HAVING captured a substantial chunk of the onshore market in Qatar, Gulf Drilling International (GDI) is now gearing up to raise its market share in the offshore market.

The company, which provides drilling and associated offshore jack-up services, will have acquired its first liftboat that will be delivered in June 2014 for an important client in Qatar. A new jack-up drilling rig will be delivered from shipyard in August this year, raising GDI’s share of the offshore market from the current 50 per cent to 60 per cent by the end of 2014.

GROWTH
GDI has experienced rapid growth in its brief existence. Within a span of 10 years, the size of GDI’s rig fleet has increased from just two rigs in 2004 to a total of 15 rigs by the end of 2013. At the end of 2013, the rig fleet consisted of seven offshore jack-up drilling rigs, six land rigs, one accommodation jack-up and a liftboat that GDI is managing. Another three rigs will be added to the fleet this year, consisting of a conventional jack-up rig, a new build Lift boat and a new build high specification jack-up rig. In a span of just three years (from 2011 to 2014), GDI will have almost doubled the number of rigs it operates from ten to eighteen. GDI’s workforce, in the meantime, has increased from a mere 100 persons to almost 1,400 employees.

“We are a world class drilling services company providing safe, efficient and cost effective drilling and associated offshore jack-up services,” states a company statement. “Our market share at the end of 2013 was 100 per cent of onshore and more than 50 per cent of offshore operations respectively,” it adds.

NEW OWNERSHIP
In May 2004, GDI was established as the first onshore and offshore oil and gas drilling company in Qatar. GDI was formed as a joint venture between Qatar Petroleum and Japan Drilling Company. In February 2008, the shares of QP were transferred to Gulf International Services (GIS) which became a public shareholding company and is listed on the Doha Securities Market (DSM). In April 2014, GIS acquired all remaining shares of JDC in GDI, making GDI a wholly owned subsidiary of GIS as of May 1st. 

OPERATIONS
The company’s operations are managed and executed by highly qualified and trained staff from almost 40 countries, making GDI a truly diverse employer of global proportions.

“One of our great strengths is being a multi-cultural company. Different ethnicities, experiences, customs and ideas, constitute a diversity that promotes a culture of teamwork and understanding,” the statement says. “This unique culture is reflected in our outstanding performance and ability to rapidly resolve problems. We will continue to adapt to the fast changing environment in the oil and gas drilling industry with the goal to get better every day,” it adds.

QHSE
GDI is committed to providing an incident and injury free workplace. “We will provide resources and support to our employees and to our installations. We will be proactive in our efforts to ensure that no one working for GDI is injured and harmed in any way. We are committed to protecting the environment in which we work and will comply with all requirements of international and local regulatory bodies,” GDI’s mission statement says.

GDI’s safety record in the recent past has been exceptional, and has surpassed the industry average standard of Total Recordable Incident Rate.

GDI continues to be certified to the following international standards: ISO 9001:2008: for Quality Management System; ISO 14001:2004: for Environmental Management System, and OHSAS 18001:2007 for Occupational Health and Safety Advisory Services.

SOCIAL COMMITMENT 
GDI provides its clients with safe, environment friendly and professionally consistent services employing a highly trained and motivated team of employees, utilising advanced technology and equipment. GDI was established with an aim to contribute to the social sector of Qatar by creating good job opportunities for Qatari nationals and to the sustainable growth of the national economy. To this end, GDI has developed a strategic Qatarisation plan, to satisfy the dual objectives of introducing fresh Qatari graduates into the company’s work force and providing a competitive market for qualified young working age nationals at an early stage.

GDI recognises that sustainable operations are a key to their future as a world class company. Therefore, it is determined to ensure that the best services are delivered to their clients, in the safest and most efficient manner. This philosophy has enabled  GDI to be  the No 1 company amongst its industry peers, in terms of operational performance,  safety, corporate governance and growth, according to a third party benchmarking study conducted in 2013.