StarSpecial OIL & GAS

THE STAR Sunday 23 March 2014

Flowing in the right direction

Industry looks to continuing sustainability.
Bright prospect in petroleum engineering > 6 Iconic OSV provider expands growth > 11

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Conference to bring oil and gas experts together

HE inaugural Offshore Technology Conference Asia (OTC Asia) is set to become the foremost offshore oil and gas event in Asia. It offers industryrelevant and cutting edge technology-focused panel and technical sessions, To be held at the the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from March 25 to 28, OTC Asia is an extension of the Offshore Technology Conference, held annually since 1969 in Houston, the United States. It is one of the largest technical conferences in the world that addresses the development of offshore resources in the elds of drilling, exploration, production and environmental protection. Boasting more than 100,000 visitors, OTC Houston showcases the latest products and services that are tailored to the offshore energy industrys regional and technical needs. With a triumphant 45-year history, the conference has attracted more than two million visitors and generated more than US$2.5bil (RM8.3bil) in income for the city of Houston. After more than four decades of success, OTC has expanded outside the United States to promote and further the advancement of scientic and technical knowledge through OTC Brazil, the Arctic Technology Conference and OTC Asia.

About OTC ASIA 2014

THE inaugural OTC Asia is organised by 13 sponsoring societies, including Society of Petroleum Engineers, ASME International Petroleum Technology Institute, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Oceanic and Engineering Society, Marine Technology Society, Society of Exploration Geophysicists and The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society. Petronas is the corporate supporting organisation while the Malaysia Task Force consists of Petronas, International Conference and Exhibition Professionals (ICEP), Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Malaysian Oil and Gas Services Council (MOGSC) and Malaysia Petroleum Resources Corporation (MPRC). Asias first deepwater semi-submersible floating production system. Image courtesy of Malaysia Marine & Heavy Engineering. Russia to Australia and from India to Oceania. For instance, Asia is one of the global hot spots for upstream and downstream oil and gas activities. Asias global deepwater capital expenditure spending is expected to rise from 38% share (2012) of global offshore CAPEX to 53% share by 2017. Indonesia, China, India, Australia and Malaysia will collectively account for 85% of the deepwater drilling and engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning contract spending in the APAC region. The buoyant oil and gas industry in Asia offers many challenges and opportunities to industry players. The timely arrival of OTC Asia offers an ideal meeting point for delegates to network, build client bases and explore business opportunities over the four days in one location, says Edward Stokes, OTC Board Chairman. Malaysia was selected as the host nation, rearming its position as a prominent hub for oil and gas services in Asia and reinforcing the countrys role as a centre for major international oil and gas corporations. More than 5,000 regional and global companies from more than 40 countries currently operate in Malaysia.

A gathering of professionals
To date, the inaugural OTC in Asia has attracted more than 13,000 attendees from countries such as Australia, China, Cambodia, Norway, Mexico, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Russia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. The delegates will comprise qualied production and exploration managers, engineers and consultants from national and international oil and gas operating companies, government ministries and agencies, drilling contracting companies, engineering, procurement and construction companies, pipeline and installation sub-contracting rms, ship and fabrication yards as well as educational and research institutions. OTC Asia will also be the rst event of its kind to stage an outdoor exhibition in the region and covers 4,000sq m of oor space. Supported by Petronas Carigali, companies such as Halliburton,

Growth in Asia
OTCs expansion to Asia reects the regions increasing relevance and importance in the global energy mix. The conference will bring energy professionals together, giving them opportunities to discuss and address issues and nd solutions to the challenges faced by the region. Aptly themed Meeting the challenges of Asias growth the conference will also focus on developments spanning from

SKD Berani, a purpose built semi-submersible self-erecting tender-assisted drilling rig currently drilling in Indonesia, is operated by 140 drilling, technical and engineering personnel. Image courtesy of SapuraKencana Petroleum Berhad.

SapuraKencana, Weatherford and WestStar Aviation will display their state-of-the-art heavy machinery, treating visitors to an up-close experience. More than 200 national and international oil companies and service providers such as Aker Solutions, Baker Hughes, ConocoPhillips, Keppel Offshore & Marine, Shell, PTT Exploration and Production, Subsea 7 and Pemex will participate in the conference sessions and at the exhibition, which covers a total of 10,000sq m of oor space. There will also be 10 country pavilions from Australia, Canada, China, The Netherlands, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Singapore and the United States. The conference will present two executive plenary sessions, 10 panel sessions, 10 country brieng sessions, more than 300 papers in 53 technical and four Knowledge Sharing ePoster sessions. n For more information about the conference and exhibition e-mail otcasia@otcnet.org or log on to www.otcasia.org

Grand experience for conference delegates

IN conjunction with OTC Asia, Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix (held from March 28 to 30) is offering Premium Formula 1 Experience tickets at US$600 (RM1,985) to the rst 300 registered delegates of OTC Asia. This specially priced ticket includes a two-day grandstand ticket, access to exclusive 2014 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix merchandise and entry to the Twin Towers@Live concert. All OTC Asia delegates will also be entitled to discounts on selected 2014 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix merchandise.

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Effective and capable partner

SapuraKencana 1200, the latest Derrick Lay vessel.

LEADING global integrated oil and gas services company, SapuraKencana Petroleum Berhad (SapuraKencana) is the culmination of a vision that dates back to 1997. Since its humble beginnings as SapuraCrest Petroleum Berhad, the company has now taken an entrepreneurially driven trajectory led by Tan Sri Datuk Seri Shahril Shamsuddin, its president and group CEO. It has steadily expanded its capabilities and assets to become a world-class player alongside some of the best and biggest names in the industry. With the merger between SapuraCrest Petroleum Berhad and Kencana Petroleum Berhad in May 2012, SapuraKencana emerged as the third largest global EPCIC (engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning) company by market capitalisation. This was followed by two major acquisitions that further cemented the companys presence in upstream exploration and production (E&P), namely that of the Seadrills Tender Assisted Drilling division and Neweld Malaysia, leading to the formation of SapuraKencana Drilling and creation of SapuraKencana Energy, respectively.

Streak of success
SapuraKencana draws from an extensive base of strategic assets and is complemented by 12,000 employees worldwide of more than 20 nationalities, to deliver on

its proven track record. Organised into four divisions fabrication, hook-up and commissioning (FHUC); offshore construction and subsea services (OCSS); drilling; and energy and joint ventures the company features complementary businesses that synergise to provide its clients a one-stop, effective and highly capable partner. Combined, these divisions allow SapuraKencana to operate and provide services in exploration, development, production, rejuvenation as well as decommissioning and abandonment of oil elds. The groups range of capabilities includes EPCIC, browneld offshore modication and maintenance, greeneld offshore hook-up and commissioning, offshore construction services, and diving and underwater services. Additional services include remotely operated vehicle (ROV) design, manufacturing and operation, tender-assisted drilling operations, geological and geophysical subsurface engineering and fabrication yards. Today, SapuraKencana has expanded its operations beyond Malaysian shores, which accounts for a third of its activities. SapuraKencana has presence in various countries, including Brazil, Australia, China and Japan. It also has a presence in the SouthEast Asian, West African, Central American and Caribbean regions. Much of this growth has been made possible through the

SKD Pelaut, semi-submersible tender assisted drilling rig.

SapuraKencana Energy is today listed among the top five producers of hydrocarbons in Malaysia. It has steadily expanded its capabilities and assets to become a world-class player alongside some of the best and biggest names in the industry.

availability of strategic assets that are owned and operated by SapuraKencana, which provides it the agility and exibility to undertake complex and high-end projects for clients across the world.

Making waves
Since its early days carrying out basic equipment maintenance services such as oiling and rotating machinery on offshore oil platforms, the OCSS division has carried out deepwater pipelay projects in 1,400m of water depth. This project will soon reach the depths of 3,000m offshore of Brazil. Such works are supported and made possible with ROVs that are custom-designed, built and operated by a SapuraKencana

Lumut Fabrication Yard.

East Piatu platform, offshore Terengganu.

subsidiary, Total Marine Technology, which is based in Western Australia. SapuraKencana Drilling is the world leader with 56% of the global market share in the tenderassisted drilling rigs business. Each rig is capable of drilling wells up to 30,000ft in waters that are 6,500ft deep. SapuraKencana Energy is today listed among the top ve producers of hydrocarbons in Malaysia. This serves as a testimony to the capabilities and expertise of its team, which started modest operations in the country nine years ago as Neweld Malaysia. SapuraKencanas track record of meeting clients needs and aspirations has been accomplished on the back of a steadfast commitment towards upholding high health, safety and environment standards and expectations. This is as evidenced by the numerous accolades it has received from clients including, major players in the oil and gas industry. SapuraKencana currently has a market capitalisation of US$7.6bil (RM24.9bil) and a standing order book of more than US$7.9bil (RM25.8bil) comprising both local and foreign contracts. The group partners with clients, including some of the oil and gas industrys major players to ensure timely on-budget execution and project delivery.

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Your Trusted Global Partner

SapuraKencana Petroleum is one of the world's largest integrated Oil and Gas services and solutions providers. We cover the entire value chain of exploration, development, production, rejuvenation, and decommissioning and abandonment. Our world class assets, project management capabilities and excellence in execution have led to a proven global presence. You can depend on us, with our highly skilled, experienced and multi-national 12,000 strong workforce, to realise your solutions and aspirations. Our sterling and industry leading safety record, timely on-budget execution and project delivery guarantees clients peace of mind. We are the natural one-stop, end-to-end strategic partner for all your oil and gas project needs.

Visit us at Booth B101, Hall 1 & beside Hall 6, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Offshore Technology Conference Asia, Kuala Lumpur, 25 - 28 March 2014
www.sapurakencana.com

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Bright prospect in petroleum engineering

T
O secure energy, which is an important part of our everyday lives, requires a balance between economical supply and minimising environmental impact. Part of this task is performed by petroleum engineers who carry out activities related to hydrocarbon production, in particular, crude oil or natural gas production. Sourcing and producing petroleum requires good knowledge of related elds such as geophysics, formation evaluation, reservoir engineering, drilling, production technology, facilities, pipelines and economics, thus it is common that petroleum engineering overlaps with other engineering disciplines, including mechanical, civil and chemical engineering.

Well-rounded engineers
According to Assoc Prof Dr Khalik Mohamad Sabil, an academic of the Institute of Petroleum Engineering in Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (HWUM), to be a petroleum engineer, one should have technical competency, which can be developed through undergraduate studies, training and further improved by enrolling in a postgraduate programme. There are also other attributes that make a good petroleum engineer. Petroleum engineers must have good communication skills because it is an international industry even if you are working for a Malaysian company. Another aspect of the industry that most people overlook is the economics side of it. You must have good business acumen because it will always go back to how much the operation will cost and how much prot it can make, explains Dr Khalik. In addition, the oil and gas industry has a strong responsibility to the environment and public safety. Dr Khalik adds: Obviously, you are working with challenging conditions, so if anything bad happens it can create a big disaster like the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.

Petroleum engineers need to possess technical competency. More importantly, the capacity for life-long learning is invaluable, considering the dynamic nature of the industry. Adaptability go hand-in-hand with resourcefulness because no two reservoirs are the same and hence require different production methods.

Deep water operations require specialised techniques. the 1970s when petroleum engineering was an unpopular career because people were turned off by a forecasting that speculated oil and gas resources to nish within 30 years. This generation gap, coupled with the retirement of the baby boomers, means that there are now not enough engineers to ll roles in and contribute to the growing industry, he says. In addition, the nature of the job becomes more dicult with deep water operations that call for different production techniques, hence increasing the demand for qualied engineers. HWUM requires students to complete four semesters of eld development study. We think it is important to give our students the opportunity to work at a level similar to the actual industry and experience real-life situations that a petroleum engineer would, explains Dr Khalik.

The nature of the job

Dr Khalik, whose doctoral research was on phase behaviour and kinetics of gas hydrate, chose the academic path upon completion of his postgraduate degree. He has had extensive experience in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses for chemical and petroleum engineering programmes. Dr Khalik speaks of the exposure he gained from the oil and gas industry as an academic through the universitys industrial research collaborations with industry players and development of academic curriculums, which always take into account input from industry experts. Obviously you cannot drill oil from the comfort of your oce. A petroleum engineer will typically nd himself in outdoor

We think it is important to give the opportunity to our students to work at a level similar to the actual industry and experience real-life situations that a petroleum engineer would.
Prof Dr Khalik Mohamad Sabil

Comprehensive programmes
HWUM is well known for its engineering programmes and seeks to ll this gap. HWUM has students not just in its Edinburgh, Dubai and Putrajaya campuses, but also distant-learning students who take the universitys engineering courses. Part of the reason is the strong connection that the university has with the industry. The location of the main campus in Edinburgh, which is not far from the North Sea where oil and gas activities are actively carried out, provides direct contact between the university and the industry, explains Dr Khalik. The relationship works both ways. While students benet from getting insights into the nature of the industry, the oil and gas players also receive input from academics and access to research activities carried out by the university. The petroleum engineering programme by HWUM emphasises the designing of a eld development plan by students. In contrast to programmes that require only two semesters,

Dr Khalik Mohamad Sabil is associate professor of the Institute of Petroleum and Engineering, HeriotWatt University Malaysia.

environments far from luxury. It will be neither clean nor easy, he says. However, some petroleum engineers are based in the oce. An engineer who specialises in reservoir simulation, for example, will carry out his duties from the oce. The case is similar for engineers involved in petroleum engineering research, who can be based either in an education institution or research facility. As a researcher, there will be encounters with engineers and management from oil and gas companies. Academics will be presented with the issues and challenges faced by the industry. It is the responsibility of engineers and researchers to transform these challenges into opportunities. Considering the importance of energy security, there is also a natural demand for petroleum engineers. There was a period in

HWUMs rst intake of its Masters in Science (Petroleum Engineering) programme is on-going. The second intake will commence in September, coinciding with the rst intake of the undergraduate programme in petroleum engineering. The September intakes academic year will also see the introduction of a chemical engineering degree with a specialisation in oil and gas technology. We are a research-driven university focused on producing practical and cutting edge research. For now, most of the academic staff have collaborations with either our Edinburgh colleagues or researchers from other institutions. We are planning in the near future to have PhD programmes to increase research activities in our Malaysian campus, explains Dr Khalik. Dr Khalik expresses his hope that the Institute of Petroleum Engineering in HWUM will continue the success of the Institute in the main campus. He also encourages students who aspire to a career in petroleum engineering to begin their journey with HWUM. HWUM is keen to develop well-rounded graduates who can make a signicant impact on the oil and gas industry on a global scale, says Dr Khalik.

Beginning the journey

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Connecting industrial experts at worldwide events

T
HE oil and gas sector is one of the biggest and most important industries in the world. It involves companies, research organisations, political institutions and regulatory bodies, among others, to shape and develop the industry. To ensure that relevant parties get the opportunity to collaborate, as well as to showcase their products and services, many events and conferences are organised to cater to specic topical, geographical or technical needs worldwide. These events also bring buyers and sellers together, in addition to providing forums for professionals and members of the public to engage with each other. This year, expect a host of major oil and gas exhibitions making a comeback as organisers continue to provide the platform to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry worldwide. The events cover topics from natural and liqueed gas, production and exploration, materials technology, and unconventional gas.

March 24 to 27
GASTECH 2014, Seoul, South Korea www.gastechkorea.com Gastech, a meeting place favoured by energy professionals involved in the natural gas and liquefied gas (LNG) industries, will be held in East Asia for the first time. The event has been established as one of the most prominent international events for technical and commercial executives. Touted to be the event run by the industry, for the industry, Gastech has a history that dates back to 1972 when the first event brought together technical decision makers involved in LNG and LPG shipping. Today, Gastech typically attracts more than 14,000 commercial and technical professionals and services as a showcase for more than 400 exhibitors from upstream, midstream and downstream sectors.

March 26 and 27
The 13th Georgian International Oil, Gas, Infrastructure and Energy Conference (GIOGIE), Tbilisi, Georgia www.giogie.com The 13th Georgian International Oil, Gas, Infrastructure and Energy Conference (GIOGIE) is supported by the Ministry of Energy of Gerogia and will be held at the Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel. The GIOGIE is a good meeting place for local and regional oil and gas communities to discuss the newest developments on projects and policies of Georgias oil, gas and energy industry. The key themes in this edition of the conference are: Georgias role in regional energy, security and sources for the future, Georgias potential as a hydrocarbon producer, the future of cross-border trade of electricity in Southeast Europe, infrastructure development projects of Central and Southeast Europe, and vision for the Georgian electricity market model next year.

April 6 to 9
APPEA 2014, Perth, Australia www.appeaconference.com.au The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) 2014 Conference and Exhibition is the biggest annual upstream oil and gas event in the southern hemisphere. The event attracts delegates from all over Australia and also the world. Participants will learn, discuss and connect through a world-class programme of presentations, panel discussions and key networking events at the largest event for the Australian oil and gas industry. The organiser anticipates more than 3,000 delegates in the four-day event that will feature 20 keynote speakers covering an extensive range of topics. The industry seminar will touch on the issue of diversity in the oil and gas sector and closing the gender gap. The event will also involve more than 220 exhibitors, more than 40 poster presentations and more than 80 concurrent session presentations.

April 13 to 15
The 22nd Annual Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference 2014, United Arab Emirates www.mpgc.cc The 22nd Annual Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference (MPGC) 2014, known as the Middle Easts most celebrated oil conference, revels in its success as the longest running annual oil conference in the Middle East. The MPGC strives to offer participants a well-organised platform for holistic and intellectual discussions pertaining to the oil and gas industry, as well as business building and networking opportunities. The conference carries the theme New Horizon or Old Truths: Middle East Energy Markets in Transition. In line with the theme, the plenary sessions and thematic contents include Politics, Economics and The New Energy Environment, Trading, Pricing and Risk Management, and Global Oil Markets in a Carbon Constrained World.

May 7 and 8
The 2014 Asia-Pacific Assembly, Hong Kong www.oilcouncil.com/event/asia-pacic The Asia-Pacific Assembly is focused on corporate development and intended for participants to gather and discuss matters concerning new business development opportunities internationally and in Asia. The Assembly is a platform for participants to discuss deal flow and capital originating to and from Asia and ways on how to access Asias capital markets and its community of investors. The event brings together 600 senior oil and gas executives from across the upstream, midstream, LNG, banking, finance, investment and petroleum service sectors to Hong Kong for the two-day event. They will take part in in-depth discussions on issues related to the industry to ensure that it has the connections, partners, strategies, technology and capital necessary to meet the challenges and capitalise on the rewards of Asias future energy landscape.

May 13 to 16
The 9th International Materials Technology Conference & Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.imtce2014.com The event aims to gather industry players in the materials technology fraternity to share knowledge and experiences involving materials science, technology and engineering. Visitors can expect to meet experts, discuss analyses and innovations and network with industry leaders. One of the key highlights of the event will be the review of the impact of green technology and materials innovations on ecology, environmental conservation and sustainability. Conference organiser, the Institute of Materials, Malaysia (IMM), has been organising IMTCE since 1990, making it one of the signature events in the materials technology field.

May 14 to 16
The Third Annual Asia Pacific Small and Mid-Scale LNG Forum (APAC LNG), Singapore www.apaclng.com A congregation of experts from across the region will again be at this years Third Annual Asia Pacific Small and Mid-Scale LNG Forum to carry out key discussions pertaining to commercial, regulatory and technical obstacles that hinder small-mid LNG proliferation in Asia. The full value-chain of topics, including global and national market drivers, financing and legal requirements, vessel requirements, vessel development, technical and geographical challenges and combat strategies, will be collaborated and deliberated by regional decision makers from National Oil Companies (NOC), International Oil Companies (IOC), energy regulators and commercially invested market leaders.

June 2 to 4
The 3rd Annual Unconventional Gas & Oil Summit, London, England www.oilandgasunconventional.com The Unconventional Gas & Oil Summit (UGOS) is one of the leading international conferences that explores the latest unconventional gas and oil trends. Participants can look forward to networking with more than 130 of the most influential players in the community and also enjoy more than 10 different interactive speaking formats. The agenda has been written by and for the industry upon consultation with a wide range of international unconventional specialists from around the world. The summit presents more than 60 topics addressing the key challenges and advances in the industry with more than 50 key speakers from the unconventional world. Delegates can choose between two parallel streams focusing on technical and strategic issues.

>> MORE EVENTS ON PAGE 10

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>> FROM PAGE 8

Building partnerships and collaborations across the globe

June 4 and 5
The 2nd Annual Ireland Oil & Gas 2014 Summit, Dublin, Ireland www.irelandsummit.com The 2nd Annual Ireland Oil & Gas Summit brings together existing and potential operators in the hydrocarbon industry in the country. Like last years event, this years event will be even better with regional case studies, in-depth prospect showcases and also a few highly topical panel discussions. Participants will develop a better understanding of the geology of offshore Ireland as well as the services that are available onshore to support an active Irish oil industry. The event will showcase the announcement of the findings of the first datasets of the seismic acquisition offshore Ireland conducted by PetroleumGeo Servies (PGS) and findings with the Barryroe field. The event corresponds with a number of key activities in Irelands oil and gas industry this year such as the licensing round and drilling efforts in the Spanish point. Delegates are expected to be provided with an overview of the fiscal regime and legislations related to oil and gas exploration and production in Ireland.

June 10 to 12
Global Petroleum Show, Calgary, Canada www.globalpetroleumshow.my The Global Petroleum Show is known as the central meeting point for the global gas industry. The Global Petroleum Show has been celebrated since 1968 as one of the biggest energy events that not only brings together global producers and EPCs but also service companies and suppliers. The Global Petroleum Show is important to source new products, gain new business partners and the opportunity to network with international and domestic professionals. The event also allows participants face to face access to key decision makers of international markets. The organiser expects more than 60,000 attendees and more than 2,000 exhibiting companies to engage in this networking opportunity. The activities in the event will cover most of the current and sought-after technical topics, including the application of geology and geophysics, reservoir characterisation, market access and footprint reductions. The event will also showcase an extensive range of technology driving the industry such as rigs, drives, casings, muds, fracturing and perforating, downhole and measurements.

September 23 to 25
MOGSEG 2014, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.mogsec2014.com.my The Malaysia Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference 2014 (MOGSEG 2014) is the only platform that particularly showcases Malaysias oil and gas service providers. The event is expected to elevate the countrys profile towards becoming a regional and international hub for oil and gas services, an effort that is in line with the governments Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). The exhibition, which will be held for the second time after the inaugural one in 2012, will bring together professionals and trade visitors who are related to the oil, gas and petrochemical industry. The organiser anticipates 500 companies participating in the event, including Petronas, MMC Oil and Gas Engineering, Schlumberger, Technip, UMW Oil and Gas and Wasco, and 10,000 trade visitors from 38 nations. The event is supported by Petronas and endorsed by MATRADE, MIDA and MPRC.

September 29 to October 3
International Pipeline Conference & Exposition, Calgary, Canada www.internationalpipelineconference. com The 10th IPC invites members of the pipeline industry from around the world to gather in Calgary for one of the worlds leading pipeline conference. The not-for-profit event is organised by volunteers representing international energy corporations, energy and pipeline associations and regulatory agencies. The feature activities in the conference include tutorial offerings in key areas and 13 technical tracks such as production pipelines and flowliness, design and construction and pipeline integrity management. Meanwhile, the exposition will bring together thousands of leading professionals to explore more than 200 of the industrys most recognised brands, and check out the latest pipeline technologies, products and services. The IPC is designed to inform, enlighten and motivate those who are in the pipeline industry.

December 2 to 4
The 9th Biennial Valve World Conference and Exhibition, Dusseldorf, Germany www.valveworldexpo.com Valve World Expo is one of the leading information and order conference for global businesses to address industrial valves and fittings. The exhibition is a collaboration between Messe Dusseldorf and KCI Publishing. At the conference and expo, attendees will get an extensive overview of technical innovations concerning valves, valve-related products and valve-related piping products, seals and sealing materials as well as engineering, LDAR (leak detection and repair) software, SIS and other services. The main product groups featured in the expo are valves, valve-related products, seals and sealing materials, valve-related piping products, engineering and associations and publishing houses. It is expected to attract visitors from a wide range of industries, including those in the field of petrochemical, oil, gas and LNG, marine and offshore, shipbuilding, and machine construction.

The oil and gas industry is constantly undergoing dynamic transformations.

Expanding industry knowledge

OVER the years, large scale exhibitions for the oil and gas industry have increased its presence and visibility signicantly through the active participation and cooperation from the industrys stakeholders. They continue to play an important role in the development of the oil and gas sector worldwide. Taking part in any one or more of these events will provide attendees the invaluable insight and discovery to the future of the oil and gas sector in a whole new way. After all, the industry is constantly undergoing dynamic transformations against the backdrop of declining oil reserves. Thus, the standards of practice, legislations and technologies involved have to develop rapidly to enhance and maximise production and one of the fastest ways to access this development is to connect directly with the key players in the oil and gas sector. Compared to past years events, the organisers raise the bar for this years list of events by featuring the most prolic keynote speakers, selecting the most relevant topics and bringing together active players in the industry. Visitors, exhibitors and speakers can expect to benet from participation in in-depth discussions, lively debates and networking opportunities.

The IPC is designed to inform and motivate those in the pipeline industry.

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Tanjung Piai 1 is the first Malaysian-flagged diesel electric platform supply vessel (PSV).

Icon Offshore fleet has a history of international operations.

Iconic OSV provider expands growth

O
FFSHORE support vessel (OSV) provider Icon Offshore Bhd has a strong operating track record. Icon Offshores eet is young, modern and versatile with high utilisation rates, which its chief executive ocer, Dr Jamal Yusof, says is expected to be sustainable in going forward. Our eet has a history of international operations, which provide us with the exibility and ability to operate across boundaries and capitalise on the expected growth in demand for offshore services, says Dr Jamal. Icon Offshore is the result of a strategic consolidation of two groups of pure-play OSV companies within Ekuinas portfolio Tanjung Kapal Services Sdn Bhd and Omni Petromaritime Services Sdn Bhd that merged to form Icon Offshore Berhad. The company boasts 32 vessels operating in waters off Malaysia, Thailand and Qatar. The vessels have a history of international operations in more than 10 countries in South-East Asia and Middle East regions. Internationally, its eet operates or has operated in oil and gas markets such as Thailand, Qatar, Vietnam, Indonesia, Egypt, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, India, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Australia. Icon Offshores vessels provide a diverse array of services, including seismic surveying, drilling operations support, towing, anchor handling and mooring of barges, construction support, repair and maintenance support, re ghting and emergency response, accommodation facilities and transportation of personnel, fuel, drilling uids, cement, water, and supplies to platforms. We believe that our ability to secure long-term charter contracts from a wide range of customers, including national oil companies (NOCs) and international oil companies (IOCs) provides us with cash ow stability and earnings visibility. We also provide ship management services to third party vessel owners, says Dr Jamal.

Plans for growth

Icon Offshore recently announced plans for its eet expansion programme. Although the companys focus continues to be on shallow water operations, it is also moving towards deepwater operations, which is one of the reasons for embarking on the expansion and diversication of its eet renewal programmes. Last year, Icon Offshore received its rst platform supply vessel (PSV), Tanjung Piai 1, which is the rst Malaysianconstructed and Malaysianagged diesel electric PSV, equipped with Dynamic Positioning 2 system. Presently, the company has four additional vessels under construction and is in negotiations to have another four vessels to be constructed and delivered between this year and 2015. There is increased government attention on the oil and gas sector particularly through the Economic Transformation Programme placing it as a National Key Economic Area. This has sparked large-scale capital expenditure programmes among industry players, which is expected to spur growth in the sector. With these increased focus and initiatives, we are well positioned to capitalise on these opportunities, says Dr Jamal.

to our credibility. We also have strong relationships with key shipyards in the South-East Asian region, which allows us to obtain favourable pricing and access to yard space even during periods of high demand to accommodate eet planning and dry docking scheduling, says Dr Jamal.

Keeping to high standards

Going hand-in-hand with the expansion and growth of the company, Icon Offshore also places focus on human capital development. In January, the company established the Icon Maritime Training Centre (IMTC) that aims to enhance the skill of its offshore mariners. We operate a performancedriven culture to encourage high performance by our staff through performance-based incentives to establish Icon Offshore as an employer of choice in Malaysia. As its business expands, Icon Offshore is committed to maintaining health, safety and environment (HSE) standards, which contribute to its success. The company maintains comprehensive HSE practices across its entire eet to ensure the safe operation of its vessels and prevention of pollution. This ensures an injury- and incidentfree working environment. Recently, Icon Offshore has been recognised by one of its major clients for achieving three million man hours without lost time incidents. In total, the company has achieved more than 14.9 million man hours with zero lost time injury since May 2007. Last year, one of the companys anchor handling tug and supply (AHTS) vessels operating in the Middle East region was also recognised for its outstanding safety performance, having operated for two years without a lost workday. All these factors have enabled Icon Offshore to emerge as a fastgrowing and the largest pureplay OSV provider in Malaysia and one of the largest in SouthEast Asia.

Great leadership drives company expansion

ICON Offshores senior management staff members work well as a unit, complementing each others differences and strengths. This cohesion has opened doors to growth and the companys continued sustainability. Dr Jamal Yusof chief executive ocer Dr Jamal was the original founder of Omni and was instrumental in the growth of the OMNI group of companies where he grew the companys eet from one to 12 vessels over a period of six years, prior to the strategic consolidation. He has more than 10 years of experience in the OSV business, and thus understands the nuances of the business and has an anity for the industry. He is also currently the President of the Malaysia OSV Owners Association, a position he has held since last year. Captain Hassan Ali chief corporate ocer and deputy chief executive ocer Captain Hassan is responsible for the day-today management as well as the coordination of the administrative and business activities of the group. He has more than 38 years of experience in the marine transportation industry. This makes him an excellent candidate for his current role as he understands the industry thoroughly. He is therefore wellequipped to make accurate judgements. Rahman Yusof chief operations ocer Rahman is responsible for the companys entire shorebased and shipboard eet operations. In addition, he oversees the implementation of the groups health, safety and environment (HSE) standards and security policies and procedures. With more than 30 years experience in the marine transportation and shipping industry, he is able to provide technical direction, guidance and project management for the expansion of the companys vessel eet, dry docking and overall vessel technical and performance improvements. Zaleha Abdul Hamid chief nancial ocer Zaleha is responsible for overseeing the nance, information technology, corporate nance and strategy functions as well as the legal and secretarial aspects of the company. Her experience of more than 16 years in audit and nance functions makes her right for the job. She is currently a member of Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certied Accountants (FCCA).

A credible company
Being an active player in the OSV industry, Icon Offshore has established relationships with major oil and gas companies or their aliates, including NOCs and IOCs, owing to the companys quality service and reliability. We believe that our longterm relationship and awards from our customers is testament

12 StarSpecial

Sunday 23 March 2014