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Our Bureau

Mumbai, April 19

With 63 rigs likely to come into the global market for exploration activities in oil and gas sector by the year 2009, crisis for getting them manned is getting fierce. The situation would only get worse in the next five years as 50 per cent of the existing professionals in the sector would retire from service.

What more? The industry is finding it difficult to increase its workforce and get young blood into the profession as 20 years of contraction and loss of more than five lakh employees has been a deterrent, according to a report from Nortrain-Norwegian Drilling Academy, Norway.

According to Mr V.K. Sibal, Director General of Hydrocarbons, some of the rigs (of the 63) might have to be stalled due to lack of trained and skilled manpower for operating the rigs. He was addressing newspersons at the launch of drilling and well service technology programme for students looking for a career in oil and gas sector.

This six-month certificate course has been launched by the Mumbai-based Oilfield Consultants & Services or OCS, which is a joint venture between Prosafe, a Norwegian company offering offshore services, and OCS Ltd owned by RKHS hospitality group that provides hospitality and manning services to onshore and offshore oil and gas installations.

The Chairman of OCS Services, Mr Raju Shete, said: “It is estimated that the industry requires more than 50,000 trained professionals globally in the next 10 years to manage the growing needs of the sector.”

Currently, only Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune, will be offering the course, and plans to train 200 people annually, said Mr Gordon Reilly, Group General Manager, OCS Services Ltd.

It would cost a candidate Rs 4.8 lakh for the course. A person holding Bachelors degree in Science or even a diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering could apply, said Mr Shete.

OCS is associated with international training and certification institutes such as Norwegian Drilling Academy, Caledonia Training & Consultancy Ltd, Scotland and Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune, for the programme.

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