also inside this issue

and YouR stoRies...

unique world-class welding resourceSome of Subsea 7’s brightest sparks celebrate our new development centre

Protecting our peopleOur range of PPE

Pioneering engineering Heavy duty innovation on Aasta Hansteen

The view from the bridgeCaptain Gérard Dubreil, Seven Oceans

The stories that define who we are.

JUNE 2013

CONTENTSBusiness newsA round-up of some recent news including: awards digest, Accountability for Safety, the opening of our new Global Pipeline Welding Development Centre, and the first recipient of the Kenny Ebbrell Memorial Trophy.

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SafetyMaking it the best: Allan Thom describes Subsea 7’s comprehensive reconstruction of its PPE product range.

Seven WavesBrian Rice reports on the Seven Waves’ recent launch and her future as a high-specification flexible pipe-lay vessel destined for Brazil.

IntegrityBeing 7 is making its mark. Monica Bjørkmann in Norway and Henry Nebenu in Nigeria share their stories.

Superbid IIIPaulo Alberto posts an update from i-Tech Brazil on the world’s largest single ROV drill rig support contract.

InnovationStian Sande and Evelyn Edland look forward to a notable first in the Norwegian Sea - deploying Subsea 7-developed deepwater technologies on Aasta Hansteen.

PerformanceDave Pugh reflects on four years of outstanding safety and project performance by the Block 31 PSVM team.

Offshore renewablesBob Dunsmore and Alan MacLeay set out the career and business opportunities presented by the renewables sector through secondment to our joint venture SHL.

CollaborationDavid Knox appreciates cross-continental cooperation on Gorgon, Subsea 7’s largest Australian project to date.

This is my storyCarla Dinez and Petter Wilson reflect on what Being 7 means to them.

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DElivEriNg SuSTaiNablE pErfOrmaNCE

Leading the wayLiz James and Tamara Egbedi, two of thefirst participants in our inaugural Women in Business programme, report on their progress so far.

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24/7 is produced by Subsea 7’s Corporate Communications team. If you have any suggestions or story ideas for future issues, please

contact Jackie Doyle, Director of Communications, on jackie.doyle@subsea7.com or +44 (0)1224 526196.

A life at seaCaptain Gérard Dubreil of the Seven Oceans reflects on twenty-five years of storms, safety and sailing at sea.

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Being 7 in the communityA celebration of the importance of community– our own employee community and thelocal communities in which we operate.

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Turning words into actionsAn interview with Caroline Banks, Group HR Development Manager.

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Front cover image: The official opening of Subsea 7’s new £10 million Global Pipeline Welding Development Centre in Glasgow, UK, on 29 May 2013.

Our vision for 2017 is to be acknowledged by our clients, our people and our shareholders as a leading strategic partner in seabed-to-surface engineering, construction and services. We will achieve this vision by living our Values: safety, integrity, innovation, performance and collaboration.

These Values are not aspirational goals, they describe how we operate. You don’t have to take my word for it; the pages that follow are testament to this.

This publication is a collection of stories demonstrating who we are, what we stand for and what drives us. In this edition, we focus on highlighting a number of projects from across our international operations.

Our business is built around the execution of projects that demand the highest standards in safety, engineering, innovation and project management. Block 31, Aasta Hansteen, Gorgon and Superbid III showcase the work

that we are delivering for our clients across the globe. Our vessel fleet is also central to our service offering, illustrated in our feature on Seven Waves PLSV and our interview with Captain Gérard Dubreil.

Delivering successful projects requires the best people in the industry. Subsea 7 remains committed to supporting you in your continued career development, and to enabling you to access new and refreshing opportunities at the right time.

I am committed to delivering on this promise, and I am delighted to see that so many of your experiences reflect this. From colleagues who have been with Subsea 7 for 40 years to more recent recruits, you will find a wealth of stories from all over the world.

There are many ways for us enjoy mutual success as a business and as professionals in our own right. 24/7 is a celebration of that success. It’s Being 7.

2 • ContentS - 24/7 JuNE 2013 24/7 JuNE 2013 - Ceo’S MeSSAGe • 3

A message from Jean Cahuzac, Ceo

We began 2013 with a record backlog of work. This trend has continued into the first half of the year, with a strong order flow and continued growth visible in all markets.

Our strategy remains focused on key market segments in which we can differentiate ourselves. Our clients’ global spending is expected to grow over the next few years, in spite of the short-term uncertainties affecting the global economy. Subsea projects will continue to increase in size and complexity and will be more frequently executed in deepwater and harsher environments. This will contribute to strong industry growth for companies with the size and capability to fulfil clients’ requirements and execute projects in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner.

We have the people, technology, assets and operational track record to support these requirements. I have every confidence that we will continue to leverage those to capture new and emerging opportunities.

We received a number of significant contract awards during the first half of the year. These include – but are not limited to – the following awards:

$170 million contract offshore uK Contract award valued at approximately $170 million from Statoil for the Mariner field, located in the uK sector of the North Sea. The contract is for the engineering, procurement, installation and construction (EPIC) of 39km of rigid flowlines and flexible riser systems, together with associated subsea structures, protection systems and tie-ins.

pemex contract offshore mexicoContract award by Pemex valued at approximately $90 million. This comprises engineering, fabrication and installation of an 8km pipeline, related risers, two slug catchers and two cantilever structures for the Line 67 Project in the Bay of Campeche.

plSv contract offshore brazil Contract worth in excess of $350 million from Petrobras for the operation of the Pipe Lay Support Vessel (PLSV) Kommandor 3000 on a day-rate basis for five years.

$285 million North Sea contract Contract from Talisman Sinopec Energy uK Limited to install two 5km pipeline bundles. The contract, valued at

buSiNESS

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awarDS DigEST Contract awards update from eVP - Commercial, Steve Wisely

rECOrD baCKlOg CONTiNuES

$285 million, is for the provision of subsea construction services in support of Talisman Sinopec Energy uK’s Montrose Area Redevelopment Project.

$160 million contract offshore Norway Award of a pipelay and subsea installation contract valued at approximately $160 million from Statoil at the Oseberg Delta 2 field, located approximately 130km west of Bergen in the North Sea.

Ehra North contract Contract from Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd for the development of the Erha North field, located offshore Nigeria in water depths between 1,000m and 1,200m.

$135 million contract in North Sea Contract worth approximately $135 million by Shell u.K. Ltd as part of Shell’s Fram oil and gas development in the Central North Sea. The project encompasses the engineering, procurement, fabrication and installation of a 4.5km pipeline bundle of approximately 44” in diameter, with integrated manifolds and tie-in structures.

To view all recent contract awards, please visit our media centre at www.subsea7.com

4 • AWArdS diGeSt - 24/7 JuNE 2013 24/7 JuNE 2013 - ACCoUntABLitY • 5

buSiNESS

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Subsea 7 has recently rolled out Accountability for Safety,

which applies to every single one of us. Alan Forsyth,

Global director of HSeQ, explains what this means.

aCCOuNTabiliTy fOr SafETy

Safety is at the heart of Subsea 7’s operations and we are committed to an incident-free workplace every day, everywhere.

As a company, Subsea 7 gives you the support, tools and resources that you need to work safely. The rest is up to you.

Regardless of role or seniority, we are all equally responsible and accountable for working safely, looking out for others and following safety rules and procedures.

Accountability for Safety is about managing the balance between what Subsea 7, as a company, must do and what you, as an individual, must do to maintain a safe workplace.

Accountability for SafetyAligned to standard industry initiatives, Accountability for Safety is a guide for managers and supervisors which ensures a fair and balanced application of coaching and disciplinary action in response to unsafe acts and behaviours. As we roll this out globally, it’s the ideal time to remind everyone of their responsibility to:

- Look out for themselves- Look out for others- Follow safety rules and procedures

Safety starts with youWe are all responsible for:

- Stopping any task that is unsafe- Remaining aware of our work

environment- Watching out for changes- Following safety rules, signs and

information- Reporting all safety issues- Positively accepting interventions

Active caringIt’s not enough just to look out for yourself. This is really important, but so too is looking out for others.

We are all accountable for:- Intervening when we observe an

unsafe act- Explaining and demonstrating

correct behaviours- Keeping an eye out on everyone

around us.

Stick to the rulesI think it’s fair to say that most injuries could be avoided simply by people complying with mandatory safety rules and procedures – this is, after all, a condition of your employment.

Safety instructions, rules and procedures are there for a reason – to ensure your safety and wellbeing. They only work however if each and every one of us complies. Your compliance is the foundation of our safety culture.

Final call to actionThe intention behind Accountability for Safety is to create a safer workplace for us all where we are each held equally responsible for demonstrating best practice in safety.

If there is one simple thing that you can do to improve safety today, it’s to understand the expectations on us as Subsea 7 people and to meet these day in, day out. Reading this article is a good starting point, but I ask that you make a concerted effort to remind yourself of our house rules and safety principles. What improvements could you make to better promote and demonstrate these in your workplace?

You can view our Accountability for Safety document on the BMS (P0-GL-HSE-015). For further guidance, please speak to your line manager or visit 7ONLINE.

The man chosen as the inaugural recipient of the award, Seven Discovery saturation diver Alex Georgiou, has big shoes to fill but is ready for the challenge. Alex has been working with the company since 2008, initially as an air diver and then as a saturation diver since 2011. He is under no illusions about what the award means.

“Kenny was a larger than life character and I will step up to do him proud,”

he said. “I fully intend to leave a positive mark on the industry and our business over this next year.

I’m also looking forward to the opportunities and knowledge

I’ll gain through this extra involvement too. I am

keen to learn as much as

possible from all aspects of the business as it is my intention to further my career and be a valuable asset to the company.”

Group Operations Director Bob Bryce has championed the award and believes Alex has all the right qualities to carry Kenny’s legacy forward: “He came through the pack as someone who, whilst still relatively inexperienced, has all the right qualities and critically the correct attitude - he’s as keen as mustard”.

“This isn’t just about picking up a trophy. The challenge that comes with the honour is to make a lasting impression on the diving community within our business during the year ‘in post’. ultimately what I’d really like to see is a log of Alex’s actions and achievements, which he can present to next year’s successful candidate and challenge him to carry on the legacy.”

uNiquE glObal wElDiNg DEvElOpmENT CENTrE

buSiNESS

NEwSbuSiNESS

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6 • PiPeLine WeLdinG - 24/7 JuNE 2013 24/7 JuNE 2013 - MeMoriAL troPHY • 7

The Subsea 7 diving community decided to honour the memory of a much-missed colleague with a special award recognising up-and-coming industry talent.

The commissioning of the Kenny Ebbrell Memorial Trophy was universally acknowledged across the company as a fitting way to remember a man whose commitment to the job, infectious enthusiasm and strong leadership was legendary in the offshore world.

The original trophy is on permanent display on the Seven Discovery, with a replica created and handed over annually

to the young diver in the company who best displays the values Kenny held dear: initiative, enthusiasm, energy, commitment and teamwork – values which are very closely aligned to those adopted by Subsea 7.

Group Projects and Operations VP Andy Woolgar was instrumental in the creation of this fitting memory. Andy addressed the congregation at Kenny’s funeral, following his colleague’s tragic death in a paragliding accident at the age of just 52. He told those who had come to celebrate a life lived to the full: “Kenny loved his job and was delighted to take on the role of Offshore Manager onboard the

Seven Discovery. “Kenny’s leadership and guidance to all was immediately noticeable. Subsea 7 had great plans for Kenny and highly valued his particular capability of fostering and encouraging safe and efficient best practice in diving, starting from the very first day a new diver enters our industry and the water to the day he becomes a manager in his own right.”

Referring directly to the award, he added: “Kenny’s legacy to the diving industry will never be forgotten and his shining light and enthusiasm will forever have a home in our fleet.”

When Kenny ebbrell, Seven Discovery diving offshore Manager, passed away in november last year his loss was felt across the company.

a laSTiNg lEgaCy fOr KENNy

Subsea 7 has officially opened its new Global Pipeline Welding Development Centre (GPWDC) in Glasgow, uK, the culmination of a £10 million investment programme to integrate state-of-the-art welding development, inspection and research and development activities.

The Centre is managed by Subsea 7’s specialist in-house Pipeline Production Group (PPG), and develops automatic welding control programmes for a wide range of pipeline sizes, materials and types to ensure that key parameters are maintained to repeatable, computer-controlled standards.

The new technologies developed at the Centre deliver significant improvements in welding performance to support clients in meeting the challenges of operating in deeper water and harsher environments.

The new Centre features a unique simulated welding production line, where pipeline strings can be rotated, aligned and welded under controlled conditions. This allows for realistic pre-production trials and the effective transfer of automatic welding technologies to Subsea 7’s pipeline spoolbases worldwide.

The simulated production line and 14 individual welding bays are also used for training automatic pipeline welders and inspectors, as well as qualifying welding procedures and client demonstrations.

Alex Georgiou is the inaugural recipient of

the Kenny Ebbrell Memorial Trophy.

“Possessing integrated in-house pipeline production and welding development capabilities gives Subsea 7 a unique competitive advantage in our market,” says PPG Managing Director Paul Alexander.

“Innovative pipeline technologies like high strength steel pipes, mechanically lined pipe and Electrical Trace Heated Pipe-in-Pipe are game-changers for our clients, but they bring their own distinctive welding challenges. The work being carried out here enables Subsea 7 to effectively deploy these market-leading technologies on a global basis.”

Project delivery team member Naomi Butterworth welcomed Scotland’s First Minister (left), Alex Salmond, to the opening of GPWDC, along with Steve Wisely.

The late Kenny Ebbrell.

In all my years in the industry, I have never seen such a comprehensive review and reconstruction of this critically important area of operations.

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8 • SAFetY - 24/7 JuNE 2013

“There’s a saying in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) circles – ‘PPE is the last form of defence in safety management, so make it the best’” says Subsea 7’s Allan Thom.

Allan has spent decades working on the vendor side of the PPE market, but in 2012 was recruited by Subsea 7’s Group HSEQ Director Alan Forsyth to head up a comprehensive review and reconstruction of Subsea 7’s range of PPE products.

The aim, quite simply, is to make Subsea 7’s PPE range “the best” – in terms of compliance with both global and local standards, approved by Subsea 7 corporate, HSEQ and

supply chain functions, and universal acceptance throughout the company by end users.

“To achieve this has been a ‘first’ in the global oil and gas industry,” says Allan. “We have successfully developed our own HSEQ-approved list of PPE product selection criteria which comply with international standards, and specified an approved product range available in e-catalogue format which assures compliance irrespective of location.”

Part of the challenge was the diverse nature of the PPE market. There are five different sets of global standards, covering areas as diverse as Canada, the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Asia Pacific, Europe and Africa.

There is also the challenge of distribution. “unfortunately, not only is there no single accepted global standard in PPE – but there are also recognised product brand leaders who are unable to provide international ‘in-country’ standards of compliance,” explains Allan

Hardly surprisingly, then, that, following the merger of the two legacy organisations, Subsea 7’s use of PPE products was in need of radical rationalisation.

“An intensive computerised analysis of our PPE purchasing history during the first six months of 2012 revealed widespread but predictable fragmentation,” says Allan.

“During that period, we purchased around 360,000 PPE items from a range of nearly 1,000 products from 115 suppliers in 16 countries – some of which failed to meet recognised standards.”

Subsea 7 decided to radically overhaul its entire catalogue of PPE products, based not only on local “special need” product recommendations from territory

HSEQ managers, but also on vendor input gleaned from Allan’s many contacts in the industry.

The results of the analyses and resultant product selections were striking. In hand protection, for example, over 88,000 pairs of gloves were used in the six months – but in 222 different styles. Over 60% of these only offered minimum risk cut protection to level 1 and only 8% were cut-resistant.

Allan explains: “It was obvious that we had to make a serious move away from using ‘garden gloves’ to appropriate technical gloves. We have managed to reduce our range to 22 HSEQ-approved styles, which includes recommended products and back-ups to ensure continuity of supply.

A similar exercise was carried out for safety footwear, where over 7,800 pairs were being used in 115 styles, of which 22% were non-approved safety boots. This has now been rationalised to eight approved styles, taking into account major variances in international standards due to the climatic influence

of working in tropical, temperate or cold weather conditions.

“We analysed the products of international brand leaders very rigorously, taking into account innovation, technology and best performance to ensure that we could include a ‘best-in-class’ product in each category,” says Allan. “These brands had to meet three main sets of criteria - our own quality and performance expectations, international standards and widespread in-country availability.

“Wherever possible, we have used this unique development programme to raise standards, especially in hand protection, eyewear and footwear, and this will continue on a controlled ‘revolving door’ basis. HSEQ will be able to approve the introduction of additional or replacement products with innovative features that improve safety performance as and when they come to market.” Allan also stresses the importance of input from Subsea 7’s personnel.

New PPE samples were tested in the field on vessels like the Seven Navica,

and further input and onboard training was delivered by the company’s Specialist Training Group for special PPE requirements for working at height and in confined spaces.

“In all my years in the industry, I have never seen such a comprehensive review and reconstruction of this critically important area of operations,” says Allan. “We have completely re-built our PPE range from the ground up, and established robust processes to ensure it can absorb future product enhancements and innovations.

“I’ve dealt with most major offshore contractors in my time, and I have no hesitation in stating that Subsea 7 is the only one I know who is prepared to make such an extensive commitment to improving safety performance in this way.”

The global roll-out of our new PPE range is underway, with final delivery by quarter three 2013. For more information contact your local HSEQ advisor.

liviNg Our valuES: SafETy

HaTS Off TO allaN:

a NEw EraiN ppE

liviNg Our valuES: iNTEgriTy

alivEbEiNg 7 COmES

Senior Accountant Henry Nebenu considers his move to Subsea 7 the best he has ever made. “Since I joined the company in April 2011, I’ve found this to be the most exciting and challenging experience in my career so far.”

Henry attributes much of his success at Subsea 7 to the Values that have become embedded within our culture: “One of the things I’ve seen here is that people and our core Values - safety, integrity, innovation, performance and collaboration - are key to the success of Subsea 7.”

Our Values also support our own professional success, as Henry’s story shows: “Being here has helped me discover a part of me I’ve never really harnessed. I discovered a whole new me, and this has helped me to look into the future with great enthusiasm.”

On joining the company, Henry was first tasked with supporting our global integration team in the implementation of SAP. He recalls: “I joined a global team of very dedicated and professional people. I remember the first time I met with the integration team, in the middle of the workshop I asked myself: what are they talking about? They were going on and on about SAP and what the tool can do for us but I wasn’t following. I didn’t understand a thing!

“With the support of my colleagues, I did catch up and began making my own contribution to the project, which went live in January 2012.”

From there, Henry has continued to meet many welcome professional challenges. Today, he has a dual role that involves supporting our Finance team in Nigeria and working as an accountant with Nigerstar 7, a joint venture between Subsea 7 and Jagal Group.

Reflecting on his experience of Subsea 7 to date, Henry confirms: “I consider myself fortunate and proud to be part of a great company with limitless potential in the industry. That’s Being 7.”

Part of the Being 7 promise is a commitment to shared success: collectively as a business and professionally as individuals.

This commitment is endorsed by Sales & Marketing Director Monica Bjorkmann “By choosing a career in Subsea 7 you can move in any direction. You can go as far as you want to; it’s all about dedication and effort.”

Following her degree in Economics, Monica joined Subsea 7 as a Cost Controller. She charts her subsequent progression with the company: “I went on to become a Management Accountant and Project Controller and, after a while, I moved from Projects Business Manager to Supply Chain Manager.”

Monica and her family then made the decision to relocate to Australia where she took on the role of Deputy Project Manager. They returned to Norway after a couple of years, where Monica has recently assumed the post of Sales & Marketing Director.

Monica recognises that Subsea 7’s environment and culture are conducive to creating new and exciting opportunities for our people to continually progress and take on new challenges: “In a fast-changing business and project environment, there’s never a dull moment.”

Keen to share the benefit of her experience with her colleagues, Monica advises us to: “Be humble and have respect. Dare to be visible in the organisation and grab the opportunities you’re given. It might be challenging, yet so rewarding both on a professional as well as personal level. It is a lot of fun! That’s Being 7.”

See pages 28 and 29 for more Being 7 stories.

Recent months have seen extensive activity across the company following the launch of our global employer brand Being 7 in 2012.

Being 7 is a way of describing who we are. We communicate this through real-life personal stories and pictures, illustrating how we live our company Values: stories such as the ones told here by Henry Nebenu and Monica Bjørkmann.

Here’s what Being 7 means to them...

Henry Nebenu Monica Bjørkmann

10 • inteGritY - 24/7 JuNE 2013 24/7 JuNE 2013 - inteGritY • 11

“Our Pipeline Production Group in Glasgow is also doing exceptional work in demonstrating that the required high weld integrity is achieved, and we have already delivered the first twelve test strings to Statoil for full-scale fatigue testing of the riser pipe. The welding of the SCR fatigue zones is one of the most critical technological elements of the whole contract.”

Aasta Hansteen is a high-profile project in Norway, and will receive widespread government, media, industry and community attention during the next three years.

“This will be an additional challenge for us all, but will also reinforce Subsea 7’s reputation as a contractor capable of delivering technology-driven projects in even the harshest environments,” says Stian.

Stian has risen through the Subsea 7 engineering ranks in the last ten years, and has project-managed two previous contracts for Statoil – Marulk and Skuld.

Evelyn has had a less traditional route into Subsea 7 management. She graduated in Economics from the

24/7 JUne 2013 - innoVAtion • 13

“Deep in my heart, I’ll always be an engineer,” says Stian Sande. “That’s why I am truly excited at the technical challenges involved in Aasta Hansteen.”

Stian is Project Manager for the pioneering construction contract, awarded by Statoil early in 2013, and it’s easy to see why even a highly experienced engineer recognises the significance of this project.

The statistics speak for themselves: -

• The largest SuRF (Subsea umbilicals, Risers and Flowlines) contract awarded by Statoil to date

• The most northerly development in the Norwegian Sea, north of the Arctic Circle in water depths of 1,300m, harsh weather conditions, sub-zero temperatures, months of darkness, high winds, strong currents and extreme sea states.

The high-profile, technology-driven project centres on installation of the world’s largest SPAR gas platform, which will serve as a hub for future field developments in the area.

One of Subsea 7’s responsibilities will be the tow-out and mooring of this giant platform in 2016 – quite a challenge,

since it is 200m deep and will be floated in and positioned by five vessels before hook-up and commissioning. However the project is equally significant for its deployment of two key deepwater technologies for the first time in the Norwegian Sea: Steel Catenary Risers (SCRs), and the reel-lay of Mechanically Lined Pipe (BuBi®) flowlines, tying back three subsea production templates to the SPAR.

The infield pipeline system consists of four 12” outer diameter (OD) thermally insulated BuBi® pipe flowlines with a total length of 19km, which will be supplied, coated, fabricated and installed by Subsea 7.

Subsea 7 and BuBi® manufacturer BuTTING have successfully collaborated on the qualification of Mechanically Lined Pipe by reel-lay, which is a highly cost-effective alternative to solid alloy or metallurgically-clad pipe for the transportation of corrosive fluids.

The major challenge overcome in successfully commercialising this technology was prevention of local buckling inside the outer carbon steel pipe during reeling. The significance of this development was recognised

with a prestigious Technology Award to Subsea 7 in 2012 from the uK’s Pipeline Industries Guild.

“Facing so many technological challenges, we were able to access high-level expertise from across the Subsea 7 organisation, as well as drawing on our significant deepwater development expertise gained in Brazil, West Africa and the Gulf of Mexico,” says Tendering Manager Evelyn Edland.

“There are really too many contributors to mention, but Subsea 7’s Professor Daniel Karunakaran here in Stavanger is an acknowledged world authority on SCRs and has worked closely with us throughout the whole tender process.

iCe CoLd in AAStA

DEEpwaTEr TECHNOlOgy

12 • innoVAtion - 24/7 JUne 2013

i am truly excited at the technical challenges involved in Aasta Hansteen, says Stian Sande.

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liviNg Our valuES: iNNOvaTiON

university of Stavanger before moving to Australia for a couple of years, during which time she gained a Master of Commerce degree from The university of New South Wales (uNSW).

On her return to Norway in 2008, she joined Subsea 7 as a market analyst before moving into a role as a client account manager. She went on to be nominated for two company development programmes, Global Explorer and My Talent, and this fast-track route led to her appointment as a tendering manager in 2010. She is keenly aware of the responsibilities of this role.

“I get quite emotional at times when I think about what a tender win or loss may mean to our people, their families and commitments, and also to our future employment. This responsibility drives me on with passion and enthusiasm.”

“Aasta Hansteen was important for us – we had to deliver from day one, listen to and engage with the client, and develop a clear understanding of their needs. We did this, thanks to the effort, involvement, energy, expertise and innovation of the tendering team, and the specialist input

of many people in Aberdeen, London and Paris.

”We could not have been successful in winning this contract without active dialogue with other territories to exchange experience and knowledge from similar work scopes.”

This milestone project will also have great long-term significance for Subsea 7, and indeed the Norwegian offshore industry. To support the project, Subsea 7 is to open a new office in Tromsø, Northern Norway.

“This will have many benefits,” says Stian. “It will deliver economic benefits to the local supply chain and other sectors of the region, it will allow us to engage more closely with stakeholders, and it will position us very much as a key player as Norway’s oil and gas offshore industry continues to move north.”

Stian adds: “A position in our new office is an exceptional opportunity – so I would encourage anyone interested in exploring the possibilities to contact me informally for a chat.”

See page 35 for project fast facts.

Stian Sande and evelyn edland explain why Aasta Hansteen is a milestone project for Subsea 7 and the norwegian offshore industry.

Subsea 7 partnered with BUTTING to qualify BUBI® mechanically lined pipe for reel-lay.

blOCK 31 pSvm

brEaKiNg NEw grOuND wiTH

At the end of 2012, the offshore execution phase of one of Subsea 7’s most significant projects came to an end after 815 vessel days involving the Seven Seas and the Seven Sisters.

The four-year project was Block 31 PSVM offshore Angola for BP Angola, and its then Project Director Dave Pugh believes it’s been a milestone project in a number of ways.

“In the first place, our safety performance was exemplary – close to one million manhours offshore with zero recordable incidents,” he says. “The teams of both vessels deserve the highest praise for this achievement.”

The project also confirmed the versatility and effectiveness of the Seven Seas for large deepwater Subsea umbilicals, Risers and Flowlines (SuRF) contracts of this complexity.

“We took delivery of the Seven Seas in 2008, and many of her attributes were defined by the work scope requirements for projects like Block 31 – for example,

the sizing of her carousels and her top-tension lay and craneage capabilities. She was designed for projects like this, and, five years on, her diverse work portfolio confirms her performance capabilities – which is a great testament to the vision of our Technology & Asset Development team.”

Another area of project performance with PSVM is, however, equally worthy of note.

The PSVM project comprised the project management, engineering and installation services for four fields (Plutão, Saturno, Vênus and Marte) in the Block 31 development.

“All the stakeholders, including Subsea 7, recognised that Block 31 is a game-changing deepwater project in terms of scale and complexity, and we adopted an innovative contractual model to recognise best-in-class performance in many areas,” says Dave.

The stakeholders identified the key drivers that would bring benefits, value

and significance to the successful execution of the project, and agreed on a contract formula based on a cost-based target price with further variable profit elements awarded in relation to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

“This type of contract model has been used before in other industries where you have a large number of stakeholders working together – I’ve heard it called the ‘Terminal 5’ model after the £4 billion Heathrow project which was completed in 2008,” says Dave.

“To work effectively, it needs two key elements in place: an understanding of exactly what the KPIs are - or what they ought to be - and an ability to make them something tangible and translatable.

“So we first had to agree with BP what were the primary targets for adding value to the project, to BP and to the stakeholders. We identified KPIs in safety, engineering and schedule productivity, meeting milestones, project team retention, effective auditing and recruitment of local employees.”

Dave joined Subsea 7 in our new Sutton office in 2006. “One of my first tasks was setting up the first of our Vessel Support Teams (VSTs), at that time a new concept of small, multidisciplinary groups set up to deliver full-scope dedicated support services for each of our global enabling vessels.”

He went on to lead the project for four busy years, from engineering through to execution, which gives him an excellent overall perspective on what was truly a game-changing project.

“We worked very closely side-by-side with BP to keep things installable. We were encouraged to come up with good ideas to influence the supply chain and ensure everything kept pace. We all wanted to see a good job well done.

“One good example of our proactive approach was with the pull-ins of the nine flexible risers, which was absolutely critical to first oil. Traditionally, this would have been accomplished using a heavy lift vessel, but it became clear that it was going to be difficult to align the delivery

of the risers with the availability of a suitable vessel.

“We ended up breaking new ground and deploying a bespoke subsea winch system from the Seven Seas. The winch system was initially our proposed concept to BP, which they asked us to develop into a detailed design solution. We then supplied two full winch systems and, because of the criticality of the operation, made a third available as stand-by. Given the novelty of pulling risers into a mid-water connection using a subsea winch system, we patented the technique.

“We were all delighted when we successfully achieved the installation of all nine flexible risers using only one winch – this really was a ground-breaking operation.”

PSVM also saw large numbers of the local community recruited and trained for onshore and offshore operations. “It’s very heartening over the duration of a long project like this to witness the head-

count of Angolan employees growing significantly,” says Dave.

Onshore, Dave is a self-confessed “petrol-head – a real slave to the internal combustion engine”, and maintains an active rugby career, although now firmly in the veteran category. His “proudly Welsh” wife Sian shares Dave’s passion for rugby, and sons Lewis (8½) and Thomas (7¼ - “they’re both very age conscious!”) set their own family KPIs to their dad.

“I often think having two young sons is like being performance-assessed every waking moment,” confesses Dave. “But there’s one critical difference – the assessors don’t handle the communications side, so it’s up to me to work out from their mood swings and [mis]behaviours precisely where my failings lie, and make the appropriate adjustments!

“It’s a bit more tricky than project management, that’s for sure!”

See page 35 for project fast facts.

14 • PerForMAnCe - 24/7 JuNE 2013

liviNg Our valuES: pErfOrmaNCE

24/7 JuNE 2013 - PerForMAnCe • 15

dave Pugh, now Group VSt director, reflects on his time as Project director for Block 31 PSVM.

liviNg Our valuES: COllabOraTiON

16 • CoLLABorAtion - 24/7 JuNE 2013 24/7 JuNE 2013 - CoLLABorAtion • 17

a wOrlD Of DiffErENCE 2013 sees Subsea 7 entering the operational phase of a four-year contract for the heavy lift and tie-ins for the Gorgon and Jansz-Lo fields for Chevron Australia’s Gorgon project, one of the world’s largest natural gas projects and the largest single resource project in Australia’s history.

This is one of two Subsea 7 contracts for the project (the other is for umbilical installation and trenching), and marks a number of notable milestones – Australia’s largest subsea project to date, and the execution of Subsea 7’s heaviest and deepest subsea lifts in our history.

The Project Manager is David Knox, who previously worked in Aberdeen for ten years before moving to Perth in 2008 and applying for permanent Australian residency with his family.

David has already seen marked contrasts

in Subsea 7’s Asia Pacific region to his previous operational experience.

“There was a lot of what I would call ‘chess-playing’ in the North Sea – vessels and other assets being redeployed if projects slowed down or speeded up. Here, we are a long way from our other territories – it can take over one month to bring a vessel down here, so that represents a huge commitment for the company.”

Four main vessels are being deployed on the two Gorgon projects – two locally-based (the heavy lift vessel Sapura 3000 for installation of the large subsea manifolds, spools and tie-ins, and the Rockwater 2 for pre-commissioning support), and the global enablers the Seven Seas to install the main umbilicals and the Skandi Acergy to install spools, infield umbilicals, flying leads and conduct the final tie-ins.

The Gorgon team also collaborates on accessing the company’s global technical expertise. “One of the strengths of Subsea 7 is the global availability of knowledge networks throughout the organisation,” says David. “Perth is very remote from our organisational centre, and it’s vital that we have colleagues in other territories and in our joint venture SapuraAcergy to whom we can pick up a phone and chat about a challenge.”

The project will see the Sapura 3000 performing some of the heaviest and deepest subsea lifts in the industry, lowering twenty structures, the heaviest being almost 1,000t in water depths in excess of 1,300m.

To deploy these large structures safely and quickly, Subsea 7 has invested in a customised deepwater lowering system (DLS) with a maximum dynamic capacity of 1,300t.

“This system is another good example of cross-company collaboration,” says David. “The DLS was developed as a concept in Perth in cooperation with Offshore Resources in Aberdeen, who are also supporting its construction in Glasgow prior to final assembly in Singapore.

“We’ve also commissioned the design and build of an innovative passive heave compensator to control the lifting and landing speed of these large structures. That’s another world first of which we are very proud.”

David’s initial posting to Perth was only for a couple of years, but the family settled so well that they ended up buying a house and are now proud Australian citizens.

The Australian lifestyle is, David says, highly conducive to effective team-building. “Down here we all enjoy

getting out - running, mountain-biking, kayaking and swimming. They are a great way to get to know like-minded colleagues better.”

As with all Australian offshore projects, Gorgon also brings major environmental responsibilities. “Australians are determined to preserve their unique surroundings for future generations, so there are very stringent rules for vessels coming into Australian waters to ensure, for example, that there are no non-indigenous marine species being inadvertently imported on the hull,” says David.

“And when we move into the operational phase, we have to regulate our vessel lighting for night-time operations to ensure we don’t inadvertently attract marine creatures like turtles into our vessel thrusters.”

David is also aware of the additional responsibilities of heading up a project team on such a major project as Gorgon.

“Working on Gorgon has given Subsea 7 an opportunity to demonstrate its capability in the Asia Pacific region.”

Away from the project, David and the family enjoy nothing more than exploring the remote sights of Western Australia in their camper trailer (there is, he notes, lots of “beautiful open space” to explore).

To date, in fact, there is only one aspect of antipodean cultural life whose appeal remains elusive – Australian rules football. “A truly baffling game,” says David. “It can only be described as cross-country basketball!”

See page 35 for project fast facts.

David Knox, Project Manager.

this project marks a number of notable milestones – including the execution of the heaviest and deepest subsea lifts in our history.

“

”

Currently working in Brazil on the Guará-Lula NE project, his first year with the vessel has already reflected the diversity of skippering one of the most versatile and highest-performing vessels in the industry.

“I started on Statoil’s Skuld project in Norway, which is just outside the Arctic Circle, and then we spent the winter on Total’s Laggan-Tormore project West of Shetland – both very challenging projects. Brazil is a pleasant contrast, especially in a weather sense, although

Gérard dubreil has been a Master at sea for over

twenty-five years, captaining ferries, sailing vessels,

cargo ships and offshore construction vessels before

joining the Seven Oceans one year ago, following a

10 year-spell on the Seven Polaris.

18 • CAPtAin’S interVieW - 24/7 JuNE 2013

lifE aT SEa

iNTErviEw

still harsh from time to time with crossing swells and sudden wind gusts,” he says.

Although not from a seafaring family, Gérard and his best friend in his native Brittany, France, decided to go to sea in their late teens. More than forty years on, he is one of a very small proportion of graduates from the French Merchant Navy school to stay the course.

Gérard’s experience has taught him always to prepare for the worst, and never to relax standards on board.

“You don’t want to be caught working on safety housekeeping during a storm,” he stresses.

Like many experienced mariners, he relies on both advanced satellite predictions and traditional warnings of impending bad weather. “When you see little seabirds landing on the bridge of your vessel, you know there is very bad weather ahead,” he reveals. “In the Gulf of Mexico I saw hundreds of birds sheltering on the helideck, and they were right – it was a very bad storm!”

He is full of praise for the crew on the Seven Oceans. “Although we have many different nationalities on board, there is great teamwork. We all communicate very professionally, and everyone is totally dedicated to the vessel, which is not necessarily always the case at sea.

“As Captain, it is my responsibility to ensure everyone is attentive at all times to the safety of their colleagues and the vessel itself. This commitment is maintained in a number of ways.

“We can have up to 35 different nationalities on board, and everybody has a role to play in ensuring safe operations are sustained, so one of the great challenges is effective communications.

“The greatest satisfaction every Captain can experience is very simple – it’s when nobody has been injured in any way during a campaign.”

Looking back to his early days at sea, Gérard reveals a unique first posting as a Captain when he was thirty. “As part of my National Service, I served as a skipper for fourteen months on a three-mast schooner sailing all over the Atlantic.

“The unusual thing about this posting was the crew. The vessel was owned

by a humanitarian association and five of the thirty people on board were drug addicts undergoing rehabilitation. The theory was that being at sea, mixing with people with different motivations in a clean environment with no previous associations and no medical assistance, gave them a chance to break their old habits and change themselves for the better.

“I found this posting tremendously satisfying on a human level, but, although successful, my military service ended and I had to move on to a more conventional career at sea.”

Despite having spent a sizeable portion of his life at sea, Gérard is equally content in his native Brittany, cycling along the coast, kayaking and exploring his favourite vineyards with his wife Michelle. “Perhaps you have heard what they say about skippers – ‘lions at sea, sheep at home’?” he jokes.

Away from the family home, his other favourite place, is much further north. “I greatly enjoy sailing up the Norwegian fjords when we head to Vigra for pipe spooling – this great vessel makes an amazing sight in such spectacular surroundings.”

Despite his lengthy career at sea, Gérard has lost none of his enthusiasm for the world of offshore construction and pipelay. “I still get a buzz out of working in this dynamic, innovative industry,” he reveals. “Although we have been working offshore for about fifty years, this is still very much a new industry and I want to go on working in it for some time yet.

“I’m currently learning Portuguese because of the all the work we have coming up in Brazil, and I aim to be fairly fluent in what will be my third language in a year or two.

“It’s good to go on setting yourself fresh challenges – I’ve done this all my life and I think it’s why I still enjoy my role as Captain as much as ever.”

Gérard Dubreil with his family.

One of Gerard Dubreil’s favourite places: sailing the Seven Oceans through Norwegian fjords on her way to our spoolbase in Vigra spoolbase.

Subsea 7’s new-build vessel, the Seven Waves, was named on 3 May at the iHC Merwede shipyard in the netherlands. Brian rice, Project Manager, reports on the build.

SeVen WAVeS BUiLt For BrAziL

in many ways, i see my project management role as a bit similar to the conductor of an orchestra.

“

”

20 • neW-BUiLd VeSSeL - 24/7 JuNE 2013 24/7 JULY 2013 - neW-BUiLd VeSSeL • 21 24/7 JuNE 2013 - neW-BUiLd VeSSeL • 21

From left to right: Captain John Rudd, vessel godmother Lucia Andrade and Captain Jan Plug.

The vessel has many similarities to the Seven Seas, but is unusual for Subsea 7 in having been optimised for a single client, Petrobras, to whom she goes on long-term charter in Brazil in mid-2014.

She is the second new-build Subsea 7 vessel to have been project-managed by Brian Rice, now in his seventh year with the company.

“I previously ran the conversion of the long-term charter vessel Normand Seven and the construction of the new-build Seven Pacific, both highly versatile construction/flex-lay vessels,” says Brian.

“When you are working on such sophisticated vessels as these, the vessel construction project teams have to take literally thousands of decisions during the process.”

Subsea 7 has an excellent track record on vessel delivery, built on assembling compact project teams within an efficient communications loop that enables them to manage multiple interfaces and make quick decisions when necessary which, as Brian notes, “allows the contractors to get on with their work”.

“In many ways, I see my project management role as a bit similar to the conductor of an orchestra. I ensure that all the specialist players in the team are in harmony and on track, without

burdening them too much about what the others are doing,” he says.

But how does one of the world’s top-performing pipe-lay and construction vessels progress from drawing board to operations in only three years?

The outline specification for the Seven Waves was prepared by Subsea 7’s experienced Technology & Asset Development team and, once the contract had been awarded and signed, the project was handed over to Offshore Resources for implementation.

The Seven Waves incorporates one of the highest-performing flexible pipelay capabilities in the world, with a 550t Tiltable Lay System capable of handling products up to 630mm outer diameter. Despite its size, this tower is also designed to tilt to 50o from the vertical to allow the vessel to clear overhead cables at the port of Vitoria in Brazil.

Other design elements have been tailored for Brazilian ultra-deepwater operations, including two under-deck carousels of an open-top “basket” design, high-pressure flushing systems and underwater demountable thrusters which can be removed and replaced while the vessel is afloat.

The Seven Waves has also been designed to the latest rules (Special Purpose Ship), which allow her to operate in specialised offshore territories.

The sophistication of modern pipelay and offshore construction vessels is also emphasised by one of the Seven Waves’ most impressive statistics. Over 315km of electrical cable will have been installed, ranging from heavy-duty power cables to small signal cables. Since the vessel is 146m long, that means she carries over 2km of cabling for every metre of her length.

Brian’s personal route into vessel conversion project management has hardly been conventional. Initially, he joined the Army (“that was very worthwhile – but it also showed me what I really didn’t want to do”), following which he resumed an early interest in sailing by crossing the Atlantic in four months in a traditional square-rigger.

Reading a book on naval architecture, however, launched him on his career by inspiring him to study at Newcastle, one of several uK universities held in high regard for this specialist subject.

He started his career in shipbuilding and then ship repair – “much more difficult than vessel new-builds – every conversion project is full of hidden horrors! But it was a great education, and stood me in good stead for moving into the offshore industry, which I did a few years later.”

The $400 million contract involves the provision and mobilisation of 30 ROVs in only two years, almost doubling the size of i-Tech’s workforce, expanding its operations base in Rio das Ostras, and becoming the market-leading ROV service provider in Brazil.

ROV Offshore Manager Paulo Alberto has worked the world with ROVs from the North Sea to the Gulf of Mexico, and even he was impressed at the scale of the project.

“Sometimes we were carrying out three mobilisations simultaneously, which is a major challenge,” he says. “Every rig installation is different, so we have to

the final mobilisations have been completed in Brazil on Superbid iii as i-tech, Subsea 7’s roV and remote intervention division, completes phase one of the world’s largest single roV drill rig support contract for Petrobras.

SupErbiD iii make pre-mobilisation site visits and then design the engineering fabrication to house the ROV, the control room, the workshop and all the other ROV components.”

“Then we had the recruitment and training challenge to meet, with 189 new pilots to be trained. To accomplish this, we introduced a new training programme with 13 theory modules, 20 practical training modules and each trainee receiving three days’ hands-on experience on two new dedicated onshore training simulators which we installed and commissioned especially for the Superbid III contract.

on SCHedULe

22 • ProJeCt UPdAte - 24/7 JuNE 2013 24/7 JuNE 2013 - ProJeCt UPdAte • 23

“This intensive new programme now forms the basis of a comprehensive new i-Tech induction scheme for Brazilian ROV pilots.”

i-Tech won the contract against stiff competition, having collaborated with long-term ROV supplier SMD, located

in Newcastle, uK, on the design of a customised QX ultra work-class vehicle for the contract.

“We concentrated on a design which specifically met Petrobras’ specifications, but was significantly less complex than alternative models,” says Paulo. “As a result, we developed a robust vehicle of proven reliability, which was easy to maintain and operate and was compatible with the existing fleet.”

“Due to the size of the contract we took the opportunity to work closely with SMD to introduce some important changes to improve efficiency. This includes producing improved user manuals and an electronic planned maintenance and equipment tracking system.”

The Superbid III contract has represented a step-change for i-Tech’s operations in the Brazilian market, and has influenced the development of advanced new control systems for future vehicles.

“Before this contract, my previous career highlight had been working on the BC-10 project for Shell Brazil, which was also a ground-breaking contract,” says Paulo. “In that particular case, the challenge was not the volume of ROVs, it was the water depths in which we were operating.

“We successfully executed tasks never previously attempted in the subsea market – like breaking the world record for hammer operations in deep water of around 2,000m.”

“But now i-Tech has gained huge respect in the industry by successfully delivering this very large contract, and we can build on that reputation for winning further projects.

“And, despite our recent growth, we haven’t lost our company values. We are still essentially one big family – and that’s an exceptional quality that enables us to succeed in challenges like Superbid III.”

See page 35 for project fast facts.

Paulo Alberto, ROV Offshore Manager.

Members of the Superbid III team, Brazil.

ROV operator Venner Soares Ribeiro gets to grips with the control system for the QX Ultra.

despite our recent growth, we haven’t lost our company values. We are still essentially one big family – and that’s an exceptional quality that enables us to succeed in challenges like Superbid iii.

“

”

THE wiND Of CHaNgE exciting developments in Subsea7’s recent growth

include the establishment of a renewables division,

and this year’s consolidation of the renewables

business into Seaway Heavy Lifting. Bob dunsmore,

SVP renewable energy, SHL, shares an update on the

recent developments.

24 • oFFSHore reneWABLeS - 24/7 JuNE 2013 24/7 JuNE 2013 - oFFSHore reneWABLeS • 25

In early 2013, we further advanced our capabilities in this market by consolidating Subsea 7’s renewables teams in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Suresnes, Paris, into Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL), our 50%-owned joint venture company.

“SHL already has a strong market position in the transportation and installation of foundations and platforms for offshore wind farms, and the addition of the Subsea 7 capabilities makes the JV a very strong player in this market,” says Bob Dunsmore, SVP Renewable Energy, SHL.

“This move has been welcomed by clients in the offshore wind sector as they can see how the combined strengths of

oFFSHore reneWABLeS

SHL and Subsea 7 will deliver their future projects.”

During 2013, SHL will work on a number of offshore wind farm projects including the installation of 80 monopile foundations for the RWE Gwynt y mor project off the coast of Wales and the installation of tripod structures for Trianel on the Borkum West project in Germany. This has also been a successful period for new contract awards to SHL, including one for the installation of a 14,000 tonne HVDC transformer topsides for Siemens on the Sylwin project using a floatover installation method.

“Since the announcement of the consolidation of the businesses in January this year, there has been a great

deal of activity to define the organisation of the new SHL,” says Bob.

“The last four months have been a busy period as we define how we will operate in the future. I am pleased to say that the cooperation from the teams in the various locations has been excellent and there is a great deal of excitement on where we can take the company in the future.

“One of our main focus areas in 2013 is to tender for large integrated offshore wind projects that have previously been outside the capability of SHL. We are setting up the core team to do this in the Subsea 7 Aberdeen office, and also have a team in the Subsea 7 Suresnes office to pursue some specific opportunities for the French market.

“This is an example of how the Subsea 7 expertise in large projects is brought into SHL to complement our existing capabilities.”

SHL operates two crane vessels, including the new-build 5,000t lift DP3 heavy lift vessel the Oleg Strashnov (2011), and has become a key market player in transportation and installation services for the offshore wind markets in the uK and Germany.

Adding Subsea 7’s capabilities in project management, procurement, cable-lay and turbine installation offers outstanding potential for company growth in the European offshore wind market, which is already worth an estimated $1.5 billion

per year and is predicted to exceed the North Sea Subsea umbilicals, Risers and Flowlines (SuRF) sector in value by 2017/18.

We anticipate that our operations will grow in all of our locations including the uK, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

The growth in this market will create career development opportunities in our renewables teams for our people, for both project and ad-hoc secondment to SHL.

The European offshore wind market is predicted to exceed the North Sea SuRF sector in value by 2017/18. This growth will create career development opportunities in our renewables teams for our people.

“

”

26 • CAreer deVeLoPMent - 24/7 JuNE 2013

a CarEEr iN rENEwablES

“I graduated in civil engineering from the university of Aberdeen in 1989, and within ten years I was heading a small team in Aberdeen working for a multinational engineering firm working on emerging wind, wave and tidal energy projects.

I joined Subsea 7 in 2003 to work as project manager on the front-end engineering design (FEED) of the Beatrice demonstrator project, but I also moved on to other interesting projects, before becoming uK Engineering Director in 2008. In 2011, after the

Alan MacLeay, engineering director, renewable energy, SHL

formation of a renewables group in Subsea 7, I was back managing the engineering on the latest phase of the Beatrice development.

One of the most memorable projects was risk-assessing diving operations on Beauforts Dyke, a 300m deep stretch of water between Scotland and Northern Ireland where Britain dumped most of its unwanted munitions after the Second World War. As you can imagine, on this project we discovered new challenges every day.

The offshore renewables market falls into two distinct categories – offshore wind and marine energy. I think marine energy is the more technically interesting and challenging area. Offshore wind, by contrast, is here and happening, and calls for specialist expertise which we possess in abundance.

I have now moved away from FEED responsibilities in the SSE Offshore Wind Alliance and focus more on strategy development, resourcing and other projects.

The design and construction skills between subsea and offshore renewables are readily transferable, but the project focus tends to differ. Renewables projects are generally very large, with a typical duration from site award to production of ten years, so your project teams need patience and staying power. There is also, by definition, a

lot of repetition in offshore renewables installation, so strong early project planning is more important than ever to avoid inefficiencies being repeated.

One of the major satisfactions of working in renewables is knowing that you are working with some great people and trying to solve huge energy challenges. There are still 1.3 billion people in the world today, for example, without access to electricity.

One of the main motivations for engineers is project recognition, and I am fortunate enough to have played a role in two particularly satisfying projects before joining Subsea 7.

I was project engineering manager on the Nigg dry dock refurbishment in Scotland, an early alliance contract that set some

civil engineering world records. That project won the 1998 Saltire Award for advancing the art of civil engineering in Scotland.

I was also project manager for the survey and definition phase of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) on Orkney. EMEC is now a key resource in the global renewable energy sector, as the world’s only accredited, grid-connected wave and tidal test centre for marine energy devices, and in 2012 won the first-ever Institution of Civil Engineers President’s Award for Energy Infrastructure.

Reviewing my own life in engineering, I would offer the following advice to people who aim to advance their careers with Subsea 7:

• Find interesting projects to work on

• Don’t accept mediocrity, and always find a better solution

• Keep challenging yourself and never stop learning

• understand the commercial implications of what you are doing

• Work for different managers to pick up diverse approaches to dealing with problems

24/7 JuNE 2013 - CAreer deVeLoPMent • 27

The Oleg Strashnov installing wind

turbine foundations on the Sherringham

Shoal project.

24/7 JuNE 2013 - SUB StorieS • 29

AFter 40 YeArS, no tWo dAYS Are tHe SAMeThis is my story

This year I celebrate my 40th year with Subsea 7. After all these years, I can honestly say that I still enjoy my job. I start each day knowing that it’s going to be a good day. Why? Because no two days are the same. I work with interesting people, on interesting projects and in a busy, hectic environment in which I thrive.

I am a Senior Procurement Specialist dedicated to working on projects. For me, working on projects is exciting and stimulating. We could be working on welding spools, for example, diving operations, by-passes or even hot tapping on a pipeline. We may be mobilising vessels with diving spreads or flexible pipe fabricated at our yard at Vigra.

While all projects undergo rigorous advance planning, the nature of offshore operations means that there are always ad hoc problems to solve. You never really know what the next day could bring. The potential for new problems that need solving is always there.

Over the years, my role has continually changed and developed and that’s kept things fresh and new – not the mention the many changes that have occurred as the company has expanded and grown.

I recently mentored a colleague who joined us at the age of 27 – the same age that I was when I first joined Subsea 7. My advice to him was that he too could find an interesting, stimulating and satisfying career here that could span 40 years if he wanted it to. It’s all about enjoying the work that you do, building a good rapport with the people who you work with and, for me, finding an environment that never becomes static or boring.

I’m here because, 40 years on, I am happy in my job.

That’s being 7.

Petter Wilson, Procurement Coordinator, Norway

In an age of bewildering consumer choice, we often place the greatest trust in personal recommendations from friends when it comes to a major purchasing decision - whether it’s for a car, a holiday destination or the latest smartphone.

The power of recommendation also extends into other competitive marketplaces, like recruitment. Carla Diniz de Aguiar, who has just celebrated her first anniversary as a Senior Supply Chain Management (SCM) Specialist working in Aberdeen, is a classic example.

Carla had worked for six years in SCM in the subsea industry in the Netherlands and Houston before moving to Aberdeen to join her husband, where she struck up a friendship with Marjorie de Backer, a Project Services Manager with Subsea 7.

“Marjorie and I soon discovered we shared a common perspective on how companies should be run, and she was always very enthusiastic about life at Subsea 7, in particular how the work/life balance was managed,” says Carla. “Marjorie comes from the South of France and I’m from Brazil. We share a love of travelling and working in different places. We also work out a lot together, so we really do have a lot in common.

“Then one day Marjorie told me that Subsea 7 was looking for a Senior SCM Specialist, and she offered to forward my CV – and I ended up joining the company last summer on my birthday. My new colleagues couldn’t have been more

welcoming – they even laid on a little birthday cupcake for me!”

Carla has two degrees, one in Brazil in Logistics Management and the other in the Netherlands in Maritime Studies, and has learned English, Spanish, French, Italian and Dutch to accompany her native Portuguese. “Challenges are part of my life,” she admits. “I love the dynamics of working in diverse projects, living in different countries and being exposed to fresh challenges. My personal values are being fearless, focused and hard-working!”

There is no “typical day” in SCM, she notes, with obvious approval. “I am currently working on the Knarr Development Project (BG Group), so our SCM team is co-located in Aberdeen and Stavanger,” she says. “We face challenges every day – keeping the packages on schedule and ensuring the SCM process is under control at all times.

“I probably enjoy the negotiation stage most of all – managing the budget, optimising the price and making a direct contribution to the project SCM performance. Achieving that goal is a great feeling.”

And, after experiencing life in Brazil, Houston and the Netherlands, Carla is philosophical about the Scottish climate. “I’m pretty active and outdoorsy, and enjoy diving, running and hill-walking, so I find Aberdeen very peaceful after the pace of Houston.

“Admittedly the weather so far this year has not been great – but my travels have shown me that no one place can have it all!”

28 • ProFiLe - 24/7 JUne 2013

fEarlESS aND fOCuSED

oUr PeoPLe

lEaDiNg THE way

Liz JAMeS

Tamara Egbedi joined Subsea 7 in 2011 as Legal Counsel in her native Nigeria, providing legal support to all our companies, departments and projects in Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt.

This globetrotting lawyer gained a Masters Degree in Petroleum Law and Policy at the university of Dundee, in Scotland, and started her career as a Policy Research Analyst for a senior consultant with the united Nations Development Programme in New York.

On her return to Nigeria in 2009 and, before joining Subsea 7, she worked firstly with Chevron in its Security Department before moving on to one of Nigeria’s leading law firms.

Joining the Women in Business programme has greatly enhanced Tamara’s career development plan. “It has challenged my ways of thinking, given me tools to manage my career and introduced me to inspirational women in senior positions from whose great experience I can learn,” she says.

“This programme will also be highly influential within Nigerian business culture, where a major challenge facing women in business is being seen to successfully manage a work/life balance without failing in either.”

Tamara can also see a number of benefits to Subsea 7 from running this programme.

“We are being proactive as a company, living our value of integrity and enabling suitably qualified women to achieve key positions, in which they can also act as effective role models for other women within and outside Subsea 7. This will aid recruitment, retention and development.

“The course participants are being improved as leaders, which will cascade down to people around us, and we are also being introduced into other disciplines outside our core areas of expertise.

“As women we undeniably bring different insights, ideas and perspectives from those of men. This will give our company a better balance, and make it more sensitive and progressive.

“I really appreciate the opportunity that the AFGOM management team and Subsea 7 as a company have given to me to participate in this programme.”

30 • LeAderSHiP deVeLoPMent - 24/7 JUne 2013

Liz James, Seven Seas VST Manager based in Sutton (uK), has already demonstrated her capacity for breaking new ground in career development. In her late teens, she moved to Scotland as a keen recreational scuba diver intent on converting her hobby into a professional career in the oil and gas industry.

Having trained as a commercial diver, it still took her a couple of years to break into the male-dominated market, only to find herself in a minority of one as the first female diver in the North Sea.

After eight tough years offshore, anticipating growing demand for diverless subsea operations, she returned to university to study mechanical engineering and subsequently worked in both the uK and Australian oil and gas sectors before becoming the Vessel Support Team (VST) Manager for the Seven Seas, based in Subsea 7’s Sutton office.

VSTs are multidisciplinary teams responsible for managing the operations of the global enabling vessels in the Subsea 7 fleet from project to project,

so Liz thrives on fresh daily challenges – “the only constant in my job is the variety it brings,” she says.

Operating right at the sharp end of Subsea 7’s operations, Liz is well qualified to assess the merits of addressing the gender imbalance in positions of leadership.

“I am by no means a feminist, and when I was invited to join the programme I initially thought it might be slightly discriminatory,” she says. “But the early training by the coaching specialists was extremely enlightening, insightful and

confidence-building, and I am now a complete convert.

“This programme is a huge opportunity for me to grow my leadership skills, build my confidence and pass on the benefits to all of the team around me, regardless of their gender. In particular, I will make a more conscious effort to empower my female colleagues.

“using this programme to expand our diversity of expertise and introduce more female-orientated approaches, opinions and work ethics will undoubtedly benefit Subsea 7 too.”

tAMArA eGBedi

24/7 JUne 2013 - LeAderSHiP deVeLoPMent • 31

On International Women’s Day in March, AFGOM announced the

launch of Women in Business, a new programme designed to develop

emerging female leaders in the Territory.

The initiative complements other Subsea 7 personal development

programmes, and is designed to support participants during an

intensive one-year course to ensure they reach their full potential

within the company.

“Our existing recruitment and development programmes have been

as meritocratic as possible, but there remains a gender imbalance in

senior roles within Subsea 7,” says AFGOM HR Director Eric Pietrac.

“It is vital that we accelerate the development of our next generation of

women leaders in the company.”

The first programme includes around a dozen participants who

receive training and individual coaching from specialised leadership

consultants, network through a strategic project and draw on personal

support from the senior AFGOM management team.

Two of the participants – Liz James and Tamara Egbedi – update

us on their progress.

Women in Business delegates: Sharon Tierney and Jackie Geddes

Women in Business delegates: Liz James, Jasmina Demel and Anne-Laure Guizien

Women in Business delegates: Laura Middleton and Tamara Egbedi

Women in Business delegate: Arame Gueye

As an organisation that puts people at the heart of our business, we recognise the importance of sustaining communities, both within our organisation and in the local areas in which we operate. As part of our social responsibility, Subsea 7 supports and encourages various activities from social events for employees, sporty teambuilding to charity fundraisers and local sponsorship programmes. Here’s a snapshot of some recent activities that have taken place at Subsea 7.

1. On 7 February 2013, Subsea 7 – in conjunction with Mobil Producing Nigeria’s Satellites field development project - handed over a newly constructed extension to St Dominic’s Primary School in Eket, Nigeria. The extension consists of a new headmaster’s office and four classrooms which will be used to educate 80 children from the local community.

2. Well done to the Subsea 7 teams who participated in this year’s Nissan Corporate Triathlon in Perth, Australia, in April. One of Australia’s premier corporate sporting events, participants completed a 4km run, a 10km bike ride and a 400m swim in Perth’s Swan River (which team member Paul Joyce confirms is home to a multitude of large jelly fish!). Five teams from Subsea 7 took part, including colleagues from HR, Engineering, Project Management, HSE and Project Services.

3. Our team in Brazil supports Swimming in the Sea, a project that seeks to promote ecological awareness, prevent accidents at sea and promote social integration and inclusion. The project now has over 600 students of all ages. Swimming in the Sea also offers unique spaces to Subsea 7 employees for classes in Rio das Ostras and Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

iN THE COmmuNiTy4. Colleagues in St John’s, Canada, went head-to-head with other oil and gas firms in a Belly Off contest, which aims to improve health and reduce risk factors associated with obesity. The competition attracts over 4,000 participants from across the industry. Our team in St John’s scooped the title with a fantastic average loss of 3.7” per participant waistline. The photograph opposite shows Subsea 7’s Karen Erl with the competition belt.

5. In November 2012, with support from Subsea 7’s team in Angola, Andy Whitehead and Efetobore Egborge from AFGOM London visited CACAJ Luanda, to donate items from the Seven Seas demobilisation. CACAJ is a charity that supports around 140 male street children and youths who have no home or family, and who have drug dependency problems or are socially excluded. The organisation has a 40% success rate in reuniting the children with their families; those who are not reunited are assisted in setting up a new life for themselves. Subsea 7 has a long-standing relationship with CACAJ.

6. Close to 100 racers from Subsea 7 are to participate in this year’s 91km North Sea Race, which will see them cycle from Egersund to Sandnes, Norway, in June. 12,500 participants will cross the starting line, making the North Sea Race the second largest cycling event in Norway. This event is well established, attracting many of our

Norwegian colleagues who participate in a local cycle to work campaign. We have it on good authority that nothing holds back the competitiveness of the event!

7. Around 300 children enjoy a range of cultural and sporting activities thanks to Subsea 7’s investment in the Island of the Future programme, which was established in 2008 to improve the socio-cultural conditions of youngsters living in the Ilha da Conceição community, Niterói, Brazil. Today, the project provides lessons in soccer, judo, guitar, flute, choir and computing.

8. The Annual Subsea 7 Ball took on a Venetian theme earlier this year when over 700 revellers were asked to don their masks for a Masquerade Ball in Aberdeen, uK. Attended by employees and their partners, this event raised over £9,000 for Charlie House – a local children’s charity which supports children with complex disabilities.

9. Crew aboard the Seven Polaris are helping children in the townships of Cape Town, South Africa. The crew chose to support schools and childcare centres by donating basic foodstuffs such as rice, sugar and flour as well as stationery material and money to equip a high school sports room. Lead Engineer for Subsea 7, Jean Luc Pecheu, is leading this charity programme following several months supporting aid in Cape Town townships as a personal initiative.

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to find out more about community initiatives in your region, contact your local Communications team or visit 7onLine.“ ”

aS a maTTEr Of faCT

THaT’S bEiNg 7

iNTErviEw

In this edition of 24/7, we have taken projects as a key theme – celebrating major milestones, demonstrating how our Values are instrumental to successful project delivery, and recognising individual and team achievements. To put the projects that we have covered into perspective, here are some key facts and figures on Aasta Hansteen, Block 31 PSVM, Gorgon and Superbid III.

Client: Statoillocation: Northern Norwegian Sea, water depth 1,300mContract duration: March 2013–2016project type: EPIC SuRFwork scope: The project centres on the installation of the world’s largest SPAR gas platform. The work scope includes: procurement, coating and installation by reel-lay of 19km of BuBi® mechanically lined infield flowlines; coating, fabrication and installation of steel catenary risers (SCRs) and flowlines; installation of control umbilicals, spools, protection structures, suction anchors tow-out and mooring of SPAR.vessels: Seven Oceans, Seven Pacific, Skandi Acergy

Stian Sande and evelyn edland share their thoughts on why this project is of major significance to Subsea 7 on page 12.

Client: BP Angolalocation: Offshore Angola, water depths 1,785 to 2,030mContract duration: July 2008–2013project type: SuRFwork scope: Block 31 is a significant deepwater project in terms of scale and complexity. The work scope includes installation of 36 umbilicals, 37 flying leads, 14 manifolds and associated structures, 54 rigid spools, 27 flexible flowlines/jumpers and 9 flexible risers. Also included is the fabrication of temporary installation aids and offshore execution and pre-commissioning.vessels: Seven Seas, Seven Sisters, Seven Pacific

dave Pugh reports on Subsea 7’s outstanding safety and operational performance on this project on page 14.

Client: Chevron Australialocation: North-west coast of Australia, water depth 1,300mContract duration: July 2011–2014project type: Heavy lift and tie-in; umbilical installation and trenching.work scope: This four-year project involves heavy lift and tie-ins for the Gorgon and Jansz-Lo fields for Chevron Australia’s Gorgon project, one of the world’s largest natural gas projects and the largest single resource project in Australia’s history. The work scope includes: engineering, spool fabrication, transportation and installation of large structures and spool pieces, as well as the installation of 195km of umbilicals.vessels: Seven Seas, Rockwater 2, Skandi Acergy and Sapura 3000

david Knox anticipates some of the notable milestones on this project on page 16 – including the execution of the heaviest and deepest subsea lifts in our history.

Client: Petrobraslocation: All rigs are operating offshore Brazil (the ROV mobilisation points were Brazil, uS and APME)Contract duration: First mobilisation June 2010 with final mobilisation May 2013 (average contract term seven years)project type: ROV serviceswork scope: Superbid III is a project executed by i-Tech, Subsea 7’s ROV and remote intervention division, involving: design and mobilisation of 30 QX ultra ROVs to client specification, and the design and delivery of customised training (including simulation) for 189 ROV pilots.

Paulo Alberto provides an update on the Superbid iii project – the world’s largest single roV drill rig contract – on page 22.

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TurNiNg wOrDS iNTO aCTiONS

At Subsea 7 we recognise that people are central to our success. Caroline Banks, Group Hr development Manager, tells us how you can take control of your future.

“We aim to create a sustainable learning environment that inspires people to perform, develop and grow, in the process providing long-term career opportunities.

“In addition to learning and development that happens on the job, through Academy 7 we offer a framework of globally consistent programmes, courses and tools for all our people onshore and offshore to support your career progression.

“During the third quarter (July – September) of each year we highly recommend you complete a mid-year review. It’s your opportunity to check-in against yearly objectives and, more importantly, it’s an opportunity to drive the discussion towards how you are progressing and where your career at Subsea 7 is going.

“We would urge you to grasp the opportunity with both hands and focus on the following areas:

• Check-in on progress this year – are you on target?

• Assess your strengths in your role – what are your key capabilities?

• Review your future aspirations – what is your career plan?

• Agree your actions – how are you going to make it happen?

“Your career development is all about you. You choose it, you plan it, and you drive it!

“Subsea 7 provides the PMR, the development schemes and the career development plan to assist your mid-year review preparation and to enable you to put your plan into action.”

For more information on training and development options available to you please visit the Learning and Development pages on 7ONLINE or contact your local HR/L&D team.

AASTA HANSTEEN

BLOCK 31 PSVM

GORGON

SuPERBID III

www.subsea7.com24/7 June 2013. © Subsea 7