Energy Burst - Issue 1

Issue

#01 AUTUMN/WINTER 2012/13

this issue q AUSTRALIA 18 q MARKETING & PR 26 q ENERGI COAST 34 q MEMBER NEWS 39

The official membership magazine of NOF Energy

R&D Tax Relief Malaysia, a Springboard into South East Asia Team Member Spotlight: Caroline Lofthouse NOF Energy Annual Dinner Upcoming NOF Energy Events www.nofenergy.co.uk

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05 Welcome 06 R&D Tax Relief 10 Bribery Act 15 Spotlight on Malaysia 18 Australia Visit 24 Military Careers Fair 26 Marketing & PR 30 Graphic Design

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Bel Valves 32

Energi Coast 34

News 39 BVAA 42

Meet The Team 45

Annual Conference 46

Annual Dinner 48 Events 53 Join us 54

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Welcome from George Rafferty The official membership magazine of NOF Energy

Energy Burst introduction WELCOME TO THE FIRST EDITION OF ENERGY BURST, THE NEW MAGAZINE FOR NOF ENERGY MEMBERS AND COMPANIES IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN.

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n this fast moving world of business and communications, this six-monthly magazine will provide the perfect opportunity to review some of the wide range of activities and events generated

by NOF Energy as well as look to the future of what we have planned for our members in the UK and around the world.

The creation of this magazine is in direct response to the requirements of our members. In some cases, the printed word is taking a back seat to the explosion of online publications and social media. However, our members were keen on a magazine and that is what we have produced!

Energy Burst will give insights into some of our major events such as our annual dinner in December, which members regularly tell me is the highlight of their year. This issue also previews 2013’s Annual National Conference, Energy: A Balanced Future - Decades of Opportunities, which has become a fixture in the supply chain calendar, and consistently attracts high calibre speakers from across the oil & gas, nuclear and offshore renewables sectors.

2013 is particularly exciting for NOF Energy as we enter our Silver Jubilee year. Over the last 25 years the organisation has evolved to meet the developing challenges of the energy sector, which has seen our services and

relationships with members go from strength to strength.

NOF ENERGY TEAM George Rafferty Chief Executive Joanne Leng MBE Director Business Development Clare Weirs Director Business Services

By building a membership of more than 400 companies and Strategic Partners, as well as becoming a fully self-sufficient not-for-profit organisation, there is a lot for NOF Energy and its members to be proud of.

Carolyn Clithero Executive Assistant

I am in no doubt that our hard work and commitment to our members will continue as we enter our next 25 years.

Kristie Leng Lead Events Coordinator

The first stage of our plans for the future comes in the form of investment in our IT infrastructure. We are introducing a new CRM system, which will enable us to increase our knowledge of our members to better serve their requirements. We are also introducing new events systems that will improve the booking process and member interaction.

Zara Moustapha Finance Assistant

Paul Livingstone Business Development Manager Caroline Lofthouse Business Development Manager

Natalie Burlison Events Administrator

Next year is also an exciting time in the oil & gas industry and there will be lots of activity that will reflect the growth and opportunities in the sector in our calendar for the coming months.

As you all will know, I place huge importance on the NOF Energy team interacting directly with our members and my aim, as always, is to meet as many members as possible to support their business development plans.

In the meantime, I hope you find Energy Burst interesting and entertaining and I look forward to continue working with you in the future.

George Rafferty Chief Executive, NOF Energy

PUBLISHER Midas Creative www.midascreative.co.uk ADVERTISING Damien Buxton T: 0800 043 0025 E: damien.buxton@midascreative.co.uk COPYRIGHT 2012 MIDAS TOUCH PUBLISHING LTD

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

WORDS: CHRIS KNOTT, KPMG’S NORTHERN HEAD OF R&D TAX

THE R&D TAX RELIEF SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED IN APRIL 2000 AND HAS UNDERGONE SEVERAL AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS IN THE SUBSEQUENT TWELVE YEARS.

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his has made it clearer as to what sort of activities and expenditure categories are qualifying, meaning that more companies can claim than probably realise. Even for those companies that are already claiming, it would be prudent to check that they are maximising their claims before the time limits expire. R&D Tax relief claims need to be made or amended within two years following the accounting period end.

R&D Tax relief is available to both Large companies (from April 2002) and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) (from April 2000).

Large companies receive an additional 30% deduction for the qualifying expenditure that they’re incurring (since 1 April 2008). For example, this means that a company spending £1 million on qualifying R&D will obtain an extra £300,000 to take off the profits that are charged to Corporation Tax. If they pay tax at 24% this would earn a reduction in their tax bill of £72,000 (7.2%).

SMEs get more generous relief. These companies can claim an additional 125% deduction for qualifying expenditure (increased from 100% for expenditure from 1 April 2012). An SME, therefore, spending £1 million on qualifying R&D paying tax at 24% will save £300,000 in corporation tax (30%).

Alternatively, SMEs that are making a loss can help improve their cash flow by giving up some of that loss so they don’t carry it forward against future profits but they in effect ‘sell’ the loss to HMRC. This is at a rate

of up to 24.75% of the 100% principal spend amount or 11% of the 225% uplifted total. An SME can, therefore, get a cheque back for up to £247,500 on £1 million expenditure.

There are plans afoot to introduce, next year, an Above The Line credit for large, loss-making companies so that they too can benefit from the R&D Tax relief regime by increasing their income and not having to rely on the crystallisation of an increased tax loss pool carried forward.

So what actually constitutes R&D for tax purposes compared to the original guidance of ”cutting-edge” or ”innovative”, which lead to a general view of companies that R&D only applying to those involved in rocket science or pharmaceuticals?

There are three main criteria to qualify, the first of which can be split between new products or processes and existing ones: Firstly, for new products or processes (an often overlooked element), there needs to be an overall advance in a field of science or technology. An advance has been described as an addition of new knowledge over what is

ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

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competent professional working in that field would accept that this was an advance or improvement.

Secondly, under the latest guidance, there needs to be an element of ‘the resolution of technological uncertainty’.

What this means is that there needs to be some barriers and challenges to overcome in making the advances and/or improvements, i.e. it was uncertain that the requirements could be met at the outset of the R&D project.

Finally, companies have to demonstrate, through documentation, a systematic and methodical approach to their R&D. currently available or deducible.

For existing products or processes there needs to be an appreciable improvement on what’s currently readily available or deducible in the market. Therefore, the relief doesn’t just apply to new products or developing new processes, it can also be applied to making existing products in a different way, either changes in the product itself (adding functionality or durability) or the process in which it is manufactured, be it cheaper, faster, lighter or stronger.

This is commonly known as ‘value engineering’ and can be part of a cost reduction programme.

Both overall advance and appreciable improvement are measured using the ‘competent professional’ test, i.e. a

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With all of the above criteria, the scheme seeks to reward the ‘intention’ to achieve the advances or improvements and so it also covers expenditure on products or process improvements that are aborted for technical or commercial reasons and that never reach the market.

With the increasing rates and expansion of the R&D Tax relief scheme, it is the ideal time for companies to review their activities to see if they do anything that could qualify and to review existing claims to ensure they have been maximised. Most manufacturing, engineering, subsea, energy, IT, software, food technology, pharmaceutical and bioscience companies have probably got some R&D that is eligible and should take a look at what they could claim.

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

Major win for Nortech Solutions

Bryan Bunn, Managing Director, Nortech Group

NORTECH SOLUTIONS BEATS OFF TOUGH COMPETITION TO WIN MAJOR MULTI-MILLION POUND CONTRACT

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ortech Solutions Limited, the professional engineering design and project management company based at Wynyard, Teesside, has won a significant contract with EnQuest, a major player in the UK oil and gas market based in Aberdeen. The value of the contract is in the region of £2 million.

The new contract with EnQuest, an independent oil and gas production company with a geographic focus on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS), is a major boost for Nortech and for Teesside as a whole.

Nortech will be working on a number of process simplification projects to extend the operating life of an offshore platform located in the Northern North Sea. The work is part of EnQuest’s Field Life Extension Strategy and involves the provision of multi-disciplinary project management and engineering services.

The work, which sees Nortech named as an approved supplier to EnQuest, follows the award of two initial project management contracts this year, and will give the company scope to recruit a significant number of additional staff in 2012/13. Nortech has already taken on 35 new employees in 2012, boosting its workforce to 57.

The Nortech Group of companies, which also includes specialist recruitment company Nortech Staffing, has gone from strength to strength since being established by Managing Director Bryan Bunn in April 2011. Recently it moved into more spacious offices on the Wynyard Estate and has plans to further increase its floor space as it continues to expand its workforce.

The company is finding that the buoyancy of

‘‘We are delighted to have secured such a prestigious contract’’ its business is being boosted by the health of the oil and petrochemical markets, particularly the international offshore oil and gas markets, based in Aberdeen.

Bryan Bunn, Managing Director at the Nortech Group, commented: “We are delighted to have secured such a prestigious contract with a key player in the international oil and gas market. ”EnQuest is an industry leader and the services that we have been contracted to deliver will help to safeguard the future of a major North Sea platform.”

Nortech Solutions has already this year secured a number of key additional contracts including Jersey Gas Co Ltd, located in the Channel Islands. The company has also won a number of on-going engineering design contracts for additional confidential clients in the international offshore oil and gas market. Other contract wins include an international steel manufacturing client.

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

”...given the levels of penalty that breaching the Bribery Act can incur, you literally cannot afford to ignore it.”

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BRIBERY ACT WAS INEVITABLY GOING TO BE POLITICAL. THE MOTIVATION TO INTRODUCE THE BRIBERY ACT COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN TO BE POLITICAL. WHILST IT HAS BEEN BILLED AS A NEW AREA OF LAW ESSENTIALLY IT IS RE-STATEMENT OF LAWS THAT HAVE EXISTED IN ENGLAND AND WALES FOR CENTURIES.

WORDS: NEIL WARWICK, PARTNER, DICKINSON DEES, LAW FIRM

he implementation was confused as it was staged over a change in Government where perhaps it could be speculated that the Coalition Government was not as in favour of the legislation as the previous Government. This led to fierce lobbying to have the legislation changed delaying the full implementation almost two years later than anticipated.

This has also led to the law of unintended consequences where the only new strand of the Bribery Act, the responsibility of corporations to ensure employees and associated companies adhere to the law, has resulted in corporate entertaining being brought into the realms of potential bribery.

that there wouldn’t be a prosecution prior to 1 January 2012. The first prosecution against the magistrates clerk, Mr Patel, seemed incredibly draconian as he was imprisoned for a custodial sentence for one act of bribery. It should be noted though this was a sample prosecution and there was a great deal more behind the scenes. The strange thing is that having been very quick out of the blocks for the first prosecution, the Ministry of Justice appears to have been strangely reticent to use the law to its full extent, even though a number of high profile opportunities seem to have presented themselves in the form of the

More than a year on from the implementation of the Act, the picture is no clearer. If anything it is more confusing. The first prosecution under the Bribery Act happened much quicker than many commentators and lawyers anticipated. Many pundits lost out on bets Leveson Inquiry and recent issues with the UK banking system.

The key question for many people is what happens next? Following the Cabinet reshuffle there is a new Minister of Justice and it is anticipated that he will be more hard line than the previous Minister. However, there are strong soundings from the Conservative side of the Coalition Government that they are less keen on regulatory interference in the UK. This confused picture means that it is not clear how hard the enforcement of the Bribery Act * Ministry of Justice

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the Bribery Act; Due Diligence – businesses must carry out checks on all individuals and businesses they deal with and then decide on the appropriate level of risk; Communication – staff and suppliers need to know about the Bribery Act policy of a business; will be. What is clear to all businesses in the UK is that the Ministry of Justice guidelines are still valid and still apply to all businesses, even micro businesses. The guidelines suggest that even a micro business must make its staff aware of the provisions of the Bribery Act and verbally brief them at least twice a year.

Whilst there is this uncertainty as to the political backing of the Bribery Act, business should adhere to the six principles contained in the Ministry of Justice Guidelines.

Proportionate Procedures – basically the size of a business determines how proportionate the procedures should be for Bribery Act. Larger businesses will need written policies; Top Level Commitment – the Chief Executive and the Board need to back the policy; Risk Assessment – the obligation is to continually check whether or not the markets a business operates in have changed and whether these changes present risks under

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On a practical level for larger companies there will probably be a number of regulatory compliance initiatives that have already been implemented such as Competition Compliance Policy, Whistleblowing Hotline, Employment Law Hotline.

Some of these procedures overlap; for example the reports required for an anti-bribery system are very similar to the reports required for an anti-trust system. Rather than burden the business with too much red tape, it is worth merging a number of these functions together.

Provided the obligations of the law are adhered to even the most obtuse regulator will not object to simplifying the bureaucracy behind the scenes. Despite the political uncertainty surrounding the Bribery Act one thing is certain – given the levels of penalty that breaching the Bribery Act can incur, you literally cannot afford to ignore it.

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Malaysia, a spring board into South East Asia WORDS: JOANNE LENG, MBE, DIRECTOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT NOF ENERGY

nergy is an important factor to Malaysia’s economic growth, constituting about 20% of the nation’s GDP. The Government plans to increase diversification of the energy industry, step up exploration for new oil and gas resources, enhance production from known reserves, and encourage the use of alternative energy sources such as solar, hydro-electric and even nuclear.

The Oil, Gas and Energy (OGE) National Key Economic Area (NKEA) is targeting five per cent annual growth for the sector from 2010 to 2020.To meet this target, the OGE NKEA will focus on four key thrusts:

Sustaining oil and gas production; Enhancing downstream growth; Making Malaysia the number one Asian hub for oil field services; Building a sustainable energy platform for growth.

Activities are projected to deliver RM131.4 billion in Gross National Income (GNI) and create an additional 52,300 jobs * Malaysian Inward Development Agency

in the sector. A significant proportion of these jobs will be highly-skilled, with an estimated 21,000 (40 per cent) for qualified professionals such as engineers and geologists.

Some of the headline plans to move the market forward include: Rejuvenating Existing Fields through Enhanced Oil Recovery PETRONAS has a three-pronged strategy to ensure that EOR techniques are deployed in Malaysia to extract more oil from the nation’s oil fields. Firstly, PETRONAS, where necessary, will review the production sharing contract (PSC) terms and introduce new petroleum arrangements to incentivise the implementation of EOR techniques.

Secondly, PETRONAS will ensure that companies with specialised EOR expertise are aware of the opportunities in Malaysia and are attracted to operate here. Thirdly, PETRONAS will use its role as the industry regulator to ensure that the most innovative methods and technologies are being disseminated and deployed to reduce capital and operating costs.

CONT >

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

Developing Small Fields through Innovative Solutions A significant proportion of Malaysia’s remaining resources are located in fields with less than 30 million barrels of recoverable oil. Developing these fields in an economically attractive manner is often challenging, as they need the same expensive infrastructure as large fields, while the expected revenue streams are smaller due to the smaller reserve sizes.

PETRONAS and relevant stakeholders have reviewed the PSC terms and introduced new petroleum agreements to ensure that operators of these small fields receive enough economic incentives to make their investment attractive.

Significant work has also been done to attract exploration and production (E&P) operators that specialise in small fields as well as facilitating collaboration between players to allow sharing of facilities and other synergistic measures to improve the economics of small field development.

Consolidating Domestic Fabricators There are five major offshore structure fabricators in Malaysia, none of which has the required scale or track record to efficiently compete with major regional players.

Industry players say that there is a need for consolidation within the industry to match the scale and efficiency of major regional players.

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Consolidating the many companies operating within the industry would require PETRONAS to award licenses to only a limited number of domestic fabricators, who are open to such intervention.

Achievements In September, Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Bhd (MMHE) made an offer to acquire Sime Darby’s Pasir Gudang fabrication yard. The acquisition, worth some RM393.5 million, Consolidating Domestic Fabricators is expected to be completed by Q1 2012, which will make MMHE the largest fabricator in the country with its yard size increasing to 488 acres. Its capacity will also increase to 69,700 metric tonnes per year.

Moving forward, discussions between OFSE players in Malaysia are underway, and in 2012 we target two additional mergers or acquisitions of domestic fabricators.

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Deploying Nuclear Energy for Power Generation A projected increase in demand for energy, coupled with the Prime Minister’s conditional commitment to reduce Malaysia’s carbon intensity by up to 40 per cent in 2020 as compared to 2005 levels, has forced the government to reconsider the energy generation mix in Malaysia.

Malaysia’s energy consumption level, relative to the size of the population and economy, is significantly higher than its peers. To meet growing demand, an additional 6,000 Megawatts of electricity generating capacity is expected between 2015 and 2020, with additional capacity required beyond 2020. Given the longer lead time for nuclear power projects than conventional non-nuclear power projects, the earliest a nuclear power plant can realistically be expected to be operational is in 2021.

Other development plans include tapping Malaysia’s hydroelectricity potential, intensifying exploration activities, building regional oil storage and trading hub, unlocking latent gas demand, attracting multinational companies to bring a sizeable share of their global operations to Malaysia, developing capabilities and capacity through strategic partnerships and joint ventures, improving energy efficiency and building up renewable energy and solar power capacity.

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Market opportunities for UK companies NOF Energy has been actively taking out groups of companies to Malaysia for several years, the most recent visit was in September 2012. Working with both UK Trade & Investment and our local partner Malaysia Oil & Gas Service Company we met with several clients including Wood Group Kenny, Murphy Oil, Hess, MMHE and MPRC. All clients were bullish about the market and encouraged UK companies to take advantage of the opportunities in the region, not just in Malaysia but the surrounding markets also such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Myanmar.

The group also attended MOGSEC, the Malaysia Oil & Gas Services Council exhibition and conference, a well organised event which allowed a lot of good networking with local companies.

The next visit to Malaysia will be in 2013 where NOF Energy intend to visit the large subsea companies and offshore fabrication yards in Johor Bahru. Why not consider joining us to take a look at the opportunities first hand.

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

WORDS: JOANNE LENG MBE, DIRECTOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

ustralia is a well-developed business-friendly market. The relationship between UK and Australian industries is very strong, sharing many business practices. The two countries have access to very different markets, with the UK energy industry being largely domestic and the Australian industry focused on both domestic energy and the export of resources to Asian markets.

The focus on recent gas exploration in Australia, however, provides a key opportunity for the two to come together, as UK companies are experienced and successful in this subsector.

Australia has 3.3 billion proven barrels of oil reserves and 84 billion short tons of recoverable coal reserves. Its current production rates make it the only Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country to be a significant net hydrocarbon exporter, with 34 per cent of all Australian exports coming from energy.

Western Australia is also set to become the second largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the world by 2020.

While coal mines in New South Wales and Queensland remain profitable, and oil production continues at high levels at seven major refineries across the country, the developments in LNG and coal seam gas make the area incredibly exciting for new investors.

The expansion of gas projects in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland are set to exploit the 126 trillion cubic feet natural gas currently discovered in the region. The current value of committed oil and gas projects in the region is $105 billion, and planned projects sum to $83 billion, making these developments vital to the

Australian economy.

New mega-projects, including Gorgon, Icthys and Wheatstone, and have already been established in the area.

Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) firms Technip, Worley Parsons and AMEC are taking part in the construction of new energy facilities in Australia with projects being led by Chevron, Shell and Esso, among others, showing that these mega projects are internationally significant.

Gorgon alone will produce 15 million tonnes of LNG per year, enough to fill Wembley Stadium 17,000 times.

The Pluto Gas Project, run by Woodside, is just one example of the recent movements to take advantage of Australia’s

ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

generous natural gas resources.

A large, offshore LNG production facility, the plant will have a capacity of 4.5 million tonnes of LNG per year, and provides a great opportunity for the share of ideas, expertise and opportunities between firms in the UK and on site in Australia.

Renewable energy offers further opportunities for collaboration. Renewable energy currently provides for between five and seven per cent of the nation’s energy needs, with wave projects like Oceanlinx making progressive steps into high wattage production, currently achieving 1MW of output.

The Renewable Energy Target (RET) has committed the * bree.gov.uk

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Australian government to a target of 20 per cent of energy coming from renewable sources by 2020.

With increasing investment in wind and hydroelectricity to bring the nation’s production in line with this target, UK firms’ expertise in innovating and moving from nonrenewable to renewable energy production could be applied to these firms.

Late 2012, NOF Energy has plans to visit Western Australia with members.

The visit, between 19 and 23 November, will include a briefing from the City of Perth Economic Development team before meeting with two NOF Energy members based in Perth, Pearson Harper and Global Energy Group.

CONT >

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

The delegation will also have the opportunity to meet the Regional Sourcing Manager at GE Oil & Gas and the VP for projects at Aker Solutions. Among the other businesses scheduled to meet the NOF Energy group include Woodside, Technip Oceania, Kaefer and Worley Parsons.

The Australian energy sector offers exciting and diverse opportunities for UK based firms at all points of the supply chain. An export-led energy sector, Australia offers very different challenges from those faced in the UK, but it can also benefit from a different perspective on the sector.

UK firms can offer expertise on expansions into renewable energy and subsea extraction, on which UK firms are second to none.

Strengthening the already developed relationships and partnerships between the two countries, British companies can play an important role in the future of the Australian energy sector. The upcoming visit will be important in developing relationships and creating new partnerships. I’d encourage any member that feels they can benefit from working with the Australian sector to join us.

Should you wish to participate on the forthcoming international business visit to Perth, Australia contact Kristie Leng, Lead Events Coordinator at NOF Energy by email kleng@nofenergy.co.uk

TECHNIP HAS BEEN AWARDED BY INPEX CORPORATION AN IMPORTANT OFFSHORE COMMISSIONING CONTRACT, WORTH APPROXIMATELY €210 MILLION, FOR THE ICHTHYS LNG PROJECT(1) LOCATED IN THE BROWSE BASIN, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. An integrated team will work on all activities related to the preparation and execution of the offshore commissioning for the floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit and the central processing facility.

Technip’s operating centre in Perth, Australia will execute the contract starting immediately, which is planned to be completed following the delivery of first gas from the Ichthys LNG Project scheduled in Q4 2016.

Philippe Barril, Technip’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Onshore/Offshore stated: ”We have a team of leading FPSO and semi-submersible experts who are among the world’s most experienced commissioning engineers, as well as many supporting resources with practice on similar projects in Perth. Their involvement will ensure the success of this cornerstone project as we grow

our hook-up and commissioning offering for the Australian market.”

This award follows two recent contract wins for Technip on the Ichthys LNG Project this year: a services contract awarded in June for the detailed engineering and procurement assistance for the topsides(2)facilities of the FPSO unit, and a flexible pipe supply contract awarded in April. This new contract strengthens Technip’s privileged relationship with its key client INPEX and reflects its continuing confidence in the Group’s expertise and work.

ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

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Cumberland House Endeavour Drive Arnhall Business Park Westhill, Scotland AB32 6UF, UK

Unit 3 Bradley Court Trent Lane Castle Donnington DE74 2UT, UK

11000 Richmond Avenue #190 Houston Texas TX 77042, USA

No. 25 Loyang Crescent Blk 106 TOPS Street 12 (Box 5083) Singapore 508988

+44 (0)1332 223999 E: info@prospect-fs.com

+1 (713) 974 1929 E: americas@prospect-fs.com

+44 (0)1224 651831 E: info@prospect-fs.com

+65 6214 8472 E: info@prospect-fs.com

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Prospect Expands Their Horizons LEADING ENGINEERING DESIGN AND ANALYSIS CONSULTANCY SERVICE COMPANY PROSPECT FLOW SOLUTIONS LTD, WHICH IS A GLOBAL DIVISION OF THE HALLIN GROUP AND SUPERIOR ENERGY SERVICES INC, IS EXPERIENCING ONE OF ITS BUSIEST YEARS TO DATE DURING ITS 13 YEAR HISTORY. Buoyancy modules being unloaded from the SBC

About Prospect Prospect (a Superior Energy Services company) is a global provider of engineering solutions to the oil, gas and renewable energy sectors. With offices in Asia, Europe and the USA, the company has

Global Headquarters

T

his year Prospect has gone through several major changes across the group.

Their Aberdeen, Derby and Houston offices have recently relocated to brand new office facilities to better showcase their variety of engineering skills and allow for future expansion. These moves were a significant step forward for Prospect, with the brand new office space more ideally suited to meeting clients’ needs and giving Prospect’s business image an overall boost. This year Prospect have also recruited 10 new members of staff to their engineering team in the UK alone. The continued development of their engineering team has helped Prospect provide clients the world class service and engineering solutions they require.

Prospect has been involved in many challenging projects already this year, including working with global leaders such as BP, Maersk, Cameron, Aker Solutions, Halliburton and Technip. Swire Seabed AS continued to develop its relationship with Prospect this year by contracting Prospect to create a detailed design of a submerged buoyancy collector (SBC). The project was a response to an unplanned situation where over 130 buoyancy collectors needed urgent removal from damaged flexible risers.

won multiple awards for

Roger Tindley, Project Manager at Swire Seabed AS, said “We had an idea of how to deal with the buoyancy elements on the risers, but needed an engineering analysis of its feasibility. Prospect carried the initial idea from design through to manufacture within a tight schedule and maintained close contact with ourselves and the constructors. We had complete confidence in operating the device and it performed completely within specifications. This is the first time that an operation like this has been performed, and will undoubtedly have an impact on future decommissioning projects.”

Ewan Giles, Prospect’s UK Sales & Marketing Manager, also added “Swire Seabed AS are a fantastic client to work with who allowed us to get fully involved in the project. Undertaking a larger, off the wall design project has allowed us to work closely together to develop a bespoke solution that fits the client’s requirements perfectly.”

its services in advanced engineering including CFD and FEA, subsea engineering and project management. Prospect is committed to developing the capabilities of its professional engineers through continuous training to the highest standards. Its combined resources as a member of the Superior Group enable the company to deliver true start-to-finish solutions.

Contacts for further information: Ewan Giles, UK Sales & Marketing Manager Tel: +44 (0)1224 651831 info@prospect-fs.com

SBC being raised from the water IMG© NAME SURNAME

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Event sparks armed forces interest in energy sector careers NOF ENERGY TOOK MORE THAN 20 HIGH PROFILE SUPPLY CHAIN EMPLOYERS TO NORTHERN ENGLAND’S MILITARY HUB TO SUPPORT JOBS AND SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EX-SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN.

I

n collaboration with the British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS), NOF Energy hosted the Energy Sector Military to Civilian Careers Fair in Catterick, North Yorkshire, which welcomed more than 200 current and former service people looking for careers outside of the military.

Respected energy industry supply chain companies including Technip Offshore Wind Ltd, British Engines and Centrica were among the organisations present at the event, which was sponsored by Wood Group PSN, to discuss career opportunities and skills requirements.

The event, which was also supported by Teesside University as Skills and Training sponsor, was organised to help build new relationships between energy sector supply chain employers and the military to help meet the employment

and skills challenges of both industries.

According to Semta, the employer-led sector skills council for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies in the UK, it is predicted that industry, including the energy sectors, will require more than 20,000* new personnel in the next four years to address issues such as an ageing workforce and the emergence of new energy sectors.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defence aims to cut 29,000 military and 25,000 civilian posts by 2015 to address a ÂŁ38bn defence budget gap. Most recently the MoD announced that more than 4,000 military personnel received redundancy notices in June in the latest round of cuts.

Joanne Leng MBE, Director Business Development at

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NOF Energy, said: ”The energy sector is one of the UK’s beacon industries, which is experiencing strong growth. ”However, to meet this growth a greater number of skilled personnel will be required. The military has the potential to be a fantastic resource for energy sector companies as the skills and aptitudes possessed by many in the armed forces make them ideal candidates for employers. ”The fair in Catterick gave NOF Energy members the opportunity to engage with a number of these talented forces personnel who are actively looking to develop new career prospects. ”It was a very interesting event and the feedback from both employers and attendees was very positive and hopefully

the first step in creating new opportunities for ex-service men and women.”

Hannah Reynolds, Marketing Director at The British Forces Resettlement Services, said: ”Both industries face significant skills and employment challenges and working with NOF Energy provides a new opportunity for BFRS to support service leavers enter careers in the energy sector. ”We were very pleased with the calibre of well-known industry employers who took part in the event, which demonstrated the high regard they hold the skills and ‘can do’ attitude of forces personnel.”

To view the video of the day contact Natalie Burlison, Events Administrator by email nburlison@nofenergy.co.uk Also, if you would like more information on how to engage with the military, contact Joanne Leng, Director Business Development by email jleng@nofenergy.co.uk

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Showcase your company to the industry WORDS: CAROLINE LOFTHOUSE, NOF ENERGY & JAMIE COLLIS, RECOGNITION PR

AS COMPETITION IN THE MARKETPLACE GROWS, EFFECTIVE MARKETING AND BRAND RECOGNITION IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT.

s part of NOF Energy’s services to its members, the organisation provides a comprehensive marketing and public relations offering, which is designed to support companies’ in-house marketing and business development activities. ”Our marketing services can be tailored to suit the individual requirements of the member whatever their size or level of in-house provision,” says Caroline Lofthouse, Business Development Manager at NOF Energy. ”We have successfully assisted members who have no marketing experience or in-house department establish an external marketing presence in their sectors, supporting their sales operations, through a planned marketing approach. ”This includes advising on things like creating effective marketing materials and websites to how to best access NOF Energy’s portfolio of marketing services.”

Among the NOF Energy marketing offer is a free entry in the organisation’s online Supply Chain Directory, which has the option to upload e-brochures. Members also receive a free entry into the online ‘Who’s Who of the NOF Energy Network’. ”The Supply Chain Directory is a great reference point for members and those outside the NOF Energy network looking to access the wide range of products and services offered by member companies,” said Caroline. ”We also offer an additional service to members that

Caroline Lofthouse, Business Development Manager, NOF Energy

Jamie Collis, MPRCA, Partner, Recognition PR

enables them to directly contact the NOF Energy network through an E-Profiler, which sends a dedicated email to our database on members’ behalf.”

An essential part of the marketing mix is public relations – more commonly known by the abbreviation, PR. PR supports the marketing objective of communicating key messages to a business’ target audience by securing editorial coverage in newspapers, magazines or on broadcast media.

In addition, PR supports the growing requirements of the online environment serving online publications, but also

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Social media –

Are you connected?

For B2B companies, LinkedIn is the most successful lead generator out of all the social media sites. 65% of users of the professional networking site have gained a new client compared to 60% from company blogs, Facebook 43% and Twitter 40%. - (Marketing Charts)

65% of LinkedIn users have gained new clients

Although LinkedIn generates more leads for b2b companies than Facebook, Twitter or blogs, only 47% of b2b marketers say they are actively using LinkedIn vs 90% on Facebook. – (Social Media B2B) the increasing prominence of social media sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook where it is essential that a company’s messages meet its marketing objectives.

Presence in key publications is a real benefit to a company’s brand awareness and NOF Energy supports members by providing regular updates on editorial and advertising opportunities. NOF Energy also provides advanced notice of trade publications’ forward features, which may be of interest to members and provides the information required for members to submit articles and editorial material on the subjects being featured in the magazines.

One of the best ways to potentially secure coverage is through a well-written press release informing the relevant media of a newsworthy announcement. NOF Energy works closely with member Recognition PR, the CONT > * Cuutio.com

The average midsize or large company (1000 employees or more) has 178 “social media assets” (Twitter handles, employee blogs, etc.) – yet only 25% of companies offer social business training to their employees. - (Marketing Easy) Increased frequency of blogging correlates with increased customer acquisition, according to HubSpot.

92% of blog users who posted multiple times a day acquired a customer through their blog, a figure that decreased to 66% for those who blogged monthly and 43% for those who posted less than monthly.

- (Marketing Charts)

B2B companies with blogs generate 67% more leads per month on average than non-blogging firms.

- (Social Media B2B)

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strategy and the members’ PR service, Recognition PR successfully represents a strong portfolio of companies in the energy sector supply chain including Darchem, TAG Energy Solutions and Modus Seabed Intervention.

In addition to utilising its extensive contacts in the national, regional and trade media to secure positive coverage for its clients, Recognition PR offers social media strategies on a range of platforms as well as affiliate marketing opportunities and event management. organisation’s PR & Marketing partner, to offer a free Press Release Service to members.

Jamie Collis, Partner at Recognition PR, said: ”The Press Release service is ideal for members who currently don’t have a PR operation. My team and I talk to members about the news they have coming up to prepare interesting and media-friendly press releases that can help them secure coverage in relevant media outlets. ”The service also supports members with in-house PR representatives who can access the service to help support the distribution of their press material utilising our contacts in the media.”

As well as supporting and delivering NOF Energy’s PR

The Darlington-based consultancy also operates a video production service, which offers, high quality, cost-effective videos, which can be delivered for the Internet, DVDs or presentations.

Recognition PR is also highly regarded for its crisis and issues management experience having worked with high profile private and plc organisations. ”PR is a vital element of successful marketing strategies by helping secure coverage through traditional and new media platforms”, said Jamie. ”The members’ PR service has proven to be a successful tool and I would encourage member companies to take advantage of the offering.”

SIMPLY GREAT ENERGY Dickinson Dees delivers the legal expertise and experience you need to power your energy schemes.

Commercial advice, people focused on results and innovative thinking.

For more information about the energy legal services provided by Dickinson Dees, contact the team at: T: 0844 984 1500 E: law@dickinson-dees.com

Newcastle | Teesside | Leeds | London

DIC.DEE.1066 NOF Energy Energy Burst Magazine v3.indd 1

www.dickinson-dees.com

31/08/2012 17:14

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images of mags etc

* prdaily.com

When faced with high pressure and high temperature you need to know you are in safe hands.

BEL Valves Ltd deliver high pressure, high temperature valves for critical oil and gas applications.

With extensive experience at these extremes you know you are in safe hands.

We always operate: l at extremes of pressure l at extremes of temperature l in ultra-deep water For further information visit www.belvalves.com or email sales@belvalves.com

Excellence in Valve Engineering

www.belvalves.com

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WORDS: DAMIEN BUXTON, DIRECTOR & ACCOUNT MANAGER, MIDAS CREATIVE

A graphic designer’s goal is to provide you with the artwork and designs that best fit your business, industry, target market and convey your message in the best possible way. Reaching that goal can be extremely easy and straight forward if you know what to expect up-front.

Once you’ve chosen the design company, here are a few tips to help you along the way: You can never communicate enough. Clarity and understanding are vital to a good working relationship. Keep in mind that most designers tend to be extremely visual people.

Be precise in what you want. Discuss with your designer exactly what you want. They should ask you key questions and lead the conversation to fully understand what you’re trying to achieve. It’s a designer’s job to understand what you mean by ‘modern, industrial, colourful etc.’ These are subjective terms and can be interpreted differently.

Supply as much information as possible. With detailed background information, a designer can create the best ideas for you. No one knows your business like you, so your input to the project is really the most expert information that’s available. The more information you can give, the better the outcome.

Sketch your ideas. Sketching your ideas is a great means of communication with your designer. In fact, the added level of communication is invaluable - it helps bridge the gap between a designer’s visual mind and your explanation.

Give constructive feedback. Specify your likes and dislikes about the concepts presented. The more information you provide, the better the outcome of the project.

Let them know if others are involved. It’s best to let your designer know from the start if others are involved in the design process. That way everyone’s comments and input can greatly help the direction of the project from the start. www.midascreative.co.uk

Every £100 a design alert business spends on design increases turnover by £225 On average, design alert businesses increase their market share by 6.3% through using design Businesses that add value through design see a greater impact on business performance than the rest Over two thirds of manufacturers believe it’s worth investing in design in their sector Rapidly growing businesses are three times more likely than the rest to consider design crucial to success Shares in design-led businesses outperform key stock market indices by 200% Statistics provided by Design Council www.designfactfinder.co.uk

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THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IS OFTEN CRITICISED FOR NOT BEING AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT. BUT, WITH THE DEMISE OF ‘EASY OIL’, OPERATORS AND VENDORS ARE NOW LEADING THE WAY IN DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGIES TO SHAPE THE WORLD’S ENERGY FUTURE.

he joint challenge faced by the industry is one of developing safe, environmentally and economically viable subsea solutions for the oil and gas thresholds of deep water, high pressure and high temperature (HPHT).

WORDS: RICHARD DODD, GROUP PRODUCT AND ENGINEERING DIRECTOR, BEL VALVES LTD

That’s easier said than done. The developments represent a step change in technology with a significant ‘chasm’ to cross. HPHT innovation isn’t just a linear extrapolation of the current technology. Sadly, up-sizing of the current technology just won’t work on its own.

The rewards for crossing the ‘chasm’ and successfully bringing such technologies on stream, however, will have a revolutionary impact by enabling access, reducing risk and reducing costs as well as transforming the uneconomic to the economic.

Deep water, high pressure testing of a subsea valve destined for the Gulf of Mexico

So what are the thresholds?

They have been termed as Extreme, defined as having pressures of up to 20,000 psi and/ or temperatures of 350°F (176°C). Extreme HPHT wells are currently being drilled in the Gulf of Mexico region, on the shelf and in deep water, many of them exhibiting reservoir pressures and temperatures that approach 20,000 psi and 350°F. Some deep gas reservoirs, also on the Gulf of Mexico shelf, have pressures and/or temperatures upwards of 30,000 psi and 450°F, propelling them into the Ultra HPHT designation.

There is then the need to introduce the issues surrounding developing at Extreme depths – Gulf of Mexico’s Abyssal Plain and the Atlantic margin sea floor reaching in excess of 3000m, for example. This ‘complication’ extends the challenge and the design rules of the past need to be rewritten in order to optimise new designs.

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account: higher strength steels, composite materials for lightness, strength and corrosion resistance, cost effective base material cladding, material stability, prediction of deflection and permanent set.

Sealing technology presents its own challenges. One of the most obvious is the current widespread use of elastomers and thermoplastics, which are, of course sensitive to high temperatures. These materials may be used separately or together for sealing systems or sealing elements and for other components within the system.

So what does the technology step change look like for valve design?

No fully qualified technology exists in the market today and so closing these HPHT technology gaps poses great challenges to the industry in the design, manufacture and testing/qualification of a whole new generation of subsea equipment, including critical valves.

Material selection is crucial. The choice and availability of materials very much depends upon nominal bore size, the minimum and maximum temperatures and a third variable not yet introduced; the process conditions. On the metallurgical front, the design needs to recognise that, when high temperature liquid flows through a pipe or valve in cold water, the yield strength of the pipe is reduced - and along with it the pipe’s ability to withstand high pressures, both internal and external. And so new designs take into

Development of these technologies requires commitment to R&D investment regardless of the changes to energy prices and earnings. Experience from a vendor perspective indicates that it takes years, not months to carry out the development of new HPHT technologies. Therefore good relations and close collaboration between vendors and operators is needed now, to ensure that the potential benefits of HPHT, deep water systems for both the industry and global energy supply security are realised.

www.boltight.com

Specialist design Advanced technology Boltight understands the requirements of the worldwide oil and gas industry.

We offer fast delivery on standard tools and a custom design service for specialist tools. All our products are manufactured to exacting quality and safety standards. Talk to the bolt tensioning experts today. s Bolt tensioners s Hydraulic nuts s Pumps and hoses

s Subsea tools s Special tool designs s Thread protection caps

Tel: +44 (0)845 500 5556 email: sales@boltight.com

Boltight_210x140L.indd 1

12/09/2012 14:04

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established as the voice of North East England’s renewables sector IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, NOF ENERGY HAS BEEN SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGI COAST, NORTH EAST ENGLAND’S RENEWABLES GROUP.

s a founding member of the body, NOF Energy has helped create a robust and dynamic Steering Group made up of the region’s leading supply chain companies that are involved in offshore renewables.

Energi Coast steering group member companies employ a combined 6,000 people in the renewables sector in North East England. They have a combined turnover of over £200m, which is expected to double as industry developments gain pace, and have invested just under £400m in their offshore renewables operations.

From its high profile launch, through to its upcoming second networking dinner, Energi Coast has quickly become identified by those operating in the offshore renewables industry and the wider business and political communities, as one of the sector’s key representative groups.

From its high profile launch, Energi Coast has quickly become identified as one of the sector’s key representative groups.

One of the highlights of the last year was a special reception for Members of Parliament and representatives from the House of Lords, which took place at the Houses of Parliament. Organised in partnership with Subsea North East and supported by North Tyneside MP, Mary Glindon, the event attracted more a group of more than 30 key politicians alongside a group of industry representatives.

Energi Coast has also worked closely with The Crown Estate to help further the opportunities for North East England companies’ ambitions in securing a proportion of the growing offshore renewables market.

This included a very successful event at Newcastle United FC, which was part of The Crown Estate’s UK regional roadshow programme, which was designed increase awareness of supply chain opportunities.

Energi Coast’s second Networking Dinner took place on 25th October, at Ramside Hall, Durham, and attracted almost 200 representatives from regional, national and international industry.

The dinner was being sponsored by NOF Energy member, The Jotun Group, which is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of paints, coatings and powder coatings.

The group has 70 companies and 38 production facilities

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employing 7,800 on all continents, which includes legal companies, agents, branch offices and distributors across 80 countries.

NOF Energy Director Business Development, Joanne Leng MBE, who is also Deputy Chair of Energi Coast, said: �While oil & gas remains a priority both for NOF Energy and the wider energy industry, it is imperative that North East England establishes a robust and collaborative supply chain network that can effectively serve the emerging offshore renewables market.

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NOF Energy is proud to support the sector through its involvement with Energi Coast and I am sure that the work the group has done, and continues to do, will further raise awareness in the sector of what North East England has to offer.�

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ENERGI COAST IS THE REPRESENTATIVE GROUP OF COMPANIES FOR THE NORTH EAST OF ENGLAND’S OFFSHORE RENEWABLES SECTOR Why North East England?

• Strong industrial heritage in ship building and oil & gas • Strategic East Coast location • Exceptional infrastructure and logistics hub • Integrated energy supply chain • Unique comprehensive “balance of plant” offering • First class port facilities • Top universities, colleges and specialist training providers • New and innovative offshore wind supply chain www.energicoast.co.uk

We are dynamic and pioneering... delivering innovative services and technologies for the subsea industry.

SURVEY AND SEABED-MAPPING SUBSEA INSTALLATION SEABED INTERVENTION INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE & REPAIR (IMR) DECOMMISSIONING

www.deepoceangroup.com

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A&P IS A MAJOR ENGINEERING SERVICES & FABRICATION GROUP SERVING CLIENTS IN THE OIL & GAS, RENEWABLES AND MARINE SECTORS.

YOUR HYDRAULIC PARTNER Planned & preventive maintenance

Hydraulic / Pneumatic design, manufacture & installation

Plant & machinery relocation

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Prompt hydraulic parts supply Electronic, Proportional & Servo control systems

Hydraulic power units made to specification

Maintenance manpower

Technical training

On-site diagnosis Technical consultation

Project management

Stargate Business Park, Ryton, Tyne & Wear NE40 3EX T: 0191 413 0039 E: mconnor@tmehydraulics.co.uk www.tmehydraulics.co.uk

A&P GROUP LIMITED WAGONWAY ROAD, HEBBURN TYNE & WEAR NE31 1SP T: +44 (0) 191 430 8600 F: +44 (0) 191 428 6228 E: INFO@AP-GROUP.CO.UK

WWW.AP-GROUP.CO.UK

Specialist Service Provider to the Offshore Industry Abrasive Water Jet Cutting Systems for the Removal of Offshore Structures • STRUCTURE FOUNDATION PILES • SUBSEA WELL CASING ASSEMBLIES • PILE STICK-UP REMOVAL

• JACKET BRACINGS • PIPELINES • CAISSON CRASH BARRIER REMOVAL

ABRASIVE WATER JET CUTTING SYSTEMS DESIGNED, BUILT AND OPERATED BY OIL STATES MCS • INTERNAL CUTTING TOOL SIZES AVAILABLE FOR 24” THROUGH TO 120” PILE DIAMETERS • INTERNAL SUBSEA WELL CUTTING TOOL SIZES AVAILABLE FOR 9-5/8” TO 36” CASING/ CONDUCTOR DIAMETERS • EXTERNAL CUTTING TOOLS SIZES AVAILABLE FOR 4” THROUGH TO 60” TUBULAR DIAMETERS • BESPOKE TOOLING SOLUTIONS PROVIDED TO MEET SPECIFIC PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Oil States MCS Limited, Bouthwood Road, Sowerby Woods, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England, LA14 4HB T: +44 (0)1229 825080 E: sales@oilstates.com W: www.oilstates.com

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with IODS’ ISO 9001:2008, are available on request.

IODS LTD ANNOUNCE NEW STANDARDS ACHIEVED AND A NEW PRODUCT RANGE IODS Ltd, the International Weld Overlay Cladding Specialists, is a member of the growing Glenalmond Group . It has always been renowned for striving to stay ahead of the game with quality accreditations in the ever more demanding industry in which it operates.

To this end, the company is delighted to announce that this year sees all three divisions of the company, Oil Tool, Pipe Clad and Pipe Fabrications, awarded the ISO 3834 part 2 accreditation for the management and control of welding operations.

The Pipe Clad division, as the name implies, is specifically involved in the cladding of line pipe and associated products. The most common standard applied to this range of products is that of the American Petroleum Institute.

IODS Pipe Clad division has recently achieved the right to Apply the API 5LD monogram to their products, a requirement of a growing number of users.

The company’s Health and Safety policy and controlling activities have been audited against ISO 18001 by BSI, the resulting report recommended certification. This has now been ratified by the BSI review committee to confirm the company is certified to that standard. A final ISO 14001 audit is planned to take place before the end of 2012.

Copies of all these certificates, along

But it’s not just the quality related systems that are subject to continual updating, so are the manufacturing processes.

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These operate under four distinct brands, including those producing lightweight prefabricated topside cladding and hydrocarbon fire and blast rated modular products.

The latest innovation is the introduction of a forging facility to enable in house manufacture of fittings, with Elbows from 2” to 12”, Tees from 6” to 12”, Reducing Tees from 6”x 4” to 12” x 10”.

Reducers can be offered from 3” to 20”.

Produced from previously clad mother pipe and heat treated to the yield required, this is without doubt the most effective method to produce clad fittings in this size range.

To keep up to date, visit the news pages at www.iodsltd.com For further information, contact Alan Brown on 07738 191478 or email abrown@iodsltd.com

MECH-TOOL AIMS FOR GROWTH AS MTE LTD Mech-Tool Engineering Ltd, the global fire and blast protection products manufacturer, is aiming to grow upon its 43 year history under a new name.

Working within the oil, gas and renewable energy markets, the units operate from MTE’s head office in Darlington, with a new sales support operation in Aberdeen.

• MTE Fire and Blast Wall Solutions will continue the company’s 40-plus years of experience in the design, manufacture, supply and certification of fire and blast protection.

• MTE Heat Shield Solutions. MTE’s ventilated heat shield and wind wall cladding systems are not only designed but proven to provide protection for people and equipment against the effects of radiant heat and extreme weather.

Following the recent announcement of a hugely successful year, which saw turnover of £16m and profits of £600,000, the company has a new identity, which acknowledges its increasingly diverse present and future under a new name, MTE Ltd.

• MTE Modular Solutions. Over three decades MTE has pioneered the design of modules providing fire and blast protection, using the latest technology and modelling techniques. They include: living quarters, temporary refuge rooms, office buildings, control rooms and local equipment rooms.

Following the launch of its new design service, the company, which employs 175 people across North East England, now has four main business units.

• The New MTE Design Consultancy helps clients to achieve highly accurate designs and cost projections at the earliest stage, MTE has developed its

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own unique design tools and systems which have proved particularly effective in saving costs.

As well as having taken the first steps toward building a presence in Aberdeen this year, MTE Ltd has also appointed a Houston-based agent to reach into the US market.

Matthew Camp, business manager for MTE Ltd, said: ”Following a very successful year, we now need to continue to build and the image of a toolmaker is no longer relevant. ”Over the last four decades, the company has grown and the old name, while part of our heritage, does not reflect the growing range of services we now offer. ”Our new image better fits the company’s position as a solid supply chain organisation, ready to do global business. ”MTE Ltd is all about delivering these services to high levels of quality and the newly branded business units reflect that ethos, highlighting what we offer, either as individual, standalone offerings or as parts of a wider, combined package. ”We are looking to expand our presence across the world, in Aberdeen and Houston, alongside existing agents in Korea and Malaysia, and we believe that, as MTE Ltd, we are strongly positioned to meet this challenge.”

AMEC acquires stake in multi-billion dollar Brazilian oil and gas market AMEC, the international engineering and project management company, announces today that it has signed an agreement to acquire a 50 per cent stake in Kromav Engenharia Ltda (KROMAV), a privately owned Brazilian offshore oil and gas and marine engineering company.

KROMAV is based in Rio de Janeiro, and has a team of some 200 people specialising in engineering services for offshore platforms, FPSO (Floating, Production, Storage & Offloading) vessels and other marine applications.

Their customers include Petrobras, OSX, and major EPC (engineer, procure, construct) companies and they have worked on over 400 marine and offshore projects.

Combining KROMAV’s local reputation and engineering expertise with AMEC’s international major project delivery capability, which includes 50 global FPSO projects, will support AMEC’s Vision 2015 strategy to develop fully integrated service capabilities in Brazil.

The company will be called AMEC KROMAV.

”This investment in Brazil is one of our foundations to delivering Vision 2015 in the oil and gas market and we are proud to associate ourselves with the technical expertise of KROMAV,” said Simon Naylor, President of AMEC’s As part of the rebrand, MTE Ltd has also Natural Resources Americas business. launched a new website which can be Andy Sallis, AMEC’s President of Oil seen at www.mechtool.co.uk

& Gas Americas, added: ”Combining our 30 years’ experience of delivering onshore and offshore projects in the region with locally based resources and expertise positions AMEC KROMAV to better assist customers and regional operators in the largest deepwater market in the world.”

Aker Solutions ramps up Stockton-on-Tees operation International oil services group Aker Solutions is set to ramp up its presence in the North East of England. The company aims to create up to 100 jobs in its new Stockton-on-Tees engineering office over the next three years.

Aker Solutions’ drilling technologies business will be the main occupant in the new office, which is located right next to the company’s current premises at the Preston Farm industrial estate, Stockton-on-Tees, UK. The office will house product engineers who will be working on a wide range of topside drilling equipment. Aker Solutions is one of the top-two global suppliers of deepwater drilling packages for offshore drilling rigs and drillships. ”We are well aware of the excellent oil and gas engineering competence in the North East of England. We are experiencing significant growth, so we want to tap into this market to further support both our UK and international customers,” says Thor Arne Håverstad, head of Aker Solutions drilling technologies business.

The new engineering office has a capacity of 100 people. Aker Solutions aims to hire 30 by year-end. But the

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long-term ambition is to utilise the entire office capacity. ”The North East region has a proud industrial heritage with a huge engineering competence base.

Additionally, it contains several excellent educational institutions that produce exactly the type of competence we need, for example structural and mechanical engineers. We also know that many engineers commute from the north east to other parts of the UK. Hopefully our plans will make some of them consider Stockton-on-Tees as an even more attractive option,” adds Thor Arne Håverstad.

Aker Solutions has a history in Stockton-on-Tees that dates back to 1986. Today the company has approximately 100 employees in Stockton-on-Tees. This team provides support services to Aker Solutions globally within IT, finance, accounting and HR. Up to 20 employees will be added to the global business services operation over the next two years.

The current premises also house a team that provides engineering support on platform upgrade and maintenance projects on both the UK and Norwegian continental shelves. In addition, Aker Solutions’ specialist recruitment consultancy, Aker Advantage, also has an office in Stockton-on-Tees.

Aker Solutions will move into its new Stockton-on-Tees office at the end of October.

Earlier this year, Aker Solutions announced that it is looking to grow its Aberdeen operation with 500 jobs over the next two years. Additionally, the company aims to build up a 1700

strong London engineering hub thereby creating 1300 new jobs - by 2015.

Today, Aker Solutions has approximately 3200 employees in the UK. The company is one of Scotland’s largest employers with a workforce of more than 2700 people in Aberdeen.

In addition to Aberdeen, London and Stockton-on-Tees, the company has smaller offices and facilities in Great Yarmouth, Hastings, Maidenhead, and Whitstable. The company employs 25000 people worldwide, and has annual revenues of approximately GBP 3.9 billion.

North East Centre For Offshore Medicals Medicals to UK00A standards by experienced partners.

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and non-renewable.

Learn more at www.MaritimesEnergy.com

The Surgery, Front Street, Great Lumley, Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham, DH3 4LE Tel: 0191 388 7034 Fax: 0191 388 3912

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

NOF Energy and British Valve & Actuator Association join forces on business development partnership NOF ENERGY HAS FORMED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BRITISH VALVE AND ACTUATOR ASSOCIATION (BVAA).

The Business Development Partnership will help facilitate BVAA members’ business development activities in the energy sector through NOF Energy’s extensive industry network and suite of services.

The BVAA, which has more than 160 members, is a UK association supporting companies in the manufacture, repair and distribution of valves, actuators and related products. Its members operate across industry and have particular interest in the oil, gas and nuclear sectors.

In addition to representing its members’ interests in industry, this new partnership will enable BVAA members to access the essential business development services provided by NOF Energy.

Schoeller-Bleckmann UK (SBUK) is a major stockholder in Nickel Alloys, SuperDuplex, Duplex, 6Moly and Stainless Steel Tube, Pipe and other components. Via our parent company Bohler Uddeholm UK Ltd we have access to Wire, Rod, Round Bars, Plates and Forgings in the full range of corrosion resistant alloys.

Our particular strengths lie in the supply of STAINLESS STEELS and EXOTIC GRADES – Duplex UNS 31803, Super Duplex Pipe 32760/50 and 6moly (UNS S31254).

Our duplex materials are produced to a high specification and conforms to the latest NORSOK/ SHELL/ARAMCO/PDO requirements while our UK stockholding is ISO 9001, 14001, and 18001 accredited.

SCHOELLER BLECKMANN UK EUROPEAN BUSINESS PARK TAYLORS LANE, OLDBURY WEST MIDLANDS B69 2BN

Tel: 0121 552 1535 Fax: 0121 627 9282 Email: sales@schoeller-bleckmann.co.uk

Web: www.schoeller-bleckmann.co.uk

ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

”We are delighted to be able to support the BVAA and its members with our successful suite of business development services” BVAA will benefit from NOF Energy’s highly-regarded suite of services, which have helped secure its members £140million worth of new business in the past few years.

NOF Energy was also praised in an independent evaluation of the organisation, which said its ability to form new networks and supply chain links was the greatest benefit of involvement with the organisation.

NOF Energy will support the BVAA with the organisation of networking events and a range of traditional and online marketing activities. NOF Energy delivers a broad calendar of networking events, which focus on supply chain opportunities across the oil, gas, nuclear and offshore renewables sectors.

BVAA members will also be able to take part in NOF Energy’s regular UK and international market visits, which facilitate meetings between members and key market players.

Joanne Leng MBE, Director Business Development at NOF Energy, said: ”We are delighted to be able to support the BVAA and its members with our successful suite of business development services. We will work closely with the BVAA to ensure its members can benefit from our services and also be able to tap into the strong NOF Energy network. The benefit of inter-trading between NOF Energy members cannot be underestimated and has the potential to offer real opportunities to BVAA members. For us it is all about providing new business opportunities to the BVAA and giving our own members access to a new network of contacts who may end up being new customers.”

BVAA’s Director Rob Bartlett said: ”There is real synergy between the two organisations in terms of knowledge and experience of the energy sectors. NOF Energy also has an excellent reputation in industry for its business development credentials, which we are of no doubt will add value to membership of the BVAA.” www.bvaa.org.uk

Capability Capacity Customer Service Fast, accurate precision engineered solutions from people you can trust. www.mcauleyengineering.co.uk

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Delivering world-class, fully integrated, innovative and flexible infrastructure solutions for the oil & gas and offshore wind industries • Offshore Oil and Gas Platforms • Jacket and Subsea Structures • Minimum Facilities Platforms

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• AC/HVDC Transformer Substations • Wind Turbine Jacket Foundations • FPSO Conversions and Refurbishments

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Construction

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

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Team member spotlight Caroline Lofthouse, Business Development Manager

Q> A<

What does your job at NOF Energy involve?

In my role as Business Development Manager I am responsible for the Networking & Events and Marketing & Media Support services which includes managing a team of two.

Q>

How long have you been with the organisation and what sort of projects have you worked on with NOF Energy?

A<

I have been with NOF Energy for 6 years and during my time I have been involved with many projects, including organising small briefing events up to high profile events, such as the Annual Dinner and National Conference.

Q> A<

What is your favourite part of the job?

The favourite part of my role is marketing - creating concepts, brands and themes for our high profile events and then working with external partners to bring the ideas to life.

Q>

Why do you think companies benefit from being members of NOF Energy?

A<

NOF Energy is a fantastic organisation and I would call upon any business within the energy sector supply chain to contact us to talk about how we can benefit your business. With 400 members, our three key services are designed to create networking opportunities with

Q> A<

Why is now an exciting time to be a member of NOF Energy?

NOF Energy continues to go from strength to strength, thanks to the continued support of our members. With our Silver Jubilee taking place in 2013, it is an exciting time to be part of our network as we offer a fantastic range of services to help companies grow their business in terms of winning new business, but also as part of the dynamic energy sector supply chain, including diversification support. We have a strong track record with developing

key energy sector players, increase knowledge and intelligence about project/business opportunities and help them to stand out from the crowd.

Q> A<

What are your interests outside of work?

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family.

I have two young children so when the weather is good we like to spend time in the garden, playing on the trampoline or going to the park with scooters/bikes.

Weekend time is also spent at the local farm where my daughter has a pony called Viva. It is great to watch her developing her pony riding and jumping skills but I am thankful that mucking out is not my job!

CAROLINE LOFTHOUSE

members’ businesses and that is down to a committed and passionate team at NOF Energy.

Most things in my life revolve around my children but when I get a spare moment I like going for meals and my favourite foods are Indian and Chinese.

Q>

If you could meet any person alive or dead who would it be and why?

A<

Audrey Hepburn, my favourite film is Breakfast at Tiffany’s and I would really enjoy talking to her about her role in this film and others.

Q>

If you could take five items to a desert island what would they be?

A<

Toothbrush and paste, shampoo, kids, iPod and a large carrot cake.

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

FAST BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY SECTOR SUPPLY CHAIN EVENTS, THE NOF ENERGY ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE RETURNS FOR A THIRD TIME ON 14TH MARCH 2013. nergy: A Balanced Future is now an established industry forum, which plays host to some of the most respected specialists from across the oil & gas, nuclear and offshore renewables sectors, who gather to discuss and debate the challenges of securing a balanced energy mix.

The conference and exhibition, which takes place at the Hilton Hotel, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, will highlight the importance of securing a balanced energy mix in the UK to meet future demand and to showcase the opportunities to the UK supply chain across the three main energy sectors.

The role of oil, gas, nuclear and offshore renewables in achieving this balanced energy mix will be addressed by leading industry executives. Who they will also highlight their need for a multi-skilled integrated supply chain that can easily move with them to the new emerging energy sectors and the need for the transfer of technologies between the sectors.

Joanne Leng MBE, NOF Energy Director Business Development, said: ”Energy: A Balanced Future gets to the heart of the challenges faced by the country’s energy industry and the invaluable role the supply chain can, and does, play in supporting industry and government plans to

create a long term energy strategy that utilises a blend of hydrocarbon and renewable resources.”

The conference will feature a collection of high quality speakers from the three key energy sectors who will give an overview of their markets and the opportunities open to suppliers.

Speakers already confirmed for the conference include representatives from Decom North Sea, the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA), Total, ITF, OGN Group and Alstom Wind and more speakers will be announced in the coming months.

A key element of the conference is the networking opportunities open to delegates.

These include a networking reception the evening before and several key slots during the day of the conference organised by NOF Energy specifically to support delegate networking.

ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

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‘‘In 2012 the conference attracted more than 250 delegates, guests and speakers.’’

”The conference is a fantastic opportunity for networking,” says Joanne. ”In 2012 the conference attracted more than 250 delegates, guests and speakers from companies like AREVA UK, Siemens Energy Service, EDF Energy, Wood Group PSN and AMEC, which demonstrates that the event is held in such high esteem by the energy industry.

The Networking Reception, which we hold the night before the conference, is an informal and very worthwhile part of Energy: A Balanced Future. It gives delegates an excellent opportunity to interact and make contact with each other in a relaxed setting.”

Energy: A Balanced Future also presents an excellent opportunity for members to showcase their products and services to delegates at an exhibition, which is located outside the main conference room.

Exhibition stands can be booked by contacting Kristie Leng, Lead Events Coordinator by email kleng@nofenergy.co.uk Members can also raise their profile through a number of sponsorship opportunities at the conference, which include a range of packages to suit all budgets such as Event Partner: Platinum, Delegate Bag and Event Guide.

To talk about the benefits of sponsorship contact Caroline Lofthouse, Business Development Manager on +44 (0)191 3846464.

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

HEADLINE SPONSORS:

Annual Dinner Will be a

to Remember!

A MULTITUDE OF TARTAN AND THE SOUND OF THE HIGHLANDS WILL BE THE ORDER OF THE DAY WHEN NOF ENERGY HOSTS ITS ANNUAL DINNER IN DECEMBER.

S

een by many NOF Energy members as the highlight of the year, the NOF Energy Annual Dinner is always a sell-out event, which celebrates the achievements of the organisation and its members.

This year’s headline sponsors are Wilton Group, Ward Hadaway and Mech-Tool Engineering (MTE).

Taking place on 6 December at Hardwick Hall in Sedgefield, County Durham, the dinner was sold out within days of tickets going on sale at the start of 2012 and anticipation for the event is already building!

The categories are: Company of the Year sponsored by Stapleton International Innovation and Technology sponsored by SMD International Business sponsored by Louisiana Economic Development New Talent supported by Department of Energy and Climate Change Energy Sector Diversification sponsored by Darchem Engineering

This year’s theme is Scotland and, as usual, the NOF Energy team will have some surprises up their sleeves - or in their sporrans - related to the theme, which will really make the evening one to remember!

George Rafferty, Chief Executive of NOF Energy, said: ”Every year members come up to me at the Annual Dinner wanting to book for next year – they enjoy it that much. 2012 I am sure will be no different! ”The dinner is the perfect way to celebrate the excellent work our members have done in their sectors as well as being the best possible networking opportunity!”

In addition to the entertainment and a fantastic threecourse meal, guests will also enjoy NOF Energy’s Annual Awards. With five awards in total, alongside the prestigious Company of the Year award, the winner of the New Talent award wins £1,000 towards an accredited training course.

George added: ”Year on year the reputation of the NOF Energy Annual Awards grows across the energy

ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

industry. This is due to the high calibre of companies taking part whose products and services have become increasingly prominent in the domestic and international energy sector markets. â&#x20AC;?Innovation continues to thrive across the supply chain, be it in established oil & gas markets or in sectors such as offshore renewables, where companies are delivering new and exciting products and services to overcome a range of challenges faced by industry. The NOF Energy Awards aims to showcase these companies and the individuals who are the driving force of the UK supply chain.â&#x20AC;?

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ADDITIONAL SPONSORS:

Providing operations, maintenance and construction solutions to the international energy industries.

…working together for success

Nigg Energy Park rises to the challenge

T

he Global Energy Group remain confident in creating a successful, sustainable future at Nigg Energy Park having recently announced sales growth figures of 46% for 2011/12.

Global Energy sells a range of services associated with the operations, maintenance, upgrade and construction of critical assets in the energy sector. This year we will sell £350 million of services to the Energy Sector, of which 80% is in the oil and gas sector.

Our oil and gas operations fall into four parts: Drilling, Subsea, Production and Onshore (mid and downstream activity), and have a fairly balanced offering in each of these markets.

We inspect, repair and maintain drilling rigs, FPSOs and subsea construction vessels and build much of the bespoke infrastructure that lies on the UKCS seabed, as well as exporting subsea equipment to other worldwide regions.

We also look after the integrity of existing production assets, build extensions to existing facilities and modules for greenfield sites and support the modular and site construction of refineries, LNG, LPG, Nuclear and Hydro Energy facilities.

Regardless of the sector, our proposition is to reduce the risks in maintenance, upgrade and construction of our client’s assets.

Our strategy to spread our portfolio amongst the key energy markets allows the business to achieve a consistent level of trading and associated man-hours.

By adopting a multi-market approach with a balance between OPEX and CAPEX projects, enables the group to observe a unique position of employing over 70% of its execution skills on staff contracts with long service. Length of service and consistency enables the group to invest in competency assessment and training to support the developing culture of the organisation, therefore maintaining and exceeding competency standards.

”This year we will sell £350million of services to the Energy Sector…”

Our clients benefit from execution teams who are part of a culture that promotes fast delivery, quality and HSE excellence as core behavioural competence and we believe that maintaining a core workforce above 70% protects our ability to deliver projects, and reduces the risk for our customers.

Global group reports 46% sales growth Since acquiring the Nigg Energy Park, Global, working with partner organisations in the public sector, has moved swiftly to establish the Nigg Skills Academy aimed at providing workers with the skills and qualifications needed to work in the energy industry. The academy pilot project aims to start 290 modern apprentices (MAs) in its first year and to provide both MAs and general training for some 3,000 people by 2015 for a range of jobs, including engineers, operators, riggers, technicians and for general and project management.

The Nigg Energy Park has been an important contributor to our increased sales, coupled with strong demand for offshore integrity work in the North Sea. The acquisition of Nigg Yard in October last year opens new opportunities in attracting packaged topside fabrication projects, FPSO conversion projects and large marine (drilling and subsea) projects; providing niche fabrication services to support the subsea, topside, nuclear and renewable markets and creating a modern, multi-user facility servicing a range of energy sectors.

The dry dock provides unrivalled facilities in the UK to undertake repair and enhancement projects, including maintenance and upgrade projects for mobile drilling rigs, subsea construction vessels and floating production vessels. We are also seeing positive growth in our businesses in Australia, Brazil and India.

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

NOF Energy National Conference & Exhibition 2013

OIL, GAS & OFFSHORE RENEWABLES NETWORKING LUNCH: REEF SUBSEA WHEN 13th December 2012 WHERE Aberdeen OIL & GAS NETWORKING LUNCH: TALISMAN ENERGY WHEN 24th January 2013 WHERE Aberdeen

ENERGY: A BALANCED FUTURE WHEN 14th March 2013 WHERE Hilton Hotel, North East England (pre-conference networking reception, 13th March)

Stand share opportunities at key energy events ALL-ENERGY CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION WHEN 22nd to 23rd May 2013 WHERE Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre

OFFSHORE EUROPE CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION WHEN 3rd to 6th September 2013 WHERE Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre

OIL & GAS NETWORKING LUNCH: TAQA BRATANI WHEN 7th February 2013 WHERE North East England

Networking opportunities for the energy sector supply chain OIL & GAS NETWORKING LUNCH: HEEREMA FOCUSING ON THE CYGNUS PROJECT WHEN 14th November 2012 WHERE North East England

Date: 14/03/2013 Venue: Hilton Hotel, Newcastle - Gateshead, North East England Drinks reception 13th March Full day conference 14th March

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ENERGY BURST EDITION 1

NOF ENERGY IS A HIGHLY PROACTIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION WORKING ON BEHALF OF COMPANIES WITHIN THE OIL, GAS, NUCLEAR AND OFFSHORE RENEWABLES SECTORS. WITH OVER 400 MEMBERS THE ORGANISATION ACTIVELY WORK TO IDENTIFY GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THESE SECTORS AND WORK WITH OUR MEMBERS TO HELP THEIR MARKETS SECURE A SHARE OF THEM.

Membership that adds real value, talk to us today…

Joanne Leng MBE jleng@nofenergy.co.uk www.nofenergy.co.uk/joinus

Scan the QR CODE to access our membership page

NOF Energy would like to offer a warm welcome to all our new members that have recently joined us. To find out who has joined the network please visit www.nofenergy.co.uk/spotlight

Building a supply chain community for the

Membership that adds real value, talk to us todayâ&#x20AC;Ś Contact:

Joanne Leng

jleng@nofenergy.co.uk

With laboratories strategically located around Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Asia Pacific and the Americas, Exova is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading independent specialists in the testing of materials and structures for the Energy industry.

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