Borouge, a leading provider of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, is investing AED 4.5 million in its Emiratization programme in Abu Dhabi. The UAE Nationals Development Department (UAE NDD) of Human Capabilities Department at Borouge is implementing a structured programme involving 26 national employees in one of the largest infrastructure projects in the UAE which is the third stage of expansion at Borouge plant (Borouge 3).
The programme, which started in January 2011, provides these engineers, who are under development within the Company, with a unique learning experience and an opportunity to be involved in the different phases of the Borouge 3 petrochemicals projects from the current engineering design stage to start-up at the end of 2013.
In addition to their activities at Borouge’s plant in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, the UAE NDD sent the engineers to origin countries of the engineering companies in charge of implementing the Borouge 3 Project, to efficiently participate in the activities of Borouge 3 for Utility and Offsite plants and XLPE (Cross-Linked Polyethylene) in Seoul, Korea; for polyolefin projects in Milan, Italy; and for ethylene unit plants in Munich, Germany. The activities they are involved in included HAZOP (Hazard and Operability) and SIL (Safety Integrity Level), in addition to 3D Model Reviews and Process Safety Reviews.
Some of the Borouge UAE National engineers who participated in the programme during their training in Milan, Italy
“The programme was designed to give our fresh engineers the opportunity to have exposure to the Borouge 3 Project and be familiar with its different stages of development from feasibility study to commissioning and plant start up,” says Haitham Al Marzooqi Manager of the UAE NDD of Human Capabilities Department at Borouge. “The engineers’ involvement was properly planned to help them carry out specific activities related to assignment and specialization of the under development engineers.”
Other development specialists responsible for designing, developing and implementing the Individual Development Plan (IDPs) for the programme were also sent to the offices of the Project Management Team (PMT) in Korea and Milan to understand the business needs for Borouge 3 Project and prepare ‘new’ competency based IDPs for pre-commissioning and commissioning phases of the project.
“This preparation is extremely useful in terms of ensuring qualitative learning for our nationals under development to enhance their professional and personal advancement,” adds Al Marzooqi extending appreciation to Borouge 3 Project management for supporting this porgramme.
The UAE national engineers participating in the programme come from different engineering disciplines within the Company such as Plant Availability, Olefins Units, Technical Group and Polyolefins Units.
Khalid Al Hosani, a UAE national process engineer under development at Polyolefins Function says “My involvement in the visit to the Milan office was very useful and helpful for me as a fresh engineer where I learned about the different project phases and interacted with colleagues from other disciplines. Attending the HAZOP and SIL meetings, considering time management and solving conflicting views in the project reviews gives me confidence in performing my role in the organisation. I would like to thank everyone in Borouge who supported us in this programme.”
“The engineers involved in the programme were fully dedicated and the attendance was good to the point that when sometimes we overrun the allocated time for the reviews into late evenings, they remain and continue to participate in the review meetings,” says Wing Cheung Polyolefins Commissioning Manager commenting on the performance of the involved engineers. “Intelligent and sensible questions were also raised by them, so I feel that their participation and contributions was better than good; it was excellent. These engineers will surely play a strong role in shaping the future with plastics.”
The UAE national engineers will be involved in other trainings at different vendor locations during the first quarter of 2012. They will join the Borouge team of experts who will visit the equipment suppliers in the vendor locations.