Out in BSP’s West Asset, reliability isn’t just a performance target – it’s a necessity. When crude oil exports depend on infrastructure laid across kilometres of seabed, the smallest integrity concern can turn into a production risk. And for West Asset, one pipeline in particular sits at the centre of that equation: the export route connecting facilities from offshore Ampa to the onshore Seria Crude Oil Terminal (SCOT). This is the main oil line under the West asset, integral in carrying crude oil from its Fairley and Ampa fields back onshore.

That pipeline has long been one of the silent workhorses of the asset. But time, operating demands, and environmental exposure eventually will take a toll and poses a question: how long can it safely continue?

It was a call to action – to protect production continuity, concentrate investment where the risk was real, and strengthen the long-term resilience of a critical export route.

And thus, the PRP9 pipeline replacement project was put in place.

Building the New Lifeline

The scope was ambitious in distance and demanding in execution. The replacement covered approximately 26 kilometres offshore from Ampa to destination, followed by an additional 0.14 kilometres onshore from to SCOT. The new export line was designed from DN300 carbon steel pipeline, built to meet both integrity assurance and operational requirements for years ahead.

But the job wasn’t only about laying pipe. Installation also included new riser at the northeast side of Ampa riser platform, ensuring the new system could integrate cleanly with the existing platform infrastructure.

The execution plan followed a disciplined sequence: pre-installation surveys, the crucial landfall beach pull, pipelaying, riser installation, subsea spool installation offshore – in anticipation of upcoming activities such as o

Each stage had to land perfectly — because in offshore work, one misstep doesn’t just slow progress, it multiplies risk.

Preparation on platform prior to riser installation was done. Clamps installed above water by topside team. Subsea clamps were installed by divers from HYSY295.

Where Sea Meets Land: The Beach Pull

If the project had a defining moment, it was the beach pull.

Pipeline and pullhead on stinger with black and orange floaters attached, ready for beach pull.

This is where offshore installation and onshore construction meet in the most direct way possible. The operation involves pulling the offshore pipeline section from the nearshore seabed across the shoreline, before we can lay the onshore pipeline. Sounds straightforward until reality hits: tides shift, weather windows shrink, environmental constraints tighten, and every move must remain controlled and safe.

Cofferdam constructed with length of 170m. Cofferdam is a temporary structure built to ensure the required depth can be achieved for the beach pulling.

This phase required precise coordination and timing. It wasn’t just a technical task – it was a high-stakes bridge between two execution environments, demanding absolute alignment from all teams involved.

Safety as the Non-Negotiable

PRP9 was executed in an environment full of competing pressures: Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS), vessel movement, lifting operations, and ever-changing offshore conditions. Yet safety wasn’t treated as a “priority” that shifts depending on the schedule – it was the foundation the schedule was built on.

Clear exclusion zones were enforced during marine operations. Weather limits were applied for critical lifts and pulling activities. Beach pull and tie-ins were guided by step-by-step procedures, strengthened daily through toolbox talks and permit-to-work alignment.

The result says more than any poster ever could: the project was completed with zero Lost Time Injuries — a reflection of disciplined execution and strong safety leadership across the field and supporting teams.

Heavy Metal, High Precision

Specialised vessels and equipment did the heavy lifting. Pipelay barge HYSY202 and Diving support vessel HYSY295 which have specialized tools, were supported by the rest of the marine spread, totalling to 13 vessels being mobilized for this project. Additionally, SAT diving support was given via KSB’s diving support vessel, the Challenger.

HYSY295 pipelay barge with the yellow stinger down during the pipelaying activities.

Continuous monitoring and responsive decision-making allowed the team to adapt without compromising standards. That balance – flexibility without losing control — is often what separates smooth delivery from costly disruption.

One Team, One Outcome

PRP9 Pipeline Replace Project success was built on integration. Engineering and pipeline teams worked alongside marine operations, construction, surveyors, commissioning, HSSE, and assurance functions — aligning especially during critical phases like the beach pull and brownfield tie-ins where offshore and onshore timing had to match exactly.

The project also created meaningful local workforce opportunities, strengthening hands-on capability in marine operations, pipeline installation, and brownfield execution. That experience is an investment of its own — one that will continue to pay off well beyond PRP9.

The Impact: More Than Replacement

In the end, PRP9 delivered more than a pipeline. It delivered confidence.

The replacement strengthened the reliability of a critical export system, improved production assurance, reduced long-term operational risk, and supported asset life extension in line with BSP’s strategy. It also reinforced something equally important: BSP’s ability to execute complex offshore-to-onshore projects safely, efficiently, and to high integrity standards.

PRP9 pipeline replacement may have started as an integrity need, but it finished as a clear statement of capability: the West Asset’s export lifeline is secure, and the teams behind it are stronger than ever.

PRP9 was about protecting West Asset’s export lifeline. Replacing this pipeline reduces long-term risk, strengthens production assurance, and gives us confidence in the integrity of a critical system for years ahead.

A notepad? No, a note app.

A letter? No, an email.

A cash transaction? No, a tap to pay.

The digital landscape is evolving at a lightning speed. While it may be tempting to be comfortable and stick to the known, adapting to technological advancements is crucial to survivability.  

For more than 90 years, Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) has played a central role in writing Brunei’s energy story. From pioneering Snake Wells and Smart Technology to introducing Ocean Bottom Nodes (OBN) and 3D seismic surveys, BSP has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation in the oil and gas industry.

And behind every technological breakthrough is a strong digital backbone.

In BSP, the IT infrastructure quietly connects onshore and offshore operations, enabling teams to collaborate, access critical data and work efficiently. In doing so, it supports the daily work of more than 3,500 employees who keep the company running – on land and at sea.

Keeping Up with the Time

While it was at a comfortable position, as the world moves rapidly towards cloud and mobile productivity, BSP knew it had to keep pace.

It was time to modernise its End User Computing (EUC), especially amidst growing concerns on current EUC setup around access to productivity tools, data, and applications on mobile devices – compounded by the rising annual cost.

This led to the launch of EUCare, a project focused on building an agile, secure and mobile IT environment that could support future business needs. The new programme also set to decrease reliance on low-value applications that was incurring cost.

But the project didn’t come without its challenges.

Where there is a need for onboarding, there also exist the need to offboard. This means ensuring that all end-users get a seamless transition from the old to new system, while ensuring minimal to no impact to critical business operations.

Immersion centre for the EUCare devices. Employees get to familiarise themselves with the new devices and get updated on new features at the centre.

Powering Productivity Across BSJV

With grit and planning, and within just three months, the team rolled out modern hardware to 4,155 Brunei Shell Joint Venture (BSJV) employees and 745 business partners across all operations. The project also reduced projected annual operating costs to USD 7.8 million. To further improve efficiency, the EUCare Self-Service Portal was introduced, offering a single platform for employees to access and manage all IT services.

Safety first - EUCare EUX engineers attend a site briefing ahead of the day's laptop deployment work.

The EUCare project is more than just a success story in upgrading hardware and software. Driving the transition were capable locals. The execution of the massive project was enabled by a diverse team of 60 interns, 57 IT focal points and 30 BSJV Company Site Representatives – all of which are Bruneians. The project itself was delivered alongside a fully Bruneian company.  

EUCare became the secure, dependable platform which provides access to essential IT services, ensuring that business runs smoothly with minimal disruption and downtime. Whether in the office, working remotely or even on site, the platform empowers all BSJV staff to stay connected, focused and productive.  

Strengthening connectivity and productivity - laptop deployment completed at remote site.

Developed in collaboration with other solutions partners, EUCare has improved cost efficiency, strengthened system reliability through cloud-based applications, and enhanced security. Just as importantly, EUCare has invested in people – supporting local talent while playing a meaningful role in the continued grow of Brunei’s IT ecosystem. 

“EUCare is proudly a locally developed partnership: we're proud of the major foundational milestone achieved so far and look forward to providing greater business value through our EUCare services with DMOS Technologies,” shared Hjh Sofi Umar, BSP’s Chief Information and Digital Officer.

Committed to excellence - local EUX engineers at the forefront of user support and deployment activities. 

The time is 3:00pm when the Salam team settles into a call. For Amal Majeedah Aji, it is 10:00am – she is logging in from the other side of the world. Currently, she is at Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), a Shell joint venture company based in Muscat where she works as a Senior Production Technologist.

Amal is fairly a veteran in oil and gas. She graduated from the University of New South Wales as a Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) scholar in 2010 and has been with the company ever since.

Almost 18 years of oil and gas knowledge. If this knowledge was human, it would have been legal to drive at this point.

As we sit in the call, Amal talks confidently on her craft.

But she talks with humility. While knowledge is 18 years old, Amal doesn’t think it’s experienced enough.

Amal still thinks there’s opportunities to learn, which was why she decided to leave the comfort of home to work halfway across the world on a Long-Term International Assignment (LTIA).

Amal with the Nimr Clusterteam at PDO

"I have been working as a Production Technologist (PT) since the beginning of my career and have experienced working on all BSP’s major onshore and offshore assets. Mostly as Wells, Reservoir and Facilities Management (WRFM) PT on top of doing work on Wells delivery,” she casually shares, barely scratching the surface of a career that’s thick with experience.

She also held the role as WRFM Integration lead, managing end-to-end WRFM intervention activities in West Asset, and the co-lead for Sand Management efforts – all while running courses on Sand Management for BSP while heavily involved in the localisation of Sand Retention Testing Lab project between BSP and Universiti Teknologi Brunei.

Even then, Amal is hungry for more knowledge.

“What’s different about Oman is that I have the opportunity to do pure technical work,” she explains, “In BSP, my role was more geared towards planning and strategising. Here, I do the hands-on work.”

Oman poses a different challenge for Amal as PDO undergoes a Growth journey. Especially in this technical role, everything can be fast-paced and intense, requiring agile ways of thinking and creativity.

“Just to give context, imagine having a hoist operation to complete one well every three days, and a rig to drill and complete a well within one week – that’s very fast!” she further adds that quick thinking and problem solving are always required when working at this speed, especially when managing the Nimr Cluster (home to one of  PDO’s largest oil production field with the highest number of wells), an asset that can be temperamental in nature.

Despite the challenges, Amal embraces them with glee. Currently, she is learning a lot on subsurface initiatives that are not even practiced in Brunei, exposing her to a multitude of new technologies and ways of working that she can bring home. She has also been assigned as PT Technical Authority 2 (PT) to provide technical assurance on WRFM and hydrocarbon maturation work – assignments that are opening her eyes and mind for further learning.

Amal with the Bruneian community in Oman

It Takes Hard Work

While Amal is reaping the benefits of hard work that merits her to be on LTIA, she mentions that it takes grit and dedication. Being able to qualify for an international assignment requires proactiveness in competence development as well as a strategic planning on career progression, on top of identifying value added from being on assignment.

“It’s important to be an all-rounder. Be technically sound in most aspects, not only limited to your disciplines and find a niche and improve on it, a set of skills that you can improve on or “offer” to others. If I could give some advice, do more on Continuous Improvement work. If I were a certified practitioner at this point of my career, it would probably help me here better.”

So, what’s next? For Amal, she is focusing on her experience in Oman and like a sponge, absorb as much as she can from the experts there with the aim of replicating her learning back home at the Abode of Peace.

“As I bring my own set of experiences and BSP best practices with me here at PDO, I am learning a lot from PDO. There is a lot that we can adopt for BSP, which I hope I’ll have the opportunities to implement once home.”

Celebration for Nimr 3000^th Well

Amal Majeedah is one of the 15 BSP employees who are undergoing Long Term International Assignments all around the world. Competence development continues to be one of the key priorities for BSP. The LTIA programme opens doors for Bruneian talent to learn, stretch, and close their skill gaps by experiencing new environments and challenges. It sits alongside other opportunities such as project roles and national assignments, all designed to help Orang Kitani grow into the leaders and experts of tomorrow.