The firm, which has a very strong presence in the Middle East with 19 operational offices/labs in 14 countries with 3,000 expert technicians and engineers, sees great prospects in the coming year with a slew of projects planned in Saudi Arabia

Bureau Veritas (BV), a global leader in testing, inspection, certification (TIC) and technical assistance with head office in France and operating offices/labs in 140 countries worldwide, is expanding its operations base in the kingdom with the addition of offices in Rabigh and Jazan.

As it expands, the firm, which has a very strong presence in the Middle East Region with 19 operational offices/labs in 14 countries with 3,000 expert technicians and engineers, sees great prospects in the coming year with a slew of projects planned in Saudi Arabia including the oil-to-chemicals project and Saudi Aramco’s various ventures as part of its aggressive approach towards being one of the world leading oil and gas company in the world, says Hanna Jabbour, chief executive officer, Bureau Veritas Saudi Arabia.

BV has been playing an active role in Saudi Arabia since 1999 with head office in Riyadh. With nine offices and four laboratories in the kingdom, BV’s services portfolio includes industrial inspection, asset integrity services, reliability services, environmental services, safety services, in-service inspection and verification services and certification services.

"We have more than 700 expert manpower in the kingdom. We have served prestigious clients such as Saudi Aramco, Sadara, Satorp, Sabic, PetroRabigh, SEC, BACS and others," he points out.

Established in 1828, BV is backed by an expert manpower of 75,000 in 1,400 offices/labs in 140 countries. "Therefore we believe such a network of highly expert manpower is unmatched in the TIC industry. We have successfully executed the contracts with Saudi Aramco and its Affiliates. We are continually getting new contracts of high importance which shows Saudi Aramco continued confidence and trust in Bureau Veritas capabilities and expertise in delivery high value contracts," he says.

The company is always working on expanding its service base and employee base with enhanced capabilities with special focus on Saudisation, Jabbour says.

Among its recent projects, BV carried out on-site and shop inspection for Sadara Chemical Company for its expansion projects and Opex activities. For Saudi Aramco, BV provided inspection for execution of NGL fractionations and inlets and gas processing facilities under the Wasit Gas programme; provided inspection services for the Jubail Bulk Plant project; provided inspection services for Jizan; general contract for NDT services at Saudi Aramco sites; contract for lifting equipment inspections; Satorp commissioning; Riyadh Refinery ISO 9001 certification; and provided experienced and certified inspectors for lifting equipment inspection and operator’s certification at PetroRabigh. The company is also doing the design review and inspection services for the Riyadh Metro Project.

BV has always been at the leading edge to provide state-of-the-art high-tech solutions in the inspection market. The firm is offering drones inspection and robotic inspections in the kingdom for the inspection of complex assets augmented by advanced analytics using artificial intelligence.

"Our drones/robotics inspection includes HD, UV, IR, LiDAR scanning simultaneously with advanced software incorporating machine learning as well as physics-based modelling," he explains.

"For over 190 years, our clients have looked to us to provide technical support, verify compliance or obtain certification. We support them in increasing performance throughout the life of their assets and products and via continuous improvement in their processes and management systems.

"Our teams worldwide are driven by a strong purpose: to preserve people, assets and the environment by identifying, preventing, managing and reducing risks," he says.

Bureau Veritas Certification, the world’s leading certification body, is accredited by a large number of national and international accreditation bodies such as UKAS, COFRAC, ENAC and DANAK. Its experts are involved in several technical committees. The Bureau Veritas Mark is a globally recognised symbol of its client’s ongoing commitment to excellence, sustainability and reliability, he says.

In the oil and gas sector, BV serves clients throughout the entire value chain: from feedstock, to processing, transportation and final product testing. Its solutions are structured to support the life cycle of the assets, from planning and design through procurement of components and equipment to construction and operation.

BV’s team of professional and independent experts support projects right from the engineering, procurement and construction phase of a new plant or brown field. They work together with the clients to review the operation and maintenance strategy and integrate the operational backgrounds, the specific knowledge of the installations and the geographical context.

BV’s Maintenance and Inspection Engineering supports in data management, maintainability and inspectability studies, and provide analysis and recommendations for spare parts and tools, procurement, maintenance and inspection. It also gives assistance to the client during the commissioning and start-up phases to ensure a proper plant handover to the operations and maintenance team.

QHSE process, procedures and training are the foundation of BV’s clients’ reputation and its team of specialists collaborate with clients to carry on assessment, monitoring and updating with the aim to promote the continuous improvement culture and quality of products.

BV offers asset management assistance during the day-to-day operation, shutdown, revamping, upgrading, enhancement, turnaround offering reliable data and real time solutions to the client’s decision maker.