Singapore: Supersized Service
This sponsored supplement was produced by Focus Reports.
Publisher: Ines Nandin
Project coordinator: Marie Kummerlowe
Editorial: Fraser Wallace
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Singlish, the creole often heard spoken in Singapore, is a jumble of words and grammatical constructs from a number of languages; it incorporates English, Malay, Hokkien and Cantonese amongst others. The most memorable of phrases is perhaps 'lah'- often added at the end of a sentence. It is perhaps one of the most concrete and notable cultural aspects of Singaporean life. In incorporating many elements from a number of languages, this chatter has become something more, and something new. This could be argued to be a reflection of the manner in which the Singaporean oil and gas industry has incorporated skills, talents and abilities from around the world, and forged a new, Singaporean industrial identity. This identity is synonymous with scale, ambition and power- a commercial reputation which is almost as obvious a part of Singaporean cultural identity as the flowing tones of Singlish.
"If one looks at Singapore today, there already exists a thriving ecosystem of different companies," says Oliver Tonby, managing partner at McKinsey & Company, Singapore. "There are MNCs alongside smaller local businesses and then start ups and businesses with greater longevity. The commercial context is vibrant, and Singapore will continue to be a hub because it has a great pool of talent and managerial and technical capabilities that are easily accessible. This provides a stable business environment - all the right factors are present to retain the interest of companies."
"The offshore projects that Singapore's industry tackles are highly complex and time constrained and being close to our customers allows us to better support our clients," says Ravi Natarajan, regional manager process automation South Asia at ABB, alluding to the connectivity that Singapore has to its neighbors. He is conscious of the scale of change occurring in the region, and gives one example of how the oil and gas industry is reinventing itself, using machinery and equipment on a scale unheard of before. "One of the biggest NOCs in the region, Petronas, is working towards their second FLNG vessel. This is very exciting - having a floating facility that can liquefy gas is a game changer by any measure. It will make pipelines from offshore gas fields obsolete, while resolving a variety of geopolitical issues. It is a strategic shift in the business paradigm."
Companies are having to redesign their offering, or overhaul their entire structure, to keep up with the pace of change-and businesses are conscious of the imperative to avoid over-stretching. "Our biggest concern is that we will not be able to deliver on our promises," says Raphael Siri, senior vice president of SapuraKencana Drilling. "Our ability to consistently deliver on our promises is a key strength of our organization and we do not intend to change that."
Despite this cautiousness, these careful steps forward that businesses are taking, contracts are getting ever-larger. This is testament to Singaporean companies' determination to deliver exactly to client specifications. Singapore's reputation for quality is a collective brand- as the city continues to deliver, it continues to reinforce this status as the point of premium product procurement in Southeast Asia.
Brave New World
Bigger, stronger, more efficient; that is what investors require from companies operating in the energy sector. Epitomizing this ever-growing imperative, the aptly-named Mammoet, a Dutch heavy lift company, is occupying a leading role in delivering some of the largest industrial projects ever constructed. The scale of the company's operations is jaw dropping, and Robin Koenis, managing director, speaks with an appreciable sense of pride when asked about the company's operations. "The main objective in construction projects is to get the client up and running within their deadlines, preferably even sooner. Our engineering, planning and safe delivery are aimed at realizing just that."
"In Singapore, the ExxonMobil SPT project represents a good example," explains Koenis. "It comprised multiple contracts on Jurong Island, working on the ethylene cracker facility. We deployed a crane with a capacity of 4,000 tons, the largest in the world at that time, and also had to transport 44 pre-assembled 1,500-ton pipe rack modules from the Philippines to Singapore, as well as eighteen 2,500-ton furnace modules from Thailand to Singapore."
At the peak of its activity at Jurong Island, Mammoet had 40 cranes. The heavy-lifter's work culminated in the transport of several 1,600 ton splitter columns from Malaysia to Singapore before on-site installation. Imaginative engineering was required to transport these splitter columns over a jetty, capable of bearing only 1,200 tons. Mammoet conceived an ingenious solution reducing the ground bearing pressure on the jetty throughout the entire load-out. This eliminated the requirement to spend any time or expense on construction of new load-out facilities or reinforcing existing ones. Load-out, transport and installation were completed with remarkable rapidity, and all without causing downtime for the neighbors of the client.
This is not the only massive logistical project Mammoet has dealt with recently. The Gorgon, Icthys and Wheatstone projects in Australia have also provided the company with another significant opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities. "The total weight of these modules for the three projects is almost 750,000 metric tons and the largest modules are almost 7,000 tons, which is roughly the same weight as the Eiffel tower!" states Koenis.
McDermott, an EPC company, is also delivering services for these huge projects in Australia. "Ten years ago, a project would cost perhaps USD 200-500 million. Right now, you are speaking one, two or three billion as the cost of taking a project forward. The good thing about Singapore as a base is that attracting staff and resources to complete these initiatives is easier," says Hugh Cuthbertson, vice president & general manager of McDermott. "Some of these big projects are of such scale they need more than just assets available in APAC to complete them- sharing engineering vessels and capitalizing on the multiple vessels we have, including the 108 under construction, means that McDermott can be trusted to deliver these projects reliably."
Companies large and small are working towards delivering on these gargantuan projects. "As of now, Singapore is still doing very well- the market potential is enormous," states R K. Herojit, managing director of Hask Engineering. "There are also other countries where large projects are proceeding, such as Vietnam, which is capitalizing on the opportunity to cooperate with Japan to utilize gas. Elsewhere, people are actively seeking opportunities. In terms of the offshore market, this still is a key forte of Singapore first and foremost."
These projects do present unique challenges, as the executive well knows. Herojit goes on to explain that another key project for the company was constructing living quarters and installing HVAC systems for the Ekofisk project run by ConocoPhillips. This job involved action on an offshore accommodation platform able to house 452 staff. For companies like Hask, such an effort can be a commercial challenge; effort must be made to shave down costs as best possible.
"Although we have other terminals in China and Indonesia, Singapore is by far our largest investment destination in the region and serves as a regional headquarters and center of expertise," says Koen Verniers, president of Oiltanking. "Within the global portfolio, Asia Pacific accounts for approximately 20 percent of worldwide assets and revenues," he adds, detailing that it is not just engineers who dream big in Singapore. "Going forward, our region has been designated as a growth region by the group and, as such, our mandate is to maintain the market share we hold as Asia Pacific continues to expand in terms of demand."
"Whilst Singapore is constrained by space, we are confident it will still be able to capture a significant share of market growth through, what is called, the 'Greater Singapore' area," explains Verniers, describing where Singapore's appetite for commerce will steer the city state in future. "From its pivotal geographic location, Singapore is uniquely positioned as a pricing hub. Within that, Platts plays an important role in maintaining Singapore as a unique location for international trade by providing transparency in their pricing window for trades out of the island-state. If this pricing window were to encompass the 'Greater Singapore' area, under Platts' so-called Straits of Malacca window - which already is happening - then this will most likely create a market pricing model akin to the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) model. In turn, this will enable Singapore to overcome its land and waterfront limitations and capture emerging market opportunities."
Inter-regional trade is also on the rise as energy flows increasingly move from the West to the East. One commodity in particular destined for trade growth is fuel oil, and, as the world's largest bunkering hub, Singapore is ideally positioned to capture this flow. The 760,000 cbm Karimun terminal in Indonesia which Oiltanking is backing is twenty nautical miles off the coast of Singapore and will largely focus on fuel oil but will also cater for clean petroleum products. This is a key project for Oiltanking, and is designed to cater for demand in Southeast Asia.
Double checked; Triple checked
Whilst ambition in Singapore is big, a number of key LNG projects in the region have been prevented from moving beyond the drawing board by excessive costs. The result of this is that Singaporean companies are moving to compete on a lean, efficient model. "Value generation is essential. Any business must deliver value to the client, whether in terms of quality, pricing or productivity," says Herojit, explaining how his business is ensuring its clients can move forward with developments. "It is not easy to achieve all these objectives at once, but our staff are seeking to train and educate our engineers to achieve this- we seek to regularly review and enhance the safety and efficacy of our operations."
In order to improve worker productivity, however, one must look beyond simply improving the skill set of workers applying themselves to opportunities, though this does help. Herojit of Hask emphasizes that one has to encourage staff to want to contribute more to the project. "Stimulating this attitude is important, and requires a great deal of attention," Herojit explains. "Our revenue generating activities are primarily in technical support operations. When a company is taking forward an EPC project, we are able to support their engineering or construction by hiring a good number of engineers and personnel who we then outsource to the clients such as CB&I or McDermott, amongst others," he concludes, explaining how his company turns service into profit.
Securing personnel is one challenge for businesses in the oil and gas industry, acquiring assets at the right cost another. "Many midwater rigs are now considered 'mature assets'," says Vern Westerhout, CEO of Opus Offshore. Today, he explains, the focus of the market is on deepwater and ultra-deepwater rigs. "Opus thus decided to enter a specific market niche, specifically focusing on building midwater drillships with new and updated equipment. The Tiger series rigs were thus born from this wager and a concerted effort to orientate the design of our drillships specifically for the midwater market was made," Westerhout explains. "With our Tiger drillships, we made a concerted decision to include only the technologies that are truly required to drill a well, rather than incorporating superfluous additions. In addition, our drillships will have to compete against older rigs when they enter the market, which has made capital costs into a major consideration since the current drilling contractors could decide to bid their older rigs at lower prices," he explains.
Such an idiosyncratic business strategy has meant that Opus has taken great care to ensure the business' financial viability over the next two to three years until operators are more familiar with the offering product and are willing to pay for the services of the company's new rigs. This is particularly important in the current global context, as day rates for the most advanced ultra-deepwater rigs have fallen to USD 375,000-500,000 from a peak of approximately USD 650,000 last year, though contracting activity by oil firms slowed significantly, obscuring the actual market rate. Southeast Asia is, however, one center of activity for drilling- a significant fact on which Opus' strategy rests.
Other businesses are rising up to fill other emerging niches, not just in areas where there is insufficient drilling equipment. In terms of engineering services affiliated to the oil and gas industry, "there was a gap opening in the market for a high quality consultancy consisting primarily of highly experienced personnel," says Phil Lenox, Asia-Pacific director of Aqualis Offshore. "Our business has been able to readily capitalize on this opportunity."
Lenox cites Aqualis's human resources as a prime driver of demand of the business' services. It is true that a personal connection to other talented individuals in the sector often allows a company to pull in further talent. This in turn becomes a particularly attractive quality for further potential clients.
"In Asia in particular, Sphere's course on BOP equipment for surface jack-up rigs-this form of rig being utilized heavily at the moment-is greatly in demand," says Anton Greeff, director of Sphere Training & Services, a training and technical education specialist. He continues, reflecting on the importance of human resources from the supplier's perspective. "Other courses that are particularly sought after include downtime prevention courses: downtime being so costly, it is easy to recognize the commercial imperative companies have to ensure their staff are equipped minimize and pre-empt problems arising. The downtime prevention course mainly focuses on subsea well control systems, however we have drillers, maintenance supervisors, toolpushers and OIMs that attend. This allows these individuals not only to aid in the downtime prevention of well control equipment, but can transfer the knowledge as discussed in the class to drilling related equipment." Well-equipped and experienced staff can greatly enhance a business' offering. "As word has spread about Sphere's fresh offering which is globally spread but locally focused clients have been eager to utilize our services. Beyond simply the depth of experience, the breadth of the company's understanding is highly applicable as well. The specialist skills each of our staff retain and offer to clients means the business has a very rounded offering. The business continues to develop this high quality blend of resources," Greeff concludes.
One mission
Singaporean based companies do hand over novel and innovative designs to clients, but also use this creative spark to overhaul their own offerings internally. Britoil Offshore Services, a family run offshore support vessel operator, seeks to create high value vessels, and to retain the advantage created by its designs when it provides services to the client. "Over the past ten years at least, our overarching strategy has been to bring our entire value chain in house. The main reason for this is to garner more control of all aspects of our operations," explains Stephen Hill, COO. "Our yard in Batam is a case in point. It is very high-tech and is likely one of the most advanced in Southeast Asia. It is fully automated, and designs created on computer software-CAD-CAM-are sent direct to our panel line. The lifting equipment and cranes are sourced in from Finland and are recognized as highly advanced in this field."
"By having control of our fabrication process, Britoil produces very high quality vessels and seeks to incorporate the best possible equipment into our new builds," he continues. "In our opinion, it is a false economy to seek to build as cheap as possible and this approach is not a fit with our strategy of owning and operating high quality and reliable vessels. I consider that this control and high quality approach provides Britoil with an advantage over our competitors."
Britoil is one company that seeks to utilize the highest possible equipment to underline the reliability of their services and assets. Using known brands, such as Caterpillar and Rolls Royce - as Britoil does - also helps companies with international operations to access a comprehensive repair network quickly when required.
Companies supplying equipment directly are seeking to push boundaries in order to satisfy the demand for ever-more capable equipment too. "The big advantage of Mammoet Ringers is that we own 11 of these machines in the range of 1,600 tons to 4,000 tons, located around the world; there is always one available or nearby," says Robin Koenis. He expands on the company's ambition to take this even further, commenting: "Mammoet will soon complement our existing range with a 5,000 ton crane. The mobility of our equipment guarantees availability and flexibility for the client's construction schedule."
Opus Offshore has, as mentioned, focused on the middle drilling depths and ordered a slew of 'Tiger' drilling ships, adding to the company's ability to serve clients. They constructed these assets with the client in mind and undertook extensive pre-marketing presentations to oil companies that highlight the services Opus felt the Tiger could offer clients. They have backed up the acquisition of these units with the announcement of a JV with Songa Offshore, leading the company to the opinion that their positioning in the market has been objectively reinforced.
"In terms of customers, we will mainly focus on the NOCs and oil companies with substantial midwater acreage," says Westerhout, illustrating how tailored Opus' strategy is. "In addition, the design of the Tiger drillships has incorporated the requirements specified by large oil companies, which means this vessel will be fully compatible with oil companies' requirements."
"To ensure peak value is delivered to a client and that the premium product is delivered, Aqualis will oversee rig construction," explains Aqualis's Phil Lenox when asked about how his company intends to tailor its services to its clients. "Particularly for rigs bought as an investment, where the intention is to sell them on, the buyer will want to know who oversaw its construction process. Investors for this reason need services like those we provide guaranteeing the equipment is built, installed, painted and prepared properly to ensure the value of their asset. Our strong reputation too, adds further value to their selling power."
Commercial considerations saw Transerve move from a primarily retail-focused business to a greater emphasis on the rental of its accommodation units. "Originally, the containers Transerve produced sold for 20-30,000 SGD, or 15-23,000 USD each," says Robert Liu, CEO of Transerve. "Now, some of our customized units- kitchens for example- sell for 100-200,000 SGD, or 77-160,000 USD. The most specialized units, such as the extreme environment units are purchased by our customers for two million SGD, or 1.6 million USD. Sales are not the sole preserve of the business however, as rental of units to companies- often for use in drilling camps- is another useful source of income. Alongside the rental of accommodation units, this is supported by lease of tanks, gen-sets, customized for gas-sensitive units (certified by ABS). Currently, much of our fabrication is for ourselves- rental of units allows us to remain cost competitive, yet satisfy customer needs." All of Transerve's living units are customizable; the more specialist units are an area where their company is seeking to gain further market penetration, as they are more profitable." One prime example of this would be our extreme environment modules, which can handle temperatures of as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius. This is useful offshore at Sakhalin, for example," Liu explains.
Survival of the fittest
Enterprises in Singapore don't just tinker with their product offering to remain competitive; companies often have to entirely rearrange, reorganize and restructure their strategic operation. The willingness of both indigenous companies and new entrants to embrace this need for change is one of the generating engines of the fluidity and dynamism that powers the Singaporean economy. "Around ten years back, IHC Merwede's workshop here in Singapore was formed," says Francis Tang, managing director of IHC Asia Pacific. "It remains focused on the dredging and parts provision work. This business was fueled by a large infrastructure boom in Singapore: land reclamation and dredging being a significant part of this. All the significant dredging players were operating here and when their vessels required servicing, IHC Merwede was well placed to provide this service. The workshop remains focused on this market sector, which is a particular strength of IHC Merwede: 70 percent of the world's dredgers are built in Holland by the company."
IHC's recent move towards the offshore sector was prompted by a desire to move to take advantage of further opportunities. IHC, like a number of companies, saw diving support ship vessels as a route into the region, with Singapore providing a particularly useful central hub for these operations.
The subsea sector is one where companies often feel compelled to expand. "Subsea activity is still something of a new segment of our business which is still developing. We have had a number of assets operating successfully in the region though we need to further consolidate our strategies and emphasis within the subsea market. The company will be keenly watching developing trends in this market to see where opportunities emerge," says Rendy Ariffin, managing director of Bourbon Offshore.
"Today, our business in Singapore covers offshore and dredging both through selling vessels, and maintaining old ones," says Tang, clarifying the company's current activities. "Specialized offshore equipment and vessels is a particular forte of the business here. One example is our presence supplying offshore tools- such as offshore pounding hammers which are sold or rented to the likes of Swiber and McDermott."
Early in 2012, there had been a significant change in the make-up of shareholders owning IHC Merwede, as Indofin took over a large proportion of the company's shares. This prompted a significant strategy shift, and an overhaul of the management team driving the company. The operation in Singapore has established a focus on establishing a smaller, commercial office in Singapore to firstly secure commercial orders as a foundation for further expansion, which, Tang comments, "may in future lead to acquisition of a shipyard here in Southeast Asia."
Despite big changes, Tang conveys a sense of considered caution. "It is important to take this process step by step: and perhaps the company is moving forward a little more cautiously, with a more tempered risk appetite."
"For McDermott, the key objectives will be to grow the company and to ensure profitability in the two main sectors- offshore and subsea," says Hugh Cuthbertson, speaking about that business' substantial recent overhaul. "The company has two executive vice presidents who will be able to focus on these sectors entirely and without compromise. We will be closely in touch with the markets, partners and potential customers to deliver real solutions, drawing on the entire asset base of McDermott. This global resource is of particular importance and will be a powerful driver to secure further work for the company."
"McDermott now has an organizational structure capable of delivering this cohesive world view yet also providing a structured, regional focus," continues Cuthbertson. "The business is now seeking to grow in areas where it has not had a traditional presence, or where it has not been present at all. We have been quite strong in APAC and the Middle East, but are seeking growth in the Americas, Africa and the North Sea."
EPC work, is of course, a challenging business. Planning and execution of all requirements are required in full for any such business to deliver success. The establishment of rock solid core competencies and focus is essential to secure repeat and new customers. "Such an emphasis means that McDermott can be trusted to complete projects to the required on schedule, safely and to a high standard" says Scott Cummins, executive vice president.
McDermott has recently reached the end of a restructuring process which has shifted the company's foundations significantly, seeing the addition of a new CEO, two new business sections and the implementation of a strategy seeking to guarantee growth. The priority in that endeavor has been to make the company leaner and more efficient.
There are many reasons that spark the move to restructure. Acquisition can be one, as was the case at OMS Oilfield Services. The company was taken over by Sumitomo Corporation, which was impressed by and acknowledged the company's brand strength. "They decided to retain us as a quasi-independent company," says How Meng Hock, president and CEO of OMS. "Sumitomo Corporation is a trading group which is a clear motivation for them to retain our name's reputation. In the last couple of years, our two entities have gone through a period of integration, with the meshing of cultures. Sumitmo has a vision to move beyond trading and investment to a more industrially focused operation."
The executive continues, "When I arrived with the company, a year and a half ago, the decision was made to move from our current business sector- that of the tubular and conductive business and premium connection to a wider positioning over the next four or five years. We would seek to be an equipment or oil field service company provider. The strategy behind this based on a 2019 vision, in which the organization would be a dynamic enterprise at the forefront of the oil and gas industry. We would no longer be solely a machine shop, but an integrated service operation, combining a tangible and intangible operation. This would provide more value to our customer, and we have started pushing this strategy forward just this year."
Why Singapore
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Robert Liu, CEO of Transerve Cabins , a native Singaporean business, whose principal offering is offshore selling and leasing accommodation units, explains the factors that make the Singapore hub a commercial success.
The CEO tells of the products his company is offering from Singapore. "There are many conditions that these containers must be designed to face. Our units are ABS/DNV/A60 fire rated/ zone 2/blast rated. We can install all kinds of protection and electronic systems into the accommodation units to make sure they are comfortable. All our living units are customizable; the more specialist units are something we are seeking to gain further market penetration in retailing, as they are more profitable. One prime example of this would be our extreme environment modules, which can handle temperatures of as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius and operate in high salinity environments. This is useful offshore at Sakhalin, for example" explains Liu.
From the crest of the wave to the seafloor
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Three executives comment on the burgeoning offshore services market in Singapore
Rendy Ariffin, managing director of Bourbon Offshore Asia
Utilization rates for Bourbon are high - and in this has been the case for the last few years. This has been the foundation of our expansion in Asia. There is no point steaming in vessels if there is no work available for them. The company has been very effective in efficiently gaining work for these vessels on profitable contracts.
In 2010, the business was operating 19 vessels in the region. This figure now stands at 50.
On the marine side we have sought to gain ground for our AHTS vessels in the rig moving business as a keystone activity of our expansion in the region. We have also seen continuing success in our niche market- the provision of crewboats.
Kurush Contractor, president and CEO of Kreuz Subsea
SURF equipment is largely synonymous with flexible pipelines and risers. Even though SURF technology has been extant for some time, it is now that this technology has come into prominence as a result of technological advances in the industry. Companies such as FMC and their peers have developed technologies where one can install effectively a subsea oilfield, capable of being operated remotely. This productive infrastructure is then connected with flexible flow lines, umbilicals and risers s to Process facilities for control and FPSOs for production. Kreuz Subsea was awarded the first SURF contract and in 2011 by ConocoPhillips in Indonesia for the Bawal Field Development project. This was a significant project for us and we executed it successfully deploying two dynamically positioned vessels. Following this, ConocoPhillips awarded the South Belut development SURF project to former parent Swiber which was of a much larger magnitude and where Kreuz were responsible towards the complete subsea installation works with the exception of rigid pipelay.
The business has continued with SURF deliveries, including projects for ExxonMobil, and more recently Petrofac through TLO (SapuraKencana) in Malaysia.
Stephen Hill, COO of Britoil
The next half decade is very exciting. Armed with our new PSVs, we are entering a new market and diversifying out. The business wants to continue that and enhance and increase the PSV fleet. The expansion of this fleet depends on the ability to raise finance and our own risk analysis, but, generally speaking, on the next five years, the business would hope to add a further four PSVs to its fleet and beyond that to diversify into the AHTS market. In 2019, we would hope to have built at least two AHTS.
Naturally, by entering the PSV market, we will likely expand from a geographical basis too. Our anchor handling tugs have typically worked from the Middle East through to eastern Russia, with occasional contracts in West Africa, South America and the Mediterranean, and we will look for further operations there and in Mexico too for our new PSVs.
The picture is of diversification, expansion, and increasing the range of our core competencies.
Green machines; profit without punishing the planet
Two executives in Singapore detail how their companies guarantee clean operations.
Stephen Hill, COO of Britoil, a global provider of marine transportation and anchor handling vessels.
Britoil won the award for the most environmentally friendly and efficient shipyard in Batam in 2013.
Hill comments, "Right from the start, our HSE function has been the cornerstone of our operation- across our fleet and in our shipyard. Britoil strongly believes a clean, tidy, and orderly operation in the shipyard creates a mindset across the business and across staff and contractors working there which is more sensitive to environmental and health and safety issues. A clean, orderly workplace is conducive to being aware of the environmental considerations that have to be made on a daily basis. Developing a culture that proactively deals with these issues is essential.
"Britoil's being awarded the distinction of the most environmentally friendly and efficient shipyard in Batam in 2013 is testament to our company's attitude towards responsible commercial practices, as are our ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications for environmental and occupational health and safety standards respectively. We take these issues very seriously."
Brendan Wauters, former president and CEO, Senoko Energy
Senoko Energy is Singapore's largest power generation company, with over 3300MW of generation capacity.
Singapore and Senoko both have a very positive story to tell with regard to sustainability. The carbon intensity of gas fired generation is around 40 percent lower than that of oil fired generation. It is striking that in 1990, all of our generation was oil fired; in 2000, 80 percent; and today all our production is gas-fueled.
Our carbon intensity has reduced by two fifths over that time but even more significantly we generate less carbon dioxide than before in total, even with increased generation capacities. Carbon dioxide is a global issue, but NOX and SOX emissions are local ones. Gas is the cleanest conventional fuel so there have been notable improvements with regard to reducing emissions of those pollutants as well.
Gas use, therefore is a very positive development.