OATC representative Gary Concar
The Offshore Africa Training Centre (OATC), in Cape Town, in the Western Cape, celebrated its tenth anniversary on February 22 and introduced a new survival training course.
As South Africa moves along in its journey towards energy security, OATC says the need for the safe and responsible exploration of natural gas options has become even more critical.
“The need for skills and expertise in the energy sector has never been more pressing in South Africa,” comments OATC representative Gary Concar.
As exploration ramps up and new fields are discovered, South Africa’s southern seas will play host to increasing numbers of drill ships and floating production, storage and offloading units.
This growth will see demand for internationally approved energy sector workforce members increase, especially for professionals who are trained according to the most rigorous safety standards. It is this demand that the OATC facility will meet with its new training course.
The company notes that the government has emphasised the importance of accelerating the energy transition as an element in economic stability and energy self-sufficiency.
Hence, in a shifting energy paradigm, with hydrocarbons forecast to account for half of the global energy mix by 2030, the company says natural gas and renewables have emerged as a crucial resource facilitating the energy transition.
As reported previously in Engineering News, the OATC facility – said to be the first in South Africa to offer OPITO-accredited training – runs courses covering key topics such as rigging, lifting, slinging, banksman duties, lifting operations and lifting equipment regulations.
OPITO is the global, not-for-profit skills body for the energy industry.