Focus 13
Transcription
Focus 13
VOICES FROM THE PILLARS 10 Engineering for Success 16 Calm After the Storm 28 More Activities, More Participation In Focus… CONGO 32 Brunei Celebrates Christmas kdn no: PP 13957/11/2006 2 In this Issue CEO’S note 03 Warm Greetings and a Happy New Year to All the learning organisation 04 The Attitude of Excellence corporate news 06 Keith is a Q.C. 06 Scomi Crosses RM1 Billion Mark 07 An Introduction to Maritime Law 08 Focus Surprise! 10 Engineering for Success 11 SCOMI Achieves a Leg Up with Habib deal 11 Scomi in TOP 5 in focus… 12 In Focus...CONGO north america 14 Broussard Lends a Hand 14 2005 Casino Christmas Party 15 Photography - A Passion & An Adventure canada 16 Calm After the Storm 16 Santa Makes Wishes Come True! south america 17 Venezuela East District Gets First Aid Training 18 Best Wishes! 18 Christmas Merry Makers europe 19 Introducing Moscow 20 Christmas in Norway 21 Children 1st Charity Raffle 21 Charity Christmas Cards 22 Congratulations Emma Hay! 22 Secret Santa 23 KMC Oiltools Teams Up with Twin Filter 24 Christmas Cheer asia 25 25 26 27 malaysia 700 “Buka Puasa” with Scomi Double Festivity! From the Melting Pot Welcome Onboard Michael Bonsack 28 More Activities, More Participation 29 Scomi’s Transportation Engineering Pledges for Quality 30 Scomi Sdn Bhd Makes its Presence in East Coast 30 ISO 14001 & OHSAS 13001 31 Santa Jamie 31 Birthday Babies asia - brunei 32 Brunei Celebrates Christmas asia - singapore 32 World Carnival asia - thailand 34 Doing Our Bit for Charity 34 Customers First! asia - indonesia 35 Big Catch at Jakarta’s Laut Bernuangan asia - australia 36 Silver in the Bag for KMC Oiltools Australia 36 Christmas in Darwin middle east - north africa 37 MENA Parties! 37 Our Men of Calibre 38 Texas Scramble at the Arabian Ranches 39 MENA Staff Safe & Sound 40 All The Best George! 41 A Tribute to Dubai’s Visionary Leader africa 41 KMC Oiltools Congo Introduces Itself ict 42 Computer Virus - What is it Really? infotainment 43 Wealth or Health? 43 Office Politics 44 Football Fever Needs Medical Attention scomi society 45 Hatches & Matches power puzzles 46 Quiz 35 & 36 46 Answers & Winners EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR focus.editor@scomigroup.com.my rohaida@scomigroup.com.my meena@scomigroup.com.my shamini@scomigroup.com.my rozina.ali@scomigroup.com.my rahim.ismail@scomigroup.com.my CONTRIBUTORS Hazri Koh hazri@scomigroup.com.my AREA CO-ORDINATORS NORTH AMERICA Laura Dressen CANADA Sandra DeBorba SOUTH AMERICA Cisco Gutierrez EUROPE Emma Hutchison ASIA - DWM Tai Lee Joon ASIA - MACHINE SHOP Evelyn Koh ASIA - TED Wong Mun Ting SINGAPORE - CORPORATE Jane Jung CHINA Chuck Jeffrey/Zhou Jing AFRICA Mike Walker MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA Jennifer D’Souza 3 Warm Greetings and a Happy New Year to All. As we usher in another year, it is time for us to ensure we successfully execute the various plans and strategies that we have formulated in the year before to take us forward with continuous improvement and growth. To achieve this it is important for us to evaluate priorities and think strategically. A strategic work plan is not a “To Do” list, rather it is key areas that each of us need to focus in for the success of our business and organisation and that will take us into the next phase of improvement. For Scomi Group, as a whole, four key focus areas have been identified which form the overall strategic direction for the Group and which I believe will strengthen us as a group to face the challenges ahead. 1. Balance Sheet Management - Cash flow within the Group has to be conscientiously managed with every business unit taking ownership to ensure the best returns on investments thus contributing to the financial growth of the Group. 2. Organic growth - Meeting and exceeding customers’ needs via service & quality are key elements which we have to fully exploit. Assimilating these elements into new products and services to offer to our customers will certainly strengthen our competitiveness. 3. Technology Development - It is essential to increase the use of technology as technology provides not only better ratios of value created to effort expended, but also enhances our competency in delivering value added products and services to our customers. 4. HR Development Enhancement - Our people are our main asset. Thus maximising the efficiency and performance of our people via knowledge training and skills development is crucial. We believe that having smart, articulate and knowledgeable employees will drive us forward as a quality organisation. Scomi has completed its various corporate exercises, namely its marine vessel transportation business under Scomi Marine Bhd and its manufacturing business under Scomi Engineering Bhd. With this we have had a surge of new members joining the Scomi family. I welcome them and hope that they will embrace the Scomi culture and work towards achieving the key focus areas we strongly want to drive amongst all. I look forward to your commitment, drive and energy so that we will build not only a quality organisation but also a sustainable organisation with continuous improvement for the future generations. Best Regards, Shah Hakim Zain Group CEO 4 The Attitude Of Excellence If you have made a recent trip to Bangkok, Thailand, most likely, you would have observed and experienced its cultural uniqueness. Rooted deeply within this cultural uniqueness is the kind, courteous, and respectful nature of its people when providing customer service. Wouldn’t you agree? From the taxi driver who is ever ready to tell you more about his beautiful city, to the hotel staff that will provide you anything to make your stay more memorable, you can be assured that the Thai people do not take the word “service” lightly or for granted. Indeed, service is displayed so naturally by everyone that it seems to reflect a natural habit of its people. It’s no wonder that a poll conducted by Mediamark Research Inc. of New York, taken from the Reader’s Choice Survey of Conde Nast Traveller with over 241,000 subscribers, voted Bangkok as the top city to visit in 2004. TOP CITIES Cities were rated based on the following criteria: Ambience, Friendliness, Culture/Sites, Restaurants, Lodging, Shopping TOP 5 ASIAN CITIES 1. BANGKOK, THAILAND 84.3 2. Hong Kong 79.4 3. Singapore 78.6 4. CHIANG MAI, THAILAND 74.9 5. Shanghai 71.7 To the general public, the most obvious answer that can explain the rationale of such behaviour is probably pinpointed to culture. On the surface, culture may seem to be a credible answer. But is this true or a misconception? Let’s reflect on this scenario of a conversation taking place between Raymond, a guest at a renowned hotel in Bangkok with the hotel’s receptionist. Raymond: Excuse me, can you tell me if there is a golf course nearby? Receptionist: Sorry sir, I do not know. Can I come back to you shortly? When the receptionist came back to her guest, here’s what she told him: Receptionist: Sir, here is your list of golf courses within 15 minutes to 30 minutes drive. I have also found out about their green fees and other charges. Sir, would you also like me to make an arrangement for a taxi to take you there? You see, the receptionist has not only responded to the guest’s initial question, but has also taken the initiative to anticipate her guest’s Hazri at one of his training sessions other likely requirements. I call this behaviour the “attitude of excellence” that is, taking the initiative to excel, with the right mindset, and to serve with enthusiasm. Now, think of the last time you felt you received excellent service. It probably wasn’t solely due to the fact you got what you wanted by chance. It had a lot to do with the attitude of the person who rendered this service. Likewise in our workplace, it does not matter whether you are in Engineering or in Sales & Marketing, Customer Service, Legal, or Finance, we must all have that “attitude of excellence”. Just “doing my job” is not good enough. 5 Achieving The “Attitude Of Excellence” This “attitude of excellence” is often contagious. Have you ever done your job better because of the person or the people you were working next to? If so, you’ve probably rubbed shoulders with excellence. On the other hand, has anyone ever done their job better because they were working with you? If not, you might want to re-evaluate what kind of attitude you bring into the workplace! Leaders like to have excellent people in their organisations not only because of the fine work they do but because they can foster excellence in those around them. Are you being an anchor for excellence? Often, we are stopped short by the phrase: “no one is perfect”. Yes, but whilst an attitude of excellence does not require perfection, it should never stop us from working towards it. An organisation or individual that has decided no one is perfect and that they are “good enough”, is one that will soon cease to be excellent. Whatever your duties entail, you can be excellent at what you do. Excellent organisations are made up of excellent people. The crucial survival point is that in today’s organisation, we expect excellence from each other. Make a personal decision to go beyond being a “good performer” or a complacent one. Instead inculcate the attitude of excellence in all you do. Measuring Up To The “Attitude Of Excellence” Ask yourself these questions - “How do I develop this “attitude of excellence”? What are the signs that tell me I have them?” To some, the answers may be obvious. But research has opened up more points to ponder, which many of us have, over time, taken for granted. Take a closer look at the list. Are you now convinced that we all still have a lot to work on to achieve the “attitude of excellence”? Attitude Of Excellence Attitude Of Excellence IS NOT IS Missing work during peak work hours Being accessible to your team Working only hours that are required Working whatever it takes to get the of you job done Quantity over quality of work Quality over quantity of work Working against the team Working with the team Only taking care of your needs Taking care of customer's needs Only helping when asked Helping each other out all the time Focusing on the problems Focus on the solutions Learning only "on the job" Constantly sharpening your axe Taking sick time because it's available Taking sick time because you have to Giving 110% to only assignments that Giving 110% to everything assigned are interesting Demanding respect from others Earning respect from others Having your own agendas Having a common agenda Accepting the status quo Looking for improvement Holding back your best Giving it your all Working for a pay cheque Working to be part of something good in the company Teamwork Unaware of how you are spending Making every hour count your time Working around conflicts Working through conflicts (Adopted from ‘Random Thoughts from a CTO. The Search for Excellence’) All of us must now build this “attitude of excellence” in the workplace. Pick one area from the list as a starting point. You will soon realise that this effort will lead to a greater goal of making our organisation an excellent place to work in. Some of the staff attending training conducted by the TOD department Please send your comments to hazri@scomigroup.com.my 6 Keith is a Q.C. In Canada, the honorary title of Queen's Counsel or QC is used to recognise Canadian lawyers for exceptional merit and contribution to the legal profession. From a historical perspective, Queen's Counsel, owing to their senior status, enjoy the privilege of sitting within the Bar of Court, wearing silk gowns of a special design, hence the informal title “Silks”. The alternative title of “King’s Counsel” is used during the reign of a male sovereign. The term “Queen's Counsel” is retained in several Commonwealth Realms where Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State. Elsewhere, the style is now Senior Counsel or State Counsel. Keith Evans was appointed as Scomi’s Group Legal Counsel on 01 July 2004, to head all the Group’s legal functions. Keith has been with the KMC Oiltools Group since 1991. Keith Evans, a Canadian and British national, started his legal career in 1979 and was admitted to the Nova Scotia Barristers Society in 1980. Currently he is also a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Canadian Tax Scomi’s Group Legal Counsel, Keith Evans was recently awarded the honorary title of “Queen’s Counsel” by the Province of Nova Scotia. Whilst the actual selection process is only known by the relevant judicial committee, such a person would invariably have had demonstrated professional integrity, good character and excellence in the practice of law. He would also have had to be acknowledged by peers as a leading counsel or an exceptionally gifted practitioner. Amongst other pre-requisites for this honour are (i) that such a person has demonstrated exceptional qualities of leadership in the profession including the conduct of affairs in the local Bar Association or legal organisations and (ii) that he should also have done outstanding work in the field of legal education or legal scholarship. Congratulations Keith! Foundation and the President of the Law Reform Commission of Nova Scotia. and corporate law issues for independent clients in this region. With over 25 years of legal experience, he has extensive knowledge of the legal practices within the South East Asian jurisdictions gained during his tenure in Singapore particularly as a partner with Baker & McKenzie, Singapore. Under his purview was tax planning, and commercial In his last assignment, he was an Associate Professor at Faculty of Law, Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada where he was responsible for teaching the Law of Contracts and Judicial Rule Making, Commercial Laws (Sale of Goods Module) and Business Associations. SCOMI CROSSES RM1 BILLION MARK Scomi Group announced a Net Profit of RM109.5 million for the quarter ended 31st December 2005. This is an increase of 417% from that of the corresponding period in 2004. The Turnover for the quarter is RM296.3 million which is an increase of 39% from that of the corresponding period in 2004. CEO Mr Shah briefing staff on the Q4 results Cumulatively for the full financial year ended 31st December 2005, the group registered an unaudited Net Profit of RM151.7 million and a Turnover of RM1.07 billion, an increase of 146% and 81% respectively from the corresponding period in 2004. “Three years ago, we set a target of becoming an RM1 billion turnover company by year 2007. Our achievement today is 2 years ahead of our initial target and we are extremely pleased.” said Mr Chris Pianca, President of Scomi’s Oilfield Services Division, which is one of the 5 business divisions of Scomi. Staff paying attention The five divisions are oilfield services, marine vessel transportation, engineering business, distribution of products & services and production enhancement chemicals. Overall, the Oilfield Services Division continues to be the largest Turnover contributor to the group, mainly derived from the drilling waste management and drilling fluids businesses. These are largely contributed by the sterling performances in the USA, North Sea, Norway and Venezuela. “The exponential growth of our turnover year-onyear is testimony to our strong business foundation. With our global presence in 34 countries and cross selling of our products, we are well positioned to take advantage of the expected increase in drilling activities worldwide.” said Mr Pianca. In moving forward, Scomi will be focusing into organic growth and balance sheet management. For organic growth, Scomi is evaluating options to increase yields from its assets such as from its vessels and drilling waste management equipment. 7 An to Introduction MaritimeLaw work and labor are involved. Also, the financing of a new building would be structured differently than a normal ship sale and purchase transaction. Maritime or marine law involves complicated, unique laws that the average land-based or automobile accident lawyer is neither familiar with nor encounters on a regular basis. This lack of familiarity or experience with boating and marine law could prejudice the way your problems in related fields are handled. To navigate us through the implications of the maritime law is Quin Leon, Legal Counsel, KMC Oiltools International Division. In the first of a series of articles, he provides a brief introduction to maritime law from a ship owner’s perspective. Acquisition of Vessels and New Buildings There are generally two ways to acquire a vessel: (i) to buy an existing vessel; or (ii) to build a new one. Many contracts for purchases of existing vessels are prepared adopting standard forms such as the Norwegian Saleform form. Such contracts state the buyer’s and seller’s legal rights and deal with the issue of encumbrances, that is, existing liens and debts on the vessel. To evidence the sale and also for registration purposes, a Bill of Sale is also prepared. After the completion of the sale, the Bill of Sale, together with Mortgage or Charge is duly registered in the appropriate ships registry. If a brand new ship (“a new building”) is required, the parties would rely on a shipbuilding contract. This is different from a normal sale and purchase contract, since When the new building project starts, there are only building blocks on the shipyard floor, but nothing that can be described as a ship yet. Accordingly, the buyer purchases what is known in legal terms as "future goods". The buyer therefore does not own the vessel from the date when the contract is signed because there is no vessel yet in existence. Whilst the buyer cannot own the new vessel until it is completed, the buyer and the shipbuilding yard may provide for a transfer of title to the buyer in gradual stages linked to the building progress. However, a large number of shipbuilding contract disputes have turned on contractual stipulations in relation to transfer of title. Inflation and currency instability have also been a problem for shipbuilders and many have put in price escalation clauses into their shipbuilding contracts to cover this. Again, many disputes have turned on such contractual provisions. Financing the Purchase of a Vessel In the international market, the acquisition of ships is invariably made through loans. A loan would normally be repaid in installments by, inter alia, assignment of charterparty earnings, backed by a mortgage on the vessel concerned as security. There would also be an assignment of insurance policies and P&I club coverage so that a mortgagee's position is protected in the event of a total or partial loss of the vessel concerned. Once a ship mortgage has been executed, it has to be registered at the port of registry where the vessel is flagged. Each country/state generally adopts a system of registration whereby vessels registered in that country/state are identified as being within the country/state's jurisdiction, irrespective of where they may be physically. For example, a vessel which is owned and operated in Hong Kong may be flagged in Panama or Monrovia whilst trading in Indonesian waters. Many owners can choose which country they wish to register their vessels. The effects of registration will vary from country to country. Some countries/states regulate registered vessels very tightly, adhering to stringent safety rules; to regulations governing crew as well as local tax laws. By contrast, other countries/states may not be so stringent and may therefore be more attractive from a tax or crewing perspective to vessel owners. Maritime law has a long history. Over time, it has become increasingly complex with the development of new case laws, statutes and international conventions. Other relevant aspects of marine law relevant to Scomi include the law governing tug & tow; master and crew; carriage of goods by sea; General Average; collisions; pilotage; salvage; marine pollution ; and marine insurance. Look out for more of Quin Leon’s maritime legal expertise in the following issues of the Focus. He will be sharing with us on topics, such as, hiring of vessels to customers as well as common legal problems that occur when owning a vessel. If you have any queries in relation to any of the above matters, please do not hesitate to contact the Legal Department for further information. KMC ounsel, qualified egal C a L , is , n n o e dvocate s Quin L tional Divisio R, and an A on risdicti les SA rna ju g te n In se o e K ls sa th g l n a in o n H e Oiltoo o c , practi gland ternati r in En re. His and in related d n a solicito r in Singapo miralty law ts Ad produc aco (CT, licito vely in finery x and So exclusi oil & re h Chevron Te s acting n e e d e b ru c it f wa have hase o ing mainly w ) where he rc u p & work (EXTAP these areas. areas, Exxon nsel in n) and Londo in-house cou 8 Focus Surprise! Did you think all your articles last year went unnoticed? Did you feel that your stories were not exciting enough a read? Did you assume that no one would recognise your contributions? Well stop assuming and give yourself a pat on the back, while you’re at it, get others to give you a pat too, because we know you deserve it!!! The Focus Editorial Team is pleased to spring you this SURPRISE! We know that you deserve not only a pat on the back, but an exclusive award for being the best supporter of the Focus. Throughout last year, we learnt about you, your successes, your achievements, your hopes and your dreams. Your articles, contributions, stories, pictures, achievements and hopes have filled our pages and crossed borders for the whole year. Without you, our pages would be blank and our imaginations an empty coffer. Our jurors spent days going through the 2005 issues of Focus selecting the best out of the best in the following categories Most Informative, Most Inspiring, Most Worth-Sharing and Highest Contributor (non focal points). Let us call for the drum roll as we open the envelope to reveal the winners. Ladies & gentlemen, put your hands together for: Most worth sharin g story The most informative story • Nick Hawkins of KMC Oiltools, Dubai, for his article on “Driving in Dubai”, published in Issue 12 The most inspiring story • Terry West of KMC Oiltools, Houston, for his article on “Never Too Late”published in Issue 9 The most worth-sharing story • Bob Line of KMC Oiltools, Houston, for his article on “Sturgis! More than a Small Town in South Dakota”, published in Issue 12 The highest contributor • Grant Kinghorn of KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen Congratulations! Most e ativ Inform y Stor As we take this newsletter into another year, let us not leave any stories untold. Keep the award-winning contributions coming. Tell us all, reveal everything and let us share in your excitement and enjoy the entertainment. Contributed by: Nick Hawkins KMC Oiltools, Dubai Contributed by: Bob Line KMC Oiltools Inc. 9 Most g Inspirin y r Sto Contributed by: Terry West & Ianna West Highest Contributor Contributed by: Grant Kinghorn KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen 10 Engineering for Success Scomi’s successful completion of the reverse takeover of Bell & Order Berhad (“B&O”) on 26 January 2006 has resulted in Scomi holding an equity interest of 71% in B&O, which has been renamed to Scomi Engineering Bhd (“Scomi Engineering”). Relisted on the Second Board of Bursa Malaysia, Scomi Engineering’s listed entity comprises of machine shop business, transportation manufacturing and fleet management. Scomi Engineering is a growth-oriented engineering company with a focus in the energy industry. Its key contributing business unit is its machine shops which are located throughout the Asia Pacific region namely in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Brunei and Thailand. Its business development plans include growing its machine shop business with facilities expansion as well as exploring new markets. Todate it has expanded its Labuan machine shop not just in size but also increased the number of CNC machines it has. Spearheading the operations and growth of Scomi Engineering is its Senior Vice President, Hilmy Zaini Zainal. He said the company’s transportation manufacturing division was also poised to expand to regional markets with its plan to set up distribution units for exclusive rights to distribute imported engineering components. Another area of growth for this division is in its design capabilities and it will be exploring opportunities for technology transfer via collaborations and partnerships with international manufacturers. Scomi Engineering is a pioneer of the Fleet Management business in Malaysia and the business has already recorded significant progress with the award of fleet management contracts from Maxis Communications Bhd and Silver Bird Bhd for their respective nationwide management of fleet. This business unit is managing a total fleet of over 600 vehicles. Scomi Engineering consolidates the engineering businesses of Scomi Group Bhd and plans to continue to grow this important contributor into a specialised global engineering company for the industry. 11 Achieves a Leg up SCOMI with Habib Deal For the sheer complexity of the tripartite deal that spanned across three countries, Scomi’s final acquisition of Habib Corporation Berhad’s (now known as Scomi Marine Bhd) marine business became amongst the best M&A deals of 2005. The following is the report published in a local press, The Edge Daily, dated 25 December 2005. SCOMI in TOP 5 “Thai and Malaysian companies performed strongly in this year’s annual survey of which companies leading financial analysts rate as the best in Asia,” Euromoney Magazine, Paul Pedzinaki reports in his review on Asian companies, last December. Scomi Group was ranked amongst the top 5 in the “Most Convincing and Coherent Business Strategy by Country” category for the oil & gas industry. Petronas was the only other Malaysian company in that list. Thai Energy Conglomerate PTT topped the category, followed by Petron Corporation of Philippines and Hong Kong’s CNOOC. Since 1969, Euromoney has proven that compelling editorial, provocative stories, in depth interviews and rigorous independent research are read by business leaders who want to know the inside story on the global financial markets. Euromoney covers key developments in depth on debts, structured credit, equity, fund management, corporate finance, foreign exchange and regional markets including Asia, Latin America and EMEA. Besides the “Most Convincing and Coherent Business Strategy” category, companies are surveyed, evaluated, ranked then awarded on other categories such as “Most Transparent Account”, “Most Accessible Senior Management” and “Most Useful & Informative Website”. Contributed by: Jessie Chan Scomi Group, KL 12 In Focus… CONGO Experience Congo with KMC Oiltools (Congo-Gabon) Country Manager, Nicolas Rouzé Many of us may know or may have heard of Congo for different reasons and mostly, for not too good ones. Political power struggles and violent civil unrest has over the years, earned Congo the dubious honour of being the centre, of what could be termed, Africa’s World War. But I bet none of you knew of Congo’s sweet and spicy secrets. Let me then take you on a palette trip to Congo’s favourite restaurants. But before that, let me introduce you to the Republic of Congo. A little about Congo… The Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, and Congo (but not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire, which was also at one time known as the Republic of Congo), is a former French colony of west-central Africa. Its borders are Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and the Gulf of Guinea. Located on the equator on the West Coast of Africa, it is a French speaking country with a population of about 3 million people. Its capital is Brazzaville on Congo river facing Kinshasa while its economic centre is Pointe-Noire on the coast. Crude oil production and state-led development policies have acutely impacted Congo's economy. The oil sector dominates the economy, representing about 52% of its GDP, 83% of its exports, and 71.8% of its total government revenue. Most oil activity is along the coast, either on land or offshore. The actual production of oil in Congo is about 250kBBL/day. The Malonda Laguna My perfect trip will begin with… … a round trip from Pointe-Noire to Bas Kouilou, then going inland into Madingo Kayes, Magne, Kakamoeka, Sounda, Mandzi, Malélé, Boundji then back to Pointe-Noire. A 310 km stretch of mother nature’s bests jungle, river crossings and beautiful villages. I usually enjoy a nice picnic on the riverbanks at Magne and possibly an overnight stay either in Magne, Kakamoeka or Sounda. A day on the river would be a day on the Kouilou, the Loeme or the Nanga Lake. These spots are great for fishing, bird watching and of course, fresh shrimps from the local villages. Pointe Noire’s attractions… The city is the chief port of the country and also a center for sport fishing. Timber, palm products, rubber, cotton, tobacco, gum, ivory, coffee, cacao, livestock, copper, diamonds, manganese, lead, and zinc are the main exports. Whilst its industries include fishing, sawmilling, woodworking, palm-oil refining, food processing, and soap manufacturing. The city also serves as the seaport for Brazzaville, with which it is linked by railroad. Congo’s “Coat of Arm” Within 20 minutes off Pointe-Noire, these following sites are a must-see. The Diosso gorges, which are natural erosion gorges and give quite a dramatic view of the coastal sands. The Diosso Golf Club Malonda Lodge and its hotel on the Malonda Laguna facing the ocean. Matoumbi and its hotel / restaurants. Another 40-minute journey and you are at : Bas Kouilou Bridge and the Kouilou river. Nanga Lake and the Loeme River. Jane Goodal Institute to see the chimpanzees. If you have a whole day off, take a drive to the following places: The Sounda Dam on the Kouilou River. The train line to Brazzaville across the Mayombe Hill Range. Konkouati National Park. 13 The best tastes at Pointe-Noire… African restaurants Chez Gaspard - the best BBQ fish and chicken in town, simple and fuss-free alfresco dining. Chez Marie-dialo - another road side stall but not as crowded as Chez Gaspard. French cuisine: The Sea Club - a 5 star restaurant on the beach with great wine and food selection. Their tasty specialty is the “foie gras” or frog legs. The Villa Antonetti - an exclusive place for fine dining. Take a seat at the cosy bar while waiting for your table to be ready in this historic former governor mansion. The Pizzeria - great French cuisine and good wine. The Aquarelle - Denise will welcome you like an old friend and serve you like a king. Great food and a crocodile carpaccio L'imprévu, or Chez Micky - Micky has the best meat in town. It is a small and friendly place for a maximum of 20 customers. Order the Tournedos Rossigni with Mushrooms, you’ll not be disappointed. Le Safari Grill - a huge range of South African and French wines to go with the butcher’s selection of meat. La villa - faces the Pointe-Noire bay with a nice swimming pool, good customer service and the best homemade ice creams. Simply cool. Le Cercle Civil or "Chez Bernard" - Bernard has been in Pointe-Noire for 30 years. This is the only place to eat crepes. International choices The Twiga restaurant - located on the main beach, this Italian restaurant serves the perfect pastas with gambas and lambrusco. La Source - Ethopian crepes anyone? Le Pacha - A must try Lebanese Meze with 20 dishes Le Marakech - A blend of Lebanese and Moroccan. Chez Abi - Special rice and vegetables of the Senegalese people. We could probably do a special feature just on the restaurants in Pointe-Noire and I would say it may still be insufficient to boast of its choices. And people wonder how I managed to put on 10 kgs in 7 years! Nightlife... Beautiful beaches, even more beautiful seas, great restaurants and an excellent nightlife have contributed to Pointe-Noire’s reputation as a relaxing sea-city. A couple of places have opened outside the city for relaxation, amongst which is the Malonda Lodge. Apart from that, other must hang-out places are: Le Jacadis - the place to go out on Main Street, which plays hits from the 80s to international African hits. The Master - facing the jacadis, it is the place to be if you want to see and to be in some action. The MB Club - the newest bar around and a block away from the Main Street, it plays the latest hits. The Piano Bar - has a live band and serves great cocktails. Now that I have given you a brief about Congo, take the next plane out and come enjoy the African experience here in Congo! Contributed by: Nicolas Rouzé KMC Oiltools, Congo-Gabon, West Africa Fact File Capital Brazzaville Largest city Brazzaville Official language(s) French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread). Independence From France - Date 15 August 1960 Area • Total 342,000 km≤ (62nd) • Water (%) 3.3% GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate • Total 4,621 million (154) • Per capita 1,379 (158) Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) 480.56 = USD1 (2005) Climate tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator Source: www.wikipedia.com and www.cia-gov 14 Broussard Lends a Hand With charity in mind and chilis on our tastebuds, we took on the challenge to participate in Halliburton’s Chili Cook-Off. This annual fund raising event, in aid of the United Way of Acadiana, was held on 11 November 2005. Team Broussard was greatly supported by the team from the Derrick Equipment, Lafayette Office. We participated in the Traditional category cooking up our specialty using a “no-bean” recipe courtesy of Derrick Equipment. We cooked approximately 30lbs of ground sirloin and in my opinion, we had the best tasting chili! Unfortunately, it was not a shared opinion. Although we did not win, we did empty our chili pot faster than any booth in our area. Teams were judged on two categories Traditional and Exotic chili recipes. In addition, awards were also given for Best Costume, Most Creative Booth Theme and Team Spirit. After speaking with the Chili Cook-off chairman, I found out that there were 68 teams cooking and over 3,000 people in attendance. Halliburton raised approximately USD32,460.00. Our team consisted of 4 members, Brett Naylor and Steve Trahan of Derrick Equipment and Jonathon Lopez and Phillip Miller of KMC Oiltools. My final thoughts were: “I guess we should have asked for Laura’s Chili Recipe!” Contributed by: Jonathon Lopez KMC Oiltools, Broussard United Way of Acadiana is an independent, separately incorporated organisation governed by local volunteers. United Way brings people together to focus on the most important needs in the community - building partnerships, forging consensus and leveraging resources to make a measurable difference. Volunteers of United Way of Acadiana work in teams to solve problems in areas such as funding, cooking food at soup kitchens, cleaning up neighbourhood parks, helping kids with their homework and even assist in disaster relief efforts. For more information on United Way of Acadiana, log on to http://www.unitedwayofacadiana.com Chef Jon Lopez 2005 Our Support Team (L-R): Johnnie Daughdrill, Brett Naylor, Mahlon Leblanc, Francie Hebert, Ellen Dugas, Jon Lopez and Phil Miller Chef Phil Miller as m t s i r Ch Casi no Party All staff of the Houston and Dayton offices were treated to the tastes, sounds and scenes of Las Vegas at the “Casino, Food & Fun Christmas Party” held at the Double Tree Hotel, Houston last year. As we strolled into the hotel, we were not only cheerily welcomed with Christmas jingles, a beautiful Christmas tree and a gaily decorated hotel, but tables of various casino attractions! We played amongst others, Texas Hold ‘Em, Black Jack and Craps, excitedly cheered on by friends, 1 2 3 4 colleagues, associates and families. For those who did not go home with a big win, either through gambling or lucky draws, they definitely went home with a full stomach and a door gift each. We would like to extend a very special thank you to all who contributed to the success of the Christmas party. Contributed by: Laura Dressen KMC Oiltools, Houston 5 6 1. Susan Goetz & Guest 2. Hostesses (Donza Good & Laura Dressen) 3. David & Monica Gergen 4. Tommy & Jamie 5. Tam Nguyen & Guest playing Black Jack 6. Dan, John, Debbie, Piyanuch & Ben 15 Photography a Passion & an Adventure Pictures can sometimes say more than a thousand words. I am an avid photograph and photography enthusiast. I have been in love with pictures since I can remember. As a little girl growing up seeing pictures in magazines or on billboards, I was always awed by how moments can be captured as they happen with a single click. Another amazing thing about pictures is that you can “see” the world without leaving the comfort of your sofa. All it takes is to read a book, flip through the pages of an encyclopaedia or surf the internet. Sometime in my adult years, I clearly remember my grandmother sitting down with my sister and I, as she gazed far and away recollecting the family history and special memories captured in her collage of photographs - some were black and white with painted-on colours whilst others were instant pictures that had faded over time. She even had photos that were printed on metal plates. She took us back in time telling us stories about our family and of some family members we have never met before. They were more than photographs, they were tales of our family. Sandy & Skyy Lake Houston Sunset Behind home plate I am considered an amateur photographer. Although in the past I have contributed my photos to a Texas magazine as a freelance photographer, I have no professional experience. I do have plans to take a course in college to pursue my hobby and keep up with the ever changing world of cameras and film developing. This summer I will be joining an art league to keep active in the community and to share my passion with fellow photography lovers. Contributed by: Laura Dressen KMC Oiltools, Houston Lake Houston Cowboy Silhouette Little Frog Red Roses 16 the Calm After Storm It was a glorious week in Paradise! Graced and blessed with beautiful weather, gorgeous landscape and love from family and friends, there was nothing more Heidi (Steyn) and Chris Horne could ask for their wedding. The couple took their vows against the backdrop of the beach in the beautiful Playa del Carmen, Mexico on 13 October 2005. After the wedding, they decided to extend their stay for an additional week in Playa del Carmen. The sun, sea and sand was just paradise for the newly weds. The stay was unfortunately cut short when they had to evacuate due to threats that Hurricane Wilma was approaching. Talk about a stormy start to a marriage! These two have a knack for attracting accidents when they travel. In 2004, when they travelled to South Africa, to visit Heidi’s motherland, Chris ended up with an injury that required him to undergo an arthroscopic knee surgery due to a nasty wave that took him down! Talk about luck! People say that there is always calm after the storm. We wish both Chris and Heidi all the best and a “calm” future together. Contributed by: Sandra Deborba KMC Oiltools, Canada Santa Makes Wishes Come True! John and Josie won $115 between the two of them! (That’s quite a bit, considering some lost more than that!) Congratulations John and Josie! (Hey, can you tell me who will win the Kentucky Derby this year?) ye n ta th Sa is l l, Contributed by: Sandra Deborba KMC Oiltools, Canada We Santa even stopped by with gifts for all the kids (the “big kids” had more fun with the toys than the little ones did!). Everyone had a wonderful time celebrating another prosperous year and are looking forward to the year ahead. ar! On 10 December 2005, the gang from KMC Oiltools Canada headed to the Northlands Spectrum for a day of fun, laughter, and a little bit of betting on the harness racing. A lovely lunch was served by the staff of Spectrum and some had more luck with the ponies than others! (They say it’s beginner’s luck, yes perhaps, but we think that Josie knows that the best dressed horse and jockey comes in first). su re d el ive re d a Chris tm as wi sh 17 Venezuela East District Gets First Aid Training Safety awareness is one of our most important goals that we wish to achieve and impart. Participants taking a break for the camera! As part of our on-going training and safety programme, we organised a basic first aid training course that ran across the months of October and November last year. The course was conducted by Professional Safety Personnel from Anaco’s Civil Protection Division (Emergency & Rescue). Participants of the course were taught basic first aid techniques which included Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), treating and transferring the wounded, identifying vital signs, cardio-lung reanimation and immobilisation. The importance of safety was also emphasised to all personnel at our newest district, Barinas. Standard safety procedures and practices were shared at their first training session conducted by our QHSE staff, Ana Navarro. Topics covered included STOP cards and injury prevention to hands and fingers. Helping a chocking victim Participants doing the CPR Practising on “live” victims Batch 2 (L-R) : Carlos Jimenez, Jose Rivero, Carlos Rodriguez, Anna Navarro, Heberto Bracho, Rosmer Gomez & Jaime Perozo. Barinas Team at their safety training course. (L-R) : Jose Uzcategui, Anibal Gimenez, Anna Navarro, Angel Armas, Jaime Davilla, Hector Matos, Cesar Hidalgo & Carlos Jimenez. 18 Best Wishes! Team KMC Oiltools, Venezuela would like to welcome onboard... JOSE ALEJANDRO COA Environmental Coordinator East Christmas Merry Makers Christmas last year was truly a variety of celebrations. CARLOS RODRIGUEZ Environmental Supervisor East In the East we celebrated Christmas with a hearty lunch, accompanied with songs and followed by a lively game of Bingo. RINA ROJAS Barinas District Assistant Manager Christmas in the West was equally cheery with special gift baskets being presented to all employees at their gathering at the infamous ‘’Welcome to Texas in Ojeda.’’ JOSE PARRA Barinas District Engineer We also made our presence felt at the Christmas Golf Tournament in Anaco. We sponsored a booth and handed out souvenirs, drinks and freshly-cooked great-tasting skewers. JOSE PENA who was promoted to Operations Manager. We would also like to congratulate Asdrubal Morales and Susan Moreno for contributing five years of service to the Company. (L-R): Cisco with baby, Emily, Jose Zamora, Indira Gordoni & Johnny Mendoza at the East Christmas Party (right) orales bal M -year award ru d s A 5 ing his receiv co is from C John n prese y Mendoz n a her 5 ting Susa (District M -year n awar Moreno anager) d. Our Santarinas at the Anaco Christmas Golf Tournament 19 Introducing Olga Chetverikova Julia Ukhanova Moscow Alexander Khorev Oksana Fokina Hello, my name is Olga Chentsova and I’m the secretary of KMC Oiltools (Cayman Island), Moscow Branch Office, which commenced its operations in August last year. I deal with the translation of documents such as contracts and official letters, apart from being responsible for the daily administration work in the office. People say I’m a sympathetic person and am always available to be of assistance. Let me give you a run through of the rest of the team: Julia Ukhanova is our Financial Controller. She is intelligent, very creative and has high ambitions which encourage her to take on any challenges put forth. Alexei Kirrilov Olga Chentsova administration of the office as well as matters pertaining to human resource. No matter how busy she is, Olga is always ready to lend a hand to anyone. Very creative, Olga is also an outgoing person. A good team player with a strong character hidden underneath a graceful exterior, Anastacia Shushunova is our Marketing Department Assistant. She is responsible for conducting negotiations with clients, preparing quotations and processing orders. We also have several newcomers at our branch office of KMC Oiltools (Europe) Limited. The men contributing to the profits of the company are the energetic and dynamic Alexei Makarychev and cheerful Aleksey Kirillov, our Marketing Engineers. Both these men continually strive to aim high. They work hard and diligently conduct negotiations to expand our client base and to obtain new contracts. Olga Chetverikova, the secretary, manages the Oksana Fokina, Manager (logistics & Anastacia Shushunova Alexei Makarychev certification) was moved from "KMC Oiltools (Europe) Limited" to the Moscow branch office of "KMC Oiltools Ltd." Oksana deals with goods and materials movements and covers company logistics processes. She is a determined and meticulous person, and probably the only one who makes it to work and any other appointment on time. Celebrating his 10th year with KMC Oiltools in October last year was Alexander Khorev, a wise, good-humoured and fun-loving man. Alexander has been working at "KMC Oiltools (Europe) Limited" as a driver. We had to bid farewell to Ekaterina Samoylova, Miroslav Mikhailov and Maria Kuzmina, who left us last year to pursue their personal dreams. We wish them all the best! Contributed by: Olga Chentsova KMC Oiltools, Moscow 20 John Eirik Paulsen from Statoil talking to the KMC Oiltools group. A traditional Norwegian Christmas buffet. All eyes and ears during the presentation. Ossie Asbjorn doing his famous version of ‘Help’. Ossie goes heavy metal. Christmas in Norway After midnight everybody became a singer. It was a day of two celebrations as Norway celebrated its five years in business and its annual Christmas party. The day began with a presentation on the company and its businesses where everybody was informed about the company, its performance and future business strategies. Representatives from Eni and Statoil also conducted presentations on new technology and the importance of our people on the rigs. As the presentations were coming to an end, the smell coming from the food in the next room was overwhelming. A traditional Norwegian Christmas Dinner was awaiting us. We had a great time with friends and families who joined us later. All of us were entertained by our very own singers belting out their own renditions of songs. Orjan following his boss with a new version of ‘Help’ (and he needed it). Contributed by: Bernt Haave KMC Oiltools, Norway 21 Children 1st Charity Raffle Last December saw staff of KMC Oiltools Aberdeen actively raising funds for the Children 1st Charity fund. Staff raided their kitchens and brought into work biscuits, chocolates, cans of food, wine and all sorts of tidbits. We had enough goods to make up two hampers. We then sold raffles tickets at £1.00 each and successfully raised £92.00 for this Scottish charity. CHILDREN 1ST is the working name of the Royal Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. For 120 years CHILDREN 1ST has been working to give every child in Scotland a safe and secure childhood. The charity supports families under stress, protects children from harm and neglect, helps them recover from abuse and promotes their rights and interests. The lucky winners of the 2 hampers were Peter Ross and Peter Wallace. The Raffle was drawn out by Emma Hay, QHSE Manager,UK. As part of helping children by helping their parents and carers, CHILDREN 1ST runs Parent Line Scotland, a free confidential helpline fully staffed by trained volunteers. A great big THANK YOU to all staff who donated generously to this raffle and who assisted us in raising the funds. Contributed by: Kimberly Calder KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen Charity Christmas Cards Every Christmas, staff of KMC Oiltools do a little bit more for charity. This year, we raised £38.52 for the local cancer charity, CLAN. Instead of sending a Christmas card to every one we knew in both the Aberdeen offices i.e Denmore Road and Woodside Road, we sent cards to the offices instead. To have our cards displayed, we made a minimum donation of £1. Lynne Brown, Nicola Burnett and Kimberly Calder, who helped to collect and display the cards, thank you so much. And to the rest who helped raise the funds, Santa will surely put you in his list next year! Contributed by: Emma Hutchison KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen Christmas cards on display 22 to see that a First Class result was within my reach, provided I worked hard and got the interim results required. This is something that has really proved to me the importance of setting personal goals. If I hadn’t done this I would never have had the same level of drive or commitment. The courses I studied have also complemented my chosen career path, and vice versa, particularly during my final year. I studied pollution control, whilst completing an application for authorisation under the PPC Regulations for KMC’s Thermal Processing Plant in Shetland, which in turn provided the input for my final course project, so everything worked out very well. Emma Hay (4th from left) I received my results the week before Christmas after completing my final course in October. I was over the moon to Congratulations Emma Hay! I finally received my BSc (Honours) degree in Technology last October, after 7 years of distance learning. When I started studying with the Open University, I didn’t really look long term. I had no idea if I could even get through the first year, more so 6 or 7! I’m sure many people are aware of the difficulties involved in distance learning, no matter what is happening in your personal or professional life, the deadlines loom relentlessly, whilst piles of books and notes sit there almost mocking you. No matter what kind of day you’ve had, going home and putting your feet up is not an option. Well, it is an option but the gnawing away at the back of your mind never stops. Isolation was another difficulty to overcome. Sometimes, for logistical reasons, I never ever met my fellow students or tutors, which made me feel completely alone in my struggles. Three years ago, when completing my degree became more of a reality than a pie in the sky, I dared to think about the final result I wanted to achieve, and was very pleasantly surprised Secret Santa complete my degree successfully, and ecstatic to achieve the First Class Honours result I had aimed for. It made all the years of hard work well worth while. I am not sure if I will go on to study more, but I’m certainly looking forward to a year off. A summer without studying will be such a novelty and I fully intend to make the most of it! Contributed by: Emma Hay, KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen Left to Right Nikki Wilson, Pamela Crombie, Kellyanne Brechin, Susie Barron, Nilcola Burnett, Kerry Shirer, Susan Carroll, Emma Hay, Kimberly Calder, Emma Hutchison, Hector Maclean Most of the ladies in the Aberdeen Office joined together to buy each other a secret Santa gift. This is how it worked:- all who wanted to take part put our names together, we then each picked a 'secret' envelope and bought a gift for that person. All gifts were then passed to Santa for distribution a few days before Christmas. Our secret Santa this year was Hector Maclean and he did a marvellous job of handing out all our gifts! Thank you Hector! Contributed by: Emma Hutchison KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen Santa Hector handing out gifts. 23 KMC Oiltools Teams Up with Twin The interior of De Silveren Spiegel Strange but true… De Silveren Spiegel from the outside In October 2005, KMC Oiltools signed up a distribution agreement with the leading global filtration company Twin Filter, of Holland. Twin Filter is a quality supplier of filtration equipment and consumables. KMC Oiltools, as their global distributor, now has access to their full oil & gas product line to market worldwide, with the exception of two specific countries. The picture shows the KMC Oiltools & Twin Filter teams assembled at Twin Filter’s premise to put together a business plan. Heading the KMC Oiltools team was Alan Steedman, Senior VP for Drilling Waste Management and Wijbrand Schouten, the Managing Director and owner of Twin Filter. Twin Filter’s full and comprehensive product line was discussed. It is a great business opportunity for KMC Oiltools to have the ability to provide equipment and services to cope with all oil & gas filtration activities including completion fluids, oily water, heavy metals and self cleaning filter solutions. KMC Oiltools already has an existing filtration business in a number of regions. Filter Alan Steedman noted ‘this agreement will allow us to expand our filtration business to all regions of the world and increase our revenue significantly. The Twin Filter product line is second to none and so it fits in perfectly with the KMC Oiltools philosophy of providing first class solutions to all of our customers.’ The three day meeting was extremely friendly and productive, paving the way forward for both companies. Twin Filter was extremely hospitable to us throughout. The highlight was being taken to a restaurant in central Amsterdam called ‘’De Silveren Spiegel’’. The restaurant was built in 1614 and purposely designed with walls at strange angles, although I am not sure that the sloping floors were part of the original design! The top front section of the building overhangs the pavement, which ensured that rain could not drop off the roof and blow into the building, as well as allowing the roof top crane to lift items to the top floor without hitting the walls. Overall it was a very productive exercise and we thank Twin Filter for their hospitality. Now it’s onwards and upwards for the KMC Oiltools filtration business. Contributed by: Simon Wait KMC Oiltools, KL Standing tall (L-R): Simon Wait, Alan Steedman, Ian Raymond, Tommy Mitchell, Dan Farrar, David MacBain, Ken Carlsson, James Gordon, Achilles Smeltnik, Erik Wals, Wijbrand Schouten & David Carswell 24 Christmas Cheer We jingled our way to Kippie Lodge at Peterculter last December 10th to celebrate our annual Christmas Dinner & Dance. It was a pleasant evening with over 100 attendees including our partners. The evening started well with people arriving and having a few drinks at the bar before sitting down at their tables for their meal. Emma Hutchison looked a bit concerned at the start of the evening as the photographer was nowhere to be seen. After a few calls from Emma and some friendly advice on the phone, he eventually turned up. Apparently he noted the wrong date in his diary! The evening kicked-off with a delicious meal and with no partying time being wasted. The distribution of the raffle prizes also got under way. As usual, Emma and Lynne assisted with giving the raffles out. We had our usual fundraising game of Heads & Tails which raised over £285.53 for Cancer Link Aberdeen and North (CLAN). The winner of the game was John Mackay, winning an MP3 player. The entertainment this year was provided by Richard Alexander. There was a mix between disco-dancing and some singing. After a bit of a slow start, the alcohol surely made an impact and the dance floor started to fill up. There was quite a lot of action to see throughout the night - some of which may not have been strictly classed as dancing!. Everyone definitely enjoyed their evening. A big thank you to both Emma and Lynne for organising the evening. It took a lot of time and effort on their part, so thanks again girls! Contributed by: Dave Simpson KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen Flanked by gentlemen (L-R): David Wallace, Emma Hutchison, Robert Bramman Susan Carroll & Nikki Wilson Pretty ladies in a row (L-R): Lyndsey Davidson, Emma Hutchison, Nabeila Foggo, Emma Hay 25 700 “Buka Puasa” with Scomi The aroma of spices and curry coming from the ballroom fit for a crowd of 700 people were what welcomed our multi racial guests at the ‘’Buka Puasa’’ (Break Fast) on 14 October 2005. The event which was organised in conjunction with the ‘’Month of Fasting’’ observed by Muslims prior to the Eid Mubarak festival, was for Scomi’s corporate clients, customers, business associates, investing community and family members. The event was held at the newlyopened Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). Maestro Chef. Best dressed - Julie & Saiful. Guests were spoilt for choice as there were over 10 stalls preparing Malaysian favourites such as ‘’roti canai’’, ‘’roti jala’’ (different types of pancakes cooked on a hotplate), ‘’sate’’ (skewered meat) and ‘’nasi ayam hailam’’ (Chinese-style chicken rice). To accommodate the extensive menu of the evening, there were three additional buffet lines which served a variety of curry, rice, noodle, chicken and meat dishes. The dessert stalls were an attraction from the very beginning as people queued for the colourful Malay cakes, jellies and fruits. The wide spread, delicious and tempting! It was indeed a scene of festivity as guests caught up with friends, talking and laughing over the clink and clatter of cutlery. Guests enjoying the ‘break fast’. Big smiles for the camera. Michael Bonsack (extreme left) & Ridzuan Ali (standing) with some of their guests. Beauties in traditional costume. Ladies first... when it comes to food. The CEO enjoying his food. Double Festivity! All staff at Scomi headquarters in Kuala Lumpur were invited to Scomi’s Open House on 17 November last year in conjunction with the double festive celebrations - Divali and Hari Raya, which were celebrated on 1 November and 3 November respectively. The food was great but the company was even greater. Staff were encouraged to come in their best traditional outfits as there were special prizes awaiting them. The Best Dressed Male was Saiful from HR (Scomi) who wore an attractive ‘’Baju Melayu’’ (Malay Costume). The prize for the Best Dressed Female went to Julie Samsuddin from the CEO’s Office (Scomi Group) who caught the eyes of the judges with her ‘’Lenga’’ a traditional North Indian costume. The following winners were caught offguard when their names were called. Belinda Tan (OMS), Teo Ai Nee (KMC), Ong Wei Ling (SGB) and Lee Yum Moy (ARAC) received special recognition awards for their record attendance in the various health and fitness acitivites such as jazzercise, aerobics and yoga held at the recently opened and Scomi’s very-own gymnasium. Contributed by: Eve Koh, OMS Oilfield Services 26 From the Melting Pot To further spice things up, TOD has transformed some of these inspiring thoughts into poster pin-ups for your personal collection. The ‘From the Melting Pot’ signature logo... adopted with a fresh look for year 2006. One of the key characteristics of a successful organisation is the obvious existence of inspired employees. Inspired employees are happy, creative, productive, and bring joy to the people surrounding them. At Training & Organisational Development (TOD), we are equally inspired. We have decided to bring to all staff at our Malaysia offices weekly inspiring anecdotes, so that every one of you can be that inspired person contributing to the success of our organisation. Calling these weeklies ‘From The Melting Pot’, it represents the coming together of different thoughts, wisdom notes, quotes, tips and stories as the varied ingredients to cook a great ‘’life recipe’’ . Other topics circulated previously that you may want to find out for more information: 1. Working Smarter 2. Towards a Positive Corporate Culture 3. Quit Being Negative, Start Being Positive - Building a positive mind 4. Success is only a mile away - Success Story 5. Actions speaks louder than words Decision making 6. Cultivating a learning culture 7. Effective Learning 8. Be a better reader - Speed Read 9. Improving your memory 10. Building Self Confidence 11. Don’t Imitate, Let’s Innovate Innovation 12. Power of the Mind 13. Making Your Change Count 14. New Year’s Resolution - Making a Resolution 15. A New Year, A New Beginning Take a moment to reflect upon some of these thoughts. Keep reading this spot. It’s no surprise how these thoughts can inspire the way we work in the organisation. It worked for me! If you like to have a complete set of these inspiring poster pin-ups, please contact us via email: tod@scomigroup.com.my Contributed by: Nor Hafizah Marzuki Scomi Group, KL 27 Since 2005, Training & Organisational Development (TOD) has always looked forward to the ability to draw up a year-long training calendar for Malaysia-based staff so that everyone can plan their busy work schedule to fit with the company initiated programs as well as their own training needs. This is a mammoth task for various reasons, but TOD is determined to provide you the best within its ability. TOD has taken a bold step this year to provide a training manual entitled ‘’Our Learning Manual’’ which outlines (1) General Information about TOD; (2) Training Courses; (3) Training Direction; and (4) Training Procedures. Do you find it useful? Do you have any constructive inputs for TOD to make future improvements? Talk to us. This way we will be able to serve everyone better. Please notice some of the courses indicated in asterisk are being planned but are subject to Management’s approval. As for your other specific personal training needs, you may want to refer to the ‘’Our Learning Manual’’ which you can now access through TOD’s iX-Portal at: TOD has now come up with some timelines on company-initiated training modules (that is, courses that must be carried out) for your attention. This training calendar contains courses and programmes for Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 for Year 2006 so that you will be able to plan your schedule to attend these training programmes. http://sgb-storage/TOD%20X-Change (At present, only available for Malaysia locations) Take advantage of the training programs that are being planned for you. Make it your personal mission to learn something new this year. Training Calendar For Year 2006 Quarter 1 NO TRAINING COURSES Duration 1 2 3 MUD School Training ISO Awareness Balanced Scorecard Educational Workshop 6 weeks 1 /2 day 1 day 4 5 6 Cross Cultural Training Induction Programme Internal Quality Audit Training 2 day 1 day 2 day JAN 9 26 Months FEB Training & Organisational Development Proposed Venue** Applicable To: GRTC Wisma Chase Prdana Tropicana Golf & Country Club Hyatt Saujana** Tropicana Golf & Country Club Wisma Chase Perdana All Drilling Fluids Engineers SGB Office staff All executives and managers who have not attended before Management (E7- E14) All new recruits Appointed Internal Auditors Proposed Venue** Applicable To: GRTC Eastin Hotel** KLGCC All Drilling Fluids Engineers E5 and above All executives and managers who have not attended before SGB Office staff All new recruits Executives and Managers (E3 - E6) MAR 16 24-25* 30 7-8 * Subject to approval ** subject to further confirmation Quarter 2 NO TRAINING COURSES Duration 1 1 2 MUD School Training Presentation Skills Balanced Scorecard Educational Workshop 3 4 5 ISO Awareness Induction Programme Team Bonding for Corporate Peak Performance 6 weeks 2 days 1 day /2 day 1 day 2 days APR 3 Months MAY JUN 14-15* 20 16** 1 29 26-27 Wisma Chase Perdana Tropicana Golf & Country Club Hyatt Saujana** * Subject to approval ** subject to further confirmation Welcome Onboard Michael Bonsack Michael Bonsack recently joined KMC Oiltools as Manager Technical Services, assigned to the Malaysia Operations. Michael brings with him over 30 years of experience in the drilling fluids business, having started his career in August 1975 at the Louisiana Gulf Coast. As his career progressed, he worked in most oil and gas markets including S.E. Asia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, South America, Russia, and occasional assignments in the United States. The middle of three sons, of Captain and Mrs. Frederick C. Bonsack, he was raised in South Louisiana and educated in local schools where he attended McNeese University, later obtaining an MBA while going to school part time. Widowed in 1994, Michael as a single parent, continued to provide for his children while balancing his drilling fluids career and commitments, thanks largely to a supportive family, which helped along the way. Michael’s two children are both residing in the United States. Regina is a successful commercial artist living in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Steven is taking classes at Sam Houston University, North of Houston Texas. For pleasure, Michael is an avid motorcyclist, and enjoys exploring new destinations on two wheels whenever possible. He hopes to get involved with the sport in K.L. once he is settled. Recent positions held by Michael include Technical Manager in Houston, Texas for Baroid Drilling Fluids, and Operations Manager for Baroid Drilling Fluids in Balikpapan, Indonesia. 28 Activities, More Participation More ( Scomi Foundation ) Visit to Rumah Seri Kenangan, Kuala Lumpur Yayasan Scomi’s Scholarship committee with some of the recipients. Waiting patiently for their turn. Chilling out with the old folks Yayasan Scomi put a finale to 2005 with a visit to an old folks home in Kuala Lumpur. On 17th December 2005, a group of volunteers from Scomi went to Rumah Seri Kenangan in Cheras to chill out with the golden guys and gals. The home houses nearly 300 individuals of various races and backgrounds. The cheer that we brought was evident on their faces and they were more than happy to receive visitors. Mr. Sabri, the HSE Manager together with Rosli, our own Scomi Idol, entertained the folks with some popular old numbers. Some of the old folks were such a good sport and put up a cultural performance much to our delight. The good-byes were emotional to say the least... Scholarship Presentation Ceremony at Scomi’s headquarters Kuala Lumpur On 13th January 2006, Yayasan Scomi started the new year with a Scholarship Presentation ceremony. Nine students from various local universities who have been carefully selected based on their academic performance and financial background became the first batch of students to receive the scholarship. For the degree programme, students will receive RM7,500 per annum and RM6,500 per annum for the diploma programme for the rest of their academic year. The Chairman of Yayasan Scomi, Vice Admiral (R) Dato’ Haron Bin Dato’ Dr. Mohd Salleh (rtd) together with other directors of the Yayasan graced the occasion. Blood donors. ‘I don’t think my blood pressure should be high. I just had a 20 minute break with Capt. Azmi here,’ Wan Ruzlan wonders as Capt. Azmi looks on. Blood Donation Campaign at Scomi’s headquarters Kuala Lumpur On 26th January 2006, Yayasan Scomi and University Malaya Medical Center successfully organised a blood donation campaign for the employees of Scomi. An invitation to other offices in the building was also extended and the response was very good. A total of 139 individuals turned up with their noble intention but only 122 were allowed to donate blood. A few had to be denied for various reasons including being under weight or under prescribed medication. Our CEO, Mr. Shah Hakim was also one of the donors! Yayasan Scomi has various educational and charitable activities planned up for 2006, so check your email! Contributed by: Hisham A Bahrin Scomi Group, KL Azmin Othman getting special attention. For more information on the upcoming activities of Yayasan Scomi for 2006, kindly contact Mdm. Rashidah Awang at rashidah@scomigroup.com.my or Hisham A Bahrin at hisham@scomigroup.com.my. To register as a volunteer, please contact Miss Rina Zainuddin at rina@scomigroup.com.my 29 Mr. Mansor, Head-Transportation Manufacturing motivating the staff Scomi’s Transportation Manufacturing Pledges for Quality! Management and staff of Scomi Engineering’s Transportation Manufacturing unit (Scomi Sdn Bhd) re-emphasised their commitment towards achieving the highest level of quality in the products they offer and the services they provide to all customers. The team, at the launch of their Quality Campaign on 25 November 2005, pledged to ‘’DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME’’, as together they took the oath to be actively involved and committed to the Campaign. SVP, Hilmy Zaini (in blue) leading the employees in taking their pledge ‘’Quality can be defined as fundamentally relational. Quality is the ongoing process of building and sustaining relationships by assessing, anticipating, and fulfilling stated and implied needs of all customers and those who work within the Organisation as well’’, said Hilmy Zaini Zainal, SVP-Scomi Staff making their quality pledge. Engineering, who launched the Campaign at Scomi Sdn Bhd’s Office. The Campaign is aimed at motivating staff to strive harder in their daily activities to not only meet but exceed the demands and needs of their customers by minimising errors and increasing value-added service. Contibuted by: Wong Mun Ting, Scomi Sdn Bhd Quality badge distributed to all staff 30 Scomi Sdn Bhd Makes its Presence in East Scomi Sdn Bhd (SSB) was invited to attend a ceremony marking the launch and the handing-over of refuse compactors to the members of parliament (MPs) of Kuantan & Bentong, Pahang by Alam Flora Sdn Bhd on 21 January. handed over at the ceremony. The trucks are new improved designs by SSB that enhances the overall quality & productivity of the compactor. These trucks will be used to service the operations in both areas of Kuantan and Bentong. We supplied Alam Flora with 3 units of King’s refuse compactors which were Pahang Head of State, YAB Dato’ Sri Adnan Yaacob officially launched the ceremony by Coast handing over the keys to the drivers, and then flagging the fleet off. Also at the launch was Yg Bhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Mohd Saleh Sulong, Chairman of Alam Flora Sdn Bhd and DRB-Hicom Group. Contributed by: Wong Mun Ting Scomi Sdn Bhd All eyes on the new trucks. Pahang Head of State being given a tour of the vehicle The ‘flag-off’ ‘’On the go!’’ ISO 14001 & OHSAS 13001 The Scomi Group Health, Safety and Environment Department (HSE) organised an Awareness Training session on 9th November 2005 at Chase Perdana, Kuala Lumpur. The purpose of this training was to provide awareness on the HSE Management System. The one day session was attended by top management. This training programme was designed for companies that need to generate awareness of environmental management systems or occupational health systems. The Awareness training helps you to not only conduct and pass audits, but to optimise quality and performance. ISO 14001 recognises that all management system whether for safety, quality or the environment must provide a defined and organised approach to the relevant activities while also meeting bottom line business needs. Contributed by: Muhamad Zamry KMC, KL 31 The staff of Manufacturing Group Waiting patiently for lunch to be served Santa Jamie The merry chatter and Christmas banter was overwhelming as staff from the machine shop, transportation and fleet management divisions (Scomi Engineering Bhd) got together for lunch at the Courtyard Garden on 21st December 2005. seeing the noisy bunch was Jamie Dix, VP of Machine Shop, who turned Santa for a day and treated us to a hearty meal. ‘’A gift from my heart’’, he said. We thank you Santa Jamie and we wish you many blessed years ahead! Contributed by: Eve Koh OMS Malaysia Sitting at the head of the table over Birthday babies ñ Ramlee (extreme right), Rahim (2nd from right) and Zainah (in blue) Birthday babies The thought of having monthly birthday celebrations for all staff at Level 3A, Wisma Chase Perdana came from the Finance division of Scomi Engineering and the idea was well received. To start the ball rolling, Louis Ong of OMS was appointed as treasurer and started the collection of contributions from all staff. The ‘celebrities’ of the month. (L-R): Ramlee, Zainah & Rahim. We celebrated the January babies birthdays collectively on 18 January. The ‘Stars’ of the month were Rahim Abdul Rahman and Zainah Baharuddin both of Scomi Sdn Bhd and Ramlee Ismail of OMS Oilfield Services. We were all treated to a spread of great food. The birthday babies received a gift each as well. Thank you to those involved in organising the birthday bash and to everyone else for their contributions. Contributed by: Eve Koh OMS Malaysia 32 Brunei Celebrates Christmas It was party time again! After a year of hard and diligent work, we all got together to enjoy a sumptuous and relaxing Christmas Dinner with friends and family. Some of us managed to catch up on stories and news long forgotten. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Long Service Award to Mr Kong Ming Sian who recently completed his 5th year with the Company. Mr Kong, the General Operator of the Machine Shop received a cash cheque. It was indeed an enjoyable evening as we left with stomachs full and a positive outlook for the year ahead! The OMS Brunei team at Christmas Celebration. Soh Nyet Lan presenting the Long Service Award to Mr Kong Ming Sian Contributed by: Soh Nyet Lan, OMS Brunei World Carnival On 9th Dec 2005, OMS Oilfield Services, Singapore & KMC Oiltools, Singapore jointly hosted its Annual Dinner & Dance at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The theme for the night was “THE WORLD CARNIVAL”. It was a showcase of the unique blend of OMS’ & KMCO’s multi-national workforce and culture from its various locations. The pre-event ‘warm-up’ included the Glamour Shots Corner, a Bhangra (North Indian) Dance and the Roving Table, an animated character who welcomed guests with chocolate dipped strawberries. Our guest of honour, Mr Chris Pianca, was ushered into the hall by 2 sexy Belly dancers and loud cheers from the staff. Mr Pianca then took us on a walk through history with a slide presentation that highlighted the fun times of past dinner and dance events. It was also the time to recognise our long serving staff and awards were presented to them by Mr Pianca. Our long serving colleagues are : NAME Tan Choon Hong, Alan Fun Fook Whye Mohd Taib Bin Ali NAME Alice Seah Quee Im Mr. Bob Mutch Angela Chong Li Lin Dinesh Chelvathurai Jane Jung Gee Ling Jocelyn Toh Swee Gim Doreen Lim Choon Lui NAME Ms. Soh Nyet Lan OMS OILFIELD SERVICES PTE LTD YEARS DESIGNATION 25 Vice President-OMS S’pore 15 Welder I 10 Special Process Technician KMC OILTOOLS (S) PTE LTD YEARS DESIGNATION 15 Executive Secretary 10 Country Manager 10 Financial Analysis Manager 10 Senior Vice President, Finance 10 Human Resources Executive 5 Management Accountant 5 Accountant PY OILTOOLS (S) PTE LTD YEARS DESIGNATION 25 Country Manager 33 Then it was time for an excellent dinner before the entertainment started. To kick it off the spontaneous Anthony Ng (Group Operations Manager of OMS) was “invited” onto stage by the sexy belly dancer to perform with her, much to the delight of the audience and the dismay of Mrs Ng. And then it went on with the sarong game. The sarong is similar to a pareo with the ends joined. The game involved squeezing as many people into the sarong as possible. Following that was sumo wrestling with our very own Jamie Dix as one of the wrestlers. The judge was none other than our Group CEO Mr Shah Hakim. We had a drag artiste and we had a cool magician who convinced our staff to become show people and join them on stage. Oh la la, we even had a world fashion show, with our own staff; there was a Scot in full Kilt, a Nyonya in Kebaya and an Indian in a Sari but the killer was the Chinese girl in her sexy Cheongsam! Lastly of course, our guest of honour, Mrs Shah Hakim gave out the lucky draws to some incredibly lucky winners. Hilarious, fun, entertaining, whatever the description, it was a night in the true OMS & KMCO tradition leaving us with good memories and looking forward to 2006. Article contributed by: Hanani Md Idris OMS Singapore Pictures contributed by: Cathryn Tan OMS Singapore The roving table serves guests Making the train to end the evening Chris Pianca in his regalia Here goes the last bit for the full monty Our fashion contestants strut their stuff Chris Chiam (left) turns magician Our Hawaian gals do the hula dance Anthony introduces the handsome hunks Jamie & Chris Group CEO Mr. Shah poses for a shot The top honchos, Shah & Pianca in a huddle discussing their strategy Packed like sardines in a tin, our bosses join the fun too. Sumo wrestlers put on their gear The Scot showing off his handsome legs Participants eagerly collating the items on their list of collectibles Our long serving staff Bob Mutch Alan Tan Soh Nyet Lan Mohd Taib Dinesh Jocelyn Toh Jane Jung Angela Chong Fun 34 Doing Our Bit for KMC Oiltools (Thailand) Ltd participated in the 2005 Thailand Oilmen’s Charity Invitational (TOCI) Golf Tournament in Pattaya from 3-4 December 2005. The Tournament attracted over 500 golfers from operators, service companies and oil & gas related companies. KMC Oiltools, Thailand, sponsored one food & beverage stand, located at one of the four participating golf courses, the Phoenix Golf Course. Serving and entertaining the golfers. Most of the staff serviced and entertained the golfers throughout the two days of golfing. The Thailand Oilmen’s Charity Invitational (TOCI) Golf Tournament is an annual golf Charity tournament held in Pattaya, Thailand each December. This popular event allows the Thai oil and gas industry a unique opportunity to gather in an informal environment, enjoy playing golf, and socialise with friends and business associates. Equally as important is the fact that all proceeds from the tournament are donated to Thai charitable organisations. Last year the tournament donated a record of 5.30 million baht to 10 Thai charities. Amongst the charities that receive aid from the Tournament are: SPE Thailand - the Thailand Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers provides scholarships to deserving and financially needy students across Thailand. The tournament’s donation helps students pursue their goal of higher education. Rainbow House - this group focuses on helping orphaned children in the Pakkret area by providing education and other ‘home’ services so that these children can then attend local schools. The Rainbow House also provides food, shelter and access to the adoption process. KMC Oiltools’s staff with OMS Team (Jamie Dix & Komkrit A.) Metro SE Asia - this is a very unique organisation that provides KMC Oiltools Team (L-R) Akachai K., ministry to Chris French, Andrew S., and Kanin L. children living around the On Nut 86 garbage dump in Bangkok. Mr. Charles Bertling, Director, and his staff visit the site weekly, making friends with the children, holding Sidewalk Sunday School, and teaching them they are someone special. Our donation will be used to help buy food and staples for the children, many of whom are orphans. Contributed by: Akachai Kongsawast KMC Oiltools (Thailand) Ltd. Customers First! We left the field with two things clear in our minds - we lost in the finals and customers come first! Team OMS Thailand, in the spirit of camaraderie and fellowship participated in the Sixth Aero Field Cup, an indoor soccer tournament on 03-04 December last year. This tournament, organised by the Unocal Songkhla Soccer Club, is held annually with the aim of encouraging sportsmanship as well as being a platform for people within the industry to get together in a fun environment. The event is also organised to promote healthy living. The first day was a victorious day for our team as we won all four games, earning us an easy entry into the 2nd and final round the following day. We stepped into the field the next day as the favourite. With the crowd cheering on, we were confident of a win. Our opponent was the team from Unocal, our customer. The game was very exciting and eventful but when the final whistle was blown, we were behind by one goal. Team Unocal won with a 3-2 advantage over us. Our team captain, high spirited and full of encouragement had only one thing to say, ‘’We could have won but we never let our customers go home beaten’’. Contributed by: Komkrit Aumuauykiat, OMS Songkhla (Back L-R): Thanakorn, Thanawut, Rachian, Laehyama, Yuda (Front L-R): Ale, Benchawan & Sakprasit. 35 “Star of the Day” The 28.7kg Tenggiri fish. Captain Harry (extreme left) with one of his crew showing -off the Merlin. Big Catch The whole crew with the catch of the day. at Jakarta’s Laut Bernuangan Headed by Rig superintendent, Harry Syahrully, our team of 7 ventured deep into the waters of Bernuangan, Jakarta, uncertain of what we would reap from the seas that December morning. Little did we expect, to find in our net, a Merlin fish weighing 25kg. There was too little time for excited pats on the backs and big handshakes as the sea offered us the ‘’catch-of-the-day’’, a 28.7 kilogram ‘’Tenggiri’’ fish! It could not have been a better catch! The overjoyed fishermen did not know what to do with the successful catch but then decided that spicy, sour, and a touch of sweet marinated-fish would be very appetising for lunch, especially if it was lovingly prepared by Ibu Bogor. The initial suggestion of giving it to me was unanimously rejected. ‘’Kita pasti mau tau dulu Pak Nyegang nya orang baik atau tidak... Take home and get ibu Bogor masak - pasti nya enak dong.’’ (“We have to check whether Nyegang is a nice guy or not before we give him the fish... lets take the fish home and get Madam Bogor to cook it – it will definitely be delicious.”) I took home the smaller catches. We look forward to our next fishing trip at Soronglangun, North Sumatra. Contributed by: Nyegang Ensa, KMC Oiltools, Jakarta Our smaller catch Harry and his crew with their hard-earned catch. 36 Silver in the Bag for KMC Oiltools Australia KMC Oiltools, Australia ended year 2005 with a record quantity of V300 screens sales. In only six weeks we successfully sold 546 units of V300 screens to our customers. What could only be described as a logistical challenge, our team pulled together to beg, borrow and shuffle, managing to fill all orders within the deadlines requested by the clients located at all ends of the country. Our thanks go to KMC Oiltools Aberdeen for supplying some of their screens to help put this together. In order to put a bit of fun into it, we decided to create the ‘’V300 Club’’ making KMC Oiltools Australia the inaugural member. For 500 Screens sold in a quarter, we have awarded ourselves with a Bronze Certificate. Our next target is 1000 Screens in a quarter, which would bag us the silver. So anyone in the group who cares to join just needs to let us know, showing their sales quantity for any quarter. Care to play? Well come on then, the benchmark has been set, the challenge has been issued, catch us if you can. Aiming for silver (L-R): Gheorghe Fillimon, Steve Burt & Brett Peek. Final delivery of the V300 Screens. With trials starting back in December 2004 it was a challenge in itself to get the sales going, but with a great product and the worldwide support we started to make the progress we knew we could. After the initial sale to Woodside Energy Limited and word of mouth through the industry, more and more enquires came and like the hungry packs we are, there was no way we were letting any chances slip away. Our largest order came with 200 on one purchase order, followed by 144. So, with the doors wide open and the product performing, we continue to make solid progress to increase our overall sales. With five rigs using our VSM screens and another due in April, KMC Oiltools Australia is taking every opportunity available to get to that silver. Contributed by: Brett Peek KMC Oiltools, Australia Christmas in Darwin A Christmas lunch party was thrown for the staff of Darwin and their families on 10 December 2005. The party was held at the Cazaly’s Restaurant in Palmerston. After lunch, everyone adjourned to another room for a game of snooker. Parents and their children got into teams and competed against one another. It was a simple yet great day and we all had a good time. Contributed by: Mark Fraser & Kerry Beisiegel OMS Darwin Seated clockwise: Lingam & daughter, Priya, Devaraj, Riley and his partner, Thane, Kerry’s daughter, Chelsea and Mark’s three sons, Amir, Danial and Zainal. 37 MENA Parties! Great music, fabulous food and excellent company were the highlights of the evening at Silvio Bresciani’s home as he hosted a fantastic party for the staff of KMC Oiltools, Dubai Office on 20 October 2005. The party was held to celebrate the end of the MENA budget meeting that was held from 18 - 20 October and was also graced by the presence of Mr Chris Pianca, President of KMC Oiltools; Mr Dinesh Chelvathurai, CFO of Scomi Group, Mr Zubaidi Harun, Deputy VP - Corporate Development (International Division) and Mr Paul Tipton, Head of Drilling Fluids Support Group. The evening was made more eventful with the presentation of Long Service Awards and the birthday celebration of Silvio. It was indeed an evening of lots of fun and frolic. Birthday Boy Silvio (in red) receiving a gift from Mr. Chris Pianca Contributed by: Jennifer D‘Souza KMC Oiltools, Dubai 6 5 3 1 Mr. Chris Pianca with some of the recipients of the long service award: 1. David Forbes 2. Dave Macbain 3. Gerald Lobo 4. Hameed Al Mughrabi 5. Gopinath Nair 6. Egon De Vries 2 Our Men of 4 Calibre The KMC Oiltools Dubai Solids Control / Operation Department was proud to receive a thank you note and a token of appreciation from the Margham Dubai Establishment for the MDE’s 2004-05 Drilling Campaign - Zero LTI. The note was signed by John Capps, General Manager and Ian Fletcher, Safety Manager of Margham. An excerpt of the letter states: “We thank you for your contributions in achieving satisfactory Safety performance during MDE’s 2004-05 drilling campaign comprising drilling of M-18, M-19 and North Margham 1 wells with drilling rig T-79. We hereby enclose a momento to mark Lost-time incident free operation of the rig T-79 during the above drilling campaign”. The team consisted of John D’Souza, Workshop Supervisor, Alex D’Souza, Workshop Technician, Ouseph Antony, Assistant Mechanic / Solids Control Operator, Shinaj Vinodan, Service Engineer, Myint Aung, Service Engineer, Kumaran Sudharsan, Solids Control Operator, Somchai Ployprasert, Service Engineer Rotation and Jerson Saguin, Service Engineer - Rotation. On behalf of the KMC Oiltools management, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere appreciation to the KMC Oiltools Dubai team for their outstanding safety performance. This could not have been achieved without the dedication and professionalism that the team put forth daily. You each have set an example for KMC Oiltools personnel to follow. All personnel represented the company on this project and we commend you for a job well done! (L-R) Jerson, Alex, Somchai, John, Kumaran, Ouseph & Shinaj. Myint (Not in Picture) Contributed by: Arlene D. Espinoza KMC Oiltools, Dubai 38 As a golf fanatic it’s always nice to participate in a customer event hoping to pick up a prize or two along the way. The Pipeline Lufthansa Texas Scramble was my first competition in the UAE. The Tournament was held on 10 November at the Arabian Ranches golf course. Partners in crime were Andrew Bothwell, Distribution Manager and David MacBain, DWM Business Development Manager, both of KMC Oiltools, and Ronnie Steel from KCA Deutag. The need to practice was certainly called for as we had to see how we play as a team and also to work on our strategies. The week before the tournament, we took to the course and managed to practice 1 round of the Texas scramble. By the end of the day, we had planned our strategy and decided on who will drive, who will hit second and who can keep it in play! Texas If this was a game of speech, there would have been no doubt that we would surely win through the participation of Ronnie and Andy. Unfortunately, in this game, the golf clubs would have to do the talking or playing. After the practice round, we thought we stood a good chance of not disappointing ourselves in the real game. Scramble at the Arabian Ranches On the morning of the competiton, Dave and I hit the range early to brush away any cobwebs from the night before. Dave, who was still learning the game was a wee bit uptight as he may have to hit 4 drives for the day and this was proving difficult on the range. Andy and Ronnie were simply confident. We started at hole six with a steady par - nothing to get excited about. As we continued through hole nine, we picked up one birdie to give us 1 under par 35 for the front nine. On the back nine, we thought we were out of the hunt but three birdie in a row giving us 4 under 6 to play. Unfortunately a bogey at 15, then a birdie 17 left us 4 under for the round with a 59.2 for the day. We finished fourth out of the 34 teams that participated. We missed 3rd place by .2 and 2nd place by one shot. Oh how the bogey hurt us on 15! Contributed by: David Forbes KMC Oiltools, UAE “This is how you hold a golf club”, Andy Bothwell (left) explaining to Dave MacBain Test run (L-R): Andy Bothwell, Ronnie Steele & Dave MacBain Gentlemen in A Row (L-R): Andy Bothwell, Dave MacBain, Ronnie Steele & David Forbes 39 MENA Staff Safe & Sound Safety Employee of the Quarter The title of “Safety Employee of the Quarter” for Q3 last year went to Mr. John D’Souza, the Solids Control Department Supervisor, who joined the Company in 1992 as a workshop mechanic. With just over 14 years of service with KMC Oiltools, he is the key person in the department, working long hours and sometimes, over the weekends to complete the projects and tasks assigned to him efficiently. He has exceeded expectations through his dedication and commitment to the company. His initiatives and positive attitude towards additional responsibilities has contributed greatly to the successful accomplishment of many projects. Although John maintains a low profile, his leadership qualities are exemplary and he is able to maintain good relationships with his colleagues. In addition to that, John was also the recipient of the highest number of safety awards for 2005. In recognition of his leadership skills and outstanding attitude toward safety, John was awarded a crystal trophy and monetary award by Silvio Bresciani, Vice President Middle East / North Africa. Here we have a staff exemplifying Scomi’s core values of commitment & self motivation, leadership and teamwork. Silvio presenting the award to John Congratulations John on your much deserved award! Best Safety Observation Card Recipients Mr. Somchai Ployprasert, Service Engineer KMC Oiltools (Cayman) Ltd. was awarded the “Best Safety Observation Card” for the month of October 2005. His attitude towards safety earned him a certificate and monetary award, which were presented by Silvio Bresciani. In recognition for his outstanding safety vigilance and contribution to the safety programmes organised and practiced within the company, Mr Jerson Saguin was awarded the “Best Safety Observation Card” for December 2005. Silvio presented him with a certificate and monetary award. On a different note, Ms. Siham Bettache, QHSE Manager - Middle East/ North Africa successfully completed a course in Basic Drilling Fluids Engineering, from 28th Sept to 28th Oct 2005 conducted by KMC Oiltools Overseas (M) Ltd. in Malaysia. Congratulations and keep up the good work! Contributed by: Arlene D. Espinoza KMC Oiltools (Cayman) Ltd, Dubai Jerson with Silvio Silvio with Somchai Seated front row, 2nd from left is Siham at one of her courses. 40 Friends Forever! All the Best Silvio wishing George all the best George & his wife taking the limelight. George! When George told us some time ago that he was planning to move to Canada, little did we realise that that day would come so soon. Also present were the rest of the management and staff. The presence of his family made the afternoon even more memorable. On 17 November, George Munshi bade us farewell, leaving behind not only eleven years of service with KMC Oiltools, but also friends and colleagues. We had a lovely lunch at the Coconut Groove, Rydges Plaza, Dubai with excellent Indian ambience and great food. George was a committed and sincere person. He dedicated his years with KMC Oiltools as a Solids Control Engineer. In his short speech, George thanked all for the support and friendship throughout the years at KMC Oiltools, which had become his second home. Present at George’s farewell party were Mr Silvio Bresciani and his entire family, Mr Girish Narayan, Regional Controller, MENA and Nick Hawkins, Business Development Manager, MENA. The Management and staff of KMC Oiltools wish him and his family all the best and happiness! Some of George’s friends and family members eagerly waiting for the food Contributed by: Jennifer D’Souza KMC Oiltools, Dubai Sharing a light moment Guests having a good time 41 A Tribute to Dubai’s Visionary Leader The Late Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid AL Maktoum The entire nation was shattered by the death of its Prime Minister and Ruler, Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum who returned to the Almighty on 4 January 2006. He gave expatriates a place to call home and the UAE people, a land to be proud of. His tenure as the leader of UAE has resulted in major infrastructure projects, including the construction of internationally-renowned sporting facilities, an impressive road network system, modern parks and gardens, and public libraries. The Dubai International Airport was also expanded and improved to reflect the Emirates’ status as the regional aviation hub. The progress in UAE is a testimony of his foresight, generosity and kindness. Sheikh Maktoum always believed that the youth are UAE’s future and emphasised that the growing number of youth with high education degrees is proof of the country’s education structure. He also stressed the importance of educating women as they play a major role in society. Apart from that, Sheikh Maktoum introduced Arabs to international horse racing, an area in which they now excel as owners and trainers. Along with his brothers, he ran the highly successful Godolphin stables. On the international front, Sheikh Maktoum’s policy was to spread love and peace amongst all nations. UAE has enjoyed good relations with countries around the world, drawing many to this homeland for economic and business opportunities. Sheikh Maktoum’s dream was to make Dubai a land of peace, harmony and opportunities. His dream has come true. Looking at Dubai today, it has become a unique place that fosters strong bonds between people. There is a vibrancy that is enjoyed by both locals and foreigners, and most importantly, he has made this a land that inspires people to dream of a better life. For Sheikh Maktoum, his dream of people’s happiness has come true. He shall live on forever in our hearts. Contributed by: Jennifer D’Souza, KMC Oiltools, Dubai Visionary leader: Shaikh Mahtoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum africa Aerial view, right angle of the T8 rig. KMC Oiltools Congo Introduces Itself The KMC Oiltools, Congo office is located close to the industrial estate of Pointe-Noire. We have been around West Africa for quite sometime, previously under Wasco Oil. Unfortunately, at the end of the 90s, Wasco and the oil industry, in general, were badly affected by the country’s political situation, which resulted in our activities coming to a standstill. Aerial view, left angle of the T8 rig. I was hired in 2003 and my responsibilities then included starting over the company and gaining market share. I achieved this six months later when we won the Total T8 contract. Most of our business since then has been with Total Exploration & Production Congo on the tender rig T8. Our other business associates and clients are from major oil companies such as ENI, Total, Perenco and Zetah MP Congo, and drilling contractors such as Smdevig, Pride, Saipem and Caroil. We are currently in a transition phase and are growing in activities and business opportunities. Our team, consisting of Leonard Mpandzou- Logistic Coordinator, Guillaume Herault- T8 Supervisor, Andre Mboumba - Lead Service Operator, Armand Biyoko - Service Operator, Alphonse Moussoki - Service Operator and myself, County Manager, are confident of meeting all our clients’ needs efficiently. Contributed by: Nicolas Rouzé, KMC Oiltools, Congo-Gabon, Africa 42 Most computer users have heard about computer viruses. One might think of a computer virus as a tiny computer programme designed to perform mischief. A computer virus is the result of a destructive programme that someone has written and placed inside a computer programme, which unsuspecting people then place in their computer systems. Each virus is different. Some viruses can erase all the information from the place where it’s stored on the computer’s hard disk. Some display strange messages on your computer screen while others make small changes in your computer programmes. Where do these viruses come from? They certainly don’t float around in the air like some human viruses. Instead, like any other computer programme, a human must create them. Why do people create them? It’s hard to say. Some people create these programmes out of meanness to get even. While others create them just as a challenge. How does your computer get a virus? Almost exactly the way humans do. The computer gets exposed to one. Many virus will attach itself to the new programme. In this way, it can slowly infect all your programmes before you know that it exists. Today millions of dollars are being spent to rid and protect computer systems from these virus programmes. Commercial and shareware programmes have been created with the sole purpose of detecting and fixing suspected programmes that might be infected by viruses. These detection programmes should run when any disk is put into your disk drive or when most computer users have heard about computer viruses. COMPUTER VIRUSWHAT IS IT REALLY? people get contaminated computer programmes by trading programmes with other people. Others get contaminated computer programmes through the use of modems, which allow computers to communicate over telephone lines i.e. the internet. Most of the time, programmes that arrive by modem or a trade are perfectly safe to use. However, you do stand a chance of getting a programme that has been tampered with. Here is where a computer programme virus is hidden inside the normal programme. When this programme enters your computer through your input device, it hides in your computer’s memory and starts to duplicate itself like a disease. When you save your data, you also save the virus. Slowly but surely, the virus crowds out your data and causes major system problems. The virus can’t affect the computer’s ROM (Read Only Memory), but it can affect the RAM (Random Access Memory) and your computer disks. When you shut off your computer a virus that has been picked up will be lost, just like any other memory that is held in the RAM. If the virus is on your disk or hard drive, it will return to the computer when you use the programme again. If you switch from one programme to another without shutting down the machine, the Installing a good anti-virus software programme is your first line of defense. Be sure to choose a programme that provides automatic updates so that when new viruses are unleashed, new updates are installed on your system to counteract them. If you have to depend on your memory to check on the latest viruses and retrieve updates, you are very likely to be a virus victim. Also make sure your anti-virus programme scans incoming and outgoing emails, since many viruses can enter or exit your machine by that method. Of course you should never open unexpected attachments since they can easily unleash a virus in your system. Be sure to set up your programme to run a regular virus scan on your complete system as well. Finally, don’t forget that a good data backup practice is good insurance against the effects of data loss from a virus as well as from a hard drive crash or other equipment failure. If all your anti-virus measures are somehow inadequate, your backup data can be used to restore your system to full operating status. Contributed by: Abd Rahim Ismail Mokhtar Scomi Group, KL 43 Wealth or Health? This is a common question many of us are often asked or left to ponder. How do we make that decision on which of these two deserves more attention; on which will make us a happier person; on which will promise us a better life? It does not require an immediate decision but it does deserve a little more of our attention. ? Consider this - we may not be able to enjoy wealth if we are not healthy and vice versa. We may not be able to enjoy a healthier lifestyle if we do not have the means to buy the necessary food, medication and health equipment. So, which is more important, wealth or health? Honestly, we cannot deny that both, wealth and health are equally important in each person’s life. It is important that we find ways to maintain the balance between the two. ? Not so long ago, a friend of mine advised me on how I could achieve the balance, which I would like to share with you. Health • Go for regular medical check-ups. Sicknesses, diseases or chronic illnesses can be detected early and medical attention can be sought immediately. Men above 30 years of age should go for regular cardio tests whilst women should make regular visits to their gynaecologist for breast cancer checks. • Select and eat food that contains less sugar, oil, starch or fat. Take regular meals and eat moderately. Wealth • If you can afford, take some supplements to balance your diet. But preferably, take natural supplement foods such as dates, fruits and figs to balance your meal. • Don’t let past failures stop you from moving forward. Every fall is an opportunity to learn something new and make improvements. • Always think positive. • Be willing to accept changes. • Exercise for at least 30 minutes, 3 days a week. You don’t have to purchase expensive exercise machines or pay hefty gymnasium membership fees. Just get yourself a pair of comfortable walking shoes and take brisk walks. • Drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. Office • Get appropriate sleep. Find time to also relax, which in turn will reduce your stress level. • Organise family outings, such as picnics or sporting activities with friends and family. Participating in these activities will improve your physical and mental fitness. • Consult and take advice from the right person. Gaining wealth is much simpler than maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Aim for both, invest in them and enjoy life! Contributed by: Sabri Abu Bakar KMC Malaysia, KL Politics Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are just content to watch while others do the work. They are called “Spec Taters”. Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted at finding fault with the way others do the work. They are called “Comment Taters”. Some people are very bossy and like to tell others what to do, but don’t want to soil their own hands. They are called “Dick Taters”. Some people are always looking to cause problems by asking others to agree with them. It is too hot or too cold, too sour or too sweet. They are called “Agie Taters”. There are those who say they will help, but somehow just never get around to actually doing the promised help. They are called “Hezzie Taters”. Some people can put up a front and pretend to be someone they are not. They are called “Immy Taters”. Then there are those who love others and do what they say they will. They are always prepared to stop whatever they are doing and lend a helping hand. They bring real sunshine into the lives of others. They are called “Sweet Po Taters”. 44 Football Fever Needs Medical Attention… Basic German Lessons “You heading up to Germany for the World Cup this year?” Here are some basic sentences to break the ice and to start off a conversation with a fellow fan. Wer bist du? Who are you? Ich bin I am… “Ich” means “I” in German “bin” stands for “am” So “Ich bin” means “I am” Wo wohnst du? Where do you live? “Where” is “Wo” in… Ich wohne in I live in… “Ich” as you already know, means “I” “wohne in” means “live in” Wie geht es dir? How is it going? Mir geht es gut. I feel fine. Mir geht es schlecht. I feel bad Mir geht es solala. I feel so and so Tschüs! Bye! Guten Morgen! Good Morning Guten Tag! Good Afternoon Guten Abend Good Evening Guten Nacht Good Evening Bis gleich! See you soon Mach’s gut! Take care Wo bleiben Sie? Where are you staying? Ich bleibe an I am staying at… Was ist Ihre Lieblingsmannschaft? What’s your favourite team? Meine favoruite Mannschaft ist My favourite team is… Ich spiele gern Fußball. I’m always eager to play football. Ich interessiere mich für Fußball spielen. I’m interested in playing football. Wie spat˚˚ ist es? What time is it? Es ist halb drei It’s half past two Danke! Thanks! Now that you can speak basic German, just a note to remember... Besides differences in word order, the German language is unlike English in that German makes extensive use of inflectional endings. The verb is inflected to show person, number, tense, and mood; and the subjunctive is frequently used. Just in case you think there is a need to learn more words, just log on to http://babelfish.altavista.com/ and get this free online translation service. It makes it possible for you to convey your thoughts, ideas, hopes, dreams, ambitions, experience and anything else football! Contributed by: Shamini Nadarajah Scomi Group, KL 45 Muhammad Wafi Son of Fadmawati (Scomi Sdn Bhd) & Hasrul Haizi 24 September 2005 Rheanna George Daughter of Rajesh George (KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen) & Audrey George 6 February 2006 Hairul Azraai (Scomi Sdn Bhd) & Fariza 16 December 2005 Adam Haziq Son of Abd Rahim (Scomi Group) & Azila Zainuddin 31 December 2005 Fiona Dianne Stewart Daughter of Richard Stewart (KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen) & Vivien Stewart 21 December 2005 Shamus Wong Choon Thow (Scomi Sdn Bhd) & Lee Shiah Luan 15 October 2005 Malcolm Greig (OMS, Balikpapan) & Bernadetta Widiasthoeti Handayani 14 January 2006 Niall Wilson Brown Son of Lynne Brown (KMC Oiltools, Aberdeen) & Gordon Brown 22 December 2005 Ashlee Kate Daughter of Brett Peek (KMC Oiltools, Australia) & Calli Peek 5 July 2005 Shahrizan & Roshahida (Scomi Group) 1 January 2006 Chris French (KMC Oiltools, Thailand) & Supawadee French 16 December 2005 Dini Daniel Son of Azmin Shah (OilServe Marine) & Nor Masura Masran 8 October 2005 Emma Elizabeth Shaw Daughter of Chris Shaw (KMC Oiltools, Canada) & Melissa Knox 30 December 2005 Henry Engkor (Scomi Sdn Bhd) & Martila Ginsos 27 December 2005 Emily Marie Gutierrez Daughter of Cisco Gutierrez (KMC Oiltools, Venezuela) & Martha Gutierrez 29 September 2005 Devaraj Loganathan (OMS, Darwin) & Kalpana Gangadharan 24 October 2005 Vincent Brian Wong & Jessie Chan (Scomi Group) 26 November 2005 46 Quiz 35 & 36 Quiz 35 Quiz 36 TWIST A WORD TIGHTEN IT UP All four words in each group below use the same letters the same number of times, but in different arrangements. For example: From each word below, drop one letter and rearrange the remaining letters to form a second word that has much the same meaning a)healing ointment …SALVE. Example: Enrage - Anger b) washes or bathes…LAVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. c) valleys…VALES d) serf…SLAVE Twist a word to find out the meaning of the following: 1.(a) A small rock (b) Brief message (c) First stage of disease (d) Pitches in music 2.(a) Felines (b) Begone! Get out! (c) Persons in a play (d) Divisions of a drama Shrubs Clatter Stench Pilfer Blabber Prance Scraped Adornment All entries for Quiz 35 & 36 should be forwarded to focus.editor@scomigroup.com.my. Send your entries by 30 April 2006. Answer & Winners Quiz 33 27 pieces of chocolates Winners Azyarani Khamis (Scomi Sdn Bhd, KL) Hendry Gumilar (KMC Oiltools, Indonesia) Srianita (Scomi Group Bhd, KL) Goh Leong Oi (KMC, Miri) David Gergen (KMC Oiltools, USA) Ranya Elfil (KMC Oiltools, Sudan) Quiz 34 French Toast Cornflakes Cheese Omelette Espresso Hotcakes Poached Eggs Cinnamon Roll Orange Juice Winners Ragendra Sandhu (KMC, KL) Hazila Abd Halim (KMC, KL) Nitahatiti Md Razali (KMC, KL) Kerry Shirer (KMC Oiltools, Europe) Marni Makus (OMS Labuan) Noor Aini Mustafa (KMC, KL) Winners please contact the Editor focus.editor@scomigroup.com.my Meena @ +60-3-20805189, Shamini @ +60-3-20805130 or Rahim @ +60-3-20806204 to collect your prizes A Publication by specially for you SCOMI GROUP BHD 5th Floor, Wisma Chase Perdana, Off Jalan Semantan, Damansara Heights, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: +603-2080 5080 Fax: +603-7490 5131 www.scomigroup.com.my