Energy News March 2007

Local Hiring Boosts ABS Presence in Angola

John Gallagher
Director of Offshore Technology and Business Development, ABS Europe

Emanuel Jose is a local new hire for ABS. He is a surveyor stationed at the ABS Luanda office.

The Sonangol site team was recently awarded certificates after completion of the LNG training at DSME conducted by ABS.
From left, Peter Higginbotham, Arnaldo Guerra, Oscar Mateba, Raffaele Pioichhi, and Rafael De Jesus Mendes

Contact the ABS Angola office at: ABSLuanda@eagle.org

ABS Europe Ltd
Edificio Rhainha Ginga 106
Rua Rainha Ginga No. 187
Luanda, Angola

Telephone: 244 222 336 686

ABS is working to expand its presence in Angola with a further increase in staff planned for early 2007. “ABS activity in Angola is continuing to increase as the oil and gas projects in the country come on line,” explains John Gallagher, Director of Offshore Technology and Business Development, ABS Europe.

“Our initial focus has been on hiring and training Angolan survey staff,” he adds. “Now we are looking to establish an engineering function in our office in Luanda. We are working closely with the Angolan government to identify and train suitable local candidates as part of our overall program to assist in developing a core of maritime expertise within the country.” The additional staff means that ABS is already looking for larger office space to better accommodate the increased level of activity.

In 2006 ABS supplemented its survey staff with the hiring of five Angolan surveyors and increased its administrative staff in the Luanda office. The surveyors are currently undergoing training in South Korea, Dubai and in the ABS London Engineering department. “The surveyors, all graduate engineers, are at an advanced stage of technical training within ABS. And we are now looking for additional technical people and clerical staff with the exact number dependent upon the timing of the expected new projects,” says Gallagher.

ABS is also working with Sonangol to further develop an ABS Seminar and Training Program. Current training courses are available in English and Portuguese and include: ABS Client Orientation Program; Classification of FPSOs; Classification of Offshore Support Vessels; Risk-Based Inspection for Offshore Units; and Welding Inspection and Non-Destructive Testing.

While ABS has immediate goals for 2007, Gallagher is looking further into the future. “With increasing work in Soyo, located in the north of Angola, ABS could justify setting up a second office or station close to the LNG terminal,” he says. “The main Angola office in Luanda could also service other countries and become a southwest Africa hub for Gabon, Cabinda, Congo and Namibia. This is all part of ABS’ program to increase our presence in the West African region.”