Swire begins Middle East expansion

Swire Oilfield Services,a supplier of offshore cargo carrying units and leading supplier of modular systems, offshore aviation services and fluid management,  is set to open new offices in the UAE and an operations base in Abu Dhabi as it begins its expansion into the Middle East.

The move is part of a multi-million dollar investment in the region which will see the company focus on initial key markets including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Swire Oilfield Services plans to mobilise one of the largest regional cargo carrying unit fleets to the region in 2015 to meet the demands of increasing exploration and production activity.

The organisation will continue to work closely with sister company, Swire Pacific Offshore, which has a long-established presence in the region and provides a complimenting product and service suite to a common customer base for the oil and gas industry.

Troy Brice, director and regional general manager for Swire Oilfield Services Asia Pacific, said: “This is an exciting time for Swire Oilfield Services; our expansion into the Middle East comes in response to a detailed market assessment and is part of our long term business plan. The region has seen rapid growth in recent years, particularly in the upstream sector where it is estimated that they have 48% of the world’s known oil reserves. We believe we have a strong offering for customers operating throughout the Middle East based on our superior quality of equipment, HSE standards, operational excellence and technical depth which make us the market leader in the six continents we operate in. We understand what our customers need in this complex industry.”

The new operation will be headed up by Jonathan Hughes who joins Swire Oilfield Services as general manager for the Middle East from November 2014. Having originally trained as a chartered accountant, Jonathan has a breadth of international commercial experience in business management and has spent the previous nine years based in Dubai.

Speaking of his appointment Hughes said, “This is a fantastic opportunity and I am excited to join Swire Oilfield Services as a company which stands apart from its competitors on quality and standards. I am looking forward to working with a wide range of customers throughout the region as the business expands.”

Brice added: “I am pleased to offer a warm welcome to Jonathan whose expertise and valuable local experience will stand him in excellent stead to rapidly develop our business in the region.”