12 May 2014

Abu Dhabi – Intertek, a leading provider of quality and safety solutions worldwide, will underline the importance of effective asset integrity management at a Middle East workshop this week. A senior executive from the company has been invited to contribute expertise as a panelist for the Society of Petroleum Engineers' (SPE) workshop titled 'Asset Integrity Management – Changing the Culture, Raising the Bar'.

The SPE workshop, held in Abu Dhabi on May 13 and 14, will explore the challenges faced by oil and gas companies to establish asset integrity management (AIM) programs for upcoming developments and existing infrastructure.  Many of these aged assets in the Gulf region are more than 40 years old. Both mature and new assets could benefit from enhanced AIM services related to life cycle management, identifying and managing risk, as well as new technology and innovation.

Workshop attendees will include key oil and gas operator stakeholders, asset managers, consultants, and suppliers. The event will represent a number of disciplines such as corrosion prevention, project management, and risk assessment.

Steve Anderson, Global Director, Intertek Asset Integrity Management, will discuss 'Asset Management Strategy and Planning' as part of an industry panel.   He will take part in the first session of the event which is chaired by representatives from National Drilling Company and ADNOC.

"Ageing assets are a significant issue in the Middle East, presenting a number of integrity management challenges," said Mr Anderson. "Taking part in this panel will open up dialogue among industry peers around how companies can continuously improve asset integrity performance from design to decommissioning , as well as discussing the latest industry guidelines.  Effectively managing assets can result in improved safety for personnel, the community, and environment as well as maximized profitability and production output.".

Mr Anderson holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics and Chemistry and Masters Degree in Materials Science from University of Cape Town, South Africa.  With more than 25 years of industrial experience in refineries, petrochemical plants, and oil companies, Mr Anderson specializes in asset integrity management engineered safety, metallurgical and corrosion science, and the development of innovative inspection and maintenance programs for a variety of facilities.

Contact

For Marketing Inquiries:
Monica Tofilis
Marketing and Branding Associate
Tel: +971 2 642 8005
Monica.Tofilis@intertek.com

Niki Schroeder
Global Marketing Manager
Tel: +1 281 364 2897 
Email : niki.schroeder@intertek.com

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide.  From auditing and inspection, to testing, training, advisory, quality assurance and certification, Intertek adds value for its customers by helping improve the quality and safety of their products, assets and processes.  With a network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 36,000 people in more than 100 countries, Intertek supports companies' success in the global marketplace, by helping customers to meet end users' expectations for safety, sustainability, performance, integrity and desirability in virtually any market worldwide.  Visit www.intertek.com