Helping Firms Develop Offshore Expertise

The federal and provincial governments have approved funding to three Nova Scotia firms to assist their engineering staff in developing more expertise in the offshore oil and gas sector.

Accent Engineering Consultants Inc., East Coast Offshore Alliance, and Martec Ltd., all based in Halifax, will receive a total of $366,062 for training under the Canada/Nova Scotia Development Fund. They are the first companies to be approved under the $1.8-million Phase 4 of the fund's Career Development and Technical Skills Training Project.

"The government of Nova Scotia is committed to shaping the future course of this province," said Premier Russell MacLellan, Minister responsible for the Petroleum Directorate. "The approval of financial assistance to Nova Scotian firms working at refining their technological know-how is one of the most effective ways of increasing Nova Scotia's long-term participation in the East Coast offshore."

"Programs such as these ensure Nova Scotians and other Canadians form the highly skilled workforce needed for the Sable project," added Senator Al Graham, on behalf of Ralph Goodale, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. "We need Canadians to have the expertise to develop and manage our own offshore oil and gas resources."

Phase 4 of the training project focuses on skills upgrading and technology transfer aimed at helping Nova Scotians compete for jobs in the East Coast offshore oil and gas industry. The program covers up to 75 per cent of the salaries, air fare, course fees and living expenses.

The three applications so far approved:

• Accent Engineering Consultants Inc. receives $211,200 -- 75 per cent of the costs to train six employees. The firm holds the subcontract to design the Point Tupper fractionation plant for the Sable Offshore Energy Project. To complete the work, staff need training on the use of a three-dimensional computer modelling system, the Plant Design and Management System or PDMS. The training for six piping designers involves two-week course in Calgary, followed by 10 weeks of hands-on training in Houston.

• East Coast Offshore Alliance receives $107,612 -- 50 per cent of the costs related to engineering training and 75 per cent of costs related to PDMS training in Britain, Houston and Calgary. Over four months, 13 staff will be involved in the transfer of technology for the topsides construction. The aim is to prepare the engineers to take part in completion, commission and startup offshore work in Nova Scotia.

• Martec Ltd. receives $47,250 -- 75 per cent of the costs of engineering training at the Houston design office of Brown and Root, offshore design contractor for the Sable Offshore Energy Project. A senior engineer will work in the design of offshore structure and drilling/production facilities for an initial period of three to four months.

Phase 4 funding under the Career Development and Technical Skills Training Project is open to proponents of the Sable Offshore Energy Project, alliance partners and major contractors, as well as partners in the Cohasset-Panuke Development Project.

A six-member federal-provincial advisory board reviews applications to ensure that, among other things, the proposal benefits Nova Scotians and other Canadians, and the technology transfer and skills upgrading will result in employment in the Nova Scotia offshore sector.

The first two phases of the training project committed $4.4 million toward a program for career awards and technical skills training. Phase 3, with funding of $500,000, comprises an offshore technology transfer opportunities training program.

The Canada/Nova Scotia Development Fund was established in March 1982 to help the province with the costs of infrastructure related to development of the East Coast offshore oil and gas industry.