Petrofac's focus on Middle Eastern markets has helped it to become one of the few success stories in an otherwise torrid year for the oil and gas industry and the wider global economy, it has been claimed.

Speaking to the Times, group chief executive Ayman Asfari clarified that while Petrofac's London base has afforded it access to expert advice and placed it in close proximity to many of its clients, working in countries such as Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia has brought prosperity and stability during a difficult period.

"The first thing that's helped us is dedication, focus and hard work. But second, yes, we started in the right place," he told the paper.

Petrofac offers a host of training and development opportunities for Middle Eastern clients through a dedicated training arm, while it has also built up the largest engineering base of any petroleum services group in the region.

Getenergy event for GCC countries November 2009