From ambition to execution: delivering energy projects that perform
As operators seek to deliver new energy infrastructure, improve asset performance and reduce emissions, engineering and project delivery partners are being asked to do more than ever. John Gilley, CEO of Kent, discusses the role of integrated project execution, supply chain resilience, and digital innovation in helping energy companies turn ambition into action.
How is Kent positioning itself to help operators move from ambition to execution?
Delivering projects successfully comes down to combining technical expertise with reliable execution. Kent is well positioned to do that because we bringing together integrated engineering services, from early concept through to EPC, commissioning, late-life management and decommissioning, with strong procurement, construction, and on-site execution capability. We combine that technical capability with a very collaborative culture and a strong focus on innovation. Delivering more than 40 million work hours every year, we have the scale and geographic reach to support major programmes globally, while retaining the agility to move quickly.
Could you share with us Kent’s recent milestones in delivering large-scale EPC projects?
We’ve continued to grow our EPC and EPCM business through a number of significant project awards and deliveries. Some recent examples are the Maharajalela Jamalulalam Inlet Compression Project in Brunei, the Future Fuels FCC Naphtha Treating Unit in Australia, and the MorGen Energy Green Hydrogen Project in the UK. We’ve also secured a second major contract with ADNOC on its P5 Long-Term Facilities Project in the UAE. For me, the fact that clients want to work with us time and time again reflects the strength of the relationships we build and the quality of delivery our teams provide every day.
What engineering innovations is Kent bringing to the table for gas and LNG facilities?
Much of our work in gas and LNG is focused on reducing emissions, improving reliability, and increasing operational efficiency. That includes compression solutions that increase throughput, boil-off gas recovery systems that reduce product losses, and electrification strategies that support lower-carbon operations, among others. We also have an in-house software development team focused on creating tools that solve real engineering and operational challenges.
A good example is MeasCap, which helps operators model facility capacity, identify bottlenecks, and make better decisions around asset performance and future development. Having supported major LNG developments across the globe, including seven of Australia’s nine major LNG projects, we understand what it takes to deliver these solutions from end to end.
With supply chain pressures impacting global timelines, how is Kent keeping complex energy projects on schedule and on budget?
Supply chain challenges aren’t going away, so we’ve invested in the people, processes and supplier relationships needed to manage them proactively. Due to the scale of our business and with around US$2 billion in procurement spend every year, we have visibility into supplier markets, manufacturing capacity, and potential bottlenecks globally. Combined with robust pre-qualification, due diligence, and supplier quality oversight, it means we can move quickly without compromising quality or assurance. This has allowed us to support clients with strategic procurement services as a standalone offering, giving them access to the same market insight, supplier networks, and execution capability that underpin our EPC projects.
Where do you see the intersection of AI and data analytics having the biggest impact on engineering design?
The biggest impact will be helping engineers make better decisions faster. By reducing repetitive tasks, improving access to project knowledge, and identifying risks much earlier in the design process, AI and data analytics give engineers more time to focus on the bigger challenge facing our industry: delivering the energy the world needs in a more responsible way. Technology matters, but the real value comes from combining human expertise, experience and judgement with better data and better insights to deliver better outcomes.
What are you looking forward to at Gastech this year?
I think this year’s event comes at an important time for the industry. Operators are being asked to do more than ever: improve performance, reduce emissions, deliver new infrastructure, meet growing energy demand, and extend asset life and plan for safe decommissioning. I’m looking forward to the conversations around how we make that happen in the most practical and responsible way. I’m also looking forward to seeing our Kent team contribute to those discussions, sharing insights on topics including autonomous engineering, workforce safety, and emerging technologies such as chemical looping for blue hydrogen production, as well as through our sponsorship of the Supply Chain and Procurement Hub.
