If you work offshore, you will historically have had access to good food in the canteen. Per Henning Tjelta is a chef by profession, but currently works as operations director offshore at 4Service.
“I’ve had a long and exciting journey from the kitchen to where I am today, and the experience I’ve gained along the way has been vitally important. During the past year, we once again improved the meals we offer out on the rigs. We’ve emphasised seasonal variation and further increased our sustainability,” says Per Henning Tjelta.
At the same time as Per Henning Tjelta joined 4Service in 2021, HSE coordinator Lise Lotte Johannessen also had her first day at the company.
“My job is primarily about collecting and registering data. This gives us a good overview of absence due to illness, capacity, audits and inspections,” Lise Lotte Johannessen explains.
Few working days are the same for the two Sandnes residents. Per Henning Tjelta is responsible for ensuring the optimum performance of around 300 employees.
“The day starts early, and I sort out the administrative matters. I’m in frequent contact with our 11 rigs and particularly our skilled operations managers. We’re a company that’s doing really well, and this is something that you can sense with everyone wearing the 4Service logo,” he says proudly.
Starting a new job is both exciting and educational. Per Henning Tjelta and Lise Lotte Johannessen were introduced to a company with great opportunities and a lot of responsibility.
“At 4Service we like a fast pace,” Per Henning Tjelta smiles before continuing:
“I think we both decided to just get going, set specific goals and work really hard!”
Lise Lotte Johannessen adds with a laugh:
“It’s fun to be involved in changes and creating opportunities. I’d expected a steep learning curve, but it was even steeper than I’d envisioned. As Per Henning says, we thrive in a fast-paced environment which leads to a dynamic culture and results.”
This culture has been important in a year with many unforeseen events.
“The way the managers out on the rigs have adopted new ideas and guidelines is admirable. From Group Management to our colleagues in uniform, a service-based culture permeates 4Service. We face every new challenge with a smile and great flexibility,” says the operations director.
Even though day-to-day operations steal much of Per Henning Tjelta and Lise Lotte Johannessen’s attention, in 2021 they also found time to prepare for the future.
“The past year is characterised by our culture, but also by our high ambitions. We know that growth rates will be strong in the years to come, and we’re ready for that growth,” says Per Henning Tjelta.
To make the most of the new opportunities, in 2021 Lise Lotte Johannessen spent a lot of time on automating manual systems.
"We’ve introduced two new systems that will make everyday life both better and more efficient in the years to come. Actimo is a new platform to facilitate internal communication that we now use throughout the company. This app is particularly important because many of our employees do not spend their day in front of a PC. Agrippa
is a calendar, deviation system and document management in one program. First and foremost, it replaces many other separate systems and lets us work more seamlessly,” Lise Lotte Johannessen says.
Not only new systems were launched last year. Per Henning Tjelta points out two examples of sustainability activities:
“In collaboration with food columnist and TV chef Andreas Viestad and our fish supplier, we’ve started a project called Bifangst (Bycatch). In brief, this is all about using the fishermen’s entire catch when they fish for particular species. The aim is to use all the fish caught from the sea, while also maintaining the renowned good quality and flavour of our meals.”
So far, the project has been received well on the rigs and follows the same path as 4Service has already taken for meat, which is that every part of the animal can and should be used.
“I can also highlight the blue socks everyone has to wear indoors on the platforms. In 2021, we finally found a solution to produce blue socks made from 95 per cent recyclable material. Odfjell, one of our most important customers, has welcomed this innovation with open arms and will implement the new blue socks on many of its platforms in 2022.” Operations manager Erling Overaa deserves an extra round of applause. He cracked the code, according to Per Henning Tjelta.
There seem to be exciting years ahead for 4Service’s offshore division. The company will deliver under several major tenders and hire more people.
“We’re ready for further growth and have many irons in the fire,” says Lise Lotte Johannessen.
Per Henning Tjelta adds:
“Definitely! We now have the right structure to become an even bigger offshore player. With Norway’s most skilled employees on our team, we’re ready to meet the competition in the market,” he concludes.
