Visiting delegation from Scotland includes online oil expertise

October 18, 2017 in U by Editor

October 18—Norwell Engineering (Norwell), a drilling firm based in Aberdeen, Scotland is exploring how its new online training programme could benefit East Africa’s oil and gas operations.

Scotland is a major world centre for the petroleum drilling and services industry rooted in decades of exploiting the North Sea oil reserves. Norwell is part of a trade delegation visiting Uganda and Tanzania this week. Uganda has an estimated two billion barrels of recoverable crude located in the western part of the country and the government wants the development phase to step up so that commercial drilling starts in 2020.

Officials said the company which is one of the world’s longest established and most respected drilling project and well management companies, will meet with members of the Ugandan and Tanzanian governments, universities and both international and National Oil Companies during a nine-day visit.

Norwell’s world-class training system, Norwell EDGE, according to officials, is currently in development and aims to provide affordable, high-quality and comprehensive training to the global, upstream oil and gas sector.

Mike Adams, Norwell Engineering’s New Ventures Manager, said in a statement, “Norwell EDGE is the first comprehensive and affordable training platform designed specifically for the upstream oil and gas sector. We have seen first-hand the need to improve training opportunities for oil and gas personnel around the world. This is especially the case in emerging markets such as Uganda and Tanzania where improving affordable access to the best industry training, without people having to leave their home country, would have a major positive impact.”

Uganda has announced plans to drill 400 wells, build a $3.55 billion 1700 kilometre heated pipeline that will run to the coast in Tanzania, a new refinery and airport.

In Tanzania, offshore drilling will commence as soon as the liquid natural gas (LNG) plants and associated infrastructure are complete. The heated pipeline will end at Tanga Port where a $2 billion upgrade is taking place.

Adams said, “I have lost count of the number of projects we have been involved with where large numbers of personnel are struggling because they either can’t afford or don’t have access to quality training. Norwell EDGE aims to revolutionise the industry – creating a level playing field for oil and gas training, which in turn will also improve the quality and safety of operational activity.”

Norwell Engineering has extensive experience of delivering programmes on behalf of National Oil Companies in emerging markets.