Specialist Services Group is a global supplier of modular buildings and packaging solutions for the oil and gas and utility industries

Enhancing the industry

Established in 1982, it has developed an international capability in the provision of design, engineering, manufacture, installation and support across a broad range of products and services as Chris Ridley, group sales and marketing director begins: “Our core strength comes from the diverse backgrounds and experience of our staff. As a solution orientated business we are able to provide a number of cost effective, internationally compliant applications for the most challenging requirements of our clients.”

Over the last 30 years Specialist Services Group has developed into a highly resourced responsive global company with international facilities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Aberdeen and Singapore, from which it supports clients worldwide. “Our main activities are divided into five business units, Modular Buildings, EPC, Drilling, Testing and Production, Modular Hire and Service, Maintenance and Spare Parts,” continues Chris. With a client base including Petrofac, Woodside, BP, Shell, SBM and Halliburton to name just a few, Specialist Services provides a broad product range of turnkey innovative solutions, meeting unique certification requirements in all international oil and gas operating regions.

In 2012 the procurement, QHSE department, modular buildings and hire division moved to a new 350,000 square foot facility in Jebel Ali, which acts as the company’s centre of excellence for the manufacturing of onshore and offshore modular buildings as well as Middle East and Africa hire centre. “This has enabled us to focus on innovative product development and is the world’s largest specialised A60 module fabrication facility supplying products all over the world. Our clients are supported with a dedicated design process that enhances lean manufacturing, and the large fabrication volume capability we have cuts delivery times for customers all over the world,” explains Chris.

DNV GL, a major global third party inspection agency, recently awarded the Manufacturing Survey Arrangement (MSA) to Specialist Services, displaying the trust in the quality of its systems, internal process and methods that consistently produce products with a 100 per cent acceptance with minimal inspection requirements. “The MSA is important for Specialist Services as it allows the manufacturing, testing and inspection of our own DNV 2.7-1 Offshore Containers and DNV 2.7-3 Portable Offshore Units throughout the build cycle without the need to call in DNV GL for intermediate in-process inspections,” explains Chris.

“As a group we have experienced a significant growth and will achieve a 30 per cent increase in sales this financial year. EPC in particular has grown significantly in the last year with the development of our Abu Dhabi facility and some sizeable awards for our technical module buildings. Our forward pipeline is extremely strong and we look forward to a further year of expansion ahead,” says Chris.

Specialist Services has been awarded a contract from Sea Trucks Group for the provision of a 216 man accommodation extension for Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering’s Arkutun-Dagi Project operated by Exxon Neftegas Limited in Sakhalin, Russia. With the project expected to commence in Q4 2014, Specialist Services agreed to a very tight deadline, with their project completion by March 2014. With limited time available for the production and installation of the accommodation units, the contract demonstrates market confidence in Specialist Services’ capabilities, as Chris points out: “We provide an overall solution for accommodation units on a sale and/or hire basis and give clients a unique solution which assures that their mobilisation requirements can always be met.

“These modules offer Sea Trucks Group the flexibility to use them on their complete fleet of multi-purpose vessels and have been designed to the highest industry standards in order to do this. Our ability to deliver such units with the ABS/MLC compliancy is only possible due to our offshore experience and in-depth ties with the various bodies required to verify such modules design and manufacture,” explains Chris. Through a fundamental understanding of clients’ needs, Specialist Services ensures high levels of comfort and protection of life offshore and the process of Front End Engineering Design (FEED) supports innovative concepts that promote cost effective manufacturing processes.

Specialist Services has continued to expand its drilling, testing and production products and this year developed an early production facility. We are currently designing innovative modular solutions for EPF applications, which we hope to launch in the first quarter of 2104. “We have also recently produced the world’s first quad certified modular building that meets certification and legislative requirements for the US offshore, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. This is the first time a single unit has been manufactured to ATEX, IECEX, DNV 2-7.2 Zone 1, NFPA 496 US coast guard/ABS.

“Our Asia Pacific business has tripled in the last three years with significant growth in our HIRE fleet, DTP product sales as well as securing two significant offshore accommodation module projects in Australia. We are continually expanding our service and sales teams in the region to meet the significant growth in demand for our products. The key to our success has been our rapid response and lead times as well as the ability to build products that meet varied specifications and certification requirements throughout the region,” highlights Chris.

Specialist Services attended both Offshore Europe 2013 and OGA 2013. Each event provides a significant opportunity to present Specialist Services as Chris explains: “These are key events for Specialist Services that provide a tremendous platform to launch new products and keep clients informed about developments. Although it is often difficult to quantify the success of these events we can specifically attribute a number of orders with new clients to the events this year. In particular a large order for our DTP division for China signed at the OE event in Aberdeen. It is a demonstration of the diversity of visitors to the international events that we target.”

Firmly into 2014, the mission ahead for Specialist Services Group is to continue successfully engineering, manufacturing and delivering world-class products that enhance oil and gas field development and protect life and assets. Summarising the future outlook, Chris concludes: “The restructuring of the business into five units with engineering, procurement, project management and dedicated aligned facilities is a platform designed to grow each sector significantly from facilities in the Middle East, Scotland and Singapore. Our vision is, by 2015, to be the market leader and preferred supplier across our core product offerings.”

Specialist Services
Services: Modular solutions for oil and gas operational optimisation