The monthly newsletter for Petroleum Development Oman staff and its Contractors

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6 Mega ProgressYibal Khuff Latest

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9 Star AttractionRevamped Planetarium

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10 When The Going Gets Tough Wahiba Challenge

Issue - 422March 2014

Driving Process Safety in 2013

Under the patronage of theMinistry of Oil and Gas Oman

Guest of HonourH.E. Salim bin Nasser bin Said al Au� , Undersecretary, Ministry of Oil & Gas Oman

Keynote Speaker Raoul Restucci, Managing Director, PDO

International Summit: 14-16 April 2014 • Interactive Workshop: 13 April 2014Grand Hyatt Muscat, Oman

Hosted by

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Features

First Word

Dear Colleagues,

There is a strong focus in this month’s al Fahal on the fantastic celebrations which took place on PDO Excellence Day.

The Chairman’s Award for Excellence and Dr Abdulla al Lamki Award for Developing Talent competitions were incredibly difficult to judge such was the overall quality of the nominations – a sure sign of the health and vibrancy of PDO.

Each of the winners of the technical and non-technical categories demonstrated an ability to go the extra mile and a genuine pride in their work and it’s that ethos which will hold us in good stead for the future. I was also very happy for DALTA winner Sheikha Juma al Mughery and the delighted reaction she received from the crowd. This was testament to both her inspirational work with her colleagues in the Gas Directorate but also to the fact that talent development is now gaining the kudos in PDO it justifiably deserves.

Our guest of honour, His Excellency Dr Mohammed bin Hamad al Rumhy, the Minister of Oil and Gas and Chairman of the PDO Board, and all the MDC members were enthused and impressed not only by the standard of CAE and DALTA entrants but also by the energy, creativity, passion and camaraderie exhibited around the stalls. It was clear much thought had gone into the presentations, again something which made me feel proud to be part of PDO.

This edition also features important news about one of our three mega projects – Yibal Khuff – the FEED phase of which is now 75% complete and on track to finish in August this year. The scheme, which is the largest and most complex front end engineering design (FEED) in our history, has registered many firsts for PDO. Indeed, our in-house FEED Office has raised the bar in delivering ‘best-in-class’ design performance standards, detailed and consistent with Company and international benchmarks. The close relationship with the project team has also been fundamental to the progress so far and it is that sort of integrated teamwork which is also seeing similar advances at Rabab Harweel and Budour.

Finally, a word about our new revamped Planetarium which has now been officially opened. The complex is one of our Gifts To The Nation and is a wonderful attraction, which offers fascinating hi-tech shows on astronomy, space, astrophysics and earth sciences and I would heartily recommend a visit to you, your friends and families.

Raoul RestucciManaging Director

An Excellent Example .............................1

A Winning Combination ........................3

PDO Unveils New Safety Campaign

For Fishermen ............................................5

Fathiya Wins Top Award ........................5

Mega Progress At Yibal Khuff .............6

A Watertight Solution ............................7

Staff In The Spotlight ...............................8

Star Attraction ............................................9

Lean Replication ........................................9

ICV Effor ts Praised By Brunei

Minister ....................................................10

When The Going Gets Tough .......... 10

Stall Stars ................................................... 11

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Email: editors@pdo.co.om

1

the 10th annual Chairman’s Award for Excellence was a fitting way to round off a record-breaking year for Pdo.

the event lived up to expectation with around 2,000 staff turning out for celebrations in glorious sunshine to mark outstanding performance and teamwork in 2013.

Applause rang out as the winners of the CAE were announced with the oil south directorate collecting gold in the technical category for a gas flaring reduction scheme and the People and Change directorate winning the non-technical competition for lean deployment.

in his speech, guest of honour, the Minister of oil and Gas, His Excellency dr Mohammed bin Hamad al rumhy, praised Pdo’s contribution to oman saying: “this is one of the highlights of my year’s calendar.

“We often talk about Pdo and your

contribution to our nation. i am very, very proud of all of you. i hope we can continue this momentum of achievement...of dedication to our country. You really are an example for all of us to follow. We are not informing the nation enough of what you are doing here.”

He also singled out the contribution of the 823 women in Pdo, who constitute more than 11% of the staff, adding: “i am extremely proud of you, your contribution to Pdo, your energy, your bravery, especially those working in the interior. You are an example for our daughters and our sisters.”

overall, there were 156 CAE nominations from all directorates – 100 technical and 56 non-technical.

Marmul-rtQ lead Process/Concept Engineer raied dabbagh summed up the thoughts of his oil south directorate colleagues on the gold technical win,

AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE

2

AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLEsaying: “We are delighted to win this prestigious award, which stands as proof to our adherence to operational excellence and high environmental performance.

“We like to see these projects as our mission to stop emission. they are of prime importance as they are steps towards achieving Pdo’s corporate philosophy of zero flaring. this mission will be a long-term benefit to oman for both present and future generations.”

speaking on behalf of the winning lean team, salman niyaz said: “We were very happy to receive the gold award, especially as we were up against some exceptional projects.

“Winning the award underlines the very real progress Pdo is making across the board in adopting lean principles, tools, behaviours and practices to improve business efficiency.”

Praising the high calibre of the

entries, CAE scheme Manager Hussain al noumani said: “the last decade has seen a lot of changes but one thing that remained constant is the delivery of first-class projects across Pdo.”

there were joyful scenes amid a cascade of colourful ticker tape as sheikha Juma al Mughery, saih rawl Cluster leader in the Gas directorate, became the first woman to win the dr Abdulla al lamki Award for developing talent (dAltA) – named after Pdo’s former deputy Managing director – which honours the person who has done most to foster staff development.

Please turn to pages 3-4 and 11-12 for more coverage of the awards and Pdo Excellence day and see next month’s magazine for an interview with the dAltA winner, sheikha Juma al Mughery.

3

Managing Director Raoul Restucci hailed the winners of the 10th annual Chairman’s Award for Excellence after a record-breaking 2013.

Last year, the Company achieved its best ever production and safety records, pushed ahead on the exploration, project delivery and Lean fronts and expanded In-Country Value efforts to increase Omani jobs, training, skills and business development.

Raoul, who accompanied His Excellency Dr Mohammed bin Hamad al Rumhy on the day, said: “2013 was truly a great year for PDO with a series of record achievements. The MDC found it very difficult to differentiate amongst the

quality and select the winners and as far as I am concerned, you are all winners, great examples of excellence in action.”

Referring to the overall winners, Raoul said that Lean had now “reached a tipping point” in driving delivery and performance and said: “It must become long term, sustainable and part of our DNA.”

And he commended the gas flaring reduction scheme, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and aims to save 780,000m3 per day, as “a fantastic example of teamwork and excellence.”

A WINNING COMBINATION

Dr Salim al Rawahi becomes the first ever winner of the DALTA prize for developing talent

3

4

Technical

Gold winner:Oil South Directorate – South Flare Gas ReductionThe project, aims to eliminate the flaring ofassociated gas at a rate of 780,000m3/day.It was initiated in 2011 when self-regulatingpressure control valves were installed at thetanks' blanketing system at the Marmul watertreatment plant to minimise consumptionfrom the South Oman Gas Line. This reducedcontinuous gas flaring of 516,000m3/day downto 13,000m3/day from all the four tanks whichwere originally designed as an open system.An integrated solution was considered the best for the Marmul/RTQ gas recovery grid. Here, Qaharir, Thuleilat and Marmul WTP will discharge the recovered gas into the gridusing respective gas recoverycompressors to recover approximately29,000m3/day of AP flashed gas, which will beon-stream in Q2 2018.New educator technology is under installationat the Zauliyah power station which will be on-stream in Q3 2014 to recover about 5,000m3/d of AP gas. If successful, this technology will be applied across PDO.

Silver winner: Oil North Directorate – Yibal A Reinstatement

Bronze winner:Corporate Planning Department – Amal Solar Steam Generation Pilot

Please turn to page 11 for coverage of PDO Excellence Day

Non-technical

Gold winner:People and Change Directorate – Lean DeploymentThis has now been implemented in five value streams: Well and Reservoir Management, Well Delivery, Operate and Maintain, Contract and Procurement and People. WRM Lean Value Stream Leader Riyadh Moosa said: “The whole thing is about establishing best practice in one area then spreading it across the organisation to become the way we do business normally. Lean is going to be key to transforming PDO and the way it does business so we can achieve the targets that we have promised our shareholders and the country of Oman.”

Silver winner:Oil North Directorate - Exception Based Surveillance – Driving (Behavioural) Change

Bronze winner: Study Centre - Building Expertise In The Study Centre

DALTA

The day saw the first ever female DALTA winner, Sheikha Juma al Mughery, the Saih Rawl Cluster Leader. The competition was launched in 2012 to recognise the inspirational but unsung heroes who foster staff development. There were 156 nominations, of which 55 unique – 49 were Omani, and six expatriate, with 50 men and five women.

Sheikha emerged victorious holding off tough competition from Process Optimisation Suppor t Mohammed Shaikh and Corporate Safety and Environment Manager Mohamed al Salmani.

She said: “I thanked Allah, I felt honoured to be chosen for this award.”

4

PDO has launched a high-level campaign to raise awareness among fishermen of the dangers of operating in and around the Mina al Fahal port area under the auspices of H.E. Dr Hamed bin Said al Aufi the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth

The campaign, which has the backing of the Government and Royal Oman Police Coast Guard (ROPCG) and PDO’s Marine Terminal team, will focus on the hazards and risks of fishing in the restricted zone.

PDO Corporate Affairs Manager Suleiman al Mantheri addressed a meeting of key Government figures and local fishermen at Darsait, saying: “As everyone knows, oil exports are the main source of income for the country, and the MAF marine area his very active movement throughout the year because of the export of oil, including the movement of international ships and other support vessels. There is no doubt that we are all aware of the need to strengthen safety standards in this area, and should not allow the occurrence of any incidents that would harm people, environment or export facilities.”

There are more than 1,000 movements of large crude tankers in the area every year with crews loading hydrocarbons for export from the Mina al Fahal terminal and there is a desire to minimise the chances of accidents, such as collisions with ships, service vessels, divers on maintenance work or chain support buoys.

The perimeter of the 25 square kilometre area stretches east from Al Fahal Island to Mutrah and is patrolled by the ROPCG. Since 2002, there have been more than 700 reported infringements in or

in the approaches to the area. So far this year, there have been three incidents of boats fishing too close to buoys and one in which a boat was actually tied to one. Those who break the law can be fined up to RO 500.

External Affairs Director Abdul-Amir al Ajmi said: “The Mina al Fahal port area is a hazardous environment and fishermen should not be operating there. As well as oil tankers and tugs, there are also pipelines, buoys and divers, not to mention the risks from combustible hydrocarbon vapours.

“Safety is our overarching priority and we want to work with the local community to highlight the dangers of trying to catch fish in the restricted zone and urge them to ply their trade further out to sea.

“This campaign marks a step-change in a collective effort to make these particular coastal waters safer for all while supporting a sustainable, safer fishing industry.”

Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries Wealth, ROPCG, the Walis of Mutrah and Bawshar and fishermen from the village of Darsait and Aint were invited to the campaign launch event on Thursday (23 January, 2014) at Darsait School.

H.E. the Undersecretary Dr Hamed al Aufi

said: “We want to do everything we can to help fishermen operate efficiently and effectively - but above all safely.

“Far too often, fishing vessels are encroaching into the restricted area, putting themselves and others in harm’s way. As well as the risk of collision between boats and oil transport and pipeline infrastructure, there is an environmental cost.

“Damage caused to terminal equipment may lead to pollution and “lost” fishing equipment will clutter the seabed for many years, snagging fish which could otherwise have been caught for commercial use.

“We need to heighten awareness that this hazardous area is really the last place where crews should be casting nets and lines.”

New warning signs have been erected, information booklets will be issued to boat licence holders – including sailing boat users - and there will be ongoing community engagement. The new campaign reprises a successful drive on Mina al Fahal port safety in 2002 but PDO is also taking further steps to help fishermen secure their living.

Managing Director Raoul Restucci and His Excellency Fuad Bin Ja’afar al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), covering the construction of a breakwater in Darsait and the rehabilitation of the coast of Aint, both close to Mina al Fahal.

The project costs around RO 1.6 million and is aimed at supporting local fishermen by enabling the safe launch of fishing boats and offering protection in difficult sea conditions.

Well Engineer Fathiya al Rajaibi has made the headlines again after winning a top prize for her achievements in the oil and gas industry.

Fathiya made history when she became the first woman in Oman, and probably the Gulf, to obtain the Shell Round 1 certificate. And she has now won the Al Mar’a Excellence Award for Petroleum Services.

The awards ceremony is an annual event which highlights female Omani achievers from different sectors.

Fathiya, who joined the Well Engineering Planning and Support section as a technical assistant in September 2007, said: “I have been running the workover unit since September 2012 which is new knowledge for me and a different experience. My next plan is do the Round II and move to drilling.

“I was very proud to win the award which is good recognition for the work I have done.”

PDO’s Finance Director Haifa al Khaifi also received a Special Commendation for Petroleum Services.

Pdo unVEils nEW sAFEtY CAMPAiGn For FisHErMEn

FATHIYA WINS TOP AWARD

5 6

The Front End Engineering Design (FEED) phase of the Yibal Khuff oil and gas mega project is 75% complete and on track for completion in August 2014.

Project Delivery Manager Abdullah al Jabri said: “Yibal Khuff is the largest and most complex FEED in PDO history, and work has progressed remarkably well considering this. The in-house FEED Office’s close working relationship with the project team has been the main reason for the excellent progress to date.”

In December 2013 the project successfully completed the Hazop (Hazards and Operability) review on schedule, which is a critical milestone and key process safety landmark for the FEED.

Hazop facilitator Saif Barwani strongly endorsed the quality of the work from the entire team, saying: “Overall, the number of findings were on the lower side considering the size and complexity of the project. Continuity of the team from the Design Review and proper close-out of actions greatly assisted with the success of the Hazop.”

The project has registered many firsts for PDO and has embraced the Flawless Project Delivery (FPD) process, use of SIFPro software

for the Instrumented Protective Function (IPF), and many improvements in the technical HSE space. The FEED Office has raised the bar in delivering ‘best-in-class’ design performance standards, detailed and consistent with Company and international benchmarks. It has also enhanced its in-house capability for Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) and fire and explosion modelling, as well as establishing clear and robust Asset Integrity-Process Safety Management (AIPSM) compliance demonstration.

In addition to the technical complexities there have been many FEED execution challenges to overcome. Global services company WorleyParsons has been an integral part of the overall YK FEED team with its offices in Al Khuwair Oman (power plant, steam) London (sulphur removal), Vancouver (sulphur blocking) and Reading (US) (steam consultants) playing key roles. This extensive level of scope splitting or “work sharing” is a first for the FEED Office.

YK FEED Project Manager Nick Roberts explained: “Scope alignment, communication and management of technical interfaces have been a critical success factor for integrated engineering delivery between the remote offices. This has

ensured offices are working well together and driving towards a consistent and high quality FEED.”

In January, the FEED teams in Oman and London took the opportunity to celebrate the end of the Hazop and other reviews (60% Piping Model Review, Constructability Review, Power Plant IPF) by going ten-pin bowling. It was a great chance to take stock of the work completed to date and re-energise for the run to FEED completion.

FEED Office Manager, Paul Bennington said: “The Yibal Khuff project is a world-class project, technically complex with many innovations and “firsts” for both PDO and Oman, not least of which is the facility to remove elemental sulphur from the gas and to stockpile it. It will also comply with world-leading standards of atmospheric emissions. Once delivered, it will mark a major milestone in the evolution of the FEED Office from its humble beginnings in 2008, and an achievement of which we can all be justifiably proud.”

Construction is scheduled in Q2 2016 with commissioning expected in early 2019. The first oil is projected for January 2020 with an average production target of 20,000 barrels a day – and a gas plateau of six million cubic metres of gas a day – for the next 20 years.

MEGA PROGRESS AT YIBAL KHUFF

5 6

PDO water management experts have successfully trialled a new produced water treatment technology before disposal at sea by ‘zapping’ the contaminants with an electric current.

By using electrocoagulation (EC), the trialled technology dramatically improved the quality of the discharged liquid at the Mina al Fahal Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). EC is a process that passes an electric current through water releasing ions that destabilise colloidal particles, and break emulsions.

PDO Water Management Team Leader Randa Nabulsi said: “In line with its environmental responsibilities, PDO is continually seeking improvement in the management of water for disposal into the sea through adaptation of best practices and latest technologies.

“We decided to trial electrocoagulation which removes contaminants that are impossible to eliminate by conventional filtration or chemical treatment. The results have been positive and show once again how our innovative use of technology can reap real benefits.”

Polluted water is produced as part of the final crude oil dehydration to achieve export specifications. However, it has a complex chemistry, containing dispersed oil and dissolved organic compounds, including aromatic hydrocarbons, organic acids phenols and heavy trace metals.

PDO initiated the a trial project to improve water quality prior to disposal to sea, not only to meet criteria agreed with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs but to go beyond them, to protect the marine environment.

The pilot was launched to identify suitable full-scale technologies that could be used to boost the produced water quality to achieve the disposal-to-sea specifications as per Ministerial Directive 159/2005. This directive lays down the bylaws on liquid disposal at sea - specifically on oil In water (OIW), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).

The EC works by sending an electrical charge through the contaminated water. This releases ions and destabilises colloidal particles – where one substance is microscopically dispersed in another - in the water. Then skimming, filtration and mixed oxidation are used to target the remaining soluble organic and nitrogen compounds.

The pilot was designed to treat 100 m3/d of produced water with EC, Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF), Multimedia Filtration (MMF), advanced oxidation, Ultra-Filtration (UF) and Granular-Activated Carbon absorption.

The work process of the pilot unit is summarised below:• The combination of EC, DAF and MMF

removed the majority of hydrocarbons and suspended solids

• The remaining soluble organics and reduced nitrogen compounds were then oxidised by an oxidation process consisting of chlor-oxygen based oxidants created from brine and in-situ from the sodium chloride in the produced water.

• The oxidation process removed dissolved contaminants that were then treated with UF removing all particles greater than 0.020 µm

• A final polish with GAC further reduced COD to achieve the stringent disposal-to-sea specification.

There was a drastic improvement as the following results in the table below show:

A WAtErtiGHt solution

Only boron and lithium were continuously out of specification as the boron loading was too high and beyond the limits of available technology to tackle. Lithium removal requires reverse osmosis which cannot be used at ETP because of the high salinity of produced water.

Randa added: “The trial provided enough definition to support implementation of electrocoagulation as a full field project at the MAF ETP. This was because the main disposal to sea specifications were continuously achieved and elements which exceeded the disposal to sea specifications either cannot be achieved or can be managed.”

PDO is now working on full field implementation at the plant to continuously meet disposal-to-sea specification and expect to complete this within a year.

Inlet concentration (average)

Disposal to sea spec (MD159/2005)

Achieved outlet(average)

OIW ppm 83 15 0.8

COD (mg/l) 792 200 186

BOD (mg/l) 127 20 17

7 8

PDO is proud of its reputation of leading the way – and Nadiya al Harthy is a member of staff who has followed in that tradition. Nadiya is the only woman in the region to hold a Master’s degree in Industrial Hygiene and uses her expertise to increase the safety and comfort of staff while at work.

Here she tells al Fahal about her stunning academic achievement, her important work and her advice for a healthier life.

What is your professional background?

I joined PDO back in 2005 as radiographer holding an honours degree in diagnostic radiography from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. I worked for a few years in radiography until I decided it was about time for a new challenge. I then moved to corporate HSE and joined the Occupational Health team as an Industrial Hygienist.

What is your current job and what does it involve?

I provide advice and support through the application, implementation and management of appropriate occupational hygiene and health management systems. I am the corporate focal point for radiation safety and the leader for NORM (naturally occurring radioactive material)

Nadiya al Harthy (industrial Hygienist)

stAFF in tHE sPotliGHtmanagement in PDO for the last three years. Being the corporate focal point for radiation safety and leading NORM management have been challenging but at the end of the day if I look at PDO’s achievements on how we manage both, it does give me a great levels of satisfaction and confidence and we will continue to lead in this area Insha’Allah. Every day is challenging when it comes to a protect worker’s health at work sites and to do that, we must understand the process, function of equipment, facilities designs and so on, so every morning at work brings new learning opportunities.

What is the qualification you have achieved?

A Master’s degree in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Wollongong, Australia. I am among a couple of Omanis to hold such a degree, and probably the first and the only lady in the region, a fact I am sincerely proud of.

What did you have to do to qualify?

Completing the Master’s in less than 18 months was very challenging. I had to travel to Australia almost every two months to attend the modules at the university and come back home with assignments and exams to prepare for while continuing with normal duties as a PDO employee and a mother-of-three. It was a very demanding period physically and emotionally.

What was your reaction to gaining the degree?

I was overwhelmed to know that it was all worth it at the end; this is a blessing from Allah and it is an end to start from.

What are the most common occupational health issues you deal with at PDO?

There are few occupational health issues in PDO including fatigue, repetitive strain injuries for computer users, noise radiation and chemicals hazards and what we do is to ensure that the risks are well controlled and the exposures to individuals are minimised if not eliminated. This is achieved by continuous monitoring and applying the hierarchy of controls. For office workers, I recommend the proper use of ergonomic furniture, maintaining a good posture and frequent breaks.

How can PDO staff lead healthier lives?

In one sentence, balance your work and your social life.

What is a good way to avoid stress?

My three Ps are praying, planning, prioritisation….and do not forget to socialise!

Photo by Mohammed Fadel

7 8

The revamped Planetarium has been officially opened by His Highness Sayyid Faisal bin Turki al Said after a comprehensive refurbishment which gives visitors an enhanced multimedia experience of the universe.

His Highness, Director General of Marketing and Media at the Public Authority for Investment Promotion and Export Development, was given a guided tour of the popular attraction which has undergone an extensive upgrade.

The building now accommodates 60 people who

can enjoy hi-tech shows about astronomy, space, astrophysics and earth sciences. It boasts an 11-metre domed ceiling and has five special projectors that create spectacular panoramas of space, thousands of stars as well as galaxies and comets.

The centre on Seih al Maleh Street in Muscat initially opened as the country’s first-ever planetarium in 2000 as a Gift to the Nation to mark the 30th

anniversary of the reign of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Since then, more than 270,000 people have visited the complex – more than three quarters being school children – and 18,000 visitors watched 328 shows in 2013 alone.

His Highness said: “I think the Planetarium, the revamping and adding this upgrade in terms of technology, is absolutely amazing in the sense of what the technology can do, and how it could enhance the whole experience altogether. More people should visit and see what PDO are doing through the planetarium from an educational point of view.

“I am personally interested in bringing two groups back with me, first of all my family, and also my colleagues at work. It’s amazing what you can do actually to educate people, and this whole immersing experience under a dome is impressive.”

The revamp was overseen by outgoing curator Marwan Shwaiki who has been replaced by Sulaiman al Busaidi.

PDO External Affairs Director Abdul-Amir al Ajmi: “The revamped Planetarium uses the latest digital technology and visualisation software to bring visitors an out-of-this-world experience. Lasers, videos, sophisticated LED lighting and a state-of-the-art sound system combine to give visitors a memorable multimedia experience of the universe.

“Astronomy is brought to life in an engaging, informative and entertaining way so that people of all ages can learn more about the wonders of the solar system and beyond. "

The Planetarium shows are available in English and Arabic and are free of charge. Its staff also organise public stargazing parties using telescopes and star charts to educate those interested in the solar system and constellations.

Interest in the attraction has increased since it was featured on the Ministry of Tourism website along with the neighbouring Oil and Gas Exhibition and EcOman Centres.

stAr AttrACtion

PDO is stepping up its Lean journey with the launch of a new wave of projects following from the successful roll-out last year.

This includes a stronger drive behind transferring the learning and improvements of Lean projects from one area to another, in a process known as replication. Replication is also a vehicle to drive standardisation of common work processes across the business and to basically spread best practice.

The Operate and Maintain value stream, which covers the areas of production and maintenance, has embarked on a plan which saw 24 successful replications in 2013 and 25 more replications to complete this year.

Realising the challenges facing replication of Lean improvements, a system has been put in place to ensure there is sufficient drive and support to overcome them.

Hamoud al Tobi, Operate and Maintain Value Stream Lead, said: “The Operate and Maintain replication system aims to simplify the process and enable robust replication. The system caters for having the proper replication governance, the right coaching support, as well as easy-to-follow guidelines on how to replicate.”

The following are some examples of completed replications that have benefitted from such a system:

1. Permit to Work (PTW) Validation is one of the widely replicated Lean projects aimed at reducing non-productive waiting times by more than 80%

2. Process Control Optimisation (PCO) is another fruitful achievement aimed at simplifying the process and reducing analysis time by more than 90%

3. Detailed Planning for Tank Maintenance is a third achievement aimed at reducing tank out-of-service duration by up to 60%.

On PTW, while it is a critical process to ensure the safe execution of activities within PDO operations it sometimes generates long waiting times for PDO and contractor staff alike. After successful completion of the pilot project in Marmul other areas are now benefitting from reduced waiting times with Nimr the first area in the South to successfully replicate this improvement.

Mohamed al Toki, Nimr Delivery Team Leader, said: “The moment we heard about this improvement we felt it was relevant and we were keen to learn more about it. The guidelines provided helped us structure our replication steps and to complete as per plan.”

Qarn Alam steam is another area that pioneered replication of PTW validation, this time in the North. Abdullah al Mahrouky, Qarn Alam Steam Delivery Team Leader, said: “Replication meant we were able to benefit from the improvement by following simple steps.

“It helped us reduce average waiting times significantly from an average of 25 minutes to around seven minutes per permit which meant our crews were able to mobilise earlier to the actual worksite.”

Nasser al Shueily, Qarn Alam Steam Operations Co-ordinator, said a positive attitude plays a big role in driving replication and added: “If it is proven to work somewhere then why wouldn’t it work here? We felt proud replicating the improvement and we did not stop at that…we decided to improve it further."

Lean Replication

9 10

A high-level delegation from Brunei visited PDO headquarters to discuss potential common ground for future co-operation.

The party included the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, The Hon. Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, the Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister’s Office, The Hon. Pehin Dato Dr Mohammad Yasmin Umar and the Brunei Ambassador to Oman, H.E. Dr Haji Besar bin Haji Abu Bakar. Delegates from the Brunei Investment Agency and Brunei Shell Petroleum were also present.

The deputation was greeted by senior

PDO executives, including Managing Director Raoul Restucci and Technical Director Amran al Marhubi, and toured the Marmul Collaborative Work Environment office, which boasts the latest audiovisual technology to improve communication between PDO’s Muscat HQ and the important field in the South of Oman.

Raoul, who gave an overview of PDO’s operations, including its In-Country Value strategy, said: “We are delighted to have received such a high-level delegation from Brunei and to showcase some of the excellent work we are doing.”

Dr Mohammad Yasmin Umar said: “What impressed me is the In-Country Value programme on job creation and the development of Omani talent. This is something that is a work in progress in Brunei but you are delivering it here more systematically and with more focus.”

He added: “We have a long-standing relationship with PDO and currently nearly 20 staff are working with Brunei Shell and nine Bruneians are working at PDO. We see tremendous value in this in terms of the exposure they get and the network they have here.”

Bruneian staff currently working at PDO also met the delegation and enjoyed lunch with them on the BMF rooftop terrace.

iCV EFForts PrAisEd BY BrunEi MinistEr

More than 100 PDO staff pitted themselves against nature as they took on the Wahiba Challenge.

With a total of 236 people at the start, sitting in 123 cars in 27 teams, the annual rallying event provided its usual mixture of thrills and spills. The intrepid employees drove for two days across the sands from Al Qabil to Al Kamil, driving an average of 60 kilometres.

Development Trainer Fahim Firfiray, Chairman of the Ras al Hamra Off Road Adventure Club, said: “We are delighted with the enthusiasm of all participants, especially after the disappointment of being rained off in November.

WHEN THEGOING GETS TOUGH….

“This year’s route was designed to truly test drivers and their machines. Consequently, 16 teams made it to the mid-point camp, with only 17 ultimately finishing the route.

“Although tougher than previous years, given the beaming smiles

on participants’ faces and excited cheers of elation at the end point, we believe everybody enjoyed the weekend’s driving.

“Thanks to everyone who took part. You all made it a trip worth being on.”

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The BMF car park was turned into a hive of fun, creativity and ingenuity as the crowds of staff and contractors flocked to the stalls to enjoy PDO Excellence Day.

Directorates, organisations, teams and clubs gave an insight into their activities and offered gifts at 33 different stands for six hours.

Managing Director Raoul Restucci and MDC members escorted His Excellency Dr Mohammed al Rumhy around each booth and the guest of honour was so interested in the displays he took more than two hours to visit every one.

Managing Director Raoul Restucci said: “As

His Excellency and I walked around, we noticed the energy, buzz, the commitment, the dedication. There have been incredible achievements which have underpinned a very good year for PDO, and of course, the entire nation.”

Raoul said it had been an “impossible task” to judge the best stalls but singled out the Infrastructure Directorate’s kiosk as having the best tagline: “Building Tomorrow’s Standards Today.”

The main Finance Directorate’s stand was voted the best technical booth after hanging real money in different currencies and denominations from the ceiling and Raoul also praised the stall of the Young Professional Network as a great example

of how PDO had helped new arrivals adding: “It was a great stall. Well done.”

The full spectrum of PDO’s work on show. The Exploration Directorate grabbed attention by displaying its new drone and the Diversity and Inclusiveness team’s stall was a riot of colour as it displayed the flags of PDO’s more than 60 nationalities.

The External Affairs Directorate’s stand was also popular – with staff giving away leather products which had been made by women in the PDO concession area who had been trained under the Company’s Social Investment Programme.

STALL STARS 03 February 2014 3 فـــبــــرايــــر 2014

Additional photos by Abdullah al Rubkhi and Mohammed Fadel

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يرفل بجو ال�شركة يف الفحل ميناء بيت مواقف تزينت

باأهازيج البهجة، وتقا�شيم املرح، واإمارات االإبداع والتميز عندما

توافد موظفو ال�شركة وال�شركات املتعاقدة لزيارة االأركان القائمة

يف يوم ال�شركة لالإبداع والتميز.

ا�شتعر�شت املديريات واجلمعيات والفرق واالأندية اأن�شطتها،

ووزعت هدايا تذكارية يف 33 ركنًا خمتلفًا ملدة �شت �شاعات.

جمل�س واأع�شاء العام، املدير ري�شتو�شي، راوؤول رافق وقد

النفط وزير الرحمي، حمد بن حممد الدكتور معايل االإدارة

والغاز، راعي الفعالية، لزيارة جميع االأركان. واجلدير بالذكر اأن

وا�شتغرقت جولته حول باالأركان، ال�شديد اهتمامه اأبدى معاليه

االأركان اأكرث من �شاعتني.

االأركان حول جتولنا "عند راوؤول: قال ال�شدد، هذا ويف

اطلعنا لقد اجلاد. والعمل وااللتزام واالهتمام احليوية الحظنا

على اإجنازات عظيمة كان لها الف�شل يف حتقيق �شنة ا�شتثنائية

لل�شركة وال�شلطنة ككل."

وقد ذكر راوؤول اأن مهمة اختيار اأف�شل االأركان كانت "مهمة

م�شتحيلة"، اإال اأنه منح لقب اأف�شل �شعار ملديرية البنية االأ�شا�شية:

مديرية ركن حاز اليوم". يف حني معاملها نر�شم الغد، "معايري مبختلف ورقية نقود بتعليق فني ركن اأف�شل لقب على املالية

العمالت. كما اأ�شاد راوؤول بركن �شبكة املحرتفني ال�شباب لكونها

خري مثال للجهود املبذولة يف م�شاندة املوظفني اجلدد يف ال�شركة

واأ�شاف: "لقد كان ركنًا رائعًا. اأح�شنتم �شنعًا."

اأن بيد ال�شركة، االأركان عر�شت خمتلف عمليات اأن ورغم

الطائرة بدون االأنظار بعر�س ركن مديرية اال�شتك�شاف اجتذب

فريق ركن وكذلك حديثًا، املديرية اقتنتها التي اجلديدة طيار

التنوع واالندماج الذي تلّون باألوان اأعالم دول املوظفني والتي يربو

عددها على 60 دولة.

وعالوة على ذلك، ا�شتقطب ركن مديرية ال�شوؤون اخلارجية

جلدية منتوجات على ح�شلوا حيث اأي�شًا؛ الزوار من الكثري

على تدريبهن مت االمتياز منطقة من عمانيات ن�شاء �شنع من

االجتماعي اال�شتثمار برنامج اإطار يف اجللدية ال�شناعات

لل�شركة.

03 February 2014 3 فـــبــــرايــــر 2014

33 ركنًا عر�شت اأن�شطة ال�شركة املختلفة

معر�ص يوم الإبداع والتميز

يجتذب الزائرين

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