1. business and industrial
2. business operations
3. management
4. project management

April June 2006
HEAD OFFICE KUWAIT
PO Box 24081
Safat 13101
Kuwait
Tel: +965-4749655
Tel:
4762655
Fax: +965 4760891
EGYPT NATIONAL
2 AbdulMoneim
Riyadh St
Thawra Square
Al-Mohendessen
Giza
Tel: +202-3367688
Fax: +202-7609264
IN THIS ISSUE
4
AL-IRAQ NATIONAL
Baghdad, Iraq
Al-Yarmouk Area
Avenue 1
Bldg 1, Road 1
Tel: 07-901922565
DUBAI, UAE
PO Box 25693
Dubai
Tel: +9714-3476662
Fax: +9714-3479400
9
11
ABU DHABI, UAE
11th Floor, Al-Ferdous Bldg
Al-Salam Street
Abu Dhabi
Tel: +9712-6775800
Fax: +9712-6778688
Eml: [email protected]
THE GAMBIA
128A Kairaba
Fajara
PO Box 3330
Serrekunda
Tel: +220-4494156
+220-4494954
LEBANON
MAK Centre
2nd Floor
Al-Sham Road
PO Box 182
Hazmieh, Beirut
Tel: +961-5-950480/81
12
Message from the DMD
1
Employee of the Quarter
2
New Faces, Achievements & Farewells
3
SHU GRTA 2006
4
Operations News
8
New Relocation Policy
10
Innovative Welding
11
Instant Access
12
International Water Day
13
Learning & Development
14
Staff News
16
KN Safety
17
Mental Puzzle
17
14
Website: www.kharafinational.com
Email: [email protected]
Transmission is the corporate magazine of Kharafi National. It is issued quarterly and distributed internally. The editor,
Paul D Kennedy, may be contacted on [email protected].
Message From The DMD
Over the last year Kharafi National has expanded its operations by more than 50%. Our
on-going success is due to the performance-driven nature of our corporate culture.
Driving success in KN depends on ownership and discipline. Our people have a deep
sense of ownership in both the company and their individual projects or operations and
are thus highly motivated to perform well. We also benefit from strong discipline, which is
enforced by adherence to our corporate procedures.
An intense sense of ownership combined with firm discipline have created a high
degree of efficiency that is enabling us to get things right the first time. It is these
three factors – ownership, discipline and efficiency – that make a project or operation
successful.
We measure success in KN by three criteria: safety, quality, and delivery within budget.
To ensure that these three criteria are met we use a performance-based bonus system
(PBBS). The PBBS system covers not only projects but also – by relating the performance
of all managers to key performance indices – COOs, project managers and the directors
of support services.
Thus the subjective element has been removed from the calculation of bonuses and the
performance of everyone within KN is now judged according to criteria that are wholly
objective. In KN, gaining a bonus is not an entitlement; it is an extra reward for a job well
done.
The PBBS system is the practical expression of our performance-driven culture. It
has been designed to ensure that performance throughout KN remains consistently
high while avoiding the build-up of ‘fat’ that tends to happen over time in any large
organization and which in the end becomes a burden on performance.
Every decision a manager in KN now makes affects our collective bonus. This is the only
way to control a company that has reached our size. Maintaining our performance-driven
culture will be the key to our continuing success in the years to come.
Samer G Younis
Deputy Managing Director
April - June 2006
1
Employees of the Quarter
The winners of the Employee of the Quarter Awards for the Second Quarter of 2006 were:
George Issac, an electrical supervisor on project 8608,
for going beyond what was
expected of him in his dedication
in facilitating logistical support
on the Iraqi border and for
providing technical support to
communication projects within
Iraq on a 24/7 basis without
hesitation or complaint.
P K Shanij Kumar, the camp boss in cost centre 9134,
for demonstrating the highest
levels of coordination, initiative
and control in dealing with the
chaos of project shutdowns,
including administration and
payroll matters, that would
otherwise have had a serious
impact on operations.
The Runners-Up were
NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES
Omar Azmi, a laboratory chemist in cost centre 9176, for taking the
initiative in administrative and ISO accreditation work in addition to his
normal duties.
Mohd Abdullah, an E&I superintendent on project 1294, for supervising
the safety of all scaffolding and ensuring that idle man-hours are limited, in
addition to his regular duties.
Thulasi Das Pillai, a technical clerk in, for his systematic production and
dispatch of documentation thereby ensuring the fast accurate delivery
of fabricated items to clients.
Ehab Al-Sharief, a project engineer at Sulaibiya WWT&RP, for his
eagerness to learn and for always welcoming addition responsibilities,
such as organizing plant visits or doing work for other projects.
MANUAL EMPLOYEES
Ibrahim Younis, a general foreman on project 9191, for managing several
projects efficiently, ensuring that tight deadlines are met, and for undertaking
additional responsibilities.
Severino G Lima, an electrician on project 1227, for going beyond
his routine duties in taking special care of electrical equipment and for
inspecting them on site to ensure their safety.
Yusuf Bhanpurawala, a secretary on project 1211, for his high levels of
transparency, hard work, initiative and ownership, and for serving as a good
link between clients and the company.
Hirji Giri, a senior concrete finisher on project 1220, for always being
extremely hard-working and always on time, and for always performing
his job in an excellent manner.
John Koshy Thomas, a secretary on project 1293, for his sincerity, his intense
focus on his work, his good conduct and the cordial relations he maintains
with his colleagues.
Rajendran Nair, a pipe fitter (mechanical) on project 1285, for being
very sincere and hard-working and for having the technical ability to
read complex workshop drawings.
R Sreekumar, a secretary on project 1285, for handling the additional
responsibilities imposed by two new projects in addition to his work for his
own project.
Kuppuswamy, a pipe fitter (mechanical) on project 1286, for his
dedication, hard-work and excellent performance, and for assuming
responsibility in pumping stations in the absence of the engineer.
A Siddharthan, a safety engineer on project 1234, for his untiring efforts
and commitment which have significantly contributed to the achievement of
the highest levels of safety.
Suhail Mohammed, the HVAC foreman on project 1207, for having
saved money for the company by using his excellent skills to undertake
overhauling work at the site itself.
Suresh Kumar, an electrical supervisor on project 1207, for his competency
in independently handling critical equipment such as industrial rectifiers and
DC systems.
Antar Hosney Borei, a store helper on project 1240, for enabling the
PM to save labour costs by assisting the store keeper and supervisors in
receiving materials from the client.
Hussein Hossam, a site mechanical engineer on project 1265, for exhibiting
a pro-active attitude by undertaking additional responsibilities during the initial
stages of the project.
Palakal Pathros Rapheal, a tea boy on project 1186, for his punctuality
and discipline which has contributed significantly to generating goodwill
in KNÊs relations with Flour and PMC.
Ihab Mohamed, a project engineer on project 1238, for his professional
expertise which attracted relay testing and commissioning work from Safwan
Technologies and so earned additional income for the project.
M R S Perumal, a piping foreman in ABJ, for ensuring that deadlines
were met and man-hours within budget during the fabrication of the
flying mast for the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Stadium.
Thomas Anthony, a document controller on project 1186, for efficiently
maintaining 17013 IFC drawings and a sophisticated MS Access database
for prefabrication requests.
Madhu Meethal, a labourer in cost centre 9176, for successfully
learning how to work as a laboratory assistant and for developing the
ability to undertake some testing work on his own.
2
April - June 2006
Farewells To
New Faces At KN
Jasem Mohammad
Al Hamad has joined
as a consultant for
specialist services on
project 7104, after 20
years with KNPC, most
recently as a projects
manager. With a BSc
in civil engineering
from Miami, Jasem was
previously a researcher with KISR.
Thomas Varghese, a senior secretary in the DMDÊs office, is emigrating to the
USA after twelve and a half years with KN. At a farewell party on the 21st June
2006, attended by many colleagues, he was presented with a plaque by DMD
Samer Younis.
Naser Ragheb Moh’d Abu Al Roos has been
hired as a construction
manager on project
1264. Jasem, who has
a BSc in mechanical
engineering
from
Kuwait
University,
rejoins KN from the
Morganti Group in
Jordan where he was
a section engineer.
Staff Achievements
Zafar Iqbal, a welding supervisor on Project 1216, after twelve years with KN.
His farewell party on the 16th May 2006 at the central site office meeting room of
Project 1264 was attended by Eyad Hamed, Mohd Farah, Farukh Butt of QA&C,
and Mohan Lal of HRD.
Monir Abd El-Aziz Monir
Moustafa - PhD
Congratulations to Dr Monir Moustafa, Unit
Head of Project Controls, who has been
awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy in Project
Hassan Mohamed Ali Hassan, a supervisor (civil) working in O&MÊs Bayan
Palace office, has retired after thirteen and a half years with KN. A farewell party
and presentation, attended by Ayman Nassar and Alaa Noufal of HRD, was held
on the 20th May 2006.
Management (Project Controls) by the Faculty
of Engineering in Cairo University. After nearly
seven years of research, the public discussion
of Dr MonirÊs thesis took place on the 25th
April this year.
April - June 2006 3
SHU GRTA 2006
A New Benchmark for Refinery Maintenance ..⁄
ABJ Engineering &
Contracting was the main
contractor on the recently
executed general refinery
turn around of Shuaiba
refinery in Kuwait. The
project, including all
addition works discovered
during inspections, was
completed 10 days ahead
of its planned 48-day
schedule, with zero losttime incidents.
S
huaiba refinery was built in 1966 and
commissioned as an export refinery
in 1968. Severely damaged during
the Iraqi occupation in 1990, it began
operating at its full capacity of 195,000
barrels per day again in 1998. Shuaiba
undergoes a full shutdown for cleaning,
maintenance and the replacement of worn
parts every five years, a process termed a
general refinery turnaround or GRTA.
‘The significant challenges we overcame, and the fact that we finished
During 2005 plans, such as management
plans and process and maintenance-related
plans, were developed.
As a result the mobilization period for a
project of this size and scope was extremely
tight.
In 2006 the GRTA of Shuaiba took place
from the 31st March to the 8th May. Planning
by Kuwait National Petroleum Company
(KNPC) began in 2004. KNPC decided
to manage the GRTA by dividing the work
into six cells, each cell representing a subdivision of the refinery, and to have the
work executed through a single contractor.
KNPC issued the tender in mid-May 2005
and bidding closed on the 12th July. Though
a fax awarding the contract was received
by ABJ Engineering & Contracting on the
24th October, the contract was not signed
by KNPC until 12th December 2005. The
start date, 18th December, was more than
two-and-a-half months later than expected.
Mobilization took place during the second
half of December and January. In February
and March the pre-GRTA mechanical,
instrumentation, electrical and rotating work
list along with the NDT inspection of cold
lines were executed. Preparatory work
for GRTA was also carried out, including
the installation of scaffolding, the field
4
April - June 2006
well ahead of schedule without losing any time at all due to accidents,
makes .... for ... an excellent performance on the three most important
aspects of any project: safety, schedule and quality.’
‘ABJ’s scope of
identification of flanges on machinery that
required blinding, ie shielding off during
maintenance, and pre-fabrication work
for the execution of certain aspects of the
project, such as chemical cleaning and decoking.
work covered the
maintenance or
replacement of 215
pieces of different
types of equipment
Refinery shut-down commenced at 00:00
hours on 31st March 2006. It took
6 days. During this time the chemical
decontamination of some equipment and
the de-coking of several crude heaters were
completed. In addition, equipment blinding
was undertaken to prepare the systems and
equipment for strip-down and maintenance.
ABJ had two project managers on SHU
GRTA 2006, Mustafa Baydoun and Jean
Yazji. Mustafa was the project manager for
all site activities, while Jean was responsible
for all logistics, including the mobilization of
personnel and sub-contractors.
ABJÊs scope of work covered the cleaning
and maintenance of all equipment and the
replacement of piping works as required.
ABJ also assisted KNPC with start-up at the
end of maintenance. The amount of work
undertaken by ABJ, including extra work that
was found necessary following inspections of
plant and machinery, was almost double the
previous GRTA in 2001. GRTA 2001 was
completed in 56 days against a planned
duration of 40 days, ie 16 days (40%) over
schedule, yet still failed to achieve its targets
according to KNPC.
ABJÊs scope of work for 2006 covered the
maintenance or replacement of 215 pieces
of different types of equipment, including
heaters, heat exchangers, towers, and
internals. Though this involved a total of
1,058 jobs, each of which was a miniproject in itself, ABJ completed GRTA 2006
in 38 days, 10 days (21%) ahead of the
scheduled 48 days. KNPC has stated that
this unique achievement saved the refinery
about US$20 million. Indeed, under its
contract with KNPC, ABJ will be receiving
a healthy bonus for this outstanding performance.
As well as installing temporary electrical
..... a total of 1,058
jobs, each of which
was a mini-project in
itself.’
Scaffolding up before shutdown
cable networks for each cell, plus hand
lamps and transformers in order to be able
to work inside the vessels, towers and
heaters, ABJÊs scope of work involved:
supplying and installing 420,000cu
m of scaffolding in 45 days;
re-tubing 20,000 pieces of tubing;
welding an overall total of 22,000ins
in diameter of piping;
hydro-jetting 45,000 tubes for fin fans
coolers and heat exchangers;
pulling and pushing 56 heat
exchanger bundles;
blinding and de-blinding 5,400
blinds of different sizes varying from
1/2 to 56 inches in one week; and
Replacing towers and vessels that
weighted up to 40 tons and were up
to 43m in height.
Grit blasting and painting 7000sq m
of equipment and pipes internally
and externally.
To undertake this vast amount of work in a
very short space of time, ABJ and KN had
to mobilize massive resources, including
heavy-lift cranes with capacities ranging
from 25 to 400 tons. ABJ had to erect a
April - June 2006
5
temporary workshop in Mina Abdullah to re-tube 20,000 tubes
for fin fan coolers and heat exchangers. In only 16 days, ABJ
welded and installed 16,000 inches diameter of piping, ie
1,000 inches diameter a day. In addition, most of the blinds
were fabricated by ABJÊs own facilities in Mina Abdullah.
ÂA major challenge,Ê Mustafa Baydoun said, Âwas that space
inside Shuaiba it was very cramped, with 215 pieces of
equipment open at one time. Another challenge was the lack of
drawings for the plant and equipment, so we had to do a site
survey and estimate the weight of the equipment. Then we just
had to open up machinery and see what was inside and what
needed repairing or replacing after receiving KNPCÊs instruction
through inspection advice tickets which were only finally received
on the 22nd April. Yet despite all this, as well as the very tight
schedule and extremely stringent quality and safety requirements,
I am proud to say that we finished way ahead of schedule.Ê
At the peak, ABJ had a total of 2,056 men on site, including
1,500 temporary personnel, the majority of whom were from
India. ÂRecruitment was very rushed,Ê Jean said, Âdue to the late
signing of the contract. Nevertheless we had everything in place
by the 31st of March when
shut-down began. Then, in ‘... space inside Shuaiba
the middle of April, I had to
was very cramped, with
recruit a further 80 fabricators,
welders and supervisors from 215 pieces of equipEgypt. I only had three days ment open ..... lack of
to assess, hire, get visas and
fly 80 Egyptians to Kuwait. All drawings ..... we had to
very hectic, but really worth it ..... estimate the weight
in the end.Ê
of the equipment.’
Jean also had an extremely
short time in which to hire subcontractors, three from outside Kuwait from Abu Dhabi for retubing, from Saudi Arabia for bundle pulling, hydro-jetting and
cleaning, and Coke Buster from the UK for de-coking.
All personnel, permanent KN and ABJ staff and temporary hires,
as well as sub-contractorsÊ staff, had to undergo safety training,
along with KNPC staff, before they could work on the site. The
work went on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and everyone
worked 12 hour shifts. Though the number of man-hours spent
on the project totaled a whopping 1,500,000, the whole of
GRTA was completed without any accidents at all, a tribute to the
quality of the safety training and planning.
Almost all non-manual employees worked a grueling 16 hours
a day, seven days a week until the job was done. ÂThe time
available for team building was obviously very short,Ê Jean said.
ÂAnother challenge was maintaining morale under the intense
pressure of the work. However our camps administration ensured
that everyone had a pleasant place to stay and were able to
unwind off-site. Intense focus on the project by a tightly-knit team
was one of the factors that made this project such a resounding
a success.Ê
6
April - June 2006
Safety pays off big - 1,500,000 man-hours without any accidents at all
Jean Yazji said, Âwhich enabled the
instant relaying of critical information.
The use of radios meant that the
situation in the field could be monitored
effectively without communication
delays. It also made maintenance
activities inside confined spaces and
towers much safer.Ê
ÂPerhaps the key to our success,Ê Mustafa
said, Âwas the meticulous planning that
was undertaken by ABJ with KNPC.
We had, of course, done much of our
planning, right down to the micro-level,
even before our site investigation was
completed in mid-March this year, so we
knew what our resource requirements
were going to be and had our materials
and maintenance plans in place well
before we started work.Ê
Another factor that made GRTA 2006 a
resounding success was the use of innovative
cleaning methods. ÂMany of the refinery
units and flare headers were cleaned using
environment-friendly gases,Ê Mustafa said,
Âwhich improved cleanliness and reduced
the time taken compared to mechanical
cleaning. And, instead of employing
conventional steam air de-coking, crude
unit heaters were de-coked using pigging
technology in which a cleaning device
is propelled through a pipe or duct under
pressure. This also resulted in better
results in a shorter time.Ê
Communications between KNPC
and ABJ were excellent. Meetings to
monitor progress and discuss work
plans were held daily. Meetings were
reported in a structured manner and
an information board, designed to
capture all the information needed to
enable managers to focus on critical
issues, was used to track progress.
ÂAbout 100 key personnel from ABJ
and KNPC were hooked up by radio,Ê
ÂThe
significant
challenges
we
overcame, and the fact that we finished
well ahead of schedule without losing
any time at all due to accidents, makes
ShuaibaÊs GRTA 2006 a remarkable
achievement for ABJ,Ê Nicola Coccioli,
COO
Petroleum/Chemicals
and
Facilities Management said recently.
ÂWe turned in an excellent performance
on the three most important aspects
of any project: safety, schedule and
quality. Indeed I can say without fear of
contradiction that ABJÊs performance on
GRTA 2006 created a new benchmark
for refinery turnaround management.Ê
Project Brief
GRTA 2006 – Shuaiba Refinery
Client
Project Number
Location
Start Date (contract)
Start Date (GRTA)
End Date
Duration (planned)
Duration (actual)
Employees
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
KNPC
1294
Shuaiba, Kuwait
18th December 2005
31st March 2006
8th May 2006
48 days
38 days
2,056 at peak
April - June 2006
7
Operations News
KNÊs workforce, which has more than doubled in the last two years, is extremely busy on a wide-range of projects. Despite all this activity the
company has scored two remarkable achievements in working continuously without any lost time due to accidents or injuries.
PhaseI of KNÊs New Facilities in Mina Abdullah
is progressing well. This phase includes
new, vastly expanded, workshops and
administrative facilities for both ABJ and
the Equipment Division as well as external
services for the entire project.
KNÊs
engineering
department,
in
collaboration
with
an
international
consultant, is currently finalizing the concept
design for Kharafi NationalÊs new headquarters which will be constructed during
Phase2.
The UAE
In the Emirates, KN are very busy
demobilizing the Bur Juman and ADIA
projects, getting EUCH up and running,
and, as well as progressing on the DFC and
other projects, relocating the departments
from Dubai to Abu Dhabi.
Commercial & Industrial
A7 Pumping Station
Ventilation and odour control are vital in
places where there are high concentrations
of hydrogen sulphide gas. In A-7, odour
control system will suck the gas above the
trenches and pump it into three wet scrubbers
that will remove poisonous gases and
odours. The air will then be passed through
carbon filters for extra fine polishing.
The new station, designated A-7, will replace
the existing pumping and lifting stations A7, A-9 and A-12. MAK are the construction
contractors, while KN will supply, install,
test, commission and maintain all electromechanical works.
The A-7 project is currently at the procurement and construction stage for the electromechanical works. The project is scheduled
for commissioning at the end of 2007, after
which KN will be operating and maintaining
the new pumping station for two years.
As part of the Ministry of Public WorkÊs
on-going programme to improve KuwaitÊs
sewage system, a new pumping station is
being constructed in Riggae, next to the
head quarters of KuwaitÊs National Guard.
Artist’s Impression – New A7 Pumping Station
Two Million Safe Man-hours
Al-Futtaim Carillion (AFC), the principal
contractor on the Dubai Festival City project,
has awarded KN a certificate for being the
first sub-contractor on site to register two
million man-hours of safe working in the
period from January 2005 to the 15th April
2006, a further justification, if any were
needed, of the premium KN always places
on safety.
Our photo shows Yousef Zahran, KNÊS
senior project manager, receiving the safety
certificate from Stuart Hiller, AFCÊs project
director.
8
April - June 2006
KNÊs scope of work includes the main
pumps, primary cleaning equipment, flow
control equipment, odor control system,
lifting equipment, building services, and the
complete SCADA control system.
A7 is designed to handle 778,000 cubic
meter of sewage per day. Once the raw
sewage enters through the 20-ton inlet gate
that controls the flow, it passes through
screens that remove solid waste. It then goes
into a grit removal system, a new device that
removes finer grit by centrifugal movement.
After that the sewage is stored in a reservoir
which serves as a buffer tank before the
main pumps. Then it is pumped on to Ardiya
STP via eight main pumps, each driven by
a 1.5mw motor.
O&M Industrial Group
Operation and Maintenance Industrial
Group recently secured two 2-year contracts
for the shaping and overall maintenance of
storm drain networks from the Ministry of
Public Works in Kuwait.
The first contract covers the Capital
and Hawalli governorates, the second
Farwaniya and Jahra.
The scope of work for both contracts includes
the renovation and overall maintenance of
the storm water drainage networks in these
governorates, based on work orders from
the MPWÊs project engineers.
The works will mostly cover CCTV inspect-
Marina World - Salmiya, Kuwait
ion, remedial measures for the networks,
cleaning, maintenance, corrective repairs,
and associated civil works and services.
Work on these profitable contracts, which
are based on re-measured unit rates, will
begin on the 15th July, 2006.
Power, Water & Building Services
KN began undertaking the operation and
maintenance of the electro-mechanical services at Marina Mall and Marina World in
Salmiya, Kuwait, on 1st February 2006 on
behalf of the United Real Estate Company.
Marina World is part of the final phase
of the governmentÊs five-stage project to
develop the coastline from Ras Al-Ard, in
Salmiya, to the Port of Shuwaikh. It consists
of Marina Mall and Marina Seaside.
Marina Mall has 30,000 sq m of shopping,
entertainment and dining facilities, with a
wide range of choices and valet parking.
The mallÊs design is very contemporary. It
contains a rotunda, one of the largest glass domes in the Middle East, which is
equipped with a sail that turns automatically towards the sunlight. The corridors of the
mall are covered with retractable skylights that can be opened during good weather
to create an impression that one is shopping outdoors.
Marina Bridge, which connects the mall to Marina Crescent on the other side of
Arabian Gulf Street, is built almost completely of glass. To aid the foot-weary, it
contains several walkalators.
Marina Crescent, part of the Marina Seaside development, contains a variety of
restaurants. Other features of Marina Seaside include Marina Beach, a water-front
entertainment area with walking paths, and Marina Tower, an entertainment and
eating centre which is still being completed.
Marina World
Marina World, conceptualized as a complete urban destination, consists of Marina
Mall, an inland ÂshoppertainmentÊ centre,
and Marina Seaside, a 3km long multifeatured coastal strip. Marina Mall and
Marina Seaside are linked by a glass bridge
over the busy Arabian Gulf Street. During
construction, KN was the MEP contractor.
KNÊs current O&M contract is for two
years and the scope of work includes the
operation and maintenance of the basic
HVAC, plumbing, fire-fighting, and electrical
systems, as well the irrigation, passenger
and vehicle elevators, and all elevators and
bridge walkalators 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, for 365 days of the year. The
scope also includes the administration of all
subcontractors on behalf of the client, United
Real Estate Company.
Controller Building GC 23
Surge Tank at North Kuwait Crude Oil Export System
Petroleum & Chemical
Work at P&C is continuing apace. The
initial site survey for PICÊs OL2K Ethylene
Glycol-2 project has commenced. Over
the next 18 months KN will be constructing
all civil and electro-mechanical works, and
will be providing pre-commissioning and
commissioning assistance for The Kuwait
Olefins Company on this massive and very
high value project.
The installation of temporary facilities for the
client has begun on the project to construct
an aromatics complex for PIC. This huge
project, for which KN will be undertaking
all civil and buildings works, structural steel
erection, mechanical and electrical works
installation, insulation and painting, as
well as pre-commissioning and the supply
of commissioning support manpower on
behalf of Tecnimont, will keep P&C busy
until the end of 2008.
Meanwhile the two effluent water disposal
plants built by KN in the Magwa and Burgan
oilfields, on behalf of Daelim Industrial
April - June 2006
9
OPERATIONS NEWS CONTINUED
......
Company for KOC, are in the final throes
of commissioning. Demobilization is in
progress and the full scope of work should
be wrapped up by the end of July.
Despite the complexity and geographical
spread of this project, it has completed
more than ten million man-hours without an
LTI (see opposite).
Finalization of the original scope of work for
the project to replace the crude oil export
system in northern Kuwait with Petrofac
on behalf of KOC is progressing well. To
complete the tie-ins, two shutdowns are
taking place, with a view to finishing in
July.
Staff on this project will then be transferred
to Gathering Centre 23, where civil and
mechanical work for the facility upgrade
project is continuing. KOC is expected to
issue Petrofac, the main contractor, with a
variance order soon, and the extra scope
of work is likely to extend the project until
December 2007.
KN is the lowest bidder for the stand-by
services project tendered by KNPC. Should
the company be awarded the contract,
this 5-year project will be shared between
P&C and O&M. P&C will manage the site
preparation works at the location for the
new Al-Zour refinery and O&M will take
care of the mechanical, electrical and
instrumentation words at Mina Abdullah
refinery.
Effluent Water Disposal Plant Constructed for KOC
Ten Million Safe Man-Hours
on a Single Project
Kharafi NationalÊs emphasis on safety at
all times has produced an extraordinary
dividend. For the first time ever, KN has
clocked an amazing 10 million man-hours
of safe accident-free working on a single
project the construction of Effluent Water
Disposal Plants for KOC.
Under a contract awarded by the main
contractor, Daelim Industrial Company, KN
has built two new effluent water disposal
plants, one in the Magwa oil field and one
in the Burgan field. The work is nearing
completion and the Magwa plant has
already been was handed.
KN constructed 83 buildings, shelters, substations and control rooms over an area of
30km by 30km. The company also erected
17 tanks, the largest 42m in diameter, and
refurbished 5 existing tanks, installed pipe
manifolds and pumps to transfer water from
14 gathering centres and 2 tank farms to the
disposal plants. All this work involved the use
of 3,000 tons of steel, the fabrication and
laying of 140km of collection and disposal
pipe lines, and the laying of 1,000km of
electrical and instrument cabling. At its peak,
KN had 2,500 men working simultaneously
in 22 separate locations.
Despite the high degree of coordination
and control required for this widespread
project, the work was carried out safely
without a single lost time accident. KOC
are planning to hold an award ceremony
to recognize this remarkable achievement in
the near future.
New Corporate Relocation Policy Approved
T
his year, Kharafi National is continuing its drive for ongoing
achievement by quickly expanding its international activities
in line with its strategy. KN therfore needs to encourage
the relocation of employees who have the skills and corporate
knowledge required to start up and expand these growth areas.
International relocations are mutually beneficial. Relocating
employees get the opportunity to become more knowledgeable
about the companyÊs wide range of business activities and the
chance to showcase their personal abilities in growing new areas.
An international relocation is good for career development.
However deciding whether to relocate is often difficult for an
employee and his or her family. The though of leaving co-workers,
friends or family, and starting a new job in a strange country
can be stressful. Uncertainties about expected living conditions,
worries about accommodation and schools, the chore of packing
and unpacking, potential out-of-pocket expenses and the hassle
of starting afresh in a new place, all add to the worry.
10 April - June 2006
KNÊs new Corporate Reloc-ation Policy addresses these concerns.
Within certain limits, the policy will provide an allowance for miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses, paid relocation leave to hunt for accommodation and schools, spousal assistance for career counselling or
job search in the new location, leasing assistance regarding early
termination fees in your current location and real estate fees in the
new location, travel costs to and temporary living expenses in the new
location, the option of a lump-sum cash amount or full door-to-door
service from a professional moving company for the packing, shipping
and unpacking of household belongings, plus one-on-one assistance
from a professional relocation firm to help you to find accommodation
and schools, and acquaint you with your new location.
The new Corporate Relocation Policy is fit for its purpose, and HRD
would be surprised if many of our competitors have anything to match
it. Full details will be forthcoming in the next month or two, once the
administrative details have been finalized with FAD and QA/QC and
the policy has been adopted in the companyÊs procedures.
Another first at KN
⁄⁄. Innovative Welding Procedure
A
n important part of the Effluent
Water Disposal Project was the
construction of a 37km pipeline
system. Due to the highly corrosive
nature of the transported liquid, the
pipeline was designed to meet special
requirements, one of which was to
internally coat the pipeline with fusion
bonded epoxy. The single lengths of
pipe were coated prior to delivery
and the joints were coated in the field
after non-destructive examination of
the welds.
The internal coating required special
welding considerations with regard
to the root passes. After the root pass
welding was completed, the bare pipe
surfaces adjacent to the weld area
had to be clean, smooth and free from
the spatters and slag that is normally
present after conventional welding.
36-inch Line Welding Crew in Burgan
A new welding technique using the metal inert gas process has
been used for the first time in Kuwait by Kharafi National and the
process has been accepted by KOC. Kevin Monk explains.
ed by KNÊs Equipment Division utilizing
boom trucks mounted with power
generators, welding rectifiers, power units
for the STT machines and welding tents.
Wire feeders for the STT units and all
tools required for efficient welding were
located inside the tents.
The operation was highly successful. In
excess of 1,500 joints were completed
without any root pass repairs being
necessary. KOC also accepted this
downhill welding process for on-plot
welding instead of the conventional uphill
welding technique.
After careful evaluation of the
commercial and technical aspects, it
was decided to purchase specialized
automatic equipment (STT) from Lincoln
Electric in the USA. This welding
equipment utilizes the metal inert gas
(MIG) process and had never been
used previously in Kuwait. Three units
were purchased along with operating
spares. They achieved high quality
results at approximately three times the
productivity of the alternative tungsten
inert gas (TIG) system.
Mobile welding plants were construct-
The Welding Boom Truck
April - June 2006
11
Innovative Services with .....
O
ne of the perennial problems in the construction industry
is the difficulty of accessing areas that are high or
otherwise awkward to reach. Since the 1st of March this
year, Instant Access has been offering a very safe, versatile and
cost-effective solution that has been taken up enthusiastically by the
local construction market.
Instant Access is a newly-established independent business unit
which is located in the same premises as KNÊs Equipment Division.
The new unit has a large fleet of JLG, Skyjack and Nifty Lift access
platforms for rent, lease or sale. These include electric and diesel
scissor lifts, diesel articulated and telescopic booms, as well as
truck-mounted and trailer-mounted booms, allowing men to work at
heights ranging from 8m to 43m.
The trailer-mounted units have been used very successfully in the
offices of HH the Amir and HH the Crown Prince, at Al-Wadah
Towers and in the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Stadium, by KN and
MAK. External clients for a wide range of Instant Access equipment
already include Ahmadiah, Alghanim International, CCC, Bader
Al-Mulla, SK Engineering, ASCO, MTC, among others.
Several firms in Kuwait hire out construction equipment but most of
them do little more than provide the units. ÂOur intention at Instant
Access is to bring the support we provide clients to the next level,Ê
Chris Brocklehurst, operations manager, told me. ÂTo ensure that
our customers get the best unit for a particular job, our service
includes a free site survey. We also give them free on-site insurance
and maintenance. In addition, all our units are all certified annually
by third parties.Ê
The platforms supplied by Instant Access represent the safest ways
of accessing elevated heights. ÂBecause these access platforms are
far safer than scaffolding,Ê Chris said, Âthey are recommended by
HSE experts the world over. In fact their use is mandatory under
12 April - June 2006
several HSE laws in Europe and the USA.Ê
Besides being safer than traditional methods of accessing heights,
the wide range of access platforms available from Instant Access
are much more flexible and versatile. ÂThey are also much quicker
and more cost-effective,Ê Chris told me. ÂThese benefits are being
increasingly understood by project managers, both inside KN and
MAK and outside in the wider construction market in Kuwait.Ê
Despite the amount of time and money invested in Instant Access,
the new business unit is, after only three months, already proving
profitable. More importantly, this innovative new service is enhancing
the safe-operating standards of local construction companies. It is
also reducing their costs while providing flexibility and versatility as
well as levels of service hitherto unknown in Kuwait. KN is confident
that Instant Access will become the leading access provider in the
country.
International Water Day
audience for their position but, in the end,
the vote was in favour of using wastewater
as an additional source, a necessity due to
the scarcity of water in Kuwait.
Samples of reclaimed waste-water from
Sulaibiya WWT&RP were distributed in
mini-bottles by UDC. After being inveigled
to take a sip, HE the Minister of Public
Works declared that it tasted just like
Âordinary waterÊ. The day ended with a
visit to Sulaibiya WWT&RP by some of the
delegates who declared their pride that
world-class state-of-the-art technology was
being used in Kuwait.
Dr Ibrahim Al-Ghusain, Deputy GM of UDC (left), HE Badr Al-Hamaidi, the
Minister of Public Works, Mr George Labib, GM of UDC (right)
U
tilities Development Company was
the main sponsor of International
Water Day which was held on the
22nd March 2006 at Sheikh Jaber AlAhmad Al-Sabah Hall in the Kuwait Institute
for Scientific Research under the auspices
of HE Badr Al-Hamaidi, the Minister of
Public Works in Kuwait.
The theme of this yearÊs gathering was the
problem of water scarcity in Kuwait. By
introducing possible solutions, the event,
which was open to members of the public,
increased the interaction between scientists
and the general community.
International Water Day 2006 opened
with the presentation of papers by experts in
water management. Dr Ibrahim Al-Ghusain,
Deputy General Manager of UDC,
stimulated the audience with his discussion
of Wastewater Treatment Technologies
at Sulaibiya WWT&RP. Dr Mohammed
Al-Rashed, from KISR, presented a paper
on the Integrated Management of Water
Resources in Kuwait, while Dr Abdullah
Abusam, also from KISR, introduced the
notion of Grey Water Reuse. The final
presentation was by Eng Mahmood Karam
on the Role of Wastewater in Water Security
in Kuwait.
The presentation was followed a magnificent
formal debate on Reclaimed Wastewater
as Drinking Water. Two teams of talented
lady engineers discussed all aspects of the
topic, including the political, economical,
psychological and religious points of view,
with great rationality. Both teams presented
facts aimed at gaining the support of the
International Water Day 2006 was
organized jointly by the Chemical &
Petroleum Engineers Union in the Kuwait
Society of Engineers and the Kuwait
Institute of Scientific Research. The Kuwait
Foundation for the Advancement of Science
was an associate sponsor. UDC, besides
being the main sponsor, played an effective
role on the organizing committee.
UDC and the Kharafi Group support these
events on an on-going basis because they
believe that successful operators in the
water industry have a duty to help protect
the environment and conserve natural
resources on behalf of future generations.
Delegates on a visit to Sulaibiya WWT&RP which is operated by KN
April - June 2006
13
Learning and Development at KN
Graduate Engineers - Intake 2006
A
Learning on-line is
well underway with
many personnel
getting into
the system and
achieving great
results.
t KN we always encourage continuous
professional development; in fact this
philosophy is now part of the softskill competencies required for most positions
within the company. Thus the HR Learning and
Development Unit has launched initiatives and is
continuing to develop resources and programmes
to enable employees to take charge of their
own learning. With the influx of many new
employees over the last few months, HR Learning
& Development Unit has a busy summer ahead.
Rob Fogelman, Unit Head, details some of the
areas of activity being pushed forward.
e-Learning
Learning on-line is well underway with many
personnel getting into the system and achieving
great results. e-Learning has also been launched
on a trial basis in Lebanon, Egypt and UAE, and
early indications are that the system is effective and
easily managed from Kuwait.
As of the 13th of June we had 2,897 man-hours
of learning time used, 587 courses completed
and 397 assessment passes. The 397 assessment
passes mean that we have been able to issue
certificates (see illustration) to those people.
14 April - June 2006
Summer Training
On the 1st of July 2006, when our Summer Training
Programme commences, some 24 undergraduate
engineers will be joining us for eight weeks. These
young people have been selected from universities
throughout the Middle East, and are primarily from
the mechanical, electrical and instrumentation
disciplines. They have been assigned to projects and
activities that are able to cater as closely as possible
to the requirements of their specific disciplines.
So if you see new young faces in your area or
department, please provide them with every possible
assistance, as part of their assignment is to gain a
comprehensive understanding of our business and
company along with our project work and activities.
Some of the people who were summer trainees with
us last year have joined KN this year as graduate
engineers and are well underway in Kharafi
NationalÊs graduate engineer training programme.
Graduate Engineers at Kharafi National
Keeping to our tradition of developing young
recruits, 14 graduate engineers are being trained
on various projects. More will be recruited and
trained in the coming weeks. These fresh engineers,
Graduate Engineers visiting ABJ
Fabrication Workshop
If you have any suggestions you feel would add value to this
initiative, or if you are interested in participating in a review
of any of these courses, please contact the Learning and
Development Unit. We would also very much appreciate your
feedback and comments. We wish to take full advantage of
the expertise we have in the company, to ensure our in-house
material is of the highest standard and directly relevant to our
culture and business objectives.
Current Instructor-led Course Titles
having completed their academic studies, are being prepared for the
real world of practical work.
When they join, the graduates are given a two-day orientation course
on the company and a detailed plan of the training they will receive
from us, which will be on-going for one year. They also receive a
workbook to complete, which covers all aspects of our departments
and company activities, and are granted access to Kharafi NationalÊs
e-learning system relating to project management. This enables them to
get to know more about the entire range of our companyÊs procedures
and activities, without being restricted to their technical work only.
As part of their full one-year training plan, the graduates receive classroom training on soft skills delivered by HR Learning & Development
Unit once every fortnight. This soft-skill training will mould them into
better individuals and leaders so that, in combination with their
technical training, they will be the engineers who drive the future.
In-house Training Course Development
As mentioned previously, in the Learning and Development Unit we
have created in-house instructor-led training courses based on the soft
skills required for most soft-skill areas.
These courses have been assigned to programmes for graduate
engineers, recently promoted supervisors, and managers, and are now
in the process of being aligned to the skill gap closure requirements
as defined in the recent analysis of training needs. Training plans and
schedules to deliver these courses (see box) are being developed and
will be rolled out shortly. More courses are under development.
Graduate Engineers at Sulaibiya WWT&RP
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
11)
12)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18)
19)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25)
26)
27)
28)
29)
30)
31)
32)
33)
34)
35)
36)
37)
38)
Basic Management And Supervision Concepts
Budgeting And Cost Control For Managers
Change Management
Commitment & Ethics
Communications
Competency Based Interviewing Skills
Controlling
Creative Thinking And Innovation
Customer Service & Focus
Develop And Maintain A Safe Workplace And
Environment
Emergency Preparedness
Employee Relations
Environmental Protection & KN Env. Policy
Establish And Manage Effective Workplace
Relationships
Industrial Safety
Introduction To Planning
Leadership Fundamentals
Leading And Managing People
Managing Responsibilities In A Quality System 20)
Managing Teams
Organizing
Personnel Development
Planning
Plant Management
Plant Procedures
Presentation Skills
Problem Solving And Decision Making
Quality Management Systems
Recruitment
Responsibility And Authority
Secretary Training Course
Selling And Influencing Skills Development Programme
Setting Goals
Teamwork
Technical Writing
The Managers Role In Staff Development
Time Management And Basic Interpersonal Skills
Workplace Information Systems
April - June 2006
15
STAFF NEWS
Best Wishes to ⁄..
Congratulations to ⁄..
Ayman Emam, a project engineer on Project
1278, whose son Hazem was born on the
28th December 2005.
Binu Oomen, chief accountant, whose son
Alistair was born on the 24th March 2006.
Ashraf Ali, who works on Project 1240, on his marriage to Rasha
Mohammed on the 26th of January 2006.
Irfan Shaikh, a Cadd Operator HVAC,
whose daughter Madiha was born on the
25th march 2006.
M A Rashid, an IT technician, whose son
Rezim Rahman was born on the 11th April
2006.
David Livingston, a materials control engineer in cost centre 7122,
who married Dr Kavitha on the 11th May 2006.
Nadeem Abbas Khan of HRD, whose son
Jabbar was born on the 19th May 2006.
Words of Wisdom
M G Babu, a storekeeper on Project 1240,
whose first son was born on the 30th May
2006.
Leadership, like responsibility, is a voluntary act.
⁄⁄. John C Maxwell
REMEMBRANCES
The DMD, senior management and all staff in KN offer their sincere condolences to the families and friends of colleagues who died
recently. May their souls rest in peace.
Pulikkal Appunny Prabhakaran, 56, died after a battle with cancer
on the 27th April. An Indian who worked as a general foreman
(mechanical) on project 1260, he had been with KN since July 1993.
Mohamed Ali Ahmed Bialy El Sherb, 50, from Egypt, who was
a project coordinator on project 1240, died on the 13th April after
being ill for some time. He had been with KN since July 1999.
16 April - June 2006
Safety Training at KN
Beat the Heat
by B Kandasamy, corporate HSE superintendent
B
ecause outdoor temperatures in the
region can exceed 500C in summer,
HSE has recently been conducting Safe
Working during Hot Weather, a needbased training course.
T
s
afe working is a fundamental part of
KNÊs culture and training in safety matters
is considered a core component of the
companyÊs safety excellence programme.
HSE training, which is continuous, drives
accountability for safety issues and so helps
change the behaviour of employees.
During the first half of 2006 a variety of
training programmes focused on specific
issues have been conducted throughout KN.
These include: job safety analysis, basic fire
safety, scaffolding safety, rigging safety,
oxyacetylene gas cylinder safety, and hot
weather safety. A further six courses are
planned from now until the end of this year.
Safety engineers are trained on specific
aspects of safe-working at monthly meetings. They then use these training courses,
which are available in electronic format, to
impart safe-working concepts and procedures to personnel on the sites for which they
are responsible. The courses are designed
to enhance awareness and improve the
retention of knowledge concerning particular
safety matters among employees.
HSE training is showing excellent results.
Safety awareness is now wide-spread in
KN. Employees are able to recognize the
dangers they are likely to encounter while
working and are more pro-active in taking
initiatives to overcome these hazards.
The effectiveness of HSEÊs safety training
is visible in the greatly reduced number of
injury-related work stoppages experienced
on project sites over the last few years,
and the increasing number of letters KN
is receiving from major clients praising the
companyÊs exemplary safety records.
he course describes what happens
when a
combination
of heat and
humidity slows
the evaporation
of sweat. It also
discusses the
symptoms of,
and treatment for,
heat exhaustion,
heat stroke, heat cramp and sunburn.
H
ereÊs how to
beat the heat:
stay out of direct sunlight while working;
wear a hard hat to avoid the direct
effect of sun;
drink two to four glasses of cold fluid
each hour;
take frequent short breaks in a cool
place if possible; and
inform others if you feel exhausted or
unwell.
Do not take salt tablets to replace salts lost
by sweating, as this will rapidly increase
your heart rate and blood pressure.
Corp HSE Department
Mental Figures 4
Reading from left to right, place the four numbers in the first, third,
fifth and seventh boxes in any order and use whatever operators
you wish in the second, fourth and sixth boxes in the correct order
to get the answer shown. Use the numbers only once.
Numbers:
2
5
3
8
Operators:
+
-
x
=
/
All correct answers received before the close of business on the 20th
July 2006 will be put into a draw for a special prize. Send your
answer NOW to the editor on:
[email protected].
60
Alternative solutions are possible.
The SOLUTION will be posted on corpnet with a link from this page
about two weeks after this issue of Transmission is distributed.
17 April - June 2006
Prize
Answer to Mental Figures - 3
(January March 2006)
Sixty-three correct answers were received by the 30th April
deadline. The drawn winner was: Iqbal Khan, a senior QC
engineer, who received a valuable prize.
30th Anniversary Celebrations Continuing at KN
Project 1288
Equipment Division
Mubarak Al-Kabir & Adan
Hospitals