Prosafe NOW 1/2011

No 1 • 2011
Safe Concordia
in Brazil
PAGE 13
Safe Astoria upgrade
PAGE 4
Improving internal
information sharing
PAGE 8
Naming ceremony
by Petrobras
PAGE 11
VISION
Prosafe shall be a leading and
innovative provider of technology
and services in selected niches of
the global oil and gas industry.
MISSION
By providing our clients with innovative and
cost-efficient solutions, Prosafe shall
maximise shareholder value and create a
challenging and motivating workplace.
Letter from CEO
The first half of 2011 has been characterised by
steady operating performance and excellent
safety results. We have had a good order influx,
which is a confirmation of the positive market
outlook for semi-submersible accommodation rigs.
MSV Regalia went through a major
refurbishment and life extension
project in 2009. Now, we are preparing for a similar refurbishment
of the Safe Caledonia. This refit
will take place in 2012 and will
amongst others comprise an
upgrade of all accommodation,
hull maintenance and topside
refurbishment resulting in 20 years
life extension. We will take the
vessel to the yard after the completion of the contract with BG.
CORE VALUES
Profitability
Respect
InnOvation
Safety
Ambition
Focus
Environment
Prosafe NOW is published two
times a year for our employees, clients,
vendors and other key audiences.
Submit ideas, comments and
articles for the next issue to:
Karine Cosemans
Communication and branding manager
karine.cosemans@prosafe.com
EDITOR
Karine Cosemans
Photo page 1: Tom Haga
Photo pages 2, 10: Kjetil Alsvik
Photo pages 8, 17, 18: iStockphoto
PRODUCTION
Printers AS
VISIT OUR WEB SITE
www.prosafe.com
RESPONSIBLE PUBLISHER
Prosafe SE
Stadiou Street 126
CY-6020 Larnaca, Cyprus
Phone: +357 2462 2450
Fax +357 2462 2480
mail@prosafe.com
Safe Concordia commenced
operations for Petrobras in Brazil
at the FPSO P-37. This is an
important milestone, since it is the
first time ever that a dynamically
positioned rig is operating
gangway-connected to a turret
moored FPSO.
Based on our long operating
experience, the comprehensive
expertise of our workforce and
close cooperation with the
customer, we are looking forward
to providing a reliable, customertailored solution.
Leveraging our assets
In order to be able to retain and
further enhance our leading
position within accommodation
services, we must at all times offer
safe and efficient accommodation
services and ensure that our rigs
are well maintained. To achieve
this, we conduct long-term maintenance and upgrade programs of
our fleet.
2
We will also upgrade the Safe
Astoria later this year. The rig’s bed
capacity will be increased from 245
to 347 beds and the helideck will
be replaced. The Special Periodic
Survey which is due mid next year
will be done while the rig is in the
yard. These upgrades will make the
rig more versatile and will enhance
the rig’s usability considerably.
Guided by our core values
Prosafe is the sum of its people,
and that is a team of more than
500 people deployed around the
globe. The company’s reputation is
determined by the way each and
every one of us behaves towards
other employees, customers,
suppliers, government authorities,
investors and society as a whole.
In order to be able to conduct our
business activities in a uniform
way, we ask our employees to base
their decisions and behaviour on
Prosafe’s core values – the environment, focus, ambition, safety,
innovation, respect and profitability. Furthermore, we expect that
our employees at all time observe
our standards for business ethics and
behave with integrity.
We established the Prosafe Ambassador Prize in 2002 to enhance our
commitment to our core values.
This prize is annually awarded to an
employee or a group of employees
who have distinguished themselves
by promoting one or several of our
core values in an excellent way.
I hope that you will help us to find
this year’s Prosafe ambassador, and
encourage you to submit your
nomination for who you believe
would be a worthy prize winner.
Focus on Safety and the Environment
As core values in Prosafe, Safety and
the Environment are at the heart of
what we do. We work actively in
order to reach our goal of pursuing
our business without negative
consequences for people’s life and
health, the natural environment
and material assets.
Continuous efforts over a long
period of time have resulted in
steadily improving Health, Safety
and Environmental (HSE) results. So
far in 2011, Prosafe has not had any
accidental discharges to the natural
environment, which is wholly in line
with our target. The overall safety
performance has been good and
there have not been any serious
personal injuries.
We have, however, experienced a
few incidents that clearly demonstrate that sustained focus and
determined work on safety and
personal attitudes are important.
HSE related work is an area in which
we can never rest – we must continue
to strive for further improvements.
Good order intake
We have during the first months of
the year been awarded a number
of important new contracts and
contract extensions:
- A bareboat contract for Safe
Bristolia in the Gulf of Mexico
from mid-May 2011 until the end
of March 2013
- A two-month contract for use
of the Safe Scandinavia in the
Norwegian sector of the North
Sea. On site operations are
planned to commence in May 2012
- A four-month contract for Safe
Scandinavia in the UK North Sea,
with additional two months of
option
- A six-month contract for the use of
the MSV Regalia in the UK North
Sea, expected to commence in the
beginning of March 2012
- The Jasminia bareboat contract in
Mexico was extended by 572 days,
through to end-December 2012
- The Hibernia bareboat contract in
Mexico was extended with 219
days, through to mid-December
2011.
These contract awards and extensions
confirm that the demand outlook
for semi-submersible accommodation rigs for Prosafe’s core market
regions, i.e. the North Sea and the
Gulf of Mexico, is positive. We have
also observed a growing interest for
semi-submersible accommodation
rigs in other regions.
A long track record of safely and
efficiently executing projects in
harsh and challenging environments,
competent co-workers, a robust
financial position and a focused
strategy are key characteristics of
Prosafe. With these fundamentals in
place, we believe that we are in a
strong position to continue our
positive development.
Karl Ronny Klungtvedt
Chief Executive Officer
New management
Sven Børre
Larsen (born
1976) has been
Chief Financial
Officer since
January 2011.
Sven Børre
Larsen holds a
Master of Science in Business from
Bodø Graduate School of Business.
He comes from the position of CFO
of Prosafe Production Pte Ltd. Prior
to that, he has worked as a financial
analyst with First Securities, Danske
Markets and Fearnley Fonds.
Georgina
Georgiou
(born 1956)
has been
General
Manager of
Prosafe SE
and General
Counsel
for the Prosafe Group since May
2011.
Georgina is based in Prosafe’s
headquarters in Larnaca, Cypus,
and will manage the day to
day operations of the holding
3
company. She will also take on
the role as the General Counsel,
providing legal advice to the
Prosafe group and managing
external professional advisors.
Georgina has a Bachelor of Laws
from the University of London
(SOAS) and qualified as a Solicitor
in 1981. She has more than 30 years
of experience in private practise
and in various companies and
industries, including British Airways,
BTG and BP.
Safe Astoria upgrade
Prosafe has started the upgrade of the Safe Astoria. By increasing the rig’s
accommodation capacity from 245 to 347 beds, we will be able to offer our
clients a rig better suited to meet their demands.
to an accommodation vessel in 2005
at KeppelFELS in Singapore.
By Kolbjørn
Akselvoll, Director
of Engineering
Safe Astoria was purchased by
Prosafe in 2005 together with the
Safe Bristolia, Safe Concordia and
Safe Esbjerg. She is a sister vessel to
Safe Bristolia, a Sedco 600 design,
built by Promet in Singapore (now
PPL Shipyard). She was delivered in
1983 as a drilling rig and converted
The conversion included removal of
the drilling equipment to provide
space and services for new accommodation modules, addition of
Emtunga type accommodation
containers to provide increased bed
capacity, upgrade of the fixed
accommodation and addition of
a Marine Aluminium telescopic
gangway. The conversion created
a tidy accommodation unit with a
total bed capacity of 245.
After successfully completing the
contract for Shell at the Malampaya
Platform offshore the Philippines in
June 2010, the rig was towed to
Batam in Indonesia where she has
been laid up. We have utilised the
period since then to do some minor
repair and maintenance work.
Upgrading to meet market demand
Market research and client enquiries
have given us indications that many
accommodation jobs require a rig
with a bed capacity of around 300
beds. In order to be able to meet
this demand and improve the rig’s
usability, we have decided to
upgrade the Safe Astoria.
The plan for the upgrade covers
three main areas: Increase the bed
capacity from 245 to 347, improve
the recreation facilities and install
a new aluminium helideck fully
compliant with the aviation
authorities’ guidelines and capable
of carrying larger helicopters used
in areas such as Australia and Brazil.
The 5-yearly Special Periodic Survey
(SPS) of the vessel is due end of
September 2012. It was decided to
start the SPS early in order to
prepare the vessel for operation
until September 2017 without
having to bring her inshore to a
shipyard. It has also been decided
to upgrade the stability and
watertight integrity to bring the
Safe Astoria to a standard in line
with IMO’s MODU Code 1989.
Improved comfort and safety
The facility that will be added
includes offices, coffee shops and
Safe Astoria will be upgraded in order to improve the rig’s usability.
4
toilette facilities at the access to the
gangway. In the area that was
previously used as pipe-rack when
she was a drilling vessel, smoking
and non-smoking recreation rooms,
a fully fitted gymnasium, two
additional offices and a changing
room will be installed. The
helicopter lounge will also be
relocated to this area to improve
the access to the helicopter deck.
The additional cabin modules will
be placed on the old helicopter
deck, while the new helicopter
deck will be located port forward
to move the approach sector as
far as possible away from the fixed
installation Safe Astoria is gangway
connected to.
Ready for uninterrupted operations
until 2017
Prosafe is managing the project
with a team partly located in the
Singapore office, partly in the
Aberdeen office. A number of
orders for services and equipment
has been placed with equipment
being delivered from end July.
Separate orders are being placed
on the major items such as the new
helideck, accommodation modules
and recreation/facility module.
Prosafe has engaged a Singapore
based design and engineering
company to perform the necessary
structural design and integration
of services and facilities. An enquiry
has been submitted to shipyards
in Singapore and Indonesia for
the fabrication and installation
work.
The project is scheduled to be
completed later this year. At that
time, the Safe Astoria will be
ready to start a contract and
provide uninterrupted services
until 2017.
Who should receive Prosafe’s
Ambassador Prize for 2011?
Prosafe’s Ambassador Prize is annually awarded to an employee, department,
project team or rig crew who in an excellent way have promoted one or several
of Prosafe’s Core Values.
By Karine Cosemans,
Communication and Branding
Manager
Prosafe’s Ambassador Prize was
established in 2002 in order to
acknowledge the efforts of
employees who through the
previous year had been true
ambassadors for Prosafe’s Core
Values.
The Core Values – the environment,
focus, ambition, safety, innovation,
respect and profitability – are the
pillars upon which the company is
built. They define the way we
should act as individuals and as a
company, and are a standard to
refer to when in doubt.
Call for Nominations
Who has in an outstanding way
promoted one or several of
Prosafe’s Core Values?
Last year’s prize was awarded to the crew of the Safe Caledonia, here represented by Simon
Carpenter, Chief Engineer (left) Richard Kenington, Master/OIM (middle), and George Sewell,
Safety Officer (right).
We encourage you to submit your
nomination in order to help us
electing who should be awarded
this year’s Ambassador Prize.
Please send your nomination,
inclusive a brief explanation of
why that person, department,
project team or rig crew should
be awarded the prize, to
5
karine.cosemans@prosafe.com
by 9 September 2011.
All proposals will be evaluated by a
jury consisting of the corporate
management. The name of the
winner will be made public at the
Annual Safety Day in October and
will be published in the next
edition of Prosafe NOW.
RESPECT
– a core value in Prosafe
In this Prosafe NOW and in each of the coming editions of the magazine, we will
focus on one specific core value. Prosafe employees and management will give us
their individual perception of what the specific core values mean to them.
Our core values – the environment,
focus, ambition, safety, innovation,
respect and profitability are carved
in stone. They are the cornerstone
of everything we do in Prosafe,
and all employees should not only
know, but also understand and act
according to these values.
We have asked some employees and
managers to reflect on the core value
“Respect”, and share with us what
this core value means to them.
“
Respect, to me, is understanding and accepting that others may have
different values, preferences and opinions than yourself.
“
Karl Ronny Klungtvedt, CEO
“
Respect - To have a general acceptance of a person and to believe that
everyone possesses qualities and abilities that are special and valuable...
and to treat them as so.
“
Spencer Bailey, Second Officer Safe Scandinavia
“
Respect - To understand the cultures, backgrounds, needs and
ambitions of all our colleagues, clients and suppliers, and allow ourselves
to benefit from different ways of thinking to attain personal and
corporate growth.
“
Ray Dudfield, Safety Officer Safe Scandinavia
6
“
I completely agree with the traditional interpretation of “respect”;
i.e. that all personnel deserve to be treated equally, fairly and without
prejudice.
Furthermore, from a company perspective, whilst we all recognise that our
success is a collective team effort, it has to be remembered that teams
consist of a number of individuals. We must therefore make a conscious
effort to respect the skills, endeavours and contributions made by all
individuals in the company, particularly in other departments and
disciplines.
“
Mark Arlow, Vessel Manager Regalia
“
“
It’s very simple - treat others like you expect to be treated yourself.
Pamela Wiseman, Operations Assistant
“
Respect – A small word which means so much and can have a massive
impact on our business. The company and management should always
show respect to its staff and likewise the staff should show respect to coworkers no matter whether senior or junior. As a global company we also
need to consider all the different nationalities and cultures we are now
working with or have working within the organisation.
“
Jim Tait, Vessel Manager Safe Astoria
“
Respect - Treating people in same way I would wish to be treated and
demonstrating compliance for rules/ procedures i.e. leading by
example.
“
Robin Laird, Managing Director Prosafe Offshore
“
Cultivate respect by doing and delivering what we say we are going to
do/deliver. Be good at managing all aspects of our business and take a
genuine interest in our employee’s success and the well being of the
environment.
“
Charles Day, Director of Business Development and Marketing
7
Improving internal information
sharing with Intranet
Prosafe has a growing number of employees and an increasing number of offices
in different geographical locations. To improve internal communication and
facilitate for an efficient internal information flow, we are developing a tailored
Intranet solution.
By Karine
Cosemans,
Communication
and Branding
Manager
Many employees can benefit from
knowing what is happening in
Prosafe, in the different locations
and departments, and on the
different rigs. They have questions
like:
- Which projects are my colleagues
working on?
- Until when is the Safe Scandinavia
on contract?
- Are there any internal vacancies?
- Have we experienced this
problem before, and how was it
solved?
- How can I install a new printer?
- Where can I find information
regarding travel and vaccinations?
In addition, employees often need
information in order to be able to
complete a task or make a decision.
We all know how much time we
sometimes spend on finding
relevant and updated information.
Until now, employees would find
the answers to their questions and
much of the information they
require by talking to colleagues,
searching in file archives, sending
e-mails back and forth or by
contacting others by phone.
We can now provide our employees
with a tool for sharing and finding
information. The process of
establishing an intranet where
useful information will be gathered
is ongoing. We are confident that
the Intranet will contribute to
shortening the time required for
finding updated correct information.
Increased knowledge
By facilitating for information
sharing within and across departments, rigs and locations, we aim
to improve collaboration within
Prosafe and ensure the transfer of
experience and knowledge.
In time, there will be a wide range
of information on the intranet.
Employees can gain access to useful
information of which they may
have previously been unaware that
might provide them with business
insights that could contribute to
better, faster and more precise
decisions.
The Intranet will be a tool for sharing information between offices, departments and rigs,
and for finding useful and updated information.
8
The Intranet is based on SharePoint,
a Microsoft product, and has room
for collaboration sites. We are
developing the Intranet in close
dialogue with representatives from
the different departments, and try
to incorporate as many as possible
of their requirements and wishes.
The Intranet site will amongst
others contain:
- News and information
- Separate sites with information
from each department, generated
and maintained by the
departments themselves
- A forms repository
- Employee profiles and contact
information
- Discussion forums that can
connect employees with questions
to colleagues with answers
- Frequently asked questions to
amongst others HR and IT
- Corporate policies and procedures
- Information about social events
The site will be equipped with a
powerful Search function in which
one can gradually narrow down the
search criteria. Provided that the
information is available on the
Intranet, employees should not
experience any problems retrieving
the information they are searching
for.
Launching of the intranet
For technical reasons, the Intranet
will be launched in two phases.
During phase 1 in early autumn, the
Intranet will be made available to
office employees. Thereafter, we
start phase 2, giving access to
offshore employees. It will also be
possible for office and offshore
employees to log on to the Intranet
from home.
We look forward to launching the
Intranet early autumn, and hope
that our employees will find the
Intranet site to be informative, easy
to navigate and up-to-date. We
have included a Suggestion box on
the Intranet’s front page, and
encourage you to use that box if
you miss any information.
Everyone’s input will be vital in
order to enable us to tailor the
Intranet to the needs and demands
of our employees.
Lifeboats for the 21st century
Nearly everyone is aware that when the Titanic sailed on 10 April 1912 with
2,223 people on board, she did not have sufficient lifeboat capacity for all
passengers. Equally the lifeboats that where installed were simple open boats
with oars for propulsion.
By Henry Mason, Technical
Superintendant and Klaus Tveita,
Country Manager Norway
Not a great change from Captain
Ahab chasing his great white
Whale, Moby Dick or Captain Bligh
who made a remarkable voyage to
Timor after being set adrift in the
Bounty's launch by the mutineers.
Both were in open top boats,
unprotected against the ravages of
the sea.
Lifeboats did not change very much
for many, many years. Slowly,
totally enclosed and more suitable
lifeboats were introduced and then
with motors for propulsion. Oars
were still required - to allow for
some exercise no doubt! The
standards of lifeboats were
improved step by step to fulfill
their lifesaving purpose when
needed in an emergency situation.
It was not until the 21st Century
that a review of lifeboats and their
deployment was carried out.
Currently, the 2010 edition of LSA
(Life-Saving Appliances) code,
recently published by IMO, is the
internationally recognized standard
for lifeboats onboard.
Norway is in the forefront on
Lifeboats and their future. The
cooperation between the Petroleum
9
Safety Authority (PSA) and the
industry bodies have during the
last few years contributed to an
increased focus on lifeboats in use
within the oil & gas industry. The
Norwegian OLF and NSA have both
individually and jointly completed
studies and research programs to
investigate and improve the design,
maintenance and operation of the
lifeboats as well as describing a
more relevant training program for
lifeboat crew members. Many areas
of improvements and guidelines
have been described during the
four- year duration of the studies.
Prosafe has been involved in
some of these programs both
Prosafe uses davit launched lifeboats on all its rigs.
commercially and technically with a
substantial contribution both from
onshore and offshore personnel.
Lifeboats in the hands of skilled,
well trained personnel are utterly
essential as a means of evacuation
from ships and offshore
installations. All personnel on
board any installation or vessel;
crew or guest, must learn and be
aware of their Muster Station and
lifeboat. The successful deployment
of any lifeboat is dependant on all
personnel working together.
Two main types of lifeboats are in
use at present. The freefall lifeboat
and the davit (winch and wire)
launched. In general, fixed offshore
installations are equipped with free
fall lifeboats, whereas mobile
offshore vessels and ships normally
have conventional davit launched
lifeboats. However, all vessels are
installed with a surplus capacity to
personnel onboard.
The introduction of the freefall
lifeboat was considered a “novelty”
originally but as more and more
10
information is gathered, assembled
and assimilated, the value of
freefall lifeboats are being
understood and appreciated.
The latest development of the
lifeboats will without doubt
improve the safety of all personnel
working on the many fixed
installations and mobile offshore
vessels. Prosafe values Safety very
highly and will continue to
contribute to the research and
development of lifeboats and other
lifesaving appliances in the future.
Naming ceremony by Petrobras
It is a Petrobras custom to name the units they charter with Brazilian names, even
if the new name will be only used internally within the Petrobras system. It is also
common for the new name to be in honor of a city, usually a city from the area
where the unit will be operating.
By Américo Santos,
Brazil Country Manager
Following this custom, a naming
ceremony took place onboard the
Safe Concordia on 26th April, and
Petrobras gave the rig the name
“UMS Cidade de Quissamã”,
meaning “Unit of Maintenance
and Safety City of Quissamã”.
Quissamã is a small city in the
region of Macaé in the state of
Rio de Janeiro and has a population
of around 20,000 inhabitants.
Quissamã has known a significant
growth since it became a city in
1989 and is one of the cities in the
region to benefit from the royalties
generated by the oil production in
Campos Basin.
The naming ceremony was attended
by several officials of Quissamã
municipality, including the Mayor, as
well as other regional authorities
from Brazilian Navy to the Labor
Ministry. The ceremony was covered
by the local media, both written
press and main Brazilian TV networks.
Petrobras was, among others,
represented by José António de
Figueiredo, Executive Manager in
charge of the E&P department and
José Airton, General Manager of
Campos Basin Operational Unit.
From Prosafe, the ceremony was
attended by Karl Ronny Klungtvedt, CEO, Robin Laird, Managing
Director Prosafe Offshore, Tom
Milne, Operations Director and
Américo Santos, Brazil Country
Manager.
The day started at 07:30 hours, with
the guests gathering at the Petrobras base in Macaé for a safety
From left to right: Robin Laird (Managing Director of Prosafe Offshore), José Airton (General Manager of Campos Basin Operational Unit),
Armando Carneiro (Mayor of Quissamã), Karl Ronny Klungtvedt (CEO of Prosafe) and Américo Santos (Brazil Country Manager).
11
Arriving on the rig’s helideck. In the forefront: Santos Américo (Brazil Country Manager) (left) and Karl Ronny Klungtvedt (CEO).
The Mayor of Quissamã also said a
few words stating the honor of
having the vessel named after the
city. Prosafe’s CEO, Karl Ronny
Klungtvedt, expressed the satisfaction to be at the ceremony and
how important it is for Prosafe to
be in Brazil through this contract
with Petrobras.
The Mayor of Quissamã and the ladies of the rig unveiling the name plaque.
briefing. Thereafter, a 10-minute
helicopter flight took the guests to
the rig, where they were received
by the Master and the Petrobras
fiscal onboard, and then guided to
one of the recreation rooms of the
unit where refreshments, coffee
and finger food were served.
The guests were all invited to the
cinema to watch a video of the
rig and then a presentation by
José Airton about Petrobras’ history
and future plans, highlighting how
important the work that “UMS
Cidade de Quissamã” will be
performing is to Petrobras.
12
After the naming ceremony, the
group was divided into three
smaller groups and went on a
guided tour to the rig, after which
they all gathered at the galley for
the unveiling of the new plaque
with “UMS Cidade de Quissamã
name. The honor of unveiling the
plaque was given to the Mayor and
the Ladies present at the ceremony.
It was time for lunch and everyone
enjoyed a good meal onboard.
Around 13:00 hours, the first
helicopter arrived to start taking
the people back to shore.
Safe Concordia in Brazil
In December 2010, Prosafe and Petrobras signed a three-year contract for the
provision of a DP semi-submersible rig, the Safe Concordia, to perform safety and
maintenance support to production installations located in the Campos Basin
offshore Brazil.
By Américo Santos,
Brazil Country Manager
The first production unit that the
Safe Concordia will be supporting is
the FPSO P-37. Connecting to an
FPSO is not new to Prosafe
operations; we have done if before.
The difference is that the P-37 is a
turret moored FPSO and turns
around the turret.
This operation at P-37 will be the
first time in the world a DP vessel is
gangway connected to a turret
moored FPSO and constitutes a new
milestone to our industry. The main
technical challenge is the station
keeping on a moving unit.
The work campaign on the P-37 is
scheduled to take about four
months and the Safe Concordia will
assist Petrobras to perform general
maintenance and repair works on
the FPSO. The indication from
Petrobras is that the following
campaigns of Safe Concordia will
also be turret moored FPSOs.
Prosafe and Petrobras agreed to
have Safe Concordia at Campos
Basin in May 2011. The preparations
were already ongoing at the yard in
Curaçao where the Safe Concordia
was going through upgrade works
in order to prepare for this new
contract.
Offices in Rio de Janeiro and Macaé
At the same time, we started
preparing to set up Prosafe local
Safe Concordia arriving in Rio.
structure in Brazil, so we would be
ready for when the Safe Concordia
arrived in Brazil.
Prosafe has set up an office in Rio
de Janeiro and an operations base
in Macaé, which is located 180 km
northeast of Rio and is known as
the Brazilian capital of oil industry.
We have three employees based in
the Rio the Janeiro office and six in
Macaé from where the day to day
operation of the vessel is being
managed.
13
Regulatory inspections
The Safe Concordia entered Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, on the 11th
April 2011, after a 28-day transit
from Curaçao to Brazil. It was then
time for the regulatory inspections
by the Brazilian authorities, from
immigration, health and customs,
to the National Environment Agency
– IBAMA and Port State Control.
Various Petrobras managers and
technicians have also joined the
vessel from the day Safe Concordia
arrived and have started the Client
inspections to verify readiness to
start operations and issue the
preliminary acceptance certificate.
The Safe Concordia stayed 10 days
at the Guanabara Bay and during
these days the Macaé staff moved
temporarily to Rio. Prosafe’s
onshore and offshore employees
in Brazil gathered their efforts to
ensure all the inspections were
passed successfully.
Finally on the 20th April, it was time
for the last inspection. A team from
Fabiola Schaly Maia (28)
Position: Dynamic Positioning
Operator (DPO)
Nationality: Brazilian
Background
I graduated in 2004 at the
Merchant Marine Academy
IBAMA came onboard to check
compliance with national environmental regulations and industry
best practices. This last inspection
was also passed successfully and
Safe Concordia received all the
necessary clearances and was
officially imported into Brazil. The
final preparations to sail way from
Rio de Janeiro were concluded the
following day.
The commitment of all involved the
crew onboard and the staff onshore
has been fundamental to the success
of the importation proce-dures. The
(EFOMM) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
My offshore career started when I
finished my apprenticeship and
became third deck officer. From
that time on, my interest for the
offshore oil and gas exploration
industry increased. With that on
mind, I started taking courses and
improving myself as a dynamic
positioning officer. I have worked
with different types of DP vessels
in Brazil and participated in the
reallocation of a platform to Gulf of
Mexico. The job offshore gave me a
good opportunity to get in touch
with a multi-cultural environment
sharing experiences of the
worldwide offshore industry.
I joined Prosafe at a very special
moment for the company and
for all who were involved in the
project. This is a great experience
Bent Larsen (50)
Position: Technical Superintendent
Nationality: Norwegian
Background
I graduated as an engineer in 1985
at NKI in Oslo, Norway. I worked as
a service engineer and later
supervisor for a major drilling
equipment manufacturer for five
years. Thereafter, I moved on to
work as an engineer on semisubmersible rigs in South America,
land rigs in Mid–East and swamp
barges in West Africa until 1997.
14
Safe Concordia sailed on the 21st
April to a location near Macaé
where a naming ceremony organised
by Petrobras was scheduled to take
place, before sailing to the Campos
Basin to start operation.
Based on our long operating
experience, the comprehensive
expertise of our workforce and close
cooperation with the customer, we
are looking forward to providing a
reliable, customer-tailored solution.
Below, you can meet some of our
employees on the Safe Concordia.
not only for me, but for all who
accomplished the task in a safe
and professional manner.
Responsibilities
As DPO, I am responsible for
maintaining and monitoring the
dynamic positioning of the vessel.
I assist the Senior Dynamic Positioning Operator in his capacity as
Officer of the Watch, and am
responsible for navigation and
controlling the vessel’s position
under the supervision of the Senior
Dynamic Positioning Operator.
Should there occur any circumstances that could comprise the
safety of the vessel or the DP
operation, I will immediately
inform the Senior Dynamic
Positioning Operator and the
Duty Engineer.
I then worked with a company
doing rig upgrades for 3 years.
These upgrades also involved
some travelling with long stays
in Mid-East, Asia and Russia.
I have since worked in the position
as superintendent for semisubmersible rigs in West-Africa and
South America, only with a couple
of years as rig manager in
between. In the majority of these
last 11 years I have been based in
large oil field cities such as
Aberdeen, Macae, Port Harcourt
and Accra. Now, I live in Rio das
Ostras, RJ where I enjoy beach life
and other social activities when
time allows.
Responsibilities
I joined Prosafe shortly before the
Safe Concordia arrived in Rio de
Janeiro. Since then, I have been
working as onboard support with
regards to general technical issues,
completion of previous projects,
class issues and navy inspections and
finally client acceptance issues.
Safe Concordia is now on contract
and I have returned to my duties in
the Macaé office, with support- and
guidance of vessel and personnel in
technical matters specifically and
support to vessel manager with
general operational issues.
capacities on and off for the last 10
years.
involved in the management
change over from Cotemar to
Prosafe. Ensuring that the vessel
conforms to Prosafe’s internal
standards and meeting the new
requirements that our current
contract in the Brazilian Campos
Basin necessitates.
In 2004, I took three years out to
study at university gaining a degree
in Forensic Science. After brief stint
as a shore based safety consultant I
returned to the fleet and studied
for the NEBOSH occupational
health and safety qualification.
Position: Safety Officer
Nationality: British
In my time with Prosafe I have
worked on most of the vessels in
the fleet on contracts located all
over the world. Working with many
different nationalities, cultures and
making many good friends along
the way.
Background
I have worked on Prosafe
managed vessels in varying
Responsibilities
Since joining the Safe Concordia in
November of last year, I have been
Ben Mickle (34)
a teacher I got tired of my routine
and decided to try something
different using my previous skills
and so I had my first offshore
experience, in Europe, on a cruise
line vessel in 2008.
Michelle Vieira Batalha
Torres (27)
Position: Radio Officer
Nationality: Brazilian
Background
Officially, I’m an English and
Portuguese teacher. I have been
teaching English since I was 17
years old. After 6 years working as
Back to Brazil in 2009, I was hired
to be an offshore English and
Portuguese teacher. During the
years I met people who showed me
that “Offshore World” is bigger and
better than I had ever thought. In
2010, I got my GMDSS license and
decided to use my skills to improve
and grow in my offshore career. Last
September, I had my first opportunity to start as a bilingual Radio
Officer on a seismic vessel. And four
months ago I was the only female
crew member who came on the
towing from Curaçao to Brazil on
board of Safe Concordia. That was
a great experience.
15
I am responsible for the
coordination of the permit to
work system, disseminating safety
information and advice to my
crew mates, inspection and repair
of LSA, emergency preparedness
planning, implementing safety
tours, assisting in event
investigation and risk assessments.
Generally anything that helps my
colleagues live and work safely
while they are onboard.
Responsibilities
Basically I’m in charge of the
GMDSS, phone calls, timesheets
logistic, helideck monitoring,
PA announcements, etc. As a
Portuguese and English speaker,
I am also responsible for the
communication between foreigners
and Brazilians. I may feel tired at
the end of the day, but when I look
behind and realize that I am part of
this successful team, my energy is
renewed for the next days. Safe
Concordia has become my second
house, here I feel as comfortable as
home. I really hope I can learn more
and more day by day to make my
co-workers proud of the radio
officer they have on board and be
considered not only a crew
member, but a part of this big
family.
PSCM training – key to progress
Many organisations in different industries around the world face the same
question: how do we ensure that we have the right people with the right skills
to meet the needs of the business?
By Steve Johnson,
Head of Global PSCM
Within Procurement & Supply Chain
Management (PSCM) it is of great
importance that employees know
and observe relevant and up-todate laws, rules and regulations. In
addition, they must be abreast of
best practice and common sense
business principles.
Prosafe endeavours to ensure that
the people working within PSCM
are given the tools and confidence
to continuously develop their skills
and knowledge.
PSCM consists of two main
categories:
- Logistics Management,
Storage & Distribution
- Supply Management,
Contracts & Procurement
The Logistics team has regular
meetings where topics supplied by
the Chartered Institute of Logistics
& Transport (CILT) are covered,
leading to formal certification of
learning and competence.
Within the Contracts & Procurement
discipline, some of the team have
recently begun studying for qualification and membership of the
Chartered Institute of Purchasing &
Supply (CIPS) via the CIPS Oil & Gas
Industry Corporate Training
Programme.
The CIPS Training Programme
The CIPS Training Programme was
developed in direct response to a
call by the O&G UK Supply Chain
Forum People Development work
group for locally delivered Oil & Gas
Industry relevant training leading to
the CIPS qualification. The work
group was headed up by Prosafe’s
Head of Global PSCM Steve Johnson.
Emma Polson (left) and Arlene Webster
(right) from the Prosafe PSCM department
joined the first ever class of the CIPS Oil
& Gas Industry Corporate Training
Programme at the Advanced Level.
Sitting in the front: Steve Johnson,
who headed up the work group that
developed the program.
Steve says, “We brought together
the different technical and strategic
disciplines of both the operator and
contractor commercial environments
into a collaborative forum, and
produced a programme that meets
the needs of both.
This programme is widely acknowledged as the first of its kind in
bringing together a diverse group
of companies within a single
industry segment, to create a
16
training offering usually associated
with Governments or large Multinationals.
By having a common training
programme that sees the different
facets of the Oil and Gas Industry
Supply Chain studying, learning and
networking together in a collective
approach, it offers the potential for
professional networks to be
established across the industry
which helps to promote best
practice both within the individual
organisation and the wider
Industry.”
The development of this industry
specific programme brings a number of benefits to the organisations
that participate and the industry at
large;
• It allows individuals from smaller
companies to engage in an
industry based CIPS accredited
training programme with industry
specific case studies that they can
relate to and use directly in the
workplace
• It offers real potential for a return
on investment from the training
for the employer, by means of a
project that is chosen collectively
by the individual and the
company,
• It offers flexibility to larger
companies who may have new
employees or existing employees
who missed out on the
opportunity to be part of the incompany programme due to
timing or other reasons.
Prosafe participation
The CIPS training programme allows
PSCM practitioners from a wide
range of companies in Aberdeen to
The CIPS training programme allows PSCM practitioners from a wide range of companies in the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen to share their
learning with others from the same industry.
share their learning with others
from the same industry. The
programme is split into the
Practitioner and Advanced level,
both of 18 month duration.
Following an initial online knowledge and competence assessment,
Emma Polson and Arlene Webster
from the Prosafe PSCM department
both joined the first ever class at
the Advanced Level, which was
launched and delivered at Prosafe’s
Aberdeen office in November 2010.
Other companies on the programme
include KCA Deutag, Marathon,
Apache, Wood Group, Total, Aker
Solutions, Craig international and
Schlumberger.
We asked Emma and Arlene for
their views on the programme.
Emma says, “Having not studied
CIPS since my foundation degree in
2005, the thought of taking up the
challenge again was a very daunting
one, especially now I have two
children. The programme is tailored
to the Oil & Gas Industry, so it is
relevant to my current role and the
organisation in general. The twoday study modules are done on
working days and you usually have
four weeks after the modules to
complete your assignment, a change
for the better from having to
attend evening classes and sit
lengthy exams. It is early days, but
for me personally, hard work aside,
it seems to be relevant, rewarding
and worthwhile.
Arlene commented, “It has been
over 12 years since I last studied and
obviously I was very apprehensive
about starting over. However, the
course is well structured and you are
lectured on subjects relevant to the
Oil & Gas Industry which are
followed up by the submission of
assignments based on the topic just
lectured. I have found the topics
very relevant and feel comfortable
incorporating them into my
working environment”
Steve summarises by saying, “This is
an excellent example of how the
different sectors of the industry
have pooled knowledge and
resources to create something of
benefit to all supply chain practitioners and businesses at all levels
within the supply chain across the
Oil and Gas Industry. The model can
be replicated across many different
17
industries globally where the low
number of purchasing and supply
practitioners within individual
companies has previously been a
barrier to industry specific training.
The training is delivered locally with
industry specific examples and case
studies. As well as the formal
training programme, short courses
(1-2 days) have been designed for
specific subjects, again, delivered
locally.”
Such is the success of the CIPS
Programme in Aberdeen that
interest has already been shown by
companies in other parts of the
world, including the USA, Singapore
and Brazil, which will allow the
PSCM people in those countries to
attend training that can be tailored
to suit the local needs.
If you require any further information on the CIPS programme
for the Oil & Gas Industry, you
can go onto the CIPS website at
www.cips.org or drop Steve a line
on steve.johnson@uk.prosafe.com,
and he will point you in the right
direction.
Cyprus – home of Prosafe SE
For most of us the beautiful island of Cyprus will spark thoughts of sun, sea
and beaches. However, those who follow politics within EU or have a historic
interest will know that the country has a lot more to offer.
Cyprus is more than sun and long white beaches – it is also the home for Prosafe’s headquarters.
By Bjørn Ødegård,
Director of Corporate Services
and Human Resources
For the Prosafe group, Cyprus is
also the home of our parent
company, Prosafe SE. We relocated
to Larnaca on the south east side
of the island in 2007 and have since
then established an office as part of
the business environment in Cyprus.
Located at 126 Stadiou, a 10-minute
drive away from the new and
modern airport, you can easily
travel from most locations in the
world to the office which facilitates
Prosafe’s global set-up.
The climate is always a subject
for discussion, in particular when
speaking with colleagues in Scotland and Norway. Similar to our
offices in Singapore and Rio, Cyprus
enjoys an average temperature
18
above 20 degrees C and few
rainy days throughout the year.
No wonder the country’s main
industry is tourism.
A true hub for shipping and
offshore companies
Historically, Cyprus has been a
successful commercial and business
centre for thousands of years. With
its unique geographic location at
the crossroads of east and west, it
remains a convenient and attractive
location for many international
businesses.
A facet which is not so well known
is that Cyprus has the third largest
merchant fleet within the EU and is
ranked number 10 on a global basis.
The world’s largest ship management companies are located here
with a number of well established
international auditor and law firms
servicing that industry. In recent
years, a number of offshore companies have also relocated to Cyprus.
As part of the EU, the rules and
regulations are accessible and
follow European practices generally.
With Euro as the currency, the price
level is comparable with most
countries in Europe.
Parent company functions
Our office in Larnaca serves a
number of important functions
with the obvious one, being that all
the Board meetings are held here.
The four permanent members of
our Cyprus team ensure that the
decisions made by the Board of
Directors are implemented and that
corporate procedures are maintained. Recently, an internal audit
function has also been established
which is an effective addition to
our corporate governance and risk
management infrastructure.
international organisations. As her
name might reveal, she is a
Londoner with a Cypriot heritage
and brings an understanding and
experience of both English and
Cypriot language and culture which
will prove invaluable to our
organization. Georgina will also
take on the role as the General
Counsel, providing legal advice to
the Prosafe group and managing
external professional advisors.
As Chief Accountant, Levon
Ohanian is not only a Charted
Accountant, but also holds a Master
in International Shipping. In
addition to Levon’s accounting
skills, his background in shipping
enables an appreciation of the
overall business environment within
which the group operates.
The Office Manager, Nicky Charalambous, was also born in London,
but decided 18 years ago to move
back to her parents’ homeland.
Nicky has a background in office
administration and banking.
Combined with her organisational
skills Nicky is able to service Prosafe
efficiently in Larnaca.
The last permanent employee
cannot claim to have a typical
Cypriot name. As the name
reveals, Bjørn Ødegård is the only
Norwegian within Prosafe SE.
Bjørn is responsible for Corporate
services and HR and has recently
also been appointed Internal
Auditor within the group.
Ensuring efficient business conduct
The team in Cyprus has been
specifically selected for their
combination of skills, knowledge
and experience. We actively
promote an open office
environment and direct
communication to provide
support and advice across the
group and to facilitate the
sharing of best practices.
The key focus areas for Prosafe SE
include developing the strategy
for the group in compliance with
the complex regulations and
requirements affecting our global
operations. Our aim is to ensure
that the business is conducted
effectively so as to increase
shareholder value.
The Cyprus team is responsible for a
variety of key areas for our group
including legal, risk management
and insurance, monitoring of the
group’s performance, internal audit
as well as accounting control. With
frequent visits from members of
our senior management team, staff
from all over the world and
business reviews and strategy
meetings spread throughout the
year, our office is a busy one.
The newly appointed General
Manager of the parent company,
Georgina Georgiou, has a varied
background as a Solicitor who has
worked both in the City of London
and in house with a variety of
The Cyprus team. From left: Bjørn Ødegård (Director of Corporate Services and HR),
Georgina Georgiou (General Manager of Prosafe SE), Nicky Charalambous (Office
Manager), Levon Ohanian (Chief Accountant).
19
Prosafe SE
Stadiou Street 126
CY-6020 Larnaca
Cyprus
OTC Houston
During the first week of May 2011, Prosafe exhibited at the Offshore Technology
Conference (OTC) in Houston. The exhibition attendance surpassed the 2010 total
of 72,025, up 8 per cent from last year, and represented 108 different countries.
Amongst the many visitors to the stand was the Lord Provost of Aberdeen (right), here taking
a closer look at the Safe Caledonia model together with Charles Day, Director of Business
Development and Marketing (left) and Britney Adams, Business Development and Marketing
Manager (middle).
Prosafe’s colourful stand attracted visitors
from major and national oil companies
from all over the world.
By Britney Adams, Business
Development and Marketing
Manager
position which will be maintained
for the coming years.
The sold-out exhibition was the
largest since 1982 at 603,000 square
feet and included 2,520 exhibiting
companies from 40 countries.
During the four-day event, there
was a steady flow of visitors to the
Prosafe stand, wanting to know
more about our vessels and
operations around the world. We
were pleased at the number of oil
company representatives who
visited the stand with keen interest
in our business and have since
made follow ups with all potential
clients and are planning another
trip to Houston in the next few
months to keep the momentum
going.
The US Gulf of Mexico is an area we
plan to develop further due to the
extensive offshore infrastructure in
the region with 44 per cent of the
installed base of global production
platforms located in North America
therefore requiring massive levels
of expenditure to operate and
maintain. The US Gulf is also
leading in deepwater developments
and North America accounted for
21 per cent of global expenditure
in 2009 and was the largest
contributor to global demand, a
As a way of thanking our clients,
agents and associates, Prosafe
hosted a dinner at a well known
Houston steak house which was a
big success and we received letters
of thanks from those who attended.
Houston continues to be a global
base for many of the major oil and
gas companies and attracts worldwide visitors. Therefore it is very
important to have a presence at the
event to reach the global audience.
Due to the success of OTC 2011, we
are already starting to prepare for
OTC 2012.