OWM People: Russell Caldwell

OWM People: Russell Caldwell

Meet our brilliant people as we share their opinions, knowledge and experience in our series of quick fire staff interviews. Our next interview is with Russell Caldwell, Managing Director at OWM.

Give us some background to your experience in the Industry

I have been involved in the offshore sector for over 15 years.  Prior to this, I had not given much thought to a career in the offshore industry and, therefore, the first two to three years was a steep learning curve in gaining an understanding of the status quo.

As my career in this industry has progressed, I have witnessed many incidents caused by mismanagement of water, which costs clients time and money, as well as a cost to their reputation. I learned ways in which things could be done better but was not well positioned within my previous role to make any real improvements.

I then started OWM, which has now been running for over 10 years, gradually improving offshore potable water processes for a global customer base.

Tell us about your role at OWM

As Founder and Director at OWM my key aim is to ensure that clients benefit from our support and advisory services whilst maintaining a happy and engaged team.  In the background I am always looking at new technologies, information and systems that will add further value to our clients and move forward the industry as a whole.

Why did you start OWM?

From experience, I could see that offshore potable water processes were not being managed correctly, which left projects, operators and the workforce at risk. OWM was set up as a consultancy to help identify these risks and determine the best ways to eliminate them.

Why is water management so important?

Potable water is a requirement on every offshore site.  Most offshore sites know if the power is offline for long enough they are all going home.  What they may not appreciate is that if the water is offline for long enough, they are also all going home.  More importantly, it’s the law, and is also a clear way of showing how you value the welfare of your offshore personnel.

What problems do you see in the industry and what does OWM do to solve them? 

Correct water management incorporates many disciplines, however a cross discipline approach to problems is seldom initiated.  At OWM we look to include all the relevant personnel within the improvement process.

The industry is reluctant to incorporate best practice from other similar industries that could improve condition.  As well as identifying new methodologies to improve control, OWM looks to incorporate systems and techniques from other industries, such as the cruise industry, that will ultimately add value for our clients.