Oman EPC Projects 2013 to highlight new oil, gas and petrochemical contracting strategies

Dr. Saleh Al Anboori, Director General of Petroleum Investments, Ministry of Oil and Gas and the industry leaders from NOCs and IOCs will discuss contracting strategies in oil, gas and petrochemical industries in relation to In Country Value (ICV).

The second annual summit will explore five key themes which include: financing mega EPC projects, managing contracts and best practices, smart procurement strategies, Local Community Contractor (LCC) and In Country Value (ICV) and risk management.

Petroleum Development Oman has developed the LCC programme to share the benefits of their operations with local companies by engaging the local community in their business activities through contract work. Khalfan Al Busaidy, LCC manager, Petroleum Development Oman comments, "Currently we have more then 700 companies owned by individuals or families as registered LCC's. To date we have given them contracts with a cumulative value of over US$700 million and additionally the LCC programme has created more than 1000 jobs for Omanis. The LCC is all set to develop a new set of enterprises in Oman. The Oman EPC Projects summit is focused on addressing the lessons learned from the LCC programme and the way forward". PDO is also considered to be a market leader in promoting ICV. These two initiatives tie in with the Ministry of Oil and Gas Omanisation targets for this sector.

Over 60 national and international oil, gas, petrochemical and EPC industry experts will join key representatives from the Ministry of Oil and Gas, Petroleum Development Oman, Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production, Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company, ORPIC, Technip, Punj Lloyd, Foster Wheeler, Galfar Engineering and Occidental Oman at the summit.

The summit will also focus on best practices case studies in EPC projects, through the perspective of experts including: Robert Clark, Project Director, Technip; Mohamed Daoud, Manager Projects Quality, Engineering and Major Projects at Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO); Aziz Karim, Head of Contracts, GASCO; and other key experts.

When asked about the quality management in EPC projects, Mohamed Daoud, Manager Projects Quality, Engineering and Major Projects at ADCO remarked, "The key challenges in executing critical and major projects are: project risks, technological problems and material delivery and guarantee of sources. Developing a project quality plan and reviewing the project matrix is essential in any EPC project."

The pre and post-conference workshops, facilitated by the Project Management Institute (PMI), will give delegates the chance to examine day-to-day challenges they face during the EPC project execution stage. Topics include: alternative procurement strategies, managing contractual risk, value engineering in EPC projects and optimising supply chain management.

The sponsors and exhibiting companies include Abalto LLC, BSL pipes and fittings, Al Jaseera Steel Products, CIM D'Equipment, GroupeGenoyerPhoceenne, Vilmar SA, Tasneea Oil & Gas Technologies, Saudi Steel Pipes, Qahwan Global Projects and United Engineering Services LLC.