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GTSC expansion means enhanced training
Posted: 04 February 2004
Mr Abdulla Nasser Al Suweidi, Deputy CEO and Director E&P of
ADNOC, recently inaugurated the expanded training facilities of
Gulf Technical & Safety Training Centre (GTSC) in Mussaffah,
Abu Dhabi.
Founded in 1993, GTSC is reputed to be a unique training centre
in the Middle East, providing combined safety and technical training
courses to the region’s oil and gas companies.
“In response to clients’ needs GTSC completed the 15-million-dirham
expansion by the end of 2003,” said Mario Nahas, General Manager
of GTSC. Nahas has been instrumental in the expansion of and in
gaining international approvals and accreditation for the Training
Centre.
Expansion
The GTSC expansion includes:
- an upgradation of the whole building to more than double its
size.
- installation of six full sized rig floor oil and gas simulators
used to train personnel in workover, drilling, production, testing,
wireline, drilling mud technology, drilling operations technology,
well cap and well control.
- the Environmental Swimming Pool (sea water pool) which can simulate
waves, wind and rain and be used to conduct night exercises and
Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET) exercises. The HUET,
a hydraulic type operation, is the first of its kind designed
so far.
- emergency response platform with purpose-built jetty for lifeboat
coxswain, completely attached to the platform to simulate emergency
evacuation, and to train personnel in the operation of a lifeboat
coxswain and how to behave inside the lifeboat coxswain as a passenger
during the emergency.
- extension of the fire ground includes the simulation of gas
fire fighting, a new design for the simulation of obstacle fire
and pressurised fire in addition to the existing facilities.
- other facilities include 15 classrooms equipped with the latest
technology, a mess room with kitchen facilities and catering services,
library, etc.
Services
GTSC provides comprehensive training services combining safety-related
training such as fire fighting, sea survival, first aid, general
safety, defensive driving and technical-related training such as
reservoir, drilling and production engineering, and completion and
workover in addition to tailor made courses.
Clientele
In 2003, GTSC trained around 21,000 personnel of which more than
15 per cent were UAE nationals, the others being from across the
region. Nahas expects this figure to increase in 2004, courtesy
of the expansion. The Centre has trained personnel from the ADNOC
Groups of Companies, DPC, ENOC Group, BP Amoco, Sharjah and all
its contractors working for the company in the UAE.
Outside the UAE, GTSC’s clients include Saudi Aramco, Sabic
and its contractors in Saudi Arabia; Qatar Petroleum, Ras Laffan,
RasGas, Occidental Petroleum, Maersk Jupiter, Mearsk Oil and its
contractors in Qatar; NIOC, NIDC, Total, Shell, Statoil and its
contractors in Iran. In addition to this, the Centre has trained
personnel in Libya, Azerbejan and Kazakhstan.
From its large onshore and offshore bases in the UAE the Centre
aims to train as many UAE nationals as possible. Its contracts with
NDC, ADMA-OPCO and ADCO are under revision. GTSC, in association
with leading international organisations, also provides the e-Learning
approach, involving the latest technology and concept of distance
learning for the oil and gas industry. The e-learning approach is
getting more popular.
“This is in addition to the capability of our Centre to provide
an on-the- job training competency base for which we have a contract
with NDC,” said Nahas, who added, “The Centre is designed
to meet the needs of the oil and non-oil industry and provides excellent
training programmes to impart the necessary standard of knowledge
required by companies. Expert, multi-lingual lecturers and qualified
instructors are employed by the Centre to teach a variety of technical
and safety subjects.
Certification & Approvals
GTSC has the approval of:
- ISO 9001:2000 Lloyd’s Register
- UAE Government
- National and international oil companies
- IADC Well Cap
- IWCF (International Well Control Forum)
- STCW approved Centre
- OPITO is under process
- OSHAS 18001 Lloyd’s Register
- IMI (The Institute of the Motor Industry)
- UAE Govt. License from Environmental Research & Wildlife
Development Agency.
- ISO 14001 under process.
The Centres Courses are recognized by:
- Fire Fighting – UAE Civil Defense
- Survival – UAE Coast Guard
- First Aid – Ministry of Health
- All oil companies
GTSC is a member of the National Fire Protection Association, USA;
International Association of Sea Survival Training (IASST) UK; Institute
of Quality Assurance, UK; Royal Society of Health, UK; National
Safety Council USA; Crane Certifi9cation Association of America/CCAA.
Download a list of training
courses in Word format
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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