December 2, 1999
(Mines and Energy)

The following statement was issued today by Roger Grimes, Minister of Mines and Energy. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

I join today with Harvey Mott, president of Newfoundland Transshipment Limited, in praising the work of two local engineering firms: Sheppard Green Engineering (SGE) Group and Newfoundland Design Associates Limited (NDAL).

These firms recently completed engineering work on time and significantly under budget for an expansion to Newfoundland Transshipment Limited's Whiffen Head facility that will accommodate production from the Terra Nova field. The expansion, valued at $65 million and employing over 170 in the construction and design, was announced by the premier and Mr. Mott at a news conference in January this year. It involves design and construction of new docking and loading facilities and two new 500,000 barrel storage tanks at Whiffen Head. While the engineering work is largely complete, the expansion will be completed in October 2000.

When time came to begin work on the Terra Nova expansion, Newfoundland Transshipment looked to SGE and NDAL, both of which worked on the original Whiffen Head project. SGE and NDAL quickly took the lead, formed a cohesive team comprising their own employees, Newfoundland Transshipment Limited staff, and a mechanical engineering services firm, Acres International.

SGE and NDAL together provided effective communications and a no-surprises work environment that is credited with the success. To give a sense of that success, I will point out that a design project originally estimated to take 18,000 person hours was delivered in about half that time.

Local firms can deliver complex projects on a competitive basis. Work like this adds to the province's reputation in all sectors of the economy but particularly in the oil and gas sector. It makes the province more attractive for investment and it means that more work will be done here in the future.

Congratulations to SGE Group president Allan Green and NDAL President Reg Babstock for a job very well done.

1999 12 02 2:45 p.m.