Petrofac launches new Fabric Maintenance Training

Petrofac, the international oil & gas facilities service provider and one of the industry’s largest suppliers of training services, has launched a new range of fabric maintenance courses, to support ongoing efforts to maintain asset integrity. This includes the introduction of a new trainee blaster/painter course approved by OPITO - The Oil & Gas Academy.

Gordon Caird, operations manager, Europe and The Americas, Petrofac Training, commented: “In this climate, customers are increasingly focused on finding cost-efficient ways to maintain their asset’s integrity. We are offering them just that while helping develop competencies and minimising risks.”

Petrofac launched the course on Thursday 28 May at an event attended by customers and Academy representatives . The course gained approval in April and is part of Petrofac Training’s new fabric maintenance service, a range of specialist courses focused on supporting asset integrity activities.

David Doig, Academy chief executive, said: “We need to continue raising standards across the industry and asset integrity plays an important role in that. It is hoped that high-quality standards, coupled with world-class training delivery, will support these aspirations and deliver improved maintenance along with reduced incident levels. As standards rise we will hopefully see fewer major incidents which is a shared goal across the industry.”

Caird added: “With the introduction of every new course such as this, we are helping industry achieve the goals set by STEP Change in Safety - making the UK the safest place to work worldwide in the offshore oil & gas industry by 2010. Asset integrity forms a critical pillar of these goals and is an area Petrofac Training is focusing on; from the creation of the Academy -accredited trainee blaster/painter course to the delivery of asset integrity workshops by members of our management team in response to issues identified in the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) Key Programme Three asset integrity report, carried out to evaluate asset integrity in the UK continental shelf.

During 2008, 25 such workshops were delivered by members of our management team to more than 400 senior managers within the industry. The one-day interactive workshop for business leaders and their senior teams, designed to raise awareness and understanding of asset integrity management, is now globally recognised as an industry standard.”

The new range of fabric maintenance courses – including the trainee blaster/painter course – was created in response to industry’s needs. The Government’s Health & Safety Executive - Offshore Division issued a five-year plan at the start of 2009 to create best practices across industry. By providing these courses Petrofac Training can assure customers of the competence of their staff in undertaking fabric maintenance, which is in-turn key to asset integrity best practice. The new maintenance course will also be undertaken by individuals independently, providing potential employees a stepping stone into the oil & gas industry. Furthermore, for those already involved in onshore activities, Petrofac’s maintenance training will ensure they are also fully equipped to work offshore.