What began in 2001 as a modest supplier of stationery and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Sarawak, Oceancare Corporation Sdn Bhd (Oceancare) has since evolved into one of Malaysia’s established oil and gas (O&G) service providers. Under the leadership of its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Wenceslas George Toyad, Oceancare today stands as a diversified and trusted player in subsea pipelaying, transportation and installation, heavy lift operations, inspection services, and energy workforce development.
A significant turning point came in 2006 when Oceancare joined the Petroliam Nasional Berhad’s (PETRONAS) Vendor Development Programme (VDP), laying the foundation for its graduation to independent operations in 2012. Since then, the company has successfully executed major projects such as the Rosmari-Marjoram gas fields, including segments of the world’s longest sour wet gas offshore pipeline that stretches 207km along Sarawak’s coastline—from the Rosmari-Marjoram fields offshore Bintulu to Onshore Gas Plant (OGP) facilities operated by PETRONAS in Bintulu.
An unlikely evolution
Long before pipelaying barges and subsea manifolds were in its vocabulary, Oceancare began life in 2001 with something far more modest ambitions. With fewer than ten employees, Oceancare started as a supplier of stationery and PPE, catering for O&G companies in Miri, Sarawak.
The company’s growth trajectory, however, shifted decisively in 2006 when it joined PETRONAS’ VDP. The programme enabled the company to expand into niche technical services such as cable rejuvenation and relay testing. By 2012, Oceancare had successfully graduated from the programme, emerging as a fully independent and capable service provider, ready to take on larger-scale and more complex projects in Malaysia’s O&G sector.
Today, with over 300 employees nationwide and a strong operational base in Miri, Oceancare has diversified into a fully integrated O&G service provider. The company now delivers a wide range of core O&G services, including pipelaying, transportation and heavy lift installation, electrical and instrumentation, material and corrosion services, manpower supply, and complex inspection works including Advanced and Basic Non-Destructive Testing (NDT).
Oceancare’s projects portfolio includes major pipelaying developments (with technical and operation support from Principal) such as Rosmari-Marjoram—efforts which, according to Dr Wenceslas, are geared towards strengthening gas production capacity in Sarawak. With Rosmari-Marjoram projected to produce up to 800 million cubic feet of gas per day, and targeted for completion in the third quarter of 2025, Oceancare is also preparing to undertake heavy lift operations for the F6 Very Low Abandonment Pressure (VLAP) Compression project offshore Bintulu within the same period.
In support of workforce development, the company operates a certified Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) training centre in Piasau, Miri. Oceancare also maintains project offices in Bintulu, Labuan, Kota Kinabalu, Terengganu and Labuan Yard, ensuring a swift deployment capabilities and responsive support to clients and project sites across Malaysia.
Rooted in Sarawak, building for the world
Established in Miri, Oceancare’s deep commitment to Sarawak is more than just part of its legacy. It is the very foundation of the company’s continued growth. Having emerged organically within the State, Oceancare has consistently aligned its direction with Sarawak’s development priorities and aspirations.
In line with the vision of Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to maximise employment opportunities for Sarawakians, Oceancare has made substantial investments in upskilling the local workforce. Over the years, the company has successfully trained and developed hundreds of inspectors, engineers, and technicians who now contribute across the O&G value chain both within Malaysia and beyond.
With Sarawak’s population still under three million, the available talent pool remains limited —particularly for highly specialised technical roles in the O&G sector. Oceancare has responded decisively by nurturing individuals with a passion for the trade and building a technically proficient, capable local workforce.
To ensure sustained quality and operational readiness, Oceancare’s added initiative is the setting up of SARAWISE Training Centre, which will be certified under both the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO) standards.
This approach not only builds capabilities to meet international standards but also, as Dr Wenceslas explained, strategically positions Oceancare as a regional hub for manpower development and skill export.
“The industry is actively seeking to recruit Sarawakian riggers, known for their courage, resilience in all weather conditions, commitment, and strong work ethic. At Oceancare, we capitalise on these strengths,” he said.
Indeed, these riggers—among the State’s most sought-after talent are increasingly in demand across global markets, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Their adaptability, multilingual skills and discipline have made them a preferred choice for international deployments, reinforcing Oceancare’s role in promoting local talent on a global stage.
Delivering at scale, earning with precision
In an industry where precision is paramount and decisions carry weight, Oceancare has steadily earned its standing, not by chance, but through consistent, results-driven performance. Over the past years, the company has taken on projects that once seemed beyond the reach of homegrown Sarawakian companies.
Today, Oceancare delivers them with a consistency that speaks not only of experience, but of mastery. Among its standout achievements is its leadership in a major subsea pipelaying developments: the ongoing Rosmari-Marjoram projects. Each of these projects has tested engineering skills and operational discipline under challenging marine conditions. Yet, the company has delivered results safely, on time and with distinction.
It is not merely a participant. Oceancare leads. The corporation’s rising profile was further solidified when it was awarded the high-stakes offshore heavy lift project for F6VLAP Compression Project—an assignment in one of the most complex of offshore operations, where precision, risk mitigation and safety are non-negotiable, being entrusted with such a critical role reflects not only of technical competence but hard-earned institutional credibility.
Strategically, Oceancare has continued to strengthen its role as a trusted partner to PETRONAS. With a focus trajectory of strategic growth, Dr Wenceslas shared how the company secured key long-term contracts such as NDT Inspection Services and Corrosion Monitoring Services.
These milestones underscore Oceancare’s specialisation and the trust it commands within Malaysia’s national O&G ecosystem.
Even in less visible areas like electrical maintenance, Oceancare’s presence is significant. Its service portfolio includes critical services for high-reliability electrical assets such as switchgear, transformers, and protection relays, highlighting its focus on asset performance and operational dependability.
Perhaps most defining, however, is the company’s enduring commitment to safety. Since 2007, Oceancare has earned a series of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) excellence awards from PETRONAS and other oil majors, a reflection of its deeply embedded safety culture. In a sector where safety is inseparable from operational integrity, Oceancare’s HSE Performance demonstrates more than adherence—it reflects conviction.
A well-guided leadership
At the helm of Oceancare is Dr Wenceslas, a figure whose sound leadership has helped shape the company’s steady rise. Soft-spoken and unassuming, he leads not through force but brings with him a depth of experience earned across continents and industries.
Born in the coastal town of Mukah, Dr Wenceslas is the eldest of nine siblings. His upbringing in a disciplined, modest household laid the early foundations of responsibility. He attended St. Patrick’s Primary & Secondary Schools, SMK Three Rivers before continuing at Tanjong Lobang College in Miri—now known as Kolej Tun Datu Tuanku Haji Bujang. After Form 6, he enrolled at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), initially with plans to study medicine. Instead, his academic journey pivoted towards Food Science and Nutrition, which he completed in an accelerated track, and later progressed to American’s Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA).
But his real turning point came in the late 1980s, when a multinational O&G company was recruiting Sarawakians for a rare specialisation: Information Technology (IT). Out of 40 candidates put through its IBM IQ test, he was the sole Sarawakian who passed.
The offer opened a gateway into the global O&G system. He underwent intensive training, managed both engineering and geophysical systems, and was later posted to the Netherlands for further leadership training and a stint at the headquarters. Eventually, he replaced an expatriate in managing exploration cartography, introducing digital interpretation systems that synchronised geologists, engineers, and geophysicists.
After a decade with the company, Dr Wenceslas joined Cahaya Mata Sarawak’s Unit Trust division. But after some time, he decided to pursue a new challenge outside Malaysia. Armed with professional qualifications from the National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH UK), he took up the role of HSE manager at a Brunei-based firm.
Though he had begun to settle into retirement, Oceancare brought him back— “recalled from retirement,” as he pointed out with a chuckle. Under his seasoned leadership, the corporation entered its transformative chapter, embracing not only technical expansion but the spirit of preparedness, performance, and people-first values.
His professional journey, spanning digital systems, safety management, and business strategy, reflects the breadth of his leadership. But it is grounded in a work ethic that remains refreshingly straightforward: “Take life seriously, maintain your focus on the job, and deliver your best.”
Outside of his corporate life, he remains deeply rooted in family. He is father to four sons: a Public Relations Consultant cum Company Director, Professional Quantity Surveyor, an Electrical Engineering undergraduate with Curtin University, and the youngest, currently completing his final semester in IT Degree. He speaks of them with the same gentle pride that colours his recollections of seabed mapping and global training rooms.
Dr Wenceslas brings to Oceancare more than credentials, he brings perspective. His stewardship reflects the company’s wider values: to lead without pretence, to innovate without noise, and to build something enduring from within Sarawak itself.
Positioning for tomorrow
In 2023, Oceancare was ranked 15th in the 100 Malaysia Petroleum Resources Corporation (MPRC) Oil & Gas Services and Equipment OGSE100, a position that serves as an encouraging platform for further growth.
“We hope to move up the ladder and we want to expand our project portfolio,” said Dr Wenceslas, referring to the company’s current ranking.
Keeping up with national and Sarawak aspirations, Oceancare is leveraging on government incentives under frameworks like the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and Sarawak Sustainability Blueprint 2030 especially in areas of clean, renewable energy.
Its growth strategy includes deepening collaboration with PETRONAS and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS), aligning with their evolving energy mix and sustainability goals.
“We look forward to participating in future PETRONAS and PETROS’ projects,” said Dr Wenceslas.
Oceancare is also keen to support upcoming pipelay, decommissioning, and logistics projects as many offshore platforms in Malaysian waters are approaching the end of their operational life. It is likewise ready to take part in the renewable energy sector, including solar, wind, and wave technologies to support energy transition strategies implemented by oil companies such as PETRONAS.
In carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), the company has initiated discussions with PETRONAS Logistics in April 2025, marking early steps into decarbonisation efforts that may define the next era of energy service provision.
As Oceancare looks toward the next five to ten years, its ambitions remain firmly in steady evolution, anchored in Sarawak, but with a firm eye on national leadership and global relevance.
The corporation envisions becoming a diversified energy services provider with a broader portfolio beyond upstream O&G. This includes a strategic mix of government-led infrastructure projects, energy transition initiatives, and new ventures that extend Oceancare’s capabilities across multiple sectors.
“We (Oceancare) are ready,” Dr Wenceslas said. —DayakDaily
