Océ Services at Elf

Serviceability by design Reliable copying and printing for demanding situations Reliable copying and printing for demanding situations

It’s taking service to the limit. Conditions in the North Sea

gas and oil fields can be dreadful. Strong winds. High seas.

Freezing temperatures. Yet thousands of people work offshore.

And working people need information. That’s where Océ

comes in, on the rigs of Elf Petroleum, for instance, where Océ

products must function under very demanding situations.

Of course they are designed for reliable performance, and so is

Océ service. Océ is one of the only office equipment suppliers

with certified service engineers for offshore work. They journey

to the rigs by helicopter on what are clearly ‘extreme service

calls’. So Océ solutions keep copies and prints flowing at Elf,

that keep oil and gas flowing from the North Sea fields. Photo compliments of Norsk Helicopter compliments of Norsk Photo

It’s all people business

An authority in energy UK and Norway. Norway is now the These profiles of the earth’s surface Elf Aquitaine ranks among the world’s second largest exporter of oil are recorded on print-outs some world’s top ten oil and gas groups. after Saudi Arabia. 45 centimetres wide and up to Its exploration and production 150 metres long. Elf uses this efforts span some 29 countries, and Elf in Norway information to steer exploration. daily production now exceeds one With offices in Stavanger, Elf Decisions based on these prints million barrels of oil equivalent. Petroleum Norge is a long-time have vast economic implications. Elf Aquitaine is Europe’s fourth player in the North Sea fields. To copy such critical documents, largest producer of natural gas. Mr. Johannes Hausken is vice Elf looks to Océ. Odd Egil Støldal Employing some 400 people, Elf president of Elf Petroleum Norge: is the regional sales manager for Petroleum Norge is a fully owned ‘Elf was one of the pioneers here, Océ in Stavanger. He is 100% company of the Elf Aquitaine Group. active since 1965. The company Norwegian, but speaks American discovered all the fields that it English with a slight Oklahoma The North Sea boom operates today. These include the twang, the result of many years’ For 500 years, Stavanger was a quiet Frigg as well as the Lille Frigg, contact with American oil little fishing and ship building city East Frigg and Froy satellite fields. companies in Norway. on Norway’s southwestern Atlantic The Frigg was the largest field in the coast. But that all changed in the world when it was discovered.’ In the Mr. Støldal: ‘Océ has been active late 1960s. Large reserves of oil and late 1970s, the Frigg supplied 40% of here since 1972. Our engineering natural gas were discovered under all natural gas consumed in the UK. copiers are some of the few products the North Sea. Large scale exploration that can accept seismographic and recovery began. And one Exploration is the core business originals of this length and produce launching pad for those operations of Elf Petroleum Norge. Dozens accurate copies. We’ve had originals was Stavanger. Almost overnight, of geologists, geophysicists and so long that we had to run them in the city transformed into a focal engineers carry out exploration and the front door and out the back.’ point of the global energy market. recovery in an ongoing engineering Elf uses Océ digital engineering process, which brings some unique copier/printers, both black/white The North Sea fields are Europe’s information handling requirements. and colour, to reproduce its main oil and natural gas resource, investigations. critical for the European economies. How to make a 150-metre Crude oil production reached a record copy? How to document a major 5.9 million barrels per day in the first Seismographic prospecting is the industry? half of 1998 according to the US foundation of the energy industry. Elf activities in Norway involve a Energy Information Administration. Investigators create artificial seismic huge reporting operation—to its Several countries participate in this waves at one point and measure partners in the industry, its suppliers production, most importantly the their arrival at another. and the government. Services for Professionals

With large numbers of people support of engineering activities on the rigs clad in an orange neoprene offshore, safety, security, maintenance the rigs. Ranveig Albretsen is the survival suit, with an Océ service and environmental issues must all head of general services for Elf laptop slung over his shoulder. be documented. Petroleum Norge: ‘Elf has about In the event of an emergency, the 120 people working offshore, suit will help him survive up to five Here, too, Océ provides a reliable supported by many suppliers and hours in the icy North Sea waters. answer. Mr. Hausken: ‘There is a subcontractors. It’s a place where trend in the industry to reduce the people live and work. And those The 200 kilometre journey by number of contractors and work people need facilities. In total, Océ helicopter takes about 50 minutes. closely with a few, based on a higher has nearly 200 machines on North Once offshore, he shuttles among level of trust. Several years ago we Sea rigs, which represents a large share the rigs on smaller choppers. strengthened our relationship with of the offshore market. The rugged He generally spends three days at a Océ. That has worked perfectly.’ quality of Océ products is one time offshore, although storms or explanation for this. But even more shuttle priorities may extend stays Mr. Hausken is referring to a facilities important is Océ’s offshore service. longer. In 15 years service, he has management agreement with Océ, spent some 1000 days offshore, or one of the first of its kind in Norway. Helge Svensen is the regional service nearly three years. The large central repro centre at Elf manager for Océ in southwestern offices in Stavanger may look like Norway: ‘Océ is one of the only The emphasis offshore is on an Elf department, but it is not. office equipment manufacturers preventive maintenance. The many Océ products are owned to offer offshore service. We have Mr. Frafjord looks after about by Océ. And the people working several service engineers certified to 100 machines, each of which he there are Océ employees. work on the rigs, and that represents checks every 60 days. Mr. Frafjord: a considerable investment. A lot ‘I spend a lot of time cleaning Mr. Hausken: ‘Our core business of time and costs are involved in machines. Some are even located in is gas and oil exploration and certification.’ containers, so there’s a lot of mud, production. But we are dependent Océ service engineers must attend a oil and salt water. I recently sent one on good information handling to three-week course to qualify for back with irremovable footprints do that. That’s Océ’s core business. offshore work. Refresher courses are on the cover. It can get rough out We count on their copying and mandatory every two years. there.’ Preventive maintenance printing expertise to help us do our minimises surprises, so most trips business better.’ Three years offshore are scheduled. Occasionally he is Rune Frafjord is an Océ service paged to travel ASAP however. How to copy and print engineer certified for offshore duty. offshore? He is married, the father of three Taking service to the limits Elf also looks to Océ for its offshore children and has worked for Océ Much of the job has become copying and printing, primarily in since 1983. Mr. Frafjord travels to routine for Mr. Frafjord, but he Mr. Helge Andreas Svensen, Océ service manager, Mr. Rune Frafjord, service engineer Océ, Mrs. Ranveig Albretsen, head general services Elf Petroleum Norway, Mr. Johannes Hausken, senior vice president Elf Petroleum Norway, Mr. Odd Egil Støldal, Oce regional sales manager

has a few memorable experiences. Working on the rigs demands say yes. They want contract flexibility These range from an encounter individuality and resourcefulness, or 24-hour service or off-shore with a 25 metre wave to a fire on but Mr. Frafjord is not alone. service and I say yes. one of the rigs. ‘People get a little Back on shore, he is supported by Then we figure out how to do it. nervous when there is a fire on an the Océ service organisation, which It’s the same mentality you need to oil rig,’ he says in a classic he relies on for accurate delivery of sail 200 kilometres out into one of Norwegian understatement. supplies. Most are sent by ship in the world’s wildest seas, and expect scheduled deliveries. But occasionally to get oil and gas out of the ground.’ Certification training has helped him he must fax a request for rush cope with such events, like training delivery by helicopter. for emergency rig evacuations. Trainees sit in a special boat which The right mentality is shot from the rig and plunges People appreciate the rigors of 30 metres into the water below. Mr. Frafjord’s job. Helge Svensen, Training also included evacuation Océ service manager: ‘It takes a from a capsized helicopter in icy special type to do this. It’s a harder water. When asked about the life than for the people who actually dangers, he says that the day when work on the rigs. They stay several he is frightened to go to work is weeks at a time, and may only travel the day that he will retire. 10 times a year. But our engineers can travel 30 times, which is the Communication and most dangerous part. You have to resourcefulness be able to deal with that stress.’ Offshore work requires the same skills as onshore service, with a The key to working out on the rigs slight shift in emphasis. Such as is common sense and a say-yes, communication. Mr. Frafjord: anything-is-possible mentality. ‘People are more dependent out Odd Egil Støldal, Océ regional there, on each other and on their sales manager, insists those same tools. You have to communicate ingredients are the secret to Océ clearly and tell them what to expect. success in Norway’s oil and gas industry. If a machine will be down for a while, you have to tell them. Mr. Støldal: ‘My customers ask if A broken machine is never good. we can make 150-metre long copies Misinformation or the wrong and I say yes. They ask for complete expectations are worse.’ facility management services and I Océ is one of the world’s leading With headquarters in the Information Technology companies. Netherlands, the Océ Group is Océ enables people to share active in approximately 80 countries, information by offering products with full Océ subsidiaries in some and services for the reproduction, 30 countries. Océ employs 20,000 presentation, distribution and people worldwide. Annual revenue Printing for Professionals management of documents. in 1998 exceeded US $3 billion.

Océ-Technologies B.V. Venlo, the Netherlands For Océ information and services, visit us at www.oce.com © April 1999 Océ-Technologies B.V.

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