Lennox Petroleum Services Limited
Drilling usually comes to mind when people hear the term “oilfield services.” However, at Lennox Petroleum Services Limited (LPSL), various other services are offered, and the company acts in the roles of general agents and logistics managers for several national and international companies.
These additional services include immigration services, meet-and-greet services, hotel accommodations, helicopter and crew boat transport when needed, clearance of equipment and supplies in and out of the island, and to a large extent, they extend to catering, Director of Operations Phillip Moore says.
LPSL is 100 percent privately owned. Established since 1976 by Lennox and Pamela Persad and based in San Fernando, Trinidad, the firm provides general oilfield contracting services both on land and offshore.
Today, its fleet consists of several specialized pieces of dual rotary drilling rigs and ancillary equipment. In addition, the company says, Lennox Offshore Services Limited, an industrial and commercial property provider, and Travel Connection Limited, which provides travel arrangements, were formed to meet the needs of the local industry.
LPSL’s workforce currently comprises approximately 350 personnel, including tour pushers, drillers, assistant drillers, derrick men, floor hands, safety officers, radio medics and certified API Crane Operators, among other job classifications.
“Since establishment, we have handled numerous large projects and have worked closely with the client on a day-to-day basis to ensure that their needs are fulfilled,” the company declares. “Most of our projects involve large cost factors and demand close coordination and on-time execution. We have continuously met and exceeded those requirements, which have directly contributed to both cost and time savings for our clients, an achievement of which we are proud.”
Manager of Finance and Administration Sieunarine Rambhajan, who has been with the company for 22 years, insists that LPSL has stayed successful by paying personal attention to its customers as well as its employees. “We focus on treating them like family,” he says, adding that the company has an open-door policy and often helps employees with personal issues.
Additionally, because Lennox Petroleum is privately owned, “The shareholders give you the opportunity to work and explore the whole organization without restrictions,” Rambhajan states. He adds that he has personally experienced the benefits of this philosophy.
In 1995, Rambhajan got the opportunity to branch out when he was appointed to manage the company’s marketing efforts. Though a qualified chartered accountant with 36 years’ experience, he is grateful and happy with the opportunity provided to also manage the marketing and administrative divisions, a position which he has proudly and successfully held for the last 17 years.
Keeping Busy
The company is well known for its ability to win water in both Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean Islands by using its technical drilling equipment. To date, it has successfully completed drilling projects in Antigua, St. Lucia and Nevis, Montserrat and, of course, Trinidad and Tobago.
LPSL also has been successful in the awarding of contracts to supply drilling and catering crews to three drilling rigs that are currently working in Trinidad for major drilling companies.
“At present, we have a total of approximately 350 personnel on our payroll,” Moore says, noting that Lennox Petroleum can provide up to 96 workers to a single project, if both drilling and catering services are needed.
LPSL is proud of the service offered to present and past companies and insists that to date this has been done without labor disputes or grievances. Both men are happy to state that LPSL has continued to work with its clients on a day-to-day basis, ensuring that their needs are met and in fact have proudly stated that LPSL has not only met, but continuously exceeded clients’ requirements. “When a contract is awarded,” Moore says, “our main priority is to ensure that priority and attention is given.”
LPSL’s motto, “When service depends on quality, depend on us,” is certainly demonstrative of this.
To add to its achievement, LPSL is proud to be the first company in the offshore labor sector to be recently awarded a two-year certification for STOW-TT. STOW-TT (Safe to Work in Trinidad and Tobago) is actually “the Safe to Work” standard which develops consistent health, safety and environmental (HSE) requirements to pre-qualify contractors in the energy sector.
In addition, LPSL maintains a membership with TRACE International, which has the world’s first accreditation program for FCPA compliance. LPSL maintains that a major part of its success is based on honesty and integrity.
Both Moore and Rambhajan see a strong future for LPSL, with possible growth into Africa, the Gulf of Mexico and Suriname. “We don’t have any particular plans right now, but those are certainly markets we are looking at,” Moore says.
LPSL will be proudly celebrating its 36th anniversary this year, which will be celebrated in a grand style covered by the local press. It is managed by the highly committed and efficient team comprised of its managing director, Wayne Lennox Persad, Director Pamela Persad, Moore, and Sieunarine Rambhajan, who states that they expect the company to stay busy.
“We can see additional exploratory work ahead,” Moore says.