4 minute read
TechnipfMC – CONTRIbuTINg TO SKILLS DEvELOPMENT IN guyANA
By Donna Ramsammy
TechnipFMC in Guyana is part of the global & regional services provided by TechnipFMC plc to the local energy sector. TechnipFMC is a global oil and gas company that provides complete project life cycle services for the energy industry.
In Guyana, the company is working to build capacity and capability in country to service the sector and to improve standards generally across all sectors. TechnipFMC does the audits and qualification of suppliers and service companies and, partners with others in training and support services to Guyanese companies to help them close gaps and be better positioned to become a qualified supplier to TechnipFMC and other Tier 1 service companies operating in Guyana.
Francois Baptiste is Country Coordinator for TechnipFMC in Trinidad and Tobago. Given the proximity to Guyana, he is part of the Group’s face and representative of the Global Supplier Development Team that has been working to develop and qualify suppliers in Guyana over the last 2+ years. His contribution to the team includes regional and cultural context that is valuable to how TechnipFMC delivers its services in country.
TechnipFMC has committed to maximising local content –people, personnel and services. To satisfy this commitment, the company issues quarterly reports which details funds spent in country, the number of Expressions of Interests (EOI) published, the number of supplier forums held, contracts awarded, supplier site visits and the total number of training hours provided its Guyanese hires to name a few areas.
Training is critical to supplier development and bringing Guyanese companies up to standard and fully compliant with the technical requirements of the new industry. Baptiste explains, “Service in this industry is heavily technical, procedural and regulated. Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Assurance requirements in particular, are quite stringent. There is little or no experience with the sub-sea environment and companies are challenged by capacity –scale and scope, as well as by capability - skill and technical knowledge.”
TechnipFMC works with companies in several ways. It publishes EOIs and follows up with supplier forums to help guide the process towards compliance. Subsequent to the EOI’s, TechnipFMC’s Supplier Development Team undertakes site visits in addition to conducting pre-audits to assess capacity and capability and then provides feedback on gaps to the Centre.
Once companies complete training and do the necessary work, TechnipFMC aids with full audits. Not all companies are able to meet the demands. For some, it requires a comprehensive equipment upgrade. 1800 metres below sea level is very different to the mining and fishing industries. Equipping for such new tolerance levels can be costly and many are unable to make the transition. Others simply don’t have the number of skilled personnel needed and additional training is required to build a cadre of talent for the sector. TechnipFMC supplier development services are free.
Since April 2017 when Technip first mobilised in Guyana, the company has overseen the certification of five Guyanese supplier companies and to date has employed 27 Guyanese nationals who, having completed sensitisation and education programmes via in-house training with TechnipFMC at various locations including Brazil & Houston are then transitioned to the field where they work under experienced personnel. TechnipFMC qualified Guyana suppliers to date provide a range of items including industrial gases, hose and fittings, slings & shackles, and security services. They also provide servicing and refurbishing of items such as tools, baskets, trees and drill strings.
Baptiste says, “The work with local training partners to push the Tier 1 contractors to do as much as possible to maximise local content is creating equal opportunity and transparency to the procurement process, and contributing to the transformation that is apparent in Guyana today.”
Baptiste believes more can happen with better financing but that is just not happening as fast as it should as the banking and finance sector also tries to keep pace and develop areas to assist local Guyanese businesses. When asked about Joint Ventures as an option to financing, he is cautious. TechnipFMC is wary of shell companies who have no prior experience and may want to simply ship labour in and out. This is not a desirable outcome for TechnipFMC. The Company believes that Guyana has the will and capability to make the shift and that sooner rather than later the service industry in Guyana will be largely Guyanese owned and manned.
Guyana employees hired by TechnipFMC sign subsea tree prior to its installation in water depths greater than 1,900m (6,230ft).
TechnipFMC-subsea-rover.
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