We’re delighted to announce a new collaboration between FALCOR Engineering and Contracting and Proserv, marking an important step in expanding our shared commitment to innovation and excellence in the energy sector.
This partnership was officially signed at the ADIPEC Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, by Mehdi Sidi Ali Mebarek CEO of FALCOR, and Angus Rodger, Vice President, Services at Proserv.
Reflecting on the occasion, Angus Rodger commented, “As we close out a hugely successful week for Proserv here at the ADIPEC Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, we are very pleased to have agreed to a modifications and new well contract with FALCOR. Looking forward to expanding this relationship and building on future collaborations in the region.”
This collaboration underscores Proserv‘s dedication to delivering world-class solutions and strengthening regional partnerships. We’re excited to further develop Proserv‘s technology solutions across the Middle East energy sector.
At Proserv, we’re proud to invest in the next generation of industry talent through our apprenticeship program, which aligns with our core FRESH values.
Today, we’re highlighting the journey of Reece Lawrence, one of our standout apprentices, as he shares his experience and insights into what makes Proserv’s program a unique launchpad for a successful career. Reece’s story underscores the blend of practical skills, real-world experience, and personal growth that apprenticeships foster. Let’s dive into his journey!
Q: What made you want to sign up for the apprenticeship program?
Reece: I was drawn to Proserv’s apprenticeship program because it offers a hands-on learning approach while working toward valuable qualifications. I have a long-term goal of pursuing an offshore career, and I knew that starting with a solid foundation in the workshop, combined with academic studies, would give me the skills and qualifications I need. Proserv’s program stood out as it offered precisely that combination – real-life, on-the-job experience that aligns with my career ambitions.
Q: What was the best part of the program?
Reece: Without a doubt, the highlight was completing my offshore survival training and going on my first trip offshore! From the adrenaline-pumping helicopter and sea survival training to earning my BOSIET and MIST certifications, each step was a milestone. Heading to the Dunbar and conducting pressure testing operations in a live offshore environment was incredibly exciting – it’s one thing to learn in a workshop, but nothing beats the thrill and learning of real-world application.
Q: What did you find challenging about the program?
Reece: Balancing college work and hands-on experience was sometimes challenging. The demands of both academic and practical learning taught me to manage my time well and sharpen my problem-solving skills. Overcoming these challenges has been rewarding; it helped me develop resilience and resourcefulness, qualities that are essential for a successful offshore career.
Q: Tell us about your work with Trident in Equatorial Guinea.
Reece: Working in Equatorial Guinea was a phenomenal experience. I first flew out there in October 2023, where we performed an onshore SIT before transitioning offshore for well completion operations. I had the chance to work on two well completions, learning alongside a team from diverse backgrounds around the world. These international stints were invaluable, as I was not only able to develop my technical skills but also gained cultural insights and learned to adapt to different working environments. I’ve also had the opportunity to mobilize from Norwich for offshore work on the Well Safe Protector for plug and abandonment campaigns, which has expanded my industry exposure further.
Q: What advice would you offer to new Proserv apprentices?
Reece: If you’re looking to gain hands-on experience while also earning a qualification, I can’t recommend an apprenticeship enough! It’s the best of both worlds – you’re developing practical skills in a real-world setting while also earning a salary. This combination of education, experience, and financial support really sets an apprenticeship apart as a launchpad for a successful career.
Reece’s story is a testament to Proserv’s commitment to nurturing future talent through structured, supportive, and immersive training. His experiences showcase the power of learning by doing – a philosophy at the heart of our FRESH values. At Proserv, we’re not just building careers; we’re building resilient, skilled professionals ready to lead the industry forward.
If you’re considering a hands-on career in energy and engineering, explore our apprenticeship opportunities. Like Reece, you could be on the path to a dynamic and rewarding journey with Proserv!
Visit: https://careers.proserv.com/
We are thrilled to announce that Proserv has been named the Energy Industries Council (EIC) Middle East, Africa and CIS Award Winner for 2024 in the Equipment category for their exceptional Service & Solutions!
This prestigious recognition highlights Proserv’s commitment to delivering innovative and effective solutions across the energy sector, showcasing their leadership in providing advanced equipment services to meet the evolving needs of the industry.
The black-tie evening was held in the breathtaking setting of the Queen Elizabeth 2 deck floating hotel, making it a truly memorable and glamorous event.
This year’s awards featured 12 categories, each recognising outstanding contributions in various categories, celebrating leadership, innovation, sustainability, and achievements across the energy landscape. The EIC congratulated all their winners for their ‘innovation’, ‘resilience’ and ‘dedication’.
After the event Angus Rodger VP, Services at Proserv commented:
‘’I am extremely proud to see the team here recognised for their endeavours, we are all about the customer and given this award is for service and solutions it gives testament that we are doing the right things the right way, huge congratulations to the team.’’
We are beyond thrilled to announce that Proserv has won the RenewableUK Supply Chain Innovation of the Year award at the Global Offshore Wind Awards in London tonight!
A huge congratulations to our incredible team, whose dedication and hard work made this achievement possible.
Paul Cook, VP of Renewables shared:
“I’m so, so proud of the team. Unbelievable! So many people deserve recognition for this. It’s a massive team effort!
Well done to everyone, to all the finalists, and a huge thank you to the judging panel for this award.”
This is a milestone moment for Proserv and for the future of renewable energy. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of innovation!
Aberdeen/UK-headquartered Proserv has successfully completed a sponsor-backed management buyout (MBO), and is introducing an employee ownership scheme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s 60-year history.
Led by CEO Davis Larssen and CFO Mark Fraser, the multi-million pound deal is backed by GIIL, a UK-based investment vehicle of Glenn Inniss, the founder and owner of the GII Finance Group. For the past two years, GIIL (through its subsidiary GII Finance Group), has supported the financing of the business alongside investment funds and accounts managed by its existing shareholders Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”) and KKR.
As a result of the transaction, both Oaktree and KKR have exited their equity holdings in Proserv, with Piper Sandler serving as exclusive corporate finance advisor to the sellers.
During this period, Proserv has reported a 34% increase in annual turnover. The global controls technology specialist employs around 800 people across 13 strategically located facilities in the UK, Europe, America, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. With an established customer base that serves major E&P organisations and independent operators with its subsea and topsides controls solutions as well as other infrastructure maintenance support services globally, Proserv is also establishing a leading role in the renewables transition with its propriety ECG holistic subsea cable monitoring system.
This transition enables Proserv to accelerate its five-year growth trajectory and extend its market presence in renewables while continuing to deliver exceptional value to its customers across its core business of oil and gas.
Proserv CEO Davis Larssen, who has been with the business for almost 15 years, said: “Mark and I are thrilled to embark on this new chapter with GIIL’s strategic alignment as we progress on our journey to becoming the energy sector’s leading independent controls technology partner of choice.
“We currently have approximately 50% market share in providing leading-edge subsea control systems in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Our ability to deliver solutions for both new developments and upgrading obsolete control systems to extend the life of older fields is of increasing importance as the world focuses on energy security, energy independence, lower carbon emissions, and a measured transition to a balanced energy portfolio. Our immediate goal now is to build on our strong reputation and strengthen our presence in offshore wind where there is a growing appetite for OEM-agnostic warrantied controls technologies for safe and reliable wind farm operations.
Proserv CFO Mark Fraser commented: “Our people are the backbone of our business, and their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in driving our achievements. In recognition of this, we are committed to implementing our new employee ownership programme by the end of the year. This initiative, which we believe sets us apart in our sector, will empower our people to share in the rewards of our collective success and further enhance our positive team culture and long-term growth.
Proserv’s chairman David Currie added: “This is an important next chapter in the Proserv story, and I look forward to continuing to support Davis, Mark and the wider leadership team. We are confident that Proserv is poised for a period of sustained growth and our shared vision will drive us forward as we strive to become the industry leader in our field. We remain committed to delivering exceptional value to our customers, and consistently surpassing their expectations.”
GIIL principal Glenn Inniss stated: “Having known and supported the Proserv leadership team for the last five years, this was an easy decision for us to demonstrate our commitment to support the business and its strategy.”
Richard Barr and Lawrance Chessor from our sampling team based at Greenbank in Aberdeen explain the rationale behind our recent tie-up with dpUNION, a long-established São Paulo based supplier of analytical and laboratory equipment.
What essentially have you set up with dpUNION?
We have set up an agreement where dpUNION will be the distributor for our products, and for sampling more generally, across Brazil. To have someone locally in-country rather than having to refer back to Aberdeen is clearly an advantage. We have been travelling to Brazil quite regularly in recent years and increasingly the feedback we were getting from customers, and the market, was that it would be easier for them to deal with a local contact.
We have been getting more and more enquiries from potential clients, including from universities and technology centres, and so this process of evaluating a potential local distributor has gradually evolved. We really started to move on it back in 2022, so it has been a carefully considered and detailed process before we came to this arrangement with dpUNION.
The essential aim of this tie-up will be focused on the sales element of our product offering. We can harness dpUNION’s local footprint, receive an order and either turn around equipment we already have in stock or manufacture to requirements very quickly and ship the product fast. It is a good set-up that gives us much more traction locally and enables us to get kit to customers equally effectively.
Caption: Lawrance Chessor (left) and Richard Barr from Proserv’s sampling team
What attracted you to working alongside dpUNION?
We sought to target a suitable party and one of our good customers, a very well-respected international laboratory and analysis provider, put forward dpUNION’s name. To get a recommendation from a partner like that is clearly an ideal starting point. dpUNION has a long-standing reputation in Brazil, stretching back almost 40 years, with multiple accreditations too.
The sort of products that dpUNION specialises in supplying, including laboratory and analysis equipment, is obviously a good fit with our offering, such as our sampling cylinders. Some of what dpUNION provides can be used in conjunction with our own kit too. dpUNION was also already working with several of our customers, via their own product lines, so there was a really useful overlap there. These connections and potential synergies made total sense.
dpUNION has coverage across all the major cities and regions in Brazil, with numerous dedicated sales individuals, including specifically for the major energy players in the domestic market. So, one exciting element is that we can combine our product portfolio with dpUNION’s contact network and relationships to hopefully leverage further opportunities.
Why have you targeted Brazil for such an arrangement?
It is a fast-growing energy hub with a lot of potential and significant investment coming into it. For instance, it is the world leader in deepwater and ultra-deepwater activity and over the next few years, multiple floating production storage and offloading (FPSOs) facilities will be coming on-stream. So, there are strong opportunities for us to drive our equipment into the market, including our sampling cylinders and possibly our unique subsea sampling capabilities
What is additionally interesting is that in Brazil, to support research centres at universities and technology centres, a percentage of revenue from the industry is channelled back into academia to accelerate the development and rollout of more laboratories and equipment. This plays very well into our own expertise and product offering around analysis and testing, and one of our on-going projects is with a university in Rio de Janeiro which is developing a new lab that is being funded by one of the global majors.
But the big local O&G companies also run key labs to support their production needs and analysis, and again these represent an exciting market for us.
More broadly, if we can harness our new relationship with dpUNION and build our reputation and presence even further across the South American region, we can also potentially use this as a launch pad for entering other markets, such as Guyana – another rapidly evolving location.
Equally, another element to our tie-up with dpUNION is that its business is not solely focused on supplying equipment to the energy sector – it also has activities in numerous different areas, from food and drink to pharmaceuticals. Perhaps new openings will emerge for our own products and solutions in totally unexpected areas that we hadn’t previously considered.
Caption: Élcio Hobi de Oliveira (left) and André Sanches from dpUNION’s team
How has this new tie-up been going so far?
It has been good. Already a few smaller orders are close to getting over the line to set things moving. We were in Brazil earlier in the year as part of providing some training to dpUNION’s team and we are hoping to go back out there in the next couple of months. The aim at that point is to get out into the market alongside dpUNION and to meet a number of possible future customers. We will be able to maximise dpUNION’s local in-country presence to set up and facilitate these meetings.
Our plan is to travel out to Brazil on a regular basis to touch base with prospective customers and we can also use scheduled local industry events to work alongside dpUNION to jointly push our collaboration and offerings.
It is an exciting new arrangement, and we hope to move forward with dpUNION over the next 12 months. Brazil, with its very deep, offshore pre-salt fields presents opportunities for us, and we know our sampling cylinders and equipment have been engineered and manufactured to face the technical challenges presented by such corrosive and extreme environments.
Our VP, QHSE, Simon Harvey, one of the cyclists currently taking part in our 600-mile mental health charity ride, found time before the group set off to talk about his views on the cause and his own experiences.
Why does the 600 Miles for Minds challenge matter?
It matters because mental health matters. There’s clearly a growing problem in society around mental health. At the extreme end, we’re tragically seeing higher suicide rates. But we’re also seeing younger children increasingly affected. The way life is lived these days is more pressurised, more fast-paced, there’s a lot more going on. On a personal level, I have friends and family that struggle with this.
So, mental health is gradually becoming more and more of an issue and as an employer Proserv has a crucial role to play in providing support frameworks for our colleagues. For me, it also matters because we are using this event, not just to raise funds, but to encourage discussion around this important subject and increase awareness. Whenever I mention 600 Miles for Minds to someone and what we’re doing, it naturally sparks a conversation. The subject of mental health touches everyone. I have been on training rides with other members of our cycling group and inevitably we will talk about our own experiences.
With celebrities speaking out regularly, and TV programmes confronting this topic, people are being encouraged to be more open and to discuss how they are feeling. This is a real shift in society over recent years. So, as much as the fund-raising itself matters, so too does letting people know that there is an open door, and sharing whatever is on their mind, is a huge part of what we are doing.
Generally, our mental health is not always thriving and likewise we are not always really struggling. We move around in between these two points because life is changeable, and things affect us. What we want to encourage with the message behind 600 Miles for Minds is that through reaching out, by talking, people can generally remain in an essentially good place, never dropping into an area where things become very difficult.
Why are you personally taking part?
Firstly, I’m a keen cyclist. I love riding my bike and I ride my bike a lot! I once cycled 200 miles in a day, but I’ve never done 600 miles over just six days, and part of me loves a challenge.
Cycling is great for my own mental health. I really enjoy the simplicity of cycling. You cycle, eat, cycle, eat, cycle, eat and sleep. Then you wake up, get back on the bike and do it all over again. You can immerse yourself in this simple experience and take yourself away from the ‘noise’ of everyday life.
So this is a big factor for me but behind all that, and like most people, I have close family members who have had their own struggles with their mental health over the years. It is very challenging to go through, for the person suffering of course, but also for someone who cares for and loves that individual and must witness this battle, but ultimately it can still be a positive learning experience.
Offering support to a friend or family member going through a tough period is very much a journey. You gain new perspectives about yourself; you get an opportunity to adapt and adjust and become a better person. Times like this are hard to experience but they can strengthen and enhance both understanding and relationships. So, a key observation I have wanted to communicate as part of this campaign is that there really can be light at the end of the tunnel.
Caption: Proserv cycling team members pictured in Great Yarmouth – Simon Harvey (fourth from left)
I recently encouraged a close relative to take up cycling and this has had a positive effect on mental wellbeing, along with being open and talking about issues. This is great to see.
You cannot necessarily find a cure for mental health struggles, there is no magic pill to take, but anyone feeling weighed down can use these different tools to help bring improvements and to find it easier to live with them.
But several years ago, I also lost a close friend as a result of mental health challenges, for whom there sadly wasn’t a positive outcome, and my respect for, and memory of, that friend is very much on my mind as I undertake this cycle ride.
What does mental health awareness mean to Proserv?
It is a vitally important issue. We were an early implementor of employee assistance programmes, initially doing that in the UK, but working alongside our VP, Human Resources, Morag McGowan, we have had a big push on making those services accessible in all our other sites around the world. Morag and I collaborate closely on this subject as it naturally spans both HR and HSE and one of our key objectives is to make sure team members can get the help they might need as early as possible.
Many people only seek help when they are already in a bad place, perhaps when they feel they can no longer cope – this is too late. We want colleagues who are feeling under stress or beginning to struggle to be able to reach out quickly and easily. This comes back to one of the core messages behind 600 Miles for Minds around talking, opening up and sharing a burden. That initial conversation is hopefully the first step on a more positive road.
We have set up what we call Mental Health Champions, or first aiders, who are available as the point of contact at our sites. They are not there to provide a solution but importantly they can recognise the signs of anxiety and stress and they can guide a colleague towards the right help.
We tend to talk about, and focus on, wellbeing at Proserv. Mental health is an integral part of that, but prioritising wellbeing brings in a host of other important areas too. If we look after our wider wellbeing, then our mental health should benefit.
Essentially, our approach to mental health is centred on recognising that colleagues need access to early support whenever it might be needed so that there is always someone to talk to. This is part of helping to build resilience so that people “in a good place” can stay there. Assistance programmes we instigate globally are always mindful of the cultural sensitivities of any particular country too.
What outcomes are you hoping for when you eventually climb off the saddle on June 12th?
Well, I said I wanted a prominent Finish Line arch ready for when we arrive in Great Yarmouth and that is going to happen! First and foremost, I want every rider who lines up at the start in Aberdeen to make it to the finish safely and that they can enjoy it rather than endure it.
We ultimately want to hit our fundraising target through the year, and we have done brilliantly up till now, but just as importantly, we really want to get the message across that people need to reach out when they feel under stress and to talk to someone – this is the key first step. I hope that what we are doing as a group, as we cycle down the country, can help bring greater awareness of this.
I want our efforts to help break down the barriers around openness. If discussing mental wellbeing is normalised, the less likely people will stay in their own bubbles, burdened by anxiety, and the more likely they will be to share their feelings and become more resilient to these struggles.
Abu Dhabi based Operations Director, who works with some of Proserv’s key clients in the Middle East, earns accolade following three decades in the energy sector.
John Bright has celebrated a decade at global controls technology company Proserv, and more than 30 years working in the energy business, by being invited to join the Global Ambassador programme of leading trade body, the Energy Industries Council (EIC).
The EIC has been a long-standing name in the industry for 80 years, helping companies to accelerate their growth around the world via events, market intelligence, networking and communications. In 2023, it picked up the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
John has worked for a diverse range of companies in his time and has specialised in building maintenance and aftermarket strategies for service providers and OEMs. At Proserv, John has been a prominent figure in helping to propel and broaden the Middle East team’s service offering, alongside developing strong and trusted relationships with the UAE’s national energy company, ADNOC.
His efforts have been key to Proserv scooping major national and regional awards from the EIC in recent years, including Service & Solutions Company of the Year in 2021.
The EIC selected its panel of Global Ambassadors by identifying individuals who had played “a crucial role in elevating awareness and championing the organisation’s mission, values, objectives, and activities.” John will assist the EIC Regional Director, Ryan McPherson, in helping to drive further engagement between members and the EIC, harnessing his decades-long experience and insights. John will also play a part, through his regular presence at panels and events, in encouraging further new members to join the organisation.
John received his Global Ambassador certificate at a special ceremony during a recent UAE Connect event in Abu Dhabi and he will take on the role for a period of 24 months. Following his appointment, John said:
“The EIC has been a terrific supporter of our industry since its inception and as we enter the transition and the continued advancement of digital tech, it is very much in the vanguard helping to encourage the collaboration and innovation needed to drive the sector.
“I have seen an evolving landscape through my many years in energy and I am delighted that my insights and experience, as a Global Ambassador, can potentially help EIC members make even more of what this organisation offers, alongside new sign-ups taking advantage of the excellent connections available.”
One of John’s first roles as a Global Ambassador will be to participate in an EIC panel at an event marking the trade body’s past 20 years of success and progress in the Middle East, taking place on June 6th.
A team of Lycra clad cyclists will roll out of Proserv’s Aberdeen HQ on June 7th with over £60,000 already raised for leading mental health charities.
Global controls technology company Proserv’s epic six-day charity cycle ride from Aberdeen to Great Yarmouth, 600 Miles for Minds, is just a week away.
27 cyclists, comprising Proserv teammates and several colleagues from Glasgow based technology partner, Synaptec, will set off at 8AM from the company’s head office in Westhill, Aberdeen on Friday, June 7th headed for Perth, the destination for day one. Two bagpipers, both part of Proserv’s Westhill team, will give the group a rousing send-off.
The riders will then move on to Berwick-upon-Tweed, via Edinburgh, on Saturday 8th before heading for Sunderland, Goole, Boston and finally Proserv’s site in Great Yarmouth on Wednesday, June 12th where they will cross the finish line arch. The group will average 100 miles per leg and will be in the saddle for more than ten hours a day.
Cyclists are flying in from around the globe, including one from the Middle East and three from Trondheim in Norway. Proserv’s CEO, Davis Larssen, is also taking part.
The challenge aims to raise awareness and much-needed funds for two leading mental health charities – Mental Health UK and SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health). Proserv and Synaptec have an ambitious fundraising target of £100,000 over the next 12 months, with 600 Miles for Minds very much the central showpiece. But further potential challenges and events are in the pipeline for later in the year.
In addition to providing financial support for these two important charities, Proserv wants to spread awareness of how vital it is to reach out and talk about our mental health. This can help us maintain positive mental health and support our wellbeing.
The response from both the public and industry has been extremely positive with multiple businesses coming forward to pledge funds and their backing. The main official supporters and donors comprise Viper Innovations, TEXO, KR Group (Scotland), Hutcheon Mearns, DSV – Global Transport and Logistics, Piper Sandler, Moughton Engineering, MSCM Limited, Tool Tec, Gilson Gray, Alvarez & Marsal, Blackwood Partners, Claxton, Peterson, Bluewater and Stitch Creative Agency. Donations are already above £60,000 before a single mile has been cycled.
Davis Larssen observed:
“The generosity we have received from individuals making personal contributions or businesses stepping up as supporters and pledging significant sums, has been so motivational to us. Each and every donation is greatly appreciated, no matter its size, and every pound raised will aid the work of these two tremendous charities.”
The cycling is not confined to the 27 riders out on the road. Proserv has also set up a virtual bike challenge across 11 of its global sites, with a joint group target to cycle 9,464 miles in just five days – the exact distance between its bases in Houston and Chennai. The virtual challenge kicks off on Monday, June 3rd and lasts all week.
Simon Harvey, Vice President, QHSE, said:
“The virtual bike challenge is a great way to enable so many more people, right around our global business, to be involved in, and connected to, this event for such a worthwhile cause and it also generates some healthy competition between sites. I am part of the group out on the road down to Great Yarmouth, and while that is undoubtedly a physical effort, virtually cycling such a distance in only five days is going to require some serious time in the saddle from a lot of people in our team.”
Simon Harvey, Davis Larssen and the other cyclists who are part of the 600 Miles for Minds six-day event have been clocking up the training rides for the past few months. Bradley Savoldelli, the Proserv team member who first came up with the idea behind 600 Miles for Minds, commented:
“The event is almost upon us and we have done our best to get ready for the test ahead. It is both exciting and a little daunting, but we will work together to get across this distance. The most important thing is that we arrive together safely in Great Yarmouth, and we can shine a light on an issue affecting so many people in different ways. If we can encourage those people to seek help and support, and to do that before issues get on top of them, then we have achieved so much of our goal already.”
To donate to Proserv’s fundraising campaign, please click here.
In 2023, our measurement and metering team clocked up 35 years in the industry and this year celebrates five years since it joined Proserv. Janice Macleod, General Manager, Measurement and Alasdair Thomson, Principal Engineer, enjoy a retrospective and explore the here and now of the sector.
The present Cumbernauld measurement team started out back in 1988, based at the time in Grangemouth – how different was the sector back then?
Alasdair Thomson (AT): if you strip it back to the fundamentals, a metering system hasn’t essentially changed because the important thing for an operator is that we enable them, clearly, swiftly and accurately, to see what their production totals are. The customer wants a daily report to know how things are performing and that hasn’t really altered.
Today, Coriolis and ultrasonic flow meters are certainly more prevalent, although the more traditional turbine and orifice plate meters are still in use. So, some of the technology is similar to back then but there are more alternative solutions available.
Take SCADA systems – these offer immediate, very sophisticated ways of trending data and production performance. They provide insightful historical context but even 35-40 years ago, there were rudimentary means, even if automatically charted on rolls of paper, where one could analyse how equipment was performing in general terms. So unsurprisingly, modern technology does things very differently and delivers impactful visibility, yet it continues to carry out some of the essential functions as in the 1980s.
In any FAT for a new metering system, one of the key requirements is to verify that the calculations are correct. When a set of values is fed into the system and these are verified, the calculations must not introduce an error of more than 0.001% when compared to an independent test tool. Proserv has developed Valid8 calculation verification software, which has been independently validated, for this purpose. So, that requirement hasn’t changed and the international standards employed are more or less the same, allowing for updated versions over the years.
What about the introduction of tighter regulations around environmental factors as the sector, and industry more widely, have become alert to these requirements?
Janice Macleod (JM): This is a really significant development being driven by regulators like the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and very different to the situation in the early years. Emissions measurement, so gas flaring and venting, is increasingly critical and is a central plank of the North Sea Transition Deal (NSTD) with regard to meeting future net zero goals.
The NSTD has set a challenging target of halving emissions by 2030 and the stringent regulatory framework of the NSTA means that monitoring and measuring how much gas is being flared or vented, and how much oil is contained in the water discharged into the sea, are now extremely important to maintaining operational excellence and need to be precise. Fines have been imposed where these emissions levels have been excessive.
For us, this new landscape creates an opportunity. There is only going to be an increase in investment in the North Sea around technologies providing effective metering for flaring and venting and all that information can be pulled into our metering systems.
Flaring is difficult to measure accurately – it can vary hugely. We are very alert to openings here and the NSTA has reached out to industry to identify solutions that can accelerate measuring this. Proserv technologies such as Dynamic Uncertainty could be applied here.
Dynamic Uncertainty engages live data to analyse and evaluate operational performance. It allows a user to monitor information in real-time as well as undertake trend analysis. If something is not right, immediate action can be taken when slight changes or differences arise. So, it supports customers in making sure they maintain the required uncertainty levels.
New expectations around practices and greater capabilities from technology seem to be the big disrupters to what went before – how else have things changed?
JM: Basically, flow computers from the turn of the century, when placed next to what is used now, were considerably less sophisticated. It is true that the core fundamentals of what metering and measurement are all about are essentially the same, but the multi-functional aspects of modern tech have been transformative.
AT: Dashboards are another case in point. Go back 35 years and displays were far less graphic and everything was in black and white. The intuitive use of colour showing when, for example, valves are opened or closed is now just assumed and normalised. Equally, HMIs where an operator can see trending data just wasn’t an option. To be able to identify temperature spikes or flow rate drops over time, perhaps over a 12-month period, is a major leap in aiding diagnostics.
Cybersecurity also wasn’t a thing in the 1990s! Metering systems were completely self-contained and were not part of a network – everything would be connected to a supervisory computer and that would be it. Jump forward to now and we can be sitting in Cumbernauld exploring a metering system, in real-time, hundreds of miles away offshore. Of course, critical security protocols come with that, and this is only done with full knowledge and collaboration with the client but in the old days, if you needed to see things in detail, you’d have to head up to Aberdeen, carrying heavy kit bags including disc and tape drives, and jump on a chopper.
To be able to connect, live, with offshore technicians without leaving your desk would be the stuff of science fiction thirty-five years ago. Back then it was a struggle to even phone the office from offshore, now we have developed equipment to allow for remote access to our systems.
By having that visibility, we might be able to identify issues before an operator even spots them. We can be their virtual, remote service support. That is another example of showing where the value comes.
Today’s tech – a typical dashboard monitored by our measurement team
You have mentioned Dynamic Uncertainty and we have a portfolio of predictive and real-time offerings, Prognosis Pro being another aimed at differential pressure meters. How is the measurement team targeting these skills and capabilities in 2024?
JM: One thing that has changed is until about ten years ago, our industry was bringing in large revenues, prices were strong and spending OPEX was never in doubt, but when returns dropped in around 2014, that ushered in a whole new way of thinking where customers only decide to commit to expenditure through obsolescence management.
When we are selling our products there has to be a clear value. So, we have to create a right for us to win that contract and there has to be something valuable for the customer. That’s where technologies like Prognosis and Dynamic Uncertainty, and the new software, come in.
One advantage is that many of our customers have been with us 35 years. So, we have evolved together. With Dynamic Uncertainty for instance, every asset must provide an uncertainty report for its audits to prove that the uncertainty range for its metering system is in line with the expectations required for fiscal measurement.
A lot of that work is done via spreadsheets but with Dynamic Uncertainty we can integrate the solution into the system and generate monthly uncertainty reports making the whole auditing process simpler for the operator.
AT: With our real-time condition-based monitoring via solutions like Prognosis and Dynamic Uncertainty, operators gain in a multitude of ways. They can detect anomalies at very early stages where, ostensibly, daily readings might still seem accurate. A blocked or worn orifice plate could be affecting flow rate calculations and the diagnostic data generated by Prognosis greatly improves an operator’s early awareness and understanding of the condition of the differential pressure-based measurement system. Not only that but the information generated enables any maintenance or intervention to be targeted at the right area or cause.
Equally, one of the real gains from solutions like Prognosis is that this software can also show that there is nothing wrong with the system and so unnecessary maintenance is avoided, physical inspections are reduced, and a condition-based approach can be adopted rather than regular, calendar-based schedules.
JM: This is exactly right – it can cost a significant amount to take an orifice plate out of the line, close off a pipeline, and send it to a calibration facility, when it is working perfectly well! This is how our software solutions can allow smarter, more efficient strategies – saving time and money.
Through Dynamic Uncertainty we are trying to take some of the manual processes away and enabling them to be digitalised. That makes things easier and mitigates against human error. Likewise, we have designed our systems with cybersecurity in mind empowering them to be even more secure and robust.
Solutions like Prognosis and Dynamic Uncertainty have exciting potential. They follow the Proserv methodology of being OEM agnostic, so we can integrate them into any system, not just our own. This really opens up our market globally. In some areas, like the Middle East, contract bidding is price sensitive but with these powerful software solutions, we become much nimbler and more flexible. We can deliver software as a service quickly and effectively.
This changes our commercial outlook for 2024 as we can target new global opportunities alongside the very customers we have valued for the past 35 years. We can deliver annual service contracts backed by our decades-worth of expertise and augmented by these software licences, bringing extra value to their daily operations and allowing us to be their remote service tech of choice.