STORK Technical Services, the leading global provider of knowledge-based asset integrity services for the oil and gas, chemical and power sectors, showcased some of its latest industry-leading technology at this year’s Adipec (Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference) in Abu Dhabi and demonstrated its ability to offer customers integrated asset integrity services across the asset lifecycle, from topside to subsea.
Hani Almaimani, vice president–Middle East for Stork Technical Services, says: “We have significant growth plans for the Middle East and are committed to the ongoing development of our technology portfolio, service offering and geographic footprint. We now offer industry-leading asset integrity solutions across the region and I am confident that we can continue the success of this year into 2013 and beyond.”
Most recently, Stork partnered with Saudi Industrial Services Co (Sisco) to establish a new company under the name of Stork Technical Services Saudi Arabia. The organisation will be based in Jubail, Saudi Arabia and will offer complete solutions bundled to serve high value apparatus and asset management. The deal is major step forward in Stork’s drive to enhance its service offering and capability in the Middle East.
Subsea has been identified as a major growth area for Stork in the Middle East and the company is looking to build on its excellent reputation established in the North Sea, West Africa and Mediterranean. Stork delivers integrated subsea services to the oil and gas industry and has an impressive fleet of chartered dive support vessel and bespoke dive intervention and support craft that are equipped with a range of advanced technology. The division delivers its services, including subsea IRM, bolting, and ROV survey, from hook-up and commissioning through to decommissioning.
Stork is an industry-leading provider of heat treatment services for a variety of materials, including metals, non-metals, composites, coatings, and refractory’s. The company’s innovative tube testing, TOFD/phased array and nozzle scanning technology was available to view on the stand, accompanied by a personal explanation of the crucial role they play in the oil and gas industry.
Almaimani continues: “Stork is a world-class company with a quality brand, employing some of the industry’s brightest people. We are committed to delivering a safe, quality and efficient service that helps operators extend the lifecycle of their assets. Our display at this year’s Adipec demonstrated that we continue to take significant strides in developing and offering the solutions our industry needs.”
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Stork offers conventional and advanced |
The new company will offer specialised technical services with world class and high quality services to the oil and gas, petrochemical, energy and water desalination sectors.
The agreement was made to establish a company under the name of Stork Technical Services Saudi Arabia Limited, as a foreign investment with a share capital of SR 25 million, where Stork’s share is 55 per cent, and Sisco is 45 per cent. The company will be based in Jubail and will offer complete solutions bundled to serve high value apparatus and asset management.
Mohammed Mudarres, CEO of Sisco, states that Sisco has been evaluating various opportunities in this area as part of its strategy to expand and diversify its business, and found these services to be in great demand in Saudi Arabia. The agreement with Stork Technical Services was confirmed because of Stork’s excellent reputation and high quality performance in the area of providing specialised services.
Douglas Meikle, CEO of Stork Technical Services, also declared that his company’s expansion in the Middle East and in particular Saudi Arabia is one of the key strategies the company has been planning for the last few years. Stork through establishing its presence in the area will endeavor to transfer technical know-how by training Saudi youths in these specialised areas. Meikle also announced that Stork considers the Saudi market as one of the most promising markets in the region in terms of projects and expansions in the oil and gas, petrochemical and energy sectors.
The company will strive to recruit and train young Saudis in various technical, vocational and administrational areas, as it is considered one of the key strategies to sustain its business and growth in Saudi Arabia.
Sisco was established by group of well-known Saudi businessmen in 1988 as a listed company in the Saudi Stock Exchange Market, with the aim to develop and invest in the national economy within the industrial estates. Today Sisco is considered to be one of the kingdom’s prominent companies, undertaken large scale capital investment in desalination plants, ports and free zones, industrial estate development, IT and other key projects.
OCA CHALLENGE AWARD
Meanwhile, Stork Technical Services won the ‘Innovation’ accolade at the OCA (Offshore Contractors Association) Challenge Awards for its industry-first hot bolt clamp technology.
The Challenge Award for Innovation 2012 honours those who have contributed to business success through innovative practices, products or industry initiatives. Stork was presented with the award by Fergus Ewing MSP, Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism at the 18th OCA Annual Dinner held at The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa at Pitfodels in Aberdeen, UK.
Bill Murray, chief executive for OCA, says: “We received a wide range of entries for this award, proving once again that our members are constantly seeking improvements in safety, productivity and sustainability. The award was given to Stork because their clamping system eliminates a number of long standing issues involving bolt replacement, system integrity and safety of maintenance personnel while also making a major contribution to platform uptime and cost efficiency.”
Stork’s onsite machining and bolting team, led by general manager, Pete Sheves, developed the technology in direct response to safety concerns raised by operators relating to instances of uncontrolled pressure releases due to stud failures, and future potential releases due to severe stud corrosion.
The innovative system enables the safe removal and replacement of corroded bolts on live flanged connections that have eight bolts or less, with no disruption to ongoing production. This removes the activity from planned or unplanned shutdown programmes thereby reducing downtime / shutdown, the ancillary services required (for example, nitrogen purging) and the associated demands for additional bed space to cover the shutdown activities.
The technology allows an operator to eliminate an identified threat of pressurised release almost instantly and improves the safety for offshore operatives and the asset as a whole by reducing the likelihood of hydrocarbon releases which can have a devastating impact offshore.
To date, in excess of 1,200 four bolt flanged connections have been reworked with a 100 per cent success rate while fitting new studs to the relevant pipeline specification.
Erik-Jan Bijvank, SVP – UK and Africa for Stork Technical Services, says: “Winning this award is a major achievement for Stork and we are delighted that the industry has recognised our commitment to innovations. It is testament to the hard work and determination of our onsite machining and bolting team to bring a product to market that not only improves the safety of operations but also delivers significant bottom-line benefits for our customers.”
Fraser Coull, operations support director for Stork Technical Services, says: “Achieving the highest safety standards remains the key priority for operators, however, we are increasingly being asked to simultaneously develop new ways to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of our operations. The HBC system is truly unique and delivers on all these fronts. We have already established an excellent track record and I am confident that we will see significant uptake of the technology across our UKCS and international operations in the 2012 and beyond.”
