1. HEROES 1
HEROES
Secrets of the Deep Rare Renewables The First of its Kind
Scientific Exploration
in the ROV Industry
Working on NEMO and
Hornsea
The Wisting Project in the
Barents
How Recruiters are dealing
with the Energy Transition
The Winds of Change:
AT THE FRONTIER OF ENERGY & MARINE
2016 EDITION, ISSUE 2
2.
3. 2016 has been the year for change in
the energy and marine industries. The
renewables market has led the industry into
a new era of development and innovation,
and has encouraged the giants of oil and
gas to break into new markets.
Although the economic downturn still
hovers over the offshore world the
ramifications have resulted in industry
leaders adapting to circumstance and
developing new technologies to compete
with the market. With Offshore Wind at the
forefront of Renewables, the industry has
learnt to use the strengths of the planet to
generate new forms of energy, and with
this comes the need for new skills and
expertise.
Our professionals have been present for
every modern innovation in the energy,
marine and renewables industries. From
Engineering to Marine Environmental,
Drilling to Offshore Wind Atlas Professionals
is proud to have these heroes representing
us in the field.
In this edition, our heroes reveal their most
challenging adventures; salvaging lost
space capsules, surveying the seabed for
the world’s biggest Ocean Thermal Energy
Conversion power plant and an inside look
on Atlas’ biggest projects around the globe.
Welcome to the new age of the offshore
industry.
Atlas Professionals
anewage
4. 34
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243612
Aidan Flint
Challenging Geology on
the “FAB” link Project
Table of
Contents
Joao Conde
Growing as a Professional in the
Platforms and Jack Ups Industry
Yngve Frøyland
The First of its Kind:The
Wisting Project in the Barents
Lennart van der Meulen
Life aboard Scaldis’
Heavy Lift Vessel Rambiz
Julia Brockbank
The Endless Possibilities
of going Green
Laura Smith
The Winds of Change: How Recruiters
are dealing with the Energy Transition
08 14
10 16
12 18
Will Handley.
Secrets of the Deep: Scientific
Exploration in the ROV Industry
Kholoud Dardour.
The Future of Engineering and
Automation in Morocco
Mick Elmslie.
The Fight for Survival in Australia’s
Offshore Survey Market
Laura Smith.
The Winds of Change: How
Recruiters are dealing with the
Energy Transition
Aidan Flint.
Challenging Geology on the
“FAB” link Project
Scott Hume.
Experience is Key:An Offshore
Manager during the Energy
Transition
22
24
26
28
32
34
36George Mackintosh.
Rare Renewables:Working on
NEMO and Hornsea
Julia Brockbank.
The Endless Possibilities of going
Green
Fernando de la Garza.
Venturing into the Arctic Circle:A
Senior Surveyor on the Polarled
Pipeline
Matthijs van der Moer.
On Board the Prometheus
Joao Conde.
Growing as a Professional in the
Platforms and Jack Ups Industry
Lennart van der Meulen.
Life aboard Scaldis’ Heavy Lift
Vessel Rambiz
Yngve Frøyland.
The First of its Kind:The Wisting
Project in the Barents
5. HEROES 9
An Early Interest in Technology
“I always had an interest to work offshore and when I left the Navy
in 1983 I decided to progress into the industry. Over the years, I
have found that the most challenging aspect of my job is keeping
the ROV system running and making sure that the electronics don’t
mix with salt water. Once I was working on a project where we
had to observe glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula, and we had to
pour hot water over the pod on deck before the dive to get it warm
enough to boot up the electronics. It’s on projects like this where
you have to think on your feet and use your own initiative.”
Search for Liberty Bell 7
In 1961, NASA launched their second human spaceflight, Project
Mercury, which was piloted by Astronaut Gus Grissom. The flight
only lasted 15 minutes, and was going according to plan, until after
splashdown when the capsule’s hatch unexpectedly exploded and
sunk the capsule to the bottom of the Atlantic.
After a 14 year search, Oceaneering International recovered the
Liberty Bell 7 on July 20th 1999; the 30th anniversary of the Apollo
11 lunar landing. It took 7 hours for the salvage crew to hoist the
capsule to the surface from a depth of 15,000ft. Will was a part of
the survey & ROV team during the search for the spacecraft. “I was
looking after the cameras and lights on the Magellan 725 ROV,”
explains Will. “It was an eerie sight to see the space capsule loom
out of the darkness and stood upright on the seabed.” The Liberty
Bell 7 is now on display at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space
Center.
In addition to the Liberty Bell 7, Will has also worked on the wreck
surveys for the German battleship the Bismarck and the fishing
vessel Gaul that sunk off the coast of Norway in 1974.
Working in the Current Climate
With oil prices dominating the headlines, Will has seen first-hand
how the downturn has affected the ROV industry. “I know a number
of my colleagues who haven’t worked since August 2014, in
Aberdeen it’s like there are tumbleweeds blowing down the street,”
says Will. “The industry has let go of so many good guys which is a
real shame.You are only as good as your last job and in times like
these just having a CV isn’t enough.
I don’t usually work through agencies but I have been very lucky
working with Atlas Professionals as they have been keeping me
busy. Although it’s hard to keep yourself appealing to clients during
a downturn, it has been mentioned in the past that clients like the
references that Atlas provide as it adds more credit to my CV. What
my years in the business have taught me is that if you want to go
into the ROV industry you need to have strong technical skills, be
hard-working and always be prepared for the unpredictable.”
Atlas’ ROV Supervisor Will Handley has worked in the ROV industry for over 20 years and
has been present for some of the greatest historical finds in ROV exploration.
Scientific Exploration in the ROV Industry
Secrets of the deep:
WILL HANDLEY.
“It’s on projects like this
where you have to think
on your feet and use
your own initiative.”
8 HEROES
6. HEROES10 11HEROES
Surveying the outback
In 1998, Mick began his career as a land surveyor working on
projects in the outback, “It was the prospect of travel that got me
interested in the industry. In Australia you would mainly be working
in the desert or out in the bush and I thought the offshore life would
be a good way to see more of the world.”
In 2010, Mick joined UTEC Survey Australia as Project Manager.
UTEC is part of the Acteon group, an
organisation of market leaders that are
committed in working together to define,
shape and lead subsea services and
provide the best survey solutions to
their clients. For nearly a decade, UTEC
has worked on a number of innovating
projects with Atlas. “Last year we worked
on the largest subsea pipeline installation
in the southern Hemisphere. The pipeline
starts in Darwin and goes across the Timor Sea to a new gas field;
it’s approximately 900 km long and was installed by two large
construction/pipe-lay barges. We used Atlas’ LBL specialists to
assist with this operation.”
Availability, reliability and locality
Since last year, Atlas has built a strong presence in Western
Australia. With our main office based in Perth, Mick discusses the
benefits of using a local agency with a global support network. “I
have been dealing with Atlas for almost a decade. I use Atlas for a
number of reasons; the first is the locality of candidates. In Australia
it’s a lot harder for personnel to get visas to work in this country,
so it’s ideal that the team in Perth can find local content before our
deadline. It’s great having Ian Marshall (Atlas’ Business Manager)
in Perth; he’s someone you can always call and go for a coffee with
to chat about candidates and the latest
news in the industry. Also, I know that if
I have any issues with invoicing or terms
and conditions the operations team will
get this sorted out quickly and efficiently.”
In addition to our survey teams in the
APAC, Mick has also worked with Atlas’
specialist Offshore Survey & Construction
office based in Newquay, UK. “Sometimes
when the Atlas teams in Perth or Singapore are unavailable, it’s
good to know that you can call the team in the UK and they can
help you out.”
UTEC’s goal to survive
For the past few months, Mick has taken on the role of Business
Development Manager for UTEC, with his breadth of industry
experience, Mick aims to bring UTEC to the forefront of the
competitive market. “Since moving into my new role in Business
Development I think the goal is firstly to help see the company
through the challenging times we all face in the oil and gas sector.
Part of that requires UTEC to diversify to a certain degree. UTEC’s
core business is offshore construction, so it’s trying to diversify
beyond that market now and look at more geophysical work, some
land based operations and laser scanning.
At the moment the market in Australia is pretty quiet with a lot of
projects being postponed to 2018-19 or even further. However, we
are lucky that we’ve got a major construction contract that has us
busy this year and well into 2017.”
With the offshore industry expanding into the renewables market,
we asked Mick whether UTEC had any plans to work in wind
energy. “In regards to offshore wind, we have already been working
on a number of projects in Europe, but in Australia there are no
plans for the wind energy market; there are more plans for tide and
wave energy but that’s still in the early stages.”
Providing the talent for our client’s ambitions
“Just the fact that Atlas have been around for a long time, reassures
me of their depth of professionals. I had used other agencies before
and they just use the same people over and over again, so I quite
like the fact that Atlas has a large pool of professionals that are
available when you need them. I’m confident with Atlas because
of their stability in the survey market with their UK, Singapore and
Australian offices. The breadth of experience they can provide is
second to none; providing candidates with secondary skills to their
main discipline is vital to assure survival in the offshore survey
market.”
For the last eight years, UTEC Survey Australia has been one of Atlas’ loyal clients based in
the Asia-Pacific. In April 2016, UTEC announced management changes to further enhance
the company’s client-focused approach. UTEC’s former Operations Manager Mick Elmslie
recently took on the role of Business Development Manager. Mick spoke to Atlas about his
current views on the market in Australia and his plans in expanding UTEC’s services in the
industry.
MICK ELMSLIE.
“The breadth of
experience Atlas
can provide is
second to none.”
The fight for survival
in Australia’s Offshore
Survey Market
7. (HVDC) electricity interconnector that
will connect the French and British grids
via the island of Alderney (hence FAB).
Atlas’ Offshore Management & QC office,
assigned Aidan to the role after receiving
sole supplier status for the project. “This
was a particularly interesting project,” says
Aidan, “I was offshore for three months as
a client representative and oversaw the
entire geotechnical survey during which we
investigated approx. 170 linear kilometres
of shallow geology. This was particularly
challenging for two reasons, the first being
the overall scale of the project which made
it difficult to select representative locations
to obtain samples or perform in-situ testing.
This was generally achieved by analysing
results of a contemporary geophysical
survey which allowed us to select strategic
locations. Analysing the significant volume
of geophysical data on a tight time schedule
was a big challenge. The second and
possibly most fascinating aspect was
obtaining deep geotechnical data to assess
the feasibility of employing Horizontal
Directional Drilling (HDD) construction
techniques at several proposed cable
landfall sites. Successful HDD construction
is highly dependent upon geological
conditions and represents a specialist
field within the geotechnical industry. A
structured decision-making framework
was developed to allow practical site
based assessments, and to see whether
sufficient data had been obtained in light
of the encountered ground conditions. This
approach required a significant amount
of engineering judgement and close
co-operation between the site and office
based teams.”
The FAB project has been noted as a
“Project of Common Interest” by the
European Union. The project’s maximum
transmission of 1400MW will increase the
capacity of energy trade between the two
countries.
Academic research at the forefront of
geology
Over his career, Aidan has found that the
frontiers of the geotechnical industry are
constantly expanding, “the offshore wind
industry has contributed significantly to
the advancement of geotechnical design
and innovation. The completion of each
project, whether it be a cable-lay or a
turbine installation, provides additional
experience and new data to fuel further
academic research at the forefront of our
discipline. As the offshore wind industry
moves into deeper and more hostile marine
environments, the industry must keep
innovating to keep costs down. Although
geotechnical engineering is a niche market,
it will undoubtedly play a crucial role in
helping the offshore construction sector
realise long-term growth and sustainability;
so for me, it’s an exciting time to be an
engineering geologist.”
Finding the right career path
Since the age of 16, engineering geologist
Aidan Flint has been studying his chosen
subject and getting his hands dirty in the
process. “There used to be a popular
joke that geologists were people who
just liked to walk around muddy fields
with their friends; which is true in some
respects,” laughs Aidan. “Working outdoors
in all weathers definitely appealed to me,
however, it wasn’t quite clear how one could
progress onto this career path. When I was
an undergraduate, most of the academic
courses focussed on petroleum exploration
rather than geotechnical applications.”
Solving great technical challenges
20 years later, Aidan has gained a broad
industry experience working in a variety
of geotechnical survey applications
including infrastructure, oil & gas, wind
farm and marine construction projects.
Whether it’s an individual wind turbine
foundation or large scale submarine cable
burial assessment, Aidan still finds new
challenges with every offshore project.
“The role of an engineering geologist is to
characterise the engineering behaviour of
the subsurface via a ground model which
ultimately provides input parameters for
geotechnical design. The geotechnical
ground model is effectively an engineering
decision making tool. More complex ground
conditions generally present a greater
technical challenge, and also a good
opportunity to demonstrate the value of
high quality subsurface investigation to the
wider engineering team. Such information
typically facilitates key decisions, which in
the case of an offshore wind turbine could
be selection of a suitable foundation type,
or in the case of a subsea cable route a
suitable construction technique to ensure
the product is properly buried and protected
from seabed or maritime hazards. The
terminology and language can be daunting
to non-specialists, so often my most
important role is explaining the significance
of key findings to the client team, so they
can appreciate project risk in its various
forms.”
The “FAB” Link Project
Since the end of last year, Aidan has
been working on the preconstruction
survey for the “FAB” link project; a 1000
to 1400MW High Voltage Direct Current
Challenging Geology on the “FAB” link Project
“The frontiers of the
geotechnical industry are
constantly expanding.”
Over the last 20 years, an increasing awareness of the field of geotechnical engineering has
led to it becoming one of the more popular roles in the offshore industry. Atlas’ geologists
have taken part in exciting projects around the world, exploring and investigating the
oceans’ subterranean structures.
HEROES 1312 HEROES
AIDAN FLINT.
8. 14 HEROES
Designing the project
Kholoud received her diploma in Automation at the Moroccan
School of Engineering Science and last year she was awarded her
Master degree in Industrial and Management Systems at the INSA
Lyon in France. Now, as a Metering Systems Engineer, Kholoud
has been working in the oil & gas industry since she was 19 years
old. “As an engineer I design various flow computer applications
used to measure and control systems for custody transfer metering
skids and proving systems for offshore and onshore platforms. My
mission starts from the project definition to the engineering stage.
I get to work with the latest technologies in line with the application
and operational requirements in accordance with international
standards to meet the needs of each measuring application.”
Seeking new adventures
After leaving Morocco, Kholoud moved to the Netherlands to
work at KROHNE oil and gas a world-leading manufacturer and
supplier of solutions in industrial processes and instrumentation. “I
decided to move to another country as I wanted to challenge myself
and work in a company that had a good reputation for offshore
engineering and Automation. I think that as a women working in a
male dominated industry, especially in engineering, I strive to be
perfect at my job to make myself stand out in my role. That’s why I
was really excited when I received a call from Atlas to see if I would
like to work with KROHNE oil and gas.”
Best agency for offshore engineering
Kholoud works through Atlas’ Engineering and Project Controls
department based in Hoofddorp in the Netherlands. “I knew before I
began working at Atlas Professionals that they were the best known
agency for offshore engineering. When I got the offer from Account
Manager Marvin van Dijk I was really happy because Atlas has a
good reputation for sourcing highly-qualified personnel, so I was
very happy to find out that I was going to be an employee of this
company. Working with Marvin has been great, he’s been really
helpful throughout the whole process and because I’m new to the
Netherlands it’s like he’s my big brother.
As a Moroccan woman working in the engineering industry this role
is very special to me. Someday I will definitely want to work offshore
and follow in my father’s footsteps, and this path would undoubtedly
enhance my technical skills and ambitions.”
The kingdom of Morocco is one country that is relativity un-known for its oil & gas market.
Surrounded by the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, hydroelectric power and the importation
of petroleum covers the bulk of the country’s energy needs. With its sole oil refinery set for
liquidation, working in the oil & gas sector in Morocco is a rarity. Moroccan National and
Atlas Professional Kholoud Dardour talks to Atlas about how she was introduced into the
offshore world. “My father was an Operations Manager who worked offshore,” says kholoud,
“when he’d return home he would talk about his adventures and the projects he was working
on, he was a very influential person.”
“As a woman working in a male dominated
industry, I strive to be perfect at my job to
make myself stand out in my role.”
The future of
Engineering and
Automation in
Morocco
HEROES 15
KHOLOUD DARDOUR.
9. HEROES16 17HEROES
sector’s technology and innovation. The general positivity around
the ‘transition’ is a nice change from the usual pessimistic view of
the downturn, but what are the facts?
Although leaders are putting their trust in a new form of energy,
their faith in experienced oil & gas personnel is still wavering,
as they opt for the same professionals for their offshore wind
operations. “This makes it really difficult for us recruiters,” says
Laura, “we need to convince clients that newcomers have the right
skills and knowledge to work on their projects.”
Companies are taking on new
personnel, but this is happening
sporadically, with leaders only enrolling
small groups of professionals each
time. “Although having the technical
knowledge and skills are easily
transferable, currently there is just not
enough work to cater to everybody.”
The Solution
As ‘green becomes the new black’ offshore recruiters are starting to
diversify in their markets. From shifting their focus beyond the cable-
laying industry, Atlas’ offshore wind team can now supply personnel
to the entire life cycle of an offshore wind farm. “Our team has a
better structure now and we are able to offer a better service to
our clients. In our office we have the dedicated Account Managers
working with their assigned Personnel Coordinators who are backed
up by our Admin & Operations Support teams.
By splitting our Account Managers into their specialism this allows
our teams to cover more ground when recruiting new candidates.
For example, we have a team of Account Managers that deal with
Offshore Management and QC and have the expertise in providing
clients with experienced candidates in people and operational
management, such as Client
Representatives and Construction
and Installation Managers, while
another team of Account Managers
have expertise in Crewing, where the
ability to multi-task and prioritise crew
changes and all associated travel and
logistics is paramount.”
In March, the team took the next step in
ensuring the progression of their business line by hiring their new
Business Development Manager John Morse, a well-known figure
in the renewables market. “Before John joined the team, we were
providing our services at the lower levels of the supply chain, but
with his experience, knowledge and connections in this field we
are able to follow our ambitions to work with tier 1 developers and
EPC contractors. Being so low in the supply chain often led us to
work seasonally; and only working on projects when the weather
was good. Providing work, onshore as well as offshore, has made
an immediate impact on our growth and more importantly the
opportunities we are able to offer our professionals.”
Standing out from the crowd
“We stand out from our competitors by providing an excellent
service. In our line of work we have two clients, the obvious ones
that we invoice and our candidates, it’s just as important to provide
a high standard of service to both parties and be on hand 24/7,
365 to assist them with whatever they need. Be personable, people
buy from people, and it’s important that our teams make those
relationships with the candidates and the clients to ensure that
they have trust in us. Supplying the right person is ultimately so
important; making sure that we are doing thorough CV checks,
competency checks, and reference checks, to make sure that we
provide the expertise our clients need.”
By 2050 the renewable sector in Europe alone could produce up to
6.1 million jobs. However, will the lack of trust in experienced oil and
gas personnel mean that professionals are stuck in limbo? Unable
to transfer to green or go back to black, let’s hope people haven’t
jumped the gun on the renewables sector.
Over the last 5 years the upsurge in offshore wind has encouraged
the oil & gas market to go green; developing new business lines,
vessels and technology to avoid the puppetry of the “boom and
bust cycle.” With the ‘cycle’s’ latest casualty, Harkand Group, still
raw from entering administration, the industry has recognised the
importance of the renewables market and is doing its upmost in the
fight for survival. However, with more leaders transitioning into the
renewables market, what does this mean for oil & gas personnel
and the future of this sector?
Inside Recruitment
With more oil and gas personnel moving into the renewables
sector, offshore recruiters have had to deal with a rapid growth of
technical personnel. Atlas Professionals’ offshore wind team based
in Bristol is one agency that has come to face these challenges
head on, ensuring that their professionals, as well as newcomers,
have the opportunity to become a part of this market. “The influx
of personnel during this transition has remained steady,” explains
Atlas’ Business Manager for Offshore Wind, Laura Smith. “However,
we are seeing more niche positions coming through. For instance
a mechanical technician from the oil and gas market called us the
other day wanting to transfer into offshore wind.”
Premature positivity?
The energy transition has sparked discussions on the increase in
opportunities for personnel, the similarities between technical skills
and the potential of oil and gas professionals in the offshore wind
sector. Surely this is good news! As the industry claims that with oil
& gas personnel’s highly evolved experience and knowledge about
energy developments, as well as a strong focus on QHSE matters,
this will ensure a new revolution for the offshore wind market, its
operation and production procedures and the advancement of the
Recently, it was announced that oil and gas giant Shell would unveil their ‘New Energies’
division, initiating their first move into the renewables market. With their latest bid already
on the table with Eneco and Van Oord, if successful, the oil and gas corporation is set to
build its first two offshore wind farms in the Dutch Borssele Zone, ensuring a future for the
company during the current economic situation.
The Winds of Change:
How Recruiters are
dealing with the
Energy Transition
LAURA SMITH.
“We stand out from
our competitors
by providing an
excellent service.”
10. 18 HEROES
it’s the best agency I’ve worked for. I’ve had no problems with this
company whether it’s organising travel at short notice or dealing
with any other urgent requirements. Agencies need to go the extra
mile in a market such as this, and the ladies in the Offshore Wind
office based in Bristol are absolutely fantastic to deal with. As one of
my responsibilities is to arrange the travel for the entire crew at ABB
the Bristol team are happy to help out.
During the day I also use Atlas’ planning tool via their software. We
are constantly organising travel for guys, doing all the timesheets for
them etc. I can use the online system to carry out these tasks and
also monitor Atlas’ work in progress at the same time.”
Oil & Gas will always be there
With renewables leading the way for 2017, Scott believes that the
oil & gas market won’t get left behind, “I think renewable energy will
always be at the forefront of the industry due to the political reasons
behind it; its results are sustainable and it pays. However, I also
think that oil & gas will come back, it may not come back as strong,
but it will certainly come back, as long as there is oil in the ground
this industry will never really go away.”
Establishing roots
From an early age, Scott was surrounded by the offshore industry,
“my dad worked onshore and offshore as an electrical engineer
at Saudi Aramco, so I have grown up around the offshore lifestyle.
In the back of my mind I always wanted to go and try the offshore
industry. I began my career working on platforms and I was lucky
enough to move into the cable-laying industry, and this made all the
difference when transferring into renewable energy.”
Knowing who’s who
In conclusion of the United Nations Climate Change agreement,
offshore recruiters are anxious to meet client’s expectations in
providing fully qualified and competent personnel to keep the
supply chain flowing. “The reason why I decided to transfer into
the renewables sector was because of the ad-hoc situation of the
oil & gas industry,” explains Scott. “Renewables is stable and more
flexible when tailoring to the needs of its personnel. Definitely
since the decrease in the oil price there have been a lot of people
trying to get into offshore wind because it’s not a closed market.
The problem is that renewables is still quite a small industry and
everybody knows everybody. So for personnel who don’t have the
right cable-lay experience it’s very difficult for them to break into this
industry as it’s not really something you can train for.”
Taking on new recruits
However, more industry leaders are beginning to face these
challenges head on, “ABB has been very good, they’ve taken on
four trainees in total that have a background in onshore work and
we have taken them in as operators for the cable-lay industry.
Experience is the main issue we are facing during this energy
transition, until you’ve actually been on a cable-laying vessel, laying
cable, then it’s very difficult to understand how it works, so people
from oil & gas who have worked on platforms all their life haven’t
got a clue how cable is actually laid or how it’s supposed to be. It’s
vital for personnel to have on-the-job training. Some companies will
take you on and train you up as an electrical tech, but not a lot of
companies are doing this at the moment.”
The best agency to work for
With experience being the vital ingredient, it has become harder for
recruitment agencies to stand out from their competitors, “I have
been working through Atlas for seven years; I might be biased, but
With industry leaders impatient to announce their new investments within ‘green’ energy,
industry personnel are trying to keep up with the demand, adapting to the circumstances
and taking the next steps in the fight for survival. Over the last seven years, Atlas
Professional Scott Hume has made the transition from fossil fuels into renewable energy.
Starting out as an electrical technician on oil and gas platforms, Scott is now an Offshore
Manager working for the world leader in power and automation technology ABB.
Experience is Key:
An Offshore Manager
during the Energy
Transition
SCOTT HUME.
“Renewable energy
will always be at the
forefront of the industry
due to the political
reasons behind it.”
HEROES 19
12. HEROES22 23HEROES
in its early stages, the world’s largest planned offshore wind farm.
It is the first project I am working on as a client representative. I
always wanted to go into repping but the transition is rarely easy. I
attended Oceanology International in London and discussed this
with the Atlas team, on my next job Atlas placed me on the Hornsea
Project as a client rep for DONG Energy. Although I’m acting as a
client rep I like to still be involved
with the operations and data
processing. Right now we are
sweeping one of the main areas
of the wind farm for UXOs. There
are a lot of vessels involved
with varying scopes of work
such as export cable surveys,
inter-array cable surveys, 3D
UHR survey of turbine locations
and geotechnical sampling. I have never been involved in a project
with so many vessels working simultaneously. Lots of interesting
technologies are being used during these early stages and it is a
pleasure to be involved in such an ambitious project.”
Atlas’ UK network
George has worked with multiple offices and teams within Atlas that
have helped him to diversify in his career. “I was introduced to the
NEMO project through the Offshore Survey & Construction office
based in Newquay through Account Managers Chris Girdlestone
and Mitchell Blakeway. I find the team very supportive and friendly,
they’re straightforward with the different types of projects I will be
working on and are proactive in finding me new work. Chris and
Mitchell are great to work with. In regards to the Hornsea Project,
I work with Ruth
Coiley in the Bristol
office, she is also
very helpful with my
logistics and keeping
me informed of
any changes to the
project.”
Stepping into his
new role as a client rep has opened more doors to George and the
innovations of the renewable energy market. “For me, I think the
most rewarding part of my career is being able to work with different
people, learn from them and pick up on their skills and experiences
as well as share mine. I’m happy that the industry is benefiting from
the investment in renewables and I hope to have more opportunities
working on these types of projects in the future; projects that really
stand to make a positive difference to the environment.”
Mitigating hazards
After university, George set up his own company in Barbados,
“my friend and I wanted to set up a company that focussed on
mitigating environmental hazards caused by industry. We conducted
surveys for pollution threats to underground reservoir systems;
in the Caribbean there weren’t many environmental controls, and
introducing oils into the ecosystem was a common occurrence.
Eventually I decided that I wanted to diversify and work in
renewable energy. Luckily I had established strong connections at
university and so I decided to go along this route.”
NEMO power plant
Having worked through Atlas Professionals for many years,
George was introduced to a project that was fairly unique to
the offshore industry. The NEMO project is an Ocean Thermal
Energy Conversion (OTEC) power plant that uses the temperature
difference between water at depth and at the surface to generate
electricity. “Projects like these are rare,” explains George, “so having
the opportunity to work on one was interesting. As far as I’m aware
this plant will be the biggest one in operation and is scheduled
for completion by 2020. I worked as a Senior Geophysicist on the
project with MMT. I have always had good experiences with this
company and I was keen to work with them again. The survey
equipment for that project was relatively standard and involved an
ROV. The operations were more complex, as it was quite difficult
to fly the ROV over a rugged seabed, low enough but not hitting
anything. The geophysical team had challenges too as there was
a massive amount of pyroclastic flow and volcanic debris, so it
was also quite complicated to interpret the geology. Given the
constraints, the survey was very successfully conducted.
The NEMO project was definitely the most unusual project I’ve
worked on just because of the environmental difficulties and the
type of installation planned. Surveying with an aggressive increase
in water depth to about 1,650 metres near-shore was a challenge.
The site was also interesting for its historical value. The volcano
near the plant, Mount Pelée, erupted in 1902 and killed 30,000
people, one of the only two recorded survivors was a prisoner who
was in a poorly ventilated cell at the time of the eruption.”
The power plant will aim to supply electricity to at least 35,000
homes and reduce the carbon footprint by over 80,000 tonnes a
year.
Discovering Hornsea
After the NEMO project, George continued his career in the
offshore wind sector, “I was lucky that one of the earlier contracts
in my career was working on the Hornsea Offshore Wind Project
A professional’s dream to work offshore can come from anywhere; from family holidays
by the sea through to exploration, an interest in the environment or travel, science and
innovation. “I studied Physical Geography at University College London, I always had
a strong interest in volcanicity and seismology,” explains Senior Geophysicist George
Mackintosh. “While I was studying, some fellow students and I organised a trip to Montserrat
in the West Indies for our dissertations. The Soufrière Hills volcano had erupted and
destroyed the island’s Georgian era capital city of Plymouth. It was both a poignant and
fascinating experience and strengthened my interest in volcanicity and geology.”
Rare Renewables:
Working on NEMO
and Hornsea
GEORGE MACKINTOSH.
“There are lots of interesting
technologies being used at
Hornsea and it’s a pleasure
to be involved.”
13. HEROES24 25HEROES
whether it was because I’m female? I talked to some colleagues
and they said it was because there just wasn’t enough work for
everybody. I think it’s brilliant that more women are breaking into
the industry. On the recent projects I’ve worked on I’ve seen women
come on board as Turbine Technicians and Project Engineers, I’ve
never seen a divide between men and women working offshore,
which sends a great message to the industry and beyond.”
Next step: offshore
“I actually love working in renewables, I think I’m very lucky that
I’ve gone from being a receptionist to a qualified Site Manager and
I still learn something new every day. I’ve already paid for my GWO
certificate so the next step for me is to go offshore. I would like to go
and see the monopile and TP installations. I would also like to see
the ROVs in operation.You are never too old to learn a new career.”
Over the last year, Julia has been working through Atlas’ Offshore
Wind team based in Bristol, “the team have been brilliant to work
with, and I can honestly say that if I need something whatever the
time of day one of the team will answer and solve the problem. It’s a
streamlined process for me and the Atlas crew on board as well, if
they have an issue Atlas can sort it out, no problem.
I think the renewables market is an open-ended industry, it’s always
adapting to ensure that there are even more processes to generate
more clean energy. Right now I know they are working on a method
that uses water currents on the wind farms to generate more
energy.You just look out at all that water and think there are endless
possibilities for being able to provide good green energy to the
world and I’m sure Atlas will be with me on that journey.”
UK renewables
In 2012, Julia Brockbank began her career in the renewables
industry as a Project Coordinator. Since then she has moved up in
the ranks to become Site Manager for a number of Offshore Wind
farms across the UK. “Some members of my family are saturation
divers so I wasn’t going into the offshore world completely blind.
I was working as Assistant Site Manager at the London Array
Offshore Wind farm when I got a call from my mum saying that she
had terminal cancer. The wind farm was only 20 miles away from
her so if I needed to go and see her at any point of the day the
client was very understanding and they would let me go. This was
one of the most poignant projects for me.”
Julia is currently working as a Site Manager on the Rampion and
Dudgeon Offshore Wind farms, “so my day will start at 5:30am
because you’ll have crew coming on at 6am,” explains Julia. “You
have to make sure that all the crew have their PPE, paperwork
and certificates before boarding the transfer vessel. It’s a 2 ½ hour
journey to get to the wind farm so we have to wait for the rest of
the crew to come back so we can organise all of their taxis to the
airport. After the crew have gone we have to transport 20 palettes
of food to the site, we don’t want it to sit out in the sun for too long
so we need to transport it as quickly as possible. Every day is
different we may have to transport a crew member to hospital or a
vessel breaks down and we need to find a new one to carry out the
operation. The most challenging project I worked on was Gwynt y
Môr. The weather was bad and UXOs were found. It was definitely a
strenuous experience but also gave me the opportunity to work with
some great people.”
Women in renewables
With renewables leading the way in the offshore industry, Julia
explains how the current market has affected her progression. “I
did struggle to find work last year and at one point I did question
“I was asked to set up a refugee camp in a disused school and
organise bedrooms, kitchens and medical centres. I was an
administrator, and I spent most of my time sorting out tribunals and
taking information on behalf of families. Unfortunately, sometimes
I had to transfer bodies to medical checkpoints, it was a tough
atmosphere to work in so I wasn’t worried when I starting working in
the offshore industry, I was ready for the next challenge.”
The Endless
Possibilities of
going Green
“It was a challenging
experience but it gave
me the opportunity to
work with some great
people.”
JULIA BROCKBANK.
14. HEROES 27
The Polarled pipeline
In late 2015, Statoil and Allseas were the first offshore industry
leaders to install a pipeline across the Arctic Circle. The Polarled
pipeline stretches 480 kilometres from Nyhamna in the county of
Møre og Romsdal to the Aasta Hansteen platform in the Norwegian
Sea.
A change of scenery
In 2012, surveyor Fernando de la Garza began working through
Atlas Professionals Offshore Survey and Construction office based
in Newquay. After eight years working as a land surveyor, Fernando
decided to have a change of scenery. Through a family member, he
learnt about the benefits of the offshore industry, travelling the world
and gaining new opportunities in the survey market.
“I have never had any regrets in
changing my career from onshore
to offshore,” says Fernando, “I was
looking for a change in my life and
the offshore industry gave that
to me. I studied Land Surveying
and GIS at Texas State University.
After working onshore I finally got
my chance to work offshore with
UTEC Offshore Survey.”
Allseas in the Arctic
Due to its severe climate, the Arctic Circle is unexplored territory for
the oil & gas industry. “I’ve been working with Allseas for the last
two years, on their pipe-laying vessel, the Solitaire. There had been
a lot of talk on the boat about Statoil and Allseas venturing into the
Arctic Circle with the Polarled pipeline, and the known challenges
that they would be facing going into the Arctic.”
As senior surveyor, Fernando’s task is to follow the engineering
design route using the GPS and referencing systems to guide the
pipeline along the route. “As part of the survey team our task is to
oversee and maintain the ship’s positioning and reference systems
when installing the pipeline. We also liaise with the support vessel
which is doing the touch down monitoring with the ROVs. This is
an integral part of the construction support as this identifies the
suitable locations for us to place the structures.”
As the pipeline extends further into the Arctic, in close
proximity to the North Pole, the Solitaire has had to overcome
some communication and software issues. “Sometimes our
communications and systems can be affected by issues like solar
events and magnetic effects. We have encountered a few issues
with the GPS systems however; Allseas have fail safes in place to
ensure that the progress of production is not affected.”
A sensitive environment
With the Arctic summer temperature at -10 °C, Allseas have taken
into consideration all the risks that may occur while working in
this environment, especially the
mitigation of harm to the environment
and marine wildlife in the Arctic. “The
Arctic is obviously a very sensitive
environment, both Statoil and Allseas
cautioned off the marine and coral
sensitive areas identified in pre-lay
surveys and we did everything in
our power to ensure that no harm
would come to the environment.
Undoubtedly, pipelines are going to go further into the Arctic. We’ve
seen Shell doing exploratory work around the Arctic. I believe that
any company who decides to go into production here will put all the
research and systems in place to ensure that there is no negative
harm to the environment.”
Problem solving is the number one skill
“My advice to a trainee would be to absorb as much as possible
and ask as many questions as possible; even if you’re working in a
different department on the vessel ask questions whilst you’re on
board. Problem solving is the number one skill in this industry, if you
can think on your feet you can become a dependable and crucial
team player.”
“I was looking for a
change in my life and
the offshore industry
gave that to me.”
A Senior Surveyor on the Polarled Pipeline
Venturing into the Arctic Circle:
FERNANDO DE LA GARZA.
26 HEROES
EVASLEIRE-STATOILASA
15. HEROES28 29HEROES
For the past three years, the Prometheus has been anchored in the
Campos Basin in Brazil on an offshore heavy lift/ logistics support
project for the country’s leader in oil well exploration Petrobras.
OOS Captain of the Prometheus, Matthijs van der Moer recently
caught up with Atlas to discuss life onboard.
Life on the Prometheus
“I’ve been Captain of the Prometheus for just over a year now,”
explains Matthijs, “The unit is working
alongside six of Petrobras’ fixed
platforms. We provide them with
logistical means, helicopter operations
and accommodation for their workers.”
The Prometheus can accommodate
up to 500 POB and includes food
communal areas, meeting rooms
and a 1,100 ton deck crane. Although
every day is different in the offshore world, Matthijs explains his
basic routine, “I start my day around 6am and I will then go to the
bridge and look at the data that was collected overnight. After this
we have a briefing on what happened during the night and all of
the operations that are happening that day such as the transfer of
cargo, vessels that are coming and going and the maintenance that
needs to be done. After this I’ll put my coveralls on and go and do
my rounds on deck.”
Sourcing a competent workforce worldwide
Approximately 70% of the marine crew is provided by Atlas. The
crew consists of a diverse range of nationalities such as Dutch,
English, American, Ukrainian,
Russian, Mexican, Polish, Ghanaian,
Filipino, Latvian and Brazilian
personnel. “Atlas had a difficult
task in providing personnel to the
Prometheus within a short time frame.
This is the first time I have worked
with Atlas and with the current market
as it is, I was a bit sceptical, as I knew
that agencies have been struggling
to find competent personnel. Some agencies just look for a cheap
workforce rather than a qualified one.
However, Atlas is an organised agency, they send me regular
updates on crew rotas, the status of certificates and other relevant
information. Their crewing management is handled meticulously
and it’s easy to profile, process and archive all information provided.
I am confident that Atlas will always supply someone who is
competent and qualified to work offshore. I can say that Atlas have
accomplished this to a good standard. When you have an urgent
request, you ask them for the best solution and they provide it,
simple.”
To ensure a close collaboration between crewing departments Atlas’
Administrators and Operations support, Patricia Ernesto and Márcia
Carvalho are currently working on the OOS premises in Macaé and
in Atlas’ office in Rio. They are responsible for all the documentation
for local content which includes logistics, accommodation, visa
registration, Brazilian medicals, training, vaccinations and tax
registration. “Atlas’ Brazil office has played a supporting role in
providing certifications and helping to deal with other administrative
tasks,” says Matthijs. “I have been mainly working through Atlas’
Odessa team.”
Atlas’ teams in Odessa, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Brazil
have also worked together on the commercial, logistical and
administrative tasks for the project. “Atlas’ offices have helped to
source the majority of the crew for the Prometheus and the Gretha.
My main point of contact is Dmitry Yerofeyev, he actually visited
us recently. He really knows his business and has been a great
communicator throughout the whole process.” Atlas’ teams have
been in close contact with the crewing department of OOS from the
beginning and together they’ve made this project a big success.
Standing at the frontier of energy & marine
The crewing for the Prometheus is just another example of how
Atlas Professionals is standing at the frontier of energy & marine.
“What makes the offshore industry a frontier to me is that it is
a dynamic one,” says Matthijs, “its constantly moving, adapting,
improving, developing new technologies and challenging its workers
on a daily basis.”
“What makes the
offshore industry a
frontier to me is that
it is a dynamic one.”
On Board the Prometheus
In 2013, OOS International received the
first members of their fleet, the OOS Gretha
and the OOS Prometheus. Since day one,
Atlas Professionals has been involved in the
recruitment for both platforms. The scale of
the project has enabled four of Atlas’ teams
to work together and provide the entire
marine crew for the floatel and platform. This
has become Atlas’ biggest project to date.
MATTHIJS
VAN DER MOER.
17. “All the work you
do offshore gives
you a chance to
grow personally
and professionally.”
Growing as a Professional in the
Platforms and Jack Ups Industry
A change of heart
Rigger Joao Conde was born in Portugal and had been working in
the construction industry for most of his life however, 2 years ago
he had a change of heart, “my brother-in-law had been working
offshore for 18 years and when work in Portugal started to dry up
he suggested to go and look for a job in the industry. Although the
market was down I was still able to find work as a Roustabout. In
the beginning I did find it a little strange due to the rotation and
being away from my family for so long, but now I have gotten used
to it and I’m very pleased with the decision I made.”
Future ambitions
Since he began his career offshore in 2013 Joao has wanted
to develop his career as a Crane Operator, “I’ve always been
interested in working on heavy lift operations and using the cranes
offshore. First you need to become an Assistant Crane Operator
before you get to operate the machines. I decided I wanted to
follow this path when I was placed on a project in Abu Dhabi,
where the project was focused on the construction and extension
of satellite platforms. On some of the platforms we had to replace
the boat landing; a single piece that weighed about 45 tonnes
this manoeuvre also involved working with divers as well. It was
our job to lift the construction pieces and hold them in place, it
was quite challenging as the platforms were very small and we
had to do 70 tonne lifts. I also got to bank the crane and replace
the Deck Foreman so I could guide the manoeuvre during the lift.
“I haven’t worked in the industry for very
long but I have been fortunate to work on
some interesting projects. Recently I was a
part of the salvage team for the Troll Solution
rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Last year the rig
collapsed due to a fault in one of its legs and
we were asked to recover some of its parts.”
Before working in Abu Dhabi I was working in the North Sea on an
accommodation rig but I didn’t find it that interesting. That’s why I
want to go back onto the project in Mexico as this involves major
crane operations.”
Growing up with Atlas
After leaving the project in Abu Dhabi, Joao transferred to Atlas
to follow his ambitions on Platforms and Jack Ups, “I have been
working with Atlas since May of this year and this is definitely
the best agency I have worked for. I work through the office in
Hoofddorp with Account Manager Désirée van der Sluis, she’s a
really great person to work with and she is very responsive if I have
any questions or problems that need to be solved.
All the work you do offshore gives you a chance to grow personally
and professionally,” explains Joao. “My experience in construction
allowed me to work in the offshore industry and my work as a
Rigger has allowed me to grow in crane ops, I’m looking forward to
what the future will bring.”
HEROES 3332 HEROES
JOAO CONDE.
18. 34 HEROES
The fact is that you either really like working offshore or you
absolutely hate it. I do my work with lots of love and never get
bored.” After completing his Maritime Officer’s degree at the
Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz in 2004, Lennart went on to sail
on several merchant vessels, from chemical tankers to container
vessels. He also gained experience in the offshore dredging and the
installation of wind turbine foundations.
On the Rambiz he focuses on his daily routine, “Every day I learn
more about the Rambiz. What I like about my job is the diversity. I
sail, manoeuvre, anchor, operate cranes, and carry out on board
maintenance and occasionally I get to assist the engineers in
maintaining the technical installation. After all, being a Chief Officer
is a very responsible position.”
A phenomenon in itself
“Rambiz is a phenomenon in itself,” continues Lennart, “it actually
consists of three pontoons, two identical crane pontoons, the Ram
and the Bizon. One pontoon, the Buffel, is transversely positioned
below where the bridge is located. The pontoons have been in
operation since 1970, but the vessel in its current form has been
in operation since 1999. In terms of size, the Rambiz is 85 metres
long and 44 metres wide. The lifting capacity is 3,300 tons. During
a job the vessel is held in position by four anchors like a spider in
the web. Vessel owner, Scaldis, has its origins in salvaging, the
company is an effective organisation with a clear vision for the
future.” The vessel can facilitate 75 POB. Lennart explains that the
Rambiz always has had a diverse crew, not only in culture but also
in terms of freelancers and contractors. “The atmosphere on board
is good. We work incredibly hard, but there is certainly room for
some fun.”
Do your best!
“Why do I like working for Atlas Professionals? From the moment
I started working for this agency it felt very trustworthy and I knew
that they would support me 100%. We maintain a professional
relationship in which everything is negotiable. I can highly
recommend working in the offshore industry. It is important to
know that the offshore world works differently than you might be
used to.You’ll have to work hard and you should produce excellent
results, do not let a single disappointing experience daunt you. It
is a world of possibilities and if you do your best, then it will not
go unnoticed. Besides, a good tip is to use your network. Maintain
professional contact with people you like to work with, there is
always a chance that they can do something for you in the future.
In the offshore industry, all different types of jobs exist – nautical as
well as technical. Make sure you make the most of your job from
the beginning. My future in the offshore world is promising thanks
to Atlas Professionals, Scaldis and of course my team aboard the
Rambiz.”
“My future in the offshore world is
promising thanks to Atlas Professionals.”
Life aboard Scaldis’ Heavy Lift Vessel Rambiz
On a very sunny day in Vlissingen Atlas met with Lennart van der Meulen aboard the
Rambiz. The heavy lift vessel is currently moored in preparation for a new project; major
maintenance has been carried out on the vessel’s two cranes. “We’re getting ready for
a project in the North Sea,” explains Lennart. “Should weather permit, we will start with
decommission and removal works on an abandoned gas production platform.
HEROES 35
LENNART VAN DER MEULEN.
19. The Wisting Project
In his last assignment for OMV Norway, Yngve got the opportunity
to board the Wisting project in the Barents Sea. The Wisting field is
the Northernmost oil discovery in Norway, “that was a very exciting
project to be a part of,” explains Yngve. “This is the first horizontal
drilling operation for an appraisal well in the Barents Sea and it was
the first operation of its kind in the offshore industry.”
The discovery well in 2013 proved that the reservoir was only 250
metres below the seabed and several vertical appraisal wells were
already drilled prior to the horizontal approach. To be able to drill
a horizontal well the drilling team had to start building the angle
already from just below the seabed. “We are used to working with
wells that are aiming for a reservoir at 1500-2000 metres vertical
depth,” says Yngve. “It was quite a challenge with this shallow
reservoir because we had to build the angle 3-4 times as fast as
a normal deviated well to be able to be horizontal within the 250
metre interval. A DLS (dog leg severity) of up to 12 degrees/30
metres was achieved and luckily the casing strings were run without
any significant challenges.”
The purpose of the project was not only to find a presence of
hydrocarbons in the undrilled Wisting Central South and Central
West segments, but also to prove the concept of horizontal drilling
of shallow reservoirs in the Barents Sea.
Opportunity for discovery
Yngve has been working through Atlas’ team based in Stavanger
and now works as a senior drilling consultant, “It’s my responsibility
to plan wells and follow up both onshore and offshore in the
execution phase. It’s the daily dynamic that gets me out of bed
every day, this industry is unpredictable and it’s never boring
carrying out an offshore drilling operation. Quite often you will have
to adjust the drilling plan and adapt to potential problems. There is
so much variety in both exploration and production drilling and you
have the opportunity to be a part of so many great opportunities
and discoveries.”
“There are so many opportunities in both
exploration and production drilling.”
With over 15 years of experience in the drilling industry Senior Drilling Engineer Yngve
Frøyland has worked on a variety of projects on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, “I studied
Petroleum Engineering, specialized in drilling, at University in Stavanger. My father has
worked offshore for all of his life, 25 years as a drilling supervisor, and he inspired me to
go and work in the oil business. When I started working in 1999 I was always working on
production drilling projects both onshore and offshore on fixed platforms, but in 2009 I
decided to work in exploration drilling because I needed new challenges.”
The First of its Kind:
The Wisting Project
in the Barents
YNGVE FRØYLAND.
HEROES 3736 HEROES
