Hydrogen is all anyone seems to be talking about right now. From hydrogen-fired power to energy storage to industrial fuel switching to transport, it seems like there is nothing hydrogen cannot do as we seek to transition to net zero. But there may be one rather large stumbling block in the hydrogen onslaught. While hydrogen was meant to supplement our journey to carbon-neutrality, it now finds itself in competition with the energy grid. Why? Because the renewable energy required to produce ‘green’ hydrogen using electrolysis of water will also be needed to decarbonise our energy grid. And the EU in particular has shown where its priority lies.
The EU’s delegated acts on hydrogen, of which the first proposals were set out in February, lay out some of the strictest rules on what constitutes renewable hydrogen. Harsh stipulations that were first laid out in the Act include a mandate that renewable hydrogen be produced exclusively with additional renewable power plants. The regulation also introduces concepts known as hourly temporal correlation and geographical correlation. These effectively mean that hydrogen may only be produced during the hours that the renewable source is providing electricity and in the same area. Therefore hydrogen plants would be sat idle at times when renewables are not operating, a scenario which would occur very frequently given the intermittent nature of those power sources. These conditions are very likely to make hydrogen production more expensive and limit its expansion potential.
In addition, given the mammoth targets set by the EU, aiming for 10m tonnes per year of green hydrogen, the bloc will need every kg of hydrogen that it can get. Thus, putting such restrictive conditions on its production may seem somewhat counter intuitive. Many will argue that the concept of additionality is flawed and that it shows a bias towards the decarbonisation of the energy grid over the decarbonisation of industries such as steel production, maritime transport, aviation, fertiliser production and many more. Many will also posit that additionality requirements for hydrogen unfairly burden the hydrogen sector and promote an unequitable approach to the clean energy sectors.
With the regulatory landscape in the US looking more and more attractive after the Inflation Reduction Act, rules such as these may be the trigger that pushes companies to pack up shop and head across the Atlantic. However, having heard these criticisms, the EU did to its credit introduce a transitionary regime until 2030, under which temporal correlation will be on a monthly, not hourly basis.
There are also alternatives which operators can make use of, the most notable being direct electricity sourcing instead of from the grid. As long as the time difference between the startup of the renewable asset and that of the hydrogen plant does not exceed 36 months, the hydrogen can still be qualified as renewable.
The EU’s transitionary period also has a first-mover clause which enables any hydrogen plant coming online before 2028 to be exempt from the rules until 2038. This clause may prove to be a masterstroke, in that it provides incentive for first movers to deploy projects as soon as possible. However, unintended consequences may arise, given that less developed countries seeking to import into the EU will also be exempt. This could prompt those countries to consume their much-needed renewable energy resources, holding back their development in a mad rush to produce hydrogen for the EU. This concern is especially prevalent in sub-Saharan African countries, many of which will look to develop renewable energy sources to lift their economies.
On the other side of the debate, many will argue that without setting limits on renewable power used for hydrogen production, we risk ‘cannibalising’ domestic supply. With energy demand only set to rise in the coming years with fossil fuels being phased out across the continent, and the intermittent nature of renewables, diverting massive quantities of renewable electricity away from the grid may prove to be an unwise decision. Predictions show that the quantity of renewable electricity required to meet the hydrogen demand by 2030 exceeds the yearly consumption of the whole country of France. Thus, adding a whole country’s worth of demand without the supply to match will increase scarcity and drive up prices, opening the door for a return to fossil fuels to fill the gap.
Looking at other regions’ approach to this issue, we have seen 54 hydrogen-related companies sign a letter saying there must be no additionality requirements on the US hydrogen 45V tax credit. The uncertainty has seen nuclear developer Constellation putting its US$900m pink hydrogen plans on hold, saying that such rules could kill American pink hydrogen in the crib. The UK, on the other hand, has taken a much laxer approach. When responding to applications for government support for hydrogen plants, the UK assigns a 5% weight to additionality in its decision-making process.
The debate will continue to rage on, but the answer is likely to be in the fine regulatory details, with the best approaches considering additionality while doing so in a less burdensome way, so as not to allow it to hamper the effort to produce the large quantities of hydrogen that will be needed to fuel the energy transition.
Aadam Sufi, Energy Analyst aadam.sufi@the-eic.com
The EIC National Awards is approaching. Taking place on Thursday 19 October at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square and gathering numerous finalist companies among 15 different categories plus the EIC/RGU Rising Star MBA award, the evening will be hosted by the ‘absolutely fabulous’ Dame Joanna Lumley. If you’d like to join us for a night of networking, entertainment and celebration of the very best of supply chain excellence, please go to www.the-eic.com/ Events/EICAwards. Regional awards in the Americas, Asia Pacific and the MENA region are also happening, check out more details on our website.
In this month’s issue of Inside Energy, readers can find pieces on hydrogen developments in Europe, KODIAK’s new partnership with RTE, Precision Polymer Engineering’s (PPE) innovative range of perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) materials and much more, including a new batch of celebratory interviews with members for our 80th anniversary and additional Survive & Thrive VII case studies (which you can be read in full length here).
For the sector analysis section, we have invited Aadam Sufi, energy analyst at the EIC. He discusses the consequences of the European Union’s act that establishes that renewable hydrogen be produced exclusively with additional renewable power plant. According to him, this obligation, besides being seemingly counterintuitive considering the significant green hydrogen production goals established by the EU, might make investors turn to the US, where the Inflation Reduction Act looks more inviting.
In member’s news, KODIAK, a provider of holistic project management solutions, announces that the company has been selected by Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE) as its new offshore client representative for the next two years. KODIAK had previously participated in a tendering process where it came out as the successful bid along with two other companies.
Spotlight on technology features Perlast®, PPE’s line of FFKM sealing materials specifically designed to deliver reliable, exceptional performance in critical applications. The product was created as a response to the growing demand for innovative sealing technology uniquely developed for the energy industries.
Once again, the EIC teams in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the MENA region complete the publication with regional comments, office notices and local market updates. Members news are also included and readers will be able to keep up with the latest international industry news.
Léliam de Castro Head of Marketing and Communications leliam.castro@the-eic.com
How has the EIC helped you through the years? Any interesting stories to tell?
Nigeria Machine Tools’ quest for EIC membership is informed by our determination to broaden our international networks within the global oil and gas industry, with a view to secure mutually beneficial partnerships with reliable raw material, product and equipment manufacturers in other regions of the world. In so doing, we also aspire to showcase our products and services to a global audience, enabling us to supply into global regional markets.
While we anticipate more remarkable feats on these objectives, we have been able to test collaboration possibilities with a host of companies on a new service-oriented project. We were unable to progress with that project due to the complexities in system decommissioning, requiring a fully established incountry specialist facility, with no guarantees of future use. We remain optimistic of meeting these objectives with continued and strategic collaboration with EIC.
What are the synergies between NMT and the EIC?
At the moment, EIC has so far served as an interface enabler between NMT and various organisations, both members and non-members of EIC. NMT’s introduction to these organisations by the EIC helped to ease the geopolitical interplay, minimising or I dare say eliminating the attendant biases that naturally exist within the developed economies in dealing with organisations from developing economies, including most African countries.
Where would you like to see NMT and the EIC in the next 80 years?
Eighty years is such a distant future, which would have outlived the lifetime of most of the current functionaries of both NMT and EIC. However, we believe in sustainability and business continuity.
Our vision for NMT which we hope to achieve in our own lifetime, and extending for decades ahead is to be the premier brand of choice and a global household name for piping package commodities (fasteners, flanges, valves and fittings), reverse engineering, customised component manufacturing and a select spectrum of specialised engineering services. We anticipate dynamism in our investment decisions and operations, including business expansion with interests and investments in green energy and other evolving areas of human endeavour. We aspire to be that global brand, with sustainable partnerships, cutting across our current areas of specialty as well as evolving areas, with a host of EIC-member organisations in Europe, Asia and the Americas. We look forward to an EIC that is more influential in the African subregion and which provides an equal opportunity for all members.
Nigeria Machine Tools is an integrated industrial engineering, manufacturing and technical services company offering precision engineered products and services to meet operation and project needs across various industries, including the oil and gas, defence, maritime, construction, manufacturing and the telecom industries. Originally set up predominantly to produce machine tools, NMT has since metamorphosed into a dynamic organisation creating sustainable value by taking strategic advantage of its strengths and promoting a pedigree founded on quality consistency, professionalism, expertise and trust.
NMT’s culture of quality consistency has earned it a TAMAP approval by Shell Global Operations, as well as original equipment manufacturing (OEM) status approval by Chevron, Total, ExxonMobil and NLNG, for the production of stud-bolts and flanges, as well as application of PTFE and other surface protective coatings.
Why did you become an EIC member?
What has your experience been so far?
Although Servomex has a history going back more than 70 years, we have only been members of the EIC for eight months. We joined primarily to gain access to EIC’s project information (EICDataStream) and the market intelligence information you provide. Servomex is a specialist gas analysis company with a long history of working in the petrochemical and chemical industries (downstream sectors).
Early project information is vital to our ability as a specialist company to get involved in large-scale projects. The EIC provides the intelligence that we can use to target the correct opportunities.
As Servomex focuses more and more on sustainability and the growth of carbon capture and hydrogen projects, the market intelligence supplied and the specialist events are essential to guiding and enriching our understanding of these important growing and developing markets.
So far, we are delighted with the project database information, webinars and ‘real-life’ seminars (for example, the recent hydrogen workshop in London). The networking opportunities have proved useful by enhancing our understanding of the challenges facing industry as we all adapt to the energy transition. As a simple example, highlighted at the recent seminar, how do you get the electricity from where it is generated to where it is used?
What are the synergies between Servomex and the EIC?
The EIC and Servomex have both been involved in the energy business for over 70 years, building up a national and international presence in key markets. As respected organisations, we are able to offer different perspectives on the growth of energy transition and
how the requirements of the market can be guided to a successful conclusion. As a specialist company, Servomex brings key insights and knowledge, which compliments the broader outlook of the EIC. In return, the EIC gives Servomex access to like-minded companies with diverse interests.
Where would you like to see Servomex and the EIC in the next 80 years?
It has become increasingly apparent to the company’s leadership that it needs to adapt and align with changing needs. Indeed, the number of carbon capture (CC) projects Servomex is being asked to bid on is growing exponentially every year, with more and more companies actively leaning into energy transition.
We see the EIC and Servomex working together in the drive to achieve net zero and a sustainable future.
We are working on developing new and evolving gas analysis technologies to deliver the measurements needed to support a variety of CC and storage methods, including CO2 purity verification and the monitoring of contaminants.
The future relies on us all working together strategically to deliver solutions to meet these energy challenges we face.
Founded in 1952, Servomex has placed good business practice as the cornerstone of its business. The company is committed to continuous improvement across all aspects of manufacturing and management systems, from compliance with internationallyrecognised business standards to global investment in staff development. Servomex aims to instil a positive business culture that empowers staff to engage with stakeholders in a manner that is honest, transparent and trusted the world over.
How has the EIC helped you through the years?
What are the synergies between Shipham Valves and the EIC?
Both Shipham Valves and the EIC have established highly respected reputations based on their proud heritage, industry-specific expertise, product and service quality as well as innovation in their respective fields. As expanding our footprint into new and emerging markets through exporting is crucial to Shipham Valves’ overall success, the EIC has played a vital role in supporting our journey to access these key markets and shape our offerings. This support has been provided through various eventbased initiatives and by offering comprehensive and clear industry insights into the status of critical markets and future projects. Therefore, there is little doubt that the EIC has supported Shipham Valves’ journey, and we both share some common synergies.
Where would you like to see Shipham Valves and the EIC in the next 80 years?
Shipham Valves’ culture has been revitalised, driven by the setting of a clear vision and values that are now at the centre of everything the organisation does for the next 80 years and beyond. We believe that the EIC is well placed to continue supporting Shipham Valves on this journey as the business thrives in the future. Despite being a business with a history spanning 225 years, the company’s startup mindset, adopted over the past three years, has given real impetus and reason for optimism. Taking the time to lay the optimal foundations, Shipham Valves is now well set to reach even greater heights as it embarks on this latest, exciting chapter in its ever-expanding story.
In addition to celebrating our special 225th anniversary, we would like to extend our congratulations to the EIC team on reaching its 80th anniversary milestone.
Shipham Valves was established in 1798, and since the 1930s it has become one of the most respected CRA valve manufacturers globally, serving industries including oil and gas, marine, naval defence, LNG, petrochemical and pipeline applications.
Shipham Valves’ extensive experience managing complex valve solutions delivers significant benefits to customers working with corrosive media or safetycritical applications. The company takes great pride in building on its history of safety, reliability and quality.
Shipham Valves specialises in the design, development and manufacture of an extensive range of ball, butterfly, gate, globe, check and hydrant valves as well as Y-type strainers, all crafted from specialist materials.
Heavily focused on product design, quality, safety and reliability, Shipham Valves has become one of the most respected corrosion-resistant valve (CRA) manufacturers serving the oil, gas, petrochemical, naval marine and power generation industries and pipeline applications worldwide.
Shipham Valves started operating in 1798. The company operates from 6,000 sq ft of purpose-built manufacturing facilities. It specialises in the design, development and manufacture of an extensive range of ball, butterfly, gate, globe, check and hydrant valves and Y-type strainers. Shipham Valves has in-house capabilities to manufacture valves in sizes ranging from ½” to 48”. Its specialist material options include nickel aluminium bronze, bronze, duplex stainless steel, super duplex stainless steel, Hastelloy® , Monel®, titanium, Inconel® and zirconium. All valves are manufactured by skilled technicians and tested under internationally recognised standards, including ASME, API, MSS, BS EN ISO, DIN and JIS. Shipham Valves holds vast experience in product design and engineering.
How has the EIC helped you through the years? Any interesting stories to tell?
As a major manufacturer of steel pipe used in the oil and gas industry, we have been a member of EIC for several years. During this time, we have supplied over a million tonnes of line pipe into North Sea projects as well as exporting around the world. EICDataStream is an essential tool for us to track upcoming projects. However, with the energy transition now pushing forward, we are increasingly supplying structural steel for solar and offshore wind projects as well as preparing for future hydrogen and carbon capture schemes, so it’s good to see the EIC continuing to support us in these new areas as well as keeping us up to date through regular reports and webinars on the changing energy landscape.
What are the synergies between your company and the EIC?
This is an important time for the energy industry. The coming 20 years will see at least as much investment in energy generation and infrastructure as the last 50. Steel is an essential enabler of the energy transition. It is estimated that the UK alone needs at least 10 million tonnes of steel to deliver the infrastructure for a decarbonised, secure energy future. This is why we see the energy sector as crucial to our business now and in the future. The EIC not only keeps us fully up to date with the latest trends in the energy sector, but helps us to engage with other players in the sector ensuring UK businesses capitalise on project opportunities.
Where would you like to see Tata Steel and the EIC in the next 80 years?
The 22nd century seems a long way away, but there are two certainties. We will need energy to go about our daily lives, and we will continue to need steel to build the infrastructure behind providing that energy. There will still be an energy industry, even if it is unrecognisable from the one we have today. As the UK’s largest steelmaker, we see ourselves as providing some of the basic building blocks for the energy infrastructure and the EIC helps to steer us in the right direction.
About Tata Steel
Tata Steel UK is the UK’s largest integrated steel maker – with 14 sites across Wales, England and Northern Ireland. It produces over 3.2m tonnes of 100% recyclable steel each year. The business employs more than 8,000 people directly across the UK, including 4,000 at its Port Talbot steelworks, 2,500 direct contractors and an additional 20,000 people in the supply chain.
The company’s steel is integral for production in the automotive, construction, engineering and packaging sectors. Since acquisition in 2007, Tata Steel has invested £4.5bn in its UK business, highlighting its commitment to its UK operations.
How has the EIC helped you through the years? Any interesting stories to tell?
Personally, I have benefited from working with the EIC since 2005 when I started my recruiting career in the energy market sector. In my line of work, knowledge is the key to success.
From detailed project knowledge (EICDataStream), insight reports that provide detailed market sector information to network building at the in-person events, the EIC is a valuable resource for my success.
What are the synergies between TRS Staffing Solutions and the EIC?
TRS Staffing Solutions is a business line of the Fluor Corporation and like the EIC, we are a project focused company.
The EIC provides synergies though valuable insights and knowledge in a market that is built on large scale multibillion-dollar projects around the world.
Where would you like to see TRS Staffing Solutions and the EIC in the next 80 years?
If the last 20 years is anything to go by, technology may change and the energy transition will evolve, but I hope the vital knowledge and insights the EIC provides will remain the same. Knowledge will always be the driving force behind success.
Established in 1984, TRS Staffing Solutions is a global engineering recruitment agency, specialising in the delivery of professional, engineering, technical and field-based talent. TRS has 23 international offices, with over 3,500 contingent workers supporting its clients. Its division TRS Workforce Solutions (TRSWFS) is a leading first-generation MSP company. TRS WFS is a managed services provider (MSP), supporting global large-scale, complex engineering projects with costeffective resource solutions.
How has the EIC helped you through the years? Any interesting stories to tell?
The EIC has helped TÜV SÜD in a number of areas which can be summarised in a number of ways, firstly networking and collaboration. EIC membership provides opportunities to network with industry professionals, it helps establish business relationships and it gives you the opportunity to collaborate on projects. Something TÜV SÜD has particularly benefitted from over the years is that membership really enables you to connect with experts, potential clients, suppliers from within the energy industry, in short it enhances your industry connections.
A key feature of EIC membership that we have used and found to be highly beneficial is the provision of market insight and intelligence. EIC membership grants access to market intelligence, research reports and industry updates.
What are the synergies between TÜV SÜD and the EIC?
We believe the synergies that exist between TÜV SÜD and EIC are clear. TÜV SÜD is a leading international technical services provider offering a wide range of services for the energy sector, including testing inspection and certification. The EIC is an industry association that represents companies in the energy sector globally. Both TÜV SÜD and EIC have deep experience of the energy sector so EIC expertise and insight is highly complementary to the energy sector activities of TÜV SÜD.
Where would you like to see TÜV SÜD and the EIC in the next 80 years?
In the next 80 years we would like to see the EIC continue be an industry leading trade body capable of providing up to the minute updates on regulation, market trends and sector development, helping members like TÜV SÜD to update their services and solutions to meet the evolving needs of the energy sector.
About TÜV SÜD
TÜV SÜD aims to inspire trust in technology, enabling progress by managing technology-related risks and facilitating change. This commitment is embodied in its claim ‘Add value. Inspire trust.’ The company works progressively towards being the trusted partner of choice for safety, security and sustainability solutions, adding tangible value to clients globally. As TÜV SÜD looks towards the future, it believes that sustainability and digitalisation will continue to shape the narrative of commerce and society.
Today, TÜV SÜD is represented by more than 26,000 employees located across over 1,000 locations. Its community of experts is passionate about technology and is inspired by the possibilities of your business. United by the belief that technology should better people’s lives, TÜV SÜD works alongside its customers to anticipate and capitalise on technological developments.
Going beyond regulatory compliance, TÜV SÜD inspires trust in a physical and digital world to create a safer and more sustainable future.
THURSDAY 19 OCTOBER 2023
#NAD2023
Hosted by Dame Joanna Lumley
Operator: Hynfra PSA
Value: US$2bn
Hynfra PSA and Fidelity Group have announced plans to build the plant, located in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. The project aims to produce up to 200,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually, primarily for export to Europe and will include a 530MW solar park.
Operator: Wellesley Petroleum
Value: US$500m
DNO ASA has announced a significant gas and condensate discovery on the Carmen prospect in the Norwegian North Sea license PL1148. Gross recoverable resources range between 120 and 230MMboe.
Operator: Ørsted
Value: US$5,518bn
Orient Cables will provide the subsea array cables, Navantia-Windar will supply the monopile foundations and Semco Maritime and PTSC M&C will design and manufacture the offshore substations.
Operator: Scatec
Value: US$273m
Scatec has achieved financial close for its Grootfontein solar scheme which comprises of three solar projects with a capacity of 273MW. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2024, with commercial operation planned for 2025.
Operator: Bangchak Corporation
Public Company Ltd
Value: US$100m
TTCL Public Company Ltd has been awarded the EPC contract for the project. TTCL will be responsible for the whole SAF commercial plant which includes the pretreatment facility of raw material. The project will utilise Honeywell’s Ecofing technology for the SAF unit.
Operator: Frontier Carbon Solutions
Value: US$800m
Frontier Carbon Solutions has been awarded US$40m from the Department of Energy (DOE) under the CarbonSAFE initiative to develop its Sweetwater Carbon Storage Hub (SCS Hub) in southwestern Wyoming. The project would have a storage capacity of up to 5MMtpa of CO2 in the Nugget saline sandstone reservoir.
For more information on these and the 13,500 other current and future projects we are tracking please visit EICDataStream
EICSupplyMap maps the capabilities of supply chain companies that operate in the wider energy industry. These industries cover renewables, upstream, midstream, downstream, power, nuclear, energy storage and the potential and proven capabilities in carbon capture and hydrogen. After successfully mapping the UK market, EICSupplyMap now covers the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Texas/US and Brazil.
• Identify the supply chain local to your region, giving you the opportunity to engage with potential new clients.
• Find the supply chain capability in five regions, now covering the UK, UAE, Malaysia, Texas/US and Brazil.
• An in-depth look at profiles of more than 6,000 energy sector supply chain companies.
• Make smarter decisions by targeting your offering to international developers/operators and contractors matching your capability with international energy projects.
KODIAK, a provider of holistic project management solutions for developers in renewable energies, has announced its successful bid in the tendering process conducted by RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Électricité).
KODIAK has been chosen as one of the three contracting partners to provide offshore client representatives (OCR) to support RTE in overseeing its offshore operations performed by multiple EPC cable contractors. This partnership will enable KODIAK and its client representatives to represent and act on behalf of RTE throughout its portfolio of projects.
The initial contract award spans a duration of 48 months. With KODIAK’s experience in offshore operations, the representatives will play a pivotal role in monitoring and supervising the activities of the EPC cable contractors, ensuring compliance with RTE’s quality standards and project timelines.
In this partnership with RTE, KODIAK is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety, efficiency and environmental stewardship. The goal is to achieve project milestones through seamless collaboration.
As a leading provider of holistic project management solutions for developers in renewable energies, KODIAK offers top-class industry services and professionals. Its highly skilled specialists participate in the implementation of some of Europe’s most challenging renewable energy projects, committed to driving the transition to a sustainable energy future with reliable, costeffective and environmentally responsible energy solutions.
RTE is France’s transmission system operator, in charge of an impressive infrastructure: more than 105,000km of high and ultra-high-voltage lines spanning the whole of France and 50 interconnections with neighbouring European countries. Playing a central role within the French and European power systems, RTE is a vital economic partner of businesses and regions, a pivotal player in the energy transition and the move towards renewable energy sources and a firm proponent of Europe-wide electrical solidarity.
For more information visit KODIAK’s website https://kodiak.eu/
Energy applications are notoriously demanding on sealing systems. The temperature extremes, mechanical stresses and aggressive chemical environments can all have a hugely detrimental impact on elastomer materials and their ability to seal effectively. Yet in oil and gas exploration and production, along with other emerging energy industries, reliability is paramount. Unscheduled equipment downtime carries a big cost – both financial and in reputational damage.
The Perlast® range of FFKM sealing materials has been developed specifically to deliver reliable exceptional performance in critical applications where seal failure is not an option. As a perfluoroelastomer (FFKM), Perlast® delivers peerless resistance in high and low temperature extremes, as well as almost universal chemical resistance to aggressive fluids and gases typically encountered in oil and gas exploration and production. This durability in harsh operating environments has led to the adoption of Perlast® as the goto sealing material for industry leaders around the world.
While Perlast® does represent a step change in elastomer sealing technology, the material is only half the story. Perlast® materials are specified as part of a collaborative process, where specialist sealing engineers work with operators to gain a deep understanding of the challenge, before developing a bespoke solution which brings together the right Perlast® material, the right profiles and the optimal level of ongoing support to keep operations running smoothly and without interruption.
With Perlast® seals exceeding rigorous international standards and regulations, energy companies can have full confidence that they are making a technological investment which mitigates risk, improves operational efficiency and helps them establish and maintain an edge in a competitive industry.
Visit www.perlast.com to find out more about this exciting sealing innovation, and how your operations could benefit.
25th Floor, Jumeirah Bay X2 Tower Cluster X
Jumeirah Lakes Towers
Dubai, UAE, PO Box 338261
Contact Lloyd Dsouza, Regional Business Development Manager, IMEA
Telephone +9714 549 2100
Email lloyd.dsouza@ chapmanfreeborn.aero
Web www.chapmanfreeborn.aero
Chapman Freeborn is a leading global aircraft charter specialist with 50 years’ experience and world-class expertise in cargo, group passenger and private jet charters, plus ACMI leasing and 24/7/365 flight support.
With 30 offices across six continents, Chapman Freeborn has an established presence in most major commercial and airline hubs, and an unparalleled global network. Chapman Freeborn is part of Avia Solutions Group, leaders in end-toend capacity solutions for passenger and cargo airlines worldwide.
EFAB
Industrial Solutions Ltd
Manby Road
Immingham
North East Lincolnshire
DN40 2DW
Contact Joe Hodgson, Head of Business Development
Telephone +44 (0)333 207 4411
Email joe.hodgson@equans.com
Web www.efabsolutions.co.uk
EFAB provides the expertise to take any modular construction project from design to physical reality. EFAB is the new trusted name for construction and engineering.
EFAB is committed to becoming your partner of choice through maintaining four core values; it believes that professionalism, integrity, trust and team spirit are the cornerstones of any successful partnership.
Hardstrasse 72 74 5430
Wettingen Switzerland
Contact Johann Fontaine, Business Development Leader
Telephone +41 (0)56 437 34 21
Email johann.fontaine@non.se.com
Web www.gutor.com
Gutor is a leading international manufacturer of uninterruptible power supply systems for industrial applications.
Leveraging 75 years of experience being a global leader in true industrial, long life UPS for harsh environments, the company ensures peace of mind to customers by delivering premium quality end to end secure power solutions customtailored to meet each customerspecific needs.
Gutor secures its customers’ business continuity and enhances their operations through reliable, optimised and digitised solutions, with best in class services organisation.
6 Edgewater Road Office Park
Belfast BT3 9JQ
Northern Ireland
Contact Russell Hempsey, Sales Director
Telephone +44 (0)2893 361 886
Email russell.hempsey@inov8s.com
Web www.inov8s.com
Inov8 Systems designs and manufactures a series of online oil in water analysers. By combining
Riverside House, Rolling Mill Road Viking Industrial Park Jarrow NE32 3DP
Contact Gem Trainor, Head of Marketing & Communications
Telephone +44 (0)191 428 7200
Email comms.uk@kaefer.com
Web
https://kaeferltd.co.uk/
KAEFER UK & Ireland provides a large and growing range of industries with asset integrity
The View Building, Mawaleh North Office No 36 Muscat 111
Oman
Contact Adhari Al Dhakhri, Business Director
Telephone +9687 139 0006
Email adhari@moeenterprises.com
Web https://mo-oilandgas.com/
MO OIL & GAS is an expert in delivering well construction and well completion services and has successfully registered its first local Omani patent bit jet enhancement tool that has proved to save significant drilling time by increasing
MO OIL & GAS was established by passionate Omani engineers with the purpose of enhancing its local talent to contribute to finding new, innovative technologies that will simplify the extraction and production of oil and gas while implementing high standards of health, safety and environment.
AAL Shipping (AAL) has undertaken the long-haul transport of some impressive heavy lift cranes and related components for port and terminal development projects worldwide. These have included an operation to move four 439-tonne Liebherr shore cranes from Shuaiba in Kuwait to Haiphong in Vietnam for a new dry dock facility. A second operation comprised two shipments of six newbuild Kalmar automated stacking cranes (ASC) from Taicang and Shanghai to Melbourne, Australia, for a container terminal expansion programme.
Project heavy lift cargo operations are complex at the best of times and made more challenging when the cargo involved is older and its integrity and even specification are in question.
Founded in the Netherlands in 1995 and since 2009 headquartered in Singapore, AAL is an award-winning global multipurpose shipping operator that has served the project heavy lift, breakbulk and dry bulk sectors for 25 years.
The company offers customers a unique total multipurpose shipping solution, comprising three distinct service models: chartering solutions deliver tailor-made and competitive chartering options for any cargo type and to any compass point on a spot, or long-term engagement basis. Liner services provide scheduled and regular sailings that connect the main ports of Asia Pacific and Oceania and Europe across to Asia. Fixed trade route services provide monthly sailings and port call flexibility on in-demand trades including Asia –Americas and Asia – EU.
AEG Power Solutions (AEG PS), global provider of power systems and solutions for all types of critical and sustainable applications, has introduced a new range of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, which feature a full IGBT architecture and industrial-grade build quality to provide a safe power backup to protect refining and petrochemical industries, transportation infrastructures, manufacturing and other critical businesses against all power disturbances.
Protect 8 PLUS supports a standard three-phase input and is available as single-phase or three-phase output from 10 to 40 kVA, with 216 Vdc or 384 Vdc battery voltage. By the end of the year, it will also support 60 to 120 kVA in both configurations.
Thanks to its IGBT rectifier, the system offers a high input power factor of up to 0,99 and very low harmonic current rejection on the input side (THDi) which makes it a perfect fit in situations where the UPS is supplied by a generator set or to avoid harmonic perturbations of loads connected to the upstream busbar.
This results in substantial savings on the sizing of the upstream network. The bi-directional rectifier also enables several battery capacity tests feeding back into the grid without using the bypass line, requiring additional load banks or affecting the load.
With the Protect 8 PLUS, AEG Power Solutions brings a new pre-charge system (patent filed) to the market, generates a very low inrush current of below two times the nominal current to optimise the upstream protection.
Protect 8 PLUS offers best in class performance with the built-in static bypass switch, offering a short-circuit capability of up to 1000% for 50ms, which is important for petroleum applications. On the inverter side it provides outstanding output shortcircuit clearance when the bypass line is not available. This allows to selectively trip the faulty load and keeps the other lines working to ensure higher availability and safety for the load. Overall, the system achieves up to 90% efficiency in double conversion operation with input and output galvanic isolation.
Protect 8 PLUS features standard output galvanic isolation and n+1 fan redundancy and surpasses the latest JIP33 requirements from the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP). This and the optional IP43 certified cabinet makes it the solution of choice for harsh environments in heavy duty industries.
For more information: www.aegps.com
AIS is proud to announce a joint venture in the US with Oklahomaheadquartered company, Armacell, a global leader in flexible and engineered foam. Both the joint venture, Armacell AIS LLC and the manufacturing of insulation jackets will be based in Yukon, Oklahoma.
Utilising AIS design and Armacell production expertise, the partnership will manufacture insulation jackets for the North America HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) market, as well as acoustic and passive fire protection jackets.
AIS is a global leader in the engineering, manufacture and application of insulation and passive fire protection systems, as well as buoyancy and SURF (subsea, umbilicals, risers and flowlines) products. Its advanced materials deliver mission-critical solutions for the energy, industrial, automotive, chemical and marine sectors.
Armacell has led the energy-saving foam insulation market since 1954. With over 27 manufacturing facilities worldwide, the company’s insulation materials are made for technical equipment and highperformance foams and are tailored to high-tech and lightweight applications. These attributes are complemented by the quality of AIS ContraFlex ® jackets, an exciting prospect for customers in the region.
For more information: www.aisltd.com www.armacell.com
Amarinth, a world-leading, net zero designer and manufacturer of low lifecycle cost centrifugal pumps and associated equipment, primarily for the offshore and onshore oil and gas industries; nuclear and renewable energy generation; defence; desalination; process and industrial markets, has secured another order for North Sea projects, this time for API 610 12th Edition OH2 pumps destined for the Brodger field expansion project. With the renewed interest in the exploitation of the remaining North Sea oil and gas reserves, Amarinth has secured another major order, this time for API 610 12th Edition OH2 horizontal centrifugal pumps. The produced water pumps are destined for an expansion project in the Brodger field. This order follows a busy period for Amarinth as operators look to quickly access further North Sea reserves, with the company securing numerous diverse orders from multiple projects, including:
• Skimming pumps for the catcher floating production storage and offloading vessel.
• Dimensionally interchangeable produced water pumps replacing Girdlestone pumps on the Dan Fox platform.
• Dimensionally interchangeable water cooling pumps on an ultrashort lead time for the Gullfaks Subsea Compression project. The Brodgar gas condensate field, where this latest order of pumps is destined, lies 89 miles northeast of Aberdeen, Scotland, in the North Sea, in water depths of about 146m (460 feet). The field has been developed as a subsea satellite with a tie-back to the Britannia Bridge linked platform. Due to the offshore location of the pumps, space and access for installation is at a premium so Amarinth was approached for a solution following previous successful projects undertaken at this field. The bespoke pumps will incorporate Plan 53B seal support systems and noise attenuation enclosures to keep levels below 77dB. They will also be certified for ATEX Zone 2 hazardous areas. Due to the weight of the large motors, drive train adjustment screws will also be incorporated. These pumps are some of the first to be specified to the new API 610 12th Edition which was released last year following nearly 11 years of pumps being designed to the previous API 610 11th Edition. To conform with API 610 12th Edition, requirements for the design, manufacture and testing now include:
• Piping connections gusseted in two orthogonal planes, and which meet the pressure-temperature requirements of the casing rather than, as previously, the piping.
• New performance and NPSH test procedures with additional test points and tolerance.
• New mechanical run test procedure as greater clarity is now given to oil temperature stabilisation.
• A set of head vs NPSHA curves, one set for each test point taken.
Following the success of customers across the world using Atmos International’s (Atmos) simulation software, Nova Transportadora do Sudeste (NTS) has become the latest Latin American pipeline company to select the simulation experts for its natural gas transmission network.
For anticipating risks and potential violations and prompting actions so appropriate measures can be taken.
Simplifying how pipeline companies locate and provide accurate estimated arrival times for a gas, while also allowing for quality assessments to ensure a gas is delivered on-spec.
A new report from global sustainable development consultancy Arup has outlined an eight-step pathway to decarbonisation to help UK universities and higher education institutions in the UK achieve their ambitious net zero goals.
The report – From commitment to reality: delivering ambitious decarbonisation targets in the higher education sector – is the first resource of its kind, leveraging Arup’s expertise across property, sustainability and decarbonisation to create a systematic approach for the UK’s 160-plus academic establishments to follow.
It comes as the industry looks to navigate various challenges with progress towards the ambitious decarbonisation goals it has set, which incorporate indirect scope 3 emissions and are decades ahead of the UK’s 2050 net zero ambition. While decarbonisation is a strategic imperative for universities, with growing pressure from funders, staff and prospective students, the sector is struggling to adapt at the speed required.
Arup’s report outlines an efficient pathway to ensure these institutions can stand by their targets. The full report can be downloaded from Arup’s website.
For more information:
www.arup.com
The NTS network is made up of more than 2,000km of pipeline and has the highest capacity of all pipelines in Brazil, with a transport contractual capacity of 158.2m m3 of gas per day. NTS transports natural gas through a pipeline system that crosses Brazil’s most industrialised region and has links to the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and São Paolo.
With NTS transporting gas to areas that are responsible for around 50% of gas consumption in Brazil, it’s understandable that they want to better understand the pipeline’s behaviour, improve operations and maximise efficiency.
Working with Atmos, NTS has opted for the full Atmos Simulation Suite (SIM). Atmos SIM has proven compatibility with pipelines transporting liquid and gas and supports industries ranging from chemical, oil and gas to mining and slurry.
The software is in operation in over 20 countries, supporting approximately 45,000km of pipelines globally. Atmos SIM provides the following:
The ability to simulate multiple different operating scenarios, such as the hydraulic behaviour of both gas and liquid pipelines accurately, on either online or offline systems.
Allowing for optimal monitoring, controlling and operating of the pipelines in the control room.
I am delighted that NTS has selected Atmos as its pipeline simulation technology solutions provider to enhance the operations of its natural gas pipeline. Working together we will be able to help NTS provide the high levels of service that they strive to deliver.
Dr Jun Zhang, CEO and Founder, Atmos InternationalThe company is passionate about technology, innovation and customers. Its purpose is to deliver the best pipeline leak detection and simulation solutions with the best customer service in the industry.
Atmos International was originally founded in 1995 with a primary focus to detect pipeline leaks reliably on operational pipelines. This technology has been successfully applied to over 1,500 pipelines across more than 60 countries.
As the challenges across the oil and gas industries continue to grow, so does its technology. The in-house R&D team continues to innovate for better performance and to reduce the cost of deployment, making it possible for every pipeline to have the best integrity monitoring tools.
As the world’s leading leak detection provider, Atmos International is best placed to help you ensure any leak is detected reliably and located accurately, giving you peace of mind. i
For more information: www.atmosi.com
DNV, the global risk management and quality assurance provider, will fully acquire Helsinki-headquartered cyber security services firm Nixu following a public tender offer which resulted in DNV taking ownership of more than 93% of Nixu’s shares. DNV will combine its cyber security businesses with Nixu following a process to acquire the remaining shares in Nixu and de-list the company from the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange. The €98m deal will create one of Europe’s fastest growing cyber security services businesses.
Together, DNV and Nixu will safeguard demanding IT and industrial control system environments and build business resilience across multiple industries – from energy and maritime to telecommunications and financial services. A combined team of more than 500 cyber security experts will provide a market-leading portfolio of consulting and managed services to manage cyber risks. The two companies will also combine their cyber security certification businesses.
Nixu CEO Teemu Salmi will lead the combined cyber security services business, bringing together experts from DNV, Nixu and Applied Risk –an industrial cyber security specialist acquired by DNV in 2021 – into one business. The combined business will operate across Europe from hubs in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany and Romania with focus on rapid organic growth and further strategic acquisitions and partnerships globally.
DNV has initiated the process to acquire all remaining minority shares in Nixu in accordance with the Finnish Companies Act, before applying to de-list Nixu from the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange.
EthosEnergy, which specialises in services and solutions for rotating equipment in the energy and industrial sectors, has launched the industry’s first life cycle assessment (LCA) solution for gas turbine rotors, enabling full visibility of environmental impact and a quantifiable reduction in CO2 emissions.
Developed in partnership with Politecnico di Torino and Politecnico di Milano, the new CO2 assessment tool – EcoView™ – provides comprehensive environmental insights across each phase of the rotor life cycle. These evaluations quantify the carbon and financial reductions which can be achieved from maintaining existing equipment compared with purchasing new.
We are proud to play an active part in the circular economy, offering attractive solutions for our customers and the wider supply chain to prolong existing equipment in a sustainable way.
Massimo Valsania, VP of Engineering, EthosEnergyStudies from a pilot of EcoView™ have shown carbon emission savings and abiotic depletion of up to 40% can be achieved by implementing the LCA insights along with EthosEnergy’s rotor life extension solutions.
The company’s rotor life extension solutions have been engineered to meet or exceed original equipment’s manufacturer (OEM) recommended end of life.
EthosEnergy turns on potential to deliver services and solutions globally for rotating equipment to make energy affordable, available and sustainable. i
www.ethosenergygroup.com
The Aberdeen branch of Flexitallic, a market leader in manufacturing and supplying static sealing solutions, has rapidly expanded its stock provisions after the team secured several contracts with major oil and gas operators in the area.
One involves a specification update of several offshore platforms that will see all graphite-based gasket materials replaced with Corriculite®, the corrosion-preventing material developed by Flexitallic.
The new contracts follow the company’s investment in moving to a larger 4,600 sq ft premises at Wellheads Industrial Estate in 2020, which allowed it to expand its gasket stockholding and workshop capabilities and host dedicated bolted joint integrity training and demonstrations.
In addition, the team emphasised showcasing its technical capabilities while developing relationships with new clients who prefer to work directly with a manufacturer that can support with problem-solving.
As well as meeting daily demands, the team has expanded its stockholding of patented products, including Corriculite® and its flange isolation gasket, ISOFLEX FS, which offers significant operators cost-effective and efficient sealing solutions that deliver a dramatic reduction in maintenance costs over the lifetime of an asset.
Flexitallic has also dramatically increased stocks of high-pressure ringtype joint gaskets, mostly used within the Aberdeen market. Customers require these gaskets quickly, and Flexitallic now holds a complete range of ring joints to suit standard ASME and API pressure classes.
Fulkrum, a leading provider of inspection, expediting, auditing and technical staffing services, is celebrating a successful first half of the year, including a 60% increase in year-on-year revenue with continued growth on the horizon.
Adding to its expansive portfolio, in Q1 and Q2 of 2023 Fulkrum expanded its business with new clients and projects across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific regions. Seeing particular growth in its technical staffing division, the company has significantly increased its provision of technical personnel who are then seconded to client offices, offshore installations, or onshore facilities. In response to this increase in demand, internal headcount has grown by 21%, exceeding company targets for team expansion and bringing new jobs to the geographical markets they operate.
Now in its 13th year of business, the team celebrated multiple accolades in the first half of 2023 when it was announced as a finalist in the SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers)
Offshore Achievement Awards in March, and then awarded the coveted King’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category. These recognitions are a testament to Fulkrum’s commitment to providing vital quality assurance, health, safety and environmental services and personnel to the oil and gas, clean energy, construction and technology markets.
Solidifying its commitment to quality, competence and impartiality, Fulkrum’s UAE office received further recognition as it achieved the highly regarded ISO 17020 accreditation for Type A inspection services, joining the Brazil, Malaysia, US and UK offices who also achieved ISO 17020 accreditation in recent years.
Highlighting its commitment to advancing processes with technology, while safeguarding critical data, Fulkrum is also celebrating the successful 2023 renewal of its UK government backed Cyber Essentials certification, recognising the company’s commitment to data protection and security.
For more information: https://fulkrum.com/
After recently announcing a contract win on the Morven project, Kent is delighted to announce its continuing support to bp and EnBW, having been awarded a contract for the front-end engineering design (FEED) and with an option for an extension to the detailed design of WTG foundations for the Morgan and Mona wind farms.
The wind farms are located in the Irish Sea, spanning a combined area of ~800 sq km and are expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of around 3.4m homes.
The FEED will involve engineering design work that informs foundation selection, demonstrates feasibility and provides a robust design to manage project risk and engagement with fabrication and T&I contractors.
The wind farms could play a significant role in contributing to the UK’s 50GW offshore wind target by 2030. Kent is currently also undertaking the design for a further 7GW in new UK projects.
Kent is one of the leading providers of engineering and design services to the global offshore wind industry, involved in developing 70% of all UK offshore wind farms and developing the first certified project using the PISA geotechnical design.
i
For more information: https://kentplc.com/
Technical and engineering recruitment specialist NRL is delighted to have been shortlisted in two categories for the Recruiter Awards 2023, thanks to its recognised progress with key corporate social responsibility goals. Earning nominations for Most Sustainable Recruitment Agency and within the Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity (DE&I) Service Excellence category.
With a clear strategy in place to grow the business ethnically and responsibly, the recruiter’s efforts earned it a shortlist spot for the Most Sustainable Recruitment Agency award.
With a strong culture of always doing the right thing, this spearheaded an initiative to become carbon neutral across its operations – working with the not-for-profit organisation One Carbon World to comprehensively analyse its carbon footprint and voluntarily purchase carbon credits to offset its operations to gain the Carbon Neutral International Standard certification. Keen to make meaningful change, the long-term goal was to reduce emissions year on year, to ensure the business was moving forward in a sustainable way.
With a 27% reduction achieved by the second year of reporting, and further reduction in year three helping to deliver a 31.5% reduction in its carbon footprint since the initiative began.
With equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) of huge importance to the business, and the recruitment services provided to clients in traditionally underrepresented sectors such as energy and construction, NRL is also passionate about levelling the playing field for job applicants.
Identifying diversity strategies with clients to attract a wider mix of candidates, while supporting important industry initiatives such as women in construction, and support for ex-offenders to help them secure meaningful career opportunities.
Plus supporting branch recruitment teams to undertake the Association of Professional Staffing Companies’ Inclusive+ Recruiter certification to advance personal knowledge and better support clients. This progress was recognised by the judging panel with NRL announced as a shortlist nominee in the Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity (DE&I) Service Excellence category.
The winners of the Recruiter Awards 2023 will be announced at the awards ceremony on 28 September.
i
For more information: www.nrl.co.uk
Manned submersible services provider AquaTitans has chosen underwater tracking systems from marine technology company Sonardyne to support underwater vehicles used by scientists, researchers and filmmakers.
The Glasgow-based company, formed by submersibles specialists Alan Green and William Arthur in 2022, will use Sonardyne’s Mini-Ranger 2 Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) positioning system as part of its new containerised submersible support system.
For use from small expedition vessels to large, open-decked offshore support ships, vessels of opportunity or even quaysides, the AquaTitans container concept comes with everything needed to operate submersibles. The package includes dedicated support equipment for underwater communications, recharging batteries, oxygen and air re-supply, together with accurate and reliable underwater tracking.
The company’s first two 20ft containerised systems will be used with Triton 3300/3 submersibles; three-man vehicles built by Triton Submarines that are able to carry science and research specialists to depths of 1000m. The first delivery was made in Q1 2023.
Sonardyne’s containerised solution will make submersible operation from vessels or waterside locations far easier, reducing equipment set-up and integration complexities. Mini-Ranger 2 fits perfectly into that ethos.
Alan MacDonald, Sales Manager, SonardyneFor work with underwater platforms like submersibles, Mini-Ranger 2 offers a portable and quick to mobilise, versatile tracking and communications system. It provides submersible pilots with the confidence, accuracy and safety assurance they need on critical tasks during dives, saving valuable operational time.
It is ideal for use on vessels of opportunity and even from the quayside, offering performance, without the cost and complexity of a permanently installed USBL system. It is able to track up to 10 underwater targets out to 995m operating range, as standard, using Sonardyne’s market-leading 6G hardware and Wideband 2 digital acoustic technology.
STATS (UK) Ltd has executed a share purchase agreement to sell 100% of the issued share capital of the Company to Mitsui & Co Ltd (Mitsui).
The acquisition combines Aberdeenshireheadquartered STATS with Mitsui’s Iron & Steel Business Unit, with the closing of the transaction expected this summer subject to the satisfaction of regulatory competition approvals.
STATS, a market leader in the provision of innovative, technology-led pressurised pipeline integrity solutions, including its BISEP® and Tecno Plug® products, will help progress Mitsui’s medium term management plan for ‘transformation and growth’.
Having worked with Mitsui for several months now, we’re delighted to be formally joining forces to pursue opportunities in both the traditional oil and gas pipeline markets and the emerging low carbon markets.
Leigh Howarth, CEO, STATSSTATS will continue to deliver its services, products and solutions to customers from its existing operational bases across the globe. For Mitsui, this transaction presents an attractive opportunity to achieve market acceleration in relation to sustainable infrastructure maintenance.
Leigh Howarth and all other executive members of STATS will remain with the Company on completion of the transaction, while Pete Duguid, chairman and founder of STATS, will retire. The private equity investor, Business Growth Fund, which has supported STATS since 2012, will realise its investment and exit the business.
TTCL Public Company Ltd has been awarded the Sustainable Fuel Development Project (SFP) by BSGF Co Ltd of Thailand, a subsidiary of Bangchak Corporation Public Company Ltd. The project will be constructed at the Bangchak refinery in Bangkok, Thailand.
The signing ceremony was held in Bangkok in the presence of the United States Embassy in Thailand, the Thai Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of the Natural Resources and Environment, the Bangkok Metropolitan Government and other ministries, the Board of Investment of Thailand and international aviation organisations such as IATA and ICAO and air carriers.
Starting with its first project over 35 years ago, TTCL has built a long term relationship with Bangchak Corporation. TTCL was involved and co-operated in the realisation of the project for Bangchak Corporation. This is the first SAF commercial plant in Thailand.
It uses 100% domestic used cooking oil as raw material and produces 1000kL per day (350,000kL per year) of SAF and can also produce bio naphtha and renewable diesel.
Raw material of used cooking oil (UCO) will be arranged and procured by Thanachok Oil Light Co Ltd, the largest biofuel producer in Thailand, which is an investor in BSGF along with Bangchak Corporation.
TTCL was awarded the EPC contract with lump sum full turnkey base for the entire SAF commercial plant including the pretreatment facility. Honeywell UOP Ecofing technology is applied to the SAF unit.
TTCL, along with Bangchak Corporation became one of the first to be designated as a pioneer of SAF production in Southeast Asia. This will contribute to Net Zero Emissions by 2050 according to the Paris Agreement.
The model CPG1200 digital pressure gauge enables convenient and flexible setting of operating pressures, readjusting pressure switches and carrying out pressure monitoring – for example leak testing during transport.
The battery-operated CPG1200 has been designed specifically for use in mobile applications. Thanks to the durable plastic case and optional protective case cap, the instrument is robust and easily withstands vibrations and shocks in use.
The proven measurement technology covers all common ranges up to -1...1000 bar [-14.5…15,000 psi] (gauge pressure) with an accuracy of down to 0.25% FS. Depending on requirements, the measuring rate can be set to 1, 3, 4 or 10 measurements per second.
The CPG1200 also has an energysaving mode. In practice, operating times of up to 4,000 hours are possible without changing the battery. A data logger for up to 1m data points can be integrated as an option. The stored measured data is read via the integrated USB interface, which also supplies the instrument with power. Alternatively, the values can be transmitted wirelessly via Bluetooth®
For more information: www.wika.co.uk
We want to use every opportunity to connect with our members, so please follow us on Twitter (@TheEICEnergy) and connect with us on LinkedIn –EIC (Energy Industries Council)
Below you’ll find a selection of some of the exciting EIC activities and useful industry information we’ve shared through our social media channels.
Join us at EIC CONNECT Energy USA on 14 September to hear about all things hydrogen and CCS. 10% discount for three or more bookings. Visit http://bit.ly/3DOo8PB
The EIC is delighted to announce the UK finalists for the 2023 National Awards. Winners will be revealed on 19 October 2023. Learn more at http://bit.ly/3hXYkFW
EIC CONSULT: your global external market intelligence partner. Gauge your competitive standing and identify growth opportunities. Visit http://bit.ly/3OXhBZ0
September 2023
4 September Business Presentation
Qatar Roundtable and EIC Open Day
Al Mamoon Oilfield & Industrial Supplies Co LLC, Doha
5 September Business Presentation
Breakfast in Rio: LNG Projects in Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
5 September Overseas Exhibition
Offshore Europe 2023
P&J Live, Aberdeen
5 September Overseas Exhibition
Gastech 2023
Singapore Expo
6 September Management Course
EICDataStream/AssetMap training
Online
12 September Corporate Entertainment
EIC Pre-OGA Networking Cocktails
Kuala Lumpur
13 September Overseas Exhibition
Oil & Gas Asia (OGA) 2023
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia
13 September EIC CONNECT
APAC Energy Conversations at OGA Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia
13 September Business Presentation
South America EICDataStream
14 September LIVE e-vents
EIC Members – Speedy Networking Webinar
14 September Corporate Entertainment
Middle East, Africa & CIS Regional Awards
Queen Elizabeth II, Dubai
14 September Corporate Entertainment
South America Regional Awards 2023 Rio de Janeiro
18 September Business Presentation
Opportunities with Saipem
CORE Solutions for Petroleum Products LLC, KSA
20 September Training
Introduction to Energy Transition EIC London
20 September Training
Business Development in Energy Transition
20 September Management Course EICDataStream/AssetMap
26 September Regional Showcase
27 September Overseas Exhibition
27 September Business Presentation
North America EICDataStream
Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Technical Sessions at ADIPEC are a vital part of the Conference, bringing together like minded professionals to discuss, drive excellence, and propel our industry forward in a world that demands maximum energy with minimum emissions. Together, we can enable greater innovation in technology across a whole range of areas — from addressing industrial challenges and seizing new opportunities to ensuring sustainability and driving profitability across our industry.
Mohamed Al Marzouqi Executive Vice President Field Development Function ADNOC
2-5 October 2023
Abu Dhabi, UAE
ADIPEC Strategic Conference themes:
• Transforming the global energy system to create better energy security.
• Global decarbonisation and energy transition: the role of the energy industry in the climate roadmap.
• Mobilising finance and investment for a secure energy future.
• Creating cross-sector industry participation and collaboration: developing a zero-carbon value chain.
• The emerging and critically important industrialisation of new energy solutions and technologies.
• The talent landscape transformation: attracting the right people to ensure continued success during the energy transition and beyond.
Conferences at ADIPEC:
Strategic Conference
Hydrogen Strategic Conference
Decarbonisation Strategic Conference
Manufacturing & Industrialisation Strategic Conference
Maritime & Logistics Conference
Forum for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Future Leaders Programme
Technical Conference
Downstream Technical Conference
Manufacturing & Industrialisation Technical Conference
ADIPEC Conferences in numbers:
Delegates 15,000 350+ Sessions
1,600+ Speakers 10 Conferences
The team had an extremely busy August with events in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Hull. On 29 August EIC together with Petrofac held a one-day event that navigated the intricacies of digital transformation – Digital Transformation: Making the Difference. The audience heard first-hand about the remarkable advancements and challenges that are streamlining operations, optimising decision-making and elevating safety standards.
We then made our way to Hull to host Energising the Humber: Humber’s Renewable Energy Revolution on 31 August. Humber is at the industrial heartland of the UK and there are ambitious plans to transform the region into the UK’s first net zero carbon region by 2040. EIC, Equinor, PX Group, Phillips66, Velocys and Nova Pangaea discussed the diverse mix of low carbon projects that are being taken forward to support the Humber region and presented on how the supply chain can participate.
The EIC UK Events team will be joining the International Trade team on the EIC Pavilion at Offshore Europe in Aberdeen on 5-8 September.
The UK Events team will be hosting EIC’s Offshore Europe Collaboration Zone, Powered by Mott Macdonald. We will focus on different themes throughout the week: The Power of Collaboration, Navigating Net Zero, The Decarbonisation of Oil & Gas and Mind the Skills Gap, as invited speakers discuss their commitment to net-zero emissions and the need for drastic and rapid change within our industry.
The offshore wind sector has gained global recognition as an attractive market, with the UK leading the way with the second largest operational capacity, while also contributing significantly to its clean energy transition. One exciting development is the Celtic Sea Cluster.
There is still time to join us on 26 September as we dive deeper into the Celtic Sea Industrial Cluster, exploring its sustainable development plans for a longterm international industry base that will deliver sustainable jobs and growth for the region.
Jo CampbellEIC will also be holding its first Marine Energy event – Waves to Watts on 28 September in Liverpool. Oceans are very much an untapped source of energy and yet have the potential to be an infinite power source. It has been reported by Ocean Energy Systems (OES) that global wave and tidal stream energy production has risen tenfold over the last decade.
We invite you to join us to hear more about the various projects in UK waters, explore the opportunities and discuss challenges surrounding the acceleration of this sector.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about this exciting new chapter in the clean energy revolution and why not become a sponsor for any of our events? If you are interested in finding out more, please email caitlin.henderson@the-eic.com
Jo Campbell Regional Director, UK & Europe jo.campbell@the-eic.comMind the Skills Gap
Thursday 12 October, Newcastle
EIC National Awards
Thursday 19 October, London
Cross Sector Decommissioning Conference
Tuesday 31 October, Newcastle
The team here has been working vigorously in the background with several key events taking place in the months ahead. We are delighted to be hosting our first ever contractor briefing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with Saipem on 18 September. This is kindly being hosted by EIC member CORE (A Zahid Group Company) and will hopefully act as a precursor to a proposed KSA Connect event early next year.
On that note at the time of writing we are planning our inaugural Kazakhstan Connect event based on the success of this years Baku Connect back in May. We hope that you will join us where once again we aim to attract the key speakers in the energy sector to highlight opportunities within the supply chain.
Our ever popular Africa and GCC Market & Project Updates will return on 10 and 24 October respectively, where we have several of your fellow EIC members providing a view from the group in addition to the excellent market updates provided by our analysts.
The recent publication of Survive & Thrive VII has once again flagged up some interesting findings among a record number of entrants. We are delighted to celebrate some of these fantastic member stories during our Regional Awards Dinner on 14 September, where we invite you to get dressed up and join us at this black-tie event on the illustrious QE2. This event is open to everyone where we look forward to celebrating the best and brightest in the energy supply chain.
Finally, with just under a month to go until ADIPEC 2023 taking place from 2-5 October 2023, we have a couple of events leading up to what is now the biggest show in the energy calendar. Join us for a webinar on 23 August where alongside the organisers, DMG Events, we will provide you with an overview of ADIPEC 2023 – What to Expect; in addition we will host an in-person ADIPEC Energiser sponsored by Norco Energy on 28 September providing you with an ideal opportunity to network and arrange some meetings before the show itself kicks off the following week.
As you can see we have a packed calendar for you to enjoy over the months ahead including our EIC Roundtables where we appreciate your positive feedback. Please feel free to reach out to me with any potential discussion topics, where as always the team is here to support you in any way that we can.
Ryan McPherson Regional Director, Middle East, Africa, Russia & CIS ryan.mcpherson@the-eic.com
Oman’s Duqm refinery will begin trial operations by the end of this month. All the boilers are operational, and the head oil complex start-up is accomplished. Additionally, 99.9% of the offsites and utilities are ready to start up. The project is operated by Oman’s OQ and will primarily produce diesel, jet fuel, naphtha and LPG. Its feedstock will comprise 65% Kuwaiti crude and 35% Omani crude. A joint venture between Petrofac and South Korea’s Samsung Engineering has been executing the EPC–2 package of the Duqm refinery project, covering the construction of the utilities and offsite facilities. Petrofac has been providing engineering, procurement and construction support for this package. According to Petrofac, a vast array of solar modules designed to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the massive undertaking are being installed.
Nigeria expects to invest over US$18bn in oil and gas projects between now and 2024. Chief upstream investment officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Bala Wunti noted that the FDIs are expected mainly because of the nation’s Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, which urges investors to invest in the oil and gas industry.
Please go to page 26 to see upcoming events around the world
On 19 July, EIC APAC hosted the second session of the Singapore Meet the Energy Players series at a member’s office in Singapore. The event was well attended by both members and nonmembers. This was followed by the Meet the Energy Players session in Indonesia in conjunction with Indonesia Petroleum Association Conference & Exhibition (IPA). We hosted a cocktail reception at our exhibition space at the conference, where we invited key energy players in Indonesia to network with EIC regional members. We had an attendance of close to 100.
EIC APAC also organised a webinar in mid-July on Opportunities in Indonesia’s Energy Sector. This webinar was organised as a precursor to IPA and provided insights into the Indonesian energy sector. A second webinar was held at the end of July on Energy Opportunities in the US Market as a precursor to the launch of the US country report.
In September, we are organising the EIC APAC Energy Conversations 2023 from 13-15 September 2023 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre co-located with the 19 th Asian Oil, Gas & Petrochemicals Engineering Exhibition (OGA). EIC APAC has been selected as the official conference organiser. This conference is aimed at promoting focused conversations to encourage higher participation of Asian oil and gas companies to participate more aggressively in the energy transition, to exchange and share the latest concepts and approaches by international, regional and local companies on the solutions available in order to collectively achieve targets in net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and 2050 and to discuss solutions in the decarbonisation of oil and gas operations.
We are inviting experts from key local players such as PETRONAS, TNB, Sarawak Energy and Shell Malaysia, alongside regional national oil companies (NOCs) and other companies from Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, India, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam; included also are international OEMs and MNCs such as Siemens, Wärtsilä, General Electric, Schneider and ABB, to speak on their topic of choice and network with the energy solutions providers who are our local members. We are also hosting business matching activities and will organise plenty of networking opportunities to benefit all the delegates.
Azman Nasir Head of Asia Pacific azman.nasir@the-eic.comThe Australian government will solicit proposals for decommissioning work. Phase one of the decommissioning of the FPSO Northern Endeavour is currently underway and the government is planning phases two and three, which involves the permanent plugging and abandonment of the wells and the removal of subsea infrastructure and remediation, respectively. Petrofac initiated phase one of the decommissioning procedure, which will result in the Northern Endeavour being disconnected from subsea equipment and the oil wells being shut down.
Wood Group has announced that the company has been awarded a US$250m contract for the rejuvenation of BSP’s offshore energy asset portfolio from Brunei Shell Petroleum. The contract covers brownfield engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) services as well as the management of its offshore marine fleet. The contract will be valid until February 2026.
The government has invited bids for setting up green hydrogen manufacturing capacities of 450,000 tonnes per year in the first tranche of the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) scheme. The SIGHT programme is a part of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission launched in January.
June proved to be a productive month for the North and Central America business development (BDM) team as it continued to push forward contra deals allowing it the opportunity to either attend or raise the EIC’s profile through advertisement and speaking opportunities in conferences throughout the US.
This past June, business development manager Navied Sadeghi attended the Downstream USA 2023 conference in Galveston, Texas from 7-8 June. Downstream USA hosts refining, chemical, petrochemical and LNG communities allowing attendees to network with the full downstream industry and its over 3,000 exhibition delegates. The EIC’s BDM team will continue to pursue these opportunities and as such we hope we may see our community of members and non-members at an upcoming conference.
As a reminder, the North and Central America region would like to invite all to our anticipated flagship event, EIC CONNECT Energy USA 2023 taking place on 14 September at the Westin Memorial City Houston. EIC CONNECT Energy USA is the go-to conference for the supply chain to engage, discuss and identify business opportunities in the US energy market. To book or reserve your seat please visit www.the-eic.com/Events/ EICConnect/EnergyUSA/BookNow. To learn more about available sponsorship opportunities please contact luanna.souza@the-eic.com or alix.milman@the-eic.com
Amanda DuhonNorth and Central America Mexico Market Update
Thursday 5 October 2023
North and Central America Oil and Gas Market Update
Thursday 19 October 2023
North and Central America Membership Open Day with Roxtec
Wednesday 6 December 2023
Central America amanda.duhon@the-eic.com
14 September 2023 • Houston
Join the EIC as we host our flagship event, EIC CONNECT Energy USA, the go-to conference for the supply chain to engage, discuss and identify business opportunities in the US energy market. Covering oil and gas, offshore wind, LNG, renewables, biofuels, hydrogen, CCS and SMRs, the agenda will cover the entire energy spectrum, taking place on Thursday 14 September at The Westin Memorial City in Houston. Booking and sponsorship information is now available. To book your place visit www.the-eic.com/Events/EICConnect/EnergyUSA/ BookNow. To learn more about the available sponsorship opportunities, please email luanna.souza@the-eic.com
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided against 26 petitions from 15 oil refiners asking to be exempted from regulations requiring the mix of biofuels into the fuel they produce. Originated in 2005 and expanded in 2007, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) federal programme requires fuel sold across the country to feature a minimum biofuel content. Waivers are conceded in cases when refiners prove the requirements cause undue harm. Companies such as Calumet Montana Refining and Ergon Refining are some of the refiners with denied requests. The recent decision by the EPA marks a contrast to the Trump administration, which granted 34 waivers to oil refiners over the course of its duration.
The Ontario government is actively supporting the development of the nuclear expansion in the state. The province has initiated pre-development activities to establish up to 4,800MWe of additional nuclear capacity at Bruce Power’s current site and has engaged on the planning and licensing of the three additional GE small modular reactors (SMRs) to the Darlington plant, in collaboration with OPG.
Please go to page 26 to see upcoming events around the world
EIC Connect Energy Brazil, held in July was undoubtedly the highlight of the year, having a remarkable impact with its success. Drawing nearly 200 attendees and featuring 28 distinguished speakers, the event hosted insightful discussions on a wide range of energyrelated topics and facilitated productive business meetings with key industry players.
Petrobras showcased 12 operational projects and revealed ambitious plans to introduce 17 new FPSOs by 2028. Equinor shared valuable insights on Peregrino oil field maintenance, while SBM Offshore emphasised the significance of FPSO growth and advocated for increased work in Brazilian shipyards.
MODEC provided updates on the Bacalhau and Uaru projects, and discussions spanned from CCUS initiatives to FS Fueling Sustainability’s BECCS insights and Prumo’s low-carbon operations overview. To mark the occasion, a whiskey tasting was organised, symbolising the spirit of collaboration between EIC, FGV Energia and sponsors Leal Cotrim Advogados, OneSubsea and Kincaid I Mendes Viana Advogados.
The Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and National Petroleum Agency (ANP) have signed contracts with pre-salt production-sharing regime contracts’ manager PPSA and winning companies bp, Petrobras, Petronas, Qatar Energy, Shell and TotalEnergies.
Two blocks are in the Campos Basin (Água Marinha and Norte de Brava) and two other blocks are located in the Santos Basin (Bumerangue and Sudoeste de Sagitário). Petrobras will be the operator of Água Marinha, Norte de Brava and Sudoeste de Sagitário while bp will operate Bumerangue. The minimum expected investment for the exploration phase is around US$300m (R$1.44bn).
Looking ahead, exciting forthcoming events are planned in Rio. The upcoming Breakfast in Rio on 5 September will feature Galileo Technologies, offering valuable insights into the future of LNG projects in Brazil and the innovative Distributed LNG Production solution. On 19 October, Breakfast in Rio will showcase MODEC’s achievements in offshore E&P, including the Almirante Barroso FPSO and they will unveil ambitious plans for five forthcoming FPSOs in South America.
Last but not least, on 26 October, the highly regarded Rio Samba & Gas 2023 event will provide an exceptional networking opportunity for energy professionals during the OTC Brazil week, facilitating vital connections with potential clients and investors in the energy sector.
Clarisse Rocha, Director – Americas clarisse.rocha@the-eic.com
Brazil’s Ministry of Mining and Energy and Energy Research Office (EPE) have released an updated offshore wind roadmap, incorporating regulatory framework updates. The roadmap introduces considerations on the assignment of offshore areas for future projects in accordance with Brazilian law. Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira has announced the government’s intention to pass regulatory frameworks for offshore wind and green hydrogen by the end of the year.
Asyad is a leading example of ESG-led success in Oman, owing to its explicit commitments to reform. By prioritising sustainability in its business strategy and culture, the Group has achieved record-breaking profits, secured key funding to further expand its fleet, and achieved a Gold Rating on the Oman Sustainability Index for two consecutive years. Asyad’s commitment to promoting positive change attracts top talent to the organisation.
Sustainability is currently the most prominent trend transforming the energy industry, and Oman-based integrated logistics solutions provider Asyad recognises the importance of evolving and adapting to sustainability demands for its future success.
Asyad is committed to decarbonising its operations, not only to meet regulatory changes, but also to play an impactful role in the global drive to net zero. To that end, the company is undergoing a comprehensive transformation, with particular focus on its shipping business and deep seaports. Sustainability is deeply ingrained into the company’s values and culture, reflecting the impetus with which Asyad approaches this issue. The logistics group acknowledges that achieving true sustainability, as a global enterprise, is a challenging task that cannot be accomplished alone. It requires collaboration and partnerships to drive innovation and the sharing of knowledge and best practices.
Asyad began developing ESG strategies in 2022, placing them at the centre of a wider transformation with a clear focus on KPIs for 2023. This ESG framework didn’t just focus on the decarbonisation of the business but was split into four key areas: environmental leadership, thriving workplace, community engagement, and robust governance and sustainable growth.
Asyad also established a culture of transparency by implementing disclosure mechanisms to maximise accountability and setting quantifiable milestones to track progress across its multiple units. This not only enhances Asyad’s reputation as a sustainable and responsible business, but it also enables the Group to attract funding from ESG-led investors.
The benefits of this approach are already apparent. Asyad became the first Omani company to secure sustainability link loans based on its low CO2 emissions, securing US$35m in funding to purchase two new vessels. Beyond financing, Asyad has received a Gold Rating on the Oman Sustainability Index for two consecutive years and is publishing its first Sustainability Report in 2023, which will also undergo an international ESG rating process to verify its measurement and commitment mechanisms.
Furthermore, Asyad has recognised major international shipping lines’ increased demands for ports to disclose ESG commitments and decarbonisation plans, as well as regulatory and operational demands for reporting on carbon footprint and emissions targets.
The sustainability transformation has also enabled Asyad to better meet ESG and regulatory demands worlwide, with its expansive portfolio comprising three deep ports, two free
zones, and an economic zone supported by Oman’s five airports, alongside a world-class road network. In addition, the company operates a wide array of maritime services, with one of the largest drydocks in the Middle East and a diversified fleet of more than 80 vessels, supported by a sea transport network that connects Oman to key ports across the region and the globe.
Although there have been challenges along the way, including difficulty finding and retaining the right talents with the expertise required, as well as the increasing cost of adopting key sustainability technologies and solutions, Asyad has remained committed to change. Partnerships have proven key, with the Group collaborating with Sultan Qaboos University on biofuel projects and building partnerships with international corporations to create clean fuel alternatives and find further frontiers for emission reduction.
Through these efforts, Asyad has established itself as a corporate role model not just for Oman, but internationally. Its credibility has enabled the Group to attract and retain promising talents and a wider client base, garnering a reputation as one of the world’s elite energy transporters in terms of sustainability.
As a result, Asyad has been able to secure better financing to sustain its growth and fleet expansion goals. In fact, profitwise, 2022 was a record-breaking year for Asyad, with some segments that were previously underperforming financially becoming self-sustaining.
Overall, the Group’s commitment to sustainability has been crucial to its success and its capacity to develop and adapt in line with sustainability requirements being viewed as critical to its future. By integrating sustainability into its core values and culture, and emphasising transparency, collaboration, and partnerships, Asyad has become an example of ESG-led success.
Asyad Group is Oman’s global integrated logistics service provider. As a US$4bn enterprise and backed by an initial US$20bn in government infrastructure spending, Asyad is attracting customers keen to leverage the country’s integrated logistics facilities and establish manufacturing. Asyad Group provides integrated logistics solutions across ports, free zones and shipping. It comprises three deep ports, two free zones and an economic zone supported by Oman’s five airports, and a world-class road network. In addition, Asyad operates full maritime services with one of the largest drydock in the Middle East and a diversified fleet of more than 60 vessels, supported by a sea transport network that connects Oman to key ports across the globe. The Group offers integrated logistics services to meet market needs and support Oman’s economy.
Story type #sustainability (main category) #culture, #transformation
Benefits
• Record profit in 2022 and new self-sustaining segments.
• ESG entirely embraced and reputation elevated.
Key findings
For industry
• Build your strategy to evolve under ESG.
For government
• ESG should be self-driven, regulation is a key enabler to take businesses to this direction.
Asyad at a glance:
Key products and services: Integrated logistics solutions.
Main industries served:
• Oil and gas – 90%
• Others – 10%
Headquarters: Muscat, Oman
Year established: 2016
Number of employees: +8,000
Revenue: around £1bn
and at the right cost. The logistical implications of the COVID-19 pandemic meant its clients needed the company more than ever. With employees stuck in worldwide locations and the need to keep their assets and businesses operating, ATPI was up against an enormous logistical challenge.
Thanks to its can-do attitude, meticulous preparation and contacts with transportation stakeholders, ATPI Travel has proven itself as a true partner to oil and gas businesses during the pandemic. In times of difficulty with workforces potentially left stranded during lockdowns, the company found solutions, so much so that it has emerged stronger from the covid period than when it entered – a remarkable feat for a firm operating in the travel business.
ATPI is one of the most experienced and long-established travel management companies in the travel industry, with parts of the business trading since 1919. It handles the exclusive air, road and sea travel requirements of clients, as well as hotel bookings and visa applications. The firm manages travel arrangements for businesses of many shapes and sizes, including office-based corporations, sports clubs, events organisers and industrial enterprises.
As a specialist oil and gas travel management company, ATPI has always offered a bespoke, flexible and scalable travel offering to each individual client. However, during the last few years as an industry specialist company it has been faced with unimaginable complexities and challenges as a result of the covid pandemic.
Due to the nature of the sector, ATPI deals with critical travel – getting people from A to B to Z on time, safely
Fortunately, the company was prepared for emergency situations. For example, it had already tried, tested and moved to working from home to ensure its infrastructure was ready to provide support when the time came. In addition, ATPI has specialist relationships with airlines to understand the availability, changes and options open to it based on the knowledge of its clients’ travellers’ origins, destinations and locations. As a result, it already had the planning and preparation required to carve out routes and avenues of support.
Despite the turmoil caused by covid and international travel shutdowns, ATPI managed to retain 75% of its workforce to ensure it maintained 24/7 coverage.
The team was, unsurprisingly, kept busy. Throughout the period, it was constantly engaging with clients, monitoring and booking repatriation flights, routings and other options – as a company, it chartered over 200 flights, creating accessible routings into key locations around the world where others could not, especially in West Africa and Saudi Arabia.
In Angola, for example, ATPI was called upon to support a world leading marine services provider to the oil and gas sector, the client’s footprint comprising 8,000 staff and more than 400 vessels spread across 44 countries. The prospect of keeping crew onboard for prolonged periods amid lockdown and travel restrictions was a risk that the
company wanted to mitigate – this was especially the case in Luanda, Angola, where lockdowns prevented any travel into the country. Recognising the need to act quickly, APTI organised the chartering of a flight for the client and an additional third party to reduce costs. Thanks to this quick resolution, the health and wellbeing of the employees concerned was safeguarded.
During the pandemic period, ATPI managed the impressive feat of maintaining operations at around 50% of its usual capacity. What’s more, in some regions it increased its business, enabling it to emerge from a deeply challenging period stronger than before due to its ability to respond quickly and pick up new clients. Indeed, the company has showcased the value of a true travel partner and the ability to support, scale, guide, advise and work proactively alongside clients.
ATPI was particularly proud to be associated with the development of the Qatar Airlines seafarers lounge concept at Qatar airport. ATPI’s friends and colleagues at Qatar Airlines recognised the unique nature of the seafaring community and the constant nature of the business they provide and services they need despite the world shutting down most travel routes. Qatar Airlines took the decision to maintain this unique concept at the heart of the airport despite the world returning “almost” to normal.
Although unforeseen, in many ways the pandemic has laid the foundation for ATPI to offer increased service options. Today, it offers self-booking tools for oil and gas customers, as well as award winning sustainability packages, reporting, offsetting and safety/security tracking. Meanwhile, its real time analytical data, automated approval tools, API feeds, and tools for invoicing, crew management, and quality and duty of care reports help to remove many manual processes. All of this, and more, is available through a single sign on booking portal.
And backed by a loyal, motivated team that continues to work around the clock, ATPI will continue to fulfil its mission statement and raison d’etre – delivering what really matters.
The ATPI Group provides world-leading corporate travel and events solutions to organisations operating in a variety of specialist sectors around the world. Comprising of ATPI Corporate Travel, Direct ATPI, ATPI Marine & Energy, ATPI Corporate Events, ATPI Mining & Resources and ATPI Sports Events, each brand is united by the aim to deliver what really matters to every single customer.
Story type
#resilience (main category)
#people & competency
Benefits
• About 50% of usual capacity was maintained during the pandemic.
• Business and services expanded.
Key findings
For industry
• Understand not just your business, but also that of your clients.
• Be adaptable to market and customers’ needs.
For government
• Develop travel policies that focus on the value that international partnerships allow.
ATPI at a glance:
Key products and services: Business travel management.
Main industries served:
• Oil and gas – 70%
• Others (sports, corporate, meetings & events, marine) – 30%
Headquarters: London, UK
Year established: 1919
Number of employees: 1900 (global), 100 (Middle East)
Revenue: £1bn
it absolutely has to be.
Identifying demand among world leading energy players for improved, data-driven asset management solutions, AVEVA has spent the last eight years developing and fine tuning its Asset Information Management (AIM) digital twin, a tool that has quickly become the go-to solution for asset and process visualisation and data optimisation.
Founded in 1967 and a fully owned subsidiary of Schneider Electric, AVEVA has a formidable reputation in the energy market, supporting international oil companies (IOCs) and national oil companies (NOCs) with industrial software and service solutions across the US, EU, Middle East and Asia.
In recent years, the firm has witnessed its typical client base turning their attentions towards a data-driven, information management approach, targeting areas such as process efficiency improvements, asset management and predictive maintenance for good reason. Indeed, while such operators invest billions in their assets, poor asset information can cost them several percentage points of revenues.
AVEVA recognised that data was becoming the new operational currency for its clients. Today, many operators are aware of the fact that they are sitting on vast amounts of data that is either not used or difficult to access, and
Often, this data takes the form of engineering documents contained either in physical files or document management systems as PDFs. However, the need to access this data at speed is becoming increasingly paramount as experienced staff retire or move on, leaving knowledge base to dissipates into the ether.
This is the challenge that has been set by several oil & gas players – they now require systems that enable this data to be identified quickly and accessed in a usable manner.
These demands presented AVEVA with an opportunity, the firm responding by embarking on a focused development programme that was informed by engaging the specific needs of several early adopters.
Initially, AVEVA was faced with a singular question from a US IOC and developed a visualisation concept for that client. By utilising a visual approach, supported by a common data management structure that enables complex search capabilities, the ability to find individual pieces of equipment carrying out a specific duty (i.e. control valves in high pressure steam lines) can be achieved in seconds, not hours.
In seeing the value this digital twin delivered, the firm decided that this model needed to be productised and adapted so that it could be made fit for purpose for different industries, not just for oil & gas. Here, it settled on the name AVEVA Information Management, or AIM.
Beginning developments in 2015, AIM is still going strong
today. Indeed, while the initial focus of the programme was centred around engineering, this gradually expanded to take in operational data as well as transactional data including maintenance information, and external thirdparty data management relevant to key client operations.
AVEVA now has a product management team of experts in Cambridge, UK dedicated to driving AIM that is supplemented by a coding team in Hyderabad, India and used as needed. Equally, much of the success of the project has been down to the firm’s existing software and setup. By combining the suitable technology and experience that it already had, alongside its closeknit relationships with its customers, the firm has been well placed to develop a highly intuitive and capable solution.
There have, of course, been challenges. Indeed, the firm had to find a way to deal with materials developed in competitor tools, overcoming this by opting to integrate information rather than tools. However, the launch of AIM in 2017 and its subsequent developments, including the launch of the cloud-based version of AIM in 2021, continue to be a resounding success.
The firm has secured several major contracts as a result, including its work in supporting BP in the Azerbaijan Central oilfield project (ACE). Here, BP provided the laser scan data which AVEVA could then use to build its digital twin 3D models. BP also asked KBR to help out with the data hosting on their intranet systems, leading AVEVA to build a compete model that identifies all of the firm’s equipment, with KBR now populating that database. Having signed the first contact on ACE in 2021, a new contract was then agreed at the end of 2022, signifying the success of the project in delivering major performance improvements.
In an era where the customer experience is king, AIM is only likely to continue attracting greater attention. With its open architecture approach that is geared to be much more flexible for clients and ability deliver the entire end-to-end process in constructing highly advanced digital twins, the firm now has a highly attractive and futureproofed tool underpinning its model.
AVEVA is a global leader in industrial software, sparking ingenuity to drive responsible use of the world’s resources. The company’s secure industrial cloud platform and applications enable businesses to harness the power of their information and improve collaboration with customers, suppliers and partners.
Story type
#digital (main category)
#collaboration
Benefits
• Major contract wins as a result of AIM.
• Expansion of the team to Cambridge, Hyderabad and India.
Key findings
For industry
• Focus on a clear need from the market, adopt an agile project approach and don´t be afraid to make mistakes.
• Listen to your customers and shareholders and understand their concern and needs. Think of what the business model should be in 5 or 10 years based on what you have heard and drive your business sustainability in that direction.
For government
• Focus on vision, not rhetoric.
• Government should adjust thinking towards the common good and not just what people in London, Brussels or Washington are paid to say.
AVEVA at a glance:
Key products and services: Industrial software, from energy to infrastructure, manufacturing, transportation, mining and chemicals.
Main industries served:
• Oil and gas – 38%
• Power – 18%
• Others (chemicals, marine, manufacturing, infrastructure, process industries) – 44%
Headquarters: Cambridge, UK
Year established: 1967
Number of employees: 6,500
Revenue: £1.18bn
Baker Hughes needed an additional solution to monitor and inspect flexible pipes in a simple and non-intrusive manner. This capability would enable users to keep pipes operational for longer and boost on-site safety.
Baker Hughes needed an additional solution to monitor and inspect flexible pipes in a simple and non-intrusive manner. This capability would enable users to keep pipes operational for longer and boost on-site safety.
Baker Hughes has successfully adapted and applied its inspection and monitoring services to flexible pipe structures, which are commonly used in the oil and gas industry. For many years, the company developed and introduced a solution to the market. Now, the objective is to build on the success it has experienced in regions like Brazil, where the solution has proven its worth significantly.
Baker Hughes has successfully adapted and applied its inspection and monitoring services to flexible pipe structures, which are commonly used in the oil and gas industry. For many years, the company developed and introduced a solution to the market. Now, the objective is to build on the success it has experienced in regions like Brazil, where the solution has proven its worth significantly.
For many years, the R&D company called MAPS Technology has been developing and deploying magnetbased technology to identify stress in steel structures supporting a variety of industries. With venture capital backing, the company effectively applied its solutions to the US rail market, among others.
For many years, the R&D company called MAPS Technology has been developing and deploying magnetbased technology to identify stress in steel structures supporting a variety of industries. With venture capital backing, the company effectively applied its solutions to the US rail market, among others.
In 2013, the company was acquired by GE’s oil and gas division (now part of Baker Hughes) with the intention of applying the technology to flexible pipe systems as well. These pipe networks are commonly found in offshore and subsea oil and gas developments because they enhance production and asset integrity, while reducing the overall cost of pipeline systems.
In 2013, the company was acquired by GE’s oil and gas division (now part of Baker Hughes) with the intention of applying the technology to flexible pipe systems as well. These pipe networks are commonly found in offshore and subsea oil and gas developments because they enhance production and asset integrity, while reducing the overall cost of pipeline systems.
However, these pipe systems are susceptible to mechanical failure, which, if undetected, can cause issues that significantly reduce the life of assets. Consequently,
However, these pipe systems are susceptible to mechanical failure, which, if undetected, can cause issues that significantly reduce the life of assets. Consequently,
The journey to this new market has been one of perseverance and patience.
The journey to this new market has been one of perseverance and patience.
A major engineering challenge involved developing the mechanical components that transmit signals and capture the response, as well as the ability to read the collected data. Concerning the latter, the key to success was to clean and interpret data using improved algorithms and software to eliminate excess noise in offshore environments.
A major engineering challenge involved developing the mechanical components that transmit signals and capture the response, as well as the ability to read the collected data. Concerning the latter, the key to success was to clean and interpret data using improved algorithms and software to eliminate excess noise in offshore environments.
Development took six years. By 2016, Baker Hughes had reached a stage where it could successfully demonstrate its system in flexible pipes; however, reliability and consistency was needed before the technology could be commercialised. Three years later, Baker Hughes achieved the crucial milestone of fully qualifying its technology through blind testing.
Development took six years. By 2016, Baker Hughes had reached a stage where it could successfully demonstrate its system in flexible pipes; however, reliability and consistency was needed before the technology could be commercialised. Three years later, Baker Hughes achieved the crucial milestone of fully qualifying its technology through blind testing.
Today, Baker Hughes can offer a full inspection and early warning service for operators of flexible pipe networks. This process involves collecting and analysing data on wires, which can number up to 70 in each pipe. When unloaded wires are detected, reports and alerts are sent so remedial action can be taken before serious problems arise. Importantly, the system can also indicate safe service life, informing users when pipes will require repair or replacement and allowing them to plan maintenance work accordingly.
Today, Baker Hughes can offer a full inspection and early warning service for operators of flexible pipe networks. This process involves collecting and analysing data on wires, which can number up to 70 in each pipe. When unloaded wires are detected, reports and alerts are sent so remedial action can be taken before serious problems arise. Importantly, the system can also indicate safe service life, informing users when pipes will require repair or replacement and allowing them to plan maintenance work accordingly.
To date, Baker Hughes has completed 118 inspections, with its current ambition being to scale up the system’s deployment.
This endeavour should be aided by the fact that Baker Hughes has a highly successful real-world case study under its belt involving an independent energy firm in Brazil. Located off the coast in Sergipe state, the operation entails transporting LNG from offshore assets to be converted back into gas on land and commercialised. After noticing the abnormal shapes within the riser, the client suspected there might be issues with its wires, prompting an inspection from Baker Hughes that confirmed this suspicion. With no previous measures to compare against, a full-time monitor was installed to analyse the evolution of the damage. As Baker Hughes also manufactures flexible pipes, it was able to use the data to assess whether the pipe still maintained integrity.
Due to the monitoring capability provided by Baker Hughes, the client has been able to continue producing. Without the technology, the client would have been forced to shut down the operation and replace the pipe – a process which would have taken two years and cost US$5m. Including the cost of lost production, the solution has saved the client a further US$38m in revenues, more than justifying the US$300,000 per year cost.
With use cases such as this to draw upon, it is no surprise to see Baker Hughes increasing the volume of inspections it completes, scaling up from an average of one per month to three or four. After six years in development and a decade since the challenge first presented, Baker Hughes is poised to take full advantage of the commercial opportunity it has worked tirelessly to unlock.
Baker Hughes is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and conducting business in over 120 countries, its innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward –making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet.
Story type
#service & solutions (main category)
#technology
Benefits
• Client saved US$38m in revenues by using Baker Hughes’ solution.
• Over 110 inspections completed so far, with plans to scale up.
Key findings
For industry
• Focus on people, hire character not skills.
• Build your own knowledge to avoid buying into the hype.
For government
• Establish regulatory stability – instability of regulations and decisions impact long-term planning and drag investments.
Baker Hughes at a glance:
Key products and services: Inspection and monitoring services in flexible pipes.
Main industries served:
• Oil and gas – 90%
• Renewables – 10%
Headquarters: Houston, US
London, UK
Year established: 1950
Number of employees: 55,000
Revenue: £17.1bn
Revenue from exports: 70%
system that was huge success and led the market ever since. However, as the years went by, the competition started to close in – while not always able to compete on performance and quality, some were managing to produce alternatives at more competitive prices which would appeal to offshore oil and gas players.
Having commanded a leading market position with its premium buoyancy and protection systems for offshore energy assets for the best part of two decades, Balmoral was coasting. Customers loved its product, and the competition couldn’t compete on quality.
However, as the 2010s progressed, it became clear that disruptors were closing the gap through price competitiveness. With more and more industry players coming on stream, Balmoral knew it needed to radically evolve its offering to compete on cost and offer new advantages, not just for its core oil and gas market but also for offshore renewable sites.
A big decision was made to invest heavily in R&D, with the pioneering Integral Plus buoyancy module paving the way for the company to find a new edge.
A critical threat facing any incumbent company with a strong market share is the temptation to drift along. For Balmoral, a leading provider of buoyancy modules and protection products for offshore energy industries since the 1980s, the danger of resting on its laurels was well and truly alive.
In 2006, it had released a high-performance clamp
To avoid being overtaken and protect its market share, Balmoral needed to find a way to shave costs with a new offering that could also appeal to operators in future energy markets such as floating offshore wind. Doing so is no easy task – rigorous standards must be met to bring new safety and protection solutions to market.
In 2018, the company’s leadership decided to change course. Continuing with the status quo, it was feared, would result in Balmoral being usurped by competitors which had been coming up on the rails in recent years.
R&D therefore took centre stage. Backed financially with 2-3% of company turnover being invested each year, an in-house R&D team named the Discovery Unit was carved out of the project engineering team. A nine-strong unit spread across three subcategories (product development, material, process), 2019 saw the Discovery Unit brainstorm the concept of a semi-clampless technology through a series of educated trial and error projects.
The new solution had to compete on price and offer a radical step-change in comparison to the premium clamp if it was to interest existing clients and win over new customers.
The Integral Plus was thus born. It is a two-plane buoyancy module containing a clever rubber part – as the load is
applied, the rubber (which is now patented) reshapes and reforms to give even distribution load.
Towards the end of 2020, a four-tonne prototype was built and independently tested to prove the concept, with the results providing cause for optimism on many fronts. Key benefits include the ability to spread load in modules, suitability for use in renewables, and incorporation of thermoplastic, recyclable components.
Crucially, the Integral Plus makes it easier to automate the installation process, helping to optimise cost, power, use and safety – for the renewables sector in particular, which potentially operates with thousands of modules, this automation capability could bring enormous advantages.
Indeed, the company calculates that for each major deep floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit, a total saving of £4.5m can be made (based on a 400 module per FPSO average). This is thanks to a 12-20% lower product price, cheaper logistics, and savings made on time, space and other cost bases during the installation process.
Alongside developing the prototype, another crucial step has involved working with API to evolve standards and enable the use of non-separate clamping solutions, with a new standard release being achieved in June 2021.
The decision to change course in 2018/2019 already looks like an astute one. The new offering is already being adopted by customers and has opened up the floating offshore wind market to the company. Presently, orders for 2023/24 for the Integral Plus stand at £20m, which already represents around a quarter of all revenue.
It is clear that the foundations for the company’s next chapter have been laid. Today, Balmoral operates out of manufacturing facilities in Aberdeen (HQ) and Newcastle, its 325-strong team complemented by agents based in key markets around the world to give it a global industry presence. With Integral Plus establishing itself and picking up momentum across the oil & gas and renewables sectors, the future looks entirely different (and a lot brighter) than it did just a few short years ago.
Established in 1980, Balmoral has an enviable reputation across the world for product design, development, and delivery. With 350 people based at its purposebuilt 250,000ft2 facility in Aberdeen, Balmoral builds successful relationships with clients working with them from concept development and advice through to product design, manufacture, testing, delivery and support. All managed in-house to give total safety, quality and scheduling control.
Story type
#technology (main category)
#diversification, #innovation
Benefits
• Balmoral has now diversified into the offshore wind market.
• New solution provided lower product price, cheaper logistics, and savings made on time, space and other cost bases.
Key findings
For industry
• Never rest on your laurels – resist temptation to delay investment to next year.
• Aim high for all your goals.
For government
• Support the British industry, stop letting it go overseas.
Balmoral at a glance:
Key products and services: Buoyancy installation and protection products for offshore energy industries.
Main industries served:
• Oil and gas – 85%
• Renewables – 15%
Headquarters: Aberdeen, UK
Year established: 1980
Number of employees: 350
Revenue: £90m
Revenue from exports: 90%
those firms in the supply chain which portray sustainable principles and provide circular solutions are more likely to secure their custom.
Any company in operation for 71 years can say they’ve stood the test of time. For Belzona, while its core proposition and purpose had largely remained the same, the priorities of the industry and its clients were shifting.
And although always a responsible business at heart, the time had come for Belzona to truly shout about its sustainability, the company now guided by a new strapline – polymeric solutions for a sustainable future.
Despite it being early days operating under the new mission statement, green shoots are appearing. Customers have already come calling in search of more circular solutions to their maintenance problems.
For decades Belzona has been providing products and services to solve the maintenance issues found within equipment and structures across a variety of industries. Specialists in the design and manufacture of polymerbased repair composite materials and industrial protective coatings, the company has built its reputation in the market thanks to a huge amount of experience and a bespoke approach to every customer’s needs.
Those needs, however, are evolving. Industrial sectors are investing more in ESG strategies and circularising their businesses to become more sustainable – as a result,
Belzona realised it needed a new mission statement that would enable it to become more in tune with the modern world, a world which is dialled into sustainability like never before through the likes of social media and online connectivity.
The solution
Senior management and marketing teams from the UK and US began working on mission and values proposals, coming together in June 2022 to share ideas and agree a unified way forwards. The company’s previous slogan around being the first global choice for protective coatings and repair composites was replaced with a snappier, more value-driven statement: Polymeric solutions for a sustainable future.
Belzona is also underpinned by what it calls the three i’s – integrity, investment and innovation. And although this relabelling may, at face value, look as if it is about changing hearts and minds inside the company, the truth is the firm has always operated with corporate responsibility at its core. Indeed, the exercise is geared towards changing its messaging towards end users with a view to supporting them in their own sustainability journeys.
For example, repairing instead of replacing is now core to the Belzona mission – repair for a fraction of the price, while also delivering significant environmental benefits. It is something the company has done for decades, but only now is the proposition being labelled to appeal to the modern-day customers’ priorities and needs.
Belzona is also working with its own supply chain to
determine emissions generated in the production of its polymeric solutions, the idea being to gain visibility, make enhancements and take their learnings to customers to enable them to make informed decisions about reducing their carbon footprints. Another important step has been the creation of an internal environmental committee to oversee targets and ensure these are being worked towards – early commitments include two years of supporting tree planting charity work and offering staff three days paid leave to undertake voluntary work.
All of this has been housed into a multi-year business plan. Currently in year one, key goals are to embed the new focus and mission across the entire organisation, as well as customers and suppliers.
Customers have already been looking for repair instead of replacement because of the clear circular economy benefits. For example, over the course of several years, a steel fabricator in the UK’s East Coast managed to save millions of pounds by deploying polymeric repair and protection systems onto more than 2,000 metres of its gas pipeline, including epoxy repair mortars and stainlesssteel protective coatings.
Belzona has also been supporting a UK-based power distribution company whose assets are subject to SF6 leaks in their transformers. SF6 is described as the world’s worst greenhouse gas and is 23,500 times more potent than CO2.
In early 2022, Belzona created a tailor-made solution to stop leaks on a transformer owned by an electrical distribution operator. After several stages of prequalification, a trial repair was completed and has now been in service for nine months. With Belzona’s support, the organisation is now achieving a 90-95% leak reduction rate, with an ambition to reach 100% in the near future.
It is these types of repair success stories that the company will need to keep on shouting about. And with its refreshed focus on sustainability messaging, Belzona is perfectly positioned to drive forwards green agendas.
Belzona is a world leader in the manufacture of repair composites and protective coatings for machinery, equipment, buildings and structures. The company can meet the ever-changing and challenging demands of industries by providing solutions for the long term that reduce downtime and lower maintenance costs. Available through a global network of distributors, supported by headquarters in the UK, US, Canada, China and Thailand, Belzona provides 24hour technical support and on-site assistance.
Story type #sustainability (main category)
Benefits
• Customer saved millions of pounds by using Belzona’s repair and protection solutions.
• Company’s green messaging stronger.
Key findings
For industry
• Define what you want to achieve and build it on a sound foundation – long-term success relies on this.
• Get all staff to come on a sustainability journey, not just director level.
For government
• Be clearer on what the government is trying to achieve in energy-related topics (e.g., energy crisis)
– SMEs feel in the dark.
Belzona at a glance:
Key products and services: Polymeric solutions for industrial maintenance, offering unconventional repair alternatives for end users.
Main industries served:
• Oil and gas – 25%
• Renewables – 10%
• Conventional power – 5%
• Nuclear power – 5%
• Energy Transition – 1%
• Others (mining, marine, steel, wastewater) – 54%
Headquarters: Harrogate, UK
Year established: 1952
Number of employees: 251
Revenue: £29.4m
Revenue from exports: 85%
profitability, improve certifications from appropriate bodies, and more easily find and execute projects.
Embarking on a renewed strategy underpinned by innovation, diversification and export opportunities, the fire safety and loss prevention solutions provider has effectively secured its future, bolstering its reputation across several geographies and industries.
Like many companies emerging out of the oil and gas sector, Blaze found itself in a precarious position when the oil price crash of 2014-2015 hit. Indeed, all largescale capital projects were put on hold, the firm finding itself in a vulnerable position and at the mercy of market fluctuations. Its owners, Howard and Ann Johnson, saw that diversification was required to survive, and so embarked on a strategy of research and development to identify new markets both at home and overseas that their products and solutions could be applied to.
The resulting business strategy is fuelled by innovation, and a client-focused approach, to seek out new opportunities through market expansion.
Through diversification, it was anticipated that the company could diminish risk in any one single market while increasing
This was no easy feat. Crucially, the complex contractual nature of CAPEX works associated with the government imposed the need to build a deep understanding of CEMAR and DIMIC contracts. Equally, in renewables, the firm quickly experienced the need for performance and warranty bonds coupled with punitive damage clauses which impacted cashflow and its ability to grow as a company.
Come 2019, the company sought to find a partner to help it invest in growing its share of the new markets it had diversified into, having successfully completed fire systems projects in the renewables sector at this time. This led to Balmoral Group acquiring a 70% share in Blaze, the fact it is now part of a larger group enabling it to bid for considerably higher value projects.
Today, the firm is spread across four different sectors. First, it has successfully completed five renewable platforms with a sixth on its books. Second, it is also working well within the nuclear greenfield market and has qualified as a tier one contractor direct to EDF, which will see the company migrate into the service and maintenance of nuclear assets.
Thirdly, in the industrial space, Blaze is now accredited by FIRAS and is awaiting the award of further formal certification which will enable further growth within the sector. And fourthly, the firm remains proud to continue to support its oil and gas clients both across the upstream and downstream segments.
The geographic expansion of the company has been equally impressive. Having targeted opportunities in Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, Blaze built key regional relationships to expand into Zambia, all while exporting
across Europe, the Middle East, the Falklands and Azerbaijan.
In Zambia there has been considerable success. The firm was mandated to protect two transformers for Copperbelt Energy on a highly remote site in the Zambian Jungle. With limited water supply and no power in the region, there could be no use of power tools. Further, the site was over three hours from the nearest town, meaning access to deliver goods was highly dangerous due to road conditions and local wildlife.
Blaze developed an innovative mechanical approach, designed in such a way that the native workforce could be trained to maintain the system and swap out the cylinders locally without the need for any physical intervention from its UK workforce. It designed a standalone pressurised water mist system to deliver automatic detection and protection of a fire event on the transformers, negating the requirement for fire water pumps, water storage tanks and bore holes. And despite several challenges, the project was delivered within budget.
Internally, there has also been significant change. The firm has completely restructured its teams, it now having a full commercial department and with cross-trained engineers that can take on a diverse range of projects owing to the experience the company is continuing to gather.
Despite the challenging period that the business endured through the downturn and subsequent diversification, the loyalty of the workforce allowed Blaze to maintain a core level of knowledge in this niche sector. The diversification strategy has also allowed Blaze to recruit specialists keen to broaden their skillset across multiple industries, with a 50% increase in headcount in the last 18 months. This has brought new thinking and ways of working, and a healthy culture of challenge, that will ultimately benefit Blaze’s clients, as they seek innovative solutions to protect their assets.
With a refined business strategy that is now focussed on a combination of export, diversification and innovation opportunities, Blaze continues to seek out new opportunities to ensure that this growth lasts. Owing to these ongoing achievements and growth drive, the firm is now optimistic that its revenues will rise from £4m in 2022/23 to £7m in 2023/24 – a significant jump that is fully within its grasp.
Blaze Manufacturing Solutions is a privately owned business providing technical safety and loss prevention solutions in the oil and gas, renewables, nuclear, mining, commercial and industrial sectors. This involves everything from the front-end definition of concepts, detailed design, supply and installation, and the commissioning and maintaining of active fire extinguishing systems and fire alarm systems both in the UK and internationally.
Story type
#culture (main category)
#export, #service & solutions
Benefits
• Successful geographic expansion of the company.
• Increasing teams and revenues.
Key findings
For industry
• Diversification needs to be carefully planned and executed because this will help with business sustainability and resilience.
• Don’t underestimate the importance of your network, surround yourself with experienced, positive voices.
For government
• We need local content laws to be enforced, proving a level platform to the SME community.
Blaze at a glance:
Key products and services: Fire safety, protection and loss prevention solutions.
Main industries served:
• Oil and gas – 20%
• Renewables – 12%
• Nuclear power – 10%
• Others (industrial) – 58%
Headquarters: Aberdeenshire, UK
Year established: 2006
Number of employees: 35
Revenue: £4m
Revenue from exports: 7%
organisation as an enabler for growth. Shortly after, BMT’s refreshed purpose was agreed with the board as follows: “BMT exists to navigate the most important and impactful engineering challenges of our time. We create environments where people with outstanding technical knowledge deliver meaningful, practical solutions. We are driven by a commitment to a safer, more efficient, effective and sustainable future.”
BMT embarked on a revitalised sustainability drive a number of years ago. Underpinned by a refreshed purpose and with the essential ability to set and measure emissions targets, the company is determined to become net zero by 2035 and is taking its employees with it on this transformative journey.
For global engineering, science, and technology management consultancy BMT, the opportunities and challenges presented by climate change have become increasingly important.
In 2019, it was recognised that the company needed to become more purpose-driven, with sustainability embedded at the board level and etched into the wider business strategy.
It was seen as an opportunity to prepare BMT for future regulation requirement, winning work and to attract and retain talent.
In 2020 BMT’s executive committee agreed a new ambition for sustainability, to embed it into the
Their purpose has now become a pivotal mechanism in driving several steps to incorporate sustainability into the business.
From an organisational and structural perspective, BMT launched a dedicated sustainability action team, bringing together a diverse pool of people to discuss ideas and drive change. Meeting once a quarter, those involved have had their job scopes altered to allocate regular time to concentrate on sustainability issues. Meanwhile, the company’s executive committee has added sustainability as a monthly agenda item, the aim being to embed it into every business function across the organisation. From January 2022, it is now also a regular item on the board meeting agenda.
Central to the strategy has been the setting of various science-based emissions targets. The company is due to have its net zero targets approved and published by summer 2023, the major goal being to become net zero across specific areas by 2035, with travel related emissions cut by 65% by 2030.
BMT seeks to hit these targets through the adoption of several key strategies. These include embedding digital technologies to streamline processes, pivoting its business delivery model to a regional setup, and purchasing carbon reduction credits - once they have done as much as they can to reduce their emissions.
Critically, the idea is to achieve behavioural buy-in across the entire organisation. Whether this is through how BMT manages its supply chain, to reducing travel. In support of this BMT is updating its policies and procedures and has provided supporting workshops, including advising executive management on how to cut their travel and incorporate more sustainable forms of transport into their journeys.
A broader discussion around ethics within BMT was also started in 2022. This has involved deliberations over how to approach traditional energy sectors such as oil and gas, and what type of stakeholders the company wishes to engage with moving forwards.
For instance, this is likely to entail ramping up its activity around smart grid solutions for energy management and distribution in rural and remote (off-grid) locations.
In Canada, BMT has designed a smart microgrid energy management (controller) and distribution system (switchboard) built from commercially available, offthe-shelf components, to create a solution that reduces both development costs and time required to integrate renewable energy sources.
Armed with a full-scale prototype, the company is currently engaged with a pilot project to achieve proof of concept and take a step closer to market entry. If successful, this has the potential to minimise use of diesel generators in remote communities.
In just a few short years, sustainability has shifted away from being a nice to have to becoming a fully-fledged driver of BMT’s broader business. With a newly defined purpose and tangible action points in place across a number of areas, including the all-important ability to set and measure emissions targets, the company is wellplaced to futureproof itself for the long term.
Formed in 1985 following the merger of the British Ship Research Association and the National Maritime Institute, BMT is a leading international design, engineering, science, and risk management consultancy with a reputation for engineering excellence. Active in the oil and gas, defence, renewable energy, ports, risk management and maritime transport sectors, BMT has around 1,300 professionals located in 27 offices in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.
Story type
#culture (main category)
#sustainability
Benefits
• Sustainability became a concern throughout the company.
• BMT futureproof to changing society and market’s needs.
BMT at a glance:
Key products and services: Engineering, science and technology management consultancy.
Main industries served:
• Oil and gas – 19%
• Renewables – 1%
• Others (defence, maritime) – 80%
Headquarters: London, UK
Year established: 1985
Number of employees: 1,300
Revenue: £157m
Revenue from exports: 30%
Bolloré Logistics has successfully completed a challenging contract involving cross-border logistics between the US and Germany, with delivery markets in the UAE and Kuwait. The company was able to provide tailored solutions to their client’s needs while also demonstrating transparent communication, adapting to unexpected issues, and demonstrating the value of Bolloré Logistics brings to its clients.
Bolloré Logistics secured a major contract from an Engineering, Procurement, Commissioning (EPC) company to upgrade an existing platform to increase capacity from 40,000 to 50,000 barrels per day in Kuwait with the materials being manufactured in the United Arab Emirates. The key materials were imported into the UAE before being exported to Kuwait for final installation. The scope of Bolloré Logistics’ work included surveying
and consolidating goods, legal paperwork, shipment, and container management. Challenges encountered during the contract execution included high volumes of shipments from the US and Germany, lack of equipment/space, changes in cargo size/routes, as well as cost optimization. Moreover, the company had to deliver the contract during the pandemic which added to the complexity.
An in-depth study of the customer’s exact requirements and expectations was conducted in the initial stages of the project. A dedicated team of experts with knowledge gained from prior experience in similar endeavours was assigned the responsibility of driving it forward consistently. Additional measures were taken to provide cost transparency and consistency such as signing key contracts with shipping lines at the start of the project and providing warehousing facilities in the US and Germany for easier consolidation. Where its presence was already established, existing relationships were leveraged to ensure that local authorities did not impede progress.
The tailored logistics solution delivered by Bolloré Logistics allowed for the seamless execution of the project, with all elements of the supply chain being managed effectively. The company provided end-to-end solutions ensuring that
all aspects of the project were managed with the utmost efficiency. The entire relationship with the client was underpinned by close communications and relationship building, entailing regular updates that included tracking reports twice weekly.
From mid-2021 to early 2022, the Bolloré Logistics teams worked diligently to ensure safe and timely delivery of the 75 shipments which included Breakbulk, flat rack, standard containers, and air shipments. Despite this complex combination, the teams ensured the safe delivery of all cargo to the client’s destination port well within the timelines, despite difficult conditions and changing circumstances.
Bolloré Logistics has been able to successfully navigate the ever-changing environment by quickly adapting to the new conditions.
With hundreds of successful logistics projects under its belt, Bolloré Logistics is the go-to provider for energy companies looking to tackle complex and large-scale logistics requirements.
Looking ahead, the firm is now eyeing more contracts, including oil and gas projects in the Middle East, and wind power projects in Africa, as well as solar power projects in both markets as it moves through 2023 and beyond.
Bolloré Logistics is a major international supply chain operator and ranks among the world’s top ten transport and logistics groups with 15,000 people with a network in 146 countries. Placing customers at the heart of its strategy, Bolloré Logistics is committed to designing innovative, robust, and agile solutions. Through the reliable management of the entire supply chain, the company has developed a high level of resilience, enabling it to control risks by securing transport plans through alternative options and to lead a continuous improvement policy over the long term while acting as an ethical and responsible player.
Story type #service & solutions (main category)
Benefits
• Profits despite changing scope and project costs.
• Close communications and relationship-building with clients.
Key findings
For Industry
• It’s necessary to have extra effort to get the right exposure.
• To succeed, you must be able to adapt, communicate, be proactive, and be transparent with the customer.
For government
• Make processes easier for goods imported for reexports (temporary imports) and for Road permits for OOG cargos.
Bolloré Logistics at a glance:
Key products and services: Freight forwarding (multimodal), logistics warehousing, customs clearance, brokerage, packaging, and insurance.
Main industries served:
• Energy – 13%
• Others (aid and relief, aerospace, retail, defense, and healthcare) – 87%
Headquarters: Paris, France
Year established: 2008
Number of employees: 182 (UAE)
Revenue: £58m
Revenue from exports: 30%
How is Brunel thriving?
Brunel remains focused on connecting talented professionals with the companies and pioneering projects that need them most. With Brunel driving its presence in the energy market, the firm has successfully expanded its presence and enhanced its capabilities to drive improved outcomes for its clients through two key acquisitions in 2021 and 2022. Resultantly, it is now better equipped than ever to deliver tailor-made, high-quality solutions to its customers in the renewable and conventional energy sectors.
Founded in 1975 by Dutch entrepreneur Jan Brand, Brunel has grown into a powerful global network with more than 120 offices and 12,000 specialists located around the world. The brand vision is simple: to connect the most talented and experienced specialists with present-day and pioneering projects, delivering skilled talent and workforce services that transform global projects.
One of the sectors in which flexible labour has long been intensively deployed is the international oil and gas industry. In 1995, Brunel set up a separate business unit specially to serve the conventional energy market. While this segment quickly became one of the group’s fastest-growing sectors, the primary challenge in the energy market today is to drive and accelerate energy transition while ensuring energy security.
Powering the world in a sustainable yet secure way requires the right talents and skills, but also technological innovation and digital transformation. It is thus essential to not only recruit specialists but also train professionals with transferable skills for their future roles in an evolving industry. Such expertise is critical in developing appropriate
technical solutions for a promising future in both the renewable and conventional energy sectors.
In 2021, Brunel held a market capital strategy meeting, where it was decided that the firm needed to be more proactive and responsive in order to better follow and respond to the trends being set by its clients and prospects.
To ensure it could continue to help connect the right professionals with the right projects in the energy sector, the firm has accelerated its organic growth investments and focused on a strategy of diversification in recent years, flanked by two strategic acquisitions.
First, Brunel joined forces with Taylor Hopkinson in 2021, a trusted world-leading recruitment partner for renewable energy leaders. By connecting its own extensive global footprint with Taylor Hopkinson’s deep sector knowledge, network, and track record, Brunel has been able to set a new benchmark for service and quality.
Backed by Taylor Hopkinson’s impressive history of growth, the acquisition has shown itself to be a powerful accelerator of Brunel’s position in the Renewable Energy industry. Having joined forces, Brunel is now capable of providing market-leading solutions throughout the entire lifecycle of renewable energy projects across offshore and onshore wind, solar, energy storage and green hydrogen subsectors.
In 2022, the acquisition of Singapore-based technical services company International Commissioning & Engineering Pte Ltd. (ICE) further enriched Brunel’s expertise. Established in 2007, ICE was a project risk assurance and commissioning and startup company specializing in the coordination and delivery of large-scale oil and gas, infrastructure, and
company
energy projects. By combining ICE’s specialist project assurance, execution, and delivery expertise with Brunel’s existing global recruitment, workforce, and mobilization services, Brunel is now perfectly placed to offer a unique combination of capabilities. Its management services span the entire project lifecycle, providing effective oversight and assurance across all phases from initial assessment to construction, commissioning, and operation.
During both acquisition processes, there have been some challenges to overcome. It was important to have cultural alignment between the merged organizations, thus requiring extensive communications post-acquisition, for example. By applying the Brunel value ‘passion for people’, this alignment was made quickly.
These are moves that have paid dividends. Brunel has been able to deliver on its diversification strategy, expanding its expertise and capabilities in two key industries. In turn, revenue and profit have spiked. While revenue was recorded at €893m and operating profit at €29m in 2020, this increased to €1.182bn in revenue and €61m in profit in 2022.
With its growing network of specialists, Brunel is now even better equipped to deliver tailor-made, high-quality solutions to clients. The firm is supremely positioned to drive growth in the years to come, support greater numbers of clients with their energy transition and drive the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
About Brunel
Brunel is a powerful global network, connecting the most talented and experienced specialists with both present-day and pioneering projects. With 120+ offices and more than 12,000 specialists around the world, Brunel delivers skilled talent and workforce services that transform global projects in life sciences, conventional energy, infrastructure, future mobility, mining, and renewable energy.
Story type
#diversification (main category)
#energy transition
Benefits
• Brunel successfully diversifying into new segments.
• Revenue and profit spiked: €1.182bn and €61m, respectively, in 2022.
Brunel at a glance:
Key products and services: Global recruitment and custom workforce services.
Main industries served:
• Conventional power – 39%
• Renewables – 12%
• Others (future mobility, engineering, mining, infrastructure) – 49%
Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Year established: 1975
Number of employees: 12,000
Revenue: £1bn
