By Teddy Nwanunobi
PIC Group has entered into a five-year service agreement with Azikel Petroleum Ltd. for a new 12,000 barrels per day (bpd) Azikel Refinery to be located in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Valuechain reports that Azikel Petroleum Ltd. is part of the Azikel Group, a privately owned company involved in dredging, aviation, power generation and petroleum businesses supporting the infrastructure development of Nigeria.
The Group has operated and maintained assets, deployed and trained workforces in remote locations around the world, and built on years of experience in Nigeria.
Under the terms of the agreement, PIC Group will provide operations and maintenance (O&M) support services, including site-specific integrated operation and maintenance procedures, a systematic approach to training, as well as operational support in the form of oversight and mentoring of refinery personnel by PIC Group’s specialists.
PIC Group’s thorough and sustainable qualification programmes combined with a comprehensive approach to organisational development will enable the new Azikel Refinery to efficiently transition from commissioning and startup through to full operation, as well as facilitate staff localisation for the new hydroskimming refinery.
“PIC Group’s O&M experience, approach to site-specific qualification programmes and precise site-specific procedural documentation, creates a consistent base of knowledge for the Azikel Refinery to improve efficiency, and ensure reliable, consistent, safe operation,” the Executive Director and VP Refinery at Azikel Petroleum, Ian Anderson, said.
“PIC Group’s systematic methodology for knowledge transfer embraces Azikel’s vision of self-performance and will empower the local community to lead the long-term operation of the facility while maintaining operational readiness and regulatory compliance across the lifecycle of the refinery,” the President and CEO at PIC Group, Frank Avery, said.
“Training of our staff was of paramount importance to Azikel in our selection of the O&M services contractor, and we are very pleased with the comprehensive program proposed by the PIC Group,” Group President, Dr. Eruani, said.
Azikel Group was established in 2008, the company’s focus is in the industrialisation, employment, and the development of human capital with a geographic focus in the Niger Delta region of the country
Founded in 1988, PIC Group, Inc. is dedicated to delivering value by providing global energy services to facilities across four continents – North America, South America, Asia and Africa.
PIC Group provides O&M services (care, custody and control), commissioning and startup, documentation & training and staffing services and serves the power generation, oil and gas, petrochemical, pulp and paper and manufacturing industries.
PIC Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation, a Fortune Global 500 Company. Marubeni is a major Japanese sogo shosha (international trading company) and the third largest global independent power producer (IPP).
Marubeni Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries use their broad business networks, both within Japan and overseas, to conduct importing and exporting (including third country trading), as well as domestic business, encompassing a diverse range of business including consumer products, food, agriculture, chemicals, energy and metals and power business machinery and infrastructure.