Company profile: Mott MacDonald

Mott MacDonald is a world-class engineering, management and development consultancy delivering solutions that touch many areas of everyday life – from energy including oil & gas, pipelines, transport, building, water and the environment to health, education, industry and communications. We are wholly independent, with a turnover approaching US$ 1 billion and a global workforce of 9,000 people working in over 100 countries.

Mott MacDonald has made a major contribution to the global energy sector. We rank among the world leaders in multi-disciplinary advisory services, particularly in power engineering and offer a wealth of expertise in developing oil and gas projects. Our experience dates to the early 1960s when we were working at many of the UK’s refineries for Shell, BP and Esso. During the 70s we were also operating in the North Sea, designing production facilities, pipelines and storage and export terminals. Today, we have network of design offices offering the full range of design, project and technical services to oil producers, contractors, project developers and marketing companies worldwide. We have carried out projects on all continents, with particular emphasis in the rapidly developing petroleum sector in the Middle East.

Today we can take care of every aspect of a project starting with initial concept and techno-economic studies and feasibility studies. Once viability is proven we provide front-end and detailed design, upgrades and optimisation plans, hazard and risk analysis, procurement, project management and site supervision. This renowned expertise is underpinned by the comprehensive Mott MacDonald Group resources including environmental, safety, maritime and foundations and geotechnical services. We are one of the few firms to offer this multi-disciplinary, end-to-end capability to the Oil & Gas industry.

Our Oil & Gas Capability

Mott MacDonald’s Oil & Gas capability covers assessment and engineering of;

• upstream developments, both onshore and offshore
• oil and gas pipelines, both onshore and subsea
• fuel storage terminals
• gas gathering systems and gas treatment plants
• natural gas distribution systems
• LNG production and regasification terminals

In addition, we are unique in providing both detailed design capability and well-proven expertise in Techno-Economic and Strategic Studies (TESS). Our TESS capability covers:

• strategic studies on behalf of governments, lenders, energy companies and project developers
• due diligence services and Owner’s and Lender’s Engineer
• market assessments and analyses
• economic and financial appraisal of projects
• strategy development

All of our work is executed within a framework of QA, HSE, continuous improvement, professional excellence and sustainability protocols and processes to offer our clients a fully rounded service. Through close teamwork and excellent client satisfaction we build long-term relationships with all our clients, evidenced by the level of repeat work from our existing clientele, often secure by negotiated, rather than competitively tendered, contracts.

Oil and gas is a fast-paced, dynamic industry where clients often expect a rapid response and the assurance of high levels of expertise honed by a thorough understanding of their operations and obligations. We have all the skills, resources, innovation and commitment to support clients through every stage of planning, developing and maintaining oil and gas facilities, onshore and offshore, anywhere in the world.

Our Pipeline Capability

We recognise that oil and gas pipelines are the vital arteries so important to the large often multi-national Oil Gas Corporations and to the many national economies around the globe. The transported products are not just key to a stable industrial base but directly, or indirectly, provide power, heating and fuel at domestic level as well as providing the basis of all major national and international transportation systems. We pride ourselves in having been involved with some of the major pipeline new-builds. Our personnel have the experience to deal with individual pipelines, or major networks, from initial concept, through all phases of project execution up to the start of operation.

At the highest level we have undertaken national pipeline network analysis for both Governments and blue chip multi-national oil and gas majors. We have modelled such systems using industry recognised software. Then, based upon forecast utilisation, often developed with our own inputs as well as from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations and national economy predictions, we have identified future potential de-bottlenecking and system enhancement infrastructure projects. Such work is often undertaken within the framework of our specialist TESS Group augmented by those of our senior pipeline specialists. For a consortium of majors we have even developed a large regional ‘green field’ development strategy comprising over 4,500 km of new gas trunklines feeding 3,850 MW of new power stations.

Our skills at this end of the business are well recognised particularly by our existing Clients. For a Middle East client responsible for a complete national gas pipeline network, we were commissioned to undertake a full techno-economic audit on the performance of the Clients Operations, Inspection and Maintenance contractor with far-reaching consequences. In similar vein, a major funding bank contracted our consultancy services to review and advise on the management systems as well as commercial and technical acumen of a burgeoning gas transportation company in Asia.

Our pipeline experts, supported by a full multi-discipline capability, have undertaken pipeline design, through all stages of project execution from feasibility, through concept definition and front end engineering to full detailed design and engineering. Some of these assignments have been secured on a project by project basis although a significant amount of work, particularly for Oil and Gas Companies, has been undertaken via long term call-off or service contract type agreements.

For new-build and pipeline replacement projects, we are at the forefront of pioneering cost-effective technically robust solutions. We have been the leading edge proponent of techniques such as upheaval buckling analysis, designing pipelines using the Limit State Design approach, and the design of above ground pipelines installed in a ‘zig-zag ‘ configuration as well as shallow burial and pipeline section design.

Our pipeline personnel, supported by the Group’s Cathodic Protection and Materials / Metallurgical specialists, are also at the forefront of undertaking assignments to select the most appropriate regime to combat the wide range of potential internal and external corrosion mechanisms. These mechanisms include CO2, H2S, as well as anaerobic type corrosion. To augment these in-house skills we have strong ties with external specialist groups such as the Welding Institute.

All of the above initiatives have provided our Clients with the technically acceptable, cost-effective solutions for their projects during both the execution phase and operational phase of the development.

We also undertake the design of all pipeline associated infrastructure such as:
• Trap Stations Block Valve Stations
• Metering Stations Pressure Reduction Stations
• Control of Instrumentation DCS / SCADA / FOC
• Cathodic Protection Leak Detection

As part of the design process for new pipeline infrastructure, as well as for existing systems, we usually prepare the Operations, Inspection and Maintenance Philosophies and Manuals.

Our pipeline specialists keep up to date with the latest developments on the pipeline internal inspection front whether it is Magnetic Flux Leakage, Ultrasonic or Metal Crack Detection as well as fundamental callipering.

Our team have developed Risk Based Inspection philosophies for complete pipeline systems for major operating companies. This total pipeline asset integrity management service has provided our Clients with peace of mind in that such key infrastructure can be operated for years to come within a readily auditable regime that minimises their operating expenditure. Our work has deferred for many years, or eradicated, the need for multi-million dollar investment programmes in relation to pipeline replacement works.

In addition to our core pipeline skills we also provide a complete design service, from feasibility to commissioning of associated plant such as pump stations and more particularly, gas compression facilities.

We have engineered large green-field compression plant as well as having undertaken major upgrades and integration works on existing compressor plant. Such work has ensured we maintain strong links with major compressor suppliers around the world that also keeps us abreast of the latest technology in this field.

The width of our consultancy services is probably unparalleled. Any Client can rest assured that whether it be for new build or existing infrastructure we can offer them a full, complete and, as an independent, impartial service.

Our Experience in the CIS

Mott MacDonald has been working the CIS since 1991 mainly on infrastructure projects. At present, we have offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Surgut. We therefore have first-hand experience of the business environment and the factors for successful projects.

Oil and gas facilities are being constructed throughout the world and particularly within Asia and the CIS. We have a substantial pedigree with such new-build projects. However, one of our major strengths lies in the co-ordination of the effective management, operation, inspection and maintenance, particularly with respect to pipelines and their associated infrastructure. This area is critical to the economy of the CIS as well as fundamental to the countries to which the CIS exports.