1. technology and computing
2. software
3. databases

Issue - 429
November
2014
The monthly newsletter for Petroleum Development Oman staff and its Contractors
Warm wishes to
His Majesty
Sultan Qaboos bin Said
and the people of Oman
on the occasion of the
44th National Day
3
Page
PDO Lights Up Road Safety Forum
Award Win In Qatar
ROLE
MODELS
4
Page
6
Page
Big Boost For Jobseekers
Training For Young Omanis
The Power Of Savings
SAVE Idea Winners
Warm wishes to
His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said
and the people of Oman on the occasion of the 44th National Day
Features
First Word
PDO Wins ACCA Women
Dear Colleagues,
One of the things which make me very proud of PDO is the way we promote diversity
and inclusion and equality of opportunity. We need to continue to make progress on this
journey, as we still have examples of non-inclusive behaviours, but we have been rightly
recognised both in the region and in the industry for the empowerment of women in
the workplace and so I’m pleased that so many were able to take part in and enjoy the
splendid Oman Women’s Day celebrations featured inside this magazine.
It’s impossible to overstate the valuable contribution of the more than 1,000 women on
our staff who are now making their mark right across our business. One of many significant
examples of this is covered on these pages: the way PDO has fostered the progress of
women in the financial sector. Our Finance Directorate has long been a champion of
gender equality so I’m delighted it has been honoured by the eminent Association of
Certified Chartered Accountants for the support, training and guidance it gives to help
female staff advance their capabilities and careers.
As you know, training and development are key to our future success so the
sterling work by our National Objectives team to secure 1,770 job quality employment
opportunities for young Omani jobseekers with our contractors is also to be commended
and celebrated.These men now have a wonderful chance to become electrical technicians,
carpenters, welders, steel fixers, plumbers and scaffolders and are guaranteed work
with our contractors on the successful completion of their vocational training courses.
Once again, we are proud to be leading the way on creating a sustainable training model
throughout the oil and gas industry.
Our work received more external recognition during a visit by a senior delegation from
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The 38 dignitaries left full of admiration for the excellent
work we do every day, and will be invaluable advocates in promoting the Company’s
reputation both at home and abroad.
Finally, a senior PDO-Ministry of Oil and Gas delegation enjoyed a fruitful visit to
Europe to learn more about the latest technologies which are transforming the exploration
and production sector, including those deployed by our shareholders Shell and Total. We
are one of the leaders in adopting new techniques to improve our production and HSE
performance and you will hear more about some of these in upcoming editions of Al Fahal
in a new regular Tech Talk feature.
Raoul Restucci
Managing Director
In Finance Award.......................................1
PDO-MOG Euro Technology Tour....2
Bahja Staff Spread Eid Happiness.......2
PDO Lights Up Road Safety Forum.... 3
Ibri Road Safety Drive.............................3
Big Boost For Jobseekers.......................4
PDO’s New Ambassadors.....................5
The Power Of Savings.............................6
Lean Talks With Majlis A’shura.............7
Safety Shield.................................................7
Staff In The Spotlight...................................... 8
RAH Project Award Win.......................9
Towards World Class Procurement..... 9
Cheque Mate............................................ 10
New Suppor t For Omani SMEs...... 10
HAWA Celebrates Oman Women’s
Day............................................................... 11
Editors:
David Brown
Tel: 24673977
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Mohammed Al Mahrezi
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Ikhlas Al Waili Tel: 24676891
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PDO WINS ACCA WOMEN
IN FINANCE AWARD
PDO has won a prestigious award for its
efforts in supporting and training women in the
Finance Directorate.
The award was presented to Finance
Director Haifa Al Khaifi by the CEO of the
Association of Certified Chartered Accountants
(ACCA), Helen Brand, during a special ceremony
in Muscat.
To date, some 14 PDO staff have successfully
completed their studies and have become ACCA
members, including 6 women. Currently, there
are 29 staff pursuing the ACCA qualification, out
of which 23 are women.
The event honoured employers in Oman
who share with ACCA global best practices.
PDO received the “Women in Finance” award
after impressing the judges with its drive to
foster female inclusion and advancement in the
finance sector.
PDO has consistently encouraged and
supported staff to complete their Qualified
Accountancy studies, striving for increased
professionalism through the acquisition of
financial and accounting knowledge, as well
as other professional skills learned during the
course of their studies.
Strong emphasis is put on professional
qualifications, an example set at the top by Haifa,
who is certified by the Chartered Institute of
Management Accountants (CIMA) and the
Chartered Global Management Accountant
(CGMA), and the Internal Audit Manager, Sabrah
Al Maskary, who is certified by the ACCA.
1
“We do actively support our staff in their
studies, both financially as well as by allowing
time off for studies and exams. This serves as
one of our Employee Value Propositions, and is
widely recognised within and outside of PDO.
It helps us not only to retain staff, but also to
attract them to join PDO as part of the overall
package we offer.
“And, of course, they see the advantages
it brings for them. It not only increases their
knowledge, but being a member of a globally
recognised professional body, also increases their
marketability.
This category has a special meaning for
the ACCA, which has spearheaded efforts
globally to bring more women participants
into boardrooms. The organisation was happy
to share PDO’s achievement with those at the
ceremony, as it was recognised to be no small
feat in the context of the Middle East.
There are currently 143 women out of 335
staff working in the directorate – an impressive
43%.
supporting us in the development of our staff by
increasing their financial knowledge, insight into
the general trends in the external environment,
and polishing business partnering skills.
“The career path in PDO offers excellent
opportunities for finance staff with the right
skills. The diversity in opportunities coupled
with options for career progression helps us to
motivate and retain our staff.”
During her address, Haifa thanked the ACCA
for the appreciation of PDO’s effort to promote
Qualified Accountancy studies. She also took
the opportunity to congratulate the new ACCA
members upon qualifying and reiterated the
importance of being a qualified accountant.
Haifa said “We are actively promoting our
staff to achieve professional accreditation.
“In PDO, we strive for continuous
improvement and increased professionalism to
be able to deal effectively with the ever increasing
complexity of the business environment that we
operate in.
“The ACCA, and its evolving curriculum, is
Qualified Accountancy studies are an integral
part of PDO’s new Graduate Development
Programme for finance staff and will help
towards the directorate’s vision of becoming a
world class organisation, working collaboratively
to anticipate business needs, generating value
for all stakeholders, while integrating a global
perspective.
Ritu Nanda, Head of ACCA Oman and
Qatar, said: “I am delighted to present the ACCA
Oman’s Women in Finance award to PDO.
“PDO is an ACCA-approved employer,
which means it provides excellent support,
guidance and training to ACCA members and
students working in the finance function.”
PDO-MOG
EURO
TECH
TOUR
A delegation of senior PDO and Ministry of
Oil and Gas representatives have visited Europe
to learn more about cutting-edge technologies
and techniques which could offer a major boost
to performance.
The team spent five days in the Netherlands
and France where they met experts who
outlined the latest research relevant to the
Company’s main challenges, including enhanced
oil recovery, asset integrity, green house gas
emissions and data management.
The visit was organised by the New
Technology team in the Corporate Planning
Directorate to the key technology centres
owned by PDO shareholders Shell and Total and
also the Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP).
The delegation included Dr Saleh Al
Anboori and Mr Yousuf Al Azri from the MOG,
as well as Technical Director Amran Al Marhubi,
Petroleum Engineering Director Ali Al Gheithy,
Engineering and Operations Director Abdullah
Al Shuely, Corporate Planning Director Ruqaiya
Al Hinai, Oil South Director Suleiman Al Tobi,
Well Engineering Director Khamis Al Saadi,
Gas Director Salim Al Sikaiti, North Petroleum
Engineering Manager Badar Al Kharusi, GeoSolution Manager Salim Al Rawahi, Study Team
Leader (EOR) Nasser Al Azri and Head of New
Technology Implementation Syham Bentouati.
The group spent two days at Shell with
Bahja Staff
Spread Eid
Happiness
the first day at the Shell Technology Centre
Amsterdam where the focus was on innovation,
IT and surface technologies. The day ended with
a tour of the complex’s labs where an impressive
array of research is taking place, including 3D
printing and its potential impact on maintenance
and sparing, materials and corrosion, gas
processing and carbon dioxide control.
The second day in Rijswijk focused on
subsurface themes, and included updates on
global EOR progress, well delivery and data
acquisition and processing. The team also took
the opportunity to meet young Omani staff who
had been cross-posted to Shell.
The group then moved on to two Total sites
in the south of France (CSTJF and PERL) and
learned more about the Company’s capabilities,
especially in chemical EOR, and presentations
were given on design, flooding, visualisation and
research and development.
The visit involved a tour of Total’s High
Performance Computing facility and a number
of state-of-the-art labs related to chemical EOR
and health, safety and the environment. The trip
concluded with a half-day visit to the IFP in Paris,
covering EOR and water management as well as
education opportunities tailored to oil and gas
staff.
Amran said “This was an important event as
not only did we get to see some of the latest and
emerging technologies which will be essential
to our future, but by going as a group we were
able to discuss together the potential of these
technologies which will make deployment and
aligning our strategies so much easier.
Ruqaiya added: “PDO is renowned across
the industry for its implementation of new
technology to aid production and exploration,
safeguard safety and the environment and
control costs so it is important we stay in touch
with the latest developments.
“At any one time, we are testing more than 50
new technologies to improve our performance
and we will continue in the search for, and
application of, industry-leading techniques to
boost productivity safely, responsibly and
efficiently.”
Caring Bahja employees paid a goodwill visit
to patients and medical staff at Haima hospital
during Eid Al Adh’ha.
Delivery Team Leader Zaid Al Harrasy
said: “This visit had a great, positive impact on
They collected donations and bought gifts
for those who were away from their families
during the celebrations.
the initiatives and the good neighbourly spirit
patients and staff who very much appreciated
PDO staff showed.”
2
PDO
LIGHTS UP ROAD
SAFETY FORUM
Corporate Road Safety Adviser Khalaf Al Amri collects the award
PDO has won an international road safety
award by using solar-powered cat’s eye lights to
cut traffic accidents.
The Company won the Best Engineering
Innovation category at the third annual Intelligent
Transportation Systems & Road Safety Forum
in Qatar for installing 3,000 reflector units on a
73-kilometre stretch of road between the oilproducing areas of Nimr and Rima in the south
of its concession area.
The devices store the sun’s energy during the
daytime and then are automatically illuminated
by a sensor when visibility falls below 40% during
the dark or in hazardous weather conditions.
There were several serious accidents on the
road in 2011 and 2012 leading to seven deaths
but since the reflectors were installed in AprilMay 2013 there haven’t been any as a result of
driving at night, in fog or in sandstorms.
Corporate Health, Safety and Environment
Manager Mohamed Al Salmani said: “We are
delighted to win such a prestigious award as it is
international recognition for the significant steps
we have been taking on road safety.
“PDO is a socially responsible citizen and we
are absolutely committed to doing all we can to
protect the lives of our employees, contractors
and all motorists wherever possible.
“The solar reflectors combine the innovative
use of technology and renewable energy – both
key priorities for us - and their introduction has
drastically reduced the traffic casualty rate.
“We will continue to use traditional road
safety methods, such as publicity drives, training
and education, as well as implement new ones in
our unrelenting road safety effort.”
3
Head of Corporate Road Safety Hamed
Al Esry said: “We have had an overwhelmingly
positive feedback and the project has been
highly commended by everyone driving on that
stretch of the road, the Royal Oman Police and
even by the locals living around the area.
“In a survey, 96% of those questioned said
the reflectors were helpful for night driving and
called for them to be installed elsewhere.”
The Company is now working on similar
projects on other roads in its concession area to
make them safer.
Until the PDO project, there was little lighting
in the area but the cat’s eyes now provide clear
The award organisers described PDO’s
win, which has been globally recognised by the
International Road Federation, “as a prestigious
honour that serves to recognise the best of the
best within industries in the GCC.”
External Affairs Director Abdul-Amir Al Ajmi
said: “The Tell A Friend campaign is aimed at all
sectors of society because road safety is an issue
which affects us all.
“However,
our
youngsters
are
disproportionately affected by traffic accidents
and it’s important we engage with them in a way
they can understand and relate to.
“As a nation, we cannot continue with
the high casualty figures we see on our roads
every year and so PDO and our partners are
determined to do all we can to promote safe
driving and proper vehicle maintenance.”
Tell A Friend Campaign Leader Munira Al
Balushi said: “It is very important for us to reach
out to young drivers across the Sultanate and
the campaign is keen
to deliver its objectives
and spread the word
about safe driving.”
Salim Al Jassasi, from
Basna Hawadith, added:
“It is an honour for us
to join efforts with the
Tell A Friend campaign.
After all, our objective
is the same and it is
great for thoughts and
efforts to be united for this noble cause of
raising awareness and saving lives”
The five-year Tell A Friend campaign was
officially launched by PDO in Muscat in January
2013 with the aim of lowering the number of road
accidents in the Sultanate. It targets important
areas of road safety such as responsible driving,
speed management, vehicle safety, proper seat
belt usage and fatigue.
The innovative campaign has adopted
a variety of promotional tactics to spread
the word, using advertisements, social media
engagement and public presentations. The Ibri
event was the latest on a road show tour of the
country which also visited Nizwa in June.
IBRI ROAD
SAFETY
DRIVE
Almost 150 people attended a high-profile
event in Ibri organised by the nationwide Tell A
Friend road safety campaign.
Representatives from PDO and the Royal
Oman Police (ROP) joined with Basna Hawadith,
a local road safety volunteering group, the
Oman Automobile Association, and the Oman
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at the
chamber’s office in the town.
The audience also heard from members of
the Civil Defence Department in Ibri, who talked
about their work dealing with traffic accidents.
The five-hour event took place under the
banner of “Our youth...your enthusiasm to make
a change” and there was a particular emphasis
on raising awareness among younger people
of the importance of road safety. Rally drivers
urged them not to race on public roads and
there was also a demonstration of safe driving
behaviours in a short play performed by Al
Dhahira theatre group.
vision of up to 7.5 kilometres ahead on the road
where there is a 100km/h speed limit.
BIG BOOST FOR
JOBSEEKERS
PDO has announced the creation of 1,770
new training-for-employment opportunities
as part of its In-Country Value (ICV) drive to
generate more jobs for Omanis in the oil and
gas industry.
The Company has worked closely with
the Ministry of Manpower, its contractors and
technical training providers on a programme
which will lead to internationally recognised
qualifications for successful trainees.
“Our vision is to contribute positively
towards the development and empowerment
of the national workforce by providing Omanis
with the necessary skills to complement industry
requirements. We focus on training jobseekers
which is one way, we believe, we can add value
to Oman and its economy.”
External Affairs Director Abdul-Amir Al Ajmi
said: “We are proud to be driving programmes
that we believe will create a sustainable training
model throughout the oil and gas industry.
“Such skills are now in demand in the light
of the developments taking place in the country.
We also call upon other private companies and
institutions to train Omanis and support their
employment across different sectors.”
PDO created the school leavers’ programme
in 2011 under the title of “National Objectives”
and has launched several initiatives with the aim of
securing training and employment opportunities
for Omanis. The Company has worked closely
with its contractors to boost Omanisation rates
across its projects and operations and a total of
around 12,000 jobs and training opportunities
have been created so far.
More than 1,000 young men, aged 17-25,
have begun courses at three vocational training
centres to become electrical technicians,
carpenters, welders, steel fixers, plumbers and
scaffolders and those who pass are guaranteed
jobs with PDO contractors. Another 770 are
planned to begin training within the coming
month.
The programme is a major part of the
Company’s ongoing ICV initiatives, and highlights
PDO’s commitment to Omanisation, support
for the community and its long-term efforts to
build the nation’s talent pool within the oil and
gas industry and beyond.
to create a skilled national workforce ready to
join in the job market.
The programme delivers vocational
training to young Omanis with preparatory
or secondary education. PDO has worked
with 18 contractors this year alone to secure
employment opportunities in technical skills
such as electrical, mechanical, welding, carpentry
and scaffolding.
Yousuf bin Said Al Mutawwa, Assistant
Director General of Operations at the Ministry
of Manpower, said: “We would like to extend
our thanks and gratitude to
PDO for this initiative.
“These trainees will join
different
establishments
after
the
successful
completion of their training
as per the contracts signed
with these companies. We
hope PDO will continue
to support these training
programmes which work
Sharifa Aidid, Head of the National
Objectives team, commented: “Our team
works to demonstrate what is possible with
creative Omanisation solutions in the oil and
gas industry. We aim to deliver value to the
nation by maximising the employment of skilled
Omanis with PDO contractors and across the
oil and gas sector. We want to change the game
on Omanisation, demonstrate what is really
possible and drive the industry to achieve and
sustain step changes in this important area.”
4
PDO’s New Ambassadors
A high-level delegation of officials from
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has praised the
pioneering contribution made by PDO to the
Sultanate.
The 38 dignitaries made a three-hour tour
of the Mina Al Fahal headquarters to learn more
about the oil and gas sector in general and the
Company’s progress in particular.
my team and I are very pleased to see a senior
Omani team in place.
“PDO leads by example on many fronts,
such as ICV and enhanced oil recovery, and
we welcome the Company’s management
commitment to sustainability and celebrate its
success.
“PDO is a technical and scientific leader
in the exploration and production of oil and
gas and in its economic contributions to the
community, training and the environment.
were delighted and honoured to have hosted
such a distinguished delegation from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs.
“This was the latest in a series of VIP visits to
PDO to increase knowledge and understanding
of the great work we do on a daily basis to serve
Oman and our stakeholders.
“Everyone found the visit most enlightening
and very beneficial.”
The delegation was comprised of Ministry
department heads and senior officials, including
His Highness Sayyid Mohammed bin Salim Al
Said, Chief of Protocol.
They were given an update on a range of key
corporate priorities including production, project
delivery, health, safety and the environment
(HSE) and the In-Country Value (ICV) strategy
to retain more of the industry’s wealth in Oman.
There was also a live link-up with the
Lekhwair cluster using the latest Collaborative
Work Environment technology which allows
Coastal staff to share information in realtime with colleagues in the field to increase
productivity and tackle any issues.
His Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Hamed Al
Busaidi, Secretary-General at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, said: “I recognise the success of
PDO and what it contributes to the nation and
5
After the visit to the BMF building, the
eminent visitors had a short tour of the Trio
Centre, comprising the EcOman Centre, the
Planetarium and the Oil and Gas Exhibition
Centre, where they also enjoyed lunch.
Managing Director Raoul Restucci said: “We
“We provided the officials with an overview of
our business including key priorities ranging from
health, safety and the environment, production,
project delivery and our ICV strategy along with
the scale and extent of our Omani job creation,
training and social performance highlights.
“The visitors were very interested in,
and supportive of, our operations and will be
invaluable advocates in promoting the Company’s
reputation both at home and abroad.”
So far this year, PDO has welcomed a series
of official visitors from at home and abroad,
including The Netherlands, Brunei, Belgium and
Kenya.
See page 7 for Lean Majlis A'Shura visit
THE POWER OF SAVINGS
Ali Al Aghbari has landed a RO 10,000 prize
for an idea which could save the Company US$
2.5 million a year.
Ali, an Electrical Maintenance Supervisor
in Yibal, won the 2013-14 SAVE (Sustainably
Adding Value through Efficiency) competition to
optimise technical standards, increase efficiency
and reduce operating expenditure (Opex),
without compromising on safety and integrity.
the SAVE scheme, which will surely encourage
staff to come forward with bright ideas that
support the company and shareholders to
achieve the set goals.
up Said Ali Al Hilali to save up to US$ 1 million
a year and involves revising technical standards
SP-1099 and SP-1103 on the use of electrical
equipment.
“I would also like to thank and appreciate
my line and function for the suppor t I
received for my proposal and I am looking
forward to seeing this proposal implemented
across the Company.”
The various initiatives, which will save
PDO around US$ 5.5 million a year in Opex,
were presented during the annual Opex
shareholder workshop attended by around
15 representatives from PDO's
shareholders, including Board and
sub-committee members.
His
brainwave
involves
the replacement of electrical
substation lead acid batteries with
new maintenance-free ones. Ali
calculated the change would save
US$ 250,000 in Yibal alone but up
to 10 times that much if applied to
other electrical substations in the
PDO estate – as well as protecting
the environment and safeguarding
staff. The move will also save time
on preventive maintenance.
Ali said: “Lead acid batteries
require intensive maintenance
work associated with high cost
and considerable HSE impacts
and risks, such as electrocution.
I searched for various means to
optimise the maintenance cost
for the batteries and found out
that there are batteries which can replace the
current ones and they are of the maintenancefree type.
“I would like to express my sincere thanks and
appreciation to the management for introducing
Head of Finance Opex
Edzard Van Loon said: “Overall,
the shareholders appreciated
PDO’s efforts in establishing such
initiatives which not only bring
forth new ideas that beneficially
result in future cost savings for
the Company but also increase
staff motivation by rewarding
employees for their ideas.”
Ali with Amran and Haifa
Ali was one of seven winners to be given
cash or iPad prizes at a special ceremony
presided over by Technical Director Amran Al
Marhubi and Finance Director Haifa Al Khaifi.
Other top ideas included one from runner-
PDO Board member Jonathan
Osborne commended all the
presenters on the enthusiasm and
passion they demonstrated while
showcasing their initiatives.
He said: “It really reflects that PDO is able to
incorporate a cost-saving philosophy at all levels
within the organisation and I expect to see PDO
continuing the good work on cost savings and
efficiency measures in the future.”
6
LEAN TALKS WITH
MAJLIS A’SHURA
A PDO delegation has visited the Majlis
A’Shura to talk about how Lean is applied in the
Company.
The visit was part of a programme of
continual engagement between the two sides to
showcase key focus areas of PDO’s business.
Senior representatives from the External
Affairs Directorate joined the Lean team, which
is part of the People and Change Directorate,
for the visit to the Economic and Finance
Committee.
The team shared various examples of Lean
projects within PDO and the results achieved,
such the highly effective implementation of Lean
on the Permit to Work authorisation process,
drilling connections and reservoir operating
envelopes.
There was also an explanation of Lean,
a brief history of the concept, PDO’s Lean
transformation journey, its deployment,
fundamental management systems, and key
challenges and achievements to date.
The delegation comprised External Affairs
Director Abdul-Amir Al Ajmi, External Affairs
and Communications Manager Suleiman Al
Mantheri, Lean Corporate Programme Lead
Salman Niyaz and Nasser Al Kindi, the Lean
Coach in the Well Delivery value stream.
deployment programme, experiences and
challenges and were thoroughly impressed with
the achievements and progress we have made in
a relatively short time.
“They expressed their full support and
confidence in PDO achieving its endeavour of a
mature Lean company.”
Suleiman said: “This visit was part of a series
of successful engagements with the Majlis,
and the Economic and Finance Committee in
particular, over the past years. We have seen
improved understanding and appreciation of
PDO’s business and leading role in the country's
economy as well as the various challenges we
face.
Salman said: “The Majlis A’Shura Economics
and Finance committee members were very
appreciative of PDO for sharing its Lean
“In the coming months, mutual co-operation
between the Majlis A’Shura and PDO will
continue to be strengthened through a series of
executive visits to deepen understanding over
important matters involving the Omani oil and
gas sector. This is part of a wider engagement
plan with key Government stakeholders.”
SAFETY
SHIELD
A PDO contractor working at the Karim
Small Field has achieved an 8 million manhour
Lost Time Injury-free record.
MedcoEnergi is involved in drilling, developing
and operating the field at Nimr on behalf of
PDO and operates across 18 small fields over an
area of around 50km2.
The Company’s Exploration Director Faiz
Shahab collected a commemorative safety shield
form Operations Manager South Rashid Al
Harthy.
Oil South Small Fields Contracts Holder
7
Badar Al Sharji said: “Medco’s health, safety and
environment performance has seen a good
improvement over the last three years.
“It is a commendable achievement and
could only have been achieved by aligning all
the contractors, sub-contractors and, most
importantly, the Local Community Contractors
towards a ‘safe working environment’.”
MedcoEnergi, which has more than 500
workers in the field, has now completed over
8.5 million manhours LTI-free.
STAFF IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Darwish Al Baloushi (BMF Office Co-ordinator)
Ever since PDO staff began moving into the
BMF headquarters in November 2012, Darwish
Al Baloushi has been a man in demand.
As the BMF Office Co-ordinator, Darwish is
the go-to person for any issue relating to the
building’s management, ensuring the safety of
employees, maintaining essential facilities and
equipment, and supervising cleaning and repairs.
I work with the IFM team Carillion Alawi and
I have a team consisting of an Air Conditioning,
Electrical and Maintenance Facilities Manager,
electrical supervisor, air conditioning technicians,
a carpenter, electricians and a plumber. I receive five or six enquiries or requests
to provide assistance every day and these are
forwarded to the IFM helpdesk.
Darwish took a few moments from his
busy daily schedule to talk to al Fahal about his
challenging role.
What does it involve?
It’s about keeping the building open for
business so staff and visitors can work and meet
in safety and comfort. Among my responsibilities
are the upkeep of electrical, air conditioning and
plumbing systems and other essential facilities
and equipment and ensuring they are checked
properly and regularly.
I have developed a system for the cleaning,
repair and maintenance of facilities and ensuring
the safety of the building from fire and other
hazards.
The biggest frustration is when somebody
refuses to co-operate with me and doesn’t use
the building facilities in a proper way. I need all
staff to work together with me to make things
run smoothly in the BMF.
What has been your biggest
challenge since the building opened?
Addressing air-conditioning, electrical and
maintenance issues and ensuring the comfort of
staff, so that they have the best possible working
environment.
What is your background with PDO?
I joined the Company in June 1989. I worked
in the Exploration Directorate as Survey
Operation Support and did five years in the Nimr
field. In 1996 I moved to the MAF mail room as
a mail clerk and four years later became General
Office Support Supervisor. I then got my current
role in the Integrated Facilities Management
(IFM) Hard Service section in 2013.
What is the main frustration?
Are there any upcoming changes at
BMF?
What is the funniest thing you have
been asked to help with?
I remember a gentleman once called me
and asked for air conditioning technicians. When
I asked the reason, he said: ‘I need them to
check my car’s AC as it’s not cooling the vehicle
properly!’
What has been your proudest
moment so far as BMF Office Coordinator?
I was so happy when I was given the job.
However, I didn’t realise at the time how big a
challenge it was going to be.
A lot of improvements have already
happened and the BMF offers a really nice
working environment. Possibly the major change
on the cards is the new skywalk from the BMF
to Al Sahel building which will be finished soon.
This is very good news for staff as it will reduce
travel and car parking issues.
How do you relax away from work?
I like cycling, swimming and walking. However,
in my current job I get a lot of exercise every
day walking around and up and down the BMF
building so after finishing work I like to relax at
home in front of the TV with my newspaper.
8
RAH
PROJECT
AWARD
WIN
PDO has been awarded the ‘Best
Project Developer’ Award for its Ras Al
Hamra Development project at the Dossier
Construction Awards & Summit 2014.
The event included a half-day long summit
discussing challenges and opportunities related
to In-Country Value (ICV), attended by ICV
Development Manager Mohammed Al Ghareebi.
This was followed by an award ceremony, held
to recognise the best within the construction,
infrastructure, real estate, interiors and building
materials' industries.
The ceremony was held at the
InterContinental Hotel in Muscat in the presence
of his His Excellency Ahmed bin Nasser Al Mehrzi,
Minister of Tourism, who was the chief guest for
the summit. His Excellency Salim bin Mohammed
Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary Transport, at the
TOWARDS WORLD
CLASS PROCUREMENT
PDO has embarked on a journey to become
a world class organisation, taking a life cycle
approach to category management (CM) – a
new collaborative way of working which enables
procurement decisions to be taken in the
interests of the Company as a whole rather than
its individual units.
CM is a core process and way of working
used by most procurement teams in both the
private and public sectors. It has an incredible
potential to deliver value outside procurement’s
traditional areas of expertise and sourcing
activities.
In simple terms, it means that those buying
similar types of products/services, or “categories”,
from contractors follow the same contracting
strategies ensuring consistency, cutting waste
and securing best value.
This is aligned with business objectives,
through analysis and strategy development to
risk assessment and the delivery of benefits by
ongoing management and supplier development
activities to ensure that all benefits from the
awarded contract are realised and continuously
improved.
At the top end, this allows a clear focus on
expensive or critical contract areas, such as InCountry Value (ICV), while simplifying the way
cheaper or less important items are procured.
CM enables more cross-functional team
working, consistent yet flexible application of
standard tools, early engagement with business
stakeholders before decisions are made, and
the creation of long-term strategies. In addition,
it paves the way for external supply market
engagement and addresses all potential sources
9
of value creation.
In Engineering and Operations, examples
of categories include rotating equipment,
static equipment, control and automation, and
electrical equipments and services. While in
Logistics, categories include cargo haulage and
rig moves, freight forwarding and passenger
management services.
CM brings focus to high-value and complex/
critical items while simplifying low-value
transactional processes. It adds consistency in
C&P competencies and processes, effective
contract management, more transparency,
continuous benchmarking, a clearer scope of
work, better performance monitoring, and
improved forecasting.
CM was first implemented 10 months ago
by the FPR organisation, with the appointment
of four category managers: AbdulWahab Al
Sabbagh, Zul Shameer Shaik Ibrahim, Elena
Ivanova, and Rasha Hussein for engineering
equipment and logistics services.
AbdulWahab, Team Leader and Category
Manger for Engineering and Operations
Contracts, said: “We are trying to look at the
Ministry of Transport & Communication, was the
chief guest for the ceremony.
The Ras Al Hamra Development entry was
selected by an expert independent jury on the
basis of the project's overall objectives, key
features, management, best practices applied,
HSE standards, and value to the economy and
society.
welfare of the whole Company rather than that
of individual parts when we make contracting
and procurement decisions. By grouping such
equipment together when placing orders,
PDO can maximise its buying power, strip out
duplication, limit the scope for over-ordering
and help embed further ICV into purchasing
decisions.“
And Rasha, Category Manager Logistics
Services, added: “This is all about stronger
alignment between procurement and the
business to work in partnership, at earlier stages
while maintaining a strong focus on supply
markets and contract management.”
Views from Engineering & Operation
Function streams have been positive and
supportive. Abdulnabi Al Balushi, Mechanical
Lead & Corporate Function Discipline Head
(CFDH) for Static Equipment, said: “The CM
approach provides a good framework for
delivering PDO objectives and collaborative
teamwork. Though the CM journey is in its early
stages we believe more benefits will be realised.”
Mohammed Al Aghbari, Infrastructure Power
Systems Department Manager and Electrical
CFDH, said: “CM is essential for projects and
operations to ensure all requirements are
sourced in a systematic manner. It reinforces
transparency and compliance to an approved
list of vendors and shortens the conventional
procurement process. It will remove any
ambiguous technical interfaces within and across
categories and will eventfully support the ICV
strategy.”
Salim Al Hinai, Functional Control and
Automation and Project Support Lead, said: “CM
will drive enhancement levels of performance for
capital projects and services through the total
lifecycle, maximise standardisation, make overall
total cost of ownership more transparent, help
design development and operate and maintain
systems.”
CHEQUE
MATE
PDO has been thanked for sponsoring
Oman’s national chess team in its first appearance
ever at a major global tournament.
The Company contributed RO 10,000 to
enable the Sultanate’s players to take part in the
41st World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway.
The team may not have been able to
compete amid budget concerns, but the PDO
backing paved the way for their participation at
the competition, which attracted 1,570 players
and 177 teams from around the world.
Team member Said Jidal Fadhil, a SAP
Specialist, said: “We would like to thank PDO for
their important financial help and we hope that
they will continue supporting the national team
and the development of chess in general.
“It is great to see that PDO, one of the
biggest companies in Oman, is taking care
Said (centre) proudly holds the PDO flag in Norway
of our development as chess players and is
doing everything to give us a proper working
environment.
“I am very glad being part of this company
which always supports the nation.”
The tournament helped the national team
gain valuable experience and move up the world
standings 33 places from 174 to 141. Three
members also picked up ranking titles with the
game’s governing body, FIDE, the International
Chess Federation.
Said is a firm believer in the power of the
game to stimulate the mind and spur on the
intellectual and educational development of
children.
He said: “PDO doesn’t have a chess club at
the moment, but it would be very good idea to
create one!
“Chess helps promote intellectual growth
and has been shown to improve academic
performance. It is a powerful tool for developing
NEW
SUPPORT FOR
OMANI SMEs
PDO has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Public Authority for
Small and Medium Enterprises Development
(PASMED)
to
further
assist
Omani
entrepreneurs.
The agreement is aimed at strengthening cooperation and collaboration between the two
sides on training, business advice and knowledge
exchange to help small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) operate more successfully.
The MoU was signed by External Affairs
Director Abdul-Amir Al Ajmi and PASMED
Acting Chief Executive Officer Khalifa bin Said
Al Abri.
Abdul-Amir said: “Successful SMEs are vital
to the nation’s prosperity and we have a huge
business interest in helping entrepreneurs, both
in and out of our sector, so they can develop,
innovate and diversify.
“PDO is a committed supporter of Omani
businesses and we have been actively helping
and encouraging them through our In-Country
Value (ICV) and National Objectives strategies.
These are dedicated to ensuring that more of
the wealth of the oil and gas industry is retained
in Oman, that more Omani companies reach
the level where they can supply us with goods
and services and that more jobs and training
opportunities are developed in the Sultanate as
a result.
“We will focus our efforts to embed ICV
more across our business as well as work with
the Government and other stakeholders to roll
it out across other sectors of the economy. The
partnership with PASMED means we will be
able to offer more of our expertise and support
to a wide spectrum of entrepreneurs and work
together in a mutually beneficial way.”
Under the terms of the agreement, PDO
business specialists will advise entrepreneurs
and SME owners who are members of PASMED
and who might be in need of guidance on
management and strategic planning, so they are
better trained to run their businesses successfully.
Commenting on the MoU, Al Abri said:
“PDO has played a leading role in embedding
ICV in Oman and ensuring that Omani SMEs
develop the capability and capacity to thrive
commercially.
thinking and the memory in children, teaching
them to think analytically, logically and on more
than one level”.
The International Chess Academy of Oman
is now organising many FIDE-rated tournaments
so that the players can get an international rating.
Said commented: “Overall the numbers of
players is growing which is a very good sign for
the future of chess in Oman”.
“This MoU will
mean the Company
will now offer its
expertise, advice and
support to help our
members
flourish,
in whichever sector
they operate, so they
can contribute fully
to generating more
prosperity for the Sultanate.
“PASMED is grateful to PDO for being so
supportive and sharing its knowledge, energy
and resources so our members can compete
more effectively in both domestic and foreign
markets.”
Last year, PDO awarded contracts worth
more than US$ 3.1 billion to locally registered
firms, and broadened its support of domestic
businesses through a variety of measures,
including technical assistance, ring-fencing the
supply of locally manufactured goods and the
establishment of Omani repair facilities and incountry engineering services.
The Company has also launched and
incubated four Super Local Community
Contractors to better distribute the rewards
from the oil and gas industry, such as career
opportunities, training and the development of
entrepreneurial skills, to locals living within its
concession area.
10
HAWA CELEBRATES
OMAN WOMEN’S DAY
Members of PDO’s women’s network HAWA
were urged to be role models for Omani girls
during an inspirational talk to mark Oman
Women’s Day by one of the country’s leading
education experts.
In a speech, Janab Al Sayyida Dr Sharifa bint Khalid
bin Qais Al Said told how she had overcome visual
impairment to succeed and become one of the
country’s leading disability campaigners.
Despite her blindness, she still gained a Masters
and Doctorate degree from Colombia University
in the US and now champions special education
projects in the Office of the Undersecretary
of Education and Curricula at the Ministry of
Education.
Dr Sharifa said: “Most people think that people
with a disability are not going to achieve…so I had
to work even harder to prove my point.
“Being blind does not mean you are intellectually
challenged. It is really hard but I have learned how
to fight it. OK, if you want to think I am stupid, I will
let you think that until I decide to prove otherwise!
“People with a disability have a role to play. They
have a mind to use. As long as you are open,
everyone has a place in this society.”
She said her dream was to see inclusive classrooms
in Oman where those with disabilities could learn
11
with able-bodied pupils and encouraged her
audience to overcome their challenges and follow
their hopes.
“I do not believe in the word ‘No.’ There is always
a solution for every problem.
“We should all follow our dreams. In our success,
we can all guide young Omanis who come behind
us. It is very important to share our successes
and even our disappointments, because life is not
a bowl of cherries. Always remember: be a role
model for the young ladies of Oman.”
People and Change Director Ibtisam Al Riyami said
she was almost in tears after hearing the talk, and
paid a glowing tribute to H.H. Dr Sharifa adding: “It
is fantastic how you have coped with the hand you
have been dealt. You are an absolute inspiration.
You have made it and you are inspiring a hell of a
lot of people behind you.”
HAWA Chairwoman Abla Al Riyami, the ICV
Director, who has a younger sister with learning
difficulties, said: “I really appreciate having heard
your talk. Anybody who is challenged will benefit
from all the hard work you are doing.”
Managing Director Raoul Restucci said he felt
“humbled” by the talk and vowed that PDO would
help H.H. Dr Sharifa’s work where it could: “I am
truly in awe of what you have been able to achieve
– your courage, your determination, your resolve.”
The event, which was organised in conjunction
with the External Affairs Directorate, was part
of a celebration to recognise PDO’s women
as invaluable citizens who have contributed to
the development of the Company, their soc and
families.
As well as the speech, there were also stalls for
female entrepreneurs in the BMF atrium to
showcase their expertise, creativity and innovation.
Members of Banat Oman – a PDO project to
support low-income women through vocational
training – sold silver jewellery they had made and
other SME exhibitors sold perfumes and lotions.
HAWA (Arabic for Eve) was launched in 2007
with the aim of creating an environment which
‘helps women to help themselves.’The organisation
offers a platform for PDO’s 1,000-plus women
to share experiences, network and provides a
number of technical and soft skills short courses.
PDO has always championed the progress of
women within the working environment and has
facilitated their development and achievement.
There are currently five female directors on
the Managing Director’s Committee – groundbreaking for both the industry and region.
‫حـــــــوَّاء تـحــتــــفي‬
‫بـيـــوم املــراة الــعــمــانــيـــة‬
‫حث �أحد خرباء الرتبية البارزين يف ال�سلطنة ع�ضوات �شبكة حواء‬
‫بال�شركة على �أن يَكنَّ املثل الذي حتتذي به بنات عمان‪ .‬جاء ذلك‬
‫يف �سياق حديث ملهم �ضمن فعاليات نظمتها ال�شبكة احتفا ًء بيوم‬
‫املر�أة العمانية‪.‬‬
‫ففي كلمة �ألقتها �أمام عدد من املوظفات‪� ،‬شرحت جناب ال�سيدة‬
‫الدكتورة �شريفة بنت خالد بن قي�س �آل �سعيد للح�ضور كيف ا�ستطاعت‬
‫�أن تتغلب على �إعاقتها الب�صرية لتنجح وت�صبح �أحد الداعمني‬
‫الحتياجات املعاقني يف ال�سلطنة‪.‬‬
‫ورغم �أنها كفيفة‪ ،‬ا�ستطاعت �أن تنال درجتي املاج�ستري والدكتوراة‬
‫من جامعة كولومبيا املرموقة بالواليات املتحدة الأمريكية‪ .‬وكخبرية‬
‫تربوية‪ ،‬ت�سخر جل اهتمامها حالي ًا يف م�شاريع التعليم اخلا�ص‬
‫مبكتب �سعادة وكيل الرتبية والتعليم ل�ش�ؤون التعليم واملناهج بوزارة‬
‫الرتبية والتعليم‪.‬‬
‫وقالت جناب ال�سيدة الدكتورة �شريفة‪" :‬يعتقد كثري من النا�س �أن‬
‫الأ�شخا�ص ذوي الإعاقة لن ينجزوا‪ ،‬لذا عملت بتفانٍ �أكرب لأثبت‬
‫نقي�ض ذلك"‪.‬‬
‫"كون ال�شخ�ص معاق ًا ب�صري ًا ال يعني ذلك �أنه معاق فكرياً‪ .‬ويف‬
‫حقيقة الأمر �إن هذا التحدي لي�س بال�سهل ولكني تعلمت بال�صرب‬
‫واملثابرة �أن �أتغلب عليه‪ .‬وال ب�أ�س �إذا �أردت �أن تفكر �أين غبية فلك‬
‫ذلك حتى �أقرر �أن �أثبت لك العك�س"‪.‬‬
‫"الأ�شخا�ص الذين لديهم �إعاقة لهم دور يقومون به؛ فقد‬
‫وهبهم اهلل عق ًال يفكرون به‪ .‬وطاملا كنت منفتحاً‪ ،‬ف�إن لك‬
‫مكان يف املجتمع"‪.‬‬
‫‪11‬‬
‫وقالت ال�سيدة �أنها حتلم يف �أن ترى الف�صول الدرا�سية ف�صو ًال �شاملة‬
‫للطلبة الذين ال يعانون من حتديات ج�سمية يدر�سون مع �إخوانهم‬
‫الطلبة املعاقني‪ ،‬و�سعت ال�سيدة من خالل حديثها �إىل ت�شجيع احل�ضور‬
‫وحتفيزهم على �أن يتجاوزوا التحديات التي قد يواجهونها و�أن يعملوا‬
‫جاهدين لتحقيق �أحالمهم‪.‬‬
‫"ال �أومن بكلمة ال؛ فهناك دوم ًا حل لكل م�شكلة"‪.‬‬
‫"يجب علينا �أن ن�سعى لتحقيق �أحالمنا‪ ،‬فبنجاحنا ن�ستطيع �أن‬
‫ن�أخذ ب�أيدي ال�شباب العماين ونكون املثل لهم يف الريادة‪ .‬من‬
‫املهم جد ًا �أن ن�شارك الآخرين جناحاتنا وحتى �إخفاقاتنا؛ لأن‬
‫احلياة لي�ست ‘�سلة كرز’‪ ،‬ولتتذكرن دوماً‪ :‬كونوا منوذج ًا حتتذي‬
‫بكم الفتيات العمانيات"‪.‬‬
‫ومعربة عن مدى ت�أثرها بحديث جناب ال�سيدة �شريفة‪ ،‬قالت مديرة‬
‫مديرية املوارد الب�شرية والتغيري بال�شركة �إبت�سام الريامية �أنها كادت‬
‫�أن تذرف الدموع عقب �سماعها للحديث و�أ�شادت بالدكتورة �شريفة‬
‫و�أثنت عليها خماطبة �إياها‪�" :‬إنه ل�شيء رائع حق ًا �أنك ا�ستطعت التغلب‬
‫على التحديات املرتتبة على �إعاقتك الب�صرية‪� ،‬أنت حق ًا م�صدر �إلهام‬
‫لنا‪ .‬لقد جنحت ولذلك ف�أنت املثل امللهم للكثري من الأ�شخا�ص"‪.‬‬
‫وقالت رئي�سة �شبكة حواء عبلة الريامية ومديرة مديرية القيمة املحلية‬
‫امل�ضافة‪ ،‬والتي لديها �أخت تعاين من �صعوبات تعلم‪�" :‬إنني �أكِ نُّ كل‬
‫التقدير لك على هذا احلديث‪ ،‬فكل من يواجه حتديات �سي�ستفيد من‬
‫الأعمال اجلليلة التي تقومني بها"‪.‬‬
‫وقال املدير العام را�ؤول ري�ستو�شي �أن حديث جناب ال�سيدة جعله‬
‫ي�شعر بالتوا�ضع ووعد ب�أن ال�شركة �ستدعم جهودها حيثما �أمكن قائال‪:‬‬
‫"�إنني حق ًا يف ده�شة و�إعجاب مبا ا�ستطعت �أن تنجزيه وبعزميتك‬
‫وحزمك و�إ�صرارك"‪.‬‬
‫وي�أتي تنظيم هذه الفعالية بالتعاون مع مديرية ال�ش�ؤون اخلارجية‬
‫بال�شركة ك�إحدى فعاليات ال�شركة احتفا ًء وتقدير ًا ملوظفات ال�شركة‬
‫بو�صفهن مواطنات �ساهمن يف تطوير ال�شركة وجمتمعهن و�أ�سرهن‪.‬‬
‫كما ت�ضمنت الفعالية عر�ض منتجات ل�صاحبات امل�ؤ�س�سات ال�صغرية‬
‫واملتو�سطة يف بهو مبنى بيت الفحل لإبراز خرباتهن و�إبداعاتهن‪،‬‬
‫وقامت ع�ضوات بنات عمان‪ ،‬وهو م�شروع ال�شركة الهادف �إىل‬
‫م�ساعدة املواطنات ذوات الدخل املحدود من خالل تنظيم دورات‬
‫مهنية لهن‪ ،‬ببيع ف�ضيات من �صياغتهن‪ ،‬كما باعت بع�ض �صاحبات‬
‫م�ؤ�س�سات �صغرية متو�سطة بعر�ض منتجاتهن للبيع كالعطور ودهون‬
‫الب�شرة وال�شوكوالته‪.‬‬
‫ويذكر �أنه قد مت تد�شني �شبكة حواء يف عام ‪ 2007‬بهدف خلق بيئة‬
‫عمل ‘ت�ساعد الن�ساء على االعتماد على �أنف�سهن’‪ .‬وتوفر �شبكة‬
‫حواء الن�سائية ملتقى ملوظفات ال�شركة البالغ عددهن ‪ 900‬موظفة‬
‫تقريب ًا لي�شاركن بع�ضهن بع�ض ًا خرباتهن وجتاربهن والعمل جماعياً‪،‬‬
‫هذا بالإ�ضافة �إىل تنظيم املجموعة لعدد من الدورات الق�صرية يف‬
‫املجاالت الفنية واملهارات ال�شخ�صية‪.‬‬
‫وقد د�أبت ال�شركة على �أن تكون رائدة فيما يتعلق بتقدم املر�أة يف‬
‫بيئة العمل‪ ،‬و�ساعدت يف تطويرهن و�إجنازاتهن‪ ،‬ويوجد حالي ًا يف‬
‫فريق الإدارة العليا بال�شركة خم�س مديرات‪ ،‬وهو �إجناز فريد يف‬
‫جمال متكني املر�أة على م�ستوى �صناعة النفط والغاز وعلى م�ستوى‬
‫املنطقة ككل‪.‬‬