Nabil Alalawi: The First Middle East Oil Baron

The oil industry has much to thank Nabil Alalawi for, including not listening to his father's career advice!

It had been suggested by his family that Nabil should join the medical profession as a doctor, but even in his formative years, Nabil recognised the global importance of the oil and gas industry and decided to pursue his desire to become a petroleum engineer.

A bright student and an accomplished tennis player, Nabil won a scholarship from the Government of Yemen to attend Louisiana State University, from where he graduated in 1965 with a degree in petroleum engineering.

Nabil was to spend the following twelve years of his burgeoning career with the former Otis Engineering, first as a service technician then engineer working in wireline and completion services in Louisiana and Texas. Through the ranks and working across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Nabil quickly climbed the career ladder securing a number of key positions including sales consultant in Egypt, country manager for Abu Dhabi and operations manager in Singapore, before returning to Abu Dhabi in 1975.

In 1977, Otis Engineering offered the extremely talented and ambitious Nabil the opportunity to transfer to Paris for what he describes as a "dream job". But, reluctant to move his young family, the father-of-three declined the offer; a decision that was to prove pivotal as it led to the creation and establishment of AlMansoori Specialized Engineering (MSE) .

Encouraged and supported by his close friend and inspiration Hilal AlMansoori, president of MSE , and the company's chairman, Abdulla Nasser, Nabil agreed to sever his long-standing association with Otis and take what he admits was "a leap into the unknown" and join the fledgling business.

His decision was soon vindicated when, after just a few months, MSE secured its first contract, with the Japan Oilfield Development Company for a wireline unit for offshore Abu Dhabi. The successful completion of this deal led to work with ADMA to manufacture revolutionary lightweight aluminium units to replace traditional steel models. Working with an American company, MSE was able to create units less than half the weight of its steel equivalents, thereby reducing transportation costs and increasing flexibility in wireline provision.

In the early 1980s, MSE took another major leap by broadening its core activities to include drilling services and production testing, both seen as natural extensions to the existing business. The continued expansion of MSE , and its growth as a global provider of oilfield services, hasn't stopped since. The company now provides a wide range of services including; slickline and completions, safety and technical training, tubular and industrial inspection, manpower supply and oilfield rentals, as well as many other core services.

MSE 's growth has reached new heights this year with expansion into Africa and the Far East and the acquisition of a number of companies as well as a variety of joint venture associations and licensing agreements with several internationally recognised companies.

Driven by Nabil, health and safety plays a major role in the MSE culture, with the implementation of an innovative and tightly co-ordinated HSEQ management system. The commitment of the company, which boasts more than 900 staff in 16 countries, has led to more than four million hours with zero lost time accidents, five million hours with zero lost time injuries in marine operations and 0.17 leave and absent days, compared to 0.69 the previous year.

The future for MSE has never looked healthier, thanks to the man who shunned a medical career.