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News<br />
NOVEMBER 2012<br />
Health & Safety<br />
Top priority for members<br />
East of England:<br />
World leading all energy hub<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> SNS2013<br />
Ambitious plans for event<br />
Skills for Energy<br />
Help shape next conference<br />
Photo at Sheringham Shoal taken by CHPV<br />
and supplied by Scira Offshore Energy
WELCOME<br />
Contents<br />
November 2012<br />
HEALTH & SAFETY<br />
03.........Oilennium revitalises Seajacks’ training<br />
Crown Estate's safety message<br />
04-05...Bartech's expansion driven by H&S<br />
New occupational health clinic<br />
06-07...Triple success for supersafe SSI<br />
08.........SafeHouse plans regional growth<br />
09.........Health of offshore workers vital<br />
ALL <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
13.........Supply chain roadshow success<br />
14-15....Ambitious plans for SNS2013<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> chairman steps down<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
17..........Sheringham Shoal's royal launch<br />
18-19....Calorex paints master art class<br />
20.........Clipper South delivers first gas<br />
21.........New base for Fendercare<br />
22-31....What other members are up to<br />
SKILLS FOR ENERGY<br />
33.........Military in the Energy sector<br />
34-35...Promising start for UEA students<br />
Coming soon –<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> events<br />
november 2012<br />
22nd – Decommissioning Special<br />
Interest Group:<br />
OrbisEnergy, Lowestoft<br />
29th – Offshore Europe Launch Event:<br />
Beacon Innovation Centre,<br />
Gorleston<br />
december 2012<br />
13th – <strong>EEEGR</strong> Christmas Ball:<br />
Ocean Room, Gorleston<br />
januARY 2013<br />
18th – <strong>EEEGR</strong> Breakfast Club:<br />
TBC<br />
FEBRuARY 2013<br />
TBC – Nuclear Special Interest Group<br />
MARCH 2013<br />
5th – Platform for Innovation:<br />
Norfolk Showground, Norwich<br />
5th – <strong>EEEGR</strong> Gala Dinner:<br />
Norfolk Showground, Norwich<br />
6th – SNS2013 - The Sea of<br />
Opportunity:<br />
Norfolk Showground, Norwich<br />
22nd – <strong>EEEGR</strong> Breakfast Club:<br />
TBC<br />
MAY 2013<br />
17th – <strong>EEEGR</strong> Breakfast Club:<br />
TBC<br />
Next issue:<br />
the global gateway<br />
In the next issue we'll be focusing on the<br />
East of England as a global gateway in the<br />
energy world.<br />
We want to emphasise the world-class<br />
capabilities of our regional supply chain to<br />
export products, services and expertise<br />
around the world.<br />
At the same time, our assets and<br />
resources are attracting international<br />
companies who want to do business in a<br />
thriving region with potential spanning many<br />
decades ahead.<br />
We feature examples of such news in<br />
every issue but for the February 2013 edition,<br />
we'll be demonstrating the strength and<br />
value of our region within the global market.<br />
Let's hear your stories of international<br />
success whether it is selling abroad or<br />
encouraging overseas business into our<br />
region. No more than 300 words, please,<br />
and with a relevant good quality picture<br />
where possible.<br />
February will also have a full preview of<br />
our SNS 2013 Conference and Exhibition at<br />
the Norfolk Showground which will also be<br />
flying the flag for the excellence of our region<br />
and its supply chain.<br />
www.eeegr.com<br />
Visit our website to keep up-to-date with<br />
the latest energy stories and events, and<br />
to download this and previous versions of<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> News.<br />
Editorial deadline is Friday January 18th.<br />
Email: news@eeegr.com<br />
Contact<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> (East of England Energy Group)<br />
Now representing more than 380 members<br />
T: 01493 446535<br />
F: 01493 446536<br />
E: info@eeegr.com<br />
www.eeegr.com<br />
Front cover image: Safety tops every criteria list in<br />
the energy world. Photo at Sheringham Shoal by<br />
CHPV and supplied by Scira Offshore Energy.<br />
Designed and produced by TMS Media<br />
www.tms-media.co.uk<br />
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for<br />
accuracy, legality or reliability of information in this<br />
publication although the utmost care is taken.<br />
Opinions expressed by contributors are not<br />
necessarily those of <strong>EEEGR</strong>.<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> News is printed on 80% recycled paper<br />
02 – NOVEMBER 2012
HEALTH & SAFETY<br />
Safer than houses!<br />
C Simon Gray, <strong>EEEGR</strong> chief executive<br />
It would be obvious to say that three top priorities<br />
for the energy sector are - safety, safety<br />
and safety.<br />
AREVA's Andrew Fox put it as simply at<br />
the <strong>EEEGR</strong> 2012 Conference when he said<br />
supply chain businesses were assessed on<br />
quality, cost, delivery and safety. “But safety<br />
is everything.”<br />
Health is inextricably linked with safety.<br />
Unhealthy, unfit personnel can make dangerous<br />
mistakes or decisions. Lack of attention to<br />
safety can lead to catastrophe.<br />
Our high risk energy sector has a remarkable<br />
record for safety. But that is not enough.<br />
We must always strive to improve.<br />
That's why this issue has a special focus<br />
on H&S; the many companies involved in a<br />
whole range of aspects - the new initiatives,<br />
the training, the protection, the supervision<br />
and the equipment.<br />
It forms a critical element to our supply<br />
chain and one, without which, our industry<br />
could not operate.<br />
Oilennium revitalises<br />
Seajacks’ training<br />
C Samantha O’Hara, Oilennium<br />
C 01508 522 700<br />
C sam@oilennium.co.uk<br />
C www.oilennium.com<br />
Oilennium Ltd has successfully completed<br />
a series of customised eLearning training<br />
programmes for Seajacks, the Great<br />
Yarmouth-based operator of purpose-built,<br />
self-propelled jack-up vessels.<br />
Initially, Seajacks asked Oilennium to<br />
provide effective, cost-effective training for its<br />
employees.<br />
The first requirement was to help enhance<br />
the company’s health and safety training<br />
programme and the primary objective was to<br />
revitalise Seajacks’ existing programme by<br />
offering a more dynamic, interactive training<br />
experience.<br />
To achieve that, Oilennium provided<br />
Seajacks with access to a wide range of<br />
health and safety courses through its Learning<br />
Management System (LMS), an online<br />
user-friendly system that features interactive<br />
training tools.<br />
These courses, currently being taken<br />
by 150 employees around the world, provide<br />
training in confined space entry, task-based<br />
risk assessment, COSHH, manual handling,<br />
lifting operations, and noise awareness.<br />
Bespoke programmes were devised<br />
for Seajacks featuring lively animations and<br />
meaningful graphics that provide delegates<br />
with a clearer, more immediate understanding<br />
of the subject matter.<br />
Delegates demonstrate what they’ve<br />
learned through a series of knowledge checks<br />
and a final exam.<br />
“The health and safety courses proved<br />
to be so popular and effective, we decided<br />
to bring Oilennium in to revitalise our vessel<br />
induction video for the harsh environment<br />
installation vessel Seajacks Kraken,” said<br />
Max Paterson, sales and marketing manager<br />
for Seajacks.<br />
“Their work on the Kraken vessel video<br />
was so impressive, we decided to have<br />
Oilennium develop bespoke videos for two<br />
more vessels: the Seajacks Leviathan and the<br />
Seajacks Zaratan. Since we began training<br />
our employees via the new safety training and<br />
vessel induction programmes, there has been<br />
a marked improvement in employee appreciation<br />
of safety, and of the unique characteristics<br />
of each vessel.”<br />
Kevin Keable, managing director of<br />
Norfolk-based Oilennium, added: “Developing<br />
a culture that is vigilant and truly dedicated<br />
to best practices in HSE requires hard work,<br />
dedication and sheer persistence”.<br />
Above: Seajacks retained Oilennium to revitalise its<br />
vessel induction video for the harsh environment<br />
installation vessel Seajacks Kraken.<br />
New focus as<br />
windpower reaches<br />
deeper waters<br />
C 020 7851 5311<br />
C www.thecrownestate.co.uk<br />
As the offshore wind industry moves truly<br />
‘offshore’ into deeper waters - now similar to<br />
the southern sector oil & gas developments -<br />
the focus on health & safety has dramatically<br />
intensified to ensure that projects can be<br />
delivered safely.<br />
The Crown Estate’s health and safety<br />
champion Peter Hodgetts said: “Now, after<br />
more than 12 years of offshore wind, we are<br />
continuing to learn vital lessons even as we<br />
move further offshore. Deeper water creates<br />
changes in our risk profile but we can learn<br />
from other sectors, including oil & gas.<br />
“The Crown Estate is championing many<br />
of these initiatives with a range of strategic<br />
workstreams which reflect areas that concern<br />
our development partners. We also<br />
reward good practice through our Health &<br />
Safety Award.”<br />
A unique element of the offshore wind<br />
sector is the very large number of vessels<br />
utilised throughout the lifecycle, numbering<br />
up to 35 or 40 vessels on site during the<br />
construction phase, requiring rigorous marine<br />
co-ordination.<br />
Recently published by The Crown Estate<br />
was a Vessel Safety Guideline designed to<br />
support developers in selecting vessels ‘fit<br />
for purpose’ through the development phase<br />
and a further guideline is planned to address<br />
vessels that will be used during the<br />
construction phase.<br />
Its Safer by Design workshops brought<br />
together a large cross-section of industry<br />
experts to discuss lessons learned as well as<br />
looking ahead at the factors that will influence<br />
the whole lifecycle of projects.<br />
“An important step is that the industry<br />
is now moving from a ‘day trip’ scenario to<br />
a format similar to the oil & gas sector with<br />
personnel living offshore for extended periods<br />
and this brings another range of factors that<br />
must be managed and the industry is rolling<br />
out the first offshore wind training courses,”<br />
said Mr Hodgetts.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 03
HEALTH & SAFETY<br />
Bartech Marine’s<br />
expansion driven by<br />
health & safety<br />
C Paul Douglas<br />
C 01206 384677<br />
C pdouglas@bartechmarine.com<br />
C www.bartechmarine.com<br />
As Bartech Marine Engineering enters its<br />
25th anniversary year, it remains committed<br />
to its founding principles of supplying both<br />
high quality products and service that’s built<br />
on a vision of ‘Providing Safety Through<br />
Mechanical Excellence’.<br />
It is a first port of call for global companies<br />
needing mechanical equipment for<br />
marine, offshore and industrial engines.<br />
With success have come many new<br />
opportunities. In recent months, Bartech has<br />
supplied fuel pipes for the boats that shuttled<br />
spectators to and from Olympic venues, and<br />
it has been appointed one of only five UK<br />
service dealers for global engine manufacturer<br />
MTU.<br />
As the company has grown, Bartech’s<br />
insistence on the highest standards of<br />
health & safety has allowed it to take new<br />
demands in its stride. It uses RBS’s Mentor<br />
consultancy service to ensure its H&S provision<br />
goes far beyond simple compliance with<br />
the regulations.<br />
Top & centre:<br />
Safety’s always first<br />
for Bartech Marine<br />
The result is a company that has H&S<br />
underpinning all aspects of its work. Its design<br />
and manufacturing of fuel pipes conforms<br />
to SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) and the<br />
company is proactive in reducing the risk of<br />
engine fires — 66% of all marine fires start<br />
in the engine room, and most of them can<br />
be avoided. Bartech also offers a 24-hour<br />
response window in which to reach clients’<br />
vessels, assets and sites, but they undertake<br />
full risk assessments and compile method<br />
statements every time.<br />
When it comes to offshore work, all staff<br />
undertake specialised training, while in the<br />
factory there are regular H&S meetings and<br />
internal poster campaigns. Now it is moving<br />
into much larger new premises in Colchester,<br />
Bartech will be training employees to use new<br />
cranes and lifting equipment and will update<br />
its H&S policies to meet the demands of its<br />
new building and operations.<br />
Director Paul Bleck said: “We put our<br />
people first and we’re determined to create a<br />
healthy, safe environment for all. If you only<br />
pay lip service to health & safety you not<br />
only endanger your employees and reputation,<br />
but you miss out on a whole range of<br />
benefits such as better motivation, staff<br />
retention and productivity.”<br />
New occupational<br />
health clinic for East<br />
of England<br />
C 01603 274460<br />
C info-norwich@abermed.com<br />
C www.abermed.com<br />
Abermed/International SOS Medical Services<br />
NEU opened a new occupational health clinic<br />
in Norwich last month.<br />
Located at Norwich Research Park, it is<br />
part of a thriving science and innovation business<br />
park that is continuing to put Norwich on<br />
the map as a centre of research and scientific<br />
excellence.<br />
The clinic is easily accessible with good<br />
transport links to locations across East Anglia<br />
and it is based within a newly furbished unit<br />
and offers a full range of occupational health<br />
services from medical assessments, occupational<br />
health consultations, travel health<br />
services to seasonal flu vaccinations.<br />
Occupational health is sometimes mistakenly<br />
taken to be simply to provide advice<br />
once an individual is sick or there is a medical<br />
problem impacting on work. At its simplest<br />
04 – NOVEMBER 2012<br />
this can be thought of as ensuring a good fit<br />
between an individual’s medical capability<br />
and the work they do – ensuring that work<br />
does not cause harm, and the individual’s<br />
health does not adversely impact on work.<br />
Prevention is always better than cure –<br />
avoiding problems or fixing them before they<br />
become serious is usually easier, more effective<br />
and cheaper than waiting until health<br />
problems start to occur.<br />
In occupational health, prevention<br />
focuses on health screening, surveillance<br />
and health promotion. These services seek<br />
to encourage awareness and early action to<br />
control identified health problems or risks<br />
and to monitor health over time to reduce risk<br />
of deterioration. A good occupational health<br />
provider will work pro-actively with a business<br />
to help identify risk factors in the work<br />
or workplace and support risk reduction to<br />
avoid harm to workers.<br />
Effective occupational health is a part<br />
of good business management and has a<br />
significant contribution to make to help a<br />
business deliver high performance and effective<br />
cost control.<br />
Above: Abermed/International SOS<br />
Medical Services NEU<br />
Right: A Tideland Syncrolan light<br />
station with an MLED-180 15 NM<br />
main light and an MLED-150 10 NM<br />
secondary light.
Altor’s new course<br />
to handle offshore<br />
conflicts<br />
C Altor Risk Group<br />
C 01224 588442<br />
C enquiries@altor-risk-group.com<br />
C www.altor-risk-group.com<br />
Tom Marchbank<br />
A global risk management group specialising in<br />
offshore crisis resolution is to pass on its extensive<br />
expertise in bringing peaceful solutions to<br />
conflict situations.<br />
Altor Risk Group, which has a new<br />
emergency response hub for the oil and gas<br />
industry in Aberdeen, launched a three day<br />
crisis intervention skills and protester response<br />
course targeted at those working offshore.<br />
The training will be led by former police<br />
negotiators experienced in dealing with<br />
hundreds of such situations and aims to raise<br />
awareness of ways to successfully resolve<br />
flashpoint situations.<br />
Setting of strategy, suicide intervention,<br />
communication skills, use of force, demands,<br />
deadlines and threats, working with an intermediary,<br />
influencing behaviour, protestor response<br />
and police expectations will all be covered.<br />
The event culminates in a half-day exercise<br />
where delegates put their newly acquired skills<br />
to the test in a mock emergency situation.<br />
Former police officer Tom Marchbank is<br />
a project manager at Altor and developed the<br />
Offshore Crisis Intervention Skills Course after<br />
identifying a shortage of knowledge among<br />
those offshore who might have to deal directly<br />
with a person in crisis.<br />
“ SADLY, SOME TRAGIC INCIDENTS<br />
MAY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF<br />
THERE HAD BEEN APPROPRIATE<br />
INTERVENTION. ”<br />
He said: “There is an acknowledgement<br />
from companies that incidents had occurred on<br />
their installations in the past. Sadly, some tragic<br />
incidents may have been prevented if there had<br />
been appropriate intervention.<br />
“The Emergency Preparedness Offshore<br />
Liaison Group (EPOL) agreed there needs to be<br />
suitable personnel trained to deal with people<br />
in an emotional crisis offshore until support<br />
can be obtained from the police. This is not<br />
confined to the oil & gas industry but equally<br />
applies to vessels where either passengers or<br />
crew may be affected.”<br />
Established in July 2010 by Jim Walker,<br />
the Altor Risk Group provides a complete risk<br />
management service<br />
Mr Walker said: “Major events in the North<br />
Sea and Gulf of Mexico have underlined the<br />
importance of planning for and testing various<br />
scenarios to ensure that an organisation is well<br />
equipped to deal with any potential situation.”<br />
Tideland warning<br />
systems for Gudrun<br />
platform<br />
Aibel AS of Norway has chosen Tideland<br />
Signal to supply a comprehensive package<br />
of Syncrolan LED light stations for the new<br />
Gudrun development in the Norwegian sector<br />
of the North Sea.<br />
The Tideland LED warning systems to be<br />
installed on the Gudrun platform comprise a<br />
main Syncrolan light station with a range of<br />
15 NM, two subsidiary lights, battery banks, a<br />
central alarm and monitor panel and intermediate<br />
structures. All the principal equipment is<br />
ATEX certified for use in Zone 1 (Cat 2) hazardous<br />
areas.<br />
The equipment will be built by Dabbrook<br />
in Great Yarmouth and Dabbrook technicians<br />
will commission the system offshore.<br />
Tideland's Syncrolan light stations<br />
combine an MLED-180-HI EX main light and<br />
a MLED-150 EX secondary light wired to an<br />
Exe junction box and mounted on a stainless<br />
steel pedestal. The subsidiary beacons are<br />
Tideland MLED-150 EX units with a range of<br />
10NM, also wired to an Exe junction box and<br />
mounted on a stainless steel bracket.<br />
Tideland’s MLED-180Hi and MLED-150<br />
lantern offers minimal maintenance requirements<br />
and an expected service life in excess<br />
of 25 years on station in the most demanding<br />
environments. Long-life LEDs and high-integrity<br />
electronics are employed to maximise<br />
reliability and minimise maintenance.<br />
Gudrun is located in the central Norwegian<br />
North Sea, about 55km north of Sleipner A,<br />
to which it will transport partially stabilised oil<br />
and gas. The NOK 21 billion field development,<br />
licensed jointly to Statoil as operator (75%)<br />
and GdF Suez (25%), will centre on a jacketsupported<br />
production platform with process<br />
facilities for partial stabilisation of oil and gas.<br />
Due to come on stream in 2014, the platform<br />
will have 16 well slots and the plan calls for<br />
seven production wells.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 05
HEALTH & SAFETY<br />
Business in triplicate<br />
for supersafe SSI<br />
C Margaret Jessop<br />
C 01493 659411<br />
C Margaret.Jessop@ssiuk.net<br />
C www.survivalsystemsinternational.com<br />
Survival Systems International UK (SSI) has<br />
completed the refurbishment of three 50-man<br />
lifeboat capsules from the Global Sante Fe<br />
Galaxy rig at its UK base at Great Yarmouth.<br />
All three were transported together by<br />
road from Scotland to be worked on simultaneously<br />
in Norfolk while the North Sea rig was<br />
being revamped in the Nigg fabrication yard<br />
on the Cromarty Firth.<br />
It’s another feather in the cap for a company<br />
which reminds its workforce daily that<br />
more than 2000 lives have been saved to date<br />
using SSI equipment.<br />
“We were delighted to be given the work<br />
by Transocean, the world’s largest drilling<br />
contractor, and even happier to report that<br />
we finished on schedule within a tight<br />
deadline,” said Andy Dickson, SSI UK’s<br />
operations manager.<br />
“It’s meant the workshop has been<br />
particularly busy with all three capsules being<br />
worked on alongside another major contract.”<br />
Every component from each of the<br />
capsules was thoroughly checked through<br />
SSI’s ‘traffic light’ assessment – green for<br />
OK, yellow for potential refurbishment and<br />
red for replacement. Safety testing was also<br />
incorporated into the six-week project.<br />
“It was ideal for us to get the job as the<br />
capsules were all built by our parent company<br />
in the United States so we were very familiar<br />
with their design, equipment and layout,”<br />
said Andy.<br />
The GSF Galaxy, a harsh environment<br />
deepwater jack-up platform, was undergoing<br />
a three-month refurbishment, the first oil rig<br />
for nine years at the Nigg yard.<br />
Risks involved in<br />
driving to work<br />
C Mike Weatherstone<br />
C 01508 488181<br />
C info@drivexcel.co.uk<br />
C www.drivexcel.co.uk<br />
It's worth reminding everyone of Health & Safety<br />
Executive rules relating to driving at work.<br />
Essentially, an employer requiring anyone<br />
to drive, however rarely and even if driving is<br />
not normally part of their work, has a legal duty<br />
to complete a risk assessment and keep it<br />
under review.<br />
This applies equally to directors and<br />
sub-contractors, but excludes commuting<br />
unless the employee is travelling from their<br />
home to a location not their usual place of<br />
work. It applies to company vehicles and those<br />
owned by the employee.<br />
If there are fewer than five employees the<br />
employer is not required to record anything, but<br />
it is probably unwise not to do so.<br />
There is no obligation to use an outside<br />
person to risk assess but, should disaster<br />
strike, clearly the employer must be able to<br />
demonstrate they were competent to do it<br />
06 – NOVEMBER 2012<br />
Top: Triple triumph for<br />
Great Yarmouth’s Survival<br />
Systems International<br />
Top right: Surface<br />
workers keep in touch<br />
with personnel working<br />
underground 500m away<br />
themselves. This may be very difficult if one<br />
ordinary driver with no special background or<br />
expertise is risk assessing another.<br />
If an employer fails to risk assess and a<br />
serious accident occurs, a charge of corporate<br />
manslaughter against the director and/or<br />
manager responsible can result. The law<br />
allows for lengthy jail terms and closure of the<br />
company on conviction, so this is not a duty to<br />
be lightly ignored.<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> member Drivexcel, based near<br />
Norwich and run by ex-traffic police officer<br />
Mike Weatherstone, specialises in low-cost “on<br />
the road” driver risk assessment for cars, vans<br />
and HGV to Class1 and covers the whole of the<br />
UK. Combined with a mini-police advanced<br />
driving course, eco-driving and speeding<br />
point avoidance tips, employees enjoy them<br />
immensely and always take away something<br />
new which may save their life.<br />
Drivexcel
Fern’s FRX-1 proves a<br />
hit in Romania<br />
C Jennifer Cushion<br />
C 01502 560800<br />
C jennifer@FernCom.com<br />
C www.FernCom.com<br />
A Suffolk company’s pioneering two-way<br />
radio communications system is proving vital<br />
in making life safer for people working deep<br />
underground or in other hazardous areas by<br />
ensuring they can maintain contact.<br />
The latest test for Fern Communications<br />
Ltd saw its FRX-1 Portable Radio Repeater<br />
dramatically enhance communications<br />
for personnel carrying out inspections in<br />
underground sewage and water systems in<br />
Romania.<br />
In trials carried out on behalf of water and<br />
wastewater management company Apa Nova<br />
in central Bucharest, the FRX-1 was placed in<br />
strategic locations where the radio signal is<br />
normally disrupted, causing a breakdown in<br />
communications between personnel inspecting<br />
and surveying tunnels and pipelines. With<br />
the FRX-1 in place, radio 'black spots' were<br />
eliminated.<br />
Normally, Apa Nova personnel working<br />
in the 150ft deep tunnel lose the radio signal<br />
completely not long after entering it. But with<br />
the FRX-1 in operation, they could, for the<br />
first time, maintain radio signal and<br />
“ WITH THE FRX-1 IN PLACE,<br />
RADIO 'BLACK SPOTS'<br />
WERE ELIMINATED. ”<br />
communication with co-workers located<br />
above ground 500m away.<br />
“It was very impressive,” said Raluca<br />
Niculae, economist and project manager for<br />
Centrul pentru Servicii de Radiocomunicatii<br />
(CSR). “For Apa Nova, this trial demonstrated<br />
that maintaining quality communications<br />
with personnel who are carrying out critical<br />
inspection of the sewage network and tunnels<br />
is possible.”<br />
Apa Nova has now purchased the<br />
FRX-1 as a standard component of its radio<br />
communications kit for personnel working<br />
underground, the first time the system has<br />
been adopted for use in Romania.<br />
A major oil and gas operator in Romania is<br />
also in discussions with CSR about field trials<br />
with the FRX-1 in the Carpathian Mountain<br />
tunnels and on oil rigs in the Black Sea.<br />
During recent years, Fern’s radio repeaters<br />
have been successfully trialled by Technip<br />
in the Gulf of Mexico, QServ in Scotland, and<br />
Qatargas, offshore Qatar. Staff at Thetford<br />
Power Station in Norfolk also use Fern's<br />
system during planned shutdowns.<br />
Centre: Going down: The FRX-1<br />
Radio Repeater goes on trial with the<br />
Apa Nova inspectors watched by<br />
(centre) Clive Cushion, Fern technical<br />
director, and Raluca Niculae, of CSR.<br />
Above: Fugro’s offshore survey<br />
training team<br />
Fugro Survey’s success<br />
in RoSPA Awards<br />
C Eric Robertson<br />
C 01224 257500<br />
C e.robertson@fugro.com<br />
C www.fugrosurvey.co.uk<br />
Fugro Survey Limited has been recognised<br />
for its excellent approach to the prevention<br />
of accidents and ill health in the RoSPA<br />
Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2012.<br />
The Order of Distinction is the highest<br />
merit of continuous HSE performance excellence<br />
as it is awarded only after 15 consecutive<br />
gold awards are achieved.<br />
The award scheme recognises commitment<br />
to accident and ill health prevention<br />
and is open to businesses and organisations<br />
of all types and sizes from across the UK<br />
and overseas. It looks not just at accident<br />
records, but also entrants’ overarching health<br />
and safety management systems, including<br />
important practices such as strong leadership<br />
and workforce involvement.<br />
David Rawlins, awards manager at<br />
RoSPA, said: “We congratulate Fugro Survey<br />
on its success and encourage it, and all our<br />
other winners, to remain committed to safety<br />
and health, an approach that is well recognised<br />
to be good for workers and the bottom line.”<br />
Alistair Sutherland, QHSE manager for<br />
Fugro, which has bases in Aberdeen and<br />
Great Yarmouth, said: “The award from RoSPA<br />
is testament to the considerable commitment<br />
and effort made by everyone in our workforce<br />
towards the provision of a safe and healthy<br />
working environment over many years.”<br />
There was more good news from Fugro<br />
Academy which has celebrated delivering<br />
1,000 instructor-led training courses since its<br />
creation in 2006, benefiting more than 7,600<br />
staff and representing about 35,000 days<br />
of training.<br />
Courses are developed to support<br />
the training and development of Fugro’s<br />
surveyors, engineers, geophysicists and data<br />
processors.<br />
They are designed and delivered by<br />
experienced professionals who pass on their<br />
knowledge and experience to colleagues.<br />
As well as classroom training courses,<br />
Fugro Academy also provides a wide range<br />
of online courses to staff covering health and<br />
safety, surveying, human resource development,<br />
office software applications, leadership<br />
and management and interpersonal skills.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 07
HOT<br />
WORK<br />
Needs a SafeHouse Habitat<br />
The ONLY Internationally<br />
ATEX Accredited ‘Hot Work’ Habitat<br />
SafeHouse Habitats<br />
plans regional growth<br />
C Andrew Cossey C acossey@safehouseltd.com<br />
C www.safehousehabitats.com<br />
SafeHouse Habitats Ltd, Dundee-based international safety<br />
engineering services company, has opened a new office in Great<br />
Yarmouth to further develop its interests in the region.<br />
The company has long-term plans to create further job<br />
opportunities in and around the East of England and further afield<br />
as local business develops.<br />
Its new office at Great Yarmouth’s Gapton Hall industrial<br />
estate will help meet the growing demand for its services in the<br />
southern offshore sector and onshore petrochemical & gas plants.<br />
Established ten years ago, SafeHouse has experienced<br />
significant growth and development in recent times; employing<br />
around 80 staff, with further representation via subsidiaries,<br />
partners and agents across the globe.<br />
Providing services to oil, gas & petrochemical industries,<br />
its pressurised habitats are used to perform hot work (cutting,<br />
welding, grinding etc.) in areas having a potentially hazardous<br />
atmosphere due to the presence of hydrocarbons.<br />
Performing hot work in these areas is extremely dangerous<br />
for workers and the surrounding environment as the heat and<br />
sparks generated can ignite hydrocarbons, leading to potentially<br />
catastrophic explosive chain reactions.<br />
The habitat system provides an isolated atmosphere by<br />
generating an internal pressure greater than the external, preventing<br />
the ingress of hydrocarbons while stopping the egress of hot<br />
sparks etc. This system effectively controls and reduces risks,<br />
while providing further options to operators and contractors for<br />
maintenance work and project planning.<br />
Andrew Cossey, business development/operations engineer<br />
for SafeHouse in Great Yarmouth, said: “Our aim is to progressively<br />
develop our services as far as is practicable so that we can<br />
provide the safest possible working environment for personnel<br />
carrying out hot work in industry.”<br />
Better news on H&S offshore<br />
C oilandgasuk.co.uk<br />
NOW OPEN<br />
GREAT YARMOUTH OFFICE<br />
TEL: 01493 658564<br />
Oil & Gas UK's first ever Health & Safety Report launched earlier<br />
this year reported a number of recent major improvements to<br />
offshore safety in the UK oil and gas industry.<br />
It also recorded an overview of the various safety-related<br />
projects being carried out across the industry; an explanation<br />
of how the safety agenda is being effectively managed by Oil &<br />
Gas UK and its members; and a look ahead to the future.<br />
On safety performance, the report finds:<br />
C Despite being a major hazard industry, in terms of non-fatal<br />
accidents the sector is the third-best performer in the UK, with<br />
only finance/business and education performing better.<br />
C A noticeable and steady reduction in the incidence of overthree<br />
day injuries, reaching an all time low in 2010/11.<br />
C Two years into a three-year programme to reduce hydrocarbon<br />
releases (HCRs) by 50%, there has already been a 40%<br />
reduction in major and significant releases.<br />
C Major and significant hydrocarbon releases in 2011/2012 at<br />
an all time low.<br />
Oil & Gas UK's Robert Paterson later welcomed publication<br />
of the Health & Safety Executive’s 2011/2012 Offshore Safety<br />
Statistics Bulletin whose findings matched its own report.<br />
08 – NOVEMBER 2012
HEALTH & SAFETY<br />
Health of offshore<br />
workers is great asset<br />
C 0870 0505 3456<br />
C www.rsoh.co.uk<br />
Patricia Douglas<br />
Much more can still be done to look after<br />
the physical and mental health of offshore<br />
employees on an ongoing basis, according<br />
to leading company RS Occupational Health.<br />
Statistics show that whilst accidental<br />
death offshore is now rare (only one incident<br />
in UK waters in the last five years), there were<br />
five ill-health related deaths on installations in<br />
the Northern North Sea last year – all caused<br />
by heart attack or stroke in the over 50s age<br />
group. The Southern Sector is unlikely to be<br />
any different.<br />
“The majority of companies correctly<br />
view employees as their greatest asset, so<br />
addressing their overall health and wellbeing<br />
is vital,” explains RS Occupational<br />
Health business development manager,<br />
Patricia Douglas.<br />
“There are many things that employers<br />
can do to help promote a culture of health that<br />
could assist in reducing illness and ultimately<br />
enhance productivity.<br />
“Health and wellbeing campaigns can<br />
offer early identification of potential employee<br />
health issues and provide potential solutions<br />
through informed lifestyle choices: employers<br />
can offer individual lifestyle assessments,<br />
cholesterol checks, lunch and learns on<br />
health-related topics, run team fitness challenges<br />
and a great deal more.”<br />
She added: “Employers should also<br />
remain alert to mental health issues which<br />
are one of the most common reasons for<br />
referrals to occupational health physicians.<br />
Recent UK research shows that one in four<br />
people will experience some mental health<br />
problem in the course of a year but just four<br />
in ten say they would feel confident disclosing<br />
a mental health problem to their employer.<br />
Stress awareness training is only one of many<br />
options to consider.”<br />
RS Occupational Health operates from<br />
bases in Great Yarmouth, Inverness and<br />
Aberdeen and holds the contract to administer<br />
the registration of oil and gas doctors,<br />
worldwide, on behalf of Oil & Gas UK.<br />
Established in 1999, the company employs<br />
50 people.<br />
Charity initiative by<br />
AID Rope Access<br />
C Simon Page<br />
C 01953 454383<br />
C simon@aidropeaccess.com<br />
C www.aidropeaccess.com<br />
AID Rope Access launched its charity Rope<br />
Aid in September to help people gain access<br />
to industry related skills, primarily within the<br />
rope access, work at height, renewable and<br />
oil & gas sectors.<br />
The charity is aimed at individuals who<br />
have been unable to progress socially and/or<br />
professionally due to disadvantage from low<br />
income, unemployment, previous offending<br />
or educational exclusion.<br />
Access Inspection Development (AID)<br />
was founded in 1998 by Tjebbe Roestenburg<br />
who - having spent 20 years as a commercial<br />
saturation diver in the oil industry - transferred<br />
his skills to the working at height industry,<br />
forming AID Rope Access Ltd.<br />
As a training facility, the company hosts a<br />
fully functional 25m tower at Great Yarmouth<br />
which is constantly being upgraded to meet<br />
changes in demand. AID is also in the process<br />
of developing a new training facility on<br />
the outskirts of Norwich near to the A11.<br />
AID delivers approved training in IRATAapproved<br />
rope access, work at height,<br />
rescue, SCAPE offshore evacuation system,<br />
ladder safety, confined space, drops awareness,<br />
rooftop safety and competent person<br />
PPE equipment inspection.<br />
Initially, Rope Aid will support people in<br />
the East of England - with plans to spread<br />
across the UK and, in time, to Africa. The aim<br />
is to put back into communities where our<br />
industries have prospered.<br />
Rope Aid does not intend to throw money<br />
at people, but rather provide the necessary<br />
skills that will, eventually, give individuals the<br />
ability to help themselves by improving their<br />
employment prospects.<br />
To date, ‘Rope Aid’ has meetings<br />
arranged with other support organisations<br />
in order to find the best possible route to<br />
the people that are in the greatest need of<br />
our help, and to identify the most suitable<br />
candidates. There are plans for a sponsored<br />
bike-ride in July 2013 and a cross-channel<br />
canoe event in the summer, to raise money<br />
for Rope Aid and to enhance its profile.<br />
New marine wireless<br />
headset systems<br />
C David Ash<br />
C 01621 853003<br />
C david@mantsbrite.com<br />
C www.mantsbrite.com<br />
Effective communication between skipper<br />
and crew plays an important role in the safe<br />
passage of vessels of all types and sizes,<br />
and a new range of products from specialist<br />
electronic navigation and communication<br />
distributor Mantsbrite will make on-board<br />
communication much more effective.<br />
The David Clark Company has pioneered<br />
air and space crew equipment design and<br />
manufacture for over 70 years, and its new<br />
Marine Wireless Headset Communication<br />
Systems provide maximum mobility and clear<br />
communication without crew members being<br />
tethered to the vessel.<br />
Mantsbrite has chosen the BMEA conference<br />
and exhibition to launch these systems<br />
to the UK and Ireland marine industry, and<br />
managing director David Ash believes wireless<br />
headsets will quickly prove very popular, saying:<br />
“They are ideal for a wide variety of work<br />
boats, barges, tugs, and ferries as well as<br />
harbour patrol, coast guard and pilot vessels.<br />
“David Clarke headsets have been in use<br />
in the aviation industry for many years, and<br />
have a great reputation for clarity and reliability,<br />
and I am delighted that Mantsbrite is now able<br />
to offer them to the marine sector.”<br />
Providing crisp clear communication over<br />
a 100m range, the wireless headset systems<br />
offer totally hands-free communication using<br />
lightweight battery packs with up to 24 hours<br />
use between re-charges. The stylish, yet rugged<br />
headset systems are manufactured using<br />
marine grade components, and the range features<br />
versions which are specifically designed<br />
to be worn under protective hard hats.<br />
They will shortly be available from<br />
Mantsbrite's 175-strong UK and Ireland dealer<br />
network to which it already supplies navigation<br />
and communication products from manufacturers<br />
including AMEC, ComNav, Cristec, ENAG,<br />
Interphase Technologies, Koden Electronics,<br />
Lorenz, Navicom and North Invent.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 09
HEALTH & SAFETY<br />
Staff can pave way to<br />
a safer workplace<br />
C Step Change in Safety<br />
C 01224 577271<br />
C les@stepchangeinsafety.net<br />
C www.stepchangeinsafety.net<br />
Step Change in Safety, an organisation<br />
dedicated to improving safety in the UK oil and<br />
gas industry, has launched a ground-breaking<br />
suite of guidance which promises to transform<br />
the way companies interact with staff and<br />
improve safety at worksites.<br />
The Workforce Engagement Toolkit is<br />
the first of its kind and has been designed to<br />
help companies measure workforce engagement<br />
at individual worksites, identify areas of<br />
improvement and provide practical guidance<br />
on how to achieve them.<br />
The toolkit will help companies enhance<br />
their 'safety culture' at worksites by helping<br />
foster a culture where the workforce is encouraged<br />
to actively lead efforts to improve safety<br />
performance.<br />
The toolkit contains a unique worksite<br />
survey, which can be completed online or on<br />
paper by every employee at a worksite, with all<br />
input confidential.<br />
The answers can help determine the level<br />
of workforce engagement at a site. Questions<br />
include, for example, how visible workers<br />
think leaders are, how much they feel they are<br />
encouraged to participate in safety and how<br />
well they think leaders communicate and act<br />
on safety issues.<br />
Data is submitted directly to Step<br />
Change and a summary report is then issued<br />
back to the worksite to help resolve areas<br />
of strength and weakness and develop<br />
improvement plans.<br />
Step Change in Safety team leader<br />
Les Linklater said: “Improving workforce<br />
engagement is crucial to Step Change's longterm<br />
vision of making the UK the safest place<br />
to work in the worldwide oil and gas industry.<br />
“The workforce has to feel able and<br />
willing to challenge and participate fully- which<br />
means influential people such as supervisors,<br />
site leaders and senior managers have to be<br />
visible, communicate effectively, encourage<br />
involvement and provide support creating a<br />
culture of engagement in health and safety.”<br />
Find out more at:<br />
www.stepchangeinsafety.net/about/workgroups/WorkforceEngagementToolkit.cfm<br />
10 – NOVEMBER 2012
Far Left: Les Linklater<br />
Left: Ready for the TDW<br />
ILI run, achieved in less<br />
that 21 hours<br />
TDW’s rapid inline<br />
inspection for<br />
Perenco pipeline<br />
C Dean Ellis<br />
C 01793 603 600<br />
C dean.ellis@tdwilliamson.com<br />
T.D. Williamson (TDW) successfully completed<br />
the inline inspection (ILI) of a key North<br />
Sea pipeline on behalf of Perenco UK.<br />
It was carried out on the 24-inch line<br />
that links the Trent platform with the Bacton<br />
Terminal pipeline. TDW conducted this intelligent<br />
inspection and associated pipeline<br />
service operation as part of Perenco’s strategic<br />
programme to ensure the integrity of its<br />
pipelines and assets.<br />
The pipeline inspection was carried out<br />
to comply with Health, Safety & Environment<br />
(HSE) obligations.<br />
“We are a solutions provider,” said Dean<br />
Ellis, senior ILI field technician for TDW. “Our<br />
ability to offer the full range of services that<br />
Perenco required meant that we could create<br />
a custom solution, and carry out the kind of<br />
efficient and seamless operation that is only<br />
possible when all services are concentrated<br />
under one roof.”<br />
“ WE ARE A SOLUTIONS PROVIDER.<br />
OUR ABILITY TO OFFER THE<br />
FULL RANGE OF SERVICES THAT<br />
PERENCO REQUIRED MEANT<br />
THAT WE COULD CREATE A<br />
CUSTOM SOLUTION. ”<br />
TDW’s team was tasked with identifying<br />
and responding to Perenco’s precise needs<br />
and devised a comprehensive plan after a<br />
site visit. It included progressive pigging,<br />
KALIPER ® 360 geometry inspection, 24-inch<br />
gas magnetic flux leakage (GMFL) inspection,<br />
ILI reporting, fitness-for-purpose, run comparison,<br />
corrosion growth analysis reports,<br />
and other services.<br />
“We are very pleased with TDW’s ability<br />
to successfully deliver the total project,<br />
despite the challenges imposed upon them,”<br />
said Stephen Southgate, integrity & fabric<br />
maintenance superintendent for Perenco UK.<br />
In spite of working in high winds, driving<br />
rain, sleet and snow, the offshore phase,<br />
during which all site work was carried out,<br />
was completed in just 23 days. Support<br />
and equipment were supplied by the TDW<br />
operations and projects team based at the<br />
company’s facility in Swindon, England.<br />
The ILI run - from launch to trap - was<br />
achieved in less than 21 hours. No metallic<br />
components were brought in, and only a<br />
small quantity of viscous black residue was<br />
produced. The gauge plate showed no signs<br />
of any deflection at any point around its<br />
circumference.<br />
It makes sense to<br />
get staff on board<br />
C www.britanniaits.com<br />
C 0800 0149016<br />
The Health and Safety executive press<br />
reported 27 major cases of so-called neglect in<br />
September with firms fined tens of thousands<br />
of pounds for staff accidents that should, and<br />
probably could, have been prevented.<br />
According to the HSE, major injuries<br />
within the offshore industry have fallen from<br />
41 to 36 over the period 2011/12 at a time<br />
when staffing levels have increased by 5%<br />
to 29,058. The figures show a rate of 130.77<br />
per 100,000 workers, the second lowest rate<br />
in ten years - suggesting that the offshore<br />
industry takes heath and safety extremely<br />
seriously.<br />
Involving staff in health and safety planning<br />
and training them to deliver is beneficial<br />
for everyone concerned. It gives the business<br />
an element of protection against claims and<br />
can often contribute to cheaper insurance<br />
cover. The staff are educated on right practices<br />
and can see a contribution to their career<br />
development. Customers of the firm will know<br />
they are dealing with a competent company<br />
and in many industries the customer will insist<br />
on evidence of training staff to comply.<br />
Colin Wright, managing director of<br />
Britannia Safety and Training, started<br />
the company 12 years ago after a career<br />
in construction.<br />
“Our business has grown to employ 20<br />
trainers across two purpose-built centres<br />
through our vision of offering off-site or onsite<br />
training with individuals or groups, he said.<br />
“My vision, when I started the business,<br />
was to deliver a common sense approach to<br />
the health and safety of staff in the workplace,<br />
whilst ticking all the boxes. Once staff explore<br />
the reasons for working in the proper fashion<br />
they are much more motivated and inclined to<br />
practice it in the workplace.<br />
“ OUR BUSINESS HAS GROWN TO<br />
EMPLOY 20 TRAINERS ACROSS<br />
TWO PURPOSE-BUILT CENTRES<br />
THROUGH OUR VISION OF OFFERING<br />
OFF-SITE OR ONSITE TRAINING WITH<br />
INDIVIduALS OR GROUPS. ”<br />
“Having worked in a manual industry I<br />
appreciate how tough working conditions can<br />
be and I can empathise with many of those<br />
we work with. We also know how to speak<br />
the language to get messages and a better<br />
understanding across”.<br />
Britannia already works with major<br />
players in the offshore industry including<br />
CLS Offshore, Petrofac, Haliburton, UK PN,<br />
EDF and SLP and has a range of over 100<br />
accredited courses on offer.<br />
It started life offering health and safety<br />
for the construction industry but has since<br />
branched out, with experienced trainers delivering<br />
a broad range of courses for all sectors.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 11
12 – NOVEMBER 2012
ALL <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
Supply Chain Development Programme<br />
Right: John Balch<br />
(second left) and<br />
Johnathan Reynolds<br />
(right) from the Nautilus<br />
Associates team<br />
Roadshow steers<br />
supply chain to success<br />
C 01493 446535<br />
C supplychain@eeegr.com<br />
The <strong>EEEGR</strong> Supply Chain Development<br />
Programme goes from strength to strength,<br />
boosted by the hugely successful roadshow<br />
which has been taking the message across the<br />
region over the last two months.<br />
Part-funded by the European Regional<br />
Development Fund, the programme gives<br />
SMEs a chance to meet with industry and<br />
business development specialists who can<br />
offer guidance, assistance and contacts<br />
to help grow within an ever developing<br />
energy industry.<br />
“The Supply Chain Roadshow meant<br />
we could take the initiative out to businesses<br />
rather than expect them to come to us,” said<br />
Nikki Collings, <strong>EEEGR</strong>'s membership and<br />
marketing manager. “It's a format I'm sure we<br />
will use again.<br />
“There has been tremendous interest<br />
both from companies looking to get involved<br />
in the energy sector and those already there<br />
and looking for new opportunities.”<br />
Nearly 200 people attended the series<br />
of roadshows which visited locations across<br />
Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> is working with a specialist team<br />
from energy industry consultants Nautilus<br />
Associates who have the insight and expertise<br />
to help deliver growth within individual businesses<br />
and across the supply network.<br />
“We’re offering the tools and support to<br />
help companies win those contracts,” said<br />
Nautilus director Johnathan Reynolds.<br />
“Many are aware of the vision, of the big<br />
picture of billions of pounds to be invested<br />
into our region. But they must also recognise<br />
the harsh realities of a tough and competitive<br />
business world and the state of the economy.<br />
“They will need resilience, thorough<br />
preparation and great determination. Everyone<br />
is aware of what’s on the horizon but it’s not<br />
being constructed yet. Someone likened it to<br />
waiting for the delivery of an order which has<br />
not yet been placed.”<br />
The free consultancy can include a highlevel<br />
strategic review with additional focused<br />
attention on strategic planning, funding and<br />
finance, marketing and operations.<br />
By the end of September, through the<br />
Supply Chain Development Programme,<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> had:<br />
C Supported 102 companies<br />
C Helped create 191 jobs<br />
C Helped to safeguard 27 jobs<br />
C Helped 7 business start-ups<br />
Programme<br />
boosts AJ Woods<br />
AJ Woods Engineering Limited, a marine<br />
engineering company heavily involved in<br />
the wind energy and construction industry,<br />
contacted <strong>EEEGR</strong> for growth support consultancy<br />
from the Supply Chain Development<br />
Programme.<br />
The Harwich based firm, currently<br />
involved in the construction of the Greater<br />
Gabbard Wind Farm, was also commissioned<br />
for the reworks of the Seajacks<br />
Leviathan blade rack in which it assisted in<br />
the design adaptation to enable significant<br />
improvements in loading time and safety.<br />
Through the programme, the company<br />
sought high-level property expertise and<br />
consultancy to help it search for suitably<br />
located facilities to meet expansion requirements<br />
in Lowestoft and incubation advice<br />
for the newly purchased Miranda Renewable<br />
Energy Centre in Harwich.<br />
Jason Wells, Nautilus Associates’<br />
chartered surveyor, conducted a detailed<br />
property search and site analysis for the<br />
AJ Woods directors. Directors Tony Woods<br />
and Robert Day were shown sites around<br />
Lowestoft that were not being marketed<br />
through agencies, and were amazed at the<br />
quality of space and facilities on offer.<br />
The directors also received incubation<br />
consultancy from John Balch concerning<br />
their newly purchased building along the<br />
quayside in Harwich - Miranda Renewable<br />
Energy Centre. The centre is now attracting<br />
tenants and occupancy levels are increasing.<br />
“The support we received from Nautilus<br />
Associates has been invaluable in the<br />
search for locations and facilities; their local<br />
knowledge will be key in ensuring we are<br />
strategically located so we can deliver efficiently<br />
to our clients,” said Mr Day, business<br />
development manager.<br />
Support for PDS<br />
Recruitment<br />
PDS Recruitment, a specialised recruitment<br />
agency, accessed high-level consultancy support<br />
through the Supply Chain Development<br />
Programme.<br />
The Beccles-based agency, seeking to<br />
raise its profile in the energy industry, was<br />
looking to develop a full and robust marketing<br />
strategy to reposition itself as the main recruitment<br />
contractor of choice within the sector.<br />
Through the programme, it sought<br />
high-level marketing expertise and consultancy<br />
to help gain market share and to<br />
increase turnover.<br />
A full marketing strategy and rebranding<br />
report was completed by senior marketing<br />
consultant, Julie Broadley, and as a result PDS<br />
has since updated its website and business is<br />
heading for growth.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 13
ALL <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
International flavour<br />
for SNS 2013<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong>'s SNS conference moves to the Norfolk<br />
Showground for the first time in 2013 with ambitions<br />
to make the biggest ever impact on the<br />
national and international energy scene.<br />
The two-day event will have space for up to<br />
90 exhibition stands and is expected to attract<br />
500 delegates.<br />
“Although the emphasis remains on<br />
the potential of the East of England and the<br />
opportunities for our supply chain, we no longer<br />
see this as a regional event but as a national<br />
conference held in our region,” said <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
chief executive Simon Gray.<br />
“It is an opportunity to showcase our skills<br />
and assets to the rest of the country and beyond<br />
and our speakers will reflect the growing international<br />
significance of the East of England to<br />
the energy world.”<br />
Among key speakers already announced<br />
is Gareth Lewis, head of development at<br />
Forewind, who will be talking about developing<br />
the world’s largest offshore wind project at<br />
Dogger Bank and the lessons learned.<br />
Windpower and the oil & gas sectors<br />
will again be the principal focus of the Sea of<br />
Opportunity Conference on March 5th and 6th.<br />
The first day will play host to ‘Platform for<br />
Innovation’ supported by DECC (Department<br />
of Energy and Climate Change). Speakers will<br />
discuss the innovation and technology available<br />
to help the supply chain tackle arising issues in<br />
the offshore wind and oil & gas sectors.<br />
In the evening, there will be a gala<br />
dinner with a principal guest speaker and the<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> member of the year and special<br />
recognition awards.<br />
The following day will see a full line-up of<br />
leading specialist guest speakers across the<br />
SNS industry. The exhibition will run throughout.<br />
“Using the impressive redeveloped premises<br />
at the Norfolk Showground will double the<br />
space available to us and take the conference<br />
and exhibition to a new level at the very hub of<br />
the regional energy sector,” said Mr Gray. “We<br />
believe it will bring invaluable expertise, ideas<br />
and information to our members and everyone<br />
else involved in the SNS energy business.”<br />
The growth and changes mean that the<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> Energy Innovation Awards will now<br />
move forward to accompany the <strong>EEEGR</strong> 2013<br />
all energy conference in summer instead of the<br />
SNS event.<br />
Alan Barlow<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> chairman<br />
set to move on<br />
Alan Barlow is stepping down as chairman of<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong>, the East of England Energy Group,<br />
after a two-year stint helping steer the<br />
association through a period of change and<br />
development.<br />
He became the first executive chairman<br />
of the 380-member group in 2010 and the<br />
formal announcement of his departure came<br />
at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting.<br />
“It was a two-year fixed contract and I'm<br />
delighted we have achieved so much in that<br />
time frame,” said Mr Barlow.<br />
“I'm grateful that <strong>EEEGR</strong> allowed me<br />
to put something back into industry after<br />
completing 25 years of work in international<br />
business, with much of it being in the<br />
energy sector.<br />
14 – NOVEMBER 2012<br />
“I look forward to retaining contact with<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> and follow its invaluable work for the<br />
region's energy sector with great interest as<br />
I concentrate my efforts on my charity work.<br />
I firmly believe that <strong>EEEGR</strong> is eminently placed<br />
to assist industry and the public sector to bring<br />
forward successfully over £30bn of investment<br />
opportunities in the sector across the region”.<br />
During his time in post, Alan has helped<br />
to achieve significant funding for the group<br />
through the European Regional Development<br />
Fund (ERDF). The funding has enabled <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
to expand its vital work in supporting the<br />
development of the energy supply chain.<br />
Alan has also been instrumental in<br />
developing a wider political, international and<br />
influential role for the group with a new initiative<br />
launched in the House of Commons; and a longterm<br />
business plan. He was closely involved in<br />
the formation of NSEA (the Norfolk and Suffolk<br />
Energy Alliance) to introduce a dedicated<br />
programme of inward investment promotion<br />
and related public relations campaign for the<br />
region as a world-leading all-energy hub.<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> chief executive Simon Gray<br />
added: “I'd like to thank Alan for his commitment<br />
and endeavour for <strong>EEEGR</strong> and wish him<br />
well in future. I'm grateful for his support during<br />
the time I have been settling into my new role.”<br />
Former chairman Mark Goodall said:<br />
“Over the last two years, Alan has provided<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> with excellent leadership in his role as<br />
executive chairman. On behalf of the board, I<br />
would like to thank Alan for the commitment,<br />
expertise and energy he has given to the<br />
organisation and the East of England. We wish<br />
him well in continuing his charity work.”<br />
At the annual meeting, it was announced<br />
that the three people elected to the board this<br />
year were Mark Goodall, Aker Solutions area<br />
manager; Richard Jenkins, vice-president of<br />
operations for Claxton Engineering Services;<br />
and Mark Frith, technical director for Mott<br />
MacDonald.
<strong>EEEGR</strong> chief demands<br />
Government clarity on<br />
energy policy<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> chief executive Simon Gray has joined<br />
the growing clamour for the Government to be<br />
crystal clear on its future commitment to the<br />
UK windpower industry.<br />
He spoke out after major companies<br />
like Siemens and Areva warned that a lack of<br />
decision-making and inconsistent comments<br />
from ministers meant they would reassess the<br />
level of political risk in the UK.<br />
They are among international energy<br />
companies with plans to invest hundreds of<br />
millions of pounds on projects which will create<br />
thousands of jobs in the UK.<br />
Simon sought clarification after the latest<br />
comments from new environment secretary<br />
Owen Paterson and Tory climate change<br />
minister Greg Barker about concerns over<br />
high subsidy levels for the renewables sector.<br />
“The industry needs to know what subsidies<br />
and tariffs will apply before investors will<br />
consider business plans for the development<br />
of renewable energy sources,” he said.<br />
“All sectors of the energy industry get<br />
subsidised through one route or another. The<br />
Wind turbine<br />
manufacturer<br />
meets suppliers<br />
One of Europe’s biggest wind turbine<br />
manufacturers was expected in Lowestoft - as<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> News went to press - to meet potential<br />
suppliers and partners.<br />
French company AREVA was holding<br />
a meet-the-buyer event at OrbisEnergy to<br />
outline its products and plans for the UK<br />
offshore market and hold one-to-one sessions<br />
with selected companies in the regional<br />
supply chain.<br />
The event is part of <strong>EEEGR</strong>'s extensive<br />
work to support the development of the<br />
regional energy supply chain, part financed<br />
by the European Regional Development Fund.<br />
Simon Gray, <strong>EEEGR</strong> chief executive,<br />
said: “AREVA is going to be a major player<br />
in the later Round Two and Round Three UK<br />
offshore wind farms and this offered a major<br />
Far left: Simon Gray<br />
expects SNS2013 to<br />
make a big impact<br />
Left: The SNS2012 event<br />
“ ONE THING IS CLEAR, AND<br />
THAT IS WE WILL NEED<br />
TO GET OUR ELECTRICITY<br />
FROM SOMEWHERE... ”<br />
oil and gas sectors enjoy tax benefits and<br />
nuclear benefits from the decommissioning<br />
and storage of materials, so none are quite as<br />
transparent as it might first seem.<br />
“The industry can respond to any changes<br />
in government strategy if it actually has a clear<br />
understanding of the policy and associated<br />
time frames,” he added.<br />
Through NSEA, both Norfolk and Suffolk<br />
County Council already planned to seek clarity<br />
from the Government - and <strong>EEEGR</strong> was urging<br />
a much clearer and more consistent message<br />
from political leaders.<br />
“One thing is clear, and that is we will<br />
need to get our electricity from somewhere<br />
and this is particularly true if industry emerges<br />
from recession and requires more energy<br />
to grow.<br />
“We are fortunate in this region in that<br />
we have gas, offshore wind, nuclear and the<br />
potential for carbon capture and storage,” said<br />
the <strong>EEEGR</strong> chief executive, whose thoughts<br />
were reported in the Eastern Daily Press and<br />
other local media.<br />
opportunity for companies in the region to<br />
engage with them at an early stage.”<br />
AREVA was providing information on its<br />
M5000 turbine and talking about its operations<br />
and maintenance plans.<br />
Julian Brown, Areva’s head of wind in the<br />
UK, said: “We are keen to develop our position<br />
here. We have to get stuck in on the ground<br />
and do the best we can in the confidence that<br />
the government will make the right decisions<br />
for the industry in the long term.<br />
“The UK long term is the biggest market<br />
by far but it is not all happening in the next five<br />
minutes, it is happening over a period of time.<br />
We encourage companies to get to know us<br />
and meet us. Round Three is going to take 20<br />
years to build.”<br />
But he said there were opportunities for<br />
regional companies in Germany now.<br />
“There are turbines in the yard. If UK<br />
suppliers are competitive then there is business<br />
they can do now. They should come and<br />
explore the opportunities now and not wait for<br />
it to happen in the UK and the region.”<br />
Positive start for<br />
Special Interest Group<br />
More than 50 industry professionals attended<br />
the first Decommissioning Special Interest<br />
Group (SIG) launched by <strong>EEEGR</strong> and Decom<br />
North Sea.<br />
And the depth of interest is growing with<br />
around 100 people keen to follow the development<br />
of the group which is due to meet again<br />
on November 22nd.<br />
Initial responses from delegates suggested<br />
existing good all-round capability<br />
in the oil & gas industry, with multi-skilled,<br />
competent management and workforce, and<br />
both knowledge and experience of the assets<br />
in the SNS.<br />
Key weaknesses recorded included a<br />
lack of knowledge of project timescales and<br />
future resource requirements, and also a<br />
desire for greater understanding of operators’<br />
contracting strategies. It was felt that further<br />
infrastructure development would be required.<br />
Members hoped the SIG would strive<br />
to make the region a centre of excellence for<br />
decommissioning, building on its competitive<br />
and co-operative strengths.<br />
It should also become a conduit for<br />
information and knowledge flow, promote<br />
business opportunities through networking<br />
events and workgroups, and facilitate greater<br />
co-operation across the sector. Part of that<br />
could be achieved through closer engagement<br />
with organisations such as DECC and Oil &<br />
Gas UK.<br />
Meanwhile, plans are progressing to<br />
develop a nuclear industry SIG through cooperation<br />
with the Nuclear Industry Association.<br />
An event is being planned for next year.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 15
16 – NOVEMBER 2012
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
Christian Rynning-Tønnesen<br />
meets the media<br />
Crown Prince Haakon<br />
of Norway at the<br />
official opening<br />
Sheringham Shoal<br />
opened by Norway’s<br />
Crown Prince<br />
C Liz Hancock, Scira<br />
C 07557 264326<br />
C www.scira.co.uk<br />
The 317MW Sheringham Shoal Offshore<br />
Wind Farm was officially opened by His Royal<br />
Highness, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.<br />
The ceremony was staged at Norfolk’s<br />
Holkham Hall where the Crown Prince arrived<br />
by helicopter with representatives from<br />
the windfarm’s owner companies, Statoil<br />
and Statkraft, along with Norwegian and<br />
British Ministers and Ambassadors. He was<br />
greeted by students from local high school,<br />
Alderman Peel.<br />
Holkham Hall owners Viscount and<br />
Viscountess Coke welcomed the Crown<br />
Prince, dignitaries and around 100 guests to<br />
their stately home just outside Wells-next-the-<br />
Sea, where the windfarm will have its operations<br />
and maintenance base.<br />
Sheringham Shoal is owned equally by<br />
the two Norwegian energy leaders through<br />
joint-venture company, Scira Offshore<br />
Energy Limited.<br />
Scira general manager Einar Strømsvåg<br />
said his team had worked for more than three<br />
years to prepare for the windfarm’s operation.<br />
“In late 2010 we started to recruit locally<br />
to fill all the positions necessary to operate<br />
and maintain the windfarm. Two years later<br />
Scira has, together with our contactors and<br />
partners, established an organisation of 60<br />
highly motivated people,” he said.<br />
Also speaking at the official opening<br />
were the UK Secretary of State for Energy and<br />
Climate Change, Edward Davey; Norwegian<br />
Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Ola Borten<br />
Moe; Minister of Trade and Industry, Trond<br />
Giske; and the owners’ presidents and<br />
CEOs, Helge Lund from Statoil and Christian<br />
Rynning-Tønnesen from Statkraft.<br />
The opening event included musical<br />
performances by local students, mediated<br />
interviews by BBC presenter Sonali Shah and<br />
a show entitled A Windy World by girl group<br />
The Boxettes and dancers from Cirque Bijou.<br />
Global growth prompts<br />
CIS expansion<br />
C Andy Penman<br />
C 01493 849680<br />
C andy.penman@c-i-services.com<br />
C www.c-i-services.com<br />
Increasing demand for Conductor Installation<br />
Services (CIS) has led to the company moving<br />
into a new larger global headquarters in<br />
Great Yarmouth, launching its first apprentice<br />
scheme and making two key personnel<br />
appointments overseas.<br />
The Acteon company provides conductor<br />
installation services associated with construction<br />
projects for the oil and gas industry.<br />
Great Yarmouth man Phil Borley has been<br />
promoted to the post of Middle East and North<br />
Africa operations manager, responsible for the<br />
company’s base and operations in Qatar.<br />
He launched his career in the oil and gas<br />
industry with BJ Tubular Services in 2001 in<br />
Great Yarmouth, where he worked in hammer<br />
“ PHIL AND JON WILL HELP<br />
STRENGTHEN OUR PRESENCE<br />
IN THE MORE MATURE REGIONS,<br />
AND SUCCESSFULLY PENETRATE<br />
EMERGING MARKETS. ”<br />
conductor-driving services for four years.<br />
Since joining CIS in 2005, Borley, 48, has<br />
been instrumental in carrying out conductor<br />
installation operations in Papua New Guinea,<br />
the UK, Qatar, West Africa and Trinidad,<br />
among others.<br />
Meanwhile Jonathan Bullock has been<br />
appointed business development manager –<br />
Asia Pacific Region, taking with him 14 years<br />
experience in the civil engineering sector,<br />
Yarmouth-based Andy Penman, group<br />
managing director, said: “I’m confident that<br />
with their unique competencies and proven<br />
track records, Phil and Jon will help strengthen<br />
our presence in the more mature regions, and<br />
successfully penetrate emerging markets.”<br />
Jonathan Bullock<br />
Phil Borley<br />
The company’s first apprentice scheme<br />
allows trainees to earn while they learn<br />
valuable on-the-job skills. Since its launch last<br />
winter, CIS has welcomed two apprentices:<br />
Tamara Bustos, an apprentice receptionist and<br />
administrator from Great Yarmouth College,<br />
and Steven Hindry, an apprentice accountant<br />
from Norwich City College.<br />
Earlier this year, CIS moved into a<br />
new headquarters at the Eurocentre, Great<br />
Yarmouth, which serves as a global operations<br />
centre, providing greater resources and services<br />
for customers involved in construction<br />
of, for example, new wells, platforms, bridges<br />
and jetties.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 17
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
Calorex Century<br />
paints master<br />
art class<br />
C 01621 856611<br />
C sales@calorex.com<br />
C www.calorex.com<br />
Six Century 4 humidifiers, supplied by<br />
Calorex Heat Pumps, are playing a vital role<br />
in protecting priceless exhibits on display<br />
at the Turner Contemporary Gallery in<br />
Margate, Kent.<br />
Attracting an A-list celebrity following,<br />
as well as senior politicians, and recently<br />
visited by The Queen, the multi-award<br />
winning landmark building on the Margate<br />
seafront is a dynamic visual arts venue.<br />
As well as a heavy emphasis on community<br />
arts, recent headline displays have<br />
included selected works of the gallery’s<br />
namesake, JMW Turner, Rodin’s The Kiss<br />
and the works of contemporary artists like<br />
Tracey Emin.<br />
Helping to maintain optimum environmental<br />
conditions, Calorex’s Century<br />
humidifiers gently put moisture into the<br />
atmosphere that is often dried out by harsh<br />
“ THE CENTURY HUMIDIFIERS ARE<br />
BEING USED AT THE TURNER<br />
CONTEMPORARY GALLERY AS<br />
A BACK UP TO THE IN-HOUSE<br />
SYSTEM AND THEY ARE DOING<br />
AN EXCELLENT JOB. ”<br />
heating systems especially during the winter<br />
months. The plug-and-go Century machines<br />
are fully portable and easy to use as they can<br />
be quickly and efficiently repositioned.<br />
“The Century humidifiers are being used<br />
at the Turner Contemporary Gallery as a<br />
back up to the in-house system and they are<br />
doing an excellent job,” said David Yard of the<br />
seafront venue.<br />
“Not only do they help protect the<br />
priceless exhibits, they help improve the air<br />
quality for both staff and visitors, noticeably<br />
helping to prevent dry eyes, dry skin and sore<br />
throats,” he added.<br />
Capable of humidifying space volumes<br />
of up to 400m³, the Century 4 is ideal for use<br />
not just for art galleries, museums but also<br />
for hospitals, computer rooms, laboratories<br />
and storage.<br />
Media training for an<br />
energy sector crisis<br />
C Karen Ainley<br />
C 01206 548100<br />
C Karen@mosaicpublicity.co.uk<br />
C mosaicpublicity.co.uk<br />
A death offshore, an industrial accident, an<br />
employment dispute – a crisis can take many<br />
forms.<br />
Many organisations within the energy<br />
sector will already have risk management<br />
procedures and crisis plans but if something<br />
was to happen, would you know how to deal<br />
with the media if they were camping on<br />
your doorstep<br />
With your whole company’s reputation<br />
and future at stake, handling the media<br />
in times of crises can be a tricky and<br />
delicate matter.<br />
Mosaic Publicity has been providing<br />
bespoke crisis support and training to<br />
organisations across the UK for over a<br />
decade and has a dedicated division for the<br />
energy and utility sectors. The Essex-based<br />
agency is run by former BBC TV and radio<br />
reporters Karen Ainley and Kevin Bentley,<br />
whose expertise in crisis management is<br />
sought after by organisations across many<br />
different sectors.<br />
18 – NOVEMBER 2012<br />
Karen said: “Many occupations within<br />
the energy sector are high-risk and this is<br />
on the increase with more off-shore wind<br />
developments in the eastern region. It is<br />
therefore essential that companies within<br />
this industry have sufficient crisis plans in<br />
place that include a media element to protect<br />
reputation.<br />
“Crises often come as a nasty shock<br />
and can be extremely stressful. With the support<br />
of a specialist agency and by ensuring<br />
spokespeople are media trained, the fall-out<br />
can be managed to reduce the impact.”<br />
Mosaic Publicity offers bespoke<br />
crisis management training with relevant<br />
scenarios, crisis planning and crisis management<br />
services. The company’s media<br />
training division, Mosaic Media Training,<br />
offers a dozen different training courses,<br />
including broadcast skills, integrated marketing,<br />
social media, video production for<br />
the web, podcasting and presentation skills.
New £77m vessel<br />
ordered for<br />
Seajacks fleet<br />
C Max Paterson<br />
C 01493 841400<br />
C info@seajacks.com<br />
C www.seajacks.com<br />
Seajacks has placed an order with Lamprell<br />
for the construction of a new self-propelled<br />
jack-up vessel, specifically designed for<br />
installation and maintenance services in the<br />
offshore wind and oil and gas sectors.<br />
Named Seajacks Hydra, the new<br />
Seajacks vessel will be a £77m modified<br />
Gusto MSC NG2500X self-elevating and<br />
self-propelled jack-up. The vessel will be<br />
equipped with dynamic positioning, high<br />
speed jacking system and a 400t crane.<br />
The vessel will be constructed at Lamprell’s<br />
Hamriyah facility in the United Arab Emirates<br />
and will be delivered in 2014.<br />
Blair Ainslie, chief executive of the<br />
Seajacks Group, said: “She will be Seajacks’<br />
fourth vessel and a similar design to Kraken<br />
and Leviathan. Hydra will be an excellent<br />
“ SHE WILL BE SEAJACKS’ FOURTH<br />
VESSEL AND A SIMILAR DESIGN<br />
TO KRAKEN AND LEVIATHAN.<br />
HYDRA WILL BE AN EXCELLENT<br />
AddITION TO THE STATE-OF<br />
THE-ART FLEET THAT WE ARE<br />
BUILDING HERE AT SEAJACKS. ”<br />
addition to the state-of the-art fleet that we<br />
are building here at Seajacks.”<br />
Seajacks Kraken is currently undertaking<br />
a two year well intervention and maintenance<br />
campaign for Shell UK and NAM<br />
in the Southern North Sea, while Seajacks<br />
Leviathan continues to perform effectively<br />
in the offshore wind sector, having recently<br />
completed turbine installation at Sheringham<br />
Shoal Wind Farm. She is now working on the<br />
Meerwind Wind Park project off Germany<br />
with new sister ship Zaratan, following its<br />
voyage from Lamprell in Dubai.<br />
In March 2012, Marubeni Corporation<br />
and the Innovation Network of Japan (INCJ),<br />
announced the acquisition of Seajacks from<br />
Riverstone Holdings.<br />
Fees plan for<br />
Employment<br />
Tribunal<br />
C Harriet McInnes, Howes Percival<br />
C 01603 281948<br />
C www.howespercival.com<br />
The government has confirmed that a twostage<br />
fee structure for individuals issuing<br />
claims in the Employment Tribunal will be<br />
introduced in summer 2013.<br />
The amount of the fee will be dependent<br />
on the complexity of the claim and as<br />
well as an initial fee payable when the claim<br />
is issued, individuals will also have to pay<br />
a separate fee approximately 4-6 weeks<br />
before the final hearing.<br />
As an example, an individual who<br />
wishes to bring an unfair dismissal claim will<br />
have to pay £250 when he/she submits the<br />
claim, and a further £950 as a hearing fee.<br />
The intention behind the introduction of<br />
these fees was to pass some of the costs<br />
of the Employment Tribunal system from<br />
the taxpayer to the user. The government<br />
is also hopeful that it will encourage early<br />
settlement of claims.<br />
The introduction of fees will come as a<br />
welcome relief to employers who are hopeful<br />
that the reform will go some way to deterring<br />
ill-founded or unmeritorious claims.<br />
That said, employers should be aware that<br />
individuals on benefits or low incomes may<br />
be exempt from paying the fee or may be<br />
eligible to pay a reduced fee.<br />
In addition, there are fees payable<br />
by employers as well, including when an<br />
employer wishes to issue a counter claim<br />
and where an employer wishes to enter into<br />
judicial mediation.<br />
Top: Calorex humidifiers help<br />
protect priceless exhibits<br />
including Rodin’s The Kiss,<br />
seen here with celebrities<br />
Tracey Emin and Stephen Fry<br />
Far left: Mosaic’s highly<br />
experienced trainers<br />
Left: Howes Percival's<br />
Harriet McInnes<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 19
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
RWE Dea's Clipper South<br />
delivers first gas<br />
C Mark Hughes C 020 3116 0600<br />
C Mark.Hughes@rwe.com C www.rwedea.co.uk<br />
Charity and Taylor<br />
For charts, publications and<br />
marine electronics<br />
RWE Dea UK announced the delivery of first gas from the Clipper<br />
South field in the Southern North Sea in August. The field contains<br />
around 13.4 billion normal cubic metres of gas in place.<br />
The first Clipper South well came on stream at initial rates of<br />
1.2 million cubic metres per day. Production is expected to peak at<br />
2.8 million cubic metres per day in early 2013.<br />
The gas is located in a tight Permian age Rotliegend reservoir<br />
which contains approximately 13.4 billion normal cubic metres of<br />
gas in place. RWE Dea holds 50% interest in the Clipper South gas<br />
field as operator.<br />
“The United Kingdom is one of the key regions of RWE Dea's<br />
upstream business,” explained Ralf to Baben, chief operating<br />
officer of RWE Dea AG. “We are delighted to have reached this<br />
key milestone on the Clipper South project, which is the first of our<br />
current growth projects in the UK coming onstream. RWE Dea's<br />
commitment to the future of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) is<br />
demonstrated by its investment in both the Clipper South and<br />
Breagh field developments, where it acts as operator.”<br />
Rene Pawel, managing director RWE Dea UK added: “I am<br />
particularly pleased that we have undertaken this development<br />
without any incidents and just under a year and a half from securing<br />
Government sanction.<br />
“We benefited especially from our broad experience with fracture<br />
technology. Multiple fracture technology is becoming more<br />
widespread in its use offshore in the UK Southern North Sea, but it<br />
is still a relatively new technology. The Clipper South field is being<br />
developed by drilling up to five horizontal multi-fractured wells.”<br />
The Clipper South Gas field lies 100km east of the Lincolnshire<br />
coast. Gas is transported about 15km to the Lincolnshire Offshore<br />
Gas Gathering System (LOGGS) and then about 100km to the<br />
onshore Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal in Lincolnshire, where it<br />
enters the UK grid.<br />
£60m contract for Cygnus field<br />
C Frank Stokes, AMEC C 01452 872121 C frank.stokes@amec.com<br />
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Woodbridge office<br />
Tel: 01394 382600<br />
(servicing Felixstowe and Harwich)<br />
www.charityandtaylor.com<br />
International engineering and project management company<br />
AMEC has been awarded a detailed design contract for GDF SUEZ<br />
E&P UK’s Cygnus gas field development.<br />
It follows on from the FEED work and is valued at an estimated<br />
£60m. The contract will create almost 200 new jobs at peak and will<br />
safeguard a further 160 who are already part of the London-based<br />
team. The work is scheduled for completion in 2014.<br />
Cygnus is the UK North Sea’s largest gas discovery in the last<br />
25 years and is due to meet the demand for nearly one and a half<br />
million UK homes at peak production, accounting for around 5%<br />
of the UK’s gas production by 2016.<br />
The detailed development concept consists of two drilling<br />
centres, four platforms and initially ten development wells; the<br />
planned export route is through the Esmond Transportation<br />
System pipeline system to the Bacton gas terminal. First gas is<br />
expected in late 2015.<br />
“We are delighted to be continuing to deliver successfully<br />
for GDF SUEZ E&P on their strategically important Cygnus field,”<br />
said John Pearson, managing director of AMEC’s Europe & West<br />
Africa business. “This latest award confirms both our and GDF’s<br />
commitment to the long term future of the North Sea.”<br />
20 – NOVEMBER 2012
New base just the<br />
start for Fendercare<br />
C 01508 482691<br />
C www.fendercare.com<br />
It’s been a busy few months for Norfolkbased<br />
Fendercare Marine after the opening<br />
of its Great Yarmouth offshore wind turbine<br />
support base, previewed in the last issue of<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> News.<br />
The new base on the Old Bure Marine<br />
site follows the success of the company’s<br />
first base in Lyness, Orkney, and will provide<br />
an extensive range of support services<br />
and equipment to the expanding offshore<br />
wind industry.<br />
Costing in excess of £1m, it includes<br />
a large set down and storage area as well<br />
as quayside frontage and office facilities. It<br />
was officially opened by Great Yarmouth MP<br />
Brandon Lewis who said it was a pleasure<br />
to welcome such a good investment into<br />
the town.<br />
Fendercare Marine managing director Eric<br />
Plane said: “This base is part of Fendercare’s<br />
overall strategy to becoming more involved<br />
in the energy industry worldwide, both in<br />
terms of the oil and gas industries as well<br />
as renewables.”<br />
A few days later, Strainstall Marine<br />
announced it had become a subsidiary of<br />
Fendercare Marine, both being members<br />
Brandon Lewis<br />
MP (right) with<br />
Fendercare<br />
managing director<br />
Eric Plane at the<br />
opening of the<br />
new Great<br />
Yarmouth base<br />
Work at the new offshore support base<br />
of James Fisher and Sons plc. With over 45<br />
years’ experience, Strainstall specialises<br />
in the development and manufacture of<br />
products that measure load, strain and<br />
stress, as well as total jetty monitoring and<br />
management solutions.<br />
Together, Fendercare and Strainstall<br />
have since received excellent results working<br />
with Submarine Technology Ltd (STL) to test<br />
and validate a new Vessel Motion Monitoring<br />
System developed to provide accurate information<br />
for safer vessel transfer operations.<br />
Testing was on STL’s “6 degrees of<br />
freedom” motion platform, evaluating the<br />
system’s performance when subjected to the<br />
pitch, roll, yaw, heave, surge and sway motions<br />
normally experienced at sea.<br />
Meanwhile Finnish renewable technology<br />
developer, Wello Ltd, successfully installed<br />
its Penguin wave energy converter to Orkney<br />
waters, having chosen Fendercare Marine as<br />
one of its key partners.<br />
Working from its Lyness Harbour base,<br />
Fendercare provided shoreside project management,<br />
as well as shoreside labour support,<br />
final ballasting and mooring equipment supply.<br />
Gilmar Camolesi de Souza<br />
Prisma64 set to provide<br />
gateway to Brazil<br />
C Gilmar Camolesi de Souza<br />
C 01953 455669<br />
C gilmar@prisma64.com<br />
Brazilian-born Gilmar Camolesi de Souza<br />
is setting up a new Norfolk business to<br />
help regional energy companies cash in on<br />
his native country’s rapidly emerging oil &<br />
gas industry.<br />
It’s a far cry from around 30 years ago<br />
when Gilmar headed from Brazil to England<br />
in the hope of becoming a Formula One<br />
racing driver.<br />
He couldn’t afford to sustain that challenge<br />
but instead built a career on his long-held<br />
expertise in electrical equipment. Now he is<br />
launching his Prisma64 business to support<br />
companies keen to export to Brazil with strategic<br />
advice, contacts, research, marketing<br />
and planning.<br />
“I know the business and the culture so I<br />
have much to offer as a facilitator or consultant<br />
for any energy company keen to export there,”<br />
he said. “Brazil can be difficult and frustrating.<br />
There are peculiar laws and much bureaucracy.<br />
You need good knowledge to get around that.”<br />
He first worked for a major energy<br />
company in Sao Paulo and then, 17 years<br />
ago, launched Prisma Components near<br />
Attleborough, Norfolk. Since then he has continued<br />
working with Brazilian manufacturers<br />
and kept close links there.<br />
And his international work has helped<br />
build further close relationships with groups<br />
ranging from UKTI to the Brazil Consulate.<br />
But his man on the ground for Prisma64 is<br />
Brazilian-based contact Paolo Camolesi who<br />
offers personal help with local knowledge,<br />
market research, access to business professionals<br />
and other ‘nitty-gritty’ issues.<br />
Also, as business development manager<br />
for Woodbridge-based Neftemer Ltd, Gilmar<br />
has already helped sell their pioneering oil well<br />
multi-phase meters into Brazil.<br />
Prisma Components remains busy,<br />
continuing to supply complete packages for<br />
electrical transmission and distribution equipment<br />
to substations and renewables and oil<br />
and gas systems.<br />
“Sao Paulo and now Rio de Janeiro are<br />
growing massively in offshore oil & gas with<br />
extensive finds in deep water off much of the<br />
coast and Brazilian-based Petrobras is now<br />
a global leader in the energy world. There are<br />
many opportunities for UK specialist and niche<br />
companies to capture a new market.”<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 21
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
Export cable<br />
milestone for<br />
Global Marine<br />
C Laura Denny<br />
C 01245 702201<br />
C Laura.denny@gmsel.com<br />
C www.gmsel.com<br />
Global Marine Systems Energy Ltd (GME) has<br />
landed the first export cable at the Gwynt y<br />
Môr offshore windfarm.<br />
The cable was landed by GME’s recently<br />
launched vessel, Cable Enterprise, and is the<br />
first of four export cables to be installed at<br />
the project site. Each of the export cables<br />
are between 18km and 22km in length linking<br />
the north coast of Wales to the offshore wind<br />
farm in Liverpool Bay.<br />
Gwynt y Môr is one of the largest windfarms<br />
currently in construction in Europe and<br />
is being built by RWE nPower Renewables.<br />
The project is a shared investment between<br />
partners RWE Innogy, Stadtwerke München<br />
GmbH, and Siemens AG.<br />
Once operational, Gwynt y Môr will have<br />
an installed capacity of 576MW. It will be<br />
capable of generating enough energy to meet<br />
the average annual energy needs of around<br />
400,000 homes.<br />
“This achievement marked a significant<br />
milestone of the project as the first cable was<br />
landed on the beach at Pensarn,” said RWE<br />
npower renewables’ Gwynt y Môr project<br />
director, Toby Edmonds. “We are looking<br />
forward to working closely with Global Marine<br />
Energy to complete the installation of these<br />
crucial cables.”<br />
“The first shore end went as planned,<br />
always a good sign,” said Kevin O'Donnell,<br />
director of projects for GME. “Cable<br />
Enterprise is an important new vessel in our<br />
fleet. The vessel is designed specifically for<br />
export cable installation and the challenging<br />
environments they bring. We are happy to<br />
see her and the team get the project off to a<br />
strong start.”<br />
In total, Global Marine Energy with Cable<br />
Enterprise is laying four 132kV export cables<br />
with built in fibre optics, from onshore to two<br />
offshore substations on the Gwynt y Môr<br />
wind farm.<br />
Britain's Strongest<br />
Man gets the<br />
Gee-Force!<br />
C Nick Thomson<br />
C 01493 603797<br />
C nick@gee-force.co.uk<br />
C www.gee-force.co.uk<br />
Britain's Strongest Man Laurence Shahlaei<br />
has teamed up with Great Yarmouth company<br />
Gee-Force Hydraulics to help promote their<br />
high pressure, high strength hydraulic tools<br />
and equipment.<br />
Gee-Force specialises in the sale and<br />
hire of hydraulic bolting equipment, flange<br />
alignment and spreading equipment and sale<br />
of other hydraulic tools and equipment.<br />
Laurence is a professional strength athlete<br />
and won the coveted Britain's Strongest<br />
Man 2012 title in May. Before that, he finished<br />
fourth in the World's Strongest Man competition<br />
in 2011 and has a string of podium places<br />
to his name over the last two years including a<br />
first place in Giants Live Finland 2012 and third<br />
place in Europe's Strongest Man 2012, both<br />
competitions due to be shown on Channel<br />
22 – NOVEMBER 2012<br />
“ HE IS ONE OF THE SMALLER<br />
COMPETITORS ON THE<br />
STRONG MAN CIRCUIT BUT<br />
REGULARLY OUTPERFORMS<br />
HIS LARGER OPPONENTS. ”<br />
4 this Christmas. He also holds an official<br />
Guinness World Record in the Farmers Walk<br />
event, carrying 150kg in each hand over 20m<br />
in 6.73 seconds.<br />
Gee-Force managing director Graeme<br />
Cook said: “We are really excited about the<br />
prospect of working with Laurence to help<br />
build our presence in the East of England<br />
energy sector. We think there are obvious<br />
synergies with the power and strength of our<br />
equipment and we hope that our customers<br />
will enjoy the opportunity to meet with Britain's<br />
Strongest Man.<br />
“He is one of the smaller competitors<br />
on the Strong Man circuit but regularly outperforms<br />
his larger opponents, putting his<br />
success down to commitment and smarter<br />
thinking - qualities we hope we too can emulate<br />
in our chosen activities. Aside from all that,<br />
he is a really nice guy too.”<br />
Top: Cable Enterprise<br />
and plough on beach,<br />
working on Gwynt y Môr<br />
Above: Strong support<br />
for Gee-Force from<br />
Laurence Shahlaei
Aquaterra Energy<br />
success with bespoke<br />
dewatering riser<br />
C Angela Broom<br />
C 01603 788233<br />
C angelabroom@aquaterraenergy.com<br />
Aquaterra Energy has successfully completed<br />
the design, supply and installation of a platform<br />
supported dewatering riser system for a<br />
platform in the Southern North Sea (SNS).<br />
It’s work which confirms the Norwich<br />
based company’s growing profile as a market<br />
leader in specialist offshore engineering<br />
solutions.<br />
Approached initially by Petrofac to conduct<br />
a FEED study ensuring the feasibility of<br />
a dewatering riser system, Aquaterra Energy’s<br />
subsequent demonstration of engineering<br />
experience, creative in-house design and<br />
the ability to provide customised solutions,<br />
secured the company the full scope contract.<br />
The new dewatering riser system comprises<br />
four flanged riser sections, complete<br />
with integral centraliser fins and landing shoulders,<br />
and allows for the controlled drainage of<br />
water from the unmanned platform’s degasser<br />
unit to the sea.<br />
Petrofac required a dewater riser system<br />
with a minimum design life of 10 years, that<br />
would withstand the bending moments<br />
encountered by the tidal and environmental<br />
conditions of the SNS, with little ongoing<br />
maintenance requirement. To ensure this<br />
longevity, all riser sections were sprayed with<br />
a corrosion resistant coating and the two<br />
subsea riser sections were covered with an<br />
additional marine friendly anti-fouling coating,<br />
containing no biocides or harmful toxins, to<br />
prevent substantial marine growth.<br />
Aquaterra Energy also designed and<br />
manufactured a cellar deck assembly which<br />
was used as a support structure for swift and<br />
safe assembly and installation of the riser<br />
system joints. The dewatering riser system<br />
proceeded to be run through a spare platform<br />
slot, positioned via the existing conductor<br />
guides to secure the system in place.<br />
Karim Ouaddane, project manager at<br />
Petrofac, said: “I would like to congratulate<br />
Aquaterra Energy for their teamwork, solution<br />
focused approach, and their commitment to<br />
Petrofac safety culture.”<br />
Left: Signing the<br />
agreement (from left):<br />
Jeremy Clarke and Chris<br />
Cooper, directors,<br />
Computer Service Centre,<br />
with Tony Brooks and<br />
John Busby of MigSolv<br />
Norfolk firm leads<br />
way in IT security<br />
and resilience<br />
C www.computerservicecentre.co.uk<br />
The highest levels of data security and IT<br />
resilience are now available to businesses<br />
of all sizes with the introduction of a second<br />
standalone data centre by Computer Service<br />
Centre in Norwich.<br />
The new data centre is hosted by<br />
MigSolv (formerly known as Sentry 42), also<br />
in Norwich, with Computer Service Centre’s<br />
equipment, software and staff access.<br />
Chris Cooper, Computer Service Centre<br />
director, said: “Two of the biggest challenges<br />
for companies are keeping their IT systems<br />
‘always on’ and making sure their data is<br />
always secure. With more services moving<br />
into ‘the Cloud’, companies must have diversity<br />
of data across multiple centres – and<br />
that’s what we can now offer, entirely under<br />
our control.”<br />
The second site will duplicate the storage<br />
and computational clusters at Computer<br />
Service Centre’s own highly resilient onsite<br />
data centre.<br />
Chris continued: “Not many IT companies<br />
offer this level of security. Some might<br />
offer backup using a third-party provider<br />
but that can jeopardise data ownership and<br />
“ COMPANIES MUST HAVE DIVERSITY<br />
OF DATA ACROSS MULTIPLE<br />
CENTRES – AND THAT’S WHAT WE<br />
CAN NOW OFFER, ENTIRELY UNDER<br />
OUR CONTROL. ”<br />
retrieval, with the risk of losing historical<br />
data. Our approach is always ‘your data - our<br />
centre’ so clients know they’re contracting<br />
with the holder of their data.”<br />
Computer Service Centre has signed a<br />
three-year agreement with MigSolv, recognising<br />
the strategic nature of the relationship.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 23
24 – NOVEMBER 2012
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
New contracts<br />
mean more jobs<br />
for CLS Offshore<br />
C Scott McMillan<br />
C 01493 668730<br />
C S.McMillan@clsoffshore.com<br />
C www.clsoffshore.com<br />
CLS Offshore has been awarded a contract<br />
with new client Wood Group for remedial<br />
works following the completion of Scira’s<br />
Sheringham Shoal windfarm off the North<br />
Norfolk coast.<br />
A crew of electricians, platers, welders,<br />
painters, and technical workers, operating<br />
from an offshore accommodation vessel, has<br />
started a 41-day contract to carry out the work<br />
on the windfarm’s two sub-stations.<br />
Along with two new long-term contracts<br />
for operations and maintenance support<br />
work for the Greater Gabbard wind farm off<br />
Lowestoft, the extra business will mean at<br />
least 25 new jobs for the Great Yarmouthbased<br />
energy sector services company.<br />
“The Sheringham Shoal contract is a<br />
great opportunity for us to work with the Wood<br />
Group project management team for the first<br />
time and is a further stage of our growing<br />
status in the windpower sector,” said CLS<br />
managing director Scott McMillan.<br />
One of the Sheringham Shoal substations.<br />
Photo by CHPV, courtesy of Scira<br />
The company has already extended its<br />
own team with six new workshop apprentices,<br />
two trainees and two trainee project engineers<br />
this year.<br />
“We’re hoping to offer similar opportunities<br />
in 2013 so, along with the extra recruitment,<br />
we are offering increasing career potential for<br />
skilled local people and for young people coming<br />
out of education,” said Mr McMillan.<br />
CLS has also been awarded an ECITB<br />
technical testing licence which allows it to<br />
further train and develop existing and incoming<br />
workforce members to NVQ level three in<br />
their particular trades.<br />
Assessment for qualifications will also<br />
be carried out by CLS and will earn workers a<br />
certificate from ECITB (Engineering<br />
Construction Industry Training Board) which<br />
monitors the scheme.<br />
“It’s a great step forward in enhancing<br />
and recognising the skills of our team,” said<br />
Mr McMillan.<br />
ASCO’s new<br />
Canadian investment<br />
C Lyndsey Ogilvie<br />
C 01224 564779<br />
C Lyndsey.ogilvie@ascoworld.com<br />
C www.ascoworld.com<br />
The ASCO Group has acquired EJR Trucking,<br />
Manatokan Oilfield Logistics Ltd and Docktor<br />
Oilfield Transport Corporation – three Alberta<br />
based specialist oilfield services companies.<br />
The acquisitions have significantly<br />
increased ASCO’s capacity in Canada and<br />
support the group’s international investment<br />
and growth plans.<br />
Derek Smith, ASCO Group’s chief operating<br />
officer, said: “Supported by increased<br />
investment from private equity firm Doughty<br />
Hanson, our board has ambitious plans which<br />
we are currently realising through organic<br />
growth and acquisitions. Our primary focus will<br />
always remain the oil and gas services market,<br />
but we want to reach new clients as well as<br />
provide more services to our current clients,<br />
particularly services which fit and complement<br />
our current portfolio. The acquisition of these<br />
oilfield services companies in Alberta support<br />
this strategy.”<br />
The acquisitions take total employee<br />
numbers from 130 to over 260 in Canada, where<br />
ASCO already has operations in Bonnyville,<br />
Alberta as well as Halifax and St Johns in<br />
Eastern Canada.<br />
EJR Trucking and Docktor Oilfield<br />
Transport Corporation are oilfield logistics<br />
companies, specialising in drilling logistics and<br />
infield services. The acquisitions of these companies<br />
were made through ASCO’s Canadian<br />
onshore oilfield services company MOKO,<br />
which is based in Alberta. Both new companies<br />
will be fully integrated into the MOKO brand.<br />
Manatokan is a specialist oilfield waste<br />
management company. Its brand will remain<br />
and the company will become Manatokan<br />
Oilfield Logistics Inc.<br />
Through these acquisitions and the<br />
acquisition of North Sea Lifting, ASCO has<br />
grown from 1,600 employees to over 2,000<br />
employees worldwide.<br />
ASCO announced in June that it had<br />
acquired North Sea Lifting Limited (NSL) – an<br />
international safety training and lifting specialist<br />
headquartered in Aberdeen and with bases in<br />
Texas and Louisiana in the USA.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 25
Offshore Wind. Delivered.<br />
With over 200 turbine installations to date, Seajacks has the<br />
knowledge, experience and people to ensure your wind farm<br />
project is installed successfully and safely.<br />
For more information on Seajacks and the services we offer,<br />
call +44 (0) 1493 841 400 or email marketing@seajacks.com<br />
seajacks.com<br />
26 – NOVEMBER 2012
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
Large Project Award<br />
proves major boost<br />
for ODE<br />
C Hayley Oakes<br />
C 0208 481 1190<br />
C hayley.oakes@ode-ltd.co.uk<br />
C www.ode-ltd.co.uk<br />
ODE played a key role in helping Vattenfall's<br />
Ormonde Offshore Wind Farm win a major<br />
new national Large Project Award.<br />
It was one of the inaugural energy awards<br />
staged by trade association RenewableUK.<br />
ODE were the developer's engineers<br />
and project managers throughout the consenting<br />
and implementation phases with<br />
responsibility for all design, procurement,<br />
construction, installation, commissioning and<br />
hand-over activities.<br />
The award recognises exceptional<br />
achievement in a large-scale project during<br />
all the stages of project development. Built on<br />
schedule, Ormonde was the first large offshore<br />
wind farm in the UK to use jacket foundations<br />
and 5MW turbines.<br />
Mike Hulton, ODE project manager,<br />
said: “It is fantastic that the success of the<br />
Ormonde project has been recognised by<br />
industry experts. The award recognises<br />
the hard work and dedication of Vattenfall,<br />
ODE, RePower, FoundOcean and all other<br />
parties involved. This has shown that the UK<br />
is capable of designing and building lattice<br />
tower foundations in significant numbers and<br />
bringing on the largest commercially available<br />
wind turbine model. This is a great marker<br />
for successful future offshore large scale<br />
wind developments.”<br />
Chairman and managing director Peter<br />
Godfrey added: “ODE has shown the benefit<br />
of the long-term and consistent application of<br />
smart engineering and interface management<br />
in increasing certainty and delivering on time.”<br />
ODE, which is headquartered in London<br />
with a marine base at Great Yarmouth, was<br />
involved in the Ormonde project since inception<br />
by Eclipse Energy in 2002. Following<br />
conceptual engineering and FEED, ODE<br />
arranged for the WTGs to be supplied from<br />
Germany to installation off Cumbria, on time<br />
and on budget.<br />
Ormonde had an extremely low accident<br />
frequency rate and an incident free environmental<br />
record. Only two minor H&S incidents<br />
were reported in two million manhours.<br />
With UK Round 3 projects on the horizon,<br />
ODE is well placed to provide wind farm developers<br />
with the benefit of practical engineering<br />
and project management experience gained<br />
from such successful projects.<br />
ODE at work on the Ormonde project<br />
“ THIS IS A GREAT MARKER<br />
FOR SUCCESSFUL FUTURE<br />
OFFSHORE LARGE SCALE<br />
WIND DEVELOPMENTS. ”<br />
Spirit of Enterprise<br />
2013 launched<br />
C Sally Pearson<br />
C 01493 846632<br />
C sp@great-yarmouth.gov.uk<br />
C www.soea.co.uk<br />
Thriving small and emerging businesses are<br />
being urged to step into the spotlight alongside<br />
the major companies for Great Yarmouth’s<br />
Spirit of Enterprise Awards 2013<br />
New and revised categories have been<br />
introduced to widen the scope and further<br />
raise the profile of the borough’s most prestigious<br />
and exciting business awards, now in<br />
their sixth year.<br />
The enterpriseGY competition will<br />
conclude with a sparkling awards ceremony<br />
on March 15th 2013 at Potters Leisure<br />
Resort, Hopton.<br />
“The 2013 awards will have their highest<br />
profile ever,” said Peter Wright, from enterprise<br />
GY and Great Yarmouth Borough Council.<br />
“We want to showcase both innovative<br />
or inspiring young businesses alongside successful<br />
existing firms. Together, they will be<br />
responsible for the economic wellbeing of the<br />
borough in the years ahead.”<br />
As well as encouraging entries, enterpriseGY<br />
is looking for some category sponsors to<br />
share the event's limelight and play a part in the<br />
awards. PKF Accountants are again the main<br />
sponsors with Itron, Norse, Great Yarmouth<br />
College and Paul Robinson Partnership confirmed<br />
among the category sponsors.<br />
The 2012 Business of the Year Award<br />
went to offshore crane maker Seatrax UK.<br />
Business development manager Graham<br />
Manning said: “The success was a great fillip<br />
and created a feel-good spirit for our team<br />
here. Many of our customers are located away<br />
from Great Yarmouth but the award raised<br />
awareness locally as to who we are and what<br />
we do. We believe that this spotlight has also<br />
helped with the recruitment of staff. Since<br />
winning we have taken on an additional 20<br />
full-time local people to cope with an everincreasing<br />
order book.”<br />
Michael Muskett (centre) of PKF<br />
Accountants - the main sponsor for<br />
Spirit of Enterprise 2013 - with the<br />
Seatrax team, winners of the 2012<br />
Business of the Year<br />
Spirit of Enterprise 2013 categories are:<br />
C Great Manufacturing/Engineering<br />
Business Award<br />
C Investing in Young People Award<br />
C Great Business-to-Business Service Award<br />
C Great Business to Customer Service Award<br />
C Great Business Engagement in the<br />
Community Award<br />
C Great Environment and Sustainable<br />
Practice Award<br />
C Great New Enterprise Award<br />
C Great Growing Enterprise of the Year Award<br />
C Great Innovative Business Award<br />
C Business of the Year<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 27
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
Lion invests £3m<br />
in long-term future<br />
C www.lioneng.com<br />
A 4,000sq.ft workshop extension and installation<br />
of the state-of-the-art Mazak Integrex are<br />
the latest developments in a £3m investment<br />
by Lion Engineering Services over the past<br />
four years.<br />
The new workshop at the Great Yarmouth<br />
base will house some of Lion’s existing hightech<br />
Mazak CNC mills and lathes along with<br />
the latest acquisition, the Mazak Integrex<br />
e-H 670 II mill/turn with a 3-metre bed and<br />
maximum turning diameter of over 1 metre.<br />
Overhead cranage up to 3.5 tonnes complements<br />
the size and scale of parts Lion can<br />
produce with its new machine.<br />
Managing director Martin Brown said:<br />
“We are looking towards the long-term future<br />
of Lion Engineering and this will not be the end<br />
of our investment. We are currently considering<br />
a new multi-axis plasma welding machine<br />
and further Mazak Integrex multi-axis mill/<br />
turn models to add to our already extensive<br />
workshop capabilities.<br />
“Additional members of staff are being<br />
recruited, from new purchasing/project staff<br />
through to inspection personnel and shop floor<br />
labour. This will ensure that Lion Engineering<br />
continues to offer world-class expertise in<br />
specialist areas, such as the medium/large<br />
subcontract manufacture of precision engineered<br />
components and the development of<br />
’hard facing’ techniques to reduce wear on<br />
down-hole tools.”<br />
A new welfare block to provide employees<br />
with break-time facilities has also been<br />
built, together with new offices for the<br />
ever-increasing number of management/<br />
administrative staff required to maintain Lion<br />
Engineering’s status as a quality supplier to<br />
the oil & gas industry.<br />
During recent years, Lion’s investment<br />
has created a total of 8,000sq.ft of extra floor<br />
space and some of the most advanced CNC<br />
machines on the market.<br />
To ensure that its quality department can<br />
keep pace with this extra workflow, Lion has<br />
added a new portable, 3D computer-linked<br />
measuring arm to its extensive portfolio of<br />
inspection equipment.<br />
Jungle PR strikes<br />
gold again<br />
C Danielle Howard<br />
C 01362 694649<br />
C press@junglepr.com<br />
C www.junglepr.com<br />
Jungle Public Relations Ltd has beaten<br />
off stiff competition from East Anglia’s top<br />
PR talent to retain the gold award for Best<br />
Outstanding Small Consultancy for the<br />
second year running.<br />
Norfolk-based Jungle PR, which has just<br />
celebrated its eighth year in business, represents<br />
a number of organisations across the<br />
East Anglian region, including Woodforde’s<br />
Norfolk Ales, Pensthorpe Wildlife and<br />
Gardens, Norfolk Hideaways, Visit Suffolk,<br />
William Morfoot Ltd and Winter Flora.<br />
The four-strong team headed up by CIPR<br />
Member, Kate Morfoot, has expanded the<br />
business by 25% in 2012 alone.<br />
Mrs Morfoot, Jungle PR managing<br />
director, said: “We are extremely proud to<br />
retain this award for the second year. The<br />
PR industry is fiercely competitive but we’ve<br />
adapted to fulfill growth in these tough economic<br />
conditions and are delighted to walk<br />
away with this accolade, it’s a true testament<br />
to the quality of our team.”<br />
28 – NOVEMBER 2012<br />
The judges said: “Jungle PR presented<br />
a very clear mission with objectives that knit<br />
together well. Impressive client retention and<br />
growth in both activity and staffing is highly<br />
commendable in the current climate”.<br />
The awards were organised by the<br />
Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)<br />
and held at Ickworth House in Suffolk on<br />
October 11th.<br />
The CIPR Awards is the only accredited<br />
scheme that showcases the best PR work<br />
being carried out across the UK regions and<br />
nations and sets industry standards. There<br />
are 22 award categories and the judging<br />
process is rigorous, with a national panel of<br />
industry experts who assess the shortlisted<br />
entries and choose the winners.
Get ready to open<br />
the patent box<br />
C Simon Elsegood at Mills & Reeve LLP<br />
C 01603 693449<br />
C simon.elsegood@mills-reeve.com<br />
New owners for<br />
SLP Engineering<br />
C www.slp-eng.com<br />
Sembcorp Marine through its wholly-owned<br />
subsidiary SMOE Pte Ltd (SMOE) has<br />
acquired from Smulders Group the entire<br />
share capital in its wholly-owned subsidiary of<br />
SLP Engineering Limited.<br />
Lowestoft-based SLP has 40 years of<br />
experience in the oil and gas industry. It is<br />
primarily focused on the oil and gas markets<br />
for minimum facility platforms, accommodation<br />
modules, process decks and PAUs,<br />
along with the renewable markets for offshore<br />
substations for wind farms, meteorological<br />
weather masts and tidal energy projects.<br />
SLP will be renamed Sembmarine SLP<br />
Limited and will be held through newly incorporated<br />
company Sembmarine North Sea<br />
Limited. Sembmarine North Sea will be 70%<br />
owned by SMOE and 30% owned by eight<br />
members of the SLP management team led<br />
by its managing director, Paul Thomson.<br />
Far Left: The new<br />
Mazak Integrex e-H<br />
670 II mill/turn<br />
Left: Custom designed<br />
Automatic Multi Axis<br />
TIG Welding Unit<br />
Bottom: Golden<br />
moment for the<br />
Jungle PR team<br />
SMOE will pay about £2.5m for both<br />
shares and settlement of the intercompany<br />
loans of SLP. The deal will be completed only<br />
upon certain conditions being met. The net<br />
tangible assets of SLP is about £0.7m.<br />
Ho Nee Sin, managing director of SMOE<br />
said “Following the acquisition, Sembcorp<br />
Marine will now have a footprint in the UK,<br />
providing synergistic support and reaching<br />
out to its North Sea clientele. Sembmarine<br />
SLP offers the opportunity for future growth<br />
in new business areas within the renewable<br />
energy sector as well as in the fabrication<br />
of minimum facilities platforms for marginal<br />
oil and gas fields in the North Sea and Asia<br />
Pacific waters.”<br />
Paul Thomson added: “We are delighted<br />
to be part of the Sembcorp Marine Group,<br />
a leading offshore engineering group with<br />
diverse capabilities in rig building, ship<br />
construction, ship conversion, ship repair<br />
and offshore engineering and construction.<br />
With SMOE’s extensive experience in building<br />
major offshore structures, it will greatly<br />
enhance our objective of becoming the leading<br />
UK supplier of EPC services to the offshore<br />
energy market.”<br />
From April 1st, 2013, the “patent box” tax<br />
regime will allow companies to apply for<br />
corporation tax of 10% on profits earned<br />
from its patented inventions and certain<br />
other inventions.<br />
As with many tax savings, the rules<br />
are detailed and complex, and this article<br />
can only summarise the key principles.<br />
However, businesses should act now to<br />
ensure they are ready to take full advantage<br />
of this regime.<br />
A company can benefit from the patent<br />
box if it:<br />
C Owns or is an exclusive licensee of a UK<br />
or European patent<br />
C Made a significant contribution to either<br />
the development of that patented invention<br />
or a product incorporating that<br />
invention<br />
C Takes an active part in the management<br />
and exploitation of the patented invention<br />
(“active ownership”).<br />
Only the profits earned from exploiting<br />
patented inventions can benefit from the<br />
patent box (“IP income”). The patent box is<br />
being phased in from next April. For the tax<br />
year commencing April 1st 2013, only 60%<br />
of IP income can benefit from the lower tax<br />
rate, but this increases by 10% each year<br />
so that from April 1st 2017 100% of the IP<br />
income can benefit.<br />
A company must proactively choose<br />
to benefit from the patent box, either in its<br />
tax return or separately in writing, within<br />
two years of the end of the financial year for<br />
which the patent box is claimed. There are<br />
also provisions for groups of companies<br />
and companies with “patents pending”.<br />
There are a number of steps that<br />
businesses owning (or exclusively licensing)<br />
patents should take to prepare for the<br />
introduction of the patent box:<br />
C Audit of any qualifying patents and<br />
products<br />
C Consider patenting innovations that have<br />
not been patented yet but which are not<br />
public knowledge<br />
C Check any licences of patents, are they<br />
exclusive or can they be renegotiated to<br />
be so<br />
C Document the business’s involvement in<br />
the management and exploitation of the<br />
patented invention to demonstrate active<br />
ownership.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 29
<strong>EEEGR</strong> MEMBERS<br />
Minister's boost<br />
for biomass<br />
investors<br />
C www.decc.gov.uk<br />
the<br />
Roaring 20s<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
Christmas Ball<br />
Ocean Room, Gorleston<br />
Thursday 13th December 2012<br />
Book now for the biggest<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> ball ever!<br />
www.eeegr.com/events<br />
Join us for a 1920s<br />
themed extravaganza<br />
with jazz orchestra,<br />
casino tables, dinner<br />
and dancing from the age<br />
of the first cinema talkies,<br />
flappers and Chicago speakeasies.<br />
Investors are interested in converting<br />
coal plants to renewable biomass<br />
facilities, and those that co-fire a high<br />
proportion of biomass with coal, were<br />
given a boost under new plans set out<br />
by Energy Minister John Hayes.<br />
The Government has introduced a voluntary reporting<br />
process under the Renewables Obligation for these generators.<br />
This will minimise regulatory burdens on generators and enable<br />
Government to better estimate how much financial support these<br />
schemes will need.<br />
Mr Hayes said: “Energy is central to our economic recovery.<br />
We must deliver investment in new infrastructure while keeping<br />
costs down for consumers. The solution set out today means less<br />
new red tape for developers and enables Government to manage<br />
cost to consumers.<br />
“Converting from coal to sustainably sourced biomass is<br />
good news for both investors and consumers. It provides a new<br />
beginning for our existing power stations, enabling them to achieve<br />
radical reductions in emissions, whilst providing affordable, secure<br />
and clean energy.<br />
“I hope that by setting a simple process, we can help safeguard<br />
jobs and encourage new investment in biomass generation.”<br />
To provide further long-term certainty to investors and increase<br />
the stability of the RO budget, the fact sheet sets out full details<br />
of the new ‘grandfathering’ arrangements to provide assurance of<br />
the levels of subsidy that converted plants will receive over their<br />
life-times.<br />
Subsidies for converted plant which switch back to using<br />
some coal will not be assured at original levels, but will be regrandfathered<br />
after each switch at the subsidy rate which applies<br />
at the time.<br />
Aker Solutions secures<br />
three-year contract<br />
extension with Perenco<br />
C www.akersolutions.com<br />
Aker Solutions secured a three-year contract extension worth<br />
£18million to provide onshore and offshore operations and maintenance<br />
services to Perenco UK.<br />
The agreement includes provision of operations, maintenance<br />
and technical support personnel for Perenco at its on and offshore<br />
assets in the Southern North Sea. The contract is valid for three<br />
years, with an optional two-year extension.<br />
More than 80 Aker Solutions employees are currently involved<br />
in delivering work for Perenco UK with the majority based offshore.<br />
Mike Forbes, UK managing director of Aker Solutions' MMO<br />
business, said: “We are very pleased that Perenco UK, an important<br />
and expanding player in the North Sea, renews its trust in<br />
our services. This extension ensures the basis for the continued<br />
development of our relationship with the company.”<br />
Aker Solutions has worked with Perenco UK since 2003.<br />
30 – NOVEMBER 2012
Dutch Ambassador<br />
builds on Norfolk<br />
business links<br />
C www.birketts.co.uk<br />
Business relationships between Norfolk and<br />
the Netherlands were strengthened during<br />
a recent visit to the county by the Dutch<br />
Ambassador to the UK.<br />
Among topics discussed was a further<br />
conference on North Sea offshore wind<br />
opportunities and collaboration with Dutch<br />
companies, building on the success of the<br />
Anglo Dutch Wind Conference organised by<br />
<strong>EEEGR</strong> in Cambridge in 2011.<br />
Ambassador Pim Waldeck and Tessel<br />
van Essen, senior commercial attaché at the<br />
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,<br />
were invited to attend a special dinner at<br />
Birketts’ offices in Norwich.<br />
They met representatives from local<br />
businesses and organisations interested in<br />
increasing connections to the Netherlands<br />
and from Dutch companies already doing<br />
business in the UK.<br />
Among those attending were Paul Chun,<br />
managing director of KLM Engineering, Andy<br />
Wood, chair of the New Anglia LEP and Simon<br />
Gray, CEO of <strong>EEEGR</strong>.<br />
Dutch Ambassador Pim<br />
Waldeck meets guests<br />
at the Birketts’ dinner<br />
The next day the special guests were<br />
taken on a tour of the county which included<br />
a visit to the Norwich Research Park. Later<br />
they went to Great Yarmouth for an informal<br />
networking event at EastPort UK, followed by<br />
a tour of the outer harbour.<br />
The visit was organised by Andrew<br />
Wood in his capacity both as a member of the<br />
Netherlands British Chamber of Commerce<br />
and head of the Anglo Dutch Desk at Birketts.<br />
Mr Wood said: “It was an extremely<br />
useful visit which further increased goodwill<br />
and strengthened connections. Businesses in<br />
Norfolk in particular are well placed to work<br />
with companies in the Netherlands.”<br />
Ambassador Waldeck said: “I much<br />
appreciated this very informative visit putting<br />
great emphasis on the important historic,<br />
current and future economic links between<br />
East Anglia and the Netherlands. We will<br />
continue our efforts in assisting companies<br />
that are looking to work on either side of the<br />
North Sea.”<br />
Birketts has also been busy advising the<br />
management teams and SLP Engineering<br />
Limited on the acquisition of the Lowestoftbased<br />
company by Sembcorp Marine.<br />
The Birketts team was led by Andrew<br />
Wood and included partner Adrian Possener<br />
and senior associate Nathan Muskett.<br />
Simon Hall at the<br />
Innovation Awards<br />
Innovation Awards<br />
prove catalyst for<br />
new <strong>EEEGR</strong> link<br />
C 0844 272 2011<br />
C info@ecostyle.co.uk<br />
C www.ecostyle.co.uk<br />
The 2012 <strong>EEEGR</strong> Innovation Awards generated<br />
two valuable partnership opportunities<br />
for finalist EcoStyle Ltd.<br />
The Luton-based company designs and<br />
manufactures Renewable Energy Kits to<br />
educate users about wind and solar power.<br />
The fully-functioning desktop models are<br />
used in schools, colleges, in industry, and<br />
as sales tools to help promote the largescale<br />
technologies. Although EcoStyle did<br />
not win the Innovation Award, it did provide<br />
the opportunity to meet two other <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
member organisations: NWES World of<br />
Work (NWES WoW) and Cranfield University.<br />
While listening to EcoStyle director<br />
Simon Hall’s presentation, Emma Chapman,<br />
head of enterprise in education at NWES<br />
WoW, realised that there could be a strong<br />
potential partnership between the two<br />
organisations.<br />
The Norwich-based NWES WoW team<br />
is dedicated to improving employability<br />
skills and developing enterprise capabilities<br />
in young people. It is now running a pilot<br />
scheme to provide EcoStyle’s Renewable<br />
Energy Kits to 10 schools within Norfolk and<br />
Suffolk, accompanied by training sessions<br />
run by the NWES WoW education team. The<br />
kits have been sponsored by the Adnams<br />
Charity, which means the schools can<br />
keep the equipment on a permanent basis.<br />
Following the pilot scheme, NWES WoW<br />
intend to promote the project throughout<br />
Norfolk and Suffolk.<br />
During the awards evening, Simon also<br />
met Dr Andrew Shires, course director of<br />
the Renewable Energy Engineering MSc at<br />
Cranfield University. EcoStyle will now work<br />
with the university in supervising a group<br />
project using the Renewable Energy Kits as<br />
a theme.<br />
The university is working on a number of<br />
exciting developments such as bio-fuel from<br />
algae and tidal power barrages and there<br />
may be potential for design and development<br />
of educational models to demonstrate<br />
and promote these technologies.<br />
EcoStyle director Simon Hall said:<br />
“I am extremely pleased to have made<br />
these valuable connections as a result of<br />
being selected as a finalist for the <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
Innovation Awards. Some fantastic opportunities<br />
have arisen and I am excited to see<br />
how they develop.”<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 31
Quality training for<br />
highly skilled people<br />
Lowestoft College is renowned for its expertise in offshore, maritime and<br />
engineering training, providing a wide range of courses to the global energy sector.<br />
Offshore<br />
■ Management of Major Emergencies<br />
■ Command & Control for ERRVs<br />
■ Offshore First Aid<br />
■ Competence Management<br />
■ Offshore Wind Emergency Response<br />
Engineering<br />
■ B.Eng Operations Engineering<br />
■ FdSc Operations Engineering<br />
■ Fabrication & Welding<br />
■ Mechanical & Electrical<br />
■ Engineering Apprenticeships<br />
Learn more about how we can help your business<br />
www.lowestoft.ac.uk<br />
(t) +44 (0) 1502 525025<br />
(e) maritime@lowestoft.ac.uk<br />
Maritime<br />
■ Navigation<br />
■ Dynamic Positioning<br />
■ Radio Communications<br />
■ Deck Officer Training<br />
■ MCA Medical & First Aid<br />
■ STCW Basic Safety Training<br />
■ Marine Safety Training<br />
Management and Safety<br />
■ Management Development<br />
■ Health & Safety (NEBOSH/IOSH)<br />
■ First Aid at Work<br />
■ Electrical Safety and Regulations<br />
Lowestoft College is approved by:<br />
32 – NOVEMBER 2012
SKILLS FOR ENERGY<br />
Help shape next<br />
year's conference<br />
C Celia Anderson, executive director, <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
C 01493 446535<br />
C celia.anderson@eeegr.com<br />
I'm delighted to announce that the next longawaited<br />
Skills for Energy conference will be in<br />
the first week of July 2013.<br />
We are already considering the audience,<br />
speakers and subjects. We'd love to hear<br />
from you if you wish to provide a paper for<br />
consideration (an official call will go early next<br />
year) or know of a speaker you'd like to hear.<br />
We've had useful meetings with the<br />
Jobcentre Plus of both Great Yarmouth and<br />
Lowestoft where, as a starting point, we were<br />
invited to talk to all the advisors about the<br />
industry and its opportunities and to dispel<br />
some of the myths. We will further develop the<br />
relationship to ensure those unemployed, but<br />
with the right skills and experience to be able<br />
to work in the industry, are helped into suitable<br />
jobs as quickly as possible.<br />
At the time of writing, we were preparing<br />
for the Military Industry Awareness event.<br />
It has been a case of using a full range of<br />
media and networks to get the message out.<br />
But we've also reaffirmed the importance of<br />
managing expectations – no point winding<br />
people up when there aren’t sufficient jobs.<br />
Fabulous news from the University<br />
of East Anglia, and Lowestoft and Great<br />
Yarmouth College. We have an excellent<br />
cohort starting on this year’s MSc Energy<br />
Engineering. There is much interest in the<br />
BEng that starts next year and we have full<br />
cohorts at Lowestoft and, for the first time,<br />
at Great Yarmouth College of Energy Skills<br />
Foundation apprentices.<br />
We are also delighted to be working<br />
with Camouflaged Learning with its innovative<br />
approach to enthusing and inspiring<br />
young people into engineering. Camouflaged<br />
Learning also work closely with Opito and The<br />
Mason Trust.<br />
Last but by no way least – the EPISCentre.<br />
I said last year that I wanted to have it built this<br />
year! We have been exploring options which<br />
have delayed that but we still intend a flagship<br />
building, housing an independent energy<br />
industry skills centre.<br />
Speakers at the Military in the<br />
Energy Industry event in Norwich<br />
Military manoeuvres to<br />
support energy industry<br />
C Louise Jenkins, project co-ordinator, <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
C 01493 446519<br />
C louise.jenkins@eeegr.com<br />
Skills for Energy held an Energy Industry<br />
Awareness event last month for military<br />
personnel interested in getting into the energy<br />
industry after leaving the forces.<br />
The event was sponsored by 3sun,<br />
ECITB, Forces4Energy and PDS Recruitment.<br />
Over 80 attended from RAF, Army and Royal<br />
Navy as well as industry.<br />
A range of speakers from the gas, offshore<br />
wind and other sectors presented on<br />
the opportunities available.<br />
There was also a CV speed-dating<br />
session with HR and local recruitment<br />
companies, where delegates could spend<br />
some time getting feedback and help tailoring<br />
their CV to suit the energy industry.<br />
An Ex-military in the Energy Industry<br />
Network meeting was also held in late september<br />
which helped Skills for Energy determine<br />
the direction of the project for the future.<br />
We will be developing the advice offered<br />
on the Skills for Energy website and run more<br />
industry awareness events in the future.<br />
If anyone who is ex-military and working in<br />
the energy industry is interested in becoming<br />
part of an ever-expanding network as well as<br />
helping us shape the military projects, please<br />
get in contact.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 33
SKILLS FOR ENERGY<br />
Promising start for<br />
UEA's MSc students<br />
C Dr Lawrence Coates, Skills for Energy<br />
senior lecturer in engineering, UEA<br />
C Lawrence.Coates@uea.ac.uk<br />
Building on last year’s intake of 10 students,<br />
UEA has taken on 12 new entrants to the MSc<br />
in Energy Engineering with Environmental<br />
Management - 10 full-time and two part-time<br />
- meaning there are 18 students registered.<br />
The 10 full-time students will be seeking<br />
placements in industry for their dissertations<br />
that start in earnest after Easter. Example<br />
projects from last year were:<br />
C Analysis of grouted connections to<br />
monopiles<br />
C Scoping of tidal energy device, power<br />
production and impact<br />
C Noise abatement for offshore piling<br />
operations.<br />
The MSc at UEA enters its second year<br />
having just received accreditation from the<br />
Energy Institute. This allows students with a<br />
bachelor’s degree in engineering to use the<br />
course to achieve the required academic<br />
level for chartered engineer status.<br />
We are grateful to the many <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
companies who are offering support. A<br />
highlight of last academic year was Perenco<br />
sponsoring a significant amount of laboratory<br />
equipment which has enhanced the<br />
student experience. We intend to add to that<br />
this year, ready for the new undergraduate<br />
programme.<br />
Attracting undergraduate students in the<br />
current fees climate requires various financial<br />
incentives. At UEA, the SELECT sponsorship<br />
scheme is becoming established with half<br />
of the dozen or so companies needed close<br />
to confirming. This scheme offers companies<br />
the opportunity to work with our best<br />
students and, from second year onwards,<br />
using summer placements and sponsorship<br />
money to test for future employment.<br />
There will also be opportunities for a longer<br />
placement as part of the BEng with a Year in<br />
Industry. Companies wishing to secure our<br />
best undergraduates during the early stages<br />
of their degree should contact Lawrence<br />
Coates to join the SELECT scheme.<br />
Professor Paul Rijks (Choicce ltd) was<br />
welcomed last month as our visiting professor<br />
of innovation. Paul is sponsored for four<br />
years under the visiting professors scheme<br />
run by the Royal Academy of Engineering.<br />
As part of the induction of the new MSc<br />
students, Paul, Peter Haynes (Peter Haynes<br />
Associates) and Lawrence Coates (UEA)<br />
decided to emphasise the importance of<br />
safety and risk in its broadest sense.<br />
Paul and Peter exposed the students to<br />
several models of risk and disaster prevention<br />
as well as frameworks for encapsulating risks<br />
of different types using oil and gas as case<br />
studies. The teams of four were tasked with<br />
scoping the risks in one sector from offshore<br />
wind, solar or marine energy and delivering a<br />
10-minute presentation to a panel of industry<br />
experts. A Dragon's Den format was adopted,<br />
with the willing support of Stephen Gregory,<br />
a specialist from Harnser Risk Group, Mark<br />
Aspinall of 4NRg, Simon Coward of Hethel<br />
Engineering Centre, and Sam Alexander,<br />
commercial manager of Windcrop.<br />
Paul said: “With a diverse group of<br />
cultures and academic backgrounds, I think<br />
the whole session panned out really well. I left<br />
the UEA proud of what they did today.”<br />
Young message from<br />
Camouflaged Learning<br />
C Matt J. Bagley, creative director<br />
C matt@camouflaged-learning.com<br />
Camouflaged Learning: It's education, but not<br />
as we know it!<br />
With activities that are designed to be fun,<br />
noisy and exciting and that appeal to youngsters<br />
and the young at heart, Matt Bagley and<br />
his team deliver every project they create in a<br />
relentlessly upbeat and positive manner.<br />
But, beneath all the fun and excitement,<br />
there is a very serious point to the company<br />
and that is to raise aspiration, inspire and<br />
engage the employees of tomorrow through<br />
experiential, real-world, hands-on learning.<br />
The best way of inspiring and enthusing<br />
anyone is to make sure they enjoy what<br />
they're doing, but that enjoyment has to be<br />
balanced with effective outcomes. Through<br />
careful design and consultation with its clients,<br />
Camouflaged Learning aims to do just that by<br />
34 – NOVEMBER 2012<br />
creating precisely what is wanted, but also<br />
exactly what is needed to create an indelible<br />
and sustainable impact.<br />
Camouflaged Learning activities are<br />
always easy to spot, even at large events<br />
such as OPITO’s Energise Your Future, Mason<br />
Trust’s Climate Run or on behalf of the UTC at<br />
Norfolk Show. And even if you can't hear all the<br />
noise, you can always see the crowds.<br />
“At the Climate Run this year we worked<br />
with the Norfolk UTC, using our 60 second<br />
submarine challenge,” said Matt. “As ever, we<br />
were mobbed from start to finish with people<br />
competing to create a working submarine<br />
that submerged and re-surfaced in exactly 60<br />
seconds.<br />
“Lots of companies don’t really know<br />
what to do at events like this, but they are<br />
real winners for everyone involved. It's easy<br />
to attract young people to your stand with a<br />
bowl of sweets but that’s a missed opportunity<br />
to actually engage. Communication with students<br />
follows different rules to engaging with<br />
the business community so it makes good<br />
sense to ensure you're speaking the right<br />
language. That's where we come in.”
Network goes from<br />
strength to strength<br />
C Louise Jenkins, project co-ordinator, <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
C 01493 446519<br />
C louise.jenkins@eeegr.com<br />
Top left: Student challenge for (back row) Yunbo Li, Henry Ross,<br />
Jonathan Davison, Tolulope Ugandare, Toby Simnett;<br />
(middle row) Amine Hadjer, Peter Kerrison, Nehssen<br />
Sockalingham, Andrei Stanica; (front row) Matthew Henderson,<br />
Toufik Hadjer, Julia Docampo.<br />
Above: The Dragons Den team<br />
Below: Fun time at Camouflaged Learning<br />
Bottom: Students from Great Yarmouth College visit Pasta Foods<br />
The Education and Training Provider Network<br />
(ETPN), as part of the East Coast Energy Skills<br />
Partnership, is going from strength to strength.<br />
Skills for Energy held a third meeting at<br />
Colchester Institute in early September to look<br />
at where the network could input and what the<br />
outputs of the group could be. One of the first<br />
results will be a directory and a prospectus<br />
to encourage inward investment. Included in<br />
both of these documents will be the Capability<br />
Matrix, a list of capabilities required by<br />
industry, available from the ETPN. This information<br />
will be available on the <strong>EEEGR</strong> website<br />
once completed.<br />
Energy sector support<br />
from Jobcentre Plus<br />
C Anne Rawstron, relationship manager<br />
Great Yarmouth & Waveney, Jobcentre Plus<br />
C anne.rawstron@jobcentreplus.gsi.gov.uk<br />
Jobcentre Plus is working closely with<br />
Skills for Energy. Together they will focus<br />
on delivering skilled people to the energy<br />
industry when they need them for longterm<br />
careers and ensuring the existing<br />
workforce continues to meet the industry's<br />
need for the future.<br />
The network is not just producing documents,<br />
however, there is a strong emphasis<br />
on shared learning and collaborative working<br />
during the meetings.<br />
Following from <strong>EEEGR</strong>’s 2012 Summer<br />
Conference, where we had the largest number<br />
of education and training providers present<br />
in the exhibition, Skills for Energy is now<br />
looking further afield to other events such as<br />
GetEnergy next year as well as the Skills for<br />
Energy Conference 2013 to further promote<br />
the collaborative working between the ETPN<br />
by joint exhibiting.<br />
The project is to identify clients with<br />
transferable skills who would be suitable<br />
to work in the engineering and energy<br />
sector industries.<br />
Skills for Energy has attended<br />
Jobcentre Plus offices in Great Yarmouth<br />
and Lowestoft to help advisers gain a<br />
better understanding of the energy sector<br />
in the local area. As Skills for Energy works<br />
closely with industry it can help Jobcentre<br />
Plus advisers identify training and skills that<br />
a client may require to enable them to have a<br />
career in the energy sector.<br />
More success<br />
for Energy Skills<br />
Foundation Programme<br />
C Louise Jenkins, project co-ordinator, <strong>EEEGR</strong><br />
C 01493 446519<br />
C louise.jenkins@eeegr.com<br />
After three years piloting at Lowestoft College,<br />
the Energy Skills Foundation Programme has<br />
now been taken up by Great Yarmouth College<br />
for the first year.<br />
Lowestoft College has 16 students this<br />
year and Great Yarmouth College has 19 students<br />
in its first cohort.<br />
The programme has proved a great success<br />
for the region and the popularity of the<br />
course is increasing amongst those wanting to<br />
find out if a career in energy is for them.<br />
To further boost the collaborative working<br />
of two local colleges, Lowestoft and Great<br />
Yarmouth College have agreed to host both<br />
the speed dating with industry HR and gala<br />
dinner elements of the course together. Great<br />
Yarmouth College has also been working<br />
closely with Pasta Foods to allow its students<br />
workplace experience for the processing elements<br />
of the course.<br />
We will be running a number of employer<br />
engagement events, including presentation<br />
evenings from the students of the two cohorts,<br />
so anyone interested in engaging with these<br />
young and aspiring students should contact us.<br />
NOVEMBER 2012 – 35
SNS<br />
2013<br />
The Sea of<br />
Opportunity<br />
The Conference for Offshore Energy<br />
Southern North Sea Conference<br />
5th & 6th March 2013, Royal Norfolk Showground, Norwich<br />
Book online at www.eeegr.com<br />
Our biggest exhibition<br />
and conference so far<br />
National and international<br />
delegates & speakers<br />
Prime networking opportunities