Mollier AS
The winning team
Founded in 1998, Mollier was set up by a pair of experienced engineers with the vision of becoming a major supplier of HVAC systems to the offshore industry:
“After Mollier succeeded in winning a large frame contract with ConocoPhillips Norway, the company rapidly evolved into what it is today, a leading supplier of HVAC services and systems,” explains Sverre Torjusen, business developer of Mollier, a part of the AF Group.
“Our business strategy is centred around being the preferred supplier of HVAC offshore solutions to the oil and gas industry,” Sverre continues. “This means we are a complete supply company, providing full solutions, systems and components along with a variety of other services.”
The solutions Mollier provides include system engineering and design, studies and recommendations, turnkey installation projects and technical advice. These solutions are all linked to the various systems and components offered by the company. Air handling units, fans, refrigeration equipment, air intakes, water separators, fire dampers and ductwork make up just a handful of the products Mollier can supply to its customers. The company also carries out airflow and pressure balancing and adjustment, condition analysis, maintenance, repairs, installation, commissioning and duct cleaning services.
Mollier’s employees are spread across offices in Stavanger and Bergen, the heart of the offshore industry in Southern Norway: “From our main office we run the frame agreement we have with ConocoPhillips for corrective maintenance and modification of HVAC systems for all its platforms on the Greater Ekofisk area, lately this has also been amended to cover all HVAC upgrades on the upcoming development projects. Our office in Bergen is responsible for the frame agreement with Statoil. Here we co-ordinate the preventative and corrective maintenance carried out at all of its installations on the Norwegian Continental Shelf,” Sverre highlights before also referencing all the main M&M contractors operating in Norway together with a variety of other drilling and rig companies.
An example of the quality services Mollier provides for its customers is the work it has been contracted to carry out on behalf of Keppel FELS and Talisman Energy on the Floatel Superior, an accommodation and service semi-submersible rig. A number of companies have been tasked with the fabrication and interior design of additional modules on the rig and Mollier were asked to supply and deliver the complete HVAC systems for these. It is also responsible for providing the necessary ventilation equipment together with the tools required for airflow balancing. Towed to the Westcon yard in Ølen, Norway in October 2010, the installation process is due for completion within the first four months of 2011. Upon completion the Floatel will be in operation on the YME oilfield.
In 2010 Mollier wrote an in-depth study, together with Aibel, focused on upgrading the cabins on the Oseberg A platform, with special attention being paid to the HVAC discipline. The purpose of the study was to look at increasing the platform’s capacity by splitting the double cabins. Mollier was specifically requested by Aibel to provide HVAC equipment and be responsible for all the installation and commissioning required to convert the first two wings of the platform. With the contract set to run from June until early October, options are in place for the delivery of the remaining wings and other equipment if so requested.
Being at the heart of the oil and gas business there are a number of challenges that Mollier faces each and every day. Two of the most prominent are guaranteeing efficient and accurate delivery of products and components to clients and maintaining a safe working environment for its entire staff: “When working offshore it is essential that all the tools and equipment needed are present. If something is missing it may take days to get it delivered onboard, meaning man-hours are lost and costs inevitably increase. That is why it is important for us to thoroughly plan each task we undertake,” Sverre says, before stressing Mollier’s commitment to safety: “We perform all of our work in a safe manner and will never accept injuries to persons as a result of the working environment. This is achieved by being focused at all times and by ensuring responsible behaviour runs throughout the entire organisation.”
Like so many other companies, Mollier has felt the effects of the dramatically changing financial world, but there is certainly room for growing optimism: “A lot of the decisions for further development in the oil and gas industry have been put on hold as a result of the financial crisis. So of course we have felt the impact of this, however the future is looking brighter than ever and we are quite confident that there are many years of prosperity ahead,” enthuses Sverre: “We have a very interesting portfolio of opportunities in the pipeline and I see Mollier developing further into the field of integration with our clients and to be a supplier of HVAC solutions worldwide.”
Pointing out Mollier’s strengths as a company, Sverre reveals that being part of the AF Group provides certain benefits: “It gives us financial power to grow and expand our business and provides the added muscle needed to undertake large commitments. Of course, being a recognised name, it also helps our company in respect to getting access to projects that may otherwise have been out of our reach.”
Mollier prides itself on providing trustworthy and credible service by offering professional guidance and personal follow up while promising to match the individual needs of each of its customers. Sverre concludes, however, that Mollier’s biggest strength actually lies closer to home: “Our greatest asset is definitely our people. Together they form the strongest and most experienced HVAC team available in Norway.”
Mollier AS
Products: Manufacture and supply HVAC systems