Harlequin Oil and Gas (HOG), a leading fully Ghanaian owned Fabrication, Hydraulics, and General Engineering Services Company, has been adjudged “Local Content Achievement Company of the Year 2020”.
The award organised by The Oil and Gas Year (TOGY), the most prestigious oil & gas journal sought to recognise the importance of the recent acquisition of the Harlequin Group by a group of local entrepreneurs in 2018.
The acquisition made the Harlequin Group, an already prominent player in the upstream service sector, eligible for certification by the Petroleum Commission (PC) as a fully indigenous Ghanaian Company in 2019.
Mr. Kofi Oduro Mensah, Co-CEO for Joint Venture and Strategic Alliances, Harlequin Oil and Gas Limited, said ‘We are highly appreciative that a global industry journal has recognized what we are doing at Harlequin to further develop Ghana’s fledgling upstream oil & gas space.’
He dedicated the award and associated recognition to the hardworking employees of the Company, who relentlessly pursue the highest level of perfection in our day-to-day operations.
He said there was a general drive towards indigenization within the Ghanaian oil and gas sector.
He commended the Petroleum Commission for creating an environment in which indigenous businesses were able to gain a stronger foothold in the industry and encouraged local businesses to continuously develop local expertise.
Mr. Mensah recalled the introduction of the local content law, LI 2204, in 2013 during which services such as catering and general manpower supply chain were reserved for fully indigenous companies.
He said the trend was now evolving with local companies beginning to offer technical services to International Oil Companies and international service Companies alike.
He expressed the hope to see the minimum participation percentage requirements for local participation in Joint Ventures increased to 20 percent in the amendment to the Local Content Regulation LI 2204 to be introduced later.
“With a higher equity stake, indigenous companies could ensure that these Joint Ventures are adding value to the country, as opposed to only existing as JVs on paper,” he said.
Mr. Frederick Hesse-Tetteh, Co-CEO for Projects, Commercial and Corporate Strategy, said ‘We are excited about the future, with the Springfield and Aker Energy findings, there seems to be a lot of upcoming activities.’
He said in the next two or three years, they expect to see a huge boom in full field development and oil production, with additional assets moored offshore including FPSOs and rigs, which shall provide opportunities for local business.
Mr. Hesse-Tetteh said in the next decade the company plans to develop its 50-acre facility into an oil services hub providing a host of engineering services to the upstream oil and gas value chain and plans were in place to increase the company’s overall footprint in the West African Sub Region.
“We hope to make a positive impact on the industry by providing outstanding, quality services and by continuously evolving our service offering to meet client demands,” he added.
By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA
