Mid-January saw international engineering and project management group Amec put out a low key statement saying it had been selected by ExxonMobil unit Imperial Oil to deliver the phase one facilities of the Kearl Oil Sands project in northern Alberta, Canada.
The latest crash in oil prices will surely drive home the value of effective supply chains. In that regard, the collective leadership of the UK's offshore industry has achieved much since the cost-reduction crusades of the late-1990s through early-2000s.
Almost a year ago, at Subsea 08, the then chief executive of Subsea UK, David Pridden, announced that the industry body's vision of the UK becoming a subsea global centre of excellence was taking a step forward with the creation of a national research capability focused on the sector.
2009 is likely to be a year of consolidation in the oil&gas industry in response to the economic downturn. As Alec Carstairs writes opposite, last summer, the sector seemed to be faring well, with the oil price peaking at record highs of above $147 a barrel in July before crashing.
Last month, the member states of the European Union (EU) and European Parliament approved - in a fanfare of publicity - a climate and energy package proposed by the European Commission (EC). It has been popularly described as the 20/20/20 package - to establish a 20% share for renewable energy and to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by the year 2020.
COMMUNICATION breakdown is commonplace. However, better communication is something the oil&gas supply chain is working hard to achieve.
As I talk to more and more people, the reality is beginning to sink in that a full-blown recession is upon us and highly likely to add to the indigestion we are expecting to impose upon our bodies as we enjoy the excesses of Christmas.
When the North Sea offshore industry starts to refocus on supply-chain management, those down that chain understandably start to get nervous.
Bristow Helicopters has been around forever in the North Sea. Indeed, the group's Europe division is by far the largest of five geographic units. With a turnover of about $800million, it accounts for 70% of group revenues and more than 70% of profits.
Jamie Dempster is business manager at iicorr's integrity consultancy in Aberdeen. He was hired six years ago straight from Strathclyde University - first interview, first job.
Engineering and science - are they winning back the interest of young people? Anecdotal evidence suggests that this might actually be happening.
GORDON Schools technology teacher Graeme Mitchell escaped from the classroom for a few precious days in December to submerge himself in the world of subsea engineering and well operations with Helix in Aberdeen.
After the festive period, it's easy to slip into the January blues, and spring may seem a long way off. Over Christmas, we may have been rather inactive, eaten too much, including offshore, and spent too much money (excluding offshore).
CGGVERITAS unit Sercel is taking over UK firm Quest Geo Solutions in a cash deal. Sercel's parent says the acquisition continues to broaden Sercel's product offering and comes as a logical extension to the existing partnership between the two companies whereby Sercel distributes Quest navigation software, such as Triggerfish and Geometis.
RISK management services provider DNV is developing a standard methodology for characterising, selecting and qualifying proper sites for geological storage of CO2 - both offshore and onshore.
LEADING power and automation technology group ABB has successfully tested a new type of transformer that is a key component of power superhighways, or power links that can deliver vast amounts of electricity over very long distances.
NORWAY'S Aker Solutions has won the contract to supply Petrobras with the first set of subsea trees, including control systems and related equipment, for the pioneering deepwater pre-salt Tupi field development in the Espirito Santo Basin, offshore Brazil. The contract covers nine vertical subsea trees rated for 2,500m (8,200ft) water depth; subsea control systems; two complete tool sets, plus related accessories and spare parts.
NORWEGIAN trade body OLF predicts a "positive" outlook for the oil&gas industry - at least on its side of the North Sea divide.
DNV, along with five industry partners, is developing a specific safety standard that will include structural and functional design; fire and explosion protection; access, transfer and escape, and emergency power.
FMC Technologies, of Houston, is acquiring a massive chunk of Schilling Robotics in a deal worth $116million (£80million at current exchange rates), with a view to taking over the whole of the target company by 2014.
After reaching a record high of $147 in July, the price of North Sea Brent Blend plummeted to sub-$40 a few weeks ago, causing many industry players to reassess their cost structures and planned capital investments.
Costs in the oil&gas industry continue to rocket, though IHS CERA says there are signs of moderation. The organisation's upstream index is up 9.2% over the past six months - 3.2% higher than for the prior six months.
The chairman of the 2009 Offshore Europe conference is promising an exciting programme with heavy emphasis on strategic issues, especially climate change and Big Oil, globalisation of the talent pool, operating models and breakthrough technologies.
A new company, R&A Investments, has quietly emerged on to the North Sea stage. Its founder, Richard Selwa, previously established the multifaceted oilfield SME, Vienco, and prior to that, was with engineering consultancy IGL.
