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US Company gears to provide Guyanese with certified Scaffolding & Rope Access Training for oil sector
– EPA waives requirement for Environmental Impact Assessment
Kaieteur News – After screening an application by an American firm to set up training operations for the oil sector, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Friday it has determined that no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would be required.
In a notice to the public, the EPA said the company in question is Qualco Inc. It intends to establish facilities for equipment storage and training in support of the oil and gas sector at Lot 10 Public Road, Supply, East Bank Demerara.
The facilities already set-up by the US company at its Supply location
The EPA said it has determined that this project will not significantly affect the environment, and is therefore exempted from the requirement to conduct an EIA since the application and project summary submitted outline adequate mitigation measures.
Project documents note that QUALCO Inc. (Guyana) has established a local operation to support current ongoing works as well as position itself for additional long-term opportunities. It is also on the approved vendor list for ExxonMobil in Guyana, as well as SBM Offshore and Noble Drilling. In fact, the company is currently working on SBM and Noble Drilling projects in Guyana. Its supply shop is expected to allow it to build local content and to offer an extensive range of services.
Importantly, QUALCO Inc. (Guyana) is part of a family of companies from the United States with extensive oil and gas experience. The Quality Companies Group is a consortium of premier oil and gas product and service companies strategically located throughout the USA Gulf Coast region and internationally. Its core services include onshore and offshore fabrication and installation including welding, rigging, rope access, scaffolding, blasting, and painting. It also provides skilled labour that operates offshore and onshore assets that include control room operators, production operators, mechanics, electricians, and pipeline operators. At the Supply facility, Qualco said it will initially focus on the following activities: Training (Scaffolding, Rope Access and Welding); Equipment storage and staging in preparation for projects at customer’s sites; Welding and Fabrication, including blasting and painting; and project administration offices.
Significantly, the company explained that the certified Scaffolding and Rope Access Training is a standard requirement for both offshore and onshore activities. This training is currently provided at the company’s USA facilities. However, Qualco said it intends to provide this training to the local Guyana market at the Supply, EBD location. This training includes both classroom and practical sessions and successful participants receive an international industry recognised certificate.
With a strong focus on growing local capabilities through training and knowledge transfer, the Quality Companies Group said it sees the Guyana market as a key part of its overall long-term strategic plan and has therefore made the decision to invest for the long-term.
Kaieteur News understands that Qualco will employ approximately 10 to 15 persons locally in the first year then increase to an estimated 120 persons by year five. It is anticipated that over 1,200 local persons will be trained and certified over this five-year period.
It is envisaged that by year three, the welding and fabrication activities will possibly outgrow the Supply location and a larger more suitable facility will be found. At that point, the company said this activity will relocate to the new facility and the Supply, EBD facility will remain as a Training Centre and Staging Warehouse.
It noted that over US$1 million of equipment for use in the project has been imported into the country and is now stored both inside the building that was already on the property as well as outside in the open yard awaiting the commencement of operations. The company said it is awaiting a second shipment which will include a forklift and extended boom forklift as well as the scaffolding structure.
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