Adam Cheesman is marking one year since moving to Perth in Australia permanently from the UK. As Operations Director he was tasked with growing our business in the region.

“I was sitting in Aberdeen 18 months ago, finalising the strategy for the market entry of our Operations business and growth of the overall business,” he recalls. “To be sat here now and looking back over the past year, we have achieved what we set out to do despite the challenges that Covid-19 has thrown at us.

“We now have a stronger business after putting the foundations for growth in place, we‘ve increased our brand recognition, we have a team that is growing to meet the demands of the new work we have secured. We’re on the right path.”

THERE’S OPPORTUNITIES APLENTY IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, AND WE’RE WELL PLACED TO SEIZE THEM – AS OPERATIONS DIRECTOR ADAM CHEESMAN AND REGIONAL DIRECTOR JOSIE PHILIPS EXPLAIN

The world’s highest waves are thought to be formed in the Atlantic Ocean, south of Iceland, which then come barrelling down the North Sea. The highest single wave ever measured by a fixed installation anywhere in the world was in the North Sea on January 1, 1995 – a terrifying 25.6 metres, three times the size of the tsunami waves that devastated Sri Lanka and Thailand in 2004. So when TenneT entrusted Petrofac with the contracts to design, supply and install the substations for their massive offshore wind farm projects in the North Sea, perhaps the most vital element was the substructure, or jacket, that will need to support the substations for the next 30 years.

Anchored to the seabed, jackets resemble giant, multi-legged, rectangular tables. They’re made to provide a stable, secure and long-lasting base for new high-voltage electricity substations.

For the jackets completed and shipped for the HKZ project this means being able to withstand the worst the North Sea can throw at them.

The jacket trays – or ‘cable decks’ - are the surfacing point for the underwater cables (J-tubes) carrying power from offshore wind turbines into the substations. The substations then ramp up the voltage and transmit it to a land station to be distributed to the relevant national grid.

DESIGNED TO LAST
The process starts with a huge amount of computer analysis and simulation, says Lead Structural Engineer Anand Balasubramanian.

“Each jacket design is unique and there are many variable parameters. We factor into our calculations all the environmental loads and site conditions specific to each location, including water depth, soil type, waves, winds and currents – and how these might change over the next century.”

This data is then used to design the jacket, determine how many piles will be needed for the foundations, what size they need to be and how deep below the seabed they must penetrate. The HKZ jackets, for example, at 50 metres long, 34 metres wide and 44 metres high, are anchored to the seabed by six piles, each weighing 162.5 tonnes. They are buried up to 50 metres deep in the sea bed.

“We also factor in scenarios like, what if a ship collided with our structure?  Our simulation enables us to design a jacket that could withstand such a force,” says Anand.

The design also takes into account the fact that the jackets will be loaded onto transportation barges, how long the voyage will be and the potential movement of the barge in the waves from side to side and up and down. Whether the jackets can travel in a vertical or horizontal position (depending on height clearance in the Suez Canal, for example) also has a bearing on the initial design and fabrication sequence.

A major influence is the intended lifespan of the jackets. In the case of the HKZ jacket, that is around 30 years – with minimal maintenance. The platforms will not be manned, so any offshore repairs would be extremely expensive.

“Finally, we have to design each jacket and its foundations in a construction and installation-friendly way. It’s no good coming up with a clever design that ticks all the technical boxes if it’s too complicated or costly to make or put in position,” says Anand.

CLOSE TO HOME FOR PETROFAC

In Kilar, a remote village near Chennai, we are building two new classrooms for Panchayat Union Middle School. There are 170 students and most parents work in low paying agricultural jobs. The classrooms are old and in 2022 one was significantly damaged by heavy rainfall and had to be demolished for the safety of students. There aren’t many classrooms as it is and without this room, student numbers per classroom have become larger and some lessons are taking place outdoors under the shade of a tree, which teachers say is affecting students’ concentration.

This is a project close to home for Petrofac as two engineers in our commissioning team in Chennai were students at the school. This is what they had to say:

“There were so many classes in the same room when I was at school so it makes me really happy to see that we are helping support the current and future students. Thanks to Petrofac management and Rajagopalan Sathiyamurthy and the CSR team.” - Senthilmurugan. B, Senior Document Controller

“The school holds a special place in my heart as it played a pivotal role in my personal growth. The disappointment of seeing my school demolished in later years left me longing for its revival. I thank the CSR team and Rajagopalan Sathiyamurthy for the efforts they are bringing to revitalise the school and for understanding the importance of education at a young age.” - Nagarajan Rangasamy – Commissioning Manager

As well as these additional classrooms, we will be installing a 50 litres per hour reverse osmosis plant on site to supply drinking water for the entire school.

1

ONE LESS PLASTIC BAG

Plastic products release harmful toxins into the environment and can take more than 300 years to photodegrade. In India, steps are being taken to address this, including a nationwide ban on single use plastics in 2022. Engaging future citizens is a key part of the solution.

With support from NGO partner, WORD, we visited six schools around Chennai, giving presentations on the dangers of plastics and providing more than 4,000 cotton bags to students, teachers and non-teaching staff. “Students were very engaged and keen to tell their families about limiting plastic use,” says Rajagopalan Sathiyamurthy, CSR Coordinator at Petrofac. At the Lady Sivaswami School in Mylapore, Mrs. Janaki, Assistant Headmistress, praised the initiative and its impact on the students: “Hats off to the Petrofac team for helping make socially responsible citizens.”

2

URBAN DENSE FOREST  

Trees are essential for people, wildlife and the environment. The benefits of tree planting for biodiversity are clear but the World Economic Forum also suggest that people in greener areas report stronger social ties and better social cohesion too. With support from NGO partner ExNoRa International, we have engaged with more than 1,500 students on the importance of environmental conservation while planting more than 5,500 tree saplings in four remote schools in Tamil Nadu.

3

MORINGA TREE PLANTATION   

Moringa is often called the ‘miracle tree’ because of its many health benefits for humans and animals. The leaves, roots, bark and seeds can be used for food, medicine and even water purification. In the Kooram Village near Chennai, we supported the local Irular community by turning two acres of barren land into a moringa plantation with more than 2,000 saplings planted. Raw moringa is valuable and selling it provides an income for nearly 100 people in the community. Additionally, 20 honeybee boxes were installed to help pollinate the moringa flowers and provide honey that is rich in vitamins and can also be sold for additional income. As part of this initiative, with the support of NGO partner ExNoRa international, a Green Ambassador was appointed for a year to maintain the plantation and support the local community in their efforts.

4

BICYCLES FOR GIRLS’ SCHOOLS  

Empowering girls through education has a long-lasting impact for them and their families, so it is key for society that they should be given all the tools possible to help them. With support from NGO partner, WORD, 66 girls in the Vennanthur Village in Tamil Nadu, and 130 girls nearly 2,000 km away in the Barmer District, Rajasthan, were provided with bicycles. By making sure they are not walking long distances in the hot sun, we are making it easier for them to get to school and making attendance more likely.

5

BUILDING A GIRLS’ HOSTEL IN RAJASTHAN      

In Rajasthan, girls are travelling long distances from the Thar Desert to attend schools in Barmer town. Through local NGO, Dharasansthan, we are building an additional dormitory room at the Kasthurba Girls’ Hostel in Barmer town to provide a safe facility for girls to stay from Monday to Friday that is comfortable and will allow them to concentrate on their education. More than 100 girls are going to benefit from this initiative.

6

NURTURING STUDENTS AS CREATORS AND PROBLEM SOLVERS

Many government schools in India do not have access to computer labs or the resources needed to provide IT classes. These classes improve children’s problem solving and critical thinking skills, encourage them to be creative, and have become crucial for employability in a technology-driven world. With NGO partner, Collective Good Foundation, we have provided computers and learning programmes to government schools in Mumbai, with approximately 2,000 students benefitting. “It is about bridging the gap between those with access to these resources and those in marginalised communities,” says Chetan Chitta, CSR Coordinator. “The children were confident and could interact, communicate and solve problems – it was really inspiring to see.”

7

DEVELOPING TECHNICAL CAREERS FOR WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING      

“Our focus is on making education more equitable and improving access to education for all learners in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM),” says Chetan. With our NGO partner, PanIIT Alumni REACH for India Foundation, we have supported 27 female students from the Ranchi district in Jharkand who are unable to afford institutional vocational education with a one-year Manufacturing Technician programme. The programme at Kaushal College prepares the young learners for a variety of entry-level careers in manufacturing. Their courses include workshop science and measurement, mechanical drawing, basic fabrication and machining, quality consciousness’ prototyping and 3D printing, assembly production, and advanced fabrication. “The response from the students was simply incredible,” says Chetan. “They were all so hardworking, engaged and eager to learn.”

8

BRINGING A 1000-YEAR-OLD DRINKING POND BACK TO LIFE  

In line with our current initiatives that are focusing on environmental protection, we are completely rejuvenating a man-made drinking water pond that is more than 1,000 years old in the Ennaikaran Village near Chennai. The pond is in bad shape and needs a complete overhaul, which includes de-silting and adding reinforcements around the edges to protect it from the elements. “The pond can hold a lot of water and local residents are really happy that we are taking this project on,” says Rajagopalan Sathiyamurthy.

This project was entrusted to us by the local district administration after our successful efforts to rejuvenate a similar water pond in the Thiruvenkaranai village in 2023.

9

THERE’S ALWAYS TIME FOR YOGA, TOO     

There has always been a strong focus on health, wellbeing and corporate social responsibility in the office. There’s regular interdisciplinary cricket competitions and soccer tournaments. Over the years, many colleagues have taken part in treks in the mountain range near Mumbai called the Western Ghats. Single-use plastic is now banned in the office with all colleagues supplied with metal water bottles. More recently, Sharad – aware of the dangers of sedentary lifestyles – has encouraged colleagues to take time out at 11am and 3pm to do yoga and stretching exercises in the office hall.

7

THE PERFECT FIT
Dimension control is a key specialist task. The HKZ jackets and topsides, for example, are constructed in separate yards and  won’t come together until they are positioned offshore – by which time of course it would be too late, certainly too expensive, to correct any misalignment.

“We took zero chances,” says Project Quality Manager Mostafa Henawy. “They have to be a perfect fit and the experts were able to test this in both yards by real time analysis  using virtual assembly software “Spatial Analyzer”.”

Mostafa has been on site from day one, acting as the liaison point between subcontractor and client.  “The client well defined requirements and was closely involved at every stage of the project – from material cutting and pre-fabrication to jacket assembly and welding testing,” he says.

“Jointly we had full focus on meeting the highest standards so that these unmanned platforms would keep functioning for 30 years.”  And so the next time there’s a once-in-100 years storm event in what is one of the world’s roughest seas, everyone involved can perhaps sleep that little more soundly.

A few more highlights over the years

“Each of the HKZ jackets took about a year to make, but many of those months coincided with the pandemic’s peak,” recalls Project Manager Abdulrahman Dandachi. “We were at the final assembly stage of the first jacket when Covid struck worldwide. Suddenly, we couldn’t get materials through the usual routes or modes of transport. We couldn’t fly in suppliers or experts for final commissions or testing. We struggled to mobilise equipment, like the giant cranes that handle heavy lifts.”

Lockdowns, restrictions, delays, quarantines and travel bans across the world threatened to throw the project off course, so the team had to be innovative, seeking out new routes and scouring the local market for products and expertise.

“We had virus cases most days. On one occasion we had to evacuate everybody and apply all the protocols. This meant mass testing of more than 700 people in two days, contact tracing for those testing positive and quarantining. We took all the precautions and followed all the rules, but we didn’t have to close the yard – not for a single day. We kept driving towards our deadline.”

“We would have faced huge costs if we didn’t load the jacket onto the barge in time but for every challenge, we had a Plan B. It was the ultimate test of our capabilities and will, but we managed to pull it off.”

COPING WITH ADVERSITY

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