashion.”

Decommissioning is set to be just one area

of growth for ASCO moving forward, as the

business continues to flourish in each of its

four regional sectors; Europe, the Americas,

Australasia and the Middle East/North Africa.

“In Europe, in terms of the future we will

continue to focus on service development and

new ways of improving our customer service

as well as our internal processes and employee

communications and development. We are the

market leader and we have to continue to work

very hard to maintain that position for the long-

term. The bottom line is that we are a service

company, and so we must always be improving

that service to remain competitive. We have

a fantastic pool of knowledge and experience

in the business and so if we can continue to

understand what our customers want, and how

we can deliver that, then I have no doubt that

we will grow as a business,” Andrew concludes.

market,” highlights Andrew. “Tank cleaning

is an extremely hazardous operation onboard

vessels and this new system is all about reducing

the risk for all involved. We really took a step

back to look how we could make this safer and

after significant investment the system has been

introduced to the market with much success.

The key aim was finding the balance in reducing

the risk to the personnel involved, while at the

same time improving the standards of service

that the customer gets in order to maximise their

asset utilisation.”

Related to waste management and recycling

is the growing North Sea decommissioning

market, an area that ASCO has been closely

involved with. Not only is the business well

placed to grow with the sector it is also a

member of industry body Decom North Sea.

“Decommissioning is an interesting market,”

says Andrew. “It is certainly going to grow and

when it does, as a service company it is our job

to ensure that the infrastructure is available on a

commercially sensitive basis by making certain

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ASCO’s experience, skill and knowledge extends across its service portfolio, enabling the business to provide a fully integrated range of logistics services both on-and offshore

proFilE asCo

http://www.arr-craib.co.uk

Our people are our assets. Individuals who work alongside our customers

to achieve powerful solutions; with instantly accessible management reporting and intelligence. All possible through combining technology and

innovation with a workforce committed to delivering unrivalled customer service.

Over 600 mobile engineers give you greater coverage and faster response,

plus our skilled engineering workforce also delivers service solutions to

a wide range of plant and ancillary equipment.

It’s all part of our strategy to deliver expert fleet management with

true customer focus.

This is how Briggs will transform the industry.

Get in touch

service at your fingertips

www.briggsequipment.co.uk Tel: 03301 23 98 14

Over the past ten years Thermtech, a Norwegian technology and

engineering company, has doubled in size,

and in 2008 it was ranked as number one on

Deloitte’s Fast 50 in Norway. This success has

been established on the vision of setting the

global standard for the treatment of drill cuttings,

which contain oil from drilling fluids. The tool it

developed to reach this goal is Thermomechanical

Cuttings Cleaner (TCC) technology.

Patented and highly advanced, TCC is a

friction based thermal separation technology

that is able to recover the Base Oil from the Oil

Based Mud for re-use, and can be operated both

onshore and offshore. The treatment with the

TCC represents both the best environmental

teamand commercial options since the TCC is able to

recover the high value Base Oil from the cuttings

with the same qualities as the original Base Oil.

The last time that Thermtech appeared in

European Oil and Gas, sales and marketing

director Rocco Valentinetti explained how the

company operated: “Across the world there are

numerous oil companies of all sizes that require

the use of the TCC technology for the treatment

of their waste. What Thermtech does is supply

this technology, both as complete units to its

customers and as manufacturing licenses to its

license holders, the industry’s leading service

providers, which in turn provide services to the

exploration and production companies.”

Operationally, Thermtech is the technology

owner of the TCC process, and focuses mainly

on selling turnkey solutions to customers that

are in, or want to enter into, the treatment

business. Thermtech itself does not offer

services, but rather, it assists the customers in

getting their business up and running.

In addition to the equipment itself, Thermtech

offers assistance with permit applications

and plant design, education and training of

customer’s operators and supervisors, installation

and commissioning, operational start up

assistance, remote and on site supervision of

operations, spare parts and maintenance.

The actual manufacturing is outsourced to

professional and experienced manufacturing

companies, while Thermtech retains the project

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ProductsTCC technology and engineering

equivalent to the cost of the recovery operation.

This means that environmental and commercial

interests go hand in hand since the recovered

Base Oil is re-used to replace the expensive

virgin Base Oil, which can be even more costly

due to transport costs.

Thermtech affirms that the TCC process

challenges any other existing method or

technology simply based on the business case

itself. Even discharge to sea can be less economic

in given situations, in particular if future liability

is taken into account.

Going forward, Thermtech has plans for more

expansion and growth. It is always investing in

research and development into new and more

advanced TCC options, such as mobile units or

those designed to handle different types of waste.

It is also interested in geographic expansion into

new areas that are seeing exciting developments

in the oil industry. By maintaining its focus on

both the environmental and commercial benefits

of TCC technology, Thermtech looks set for a

successful future.

management and carries out the assembly, the

installation and the commissioning of the TCC

units. All the design work is performed in-house

by professional engineers who use advanced

software and knowledge tools.

The most important property of the TCC

process is its ability to recover every material

found within the waste itself, while retaining

the same qualities possessed by the original

components. This means that at the end of the

treatment process, the oil can be re-used and the

clean solids can be used in different applications,

land filled or discharged to sea. With all the

elements recovered and able to be reused with

their chemical and physical characteristics

still in place, the TCC process has completely

eliminated the concept of waste.

The application of the TCC process results

in major environmental benefits, these positive

results are attracting more and more customers,

as they look for ways to adhere to the stricter

environmental regulations.

Indeed, the reputation of the TCC process

is so strong that Thermtech sometimes finds

that some oil companies operating in areas of

lax regulation have still adopted its technology,

not for any commercial advantage, but mainly

to reinforce their ‘green’ reputation and thus

emphasise their environmental credentials.

Furthermore, Thermtech’s customers

appreciate that the TCC technology keeps

the environment clean and, at the same time,

creates commercial benefits. The beneficial

environmental effect created by the recovery

of the Base Oil from the waste also creates a

positive income and cost savings. In particular

in regions where the Base Oil is imported, such

as in the Caspian, it results in an income that is

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With all the elements recovered and able to be reused with their chemical and physical characteristics still in place, the TCC process has completely eliminated the concept of waste

specific client, Amarinth’s solutions fall into a

number of categories: process pumps, seal support

systems, packages and modules, and spares and

service. Its process pumps have a number of

applications, such as oil and gas, chemical and

industrial process, but for the former market the

company offers its API 610 process pumps in

OH2 Horizontal and VS4 Vertical series. Now

in its eleventh edition, the API 610 standard,

which is the specification for centrifugal pumps,

is specifically designed and developed to provide

technical standards for the pumps supplied in oil

and gas related markets such as production, power

plants and refinery operations.

Illustrating the innovative and high quality

approach of Amarinth, its API 610 pumps have

been designed to the latest standards using up to

date software as a heavy duty, minimal wear, long-

life pump that, due to its modular design, provides

clients with a number of options to ensure it meets

the most demanding operational requirements.

This particular Amarinth product is widely

used across the oil and gas industry by many

of the leading companies. In 2008 for example,

Amarinth delivered an API 610 pumping

solution for a major FPSO project by Aker

Floating Production. Aker had a number of

specific requirements for this particular project,

which due to its short lead-time and lack of

final specifications for the pump, required a

flexible and responsive supplier able to provide

high quality pumping solutions at short notice.

Throughout the project the specifications of

the pump changed rapidly yet Amarinth was

able to apply its experience and knowledge to

successfully navigate the process, meeting the

short deadline and providing solutions that met

specified performance and DNV witness tests.

More recently Amarinth was involved in a

three-way consultation project to develop a small

footprint pump and seal support system for the

Amarinth, a leading manufacturer of

pumps for general industrial, chemical and

petrochemical applications, was formed to

utilise the skills, creativity and passion of people

who have worked in the pump industry for

many years. The business, which provides

clients with made-to-order, customised

solutions, can boast more than 300 years’

combined experience among its employees,

making it the pump provider of choice for a

broad range of industries.

The company was formed in 2002 following

the closure of Girdlestone Pumps, itself a

well-recognised and highly experienced pump

manufacturer. Continuing the quality work

and retaining the knowledge of its employees,

Amarinth was able to develop quickly. In fact,

after initially concentrating on building its

reputation in the UK the company quickly and

successfully expanded overseas, where it now

exports more than 80 per cent of its products.

Today Amarinth offers a large range of

pumps and associated solutions, all of which

are engineered-to-order and tailored to meet

the exact requirements of the individual

client according to the highest international

standards and cutting-edge technology. It does

this through a dedication to customer-oriented

service, placing the highest possible emphasis

on customer satisfaction delivered through

exceptional manufacturing capabilities and an

unwavering focus on innovation.

While its products are custom made for a

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Amarinth Ltdamarinth.com

ServicesPump manufacturer

yet Amarinth was able to successfully meet the

technical specifications of HHI in just 28 weeks,

again demonstrating its ability as a flexible, agile

pump manufacturer capable of engineering the

most difficult innovations.

Of course, these examples highlight just one

area of Amarinth’s expertise, but the business is

continually developing across its product range

in order to maintain its leading position in the

market. Every three to five years it looks at its

future product developments, using its expertise

and experience to understand what the changing

market requirements will be and thus, how to

develop the business moving forwards.

Such a dedicated focus on staying ahead

of the field has always been a cornerstone of

Amarinth’s strategy. Throughout its lifetime the

company has relied on its skill and expertise

to consistently deliver on its promises by

exceeding its customer’s expectations. For a

relatively young business this approach has paid

handsomely, making its shared objective of being

a leader in its field a reality.

Quad 204 FPSO, which is to be located west

of the Shetland Isles upon completion. For this

project Amarinth was selected to supply pumps

for the produced water treatment and reservoir

pressure maintenance re-injection package to

be used on the FPSO. However, a number of

design challenges predominantly around the

space available on board made achieving a final

solution particularly challenging.

Using a collaborative approach to the project

Amarinth carried out the design work with John

Crane and BP engineers to develop an integrated

pump and seal support system package that sat

on a bespoke baseplate, effectively wrapping

the seal support system through 90 degrees

around the pumps whilst still maintaining

its interoperability and meeting the footprint

limitations imposed by BP. Success in this design

meant Amarinth was suggested by BP to Hyundai

Heavy Industries (HHI) for a second challenging

project on the same FPSO. This particularly

complex requirement had seen little interest from

Amarinth’s competitors due to its difficult nature,

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Of course, these examples highlight just one area of Amarinth’s expertise, but the business is continually developing across its product range in order to maintain its leading position in the market

With 35 years experience

within the marine industry, Bob Turner

utilised his knowledge to establish Romica

Engineering Ltd (REL) in 2003; the company

designs, manufactures and supplies marine lift

equipment and winches for marine site surveys

and seismic surveys in the oil and gas, offshore

and oceanographic market sectors. “REL itself

is an Anglo/Romanian entity, with REL based

in the UK and our wholly owned subsidiary

TIE Services based in Romania,”

explains Bob. “We have been in

the industry for ten years now,

developing our personnel and our

range of products to establish a

strong position in the market.”

Looking for high quality

engineering skills, a strong design

capability and a relatively low cost

location to allow for innovative

ideas and the development of

new systems, REL set its sights

on Romania, which it viewed

as having a range of benefits

for a design and manufacturing

firm that wanted to offer turnkey solutions,

as Bob elaborates: “Romania was always a

well-established heavily engineering based

positioneconomy, viewing itself as the main workshop

of Eastern Europe. Subsequently, when

communism collapsed there was an awful lot

of infrastructure, facilities and engineering

companies available, which led to the British,

Italians and Germans making major efforts to

take advantage of the well-trained engineers and

decent machine shops.”

As a company starting out, Romania offered

REL the opportunity to gain highly skilled

engineers and property at a cheaper cost than the

UK. “Most of Romania’s engineering involved

the mining sectors and heavy industry, which we

saw as a great advantage because the UK has had

no real heavy engineering commitment in the

last 20-30 years. We decided we could be more

competitive in Romania as long as we made the

right investments,” says Bob.

It was Mike Turner, son of Bob, working

with a British company that was the catalyst

behind REL’s plans to develop operations in

Romania. Having witnessed first-hand one

firm’s attempt to manufacture in the country,

Mike took his knowledge from this experience

to try out a new strategy as part of REL. “Mike

was previously working for a British company

that tried to operate in Romania themselves.

Both that company and REL were attracted to

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Romica Engineering Ltdromica.co.uk

ServicesDesigner, manufacturer and supplier of marine lift equipment

the availability of labour, but while the other

company didn’t take on board that there was

design and the technical capability on offer as

well as the manual skills, we harnessed both

to be able to offer a turnkey capability through

finding the right people, then training them in

the right way to get the best results.”

Today REL is a global engineering support

services provider from its Romanian base, with

sales support provided through a network of

agents and alliances with firms in the US, India,

Australia. Turkey, China and Korea. “The US

and the Far East in particular are areas where

REL has been fairly successful and we hope

to continue this success into the future,” says

Bob. Proud of its flexibility and ability to listen

to the needs of its customers, REL identifies

the unique needs of clients and finds a solution

that will allow them to achieve their objective.

A specialist in the design of umbilical handling

winches, it offers a comprehensive range of

handling equipment solutions, such as AUVs,

ROVs, sound source arrays, seismic recordings

and deep-towed survey systems. All are

designed in compliance with the latest specific

marine-classification society and health and

safety requirements.

Through innovation, experience and

excellent customer service, REL is able to offer

combinations of winch, A-frame and launch

systems, suitable for a number of seabed

sampling and benthic measurement devices. Its

range of products includes a proven deepwater

traction winch design, which includes wire

monitoring and measurement of the outboard

and storage tensions, and a range of winches

fitted with a right-angle level wind, which offers

the client better use of deck space. With a wide

range of equipment, REL can offer its customers

a bespoke deck layout design that will suit their

operational needs. “Flexibility and listening to

the customer are the keys to our success. We

listen to requirements and fully identify what it

is our client wants before we offer a solution,”

says Bob. To ensure there is no confusion, REL

travels around the globe to meet clients face-

to-face and discuss the objective and what the

client aims to achieve.

REL works closely with TIE Services

International SRL, the British-owned, Romanian-

registered firm, based in Satu Mare, Romania,

which has a 7000 square metre fabrication

facility; certified to ISO 9001:2000 and

accredited to ISO 3834:2006, thus covering the

quality requirements for the welding of metallic

materials. Furthermore, the factory has two

fabrication, machining and assembly lines, both

of which are equipped with a 12.5 tonne crane;

there is also a shot blasting and paint facility.

To develop and further establish its position,

REL has extended the factory to accommodate

a larger machine shop, which has a new

horizontal borer machining centre with the

capabilities to machine large components with

minimal handling.

Having taken the time to develop the

foundations for success, the future looks positive

for REL, which is looking to continue growing

its market share through investing in personnel

and developing innovative techniques/prototypes

for the offshore and marine industries.

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Megarme, which was

founded in 1993 in the UAE, is

a specialist rope access solutions

provider that offers turnkey

inspection, repair and maintenance

services to clients throughout the Middle East.

The company currently operates from offices in

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, covering the wider

GCC through agency agreements, and it has

plans in place to open a fourth facility in Saudi

Arabia in 2014. Megarme serves clients through

two distinct divisions - the access division and

the inspection and engineering division.

This year marks Megarme’s 20th anniversary,

and as managing director Billy Harkin explains,

it has built a strong reputation based on a

number of key factors: “Reliability, quality and

safety,” he says. “We have consistently been

delivering project after project on time and to

budget for two decades now and our clients

know that they can always rely on us to get the

job done. We have always been a strong brand

synonymous with these qualities, but it was a

management buyout in 2006 and the subsequent

setup of the divisional structure in the business

that has allowed the group to achieve the

considerable growth that we’ve had, and to

position ourselves as a leader and innovator

within our chosen industries.”

Throughout this more recent period, Megarme

has aligned its objectives and consolidated its

business in order to achieve continued growth.

Importantly, as Billy explains, the business has

built longstanding relationships with clients,

a factor that he earmarks as important to the

company’s success. “We have seen a lot of

competitors come and go during this time,

but I believe that clients want to deal with an

organisation that they can build long-term

relations with for many years to come.

“We have ensured excellent client retention

within all sectors, which historically are

shipyards, rig operators, asset owners and

construction companies who have to work

within tight timelines and budgets,” he

continues. “We represent a one-stop-shop for

all of their work at height requirements, which

not only means single source contracting for

ease of business, but results in other benefits,

such as huge cost savings, a lower headcount on

site, one time mobilisation/demobilisation and

less bed and deck space required offshore. We

always work closely with our clients to meet their

objectives and understand their needs in terms of

their main drivers, so time, money and quality.”

Operationally, each of the company’s two

divisions provides distinct advantages to clients.

“The evolution of our access division has meant

that we now look at complete access solutions

from a 360 degree perspective,” says Billy. “Our

philosophy is simple, we try to cater to the

complete access requirements of our clients.

So, that means consulting with them to ensure

they are always getting the best solution. For

example, we can facilitate a turnkey solution

to even the most complex access challenge,

whether it is conventional rope access, tension

net and deck systems, training solutions, or even

a hybrid of all of the above. In conjunction with

this we can also provide all of the trades and

disciplines required to execute any job scope,

and can also allow third party services to gain

entry and egress the area if necessary.”

Megarme has invested considerably in its

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ServicesSpecialist rope access solutions

inspection and engineering division in order to

construct and approve an RT bunker facility that

would position it as a first tier inspection and

engineering contractor. “This is a mandatory

requirement to store and transport the isotopes

necessary to carry out radiographic testing,

which is one of the NDT disciplines required

under the long-term inspection contracts in our

region,” highlights Billy. “The process took some

time and investment for the construction, as

well as the stringent new regulations that were

being implemented by the newly formed Federal

Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), but

since then we have secured a couple of long-term

inspection contracts with Occidental in Qatar and

Total ABK in Abu Dhabi as well as other work

with international and local EPC contractors.”

Megarme is highly reputed for its safe, reliable

and high quality approach, a reputation that the

company maintains through stringent training

at its own state-of-the-art facility. “The Megarme

Training Center (MTC) is located in Dubai

Investment Park and is the best of its kind in the

region,” Billy adds. “It is an 18 metre high facility

that caters to the highest IRATA standards and

can be used for basic or bespoke WAH training

packages.”

Although Megarme has only been operational

for two decades, Billy admits that further growth

is high on the agenda. “As we approach the

halfway mark in 2013 our main focus is that we

stay on track to achieve our ambitious growth

targets, whilst staying within our budgets for the

year. As mentioned, we are opening our new

office in Saudi Arabia in 2014. Its a huge market

and a notoriously difficult one to penetrate, but

the regional knowledge that we have within the

GCC gives us a huge advantage to overcome

the many challenges that are inherent with

operating a specialist services company in this

part of the world.

“We are also being presented with increasing

opportunities in North and West Africa, which

are being explored, and we have had a JV in

India for the last two years as well. Also, we

work in the Caspian region through our partners

there, mobilising projects in Azerbaijan and

Kazakhstan, which are other growth areas for

us. Ultimately we want to continue to innovate

and grow at the trajectory we have been and

prove our replicable business model works

in a number of other countries in the MENA

region. I think that the next decade will be very

interesting, and we are poised to accelerate

our growth and potential from the strong

foundations that we have established over the

last two decades,” he concludes.

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Megarme is highly reputed for its safe, reliable and high quality approach, a reputation that the company maintains through stringent training at its own state-of-the-art facility

GermanyHe continued: “I still think it’s important

that you adhere to a certain standard of quality,

flexibility and reliability. Unfortunately the

market does not always really honour that, but

that’s the competition we have to face and we still

think it’s a good idea to fabricate in Germany.”

Of course, there is an association with the

highest standards of quality when a product

is labelled as ‘Made in Germany’, and ALZ

relates the initial excellence of a product to the

customer’s overall satisfaction: “The best end

result for us is that we deliver and erect the

cooler and more or less do not hear anything

again after that. This means the cooler works

perfectly and causes the customer no trouble. It’s

a fact that if you ask the client’s engineer how the

cooler is working, the best response you can get

is ‘very well’ – it means everything is performing

as it should. This is why quality is important for

us at every stage from engineering to fabrication,

to erection and commissioning onsite.

“This is also beneficial when you consider

getting repeat business – we don’t want our

customers to order once and then never again.

Therefore we try to reach the plant engineers,

and make our coolers so outstanding that when

they need another one, they say ‘I want that

product from ALZ’.”

The clients that ALZ supplies to are generally

based in mainland Europe, but that doesn’t

Since 1990, ALZ GmbH has

designed and manufactured heat exchangers

with bare and finned tubes as well as whole

air cooled heat exchanger units and air cooled

condensers (ACC) for turbine exhaust steam.

Last featured in European Oil and Gas in mid-

2012, since that time the company has invested

in two new welding machines in order to keep

its facilities up-to-date, as Mark Koch, managing

director, explained: “Welding is the most

important part of our manufacturing process

for a pressure vessel, and therefore we always

try to optimise our techniques, procedures

and machines. We don’t need to add to our

floor space at the moment so are targeting our

investments on the fabrication side.”

Mark went on to elaborate further about

the company’s in-house expertise: “We do all

the welding work here in our workshop in

Dorsten in Germany although it might lead

to slightly higher overall prices due to higher

labour costs in Germany. Nevertheless, we

do promote the fact that these products are

manufactured in Germany as an advantage;

having fabrication very close to the engineering

and other departments is beneficial, as it

makes us very flexible at times. It means we

are able to help our customers if they have to

reschedule anything, and we can implement

last minute changes.”

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Germany

in a way that we have a lot of stability, and so

rather than looking at expansion or recruiting

new engineers, we are focusing on getting better

known in the markets we are in,” he said.

Although not badly affected by the 2008-2009

economic crisis, ALZ did notice a change in the

market in 2010 and business slowed down. “But

we are still able to win profitable contracts, and

because we work across several sectors we can

focus our energy on the ones where our clients

are investing,” said Mark. “So for example waste

to energy plants and biomass plants are pretty

slow, but gas transport and storage is pretty

good at the moment, and the chemical sector is

satisfactory as well.”

He concluded: “Since we are present in several

industries, we usually find that when one sector

does not invest very much then the other ones

have a number of projects underway. Therefore,

in 2013 we are focusing on getting as many new

contracts as we can and keeping our fabrication

facilities busy manufacturing our high quality,

reliable products.”

mean that its products aren’t exported across the

globe. Mark gave an example of how this may

occur: “Many of our customers have coolers

that we fabricate in a package for them, such

as manufacturers of gas compressors. They are

undertaking business directly with Asia, the

Middle East and Africa so they buy coolers from

us as a German customer, but the coolers end

up wherever they have their projects, which can

be worldwide.”

He continued: “But our main customers are

in Europe, because the way we are positioned in

the market means we can reach this area pretty

well. Rather than undertake some significant

investments and branch out into new areas of the

world that we are not familiar with, we prefer to

create a presence on the European map where

we’re not currently active. I think we have some

work to do with that and we won’t really look

outside of Europe until that has been achieved.”

Mark also noted that the company is satisfied

with the size and scope of its operations at

present: “I think we are positioned in a market

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Welding is the most important part of our manufacturing process for a pressure vessel, and therefore we always try to optimise our techniques, procedures and machines

Strategically located in the

Sultanate of Oman, 220km northwest of Muscat,

Port of Sohar is managed by Sohar Industrial

Port Company SOAC (SIPC), a 50/50 joint

venture between the Government of Oman and

the Port of Rotterdam. The two parties signed

an agreement in 2002, with first industrial

developments beginning at the port in 2004.

Since then, as the port authority and landlord of

the Port of Sohar, SIPC has witnessed incredible

growth that is set to continue, with current

investments exceeding $14 billion.

“The port is over ten years old now, and if you

look at how it has grown, especially in the last

five years, it is remarkable. Since starting in 2006

we have seen cargo throughput reach more than

44 million tonnes. We have also enjoyed positive

growth year on year, particularly in dry and

liquid bulk in the last three years; on top of this,

more industries are beginning to understand

the logistical benefits of Sohar and are deviating

towards the port, so for us there has been great

progress,” says Edwin Lammers, commercial

manager at the Port of Sohar.

Located just outside the Strait of Hormuz,

Port of Sohar is close to the booming economies

of the Gulf and Indian subcontinent; it also has

Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain and Muscat nearby,

foundationsFirm

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as well as Saudi Arabia, the largest consumer

market in the region, in direct reach. “Our

location is key to our success, but without the

right foundations a company gets nowhere.

We are doing very well in setting up a world-

class infrastructure to ensure our long-term

masterplan for the future developments of the

port,” says Edwin.

The port houses three clusters, logistics,

petrochemicals and metals, where leading

global firms such as Vale, Air Liquide, Methanol

Holding International, Larsen & Troubo and

Jindal Power & Steel are established, while

world renowned companies operate the

independent terminals. “The way we manage the

port is not like any other in the region,” explains

Edwin. “The fact we are one of the few ports

that is manually operated allows us to attract

players with major repute on a global scale. We

have four specialised terminals, each of which

has its own capacities; the consortium of Khimji

Shipping and TM International (TMIL) operates

our dry-bulk terminal, they will handle the

export of aggregates, then we have C Steinweg

Oman, which has a head office in Holland and

operates all dry-bulk, break bulk and container

stuffing and stripping operations at the Port.

Hutchinson Whampoa, a world leading port

investor, developer and operator, chose Sohar

as a good base to operate from due to its base

in the GCC; it operates our container terminal.

Oiltanking Odfjell Terminals operate the central

tank terminal for liquid cargo as a joint venture

and are a major player at Sohar, particularly now

that the petrochemical industry brings great

benefits to Oman.”

Due to an increase of bulk storage capacity

at the central tank terminal, the Port of Sohar

is anticipating a rise in liquid cargoes handled

at the port. To prepare for this, it plans to build

a new liquid jetty, designed to cater for product

tankers reaching 120,000 deadweight tonnes

(DWT), which will also further cement the

port’s reputation as an up-and-coming liquids

hub. “We are going to be tendering for the

construction of the jetty in the summer and

have entered into a design contract so it can

accommodate larger vessels and also handle

two large product tankers on either side,” says

Edwin. The new jetty is also in preparation for

Oiltanking-Odfjell’s plans to expand its world-

class 1,297,800 cubic metre capacity further.

The expansion of the port’s liquid terminal

will also allow Oiltanking-Odfjell to cater for

the requirements of a planned one million

tonnes per annum capacity bitumen refinery at

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Sohar, which Bahrain-based Mashael Group of

Companies plans to develop with an investment

of approximately $200 million. An agreement

was signed between the group and the Port

of Sohar on May 30th 2008 for the bitumen

refinery, which will be the first in the region.

Targeting the nice bitumen market, the plant will

boast state-of-the-art technologies to provide a

one-stop bitumen supply centre with a 30,000

barrel per day capacity.

Another major milestone for Port of Sohar

is the development agreement it signed with

Hutchinson Whampoa in December 2012,

which will establish a new 70 hectares container

terminal and ensure a capacity growth from

800,000 TEU to 1,500,000 TEU. The agreement

will not only expand the total capacity of the

container terminal, but will also increase the

vessel capacity of the port as a whole. Already

benefiting from a deep draft, the investment

into seven post-panamax cranes will be able

to handle 10,000 – 11,000 TEU ships, putting

Sohar in a competitive position for shipping

lines bringing their cargoes to Oman by allowing

them to skip large container hubs in the region

and go direct to the port.

Ongoing developments at the terminals

have allowed the Port of Sohar to re-assess and

re-develop port infrastructure, which has led to

construction plans for the sultanate’s first sugar

refinery. The world-class ultra modern refinery

will have the capacity to produce one million

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Port of Sohar portofsohar.com

ServicesLogistics, petrochemicals and metals

tonnes of the highest quality refined sugar per

year, with construction commencing in the

third quarter of 2013. Production is expected

to begin in the third quarter of 2015, with full

production expected at the start of 2016. “It was

the devastating cyclone in 2007 that led to the

Omani Government taking a strategic strategy

towards food security,” says Edwin. “At the time

we felt we didn’t know how to incorporate agro

bulk into our port development, but over time

we realised it was an interesting market and

decided to develop a facility that can handle one

million tonnes of raw sugar as well as the import

of grains. This will result in lower food prices in

Oman and costs remaining at a controlled level.”

With massive investments and increased

demand for services within it, the future looks

positive for Port of Sohar, which will continue

to maintain high standards and the latest

technologies to ensure efficiency, safety and

profitability. Furthermore, the port will also be

focusing on Freezone Sohar, which is adjacent

to the port and provides investors an excellent

product distribution base to a consumer market

of nearly two billion. “We aim to create a circle

that will lead to the port’s continued growth by

attracting more opportunities to the Freezone,

which will make the port more attractive to

shipping lines. This circle will continue to draw

in more ships and more opportunities and we

anticipate that over time the world will know

where Sohar is and the wide range of materials

we can handle,” concludes Edwin.

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Already benefiting from a deep draft, the investment into seven post-panamax cranes will be able to handle 10,000 – 11,000 TEU ships, putting Sohar in a competitive position for shipping lines bringing their cargoes to Oman by allowing them to skip large container hubs in the region and go direct to the port

Khimji Ramdas Shipping is part the Khimji Ramdas (KR) Group, one of the biggest

conglomerates of Oman. The KR group has grown to this stature through its unwavering

focus, fuelled by the passion to lead; a distinct attribute, that has helped it consistently maintain

its leading position. With a loyal and committed workforce of over 5000 people spread

across Oman, UAE and India, Khimji Ramdas’ massive infrastructure, extensive and deeply

interconnected distribution network, backed by large warehouse facilities and an efficient

supply chain, have given it a competitive edge in the business landscape. Moving from strength

to strength since its inception in 1870, KR Group has evolved to become a well-diversified

business group in four key areas of operations, viz. Consumer Products, Infrastructure, Lifestyle

and Projects & Logistics.

At the core of KR Projects & Logistics Group of KR is its marine operation. This Group has

maintained its pioneering presence for decades in ocean cruise, ferry operations, bulk vessels,

tankers, product carriers, common carrier feeders, air cargo & ship supply and stores.

Khimji Ramdas Shipping provides comprehensive cargo movement by air, sea and road. As

a specialist in Ship Agency, the division’s expertise cuts across cruise, navy and bulk vessels

husbanding, tanker and project cargo vessel operations, common carrier feeder operations,

defense logistics support and Stevedoring, bunker management and marine fuel supplies, LNG

tankers, yacht handling including, ship chartering and broking, and freight forwarding. Khimji

Ramdas Shipping handles the majority of the cruise vessel’s, Naval vessels and bulk traffic,

besides common carrier agency operation. It represents Sea Consortium, one of the largest

common carrier operators in the world. The Shipping division also manages the Bulk Mineral

Terminal at Port of Sohar (in partnership with TM International Logistics, Kolkatta, India) along

with break bulk agencies, besides fast ferry ground handling operations for National Ferry

Company. The Logistics wing of KR Shipping Clearing and Forwarding Services including

customs clearance and delivery in all sea and airports, warehouse and storage services. Through

its large fleet of 50 plus trailers and trucks, it specializes in inland transportation of special

project cargo. The Air Cargo unit of KR Shipping represents Etihad Cargo to offer worldwide

door-to-door services. The unit also offers chartered flights for cargo and passengers including

airport-to-airport and global relocation services.

Khimji Ramdas Shipping has a joint venture operation in Oman with Kuehne + Nagel, one

of the world's largest freight forwarding companies. It offers best-in-class integrated logistics

solutions. Middle East Fuji Khimji's provides a complete range of maintenance, repair &

operations, Chandlery and provision supplies. Khimji’s Sparkle Marine Services offers all marine

related services to the ports including port management services, tug services, mooring and

pilotage services. Schenker Khimji’s is a joint venture between Khimji Ramdas Shipping and

DB Schenker, the world’s second largest transportation and logistics service provider. It has

built an extensive client base in Oman due to its impeccable service and infrastructure. Khimji’s

House of Travel is among the most preferred travel and tour operators in Oman. Al Ahlia

Environmental Services is a joint venture company between Khimji Ramdas and Ramky Enviro

Engineers, India; it has the capability to build and manage solid (municipal) and hazardous

waste and also harness the process for power generation. Khimji Ramdas Insurance Services

are a full-fledged insurance broker addressing the growing needs of the market. Khimji Ramdas

Shipping has offices in Dubai, Fujairah, Khasab, Muscat, Sohar, Sur, Duqm and Salalah.

khimji ramdas shipping

http://www.krshipping.com

Haven Fire and SaFetyHaven Fire and Safety is a well-established provider of fire and safety solutions to the oil, gas, power and aviation industries, specialising in custom engineered solutions covering key market sector requirements. The company utilises its experienced in house design team together with its agency products from world leaders such as Ansul, Autronica, Hygood, FireDos, Stang and others.Haven’s services include high and low expansion foam systems for aircraft hangars, tank farms etc, integrated fire & gas systems third party certified to IEC 61508 SIL 2, flammable and toxic gas monitoring and service maintenance/inspection.

gameGeneration

Middle East we don’t sell loose engines to truck

makers or other manufacturers who make

heavy machinery.

“Rather, as there is a lot of oil and gas in

the Middle East we supply engines for drilling

operations, as well as power generators, in order

to help close the gap between what the grid

can provide for electricity or power needs and

what the demand is. We also provide engines for

other industrial applications such as mud pump

or dredging pumps and various other types of

machinery in oil and gas fields.”

He added: “The fact that we are a fully owned

subsidiary of Cummins allows us direct access to

the factory that maybe our competition doesn’t

have. This means we manufacture these engines

and generators as well as selling and servicing

them. That is certainly an advantage.”

Another benefit of working with Cummins

Middle East is its distribution network, as Rachid

highlighted: “We believe we have one of the

most expansive distribution networks, not only

in the Middle East, but in the world,” he said.

“Specifically in this region we have distributors

in every country where we operate.

“In addition, we also have a new High Horse

Power Master Rebuild Centre in Dubai. It’s the

first of its kind in the region, and was opened

in 2012. It’s a state-of-the-art facility and it

provides our customers what they need - a very

Cummins Inc., a global power leader, is

a corporation of complementary business units

that design, manufacture, distribute and service

engines and related technologies, including

fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration,

emission solutions and electrical power

generation systems.

Cummins Inc.’s presence in the Middle East

began in 1956 and by early 2000, Cummins

Middle East FZE, the first wholly-owned

Cummins Inc. distributor in the region,

was established. In order for Cummins to

strengthen its distribution network’s reach

and better support the increasingly growing

engine population in the wider region, the

Cummins Middle East Regional Distribution

Organisation was set up in 2006 and now

encompasses responsibility for the following 12

countries; UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen, Oman,

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon,

Afghanistan, and Pakistan. In May of 2010,

Cummins ME RDO and Cummins Middle East

FZE inaugurated their joint headquarters in the

United Arab Emirates.

Rachid Ouenniche, managing director of

the Cummins distribution business in the

Middle East explained how the subsidiary

operates: “Cummins Inc. is known as the largest

independent engine manufacturer, however

as we don’t have a lot of manufacturing in the

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Cummins Middle East FZEmiddleeast.cummins.com

ServicesPower generation

venture with Jaidah’s Heavy Equipment Division

- a subsidiary of one of Qatar’s largest multi-

product importers and retailers, Jaidah Group.

This is all part of our growth strategy, and

through this approach we continue to win more

contracts with large oil and gas companies.”

These deals are with clients from all over

the Gulf, including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,

Oman, and in the UEA. “We have active

projects that we are working on right now, as

well as some under development that will hit

the market in 2014/2015 and we believe these

will be game changers in the industry,” added

Rachid. “These are new engine platforms that

we developed over several years and are very

significant products.”

Indeed, these products will reflect the extensive

resources that Cummins dedicates to research

and development (R&D). “Cummins allocated

one billion dollars to R&D last year, which gives

an indication of what kind of investments we

are making into our upcoming products,” said

Rachid. “There is a lot of confidence in the future

of Cummins in this market and we are very

excited about the products and services we will

be offering going forward.”

quick and efficient way to rebuild their engines

to the same quality standards all Cummins

factories would offer.”

Another key achievement is the division’s

certified Training Centre, which is dedicated

to the training of in-house staff and valuable

customers. “We have increased the number of

employees and technicians particularly over the

last three years in the Middle East, and we need

to make sure they are trained and certified for

the engines that they work on,” said Rachid. “We

also have customers who sometimes prefer to do

their own maintenance on Cummins engines and

we want to make sure that they have all the tools

necessary to do that successfully.”

Given the amount of investment Cummins is

making in the Middle East region, it is obvious

that the company considers this to be an emerging

market, with great possibilities. “If we look at

our five year plans we are continuing to invest in

this business because we believe the Middle East

market will see significant growth and we plan to

be part of that story,” confirmed Rachid.

“Over the past three to four years we have

opened new facilities, hired more people and

in 2012 started Cummins Qatar LLC; a joint

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We also have customers who sometimes prefer to do their own maintenance on Cummins engines and we want to make sure that they have all the tools necessary to do that successfully

WWW.DEHOOP.NET

InnovatIon combIned wIth more than 120 years of experIence

Shipyard De Hoop concentrates on designing, engineering and building custom vessels, for both the inland and seagoingmarkets. The yard has all the core disciplines in house to provide clients with creative and innovative solutions, both in design andproduction. De Hoop is committed to a customer-oriented, goal-based approach in which quality and flexibility are paramount.

in the range of services it is able to provide. Early

on in its life, as its service package increased

and its list of clients grew, the company moved

to a modern well equipped office space and

warehouses, from where it still operates

today. Continued expansion means that today

SeaMar Services provides agency management

and logistics services to the major offshore

construction, survey and diving companies

in the industry, operating a 24 hours per day,

seven days per week service in every port in

the Netherlands. This extensive network is

successful in large part due to the dedicated and

highly experienced personnel that the company

employs, all of whom have a wide range of

knowledge in various aspects of the marine

and offshore markets and a strong network of

suppliers built on a solid, trusting relationship.

As a mark of its quality, in October 2012 SeaMar

Services was ISO 9001 : 2008 accredited by Det

Norske Vertitas, and in June 2013 it received

its AEO (Authorised Economic Operator)

Certificate from the Dutch Customs.

It is in the field of vessel management and

vessel agency that SeaMar built its reputation

among clients such as DeepOcean, Subsea

7, Oceanteam, GSP Offshore (Grup Servicii

Petroliere SA), Bluestream, and Fugro. Under

this banner, the business covers all aspects of

agency and management, so providing such

services as vessel and project management,

crew management, vessel brokerage, logistics

support, and vessel agency services for vessels

that visit Den Helder, Ijmuiden or any other

port in the Netherlands.

In terms of vessel management, SeaMar

SeaMar Services BV is a market-

leading agency services business that works

in the offshore and shipping industries. The

company is widely known as the SeaMar Group

of companies, which with its subsidiaries offers

an all-round service package for the offshore and

marine sectors in the North Sea market. This

package encompasses such services as vessel

management, vessel agency services, shipping,

customs formalities, freight forwarding, and

other services such as purchasing, vessel

brokerage, and office/storage facilities.

Based in Den Helder in the Netherlands,

SeaMar Services was established in 2000 by

current managing director, Leo Balkema,

who himself has more than a quarter of a

century of experience in the sector. Speaking

to European Oil and Gas in 2009, Leo said

of the company’s establishment: “We have a

small team, which is very experienced in the

industry, and which is familiar with vessel

management. When I started the company, my

database of clients came from the 15 years that

I spent as operations manager, then general

manager, of DSND/SeaTeam in the Netherlands.

My colleagues have also been working in this

industry for very many years. Because of this

we are able to react quickly and competently to

our clients’ needs. We have been recognised for

our flexibility and our know-how within our

logistics operations. It is key to our success to

ensure that lines of communication between

ourselves and the customers are always open,

and that we have a very personal approach.”

Since Leo established the company it has

continued to develop, both increasing in size and

packageComplete service

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Shipyard de hoopWith more than 120 years of experience Shipyard De Hoop was founded in 1889 and has developed into one of the most established yards of the Dutch shipbuilding industry. At Shipyard De Hoop, the focus is on designing, engineering and building custom vessels, for both the inland and seagoing markets. Using a characteristic down to earth approach, the yard provides all Dutch built craft for niche markets.

Full life cycle supportShipyard De Hoop aims to deliver a complete package of products and services to support ship owners throughout the lifetime of their vessel. The package includes: customer finance, design studies, turnkey shipbuilding, designing & building interiors and ship repair, maintenance & conversions.

De Hoop facilitiesShipyard De Hoop has two shipbuilding facilities, one in the Dutch province of Gelderland (De Hoop Lobith) and the other in the province of Groningen (De Hoop Foxhol). At both sites all the required core disciplines are in-house to build a complete vessel. To support both facilities there is an outfit quay in the Rotterdam harbour area.

Company valuesDe Hoop’s staff are committed to a customer-oriented ethic in which quality, creativity, innovation and flexibility towards the client are paramount. The shipyards pride themselves on embracing the latest technology, constantly investing in new facilities, evolving services and expanding their expertise. Each product is unique, built with a goal-based approach and always delivered on time.

is capable of managing a clients’ vessel in

an efficient and effective manner, carrying

out manning, maintenance, dry-docking,

certification, flag state issues, and HSE. It also is

responsible for International Safety Management

(ISM) and International Ship and Port facility

Security code (ISPS) issues.

For clients visiting ports in the Netherlands

SeaMar represents a reliable ship’s agency with

a 24/7 service and extensive supplier network,

giving it the capability of fulfilling all vessel

requirements at ports such as Den Helder,

Ijmuiden, Beverwijk, Velsen, Amsterdam,

Rotterdam, and Eemshaven. Services here,

depending on client requirements, can

include berth arrangement and pilot booking,

pre-arrival notifications to port authorities,

custom’s clearance of cargo, immigration

services, stevedoring, forwarding, stores and

provision, and waste disposal including sludge

and special waste.

To handle its activities in the shipping

industry, SeaMar has a subsidiary, SeaMar

Shipping BV, which was initially launched in

2001 and then re-launched in 2009. Since that

time the subsidiary has been the owner and

operator of the ‘SeaMar Splendid’, a modern

vessel that can be utilised for air diving, survey

and seismic support operations.

Speaking in 2009 at the time of the relaunch

Leo said: “SeaMar Shipping is a ship owning

company, launched in 2001 to widen our service

package. At that time I bought a four-point

mooring support vessel called ‘Inspector’. We

then began to do underwater, pipeline and

platform inspections in the southern sector, and

that last job we did was for Devon Energy in

Brazil, as part of a geotechnical project. After that

I decided to sell the vessel, as she was becoming

a little too old. Now, in 2009, following the

recent acquisition of the MV Highland Sprite

from Gulf Offshore North Sea Limited, we have

started up SeaMar Shipping once more.”

Naturally, since that time SeaMar Shipping

has continued to expand and the subsidiary

now has various vessels for air diving, survey,

seismic support and guard duties that are either

owned or under management by SeaMar. The

range of vessels gives SeaMar Shipping the

opportunity to undertake a range of projects for

prestigious clients. For example, in December

2012 the business announced that its vessel,

SeaMar Splendid, had been awarded a five year

contract with GDF Suez E&P Nederland to

support the company’s campaigns on the Dutch

Shelf over the period 2013 to 2017. This charter

commenced in March this year, with the vessel

currently operational from Den Helder.

Another SeaMar subsidiary currently growing

is SeaMar Subsea BV, which along with SeaMar

Shipping is the other ship owning subsidiary of

the SeaMar Group. Early in 2013 SeaMar Subsea

entered into a contract with Shipyard de Hoop

for the construction of a multi-purpose offshore

support vessel that will be manned and operated

from the Netherlands and registered in Den

Helder. The DP2 class vessel is custom-designed

to stringent environmental control specifications,

with its diesel electric powerplant providing low

fuel consumption, clean ship/green passport/

SPS2008 and high comfort class notification.

Upon delivery it will be the first offshore

vessel to be built in the Netherlands to this

specification, an indicator of SeaMar’s innovative

approach to its business.

The state-of-the-art vessel is set to be

completed and delivered in the second quarter

of 2014, and as well as its ‘green’ credentials

it incorporates a number of other innovative

design features such as a long jib length crane,

triple moon pools, large under deck workshops

and a four point mooring system. Combined,

these will give it the ability provide a range of

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Kongsberg MaritiMeKongsberg Maritime offers a full range of dynamic positioning systems to keep the vessel within specified position and heading limits. These systems are designed to minimise fuel consumption and wear and tear on the propulsion equipment. The K-Pos dynamic positioning systems are available in single, dual or triple configurations. More than 2500 dynamic positioning systems have been supplied by Kongsberg Maritime.

SeaMarseamar.nl

ServicesLogistics and management services

The company, through its dedication to services

has developed the ability to offer a complete A-Z

service package. With the company continuing

to build on its reputation by adding additional

niche services to its portfolio, there is little doubt

that for customers in the marine and offshore

industries, SeaMar is a name that they can truly

rely on, whatever their requirements.

support roles to the offshore oil and gas and

renewables markets. In April SeaMar announced

that the vessel has entered into a five year

charter contract with DeepOcean, where it will

be used for survey, IRM and trenching projects

for DeepOcean’s oil and gas and renewables

clients. Upon completion the vessel will be

named ‘Deep Helder’.

SeaMar’s services are not just confined to the

ocean however, as the company can provide

a full freight forwarding service whereby it

can arrange for goods to be transported by

air, sea or road to any destination. By air,

for example, the company offers a complete

collecting and delivery to airport service, as

well as undertaking packing of dangerous

goods according to IATA regulations, customs

documentation and the handling and delivery

of inbound shipments. Similarly, by road

customers can rely on SeaMar to offer full loads/

groupage, ‘hot shot’ courier services, oversized

shipments and cargo insurance.

In many respects it would be simpler to note

the services that SeaMar does not provide to its

clients, which at present are few and far between.

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As the fabrication arm of parent

company Ezra Holdings, TRIYARDS began

operations in 2005 and has since gained a strong

reputation for excellence in the construction

of large and sophisticated, technologically

advanced, customised offshore support vessels.

Operating out of two strategically located yards

within a major shipbuilding cluster along the

South China Sea in Vietnam, TRIYARDS SSY in

Ho Chi Minh and TRIYARDS SOFEL in Vung

Tau, the company offers worldwide cutting-edge

engineering, fabrication and ship construction

services to both the offshore and marine

industries; the group also has an offshore lifting

appliance facility, TRIYARDS Houston, which is

located in Texas, US.

“TRIYARDS is an engineering and fabrications

solutions provider focused on the offshore oil

and gas industry,” explains Wong Bheet Huan,

chief executive officer of TRIYARDS. “TRIYARDS

SOFEL and TRIYARDS SSY are equipped

with heavy-lift gantry cranes and deepwater

berths, and both yards have the capability

to undertake large-scale projects to fabricate

different components of fixed platforms, as well

as vessel conversion and new offshore vessel

and jack-up construction. TRIYARDS Houston,

meanwhile, produces equipment such as active

heave-compensated offshore cranes, A-frames

and winches, which can be installed on the self-

elevating units and offshore construction vessels

that require stringent standards.”

The group’s current scope of services includes

vessel design and construction services, the

fabrication and assembly of offshore platforms,

demandjack-ups, steel structures, FPSO topsides

and turrets and jacket, overhaul services,

modifications and repair of vessels and rigs, as

well as the design and fabrication of offshore

equipment, such as heavy lift cranes and

winches. Since 2007, the group has delivered

two PSVs, one AHTS and two oil tankers and has

developed a leading reputation as a builder for

Self Elevating Units (SEUs), with six delivered

and three on its current order book. Analysts

have estimated the group’s net order book to be

at $324 million as of 28th February 2013.

As the first in the world to construct the

newly designed 450-feet SEU series, known as

the BH-450, TRIYARDS has cemented its lead

in this segment by securing its second order

of the same series within the last 12 months.

Jointly designed by TRIYARDS and a US based

engineering design house, the innovative BH-450

are ABS classified, self-propelled units that boast

large deck areas and high capacity cranes, on

top of individual accommodation for up to 300

personnel. Standing at over 130 metres in length,

In

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BelowWong Bheet Huan, chief executive officer of TRIYARDS

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Caterpillar Marine asia paCifiC pte ltdCaterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte Ltd is the authorised dealer for MaK marine and CM engines for oil and gas applications for the Asia Pacific region. It supports customers’ MaK medium speed engine needs for new construction and through life operations from its offices and workshops in Singapore and Shanghai. Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific is proud of the support it provides EMAS Group and TRIYARDS, including supply of main generator sets for the Lewek Constellation.

Triyards ssytriyards.com

servicesintegrated service provider for the offshore, marine and industrial sectors

MT heavy-lift crane, comfort class V3 and a

clean design, rated NAUT-OSV (A).”

With a focus on the construction of SEUs

and high-end sophisticated offshore vessels,

TRIYARDS aims to continue its vision of being

the preferred engineering, ship construction and

fabrications solutions provider to the offshore

oil and gas, and marine industries globally. To

ensure its strategic goals are successful, the

group aims to spend $7 million on a logistics

and supply base in Western Australia and

move into new product categories, as Wong

concludes: “To set TRIYARDS apart from the

rest of the yards in the region, the group plans

to expand our ship repair capabilities and move

into the fabrication of aluminum based vessels

such as patrol boats and passenger ferries. The

acquisition of a strategically located logistics

and supply base in Western Australia will allow

us to use the yard as a base to expand our ship

repair services beyond Vietnam and will be

in line with the group’s strategy to expand its

offerings and global presence.”

the SEUs are capable of working in deep waters

up to 90 metres.

Following the design and construction of the

BH-450, TRIYARDS made an announcement in

May 2013 that it has become one of only three

Singapore yards with the capabilities to design

and build its own SEUs and jack-ups, and also

introduced the new premium class 400 HPHT

(high pressure, high temperature) drilling jack-

up rig, the TDU-400. Dedicated to enhancing its

engineering expertise, the group has expanded

its scope of products on offer to customers

with the lighter weight, competitively priced

TDU-400, which can withstand up to 100-knot

winds and boasts leg lengths of more than 163

metres. The newly designed SEU can operate in

water depths of approximately 120 metres and

accommodate up to 220 personnel. The design

of the unit’s jacking system was developed

in collaboration with Siemens, to reduce

operational costs and complexity through the

utilisation of more pins as opposed to the usual

rack chokes on the legs of the vessel.

“Dedicated to providing clients with solutions

of the highest quality, TRIYARDS has strong

working relationships with some of the world's top

technology suppliers to provide for the equipment

and systems used in our vessels,” says Wong.

“For example, in our latest design, TRIYARDS

is working with Siemens to supply the jacking

system for the TDU-400 legs as well as Caterpillar

for the supply of our vessel engines.”

Another major contract for TRIYARDS,

which is contracted to parent company Ezra

Holdings, is the Lewek Constellation, an ice-

class ultra-deepwater multi-lay vessel with

heavy-lift capabilities. “The Lewek Constellation

is capable of operating in water depths exceeding

3000 metres,” enthuses Wong. “It’s stand-out

features will include DP3 capability, superior

maneuverability, versatility and speed, a 3000

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A.Hak Drillcon BV is a specialist in

horizontal directional drilling (HDD) crossings,

direct pipe drilling methods, micro tunnelling,

and auger drilling. Typical applications for A.Hak

Drillcon’s services include pipelines for gas

transmission, kerosene and oil transportation,

fresh and wastewater, telecommunications

connections, heat transport systems, landfalls,

culverts, inverted siphons, drainage systems, and

low-, middle- and high-tension connections. The

company is focused on providing a full service to

its clients, which means as well as maintaining

its own engineering department, A.Hak Drillcon

also operates its own fleet of in-use designed

rigs. These vary in terms of size and application,

from the three-tonne HDD mini drill rig up to

the 500 tonne HDD mega drill rig, allowing

A.Hak Drillcon to execute a wide scope of

projects whether large or small.

Ronald van Krieken, managing director of

A.Hak Drillcon, highlighted that the 500 tonne

rig mentioned above is a very new investment,

which was only delivered at the end of June

2013: “This is our newest HDD rig end and it is

one of the largest rigs in the world,” he said. “In

addition last year we made an acquisition and

invested in five other new rigs, this time of 400

tonne pull back force.”

He continued: “It is one of our unique selling

points that we have a lot of HDD rigs, and

thanks to our history in this industry we also

have a team of very experienced and skilled

people to operate them. Many of our employees

have over 15 years experience in HDD and this

gives us a big advantage, especially on contracts

for difficult and large crossings. So for example,

we worked on a job in Columbia a few months

ago, where we created a very large crossing

of 1500 metres for a 42-inch gas pipe in very

difficult soil conditions, on budget and on time.

After finishing that job our client give us several

other jobs to do in Columbia, and in fact we still

are drilling over there now.”

This sort of large project is where A.Hak

Drillcon can really shine and in May 2013 it

started another significant project, this time

working with A.Hak Leidingbouw, building a

60-kilometre high-pressure transport pipeline.

Said Ronald: “This is in the north west part

of Holland, close to the city of Amsterdam so

comes with a lot of infrastructure challenges. We

have to make 12 HDD crossings with drilling

lengths of about 800 metres to 1250 metres. The

first crossing on that project has been completed,

and that was the largest one, of 1250 metres

from Amsterdam harbour to the North Sea.”

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Where there’s a drill, there’s a

proFilE A.HAk Drillcon

HerrenknecHt AGFor the construction of 485 kilometers of new pipelines for the Netherland North-South Route, various obstacles such as roads, railways, and rivers have to be crossed underground safely and accurately. Used by A Hak Drillcon, the Herrenknecht Direct Pipe® method has proven its efficiency near Lochem, where a 1400-meter-long pipeline was completely installed in just 11 working days. In the port of Rotterdam, the Hartelkanaal was crossed under space constraints, with steep entry and exit angles.

A.Hak Drillcon a-hakdrillcon.nl

ServicesSpecialist in trenchless technologies

set up a drilling company in Nigeria, together

with a local company that is specialised in

pipeline work. “We will have our own yard

and rigs very shortly in the south of Nigeria

and we will be drilling a lot of oil and gas

pipelines over there.”

He continued: “There is a lot of work in

Nigeria, for pipelines and river crossings, so

for example, Shell is considering using HDD

methods for all its installations instead of normal

dredging, because there have been issues in the

country with pipelines being damaged when

people steal oil. When we use HDD we are at a

depth of at least 15 metres so nobody can come

into contact with the pipeline.” A.Hak Drillcon

will be using this new division to gain more

contracts in Nigeria in the future, as well as in

the wider West African region.

“This will be one of our key areas, alongside

Europe and South America,” added Ronald.

“Europe is where we are based so is of course

very important to us, and we are always

enhancing our presence across the region –

so for example we exhibited at the No-Dig

exhibition in Germany, and we are already

working on a very exciting 1000 metre crossing

in France, which for us is a real breakthrough to

the French market.”

Ronald previously mentioned working with

Shell, and he noted that A.Hak Drillcon is

very keen to work in close partnership with

clients. In fact, the company and Shell are now

working together on a new drilling technique,

which will make it possible to do longer

drillings in the future.

“Shell had already undertaken some research

and now we have a joint venture,” he said. “We

will work together over the next two to three

years and hopefully create a drilling technique

that should make it possible to do longer

crossings than are possible at the moment. This

will mean we can achieve a drilling length over

3000 metres.”

Since last appearing in European Oil and

Gas A.Hak Drillcon has gone from strength

to strength, always supported by its parent

company, the A. Hak Park Group. As Ronald

concluded, this backing has contributed to its

impressive development: “A.Hak is a family

company and this makes it much easier to

invest in people and equipment,” he said.

“After a simple phone call or meeting with the

owner of the company, we can move quickly

with our decisions and that has really helped

in our success.”

Ronald was also keen to highlight a very

special design and construct project for

A.Hak Drillcon, which is called the Shore

Approach, also located in the north west of

Holland. “This is a unique contract so we

are responsible for the engineering and the

supply of the pipe, as well as the drilling,” he

explained. “We will drill a PE plastic pipe of

42 inches with a length of 1000 metres into

the sea. This incorporates new environmental

challenges as we are drilling from the beach

and so we have to take into account all local

activities - from people to animals.”

This required some creative thinking and as

Ronald explained, A.Hak Drillcon came up with

an original concept: “Normally we would have

several trucks transporting pipe over the beach

and then we would need to weld the pipeline

into one straight one km length on the beach

as well. Instead we negotiated with the supplier

of the pipeline to make it in one piece of 1000

metres and it’s coming on a boat from Norway

directly to our jobsite.”

From looking at all these new contracts, it is

clearly an exciting time for A.Hak Drillcon, but

nevertheless the company is always looking

for new opportunities. Ronald agreed, and

highlighted that the business had very recently

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We will work together over the next two to three years and hopefully create a drilling technique that should make it possible to do longer crossings than are possible at the moment. This will mean we can achieve a drilling length over 3000 metres

PPGPPG is a global player in anticorrosive coating systems for a wide range of offshore and subsea applications. Its leading SIGMA COATINGS and AMERCOAT brands provide the ultimate protection for new-build or maintenance projects.Its systems offer proven, trusted and tested performance for offshore assets including NORSOK M-501 approved solutions, hydrocarbon fire protection, PITT-CHAR XP, subsea market leader: PHENGUARD, innovative maintenance solutions: SIGMASHIELD 880 and well established local supply chain for optimal service.

pipework, steel structures and subsea

pipelines against corrosion in the oil and

gas industry; it has recently expanded its

Montrose base from seven acres to ten acres

and acquired new heavy lifting equipment

as part of an investment of £1.5 million in

the building of new facilities. With on-site

facilities including a blast bay, thermal spray

hall, main spray hall and fully automated metal

spray facility at its Montrose base, which the

company expanded into in 2009, Gemini can

offer complete standard or bespoke solutions to

its long-standing and extensive client base. Over

30 years it has developed its flexible coating

services for new equipment, whether land based

or offshore, topside or subsea, as well as offering

refurbishment and upgrade of old coating

systems. Topside coating projects range from

the structural components on oil rigs, including

accommodation modules and helidecks, through

to process and control equipment, such as pipe

work (spools) and valves.

Typically based on the NORSOK M501

standard for both paint and thermal spray, the

applied coatings’ types, controls application

methods and quality are stringently regulated.

For subsea environments, one of the most

severe tests for protective coatings, Gemini has

established a long and successful history and is

able to offer the highest standard quality in this

demanding market where any mistakes result

in huge expense. This has led to numerous

approvals with major blue chip equipment

manufacturers; equipment protected by

Gemini applied coatings includes BOPs, valves,

protection frames, pipelines and risers.

At its Montrose facility the company can

take on the most challenging of tasks, with

its purpose built main spray hall that covers

more than 1000 square metres and comes

equipped with two ten tonne overhead cranes

for component handling assistance. The ISO

18000 accredited spray hall can produce various

coatings from epoxy paint that conforms

to NORSOK industry standards, to more

specialised systems, such as anti-fouling paint.

Meanwhile, its multi-function thermal spray hall

is where both specific surface preparation and

thermal spray is undertaken. Believing the basic

process of surface preparation is the foundation

of its success, the company’s main blast bay

is accessible from the main yard and opens in

to the main spray hall. Most components are

maneuvered in to the bay with fork lifts, while

larger items are loaded on to bogies by cranes

When founder and managing director

of Gemini Corrosion Services Ian Guthrie was

working offshore in 1982, he saw first-hand

the impact of corrosion on scaffold fittings

and learned the majority of these fittings were

scrapped when returned from the offshore

rigs. Seeing a gap in the market, Ian launched

Gemini Corrosion Services in a small unit at

Spurryhillock Industrial Estate, Stonehaven,

15 miles south of Aberdeen, where he began

refurbishing scaffold equipment. This offered

offshore companies the benefits of extended

asset life expectancy and a fast response

turnaround from a local supplier.

Recognising that further opportunities existed

within its offshore client base, Gemini increased

its range of services in 1985, investing in surface

preparation equipment and establishing its

corrosion services business. The enhanced

business volumes resulting from this increase

led to the company relocating to larger premises

on the Spurryhillock estate, which became

Gemini’s headquarters whilst it continued

to develop and expand facilities with the

construction of new coating and blast halls and

ongoing improvements to its infrastructure.

Furthermore, the company implemented

training and development schemes as well as

internal promotion to ensure the retention of an

experienced and qualified team.

Gemini is today a world leader in protecting

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Gemini Corrosion Services Ltdgeminicorrosion.com

ServicesSurface preparation and protective coating applications

for TSA coated tubular equipment, such as

risers, Gemini designed and constructed a fully

automated cutting-edge thermal spray hall, the

first of its kind in Europe, and began operations

in January 2006. The automated coating is far

superior to manual application techniques, as

it allows numerous programme processes to

be stored and ensures even coating thickness.

Consisting of an automatic pipe manipulator

with two high throughput electric arc wire

spray units, the facility is designed to ensure

the highest quality TSA coatings and is capable

of coating pipes from four inches to 48 inches

diameter and 6.6 feet to 75 feet in length.

With more than 30 years in the business, the

company recognises the pressure surrounding

time constraints and the stringent demands

for maintaining a high quality service on

schedule. Having retained an ethos for the best

quality services and facilities, as well as active

investigations into innovative coating processes

and applications, there is no sign of Gemini

getting rusty any time soon.

before being pushed in on the track systems,

thus minimising handling operations.

The company assesses the surface profile and

cleanliness in terms of the industry recognised

Swedish Standards SA2.5 or SA3 and uses

various media dependent on component

material, client specifications and required

results. For example, chilled iron grit, due

to its ability to quickly strip various surface

contaminants, is used for aggressive cleaning

applications, while aluminium oxide is used on

surfaces that can’t be contaminated by ferrous

materials; glass bead blasting, meanwhile,

produces a clean, bright finish, without

dimensional change of parts. In addition to

blasting, Gemini has a shot peening facility,

which employs spherical shot blasted on to a

surface to produce compressive surface stresses,

which improve fatigue life.

Used for many years to protect steel work

from corrosion, thermal spray coatings have

proven an excellent way to protect offshore

structures and equipment. To satisfy the demand

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At a time when supplies of ‘easy’ oil are

perhaps falling away, Xcite Energy Limited

is marking itself out as an appraisal and

development company focusing on offshore

heavy oil. The company believes that this area

presents a niche for significant growth and

value addition. Through its subsidiary, Xcite

Energy Resources Limited (XER), these activities

have so far been focused on the development

of discovered resources in the UK North Sea,

namely the Bentley field.

“We acquired this field through the Promote

Licence Round in 2003,” explains Charles Lucas-

Clements, director of strategy and business

development. “We’ve pursued a methodical and

progressive appraisal programme over the years,

enabling us to bring oil to surface in 2007, through

to delivering 250 million barrels of 2P reserves

in 2013 after a highly successful pre-production

extended well test (“EWT”) which was completed

in September 2012. We also have peripheral assets

and were awarded three adjacent blocks in the

27th Licensing Round last year.”

Looking at this activity in more detail, XER

has actually successfully conducted three drilling

programmes with five penetrations of the field,

including sidetracks and laterals, since the

licence award. The total investment to date has

been around $350 million, approximately $250

million of which went into the EWT.

“Throughout the EWT we gathered a vast

amount of information, which together with new

3D seismic, has enabled us to increase our in-place

volumes, revise our development plan and

materially increase our reserves. It has required a

long year of hard work to deliver, but the EWT

has met and exceeded our expectations not only

in its results, but also the quality and extent of data

that was collected,” enthuses Charles.

In preparation for the EWT, XER expanded

its corporate office to bring in necessary skills

appraisalStrong

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Xcite Energy Resources Limitedxcite-energy.com

ServicesAppraisal and development

Alongside this work, XER has been running

a programme to identify enhanced oil recovery

techniques (EOR). After lab work based on

samples taken from the reservoir and aquifer,

the company has shortlisted polymer injection

as the most suitable EOR technique. It is

also building a pilot programme into the

first stage of development in order to prove

the concept, and lead the way for a full EOR

implementation in Phase 2.

The year ahead again looks busy for the

business as it works to capitalise on the last

decade of work in this challenging niche. In a

further step forward, XER recently started the

farm-out process, which it sees as a key part of

the future financing strategy for the development

of the field. “We also hope to expand the RBL

facility based on the increased scope of the first

phase development. These will trigger the full

development programme,” notes Charles.

Certainly the industry seems to be pricking up

its ears with regards to the progress the company

has made in transforming heavy oil resources

into viable development propositions, and it

comes at a time when heavy oil projects are

being advanced in the North Sea.

Picking up the thread Charles adds: “In the

process of executing the programmes so far we

have developed an extensive knowledge, not

only of the Bentley field and the engineering

solutions needed to successfully commercialise

a reservoir of this type, but also how to manage

a significant offshore, heavy oil project. One of

the key things in this industry is the sharing of

knowledge when moving into new areas, and we

are keen to do this with others just as they are

keen to speak with us.”

Indeed it seems the Bentley field is just the

starting point. XER has also been collecting

licences in neighbouring blocks, most recently

in the aforementioned 27th Licensing Round.

‘It is our belief that these prospects may contain

a lighter oil which could be used as a diluent

in the future, so the aim is to appraise these

with a view to a tie back into Bentley as we go

forward,” comments Charles.

“This forms part of our strategic plan for the

next few years which is centred on selecting

a suitable development partner, completing

financing, and getting the Bentley field

producing. We also want to prove the EOR

techniques through the pilot programme, and

implement the second phase of development,

whilst continuing to look for other suitable

opportunities,” he concludes.

including the appointment of a new operations

director, operations manager, and engineering

manager. “I think that key to our success has

been finding highly experienced people that can

really contribute to the team,” notes Charles.

“As well as operations, we have been building

up our engineering and well completion skills

sets, based on the importance of drilling and

operations going forward.”

The results of the EWT have been critical to

planning the ongoing development programme,

which is split into two phases – Phase 1 and

Phase 2, covering the northern and southern

areas of the field respectively. The development

programme extends over approximately two

years with current anticipation of first oil in late

2015, with the phases now being of a similar

size, with Phase 2 beginning some five years

after the start of Phase 1 and then both running

concurrently from that point onwards for the

35 years of field facilities design life. The EWT

has also proven up many of the engineering

solutions and techniques to be utilised in the

development plan, such as the use of an FSO to

dehydrate the fluid.

Certainly the industry seems to be pricking up its ears with regards to the progress the company has made in transforming heavy oil resources into viable development propositions

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Founded in 1987, TITAN Containers

has developed a strong network with its

regional offices and more than 100 depot

locations in Europe to become the single largest

privately owned global supplier of shipping

and offshore containers. With a keen eye for

new opportunities, TITAN took huge risks in

investing throughout the economic crisis in

2009 and has since enjoyed an incredible rate

of growth, with pre-tax profits of more than £3

million for the 2012 fiscal year; an increase of

over 100 per cent in comparison to 2011. “In

the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 we increased the

turnover of the company by 100 per cent and

the profitability by 600 per cent,” says Layland

Barker, managing director and single shareholder

of TITAN Containers. “It was in this time period

that we also made a strategic change to place

a greater emphasis on rentals and focus on the

development of our ArcticStore brand both in

the UK and Europe.”

In 2008 the company enhanced its service

offering through the acquisition and integration

of ArcticStore, which has an emphasis on

temperature controlled and refrigerated storage

solutions. In preparation for global expansion,

the company also acquired the fleet of Container

Exchange in 2009, which was incorporated

into ArcticStore the same year; furthermore, it

acquired Boxtainer Ltd and Canons Park Sweden

in 2011 and added more containers and cold

stores to its growing fleet with the acquisition of

AB Containers in April 2012.

“Refrigeration is our specialist area and has

been for the last four to five years. We have

always been involved in refrigeration but it really

took over when we began our acquisitions in

2008; since then we have built on this service

offering and developed new specialist products

to suit both the storage market and the offshore

market,” says Layland. This strategic decision led

to approximately 42 per cent higher revenues in

2012, compared to the previous year, at almost

£35 million. The increase in income was also

due to expansion into South America, although

positive growth was seen throughout all regions

during the year.

Available in 10-foot, 20-foot and 40-foot

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proFilE titan containErs

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Seven SeaS LogiSticSSeven Seas Logistics’ global network and long-standing reputation in delivering/repositioning empty high-value containers is gaining a fast growing recognition within the oil and gas sector, for which it provides a cost-effective and reliable point-to-point delivery service of empty DNV equipment – predominantly from factory to place of demand anywhere in the world, and constantly in time-critical situations. Using its established contacts and bulk buying-power within the shipping industry, Seven Seas Logistics secures competitive pricing with many of the world’s key shipping lines; and, on request, manages trucking at each end of the sea voyage, providing a full door-to-door service.

TITAN ContainersTITANcontainers.com

ProductsContainers

throughout their working life when in use. The

company’s DNV reefer containers, available

for rental and sale, include features such as

380/440V three phase marine protected energy

efficient refrigeration with an in-built data logger

from -30C to +30C set point, anti-slip roof strips,

corner castings and top lifting pad eyes. The ten-

foot containers can be locked together to form

an ISO 20-foot formulation to ensure easy and

cost effective shipping and a quick delivery time

of two to six weeks from the factory. TITAN also

offers 20-foot DNV refrigerated containers as well

as a wide range of other DNV container types.

The world market is shrinking, with larger

players dominating all business segments,

including offshore catering, leading Layland

to comment: “We live and work in a global

economy; users (customers) are looking for

global suppliers with the same products and

services worldwide. TITAN Containers is

one of very few DNV suppliers that operates

globally. This is a useful bi-product of our

traditional business for more than 25 years

with shipping containers.”

Currently operating out of 300 locations

worldwide, the future looks positive for TITAN

Containers as it continues to consolidate its

growth strategy and develop new markets,

as Layland concludes: “France is a very new

market for us and TITAN Turkey is expected

to open next month, meanwhile India will

come on later this year. It’s a constant process of

developing the business.”

lengths, ArcticStores are a sophisticated and

user-friendly option for many short, medium

and long-term storage applications. With an

operating range from -40 degrees Celcius to

+60 degrees Celcius, subject to the machinery

fitted, the cold stores also offer power efficiency,

reduced DB emissions and low power

consumption. “As a blue-chip supplier we try to

do business with blue-chip customers. European

High Street supermarkets are big users of our

ArcticStores and SuperStores, which is due to

the sophisticated, user friendly, environmentally

friendly features they have. Our temporary

cold stores can be held round the back of a

supermarket for two weeks, two months, or

even longer than two years,” says Layland.

Operating under five brands, TITAN

Containers, ArcticStore, DNV Containers,

TITAN Self Storage and TITAN Container

Transport, the company can offer its quick and

efficient services to a diverse range of customers

on an increasing global scale. “TITAN Turkey

is opening this year and India will follow either

later this year or early next year; we have also

been working with our partners in South

America for over two years who we have a very

close relationship with,” highlights Layland.

“We have been making some big investments in

Brazil recently, around $15 million before import

duties in DNV compliant refrigerated containers,

and TITAN were one of the first to introduce

this product to Macaé. Petrobras has said a lot

of positive things about a DNV compliance

requirement, but due to the lack of availability

this regulation has been devalued.”

Due to the booming oil and gas industry in

Brazil causing logistical issues there has been a

necessity to delay full compliance, a decision that

has led to TITAN Containers taking a financial

hit, as Layland elaborates: “We are suffering a bit

at the moment because DNV is still not essential,

but we expect significant developments later in

the year when Petrobras will again try to enforce

a DNV compliance requirement for all types of

containers. Being around as long as we have, we

look at the long-term and understand the trade.”

Engineered for user safety and built for

customer satisfaction, DNV containers

require high quality materials and superior

workmanship during construction and stringent

production testing to ensure they meet DNV

2.7-1/EN 12079-1 requirements for offshore

containers. These test parameters exceed normal

operating conditions to ensure continued safety

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proFilE titan containErs

InternatIonal ConstruCtIon equIpment (ICe)The Dieseko Group is specialised in the engineering, production, rental and sales of vibratory hammers (resonance free, normal and high frequency & excavator mounted), linear vibratory hammers, pressing machines, power packs (200 – 5000 kW), vibroflots and clamp systems. ICE vibro hammers and powerpacks are manufactured in the Netherlands, developed by the people who know what it means to lay foundations in an environment, encompassing offshore and onshore and multi-layer soil situations.

AFI provides these and many other products

to over 2000 customers in the GCC region,

including renowned blue-chip names such as

Aramco, SABIC, Qatar Gas, KNPC, Arcelor

Mittal and Halliburton. Brian credits the

diversity of the product range as one of the

company’s main strengths, but also highlights

several others: “We also cover the full lifecycle

of products, so we distribute products, have

manufacturing solutions in-house and offer after-

sales services,” he said.

“We represent some of the leading brands, so

our strategy is to represent the number player in

the global market. So for example we represent

Parker Hydraulics, ASCO Pneumatics, SKF

Bearings and are an agent for DuPont.

“Another strong aspect of our business

is our focus on quality. We have been ISO

compliant for over 15 years and we have a very

strong quality team. When a customer visits

us, whether they are a local company, a multi-

national corporation or an EPC contractor, they

are always overwhelmed by our dedication to

this area.”

He added: “In the oil and gas sector this is

obviously very important. So our approach is all

about getting it right first time. This works hand-

in-hand with our technical expertise and can-do

attitude – companies know they can come to

AFI for solutions to their technical problems.”

When it comes to the oil and gas sector

specifically, AFI is a leading provider of loading

arm installations and service and overhaul work

for loading arms. “We represent Emco Wheaton

for these products and we have been winning

a number of contracts with Saudi Aramco with

KNPC in relation to loading arm overhaul,

supply and installation. Last year we did over $5

million worth of loading arm projects,” noted

Brian. “A recent addition to our product line

The full name of AFI - ‘Alaa for

Industry’ - is a perfect representation of how the

company regards its customers and operations.

“Alaa is an Arabic word which is connected

with ‘success’ and it encompasses a lot in terms

of how we serve a variety of industry sectors

with a vast range of products,” explained Brian

O’Sullivan, CEO. “Our objective is to provide

high quality, in-depth engineering solutions to

industrial companies in the GCC region, with a

strong focus on customer service.”

Founded in 1984, AFI remains a privately

owned Saudi company. “We have grown to have

1000 employees based in 18 branches across

four countries - Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait

and Qatar. We are financially a very strong

company and we have ambitious aims to grow

further over the next few years,” added Brian.

Although the range of services offered by AFI

is too vast to list here, its main activities include:

Fluid power - hydraulics, pneumatics 6

w�Design/manufacturing of hydraulic systems,

power packs, cylinders, seals and hoses

w�Supply and after-sales of components

Power transmission products – bearings, belts, 6

chain drives, electric motors, gearboxes, etc.

Capital equipment 6

w�Truck mounted equipment

w�Foundation equipment

w�Weighing & lifting products

Manufacturing of 6

w�Vacuum jetting tankers/super suckers

w�Hydraulic cylinders, power packs

w�Rubber and gasket products

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proFIlE AFI

AFIafi.com.sa

ServicesEngineering products and services for hydraulics, pneumatics, transportation, power transmission and industrial equipment

facility where we undertake the refurbishment

and repairs of products for a local company,

which is active in the oil and gas sector.

“Both of those factories will be taking up

a lot of our time this year in terms of getting

them finished, and we are also expanding our

workshops in Qatar, as well as working on ASME

certification for pressure vessel manufacture.

“It is our target to double our turnover in the

next three years and so far this year we are well

on the way to achieving that objective. I think

we are well positioned for the challenges and the

engineering opportunities that present themselves

in the oil and gas sector in the GCC and I believe

there is more potential in this market.

“Our message to any company, whether they

are in engineering, drilling or servicing, if they

are looking for an engineering or maintenance

solution or a fluid, then they should contact

AFI. We can give professional assistance, access

to a network of technical expertise available

throughout the GCC region, and offer an

exemplary standard of quality.”

up is Ingersoll Rand air and hydraulic winches,

which are used on oil platforms and refineries.”

He continued: “I think what our oil and gas

customers want is a total solution, they want

us to deliver on time, to the highest quality

standards with the correct documentation and

with proper backup and after-sales service. They

return to AFI because we can provide that level

of service and that coverage across the region.”

Brian sees this combination of strengths as

the foundation of future accomplishments. “We

want to continue to be successful in winning

contracts with large scale industrial customers

and develop expertise in new areas,” he said.

“So for example in the last three months we

have won some significant maintenance,

repair and overhaul (MRO) contracts with

international corporations.”

In 2013 AFI is also focusing on a major

expansion project, as Brian highlighted: “We

are building two new factories, to meet the

increasing demand for local manufacturing. And

in fact, one of these factories is going to be a

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Our message to any company, whether they are in engineering, drilling or servicing, if they are looking for an engineering or maintenance solution or a fluid, then they should contact AFI

http://www.cosasco.com

based maintenance and construction services,”

says Grant Wallace, business development

director at CAN Group. “We work with major

oil and gas companies, such as ConocoPhillips,

Britannia, Canadian National Resources and

Talisman; most companies have been with us

for a long time, which is important because we

want to develop long-term, transparent and open

relationships with our clients that are more like

partnerships. By delivering value for money and

added advantages by putting our customers

needs first, we benefit from returning work.”

This dedication to offering a personal

approach to customer service has led to CAN

Group developing an excellent reputation in

the oil and gas industry for consistent, high

quality service and solutions, which was

recently proven when the group won an award

from Total last year. “What attracted Total to

A Leading global provider

of engineering, integrity, inspection and

maintenance solutions to the energy industry,

CAN Group has evolved alongside the

increasing challenges of the energy sector to offer

integrated solutions to fulfill the specific needs

of clients. With an extensive platform of services

and resources that can be delivered by individual

companies, dedicated divisions, and specialist

teams across the group, CAN also has the ability

to merge these with its significant resources to

ensure reliability to clients.

“We have three main business units, the

first is ENGTEQ which specialises in integrity

and engineering consultancy followed by our

inspection business, which provides a full

range of conventional and specialist services,

and finally repair and maintenance, which is a

key part of the business and offers clients trade

qualityConsistant

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AboveENGTEQ’s £5 million state-of-the-art engineering centrehas provided its personnel with a top class facility to work from

BelowCAN’s Repair and Maintenance Business unit installing a replacement caisson underdeck

ADVANCED & TRADITIO

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• PCMS S

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Engin

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• Burie

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PRED

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(PdM):

• Vibrati

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Lube O

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Leak

and Bea

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Mistras GroupMistras Group is used to provide specialist inspection and monitoring services to CAN Group clients. Since early 2002 Mistras has been monitoring critical areas of offshore platforms using acoustic emission to identify crack initiation, often part of the platform safety case. The monitoring systems are connected real-time to Mistras Monitoring support in Cambridge, and provide a near real-time web feed for the client to view. Information from the system includes high-speed dynamic strain data, which is used to refine fatigue models and optimise lifetime estimates for the asset. Mistras also provides advanced weld inspection services on offshore structures via CAN. One project involved inspecting approximately 1000 metres of structural weld in one month using specialist scanners and crew. High productivity is also provided when corrosion mapping, the Mistras LSI systems being capable of measuring remaining wall thickness through the paint on ten to 100 square metres of steel per day.

us was the different approach we have when

working with clients,” says Grant. “We work

with our customers, rather than for them, and

Total are looking for that sort of close and open

relationship with a contractor, where we are very

much one team.”

The company was recently awarded a new

contract, valued at £15 million - £20 million,

with Centrica Energy for the provision of plant

inspection, rope access, specialist inspection

and NDT services for its East Irish Sea assets.

Starting on 1st January 2013 for a period of five

years, the contract has options to be extended

further. It is the third time CAN Group has

been awarded this contract. “This reinforces the

success of our partnership approach to working

with clients and delivering consistent, high

quality services. We understand their needs and

business objectives and support them to achieve

this,” added Innes Walker, commercial director

at CAN Group.

Headquartered in Aberdeen, with 180

office based support and engineering staff and

approximately 600 field personnel, the group

focuses on delivering consistent results through

its investment in some of the industry’s top

talent and ongoing training and development

programmes for employees, and its aim to

continue to innovate and introduce new services

and added value across its three core business

units. Innes highlights: “Our key strength is our

people. We are careful about whom we recruit

and how we train and develop them because

that is what gives us consistent results and a

high level of corporate knowledge. We also

focus on developing our three core business

units, which has led to us being a major player

in integrity management for fifteen years now.

Being privately owned we can invest in our

business and our people, a lot of whom come

into the group as graduates and stay with us

long-term because we invest and develop our

employees and provide strong career path

opportunities and progression for them within

the group.”

Earlier this year, the group invested in a state-

of-the-art 22,000 square foot, £5 million facility

in Aberdeen to house its expanding integrity

management and engineering divisions. This

part of the operation has now merged into a

dedicated business unit - ENGTEQ - and is

the evolution of services previously offered

within CAN Group over the last three decades.

Following the restructuring of the business,

ENGTEQ now has its own independent

business and management team wholly focusing

on this unit, allowing existing and prospective

customers a clearer distinction of its services.

“The ENGTEQ name gives a clearer focus on

the full range of engineering services we provide,

while also giving the integrity management

unit of the business the identity and credit it

deserves,” highlights Innes.

Offering new IT systems, first-class

office facilities and increased space, the

new engineering centre has resulted in a

positive working environment and increased

productivity. “One of the key priorities for us

is how our people benefit from this new centre

and what they get out of it,” says Innes. “With

all projects and technical resources under one

roof it is now easier for our people to work in

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aboveVendor inspection being undertaken by CAN personnel prior to equipment being deployed offshore

rightENGTEQ’s directors, from left to right, Grant Wallace,Simon Hurst, Adam Byrne and Innes Walker

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CAN Groupcangroup.netengteq.com

ServicesEngineering, inspection and maintenance

challenge in the market. Having recently been

awarded the prestigious international safety

award with merit for the fifth consecutive

year, CAN Group will continue its ongoing

commitment to corporate health and safety

standards. Looking further ahead, it anticipates

significant growth in ENGTEQ while also

becoming more active internationally.

multidisciplinary teams and transfer our cross

asset learning across our client base. It is a

centre for excellence and the biggest grouping

of integrity personnel in Aberdeen by a long

way.” Flexibility is key to ENGTEQ’s approach

to integrity management as tailored solutions

are frequently necessary for the unique

requirements of clients, which could involve

the full range of services, or a more customised

offering. “In the domestic market CAN Group

is focusing more on the consultancy and

support side of the business, providing one-off

integrity management services that our clients

require. We are seeing a lot of growth in the

integrity management and engineering area

already,” says Innes.

A recent one-off consultancy project for the

group involved a client’s vessel going into dry

dock for refurbishment work, which involved

CAN Group offering advice on steel work that

should be replaced, to ensure the ongoing

structural integrity of the vessel. “One-off

consultancy projects give us the opportunity

to apply our expertise and experience whilst

continuing to increase our own knowledgebase.

Once the project is complete the principal

engineer involved will hold a learning session

with structural engineers to discuss what

happened and why as a way to push the

experience through the company and retain it,”

highlights Innes. “We do this in a lot of areas,

not just for engineers, but it is important for our

engineers to understand that they are part of a

company and they are training to develop wider

skills and gain real knowledge and experience.”

With a focus on steady growth, the company

aims to continue offering a personal, transparent

and efficient service to its customers in 2013,

the group is also looking to resource more

skilled, high quality people, which is a major

One-off consultancy projects give us the opportunity to apply our expertise and experience whilst continuing to increase our own knowledgebase

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leftRegular Lessons Learned sessions are part of CAN and ENGTEQ’s organisational cultures

A newera

programme, which Teekay took over at the

beginning on May 2013.”

Following the final act of restructuring Sevan

has emerged into a new chapter of its life, taking

a slightly different focus and looking at new

ways in which it can expand its business and

maintain its success. “We surfaced from this as

more of an engineering, technology and project

development type business, whereas previously

we had a build, own operate type model,” says

Carl. “Teekay injected $25 million in new equity

and now owns 43 per cent of the business, and

the shareholders as well as some of the bond

holders co-invested an additional $25 million,

so at the beginning of 2012 we found ourselves

with $50 million in new equity.”

While Sevan has taken a new approach

to its business, it is important to note that

the company is still very much dedicated to

promoting the advantages of the unique concept

that made its reputation – the cylindrical hull

FPSO. This unique design offers a number

of key advantages for operators and Sevan is

confident that it can be play an important role in

a variety of oil and gas related applications in the

future. Some of the key features include:

Excellent motion characteristics with proven 6

high uptime

No need for costly turret and swivel and 6

hence significantly reduced costs

Geostationary hull, which in certain cases also 6

enables environmental friendly electricity from

shore connections

Reduced offloading risk due to less motion 6

interference with tanker

Large number of risers may be installed, and 6

possibilty to use Steel Catenary Risers where

applicable

Flexible and cost effective construction 6

methodology

As part of its new business model, Sevan is

looking to find alternative areas of application

where the cylindrical hull can be used. In fact,

after the restructuring process the company had

two partly completed hulls at one of COSCO’s

yards in China. “As part of the process we were

looking for new projects for the two partly

completed hulls,” Carl comments. “Whilst we

were primarily targeting FPSO projects we were

open to new opportunities in other areas. As we

have been unable to find suitable FPSO projects

we have entered into an agreement for the first

of these hulls to be completed by COSCO as

Since Sevan Marine last featured

in European Oil and Gas Magazine in 2011

the business has undergone a demanding,

and somewhat extensive restructuring

programme. In May this year the final step of

this restructuring was completed, which means

that Sevan Marine is now set to start a new era

focused on technology, engineering and project

development within the FPSO market sector,

without its previous direct ownership and

operation of assets.

Carl Lieungh, who is CEO at the business,

recently expanded on the restructuring of

Sevan: “I took the position as CEO on 1st May

2011, so basically I’ve been at the business

throughout this changing period of restructure.

Sevan had for some time been experiencing

financial difficulties, which prompted the

resulting discussions with our creditors and

bond holders, as well as with Teekay, who had

expressed interest in our FPSO assets. Later that

year we received an offer from Teekay that was

acceptable to all parties and would involve them

acquiring all of our FPSOs, and that ultimately

became the restructuring solution for taking

Sevan forward.

“This process of selling off our assets

essentially alleviated us of more than $1 billion

in debt from our balance sheet,” he continued.

“The final piece of this restructuring

programme took place recently with the

finalisation of the Voyageur FPSO upgrade

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Sevan Marinesevanmarine.com

ServicesTechnology, engineering and project development

equipment packages for the topside market.

“It is important to note that while our

business model may have changed, our key

concept is to focus on feasibility, concept and

FEED studies in order to operate as a successful

technology and project developer. In doing so

we will continue to build up and reinforce the

engineering part of our business even further.”

Looking ahead, having successfully

restructured its business Sevan is on the verge

of an exciting new period. While its approach

may have changed, the core attributes of

the company remain the same – namely its

dedication to providing the best possible

standards of technology and quality, and

providing the market with its unique, innovative

designs. “I think that considering the underlying

trends, and the general market condition at

present, the future looks very good for us,” says

Carl. “Our aim is to secure one new project each

year for the foreseeable future, and certainly over

the next three to five years we believe that the

outlook is both positive and promising.”

an accommodation unit for a company called

Logitel. So, ultimately both units will become

accommodation vessels, or floatels, that will be

operated by Logitel and we are looking to have

the first project completed within 24 months.

We believe that the cylindrical hull will have

several advantages compared to existing semi-

submersible units, like high stability reserves

and variable deck load capacity as well as large

storage capacity for fuel and other liquids,

which we believe future clients will appreciate.”

As well as searching for new application

areas for its design, Sevan has other areas

of focus for the future. “Our strategy has

three main pillars, of which investigating

new applications for our design is one,” Carl

confirms. “Another major focus is to continue

to develop FPSO projects along a two-pronged

approach of working with Teekay for more

niche projects and dealing directly with the

end client in other instances. The third part

of our strategy is to develop our subsidiary,

KANFA Group, which specialises in process

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The Port of Frederikshavn,

known as Frederikshavn Havn, is the leading

commercial port in Denmark that primarily

functions as a service centre for trade and

industry in Frederikshavn and Northern Jutland.

Frederikshavn Havn has a modern and efficient

infrastructure and logistically it is ideally placed

to give port users and customers easy access to

the European motorway and railway networks.

Frederikshavn Havn represents a

multifunctional port with operations that include

tourism and ferry traffic, bulk cargo handling,

oil and gas, cruise, environmental and recycling,

and ship repair. The port is the most important

and largest ferry port connecting continental

Europe with the Scandinavian Penninsula, and

is the starting point for ferry traffic to Sweden

(Gothenburg) and Norway (Oslo) – and to the

Danish islands of Laesoe and Hirsholmene.

Accordingly, Frederikshavn Havn maintains a

very high frequency of ferry traffic – up to 15

daily departures to Sweden and Norway, with

an annual volume of more than 2.5 million

passengers, 0.5 million passenger cars, and

approximately three million tonnes of goods.

For Ro-Ro traffic Frederikshavn Havn

currently has three dedicated Ro-Ro berths,

havenone railway berth with Ro-Ro facilities and five

ferry berths, one of which is equipped with

link-span. Each of these berths features the latest

technology and to ensure the highest levels of

efficiency each has a dedicated marshalling area

with direct connection to the berths. Of course,

the location of Frederikshavn Havn means that

it is not only ideal for heavier ferry and Ro-Ro

traffic, but is also popular for cruise and day

trip operators. Using the port as a starting point,

cruise companies can operate vessels up to 220

metres length to provide excursions around the

local area.

Whilst ferry services have historically been

the core business of Frederikshavn Havn, over

the last few years the port has increasingly

looked to diversify its activities. Among the

many alternative operations it has commenced,

bulk cargo activity has been a key growth

area. In this particular field the port’s activities

include the handling and discharge of a wide

range of building and road construction

materials such as crushed stone, gravel and

sand, and the export of recycling materials. The

port has been active in this field since 2000,

with cargo activities increasing by 75 per cent

since that time. Alongside bulk, Frederikshavn

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ServicesCommercial port

Havn also handles general cargo and has the

equipment and capabilities to receive all types

of ships in this sector. As well as a number of

warehouses for goods storage, the port can also

provide all of the required equipment needed to

handle such goods.

Being situated near to the North Sea means

that Frederikshavn Havn also has an active

role in the oil and gas sector, where the

port houses a range of storage facilities for

petrochemical products. At the site, Samtank AS

operates a tank farm that handles the storage

and distribution of oil for its shareholders,

Uno-X and OK. In relation to these activities

Frederikshavn Havn provides project cargo

handling services, whereby it has the facilities to

handle complex project cargo with heavy lift or

special requirements.

Frederikshavn Havn is able to offer such a full

spectrum of services largely due to its experience

and knowledge of the maritime industry. The

city of Frederikshavn has a long tradition

within the shipbuilding industry, meaning that

Frederikshavn Havn is dedicated to carrying

on this reputation. In order to ensure that this

background, and the accompanying network of

local businesses and suppliers, remains strong,

the Maritime Network Frederikshavn was

formed in 2005. This is an organisation for the

large majority of maritime service companies

that work in or near the port and functions as an

umbrella for these businesses to promote quality,

flexibility, efficiency and safety in the local

maritime industry.

Of course, housing such a large network of

companies means that Frederikshavn Havn

haven

follows an active development and expansion

programme in order to ensure that the port

can handle the continued business that is

being generated. As part of this, in 2013

Frederikshavn Havn is implementing a large

expansion programme at the port, which will be

overseen by Danish engineering specialist Cowi.

Costing around half a billion Danish Kroner, the

programme is designed to accommodate a wider

range of business opportunities for the port and

the local business community. The expansion itself

will include an extension of the port entry from

the current width of 93 metres to 150 metres and

an increase of the water depth from the present

eight metres to a minimum of 12 metres.

After the expansion Frederikshavn Havn will

have the capacity to handle larger ships and

increased levels of traffic, giving it excellent

potential for future growth. With business in all

of its key areas continuing to look strong there is

little doubt that the port will continue to play a

vital role in the Danish maritime sector for many

years to come.

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Being situated near to the North Sea means that Frederikshavn Havn also has an active role in the oil and gas sector, where the port houses a range of storage facilities for petrochemical products

Leading manufacturer of

American Society for Testing and Materials

(ASTM) approved online physical property

analysers for the world’s major refining

firms in the oil and gas markets, Analytical

Technology & Control Ltd (ATAC) also designs

and manufactures a wide range of bespoke

analyser systems, such as analyser cabinets,

field houses, sample conditioning systems and

sample recovery units. Established in 1993, the

Wiltshire based company enhanced its service

offering and system integration capabilities

with the acquisition of Sysco Analytics in 2002;

Advanced Holdings, a Singapore based leading

global supplier of equipment and products to

customers in the energy industries, acquired

ATAC eight years later in 2010. “Through

acquiring the assets of Sysco we gained two

established brands, Hallikainen and Hone, which

have both been synonymous with physical

property analysers since the 1960s,” says Daniel

Merriman, sales and marketing director at ATAC.

“Meanwhile, the synergistic acquisition of ATAC

by Advanced Holdings has led to us working

with two other divisions, California based

Guided Wave, which manufactures NIR & UV/

VIS analysers for the petroleum and chemical

industries, and Advanced CAE, a larger scale

system integration firm that is able to execute

turnkey packages to the oil and gas industry.”

The acquisition of ATAC has resulted in

the company gaining a unique position in

the market as it now has the facilities to offer

turnkey analyser packages to its customers on

top of its core business; these packages include

equipment such as sample systems and analyser

houses. “This extended capability results in a

greater added value to our customers,” enthuses

Daniel. “Being part of the Advanced Group also

gives us the opportunity to develop new product

lines and also update various other systems

in our product range for release. The recent

acquisition of ATOM Instruments is an example

of this, by gaining access to the company’s

advanced technology, we can create new and

exciting products for the petrochemical and

refining industries.”

A recent new product, the ATAC 1077

viscometer+, was added to the company’s

portfolio of online physical property analysers

in January 2013. Setting the standard for

viscometers, the product incorporates a unique

responsive touch screen that has a Zone 1

IIC rating without the need for purge air. Its

modular control assemblies are all plug and

play, communicating through an internal CAN-

bus that offers immediate and comprehensive

diagnostic capability. Furthermore, the optional

addition of a second oil bath to the viscometer+

enables measurement of viscosity at two different

reference temperatures, providing a very precise

Viscosity Index in accordance with the ASTM

strandard. “Through the development of our

new viscometer, particularly with its unique

touch screen capabilities, we have effectively

developed a new common platform for our other

products. Over the next two years we will be

launching new versions of our analysers, which

will boast innovative electronics, touch screen

and software,” says Daniel.

With increased demand expected, the

company is busy expanding its R&D facilities,

as managing director Paul Warburton

highlights: “We currently have a very active

R&D programme, which has led to an increase

in personnel to be a part of these exciting

developments. We are also in the process of

expanding our R&D facilities here, with two

more rooms being constructed. Advanced

Holdings is also supporting us financially during

Centre of

PROFILE AnALytIcAL tEchnOLOgy & cOntROL (AtAc)

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Analytical Technology & Control Ltd (ATAC)atacgroup.com

ServicesManufactures online physical property analysers

other firms. “When we present these credentials

to our customers, we prove that we are

competent, trained and certified to any current

regulations that are in place at any refineries

around the world,” adds Paul.

Following the acquisition of ATOM in 2013,

the company is focusing on the aggressive

schedules it has in place to develop new

products throughout the rest of the year. It is

also executing a major new project to supply

multiple analyser systems for the BP Claire

Ridge offshore platforms. Looking further

ahead, ATAC has a strategic aim to double the

size of its business over the next three to five

years through increased product developments

and acquisitions. “We are also looking to

develop a presence in areas that we may not

have had much focus on in the past, such as

the Americas, and being part of the Advanced

Group gives us immediate access to China

and the wider Asia Pacific territories, there is a

great deal of economic growth and potential,”

concludes Paul.this process as it views ATAC as a centre of

excellence for research and development.”

Following the recently launched viscometer+,

the company is also due to release a new and

enhanced version of its cloud point analyser.

As well as having a more rugged measurement

cell, the new analyser utilises digital rather than

the earlier analogue control to significantly

improve the precision of cloud point detection.

The new version cloud point analyser is also

capable of switching between very different

petroleum products without the need for

operator intervention. ATAC has also introduced

hardware improvements that have reduced

the product’s maintenance requirements. “The

introduction of our newly upgraded physical

property analysers is a major focus for us right

now; a new vapour pressure analyser is also due

to be released soon,” says Daniel.

On top of manufacturing, the company

offers maintenance, training, commissioning

and consulting services to its customers, so it is

imperative staff are fully trained and prepared for

working in hazardous areas, as Paul elaborates:

“We invest a lot in the training of personnel,

particularly when you consider everything we

do is related to hazardous operations, we need

to ensure our staff not only design and build

analysers, but can also offer high quality services

such as maintenance to the required standards

of the industry.” By rigorously training its staff

to be fully qualified with up-to-date credentials,

the company can retain a competitive edge over

AEG PowEr SolutionSAEG Power Solutions was delighted to be chosen to work with Blackburn-Starling to provide the Shell DEP approved D.C. Chargers and battery systems for the Shell Bacton Rejuvenation project.

With a trading history of more

than 140 years and extensive experience

in supplying LV products such as power

distribution, motor control centres, package sub-

stations, control & instrument panels, as well

as providing fully integrated SCADA/PLC/HMI

control systems to a diverse range of industry

sectors, Blackburn Starling has evolved into a

global supplier with an unrivalled reputation for

technical excellence and product innovation.

“Blackburn Starling was founded in the

1870’s and started out as a small manufacturing

company with a production unit on London

Road in the centre of Nottingham. Today we

have a 4.5 acre purpose built site situated on

the outskirts of the city with full in-house

facilities to cover all aspects of metal fabrication,

design, manufacture and automated control

systems”, explains David Whelan, technical

director at Blackburn Starling. “We also have

an experienced team of fully trained personnel

enabling us to routinely offer complimentary

services such as site surveys (onshore/

offshore), project management, installation,

commissioning, maintenance, service contracts

and training. Since the year 2000 we have

diversified our markets with the oil and gas

industry one of our main growth areas.”

Blackburn Starling offers a comprehensive

range of fully type tested standard built products,

utilising proven technology. The company has

total in-house manufacturing facilities which

solutionsallows flexibility and gives Blackburn Starling

the capability to manufacture custom built

solutions, tailor-made to satisfy the specific

and unique needs of individual customer

requirements. By designing, manufacturing and

supporting bespoke control systems that are

intelligent, reliable, robust, delivered on schedule

and offer proven performance, Blackburn

Starling guarantees its customers total control.

“We offer a wide range of products including

fixed and withdrawable equipment, conventional

and intelligent options, fault ratings up to 100kA

for one second and ingress ratings up to IP54,

all in accordance with our ISO9001 quality

assurance accreditation and the latest European

Standards,” highlights David. “Our products are

fully compliant with the associated specifications

that are required throughout the oil and gas

sector. We keep fully up to date with the latest

standards and operate an ongoing testing policy

which keeps us at the forefront of our field.”

With customer demands in control

applications becoming increasingly sophisticated

and complex and the need for more

management information at all strategic levels,

Blackburn Starling offers a totally integrated

solution from plant sensor throughout to

high level management information systems.

Specialising in programming a wide range

of SCADA / HMI/ PLC control systems, the

company is a Systems Integrator Partner for

Siemens, Rockwell, Mitsubishi and many others.

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proFilE BlackBurn starling

Blackburn Starling & Company Limitedblackburn-starling.co.uk

ServicesDesign, manufacture, test, installation, commis-sioning, maintenance and training – LV electrical control systems

in inspections and repairs that could potentially

extend the life cycle of the rig for a further 20

to 30 years. “This increasing demand for our

services is related to the life extensions of oil

rigs, for example, the customer may have a new

gas compressor fitted on to the platform and

may require us to build the new switchboard in

the existing footprint,” says David. “Our success

in securing major contracts of this nature is

greatly attributed to our flexibility and ability to

manufacture tailor made LV panels to the latest

standards. Being able to assure the customer

that we can guarantee required delivery dates

allows them to plan operation shutdowns with

minimum downtime confidently.”

The company is looking to increase its profile

in the oil and gas market to ensure future growth

and success. “We are a very customer oriented

company and we would like to continue to

secure the business at this level to build on the

successful foundations we have already achieved.

We believe we have the potential for a significant

amount of growth in this area, which we can

achieve without losing our level of customer

focus,” concludes David.

Following years of dedication to excellent

customer service and innovation, Blackburn

Starling has gained an enviable reputation

across the globe in a variety of industry sectors

including oil and gas, water and sewage, power

generation, telecommunications, chemical, rail

and transportation. Already well established

within the oil and gas market, this sector has

been the company’s primary growth area in the

past 15 years. “Our greatest strength is that we

are an independent manufacturer that is large

enough to cope with demand but still small

enough to personally care about each and every

one of our valued customers,” explains David.

“Everything that we manufacture is produced in

our spacious and modern 6500m2 production

facility and although we are not tied to any

third parties for supply equipment, we do

source predominantly from major international

suppliers, for which spares and support is

available worldwide. This gives us the flexibility

to offer the best technical solution at competitive

prices to satisfy our clients’ needs.”

Presently working in the oil and gas market

with major companies such as Amec, Wood

Group Engineering, Shell UK, BP, CNR

International, GDF Suez and many others,

Blackburn Starling has a multi-million pound

portfolio of offshore projects. “We work with

the major players in the oil and gas industry

undertaking projects as small as offshore site

surveys to major multi-million pound overseas

installations. To achieve a customer’s programme

requirements we have even chartered a Boeing

747 to deliver equipment to a major oil company

in the Middle East region,” explains David.

“We have a team of experienced installation

and commissioning engineers who are MIST &

BOSIET accredited and available for mobilisation

when required by our customers.”

Blackburn Starling believes that the increase

in refurbishment projects for the company is due

to the growing need to extend the life of already

standing oil rigs in/close to reservoirs that still

contain significant amounts of oil. These rigs

are needed for the drilling of oil in previously

thought to be depleted areas, which has resulted

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In what appeared to be a complete

departure for the business after 28 years of

shipbuilding, in 1974 Apply Leirvik shifted its

focus over to the development of living quarter

modules for offshore platforms. Almost 40

years on this has proved to be a shrewd move,

particularly in light of the recent struggles of

the shipping sector compared with the more

buoyant oil and gas industry.

The company quickly established a reputation

for its uncompromising quality, and know-how

through the delivery of several living quarter

and utility modules throughout the 1980s

and 1990s. This includes the landmark Snorre

living quarters project, which at the time was

the largest aluminium structure ever built for

the offshore industry. It also formed the basis

for Apply Leirvik’s research and development

programme surrounding the use of aluminium

in offshore modules.

Today Apply Leirvik is the leading EPC

contractor for offshore living quarters

encompassing everything from engineering

and fabrication to assembly and installation.

Having historically concentrated on the North

Sea, when it comes to oil and gas applications

the company has arguably delivered more living

quarter modules into this region than all its

competitors put together. In fact the first ever

accommodation module delivered by Apply

Leirvik over 35 years ago is still in use today on

Statoil’s Statfjord A asset.

Of course, in the years that have followed the

requirements for offshore living quarters have

moved on significantly as managing director

Lars Solberg attests: “The standard of living has

continuously improved in terms of things like

noise reduction, safety, evacuation systems, and

Opex requirements. Living quarters today are

more sophisticated than they were even ten years

ago, and as Apply Leirvik we are known for our

quality high-end solutions. This is the reason

why our clients continue to come back to us for

their offshore living quarter needs.

“Whilst there are many companies that make

living quarters this is often as one of many other

activities. At Apply Leirvik we have one focus

only, which is living quarter modules, covering

all aspects from initial studies and FEED to

engineering and fabrication. This means that we

have developed a unique competence that none

of our competitors have,” he continues.

Furthermore in 2011 Apply Leirvik acquired a

50 per cent stake in Singapore-based Aluminium

Offshore, which is the world’s leading provider of

aluminium helicopter decks. This has given the

business another means of differentiating itself

in the market by offering integrated solutions

in living quarter modules and helicopter decks.

“Whilst we sell both steel and aluminium

quarters, we believe that the latter have some

particularly outstanding features compared

to steel,” notes Lars. “As with our aluminium

helicopter decks, they offer both weight savings

and low maintenance, and are better for usage

in cold climates so we believe there will be a

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proFIlE apply lEIrvIk

BelowLars Solberg, managing director of Apply Leirvik

Karmøy Trading Karmøy Trading has been supplying Apply Leirvik furniture in its projects since 1998, such as: cabin, fixed, loose, office, hospital, lab furniture, and furniture and shelves for storages and workshops.

Apply Leirvikapplyleirvik.no

ProductsOffshore living quarters

Therefore we will probably look to form other

partnerships and joint ventures so that we can

meet that content requirement,” he adds.

Back in its long established market of

the North Sea, Apply Leirvik has also been

successful in securing a number of project

awards on the UK and Norwegian Continental

Shelves. “In total we have around 2.6 billion

NOK of orders lined up, which is an all time

high,” highlights Lars. “Our most recent delivery

was the living quarters for the Gudrun platform

for Statoil. We had very good feedback regarding

this project due to its on time delivery and high

quality, and were even nominated for Statoil’s

HSE prize because of our excellent results on

that front.

“The analyses that we’ve seen from specialists

working on global oil and gas trends suggests

that there is going to be ongoing growth of

between three and five per cent in the market

until at least 2019. When we look at the

individual projects coming up this seems to

confirm that predication so we see a stable and

growing market in the next five years.

“At present we’re focusing on bidding for five

major upcoming projects including the Johan

Sverdrup and Johan Castberg developments

in Norway, as well as others in the UK and the

Caspian Sea. Some of these will be awarded in

2014 but this process has already begun so we

are hoping to see some success in these as well.

We are seeing a mixture of works in both mature

areas where discoveries are still being made,

and emerging markets within more challenging

locations which increases the requirements

towards living quarters,” he concludes.

growing market for aluminium living quarters.

Last year we sold 40 helicopter decks, and we

expect to surpass that figure for this year.”

Switching his focus to what has been

happening more recently in the business Lars

describes how Apply Leirvik has increased

its global penetration: “We have established

ourselves in both Canada and Houston, partially

as a result of our award of the contract to supply

living quarters to ExxonMobil’s Hebron field

in offshore New Foundland. Whilst this is a

standard modularised living quarter concept,

because of New Foundland regulations regarding

local content we have had to change our method

of working. Typically we fabricate modules at

one of our factories and then ship them for

assembly at the client’s location, but for this

project we have established a joint venture with

a local partner NECL to carry out the work.

“We believe that joint venture working will be

an ongoing trend as there are several other key

markets such as Brazil and parts of Asia where

the requirement for local content increases.

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Having historically concentrated on the North Sea, when it comes to oil and gas applications the company has arguably delivered more living quarter modules into this region than all its competitors put together. In fact the first ever accommodation module delivered by Apply Leirvik over 35 years ago is still in use today on Statoil’s Statfjord A asset

f r o m e x p l o r a t i o n t o e n d u s e r

Schofield Publishing Ltd10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU

T: +44 (0) 1603 274130 F: +44 (0) 1603 274131

editor Matt High mhigh@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

sales manager Rob Wagner r wagner@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

europeanoi landgas.co.uk

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