Petrofac Wins OCA Awards

Petrofac, the international oil & gas facilities service provider, scooped two of the three Offshore Contractors’ Association (OCA) Challenge Awards presented at the OCA annual dinner in Aberdeen recently. The OCA awards recognise outstanding achievements and successes of OCA members throughout the United Kingdom in the areas of safety, training and technology.

The OCA Challenge Award for Training went to Calum Matheson, a trainee operator on the Petrofac-managed Northern Producer floating production unit. This is the second year running that a Petrofac employee has won this award.

Matheson joined Petrofac in September 2005 as part of an intake of ex-merchant marine cadets who were then trained as production operators. Matheson says he is very pleased with the award and feels it is a reflection on the Northern Producer production team.

“Everyone from the operators through to the supervisory staff has had a huge influence on getting me to where I am at the moment. The whole team has given me lots of guidance, which was essential as I started here after only six weeks onshore training,” he says.

Petrofac won the OCA Challenge Award for Health and Safety for its Horizon Zero campaign. John Methven, Petrofac Facilities Management director, European operations, was presented with the award in recognition for ‘an unusual, ambitious and intelligent campaign, driven by an innovative and committed management team. It also demonstrated that well-structured and sophisticated communication techniques can deploy human factors and psychology knowledge to the sustainable benefit of the UK workforce.’

Methven expresses his delight at winning the award. “Not only were a lot of people involved in developing and implementing Horizon Zero, it also required a positive and sustained reaction from the workforce. This award recognises both elements and is great encouragement to everyone to keep focussed on health and safety despite the challenges of doing that at the same time as delivering contracts and projects on-time, on-budget,” he says.

OCA chief executive Bill Murray says: "We have seen a clear determination from the UK contracting industry to improve safety and embrace new technology and this year's entrants have underlined the commitment of our member companies to exceed industry standards.  We were very impressed with the winners' achievements, flair and enthusiasm and we're delighted to award them for their efforts."