Ejizu:SamsungYardisReadyforIntegration of Egina FPSO
The Chief Operating Officer of Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited, Mr. Frank Ejizu spoke to journalists in Lagos on the company’s accomplishments in delivering Total’s Egina FPSO, which is scheduled for integration in Nigeria. Ejiofor Alike presents
How much technology has Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited transferred to Nigeria through the Egina Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) project? Specialised projects like the Egina EPSO Project offer a unique opportunity for knowledge sharing and transfer in all the technological disciplines involved. Technology transfer has been in the forefront of our policy in carrying out this project. To this end, we formed SHI-MCI-FZE and constructed the state-of-the-art fabrication and integration yard, which is exactly modelled on what is obtainable in our world class facilities in Geoje Yard in South Korea. In the course of work, we have utilised specialised technological software uniquely developed by Samsung Heavy Industries and brought in world class experts in construction of deep offshore facilities, who have passed on their skills and experience to thousands of Nigerians that have been placed as their understudies.
Furthermore, in aligning with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board’s mandate and the desire of the government to increase capacity and competencies of the Nigerian engineers and the applicable workforce through targeted trainings aimed at transferring knowledge, Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria, through its National Human Capacity Development Initiatives, trained and is currently training Nigerians on the back of the project.
During the detailed engineering phase of the project, 33 Nigerian engineers participated in a one-year training programme across nine engineering disciplines - mechanical, process, structural, piping, electrical, quality, assurance, project controls, interface and instrumentation). The trainees evolved from zero level to acquiring skills that qualified them to participate significantly and actively in the Egina FPSO detail engineering and design
Currently in tandem with the construction phase of the project, 100 Nigerians are being trained in construction related disciplines.
The skill sets and competencies that have been acquired with international certifications include but not limited to: Non- destructive testing, project planning, coating inspection, welding engineering and inspection, lifting operation, cost control, welding, machining, fitting, etc. Also, more than 300 welders have been trained and certified in various advanced welding and certified in various advanced welding processes in our Welders Training and Qualification Centre (WTQC). We have also trained and certified Nigerians in specialised jointing techniques like GRE(Glass reinforced Epoxy ) pipe bonding. Most of the above have been and are still currently engaged in the execution of the project.
How many jobs did Egina FPSO create in your facility and what are the chances they would be retained at the end of the project? The Egina EPSO project has created an exponential number of jobs running into estimated 20,000 positions judging by its cascading effect outside our facility. But to restrict the answer to our SHI-MCI-FZE facility, the project has created more than 1,200 direct jobs for Nigerians. This is spread across many disciplines including but not limited to: project management, welding, fitting, logistics and other support services. It is our hope that this state of art facility would be maximally utilized through continuous patronage by all stakeholders, which would in turn ensure the retention of personnel.
How ready is your company for the arrival of the Egina Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel and the in-country integration? We are ready to receive the FPSO. Our readiness is demonstrated in the state- of -the- art integration and fabrication facility we have completed at our SHI-MCI FZE yard. To enable the mooring, integration and assembly of the hull and topside modules of the FSPO upon its arrival in country. We have also completed a 502metres long quay wall at our SHI-MCI-FZE Yard and obtain all statutory approvals and permits for its operation. We have further dredged the quayside to a water depth of 11.5 metres to berth the FSPO and concluded arrangement for all related towage activities including simulation test for Lagos Channel passage.
Above all, we have a formidable team of well trained and motivated personnel ready to commence the integration works.
What are your company’s plans to expand the size of its fabrication yard at Tarkwa Bay? Currently our yard can handle 10,000 metric tonnes of fabrication annually. However, during the design of the facilities, provisions were made for potential increase in capacity as project exigencies dictates. We are hopeful this will be the case in view of the current awareness with respect to the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
This is the first EPSO project post the NOGICD Act. What have been the unique challenges you have grappled with? The Egina EPSO is highly specialised and the NOGICD Act prescribes that a minimum of 80 per cent of the man hours to be expended on Detailed Engineering in Deep Offshore facilities- Hull and Topside were to be expended in- country. It was extremely challenging to get Nigerian engineers with requisite experience and expertise to undertake this segment of the work. We, however, appreciate the effort put in by the consortium of the Nigeria engineering firms contracted to execute these works and the innovative ways they employed to achieve completion. Obstacles were also encountered in the development of our fabrication and integration facilities, as amongst other challenges we had to convert a green field swamp into a state of the art fabrication facility. However, with our international experience and commitment, we were able to surmount these challenges.
The Egina project, particularly the FSPO Integration, has become the benchmark for future deepwater projects. What new things can your company do in forthcoming deepwater projects? The fabrication and integration facility is of course now fully functional. We have demonstrated that we can handle complex engineering and fabrication jobs in country. The immediate benefits accruable are that a greater scope of any future FSPO topside modules and other offshore related facilities can be executed by us in- country.