i see challenges as learning opportunities

NIGERIA
GABON
SHELL
DECEMBER
SHELL WORLD
WORLD AVRIL
AVRIL 2014
2014 2015
“I SEE
CHALLENGES
AS LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES”
Igo Weli,
General Manager, External Relations
Nigeria and West Africa
The Development Function
Takes Independence Day celebrations
to a whole new level
Shell Emerges as Best Company
in CSR Innovation at 2015 SERAs
The Wells 4-year LTI-free story
Isaac Iyamu, GM Wells shares on this amazing
milestone
Shell and Akon unveil
Africa’s first player and solar-powered football
pitch in Lagos
EDITORIAL
WELCOME TO
SHELL WORLD NIGERIA
Q4 EDITION
SHELL WORLD
NIGERIA
ISSUE 22
DECEMBER 2015
EDITORIAL BOARD
Igo Weli, Chairman
Tunde Adams
Afolabi Akinrogunde
Bola ‘Salt’ Essien-Nelson
2015 was a good year in many respects and in this edition of Shell World Nigeria, we try to
bring you some of the many success stories and milestones we celebrated during the year but
we cannot do so without taking time to reflect on the colleagues we lost. Our prayers continue
to be with their families especially at this time. It is our hope that cherishing their memories will
translate into our taking safety even more serious in 2016 and beyond.
EDITOR
Bola ‘Salt’ Essien-Nelson
[email protected]
Talking about safety, one of the success stories featured in this edition is about how the Wells
team celebrated a four year LTI-free milestone in August 2015. Isaac Iyamu, the General
Manager Wells shares how they achieved this feat that proves once again that Goal Zero is
possible (page 10). The Development Function adds colour to this edition on page 5. Find out
how the team took the National Independence Day celebrations in October 2015 to whole new
level this year. In 2015, SCiN welcomed the new Nigeria External Relations Function and our
cover story brings you the General Manager at the helm of affairs, Igo Weli. He shares his 2015
high and low points, hopes for 2016 and much more.
CONTRIBUTORS
Ozoz Sokoh
[email protected]
DISTRIBUTION
Anthony Ogedengbe
[email protected]
DESIGN
Shell Production Centre of Excellence
The Hague, The Netherlands
1060751
Feedback is a gift so I must appreciate everyone that took the time to participate in the minisurvey we launched in October to seek feedback on how the newsletter fared in 2015. Your
suggestions have all been collated and will help us, in 2016, as we continue to improve the
quality of SWN’s content and fine-tune its delivery channels.
PRINTER
Artsaels Limited
Lagos, Nigeria
I hope you enjoy reading this last edition of SWN for 2015 and on behalf of the entire Editorial
Board; I would like to wish you all a safe and fulfilling 2016!
FRONT COVER
Igo Weli
General Manager, External Relations
Nigeria and West Africa
Shell World Nigeria replaces all
previous hardcopy regional and
line business publications. It is
also available to anyone outside
Shell who is interested in the
issues that affect us as a global
energy company.
Shell is represented by the
following companies in Nigeria:
Shell Petroleum Development
Company of Nigeria (SPDC)
Joint Venture; Shell Nigeria
Exploration and Production
Company (SNEPCo);
Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG);
Shell Nigeria Closed Pension
Fund Administrator (SNCPFA);
Nigeria LNG Limited and Shell
Exploration and Production
Africa (SEPA).
2 SHELL WORLD
2 SHELL
Nigeria
WORLD
Bola “Salt” Essien-Nelson
Editor, Shell World Nigeria
[email protected]
Nigeria
Contents
NIGERIA
December 2015
Contents
5
Your Magazine
04Bonga celebrates a decade
of excellent operations
14Shell Companies in Nigeria
Our 2015 Photo story
05The Development Function takes
Independence Day celebrations to
a whole new level!
16Making 2016 a Stress-Free Year.
Let’s Go!
06Shell Emerges as Best Company in
CSR Innovation at 2015 SERAs
07Six Talks at Nigeria’s first ever
Shell TEDx
Cover Story
08Igo Weli, the man at
the helm of affairs
10
Four Years, No Lost Time Incident
(LTI): How did the Wells team do it?
7
11
ASME invests in a high potential
early career Shell Nigeria engineer
12Shell and Akon unveil
Africa’s first player and solarpowered football pitch in Lagos
Women In Energy
18Meet the Women behind the Shell
Women’s Network in Nigeria!
Spotlight on Retiree
20Deacon Philip Ogbodu
Good Food
21Spice up your Festive table with
Jollof, three Ways
SWN Book Corner
22The Effective Executive The Definitive Guide To Getting
Things Right by Peter F. Drucker
The Money Book
by Lanre Olusola
Final Word...Cost Leadership
23
Some examples of how SEPCiN
made every dollar count in 2015
14
20
SHELL WORLD
Nigeria 3
YOUR MAGAZINE
BONGA CELEBRATES A DECADE
OF EXCELLENT OPERATIONS
In this edition, we aim to showcase the
business and social impact successes
SCiN recorded in 2015 and what
better way to kick off than with this
story!
On November 25, 2015, Shell Nigeria
Exploration & Production Company
Limited (SNEPCo) achieved a decade of
excellent operations of the Bonga field.
First oil from Bonga remains a moment
of pride in deep-water production in
Nigeria as the Bonga field, producing
through a Floating Production Storage
and Offloading (FPSO) vessel with
an installed capacity of 225kbopd,
increased the country’s oil production
by 10%.
The field was the first major deepwater discovery in Nigeria and since
coming on stream has maintained
high levels of production through infill
projects (Bonga phase 2 and phase
3A further developments) and the
4 SHELL WORLD
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Contents
successful completion of a tie-in subsea
structure for the development of the
Bonga northwest infield project which
achieved first oil in August 2014.
The Bonga success story in a
challenging operating environment
can be attributed to individual, team
and leadership contributions leading
to export of 650 cargoes from a
cumulative production of 616 Million to
date. The Bonga safety performance,
which from first oil in 2005 to date
has zero fatality record on the FPSO
and over 4.5 years LTI free, can be
attributed to the high standards of safety
culture adhered to by the team.
“I wish to commend the staff and
contractors at SNEPCo and many other
support teams for the hard work and
dedication in this challenging and
eventful decade. I trust that we will
sustain the same level of commitment
as we mark the beginning of another
decade. Leadership remains committed
to ensuring a safe and secure working
environment.” said Bayo Ojulari,
Managing Director, Shell Nigeria
Exploration & Production Company
Limited (SNEPCo). n
Bayo Ojulari
Managing Director, Shell Nigeria
Exploration & Production Company
Limited (SNEPCo)
HAPPENINGS IN DEVELOPMENT
THE DEVELOPMENT FUNCTION
TAKES INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS TO A
WHOLE NEW LEVEL!
The Development Function’s Independence Day celebration,
was the initiative of the REST team (Relate and Strategise
Together), a subset of Getting The Most From Our People
(GTMFOP) work stream.
part of the programme of events, staff had fun participating
in quiz games on Nigerian history, watching traditional
dancing and sharing riddles, salutations and greetings in
different languages. Awards were also presented to the
top ten people with the best cultural outfits.
On that day, everywhere you looked, you could see team
members wearing colourful cultural attires to mark Nigeria’s
55th Independence Day celebration. The event held in Lagos
and Port Harcourt simultaneously and even went beyond the
shores of Nigeria as colleagues in Rijswijk and Miri joined
in as well. The staff-sponsored event showcased different
cultural attires and a wide array of national delicacies. As
Shell World Nigeria would like to commend the GTMFOP
Team and all those who worked to organise this event as
well as the Development Leadership team who gave their
support and approval for the event to happen. After all,
it has been proven that a team that plays together
performs better! n
1. Delicacies from around Nigeria on display 2. Miri staff join in the celebrations 3. Colleagues from Rijswijk too! 4. PH Staff in their colourful attires
1
Amazing Fact!
Did you know that we have a Development staff that is:
¾ Omani, 1/8 Indian and 1/8 Tanzanian, Stepmother
from Philippines, brother and sister that are half Omanis
and half Philippino, born and raised in the United Arab
Emirates, married to an American, has British cousins,
speaks three languages, and has lived in seven different
countries of the world! Talk about diversity!
2
“The Cultural Day created a spirit of
oneness in Development while revealing
enormous creativity and the power of
collaboration…”
‘Lola Oyedeji-Olaniyan
GTMFOP – Work stream Manager
3
4
SHELL WORLD
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Nigeria and SSA, Olukayode Ogunleye; Development Manager, Offshore Assets, Beatrice Spaine; M
yo Ojulari; and GM ER, Igo Weli at the Social Enterprise Report and Awards ceremony in Lagos.
CELEBRATING SCIN
L-R: Akin Fajola; Igo Weli; Sola Abulu; Olukayode Ogunleye; MD SNEPCo Bayo Ojulari; Beatrice Spaine; Uwem Ite; Bamidele Odugbesan and Iyke Nnoaham at the Awards ceremony in Lagos.
SHELL EMERGES AS BEST COMPANY IN
CSR INNOVATION AT 2015 SERAS
Shell Companies in Nigeria emerged the best in Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) Innovation, and also the best in
Sustainable Stakeholder Engagement at the 2015 edition
of the Social Enterprise Report and Awards (SERAs) held in
Lagos on Friday, November 20, 2015. In addition, Dr. Uwem
Ite, of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria
Ltd (SPDC), was named Nigeria’s CSR Practitioner of the year.
The awards aim to recognise corporate bodies who invest in
society through CSR programmes.
United Kingdom, the United States and Nigeria. The panel
based their assessment on the outcome of field visits and
verification of data. For the CSR Innovation award, Shell
(along with its Joint Venture partners, NNPC, Total and
Agip) was lauded for the support of students of Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, University of Benin and University
of Lagos to build energy-efficient cars for the Shell Ecomarathon competition in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The
support also enabled the University of Benin students to race
at a similar competition in South Africa in 2014 where their
car, Tuke Tuke, won the best designed car award.
jola; Igo Weli; Sola Abulu; Olukayode Ogunleye; Beatrice Spaine; MD SNEPCo Bayo Ojulari; Uwem
e Odugbesan and Iyke Nnoaham at the Social Enterprise Report and Awards ceremony in Lagos.
“While the SERAs and other awards
encourage us and our Partners on our CSR
programmes, the real encouragement for us
are the lives that have been transformed
through these initiatives, which is why we
will continue to implement the programmes
as part of our business in Nigeria.”
MD SPDC/Country Chair SCiN, Osagie Okunbor
Shell won the Sustainable Stakeholder Engagement award
mainly for the introduction of the Global Memorandum
of Understanding (GMoU) model. In naming Dr. Ite as
CSR Practitioner of the year, the panellists recognised his
pioneering contributions to corporate social responsibility.
Shell was nominated in a total of nine categories – Poverty
Reduction, Community Involvement, Health Intervention,
Partnership for Development, Labour Practices, and
Sustainability Reporting.
MD SNEPCo, Bayo Ojulari, who received the awards said: “The
recognition through the SERAs represents a vote of confidence in
our efforts to help improve lives in the Niger Delta and Nigeria.
The awards are a challenge for more innovation which Shell and
its partners will continue to strive to meet.”
Shell has won the SERAs
in many categories since they
were instituted in 2006.
Shell Companies in Nigeria were among 62 corporate
bodies assessed by a panel of experts drawn from the
Shell World Nigeria celebrates Dr. Ite and every one that
worked so hard this year to make all these awards happen!
Well done! n
6 SHELL WORLD
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BUSINESS NEWS-
SIX TALKS AT
NIGERIA’S FIRST EVER SHELL TEDx
The maiden edition of TEDx Oloibiri Road, themed “Menonyms”, held on 22nd September 2015 at the Shell Club,
Port Harcourt. 99 eager guests were seated by 5:30pm to hear the six speakers who were to present mindchanging and innovative ideas that evening.
L-R: Nsikan Idung, Araba Obinia, Sophia Weaver, David Adeyanju, John Okung, Arnold Obomanu
The event kicked off with the host, Stephen Ojeh welcoming
the guests and introducing the first speaker, David Adeyanju.
David spoke on “In Pursuit of Passion” where he narrated his
experience on the climb to the Mt. Kilimanjaro peak and the
life lessons he learnt from it.
John Okung spoke on “Dances of Mountains and Rivers”;
he explained on how the geography of regions affects
behaviour and socio-economic tendencies. He further
elaborated on the idea by using the Robert Dilt’s model on
the Logical Levels of Change.
The next speaker was Arnold Obomanu on “The First and
Last Zombie”. His ideas were centred on how the survival
instinct brings about the “zombies” in us if not properly
understood and checked.
Nsikan Idung talked on “My Word” where he made the
audience appreciate the subtle promises we make for instance,
when we accept a software license agreement before reading
it or when we say the national pledge. He also expounded on
ways that can help people keep promises.
Sophia Weaver, from Lagos, spoke about “Turning the
Iceberg” where she explained that cognitive diversity is
something to be recognized and appreciated, and that
key to maximizing our potentials starts with us “turning the
iceberg”.
“…if you live a hundred years, you may be
lucky to have 30 remarkable events which you
may never forget. I have spent 27 years with
Shell, and I can say that this evening is one of
those events I will never forget. Thank you…”
Toyin Olagunju
Obinna Anaba, also from Lagos, spoke on “The Power of
Un-clarity”. The marathoner who started the journey at age 50
awed the audience with the story on how “un-clarity” actually
led him to finding a unique “…gift that has kept on giving”.
In closing, the Curator, Raymond Asuquo, thanked the Patrons
of the event - Olagunju Toyin, Igo Weli and Tijani Abimbola
for their financial and morale support. He also recognized the
organizing team by welcoming them individually on stage.
The event ended with a closing remark by Toyin Olagunju, who
represented the Country Chair. His speech-by-speech summary
on the proceedings that evening was proof that the organizers
had done a fantastic job. He lauded the level of excellence
and structure he observed during the event and gave a heartwarming closing. n
SHELL WORLD
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MAIN STORY
“I SEE CHALLENGES
AS LEARNING
OPPORTUNITIES”
IGO WELI, GENERAL MANAGER,
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
NIGERIA AND WEST AFRICA
In July 2015, the new External Relations organisation was launched in Nigeria and Gabon. In this last 2015
edition of Shell World Nigeria, we are pleased to bring you Igo Weli, the General Manager at the helm of
affairs. He shares his thoughts on the ER journey so far, his views on success and so much more. At the end of this
interview, Salt Essien-Nelson came away with fresh insights into what makes the General Manager, External
Relations tick. It is our hope that you will too.
July 1 2015 was ER Go live day. How has the
journey been so far?
If I had to use just three words, I would say ‘tough but exciting’.
Before I go on, I’d like to make one thing clear. The purpose of
the new ER organisation is to help create business value. We
are not a stand-alone organisation. We want to be seen as
business partners working with other functions and teams to
support the business. Our mission is to build and leverage the
Shell brand and reputation in Nigeria and Gabon. So within
that context, it has been an exciting ride for me and I hope the
same goes for my team.
Within the context of the business, this year has seen us
dealing with a number of challenges – lack of funding, difficult
operating environment, managing external stakeholders,
managing the media, etc. and every step of the way, ER has
been on hand to provide support and expertise not only here
in Nigeria but in the External and Government relations space
in Gabon as well. So, all in all, how has it been? Tough but
exciting and very rewarding!
Sounds like it’s been a rollercoaster ride! Could you
share one high point and one low point?
The relief I felt when we finally went live in July was in itself a
very high point! The journey to the launch was very challenging
but I thrive on challenges. Bringing three critical units of the
business together - Sustainable Development and Community
8 SHELL WORLD
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Relations, Communications and Non-Technical Risk was not a
walk in the park and so I was thrilled when it all culminated in a
successful launch.
Nevertheless, one specific incident that made me really proud
occurred about three months ago. Some misinformation
was being aired about SPDC on a live radio show. One of
the official Shell Spokesmen who was listening came to me
with a draft statement with facts and figures about SPDC’s
actions and with my permission; he called in to the show to
set the record straight. The narrative about SPDC changed
immediately. Listeners began to call in saying they were not
aware that SPDC had made lots of efforts and taken steps to
resolve the issue at hand. That is a clear demonstration of what
ER can achieve for the brand. Those who know me well will
tell you I am not one to talk about low points. I see challenges
as learning opportunities. The glass is always half full for me.
Nevertheless, looking back over 2015, the funding situation
has been a big cause for concern to me. Also, our Shell People
Survey score on work life balance for ER Nigeria was low and
this is one of the areas I would be looking to improve in 2016.
There have been questions about how the new ER
would be different from the structures of the past?
You know, while structures are important, at the end of the
day, the success or failure of our structures is determined by
the people. So, in the new ER, we want to focus more on the
attitudes and behaviours of our people and how by improving in
those areas, we can work better in Nigeria and Gabon. During the
gestation period of the new organisation we sat down and came
up with seven “Guiding Principles” that would govern the way we
work in ER. They are Respect, Speed, Simplicity, Impact, Sensitivity,
Integrity and Honesty. I would like to touch on three of them here.
Historically, we have not done well demonstrating how ER affects
the bottom line. How do our SI and SP initiatives add value to the
business? The new ER aims to do better in this regard and that is why
‘impact’ is one of our guiding principles. Then speed; true, there are
funding constraints. True, we cannot solve all the socio-economic
hardship problems in the areas we operate, BUT as much as it is
within our control, we must work to expedite approved payments/
projects speedily. Why do I say so? It shows we are sensitive to the
needs of the people around us. That delayed rental payment could
mean non-payment of school fees for one family for instance.
In ER, you are managing relationships with the opinion
leader in the village, the NGO representative and the
Government official. How do you do it?
That’s one of the aspects of my job that excites me. No day is
the same. It’s all about sensing, listening and working closely
with my team. You also need to understand where your different
stakeholders are coming from and be able to ‘hear’ the spoken
and unspoken messages coming forth. It is about constantly
assessing and trying to make a call on what the need is and how
best to respond to it bearing in mind our guiding principles and the
company’s brand and reputation.
Many times in ER you are managing issues and
incidents; how do you find time to strategise?
The ER Nigeria road map with its 33 distinct actions helps keep us
on course. Going into 2016, it will serve as our compass. There will
always be issues but we will deal with them AND work our plan
at the same time. Reminds me of a conversation I had once with
a colleague who was feeling overwhelmed and wanted to throw
in the towel. I asked him three questions: Do you know how many
people would love to have your job? Do you understand that each
time you overcome a challenge; you learn? Your challenges come
with your pay grade. Would you accept a pay cut to make your
load lighter? By the end of that conversation, his perspective had
changed. You must always keep your eyes on the bigger picture.
If the 7 Guiding Principles govern the way ER works,
success will follow. But tell us Sir, what is your personal
definition of success?
Success, to me is being satisfied and content with the value you
are adding to the world. And the truth is YOU are best placed to
determine if you are making a difference on your patch of the earth.
That is why I believe success is a personal matter. Do you know one
way I determine how I am doing? I ask myself a simple question:
Igo, if you were not GM ER today, will the driver still think well of
you? Will the village chief still care to say hello? If the respect and
regard people have for you is simply tied to your position…you
are missing it and need to sit back and recalibrate your measure of
success.
What keeps you awake at night?
The current operating environment and the funding issue. Then of
course, thoughts about my children. Will they be able to live fulfilling
lives the way the world is going? But I never allow these thoughts
immobilise me. The key is to remain positive understanding that no
matter what, opportunities abound!
When you are not thinking about Shell work, what are
you thinking about?
I think about people: my family and the people around me. I drive
from the Shell Residential Area to the Industrial Area where we have
our offices almost on a daily basis and I always look at the faces
of people along the way at Artillery Junction. It tells you a lot about
people and what they are dealing with. I feel a sense of empathy
and it makes me more sensitive to the needs of others.
I also think about football. I support Liverpool and that is why ‘I
never walk alone’. I also follow the local Nigerian Premier League
and am a huge Sharks FC supporter. I have even travelled with them
from Port Harcourt to Owerri for an FA cup match before.
*laughing* Really? No doubt you love football but do
you do anything else for fun?
Apart for football, I love music. I cannot dance but I enjoy listening
to good music! I also love to travel especially locally. I just love to
discover new places, new people and experience new things.
Any other final words as we close out 2015?
2015 was a very difficult time and 2016 has the potential to be even
more difficult. Nevertheless, be confident. Keep your heads and
shoulders lifted! Keep Safety and Goal Zero at the fore front of all
you do at work and at home. There is nothing we cannot accomplish
if we all work together for one common cause: the success of our
company and indeed our country. n
SHELL WORLD
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BUSINESS NEWS
FOUR YEARS, NO LOST TIME INCIDENT (LTI):
HOW DID THE WELLS TEAM DO IT?
impossible as the skill levels and safety cultures of these new
entrants would not be at par with the international companies.
But the members of the Wells team have debunked this myth and
Isaac Iyamu, General Manager Well Operations shares with us
how they did it.
“I must point out that this milestone we are celebrating did not
come easy. Initially, our incident numbers were high. Between
2005 and 2011, SPDC Wells recorded an average of two
fatalities per annum. This was an unacceptable situation and we
knew we had to do something about it and quickly too. So, we
began to build a backbone of extra HSSE support within these
companies. With SCiN’s help, the gaps in the safety awareness,
skills and culture began to narrow out.”
TRUST
The team’s actions also built trust and sharpened common Goal
Zero focus between leadership and workforce of both SPDC
Wells and the contractors’ community
Isaac Iyamu, General Manager Wells Operations SPDC
The Wells activities of Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) are
classified as very high risk. The daily exposure of personnel,
equipment and environment to accidents is high – ranging from
Process Safety (interaction with highly flammable hydrocarbons)
to Personal Safety (working with high pressure instruments,
operating heavy equipment and working with tools at heights).
Primary and secondary logistics operations on land, swamp,
offshore further increase the risk factor during Wells activities.
In response to Nigeria Content Development (NCD)
requirements, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria
Limited (SPDC) has over time shifted from traditional alliances
INCREASED MOTIVATION
There is sustained and increasing motivation that enhances
the culture of compliance among the work force.
with International Service Companies and forged partnerships
with new entrant Sino-Nigerian and local companies. This shift
created a myth that LTI free operations would become near
10 SHELL WORLD
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Contents
This was a wise move indeed because at the onset of 2011, in
addition to the increased number of the above new entrants,
there was also an increased demand for production. This
necessitated a ramp up of activities – up to eight drilling rigs
and 15 Completions and Well Intervention spreads were
deployed simultaneously. This meant a 400% increase in the
number of personnel exposed to risks. At the same time, well
head vandalisation and tampering by thieves and third parties
increased by 200%. All of this meant that more emergency
well intervention activities had to be rigorously planned and
successfully carried out by the team and at very short notice. And
the team was able to do just that but how?
Ejike Okoli, the former Head Wells HSE responds: “Our
Goal Zero journey was built on one premise: Authentic safety
leadership at all levels with a collaborative ONE TEAM spirit can
deliver a safety culture that would continually support Goal Zero
aspirations.” So while a number of strategies were deployed,
Isaac Iyamu believes that senior leadership involvement made
a huge difference. The General Managers in charge of Safety
and Wells as well as the Technical Director at the time went on
management trips to the sites preaching the message of safety.
They made it clear that the trips were not about performance but
were to demonstrate that leadership cared about the lives of the staff.
“I had face to face sessions with the men and my mission was to make
them realise that life was the most important thing. I drove the message
home by asking them two questions consistently: Will you like to throw
your family and all who depend on you into despair? What task or
job is worth depriving your family of your presence and provision?
This brought it home to them. In addition, we had HSE Coaches for
the frontline staff and for the first time, we embedded Goal Zero
Scouts in each site. The main responsibility of the Scouts was to ensure
compliance.”
NO MORE FEAR
There has been a shift from fear of negative consequences,
towards a compliance culture hinged on increasing conviction
that SPDC Wells Cares
Today, it is clear that the above and all the other strategies deployed
worked because on August 26, 2015, SPDC Wells achieved 14, 188,
690 exposure man-hours worked without one single trip! This record
meant that, during that four year period, over 1900 employees came
to work and went back home safe and sound! That is definitely an
achievement worth celebrating.
“That these milestones were achieved and
sustained in spite of the current heightened
state of anxiety and uncertainty due to low
oil prices and funding issues is a testament
to the personal commitment of the Wells
team to Goal Zero. Every SCiN leader
should practise Goal Zero leadership to
such an extent that those we lead see and
follow our examples.”
The GM Wells also encouraged leaders to make time for site
visits so that their teams see that safety is a priority for them.
Interruptions to work due to unease about a safety issue should
always be welcome and addressed. “Goal Zero is possible but
we must be careful not to reduce it to a bunch of statistics. It is
more than just numbers. Goal Zero is about keeping our men
and women alive. That should be the focus of every single SCiN
employee,” Isaac concluded. Indeed it should. Well done to
the entire SPDC Wells team. Thank you for working hard to get
every team member safe home to their families every day for four
years! n
ASME INVESTS IN A HIGH
POTENTIAL EARLY CAREER
SHELL NIGERIA ENGINEER
In this edition, Shell World Nigeria is proud to showcase
Hope Duntoye, a Mechanical Supervisor working
on the Bonga FPSO. Hope joined Shell in 2011 from
PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was identified by the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a
not-for-profit membership organisation, as a high potential
early career engineer and the Society has since been
investing in him.
Hope was fully sponsored to attend the ASME Leadership
Training Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He was
the only African early career engineer selected along
with eight other applicants. “I learnt a lot about essential
leadership skills at the conference and was able to network
with volunteer leaders from all over the world” Hope
shared. The ECLIPSE programme of ASME promotes and
recognises the value of long-term leadership development
and diversity among its members. Hope applied for
ECLIPSE in 2014 and was selected through a competitive
process as the only international early career engineer
along with six other US-based engineers. As part of the
programme, he was fully sponsored five times to attend
leadership and professional events in the US and Canada.
At the International Mechanical Engineering Congress
and Exposition in Montreal, Canada, Hope was
nominated to share his career development experience
with other early career engineers. His mini-talk, “In Your
Career Equation, Always Account for Variable Change”
is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=eBdUJKzMiew. Shell World Nigeria would like
to congratulate Hope on all his achievements thus far and
for being a good Shell Ambassador. We wish him all
the best in his future endeavours and hope that his story
inspires you to keep reaching for the stars! n
SHELL WORLD
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éé Osagie Okunbor, Country Chair SCiN and MD SPDC with
Akon and the youths on the pitch
èè An aerial shot of the pitch at night
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NEWS
SHELL AND AKON UNVEIL
AFRICA’S FIRST PLAYER AND
SOLAR-POWERED FOOTBALL
PITCH IN LAGOS
Global music star Akon joined Shell to unveil Africa’s first human
and solar powered football pitch yesterday at the Federal
College of Education, Akoka in Lagos. The new pitch is the
latest initiative from Shell’s “Make the future” programme, which
puts bright energy ideas into action to bring benefits to local
communities around the world.
The football pitch was refurbished by Shell using more than 90
underground tiles that capture kinetic energy created by the
movement of the players. The tiles are the invention of a young
British entrepreneur and founder of Pavegen, Laurence KemballCook who was the Shell LiveWIRE UK Young Entrepreneur of the
Year Finalist in 2011. The kinetic energy is stored and combined
with power generated by solar panels to operate the new
floodlights. This bright energy idea allows the students to play at
night in a safer and more secure environment.
Osagie Okunbor, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria &
Managing Director of the Shell Petroleum Development Company
éé Akon celebrates a goal with some of the players on the newly unveiled pitch
Naturally, others will come from outside our
business. So it’s crucial that Shell supports
energy entrepreneurs, and we hope that
this pitch will inspire more entrepreneurs
and young people to help us make a
smarter energy future.”
of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) said, “Shell makes a significant
contribution to energy solutions for Nigeria, and we are
committed to supporting the Nigerian economy and its people.
We need these kinds of bright energy ideas and while some
will come from Shell naturally, others will come from outside our
business. So it’s crucial that Shell supports energy entrepreneurs,
and we hope that this pitch will inspire more entrepreneurs and
young people to help us make a smarter energy future.” Akon,
who is planning to feature the football pitch in the upcoming
video for his song, Tell Me We’re OK, said “projects like this
innovative football pitch draw attention to the major opportunity
that Nigeria as well as the whole of Africa have.” Siji Olusanya,
Provost of the Federal College of Education said, “We have
more than 10,000 student teachers on this campus. They are the
next generation of teachers across Nigeria and based on their
first-hand experience of this pitch, they will go out and inspire
their pupils to develop more bright energy ideas that could make
a real difference in their communities, in Nigeria and even in the
world.”
You can find out more about how Shell supports bright energy
ideas by searching #makethefuture on Google. n
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SHELL COMPANIES IN NIGERIA
OUR 2015 PHOTO STORY
We welcome you to this photo tour of SCiN’s 2015. Across these pages we have
endeavoured to bring you snapshots of our business and social impact stories. Enjoy!
SPDC teams up
with GE on N1
billion Oloibiri
health project
as part of three
initiatives to
mark Nigeria’s
centenary
NEPCo extends the Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) to
S
first hospital in Southeast Nigeria Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital, Anambra
hell LiveWIRE Nigeria provides new vista of opportunities for
S
the economic & personal development of 105 Ogoni youths
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The Shell Women’s Network helped raise funds
for these quadruplets born at Obio Community
Health Centre
GM Offshore Assets, Effy Okon having fun with the Innercity Mission School
children at the 2015 end of year party organised by SNEPCo
L-r: Harry Stokes, director, Project Gaia International ; Joe
Obueh, MD, Project Gaia Prospects ltd; Bayo Ojulari, MD
SNEPCo; Igo Weli, GM, External Relations; and David
M artin, GM production at the signing of a partnership
agreement for the pilot study.
Shell donates Library and Computer
room to St Mary’s Covent School
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HEALTH AND SAFETY
MAKING 2016 A STRESS-FREE YEAR
LET’S GO!
I don’t know about you but 2015 was a stressful year. There were more deadlines at
work, which meant more pressure. Pressure at work ‘collided’ with pressure at home and
before we knew what was going on, many of us were being diagnosed with stress by our
doctors! Effectively coping with stress, managing stress and finding ways to reduce
unnecessary or unhealthy levels of stress are important life skills we all need to build. And
here are some tips on how we can do that.
Take a vacation
“I can’t even remember the last time I took a vacation.”
If this is something you say, it’s a surefire sign that it’s
time you took some time off. The truth is we are doing our
employer a disservice because working for months on end
without a break is actually bad for productivity. And worse
still, our health ultimately pays the price for our bad choices.
Remember, NOBODY is indispensable!
Learning to say “No” to additional or unimportant requests
will help to reduce your level of stress, and may also help
you develop more self-confidence. You might feel reluctant
to respond to a request with a straight “No”, at least at first.
Instead think of some pre-prepared phrases to let other
people down more gently. Practice saying phrases such as:
“I am sorry but I can’t commit to this as I have other priorities
at the moment” and “I’d love to do this, but …”
Stay away from your laptop/phone
What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the
morning? Check your device for mails? Do you find yourself
checking your mails before you go to bed, in the middle of
the night when you wake up to go to the bathroom? Then,
permit me to suggest you are a device junkie and need to
correct your behaviour. Make up your mind today to shut
down all devices an hour before bed and forget all about it
till the next day.
Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine.
Avoid, or at least reduce your consumption of, nicotine and
all drinks containing caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine, alcohol
and nicotine are stimulants and so will increase your level of
stress rather than reduce it. Swap caffeinated and alcoholic
drinks for water, herbal teas, or diluted natural fruit juices
and aim to keep yourself hydrated as this will enable your
body to cope better with stress.
Learn to Say ‘No’
A common cause of stress is having too much to do and too
little time in which to do it. And yet in this situation, many
people will still agree to take on additional responsibility.
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Sing in the shower!
I know, it does sound odd but it works! Singing can instantly
make us feel better. It allows us to let off some steam,
improves our posture, builds self-esteem, and can help to
improve our mood. So rather than use your next shower as
another chance to reflect on everything bad that happened
at work, as well as all the deadlines that are looming, use it
to sing your heart out.
Laugh!
Laughter is the best medicine! It increases the amount of
endorphins that are released by the brain, which in turn
makes you happy. Watch a funny movie; it will help you to
forget about the pressures that face you, and remind you that
life doesn’t have to be so serious.
Sleep!
Finally, a lack of sleep could be the reason you’re stressed.
Stop doing any mentally demanding work several hours
before going to bed so that you give your brain time to calm
down. You should also aim to go to bed at roughly the same
time each day so that your mind and body get used to a
predictable bedtime routine. n
For more tips on how to deal with stress, you can visit:
http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/stress-tips.html
This article is an adaptation of Benjamin Ajaraogu’s feature in a PT newsletter
Watch a funny movie; it
will help you to forget
about the pressures that
face you, and remind you
that life doesn’t have to
be so serious.
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WOMEN IN ENERGY
WOMEN IN ENERGY
MEET THE WOMEN BEHIND
THE SHELL WOMEN’S
NETWORK IN NIGERIA!
The Shell Women’s Network (SWN) Nigeria has been in existence since 2003. The objective of the network is to
empower Shell female employees to achieve their potentials and contribute effectively to SCiN business at all
levels. In this edition of Shell World Nigeria, we will not be featuring one woman in energy. We will feature six!
The six formidable ladies of the Shell Women Nigeria Leadership team!
So how does the network deliver its objectives? The SWN
leadership team is guided by Executive Champions who act
as advocates for the network in the SCiN leadership team
and an Advisory Board who provide guidance and direction
to the leadership team. During the course of the year, SWN
has organised various activities which can be grouped
into these four themes: Development, Social and Welfare,
Collaboration and Communication.
The activities include monthly collaborative sessions where
seasoned professionals share on business, career/personal
development, leadership and health issues, etc. The network has
“I was motivated by the successes
and impact of the previous SWN
Executive Committees and knowing I
could contribute to the personal and
career development of the female
workforce, I made the decision to join
and add value. Being a part of SWN,
on the other hand, also affords me the
opportunity to acquire/improve so
many other skills.”
Ololade Shakioye
Secretary
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plans to kick off mentoring circles which will provide a forum
in which senior women and men in the organisation can pass
on success nuggets to the next generation of women leaders in
Shell Nigeria. The SWN leadership team is guided by Executive
Champions who act as advocates for the network in the SCiN
leadership team and an Advisory Board who provide guidance
and direction to the leadership team. Shell World Nigeria is
proud to feature the SWN and its leadership team in this edition
and hopes that more women in SCiN will take advantage of
all that the network is offering now an in the future. For more
information about SWN network please visit: The Shell Women’s
Network Nigeria page today. n
Ehimhen Agunloye
Lagos Lead
“SWN is important to
me because it gives me
an opportunity to build
strong networks and
friendships outside my
core technical function.”
“Being a member of
SWN is important
because it provides the
opportunity to network
with other women,
promotes learning
from each other and
collaboration which are
key elements for success
in our business.”
“Being a part of SWN is so
important to me as a female
staff of SPDC Nigeria, I want to
contribute to the improvement of
the standards of women in SPDC
and Nigeria at large.”
Beverly Ogbaide
Port Harcourt Lead
Victoria Ati-Makpah
Head, Welfare
“SWN gives me opportunity
to connect to a community
of vibrant and dynamic
professionals with a
common purpose of
achieving growth and
impacting Shell and
the wider society positively.”
Augusta Opusunju
National Coordinator
Abimbola Salu
Treasurer
“The primary focus of the current leadership team is to further strengthen the Shell
women in Nigeria via activities that would
boost their careers and help them achieve
their potentials”.
“SWN provides me an
amazing platform for rallying
women in an atmosphere
of Connectedness, Shared
experiences and the
recognition of the value our
dynamism brings to Shell”
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PENSIONERS CORNER
SPOTLIGHT ON RETIREE
DEACON PHILIP OGBODU
I joined Shell (then Shell BP) on
November 2, 1979 as a Clerk Typist and
worked in the Engineering department
for 12 years. I enjoyed my job as a young
man then, I grew in wisdom, favour with
God and man. I was promoted to the
position of a Secretary and I worked with
Alhaji A. Bukar in the South Forcados
Project team. He was like a father figure
to me and I will never forget him. My
next job was in Human Resources (HR)
Operations and though it proved to be a
challenging time for me, I came through
it a more mature and focussed man. I
was eventually moved to Learning and
Development (L&D) where I worked as
a Course Administrator/ IT Support. My
last role in Shell was in HR as an Assistant
Data Management officer and having
worked in Shell for 25 years, I retired on
31 December 2004.
Proudest moment
I am most proud of my time in the L & D
team. I was mentored and coached by
Reggy Lockness and Tony Arabome.
These two men stood by me and
encouraged me immensely. Their belief
in me gave me so much joy and it
showed in my performance.
Wisest move
Like I said, I retired in 2004 but I actually
took the time to attend the “Plan your
life course” with my wife one year early.
Knowing that I was going to retire the in
the coming year, I began to take steps
to adjust and reduce my expenditure. I
wanted to be able to manage with just
one-third of my monthly salary which
was what my monthly pension came to
at the time. Indeed, this action helped
me tremendously.
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Advice to pre-retirees
Live a low-profile life to avoid becoming
the target of “big-eyes” and scammers.
Please avoid ostentatious display of
wealth.
Advice to young people
Dear young man or woman be
committed and dedicated to your work.
Learn and re-learn. Be a good listener.
Don’t be complacent; explore new
ways/technology to enhance your job
delivery. Then be content with what
you have. Thirdly, I have to say this:
Do not have more children than you
can reasonably take care of and plan
well so you don’t find yourself training
children during your retirement years.
This can be very cumbersome.
Deacon Ogbodu was a joy to engage.
He rounded up by sharing how he
now enjoys having time to serve God
and take care of his family.
He is also into social media and posts
inspirational write-ups on Facebook to
encourage readers.
Shell World Nigeria wishes him
many more years to enjoy his retirement
and we hope you have gleaned a lesson
or two from his interview. n
GOOD FOOD
GOOD FOOD
Spice up your Festive table
with Jollof, two Ways
by Ozoz Sokoh
I love what Jollof symbolises – perfection, in the coming
together of perfectly cooked rice and beautifully spiced
tomato sauce which embraces each grain. This festive
season, spice up your pot with two quick and easy
variations.
First, some essentials: One, par-boil your rice for about
10 minutes. This isn’t to cook it through but to soften it and
aid the penetration of the tomato sauce; Two, make sure
your tomato sauce is ‘cooked down’ and well-seasoned;
Three – create smoky flavours by putting a lid on the pot and
turning up the heat on high once rice is cooked, and till you
smell it, about 3 – 5 minutes. Leave lid on and let smoke coat
every grain.
For goatmeat lovers/ Asun Jollof: Season and cook goat
meat chunks till just cooked – remove and reserve stock. Pan fry
in oil with coarsely blended onion and pepper paste. Then add
tomato sauce, rice and cook as normal.
For seafood lovers/ Prawn Jollof: Blend fresh prawn
heads with some water, strain and add that liquid to rice as it
cooks. Season prawns lightly and set prawns in almost-cooked
rice, replace foil covering and pan lid and let cook for 3 – 5
minutes before gently folding
Serve with plantain, coleslaw and some Chapman and have
yourself a very happy festive season and a Happy New Year. n
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SWN BOOK CORNER
THE EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE
THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO GETTING THINGS RIGHT
by Peter F. Drucker
What makes an effective executive? The measure of the executive,
Peter F. Drucker reminds us, is the ability to “get the right things
done.” This usually involves doing what other people have
overlooked as well as avoiding what is unproductive. Drucker
identifies five practices essential to business effectiveness that can,
and must, be learned: Managing time; choosing what to contribute
to the organisation; knowing where and how to mobilise strength
for best effect; setting the right priorities and knitting all of them
together with effective decision-making
2015 was a great but tough year and 2016 promises to be even
more so. Do you want to be an effective Executive no matter what?
Then SWN recommends you buy and read this book.
THE MONEY BOOK
by Lanre Olusola
Across the globe, there are two
categories of people: The Rich and the
Poor. Which category do you belong
to? No need to respond just yet. Pick up
a copy of this book and you just might
be surprised by what you will find out
about yourself. This “Money Book”
considers the state of mind and habitual
behaviours that rich men have and how
that compares with the state of mind
and habitual behaviours of poor men.
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It has been written to set the captives
of poverty free; to open blind eyes and
to reveal the simple secrets of rich men.
The simple, digestible and practical
principles of this book will radically
transform your life. It will become a
reference material that you will get to
regularly. Considering the times we are
in, Shell World Nigeria believes this is
one book we all need to read as we go
into 2016.
FINAL WORD... COST LEADERSHIP
SOME EXAMPLES OF
HOW SEPCIN MADE EVERY
DOLLAR COUNT IN 2015
The Maintenance and Integrity Team has demonstrated
leadership in Cost Improvement and Working Capital
Management in SEPCiN through a number of initiatives:
The Production Maintenance Spares Hot desk initiative
This initiative resulted in significant savings. A Hot desk was set up
to document and facilitate the use of ‘‘invisible’’ spares, i.e. spares
that physically exist in the SEPCiN warehouses and squirrel stores
but are not recorded in the SAP Materials Management (MM)
System (e.g. ex-project surplus stock). Due to the lack of visibility
in the SAP MM System of the ‘‘invisible’’ spares, the various users
were re-ordering materials that already existed in the SEPCiN
warehouses and squirrel stores. Through its gatekeeping activities,
the Hot Desk has prevented the issuance of unnecessary purchase
orders to third party vendors totalling USD3.1million.
The Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal Team (BOGT)
The BOGT team saved USD2.2 million by reducing chemical
stock to the economic order quantity, using in-house resources for
first line integrity repairs instead of calling off-service contractors,
and releasing about 15 vehicles, which are seldom utilised.
The Swamp West Team saved over USD2.5 million by
rationalising and streamlining services for cost effectiveness.
This included reducing the frequency in the utilisation of call off
services, reducing consumption of chemicals and synergising
the delivery of services with the major upgrade contractor.
The Security Team saved over USD6 million by focusing
on efficiency improvement, asking the right questions and
eliminating services that are non-value add. In the process, they
have succeeded in simplifying processes and blocking leakages
in diesel supply to Joint Task Force operation, retired old guard
dogs, optimised the number of SPY policemen, synergised
operations with other operators in the same vicinity.
Refurbish, Buy or Lease? The SNEPCo Subsea Team
saved about USD20 million in 2015 by buying two new
Subsea Trees and refurbishing two for its Optimised System
Delivery instead of buying four brand new ones. The end
result was similar and the affordability and competiveness of
the project improved.
SEPCiN Travel costs also witnessed a significant drop
from a high of about USD72m in 2013 to a 2015 full year
latest estimate of about USD41m as at time of this report. The
renewed focus on leveraging technology, making greater use
of IT collaborative tools and reducing travels to MUST- GO only
certainly paid off! The need to ensure progress monitoring of
the already identified efficiency initiatives and provide clear
guidance to the company on the cost journey resulted in the
establishment of the SNEPCo Cost Decision Review Board.
In the words of Tony Attah, who was the
Decision Executive:“profit is in the costs”
and therefore, to improve Cash Surplus/
Deficit and Cash Flow from Operations
(CFFO), the right focus should be on costs.
As we go into 2016, we should all bear this in mind:
Profit is in the costs! n
Adapted from an article featured in the Finance, Cost Ambition Newsletter
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