Agreement enables both parties to target subsea and topside opportunities in west Africa
Global controls technology company Proserv has announced that it has established an arrangement with Luanda based service provider Prometim whereby the Angolan business will act as its local representative in both Angola and the Republic of Congo.
Prometim specialises in maintenance, asset integrity and EPC activities in the energy sector and wider industry. Its reach extends from Angola, Congo and Mozambique in Africa through to the UAE in the Arabian Gulf and Portugal in western Europe.
The tie-up will see the two companies leverage Proserv’s worldwide footprint and expertise in control system integration to pinpoint opportunities in the region’s mature deep water subsea oil and gas activities. Angola has one of the largest numbers of subsea control modules (SCM) installed globally with around 600 SCMs currently deployed. Proserv and Prometim aim to harness the former’s reputation for optimising ageing, unsupported and obsolete controls infrastructure to extend the life, and enhance the operational performance, of these brownfield assets.
It is also anticipated that the two parties can target multiple topside controls openings and upgrades via floating production, storage and offloading units (FPSO) as well as conductor support platforms in shallower waters. It is expected that Proserv’s broad portfolio of offerings including its award-winning service operation as well as its measurement and sampling teams can look to further develop their footprint in west Africa as a result of this agreement.
Paula Dantas, Prometim’s Managing Director said:
“It is our mission at Prometim to deliver high quality levels of service for our customers to make a real difference to their competitiveness and performance. Our stated goal is to add value to their operations. By cementing this arrangement with Proserv, we can take this aim to another level. Proserv offers innovative and impactful solutions, both subsea and topside, that have life extension and optimisation at their core. We are very happy to represent such a global market leader.”
Richard Moralee, Senior Director, Business Development, Europe, Africa and Far East, Proserv commented:
“We are delighted to reach this agreement with Prometim, a long-standing and well-respected Angolan business, and we look forward to forging a close working relationship. It is part of our intrinsic Proserv values to actively engage, support and work with the local community and utilise its expertise wherever we seek to develop and extend our activities around the globe. Prometim shares our ethics and our outlook and its skill sets very much complement our own. This tie-up is a really good fit.”
Paul Cook, Vice President (VP), Renewables and Callum Maxwell, Business Development Manager, Renewables take time out to look back on a positive 2022 and anticipate an equally progressive year ahead.
What would be the landmark moments from last year? Our holistic cable monitoring system for the offshore wind segment, ECG™, must feature prominently?
Paul: It is easy to forget that two years ago ECG™ was essentially in development rather than being the rapidly evolving solution it is now – yet in the intervening time, its progress has seen it secure crucial government funding and it has received industrial sponsorship from some of offshore wind’s biggest players namely ScottishPower Renewables in 2021 and Equinor during this past year.
Obviously, a highlight for the team was landing our first contract on the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, Dogger Bank, just as 2022 kicked off, with ECG™ now set to monitor the condition and integrity of the inter-array cables and terminations on phases A and B of the project. This is a blue-chip, big ticket wind farm, specifically engaging disruptive and unique technologies to support and scrutinise its operations, so this is as much an endorsement for ECG™’s value proposition and potential as a great early win for us.
The technology is still very new and its rollout continues. As part of that, another major milestone in 2022 was agreeing a deal with Equinor for ECG™’s full-scale hardware, software and data analytics capabilities to be deployed on Equinor’s Hywind Scotland, the world’s first commercial floating wind asset.
Callum: Hywind Scotland marks another exciting step forward and again quite unique. Very little scrutiny or monitoring has been undertaken with regard to dynamic cables on floating wind assets and this will really help prove the methodology and capability of ECG™ right across the offshore wind space, and not simply from evaluating fixed bottom cables and terminations. The technology will be installed shortly and we should be receiving data by the end of March.
One thing that became clear through 2022, as we moved forward with ECG™, was how our value proposition has gained more and more traction with the market. For instance, it is interesting to see how the significance of, and benefits from, providing termination monitoring have taken hold as actual termination failures have occurred and asset owners realise the consequences. The market is catching on to the real power and potential of what ECG™ can offer around assessing the integrity and condition of infrastructure, namely cables and terminations, that continues to be a source of faults and issues.
Would you say identifying those market needs, alongside shared opinions and collaborative approaches, have underpinned our technology development for offshore wind so far?
Callum: We have regular insightful discussions with a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders, including at events around the globe through the past year, where we have listened to their experiences and in turn shared our methodology and our on-going innovation. So, with ECG™ it is no longer so much about talking to developers regarding a specific product, as they are now starting to understand the wider practical value and philosophy behind the technology and how it can support the visibility of critical infrastructure. Also, in our engagement with the market, whereas it has primarily been, and still remains, EPCIs with whom we’ve tended to interact regarding project proposals, we are noticing other core segments of the industry exploring the technology’s potential too. This may be an area we can look at further in 2023.
I am also very pleased to have been appointed a co-chair of the O&M Subgroup within the DeepWind Cluster, an initiative established by Offshore Wind Scotland. The DeepWind supply chain cluster consists of 800 members drawn from industry, academia and the public sector. This is the largest offshore wind representative body in Europe and provides an excellent platform where once more we can engage directly with stakeholders and share expertise and insights.
Paul: Cable failures remain a critical problem that could hold back the speed of growth in offshore wind at a time when it really needs to accelerate. Currently, with more than 90% of all failures originating at either the design, manufacturing or installation phases, asset owners face inevitable issues. Sharing experience and knowledge is vital to overcoming challenges in any sector and key stakeholders in offshore wind need to come together and talk about what I call the ‘elephant in the room’: cable faults and failures and how we can, as an industry, reduce liability and risk, and mitigate these problems.
Combining skill sets and collaboration are absolutely intrinsic to Proserv’s wider philosophy. ECG™ provides a great example and Synaptec, BPP Cable Solutions and, in the developmental stages, Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult have played essential roles from early support through to deploying cutting-edge expertise and market-leading technologies. Such input has combined with our own control system integration capabilities and, of course, our global footprint in the energy sector to offer a route to commercialisation for innovation.
2022 could be described as having been a year of strengthening and expansion, from strategic senior appointments and team-building through to acquiring a stake in one of our closest partners Synaptec?
Paul: We continue to move forwards and ECG™ represents a firm and very positive step but as a controls technology company we are naturally innovating further solutions to offer value to customers right across the energy landscape. So, acquiring a stake in Synaptec helps cement an already constructive relationship over the past couple of years and we can advance our collaboration by seeking to generate further disruptive offerings to address the challenges faced by offshore wind developers and, in doing so, support the acceleration of the transition.
Last summer, Hugh McNeal, previously the CEO of RenewableUK, came into the senior team as a non-executive director and his experience not only offers us great resource, around challenging our thinking and bringing fresh perspectives, but he really buys into what we are doing. Hugh has great belief in the power of our technology and how we can positively impact offshore wind and help optimise and extend the life of its critical infrastructure in years to come.
I was personally delighted to join the senior leadership team myself and, after 13 years with the company gaining valuable experience in a range of roles, including leading the evolution of our renewables business over the past five years, this was a special moment in my career. But more widely I think my elevation to the senior team, alongside Stuart Harvey too as our VP, Digital Innovation, and Hugh’s arrival, underline how renewables and digitalisation are vital priorities for Proserv and our on-going pivot to align with the transition.
Callum: I was equally delighted to join Proserv’s team in this past year as I had got to know its aims, strategy, its technologies and outlook, as well as a number of its people, from my time at ORE Catapult. At OREC, I had worked closely with Paul and other Proserv colleagues for more than two years while the rationale and concept behind ECG™ took shape and provided support in that developmental phase. It was really telling to observe during that period how the future value of the technology resonated with the wider sector and it was no surprise to see ECG™ swiftly gain industry recognition and sponsorship.
My role at OREC included assessing the trends and direction of the offshore wind space and engaging with multiple projects, building connections and networks as ideas and technologies evolved. My remit is to bring that knowledge and those networks into Proserv and identify future opportunities. The past nine months have been very positive and Paul has led and built a truly cohesive group, full of talent and potential, as core elements of our global engineering and commercial teams. There is an emphasis first and foremost on people coming together as a unit and working, with our partners, to drive our renewables roadmap forwards. The Proserv team continues to grow, as it must, as we look at offshore wind accelerating rapidly in the years up to 2030 and beyond.
Proserv’s presence in the renewables industry is gaining traction, we have several exciting technology development channels well underway, encompassing analytics and intelligence, so what does 2023 look like for you?
Callum: Speaking with specific regard to ECG™, we are looking to cement further deals this year as the sector realises the critical need to improve the real-time monitoring of its cable and termination assets. More generally, what we are doing around technology development is getting ahead of the curve and that is vital for making a genuine impact in such a nascent industry as offshore wind.
We know that ECG™ is like nothing else in the market and one of our challenges with the forward-thinking technology aims we have for 2023, and beyond, is making sure we always bring the industry and its stakeholders along with us – and that is why that regular dialogue is so vital as it gives us an insightful read on what matters and where future opportunity lies. We have already been doing this very effectively with ECG™.
Paul: Our presence and visibility in the renewables supply chain sector are definitely growing and Callum’s arrival in 2022 gave the team a further positive injection. We have also just brought in Jeff Williamson to further augment our business development footprint in the US region as we look towards global opportunities, as offshore wind ramps up.
Our business is still relatively new and in its early phases, yet we now have an established track record, we will continue to expand our broader team in 2023 to build skill sets and our knowledge base, while we have also devised a broader technology roadmap and strategy. This now reaches into turbine monitoring, turbine control as well as turbine and field optimisation.
We are looking to instigate a truly unique and disruptive methodology, centred around real-time optimisation (RTO), to reflect the current and future needs of the sector and representing a step change from established processes – a very similar template to what we have done with ECG™.
As mentioned, collaboration, along with listening closely to the industry, remain vital building blocks of the innovation process and we have been working closely with Ortomation.io to propel this forwards.
Already in 2023, we have cemented a further landmark tie-up with a major global leader in automation solutions to accelerate the development of OEM agnostic control systems, incorporating RTO, to deliver real-time accurate insights to empower decision-making, extend the life of assets and significantly grow return on investment. Elements like RTO and future life extension have not been explored or considered sufficiently within offshore wind.
At the end of 2022 we were also awarded a place on the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership’s WEST business transformation programme. This is a valuable initiative, based around collaboration, that champions innovation and facilitates growth opportunities between developers and the supply chain. This will further help us with widening our footprint in offshore wind and with our commercialisation efforts through 2023.
We have ambitious and bold plans around innovation through the coming years but that fundamental Proserv philosophy of independence, accessibility, scalability, being OEM agnostic and being retrofittable underpins the creative process.
When we look towards potential future new product development in hydrogen or carbon capture, harnessing our controls know-how and subsea experience would be the cornerstone. We often use the phrase “evolution, not revolution” around our progress in renewables and we do that because it makes complete sense.
Retaining up-to-date and reliable measurement technologies matters: from helping to protect and secure company profits through to meeting governmental regulations, having visibility of production rates and metering control system performance is always critical.
As our measurement team, based at our Centre of Excellence in Cumbernauld, Scotland, marks 35 years in the energy sector in 2023, Janice MacLeod, General Manager, Measurement Operations and Alick MacGillivray, Project Engineer discuss the fundamental needs and trends of the market right now and how our philosophy and broad array of solutions can benefit customers.
Let’s deal with exactly why measurement matters. If a customer has a poorly performing metering system, not prioritising the regular maintenance and necessary upgrades of this core equipment, what could be the consequences?
The bottom line is that flow measurement technology effectively acts as a cash register and so it’s right on the very frontline of production. Flow meter readings have a direct impact financially on the revenue that is generated by an operator. But one of the challenges within the industry is that sometimes metering can be regarded as an afterthought.
It is almost universally the case the measurement system is retrofitted to the existing production equipment, and with our OEM agnostic positioning we have the know-how and expertise to do just that, but operators need to realise that this should actually be an integral part of the design of the overall system.
An undetected metering anomaly could potentially mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars of profits per annum, through just a relatively marginal error in metering accuracy. It stands to reason that when you don’t precisely know what is being produced from a field, then you have financial exposure where you could potentially overcharge or undercharge customers and when commodity prices are higher, then exposure increases.
This industry is a mature space and so declining production rates towards the end of a field’s life are also a factor. You could have a meter, perhaps a turbine meter or a differential pressure meter, that has been designed and calibrated to measure a particular production rate. But as fields age, production rates decline and so that equipment becomes less efficient in what it’s doing. The uncertainty in the measurement then starts to increase and that contributes to greater financial exposure as well.
When issues develop, around quantities delivered or received, litigation is quite common and reputational risks are highlighted. This is why auditors make regular visits, looking at the integrity of the measurement system, how it’s been operated, how often it’s been calibrated and maintained, and whether the equipment has been installed properly. It is at these times operators soon realise that they should look after their measurement equipment.
Improving operational performance and efficiencies are a constant pursuit in the energy sector as we pivot further into the transition. Remote condition-monitoring brings a host of benefits, and it is something that Proserv is proactively driving, what can the measurement team offer in this area?
Our systems have a positive and direct environmental impact by enabling better scrutiny of flare gas measurements and produced water which, when it is returned to the sea, needs to be clean. If operators exceed the regulated limits, they would be adding to their carbon footprint via CO2 emissions, or potentially damaging ocean habitats and they would be facing stringent fines.
Proserv has the enhancement of operational performance at the heart of its identity and offerings. Condition monitoring is a powerful method to assess failures or deviations before they become more costly.
We have been developing several exciting software solutions including Prognosis Pro, Valid8 and Dynamic Uncertainty all of which support our clients with their visibility of operational processes and the condition of critical infrastructure. To be on top of this can mean reducing unnecessary emissions, water use and extending the life of equipment, thus lessening waste.
Prognosis Pro is a solution we have been collaborating on with a US based measurement consultancy called DP Diagnostics. Essentially, it provides diagnostic data which improves an operator’s awareness and understanding of the condition of its differential pressure-based measurement system. So, when a problem appears, Prognosis Pro can support in swiftly and accurately identifying the cause but, just as critically, it can demonstrate that all is performing well – eliminating calendar-based maintenance along with the cost, time and carbon footprint of needless physical inspections, as monitoring is done remotely.
Valid8 is something that we have been developing for some years. It offers verification of flow computer calculations powered by our Valid8 calculation engine. These calculations are critical in the industry and ensure that the worldwide trade in hydrocarbons is carried out in a fair, transparent and accurate manner.
Flow calculation input values are manually entered by operators and so this is always susceptible to human error. Valid8 automates the process by including a calculation verification function into the metering control system which directly reads the data from the flow computer inputs, automatically performs a fully independent check calculation, compares the results against the flow computer outputs and produces a clear Pass/Fail report for the operator. It offers a valuable layer of reassurance.
Dynamic Uncertainty very much reflects the demand for real-time, live data to analyse and evaluate operational performance to identify anomalies early. This solution acts on fresh data and if, for instance, a flow rate is detected that is outside the optimum range, then the uncertainty estimation goes up.
Dynamic Uncertainty allows a user to track information in real-time as well as undertake trend analysis. So, if something is not right, immediate action can be taken. Again, this supports our customers in making sure they are meeting regulatory levels of uncertainty, so limiting flaring and preventing unnecessary fines.
This is what is demanded by the digital oilfield where fast, accurate visualisation is expected. Dynamic Uncertainty is a fundamental step up from static monitoring methods involving consultants making site visits and delivering reports weeks later – this is live, real-time monitoring and issues can be identified before they become problems, potentially saving millions of dollars.
Regarding all of these solutions, operators and prospective users should reach out to us directly or via the Proserv website, as engaging real-time monitoring and accessing insights to performance are vital to operational excellence on so many levels.
You have mentioned the market is mature, with many long-standing brownfield assets. You win work around the globe so how much are obsolete, unsupported systems an issue in the measurement industry?
Obsolete metering control systems represent a huge issue. Equipment, over time, that isn’t upgraded and isn’t maintained, will simply become unsupported. It’s no different to what would occur to a new phone or laptop that isn’t replaced or upgraded after multiple years.
So we are very focused on obsolescence and we provide monthly reports to our customers, which are accessible and intuitive, based on a red, amber or green traffic light system. We will highlight any parts of their system that we believe to be at risk. There’s nothing better than getting a report that’s all green for go, but if there’s some amber or red in there, they have an opportunity to act.
Preventing systems from becoming obsolete is a key focus for our support team who are available 24/7. If an operator’s obsolete metering equipment was to break down on a large asset, involving multiple partners, it would have no option but to trust in the measurements taken by third parties, with no direct visibility of the tens of millions of dollars of oil or gas produced, or how much is ultimately transferred. That is a serious financial exposure.
At Proserv, we offer support for the whole lifecycle of a system, factoring in the need for new upgrades and preventing equipment from becoming obsolete. At the end of the day, this is about what Proserv does so well – optimisation. At our Measurement Centre of Excellence, we have decades-worth of industry experience in our ranks and no matter what issues a client might have, we have the expertise to design, install, maintain or upgrade as required.
Callum Maxwell, our Business Development Manager, Renewables, has been appointed as one of two new co-chairs for the operations and maintenance (O&M) subgroup within the DeepWind Cluster. He will hold this position for the next two years.
The DeepWind Cluster is the largest offshore wind representative body in Europe with 800 members drawn from industry, academia and the public sector. It is an initiative led by Offshore Wind Scotland, a partnership driven by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, alongside multiple partners including Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) and the Scottish government.
Its role is to help its members achieve greater benefits from the current and future development of offshore wind in the UK and internationally. DeepWind specialises in fixed and floating offshore wind in deeper waters, usually considered to be greater than 40 metres in depth. Since the ScotWind leasing round early in 2022, the DeepWind Cluster’s geographic reach has been extended and it now incorporates 70% of the entire Scottish coastline.
Callum will be co-chair of a subgroup, focused on supporting improved operations and maintenance within the offshore wind segment, that comprises more than 200 members in its own right with many from other leading service providers, technology developers and manufacturers. Callum’s subgroup will be hosting a webinar next month on February 21st.
Speaking after his appointment, Callum Maxwell stated:
“I am delighted to have been selected to undertake this co-chair role and I look forward to helping drive and initiate future discussions focused on accelerating better O&M in the offshore wind sector and encouraging both collaboration and greater innovation. If offshore wind is to truly grow rapidly, and with success, O&M represents a key building block on that route ahead.”
Jackie Lawrie and Elton Willemse from our Instrumentation & Calibration (I&C) team, based in Aberdeen, reference their adaptable certification and testing services, how they can help optimise their customers’ operational processes and highlight our Aftermarket Service Portal.
With strong production revenues across the industry through much of 2022, operators must prioritise the calibration and certification of their instrumentation as any downtime, resulting from inaccurate readings or faulty equipment, would prove very costly?
We say that no matter what the background landscape is around market sentiment, critical infrastructure and kit always need to be consistently checked and tested. This is the only way of maintaining smooth and efficient operations. So, it stands to reason the regular, accurate calibration of the master instrumentation to undertake that testing is a key piece of the equation.
Trusting in faulty metrological equipment could eventually lead to an issue regarding pressure or temperature, for example, and potential downtime. When prices are strong, any subsequent outage is expensive – on a large producing platform, even a few hours of lost production could represent hundreds of thousands of dollars. The comparison with the modest cost of deploying a trusted, regular service partner like Proserv to undertake necessary calibration checks on gauges and recorders is stark. The only option, no matter if commodity prices are high or low, is to keep instrumentation accurate and precise.
Operators do recognise the importance of this testing and they plan for shutdowns every year to carry out these vital checks through critical calibration campaigns so that their operations are always efficient, enhanced and safe.
What we then say is choose an established, highly qualified expert like Proserv to undertake this work. We offer a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) purpose-built laboratory, mobile service capabilities and can get technicians offshore rapidly if required. Our aim is to be their go-to service vendor.
Proserv’s service support targets the optimisation of our clients’ assets and operations, where does your team add this extra value?
One of the key efficiencies that our customers gain benefit from is our online platform, this is a very useful multi-dimensional tool. It stores all relevant paperwork from the most recent test certificates through to work reports. This eliminates the need for, and the waste of, physical paper trails.
Our online resource is a secure environment, accessible to us and the customer, and it has an intuitive interface, incorporating colour-coding, so that we know when key calibration equipment is approaching recertification testing. This delivers an extra layer of scrutiny over timeframes and supports operational performance.
The equipment that will ultimately be monitored by the instrumentation we calibrate will be intrinsic to production processes offshore, so, again, making sure gauge readings can be 100% accurate and trusted is essential.
Our agile mobile lab service fleet also provides real efficiencies around time savings for our customers. We are one of only a few Aberdeen based service vendors offering UKAS approved certification and testing at our facility, but we can also deploy our servicing experts to supply national standards of calibration on a wide range of equipment via our mobile capabilities.
This can really speed up turnaround for customers. Sending equipment to our facility for certification is swift but might take a few days, with the various procedural stages then required, but by going direct to our clients’ sites, we can quite literally recertify a range of gauges in just a few hours.
As the energy transition moves forward, with increased emphasis on reducing carbon footprints, where can you make a difference?
We play an important role in extending the life of core equipment. The instrumentation that we calibrate and certify has a critical role in supporting, monitoring and providing visibility on the day-to-day, hour-by-hour, performance of production infrastructure. When we do our job, we make sure pressure relief valves, gauges, pressure recorders are all functioning well so that any fluctuations can be readily identified.
Trusting the outputs from poorly calibrated instruments not only heightens the risk of unplanned outages, but also, if an operator or drilling contractor is assessing operational impacts based on inaccurate temperature readings or pressure levels, then the wear and tear on infrastructure becomes significant and pain points are accelerated. This would reduce, not maximise, the life of this equipment.
Similarly, our Proserv ethos prioritises “refurbish not replace” and if a customer has an issue or a failure with some vital instrumentation, we have the service and maintenance abilities to see if we can repair and restore that kit as our Plan A. If so, it saves time and money (four or five test pumps could cost £50,000 to replace) and mitigates the environmental considerations around waste, the manufacture of replacement parts and their subsequent transportation.
With our rental model, and by becoming our client’s incumbent service partner, we can maximise such advantages. We can hire out freshly certified, quality instruments; manage any servicing 24/7; monitor certification schedules and swap over the kit when that needs to take place. This promotes operational excellence across the board with accurately calibrated equipment that can be entirely trusted to offer the required insights into live production processes. This gives customers performance assurance and efficiency.
This year Proserv has launched a new, updated Aftermarket Service Portal – how does this help your team and your potential clients?
The new Aftermarket Service Portal is an exciting update that is supporting Proserv teams right across our offerings and our global regions. It speeds up processes when we are looking to reach out to potential customers with information, while, from their side, they can access exactly what they are looking for really fast, get the relevant details and download brochures and spec sheets – this can all be done in ten minutes, and requests for quotes are easily built and uploaded. It is both accessible and convenient, with everything in one place.
Another important aspect for us is that it gives our I&C team wider visibility to more possible clients – and the same for other Proserv offerings too. For instance, our IWOCS or Measurement teams might have some long-standing partners who value their specific expertise and services, but these customers are currently unaware that Proserv also delivers I&C know-how, products and rental packages. This new service portal enables those parties to consider us now, and not simply go to one of our competitors as they may have done previously. This will potentially drive more opportunities our way.
We also believe this portal can make more operators aware of our renowned service capabilities. We have a very persuasive rental model but, again, we want to inform prospective customers, who have multiple gauges, relief valves and other instrumentation needing checking and maintenance on vessels and platforms, that we also have the agility and expertise to supply that support.
Chris Denton, Proserv’s Director, Supply Chain reveals how reaching out is essential when the global landscape is so changeable.
The importance of direct communication and effective collaboration for Proserv’s supply chain function is critical in today’s uncertain world.
We have experienced unprecedented challenges over recent years from devastating natural disasters and the Covid-19 global pandemic, through to ceaseless economic and trade disputes and, most recently, warfare with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The latter has compounded an already testing situation exacerbating inflationary pressures, spiking material costs and commodity price instability, while undermining energy security and vital supply chains across the continents.
Recently, the strength of the US dollar against multiple currencies including a weak British pound has been a challenge for us at Proserv, while, locally in the UK, we have also had to contend with industrial disputes causing supply chain bottlenecks and rendering freight and product inaccessible for extended periods.
So, when there are so many uncertainties, so many moving parts to assess, within Proserv’s supply chain function, we recognise the value of ensuring we deploy effective supplier outreach and collaboration to reinforce our business goals both on a day-to-day and at a strategic level.
From regular calls and meetings to expediting, supplier audits, workshops and specific project assistance, a high level of engagement and collaboration is vital to support both internal and external stakeholders.
Supplier Engagement Days
Proserv has taken this template further by successfully holding Supplier Engagement Days in our Abu Dhabi and Great Yarmouth locations through 2022, and we intend to continue these events across Dubai, Chennai, Houston and Stavanger in 2023.
Such meetings enable a wealth of key themes to be covered from providing a global overview and update on the business, alongside strategy and future direction, through to feedback on the external market landscape and, crucially, the core deliverables we require at Proserv and where we would value further help and support.
For instance, at our Supplier Engagement Day in Great Yarmouth, we were able to relay direct, tangible feedback from customers about the importance of delivery and how delays could have knock-on effects around costs and schedules due to unplanned downtime. If a supply chain misses its targets, then there can be disruption for clients and that will impact future opportunities.
In our current changeable times, one of the messages that we have put across at these events is the need for our suppliers (and their own suppliers) to be proactive with regard to future planning to effectively de-risk the wider supply chain so that ultimately any potential scheduling issues for the customer are alleviated and turnaround times are minimised.
Equally, we have been able to have valuable dialogue concerning quality and emphasising our necessary technical requirements when it comes to product and components. Much of our equipment is deployed in challenging environments, often subsea where there are severe temperature or pressure differentials, and so safety, reliability, durability and high quality are always paramount. It was rewarding for the suppliers to hear directly from our engineers and technicians about the background as to why and how products needed to be manufactured to certain specifications and standards.
Great feedback, great Proserv values
Already, we have received very positive responses to our Supplier Engagement Days with many external attendees highlighting Proserv’s openness and collaborative approach, as well as the opportunity to learn more about our business from processes to strategy.
But one of the recurring themes has been commendation of our Proserv values. These supplier events capture several of our core FRESH values but especially “Help, Share and Communicate”. It has been inspiring to see so much of our company’s talent and know-how come together to contribute to and drive these valuable sessions.
Supplier collaboration is allowing Proserv to navigate its way through the unpredictable operating conditions we currently face by supporting our key strategic initiatives.
The controls technology company brings its values and philosophy to the beautiful game with winning results.
Proserv’s five-a-side squad that took on all-comers in the recent Aberdeen Business Fives tournament was pictured, in-between games, in front of a large banner displaying the Brazilian flag and a reference to the world-famous Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
It might not have been “just like watching Brazil” but Proserv’s team certainly took no prisoners as it enjoyed a commanding run to the Aberdeen Business Fives Champion’s League Final. Proserv had started out among 28 teams bidding to secure one of just three available slots at the Scottish National Final taking place in Glasgow later in October.
The squad had never played together before and consisted of four members from Proserv’s Westhill corporate HQ and four from its nearby facility in Skene, the company’s Aberdeen service and global IWOCS centre.
Impressively, the team battled through the group stages, quarter-finals and semi-finals to make it to a final where they were ultimately defeated by the structurally sound set-up of chartered surveying firm Shepherd – but booked a deserved place at the National Final in the process.
Along the way, Proserv had edged out Baker Hughes in the group stages, beaten OneSubsea in a high scoring quarter-final and put on a bit of South American style in a comfortable 6-2 semi-final win over Red Wing.
Skene’s Stuart Rogie, described by captain and defensive general Gordon Paul as “unquestionably Paul Scholes-esque”, was a star turn for Proserv bagging the overall competition Golden Boot on the day with 17 of the team’s 29 goals. But Gordon was also quick to praise the entire team effort:
“At Proserv we say, ‘forward as a team’ and this really was the case. From Duncan in goal, more naturally at home with rugby than football, yet he put in 100% and made key saves, to tricky and skilful winger Kenny providing many chances, Andrew with an eye for the spectacular and often a dangerous supersub, through to Morgan and Declan who were both great all-rounders and vital squad members.”
Mercurial midfield playmaker Kriss Melvin emphasised the way the Proserv team went about its business, as much as its success.
“It was great to see how the team on the day genuinely reflected the company’s values and way of doing things. The games were keenly fought and competitive but the whole Proserv team retained a sporting and respectful outlook throughout, always playing hard but fair. Of course, we were the ones generally handing out the defeats!”
Both Kriss and Gordon were keen to spotlight how the day’s events were ultimately a credit to all who took part with almost £10,000 raised for various local charities and Proserv’s share allocated to Mental Health Aberdeen.
An injury-hit and potentially depleted team is likely to journey to Glasgow for the National Final but both Kriss and Gordon stressed that whoever dons the Proserv top on the day “will give 110%”.
But Proserv’s other Aberdeen based facility at Tullos was not likely to be overshadowed for long. Again, forming a squad with no previous matches or training together, the team assembled for the OGV Energy Charity Tournament played in the city at the end of September in aid of cancer support organisation Maggie’s Aberdeen.
Matching the achievements of Proserv’s Westhill and Skene team, the Tullos squad breezed through three group stage wins, displaying the sort of flowing football you’d expect from the company’s Sampling Centre of Excellence.
The games got tighter as the tournament progressed and after a quarter-final triumph, Proserv’s Tullos team faced a closely fought semi-final, ultimately sneaking through on sudden-death penalties, with Mark Shepherd the hero between the sticks providing a vital game-winning save.
In the final itself, up against the total football of Dutch dredging and lifting company Boskalis, a battling Proserv was edged out 2-1.
David Russell, Tullos’ player-coach and “Roy Keane” of the midfield similarly praised the team ethos that was core to its success.
“This was a group where everyone played their part. Artur was a rock in our defence while Sean displayed the killer instincts up front. Cameron Chyla was voted our best player on the day but the cultured feet of Callum, Jack’s solid presence in midfield and Finlay’s never-say-die attitude all contributed hugely to our fine run to the final.”
General Manager, Sampling at the Tullos site, Sean Andersson added:
“It was great to see our Tullos team come together in this way and having such success despite not having played any warm-up games beforehand – it really shows the power of teamwork and commitment.
“To have two Proserv teams progressing to finals in this way is highly impressive and congratulations too to the Westhill and Skene squad. But perhaps what we need to know now is – which Proserv team is the ultimate one….so game on!”
As the final part of our recent Early Career series, Graduate Applications Engineer Laura Carrigan, who is a key member of our renewables team at our Great Yarmouth Centre of Excellence, gives us a video blog about her first 18 months at Proserv.
Laura references her role on our exciting ECG™ holistic subsea cable monitoring system, her passion for sustainability and her interest in speaking to children to promote STEM subjects and the importance of the energy transition.
Our VP, Human Resources, Morag McGowan and VP, Renewables, Paul Cook also give their views on the significant impact Laura has made in the short time she has been at Proserv.
“My time at Proserv has helped me realise I want to pursue accountancy as a career path after university and to undertake my chartered accountancy exams, so it has been a highly influential experience for me.”
Chloe Chapman
People Stories: Chloe Chapman, Finance Placement Student
Last August, Chloe Chapman, currently a student at Robert Gordon University, joined our finance team at our corporate headquarters in Westhill, Aberdeen for a one-year placement. Chloe tells us about her time at Proserv and how it has helped her gain new skills and experience, as well as guiding her future career choices.
How did you come to spend your placement year at Proserv and what were your expectations before starting?
I had completed the second year of my accounting and finance degree at Robert Gordon University (RGU) in Aberdeen and I needed to find and secure a suitable one-year placement. Proserv was advertising a student opening on the InPlace platform and I was attracted by the opportunity available. So, I submitted my application and was interviewed by Steven McCreery and Nicola Runcie, two managers within the finance function. I had a really positive feeling about Proserv afterwards, so when I was told a week later that I had been selected, I was excited about getting started.
My goal when I arrived last August was quite simple: to learn. Not just about the process and methods of a globally facing finance function but to become familiar with the dynamics of working in a team within an office environment to benefit me after I graduate. Proserv has represented a fantastic experience. I have learned something new every single day, I have been so welcomed into the team and the company has a great culture and set of values.
What tasks have you been performing within the finance team and has the experience broadened your knowledge and skill set?
Before I joined, I assumed that I would probably be undertaking quite repetitive tasks day-to-day, but I have been given some quite challenging responsibilities and this has been very constructive. It has expanded and transferred my knowledge from university into real-life situations. I have been able to take text book theories from my studies at RGU and apply them into actual examples of accounting and finance.
Proserv has given me such a wide exposure to a variety of different accounting tasks that I feel I have learned so much here. I have worked with the tax team, the accounting team, the Accounts Payable team, as just a few examples.
Equally, the support I have received from Steven and Kriss Melvin, within my immediate team, has been very valuable as they are always on hand and available to give guidance whenever I have taken on a new challenge and needed any advice, and that is vital when anyone is learning new skills.
Proserv follows a clear set of values, with supporting your colleagues and good communication integral within those, and I have seen how the whole finance team reflects this philosophy.
My time at Proserv has helped me realise I want to pursue accountancy as a career path after university and to undertake my chartered accountancy exams, so it has been a highly influential experience for me.
Now that your year is coming to an end, what are your immediate plans and what advice would you give to other students embarking on a placement, either at Proserv or elsewhere?
I have thoroughly enjoyed this past year at Proserv and so I am going to continue on a part-time basis, two days a week, with the rest of my time back at RGU. I would then like to study for my chartered accountancy exams after I graduate, but completing my undergraduate degree is my focus for now.
For anyone joining Proserv, be that another student on a placement like me or someone new to the permanent team, I would say the company has such a positive and vibrant culture.
For instance, there is a great social connection within the various teams at the Westhill HQ where I am based and this helped me get to know people so easily. Just two weeks after I joined, I took part in an organised ten-kilometre run with the CEO Davis Larssen one of the keenest participants! This was part of a global drive to encourage healthier habits as the world was still gradually emerging from the impact of the pandemic and the challenge of regular lockdowns.
I have also benefitted from taking part in Proserv’s mentoring programme. Again, personal development is an inherent component of Proserv’s identity at all levels of the company, and any new starter can access this valuable resource to extend their learning and gain insights from experienced senior colleagues.
More generally, I would say to any student about to start a year’s placement at a company – make the most of every moment. Be completely open to learning, not just from any new tasks and challenges, but also from not being afraid to make mistakes – these can be constructive regarding building your knowledge and new skills.
My advice to anyone considering taking a Business Foundation Apprenticeship would be to take the opportunity. It will give you the chance to gain a good understanding of what it is really like working in an office.
Erin Abercrombie
As part of our Early Career series, we speak to Erin Abercrombie, an Aberdeen school student, about her experiences completing a Business Foundation Apprenticeship at Proserv.
My name is Erin Abercrombie. I started my work experience with Proserv in September 2021 as a Business Foundation Apprenticeship Pupil from Westhill Academy in Aberdeen. For six months, I came to Proserv’s Corporate Headquarters in Westhill every Wednesday afternoon so that I could learn more about what it is like to work in an office.
Why did you want to do your apprenticeship in a corporate environment?
I wanted to do my apprenticeship in a corporate environment as I am interested in the legal side of business. I plan to study law and management at Robert Gordon University once I leave school. Work experience in a corporate business environment allows me to gain a realistic view of what my future career will consist of and the tasks and timelines to expect.
My main ambition for the future is to become a successful business lawyer. I believe working with Proserv has given me the right kind of experience and a wider knowledge of corporate business practices in general. This will all help in the future as I pursue my legal career.
How did you spend your time at Proserv?
While at Proserv, I spent four weeks at each department around the office, starting at HR, then shadowing a Personal Assistant (PA), then Logistics, Commercial, Finance and finally Marketing. The number of roles I shadowed was a real eye opener on what a corporate business has to offer, as well as the number and variety of corporate teams involved in helping Proserv to become the successful business it is today.
What are the highlights from your time with Proserv?
HR gave me a mock interview for a job in the HR team. I wrote a CV and covering letter and, for the interview, I learned to bring all my past experiences and qualifications into the questions being asked. This gave me a better insight into interviews. I now feel more comfortable and prepared for what to expect when I apply for a job in the future.
In the logistics department I was asked to plan and lay out the transportation of goods. I did this by using the government website to find the product numbers, which then gave me the size of the goods. After that, I was able to efficiently plan the packing of the container. This is not something I had done before and I found it interesting – not to mention I developed new skills as a result.
Commercial was fascinating. The team tasked me with helping to evaluate an aspect of Proserv’s environmental reporting on their facilities across the world, from Westhill to Abu Dhabi. To do this, I used Proserv’s Intranet to access the company’s records on gas, electric, waste and so on. My job was to identify any gaps in the record. I would then highlight green if the record had a file and an amount attached, yellow if there were gaps in the amounts and red if there was no files or attachments. This has helped me to understand the importance of ensuring work is complete, neat and well laid out.
What department did you most enjoy working with and why?
I enjoyed working with the logistics team the most. This is because, before I started, I did not have the slightest understanding of what logistics did. This meant I did not have any expectations and I therefore learned a completely new aspect of business. It also allowed me to learn new skills, such as planning and communication. However, I enjoyed working with all the departments. I did not experience any challenges at Proserv as all my mentors were supportive. If I had an issue or could not understand a piece of work, they were always there to help.
How have you benefitted from the experience?
The whole experience has been a real privilege. Before I started my placement, I was hoping to get a rough insight on what it is like working in an office and how a business grows. By moving around the organisation and working in the different departments, I gained a much deeper insight into what the corporate business sector is like.
What would your advice be to anyone considering taking this type of foundational apprenticeship?
My advice to anyone considering taking a Business Foundation Apprenticeship would be to take the opportunity. It will give you the chance to gain a good understanding of what it is really like working in an office.
Overall, I have really enjoyed having the opportunity working at Proserv. It has allowed me to learn new skills and gain more confidence in myself and my work. This whole experience has benefitted me as I have changed the way I work. I have become more strategic and produce better quality work as a result.