Colene Woolcott, Author at Penspen

Penspen Awarded Project Management Consultancy Contract by ADMA-OPCO for Das Island Projects

March 8, 2016 11:29 am Comments Off

Penspen, a leading global provider of engineering and management services to the energy industry, has been appointed as project management consultant to Abu Dhabi Marine Operation Company (ADMA-OPCO) for the ongoing work on Das Island in the United Arab Emirates.

There are four key areas where Penspen will advise and lead:

The upgrade or replacement of various pipeline networks
Studies to be conducted on an oil spill response hub, to serve Das Island and offshore
A major overhaul of crude oil storage tanks
Installation of three COL pumps and associated modification

The project management consultancy contract, which went live in January 2016, will run for four years. Penspen’s team of 10 will be responsible for the management and administration of the respective project activities on behalf of ADMA-OPCO.

Das Island is the main industrial centre of offshore oil and gas production for ADMA-OPCO, where oil and gas produced from the Umm Shaif and Zakum Fields is processed, stored and exported. As a result of its strategic location, lying in the centre of the Arabian Gulf, approximately 165 km north-west of Abu Dhabi, it is currently the region’s main oil storage site. Das Island is also the export terminal for oil from the offshore fields of ADMA-OPCO, and for liquefied natural gas produced by the Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Company (ADGAS), both part of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC Group.

Penspen’s Michael Simm, Executive Vice President Middle East & Asia Pacific, said: “This is a great win for us as we are currently seeing good levels of growth in our offshore business. We have worked extensively with ADMA on a number of key projects and we look forward to continuing the partnership with this varied and interesting set of developments on Das Island.”

Penspen awarded FEED contract for the development of Ghana’s Natural Gas Interconnected Transmission System (NGITS)

December 10, 2015 12:03 pm Comments Off

Penspen, a leading global provider of engineering and management services to the energy industry, has been awarded a contract from Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) to conduct a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) study for further development of the Ghana Natural Gas Interconnected Transmission System.

BOST, the holder of Ghana’s Natural Gas Transmission Utility license, has a mandate to operate, maintain and further develop the nation’s first country-wide gas transmission network, as part of Ghana’s national agenda to exploit gas as an efficient and cost-effective means of augmenting power supply. The first phase of this build-out will be the addition of approximately 750 kilometres of pipeline from Aboadze to Tema, and from Prestea to Buipe, via Kumasi.

Penspen will be involved in all aspects of the engineering and project management. The engineering work will take place over a twelve month period and will be carried out by Penspen’s team in London and Accra.

Peter O’Sullivan, CEO of Penspen said: “We are pleased to have been selected by BOST to provide our engineering expertise for this significant project, which will increase availability and improve accessibility to energy across Ghana.

This major investment in the country’s energy infrastructure will help boost its economic growth over the next decade. Our team’s experience in conducting many similar projects worldwide, accompanied by our strong commitment to developing Ghanaian local expertise and capabilities as part of this contract, will ensure that Ghana’s gas network derives the maximum value from this investment.”

Kwame Awuah-Darko, managing director of BOST, said: “Our team has been working hard to develop BOST into a credible Natural Gas Transmission Utility for the nation. This major development, which is an integral part of our long term strategic plan, is an important step forward not just for BOST, but for the country – and will serve as a catalyst to help boost economic growth. We selected Penspen – following an extensive, international open tender – on the basis of its team’s deep experience and high calibre, and we look forward to working together.”

Please download a copy of the full release here: BOST press release

Penspen Awarded Engineering Study for the Development of Offshore Field in Southern Nigeria

November 25, 2015 12:23 pm Comments Off

Penspen, a leading global provider of engineering and management services to the energy industry, has been awarded a contract from Sirius Group to conduct an engineering study for the monetisation of gas reserves from oilfields offshore Niger Delta. A key element of this agreement is the development of gas reserves of the OML 122 field, located in the offshore Niger Delta region 40km from the coastline of Southern Nigeria.

The study is being conducted as part of Project Dawn, a three year development project worth US$1.2billion that includes the construction of a pipeline network to deliver natural gas to the Escravos – Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS), which was designed and constructed under the supervision of Penspen more than two decades ago. The gas from Project Dawn will feed power plants and different industrial applications in Nigeria.

Project Dawn is expected to introduce 250mmscf/d of natural gas under the Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) between Sirius Oilfield Support Services Ltd and Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) a Subsidiary of NNPC.

The project will include an evaluation of the OML-122 field development, subsea gas pipeline and onshore central processing facility. The study will seek to determine the extent of new pipeline and facilities required, and quantify the overall investment required for the project.

The work is planned to include workshops in Nigeria to cover the screening of options, as well as decision and risk analysis.

Peter O’Sullivan, CEO of Penspen said: “We are pleased to have been selected by Sirius Group to provide our engineering expertise for this significant study, which will increase availability and improve accessibility to energy across the region. I am confident our team’s reputation and experience in conducting similar engineering studies worldwide will benefit and deliver value in developing infrastructure for Nigeria’s gas network.”

Download news release

Penspen awarded $4.3 million Bangladesh contract from Gas Transmission Company Limited

October 21, 2015 9:36 am Comments Off

Penspen, a leading global provider of engineering and management services to the energy industry, has been awarded a contract worth $4.3 million from Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL), (A Company of Petrobangla) under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources of Bangladesh.

The contract is for the Dhanua-Elenga and West Bank of Bangabandhu Bridge – Nalka gas transmission pipeline located in Bangladesh. Work on the 67km 30” high-pressure gas pipeline will commence in 2016-17 and is estimated to take approximately two years to complete.

Penspen will be involved in all aspects of engineering and project management, which will include design of pipeline, stations and related facilities, preparing bidding documents and evaluating bids, and project management of construction.

The project will be executed by Penspen’s team in London, and will be supported by a well established Dhaka based engineering company – BETS, which will be undertaking environmental studies and providing all on-site construction activities.

Peter O’Sullivan, CEO of Penspen said: “We are excited to be part of a major project designed to help enhance natural gas infrastructure in Bangladesh. Penspen has previous experience working in the country and we are pleased to have been selected by GTCL as we continue to grow and expand in the region.

“Penspen has a strong history in providing engineering, project management, asset management and integrity services to the oil and gas industry for more than 60 years, and we are confident our expertise working on similar projects will deliver value to GTCL’s business.”

Download news release

ECOWAS and Penspen Sign Contract for a Feasibility Study for the Extension of the Gas Pipeline Network in West Africa

June 22, 2015 12:51 pm Comments Off

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and international energy services company Penspen announced the completion of contract signing in February 2015 to enable a formal start to the Feasibility Study examining the current West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) system performance and its possible future network extension to other ECOWAS states.

The work will look at how WAGP has performed since its completion in 2010 and what measures need to be taken to optimise its operation. The work includes a technical and economic analysis of the extension of the pipeline conditions; market assessments will be made of possible ECOWAS countries to consider where network extension can be substantiated and estimates of the required investments will be made to quantify costs and benefits.

The study is planned to take 18 months and will include a number of validation workshops to review progress and study results involving Experts from ECOWAS member states and sub-regional institutions.

The kick-off meeting was held in Abuja with experts from Penspen and a team of ECOWAS headed by Mr Bayaornibe DABIRE, Director of Energy, ECOWAS Commission who quoted in his opening remarks the importance of WAGP and the need for its extension as an opportunity to meet energy demand in the region.

Peter O’Sullivan, CEO of Penspen said: ‘The signing of the contract for this significant study marks yet another occasion where the critical early phase abilities and experience of Penspen has been recognised by multi-nation clients. This study builds on our established work and reputation gained for other feasibility study work on major projects such as Kampala-Kigali, AGRI, TAPI and Trans Sahara’.

ECOWAS includes 15 member states covering an area of over five million one hundred (5,1) square kilometers with an estimated population of about 300 million inhabitants. WAGP at present runs from Nigeria to Benin, Togo and Ghana a total distance of 678 km with 569km offshore.

Penspen Expands Middle East Offering with New Office and Appointments in Iraq

June 9, 2015 11:49 am Comments Off

Penspen, a leading global provider of engineering and management services to the energy industry, has underlined its commitment to growth in the Middle East with three new appointments and investment in a new office in Iraq.

Ahmed Al-Dadah and Na’el Barghouthi have joined the company from other engineering providers, whilst Michael Simm, EVP of Engineering and Project Management, has been newly appointed to the role of Regional Director for Penspen’s Middle East business. A new Iraq office, located in Basra will expand Penspen’s geographical reach and become the fourth location in the region joining Abu Dhabi, Doha and Khafji.

Peter O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Penspen said:

“This is an exciting time for Penspen as we continue our substantial growth in the Middle East. I am confident Michael, Na’el and Ahmed will play a key role in strengthening our 300-strong team in the region. Their industry expertise and leadership skills will drive our strategic objectives to grow our engineering, project management, field development and asset integrity businesses. ”

Ahmed Al-Dadah has been appointed to the role of Business Development Director for E&PM. He joins the company from Amec Foster Wheeler, where he spent 12 years working in various project delivery and business development roles. His experience includes working in the successful execution of study, pre-FEED, FEED, EPC phases across both new build and modifications projects

Na’el Barghouthi joins Penspen as Director of Asset Integrity, Middle East and Asia Pacific regions. Na’el’s career spans over 15 years working in the oil and gas industry with experience in management, offshore engineering and integrity. He has previously worked for Wood Group Kenny, GE Oil & Gas, Al Shaheen Holding Joint Venture, and Occidental Petroleum of Qatar.

Regional Director of the Middle East, Michael Simm, said:

“I’m delighted to welcome Ahmed and Na’el to the team. Their skills and experience in delivering key services that our clients require in today’s lower-oil price economy will be of great value in further expanding our Middle East presence.”

Significant New Maintenance Contract for NGN

May 22, 2015 5:57 am Comments Off

The north of England’s gas distributor, Northern Gas Networks (NGN) has signed a major new contract with Penspen to cover all mechanical maintenance work required across the network.

As of early May 2015, provider of engineering, project management and asset management services, Penspen will take responsibility for maintaining a wide range of mechanical equipment on behalf of NGN, from gas off-take equipment to district governors as part of the three year contract.

This new partnership with the integrity, engineering, operations and maintenance specialist is a significant move for NGN as it marks the first time that a gas distributor in the UK has outsourced all of its mechanical maintenance requirements.

Tim Harwood, head of major projects and maintenance at NGN, said: “Penspen has been appointed after a long and thorough tender process. As experts in the maintenance of pipelines and associated plant equipment they have a strong combination of technical and commercial acumen, with highly skilled employees, supported by the company’s own in-house training school.

“This is an exciting move for our business, as we continue to modernise and work in a smarter and more efficient way. Other gas distribution networks will certainly be taking notes, and we could see this model adopted in other parts of the UK in the coming years.”

As part of the new arrangement, a number of highly skilled NGN employees who currently work in mechanical maintenance positions will transfer to Penspen to carry out the same job roles but under new employers. To assist with the transition, Penspen has provided new vehicles and IT to prepare the transferring staff for their new challenge.

Explaining the move, Tim said: “Penspen colleagues will become an extension of our team in the coming months as our NGN colleagues move to their new employers. Existing Penspen staff will be working with transferring staff to make new teams; it will be a seamless transition with business as usual the main focus.

“It is an interesting time to be head of maintenance, working with great teams both within NGN and with Penspen.”

NGN will retain maintenance supervisory and managerial staff who will be ensuring safety standards, technical compliance and quality control is met.

Peter O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Penspen, said: “This is the first time one of the major gas distributors for the UK has outsourced its maintenance work to one company and we are delighted that Northern Gas Networks has chosen Penspen. We have a dedicated training facility with the capability to train technicians in high pressure gas maintenance services and this is one of the reasons we have been selected for the substantial project.”

NGN delivers gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses across the North of England and provides the region’s rapid response service for customers who smell gas at home or work.

Penspen wins American Society of Mechanical Engineers Global Pipeline Award

October 14, 2014 1:25 pm Leave a Comment

Penspen has won the prestigious ‘Global Pipeline Award’ from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for their internet-based Masters in Pipeline Integrity Management, run in partnership with Northumbria University in the UK.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers judge and present the award at the International Pipeline Conference and Exposition in Calgary, Canada, where over 5000 delegates meet every two years.

The award ‘recognises outstanding innovations and technological advances in the field of pipeline transportation’. Penspen was one of 5 companies short-listed for the prize, and the winner was announced at a large awards dinner in Calgary on 30th September.

Michelle Unger, Head of Learning Services said,

‘This Masters programme is unique as all the tutors are experts from the pipeline industry, it is delivered totally via the internet, and students can obtain an MSc without ever leaving their country. The success of the course means we can now create a version in Spanish, and launch it into Latin America, where there is a great demand for this type of education. This award will help us expand around the world.’

Phil Hopkins, Penspen’s Technical Director said

‘The Global Pipeline Award is presented to the outstanding innovation and technological development in the global pipeline industry. The American Society of Engineers award this prize, via a panel of international judges. This prestigious award is highly competitive, and has previously been won by the likes of Petrobras and Petro China. I am delighted we have won it, and I was proud to accept the award on behalf of Penspen, in particular for Michelle Unger and her Learning Team in the Newcastle office, who designed and deliver the MSc. I’d also like to acknowledge the Penspen staff David Eyre, Andy Young, Susannah Turner and Graham Goodfellow who are tutors on the MSc. They’ve all worked hard, and thoroughly deserve this recognition. A fantastic achievement’.

Dr Rebecca Strachan, Associate Dean (Business and Engagement) for Engineering and Environment at Northumbria University, Newcastle, said:

“We are delighted that this innovative MSc programme has been recognised for this award. It is a brilliant example of a successful university-industry partnership created to meet the demands of a specific sector and provide students with an edge in their future careers.

“The programme provides a flexible and accessible way to upskill staff and develop their professional competencies for the oil and gas pipeline industry and we are proud of the way staff here at the University and at Penspen work together to deliver it. This award-winning partnership further demonstrates Northumbria’s commitment to partnership working as a professional, business-focused University.”

Penspen Awarded Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (TAPI) Pipeline Feasibility Study

October 13, 2014 12:26 pm Leave a Comment

Penspen has been awarded a contract by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to carry out a technical feasibility study for a proposed 1820km, 56in. diameter pipeline from Turkmenistan’s giant Galkynysh Gas Field, to serve energy markets in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Penspen’s scope of work includes a review of the proposed route, confirmation of hydraulics including compressor station size and location, provision of cost estimates and development of project execution strategy and schedule.

Penspen has awarded a sub-contract to the Netherlands-based Royal HaskoningDHV an international engineering, consultancy and project management firm to undertake the important environmental and social safeguards components of the study.

The Technical Feasibility Study is expected to take 6 months to complete, following which, Penspen and Haskoning will provide on-going support to ADB during the investor selection process.

Peter O’ Sullivan, Penspen’s Chief Executive said:

“We are proud to be involved in this major project, which will enable Turkmenistan to monetise a part of its vast natural gas reserves, by opening a southerly route to the energy-hungry markets of South Asia”.

Author Archives: Colene Woolcott