AMMAR AL MSALLAKH, SITE MANAGER  
Ammar brings a wealth of industry experience. He’s currently responsible for around 50 people covering all aspects of construction of both the Jacket and Topside. He also knows the value of a smile and a good night’s sleep!

The Covid-19 pandemic was as big as any challenge on the project… The impact was huge. At times it was difficult to get the workforce we needed because of travel restrictions. On other occasions we had to send everybody home for PCR tests and then gradually build up operations once people had tested negative. We had to find ways to replan, reforecast, and get new resources where needed. Most importantly we had to keep smiling! That is very important in challenging times. It’s part of my job to ensure we maintain morale and support each other as a team.

A fundamental of leadership is good communication… That’s the same whatever project you work on. To make sure a team works well together, you need to understand their strengths and where they need support. You need to communicate with the client. Listen to their requirements and be transparent about issues but always have solutions. The more you do this, the more they support you. You also need to communicate with subcontractors, to understand their needs, to support and develop them and promote a culture of quality and safety. They are the ones on the ground delivering your job. You also need to understand and respect differences between people, whether that’s skills, culture or ways of thinking.

I love my job…  My construction and engineering career started 24 years ago with pipelines. But I’ve worked for 14 years with Petrofac, on several mega projects, both onshore and offshore including UZ750 Abu Dhabi and Salalah LPG Oman. It can be a challenging industry but there is always a sense of achievement. I remember early in my career with Petrofac seeing a huge oil degassing plant rise up from the desert. I can remember seeing the flares lighting up the sky for the first time. It isn’t easy to hold the emotions back when you know that you are part of that. There’s a sense of pride that makes you want to achieve more and keep developing yourself.

The most important thing I’ve learned in my career is how to be patient... Being calm and focused is always the best way to approach any challenge. Another good practice is to get plenty of sleep and get up early. It’s a good habit and helps you focus on the job in hand!

Meet the people behind the project