People and projects from around the PETROFAC world

PEOPLE

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FIRAT ULKU, SITE QUALITY MANAGER AND PETROFAC TURKEY BRANCH MANAGER


This was a critical and strategic project between Turkey and Russia… I led our site quality team, supported by our Project Quality Manager and Head of Quality, and we managed all the site-related quality issues. We were selected as one of three ongoing Petrofac projects to implement our new QinC (Quality in Construction) System – we succeeded and were the first to complete a project using the system. Having a role in this kind of project, and particularly when Petrofac completed the project in a very short time in a country we had never worked in before, has made me feel really proud. This project was monitored very closely by our client Gazprom, and their senior management team visited the site every month. We never failed to achieve on our promises at each step of the project and for that we were always appreciated and respected by our client.


Transporting all the heavy load equipment onto site… especially the water bath heaters, was one of the most difficult challenges we faced. We struggled to pass through a lot of villages on the narrow roads in the region and there was only one small concrete bridge into site, so we had to find another solution. So, we installed a flyover steel bridge on top of the existing concrete bridge and were able to safely bring all the heavy equipment and materials onto site through that. This made our life much easier, safer, and saved valuable time in the schedule.


It doesn't matter where you are born, you still have a chance to work with an international company... I cannot count how many nationalities there were onsite – Filipino, Lebanese, Germans, British, Italian, Turkish, Egyptian, Croatian, Moroccan, Russian and Indian – and therefore we could hear so many different accents. Working for an international company with so many nationalities especially in my home country of Turkey, was one of the most enjoyable things for me.


During the project, I was also assigned as Branch Manager for Petrofac Turkey... so I can say I was the first guy in Turkey for the project. I have worked at Petrofac for almost ten years now. I joined as a Senior Welding Engineer working on the Turkmenistan South Yoloten project. I then worked for the Shetland Gas project though based in Sharjah. I was also part of the JSD6000 asset operation team and Jazan Tank Farm before joining TurkStream.


Going forward the Turkey branch will remain open… and I would like to be involved in the business development for the region. I'd also like to continue being involved in other projects looking after quality management related issues.




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“We never failed to achieve on our promises at each step of the project and for that we were always appreciated and respected by our client.”

WORDS CHRISTINA McPHERSON

IMAGES CHRISTOPHE VISEUX

PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2020

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