22nd February 2013

HFL Building Solutions head for Qatar

HFL Building Solutions has recently had an unusual request to expand their operation to the Middle East.

The request came through their sister company Haden freeman Ltd who operate in the Petro Chemical Industry throughout the World.

The request was to carry out a detailed survey of the HVAC system for the PS 1Q accommodation at one of Oil Rigs owned by Occidental Petroleum, 50 miles off the Qatar coast.

The reason for the survey is that the HVAC System has been in service 24/7 in excess of 15 years and reaching the end of their life cycle. Another issue is that replacement parts are becoming more and more obsolete.

Occidental Petroleum are looking not only to replace the old HVAC system, but to add additional air supply at positive pressure to it’s main control room and how Energy Consumptions can be saved.

One of the main issues Occidental Petroleum have is that if the rig has to go through a major shut down and production was stopped it would cost the company between 12 to 15 millions pounds per day in lost revenue.

HFL’s scope of the survey was:

To go offshore to the oil rig, survey the existing PS1Q accommodation ventilation heating / cooling system and prepare a detailed report incorporating:

 The existing system and propose improvements including Energy Efficiencies

• Identify the steps required for the removal of the existing HVAC equipment and installation of new.
• Prepare a strategy document that identifies the changeover process that continues to provide HVAC capability 24/7.
• Find possible new locations for the new HVAC equipment for the additional supply.
• Prepare a high level proposal, which allows for all engineering, materials, construction  activity, labour and potential savings.

When the request was received to travel to Qatar to carry out this odious project the HFL Building Solutions Managing Director jumped at the opportunity. For moral support and help Dave insisted that Ian Pedley HFL’s project manager was to accompany him on this week long trip.

What Ian didn’t realise is that it would mean him flying to the oil rig to carry out the survey while Dave would support him from his Hotel in Qatar.

Ian also was unaware that before his trip he was to go on a two day course on helicopter survival training plus do’s & don’ts on an oil rig. The survey took 4 days to complete.

While Dave was sunning himself at the Hotel he also set up some future meetings with a further two Qatar based companies Madina and QISC, (Qatar International Safety Centre), who were very interested in the services HFL Building Solutions can provide.

Dave commented that the trip went very smoothly as far as he can remember and the report that Ian produced was very well received by Occidental Petroleum.