AWT Group managing director Cameron Manifold said the launch was a significant milestone in enhancing AWT’s position in South-East Asia.

“We have a long history of involvement in field review, development and refurbishment projects with Malaysian E&P companies and we recognise the importance of providing local engineering capabilities to support our clients,” Manifold said.

AWT also said Malaysian state-owned petroleum company, Petronas, was a leader in the early adoption of technology and innovation.

“We are actively seeking to provide experienced engineering support to the effective application of such enabling technologies,” Manifold said.

Speaking at the launch, Australian High Commissioner James Wise cited Malaysia’s “strong economic growth, political stability, a strategic location in Asia, a relatively low-cost base, a very supportive infrastructure and attractive investment incentives” as major advantages for overseas investors.

AWT Malaysia chairman Nordin Md Nor said AWT was aiming to recruit locally.

“Malaysia has generated a wealth of highly competent professionals in the upstream sector and AWT Malaysia offers these professionals the ability to join a dynamic engineering team,” he said.

AWT is an independent engineering company servicing the Asia-Pacific upstream oil and gas sector. AWT provides specialist engineering and project management services in the following core areas:

• conceptual design, detailed engineering and execution of greenfield development projects, mature field refurbishment projects (including production optimisation and improved oil recovery), and field abandonment;

• project management and execution of well construction projects; and

• design and delivery of enabling technology projects.