Eid al Fitr Greetings Building For The Futurepdorc.com/fishing/download/Al_Fahal_2012.pdf · On the...

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On the occassion of Eid al Fitr PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci sent a cable of greetings to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on behalf of the company and staff Eid al Fitr Greetings Issue - 405 July/Aug 2012 The monthly newsletter for Petroleum Development Oman staff and its Contractors THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY PDO Makes History Page 4 THE DATA DOCTORS Information Expertise Page 9 PDO SCHOOL A New Look Page 10 Building For The Future

Transcript of Eid al Fitr Greetings Building For The Futurepdorc.com/fishing/download/Al_Fahal_2012.pdf · On the...

Page 1: Eid al Fitr Greetings Building For The Futurepdorc.com/fishing/download/Al_Fahal_2012.pdf · On the occassion of Eid al Fitr PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci sent a cable of greetings

On the occassion of Eid al FitrPDO Managing Director

Raoul Restuccisent a cable of greetings to

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Saidon behalf of the company and staff

Eid al FitrGreetings

Issue - 405July/Aug 2012

The monthly newsletter for Petroleum Development Oman staff and its Contractors

THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEYPDO Makes History

Page

4THE DATA DOCTORSInformation Expertise

Page

9PDO SCHOOL A New Look

Page

10

Building ForThe Future

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Al Fahal editorial team is pleased to congratulate our colleagues, their families and friends for Eid al-Fitr.

We wish you a joyous and generous celebration full of goodwill and cheer.

Eid Mubarak

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Features

EditorS:David BrownTel: 24673977Karima al ShahaibiTel: 24677756

Production MAnAGEr & PHotoGrAPHY:Mohammed al Mahrezi Tel: 24675283

ArABic EditorS:Saleh al Alawi Tel: 24678901 Moh'd al Araimi Tel: 24677281Yaqoub al Mufargi Tel: 24675808

dESiGn conSultAntS:United Media Services LLCTel: 24700896

PrintEd BY:Bishara Establishment LLCTel: 24700224

iF You HAVE A StorYInitially contact the editor or production editor with an outline of your idea either by phone or by email. Submission of written articles without prior discussion with either of the editors is not encouraged to avoid disappointment in cases where a story is not suitable for al Fahal.

PHotoGrAPHYRequests for photography should be directed to the photographer. Please note that the photographer’s primary role is in providing a corporate, as opposed to departmental service. When a request for photographic services is judged unsuitable for al Fahal, contacts for other photographers will be given.

coPYriGHtPlease note that no part of al Fahal may be reproduced without the written permission of PDO. Organisations wishing to reproduce articles contained within this issue, should get in touch with the editors.

First Word

Dear Colleagues,

Even though the summer period tends to be a quieter time than normal at PDO, it’s clear from this latest combined July-August edition of al Fahal that there is still a lot of excellent work going on in our business.

The Ras Al Hamra Development Project is now starting to kick into gear and you will soon see a notable step-change in activity with 1,800 workers due on site by the end of the year. Of course, there will be challenges, as with any scheme this vast and complex, but the end goal of providing housing, facilities and amenities of which we can all be proud is worth pursuing. The efforts of the team at Sayyala Terrace and the contractors on the ground to minimise the disruption while completing the construction are truly impressive.

I’m also pleased to see some of the unsung heroes of our Company get due recognition for the sterling jobs they do. Our quantity surveyors are daily using their knowledge to realise huge savings on contracts and construction costs and the analytical expertise of our Petroleum Engineering Data Management specialists is now in demand not only across PDO but also at an international level.

Likewise, a word for our Logistics Team whose efforts feature prominently in this issue. Their perseverance in bringing about the stunning new MAF Recreation Centre swimming pool and the exceptional planning and co-ordination to deliver two 300-tonne pressure- vessel inlet separators from South Korea to the Saih Nihayda Depletion Compression Project demonstrate teamwork at its finest.

Finally, I have nothing but admiration for the subject of our Staff In The Spotlight feature, Saada al Aufy, Chairperson of the PDORC Fitness Committee, who has tirelessly helped to raise thousands of rials for deserving causes - a remarkable lady who epitomises the inherent generosity of spirit in PDO and is a true example to us all.

I wish you all a safe and joyful Eid holiday.

Raoul Restucci

Managing Director

Fax: 24675654 Email: [email protected]

canoeists over the Moon At night-time Paddle ............................................ 1

Gcc – Greater co-operation confirmed............................................... 1

children lead the Way on road Safety ................................................ 2

A new logistics Vision For Pdo ..... 3

the incredible Journey ........................ 4

Quantity And Quality ........................... 5

the cWE roadshow Kicks off At Yibal .....................................................5

Staff in the Spotlight ............................ 6

Building to Be the Best .................... 7

Beyond the Borders ........................9

Passion For learning ..........................10

MAF Swimming Pool Makes A Splash ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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Pdo news

Twenty members of the Ras Al Hamra Boat Club (RAHBC) took to the sea for a moonlight paddle to Shatti Beach.

The intrepid canoeists donned buoyancy vests and attached cyalume sticks to their kayaks for visibility and a safety craft was on standby as they cut through the darkness.

However, despite the precautions, the only problem the enthusiasts faced was from fish leaping out of the water into their boats.

The group took around half an hour to reach the end point at Shatti Beach where they stopped for a drink and a chat about the sea life they had encountered before heading back.

Commenting on the idyllic scene, Principal Production Geologist David Alsop said: “The weather conditions were ideal with a smooth sea surface and gently rolling waves. The air was

clear and warm with the moonlight filtering down to light the way. The kayaks gently glided along the surface of the water with the sounds of the waves gently lapping against the limestone cliffs nearby.

“Several funny scenes occurred on the journey back to the RAHBC with fish jumping into boats. One person managed to collect six in their boat but was able to get them out without capsizing. As the group headed around the last cliff line into the bay, the multitude of cyalume lights reflected off the water. It really was a special scene to behold.”

Those taking part gave special thanks to Linda Stevenson (sponsor), the RAHBC committee, Aly Brandenburg (Commodore) and Feather Mills (Treasurer).

CANOEISTS OVER THE MOON ATNIGHT-TIME PADDLE

PDO has played a central role in two important meetings of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC).

Saleh al Alawi, Head of Translation Services, represented the Company at the 30th GCC National Oil Companies Steering Committee gathering hosted by Saudi Aramco on May 29-30.

The meeting was also attended by delegates from BAPCO/Tatweer Companies of Bahrain, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), and ADNOC of

UAE. The agenda covered presentations and discussions on the first day and a visit to Aramco facilities on the next.

“We had a very successful and fruitful meeting,” says Saleh. “We applaud and highly appreciate the efforts made by the working groups and we encourage them to further enhance their co-operation.”

Established in 1997, the committee aims at improving cooperation between GCC national oil companies in all possible aspects of the

Exploration and Production business. PDO also attended the first public relations

managers’ meeting hosted by ADNOC in Abu Dhabi.

Head of Public Relations Said al Busaidi, who attended the get-together, said: “The objective was to boost co-operation between the public relations officers and exchange views on best PR practices including enhancement of communication between the national oil companies.”

Dr. Said al Busaidi at the PR managers’ meeting in Abu Dhabi

Gcc – Greater co-operation confirmed

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Saleh al Alawi in Saudi Arabia

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Pdo news

Twelve talented youngsters have been selected as PDO Road Safety Ambassadors for 2012-2013 as part of the campaign to reduce the number of traffic accidents in Oman.

The children designed posters in a competition spelling out the dangers on our roads, including speeding, texting while driving and not wearing seatbelts.

They will now feature in a number of road safety communications this year and will be supported by 11 adult Ambassadors. The new team were presented with certificates by Naaman al Naamany, Corporate Safety and Environment Manager, at a special ceremony at the Oil and Gas Exhibition Centre.

CHILDREN LEAD THE WAY ON ROAD SAFETY

Alessandra Forabosco, aged five, told the audience at the event: “Always be careful when you cross the road and be careful when you drive.” And 11-year-old Shaun Lobo added: “Don’t be rash and end in a crash and donate blood – but not on the roads.”

Hamed al Esry, Senior Corporate Road Safety Adviser, said that road accidents were the number one killer in Oman claiming an average of three to four lives every day, with a large proportion of victims being young people.

He added: “It is a simple calculation that as Omanis we may disappear in 25-30 years’ time if this carries on because we are killing the productive group.”

HSE Internal Communication Adviser Munira al Balushi said: “Our children never cease to amaze us and they lived up to this in the quality and number of entries in our children's road safety poster competition. They show us they have a very real interest in making Oman's roads a safer place and they will be excellent advocates in this worthy cause.”

ROAD SAFETY

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Pdo news

Sulaiman al Shaqsi

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“If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” is an oft-heard cliché but one which PDO’s Logistics Team has chosen to ignore in its pursuit of operational excellence.

Since 2005, the Team and contracting partner Bahwan Exel (BE) have driven efficiencies and safety improvements across the Company’s contracting community through the introduction of new technologies and ways of working, improved planning and the allocation of work to several approved Third Party Contractors, Local Community Contractors and Omani Truck Owners (OTOs).

This so-called 4PL (Fourth Party Logistics) model led to some impressive achievements including a reduction in the number of driven kilometres across the network by five million – 15 per cent – a year. However, nobody was prepared to rest on their laurels and throughout 2011 PDO’s logistics experts and BE revisited their commercial strategies - including their 3PL

A nEWloGiSticSViSion For Pdo

service providers - and have since implemented a number of key cost optimisation initiatives whilst enhancing performance within cargo haulage and rig move operations. Roles and responsibilities are now fully aligned with core corporate business priorities: In-Country Value, Sustainably Adding Value Through Efficiency and creating a community culture of safety.

When asked why change something that already seemed to be working, Logistics Manager Sulaiman al Shaqsi replied: “We have enjoyed significant benefits from this model over the past seven years but now is the time to build a new platform that will generate further value from our contractors and also have a model that can be tapped into by other departments across PDO to maximise this opportunity.

HSE Compliance

“We now have a very clear logistics vision, which is totally aligned to our corporate vision. Having identified our four key business drivers (HSE, cost, time and quality), we ensured that whatever we would change would have a positive impact on the enablers, our people, commercial strategies, specialist contractors and technology.

“We have incorporated our findings into the new contracts with our providers of choice that have the right motivators to continue to drive stringent HSE compliance and operational excellence. We have also recently implemented new technology developments such as our rig movement and asset planning platform Move The Limit which has been extremely well received by our valued customers.”

The statistics speak for themselves. Last year, 350 OTOs were involved in more than 50,000

cargo shipments from the coast to the interior with a 99.85 per cent punctuality rate and drove 10 million kilometres with a Road Traffic Accident Frequency of just 0.21. A rigorous vehicle inspection programme caused initial friction between BE and the OTO community but has since proved an outstanding success with the level of vehicle compliance rising from 30 per cent to 90 per cent.

Rob Kennaugh, BE PDO Account Director, said: “Our objective and commitment to the OTO community remains to create a business model that allows growth today and to prepare them for the future challenges of rail and port developments across the Sultanate.”

Drilling wells and moving rigs will never be a smooth operation but the Logistics Team has to be agile to meet their customers’ requirements and avoid as much as possible the prospect of assets standing idle. Its specialists believe there is a golden opportunity to use this equipment in a collaborative manner across the business.

There is a belief that further improvements can be made through the Company’s Lean journey – doing more with less – not only for rig moves but across the whole spectrum of Well Engineering. Last year, an extra 4,000 hours of drilling activities were achieved because of better planning on 378 rig moves.

Former Well Engineering Director Abdulsattar al Murshidi, now Oil North Director, said: “I would encourage other departments and contracts holders to validate their logistics requirements with the 4PL control tower team before spending additional money elsewhere. The 4PL set-up was engineered to provide the highest HSE and operational standards at the lowest rates.”

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Pdo news

Sometimes to get the job done you have to go the extra mile. But what PDO staff and contractors recently achieved to bring vital equipment to the Saih Nihayda Depletion Compression (SNDC-1) Project made a mockery of that phrase.

They were involved in a vast logistical effort which spanned two continents, involving governments at the highest level, the police, the coastguards - and a Royal Oman Navy battleship. They also had to fight their way through a jungle of red tape to accomplish their complex task – not to mention achieve an historic maritime first.

The challenge was to transport two 300-tonne pressure-vessel inlet separators – which divide gas from water and condensates – from South Korea to the PDO facility at Saih Nihayda in the north of the concession area. The first part was reasonably straightforward and the two 19-metre tall carbon steel-clad units were transported by container vessel from the Far East in 25 days to Abu Dhabi.

That is when the problems began. PDO originally wanted to move the colossal cargo by truck but the UAE authorities would not give permission because of fears that bridges and the road network would not be able to bear the mighty load. There were two months of negotiations involving Government officials but these proved fruitless.

Said al Maktoomi, SNDC Project Manager, takes up the story: “After much deliberation with our Logstics Team we decided for the first time in PDO history to use a sea route to bring a heavy load into Oman.

“The first idea was to land the separators at Sultan Qaboos Port or Sohar and take them by road from there. However, again there were concerns about whether the infrastructure could cope.

“It was just too dangerous and there was a risk of putting locals at risk. Throughout, our overriding concern was not just to get the separators from A to B but to do it safely so, after weighing up the pros and cons, we devised another solution.

“That’s when we looked at the Port of Duqm.”

Even though Duqm’s commercial quay was still under construction, the PDO team approached the Ministry of Transport and

tHE incrEdiBlE JournEY

Communications to ask permission. Officials at first refused but eventually relented on the proviso that the permission of all the contractors at the port was sought. Once this was done, the Middle East Shipping and Transport Company, working with a sub-contractor in Abu Dhabi, loaded the vital cargo onto a barge which was escorted on a three-day voyage by a Royal Oman Navy battleship to ward off any potential threat from pirates.

The delivery was the maiden project cargo to be docked at Duqm, on the Sultanate’s south

eastern seaboard, and took three hours to unload but confirmed the port could perform its role as a maritime gateway for the hydrocarbon and mineral-rich Wusta governate.

The barge was gently moored alongside the commercial quay with the aid of the tugboat Blenda. Newly-trained Omani marine pilots were instrumental in guiding the barge into the port and a batch of Omani trainees observed the entire operation getting a live demonstration on the complexities of handling ships alongside.

Once safely positioned at berth, the five-metre wide separators were rolled off on to special trailers in a painstaking three-hour operation.

Peter Broers, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Duqm Company, said: “Last February, we were approached by Middle East Shipping & Transport Co with a request for support in the delivery of two large pieces of project cargo destined for PDO. After intensive consultations and deliberations with all the parties concerned, we decided to make this initiative a reality. “The role of Omanis in the success of this entire operation is a matter of great pride to the Port of Duqm. We are delighted to have accomplished this feat even though the commercial quay is still under construction with the paving and superstructure facilities yet to be completed.

After berthing, a police escort was needed to complete the final 400km leg of the journey as the mission was deemed of national importance. The convoy was told it could not exceed 40km/h for safety reasons and so the trip took a further three days with the team camping overnight in the desert. The units are now being installed at Saih Nihayda in time for the SNDC start-up in November.

Said paid tribute to all those involved in the successful 12-day delivery from Abu Dhabi saying: “This was one of the most complex logistical operations in PDO’s history involving the Gas Directorate, Logistics and UIC Security Teams as well as contractors, police, the Royal Oman Navy and Government authorities.

“It was a fantastic collective effort which needed lots of co-operation and co-ordination and shows PDO at its best.”

Freight route from Abu Dhabi to Qarn Alam

Contractors involved in the transportation operation:

GS Engineering and contractor Main project contractorWoojing Main sub-contractor for all project transport Bahwan Exel 4Pl contractor Middle East Shipping &transport co.llc Main logistic contractor AlE the transporter contractor

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Pdo case Study

More than 100 employees attended the first field-specific Collaborative Work Environment (CWE) roadshow at Yibal.

The two-day event consisted of a series of displays and demonstrations to showcase different aspects of the CWE programme which is designed to bring about an improvement in communication and understanding of production, engineering and well reservoir management operations across PDO. The aim is to reach better, faster decisions using technologies such as web and video conferencing and 3D software applications.

The Souq included a large floor plan of the CWE facility in Yibal which is due to be finished in November and will be able to accommodate

16 members of staff in a single, largely open-plan 300sq metre work area.

It will also have:• A Constant Virtual Collaboration Room

(CVC) enabling the field programmers to maintain real time audio-visual and data communications with their colleagues at the Coast. This will allow production challenges to be resolved quicker and more efficiently.

• An Advance Team Collaboration room (ATC), a large meeting space that will enable data from a number of different sources to be projected and seen by staff based in Yibal and in other collaboration rooms across PDO.

Staff were shown a case study of the

operational CWE at Lekhwair and several were heard saying that “by breaking walls, barriers would be broken down in the office.”

The CWE project team is currently scheduling the next stage of its roadshow so that employees are given more information about the programme and how it will be implemented at their respective sites.

They have been dubbed “The Blockers” for their rigorous scrutiny of contracts and construction costs. But PDO’s Quantity Surveyors are not too bothered about their less than flattering nickname – especially as they have saved the Company more than USD 40 million in the last two years by challenging excessive quotes for work.

So who are these sometimes unsung heroes and what do they do? A Quantity Surveyor (QS) is a qualified professional, generally working within the construction industry. Knowledgeable about building costs and experts on contracts, they ideally combine excellent mathematical, accountancy, negotiating, legal and diplomatic skills to seek best value for the business.

Their multi-faceted work is to prepare bills of quantities, assist in preparation of tender and contract documents, provide commercial advice to clients on how to manage costs throughout the project life – including labour, equipment and materials – and, when required, the surveyor keeps check on the proceedings and compiles progress reports to be presented to higher management.

The Company has 13 QSs working in Mina Al Fahal and interior locations and these are supported by 24 QSs who have been seconded to PDO. The team is led by Contracting and Procurement Manager, Husam al Jahdhami.

QUANTITYAND QUALITY

Muhammad al Bimani, PDO’s Lead QS in South Oman, said: “In safeguarding the Company’s interests, QSs save substantial sums of money. This added value is fully appreciated even though we are nicknamed: “The Blockers.” We do not mind this nickname as long as we safeguard the Company’s commercial interests!”

The specialists also provide commercial post-contract support for all engineering service, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and integrated estate service contracts. This assistance includes resolving disputes and claims, supporting internal and external audits for all service contracts, liaising with contract holders over project budgets and delivery and preparing interim and final accounts.

Not so long ago there was a lack of clarity over the scope and competencies of a QS with many people harbouring the perception that they were only capable of taking measurements and assessing prices.

However, that has changed dramatically and they are now involved in most aspects of contract evaluation and execution as they use their expertise to drive the best deal.

Said al Sudairy, Lead QS in North Oman, said: “The scope of our work has increased because more customers are demanding and continue to require our services due to an increase in EPC schemes and complex projects. To accommodate

Muhammad al Bimani Said al Sudairy

the cWE roadshow Kicks off At Yibal

such requests, more and higher skilled PDO QSs are required in the future.”

So as the business has increased in scale and complexity, QSs have finally come into their own – finally receiving the recognition they deserve. Former Oil Director Samir al Kharusi summed it up saying: “If PDO employs 100 quantity surveyors, their presence can be justified from the amount of savings they make on a daily basis.”

QS savings stats

north: January 2010 to February 2012 about USD 31.3 million was saved by challenging contractors’ submissions, out of which USD 29.5 million came from disputing EMC-ODC submissions which equates to 7.5 per cent of the overall contractors’ submitted invoices and USD 1.8 million savings from costing integrated estate and maintenance service contracts.

South: January 2010 to February 2012 about USD 10.8 million was saved through EMC and ODC contractors’ submissions, equating to 15.8 per cent of the overall contractors’ submitted invoices.

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Pdo People

Staff in the Spotlight

Saada al AufyChairperson of the PDORC Fitness Committee

Saada al Aufy is the kind of person who gives rather than takes, seeks solutions rather than magnifies problems, never forgets the bigger picture and always looks for the bright light at the end of the tunnel. Saada has been at PDO for 34 years and works as a Contract Engineer but she is also Chairperson of the PDORC Fitness Committee where she has been an indefatigable charity campaigner more often than not in her own time and at her own expense.

However, during her interview with al Fahal, it was clear that Saada is also refreshingly modest and is determined to stress the contribution of her fellow volunteers and committee members. Saada and her team raised RO7,500 for the Genetics Association in 2000; RO22,000 for Down Syndrome in 2003; RO70,000 for the National Association of Cancer Awareness (NACA) in 2005 and RO17,500 for the Oman Diabetes Association in 2008, and is aiming for more this year. Here, she speaks to Karima al Shahaibi about her fundraising and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle in PDO.

How did you first get involved with fitness and campaigning?

My first involvement with fitness was teaching ladies how to swim, as this service was unavailable at the MAF Junior Staff Club. My interest grew to motivating women to exercise after seeing how stressed they were from work and then coping with their responsibilities at home. Around 12 years ago, we had only one mixed gym and, due to our culture and religion, a ladies gym was a must. We started a campaign with the aim of getting a ladies gym built in RAH but decision makers were hesitant due to the cost factor. We launched a petition and collected over 350 signatures and the gym was then granted to us. In the meantime, women were getting highly involved

with collecting money from charity, and that’s how fundraising started.

What is your proudest moment?

Well, together with the team, we are proud every time an event that is hosted by us is successful. I also feel proud when we raise funds for different NGOs. We are dedicated, and take personal leave in between campaigns to get ready for them. We aim for the wellbeing of PDO staff.

Which organisation are you currently supporting?

We have nine mothers at PDO with Down's Syndrome children and this is very painful. The struggle to get funds is still ongoing. We have approached various governmental sectors for a school for Down's Syndrome children but until now we have not been successful. The sad reality is, there is no professional school for Down's Syndrome kids in Oman that is for free and most parents can’t afford to educate their children privately. We need a special school

because these kids are very clever, and they need education so they can lead their own lives. I will be happy if PDO can embrace this project, but it’s not just the building, but also running the school, getting the funds behind it and sustaining it.

Tell us about your new campaign, Change4Life?

This year we will be running our annual charity drive through a campaign dedicated to making lifelong lifestyle changes so that our staff and their families can enjoy life to the fullest with their family and friends. The ‘Change4life’ campaign will commence on October 11 and all proceeds from this campaign will go to charities committed to spreading awareness of and supporting children suffering from diabetes.

Why should people donate?

For us to be successful we rely heavily on the assistance received from individuals and organisations and at this stage we ask as many staff as possible to join us in this critical social initiative by financially contributing to this cause. Your generous support will go a long way to making the dream a reality and this will benefit the country as a whole.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the team behind our success. We are

always looking for new blood to coach so they can one day take over, so if you are serious about the well-being of others, please contact us.

• Watch out for a pre-launch event for MDC members and

managers to get to know more about the Change4Life campaign on August 27.

All PDO staff will be able to watch this on PDOTube. Also, keep reading al Fahal for more information on the official launch on October 11.

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Pdo news

The team behind the Ras Al Hamra Development Project has promised to work hand in hand with residents to minimise the disruption to their daily lives – and lifted the lid on the latest details of the mammoth scheme.

The sheer scale and complexity of the venture mean it is necessary to maintain flexibility in the timetable although the aim at present is to deliver the construction in a timely way in 2017. It is due to involve 1,800 workers at its peak by the end of this year.

Abdul-Amir al Ajmi, the man who is co-ordinating the transformation, said: “This project is designed to support PDO’s long-term vision of being the leader in the Oil and Gas sector not only in Oman but in the region.

“It will change the face of the Ras Al Hamra area with buildings, facilities and amenities of which we can all be proud.”

Extensive tracts of ground have been prepared and Phase 1 is expected to finish as per the contract and will see 237 new villas, townhouses and flats, infrastructure, including a new controlled-access clinic at Gate 1, and landscaping.

The project team is now working on Phase 1A design incorporating more housing units, a new school and recreation club and a floodlit golf course and clubhouse. The existing gym will remain in operation.

During building, alternative arrangements will be made so staff will still have access to recreational facilities even if the existing ones are off limits.

Abdul-Amir stressed residents would still have access to almost everything they currently enjoy – even if it is in a different location - saying: “Club members will have club facilities now, will have club facilities during the construction and after we finish.’”

The new school will be housed in Sayyala Terrace, near the project nerve centre, and should be ready for the new term in September 2014. It will incorporate many state-of-the-art “green” features and will be the first school in Oman certified by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), an internationally-recognised rating system for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighbourhoods.

Abdul-Amir said: “At the new school, the learning environment will have a high daylight ratio, a higher supply of fresh air and more efficient toilet and recycled water supply systems. Everything about the fabric of the building is about energy efficiency.”

Indeed, environmentally-conscious thinking is at the forefront of the redevelopment with the alignment of new buildings taking into account the sun’s trajectory to enable solar-powered streetlights and hot water systems.

In the near future, the team expects to see the completion of three- and four-bedroom townhouses with their own landscaping and infrastructure on the east side of Ras Al Hamra Street.

BU I LD ING TO BE THE BEST

Project supervisors have gone to painstaking lengths to limit the impact of the scheme and maximise sustainability. For example, an arborist has identified hundreds of plants and trees throughout the project which are being transplanted to the new MAF HQ, in keeping with the environmentally-friendly philosophy underpinning construction. The children’s poetry hoardings on Al Fahal Street will be recycled by repositioning them on the perimeter of the PDO School during the summer.

Street view of 3-bedroom type B attached villa scale model

Street view of 3-bedroom type B townhouse scale model

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BU ILD ING TO BE THE BEST

Abdul-Amir al Ajmi

View of the phase 1 scale model loking north down RAH St with the Masjid al Rahma in the foreground

Shortly, bulldozers will move onto the golf course and demolition will start on Sayyala Terrace to lay the groundwork for the new school. The other noticeable work will be a re-alignment of a 700-metre stretch of Al Fahal Road to Gate 3 around the eastern edge of the nine-hole golf course. Abdul-Amir assured people that the cemetery will stay with additional landscaping and enhancement around the perimeter.

He said: “This project shows how PDO is caring for its staff. When it is finished it will be the only community in Oman which has its accommodation within the vicinity of a school, recreational facilities - including a golf course - and is just five minutes from the office.

“The aim is to re-position PDO as the best place for locals and ex-pats. The project team is fully supported by the management of PDO and our stakeholders to complete this project on time, in style and on budget despite the major technical issues that every project faces.

“We assure all stakeholders, including Ras Al Hamra residents, that we will be working hand in hand with them to minimise disruption on a daily basis. That is why we have dedicated safety and community sections for this.”

If you have any questions about the project,

contact [email protected] or call 24678660

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PdoPeople

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It may be based on the edge of PDO’s sprawling coastal complex but PDO’s Petroleum Engineering Data Management Department is now firmly at the heart of the business – and in the global spotlight.

Some of the leading players in the Oil and Gas industry such as Saudi Aramco and Kuwait Oil Company are beating a path to its door to find the secret of its success – and its specialists are prized guests on the sector’s conference circuit.

The reason? Since 2004, the team, now numbering 80, has transformed the collation and storage of PE data and has become a one-stop shop across the Company for data management solutions with Well Engineering, Exploration, Engineering and Operations and even Human Resources all tapping into its expertise.

With any mature company such as PDO, there is always the risk that important documents from the past have been filed incorrectly or misplaced – something which can still have a serious impact on the effectiveness of present day operations.

ExcellenceSo PDO’s “data doctors” began systematically

“cleaning up” legacy well files after a realisation that petroleum engineers were wasting half of their time looking for data. However, thanks to the efforts of the team, what used to take three days now takes just 10 minutes – a huge efficiency and productivity saving.

Some of the subsurface data from early wells previously thought to be lost was unearthed in the archive with 10 per cent of the log data found to be incorrectly stored and up to 30 per cent of documents previously scanned and loaded in Livelink have been identified as incorrectly stored and have been re-indexed.

Nasser al Mahrooqi, Head of PE Data Management, said: “Subsurface data is one of the critical assets for any exploration and production company; without a healthy data set it is not possible to make accurate field development plans or to execute safe and effective operations.

“The growing complexity of our business means a growing reliance on data but our data management systems were haphazard at best so this had to be tackled. We started by fixing the quality control process and then began cleaning up the legacy files. We now know where they came from, how they are organised and where they are secured.

BEYondtHE

BordErS

“This means we have been able to minimise the time lost looking for information so petroleum engineers can spend more time recovering oil and gas and on project delivery.”

The achievements have seen Shell’s Chief of Petroleum Engineering Bill Henry award a certificate of excellence during a visit and the PDO team now provides consultancy to other partners in Shell, including Shell Malaysia, Shell Qatar and BSP.

“Our team is motivated”The Department’s best practice was also

showcased at a recent American Association of Petroleum Geologists three-day forum in Jordan – the first exploration and production data management workshop in the Middle East, North Africa and India under AAPG’s umbrella. PDO established the key focus areas at the event, which was opened by the Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources H.E. Alaa Batayneh, and presented four papers which were well-received by an audience including AAPG Committee members, Aramco, ADMA,

Total, Shell and Weatherford.Nasser said: “We have set up a solid and

sustainable technological and organisational foundation for data management. Our team is motivated and knowledgeable and can talk to petroleum engineers in the technical language they require.

“Data management is maturing as a discipline as people realise how important the integrity of this asset is. The fact that some of the biggest international players in our sector are now visiting PDO to find out how we operate underlines the huge strides we have made as a Department.”

CrucialA legacy team is still busy cleaning an

estimated 500,000 well-file related hard copy documents in the archive and this has provided opportunities for staff to get basic training in subsurface data management. As Oman does not have readily available data professionals in the market, so the clean-up has provided an excellent testing ground to identify employees who can look after data in the long term.

All staff joining the team are graduates or graduate-calibre and there is a plan in place to boost the skills of Technical Assistants so they can also develop their careers. Each new member of the team undergoes more than four months of classroom and on-the-job training and there is a strong emphasis on an inclusive and supportive work environment.

Kamal al Busaidi, Knowledge Management Team Leader, said: “A small gesture like a ‘thank you’ can keep people happy and it’s important to recognise those who have gone the extra mile, which we do at our bi-weekly meetings.

“Information management has always been a key issue in PDO and the proper organisation of data is crucial to any business and so those who are involved in that vital task deserve to have their efforts recognised.”

Nasser al Mahrooqi with Shell's Bill Henry

Nasser with fellow data management experts in Jordan

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Pdo news

Not every company in Oman is privileged to have its own school - especially one that is as prestigious as the PDO School. The centre of excellence was founded in 1966 and now teaches 330 children from 34 different countries in an environment of nurture and diversity..

The institution is the only official International Primary Curriculum School in Oman providing primary education for PDO expatriate children and others upon request. The principle of the IPC is to focus on the children’s academic, personal, social and international learning, using exciting and creative teaching methods. Now it has embarked on the latest chapter in its history with a makeover including a new website, marketing strategy and logo: Passion For Learning.

Shabir Hussain, Omanisation and Talent Manager, HRD, who oversees the school, said: “The school needed a brand refresh to reflect its history and aspirations to be a truly international school; a brand that the kids and parents can associate with. The creation of the website was also necessary to ensure that we have a medium to advertise our offerings and facilities.

“PDO School was founded 46 years ago and is an integral part of the Company and I’m very proud to play a role in its journey to be amongst the most competitive schools in Oman. We should move to new premises as part of the RAH development by 2014 and that will be another excellent milestone in our journey.’’

The re-launch of the website www.pdoschool.com was celebrated in style. Kids from all grades watched a new uploaded video about the school as the site went live on June 13. A week later, there was more excitement with the end-of-year celebration fancy dress party which had the theme of ‘Carnivals Around The World’. Guests were given the full red-carpet treatment as they arrived, with a “paparazzi” photographer on hand to snap their grand entrance. Pupils strutted their stuff as princesses, clowns, Red Indians, pirates and glamorous movie stars and even parents and teachers got in on the act. The carnival king and queen opened the party with a traditional conga line and the entertainment continued with a disco hosted by celebrity DJ Darren Shortt of HI FM.

Passion For Learning

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