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Located in the heart of Dubai’s Al Quoz Industrial Estate is the yard of leading offshore certified accommodation and packaging fabricator Specialist Services. managing director Philip Bond says that the increasing demand for rental units, combined with some serious contract wins for Living Quarters in the Asian market is delivering a healthy year for the company.
“We are one of the worlds largest manufacturers of well-head buildings which meet all of the offshore regulations administered by the likes of DNV, Lloyds Register and ABS. The difference between us and standard cabin providers is that our buildings are certified to go on offshore platforms and the fact we can supply buildings suitable for hazardous areas and deliver in tight time frames has positioned us very well for what would be considered a tough year industry wide.”
Specialist Services units conform to an industry standard which means they should not ignite a fire or create an explosion. Fire walls are standard on most of its units, but on explosion rated units, the most significant element is sealing off all electrical components from the atmosphere.
“This becomes extremely pertinent in hazardous areas where there is flammable or toxic gas. A spark could prove disastrous,” says Philip Bond. In a year when cost control has been the mantra of all major oilfield service companies, the Specialist Services rental business has seen increased activity.
“Our offshore buildings fall into two main rental business lines, demarcated as accommodation units and office buildings. Over the last 12 months we have witnessed increasing demand for rental units because they have the advantage of suiting temporary needs in a cost-effective manner,” he adds.
Typically construction or shut down work on an offshore platform is for a fixed period and with rental units companies can quickly increase the number of beds on a platform for a short period of time without making a major capital investment. “As well as cost, a critical factor is speed. It takes years to design and build an extension on a platform, but rental units can be available in a week or two.”
ASIA CALLING
Local onshore and offshore markets are very mature, even though investment and further development expansions are expected in the region. Tapping into markets beyond the Gulf has been critical to the firm’s recent success, and is a key part of it’s strategy looking ahead.
“The major area of expansion really is Asia. Ultimately we see oilfield expansion moving east. There’s a lot more greenfield development in Thailand and Malaysia than there is in the Gulf region.” The company is currently undertaking a major project order in Thailand for a P.T.T, Total and British Gas joint venture. “This is an offshore living quarters unit that will support up to 168 people on board,” he adds. Despite the investment inertia coming from Asian waters, the MD says the company will remain in the UAE. “ Projects outside of the UAE are generally made in joint venture with a local yard to minimise transportation costs. All the design, procurement, and management will be handled from Dubai, but the fabrication will happen close to the field.”
