Central Asia: An Emerging Player in the Global Oil & Gas Energy Sector

Central Asia, with the rapid development of its oil & gas sectors, is coming to the fore of the global energy landscape. 

In the past several years, Central Asia has been gaining prominence in the global energy sector. While the Middle East remains to be the vital energy exporter to key markets across the world, the recent development of Central Asia’s energy and oil & gas facilities has allowed it to increasingly perform a significant part in delivering the energy needs of crucial markets.

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Central Asia, comprising the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan, has, in fact, long possessed immense volumes of oil and natural gas. It has estimated reserves of between 110 billion and 240 billion barrels of crude oil, valued at around USD 4 trillion. Unfortunately, they had largely remained underdeveloped due to lack of infrastructure. Owing to this, it was tremendously difficult for regional energy producers to transform the region’s raw natural resources to profitable output and to find suitable methods of delivery to target markets around the world.

With the presence of Soviet influence over the Central Asia’s energy sector, the region’s oil and gas resources were predominantly delivered to Russia, and from there channeled to other markets of Western Europe. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Central Asian states sought to open their energy resources to new markets and started to take progressive initiatives to diversify their export destinations.

The instrumental partnerships: China

Central Asia’s quest to develop its energy sector on the heels of the fall of the Soviet Union was largely met with various challenges. The region’s perceived geopolitical risks, lack of industrial and civil infrastructure, and demographic difficulties had all reined in the development of its oil and gas industry.

In recent years, however, the tide has dramatically turned for Central Asia, as it found important energy partners in its neighbors, most notably in China. Aside from being a viable final point of trade, China’s investment towards Central Asia largely contributed to the rapid development of the region’s oil & gas resources, and in the stark regeneration and expansion of its energy market.

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China has been actively involved in various oil & gas projects in Central Asia, particularly in Kazakhstan, funding construction works and supplying technology and equipment, mostly to the upstream sector. Investing in Central Asia’s energy industry is a key component of China’s strategy to strengthen its oil & gas sector to, first, meet domestic energy demand and, then, export high-value energy products to key markets of the world.

China controls an estimated 20% of Kazakhstan’s oil production, and has participated in the construction of one of the world’s most extensive oil pipelines, stretching 2,300 km from the Caspian Sea to Xinjiang province. The China National Petroleum Corporation maintains a significant stake in the Kashagan oil field in the Caspian Sea, while other Chinese companies control several strategic oil fields around Aktobe, a city in the west of Kazakhstan.

China also has a significant participation in Kazakhstan’s most successful oil & gas companies. Some of the regional energy companies with Chinese holdings include MangystauMunaiGaz, CNPC-AktobeMunaiGas, KazGerMunay, KarazhanbasMunay, PetroKazakhstan, Buzachi Operating, Turgay Petroleum, Caspian Petroleum Company, Kazakhoil Aktobe, and KarakudukMunai.

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Aside from Kazakhstan, China has also become a significant customer and partner for Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Regional energy companies, such as Tajiktransgaz and Uzbekneftergaz have signed agreements with China National Petroleum Corporation to cooperate in the construction of the Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline that facilitates the delivery of Central Asia’s gas resources to China.

Aside from Chinese oil & gas firms, Central Asia has also attracted international oil & gas majors to participate in geological surveys, exploratory activities and other energy-related processes. These include ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, Conoco, and Eni.

The power to go further

The partnership with international oil & gas firms, particularly with those from China, has clearly accelerated Central Asia’s emergence as a significant player in the world energy market. The development of new energy infrastructure, exploration facilities, refineries and large-scale pipeline projects are expected to continue in the coming years, with more deals being signed among the Central Asian countries and prospective international investors.

Now, more than ever, a reliable source of electrical energy will be necessary to provide power to the existing energy facilities and to the future infrastructure construction projects in Central Asia. With market opportunities abound, Central Asia cannot afford to slow down at the risk of losing its momentum. This is the time when Central Asia needs a reliable power partner that can provide suitable power generation technologies to its energy and oil & gas market.

Temporary power plants represent a power generation technology highly suitable to Central Asia’s oil and gas market. They can be delivered and installed anywhere in the world, even in remote areas where oil & gas facilities are usually located or constructed. They can be configured in various ways so that they fit even in the limited spaces that are usually left available in oil & gas facilities.

They are highly scalable so that they can provide the precise amount of power needed in the different processes of an oil & gas operation. For example, an oil & gas operator can opt to start with a small power plant during the less energy-intensive stages, and then ramp up its capacity as operations expand and as processes require more power. This is particularly important for oil & gas investors because this eliminates the need to invest in permanent power plants at the early stages, which can be left inefficiently running at part-load most of the time.

Modern rental power plants are equipped with cutting-edge protection systems that ensure a safe operation within oil & gas facilities. Additionally, they will be expertly installed, operated and maintained by certified electrical engineers from the service provider so oil & gas operators can rest assured that the power plants will remain efficient and reliable throughout the service.

For more information on the benefits of temporary power for oil & gas operations, please visit: http://www.altaaqaglobal.com/industries/oil-gas

 The remarkable potential

Industry insiders say that Central Asia is set to become a dominant player in the global energy market. Central Asia possesses some of the world’s largest oil & gas fields, and though several of which are already being developed, there still remain many areas in the region where a substantial potential exists. As the region’s oil & gas sector is further developed by future regional and international investments, Central Asia will progressively gain prominence as a major producer of energy and fuels, and as a vital energy transportation link between various regions of Eurasia.


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*This article has been previsouly published at www.gineersnow.com, https://www.gineersnow.com/industries/oil-gas/central-asia-emerging-player-global-oil-gas-energy-sector


Sources consulted:

http://thediplomat.com/2016/08/central-asias-oil-and-gas-now-flows-to-the-east/
http://www.worldfinance.com/markets/central-asia-a-major-player-in-the-oil-and-gas-energy-industry
http://www.arabianoilandgas.com/article-16239-central-asias-new-pivotal-role/1/print/


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Tel: +971 56 1749505
rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Current Trends in the Oil & Gas Industry of the Asia-Pacific

The Asia-Pacific is keen on boosting the productivity of new and established oil and gas reserves within its territories. 

The Asia-Pacific’s demand for oil and gas continues to rise as it witnesses rapid urbanization and industrialization. At the moment, the Asia-Pacific is said to be consuming approximately 25% of the world’s oil supply, 45% of coal and 10% of natural gas. While it has traditionally supported its demand with exports from other regions, at present countries in the Asia-Pacific are taking significant steps towards decreasing import dependency and boosting regional energy security and autonomy.

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In order to satisfy the increasing demand for energy, oil & gas and petrochemicals, and thus encourage further regional economic growth, the Asia-Pacific is keen on boosting the productivity of new and established oil and gas reserves within its territories.

Renewed Energy

Some of the more mature oil and gas reserves in the region are found in China and India, and in certain parts of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Currently, new oil frontiers are being developed in other countries, like the Philippines and Myanmar. Exploration of unconventional oil and gas reserves in deeper and more remote waters is notably gaining traction.

National oil companies within the region, such as the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Malaysia’s Petronas, Thailand’s PTT and Vietnam’s PetroVietnam have taken the lead in investing in and developing the region’s oil & gas industry. Additionally, independent oil & gas companies and international oil companies are seeing increasing regional participation.

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American and European oil & gas titans have started ramping up their activities within the Asia-Pacific, with the keen interest of capitalizing on the region’s rapidly expanding market. Some of the more notable regional activities of international oil companies include Exxon Mobil’s agreed acquisition of Papua New Guinea’s InterOil, British Petroleum’s (BP) plans of expanding its Tangguh LNG project in Indonesia, and Chevron and Exxon Mobil’s bid to invest in an oil project in Kazakhstan, which is geared towards transporting crude to China. Other international players actively participating in the regional oil & gas activities include Reliance, Shell and Murphy.

Spotlight: In-field Power Generation Technologies

But while the Asia-Pacific oil & gas sector is gradually picking up the pace, the industry players remain cautious about the volatile prices, the challenges of exploration and production in harsh remote areas and other environmental and technological concerns. With this in mind, oil & gas operators are constantly in search of ways to enhance long-term production, control operational expenditure and minimize the environmental impact of their operations.

One aspect that industry players aim to optimize is in-field power generation, considered the life-blood of oil & gas operation.

Temporary power plants can prove to be a viable power generation option for oil & gas operations. Turning to rental power solutions can spare new and mature oil & gas companies alike from making a huge investment in permanent power facilities amidst this uncertain economic climate. Opting to rent power plants will not require a substantial capital investment, and the power produced can be easily paid from operational revenues. Because rental power plants are completely scalable, they can support the energy requirements of various processes of oil & gas operations of any size.

Temporary power plants can be transported from and to virtually anywhere in the world, even in extremely remote areas where new oil & gas facilities are being established. Equipment comprising rental power stations are enclosed in industry-grade containers so they are suitable for safe and reliable operation even in the harshest environments. They are modular so they can be laid out and installed in various configurations even in the limited spaces available in oil & gas facilities.

At present, many oil & gas facilities are realizing the economic and environmental advantages of using natural gas to provide power for its operations. While oilfield equipment is traditionally powered by diesel generators, natural gas generators are progressively gaining utilization in oil & gas operations. Its growth within the industry is largely spurred by the development of modern power generation solutions capable of running on-site natural gas, the increase in unconventional gas resources and the strict implementation of emission regulations in many countries around the world.

For more information on how rental power plants can be beneficial to oil & gas operations, visit: http://www.altaaqaglobal.com/industries/oil-gas

What Lies Ahead

The Asia-Pacific is expecting continued economic growth of 7.3% in the coming years. What this means is that the region’s energy demand will proportionally increase. This, in addition to the modest recovery in crude prices, drives the expansion of the oil and gas market in the Asia-Pacific. But while national and international oil & gas players are excitedly looking to ride this new growth wave, they remain optimistically cautious of the industry’s prospects. Having said this, they remain on the look-out for innovations and technologies that can enhance their productivity and mitigate any associated risks.


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Sources consulted: 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/asia-pacific-upstream-oil-gas-services-market-to-grow-at-4-cagr-through-2021-2016-11-08-22034846

http://erm-academy.org/publication/risk-management-article/changes-asia-pacific-oil-and-gas-segment

http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Trends/Energy-majors-look-to-Asia-Pacific-for-growth

http://altaaqaglobal.blogspot.ae/2016/04/utilizing-stranded-gas-to-boost-long.html

Altaaqa Global and Caterpillar Team Up to Power Cameroon and Empower Locals through Customer Development Program

The program through Caterpillar University helps solve Cameroon’s energy challenge while facilitating the transfer of engineering and advanced technical knowledge to local professionals at state-of-the-art 50 MW project

DUBAI – Altaaqa Global Caterpillar Rental Power, a leading global temporary power solutions provider, and Caterpillar Inc. have developed a solution to one of Cameroon’s biggest challenges: reliable energy access. This solution is not only about transferring power but also knowledge and prosperity across the African country.

In 2015, Altaaqa Global installed a 50 MW natural gas power plant in Cameroon’s most populous city, Douala, as an immediate solution to the city’s chronic electricity shortage. The power plant added reliable power to Cameroon’s grid, and provided its people and industries with a new, reliable source of electricity.

Just as important as the power was ensuring a local team of highly trained professionals was able to oversee the operation of the power plant. Altaaqa deployed Caterpillar University, Caterpillar’s proprietary training platform, to launch a Customer Development Program. The pilot program, which will continuously run for one year, is offered to a team of select local engineers and technical professionals from Altaaqa Global’s client Eneo, Cameroon’s integrated utility provider.

The Customer Development Program

One of the key pillars of Altaaqa Global's sustainable business model is extending employment and learning opportunities to local communities where it has projects, with the aim of enhancing their skills and transferring world-class industry knowledge to the local workforce.
To facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills to Eneo’s team of local engineers and professionals, Altaaqa Global launched a tailored customer training program, in cooperation with Caterpillar University.

The program features three methods of instruction: classroom teaching, online instruction and on-the-job mentoring with Altaaqa Global’s Cat-certified in-house technicians. To encourage a better understanding of technical concepts taken up in the classroom, Altaaqa Global enrolled the Eneo engineers in Caterpillar University, which features expert-curated modules on service, safety and equipment operation.

For the purposes of the program, Altaaqa Global’s training engineers designed a learning plan that included carefully selected modules available on Caterpillar University. Considering their relevance to the participants’ tasks at site and to the engines installed for the project, the trainers hand-picked specialized courses on Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) and Engineering Service.

At the end of the year-long program, subject to the completion of all necessary on-line modules and a satisfactory performance in the final evaluation, the participants will be awarded a Level 1 Preventive Maintenance (PM) Technician certificate, and will thus be eligible to progress to second-level training. Altaaqa Global will conduct the program on a continuous basis, such that the training will be offered to every new team of engineers and technical professionals from Eneo.

Commenting on the motivation behind the training program, Peter den Boogert, CEO of Altaaqa Global, said: “In all of our projects, we provide more than electricity; we offer training and employment opportunities to locals. In fact, 95% of our site employees in our projects around the world is composed of locals.”

A commitment to sustainable progress

The training program is in accordance with Caterpillar’s sustainability strategy, which aims, among others, to promote economic and social development in areas where it operates. The company believes that an effective way to encourage sustainable social and economic progress is to educate local professionals on globally recognized industry best practices.

Against this backdrop, Kim Hauer, Caterpillar Vice President with responsibility for the Human Services Division and Chief Human Resources Officer said: “At Caterpillar, we believe in empowerment through education and transfer of knowledge. So, we work together with our global dealers, like Altaaqa Global, to provide tailored customer training solutions. Such initiatives have been proven to enhance customer efficiency, global competitiveness and help deliver sustainable progress around the world.”

Commending Altaaqa Global’s customer development initiatives, Doug Oberhelman, Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc., said: “Altaaqa Global’s successful customer development program is a testament to the company’s commitment to support and improve the communities it serves. Altaaqa Global provides solutions that power and light the world.”

Mr. Fahad Y Zahid, Chairman of Altaaqa Global and Executive Vice President of the Zahid Group, avowed the company’s continued dedication to its mission of inspiring progress and prosperity to people, businesses and communities. “Since its inception, Altaaqa Global has looked beyond profit. We have always aimed to play an active role in spurring growth and progress not only by providing a reliable supply of electricity, but also by transferring knowledge to locals. We hope that the Customer Development Program yields a globally competitive workforce that will drive the continuous growth of Cameroon.”

Altaaqa Global and Caterpillar have produced a documentary video on the program, showcasing the effectiveness and benefits of Caterpillar’s tailored customer training solutions to dealers and customers all over the world. The video was premiered at the 2016 Africa Energy Forum in London, UK in late June, and was seen by energy ministers and other energy stakeholders from around the world.

Watch the video, here: https://youtu.be/8M5qA1Pz7Ys

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About Altaaqa Global
Altaaqa Global, a subsidiary of Zahid Group, has been selected by Caterpillar Inc. to deliver multi-megawatt turnkey temporary power solutions worldwide. The company owns, mobilizes, installs, and operates efficient temporary independent power plants (IPP’s) at customer sites, focusing on the emerging markets of Sub-Sahara Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, South East Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Offering power rental equipment that will operate with different types of fuel such as diesel, natural gas, or dual-fuel, Altaaqa Global is positioned to rapidly deploy and provide temporary power plant solutions, delivering electricity whenever and wherever it may be needed.

http://www.altaaqaglobal.com

About Zahid Group
Zahid Group represents a diverse range of companies, offering comprehensive, customer-centric solutions in a number of thriving industries. Some of those include construction; mining; oil & gas; agriculture; power, electricity & water generation; material handling; building materials; transportation & logistics; real estate development; travel & tourism; waste management & recycling; and hospitality.

http://www.zahid.com

About Caterpillar Inc.
For 90 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent.  Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets.  With 2015 sales and revenues of $47.011 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives.  The company principally operates through its three product segments - Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation - and also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment.

http://www.caterpillar.com

About Eneo Cameroon S.A.
Cameroon’s long-term electricity operator, Eneo (formerly AES-SONEL) is a semi-public company with 56% shares owned by Actis Group and 44% by the State of Cameroon. Eneo has an installed generation capacity of 968 MW. Its transport network connects 24 substations and includes 1,944.29 km of high voltage lines, 15,081.48 km of medium voltage lines and 15,209.25 km of low voltage lines. Its distribution network consists of 11,450 km of lines of 5.5 to 33 KV and 11,158 km of lines of 220-380 kV. Eneo has more than 973,250 customers, of which approximately 45% live in the cities of Douala and Yaoundé. Eneo employs 3,698 permanent staff.

http://www.eneocameroon.cm


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rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Utilizing Stranded Gas to Boost Long-Term Production: A Case for Temporary Power Technologies

Oil & gas operators are constantly in search of innovative ways to optimize field operations, enhance long-term production, keep operational expenditure in check, and minimize the environmental impact of their operations. In this light, oil & gas operators are increasingly looking into in-field power generation.

Traditionally, oilfield equipment is powered by generators running on diesel, owing to the fuel’s wide availability, safety, and economy, and to the ease of installation of diesel-run generators. In recent years, however, natural gas-powered generators are progressively gaining acceptance as a workable alternative to diesel-run ones. Previously, using natural gas as fuel for in-field power generation was an unattractive proposition, primarily because of the absence of proper infrastructure and appropriate technologies to capture, process and utilize stranded natural gas. Today, with the existence of cutting-edge power generation solutions that can run on onsite natural gas, together with the increase in unconventional gas resources and the emission regulations in vigor in many countries around the world, oil & gas operators are gradually realizing the economic and environmental advantages of using natural gas to provide power for their operations.

Natural gas generator systems prove particularly beneficial in bigger and longer-duration projects. While it is true that natural gas units require a significant upfront expenditure, operating them have been shown to be more economical compared to generators running on other fuels, mainly due to fuel savings. Additionally, with natural gas generators, oil & gas operators can ensure maximum field uptime, because such equipment has longer run times in between service intervals.

At present, oil & gas operators have been keenly looking into expanding the scope of natural gas-powered generators, beyond the traditional drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

While power solutions running on natural gas are gaining ground, deploying them on a large scale still comes with particular challenges. Oil & gas operators will find benefit in partnering with a reputable and reliable power solutions provider, who can help them address the related obstacles and meet the power requirements of each stage of operations. Temporary power providers can offer alternative fuel technologies that represent a viable solution to the wide range of challenges related to the utilization of natural gas-powered units in oil & gas operations.

In this context, what should be expected of a reliable power partner?

A reliable temporary power provider should be capable of supplying a complete and integrated power solution to ensure an efficient and smooth installation of natural gas temporary power plants. It is imperative that the solution on offer should provide for modules to condition on-site natural gas, a complete electrical infrastructure (including generators, cables and other allied equipment), and provisions to utilize an alternative fuel source, in cases when the gas supply from the main source is insufficient.

A temporary power partner should offer flexible power technologies that can ensure consistent power generation amidst fluctuating gas supply volumes. This provision can particularly prove beneficial for nascent field operations, before a consistent source of field gas is established. For instance, the temporary power plants can initially run on liquid propane, then seamlessly transition to natural gas once the infrastructure to access gas from proximate pipelines is set up.

An efficient temporary power provider should also have the experience, expertise, and necessary provisions to be able to act swiftly in case problems arise at the site. Various field parameters should be constantly monitored and communicated to operations personnel at the site. They should be immediately notified of any problem relating to gas supply or generator function, and should always be ready to resolve the problem and restore the optimal operations of the temporary power generation systems.

Oil & gas operators are progressively understanding the opportunities of leveraging natural gas as a power source. However, without the proper infrastructure and appropriate technologies in place, oil & gas operators are restricted in capitalizing on this valuable resource. Temporary power solutions, such as gas generators or generators capable of running on more than one fuel, can help oil & gas operators in effectively utilizing natural gas to decrease overall operational expenditure and reduce field emission levels while keeping optimal production up-time.

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For more information on temporary power solutions and their application on oil & gas operations, visit: http://www.altaaqaglobal.com

Encouraging Outlook for the Middle East Rental Power Market

The rental power market in the Middle East has remained buoyant, and is predicted to go on expanding in years to come. Buoyed by the development of new rental power technologies, interim power stations will continue to find application in a variety of sectors, including utility markets, extractive industries like mining and oil & gas, large process industries and major infrastructure construction projects.

Among the rental power technologies available, diesel generators will continue to dominate the market, largely due to the wide availability of fuel, fuel safety & economy and ease of installment. However, it is helpful to note that generators running on other fuels, such as natural gas and dual-fuel (a combination of diesel and gas), are progressively gaining ground. The market expansion of such technologies is spurred by the increasing availability of inexpensive locally extracted natural gas and the strict emission regulations in many countries around the world.

There have been observed limitations on the growth of the natural gas generator market, including fuel availability, and the prohibitive cost of installing safe and reliable fuel delivery infrastructure. Today, these are gradually being mitigated by the availability of cost-effective natural gas resources, and the application of natural gas technologies in bigger and longer-duration projects. In addition, dual-fuel generators simplifies the transition from diesel-run to gas-run generators.

There is also a growing trend towards the use of renewables in the region, particularly solar. As technology here develops, it is inevitable that they will play an increasingly important role in the future energy mix, and in the development of hybrid solutions with diesel or natural gas generators.

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Julian Ford Joins Altaaqa Global as Chief Commercial Officer

With over 15 years of experience in the rental power industry, Ford takes the helm of the company’s strategic business development and top-line revenue generation functions

Altaaqa Global, a leading global provider of large-scale temporary power services, has appointed energy industry veteran, Julian Ford as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), effective July 1, 2015. As the company’s CCO, Ford’s remit is to ensure that Altaaqa Global achieves revenue growth targets and overall commercial success, and to facilitate the formulation and implementation of innovative global commercial strategies.

Julian Ford, Chief Commercial Officer of Altaaqa Global

Ford’s career in the industry started at the time when the concept of power plants on a rental basis was just gaining ground. He had a hand in introducing the concept of power project rental to governments of developing economies, which allowed them to hire power capacity to address short term energy issues during times of hydropower shortage or other generation or transmission issues.
Ford was instrumental in taking the rental power concept to different regions across the globe, including Middle East and Africa, South America, East Asia and South Asia. “My vision then,” he said, “was for the rental power market to develop beyond its traditional local markets and become a truly global business. We started in the Middle East and East Africa and quickly expanded our operations in other regions of the world.”

A true visionary, Ford led the way for the development of the gas-fueled temporary power equipment market in the mid-2000s. “At that time,” explained Ford, “diesel costs were rapidly rising, and it was imperative to diversify the product offering and capitalize on the growth of natural gas reserves.” With keen interest in markets where gas reserves were not vast enough to be commercially developed, Ford pioneered a new business model that allowed countries to monetize their ‘stranded gas’ reserves to generate useful low-cost electricity for the national grid.

Ford welcomes the challenge of his new role, as he recognizes the continuous evolution of the rental power industry. “The role of temporary power has evolved from being a local, short-term, transactional activity to a major global project-based industry,” said Ford, and added that it is no longer uncommon to see power plants of 100 MW and up being rented on a longer-term basis. “Our objective is to create a highly skilled, motivated and experienced, world-class, power projects team. My vision is for Altaaqa Global to lead the evolution of the industry, and to be recognized as the premier source of innovative technical solutions and the highest level of customer service and support.”

About Altaaqa Global
Altaaqa Global, a subsidiary of Zahid Group, has been selected by Caterpillar Inc. to deliver multi-megawatt turnkey temporary power solutions worldwide. The company owns, mobilizes, installs, and operates efficient temporary independent power plants (IPP’s) at customer sites, focusing on the emerging markets of Sub-Sahara Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, South East Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Offering power rental equipment that will operate with different types of fuel such as diesel, natural gas, or dual-fuel, Altaaqa Global is positioned to rapidly deploy and provide temporary power plant solutions, delivering electricity whenever and wherever it may be needed.
http://www.altaaqaglobal.com

About Zahid Group
Zahid Group represents a diverse range of companies, offering comprehensive, customer-centric solutions in a number of thriving industries. Some of those include construction; mining; oil & gas; agriculture; power, electricity & water generation; material handling; building materials; transportation & logistics; real estate development; travel & tourism; waste management & recycling; and hospitality.
http://www.zahid.com

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Altaaqa Global
Tel: +971 56 1749505
rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

Road to Growth

Economic excitement is back in many countries in the world. Construction activities have picked up, investment is flowing and manufacturing has once again gained momentum. India’s economy, for instance, reflects a buoyant growth rate of around 5.3% in 2014 and 5.8% in 2015, riding high on intense government and private sector funding and on an aggressive push to build new and improve on existing public and industrial facilities. Naturally, India’s new found economic vitality has attracted entities and professionals from all over the world to set up shop and work in the country, respectively. From information technology to industrial manufacturing to consumer goods, the best global brands are flocking to India as a safe bet of investment.

While the foregoing bodes well for the future of the country and its people, the frenetic pace of economic and social activities in India is taking its toll on the country’s power supply. A study conducted by India’s Central Electricity Authority reported that energy deficiency would be felt across the country and that the spare power capacity of the northern regions would gradually recede. The situation described above has actually been looming for a time now: Recorded data in recent years showed that demand for energy in India had consistently outstripped the supply, both in terms of base load energy and peak availability. India, the data suggested, registered an 8.5% deficit in base load requirement and 9.8% short-fall in peak load requirement.

The government, in recognition of the foregoing, had initiated rural and urban electrification projects that comprised power plants that run on traditional and alternative energy sources. The discrepancy between the rates of the addition of electric power supply and the growth of demand, however, is that wide that the available energy is never enough to fulfill the requirement. And the gap is observed to be continuously growing, whether in generation, transmission or distribution….

The repercussion of the power deficiency is real. In 2012, a massive blackout left 700 million people in India without electricity. In what is touted to be one of the worst blackouts in history, 20 of India’s 28 states suffered the effects of the power interruption that almost incited social instability and protest for fears that the country was no longer able to support its booming local energy demand.
With the feverish growth rate of economic and social activities in India, the country’s demand for electricity should show no signs of slowing down.

How can energy be sustained?
One has to face the truth that permanent power plant projects cannot be completed in days or months. Permanent energy facilities may take decades to complete, as planning, designing, approving, constructing and commissioning them entail time, effort and processes that go through different channels. What, then, can be done? Is there anything that can possibly support the permanent infrastructure while the new ones are being built?

Temporary power generation companies, like Altaaqa Global CAT Rental Power, have the technologies that have the capacity to support the existing power generation infrastructure, bridging the gap in electricity supply as, where and when the necessity be. In times when the power demand heavily outstrips the supply, rental power generators, running on diesel for example, can prove to be viable and affordable sources of energy to avoid disastrous power interruptions, unscheduled load shedding and widespread blackouts.

Though some parts of the country may have occasional spare power capacity, its availability may be periodic and can be severely affected by a disrupted seasonal pattern. For instance, some parts of the country where hydroelectric power stations operate may experience droughts or prolonged absence of rain, which in turn can drastically reduce the power generation capacity of the said plants. Solar or photovoltaic farms thrive during summer months but may experience shortage in production in months when days are predominantly cloudy or rainy. In these cases, rental power plants may support the power generation capacity of the current facilities to bridge the gap during the crucial months of seasonal change.

With its booming industrial manufacturing sector, production facilities in India often need to double, may be even triple, their capacities to meet the international production requirement in certain months, say during Christmas or Diwali. The consequent spike in power consumption may usher in operational challenges. It is highly probable that during the peak months, utility companies will set ceiling caps for electricity consumption or will ask production facilities to pay an additional consumption premium during peak hours. In this case, based on cost-benefit studies conducted among industries within the arc of peak months, it will be more economically sound for manufacturing facilities to hire temporary power plants than to pay an additional fee for every peak kilowatt used, shut down parts of the production complex when power usage is at its peak, or pay a hefty fine for using more power than what has been allocated. Peaker power plants (peakers for short) are an ideal solution offered by energy rental companies to curb seasonal electricity demand during peak production months.

Power partner checklist
To fully capitalize on the advantages of temporary power technologies, the governments and the utility companies in India need to be discerning in hiring an interim energy service provider. In selecting a temporary electricity partner, one should look at the provider’s experience, organization, support system, rate of deployment and equipment reliability and sustainability before signing an agreement with it.

One of the most important things to consider when entering into an agreement with a rental energy provider is its track record in delivering executable, measurable and sustainable solutions to a wide array of projects. If the mobile generator company cannot supply the required power, it may cause more delays in the project, eventually leading to legal disputes and further economic damages. The Indian government and utility companies should avoid dealing with backyard rental companies that will over-promise but will eventually under-deliver. One should ask, ‘Can we really trust mom-and-pop rental power companies when we are supplying power to airports, hospitals, mining facilities, telecommunication entities and petrochemical companies?’

Though temporary power plants are engineered to endure even the harshest conditions known to man, they are by no means indestructible. The governments and the utility companies in India must keep in mind that the service of a rental energy company should not end when the electric power generators are switched on. The company should have the spare parts and the human resources to carry out after-sales support to installed and commissioned projects at any given location, at any given time. One should ask, ‘Do we stop a 100 MW power plant simply because there was no available spare part?’

An interim energy partner should have the capability to react, deploy, mobilize and commission temporary power plants at a moment’s notice. This means that the provider should have available equipment and manpower on the ground to carry out a rapid delivery. If the power rental company has the available equipment to deploy and a team of professional logistic personnel that can deal with the complexities of ports, customs and transportation, it can immediately solve the power crisis.

Providing solutions to power requirement of different entities does not follow a template nor is it governed by a rule of thumb. Each case should be carefully studied and evaluated in order for rental power companies to prescribe an optimal solution. The only way that an interim energy company can afford to meet the exact requirement of any client is for it to have the adequate and state-of-the-art technologies available in its product line.

Now, there is a solution
The power supply situation in India does not have to be a Catch-22. India could not possibly turn its back on investors and professionals saying that they could not stay in the country because they would eventually consume electricity, putting more pressure on the country’s power facilities. On the other hand, India could not go on growing its economy at the expense of its limited power supply that, when severely overwhelmed, might eventually collapse and cause a massive socio-economic tragedy. In times of tough choices, such as this, rental power plants can make a difference. With interim generators supporting the existing power infrastructure, India can go on its road to economic growth without sacrificing the country’s energy supply. While the permanent power facilities are underway, rental energy plants can bridge the electricity gap, allowing India to power its way to a brighter future.

End

*The foregoing article was published in the July 2014 issue of Power Line magazine (India Infrastructure Publishing, India).*

PRESS INQUIRIES
Robert Bagatsing
Altaaqa Global
Tel: +971 56 1749505
rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com 

Altaaqa Global Opens Office in Southern Africa

The new Johannesburg office will serve as a hub for Altaaqa Global’s sales and operations in the Southern African region.

Dubai-based Altaaqa Global CAT Rental Power, a global provider of temporary power solutions, has recently opened a new branch in Johannesburg that will cater to several countries in Southern Africa, including the Republic of South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The new Johannesburg office will serve as a hub for Altaaqa Global’s sales and operations in the Southern African region

Altaaqa Global will bring its expertise, innovative technologies, industry-proven reliability and rapid deployment to the region, which is largely known for its thriving oil and gas, industrial manufacturing, and mineral and coal mining industries. Peter den Boogert, General Manager of Altaaqa Global, said that we would provide Southern Africa with the most advanced power plant packaged systems, remote monitoring, and fuel-efficient gas, diesel or dual-fuel-powered generators. “Altaaqa Global and its sister company in Saudi Arabia have a total combined fleet of 1,400 MW rental power plant generation readily available to serve the Southern African region.”

One of the flagship innovations that Altaaqa Global will offer, he added, was the flexible operational mode that can switch from island to grid mode in just seconds. Furthermore, Altaaqa Global’s energy rental dynamic package allows its power plants to hook directly to the grid without the need for a substation.

The global outlook for the rental power industry has been encouraging, and Steven Meyrick, Board Representative of Altaaqa Global, sees merit in capitalizing on it through strategic market and geographic expansion. “With this recent feat, we believe that we are on our way to fulfilling, even exceeding, the highly ambitious objectives we set at the launch of our company in 2012.” Meyrick added that Altaaqa Global would continue to pursue multi-megawatt independent power projects (IPP) in various industries, in addition to heavily investing in human resources, process and business optimization, and product expansion.

In line with its avowed corporate social responsibility programs that aim to alleviate the social needs of its immediate environs, Altaaqa Global will also continue to provide job opportunities, extend immediate assistance for school children, and conduct educational campaigns on energy conservation and environmental stewardship in Southern Africa. Meyrick continued, “One of the pillars of our sustainable business model is employing and training local professionals in areas where we operate, and we are excited to extend that commitment to Southern Africa.”

Majid Zahid, Strategic Accounts Director of Altaaqa Global, said, “Southern Africa has a promising economic outlook within the energy, engineering, production, oil and gas, and mining sectors, and we are delighted to open our new office in Africa to provide our wide range of highly innovative interim power plants. We are determined to serve various industries, such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, mining, electric power utilities, industrial manufacturing and maritime.”

Altaaqa Global has been aggressively making inroads into the African market with the opening of branch offices in several key locations in the continent. “We have also recently opened an office in East Africa,” said Den Boogert, “and have appointed a highly competent management team to oversee our African operations.” He shared the information that Hendrick Mtemeri, a power distribution veteran with more than 20 years of experience in the power utility industry, has been appointed as the Regional Director for the entire Sub-Saharan region, and Paul Heyns, a power equipment engineering expert based in Pretoria, and Oduor Omolo, power generation professional based in Nairobi, have been appointed as Sales Managers for Southern Africa and East Africa, respectively. “Under their leadership, we will reinforce our presence in Africa and ensure that we stay close with our customers.”

The economy of Southern Africa is largely driven by the precious stone, mineral and coal mining industry. The Republic of South Africa, a leading economy in the Southern African region, is ranked as an upper-middle income economy by the World Bank, and is touted to be the largest African economy ahead of Nigeria. Though still reeling from the effects of its recent economic setbacks, the African Economic Outlook expects South Africa's economy to moderately accelerate in 2014. Angola's economy, after experiencing slow growth due to the recent oil and financial crises, is also predicted to be on the rebound, expected to grow by 7.8% in 2014. Furthermore, Mozambique's economy is forecast to maintain its upward trend, predicted to grow by 8% in 2014. Agriculture, manufacturing, oil and gas, in addition to mineral and coal mining, significantly contribute to the countries’ GDP, as well as to their employment rates.

 -- End --

About Altaaqa Global

Altaaqa Global, a subsidiary of Zahid Group, has been selected by Caterpillar Inc. to deliver multi-megawatt turnkey temporary power solutions worldwide. The company owns, mobilizes, installs, and operates efficient temporary independent power plants (IPP’s) at customer sites, focusing on the emerging markets of Sub-Sahara Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, South East Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Offering power rental equipment that will operate with different types of fuel such as diesel, natural gas, or dual-fuel, Altaaqa Global is positioned to rapidly deploy and provide temporary power plant solutions, delivering electricity whenever and wherever it may be needed.

http://www.altaaqaglobal.com/press-media/press-releases

About Zahid Group

Zahid Group represents a diverse range of companies, offering comprehensive, customer-centric solutions in a number of thriving industries. Some of those include construction; mining; oil & gas; agriculture; power, electricity & water generation; material handling; building materials; transportation & logistics; real estate development; travel & tourism; and hospitality.

http://www.zahid.com/

PRESS INQUIRIES

Robert Bagatsing

Altaaqa Global

Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

READER REQUESTS

Altaaqa Global

Marketing Department

P.O. Box 262989

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Altaaqa Global Receives ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 Certification

TÜV NORD has recently certified Altaaqa Global as a company that implements a management system in accordance with ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, and OHSAS 18001:2007.

Dubai, UAE – After several months of rigorous auditing and aligning processes, Altaaqa Global CAT Rental Power has achieved ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001:2004 (Environmental Management System), and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems) certification by TÜV NORD Germany, the ISO accredited certification body headquartered in Hanover, Germany.

According to Shibu Davies, GM of Certification, HSD & Lab TÜV NORD, “Only a few companies in the world have ever completed a triple audit and received all certifications in its first year of evaluation. It is evident that Altaaqa Global will surely be an asset to the global energy industry.”

Commenting on the certifications, Peter den Boogert, GM of Altaaqa Global, said, “We have achieved this milestone through the shared values of the Altaaqa Global team. The cohesive objective to attain greatness is far beyond our vision and mission; it is inculcated in the very fabric of our culture, our beliefs and our principles. High quality standards and processes are always at the forefront of our company.”

Meghana Millin, Quality, Health, Safety & Environmental Officer of Altaaqa Global, said, “We are truly proud of the three certifications from TÜV NORD. This will help us continue to manage our quality, while enabling us to streamline our processes and ensure they are in line with international standards, a high priority for everyone at Altaaqa Global. This recent achievement is an important recognition of our hard work.”

“We are committed to delivering not only the best products and technology but the best processes across the board,” said Steven Meyrick, Board Representative of Altaaqa Global. “We have validated our speed of power plant installation as the ‘fastest rental power company’ to deliver interim power plants. We have also validated our innovative technology as one of the best in the energy industry cited by the Middle East Electricity Awards, MEP Awards and Platts Global Energy Awards. Now, as another testament to our commitment to excellence, TÜV NORD has certified our quality management system.”

Majid Zahid, Strategic Accounts Director of Altaaqa Global, said, “On top of our latest and most advanced power generation technologies, our clients in the mining, oil & gas, petrochemicals, power generation, electric utilities and industrial manufacturing sectors can rest assured that our system processes and management procedures are in line with the global quality standards in delivering temporary power plant solutions.”

-- End --

About Altaaqa Global

Altaaqa Global, a subsidiary of Zahid Group, has been selected by Caterpillar Inc. to deliver multi-megawatt turnkey temporary power solutions worldwide. The company owns, mobilizes, installs, and operates efficient temporary independent power plants (IPP’s) at customer sites, focusing on the emerging markets of Sub-Sahara Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, South East Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Offering power rental equipment that will operate with different types of fuel such as diesel, natural gas, or dual-fuel, Altaaqa Global is positioned to rapidly deploy and provide temporary power plant solutions, delivering electricity whenever and wherever it may be needed.

http://www.altaaqaglobal.com/press-media/press-releases

About Zahid Group

Zahid Group represents a diverse range of companies, offering comprehensive, customer-centric solutions in a number of thriving industries. Some of those include construction; mining; oil & gas; agriculture; power, electricity & water generation; material handling; building materials; transportation & logistics; real estate development; travel & tourism; waste management & recycling; and hospitality.

About TÜV NORD

TÜV NORD International GmbH & Co. KG has established business relationships in more than 70 countries of Europe, America, Asia and Africa and is now represented in all major world markets. The TÜV NORD Group has combined its acknowledged competence, versatile innovative talent and also many companies who are leaders in their market segments under the umbrella of TÜV NORD International. Now, know-how developed over many years and a dedicated, 8,400-strong workforce worldwide ensure that “TÜV NORD” is accepted as a global name for safety, quality, competence and trust.

PRESS INQUIRIES

Robert Bagatsing

Altaaqa Global

Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

READER REQUESTS

Altaaqa Global

Marketing Department

P.O. Box 262989

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Altaaqa Global Wins Power Project of the Year at Middle East Electricity Awards

AltaaqaGlobal, a global temporary power and energy solution specialist, recently won ‘Power Project of the Year’ for its Yemen power project and was highly commended for its role in innovation.

 

Front row Peter den Boogert, GM Altaaqa Global &  Khalil Abdul Malik, GM PEC & the winners of Middle East Electricity Awards

 

Dubai, UAE: Altaaqa Global CAT Rental Power has recently received the award for ‘Power Project of the Year’ for its power plant project in Aden, Yemen. Altaaqa Global was highly commended for its contribution to product innovation, social responsibility and impressive delivery during the Middle East Electricity Awards 2014, held at the Dubai International Convention Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 

According to the judges, “Altaaqa Global played a critical role in the electric power industry. This award category is given to a company that offers the best planning, delivery and execution of any power plant in the Middle East region. Altaaqa Global won in this category for its excellent design, innovative power solutions, fuel savings, record-breaking project installation and an exceptional commitment to provide support to its client.”

 

The 54 MW temporary power plant was built in just 23 days from signing the contract and has the capacity to supply up to 150,000 homes with electricity, benefitting more than half a million people in the city of Aden.

 

Khalil Abdul Malik, General Manager of Yemen’s Public Electricity Corporation, commented, “Altaaqa Global is not only our supplier, but a real and genuine partner that helped us to solve the most difficult energy challenges in our country. Their strategic approach to solving complex electrical challenges combined with stellar innovation, unequalled customer support, the best of breed fuel-efficient power solutions and an impressive on-time delivery is a real testament to their achievement. They have gone the extra mile and made an indelible mark in Yemen as one of the most reliable temporary power companies.” 

 

“We are humbled when our peers in the engineering and construction industry recognise our hard work in providing temporary power solutions to areas where electricity is scarce or not available,” said Peter den Boogert, General Manager of Altaaqa Global. “We are also proud of our record as the fastest energy rental company that can deliver power rental solutions at a moment’s notice, even during emergencies. Altaaqa Global has been recognised with this momentous award and I attribute our success to the team spirit and combined diligent efforts of our great people.”

 

Steven Meyrick, Board Representative of Altaaqa Global, added, “We are always committed to deliver exceptional temporary power and energy solutions anywhere in the world. Every employee knows that hundreds of millions of people rely on us every day and that is what our job is all about – providing a service to the people. Our organisation goes beyond the paradigm of rental power: we not only provide boxes of generators, but we provide progress too. We bring hope and stability to communities, companies and entire nations through our energy solutions. No matter how complex our clients’ problems may be, we always have the right solutions and are always ready to serve.”

 

Majid Zahid, Director for Strategic Accounts at Altaaqa Global, said, “This achievement demonstrates our capability to deliver effective and efficient energy solutions. Our strategic partners in Caterpillar, together with our engineering team, always provide the most modern equipment and innovative solutions that no other rental power company can match. Our work in Oman, where we installed 24 MW in just 96 hours, and our Yemen power plant, which took only 23 days to build, are energy industry record breakers.”

 

 

-- END --

 

About Altaaqa Global

Altaaqa Global, a subsidiary of Zahid Group, has been selected by Caterpillar Inc. to deliver multi-megawatt turnkey temporary power solutions worldwide. The company owns, mobilizes, installs, and operates efficient temporary independent power plants (IPP’s) at customer sites, focusing on the emerging markets of Sub-Sahara Africa, Central Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Latin America, South East Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Offering power rental equipment that will operate with different types of fuel such as diesel, natural gas, or dual-fuel, Altaaqa Global is positioned to rapidly deploy and provide temporary power plant solutions, delivering electricity whenever and wherever it may be needed.

 

www.altaaqaglobal.com/press-media/press-releases

 

About Zahid Group

Zahid Group represents a diverse range of companies, offering comprehensive, customer-centric solutions in a number of thriving industries. Some of those include construction; mining; oil & gas; agriculture; power, electricity & water generation; material handling; building materials; transportation & logistics; real estate development; travel & tourism; waste management & recycling; and hospitality.

 

About Middle East Electricity Awards

The Middle East Electricity Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals, departments, teams or an organisation that have contributed to the growth and development of the energy industry with a focus on the power, lighting, new & renewable, nuclear and water sectors.

 

 

 

PRESS INQUIRIES

Robert Bagatsing

Altaaqa Global

Tel: +971 56 1749505

rbagatsing@altaaqaglobal.com

http://www.altaaqaglobal.com

 

READER REQUESTS

Altaaqa Global

Marketing Department

P.O. Box 262989

Dubai, United Arab Emirates