Falklands’ companies readying to provide support services to oil industry
Falkland Islands’ companies are, “stepping up to the plate,” in providing support services to the oil industry; and their investment in increased work forces, facilities and equipment is already paying dividends.
One company Byron McKay Port Services has already expended over £8 million capital asset provisioning, in addition to an investment of about £400,000 in employee training costs over three years.
The joint venture company between Neil McKay Ltd and Byron Marine Ltd began planning for service provision to the oil industry several years ago.
Director Lewis Clifton said: ”Evidence of commitment at the local level can be seen either in terms of increased capital assets (machinery, plant, cranes, fork lifts, heavy goods trucks, and supply base facilities) warehouses, hard standing, laydown and offices, and significant increases in numbers of employees to make the assets work and support the offshore supply chain. Importantly, employees must not only be multi-talented, but must be certificated to operate in the logistics supply chain to UK North Sea standards.“
Mr Clifton said the company had already benefited from the growth of the oil industry, ”but was only able to do so by stepping up to the plate to win contracts and deliver services.”
Transportation company Falkland Islands Tours and Travel (FITT) has also increased its team in direct response to contracts that have been negotiated and held for the duration of the exploration programme with AGR, Ocean Rig and CHC.
Managing Director Andrea Clausen said the company now provided logistics personnel, along with existing transport services. FITT would be seeking to provide similar services, “and hopefully expand into some new, as the exploration programme evolves into exploitation,” she explained.
Others have benefited from FITT's success with the company sub-contracting through full-time and casual employees.
Tim Miller of Stanley Growers told Penguin News that although they had not yet increased staff levels he anticipated a larger work force by 2014.
Stanley Growers is supplying fresh produce direct to the offshore industry and through local agents. During the RKH/Desire drilling program with additional seismic survey vessels the company's sales increased by about 10% although it is currently slightly less due to there being no seismic vessels conducting work.
Mr Miller said in 2014 when more rigs would be present the additional personnel in the Islands would need more fresh food.
In 2011-2012 the company invested approximately £20,000 in the purchase of two large poly-tunnels and a further two giant tunnels are planned for 2013. Increased imported produce is also planned, but this will be subject to freighting options.
Sulivan Shipping Managing Director John Pollard said his company has been working with the oil industry in a number of areas, “in the marine field as owners-agents for the UOS vessels that supported the Ocean Guardian rig operations and in aviation as ground-handlers at Mount Pleasant for the Hifly charter.”
He said the latter required Sulivan Shipping to bring in a specialist piece of equipment for loading and unloading aircraft, “which we have also put to use to assist the MOD with their airbridge operations on occasions.”
He said should the frequency of international flights increase, and the companies attendance at Mount Pleasant also increase then that could well create more full and part time job opportunities.
Mr Pollard said the company would, “watch developments with interest and ensure that we are ready for any new opportunities.”
In the hospitality sector, The Waterfront Hotel's Alex Olmedo has also increased staff levels, products and services due to the increased demand from oil companies and other tourism sectors.
He said: “We provide accommodation and meals to our residents and the corporate market in particular oil companies for private dinner parties”.
Mr Olmedo said confirmed bookings for the tourist season were much higher than in previous years: “Although we are not the first choice for accommodation for the oil companies we get a lot of the bookings which other establishments cannot accommodate.”
So optimistic is Mr Olmedo about the future, he is planning to operate new B&B accommodation 'The Paddock', as well as refurbishing the hotel's dining room, kitchen and bedrooms and extending the conservatory: “We hope to be able to be more attractive to the oil industry with our enhanced products and services.”
Stanley Services' General Manager Robert Rowlands said thanks to Stanley Services' past investment, the company had been able to provide many of the services required by the oil industry: “The company continues to look to growth as can be seen by the work already proceeding on current projects and there are plans for further investment and expansion to meet future needs,” he said.
Cable & Wireless is one more company that appreciates the economic growth generated by the oil industry, Chief Executive Justin McPhee said: “We have provided oil operators with some specialised services during the exploration phase and would hope to expand this as the industry develops in the Islands.”
He said the significant investments the company had made in new equipment and network infrastructure in recent years means, “we are well placed to support the requirements of the oil industry as it develops. Any activity that increases economic activity helps address the challenges we have due to economy of scale will benefit all customers in the longer term.”
As has already been reported in Penguin News, the Falkland Islands Company is also anticipating significant business opportunities in relation to the oil industry including utilising existing FIC freehold land in Stanley for warehouse and storage yards. They also hope to provide offices for the industry as well as purpose built accommodation units for long stay staff. In a Joint venture with Trant Construction they aim to bid for government and private sector construction and engineering contracts. (PN).-
Suggested Stories
-
May 18th 2013
Venezuelan oil monopoly in joint ventures with Chevron and China Petroleum
-
May 22nd 2013
US airline closes 4bn dollars deal with Brazil’s Embraer for 40 commuter aircraft
-
May 22nd 2013
Uruguay: Mujica on a most ambitious mission to China after investments for ports and railways
-
May 21st 2013
Falkland Islands: it’s a three-side debate; Argentina must recognize Islanders right to decide their future
48 comments Feed
Note: Comments do not reflect MercoPress’ opinions. They are the personal view of our users. We wish to keep this as open and unregulated as possible. However, rude or foul language, discriminative comments (based on ethnicity, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or the sort), spamming or any other offensive or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. Please report any inadequate posts to the editor. Comments must be in English. Thank you.
A great example of the law of unintended consequences.
Yes indeed!
It looks like the Kirchner goverment is proving to be the best and cheapest Advertising Agency in the South Atlantic...well, for the Falklands people anyway: she isnt doing much for her own people other than giving a day-by-day example of why populism is such an arse-about-face self-destructive method of governence.
However, I doubt she will learn and this will only add to her embarassment and cause more reason for her to inflict pain on the falklands.
Without being a warmonger, I think some of us know where it will all end.
On a separate note, the MOD is seeking a place to retire the invincible aircraft carrier. I suggest we all ask for it to go to the Falklands as a memorial to the 1982 conflict, but could also be used as a temporary base for workers whilst infrastructure being constructed. It would also serve as a hander helicopter platform :)
Plus is would so annoy CFK
On the bright, commercial oil exploration at the stage we are now at will fund all future infrastructure needs. In addition even more capable warships are in the process of being built.
All we need now is to pension off all the old duffers in the MOD and introduce a more commercial ethos to get even more bangs for our bucks.
At least you recognised yourself.
Falklands’ companies readying to provide support services to oil industry
AHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAH The brits idiots thinks there is oil.
MAlvinas oil scam:
Proof that Cameron lied over oil find in the Falkland Islands
eyreinternational.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/proof-that-cameron-lied-over-oil-find-in-the-falkland-islands/
Keep dreaming brits losers!!
Argentina has oil and uk is running out...
Proof positive that idiots will believe any old crap that they read on the web as long as it coincides with what they want to believe. You should all check out his link. It's one for the fuitloops.
They keep hearing it,
And it still sound great,
The Falklands,
[Something they can never have]
Still,
They can but talk about it .lol
.
Temper, temper Duffer you silly old sod.
At your age its not good to get over excited.
Where's the lawsuits Argentina promised against the oil companies in the Falkland Islands?
An Argentine promise isn't worth an Argentinian peso (0.2145 US dollars and falling)
eyreinternational.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/proof-that-cameron-lied-over-oil-find-in-the-falkland-islands/
There's air-brushing and then there's this. British Kirchnerist will be needing clean Y fronts.
@18 But it's an OOOLD picture. No trademark black. Except for the eyes where Nestor last hit her. I still reckon she had him bumped off!
I count 4 “New World Order”s and 6 “Zionist”s
That works out at roughly 4 “New World Order”s and 6 “Zionist”s more than I would look for in a credible source and not a raving loon.
Sure,guys,Exxon and Shell are dying to got o MAlvinas.Never read the report by Exxon,Shell,about the drilling in the '70???Nothing important there loser,only the corrupt tory making money by tax evasion....Did you see the building of “those”companies”?? Is a joke!
11 Malv, better stock up with dollars, pounds or some other stable currency ASAP because when Argentina runs dry of greenbacks the peso wil be devalued (again
I only stock GOLD COINS!
AHAHAHAAH poor deluded ex empire......
AHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAH”. That sort of thing is a very clear sign of a psychotic nutjob. I should mention that it also tends to be a pretty clear indication of a childish or juvenile psychotic nutjob. Anyway, that's enough of the compliments. How
Do you think I give a damn about a mentally retard primitive mind like you conquered??You are FInish like uk....Just run for your life..
how you know, he comes from finland ..
how you know, he comes from finland ..
Ohh here we have the corrector....Yes you are FINISHED ex-empire!
Care to explain why a sensible multinational French Company and also a similar USA Company are also jpoining in the exploration programmes over the next few years?
Oh- and Shell actually came back in the late 1990s and got oil to the surface in their exploratory well 9near where seaLion is now) - the only thing that stopped them continuing then was the world oil price crash!
Do get your facts a bit more correct - bvut I know that is very hard for most Argentines to do! Fantasy is so much easier!
do you get all your news at that site?
eyreinternational.wordpress.com/2012/09/
do you get all your news at that site?
Not really.but I know people who happens to be experienced in the Oil industry close to that area...Nooo body that I have asked is very positive on the outcome.Anyway,in order to support the offshor operation the infrastructure needed is inmense.Not possible without contiental help from Argentina...so uk is stuck.........
Dream on!
I hope the Falklands do indeed take on Uruguayan workers. Several hundred have been put out of work lately by Argentine import and currency restrictions.
“Not possible without contiental help from Argentina...so uk is stuck.........”
Ha ha, dream on, Kirchnerites!!
Falklands will do just fine, now they know they can't rely on Argentina - they've made other arrangements.
You are left out in the cold...
LONDON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Oil resources in the Falkland Islands, a British territory claimed by Argentina, are insufficient to be profitable, an ExxonMobil Corp (XOM.N) executive said, leaked U.S. documents show.
The cable from the U.S. Embassy in London was dated February 2010 and was about a new oil drilling effort then starting in the Falklands and a resulting rise in tension between Britain and Argentina.
“ExxonMobil International Chairman Brad Corson told us he does not believe there is enough oil on the Falkland Islands Continental Shelf to be profitable, citing Shell's earlier oil exploration attempts which they abandoned,” the cable read.
Sorry,pirates.....The dinner is rotten!
Not even a good try, Mel.
The Referendum is nearly here!!
You are quoting ancient history Malv. This was two years ago and science marches on ! We actually have scientists in the UK !
It was announced in Aberdeen last week that a new technology for extracting oil from depleted wells had been successful. This involves pumping de-salinated water into the wells. This loosens the bonds between the oil and the rocks and greatly increases the volume of oil that can be extracted. Wells that were marginally profitable can now be brought on stream with a l0nger life span.
This technique can be applied to Falkland waters and changes the viability of marginal finds.
Sorry Malv. your desperately spouting garbage again.
thanks for posting the link
eyreinternational.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/proof-that-cameron-lied-over-oil-find-in-the-falkland-islands/
at the same time claiming “Proof that Cameron lied over oil find in the Falkland Islands”.
It was a great help to me in getting an understanding of what malvinistas believe constitutes evidence.
A blog full of funny conspiracy theories with a blog a post you may have written yourself, is all it takes to “prove” a claim.
“In addition even more capable warships are in the process of being built.
All we need now is to pension off all the old duffers in the MOD and introduce a more commercial ethos to get even more bangs for our bucks.”
Regarding future royalties and tax revenue from the Falklands oil industry then that's OUR bucks you're talking about Englander. I for one would like to see FIG remunerating HM government for the cost of our defence but that decision is ours to make.
I didn't say it wasn't.
Argies are Hallicinating!
Not even a good try, Mel.
The Referendum is nearly here!!
Who cares still uk and the MAlvinenses will LOSE at the UN....Down with the brits pirates!AHAHHAHAHAHAHAL!!!LOSERS any more riots comming in london??Let see the riot schedule,losers brits! You are NOOO BODY!
(Bad “nancy ”)
More importantly, with the referendum, The Falkland Islanders will declare to the world that they are a distinct people, with Self-Determination, a representational government, and are a free Democracy that does not want to be Argentinian.
Argentina will not be able to conveniently dismiss them as a “non-people” or subjects of Argieland. :-)
Best of all, they cannot be swept out of existence, or have their resources stolen.
And it does not matter what Fairy Tales you tell yourselves.
The Argentinian government cannot afford the public to know they have been lied to. this would be political suicide for any peronist, not just now, but for ever.
So we will always have to put up with rubbish spewed from their paid online trolls.
The Falklands are a free people, and always will be. If this has to be backed up with Royal Naval power, so be it, there would be no need if their neighbours acted like humans.
One only hopes we dont have to perform another Libya and remove a dangerous leader who preaches hate
“Who cares still uk and the MAlvinenses will LOSE at the UN”
You wish.
Keep dreaming.
Nothing from the Trolls.
Hmmmm, they have all retreated again.
Getting new scripts??
???????????
No oil at Loligo. Detailed analysis awaited but looks like a massive gas find instead. EDF will be pleased.
Scotia is next drill and a good prospect for oil.
Cmon FOGL.
47 Pretend Brit
He didn't say that you divvy, but absence of state interference, Kirchner style, is hardly going to put Companies off.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!