OFFSHORE accommodation leader Specialist Services is having its biggest-ever presence at Adipec this year, displaying a range of products that combine cutting-edge design and international compliance.

Additionally, to mark its 30th anniversary in the Middle East, Specialist will also have a mini museum to showcase its heritage and developments since it was established in Abu Dhabi in 1982. During the last three decades, the company has seen significant evolution within the oil and gas industry and the demands that have grown for accommodation services as a result.

“We will have a well test separator and Solas A60 offshore office module on display at our stand. Both are Specialist Services iconic products,” says Chris Ridley, group sales and marketing director, Specialist Services.

“Our stand will have a full presentation of the company’s extensive engineering and manufacturing capabilities,” he adds.

The company is exhibiting at Stand 9060 in Hall 9.

“We chose Adipec because of its large and diverse audience base, high-quality visitors and exhibitors, as well as its positive influence in the oil and gas industry. The Middle East is where we are established, where we have our head office, key manufacturing facilities and it remains the strongest market among our global operations,” Ridley says.

Specialist is actively engaged in major offshore projects in the region and especially in the UAE. For example, Specialist has recently been appointed by Adma-Opco and Total to provide engineering, procurement and fabrication services for the refurbishment of existing offshore accommodation and technical modules.

Over the last two years, Specialist Services has been on concerted growth, internationally. First, it set up in Singapore, from where it is able to offer a large range of rental fleet of A60 modules on hire to the offshore sector.

Specialist ... on a concerted growth

Further, acquisitions in the fourth quarter of 2011 saw it purchase the Abu-Dhabi-based OIL Engineering Middle East and the highly regarded Labtech Services of Aberdeen, Scotland.

The OIL acquisition provides Specialist Services with a quayside waterfront facility from where it can construct and ship larger offshore modules. Labtech provides it with a base to operate in Europe and serve the Northern seas market locally.

Earlier in 2012, Specialist Services opened an additional manufacturing facility in Dubai. The 350,000 sq ft purpose-built site at the Jebel Ali Industrial Area in Dubai is expected to add significant capacity as it gears up into full production phase.

Moving ahead, the company is now looking at opportunities closer to home as well as further afield. With a joint venture in Saudi Arabia likely to be the next addition to its portfolio, Specialist is also talking to companies in Western Australia for further expansion in the region.

Admitting that the market conditions are difficult and competitive, he, however, expects “2012 results to be ahead of the previous year and in line with our strategic plan. The GCC region remains our most important and strongest market. The demand for this market comes from both onshore and offshore field development projects of major oil and gas producers in the region to increase output, upgrade facilities and refurbish existing facilities,” he adds.