relationships sound - oiltanking...manasseh, herman surya atmaja and farkhan adi suryo of oiltanking...

THE WORLD OF OILTANKING VOL. 23/1 APRIL 2011

connections

relationshipsSound

relationships

E D I TO R I A L

CONNECTIONS2 CONNECTIONS 3

C O N T E N TS

ContentsASIA

EUROPE

INDIA

NORTH AMERICA

MIDDLE EAST

LEISURE & FUN

LATIN AMERICA

04 Best friend in education

06 Flowering business

18 A power-packed achievement

20 Inspiring award

22 An exhibition to remember

08 More than simple spring cleaning

24 The Arabian adventure

27 Job-related training

28 Award-winning value innovation

30 US crude discoveries create opportunities

32 Promising Panama project

36 Aspiring APLA attendance

10 A mermaid on a mission

12 We Can, We Care … at the reception

14 Look who’s talking

23 Interview | Jathavedan Nampoothiri (Nampoo), Senior Vice President IOT

34 Coast to coast relation

38 Cultural Experiences | Bridging work and culture

40 Other relations

42 Sport | He was in!

44 Lexicon | “Pigs”

45 Sport | Bigger, longer and uncut ...

46 Number 27,814

47 Reader's Corner

48 Last but not least | Symbiotic Interlock

EXPANSION

PANAMA-CANAL

PEOPLE & PLACES

06

32

A lot of happy couples and even more babies: the latest additions to the Oiltanking family.

DON'T MISS:

Privately, people often refer to their “better half”, underlining the invaluable support, encouragement and motivation they get from their partners at home. Also in biology we learn about mutually beneficial relationships between two or more organisms of different species, which is known as symbiosis. Bearing these positive sorts of relationships in mind, the idea of establishing a professional partnership in the world of business only seems natural and often proves fruitful.

Here at Oiltanking, not only do we embrace this principle, we live by it and can take pride in successful partnerships with numerous joint venture partners and customers all over the globe. However, we can also count on sound relationships both internally and externally thanks to the steadfast dedication of our employees. And of course, they also have their private partnerships, which give them confidence and support.

Consequently, it only seemed fitting to dedicate an issue of connections to relationships. I hope there are plenty of themes in this issue that you can relate to and enjoy reading,

Rutger van Thiel | Managing Director

Reciprocal relationships

IMPRINT connections Vol. 23/1/2011 Published by Oiltanking GmbH, Corporate Center, Admiralitaetstrasse 55, 20459 Hamburg, Germany, www.oiltanking.com, Telephone +49- 40- 370 99 485, Fax +49- 40- 370 99 499 E-Mail [email protected] Coordinator Gabi Wuestenberg, Manager Communications Editor Renate Eijkholt Design raz design Print BEISNER DRUCK GMBH & Co. KG Published Three times a year Copy Deadline vol 23/2 10.06.2011

“

“

Remember, we all stumble, every one of us.

That’s why it is a comfort to go hand in hand.

Emily Kimbrough, American author & lecturer, 1899-1989

AS I A


Marquard & Bahls and its subsidiaries’ interest

not only lies in the organisation but also in society at large. This credo of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which applies also to Oiltanking, is set out in stone in the company's code of conduct, aimed at safeguarding the principles and philosophy within the group, which has grown tremendously over the last decade. And with great success if the most recent social activity within the Oiltanking group is anything to go by: in January 2011 Oiltanking Merak officially launched its “Shabat Pendidikan Oiltanking” programme, which roughly translates as “Oiltanking: your best friend in education”. How did this come about?

The terminal in Merak could be a potential employer for members of the local community but, unfortunately none of them has either the qualifications or the education required for the available jobs. Most of these people do not

Now Oiltanking Merak provides free tutoring classes for these children twice a week in a small building the community had constructed in the past especially with such classes in mind. As the standard of education provided by the elementary schools in the area is quite inferior, these tutoring classes help prepare the sixth-year pupils for the state exams, which will be held in early May 2011, and the fifth-year for the final exams in late May 2011. Oiltanking also supplies these children with the necessary text and work books, stationery and school uniforms, which most of them could never afford otherwise.

Oiltanking has donated IDR 60 million (EUR 5,000) for 2011. Obviously, this amount is not enough to accomplish what has been planned, so Oiltanking Merak invited its employees to donate as much as they could to the programme. After all, every little bit counts! What matters is that they care and they want to make a difference to the lives of these young children. The colleagues even initiated an informal committee among themselves: some were made treasury officers to manage the funds or are responsible for communicating with the institution that provides private tutors; others have to come up with creative ideas for the programme, such as T-shirt designs, etc. Those who contribute at least IDR 30,000 (EUR 2.50) per month for a one-year period receive a T-shirt as a token of appreciation.

even finish elementary school. A few of the lucky ones might go on to secondary school, but it stops at that. Having discussed the problem with the community leaders and colleagues at the Merak Terminal, Oiltanking decided to help out by providing better educational openings for young children just across the street.

The selection process

According to the local community leader, the majority of children drop out in the 5th or 6th year of elementary school as the parents can no longer afford it. He quickly drew up a list of twenty-four children in the 5th or 6th year who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. In order to verify who really deserves educational help, Christine Manasseh, Herman Surya Atmaja and Farkhan Adi Suryo of Oiltanking Merak personally visited the homes of all twenty-four children and spoke to their parents.

Positive public feedback

Although the tutoring programme in Merak has just started, the reaction from the community, not to mention from the kids, is very encouraging. During a public hearing for Oiltanking’s Environmental Permit in the area, the Camat (the district head) specifically mentioned the company’s CSR programme and expressed his thanks. In the past many companies in the area would normally contribute to the community by distributing items such as stationery to the elementary schools, but never really did anything directly for the children. Besides, there was no guarantee that these donations would ever reach the hands of these needy children. But now, for the first time, there is a direct hands-on interaction with the community thanks to Oiltanking. Its plan is to continue helping these twenty-four children and make sure they go through schooling smoothly — i.e. at least another seven to eight years until they finish secondary school. Oiltanking will then see whether the children are capable of entering national universities (state-run) or if they would be better off going to vocational colleges. Either way, the main goal is to give them a leg up in their careers.

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“YOuR BEST fRIEND IN EDuCATION” under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, Oiltanking Merak provides tutoring classes for children twice a week in Merak, Indonesia.

AS I AAS I A


When Oiltanking’s terminal development in Daya Bay, People’s Republic of China, was mentioned in the connections magazine in August 2010, it was compared to a lotus flower: gradually flowering amid various difficulties. However, looking at the terminal now, Oiltanking can proudly announce that the flower is in full bloom. In phase 2, a total of 18 new carbon steel and stainless steel product tanks with a total capacity of 66,109 cbm were added favourably in January. With this expansion, the total capacity for chemical products at the Daya Bay terminal will increase to 88,046 cbm. Located in the Dayawan Petrochemical Industry Park, Huizhou City — around 80 km north-east of Hong Kong — Oiltanking is the exclusive provider of independent tank storage services. Besides chemicals, the terminal also plans to meet the needs for petroleum and petrochemical products, and gases.

In addition to the storage service, Oiltanking is a majority shareholder in the public pipe rack and managing partner in the public jetty business at Huizhou Daya Bay Oiltanking Petrochemicals public Jetty Co. Ltd. (OTPPJ) and provides two berths with 10,000 dwt each at the waterfront next to the phase 2 terminal. On January 7, 2011 the first vessel, M.T. Jian Xing 32, was loaded with 1,500 metric tons of Methyl Methacrylate bound for East China.

The completion of phase 2 and the new jetty will strengthen Oiltanking Daya Bay’s position in the Petrochemical Industry Park. It also paves the way towards developing its facilities into a world-scale industrial terminal providing its services beyond the tenants of the Industry Park to market participants in the South China market, too.

Oiltanking has successfully commissioned the phase 2 expansion at its terminal in Daya Bay, People’s Republic of China. It received its first vessel at its newly constructed public jetty on January 7, 2011.

INAuguRATION The M.T. Jian Xing 32 was the first ship to be loaded with

1,500 metric tons of Methyl Methacrylate bound for East China at

one of the two new berths at the Oiltanking Daya Bay terminal.

SPECIAL STATuS The Oiltanking terminal is the exclusive provider of independent

tank storage services in the Dayawan Petrochemical Industry Park.

IT IS OBvIOuS The phase 2 expansion was successfully rolled out and so was the red carpet.E r

f

floweringbusiness

Needless to say, the housekeeping standard has improved considerably at the terminal. But, of course, 5S is a long process and Oiltanking Copenhagen is still in the “set in order” phase. There are many things still to be done and there is always room for improvement, but an important step in the right direction has been taken. Now the challenge is to succeed in the last “Ss” by integrating the 5S mentality into daily working life. Only then will it be possible to keep up the good work … and not only during springtime.

E U R O P E E U R O P E

AND AfTER! You can’t help but notice that the Copenhagen terminal is spotless now: more organised, efficient and a safer workplace thanks to new housekeeping standards.

EffICIENCY Although the Copenhagen

terminal is more than 50 years old it still fits perfectly into the port.Customer needs' from

the Baltic and ARA region, Scandinavia or

anywhere else in Europe can optimally

be catered for.

More


were removed and those remaining were assigned “their” place. For this purpose and with the help of Hugo de Donder from Management Support, teams of three operators each were assigned one of four house-keeping areas which the terminal had been divided into. All the teams did a great job of sorting through their areas and putting them into order. In no time, the terminal was as good as new! Apart from the division of the terminal, two more areas were introduced: the so-called “Red Spot Area”, a temporary store for unneeded, clearly marked items; and an area for objects whose fate was still undecided. After the outer areas of the terminal were cleared, the office building followed.

In retrospect, the Oiltanking terminal in Copenhagen was a bit like a woman’s handbag (no offence!): crammed full of things. Given the terminal’s history of over 50 years, it’s hardly surprising that so many things had accumulated. But it was high time for some serious spring-cleaning; that’s where the 5S programme came in.

The Japanese 5S method (seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke), meaning sort, set, shine, standardise and sustain respectively, describes how things are kept and how the new orderliness can be maintained. So at the end of April 2010, in a major exercise under the motto, “When in doubt, sort it out”, any superfluous artefacts

simplespring

than

cleaning

A year ago Oiltanking Copenhagen successfully introduced the 5S programme at the terminal. A recent spot-check shows the new standards haven’t been gathering dust.

BEfORE Spot the difference: Here are the “Cleaning Tools” before ...


P E O P L E & P L A C E S P E O P L E & P L A C E S

BACk fOR gOOD After having been “out for

a swim” in China, the little mermaid is

resting at her home pier in Copenhagen, Denmark.

BIg BuSINESS TRIP The little mermaid at the world exhibition Shanghai Expo 2010.

There she was presented for the Danish Pavilion based on the Welfairytales concept by the architect called BIg.

A mermaid on a missionMany tourists visiting Copenhagen, Denmark, may have been disappointed in recent months. While they had made the long trip to see the city’s most famous landmark, the statue of the little mermaid, she was on a journey with a mission: to strengthen her country’s relations with the rest of world.

Created after Hans Christians Andersen’s children’s story “The Little Mermaid”, the statue was a gift to the city from Carl Jacobsen, the founder of Carlsberg, the famous Danish brewery. He had seen a ballet of the fairytale and was fascinated by the prima ballerina, whom he suggested as a model. However, she refused to pose nude, so only her head was copied. Luckily, the sculptor Edvard Eriksen was able to convince his wife to model for the body. The first original statue is kept in an undisclosed location by Eriksen’s heirs while the mermaid sitting in the harbour is the second original. However, she is truly international as several copies exist all around the world, including the USA, Romania, China and Brazil. During the past 97 years, Copenhagen’s little mermaid has been through some rough times. Not only has she lost her head and right arm on several occasions; she has also been “beautified” with many different colours and outfits.

During her adventure in China, around 5.5 million people admired the statue at the world exhibition — almost equal to the current population of Denmark! Her mission

started even before her arrival in China. A big show was The statue of the little mermaid is Copenhagen’s main

tourist attraction, without which the city would be unthinkable. The Danes are very fond of this little figure, too. Nonetheless, they had to do without her while she was away in her new role as ambassador. From May to November 2010 the little mermaid swapped her home by the Langelinie Pier in Copenhagen for the centre of the Danish Pavilion “Welfairytales” at the EXPO 2010 in Shanghai. It was the first time ever that the statue had left Copenhagen Harbour since it was unveiled in 1913.

put on to see her off: two dancers dressed as a dragon and a mermaid performed together, and children from both nations sang songs in their native languages, all symbolising the tight bonds between the two countries. The mermaid’s journey was a controversial topic in her homeland, but most Danes reacted positively. And they did not have to do without her completely: during her stay abroad, a screen was put up near the spot she usually sits on, showing a live stream from Shanghai and creating a constant link between the two places.

Now that she’s back, the fruits of her labour are being reaped: the number of Chinese tourists in Denmark shot up by 28 percent in 2010, the highest increase of all countries. Many make a short stop in Copenhagen while travelling around Europe to pay the mermaid a visit — as she did them. Finally, there is just one thing left to say: well done, little mermaid. Mission accomplished!

The Oiltanking organization consist of various departments, each and every one of which is crucial for a smooth, sweet and satisfactory work process. Today, we take a closer look at what goes on at the reception. Representing the 71 international Oiltanking terminals, we call in at the head office reception in Hamburg, Germany.

uP-fRONT Cheerful and obliging gudrun Ramseger (left) and Susan Condron deal with all kinds of concerns for both colleagues and Oiltanking’s customers at the head office.

P E O P L E & P L A C E SP E O P L E & P L A C E S


We Can, We Care ‘You never get a second chance to make a

first impression’ — a true saying which Oiltanking has incorporated into its receptions, the single points of contact where incoming calls are answered before being connected to the specific departments or where visitors are welcomed. At Oiltanking’s head office in Hamburg, two colleagues in particular have devoted themselves to representing Oiltankingat its best: while Gudrun Ramseger manages the Oiltanking reception from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., Susan Condron works for the departments that are busy with 'weboffice' and 'economics' and takes over the reception from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. You can rest assure that working at the

reception is more than just saying a polite ‘hello’. Or, as Gudrun explains with a wink, ‘We are in charge of all 1000 delicacies — organising the office and office stationary, contacting suppliers, preparing meetings, checking invoices, helping other colleagues with all kinds of matters, etc.’

Gudrun still remembers back to the days when Oiltanking GmbH, located on the third floor of the Marquard & Bahls AG building, had a separate reception. In order to facilitate visitors’ orientation, as well as for security reasons, it was decided to bundle incoming telephone calls and greet all visitors to the Marquard & Bahls’s companies at one main

reception on the ground floor in 2003. However, once Oiltanking visitors have been through the main reception, they are once again received at Oiltanking’s own reception desk on the third floor. While the number of incoming telephone calls might be fewer, the stream of visitors is the same. They are always pleased to see their visitors and with many of them — especially colleagues from external offices — Susan and Gudrun have established a close relationship over the years. Some even bring tasty

specialties from their home country as a token of their appreciation for the two ladies. Nonetheless, knowing these two women, you can be certain they will proudly present these treats at the reception counter and share them with whoever wants to sample them.

Asked to describe their typical day, Gudrun and Susan unanimously say that no two days are ever quite the same and they have learned to be prepared for the unexpected. Of course the copier is never working when a colleague needs a lot of copies ‘yesterday’, or the coffee machine goes on the brink just when they have to prepare for an important meeting … just to name some ‘minor’ issues. In order to handle the daily challenges, the two receptionists need to be flexible and have a lot of organisational skills (not to mention a certain ability to pull off miracles!). Sociability and a love of dealing with people, a bit of humour thrown in, and some foreign language skills (English being an absolute must) help to juggle all the tasks. And with their positive blue-sky thinking and warm smiles, who would not like to be greeted by them?

An open ear for everyone for all kinds of concerns

… at the reception

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Some Oiltanking terminals might not have a separate reception at their terminal. But no matter which terminal you call or visit, you’ll always be greeted by colleagues ready to answer your query. You might not have had the opportunity to meet them in person but here’s the chance to put a face to the first voice you’ll probably hear if you call Oiltanking.

1) Eda kabel in Tallinn, Estonia 2) karin Napierski in Hamburg, Germany 3) Annette de Bruyn & Lief Mulkens in Antwerp, Belgium 4) When all lines at the reception and in the controllroom are busy in Copenhagen, Denmark, Maja Rasborg (left) and Anita Hocke, will step in 5) Joe Bezzina in Birzebbugia, Malta 6) gudrun Ramseger & Susan Condron in

Hamburg, Germany 7) Radoslava koleva in Varna, Bulgaria 8-9) Ellen van den Berghe, Bea van de kerckhove, fi Cayir & Lies Smagghe (either part-time or on special days) in Ghent, Belgium 10-11) Chantal Buzeijn & Cindy van geersaem in Terneuzen, The Netherlands 12) gijs Meerleveldt in Amsterdam, The Netherlands 13) Nina kreander in Kotka, Finland



NORTH MIDDLE

LATIN

AMERICA EAST

AMERICA

1) Tammy kerr in Texas City, Texas, USA 2) Angela Moore in Beaumont, Texas, USA 3) Debbie Watson in Houston, Texas, USA 4) Adrienne Conaway in Joliet, Illinois, USA 5) Chessa Duncan in Port Neches, Texas, USA

1) Talal Al Balushi & Hussain Al Ajmi in Sohar, Oman 2) Rolla kassem Shakra in Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab

Emirates 3) Leslie garcia in Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

5

321

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1

1

23

4

5

1) Luciana Carrega & verena Comesaña in Buenos Aires, Argentina 2) Sabrina fonseca in Vitoria, Brazil 3) gina Jones in Panama City, Panama 4) Cecilia

Blando & Erica Romero in Puerto Rosales, Argentina 5) Nelly de León in Bogota, Colombia 6-7) Miriam Wilson & Mercedes flor in Lima, Peru

ASIA

6

7

1 23

5

4

1) Amanda Tan in Singapore, Singapore 2) Zhang Jie in Daya Bay, China 3) Nazlah Aini in Jakarta, Indonesia 4) Sandra Rodrigues in Mumbai, India 5) Hu Ning in Nanjing, China

Pleased with the feedback, Technoprom approached IOTEP with a proposal to build the boilers in late November 2010. However, the biggest hurdle was yet to come: all agencies selected needed to be approved of by the NTPC, which has very stringent selection criteria. Especially for IOTEP this was a huge challenge as its lack of experience could go against it. That is when Mr MA Pathan, Chairman IOTEP and former chairman of IOC and IOT, talked to the NTPC's chairman to vouch for IOT and its subsidiary IOTEP. It took a lot of convincing, but finally the NTPC agreed to send a 11-member team of experts to Mundra to vet the company's work for Tata Power.

The team scrutinised the engineering work, quality control and HSSE practices carried out by IOTEP. Satisfied with its capabilities, the NTPC approved of the order. Next came a round of discussions with Technoprom on pricing issues. The negotiations, which continued until late into the night, were finally brought to a close 45 days after Technoprom first spoke to IOTEP.

This project, which was won by IOTEP over more established players, will not only propel the company into the big league of contractors for power plants; it will also give IOT, which recently set up a power division within the EPC business unit, a firm entry into the booming Indian power sector. IOTEP's outstanding success and the formal acceptance of the IOT group by the NTPC and BHEL for such contracts bode well for the new division for such contracts in the future.

Barh, a small district in the state of Bihar, India, is seeing a lot of movement of people and machinery for the National Thermal Power Corporation's (NTPC) power generation plant currently under construction. The plant is significant for IOT, too, because IOT Engineering Projects (IOTEP) will be erecting three 660-MW boilers with a total tonnage of 115,000 tons over a period of 42 months in the first phase of the project. With a contract value of approximately EUR 54 million (Rs. 3.42 billion), this is the single largest order for the construction of a boiler at a company in India.

In September 2010 Technoprom, a Russian energy company, received an order from the NTPC to construct the first phase of this 1980-MW power plant. Almost

immediately, it began looking for an Indian company to construct the boilers for this phase. Unaware of Technoprom's search at that stage, IOTEP was collaborating with the Korean company Doosan to put up two 800-MW boilers for Tata Power in Mundra, Rajasthan, India. Technoprom got wind of the project and contacted both Doosan and Tata Power for a background check on IOTEP — a company that was barely three years old.

Experience the key factor

Technoprom was keen to know why Doosan had chosen IOTEP for the project despite its lack of experience. They were not bargaining on the answer they got from the Korean company, that said it was not the company’s experience but rather the people that mattered. And in this regard, they said IOTEP was as good as it gets in business. A second opinion expressed by Tata Power revealed that, although IOTEP might well be a small, new company, in no way did it have insufficient expertise and best practices, many of which were better than those to be found among the more established players.

I N D I A I N D I A

A CRANE AT IOTEP'S PROJECT (LEfT) for Tata Power at Mundra. IOTEP's project for the NTPC will require additional cranes to put up the boilers because they weigh more and will have to be assembled in modules.

THE ERECTION WORk (RIgHT) carried out by IOTEP for Tata Power in Mundra. for its project with NTPC in Bihar, IOTEP has mobilised a workforce of 3,000 men with 300 engineers overseeing the operations on the site.

A vIEW Of THE BOILERS set up by IOTEP for Tata

Power in Mundra. IOTEP's project for NTPC involves

constructing suspended boilers with a total capacity

of 1.15 lakh tons, making the project one of a kind.


They do say that excellence is a way of life; IOT Engineering Projects proved this by getting its biggest order ever in December 2010 on the back of its exceptional track record while implementing similar power sector orders on a smaller scale.

packedachievement

power-A

I N D I AI N D I A


An award-winning performance

Getting a workforce of over 6,000 people to observe safety practices is a challenging task, but the IOT team was well-prepared with an HSSE implementation plan as soon as the project began. They first met with the contractors on site to address key HSSE issues, including the supply of personal protective equipment. This was followed up by induction training for all employees and contract workers before commencement of the project. Safety training was also provided for visitors and vendors before they entered the construction site area.

The teams prepared a Site Safety Plan that was approved of by the Project Management Consultant and IOC (the client). A lot of work during the project was carried out at great heights, and to ensure the safety of the workers at such times, IOT provided the most sophisticated equipment and tools, such as fall arrestors, welding booths and safety nets. These measures also enabled the site to obtain an OHSAS 18001:2007 Safety Management systems certification from DNV.

An inclusive approach

Training site workers and getting them to adhere to safety practices was a testing task due to the coming and going of staff. So, rather than draw up a list of dos and don'ts, the teams took a positive and inclusive approach to get the workers involved in and abide by IOT's safety practices. The team encouraged them to provide input on hazard identification and hand in risk assessment sheets at the end of the working day. The worker who gave the most feedback was rewarded. Site workers, many of whom have limited formal education, were also rewarded after their safety training programmes based on the level of awareness they generated among their peers. Around 200 people, including supervisors and engineers were recognised for their safety performance in their respective jobs. One

A prestigious project

A project costing approximately 186 million euros (Rs. 11.76 billion), the EPCC-8 project was a prestigious yet complex one including works such as the construction of storage tanks and spheres, overground and underground piping, approach and operating platforms in the tank farm, 126 equipment platforms, a fire water network, air compressors, air vessels and 93 pumps. The project also involved laying electrical cables, instrumentation and a fair amount of civil work.Taking into account that 6,800 workers from different professional backgrounds were working on the site during peak time, IOT's project and HSSE teams had their work well and truly cut out for them. From sub-contractor management to the provision of welfare facilities for workers, the teams had to ensure that adhering to safety practices, systems and processes became second nature for each and everyone on the site.

In November 2010 the Silver Safety Award was presented to IOT by the Indian National Safety Council — a much deserved recognition of its Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE) performance in a project that was both prestigious and complex.

SAfETY MATTERS are in good hands at IOT as the accolade shows.

The Silver Safety Award is a special accolade for IOT as it is given by India's foremost health and safety organisation: the National Safety Council (NSC). The award formally recognised the Group's completion of 22.26 million man-hours without any Lost Time Injury (absence from work over 24 hours) and other outstanding HSSE achievements for the IOC Panipat Refinery's Naphtha Cracker Project, EPCC-8. The fact that the project did not just conform to safety practices, but also had a positive and inclusive approach towards instilling a culture of safety among its workers on the project site led the 16-member jury headed by NSC's Director General, VB Sant, to choose IOT for the award.

person in each group of workers was also identified as a safety steward and the best among them given safety awards. Apart from the training and monthly programmes, the team held three motivational camps involving almost the entire workforce to encourage positive safety behaviour.

True meaning of the award

In late September IOT was informed that it had won the coveted trophy and certificate. It was a proud moment for IOT when managing director, Jayanta Bhuyan, led the team, represented by Laxman Sharma (head of the project site team) and Pradeep Bhatt (head of HSSE), to receive the award from Mallikarjun Kharge, Honorable Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Government of India at a glittering ceremony in November 2010. The award was presented in the presence of Anand Mahindra, one of India's leading industrialists and the Chairman of

the NSC.

The Silver Safety Award is one of the most esteemed accolades IOT has received for

its HSSE performance. And while it is always satisfying to win awards, the real achievement for IOT is its commitment

across the organisation towards continuously and systematically improving its HSSE performance with active support and inspiration from the Marquard & Bahls Group Corporate HSSE Head and his team.

awardInspiring

PILLARS Of SuCCESS For its safety first philosophy and performance IOT was

rewarded with a special accolade.

I N T E R V I E W

CONNECTIONS 23

Introducing …… Jathavedan Nampoothiri (Nampoo), Senior Vice President (Terminalling) IOT Infrastructure & Energy Services Limited — another colleague whose face can be seen in Oiltanking’s international advertising campaign, “We Can, We Care.”

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? I wanted to be many things: bus driver, police officer, doctor, singer … HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT IOT? I knew IOT as a joint venture between Indian Oil Corporation and Oiltanking. However, I read more about Oiltanking on its website when an opportunity to work for IOT came up. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING FOR IOT? IOT’s growth potential and the professional excitement of being part of its growth are what attracted me. The new experience of being globally networked with the Oiltanking people was another important factor. I’ve been working for IOT for more than four years now. WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION? I’m responsible for IOT’s terminalling business. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR JOB? The potential to contribute in a comprehensive general management role. WHAT INSPIRES YOU? The opening to make a difference. HOW DO YOU RECHARGE YOUR BATTERY? Sleeping, listening to music and being with my family. WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? Tidy up the house (although my wife might beg to differ on that one!) THREE THINGS YOU LIKE? Good humour, Indian music and travel. THREE THINGS YOU DISLIKE? Being woken up early on holiday, snobbery, traffic jams. WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH? So many funny situations in daily life. WHAT MAKES YOU ANGRY? Dishonesty, unfair treatment,

not communicating clearly. WHAT COULD YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT? My family. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD THREE MONTHS’ OFF? Spend a month with my father and mother at my parent’s home; the next month at a Himalayan mountain resort with lots of walking, reading and music; and the third month working with an organisation on a social cause.

CONNECTIONS22

I N D I A

An exhibition to rememberIn October 2010 IOT participated in the 9th Petrotech International Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition that brings together the world's leading oil and gas companies. With all the businesses putting their best foot forward, Petrotech brought IOT’s strengths to the fore.

Like all good ideas, this one started out small — on the initiative of one business unit, Upstream Services. But like all good ideas, it caught on fast and soon all of IOT's businesses were looking forward to taking part in Petrotech 2010 — a biennial event that gets some of the world's leading companies from the oil and gas sector under one roof in New Delhi, India.

The idea was to position IOT as an organisation with complementary businesses that can be integrated to provide end-to-end solutions. The idea was also to gain visibility within the oil and gas arena globally and in India, which is experiencing a boom in the sector thanks to the government's NELP program (NELP = New Exploration Licensing Policy). With EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction), terminalling, upstream services and renewable energy businesses joining under one umbrella, competitors and clients were able to get an idea of the range of services IOT provides for the oil and gas sector.

However, there was just one hitch: IOT barely had a month to confirm its participation and get ready for the exhibition. It was literally a race against time. But with the active support from all the business heads and senior management, marketing collaterals like panels in place, and brochures and gifts designed in-house for guests, things did come off well. The team decided that 25 8X8 panels would form the showcase for the display area, which were then prepared and shipped to the venue in New Delhi in record time.

They do say that hard work pays off, and along with the team's efforts, which continued up until the wee hours on the inaugural day the exhibit area was in “apple-pie order” by October 31 — the opening day of the exhibition.

IOT not only made its presence felt among the 350 exhibitors from India and abroad, but the visitors to this premier event felt its presence, too. The strategically located exhibition area was visited by top delegates from the oil and gas industry. With over 1400 people visiting the IOT display area over the three-day event, IOT’s people got the opportunity to identify and explore new areas for cooperation and technology

transfer. The event also provided an opening for the IOT Human Resource’s team to scout for potential talent. Since some of India's and world's leaders from the oil and gas sector visited the IOT display area and left favourable comments in the guestbook, the idea of positioning the company amongst its peers was an absolute hit. Petrotech not only brought IOT's business synergies to the fore, but it was also an invaluable learning experience for the team, which participated in an exhibition of this magnitude for the first time.

WELL POSITIONED The exhibition gave Jayanta Bhuyan, Managing Director IOT (right) an excellent

forum to present the range of IOT's services.

IN gOOD SHAPE The perfect presentation of IOT was topped off with a rounded stand.

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The Arabian

Since it commenced operations in 2006 the Oiltanking Odfjell terminal in Oman has set a course towards continuous expansion. Having almost reached the 1.3 million cbm capacity this April, it’s about high time we reviewed this achievement.

Sohar, in the north of the Sultanate of Oman, is not just the legendary birthplace of Sinbad the Sailor, but also the place where one of Oiltanking’s terminals is experiencing a fairy-tale development. What began as a management project for two jetties dedicated to products from the adjacent refinery in 2006 soon blossomed into a 912,650 cbm terminal with five jetties and 39 tanks where a variety of products can be handled: clean petroleum products, LPG, bulk chemicals like benzene and paraxylene, and specialty chemicals like MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) and LAB (linear alkyl benzene). The whole process took less than three years from start to finish and was conducted in three phases, all completed and commissioned on schedule and well within the budget. As of March 2011 the terminal will see the addition of fifteen tanks, bringing the overall capacity to almost 1.3 million cbm, and another jetty, increasing the total number to six.

Being the first and only independent oil terminal in Oman, it was not always plain sailing for Oiltanking Odfjell’s activities, so it was more of an adventure than anything else. The company had to assume the responsibility for developing vendors, systems and infrastructure where none existed. This involved getting the right gas testers, teaching local welding shops to repair pump strainers and last but not least dealing with harsh temperatures of over 50 degrees centigrade in the summertime. Sourcing spares is one challenge tackled daily by the Maintenance Department, which performs approx. 90 percent of preventive maintenance in-house.

Looking into the past

The commissioning of phase 1 started in August and was completed at the end of December 2008 (587,370 cbm);

SAfETY fIRST Contractors put in 4.3 million working hours without any LTI (lost time injury) in January 2011. During peak time, more than 1,150 people were working in the various locations of the terminal.

the next phases followed seamlessly. In September 2009 the construction of phases four and five got underway. Over the past fifteen months, business has developed differently than originally planned. However, Oiltanking Odfjell Oman and its contractors have displayed an ability throughout to react to changing customer demands within the budget and on schedule. Initially, the two new phases were not connected but interchangeability and different connections were provided for during the detail design and various optimisations. This included working on live systems within operational areas. In total, more than 100 ‘tie-ins’ had to be accommodated.

Apart from new facilities being built within fully operational areas and pipelines interconnected with live lines, another major challenge was the planning and realisation of the three additional jetty lines as these had to be placed into a narrow corridor with access from the two ends only. Significant logistical problems had to be solved in order to position the massive reinforced concrete supports (so-called sleepers) in this restricted area. Another complicated exercise was the extension of the power supply from the existing consumer substations to the new substation as these activities had to be done in a live system without interrupting the ongoing terminal operations and power supply.

Last but not least, the control, tank-farm monitoring and emergency shut-down systems had to be integrated in the running systems. This was only possible with a three-week shut-down of the existing systems, so the terminal was fully under manual operation and control with field instrumentation and additional operational safeguards. In order to safely and efficiently conduct this huge project — in a live terminal with a throughput in excess of 6.5 million tons in 2010 for instance — a stringent permit-to-work system as well as continuous Management of Change (MoC) were pursued. All activities and hot works in particular were coordinated by HSSE between the Oiltanking Odfjell Engineering and Operations Department, Customer Services and the contractors. Short lines of communication as well as an overall understanding and respect of each others’ expectations made these diverse tasks possible and are a great example of team work.

Although Oiltanking Odfjell had already implemented high HSSE standards, a need was felt to evaluate its own systems with respect to fire prevention and emergency preparedness after the fire incident in Jaipur, India in 2009. Thanks to an extensive report by experts from Germany, capabilities were outlined and improvement areas identified, which consequently led to an overall improvement programme. This and further efforts paid off: in January 2011 Oiltanking Odfjell Oman was awarded the Permanent Environment Permit after going through a BAT (Best Available Techniques) GAP analysis benchmarked against the European IPPC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) standard. The process leading to this permit involved several audits of the facility and systems by experts from the local environment unit, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs and DCMR Rotterdam

adventure

ICINg ON THE CAkE Representatives of the local environmental unit presented the terminal with a cake as Oiltanking Odfjell was the first to be awarded the Permanent Environment Permit in the Port of Sohar.

Crown Plaza Hotel, which was attended by the company's management and employees. Speaking at the event, Zeger J.J. van Asch van Wijck, CEO of Oiltanking Odfjell Oman, stated that the company would spare no efforts to train its employees to enable them to bear responsibility in each of their fields. He also referred to the continuous encouragement the company gives to all the employees to raise the company's name to high levels. Right after the first batch of specialised maintenance trainees became maintenance technicians, the company hired another three trainees to reinforce the maintenance team. In parallel, a team of ten operations trainees are undergoing on-the-job training to be inducted as operators by April 2011. The company is currently trying to team up

with other companies in the port/industrial zone to provide further in-depth practical training.

Since 2006 about four batches totalling 40 Omani engineers have been trained and recruited for jobs in both the operations and maintenance departments. Oiltanking Odfjell’s overall “Omanisation” level is currently 70 percent, with the field staff even recording an impressive 97 percent and thus well exceeding the quota of local staff set by the Omani government.

Due to the printing deadline the content of this article is effective February 2011.

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(Dienstcentrale Milieudienst Rijnmond). Obtaining this certificate certainly wasn’t a piece of cake — so the colleagues from Oiltanking Odfjell’s were all the more pleasantly surprised when the representatives of the local environmental unit presented the terminal with … a cake! After all, the terminal is the first and as yet only one to get such a certificate in the Port of Sohar.

Looking to the future

Up to now all activities have gone smoothly and ahead of schedule. At this rate, the first product into the new tanks will be received well ahead of schedule, i.e. March 2011. Soon the terminal will see the start of the construction of a further twelve chemical tanks (ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 cbm each, phase 6). With a dedicated crew on board, the recently successfully audited Integrated Management System (IMS), the Permanent Environmental Permit and a positive outlook for future business, Oiltanking Odfjell Oman is well prepared for any adventure.

Due to the printing deadline the content of this article is effective February 2011.

uNDER CONSTANT SCRuTINY Through the joint efforts of the departments of Engineering, HSSE, Operations and the contractors, operations have seen an improvement programme with an achievement rate of 82 percent so far. Here are some of the various tasks:

Implementing a vibration monitoring survey to detect early imbalances of rotational equipment

Triggered by a question within the Oiltanking Operations Excellence Group, the terminal is testing a tank gauging down to the sump level with Rosemount in order to avoid the dry running of tank stripping pumps

Due to increasing corrosion problems in the fire water system (run on sea water), a flushing system for tank cooling rings and monitor headers with a mobile diesel driven pump using fresh water from a water-truck has been introduced

To avoid the corrosion of tank bottoms, tank-pad foundations have been redesigned and currently a seal-strip bridging the gap between the tank and bitumen is being tested; this system is already used at Oiltanking Terneuzen and is working well in the European temperature range. It is now to be verified at temperatures of more than 50 degrees centigrade in the summer

For the de-aeration of the 2.5 km piggable jetty line (i.e. releasing of 1,000 cbm of air during the packing of the line), the terminal is working on continuous vent valves with Protego from Germany, avoiding any liquid spill while venting the line and thus reducing the time for packing the line and making pigging towards tanks safer.

fIRE DRILL Just one of many actions taken to ensure that the staff and terminal equipment are prepared for any possible emergency situations.

Training is a continuous process at Oiltanking Odfjell Oman. In this respect, November 9, 2010, was a special day: three more colleagues successfully completed their one-year on-the-job training course.

As the first and only independent oil terminal in Oman, Oiltanking Odfjell wanted to make sure from the very beginning that its company philosophy and standards were well implemented. Guaranteeing its world-class service and quality is one of many factors. As the majority of the company is operated and maintained by local Omanis, the company pays a lot of attention to training them. Its Omani “trainees” come from all over the country and are diploma holders in operational, electrical and mechanical technology/engineering from academies such as National Maritime College, Nizwa College of Technology, Shinas College of Technology and Higher College of Technology, Muscat. They undergo a specialised training course for a period of one year until they become fully competent to bear the responsibility entrusted upon them regarding the company's specifications and requirements. The training is quite challenging and involves classes, field work, fire drills and first aid, not to mention specialist training.

On November 9, 2010, Oiltanking Odfjell had another reason to celebrate: three electrical, instrumentation and mechanical “trainees” from the Technical Department (Maintenance) successfully completed their one-year on-the-job training course. To mark the occasion, the company organised a celebration for them at the

Job-related training

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REASON TO CELEBRATE Zeger J.J. van Asch van Wijck (right) presented colleagues their certificates.

N O RT H A M E R I C A N O RT H A M E R I C A

Award-winning value innovation


In November 2010 Oiltanking Houston received two prestigious awards for its Value Innovation Program. The Public Relations Total PR Program Award and the Print Newsletter Award are not just an acknowledgement of important achievements but also motivation for our colleagues to keep up the good work.

year’s gala on 16 November 2010, Oiltanking Houston was one of the winners − big time! The Value Innovation Program received the Public Relations – Total PR Program (Internal Audience) Award and Pipe Up!, the newsletter accompanying the Value Innovation Program, was honoured with the Print Newsletter (Internal Audience) Award. The judges appreciated the compelling message of the newsletter and that the voice of the staff can clearly be heard. It goes without saying that the colleagues in Texas will do their very best to meet the judges AIDA criteria again for the award in 2011: Attention, Interest, Desire and Action!

“Thinking outside the box − yes, please!” In a nutshell, that’s what the management group of Oiltanking had in mind when they introduced the “Value Innovation Project” in September 2008. The concept was to start a process to establish a culture within Oiltanking that motivates employees and management to generate and implement innovative ideas with value creation and/or enhancing potential. Members of this management group were each responsible for the implementation of the program in their respective regions.

In charge of its implementation in North America, Bo McCall, Vice President of Marketing, asked Marsha Watkins, Value Innovation and Quality Assurance Coordinator, to put the program together. They soon came up with many ideas to include in the program but realized they could use the expertise of a consultant. And in Bob Lamons, Industribrand, they found just the man. The plan was to create a platform that every employee could use to submit ideas about how to make Oiltanking better and increase efficiency.

It took several months to develop the program and implement the intranet site. Soon, the most ingenious ideas started, and still keep, floating in − be they about new processes, going green, safety issues or healthier food. Once submitted, a steering committee reviews the ideas and plans are discussed for implementation. Sorted by locations, the status and the ranking on the internal “scorecard” are visible and accessible to all colleagues. To date, the program has received 76 entries. 12 of them have been implemented, resulting in additional revenue and/or cost savings of over US $ 884,000 in 2010. Some of these ideas have a recurring financial impact year after year!

These achievements are not only obvious to Oiltanking but also caught the eye of the judges at BMA Houston (The Houston Chapter of the Business Marketing Association), Houston/Texas – one of BMA National’s 25 chapters with 3000 members that promote networking and professional development for business-to-business marketers in a local environment. The Lantern Awards of Texas were created more than two decades ago with the sole purpose of highlighting top-quality creative and strategic business-to-business communications. At last

WHAT’S IN A NAME?The newsletter for the Value Innovation Program is called Pipe Up! How come? In the United States, you might hear the term “pipe down”, meaning be quiet. Since the focus of the program is to get Oiltankers to speak up, however, Pipe Up! was born. It also has a double meaning since everything Oiltanking handles goes through some form of pipe. The newsletter was published four times in 2010 and featured extensive information on the Value Innovation Program and current projects. “

“

No one is in a better position to improve our processes and procedures than the colleagues

who do the work day in and day out. Marsha Watkins

AT THE BANquET Marsha Watkins and Bob Lamons receiving the Lantern Awards. It is a great compliment to the efforts of colleagues

from Oiltanking North America.

An agreement with its first Canadian-based client Nexen Energy Marketing signed in July 2010 shows that Oiltanking Houston is poised to play an important role in the current drastic change in crude oil logistics in North America.

NATuRAL SIZE SPECIMEN Oil shale is actually a marlstone - the darker the colour the higher the shale oil content.

uS crude discoveries create opportunities

N O RT H A M E R I C A N O RT H A M E R I C A


Crude oil logistics have essentially remained unchanged in recent years: foreign crude enters the US through various ports and is distributed throughout the country via numerous pipe systems established to supply the US refineries. Although domestic crude has been available to US refiners, most have upgraded refinery systems to handle medium to heavy sour crude, allowing refiners the flexibility to purchase cheaper foreign crude. However, recent crude field discoveries and pipeline projects designed to deliver Canadian and domestic based shale crude oil to the US Gulf Coast are drastically changing the focus of crude oil logistics.

Oil obtained from shale may be the most significantnew development in the uS energy picture

The recent buzz among oil market players such as producers, refiners and traders is the development of oil-

The largest “drillable” US shale oil production field is the Bakken Formation, located in North Dakota, Montana and Canada. Although its existence has been known since 1951, new technology has triggered a boom in production. The amount of oil in the Bakken Formation may exceed 4 billion recoverable barrels, according to a study conducted by the Geographical Survey (USGS). In addition, there is also oil in the Barnett Shale or “Barnett Combo” near Ft. Worth, Texas, and the Eagle Ford Shale south of San Antonio, Texas.

Canada’s share of the cake

In addition to the new discoveries of shale oil, America’s neighbour Canada has significant reserves of oil in the form of oil sands. These deposits consist of bitumen, or extremely heavy crude oil, located in Alberta. The production of these oil sands consists of large-scale surface mining and in-situ technology. Canadian oil sand reserves are estimated at 1.7 trillion barrels of bitumen. Third-party pipeline projects that are currently in the development stages will facilitate the delivery of Canadian crude oil to the US Gulf Coast. One of the major Canadian crude oil production and marketing companies is Nexen Energy Marketing. In July 2010 Oiltanking Houston entered into a long-term service agreement with Nexen, and the construction of new tanks is underway. As the US Gulf Coast is literally teeming with storage facilities and with many competitors capable of providing crude oil storage, Nexen could have selected any service provider to partner up with. Due to its location, connectivity and solid reputation, however, Nexen considered the Oiltanking Houston terminal as a strategic asset to its operation. The ability to market equity crude to Gulf Coast consumers provides a necessary outlet for Nexen’s crude production.

The future will show if shale oil and oil sands are as promising as they sound. But as the domestic and Canadian crude fields develop and permanent pipelines are put in place to distribute the new crude sources, Oiltanking Houston is well positioned to play an important role as one of the largest independent services providers in the US. And through the partnership with Nexen,

bearing shale. Shale oil is produced from tight shale formations. Hydraulic fracturing is generally used to break the rock unit, releasing the oil and providing the porosity needed for production.

Oiltanking’s first Canadian-based customer, the path is paved for many other Canadian, Bakken and Eagle Ford shale producers looking for a reliable Gulf Coast terminalling and/or service-provider to handle and/or distribute their barrels of crude oil.

ABOuT NEXEN Nexen Inc. is an independent, Canadian-based global energy company, listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol NXY. It is focused on three growth strategies: oil sands and unconventional gas in Western Canada and conventional exploration and development primarily in the North Sea, offshore West Africa and deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Nexen Inc. add value for shareholders through successful, full-cycle oil and gas exploration and development, and leadership in ethics, integrity, governance and environmental stewardship.

ABuNDANT New research shows that shale in the uS could supply billions of barrels of domestically produced oil.

picture: courtesy U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library

picture: courtesy U.S. Geological Survey Photographic Library

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Promising


On December 29, 2010, Oiltanking Colon S.A., a Panamanian company, purchased 100 percent of the shares in Colon Oil and Services S.A. and Colon Port Terminal S.A. The facilities related to these companies are Oiltanking’s doorway between North and South America.

Panamanians proudly call the narrow strip of prosperity along the Panama Canal the “Latin American Singapore” — and understandably so, judging by Panama’s flow of international commerce and its claim of having the world’s biggest shipping registry. At Cocosolo Bay, right within the breakwaters at the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal, Oiltanking will soon be part of one of the world’s major trade arteries.

Oiltanking already opened its representative office in Panama City in July 2008 and interesting projects have been pursued ever since. With the purchase of a 100-percent stake in Colon Oil and Services S.A. (COASSA) and Colon Port Terminal S.A. (CPT), Oiltanking Colon S.A., a full subsidiary of Oiltanking GmbH, however, a footprint has been made in Central America. The assets of the deal consist of a 300,000 barrel terminal along with an exclusive 260 m jetty. Once the jetty has been dredged, it will be 12.5 m deep, allowing it to receive PANAMAX vessels. The jetty also has two barge positions. The terminal is expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2011. The aim is to attend to the increasing

demand of marine fuels using the vessels transiting the Panama Canal and those calling at the ports in the area.

It is a wise decision in respect to Panama’s development. In the national economy, the Panamanian maritime industry represents 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and is the fastest growing sector. The privatised ports of Panama move containers with world-class efficiency and in increasing

quantities. Panama is well on its way to becoming the container trans shipping centre of Latin America and the Caribbean. Panama City serves as the hub of the Americas, connecting millions of passengers and cargo consignments to and from destinations in North and South America. Dozens of banks serving many nations worldwide are also located here. Thousands of companies are attracted by the country’s favourable tax treatment of offshore businesses. The Colón Free Zone (on the Atlantic side) is a re-export centre and the second-largest free-trade zone in the world after Hong Kong.

focus on the future

In addition to the terminal purchased, Oiltanking Colon S.A. is already working on the first expansion of the terminal by adding 450,000 barrels of capacity as well as a truck loading rack with two positions. The construction is scheduled to be ready in 2012. And still there is room to grow as the terminal has the potential and the land to

expand at least to a capacity of one million barrels. Given the prospects of Panama’s industry and the fact that the Panama Canal is being expanded (due for completion in 2014), Oiltanking Colon S.A. will be more than ready to support the country on its way to becoming the transportation and logistics hub of the Americas.

TACTICAL TRADE fLOW The Panama Canal currently serves more than 144 different transportation routes from nearly every corner of the globe, connecting the world’s major trade arteries.

Panama project



The first thing most people think of when they hear Panama is the Panama Canal. Not surprisingly, though, as the impact of the canal construction is often likened to shifting the nations on the map.

Although the Panama Canal can only accommodate vessels carrying a maximum of 65,000 tons of cargo (the so-called Panamax), the waterway handles more traffic than was ever imagined: in 2009 over 14,000 ships travelled through, carrying 299.1 million tons of cargo. As the demand is rising and modern shipping calls for bigger ships, an enlargement scheme was approved of in 2006. It is due for completion in 2014 and will allow ships double the current Panamax.

The Panama Canal is set to remain a tremendous trade route in the future and be of global commercial value to merchants. But it also has an enormous economic value as it is an important employer for Panamanians and migrant workers. And last but not least, it is an inspirational architectural construction.

What would vasco Nuñez de Balboa say if he could see the Atlantic Ocean actually linked to the Pacific via a canal now? He was the first person to come up with the idea of connecting the two bodies of water way back in 1513. However, it took more than 400 years before the dream was realised. Initiated in the 1880s by the Frenchman Ferdinand Marie de Lesseps (he constructed the Suez Canal in 1859), the Panama Canal was successfully completed by the Americans between 1904 and 1914. In order to sail from the East to the West coast, the new waterway shortened the former dangerous and

expensive route either via the Strait of Magellan or Cape Horn by 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km). While a voyage from New York to San Francisco had previously taken over sixty days, the distance was thus halved.

It takes some nine to fifteen hours (often with long waits due to the heavy traffic) to traverse the 82 km (51 miles) long Panama Canal. Ships are raised up to

a total of 26 m (85 feet) and then lowered back to the Ocean by a series of locks with two chambers to accommodate two-way traffic. While the ships are guided to the entrance of the first set of locks by tugboats, they are connected up to engines called “mules” when entering into the lower chamber to safeguard the course of the ships at all times.

Coast to coast relation

TRADE ARTERY The Panama Canal is a neutral

international waterway approximately 82 km

(51 miles) in length where ships are raised/

lowered by a series of locks with two chambers

to accommodate two-way traffic.

Location: Northern South America — on the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and bordering Colombia and Costa Rica government: Constitutional democracy; independent from Colombia since November 3, 1903; independent from Spain since November 28, 1821Capital: PanamaPopulation: 3,410,676 (est. July 2010)Language: Spanish (official), English 14 percent; many are bilingual

Ethnic groups: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and Caucasian): 70 percent; West Indian: 14 percent; Caucasian: 10 percent; Amerindian: 6 percentClimate: tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May to January), short dry season (January to May)Natural resources: copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropowerCurrency: balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD); (100 PAB = 100 US $/73 Euro)gDP: purchasing power parity — $20.57 billion (est. 2004)

REPuBLIC Of PANAMA

PANAMA CITY is a polyglott and modern

city that has always thrived in commerce.

TWO STAgES The Panama Canal constructionwas first carried out by the French (1881-1888)

to be completed by Americans (1904-1914).

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Aspiring APLA attendance

Attendees who came to see Oiltanking’s meeting room at the latest APLA conference on November 6-9, 2010, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and who were engaged in discussions received an apt souvenir: the popular and famous Brazilian flip-flops with the Oiltanking logo on them. The name of this footwear with a band between the big toe and the other toes might have the word “flop” in it, but Oiltanking was able to walk away from the conference light-footed and with its head held high.

APLA not only stands for Latin American Petrochemical and Chemical Association (asociación petroquímica de latino américa), but it also units the most important chemical and petrochemical companies of each country. The purpose of its annual conference is to bring the industry up to speed on the latest market developments and trends. It is also a chance for most of the industry’s petrochemical and chemical producers, buyers and service providers to get together.

Oiltanking is a regular participant in the APLA conference and at the last four it even had a small but powerful booth. Given the importance of the conference, Oiltanking decided to have its own meeting room in 2010 on the main floor of the hotel Sofitel Rio de Janeiro Copacabana where the conference took place. While an ostensive maquette of the terminal in Vitoria, Brazil, adorned the 80 square metres, the room was a stage for all of Oiltanking’s Latin American terminals and its eight representatives: Julio Tellechea, Latin America President,Holger Donath, Managing Director of Oiltanking TerminaisLtd Brazil, Dario Di Luca ,Managing Director of OiltankingEbytem, Lo Vanhaelen, Managing Director of Oiltanking Colombia S.A., Bruno Sad da Silva, Commercial Manager of Oiltanking Terminais Ltd Brazil, Rolando Balsamello, Operation Manager of Oiltanking Ebytem, Gabrielle Martins, Administration & Marketing Specialist Assistant of Oiltanking Terminais Ltd Brazil and Jamille Moraes, Commercial Engineering Oil & Gas Trainee of Oiltanking Terminais Brazil.

The conference was attended by 823 delegates from 262 companies from 29 different countries, and Oiltanking’s stream of visitors was also more than satisfactory. During these four days, they welcomed many delegates and had a great opportunity to chat with old customers, meet new ones and get a sense of the current market needs. Needless to say, the team will also be seizing up the next opening to generate business and promote contacts. See you back in Rio in November 2011!

OPEN fOR TALkS The Oiltanking delegation welcomed each and every client and visitor individually during the APLA conference.

At the end of 2010 Oiltanking participated once again in the annual congress of APLA (Petrochemical Association of Latin America), proving its reputation as a professional service provider on the Latin American markets.

ATTRACTION Not only the maquette of the vitoria terminal was ostensive.

TABLE TALkS Oiltankers among

each others enjoying a little break.

C U LT U R E E X P E R I E N C E C U LT U R E E X P E R I E N C E


work and

culture

On his daily commute to work, the sea is literally at Claus Lindemann’s feet: he uses the famous Øresund Bridge, the longest road and rail bridge-tunnel in Europe which, at 490 m, also has one of the longest cable-stayed main spans of the world (the highest pillar towers 204 m). The bridge crosses the Øresund strait, which separates Denmark from Sweden and is one of the busiest waterways in the world, connecting the Baltic Sea to the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

When the bridge was inaugurated in August 2000, Claus, born in Denmark and a Danish citizen, also opened a new chapter in his life: he decided to move to Sweden. However, for him it was not such a hard choice to make as most of his family is from Sweden anyway, so he already knew the language and was also quite familiar with the Swedish culture. “While the Danish are more outspoken, the Swedish are softer and more withdrawn”, he explains.

Claus, who works for Oiltanking Copenhagen as an operator, does not shy away from the 77 km drive (one way) from his home near Eslöv to the office in Copenhagen. The monthly toll for the bridge in the region of 400 euros is tax deductible. Yet there is another plus that sweetens his 45 to 50-minute journey (depending on the time of the day): almost everything is cheaper in Sweden, from groceries to property prices, while the pay cheque is higher in Denmark — not surprisingly, one reason why a lot of Danish people moved to Sweden when the bridge opened. At the same time many Swedes, sought work in Copenhagen as unemployment is lower in Denmark. Although in the beginning the volume of traffic was lower than expected, it began to pick up steadily. It is said that in the first decade more than 50 million cars used the bridge, while train and bus travel recorded approximately 37 million passengers.

Not only does the bridge offer new possibilities for exploiting economical potential, an advantage in accessibility and a gain in time (it takes 35 minutes to get from Malmö to Copenhagen as opposed to one hour by ferry); it also connects cultures and has created a new region, the so-called Øresund Region of 3.7 million inhabitants on both the Swedish and the Danish sides. With the birth of the Øresund Region the Port Authorities on both sides of the bridge teamed up to form Copenhagen Malmoe Port (CMP). CMP owns the land and the jetties on which Oiltanking Copenhagen operates, and there is a close relationship between CMP and Oiltanking Copenhagen. In addition, the Øresund Bridge is an eye-catcher. In 2003 the Øresund Bridge project won the IABSE (International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering) Outstanding Structure Award for innovative planning and construction management techniques, and environmental considerations. “At first, of course, I admired the construction of the bridge,” admits Claus, “but now it’s just a motorway to me — however one that gives me the opening to leave the big city and move to the beautiful countryside.”

Our Danish colleague Claus Lindemann works at the Oiltanking terminal in Copenhagen, Denmark, but resides in Sweden. There are several reasons why he has chosen to do so.

COPENHAgEN A city that moves constantly forward but also appreciates its past.

IMPRESSIvE CONNECTION The Øresund Bridge is 7.8 km long, roughly half the distance between Sweden and Denmark.

Bridging

Claus Lindemann joined Oiltanking Copenhagen on 15.02.2010. Today he is part of the OTC Operators team, which consist of 12 operators in total. He drives 77 km each way every day.

picture: courtesy of www.visitdenmark.com, Jørgen Schytte

both pictures: courtesy of www.visitdenmark.com, Jørgen Schytte

PORTRAIT

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L E I S U R E & F U N L E I S U R E & F U N

Other

Chinese culture is unthinkable without one traditional and very important concept: Guanxi, which literally translates as “relationships”. It is a network of social relationships built up through mutual dealings, connections and feelings that exist among various parties who support each other and cooperate together. It also stands for the obligation one person develops towards another over the years through the mutual exchange of favours. So keep this in mind when you’re about to begin a relationship with a Chinese individual, group or company: it is most appropriate to be introduced by a mutual party who can vouch for you.

… C-3PO, human-cyborg relations”. This friendly character, which appears in all six of the Star Wars feature films, is a golden protocol droid designed by the young Anakin Skywalker. His function is to serve human beings and help out with issues such as etiquette, customs and translation issues so that encounters with different cultures run smoothly.

While the honeyguide bird can find a beehive but can’t open it, the honey badger can open a hive but doesn’t

know how to find one! The solution? The two animals just team up and live in a so-called symbiosis, a close

relationship that occurs between animals, plants, fungi or any combination thereof. In this case, the bird flies over the

grasslands, looking for hives. When it spots one, it swoops down making a noise that tells the honey badger where dinner will soon be served. The honey badger then uses its sharp claws to tear apart the hive so that both animals can enjoy the sweet discovery.

If you aren’t too keen on mathematics, you could say you’re relationship with it is negative. But actually a “negative” (or

inverse) relationship means a mathematical relationship where one variable increases while another one decreases,

e.g. when the price for a product soars, the demand for it normally falls.

The relationship between humans and dogs has an intriguing history. While the Ancient Greeks and Romans and the Chinese Emperors owned dogs as companions and revered them, during the Middle Ages people who kept pets were accused of witchcraft. Later on, the simple utilitarian attitude towards dogs for the purpose of hunting and guarding changed thanks to the Victorians. Today, dogs are not just cherished companions for comfort; they are also recognised and appreciated for their courage and ability to enhance human health — an attribute that is generally credited to human-animal relationships.

According to Alexandra Penney, an American author who has been credited as one of the creators and popularisers of the pink ribbon as a symbol of breast cancer, “The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but hold hands.” Do you agree?

MINDfuL Of THE DOg William Wegman, an American artist who

also taught at the university at Wisconsin, is famous — among other things — for his fruitful collaboration

with his Weimeraner dogs, which became central figures in his

paintings, videos and photographs, such as in his calendars called

“Man’s best friend”.


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the Lima Marathon in May 2011, (“You have to run your own city’s marathon!” Fernando says), followed by another marathon in the autumn. He’ll have plenty to choose from: Chicago, Buenos Aires, or … New York? We’ll have to wait and see!

“I’m in! We’re in!” is the slogan of the New York City Marathon, a long-distance run of about 42 km (26.2 miles) and one of the most popular marathons in the world. 2010 saw a record number of participants. Chosen primarily on the back of a lottery system, Fernando Graña, Oiltanking Consorcio Terminales Peru, was among the 44,000 people lucky enough “to be in”.

Without knowing if he would actually be allowed to take part, he started his rigid training programme six months in advance: running and working out for about 1.5 hours starting at 5 am, five times a week, which meant running some 70 km a week. So well-prepared, he entered his first marathon (he’d finished two half-marathons in the previous twelve months in Peru) with excellent weather conditions for running: a sunny day with temperatures varying from 2–8 degrees Celsius.

Cheered on by more than two million excited spectators and supported all the time by his wife, he had a smooth

run and everything seemed to be under control — until mile 23, that is! “From then on, running proved to be hard

work. I got cramps and started feeling tired. But that’s when the mind starts to do its job and you find out that anything can be accomplished if you give it your best”, recollects Fernando. So he gritted his teeth, kept on running and eventually reached the finish line in fewer than four hours — 3:56:04 to be precise — accomplishing the goal he had set himself. “Running with 44,000 people through dozens of culturally and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods right in the centre of New York is just amazing and can’t be described. It’s an experience I’d recommend to everyone!” said the enthusiastic Fernando after the race.

That’s quite a statement for someone who played tennis and football and actually used to think running was tedious stuff! He hasn’t made up his mind whether to go in for the New York Marathon again in November 2011 but he knows one thing for sure and that is he’ll be running

S P O RT


S P O RT

On November 7, 2010, Fernando Graña, Assistant to the General Manager at Oiltanking Consorcio Terminales Peru,

participated in the New York City Marathon for the first time and finished with a spectacular time: within four hours.

He was in!

JuST DO IT! fernando graña, inspired by his experience in 2010, is set to run the New York Marathon several more times in the future.

THEY MADE IT! Be it professional runners or running enthusiasts - the joy of reaching the finish line is dazzling for all.

THE NEW YORk MARATHONSince the first New York City Marathon in 1970, which was just a simple four-plus lap of Central Park, it has been held every year and has become one of the world’s main marathons leading through the streets of New York’s five boroughs, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan. Held on the first Sunday of November, it attracts professionals as well as amateurs from all over the world. Although the marathon has become commercialised and might attract some because of the prize money that awaits the winner, there’s more to it than that; it’s also about community spirit, promoting health and fitness and, last but not least, is also a symbol of hope and a “can-do attitude”. The next New York Marathon will be held on November 6, 2011.

3:56:04

NY CITY MARATHON The world's greatest road race draws more than 100,000 applicants annually.

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S P O RTL E X I C O N


Pigs make a squealing noise and, contrary to what people might think, are actually quite clean and very smart. At the Oiltanking terminals, cleaning devices are used that do not just share their name with the pinkish animals: these scrapers are pushed through the inside of pipelines and, as they travel through them, they make a sound like a pig squealing — hence the acronym PIG (pipeline inspection gauge). There are four main uses for (terminal) pigs:

physical separation between different products being transported in the same pipelinesinternal cleaning of pipelines inspection of the condition (thickness) of pipeline wallscapturing and recording geometric information relating to pipelines (e.g. size, position)

During the maintenance process, the product flow in the pipeline should remain undisturbed. This can be achieved by inserting a pig into a funnel-shaped Y section of the pipeline (“pig launcher”). Once closed, the pressure of the product in the pipeline is used to push it along the pipeline until it reaches the receiving trap (“pig catcher”).

Pigging has been used for many years to clean large-diameter pipelines in the oil industry. Today, pigs have become quite sophisticated gadgets which vary in terms of technology and complexity. The "intelligent pigs" are basically smart computers; some even use ultrasonics. By using a pig, there is no need for extensive flushing after a product transfer as it is possible to clear the entire line with a pig. This results in product savings and a more rapid and reliable product changeover. Therefore, pigs are not just a smart, clean and economical solution; they are also environmentally friendly.

“Pigs”

On 22-30 January Oiltankers from all over the world teamed up to battle against the forces of Mother Nature in the dramatic landscape of the Austrian Alps. With temperatures varying from minus 8 degrees Celsius in the valley to 25 below on the glacier, it was a tough match but, of course, the Oiltankers prevailed.

The organisers of this year’s Snowjam put all their organisational talent to good use to create a mind-blowing programme: the group visited a concert by the world’s number one DJ Armin van Buuren, saw a magnificent ski show with fireworks at a staggering altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level, created its own karaoke bar at the hotel including a special “flying peanut act”; participated in “acrobatic bowling”, sometimes even using a human bowling ball; and enjoyed a real Austrian BBQ

followed by a fantastic sledging course. With all these activities, it was easy to forget what it was really all about: skiing (and snowboarding)! With plenty of snow, state-of-the-art skiing facilities and genuine Austrian hospitality, Sölden truly delivered.

What unquestionably made this Snowjam an unforgettable experience was the diversity of its participants. With 19 colleagues and 10 different nationalities (Argentinean, Belgium, British, Dutch, Estonian, German, Indonesian, Iranian, Portuguese and Russian) it does not get any more international than that! A great group representing the true and unique global identity of Oiltanking. This should inspire other

colleagues to sign up for next year’s event, which will be organised by Philippe Geeraerts and Ricardo Diogo. And as snowboarders they are sure to get this project on the right piste!

See you all next year in … !?

For the 9th time in a row, Oiltankers from around the world met for the so-called Oiltanking Snowjam at end of January 2011. Read more about this year’s event in Sölden.

SkIIINg OR SNOWBOAR

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CONNECTIONS 47

R E A D E R ' S C O R N E R

CONNECTIONS

L E I S U R E & F U N

46

,27,814

In 2010 a total of 27,814 ships were handled by Oiltanking meaning that compared to the previous year the company saw an increase in maritime traffic at its jetties. For 2011 one has to find out how the wind blows but up to now the prospects looks good.

Ship, boat, vessel, container … More than 90 percent of the international trade in goods is transported by sea. Of the total 7.8 billion tons of cargo loaded in 2009, 22 percent was crude oil.

The 71 Oiltanking terminals worldwide offer — besides transport by land — access to national and/or international markets by water, either by barge or seagoing vessels.

Total number of ships handled by Oiltanking in 2010

NuMBER

... and action!Try to solve our riddle and don't miss the chance to win! Please send your entries to: [email protected], or contact us by post:Oiltanking GmbH, connections Team, Admiralitaetstrasse 55, 20459 Hamburg, Germany or by fax: +49(0)40 370 99 499.

C O N g R A T u L A T I O N S

Quiz solutionThe way to go! The solutions to our “Seven League Boots” quiz came in at a fair lick: the couple walked 24 km in total and reached the top of the mountain at 6.30 p.m., although 6.20 p.m. or 6.15 p.m. is also correct depending on how you calculated how far away the mountain was.

Our congratulations go to Eduardo Martinez, Oiltanking Panamá, S.A., who was in top form and can walk

away with a 4GB USB Pen with a laser pointer!

No prizes for guessing that the question for the new quiz is related to this issue’s theme, “relationships”. But be careful! It’s not what it might seem: where does the expression “loving whisper” come from? The one who can softly speak the right answer into our ear could be the lucky winner of a travel adapter. Good luck! Closing date for entries: June 10, 2011.

N E W q u I Z

Let’s have it!

part speed (s) time (t) distance (d = s•t) flat 4 km/h 1.5 hours 6 km climbing 3 km/h 2.0 hours 6 km descending 6 km/h 1.0 hours 6 km flat 4 km/h 1.5 hours 6 km Total 6.0 hours 24 km

But before we take a hike, here are the fit details:The total time is 6 hours (from 3 to 9 p.m.) and the couple walked at 4 different speeds (flat = 4 km/h, uphill = 3 km/h, downhill = 6 km/h, and flat again = 4 km/h. If they spent 1.5 hours walking along the flat road (return trip = 3 hours), then 3 hours would remain. Seeing as the climbing time is double the time it takes to descend, they would need 2 hours to reach the top and only 1 hour to reach the bottom.

Up and awa

y…?This time it’s up to you! For the next issue we invite you to spill ink about your funniest, most amazing or most breathtaking holiday trip. Or maybe a different cultural experience you had while on vacation. The best three stories (approx. one to two pages long) — chosen by

an independent jury of Oiltankers — will win a surprise and, of course, be published in connections! We look forward to your inspiring entries! (deadline: June 10, 2011).

L AS T B U T N OT L E AS T

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People having a special relationship with a city is nothing new. There can also be a symbiosis between a city and its inhabitants and that is what Daekwon Park’s entry for the eVolo Skyscraper Com

relationships sound - oiltanking...manasseh, herman surya atmaja and farkhan adi suryo of oiltanking...

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