Norwegian Energy Partners leads to activity

Norwep Norwegian Energy Partners Drilling NCSOld fashioned Drilling. Photo: NTB Scanpix / Dario Lopez-Mills

Used immediate measures – several companies are experiencing increased activity

In 2016, Norwegian Energy Partners started a project to assist supplier companies in South Western Norway. Several companies report of contracts and pre-qualifications.

 

Norwegian Energy Partners (Norwep) and several of the companies that participated in the project were gathered at K. Lund Offshore at Sola (outside Stavanger) on Tuesday to finish the project. Attending was also State Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Ingvil Smines Tybring-Gjedde. She has followed the project with great interest. Norwep has mapped global procurement processes and looked at the process of how companies are pre-qualified by the oil companies.

The project “Strategic Steps for Enhanced Internationalization – Southwest” was launched last year to help suppliers in South Western Norway to obtain a foothold in international markets after the downturn in 2015. A total of 34 companies have participated. Among them is FluidCom, which reports many positive effects from participating.

– We received several tips from Norwep’s advisors. A key issue for us was to map the countries willing to be open to Norwegian technology, and still has a willingness to invest. The Middle East emerged as a special point of interest, says Director of Business Development at TechInvent, Preben Jørgensen. TechInvent is the company that owns FluidCom.

Last year, he had several meetings with companies from the Middle East. This has resulted in the company being in the preparation phase for testing their product at an existing plant in Oman.

– In some cases, we must prove that our technology works. Now we have received feedback from several oil companies that our technology is interesting. We have also entered into contracts, and the fact that we are all operating on several installations makes it easier for us. Norwep has contributed useful tips on where it is advisable to travel, but also where there is no point to go to, says Jørgensen.

 Interest in Norwegian technology

State Secretary Ingvil Smines Tybring-Gjedde travels a lot in her job. She is still receiving feedback of increased interest in Norwegian technology.

– From our side, we see that there are several projects both here and abroad that are taking place because of cuts in cost. The investment level in 2017 is as high as it was in 2013. Today, we experience higher activity per dollar compared to four years ago.

She thinks the flat structure of Norwegian work places is an asset.

– If there is something we disagree to, or think we have a better solution, then we dare to state this to politicians, bosses and colleagues. This is one of the reasons why our expertise is so high. I experience that Norwegian supplier industry is preferred in many parts of the world due to this, says Tybring-Gjedde.

A Success

Oddmar Johannesen was hired as Project Director for the immediate measures project. As of January next year he will be a permanent employee of Norwep as Regional Director of Energy Systems in the UK and India.

– I would certainly say that this project has been a success. Several of the companies have signed contracts, while others are ready to submit tenders. A lot of values have been created by the process. For some, the yield has been greater than for others, depending on how active they themselves have been. We can not sell for them, but we can facilitate, says Johannesen.

The project is partly financed by the aid scheme for adaptations within the petroleum industry in south western Norway.

Facts about Norwegian Energy Partners (Norwep)

  • In 2016, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy asked INTSOK and Intpow to look at the possibility of merging the two organizations. The result is Norwegian Energy Partners
  • Works on profiling the expertise of the Norwegian supplier industry in oil and gas, and renewable energy (wind, water, solar) abroad
  • Network-based organization that facilitates the dialogue between energy companies, technology providers, service companies and government agencies
  • Offices in Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen
  • Provides local expertise to partners in more than 20 priority markets.
  • Close cooperation with Norwegian embassies in the respective markets

 

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