Kuala Lumpur, 28 June 2012 – UMW Oil & Gas Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (UMW-OGC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the UMW Group, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PETRONAS Technical Training Sdn. Bhd. (PTTSB) to set up a training academy that will help address the shortage of skilled Malaysian personnel in the oil and gas, and drilling industry.
The academy will be located within the premises of PTTSB’s Institut Teknologi Petroleum PETRONAS (INSTEP) in Batu Rakit, Kuala Terengganu. The core focus of the academy is to help build capabilities and enhance competencies of local drilling crews and address, amongst others, difficulties encountered by the oil and gas industry in the area of succession planning.
This collaboration between PTTSB/INSTEP, an ‘Oil & Gas’ regional technical learning and certification centre, and UMW-OGC with its vast experience and expertise in drilling technology is seen as a smart partnership to help resolve key issues in the local oil and gas sector which is facing a continuous shortage of skilled manpower.
“The signing of this MOU is a significant milestone for UMW. It is in line with the Malaysian Government’s and PETRONAS’ aspirations to develop more Malaysians to manage and operate key activities in the oil and gas sector, as well as development of professional drilling experts in the country. We thank PETRONAS for its tremendous support in developing local oil and gas service companies. This initiative is our way of giving back by ensuring the availability of a continuous supply of skilled personnel in key areas of expertise,” said Encik Rohaizad Darus, President of UMW-OGC.
UMW currently has three offshore drilling rigs and a number of hydraulic workover units, operated primarily by Malaysians. Recently, UMW signed an agreement to acquire another jack-up drilling rig to expand its capacity.
“Shortage of capable and competent personnel in the oil and gas industry is a global phenomenon, especially in the area of drilling. To overcome this in a more effective way, industry players need to come forward and collaborate by contributing in their own areas of expertise. The noble intention of UMW-OGC to develop human capital is not only for its own needs but also for the industry and to contribute toward a high-income nation which is in congruence with INSTEP’s own aspirations,” said Wan Azhar Lotfi Wan Yusof, CEO of PTTSB/INSTEP.
Under the terms of the MOU, the two parties will jointly develop the academy to be known as UMW-INSTEP Drilling Academy. The academy will offer structured training in drilling operations and certification programmes and will help ensure that there will be a continuous supply of skilled personnel for the oil and gas sector to support the industry’s rapid expansion. The MOU was signed by Encik Wan Azhar Lotfi Wan Yusof, CEO of PTTSB/INSTEP and Encik Rohaizad Darus, President of UMW-OGC. Also present at the signing ceremony were Puan Juniwati Rahmat Hussin, PETRONAS’ Vice President of Human Resource Management Division and Dato’ Mohd Nizam Zainordin, Director of UMW Holdings Bhd.
