oil&gas

issue TEN 2013

european

europeanoilandgas.co.uk f r o m e x p l o r a t i o n t o e n d u s e r

matters
Career
Understanding the oil and gas
recruitment market

Going digital
Engineering simulation in
developing digital oilfields

Clean living
The challenges of offshore oil
waste products

this ISSUE: Oil and gas industry experiences

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 Editors

Chairman
Andrew Schofield
Group Managing Director
Mike Tulloch

Managing Editor
Libbie Hammond
libbie@schofieldpublishing.co.uk this increased level of exploration and industry
Editor  stability means that oil and gas jobs are now
Matt High highly desirable and plentiful”
mhigh@schofieldpublishing.co.uk
Staff Writers
Kirsty Birkett-Stubbs
Jo Cooper
Editorial Administrator
Emma Harris

Art Editor
Gérard Roadley-Battin
By now you’ll have read enough articles about the
challenges of the oil and gas ‘skills shortage’ to have made your
Advertising Design
Jenni Newman own mind up about energy sector recruitment. However, the fact
Production Manager of the matter is that while yes, there is a shortage of skilled workers
Fleur Conway

europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Production Administrator
in the oil and gas business and considerable emphasis continues to
Vicky Howes therefore be placed on recruitment, the employment landscape in oil
and gas isn’t as bad as you may think.
Sales Director
David Garner According to Daniel Younger of recruitment consultancy, CY
Corporate Advertising Sales Partners, “The world’s demand for petroleum-based products has
David King
increased, not decreased, and new ways of tapping into the planet’s
dking@schofieldpublishing.co.uk
resources are being explored on a daily basis. The knock-on effect of

European oil & gas

Sales
Finlay Johnson this increased level of exploration and industry stability means that
Head of Research
oil and gas jobs are now highly desirable and plentiful.”
Philip Monument
Business Development Manager In this issue’s lead feature Daniel goes on to explain that the advent
Mark Cawston of new technology, innovative new methods of producing energy
Research Managers
Natalie Martin
such as unconventional gas developments, and the diversity of the 1
Ben Richell global industry are all creating new and exciting opportunities for
Editorial Researchers career progression. 
Ed Hipperson
Kieran Shukri Reinforcing this idea, our second lead article is an interesting
Jeff Johnson Q&A with Mike Hawkins of Jee Ltd. As Jee celebrates its 25th
anniversary this year Mike talks about his experiences of working
­Office Manager
Tracy Chynoweth with a company from its grass roots, as well as highlighting the
rewarding opportunities that a lifetime in oil and gas can bring.
If you’re looking at oil and gas employment, then it’s time to start
thinking positive to ensure our sector continues to flourish in the
years ahead.

© 2013 Schofield Publishing Limited all rights reserved editors Libbie Hammond & matt high
10 Cringleford Business Centre
Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU

T: +44 (0) 1603 274130

F: +44 (0) 1603 274131
schofield-media.com

please note: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers

within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor
and publisher. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information
published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by
the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights
reserved. The contents of the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of
Schofield Publishing, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or
reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.
 Contents

Regulars
Profiles
3 Lead Feature
Understanding the oil and gas
recruitment market

7 IT
Engineering simulation
in developing digital oilfields

10 News
A look at some of the recent developments
in the oil and gas industry
30
12 Lead Feature
Mike Hawkins on his experiences
of the oil and gas industry
30 Ferguson Group
16 Technology
32 Megarme
europeanoilandgas.co.uk

The challenges created by offshore

oil waste products
34 Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering
20 Decommissioning focus - 37 Port of Fujairah Authority
Decom North Sea

22 Heerema Marine Contractors 41 Apply Leirvik

European oil & gas

25 ASCO 43 Michell Instruments

28 Enviroco 46 Jian Feng Sling 41
2 49 Sandvik Process Systems
52 PressureFab Group
54 Axel Christiernsson
57 Xcite Energy Resources
3 59 BassDrill
63 V Ships 59
67 Analytical Technology
& Control (ATAC)

12

25

67

matters
Career
Daniel Younger
takes a closer
look at the
current state of
the oil and gas
recruitment market
T
he oil and gas industry is an exciting,
international, vibrant, skilled and varied
industry to work for. The scope of work
undertaken in the oil and gas industry
is vast. It often works with cutting edge
technology and has an excellent health and safety record;
but it also operates in remote, offshore locations, in difficult
climates and very high-risk environments.
Recruitment within the oil and gas sector is different from
any other industry out there. This is because the energy
industry is one that has not had to ‘downsize’ because of the
economic recession unlike many other industries, in fact the
oil and gas industry is on the rise.
Rather than adopting a ‘slash and burn’ policy of job cuts,
closing production and generally reacting in the same way to
the global recession as every other industry, the oil and gas
sector has managed to survive the most uncertain of economic
times by freezing wages and waiting for the storm to pass. That
storm has now abated and the industry has emerged stronger,
leaner and ready to do business on a grand scale.
The world’s demand for petroleum-based products has
increased, not decreased, and new ways of tapping into the
planet’s resources are being explored on a daily basis. The
Lead one
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
3
knock-on effect of this increased level of exploration and
industry stability means that oil and gas jobs are now highly
desirable and plentiful.
Oil and gas engineers are constantly inventing new
technologies to extract oil from increasingly deeper levels
beneath the Earth’s surface. Because of this exploration,
engineers are trained to be the best in their field, and there
are new and excellent opportunities for career progression.
This industry has evolved along with the rest of the world
and has realised the need to develop new ways of producing
clean energy for the global market. There are few industries
that can offer such long-term prospects and employment
opportunities, but these can be found in Unconventional Gas
(UCG); this is a relatively new field that is growing rapidly
and offers people the chance to develop skills that can be
utilised on projects worldwide.
Matthew Cawood, HR director at clean energy company,
Five-Quarter said recently: “UCG is a perfect example of
where new technologies and new employment opportunities
are developing both worldwide and across the UK. Five-
Quarter is a pioneering gas exploration business involved in
the discovery and extraction of gas from coal seams found
both in the UK and various other European countries.
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas

Oil and gas companies are looking to hire experienced and

highly-skilled engineering professionals from a wide range
of disciplines but the fact is that demand for oil and gas professionals
4 has outstripped supply

“Large-scale coal mining ended some time ago but coal
did not ‘run out’ and thanks to new technologies and the
need to find alternative energy sources, the growth of the
Coalbed Methane (CBM) market looks set to continue for
decades to come.
“This is an exciting field of work both for existing oil
and gas specialists as well as those looking for re-training
opportunities, and for those who have faced redundancy
from areas of industry that have declined in recent years.”
Matthew continued: “In the North East of England, Five-
Quarter is developing a recruitment campaign that will focus
predominantly on North East-based personnel, providing
training and re-skilling where necessary and helping the
local economy prosper, rather than simply going to the wider
market to hire in skills from abroad.”
Companies like Five-Quarter are making the oil and gas
industry even more diverse, and in turn creating additional
job opportunities, especially in the UK. The industry on
the whole employs a huge skills base and rewards those
who are prepared to work hard, use their initiative and are
ambitious, with this comes good pay and ample opportunity
for advancement.
The depletion of the UK skills base for jobs in a growing
sector has been a worrying statistic in many reports over the
last few years and one that needs to be tackled. Alongside
the industry boom, a great deal of publicity has been given
to the so-called ‘skills gap’ or ‘talent shortage’. This is
especially true for engineers, who are the lifeblood of the oil
and gas sector.
A maturing workforce, a lack of investment during the
1990s and early 2000s and an increase in science, technology,
engineering and maths graduates choosing a career in the
City as opposed to the oil and gas industry have all been
contributors to the situation we now face.

Oil and gas companies are looking to hire experienced and
highly-skilled engineering professionals from a wide range
of disciplines but the fact is that demand for oil and gas
professionals has outstripped supply.
Recruiting staff from other industries where engineers
can transfer their skills to oil and gas is very common. An
industry such as Defence is an area where companies are
targeting and having success in attracting engineers with
high-technology backgrounds. Although the opposite can be
said for the oil and gas industry, most engineers once in oil
and gas feel they do not want to transfer elsewhere.
Recruiters are busy finding a new generation of workers,
and training programmes have sprung up to prepare them.
Some young people are signing on for jobs that promise
good pay — but there are still a lot of positions to fill.
There is a range of career opportunities in the oil and
gas sector. Careers in the industry, generally speaking are
Lead one
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
5
long-term, well paid, can offer excellent progression and
development and there’s extensive travel opportunities with
jobs throughout the UK and worldwide.
Oil and gas is so diverse that if you don’t like the idea of
travelling or working offshore there are related opportunities
which are still in the industry, but don’t actually involve
working away from home. A lot of the oil and gas companies
that CY Partners recruits for have facilities or headquarters in
mainland UK and in Europe. These facilities have scientific
or engineering research and laboratory functions and it is
here where the instrumentation and technical equipment
that is used in the industry is designed and developed. So
scientists and engineers can be directly involved with the
oil and gas sector without having to work offshore at all.
Opportunities for physics, chemistry, software, electronics
and engineering disciplines are very much in demand within
these facilities.
 Lead one
There are many ways to enter into the booming
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
industry, including:
66 Straight from school or college and progress through
operator and technician roles onwards up to craftsperson
status
66 Through apprenticeships such as the ‘Apprenticeship in
Process Technology’, oil and gas extraction industry or
chemicals manufacturing and petroleum industries
European oil & gas
66 Vocational qualifications such as Process Engineering
Maintenance or Operations and Maintenance Engineering
66 Higher education courses that have been designed to
equip graduates with practical and hands on knowledge
66 In house training and development, of which there is a
strong tradition in the sector
6 4. Lack of privacy – lack of privacy in oil and gas jobs and
The increase in talent demand resulting from so many
projects getting the go-ahead has widened the talent gap
even further than industry expectations. The future of the oil
and gas industry is solid, so long as there is the talent to keep
it running.
If you are still unsure if this industry is for you, below are
common advantages and disadvantages of working in the
industry.
Oil & gas jobs and rig jobs – advantages
1. Great pay – for engineers who choose to work in the
sector, the financial rewards can be attractive. When it
comes to the pay packet of oil and gas jobs and rig jobs,
they can compete with any industry in the world. For the
same job that you do on land, your pay is hiked by a good
percentage when you are offshore and working on the rig.
2. For engineers who choose to work in the sector, the
financial rewards can be attractive. According to the Oil
and Gas Global Salary Guide 2012, industry professionals
in the sector enjoy average salaries of £55,850 per annum
- more than twice the national salary average of £26,244.
The guide also suggests that contractors in the North Sea
are among the best paid anywhere in the world.
3. Good career prospects - you may start at the bottom of the
ladder as a roustabout but hard work and dedication will
soon see you move up the ladder.
4. Variation of roles and excellent training packages at
regular intervals.
5. Great opportunities for international travel.
Oil & gas jobs and rig jobs – disadvantages
1. You can be away from family and friends a lot – some find
it difficult to cope with the ‘Fly In, Fly Out’ rosters.
2. Difficult working environment – sometimes having to
work in remote, hot, difficult environments.
3. Cramped living – the living quarters are not exactly
penthouse suites.
rig jobs is one turn-off for many people. You seem to share
everything with your colleagues – right from your soap to
your towel.
5. Finally, as a general rule, the oil and gas projects require
highly skilled workers, with good levels of numeracy
and literacy. Maths and science certificates are required in
many of the jobs in oil and gas sector, and training for the
various categories of jobs/careers can often take at least
three years.
CY Partners
Daniel Younger is founder and consultant at CY
Partners, a specialist recruitment consultancy
primarily operating within the pharmaceutical,
biotechnology, chemical, FMCG, medical
device, forensic, food and related scientific
and engineering industries. The business is
independently owned by Daniel and Probier
Chatterjee, who together have over 25 years of
recruitment experience.
For further information please visit:
cypartners.co.uk

Going
Engineering simulation
and advanced sensor design helps to develop
digital oilfields, says Ahmad Haidari
A
s the oil and gas industry looks to increase
production from old fields and deepwater
reservoirs, the idea of the digital oilfield
is highlighted as a potential solution to
many of the challenges presented by higher
temperatures, higher pressures, longer tiebacks, and more
expensive operations.
A digital oilfield is “one where operators, partners, and
service companies seek to take advantage of improved data
and knowledge management, enhanced analytical tools, real-
time systems, and more efficient business processes” (CERA
Digital Oil Field of the Future). It involves a shift towards a
real-time, or near real-time, way of working and connecting
one or more remote sites together via technology, enabling
teams to work closely together. In fact, it’s commonplace
IT
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
7
today for control rooms to monitor and optimise the
operations of sites thousands of miles away. To put this into
perspective, digital oilfields have been estimated to tap an
additional 125 Bbbl of oil by 2015.
This creates opportunities to improve processes, have
advanced warning about product performance, and manage
assets with real-time field information. The hundreds of
terabytes of information collected and analysed in these
control rooms everyday provide operations with intelligent
data that ultimately will improve drilling, production, and
operation across the supply chain.
It should be no surprise, then, that other advanced
technology like electronic devices, sensors, controllers,
and wireless connections are taking root and changing the
industry's drilling practices. One example is the integration
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
of advanced
electronic sensor
technology into downhole and
European oil & gas
drilling operations. Data generated by
sensors provides invaluable insight to engineers and
operators to determine how to best drill, as well as how best
to operate subsea facilities for maximum return.
Deploying sensors and developing products that respond
and operate with embedded sensors leads to products that
8 could have additional components, smaller sizes, and novel
materials. Therefore, many factors must be addressed to
ensure seamless, successful operation before the sensors can
be placed in the well and drilling can begin. Factors include
accurate sensor positioning, the signal and product integrity
of the sensors, and the response of the equipment to control
and operating conditions.
These are new challenges, so product development
practices in many engineering and R&D departments must
evolve to keep pace. Leading oil companies are extending
capabilities and refocusing product development processes to
take advantage of three enabling activities to meet these new
challenges within their engineering and R&D divisions:
66 Detailed integrated multi-physics engineering simulation
(early in the design process)
66 System design
66 Smart product developments that incorporate
electromagnetic analysis and embedded software
Engineering simulation
The growing development of drilling and evaluation and
completion technologies influences the way engineers drill
wells. They now have access to informative intelligence
and data that helps with more efficient and smarter drilling.
These sources include
electronics and sensors, which
help accurately direct and control drill bit position while
logging and measuring. This not only reduces nonproductive
time, but also leads to faster drilling rates and helps reduce
damage and drill wear. These electronic sensors need to
withstand thermal, vibration, and impact damage.
Today, advanced engineering simulation tools can evaluate
both single components as well as the interactions among
components and subsystems of the entire design using
single and multi-physics simulations. These science-based
engineering tools include electronics, electromagnetics, fluids,
and thermal and structural mechanics simulation technology.
With these tools, oil and gas companies can model well,
drilling, and sensor designs with a high degree of detail and
fidelity even with complex geometries and complex physics.
System design
New design practices must account for product performance
over the life of the equipment. For instance, the sensors
and drill tools need to be subjected to real-life conditions
of vibration, fatigue, high temperatures, and interferences
from other equipment and electronic signals before reaching
the field for commercial application. To do so, engineering
teams are shifting from a component, or subsystem view, to
a higher-level perspective that considers performance at the
complete systems-level – applying multiple physics, multiple
scales, and a collaborative, cross-functional engineering
approach early in the design stage. By modeling systems-

level interactions and product responses to multiple forces,
engineering teams are able to rapidly and continually fine-
tune the entire product system and to predict systems-level
performance in a virtual environment well before physical
assembly and testing.
Extremely complex to design and build, next-generation
digital oil fields incorporate many complex parts and
components that all have to work together — putting
systems-level engineering front and center. Innovative leaders
in the oil and gas space are now assembling multidisciplinary,
cross-functional engineering teams to manage intricate
processes and predict systems-level performance at a very
early design stage.
By modeling systems-level interactions and product
responses to multiple forces, these leading-edge engineering
teams are able to rapidly and continually fine-tune
the entire oilfield in a virtual environment, well
before physical assembly and testing.
Because the idea of a digital oilfield is
relatively new, historical real-world testing
may not provide all the data needed to
eliminate risk — and to ensure project success.
Understanding unique component interactions
in the digital oilfield is extremely valuable in identifying
how to fix a design problem. Engineering simulation supplies
this data and enables engineers in this space to rapidly fine-
tune the entire product system in a virtual environment.
Electromagnetic analysis
Understanding the formation properties and environment
of the oil wells is critical to successful drilling. An oil
company must factor in the depth of a well and design
appropriate downhole tools and sensors that can handle
the expected environment. One area where sensors play a
crucial role in drilling is logging while drilling (LWD). There
are three important LWD engineering tasks that require
electromagnetic simulation analysis:
66 LWD antenna design to maximise sensitivity for
complex three-dimensional drill bit trajectories into
complex formation layers, while accounting for realistic
environmental conditions such as antenna shape, mandrel
affect, borehole effect, mud invasion zones, anisotropic
formation properties, and mandrel eccentricity.
66 Parametric study of tool and environmental variables
to enable rapid interpretation of complex logs, allowing
operators to quickly interpret operating conditions and
adjust equipment as needed.
66 LWD antenna electromagnetic characterisation for
compatibility with receiver/transmitter electronics to
maximise signal integrity and to ensure the tool never
operates ‘blind’ in the field.
These engineering design issues require 3D
electromagnetic field solutions together with electronics
system simulation to provide design capability and system
validation. The 3D tool can be optimised electromagnetically
in a virtual environmental formation to look at the antenna
IT
design and expected effects on measured logs.
While new to the oil and gas industry, the underlying
computational technology used to perform these examples
shown is deployed widely in other industries. For example, the
electromagnetic field calculations for low-frequency are used in
the design of electric machines, alternators, transformers, and
other high-frequency electromagnetic applications may include
simulation of antennas, cell phones and tablets, biomedical
devices, radar systems, and many others.
Embedded software
It is clear that the oil and gas industry is using more
advanced electronics and is operating more equipment
and plants remotely. The underlying power controlling
the behavior of the electrical, mechanical, and fluidic
systems driving the digital oilfields is embedded software.
The embedded software manages the complex interaction
between software, hardware, and human/machine interfaces.
For a new design, a system-level simulation approach
combined with verifiable methods to help model the
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
behavior of the hardware and the software before it is
implemented enables engineers to gain insight into the
performance of the well, downhole tools and sensors, and
their controllers before they are implemented. For existing
systems, and with sensors already in place, the real-time
field data can be combined and even help drive detailed
3D simulation to perform root cause analysis, identify
improvement opportunities, and to enhance the controllers
European oil & gas
and reliability of product and processes.
Technology is changing operations and processes in many
oil and gas fields. There are substantial investments in R&D
and engineering behind every safe, reliable, and cost-effective
innovation implemented in the field. Increased product
complexity and the remote operation and control of oil and 9
gas equipment and processes creates new drilling challenges.
Detailed engineering simulation, coupled with system-level
modeling, is empowering engineers to effectively design and
deploy next generation sensors and smart products to gain
additional efficiency and reliability in oil and gas drilling,
production, and processing.
ANSYS
Dr. Ahmad H. Haidari has more than 20 years of experience
in the application of engineering simulation and modeling
technology to address industrial-process-equipment design,
equipment troubleshooting, analysis, and scale-up. He
obtained his Ph.D. from Lehigh University and has made
numerous presentations and written publications on modeling
chemical and hydrocarbon process equipment and oil and gas
machinery. At ANSYS he is the global director of the energy
and process industries, where he ensures the full portfolio of
ANSYS’ engineering simulation software provides appropriate
capabilities to meet the modeling requirements of energy and
process industry companies.
For further information please visit:
ansys.com
 Above: First Minister Alex Salmond
and Howard Woodcock, chief
executive of Bibby Offshore, officially
open Bibby Offshore’s brand new
purpose-built headquarters,
Atmosphere One in Westhill
Key initiatives
Above: An EFC Group technician testing equipment in the workshop
First Minister of Scotland, Alex
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Salmond, officially opened subsea
installation contractor Bibby
Offshore’s brand new purpose-built
Thriving business
headquarters, Atmosphere One, on
Tuesday 28th May 2013.
The company recently relocated
from Aberdeen Harbour to the
European oil & gas
new office facility at Prospect Park,
Westhill, to provide it with the
additional capacity necessary to
support its significant increase in staff
numbers and services.
Bibby Offshore is on track to
10 achieve a turnover of £220 million
by the end of 2013 and plans to
increase this to £650 million by
2017, creating more than 100
onshore jobs in the north east.
Bibby Offshore’s chief executive
Howard Woodcock said: “Continued
investment in the development of
the energy industry is exceptionally
important and we are delighted
to have had the opportunity to
welcome the First Minister to
officially open our new premises.
“The move was essential due
to the speed at which we are
expanding, the impressive demand
for the company’s expertise, and our
growth strategy to triple the size
of our business around the world
in the next four years. We have a
number of key initiatives in place to
ensure we recruit and train the most
talented people in order to ensure the
business can continue to grow.”
EFC Group, a leading designer and manufacturer of instrumentation, monitoring, handling
and control systems for the global oil and gas industry, has announced the launch of a new
manufacturing plant in Moray.
The base in Enterprise Park, Forres, marks the Group’s second phase of expansion in the area and
a £100,000 investment. This follows the opening of a new satellite office in the same business park
in September 2012.
The new 4000ft2 plant has been opened six months ahead of schedule, demonstrating how EFC
Group is driving forward its aggressive growth strategy. The company achieved turnover of £14
million last year and projects it will exceed £30 million turnover by 2016.
EFC Group CEO Bob Will said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to open our second
Scottish manufacturing facility, which will support our existing, busy plant in Aberdeen and the
thriving order book we have achieved in last 12 months. This new base will support the increasing
level of work that EFC Group is experiencing, particularly in our subsea and well control divisions.
“We have enjoyed a successful year across each of our global bases and are well on track to
achieve our business objectives. We plan to use this rapid growth in the UK as a springboard for
achieving further international success in the long term.”
Significant expansion
Apollo Offshore Engineering is on track for significant expansion - with a doubling of turnover and
a major increase in staff, and to facilitate a rapidly growing order book the company has moved into
new premises at Aberdeen's Waterloo Quay.
Apollo has developed apace since its creation - at the height of the global financial crisis in 2010 -
and its directors exercised endeavour and prudence from the outset, working as consultants by day
and creators of the business by night and at weekends.
Managing director Jonathan D'Arcy said: "The initial focus was on early revenue because we
understood that Apollo would have to support itself financially from the word go if it was to be the
sustainable business of our vision. Our strategy was to maximise cash flow and build capital until
accumulated reserves allowed business premises to be leased and staff employed."
From a standing start the company now employs 40 staff. In its last financial year, to September
2012, revenue increased by 400 per cent and is set to double to over £3 million this financial year,
which is in line with a domestic and international growth plan to employ 100 staff and generate
profitable revenue of £10 million by the end of 2015.
 News

Above:
Jee managing director, Trevor Lee

Improving standards

Leaders in support Multi-discipline subsea engineering

and training firm Jee Ltd has
continued to focus on improving
Family owned shipping firm, The Craig Group launched its latest platform supply vessel (PSV), the standards across its business and has
Grampian Sceptre recently at the Balenciaga Shipyard in Northern Spain. been awarded re-certification for the
The vessel was officially christened by Mrs Frances Murray, wife of Alistair Murray, logistics team international standards ISO 14001

europeanoilandgas.co.uk
lead at Talisman Sinopec Energy UK Limited and OHSAS 18001 under the risk
Craig Group committed £50 million to the construction of this vessel, and it’s sister vessel management foundation DNV (Det
the Grampian Sovereign. The vessels are the largest ever built by Craig Group and both have Norske Veritas).
secured long-term contracts with Talisman Sinopec Energy UK Limited. The Grampian Sovereign The company has been re-certified
commenced work recently in the North Sea while the Grampian Sceptre will start her contract in for ISO 14001 Environmental
September later this year. management, and OHSAS 18001
Douglas Craig, chairman and managing director of Craig Group, said: “Our major investment Safety management, and has

European oil & gas

in state-of-the-art oilfield support vessels firmly underpins our position as market leaders in the transferred its ISO 9001 Quality
provision of offshore support, ROV survey, platform supply and emergency response and rescue management certification, held since
vessels. It also shows our commitment to the marine industry and that we continue to offer our 1995, to DNV to bring the three
customers an unrivalled service.” accreditations into one integrated
The vessels are 83 metres long with an 18-metre beam and have diesel electric propulsion systems business management system. The
offering a greater fuel economy and efficiency. They have been specifically designed to meet the globally recognised accreditations
requirements of operators in the North Sea. are especially relevant to Jee as the 11
company continues to expand its

Positive safety environment offerings into developing markets.

Expro has been recognised for the ninth consecutive
year by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
(RoSPA) for its outstanding global safety record. Expro has
been awarded a RoSPA Commendation for excellence in
health and safety at work within the oil and gas sector in
the Society’s 2013 Awards.
The company has received awards from RoSPA for the
past nine years, achieving a gold award in 2005 and then
winning the Oil & Gas sector award in 2006 and retaining
it in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Above: In 2010, Expro received a coveted Gold Medal in
David Ford, Expro’s group HSEQ manager
recognition of six years of industry-leading health and
safety performance and commitment. In 2011 and 2012, Expro was also commended in the oil and gas
industry sector highlighting its long-term commitment to safety.
David Ford, Expro’s group HSEQ manager, said: “Expro is very proud to have been recognised nine
years in a row by RoSPA, which rightly demonstrates the importance we place on safety in all of our
global operations. This award is testament to the hard work and commitment of our employees in
creating our positive safety environment.” David Ford was presented with Expro’s Commendation in a
special ceremony at Birmingham Hilton Metropole.
Jee managing director, Trevor
Jee, said: “We are proud to hold
these accreditations, as they endorse
Jee’s dedication to maintaining the
highest standards. This outward
demonstration of our commitment to
the environment as well as health and
safety, represents our long-term focus
on excellence and offering the best
service possible to our customers.
“With a large talent pool of
experienced engineers and highly
qualified course tutors, we set a
high standard at Jee for the services
we offer. These accreditations are
synonymous with our standards,
ensuring all of our customers and
course delegates receive unparalleled
service and Jee continues to be
a company of choice for subsea
engineering and training.”
 Valuable

Mike Hawkins of Jee Ltd discusses

his experiences of working at
a successful business in
the oil and gas industry
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas

12

T Q
his year, Jee Ltd celebrates its 25th
anniversary. From its beginnings as a
one-person consultancy, the company has
grown to become a leading independent
Below
multi-discipline subsea engineering and
Mike Hawkins,
technical director training firm, with a team of 90 and three offices located
of Jee Ltd around the UK.
Jee was founded by Trevor Jee in 1988 and Mike Hawkins
joined as the first full-time staff member soon after. He has
been with Jee for more than 20 years and has witnessed the
company’s phenomenal growth first-hand. Now working as
Jee’s technical director, Mike shares his thoughts on his time
with the company and his experiences of working in the oil
and gas sector.
What brought you into the oil and gas industry?
My involvement is due largely to my family – my
father was a mechanical engineer in the oil industry
and I wanted to follow a similar career path. The North
Sea was relatively young when I started out and it was
an exciting time to join the sector. I knew it would be a
stimulating career that could teach me a lot and provide
new experiences.
As I have progressed within the oil and gas industry, I have
seen many advancements and my position at Jee has allowed
me to be involved with large changes within the industry, as
well as the company.

Q How did you get started at Jee Ltd?
I had an existing relationship with Trevor from the
early days working together at BP. When Trevor founded
Jee, the staff comprised just himself and a secretary. On his
request, I began doing some freelance consulting for the
company and, as the workload continued to grow, Trevor
reached the point where he wanted to take on full-time staff.
At the time I was working for a large company and going
from that to a smaller business was a challenge, but it also
provided an exciting opportunity to help actively grow the
company through an organic growth strategy.
One of the most rewarding aspects of working at Jee
has been watching the company evolve. I have seen many
developments in my time here, and look forward to seeing
Lead two
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
13
how we can continue progressing to remain a company of
choice for the subsea industry.
Q How have you seen the oil and gas industry develop
during your 20 years in the workforce?
From legislation reform to technological innovation, I have seen
the industry transform tremendously in the past two decades.
Charting advancements in the sector, Jee has adapted with cost-
effective and integrated engineering solutions, and has grown its
offerings to stay in step with the ever-changing industry.
Within Jee, we have transformed from a small consultancy
to a full-service company fulfilling large contracts for
international clients. Not only has the company added a
 range of additional services and capabilities during my
time here, but also I have seen our roster of clients grow
as Jee became recognised for its technical excellence and
commitment to service.
In the beginning, the company worked exclusively on
pipeline technology. We were able to specialise in a niche
market and could undertake highly technical studies or
pieces of work, but such specialisation inevitably limited
the size of the company. The decision to move from being
purely a pipeline company was one made quite deliberately,
as it enabled the business to continue to grow by fulfilling
the needs of our customers and provide whole life of field
engineering to their projects. By expanding our staff and
introducing new expertise in structures, controls, materials,
installation, decommissioning and renewables, we have
allowed Jee to not only grow, but also to thrive.

Q What have been some milestones of your time within the

industry?
europeanoilandgas.co.uk

One of the biggest achievements during my time at Jee is also

a milestone of the oil and gas industry as a whole. In one
of my early pieces of work with the company, I assisted in
convening a joint industry project (JIP) on pipeline trenching
in connection with the British government.
In 1995, Jee managed the Trenching Guidelines Joint
Industry Project, which accomplished a change in design
European oil & gas

philosophy for small diameter pipelines. For nearly two

years, we managed this project, which involved collaboration
from more than 20 companies within the industry, to
develop design methodologies and data to enable operators
to install pipelines without trenching.
The JIP provided influential change for the industry and
14 proved financially successful. The resulting government to further expand our expertise in flow assurance capabilities,
guideline was especially significant in certain locations increased materials capabilities and structural design. We
around the North Sea and West of Shetland, saving have recently completed a large renewables project and will
considerable installation costs for operators. use the experience gained from this to continue expanding
Internally, one of Jee’s major milestones was introducing a our focus in the field.
management team and board of directors within the company. Employing openness to change and modernisation is
Ten years ago, Jee’s workforce was primarily composed of what has helped Jee achieve its lasting longevity and will be
engineers. We realised that to take the company further, we necessary for all companies working in the oil and gas industry.
needed to have a team who could manage technical contracts,
as well as a board who could decide company strategy.
By adding both of these, we moved from a small group of
consultants doing engineering studies to a fully-fledged
Q What developments do you expect to see within Jee in the
next five years?
Jee is currently focusing on an aggressive growth strategy,
engineering company able to complete major projects. aiming to increase our workforce from 90 to 150 in the
next four years. This year, we opened an office in central

Q How can oil and gas companies such as Jee ensure they
continue to grow and thrive in the industry?
I think innovation is the most important aspect of
this industry. Companies have to be able to adapt
and encourage their staff members to examine novel
approaches and devise new solutions, rather than remain
stagnant with existing policies.
At Jee, we are identifying new skills that we want to
develop within the company to broaden our range of
integrated engineering capabilities. We are currently looking
London to attract new staff as well as give a more localised
service to our clients in the area. We have already seen
staff numbers there grow exponentially and we anticipate
seeing this continue. We are also moving our Aberdeen
office to a location double its size to accommodate growing
client requirements.
Though not currently under development, but certainly
within the longer term, it is inevitable that we will open an
office in the US. We still have plenty of scope for growth
within the UK sector at the moment but in the future

we will be looking to expand overseas and America is a
natural choice.
Our focus on expansion is also seen in our engineering
courses. Jee offers a wide variety of courses that are
continually adapted to the changing industry. Similar to our
engineering capabilities, we add new course subjects as the
industry demands. Currently, we are developing new courses
in the renewables area as we advance our skills in that field.
Our portfolio will continue to evolve as the company grows
and furthers its range of expertise.
Q What developments do you expect to see in the coming
years for European oil and gas?
The European offshore oil and gas industry is now mature,
which brings very specific issues and drivers. Cost-effective
safe operation of aging assets, extension of the life of
assets beyond original design life, reduction of the cost
of new developments and efficient decommissioning of
infrastructure will be brought to the forefront. Operators will
have to put organised plans in place to effectively deal with
these initiatives.
Lifetime extension (LTE) will continue to become more
prevalent in the industry in the coming years to enable safe
operation of existing assets and infrastructure beyond its
Lead two
One of the biggest achievements
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
during my time at Jee is also a
milestone of the oil and gas industry
as a whole. In one of my early pieces
of work with the company, I assisted in
convening a joint industry project (JIP)
on pipeline trenching in connection
with the British government
European oil & gas
original design intent. At Jee, we are working consistently on 15
LTE projects and have contributed to the authorship of ISO
12747, an internationally recognised code addressing LTE for
rigid metallic pipelines.
The industry will also be driven towards low-cost options
for development of subsea tie-backs to maximise viable
production from depleting fields. Alternative novel techniques
for pipeline installation could become extremely valuable if
savings over conventional installation methods can be proven.
The engineers and staff at Jee will keep a close eye on this
and other industry advancements to remain at the forefront of
technology and practice, and to ensure we continually deliver
optimal service to our current and future clients.
Jee Ltd
Jee Ltd is a leading independent multi-discipline subsea
engineering and training company, focussing on the oil, gas
and renewables industries. The company employs a high ratio
of chartered engineers to graduates and continues to grow
as a centre of excellence. Its projects range from integrity
management to decommissioning and analysis.
For further information please visit:
jee.co.uk
 Clean
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas

Mark Zwinderman dispels

some of the popular myths
16
about oil waste products
and the associated offshore
challenges they create

A
few years ago I was lucky enough to
be invited to an internal event that was
organised by a major international oil
company to discuss health, safety &
environmental issues from the field in an
open and free forum. Today I still count this as one of the
most informative and encouraging experiences of my career
in the oil industry.
Attendees were there to discuss any HS&E issue face-to-
face with the highest senior management. It is this kind of
open forum and focus on safety culture that has made the oil
industry a very safe place to work. There is a pride in delivering
the often technically complex projects on a daily basis. It is,
however, still often the case that in finding and producing the
oil, waste management remains the ugly duckling.
It is hard to argue that waste treatment in the oil industry
has had a spotty past. There are many locations on the
planet where decades of oil waste has been left, dumped or
leaked - hazards to the health and safety of many and the
environment of us all. There are also many locations on this
planet where oil companies, service companies and waste
management companies are doing a fantastic job.
There is no doubt that the production of significant volumes
of hazardous oil waste streams (slops & sludge) by the oil
industry from offshore drilling, exploration and production
related activities has been one of the greatest challenges to be
overcome by the offshore industry over the last 25 years.
The daily volumes of hazardous liquid waste being

produced are continually on the increase, primarily due
to produced emulsions and increased flow back volumes
from poorer producing wells. Increasingly fracking, well
stimulation and water flooding is needed on a routine basis
to maintain production.
There are a range of activities surrounding the use and
removal of drilling mud within drilling and exploration
activities, and completion, production and work-over
operations. All of these generate significant volumes of oil
liquid waste, which comprises of heavily oil contaminated
liquid mixtures of fine solid particulates, water or brine,
cleaning chemistries, drilling mud and emulsified oils. This
particularly potent combination of ingredients results in a
veritable soup that contaminates all equipment and storage
Technology
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
17
tanks it comes into contact with, which results in further
cleaning being required at many points downstream, thus
generating additional volumes of slop waste.
The waste is notoriously difficult to treat, especially so at
the site of production. Given the large volumes containing
high proportions of emulsified fine solids, water and oil
present in the material it can be highly viscous, cause line
and pump blockages resulting in significant rig downtime,
plugs filter media, and minimises the amount of oil and clean
water that can be recovered. As a result the large majority
of this waste is simply contained for transport back to shore
for treatment and disposal as hazardous waste, resulting in a
significant onshore headache.
In remote and developing regions this aspect is even more
 In one production facility alone waste volumes in the last four years have
been reduced by 86 per cent, saving the facility over $12 million in waste
disposal costs. In addition, over 2000MT of high quality crude oil have been
recovered and recycled from the waste stream in the process, boosting the
profitability of the operation still further
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas

problematic since the extensive infrastructure necessary to
18 cope with this waste may not actually be present (yet) or
available at onshore locations near to quayside facilities.
Ultimately this leads to a logistical challenge to continually
transport thousands of tons of hazardous waste over
large distances by road or rail, so that it can be treated at
appropriate fixed and installed waste transfer stations before
the solids fraction can be disposed of to landfill or used as
aggregate for construction for example.
Very often the infrastructure is not only lacking in
presence but is also less developed, which increases the
opportunities for accidents, environmental problems and
other HS&E issues.
During the transport process yet more waste is produced,
as these transport facilities and infrastructure also require
cleaning. The dirty slops produced add to the total volume of
the waste. This of course is in addition to the significant costs
being incurred by operators, service companies and waste
management companies to fund and sustain this operation.
Drilling mud (itself typically an emulsion) displaced and
removed from surfaces through the use of solvents and
emulsion forming cleaning products forms more emulsions
in place through daily operational procedures. The lack of
apparent effective and economic solutions to treat these
hazardous waste streams at the point of production results
in huge mountains of waste being contained and transported
back to shore for treatment and disposal every year.
The liquid waste is typically contained and shipped to
shore for potential treatment using a variety of traditional
techniques, all of which struggle to rise to the challenge due
to the nature of the waste itself. Filtration media clog up
rapidly due to the high amount of fine solids present, and
energy intensive methods such as thermal treatment both
lack the high throughput capabilities required and tend to
lose economic efficiency as the proportions of oil and water
increase in the waste stream.
Furthermore, traditional chemical treatment by way of
pH adjustment with emulsion breaking chemistries used
in gravity separation techniques tends not to be robust
to significant variances in the waste stream, and is both
unpredictable and has limited effect as a result.
According to a recent World Bank Report there are
currently some nine billion tons of drilling and production
waste residing in various onshore storage facilities, pits and
lagoons awaiting treatment. This fact is testament to the
failure of the industry collectively to think ahead on the issue.
This monumental legacy reflects poorly on the sector,
which proclaims in the public domain to maintain high
standards of environmental awareness and the employment
of best practice and best available technology wherever

possible. Is it any wonder people are reluctant to allow
fracking near their homes, playgrounds and forests? We
simply have to work twice as hard to show society what we
can do, how we will do it and show people how we have
done it in other places.
These volumes of hazardous waste serve to provide
a significant ongoing risk and a serious liability issue to
the producers of such waste. Many governments are now
exerting increasing pressure on oil operators to tackle this
issue due to the risks associated with producing, transporting
and storing hazardous wastes of this type for long distances
and over extended periods of time – not to mention the
dumping of this waste without employing any attempts
whatsoever to treat it. This position is surely unacceptable in
the industry in which we operate?
Surface Active Solutions (SAS) has developed
Microemulsion Injection and Separation Technology (MIST)
to aid in the prevention and management of these liquid
waste streams. Our partnerships with many global, regional
and local services companies and waste management
businesses have produced a process of chemically enhanced
centrifugation that has been successfully developed to treat
both drilling waste and emulsified crude oil waste streams.
It uses proven engineering that provides a high throughput
waste treatment and oil recovery process for the treatment
Technology
of oily slops using conventional solids control equipment to
recover high value oil, water or brine, and virtually clean solids
without the need for using energy intensive methodologies.
This process has been adapted for the offshore drilling
market to tackle the problem ‘at source’ and has been used
and demonstrated thus far at onshore fixed installations to
treat over 50,000MT of drilling, exploration and production
waste transported from the field. In one production facility
alone waste volumes in the last four years have been reduced
by 86 per cent, saving the facility over $12 million in waste
disposal costs. In addition, over 2000MT of high quality
crude oil have been recovered and recycled from the waste
stream in the process, boosting the profitability of the
operation still further.
In many cases more traditional chemistries are still used in
these key application areas and the creation of large volumes
of liquid slop waste unfortunately still remains common. In
such situations microemulsion technology can be applied to
the slop waste on the rig site. The treatment approach can be
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
designed to fit within a standard size container and typically
consists of a chemical injection system in combination with
static inline mixing and centrifugation methods.
The microemulsion product breaks the slop waste
generated through the use of standard cleaning products and
is passed through a decanter centrifuge for recovery of the
solids phase. The liquids can then be separated under gravity
European oil & gas
or by conventional hydrocyclones to recover the oil phase for
recycling. The water fraction can once again be filtered and
may be discharged on site.
It is important to point out that we at SAS merely provide
the tools to the industry. Not even the industry, but rather, the
people in the industry. Having worked in this exciting, often
chaotic, amazing oil industry, I have met many great people 19
at all levels. All of who are looking for the right tools, and to
show the world what they can do if provided with the right
tools and the opportunity to use them.
Fracking is bringing the oil industry increasingly close
to all our homes. We either show the world how it is done
or we will not be given the opportunity to even try. At SAS
we have an environmental background. I graduated an
Environmental Engineer at the Van Hall Institute in Holland.
I believe technology and attitude can make these things
happen in an economic and profitable manner and we will
continue to work and do our bit.
Surface
Active Solutions
Mark Zwinderman is commercial director and co-founder of Surface
Active Solutions, a leading provider of highly effective chemistries
that simplify cleaning, treating and disposal processes. Since
2000 the business has been offering unique chemistries to the oil
and gas industry for the cleaning of oil contaminated waste, drill
cuttings, drilling muds, heavy crude oil sludge, and refinery waste.
For further information please visit:
surfaceactive.com
 perspective
Industry
The decommissioning industry
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
in the North Sea is continuing to grow at a
considerable rate, with analysts predicting
activity levels of £4.5 billion between now
and 2017. This increase means that Decom
North Sea (DNS), the organisation that was
established to represent the North Sea’s oil and
gas decommissioning industry, is set to play an
European oil & gas
increasingly important role.
Accordingly, over the last year the forum has
been at the forefront of the industry, spearheading
a number of initiatives and programmes designed
to support long-term growth. These include
a standard template for decommissioning
20 programmes that will be used by operators to
obtain approval for decommissioning operations
in the North Sea, a joint industry project
aimed at promoting the reuse of key items
of equipment, remuneration models and the
encouragement of greater knowledge transfer and
market information between organisations and
companies in the industry.
The latter point remains a key objective
for DNS as it strives to promote greater
understanding and communication between
entities to encourage the sharing of best practice,
Decom Offshore was technological innovations and methods of
designed to provide overcoming challenges. While the organisation
a collaborative has a number of methods of achieving this, a
industry perspective major role is played by the various events that
on the key are planned and hosted by DNS each year.
challenges facing For example, its annual decommissioning
conference, which in 2012 was jointly hosted by
the decommissioning
DNS and Oil & Gas UK was a great success and
sector over the
attracted leading industry figures from around
coming years
the world with the sole purpose of sharing
decommissioning knowledge and participating
in interactive discussions on topical issues.
In fact, the success of the conference has led
DNS to create a new event – Decom Offshore
2013 – held in March this year. “Decom Offshore
was designed to provide a collaborative industry
perspective on the key challenges facing the
decommissioning sector over the coming years.
Groups of our operators and main contractors,
working together, outlined the main issues
relating to the sub-surface, subsea, infrastructure
removal and onshore disposal phases of a typical
decommissioning programme,” explains DNS’
CEO Brian Nixon.
“The event was designed to be highly interactive
and each session included open discussion
and debate. Importantly, it allowed individual
supply chain companies to validate and clarify
points of importance as they arose, meaning that
they will have much greater confidence in their
respective business opportunities. Furthermore,
Decom Offshore 2013 served to highlight
emerging technologies and techniques from
decommissioning specialists, helping to introduce
operators and major contractors to sources of
talent and expertise.”
The nature of the event was such that
encouragement and collaboration was centre
stage. As Brian comments: “Whilst it may be
possible to anticipate some of the challenges
likely to be highlighted, we purposefully
organised the event in such a way that
experienced representatives from our industry
identified and articulated the outcomes.”
Decom Offshore 2013 is just one example
of the hard work that DNS engages in when
supporting the growth and development of the
North Sea decommissioning industry. “It’s just
one of the initiatives that we deliver throughout
the year,” says Brian. “For example, we have
also established a special interest group with
companies in the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft

area to address the particular challenges and
opportunities relating to the lighter weight
assets in the Southern North Sea. We also lead
regular learning journeys to Norway, Denmark,
the Netherlands and key regions of the UK,
and have recently completed our first visit to
Louisiana to research synergies and approaches
used in the active Gulf of Mexico market.”
Alongside these developments, DNS continues
to work towards the initiatives mentioned earlier
in this article. One of the initiatives to come
out over the last year was the development
and introduction of a standard template for
decommissioning programmes that will now
be used by operators to obtain approval for
all decommissioning projects in the North
Sea sector. The standard template was the
result of six months of collaborative work and
was facilitated by DNS and supported by the
Department of Energy and Climate Change
(DECC) and a working group of DNS member
companies (BP, CNR International, Talisman,
Marathon Oil, GP Decom and Optimus Decom),
with additional input from Perenco and Wood
Group PSN.
Speaking to European Oil and Gas earlier
this year, Brian highlighted this initiative as an
excellent example of the collaborative spirit
across the industry and was highly positive
about the benefits it would bring to the industry.
Updating us on the progress, he explains: “The
Standard Decommissioning Programme has now
been formally endorsed by the UK regulators
and has been used by two operators for different
types of asset. The Template is now live on both
DNS and DECC websites with operators being
encouraged to adopt it during 2013 before it is
expected to become mandatory. It is hoped that
in time this Template could also be adopted for
DECOMMISSIONING FOCUS
use in other European countries (albeit with
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
some minor alterations perhaps being needed),
helping operators and contractors alike to Over the next five
standardise their efforts across the North Sea.” to ten years we
All of these projects are progressing well,
believe that there
underpinned by the aims of DNS and its desire
will be some acute
to improve and support the industry. One of
capacity restraints
those aims, and a spirit that Brian is always
and pinch points that
European oil & gas
keen to pursue is that of collaboration. “There
may have a bearing
is encouraging evidence of collaboration in
many areas,” he says. “With work underway
on the industry
to map out the full supply chain, share
due to increased
experience through case studies, consider
activity in all of the
technology improvement, and establish joint operating sectors
venture arrangements to reduce the number of 21
contracting interfaces. Cost remains a challenge
for operators and taxpayers alike, with some
parties looking for game-changing approaches to
these complex projects.”
If this spirit of collaboration continues, there
is little doubt that the decommissioning sector
in the North Sea will grow in a positive fashion
despite any possible challenges. One that Brian
highlights is the potential pinch points and
restraints in terms of capacity. “Over the next
five to ten years we believe that there will be
some acute capacity restraints and pinch points
that may have a bearing on the industry due to
increased activity in all of the operating sectors.
We will shortly conclude two consultancy
projects; one is intended to provide an
assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of
the supply chain, while the second will hopefully
provide an assessment of possible future capacity
constraints. We hope these analyses will be
complete by April.” With DNS maintaining its For further
role at the forefront of the decommissioning information
industry, there is little doubt that 2013 looks to please visit
be a busy, and exciting year. decomnorthsea.com

expertise
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Complete
European oil & gas
Cape
Industrial
Services
Andy Dawson, operations director
22 at Cape Industrial Services, said
the provision of safe systems
for access had been a key
consideration for Heerema during
the Ekofisk project.
"Cape supplied scaffolding
hardware and systems which
facilitated safe access to elements
of the assets at Ekofisk, deploying
trained staff certified to SG4:10,
TG:20 and Construction Industry
Safety Scaffolders Record Scheme
(CITB) standards.
"With scaffolding systems in place,
this allowed Heerema and its
contractors to proceed with works
on Ekofisk with minimal risk,
which is a vital consideration in
any decommissioning project."
Heerema Marine Contractors
(HMC) is a world leading marine contractor
operating in the international offshore oil
and gas industry. The business, which is
headquartered in Leiden in the Netherlands,
excels at transporting, installing and removing
offshore facilities such as fixed and floating
structures, subsea pipelines and other
infrastructure in shallow, deep and ultra-deep
waters. The company has expertise across
the complete supply chain and prides itself
on its excellence in project management and
engineering delivered by a passionate and
experienced workforce.
HMC belongs to the Heerema Group, and
can trace its history back to the late 1940s/
early 1950s when the company was originally
carrying out construction and installation work
in South America. From this initial work the
business has built continued experience in
working with drilling and construction platforms
and installations, registering many important
developments in the industry. For example, in the
1960s the company was a pioneer in the use of
crane vessels in the fledgling North Sea oil and gas
industry, it also commissioned and successfully
operated the world’s first semi-submersible crane
vessels (SSCVs) to increase heavy-lift capacity and
operability in the North Sea.
While these developments occurred largely
under the Heerema umbrella, in 1997 Heerema
Marine Contractors formerly commenced
operations as an individual business division,
using three fully owned and operated SSCVs
that had become in high demand in the North
Sea in previous years. Always mindful of staying
ahead of the industry, the business converted
one of these vessels, the SCCV Balder, into an
advanced deepwater construction vessel (DCV)
in order to cope with increased market demand.
Subsequently, over the last decade HMC has
become a recognised expert in the deepwater
field, executing many unique projects, setting
a number of industry records and establishing
itself as a leader in deepwater full field
developments (including subsea infrastructure).
Today, HMC’s services can loosely be divided
into four categories – decommissioning and
removal, heavy-lift, float-over and the previously
mentioned deepwater work. For the latter
the company has the capacity to provide a
complete solution to clients, encompassing
design, procurement, and installation and
testing of infrastructure used in deepwater
field developments. Through more than five
decades the business has developed tried and
tested methods of operating, using installation
procedures that enable operators to install
deepwater infrastructure while maintaining
excellent safety standards.
The company offers a number of key products
in the deepwater field: mooring systems,
export pipelines, flowlines and risers, in-line
structures and subsea tie-backs and installation
of floaters, and currently operates two deepwater
construction vessels. At present a third vessel,
the DCV Aegir, is under construction and is due
to become operational in the Gulf of Mexico
towards the end of 2013.
More recently, the decommissioning sector
has been a fast growing industry through the
global oil and gas sector, and it is one that HMC
has been able to turn its experience and skill
to easily. In this field the company performs
turnkey platform decommissioning and removal
services such as topsides removal and offloading,
jacket preparatory work, pile cutting/soil plug
removal/conductor removal, and jacket removal
and offloading. All of these services are carried
out using reverse installation methods.
HMC is currently working on the removal
of platforms in the Ekofisk development in the
North Sea, which is the largest contract ever
awarded in HMC’s history. ConocoPhillips
Skandinavia contracted HMC to decommission,
remove and dispose of/recycle nine platforms
 PROFILE
located in the Greater Ekofisk area between
2008 and 2014, with all work scheduled to
be carried out by the SSCV Hermod, SSCV
Thialf and DCV Balder vessels. Representing a
challenging undertaking, the project is divided
into four phases:
66 Phase one – platform surveys by helicopter
66 Phase two – platform made safe (and hook
down preparations)
66 Phase three – topsides removal and disposal
66 Phase four – jacket removal and disposal
Being in the North Sea means that the
project is being carried out in particularly harsh
conditions. The water depth on location varies
between 70 and 90 metres, and the jacket
weights vary between 3000 and 9000 metric
tonnes and have been removed according to the
Single Piece Jacket removal methodology. Each
of the nine platforms to be decommissioned has
numerous topsides, varying between six and
16 per platform, with the topsides weighing
between 100 and 200 metric tonnes. As with all
Heerema Marine Contractors
HMC’s projects, safety is paramount throughout
the operation and all work is being carried out
to the highest Norwegian standards. Alongside More recently, the
the Ekofisk project HMC has also carried out decommissioning
decommissioning work at NW Hutton, Mars, sector has been a
Froy and Brent Spar in the North Sea. fast growing industry
Whichever area of the industry HMC works through the global
in, its dedication to quality, safety and the highest oil and gas sector,
skills and techniques available place it among the and it is one that
leaders in its field. Looking ahead, the business HMC has been able
retains this position by staying aware of market
to turn its experience
developments or growing market sectors –
and skill to easily
decommissioning being a good example of this.
Alongside decommissioning, deepwater and
ultra-deepwater operations are also planned
to grow in line with the industry and at the
end of 2012 HMC signed a worldwide alliance
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
agreement with Technip in order to combine Heerema
capabilities and develop in this market. Being Marine Contractors
recognised as a skilled and experienced partner heerema.com
in each of the markets it operates in stands
HMC in good stead to continue developing as a Services
successful business in the future. Marine contractor
European oil & gas
23

service
First class
ASCO is the leading provider of integrated
offshore support and logistics services to the
oil and gas industry. The company, which has
operations in the UK, Norway, Holland, the US,
Canada, Australia, India, the Caspian, Oman,
Singapore and Trinidad, prides itself on tirelessly
working to provide the best possible customer
service levels. This aim, combined with the
highest standards of quality, safety and efficiency,
underpins all of ASCO’s extensive services.
“As a sales and services company, customer
service has to be at the forefront of everything
we do,” confirms Andrew MacDonald, CEO
of ASCO Europe. “Not only do we constantly
examine the way in which we can improve our
services but we continuously look to ways in
which we can make it safer, more reliable, more
efficient and effective in order to reduce the risk
that customers import into their operations by
doing business with us.
“We play a role that is often ‘mission critical’,
PROFILE ASCO
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
it may be low profile, but we provide services
that are essential to our clients, so from the start
this approach has been key to our success and
European oil & gas
the way that we have evolved as a business. So,
we’ve built upon a reasonably simple business
model of adding value to our customer services
by providing clients with the benefits of our
fully integrated offering. We can leverage those
services by focusing on extremely high levels of 25
client service and the management of safety in
the workplace.”
This attitude has been crucial to ASCO’s
success and instrumental in building the
company’s excellent reputation in the industry,
which is respected by clients worldwide. “We
have worked hard to build lasting relationships,”
Andrew says. “In fact, in some respects it is
easier to name who we don’t work with than
who we do, but our customer base covers all
of the key operators in the market, as well as
a large majority of the tier one contractors. As
a service company, however, we feel that it is
important to always look to ways of improving
our services, and this is something that we have
really worked on recently.
“Over the last 12 months for example, we
have really ramped up our whole attitude
to customer service even further. For a long
time we have built our business on the solid
principle of delivery of value for our customers
- if it doesn’t deliver value to our clients then
we don’t want to think about it. So, this year
we have enhanced our customer service
 European oil & gas europeanoilandgas.co.uk

26

team quite considerably by investing in and
recruiting managers that have specific skills in
certain areas of customer service development.
We’ve implemented ‘client advisory boards’
where we listen to our customers in terms of
gathering feedback, and we have also launched
our Knowledge Zone, which establishes
and identifies best practices, processes and
procedures all built into a commercially
attractive model. All of this enables our clients
to get the advantages of ASCO’s experience and
shared learning over the years.”
ASCO’s experience, skill and knowledge
extends across its service portfolio, enabling the
business to provide a fully integrated range of
logistics services both on-and offshore. “In terms
of our European capabilities we have a fairly
comprehensive network of bases that we provide
our services from,” Andrew comments. “We
operate from a number of locations stretching
from the Shetlands, down past Peterhead and
Aberdeen in Scotland and Great Yarmouth, and
these are our key onshore supply bases. In the
UK we also have a presence in Edinburgh where
we are developing our capabilities in the onshore
drilling services and support market, as well as
an advanced waste treatment transfer station
that supports our environmental management
business in Shetland.
“On the continent, we have a base in Ijmuiden
in the Netherlands, from which we principally
support drill units with their waste activities
in the Dutch sector, and we also have a strong
presence in the Norwegian market supporting
oil and gas operations on the Norwegian
Continental Shelf (NCS). This stretches from
the South right up to the North of the country,
where we are well positioned to capitalise on the
future developments in the Arctic regions. Our
services really cover the full chain, so offshore
logistics services, onshore quayside support
- supported by extensive warehousing and
management systems, personnel management
and placement services, ships agency solutions,
training and support operations, and then
ancillary services such as cranage, road transport,
software services and inventory management.”
The business is also involved in waste
management, which it provides through
Enviroco, its specialist environmental services
business. “Most recently Enviroco has brought
an award winning tank cleaning system to the
market,” highlights Andrew. “Tank cleaning
is an extremely hazardous operation onboard
vessels and this new system is all about reducing
PROFILE ASCO
the risk for all involved. We really took a step
back to look how we could make this safer and
after significant investment the system has been ASCO’s experience,
introduced to the market with much success. skill and knowledge
The key aim was finding the balance in reducing extends across its
the risk to the personnel involved, while at the service portfolio,
same time improving the standards of service enabling the
that the customer gets in order to maximise their business to provide
asset utilisation.” a fully integrated
Related to waste management and recycling range of logistics
is the growing North Sea decommissioning
services both on-and
market, an area that ASCO has been closely
offshore
involved with. Not only is the business well
ARR Craib
Transport
Ltd
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
ARR Craib was established in
1983. Today it has a turnover
of £45 million+, 370 employees
and operates the largest general
transport fleet in Scotland. It has
bases in Aberdeen, Cumbernauld
and NE England. ARR Craib
enjoys an exemplary record on
safety and legal compliance.
European oil & gas
The company understands the
placed to grow with the sector it is also a unique demands placed on the
member of industry body Decom North Sea. transport provider by oil and
gas, and believes that with its
“Decommissioning is an interesting market,” experience it is uniquely placed
says Andrew. “It is certainly going to grow and to meet those while ensuring its
when it does, as a service company it is our job clients’ objectives are met.
to ensure that the infrastructure is available on a ARR Craib is proud to have
27
provided ASCO with transport
commercially sensitive basis by making certain services for over ten years.
that we have the people, the technology and
the preparedness to assist and support in a cost-
effective, efficient and sound and safe fashion.”
Decommissioning is set to be just one area
of growth for ASCO moving forward, as the
business continues to flourish in each of its
four regional sectors; Europe, the Americas,
Australasia and the Middle East/North Africa.
“In Europe, in terms of the future we will
continue to focus on service development and
new ways of improving our customer service
as well as our internal processes and employee
communications and development. We are the
market leader and we have to continue to work
very hard to maintain that position for the long-
term. The bottom line is that we are a service
company, and so we must always be improving ASCO
that service to remain competitive. We have ascoworld.com
a fantastic pool of knowledge and experience
in the business and so if we can continue to Services
understand what our customers want, and how Integrated logistics
we can deliver that, then I have no doubt that solutions
we will grow as a business,” Andrew concludes.

waste line
Watching the
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Simon
Storage
European oil & gas
Simon’s UK Terminals have the
capacity to manage wastes from
all kinds of industrial processes
including the storage, receipt
and dispatch of wastes arising
from North Sea offshore oil and
gas production. Enviroco, in
28 partnership with Simon Storage,
has developed a comprehensive
solution for the management
of large volumes of produced
water resulting from oil and gas
exploration, production and
decommissioning operations in
the North Sea, ensuring the safe
onshore transfer and temporary
storage of produced water.
Providing innovative waste
management solutions, Enviroco is one of the
leading waste management companies in the
UK, with increasing worldwide capabilities. Its
main aim is to deliver value, with unrivalled
focus on safety and environmental performance.
The services available from Enviroco fall into
three areas - waste and resource management,
industrial services and oil and gas. In the latter
sector, the company is the leading provider
of waste management and industrial cleaning
services to the oil and gas industry in the UK.
Indeed, since its formation in 1998, it has
continually developed the business in response to
the dynamic and challenging needs of the oil and
gas industry – and as a result, it has become the
recognised expert within this specialised field. Its
operations, facilities, processes and systems have
all been specifically designed and constructed
to meet the rigorous standards within the oil
and gas sector, and the ‘Enviroco package’
encompasses all of the waste management,
industrial cleaning and specialised services and
support that the oil and gas industry demands.
The company has extensive oil and gas sector
support assets, including its purpose-built waste
management centres, direct discharge quayside
locations and unique oil and gas technologies.
Furthermore, its specialised treatment
technologies for drilling muds, slops and
effluents, as well as its new Naturally Occurring
Radioactive Material (NORM) de-scaling facility,
ensure that its facilities are not only conveniently
located, but also comprehensively equipped.
As part of its oil and gas provision, Enviroco
is very active in the decommissioning of oil and
gas facilities. This process is necessary when
the structures or fields have reached the end of
their useful life. Various options are assessed
before a decommissioning plan is created,
which then must be approved by government
before implementation. When undertaking
decommissioning projects for the removal
and disposal of installations, careful planning,
organisation and communication is critical to
ensure successful and incident-free completion
of the works.
The business has developed a comprehensive
offering to support the decommissioning of
redundant offshore oil and gas structures at
the end of their life span. Its specialised waste
management package for decommissioning can
be delivered through its quayside facilities located
in Aberdeen, Peterhead and Great Yarmouth.
This can also be organised through Enviroco’s
wider partner network at any port reception
facility, including locations such as the Shetland
Isles, or the North East of England. Finally it is
also able to work closely with its parent company,
ASCO Group, to provide a total supply chain
solution to decommissioning projects.
With increasing experience in this developing
field, Enviroco is able to offer a safe and
environmentally-focused solution that will provide
clients with technical support and guidance in this
challenging and complex process.
Enviroco is also keen to share its experience
and highlight its expertise in decommissioning
in waste management, and at an event in May
2013 the company’s bid and marketing manager,
Graham Heaton, spoke about the topic at the
East of England Energy Group’s (EEEGR)
Special Interest Group (SIG).
The event took place at the Orbis Energy
Centre in Lowestoft, and also featured talks
with representatives from AKD Engineering
and Claxton. This was the third meeting of the
SIG, which was formed to raise awareness of the
business opportunities of Southern North Sea
(SNS) decommissioning for organisations within
the East of England.
Graham Heaton talked about Enviroco’s
experience of managing waste from
decommissioning projects, and the company’s
redevelopment of its Great Yarmouth waste site.
Established in 2001, this waste transfer and
treatment centre services the needs of the oil
and gas sector, as well as other markets such as
 PROFILE ENVIROCO

energy, retail, manufacturing and education and
local authorities. The site was upgraded in order
to meet increasing demand.
Alongside decommissioning, Enviroco also
offers several other services to oil and gas
customers, such as produced water management,
drill cuttings, drilling mud treatment plant and
mercury management.
The produced water management solution
has been developed in partnership with Simon
Storage. The two companies have created a
comprehensive solution for the management
of large volumes of the resulting produced
water from North Sea oil and gas exploration,
production and decommissioning activities.
Some produced water may not meet the
stringent offshore standards to be discharged
Simon Storage facilities. These facilities, located
on the east coast of England, allow for deliveries
of large quantities by vessel, direct to a single Alongside
offload point. decommissioning,
This specialised service offering, in partnership Enviroco also offers
with Simon Storage, further demonstrates several other
Enviroco’s commitment to supporting the services to oil and
oil and gas market with innovative, safe and gas customers, such
compliant solutions for the management of as produced water
waste materials from exploration, production management, drill
and decommissioning activities.
cuttings, drilling
It is clear that Enviroco has worked
mud treatment
incredibly hard since it was founded in order
plant and mercury
to create invaluable waste management
management
solutions. But perhaps most importantly, the
company recognises that its people are the
key to the business’ success. As a result, it

europeanoilandgas.co.uk
to sea and so will be required to be transferred employs a highly skilled workforce, including
onshore for treatment and disposal. In some some of the industry’s highest achievers. The Enviroco
cases, produced water may also contain NORM. company is rightly proud of its people, and enviroco.co.uk
Enviroco’s produced water management their aspirations to succeed – and it actively
service ensures the safe onshore transfer and supports and develops all staff, from shop floor Services
temporary storage of produced water, using to boardroom. Waste management

European oil & gas

29
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
future
Investing in the
European oil & gas
Headquartered in Aberdeen
privately owned group of companies Ferguson
Group was established in 1976 to service the
container and accommodation demands of
companies in the North Sea oil and gas industry.
30 Today the group employs over 180 people at
its offices and facilities around the world. “Our
main bases are in the UK, Norway, Singapore,
Australia and the Middle East,” states Hayley
Yule, group-marketing manager at Ferguson
Group. “We also have partners in Kenya,
Ghana, Kazakhstan, Trinidad, India, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, East Timor and
New Zealand.”
, The group has enjoyed incredible success
over the last ten years, with turnover
exceeding £50 million in 2011. As demand
has increased for its high quality, innovative
and versatile products, the group has invested
in new yards, offices and facilities across the
globe, as Hayley elaborates: “We needed larger
facilities to continue our work; in July 2011
we moved into a new purpose built head office
and yard in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, which
was followed by a new purpose-built yard and
offices in Perth, Australia in January 2012, a
new office complex was opened in Tananger,
Norway in March 2012 and new offices were
opened in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
2012, and we have just moved to a bigger yard
in Singapore earlier this year, things are very
positive for the Ferguson Group.”
Dedicated to offering a flexible and personal
service, Ferguson Group’s success has been
achieved by listening to the market and also the
unique demands of its customers, which has
resulted in high quality, innovative products
that improve the safety, comfort and efficiency
of those working in the oil and gas sector.
The group recently announced a new product
at the 14th Asian Oil, Gas & Petrochemical
Engineering (OGA) exhibition and conference,
which took place in Malaysia from June 5 – 7 at
the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The exhibition gave Ferguson Group
Singapore the opportunity to showcase its fleet
and introduce the new six metre accommodation
module that is specifically designed for
customers working in southern hemisphere
conditions. “All of our accommodation modules
are certified to DNV 2.7-1 / EN 12079 and are
designed and manufactured in-house to IS0
9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards,
so we control the design and quality of the
modules ourselves. We are very flexible and
listen to our customers, working alongside
them and taking on-board their comments
to meet their requirements.” The new six-
metre accommodation module offers a safe
and comfortable living space for two to four
personnel through the development of a new
internal fit out, an attractive and relaxing interior
and dual or individual air-conditioning systems
with individual thermostatic control.
With an increase in upgrade and maintenance
work being carried out in the North Sea and
on an international scale, Ferguson Group has
been offering its services to major oil and gas
companies around the world; accommodation
projects have included a 48-person
accommodation complex complete with an
office and medic module, as well as a galley and
food store module for the Angel platform in the
North West shelf of Australia. All modules were
fitted with en-suite facilities, including under
floor heating in wet units, desk and seating
areas, two sets of bunks, high quality fittings and
fixtures and contemporary colour schemes. All
cabins were fitted with advanced integrated split
HVAC systems and a PLC (Programme Logic
Control) fire and gas detection system.
Focused on the continued innovation and
evolution of its product range, a recent product
to be launched is the group’s new six-metre dual
zone refrigerated/chiller container from IceBlue
Refrigeration Offshore, a specialist in providing
refrigeration and freezer solutions and a member
of Ferguson Group. Following extensive market
research, the new product was developed to
offer a flexible solution for transporting a range
of perishable foodstuff with specific storage
condition requirements in one container.
“This dual zone container offers customers
two compartments, so they could have one
refrigerator area and another for frozen products.
The container operates this from memory, with
temperatures ranging from minus 30 to plus 20
degrees,” highlights James Scullion, Business
Development – IceBlue Refrigeration Offshore.
PROFILE Ferguson Group
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
A major product for the group, which boasts a
wide range of innovative features, is its offshore
container division’s closed mud skips. Designed
A major product for
to improve health and safety standards and the
efficient containment of drilling waste for its
the group, which
boasts a wide
European oil & gas
transportation to treatment or disposal sites, the
DNV 2.7-1/EN 12079 fully certified 3.6 cubic
range of innovative
metre closed mud skips are also designed to features, is its
meet NORSOK S-002N requirements to improve offshore container
health and safety. The product has been designed division’s closed mud
to reduce the risk of injury to personnel using skips. Designed to
this product; it has a lightweight aluminium improve health and 31
lid to prevent injuries when it is opened and safety standards
has been developed to ensure there is no need and the efficient
for personnel to climb on it, which eliminates containment of
the risk of falls, and is designed so that its drilling waste for
forklift pockets prevent any foreign bodies from its transportation to
the ground falling on personnel when being treatment or disposal
transported. sites
On top of the health and safety benefits,
the group has looked at issues in the oil and
gas industry and found solutions, such as
a lid sealing system that seals the unit and
prevents water entering the mud skip during
transportation and a drainage plug to remove
any excess fluid, thus preventing the mud skip
going over its payload weight.
Following an impressive 35 years of growth
in the business, the group’s strategic plan is to
Ferguson Group
ferguson-group.com
continue its international expansion and also
develop a foothold wherever there is demand.
Services
These recent investments and developments in Specialist in the rental of
new facilities and offices, as well as its innovative containers, refrigeration/
product range, will enable Ferguson Group to chiller, accommodation
continue meeting the increasing demands of its and engineering modules
customers well into the future.

Access all
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Megarme , which was
founded in 1993 in the UAE, is
a specialist rope access solutions
provider that offers turnkey
inspection, repair and maintenance
services to clients throughout the Middle East.
European oil & gas
The company currently operates from offices in
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, covering the wider
GCC through agency agreements, and it has
plans in place to open a fourth facility in Saudi
Arabia in 2014. Megarme serves clients through
two distinct divisions - the access division and
32 the inspection and engineering division.
This year marks Megarme’s 20th anniversary,
and as managing director Billy Harkin explains,
it has built a strong reputation based on a
number of key factors: “Reliability, quality and
safety,” he says. “We have consistently been
delivering project after project on time and to
budget for two decades now and our clients
know that they can always rely on us to get the
job done. We have always been a strong brand
synonymous with these qualities, but it was a
management buyout in 2006 and the subsequent
setup of the divisional structure in the business
that has allowed the group to achieve the
considerable growth that we’ve had, and to
position ourselves as a leader and innovator
within our chosen industries.”
Throughout this more recent period, Megarme
has aligned its objectives and consolidated its
business in order to achieve continued growth.
Importantly, as Billy explains, the business has
built longstanding relationships with clients,
a factor that he earmarks as important to the
company’s success. “We have seen a lot of
competitors come and go during this time,
areas
but I believe that clients want to deal with an
organisation that they can build long-term
relations with for many years to come.
“We have ensured excellent client retention
within all sectors, which historically are
shipyards, rig operators, asset owners and
construction companies who have to work
within tight timelines and budgets,” he
continues. “We represent a one-stop-shop for
all of their work at height requirements, which
not only means single source contracting for
ease of business, but results in other benefits,
such as huge cost savings, a lower headcount on
site, one time mobilisation/demobilisation and
less bed and deck space required offshore. We
always work closely with our clients to meet their
objectives and understand their needs in terms of
their main drivers, so time, money and quality.”
Operationally, each of the company’s two
divisions provides distinct advantages to clients.
“The evolution of our access division has meant
that we now look at complete access solutions
from a 360 degree perspective,” says Billy. “Our
philosophy is simple, we try to cater to the
complete access requirements of our clients.
So, that means consulting with them to ensure
they are always getting the best solution. For
example, we can facilitate a turnkey solution
to even the most complex access challenge,
whether it is conventional rope access, tension
net and deck systems, training solutions, or even
a hybrid of all of the above. In conjunction with
this we can also provide all of the trades and
disciplines required to execute any job scope,
and can also allow third party services to gain
entry and egress the area if necessary.”
Megarme has invested considerably in its

inspection and engineering division in order to
construct and approve an RT bunker facility that
would position it as a first tier inspection and
engineering contractor. “This is a mandatory
requirement to store and transport the isotopes
necessary to carry out radiographic testing,
which is one of the NDT disciplines required
under the long-term inspection contracts in our
region,” highlights Billy. “The process took some
time and investment for the construction, as
well as the stringent new regulations that were
being implemented by the newly formed Federal
Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), but
since then we have secured a couple of long-term
inspection contracts with Occidental in Qatar and
Total ABK in Abu Dhabi as well as other work
with international and local EPC contractors.”
Megarme is highly reputed for its safe, reliable
and high quality approach, a reputation that the
company maintains through stringent training
at its own state-of-the-art facility. “The Megarme
Training Center (MTC) is located in Dubai
Investment Park and is the best of its kind in the
region,” Billy adds. “It is an 18 metre high facility
that caters to the highest IRATA standards and
can be used for basic or bespoke WAH training
packages.”
Although Megarme has only been operational
for two decades, Billy admits that further growth
is high on the agenda. “As we approach the
halfway mark in 2013 our main focus is that we
stay on track to achieve our ambitious growth
targets, whilst staying within our budgets for the
year. As mentioned, we are opening our new
PROFILE Megarme
office in Saudi Arabia in 2014. Its a huge market
and a notoriously difficult one to penetrate, but
the regional knowledge that we have within the Megarme is highly
GCC gives us a huge advantage to overcome reputed for its safe,
the many challenges that are inherent with reliable and high
operating a specialist services company in this quality approach, a
part of the world. reputation that the
“We are also being presented with increasing company maintains
opportunities in North and West Africa, which through stringent
are being explored, and we have had a JV in training at its own
India for the last two years as well. Also, we state-of-the-art
work in the Caspian region through our partners facility
there, mobilising projects in Azerbaijan and
Kazakhstan, which are other growth areas for
us. Ultimately we want to continue to innovate
and grow at the trajectory we have been and
prove our replicable business model works
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
in a number of other countries in the MENA Megarme
region. I think that the next decade will be very megarme.com
interesting, and we are poised to accelerate
our growth and potential from the strong Services
foundations that we have established over the Specialist
last two decades,” he concludes. rope access solutions
European oil & gas
33

A diverse
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
Privately owned engineering and
manufacturing firm Sinopacific Offshore &
Engineering Co Ltd (SOE) has established solid
foundations and a strong reputation since its
inception in 2007. With a product portfolio
34 that spans four major sectors of the oil and
gas industry, gas transportation and storage,
offshore drilling, offshore cranes and offshore
production, and focuses on high technology
productions, positive partnerships with
established players and state-of-the-art facilities,
SOE anticipates a rise into the ranks as a key
Chinese player in this market.
“SOE is a young company, which was
established in 2006, since then we have invested
in completely new
facilities at the Qidong yard,
which took under two years to complete before
we launched in 2008. Today our core focus is
the oil and gas industry, where we provide LEG
carriers, LPG carriers and LNG middle-scale
carriers. We are also focused on the big offshore
equipment side such as large-scale cranes for
offloading and load outs in the offshore industry;
these range from 800 tonnes capacity to 5000
tonnes capacity. On the other hand, we also
work on topsides for vessels such as FPSOs and
FSOs and our shipyard is focused specifically on
topside process modules,” explains Kevin Zhu,
commercial director of SOE.
With a long-term agenda from the start to
join forces with strong, reputable clients, the
company has already established more than two
years experience and developed its business with
major companies in the market.
A major development for the company is
its recently signed high-profile contract with
Evergas for the design and construction of a
series of DRAGON 2750cbm medium-sized
LNG carriers. The state-of-the-art vessels are
constructed from an entirely new design and
were developed in-house by SOE’s design
department alongside Evergas. SOE’s Qidong
construction base will also design, engineer
and fabricate the LNG cargo tanks in full
co-operation with Wartsila and Wartsila Oil &
Gas Systems for the supply and installation of
the dual-fuel engines, gas plant system and LNG
fuel system on the vessels. “Evergas has been our
client since 2010, so we have learned to work
together for this LNG project,” states Kevin.
“This is also a one-off project with Wartsila,
where we are working together to deliver a
high-quality dual-fuel powered vessel that will
be a landmark in the industry.” In addition to
LNG, the ships will have the capabilities to carry
and reliquefy Ethane and LPG with the cargo-
handling package that Wartsila is supplying.
Anticipated to be groundbreaking and due
for delivery in 2015, the bespoke DRAGON
27500 LNG carriers are designed with features
 PROFILE Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering
specifically tailored for safe, efficient and
environmentally friendly operations. These
include LNG dual-fuel propulsion and an
optimised ECO hull design that will lower
emissions significantly, while the ballast water
treatment system has been designed to protect
the marine environment. To certify the green
vessel profile, the ships will receive Clean Ship
Notation, EEDI compliance, Green Passport,
NOx and Tier III compliance. “This is going to
be the first middle-sized LNG vessel in the world,
so it is a major current focus for us,” highlights
Kevin. “This is a tunkey project to provide the
design, construction and delivery of the vessel.
The design of the vessels is completely new and
was developed in-house, we will also design,
engineer and fabricate the LNG cargo tanks,
which are unique in the market. Using our own
engineering team, we have focused on training
our personnel in specialist skills to ensure we are
fully prepared for this kind of special project.”
With steel cutting due to begin at the end of
2013, the company is currently working on the
engineering and procurement in preparation for
the vessel’s delivery into the market in the first
quarter of 2015.
Benefitting from its diversity, SOE has been
focusing on offshore equipment contracts while
the market witnessed a lull in activity. “The market
has been very good for us, albeit a bit quiet for the
industry as a whole in the last two or three years.
During this time we have focused not only on
gas carriers, but also on some offshore equipment
projects. In the next few months we are expecting
to begin a number of projects in the international
market,” enthuses Kevin.
Keen to continue developing its staff and
service offering on an international scale, the
company’s shipyard was recently qualified by Sinopacific
Total for its quality control and quality systems,
Offshore &
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Engineering
thus allowing SOE to enter into a new phase of sinopacificoffshore.com
development. “Over the next three to five years
we are looking to improve our processing and Products
engineering capability so we can be a qualified Gas carriers, offshore
supply chain partner for all major oil companies cranes, offshore drilling
and oil suppliers,” concludes Kevin. and FPSO modules
European oil & gas
35
SOG_almaco_living_quarters_200x280mm.indd 1 6.5.2013 14.05
 PROFILE Port of Fujairah Authority
facility
Vital
The Port of Fujairah is the only
multi-purpose port on the eastern seaboard
of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located
approximately 70 nautical miles from the
Straits of Hormuz, the Port is positioned at the
crossroads of shipping lines between east and
west making it one of the Emirate’s most vital
facilities, as well as an important hub for the
market activities of the Indian sub-continent and
East Africa.
Construction of the port initially began in
1978 as part of the economic development of
the UAE, with full operations beginning in 1983,
giving it a long heritage in port and terminal
operations. Since then the Port has embarked on
a continuous process of enhancement to both its
facilities, and comprehensive range of services.
These include handling of general cargo, bulk
cargo, wet bulk cargo, container activity, and
facilities for small supply craft users and agents.
The Port benefits from a draft of 15-metres and
1.4 kilometre long main quay. It has a number
of different berths for container, general, and
bulk cargo, and two oil terminals commissioned
in 2006 and 2010 respectively. Oil Terminal
1 is home to three berths with the ability to
www.europeanoilandgas.co.uk
accommodate tankers of up to 110,000 tonnes,
whilst Oil Terminal 2 has four berths and a draft
of 18-metres allowing larger vessels to call.
Container operations at the port began in
1982, since which time it has built up a long
expertise in road relay, consolidation and
deconsolidation, sea/air cargo, and transhipment
European oil & gas
services. The Port’s alliance with DP World as
the concessionaries for container cargo has also
strengthened its position amongst the global
network of container ports.
In terms of more general cargo, the Port also
handles a significant proportion of the steel
billets, steel bars, copper concentrate, chrome 37
ore, iron ore, coal, bagged aluminium hydroxide,
and industrial salt which moves to and from
the UAE, GCC countries and beyond. A major
proportion of project cargo associated with
the UAE Federal Qidfa Desalination plant was
handled successfully through the Port.
As well as a paved storage area of 500,000
square metres which can accommodate general
and project cargo, cars, and containers, the Port
has additional compacted land of approximately
150,000 square metres available for temporary
pre-shipment or post-shipment storage.
Also present at the port is Fujairah Anchorage,
which offers an efficient and varied one-stop-
shop service for up to 100 vessels at any time.
Calling vessels can secure bunkering, ship supply,
ship repair, spare parts, and inspection services,
as well as crew changes to and from anchorage.
In order to keep accommodating the growing,
and diverse, volumes that look to take advantage
of its attractive location, the Port of Fujairah has
long subscribed to a strategy of investment. It
is not only the Authority itself though that sees
the benefit of this approach, private external
 European oil & gas europeanoilandgas.co.uk

38

companies also fund developments within the
port and surrounding area.
One notable project has been the completion
of the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP),
which will carry between one and 1.5 million
b/d per day via a 360-kilometre pipeline. This
feeds into 12 million bbl of storage capacity, and
then onto export through three subsea pipelines
and three single point mooring buoys for deep
water loading.
Another recent development is the UAE
Federal Grain Reserve, which in its first phase
contains 250,000 tonnes of grain silo storage,
conveyors, and load and discharge arms. Plans
are already in place for a second phase of
development that will see this capacity increased
to 750,000 tonnes.
Earlier this year a new observation tower was
inaugurated at the port in the midst of Fujairah
Bunkering Week 2013. Fifty-three metres in
height, the tower is shaped like the letter F of
the Port of Fujairah logo and equipped with
radars, navigation systems, and a state-of-the-art
system for calling vessels. It was constructed as
part of an ongoing programme to enhance the
port and increase its capacity to accommodate
more inbound and outbound operations.
The tower will also help the Port of Fujairah
to offer customer service that is on par with
international standards.
Furthermore the port has installed eight
Tideland SB-285P lateral mark buoys north of
the port to mark a new passage where the Port
Authority provides services for the ADCOP. The
buoys are equipped with SolaNOVA-65 self-
contained LED lanterns, the first to be supplied
in the Middle East, and AIS AtoN systems to
communicate with vessels in the vicinity. This
equipment transmits a range of information such
as its position to vessels approaching the port,
and sends a remote monitoring signal back to
base. These are picked up and routed through
to the AIS display system situated in the newly-
built observation tower.
Elsewhere, private companies are continuing
with the construction of additional tank storage
PROFILE Port of Fujairah Authority
With additional
berths also
scheduled for
delivery, and
projects like the
ADCOP coming to
fruition, oil is clearly
a target market for
the port when it
comes to making
to cater for trading and bunkering activity, and the best use of its
new terminal facilities. This is a particular point position
of focus for the Port which aims to raise capacity
from around six million cubic metres to ten
million by 2014. This is in response to booming
demand from the Middle East and Asia, which
www.europeanoilandgas.co.uk
could see the Port of Fujairah rival the world’s
top bunkering hubs.
With additional berths also scheduled for
delivery, and projects like the ADCOP coming
to fruition, oil is clearly a target market for
the port when it comes to making the best
use of its position. Also in the pipeline is the
new Fujairah Refinery, which is expected to
become operational around the end of 2016.
European oil & gas
It is designed initially to produce 200,000 b/d
per day, primarily using feedstock from the
ADCOP, but can also import different grades of
crude through the port. Planning has not only
focused on the facility itself, but also the services
required around it, particularly if products are to
be exported. 39
Even those sub-trends such as LNG, which
the Port may not be able to cater for directly
through its berth and storage structure, are still
being fulfilled in the area as a result of private
investment. At present a separate LNG facility
to the north of the port is being developed by
Mubadalla and IPIC, and as for all commercial
activity in Fujairah waters the Port will supply
the necessary marine services.
Whilst the Port of Fujairah clearly has a lot
to offer its customer base, its success is not only
down to its favourable location. From the very
beginning the port has grown alongside its market,
enhancing and adding new capabilities to mirror
the requirements it sees. By having a structure that
allows for this evolution, and the determination
to succeed, the port has become a strong marine
logistics hub. Although the acceleration of Port of Fujairah
investment has seen it become an increasingly Authority
internationally important oil centre, the Port is fujairahport.ae
not focusing on growth in one area through the
sacrifice of others. As such, it continues to build Services
on both its oil-based and non-oil activities to Multi-purpose port
ensure an enduring high level of service.
 European oil & gas europeanoilandgas.co.uk

40

expertise
Applying
In what appeared to be a complete
departure for the business after 28 years of
shipbuilding, in 1974 Apply Leirvik shifted its
focus over to the development of living quarter
modules for offshore platforms. Almost 40
years on this has proved to be a shrewd move,
particularly in light of the recent struggles of
the shipping sector compared with the more
buoyant oil and gas industry.
The company quickly established a reputation
for its uncompromising quality, and know-how
through the delivery of several living quarter
and utility modules throughout the 1980s
and 1990s. This includes the landmark Snorre
living quarters project, which at the time was
the largest aluminium structure ever built for
the offshore industry. It also formed the basis
Below for Apply Leirvik’s research and development
Lars Solberg, programme surrounding the use of aluminium
managing director in offshore modules.
of Apply Leirvik
Today Apply Leirvik is the leading EPC
contractor for offshore living quarters
encompassing everything from engineering
and fabrication to assembly and installation.
Having historically concentrated on the North
Sea, when it comes to oil and gas applications
the company has arguably delivered more living
quarter modules into this region than all its
competitors put together. In fact the first ever
accommodation module delivered by Apply
Leirvik over 35 years ago is still in use today on
Statoil’s Statfjord A asset.
Of course, in the years that have followed the
PROFILE Apply Leirvik
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
requirements for offshore living quarters have
moved on significantly as managing director
Lars Solberg attests: “The standard of living has
European oil & gas
continuously improved in terms of things like
noise reduction, safety, evacuation systems, and
Opex requirements. Living quarters today are
more sophisticated than they were even ten years
ago, and as Apply Leirvik we are known for our
quality high-end solutions. This is the reason 41
why our clients continue to come back to us for
their offshore living quarter needs.
“Whilst there are many companies that make
living quarters this is often as one of many other
activities. At Apply Leirvik we have one focus
only, which is living quarter modules, covering
all aspects from initial studies and FEED to
engineering and fabrication. This means that we
have developed a unique competence that none
of our competitors have,” he continues.
Furthermore in 2011 Apply Leirvik acquired a
50 per cent stake in Singapore-based Aluminium
Offshore, which is the world’s leading provider of
aluminium helicopter decks. This has given the
business another means of differentiating itself
in the market by offering integrated solutions
in living quarter modules and helicopter decks.
“Whilst we sell both steel and aluminium
quarters, we believe that the latter have some
particularly outstanding features compared
to steel,” notes Lars. “As with our aluminium
helicopter decks, they offer both weight savings
and low maintenance, and are better for usage
in cold climates so we believe there will be a
 PROFILE Apply Leirvik
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
growing market for aluminium living quarters.
Last year we sold 40 helicopter decks, and we
expect to surpass that figure for this year.”
Switching his focus to what has been
happening more recently in the business Lars
European oil & gas
describes how Apply Leirvik has increased
its global penetration: “We have established
ourselves in both Canada and Houston, partially
as a result of our award of the contract to supply
living quarters to ExxonMobil’s Hebron field
in offshore New Foundland. Whilst this is a
42 standard modularised living quarter concept,
because of New Foundland regulations regarding
local content we have had to change our method
of working. Typically we fabricate modules at
one of our factories and then ship them for
assembly at the client’s location, but for this
project we have established a joint venture with
a local partner NECL to carry out the work.
“We believe that joint venture working will be
an ongoing trend as there are several other key
markets such as Brazil and parts of Asia where
the requirement for local content increases.
Having historically
concentrated on the
North Sea, when
it comes to oil and
gas applications
the company has
arguably delivered
more living quarter
modules into this
region than all
its competitors
put together. In
fact the first ever
accommodation
module delivered by
Apply Leirvik over
Therefore we will probably look to form other 35 years ago is
partnerships and joint ventures so that we can still in use today on
meet that content requirement,” he adds. Statoil’s Statfjord A
Back in its long established market of asset
the North Sea, Apply Leirvik has also been
successful in securing a number of project
awards on the UK and Norwegian Continental
Shelves. “In total we have around 2.6 billion
NOK of orders lined up, which is an all time
high,” highlights Lars. “Our most recent delivery
was the living quarters for the Gudrun platform
for Statoil. We had very good feedback regarding
this project due to its on time delivery and high
quality, and were even nominated for Statoil’s
HSE prize because of our excellent results on
that front.
“The analyses that we’ve seen from specialists
working on global oil and gas trends suggests
that there is going to be ongoing growth of
between three and five per cent in the market
until at least 2019. When we look at the
individual projects coming up this seems to
confirm that predication so we see a stable and
growing market in the next five years.
“At present we’re focusing on bidding for five
major upcoming projects including the Johan
Sverdrup and Johan Castberg developments
in Norway, as well as others in the UK and the
Caspian Sea. Some of these will be awarded in
2014 but this process has already begun so we
are hoping to see some success in these as well. Apply Leirvik
We are seeing a mixture of works in both mature applyleirvik.no
areas where discoveries are still being made,
and emerging markets within more challenging Products
locations which increases the requirements Offshore living quarters
towards living quarters,” he concludes.
 PROFILE
success
Instruments of
With nearly 40 years of
experience Michell Instruments is nothing
short of a global leader in the field of moisture
and humidity measurement solutions. This
is apparent in its wide range of transmitters,
instruments and system solutions designed and
manufactured in-house. Capable of measuring
dew-point, humidity, and oxygen these products
are utilised in a vast array of applications and
industries including compressed air, power
generation, petrochemical, and oil and gas.
These activities are housed within two main
divisions: Industrial Hygrometry and Process
Instrumentation. Both have continued to grow
quickly over the last five years, however the
success of the process division has recently
outpaced Michell Instruments’ traditionally strong
position in instrumentation for general industry.
“Our growth and success in Process
Instrumentation is a result of individual actions,
one of which is our high responsiveness
to sometimes invisible market swings and
changes,” notes CEO Mike Bannister. “One
such indicator is the rapidly growing demand
for IECEx certified products, to which we
responded much faster than other competitors.”
He continues: “Another example of our
innovative potential in response to customer
demand is our Field Hydrocarbon Dew-point
Analyser, the Condumax II Transportable.
What was previously always considered as a
purely online analyser is now highly mobile.
This innovative product saves money and offers
Michell Instruments
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
our customers in natural gas transmission the
opportunity to maintain and validate their
pipelines wherever and whenever they want.
European oil & gas
Knowing how much is sometimes at stake when
the quality of the transmitted gas is in question
the Condumax II Transportable is just a must
have for anyone who wants peace of mind.”
Having built its success on leading the
market with technologies for the measurement 43
of humidity and oxygen, Michell Instruments
is therefore always able to respond to its
customers with the right technology to fit
the specific needs of the application. “We are
always searching for newer and better options,
and our co-operation with universities and
various research institutions in the UK and
France provides us with many opportunities.
Our market research people are scanning the
industries and applications and evaluating the
synergies and benefits, and as of now we can
say that there are indeed areas at which we are
taking a closer look,” describes Mike.
“Our business model is around creating own
markets and demand. For the past five years our
strategy has been to outpace the general market
development by anticipation of the potential
changes. One of the areas that caught our attention
is the growth of renewable energies. Biomass is an
extremely interesting market for our products as
it involves humidity and oxygen measurement.
We believe that this development will continue
and offer us more opportunities in Europe and
especially in some of the BRIC countries,” he adds.
 StainleSS Steel preSSure regulatorS
DeSigneD anD manufactureD in the uk
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• Gas cylinder regulators
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• Piston sensed self-venting or non-venting
• Gas or hydraulic applications
• Spring or ratio loaded options
• 50bar to 1380bar control ranges

NeW HigH FloW regulators

europeanoilandgas.co.uk

• Diaphragm and piston sensed

• ½” to 2” port sizes – threaded or flanged connections
• Spring or dome loaded options
• Unique design service for bulk industrial gas lines

www.pressure-tech.com
European oil & gas

44

the lf-690 hyDraulic preSSure regulator

Ceramic seat fits

perfectly, increasing
• Inlet pressures to 1380 bar (20,000 psi)
control
• Ceramic seat as standard, a material which lasts 5
Ceramic Shuttle Ball tip
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wears evenly, reducing
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Design eliminates
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Designed and built in the UK

PRESSURE TECH LTD, Unit 24, Hadfield, Glossop, Derbyshire SK13 1QH

www.pressure-tech.com
Tel: +44 (0)1457 899307 Fax: +44 (0)1457 899308
e-mail: info@pressure-tech.com
 PROFILE Michell Instruments

Being the pioneer

in humidity
measurement
equipment means
that we have
developed an
impressive range
of calibration
instruments that
we use in our own
manufacturing and
laboratories to
ensure the highest
quality in the
products we make

This is apparent from Michell Instruments’
recent formation of a subsidiary in Brazil.
Already a global organisation with subsidiaries
and offices in ten countries, this new entity
enables the company to fill a gap by directly
supporting and servicing products in the
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
RS, is an ideal starting point. However there is
more to come, and we will very soon be offering
a calibration system for oxygen as well.”
The last year has been something of a Pressure
consolidation period for Michell Instruments Tech
with the company using this time to readjust its Pressure Tech has developed
a range of subsea pressure

European oil & gas

entire region with its own moisture and gas
instrumentation experts. This also serves as a
strategic move for the business in anticipation of
the further development of the process industry
in South America.
Alongside measurement instrumentation,
calibration equipment is also of great
importance in the process instrumentation
sector and beyond. “Being the pioneer in
humidity measurement equipment means that
we have developed an impressive range of
calibration instruments that we use in our own
manufacturing and laboratories to ensure the
highest quality in the products we make. In the
past years this aspect of our business was not
enjoying the attention that it deserves though,”
notes Mike.
“It is a fact that when it comes to calibration
equipment for humidity we are the market
leader and the hidden champion. No one else in
the industry offers a similar variety of products,
ranging from a portable validation dew-point
meter to high precision VDS calibration system
for laboratories. It is not a great secret that
some of our competitors use our equipment
in their own manufacturing processes – which
is something we are naturally quite proud of.
One of our future moves will be to promote
our capabilities and the necessity of regular
recalibration to our customers. Our recent
product, the chilled mirror hygrometer S8000
organisation and procedures to suit the increased
size of the organisation. This includes the
addition of several new highly qualified staff in
critical positions. “Although these are early days
we already can see the positive impact of this
and are convinced that this will continue in the
months to follow,” highlights Mike.
“Michell Instruments will continue to
strengthen its position in all current markets
while looking for opportunities in related
markets and industries. We certainly will not
just rely on market developments but will carry
on in creating our own business opportunities.
This could be new products, co-operation with
partners, or acquisitions. However, the focus will
stay on organic growth through innovation and
excellent service.
“We owe it to our customers and are
absolutely certain that this approach will take us
forward with double-digit growth rates.
“We have world-class, highly motivated staff
and our new organisation structures enable us to
make decisions more quickly – so we are not only
able to spot opportunities more quickly, we are
also able to take action faster than many others.
“A key target for the years to come will
certainly be to further develop the skills of our
people. As a growing organisation we know
perfectly how much effort it takes to attract top
talent and develop it to become the type of expert
our customers trust and rely on,” he concludes.
regulators to operate at depths
up to 3000m/10,000ft using the
external seawater pressure as a
reference pressure with the ability
to vary the set-point relative to
the ambient pressure conditions.
Alternatively we can offer a
completely sealed spring chamber 45
to ensure the set pressure is
not affected by the external
conditions. Our most recent
subsea application is a hydraulic
system operating at 1300m for
several weeks at a time. Due to
the growing demand Pressure
Tech has invested in a 19.5 litre
hyperbaric chamber to simulate
external seawater pressure up to
300 bar whilst pressures up to
1034 bar/15,000psi are applied
to the internals of the regulator.
This will enable Pressure Tech to
maintain complete control of not
only design and manufacturing,
but also in-house testing prior to
shipping.
Michell
Instruments
michell.com
Products
Moisture
and oxygen analysers

europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
46
Strength and
Jian Feng Sling is a leading
manufacturer and supplier of a wide range of
lifting and rigging products such as wire rope,
wire rope slings, chain slings, sling fittings,
lifting equipment, synthetic slings, tie downs
and accessories.
“Jian Feng is a manufacturer and supplier
of an integrated range of lifting and rigging
products,” says Clarence Cui, director of
overseas sales at Jian Feng Sling. “We are
also a solutions provider for many difficult
tasks in lifting operations. Our 30 years in the
industry has given us enormous experience
and knowledge in supplying different fields
with the right products and technical services.
Our objective is to continuously improve in
providing the industry with better services and
higher levels of safety.
“Our products are not only used in the
offshore oil and gas industry, but also in a range
of other sectors such as shipbuilding, ports,
transportation, construction and mining,” he
adds. “Jian Feng is a well renowned brand in
China that has a reputation for the high quality
that we inject into the industry here. Alongside
that presence in our home market we are
also stretching ourselves to a growing extent
internationally by looking to gain recognition for
our reliable and quality products.”
As Clarence explains, the company has
considerable experience in the industry,
which means that it is able to meet the
most demanding quality requirements of its
customers. “Culturally, the commitment to
product quality management from everyone
here in Jian Feng has been the key to our
competitiveness throughout the years,”
he comments.
“When it comes to that quality, our slogan is
‘Our Service, Your Safety’. In the industries that
we are dealing with, safety is always the first
priority. You have to fully recognise this fact
and the needs of your customer, and build your
image through strong and consistent product
quality and reliability. Trust is something that has
to be built through time, and this is what we do
on a day-to-day basis.”
In order to maintain such high standards in
its products Jian Feng employs skilled technical
experts and engineers, many of whom are
situated at its state-of-the-art testing facility.
“Technically we have the most advanced
in-house testing centre in China, facilitated with
both hardware and software to perform a series
of quality tests including tensile strength, break
load, elongation, fatigue and hardness etc.,”
says Clarence. “This ensures that all products
supplied by Jian Feng are not only manufactured
according to the relevant standards but have also
gone through the necessary tests to prove their
safety level. Third party certification testing from
DNV, ABS, Lloyds can also be easily performed
here as well.”
Jian Feng carries out a great deal of work in the
offshore sectors, providing a range of handling
and rigging solutions to clients such as CNOOC
(China National Offshore Oil Corporation),
COSL (China Oilfield Services Limited), Saipem
Singapore, CIMC (China International Marine
Container), and CIMC Raffles.
“We have undertaken a range of projects with
these clients,” Clarence explains. “For example,
in November 2012, Jian Feng designed and
provided a testing solution for CACT operators
group on eight pieces of FPSO mooring wire
rope slings. CACT is a joint venture company
by CNOOC, ENI, Chevron and Texaco, and we
 PROFILE Jian Feng Sling

Gunnebo
Industries
Gunnebo Industries is one of
the world’s leading companies
in the lifting industry,
developing and manufacturing
products and solutions of
the highest quality, safety
and functionality. To meet
the stringent demands of the
offshore industry it has a full
range of offshore shackles,
master links and hooks tested
to the requirements of the
offshore container standard,
DNV 2.7-1. This verifies that
the products have a high,
consistent level of production
stability in the entire process.

performed a series of tests including making the provider in China.

test samples, bending, fatigue and breaking. We “Building a brand is a long process, but I
were the only organisation able to perform these believe Jian Feng and its products will start to

europeanoilandgas.co.uk
tests with our in-house 1000t tensile test bed receive more international recognition in the near Jian Feng Sling
and 1000t fatigue test bed. The good feedback future. We have very good partnerships with jfsling.com
from CACT led to two more similar testing distributors worldwide and I believe that over the
projects with CNOOC, which we are currently next three to five years, the international industry Services
working on. will really see more of what we can bring to the Lifting and rigging
“Elsewhere, we are the qualified contract global market,” he concludes. equipment
supplier for COSL and its deepwater semi-

European oil & gas

submersible platform 981, for which we supply
a full and complete range of lifting slings and
components. We have also worked closely with
COOEC since 2004, and in 2013 we supplied
them with a lifting solution that consisted of four
pieces of O156mm endless wire rope grommets
equipped with four pieces of WLL 500T wide 47
body shackles for the BoHai LD10-1 oilfield
platform installation projects.”
Alongside these more local companies the
business also exports around 40 per cent of its
products and solutions to overseas markets,
including Europe, the Americas, the Middle
East and Southeast Asia. “The Middle East and
Australasia are two regions with stronger growth
at present,” highlights Clarence. “We would also
like to see more business activities in Africa in
the near future, and we are looking to expand
our product range further into the Americas in
the coming years.”
Growth and expansion is very much at
the core of Jian Feng’s vision for the future,
as Clarence says. “The offshore oil and gas
industry is definitely what Jian Feng is focusing
on this year. We have launched two particular
products, which are leading our overseas
expansion - JF brand Wide Body Shackles
ranging from working load limit 200T–1500T
that are CE certified by DNV, and offshore
container lifting sets, for which Jian Feng is
the first and only DNV2.7-1 Type Approved
 European oil & gas europeanoilandgas.co.uk

48
 PROFILE Sandvik Process Systems
For over 150 years
process
In the
Sandvik has
been engineering high-technology, advanced
products for a wealth of specialist niche
markets. These operations are based on unique
expertise in materials technology and extensive
insight into customer processes. As a Group,
Sandvik concentrates on five main business
areas, one of which contains Sandvik Process
Systems. This world-leading manufacturer
produces steel belts, and steel belt-based
processing systems, which contribute to
customer productivity, reliability, cost efficiency,
and reduction of environmental impact.
One key application for this expertise is
sulphur solidification and handling systems. This
has in recent years seen Sandvik Process Systems
become a partner to several internationally
renowned engineering companies serving the
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
petrochemical industry. In total the company has
49
delivered sulphur solidification solutions to over
200 customers, totaling 600 plants worldwide,
the latest of which is Hellenic Petroleum’s Elefsis
refinery in Athens, Greece.
This is part of a large-scale modernisation
programme taking place at the refinery, which
will see it able to produce ultra low sulphur
fuels in accordance with the new European and
international specifications, as well as improving
its ability to handle different kinds of crude.
Other goals include a significant reduction
in emissions, efficiency enhancements and
improved safety conditions.
By reducing the amount of sulphur in its
products though the refinery faced a challenge
in terms of storing and transporting this waste
material. As such in January 2009, Sandvik
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
was selected to supply a turnkey end-to-end
sulphur solidification and handling system at
Elefsis in order to counter this. This builds on
50 a long-standing relationship between Sandvik
and Hellenic Petroleum, which dates back to
1986. “In this case the project consisted of
three main parts – the solidification system
where we turn the liquid sulphur into solid
pastilles, a storage capability for this product,
and a means of discharging it onto a ship,”
begins Ulrich Nanz, sales and marketing
director of Sandvik Process Systems.
“As such we delivered this in partnership
with our sister company Sandvik Mining in
Finland, which delivered the downstream
storage and handling activity, whilst Sandvik
Process Systems supplied the core solidification
system. This underlines our competence as a
Group in handling larger packages of work for
EPC contractors,” he continues.
Commissioned in August 2012, the
solidification system is based upon Sandvik
Process Systems’ patented Rotoform technology,
the basic principle of which is that droplets of
liquid sulphur are deposited onto a continuously
running stainless steel belt that is then cooled
from the underside by sprayed water to form
solid pastilles. As the Rotoform produces these
materials mechanically, subsequent grinding or
crushing is not required therefore eliminating
associated costs, noise, and dust, which can be
an environmental concern.
“Our process is the only indirect sulphur
solidification method available on the market
as the steel belt means that there is no cross-
contamination between the water and sulphur.
All competing systems are direct processes,
which either cool the sulphur using air or water,
which leaves the client with sour water or dust
 PROFILE Sandvik Process Systems

emissions. This makes the Rotoform process
incredibly clean in comparison,” notes Ulrich.
This latest incarnation of the Rotoform
technology has previously been installed in
two other facilities for Bapco in Bahrain and
Reliance in India. Its use at Elefsis provides
Sandvik Process Systems with a reference project
within Europe, which will benefit the business
in promoting its capabilities in this market – a
region where Ulrich predicts demand will
continue to grow: “The main driver behind the
modernisation of Elefsis was to enable Hellenic
Petroleum to sell their products in Europe under
current regulations, and this is the case for many
other operators as well. At present specification
in Europe under Euro 5 is some of the
toughest in the industry, and we will see Euro 6
introduced in 2014, so in order to comply with
this producers have to remove the sulphur from
content to size distribution, so our clients can be
assured of the quality of their product,” he adds.
Another major driving force in choosing such
equipment is lifecycle costs. “Customers now
look at the initial cost of investment combined
with the first five years of operations,” elaborates
Ulrich. “Our technology not only has very
low consumption of energy, but it also has an
on-stream factor of 96 per cent, which means
it is incredibly reliable with very minimal
maintenance to also lower running costs. In
Hellenic Petroleum’s case they have 1200 metric
tonnes of liquid sulphur coming out of Elefsis
every day and if our machines are down they
cannot switch off the refinery, nor do they have
significant capacity to store liquid sulphur, so
reliability is a number one concern.”
The completion of the work at Elefsis marks
the fifth such project where Sandvik Process
Evonik
For many years Evonik has been
supplying TEGO® Sulpho 1 to
the sulphur forming industry.
Our product works directly on
the steel belts, supporting the
formation of uniquely shaped,
hemispherical pastilles and
providing an excellent release
effect to easily remove the pastilles
off the belt after cooling. Our
latest development, TEGO®
Sulpho 2, ensures an even more
economic and efficient process. It
has been especially designed for
the new spraying technology of
our partner Sandvik.

europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Sandvik
their products. Systems and its sister companies have delivered a Process Systems
“Our pastille product is one of the very few complete end-to-end solution. The ability of the sandvik.com
that meet the Sulphur Development Institute of Group to deliver these highly reliable technical
Canada (SUDIC) recommendations for premium solutions, which have minimal environmental Products
sulphur. This is an international standard that impact, suggests that this approach will continue Processing systems
defines everything from moisture and dust into the future. based on steel belts

European oil & gas

51
 fab Absolutely
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
The PressureFab Group, founded
European oil & gas
only four and a half years ago, has already grown
and developed into a leading designer and
manufacturer of specialist offshore containers
and subsea equipment. Operating from its
11,000m2 facility in Dundee, Scotland, the
privately owned company is recognised by the
52 oil and gas industry for its exceptional quality
and superior customer service.
As Hermann Twickler, company founder
and managing director explained, its customers
are both local and global: “We do a lot of work
Below for smaller companies, but we also work with
Hermann Twickler,
world leaders, including, National Oilwell
company founder
and managing director Varco, Honeywell International and Halliburton,
at PressureFab Group among many others,” he said. “As a team, we
have a very impressive portfolio, and we are one
of the largest manufacturers of containers and
containerised equipment in Scotland. Basically
our customers are looking for quality solutions
and products that arrive on time and on budget
and that is what we provide.”
Hermann explained that the company’s
philosophy was borne out of thinking from the
customer’s perspective: “When I established this
company, I based it on what I believed a supplier
should offer to blue-chip clients and to me
those areas of top quality, reliable delivery and
adhering to budget were paramount.”
He started the company following a career
working for large shipbuilding corporations.
“I always wanted my own business,” he said,
“so when the company I was working for went
through a large buyout, I decided it was time for
me to look for other opportunities, and I chose
to go into bespoke steel fabrication. I established
PressureFab in 2009 from scratch, with the
intention of growing it from a small business
into a sizeable concern. So we started with three
employees and now have over 100, and have
developed a very strong team.”
Hermann may sound modest when describing
how he founded the company but it mustn’t
be forgotten that just months into its inception
a major recession hit Europe and much of the
world. However, he steered PressureFab through
the challenges and in acknowledgement of his
achievements he was crowned Scottish Emerging
Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012. “As this award
is for personal entrepreneurship I felt really
proud and honoured to receive it,” he said. “It
recognised the risks and the hard work involved
with forming a business from scratch in a
recession, and to me winning it was very special.”
When Hermann founded PressureFab it was
without a single customer, but now he is pleased
to draw attention to the two largest contracts it is
currently working on, which together are valued
at well over £2 million and highlight how far the
company has come. “One of these is the HESS
Project through National Oilwell Varco, where
we are supplying a complete solids and fluid
management control system. This consists of the
oil tanks, mud tanks, fluid and mud lines, all the

suction equipment and pumps.
“What made this project unique was that
usually pumps and tanks are connected using
flexible pipes or hoses, but in this case, because
it is to be run for two years in the North Sea,
HESS insisted on having it all hard piped. As
a result we constructed the entire unit, we got
everything into position, and then connected
all the skids and tanks with each other using
steel pipe and set it up exactly how it is going
to be on the oil rig, and then we have operated
it here for a week as trial run to make sure
everything is functioning as it should. It is
due to be delivered in July to Denmark, has
been through its final full function test, and
just needs a few modifications, painting and
wrapping before shipment.”
He added: “We are also finishing a mud cutting
processing plant, for which we have built all the
tanks, the pipes and the mud cutting skips, for
National Oilwell Varco’s Environmental Division,
and when it is complete it will be represent about
£1.5 million worth of equipment.”
PROFILE PressureFab Group
It is clear that PressureFab is maintaining its M.I.S.
growth trajectory, but Hermann is determined Products
not to chase expansion at the risk of losing Limited
quality or job security for his team. He summed M.I.S. Products Limited has many
years experience of developing,
up the plans he has for the future: “Going
manufacturing and supplying
forward I think we will diversify a little more, components to the offshore
as the expertise we have in oil and gas can be container building industry
applied to the renewable sector as well, and in the UK, mainland Europe
and globally. We welcome the
that is an area I am looking forward to getting
opportunity to develop trading
more involved with. We have already provided relationships with old and
equipment to the Orkney Islands and Shetlands new customers alike and wish
for the EMAC project and so I am keen to look Pressurefab Group every success
with their business developments
into what renewable customers might want to
fit into a containerised unit, rather than wait for
them to tell us. I prefer to offer a solution rather
than waiting to be asked.”
He concluded: “I believe we are in a good
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
PressureFab Group
position - customers are looking for a supplier pressurefab.com
that has capacity and resources available and
they can see we are innovative, we hit our Service
deadlines, and meet our budgets. We also have Specialist offshore
ideas, and that overall package is what our containers and subsea
clients really appreciate.” equipment
European oil & gas
53

word
Grease is the
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Axel Christiernsson (AXEL) is a
leading lubricating grease manufacturer, with
its headquarters in Sweden. It focuses on the
development and manufacture of lubricating
European oil & gas
greases, sold under what it terms ‘customised
label’, which means that every product
leaving its plants is customised to the needs
of customers and labelled in their name. This
consistent approach is distinctive and it means
that customers can partner with AXEL in
54 confidence, knowing that it does not compete at
the end-user market.
The company has hundreds of active
formulations in total, many of which are
customer unique. Its products are created at
three production sites in Europe - in Sweden,
the Netherlands and France, plus at two plants
in the US. In fact, the US operation was added
as recently as 2011, as Johan Stureson, CEO of
AXEL explained: “The asset acquisition of Jesco
Below
Resources in early 2011 was a carefully planned
Johan Stureson,
CEO/managing director step to expand our presence outside Europe,
of AXEL and to follow many of our largest customer
groups into another market. It also gave us
access to new technologies and broadened our
customer base, which gives opportunities for
cross selling,” he said.
Alongside the US facilities, AXEL is
continuously investing in its European sites in
order to meet the increase in continental European
orders and customer outsourcing contracts. “We
address areas such as safety, efficiency and capacity
increases,” Johan added. “We have adopted this
approach for many years, because in order to grow
we have to make sure our production capacity
can handle customer demands and opportunities
when they present themselves.”
The CEO also had some exciting news to
share about AXEL’s French facility: “We are now
preparing to relocate our plant in France,” he
announced. “We are only planning to move
three kilometres but the new location is a bigger,
more suitable industrial site where we can grow
and expand our operations.”
The investment and development across
AXEL’s business is all targeted to meet the needs
of its customers, which comprise many of
the world’s major oil, regional oil, specialised
lubricant and wholesales companies. One of the
main factors that attract these demanding clients
to use AXEL’s services is its utter dedication
to customer service. Johan explained that the
company regards this area as paramount and it
measures customers’ perceptions of all aspects of
service through annual anonymous interviews.
“The most recent survey showed excellent
results, with a mark of 4.27 on a scale where
five is the most satisfied. This is an all-time
high and we are very proud of it, but it is still
essential to continue to focus on improvement
opportunities,” he said.
Nonetheless, Johan cites customer service
as one of the key strengths of AXEL, alongside
product quality and research and development
(R&D). “Product quality is extremely important
and such is our dedication to diligent quality
control in every single batch that we very rarely
have any quality issues,” he stated.
“R&D is necessary because we are always
trying to identify what products will be
demanded in the future, as well as helping to
solve clients’ problems. We have substantial
in-house resources to commit to different kinds
of R&D projects or developments and we can
do that in collaboration with clients or on our
own initiative.”
The innovative products referred to by Johan

include several technologies that the company
has developed to substantially improve the
properties of its lubricating grease for special
applications. He gave some examples: “Our
EPOCH technology is a polymer based non-
ionic lubricant, which means it is not soap
thickened grease. It provides excellent long life,
improved additive effect and greater flexibility in
choice of additives, and better resistance to water
and aggressive chemicals in the application.
“We have also created what we call functional
soap, where we have enabled the additive to
become part of the soap structure. That means
that the soap carries the additive molecules to
the metal surface of the bearing and improves
the performance of the product. One of its major
benefits is extremely low friction.”
He added: “A third example we have
developed is a thread compound designed to be
used in the oil industries in the North Sea, which
meets the highest environmental standards.”
This is just a tiny representation of AXEL’s
range.“We have several hundreds of different
PROFILE AXEL Christiernsson
formulations and they are used in almost any
industry, so our whole ethos is that we sell
products to any single field of industry that has
lubrication requirements,” said Johan.
“Our products are extremely versatile in that
respect, however it also illustrates a bit of the
complexity that we have to manage, because we
have so many different formulations and pack
combinations, and we are dealing with such a
wide variety of customers.”
Over the 125 years since Axel Christiernsson
founded the company, AXEL has established
itself at the forefront of lubricant technology.
Johan noted that going forward more growth
is on the agenda, both organic and through
acquisition. “As well as maintaining a quality
service to our existing customers, we are looking
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
at certain markets through a structured process, Axel Christiernsson
but also staying ready for opportunities that may axelch.com
arise elsewhere,” he said. “AXEL is a market
leader with a strong reputation in our industry Services
and we welcome other companies that wish to Lubricant and grease
discuss a possible acquisition.” manufacturer
European oil & gas
55
 European oil & gas europeanoilandgas.co.uk

56
 PROFILE Xcite Energy Resources
times Exciting
At a time when supplies of ‘easy’ oil are
perhaps falling away, Xcite Energy Limited
is marking itself out as an appraisal and
development company focusing on offshore
heavy oil. The company believes that this area
presents a niche for significant growth and
value addition. Through its subsidiary, Xcite
Energy Resources Limited (XER), these activities
have so far been focused on the development
of discovered resources in the UK North Sea,
namely the Bentley field.
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
“We acquired this field through the Promote
Licence Round in 2003,” explains Charles Lucas-
Clements, director of strategy and business
development. “We’ve pursued a methodical and
progressive appraisal programme over the years,
enabling us to bring oil to surface in 2007, through 57
to delivering 250 million barrels of 2P reserves
in 2013 after a highly successful pre-production
extended well test (“EWT”) which was completed
in September 2012. We also have peripheral assets
and were awarded three adjacent blocks in the
27th Licensing Round last year.”
Looking at this activity in more detail, XER
has actually successfully conducted three drilling
programmes with five penetrations of the field,
including sidetracks and laterals, since the
licence award. The total investment to date has
been around $350 million, approximately $250
million of which went into the EWT.
“Throughout the EWT we gathered a vast
amount of information, which together with new
3D seismic, has enabled us to increase our in-place
volumes, revise our development plan and
materially increase our reserves. It has required a
long year of hard work to deliver, but the EWT
has met and exceeded our expectations not only
in its results, but also the quality and extent of data
that was collected,” enthuses Charles.
In preparation for the EWT, XER expanded
its corporate office to bring in necessary skills
 PROFILE Xcite Energy Resources
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
58 including the appointment of a new operations
director, operations manager, and engineering
manager. “I think that key to our success has
been finding highly experienced people that can
really contribute to the team,” notes Charles.
“As well as operations, we have been building
up our engineering and well completion skills
sets, based on the importance of drilling and
operations going forward.”
The results of the EWT have been critical to
planning the ongoing development programme,
which is split into two phases – Phase 1 and
Phase 2, covering the northern and southern
areas of the field respectively. The development
programme extends over approximately two
years with current anticipation of first oil in late
2015, with the phases now being of a similar
size, with Phase 2 beginning some five years
after the start of Phase 1 and then both running
concurrently from that point onwards for the
35 years of field facilities design life. The EWT
has also proven up many of the engineering
solutions and techniques to be utilised in the
development plan, such as the use of an FSO to
dehydrate the fluid.
Alongside this work, XER has been running
a programme to identify enhanced oil recovery
techniques (EOR). After lab work based on
samples taken from the reservoir and aquifer, Certainly the
the company has shortlisted polymer injection industry seems to
as the most suitable EOR technique. It is be pricking up its
also building a pilot programme into the ears with regards
first stage of development in order to prove to the progress
the concept, and lead the way for a full EOR the company
implementation in Phase 2. has made in
The year ahead again looks busy for the transforming heavy
business as it works to capitalise on the last oil resources into
decade of work in this challenging niche. In a viable development
further step forward, XER recently started the propositions
farm-out process, which it sees as a key part of
the future financing strategy for the development
of the field. “We also hope to expand the RBL
facility based on the increased scope of the first
phase development. These will trigger the full
development programme,” notes Charles.
Certainly the industry seems to be pricking up
its ears with regards to the progress the company
has made in transforming heavy oil resources
into viable development propositions, and it
comes at a time when heavy oil projects are
being advanced in the North Sea.
Picking up the thread Charles adds: “In the
process of executing the programmes so far we
have developed an extensive knowledge, not
only of the Bentley field and the engineering
solutions needed to successfully commercialise
a reservoir of this type, but also how to manage
a significant offshore, heavy oil project. One of
the key things in this industry is the sharing of
knowledge when moving into new areas, and we
are keen to do this with others just as they are
keen to speak with us.”
Indeed it seems the Bentley field is just the
starting point. XER has also been collecting
licences in neighbouring blocks, most recently
in the aforementioned 27th Licensing Round.
‘It is our belief that these prospects may contain
a lighter oil which could be used as a diluent
in the future, so the aim is to appraise these
with a view to a tie back into Bentley as we go
forward,” comments Charles.
“This forms part of our strategic plan for the
next few years which is centred on selecting
a suitable development partner, completing Xcite Energy
financing, and getting the Bentley field Resources Limited
producing. We also want to prove the EOR xcite-energy.com
techniques through the pilot programme, and
implement the second phase of development, Services
whilst continuing to look for other suitable Appraisal and development
opportunities,” he concludes.

successful
Uniquely
Since its inception in 2007 , semi-tender assist unit in Brazil and we believe
Houston based niche drilling firm BassDrill has
enjoyed substantial growth, which has increased
massively over the last 18 months. Formed
to design, fabricate, market and operate safe
and efficient drilling equipment in a heavily
dominated market, the company has quickly
become a strong competitor with its offering of
state-of-the-art vessels, as Kerry Kunz highlights:
“BassDrill entered this market because we saw
an opportunity to provide new and innovative
designs to customers requiring safe, efficient and
comtemporary drilling units. We started with
registering the company in 2007 and in 2008
we ordered our first barge tender assist vessel,
the Alpha, which was built on speculation and
delivered in 2010 before being mobilised in West
Africa where it has worked continuously since.”
In late 2009 the company began interacting
with Petrobras over the prospect of a large
development project in the Campos basin,
Brazil. In 2010 a long-term contract was signed
and soon thereafter BassDrill began with the
construction of its second unit, the semi-tender
Beta, for mobilisation to Brazil; the vessel of
which is being built in China for delivery in H2
2013, while the modular drilling equipment was
constructed in the US. “The Beta will be the first
PROFILE BassDrill
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
European oil & gas
further opportunities will appear in Brazil for
this type of unit in the future,” says Kerry. “In
the fall of 2012 we ordered a third unit, which 59
again will involve the vessel being built in China
and the modular package being produced in
the US. The ‘Gamma’ unit is being built on
speculation and is scheduled in the third quarter
of 2014; similar to the Alpha, it is a barge tender
with a 30 per cent increase in capacity. It is being
built under a $124 million turnkey construction
contract with Dalian Shipbuilding Industry and
Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore, China.
All three tender assist designs are ABS class
approved, with the two barge designs intended
for benign environments in shallow waters
of 15 metres to 200 metres; the semi-tender
design, meanwhile, is configured for use in
deepwater environments in conjunction with
Spars or TLPs, as Kerry highlights: “The semi-
tenders are able to operate in more challenging
environments, not the North Sea, but they are
able to go into deeper water and beyond the
traditional tender assist areas, which expands
the market. For example, the unit in Brazil
is going into an area that is 31 degrees south
latitude in the Atlantic, so we have taken
this tender market well beyond its traditional

exclusive area within equatorial waters.”
Focused completely on development drilling,
the company tends to benefit from longer
term contracts and the ability to build against
contracts, something that Kerry is keen to
continue doing: “If you first secure a contract
and build against it, this is heavily applauded
by shareholders because it a much more secure
option than building on speculation and
financing is readily available. We have been
uniquely successful in building vessels against
contracts and this is how we would prefer to
move forward whenever possible. It offers more
security to grow and a much safer route for
the shareholders of BassDrill.” The company
holds long contracts due to the number of wells
that the developments require, which offers
increased stability in terms of revenue, financing,
budgeting purposes and manning.
In early 2013 the company secured a contract
for a fourth unit with Total Congo for a high
profile deepwater development; the semi-tender
vessel, Delta, is an enhanced version of the Beta
design and will be utilised on the Moho Nord
development commencing in 2015. Looking
to continue its spate of aggressive growth, the
company is currently interacting with operators
on additional potential opportunities. “We came
into a market that was traditionally dominated
by large players, which made it challenging
to obtain our first contract because we
hadn’t proven ourselves in this business.
Our first contract showed the industry that
we could bring new and innovative designs
with the latest technological features to offer
operators the safest and most contemporary
PROFILE BassDrill
vessels on the market,” says Kerry.
Having enjoyed huge success over the last
few years, the company plans to continue The semi-tenders
bringing new vessels into the market while are able to operate
also focusing on the offshore industry, with in more challenging
substantial demand seen in areas such as Brazil, environments, not
West Africa and quite possibly in the future, the the North Sea, but
GOM. Utilising its semi-tenders, Beta and Delta, they are able to go
BassDrill offers oil companies considerable cost into deeper water
savings on total development costs, where dry and beyond the
trees/surface are utilised. Tender and semi-tender
traditional tender
drilling rigs also have significantly less weight
assist areas, which
requirements than platform rigs, thus allowing
expands the market
oil companies to build lighter and less expensive
TLPs, Spars or fixed platforms.
“The deepwater developments we are involved
in have surface trees and surface wellheads,
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
which offers significant benefits over wellheads
Seatrax, Inc.
As the worldwide leader in
the manufacture of kingpost
marine cranes, Seatrax provides
Bassdrill with cranes, service and
engineering support for many
European oil & gas
of its endeavors, including the
Alpha medium tender barge,
the Beta semi-submersible
and the Gamma heavy tender
barge. With its unique design,
Seatrax provides the flexibility to
configure its product based upon
customer requirements regardless 61
of application. Each Seatrax
crane is based on proven design
concepts with patented Seatrax
design features that include the
hemispherical kingpost, self-
aligning lower kingpost bearings,
mechanical anti-two-block system
as well as in-house manufactured
fail-safe draw-works type hoists.
located on the seabeds as it removes the need for
expensive and sophisticated equipment that goes
with sea floor development,” highlights Kerry.
Surface wells heads are often required where
flow assurance is an issue and re-entering of the
wells is required on a frequent basis. Surface
wells permit the operators to use inexpensive
means to perform remedial work on the wells
without the use of an expensive deepwater rig.
“The trend is to look at more marginal fields BassDrill
or fields with flow assurance issues with the bassdrill.com
application of surface developments that could
prove to be cost effective, which will translate Services
into huge opportunities for Bassdrill. We are on Manufacture and operate
track with our plans for growth and are very drilling equipment
positive about the future.”
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fleet A strong
Established in 1984, privately
owned V Ships has expanded significantly in
recent years through organic and inorganic
growth to become the world’s largest supplier
of independent ship management and marine
services for the shipping industry worldwide;
with a fleet of over 1000 vessels and a crew
roster of 24,000 staff, its core ship management
and manpower services are managed by three
operating divisions – V Ships Ship Management,
V Ships Leisure and Manpower Services. These
units work in close association with the V Ships
Marine Services and V Ships Capital divisions,
which provide a broad range of related technical,
operational, financial and commercial services.
V Ships Ship Management encompasses a
network of 18 ship management offices from
which its fleet, in excess of 1000 vessels, can be
managed with support from the divisional team
in Glasgow. Offering technical, risk management,
procurement and financial expertise and
experience, its 600 dedicated employees deliver
ship management services to a diverse fleet of
cargo-carrying vessels, such as crude, products,
LPG/LNG and chemical tankers, bulk carriers
ranging from self-dischargers to VLOCs,
containerships from feeders to 9000TEU units
and various specialised vessel types related to the
offshore sector. These include FPSOs, seismic
vessels, diving support/subsea units and cable
layers that service the expanding offshore market.
As a complete service provider for value-
added solutions, V Ships increased its
PROFILE V SHIPS
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
business offering in April 2013 with the
launch of its new unit, V Ships Offshore,
European oil & gas
headed by group director Lawrie Campbell.
The company aims to harness and share the
collective knowledge and experience of its
business units into one team, giving V Ships
Offshore the benefits of a global network and
extensive operational expertise. Providing
at-cost management services to the offshore 63
industry, V Ships Offshore also offers technical
management, crew management, project
management, consultancies/pre-purchase
inspection, procurement/warehousing, marine
insurance services, marine health, safety
and environment prevention (HSE)/quality
services, underwater repairs, surveys and
cleaning; it also offers engineering and naval
architecture and new building supervision
via SEATEC, and engineering consultancy
services via RC Consultant. Unique in the
offshore market for its one-stop-shop service
offering, the division has specialised offices
in strategically located areas that have seen
impressive growth in the oil and gas industry,
such as Scotland, Norway, the Middle East, the
Far East, Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico.
As the world’s largest provider of ship
management services, the company further
enhanced its service offering by establishing its
V Ships LNG division through a contract with
Awilco LNG to become its technical manager
in January 2003 when procedures, operating
manuals and policies related to LNG were
 European oil & gas europeanoilandgas.co.uk

64
 PROFILE V SHIPS

V Ships Ship
Management
encompasses a
network of 18
ship management
offices from which
its fleet, in excess of
1000 vessels, can
be managed with
support from the
divisional team in
Glasgow

europeanoilandgas.co.uk
Seton
Seton is one of the world’s leading
manufacturers and distributors
of health and safety and facilities
management solutions. With
businesses in 18 countries, Seton
ships millions of orders worldwide
to over 500,000 customers every
year.

European oil & gas

developed. Today Awilco LNG is the owner
of three 125,000 cbm second-generation LNG
carriers, WilGas, WilPower and WilEnergy, and
is further adding to its fleet with two 155,900
cbm LNG newbuildings, estimated to cost $200
million per vessel, due for delivery in August
and November 2013. Furthermore, the division
benefits from having a highly experienced
director at the helm; Bert McAughtrie compiled
LNG standards in 2005 when chairman
of the SIGGTO engineers working group,
while another manager participated in the
development of standards for steam engineers.
Bert also represents V Ships at SIGGTO’s
general purpose Committee (GPC), the society’s
technical directorate, which is comprised of 30
senior operational executives who offer LNG,
LPG gas tanker and terminal experience.
The LNG division began with a pool of
officers trained for third party clients such as
Sonatrach and Chemikalien See Transport.
Supervisors were also later supplied for the
supervision of newbuilding LNG vessels as well
as asset protection services for existing ships.
Following this, V Ships saw potential to expand
into training services and was the first to attain
approval from UKMCA, LISCR, The Nautical
Institute, Bahamas Registry, Marshal Islands
Registry and RINA for the LNG training courses
as recommended by SIGGTO. Since then the
company has conducted training courses for
its own officers and third party client officers
at its own in-house training centres and on
board its vessels. Courses for steam training for
engineers were also developed and approved by
ExxonMobil and Marshal Islands.
Today recognised for assistance in the
manuals on LNG Shipping Knowledge, an
industry standard publication from Seamanship
International, V Ships LNG has also been vetted
and approved by BG, Nigeria LNG Limited
(NLNG) and Gazprom. This dedication to
gaining knowledge and experience in a relatively
new and increasingly demanding sector is certain
to bring opportunities and benefits to V Ships
LNG throughout 2013 and the coming years.
Having developed a strong reputation as
a leading outsourcing group of companies,
the future looks positive for V Ships as it
continues to integrate its services to offer
the best turnkey solutions to its customers.
Furthermore, the company aims to develop
a stronger foothold in the booming oil and
gas industry, while also reaping the benefits
of its expertise in the LNG industry, which is
continuing to see increased demand.
With established relationships
with customers such as V-Ships,
Halliburton, Shell, Esso and
several more within the oil
and gas sector, Seton has the
experience and the products to
ensure you can provide a safe
workplace.
65
Health and safety laws grow
increasingly complicated. Seton
makes it easy for you to comply
with legislation by providing
products that meet necessary
standards.
Seton also has the capability to
manufacture bespoke products
such as signage and labels,
ensuring that its customers get a
personalised service.
V Ships
vships.com
Services
Global one-stop-shop
for value added solutions
 European oil & gas europeanoilandgas.co.uk

66
PROFILE Analytical Technology & Control (atac)
Analyse
Leading manufacturer of
American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM) approved online physical property
analysers for the world’s major refining
firms in the oil and gas markets, Analytical
Technology & Control Ltd (ATAC) also designs
and manufactures a wide range of bespoke
analyser systems, such as analyser cabinets,
field houses, sample conditioning systems and
sample recovery units. Established in 1993, the
Wiltshire based company enhanced its service
offering and system integration capabilities
with the acquisition of Sysco Analytics in 2002;
Advanced Holdings, a Singapore based leading
global supplier of equipment and products to
customers in the energy industries, acquired
ATAC eight years later in 2010. “Through
acquiring the assets of Sysco we gained two
established brands, Hallikainen and Hone, which
have both been synonymous with physical
property analysers since the 1960s,” says Daniel
Merriman, sales and marketing director at ATAC.
“Meanwhile, the synergistic acquisition of ATAC
by Advanced Holdings has led to us working
with two other divisions, California based
Guided Wave, which manufactures NIR & UV/
VIS analysers for the petroleum and chemical
industries, and Advanced CAE, a larger scale
system integration firm that is able to execute
turnkey packages to the oil and gas industry.”
The acquisition of ATAC has resulted in
the company gaining a unique position in
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
the market as it now has the facilities to offer
turnkey analyser packages to its customers on
top of its core business; these packages include
equipment such as sample systems and analyser
houses. “This extended capability results in a
greater added value to our customers,” enthuses
Daniel. “Being part of the Advanced Group also
European oil & gas
gives us the opportunity to develop new product
lines and also update various other systems
in our product range for release. The recent
acquisition of ATOM Instruments is an example
of this, by gaining access to the company’s
advanced technology, we can create new and
exciting products for the petrochemical and 67
refining industries.”
A recent new product, the ATAC 1077
viscometer+, was added to the company’s
portfolio of online physical property analysers
in January 2013. Setting the standard for
viscometers, the product incorporates a unique
responsive touch screen that has a Zone 1
IIC rating without the need for purge air. Its
modular control assemblies are all plug and
play, communicating through an internal CAN-
bus that offers immediate and comprehensive
diagnostic capability. Furthermore, the optional
addition of a second oil bath to the viscometer+
enables measurement of viscosity at two different
reference temperatures, providing a very precise
Viscosity Index in accordance with the ASTM
strandard. “Through the development of our
new viscometer, particularly with its unique
touch screen capabilities, we have effectively
developed a new common platform for our other
products. Over the next two years we will be
launching new versions of our analysers, which
will boast innovative electronics, touch screen
and software,” says Daniel.
europeanoilandgas.co.uk
PROFILE Analytical Technology & Control (atac)
With increased demand expected, the
company is busy expanding its R&D facilities,
European oil & gas
as managing director Paul Warburton
highlights: “We currently have a very active
R&D programme, which has led to an increase
in personnel to be a part of these exciting
developments. We are also in the process of
expanding our R&D facilities here, with two
68 more rooms being constructed. Advanced
Holdings is also supporting us financially during
this process as it views ATAC as a centre of
excellence for research and development.”
Following the recently launched viscometer+,
the company is also due to release a new and
enhanced version of its cloud point analyser.
As well as having a more rugged measurement
cell, the new analyser utilises digital rather than
the earlier analogue control to significantly
improve the precision of cloud point detection.
The new version cloud point analyser is also
capable of switching between very different
petroleum products without the need for
operator intervention. ATAC has also introduced
hardware improvements that have reduced
the product’s maintenance requirements. “The
introduction of our newly upgraded physical
property analysers is a major focus for us right
now; a new vapour pressure analyser is also due
to be released soon,” says Daniel.
On top of manufacturing, the company
offers maintenance, training, commissioning
and consulting services to its customers, so it is
imperative staff are fully trained and prepared for
working in hazardous areas, as Paul elaborates:
“We invest a lot in the training of personnel,
particularly when you consider everything we
do is related to hazardous operations, we need
to ensure our staff not only design and build
analysers, but can also offer high quality services
such as maintenance to the required standards
of the industry.” By rigorously training its staff
to be fully qualified with up-to-date credentials,
the company can retain a competitive edge over
other firms. “When we present these credentials
to our customers, we prove that we are
competent, trained and certified to any current
regulations that are in place at any refineries
around the world,” adds Paul.
Following the acquisition of ATOM in 2013,
the company is focusing on the aggressive
schedules it has in place to develop new
products throughout the rest of the year. It is
also executing a major new project to supply
multiple analyser systems for the BP Claire
Ridge offshore platforms. Looking further
ahead, ATAC has a strategic aim to double the
size of its business over the next three to five
years through increased product developments
and acquisitions. “We are also looking to
develop a presence in areas that we may not
have had much focus on in the past, such as
the Americas, and being part of the Advanced
Group gives us immediate access to China
and the wider Asia Pacific territories, there is a
great deal of economic growth and potential,”
concludes Paul.
Lee-Dickens
Lee-Dickens is pleased to support
ATAC, which has been a loyal
customer for more than 17
years. We have supplied ATAC
over those years with a range of
instrumentation, of which the
majority were Isolating Signal
Converters.
We are a UK manufacturer of
process control instrumentation
including a range of VA flowmeter
alarm units, trip amplifiers and
signal converters. These have,
in most cases, been assessed
and awarded SIL2 rating.
The SIL rated products are all
non-processor based, which is
especially important to industries
such as oil and gas, nuclear power
generation and steel, where safety
is critical.
Analytical
Technology &
Control Ltd (ATAC)
atacgroup.com
Services
Manufactures online
physical property
analysers
 european

from exploration to end user

Schofield Publishing Ltd

10 Cringleford Business Centre
Intwood Road Cringleford Norwich NR4 6AU

T: +44 (0) 1603 274130 F: +44 (0) 1603 274131

Editor Matt High

mhigh@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

Sales Manager Rob Wagner

rwagner@schofieldpublishing.co.uk

europeanoilandgas.co.uk