Is certification worth pursuing?

I recently obtained a NEBOSH International Technical Certificate for Oil and Gas Operational Safety  after challenging a-week-long course (conducted from 3pm-9pm last Ramadan) and a 2-hour exam (on the first day of Eid Al Fitr!), passing it with Distinction Mark (71 mark, with minimum passing grade of 45). The certification covers the principles of process safety management in the oil and gas industries.

The question is “Is it worth pursuing?”

In my class at that time were a personal health trainer who wanted to switch career, a security supervisor who wanted a better pay, safety trainers, a mechanical technician who demanded by his client for certification, and auditors whose clients are oil and gas companies. So getting certification has many reasons. Unfortunately, many seems perceive certification as a powerful shortcut of getting a job.  Obviously having it is better than not but it is one’s experience and personal skills that makes one the best person for the job. Passing certification doesn’t automatically make he/she an expert and experience still need to be gained.

This is what I truly gained from the certification process. Almost 13 years of experiences in oil and gas industries (not only in safety) shaped me, loaded me with necessary competencies to perform in this field. Certification is then becoming a means for selling point or added professional image to the current company or potential employer. Passing an exam is not that difficult as long as you examine all previous exam questions and prepare variety in questions (I am afraid that passing certification means simply someone “knows” how to answer exam questions, unfortunately). Those with more than 10 years of field experiences in oil and gas industries should not expect much knowledge gain from this NEBOSH ITC for Oil and Gas Operational Safety . To me, this certification is more suitable for employees who are new to the field, or those are in the early career in the field.

As a user company employee frequently working with contractor personnel loaded with many certification, I should make myself more aware the first point in this post about experiences, skills and expert.

Nevertheless, I am glad to be certified and will pursue another certification: Certified Function Safety Exoert (CFSE) and Certified Safety Professional.

Back to the question, “Is certification worth pursuing?”

May be.

77

It is not Christiano Ronaldo’s number or ‘beautiful number’ from Vodafone. 77 is a magic number for LNG (liquified natural gas) production capacity from Qatar. Qatar will soon reach 77 millions tons per annum (mtpa) LNG with start up of Qatargas Train 6 in November and Train 7 in February. Qatargas and Rasgas are the two LNG producers who make up 77mtpa mark: 42 and 35 mtpa from Qatargas and Rasgas respectively. This 77 achievement represents a landmark event for Qatar, where it will ensure its reputation of being the center of energy in the world and the largest producer of LNG in the world.

It is expected that the celebration for 77 is to be held on Monday, December 13, 2010 in Ras Laffan Industrial City in the presence of several delegations and media figures from around the world.

So if you are roaming around Doha or flipping through newspaper and find big advertisements with 77 in Qatar maroon color, that’s what it means in here.

Qatar soon to reach 77mtpa LNG and becomes the world's largest LNG producer!

Rasgas Field Operator Interview in Jakarta

For my fellow Indonesians. Good luck with your interview!

——

Our client – Ras Gas have a schedule to be in Jakarta to interview
candidates for Field Operators (LNG/LPG/NGL/Sulphur Recovery plant
experience).
The interviews are being scheduled to start from 4 October through 7 October.
Please share this information to your friends that have experiences
with LNG / LPG / NGL to send their CV to me :
fifi.familianti@nesglobal.com
I will be screening all of the Cvs that I received until 30 september and
send the shortlisted candidates to Ras Gas on 1st october.
ONLY WITH RELEVANT EXPERIENCE AND ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS WILL BE
INVITED FOR FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW.

Note : for Field operator with Utility /power plant background still
being postpone until further notice / next recruitment trip.

QR5bn ethylene plant opens in Ras Laffan

Qatar’s lead position in the global petrochemical industry has been further consolidated with the formal inauguration of the QR5bn world-scale ethane cracker at Ras Laffan yesterday.  HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani inaugurated the plant that is set up by Ras Laffan Olefins Company

Ras Laffan Olefins Company (RLOC) ‘successfully commencing production’ on 4 May 2010.

RLOC is a joint venture among Qatofin (45.7%), Q-Chem II (53.3%) and QP (1%). The RLOC plant will be managed and operated by Q-Chem II.

Ras Laffan Olefins Company has set up a world-scale ethane cracker plant at Ras Laffan, which will process (crack) the natural ethane gas from the North Field into ethylene for producing various plastic polymers.

The type of gas used for ethylene production is ethane, which is recovered during gas processing. So, whenever there is a development on Qatar’s gas projects – be it pipeline or GTL – there will be more ethane available.

The project will have a capacity of 1.3mn tonnes of ethylene each year, guaranteeing a ‘steady supply’ of the raw material to both Qatofin and Q-Chem.

The production capacity is expandable to 1.6mn tonnes per year at a later stage. The capacity boost, however, would depend on development of the other projects that mainly supply the feedstock.By making Ras Laffan its base, RLOC will have easy access to feedstock from the Dolphin and Al Khaleej Gas.

Ethylene produced by RLOC will be pumped from Ras Laffan to the Qatofin and Q-Chem plants in Mesaieed through a purpose-built high-pressure 120km pipeline.

The mega project exploits vast economies of scale and the unique synergies that exist in Qatar’s well-developed hydrocarbons sector to build exceptional value into the system.

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the project has been carried out by Technip France.

The RLOC Cracker is said to be among the largest constructed in the world. The RLOC site will cover an area of 60 hectares.

“The Ras Laffan Olefins Company is a critical step in consolidating Qatar’s position as one of the leading suppliers of polyethylene in the world. It will also establish new synergies within the industry by exploiting inherent economies of scale for maximum advantage.” (Gulf Times)

Jetty Boil-Off Gas Project

I was only once involved in this project – known as JBOG –  for a HAZOP meeting.

(Source: Qatargas website)

KEY PROJECT TO RECOVER FLARED GAS AT RAS LAFFAN 

Doha – Qatar, 24 February 2010: Qatar Petroleum, Qatargas and RasGas Company Limited (RasGas) have given the initial go ahead to a key US$1 billion environmental project to recover gas currently being flared during Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) ship loading at the Port of Ras Laffan.

The project which is part of the Common Facilities Projects at Ras Laffan Industrial City in the north of Qatar is known as the “Jetty Boil-Off Gas Recovery Project”. 

The project will enable boiled-off gas to be collected from LNG ships and compressed at a central facility.  The compressed gas will then be sent to the LNG producers to be consumed as fuel or converted back into LNG.  This project, when fully operational, will recover the equivalent of some 0.6 million tonnes per year of LNG, which is enough natural gas to power more than 40,000 homes.

Qatargas Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Faisal M. Al-Suwaidi said: “We are very pleased that Qatargas is able to lead this project on behalf of all the LNG producers at Ras Laffan Industrial City.  Qatargas, Qatar Petroleum, and RasGas are all focused on reducing our emissions and energy use so that we can bring our emissions to the lowest levels possible to meet or beat international standards. This project will contribute greatly to reducing emissions from our facilities.”

Qatargas, as the project leader, is working with Qatar Petroleum and the Ministry of the Environment, to execute this project which aims to significantly reduce overall flaring and emissions at Ras Laffan Industrial City.

It is anticipated that the project will be completed by the end of 2013 or early 2014.

Qatargas Train 5 Starts LNG Production

Qatargas today (8 Sep 2009) announced that Train 5 of the Qatargas 2 project has started producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) taking the company halfway through its expansion programme. The train, which has an annual production capacity of 7.8 million tones, will take the overall LNG production of Qatargas to 25 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by the end of this year.

Mr. Faisal M. Al Suwaidi, Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of Qatargas said: “This is truly a remarkable achievement for Qatargas 2 and I would like to congratulate and thank all those who have made this possible. The production of LNG in Train 5 takes us one step closer to Qatar’s target of producing 77 million tonnes of LNG per annum by the end of this decade. We are greatly proud to be able to contribute to this ambitious vision.”

Mr. Al Suwaidi added: “We have entered into a new phase in our journey towards becoming the world’s premier LNG Company. Our task now is to ensure that the new trains operate flawlessly and that we meet our customers’ expectations with regard to a secure and reliable supply of LNG for the long term, as we have been doing with Qatargas 1 for many years.”

Qatargas pioneered LNG production in Qatar in late 1996. The Company began operations as a three train LNG project with a total production of six mtpa of LNG. The production capacity was increased to nearly ten mtpa following the completion of a debottlenecking project in 2005. In addition to Trains 4 and 5, Qatargas 3 Train 6 is expected to come online in 2010 while Qatargas 4 Train 7 is planned for start-up by the end of the decade. This will bring the overall production capacity of Qatargas to 42 mtpa by the end of next year.

Mr. Al Suwaidi said: “Our focus remains on delivering these projects so they can operate safely and reliably for the long-term. We will be known as the company that leads the LNG industry in terms of safety, reliability, operating excellence and commitment to its people and customers.”

Qatargas 2 shareholders are Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil Qatargas II Limited and Total E&P Golfe LTD

Ras Girtas: Qatar’s $3.9bn power plant

 Another Qatar’s mega project.

Source: Gulf Times, 5 May 2009

In a major initiative to boost Qatar’s power and water sectors, HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani laid the foundation stone for the country’s largest integrated water and power plant at Ras Girtas, north of Ras Laffan, yesterday.

 The $3.9bn plant, with a capacity of 2,730mw when it is completed in two years, is also one of the largest in the Middle East region. It would supply 63mn gallons of potable water a day, when the second phase is completed in September next year.

The plant would be wholly commissioned in April 2011, company officials said yesterday.

The first phase of the plant would be completed in May next year and would provide 1,612mw of electricity.

The stakeholders in the Ras Girtas Power Company are Qatar Electricity and Water Company (45%), Qatar Petroleum (15%), Mitsui Corporation of Japan (10), GDF Suez of France (20%), Japan’s Chubu Electric company and the remaining held by Shikoku Electric Power Company.

Speaking at the ceremony, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah said the government’s policy of private participation in power and water sectors, initiated in 1999, had helped the country attract a number of foreign investors in the utilities sector.

 “The latest project, which could be one of the largest in the whole region, is another example of such a foreign participation in the power and water sectors,” the minister said.

Later the minister said the new plant would provide surplus of water and electricity to the country and it would be able to meet the increasing requirements of the country’s residents in coming years.

Al-Attiyah said the economic growth recorded by the country continued to be one of the highest in the world in the last few years and demand for water and electricity continued to grow in unparalleled levels.

Speaking later, Qatar Water and Electricity Company general manager Fahd al-Mohannadi said the new plant is expected to meet 30% of the country’s demand in electricity when it is completed.

Representing GDF Suez at the ceremony, CEO of the French company Dirk Beeusaert said: “Qatar government’s vision in steering the country’s economy has undoubtedly whetted the appetite of major industrial companies for investing in this promising territory”.

GDF Suez, he said, pledges its continued commitment to Ras Laffan and to the development of infrastructure facilities for the future of Qatar.

Beeusaert said his company is currently building a 2,745 mw plant in Marafiq in Saudi Arabia. The company is also building a 1,500 mw plant, Shuweihat 2, in Abu Dhabi and another 1,234 mw plant in Bahrain, he added.

The company CEO said in the Middle East, GDF Suez  is the leading private power developer with a direct equity interest in nearly 14,000mw and more than 2.5mn cubic metres of water a day.

Ras Girtas Power Company chairman Sayeed al-Kaabi also spoke at the ceremony, in which several top Qatari officials and foreign diplomats took part.HE the Minister of State of Energy Dr Mohamed Saleh al-Saddah was among those present.

Shell Pearl GTL

Dari Koran The Peninsula, 7 Feb 2009 diberitakan bahwa Shell, perusahaan minyak Eropa terbesar kedua, melalui Pearl GTL venture di Qatar (production sharing agreement dengan QP) akan melakukan pengeboran 22 sumur lepas pantai yang akan memasok gas alam ke fasilitas GTLnya di Qatar.

Pearl GTL under construction, 3 Feb 09 (Source: Shell.com)

 

Pearl GTL merupakan venture GTL terbesar di dunia, dikembangkan berdasarkan skala yang lebih kecil dari plant GTL di Bintulu, Malaysia. Shell akan mengebor masing-masing 11 sumur di dua platform yang terletak 60 kilometer offshore di North Field pada kedalaman 40 meter. Pearl GTL yang akan startup pada akhir decade ini akan menghasilkan 140 ribu barel bahan bakar cair dan 120 ribu barel kondensat dan LPG dari konversi 1.6BCFD gas alam.

Shell berencana meng-counter lost output di Nigeria dan Russia dengan melakukan penambangan pasir minyak (oil shale) di Kanada dan mengembangkan venture di Qatar. [Namun menurut temenku yang kerja di sana, proyek GTL yang ambisius ini sudah sangat overbudget, dan rencana oil shale juga kemungkinan ditunda akibat krisis ekonomi].

Sebanyak kurang lebih 40,000 orang bekerja membangun GTL plant di Ras Laffan, Qatar dan 2 juta tons prefabricated parts sedang menuju ke site. Sementara 12 reaktor yang digunakan untuk membuat GTL telah dipasang. Kontraktor utamanya adalah KBR dan JGC Corporation.

Kita tunggu aksi dari the world’s biggest GTL venture ini……

Senior Loss Prevention Engineer

….itu adalah position title-ku yang baru. Posisi ini berada di bawah SEQ (Safety Environment Quality) Department. Seorang manager mengepalai department dan seorang head mengepalai Loss Prevention Team. Di bawah Head ada Lead Loss Prevention Engineer (dan seorang experienced Loss Prevention Engineer di bawahnya) dan Senior Loss Prevention Engineer (dan seorang junior loss prevention engineer di bawahnya). Cukup ramping ya.

 

Urusan safety dan fire emergency dihandle oleh team lain. Namun demikian menurut head overlapping pekerjaan masih dimungkinkan.

 

Tugas seorang loss prevention engineer umumnya adalah melakukan risk assessment studies – hazard identification, hazop, what-if etc., dan melakukan Quantified Risk Assessment menggunakan  computer based consequence modeling programs.

Idealnya seorang loss prevention engineer mampu melakukan risk assessment, familiar dengan program consequence modeling dan pengalaman di E&P activities offshore dan/atau onshore, atau di petrochemicals.

 

Pekerjaan yang bisa aku lihat sangat mendesak terkait dengan akan di commissioning dan startup-nya Train 4 LNG Plant akhir 2008/awal 2009. Berturut-turut berikutnya Train 5 dan Train 6&7 tahun 2009/2010. Full production diharapkan tahun 2010.

 

Menurut Frank P. Lees, Loss Prevention is characterized by:

a. an emphasis on management and management systems,particularly for technology

b. a concern with hazards arising from technology

c. a concern with major hazards (three big major hazards are fire, explosion and toxic release)

d. a concern for integrity of containment

e. a systems rather tan a trial-and-error approach

 

Some other features which are characteristics of loss prevention are the use of:

f. techniques for identification of hazards

g. a quantitative approach to hazards

h. quantitative assessment of hazards and their evaluation against risk criteria

i. techniques of reliability engineering

j. the principle of independence in critical assessment and inspections

k. planning for emergencies

l. incident investigation

 

together with

m. a critique to traditional practice or existing regulations, standards, or codes where these appear outdated by technological change.

 

Lee

Tentang QatarGas

QatarGas Existing and New Train (source: qatargas.com)

Disarikan dari Marhaba.

 

QatarGas didirikan tahun 1984 sebagai salah satu kendaraan utama untuk mengembangkan lapangan gas offshore North Field. Pada tahun 2010, QatarGas akan memproduksi 42 mtpa (million ton per annum) LNG untuk pasar di Eropa, Asia dan Amerika Utara.

 

QatarGas bermula sebagai sebuah project dengan 3 train dengan kapasitas 2 mtpa. Menyusul suksesnya  de-bottlenecking project di tahun 2005 sehingga kapasitas train naik menjadi 9 mtpa.

 

Saat ini QatarGas sedang mengalami ekspansi besar-besaran. Saat ini ada 3 project besar yang sedang berlangsung yang akan menambah 4 buah train lagi. Setiap train memiliki kapasitas 7.8 mtpa. Project-project ini dikembangkan bersama dengan perusahaan-perusahaan utama seperti Shell, Total, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Mitsui dan Maersk. Ekspansi juga mencakup pengembangan armada terbaru kapal LNG, pembuatan 6 offshore platforms dan pembuatan terminal penerima. QatarGas juga sedang membangun Laffan refinery, sebuah pengilangan kondensat untuk memaksimalkan sinergi di dalam produksi LNG dan produk terkait.

 

Info Project (dari www.qatargas.com.qa)

 

QatarGas 1

Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum 65%, ExxonMobil 10%Total 10% Mitsui 7.5% Marubeni 7.5%

Train capacity: Three trains each with a capacity of 3.2 mtpa

Number of ships 11 ships of about 135,000 m3

Offshore facilities Platforms: three , Pipelines: one at 32”

Daily Production :  1600 MMSCFD, condensate 51,000 BPD

Main markets: Japan and Spain

QatarGas 2 Project

Train 4: Qatar Petroleum 70% ExxonMobil 30%

Train 5: Qatar Petroleum 65% ExxonMobil 18.3% Total 16.7%

Train capacity: Two trains each with a capacity of 7.8 mtpa

Number of ships to be built: 14 ships ranging from 210,000-266,000 cubic metres

First cargo expected: 2008

Primary market: United Kingdom

QatarGas 3 Project

Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum 68.5%  ConocoPhillips 30%  Mitsui & Co. Ltd 1.5%

Train capacity: One train with a capacity of 7.8 mtpa

First cargo expected: 2009

QatarGas 4 Project

Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum 70% Shell 30%

Train capacity:  One train with a capacity of 7.8 mtpa

Number of ships to be built:  Nine ships of between 210,000 -266,000 cubic metres capacity

Primary destinations:  United States and Europe

First cargo expected: End of the decade

Laffan Refinery

Starts production: 2009

Processing capacity: 146,000 barrels per stream day (BPSD).

Shareholders: Qatar Petroleum 51%, ExxonMobil 10%, Total 10%,Cosmo 10%, Idemitsu 10%, Mitsui 4.5% Marubeni 4.5%

Source of feedstock: Qatargas, RasGas, Al-Khaleej Gas

Products : LPG, Hydrotreated Naphtha, Hydrotreated kerosene, Gasoil