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oil&gasf r o m e x p l o r a t i o n t o e n d u s e r
europeanis
sue
102
Fin
aL
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Critical communicationsKey considerations when installing radio and communications systems
ready, set, gouK shale gas projects can learn a lot from work ongoing in the us
Carbon capture and storage technology will be vital for meeting emissions targets
futureCapturing the
this issUE: Achieving best practice in safety
The global use of fossil fuels is
continuing to rise, and with that comes the inevitable increase in
environmentally unfriendly CO2 emissions. The method in which
we can continue to meet growing energy demand while ensuring
that we, as an industry, do all we can to minimise our impact on the
environment will become a key priority in the future.
Considering this point, in this issue we were fortunate to speak
with Frank Ellingsen and Vegar Stokset from Technology Centre
Mongstad (TCM), the world’s largest facility for testing and
improving carbon capture and storage technologies (CCS).
“Environmental issues are going to continue to be high on the
agenda for all in the years to come and there is little doubt that it
will be of huge benefit for the gas industry to be prepared to, and
able to, implement CCS technology as soon as it is needed,” they
explain from page four.
Of course, at present the development work that is ongoing at
TCM is very much in its embryonic stages, particularly when
there are challenging political hurdles that need to be overcome.
Whatever the obstacles, there is no doubt that the facility will play
an enormous role in the future of environmentally friendly E&P. In
fact, it is estimated that by 2050 CCS could reduce CO2 emissions
by 0.6 billion tonnes in the EU and by nine to 16 billion tonnes
worldwide. Figures this enormous can’t be ignored.
“In fact, it is estimated that by 2050 CCS could reduce CO2 emissions by 0.6 billion tonnes in the EU and by nine to 16 billion tonnes worldwideeditors Libbie Hammond & maTT HigH
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In fact, it is estimated that by 2050 CCS could reduce CO2 emissions by 0.6 billion tonnes in the EU and by nine to 16 billion tonnes worldwide
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 [email protected] matt [email protected] staff Writers Kirsty birkett-StubbsJo Cooperdrew dann editorial Administrator emma Harris
Art editor gérard Roadley-battinAdvertising design Jenni newmanProduction Manager Fleur ConwayProduction AdministratorVicky Howes
sales director david garnerCorporate Advertising sales david [email protected] 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
Profiles
Regulars
4 Lead feature Carbon capture and storage technology will play a vital role in the future
8 IT Supporting E&P operations with IT is becoming essential for operators
10 News A look at some of the recent developments within the oil and gas industry
12 Lead feature Discovering what UK shale gas projects can learn from developments in the US 16 HSE The importance of ensuring best safety practices across an entire workforce 18 Technology Key considerations for installing and maintaining radio and communication systems
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20 Herkules Capital focus
22 PCT aS
24 Bandak group
27 OFFSHORE EUROPE 2013
32 SPX
34 International Naval Works
37 Ramnäs Bruk
41 Bibby Maritime
43 EAB Engineering
47 Tulip Oil
49 Cyprus National Hydrocarbons Company
52 Palfinger Ned-Deck/Fast RSQ
55 Floatel International
58 Dafo Fomtec
61 Dale Power Solutions
65 Det norske oljeselskap
68 Boskalis International
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12
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49
32
103 Howden
110 Duiker Combustion Engineers
112 Hayward Tyler
115 VSMC
122 ADES
125 Technip Benelux
127 Sanco Shipping
131 Kongsberg Maritime
136 Francis Brown
139 PV Drilling
145 Seatrax
148 PBU (UK)
151 Oil States Skagit Smatco
155 Ocean Installer
160 VerdErg Connectors
162 Fugro Survey (Middle East)
164 Vest Kran
167 IHC Motion Control
70 Skude Industri
73 Forsyths
77 ATPC
79 GPT
82 Seagull Marine
84 Deep Sea Mooring
86 CAPE Holland Group
88 Parsons Peebles Generation
90 Gulfsands Petroleum
92 Offshore Energy 2013 - Conbit
94 Breman Machinery
96 Gulf Petrochem
99 Coek Engineering
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20
Contents
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49
32
103
he global use of fossil fuels is continuing
to rise, with over 80 per cent of worldwide
energy originating from oil, gas and coal.
The use of fossil fuels to make energy
produces environmentally unfriendly CO2
emissions, which are becoming a key concern for producers
and governments worldwide, particularly in light of the two
degree limit in global warming targets for 2050 that was
set at COP 16. In light of these emissions targets energy
companies are recognising the importance of safeguarding
future projects, as well as committing to minimising their
impact on the environment by addressing methods of
reducing or limiting their CO2 emissions.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) will be one of the
most important tools in reducing CO2 emissions in the
coming years, with some estimating that the technology
could be responsible for as much as one fifth of the world’s
total carbon reduction by 2050. CCS represents the only
way to effectively decarbonise our gas supply as it can
effectively capture up to 90 per cent of CO2 emissions
from gas power plants and heavy industry. In fact, it is
estimated that by 2050 CCS could reduce CO2 emissions
by 0.6 to 1.7 billion tonnes in the EU and by nine to 16
billion tonnes worldwide.
As a consequence, investment and development in the
technology behind CCS remains critical, with many of the
major companies such as Shell, Chevron and ExxonMobil
investing in CCS projects. One of the most important sites
in the world for such developments is Technology Centre
Mongstad (TCM) in Norway. TCM is the largest test facility
in the world for CCS, where vendors can test and prove
technological developments and bring CCS solutions to life
under conditions that can replicate real-life gas and coal
power plants. European Oil and Gas recently spoke with
Frank Ellingsen, managing director, and Vegar Stokset, head
of communications, to find out more about the importance
of CCS and the work being carried out by TCM.
“TCM was established on the basis of a policy decision
T
As the use of fossil fuels continues to grow, cArbon cApture And storAge technology will plAy A VitAl role in meeting emissions tArgets
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futurecapturing the
Lead one
This risk reduction has been well demonstrated by TCM
during the first year of testing, as Vegar highlighted: “In
the first 12 months we’ve been operating two test units,
both with very high uptime, and vigorously measuring
and monitoring the environmental emissions coming
out of the plant. Importantly, we have demonstrated that
the environmental effects of what is being released in
our emissions, in terms of amine, is insignificant to the
environment so it’s an excellent result.
“TCM has also been invaluable in a number of other
areas related to CCS development. For example, we’ve
been able to address the materials side of establishing test
units and CCS plants, discovering improvements and
innovations that can be made on the components side of
the test units, which will be particularly important for the
future development of CCS. This has been an area in which
we’ve made considerable progress, and we see it being very
important for the reduction of both technical and financial
risks for operators. TCM has also allowed us to identify
in Norway, where it was decided to not use gas for power
generation without incorporating CCS technology,” Frank
explained. “Today TCM has four owners; the Norwegian
Government, with 75 per cent of the shares, Statoil, which
has 20 per cent, and Shell and Sasol, each with 2.5 per
cent. We are located next to a refinery, as well as a heat
and power production unit, which means that we have
available gas that contains 13 per cent CO2 and gas that
contains approximately 3.5 per cent CO2 so that we can
simulate both coal-fired and gas-fired power stations,
which is very important.”
As Frank explained, having such comprehensive facilities
on-site means that TCM is able to offer state-of-the-art testing
for CCS technologies: “We have been operating the test
facility for one year now with much success. The key issues
and factors that we address are to reduce the environmental
risks, reduce financial risks, and reduce the technical risks
of implementing CCS - essentially, risk reduction across the
spectrum is the mantra of TCM.”
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As Frank rightly highlighted, CCS is still a growing
sector and for this reason TCM’s development work is
important in a number of ways. Not only is the facility
vital in proving the value of CCS, but also the outcome of
the testing is highly important in encouraging industry and
governments to become more proactive. “If you look at the
coming years, CCS will prove to be a very important tool
to maintain and safeguard the rapidly growing gas power
industry,” Vegar commented.
“It is already very important that we look into ways of
protecting the environment, but one of the big problems at
the moment is that the politicians have not applied strict
enough regulations on carbon emissions. As a result it is
probable that we are not likely to reach the two degrees
targets that have been set. For our part, we are working as
hard as we can so that the technology will be ready any time
that the politicians begin to tighten the regulations or put
a higher price on carbon, that way there can never be the
excuse that the technology isn’t ready.
“It is important to add however that while more could
be done, it is highly encouraging to see some of the major
energy companies worldwide involved in developing CCS
and with the wider carbon debate,” he continued. “Shell for
example, is taking a very proactive role in bringing important
visitors to TCM to see the work that we are doing, in sending
its teams from other projects around the world in order
to share knowledge with us, and in generally positioning
itself alongside an industry that it sees will be important
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building and construction principles that are commonly
used in the industry and which will be applicable to the
development of plants such as here in Mongstad, while
allowing operation within the acceptable limits. Other areas
that we are continuing to address include examining our
flue gas output to understand and eventually minimise
the environmental risks, as well as looking into key issues
around waste production.”
The work being carried out at TCM by the various
vendors testing their technology is essential for the future
of the energy industry, gas projects in particular. As
Frank explained, TCM was established as a direct result
of encouraging gas power use accompanied by CCS. As
this industry develops those at TCM are certain that CCS
will continue to become invaluable. “If you look at the
market today and the volumes of production, then CCS is
insignificant,” he said. “However, environmental issues are
going to continue to be high on the agenda for all in the
years to come and there is little doubt that it will be of huge
benefit for the gas industry to be prepared to, and able to,
implement CCS technology as soon as it is needed. That’s
why the work that we are doing at TCM is so important.
Looking at it right now it is fair to say that it is still a
fledgling industry, so what we are doing at Mongstad is really
forming an embryo of knowledge for that future industrial
cluster. This is being done through collaboration between
vendors, the supply and construction industries, and
academia and so on.”
The work being carried out at TCM by the various vendors testing their technology is essential for the future of the energy industry, gas projects in particular
Technology cenTre MongsTad adFrank Ellingsen is managing director and Vegar Stokset is head of communications at Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM), the world’s largest facility for testing and improving CO2 capture technologies, and a vital part of the CCS value chain.
For further information please visit:tcmda.com
Lead one
in the future. Again, it’s all about preparing so that we can
implement the technology as soon as it is needed.”
While the onus may still be on governments to take a
more proactive role in the carbon emissions issue, there
is a general spirit of collaboration in the industry that is
gaining significant momentum. “This really is a global
challenge in terms of the climate issue and it will take a
global effort and global collaboration to progress as quickly
as is needed, especially when there are so few projects
that are actually being developed,” Frank confirmed.
“For example, across Europe we have seen many similar
projects stall because of the financial crisis, although the
UK is in a leading position at present with the Peterhead
development, which we have a link to due to the
involvement of Shell. Elsewhere there are some full-scale
projects in development in Canada, the US, China and
Korea as well, all of which will be valuable to us in terms
of the sharing of knowledge and experience.”
Indeed, if the world’s use of fossil fuels continues to grow
as predicted in the future then collaboration, the sharing
of knowledge and the continued development of CCS and
other technologies will be vital. Over the coming years
TCM will continue to be at the forefront of developments
in the field as its testing programme draws to a close. “We
have a number of ongoing programmes now that will be
finalised during 2014, as well as further interest from major
companies for the use of the facilities in the future so we
believe that TCM will continue to play a leading role, and
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that a lot of projects will be executed here in the years to
come. The major companies have the ambition to be in
this market and so there are a lot of signs that something
significant will happen,” said Frank.
“The basic problem at present is that it is too cheap to
emit CO2 as there is little regulation and no real push in the
industry,” added Vegar. “The only full-scale projects going
ahead today are the ones that have a commercial driver, so
where the CO2 can be sold for enhanced oil recovery or
other applications. Ultimately I think that the politicians
should be bolder and attempt to put a higher price on CO2
emissions and then we’ll see the need for more projects start
to emerge. Naturally we hope that will happen as soon as
possible - the sooner the better for both the industry and
the environment - but whenever it does, thanks to the work
being carried out at TCM and other similar projects, the
technology will be available as soon as it is needed.”
means of communication with the rest of the organisation
and access to data, which can be provided at the most basic
level with email and an Internet connection. Instead, IT
tools should be focused on giving geoscientists the right
information that is accessible in the right way, in order
to make their jobs as productive as possible. Intelligently
storing, accessing, combining and analysing information on
geological formations, previous yields and other exploration
when possible - in ways that fit with geoscientists’ working
best practices - can make the difference between success and
failure. Armed with this access to information geoscientists
can, for example, investigate existing geological records and
other data in order to perform risk assessments and decide
which areas have the potential to hold new finds before ever
leaving the office.
Digging into the dataWhile the amount of information and functionality that
an IT tool can provide is important, what is most crucial
is that it suits the way in which geoscientists work. From
email to exploration tools; if a tool has all the information
and capabilities ever needed, yet demands that geoscientists
learn new skills and adopt inefficient workflows to use
it, the costs may well outweigh the benefits. This is even
truer of tools that require a separate level of skilled users to
actually work on the software and then feed their findings
down to geoscientists and other workers: meaning extra
layers of complexity with information being kept out of the
hands of those who can make best use of it. The Internet
has significantly increased the pace of business, with deals
sometimes needing to be done in days not weeks and
he new exploration economyIn an environment of limited resources
and increased competition, companies are
turning to three broad options to ensure
they have the best chance of making
discoveries. First, re-visiting existing ‘brownfield’ sites to
ensure they have extracted all possible value using the latest
technology for identification and extraction of reserves.
Second, venturing into previously unexplored or inaccessible
areas such as the Arctic or deepwater. And third, making
greater use of unconventional resources that previously were
not worth the cost of extraction or could not be reliably
extracted and refined. Combined, this is resulting in a
technological arms race; with all companies trying to make
sure they are operating as efficiently as possible at all points
in the value chain in order to produce results.
The uses of technology‘Back-office’ IT plays a central role in supporting companies
throughout the production and refinement of resources. For
example, by identifying those locations with the highest
yield, calculating supply chains to ensure resources are
delivered to the right locations in the most efficient manner
and monitoring refinement processes to ensure that waste
is kept to a minimum. In particular, the greatest value of
‘back-office’ technology comes at the very earliest stages
of exploration. Being able to swiftly identify and analyse
potential new resource finds is crucial to any long-term
success, therefore an investment in the correct IT tools at this
stage can reap huge rewards.
This goes far beyond giving exploration geoscientists a
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TFriso VEEnsTra discusses the importance of supporting oil and gas exploration with it
supportstrong
ELSEVIERFriso Veenstra is director of market development at Elsevier, a world-leading provider of science and health information serving more than 30 million scientists, students and health and information professionals worldwide. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company employs more than 7000 people in 24 countries worldwide
For further information please visit:elsevier.com
IT
geoscientists having to respond accordingly. The good news
is using the right technology means that instead of pouring
over paper maps, geoscientists can now access multiple maps
from multiple sources online, potentially allowing them to
make decisions more quickly and with more certainty.
However, sometimes you can have too much of a
good thing. Geoscientists have access to a wide variety of
information, from academic papers to oil well yields and
other proprietary data, and too much data at once can easily
overwhelm, rather than aid, geoscientists. They must not
only have access to all the information they might need, but
also be able to quickly filter out what is most useful to them.
Otherwise, they will be either too swamped in data to make
efficient decisions, or make decisions based on an incomplete
or inaccurate view of the situation. Either way, they will
lose the benefits technology should provide. In order to
ensure that geoscientists have access to this information,
there are a number of tools they can use. At the most basic
are consumer search engines such as Google. These options
provide a very quick, high-level guide to the information
that might be available on a particular area. However, given
the nature of such tools the information provided will not be
complete, accountable or targeted to suit geoscientists’ needs.
As a result, using more specialist tools will be vital.
There are a number of tools that geoscientists can use to
improve their chances of success: from Schlumberger’s Petrel
and Studio solutions; to Wood Mackenzie’s Exploration
Service; to Elsevier’s own Geofacets. Each has its own
strengths in supporting the exploration process from
ensuring that geoscientists have access to commercial metrics
and geologic characteristics, to enabling them to collaborate
and share knowledge with colleagues and integrate external
sources of information with their own intellectual property.
What is important is that geoscientists are using the tools
that best suit them. If companies do beef up the back-office
they should be sure to trial the available options and decide
which best provides the capabilities they need in a way that
supports their workers’ best practices. At the same time,
when aiding exploration, such technology is only as good
as the information it works with. For example, consumer
search engines can be intuitive, accessible and low-cost to the
organisation, but without careful attention the information
provided will be at best irrelevant and at worst dangerously
inaccurate. Any tool should be able to bolster geoscientists’
and their companies’ knowledge across the exploration,
extraction and refinement process.
While the process of ensuring that a tool is suited to
geoscientists’ needs is particularly important for analysis
and investigation tools, the same should hold true across
all back-office IT. From simple email to time management
and archiving, geoscientists should never be fighting
against technology, but instead using it as an extension of
their own abilities.
Planning for the futureInvesting in the right technologies is also a vital part of
future-proofing the business. Ever since the mid-1980s
the supply of new geoscientists for oil companies has been
dwindling. From 1985 onwards, the number of students
taking undergraduate and graduate degrees in geoscience fell,
as the price of oil and so opportunities in the field dropped.
This has resulted in a generation of geoscientists that are
within a decade of retirement without a comparable number
of new arrivals waiting to take their place. Because of this,
companies face a stark choice between having enough
workers to perform the tasks they need, and having workers
who are trained to the requisite standard.
With companies needing to expand into new areas, and
National Oil Companies going beyond their borders, more
organisations are trying to attract the same already limited
pool of skilled workers. Furthermore, when moving into
a new region a business will need to hire local personnel;
due to political reasons and to make use of their local
knowledge and expertise. However, local demographics and,
again, competition can mean finding workers with the right
combination of exploration experience and expertise is an
uphill struggle.
By allowing workers to swiftly put best practices
into action, as well as giving them immediate access to
the knowledge they need, IT tools are a crucial part of
companies’ efforts to bridge these skills gaps. Giving new
workers access to technology allows them to contribute
sooner and provides a consistent way to perform tasks
from communication to analysis that can be shared
across generations. Indeed, education programmes
are already realising the value of giving students and
workers early access to these tools so they can use them
in the workplace. One such example is ExploHUB at
Aberdeen University, which is giving geoscientists at
exploration companies across the world an introduction
to how beefing up back-office tools will help them keep
resources flowing.
Over the next half-decade we expect the number of
exploration wells and other initiatives to double, as the
effects of increased competition and the need to explore
new resources take hold. In order to support this, and
reduce the risk of exploration ventures being fruitless
exercises, geoscientists need to be sure that they are
spending their time efficiently. Back-office tools that fit in
with established practices, provide all of the information
needed in one place and are easy to pick up will be
increasingly vital.
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Petrofac has signed a $120 million agreement with Petronas, the Malaysian National Oil Company,
for the operation and management of two high-specification training facilities that Petrofac is
building to support Petronas’ workforce capability enhancement programme.
Petrofac is currently constructing two “live” upstream plant training facilities and a “live”
downstream facility, which will supplement existing facilities at the Institut Teknologi Petroleum
Petronas (INSTEP) training academy.
Under the latest phase of the agreement, Petrofac will undertake the ongoing management and
operation of the two upstream facilities, which are capable of training 500 delegates each year for
the next five years, with an option to extend for a further two years.
Andy Inglis, chief executive of Petrofac Integrated Energy Services, commented: “We are
delighted that we are continuing to build on the existing relationship with our long-term customer
Petronas to support its goal of enhancing Malaysian workforce capability in the oil and gas sector.
Training is a core part of the IES offer and the award of our biggest training contract to date
demonstrates our growing scale in an area that international and national oil companies have high
on their agendas. The creation of this regional centre of excellence will enable Petronas to ensure
the development of a highly-skilled resource pool to meet its own and industry needs now and in
the decades ahead.”
Transfer record
The training game
Offshore Solutions BV (OSBV), the joint venture between AMEC and Cofely Nederland NV, has
signed a North Sea contract with Maersk Oil UK to provide marine access support to the floating
production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit Global Producer III.
Located 185 miles north east of Aberdeen, Scotland, OSBV’s Offshore Access System (OAS) will
support the shutdown operations for a minimum of 110 days, with options to extend.
The walk to work system is deployed on the REM Installer, a new-build offshore subsea
construction vessel chartered by Canyon Offshore, the marine contracting business unit of Helix
Energy Solutions. Sea trials for the project were completed in North Sea waters in July with
operations starting later the same month.
Lindsay Young, managing director of OSBV, said: “OAS equipped vessels provide safe and cost
effective marine transfer and offshore accommodation allowing for greater access to offshore
installations than by crew vessels or helicopters. By using the OAS, additional offshore man-hours are
made available, enhancing production whilst ensuring that workers are transported in a safe manner.”
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growing skillsOPITO has appointed a new
managing director to lead the UK
arm of the organisation as the
industry gears up for a major change
in how it addresses its skills needs.
John McDonald has taken over
the reins at OPITO from Larraine
Boorman, who stood down in
August. He brings a wealth of
experience and an impressive track
record in the skills, training and
workforce development sector
to the Aberdeen-headquartered
organisation.
Former director of the Scottish
Qualifications Authority (SQA),
Mr McDonald has been director of
international workforce development
for OPITO for a year, working
with a number of oil majors and
leading on OPITO’s work in building
agreements with governments and
industry in places as far-ranging
as Oman, Iraq, Malaysia and East
Timor.
As managing director, Mr
McDonald will oversee OPITO’s
growth as it looks to build on its
success to date in delivering against
the industry’s identified skills needs
across all sectors, both onshore
and offshore, and ensuring the
learning and training supply is in
place to meet them. “The drive to
better engage with industry and its
stakeholders to address the skills
issue in the UK is very close to my
heart and I hope to be able to make
a valuable contribution to ongoing
and future projects in this area,”
he said.
Above: John McDonald, newly ap-pointed managing director at OPITO
Rapidly growing subsea services and technology products company Cortez Subsea has secured
£1.5 million of contracts across its range of pipeline installation and decommissioning services
following a successful start to Q3 of 2013.
The Aberdeen-based firm has completed the first phase of work on a North Sea FSPO
reinforcement programme for contractor DOF Subsea. The £1 million contract, for the provision
of a powered reel drive system, tensioner and personnel for umbilical and flexible riser installation,
includes a second phase which is due to begin later this year.
The wins come at a time of expansion for Subsea Cortez. The company has made significant
investment in new equipment and technologies in the last 12 months, in addition to a new office
complex to facilitate the growth of its employee base from 20 to 40 this year.
Managing director Alasdair Cowie said: “Since our formation in 2010 we have steadily built a
reputation for being a dynamic, diverse and value-adding company capable of bringing technical,
operational and commercial innovation to the marketplace.
“These contracts not only demonstrate the breadth of our capabilities from production start-up
to decommissioning, as significant pieces of work with new clients they also solidify growing status
as subsea services and technology specialists.”
More than cableDOF Subsea Norway, a specialist subsea solutions provider, has been awarded a contract by Teekay
Petrojarl Production AS in Norway for a newbuild FPSO.
The scope of work includes mooring pre-installation, tow-out and hook-up work for Teekay
Petrojarl Production’s new FPSO, which will be installed on the BG-operated Knarr field in the
Norwegian North Sea. DOF Subsea Norway will mobilise its Skandi Skolten vessel for this project,
with six further vessels from its global fleet being utilised in support.
Jan-Kristian Haukeland, EVP DOF Subsea Atlantic Region, said: “We are delighted that Teekay
has provided us this opportunity and has such confidence in our ability to provide the services they
require. The award of this contract means we now have significant project work scopes from Teekay
in the Norwegian and UK sectors of the North Sea.
“We see this as an endorsement not only of our specialist vessels but also of the highly skilled
project management and engineering team we have in place to support this type of project.”
The project will be completed in three phases, the first of which will see the pre-installation of the
complete mooring system, consisting of 12 mooring lines, taking place in 2013.
Adding value
Above: Tekmar chief executive James Richie (right) welcomes new company chairman, Ally MacDonald
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news
Hard work and dedication3sun Group, a specialist provider of
products and services to the energy
industry, has been shortlisted in the
Innovation category at the Energy
Institute Awards 2013. The Group
received recognition in the Innovation
category for its groundbreaking,
electronic 3D visually-based,
handheld inspection system for
managing legislative compliance,
safety critical plant and equipment on
wind turbines.
The Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) tagging device has enhanced
safety by reducing offshore man
hours, risk and costs. 3sun Group
managing director Graham Hacon
said: “We are delighted to be
shortlisted in the Innovation category
at this year’s Energy Institute Awards.
The Energy Institute is a highly
respected industry body and having
our device recognised on a national
level is hugely encouraging.
“Our electronic 3D visually based
inspection system was developed
in collaboration with Scottish &
Southern Energy and aims to improve
legislative compliance and safety
standards on wind turbines.
“The RFID tagging and
Handheld Software technology
delivers a complete solution for
the identification and inspection of
offshore wind turbine components.
It is proving very successful for our
clients.
“The nomination is a great
achievement for the Group,
recognising the hard work and
dedication of the whole team, our
rapid expansion and our absolute
commitment to developing safety
standards in the renewables industry.”
ll indications are that the UK is racing
towards a shale gas revolution. Every
week brings more news of incentives, new
plans and new discoveries. The recently
completed British Geological Survey (in
association with the Department of Energy and Climate
Change) identified a range of between 822 and 2281 trillion
cubic feet of gas-in-place resource in the area of northwest
England that it surveyed. For many, this was seen as the final
confirmation that large-scale shale gas fracking in the UK
would be going ahead – just as soon as the relevant political
hoops had been jumped through.
The news is not to everyone’s liking, with a series of local
protests organised around the UK by groups concerned
about a range of potential environmental factors, including
air pollution, flooding, water/soil contamination and
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As the UK rAces towArds A shAle gAs revolUtion Are there importAnt lessons to be leArnt from developments in the Us?
goready, set
Lead two
eyes are now turning to the largely rural state of North
Dakota, to see what lessons the UK can learn from progress
in the US.
The headline items are immediately apparent. North
Dakota has had the lowest unemployment rate in the US
since 2009, when the oil boom reduced it to just 4.1 per
cent. Since then, it has dropped further still, settling at a
rate of around 3.1 per cent since 2012. In the towns such as
Williston, at the centre of the oil boom, this figure drops to
below one per cent.
According to recent data from the North Dakota State
University’s Department of Agribusiness and Applied
Economics, some 40,856 direct and 18,700 indirect jobs
have been created in the state since 2011 by the oil and gas
industry. Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics back up
the data, showing a rise in employment in Bakken Formation
drilling counties of 35.9 per cent from 2007 to 2011.
Wage rates are going up hand in hand with employment
levels. The average weekly wage across the US in the third
quarter 2012 was $906. In Williams County, at the heart of
the boom, it was $1473: an impressive wage to earn in the
country’s third least populated state.
State-wide, oil fracking has meant serious income. For the
2011-2013 budgeting cycle, North Dakota has predicted a
state surplus of $1.6 billion. In addition, the state land board
was able to award $71 million of Energy Impact Grants in
June 2013. A total of $240 million of Energy Impact Grants
is expected to be awarded by North Dakota in the next two
years alone.
It is the awarding of these grants, designed to support
the growth of communities impacted by the oil boom,
that the UK would do well to pay careful attention to as it
considers where and how to develop shale gas fracking. An
energy boom brings a lot more than just money when it
comes to town.
As we’ve learned from North Dakota’s experience, migrant
workers will flock to the area, placing significant demands
on accommodation. Robert Gavin, the British CEO of
specialist commercial and residential developer, North
Dakota Developments LLC, has first-hand experience of
the accommodation crisis that the state has experienced:
“Energy workers in North Dakota have been forced to sleep
in tents or in their cars. They were cash-rich but it didn’t
matter – there simply wasn’t anywhere for them to live. The
local Walmart parking lot was jam-packed with trucks and
landslides. However, with a number of coal and gas-fired
power stations nearing the end of their usable life, and the
risk of blackouts across the UK doubling in the past year
alone, it seems almost inevitable that a shale gas revolution is
just around the corner.
With the incredible wealth that oil fracking has begun
to generate for the US, particularly as a result of the
phenomenal reserves found in the Bakken Formation, all
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increase in traffic, the town of Williston
has seen a decrease in road traffic accidents
from June 2012 (151 accidents) to June 2013
(113 accidents); thanks in large part to a road safety
campaign introduced at the time the oil patch traffic
began to build.
With workers pouring in from across the world,
North Dakota’s regional airports have also felt the strain.
Demand at some jumped by as much as 80 per cent during
2011 and by a further 25 per cent during 2012. Williston’s
Sloulin Field airport is undergoing a fast-track development,
with the $100-150 million construction of the new
terminus (either a rebuild or a relocation of the existing site)
scheduled for completion in the next five to six years, rather
than the Federal Aviation Administration’s usual ten to 15
year process. Passenger enplanements at the site, which are
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motorhomes, with
workers having to rely
on the store’s bathroom in
order to perform their daily
ablutions.”
North Dakota is now building
houses at a faster rate than any other state
in the US, with a housing development growth
rate of 2.3 per cent against a national average of 0.3
per cent. North Dakota Developments, which has bases
in the UK and North Dakota, is well underway with building
serviced executive hotel suites for the single oil workers
in Williston, but demand is such that Mr Gavin is already
considering further projects in order to keep up. According to
the recently published North Dakota Communities Acutely
Impacted by Oil and Gas Development: Housing Demand
Analysis, some 8900 additional housing units will be needed
across the footprint for the projected 2030 population.
The influx of energy workers’ families has put pressure on
local nurseries and schools, with some counties predicting
student numbers will more than double within the next
three years. Additional buildings, staff and other resources
will be required to cope with the demand.
Water and sewerage projects are also underway, thanks
in large part to the infrastructure-focused Energy Impact
Grants. New highway projects are also under development,
to reroute the trucks and other heavy traffic that the energy
boom has brought to the area. Interestingly, despite the
AB ProPerty MArketing Louise Taylor is AB Property Marketing's oil and fracking expert. She is particularly passionate about the constantly developing situation in North Dakota. AB Property Marketing provides targeted public relations for the UK and overseas property industry, bridging the gap between agents, developers and the ever-changing property media.
For further information on north Dakota Developments, call +001 (605)-610-0310, Visit: northdakotadevelopments.comOr email: [email protected] or: [email protected]
Lead two
anticipated to reach 85,000 this year, have been forecast to
increase to between 150,000 and 300,000 in the years ahead.
So what can the UK learn from North Dakota’s
experience? Certainly, shale gas fracking is likely to generate
both income and employment, which will be welcome news
in light of an unemployment rate that has sat stubbornly at
between seven per cent and eight per cent since early 2009.
While this big picture is positive, particularly given the news
that the UK’s fossil fuel imports reached an all-time high in
2011 while domestic extraction dropped to the lowest level
since records began, it is the local impact that Britain needs
to seriously consider.
Shale gas fracking towns are likely to see their resources
stretched to the limit, as hotels and campsites fill up, rents
rocket and property sale prices steadily increase. While
affected locations are set to receive “community benefits”
from fracking income, they would also do well to consider
the viability of fast-track planning processes for new housing
developments and highways.
New styles of house-building will also be beneficial. In
North Dakota, a number of developers have struggled to
keep their staff on-site, as the lure of the higher-paying
jobs in the nearby oilfields has led to considerable staff
attrition and the stalling of several building projects. North
Dakota Developments’ use of modular construction for their
executive hotel suites has cleverly addressed the issue, but is
the UK geared up to do the same?
We do still have time – as UK Prime Minister David
Cameron recently summarised: “Whereas they are digging
10,000 wells a year [in America], so far in Europe we’ve dug
just 100. So we are way behind.”
This means the country has time to plan, to prepare and
to brace its fracking towns for the likely impact on their
communities. The building of new housing resources and
the undertaking of infrastructure projects will no doubt cause
disruption, but they will also lead to lasting improvements, as
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will the expansion of schools and colleges in affected areas.
The true long-term legacy effects are hard to anticipate,
given the early stage of shale gas fracking discussions in the
UK. In North Dakota, specific legacy funds have already
been set up to provide for the day when the energy boom
finally comes to an end. Given some 33,000 new oil wells
are planned within the state over the next 15 or so years,
this is unlikely to happen any time soon, but this kind of
conservative forward planning ensures that the oil legacy will
be there as and when it’s needed.
So while politicians and environmentalists publicly
debate the pros and cons of shale gas fracking, it is the
behind-the-scenes preparation which really requires the
UK’s focus right now: the town planners, the developers and
the road-builders who can make the difference between a
disorganised scramble and well-run, long-lasting benefits to
the communities in which fracking takes place. It is these oft-
unsung heroes who will have the power to lead an organised
charge when it comes to controlled and appropriate
infrastructure expansion. Let’s hope they’re keeping an eye
on North Dakota, learning what they can from it and getting
ready to step up when we need them!
Shale gas fracking towns are likely to see their resources stretched to the limit, as hotels and campsites fill up, rents rocket and property sale prices steadily increase
Training It is crucial that high levels of training are maintained by
giving workers frequent technical refreshers to ensure that
best practice is not forgotten and that they understand
the importance to why they are in place. Managers have
even more of a responsibility to maintain high standards of
training in situations where they need to apply knowledge in
different locations with various nationalities.
Remote working conditions Risks are even greatly amplified by remote working
conditions, which might have limited access to emergency
services and help when needed. In these situations it’s a case
of 100 per cent trust; 100 per cent trust in the work location,
100 per cent trust in the material and 100 per cent trust in
the workers themselves. In a remote location there can be no
place for error and even the smallest mistakes can be fatal.
Procedure must be tuned and perfect, the workers should
be skilled and healthy, with the structure and machines
remaining well maintained. In the event of emergencies
rescue must be fast and remote sites must be equipped, with
all the essential safety equipment and as well as those who
are well trained and prepared to use them.
Language Language is one of the biggest human barriers existing with
an international workforce. Using pictograms and posters are
simple ways to remind workers of risks and to illustrate the
best practices in a universal visual language. Having regular
meetings and safety sessions with visual support of accident
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ver the last 20 years we’ve seen increasing
globalisation, which poses significant
opportunities and challenges for anyone
with a global workforce. How should
companies ensure all their employees,
teams and subcontractors are properly trained, following all
the processes set out and complying with the various local
regulations? In an environment where rules and regulations
are endlessly changing and norms are evolving, safety
becomes complex to manage. Couple this with different
continents and languages, and interpretation can add another
layer of complexity. Finally, true integration is often held
back by different practices and mindsets, as well as each
company bringing their own culture, rules and regulations.
In spite of all of the above, worker safety remains a top
priority and fall protection needs to be permanently on
their radar. For Capital Safety this is our entire focus as a
business – our goal is for every worker to make it home
safely. Managers with responsibility for this within their
organisation need to understand all the challenges in order to
find the appropriate solutions.
understanding and adhering to best practiceThe risks that need to be managed are constant, so best
practice is vital within a workforce. Embedding adequate
procedures in all your locations is key to this, as well as
being certain that your workers understand and have the
time and skills to operate safely following norms and the
company’s procedure.
What is accepted as best practice or ‘normal’ practice is
unfortunately not as straightforward as it should be and can
vary dramatically from company to company and country to
country; norms CA - CSA – CE - Ansi Osha – Gost – ANZ,
as example load capacity on harness, energy absorption load,
anchor point, have their own specificities, which make even
more complex the adaptation of the company’s safety rules;
but all have common sense bringing workers back home
safely. Indeed, the work environment also plays a part as rigs
are not identical; offshore platforms have their own specifics
including specific access, specific master points, particular
rescues and so on.
O
ChRisTophE ChaussE of Capital Safety on enSuring beSt Safety praCtiCe aCroSS an entire workforCe
achieving bestpractice
environment, specificity of the tasks and procedures that
workers must follow. There must be a proper analysis with
the worker of their day-to-day risks ‘in situ’ and practice with
appropriate equipment and demonstrations. There should be
taught best practice and the ability to identify bad practice
and resulting risks. Workers should be receiving training to
practice self-rescue and taught to understand the risks for
human physiology including suspension trauma, choc effect
and impact effect.
For managers, foremen and workers, installing a culture
of safety is a process that requires equal involvement for
all parties involved. Each individual, no matter their level,
needs to be concerned for themselves and others, and must
be willing to improve safety standards for the benefit of all.
Getting back home safely needs to be the main focus for all,
not just for themselves but also for their colleagues.
Capital SafetyChristophe Chausse is regional director, emerging markets EMEA, at Capital Safety, the global leader in fall protection with 22 operating sites worldwide. Capital Safety is home to the DBI-SALA and PROTECTA brands of fall protection equipment. Both of these brands have invested decades in the science of fall protection to ensure that workers are safe and employers have confidence they are providing their employees with the best protection possible.
for further information please visit:en.capitalsafety.us
HSE
analysis, audit debriefs, and correct actions are a few of the
ways to keep safety standards high and to refresh a team’s
knowledge on risks and local changes.
The best equipmentSelecting simple tools that are easy to use and harnesses
that are easy to adjust, and in the correct size, will reduce
the effect of fatigue on the worker as will harnesses that are
adapted for self-rescue to avoid putting others’ lives at risk.
Equipment is there to reduce the hazard not to create more
danger and confusion.
Self-rescue In fall protection, self-rescue is definitely the best option as it
does not require any others to endanger themselves at height
or in a confined space. One of the best solutions is to reduce
the fall distance i.e. using self-retracting lifeline instead of
lanyard, vertical permanent lifeline or just limiting the use
of the rope as working suspended is a specialist skill which
requires a high level of training. Selecting equipment that is
certified with all norms will reduce confusion when working
across boarders by ensuring that training is adequate for all
and use of the equipment will remain the same.
Training is without a doubt the most important part
of the safety package and needs regular revisiting and
investment. Employees will work the way that they think
is best. This way will not necessarily be the safest, and may
not be the right approach for the task that they are trying
to complete.
Training must be a reiteration of risks in the working
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over air interfaces and at the network level, i.e. at the base
station, antenna and, in some cases, the physical site itself.
Redundancy is also required in the switching functions, and
finally, for multi-site systems, redundancy is a requirement in
the links between sites.
Both Simoco Xfin (based on the ETSI MPT1327 standard)
and Simoco Xd (based on the ETSI DMR standard in Tier II
and Tier III) use a distributed database architecture so that
any base station in a network can provide the functionality
of switch and site controller with no additional hardware
required. Switching functions, to route calls and site control,
are embedded within the software of each base station,
enabling any base station in a network to take control in the
event of failure. Fallback plans in the event of failure of a
base station are fully configurable and can be reconfigured
remotely should the need arise.
As this approach allows any single base station to be
configured to any number of roles within a network, there are
additional cost and resource benefits to network owners in the
form of reduced spares holding, as only a single hardware unit
is required, and a reduction in staff training as there is only one
physical infrastructure hardware element to consider.
Additional resilience can also be achieved by geographical
redundancy, i.e. siting base stations across multiple locations.
The locations are connected over IP links, and therefore
the final element of network resilience is the provision of
redundant links between sites.
Reliability by designGiven that the technology selected supports the required
level of resilience and redundancy, as described above, the
next requirement is for a system design that makes full
use of these features. In a PMR system, radio base stations
(repeaters) are deployed to provide coverage, and whilst the
Radio Frequency (RF) from radio base stations does not in
itself present a major hazard, the proximity to large amounts
of steel work could produce an arc to ground, which does
have the potential to cause a spark. With this in mind, radio
base stations should be installed in ‘low risk’ areas.
The base stations can be distributed across multiple
locations while maintaining coverage from each base station
across the entire operational area. This requires careful
planning of antenna design and transmitter levels in order to
ensure over air redundancy should any base station fail.
The diagram below illustrates how a UK North Sea drilling complex
achieves resilient radio coverage across three platforms.
n the remote and potentially hazardous
environments that oil and gas related
companies operate in, communication
systems are not just about ensuring that
things run smoothly; they are central to the
safety of the workplace and those working in it.
System Integrators servicing this industry have specialist
knowledge of the exacting requirements involved in
deploying resilient mission critical systems. Expertise and
experience is vital to making sure that communication
systems function to high levels in ‘business as usual’
circumstances, as well as being able to respond to emergency
situations when an incident occurs.
There are three main elements that need to be addressed
in meeting the particular challenges of maintaining critical
communications in hazardous environments: reliability
and resilience, system design, and integration with mission
critical business processes.
Reliable infrastructureOne of the main aspects that set oil and gas communication
systems apart from those of other industries is the often-
remote nature of operational locations, whether these are
offshore or isolated and remote onshore pipelines. There
is no such thing as routine maintenance in these types
of locations and this needs to be factored into the system
specification and network design. Communication systems
must be inherently reliable to minimise maintenance and the
risk of operational downtime.
Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) systems perform
a critical role in ensuring safe and reliable workforce
communications in oil and gas environments. In order
to achieve the exacting requirements of reliability, highly
resilient radio systems, which do not have a single point of
failure, must be deployed. This calls for redundancy in the
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I
MaRk YatEs explores what operators need to think about when installing and managing radio and communication systems in the energy sector
communicationsCritical
Keeping communications openCommunications play a central role in any emergency
situation, and this is particularly true within the oil and gas
sector. Business as usual communications need to be effective
and not compromised by systems that also take hazardous
environments into account.
An experienced system designer will be able to architect
solutions that allow radio broadcasts to continue when levels
of RF are reduced, as well as perform bespoke tasks such as
the emergency closure of pumps controlling oil flow.
In an emergency situation, the radio system cannot be
simply shut down. Maintaining communication during
an incident can minimise risk as well as help to address
and resolve the situation. Therefore, in an Emergency Shut
Down (ESD) situation, the radio system should remain in
operation, however actions are taken to minimise any risk
that may be presented by radio transmission.
An example of this could involve the detection of flammable
gas. The radio system should be connected to the gas leak
detection system and be switched to operate on reduced
power, thus addressing the risk of ignition while keeping
communication channels open.
As with many technologies
designed for potentially dangerous
environments, there is a requirement
that equipment is designed to
minimise risk. In the field of radio
communications, intrinsic safety (IS)
requirements are addressed through
adherence to a number of international
standards, such as ATEX, that specify
the performance and design of hardware such as battery cells,
PCBs and casings.
Experience countsCombining the safe design of radio infrastructure and
hardware with a communications system that can cope with
the demands of remote working in inhospitable locations
and conditions requires specialist knowledge and experience
from the system integrator and radio manufacturer. The
right systems design will not only enhance the quality
and coverage of radio communications but can be the
determining factor in ensuring safer working conditions
in critical situations and a high performing unified
communications architecture.
SimocoMark Yates is senior systems engineer at Simoco, a leading manufacturer and distributor of PMR products throughout the UK, Europe, Middle East and African regions. The business has over 70 years of heritage and the longest track record of delivering reliable and cost-effective radio systems worldwide.
For further information please visit: simocogroup.com/emea
Technology
Within a typical complex, workers are often located in
spectific areas arround the complex depending upon their
role. Radio users are often configured into groups aligned
to the roles they perform and assigned to specific radio
channels. The distribution of the base stations across the
complex has the advantage of placing channels in the areas
most populated by the assigned users, further improving
coverage and channel availability.
One or more control rooms may be required to manage
the business operations, and these may be on or offshore.
The IP nature of a distributed network architecture lends
itself perfectly to this scenario, as control room equipment
can be connected from any location via IP. For legacy
control rooms without IP connectivity, converters are
available to access the IP network. This means that, in the
event of an emergency, operational control can be managed
remotely, providing full flexibility for communications
management as well as a contingency measure should local
operations be compromised.
In the example shown below two complexes located a mile apart,
although operationally separate, are able to provide an element
of resilience for each other.
Each complex has its own radio system resilience built
in, for Complex 1 this is as described above. For Complex 2,
which has a single radio base station, resilience is provided
by the addition of a fall back fixed mobile. Further resilience
is provided as each of the platform complexes is able to
provide limited radio frequency coverage to the other in the
event of a major failure.
Integrated operations - The benefits of open standardsThe oil and gas market is a melting pot of different
multinational organisations and this is where
communications systems operating to open standards
come to the fore. Radio system solutions available include
conventional analogue PMR, analogue trunked systems
(MPT1327), along with digital technologies such as DMR
and TETRA, all of which operate to open ETSI (European
Telecommunications Standards Institute) standards.
Employing radio systems that adhere to global standards
addresses the need to integrate a wide range of systems into a
unified communications (UC) network.
This means that radio technologies can be part of a UC
system that incorporates functionality, including emergency
and priority calling, pre-configured responses, voice logging
as well as data services including telemetry and automated
location reporting and monitoring.
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Herkules Capital is the leading private
equity firm in Norway, with a total fund base of
NOK 12.25 billion in committed capital from
Norwegian and international investors. The
company targets acquisitions located in the
Nordic region, primarily in Norway, and focuses
on established companies with strong growth
potential, either through organic growth or add-
on acquisitions.
What sets Herkules apart in the market is
its respect for the company’s history, and its
industrial approach with a focus on long-term
value creation. The business generally acquires
the majority share in companies and has
positive experiences from partnerships with
existing shareholders.
It has the financial strength to adopt this
position, as it is the exclusive advisor/manager
of three private equity funds. Morten Blix, senior
partner, gave a bit more detail about Herkules’
funds: “Herkules Private Equity Fund (HPEF)
I was established in 2004 with a capital base of
NOK two billion. HPEF II was established in
2006 with a capital base of NOK 4.25 billion and
HPEF III was established in 2008 with a capital
base of NOK six billion. In HPEF III two thirds
of the capital is from international investors and
the rest from Norwegians.”
He continued by explaining how Herkules
operates in the market: “We buy companies
beyond the venture phase,” he said. “These
are businesses with a positive cash flow that
need a partner or new owner with capital and
competence to grow further. We buy companies
on behalf of the funds with a horizon of four to
six years. In this period we are focusing on both
organic and acquisitive growth to build a leading
player in its niche.
We have bought 26 platform companies
through the funds and have sold nine, so we
now have 17 companies. In addition we have
done approximately 60 add-on acquisitions
through the platform companies.
“Our main focus is on Norwegian companies
with strong growth potential, but we also follow
the global market closely and buy companies
outside of Norway - the add-ons are often
international companies. Our funds aren’t
industry specific, but our main industry focuses
are energy, healthcare, consumer goods/retail
and services. We organise our work in industry
groups, but each fund has a balanced portfolio of
companies in different industries. The oil service
sector is particularly interesting in Norway.”
Indeed, recent transactions for Herkules
highlights its activities in the oil and gas
sector – in June 2013 the company signed an
agreement to acquire a majority of the shares
in PTC. “PTC has developed a unique portfolio
of strong products which help oil companies
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A capitalidea
BelowMorten Blix, senior partner at Herkules Capital
Herkules Capitalherkulescapital.no
ServicesPrivate equity firm
driver for Schat-Harding as market leader. At the
same time, Schat-Harding and Noreq combined
will have solid positions internationally in
relation to the offshore, cruise and merchant
fleet segments. As a leading private equity fund
in Norway, we are in an excellent position to
create a global market leader with a base in the
country,” highlighted Morten.
Although very significant to the success of
Herkules, these two transactions are only part
of its business activities in 2013. In April the
Bandak Group (of which Herkules Private
Equity Fund III is a majority shareholder, with
an ownership above 80 per cent) signed an
agreement that implies that Bandak Group
acquired 100 per cent of the shares in I O S
Tubular Management AS (ITM). “Herkules
bought the majority of Bandak in January 2010,”
said Morten. “We have grown the company
from revenues in the region of NOK 300 million
to more than NOK 800 million in 2013, and
we expect to make more acquisitions to grow
the company even further.” Bandak Group
has adopted a strategy for strong growth over
the coming years. The acquisition of ITM is
an important step in strengthening the group
towards maintenance and aftermarket on the
Norwegian continental shelf.
ITM has a strong presence on three of the
leading offshore bases onshore Norway,”
Morten continued. “This acquisition
strengthens the position of Bandak Group in
the operational phase of an oil field, not only
the development phase.”
It is clear that 2013 has been a particularly
busy year for Herkules, with not just new
acquisitions but also the sale of portfolio
companies. “We have attracted strong industrial
interest for our companies; BASF bought
Pronova Biopharma in 2012, Bertelsmann Group
bought Gothia Financial Group and Barco
bought Projectiondesign,” said Morten. “This
proves that we have been able to successfully
create attractive companies.”
Since the Herkules Private Equity Fund
was established as Ferd Private Equity Fund
back in 2003 (with Ferd AS as the cornerstone
investor), the company has gone from strength
to strength. As Morten summed up: “Herkules
now holds a leading position in the Norwegian
market and foresees a continuous strong
flow of new deals going forward. For the rest
of 2013 our main focus is to look for new
investment opportunities and develop the
existing portfolio companies.”
to lower cost, increase production and increase
safety. We expect strong growth in sales over the
coming years. At the same time we will focus on
developing even better products for the future,”
explained Morten.
“We are particularly impressed with the fact
that PTC's product portfolio is perceived as
market leading from a technological perspective,
and we look forward to working together with
management to realise the potential of the
existing product portfolio while ensuring that
PTC will be the leading player in its segments
going forward,” he added.
Also in June, Herkules acquired Umoe Schat-
Harding AS and Noreq AS – together, the two
companies will be the world's leading supplier of
maritime life-saving equipment. “We see strong
synergies between the companies and the market
outlook is promising. With the combination we
will be able to offer a more complete and cost
efficient service to customers,” said Morten.
There is also an interesting market
development that makes this particular
transaction even more appealing – currently in
Norway there is a process underway to introduce
new regulations for existing offshore lifeboats
on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. These are
expected to enter into force from 2015. “The
new regulations for lifeboats on the Norwegian
Continental Shelf will be an important growth
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HErkulEs Capital
Herkules now holds a leading position in the Norwegian market and foresees a continuous strong flow of new deals going forward. For the rest of 2013 our main focus is to look for new investment opportunities and develop the existing portfolio companies
Established in Norway in 2002,
Petroleum Technology Company (PTC) has
grown through the development of innovative
well completion equipment, which gives
greater reliability, integrity and productivity
to its customers. Almost all of the company’s
equipment has been conceived in response
to requirements from clients to address the
shortcomings in the equipment they were
already using. These innovations have then been
commercialised for the wider market.
“Our equipment can mainly be divided into
two camps – safety improvement products and
production enhancing systems,” highlights SVP
technology/interim CEO, Erling Kleppa. “There
is also often a lot of overlap between these two
aspects as an increase in safety can also result in
greater uptime and therefore more productivity.
“Our greatest strengths are our ability to
understand the customer’s needs and our
innovation record,” he continues. “We bring the
two of these together to create a solution that
fully addresses the challenges being faced in the
market. Each product is fully designed in-house,
patented and protected, and
analysed and tested through our
own global facilities.”
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Complete
proFilE pTC
PTC primarily offers high
integrity equipment from downhole
products such as gas lift (GL) and
chemical injection (CL) to wellhead systems
including wellhead annulus safety valves,
intervention tools and sensors. In particular
the market for artificial lift is increasing as
basins mature. As such, high to medium rate
wells are focusing on gas lift equipment, and
there is a trend towards pre-installing such
systems in new well developments.
Approximately 30 per cent of global oil
production is on gas lift, and there is a move
towards this type of equipment for the more
challenging reservoirs and deeper water where
the accelerated recovery and higher production
rates offered are of benefit. PTC continues
to stretch this technology further through
its game-changing development to allow for
high gas injection pressures and volumes, and
to counteract high intervention costs. These
products are tested and qualified with major,
national and independent oil companies
throughout the world, with many employed on
current field developments.
PTC first entered into the gas lift market in
2005 on the invitation of Statoil to participate
in a test of challenging conditions. With this
programme having already defeated several
of the big names on the market, PTC worked
intensively for two months to model gas flow
dynamics through the valve to prevent seal
area erosion impacts. Having succeeded in
this task, the SafeLift GLV has since been a
part of PTC’s portfolio where it addresses the
package
PTC ASptc.as
ServicesWell completion equipment
activities, as well as finding new ones along
the way. Right now we have a couple of
new innovations that are undergoing
prototyping and testing that we are
very excited about and believe
will have a very strong future,
so we have high hopes for
when we start rolling those
out,” he concludes.
most commonly observed failure modes and
provides better economics.
As well as offering a complete spectrum of
gas lift products for all manner of downhole
applications, PTC has also developed a line in
wellhead integrity assurance solutions. This
is in recognition of the fact that when a well
changes over to gas lift, it becomes much more
dangerous, so the use of safety valves and
sensors helps to ensure ongoing well integrity.
Completing the company’s main areas
of operation is its chemical
injection solutions,
which are
derivatives
of the gas lift well
and wellhead offerings for
chemical dosing applications. Other
developments are the hydraulic jet pump
system, water injection valves, completion and
circulation products, and other engineered tools.
PTC is now entering the next phase of its
development having seen its majority stake
acquired by Herkules, a leading Norwegian
private equity firm, earlier in the year. Describing
what this brings to the business Erling says:
“The acquisition gives us the strategic capability
to grow on a broader scale internationally, and
to further development contracts for equipment
that we currently have in-house. Being a
relatively small company that has developed
over time, we are also gaining in terms of a more
professional organisation.
“Since the acquisition, Herkules have been
working closely with us offering guidance and
assistance in growth. We already have room to
grow significantly within our existing limits in
terms of facilities, but this gives us a foundation
on which to build the organisation and meet the
expectations of the market,” he continues.
As a dominant player in the North Sea market
in particular, PTC’s strategy is split between
maximising opportunities with its existing
customers, and growing internationally in
upcoming areas such as the Middle East, West
Africa, and Brazil. “We see that there is a very large
market for the type of equipment that we offer so
our aim is to build on that,” outlines Erling.
“Where we are working with a customer
in one area of the world we hope to build on
that relationship to support them in their other
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PTC continues to stretch this technology further through its game-changing development to allow for high gas injection pressures and volumes, and to counteract high intervention costs
proFilE pTC
Air LiquideVia our dealer Telega, located in Skien, Air Liquide supplies gases to Bandak Risør. Telega servicing gas installations. Bandak Risør and Telega have a professional and good co-operation.
can provider a broader package of services. They
also require partners that have the competency
to handle more complex deliveries in terms of
documentation and quality. Therefore becoming
a bigger player has been important for the Group
in being able to take on these types of projects.”
As a Group, Bandak has production facilities
throughout the south and east region of
Norway, as well as from Stavanger in the south
to Alesund in the north along the west coast.
Furthermore, it maintains a site in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. With skills in engineering,
welding, machining, surface treatment, assembly
and test, and servicing, the Bandak Group is
a competent partner in executing demanding
projects from concept to delivery.
As to the current activities of the Group, Geir
notes: “We’re working on a lot of the different
major subsea developments taking place around
the world. This includes projects in Brazil, in the
Norwegian sector of the North Sea, in Africa as
well as Asia/Pacific. On the whole the market
looks very promising, with good levels of order
A market leader in its home market
of Norway, Bandak Group AS is a world-class
provider of mechanical based engineering
services, tubular products and services, and sub-
systems for the offshore oil and gas, maritime,
and defence and space industries. Encapsulating
seven different companies, the oldest entity of
the Bandak Group AS dates back to 1861, and
the newest was incorporated just this year.
This is ITM AS, which is a total tubular
product and service provider to the major oil
service and E&P companies. This sees the
Bandak Group broadening its scope outside of
the subsea market, which has long been a focus
for it. This acquisition partly came about as a
result of the Bandak Group’s own purchase by
Herkules Capital Focus in 2010, a Norwegian
private equity firm.
“Since we became a partner of Herkules
we have really started to see strong growth
through acquisitions and investments into
our existing companies,” elaborates Geir Olav
Ryntveit, senior vice president of business
development and project. “We’ve also been
able to bring together these different entities
into a more integrated structure. Each of
the companies wouldn’t have had the size,
resources or capital necessary to do this
on their own so Herkules has really been
instrumental in this consolidation.
“Likewise, as a result of that we feel we are
in a stronger position to serve our customers,”
he continues. “Part of the rationale was that
customers typically want fewer suppliers that
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Strength innumbers
proFilE bAndAk group
Bandak Groupbandakgroup.com
ServicesMachining and fabrication
describes how the Bandak Group is following
a number of different paths: “Firstly we
want to become even better and stronger in
what we do today, so our current activities in
producing equipment and smaller subsystems
for subsea developments. This is where
we have a good position, especially for
connectors and tie-in equipment.
“Secondly our aim is to become more
exposed and recognised within the maintenance
and aftersales market, and thirdly to explore
opportunities we have developed from our
position in Malaysia, which gives us great scope
for the Asia Pacific market. In addition to this
we have a lot of positive internal improvement
programmes underway to streamline the group
further, better integrate it, and to attract and
build more competence. It’s very important to
get the group to function as a group, rather than
separate companies. Likewise these internal
improvements are vital to achieve our strategic
goals according to growth, but also secure the
quality of what we do,” he concludes.
backlog, and we are undergoing discussions with
several customers on a strategic level to be able
to provide them with the capacity they foresee
they will need for the next few years.”
He continues: “As an industry we face general
challenges around the availability of resources
and of qualified workers, particularly in the
subsea sector. There’s also a need to improve
project execution, on-time deliveries, and cost
efficiencies, which is an issue for the whole
industry, and we are part of that.”
There is also a desire to take the
competence that the company has built up
in subsea production, and transfer that into
the maintenance, service, and aftermarket
segment, as opposed to the new build sector
where Bandak mainly has operated so far. The
acquisition of ITM and its three coastal bases
in western Norway is an important step in
achieving this, offering the Bandak Group a local
presence for the service market and preparing it
for further growth.
In terms of the longer-term future, Geir
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proFilE bandak group
The range comprises of needle valves, ball valves, manifold valves, check valves, fittings and adaptors. The valves are designed with unique features and offered in a wide range of configurations, alongside many standard features which
makes the product far superior to conventional products on the market.
Our medium pressure ball valve range is available as a floating or trunnion style, with an operating temperature range of -46ºC to +225ºC (-20ºC to +180ºC) as standard.
Our medium pressure needle valve range is designed with a unique maintenance free stem sealing system, with an operating temperature of -73°C to +315°C (-20°C to +170°C) as standard.
www.bifold.co.ukOfficial Partner of the Marussia F1™ TeamFor more information
Bifold, Greenside Way, Middleton Manchester, M24 1SW, UK.Tel: +44 (0)161 345 4777 Fax: +44 (0)161 345 4780Email: [email protected]
High tensile 316L CW stainless steel.
Innovative locking device available on the ball valve design, which does not compromise through panel mount function.
Maintenance free stem sealing system eliminating loss of integrity.
A secondary metal to metal seal design provides a failsafe open and close system.
Tested in accordance with API 598 & BS EN 12266-1.
The Bifold Group Broadens its Valve Line with a Range of Medium Pressure Ball and Needle Valves, Delivering Safe, Reliable Operation up to 20,000 psi / 1379 bar.
A4 Advert for European Oil & Gas magazine October Issue 2013.indd 1 07/10/2013 15:44:54
see a huge range of goods and services from
small, medium and large companies and, even
more importantly, talk to the experts on hand.
Attendance is free to all registrants.”
This year’s theme was ‘The Next 50 Years’,
representing the continuing success story of
the industry, particularly in terms of future
production and building a strong and long-
lasting supply chain. The sheer magnitude of
the event confirmed that this healthy outlook is
as strong as ever, with more that 63,000 people
attending the four-day show – an increase of
more than 25 per cent on the previous event.
This year’s conference chairman, Malcolm
Webb, said of the event: “At the biggest Offshore
Europe ever, we’ve addressed the key theme that
will require industry focus to sustain activity
in the UK Continental Shelf. None of these
is more important than safety.” In fact, there
was a poignant reminder of the risks involved
in the oil and gas industry, as presenters and
speakers paid tribute to the four people that lost
their lives in tragic circumstances in the recent
helicopter crash off Shetland.
The 2013 exhibition broke records in every
sense, with the space welcoming 262 first-time
visiting businesses to SPE Offshore Europe from
small, innovative start-up companies through to
global service companies. Furthermore, this year
saw 22 of the world’s operators taking stands
in Aberdeen, completing the largest operator
representation in the history of the event. Statoil
This year marked the 40th
anniversary of SPE Offshore Europe, the world’s
leading offshore, and oil and gas, conference
and exhibition experience that attracts a global
audience of engineers, technical specialists,
industry leaders and experts, who meet to share
ideas and debate the issues of the moment in the
upstream industry.
For years this event has proven to be one of
the key dates in the E&P community’s calendar,
providing a forum for continuous learning,
and showcasing the innovation, solutions and
tools required to compete in an accelerating
technology race and an increasingly complex
industry. This year’s event, held between the 3rd
and 6th of September in Aberdeen celebrated in
true anniversary spirit, by being the largest and
most successful conference in history, featuring
more exhibiting companies and countries
represented than ever before.
In fact, exhibition space in the halls, covering
a record 27,217 square metres - equivalent to
eight football pitches - sold out and featured
stands and presentations from the complete
supply chain of companies, from operators
and drilling contractors through to ancillary
companies. “The exhibition space is sold out and
larger than ever before,” said senior exhibition
director, Vasyl Zhygalo, when speaking ahead
of the event. “This is especially fitting as we
celebrate the event’s 40th anniversary this
year. Visitors will have a rare opportunity to
futureLooking to the
SPE OFFSHORE EUROPE 2013
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This year’s event, held between the 3rd and 6th of September in Aberdeen celebrated in true anniversary spirit, by being the largest and most successful conference in history, featuring more exhibiting companies and countries represented than ever before
visitors were able to see pavilions from Korea,
Denmark and Australia for the very first time
at SPE Offshore Europe, whilst the ever-present
Norwegian presence extended over three pavilions.
Alongside this standard exhibition space was
the Deep Water Zone, which was launched at
the last event in 2011. This year Mexico’s state-
owned oil and gas company, PEMEX, which
ranks fifth in crude oil production and eighth
as an integrated company worldwide, was the
featured operator in this zone. This reflects the
fact that the Gulf of Mexico is still regarded
as one of the key areas globally for deepwater
E&P, and a proving ground for new techniques
and innovative equipment. Alongside PEMEX,
38 specialist subsea companies from Aberdeen,
the rest of the UK and abroad displayed their
products and services.
As ever the enormous exhibition ran alongside
the in-depth conference, which this year was
opened by Malcolm Webb, SPE Offshore Europe
2013 conference chair and chief executive, Oil
increased its presence this year, alongside the
majors such as Shell, BP, Chevron, Total, GDF
Suez and Saudi Aramco, while E.ON and
Talisman Sinopec were new additions to the
event. In addition, all of the ‘big four’ services
companies - Baker Hughes, Schlumberger,
Halliburton and Weatherford - exhibited at the
show for the first time in a decade. Of course,
as well as these established names visitors were
able to find a wide selection of small, innovative
companies, whose stands provided the ideal
opportunity to see a vast range of new and
exciting technological developments.
Despite its European location, SPE Offshore
Europe has become a truly global event,
and this year was no different. Confirming
its place as a truly global event, there was a
large international exhibitor presence that
witnessed participating companies from 37
countries - spanning the continents from the
Americas and Africa, to Asia and Australia -
and 33 international pavilions. For the latter,
SPE OFFSHORE EUROPE 2013
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SPE Offshore Europe 2013
SPE Offshore Europe took place between the 3rd and 6th of September in Aberdeen. The next event, SPE Offshore Europe 2015 is planned for the 8th to the 11th September 2015.
long-term E&P. These covered areas such as
developments in pipeline analysis, exploration
case studies, health and safety, enabling field life
extension, reservoir depletion and production
enhancement, advances in subsea construction
and technology, drilling technologies, managing
oil spills, ensuring structural and marine
integrity of floating production installations,
reservoir evaluation, cementing and completion,
and environment.
While every Offshore Europe builds upon
the previous event, this year marked a true
celebration of continuous and ongoing success.
Vasyl Zhygale, senior exhibition director, Reed
Exhibitions, said that the 40th Anniversary of
the event had been a fantastic meeting: “Our
conference and exhibition have been successful
in equal measure. There has been an outstanding
lineup of top industry speakers from global
operators and service companies, and from
government with standing room only at many
of the key addresses and presentations. We’ve
also been overwhelmed at the response from
exhibitors, may of whom have been queuing
to sign up for 2015. The show has reinforced
Aberdeen’s position as a centre for oil and gas
expertise, which is exported globally and we
have welcomed delegates and visitors from
around the world.” The next event is already
being planned, and is set to run from the 8th to
the 11th September 2015.
& Gas UK. The conference, which started on
3rd September and ran the length of the event,
featured 11 keynote sessions, 100+ technical
papers and ePosters, and daily breakfast briefings
and topical luncheons. The keynote sessions in
particular were billed as ‘not to be missed’ and
covered a broad spectrum of industry topics
including:
Oil and gas in the future energy mix 6
The global opportunity: exporting oil and gas 6
services, goods and expertise
Planning for long term North Sea drilling 6
The independent oil company - mighty oaks 6
from little acorns grow
Industry progress since Macondo 6
Taking operations to frontier areas 6
Decommissioning and value extraction for 6
end of life
Journey from procedure to practice 6
Financing investments in the oil and gas 6
industry: challenges and opportunities
The technology imperative - collaborating 6
today to realise the next 50 years of North Sea
potential
Oil & gas skills - your future today 6
Alongside these more general topics, a range
of technical sessions were organised to address
all of the key technical developments in the
industry, as well as looking at the potential
innovations that may be needed to secure
We’ve also been overwhelmed at the response from exhibitors, may of whom have been queuing to sign up for 2015
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ENERGIZING THE FUTURE
SPX is fi nding innovative ways to help the world meet its ever growing demand for energy
by providing a broad range of high-quality, custom-engineered systems and components
for the oil & gas industries. The SPX product portfolio includes a wide array of heavy-duty
pumps, valves, fi lters, mixers, heat exchangers, closures, chemical injection systems and
instrument air dryers for use in a variety of upstream and downstream oil and gas processes.
To learn more about how our comprehensive range of engineered solutions can be used for your
demanding oil and gas applications email [email protected] or visit www.spx.com.
ClydeUnion Pumps
is another example of safety and reliability
being designed into technology. The system is
specifically engineered for the safe overboard
deployment of seawater pumps and incorporates
features such as an expanded metal safety shield
on the reel to increase operator safety, a wire
rope inside each hose to support the entire
weight of the pumps and a sealed internal
cooling system for increased reliability.
From the SPX Johnson Pump brand
comes a range of centrifugal pumps designed
for high reliability in numerous offshore
utility applications. The CombiSump and
CombiSumpMag are vertical long shaft pumps
designed for use with thin liquids. Excellent
reliability is assured with highly effective
silicon carbide axial and radial bearings that are
permanently lubricated by the pumped liquids.
The CombiSumpMag has a magnetic coupling
to eliminate leaks with a hermetic seal, and both
models can be used for varied pump depths
using multiple shafts to meet specific application
needs. Also within this range is the CombiPro
horizontal centreline supported centrifugal
pumps. Ideal for hydrocarbon duties, these
pumps offer sealing options to fit all API 682
seal configurations or the option of a seal-less
design using a magnetic coupling in accordance
with API 685.
SPX Plenty screw and vane pumps offer
reliable service for the pumping of heavy viscous
liquids. The Plenty Triro range of triple screw
pumps provide vibration-free operation, which
simplifies installation, minimises noise pollution
and stops any detrimental effect on downstream
SPX products designed for reliability and compactnessSPX has many well-known brands that serve
the oil and gas industry with products that
are widely utilised and well respected. The
resulting decades of experience in understanding
applications, technology needs and project
requirements for the industry has led to product
designs that deliver reliability and safety in
increasingly compact solutions. The SPX
brands, including ClydeUnion Pumps, Johnson
Pump, GD Engineering, Dollinger, Plenty,
Waukesha Cherry-Burrell and APV, have built
their reputations based on innovative, efficient
solutions, reliability, expert engineering and
in-depth understanding of processes.
Safe and reliable pumping solutionsSafety and reliability are absolutely critical in
oil and gas processes, especially in an offshore
environment, and SPX has a keen focus on
these requirements. The Hydraulic Submersible
Pump (HSP) from ClydeUnion Pumps, for
example, was designed without using electrical
power systems based upon the knowledge that
this significantly reduced the opportunity for
equipment failure. Additional design features,
such as the removal of rubbing bearings and
seals, a single shaft design combining pump and
turbine, and the use of power fluid supplied
from the surface to bring longevity to the
critical balance and bearing systems, add to the
reliability of this device.
The E~Z Lift Neptune Seawater Lift Reel
System, also from the ClydeUnion Pumps brand,
Respected
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brands
SPXspx.com
ServicesFlow technology and energy infrastructure
equipment. They offer better efficiency than
centrifugal pumps for viscous products, provide
a compact solution and deliver good, stable flow
of fluid.
A leading name in safety and reliability for high-pressure closures The Bandlock™ 2 quick-opening closure from
the SPX GD engineering product range is
synonymous in the oil and gas industry with
reliability, safety and integrity. Its safe yet easy
to use design, which ensures pressure cannot
open the closure but enables opening in under
one minute without the need for special tools,
is probably the most widely accepted in the
industry. The technology has an impeccable
performance and safety record and has been well
proven with a vast installed base.
A full range of filtration and separation solutionsThe brands of Airpel, Dollinger, Plenty and
Vokes also form the SPX Filtration and
Separation Technology (FaST) product range,
delivering proven, reliable solutions to the oil
and gas industry. This brings a complete range
of filtration solutions from single basket filters
through coalescers, separators and self-cleaning
filters to large fully packaged, skidded solutions,
all expertly designed and engineered to exact
customer requirements.
Working to reduce size and weight for offshore installationsThe size and weight of equipment are other
important considerations for offshore installations.
Here SPX has developed two innovative
diaphragm pumps within its Bran+Luebbe brand
that offer significant footprint, weight and cost
reduction to equivalent, alternate technologies.
The Novados metering pump has a single
double-acting head, which provides the capacity
of equivalent duplex pumps but with reduced
footprint and weight by typically around 20 per
cent. The Novaplex Vector is a triple diaphragm
process pump, which cleverly arranges the pump
heads in three dimensions to reduce the footprint
for installation.
Diaphragm pumps are widely used in the
oil and gas industry across much of the supply
chain for pumping fluids and injecting chemicals.
These Bran+Luebbe pumps are appealing because
not only do they save on space and weight but
they also provide precise injection of chemicals
and can handle aggressive and harmful fluids
safely. They use hermetic seals to provide leak-
free operation in a simple configuration while
delivering the advantages and accuracy of
reciprocating plunger pump technology.
Increasing efficiency, saving energyEnergy consumption accounts for a significant
part of oil and gas production costs. More
efficient process heat recovery reduces energy
consumption and can bring significant cost
savings. From its APV brand, SPX provides
a wide range of plate-type heat exchanger
technologies for oil and gas production in
offshore locations that can help increase heat
process efficiency and contribute to lower
energy cost. Low-weight and highly efficient
heat transfer surfaces combine with robust and
compact designs to deliver reliable performance
and maximum heat efficiency in demanding
process conditions across a wide range of oil and
gas processes including crude oil stabilisation,
gas dehydration, gas sweetening, regasification
and utility cooling.
In particular the APV Hybrid series of welded
plate heat exchangers stands out for its use in
high-temperature/high-pressure applications
where gasket exposure needs to be avoided.
The high thermal efficiency of the APV Hybrid
heat exchangers reduces external energy input
demand, while its design flexibility enables
achievement of very low-pressure drops without
compromising performance. The range of
APV semi-welded heat exchangers with the
ground-breaking APV Paramine™ gasket
solution provides a superior plate-and-gasket
combination specifically designed to handle high
concentrations of sour gas.
Brilliant engineering to meet exact needsSPX has a specific focus on the oil and gas
industry with continuous development
programmes to deliver long-lasting reliability,
efficiency and low maintenance with innovative
designs across all of its ranges. The combined
knowledge of processes and wide range of
technology across its brands gives it an enviable
position of being able to expertly custom
engineer solutions and complete packages to
exact application and installation requirements,
complemented by professional project
management services with a real understanding
of documentation and specification requirements
for the oil and gas industry.
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SPX has a specific focus on the oil and gas industry with continuous development programmes to deliver long-lasting reliability, efficiency and low maintenance with innovative designs across all of its ranges
spX
for diving activities with Egypt.
During 2008 INW began work
to acquire four new vessels, with
INW-2 arriving the same year as a
utility support vessel and currently
also engaged on a long-term contract in
UAE. Then in 2009 the company took
delivery of INW-3 and INW-4, which
are both firefighting, anchor-handling
tugs (AHT). Currently, these vessels are
engaged in mid-term contracts of the
Kuwait Oil Company and with ADMA-
OPCO in Abu Dhabi respectively. Its latest
vessel, INW-5 arrived in 2011 and is currently
in operation in Kuwait carrying out inspection
and maintenance services. The newest vessel
in INW’s fleet will be called INW-10, it is a
DP2- AHTS/OSV and is intended to be more
sophisticated than its preceding vessels. The
company is scheduled to accept delivery of the
vessel no later than December 2014.
INW and its subsidiary are able to offer a
range of marine services including anchor
handling and towing, inspection, maintenance
and support operations. Within Egypt it is
currently working with a joint venture between
the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation
(EGPC) and British Petroleum. Within this
project the company has undertaken some
complex work, including the installation of
underwater clamps to prevent underwater
pipeline burst or damage.
A major jewel in the crown for the company
is its diving division. Operating as part of the
company since its inception and having close
to 35 years of experience, its divers have a
reputation for setting the standard in the Middle
Eastern region. “We are considered the biggest
diving company in terms of manpower. We have
about 250 divers serving the Middle East and
this gives us a lot of privilege,” begins Captain
Omar Ezz El Din, chairman of INW. “We carry
out a number of different diving jobs within the
offshore sector, where we do inspections jobs,
cutting and welding. There are a lot of various
projects with a lot scope for different types of
work within our diving sector.”
Complimenting these services, INW also
owns and operates four remotely operated
vehicles (ROV’s) and offers a unique array of
rope access techniques, including abseiling
and other techniques that allow it to operate in
challenging environments. With this impressive
service portfolio and expanding fleet, it is clear
that INW is dedicated to being the preferred
International Naval Works
(INW) represents a leading name in Egypt and
the Middle East’s oil and gas sector. Founded in
1977 the company currently has its headquarters
based in Alexandria with branches in Cairo,
UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and
Kuwait. In 2002 it expanded its operations
opening the subsidiary company International
Marine Works (IMW), which was established
to work exclusively for the oil and gas industry
in Egypt while INW provides
services within Egypt and the
wider Middle East. Operating
within the Public Free Zone gives
INW a great deal of flexibility,
while offering its customers a host
of support services in a dedicated
and professional manner.
INW’s fleet operates across
two areas, which it defines as
its diving and marine operations. Serving these
areas it maintains a fleet of five vessels with a
sixth planned for 2014. Its first vessel, INW-1
was built in 1982 as a diving support vessel
and is currently operating a long-term contract
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into marine and oil & gasDiving
International Naval Worksinw.com.eg
ServicesOffshore support, diving and marine services
it to maintain its market leading reputation
within this area as Mohamed & Ahmed Ezz
El Din explains: “Being part of the association
means that we know that we are applying
the most recent guidelines and procedures
while undertaking our diving activities. To be
associated with the group is good for us because
it is a well-known group and it sets a high
standard to be following their guidelines and
practices. This is very important for us.”
Moving into the future INW will be focused
on further strengthening its reputation as an
industry leader in the Middle Eastern region and
maintaining its ROV fleet and diving activities
through the supply of the latest equipment and
training. Its continued investment in its fleet
will be the driving force behind the company’s
work to ensure that both its diving and marine
services are leaders in offering world-class
service. As such, the rest of 2013 and 2014 will
be focused on ensuring that INW-10 is delivered
to specification to allow INW to expand its
customer base and grow well into the future.
operator for oil and gas services in the Middle
Eastern region.
Supporting its ambitions, INW operates a
strict quality control system as well as its own
safety management system (SMS). The company
is fully certified by the ISO 9001:2008 quality
control system and operates all of its vessels
under ISM code regulation. These certifications
are something that INW takes very seriously as
a benchmark for ensuring that it is able to offer
its customers the very best in industry-leading
service. It takes an active interest in training its
staff and management in complying with all
of the practices detailed within ISO and ISM
certification. It operates an internal training
system for its entire staff focusing on its SMS
and quality control measures and routinely
sends personnel to training seminars around
the world ensuring that the company is able to
work at the cutting edge of industry regulation.
Within its diving and marine operations
INW is part of the International Marine
Contractors Association (IMCA), which allows
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Operating as part of the company since its inception and having close to 25 years of experience, its divers have a reputation for setting the standard in the Middle Eastern region
The high purity of our steel, and the precise formulation of our alloys, ensures consistently outstanding fatigue strength and wear resistance.
Steel from Ovako makes an important contribution to the safety records of several major oil and gas suppliers. We are the main provider to Ramnäs mooring chains and for 30 years the results of our collaboration have been challenged by the elements all around the world. When it comes to steel for demanding applications, Ovako can offer a customized solution to improve your competitive edge. To find out more, visit us at ovako.com
Ovako is trusted to deliver steel for the most demanding oil and gas applications worldwide
OVA-Oil&gas_A4_130918.indd 1 2013-09-19 14.23
Headquartered in Sweden,
Ramnäs Bruk AB began forging stud link anchor
chains in 1876 and entered the offshore oil chain
business since its inception over 50 years ago.
Today the company is a leading manufacturer
of quality chains and is the only business in the
market to offer a five-year quality warranty for
all chain. Such confidence in its products stems
from 45 years experience in the offshore sector
and more than 25 years without a customer
complaint due to mooring line failure.
Providing offshore safety through top quality
anchor chains for mooring systems utilised in
the offshore industry around the world, Ramnäs
Bruk fully understands the importance of safety
and ensures quality is a core value at the heart
of its every day operations. Manufacturing to
the international quality assurance standard
ISO 9001: 2008, the company guarantees its
customers the best possible service and end
product throughout the whole purchasing,
fabrication and supplying phase of each
individual offshore project.
With a production capacity of 15,000 mega
tonnes a year, the company has continuously
looked for opportunities to improve the
production process to meet new customer
requirements; it has also focused on technical
developments for automation and inspection
as well as cost-cutting methods. Furthermore,
co-operating with selected and certified steel
works such as Ovako, has led to steel quality
improvements and new high-strength steel for
larger chain dimensions and higher grades being
developed. Both Ovako and Ramnäs Bruk work
together to constantly improve steel properties,
which ensures ongoing quality enhancement in
line with the rigorous quality control system that
means every single bar is traceable.
In order to manufacture the best stud link
anchor chain on the market, Ramnäs Bruk has
developed a unique manufacturing method of
controlled stud expansion. The stud expansion
fixes the stud and creates a spring effect that
improves the fatigue life of the chain. Also, the
asymmetrical design of the stud gives equal stud
footprints and contributes to a symmetric stress-
distribution in the link. This design, combined
Strong
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aboveRamnäs Bruk ultrasonic method Phased Array
BelowNew furnace with 30 per cent increase in heat treatment capacity
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OvakOOvako is a leading European producer of engineering steel with production facilities in Sweden and Finland.As a supplier to the bearing, general engineering, transport and oil and gas industries worldwide, Ovako´s extensive range of clean steels is used in demanding applications throughout the world including offshore and marine.All Ovako´s steel grades have excellent yield, tensile and high impact strength along with uniform mechanical properties and are available in a wide range of forms.Ovako is proud of its long association as a quality steel supplier to Ramnäs Bruk for the manufacture of mooring and anchor chain systems.
Ramnäs Bruk ABramnas.com
ServicesManufacturer of anchor chains
on a monitor. The technique offers tangible
benefits such as shorter inspection periods,
clear documentation and investigation of most
materials. Today, major oil companies such as
Statoil and Total use phased array technology
as a way to meet regulatory requirements for
testing equipment.
As the offshore industry moves into deeper
waters and harsher environments, Ramnäs Bruk
has been refocusing its product development
to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
Through developing a new supersonic procedure
to perfect an anti-corrosion surface coating, the
innovative company can offer its customers
products with an increased life span in the most
challenging of environments. The supersonic
cathodic protection does not require 100 per
cent coverage, for example, effective coverage
can be obtained even if only 70 per cent of the
surface is covered.
As part of its standard range, Ramnäs Bruk
offers its customers the option of having an
RFID chip installed in stud link chains to
provide instant traceability. Utilising RFID
technology, customers can scan designated
factory expanded studs with chips safely
embedded below the surface to obtain
information about the chain’s origin, certificate
and current status.
Always looking at enhancing its products,
the company also invests in its equipment
and facilities to ensure customers are offered
market-leading solutions. One of its most
recent investments was a new furnace in May
2013, which has a 30 per cent increase in heat
treatment capacity compared to the company’s
prior furnace. These ongoing developments and
the company’s dedication to quality enabled it to
remain busy throughout the recession and are
certain to ensure its success in the future.
with Ramnäs Bruk’s controlled stud expansion,
has been the standard method in Ramnäs Bruk’s
production process since 1991. The studs stay in
place, resulting in a superior quality chain.
On top of its stud link mooring chain, the
company also offers studless links that can
deliver the same performance in terms of
static strength while also saving approximately
nine per cent in weight. This is particularly
beneficial for deepwater applications, where
there is a potential reduction in weight,
which offers cost savings. With all material
thoroughly inspected upon arrival, Ramnäs
Bruk welds the link using linear production
and micro process controls are applied to
record every individual flash butt weld.
Finally, during the heat treatment process,
the company continuously records furnace
temperature, water temperature, pressure
and chain speed so any non-conformance
can be resolved with corrective action.
Benefitting from a vast amount of experience,
the company has developed unique routines,
invested in modern equipment and has trained
its skilled staff to perform manual inspection
and automatic testing.
A pioneer in the development of production,
chain grades and quality, Ramnäs Bruk has
three ongoing projects: phased array, supersonic
corrosion protection and RFID instant
traceability. The phased array is a state-of-the-art
UT method for offshore chain that guarantees
100 percent inspection of the whole weld
volume. First launched in 2010 and approved
by all major classification societies, the product
uses ultrasonic waves containing a large amount
of vibration sources that produce ultrasonic
pulses. The phased array method scans the
whole diameter of the link from top to bottom,
inside and out, with any defects displayed
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leftThe asymmetrical design of the stud gives equal stud footprints and contributes to a symmetric stress-distribution in the link
aboveForging of stud link chain
As a provider of floating
accommodation in a variety of forms since 1982,
Bibby Maritime is now regarded as the market
leader in shallow water floating accommodation
vessels. Based in Liverpool, the company
maintains a fleet of five Coastels, which offer
high quality facilities for projects worldwide.
“We provide accommodation on large
developments, usually construction in the
private sector, but also typically oil and gas
in recent years,” says managing director Jon
Osborne as an introduction to Bibby Maritime’s
business model. “We supplement the land
accommodation that these projects have as
a matter of course. Often we are either the
pioneer camp at the very start of the project
whilst they are building the land facilities, or
we assist during the peak construction period.”
The company is used to working with other
accommodation providers due to the size of
the projects in the industry and the temporary
nature of the facilities.
There are significant benefits to Bibby
Maritime’s concept though, as Jon outlines:
“Our vessels can be moored close to a work
site, which reduces the operational difficulties
and costs involved in moving workers between
sites. Furthermore, we are temporary by nature,
which means we have very good environmental
credentials. We can float in and out without
leaving any footprint behind, whereas if you
build or rent a land camp the infrastructure can
be quite telling on the environment.
“We also provide access to more remote
locations such as the Shetlands or north
of Norway, where often there is a desire to
not increase the urban footprint through
development. In fact there are very few places we
can’t go, with berth availability being the main
challenge that we face. Likewise, we are very
cost-effective as a solution compared with land
camps,” he continues.
At present Bibby Maritime’s vessels are
effectively divided between two fleets – one in its
home market of northern Europe, and the other
in Australia where one vessel is already working,
and set to be joined by a second at the end of
the year. The vessels are predominately the
same, although the Australian fleet is more self-
sufficient in terms of power, sewage and water
supplies, whilst the European one requires more
access to the main supply.
“In the last two years four of the five vessels
we operate have had millions of pounds spent
on them in a full refurbishment to bring them
up to 21st century grade accommodation,” notes
Jon. “This includes Wi-Fi onboard each vessel,
TVs in most rooms, and en-suites. We see our
business as being very similar to a hotel, and
so it’s about making sure that our vessels meet
those same quality standards. The provision
changes subtly over time but it’s more about a
lifestyle choice now.”
Bibby Maritime is also speaking to suppliers
Comfortable
PROFILE BIBBy MARItIME
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DH Marine (Shetland) Ltd. is a local firm with its main office and workshops based in Lerwick Shetland Islands.
The company was founded in 2000 by David Henry, and in the early years was focused on marine and industrial
electrical engineering. Today the firm has grown considerably and diversified successfully into the oil and gas
sector supplying plant hire equipment used in Zoned areas mainly at the BP Sullom Voe Oil Terminal and the new
Total Laggan Toremore SGP project.
DH Marine has installed three new Broadcrown diesel driven generators from its own hire fleet, each is capable of
producing 800kva of power through to a 2500amp containerised distribution unit, which will control on demand
the power requirements of the accommodation vessel Bibby Challenge, berthed in the harbour at Scalloway on
the west coast of Shetland.
The reason for this type of installation is because the power requirement of the vessel could not be met due to
the capability of the local supply, and if in the event of a possible power outage in the village the other substations
would not have the capacity to back feed power to supply the local consumers and the vessel. Therefore the
mains provider Scottish & Southern Energy in conjunction with DH Marine, Shetland Islands Council, and Bibby
Maritime found the solution that was agreeable to all parties was that the power would be supplied utilising
equipment from DH Marine (Shetland) Ltd.
Health, safety and the environment is always of prime importance to DH Marine (Shetland) Ltd, with the
company priding itself on its commitment to the wellbeing of company employees and all others involved.
Environmental issues are also equally important, especially when in this case the company is installing large diesel
driven generators in the middle of the village of Scalloway, where noise could be a major issue when the units are
running 24hrs a day, seven days a week. The chosen Broadcrown generators only produce a noise level of 85db at
1m, and should have minimal to no impact on the surrounding population.
Many people may incorrectly believe that Shetland is remote with little or no infrastructure. However, these
islands are at the centre of the Atlantic and North Sea oil and gas industry, with DH Marine (Shetland) Ltd proving
that a local company can provide the equipment, the resources, the manpower and the knowledge to support the
multinational companies in their quest to bring ashore safely the natural resources in the waters around Shetland.
dh marine (shetland) ltd
in Europe and Australia about securing two new
vessels for these markets. “We hope to make that
investment in the next few months,” highlights
Jon. “The market is very good for us at the
moment with strong utilisation of the fleet, and I
believe that is based on the fact that we have such
a strong product. We’ve been in this business
for 30 years and we feel we are becoming a
more accepted solution. As we work on more
projects, a lot of the workforce have stayed on
vessels in the fleet before and we actually find
that we are usually viewed as the most popular
accommodation option on a project.”
By investing based on this success, and the
company’s track record in gas projects, Bibby
Maritime hopes to have additional availability
to take on new projects. The company has
also introduced a number of changes to its
business proposal in order to make it simpler for
customers to do business with it.
This includes managing compliance with
the different standards and legislation in each
country on the client’s behalf. Another measure
Bibby Maritimebibbymaritime.com
ServicesFloating accommodation
is to remove the high upfront charge for
movement of the vessels between locations by
setting a single day rate, which includes recovery
of the mobilisation fee.
“On many projects the requirement for
the workforce goes up and down as the work
progresses. Therefore when renting our vessels
we will give the client a flat rate for their base
requirement of rooms, and then charge per room
for any additional used. This gives the client the
flexibility to adjust their requirement, without
having to pay for any rooms they don’t use,”
describes Jon.
“Later this year we will be taking another
vessel to Australia where we have secured
planning permission for a berth in Darwin,
and are subsequently in talks with a number
of contractors doing work on the Icthys LNG
project in the area. This is a new approach for
us, but we are taking the initiative to get all of
the berth permissions in place for areas that we
know are hotspots for accommodation, and then
securing the contracts after,” he concludes.
We can float in and out without leaving any footprint behind, whereas if you build or rent a land camp the infrastructure can be quite telling on the environment
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EAB Engineering AS is a second
generation, family run business that has been in
operation for the last 61 years. It was founded
by Even Andreas Bakke in 1952 working with
ropeways and transportation systems and is
currently overseen by managing director Harald
Bakke, who took the reins of the company
in 1981. Under his stewardship EAB became
involved in the subsea sector in 1989 and has
since garnered a reputation for making big waves
in the industry. So much so in fact that recently
the company became part of OneSubsea, which
is a prestigious reflection of the high level of
expertise and regard EAB has earned over
the years. The company is currently based in
Norway where it is considered a leading name in
subsea development.
Prior to becoming part of OneSubsea
the company operated throughout the 90s,
developing close working relationships with
three of Norway’s main subsea and offshore
operators, Kongsberg (now FMC Kongsberg),
ABB Offshore Systems (now GE Oil and Gas)
and Aker Kvearner (now Aker Solutions).
During its time EAB was focused mainly
on supplying tooling to Norway’s subsea
Subseaoperators, however it quickly developed a sound
knowledge base within the industry through
consultancy work and its effective tooling
solutions. Before long the company became
involved in the development and delivery of
tools for subsea intervention and connection.
With its growing confidence these areas would
go on to become key market areas for EAB
and help to define it as a relatively small but
tenaciously driven company. “We participated
in developing various connecting tools that
came on the market in the 90s,” Harald begins.
“That includes spool connection systems, subsea
winches, hub cleaning and inspection tools, seal
replacement tools as well as tools for installation
of Flowlines and Risers (FLT’s). We also
developed and delivered the Flexconnect system
to Technip, which was the beginning of a long-
term relationship with the company.”
This early involvement within the subsea
sector proved to be a significant advantage for
EAB. Not only was it able to enter the market on
the ‘ground level’, but it was also crucially able
to identify itself among larger contemporaries
as a highly skilled and innovative operator
within the sector. Today this has culminated
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AboveTEE Manifold for Rogn South, weighing 165 tons. Recent EAB delivery to OceanInstaller and Shell
BelowTEE Manifold for Rogn South. Installation by OceanInstaller, September 2013
Destec engineeringDestec Engineering now has many years of experience supplying subsea single bolt connectors in a very wide range of sizes, materials and pressure ratings. By using the range of Destec’s proven conical metal seal rings, the units are reliable, leak free, compact, cost effective and have significant advantages to minimise mass and space envelope, providing greater operational efficiency and first time connection.Most of Destec’s subsea single bolt connectors have many customers’ unique special requirements that can be incorporated in the designs.Applications include subsea choke valves, multiphase flow meters, subsea tie-in connection systems, flowline/jumper connections and tree connections all engineered for remote operation subsea.
EAB Engineering ASeabeng.no
ServicesExpert subsea solutions
will have a very large impact on the turnover for
our company. The connector market is I think
worth around two billion dollars so to even gain
a small portion of that will mean substantial
growth for EAB.” ECS is a clamp connection
system for horizontal and vertical connections
with a range from 6” to 24”.
Moving into the future EAB will continue
to draw on its strengths as it develops its
relationship with the OneSubsea family and
readies itself for larger projects. “I think one
reason we are where we are is that we have
shown ourselves to be trustworthy,” Harald
says. “We have gained trust in the market place
through years of success. What I mean is that
the consequences of faulty products or bad
design are tremendous in the subsea industry.
For one thing, installation vessels are expensive
so if you make a mistake or if the module is
difficult to install you could be losing millions of
dollars a week. Likewise, if you have a spillage
or problem with the structures then that could
be catastrophic. We feel our customers value our
track record and our capabilities.
“We have also shown that we are able to
act discreetly, which is important when you
consider that we have often provided solutions
for competing service suppliers and installation
companies, so in this respect being trustworthy
has been vital.”
One of the most exciting challenges EAB
anticipates over the coming years is in getting
acquainted with the OneSubsea family. “We have
to market ourselves to an organisation of 6500
employees, so getting to know the rest of the
group will be a focus for us,” Harald explains.
“We are also very focused on developing EAB
in a sustainable way, while trying to avoid the
problems that can be associated with growth.
The next few years will be very exciting.”
in a number of important benchmarks for
the business. Firstly as its confidence has
grown, EAB has diversified its product range
to include permanent subsea infrastructure in
conjunction to its extensive range of subsea
tools. Its permanent subsea structures include
pipeline end manifolds (PLEM’s), pipeline
end termination (PLET), riser bases, pigging
stations, TEE’s and Manifolds. As such, serving
known companies like Technip and Subsea 7 the
company now attributes around 70 per cent of
its business to permanent equipment sales, while
the remaining 30 per cent is still centered on
tooling. Within its scope of equipment provision
EAB has delivered its own products that have
demonstrated great value for the subsea market,
as Harald elaborates: “We supply our Flowline
Lifting Tool – FLT’s, which is close to being
the industry standard, and even more so we
supply our patented soft landing cylinders.
These are delivered to provide a controlled and
damped landing for almost any structure that is
designed to be placed on top of another piece of
equipment. These structures can be large, with
weights up to 1500 tons or more, and of course
operators are very concerned about a potential
crash landing. These structures can cost several
hundred million dollars so protecting them is
very important. The EAB soft landing system
is becoming firmly engraved as an industry
standard and most of the larger players are using
it as part of their standard equipment. More than
600 cylinders with braking capacity from a few
tons to 450 tons have been delivered.”
Another major boon for the company has
been its inclusion within the OneSubsea
Group. Built on the strong reputation EAB has
earned and on its unique subsea experience the
partnership offers the company massive potential
growth, as Harald explains: “For us to become
part of the OneSubsea family has been quite a
nice experience actually. We are a small company
of 50 employees with a turnover of 35 million
to 40 million dollars, but we were very well
received by the top management of OneSubsea
and we have already benefitted from this. We
have been given responsibility for certain areas
within the group’s subsea activities, one of which
is that we service the installation companies as
we are the only unit with the expertise in what
installation companies really need.”
Elaborating on the technical impact of
becoming part of OneSubsea Harald reveals: “It
looks like the EAB connection system (ECS) will
be part of the portfolio for the group and that
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aboveFrom Factory Acceptance Testing of EAB Connection System
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Founded by Platenkamp and Steenken
in 2010, Tulip Oil was born with a specific focus
on developing stranded assets, where discoveries
had previously been deemed too difficult or
non-commercial at the time, and redeveloping
formerly abandoned oil and gas fields. The
company is active in the upstream oil and gas
business where it has expanded into Germany
and Holland, as part of its initial focus on
Western Europe.
The rapidity of this growth has been down
to both the partnerships and acquisitions that
Tulip Oil has made since its formation. Notably
the company gained a strong financial partner
in Barclays Natural Resource Investments at the
beginning of 2011, which saw the private equity
business take responsibility for the funding side.
Tulip Oil then acquired an initial 75 per cent
stake in German company Rhein Petroleum,
followed by another 15 per cent later on, which
held a portfolio of licences in the Rhine Valley.
“These covered a hydrocarbon area that
had been abandoned throughout the 1960s to
1980s as the industry withdrew, and this fit our
business concept exactly in terms of having the
potential for stranded assets and redevelopment
potential of oil fields,” explains Erik Steenken,
CEO. “In total there were around nine oil fields
there that had been abandoned, but using the
technologies and the cost efficiency of today we
believe can revitalise the oil business in the area.
“To that end we started with one of the
largest 3D seismic campaigns in the history of
Germany, which was completed smoothly and
in record time. This was the first instance where
we could demonstrate our strong stakeholder
management concept, which is based on full
transparency, early engagement, clarification,
and bringing the stakeholder into the discussion.
The data has confirmed the business model we
set out as the early seismic interpretation results
indicate an interesting portfolio of at least 50
prospects in our licenses,” he continues.
With a strong foothold in Germany, Tulip Oil
then made a significant acquisition in Holland
with the purchase of Smart Energy Solutions
B.V. This entity held interests in ten hydrocarbon
licences in the Netherlands, including onshore
and offshore discoveries. The viability of these
assets was quickly proven, with Tulip Oil
discovering a new gas field with its first drilling
project in July 2012. The well was drilled from
an existing location in Donkerbroek, leading to
the new field being named Donkerbroek-West,
where it sits adjacent to the Donkerbroek-Main
gas field.
Subsequent to this success, Tulip Oil has
discovered another gas field within its Dutch
assets, this time in Hemrik. “We now have three
small fields in Donkerbroek, Donkerbroek-West
and close by in Hemrik, so what we are looking
to do is combine these developments into one
that will go on-stream towards the end of 2014,”
explains Erik. “This is a typical example of our
way of working as some of these discoveries may
themselves not be large enough for development,
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BelowErik Steenken, CEO Tulip Oil
Well engineering PartnersWell Engineering Partners (WEP) proudly provided the overall engineering, total project management and well site supervision for the projects of Tulip Oil; Donkerbroek-04 well (2012), Hemrik-01 well (2013). WEP is an experienced, growing project management and well engineering firm with a strong client focus delivering results in all aspects of well engineering, from operational support to desktop studies. From its main office in the Netherlands and a second office in Oman, clients from all over the world are being served.
Tulip Oiltulipoil.com
ServicesOil and gas production
rigs,” he continues.
As a relatively young business Tulip Oil has
worked hard to prove not only the effectiveness
of its business model, but also its ability to
deliver that as a small company. With impressive
early results, Erik highlights how the business
is pushing ahead with the next phase of
its strategy: “We want to show that we can
successfully develop these stranded assets, or
re-develop abandoned assets, in a cost efficient
way such that the industry will wake up to these
possibilities and we might become the partner
of choice when we talk of future work and
co-operation.
“For the Dutch gas discoveries we have made so
far it is important that we initiate first production
as soon as possible. In addition we are preparing
the field development plan for our offshore Q7/
Q10 gas assets, which we want to develop during
2014 /2015. In Germany we have started drilling
operations and we are hopeful of initiating
production before year-end and growing that
substantially over the course of 2014, as we will
continue to drill throughout 2014. With the 2014
drilling campaign of a total of 13 wells we want
to prove the resource base that we have presently
identified in Germany, which we currently believe
to be in excess of 100 million barrels of oil. We
want to do this through deployment of existing
technologies in a cost effective way such that
we create a step-change improvement in the
commercial viability of stranded or technically
difficult hydrocarbon assets.
“Finally our aim is clearly to use our strengths
to further grow our asset portfolio, within the
parameters of our business model, and we are in
discussions regarding additional acquisitions and
joint ventures. Many companies have assets that
will always remain “below the line” and we can
help in developing them,” he concludes.
but when you combine them together into
one development with cost efficient facilities
and pipeline solutions the total development
becomes commercially viable.”
Earlier this year Tulip Oil added even further
to its Netherlands portfolio with the purchase of
exploration licences M10a/M11 and Terschelling
from Ascent Resources. Again, these fitted with
the company’s business model being that they
contain stranded assets where wells were drilled
and hydrocarbons found, but never developed
because of technical or commercial reasons.
Whilst Tulip Oil has undoubtedly benefited
from the strength of its portfolio, Erik outlines
how the experiences and expertise of its people
have also been a deciding factor in its success:
“Between our four managers we have more
than 100 years of experience in oil and gas,
with specific skills that fit our business concept
such as mature field development, subsurface
expertise, EOR and very strong networks. We
are grateful to be able to attract outstanding and
experienced staff that like our entrepreneurial
spirit, our focus on core business and the way
we work. We have very low overheads as we are
a small company (45 FTE’s and two offices in
The Hague and Heidelberg), and short decision
lines, which make us more efficient and able to
react faster.
“We’ve also been focussed on implementing
HSE in an efficient, impactful and pragmatic
way. As such we are very pleased that after
our drilling campaign in Holland, and having
acquired so much seismic data, we can report
outstanding safety statistics. This is a priority
for the business. To minimise the impact of our
operations on our neighbours we have been
using a brand new modern rig for drilling the
wells, which has a particularly small footprint
and is more silent than previously used drilling
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With the 2014 drilling campaign of a total of 13 wells we want to prove the resource base that we have presently identified in Germany, which we currently believe to be in excess of 100 million barrels of oil
PwCAt PwC we strive to offer our clients the value they are looking for. We ask questions. We listen. We learn what they want to do and where they want to go. We work in close collaboration with you to provide a single point of contact and help you to minimise time and costs while we engage you in conversations on wider business issues.Our 3100 energy specialists in 158 countries aim to provide you with local insight and understanding, as well as draw from our global experiences. We work with every segment of the industry, providing business solutions tailored to your needs.In Cyprus, where the recent discovery of a potentially world class gas finding has brought hope for the development of a local hydrocarbons industry, we have a dedicated energy team drawn from various disciplines from our almost 1000 professionals in the island, aiming to assist you in facing the challenges of your industry in Cyprus and beyond.
Building
The first well A-1 was drilled in 2011 and the
resource size for the natural gas discovery was
estimated to be between five tcf to eight tcf; the
results of A-2 are key in deciding the next steps
in developments.
“We have leased six blocks; Noble operates
block 12, ENI and its partner Kogas are the
operators of blocks two, three and nine and
Total operates ten and eleven. It is anticipated
that Total, following analysis of results, will
start exploration drilling in the final quarter of
2014 or early 2015, while ENI aims to begin
exploration drilling in the second half of 2014
and 2015,” says Charles. “Noble is the first to
proceed with plans to construct the offshore
facility and take responsibility of train one of
the LNG Plant.” With Cyprus in the early stages
of planning the building of an LNG terminal,
Noble contracted Technip, which conducted a
design study on the potential LNG terminal in
Cyprus. Following this both CNHC and Noble
Energy aim to enter into a joint venture LNG
project agreement in 2014, consisting of three
main components: shared facilities, an LNG train
and marketing and sales.
“Initially we will start with one train for
Aphrodite, but once we get this project off
the ground we will expand the facilities to
include the likes of Total and ENI, depending
of course on their gas finds; each train will have
a capacity for five million tonnes of LNG per
year. We are ensuring there is enough available
When hydrocarbons were
discovered in 2011, the Cyprus government
decided to set up a wholly owned state and
private company to deal with the exploration
and exploitation of the Cypriot hydrocarbon
resources. The Cyprus National Hydrocarbons
Company (CNHC) officially began operating
on 1st January 2013, which is when I also began
working at the company; there has been a lot
of discussions on the best way to exploit our
resources and it was agreed that an LNG plant
would offer the most market flexibility and best
results. We have only just started operations and
have a long way to go in bringing our plans to
fruition,” explains Charles Ellinas, introducing
the Aphrodite gas field, situated in Block 12,
which has the potential to shoot Cyprus out of
its present economic difficulties.
With estimates of approximately 1.7 trillion
cubic metres of natural gas in the Cypriot
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), CNHC and
its Block 12 partners signed an MOU to develop
the LNG plant in Vasiliko in July and intend to
reach final agreements for the LNG project by
the end of 2013. The Block 12 licensors include
Israeli firm Delek, which has confirmed interest
in taking part in the construction of the plant; it
holds a 30 per cent stake in block 12 alongside
subsidiary Avner Oil. The majority share of 70
per cent is held by the operator of Aphrodite,
Noble Energy, which announced it had begun
an A-2 appraisal of the block in June 2013.
“
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proFilE Cyprus national HydroCarbons Company (CnHC)
blocks
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KPMGIn order to help companies in the oil and gas industry achieve their desired position in an intensely competitive market, KPMG in Cyprus has established an Oil & Gas Group to maximise synergies in our service delivery to the industry. We co-operate closely with our clients in order to maximise benefits.
Cyprus National Hydrocarbons Company (CNHC)cnhc.com
ServicesNational oil company
domestic consumption. At the moment 98 per
cent of the country’s electricity comes from the
burning of oil fuel. This is very expensive, but
if we manage to bring our own gas in the cost
of electricity will fall by about 40 per cent and
immediately save Cyprus 400 million euros per
year. This will be a tremendous boost for our
people and industry as the costs saved will be
massive,” highlights Charles.
With the results of block 12 due in October
2013, and the LNG project agreement
concluded by the end of the year, a final
investment decision between Noble Energy
and its partners, and CNHC on the LNG
installation will be made in 2016, leading the
way for construction to begin. On top of this,
Noble Energy anticipates further exploration in
block 12 in 2014, which will result in further
business opportunities as the companies prepare
for the first exports in 2020. “There are many
challenges ahead but we have big plans and are
working hard to make this massive opportunity
a reality. From 2020 we will start selling LNG to
the markets; initial profits will be used to repay
original investments and significant profits will
start coming by 2023. Our government is in
the process of implementing the right policies
to enable these developments; if we get this
right, the potential for Cyprus is enormous,”
concludes Charles.
land for up to eight LNG trains, which could
then also accommodate gas from Lebanon and
Israel. Cyprus is a great base to act as a hub for
the region as it is aligned with the European
Union’s legal and regulatory systems and offers
security and stability,” says Charles. Once the
joint venture between the two companies is fully
established, both Noble Energy and CNHC will
begin seeking appropriate finance, with various
international parties already expressing interest
in playing a role in these plans and in Cypriot
gas exports. It is expected that an LNG terminal,
along with the required offshore installations
could reach costs of up to $9-10 billion.
Although the company’s plans are in the
early stages, Charles believes the role of the
natural gas market will play an integral part in
the growth of Cyprus over the coming decades;
with an expected 10,000 jobs to be created in a
country that has struggled in a weak economy;
there will also be a boost in construction and
support activities within the gas sector. “If we
are successful by 2016 we will start construction
and expect to create jobs for up to 10,000
people; so we are starting to train people now
through special courses for this industry to
make sure we have the manpower in place.
Following this milestone, the next major step
is when we allow gas to Cyprus in 2019 and
achieve autonomy for electricity generation and
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proFilE Cyprus national HydroCarbons Company (CnHC)
guaranteethem to offer packages for boats and davits
to clients in the oil and gas industry. A recent
major contract win for the two companies was
announced in September 2013 and involves the
supply of UKOOA compliant rescue equipment
for four emergency response and rescue vessels
(ERRVs). Coming from Aberdeen based Sentinel
Marine Ltd, the prestigious order announces
the arrival of Fast RSQ as Palfinger Ned-Deck’s
sister firm and will enable Palfinger Ned-Deck to
retain its foothold on the davit sector for ERRVs.
The order involves a type FRSQ 700 A seven
metre aluminium fast rescue craft, a type FRSQ
1000 A ten metre aluminum daughter craft, a
PRH 35H FRC davit and PRH 75AP daughter
craft davit. Built according to the latest stringent
industry standards, each vessel will boast fuel-
efficient design and a higher level of quality
in on-board comfort. Once launched, Sentinel
Marine’s fleet will be the youngest and most
advanced serving the North Sea.
“Sentinel Marine came to us wanting
innovative products, so we looked at the client’s
requirements and the solutions we could deliver;
following this, we developed an updated davit
that is based on an already proven design.
Furthermore, our completely new boat design
is unique and of the highest quality, which
was important to Sentinel. Both boats will be
manufactured out of an aluminium hull design,
which is far more cost effective due to very little
maintenance requirements for the material,”
highlights Matthijis. “You can not get a newer
design, this really is the cream of the crop for
both of us,” enthuses Alexander. “By giving
our customer constant input on the product
they will receive we have delivered satisfaction
by merging years of proven experience with
innovation. We appreciate the trust and support
we have received from Sentinel, which has led to
us supplying them with this high-tech new and
innovative concept.”
Striving to offer customers excellence without
compromise through reliable and profitable
solutions within a worldwide network of
reputable service partners, Palfinger Marine’s
five business units deliver a lifelong product as
part of a global brand. “Because we are part of
the group we benefit from a lot of information
and ideas being thrown around internally as we
brain storm with one another about the needs
of the market,” explains Alexander.
With a strong commitment to deliver the best
quality and safety standards, efficient service,
reliability in every situation and capability to
Established in 1996, Palfinger
Ned-Deck today is one of Palfinger Marine
Group’s five business units, where it focuses on
the manufacture of launch and recovery systems
(LARS) such as davits and cranes for life saving
purposes, work boats, daughter crafts, fast
interceptors and fenders. “Originally, Palfinger
Ned-Deck (Ned-Deck Marine until May 2013)
was an equipment manufacturer of LARS for the
marine offshore and naval industry. In 2010 we
were acquired by the Palfinger Marine Group,
which is focused on supplying complete deck
equipment for the navy, marine and oil and
gas industries,” explains Alexander Schouten,
Palfinger Ned-Deck’s commercial director.
Striving to provide highly reliable, innovative
and customised products that reflect Palfinger
Marine Group’s promise of ‘lifetime excellence’,
Palfinger Ned-Deck offers LARS that are safe,
economical, user-friendly and high quality.
In 2009 internationally operating rescue craft
designer and manufacturer Fast RSQ became a
subsidiary of Palfinger Ned-Deck, a development
that complements both firms’ commitment
to offering excellent services in demanding
market segments. “Fast RSQ is involved in
rescue and daughter crafts, which are mostly
SOLAS regulated designs, oil spill recovery work
boats and interceptor boats for navy/coastguard
vessels and release mechanisms” says Matthijs
van der Ham, managing director of Fast RSQ.
“We are both in markets that overlap in the
offshore platform or offshore drilling unit market
segment, and also in the offshore support/safety
sector and our involvement in Navy/government
projects. However, Fast RSQ also works on
projects involving non-SOLAS workboats, such
as specialised workboats, inflatable boats or
for specific customer needs that could involve
a local government requesting a boat for an
internal lake. We can provide boats for projects
that are beyond the market that Palfinger Ned-
Deck is focused on.”
Both belonging to the same group, Palfinger
Ned-Deck and Fast-RSQ benefit from sharing
available information internally, which enables
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proFilE palFingEr nEd-dEck and Fast rsQ
Palfinger Ned-Deck and Fast RSQpalfingerneddeck.comfastrsq.com
Palfinger Ned-Deck ServicesDesigner and manufacturer of launch and recovery systems
Fast RSQ ServicesDesigner and manufacturer of rescue craft
To meet these needs we have been listening to
what our clients want and analysing the market
ahead of us so we can then set our own strategic
goals for the near future and the long-term,”
says Alexander.
Looking ahead, Palfinger Ned-Deck sees
opportunities to expand in the Gulf of Mexico,
the North Sea, Africa and Brazil, while Fast
RSQ is focusing on the development of its oil
spill recovery boats and preparing for contracts
located in arctic conditions. “The oil and gas
industry is going more North of the world, so
it is logical for us to further develop our deck
equipment to be compliant with these harsh
conditions,” explains Alexander. “As the market
becomes more demanding for better technology
and low cost ownership, we too must constantly
develop and be innovative. We understand the
challenges in the global oil and gas industry
and have adjusted our company in preparation
for the future. We want to be the biggest player
in the oil and gas market and we see only
opportunities ahead.”
deliver expert support under the umbrella
of its parent company, Palfinger Ned-Deck
and Fast RSQ complement one another by
sharing mutual strengths and goals. “Palfinger
Ned-Deck believes in sharing experience and
knowledge through having an organisation
structure that is flat, which means we can
share information that is available between the
two companies easily. This enables us to offer
suitable packages for completely traceable boats
and davits to our customers in the oil and gas
industry,” says Alexander.
Dedicated to constant development, Palfinger
Marine has a strong focus on quality and
pushes its divisions to improve products; this
commitment ensures Palfinger Ned-Deck and
other divisions change and improve in line with
the ever-evolving demands of the offshore oil
and gas industry. “There are a lot of initiatives
within Palfinger Marine to continue developing
in line with the market, which we have noticed
has an increasingly higher demand on quality,
supplier performance, traceability of materials.
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COMPLETE LIVING QUARTERS
WORLDWIDE
ENGINEERING | PROCUREMENT | CONSTRUCTION
ALMACO builds and modernizes Complete Living Quarters for offshore units, specializing in demanding deliveries with NORSOK, UK HSE and other
regulations. ALMACO draws from a 15-year experience of successful deliveries of accommodations to the cruise ship industry, involving demanding
delivery timelines and high quality standards at a competitive price.
www.almaco.cc
almaco_living_quarters_v2.indd 1 2.10.2013 13.30
Established in 2006 to satisfy
market demand for a new generation of offshore
floatels, Floatel International Ltd has since
grown to become a major player in the floating
accommodation market. With ongoing contracts
for both its present DP semi-submersible vessels,
Floatel Superior and Floatel Reliance, both
built at Keppel FELS Shipyard, Singapore, the
company also has a third semi-submersible
accommodation vessel, Floatel Victory, due for
delivery in the final quarter for 2013, a fourth
accommodation vessel, the Floatel Endurance,
due for delivery in early 2015 and the recently
ordered fifth accommodation vessel, due for
delivery in the end of 2015. All three new builds
are also being constructed by Keppel FELS.
The premier provider of floating
accommodation’s delivered its first asset on
March 18th 2010, 43 days ahead of schedule;
specifically designed to meet the latest stringent
North Sea regulations for year-round operations
in the harshest of environments, the Floatel
Superior is currently operating for Statoil
in the North Sea. Notable for being the first
North Sea floatel constructed in two decades,
the 440 accommodation capacity vessel was
closely followed by Floatel Reliance, which was
delivered on October 29th 2010, 63 days ahead
of schedule. Built in accordance with ABS class,
the vessel was designed to operate in medium
harsh environments and offers accommodation
capacity for 500 persons; the asset is currently
continuing its five year charter for Petrobas,
which began in January 2011.
The first four vessels have been contracted
with some of the biggest oil and gas firms such
as Statoil, Petrobras, Chevron, BP and Total.
Floatel International’s subsidiary, Floatel
International AB, provides onshore operational
support services and onshore supervision of
the vessels under construction. Located in
Gothenburg, Sweden, Floatel International AB’s
management team has more than 20 years of
experience within the offshore construction and
floatel service industry. Presently the company
has a site office in Singapore that takes care
of the newbuilding at Keppel FELS and site
offices in Brazil and Norway providing onshore
support for the vessels under operation. Floatel
International comprises of some 300 people in
total, whereof 55 persons works onshore
Now firmly established in the high end
accommodation market, the company has built
up a solid backlog of work and the three vessels
under construction are all committed for work
that commence soon after delivery. This success
stems from the firm’s reliability, the superior
capabilities of its vessels and its dedication
to giving customers the best possible service;
core strengths proven in its long-term working
homeHome from
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proFilE FloatEl intErnational
AccommodAting ApproAch
The offshore accommodations market is growing and moving towards better quality living standards to
attract higher-qualified and more demanding personnel to operate in rigs that can be located very far
away from the shore. Locations are becoming increasingly challenging; therefore, the level of comfort of
the operating personnel is of greater importance to rig owners and operators.
ALMACO is a leading developer and manufacturer of modern, complete floating accommodation
solutions that draws from 15 years of experience in successfully delivering accommodations to the
cruise ship industry, which allows the company to meet not only demanding delivery timelines, but
also the required high quality standards. Delivering offshore accommodation projects successfully
requires efficient logistics management, planning, scheduling, advanced levels of engineering and naval
architecture, as well as skilled project management. ALMACO has perfected these skills and is able to
bring them to each offshore project to deliver to the customer’s expectations.
ALMACO is a global business by nature, having a presence in Brazil, China, Finland, France, Germany,
Singapore and the US, but prides itself on its flexibility to serve at a local level as well. The company
has the capabilities of fabricating, sourcing and delivering cost-efficient solutions from its partners and
construction hubs worldwide. ALMACO’s experience has been based on building with the customer’s
needs in mind, and one its key strengths is in partnering with its clients, starting in the design and
engineering phase, where ALMACO’s expertise and its customer’s needs meet to create a successful
project delivery.
ALMACO has a long history of close co-operation with Floatel, and is currently in its third contract
with Keppel FELS for work on a Floatel vessel – the Floatel Endurance. The business has a strong
relationship with both Keppel FELS and Floatel International, which is evidenced in these repeat
projects. ALMACO has been able to deliver to Floatel International the modern and high-quality
accommodations they offer to their clients, which supports their vision to own and operate the most
modern, safe and reliable floatel fleet in the world. ALMACO has also established close contact with
Keppel FELS through its Singapore office and a team of foreign and local experts dedicated to the
project. Keeping the needs of its clients, both yards and owners, at the forefront is the key to developing
such long-lasting relationships, and is something that ALMACO always strives for with each interaction.
ALMACO Group’s co-operation with Keppel FELS and Floatel International started in 2008,
when ALMACO was contracted to build 440 single-bed NORSOK-compliant cabins, 1500 square
meters of public areas and all food-handling areas on board Floatel Superior. ALMACO Group has
further reinforced the relationship with both the shipyard and the owner with the third order for
a new building contract from Keppel FELS for modular cabins and public spaces on board Floatel
International’s Floatel Endurance. The scope includes four accommodation decks and three public area
decks, with a total of 440 single-bed, NORSOK-compliant modular cabins and 1500 square meters of
public areas such as corridors, lounges, offices, messes and others. The expected delivery is Q1 2015
and works will be carried out in Singapore.
ALMACO’s contract with Keppel FELS encompasses detail design and engineering for all the interior,
interior linings for public areas and corridors, insulation, installation of windows on the structure and
all interior outfitting works, installation of the complete galley and laundry, and material supply and
installation for the modular cabins and public areas.
With this project, as well as the recently awarded complete living quarter contract for 6 drillships with
EEP in Brazil, alongside the outfitting project already in motion in COSCO shipyard in China for Axis
Offshore’s GM500A semi-submersible, ALMACO’s position as the preferred EPC in the offshore market
has been further strengthened as it highlights ALMACO’s global capabilities to carry out extensive
projects in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The company’s strategy continues to support the objective of
becoming the leader in quality accommodations for the offshore market around the world.
Floatel Internationalfloatel.se
ServicesHigh-end floating accommodation
Shelf, as well as operations in tropical waters;
the diverse vessel will be operating in an area
with some of the most demanding regulatory
requirements and some of the most severe
environmental conditions in the world. The
vessel will have an accommodation capacity of
440 persons, two large cranes with a maximum
lifting capacity of 100 tonnes each and the
capability to transfer goods and material to the
adjacent installation. Furthermore the Floatel
Endurance will have a telescopic gangway for
the safe transfer of personnel to the installation
and telescopic action +/-8 metres. Due for
delivery in the fourth quarter of 2014, the Floatel
Endurance will provide its maiden charter
for six months firm plus options at Chevron’s
Wheatstone HUC development in Australia.
In line with its business model of providing
high-end accommodation vessels, Floatel
International signed a new contract with
Keppel FELS for its fifth vessel. Similar to
Floatel Victory, it is designed to meet the
latest UK HSE regulatory requirements for
operating in the harshest environments
around the world.
Despite the majority of its contracts being
based in the North Sea, the company is not
focusing its development in any specific
geographical area, but will go where it can get
the best contracts for its assets. Regardless of
location, Floatel International is dedicated to
continuing to give its customers the best possible
service by supplying the market with modern,
comfortable and high-quality accommodation.
relationships with major firms and the operation
of Floatel Superior and Floatel Reliance.
The next vessel due for delivery, Floatel
Victory, will be equipped with DP3 positioning
capability and a ten-point chain mooring
system; built according to ABS class, the vessel
is designed to meet the latest UK HSE regulatory
requirements for operating in the harshest
environments around the world. Features on
Floatel Victory include 35 office workstations
and conference facilities, workshop facilities for
construction support, a main crane with a 120
tonne capacity and an auxiliary crane with 64
mega tonne capacity. The Floatel Victory will
also possess a telescopic gangway with +/-7.5
metre telescopic range that enables the vessel
to remain bridge connected in harsh weather
conditions. Due for delivery in the fourth
quarter of 2013, the Floatel Victory will provide
accommodation for six to eight months charter
for Chevron at the Jack & St. Malo project in
the Gulf of Mexico. The vessel is also charted
on a firm one year contract with BP at the Clair
Ridge Development Project on the Shetland Isles
on the UK Continental shelf in June 2015. This
agreement comes with options for BP to extend
its stay beyond the contracted time frame.
As the oil and gas industry moves into
harsher environments and deeper waters,
Floatel International signed another contract
with Keppel FELS for its fourth asset, Floatel
Endurance. Similar to the Floatel Superior, the
vessel is designed for operations in the North
Sea, including the Norwegian Continental
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Floatel International is dedicated to continuing to give its customers the best possible service by supplying the market with modern, comfortable and high-quality accommodation
AlbAny EnginEEring Co ltdFoam Concentrate PumpsAlbany’s pumps are used off and onshore for foam concentrate pumping. Flows up to 2400 l/m and above are supplied at pressures up to 20 bars. Compact water driven foam pumps offer a robust solution and versatile design, even at the highest viscosity.Albany holds ISO 9001 QA and several models are VdS approved.
Life has become increasingly
challenging for the foam concentrate
manufacturers during the past decade. Beginning
with the discovery of PFOS-related medical
issues in 2000, the decade saw increasing focus
on environmental issues that were driven by
government agencies and not by the foam users
themselves. Alongside that, several international
approval standards have been revised including
EN 1568, IMO SOLAS and ICAO.
This has placed increased demands on the
technical expertise and resources of the foam
producers. Not all producers have the capability
to adapt to the new demands and those that
cannot will lose market share as their products
become no longer acceptable.
Dafo Fomtec is one company riding the wave of
change with confidence. Its steep growth in recent
years and focus on the high quality profitable
sectors has provided the business with the means
to recruit new technical expertise and also invest
in a very intensive research and development
programme. As sales manager Mike Taylor puts
it: “We are ready, willing and able to meet all the
challenges we face in the industry. Fomtec is fit for
purpose, like all of our products.”
Fomtec manufactures a complete range of
products from regular protein, Fluoroprotein,
FFFP AR, AFFF, AFFF AR, as well as the
synthetic non-fluorinated foams. It already
holds an impressive portfolio of approvals, with
certifications to EN 1568, UL 162, FM, IMO
SOLAS, ICAO, UK-Def, Lastfire and many others.
solutions
Over the years Fomtec has seen some major
steps to enhance its position in the market,
including:
Low temperature AFFFsIn 2010 Fomtec launched a new range of low
temperature (-18 °C) AFFF one per cent, three
per cent and six per cent products, which were
recently UL listed and also hold both EN 1568
and ICAO level B approvals.
Inside air high expansion foamDuring spring of 2010 Fomtec tested a new
high expansion foam in a series of tough large-
scale inside air applications, showing that
the foam concentrate Fomtec LS EXP works
well against both hydrocarbon, polar solvent
and class A fires in an inside air environment.
Fomtec MD John Olav Ottesen commented
at the time: “A whole new system is being
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Surefire
proFILE DAFo FomtEc
Dafo Fomtecfomtec.com
ServicesFirefighting foams and equipment
proving to deliver effective foam quality through
portable foam making equipment and fixed
foam systems.
These latest concentrates represent a
significant milestone as they are all C6
fluorotelomer surfactant based formulations,
which are considered environmentally
responsible. They are non-toxic, not
bioaccumulative, not developmental toxins and
cannot breakdown to PFOA. These products
utilise the latest cutting edge chemistry
combining leading fire performance and
environmentally responsible C6 formulations.
All four of these concentrates are listed for use
at 4.1L/min/m2 for hydrocarbon fuels, and 6.15L/
min/m2 for alcohol type polar solvent chemicals.
Furthermore, the NV Avalanche AR-FFFP has
a low viscosity, enabling minimum storage
and proportioning at -6.7°C. The products
are an excellent and competitive addition to
the company’s portfolio and represent a new
chapter in Dafo Fomtec’s comprehensive foam
concentrate line-up to meet clients’ future needs.
launched in 2011 incorporating concentrate,
proportioning and high expansion generators
for inside air. We have also tested Fomtec LS
EXP against LNG fires and the results are very
satisfying for both medium and high expansion.
Customers will enjoy stiffer competition in
these application segments as we launch these
concepts next year.”
New chemistry and new standards – hand in handThere are always many changes going on in
Fomtec’s industry, on the one hand there are new
formulations due to the change of chemistry, and
on the other hand there are regulations changes,
such as the new version of EN 1568, as well as
the new IMO 1312 that will be faced in shortly.
Fomtec is always able to deal with industry
changes quickly and efficiently, a good example
being when ICAO level C was published by
2012. Fomtec was ready for all these changes
with new all-C6 formulations. As John Olav
Ottesen explained: “What some competitors
saw as a major problem, we perceived as a great
opportunity to strengthen our market position.”
More recently, Fomtec has announced its
latest four exciting foam concentrates that have
passed Underwriters Laboratories’ (UL) rigorous
fire and performance-testing criteria, adding to
its already comprehensive UL listed product
portfolio. These new products are:
Fomtec ARC 1x3 Ultra AR-AFFF 6
Fomtec ARC 3x3 Ultra AR-AFFF 6
Fomtec ARC 3x6 Ultra AR-AFFF 6
Fomtec ARC 3x3 NV Avalanche AR-FFFP 6
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is one
of the most renowned and widely accepted
approvals in the fire industry. It not only tests
the foam concentrate with tough fire testing,
but also verifies that the concentrate can be
proportioned accurately through proprietary
inductors and fixed proportioner systems across
a wide ambient temperature range, while also
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What some competitors saw as a major problem, we perceived as a great opportunity to strengthen our market position
propositionPowerful
Only two years away from
celebrating 80 years in business, Dale Power
Solutions has, over its history, evolved to become
a global leader in the design and manufacture of
specialist secure power solutions including diesel
generators, gas turbines, uninterruptible power
supplies and battery based chargers, under the
renowned Dale and Erskine brands.
The company’s strength lies in delivering
flexible service and maintenance support tailored
to the specific needs of clients for the lifetime of
their diesel generator, gas turbine, DC, UPS, and
battery equipment. Whether customers require
planned preventative maintenance cover, a one
off service visit, a breakdown call out, or a total
power solution management service, Dale Power
Solutions has the experience and technical
excellence to provide a cost effective solution to
deliver exactly what they need.
Furthermore, in addition to its renowned
service and maintenance contracts for generators,
battery based chargers and UPS systems, it is able
to provide a variety of additional services, adding
more value to its unrivalled spectrum of services
and ensuring clients’ standby power is there
when they need it.
In August 2012, Dale underwent a
management buy-out, backed by a leading
private equity investor, LDC. In the year since
this event, Dale Power Solutions has gone from
strength to strength, continuing to expand
even in a very difficult economic climate, by
offering new services and products to its UK and
overseas customer base.
Since the buyout, Dale Power Solutions has
achieved a planned 25 per cent increase in profit
for the first half of 2013 compared to last year;
keeping it well on course with a full order book
to achieve sales of over £32 million.
This achievement continues a historical trend
as Dale Power Solutions has expanded from
sales of £4 million in 2004, employing 40 people
to sales of £31 million in 2012, employing
230 people. It now has offices throughout
the UK and Dubai and is looking for further
geographical expansion.
The company has achieved its investment
targets by increasing its range of secure power
products, by introducing new generator and
UPS systems as well as offering brand new
services to customers. It is also in the process of
implementing a new state-of-the-art IT system and
completely revamping its organisation, including
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Dale Power Solutions dalepowersolutions.com
ProductsPrimary and back up emergency power products
Dale appreciates that it must continue to move
forward, and one of the ways it highlights its
capabilities and products to the market is by
having a presence at major exhibitions, such as
the recent Offshore Europe event.
Amongst the technology that was on display
in 2013 was the UP7000 UPS system with
regen capabilities. This newly released product
raises the standard for the oil and gas industry
standby power solutions for supporting critical
controls and safety systems. The UP7000
design includes, as standard, the key features
demanded by high-end marine, and oil and
gas specifications for uninterruptible power
supplies. However, what really differentiates this
product from competition is the regenerative-
enabled IGBT rectifier technology; the superior
input power factor and harmonic performance
is welcomed but the ability to regenerate battery
energy for capacity testing is a game changer for
offshore maintenance.
Instead of the complex, manually
intensive and potentially hazardous process
of switching the system offline to discharge
test the battery into a temporary load bank,
regenerative battery testing achieves the
same results with a simple operation via the
touch screen. Load banks, trailing cables,
live working and load switching are avoided
while the UPS remains online, supporting
the critical load. Inherent safety therefore
significantly improves, not only for offshore
maintenance personnel but also the offshore
asset, which critical loads it supports.
The UP7000 is not Dale’s only product release
for 2013. It also launched the E300 series –
an innovative generation of high frequency,
on-line double conversion Uninterruptible
Power Supplies. Full DSP controlled inverter
technology ensures continuous, clean, true
sinusoidal power to critical applications under
a wide range of conditions, available in output
power capacities from 160 to 300kVA, all with
three phase input and output.
Dale Power Solutions stands today as a global
leader – an expert in bringing technology and
engineering together and creating innovative
solutions for customers. With an annual
turnover in excess of £30 million, it is the
company's commitment to excellence, combined
with its mission to deliver outstanding client
service, which has earned Dale Power Solutions
the prestigious reputation it enjoys today as one
of the world’s most trusted providers of standby
power solutions.
a major change to the sales structure to better
service its growing number of customers. In
addition to this it is also invested in marketing,
expanding the team and increasing expenditure in
brand development and customer communication.
Much of the current expansion can also be
attributed to Dale’s historical investment in the
training and development of its employees. For
many years the company has actively invested
and grown its apprenticeship scheme, which
was recognised nationally in 2012, when it was
presented with a Top 100 UK Apprenticeship
Employer award.
In fact, as recently as September 2013 one of
Dale’s employees was recognised with honours
- Natasha Pitts won the highly prestigious
Higher Apprentice of the Year Award for
the region of Yorkshire & the Humber. The
National Apprenticeship Awards, now in their
tenth year, celebrate the achievements of the
country’s most outstanding apprentices and
apprenticeship employers.
Mark Carter, business support manager
at Dale, who is responsible for training and
apprenticeships stated: “Natasha has been a
role model for all apprentices. She has taken
on a STEM (science, technology, engineering
and maths) ambassador role for Dale and her
contribution to the company has seen her
establish a rewarding career as an electrical
engineer. Natasha completed her 48-month
apprenticeship in just 26 months and received
a full permanent contract containing a higher
apprenticeship. Natasha’s determination to
progress within our business has led to a
foundation degree and achieving the highest
standards possible.”
Awards such as this fall under the purview of
Dale’s corporate and social responsibility strategy.
As Tim Wilkins, chief executive of Dale Power
Solutions noted: "We are committed to making a
sustainable positive impact on the communities
in which we operate.” As a result, the company
actively promotes and motivates young people
into engineering, which it regards as key for the
future of the business.
Further reflecting Dale’s focus on excellence, the
company has received additional recognition – it
has also twice won the Queen's Award for Export,
as well as a recent second accolade from the
Sunday Times Fast Track 200 for its International
Sales figures for the last two years. The company
has also been shortlisted for this year’s Yorkshire
Post Excellence in Business Awards.
To maintain these high levels of success,
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Dale Power Solutions stands today as a global leader – an expert in bringing technology and engineering together and creating innovative solutions for customers
The Saipem corporate policy for Health, Safety and Environment de�nes the corporate philosophy to achieve Zero Harm to people and the environment. Saipem conducts its business in a manner that ensures a safe and healthy work environment for employees, clients, contractors, visitors and the general public as well as protection of the environment.
Saipem Limited has been contracted by Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA in March 2013 for Engineering, Procurement and Construction of the Ivar Aasen Jacket and in November 2012 for the Transportation of the Jacket and Topsides from the fabrication yards to the installation site in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.
Saipem will install the Jacket in 2015 with the Topsides scheduled to be installed in 2016 and presently remains on schedule to meet these milestones. All installation activities will be undertaken utilising the Semi-submersible Crane Vessel Saipem 7000 operating in Dynamic Positioning Mode.
To ful�ll the project objectives, the expertise and resources of the Saipem o�ces in London, Milano and Arbatax (Italy) are being utilised:
London: Overall Project Management, detailed engineering, transport and installation engineering and major/critical material procurement including Special items.
Milano: Procurement services for bulk materials.
Arbatax: Fabrication drawings, construction, Jacket load-out and sea-fastening.
The design is in full compliance with NORSOK standards and Norwegian Regulatory requirements.
With the acquisition of these two contracts, Saipem considers itself as a player in the EPCI Market for North Sea Area of operations.
All main fabrication, assembly and erection work of the four leg Jacket (8,500 Te) and 12no. skirt piles x 96” Dia. (Total 5,400 Te) to be performed at Infab (Saipem owned Fabrication yard), Arbatax, Italy.
The transportation of the Jacket will be on the Saipem Barge S600, with the o�shore lift, upend and setdown of the Jacket by Saipem 7000 during 2nd Qtr. 2015.
The Topsides with a total weight of about 13,400 Te, comprise Main Module, Process Module, Living Quarters and Flare Structure. Installation of the Topsides will be done by Saipem 7000 during either 2nd or 3rd Qtr. 2016.
www.saipem.com
People, Ideas, Energy.
attitude
exploration programme concentrating on its
work with new exploration models in mature
areas on the Norwegian shelf. Det norske
has been involved in a number of fields and
significant discoveries. The company is active in
a number of oil fields including Atla, Varg, Jotun,
Jette, Ivar Aasen and Johan Sverdrup.
In fact, its involvement with the Ivar Aasen
project is a key development for the company, as
this field is Det norske’s first major development
project as operator and is a project that
represents a cost of 25 billion NOK. During the
first quarter of 2013 the Norwegian Council
of State recommended the development of the
North Sea field and the Norwegian Parliament
approved permission to develop the area
on 31st May. The site is expected to deliver
16,000 boepd net to Det norske by 2016 with
production set to increase to 23,000 boepd by
2019. Det norske as operator has signed a pre-
unitisation agreement to work in partnership
with production license 457. The agreement
allows for a co-ordinated development of oil
Det norske oljeselskap (Det
norske/Detnor) is a leading Norwegian company
operating within the oil and gas industry on
the Norwegian continental shelf. Its roots date
back to 1971 when Det Norske Oljeselskap
(DNO) was founded. It received its first revenues
in 1974 through a shareholding in the British
Heathfield and began its first Norwegian license
in 1984. For a long period DNO was not active
on the NCS. But from 2001 DNO was back on
the scene. In 2007 the company merged with
Pertra to establish Det norske oljeselskap ASA
(Det norske). In 2009 Det norske merged with
Aker Exploration, and Aker ASA became the
new major shareholder in the company. Since
then Det norske has continued to expand and
remains energetically active within the industry.
The company head office is based in Trondheim,
with offices in Oslo and Harstad. Today Det
norske has over 230 employees and is currently
listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with the
ticker DETNOR.
Today Det norske is pursuing an aggressive
Mature
BelowOyvind Bratsberg, chief operating officer at Det norske oljeselskap
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Apply leirvikFor more than 35 years, Apply has been the leading provider of living quarters and helidecks for the offshore oil and gas industry. Apply develops and delivers steel- and aluminium living quarters complete with helidecks, all in accordance with clients’overall specifications.Apply can provide tailor-made accommodation modules that fulfill every specifications and need a client might have. In addition, it also delivers accommodation modules that are designed and fabricated using its Modular Section Principle.
Det norske oljeselskapdetnor.no
ServicesOil field exploration and management
in smart solutions and maintains a culture of
an enthusiastic, entrepreneurial spirit amongst
its staff. Equally, Det norske is keen to work
closely with contractors to encourage cutting-
edge technology to create new approaches and
solutions. This energetic approach to the oil and
gas market sets Det norske oljeselskap apart as a
truly engaging business with an ever-expanding
portfolio of discoveries.
field discoveries and sets out principles for the
work process towards an initial unitisation split.
The unitisation agreement is set to be finalised
by June 2014 and once completed, the Ivar
Aasen facilities are expected to improve project
economics and extend the life of the field.
The Ivar Aasen field is situated west of the
Johan Sverdrup field in the North Sea - Johan
Sverdrup is Det norske’s largest asset. The Johan
Sverdrup field is not only vast in size; the quality
of the reservoir is also world class. The porosity
is high, often exceeding 30 per cent. What sets
the reservoir on Johan Sverdrup apart from
many others is the coarse grain size. This entails
large pores and exceptional flow properties. The
properties of the reservoir have been thoroughly
documented through production tests in several
of the wells. The most recent production test
was performed in well 16/2-17S, located in the
central part of the field. The well 16/2-17S (Fault
Margin) confirmed an 82-metre thick oil column,
of which 49 metres were of very high quality.
Statoil is heading the joint work on the Johan
Sverdrup field leading up to an investment
decision and submittal of Plan for Development
and Operation (PDO). The partners are to decide
on the development concept in the fourth quarter
of 2013, the PDO is scheduled to be submitted
in the fourth quarter of 2014, and the field is due
to come on stream in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The field is expected to produce at least until
the year 2050 and the recovery rate of the field is
expected to be high. As the field extends across
several licences, the field will be unitised during
2014. The distribution of ownership interests in
the field will be resolved by negotiation.
Moving into the future Det norske is currently
set to maintain is current momentum and
further develop its holdings on the Norwegian
shelf. It is a dynamic company capable of fluid
and adaptable expansion with a programme
of optimised portfolio development based on
strategic relinquishment and farming in and
out of licenses. This allows it to remain active
in the areas where fields are most cost-effective
and offer optimal future returns. An extensive
exploration programme to discover new fields
as well as to further develop drill potential for
current projects supports its keen eye for market
development. During 2013 Det norske plans to
spend NOK 1500 million on exploration and
intends to participate in up to ten wells.
The company is proud of its reputation as
the fastest growing and most ambitious oil
company on the Norwegian shelf. It believes
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People, Ideas, Energy.
Pursuing satisfaction of our clients in the energy industry,we tackle each challenge with safe, reliable and innovative solutions.
www.saipem.com
Saipem is a leader in the provision of engineering, procurement, project management and construction services with distinctive capabilities in the design and execution of large-scale offshore and onshore projects and technological competences such as gas monetisation and heavy oil exploitation.Saipem is organised into two Business Units: Engineering & Construction and Drilling, with a strong bias towards oil & gas related activities in remote areas and deepwater.
governments, shipping companies, international
project developers, insurance companies, and
mining businesses.
“Regardless of region, we always place a very
primary and high emphasis on customer service,”
he added. “This encompasses understanding
the client’s needs and developing innovative and
competitive all-round solutions for the customer.
In most cases, this also means walking the value
creation path together with the client and coming
up with solutions that create real value for them.
Our growth based strategic framework is built
on the four pillars of ‘Focus, Optimise, Reinforce
and Expand’, which provides us the strategic
competitive advantage in the market. We are
also the only one among our peers that has
the in-house capabilities to provide a complete
integrated service to our customers - we are
rightly seen as the one-stop solution provider for
complex and large projects.”
This approach means that the company
invariably works with many of the leading
names in the industry such as Shell, Petrofac,
Petronas, and Daewoo. “The work on the
Shell Bukom Single Point Mooring Pipeline
Replacement project is ongoing at the moment,”
Pranab highlighted. “The scope of works include
dredging, removal, replacement and protection
of the Single Point Mooring (SPM) 48” subsea
pipeline. This project is located within close
proximity to the Shell Bukom refinery and also
in the vicinity of a coral reserve.
“In 2012 we completed two very challenging
projects for Petrofac and Petronas in their
offshore fields. The locations were some 140km
offshore and subject to high swells meaning that
the work required precise dredging to replace
soft materials near one of the foundations
of the platform. Our vessel, ‘The Queen of
the Netherlands’, carried out the work very
smoothly - she is only one of the handful of
Boskalis International (S) Pte
Ltd is the Singaporean branch of Royal Boskalis
Westminster N.V., a market leading global
business that provides marine and maritime
services. In Singapore, Boskalis International (S)
Pte Ltd has been operational for three decades,
completing a range of projects for clients in a
wide array of fields.
“Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading
global maritime services company operating
in the dredging, offshore energy and inland
infrastructure sectors. Through SMIT it is also
active in towage and salvage services. We deliver
innovative one-stop solutions to major maritime
challenges,” said Pranab Choudhury, regional
business manager in Singapore. “Boskalis has
more than 11,000 employees, including a share
in partner companies. It operates in over 75
countries across six continents, and its versatile
fleet consists of over 1100 vessels and a variety
of equipment.
“Boskalis Singapore was established in 1983 to
execute projects in Singapore and the region,” he
continued. “Over the years we have completed
several very large projects such as the land
reclamation works in the Tuas and Jurong areas
of Singapore and the phase 2 expansion of the
Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia.”
As Pranab explained, in Singapore and
the surrounding region Boskalis carries out a
wide range of activities and in its history has
completed major projects for government
agencies, oil companies and port operators. On
a wider level, internationally Boskalis is active
in projects in the energy, port and infrastructure
markets working with clients that include
oil and energy companies, port operators,
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Boskalis International Pte Ltdboskalis.com
ServicesMaritime services
Fairway’ in Singapore. This mega Trailer has
a hopper capacity of 35,508 m3 and total
installed power of 27,550 KW. Not only is
this very powerful and large equipment, it is
also very environmentally friendly due to the
environmental-valve installed in the hopper that
significantly reduces the sediment plume in the
dredging areas.”
Considering the projects and contracts
highlighted, as well as the favourable market
conditions at present, Pranab concluded on
a positive note for the future: “Singapore and
South East Asia is expected to enjoy a robust
market for our services for the remaining part of
2013. Singapore has already announced several
large land reclamation projects in the next three
to five years and we are keen to participate and
add value in these projects. Similarly, the other
countries in the region have national plans for
expanding their infrastructures in the energy
and port sectors. Our strategic vision is to be the
leading service provider in the field of innovative
and competitive all-round solutions to our
customers in this region.”
TSHDs that’s capable of dredging at that water
depth.” Successfully completing complex projects
such as these ensures Boskalis remains busy. In
fact, recently the company has been awarded
a contract by Shell Philippines Exploration BV
for the installation of an offshore Depletion
Compression Platform for its Malampaya Project.
In addition, the company has been awarded a
contract to dredge the approach channel of a
refinery project in Vietnam.
Boskalis’ dredging work is carried out using
the latest, state-of-the-art equipment, as Pranab
explained: “All the dredgers in Boskalis’ fleet are
equipped with the latest available technologies
in the field of navigation, communication and
survey equipment. We have an in-house built
software called dredge-view, which provides us
with accurate dredging depths and mininises the
dredging tolerances. In Singapore we have the
fall pipe vessel ‘Zinkoon 6’, which is equipped
with scrader® concept to install rock within
centimetres accuracy.
“We are also refitting our mega sized Trailer
Suction Hopper Dregder (TSHD) ‘The WD
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Singapore and South East Asia is expected to enjoy a robust market for our services for the remaining part of 2013
Facilitatinggrowthand a mechanical testing hall. There is also
a dry dock with a 93 metre length, 15 metre
width and 4.7 metre depth that has a crane
capacity of 12 tonnes, an assembly hall with a
90 tonne overhead crane, two overhead cranes
of 25 tonnes, an administration office, surface
treatment hall, a CNC cutting table, a CNC
operated saw, and automatic welding machines.
Meanwhile, approximately 20 employees
work at Husoy division’s 1500 square metre
fabrication facilities, which include a welding
procedure archive with more than 200 different
welding procedures, a 20 tonne overhead crane,
a 325 square metre separate section for white
materials, a deep water quay of 120 metres, a
CNC operated cutting table, CNC operated saw,
and automatic welding machines.
With its production facilities in close
proximity to the quay, Skude Industri can
offer efficient load off and transport of subsea-
pipeline and large structures for operations. The
company’s product catalogue includes manifold
structures, termination heads, subsea tie in
spools, tow heads, cladding-weld on hub and
equipment modules. Qualified in Achilles, and
certified in ISO:9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004
as well as SN-BS OHSAS 18001:2OO7, Skude
Industri is fully compliant to the stringent
regulations within the oil and gas industry.
With a team of highly experienced welding
instructors, Skude Industri offers expertise in
the production and testing of equipment in the
subsea and offshore sector and the fabrication
of a range of structure and piping systems for
Delivering all types of fabrication
for offshore, subsea, maritime and onshore
industries, Skude Industri began as a ship repair
yard in Skudeneshavn in 1963 under the name
Hakonsen Mekaniske. Wholly owned by Solstad
Invest AS since 1997, the company changed its
focus to the oil and gas industry and offshore
sectors in 2000 following years of decreasing
activity in the shipping market. In 2013 the
company changed its name to Skude Industri
and today has 85 full time employees with an 80
per cent focus on the offshore and subsea market.
Boasting 50 years of expertise in maintenance
and construction, Skude Industri has gained a
strong customer portfolio that includes major
oil and gas companies such as Statoil, BP Norge,
Aker Solutions, FMC, Technip Norge and GE
Oil & Gas, and has gained ongoing framework
agreements that reach well into the future.
Offering experience and competence in the
delivery of fabrication services such as modules/
skids, aluminium, PLET, PLEM and riser bases,
subsea spools, piping systems, dry docking
facilities, pressure testing, cladding/machining
of caps/flanges, ship classifications and surface
treatment, the company manufactures from three
sites, Skudeneshavn, Husoy, which was established
in 2006, and Hydro Aluminium, Karmoy.
Skudenshavn’s facilities include an outdoor
area of 50,000 square metres, three piping
production halls, one of which was recently
built for stainless steel pipes with a separate
section for aluminium fabrications, four
structure production halls, a painting hall
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Skude Industriskudeindustri.no/en
ServicesProduction and testing of offshore and subsea equipment
for all ships as needed. Through its sub-unit
Sveiservice, which is located at Steiningsholmen,
Skudeneshavn, the company offers various types
of products for its customers. These include
various types of pot pullers, railing winches and
rail rollers such as pot pullers with davit, pot
pullers installed on roll or railing, rail rollers for
pot pullers, rail rollers, a hydraulic net winch
for railings with cork line stackers and mini
winch with turn wheel. Sveiservice also offers a
large selection of hydraulic equipment, which
includes UTM pump with magnetic coupling,
UTM-pump, SAEA coupling with sockets, clutch
coupling, twist slide, winch for boom and oil
filter; it also has capstans in sizes ranging from
350 kilogrammes to 7000 kilogrammes and
offers equipment from RAPP.
Dedicated to continuously investing in
equipment to ensure ongoing improvements
of already excellent services to the offshore and
subsea, onshore and maritime industries, the
forward thinking and innovative Skude Industri
has fabricated a positive future for itself.
both topside and subsea projects. The company’s
product catalogue includes, but is not limited
to, manifold structures, subsea protection
structures, termination heads, tow heads,
equipment modules and aluminium structures.
For its onshore activities, Skude Industri has
its own workshop on Hydro Karmoy where
eight to 12 personnel are permanently located
to perform maintenance on mechanical,
structure, piping and building and facade
projects. There are another three people
permanently stationed in its branch at the
Statoil owned Karsto processing plant, where
the company offers maintenance services to
mechanical, structure and piping. On top of
this, it provides solutions for a comprehensive
range of onshore facilities, both private and
municipal; these include mechanical, structure,
piping, building and façade.
Originally focused on the shipping industry,
Skude Industri offers full-scale services for
fishing boats, offshore vessels and cargo
ships, repairing and producing spare parts
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With a team of highly experienced welding instructors, Skude Industri offers expertise in the production and testing of equipment in the subsea and offshore sector and the fabrication of a range of structure and piping systems for both topside and subsea projects
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been the recipient of a number of accolades
from Statoil.
At present the company is involved in the
largest contract it has ever undertaken, supplying
Petrofac and Cameron on the Laggan Tormore
field. Now in double figures, the project started
some 18 months ago and is currently near its
conclusion, with Forsyths’ involvement set to
end around the end of 2013. However, the firm
recently won an important project with BP to
fabricate equipment for the Quad 204 project
on the Schiehallion field. “We are very active
with the BP Quad 204 project,” begins Richard
Forsyth, chairman. “As usual this is through
third party design houses. We’re making pump
frames for SPX and are fabricating very high tech
pressure vessels through MI Swaco/ Cyclotech,”
he explains.
The company’s momentum continues to grow
throughout 2013. It has just won another major
contract with MI Swaco on the Hebron Field
in Norway. Again, the project calls for Forsyths’
industry recognised standard in duplex and
super duplex pressure vessels. “This is where
our investment into new facilities has really
come into its own,” elaborates Richard. “It has
made this investment very worth while and the
Operating out of its two facilities
in Buckie and Rothes, Forsyths weathered
the challenges brought about by the global
economic downturn and today remains a trusted
supplier of steelwork and piping solutions to the
beverage and oil and gas industries. Since it was
last featured in European Oil and Gas Magazine
the company has continued to grow, spurred by
an increasingly buoyant oil and gas market and
continued repeat contracts within the alcoholic
beverages sector.
Carrying on the momentum it has gained
in recent years the firm is currently keenly
interested in expanding its operations in Buckie
to enable it to remain in a prime position to
co-operate with the areas expanding renewable
and offshore industries. Furthermore over
the past three years Forsyths has invested
£5 million in its facilities, primarily in its Rothes
site and is looking to continue to expand in a
similar vein throughout the rest of 2013 and
into 2014. During 2009 the company undertook
a significant project for Statoil for the fabrication
and assembly of a 320 tonne MEG re-generation
skid unit. This was constructed at the company’s
own quayside facility in Buckie and shipped to
Statoil in Norway. Subsequently Forsyths has
A trustedsupplier
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Forsythsforsyths.com
ServicesSteelwork, piping, pressure vessels and tanks
by extremely strict practices and comes as a
result of a comprehensive training programme
that all apprentices entering the business are
expected to participate in to gain fundamental
knowledge and understanding. The company
has become a specialist in many exotic metals
including duplex and super duplex. The offshore
industry is increasing its use of these relatively
new materials as they are very resistant to
saline water. Forsyths has invested heavily in
acquiring the knowledge and skills required in
the manufacture of products in these metals,
alongside the more traditional stainless steel,
copper and titanium materials.
Recent moves made by a large number of oil
and gas companies venturing into increasingly
deeper waters have seen a growing requirement
for flexi-pipe and umbilical products. This has
resulted in an increased demand for operational
and storage reel structures, and Forsyths has
again invested heavily in developing its own
designs for these to meet the ever more onerous
client and certifying authority specifications and
requirements. This has led to the largest reels
designed and fabricated by Forsyths to date
being 11.4m diameter, weighing 80 tonnes and
capable of holding 400 tonnes of product.
By remaining flexible and able to adjust to
the needs of the oil and gas industry, Forsyths
has earned a reputation as a reliable specialist
able to provide tested solutions to a variety of
applications. Moving forward, the future for the
company looks very buoyant indeed.
facility is catering for these contracts very well,”
he concludes. Underpinning the company’s
continued growth and acquisition of prestigious
contracts is the firm’s solid reputation for
supplying high quality results, which enables it to
reply on repeat customers. One example of this is
the firm’s continued work with GE Wellstream to
provide flexi pipe reels, which it has been making
for over 15 years and maintained an excellent
level of customer satisfaction.
Looking to the rest of 2013 and beyond
Forsyths remains optimistic about the road
ahead and expects the oil and gas industry to
remain buoyant, so much so that it is actively
looking to purchase further holdings and land
in Buckie to accommodate for future business.
Similarly, the company has hired more than 30
new members of staff across its business with
75 per cent of them focusing on oil and gas
operations. This is to allow greater focus on the
Laggan project, but also in anticipation of future
projects. Its two main areas of business remain
to be oil & gas and distillery work and for at
least the next three years the company expects to
continue to grow as both its whisky and offshore
partnerships continue to expand.
Forsyths dynamic growth is powered by its
commitment to providing a quality service and
its dedicated investment in to its fabrication
infrastructure. Time and time again the company
has been on the receiving end of high praise for
its skilled workmanship and on time deliveries.
The company’s quality control regime is defined
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The company has become a specialist in many exotic metals including duplex and super duplex. The offshore industry is increasing its use of these relatively new materials as they are very resistant to saline water
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Since it was last featured in
European Oil and Gas in August 2011, Antwerp
Terminal and Processing Company (ATPC) has
continued to enjoy a frenetic period of sustained
growth and development. The company was
acquired by the VTTI group in 2010, which
opted to redirect the business from refining
only to becoming a more commercial storage
and processing provider. This saw the group
make investments in the company and its
infrastructure valued at 150 million euros. This
investment, backed by many years of experience,
makes ATPC an obvious choice for world-class
storage and logistical solutions.
Located within the ARA (Antwerp-Rotterdam-
Amsterdam) region ATPC represents the heart of
Antwerp’s comprehensive harbor infrastructure.
Today the company owns one of Europe’s
largest tank storage facilities as well as one of the
largest bitumen processing plants. In addition
to these assets ATPC has recently completed
the development of full loading and unloading
facilities for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG),
which are fully operational. These investments
and upgrades are representative within ATPC and
its parent company VTTI, founded in 2006. VTTI
is one of the world’s fastest-growing independent
energy storage companies. Offering 8.6 million
cubic meters of combined storage capacity in
14 countries, across five continents, VTTI’s role
is to provide safe and environmentally sound
storage and to sharpen the competitive edge of its
customers through strategically located advanced
terminals around the world.
ATPC gives excellent solutions to its
customer’s logistical needs, the facility can be
accessed via sea, road, rail and pipeline ensuring
that the facility remains a vital hub within the
oil, gas and petrochemical industry. Located in
the centre of Antwerp’s harbor infrastructure
and connected to an extensive pipeline network,
supported by ICE, CDI-T and the ability to
supply aviation fuel (certified Jet A1), it is in a
strong position to attract new businesses.
ATPC is at the doorstep of several of the
world’s premier energy and petrochemical
suppliers including, BASF, Total, ExxonMobil,
Ineos, Bayer, Degussa and Borealis. The most
recent example of its robust growth strategy is
the investment of an LPG storage and handling
facility. At the waterfront barges and seagoing
vessels can handle LPG where, via an unique
privately owned rail infrastructure with six rail
track shunting facilities, RTC’s can be loaded
and unloaded. This state-of-the-art facility
will set a new standard in safety, reliability
and flexibility. The launching customer for
this installation is one of the world’s leading
petrochemical companies located in the south of
the Netherlands.
ATPC places great importance on having
a well-trained and motivated workforce and
central to this is its embedded culture of
responsibility that extends to health and safety
Optimised
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Kroch EquipmEntSelected for Jasmine Project, Kroch Equipment offers full range of products and tailored solutions for the LPG industry thanks to its experienced staff and quality partners since 1931.Pragmatic and efficient communication allowed Kroch’s technical department to study, design and manufacture three entire compression units for LPG loading and unloading (200 m³/h capacity).Fulfilling ATPC’s high requirements in terms of lead time, technical assistance and training, Kroch is proud of its contribution to this project.
ATPCvtti.com
ServicesCommercial storage and processing
the most important reason that makes the
difference is our strong belief in the qualities
and competences of our people.” To summarise
ATPC’s ethos regarding future innovation Gert
comments that: “the best way to predict the
future is to invent it.”
and to the environment. Recently the company
achieved 1150 days worked without lost-time
or injury, which represents approximately two
million hours of safe work carried out by its
workforce and contractors. Commenting on this
safety performance, Gert Quint, general manager
of the company, comments: “This is truly a
remarkable achievement, made possible only
through the conscious effort each person put
forth every day to work safely. This milestone
could not have been possible without the
superior dedication and teamwork demonstrated
by all personnel and contractors. Of course
we must continue with our safe working
awareness as safety has no end.” In addition to
this ATPC has taken part in one of the biggest
soil remediation projects in Flanders since
being part of VTTI; more than 150,000 tonnes
of historically polluted soil has already been
removed, representing an investment of more
than 12 million euros.
Martine Borghs, project manager says: “ATPC
provides first-rate storage solutions and is keen
to impress future customers with its world
class technology and dedication to service and
efficiency. Together, with our own facilities and
well trained educated and experienced workforce,
many potential projects are initiated to do what
we do best in class: provide the customers with
the best possible logistical services in storage,
handling, blending, and processing of feedstock,
compounds and finished products.
“We love to debottleneck and optimise
customers’ logistical challenges, not only in
providing existing infrastructure but also to
set up partnerships, long-term agreements
and investing in customised solutions. Our
differentiator compared to business colleagues
is not only our combined installations (as
mentioned refinery, gas and oil storage handling)
or our extensive pipeline and rail connections,
truck handling and marine infrastructure, but
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Wood Group EnGinEErinG SErvicES (MiddlE EaSt) Wood Group Engineering Services (WGES) was established in 1993 to offer comprehensive engineering services to the MENA region and now operates from three workshops located in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha.These workshops provide a wide range of services including the manufacture and repair of API products, overhaul services for pumps, compressors, industrial gas turbines and general oilfield equipment, reverse engineering, rotor balancing and an extensive field service capability. WGES has successfully developed its relationship with Top Oilfield Industries over several years and looks forward to continuing to providing support to it, and all our many other valued clients for many years to come.
qualityOne-stop
Established in 1995, as Top
Oilfield Engineering Services, Top Oilfield
Industries Limited has become a leader in land
rig refurbishment, oilfield drilling equipment
manufacture, repair, overhaul and modification.
Based in Sharjah, UAE, Top Oilfield Industries
Limited is perfectly located to meet the needs of
drilling contractors operating in the Middle East,
Africa and Asia.
The company’s facilities currently comprise
of 30,000 square meters of fabrication
yards, 59,000 square meters of land rig-
commissioning and rig up yards, management
offices and storage areas and 65,000 square
feet of workshops. The company boasts an
impeccable record of high quality and cost-
effective oilfield refurbishment work completed
in a timely fashion. Targeting oil and gas
contractors and NOCs and placing quality at
the forefront of its business, the company is
dedicated to going to extraordinary lengths to
ensure customer satisfaction.
Operating as an API and ISO accredited
company and employing an in-house training
and mentoring programme, Top Oilfield
Industries Limited strives to be the leading name
in rig support and maintenance solutions as
CEO Ian Midgley explains: “Since its creation
Top Oilfield has always sought to improve and
develop its product and service lines in order to
better support its customers and achieve its long-
term vision of becoming the service provider
of choice for drilling contractors active in the
Middle East and beyond.
“We provide in-house training and mentoring
schemes and start by only targeting and
recruiting highly skilled, experienced and
motivated personnel. This enables a high degree
of cross and up skilling within the workforce.
Many of our staff have been with us for more
than ten years.”
Ian observes that the company’s competitive
edge is founded on excellence built on providing
fast, highly competitive and reliable services to
the company’s target base. He notes: “The proof
is the fact that we have a very high retention
rate and our base continues to grow. We provide
bespoke services but with a standard price list.”
Also key to the company’s success is the
one-stop-shop approach that it provides for
its customers. Top Oilfield Industries Limited
believes that the key benefit of providing a
one-stop service to clients is in streamlining
communication between third parties,
allowing projects to be completed in a timely
and cost-effective fashion. Ian elaborates:
“Our customer base ranges from very large
multinational corporations to smaller more
regional operations, all of whom benefit by
being able to deal with one service provider
for the majority of the works they have at any
particular time. Because the vast majority of the
work is undertaken in-house we ensure high-
end production standards, adherence to delivery
dates and excellent cost control.
“The regional clients have the convenience of
not having to get involved in time-consuming
correspondence with a number of companies
and the convenience of a single point of contact.
For the larger clients there is the same benefit,
but with potentially much higher cost savings
due to their much higher cost base.”
Another part of the company’s one-stop
approach is its ability to provide a diverse
and adaptable service. Able to provide
services ranging from land rig and jack-up rig
refurbishments, equipment manufacture and
design and technical field support, Top Oilfield
Industries Limited is well placed to support
its customers. Ian says: “Top Oilfield is fully
committed to providing our customers with high
performance products and services and we have
demonstrated our ability to deliver all of the
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Top Oilfield Industries Limitedtopoilfield.com
ServicesOil rig support and maintenance solutions
environmental culture, regardless of our
geographical locations, in our potentially high-
risk industry.
“For us to achieve our objective of world
class levels of HSE performance, everyone from
the CEO downwards is genuinely committed
to driving HSE performance within our
organisation. We all know the phrase ‘Safety is
everybody’s responsibility’, which predominately
is the case, but we know it is the executives and
managers that will be key to our success.”
Throughout the rest of 2013 Top Oilfield
is committed to growing its regional presence
while remaining true to its core principles as
Ian concludes: “We continue to concentrate
on developing our presence regionally in order
to enhance the support we currently provide
to customers operating throughout the Middle
East, Asia and North African oil/gas producing
areas. Coupled with this is our focus on
ensuring that our business is fully enabled to
provide the products and services which our
customers seek.”
projects we undertake to the highest quality, on
time and at the most competitive industry rates
anywhere. We have recently delivered a USD 30
million jack up refurbishment project which,
due to the condition of the rig when it arrived in
our shipyard, required our marine project teams
to ‘pull out all of the stops’ to ensure the vessel
left our facility ready to drill and provide many
years of service for our customer.
“Our land rig division is currently
undertaking full re-build/remanufacture of
three 1500 hp rigs; these ‘all western’ units are
a mixture of new and refurbished components.
Our ability to mix and match new elements
with refurbished parts allows Top Oilfield to
produce high caliber rigs for our customers
within their budgets.”
Since 2007 the company has enjoyed
continued growth as its efforts have been
rewarded. Moving forward it has opened new
workshops in Mumbai and signed a joint
venture contract with a company in Saudi
Arabia, reflecting the growing regional demand
for rig support. Ian confirms, “We have gradually
broken into the highly competitive market in
India where the Top Oilfield brand was known
by the large international players, but the major
Indian players had to be wooed. We started
with some small jobs and we are now building
momentum. We have used one location for
works since we opened and got our first work.
We are nevertheless searching for an even better
location to improve our ability to meet our
customer’s needs.
“We see the Saudi market as a critical part
of our future business, however there is no
point in entering such a market until your
operation has the strength to be able to choose
the best possible partner and meet the inevitable
demands from such a strong and fast growing
market. We believe that we have found such
a partner in the Al-Bassam Group. We have
founded our JV, which is currently in the process
of being licensed through SAGIA. We plan to
roll out our services in the pre-licensed period
through a temporary partnership with one of
the Al-Bassam operating companies, Gulf Heavy
Industries LLC.”
Top Oilfield recently achieved two million
hours without a lost time injury. Ian explains
how this was achieved and the company’s
commitment to health and safety. “At Top
Oilfield we understand both our moral and
the commercial requirement to establish
and maintain a strong health safety and
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Seagull Marine Pte Ltd is
a Singapore based company offering steel
pipe repair and fabrication works, marine
machineries and electrical equipment
overhauling for marine and offshore going
vessels. The firm was established in November
2003 and carries ISO 9001 certification, which
is representative of the company’s dedication to
exceeding its customer’s requirements.
The company offers an extensive range
of services and has a specialisation in the
fabrication of steel structures including hang off
platforms, topside offshore grillage, ROV grillage
structure, riser clamps, lifting clamps, jumper
clamps, tensioner frame and layover arches,
gang ways, spreader bars, spreader frames, heavy
lifting trunnion, topside barge bumper structure
and gas buster tanks and chutes. It also boasts a
strong portfolio of hydraulic services including
hydraulic power units, lifting and transfer
devices, open and closed loop winches, piston,
vane, gear and gerotor type pumps and motors,
cylinders, control valves and accumulators,
ROV units, steering gear, control consoles, servo
motors, grabs, jack up systems and pneumatic
systems. To ensure that the highest level of
quality is achieved, full hydraulic performance
and function testing is carried out in accordance
with manufacturer and industry standards and
the relevant certification packages are issued at
the close out of each project.
Seagull Marine is also able to provide an
extensive package of CNC machining services,
steel repair and fabrication, pipe repairs and
fabrication, mechanical solutions, electrical
equipment servicing, afloat repairs, voyages
repairs, tank cleaning services and shipyard
representation. Currently the company is the
resident contractors of Keppel Shipyard and
Keppel FELS. It also tenders services to Yu
Lain Shipyard in China and Desan Shipyard in
Istanbul. The company emphasises the quality of
its work and its welders and welding procedures
are class approved and able to comfortably
undertake duplex steel avesta, aluminum
low temperature (up to minus 101° Celsius),
SUS 304, SUS 316L, high tensile and hardox
welding. All of the firms steel fitters, welders and
supervisors possess valid seaman books, which
enable them to travel and sail with vessels,
which allows them to carry out steel renewal
work during a voyage. Repairs range from
installation of bilge tanks, steel renewal in water
ballast tanks and general outfitting works.
To ensure that its services are delivered
conscientiously, throughout its business
Seagull Marine places the utmost importance
on health and safety and as an ISO 9001:2008
certified company it upholds and practices
contemporary standards. It operates a dedicated
safety department with a full time workplace
safety and health officer and has been awarded
Ministry of Manpower recognition and the
Singapore administered Bizsafe Star Standard.
It also operates to Occupational Health and
Safety Management System Standard (OHSAS
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ProFiLE SEaguLL MarinE PtE
abovePLEM (Pipe Line End Manifold)
BelowBarge Crane Load out
Seagull Marine Pte Ltdseagullgroup.com.sg
ServicesMarine engineering solutions
feedback programme to enable it to track its
progress and better address it customers’ needs.
Every project undertaken by the company is
rated by management of the project, schedule,
quality of work from respective trade (hull/steel,
mechanical, piping, electrical, cleaning, staging
and general fitting) and customer service. Based
on all feedback gathered from projects in 2010
and 2011, almost all projects were given either
good or very good ratings for services rendered.
Surajit Chanda, fleet manager comments
that: “Seagull Marine is an exemplary ship
repair vendor who thrives on their farsighted
management team policies, hardworking and
customer friendly workforce.”
Seagull Marine has worked tirelessly to ensure
that its works are carried out to the highest
possible standard and has been rewarded with
a wealth of loyal customers and vital repeat
business. As the company heads into the future
its impressive product portfolio and client base
will undoubtedly see the company increase its
market share and global profile.
18000). The safety standards and regulations are
constantly instilled into the company’s workforce
to encourage a culture of responsible, sustainable
practice and a healthy working environment.
Complementing its wide range of products
and services Seagull Marine cultivates a growing
equipment portfolio and has recently multiplied
its fabrication activities especially in offshore
structures and installation. The firm’s steel and
pipe fabrication workshop currently accounts
for 30,000 sq ft in area, and the company
is equipped with lathe machines, drilling
machines, milling machines, one each of ten
and 20 ton overhead crane, welding machines
and lifting hoists and equipment. Continuing
to expand grow its capabilities, the company
has recently acquired a hydraulic plate-rolling
machine. A fleet of trucks, forklifts and cranes
ensures that it has full logistical support in
executing its compliment of services.
Through its years of experience and continual
focus on excellent customer service Seagull
Marine has developed an impressive collection
of partners and clients operating all over the
world. The company has been regularly serving
established clients like BW Fleet Management,
Frontline Tankers Norway, Saipem Singapore,
Bergebulk, Sapura Acergy, FMC Technologies,
EMAS Offshore, DOF Subsea, Anglo Eastern
Ship Management, Maersk Tankers, LDD UK,
Coastal Energy and V Ships UK among others
and the firms clientele base is steadily growing
year after year.
Customers and customer service are at the
heart of Seagull Marine’s operation. It is keen
to ensure that it is hitting and exceeding its
clients’ targets and implements a customer
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leftMid Span Bracing & Subsea Template , Dimension : 8mtr W x 5.7mtr H x 12mtr Long, Weight : 60Ton
and continuously developing its range of
equipment and solutions while evaluating
opportunities to expand its portfolio.
In fact, innovation is a key factor in
Deep Sea Mooring’s success, with the
company having a high focus on the
ongoing development of solutions and the
use of innovation to provide safer and faster
rig move operations for its clients. One notable
innovation from the company is the ADAPS,
or Advanced Distance and Positioning System,
which has been developed to lower costs for the
operator by enabling the movement of rigs in
shorter weather windows. ADAPS can eliminate
the need for ROV verification and enable
movement in more extreme weather conditions.
It involves placing specially developed
transponders on the anchors of the rig and using
the standard transducer on the anchor handling
vessel for receiving signals about co-ordinates,
anchor tilt angle and depth.
The product has been tested on several
occasions and the feedback from the customers
is very positive. The product is already fully
operational and offered to Deep Sea Mooring’s
main clients. Furthermore, the prototype of a
new product, the SDH40 – a hydro acoustic
releasable hook is undergoing a test programme.
The hook is mounted with a transponder, which
communicates with the vessel and can release on
command from the bridge. Managing director,
Åge Straume, states that this product will reduce
operational time during pre-lay operations and
rig moves. The initial tests have so far been very
successful.
While innovation consistently brings new
products to the company’s portfolio, Deep Sea
Mooring is already widely known for its larger
range of high quality mooring equipment for
use in harsh environments. All this equipment
is sourced from well-known suppliers in the
industry and is manufactured according to the
most stringent specifications for use in the North
Sea and Norwegian Continental Shelf. Reliability
is a key issue in these types of environments,
and in this area it is important to note that all of
Deep Sea Mooring’s equipment is no older than
2008, and thus is still of high quality and the
latest design.
When it comes to anchors the company offers
the Stevpris Mk6 drag anchor. Drag anchors are
the most commonly used type of anchor in the
mobile offshore drilling unit market throughout
the industry, and Deep Sea Mooring is able to
provide examples of both 15MT and 18MT.
Established in 2008, Deep Sea
Mooring is a leading service company with
a dedication to providing the highest quality
services and solutions to meet its clients’ needs.
The company, which was previously part of
Odfjell Well Services, and is now part of the
HitechVision portfolio, is a leading provider
of mooring rental equipment, pre-lay mooring
solutions and ancillary services to E&P
companies and drilling operators of offshore rigs
on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
Deep Sea Mooring is ideally placed to serve
clients in the region through its offices in the
Bergen area and warehouses/equipment bases
in Mongstad and Kristiansund. This gives close
proximity to the main operators
and short delivery times of
products. This approach goes
hand in hand with the company’s
vision, which is to always provide
the best possible service to
meet even the most demanding
customer’s needs.
Throughout its operations its
key words remain ‘zero faults
and continuous improvement’.
Deep Sea Mooring aims to be the
leading North Sea/North Atlantic
mooring service contractor and
to deliver the safest and most efficient services
through the use of remote-operated technology.
Deep Sea Mooring focuses on growth
opportunities through strong client relationships,
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Continuous
Deep Sea Mooring ASdeepseamooring.com
ServicesMooring equipment and technology
offshore supervision, inspection services,
spooling services, logistics, storage and handling,
service and maintenance, repair, re-certification,
consultation, and engineering solutions.
As its employees work in some of the
harshest environments in the North Sea, Deep
Sea Mooring naturally places considerable
emphasis on QHSE, nurturing a culture that
extends across all of its operations. The company
strives to be a leader within quality, health
and safety and works continuously to reduce
risk and hazards to employees, clients and the
environment and works in adherence to ISO
9001-2008.
When its comes to mooring solutions
and services, operators in the North Sea and
Norwegian Continental Shelf need look no
further than Deep Sea Mooring. The company
has worked tirelessly to develop and provide the
most advanced solutions to the highest possible
standards. With this key aim as its foundation
there is little doubt that the business will remain
a leading player in the market for many years.
Deep Sea Mooring also provides a wide range
of surface and subsurface buoyancy solutions
for offshore mooring applications, all of which
are produced by the leading suppliers in the
offshore sector. Accompanying these solutions,
the company has a broad portfolio of chain and
fibre ropes capable of meeting even the most
demanding specifications. For the former, Deep
Sea Mooring provides chains in accordance
with DNV-OS-E302, which can be used for
the mooring of offshore drilling units, and for
the latter the company holds a portfolio of the
latest polyester mooring ropes and provides
various types and dimensions upon request. The
company also has in stock a large selection of
mooring connectors, steel wire ropes, swivels,
and associated mooring equipment.
Of course, placing such an emphasis on
customer services means that Deep Sea Mooring
does not just provide products, but rather
high competence that can carry out a range
of services. From its manned base locations
in Mongstad and Vestbase the company offers
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proFilE DEEp sEa Mooring
CAPE Holland Group was
established in 2002 by Aat de Neef, former
sales manager of IHC Hydrohammer, and his
son Laurens de Neef, beginning as a supplier
of piling equipment, with additional services
such as on and offshore operational assistance
and engineering. Today the Netherlands
based group is a supplier of complete piling
solutions, as each of CAPE Holland Group’s
three divisions all have their own specialist
services to offer. “CAPE is a service company,
where we employ the mechanics and operators
to operate onsite equipment to drive the piles
or we provide training. Comprising of CAPE
Holland, which has an engineering crew who
design special equipment for the foundation
industry, the group also has APE Holland,
which is the equipment supplier for vibratory
hammers, diesel hammers and hydraulic power
packs. Lastly, Hillcon has been part of the CAPE
Holland Group since 2009 as a manufacturer of
hydraulic piling rigs with integrated leaders; on
top of this the company builds its own rotary
heads, which are used in the onshore market,”
explains Martijn Kleine, sales manager at CAPE
Holland Group.
With each company able to take advantage
of the group’s facilities, such as engineering,
coating, service and sales CAPE Holland
group can provide complete solutions in close
co-operation with its customers. As a whole,
the group can serve most onshore and offshore
markets on a global scale quickly and efficiently
through its international network.
Appointing personnel with accrued expertise
in the construction, foundation and piling
equipment sectors as its company management
team, Construction and Piling Equipment
Holland BV (CAPE Holland) represents a wide
range of internationally recognised products that
are utilised in the construction, industrial and
offshore sectors. The company’s core business
is rental, sales and service; however, it can also
offer related services as required. Supported by
its principles, CAPE Holland delivers innovative
solutions to customer requirements, while
also providing the technical and manpower
support required to successfully supervise
the implementation of the solution. Through
combining high quality skills and a wide
network, CAPE Holland has created a global
reputation of excellent repute.
A leader in the manufacture of a wide range
of vibro hammers and diesel hammers, as well
as Bottom Drive wick drain machines and drills,
APE Holland BV is the exclusive European
importer for APE equipment. Operating
worldwide, the Netherlands based company’s
management boasts years of experience in
pile driving projects on a global scale. For the
European market, APE Holland constructs
power units with the latest techniques;
completely re-developing the equipment, these
power units comply with the most recent EC
standards and use less fuel than standard units.
“APE Holland is the equipment supplier
for vibratory hammers, diesel hammers and
hydraulic power packs; all equipment can
be supplied custom-based, for which CAPE
Holland is doing the engineering of adjustment,”
says Martijn. “APE Holland’s power packs
are multipurpose, as they can drive hydraulic
hammers, vibratory hammers, and rotary heads.”
Current developments in offshore wind,
as well as a project in the North Sea to place
30 steel monopiles for the Riffgat Offshore
windfarm in 2012, is resulting in this
burgeoning market gaining a larger share in
the company’s strategic plans. The piles were
driven with the Super Quad Kong (SQK), a
modular and innovative driver/extractor that
consists of four APE vibros connected to four
hypermodern powerpacks, providing a total
eccentric moment of 920 kg-m. The SQK
vibratory hammer offers an environmentally
friendly solution by being able to drive the
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CAPE Holland Groupcape-holland.com
ProductsFoundation equipment for onshore and offshore applications
considered rather new, or at least is not fully
accepted in the market, we are very positive
about our ability to develop this market as our
primary focus for the years to come.”
monopiles in the correct position at the bottom
of the sea in one single run.
“CAPE Holland Group supplied a set of
vibratory hammers to drive these monopiles,
which at a weight of 750 tonnes were the
heaviest piles ever driven by a vibratory hammer.
Due to the noise regulations in Germany being
quite strict, the use of vibratory hammers is
gaining more interest as the technology is fast,
quiet and offers increased control over the pile
penetration,” highlights Martijn. “The long
experience CAPE Holland has in the offshore
industry makes us a perfect partner for the
offshore wind sector.”
In April 2013, CAPE Holland announced it
had been awarded a purchase contract for an
APE Model 600 Tandem vibratory hammer set
(Tandem Super Kong), which will be used for
the installation of the Helwin One and BorWin
Two base frames that Seaway Heavy Lifting will
utilise to install 16 piles with diameters ranging
from two metres and 3.2 metres at weights of up
to 300 tonnes.
Following the success in winning these
projects, the use of vibratory hammers in
offshore and oil and gas applications is
gradually gaining acceptance, an ongoing
challenge that CAPE Holland has made
its core focus. “The main issue for us as a
company is that vibratory hammers are not
commonly used in oil and gas projects, but
their use in other markets demonstrates how
beneficial they can be. We are looking at really
developing this technology further into the
oil and gas industry,” says Martijn. “Because
the vibratory hammer technology is still
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maintenance and troubleshooting, AEMT
qualified personnel and HV full load testing
up to 13.8kV and 60Hz. “For the past six to
seven years Parsons Peebles was owned by a
Scottish businessman who kept the business
small, profitable and retained investment, but
ultimately kept it a static business. We at Clyde
Blowers Capital, an investment company that
was born out of an engineering company and
invests in mission critical equipment, saw an
opportunity to acquire this organisation and
use it as a cornerstone for us to engage in the
electrical machinery market,” explains Frank
Barrett, chief executive officer of Parsons Peebles.
“The company has the largest installed base
of any HV motor manufacturer in the North
Sea, it has one of the most reliable products in
the market place and has an extremely good
reputation for engineering problem solving and
customer resolutions; we see this acquisition as a
huge opportunity.”
With headquarters that cover an area of 8300
square metres, including manufacture, assembly
and testing as well as offices for all support
functions such as design and engineering,
Parsons Peebles is in a unique position in
having the only test facility that can conduct full
testing of units prior to installation. “This gives
us a significant advantage that has never been
exploited, and although it is the best test facility
in the market we are investing heavily in our
testing and methods of electronic data capture.
We are upgrading how we test and enhancing
the information we give our customers, as well
as the speed of response within the facility.
Office capability has been doubled in size
and we are recruiting extensively in both the
engineering and the commercial recruitment
and sales departments. On top of this, we are
looking at our intention to use Parsons Peebles
as a cornerstone for the wider capability of the
electro-machinery groups and are in the process
of some complimentary acquisitions in Europe,
Asia and the Americas,” says Frank.
Notwithstanding the existing capability
and reputation, Parsons Peebles is focused on
providing services and solutions that add value to
its customers by eliminating operational challenges
and by enhancing unit reliability and availability.
The company will progressively provide innovative
contractual solutions that align with key customer
operational drivers through partnerships and long-
term relationships.
Having developed an excellent reputation
with a niche group of customers in the oil and
A trusted partner with 115 years of
high voltage machine expertise, Parsons Peebles
is headquartered in Rosyth, Scotland. Established
as a specialist electrical machine manufacturer
and service partner of choice to its customers,
Parsons Peebles provides superior solutions
through the leveraging of its IP, proprietary
processes and specifications, product quality
through reliability, compliance and availability; it
also offers knowledge and focuses on delivering
value and responsiveness.
With a rich history of motor and generation
production, the company has developed a
reputation for excellence and today stands as a
market leader in the service and manufacture of
bespoke electrical machines for customers in the
oil and gas, petrochemical and power industries.
Specialising in bespoke, made to specification
motors and generators that are low noise
level machines, low starting current motors,
hazardous areas machines such as Ex, nA, Ex
p and Ex e, as well as specialist and unusual
applications, Parsons Peebles’ designs are robust
and proven in the industry. The company offers
induction motors up to 25 megawatts with cage,
horizontal and slip-ring, synchronous motors up
to 50 megawatts with salient-pole, synchronous
generators up to 80 mega volt ampere with
diesel, gas turbine, steam driven and salient pole,
induction generators up to 80 mega volt ampere,
and motor/generator frequency changer sets
The company’s current service offering
includes worldwide spares and service for
Parsons Peebles equipment, and it is equally
comfortable utilising its engineering depth on
similar (OEM) motors/generator manufacturers,
reverse engineering services, replacement core
and re-wind services, onshore and offshore
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Preformed Windings LimitedPreformed Windings is a global specialist in high voltage motor and generator coil manufacturing and is proud to have been associated with Parsons Peebles for more than 15 years. We believe in building long term customer relationships and tailoring this to the customer’s needs. Our products will last more than 20 years in service, have proven to reduce winding times by at least 15 per cent, delivering 100% on time and we can deliver within two weeks.
Parsons Peebles Generation Ltd parsons-peebles.com
ServicesManufacturer of bespoke motors and generators
of Parsons Peebles have been enthusiastic at the
ongoing developments of the company, as Frank
explains: “We have had the customers down to the
facility and have shown them our plans that are
being put into action; its not just talk, every time
they come in they see a new building or piece of
equipment. Customers see continuous growth and
improvement of a service they were already happy
with; a big part of our route to market is bringing
customers in and running some training and
development by them, we engage with them and
offer some value in what we do.”
Over the next 18 months to three years,
investment is a major focus for Clyde Blowers
Capital as it aims to quadruple Parsons Peebles’
business to £250 million by 2017. “Moving away
from just service or supplying the equipment,
we are looking to understand the true needs of
the customer so we can offer a total package.
To do this our aim is to invest in our people by
recruiting the highest caliber of staff and also
working on the training and development of our
people,” concludes Frank.
gas industry, Frank anticipates a vast growth
in demand over the next few years once the
firm has generated market awareness: “A
major challenge over the last six months has
stemmed from actually getting the name back
into the wider market place. Parsons Peebles
has a great reputation with a small niche group
of customers but for the last eight years the
organisation didn’t employ a single sales person
and never marketed itself. The business was
very much built on reputation and capability. To
enhance market awareness we have rebranded
the company, improved the website and all
related literature and carried out a launch event
in Aberdeen; on top of this we were at Offshore
Europe recently.”
Following the acquisition existing customers
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Gulfsands Petroleum PLC is
an independent oil and gas exploration and
production company, incorporated in the United
Kingdom. Its main focus is on the Middle
Eastern and North African markets, although the
company also has exploration activities in the
US, Colombia and Italy.
Since it was last featured in European Oil and
Gas Magazine in 2010 the company has faced a
tumultuous three years, having to remain both
robust and adaptable to weather the storm caused
by the civil unrest in Syria. Prior to sanctions
being imposed on Syria and some of its officials
by the European Union in 2011, Gulfsands was
operating production of 25,500 barrels of oil
per day (BOPD) of which half was to Gulfsands’
account. When the EU’s sanctions finally forced
Gulfsands to issue a notice of force majeure to
the Syrian government indicating that it was
ceasing exploration and production activities in
the country, it had been working to increase its
rate of production to 35,000 BOPD per day and
had also made two further discoveries during
the latter half of 2011. Unfortunately, the unrest
within Syria meant that the latest discoveries
remain to be appraised for development.
However, before operations ceased Gulfsands
was able to increase its reserves to 76 million
barrels (mmbbls) proved plus probable (2P) for
exploration with further reserves estimated at 11
mmbbls before appraisal.
“Obviously everyone has seen the unrest
in Syria,” comments Ken Judge, Gulfsands’
commercial director. “I suppose if there is any
silver lining it is that our assets in the North East
of the country remain intact and the reserves
we have identified remain largely untouched.
We have maintained an open dialogue with
regulatory authorities and with the Syrian
government, as have all the other international
oil companies previously operating in the
country, and we all expect to be able to return to
our contractor roles once the EU sanctions are
modified to allow us to do so.”
Fortunately Gulfsands’ hard work in Syria
prior to the country’s slide into civil unrest has
paved the way for its dynamic programme of
diversification, which was designed as both a
logical progression for the company into new
markets as well as a mechanism for maintaining
the business before it eventually returns to its
Syrian operations. “We were very fortunate
that when these sanctions hit us we were well
cashed up and debt free and we had just over
$125 million dollars in the bank, which was
the product of our hard work in Syria,” Ken
elaborates. “We spent the last 18 months since
early 2012, actively pursuing a diversification
strategy, principally in the MENA (Middle
East and North Africa) region that culminated
in January this year with the acquisition of
a substantial portfolio of development and
exploration assets in Morocco.
“That acquisition took place in mid January
and we have moved very swiftly, with the
great help of many of our team from Syria, to
commence two seismic programmes, a 2D and
a 3D seismic programme and to bring a drill rig
into the country to begin the first of a nine well
programme that will commence next month. We
are optimistic that by the beginning of 2014 we
should be producing gas from the wells drilled
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Adaptable
Gulfsands Petroleum PLCgulfsands.com
ServicesIndependent exploration and drilling solutions
during this programme,” he reveals.
Morocco has become very fashionable and
appealing to oil and gas contractors in recent
years and Gulfsands is fortunate in that in
identifying the country as a possible market the
company has proven to be slightly ahead of its
competitors within the industry. The early entry
into this market has had a number of positive
effects for Gulfsands, firstly the company
has again displayed a tenacious ability to hit
the ground running and further develop its
reputation as a professional and skilled operator
in oil and gas exploration and production.
Secondly, Gulfsands’ savvy in entering the
Moroccan market early has allowed it to leverage
a key market position at a substantially lower
cost than that faced by other companies looking
to follow suit.
Elaborating on the importance of this to the
company and wider industry in general Ken
says: “We have put the business in a position
where we should generate near term revenues
that should sustain it and with a little bit of
luck, make an oil exploration discovery that
would be transformational for Gulfsands.
The fiscal terms in Morocco are generous and
obviously it’s an energy deficient country, which
is what is encouraging many in the industry to
go look at it.”
While Morocco represents an exciting
development and potentially very lucrative
opportunity for the company, Gulfsands has
learned important lessons from the Syrian
crisis and from the fate of other companies that
were less robust and able to recover from the
sudden shift in the market. Complimenting its
expansion into Morocco the company is active in
Tunisia, where it has a 70 per cent interest in the
Chorbane joint venture and also has operations
in Colombia and Italy. “We have gone back to
our roots as the company originally commenced
with some assets in Colombia,” Ken explains. “It
is an area that is well known for its petroleum
prospectivity and for having very good fiscal
terms. We are gently looking to build another leg
of the business in Columbia,” he confirms.
While the past three years have proven to be
the most challenging in the company’s history
they also represent something of a triumph for
Gulfsands. It has not only managed to emerge
from the potentially devastating break in its
operations in Syria in a highly robust financial
position but has demonstrated an intrepid
ability to discover new opportunities and turn
adversity into a launch pad for new markets.
Moving into the future it appears that Gulfsands
will one day return to Syria and other markets
stronger than ever.
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Morocco has become very fashionable and appealing to oil and gas contractors in recent years and Gulfsands is fortunate in that in identifying the country as a possible market the company has proven to be slightly ahead of its competitors within the industry
should always be carried out with the highest
professional proficiency.
With an excellent track record of successfully
carrying out such demanding installations,
Conbit has won successive contracts from well-
established and globally recognised operators
like Total, Gaz de France, ExxonMobil and
others. The company has been prevalent
in helideck services, including supply and
installation of perimeter netting installation, flare
tip exchange, installation of offshore modules,
the lifting of offshore living quarters and lifetime
extension services.
During 2012 Conbit completed a prestigious
project of lifting two offshore accommodation
units for the K6-P platform in the Dutch North
Sea. The work was carried out for Total E&P
Nederland BV. The project was a significantly
complex one, involving engineering and method
statement, load testing and inspection, the
provision of lifting equipment, supply of rigging
and rope access crew, co-ordination of third party
activities and the provision of vessel support
crew. Installation of the living quarters was
compounded by the weight of the structures,
coming in at 44 MT and the difficult location of
the units, which were to be located just below
the rig’s helideck. The rig’s own deck crane was
not able to provide neither the capacity nor the
dexterity to position the units and other lifting
devices such as crane vessels were similarly
disadvantaged. This, in part was what convinced
the rig’s owners to employ the expert installation
services that Conbit is able to offer.
Founded in 1993 as a structural
engineering company, Conbit has grown
significantly and expanded into new services and
markets to earn a reputation as a leading brand
in offering exceptional turnkey solutions within
the field of offshore brownfield modification
projects. Today the company employs 45
engineers from its main office in Best, the
Netherlands. It is active in a diverse range of
industries globally including offshore oil and
gas, energy, petrochemical, infrastructure,
and logistics. Key to its success has been the
professionalism of its committed team who are
divided into structural engineers, draftsmen,
project managers, transport and installation
technicians and other supporting staff. Conbit
is proud of the high level of co-operation within
its organisation and of the personal and informal
relationships that have characterised the
company as an approachable and professional
business partner.
Conbit has identified itself as a trusted expert
in the field of complex and often challenging
transport and installation projects. The
installation of huge structures or manoeuvres
under extreme conditions requires dedicated
analysis and competent professional knowledge
to be executed efficiently and safely. This is
especially true when transport over sea is
required, where acceleration forces due to
ship motions act on the transported structure.
Similarly, the offshore environment can create
hazards to installation during even relatively
calm weather, meaning that such work
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oFFshorE EnErgy 2013 - Conbit
Conbitconbit.eu
ServicesTransport and installation solutions
requirement of the crew to be able to demobilise
within 20 minutes to allow for helicopter activity
to continue and bad weather that meant that
installation work had to be stopped for two days.
While the project was in its preparation stage,
several meetings took place to ensure that all
parties involved were clear on their part in the
operation and once the crew arrived all of the
necessary tools and equipment had been supplied
ready for the job to commence. The nets were
provided by Finnish company Frictape as one of
Conbit’s carefully selected suppliers and are the
only nets on the market with a third party type
approval certificate stating that the nets comply
with CAP437 and UK oil and gas guidance.
Conbit remains dedicated to its mission
to deliver the most efficient, safe and reliable
services and aims to develop and implement
cutting-edge solutions globally. By encouraging
teamwork, operating in multiple disciplines and
prioritising safe and efficient working conditions
the company is well place to act as a market
leader in transport and installation solutions.
The lift was successfully achieved through the
combination of the team’s expert engineering
skills and the creation of several strategic lifting
points to facilitate the lift. The lifting system
ultimately consisted of a lifting boom with
a height of approximately eight metres and
another lifting point, which was created to
hold a lift line that ran through the helideck.
Each of these lines was connected to a 15 MT
lifting winch. Prior to the lift the hoist system
was tested several times and full safety briefings
were issued. Once the lift was started a 0700 on
10th June the lift was completed and the unit
connected in less than 24 hours.
During June this year Conbit won a repeat
contract from Dana Petroleum after successfully
completing a previous contract for the company.
Tasked with helideck net fitting on the F2-A
Hanze Platform, located in the Dutch sector of
the North Sea, 200 km northwest of Den Helder,
a dedicated crew was flown offshore on the
20th June and was able to finish the installation
six days later. This was achieved despite the
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Conbit remains dedicated to its mission to deliver the most efficient, safe and reliable services and aims to develop and implement cutting-edge solutions globally
offshorE EnErgy 2013 - Conbit
crane equipment, and handling equipment for
the installation of offshore wind turbines. In fact
at present we are working on a wind turbine
handling system that weighs over 300 tonnes
in total to a very short lead time of just six
months.” The company also has clients within
military, aerospace, and general industry such as
machine builders and mechanical engineers.
What is somewhat unique is that Breman
Machinery can fabricate these components and
structures entirely in-house. The company’s
25-metre high workshops are home to all the
necessary equipment for machining and non-
machining processing of materials including
rolling, boring and milling, welding, corrosion
protection, assembly and fitting. Its location
beside open water also means that it has a
direct connection to international ports such as
Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
“Often the first question we get is ‘can you
make this kind of unusual product’,” notes
Henk. “We are very strong in making extreme
components and work in a niche market
fabricating parts that are often far from the
norm. A lot of the design and development work
With almost 150 years of
experience behind it, Breman Machinery has
extensive knowledge of working with metal. The
grounding for the company was laid by Harm
Breman in 1864 as a forge, and then following
the Second World War moved into making
weaving machinery. As the stock of machinery
slowly expanded, so the focus shifted to the
supply of spare parts, and particularly work-
pieces with unusual dimensions.
“Today we’re a specialist in the supply of
large components to the offshore and heavy
machinery industries,” describes Henk Breman,
managing director. As the fifth generation of
the Breman family to take the helm, Henk has
maintained Breman Machinery’s reputation for
taking on challenging projects. This includes
everything from simple structures to complex
mechanical components that weigh tens or
hundreds of tonnes, and other extremes of
dimension. Yet each is made to a precision of a
hundredth of a millimetre.
“Our core strength is our people and their
workmanship,” Henk continues. “We currently
deliver a lot of heavy components for drill ships,
Engineering theimpossible
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ProductsHeavy components
industry as being a key growth area, both from
the oil and gas and renewable energy perspective,
this facility represents a major strategic decision.
“Our aim is to be able to provide even larger
components in the future,” concludes Henk.
“We also want to not only be able to provide
the steel work, but also hydraulic and electrical
competences for a more complete component
that customers can just plug and play. This will
remove some of the challenges of production
because the client can just subcontract a
complete system from Breman Machinery.”
is done by the customer so our aim is to try and
realise those dreams.”
Breman Machinery prides itself on the scope
of its facilities, which include a wide range of
CNC-controlled machines. These are essential
to enabling the company to form its large pieces
with the greatest precision to conform to the
accepted tolerances. Although the structures
themselves may be complex, many of the
manufacturing processes performed by Breman
Machinery are quite typical such as cutting
and angle bending. It also means that the
company is more flexible by not having to rely
on third parties. In fact it is Breman Machinery
that often gets certain processing operations
outsourced to it by mechanical engineers and
plant manufacturers that regard the company as
a subcontractor.
Earlier in the year Breman Machinery brought
a new RX18 machine from Reiden Swiss for use
in milling, turning and boring. This investment
is expected to be delivered at the end of the year.
“We have an in-house policy that we don’t have
to get bigger as a company, but we do invest to
be a better company. This type of machine is
very sophisticated and much faster so it presents
a lot of possibilities, and we feel will gives us a
better position on the market,” elaborates Henk.
“We have also invested in a whole new
factory at IJmuiden, which will be home to our
new sister company – Breman Offshore,” he
continues. “The site is positioned right on the
sea enabling us to supply large ships, and to
create heavy and large projects which can then
be more easily transported.”
With the company viewing the offshore
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Leistritz PumPenLeistritz Pumpen GmbH is specialised in the development and manufacturing of tailor-made pump solutions acc. API 676 and VDMA 24284 standards. Based on the worldwide largest product range of twin, triple and even five screw pumps, Leistritz is serving the oil and gas industry both upstream and downstream.Today, Leistritz pumps and systems are charging the pulse-beat of the most modern oil and gas processes.At the moment, Leistritz and Audex Pte Ltd are realising a project in U.A.E with Leistritz Screw Pumps, series L2 and L4.
Founded on the pioneering vision
of Mr Ashok Goel and Mr Sudhir Goyel, Gulf
Petrochem Group has become a leading player
in oil space in the decade and a half since
its inception in 1998. This was sparked by
the commissioning of a refinery in Sharjah’s
Hamriyah Freezone, where Gulf Petrochem is
also headquartered, and just a few years on the
group has established itself into six strategic
business units; oil trading and bunkering, oil
refining, grease manufacturing, oil storage
terminals, bitumen manufacturing, and shipping
and logistics.
All of the units work together and support one
another. In addition Gulf Petrochem maintains
refining and storage facilities elsewhere in the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), and trading
offices in Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, and Singapore.
Completing the global presence is a range of
subsidiaries including Gulf Petrochem PTE Ltd
in Singapore, Gulf Petrochem (I) Pvt Ltd in
India, and Gulf Petrochem SA in Geneva. Each
of these elements contributes to the company’s
vision to be an integrated multinational energy
organisation driving international growth.
Petroleum is at the heart of all these activities,
and over time Gulf Petrochem has expanded
into the various verticals of oil including fuel
oil, base oil, bitumen, naphtha, and grease.
The ongoing success of the company has
been secured through the commissioning of a
state-of-the-art PLC-based condensate splitter,
expansions in the oil trading and bunkering
sides, and its strategic position in the storage
industry to handle different feedstock and
finished products. This supported the new
Fujairah Oil Terminal development. Likewise
Gulf Petrochem continues to invest in its
technological base and equipment to ensure the
quality of its products.
The first stepping stone though was the
Hamriyah-Sharjah refinery, which firmly
established Gulf Petrochem in oil production. This
is currently working at capacity with plans being
drawn up for an extension to the facilities. The
company also had plans to set-up similar refineries
in Tanzania and Saudi Arabia. Connected to this
is the oil storage terminal, also situated in the
Hamriyah Free Zone, which has separate pipelines
to the harbour berth for white and black oil
products, and a dedicated line for bitumen.
The terminal acts as a central point in Gulf
Petrochem’s manufacturing process by supporting
the storage of vessel loads of feedstock, and
enabling the addition of new elements such as
blending products to create customer-specific
grades. In total the Hamriyah facility has 14 tanks
with capacities ranging from 600 to 3700 cbm,
adding up to 35,000 cbm. Gulf Petrochem has
aspirations to enhance this storage capacity by
another 200,000 cbm, whilst an upcoming new
pipeline from the main Port of Hamriyah to the
terminal will change the current logistics scope at
Gulf Petrochem significantly.
Also operating out of the same site is Gulf
Petrochem’s bitumen division, which focuses
on the manufacture, storage and international
supply of such products. The company
maintains two 3000 MT bulk storage tanks
for this purpose. The products are supplied
according to different grades, including
penetration and viscosity for a variety of different
purposes. Bitumen is one of the traded products,
alongside base oils and other clean petroleum
products like gas oil, that Gulf Petrochem
transports on its in-house fleet of tankers.
Owning its own vessels gives the company
much better control over its entire supply chain
and this translates into cost savings.
Lubricating grease is yet another area where
Gulf Petrochem intends to lead the way as a
first choice supplier of customised solutions.
The company lives up to this role through close
Guiding
PROFILE GuLF PEtROchEm
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Gulf Petrochemgulfpetrochem.com
ServicesStorage, refining and trading of petroleum products
Completing the terminal portfolio is the
Pipavav oil terminal in Gujarat, India. The
port itself is managed and operated by APM
Terminals, and its proximity to robust rail and
road networks provides a logistical advantage,
connecting it to the critical markets of the
hinterland, northwest and central India.
Operated by the Group’s subsidiary Gulf
Petrochem India Pvt Ltd, the Pipavav oil
terminal has been created as a modern facility
for liquid cargo storage. This consists of 318,000
cbm capacity for fuel oil, gas oil, base oil, edible
oil, bitumen and RPO.
Looking to the future it seems that Gulf
Petrochem is continuing its rapid expansion
having secured a large plot of land at Port
Klang in Malaysia for the construction of
another oil terminal. Each of these milestones
sees the company widen its global presence
by positioning itself within the areas of prime
activity. In this way Gulf Petrochem will continue
to move up the industry value chain, as it works
to meet the guiding vision of its founders.
customer relationships and a proactive market-
focused portfolio of products and services.
Production takes place in Gulf Petrochem’s
ultra-modern, fully-automated state-of-the-art
facility which has a monthly capacity of 1800
MT. The company also boasts a technical tie-up
with Lubrizol USA, world leader in additives, for
support and access to its worldwide laboratories.
This enables Gulf Petrochem to offer specialised
formulations to meet the niche requirements of
its customers.
Earlier this year, the company opened phase
one of its new terminal facility at Fujairah with
the aim of spearheading the next period of
growth. With Fujairah being the third largest
bunkering centre in the world, and on an
international shipping route almost 40,000
ships a year pass to and from the gulf making
it an attractive storage location. Initial capacity
is 412,000 cbm but with the terminal having
been very successful since its opening, Gulf
Petrochem is already tendering for the next
phase of expansion.
PROFILE GuLF PEtROchEm
Looking to the future it seems that Gulf Petrochem is continuing its rapid expansion having secured a large plot of land at Port Klang in Malaysia for the construction of another oil terminal
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Challenge us. Meet our strength.
The Netherlands S. Houbenweg 1 6051 AL Maasbracht T +31 (0) 475 439 000 F +31 (0) 475 439 001 France 2,Rue René Fourchet 59245 Recquignies T +33 (0) 327 695 900 F +33 (0) 327 695 978 India 295, N.H.8, Manglej Karjan Vadodara Gujarat-391210 [email protected]
Cerec-Antonius is a leading producer of complex shapes in exotic and special materials. From 3 production plants the company produces:
vessel heads•cones •compensators •special products like decompression tanks for divers and •exhaust systems for gas turbines
Cerec-Antonius certified according Norsok ed. 4 Duplex •Super Duplex •6MO •
Cerec-Antonius’ own harbour at the river Maas has the possibility to load and to transport very large items to all destinations worldwide. The huge knowledge and expertise of Cerec-Antonius is the main reason for customers and several engineer firms, to involve Cerec- Antonius in the development and production of their high tech products.
CereC-AntoniusCerec-Antonius is a leading producer of complex shapes in exotic and special materials - for example, Ti-clad material for Coek. From two production plants the company produces next to vessel heads, cones and compensators, special products like decompression tanks for divers and exhaust systems for gas turbines.Cerec-Antonius’ own harbour at the river Maas has the ability to load and to transport very large items to all destinations worldwide.The huge knowledge and expertise of Cerec-Antonius is the main reason for customers, like Coek and several engineering firms, involving Cerec-Antonius in the development and production of their high tech products.
Based out of Belgium, Coek
Engineering N.V. has almost 50 years of
experience in the design and fabrication of
process equipment. Having begun life producing
automated flour silos for industrial bakeries,
since the 1980s the company has focused on
the petrochemical, oil and gas, chemical, and
metallurgical industries. It is also one of the key
players globally for the fabrication of equipment
in exotic materials such as titanium, zirconium
and hastelloy, combined with large dimensions
and heavy weight.
“We mainly work in niche markets,”
highlights sales director Patrick Van Roy. “Our
core business is focused on equipment used in
critical chemical processes, where safety and
corrosion resistance are primary issues. This
includes pressure vessels, columns, reactors,
and heat exchangers. Most of this equipment
is sold under licence agreements to protect the
technology and know-how.”
As a smaller company of around 140 people,
Coek Engineering prides itself most on the level
of experience housed within. “In this way we
tend to focus on projects or equipment that
present a technological challenge,” explains
Patrick. “When it comes to normal standard
pressure vessels it is much harder to compete on
price, but when it becomes more complicated
or risky to implement this equipment we have a
good chance of being involved. Many customers,
or licensing holders know that when a project or
specific equipment isn’t straightforward they can
count on Coek for technical support, even when
a project is still in the development phase.
Since its very beginning Coek Engineering
has also put particular focus on quality control.
This is demonstrated in its ASME U and U2,
ISO 9001, and PED (97/23/EC) certificates.
In practice, it means the company has a long
experience of executing every job in a way that
ensures the highest levels of quality. Each piece
of equipment passes through strict controls
in-house including x-ray or TOFD examination,
hardness tests, and penetrant and magnetic
particle examination, with other processes being
delivered by an independent third party.
Given the high investment levels in the
petrochemical industry, and particularly in
coal-to-gas and coal-to-liquid projects in China,
Coek Engineering has been able to secure a
substantial number of orders. For these types of
project the company has worked to expand its
scope of supply from not just pressure related
equipment, but the provision of complete
reactor sections including drive systems, seals,
valves, and instrumentation.
“This gives us control over the whole
process, and keeps all of the expertise in hand,”
notes Patrick. “We see this type of package
mainly being purchased by Asian engineering
companies as it gives them that European
competence, and in turn enables Coek to secure
a larger share of a project. As some exotic
materials, such as titanium, become cheaper
we’ve also seen a change in the types of materials
being used in certain applications, which can
generate new markets for us in the future.”
inputCritical
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Coek Engineering N.V.coek.be
ProductsProcess equipment
At around 80 per cent, the greatest proportion
of Coek Engineering’s turnover is today being
generated on the Asian market. Whilst this shift
has clearly proved profitable for the business, it
has also presented challenges as the company
comes up against lower-priced vendors in these
markets. “In the last few years, most of the EPC
work and detailed engineering work for large
chemical and petrochemical plants has moved
from Europe towards Asian countries like India,
Korea and China,” clarifies Patrick.
“As a consequence, it becomes more
complicated for European vendors to get
involved in these large projects, especially if
they are being erected in their home country.
Therefore, the added value that we deliver needs
to be higher and more sophisticated if we do not
want to lose our market share.”
As an example in 2007 Coek Engineering
saw the price differences between Europe and
Korea being between five and ten per cent.
Following the financial crisis though this gap has
doubled or even tripled, suggesting that those
manufacturers may be being supported through
the local government. Coupled with this is the
issue of technologies being copied and then sold
at a lower price.
“We believe that the industry in Europe still
has the potential to compete on a global market,
mainly through its technological advantage and
high level of quality. Unfortunately, technology is
copied at a high rate, even by government driven
companies, which could see Europe’s industry at
risk and ending up with only a service economy,
which has no added value in the long run,”
describes Patrick.
“We believe it is time that both private
companies and official authorities combine
forces to strengthen and protect their values. We
are in need of solid European partners that can
support our business, rather than having to buy
materials and services from low cost suppliers
with uncertain quality levels in order to reduce
costs. We see prices and cost levels in Asia now
increasing much faster than in Europe, which
brings that price gap to a more reasonable
proportion. As such our goal now should be
to keep costs under control, and assure our
advantages in technology and reliability, rather
than try to start up production in Asia, but this
can only be achieved with the correct support,”
he concludes.
Each piece of equipment passes through strict controls in-house including x-ray or TOFD examination, hardness tests, and penetrant and magnetic particle examination, with other processes being delivered by an independent third party
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Expert Engineering. Proven Results.
We are never satisfied.
At Waukesha Bearings Corporation™, our forward thinking team is committed to leading the markets we serve through
application knowledge, superior technology and operational excellence.
Our bearing and seal solutions are engineered to meet the unique needs of our customers, giving us the broadest application experience in oil & gas, power generation, and industrial markets. Our global businesses are customer focused –
in everything we do – by delivering excellence in technology, product performance, and customer service and support.
Count on our team. We’re there when you need us.
www.waukeshabearings.com/EOG
particularly oil and gas, power generation,
mining, steelmaking and cement manufacture.
These sectors are often where the most
arduous air and gas handling duties are to be
found. In oil and gas for example, equipment
has to deal with a wide range of challenges
such as extremes of temperature, high humidity,
remote locations, and a saline atmosphere.
Typical products include screw compressor
packages for gas handling on offshore platforms
and FPSOs, gas gathering and flare gas recovery,
Dating back as far as 1857, Howden
and its many subsidiaries have a long history
of innovation in the air and gas handling field.
The company is perhaps best known for its
custom designed variable flow fans and its
compressor technology though, having been
the first in the world to commercialise the screw
compressor back in the 1930s. Now a worldwide
organisation with over 4200 employees and a
presence in 17 countries, Howden equipment
can be found in virtually every industry,
excellenceAn air of
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and gas turbine fuel compression; cooling and
ventilation fans; turbo-compressors and fans for
sulphur recovery; and piston compressors for
various gas applications.
Howden’s extensive experience has allowed
it to accumulate an in-depth knowledge of the
markets in which it operates. By understanding
the varying needs of each, the company can
provide the best possible solution from both a
technical and economic perspective.
“Compressors remain core to the Howden
business,” states Jim Fairbairn, executive
director. “These are high integrity, process critical
pieces of equipment that go into refineries or
offshore oil rigs. As such they have to be very
robust and reliable because of the arduous
duties they undertake, and require minimal
maintenance. We work at the very top end of oil
and gas specifications, supplying to American
Petroleum Institute (API) standards, which
are the highest in the world. On top of this
some of our customers also apply their own
specifications that we have to meet.
“Most recently we have been working to
broaden our compressor range so that it is the
widest in the market and we can offer the best
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Waukesha Bearings CorporationWaukesha Bearings Corporation is a leading global provider of engineered fluid film bearings, seals and active magnetic bearings that optimise the performance of rotating machines in oil and gas, power generation, defence and industrial markets.Flexure Pivot® bearing, Integral Squeeze Film Damper (ISFD®) and Brush Seal technologies provide problem-solving performance benefits for a variety of applications.Waukesha Bearings provides industry-leading solutions globally, supported by strategic investments in engineering and R&D, operational excellence and a continuous improvement culture.Waukesha Bearings has a long history with Howden to develop tilting pad thrust and radial bearing solutions for air blowers and screw compressors.
ww
w.baobabadv.it
BOLDROCCHI Group Headquarter • Viale Trento e Trieste 93 • 20853 Biassono (MILAN) • ITALY • T. +39 039 2202.1 • F. +39 039 2754200 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.boldrocchi.eu
Designing and manufacturing Process Coolers since 1909
BOLDROCCHI GROUPBoldrocchi Group, headquartered in Italy since 1909, designs and manufactures industrial equipment with excellent site services and assistance worldwide.The Group has five product lines: Fans and blowers: for
industrial, offshore, oil and gas and process applications;
Heat exchange: for oil and gas, power generation, electrical machine and compressor;
Ecologia: for air and gas pollution control plants;
Aeroto: for heavy duty noise protection and gas turbine ancillaries;
Dampers: for heavy duty use and by-pass diverters;
For over 100 years Boldrocchi has manufactured finned tubes and thanks to its 11 different finning machines can supply different types of finned tubes in a variety of materials. The tube bundles are mechanical and thermal designed for high pressure (up to 350 bar) in special materials such as Superduplex, Hastelloy and Titanium, for heavy service as Wet H2S, Hydrogen and Fluor. A strong co-operation with Howden Compressor has brought a deep confidence and mutual benefits for many years.
customised solution to the client. We work hard
to continuously improve our understanding of
our customers’ applications and the way that
our products interact with their processes to give
them the best possible results. I’m really proud of
the fact that we have hundreds of engineers who
are always thinking about how we can improve
our offering to the customer. We believe this is a
big differentiator in the market.”
On a more personal level Jim has recently
been made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of
Engineering. This follows his award of an OBE a
few years earlier. Describing what that accolade
means to him, Jim says: “It’s an organisation
that tries to promote engineering, and I was
nominated by industry leaders in Scotland, so
it was quite nice to know that some of your
peers think you can contribute to the wider
engineering community. Of a membership of
around 1500 of the top engineers in the UK,
I am one of the youngest to be elected a Fellow,
and that is only possible because of the type and
quality of company I work for.”
At the core of the business is Howden
Technology in the UK, which works at the
forefront of engineering with unique expertise
in aerodynamics, acoustics, stress and vibration
analysis, and rotor dynamics. Each of the
company’s technology entities within Europe
maintains their own design departments, which
are focused on improving Howden’s product range
and enhancing its competitiveness in the market.
The company’s goal is always to deliver some level
of differentiation in its products from, for example,
expanding the types of seals that can be used on
compressors to its overall reliability, and this is for
both new and existing developments.
“It’s always the markets and applications that
come first, and then we look at the possibilities
of what we can supply and adapt systems
accordingly,” explains Jim. “Our aftersales
services are also a very critical element of our
business, as we strive to support the customer
for the lifetime of our products. Particularly
within the process critical sector, clients demand
instant response and technical back-up, and we
are to be structured to deliver that.”
In order to branch into new areas and offer
the best possible equipment, over the years
Howden has made a number of acquisitions
of well-known brands and technologies.
Most recently this has included Thomassen
Compression Systems (now Howden Thomassen
Compressors), which is a high specification
producer of piston compressors. In particular
Howden Thomassen excels in hydrogen
compression for refineries, which gave Howden
a foothold in this market. Both companies’
sales and service networks have now been
fully integrated, delivering benefits to both the
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We work at the very top end of oil and gas specifications, supplying to American Petroleum Institute (API) standards, which are the highest in the world. On top of this some of our customers also apply their own specifications that we have to meet
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MILLBROOK PRECISION ENGINEERING LTDMillbrook, formally Bryan Donkin (Howden) Machine Shop, has machined components for Howden for over 15 years and there are very close ties between the two companies, with staff having come from the same parent company. Millbrook has a very highly skilled workforce with over 30 years’ experience manufacturing components for centrifugal/reciprocating compressors. Millbrook specialises in horizontal and vertical boring, subcontract machining for the oil, gas, aerospace and mining industries with a variety of machines that can handle diameters and lengths from 50mm up to 3000mm and up to ten tonnes. In addition Millbrook supplies new and used machine tools along with spares, service and repairs.
Howdenhowden.com
ProductsHigh integrity compression equipment
Thomassen range and the rest of Howden.
“Howden Thomassen has just sold the
largest API 618 piston compressor in the
world to Russia with a power rating of 16
megawatts,” highlights Jim. “This is for use
in Russia’s upgrade of its refineries to comply
with EU standards and emission controls. A
lot of the demand for equipment at present is
off the back of environmental specifications
becoming more stringent, which means plants
have to be modernised and retrofitted with
different processes to allow them to reach those
standards. One of the key elements of this is the
desulphurisation of fuels, because as oil and gas
becomes harder to extract so we find there is a
higher concentration of nasties like sulphides. So
processes have to be changed and improved to
deal with this, and that is a good market driver
for some of the compressors we supply.”
Closer to home Howden is also finding itself
carrying out more work within the North Sea,
where the market appears to be undergoing
something of a renaissance with large volumes
of modernisation work. With good opportunities
in all of its markets, Jim describes how Howden
is preparing itself for the future: “There are two
facets to our vision for the business.
“Internally we will continue to become more
effective at what we do, in terms of quality,
delivery and how we interact with customers.
Getting that right is crucial to being the best
in the industry. The other aspect is around
looking to further understand growth markets
and how we can compete effectively in these
markets. This may be in niches such as
unconventional gas or gas to liquids, or through
the environmental legislation and the changes
there, which create a market for our products,”
he concludes.
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The company’s goal is always to deliver some level of differentiation in its products from, for example, expanding the types of seals that can be used on compressors to its overall reliability, and this is for both new and existing developments
up
air, enriched air and pure oxygen. Duiker is
committed to investing in the development
of new technologies and currently has five
dedicated research and development engineers as
well as a fully functioning in-house test facility
for burners and associated equipment. The
company built the world’s first oxygen enriched
burners for sulphur recovery and today is able
to supply its smallest burners with a capacity of
three tons of sulphur per day to its main burners
that handle 2000 tons per day.
At present sulphur recovery remains Duiker’s
main market. It supplies equipment for sulphur
recovery units to most of the major refiners and
gas processing companies around the world and
can rightfully be considered the market leader
in this niche industry. The company takes a
uniquely innovative approach to the combustion
process, which starts with the high-intensity
mixing technology that forms the basis for all of
its process burners. The burners are designed to
have mixing characteristics that result in extreme
reliability and allow operators to achieve the
lowest possible emissions. Equally, continual
refinement and innovation of the incineration
process have introduced increasingly economical
designs. In all of its designs Duiker is focused
on low emissions, excellent flame stability, high
turn-down ratios, low maintenance, reduced
lifetime cost, energy cost savings and the
ability to deal with upstream upset conditions.
What sets Duiker apart is its knowledge of the
processes in which its combustion equipment
is applied. As sales manager Stijn Hoffland
elaborates: “This knowledge allows us to design
specialised equipment such as the Duiker
high intensity, multiple vortex burner, which
provides a cleaner input for the downstream
equipment and is much more reliable than the
industry standard. This reduces scheduled and
unscheduled downtime and thus adds a lot of
value to the unit.”
Within the industry there have also been
innovations and the introduction of new
regulations that have also driven the need for
innovation, as Stijn elaborates: “Legislation such
as the systematic reduction of sulphur allowed
in bunker fuels as well as emission reductions
in the petrochemical industry drive our market.
There are therefore a lot of opportunities for
companies that can provide innovative solutions
for the complex challenges faced by refiners and
gas processing companies.
“Within the industry, the shift from
conventional oil to super heavy oil and tar
Duiker Combustion Engineers has earned
a reputation as a leading name in combustion
technology since it began supplying equipment
to the petrochemical industry during the
1950s. Its main activities include designing,
supplying and installing a range of gaseous fuel
process burners for oil refining, chemical and
natural gas processing ventures all over the
world. It provides a comprehensive
range of equipment including
burners, vessels, waste heat boilers,
burner management systems and
instrumentation. Whatever the
project, the company’s expert
team of engineers is dedicated
to delivering cost-effective,
environmentally friendly and
uniquely tailored solutions.
During the 1950’s the company’s
original portfolio included mainly
in-line, reducing gas generator and
incinerator burners. However, as the
company has progressed its global experience
and technology-focused innovation have allowed
it to further push the limits of burner design
for a range of applications including normal
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proFilE DuikEr Combustion EnginEErs
Duiker Combustion Engineersduiker.com
ServicesSulphur recovery and combustion solutions
suitable to debottleneck existing facilities.”
Duiker enjoys global coverage with its head
office based in Holland, sales offices in China
and subcontracted manufacturing plants in
Malaysia, China, Netherlands and Vietnam.
Eighty per cent of the company’s business is
currently found outside of Europe. This global
reach has allowed the company to focus on
consolidating its position in existing markets and
allow natural growth by expanding the product
range that it offers its customers. Looking to the
future the company is likely to remain focused
on the oil and gas industries, but it is also
interesting in following the renewable power
industry as a possible new market. Duiker is
committed to continuing the level of growth
it has seen in its main markets during the past
ten years by providing bespoke solutions to the
complex challenges faced by its clients. With a
strong product portfolio, dedicated development
team and market-leading reputation, Duiker is
set to lead the way in sulphur recovery over the
coming years.
sands results in much larger amounts of sulphur
which need to be processed at refineries and
upgraders. Exisiting plants often have to resort
to technologies such as oxygen enrichment
to debottleneck their facilities or invest in
new equipment. Furthermore we see that the
increased amount of bound nitrogen in the
crudes further increases the hydraulic load of
sulphur recovery units, due to the high amount
of ammonia which needs to be treated.”
Resulting from the industry trend towards
super heavy oil and tar sands, Duiker has
developed a patented technology that allows
the processing of ammonia outside of sulphur
recovery units. “This stoichiometry-controlled
oxidation process can reduce the capital
investment in a grass roots sulphur recovery
unit (including a sour water stripper and
tail gas treating unit), by ten per cent,” Stijn
explains. “As the operational expenditures of this
technology also lie lower, we are able to provide
the industry with a cost effective alternative
processing option. Finally the technology is very
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Caparo TesTing TeChnologiesCaparo Testing Technologies is very proud of its business relationship with Hayward Tyler, providing them with NDT support, both in house and on-site for over 20 years. Caparo Testing Technologies is a leading independent provider of accredited non-destructive and materials testing services on a broad range of high integrity products and equipment, encompassing all facets of industry.With over 50 years of inspection history the Caparo Testing Technologies’ vision is to work closely in partnership with its clients in order to deliver a bespoke support package designed to seamlessly support their future growth objectives.
volume
that we are working together.”
Already the preferred supplier to major oil
and gas firms such as Aker and GE Oil & Gas,
the company’s relationship with Eureka will
further expand its foothold in this market with
a focus on smaller-sized underwater units and
their maintenance. This initiative follows both
firms jointly winning orders of 14 units for
the Eldfisk, Aasta Hansteen and Martin Linge
projects in the North Sea; worth more than
£3.5 million to Hayward Tyler, which will bring
the number of Hayward Tyler submersible motor
units in the North Sea to almost 150. “Previous
to this, we won a £2.7 million contract for a
range of sea-water lift and firewater pumps for
the Hebron field, off the coast of Newfoundland.
This contract was awarded to us by Eureka and
was an important oil and gas win for us,” adds
Geoff Robinson, projects director. “Ultimately we
go where the end customers go, although we are
certainly focused on the Norwegian sector, we
also export to Canada, Malaysia, Thailand and
other locations around the globe.”
Established in 1815, the company has a long
and distinguished history of innovative designs
and engineering excellence, inventing the
first submersible electric motor in 1908. This
product became integral to the global mining
industry, while its high-pressure pumps went on
to be utilised in nuclear power stations. Today,
Hayward Tyler is keen to continue delivering
solutions to ever-changing challenges in the
fossil-fired or offshore upstream oil and gas
market through constant design improvement.
“Our main strength is our brand as we have
a fantastic reputation for reliability within our
particular markets; we sell our customers a
promise and over the last few years we have
strengthened our position to deliver this through
continuous improvement,” says Ewan. “We
have rolled out 5S training to all our staff, on-the
job training to our apprentices and professional
subjects through courses such as MBAs for
our senior managers. Our master scheduling
capability is being recognised as world class by
our peer group and now the focus is on how we
can enhance our research and development to
create the next generation of products.”
The company’s low maintenance and long
life subsea motors have been developed to
meet the most challenging power, voltage and
pressure requirements, offering peace of mind
across seawater injection and subsea boosting
applications. Accommodating pressure changes,
the mission critical subsea motors also include
It has been a productive and
successful year since world-renowned designer
and manufacturer of fluid filled electric motors
and pumps Hayward Tyler was last featured
in European Oil and Gas Magazine. Viewing
reduced activity in 2011 as an opportunity
to overhaul the business, the company
embarked on a range of initiatives to enhance
the efficiency of its supply chain logistics and
production to provide more customer-responsive
and cost effective operations. Following a
lengthy preparation and planning period,
Hayward Tyler began putting its £1 million
modernisation programme into action in early
2012, which is already proving highly successful.
By maintaining a state-of-the-art production line
and flexible supply chain the company can now
take on larger contracts with ease.
“We have made significant progress in terms
of re-structuring our main manufacturing
operation in Luton, which began in 2012 and is
a continuing improvement journey in terms of
our people, processes and products,” explains
Ewan Lloyd-Baker, Hayward Tyler Group’s
chief executive officer. “Our order intake across
the board is up 42 per cent at £13.9 million
in comparison to the first quarter of last year
due to significant order wins in the offshore oil
and gas exploration market. We have also been
developing our relationship with Eureka, the
largest supplier of pumps on the Norwegian
shelf, it is a partnership based on experience and
a mutual dedication to reliability; I am delighted
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proFIlE Hayward TylEr
Hayward Tylerhaywardtyler.com
ServicesDesigner and manufacturer of ‘mission critical’ motors and pumps
ASME PED, TUV, IBR and Norsok and provides
products and services for applications where the
focus is on high pressure, high temperature or
difficult to handle fluids.
Having set strong foundations in innovation
and reliability for nearly 200 years, Ewan is
confident about Hayward Tyler’s ability to
continue providing its customers across the
entire energy sector with technological solutions.
“Having seen significant growth over the 2013
financial year across most areas of the business,
we are looking forward to our 200th birthday
with increasing confidence. Within oil and gas
we see significant opportunity in the North Sea,
however as 85 per cent of our business is export
we are looking at areas such as West Africa,
Brazil and South Africa to help support this
growth,” Ewan concludes.
duplex or super duplex stainless steel shells to
ensure reliability and protection against harsh
environments. Furthermore, a ‘uniform electric
field’ minimises electrical stress, thus offering a
long winding cable life, while an external heat
exchanger and intricately designed internal
flow pattern enables the optimal operating
temperature to be achieved.
With Eureka the largest supplier of pumps
on the Norwegian Shelf, having sold more
than 2000 units to Statoil alone, collaboration
in terms of product development is likely to
lead to increased growth in the oil and gas
sector for Hayward Tyler, as Geoff highlights:
“One thing we are working on together is the
reduction of lead times to our target of circa
35 weeks and also highlighting the benefits of
using the OEM in reducing the total lifecycle
cost of ownership. We provide solutions that
are going to last decades because we know you
can’t get reliability without quality.” Dependent
on each customer’s requirements, Hayward Tyler
designs to the most exacting standards such as
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Launched in 2007, VSMC (Visser &
Smit Marine Contracting) has built up a trusted
position as an international submarine power
cables installation contractor. In this role,
VSMC has been involved in a large range of
projects in onshore, near-shore, and offshore
environments. This has seen it gain extensive
skills and knowledge in the processes related
to the delivery of large multidisciplinary
projects in the offshore sector, which means it
can put together the most appropriate solution
for each situation.
VSMC was established by Visser &
Smit Hanab, which in turn is part of the
VolkerWessels group. Family owned with a
staff of 15,000 and a turnover of about five
billion euros, VolkerWessels is a leading
international construction company. VSMC
falls within the area of the company that is
concerned with energy infrastructure, whether
pipeline, cable, or road.
To date VSMC’s main business has been
within the renewable energy sector, where it
works with cable manufacturers and utility
customers such as RWE, E.on and DONG. “One
of our main differentiators in this sector is our
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DH Marine (Shetland) Ltd. is a local firm with its main office and workshops based in Lerwick Shetland Islands.
The company was founded in 2000 by David Henry, and in the early years was focused on marine and industrial
electrical engineering. Today the firm has grown considerably and diversified successfully into the oil and gas
sector supplying plant hire equipment used in Zoned areas mainly at the BP Sullom Voe Oil Terminal and the new
Total Laggan Toremore SGP project.
DH Marine has installed three new Broadcrown diesel driven generators from its own hire fleet, each is capable of
producing 800kva of power through to a 2500amp containerised distribution unit, which will control on demand
the power requirements of the accommodation vessel Bibby Challenge, berthed in the harbour at Scalloway on
the west coast of Shetland.
The reason for this type of installation is because the power requirement of the vessel could not be met due to
the capability of the local supply, and if in the event of a possible power outage in the village the other substations
would not have the capacity to back feed power to supply the local consumers and the vessel. Therefore the
mains provider Scottish & Southern Energy in conjunction with DH Marine, Shetland Islands Council, and Bibby
Maritime found the solution that was agreeable to all parties was that the power would be supplied utilising
equipment from DH Marine (Shetland) Ltd.
Health, safety and the environment is always of prime importance to DH Marine (Shetland) Ltd, with the
company priding itself on its commitment to the wellbeing of company employees and all others involved.
Environmental issues are also equally important, especially when in this case the company is installing large diesel
driven generators in the middle of the village of Scalloway, where noise could be a major issue when the units are
running 24hrs a day, seven days a week. The chosen Broadcrown generators only produce a noise level of 85db at
1m, and should have minimal to no impact on the surrounding population.
Many people may incorrectly believe that Shetland is remote with little or no infrastructure. However, these
islands are at the centre of the Atlantic and North Sea oil and gas industry, with DH Marine (Shetland) Ltd proving
that a local company can provide the equipment, the resources, the manpower and the knowledge to support the
multinational companies in their quest to bring ashore safely the natural resources in the waters around Shetland.
dh marine (shetland) ltd
Acta Marine is an independent maritime service provider based in the
Netherlands, with a unique specialty for shallow waters. It owns and
operates more than 40 workboats for coastal waters and offers them for
charter all around the world.
As a trusted partner towards VSMC, it supports their installation projects
in the coastal waters of the UK. Its shallow draft shoalbusters, multicats
and cable burial vessels have all successfully supported VSMC on these
various projects.
Acta Marine is also the market leader in the deployment of DP multicats.
Such vessels are able to provide multi-functional project support and
have a proven track record of fuel efficiency. Its latest DP1 multicat, the
Coastal Chariot, will be delivered in February 2014 to further support the
construction of offshore wind farms in Europe.
As a family-owned business, the long-term continuity of Acta Marine is
a top priority. To achieve this, the company aims for lasting relationships
with its clients, makes continuous investments in its fleet and people,
and keeps optimising its business operations. Safety and quality are
cornerstones of the businesses conduct and work procedures. Acta Marine
also values its people as the key to its success and as vital to its reputation
as a professional and reliable service provider.
Stemat marine ServiceSStemat offers services and expertise to the worldwide maritime sectors of maritime construction, dredging industry, coastal cable installation and renewable energy industry.The company stands for safety, quality, flexibility and total solutions. Its everyday challenge is to find the right solution, together with the client, for every project.Stemat has a wide variety of modern equipment, including multi-functional work ships, cable lay vessels, crane and winch pontoons, tugs, anchors, winches and offshore accommodations.Stemat is specialised in pipe pulling, cable laying, hoisting and pile-driving, transport of exceptional loads and workboat assistance with regards to maritime projects.
track record in delivering what we promise to,
and we are one of very few parties that can offer
that level of service,” explains managing director
Arno van Poppel. “We have delivered every
project so far on time and within budget, whilst
some of our competitors have gone bankrupt or
stalled projects.
“As with our sister companies within
VolkerWessels, our approach is to be in control
of our business, so we do not take any risk
or liability that we cannot manage ourselves.
As such, we are largely non-dependent on
subcontractors, with everything that is required
to complete a job in terms of people, assets,
tool, equipment, and vessels owned and
controlled in-house.”
Principally these activities entail anything
related to power cable projects. This could
be installation of inter array cables to transfer
electricity from the wind turbines to offshore
substations, to export cabling from onshore
substation grid connections to offshore
substations. In each case VSMC offers a
complete package of services including design,
engineering, manufacturing, testing, transport,
storage, route clearance, survey, installation,
burial, termination, jointing, inspection, repair
and maintenance (IRM). Interconnectors,
crossings, landfalls and outfalls are also all within
the company’s remit.
With almost a decade of experience in the
offshore renewables sector, VSMC has been
involved in many landmark projects for the
industry. Most recently this includes a role as the
main contractor for the London Array project,
which is currently the largest offshore wind farm
in the world. The final stage of the programme
has recently been completed, with VSMC having
been working at the site since 2009. Over this
time VSMC installed and buried over 216
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Our intention now is to move more into the oil and gas sector using all of the knowledge and expertise we have accrued in renewables over the last few years. We see that there is increasing demand in oil and gas for the electrification of offshore installations as opposed to power generation
Fugro Survey LimitedFugro Survey Limited is a leading survey and positioning company based in Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth. Over the past four years Fugro Survey has provided survey and positioning support for VSMC’s cable installation and ploughing vessels on a number of UK and European windfarm construction projects. Nearly all operations were undertaken in shallow water and in areas of high currents, which made the positioning of the vessel and the associated cable and plough extremely difficult. Fugro Survey worked in partnership with VSMC to provide proven shallow water positioning techniques, which provided accurate and consistent results on all operations and allowed VSMC to install and plough the cables safely and efficiently.
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TOSSince the early start of the offshore wind activities of VSMC, TOS has been the preferred supplier of deck and construction crew. On various vessels, such as the Normand Flower and the Stemat Spirit, TOS professionals are working in various positions: rigger, depute offshore superintendent, plough and tension operator and deck engineers. Also the division Select - responsible for recruitment and selection of highly educated onshore professionals - recently provided a.o. a proposal manager and a planning engineer.TOS is an international service provider in personnel solutions, providing professionals to the maritime, offshore, oil and gas, and renewables industry.
kilometres of export cable in just 12 months,
and installed and tested 178 infield cables, at a
combined length of 202 kilometres, in the even
quicker time of nine months.
Contributing to large-scale projects is familiar
territory for VSMC, having installed 111 infield
cables for the Anholt project, which is the largest
offshore wind farm in Denmark. The site was
recently officially opened, and it will help supply
power to up to 400,000 households on an
annual basis. Around the same time VSMC put
in place the last cable for the Meerwind Süd and
Ost wind farms located in the German Bight.
This culminated an impressive record of three
load outs, 88 inter array cables, and 176 pull-ins
completed on time.
Another major project VMSC is helping to
deliver is the Nordsee Ost offshore wind farm.
Having completed cable installation for the
Meerwind Süd and Ost sites ahead of schedule,
the company was able to install the first of 52
infield cables at Nordsee Ost only a few weeks
later. Since then VSMC has completed the
installation of a further 25 cables as phase one
of the project, with the works continuing as
planned in early 2014.
“We are the market leader in electrical
infrastructure for the renewable business,”
notes Arno. “Our intention now is to move
more into the oil and gas sector using all of the
knowledge and expertise we have accrued in
renewables over the last few years. We see that
there is increasing demand in oil and gas for
the electrification of offshore installations as
opposed to power generation. This is an area
that typically needs a lot of resources in terms of
operation and maintenance.”
He continues: “However, in the North Sea
for example more and more installations are
becoming unmanned or into the latter stages
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VSMC (Visser & Smit Marine Contracting)vsmc.nl
ServicesCable installation
of production, so they are mature fields, or
marginal, and these both require a different
operating philosophy. The greatest aim is to
reduce both capital and operational expenditure
and one way to do that is unmanned operation.
But the facilities still require power, hence we see
the shift to electrifying these installations and
with the know-how we have built up we believe
we are well placed to enter this market.”
VSMC is also looking to widen its subsea
offering to include the installation of
equipment such as flexible flow lines, risers
and umbilicals. This is part of the company’s
move towards offering complete systems. It’s
an aspiration that is made more feasible by the
recent announcement about the intention of
VolkerWessels and Royal Boskalis Westminster
(Boskalis) to combine forces in the market for
offshore cable installation works.
“We have recently signed a Letter of
Intent that will see us 50 per cent owned by
VolkerWessels and 50 per cent by Boskalis. We
are awaiting the required regulatory approvals,
after which we will be able to pool resources
and equipment including two cable-laying
vessels, the Stemat Spirit and the Ndurance,
which will be delivered by Boskalis in the
course of this year.”
The Ndurance will be primarily used in the
company’s core renewable activities, but also
enables VSMC to look further afield in terms of
work in the Far East and Middle East for the oil
and gas industry. The vessel will join VSMC’s
existing cable-laying vessel, the ‘Stemat Spirit’,
which was specifically constructed for offshore
and shallow water operation. “We’re not a
shipping company so we use the experience
and know-how of Boskalis and VolkerWessels,”
notes Arno.
Boskalis and VSMC have already recently
worked together on a project basis, and in the
development of the ‘Trenchformer’ – a multi-
purpose cable trencher capable of dealing with
many different types of soil and cables. This
machine is able to bury cables in water depths
of up to 400 metres, and can work alongside
a cable-laying vessel or independently. The
Trenchformer enables VSMC to expand its
offering for the installation of power cables in
intertidal areas, shallow and deepwater.
Clearly VSMC is already some way towards
fulfilling its ambition to be recognised as the
leading European power cable installation
contractor delivering integrated solutions. “We
want to further strengthen our position as a
total solution provider, not only in the European
renewable energy business, but on a more global
scale,” agrees Arno. “This is in several different
sectors, namely interconnections, oil and gas and
renewables, which will helps make our company
more sustainable and more of a multi-service
entity where we can serve our clients.
“Coming out of the oil and gas sector
myself, I am very much aware that one of
the biggest elements of the industry is health
and safety. As market leader in the renewable
energy business, not only in volume, but
also HSE performance, we are already able to
demonstrate a strong commitment to safety
to potential clients in oil and gas. We strongly
believe we can make a difference in that
respect, which should give us a strong footing
in this marketplace,” he concludes.
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Established in 1998 as a
subsidiary of INTRO holding group, Advanced
Energy Systems (ADES) is a Cairo based
joint-stock free zone investment company
offering a diverse range of services to the oil
and gas industry. “We were founded in 1998
and registered in the EGPC (Egyptian General
Petroleum Company), as per Egyptian
law. ADES became a pioneer in the
Middle East offshore market through
developing the rig less offshore drilling
methodology. This developed into ADES
acquiring a number of land rigs before
moving further into the offshore side of
the business,” explains Mohamed Khalil,
offshore vice president of ADES. “Today
we have ten land drilling and work over
units (750-2000 HP), an ADM II 200ft
jack-up project and accommodations
assistant barge, acquired in 2008, and
an ADM III 250ft jack-up drilling and
work over unit being contracted right
now. On top of this, in April 2013 we
purchased an ADM IV 300ft jack-up
drilling rig and work over unit; and
completely re-activated and refurbished it and
put it to work in august 2013.
Operating in four divisions, marine
contracting, and offshore hydraulic work over,
offshore well-service integration and engineering
and project management, the company is a
market leader in financing and sponsoring the
operation of cutting edge marine spreads that
find solutions to specific market needs. For
example, its self-elevating work boats and jack-
solutionsup barges deliver versatile self-contained work
platforms, capable of supporting 24 hour rig
less offshore operations and reducing weather
waiting times to a minimum. The benefits of
these innovations include 50-70 per cent faster
jacking up and down than average jack-up
rigs, which therefore allows vessels to take
swift advantage of short weather windows, no
need for tugboats for transportation between
locations, and adequate power generation and
heavy lifting capacities that ensure full support
to a broad range of offshore operations.
With a core focus on rig less offshore work
over, platform maintenance, well servicing, and
marine vessel operations since its inception,
ADES set up a unique range of marine services
to support its offshore activities. A vast amount
of upfront investments were raised to purchase
state-of-the-art self-propelled jack-up barges
able to accommodate heavy work over and well
servicing equipment, provide smart module
systems with the capabilities to perform full
scale rig less operations on satellites and
single-well platforms. These developments
have enabled ADES to lead the way in offering
an innovative solution that solves a chronic
industry issue and improves an operator’s Opex
and operational flexibility.
Furthermore, the forward-thinking company
developed the innovative modular offshore
hydraulic work over intervention techniques
in Egypt and pioneered the entire Middle East
market through addressing the need for jack-
up drilling rigs to perform simple intervention
and work over operations in shallow waters.
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proFilE advancEd EnErgy systEms (adEs)
Advanced Energy Systems (ADES)adesegypt.com
ServicesOffshore drilling contractor
solutions, ADES is now focused on launching
its newest innovative equipment, which will
address challenging deepwater operations while
also offering flexibility and efficiency in shallow
waters. Based on ultra-modern technology used
in ship design, motion compensation, ROV,
marine architecture and subsea intervention
techniques, ADES has integrated marine
technology with its own unique subsea
intervention systems to form the most versatile,
self-contained multi-purpose well-servicing,
offshore maintenance and emergency response
setup in the world.
Looking ahead, Mohamed has a clear focus
on the future of ADES, anticipating increased
growth and success for the innovative firm. “At
the moment we would classify our position as
one of the top three local contractors of choice
in Egypt; in the next three to five years our aim
is to become the contractor of choice in the
Middle East and North Africa, operating four
jack-up drilling units and two barges in these
areas,” he concludes.
“We are concentrating on growing the offshore
side of our business more than land rigs from
now on as the market in Egypt is enjoying a 90
per cent utilisation for offshore and onshore;
as a matter of fact, the market is in need for
supplying two jack-ups approximately in the
Gulf of Suez and at least one floater in the
Mediterranean. Egyptian Natural Gas Holding
Company (EGAS) has awarded licenses for
numerous offshore blocks under the Egypt
2012 international bid round,” says Mohamed.
“Recipients include established players such as
BG (block one, north Gamesha offshore) and
BP (block two, north Tineh offshore). There are
major challenges for multinational companies
accepting payment in local currency instead of
the announced per contract, for example 70 per
cent in US dollars and 30 per cent in Egyptian
pounds. However, as an Egyptian firm we accept
full payment in Egyptian pounds, which gives us
leverage in the local market.”
The 100 per cent Egyptian owned drilling
contractor’s rigs and barges are currently
contracted to the GPC, FANPETCO, GUPCO
and are operating in the Gulf of Suez, yet
Mohamed anticipates more contracts in the
future. “We are focusing on the Egyptian local
market and aim to utilise our recently added rig,
ADM IV to become the local drilling contractor
of choice in Egypt,” he says. “Our flexibility
to client requirements, expertise of our people
and our expert eye in picking up an old asset to
refurbish it and extend its operational life span
are all key strengths we have to offer our existing
and future customers.”
With proven experience in providing
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With proven experience in providing solutions, ADES is now focused on launching its newest innovative equipment, which will address challenging deepwater operations while also offering flexibility and efficiency in shallow waters
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Steder Group B.V.The Steder Group B.V. is a renowned and dynamic logistic service provider with experience in a number of territories: global project logistics, agencies, chartering, forwarding and liner agency. The Steder Group B.V. arranges comprehensive logistics for all sorts of cargo transportation, worldwide. The Steder Group B.V. is based in Rhoon, located directly on the arterial road leading to Rotterdam port. It is therefore easily accessible and facilitates all the advantages of one of the largest ports in the world. Steder Group B.V. employs about 140 staff members and has offices in Rhoon, Antwerp, Dubai, Djibouti and recently opened in Constanta.
Technip Benelux operates as part of
its parent company the Technip Group. Based
in the Netherlands the firm has recently become
part of a newly organised division within the
group. Founded in the third quarter of 2012,
Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology
(TSWPT) amalgamates several companies into
a single group centered around a core business
focused on plant process design. Technip Benelux
traces its roots back to 1963 when the company
was founded as Kinetics Technology International
(KTI) before becoming part of the Technip
Group in 1999. During its history the company
developed a critical understanding of the hydrogen
generation and ethylene cracking technology,
which made it a logical inclusion in the formation
of the new process technology division.
“I don’t think it is too modest to say that we
are world leaders in these fields,” exclaims Hans
T.H. Brasker, vice president execution for Technip
Benelux. “In hydrogen, we have 35 per cent of
the global market share, which I think justifies
our position as being world leaders in that area.”
The company’s proficiency in these fields has
enabled it to operate on a truly global scale and
led to impressive technical innovations that
have helped differentiate the company from
other players in the same markets. Within the
ethylene-cracking sector, Technip Benelux has
designed a cracking tube that is designed to be
installed in an ethylene plant’s furnace. This
Swirl Flow Tube® achieves longer running
time for the furnace and critically, a higher
capacity. This is of particular importance in the
ethylene industry, which as a base product is
fundamental in the formation of plastics. It is a
volatile sector that is hugely dependent on the
ebb and flow of global economic conditions,
with many countries still recovering from the
global recession efficiency is of paramount
importance. However, rather then being an
obstacle for Technip Benelux, the downturn in
demand for the ethylene and plastic consumer
products has actually provided the company
with an opportunity to showcase the benefits
of its services, as Hans elaborates: “The clients
for ethylene are in the petrochemical industry,
you will understand that in the countries that
are suffering from the recession now, ethylene
demand has been quite low. Although this trend
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marketCracking the
Technip Beneluxtechnip.com
ServicesProcess plant implementation
(TPR®), which can increase the capacity of
an existing hydrogen plant by 30 per cent.
The implementation of the TPR® is relatively
simple and can be completed in a single plant
shutdown, which can be scheduled around
routine plant maintenance to eliminate costly
delays during installation.
Technip Benelux is not limited to its
core services within hydrogen generation
and ethylene cracking; through its years of
experience it is able to provide world-class
expertise as an engineering, procurement and
construction (EPC) contractor. This means that
if it sells a client a piece of technology it is able
to offer a comprehensive package of detailed
engineering, procurement, construction, start-
up and aftermarket services, extending the
company’s relationship with its customers and
generating future business.
Recently, Technip also celebrated a 20-year
milestone in its alliance with Air Products. The
alliance was formed in 1992 to address a global
demand for hydrogen generation and cleaner
fuels, regarding the partnership Thierry Pilenko,
Technip’s chairman and CEO, states: “Technip
is proud to be a member of this alliance. The
valuable feedback we have received from the
plants designed for Air Products, coupled
with Technip’s high standards in design and
engineering, have improved long-term operations,
where reliability over the years is the main focus.
In the end, the refining industry benefits by
receiving a reliable and cost-effective source of
hydrogen. In addition, our global footprint ensures
that Technip can accompany its clients around the
world, on their projects of tomorrow.”
also affected Technip, the company has been
fortunate in that over the years it has had a
constant base in ethylene, thanks to its creativity
in modernising and upgrading existing plants.
“Since the founding of the company we
have developed and applied various methods
for revamping existing ethylene plants, thus
enabling clients to introduce new technologies
in their existing plants. We have created a
particular market in this fashion, which has
been very successful. Especially in periods of
downturn, it puts an extra challenge on us to
introduce innovations into existing plants in a
cost-effective manner.”
In addition to that, Technip Benelux has
developed a special software package for
plant operation analysis, named SPYRO®.
The package enables clients to simulate the
performance of a cracking furnace to accurately
predict the yield of the cracking process, thus
enabling clients to optimise the operation of
their plants to the ultimate limit. With the latest
version of the software package, SPYRO® Suite
7, users are offered the state-of-the-art simulation
technology for ethylene processes with a wide
range of applications.
The hydrogen market is slightly different
from the ethylene sector in that is it further
upstream in terms of production process. The
majority of Technip Benelux’s clients in the
hydrogen sector are oil refineries, in which
hydrogen is an increasingly utilised element.
The gas is vital in the production of clearer fuels,
which in the current environmentally aware
age is increasingly important. This coupled
with a global interest in increasing efficiency,
has spurred a greater demand in the supply of
hydrogen, as Hans explains: “For the worldwide
interest in producing what are called clean fuels,
the demand for hydrogen in refineries goes up.
Hydrogen is useful in producing cleaner fuels
and while the standards of clean fuels are not
yet consistent all over the world, some countries
make steeper progress on this than others, but all
over the world hydrogen demand is increasing.
So the client finds that they need to either invest
in a new hydrogen plant or an expansion of their
existing hydrogen plant.”
The company has been incredibly successful
in helping customers realise greater production
potential, helping it to maintain its 35 per cent
market share has been a host of innovations and
new products. Within the hydrogen sector one
example of this is its Technip Parallel Reformer
The company has been incredibly successful in helping customers realise greater production potential, helping it to maintain its 35 per cent market share has been a host of innovations and new products
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Founded in 1996, Sanco Shipping
AS purchased its first vessel in the very same
year, which was rebuilt to act as a modern
support ship for the seismic industry. From
such a beginning, Sanco Shipping AS is now
primarily engaged in the worldwide operation of
purpose-built seismic ships from its head office
in Norway.
Speaking previously to European Oil and Gas,
CEO Ivar Slettevoll confirms the company’s
approach: “Our key market is the seismic
marine industry. We have seismic support
vessels and seismic vessels for both towed
streamer and bottom cables. Our fleet of
seven vessels are currently working in the Far
East, Brazil, Africa, Canada, and the North
Sea. All of them are on fixed contracts with
different leading seismic companies around
the world such as Dolphin Geophysical, PGS,
CGGVERITAS, and GEO/RXT.”
It is Sanco Shipping’s aspiration that it be
known for quality and soundness, create value
for its customers, and have a reputation as a
business partner that can be trusted and relied
upon. Connected to this the company ensures
that it has a well qualified staff base that can
meet stringent requirements, and to be a
competitive force amongst ship owners serving
the same market area.
Operationally, Sanco Shipping takes care
of ship management, including day-to-day
operations as well as fleet renewals, financing
and management of long-term time-charter
contracts in accordance with the board of
directors of the different shipowning companies.
“Overall the satisfaction of our customers is the
basis for our business philosophy,” outlined Ivar.
“We will always be attentive to the
challenges of our clients, and strive to find
optimal solutions to their needs. We aim to be
identified as a professional and sound business
partner, and will actively seek to establish
strategic and commercial alliances. Expansion
of the company will be from continued
strength in what we do, and by taking one
step at a time. Our goal is to remain financially
strong with a sound liquidity, basing our
investments on long-term returns. By following
our philosophy and reaching our objectives,
we aim to be one of the leading shipping
companies within our niche.”
Earlier this year Sanco Shipping saw its new
build vessel, the Sanco Swift, delivered from
Kleven Maritime. This purchase saw a close
Deeplyknowledgeable
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BLUESAPS
NEUMAN & ESSER GROUPwww.neuman-esser.com
CLEARVIEWSEISMIC EXPLORATIONHAS NEVER BEEN CLEANER
The new NEA SEISMIC AIR POWER SYSTEMS (NEA SAPS), equipped with the NEA recipro-cating compressor, saves up to 450 litres of oiland 110 m³ of oil-contaminated condensateevery 1,000 operating hours.Learn how to preserve the environment andminimize your operation costs. BLUESAPS.
BLUESAPS®OIL-FREE
Oil-Gas_Blue-Saps-A4 2013-09.indd 1 30.09.13 13:17
NEUMAN & ESSER GROUPHigh availability and energy efficiency are the major criteria when customers decide on NEUMAN & ESSER (NEA) reciprocating compressors. The same was also true for Sanco Shipping, as it invested in ten NEA SAPS – acronym for NEA Seismic Air Power System. NEA offers a comprehensive product range of high-pressure compressors as an energy source for Air Gun Systems on seismic vessels.The oil-free version, the so-called BLUESAPS system is a new development from NEA. Per 1000 operating hours, this version saves up to 450 litres of oil and 110m³ oil-contaminated condensate, which would have to be disposed of expensively.
Sanco Shipping ASsanco.no
ServicesSeismic vessel operator
speed, and industry leading bollard pull, which
will enable it to undertake both large and wide
tow configurations. The design also takes into
account new regulations with the newest engine
technology being incorporated to offer greater
fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
Alongside the vessels within the fleet, it is
Sanco Shipping’s employees that the company
considers to be its most valuable resource. All
major personnel have been working in the
seismic industry for many years, some starting as
far back as 1981. As such, the level of expertise
and professionalism displayed by the staff is
second to none. Sanco Shipping’s employees
also have a part to play in the company’s
Safety Management System (SMS), which is a
continuous improvement process. To this end,
each member of staff is actively encouraged to
participate in the process.
In contrast to the shipping industry in
general, which continues to see some difficult
trading conditions, the seismic market seems
to be growing in strength. This may be due
to increasingly challenging nature of offshore
developments, which means accurate data such
as 3D seismic is more valuable than ever in the
planning and execution of these.
Sanco Shipping believes that in general the
offshore market always offers new possibilities.
As such, although seismic will remain a focus
over the coming years with the company
continuing to invest in the sector, it is likely
that Sanco Shipping may also look into other
segments for the future. Regardless of where it
is working though, the company will retain its
commitment to professionalism, quality, and
co-operation with customers.
co-operation between local companies on the
north-west coast of Norway with Kongsberg
Evotec contributing the back-deck handling
system for the vessel, which will be operated
by Dolphin Geophysical. Quality and on-time
delivery are key concerns for Sanco Shipping
so the company was thrilled to find this being
provided in its local area.
The Sanco Swift was officially christened
in July, before immediately commencing
operations. This purpose-built high-end
3D seismic vessel further boosts Dolphin
Geophysical’s fleet capabilities, equipped as
it is with the ability to tow up to 16 seismic
streamers. Each of these streamer cables could
be up to 12,000 metres in length, and feature
state-of-the-art technology in terms of system
design and control.
Since this time Sanco Shipping has exercised
the option for a second sister vessel, which will
be known as the Sanco Sword. Also built and
delivered from Kleven Maritime’s Myklebust
Verft shipyard, the vessel will help answer the
continuous need for new tonnage that Sanco
Shipping sees within the seismic market,
particularly in tropic and colder waters. At a
length of 96.15 metres, breadth of 21.5 metres
and capacity of 2700 dwt, Sanco Sword will be
able to accommodate up to 60 people on its
deliver in first quarter 2014.
Ahead of this date though, the vessel has
already been committed to Dolphin Geophysical
on an initial charter of five years, with options to
extend for an additional three two-year periods.
This also serves to strengthen Sanco Shipping’s
relationship with the Dolphin Group. The
Sanco Sword is characterised by a high transit
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— at your fingertips
One supplier – total fire safety
The AutroSafe Integrated Fire and Gas Detection System in combination with the AutroMaster Integrated Safety and Emergency Managmenet System provides an extra dimension of security in the most challenging workplaces on the planet – the oil and gas industry. By a click of the mouse you have a full overview of your fire safety systems and can take control should an incident occur.
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Division Oil&Gas, Tevlingveien 24, NO-4033 Stavanger +47 51 84 090 00 oil.gas@autronicafi re no www.autronicafi re.no
AutronicA Fire And Security ASAutronica Fire and Security AS, is a leading innovator, manufacturer and supplier of advanced sensors and systems for fire and gas detection to the petrochemical oil and gas industry. The product range includes AutroSafe IFG (integrated fire & gas detection system) with SelfVerify, the world’s first IEC 61508 safety integrity level (SIL 2) approved integrated addressable fire and gas detection system. Autronica Fire and Security AS also offers a full range of flame and gas detectors, high sensitive smoke detection (HSSD), gas sampling, alarm management and control systems. Services offered include system design, project management, installation and commissioning, after-sales service and training.Stringent control throughout Autronica assures the excellence of the products and services. The products are developed for worldwide standards and regulations, and conform to AS 7240, EN 54 and NFPA 72.The company, established in 1957, is an international business headquartered in Trondheim, one of the largest cities in Norway. The company is owned by United Technologies Corporation (UTC) and employs more than 380 people with experience in the developing, manufacturing and marketing of fire safety equipment. Total turnover is approximately NOK 825 million. The Oil & Gas division of the company is located in Stavanger.
Kongsberg Maritime has enjoyed an increase
in demand over recent years. This has resulted
in the continued recruitment of a significant
number of engineers and support staff at the
group’s UK based offshore division since early
2012 as well as expansion into new business
areas. “Due to further growth in several areas
of our business we plan to continue to recruit
more staff, particularly project support and
field support,” says David. “One area where
we have recruited engineering staff is in
offshore production automation and safety
systems, where we are supporting a number
of installations in the UK sector; we have also
been recruiting engineers in this business area
in preparation for the build up of the Statoil
Mariner project and will continue with further
recruitment for the project and support phase.”
Kongsberg Maritime is renowned
for delivering innovative systems in the offshore,
subsea and merchant marine markets. “Our
division of Kongsberg Maritime provides sales,
project support and customer services such
as training and field support in the UK,” says
David Shand, general manager of Kongsberg
Maritime’s Offshore Division in the UK. “We
live and breathe our core values, which are
determination, reliability, collaboration and
innovation, all of which enable us to provide
state-of-the-art, reliable technology and excellent
support to our diverse range of customers that
range from offshore renewable developers to
offshore production companies.”
Providing global support from local service
and support facilities at strategic locations
around the world such as Aberdeen, New
Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore and Dubai,
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top Hugin AUVabove Thermopylae House, Aberdeenleft Dave Shand beside test tank
eraA new
The Leading Sensor Technology for DP Manufacturers
Reliable, expert positioning technologies for a variety of marine applications
Our customers recommend CyScan and RadaScan for great functionality, reliability and excellent positioning data.
RadaScan:Microwave based technology
CyScan:Laser based technology
Guidance Navigation Ltd Leicester UK LE19 1RP Tel: +44 116 229 2600 Email: [email protected] Web: www.guidance.eu.com
Guidance Marine Guidance Marine is a leading international developer and supplier of position reference sensors for Dynamic Positioning (DP). Our laser and radar CyScan, RadaScan and Mini RadaScan sensors can be integrated by all major DP manufacturers and are used on a daily basis by all OSV and PSV operators for DP1, DP2 and DP3 class vessels. They provide high accuracy range and bearing measurements for a diverse range of vessel operations in close proximity to mobile and fixed structures. CyScan, the guidance laser reference sensor has been designed to specifically meet the needs of Kongsberg maritime and its customers. As a result CyScan has become Kongsberg’s laser position reference sensor of choice with over three years of success in the field. Our continued commitment to quality and safety has put our sensor at the heart of the Kongsberg DP systems.
For the Statoil Mariner project, the largest
new offshore development in the UK in more
than a decade, Kongsberg Maritime will supply
integrated automation, safety and information
management systems for both the production,
drilling and quarters (PDQ) platform and the
floating storage unit (FSU), the latter also having
positioning and marine systems.
Kongsberg Maritime’s UK division will
provide project-engineering resource, along with
colleagues in Norway and Korea, and support
the installation during production. “Participating
in potentially the largest development in the
UKCS is a great achievement for us,” enthuses
David. “This project will allow us to further
develop our project and support capability in
offshore production automation and safety
systems in the UK, which, combined with our
Kongsberg Maritime Engineering Division in
the Far East, will enable us to deliver further
greenfield and brownfield projects in the UKCS.
Another area we will continue to recruit for in
the UK is the support of our AUV (autonomous
underwater vehicles) product lines.”
Following the group’s acquisition of Hydroid
a number of years ago, it has become a world
leader in the field of AUVs, a technology that
is finding increasing application in offshore
inspection for both oil and gas and renewable
markets. The company offers an AUV rental
service to its customers and will be announcing
new developments in its AUV technology later
this year.
In response to the offshore division’s
continuing success and unprecedented growth,
Kongsberg Maritime announced an investment
of £2 million in the long-term lease of new
premises in Westhill, Aberdeen in February
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Hatteland displayHatteland Display is the leading technology provider of specialised display and computer products, delivering high quality, unique and customised solutions to the international maritime and industrial markets. Hatteland Display has delivered more than 175,000 products to the maritime industry since 1989, and is a significant supplier to Kongsberg Maritime and other leading international customers, who require high quality customised solutions at competitive price levels. Hatteland Display represents innovation and quality to the system integrators worldwide. Effective quality assurance and investment in sophisticated in-house manufacturing methods and facilities enables Hatteland to deliver Type Approved and Mil tested products. Its customer oriented approach, technical knowledge and dedication to R&D, make it a trusted and preferred supplier of approved solutions, which are backed up by a strong service network. As the market leader in the commercial marine segment, Hatteland Display is setting the standard in the industry.
Kongsberg Maritime Ltd km.kongsberg.com
ServicesTurnkey solutions within the oil and gas industry
develop our training centre to support our
systems, and this will require additional
training staff to support the improvements
in our course offerings in DP operations and
further develop training in subsea systems,
such as AUVs and also in offshore production
systems,” explains David.
Launching a new era for Kongsberg Maritime
in the UK, the new facilities cement the
group’s commitment to invest in its personnel,
customers and future; it also offers a high quality
working environment, a huge advantage in a
competitive market, as David concludes: “In
today’s environment, particularly in Aberdeen,
resourcing new staff can be difficult. However,
we believe that we offer an excellent working
environment, great career opportunities and
challenging roles. Many of our engineering
positions are for electronics or software
graduates, both of which are in short supply due
to the relatively small number of graduates in
each of these disciplines. To address this issue
we have established scholarships at several
universities in the UK, including the local
universities. Our scholarships give much needed
funding for the ‘Kongsberg scholars’ as well
as summer placements, which offer industry
experience. We have already recruited excellent
graduates from our scholarship scheme.”
2012. The purpose-built property includes a
bespoke 45 metre cubed test tank, the first of its
kind in Aberdeen, and the most technologically
advanced dynamic positioning simulator on
the market. Moreover, the Kongsberg Maritime
Training and Simulation Centre takes up an
entire floor at the new building, increasing its
original floor space by 60 per cent and enabling
the group to train more individuals.
Scheduled training courses at the division’s
Aberdeen premises include an overview
of planned automation systems, dynamic
positioning and subsea positioning systems.
Courses are designed to give participants an
enhanced understanding and detailed product
knowledge and may include both operational
and technical training. “We plan to further
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inset KM customer support below Kongsberg employees
One hundred and ten years
after its formation, Francis Brown Ltd is
simultaneously still a family-owned company,
and a global fabrication and engineering
business. The company works in a range of
industrial markets including chemical oil and
gas, renewable, and nuclear where its skills set
is in demand. This is namely design, fabrication,
welding, machining, assembly and installation in
the form of cost-effective solutions.
experienceDuring its history Francis Brown has proved
itself adept at adjusting its business focus in line
with the ebb and flow of the markets. When
one industry is in decline, the company can shift
its focus to a more prosperous sector and so
on. Describing the current outlook, managing
director Jamie Brown says: “The marketplace
was very buoyant last year, and although there
was a slower start to 2013 this is now increasing
as well.
“We continue to see some fluctuation
between markets, but are focused on a broad
mix of work with different customers in our
traditional marketplaces such as oil and gas
and renewable energy. We specialise in high
integrity fabrication, where the documentation
requirements are as important as the steelwork
itself. That trend is continuing as in general
specifications are getting tighter.”
In order to meet such requirements, over the
years Francis Brown has continued to modernise
and expand its facilities, which cover over 3000
square metres of workshop space. This includes
the recent incorporation of nearby buildings,
which the company has extended into. “In total
we’ve got around 30 per cent extra workshop
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Francis Brown Ltdfrancisbrown.co.uk
ServicesEngineering and fabrication
worked around the clock to get the repairs
done, and saved the client four days downtime,
whilst still meeting the stringent quality and
testing requirements.”
Although not specifically part of the rapid
response initiative, Francis Brown has generally
worked to speed up its reaction times by
introducing additional estimating power at
its offices. This helps the company be more
responsive in the ever evolving global markets.
“We have a good order backlog in the oil and
gas sector at present, including development
of launch and recovery systems for Brazil,
involvement in the Knarr field in the Norwegian
North Sea, and work on the Ichthys LNG project
in Australia.
“We’re also putting a lot of focus on gaining
repeat orders from our existing customers, who
we maintain very good relationships with. By
looking at more multiple quantity jobs we can
increase throughput in the factory without
increasing overheads, and therefore profitability,”
Jamie concludes.
capacity,” notes
Jamie. “This has enabled us
to develop defined areas for different materials
ensuring the complete segregation of stainless
steel, nickel alloys, and carbon steel.
“We’ve also been able to put in place a ‘clean
room’ for stainless steel fabrication, and by
moving this to a standalone facility, we can use
the extra space to offer assembly and finishing
services for carbon steel. We’ve already found a
number of customers have taken us up on this
new offering, as the market sees the benefits of
plug-n-play equipment that can be unloaded and
installed immediately, rather than needing to be
assembled onsite. This enables the client to focus
its resources on its main activities.”
Francis Brown has also made some notable
changes in its internal operations, including
the introduction of new roles as Jamie explains:
“We have brought in a technical manager to
help assist the compliance team to ensure we
meet the specifications of our clients. This was
as a result of the increase in such requirements.
We’ve also strengthened even further our focus
on quality and health and safety. Just recently we
have won our biggest ever export order from a
company in China, because even though there
are cheaper local manufacturers, they recognise
the quality of our products and the associated
lower risks.”
Some of the typical products and services
offered by Francis Brown include pressure
vessels and process equipment including heat
exchangers, pipelines, pig launchers, and
tanks; plate and structural fabrications for
pipe supports, access steelwork, architectural
steelwork, skids and complex strictures; and
material, welding and machining services.
On top of this in the second half of 2012 the
company launched its rapid response team,
which can react quickly to emergencies where a
fast turnaround is required.
“We’ve had some recent success in this area
with an offshore cable laying plough that was
damaged whilst working on the seabed and as
a result the vessel had to come into port at the
cost of £100,000 a day,” highlights Jamie. “We
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We specialise in high integrity fabrication, where the documentation requirements are as important as the steelwork itself. That trend is continuing as in general specifications are getting tighter
Established in 2001, PV Drilling
operates as a subsidiary of the Vietnam Oil and
Gas Group and member of the International
Association of Drilling Contractors. The
company was formed with a clear desire to
become the leading drilling contractor in the
region as well as offering prestigious services to
the global market. The company provides a wide
range of services in oil and gas exploration and
production activities but broadly speaking is able
to divide its operations into two main areas. The
first of these is the management and operation
of onshore and offshore drilling rigs, which is an
area that plays a vital role in yielding revenue and
profit for the company. During 2012 PV Drilling
gained over $300 million through the safe
operation of its rigs as well as the chartering of
three other jack-up rigs through strategic partners
Transocean, ENSCO and Diamond Offshore to
meet demand in the domestic market.
At present the company owns and operates a
fleet of three jack-up rigs, one land rig operating
in Algeria and one semi-submersible tender
assist-drilling (TAD) rig. All of its rigs are the
latest generation of their kind including its jack-
up rigs, which are Keppel Fels MOD V B Class
models able to operate at 400ft water depth and
capable of drilling at a depth of up to 30,000ft.
Its state-of-the-art semi-submersible TAD drilling
rig is a Keppel Fels SSDT 3600E HP design
with a max drill depth of 30,000ft while its land
rig is of 2700 HP design and able to drill to a
maximum depth of 18,000ft. With these assets
PV Drilling currently occupies almost 50 per
cent of the drilling market in Vietnam and in
the coming years is committed to adding several
advanced jack-up rigs to its fleet, as well as an
additional semi-submersible rig. The acquisition
of further assets reflects an ongoing response to
the rapidly moving market and the company’s
intention to realise a strategy of expansion in the
near future. Included within this strategy is the
delivery of a new 400ft jack-up rig from Keppel
Fels, which is due for completion in February
2015. The rig, named PV Drilling VI, will be
furnished with the most advanced technology
in its field and primarily serve the global market
operating from Southeast Asia, the Middle East
and the Gulf of Mexico.
Complimenting its offshore and onshore rig
operations, a key second strand for PV Drilling
is its ability to deliver both traditional and high-
tech well and drilling related services. These
include, but are not limited to mechanical
services, fabrication, tool rental, tubular running,
well testing, mud logging, wireline logging,
well completion, cementing and directional
drilling. In conjunction with its fleet expansion
operations, the further development of these
services is a key priority for PV Drilling. To
ensure that it is able to offer a comprehensive
package of services the company is in close
co-operation with its reputable partners
worldwide to develop all-inclusive integrated
solutions, which are unprecedented in Vietnam’s
domestic market.
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Drilling
ambition
proFilE pV Drilling
To help it pursue its goal of promoting its
reputation as a leading contractor in the region,
PV Drilling relies on a number of strengths
that give the company the means to achieve its
strategic vision. The skill and dedication of its
workforce is of paramount importance to the
company’s operations. According to PV Drilling’s
president & CEO, Pham Tien Dung: “Starting
the business with very limited resources, in
both financial terms and in infrastructure, PV
Drilling relied on nothing but the persistence
and competence of its own initial staff. Today we
have a staff of approximately 2000 and are proud
to possess a crew of highly skilled engineers and
experts at all functional and managerial levels.
Thanks to them, the rig fleet has been operated
with excellent efficiencies, absolute safety and
greatly appreciated by our clients.”
Likewise, the company’s fleet remains an
integral ingredient in its ongoing success. Its
advanced rig fleet is supported by reliable
machinery and intelligent integrated control
systems supplied by respected manufacturers
such as NOV, Cameron, Hydril VAM Drilling,
Siemens etc. The fleet is also put under
a strict reliability-centered maintenance
(RCM) programme to ensure the maximum
performance and eliminate downtime. The
overall aim of the company’s focus on the
performance of its fleet is to maintain a
market edge and offer a level of service that is
unparalleled in the region.
Moreover, PV Drilling can rely on the support
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PV Drillingpvdrilling.com.vn
ServicesProfessional drilling solutions
by optimising the operational cost and
diversifying our scope of services. PV Drilling
aims to define itself as a one-stop drilling
services provider with unique bundled services
that facilitate oil and gas operators in deploying
their drilling campaigns by better synchronising
workflows and reducing overlapped processes
and procedures.”
of a large number of strategic partnerships and
joint ventures worldwide with renowned oil
and gas companies including Baker Hughes,
BJ, Expro, Marubeni Itochu and Oil States
Industries. These joint ventures have allowed it
to expand its scope of high-tech services, gain
access to the latest advances in technology and
absorb valuable experience allowing PV Drilling
to further develop and refine the high level
of service it is able to offer. Furthermore, the
company has a firm financial foundation and a
dedicated management board who, along with
the support of its parent business PetroVietnam,
are able to expertly guide the company through
challenging times.
PV Drilling enjoys a diverse customer
base with which it seeks to maintain close
professional relationships to encourage
successful current and future business. The core
of its business is divided between subsidiaries of
PetroVietnam and well known global operators
in the oil and gas industry. Subsidiaries of
PetroVietnam include PVEP, PVEP POC, and
Bien Dong POC, while some of PV Drilling’s
global customers include Chevron, Gazprom,
Petronas, Premier Oil, Salamander, Talisman,
Idemitsu, Soco, Perenco, JX Nippon Oil,
Sonatrach. To consolidate its relationships
with all of its valuable clients, PV Drilling has
implemented a customer relation management
programme to ensure that it is able to match up
to its customers’ expectations and respond to
their requests in a timely fashion.
Moving into the future PV Drilling has a
wealth of determination, proven track record
of success and technical knowhow to carry
it forward. The company offers an energetic
outlook and is keen to demonstrate its talents
to new customers as Pham Tien Dung explains:
“We are building an image of PV Drilling
as a young and dynamic drilling contractor,
differentiating our corporation from competitors
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the industry and manufacturing sector we are in,
looks to be in a very healthy position indeed.”
From its advantageous position in Great
Yarmouth on the East Anglian coast, and
with direct access to both the North Sea and
international waterways, Seatrax UK has been
independently operating as the European arm of
Seatrax Inc. since 1996.
Today the company is internationally
recognised as a pioneer in the supply of kingpost
cranes and is known for its dedicated focus
on crane safety through design: ‘instead of
depending on gadgets and add-ons!’ according
to Graham. A number of patents have been
established over the years for these designs.
Seatrax cranes are based on proven design
principles and components that can be
configured to each client’s unique specifications,
resulting in them being widely recognised and
respected for their high standards of operational
safety, design robustness, cost-effectiveness and
ease of maintenance.
Working with many major oil and gas
companies over the years such as Shell, BP,
Chevron and ConocoPhillips, Seatrax now has
hundreds of cranes in service worldwide and
although it has a wide range of models available,
the most popular machine being produced at
the moment seems to be the model S7232. “This
machine is fast becoming the ‘benchmark’ crane
for drilling jack-ups with its useable capacity
of around 83 tonnes easily covering the larger
offshore service lifts,” confirmed Graham.
Away from manufacture, he went on to
highlight other new areas of development: “We
have also seen a significant increase in the need
for technical services, support and spare parts
around the world and in this regard are looking
to expand our Great Yarmouth facilities to
ensure that we can continue to react accurately
and promptly 24 hours a day.
“To assist with this Seatrax has introduced a
range of ‘in depth’ training programmes covering
the operation and maintenance of its cranes
which were put together by its team of service
engineers,” states Graham.
The company has also noticed a trend
over the last three years in which clients were
requiring increasingly larger cranes; this was
proven when Seatrax manufactured what was
considered to be the largest kingpost crane ever
built in the UK, which weighed in at over 350
tonnes and was destined for a construction-
based offshore company in the UAE.
Taking these developments into account, the
Pioneering
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great Yarmouth based designer and
manufacturer of offshore cranes Seatrax (UK)
Limited has had a successful, productive
and busy year since it was last featured in
European Oil and Gas in June 2012. “We have
continued to maintain and secure a level of
business that will see us all the way through
to mid 2015; and in relation to our steady
growth we have taken on a number of new
employees bringing our workforce to the
100 mark,” said Graham Manning, sales and
marketing manager of Seatrax.
“During the last 12 months most of our
contracts have come from China, where many
shipyards are actively engaged in the building
of new jack-up drilling rigs. But other contracts
have also been secured from UK and Middle
Eastern clients. The continued search for new
oil and gas reserves is fuelling the jack-up
rig building boom, as the drilling contractors
look to expand their fleets or upgrade/improve
their older units, and with three cranes usually
installed on each rig there continues to be a high
demand for equipment such as cranes,” Graham
continued. “While the market is very tough, we
see that the industry in general is really quite
buoyant, this is further evidenced by the fact
that our suppliers and competitors are also busy,
meaning that money is being spent - ensuring
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Seatrax (UK) Ltdseatrax.co.uk
ServicesCrane designer and manufacturer
in full compliance with API 2C design and
manufacturing standards,” says Graham. “For
the most part, the standard offshore rental cranes
currently in use were mainly re-configured, long
serving platform style cranes, some perhaps up
to 30 to 40 years old, and as a rental machine
they weren’t built to any recognised international
specification. This prompted our engineers to
design a modern, state-of-the-art portable rental
crane fleet, presenting the market with cranes
that can be shipped, lifted and built on any
platform, drilling rig or vessel around the world.”
Looking ahead, Seatrax will be focusing on
the successful completion of its current projects,
the promotion of its burgeoning portable rental
crane fleet within the UK and European offshore
sectors and solid growth in its service and
support activities.
By continuing to improve safety through
design, the company is confident it will achieve
and maintain growth, underpinned with periods
of consolidation to ensure future performance
and a continued ability to deliver.
company began an investment and recruitment
drive in 2012 which shows no sign of stopping,
as Graham highlights: “We have and are
continually improving the facility, which is
now definitely bearing fruit, for example, we
have enhanced our workshops, are currently
revamping our road frontage and also have plans
to extend the workshops to cater for the larger
machines. On the labour front, we have taken
on a number of local apprentices as well as semi-
skilled or partly trained staff who can further
develop their skills with us - enabling them to
become fully trained members of our workforce.”
As a pioneer in deepwater lifting, Seatrax has
maintained this position in the marine industry
with the introduction of its modern fleet of
portable rental cranes. Designed in 2008 and
manufactured from 2009, each portable rental
crane provides exceptional safety, reliability,
proven modular assemblies and simple
maintenance procedures. “These cranes can be
configured to meet customers’ specific needs,
are easily deployed and quick to assemble, while
As a pioneer in deepwater lifting, Seatrax has maintained this position in the marine industry with the introduction of its modern fleet of portable rental cranes
PROFILE SEatRax (UK)
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Over the last two and a half years PBU
(UK) Ltd has undergone significant changes in
its structure, and experienced unprecedented
growth. Today, PBU (UK) boasts an operating
turnover of around £12 million per annum,
representing a significant increase in workload.
This increase has been planned and executed
under the full control of PBU (UK)’s two
directors and senior management team.
One of the key reasons for the company’s
success, according to Lee Porter, managing
director, in the bringing together of high-level
directional drilling expertise: “We picked only
the best managers from the drilling industry, so
our original core team, which was responsible
for our original success, was complimented by
new drilling managers Kieran Morris and Wayne
Cartwright, giving what we believe is a market
leading team,” he highlights. “We can offer a full
turnkey package from cable marking, excavation
and reinstatement, directional drilling to soil
stripping and drainage. There are not many other
companies of our size who can offer that range of
expertise, which gives us something of an edge
in what is a very competitive market. Clients are
inevitably seeking a one-stop solution and at PBU
(UK) we believe can provide this service.”
Vast experience in the multi-utility sector
and civil engineering means that PBU (UK) can
tackle even the most challenging of jobs within
the electricity, gas, water and telecommunication
sectors. This has gained it a reputation amongst
many major tier 1 companies. “Within the UK
and Ireland, we are one of the first points of call
for directional drilling enquiries for nearly all
of the big players,” notes Lee. “We have a very
good rate of success regarding our strike rate for
tenders submitted at present, with around half
of all jobs we tender for being awarded. We have
worked with many of our clients for years, and
because of the quality and professionalism of our
teams we have gained a lot of repeat business
from them.
“Although it’s a big industry, it’s also a small
one when it comes to word of mouth, so we
recognise that we are only as good as our last job,
and are very proud to have such a reputation for
specialist drilling works. This reputation, in turn
helps us to attract new clients to the business.”
As well as the skills of its workforce, PBU
(UK) also benefits from its own fleet of plant,
which includes eight directional drill units.
The fleet of rigs covers a capacity ranging from
8t up to 50t, with full manufacturer backing
from rig supplier Ditch Witch. With a policy
of re-investing profits straight back into the
business, the company has been able to build
up its fleet quickly, enabling it to take on more
varied types of work as well as the conventional
straightforward directional drills. As a further
sign of confidence in the business going
forward, PBU (UK) has ordered a JT60/20 rig
(the first of its kind in Europe), with delivery
hopefully in the new year. Furthermore, PBU
(UK)’s three-acre site is home to workshop
facilities, an operating centre and office block,
and onsite training facility, making the company
fully self-contained.
Whilst its experience may have been built
up over decades in the industry, PBU (UK) is
not afraid to embrace the latest technologies
either. In fact it is the company’s expertise in
horizontal directional drilling (HDD) that is
increasingly coming to the fore, as Lee explains:
“At the moment we’re drilling through the
centre of Harrogate, which years ago wouldn’t
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Moving in the right
prOFilE pBu (uK)
PBU (UK) Ltdpbul.co.uk
ServicesDirectional drilling
in a live substation.
“Although the market has been in recession,
as a company we’ve been experiencing a boom
period, and this looks to continue for the
next two to three years based on the number
of enquiries we are receiving and the volume
of cables we are seeing being manufactured,”
describes Lee.
In light of this, this year PBU (UK) has been
focusing on building up its operational structure.
“For the first time we have taken on specific
commercial staff, to assist the team in carrying
out their works,” explains Lee. “Rather than just
focusing on the frontline, we’re now developing
the structure behind. We have recently achieved
full accreditation in 9001/1400/18001 and have
completed our NERS accreditation. In addition
to this we have recently appointed an internal
HSE manager to augment our existing HSE
capabilities. We’re moving towards building
more of a professional brand, which we
believe will help us become even more firmly
established in our markets.”
have even been considered, but modern drilling
techniques and surveying technologies mean we
can deliver this in a non-disruptive way. We have
four surveying teams on site who identify all the
existing assets in the ground, such as drains and
cables, and then we use the HDD unit to deliver
the work.
“The framework contract carried out in
Harrogate, on behalf of ClancyDocwra, is far
more cost effective than conventional open
cut excavations, which would require the
existing carriageway surface to be removed
and reinstated in line with council regulations.
Drilling reduces management requirements,
long-term maintenance issues, the impact on
stakeholders, and helps minimise the carbon
footprint. On this one contract we are installing
up to 6km of duct per month in both town
centres and rural locations. The recognition of
these benefits, highlighted above, by forward
thinking clients means that today around half
of our business is now HDD, and we see that
figure increasing to around three quarters,
compared to the conventional techniques, going
forward” he continues.
In addition to this, further proof of PBU
(UK)’s ability to tackle technically difficult
projects can be shown by a recent project carried
out in Stirling Town Centre, where an air reamer,
the first in the UK, was used to back ream 220
linm through graphite/dolerite.
PBU (UK) has also recently completed a drill
under the River Clyde. The client had tried to
complete the drilling internally but after hitting
problems decided to bring in PBU (UK) to assist
and successfully complete the drill. Elsewhere,
the company has recently completed work on
one of the biggest wind farms in Europe, this
scheme included over 50 drill locations, with
two drill shots per location, resulting in over 40
km of drilling duct, supplied by one of PBUs
key suppliers, Wolseley UK Ltd, being installed.
This project utilised PBU (UK)’s large fleet
capabilities, with a designated drilling manager
allocated to the project to co-ordinate the drilling
works. Internationally, PBU (UK) has recently
been awarded a new contract for an offshore
wind development in the Falkland Islands.
“We also played a part in a £600 million
project which saw a cable put in from Wales
to Ireland. The idea is that when Wales has
surplus electricity it can be transferred to Ireland,
and vice versa. We were taken on to drill to
the substation in Wales, which was a massive
undertaking due to the requirements of working
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Although it’s a big industry, it’s also a small one when it comes to word of mouth, so we recognise that we are only as good as our last job, and are very proud to have such a reputation for specialist drilling works
I S O 9 0 0 1 : 2 0 0 8
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Subsea
Pressure Vessel/Heat Exchanger/Boiler
Heavy Equipment
Houston, Texas • 713-400-3320 • www.nssco.com • [email protected]
Offshore Equipment& Projects
HSI CORPORATIONHSI Corporation is a custom manufacturer of hydraulic cylinders located in Bay Springs, MS and is proud to have manufactured hydraulic cylinders for the Nautilus box cranes (Oilstates Skagit Smatco LLC) since 1978. These cylinders include the main luffing cylinders and the boom scoping cylinders for their line of box cranes, as well as cylinders for other applications.
NORTH SHORe STeelWhether by conducting joint audits of critical suppliers, or by holding us to exacting standards, Oil States Industries embodies “an unwavering commitment to excellence,” which is a core component of the North Shore Steel Quality Policy. North Shore Steel supplies a wide variety of steel products to many of Oil States Industries’ manufacturing locations, specialising in challenging and project critical parts. Utilising new, state-of-the-art processing machinery and a worldwide network of steel vendors, North Shore Steel strives to provide Oil States Industries with the highest level of quality and service.We are proud to have steel on many of Oil States Industries’ most high-profile projects, and we look forward to building for the future with this valued customer.
Oil States Skagit Smatco
LLC operates as part of the wider Oil States
Industries Group, which can trace its roots
back to 1942 when it was founded as a supplier
of rubber components and other products for
the Texas oil patch. During this time the group
began to develop clutch and brake product lines,
which would become precursors to its hugely
successful ElastaFlex clutches that are now staple
components in the marine, mining, paper and
logging sectors. The Skagit Smatco division is
a conglomeration of three companies that each
brings unique experience and skill-sets to the
group. The Skagit Smatco division maintains
the Skagit and Smatco winch brands and also
operates the former Applied Hydraulics group,
which manages the company’s Nautilus range of
marine cranes. Combining the strengths of each
of these brands has given the group an impressive
product portfolio and range of services, which
has earned Oil States Skagit Smatco a reputation
as a leading provider of bespoke solutions to a
host of marine lifting applications.
The Smatco brand was established in 1948
as the Southern Machine and Tool Company.
Based in Houma, Louisiana the development
of the region’s offshore drilling industry led
to the manufacture of Smatco’s first winch in
1967. Since then the company has developed a
standard line of winches with models ranging
from 10,000 to 1,320,000 pounds line pull. As it
has progressed Smatco has expanded its product
line to include low-pressure hydraulic driven
winches, diesel engine powered winches, electric
motor driven winches, combination drum/
traction winches, as well as storage reels, stern
rollers, accessories and deck fairleads. Today, all
Smatco winches are designed using a modular
concept and are available with diesel, hydraulic
and electrical power sources.
The group’s Nautilus cranes have been
successfully installed in all parts of the world
since 1985, catering for offshore drilling and
production duty cycles on fixed and floating
structures. Nautilus cranes are globally
recognised for their quality and reliability. This
reputation is founded on a bedrock of efficiency,
safety and functionality, which is supported by
a continuous development and design process.
“We have been manufacturing these cranes
since the 1980s, and have an installed base of
thousands globally, but the designs continue to
evolve and there have been many developments
forwardPulling
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Global Friction ProductsGlobal Friction Products (GFP) manufactures offshore OEM brake and clutch bands for the oil and gas industry, marine construction and mining. GFP is known as a premium high performance group and for its rigorous adherence to requisite QA/QC standards, customer material specifications, and ability to constantly meet and exceed schedule and budget. We are pleased to continue our highly successful 20 plus years’ relationship with Oil States.
that have changed the way we build cranes,”
begins Tim Reggio, director of sales & marketing
for Oil States Skagit Smatco.
“Everything including the look and structure
of the cranes has changed, so we are continuing
to develop our cranes and design new models.
For example, we are getting increasingly
involved in the removal of older platforms from
offshore oil fields, plus assisting the offshore
wind farm industry with turbines being installed
in various parts of the world today, which are
larger and have a heavier tonnage, up to 500
tons and some of them work on what we call the
cone design. What this means is that everything
is contained within one central housing unit.
“The idea behind this is that all of the
crane’s machinery and hydraulics are contained
internally inside the crane. This way, it is
protected from the weather and the crane itself
has offers a smaller swing radius. When you
combine the cone design with the advantage of
the smaller swing radius, installation of this type
of crane uses less valuable floor space on a jack-
up, freeing deck for other functions.”
Since the early 1900’s Skagit Products has
been involved in the construction of heavy-
duty machinery for a variety of industries. It
has a firmly established reputation as a leader
in supplying and manufacturing deepwater
mooring systems for offshore drilling vessels,
pipelay and derrick barges as well as floating
production systems. The brand offers windless,
mooring winches, traction winches, traction
winch/windless mooring units, conventional
drum/windlass combination mooring units,
construction vessel winches, jack-up winches,
as well as hoists, underwater fairleads and deck
fairleads/guide sheaves. While it offers a diverse
range of products, the Skagit brand shares a
belief with the division as a whole that each
piece of equipment should be tailored to its
Oil States Skagit Smatco LLCoilstates.co.uk
ServicesBespoke engineering solutions
customers’ needs. Tim elaborates: “We don’t
build anything that we would call ‘cookie cutter,’
everything we build is a custom application. We
get in at the early stages of the design studies
and co-operate with engineering companies as
early as possible so that when the product goes
out to the market it has already been designed
for that application.”
As it moves into the future Oil States Skagit
Smatco anticipates significant growth. With
it entering into what it identifies as ‘hot spots’
around the globe, it is safe to assume that the
company will see even greater returns in the
coming years. There are challenges facing the
market but, as Tim concludes, Oil States Skagit
Smatco is well placed to meet them: “When I
think about our company, I think everybody is
excited about what we are doing. We are keen to
tell our customers that we are here and ready to
work for them. We want to make sure that we
take care of our people while at the same time
giving customers excellent service and I think
that we are doing just that.”
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OceaneeringOceaneering is a world-class provider of ROV services to the oil and gas industry with more than 290 reliable and well-proven ROV systems in operation worldwide. Both work ROVs and observation ROVs are in our portfolio. We have extensive expertise for all kinds of ROV-related work, including but not limited to:Drill support and completionVessel-based IMR and constructionInterventionSurveying and inspection workAd-hoc problem solving
Since it was last featured in
European Oil and Gas Magazine in June 2013
Ocean Installer AS has continued to display
its characteristic ambition and maintained its
growth within the subsea market. Established
on the 1st of January 2011, Ocean Installer is a
relatively new company operating within the
subsea structures, umbilicals, risers and flowlines
(SURF) segment. However, despite its youth the
business is far from inexperienced in the field
and maintains a dynamic approach in servicing
the subsea industry. Its technical staff boast an
average of ten years experience meaning that
whatever the requirement, Ocean Installer
has the right professional people to meet its
customers’ needs.
As well as its SURF operations Ocean
Installer provides effective turnkey solutions
for inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR),
survey, diving and trenching and rock dumping.
“The business is based upon extremely qualified
and experienced people coming together,”
begins Steinar Riise, chief executive officer
for Ocean Installer. “All of the success that
Ocean Installer has achieved since January
2011 is based upon the individuals we have on
board, many of whom have long track-records
and expertise in running major SURF and
engineering, procurement, construction and
installation (EPCI) projects across the globe.”
At present the company is based at its
headquarters in Stavanger, Norway and has
additional offices in Aberdeen, Scotland and
Houston, US, and has grown to incorporate
three fully equipped vessels designed to service
the subsea industry. The origins of Ocean
Installer’s fleet expansion can be traced back
to its original charter party agreement with
Solstad Offshore ASA for the Construction
Support Vessel (CSV) Normand Clipper
and the Light Construction Support Vessel
(LCSV) Normand Mermaid. These agreements
both run for a fixed duration of five years
with options to further extend, with the first
contract beginning in quarter two of 2012
and the second starting in quarter one 2013.
As of 2013 the company is awaiting delivery
of a cutting-edge large CSV, which is set for
delivery in 2014. Ocean Installer will operate
the new ship (Normand Vision) in joint
ownership with Solstad. “We have been very
happy to work in partnership with Solstad and
expect to continue to work with them well
into the future,” comments Steinar.
The company’s asset expansion is reflective of
its continued success in the subsea sector. Since
January 2011 Ocean Installer has consistently
displayed its professional caliber and secured
significant projects that mark it as a respected
provider of EPCI and SURF services. Its earliest
momentumAmbitious
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BelowSteinar Riise, chief executive officer for Ocean Installer
NautroNixAt Nautronix we strive to provide our customers with the best service possible; now including the supply of a range of survey services to the offshore construction industry.In early 2012 Nautronix launched a Survey Services division focussed on supporting the offshore construction industry. With an experienced team of offshore and onshore personnel, we aim to provide a consistently excellent service, with commitment, competence and quality being central to our performance. We have a strong and demonstrable focus on constant review and improvement.Håvard Strand, COO of Ocean Installer explains: “Nautronix have provided Survey Services to all of our projects over the last 18 months, both onshore and on board our vessels. Through their knowledge and commitment the Nautronix Survey team have provided us with consistently responsive and high quality solutions to our survey requirements.”Our team possess a comprehensive range of survey knowledge and capabilities; ranging from survey consultancy, through onshore project planning and offshore operations on client vessels, to supply of final survey and positioning deliverables and on-going data management. We use a range of survey and positioning systems, including both our own cutting-edge subsea acoustic systems, such as NASNet®, and industry standard third party positioning and survey systems.
contracts were within the UK sector and its
native market of Norway. Awarded to the
business by Xcite Energy Resources Ltd, the
UK project called for the installation of two
oil export pipelines from the Rowan Norway
production jack-up to a shuttle tanker for the
Bentley field. The project commenced in quarter
two 2012. At the same time Ocean Installer
was awarded a significant two-year contract
with A/S Norske Shell covering EPCI services
in the Draugen oil field, which is planned for
completion in 2014 at a total value of around
$180 million, including exercised options and
variation orders.
Throughout 2013 Ocean Installer has
continued to secure important contracts from
globally recognised names like Statoil, Total
and Talisman. In a landslide month for the
organisation, in March 2013 it won contracts
with both Shell UK and Talisman Sinopec
Energy as well as a major EPCI contract with
Statoil valued at $100 million, including
exercised options and variation orders. In
the latter half of the year, it has lost none of
its momentum gaining a contract with Total
E&P UK Ltd for the recovery of casing at
the Tomintoul location, west of the Shetland
Islands. In a major endorsement of Ocean
Installer’s capability, as of September 2013 it
won a second contract with Statoil, this time
in SURF operations, valued at $55 million
plus options in excess of $95 million. “We are
very pleased to announce our second contract
with Statoil within six months,” Steiner begins.
“This is technically demanding work and
the award demonstrates that the market has
confidence in our project management and
engineering capabilities and in our ability to
execute challenging projects in a safe manner,”
he concludes. The project takes place on
the Norwegian continental shelf and will be
executed offshore during the summer season of
2014, 2015, 2016 and potentially 2017. Once
delivered, the CSV Normand Vision will play a
key role in the contract’s operation.
Although a relatively new player in the subsea
sector, Ocean Installer has relied on a number of
key strengths to power its spirited entry into the
market. With Subsea 7 and Technip previously
the only major SURF companies operating
in the North Sea area, Ocean Installer saw an
opportunity to become a third considerable
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With its core of highly skilled personnel and solid experience base the company has demonstrated that it is not only able to compete with larger companies in the area, but also that it is able to do so without compromising on quality
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Wood Group Kenny norGeWood Group Kenny Norge has existed since 2006 and currently consists of about 65 employees. The main office is in Stavanger, but the company also has a branch office in Oslo, which now employs ten people. The company has been working together with Ocean Installer since the spring of 2012 when they won the Draugen Infill Contract for Shell. This contract will go on for about two years and Wood Group Kenny Norge is delivering the in-place detail design for the project.
AKer SolutionSAker Solutions offers tie-in solutions tailored to our customers’ needs, in 20 years over 100 tie-in projects and 1700+ connectors have been delivered worldwide. The Draugen Infill project represents Aker Solutions’ first collaboration with Ocean Installer (OI); 27 connections and two disconnections are being performed offshore using a reliable RTS tie-in system. Developed to perform diverless connections on flowlines and umbilicals, the RTS is suitable for up to 12” configurations, whilst its big brother system is suitable for 12” to 28” configurations. Aker Solutions’ project manager, Bjarte Nordvik, remarks the co-operation with OI is excellent, and hopes to continue future collaborations.
Ocean Installer ASoceaninstaller.com
ServicesSubsea construction
these people because we are a small organisation,
there are efficient communication lines from
engineering level to top management level so
people can be part of the final decisions that are
made. All of our people feel that they are part of
and can make a difference in the organisation.”
Ocean Installer is majority owned by
HitecVision, which is a major investor in the
oil and gas industry. Drawing on the support
from HitecVision, Ocean Installer has proven
that it is more than able to compete with
larger competitors in the subsea market.
Its commitment to excellent standards of
quality and client satisfaction has marked the
company as a trusted partner in the provision
of subsea solutions.
SURF operator in the market. With its core of
highly skilled personnel and solid experience
base the company has demonstrated that it is not
only able to compete with larger companies in
the area, but also that it is able to do so without
compromising on quality. Core to this are its
values, which are to remain reliable, collaborative,
competent and demanding with itself in terms of
the standard of work it provides.
In many ways, the company’s small size
reflects a significant bonus rather then a
hindrance. It is able to maintain shorter lines of
communication and make decisions relatively
quickly when compared to larger organisations
with more lumbering decision-making
structures. Crucially, Ocean Installer has also
been able to essentially handpick its personnel
to ensure it has the best possible people for the
job. “What is important for us is that we have
the right people. What is recognised by our
clients is that we have the right people with
experience and track record in subsea markets,”
explains Steinar. “We enjoy the attention from
PROFILE OcEan InstaLLER
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3Ks EnginEEring Co LtdSouth Wales based and specialising in large and heavy fabrications and machining, 3Ks ENGINEERING CO LTD is an ISO9001:2008 & ISO14001:2004 accredited company that has been successfully trading since it was established in 1969.We have a very successful partnership in working with the team at Verderg on a number of prestigious contracts, which include block 31 Angola and Quad 204 west of Shetland.Having one of the largest fabrication and machining capacities in the UK ensures our client Verderg retains full control of the manufacturing processes, and we believe that having this capability was a critical factor in Verderg choosing 3Ks Engineering Co as a key supplier.Specialising and experienced within the oil and gas, marine and back deck market sectors, 3Ks Engineering Co Ltd is here to discuss your specific requirements.
Future
company’s ongoing philosophy of providing
ecological solutions to the energy market. Today,
VerdErg’s operations are divided into two distinct
areas: VerdErg Connectors, servicing the subsea
energy market and VerdErg Renewable Energy
developing wave, tidal and river hydropower
technology.
The company has enjoyed a longstanding
relationship with BP, operating within the
environmentally hostile West of Shetland
region of the North Sea. Since 1991 VerdErg
has provided BP with all of its connection
equipment in the Shetlands basin, representing
a core of VerdErg’s business. However, in recent
years, as VerdErg has grown and developed, it
has expanded into new areas and increased its
customer base to include several other major
operators such as Chevron and ExxonMobil.
“Up until 2005 we had been serving one major
client, which was BP,” begins managing director
Richard Freeman. “Following the management
buyout we invested in product development,
giving breadth to our product range to be able
to appeal to new clients. A major milestone for
us was that in 2009 we had shifted from being
largely dependent on BP to their projects being
only 30 per cent of our turnover.”
In 2012 the company was awarded a contract
that would again change the focus of its
business. Reflecting its long-term history with
the company, VerdErg was awarded a major
contract by BP within its ambitious Quadrant
204 project, West of Shetlands. The contract not
only provides immediate activity for VerdErg, but
is set to run for the next 20 years with various
field developments evolving to carry it forward.
However, while involvement with the Quad 204
project will undoubtedly be a major source of
activity for VerdErg in the next few years, work
for new clients has also been secured as Richard
elaborates: “You could be forgiven for thinking
that our work is again rather dominated by BP,
however we have won another contract with a
major operator that is of comparable size that
we hope to be able to announce soon. We were
also involved in the Angola Block 31 project and
are currently bidding for similar work offshore
Angola that gives us an exciting prospect for
growth there too.”
VerdErg was also awarded a contract with yet
another major operator during 2012 to design
20” connectors for offshore Eastern Canada.
More recently still, it has been awarded a
contract for the supply of a side-by-side, run-to-
place rigid horizontal system combined for 8”
VerdErg Connectors Ltd is a
company destined for meteoric growth. Since
it was last featured in European Oil and Gas
Magazine in 2010 its turnover has risen by
300 per cent and similar growth is planned to
continue to £100 million per annum by March
2018. To contend with the significant contracts
awarded in 2011/12, the company has increased
its workforce from around 50 personnel to over
140 in the last 12 months. However, there is
more to come. VerdErg, it seems, is placed to
become a major force within the oil and gas
sector in the coming years.
The company can trace its history back to
the late 1970’s as one of the original engineering
consultancies in the emerging subsea market. Its
founders were originally experts from Vickers
Oceanics’ manned submersibles business, who
left to create their own company, knowing
that advances in robotics and instrumentation
would give Remotely Operated Vehicles industry
dominance. The company was originally known
as FUEL (Furness Underwater Engineering
Limited) and gained a respected reputation for
developing advanced subsea technologies. In
2002, it was acquired by the Houston-based
INTEC Engineering as a springboard for its
entry into the European market place. Later that
same year the Dutch Heerema Group purchased
INTEC, including its ex-FUEL business unit.
By 2005 the ex-FUEL segment of INTEC’s
operation was subject to a management buyout
and renamed VerdErg; ‘Verd’ is a word with
the root meaning green in many European
languages and ‘erg’ is a unit of energy. The new
name was chosen to be representative of the
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ServicesSubsea connector solutions
clients” comments Richard.
“We join their teams early on, looking at field
layout design to make sure the connections can
be made and obviously we work in designing and
procuring the equipment for them. We aim to
have the same relationship going forward with our
newer clients and we have engineers embedded
within their teams to achieve this. In some ways
being a smaller company allows us to be more
collaborative than some of the larger companies.”
Moving into the future the company is keen
to continue to build on its current strengths and
further solidify its reputation, as Richard closes:
“There are very few companies that focus solely
on connectors. We are currently about the fifth
largest out there and we plan to be the third
largest within five years; and with our current
contracts we are set to do that. We are then keen
to grow from 20 per cent to 33 per cent market
share, which would put us just behind the major
hardware manufacturers. They obviously have a
lot of other equipment in their portfolios, whilst
we work exclusively in connection systems.”
and 16” connection sizes, this time for one of the
industry’s leading main contractors.
The company’s success in maintaining
long-term relationships and in attracting new
clients can be attributed to the high quality of
its product and in the professional approach
it takes in its operations. “The connectors
we supply are owned by the operator for the
entire life of the field, this ties us in to the
field throughout its operational lifetime. So we
have developed very close relationships with
our customers and especially our longer-term
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There are very few companies that focus solely on connectors. We are currently about the fifth largest out there and we plan to be the third largest within five years
SeatronicSSeatronics, an Acteon company, specialises in marine electronic equipment rental and sale for a range of applications: geophysical survey; navigation and positioning; oceanographic systems; video inspection; ROV survey; ROV tooling, diving and non-destructive testing and computer systems.In addition to equipment rental and sales, Seatronics supplies and manufactures subsea connectors and cable moulds and has state-of-the-art calibration facilities throughout its global offices in Aberdeen, Abu Dhabi, Houston, Macaé, New Iberia, Perth and Singapore.Seatronics has a strong working relationship with Fugro worldwide, and Seatronics Abu Dhabi looks forward to continuing this tradition with Fugro Survey Middle East in the years to come.
market
“Due to our long established presence in the
area we have a number of staff who have worked
with us for over 20 years. We are all locally
based so we know the area well and understand
the environment we work in, which is important
to our customers. It also enables us to assist new
clients coming into the market. For example,
we are now working with a Chinese company
in Qatar that is finding our detailed databases,
which keep track of all the pipelines and cables
on the seabed, tremendously useful in terms of
safety and positioning of assets on the seabed,”
he continues.
Fugro Survey (Middle East) operates
a mixture of owned and chartered assets,
including the ‘Fugro Adventurer’ – a 70-metre
DP2 vessel that is used mainly for geotechnical
work and some subsea services. For larger or
more complex projects, the company can also
make use of the wider resources of the Fugro
Group in co-operation with its sister companies.
For the last four years Fugro Survey (Middle
East) has been supporting Shell in its work
in Iraq, as Mike explains: “Initially we used
one of our boats to survey the Shatt al-Arab
Waterway to determine whether they could
get barges to the area to deploy equipment.
Since then we’ve carried out a lot of work for
them as they repaired some of the old facilities,
which required a lot of geotechnical and land
survey activity. In light of the volume of work
we have seen, earlier this year in the area, we’ve
established an official joint venture with an Iraqi
group, Fugro ETW. As such, we now have local
offices and staff of about 70, based in Basra,
which is expanding rapidly.”
As with all of the environments that Fugro
operates in, safety of its personnel whilst
working within Iraq has been a top priority.
The company follows strict best practice for
safety and security, as demonstrated during the
recent upheaval in Egypt where Fugro closely
Based in Abu Dhabi, Fugro Survey
(Middle East) Ltd is the main entity within the
Fugro Group responsible for survey and subsea
services across the Gulf. This encompasses
everything from Iraq to Oman, Egypt, and
India. The types of services offered are typical
of the Fugro remit, including geophysical and
hydrographic surveys, offshore geotechnical
investigations, ROV services, metocean,
positioning, and construction support.
“Being part of the Fugro Group is integral
to who we are,” notes regional manager Mike
Dravitzki. “Fugro is a large multinational
company, which provides us with financial
resources and also a very long-term view. We’ve
been in the Middle East for over 40 years, and
at our current location for the last 15 years, and
recently extended for another five years. Having
a large workshop, yard, jetty, and office facility
in one place makes mobilisation of the various
vessels we use much more efficient.
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proFilE Fugro survEy (MiDDlE EAst)
Fugro Survey (Middle East) Ltdfugro-uae.com
ServicesSurvey, subsea and geotechnical services
of professional and safety standards. In our
particular region we are looking forward to the
resumption of activity in India post-monsoon
season and a return to normality in Egypt. Here
in the Gulf, we are also working hard on the
mobilisation for our new contract with Saudi
Aramco, completing the necessary permits and
procedures with the customer.”
monitored those working in the country to
ensure they were not under threat. This falls
under the Integrated Management System that
Fugro Survey (Middle East) operates, which
also ensures environmental considerations and
quality, as well as delivery in accordance with
contract compliance.
“We’ve signed a large contract recently with
Saudi Aramco, to carry out hydrographical
mapping on the entire Saudi Arabia portion
of the Red Sea,” adds Mike. “This project
will utilise two LiDAR planes for airborne
bathymetry, and up to three vessels for
deepwater, multi-beam bathymetry, for the
whole of next year. This is a real area of growth
that we foresee as Saudi Aramco is planning a lot
of developments in the Red Sea in the next ten
to fifteen years.”
Traditionally, Fugro has always grown
through roughly 75 per cent organic growth,
and 25 per cent as a result of acquisitions. As
such the company is always on the lookout for
opportunities that complement its business, as
with the recent acquisition of DCN Global, a
Dutch/South African diving company based in
Abu Dhabi. Fugro Survey (Middle East) sees
DCN Global as a key addition to its integrated
services, having long had survey and geotech,
and ROVs for a number of years. Diving will
greatly complement this portfolio, enabling the
company to offer more services to oil companies
that require inspection and repairs of pipelines
and platforms.
“I think the future looks very good for Fugro
Survey (Middle East),” remarks Mike. “We
have just recently published our Group’s new
strategic review, which shows increased growth
through market leadership, but as always our
focus remains the same in terms of executing
the projects that we have on time, to the highest
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aboveMike Dravitzki,regional manager of the Fugro Group
With a vision to become the best heavy
lifting and logistics services supplier in Europe
and Scandinavia and a global player in the
international wind energy industry, Vest Kran’s
dedication to offering its customers the best in
modern technology and quality has resulted
in increased demand throughout 2013.
Working predominantly within the oil and gas,
construction and wind energy industries, the
company today is one of the leading turnkey
service providers of engineered heavy lifting
and logistics.
Established in 1992, Vest Kran has extensive
experience in heavy lifting and heavy
transport, combining project management,
well trained and certified personnel, high
quality engineering and the most suitable
equipment for the project in hand to ensure
success in even the most challenging of
operations. Committed to safety, the company
precedes every complex project with a plan
of action, where all steps of operation are
outlined and documented before, during and
after operations into a final report. Believing
preparation is key to success, the company can
handle any heavy lifting project thanks to its
own equipment park, which includes all types
of heavy cranes and transport equipment.
Headquartered in Norway, with offices in both
Norway and Sweden, the firm has approximately
vest
100 employees that all follow Vest Kran’s core
values for innovation, service and quality,
safety and continuous improvement. Striving
to consistently provide high quality services,
the company has proven its capabilities by
participating in major projects over the past 21
years; one such project that is currently ongoing
involves the planning and execution of lifting
12 large wind turbines for Europe’s biggest
wind farm, which is to be built outside Pitea,
Norrbotten. Playing an integral role in the pilot
project, Vest Kran was chosen as the sole crane
company to manage, delegate and perform the
lifting and installation of the wind turbines in
the 450 kilometre square construction site. On
top of this, the company has also been chosen
to control all aspects regarding logistics and the
lifting of components for the 138 metre high
turbines. Once completed, the wind farm is
expected to boast 1101 windmills from Enercon,
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Vest Kranvestkran.no/eng
ServicesHeavy lift and logistics
producing between eight and 12 TWh annually.
As the offshore wind sector continues to
grow, Vest Kran is ready to take advantage of
this with its patented SeaLock system; the ‘quick
connect and disconnect’ system enables offshore
floating wind turbines to dock and undock to
a moored floating deepwater docking station
at a reduced cost. The turbine is completed for
operation onshore before being towed to the
docking station and installed within one or two
days. A hugely beneficial system, SeaLock offers
less downtime, is safer, less weather dependent
and requires no special vessels. As part of
its dedication to delivering the best possible
lifting support services, Vest Kran is constantly
developing new technology and cost-effective
solutions for its wide client base.
Involved in a diverse range of activities, Vest
Kran is also part of a unique pilot project for
the construction of the world’s tallest wooden
building. Planned since 2007, the project is
now due for completion in autumn 2014, with
Vest Kran chosen to install both the apartment
modules for the building as well as assembly
of the building itself. Following the successful
discharge of a demo module, Vest Kran is fully
prepared to begin installation once the project is
ready to be implemented.
Due to increase in demand over the past
few years and particularly in 2013, Vest Kran
recently purchased eight new cranes, with six
additional cranes on hire to cover workload
until the cranes are delivered. Two of the
eight cranes have been adapted for operations
in Sweden and Turkey, while the other six
are available for use in all countries, with
one adapted for operating on offshore rigs.
Following years of efficient service and delivery
to Vest Kran, Liebherr was chosen as crane
supplier for the eight cranes. As part of the
acquisition, Vest Kran has entered an agreement
with Jetpak, with both companies sharing the
warranty to Liebherr that parts are guaranteed
within 24 hours in any country, on the
provision that parts can be transported by air.
With an increase in demand for its services,
the company is focused on following the HSE
regulations that came into effect in January
2013 as well as enhancing safety and preventing
accidents through openness and dialogue. Aware
that most offshore fatal accidents involved the
use of cranes and lifting equipment, Vest Kran is
keen to be an organisation focused on ongoing
learning and improvement to ensure a safe and
QC/HSE knowledgeable work environment.
Focused on continuous improvement, Vest
Kran has developed a four-year goal to reach
100 per cent increase in turnover and profit; this
began positively, with the company enjoying
its best turnover ever in January 2013. Aware
the goal is ambitious, Vest Kran believes high
strategic goals ensure growth and ongoing
success; moreover, with an established market
presence in Sweden and Germany, the company
is in the process of planning to enter two further
markets in the near future. With a full order
book, the forward-thinking firm is certain that
its future involves more unique and challenging
projects and increased demand for its innovative,
cost effective and high quality solutions.
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As the offshore wind sector continues to grow, Vest Kran is ready to take advantage of this with its patented SeaLock system; the ‘quick connect and disconnect’ system enables offshore floating wind turbines to dock and undock to a moored floating deepwater docking station at a reduced cost
Brevini Power Transmission’s components and systems are known for their reliability in the offshore and dredging industry. Our products ensure the perfect performance of cranes, winch drive, propulsion equipment and winches, guaranteeing high production and low maintenance expenses.
When you need to get things moving, Brevini Power Transmission leads the way. Our mechanical drive systems ensure the seamless motion you need. We provide innovative, secure solutions for a diverse range of sectors, guaranteeing that you’ll never have to stand still, but will be able to take the lead.
Brevini Power Transmission takes you further
Brevini PowerTransmission BeneluxRöntgenweg 242408 AB Alphen aan den RijnT +31 172 47 64 [email protected]
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motionpowerful
BREVINI0486_131002_adv_A4_Oil-Gas_redactioneel_DEF.indd 1 02-10-13 11:45
Brevini Power TransmissionProviding the seamless motion IHC Motion Control needs
IHC Motion Control and Brevini Power Transmission Benelux found each other in their collaboration through their technical knowledge and direct, no-nonsense communication. In the choice for Brevini, price and quality mattered, but also Brevini's use of technical calculation tools, which substantially increased the calculation speed.IHC Merwede will be delivering offloading system packages for five FPSO vessels (Floating Production Storage and Offloading). Each FPSO offloading system package consists of two offloading hose reel assemblies, two tandem mooring systems, one emergency offloading station, two hydraulic systems and other ancillary equipment. IHC Motion Control will design and manufacture a riser pull-in spread, to be placed on a MODEC Floating Production Storage & Offloading vessel (FPSO).The riser pull-in package consists of the following innovative products: a riser pull-in winch (designed for a 550mT maximum line pull), an auxiliary pull-in winch (150mT maximum line pull) and a sheave trolley system. Brevini Power Transmission Benelux supplies IHC Motion Control with the transmission for the Auxiliary Winch PWD3700, Hose Reel RPR3320, Hawsel Reel SLW6003 and EOS SLW6003. This way Brevini makes sure that IHC Motion Control can provide powerful and seamless motion.
Viewed by its customers as an accessible,
fast and flexible, transparent and high quality
supplier, IHC Vremac Cylinders, with 100
employees, designs and manufactures the
hydraulic cylinders, swivels and accumulators.
Specialising in hydraulic cylinders for harsh
and challenging environments for the dredging,
offshore and heavy lifting industries, the
company also supplies its services to other
divisions under the IHC brand, such as IHC
Engineering Business, as well as directly to
other customers. With 50 years of experience
in technology, engineering and manufacturing,
IHC Vremac Cylinders produces at its own
production and office facilities in Apeldoorn,
measuring a total of 8500 square metres, to
offer excellent quality products at cost-effective
prices. Dedicated to retaining its strong
reputation, the company manufactures to strict
quality control standards, with all materials
purchased to strict specification and supplied
with certificates, thus ensuring the reliability of
the cylinders.
As a cluster under the IHC Merwede Group,
IHC Motion Control benefits from an excellent
track record in the manufacture and delivery
of products for the specialist maritime sector,
on top of the collaborative relationships it
retains with other divisions that make up over
3000 employees across the globe. On top of
this, the cluster holds the same commitment
to the continuous development of design and
construction activities for its customer base
as its parent company, resulting in ongoing
investments to ensure future success. “We have
two new assembly halls at IHC Hytop, each with
neat facilities and excellent equipment capacity;
the biggest equipment we can now manufacture
internally is 200 tonnes. Our hydraulic test
facility has also been upgraded and we can work
with more automation as well, ensuring we
are set up for the future,” says Wouter. At IHC
Vremac Cylinders, new and larger machinery is
being installed, enabling a better throughput and
more complex machining.
With technological innovation the group’s
underlying strength, IHC Hytop and IHC
Vremac continuously adapt products to suit
market developments. “We recently solved
a problem relating to well intervention and
installation operations in deep sea areas, say
several kilometres deep, which is a world where
normal steel winches or winch cables will reach
their limit of functioning. We found a solution
through using a fibre rope cable and have made
a new fibre rope winch for this development
(IDsis), which has been tested and will be put
in operation in the market by early 2014. This
Established in 1969, IHC Motion
Control is a cluster of companies under the IHC
Merwede Group; IHC Hytop, IHC Winches
and IHC Vremac Cylinders supply hydraulic
systems and winch systems to the oil and gas,
dredging and maritime industries. “As part of
the IHC brand, we work closely together with
IHC Offshore Systems, a sister company, as well
as IHC Fabrication, IHC Piping and IHC Drives
& Automation, to produce equipment and
approach the market as a joint operation. Each
company uses its strength and focus, together
we present a total system to the outside world,
with the overall market approach done by IHC
Offshore for the oil and gas market,” says Wouter
Kruijt, cluster director at IHC Motion Control.
Specialising in complete hydraulic systems,
hydraulic power units, as well as diesel power
packs, controls and winches for all applications
in the dredging, heavy lifting and offshore
industries, ISO 9001 certified IHC Hytop’s 100
employees have the capacity and expertise to
deliver complete installations on a large scale,
including electric powering and controls.
Using the experience and knowledge within
its organisation, IHC Hytop can successfully
execute projects for basic and detailed
engineering, planning, production and on-site
commissioning activities. With its VCA/SCC
certified service team offering support to its
clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
the EPCC subcontractor can keep customer
investments productive.
“At IHC Hytop in Sliedrecht, we offer two
products, the complete design of hydraulic
systems and also winches,” explains Wouter.
“The hydraulic systems can be separate hydraulic
power units called HPU, larger integrated
hydraulic systems, with full piping and
commissioning, or hydraulic cylinder systems;
for the latter we work with IHC Vremac as they
produce cylinders up to large dimensions. We
also have a range of winches, including riser-pull
in winches, traction and storage winches, which
are powered either electrically or hydraulically.
We produce the hydraulic powered winches
completely by ourselves, while the electrical
powering part is supplied by IHC Drives &
Automation or Elma.”
Winchinghour
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IHC Motion Controlihcmotioncontrol.com
ServicesDesign and manufacture complete hydraulic systems
or other systems to the offshore industry, there
are rules and regulations in place, particularly if
you supply highly loaded equipment as you are
using high strength steels. These high strength
steels then require specific skilled steel suppliers
and handling suppliers; this requires our
attention continuously.”
Looking to the future, IHC Motion Control
is anticipating an increase in interest from its
new rental business for winches and heave
compensation systems, which is so far proving
a successful development. On top of this, the
cluster is aiming to expand its geographical
reach over the coming years in areas such
as China and Singapore, using present IHC
subsidiaries, while also generating demand
for new innovative equipment, as Wouter
concludes: “We expect 2014 will be the year that
the fibre rope winch will be fully launched into
real world operation; at the moment there aren’t
many winch manufacturers who have a good
and certified system. My guess is the next year
will result in the turn-around period for the deep
sea installation market towards the use of fibre
ropes and fibre rope winches.”
involves winch design, fibre rope design and
application; we don’t have fibre rope ourselves
but designed the fibre rope in close co-operation
with cable manufacturers,” highlights Wouter.
AT IHC Vremac a lot of development is
completed continuously towards cylinder
coatings for harsh applications, and recently the
new heave compensation system MaXine was
launched to the market.
Boasting 20 per cent of the world market
for offshore FPSO installation and offloading
equipment, IHC Hytop and IHC Offshore
Systems were recently awarded major orders of a
total of ten hose reels systems for FPSO’s, likely
to be extended in the future. “We have worked
with all the major FPSO operators, including
SBM, Modec, and BW Offshore,” says Wouter.
“The market is very positive for us right now;
a very nice workload and more than sufficient
opportunities in current tenders, which puts
us in a luxury position. We have an excellent
customer base and are happy with that, but if
you look into further extension you need more
qualified, skilled personnel and qualified sub-
suppliers as well. If you are supplying winches
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aboveMaXine heave compensator
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 [email protected]
sales manager Rob Wagner r [email protected]
europeanoi landgas.co.uk
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