September 13, 2012

Muscat: The majority state-owned Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has awarded a $240 million worth contract to Shaleem Petroleum Company to provide hoist services in Southern Oman oil fields.

Shaleem Petroleum -" a local community contractor (LCC) that has 400 local community shareholders -" won the 10-year contract, with a further two years of extension option, amid competition from local and international companies. 

Shaleem Petroleum will provide oil well maintenance and workover services in block 4 located in PDO's Southern Oman oil fields.Raoul Restucci, PDO managing director, and Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Salim Al Naqsh Al Mahri, chairman of Shaleem Petroleum, signed the agreement here yesterday.

Hiring over 50 staff
Shaleem will be recruiting a minimum of 50 more suitably qualified Omani employees to join its field based hoist crew. Shaleem, which has employee strength of 260 people, has achieved an Omanisation level of 76 per cent. These Omani employees are working at every level of the business in head office and in the field, in jobs ranging from trainee roustabout to field superintendent. In the last seven years, Shaleem has completed the maintenance and servicing of more than 2,300 oil wells.

This contract, which is part of PDO's recent initiative to award a series of contracts to Omani businesses, shows the oil company's care for local communities and is a major boost for local community contractors. 

PDO early this week said that its In-Country Value (ICV) investment programme has seen the company sign seven major deals worth more than $350 million with domestic contractors across the Sultanate in the past three months alone. In fact, the value of investing in the local communities is also apparent because local community companies are now competing successfully on merit with international firms. 

Moreover, the local community companies are delivering these services at lower prices. This has a positive benefit for PDO and for the Sultanate. "Over the years, PDO has continuously provided strong support and assistance to the local community companies, not only by providing work contracts, but also by providing technical consultations and financial advice,- said a statement released by Shaleem Petroleum.

"This contract is a boost towards the future, which we enter with full of trust, hope, optimism and confidence because this new contract will also provide our people with job security and opportunities for long term career development.- For everyone, this contract provides hope for a better tomorrow,- added the statement. 

© Times of Oman 2012