HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday consented to visit a Bumiputra owned company in Kuala Belait, as part of the itinerary for the Key Presentation ceremony to the recipients of the Lumut/Sungai Liang National Housing Scheme and the Lorong Tengah Seria Housing Plan, as well as the Mumong Landless Indigenous Citizens Housing Scheme held at the hall of the Convention Centre Building, Jalan McKerron.

The Managing Director of PTAS Sdn Bhd, Amir Osman as well as other officials from the company greeted His Majesty upon arrival, where His Majesty consented to sign a parchment, and was brought for a tour to view the facilities.

PTAS Sdn Bhd has been in operation since 1984 and since its inception almost 30 years ago, it has diversified its business as part of its strategy for sustainable growth.

Today, PTAS provides a wide range of services to the energy industry in Brunei, ranging from marine services, construction projects, inspection and testing, drilling services, supply and blending of water treatment chemicals as well as the supply of a range of equipment and products.

Through its various activities PTAS provides employment to over 250 personnel, with almost 70 per cent of its staff made up of Bruneians, and further employment for at least another 250 positions through its various local sub-contracts.

The company continues to provide prospects for employment to Bruneian individuals who are keen to have a challenging career in the growing energy industry in Brunei.

Recently, PTAS was awarded a new 10-year contract to build, own, manage and operate nine new infield utility vessels.

This fleet of new vessels is a significant growth for the company which is already supplying seven vessels, including a DP2 diving support vessel and two workboats to a major oil and gas company.

One of the key targets of the new marine contract is to maximise the employment of local Bruneians within the complement of marine crews and also within the onshore support organisation. This is very much in line with PTAS’s overall objective to provide opportunities for Bruneians to be part of the company.

As a company that operates in the oil and gas industry, PTAS continues to give its highest priority to Health, Safety and Environmental Management (HSE) as part of its day-to-day operation.

The company is now in its 11th year without a single lost time incident (LTI), equivalent to in excess of seven million man-hours worked.

In 2005, PTAS became the first company in Brunei to receive full 3rd party certification for its Integrated Management System, encompassing ISO 9001 for Quality, BS OHSAS 18001 for Occupational Health and Safety and ISO 14001 for Environmental Management.

PTAS has also received accolades for HSE performance from its key clients, in particular the Award for Best HSE Performing Contractor from Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd for three consecutive years in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

In 2012, PTAS received recognition for its efforts and contribution to the industry when it was awarded the SME Award for Support Services to the Oil & Gas Sector by the Ministry of Industry & Primary Resources and the Brunei Economic Development Board.

During His Majesty’s visit, PTAS had the opportunity to showcase a sample of what it does in contributing to the energy industry, as well as demonstrating several of its inspection activities and chemical blending capabilities for His Majesty to witness.

The Managing Director of PTAS, Hj Amir bin Hj Osman, said, “This was a great opportunity for PTAS to showcase our contribution to the energy industry in Brunei and thus to the nation.

“It was also a wonderful occasion for all our staff, especially our Bruneian staff, to show our loyalty and love for our benevolent ruler, especially since it’s just a few days ahead of the nation’s 29th National Day.

“We are all so very grateful to His Majesty for consenting to spend some of his valuable time with us.”

PTAS operates from its Head Office in Tapak Perindustrian Pekan Belait and its facilities include offices, warehousing, workshops, inspection and training facilities, spanning over an area of approximately seven acres.

It also operates two facilities totalling four acres in Muara. These facilities represent significant investment and is a demonstration of PTAS’s pursuit of its vision in developing a sustainable business through increasing in-country value added activities. - Borneo Bulletin (21 February 2013)