Industry leaders take part in first EnQuest supplier forum

Industry leaders from more than 35 major energy companies across the UK took part in an oil and gas supplier forum being hosted this week (September 3) by EnQuest, the UK’s largest independent oil producer in the UK North Sea.

EnQuest’s inaugural forum, entitled A New Approach for Mutual Gain, aims to provide a platform for more effective engagement and relationship-building with the company’s suppliers and will feature Malcolm Webb, chief executive of industry body Oil and Gas UK, as guest speaker.

Ali Talpur, supply chain manager at Aberdeen-headquartered EnQuest, said: “In line with our strong commitment to the UKCS, our investment levels remain high. This investment coupled with our successful business model makes companies like EnQuest define the future of the North Sea.

“Cost rationalisation, efficiency and waste minimisation are high on the agenda for everyone operating in the North Sea and we believe that working collaboratively with our supply chain is critical to EnQuest’s success, and theirs. By establishing a new level of transparency based on integrity and mutual gain we hope that suppliers can contribute to, and share in our success, whilst keeping their North Sea businesses healthy.”

Mr Talpur opened the Aberdeen event, which included discussions led by EnQuest’s chief executive, Amjad Bseisu, and the company’s president North Sea, Neil McCulloch.

Mr Webb talked about expectations of the supply chain, sharing his views on how operator and contractor communities can work together to overcome the challenges facing the UKCS.

He said: “The supply chain that has grown both here in Scotland and throughout the UK to service the industry is the jewel in our crown. It is now a £35 billion sector in its own right and is globally recognised as a centre of engineering and manufacturing excellence: our supply chain is truly world class.

“To stay as a global leader, our industry continues to work together to promote our advantage in the oil and gas sector and increase exports, helping to create jobs and growth and I look forward to discussing the future of our industry at EnQuest’s upcoming forum.”

EnQuest’s supplier forum, which was held at The Royal Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen, is one of a programme of initiatives led by the supply chain team to ensure it maintains a focus on adding real value to the business and has a significant positive impact on bottom line results.

Playing an active role in the industry, EnQuest was recently elected as Chair of Oil & Gas UK’s Supply Chain Forum and among the team’s many recent achievements is the award of gold level of compliance in Oil & Gas UK’s Supply Chain Code of Practice.

Despite being a relatively young company, EnQuest has already established a proven  track record in maximising production from ageing assets and undeveloped oil fields.

The company’s Thistle life extension (LLX) project was formulated as a means of recovering millions of extra barrels of oil from the Thistle and Deveron fields and is now recognised as a proven template for mature field development in the North Sea. The first phase of the LLX programme started in 2010 with a successful rig reactivation project which saw EnQuest bring Thistle drilling back online to drill its first new wells in 20 years.

Heather represents EnQuest’s second major redevelopment project with R2D2 (Return to Drilling) forming part of a strategy to target some of the 360 million bbls of oil estimated to remain in the field.

Adapted from a press release by David Bizley

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/04092014/industry-leaders-take-part-in-first-enquest-supplier-forum/