To Support Production and Reduce Operational Costs: PMS Launches Offshore Rig Moving Services in the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez

Petroleum Marine Services (PMS), a leading entity in Egypt’s petroleum sector and a pioneer in marine construction and offshore support services, has announced the introduction of an integrated Rig Move service in the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez. The service is being launched in technical and engineering collaboration with the UK-based ABL Group, and under the patronage of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC)

This strategic step comes as part of PMS’s ongoing efforts to diversify its service portfolio, strengthen its position in the marine projects market, and enhance its ability to deliver more comprehensive and efficient solutions to the oil and gas industry

The announcement was made during a large-scale workshop organized by PMS, attended by Amr Badawy, CEO of PMS, along with numerous CEOs of petroleum production and drilling companies in the Gulf of Suez, the EGPC General Manager of Drilling, senior drilling and operations managers from Red Sea and Gulf of Suez production companies, and representatives from ABL

Amr Badawy stated that the new service directly responds to the needs of production companies seeking a unified operational model that delivers efficiency, flexibility, and reliability ultimately improving rig utilization and minimizing downtime

He explained that the PMS model relies on the company’s advanced marine fleet combined with ABL’s global expertise to execute rig moves according to the highest safety and quality standards across all stages of planning and operation. This is supported by a dedicated centralized operations room based in the Red Sea region, equipped with all necessary capabilities to secure operations and ensure adherence to execution schedule

 Stephen Craig, Global Rig Move Lead at ABL Group, emphasized that the partnership with PMS marks an important milestone given the dynamic nature of Egypt’s marine environment. He noted that ABL’s global track record spanning more than 1,400 rig moves will support PMS operations through expertise transfer and the application of leading international practices

 Tamer Gamil, ABL Egypt Country Manager, added that introducing Rig Move services to the Egyptian market through the PMS – ABL partnership enhances the sector’s capabilities and enables the deployment of world-class operational methodologies tailored to the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez

The partnership represents a distinguished model for enhancing operational efficiency, providing one of the most critical components of the system the Rig Mover while ensuring the full integrity of the operational framework, equipment, and units, with continuous adherence to international safety standards

During the workshop, PMS and ABL teams delivered a comprehensive presentation on the integrated Rig Move system, covering site surveys, technical studies, operational condition assessments, contingency and rapid response plans, marine support for operational units, weather impact mitigation, and an overview of the PMS fleet’s capabilities across diverse operational scenarios

The new Rig Move system includes a centralized control room, certified operating procedures to ensure maximum safety, high capacity tugboats and marine support vessels, seabed survey services, and ROV units. These capabilities are complemented by ABL’s global expertise, supporting 77% of the world’s jack-up rigs

PMS’s extensive marine capabilities include a diverse fleet of dynamic and non-dynamic vessels, along with ASD tugs delivering up to 126 tons of bollard pull. With over 40 years of maritime experience and highly specialized engineering teams, PMS ensures superior quality and precision in all offshore operations. The company confirmed that the new system will play a key role in reducing operational costs while supporting improved production efficiency and sustainability in the Gulf of Suez region