The reputation of Irish engineering received a boost this week with the news that a Cork firm, MW Consultants, has just won a major redesign contract from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
Oil is Nigeria's major export earner and MW Consultants has won the consultancy work on a massive $50 million overhaul of one of the country's most strategic oil depots, the Atlas Cove Depot near Lagos in the west.
Shortage of storage capacity and other inefficiencies are causing bottlenecks in the supply of the oil up-country through the pipeline from Atlas Cover as well as long delays in shipping and the Cork company's brief is to address these problems.
MW Consultants, formerly Michael Walsh Ltd, will undertake a complete re-design and project management of all engineering, process control and fire safety at the depot as well as the replacement of 80 kilometres of pipeline.
The refurbishment, which is strongly backed by the Nigerian government, will see capacity increasing by 150,000 tonnes through the construction of three new storage tanks, revealed MW Consultants' chairman, Mr Michael Walsh.
"Our job is to de-bottleneck the system, which in turn should get rid of fuel queues and bring stability to the market in that part of the country.
"Obviously it's an exciting project to be involved in and a strong endorsement of our company," he said.
As well as the total engineering for the project, the consultancy will also be involved in the procurement and construction management of the facility, where MW Consultants' partner, Ove Arup, is doing civil engineering design works on the site.
"We've completed oil and gas projects for the design and construction management of production facilities, pipelines, terminals and moorings in Siberia, the Caspian region and Nigeria before but this contract we feel will add to our reputation and that of Irish engineering skills," said Mr Walsh.