- The expansion will offer full spectrum of testing, repair and refurbishment services as well as fabrication and assembly of key products
- In-country investment by GE underlines its long-term commitment to the country and focus on creating a strong technical services ecosystem in Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq: GE Oil & Gas has further strengthened its localization initiatives in Iraq with the expansion of its technical services facility in North Rumaila oilfield. An ongoing in-country investment by GE, the facility will offer a wide range of testing, repair and refurbishment services for its customers in the country as well as undertake fabrication and assembly of key products establishing GE as a complete technical solutions provider.
The expansion of the North Rumaila Facility was inaugurated by H.E. Jabbar Al-Luaibi, Iraqi Minister of Oil and Rami Qasem, President & CEO of GE Oil & Gas for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, in the presence of senior officials of GE Oil & Gas and Rumaila oilfield. It will help GE’s partner in Iraq to optimize their operations, reduce overheads from machinery downtime, and bring down costs associated with repair and maintenance. It will also offer technical training classes and has a Field Service Engineer/Technician Academy.
Iraqi Ministry of Oil, H.E. Jabbar Al-Luaibi said: “We are placing a strong focus on strengthening the operational efficiency and productivity of our oilfields to meet the needs of the nation and our people. We can achieve significant breakthroughs in our asset utilization by integrating the newest technologies. GE’s facility for testing, repair and related services will a value-add for the Rumaila oilfield. It will also help build our next generation of Iraqi technical professionals for the oil industry.”
Rami Qasem, President & CEO of GE Oil & Gas for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, said: “The expansion of the North Rumaila Facility by GE Oil & Gas within the oilfield underlines our commitment to be closer to our customers and to build on our strong long-term partnerships and local presence. It builds on our agreement with the Ministry of Oil to provide cutting edge technology, upgrades and maintenance support to strengthen the operational efficiency and productivity of Ministry’s oil and gas assets. The expansion will offer a comprehensive suite of complete technical solutions that will support our partners in the country with quick, efficient and advanced support, reducing operational downtime and increasing their productivity.
“An example of our in-country investment that enhances our local footprint, the North Rumaila Facility will also support all ongoing operations of one of Iraq’s largest oilfields that contributes significantly to the local economy. Our goal is to create a local innovation-driven, technical services ecosystem, and we will train Iraqi professionals on diverse aspects including fabrication and assembly of critical equipment,” he added.
GE’s investments in Iraq are highlighted by the company’s commitment to localization and the Iraqi talent development. With three offices in Iraq – in Baghdad, Erbil and the southern oil & gas hub of Basra – GE continues to deliver its latest technology and expertise to local customers. The company has more than 250 employees currently, nearly 95% of them Iraqi professionals. The expansion of North Rumaila Facility will create additional job opportunities for technically skilled Iraqis.
The services offered by the North Rumaila Facility include repair and refurbishment of used equipment, maintenance of tools, inventory management, rental of tools and equipment, stocking of spares, inspection and testing for Surface Equipment such as Wellheads, Christmas Tree, Valves, Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP), ESP Downhole Power Cables, Variable Speed Drives and Diesel Generators. The technical services facility was set up as per the global environmental, health & safety (EHS) standards set by GE to ensure safe and efficient operations that help optimize costs.
The facility will serve as a base for accommodating management, engineers and technicians to provide field services in southern and central Iraq. This creates an advanced local base for GE Oil & Gas to support the life of oil-wells, to maximize operational efficiencies and minimize down time through utilizing GE’s OEM excellence. It will provide customized equipment solutions through certified local engineers with a Safety First mind set.
With three offices in Iraq – in Baghdad, Erbil and the southern oil & gas hub of Basra – GE continues to deliver its latest technology and expertise to local customers. Over 130 GE turbines are in operation in the country apart from ongoing agreements to support power generation plants across Iraq.
Earlier this year, GE Oil & Gas signed a first-of-its-kind partnership agreement with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil that aims to strengthen the performance of the nation’s energy sector by providing advanced equipment, technology upgrades, maintenance of the Ministry’s fleet and ensuring knowledge transfer, skills development and local jobs. The agreement aims to enhance the operational efficiency of all assets of the Ministry and promote the sustainable growth of the nation’s economy. It also envisages the setting up of the country’s first Monitoring & Diagnostics Center that will leverage GE’s Digital solutions.
GE has also supplied the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity with 56 more gas turbines for various projects, which generate about 7,600 MW to support the expansion of the country’s energy infrastructure and help drive future economic growth. Earlier this year, GE also signed the “Power Up Plan” agreement with the Ministry of Electricity to bring a set of solutions, including upgrades and maintenance projects, to strengthen productivity and efficiency levels across various power plants in Iraq.
GE has over 40 years of presence in Iraq, and supports the country’s infrastructure needs in power generation, oil & gas, water processing, aviation and healthcare, through the company’s diversified multi-business solutions and local presence.
About GE:
GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry.
About GE Oil & Gas:
GE Oil & Gas works on the things that matter in the oil and gas industry. In collaboration with our customers, we push the boundaries of technology to bring energy to the world. From extraction to transportation to end use, we address today’s toughest challenges in order to fuel the future.
