Energy, Oil & Gas Issue 137 October 2016

energy-oil-gas.com

The experts' The CMA report and how it could encourage domestic customers and business users to explore their energy options

A new opportunity Transforming CO2 emissions into an asset Sophisticated solutions Utility companies need to mitigate their risks

Also in this issue - ONS 2016 review, Brexit reactions

issue 137 OCTOBER

Editor Editors Chairman Andrew Schofield Editor Libbie Hammond libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk Staff Writers Jo Cooper Joshua Younespour Andrew Dann Editorial Administrator Emma Crane

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We are pleased ministers have ended the uncertainty over Hinkley Point.”

Art Editor Gérard Roadley-Battin Production Manager Fleur Daniels Sales Director Joe Woolsgrove Operations Director Philip Monument Business Development Manager Mark Cawston Sales Tim Eakins Andy Ellis Darren Jolliffe Jonas Junca Dave King Theresa McDonald Research Managers Ben Richell Natalie Griffiths Kieran Shukri Editorial Researchers Jeff Johnson Wendy Russell ­Office Manager/Advertisement Administrator Tracy Chynoweth Digital Subscriptions Iain Kidd digital @schofieldpublishing.co.uk

So,

since the last issue, we’ve had the news that Hinkley Point C nuclear power station has been given the go ahead. Most of the follow up emails I received saw this as a positive step - Nick Baveystock, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Director General, said: “The Prime Minister’s decision to approve the project is a major step forward for the future of UK energy security.”

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We are pleased ministers have ended the uncertainty over Hinkley Point,” and Ian Maclean, UK managing director for energy & industry at WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff said: “This is the good news we’ve all been waiting for.”

However, Greenpeace remain unconvinced. John Sauven, Greenpeace executive director says the deal is terrible value for money for bill payers and taxpayers. “The inflation linked electricity price for Hinkley over the coming decades will be astronomical compared to the falling price of renewable power, battery storage and smart energy technology,” he said. He also questioned EDF can build this kind of reactor.

As ever, only time will tell – get in touch if you are involved in Hinkley as I am very interested in your story.

editor LIBBIE HAMMOND

© 2016 Schofield Publishing Limited all rights reserved 10 Cringleford Business Centre Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU T: +44 (0) 1603 274130 F: +44 (0) 1603 274131

@EOG_magazine please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information published is accurate, and correct at time of writing, 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.

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

1

Regulars

4

The experts’ opinion

The CMA Report findings were somewhat forgotten in the wake of Brexit – Love Energy Savings brings you the key findings

6

Data points

In an era focusing on cost reduction, retrofitting wireless monitoring devices has the potential to extend field life or increase production

11,13

14

News Some of the recent developments within the oil and gas industry

Informed decisions

Oilrigs are becoming huge sources of Big Data that can help engineers achieve greater safety, optimise yields and reduce downtime

16

A new opportunity

The industry is starting to realise that carbon dioxide has an economic value and The Global CO2 Initiative was created to develop approaches in this ares

18

The energy meeting place

ONS 2016 exceeded the organiser’s expectations, and plans are already underway for 2018

20

Safe and sound

Excessive noise is a major hazard for workers in the oil and gas sector

24

New rules

Massimo Merola reports on the European Commission’s proposed Energy Security Package

26

Here comes the sun

New frontiers are being explored in the solar sector, including technology such as drones and the Internet of Things

28

Sophisticated solutions

Utility companies need to invest in technology to mitigate the risks they face

30

Policy changes to come

It’s too early to foresee the outcome of Brexit negotiations but UK businesses need to be prepared for a new outlook

32

Interesting times

2

Profiles

33

33 Biogasclean 36 Statoil Refining Denmark 38 VTTI 40 Global Energy Group 42 ennox biogas technology 45 Verwater 47 euskalforging 50 Gulf Drilling International 2 4 53 Gulf Drilling & Maintenance Company

57 Clarke Energy 61 Parsons Peebles Group 65 Marine Fabricators

Some more thoughts on Brexit – one of the biggest questions facing negotiators is whether the UK will remain in the internal energy market

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

65

Contents

68 Euro Pipeline Group 70 SAMCO 72 Wood Group 75 Fluxys Belgium 6 77 Endress+Hauser 8 80 Onstream Group 82 Tatweer Petroleum 85 Chart Ferox 88 Ampelmann 90 Apache North Sea 94 VTT Vasiliko 96 IOS InterMoor

118 Large Diameter Drilling Ltd 121 Vattenfall 124 SALP 127 Online Valves 118

121

100

100 Marine Assets Corporation 102 Booth Welsh 104 Hiap Seng Engineering 106 Global Marine Systems 109 PCK Raffinerie 112 IHC FHP 115 First Marine Solutions

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

3

The experts' What does the new CMA report mean for you and your energy bills?

M

ore than two years ago, Ofgem referred the energy market to the Competitions and Market Authority (CMA) for inquiry.

Around the time of June 2014, distrust in the energy sector was growing and there were mounting fear of price hikes. In order to take the first step towards increased competition and to renew the public’s faith in the industry, Ofgem ordered a full investigation into the energy sector.

Fast-forward to the end of June 2016 and the final report is now in the public domain, and with it came a storm of criticism, largely because it didn’t meet the expectations of the provisional findings announced in March.

The report was released on June 24th, the day after the EU referendum, so the findings have been somewhat buried in the aftermath of the result.

Love Energy Savings has dug through the report, to bring you the key findings and asked experts for their opinions on the recommendations.

A cap for prepayment customers One group of people who may feel a slight benefit from the report are those who are on prepayment meters for their energy – that’s more than four million people. The report found that those on this method of payment were spending 12 per cent more than they should for their energy. They also have limited access to competitive deals, as suppliers focus less on prepayment cards and meters.

4

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

As a result of their findings, the CMA recommended that a temporary cap be introduced on all households with prepayment meters, and according to the report it is expected that “around £300 million of detriment a year [will be] reduced.” The cap will remain in place until all houses can be fitted with smart meters, a government project which is expected to be completed by the year 2020.

David Sheriden, CEO of Onedox, believes that the best option in the long run would be for prepayment customers to move as soon as possible: “Prepay customers should check with their supplier to see if they qualify to move to a postpay deal. Many customers do qualify but don’t realise it, such as where they move into a property and a meter is already installed. Where customers use a prepay meter through preference or necessity, it’s important to be on the best tariff, as although options are limited, some choice is still available, which means lower costs.

“It’s obviously vital that the real solution - a level playing field for all customers - is put in place as soon as possible.

For postpay customers, the advice is simple - make sure you never end up on a Standard Variable Tariff. If you are one of the millions of customers who are, you are wasting hundreds of pounds each year.”

Although this particular announcement from the CMA was good news for those on prepayment meters, it fails to address the fact that those on post-payment methods are still paying eight per cent more than they should. There was no price cap introduced on these particular energy tariffs.

CMA report

Price advertising websites?

Low customer engagement

Price comparison websites do exactly what they say on the tin. Whether it’s for insurance, credit cards or energy suppliers, their job is to secure the very best deal for their customers.

The report recommended that price comparison websites shouldn’t be obliged to show deals where they would not earn a commission from the supplier. Instead they should negotiate with suppliers individually to get better and exclusive deals, for consumers. According to the chair of the CMA’s energy market investigation panel, Roger Witcomb, the aim of this practice is to stimulate competition between suppliers, forcing them to offer better deals in order to gain exposure.

If this policy were to be put in place, it would mean that customers wouldn’t always be able to have access to the all the deals available to them. Speaking to the BBC, the chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) said he believed that this would result in comparison websites being no more than advertising sites: “This will lead to further consumer distrust of the whole edifice around energy.”

Many people have expressed fears that such measures will lead to customers missing out, and that it will continue to support the domination of the energy industry by the ‘Big Six’. The smaller independent firms are the ones that will typically be able to offer lower prices to their customers, but a policy such as this could force them to raise tariffs in order to be able to afford the additional costs that will now be required to be featured by comparison websites.

Andrew Beasley, Managing Director of Flow Energy, believes that if this goes ahead, great care needs to be taken: “The CMA’s decision to enable price comparison sites to broker exclusive deals with suppliers for new customers will no doubt encourage competition amongst price comparison sites.

However, care needs to be taken that allowing exclusive deals to be acquisition only - that is, they do not need to be offered to suppliers’ existing customer bases - does not favour Big Six suppliers, who have large percentages of their customer base languishing on expensive standard variable tariffs.

“This new system may means that larger suppliers can use price comparison sites to aggressively market cheap tariffs to new customers, whilst their loyal customers sit on higher rates.

“In addition, the comparison sites must make it clear that they have moved away from the ‘whole market’ presentation model to once again prioritise only those deals where they are earning commission, as the public have grown to understand the whole market comparison as a key function of these sites.”

When comparing energy providers, Love Energy Savings will always strive to bring you a diverse range of options to choose from. Whilst the Big Six account for the lion’s share of the energy market, it has partnered with dozens of smaller independent suppliers so each of its customers feel fully informed about the different options available to them.

This investigation into the UK’s energy industry was first launched in order to make sure that there was strong competition, bringing customers the lowest prices possible. Two years later, and low customer engagement has been partly blamed for the high prices that are charged by certain suppliers. In other words, these suppliers impose these prices simply because they can get away with doing so. In an attempt to combat this, the report recommended that customers’ details are made more widely available.

The CMA has stated that if a customer has been on a default energy tariff for more than three years, then their suppliers should be made to hand over their contact details to Ofgem. These details will then be put into a database that will allow rival suppliers to get in touch with customers to offer them a better deal. Customers will be able to opt out of the database at any time.

Andrew Beasley of Flow Energy said that such a scheme would need to be handled carefully to avoid negative consequences: “Whilst the opening of a market database for disengaged customers is seemingly a good move, for this to work it would need to be handled and configured appropriately. This needs to be set up with the customers’ interests at heart, and shouldn’t be used as an opportunity to spam customers - a move which would only further deplete the already low level of trust in energy providers.

“Ultimately, we hope that the public debate in itself will draw attention to the fact that a vibrant, competitive market, offering good prices and great service is already out there for customers that are willing to engage with it.”

Whilst a lot of people may feel that the report failed to address many concerns surrounding the energy industry, what it did do was raise awareness of the lack of visibility and transparency that domestic and business customers alike have concerning energy tariffs.

It is unlikely that we will see any immediate changes from the report, but hopefully at the very minimum we will start to see more people being encouraged to explore their energy options.

For the full guide visit: www.loveenergysavings.com/guides/cma-investigation-guide/

LOVE ENERGY SAVINGS Love Energy Savings is one of the UK’s leading home and business energy comparison websites, specialising in helping people find cheaper energy tariffs. It is the company’s mission to help businesses cut back on their spending and save the environment at the same time.

For further information please visit: loveenergysavings.com

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

5

points Data

Older subsea technology provides little data to operators, meaning they often behave cautiously to minimise risk.

Wireless systems can now be installed at significantly less cost - harnessing this data can provide multiple benefits

T

he predominant consideration driving the development of today’s oil and gas industry is cost reduction. In the field of subsea monitoring, next-generation wireless systems have been shown to reduce costs by 70 per cent in comparison with alternative hard-wired systems. Retrofitting these wireless-monitoring technologies has the potential to extend field life or increase production.

“In general, subsea fields or tiebacks are considerably cheaper than their platform based counterparts,” said Brendan Hyland, Chairman of WFS Technologies. “Their

6

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

long-term extraction efficiency, however, can be lower and operating costs, higher. Many point to the increased cost of subsea well intervention as the main reason for this, however, this is only part of the story. Just as important, is the relative lack of good quality data without which, it is very difficult for the operator to make informed decisions.”

Modern subsea systems incorporate numerous sensors that can allow the operator to regulate flow, etc.

Unfortunately, these represent a very small proportion of the world’s installed subsea production base. Older generation subsea installations provide very little information, making

Subsea monitoring

choke back production to avoid mechanical damage to pipework from slugs forming in the wellstream. Retrofitting an ultrasonic sensor conversely, would provide an invaluable warning when the wellstream was about to go into slug flow.

“Like the fuel gauge analogy, it doesn't tell the operators what to do; it just gives them more control of the production process,” said Hyland. “Unfortunately, the subsea industry has historically spent far less in monitoring than most other process industries. This culture has changed over recent years, but many older fields are devoid of most basic instrumentation.”

The industry routinely uses water and gas injection as core elements of enhanced oil recovery. Water is pumped from the surface into a manifold from where it is distributed to multiple injector wells. Many systems, however, were installed without individual flow meters on each ‘branch’ exiting the manifold.

The operator, therefore, could not know if water was equally distributed or simply finding the path of least resistance and favouring some injector wells in preference to others. WFS has been recently involved in a programme to retrofit ultrasonic flow monitors on such a field to ensure that the correct amount of water goes into each well as specified by the geologists. They reasonably expect to see production increases of five per cent to ten per cent.

“Even simple monitoring can be advantageous. Not only can systems identify potential hazards at an early stage, but they can potentially extend the life of the entire field,” said Hyland.

“When fields were originally designed, the strength and integrity of the rigid or flexible flowlines were estimated using fatigue models. These models were based on assumptions that were inherently conservative.

“Getting better information on fatigue and corrosion etc, can allow today’s engineers to challenge these original assumptions, potentially prolonging asset lives by effectively allowing the models to be recalibrated.”

Costs it difficult for the production engineers to understand what is happening.

“A simple analogy is running a car without a fuel gauge,” said Hyland. “This does not change the way the car runs, but it has to be operated much more conservatively. The driver may fill up every quarter of a tank to avoid taking risks. Similarly, running a subsea operation with too little instrumentation means that the operator naturally reverts to very conservative behaviour which ultimately, adversely effects production.”

A practical example of this is an operator deciding to

So why are all fields not retrofitted with monitoring devices?

The main reason is cost. A typical arrangement envisages a remote measurement device connected to a surface monitoring station by cable. It is these cables, or more specifically, installing them, that dominate the costs.

Cables are used to supply the signal and power to the monitoring device, however, they bring with them, a number of intrinsic problems. These include is the possibility of damage during installation and long term integrity issues associated with water ingress.

Most fields have a main subsea electrohydraulic umbilical running from the platform, terminating in some sort seabed

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

7

By going wireless, in the correct applications, we can take up to 70 per cent of the cost versus hard wired alternatives

junction box. Jumper cables carry the power/signal from this termination assembly to individual subsea devices.

Retrofitting new sensors would require new subsea jumper cables to be tied back to this junction box.

Assuming there are free ports for these additional lines, the jumper cables are very expensive to install, requiring large intervention-class ROVs to deploy. The surface spread may also require heavy lifting gear.

Cable-based systems are not without their advantages.

They can provide a continuous stream of data in real time.

In many applications, however, this is simply unnecessary.

8

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

Most applications only require measurements being taken daily or when enough points have been recorded in order to recognise a trend or provide an alert warning.

Wireless WFS has argued convincingly that in many applications, replacing these hard-wired systems with the latest wireless technology has the potential to reduce costs considerably.

There are also additional safety benefits from eliminating the divers needed for the cable installation.

A typical system simply consists of a sensor and

Subsea monitoring

advances in battery technology, but also the incorporation of processing systems within the sensor.

“If you take 10,000 temperature data points, in most circumstances, 99 per cent of those will be all within a band,” said Hyland. “Only small percentages are of real concern. Within the intelligent subsea sensor, we use basic algorithms to process and compress the raw data, to only transmit useful information.”

The distance that Seatooth based wireless systems can be sent through seawater is dictated by the laws of physics, but a typical limit is five to 50 metres. This means that any diver or lightweight ROV flying within 10m can interrogate the sensor without having to dock onto it. A small AUV can harvest data across an entire field.

Another significant advantage of Seatooth wireless systems is that they can send data across the air/sea interface at the splashzone. “It has been historically difficult to monitor fatigue in mooring chains,” said Hyland, “because any cable would have to pass through the attritional environment of the splash zone. In a wireless arrangement, however, the sensor could be installed in the relatively calm subsea environment and the signals picked up at the surface.”

Wireless systems are suitable for a wide range of monitoring applications. A well-known issue with metal structures (offshore platforms) in salt water (seawater) is that an ionic imbalance causes corrosion. One solution has been to weld sacrificial anodes onto the structure but an alternative cathodic protection technique often used in large platforms, is to use an impressed current across the asset.

“Traditionally, the effectiveness of an impressed current is taken annually at a fixed data point,” said Hyland. “We are presently working on a system that allows us to take 10,000 data points distributed across the structure. This gives a much greater depth of understanding.

“By going wireless, in the correct applications, we can take up to 70 per cent of the cost versus hard wired alternatives.

At present hard wired systems are not being installed because operators don’t have the budgets. Using wireless systems, however, would only require 30 per cent of the cost, bringing monitoring into the cost effective development of more subsea fields.” transmitter package powered by battery. These systems have undergone significant technological advances in recent years.

The wireless instrumentation that WFS builds and deploys, weighs less than 10kg. This means that even the smallest vehicles can deploy equipment and harvest data. An ROV used to deploy cables would cost up to £200,000 per day.

By working with light ROVs off the platform, this brings the cost down to nearer £5000.

Originally, battery packs had to be swapped out after six months. Today, they can last for up to ten years. These performance improvements are not only a function of

WFS TECHNOLOGIES WFS Technologies is a global leader in the delivery of subsea wireless instrumentation, control products and communication solutions to the offshore oil and gas industry. Its Seatooth wireless technology enhances subsea monitoring by coupling a range of intelligent sensors with reliable data transmission systems.

For further information please visit: wfs-tech.com

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

9

BARRIER Gritblasting and Painting Factory and Site Applied Coatings Specialist Coatings:

Passive Fire Protection Intumescent Epoxies Cementatious Systems Boarding Systems Sprayed Thermal Insulation Crygenic Pipework PFP Jet-Fire Resistant Systems

Thermal Sprayed Aluminium • Hot Applied Epoxies • Polyurethanes • Powder Coatings •

Deck Screeds and Non-Slip Coatings Syntactic Subsea Insulation

Access and Containment Specialist Scaffolding Containment Rope Access “Shrink-Wrap” Containment Load-Bearing Platform

Removable Jet-Fire Resistant Valve Enclosures & Bulkheads Jet-Fire Resistant Valve Enclosures Jet-Fire Resistant Bulkheads Removable PFP for Structural Steel Removable PFP for Vessels

Proud to Work with OGN

Barrier Group

Outfitting Services Insulation to Modular Units Insulation to Pipework HVAC Fit-Out Architectural Fit-Out

Engineering Design Modular Cabins Accommodation Units LER Rooms

Tees Valley Enterprise Park, Glenarm Road Wynyard TS22 5FB (T) +44 (0)1740 665770 | www.barrierarchitectural.com

Pearl Buildings, Stephenson Street, Willington Quay, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, NE28 6UE TEL: 0191 262 0510 | FAX: 0191 262 8810 www.barriergroup.com

Hoses, Extrusions & Gaskets Specialist Made-Up Hoses Moulded Components Pressed Rubber Seals Vibration Mountings Moulded Rubber Bellows Rubber Fenders & Extrusions

Clamps, Guides, and Pipe Coating Guides for Jackets and Wind Towers Clamps for Subsea Pipework Neoprene to Pipework Subsea In-Situ Field Jointing of Neoprene

Aquaseal Rubber Ltd, Unit 6, Benton Business Park, Bellway Industrial Park, Longbenton, Tyne & Wear NE12 9SW (T) +44 (0) 191 2660934 | www.aquasealrubber.co.uk

News

In Brief Gas monitoring in Kuwait Fluenta has won a contract to supply flare gas meters to Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), to be used at multipoint smokeless highpressure flare sites at 14 South and East Kuwait gathering centres.

The project supports Fluenta’s continued expansion into the Middle East energy market.

Fluenta’s flare gas meters were sold directly through Warba Group, representatives of Fluenta to Musref KOC’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) group.

Brazilian service agreement GE Oil & Gas has signed a major agreement with MODEC to supply and service gas turbines for FPSOs in Brazil. MODEC ordered GE gas turbines for eight FPSOs based in Brazil and signed a 25-year maintenance contract for gas turbines on six FPSOs. The contractual service agreement will include data analytics for advanced monitoring and diagnostics, helping to improve equipment availability and operational efficiency. It is one of GE’s largest ever service agreement for FPSOs to date and represents a new milestone for the offshore industry.

Contracts in Chile worth $1.65bn Mainstream Renewable Power has been awarded contracts by the National Energy Commission of Chile to build and operate seven utility-scale wind energy plants with a total investment value of $1.65bn. The projects, awarded via 20-year term contracts, are located throughout Chile and are scheduled to begin supplying low-cost, clean energy into the grid from January 2021. Mainstream was one of the leading beneficiaries in what was the most competitive and biggest electricity tender in the country’s history.

UXO dealt with James Fisher Subsea (JF Subsea) has provided critical expertise to a high priority project at Nordergründe offshore wind farm located 16km off the North Sea coast of Germany.

Offshore wind farm development and management specialists, wpd offshore solutions (wpd), approached JF Subsea to use its innovative and safe excavation techniques to survey the precarious area and remove all unexploded munitions. The UXO’s, which had been released by Central Powers and Allied forces during WWI had delayed planned construction works and were at risk of costing the developer millions as a result.

Of the 224 targets identified, 72 were deemed to be UXO’s and had to be detonated with minimal impact to sea life. Due to the complex and unpredictable nature of the project, JF Subsea had to work within narrow weather windows and often in shallow waters with rough tides. Target location, ROVs, detonation specialists and bespoke UXO support vessels were all used as part of a turnkey solution, ensuring the precise and efficient delivery of the project.

Two vessels were deployed for the duration on the project, with specialist divers used to locate and remove the UXOs during the day and ROVs dispatched to detect and excavate through the night. This dual-pronged approach sped up the clearance process and reduced the delay to the client’s start date.

Ethane export success On the 2nd September, INEOS and Enterprise Products Partners L.P. loaded the first cargo of ethane to be exported from Enterprise’s Morgan’s Point, Texas terminal, and the INEOS Intrepid set sail on route to the INEOS facility at Rafnes in Norway.

The INEOS Intrepid is the first ship to export ethane out of Marcus Hook near Philadelphia in March as well as the new Morgan’s Point terminal on the Gulf Coast. “This is another significant development for INEOS Olefins & Polymers as it secures additional ethane from the USA. It complements our needs for competitive raw materials for our European cracker complexes,” said David Thompson CEO of INEOS Trading and Shipping.

The investment in the terminal by Enterprise will help to secure the growing international demand for supplies of US ethane from shale, which offers diversification and a competitive raw material for the global petrochemical industry. By providing US ethane producers with access to the international markets, the Morgan’s Point terminal is also facilitating continued development of US energy reserves.

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

11

14 HEMPEL PROLONGED PROTECTION FOR CLH’S NEW FUEL LOGISTICS CENTRE Hempel collaborates with CLH as supply firm in the construction of a modern fuel logistics centre in the Basque Country.

Last December, Compañía Logística de Hidrocarburos (CLH) completed the construction of a new plant for petroleum products in the Port of Bilbao. With an investment of €18.2 million, the project is set to improve the fuel storage and distribution system in the Basque Country and border communities. The facility, opened by the President of the Regional Government, Iñigo Urkullu, accompanied by the chairman of CLH, José Luis López de Silanes, comprises eight tanks capable of storing up to 123,200 cubic metres of gasoline, diesel, kerosene, biofuels and other products with total flexibility. In addition to responding to the expected growing demand for fuel in the area, the plant consolidates the Port of Bilbao as a “reference space for large shipping fleets serving industry” and as the “main attraction hub” for investment, as the Basque President pointed out.

The plant is operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so it is paramount that maximum efficiency, safety and protection are assured at all times. For that reason, CLH, a leader in the transportation and storage of petroleum products in the Spanish market, sought the help of Hempel. Given the characteristics of the project, it was necessary to find a versatile system offering high corrosion resistance, as well as being able to maintain a flawless appearance in the long term.

Consequently, the outer surfaces of the tanks were painted with a system consisting of Hempel's Galvosil E 15BES anti-corrosion paint, the two-component epoxy Hempadur 45200 Hi-Build, and a topcoat of Hempel's Polyenamel 55102, which provides excellent gloss and colour retention. The Asturian company, Contratas y Sistemas CYS, was responsible for applying the coatings.

The piping network that connects the tanks called for a system consisting of Hempel's Galvosil E 15BES, Hempadur AvantGuard® 750 and Hempadur Hi-Build 45200, which together provide effective protection for exposed steel structures in highly corrosive environments, and a topcoat of Hempel's Polyenamel 55102, which is especially resistant to the fuels stored inside. Application of this part of the project was entrusted to the Galician company, Prefabricados y Montajes Noroeste (Premonor), a consolidated collaborator of Hempel.

12

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

News Successful P&A contract

Collaboration agreed Sparrows Group and SPIE Oil & Gas Services have strengthened their existing service portfolios by signing a global agreement to work in collaboration to support the energy sector.

The deal will see the companies work together to initially deliver their collective service offering throughout Africa before they expand the scope of their collaboration globally.

Stewart Mitchell, chief executive officer at Sparrows Group, said: “The synergy between our companies, which are both committed to excellence, will allow us to deliver an unrivalled technical competence in Africa. SPIE have an extensive footprint across Africa which will allow us to reach new customers who require the highest possible standards in crane operation and maintenance, lifting, mechanical handling, inspection, training, fluid power, and cable and pipe lay services.

“Our specialist expertise complements SPIE’s existing service portfolio and together we are confident that we can deliver seamless and cost effective services to our customers around the globe.”

Yves Compañy, managing director at SPIE Oil & Gas Services, said: “Our companies share the same performance, safety and responsibility values. Their expertise and delivery capabilities complement each other enabling us to propose unique packaged solutions to the oil and gas industry.

“Sparrows Group’s internationally recognsed expertise will bring a key added value to our SPIE Asset Support Solutions product line, and Global Maintenance Contracts. It will also enrich the extensive operator’s local training programmes we deliver. This strategic alliance will strongly benefit our customers.”

New systems launch Archer Oiltools, the industry leader for smart and robust solutions in well integrity and performance, has launched a new product family Stronghold – a series of perforating, washing and cementing systems – to deliver safer, faster and more economic solutions for operators worldwide. The unique solution will generate significant cost and timesavings for operators while protecting the environment.

Hugo Idsøe, Vice President and Managing Director of Archer Oiltools, says: “The Stronghold systems provide a cost-efficient, flexible and reliable alternative to traditional methods in plug and abandonment, slot recovery and other challenges faced by operators in today’s environment.

“By eliminating the need for cutting, milling and pulling tubulars out of the well, Archer’s Stronghold systems deliver a step-change in effectiveness for barrier placement. The name Stronghold is synonymous to the core values that the one-trip systems bring – absolute protection and safety.”

The Stronghold systems were designed and developed by Archer’s engineers and technical specialists who have several years of experience developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by major operators globally.

Together with Tubing Conveyed Perforating (TCP) products and new charge development, Archer’s Stronghold systems support the safe and efficient execution of operations.

Zenith Energy, an Aberdeen based well management firm, has successfully completed the plug and abandonment (P&A) of a platform well located offshore Italy. The company provided well engineering and project management services to Londonbased operator, Rockhopper Exploration, successfully completing the P&A of the Ombrina Mare development well.

Utilising its experienced well engineering personnel, well delivery process and HSEQ management systems, Zenith Energy completed the project safely and within AFE, using the Atwood Beacon Jack Up MODU. The operation involved re-entry to the existing well situated on an unmanned platform, bullheading operations, removal of completion, casing and wellhead equipment, and the setting of permanent barrier cement plugs.

Zenith Energy’s operations director, Chris Collie, said: “This project marks a significant milestone for Zenith. We have safely and efficiently completed our first offshore well management project, which was planned and executed by a small but highly experienced team within a five-month period.

This enabled our client to take advantage of a rig of opportunity and permanently abandon their well at significant cost savings due to current market rates.

“Our team planned and executed operations within AFE and the project involved all operations that you would typically expect in a well abandonment - slick line, wireline, Xmas tree removal, cementing, cutting and pulling casing and removal of topside wellhead equipment in a well with high concentrations of H2S and A annulus pressure issues. This showcases our ability to provide quality well engineering and management for offshore projects, in a country with strict regulatory regime and challenging working environments.”

REAL COPY

ENERGY,oil&gas

REAL COPY

energy-oil-gas.com

13

Informed Royce Hernandez takes a look at the new era of real-time digital oilrigs

T

he best way for a struggling drilling industry to deal with lower crude oil and natural gas prices is to squeeze more efficiency, yields and cost savings out of production using technology. Since it costs about $20,000 a day to contract an onshore drilling rig, shaving even a few days off well yields using information and automation can deliver a make-or-break ROI. Oilrigs are becoming huge sources of Big Data that can help engineers back at operation centers achieve greater safety, optimise yields and reduce rig downtime. It’s not uncommon to find instruments continuously collecting data from wellheads, pipelines and mechanical systems that could help engineers improve well productivity as well as prevent equipment breakdowns and safety/environmental threats‌if they could analyse and visualise the data in real time.

But oilrigs are typically located in remote areas cut off from the broadband world. Rig operators need new technologies to transport massive terabyte-volumes of data in real time so that offsite operations specialists can instantly predict problems, reduce risks, fine-tune oil and gas flows, and make other informed decisions that reduce the cost of production at a time when every cent-per-barrel counts.

One of the worldwide leaders in oil and gas drilling equipment and production operations is combining the latest in land rig technology with high-speed communications and data analytics to bring oil and gas production into the realtime data era.

The Houston-based company turns drilling data into real-

14

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

time information for review and analysis of rig operations.

Huge volumes of rig data are uploaded or streamed to a centralised monitoring and advisory support centre, which serves as an analytics hub for all drilling data.

Data specialists and engineers work around the clock to proactively monitor and analyse real-time drilling data to optimise the drilling environment.

Analysts begin by reviewing key performance indicators and drilling data to understand how to improve drilling rigs, and identify where risks and opportunities may lie. Using offset well benchmarks, they then develop a drilling plan.

Once the plan is mobilised on the rig, they continuously gather and visualise many gigabits of surface and downhole data to make real-time recommendations that minimise risk, increase uptime and improve performance.

The new system serves as a visualisation platform for timeseries data from sensors and control systems to support the analytics and machine learning. It includes a compact, lossless storage mechanism for sensor data. Each terabyte of storage has the capacity to store 750 billion to five trillion data points.

The system can quickly collect and process this sensor data and all other time-series data from any source within the rig infrastructure and make it widely available to users.

For example, a wired drill pipe streams data to the surface up to 2000 times faster than conventional telemetry.

That information controls the rig, and based on real-time analytics, operators can set new parameters to further optimise the drilling process, improving drilling performance and reducing risks from factors like vibration and pressure.

IT

continuously and dynamically adjust and prioritise the downstream and upstream link parameters to each rig individually. This capability results in the network providing the very highest link availability possible to ensure real time performance for data analysis.

In addition to expanded satellite service, the company installed new mobile ground equipment on hundreds of rigs. The equipment includes a high-speed VSAT modem packaged in a compact ‘auto-deployable’ platform that automatically unfolds and orients itself towards the satellite and starts transmitting data with the push of a button. This ease of deployment is critical because the mobile rigs are typically packed up and moved to a new site on a tractor trailer every few days or weeks.

Perhaps most importantly, the oilrig network is completely private, meaning no data crosses the public internet, eliminating the risk of infiltration by hackers and viruses.

The network also enhanced the personal communications capabilities for drilling rigs, enabled data analysts to collaborate in real time with rig operators more effectively using (VoIP) technology for phone calls, and enabled rig users to utilise web, email and other applications for file exchanges and information sharing.

Conclusion More data means faster remote communications However, analytics is only part of the solution. With the constant stream of vital information being collected, relayed, and analysed - from weight on drill bits and downhole sensors to pump pressure and rate of penetration - the company also needed a fast, secure, and accurate network to support the real time communications.

The company has equipped its drilling rigs with a broadband satellite network from Hughes Network Systems, making it one of the fastest satellite network services in the oil & gas exploration industry. The recent explosion of data and communication services on mobile exploration rigs has required higher capacity network connectivity in hard-to-reach remote areas. Satellite communications provides high quality connectivity anywhere on the earth, making it well suited for the remote and often harsh environments of oil fields.

And because the company’s clients have zero tolerance for network outages due to the huge operational costs of these rigs, the reliability of satellite broadband was key.

The network utilises the IPoS (IP over Satellite) standard for satellite transmission – a standard that has been adapted by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). The key to this standard is the ability to provide differentiated and prioritised services to individual remote terminals. This allows each connected rig to have a guaranteed SLA in terms of response time as well as bandwidth offered.

Also integral to the IPoS standard is the capability to

The costs of extracting oil and gas in the current turbulent market means that companies need to squeeze greater efficiencies out of their drilling operations to stay profitable.

The ability to collect, transmit and analyse the Big Data involved in oil and gas wells in real time means that drilling time can be reduced by multiple days per well. This new generation of ‘digital oilrigs’ are marrying high-speed communications with advanced analytics to bring oil and gas production into a real-time operation. It is enabling rig operators to instantly predict problems reduce risks, finetune oil and gas flows, and make other informed decisions that reduce the cost of production at a time when every centper-barrel counts.

HUGHES NETWORK SYSTEMS Royce Hernandez is Sr. Director at Hughes Network Systems, the global leader in satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative solutions and a comprehensive suite of HughesON managed services for enterprises and governments worldwide. HughesNet is the number one high-speed satellite internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than five million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing approximately 50 per cent market share.

For further information please visit: hughes.com

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

15

A new

opportunity Increasingly, CO2 emissions represent a liability for industrial emitters. However, emerging technologies can turn this liability into an asset.

By Dr. Issam Dairanieh

R

Below Dr. Issam Dairanieh is CEO, CO2 Sciences, Inc

16

ising atmospheric, carbon dioxide concentrations have been tied to both climate change and ocean acidification.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate called for stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations below levels that would cause dangerous interference in the climate system. The recent Paris Conference set that level at one that would create less than a two-degree Celsius increase in average global temperature, but suggested that restricting the change to 1.5 degrees may be even more appropriate. These goals will require the net emissions of carbon dioxide to be zero, if not negative in the second half of this century.

Mechanisms and policies have been identified to reduce carbon dioxide emissions or to increase natural absorption from the atmosphere. Demand reduction, improved efficiency, development of renewable resources and carbon capture and storage have all been proposed as solutions. In addition to these approaches, a number of policy options

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

have been proposed, ranging from out-right bans on certain technologies to establishing a price on carbon Recently, however, the idea of a price on carbon has been supplemented with the realisation that carbon dioxide itself has economic value. Carbon dioxide transformation and reuse can be a means to reduce emissions and, potentially, to remove carbon from the atmosphere for climatologically significant periods of time. The idea of carbon dioxide transformation (CDT) is not new, but its potential significance has been largely underestimated.

The Global CO2 Initiative (GCI) was launched in January 2016 to develop innovative approaches to transform CO2 into commercial products with sustained climatological benefit. A comprehensive assessment commissioned by GCI is the first to estimate the potential significance of CO2-based products. Using conservative assumptions and methodology, it projects that by 2030, CO2-based products could eliminate ten per cent of global emissions and generate annual revenues of $800 million to $1.1 trillion.

Reducing emissions

The Global CO2 Initiative (www.globalco2initiative.org/#ourapproach) has identified promising relevant technologies ranging from those in early stages of development to those that are mature and market-ready.

The market assessment explored several options such as the mature technology of enhanced oil recovery and the growing capability to use liquid fuels made from carbon dioxide as a mechanism for storing increasingly low-cost renewable energy. While the success of these two technologies depends on the price of oil, other technology opportunities do not. Carbon dioxide curing of cement and the manufacture of carbonate-based aggregates are market-ready. At the early stage of development, a new method for creating carbon fiber from carbon dioxide has been developed. As the technology advances driving down the cost of carbon fiber, uses will expand from the energy and transportation market potentially to high volume construction applications.

One challenge for the CDT is that in some instances, it

requires advancement in capture technology. The Kemper County plant in the US is just coming on line and will provide critical experience in capture technology for coal.

Perhaps even more critical is that solid oxide fuel cells not only provide a highly efficient use of natural gas, but also a much simpler path for carbon capture than post combustion processing or oxy-combustion.

The biggest single challenge is to produce CO2-based products at a scale necessary to make a difference. The annual global anthropogenic production of carbon dioxide has reached 37 billion tons. Capturing and using ten per cent of that total is a daunting logistical challenge. Achieving an impact of this scale is not going to be accomplished by a single company, a single technology or even a single industry.

It does however come from a single idea: The private sector can turn carbon dioxide from a liability to an opportunity.

CDT technologies are emerging as important uses and commercial opportunities are growing. These technologies provide significant support for other approaches to emissions mitigation and environmental protection.

Enhanced oil recovery not only retains carbon dioxide but also profitably builds an infrastructure that can be used for carbon dioxide capture and storage. Enhanced oil recovery may also serve as a cost effective alternative to exploration in difficult and environmentally sensitive areas such as the Arctic. The use of carbon dioxide in curing cement reduces production time and carbonate based aggregates can be used to neutralize thermal wastes. Carbon fiber not only stores carbon, but also result in more lightweight and efficient cars and aircraft. Additionally, carbon fiber will find use in improved wind turbines.

The Global CO2 Initiative is taking a comprehensive view of these technological opportunities, developing new approaches and investment in later stage technologies. The Initiative is engaging key stakeholders, forming partnerships along the value chain, to create new businesses and reduce emissions.

CO2 SCIENCES Dr. Issam Dairanieh is CEO, CO2 Sciences, Inc. CO2 Sciences, Inc., the Global CO2 Initiative’s innovative R&D platform, is structured to aggressively catalyse research and development in carbon capture and use by granting up to $100 million per year for ten years to many qualified research applicants throughout the world. In parallel, the Global CO2 Initiative will accelerate the commercialisation of CO2-based products and services. It will partner with investment funds, joint ventures, foundations, individuals and corporations to invest in companies to grow market demand for CO2-based products.

For further information please visit: globalco2initiative.org

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

17

ONS review

place

© ONS / Elisabeth Tønnessen, all photography by permission

The energy meeting

ONS 2016 took place in Stavanger from 29th August to 1st September, attracting 65,718 visitors and 1241 exhibitors

© ONS / Anne Lise Norheim, all photography by permission

“

18

O

NS 2016 has exceeded our expectations and I am very pleased that we managed to gather so many people in Stavanger this year. The high participation demonstrates an optimism in the industry and confirms that ONS is a key meeting place for fostering new business in a time of transition,” said President and CEO of ONS, Leif Johan Sevland.

The ONS Exhibition was teeming with activity from the opening Monday morning and throughout the week.

Business meetings, networking, stand presentations, product demonstrations, press conferences and discussions on clean energy issues at Centre Court, were just some of the activities that took place in the nine exhibition halls.

2016’s ONS event focused on the theme of Transition and issues related to this topic were debated throughout the conference side of the show. Indeed, this year’s conference was the most successful in the history of ONS, with a higher number of attendees than ever. Approximately 800 delegates attended the main conference on an average per day.

The biggest names in the industry participated, with key players such as President and CEO of Statoil, Eldar Sætre, Vice Chairman of IHS Markit, Daniel Yergin, Chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips, Ryan Lance, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell, Ben van Beurden and President and CEO of Petrobras, Pedro Parente, speaking at the conference.

“The conference programme has been more extensive than previous years – we have gone from 88 presentations in 2010 to 500 presentations this year. We have gathered a good mix of high-level executives, technical experts and representatives for energy game changers. We managed to create engaging and fruitful discussions on future solutions,

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

among key players and decision makers and highlighted business opportunities throughout the entire energy mix,” noted Programme Director for ONS, Ingvild Meland.

Another new feature at this year’s show were the Technical Sessions, which provided an arena where the industry could present new solutions, discuss technological challenges and learn about contract opportunities. At ONS 2016, Technical Sessions were for the first time an integrated part of the programme, underpinning ONS’ role as the leading technology marketplace for the world’s energy industry. This was a big success with approximately 1050 people attending 20 sessions over three days, showcasing technology related to the whole life cycle of oil and gas fields, as well as future business opportunities.

“We are glad to hear that ONS 2016 has generated business for our exhibitors. Contracts have been signed, deals have been made and future plans have been discussed and drafted.

We hope the industry returns in two years to do more business in Stavanger. We will work hard to ensure that ONS 2018 will be even better,” concluded Leif Johan Sevland.

ONS has once again shown itself to be the leading energy meeting place, and work is already underway to make sure that ONS 2018 will be even better. Reflecting the understanding that the oil and gas industry has a strong cost focus these days, the organisers have decided to freeze the rates for stand locations. This means it will be even more affordable to be part of the ONS business arena in two years time.

For further details of how to get involved in 2018 visit: www.ons.no/2016/news/book-your-stand-for-2018-now

Key figures SS 65,718 people visited ONS 2016.

SS 1241 companies from 40 countries exhibited at ONS 2016.

SS 800 delegates on an average per day at the main conference.

SS A more extensive conference programme than ever, with 500 presentations on seven conference arenas.

SS Technical Sessions: 1050 people attended the 20 sessions over three days.

SS Young: 2110 participated at the ONS Young arena.

SS Festival: the free after party for everyone in the harbour area has been bigger and more professional than ever.

14 pavilions offered food and culture Monday through Wednesday and thousands attended the concert with Karpe Diem and the fireworks after Wednesday night.

SS Summit: the ONS Summit Meeting gathered more than 100 top leaders of governments, corporations and academia from 25.

SS Journalists: 202 journalists from 14 countries.

SS Innovation Awards: TechInvent and Island Offshore/Centrica.

SS Best Stand Awards: Norwegian Petroleum Directorate/ Ministry of Petroleum and Energy winners for stands 50 square metres or larger, and Vestteknikk winner for stands smaller than 50 square metres.

)XOO SRZHU FRQWURO IRU LQGXVWU\ JULGV

(0'* $

3RZHU PDQDJHPHQW

7333_Anz_PMS_A4_EN_160713-3.indd 1

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

VLHPHQV FRP HQHDV SPV

22.08.16 12:23

sound Safe and

Workers within the oil and gas industry are exposed to countless hazards on a daily basis, none more so than excessive noise, as Lee Nicholson explains

T

he risks associated with working in the oil and gas industry are extensive; every day offshore workers are exposed to loud turbines, pumps, pipes, valves, helicopters and mechanical noise for prolonged periods of time. Strict rules governing the use of hearing protection are in place, however, noise induced hearing loss remains a significant problem for the industry, leading to a call for the continued development of effective noise control measures.

Noise remains a prevalent issue in the offshore industry.

In fact, research from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that over 30 per cent of workers in the offshore sector are exposed to noise levels in excess of the upper action limit of 85 dB (A). While it is predicted that 120 million people worldwide have disabling hearing difficulties.

At a time when the offshore oil and gas industry is seeking to access newer, complex fields, often in deeper waters

20

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

this necessity for noise control solutions is becoming even more essential. Such explorations often require equipment operating at higher pressures and temperatures, thereby creating even more difficult and noisy conditions in which to operate. Add to this a projected growth in Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facilities, and the challenges remain significant, while the opportunities for improved occupational health of staff and overall business productivity become greater.

The main challenges with such noise levels, which often exceed the exposure limit of 87dB (A) as outlined in The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2015, is the negative health impacts it can have on the personnel working at oil and gas facilities. Prolonged exposure to excessive noise can often lead to irreversible hearing damage and tinnitus, as well as more serious conditions such as permanent hearing loss (NIHL), cardiovascular diseases, sleep disturbance, stress, brain impairment and mental issues.

H&S

Faced with such challenges, an increased emphasis has been placed on addressing noise at source in the offshore sector, with innovative solutions coming to the fore to both reduce noise exposure levels and in turn the number of noise-related injuries throughout the oil and gas industry.

Silencing noise in the offshore sector The advantages of reducing excessive noise within the oil and gas industry are extensive, not only to safeguard the health and safety of employees, but also to increase productivity and comply with increasingly rigorous regulations in order to avoid financial penalties and reputational damage.

Given the increasing demand for higher performance, and the fact that increased power output from offshore machinery leads to higher noise emissions, machinery manufacturers are looking at packaged acoustic enclosure options to mitigate the noise risk and save space.

A number of solutions, ranging from on-skid mounted localised acoustics enclosures, on-skid localised acoustic screening, and both skid mounted and deck mounted fully encompassing acoustic enclosures, designed to be accessible by personnel for equipment maintenance purposes, are often installed to combat the detrimental affects of noise.

The requirement for skid mounted acoustic enclosures is

becoming more widespread, and as such operators require these enclosures to be designed with the highest level of safety in mind.

Working within the space constraints, which are common to these types of installation, can be particularly challenging.

Whilst not losing sight of stringent working environment specifications in relation to personnel, all the ancillary safety equipment and features must be tightly packaged within each enclosure.

In certain applications it is necessary to consider accidental loads in conjunction with environmental loads. In relation to the design of acoustic enclosures, the most critical accidental loads to be considered in most offshore applications are blast loads. Through the process of design and utilisation of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) methods for both static and transient structural analysis, manufactured enclosures are designed to meet the specification requirements for the most onerous of blast load incidents.

These designs must not only consider the inherent noise of the equipment and the desired maximum noise levels required in different areas of the structure, but also the logistical and spatial limitations in terms of access to, from and around the rig. Therefore, the correct design and selection of acoustic products in particular housings for plant items is essential. This must be achieved first time to avoid

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

21

Operating in a challenging climatic North Sea environment, with extensive noisy equipment in a space-constrained environment, the acoustic enclosures on the project were designed in accordance with stringent NORSOK standards

the serious implications of non-compliance of specifications and the excessively costly nature of retro fitting.

There is no margin for error and with this in mind products performance must be tested to BS EN ISO 115461:2009, as required by BS EN ISO 15667 ‘Acoustics – guidelines for noise control by enclosures and cabins’.

Johan Sverdrup oil field A prime example of such noise control solutions in action is one of Wakefield Acoustics recent projects for the Johan Sverdrup oil field.

The Johan Sverdrup oil field, located on the Norwegian continental shelf, is one of the largest oil discoveries ever made in the region and is expected to generate between 550-650 barrels per day at its peak over the course of the next 50 years.

To significantly reduce noise levels on the offshore platform, and in turn protect the welfare of their workforce,

22

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

the operator for the Johan Sverdrup development required 17 high specification acoustic enclosures for the high pressure pumping applications The challenges inherent with the supply of noise control solutions to such a highly productive offshore application are vast. Due to extensive health and safety demands, Wakefield Acoustics designed the enclosures to withstand the client specified blast loads in the event of an explosion.

Operating in a challenging climatic North Sea environment, with extensive noisy equipment in a space-constrained environment, the acoustic enclosures on the project were designed in accordance with stringent NORSOK standards.

The packaged enclosure options – fabricated from corrosion resistant materials – also incorporated safety features, which are typical for such hazardous area applications, with hazardous area compliant ventilation systems and filtration, internal lighting and emergency

H&S

back-up lighting, removable sections for regular and major maintenance requirements, as well as fire and gas detection and suppression systems.

A number of leading companies in the oil and gas sector have opted to use Wakefield Acoustics due to their vast experience and knowledge in the industry. Based on their expertise and considerable application experience, the company has supplied a large number of noise control solutions including enclosures, inlet silencers, inlet filter silencers and blow off silencers for a wide range of offshore applications around the world.

The offshore oil and gas sector will unquestionably see dramatic changes in the coming years, as companies hunt oil and gas that is harder to extract from hidden away and more challenging formations. Such shifts mean that working conditions will noticeably evolve, as higher performance equipment and machinery requiring increased power input

is needed, greatly increasing the noise generated on offshore applications. Noise therefore will become a critical factor for oil and gas companies to address increasingly through the design and development of offshore facilities.

wakefield acoustics Lee Nicholson is managing director of Wakefield Acoustics, a leader in noise control solutions for the offshore oil and gas industry. The company has extensive experience in providing innovative noise control engineering solutions spanning a wide variety of sectors including oil and gas, petro-chemical, power generation, water and waste, recycling, general industry and infrastructure.

For further information please visit: wakefieldacoustics.co.uk

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

23

rules New

As stated by the European Commission, 2016 is set to be a ‘year of delivery’ in light of the proposal to re-write most of the EU energy legislation by adopting the Energy Security Package.

Massimo Merola explains the significance

T

Below Massimo Merola is a partner in the BonelliErede Energy & Infrastructure Focus Team

24

his Package aims to update legislation on the security of gas supply, enhance transparency and the Commission’s role within intergovernmental energy agreements, and outline new strategies for LNG and gas storage, and for heating and cooling.

The Package is composed of two legislative proposals (the Security of Gas Supply Regulation and Intergovernmental Agreements) and two non-legislative documents (the LNG and Storage Strategy, and the Heating and Cooling Strategy).

The Package includes two key instruments for assessing investments in European gas infrastructures: the Security of Gas Supply Regulation and the LNG and Storage Strategy.

The first mainly addresses the external challenges of European energy security, whereas the second focuses mostly on the internal ones.

Natural gas is ‘the bridge between coal and renewables’ and plays a central role in this recent proposal by the Commission, as gas will remain a key element of the energy mix for at least the next 20 years, despite the ongoing decarbonisation strategy. The first key instrument, the proposed Regulation, therefore specifically addresses the security of gas supply throughout the EU and is essentially based on gas stress tests carried out after the European Energy Security Strategy was adopted in May 2014. These tests analysed the potential consequences of a disruption in Russian gas supplies. The Commission’s main aim with the Security of Gas Supply Regulation

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

is therefore to introduce: (a) a solidarity principle that prioritises households and essential social services during an emergency situation, (b) a mandatory regional preventive action, (c) emergency plans rather than national plans, and (d) changes in terms of reverse gas flows. The proposed Regulation also envisages enhanced reporting requirements concerning contractual terms between market operators. These reporting requirements will apply to long-term supply contracts (i.e., over 12 months), which account for more than 40 per cent of natural gas consumption in each member state.

In terms of the LNG and Storage Strategy, which is the second key instrument for investors, the Commission understands that the EU does not need significant additional LNG import capacity but better interconnections between neighbouring member states, particularly with those that already have direct or indirect access to LNG import terminals or trading hubs. Figures show that LNG terminals are used at an average rate of 22 per cent and additional LNG terminals are now under construction. The focus will therefore be on prioritising infrastructure projects to reinforce interconnections. The main projects that will receive support from the EU are those in the Baltics, South Eastern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula.

In light of these objectives, the Commission is expected to prioritise projects involving investments to remove bottlenecks, enable reverse flows for the bi-directional use of pipelines, diversify supply sources and connect already

Pipelines

existing networks. The Commission will also prioritise investments to reduce energy waste, given the objectives of the Heating and Cooling Strategy.

At the same time as the Energy Security Package, another security of supply initiative that investors need to continue monitoring concerns Projects of Common Interests (PCIs), which still require an adequate regulatory framework at national level.

As to the regulatory risks to be managed by investors, it should be kept in mind that public support for energy infrastructures is, in principle, classified as State aid under the Commission Communication on the Notion of State aid.

Under the modernisation package on State aid control, projects receiving limited public support can now be immediately implemented without any notification obligation if the amount granted does not exceed EUR 50 million and certain regulatory conditions are satisfied (to be checked on a case-by-case basis). However, for large projects that require a notification, investors can take comfort in the fact that the Commission included more favourable rules for PCIs in the Commission’s Communication on the new 2014 Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy. These Guidelines also introduced clear criteria to assess the compatibility of other infrastructure projects with State aid rules.

These two communications from the Commission have resulted in greater legal certainty and have cut red tape for public authorities and companies, thus encouraging the

development of energy projects. It is now up to the investors to: (a) ensure that their projects comply with the new set of rules; and (b) obtain confirmation of this compliance in the form of a comprehensive self-assessment.

Moreover, as regards the commercial operation of energy infrastructures, investors should be aware of the need to implement an effective competition compliance programme.

The Commission has enforced EU competition rules in this sector in the past, as seen a few years ago with the case involving GDF Suez, in which commitments were imposed regarding French entry points for natural gas.

In conclusion, the European Commission has clearly stated the main priorities of the European energy market.

Now it is investors’ turn, and their real challenge is to devise ambitious projects capable of translating the Commission’s view into reality, whilst complying with EU competition law rules.

BonelliErede Massimo Merola is a partner in the BonelliErede Energy & Infrastructure Focus Team. BonelliErede is a top Italian law firm, formed in 1999 when the Genoa-based Bonelli e Associati merged with the Milan-based Erede e Associati and the Brussels-based Pappalardo e Associati.

For further information please visit: belex.com/en/

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

25

sun Here comes the

IoT, Data, Drones and Blockchain: the new Solar Energy frontiers.

By Florent Andrillon and Sidney Delourme

S

olar energy has become an essential source of energy in the global utility landscape.

With unlimited resource, the potential of solar is huge, however the competitive and decentralised nature of the sector means there remains a number of challenges companies face. But technological innovations are changing the entire industry.

Here, we will look at how these innovations are impacting the way consumers buy and use energy, and what utilities Below need to do to stay ahead of the trend.

Florent Andrillon The solar industry has gone through a number of changes is Director at in recent years as the energy source becomes more popular.

Capgemini The prices of solar panels have dropped by 70 per cent Consulting due to the introduction of mass production, especially from China-based companies, to cope with the increasing demand from utilities, consumers and investors. This has been coupled with huge investment, where over $380 billion was invested into solar technology from a broad range of financial institutions, including World Bank, commercial banks, insurers, pension funds, many of whom were making their first investments in solar energy in 2015 alone. This has resulted in an explosion of installed capacities from 4GW in Below 2004 to 227 GW in 2015 (IRENA).

Sidney Delourme is The combined impact of these factors demonstrates the a Senior Consultant potential growth that the solar industry has to offer, with at Capgemini Consulting some estimating an average annual growth of ten per cent to 2020 (Greentech Media), with installed capacity forecasts between 1500 to 3000 GW by 2030 (IEA). This development is likely to be accelerated further considering post-COP21 government commitments as well as the growing energy needs of emerging economies around the globe.

At the intersection of various sectors (technology, energy,

26

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

construction and financial engineering), the solar sector embodies the upheaval of the traditional business models more broadly. Indeed, nearly 40 per cent of investments are decentralised in nature, and are no longer carried by conventional utilities but by individuals and companies eager to reduce their bills and carbon footprint.

This shift away from the traditional model is highlighted by the growth of the prosumer: the customer who not only consumes energy but also produces it too. This shift has started to gain momentum, particularly in Germany where nearly six million German consumers had become their own supplier of photovoltaic electricity (PV) in 2014. These changes are symptomatic of the huge shifts taking place, and will likely dictate changes in the business models of the major utility companies in the short term.

In contrast with many other sectors within the energy industry, one of the distinctive characteristics of solar energy is the ever closer integration with consumers: residential and commercial rooftops, industrial sites, parking shade structures, isolated villages and remote islands have all seen the growth of solar power in recent years.

Renewables

For industry players, this proliferation of sites raises important issues throughout the value chain, which can leverage a new ecosystem of digital technologies. These innovations offer several benefits for utilities and customers alike: streamline the customer experience, optimise production operations and reduce maintenance costs, opening new opportunities for financing, payment and energy exchanges. Let’s take a look at some of these innovations.

Sensors, algorithms and drones to optimise the operation and maintenance costs.

To optimise operations and reduce costs, some start-ups have developed solar-specific solutions. French company, SUNiBrain, offers an intelligent cooling and cleaning system harnessing the power of rainwater. Sensors measuring temperature, water levels, evaporation, micro-weather and electrical data are coupled with calculation algorithms, including wind, thermal inertia, water quality and panel models are providing a more accurate picture of the activity taking place. With this plethora of data, SUNiBrain was able to see performance gains of six to ten per cent.

For large solar power plants, which can cover several dozen hectares and count millions of panels, inspection and maintenance costs significantly weigh on overall operating costs. To optimise maintenance, drones are a fast, effective and inexpensive option, allowing inspection and detection of anomalies five to ten times faster than a human can.

Equipped with embedded thermal cameras, drones can ‘scan’ dozens of hectares of solar fields within hours and identify ‘cold’ zones, indicating a malfunction completely independently. The dedicated software platforms, then allows the user to collate, analyse and enhance images collected by a fleet of drones further enabling greater efficiency.

Digital platforms, Virtual Net Metering and Solar Communities put consumers at the heart of the new energy equation.

To drive customer adoption of solar energy, a number of organisations including Google (with Sunroof) and French company InSunWeTrust, offer individuals a flash assessment of their eligibility to install solar panels. They also help calculate the cost of installation and the return on investment at hands.

For those without land or rooftop available (typically urban apartment owners) many US States have established ‘Virtual Net Metering’ programs, allowing residents to co-invest in community solar power, co-own a remote solar powerplant and remotely use the energy it produces.

This business model offers consumers ‘credits’ that are virtually allocated by the energy company and therefore lowering their bills. This ‘Sharing Economy’ approach, made popular by services such as Airbnb and Uber, have become more popular in recent years as consumers become more cost-conscious and look for new ways to reduce their energy expenditures, while

contributing to making a better, carbon-free future.

This technological revolution could allow the creation of decentralised and independent energy marketplaces. So far, these ‘Peer-to-Peer’ models remain difficult to implement due of the absence of secured transactional management platforms.

However, there are a number of companies facing the challenge of this collaborative model worldwide: OpenUtility (UK), Buzzn (Germany), Vandebron (Netherlands) or, LO3 Energy (USA). Currently, there are two different software technologies used to secure and encrypt transactions and the exchange of energy between individuals: centralised on traditional billing platform, the other decentralised - based on Blockchain, the iconic technology which enabled the creation of the iconic Bitcoin virtual currency.

By promoting these innovations, the US startup Transactive Grid, has recently built an electrical micronetwork community in Brooklyn, where the roof electrons produced on one side of the street are sold to residents of the other. These electrons instantly enrolled in Blockchain through Ethereum software, are accounted for and billed according to preset preferences by the seller and included in contracts: setting the balance between self-consumption and resale of solar electrons and setting prices.

For the solar industry more broadly, these technological innovations are helping to lower the cost of energy as well as helping to supply energy to regions that were previously grossly underserviced. However, they are just the tip of the iceberg. The industry will continue to evolve in response to new technological innovation. The rise of the prosumer and the subsequent introduction of new business and consumption models has already seen industry upheaval.

Nimble start-ups are offering new services that cater to the evolving needs of the modern customer while global utility giants have had to reassess their business models as well as their offering. The question for established players now is how to best adapt to roll out these new technologies and models, in order to stay in touch with fast evolving consumer needs and wants, and remain ahead of ever-increasing competition from aggressive market conquerors like Google, Tesla or SolarCity.

capgemini consulting Florent Andrillon is Director and Sidney Delourme is a Senior Consultant at Capgemini Consulting. With more than 180,000 people in over 40 countries, Capgemini is a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing services. The Group reported 2015 global revenues of EUR 11.9 billion. Together with its clients, Capgemini creates and delivers business, technology and digital solutions that fit their needs, enabling them to achieve innovation and competitiveness.

For further information please visit: capgemini.com

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

27

solutions Sophisticated

With so many factors disrupting their business models, utility companies need to invest in technology that can mitigate the risks they face says Ken Vormwald

T

Above Ken Vormwald, product manager for Allegro

28

he future of utilities is here but it’s not evenly distributed yet. The challenge is how to make it spread. Many factors are currently affecting the industry, from the cost of solar drop and rising consumer demand for renewables to the increasing adoption of highly responsive urban microgrids that optimise usage.

Additionally, Tesla’s PowerWall product promises to make in-home energy storage a reality within this decade. All these changes are forcing utilities towards a more distributed model of generation that all but warrants even more disruption – along with reduced income from electricity sales as more and more people generate their own.

With all the embedded systems being installed in homes and businesses you’d think that technology would also make predicting and pricing consumption in this new environment easier.

The truth is that all that data being sent back to the IT mothership is too much for many legacy IT systems to analyse quickly. The business insights and improved visibility of risks that big data promises are needed now more than ever, particularly to inform the trading decisions utility companies make about their supply chains.

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

Because if changing market dynamics weren’t enough risk to manage, you now have to add the constant worry of extreme weather. The last few years have shown it to be a near constant that lands without precedent or warning, crashing generation capacity when a polar vortex or heatwave descends, or dampening demand during an extended El Nino Winter.

How can utilities better understand the future impact of weather on both power demand and supply, manage a multiplicity of distributed generation sources, take the steps toward a distributed generation model with minimum pain and disruption, plan the availability of fuel, and deal with associated price swings?

It’s a big ask, but the answer may well lie in – yes – more technology. But this time in systems that can deal with torrents of data to manage unpredictability and risk.

Regulation Risks Regulatory changes are an area of extreme risk for utilities.

The complexity of reporting, markets, transactions, contracts and accounting rules generate special challenges in complying with the ambiguities of regimes such as DoddFrank, REMIT, EMIR, MiFID II and others.

Utilities

Without accurate internal audits and proper governance, utility companies involved in energy trading can be exposed to significant risk. Forward-looking traders, meanwhile, are seeing that better visibility into the non-standard, structured deals in their portfolios could create new opportunities.

Further complicating matters for utilities are the everincreasing pressures from global environmental agencies to curb and manage their carbon emissions. Proposals, such as the US Environmental Protection Agency’s comprehensive Clean Power Plan, are expected to affect carbon-fuelled generating plants around the world. Likewise, in Europe, the 7th Environment Action Programme outlines sustainability and biodiversity objectives based on low-carbon growth.

Not only will utility companies need to manage the physical aspects of these new regulations, they will need to facilitate the complex process of dealing with emissions credits and potential new cap-and-trade markets.

Demand goes up - consumption goes down Another area of risk is that global demand for power is set to grow by about 85 per cent between now and 2040 as living standards rise, economies grow and the electrification of society continues (see mobile devices, the internet of things and the rise of wearables).

And yet - demand for fuel to produce that power is only projected to rise by 50 per cent. For that blame more and more customer-owned generation and improved energy efficiency in generation and transmission. Flat or negative growth to utility revenues has been the result.

If utility companies are going to wring profits from a fast-evolving and shape-shifting marketplace, they have to find new ways to optimise their resources and reduce costs. One way to do that is to invest more in systems that provide intelligence for short-term planning issues like unit commitment and bidding.

It’s easy to say but harder to do. As an asset-intensive industry with major capital commitments, utility companies have always emphasised long-term planning - often conducted separately from short-term planning, and where both tend to be done in isolation from the trading desk. It’s a siloed approach that blurs awareness of the market risks that arise when planning for future portfolio enhancements or resource needs. Significant cultural change may be needed alongside technological changes.

Technology to the rescue With so many factors disrupting their business models, utility companies need to invest in technology that can mitigate the risks they face. Management needs better access to information and tools for decision making, not only for executives, but also for personnel engaged in planning and trading. Without a commodity management

platform, they may not be able to accurately dispatch generation, manage contract terms or pass regulatory scrutiny over feedstock purchases.

The assumption has always been that IT will provide access to the right insight. However, the industry has grown up with a dog’s breakfast of homegrown and off-the-shelf energy trading and risk management (ETRM) applications that may not be ready to meet the needs of today’s power and utility markets. Spreadsheet-based applications, in particular, typically need a high level of expensive customisation each time a new type of generation or fuel is added.

At minimum, a utility commodity management system should offer the following: S Robust analytics, such as forecasting, simulation and optimisation.

S Standardised models and forecasts to ensure consistency in analysis, with the ability to trace back model results and assess risk across power and gas portfolios.

S Forecasting, simulation and optimisation analytics integrated with energy trading and risk management applications.

S Simulation of market, outage and weather scenarios fast enough to handle trading requirements.

Before you begin evaluating solution providers, understand your company's strategy for hedging risk and complying with regulations in detail. Take an inventory of your most used resource analytics, but also consult traders, risk managers and planners to understand what they need to be successful.

Investing in a suite of applications that integrate energy trading and risk management with analytics is the best approach to reduce the total cost of supporting legacy systems or spreadsheets. Additionally, it will provide the added bonus of consistency of information across the organisation, which is crucial if utilities are going to return to growth and profitability.

allegro Ken Vormwald is an electric utility industry specialist with extensive experience in software product development and system implementation. As Product Manager for Allegro, he oversees the company's product offering in Power, Generation, Emissions and Renewable Energy. He serves as the internal and external evangelist for the Allegro electric power-related trading and risk management offerings globally.

For further information please visit: allegrodev.com

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

29

come Policy changes to

Implications of Brexit on the energy sector. By Massimo Merola

E

U and the UK energy markets will need a new legal framework to interact with each other following Brexit. EU law will remain Below Massimo Merola enforceable until then, undoubtedly, but is a partner in energy will be a complex chapter in the UK the BonelliErede negotiations to obtain access to the EU internal market, and Energy & Infrastructure Focus the outcome is highly uncertain.

Team The challenges of Brexit facing the energy sector are not limited to the re-enactment under national law of EU regulations that have applied in the UK without the need of implementing measures under national law.

Due to the interconnection of energy markets, it will be essential for the UK to reach an agreement with the EU and neighbouring member states. However, the impact will go

30

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

beyond the cross-border physical trading of energy given that, post Brexit, there will not be any regulatory framework for: (i) the cross-border financial trading of energy products, (ii) REMIT and other market integrity mechanisms, (iii) EU funding for strategic infrastructure, (iv) emission trading mechanisms, (v) security of supply solidarity, etc.

An additional issue of great complexity is the absence of a regulatory framework for state aid. Interestingly for the future UK negotiations in the energy sector, the EU and the Swiss Confederation are currently negotiating an agreement concerning the energy sector.

Investment will be the first to be affected by Brexit. The energy sector is highly regulated and uncertainty will have an impact on investment until the post-Brexit UK-EU relationship

Brexit

is defined. However, not all energy projects will be affected in the same manner: some might be put on hold (e.g., the EDF's wind energy project in Scotland) whereas others might gain momentum (e.g., the French-Irish interconnector). In addition, if security of supply will be threatened, the UK’s plan to close coal plants might slow down.

The possibility of obtaining incentives without any state aid control may be seen as a positive development for investments. Indeed, the current state aid rules will not apply in a post-Brexit UK. However, investors should be aware that access to the EU market is implausible without commitments from the UK to avoid distortions of competition. As existing WTO provisions are insufficient, the UK might be required to introduce some form of state aid control. This can be

achieved by entering into either a multilateral agreement - such as the one for the EEA that includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway or a bilateral agreement.

State aid control under the EEA model is substantially the same as the one under EU law and implies entrusting enforcement to an independent supranational authority.

Conversely, the model under a bilateral agreement offers more flexibility in the design of a state aid control mechanism. For example, EU candidate countries implement state aid rules into national law, based on EU standards, and the national authority is responsible for their enforcement. Another example of state aid control under a bilateral model is the one implemented by Switzerland, in which state aid rules are limited to specific commitments in treaties with the EU. The air transport sector, for instance, is subject to state aid control, although its application to other sectors is controversial in Switzerland. Back in 2007, the European Commission unilaterally declared some special company tax regimes in Switzerland incompatible with the EU-Swiss Confederation agreement of 1972. A much awaited joint statement on business taxation in 2014 solved this controversy.

This all shows that, even though is too early to foresee the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, UK businesses planning investments should not expect a relaxation of state aid control for the foreseeable future. As regards internal market rules, both EU-based energy businesses and UK businesses should anticipate changes in energy policies and instruments after Brexit (to give just one example, changes to national emissions targets that were set on the basis of the relative wealth of the member states - which have taken the UK’s wealth into account until now). These changes are expected to have a wide and deep impact on EU energy policies and, although environmental policies are the most obvious example due to the effort-sharing principle, Brexit will trigger a redefinition of EU policies on security of supply, strategic infrastructures, financial trading of energy products, to name just a few.

bonellierede Massimo Merola is a partner in the BonelliErede Energy & Infrastructure Focus Team. BonelliErede is the market leader for legal services in Italy, with a team of over 300 professionals based in Milan, Rome, Genoa, Brussels and London. The firm has a variety of sectors offering services in all areas of business and criminal law.

For further information please visit: belex.com/en/

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

31

Brexit

times Interesting

Love Energy Savings sums up some thoughts on Brexit and the energy sector

B

efore the votes were cast, many in the energy sector raised concerns that a Brexit would have a negative effect on the industry. Now we have chosen to leave, uncertainty about the long-term implications is understandably rife.

The UK had previously been a rather loud voice in Brussels when it came to both the liberalisation of the energy market and climate change. Both of these need to be looked at separately.

Firstly, the energy market. In the immediate aftermath of the Brexit, a decline in exchange rates caused gas prices to rise, causing many to immediately jump to the conclusion that leaving the EU was a ‘bad move’. However, as the dust settles, things have started to calm down.

One of the biggest questions that will face Brexit negotiators is whether the UK will remain in the internal energy market and what an energy trading relationship will look like.

If the UK wants to continue to have full access to the European single energy market, we will also have to comply with the rules and regulations other members adhere to as part of the access agreement, similar to Norway, however we will lack negotiating powers.

If we chose to work outside this market, it would begin a hugely complex process and result in uncertainty harming investment in the long-term. Having said that, in terms of prices, ‘energy’ is not currently subject to a tariff and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) have a zero-cap on energy trade tariffs, suggesting that the EU would not be able to impose an explicit tax on energy exports - which would be good news. However, that is not to say that the EU would not impose ‘transmission’ charges, for example.

Moving onto the effect a Brexit will have on our climate change commitments. The fact that we have a UK Climate Change Act and have just recently passed the fifth carbon

32

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

budget demonstrates that our motivation to de-carbonise is not one imposed by the EU, but one which the UK seeks to pursue regardless of whether we are an EU member or not. In the EU, we were a louder voice than many for pushing climate change policy. Without us, support for green legislation may suffer.

A potential problem for the EU is that the UK currently contributes more than the member state average when it comes to the EU’s collective target. This means that when the UK leaves, other members will have to make more of an effort to reduce their emissions.

One the other hand, the main issue the UK could potentially experience is a reduction in investment.

Uncertainty always hinders confidence but, by leaving the EU, we will also have reduced access to the European Investment Bank. A lack of funding may delay, or even put an end to, any potential renewable energy plant plans or fracking opportunities which would then reduce our ability to generate green power domestically.

Therefore, it seems that our best bet is to remain part of the single market, negotiating favourable supply terms while continuing to lobby for progressive climate change policies.

However, with known climate-change sceptic, David Davis, leading UK Brexit negotiations, it will be interesting to see how the next five, ten and 20 years pan out.

Below Phil Foster, MD of Love Energy Savings

LOVE ENERGY SAVINGS Love Energy Savings is one of the UK’s leading home and business energy comparison websites, specialising in helping people find cheaper energy tariffs. It is their mission to help businesses cut back on their spending and save the environment at the same time.

For further information please visit: loveenergysavings.com

PROFILE

The key to efficient and successful utilisation of Founded in 2008, Biogasclean

Below Thorkil Dahlgreen, CEO Biogasclean A/S

A/S is a Danish company specialised in the desulfurisation of biogas. The company develops, manufactures and markets fully automated gas-cleaning systems for H2S removal that ensure low operating costs and high levels of availability. In only a few short years, Biogasclean has established a solid and proven track record and today the company is able to boast as many as more than 200 plants in operation or under construction. These are located in 38 countries globally and supply clean gas to in excess of 475 MW gas engines.

Biogasclean supplies a complete range of biological H2S removal systems ranging from small gas cleaners to the world’s largest biological gas cleaners at ethanol distilleries and paper mills. The smallest systems can be loaded on a truck or shipped worldwide in one forty feet container. The largest systems comprise one or more tanks constructed on site as the diameter is too big for road transportation. The gas cleaners can be designed according to the client’s requirements to handle any flow rate and concentration of H2S content in raw biogas.

During typical operation H2S is reduced to 100-

Biogasclean

biogas 250 ppm, however Biogasclean can reduce this level to lower values as needed. The cleaning process is 100 per cent biological, with operating costs ranging from between 80 and 90 per cent lower than chemical gas cleaning systems and a level of availability of above 98 per cent.

Additionally, the only residue from the process is a valuable liquid fertilizer.

A gas cleaner from Biogasclean comprises the following main systems: 1) The Process Technique Unit (the PTU) 2) One or more tanks and 3) Packing media. The PTU is the machine room and contained in a custom built fibreglass housing or modified shipping container or alternatively skid mounted. The PTU acts as the system’s control centre with a programmable logic controller (PLC) board, circulation pump, air blower, valves, flow metres and – if required – also a heating system. The PTU’s are assembled and tested at Biogasclean’s workshop before shipment. The tanks are made of reinforced fibreglass and are - except for the very large tanks constructed on site – manufactured at a workshop with filament winding machines.

To reduce the cost of larger units, Biogasclean manufactures fibreglass tanks in several ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

33

34

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

PROFILE

countries. The packing media is manufactured in plastic and houses the bacteria which oxidise the H2S to sulfate and elemental sulfur.

One of the most remarkable key features of the company’s product line is the QSR® Quick Sludge Removal - system. During QSR® cleaning the tank is filled with water and pressurised air injected in the bottom of the tank so the packing media is washed like in a big washing machine. The QSR® system makes it possible to clean the tank without emptying the tank for packing media as in other biological scrubbers. It reduces down time during cleaning and gives the highest availability.

All of the systems offer the shared characteristics of high levels of safety, automatic operation, low operating costs and guaranteed performance. Indeed, the injection of air into biogas is only safe when a reliable control system is present. The PLC receives signals from an oxygen meter and can reduce or stop air injection entirely in the case that the oxygen content of the clean gas becomes too high.

Furthermore, the safety system is designed to remove the source of ignition by cutting the system’s power supply if the gas detector in an enclosed PTU measures above 25 per cent of the lower explosive level. The PLC controller board also automatically controls the overall biogas cleaning system, which reduces the risk for manual errors and operational problems.

The core function of the PLC is to ensure safe, optimal and sustainable conditions for the biological process. The signals sent by the PLC are made available to plant operators in the control room.

Biogasclean systems deliver low operating costs because they use no chemicals and have a very low level of electrical consumption. In many projects the company employs treated water from an anaerobic digester or an aeration pond as scrubber liquid as well as nutrient source, which is readily available and more costeffective than soft water and industrial fertilizer.

In order to prevent clogging inside the scrubber tank the treated water is first pre-treated with sulphate from the biological process in make-upwater (MUW) tanks. During the pre-treatment process calcium and magnesium react with the sulfate and settle in the MUW tanks before the water is finally pumped into the scrubber tank.

As the global energy market continues to look for reliable forms of clean fuel, biogas represents a renewable source of energy derived from organic waste streams. Its is a

Biogasclean

BarkerBille BarkerBille is a specialised fan company that has been on the market for more than 50 years. Based in Denmark and China (Ningbo), BarkerBille manufactures fans for industries like Energy, Food, Dairy, Marine, Feed, Boiler and Chemical.

BarkerBille is one of the first movers on 3D technology and advanced calculation tools making it a preferred supplier for turnkey engineering companies. The advanced technology has given the company the advantage of very competitive and flexible production. Additionally, it has developed a special quality assurance programme applicable to each fan, ensuring the same high quality from both Denmark and China.

natural byproduct from anaerobic digestion of organic waste streams at livestock farms, food processing plants, breweries, palm oil mills, starch factories, ethanol distilleries, paper mills and other waste water treatment plants.

In terms of its use as a renewable source of energy, biogas contains between 50-70 per cent methane (CH4), 30-50 per cent carbon dioxide (CO2) and 0.1-3 per cent hydrogen sulphide (H2S). When the H2S is removed from biogas it can be used to substitute oil and gas as a source of power and heat production or further upgraded to natural gas quality.

Biogasclean understands the importance of biogas as a renewable energy source for the future and has provided products to clients on every continent globally. “The most important market for Biogasclean is Southeast Asia and we have recently expanded our production facilities in Thailand,” adds Thorkil Dahlgreen, CEO. Over the coming years its innovative biological hydrogen sulphide scrubbers will continue to grow in presence throughout the world’s energy market.

Biogasclean A/S biogasclean.com

Services Manufactures and markets biological hydrogen sulphide scrubbers

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

35

Optimised Operating as a wholly owned

Below Jofrid Klokkehaug, CEO, Statoil Refining Denmark

36

ENERGY,oil&gas

subsidiary of the Norwegian firm Statoil ASA, Statoil Refining Denmark A/S is Denmark’s key refinery company meeting over 80 per cent of the country’s gasoline and diesel requirements via its Kalundborg refinery operations. Since its purchase from Dansk Esso in 1986, Statoil Refining Denmark has continued to manage the Kalundborg refinery on behalf of the Statoil Group, along with a product terminal in the centre of Zealand and a terminal just outside the refinery in Kalundborg. While the oldest parts of the refinery date back to 1961, the site has been continuously developed and modernised and in 1995 for example, the refinery was expanded to include a new condensate distillation plant that enabled it to produce petrol with a lower content of the carcinogen benzene. Today Statoil Refining Denmark is amongst among one of the world’s most energy efficient refineries, with crude oils and condensates mainly from the North Sea are delivered via ship, with more than 600 ships docking at the refinery’s pier every year. The refinery is mainly supplying the local market. A part of the refined products are also supplied to other markets in northwest Europe. The refinery is connected via two pipelines, one gasoline and one gasoil, to its terminal at Hedehusene, near Copenhagen. Statoil Refining Denmark was previously featured in Energy, Oil & Gas magazine in October 2015, during which time energy-oil-gas.com

CEO, Jofrid Klokkehaug discussed the on-going development of the refinery. The development is covered in the strategy to deliver sustainable future for the refinery. Throughout the year the company made significant investment in optimising its capacity and efficiency through enhanced maintenance as well as making its operations more environmentally friendly in line with updated EU regulations. Part of this investment involves upgrading and expanding on the storage tanks as well as improving corrosion protection and improving detections of oil and gas defects. Over the years the company’s efforts to optimise its Kalundborg refinery have enabled Statoil Refining Denmark to achieve highly positive results, including a record year for 2015. “The refinery has a capacity of 5.5 million tonnes per year and has been expanded several times and also been upgraded to produce high quality diesel and petrol.

Moreover, the energy efficiency was improved, making Statoil Refining Denmark among the most energy efficient refineries. As mentioned the crude processed at the refinery is mainly from the North Sea, however the Kalundborg refinery also acquires crudes from the Atlantic basin to optimise the feedstock supply,” explains Jofrid Klokkehaug, CEO of Statoil Refining Denmark A/S. “2015 was a very good year for the refining industry in Europe and a very good year for Statoil Refining Denmark, so we had a very high level of income during that year – the best ever in fact. One of the main reasons for this is that there were some very good margins in the refining market and in addition we had record high regularity, meaning that we were able to run the refinery in an efficient way,” she continues.

“This enabled us to achieve good optimisation of the feed stock and to capitalise on cost reduction, which all contributed to the company having a very good year throughout 2015.”

More than 80 per cent of the products produced at the refinery are transportation fuels such as diesel and petrol, with the refinery’s ongoing commitment to investment enabling

PROFILE

Statoil Refining Denmark to introduce new products to the market. “As Denmark’s key refinery, Statoil Refining Denmark is able to meet 80 per cent of the country’s gasoline and diesel refining requirements. While the facility is traditionally a refinery for the local market within Denmark, we also have the key advantage of being close to the markets within Scandinavia with Sweden as our biggest export market,” Jofrid elaborates. “The refinery’s Synflex facility came on-stream in 2002 and produces one million tonnes of sulphur-free diesel oil annually; this is otherwise defined as ten parts per million of sulphur, or 0.001 per cent. Statoil Refining Denmark also delivers petrol and diesel oil with less than 50 ppm (0.05 per cent) of sulphur. When comes to feedstock we are keen to look beyond the North Sea as this market is relatively flexible and we are able to import a variety of crude components.”

Between April and May 2016 the Kalundborg refinery was closed down for the biggest inspection and maintenance programme in the

Statoil Refining Denmark

history of the refinery, which resulted in further improvements to the efficiency of the facility and the installation of new components. The continued investment into plant equipment and optimisation represents a key strategy for Statoil Refining Denmark in navigating a competitive market. “The inspection and maintenance of the refinery was a significant undertaking that involved the inspection of nearly 1000 pieces of equipment, ranging from vessels and simple instruments to highly complicated refining machinery. It incorporated a wide range of activity such as the changing of catalyst material and during the operation we also introduced additional fire and gas detection systems,” Jofrid concludes. “There is currently significant over capacity in the refining sector within Europe and our focus is to continue to run the refinery efficiently, while ensuring that we optimise on the crude supply and increase regularity. We operate the refinery according to the lean methodology because we believe this is a very good tool to make the refinery even more efficient.”

BMS As the largest crane company in Scandinavia, BMS was contracted to support the latest turn-around on the Statoil Refinery in Kalundborg, Denmark. BMS and Statoil have developed a good co-operation through many earlier shutdowns, but this time 23 mobile-, crawler- and truckmounted-cranes were involved, some of them working around the clock.

BMS has dedicated supervisors on site who aim to deliver a flexible service. If a job has to be rescheduled it is merely a new task that has to be solved – not a problem. Safety is of course the main issue when working on a refinery and BMS managed to fulfil the contract with a high safety performance.

Statoil Refining Denmark A/S statoil.com

Services Crude oil refinery

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

37

Superior

approach Founded in 2006 by energy and commodities organisation, the Vitol Group, VTTI currently offers eight million cubic metres of combined storage space across five continents, an impressive number that is anticipated to rise to more than ten million as more projects come into play. Today VTTI operates in 11 countries, with terminals in strategic locations such as the Netherlands, Russia, the US, and the UAE, the latter of which being the home of the VTTI Fujairah Terminals Limited.

Located outside the Straits of Hormuz and sitting in the heart of the bunkering market, VTTI Fujairah Terminal is a major Gulf Terminal that already boasts more than 1.6 million cubic metres of storage. Serving as part of VTTI’s wider network of terminals, it has grown year-on-year since its formation through significant expansions, the latest of which included a recently commissioned bespoke crude oil tank farm. This new development took place in response to a contract VTTI won with an international multi-billion euros, energy company in February 2015. The critical expansion project not only involved the construction of a new 430,000 m3 tank farm of heated, black oil class I tanks, but also included the allocation of additional storage from the existing capacity, taking the total contract up to 475,000 m3. Additionally VTTI is to provide operational and logistical resources for on-site processing units and all required connections between the units and the terminal’s tankage.

38

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

Today the terminal operates a total 52 tanks with sizes ranging from 3800 m3 to 95,000 m3 and is connected to nine jetties with a water depth of 18 metres; this access to highly flexible jetties and deepwater means the asset can accommodate a large range of vessels.

The terminal is also connected to the Fujairah Refining Limited (FRL) refinery and serving the refinery, which processes up to 80,000 barrels per day of a different feedstock including heavy crude oil and condensate.

Talking to Energy, Oil & Gas magazine back in July 2015, Siavash Alishahpour, Managing Director of VTTI Fujairah, commented: “The major on-site construction project is proceeding with the same urgency that drove its planning.

It is a bespoke project, initiated on behalf of a customer, which was designed and agreed in just five months. Now, construction is moving forward around the clock, safely and efficiently, with the target of commissioning in April 2016.”

Speaking with the magazine once again in September 2016, Siavash provides some information on the company’s developments since then: “Over the last year, VTTI Fujairah was focused on successfully completing the construction and commissioning of the new expansion project and ensuring a smooth delivery to our client. VTTI is very proud of this bespoke major project, which was not only completed on time, but most importantly safely and efficiently. This project has improved our facility in several ways. For example, we have increased our total storage capacity to more than 1.6 million m3, which has resulted in VTTI Fujairah becoming one of the largest terminals in the region and the biggest terminal in the VTTI Group.

“Furthermore, through this development we have significantly increased the processing capacity at the terminal, improved features and capabilities within the terminal as well as additional lines and connections to the port jetties. We have also diversified our customer base and, with our proven track record of safe, fast and efficient project execution and commissioning, made this project the fastest construction project to date of this magnitude.

With this project now completed, and because VTTI Fujairah has such a strategically prime oceanfront adjacent to the Port and directly connected to the port facilities, we are currently in the process of assessing several new projects that would best utilise our unique position and capabilities.”

PROFILE

While the demand for storage tanks in Fujairah remains steadily strong both for spot and long-term business thanks to the current oil market conditions, Fujairah looks set to become a fast-growing hub for oil traders. Despite this positive outlook, Siavash believes continuous investment will be key to the terminal remaining competitive over the coming years: “The challenge is being able to constantly adapt to the changing and growing needs of oil traders. We have been successful in investing and upgrading our facility over the year to cater for this demand and are constantly looking for ways to add more value for our customers. In terms of future opportunities, there are new commercial and trading prospects in the region, and the newly built refineries and the refinery projects under execution in our region will help the storage tank terminal business in general and Fujairah in particular.”

Within the next 12 months the company will focus on integrating and managing its newly completed project in a smooth and efficient

manner while ensuring a high quality service to its customers. VTTI Fujairah maintains the vision of the VTTI Group: to continue to grow and be one of the top terminal operators worldwide while always aiming to be the first in terms of flexibility and customer services.

To make this vision a reality, the company is looking at new potential projects as it seeks to capitalise on its unique position and capabilities in Fujairah. VTTI Fujairah’s team of extremely experienced and reliable staff will support these plans. “Our main asset is our people,” concluded Siavash. “We have a robust facility managed by highly skilled professionals with over 20-25 years experience in the oil and gas industries.”

VTTI Fujairah

VTTI Fujairah vtti.com/terminals/vtti-ftl-uae

Services Bunkering, terminal operations and refining

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

39

Strong integrity-

repairing mature assets Celebrating 25 years

Below Bob Steel, Vice President of Production IRM at Global Energy Group

40

ENERGY,oil&gas

in operation during 2014, Global Energy Group (GEG), former Caledonian Petroleum Services (CPS), has performed impressively since its inception, which has resulted in a strong reputation for the company as a leading supplier of support services for the offshore industry. Having begun operations as a fabrication company servicing the oil and gas sector, the business has since expanded significantly to be able to provide a full turnkey service for full lifecycle integrity repair order scopes.

The company has unrivalled modern fabrication facilities located in Aberdeen (3 off), with additional group support in both Inverness and Dunfermline, as well as a large modern Quayside base at NIGG inclusive of a dry dock.

All the facilities consist of structural workshops, piping workshops (carbon steel and exotics) both internal and external secured storage facilities; GEG can deliver to the most demanding of schedules. Merging its expertise and cutting edge facilities, the company is able to successfully meet the diverse requirements of its oil majors and tier one contractors in need of high quality, on-time solutions.

“A lot of people would say we are a fabrication business as this was the whole focus during the early days of GEG; however, since diversifying our services we have had a successful 12-18 months securing integrity contracts. Many energy-oil-gas.com

Opex scopes of work within mature assets don’t overly excite engineers or designers, but for us we see this is an area where we are most polished in skills; our focus is to keep the mature assets breathing and producing as long as there is commercial value in doing so.

Our Integrity business comprises of surveyors, who can mobilise to the coal face; these could be design surveys or structural surveys, and we then feed that information back to our light engineering team before assessing and producing a deliverable scope of work for the fabrication team,” explains Bob Steel, Vice President of Production IRM at Global Energy Group.

“Our ‘Construction Led Approach’ effectively drives the fabrication element of the piece through the production department and eventually through to the end delivery. What we then have is an offshore construction team ready to install all of the components; it is a relatively seamless range of services that includes survey, engineering, fabrication and offshore construction. We mainly work on repair orders, which involves doing an integrity inspection offshore on some pipework or structural work that is below specifications. We then take the inspection report, run with this and take responsibility on behalf of the operator to find a solution to their problem and keep production going,” he adds.

Able to deliver superior quality and experience when its comes to fabrication, project management

PROFILE

and manpower services, the company’s capabilities have been further strengthened since it was acquired and became part of the Global Energy Group (GEG) in 2010. Following six years of working under the GEG umbrella, CPS and other UK oil and gas businesses within the group began the process of being integrated under the GEG banner. By combining businesses with complementary capabilities, GEG aims to strengthen its position in the sector and thus enable it to offer increased efficiencies for customers during volatile market conditions while also bringing clarity to the UK market.

“In February 2010 GEG became our new parent company, however, from looking at strategies and CPS’ operations, within the Opex field GEG strategically kept the brand name of CPS at that time the business had a good traction in the market. Six years on, we integrated totally with GEG in July and rebranded under Global Energy Group Production IRM. GEG is now made up of a number of companies that fundamentally would spread into three focused business streams: Capital projects, Production IRM and Marine IRM,” comments Bob. While the newly named GEG Production IRM continues to integrate its operations into its parent company’s umbrella, Bob notes that the company is also focusing on completing a number of projects it has ongoing with tier one contractors and operators Apache and Enquest: “We have seven assets with Apache and have multi skilled teams on each of the Forties field; Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo and have further multi skilled teams on the Beryl fields; Alpha and Bravo; additionally, we also have a multi skilled team on the onshore Sage plant.

Meanwhile, in April 2015 we secured a contract with EnQuest to deliver integrity on the Thistle platform and Heather platform; similar to

Global Energy Group

our work with Apache, we have multi skilled teams working back to back, liquidation repair orders on site. In 2015 we were also awarded an integrity contract with CNR, which means we are responsible for supporting CNR on the Ninian north, south and central field as well as the Tiffany platform. Most recently, we have also been awarded contracts for Repair Order services to BP, BG and Repsol Sinopec.”

Focused on mature assets projects, GEG aims to maintain the integrity side of business while also remaining open to supporting the subsea element of the market when demand returns again. Looking ahead, Bob concludes: “As the price of oil remains low, we are aware of the opportunities on the decommissioning side of the oil and gas industry to support operators when they prepare some platforms for decommission. With the model we have got in terms of integrity in mature assets, we can provide a commercial proposition to the operator and support the decommissioning assets.”

Global Energy Group gegroup.com

Services Integrity repair orders, dimensional control survey, engineering, fabrication, installation and site services

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

41

Environmental Founded in 2011 and operating with an international team of experienced biogas professionals and technicians, ennox biogas technology GmbH is a leading supplier of biogas technology and equipment in Europe.

The company specialises in gas flare technology and serves all aspects of biogas, sewage gas and landfill gas technologies. “ennox is a specialist in the design, planning and manufacturing of all components within the gas lines of biogas plants and wastewater treatment plants excluding biogas upgrading. These services include gas extraction from digesters and different types of gas treatment; gas storage; and flaring,” explains company founder and Managing Director, Falk Russow. “With more than 16 years experience in the biogas industry we know different kinds of anaerobic digestion (AD) plants and their technologies. We can calculate/design/supply complete gas trains or only some components.

Our biggest advantage is that we love challenges – we are able to provide standard products as well as very small or very large bespoke equipment.”

The majority of the products delivered by ennox are manufactured at its own workshop facilities, while others are fabricated in association with trusted industry partners. The company’s main focus is on flare equipment for waste, landfill, industrial and biogas with applications including digester equipment, gas treatment, gas storage, and flaring. Its core business is comprised of the most state-of-the-art quality gas flare technology for a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly combustion of gases from a variety of systems. ennox delivers a comprehensive suite of manual and automatic solutions in the field of flare gas technology,

42

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

including its automatic NOXmatic gas flare system. The NOXmatic system includes an extensive range of accessories that can be applied to both low and high temperature combustion applications. Furthermore, through the introduction of various burner systems the company can meet the demands of a complete spectrum of power requirements in both single and multi-stage operation.

Within the field of biogas management, modern and large systems for biogas upgrading to natural gas quality is becoming ever more popular. Here ennox is able to provide its biomethane flare NOXmatic BM solution for the treatment of biogas and the complete removal of all unwanted gaseous materials. This allows for the feed of biogas into gas networks or to be used as fuel in vehicles. The technical requirements in this area are critical as to be suitable with pure biogas and biomethane, the treated gas must have a methane content of more than 95 per cent. This can be easily achieved by the ennox NOXmatic BM system, which incorporates flexible burner technology that allows for the safe combustion of materials while producing low levels of emission.

The ennox range of flare equipment is complimented by its ECO manual gas flare system – a robust and maintenance-free flare that is suitable for small biogas systems, special installations or when automatic gas flare is not required. The ECO flare is entirely manufactured from stainless steel and equipped with high quality components, while the ignition of the system’s electrode is achieved with the simple press of a button located in the control cabinet. The required equipment

PROFILE

for automatic operation is readily available for retrofit and an ignition system rated for 12VDC is also available on request. This comprehensive portfolio of flare equipment has allowed ennox to deliver several highly successful installations around the world, in countries including Germany, Austria, Turkey and Iran.

“We have recently realised large high temperature flares for biogas and waste water treatment plants of 2000Nm³/h,” Falk says. “In Austria for example, we have completed a gas line for a biogas plant that is connected to a potato processing facility, which manufactures food items such as potato chips and croquettes.

Here we supplied biogas desulphurisation, gas drying, booster station and gas flare equipment.

Within Iran we have supplied a gas treatment, gas drying and booster station for a wastewater treatment plant in Tehran, while in Turkey we built flare, gas storage tank and gas treatment for a biogas plant.

“Another big part of our current business

ennox biogas technology

increasingly challenging in recent years, ennox has established an international presence that has enabled it to operate in new markets while shielding the business from the slowdown of biogas orders in Germany. “The market is very difficult at the moment because Germany, which was formerly our biggest market for biogas components, has almost entirely declined during the past two to three years. Fortunately we have previously worked abroad and established other markets in Eastern Europe, Turkey and Eurasia,” Falk concludes. “We have more than 16 years experience in biogas, we are small and fast and we have no fear to take on difficult projects or work in countries far away.

We have an international team within ennox, including people from Austria, Germany, Poland and Turkey who all bring with them different mentalities and ideas. During the coming years we want to stabilise our position in European biogas industry, while continuing to develop new important markets in Eurasia and Africa.”

A robust and maintenance-free flare that is suitable for small biogas systems, special installations or when automatic gas flare is not required

ennox biogas technology GmbH ennox.at

Services Technical components for bio, sewage and landfill gas plants

is retrofitting of old flares, gasholders and digester equipment. Most companies want to sell new and expensive equipment. But often old equipment is partly in good condition – especially stainless steel parts. Sometimes it needs a new gas membrane, sometimes a complete new control system for an old flare.

This needs very experienced companies, which have the right knowledge about older technologies. That’s also a good field for ennox.

Every year we retrofit gasholders or flares – saving money for the customers.”

While the market for biogas has been ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

43

44

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

PROFILE

Verwater

Skilled

services With more than 90 years

of experience working with all types of tanks and industrial installations, Verwater has become a specialist in tank maintenance and construction and a trusted global contractor in industrial petrochemical installations. Experienced in project management, Verwater supports its clients in maintenance and construction works and can execute multidisciplinary projects as well as total maintenance trajectories. Known for its focus on quality, long-term experience and self-developed technology, the company today boasts large international organisations as

customers; these oil majors are served by its 600 plus employees across the globe in Verwater’s offices based in The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Turkey, Singapore and the US. Looking back on how Verwater has progressed over the years, Filip de Wilde, Chief Executive Officer at Verwater, begins: “Verwater was founded by the Verwater family in 1922 and began operations performing civil works in the Rotterdam port area for oil and

gas companies. The work involved digging for the installation of wiring or piping as well as the repair of foundations for the construction of storage tanks, for example. From there we started to develop a technique to help companies find a solution for differential settings that holding tanks were showing; we came up with a checking technique for the holding tank that has resulted in us becoming a worldwide market leader that can check large tanks. We can also go underneath the tanks with diggers and excavators for repair work or to develop a new foundation and so on.

“By the 1970s Verwater was operating in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Belgium and Singapore as a provider of maintenance programmes for storage tanks. Today we are one of the leading contractors for all activities related to maintenance for storage tank installations.

However, not a company to rest on our laurels, we made the decision to diversify over recent years and developed our civil works outside tank farms; this has led to us not only providing deck and mechanical maintenance, but also maintenance of piping. We decided to switch from operating as a pure contractor to a service provider as we have gained a lot of experience in advising our main clients during a maintenance programme of specific installations. Increasingly we have been more involved in the planning process of a project and become part of our customer’s team, taking into account regulation, maintenance engineering and budgeting limits.”

Having made the decision to become a service provider to its customers, Verwater felt it ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

45

PROFILE

Verwater

With more than 90 years of experience working with all types of tanks and industrial installations, Verwater has become a specialist in tank maintenance and construction and a trusted global contractor in industrial petrochemical installations necessary to strengthen its position in the market by adding more complementary services to its repetoire. Aware that the Intex company was in the throes of business difficulties, Verwater took over the firm’s industrial services, which means it can now perform activities for the ELI instrumentation and electrical engineering and automation as well as valve reconditioning and repair works. “With the strengths of Intex added to our capabilities, we can now work on the piping and take out the valves and repair them during production shut downs or projects involving pipes; we can also dismount and connect everything electrical. With this takeover we can either broaden our scope of activities with existing clients or add activities on the side for former Intex clients; there is also a large, well defined area for potential synergy between the two companies,” highlights Filip.

With a solid reputation in the market for tank construction and maintenance and advanced capabilities thanks to the acquisition of Intex, Verwater experienced strong and turbulent growth over recent years; however, following a number of large projects that weren’t focused on its core strengths, the company became financially distressed. In July 2014 a majority stake of Verwater was acquired by Netherlands based independent investment firm Infestos, which has gone onto refinance the company, raise additional capital and thus secure the company’s future. In line with these developments, the board of Directors at Verwater was changed with the appointment of Filip as CEO and Peter de Koster as COO. The acquisition proved fruitful, with the company registering profits in 2015.

“With a new board installed, a programme

46

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

change was introduced with a choice made for us not to strech too far from our strengths and instead stick with familiar competences with a focus on maintenance,” says Filip. “The strategy is to stick with what we are good at but evolve as a service provider; this decision has proven successful, with many customers returning to us for maintenance contracts.”

Following this milestone in the company’s history, a majority stake in Verwater was acquired

by Bregal Freshstream, a Dutch private equity company that focuses on the turnaround of Netherlands-based firms, in September 2016. With this transaction complete, Bregal Freshstream is now the majority owner, alongside Infestos, Verwater’s management team, the Verwater family and company executives. Bregal Freshstream is also taking over as controlling shareholder as Verwater progresses with plans to expand its product portfolio and develop a presence in markets that complement its capabilities.

Currently working on projects that include the building of six new storage tanks for a refinery in Rotterdam-Botlek as part of an expansion project for a major oil company, the future looks positive for Verwater as it continues to work through a number of three to six year maintenance projects that were secured during the last two years.

“In the near future our focus will be on operational excellence so we secure our place in the market and secure our customers with extended contracts. We have demonstrated our safety processes and our operational excellence and seek to continue improving in these areas in the longer term to ensure our organisation is fit to support our strategy for further growth in the future.”

Van der Peijl Projects The Van der Peijl Group has a network of 12 technical wholesale branches offering a complete technical range of products with top ‘A’ brands. The company has formed long-term relationship with its suppliers and relies on their service and advice, offering solutions for technical problems.

Van der Peijl Projects is focusing on the bigger customers and projects, and its goal is to be a total supplier. Due to the enthusiasm and know how of its welding specialists, the Verwater Group decided to start a long-term relationship with the business. After the opening of the new central warehouse of 20,000m2 and a 1000m conveyor belt, Van der Peijl can supply its customers with even better services.

Verwater verwater.com

Services Global contractor in industrial and petrochemical installations

QUICK FIX OR LONG-TERM SOLUTION? AT KKI, WE KNOW VALVES. ESPECIALLY THOSE USED IN SEVERE SERVICE APPLICATIONS. We can quickly replace a part to get a faulty valve running again, no problem. But the better option might be a diagnostic review and a retro-fit or even an upgrade.

KKI’s highly-skilled aftermarket engineers can create technical, engineered solutions that benefit not only the valve but the efficiency of the whole application.

On your site or at our state-of-the-art facility in West Yorkshire, we’ll get to the root of the issue and give you the long-term resolution you need. We service our own and other manufacturer’s valves.

To find out how we can solve your severe service challenges in oil & gas, power or petrochemical applications, contact us today.

KOSO KENT INTROL LIMITED Armytage Road, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 1QF T: +44 (0)1484 710311 E: info@kentintrol.com www.kentintrol.com

KKI Energy Oil and Gas Advert 06.16 v2.indd 1

17/06/2016 15:43

Superforging With manufacturing roots dating back to the early 1970s, euskalforging first entered into the field of ring-rolling operations during the 1980s. The company originally operated with a single manufacturing plant capable of producing seamless rolled rings of up to 1.5 metres and 400 kilograms, before gradually increasing its range to as high as 10.2 metres and 80 tonnes by 2015.

As of 2016 euskalforging operates from three different locations throughout Northern Spain, encompassing 47,000m2 of manufacturing space.

The company maintains five efficient ring-rolling machines across its manufacturing sites that enable euskalforging to offer one of the broadest ranges of rolled rings in the world, extending from four hundred milimetres to ten metres in outer diameter and from 30 kilos to 80 tonnes.

Since the company was previously profiled in Energy, Oil & Gas magazine during July 2015, euskalforging has fully completed the commission of its fifth rolling machine, which was ordered from SMS Meer in September 2013 to help the company to continue to meet the ever-increasing demands for larger rings across a range of industry applications. “During the past 12 months euskalforging has worked to consolidate its previous investments and all of them are now fully operational. The company has also installed two new additional lathes, one of which is capable of machining rings up to ten metres of outer diameter while the second has a capacity of up to 12 metres outer diameter. With these new lathes euskalforging has been able to increase its turning capability by 15 per cent and faces the future with great solvency,” reveals a representative from the company. “From a

48

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

customer point of view the company has been approved by Sumitomo to supply large rings of up to ten metres for their coke drums and has won several offshore wind projects to supply the flanges for the foundations of sites such as Dudgeon, Wikinger, Hywind and Galloper among others.”

Within the oil and gas industry, euskalforging supplies seamless rolled rings that can have multiple applications depending on the level of added value requested. In this area the company provides a one-stop-shop solution where added value is provided in the way of machining, gear cutting, induction hardening or welding.

Indeed, the company is focused on delivering anything that the customer may need to save time and money to avoid costly and difficult transportation from one subcontractor to another. Additionally, the company is heavily involved in the energy sectors, including the offshore and onshore wind, nuclear, oil and gas, hydropower and tidal industries. The company’s proven track record in the energy market has recently allowed euskalforging to earn Siemens’ approval for use in the firm’s steam turbines.

The industrial turbines are typically employed in power generation plants, with outer ring dimensions varying from as little as four hundred milimetres and up to three metres.

“This is an important milestone for euskalforging as it positions the company as a key supplier of seamless rolled rings in the energy sector, while strengthening its presence in the turbine market and further developing its business relationship with a leading OEM,” euskalforging comments. “The qualification from Siemens was the result of a one-and-half

PROFILE

year collaboration between the two companies and focused on different types of medium alloy grades and stainless steels with the possibility to increase the grade portfolio with further qualifications for superalloys in the future.”

Further to its activities within the energy market, euskalforging is also heavily involved in other markets such as defence, mining, cement, power transmission, marine, food processing and capital goods.

Additionally the company has further developed its position as a supplier of seamless rolled rings in titanium and superalloys. This has been the result of a process beginning several years ago in which euskalforging began a programme to develop its capability in the delivery of rolled rings manufactured using superalloys. During this process the company’s engineering team grew accordingly to support the business, while euskalforging invested in tooling and stock for several grades including alloy 718 and 625. Several trial rings were also produced to fulfil some of the most demanding specifications in different sectors such as oil

Euskal Forging

and gas, while EN9100 certification was also achieved for the aerospace industry.

By operating within a broad application base, euskalforging is able to remain strong while the manufacturing industry continues to face a global downturn. Its continued investment into the provision of value added services and new products using supperalloys has also enabled euskalforging to increase its market position, as a company spokesperson concludes: “Unfortunately 2016 has not represented the recovery year that was initially anticipated, as many of the challenges reported in 2015 remain and the low oil price is not making it any easier.

However, euskalforging faces the future with firm investments that position the company at the forefront of the market and the company is developing constantly into new and growing markets, both geographically as well as into new applications. In the offshore wind sector for example, the company continues as an industry leader when it comes to flanges for the foundations with a big market share and we will continue to look into new areas.”

Within the oil and gas industry, euskalforging supplies seamless rolled rings that can have multiple applications depending on the level of added value requested

Euskal Forging euskalforging.com

Services Manufacturer of seamless rolled rings and free forged parts

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

49

gulf

Powering the

In May 2004 Gulf Drilling International

Below Mr. Mubarak A. Al Hajri, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of GDI

50

ENERGY,oil&gas

(GDI) was introduced to the world as the first onshore and offshore oil and gas drilling company in Qatar. The company was established as a joint venture between Qatar’s national oil corporation, Qatar Petroleum (GP) and Japan Drilling Co. Ltd (JDC). In February 2008 all shares of QP were transferred to Gulf International Services, q.s.c. (GIS), which became a public share holding company in May 2008 and it listed on the Doha Securities Market. During May 2014 GIS finally acquired the remaining JDC shares in GDI, making the business a wholly owned Qatari company. GDI also celebrated is 10th anniversary during the same month. Today, GIS represents the largest service group in Qatar, with interests in a broad cross-section of industries, ranging from insurance, re-insurance, fund management, onshore and offshore drilling, accommodation barge, helicopter transportation, and catering services Gulf Drilling International was previously featured in Energy, Oil & Gas magazine during January 2016, during which time the company

energy-oil-gas.com

had recently completed a contract with Gulf Lift Boat (GLB) for the provision of lift boat services to Dolphin Energy Limited, in a project that ran until August 2015. Having successfully completed this project, it was announced in February 2016 that GDI had signed a contract for drilling rig services with Dolphin Energy. The contract was signed by Mr. Mubarak A. Al Hajri, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of GDI and Mr. Hassan Al-Emadi, General Manager, Dolphin Energy Limited – Qatar. Work relating to the project will be undertaken by the high specification jack-up rig ‘Al Jassra’ and will consist of drilling three wells on the DOL 1 production platform, located in the offshore waters of Qatar.

“I am pleased that GDI has concluded this significant contract with Dolphin Energy as it will broaden our clientele and business portfolio.

Even though GDI and Dolphin Energy have had a long-standing relationship, ‘Al-Jassra’ is the first drilling rig from GDI’s fleet to work for Dolphin Energy. This contract will provide us an opportunity to demonstrate the highest levels of professional expertise all the while improving our overall rig utilisation,” Mr. Mubarak A. Al Hajri comments. “GDI’s practice of focusing on client needs and satisfaction will lead to a ‘win-win’ relationship for both GDI and Dolphin Energy. We are grateful to be of valuable service to our client. The Al Jassra contract will provide GDI with an opportunity to display our drilling expertise to Dolphin Energy while improving our overall rig utilisation. We are confident that our attention to detail and focus on fulfilling Dolphin’s needs will result in a mutually beneficial relationship for GDI and Dolphin Energy. We are grateful to be of valuable service to Dolphin Energy.”

Further to continuing to win prestigious contracts with long-standing clients in Qatar, GDI has also recently been recognised for the quality of its services. During May 2016, GDI was awarded at the MEED Quality Awards for Projects in association with Mashreq in its ‘Industrial Projects of the Year’ category. The company participated with its completed project relating to its warehouse facilities in Dukhan.

The project was recognised as a ‘National Winner in Qatar’ for the year 2016. The award was granted to GDI for its outstanding achievement in projects delivery and as a result of the company’s valuable contribution towards continued development of project sectors throughout the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC). The criteria for selection of the winners

PROFILE

were based on engineering and construction excellence as well as economic, social and environmental impact.

Since the company was founded, GDI has grown to include a fleet of 17 rigs, while its workforce has increased to over 1600 employees including some 120 Qatari nationals. One of the core strengths of GDI lays in the fact that it is a multi-cultural company, with trained staff from more than 32 countries. This allows the business to embody a diverse culture that promotes teamwork and understanding. This unique culture is reflected in GDI’s outstanding performance and ability to implement rapid problem resolution that allows it to adapt to the fast changing environment in the oil and gas drilling industry.

To date GDI manages a fleet of nine offshore jackup drilling rigs, six land rigs, one lifeboat and one accommodation jack-up. In addition the company has a lifeboat that it operates under a management agreement. This extensive portfolio of equipment allows GDI to provide trusted solutions to a host of drilling contractors.

Gulf Drilling International

Throughout its history GDI has established a proven track record of industry success and reliable operation, while continuing to grow its fleet of assets. During January 2016 GDI took delivery of its new ‘Halul’ jack-up rig from Keppel FELS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M).

With this continued investment into it fleet, GDI is set to continue to serve the Qatar oil and gas industry well into the future. “We are pleased to receive the Halul ahead of schedule, enabling us to start work earlier for Qatar Petroleum. Reliability, safety, efficiency and quality are our top priorities in choosing a rig and a shipyard,” Mr. Mubarak A. Al-Hajri, concludes. “Keppel FELS and the KFELS B Class design have demonstrated their strengths in these areas repeatedly. That is why we have chosen to renew our options for two more rigs with them. We are confident in the long term fundamentals of the industry and when the market recovers, we will be well-equipped to meet the demand.”

Gulf Drilling International gdi.com.qa

Services Drilling services provider

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

51

PROFILE

Gulf Drilling & Maintenance Company

Optimal

services With over three decades of industry experience, Gulf Drilling & Maintenance Company (GDMC) provides comprehensive service solutions to clients operating within the water, drilling and related operations including slickline services throughout the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries and in North Africa. The company was founded during 1982 and has quickly expanded its service portfolio to incorporate coiled tubing services along with pumping and filtering capabilities. Today GDMC is a fully integrated oilfield service operator that ensures a profound emphasis on the importance of health, safety and the environment for the welfare and morale of all personnel. The company is a proven ISO 9001-2000 integrated service provider that manages a strict HSE management system, while using state-of-theart equipment and complying with all relevant international standards to ensure complete customer satisfaction.

GDMC was previously featured in Energy, Oil & Gas magazine during November 2015 and

has since continued to implement its strategic plan for expansion vertically and horizontally by adding new business lines to the company portfolio through alliances with leading international companies. Indeed, in recent months the GDMC expansion plan has allowed the company to establish new branches in Saudi Arabia (Al-Khobar), south of Iraq (Basra) and Oman (Muscat), as well as to introduce new business lines including drilling, workover, waste management, soil remediation, and material supply services. Traditionally GDMC has focused on delivering upstream oil and gas services, however recently the company has begun to focus on downstream services in-line with the current demands of the market.

The field operations of GDMC are organised under multiple service departments and disciplines, thus optimising efficiency, promoting direct contacts with client personnel and ensuring the best possible performance.

These service departments are comprised of slickline operations, production logging, testing, coiled tubing, well intervention, ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

53

cementing, well integrity services and asset management. Its asset management division offers an asset management programme for Xmas trees and associated valves, wellheads and production tubing. The company maintains a comprehensive database, which tracks all of the assets covered by GDMC to produce a preventative maintenance schedule that insures continued smooth and safe operations and uninterrupted well production. This allows the company to provide on-line valve and wellhead maintenance services to it’s clients that help to improve operational status and equipment reliability. Several different programmes are offered, with a routine maintenance programme consisting of a set of procedures tailored to meet the customer’s requirements, while non-routine maintenance programmes include the repair of equipment that is not fit for purpose.

Further to the company’s asset management services, its well intervention operations include coiled tubing (CT) and well cementing programmes. GDMC continues to develop its coiled tubing department and operations along with its pumping, nitrogen stimulation and filtering capabilities. The company today offers its clients a complete CT and pumping service, with a comprehensive combination

54

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

of hardware and a fully competent and experienced crew. The available jobs in the field of CT operations include nitrogen kick off; fill clean-out; asphaltene clean-out; scale removing; drilling, milling and under-reaming; well stimulation; acidizing; fishing; cementing and squeeze cementing; and running bridge plugs. Its well cementing operation represents a one-stop-shop for all of its clients’ needs, where no job is too small or too large. The typical cementing services provided by GDMC include cementing jobs across various sizes of casting, liner cementing operations, plug back, squeeze (cement retainer), kick off plugs, cementing through coiled tubing and special tools.

Throughout all of the company’s operations, GDMC runs a variety of training and safety programmes that ensure that projects are performed safely and according to the highest standards. All GDMC personnel comply with the following company code of conduct: SS Accept that everyone has a duty and responsibility for safety of their self and others SS Enhance safety consciousness and knowledge through continuous education, training and monitoring SS Establish safety regulations and comply

PROFILE

Gulf Drilling & Maintenance Company

therewith to eliminate unsafe activities and procedures SS Assess every possibility of accidents and take all precautionary measures SS Create a hazard free and clean work environment SS Promote interest and enthusiasm in safety efforts through recognition of safety performance SS Apply the best practicable way to protect the environment from the adverse effects of operations This dedication has allowed GDMC to win several awards for its safety records and for carrying out long hours of operation without list time and accidents. As the company has progressed it has continued to grow from strength-to-strength, while retaining the agility and intimacy of a smaller business.

The company has established itself as a major market player in the GCC region through the introduction of new technology to the Kuwait Oil Company in co-operation with international companies, following its strategic plan for production enhancement. While the global

Gulf Drilling & Maintenance Company gdmc-kwt.com

drop in oil and gas prices has had a significant impact of CAPEX expenditure in the GCC and the wider region, GDMC has negated the impact of this through the provision of production enhancement services. As the market begins to recover, GDMC will remain on hand to provide leading technology and bundled services for product optimisation over the coming years.

Services Coiled tubing, well stimulation, well testing, slickline, cementing, wellhead maintenance, drilling, workover, waste management, soil remediation and new technologies

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

55

O IL

C O O LA NT

TRA N S F O RM E R

FOR THE WORLD’S ESSENTIAL INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CHOOSE WORLD-CLASS L A B O R ATO R Y A N A LY S I S

SILICON

H Y D RAU L I C FLUI D

FU EL

D EB RI S & F I LT ER

With the highest laboratory standards, world-leading technical expertise and customer service excellence, Spectro | Jet-Care is regarded as an essential partner by many top industrial operators and OEMs around the world.

We are proud to continue our long-standing association with Clarke Energy as laboratory services provider.

‘Spectro’ and ‘Jet-Care’ are registered trademarks and used under licence by Spectro Oil AG and Jet-Care International Inc. Copyright © Palace International Ltd. 2016

PROFILE

Clarke Energy

Total

efficiency From its

international headquarters ‘Power House’ located in Knowsley Business Park near Liverpool, Clarke Energy operates as a global leader in the provision of specialist engineering, installation and maintenance services for engine-based power plants. The company began trading during 1989 from a base in Aintree near Liverpool, providing spare parts globally to the end users of marine, industrial and locomotive diesel engines.

Since relocating to its current headquarters in 1992, Clarke Energy has continued to grow and today provides employment for 1000 members of staff across 18 countries globally with a total capacity exceeding 5,200MWe. It presently maintains operations within Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Botswana, France, Cameroon, India, Ireland, Lesotho, Morocco, Mozambique, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, the United Kingdom and the USA. Present in Africa since 2001, its installed base in the African continent exceeds 500MWe and throughout all of the regions in which it is active, Clarke Energy is committed to delivering

the highest quality installation along with a reliable, localised support network.

Operating as a globally recognised specialist in the engineering, installation and maintenance of engine-based power plants, Clarke Energy’s offering includes both gas and diesel fuelled technology; it is also the world’s largest distributor and service provider for GE’s reciprocating engine business. Discussing the company’s services and its relationship with GE, Group Marketing & Compliance Manager of Clarke Energy Alex Marshall comments: “We sell GE’s Jenbacher Gas Engines, which are known for the highest levels of performance, which is great from the perspective of new reliable technology but that’s just providing the generator. What surrounds this is the need to integrate that generator with our customer’s facilities with other elements of balance of plant. For example, we may add on heat recovery units, cooling units, or we may recover CO2 from the exhaust and clean it to fertilise tomatoes growing in greenhouses.

“We have the ability firstly to deliver high ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

57

9 ExxonMobil EXXONMOBIL LAUNCHES MOBIL SERV SM LUBRICANT ANALYSIS TO THE OIL & GAS SECTOR ExxonMobil has launched a new mobile-enabled used oil analysis service, Mobil ServSM Lubricant Analysis.

It has been developed to help identify potential equipment issues and avoid unscheduled maintenance.

Replacing ExxonMobil’s SignumSM Oil Analysis, it helps to enhance equipment reliability and lubricant consumption. Also helping to extend oil drain intervals, it can reduce operational costs while improving safety by minimising intervention with machinery.

Designed to streamline the used oil analysis process from sample gathering to reporting, the service leverages scan-and-go technology with QR Codes so customers can easily deliver used oil samples to ExxonMobil’s oil analysis laboratory. Results and customised equipment recommendations can be accessed manually and on mobile or tablet devices using a cloud-based app and shared with other parties, as needed. This benefit is particularly critical for oil & gas operations in remote locations, ensuring on-site engineers, always have full access to their accounts..

“The launch of this new service builds on ExxonMobil’s long tradition of providing innovative oil analysis services to companies around the world, enabling them to extend oil drain intervals and, in turn, benefit from reduced maintenance costs and improved efficiency,” said Ayman Ali, ExxonMobil’s EAME industrial marketing adviser.

The programme offers an extensive analysis allowing customers to track productivity and spot typical anomalies.

With 25 testing options available users are able to choose the right test package for their operation.

Mobil Serv Lubricant Analysis is a new addition to the Mobil Serv family, ExxonMobil’s new lubricants services brand launched in late 2015.

To find out more or to join the Mobil Serv Lubricant Analysis programme, visit mobilserv.mobil.com.

58

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

PROFILE

Exxon Mobil Exxon Mobil’s strong product development relationship with GE Jenbacher globally has positioned it well with key agents like Clarke Energy to deliver outstanding products to their gas engine operators.

quality installations that match the core GE product and help ensure that the facilities are of the highest standard; this, in turn ensures the product operates the majority of the time throughout the year and is most suitable for the customer’s requirements. We don’t just deliver an engine, but also deliver a solution to each client’s unique demands,” he continues. “In addition to this, we have local installation commissioning teams that guarantee the customer’s facilities are up and running as quickly as possible. For this service we don’t rely on GE to come in and do this, instead many of our team are trained by GE to the highest levels to do this themselves.

Finally, the engine is only going to run if it is well-maintained and GE don’t necessarily conduct the maintenance; by having our staff on the ground and having in-country stock-holding and quick response times to both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance procedures, we ensure our customers are satisfied with a complete service.”

Since previously being featured in Energy, Oil & Gas in January 2016, Clarke Energy has continued to win a series of key projects, both in the domestic and international markets,

Clarke Energy

which has resulted in strong growth. One such project stems from the company’s ongoing strategic expansion into Cameroon following the launch of its new business in the country in June 2015 as GE’s new Jenbacher gas engine distributor in the country. Awarded the project in February 2016 by SCTB Flour Mills, the installation of the 1.4 megawatt Jenbacher J420 gas engine will result in savings of more than $200,000 in annual fuel costs for SCTB and will also provide the company with a more reliable, cost-effective, on-site power. “The Cameroon expansion is a continuation of the success we have had in places such as Nigeria and Tanzania where we develop greenfield operations by utilising domestic staff and highly trained teams of domestic engineers to operate and service the generators.”

Alongside this strategic development, the company has also entered the US, focusing on areas such as Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Operating in 18 countries as the official distributor and service provider of GE’s gas engine business, Clarke Energy aims to bring its successful business model of focusing more on facility engineering for the product and also delivering a strong service background to this new market. “As standard we offer fully inclusive maintenance contracts, including preventative and corrective maintenance, which isn’t necessarily offered in the US; this makes our offering quite novel and we are hoping to grow and become successful through delivering this service,” says Alex.

Progression into new geographical areas will prove a wise investment for Clarke Energy as the biogas market in the UK faces a subdued few years due to lower government support.

“This is a key change in the UK market, which is resulting in fewer projects being developed

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

59

PROFILE

Clarke Energy

in the agricultural biogas sector as well as the biogas and waste sectors. Despite this, the market overall is growing strongly; with combined heat and power (CHP) and Capacity Market projects. We have seen a number of high profile installations at hospitals, universities and commercial buildings where the buildings benefit from self-generating power for both electricity and heat, which, in turn, saves costs on fuel bills.

We envisage the UK natural-gas market growing steadily over the next five years.”

Having built a solid reputation for its ability to deliver fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, as well as reliable, accountable aftersales support with a culture for integrity and high ethical standards, Clarke Energy not only boasts a healthy order book but has also caught the attention of the industry. Indeed, after securing the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2014, the company has been awarded Exporter of the Year award at the North West Business Masters Awards for a second year in a row in 2016; the company has also won Most Outstanding in CHP Projects in the UK in Corporate LiveWire’s 2016 Innovation &

60

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

Spectro | Jet-Care

Excellence awards. “These awards provide a degree of recognition that our teams are working to the highest of standards and really setting the industry field,” says Alex.

With ongoing contracts in locations from the UK to Tunisia, Australia to Bangladesh, Clarke Energy is in an enviable position moving forward as it continues with its strategic plans for ongoing global expansion, a significant increase in turnover in 2016 and growth that is both organic and through acquisition.

Spectro | Jet-Care has been at the forefront of condition monitoring services since 1976 and offers a comprehensive range of analysis services – oil, coolant, transformer, silicon, hydraulic fluid, fuel, debris & filter – all developed to identify operational issues at the earliest possible stage. With laboratories in the UK, USA and Switzerland, all holding ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation, clients from around the world, across a broad spectrum of businesses including landfill, anaerobic digestion, digester gas operations and wind energy, depend on the Spectro | Jet-Care first class, independent analysis service to run and maintain their generating assets.

Clarke Energy clarke-energy.com

Services Specialist engineering, installation and maintenance

PROFILE

Parsons Peebles Group

Generating

success

Parsons Peebles Group has over 100 years of experience in the motor and generator sector. Through this period it has honed its skill and experience in supplying these to whatever industry requires its services, though initially when the business was formed its main customers were from the gas industry, this then became the oil & gas and power industries and now it serves a diverse collection of companies from different energy and industrial sectors. The company also gained a boost to its potential when in 2013 Clyde Blowers Capital purchased it, and there was subsequent heavy investment in Parsons Peebles. This helped the group grow into a world leader in the service and manufacture of bespoke electrical machines.

Parsons has many strengths of its own, such as its extensive experience, or its high quality facilities, it has also – in recent years – been expanding into more sectors, partly through its own growth and partly through acquisitions.

Marketing Director Robin Tait discussed these moves by Parsons: “We have made a number of acquisitions – the first of these is a high voltage coil company called Preformed Windings based in Rotherham in the north of England. We acquired Preformed Windings for various reasons, such as integrating our supply chain and to grow its supply to global service businesses and we’ve had a lot of success in that so far. We have invested over two million pounds in a new facility for them, so we are able to deliver high voltage coils in days not weeks.

This means there is a massive advantage in terms of delivery - they can turn around a whole set of high voltage coils within five to seven days, instead of most other quality companies taking two to three weeks. So what I would like to impress upon our customers is that – if a machine goes down offshore or elsewhere, and they need to rewind, then we can supply coils to get critical machines back up and running very, very quickly.” While this sounds like an impressive feat in itself, Robin said the company offered much more: “Not only that, but because we have the original machine design experience, it means that we often find that we can not only just put in a set of like for like replacement coils, but we can often upgrade the coil to provide a more reliable machine that can be designed if required for potentially more power output too.”

There have been a number of other benefits of the acquisitions, and some of these were discussed by Robin: “We now employ over ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

61

62

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

PROFILE

360 people, we also have a network of 13 sites around the UK – this gives us the advantage of being much closer to our customers, being much more responsive and also gives us a lot more product and service coverage, and on top of this we are now have a full electromechanical offering. In addition to low to high voltage motors and generators we can also supply and service mechanical equipment like pumps, compressors and gearboxes – we’re now a full line new equipment and service partner.

We have also beefed up our technical services

such as condition monitoring, and partnered with a couple of companies which give us energy efficiency offerings, plus some quite sophisticated high voltage partial discharge options as well, which is an analytical technique which can predict when a machine may fail and we can jump in there and service it to ensure it doesn’t drop out of service.” This provision is invaluable for those that rely on critical machines for a successful business. Parsons’ quick and flexible response means that it reduces the time a machine takes to be back up and running, or prevent it from failing in the first place. Additionally due to Parsons Peebles OEM expertise it has extensive root cause analysis linked to machine design which can fully diagnose bad acting machines and put in place a total solution to avoid recurrence.

The difficulties some are facing within the oil industry are well established, however for Parsons there are far more positives from this situation than negatives. Due to one sector of its business weakening it has sought to strengthen other areas, and with the diversification it has provided a more stable and opportune business future. Parsons has recently focused on different areas, as Robin elaborated: “The market has had its challenges particularly in oil and gas, so we had to grow into other sectors slightly quicker than we might have done otherwise, so that is one reason for getting back into hydroelectric

Parsons Peebles Group

power, in which we have significantly strengthened our capability, as well as in other energy, water and industrial sectors that are developing strongly, which are all keeping us busy. Undeniably, it has been a positive because we are now more versatile, and have more balanced revenue streams – which means when oil and gas does come back it is going to be an added bonus for us.”

There are clearly a vast amount of reasons behind Parsons’ success, and Robin was able to provide a summary of its key strengths: “We understand how service organisations need to work, but we also have the engineering knowledge – we make machines so we are not doing a short term job, we actually go back to the fundamentals of the design and we can say for example why a machine’s bearings are wearing quicker than they should. We’d use our machine and applications knowledge to look at bearing and shaft design, machine loading, alignment, vibration, site condition, lubrication regimen and a whole host of other factors to fully understand the problem and create a fix that provides a long lasting solution. We think we’re forming a niche for ourselves, a company with the fast moving mentality of the best service businesses but with the credibility and expertise of an OEM designer behind it. We’re not complacent though and are adding to our UK network to improve our responsiveness and footprint so we can offer even better service.

Our recent acquisitions of Anstee & Ware and Taylor & Goodman, as well as the strengthening of our project management skills to handle large outages, are just two examples of our focus on delivering even better service. There will be many more developments to come.”

Parsons is not short of ambition, but neither is it short of reasons for that ambition: “Our vision statement is to become the UK’s number one electromechanical services provider. Additionally we have a growing global business and are seeing successful sales of new machines and spares in many areas, most notably in the Middle East, Europe, and the US. Many of these sales are into critical applications such as nuclear power and downstream oil where machine quality and availability are important factors. There are also several more acquisitions in the pipeline that will strengthen the company, and we see a route to more than doubling Group revenues in the next couple of years – through organic and acquisition growth, so we are very much in growth mode,” Robin concluded.

Our vision statement is to become the UK’s number one electromechanical services provider.

Additionally we have a growing global business and are seeing successful sales of new machines and spares in many areas, most notably in the Middle East, Europe, and the US

Sensing Devices Ltd Since its foundation in 1971, Sensing Devices Ltd has become one of the world’s leading producers of ceramic wire wound platinum resistance detectors.

During this period the company has established a high reputation for its range of temperature sensors including RTDs, SPRTs, Stator Winding, ATEX & IECEx manufactured to BS:EN:60751 2008 and suitable for high precision and high reliability applications.

It also has a UKAS Laboratory offering calibration uncertainties as low as +/0.6mK (at the triple point of water, see website for reference) over the range -85°C to 650°C.

Parsons Peebles Group parsons-peebles.com

Services Manufacturer of bespoke motors and generators

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

63

64

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

PROFILE

Robust

Marine Fabricators

grew to expand its fabrication facilities and manufacturing capabilities. The business was originally housed in two bays within the main fabrication shop at Haverton Hill Shipyard (formerly Swan Hunter) and has since grown to encompass seven bays covering a combined area of approximately 45,000 ft2. Between 2008 and 2011 Marine Fabricators also installed two new wireless controlled 40 tonne overhead travelling cranes and today the fabrication shop is currently served by three 15 tonne as well as the two 40 tonne overhead travelling cranes with maximum hook heights of 10.5 metres and 17 metres respectively.

During 2009, to meet project requirements Marine Fabricators manufactured and installed a triple-panel sliding door, 17.2 metres wide and 15 metres high in bay seven of its workshop.

This grants the facility effective access to a 2000 tonne capacity load out quay, while the site also benefits from excellent access to the local road network with wide-load access to the A19 and therefore the A1. Other nearby quayside facilities, which are easily accessible, include Tees

Founded on the recommendation of previous clients looking for a trusted supplier of medium to heavy fabrication solutions, Marine Fabrications Ltd. was founded in 1998 and has since completed numerous projects designed for a number of applications across the oil and gas, offshore, marine and renewable energy industries. Based within the Haverton Hill Industrial Estate in Stockton-on-Tees, England, the company has gained a strong reputation in the fabrication of both bespoke and more conventional structures. “Originally two of us set up the company and we had both previously been involved in similar work in marine and offshore manufacture. We were encouraged by some of our previous customers to begin our own venture and we started with a large project to provide three carousels for a vessel conversion on behalf of DSND, which is now part of Subsea 7,” explains Managing Director, Steve Reed.

Having successfully completed the delivery of its first projects, Marine Fabricators quickly

Offshore Base and the deepwater port Tees Dock.

These facilities allow Marine Fabricators to continue to develop niche products that directly address the needs of its clients across a number of industry sectors.

“We are currently mostly involved in the production of cable and pipe laying equipment for lay ships. We have also undertaken offshore standard and other specialised fabrication projects too. With the increase in the amount of floor space that we had available to us we were able to turnover twice as many contracts and by increasing our workforce to meet demand we were able to increase our financial return accordingly,” says Steve. “We are almost at single shift capacity now, limited by the floor space, and to overcome this we have a flexible night shift which is introduced to meet delivery requirements of individual projects. We currently do not have any plans to expand on a permanent basis, however we do have options ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

65

66

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

PROFILE

for the hire of another site. Then of course we would be operating two sites, which is never as efficient. So this is something we will consider in conjunction with our future workflow.”

Previous projects undertaken by Marine Fabricators include overboarding/lay towers with capacities from 60 tonnes to 200 tonnes; sheaves: 600 dia. wire rope sheaves, through to 6000 dia. over-boarding vee-sheaves; carousels: (for flexible pipe and power cable) from 750 tonne capacity 15 metre diameter to 7000 tonne 27 metre diameter, (50+ carousels manufactured to date); tensioner systems: varying capacities ranging from three to 45 tonnes capacity, (14 No 30-tonne tensioners manufactured recently); pipe handling equipment: hydraulically operated spooling arms and chute structures; ROV launch and recovery systems for Lawson Engineers and the Kizomba TLP and A-Frames up to 150 tonnes capacity. Today the company serves a number of clients across a number of industries and its previous customers include 2H Offshore, Amclyde Norson, CTC Marine Projects, Heerema Hartlepool Ltd, EMAS AMC, BAE Systems and Technip Offshore Ltd amongst others. Its main customers at the moment are MAATS Tech as well as AmClyde Norson Engineering and the Norwegian company DEMAnor. Presently Marine Fabricators is completing a 7000 tonne carousel & associated cable handling equipment for MAATS Tech Ltd. “As the oil and gas market has depressed recently Marine Fabricators have continued to pick up work and continues to grow within the renewables and offshore sectors. We have additional orders for cable handling systems from MAATS Tech and a new customer in Tees White Gill Thrusters for whom Marine Fabricators are manufacturing some major thruster components. We owe most of our recent success to our strong relationship with MAATS tech Ltd, since 2013 we have manufactured and installed 24 carousel systems (1500t to 7000t capacity), with ancillary equipment, largely for the oil and gas markets and we are very proud of our recent success,” Steve says. “MAATS Tech are by far our current largest customer in terms of capital value and tonnage through the workshop. DEMAnor are a relatively new client and the first Norwegian customer for us. We initially manufactured a winch mounting system, which was then shipped to them in northern Norway. In early 2016 we completed a large carousel type system for use in the umbilical manufacture sector. We

Marine Fabricators

are currently preparing to make our first delivery on our most exciting project to date with MAATS Tech Ltd. By the end of 2016, delivery and installation will be well underway on a 7000 tonne carousel as well as a 4500 tonne capacity carousel; spooling system; four track tensioners (45 tonne capacity); and associated cable handling equipment for ABB’s new state of the art vessel ABB Victoria.”

Marine Fabricators has established a proven track record, which represents a key asset that continues to drive the company forward. With its strong portfolio of completed works, ideally designed fabrication facilities and well-connected location, Marine Fabricators is set to continue long into the future. The company’s strengths are in its ability to provide solutions in a niche market as well as to take on more standard or larger projects. This diverse range of solutions makes Marine Fabricators a key partner for clients looking for reliable fabrication solutions.

“We have a strong track record, especially where carousels are concerned. We have shown that we are consistently able to build them very efficiently. We produce good quality products and do so on time – which is crucial,” Steve concludes. “With the uncertainty remaining in the oil and gas industry the next 12 months will be very challenging and we will be looking to form relationships with new customers, while looking to expand our customer base to further develop and strengthen our current relationships. We are also in the process of tendering for a number of major projects for two important clients and the company has a strong order book until Q1 2017 with fabrication capacity available in Q4 2016.”

Sarens Group Sarens Group is the recognised worldwide leader and reference in heavy lifting and engineered transport.

Sarens has state-of-the-art equipment and value engineering; it offers its customers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineered transport challenges.

With more than 100 entities in 60 countries, Sarens is the ideal partner for small-scale to megascale projects.

Sarens Group currently employs 4400 professionals and diligently mans its clients’ projects with top market talent from across the world.

Additionally, safety and quality are paramount to the business. Sarens has been the market leader for over 60 years; over three Sarens family generations are intimately involved in this business. Its success lies in an entrepreneurial spirit and a continued dedication to the job. However, taking heavy lifting and engineered transport seriously is for Sarens not just a matter of DNA and a family tradition but, most importantly, a choice.

Sarens will continue to build its future on the foundations of its rich past but it assures its clients that it will always stay ahead of the game when it comes to heavy lifting and engineered transport.

It will keep breaking ground and ensuring that projects are delivered in the fastest, safest, and smartest way.

Marine Fabricators Ltd marinefabricators.co.uk

Services Medium to heavy fabrication

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

67

Right Pipelayer performer GPL 980 at work

Bespoke

capabilities

With a fully in-house

Below TP-15 multipurpose tractor

68

ENERGY,oil&gas

design, manufacture and service portfolio, Euro Pipeline Equipment S.p.a. is a leading supplier of pipeline construction equipment.

The roots of the company date back as far as 1994 when Euro Pipeline Equipment was founded to design and produce its equipment, building on the experience acquired during many years of technical support provided on behalf of international pipeline contractors all over the world. The ISO 9001 accredited company is based in Carpaneto Piacentino, Italy and maintains a production plant that extends over a total area of 53,000 m2, of which 20,000 m2 is completely covered. Euro Pipeline Equipment combines proven industry innovation, trusted Italian build quality and reputable third-party suppliers to deliver a reliable and targeted pipe laying solution.

“We are a manufacturer of a full range of pipeline equipment for the mechanical part of pipe laying construction. Our products range from smaller lines to larger plant equipment and machines, weighing 100 tonnes. One of the company’s keys strength is that we are part of a wider group, which allows the business to manufacture internally and to therefore fully control quality and the entire supply chain,” elaborates Corporate Sales Manager, Matteo Dondeo. “We design equipment internally energy-oil-gas.com

and can then source the frame and other components from within the group and we also work within trusted and market-leading suppliers such as Caterpillar and Bosch. By developing machinery in-house we are in a position to provide custom equipment that is exactly the right specification for the client’s requirement at a competitive price.”

Euro Pipeline Equipment has provided equipment to leading pipeline construction contractors in markets all over the world. During July 2016 for example, it was announced that the respected Italian oil and gas industry contractor, Saipem, had again chosen Euro Pipeline Equipment to provide pipeline construction and laying equipment. The company was contracted to provide several machines including an initial group of ten Performer GPL 980 pipe laying machines, to be deployed around the Shah Deniz Oilfield, located 90 Km from the Azerbaijan coast, to contribute to the building of SCXP South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion Project. “The Performer GPL 980 has several unique features and is the only pipe laying machine on the market that can be disassembled and transported via standard normal open top containers, which allows a great saving in terms of shipping costs and time,” Matteo reveals. “During 2015 we also delivered two unique bending machines that included several project specific characteristics,

PROFILE

which were not previously available on the market. We design all of our own equipment while keeping in mind the desired application of the machine on site. The features of the equipment that we produce are derived from the requests of our clients and pipeline contractors around the world.”

Traditionally Euro Pipeline Equipment has focused on the domestic and European markets, however in recent years the company has expanded its operations into new regions including South America and the Middle East.

“We see Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle Eastern region as an important future market, as well as Mexico and South America. Algeria is also increasingly an active market within Africa for the company as well. We are currently planning to open a new branch in Abu Dhabi by the end of 2016 and we also intend to establish a presence in Mexico, which will be the hub for both Central and Northern America.”

Core to the company’s current success and its future operations is its close co-operation with both its clients and internal departments

Euro Pipeline Equipment

within the group. During the coming years Euro Pipeline Equipment will continue to leverage these strengths to further its international presence and to further develop marketleading pipe laying solutions. “The company’s core strength is teamwork. Our commercial department receives feedback from the customer relating to their specific requests as well as the requirements of the project prior to the project being awarded to the contractor, so we will know more or less what to develop. We are then able to match a product to the project if we have the right specification, otherwise we can undertake a valuation study and manufacture a new system to propose to the customer,” Matteo concludes. “During the next 12 months our goal is certainly to gain a foothold in Mexico and the South American market, as well as in the Middle East. During the next five years the target of the company is establish a presence in every major global region, whether that be through new branches, sales representatives or partners. We ultimately want to be a recognised equipment provider all over the world.”

The Performer GPL 980 has several unique features and is the only pipe laying machine on the market that can be disassembled and transported via standard normal open top containers, which allows a great saving in terms of shipping costs and time Euro Pipeline Equipment europipeline-equipment.com

Services Pipeline construction equipment

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

69

A principle of

innovation With its registered roots in Abu Dhabi dating back to 1993, SAMCO began operations within both the onshore and offshore oil and gas industry during 2012 when the company was awarded its CN-1176631 commercial licence. During this time, CEO Rolv Flaaten joined the company and continues to guide the business today. SAMCO was founded as an agent for a number of prominent Northern European and Australian companies operating within the UAE. The business presently represents several major names within the rapidly developing Middle Eastern oil and gas industry and counts organisations such as Saudi Aramco, Total, ADMA OPCO, Al Hosn Gas and Bunduq amongst its clients. SAMCO targets the most innovative and proven technology companies from Northern Europe and Australia to represent, which has allowed it to bring new solutions ranging from packers, retrievable bridge plugs, shut in tools to waste water treatment technologies to the Middle East.

Having resided in Abu Dhabi for more than 16 years, Rolv has taken a role in the success of SAMCO in the region, which is partly due to his long-standing relationships with several established Norwegian companies. This has allowed for the smooth transition of technology from Norway to the Middle East and the greatest strength of SAMCO continues to be its expert knowledge and experience. Since the company was previously profiled in Energy, Oil & Gas magazine during October 2015, SAMCO has continued to develop its presence with clients in the Middle East, while growing its portfolio of supporting principles. “It can be very difficult for a small company like us to bring in commodities so we need to bring solutions that are much smarter than the current market offering. The

70

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

companies that we work with are brought into Abu Dhabi because they can benefit the operations going on here, not because they can make us a profit. It is because they are the best in their field and their technologies have been proven in the North Sea and other established sites,” Rolv explains. “Since 2015 we have begun tendering several technologies, which is very positive in this extremely rough market. The number of principles associated with SAMCO has grown to around 17 and there are also several others that we hope to come during early fall 2016.”

By only working with proprietors of proven technologies within the oil and gas market, SAMCO is able to ensure that it delivers reliable

solutions that benefit the development of the energy industry in the Middle East. One principle company that has enjoyed particular success in the region is the Norwegian company, HydraWell Intervention AS, which supplies innovative step change technologies focusing on P&A, cost optimisation and operational risk reduction. Other principle companies include ScanWell AS, which is also based in Norway and provides equipment and services for reservoir, wellhead and process monitoring covering acoustic logging, wireless data acquisition and

PROFILE

sampling, as well as the and Scottish company Rubberatkins, which supplies bespoke rubber moulding applications for SAMCO clients.

“The key in building a company like SAMCO is to build a strong portfolio that covers as much of the oil and gas market as possible.

This way when tenders are announced we are able to provide a suitable answer. That is why we try to have a variety of companies with different products and services and this strategy is currently working very well for us,” Rolv says. “There are opportunities for technology companies and that is what SAMCO is all about. For example, within the UAE and many other neighbouring countries in the Middle East there is an increasing amount of product that is less straightforward to extract. Gone are the days where it was more or less possible to simply drill a hole in the ground and oil would come up. Today much more technologically advanced techniques are required, which is why we exclusively focus on proven and reliable technology from around the world.”

Despite the challenges that are present in the global energy market including the low cost of oil, SAMCO is in a strong position to continue to grow its presence within the Middle East.

Although the market has experienced a slow down in recent months, the indicators are that the region is set to experience a relative boom in the near future as operators increasingly employ new technology. “If you consider Aberdeen in Scotland and Stavanger in Norway, they were both fishing regions before the arrival of the oil and gas industry, which resulted in the formation of a great many oil and gas related companies.

This evolution has yet to occur in the Middle Eastern region, however the industry is growing and the market will change significantly in the near future,” Rolv concludes. “There is plenty of room for further research and development in the market and through this engineering companies can continue to develop new tools, which will be critical in providing increasingly green and efficient tools once the oil and gas market picks up.”

SAMCO

SAMCO samco-uae.com

Services Agency based in Abu Dhabi representing innovative European and Australian companies for the local oil and gas industry

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

71

Twenty years in automation: significant achievements, future ambitions

to this market allowed the team to win some significant project work in combination with the upstream business.

“Ten years ago we were awarded our first mega project and we have continued this momentum with our project portfolio, consisting of many small to medium size projects coupled with one or two large projects, providing resilience through the current ‘lower for longer’ climate in oil and gas.

“Today we have a capability span that covers everything from process automation systems to security systems and we have a large team that focuses on intelligent operations; higher end applications, learning systems and flow assurance for pipelines and facilities. Being a diverse group, there are a lot of opportunities across a range of markets for this part of the business.”

Such has been its success, that over the past two decades the Automation and Control business has automated over 250,000km of

Since 1912 Wood Group Mech-Tool Engineering Limited (MTE) Mech-Tool Engineering Limited (MTE) is a global leader in the design and build of high integrity fire and blast protection solutions. For over 45 years the Darlington-based company has provided specialist design and engineering skills to supply and manufacture pre-engineered, fully certified fire and blast tested products and quality assured solutions. MTE consistently delivers optimised weight and cost savings across the onshore and offshore market sectors.

72

ENERGY,oil&gas

has worked with global companies and across industries to design, build, operate and improve the facilities that supply the world’s energy. In that time, the company has grown its operations to spread across more than 50 countries, providing a range of engineering, production support and maintenance management services.

In order to deliver its wide-ranging services, the Group has multiple divisions, one of which, the Automation And Control business, celebrated 20 years of growth in 2016. This division is a system-independent provider of automation, control and consultancy services to a variety of industries, including oil and gas, refining, chemicals, pulp and paper and power.

It also operates in the discreet manufacturing industries such as logistics, aerospace and automotive on a global scale.

Automation and Control President, Mark House, described how the company evolved into the market leader it is today: “Twenty years ago, we were a new group trying to grow an automation business within an engineering company; something that had never been done successfully before. Over the past two decades automation and control has steadily grown and reached a critical mass that has allowed us to compete globally for any size of project.

“We came into the organisation at a time when the upstream automation market was having a technical revolution. Our ability to adapt our downstream automation experience

energy-oil-gas.com

pipeline, and the team has grown to cover more than 25 countries, where clients depend on its capabilities and expertise.

A perfect example of the company’s standing in the market is the recent contract win with Tengizchevroil (TCO). As part of this Wood Group is providing main automation contractor (MAC) services to Tengizchevroil (TCO) for the Future Growth Project-Wellhead Pressure Management Project at the Tengiz Field in Kazakhstan. “For our business this is the culmination of 20 years of hard work and growth to put us in a position where we could execute a job of that size. The automation scope of the Future Growth Project-Wellhead Pressure Management Project is one of the world’s largest industrial automation projects and the multi-year contract is valued at approximately $700 million.

In 2008, we started a globalisation strategy and cut our teeth on exciting international projects.

Now, leveraging our global experience and deep capabilities, there’s no project in the world that’s too big for us,” explained Mark.

PROFILE

“It’s been a challenging year for the oil and gas industry, but our mix of opex projects and large greenfield projects has allowed the global automation team to grow. I’m most proud of our outstanding group of people whose passion continues to drive outstanding performance across all of our projects globally. It’s this performance that allows us to win contracts such as this that fuel our growth.”

Going forward, Wood Group Automation and Control has ambitious plans to maintain its impetus and take it to further heights of success.

“We are already one of the largest independent integrators in the industry and are keenly focused on continuing to grow that capability,” emphasised Mark. “One of our key focuses over the past year has been the development of a strategy to broaden our markets and enhance our capabilities. This led to the acquisition of The Automated Technology Group (ATG) in the UK and Ingenious in the US and India. ATG’s focus on manufacturing provides immediate broadening and we are already seeing synergies develop in the US with two major awards in the automotive sector. Ingenious compliments our intelligent operations team and they are developing a strong pipeline of opportunities.”

He concluded: “Our sights are set on continuing this momentum of broadening our opportunities both geographically and into additional, complementary markets. We aim to become the largest automation and control business in the world, whilst committing to maintaining the great people culture that got us to where we are today.”

Wood Group

We are already one of the largest independent integrators in the industry and are keenly focused on continuing to grow that capability

Wood Group woodgroup.com

Services Project management, engineering, procurement and construction management services

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

73

KBM06824-PPS_Anzeige-Belgien-DINA4-ik-Print.indd 1

11.08.16 08:35

PROFILE

Connecting

partners Fluxys is a Belgium-based

, fully independent gas infrastructure group that is independent from any producer or supplier of gas and electricity. Fluxys Belgium has for that matter been certified by the Belgian national regulatory authority Commission de Régulation de l’Electricité et du Gaz (CREG), in accordance with the full ownership unbundling model.

The company is a major gas transit operator and its offering combines gas transmission, gas storage and terminalling of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The company is present across Europe and is focused on delivering safe, efficient and sustainable operations, while ensuring quality services in line with market expectations and creating long-term value for its shareholders.

The business was founded during 2001 as the result of a voluntary demerger of the vertically integrated Belgian gas company Distrigas, which was established in 1929.

Further to its pipeline, storage and LNG terminalling assets within Belgium, which are owned and operated by the NYSE Euronext listed Fluxys Belgium, Fluxys Group partnerships also include ownership in the Interconnector and BBL pipelines linking the UK with mainland Europe; the Dunkirk LNG terminal in France; the NEL and TENP pipelines in Germany; the Transitgas pipeline in Switzerland; the Swedegas infrastructure in Sweden; and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) from Greece to Italy to be constructed so as to bring gas coming from Azerbaijan to Europe.

Within Belgium, Fluxys Belgium operates a network of about 4100 km of underground pipelines, with a capacity of around 121 billion cubic metres (BCM) per year and an exit capacity of 82 BCM per year. Its network is

Fluxys Belgium

used to transmit natural gas for consumption in Belgium, with 17 distribution system operators that are responsible for distributing natural gas to homes and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The network also distributes to around 250 industrial end consumers and power stations, with a total yearly consumption of around 15 BCM per year. The network is also used for border-to-border transmission for redelivery at the borders and trading on other gas trading places or consumption on end user markets throughout Europe. The company’s grid is connected to all available gas sources for the EU market and its users gain optimum destination flexibility for their gas flows. “The capacity of the Fluxys LNG Terminal in Zeebrugge is nine BCM per year with a storage capacity of 380,000 m³ LNG, which will be expanded to 560,000 m³ LNG upon commissioning of a fifth cryogenic tank that is currently being built in the framework of expanded transhipment services to be offered from 2018 onwards,” adds Company Spokesman, Laurent Remy. “And when it comes to storage, the company’s capacity in Belgium is located at an underground aquifer in Loenhout and amounts to circa 750 Mio m³(n).”

Fluxys is committed to further developing its international infrastructure and during May 2016 Pascal De Buck, CEO of Fluxys Belgium and Thierry Trouvé, CEO of GRTgaz, inaugurated in Pitgam (Nord) a new gas transmission pipeline connecting France and Belgium. The project was initiated in 2010, as a new link between the two countries, and is another step towards creating a more integrated gas market in Northwest Europe.

“In Belgium the project involved building the Alveringem regulating station located close to the French border; a new interconnection station at Maldegem connecting the AlveringemMaldegem pipeline to our existing VTN bi-directional trunk line connecting the UK, German and Dutch markets; and a pipeline stretching nearly 75 km between these two sites. The total investment was around €100 million,” Laurent reveals. “In France the project involved building the Flanders Pipeline and the Hondschoote metering station at the border, and modifying the Pitgam interconnection station through an investment valued at around €85 million. These facilities will be used for non-odorised gas, enabling shippers to transmit gas from France to Belgium for the first time. They will strengthen existing links between the two markets by offering the ability to transmit up to eight BCM of natural ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

75

PROFILE

Fluxys Belgium

gas per year from France to Belgium while reinforcing security of supply, diversification of sources and market integration in northwest Europe. The new facilities provide optimum destination flexibility for Dunkirk terminal users as well, allowing them to easily reach all neighbouring gas markets.”

In addition to investing in the further development of its gas storage and transmission infrastructure across Europe, Fluxys is also committed to strengthening Europe’s energy security by expanding its LNG infrastructure capacity. “As natural gas production in the European Union declines, LNG has an increasingly important role to play in safeguarding Europe’s long-term security of supply and in ensuring the necessary diversification of sources, which in turn increases competition and finally lowers the prices to the end-users. Through its activities at its Zeebrugge terminal and the terminal under construction at Dunkirk, Fluxys has built up a strong position on the LNG terminalling market.

The Zeebrugge Terminal was intended as a ship unloading facility only, but we proactively

76

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

developed additional services in response to demand from our users. With a second jetty nearing completion, Fluxys is developing the Zeebrugge LNG Terminal as an important hub for small-scale LNG,” Laurent concludes.

During March 2016 the company announced that it had signed a framework agreement with Gazprom for co-operation in small-scale LNG distribution. “The framework agreement with Gazprom reflects the intention of the parties to collaborate on joint projects for the construction and operation of LNG receiving terminals, LNG filling stations and LNG bunkering infrastructure in Europe. Both companies are currently examining possibilities in that respect.

“During the coming years Fluxys will further extend the role of its network as cross-roads for Europe through LT profitable investments in new infrastructure and existing assets, which will prompt greater competition and impact positively on natural gas prices. We will as well promote natural gas as ideal complement to renewable energy for electricity generation and promote new technologies such as gas heat pumps, micro CHP and power to gas.”

Fluxys Belgium fluxys.com/Belgium

Services Gas transmission, gas storage and LNG terminalling

PROFILE

Endress+Hauser

A measured

partnership

Operating as a family-owned business founded in Lörrach, Germany, Endress+Hauser is a proven-market leader in the design and manufacture of instrumentation and measurement systems. Today, the instruments and measurement systems manufactured by Endress+Hauser are employed by clients across the industry segments including Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Utilities, Primaries & Metal and Food & Beverage and are supported by a comprehensive package of consulting, training, and after sales services.

Sixty-three years after its foundation during February 1953, Endress+Hauser still continues to expand as a trusted measurement-engineering specialist. Its success is due to the continuity of a prudently run family-owned business that is fully committed to the critical principle of satisfying both the needs and requirements of its clients. ‘First serve, then earn’ was one

of the mottos of company founder Georg H Endress (1924- 2008) and it has lost none of its validity to this day! As of 2016, 47 sales centres and more than 80 representatives around the globe sell products, services and solutions delivered by Endress+Hauser, while production sites in 12 countries are engaged in continued manufacturing and development. Thanks to the established global roots of the business in various different regions and industries, the Endress+Hauser Group is well placed and able to cope with cyclical fluctuations within various industries. The lean and highly networked organisation of the company guarantees a high level of flexibility and a rapid response as required. The Group presently employs around 13,000 personnel across the globe and has crossed €2.1 billion in annual sales.

Further to its growing manufacturing and sales capability, Endress+Hauser supports its customers in optimising their own processes in terms of reliability, safety, economic efficiency and environmental impact. Its products and solutions are well accepted by respected end-users across a broad base of industry applications and as a result, the installed base of Endress+Hauser products has constantly increased over the years to more than 40 million devices worldwide.

To ensure that the company is able to provide excellent service to its growing customer base, Endress+Hauser manages a comprehensive support network of professionals ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

77

to aid customers at every stage of product implementation and usage. “Our dedicated service organisation supports the customer during the installation, commissioning and full life-cycle of Endress+Hauser devices. Service is an important and integral part of our offerings.

Today’s challenges include heightened cost pressures, tightening of regulations, lack of skilled staff willing to work in a process plant and the complexity of a multi-vendor installed base with a mix of new and old technologies,” observes Prasanth Sreekumar, Head of Marketing at Endress+Hauser’s Middle East Support Centre.

“Whatever the location or the industry, our service force of over 1000 experts is strategically located worldwide ensuring active local presence to help the customer to achieve their business goals. These are divided into three main aspects; support, service and optimisation and are taken care of by our experts and based on process knowledge and technical expertise obtained over more than six decades.”

The full Endress+Hauser product portfolio comprises of a comprehensive selection of instruments designed to measure variables

78

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

such as flow, level, pressure and temperature.

In addition to its collection of measurement devices, the company is also able to deliver associated packages including analytical tools, software and system products.

Strategic acquisitions of recent years reinforce Endress+Hauser’s position and expand the fields of activities. Subsidiaries such as Analytik Jena, SpectraSensors and Kaiser Optical Systems added know-how in the areas of laboratory analysis and advanced process analyser systems for liquids, solids and gases. This extensive portfolio allows Endress+Hauser to offer proven solutions that address several measurement tasks and is fully standardised and aligned for enhanced safety and efficiency.

Setting up of Endress+Hauser sales centres around the world has paid off time and again as it helps in being closer to the customer and provides even better customer service.

Endress+Hauser started operations in the Middle East region in 2006 as a branch of Endress+Hauser Instruments International focused on regional support and development.

Over the past years, it has grown to more than

PROFILE

250 personnel and has dedicated resources for sales, service, marketing and project support for the region. Sales Centre Qatar in Doha has been operational since 2009; the Saudi Arabia subsidiary started operations in 2012 with head office in Al Khobar and branch offices in Riyadh and Jeddah.

As a commitment to the Middle East region and to optimise customer support on the Arabian Peninsula, Endress+Hauser established another sales centre in 2014 in the UAE and now operates in the market with two offices at locations in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai.

Endress+Hauser UAE LLC has a dedicated and strong team of 50 employees. The sales centre is equipped with resources for sales, services and project management. “We fulfilled our primary goal to ‘support the region from the region’,” says Prasanth Sreekumar.

During March 2016, Endress+Hauser further enhanced its service offering with the introduction of the world’s first radar for measuring liquid levels using a transmitting frequency of 79 GHz. The new Micropilot NMR81 is specially designed for high accuracy custody transfer applications and is certified by independent test authorities to an accuracy of up to ±0.5mm. The device utilises a transmitting frequency of 79 GHz, which produces a sharply focused beam angle of 3°. In contrast, a 10 GHz radar instrument with an antenna of the same size has a beam angle of 21°. Measurement even in tall narrow tanks or near to the tank wall is highly reliable because the radar beam avoids objects such as pipes or baffles on tank walls.

By making use of targeted focusing, Micropilot NMR81 makes it easier to measure down to the tank bottom, because by using 79 GHz technology the beam does not hit the converging interior walls. In general, longer measuring ranges than with other technologies are possible while the accuracy stays the same.

Heartbeat Technology™ is another unique concept introduced by Endress+Hauser. This technology basically stands for reliable selfmonitoring of a measuring point without process interruption and diagnostic signal output according to NE107. Heartbeat Technology™ provides full flexibility for traceable proof testing, thanks to built-in diagnostics, verification and continuous monitoring functions. Heartbeat Technology™ has been designed to add value in critical dimensions, such as the safety of the processes, the quality of the products and the availability not only of the metering point itself, but of the entire plant.

Endress+Hauser

The continued introduction of new technologies and its dedicated focus on after sales and full service support has made Endress+Hauser a steady industry leader.

This position will further allow the business to continue to expand its global presence throughout the rest of 2016 and beyond.

“Endress+Hauser has been the technology leader with best-in-class products and solutions to cater to critical and challenging applications in the process industry. Its research and development programme in Europe has strived to keep up the market pace in terms of technology and innovation and more than 6500 active patents and patent applications explain the technology superiority attached to them,” Prasanth concludes.

The Group has developed from a specialist in level measurement to a provider of complete solutions for industrial measuring technology and automation, with constant expansion into new territories and markets.

Endress+Hauser mesc.endress.com

Services Industrial measurement and automation equipment

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

79

Quality, integrity, and

Onstream Group

has continued to develop and grow since it was established in 1978, and has gone on to entrench itself as key supplier of asset integrity, logistics, and manpower to some of the largest operators in the oil and gas industry. Such rapid progress in under four decades is a remarkable achievement, and one that is a sign of the company’s ambition.

The main services that Onstream Group provides are essentially based around three areas, which group business development director Alexandre Maari explained: “We offer solutions to clients in various industrial fields and focus on three major service lines - Asset I_08ntegrity, which manifests in various maintenance services such as painting and blasting, access works, inspection services, minor fabric maintenance, and revolutionary anti-corrosion Oxifree services. Then there is Logistics Support, which can involve fleet management, transportation solutions, as well as equipment and vehicle rental capabilities in Europe and Africa. The final service we offer is Manpower, this is the oldest service line of the Onstream Group, it includes a 360-degree approach to manpower solutions for our industrial clients - starting from sourcing candidates to pay rolling, plus meet and greets and local support for expatriates.”

80

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

It is due to the quality that Onstream Group prides itself on that it now has such a prestigious collection of customers, and this was something that Alexandre addressed: “As a company, we are proud to provide services to our clients among which there are many blue chip companies. The Onstream Group is proud to be able to boast a high profile client portfolio and a highly successful dedicated and experienced global team. Through acquisitions and organic growth, the Onstream Group has become a truly global company with operations in Europe, West Africa, CIS region, Americas, and the Middle East.”

There are many reasons why Onstream Group has been able to carve out such a strong position in the industry, and Alexandre provided some factors: “Onstream Group sticks to its values: innovation, quality, entrepreneurship, integrity, and passion. These are our guiding principles in the world of industrial services. We are also a relatively young organisation, and because of that Onstream Group is an energetic and flexible company, it is able to adapt its strategy and tailor its services for our clients in the most difficult locations - we value our adaptability.”

Onstream Group has built such a reputation and supplied services to a standard that has

PROFILE

resulted in it being active across the globe, and Alexandre highlighted some locations: “Within Europe, Onstream Group is proud to have clients across major company locations – in the North Sea, Onstream Group has worked since 1989, providing asset integrity, logistics, and manpower. As of 2015 Onstream Group started providing anti-corrosion solutions in the Netherlands. Then within Africa, Onstream Group has worked with large companies such as Shell, ENI, and Total. There has also been Petrogas – an associated company of the Onstream Group – it was awarded a transportation services contract in Gabon in 2012. Since then, the company has mobilised more than 250 vehicles in remote locations across Gabon. In Mozambique, the company supplies asset integrity and manpower services solutions to oil and gas majors as well as specialised industrial clients.”

There have also been several major projects that Onstream Group completed in 2016, and Alexandre was able to provide some details on these: “In April of that year Onstream Group completed a project in the Temane area of Mozambique. The project was a maintenance job on two water tanks for our client Fugro. In a nutshell, the project involved in-and outside surface blasting and painting. The full scope of the project services involved NDT and structural integrity, mechanical maintenance, anti-corrosion solutions, painting and blasting, as well as transportation. Another project we worked on was with Noordgastransport B. V. (NGT) - it was the first major Oxifree project in the Netherlands. The solution we proposed to NGT was the most cost-effective and reliable in comparison to other conventional anti-corrosion solutions. In order to tackle the corrosion, Onstream Group conducted onsite inspection and developed a detailed proposal based on the use of the innovative Oxifree TM198 coating system. Anti-corrosion problems on complex metal structures at the NGT gas refinery were successfully resolved.” Alexandre also shed some light on a project it has in the

Onstream Group

pipeline: “The company is currently preparing to carry out several projects within the asset integrity service line in the Netherlands, Gabon, Mozambique and Nigeria. As a part of the strategic diversification of the client base, we identified a strong demand for our anti-corrosion services in non-conventional sectors such as wood processing, production factories, as well as storage facilities industry.”

Onstream Group has clearly achieved a great deal in a short time – building a reputation that has made it internationally in demand in less than four decades. However, the company will continue to improve its services by developing its manpower in its more traditional markets of Europe and Africa. It will also aim to further its provision of asset integrity in West Africa, East Africa, and CIS regions. In addition to these Onstream Group will ensure that logistics services will be increased in both West and East Africa. All of these planned improvements only add to the fact that Onstream Group is proven, it is reliable, and it provides all its services to the highest standards everywhere it operates.

Onstream Group onstreamgroup.com

Services Maintenance services, manpower services, equipment rental and logistics support

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

81

nation

Energising growth and prosperity for a

Tatweer Petroleum is one of the

Below Tommy McKenzie, Chief Executive Officer, Tatweer Petroleum

82

ENERGY,oil&gas

largest producers of crude oil in the Bahrain region and is taking a proactive approach to further improve its position within the oil and gas industry. It has a three-pronged strategy that will grow its value – dedication to doing every job safely, while continually seeking better technology and processes, and with a focus on cost efficiency.

Through these methods Tatweer Petroleum is taking a fresh and innovative approach in order to utilise the value of the oil reservoirs.

The history of the company was something that Chief Executive Officer Tommy McKenzie discussed: “In December 2009, Tatweer Petroleum – Bahrain Field Development Company W.L.L. assumed responsibility for the stewardship and revitalisation of the mature Bahrain Field and the execution of all activities related to the petroleum operations pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Development and Production Sharing Agreement (DPSA). The DPSA, dated 26th April 2009, was entered into between the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA) and Occidental, Mubadala, and the oil and gas holding company (nogaholding).

As of July 2016, the company is wholly owned by nogaholding, the business and investment arm of NOGA of the Kingdom of Bahrain, which acts as the steward for the Government’s investment in a diversified range of energyrelated companies.” energy-oil-gas.com

Tommy continued to lay out Tatweer Petroleum’s priorities: “The company’s primary goal is to increase the production of oil and the availability of gas to meet the future energy demands of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in line with the nation’s Economic Vision 2030. Tatweer Petroleum utilises the latest oil production and recovery technologies whilst upholding its commitment to the highest standards of health, safety and environmental protection, and the development of Bahraini nationals. This will support the company’s contribution to energising the Kingdom’s economic growth and social prosperity while maximising value for stakeholders.”

There are a number of projects that Tatweer Petroleum is working on, and the development of the Bahrain Oil Field has been a major one that the company has reinvigorated, as Tommy explained: “Since Tatweer Petroleum took over responsibility in 2009, the mature Bahrain Field production has increased to levels not seen since the 1970s. The company utilises the latest oil production and recovery technologies including artificial lift, steam injection and other improved oil recovery techniques in order to increase the production of oil and availability of gas to meet the future energy demands of the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

There is also the development of the Aruma oil reservoir, and this was also something

PROFILE

Tommy elaborated on: “We have made oil field history and produced the first ever extraheavy oil in Bahrain from the Aruma reservoir utilising steam injection for enhanced oil recovery. Staying on the subject of enhanced oil recovery, we have also been piloting a sophisticated oil project to recover light oil by using steam to vaporise oil from the reservoir and then turn it back into liquid oil when it reaches the surface. While we are in the early stages of proving the commercial viability of the process, we are mobilising the oil that would have otherwise remained trapped in the reservoir and successfully produced it using this very novel process.”

Tatweer Petroleum is continually finding new ways to increase its production capacity at oil fields, and Tommy provided some information on this: “Our shallow drilling program has shown some truly outstanding results with some of our new wells producing over 1000 bopd where previously these had been only 60 bopd.

Using advanced drilling technology, as well as improved drilling efficiencies - we have been able to reduce costs and target sweet spots in the reservoirs that were previously not thought technically or economically possible.”

Along with the company’s improvements in production there have been a number of other investments and research developments at Tatweer Petroleum, and Tommy was able to

Tatweer Petroleum

explore some of these: “The biggest economic development was extracting over 18 million bbls of oil from the Bahrain Field last year, thereby exceeding the 2015 budget by almost two million bbls and generating considerable wealth for the Kingdom of Bahrain. Tatweer Petroleum has earned its position as a major contributor to the local economy in terms of investment and revenue generation.”

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

83

PROFILE

Tatweer Petroleum

The company has also embarked on other methods to further develop the company, which Tommy provided an insight into: “Over the past six years of operations Tatweer Petroleum has invested over four billion dollars to redevelop the mature Bahrain Field. Tatweer Petroleum’s on-going development of the Bahrain Oil Field took a significant step forward with the signing of a new contract on September 1, 2015 to install a new 500 MMSCFD gas dehydration facility. As the initial phase in a series of planned gas capacity projects scheduled for the next three to five years, it highlights Tatweer Petroleum’s commitment to secure delivery of natural gas needed to meet the growing demands of the Kingdom. Installation of the new gas processing facility which will be completed by early 2018 will be a significant milestone and is critical piece of Bahrain’s future energy strategy.”

Central to Tatweer Petroleum’s approach is assisting and contributing to the aims of the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, as Tommy discussed: “This project, which supports Tatweer Petroleum’s vision to energise the Kingdom’s economic growth and social prosperity, has significantly benefited local contractors. As an example, during 2015, an additional 50 Bahraini companies were approved to carry out work for Tatweer Petroleum through a fully automated tendering process for contracts, services and procurement.

The company’s supply chain management department processed over 1600 commitments totaling around 350 million dollars.”

Another area that Tatweer Petroleum places as an absolute priority is safety, and Tommy was keen to convey the company’s commitment to this: “With health, safety and environment as one of our core company values, Tatweer Petroleum strives to provide a safe workplace and is committed to protection of the environment. Campaigns, initiatives and

84

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

bulletins are put in place every year to address adverse trends and safety risks. Tatweer will continue to safeguard the Kingdom’s resources, all the while limiting the operation’s impact on the environment.”

Tatweer Petroleum has a clear strategy towards the future of energy provision within Bahrain - it is committed to fulfilling the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, and is using the latest technology and the best personnel to achieve this. The company takes its responsibility seriously, and will no doubt be able to achieve its ambitions to optimise oil and gas production in Bahrain.

Tatweer Petroleum tatweerpetroleum.com

Services Oil and Gas Producer

PROFILE

Chart Ferox

Delivering

excellence

Above The first Chart LNG vehicle fuelling station for Shell in Holland

A wholly owned

subsidiary of Chart Industries, Inc., Czech Republic based Chart Ferox supplies equipment for the cryogenic storage and distribution of liquefied gases, including air gases (nitrogen, oxygen, argon), carbon dioxide (CO2), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other hydrocarbons.

The range of equipment and systems available from Chart Ferox is very comprehensive, and thanks to its wealth of expertise and industry knowledge, the company is no stranger to working with blue chip clients on major contracts.

For example, recently it has been involved with a groundbreaking project where 35 nations are collaborating to build the world’s largest ‘tokamak’,

a magnetic fusion device. Called ITER, (‘The Way’ in Latin) it is one of the most ambitious energy projects in the world today, with the aim to prove the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbonfree source of energy.

In May 2016, Chart Ferox manufactured two massive tanks each measuring 35 m x 4.5 m for ITER, which will form part of a cryoplant and will require special arrangements to be transported from the port of Marseille, Fos-surMer, to the ITER construction site at Cadarache.

The tanks will be used as ‘quench tanks’ for helium storage when needed, and represent a fundamental part of a project that includes a number of world firsts.

Right Biggest cryogenic tank in the world delivered to Norway in 2012

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

85

Above Alternative energy source for cruise ships in the Port of Hamburg

Below Chart helium tanks for ‘tokamak’ project

86

ENERGY,oil&gas

While the Chart Ferox name is synonymous with standard and custom engineered cryogenic storage technology, in fact the organisation’s portfolio extends far beyond these products and the company is paving the way for the adoption of LNG as a safe, economic and green alternative to diesel in Europe.

“The majority of our business is still focused on technical gases, however we are slowly moving towards a bigger portion of LNG, and we will be focusing on that area as that is where we see the most opportunity for growth,” commented Hans Lonsain, President of Chart D&S Europe. “Since we were last featured in Energy, Oil & Gas in 2013 the maritime LNG segment has seen expansion and we have been developing mobile bunkering solutions, including a project for a hybrid power ship in Hamburg, multiple LNG fuelling systems for maritime applications as well as nitrogen vaporisation and storage packages for floating LNG (FLNG). There are still big opportunities in

energy-oil-gas.com

the marine space, which is only just starting to develop and I think that sector will continue to mature and expand geographically.”

He added: “In a joint venture with VTG, Chart Ferox has developed a rail car for the safe transportation of LNG on Europe’s rail network.

The rail car has been fully approved and tested and made available to the market.”

Hans also noted that Chart Ferox is seeing clear opportunities in LNG for vehicle fuelling, with LNG fuelling stations being constructed across Europe. “This used to be a one off event but there is now a developing infrastructure of stations and an ever increasing amount of vehicles equipped to run on LNG in this emerging segment,” he said. “Despite the recent fall in global oil prices, LNG continues to offer an attractive, cost competitive alternative to diesel, while proving to be a more environmentally friendly option as well.”

PROFILE

A perfect example of how Chart Ferox works in this area is Shell’s first European LNG Fuelling Station, which opened in Rotterdam in March 2015. Chart Ferox’s detailed scope of supply included engineering, fabrication, installation and commissioning of the LNG storage tank, off-loading, pump skids, control and safety system, interconnecting pipe work and the LNG dispensers. The station has the capacity to fuel around 170 heavy-duty vehicles every day and, with Chart’s technology, meets the industry’s highest technical and safety standards. All Chart Ferox LNG stations can be supplied with a CNG fuelling option making them suitable for fuelling all natural gas powered vehicles.

From speaking to Hans about the variety of sophisticated projects Chart Ferox is undertaking, it is clear that the organisation’s commitment to continuous improvement is setting it apart from the competition. “I do believe our dedication to innovation, combined with our global supply capability and end-to-end product portfolio has put us where we are today,” Hans confirmed. “We have a global presence, which means we are one

of the only cryogenic suppliers who can really supply in every country in the world, and we have a manufacturing presence in all the major world economies, which is a huge asset. We supply throughout the complete LNG value chain, from liquefaction plants through to end use equipment, so I would say we are the most complete and innovative supplier in the market today.”

Maintaining this position is where the company’s focus remains and Hans believes the key to continued future success lies in a flexible approach: “We see demand for products is changing quickly, so what we need to do is create an adaptable, flexible and responsive organisation able to satisfy a range of different requirements with short lead times and without sacrificing quality.

“This will bring challenges such as retraining staff, changing the layouts of factories and finding the balance between just in time manufacturing while maintaining the level of expertise and excellence synonymous with Chart. But, the market is asking for flexibility and that is what we will be striving to deliver.”

Chart Ferox

I do believe our dedication to innovation, combined with our global supply capability and end-to-end product portfolio has put us where we are today

Chart Ferox chartindustries.com

Services Supplies equipment and systems for storage and distribution of liquefied air gases and hydrocarbons

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

87

Bridge over choppy

waters

Established with the vision

Below Jim Craig, CEO of Ampelmann

88

ENERGY,oil&gas

of making offshore access as simple as crossing the street, Ampelmann was created as a spin-off of the Delft University of Technology in 2007.

From 2008 onwards, the company began to contract its motion compensation offshore access solutions and services to offshore gas and offshore wind industries and had grown from one system to approximately 50 by the final quarter of 2015.

“The unique Ampelmann systems with fully motion compensated gangways allow for safe, efficient and reliable transfers of people and cargo from ships to offshore structures (Walk to Work) and from shores to offshore structures (Crew Change) in both the oil and gas and offshore wind industry. About three million people have already walked to work safely on more than 150 projects worldwide,” begins Jim Craig, CEO of Ampelmann.

At the heart of Ampelmann is its unique technology, a motion compensated gangway, within the system, which allows safe, efficient and reliable access from moving vessels to offshore oil and gas platforms, offshore wind turbines, FPSO’s and other fixed floating sea structures. “Every vessel is subject to motion, due to sea state (wave, tide, swell), wind and movement of the ship. A vessel is subject to a full six degrees of motion so the unique Ampelmann system uses a hexapod with six cylinders to compensate for all movements of a energy-oil-gas.com

vessel,” explains Jim. “The hexapod can be best described as an inverted flight training simulator that creates counter movement to all motions the vessel is subject to.”

Safe, reliable and efficient in all types of weather, the Ampelmann system ensures offshore facilities can be accessed at all times; using this system has clear economic benefits too, as renting an Ampelmann system is more cost effective than hiring helicopters, larger vessels or inflexible jack-ups. Furthermore, because an Ampelmann system can operate 24 hours a day, the ship can simply be parked next to the structure and left so many more hours of actual work are achieved.

Alongside offering advantages such as increased tooltime, decreased waiting on weather days and the utilisation of a plug and play system system that requires no modifications to offshore construction, Jim comments that Ampelmann also provides a full service offering to its customers: “An Ampelmann solution does not only consist of the motion compensation gangway; we are a full service provider that sells safe and efficient transfer. This means that we deliver not just the Ampelmann system to an offshore project, but also all the peripheral services that are needed to ensure a project runs safely, smoothly, on time and within budget. As such, we provide fully trained operators to run the systems and ensure these are operated safely, maintenance schedules and offshore spare parts

PROFILE

as well as providing consignments to ensure that the systems have maximum run time and never let a customer or their employees down. We also use HAZID meetings to discuss the operation of the system within our clients larger project to ensure safety issues are taken into account.

FMEA studies are executed to ensure that any single failure of a critical component is covered by back-up components; with a technical uptime of more than 98 per cent, we ensure the reliability of our systems during operations.

This service is delivered around the world, often while working in severe weather conditions.

“Beyond the safe movement of people across our compensated gangways, we also offer a range of cargo handling solutions; these systems vary in size, with maximum handling capabilities from 100 kg to eight tonne cranes.”

Complementing Ampelmann’s innovative product portfolio of different offshore access solutions are its four core values: professional excellence, technological excellence, safety and team spirit. To maintain this culture across the globe and ensure those in other countries view themselves as part of the greater Ampelmann team, one of the company’s current employees spends up to two years in each new foreign office, working with new employees. Moreover, each of the company’s employees undergoes an on-going training and development programme as part of Ampelmann’s continued performance management and development culture.

With approximately three million successful transfers to date, Ampelmann has proven itself to be a reliable partner that delivers reputable, safe offshore access solutions. By providing full support across the entire life cycle of a project, the company enables its customers to focus on what they do best. Key to this reliability is Ampelmann’s commitment to fully analysing the intrinsic details of each customer’s requirements through close co-operation and listening to their project demands. Viewing feedback as vital to continuous improvement, the company uses this information to improve its products, develop new concepts and further tailor its operations to the requirements of its customer base.

Furthermore, the company has an operations control centre available on a 24/7 basis, which monitors each project to ensure continuous system performance. By providing a complete service, Ampelmann can deliver full support across the entire lifecycle of each customer’s project with confidence.

Having expanded from its head office in

Delft and production facility in Rotterdam to locations in Houston, Brunei, Aberdeen and Singapore over the years, the company will focus on using its local presence to develop a closer working relationship with its clients while also seeking out opportunities for new contracts.

“We will continue on our regionalisation path, opening new offices that are close to customers that facilitate us in our delivery of a world-class service. Our aim is to continue on our strong growth path for the coming years and feel confident that technical product innovations will help us in achieving this goal,” concludes Jim.

Ampelmann

Ampelmann ampelmann.nl

Services Develops, constructs and leases offshore access solutions

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

89

way Leading the

Apache

entered the North Sea market in 2003 after acquiring approximately a 97 per cent working interest in the Forties field.

Since the acquisition, Apache has actively invested in the field and has established a steady production plateau through a highly successful and continuous development drilling program. The program utilises 4-D (time-lapse)

90

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

seismic data, and demonstrates best-in-class project performance and operational excellence.

Building upon its success in Forties, in 2011, Apache acquired Mobil North Sea Limited, which has provided significant additional exploration and development opportunities across numerous fields, including operated interests in the Beryl, Nevis, Nevis South, Skene,

PROFILE

Apache North Sea

remains one of the largest oil and gas producers in the basin. Commenting on the company’s recent drilling success, Apache’s Region Exploitation Manager Jeff Towart noted, “Last year we had an active exploration, appraisal and development program across our assets that added significant reserves. In Forties, which achieved 40 years of production in 2015, we reached a milestone of having produced

and Buckland fields and non-operated interests in the Maclure field. In total, Apache now has interests in approximately one million gross acres in the UK North Sea. Apache is continuing with this impressive trajectory by maintaining a relentless focus and utilising its proven ability to find and produce significant resources in the North Sea. Apache

Apache’s operations teams achieved approximately 90 per cent production efficiency in 2015, which helped to drive down field costs. The trend continues in 2016 with first-quarter lifting costs under $11 a barrel

250 million barrels since acquisition and still have multiple remaining targets. This year, Apache is investing in the acquisition of a new Forties 3D seismic monitor survey that will identify new drilling targets to replenish the prospect portfolio. In 2016, the Beryl field also hit 40 years of production and continues to offer excellent new opportunities for development.”

Ken Neupert, Apache’s Operations Director points out that, “our success with the drill bit is complemented by our industry-leading production efficiency. Apache’s operations teams achieved approximately 90 per cent production efficiency in 2015, which helped to drive down field costs. The trend continues in 2016 with first-quarter lifting costs under $11 a barrel.”

Despite the downturn, Apache continues to explore, drill, sanction new projects and bring on new production. “We continue to aim higher.

In addition to being one of the most efficient, large oil and gas operators, we have top-quartile safety performance, some of the lowest drilling costs and excellent project delivery,” says Brian Tadeo, Apache’s HSSE Manager.

Given the broad focus on all aspects of the process involved, it is no wonder that Apache has been able to grow, and build on the achievements it has already made. Such success doesn’t come ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

91

PD&MS PD&MS consistently deliver safe, practical and cost effective Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning (EPCC) solutions to our international client base.

Our service capability covers concept, option approval, front end engineering design (FEED), detailed design, construction and commissioning for onshore and offshore facilities.

PD&MS have a 14-year track record of delivering value for our clients through our unique approach to project delivery; in capitalising on our highly skilled multi-discipline workforce and the dynamic and flexible nature of our business to provide right-sized solutions, by the right people, right first time.

92

ENERGY,oil&gas

from a closely guarded secret. Instead, it comes from a company ethos that runs through the heart of Apache and relies on workers who are highly skilled, responsible and trusted. The employees are proud of the way the company is run. Mark Richardson, Apache’s Projects Group Manager, observed, “Apache have the same tools, technology and techniques as any other operator in the North Sea. We have the same constraints such as aging assets and a workforce heritage from BP and ExxonMobil. The differentiator with Apache is its leadership, culture and behaviors.

We have lean teams who are adaptable, flexible and fast moving. Most importantly, we empower our people to make decisions.”

Even though there is a clear focus on hitting targets, Apache is just as determined to not do so at the expense of safety. Brian Tadeo made this clear, “Safety is our top priority. Safety, compliance, production - in that order. That is our key message. Because if you don’t get safety right, nothing else matters.”

Apache has demonstrated that when placing safety at the forefront of its priorities, the

energy-oil-gas.com

business success is even greater. “There is no room for taking risks with safety, but there are rewards in correctly managed commercial, contractual and project risks. When combined with maximising the competence of the supply chain and operating with a sense of urgency, we are able to deliver our results. Because we are able to make solid risk-based decisions, our benchmarked projects are significantly cheaper than the average for the North Sea and are delivered at twice the pace,” says Richardson.

Two recent examples of successfully delivered projects are the Beryl field’s Far North Terrace (FNT) subsea oil tie-back and the Forties Aviat subsea gas tie-back. FNT, a single well subsea tie-back, is located approximately four kilometers (km) southwest of the Beryl Bravo platform. The newly installed facilities include an eight inch production and four inch flexible gas-lift flowline, control umbilical, standalone subsea control system and topside modifications on the host Beryl Bravo platform. The project team worked to safely deliver the facilities for production in an accelerated timeframe against a

PROFILE

tight budget. The final result was first oil in April 2016, just 12 months after drilling the well. This excellent result was achieved with an exemplary safety record, well ahead of schedule and over 30 per cent under budget.

The Aviat development, which came on stream in June 2016, is forecast to provide a life-time supply of fuel gas to the Forties field and includes a 23 km eight inch gas production pipeline, a four slot production manifold, a subsea isolation valve, a control umbilical, a new subsea control system, a six inch flexible riser and major topside modifications on the host Forties Alpha platform. This project was safely delivered under budget and ahead of the scheduled first gas date.

There are many promising future opportunities in the Apache North Sea portfolio. “We are presently delivering Callater, a major oil tie-back to Beryl Alpha. It was discovered in October 2015 with first oil expected mid2017. We are also preparing Corona, a heavy oil development, for sanction this year. Corona

Apache North Sea

is a major project development in the Tertiary injectites, which surround the Beryl field. This exciting activity is prolonging the life of these existing fields and highlighting the future potential of the area Apache is very optimistic about its North Sea opportunities,� noted Richardson.

Apache North Sea Ltd apachecorp.com

Services Oil & gas exploration and production company

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

93

Location of

distinction The result of four years

of development, VTT Vasiliko Ltd. (VTTV) opened in November 2014 and represents a new energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean. Located on the south coast of Cyprus between Larnaca and Limasol, the terminal’s strategic location makes it the first of its kind in the Eastern Mediterranean region, connecting Europe and the Black Sea with markets in the Middle East and Asia.

As General Manager of VTTV, George Papanastasiou explained when he was last interviewed for EOG, the location offers a range of benefits: “We are excellently located for the East-West trade routes that use the Suez Canal.

Our jetty can accommodate Suezmax vessels as large as 160,000 tonnes, as well as small ships of just 5000 tonnes, meaning that we are very versatile. Additionally we also have the unusual luxury of owning a deep-sea marine jetty. Then add in the fact that we control our own towage and pilotage service and we are ‘the masters of our own destiny.’ Flexibility is a hallmark of our terminal, with VTTV being highly creative about how it markets its storage and services.”

Its advantageous location allows VTTV to act as a vital link to customers transporting a number of products and cargoes. The terminal ‘sits’ in the middle of product flows between three continents and can accommodate the transition of fuel oil from the Black Sea to the east, the transport of distillates from the Middle East to the West and of gasoline from the West to the Middle East. As this market continues to develop VTTV will continue to expand to meet the changing needs of its clients. “With large

94

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

refineries being built in the Middle East, the market expects more vessel traffic moving oil products through the Suez Canal bound for the Mediterranean and European markets. With the expansion of the Canal, such cargoes will need to be re-sized at a convenient oil terminal to meet regional requirements,” George elaborated.

The terminal itself represents an investment of €300m, and phase one of the VTTV terminal included 28 tanks, totalling 544,000m³ capacity for gasoline, diesel, gas oil, jet fuel, kerosene, naphtha, MTBE and FAME. Its capacity to handle and store a broad base of products is comprehensive but phase two of the terminal is already in the planning stages, with the vision to add another 305,000m³ with an additional 13 tanks, as well as a Floating Supply Regasification Unit (FSRU) at the jetty that will regasify LNG for the needs of the local market.

VTTV benefits from access to a vastly experienced holding company, VTTI BV, one of the fastest growing oil terminal companies in the world. The Vitol Group founded VTTI in 2006, and today it offers 8.7 million cubic metres of combined storage capacity across five continents. This will rise to over ten million in the near future as new projects come on line. As well as providing VTTI with strong foundations on which to build, The Vitol Group gives it direct access to unique market intelligence from trading and shipping perspectives.

With Vitol and VTTI at the helm, VTTV inherits a culture of continuous improvement, as well as a well-established culture of safety, reliability and environmental conscience. VTTV

PROFILE

is totally committed to running a terminal that is safe on a day-to-day basis, but also ready and prepared should the worst happen. As history demonstrates, effective fire prevention, detection and fighting is fundamental to the safety of any energy terminal.

To illustrate its readiness for emergencies, VTTV has run a large-scale firefighting exercise at area 40, which comprises three tanks for gasoil and jet fuel. The objective of this was to demonstrate to the Cyprus Fire Service that it has adequate systems to address a full bund fire.

The exercise centred on VTTV’s mobile extinguishing system, and the successful outcome demonstrated the terminal’s capability to extinguish large-scale tank and surface fires. The Fire Service was also able to certify that there were sufficient quantities of water and specialist foam available to support a major incident, meeting the fire extinguishing standards laid down by the United States body, NFPA. The mobile system complements a stateof-the-art, fully automated fire extinguishing

system permanently installed at the terminal.

This valuable exercise also served to give the Fire Service and local communities full confidence that fire safety at VTTV receives full commitment and significant investment.

It is clear that VTTV offers a wide range of benefits for clients, as well as bringing a boost to the economy of Cyprus itself. Going forward, with the further developments planned and the guidance and example set by VTTI and Vitol Group, the future looks bright for the terminal. Significant levels of investment and development have already been made at the site, and it has made tremendous achievements in operational safety and corporate responsibility.

“I believe that the need for storage is still strong and it will continue to be for the years to come, as most industries are still very closely linked with oil,” George commented. “There are always challenges and opportunities and we are confident that we have the right means and resources to acknowledge, grab them and turn them into our favour.”

VTT Vasiliko

There are always challenges and opportunities and we are confident that we have the right means and resources to acknowledge, grab them and turn them into our favour

VTT Vasiliko vtti.com/terminals/ vttv-cyprus

Services Oil storage terminal in Cyprus

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

95

PROFILE

IOS InterMoor

Sustainable

success Established in 1986

Miles AS Miles is an IT consultancy with offices in Stavanger, Bergen, Oslo (Norway) and Mumbai, India. Its staff comprises approximately 130 highly skilled IT consultants within development, user experience and design, project management and business advisory.

Through a consistent focus on employment of the very best in the industry, valuing personal as much as technical skills, Miles has, despite plummeting oil prices and a tough market in Stavanger, managed to grow its business in all locations.

The company continues to employ leading IT experts in order to keep delivering business value by optimising and automating its clients’ business processes.

Ramnäs Stud Chain Ramnäs has developed an asymmetric stud that is carefully installed and expanded to exact tolerance, established through years of research and development. The asymmetrical design of the stud gives equal stud footprints and contributes to a symmetric stress-distribution in the link.

The built-in ‘spring’ effect makes a tremendous difference in eliminating loose studs. In fact, mooring systems with Ramnäs stud chains installed over 20 years ago are still intact with no loose studs.

Ramnäs stud chain increase the fatigue life by more than three times and significantly reduce the life cycle cost of the mooring system.

96

ENERGY,oil&gas

, IOS InterMoor, an Acteon company, is the leading mooring, foundations and subsea services provider delivering innovative solutions for rig moves, mooring services and offshore installation projects. InterMoor supports operators and contractors worldwide with its engineering, fabrication, shore base and survey and positioning services to truly provide customised solutions.

In 2016, IOS Intermoor will celebrate the milestone of its 30 year anniversary. This is a proud achievement and will be used as an opportunity to look back at past successes and how it will achieve more in the future. Managing Director David Smith at InterMoor elaborated on the plans for the 30 years celebrations: “First of all we will do something for our own staff and personnel, as they are the backbone of the business. Some of them have been with us for very long periods, and having that level of staff retention is really rewarding.” With such a strong sense of unity within the company, it is no surprise that it has enjoyed three decades of increasing success, and there is every reason to expect this to continue.

Another part of the celebrations will focus more externally, which David elaborated on: “We have also planned some special events throughout the week at the end of August, which traditionally draws a large contingent of local and international businesses. Marking this anniversary is an opportunity to connect with clients and celebrate our hard work so far.”

The situation the oil market was in when InterMoor was founded compared with contemporary times carry parallels, as it began through a period of instability in the sector, which is similar to the situation that was faced by the industry in recent times. This strength of

energy-oil-gas.com

the company is something David highlights as significant: “When we began it was one of those periods in the history of the oil sector, where there is a dramatic drop in oil price. I think the company over the past 30 years has experienced the ups and downs of the industry. Due to this origin we know not to overstretch ourselves, but to instead realise that these periods of fluctuations are not new and actually to be expected, and therefore we can prepare for them.”

The approach by InterMoor of steady, sustainable, growth makes it reliable, without becoming stagnant. David presented how it is able to do this and why it is so crucial to do so: “You need to find a balance, a way to navigate the upturns and downturns, so you are in a comfortable position for either outcome. We had our most economically successful periods in 2013 to 2015, with very high levels of activity, and we were conscious of this, so we managed it.

We even said no to some business, because we were concerned about overextending ourselves and committing to something we couldn’t 100 per cent deliver. This is an area where companies get caught out, they think they can do it all, but it catches up with them. In this business you are only as good as your last job, you let someone down and they will remember that, forgetting the successes. Our focus is responding to customer needs, not getting ahead of ourselves, and ensuring we only commit to what we know we can fulfill.”

Having already touched on InterMoor’s pride in its staff quality and retention, as well as its equipment, and ability to always complete a project, what resonates across all aspects of its work is that of high standards. As well as these, David wished to emphasise another key characteristic of the company: “One of

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

97

98

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

PROFILE

our specialties is problem solving, many times customers come into situations where they are stuck and cannot see any way out, which is where we can come in. We have talented personnel in engineering that are out in the field, because sometimes you need to be able to solve a problem that happens during an operation.

You can put together the plan, the equipment, but then you come offshore and something unexpected can come up. That is why we place such importance on the ability of our people, who are able to think on their feet and resolve such issues, and on numerous occasions this has been indispensable.”

InterMoor has also benefitted from the partnerships that have been developed as a part of the Acteon Group. David spoke highly of how this has added to its success and sustainability: “We have a very good global position, we have developed our regional markets, but also integrate globally, and communicate regularly.

For example we share best practice experience from our operations. It has helped develop the presence of our products, equipment, and the quality we offer, in these region’s markets, and as a result has contributed to our global footprint.

The other side of this, is that we have also been able to do the same in regards to our sister companies, taking the opportunity to implement technology, products, and methods from them.”

Despite InterMoor finding a proven method of success, it is not resting on its laurels, and is continually finding new avenues for the business to go down. Diversification is something that it is keen to expand, as it ensures that the company is more adept to confront the challenges of the changing oil industry. For example, InterMoor performed a service for a cruise ship calling in at a Bergen port, which is not a regular project it does, and yet took advantage of an opportunity when it appeared. The willingness to look beyond just working on mooring offshore rigs is a promising skill of the business. David went into further detail about some of the other sectors the company is considering: “There will be other markets in the future which give us other opportunities, offshore wind farms are one example, offshore fish farms are another. They are looking at building larger complexes, and then moving them offshore, this will require additional types of mooring requirements.” One of the resounding points from David was that: “We are not sitting still, we are looking at other opportunities, both in Norway and internationally.”

Another aspect of InterMoor’s diversification

IOS InterMoor

is that it focuses on cost effective solutions, to a wide mix of problems facing the offshore industry. That is one way it is building for the future, by continually improving the service it provides. It has achieved this by providing a product range that aims to remove longstanding problems, such as improvements in anchor technology to counter the mooring problems that can still occur despite the weight.

David expanded on InterMoor’s broad product selection: “If you already have the equipment that the client needs then you are going to be the chosen supplier. One of the areas we looked at was in regards to environmental concerns, such as hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, or the threat of ice bergs that can cause problems for rigs off the coast of Canada. To deal with the latter, we recently introduced rapid release components that mean a rig has the ability to move away from the danger without having to wait for an anchor handling vessel to retrieve the mooring lines. It all comes down to effectiveness, having this option means that the anchor handling vessels can be used for ice defence and allow the rig to continue to drill.” These innovative products help protect people, and finances, from such environmental threats.

With the recent move of premises by InterMoor, as part of a cost reduction plan, it has been able to more efficiently provide its services.

This involved an expense to achieve, but the outcome is a more effective base of operations that now better suit the needs of the business.

The positive nature of this move was something David shed light on: “We saw an opportunity to make a change in our most active facility, an investment to prepare us for the future, and put us in a better place to be more cost efficient than we have been. It is the right type of facility moving forward, a lot of capacity for the right vessels, storage capacity, the right equipment for handling moorings, everything is coming into place there.”

With the oil industry in a difficult period there are few other companies that can boast such success during the harder times for the industry.

InterMoor has repeatedly come out more versatile, more effective, and more successful. It is a steady ship in what can be rough waters, and it never appears to be complacent, always with one eye to the past to learn from, and one eye to the future to prepare for. With a tradition of steady and sustainable success of now 30 years, it is likely to reach many more milestones in the years to come.

We saw an opportunity to make a change in our most active facility, an investment to prepare us for the future, and put us in a better place to be more cost efficient than we have been. It is the right type of facility moving forward, a lot of capacity for the right vessels, storage capacity, the right equipment for handling moorings, everything is coming into place there

IOS InterMoor intermoor.com

Services Mooring services, subsea foundations, rig moves, subsea engineering service, offshore engineering services, fabrication & procurement, shore base services, offshore survey & positioning

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com

99

Designed to

innovate Operating since its foundation

in 2009, Marine Assets Corporation (MAC Offshore) represents a pioneering supplier of modern and sophisticated vessels for clients within the offshore oil and gas industry. MAC Offshore is a founding developer of the compact semi-submersible concept and has since continued to develop, promote and deliver the technology to the oil and gas market from its base in the Jumeirah Lake Towers (JLT) free zone, Dubai. MAC Offshore was previously profiled by Energy, Oil & Gas magazine during August 2015, during which time CEO, Robin Reeves discussed the company’s contract to deliver the world’s first purpose built vessel for offshore mining for Nautilus Minerals Inc. “Since 2015 we have continued to focus on our business plan of building offshore support vessels for the offshore oil, gas and renewable sector, with a view to anticipate what the sector will require in 24-36 months time while addressing industry requirements as opposed to minimum standards,” Robin reveals. “We currently have several vessels in the pipeline and we have slowed down the construction of these to deliver the vessels 6-12 months later, taking into account the present depressed state of the market. We are also focusing on specifically diversifying into new areas, which leads on to the mining vessel for Nautilus Minerals. This is something that is outside of our conventional

100 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

oil and gas market and really represents an exciting new market for the company.”

The contract to deliver the unique mining vessel was signed during November 2014 and calls for the vessel to be constructed at the Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding – China’s oldest shipyard. Once completed the vessel will chartered to Nautilus Minerals over a fiveyear term period with a further five one-year options. The involvement of MAC Offshore in the development of the vessel commenced with the company completing the final design of the ship prior to the beginning of construction.

“A broker initially introduced us to the client, Nautilus Minerals that wanted to build a specific vessel to operate their subsea mining operations.

They had a requirement in mind for the desired dimensions and sizes for example and had started the preliminary design of the vessel with Seatech in Singapore, however the design wasn’t actually finished,” Robin says.

“Our scope was to complete the design and gain class approval before finally building the ship and chartering it to the customer. Nautilus Minerals were focused on the mid-section of the vessel, which is where the company intended to store their mined ore as well as position their subsea mining equipment,” he adds. “They had started the development of that design and when we inherited the project we still had to finished the bow and the stern section, including the propulsion and engine room lay out.”

PROFILE

Construction of the vessel began in September 2015, with the ship is set to initially launch during March 2017. Sea trials are set to being in September 2017 prior to final delivery at the end of December 2017. The vessel is 227 metres in length and has a beam of 40 metres, it will have 32 Mw of installed power to support the vessel’s power management for DP positioning and supply power to the deck mounted mining equipment. The vessel will also include 199 beds to accommodate marine crew, hotel staff and operators for the mining equipment.

Further to the continued development of its mining vessel for Nautilus Minerals, MAC Offshore has also recently introduced a new Garbage Converter vessel, which provides a tangible solution to the problem of waste management in the offshore environment. “The recycling, removal and disposal of garbage is a significant issue within the offshore environment where there is limited space. Because it is waste, garbage tends to take last place in the queue in terms of deck space,” Robin explains. “We found a garbage converter machine that was designed by an Italian company and took that concept a stage further by working with them in collaboration to design a vessel on which to install the unit. This allows the vessel to proceed to offshore locations to collect and process garbage in a process that reduces the weight of the waste by 70 per cent and its volume by 30 per cent. The garbage is converted into a substance called RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) which is essentially a sterile fluff.”

The garbage processing machine can handle waste ranging from tin cans, glass bottles and cardboard to food and plastics, while depending on the materials processed, the resulting RDF has a calorific value and can therefore be formed into logs and burned as fuel, or simply stored in landfill as sterile waste. “We have also produced a containerised unit that is basically an offshore container, meaning that it is certified

Marine Assets Corporation

for offshore use and can be positioned on an offshore platform or rig if the client does not want the expense of having a vessel operating in the field. We have similar units on trial with international oil companies in the UAE at present and the results there are looking very positive,” Robin adds.

“We also continue to develop our range of semi-submersible accommodation units and currently have two of these in operation, with one in Brazil and the other in Brunei. There are a further three units that are nearing completion, that have been destined for repeat orders for existing customers and we are also targeting a smaller version of this design for the wind farm market,” he concludes. “It is our forward vision that really differentiates us within the market and this has been our business plan since day one. This will continue to be the case through the delivery unique designs that can compete in terms of cost-effectiveness and out perform existing vessels.”

It is our forward vision that really differentiates us within the market and this has been our business plan since day one

Marine Assets Corporation macoffshore.net youtube.com/ watch?v=me4iJEw8mF8.

Services Offshore support vessels

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 101

Decades of

Anixter Anixter and Booth Welsh Automation have worked in partnership to provide technical excellence in process sectors such as pharmaceutical, nuclear and petrochemical for over 25 years.

Anixter's broad range of network and security process sector solutions are combined with efficient, global supply chain services that can help to save time, mitigate risk and reduce nonproductive labour.

Anixter and BWA are advancing the adoption of new industrial solution technologies with Anixter’s Industrial Communication and Control programme.The programme provides expert solutions, support and training from sensor to server, to help manufacturers combine networking, power and security to leverage and protect their automation infrastructure.

Employing over 200

personnel and with a proud track record in providing tailor-made, cost effective and flexible solutions, Booth Welsh is an engineering services company founded in 1989 with headquarters in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Working with blue-chip clients in the whisky, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, nuclear, petrochemical, chemical, utilities and food & beverage industries, the company operates globally providing services including process consultancy, engineering and design, project management, implementation and commissioning.

What sets Booth Welsh apart from the competition is its unparalleled experience in providing tailored solutions to clients, safely, on time and within budget. The business prides itself on its commitment to technical excellence through the recruitment and development of the right staff, and this approach means that it is proficient in handling all aspects of engineering and project management from definition and design through to implementation, testing and decommissioning.

Of course, working with any of its clients requires a professional approach, but the nuclear sector has extra demands for highly experienced, security cleared specialists, and thanks to Booth Welsh’s dedication to creating a workforce of impressive pedigree, it can provide a wide range of services to the Nuclear Power sector, including: S Work management solutions S Data management S Process and procedure management

102 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

S Project management S Maintenance reviews S Electrical, control & instrumentation upgrades S High integrity communication systems Nuclear power clearly requires a specialist skill set and an extreme priority placed on safety, but in fact each and every Booth Welsh project is undertaken based on accredited health and safety management systems and programmes such as Target Zero and Behavioural Based Safety. In October 2015 this strategy was proven to be successful after the company achieved the milestone of ten years Zero Harm without a lost time accident to staff and contractors.

This momentous achievement has been reached across all of Booth Welsh’s sites in the UK and internationally. During this ten year period Booth Welsh’s 250 employees clocked up an impressive total of four million hours of safe working, thus proving the value of its robust integrated environmental, health and safety management system and accredited programmes.

At the time of the announcement, Jim Conway, QEHS Manager, commented: “All our employees have environmental, health and safety training appropriate to their role, from Toolbox Talks to offshore survival training. Our staff participate in ‘time out for safety’ forums which focus on our continual improvement and Zero Harm strategy throughout the organisation.

Working closely with our major clients and embracing their safety cultures has also contributed to our success.”

Gary Mutter, Health & Safety Sponsoring Director, added: “Over the years Booth Welsh has gone through many operational evolutions but a strong safety culture has always been at the forefront of our business strategy. The recent integration of our parent company Clough’s Target Zero programme has helped further raise our standard for health & safety throughout the company.”

Martin Welsh, Managing Director, noted the importance of staff buy-in to these sorts of initiatives and was delighted to be able to include the younger generation in the campaign, by inviting young relatives of employees to design a picture that celebrates the company’s ‘Decade of Dedication’. “This fantastic attainment is truly down to the dedication, teamwork and collaboration of everyone at Booth Welsh. Our employees fully embrace our safety culture and we are very proud of their accomplishment to achieve our vision of Zero Harm to our people,

PROFILE

the environment and the communities in which we work,” he said.

It is often the case that a company which cares for its employees and places their safety at the heart of its operations also extends this philosophy to the wider community and the environment. This holds true for Booth Welsh, and demonstrating this, in December 2015 the business achieved the environmental accreditation, ISO14001. Jim Conway explained the benefits: “ISO 14001 enables companies of our size to benefit from new business opportunities and demonstrate their environmental credentials. It is recognised internationally and the standard provides a straight-forward approach to using less energy resource and reducing waste. By becoming more resource efficient, we save money from reducing waste and usage.

“Since our move to our new office space, we have been implementing various measures which promote our Zero Harm target to the environment including installing electric car

chargers, an ongoing programme of LED and P.I.R. lighting roll out internally and externally, recycling all waste, specific environmental training for authorised personnel and implementing an environmental monitoring management dashboard system allowing us to keep an eye on our carbon footprint and compare to previous years. Despite doubling our office size, if comparing like for like in 2014 to 2015, we have achieved a 60 per cent reduction in our carbon footprint.”

Gary Mutter added: “In a world where sustainability and corporate responsibility is ever more prevalent, ISO 14001 is a tried and tested approach to demonstrate our commitment to reduce our environmental impact. In the competitive landscape we operate in, ISO 14001 can also help us retain existing clients by showcasing our high standards of practice and give them yet another reason to choose our organisation. I am delighted we have achieved this accreditation and look forward to building on our success in the future.”

Booth Welsh

What sets Booth Welsh apart from the competition is its unparalleled experience in providing tailored solutions to clients, safely, on time and within budget

Booth Welsh boothwelsh.co.uk

Services Full range of engineering services to clients across a range of sectors

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 103

A proven

service With engineering

expertise reaching back to when the company was founded during the early 1950s, Hiap Seng Engineering Ltd. has established itself as a leading provider of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services across the oil and gas industry and beyond. Mr. Tan Kuay Hoe incorporated the company under the name Hiap Seng Engineering Works to provide services covering steelwork fabrication, with its first milestone project relating to the construction of storage tanks and related pipe work for BP Singapore in 1960.

As the company continued to grow through expansions in operations and a series of strategic acquisitions and alliances, the business was rebranded as Hiap Seng Engineering & Construction PTE LTD in 1971. The company continued to grow in strength during the 1990s, winning the Business Times and Accenture ‘Enterprise 50’ award during 1995, 1996 and 1998. In 1999 the business was listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange and finally renamed as Hiap Seng Engineering Ltd. (Hiap Seng).

Today, Hiap Seng operates as a fully ISO 9001 accredited company that employs more than 1000 people and maintains six manufacturing facilities that cover a combined total of more than two million sq ft. These facilities were certified for American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) ‘S’ and ‘U’ stamps in 2003 and have since allowed Hiap Seng to establish an impressive track record with both local and

104 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

internationally based multinational corporations (MNC). In 2010, Hiap Seng was recognised by Forbes Asia Magazine as one of the 200 best public-listed corporations under $1billion in revenue in the Asia Pacific.

Hiap Seng is well positioned to undertake EPC projects for the oil and gas; petrochemical and chemical; power and utilities; and pharmaceutical industries in both Singapore and the surrounding region. The company’s core competencies lie in the fields of tanks and terminals, process piping, pressure vessels, process equipment installation and modular compression. Within the field of tanks and terminals, Hiap Seng takes pride in the building of a one million barrel capacity double deck floating roof type crude oil storage tank during 1981, which continues to represent the largest of its kind in South East Asia. Hiap Seng was also responsible for the erection of the biggest furnace in the world in 2007 on Jurong Island, the petrochemical hub of Singapore.

Further to its EPC operations, Hiap Seng also manages comprehensive plant maintenance capabilities for refineries; petrochemical and chemical complexes; power and utilities; and pharmaceutical plants. Its core competencies in plant maintenance cover mechanical engineering; electrical and instrumentation (E&I) works; civil construction; refractory, insulation, blasting and painting works; and scaffolding services coupled with an in-house engineering capabilities. This

PROFILE

allows Hiap Seng to complete maintenance solutions ranging from routine daily maintenance operations to total integrated plant maintenance (TPM) and planned turnaround maintenance.

The routine daily maintenance provided by the company is an essential requirement to keep a plant in good running condition on a routine basis without affecting its day-to-day operation.

Hiap Seng operations in this area entail the repair and replacement of components including gaskets, valves, piping, tanks and vessels, as well as heat exchanger re-tubing and tube bundle works in furnaces.

In terms of TMP solutions, the company offers plant owners and operators complete maintenance coverage, where Hiap Seng undertakes the planning and management of the maintenance programs for the plant. This includes engineering; procurement of needed supplies and equipment; cost budgeting; and project management of all maintenance activities. The advantage of this for operators

Hiap Seng Engineering

maintenance and associated services has allowed Hiap Seng to continue to win new contracts despite the challenges brought about by the low cost of oil. During March 2016 for example, the company announced the award of contracts worth S$18.3 million for the provision of mechanical works. These are comprised of plant construction works valued at S$13.7 million due for completion by February 2017 and plant maintenance of S$4.6 million, which was completed during July 2016.

Furthermore, during April 2016 Hiap Seng also announced the award of a refinery maintenance contract for the Singapore Refining Company (SRC), this is a three-year term contract for SRC that runs from 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2019 to provide plant maintenance services for the company’s refinery located on Jurong Island. With these proven contracts adding to the company’s already impressive track record, Hiap Seng Engineering Ltd. is set to remain a key player in Singapore’s oil and gas market for years to come.

Hiap Seng Engineering Ltd hiapseng.com

Services Engineering, procurement and construction

is that maintenance functions are totally outsourced by the plant owners allowing them to focus on the other higher value added aspect of the plant operations, thus ensuring efficient use of resources. Finally, the turnaround maintenance solutions provided by Hiap Seng requires the temporary shutdown of the plant and is usually undertaken on a planned basis.

This involves the cleaning and upkeep of the plant and maintaining equipment that cannot be serviced during normal operation, as well as debottlenecking projects.

The company’s comprehensive base of EPC, ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 105

Expanding the offering in offshore

renewables Global Marine

Above Cable Innovator performing platform-to-platform installations Below Providing technicians and vessel support to wind farm owners

today is considered by many as a leading operator in subsea engineering. This enviable position is partly driven from a 165 year legacy that combines a passion for customer service, precise project execution and delivering complex installations in all corners of the globe. The company has successfully diversified into multiple industry sectors and currently operates in offshore renewables, power, oil & gas and deep sea research, alongside its more traditional telecommunications background.

106 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

Its presence in the offshore renewables market dates back to the year 2000, when Global Marine installed inter array cables at the UK’s first offshore wind farm Blyth, and was subsequently involved in Horns Rev in 2002, Europe’s first commercial wind farm. In the intervening period, Global Marine’s vessel, the C.S. Sovereign, has continued to work extensively in the sector, installing 17 per cent of inter array cables globally. The company’s commitment to the industry has been further boosted by the acquisition of offshore wind specialist CWind, a company which in a short time has grown substantially, establishing itself as the go-to provider for operations and maintenance services for wind farm owners.

The pioneering spirit that stems from the company’s involvement at the embryonic phases of both telecommunications and offshore renewables is entrenched into the business ethos and the values by which the company operates itself today.

The company also has a strong foothold in the oil & gas sector, most recently completing two installation projects for Tampnet in the North Sea one a platform-to-platform project and the other installing a Cable End Module on to the seabed with precision. Speaking with Mikkel Gleerup, the

PROFILE

Global Marine Systems

are making investments in, and I would say we have a very strong position to make a big impact.

The UK government, like many others globally, has been really ambitious on UK renewable energy targets, and that for us is something we can support, both our customers locally and on a worldwide platform.”

Another way in which Global Marine has reinforced its commitment to the renewable sector is with the purchase of a major stake in CWind. This is a clear message that the role it

Director of Sales & Commercial, he expanded on why diversification has worked for the business: “Obviously there are challenges in the market, oil & gas has been in a difficult situation, and as a result projects have been cancelled. But we are still seeing opportunities there, and for Global Marine we are focused on several segments: we are in telecommunication, we are in renewables, we are in oil & gas, which I think all adds up to a really strong portfolio. We see a lot of opportunities out there and we are in a position to partner up with companies that need someone with our kind of experience, and without question we can make a real difference to a project’s success.”

No doubt, by being in so many markets it provides a level of insulation from the instability of any one or two of the sectors in which Global Marine is involved. Equally, it means that if one market suffers, another may be doing better, which would help offset the underperforming segment. The renewable energy industry is certainly a tempting one, as Mikkel highlighted: “If you look at the renewables market, it is still a growing market, there are a mix of numbers people predict for it, but we believe they are all promising. That is why it’s one of the areas we

will play in the renewable market is one that will grow in the future, and that Global Marine is here to stay. Mikkel explained why it went down this avenue: “The investment clearly reiterates our commitment to the renewable sector, and shows that we want to be present in it, and that we want to invest together and be a partner with our potential customers there. We are in this market to stay. Our customers will now benefit from a wider range of services from project concept right through installation and to the on-going operations and maintenance provision. This, we hope, will remove some of the challenges that wind farms owners experience liaising with multiple suppliers. We strongly believe that our combined offering is right and will meet the pace of change that the industry is experiencing.”

While there is a focus to increase the presence of Global Marine in the renewable sector, there is a clear reiteration that this in no way lessens the commitment or service it extends to its other markets. This was a sentiment that Mikkel was crystal clear about: “As a company we remain a key player and want to continue to manifest ourselves in the renewable energy sector and expand our presence there, but not at the cost of any of the other sectors we are in. We are

Below Sovereign installing a Cable End Module for Tampnet

Above Mikkel Gleerup, Director Sales & Commercial

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 107

PROFILE

Global Marine Systems

Left Sovereign performing wind farm operations

completely committed to these sectors, and future projects will be treated on a first come first serve basis rather than any sector getting preferential treatment. We have and will go on serving all our customers.” Mikkel was also keen to stress that maintenance has always been and will always remain fundamental to the business: “Telecommunications and maintenance are the backbone of the traditional business done by the company, and is also something we are looking to expand on across all sectors we are involved in.”

With one industry stuttering, while another blooms, Global Marine is placing itself in

108 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

a strong position, building a presence in a growing market, while maintaining importance in another sector, which will likely bounce back with new found strength. It is a reliable partner everywhere it places its expertise, with a reputation not to be sniffed at. Mikkel said the company has decisive ambitions for where it should get to: “We want to be the first choice provider of marine engineering.” Whichever sector its customers come from, they are sure to find the same level of quality and reliability, which really only points in one direction for Global Marine, and that is up.

Global Marine Systems Limited globalmarinesystems.com

Services Engineering and underwater services, desk top studies, route engineering, subsea cable installation and maintenance solutions

PROFILE

PCK Raffinerie

Fuel for

thought

The origin of the company goes back to December 1958 – when it added its name to the commercial register – since then Germany-based PCK Raffinerie GmbH has been a major part of the European refineries sector, and provided fuel to many across the continent.

The company’s history is full of milestones, but here are just a small selection of highlights: In December 1988 it commissioned the world’s first and only high conversion soaker cracking unit.

Several years after this in 1991-95 reconstruction and upgrade projects were undertaken that would make PCK one of Europe’s most advanced and efficient refineries. This has meant that since 1996 the company has been the refinery with the lowest processing costs in Western Europe.

These accomplishments continued in the 21st century, as PCK went on to implement the auto-oil programme for the production of sulphur-free fuels. It also created a new unit in 2006 for the light gasoline etherification to chemically binding bioethanol in petrol. Then by 2010 for the first time it used natural gas. Later that same year it received the certification Energy Management System ISO 50001.

PCK is among the largest companies in the state of Brandenburg and the most important in

the Uckermark region. Here, 12 million metric tons of crude oil is turned into mineral oil and petrochemical products each year. The primary products are diesel fuel, petrol (gasoline), kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, heating oils and bitumen. Every year, PCK processes 12 million metric tons of it. The PCK site is one of the largest crude oil processing locations in Germany, and crude oil will likely remain a key source of energy in Germany for many decades.

PCK profits from the strategic location of the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, which brings 25 per cent of the crude oil used in Germany into the country. Russian crude travels for three weeks through 5,000 km of pipeline before reaching Schwedt. Additional crude oil can be supplied to PCK through the pipeline from the port at Rostock.

Berlin is supplied via the Seefeld product pipeline.

Kerosene (jet fuel) is carried to Berlin’s Tegel airport by tank truck and to Schönefeld airport southeast of the city by rail in tank cars. Its entire logistics concept is therefore very environmentally friendly.

Product distribution methods break down as follows: 60 per cent by rail, 27 per cent by pipeline, and 13 per cent by road.

The shareholders of PCK help to ensure delivery of crude oil to PCK and then market the products produced in the refinery. Over ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 109

PROFILE

the past 20 years, the shareholders have invested two billion euros in PCK, primarily for cutting-edge technologies and for environmental protection.

PCK processes some 12 million metric tons of crude oil to create a range of products, which includes petrol (gasoline), diesel fuel, heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas, bitumen, kerosene, sulphur, aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, xylenes) and energy (electricity, steam).

To meet the wide range of market demands, PCK produces some 20 different grades of fuel.

PCK was one of the first refineries in Germany to use biofuels and is itself one of the foremost producers of high-quality biofuel components.

PCK was also one of the first refineries in Germany to use biofuels and is a leading producer of high-quality biofuel components.

Demonstrating its quality PCK Raffinerie GmbH also has a long list of certifications, some of which are: DIN EN ISO 9001, DIN EN ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and DIN EN ISO 50001.

PCK and elf Tanklagerbetrieb Seefeld GbR is certified to DIN EN ISO 9001, DIN EN ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.

PCK is a no-residue refinery. The last remaining crude oil components that cannot be used are converted into electrical energy in its combined heat and power plant. Half the energy it generates is fed into the state’s power grid.

This modern power plant also supplies district heating to the city of Schwedt. The power plant boasts high-energy efficiency and low CO2 emissions. A three-stage flue gas cleaning system eliminates more than 90 per cent of the sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust.

Over recent years, PCK has invested more than 400 million euros in environmental protection projects, for example in desulphurisation units and scrubbers, and new furnaces for optimised combustion and lower emissions. There has also been the use of low-sulphur gas to fuel the furnaces, and a new power station with a three-stage scrubber: DeNOxing, dedusting, desulphurisation. Furthermore, PCK has funded the refurbishment of the tank farm to reduce hydrocarbon emissions and protect the soil, as well as the installation of an emissions monitoring system. The company has also supported the cleanup of pollutants left behind by the East German operators, a major ecological project carried out in cooperation with the Brandenburg state government, the ministry for the environment, in addition to the health and consumer protection.

PCK implements the highest personal, environmental and technical safety standards, which include monthly training courses on safety, regular instruction for employees, high-tech plant and equipment safety technologies, as well as employees provided with state-of-the-art protective clothing, tools and equipment. In case of doubt, absolute priority is given to the safety of people and protection of the environment. No activity is of such great importance that it cannot be carried out safely.

PCK is a leading refinery in Europe, since its inception in 1958 it has always adapted and evolved through a changing economic, political, and technological environment. It has diversified, it has modernised, and as a result has ensured a positive future. PCK will be a key producer over the next century – whether that be through oil, gas, biofuel, or any other fuel source – it will no doubt be central to what many countries will run on.

PCK Raffinerie

PCK is a no-residue refinery. The last remaining crude oil components that cannot be used are converted into electrical energy in its combined heat and power plant PCK Raffinerie GmbH pck.de

Products The primary products are diesel fuel, petrol (gasoline), kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, heating oils and bitumen, and biofuels

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 111

Well

connected Fraser Hydraulic Power

(FHP) began in 1986 when brothers Ron and Peter funded the start-up of the company with the sale of their small yacht. Initially only carrying out repairs on hydraulic systems in factories and shipyards in the Tyneside area, the company had grown from a two-strong organisation into an international business.

A supplier of electro-hydraulic systems to a global customer base, FHP exports approximately 60 per cent of its products and operates from a new custom-built 28,000 square foot unit on Neptune Energy Park in Walker, Newcastle. One of the most cuttingedge facilities on the river, the base includes 10 tonne and 20 tonne overhead cranes and direct access to a deepwater quay complete with a 500 tonne crane. The facility also holds an electrical workshop, painting booth and welding booth and has an extensive external storage area. Since its establishment, the facility has seen multiple

112 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

large projects through from start to finish.

Complementing this strong customer base and state-of-the-art facility is the company’s versatile nature to market developments; with the industrial hydraulics market diminished, the company expanded into the subsea and oil and gas markets by acquiring new skills, personnel and adapting new technologies to provide customers with innovative solutions that can be relied upon.

“FHP has flourished over the last 30 years and now represents an international specialist in the provision of offshore and cable lay equipment,” begins Sales and Marketing Manager Will Stephenson. “Alongside this specialism, FHP has provided a range of one-off specialised equipment, including test rigs, hydraulic power units and flushing systems. FHP’s unique range of rental cable lay equipment means that its fleet and offshore personnel operate globally for companies, large or small.”

Having grown through recommendations

PROFILE

River Tyne is perfect for rental operations and incorporates a large workshop, paint and welding booths and easy access to the road network and river. Additionally, FHP equipment complements the IHC product portfolio very well and expands IHC’s ability to provide full turnkey back deck and vessel solutions to the industry on both a sale and rental basis,” explains Will.

He continues: “Meanwhile, as part of Royal IHC, FHP can expand on the current rental fleet with new equipment from both the existing FHP product lines as well as rental equipment from across the IHC portfolio. Additionally, the global network of facilities and service centres allows FHP to provide extended local support to our clients. When it comes to our customer

from existing clients and industry contacts, the well-reputed and trusted FHP caught the attention of Royal IHC, a one-stop-shop for vessels, equipment and services for specialist maritime service providers operating within the dredging, mining and offshore industries. The group boasts around 3000 employees across its 36 global locations and earned group equity of 305.4 million euros in 2015. Acquired by Royal IHC in November 2015 with the aim of becoming Royal IHC’s offshore rental hub and base for rental operation going forwards, FHP will also benefit from an expansion in its current rental fleet as well as further mission equipment for offshore installation activities.

“Royal IHC acquired FHP in November as a strategic move to develop the rental side of the business. As a growth point, FHP offered an existing rental fleet with a strong team of offshore personnel to assist in the expansion of IHC rentals. The newly built FHP facility on the

IHC FHP

FHP has flourished over the last 30 years and now represents an international specialist in the provision of offshore and cable lay equipment

base, the Middle East and Asia represent large markets for FHP, both in terms of sale and rental services. The presence of IHC service centres in these locations will only help FHP in supporting our clients locally and, with further investment from IHC, we will be locating rental equipment in numerous facilities across the globe to better serve our international clients.”

Since becoming a part of Royal IHC FHP has won a number of flagship contracts. IHC FHP is providing a fully re-engineered cable lay suite that includes a cable drum engine, DOHB and 20 wheel pair Linear Cable Engine (LCE). “This project was committed to on a very strict delivery

ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 113

PROFILE

IHC FHP

schedule to meet a project requirement for our client and we are on track to deliver in line with expectations,” says Will. “Meanwhile, IHC FHP are supporting installation operations on two major European windfarm construction projects by providing rental tracked engines and LCEs.” A key workhorse in the company’s product portfolio, the tracked tensioner has worked on multiple projects in 2016 and, as part of the company’s fleet development, IHC is intending on building several more units for the fleet. “The IHC rental fleet will expand over the coming years and the reach will extend to pipelay solutions, diving equipment, module handling systems and subsea vehicles,” says Will. This starts with the addition of the Hi-Traq to the rental fleet. The Hi-Traq is a four-track trencher specifically developed for offshore wind cable burial and will be available for rental operations in 2017.

Although oil and gas prices have caused turbulence within the offshore market, IHC FHP has continued to enjoy steady growth thanks to an increase in offshore renewables projects

114 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

as well as a resurgence in the telecom market.

With a strong order book and plans to expand its rental fleet, Will sees a positive future ahead for the firm: “From having vertically integrated internal partners, we have the ability to provide clients with full back deck spread solutions to facilitate their offshore operations. There are opportunities out there and with IHC behind us, FHP has an opportunity to grow both in Europe and on a global basis.”

IHC FHP royalihc.com fhpltd.co.uk

Services Cable laying equipment and services for telecoms, oil and gas and offshore wind

PROFILE

First Marine Solutions

The first choice mooring

provider Why choose FMS? We believe we have the largest inventory of mooring equipment in the North Sea S We have one of the modern hire fleets S We have experienced and trusted personnel S We are in a strong financial position with growth aspirations despite the current environment S We offer industry leading competitive rates based on our equipment quality Since the company was first established during 2009, within the oil industry hub of Aberdeen, UK, First Marine Solutions (FMS) has grown into a trusted energy service and equipment organisation that has delivered mooring solutions to clients on a global basis.

Operating as part of the Scottish First Tech group of companies, FMS is able to deliver a comprehensive package of services to the offshore energy market including: S Rig moving applications; S Mooring equipment rental and sale; S Marine and technical consultancy; S AHV vessel selection and audits; S Survey and positioning services; S Mooring line inspection.

“As part of one of the largest privately owned groups of oil service companies in Scotland, we are a customer focused business. FMS is

a specialist in providing support to offshore drilling activities for the oil and gas industry globally and our fleet of mooring equipment encompasses the latest design and technology with the most competitive rates available in the industry, putting the most modern hire fleet at our clients’ disposal,” explains General Manager, Brian Reid.

First Marine Solutions maintains an extensive portfolio of mooring equipment, which is available to clients through both rental agreements and direct sale. Its comprehensive package of mooring equipment includes associated components such as drag embedment tools, vertical lift anchors, and mooring chain in grades R4 and R5. These are designed to enable the deployment of systems such as conventional catenary systems, taut systems, inverted catenary systems, as well as composite mooring systems with polyester and wire inserts for MODUs and FSO/FPSOs. Furthermore, through the use of modern dynamic positioning (DP) units, the company can offer innovative thruster-assisted mooring solutions.

When it comes to rig moving operations, FMS develops its safety critical procedures in conjunction with its clients. The company’s tow masters act as Offshore Installation Managers (OIM), while a marine expert is stationed aboard ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 115

the rigs vessels to provide reliable advice and analysis to the OIM to ensure a smooth and safe rig moving operation. As the rig move service provider, FMS assists its clients and rig owners with a full planning and risk assessment of the operation according to industry legislation, design regulations, guidelines and industry best practice. Based on the findings of this risk evaluation, the company can advise its clients with regards to the actions to be taken in order to control and mitigate any risks that may be associated with the final rig move.

Further to its rig moving and mooring operations, FMS also delivers a full spectrum of spooling and mooring line inspection services.

Indeed, the company owns and operates one of the most modern fleet of spooling machines in the UK, comprising 75 tonne and 150 tonne machines that are capable of handling 150 tonnes of wire or fibre rope on a single reel.

In addition we have umbilical spoolers and carousels with up to 400t capacity. The spooling machines have been developed in association with leading manufacturers to ensure that the

116 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

equipment is safe to operate and able to provide the necessary back tension and speed control.

All of the company’s equipment is extensively tested for offshore use and is operated by fully trained and experienced personnel.

In terms of its mooring line inspection services, FMS is able to provide a full package of service requirements relating to as-laid review of installed anchors and mooring lines. By utilising its expert in-house personnel along with trusted third party partners, it is able to offer services including: S ROV support vessels S ROV inspection procedures S Expert personnel S Review of as-laid mooring lines S Conditional analysis of components S As-laid anchor position S Analysis of findings The company is also able to offer services should intervention be required post review. “Through a series of long-standing partnerships with vendors, we can provide the best equipment at the most competitive

PROFILE

prices. Our highly skilled on-site teams have proven experience in the deployment and recovery of mooring systems in both simple and complicated operating conditions in shallow and deep water,” Brian says. “FMS has delivered these services worldwide for some of the industry’s largest drilling contractors including Transocean & Maersk, oil operators such as Cairn Energy, BP and Total. To support these operations our dedicated team is also on hand to deliver replacement components; specialist vessels; experienced on-site teams; and targeted recovery, change out and deployment procedures.”

First Marine Solutions’ third party partners include the trusted survey and positioning company, Interocean Survey with which it is able to offer a vast range of positioning equipment.

“Our equipment is fully owned by FMS and operated by Interocean giving our clients the security of knowing that our provision of survey and positioning equipment and technology is

First Marine Solutions

on leveraging its strengths and comprehensive suite of offshore services to further enhance its operations within the North Sea, Canada and Africa, while developing its presence in new markets such as Southeast Asia. “FMS differentiates itself from some of the competition in that we own all of our equipment outright.

We have one of the most modern mooring fleets that is fully certified and operational and have invested in a dedicated quayside facility in Montrose Port that offers the rapid mobilisation of vessels, of up to two at a time, at a dedicated deep water quayside with a 8.5 metre draft.

With the addition of vastly experienced personnel who know how to work under pressure and to tight deadlines, we offer an unrivalled service to the client,” Brian concludes.

“Although conditions are very challenging due the current oil industry downturn, we see opportunities in the growth of floating offshore wind farms and in the maintenance and repair of moorings for FPSOs.”

The company owns and operates one of the most modern fleet of spooling machines in the UK, comprising 75 tonne and 150 tonne machines that are capable of handling 150 tonnes of wire or fibre rope on a single reel First Marine Solutions firstmarinesolutions.com

Services Energy service and equipment organisation

the best available,” Brian details. “We are able to provide in-field rig positioning services, remote anchor handling vessels (AHV) positioning services, the provision of highly skilled hydrographic offshore survey personnel and project management services on a global basis.”

During the next 12 months FMS will focus ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 117

future A template for the

Large Diameter Drilling Ltd (LDD) is a global provider of marine foundation solutions. With expertise spanning across nearshore and offshore industries, its team is passionate about providing the best solutions for each project. Through the company’s engineering and contracting track record, it has reached an established position as a leader in the delivery of marine foundation solutions across the globe. The expertise and passion to solve problems drives it to design, build, manufacture and operate a range of equipment to meet project specific challenges. Its teams’ focus is getting it right first time, on time, every time.

The core strength of LDD comes from the quality of its design and engineering team, something that has been an essential part of the business from the very beginning. This has manifested in recent developments, which senior contracts manager Mark Richards discussed: “To make construction of offshore wind turbine foundations more efficient and to lower the overall cost, an installation method

118 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

was conceived where foundation piles were installed in the seabed in advance of the delivery of the jacket structure.” The previous method implemented among the subsea industry was by laying the jacket on the seabed and then pinning it with foundation piles. However, the accuracy required for three or four piles placement makes it a precarious challenge, and one that has to be achieved in deep water.

LDD has managed to find a solution to this, and Mark shed some light on the advancement: “Working closely with our client Offshore Windforce, LDD developed a pre-piling template (PPT) that comprises a large steel space frame, with four pile guide towers. In each of the guide towers we use hydraulically controlled guide rollers to control pile position and verticality very accurately. The rollers are powered and controlled by subsea hydraulic power packs, which in turn are controlled via umbilical from a programmable logic controller (PLC) based interface in a control cabin on the deck of the vessel. The PPT is lowered towards the seabed,

PROFILE

Large Diameter Drilling

subsea environment over a large number of cycles.” There are promising results from the field so far, which Mark explained: “Operations are going well, more than 50 per cent of the jacket foundation piles have been installed and post installation survey shows them to be within tolerance. This has been confirmed recently by the installation of the first jacket into the piles we installed, without a hitch. Our crew offshore is supporting the operation and maintaining the system throughout the fieldworks.” The success of this will be further developed as the company works on the three-slot version of the PPT for triangular jacket structures.

LDD collaborated with other Acteon companies in order to fully achieve this, which Mark was able to shed some light on: “Our sister company UTEC NCS Survey worked closely with us from the start to deliver an accurate, reliable and user friendly survey system which works with the hydraulics, control and instrumentation system on the PPT. MENCK GmbH provided two MHU1200 hydraulic impact hammers to drive the foundation piles and systems for noise mitigation.”

The company has also benefited from a longstanding relationship with Armada Group. It is a key local supplier to LDD, and is on hand to provide mobilisation of hydraulic driven

To make construction of offshore wind turbine foundations more efficient and to lower the overall cost, an installation method was conceived where foundation piles were installed in the seabed in advance of the delivery of the jacket structure

placed in the correct orientation, and then set down. The system then levels the PPT using powerful hydraulic rams, controlled using input from sensitive inclinometers. Once the PPT is level, the four foundation piles are placed in the guide sleeves, using a range of survey and hydraulic ram sensors to control the accuracy of the driving. To mitigate noise each guide tower is fitted with pipework that distributes air into the water column, this generates a curtain of bubbles which helps dissipate the noise.” The next stage once all the piles have been driven in is to remove the frame and reuse it.

The PPT was designed to help one specific client of LDD but it is hoped that the concept will be utilised for many others in the future.

Mark presented some of the key strengths of using this method: “It has a proven track record in installing these multiple pile arrays within very tight tolerance, reliably and efficiently.

The systems we designed have a high level of redundancy built in and this has meant that the PPT has operated reliably in the very harsh ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 119

PROFILE

Large Diameter Drilling

devices. Like LDD, Armada Group recognises the need for regular travel to Rotterdam in order to advertise technical capabilities to Dutch contractors, which are considered to be some of the best in the world for the sector. Mark praised the relationship between the two companies: “They support us in our job – designing and supplying the hydraulic mechanisms and fittings that we require for the complex frames we produce. The Armada group is very attentive to

120 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

our needs, and quick to respond, which is very important to the finished result.”

The future of LDD looks bright - it has clearly invested with a focus on research and development that has resulted in breakthroughs like PPT. Whatever a company’s needs LDD has the capability to ensure the delivery of pile installations, even in difficult seabed conditions.

LDD will no doubt continue to find innovative ways for the industry to progress.

Large Diameter Drilling Ltd lddrill.com

Services Marine and sub-sea foundation installation

PROFILE

Vattenfall

Making renewable energy

competitive Below Ole Bigum Nielsen

Vattenfall has shifted its focus towards renewable energy in recent years - there has been a strategic decision that this is where the future of the business lies. The company is therefore moving away from its use of coal and gas, and instead is shifting increasingly towards wind power. Vattenfall is committed to providing energy that is CO2 neutral, whether that is through wind or other means, and due to the divestment of its lignite operations in Germany - Vattenfall will have an increasingly carbon neutral production. The business is taking measures to create an energy company that

could become the renewable energy producer for Europe, providing cheaper wind power that will one day no longer requires subsidies.

The company began as, and continues to be, a Swedish state owned organisation, this has a number of benefits to it, some of which Country Manager for Vattenfall in Denmark and Vice President of Engineering & Construction within Vattenfall Wind Ole Bigum Nielsen discussed: “We are 100 per cent owned by the Swedish state, and we have a very long history. The state has a lot of experience and understanding of the energy business, and I would say it is clearly an ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 121

Deutsche Windtechnik Vattenfall, which ranks among the key players in the Offshore Wind industry, and Deutsche Windtechnik, the leading independent service provider for onshore and offshore wind farms, launched their extensive servicing partnership four years ago and have steadily expanded it ever since. In 2012 Deutsche Windtechnik got involved in supervising the construction of Vattenfall’s large-scale DanTysk offshore wind park (OWP) project. Various maintenance tasks for the DanTysk OWP followed. The service specialists also maintained and inspected all transition pieces, foundations below and above the water line, the offshore substation and the accommodation platform. This year, both partners have expanded and reinforced their collaboration to include the Sandbank OWP. With a staff of 100 employees, Deutsche Windtechnik is one of the pioneering offshore service providers: for the past decade the company has worked on a variety of offshore tasks and has gradually expanded this area to include the entire infrastructure of OWPs. Apart from manufacturers and various other players in the offshore segment, it is the only company offering maintenance for complete OWPs and substations – from foundations and nacelle to blade tips, including the offshore substations.

advantage for Vattenfall to have a very solid and stable owner. Also, in financial terms, by being owned by Sweden it means that we have a very good rating.”

The company is active within many sectors of energy, and is currently undergoing a change in direction in how it will produce its products, and Ole shed some light on these: “We provide electricity, and heat, and gas, and many more energy services in general. Our business operates in many aspects of the process, from production, trading, distribution, and sales, and a great deal

122 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

more. And up until the last few years Vattenfall has been a fairly traditional energy utility, using coal and gas, for example. However, in 2015 a new strategy was decided and is being implemented, and this has changed a great deal – the company has started its transformation, and as a part of this Vattenfall is divesting its lignite assets, and it will instead focus on renewable energy.”

There are many projects that Vattenfall has either completed or is working on in the renewable sector, and some examples of this include Sandbank, DanTysk, Horns Rev 1, Horns Rev 3, and a number of others. The offshore wind farm Sandbank is the second major wind power project in the German North Sea by Vattenfall. The offshore wind farm comprises 72 Siemens wind turbines in the 4-megawatt class.

With an overall capacity of 288 megawatts, the wind farm provides renewable power to supply up to 400,000 households. The wind farm extends over an area of 60 square kilometres and is located 90 kilometres off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein, right next to DanTysk.

The Sandbank wind farm can potentially be expanded to a total installed capacity of around 500 megawatts. The project area has room for a total of 64 additional wind turbine locations.

The North Sea areas off the coast of Sylt provide

PROFILE

Vattenfall with sufficient generation potential to supply renewable power to over one million households in Germany.

There is also Horns Rev 3, which will consist of 49 wind turbines with a total capacity of 400 MW, which can generate power equivalent to the annual consumption of 425,000 Danish households. The turbines at this wind farm will be the V164-8,0 MW model, these offer the latest in wind technology and will increase output. Vattenfall is also involved in developing a test facility in Scotland, which will be developing improvements to the wind industry, such as the use of suction caisson in wind farm installation – these will reduce noise, and lessen any environmental impact, plus it is much easier and simpler to remove.

At the very core of Vattenfall’s message is that it is not complacent about wind energy. It is moving forward quickly – in order to drive the price of this energy down, and to decrease wind power’s need for subsidies, all in order to provide environmentally friendly and cost efficient energy to Europe. The progress of which was something that Ole discussed: “The extremely positive thing is that the price curve for the cost of offshore produced electricity has broken, and now it is on a downward trajectory. Previously, for a number of years it only knew one way, and that was up, but that has changed and it is now only going down.”

In the coming years the company expects strong growth, as Ole explained: “We plan to have doubled our wind capacity by 2020, and by 2025 we aim to have tripled it.” The future for Vattenfall looks a bright one – it has managed to start the transition from a traditional energy company towards one that has renewable resources at the heart of it. A key part of Vattenfall’s ambition for the coming years is driving down the price of wind power – eventually making Vattenfall’s renewable energy the stand out option to fuel Europe.

Vattenfall corporate.vattenfall.co.uk

Services Energy production ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 123

Vattenfall

Plans in the

Founded in Bologna, Italy, by Ottavio Frata in 1959, SALP SpA began operating in land reclamation in the Po Valley before entering the oil and gas sector, which was being established in Italy by the ENI Group Oil & Gas at the time. Soon this business segment became the company’s main activity, with a key focus on construction and maintenance of natural gas networks; a field in which SALP SpA can today provide comprehensive turnkey solutions.

In 1971 the company made the strategic decision to move to Friuli Venezia Giulia, where it continued to acquire experience in maintenance activities with regards to plants, refinery and pipelines for both oil and gas customers; it has also developed a proactive and effective approach regarding safety and quality over the years. “SALP SpA today is specialised in oil and gas pipeline constructions,

124 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

oxygen pipelines and aqueducts as well as sewer systems, roads, riverbank protection, soil stabilisation and hydraulic protection, which is all thanks to our broad technical and professional knowledge, excellent equipment and technicians. We operate internationally as a contractor, with expertise in oil and gas stations and pipelines up to 60 inches, including ancillary activity; we are also able to propose a wide range of services to our clients,” begins Pier Luigi Catenazzi, Business Development Manager at SALP SpA. A leader in its field in Europe, SALP SpA’s technical expertise, combined with the high potential of its technicians and equipment, has enabled it to work with major Italian and foreign companies, with excellent results. “In the last three years alone SALP SpA has completed three big projects in Italy, between 48 inches and 56 inches for more than 100 km of pipeline and

PROFILE

SALP

or an emergency, the company performs with optimum versatility with the goal of delivering maximum plant efficiency and customer satisfaction. “Large diameter projects make up to 50 per cent of our contracts, while maintenance and plant projects take up the remaining 50 per cent of our turnover,” says Pier. “However, we do believe that large diameter, without all other activities we are involved in, is not enough for us to be competitive; each pipeline project is unique, our strength is that we focus on that.”

Alongside pipelines projects, the company also provides plant engineering services for compressor stations, pumping stations, measuring stations and reduction stations. For these contracts, the company uses innovative technological resources, high quality equipment and qualified technical staff to ensure continued satisfaction for clients. “The biggest challenge in the market is achieving maximum customer satisfaction,” notes Pier. “Because of this, we tackle each challenge with safe, reliable and innovative solutions and keep training and

a scraper station, big compression station and all types of crossing through the utilisation of horizontal directional drilling, micro tunneling, raise boring, river crossing and auger boring services. We have also been involved in the delivery of 100 km of pipeline and an associate station in Bulgaria as well as several projects in Kurdistan, Iraq. The revamping of the oil centre of ENI in Viggiano, Potenza, and Mazara del Vallo Sicily was also a challenging project for us,” says Pier.

Able to intervene on pipelines of large diameter and high pressure, SALP SpA uses its experience, technically advanced equipment and its highly qualified and competent workforce to undertake various morphological conditions; these include the plains, mountains or land with the presence of water or river crossings. To ensure a prompt solution to each customer’s challenge, whether it is planned

local context at the top of our priority so we are proactive, generous and respectful to the cultures we approach. Furthermore, we are committed to sharing our expertise with the local content by following specific guidelines that promote the development of local suppliers. We do this through initiatives such as the professional growth of managers with international qualifications in areas such as the environment, quality, health and safety, finance, project management and construction.”

Due to the nature of the projects being undertaken, the company has developed a proactive and effective approach to safety over recent years, as Pier states: “Safety first is what our people believe and they have thus adopted a healthy lifestyle to guarantee a better future for themselves and the company. Furthermore, because of SALP SpA’s efforts in developing knowledge and competencies of our personnel ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 125

PROFILE

SALP

through our training centre, the sharing of experiences and the implementation of safe working practices, our safety performance data shows continuous improvement.”

As the oil and gas industry remains, sluggish SALP SpA will ensure it remains in demand by focusing on customer satisfaction through ongoing improvements in all areas of its operations. Moreover, the company is strategically seeking out opportunities to expand into new target markets such as Africa, while also strengthening its presence in areas such as the Balkans and Iran. “We are looking into new markets while also developing new welding technology to meet the evolving needs of our customer base; we will also be entering the field of destructive testing, revamping, maintenance and telecommunications. Because the market is going to become increasingly competitive, we believe we must seek out our own opportunities, which, once founded, could result in proposals,” concludes Pier.

“Understanding and implementing the expectations of our customers by providing a high quality service, competitive and in line with health and safety regulation of workers and environment.” With this philosophy S.A.L.P S.p.A has been growing and developing its know-how in the Oil & Gas industry since 1971 covering the many aspects of this important part of the world’s economy. It provides turnkey projects related to the construction of both gas and oil pipelines and control stations by offering technical support and equipment related to the maintenance of gas networks and pipelines and by planning and building infrastructures.

After having established itself as one of the most important Italian companies in its field, S.A.L.P S.p.A. expanded and has started working in Bulgaria, Germany, Switzerland, Iraq, France, Libya and Kazakhstan. Its internationalisation continues steadily and sustainably marked

126 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

by a profound knowledge of its abilities and skills. It has offices in North Africa, the Balkan area and in the Middle East where it operates and successfully works together with local institutions.

Its large fleet of vehicles and equipment, multicultural and ambitious staff and its financial capacity allows it to respond quickly and professionally to its customers’ requests whilst respecting local institutions, minimising risks at work, avoiding pollution and optimising consumption.

The company believes in hiring highly qualified staff and offering them a work environment which encourages them to reach their full potential.

With this background and its willingness to constantly improve, S.A.L.P aims to strengthen its presence in the European and International market more and more.

Frata Ugo

We are looking into new markets while also developing new welding technology to meet the evolving needs of our customer base

SALP SpA salpspa.eu

Services Contractor in the construction of oil and gas stations and pipelines

PROFILE

Online Valves

Fast

response KOSO Kent Introl KOSO Kent Introl (KKI) specialises in the design and manufacture of surface and subsea control and choke valves used in almost every major oil and gasproducing region, globally.

In addition, its valves, actuators and instruments are used across a wide range of applications, including in the petrochemical, power and utilities industries.

Aftermarket services include full valve servicing, spare parts supply for valves and associated equipment and upgrades for the replacement of existing equipment. This includes the refurbishment of subsea valves.

The company has three sites in Brighouse, Yorkshire, UK, and is represented in the US, Gulf of Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago by its appointed agent Online Valves Ltd. Online Valves Ltd provides local support for KKI’s customers on individual projects and aftermarket activities.

Below Dave Sim, Sales Director, Online Valves

Online Valves has witnessed rapid growth over the last five years thanks to a total commitment in providing a high quality service and fast response to companies requiring an urgent solution in the oil, gas and petrochemical markets Established in 2012, Online Valves Ltd operates as a stockist and distributor of valves for mainstream manufacturers and has developed a solid reputation for delivering a fast track for urgent requirements. A relatively small organisation, Online Valves is able to deliver a flexible, one-stop-shop service to clients operating in time-sensitive markets, such as oil and gas, as Sales Director Dave Sim comments: “Because of our size, we can deliver whatever the customer wants. We supply all types of valves, all sizes, all pressure classes and materials; both manual valves or actuated, topside or, subsea. We also supply the associated products such as flanges, fittings, caskets, the hubs, clamps and so on.

“This flexibility means we can provide a single supply of a single component at very little cost right through to complete supply contracts; it all depends on what the customer wants. For example, if the customer is running low on staffing, we could take over part of their procurement function to assist in a busy period perhaps, or, if a rig went down due to a valve problem, we would go to the extremes and ensure we provided an urgent solution; perhaps

flying a valve in to site and maybe carrying out urgent modifications to meet an unusal spec. We concentrate on delivering fast track supply with the goal of satisfying the clients urgent requirements for the oil and gas and petrochemical markets globally.”

Aware that those operating within the oil and gas industry require efficient solutions of

exceptional quality, Online Valves has developed a one-stop-shop solution that delivers on time.

“Customers tend to want results fast,” says Dave.

“In fact, the average lead time in the valve world is likely around 24 weeks delivery, which is not acceptable for the average oil company that has an issue with a valve. Recent projects for us include a major operator in Brazil requiring a fast response, for which we provided a solution in ten days. On a larger scale, we have completed ENERGY,oil&gas

energy-oil-gas.com 127

PROFILE

Online Valves

projects that weren’t urgent supply, however, we were still fast, with delivery ranging between 18 to 20 weeks.”

This adaptability to customer and market demand has resulted in strong global growth for Online Valves, which is currently trading in 28 countries, despite challenging market conditions.

“We have been very fortunate as a lot of our market is export and urgent supply, so a lot of big companies are being told don’t spend money unless you have to, but that is the case for us anyway,” notes Dave. “Because of the manner in which we work, we have experienced very strong growth over the last four years.”

In line with this growth, the company is preparing to receive the Queen’s Award For Enterprise in International Trade 2016 in July this year. “I would say around 90 per cent of our work is export and we have enjoyed significant growth for three years running, which is why we have won this award. It is a great honour to receive the Queen’s Award and is also good PR for us as it gives a potential customer confidence that we are

genuinely good at what we do,” says Dave.

Complementing this flexibility is the company’s combination of long-term experience in valves and related equipment and its global presence thanks to locations in Houston, Dubai and Trinidad. In addition to these strengths, Dave also praises the strength of its partners and suppliers: “Our supply chain is key for us; if you don’t have that you don’t have anything.

We treat our partners and suppliers like they are clients, which means we treat them well and are fair while conducting business. By making it easy for our suppliers to sell to us we have increasingly become the preferential customer for many of our suppliers; which brings with it many advantages.”

With five years of impressive growth behind the company, Dave is naturally positive about

128 ENERGY,oil&gas energy-oil-gas.com

the future of Online Valves without showing a hint of complacency. “From what I see of the market, you can sit by and watch things happen and miss the boat or you can go out and chase it down and make things happen. This is the route we are going for. For example, we opened our office in Dubai last month and have a number of business trips taking place at the minute all over the world. I believe this face to face meetings are vital for successful business development.”

Keen to maintain growth levels in a consistent year-by-year basis, Online Valves is likely to expand further over the coming years in line with global market demand for its adaptable and high quality solutions. Alongside this strategic development, the company will also further develop its external branches in Houston and Dubai, as Dave concludes: “I would like to duplicate the success we have here in Aberdeen over in Houston particularly, but I also see opportunities for other branches over the next few years.”

TDC Quality Coatings TDC Quality Coatings congratulates Online Valves on receiving a Queen’s Award. A division of TDC (Aberdeen) Ltd, TDC Quality Coatings specialises in the surface preparation and protective coating of all types of industrial equipment, including subsea assets. Accredited to ISO 9001:2008 and OHSAS 18001:2007, and certified to NACE, ICORR and Norsok standards, TDC delivers high quality and safe services to a wide range of companies operating within the oil and gas sector, in the UK and globally.

Online Valves online-valves.com

Services Stockist and distributor of valves

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

energy-oil-gas.com