New assignment lined up in Middle East for Scottish firm

Scottish oilfield procurement specialist Craig International, a member of Craig Group, has won a new contract with Middle Eastern energy heavyweight QatarEnergy LNG, formerly Qatargas.

Craig International has landed a three-year contract with QatarEnergy LNG to source and supply products and services for maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO). The contract comes with a two-year extension option, covering sourcing and delivery to sites across Qatar, which will be handled by the UK-based player’s Qatar office, which has 45 employees and receives support from the Aberdeen headquarters as needed.

Commenting on the contract win, Steve Gibson, Craig International’s Director of Middle East operations, remarked: “Our dedicated and professional team in Qatar continues to push the boundaries in driving efficiencies in our customer’s procurement processes. We are thrilled to extend our contract with such a major brand in the region and we are looking forward to building and nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship with QatarEnergy LNG.”

The company considers its commitment to local content as the key to its strategy for international growth. This was confirmed by its recent accreditations from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar In-country Valuation (ICV) programs, promoting diversification by developing and supporting the local supply chain and economy.

“Having increased our headcount in the Middle East, from five in 2018 to over 70 today and expanded our supply chain, we’re demonstrating our commitment to the local market and are well-placed to meet the increasing demand for smart, efficient, and sustainable procurement,” added Gibson.

“With an increasing focus on the energy transition in the region, there are significant opportunities for our sustainable, digital procurement offering in both the oil and gas and renewables sectors.”

Established in 1998, the company first entered the Middle East market in 2015, when it opened offices in Dubai and Qatar after winning a five-year, multi-million-pound contract with Shell Qatar.

Steve McHardy, Joint Managing Director of Craig International, remarked: “Our Middle East business has been growing rapidly and now accounts for 35% of group turnover. With our 25-plus years of experience in providing out-sourced procurement that delivers major efficiencies, from our ten global bases, we’re truly committed to working with the energy industry to streamline procurement and reduce its environmental footprint.”

QatarEnergy LNG is the subsidiary of Qatar’s state-owned energy giant QatarEnergy, which started pursuing the second stage of its massive fleet extension program in September 2023 with an order for 17 new LNG carriers. 

Afterward, the company selected and signed TCP agreements with Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) to own and operate up to 25 conventional-size LNG carriers in February and March 2024, respectively. Earlier this week, the Qatari major signed TCP agreements with four international shipowners for 19 additional LNG ships, bringing the total number of vessels to 104.