Candidate Profile

Neil Clough

 

M: +994 55678 6674 | E: neilclough@yahoo.com

 

Professional Profile

 

“Project Manager / Construction, Hook Up and Commissioning Manager”

 

A results driven, resourceful and meticulous Project Manager / Construction, Hook Up & Commissioning Manager, with extensive experience in the oil & gas and engineering sectors and a strong desire to utilise these skills within the energy industry. Will contribute vast knowledge of assimilation, evaluation, interpretation and presentation of complex petroleum construction and engineering data. Is a highly skilled leader accountable for the entire engineering, planning, construction, execution and delivery of multi-discipline and complex projects with full regard for the health and safety of all project personnel and protection of the environment. Possesses the ability to pass on highly complex technical information in a simplified manner adopting communication styles to suit the audience, has a global commercial mind-set having worked in over 15 different countries. Can provide a comprehensive record of recognition, in relation to specialist projects and is passionate about delivering effective outcomes regularly providing recommendations, roadmaps and next step strategies at senior level to showcase concepts, convey solutions and implement change.

 

Is now seeking a Project / Construction & Commissioning Manager role on a full time permanent or contractual basis; is open to location; where high levels of integrity, strong negotiation and influencing skills and a commitment to taking pride and ‘adding value’ through delivery of innovative ideas can be utilised.

Key Skills & Accomplishments

• Held Senior Managerial positions and worked in 15+ countries globally, leading employees in varied climates and environments and delivering excellent results under significant pressure.
• Experienced in running entire operations and up to 40+ concurrent projects, has been responsible for 25 direct reports up to 500 indirect reports and Contractors’ workforces in excess of 2,000, whilst overseeing projects with values varying in value from $50k to over $2bn.
• Extensive experience within world’s leading Operators such as BP, Shell, British Gas, Chevron, Occidental, Santos overseeing entire operations plus consulting on high-level contracts and projects.
• Appointed as Senior Project Manager with an integral role in liaising between stakeholders, investors, project handlers and multiple contractors. (Project values up to $1billion+)
• Remains current and knowledgeable about industry change and developments, frequently reads industry journals and undertakes regular training.
• Extensive knowledge and practical abilities in relation to; Engineering, Geoscience, Data Science, Logistics, Training & Mentoring and Operational Leadership.
• Deep knowledge and wide experience of techno-economic studies for development of oil and gas fields and associated transportation infrastructure.
• Owner of a successful consultancy firm providing specialist personnel and advice to engineering, construction and commissioning projects globally.
• Created a new business and submitted various tenders securing lucrative contracts within an industry facing multiple challenges.
• Reported directly to the boards of Foster Wheeler, PLE GmbH, Mentor Project Engineering and Global Engineering, involved in strategic planning, marketing and business development of the companies.
• Overseen the preparation of pre-qualifications and proposals plus the negotiation of contracts with clients and subcontractors as well as between Operators and national governments.
• Has a global appreciation for different conditions and cultures and is skilled in accounting for physical, social, commercial, legal and political barriers and conditions.
• Practical experience of working in exceptionally remote locations, ranging from; Tierra del Fuego (Argentina) to Sakhalin Island (Russia) as well as Azerbaijan, Georgia, Nigeria and Turkey.

 

Operations                         Design & Engineering                      Project Management           Field Engineering

Construction                      Global Market & Trend Analysis     Quality Management          Process Improvement

Business Development      Commissioning and Start-up           Hook Up                                 Contract Negotiation

 

 

Career Summary

2021 – Present                   Owner & Managing Director                                                        CMS LLC

• Management consultancy specialising in construction & commissioning and project management whilst also providing design & engineering and procurement services, both onshore and offshore.  Provides professional and technical services to Clients in the Caspian region focussing, but not exclusively, on the oil and gas industry.
• Engaged as           Hook Up Manager (for Main Contractor)                     JOCAP – Absheron EPS Project

 

2019 – 2021                        Project Manager                                                             Umid Babek Operating Company

• Project Manager for the development of the Umid-2 and Babek gas & condensate fields offshore Azerbaijan.  Project, valued at $2.5bn+, includes 3 offshore platforms – drilling, quarters and wellhead – a subsea pipeline system, an onshore gas and condensate terminal with multiple export pipelines.

 

2017 -2019                         Owner & Managing Director                                                        CMS LLC

• Details as above.
• Various engineering support and construction management engagements for different Clients.

 

2012 – 2017                        Projects Construction & Commissioning Manager                    BP

• Responsible for the execution and successful delivery of all brownfield projects and modifications to the main oil and gas terminal (processing capacity of 1.2 million barrels of oil and 1.25 billion cubic feet of gas per day) plus associated oil and gas export pipelines, compressor stations, pump stations, marine terminals and block valve stations in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey (AGT).  (Total length of oil pipelines is 2,600km and gas pipelines is 960km).
• Led the initiative to improve actual hours worked by construction contractors on site (known as ‘Wrench Time’).  Previous Wrench Time values were less than 4 hours in a normal 10-hour working day.  This was increased to 6 hours with plans for further improvement.
• Successfully delivered two major TARs (one oil and one gas) plus two large debottlenecking programmes as well as multiple projects within an annual budget of $150m for the Projects Portfolio.
• Led four Construction & Commissioning Teams in the AGT Region – 4 direct reports, 50 indirect reports, 25+ Contractors with 1,000 strong labour force working on 50 projects at any one time.
• No major HSE incidents at all.

 

2009 – 2012                        Project Manager                                                                            Santos Ltd

• Project Manager for Santos Ltd on the GLNG Project (Queensland, Australia) from the pre-FEED stage through detailed design, procurement, construction and commissioning to Operations.  Responsible for the 420km x 42-inch gas transmission pipeline from the onshore coal seam gas fields to the LNG Terminal on the coast plus all associated facilities.
• Made the decision to use spiral-welded linepipe instead of the conventional longitudinal welded linepipe.  This saved $25m, whilst the application of rigorous QA & QC enabled the project to meet the highest technical standards during production of the linepipe and construction of the pipeline.
• The Pipeline Project was assessed by IPA as being in the top quartile of all similar projects worldwide.

 

2008                                    Project Manager                                                                            KBR Ltd

• Project Manager for Gorgon CO₂ Pipelines and Euro-Asian Oil Transportation Corridor Projects.  Also, heavily involved with developing company’s expertise and profile in the pipeline and related industries.

 

2007                                    Pipelines Manager                                                                         Foster Wheeler

• Pipelines Manager.  Responsible for the execution and successful delivery of all onshore and offshore pipeline projects carried out both within the Reading office and all projects reporting to it from third party locations.
• Led the initial refurbishment and reinstatement of Iraq’s southern oil fields and oil export infrastructure.

 

2006                                    Construction Manager                                                                  SEIC

• Construction Manager for the Client for the Sakhalin II onshore pipeline system, which included two 800km long 24” oil and 48” gas pipelines plus more than 100 Above Ground Installations (AGI’s) and tie-ins to the LNG terminal, Onshore Production Facility and Oil Export Terminal.
• Greatly improved the safety performance of the construction contractors on site.  Fatalities were happening at approximately 1 per month on my arrival; this was reduced to 0 in my last 3 months on the project.

 

 

Earlier Career

2002 – 2006                        Construction Manager                                    BP, AGT Pipelines Project

2000 – 2002                        Engineering Manager                                      BP, South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP)

1997 – 2000                        Manager of Projects                                        PLE GmbH

1995 – 1997                        Senior Project Engineer                                  McConnell Dowell Constructors, Hong Kong

1990 – 1995                        General Manager                                             Mentor Project Engineering Ltd

1984 – 1990                        Pipelines and Subsea Manager                      Global Engineering Ltd

Memorable Achievements

• Global Engineering. Built the Pipelines Group from a team of 8 persons to over 100 in the space of 3 years.  By 1989, the Pipelines Group was the largest of its type world-wide and its reputation was second-to-none.
• Occidental Piper Alpha Reinstatement Project, was appointed Project Engineering Manager for the team that successfully reinstated the subsea pipeline system ahead of schedule. This enabled at least four offshore facilities to resume earlier-than-expected oil and gas production.
• Subsequently secured prestige projects for several Clients including BP and Shell. These projects were awarded directly to the company due to the company being recognised as world leaders in subsea valve and platform protection technology.  A strange outcome from this success was my invitation to be included in the ‘Who’s Who’ publication as a recognised expert in the subsea industry.
• Statoil Tommeliten Project. Led the team that successfully modelled the operational behaviour of a high-pressure, very hot subsea pipeline for the first time.  This enabled us to predict the phenomenon known as ‘upheaval buckling’ and then design the necessary mitigation measures.
• Hong Kong Drainage Services Department – Sewage Outfall Project. The Contractor had been awarded the contract on the basis of using a 200T jack-up crane to install the 3.5m diameter outfall sections at a cost of $10 million.  I identified the concept then designed and oversaw the construction of a semi-submersible pontoon that completed the job successfully on schedule with a cost saving of $7 million.
• SEWA – Sharjah Gas Distribution System. Responsible for taking this project from a flying visit to Sharjah (in response to a newspaper article) to completing the FEED and then securing the full EPC contract for the installation of a citywide domestic gas distribution system.
• BP – BTC and SCP Pipelines Project. Personally pushed for the use of main linepipe for pup pieces on the 42” valves despite very serious challenges from BP’s materials and procurement groups.  Outcomes were significant savings in schedule and costs plus greatly reduced construction issues and far superior quality standards being achieved.
• NDO – Jade Crossing. Appointed Project Manager for the installation of a 5km x 500mm diameter pipeline across the Jade Bight in Germany.  At least four German companies had failed in their earlier attempts.
• Mentor Project Engineering – joined the company in London when it was only 6 or 7 strong. As the General Manager, personally oversaw the development and growth of the company to become a recognised force in the pipelines and subsea industries with a workforce in excess of 40.

Education

Education:            BSc (Hons) Degree: Civil Engineering              Loughborough University of Technology

 

Additional

Projects:               For a specific list of project involvement – please see attached appendix.

 

References:         Available upon request

 

 

 

Appendix – Career projects to date

 

      Client                                 Project                                                Phase / Responsibility

 

Major onshore projects undertaken in the oil, gas and petrochemicals industries include:

 

• ADCO SAS Field Development                                       FEED / Pipelines Manager
• BOTAS Baku to Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline                     Feasibility study / Project Manager
• BP Midstream Operations in Azerbaijan,                Projects Construction & Commissioning

Georgian and Turkey                                           Manager for Brownfield & Greenfield Projects

• BP South Caucasus Pipeline                                     Engineering Manager & Construction Manager
• BP Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline                               Construction Manager
• BP Amoco Pipeline Cost Reduction                                      Techno-economic studies / Project Manager
• CPECC/KOC Kuwait West Expansion                                       Detailed design / Project Manager
• Confidential FSU Gas to China                                                  Techno-economic study / Project Manager
• IOCL Paradip Petrochemical Refinery                         FEED, project management and                                                                                                                                                 construction supervision / Project Manager
• MAI Turkmenistan Gas Export                                    Feasibility study / Project Manager
• MPR Sarmatia Euro-Asian Oil Transportation Corridor             Feasibility Study / Project Manager
• NGC West Africa Gas Pipeline                                     Techno-economic study / Project Manager
• Santos GLNG Gas Transmission Pipeline                        Project Manager
• SEIC Sakhalin II Onshore Pipelines                              Construction Manager
• SEWA Sharjah City, Gas Distribution System                FEED, project management and                                                                                                                                                 construction supervision / Project Manager
• Unocal Eurasia Natural Gas Pipeline                               Feasibility study / Project Manager

 

Major offshore oil and gas projects undertaken include:

 

• AGIP Kashagan EPC2/3                                                 FEED / Pipelines Manager
• BP Pipelines Safety (SSIV’s)                                      Detailed design / Project Manager
• British Gas Rough Storage                                                      Detailed design and construction                                                                                                                                                 supervision / Project Engineer
• JOCAP Absheron Early Production                                 Hook Up Manager (for Main Contractor)
• LASMO Birch Field Development                                     Detailed design / Project Manager
• Marathon Central Brae                                                          Detailed design / Project Manager
• NAM K12 BD – K15 FB1                                                  Detailed design / Project Manager
• NDO Jade Crossing                                                        Construction Manager
• NIGC & GAIL Iran-India Gas Pipeline                                         Feasibility study / Project Manager
• Occidental Piper Alpha Reinstatement                                 Detailed design and construction                                                                                                                                                 supervision / Project Manager
• PDO Oman LNG                                                            Feasibility study / Project Manager
• PetroServe Jizan SPM Terminal                                              Basic engineering / Project Engineer
• Ruhrgas Elgin/Franklin                                                       Project monitoring / Project Manager
• Shell Expro Fulmar Gas Pipeline                                             Construction management / Site Agent
• Shell Expro Platform Safety (SSIV’s)                                       Conceptual & detail design / Project Manager
• Shell Expro Sole Pit                                                                  Preliminary engineering / Project Engineer
• Statoil Europipe                                                               Detailed design / Project Manager
• UBOC Umid-2 and Babek                                               Full project development / Project Manager
• YPF Magellan Straits Crossing                                    Construction management / Sub-agent

 

Non-oil and gas related projects include:

 

• CEGB English Channel Cables Crossing                        Construction / Marine Co-ordinator
• DSD (Hong Kong) Strategic Sewage Disposal Scheme                    Construction / Senior Project Engineer
• SABESP Santos Sea Outfall                                                Construction / Site Engineer
• Sector Kelmsley Paper Mill                                             Detailed design / Project Manager
• Tayside Region River Isla Crossing                                                Construction / Project Manager