The objective of Hill’s contract is to obtain the full range of
engineering and administrative expertise necessary to assist and
support the State Department’s Office of Construction Management in its
effort to build and renovate diplomatic facilities abroad. The range of
services required spans engineering expertise to administrative and
support services with skill sets and experience that match the State
Department’s need for engineering services in support of diplomatic
construction projects.

“We look forward to supporting our long-term client the State
Department with its worldwide construction program,” said James E.
Koch, Ph.D., P.E., LEED AP, F.SAME, Senior Vice President and Director
of Hill’s Federal Services Group.

What you need to know

As we gear-up for SUPERPILE 2013 we want to make sure you have plans to join us this year. If you need to:

- REGISTER for the conference …

- VIEW the conference brochure …

- RESERVE your hotel accommodations at the Hilton …

- VIEW the current Exhibitor Floor Plan. There’s one booth remaining!

Technical Program

Take a look at the insightful two-day technical program lined-up for SuperPile 2013. Seven of DFIs committees have invited and selected deep foundations industry experts to speak about projects of national and local interest, such as the effects of SuperStorm Sandy and current geotechnological advancements in Minnesota. During the Day 2 Panel Discussion on Industry Trends and Needs, attendees are invited to debate the pressing issues of the deep foundations industry. For details, view the Technical Program

PITTSBURGH, May 3, 2013 - Pittsburgh, PA-based L.B. Foster Company (NASDAQ: FSTR) has completed delivery of approximately 2,600 tons of 36 inch diameter steel pipe to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. for use as lateral shoring struts in the excavation of San Francisco’s new Transbay Transit Center. The contractor required pipe in lengths from 40 feet to 70 feet with a unique wall thickness of 1.125 inches to 1.5 inches to support the steel wide flange beams of the shoring walls inside the 60 foot deep excavation.

The material was contracted by L.B. Foster from the mill and delivered to the Port of San Francisco. L.B. Foster’s piling professionals managed logistics from the port to a steel fabricator for additional finishing and transport back to the jobsite.  “More than 160 truckloads of pipe as heavy as 17 tons each were required for the excavation of this signature transit project,” said Dan Schrager, L.B. Foster Construction Products Senior Sales Representative.

The multi-billion dollar Transbay Transit Center replaces the old bus terminal near San Francisco’s Embarcadero with a state-of-the -art regional hub that links the city to eight Bay Area counties and beyond with rail and bus transit systems. The new California High Speed Rail will also travel from the Transbay Transit Center to Southern California once that ambitious project is completed. Construction of the new transit hub began in 2011 with the final completion currently scheduled for 2018.

Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. delivers industry-leading civil engineering and construction expertise for transportation and water infrastructure projects throughout the United States. Balfour Beatty Infrastructure is part of Balfour Beatty plc, a global engineering, construction, services and investment business organization specializing in large infrastructure and building programs.  www.bbiius.com

Houston, TX—Soilmec rolled out 12 advanced new drilling rigs and other important equipment at the massive Bauma 2013 exposition, the world’s largest (tri-annual) trade show for the building industry. The new Soilmec rigs bring more power, more torque, lighter transportability, and increased flexibility and versatility to a range of foundation and ground engineering applications. Nine units were featured with Tier 4i engines to meet new emission compliance. Key innovations were introduced for large diameter piles, micropiles, and hydromills.

Soilmec was a major attraction at the trade show with its 29,000 sq ft block of outdoor space, which included a two-story visitor center surrounded by its newest and most technologically sophisticated drilling rigs and equipment. The 7-day event, held in Munich, Germany, between April 15 and 21, drew hundreds of thousands of visitors, many of them coming to the Soilmec exhibit to see the latest drilling rig models and learn more about Soilmec’s advanced technical developments.

SR Series – The Next-Gen for Large Diameter Piles

Four new hydraulic drill rigs were unveiled in the Soilmec SR series. They included the SR-60 for large diameter piles (LDP), SR-65 for displacement piles, SR-90 Turbojet for deeper cased secant and continuous flight auger piles, and SR-100 for cased secant piles. The SR-60, SR-65, and SR-90 were displayed with Tier 4i engines for reduced emissions to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards scheduled to be phased in by 2015.

The new LDP rigs are fitted with more powerful redesigned rotaries, which offer increased torque. All new generation rigs can be equipped with a winch pull-down system; a simplified design that further improves safety and efficiency. These SR rigs also have new larger cabs (width increased to 1040 mm, or 3 ft 4 in), with improved comfort and visibility. The cabs are equipped with a new release of the DMS system (Drilling Mate System) to allow better operator interface and control of all operating parameters.

According to Vincent Jue, Vice President of Soilmec North America, an SR-60 Tier 4i rig has been in North America for over a year and a Soilmec North America customer purchased an SR-65 during the Bauma 2013 show, so Tier 4i Soilmec rigs have come to the U.S.

SM Series – Rigs for Micropiling and Anchoring

Five new drilling rigs, developed jointly by Soilmec and Puntel, made their debut in the Soilmec SM series: the SM-3 for continuous flight auger (CFA) piles, SM-5G for soil investigation, SM-8 multi-purpose micropiling rig, SM-14 with jet grouting, and SM-17 with a double rotary.  The SM-8, SM-14, and SM-17 were displayed with Tier 4i engines. All SM rigs will be available in both Tier 3 and Tier 4i.

Models in the SM series feature new comprehensive but rigid articulations that make it possible to work in various positions and to perform in total safety. With new innovative kinematic mechanisms, the machines can also operate parallel to their tracks. The new models are suitable for a variety of applications due to their wide range of rotary heads, clamp/joint breakers and modular masts with variable rotary head travel.

Soilmec has also improved the safety features for the operator and all those working in proximity to these drilling rigs.

Soilmec SC Series Hydromills – Advancing the Industry

The prototype Soilmec Tiger SC-200 Hydromill with the Hose Drums Design system has made international news by drilling an 820 ft deep slurry wall during a trial test. The event set a new world’s record for the depth reached, thereby opening a range of potential new applications. As a result, there was much interest in the Soilmec SC-100 hydraulic crawler crane with the Cougar SH-30 hydromill, which includes advances perfected on the prototype SC-200.

Two other crawler cranes were displayed at the Soilmec booth, including the SC-70 with diaphragm wall grab GC-11, which offers more power and hoisting force, and the SC-90 with GH-15 Rotograb for diaphragm wall construction in confined urban environments.

Soilmec has developed a full range of hydraulic crawler cranes ranging from 20 to 200 ton capacity. The base carrier is designed with built-in facilities for such foundation technologies as diaphragm walls, hydromills, hydraulic vibrohammer, casing oscillator, hammer grab, and hydraulic rotary.

Super Piles Require Super Drill Rigs

Soilmec Unveils Piling Innovations with Advanced New Product Line

Soilmec agents, fresh from Bauma 2013, will be on-hand to talk about major advances in Soilmec’s product line.  Meet us to learn about…

• The new SR-60: This hydraulic rig now has a Tier 4i engine with more power and more torque for large-diameter piles.
• The new SR-90: The next-gen hydraulic rig with attachments for installing cased secant piles andcontinuous flight auger piles.
• The new SM-14: With more versatility, improved agility, stability, and safety during micropile installation.
• The new SC-100 with Cougar Hydromill: With advances based on the prototype SC-200, which set a new industry record for a 250-meter-deep slurry wall excavation.

Talk to us about choosing equipment for a specific project. Get your technical questions answered.

Sure, it is a little less than 2 years away, but a conference as big as an International Foundations Conference and Equipment Exposition (IFCEE) takes a lot of effort to pull off.  The event (last held in 2009 in Orlando, Florida) includes a massive equipment exposition, a huge exhibit hall, and an extensive technical program.  IFCEE 2015 will be held in San Antonio, Texas at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.  The organizing partners of ADSC (lead organization), G-I, DFI, and PDCA have formalized the agreement and started the planning efforts.  A website is up and running and the call for proposals for sessions and courses is out.

Here is a list of Key Dates for the technical program:

We’ll make sure and keep up with the progress of this major deep foundations event.  The conference website ishttp://www.ifcee2015.com/

Webinars (each session will begin at 9:00 am Eastern (New York Time) and typically last 1.5 hours. Sessions may last up to a maximum of 2 hours depending on the number of questions from participants).

1. Dynamic Testing of Specialty Piles (Helical & Augered Cast-in-Place Piles) May 7 & 8. Download registration flyer.
2. Ensayos de Integridad/ Ensayos no Destructivos en pilotes 21 y 22 de mayo. Baje el formulario de registro.
3. SPT Hammer Energy Measurements July 30. Download registration flyer.
4. Introduction to High Strain Dynamic Foundation Testing September 17 & 18. Download registration flyer.
5. Advanced Applications of CAPWAP^® Software September 24 & 25 and October 1 & 2. Download registration flyer.
6. Thermal Integrity Profiling of Concrete Foundations October 16.Download registration flyer.
7. Pile Driving Hammer Performance December 3. Download registration flyer.

Workshops and Seminars

A Certificate of Participation documenting the number of hours of instruction (PDH) will be available to registered attendees who take a short quiz at the end of each Webinar. Check with your Engineering Board of Registration for their continuing education requirements.

Please visit the Pile Dynamics Calendar of Events for other educational opportunities.

Features:

• Pile Drivers and the U.S. Supreme Court
• Underground construction of Italy’s new subway line
• Ontario’s new highway
• North Carolina’s Port of Wilmington prevention of corrosion damage
• Qatar’s future metro system
• Oregon’s newest road replacement
• Vietnam’s new hydro power plant
• Construction of Australia’s urban coastline

The U.S. oil and gas industry is booming due to the global stabilization of commodity prices and new technologies that have made unconventional resource plays economically viable.

An IHS Global Insight Report states that in 2012, unconventional energy supported over 1.7 million jobs across the United States. Additional jobs provide expanded opportunities for staffing firms, but also increased management challenges for staffing CEOs. This article will discuss how staffing firm leaders can navigate the opportunities and challenges of the oil and gas industry.

Current Staffing Industry Environment

Although the industry is expected to add 600,000 jobs by 2020 based on a recent study by Citigroup, oil and gas companies are still faced with a severe workforce shortage. This shortage is the direct result of a skills gap known as the “Great Crew Change.” As older workers retire, there is a shortage of younger, mid-level professionals with skills to replace the retirees. Bridging this age and skills gap is still one of the greatest challenges facing the industry today.

Figure 1 As professionals in the current 40-49 age range retire, there are an insufficient number of replacements

Industry Response to the Skills Shortage

In response to the Great Crew Change, companies are developing programs to organically develop professional technical talent. These programs might include an alumni program to re-engage retirees as advisors and mentors for junior employees. A number of multinational organizations have developed Centers of Excellence, which are internal training institutes with potential to accelerate knowledge transfer on the scale required to offset rapidly changing demographics in the industry.

Companies are also utilizing technology – such as collaborative software — to fill in the gaps in skill levels. For example, the advent of the “digital oilfield” allows senior drilling engineers to oversee multiple drill sites on a real-time basis.

Oil and gas operators are also looking to more intensely consolidate their supplier base in 2013, with a trend towards reducing the number of firms engaged on a transactional basis and shifting to staffing agencies that have the expertise and scope required to support extreme environments such as unconventional, ultra-deep water and the arctic. This smaller, select group of ‘Partner’ suppliers will typically operate under a master framework agreement.

Unique challenges of providing Staffing to the Oil & Gas Industry

Diversity of Personnel

The unique nature of operating environments in the oil and gas industry (onshore, offshore, pipeline, plant, and refinery) requires an equally diverse workforce to support it, and staffing providers cannot be a one size fits all, but rather need to build expertise in a specific area.

1099 Compliance

The industry relies heavily on the use of Independent Contractors (IC). Staffing firms must ensure that all ICs they supply are compliant with state and federal requirements. A determination of misclassification can be costly to the client company, including fines, penalties, back tax assessments, interest and retroactive employee benefits. Staffing firms must develop expertise and a vetting process to mitigate such risk for its clients.      

Health, Safety & Environment (HSE)

A culture of safety within the industry is mandatory without exception, and is the responsibility of all parties, including operators, contractors and subcontractors. Staffing providers must verify that contractors have the safety training and certifications required based on their job role and work location. As an example, US federal law requires contractors working in the Outer Continental Shelf to be compliant with a Safety and Environmental Management System.

Capitalization 

Serving the industry requires significant payroll funding. Market demand and ultra-specialization has dramatically driven up pay rates. It is not uncommon for a contractor to command pay of $900.00 to $1,500.00 per day. In addition, large oil and gas companies can have multiple buying channels within the same client, resulting in Days Sales Outstanding to be anywhere from 45 to 60 days.

Absent Job Catalog

There is a lack of standardization with respect to roles and job titles in the industry. Staffing firms must be able to recognize differences between client requirements across a common body of skills, competencies and experience.  

Unique Opportunities for Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream

Upstream

As mentioned in the introduction, new technology has made previously inaccessible shale plays not only accessible but economically viable. The Bakken in North Dakota is a good example – according to the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, there are currently 7,000 producing wells in this shale play, with up to 2,000 new wells expected to be drilled per year for the next 25 years. Each well requires an average of one to three production workers and has an estimated lifespan of 30-40 years. That means the Bakken alone is estimated to create thousands of jobs through 2050.

Figure 2 North Dakota is experiencing a huge increase in oil and gas jobs

Midstream

The infrastructure to take production from shale plays to refineries or end users is currently underdeveloped or nonexistent, consequently workers are currently in tremendous demand for the transportation of crude via rail and truck (more than 2,000 trucks are needed to support just one well). In addition, the gradual construction of pipelines and highways over the next 5 to 10 years will require a significant workforce to accommodate these types of major capital projects.

Downstream

The challenge for the downstream industry has been a shift in the types of oil processed. Oil can be sour or sweet, depending on the amount of sulfur; and heavy or light, depending on how thick it is. The product coming from shale production is referred to as “light oil”. Investments in the refining sector over the last 15 years have been dedicated to processing heavy, sour oil.

Consequently, there’s a mismatch in what’s coming out of the ground and what has typically been processed in the past. This will require workers for facility upgrades and the construction of new refineries.

Conclusion:  Criteria for Success

Above all, it is important for staffing firms entering the industry to identify a niche where the company can be competitive. Often, this means specializing in specific types of job roles such as Software Engineers or Plant Operators. Successful firms must understand there are many different ways staffing providers are vetted and engaged including a competitive bidding process, via reverse auction, or through a vendor management system. Each of these can result in a different pricing model as well as other unique requirements to that process that must be satisfied, such as having proper industry insurance and client specific Health & Safety Programs in place.

Staffing firms that fully comprehend the nature of doing business within the oil and gas industry can be richly rewarded, if they can meet these challenges. Those that cannot meet the rigorous requirements on their own can still meet some level of success by partnering with firm(s) that can meet these requirements and are already serving the oil and gas industry.

Author Bio

Chris Sutton, PartnerClover Global Solutions, LPWith over 25 years’ experience in energy sector contracting, Chris brings a unique expertise in building alliances to facilitate service growth capabilities in emerging markets, especially in intelligently sourcing strategic resources. He can be reached at chris.s@clovergs.com.

The Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) is hosting its 38th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations, September 25-28 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, AZ.

The event draws more than 600 engineers, contractors, suppliers, manufacturers and academics in the deep foundations industry from around the world to share experiences, exchange ideas and learn about the current state of the practice.

The conference will include technical presentations on a broad range of topics including: seismic design considerations in deep foundations, telecommunications and energy, design optimization and value engineering, implications of LRFD design procedures, and performance in special soil/rock conditions and earth retaining structures. There will be case histories on lessons learned and solutions for challenging projects.

The conference will also include an exhibition hall with approximately 100 industry organizations, a student program featuring a driven pile testing competition, and a golf outing to benefit the DFI Educational Trust.

DFI’s principal awards ¾ the Distinguished Service Award, Outstanding Project Award (OPA) and C. William Bermingham Innovation Award, with its $5,000 prize ¾ will be presented during the Annual Banquet. The winners of the Young Professors Paper Competition and the Student Paper Competition will be recognized by the DFI Educational Trust.

More information is available at www.deepfoundations2013.org

Initiative builds on company’s involvement in groundbreaking shipping research

LONDON, April 23, 2013 – Bechtel announced today that the company has launched a new research initiative, to improve the safety of mooring large cargo ships off the coast of West Africa. The combination of heavy ocean swell, squalls and shallow coastlines can create unpredictable conditions which limit the number of dry bulkers that can be moored safely in the area. The results of this research aim to provide new mooring guidelines and systems, which will improve the transfer and transshipment of natural resources from the region.

Bechtel‟s senior ports specialist, Marco Pluijm, announced the new research initiative at the „Smart Ports Seminar‟ in Wageningen, Netherlands today. “The conditions in West Africa make it difficult to export natural commodities in newer vessels that are larger than the Panamax, which could be more cost-effective for dry bulk transport companies. We will identify ways to mitigate the high downtime effects and provide innovative off-shore mooring solutions, to make it safer and more efficient for operators wanting to use Capesize vessels for dry bulk”, said Pluijm, who chairs the new joint-industry project. This is an important initiative that will build on Bechtel-led research designed to improve shipping safety. In addition to this project, the company also chairs ROPES, a joint- industry initiative studying the effects of a ship‟s wash on moored ships in ports.

The new three-year research project will start in the third quarter of 2013 and involve testing and data collection in Liberia, Guinea, Gabon or Cameroon as well as the Netherlands. The results will be used to create new recommendations for improved mooring of the largest vessels currently available, including Capesize and Very Large Ore Carriers. It will also provide a better understanding on potential applications of dynamic mooring systems and improved conditions for transshipment. Port authorities, maritime research institute representatives, pilots, linesmen, consultancies, and hardware suppliers will participate in the study.

Bechtel is a global leader in the research, design and construction of port and marine projects. The company has successfully completed more than 80 port and marine projects across the world, 28 of these in the last decade. These include Jubail Port and Industrial City and Khalifa port and Kizad, which has the first semi-automated container terminal in the Middle East.