Diversification and local strength

Trinidad and Tobago

Alex Jodhan, managing director of Dumore Enterprises, talks to The Energy Year about the company’s diversification and the areas where it is building the strength of the local market. Dumore Enterprises provides industrial supplies, mechanical services, vehicle rental and transportation to the country’s oil and gas sector.

In what ways have you managed to further develop Dumore Enterprises in the past year?
This past year, we have made significant improvements to our governance and organisational structures. It has been a valuable learning experience, giving us insight into how the business is positioned to adapt to changes in the world.
We have seen the impact of these governance improvements on our various service teams. We have focused on developing our people and have identified key leaders within our organisation.
Across all our service areas, we have achieved growth and development through the incorporation of innovative business practices. For example, in our rentals division, we are actively defining new products to expand our portfolio and offer customised mobility services. This includes the introduction of electric vehicles and investments in EV infrastructure. Additionally, we have tailored our service delivery to better meet user needs.

How are new technologies and partnerships playing a role in your development strategy?
Our primary focus for growth is centred around adopting and successfully implementing innovative technologies. We have driven our sustainability goals and scaling strategies by exploring available technology inputs and identifying new opportunities.
One example of our innovation is our collaboration with VideoRay, a company that manufactures ROVs [remotely operated vehicles] and specialised equipment. This partnership has allowed us to expand our portfolio to include subsea ROV services, enabling us to perform subsea inspections, cavitation blasting/cleaning, sonar surveys, thickness gauging and calliper gauging, thereby adding value to the local services space.
Additionally, we continue to work with Hydratight and the wider Enerpac Tool Group, providing their tools and equipment. ROVs have been a diversification strategy that enables us to offer subsea solutions in addition to the topside solutions that we already provide.

What are the main benefits ROVs bring to the Trinidadian market?
A diver entering the ocean faces many risks. By using ROVs for such work, we can reduce the risks associated with human divers. ROVs can assist divers in understanding water conditions and job-related risks by assessing currents, visibility and mapping out infrastructure and other elements not easily observed before. By evaluating the conditions, we can conduct better risk assessments and ensure that all job resources are available. We view ROVs as a tool that, through our services and capabilities, can improve the work and safety of any diving company.
Furthermore, ROVs can be used for remediation work on pipeline infrastructure, which would be beneficial for subsea development. Trinidad has numerous ageing pipeline assets. That’s why we have invested in pipeline rehabilitation solutions, such as pipeline cleaning, to help the industry achieve more efficient production with stronger infrastructure. This will provide real value to the local market, enhancing production and reducing expenses. Pipeline interventions can also offer attractive return on investment for our customers with each intervention.

How could expanding outside of the Trinidadian market help in your strategic development?
We have expanded our market access by forming new partnerships with agencies overseas, including those in Guyana, Suriname and other regional locations.
Our development continues through hemispheric strategies, reaching industries and markets that were previously untouched. We have also considered risks such as currency access and growth opportunities, which have driven our strategies to focus on regional expansion. We are evaluating our sales outreach and how expanding our operations has opened up new markets for us.
This strategic decision reflects our recognition that we cannot continue operating solely in Trinidad. Our regional expansion has been yielding exciting results, and we expect this growth to continue.

With many services companies shifting their focus to neighbouring countries, do you see viability in the Trinidadian market for the coming years?
The opportunities opening up regionally are very attractive, especially as they become populated with assets that require our specific skillsets. This does not mean that Trinidad is no longer a viable country.
Trinidad’s commercial oil production began in 1908, and since then, we have developed a wide array of world-class services and expertise. This can be seen in the certifications and standards that many Trinidadian companies operate by, driven by the oil and gas industry. This development has ingrained a culture of productivity in our oil and gas sector and has opened up global work opportunities for our citizens.
Our country remains attractive for investment, and we believe in the strength of both upstream and downstream assets adding positively to prospective investment decisions. As a company, we support our country in maintaining and developing the attractiveness of our twin-island republic as a strong investment opportunity by de-risking our customers’ operations and providing world-class service.

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