Oil and gas women in the spotlight at Davos
Oil and gas firms are missing out on the benefits of diversity, with participation of women in the workforce lagging behind other major industries, a report says.
Aberdeen firm QTEC merges with Canadian rival
Aberdeen-based oil and gas fluid specialist QTEC Energy Services has merged with a North American rival to create a new company, Focus, employing 60 people.
DiCaprio accuses global oil and gas industry of corporate greed
Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio took aim at the “corporate greed” of the global oil and gas industry as world political and business leaders and celebrities gathered for the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos Switzerland. DiCaprio – one of the world’s highest earning environmental campaigners – was honoured at the WEF Crystal Awards, which celebrate the achievements of leading artists who have shown “exemplary commitment” to improving the state of the world.
Amec Foster Wheeler boss sacrificed as board decides it’s time for change
Oil and gas industry boss Samir Brikho was ousted as chief executive of Amec Foster Wheeler (AFW) at a board meeting held on the eve of the firm’s latest trading update, it emerged last night.
Eight North Sea bombs not considered a threat
Unexploded wartime bombs found near defunct North sea oil and gas infrastructure pose no threat, the operator said yesterday.
Premier Oil’s shares suspended for third day
Premier Oil shares remained suspended yesterday amid uncertainty over the status of the firm’s latest North Sea investment. The stock was worth 19p per share before Wednesday’s request from London-based Premier to halt trading, due to its £83million-plus acquisition of assets from Germany’s E.ON.
UK and global clean-energy investment hits new records
New figures show record levels of investment in UK and global clean-energy projects. The Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) report says global spending hit an all-time high in 2015, with nearly £230billion invested. Worldwide installed generating capacity also peaked, thanks to 64 gigawatts (GW) of wind power and 57GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy, it adds.
Orkney project aims to prevent “fouling” of marine-energy technology
Orkney’s European Marine Energy Centre (Emec) and Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University have teamed up to tackle a “major concern to industries working in the marine environment”.
New report weighs up possible North Sea tax breaks
A new report outlining possible new tax breaks for the oil and gas industry and their likely impact will be published next week.
Azinor boosts its UK North Sea portfolio
Seacrest Capital Group-backed energy firm Azinor Catalyst is beefing up its UK North Sea oil and gas portfolio by buying an exploration licence from Trap Oil and Norwegian Energy Company (Noreco) UK. The licence covers three blocks known as the Homer asset in the North West Witch Ground Graben area of the Moray Firth. Under the terms of the “farm-out” deal, which is subject to UK Government approval and would see London-based Azinor become operator for the asset, Trap and Noreco with both receive payments contingent on the occurrence of certain future events.
Visa venture aims to help make life simple for overseas travel
An Aberdeen businessman has highlighted the resilience of oil and gas industry professionals by launching a new venture to help companies export some of their most valuable assets – their people. Neil Thomson, 41, was until August working as a global offshore crewing manager in the north-east operations of energy service giant Subsea 7.
Aberdeen businessman gives away 30% of his firm for Christmas
Christmas arrived early for staff at Hunter Adams after founder Dean Hunter gave away 30% of the shares in his Aberdeen-based human resources (HR) consultancy. Mr Hunter, who founded the firm in 2011, was inspired to give away the stake in his business by Production Services Network (PSN), the oil and gas services firm at which he previously worked before it was taken over by Wood Group. He said: “We often say to our staff that it’s their company, but it doesn’t ring true when you hold all of the shares.
Offshore Achievement Awards 2016: A chance to shine
The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Offshore Achievement Awards will be presented at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Thursday March 17. SPE Aberdeen branch director Ian Phillips looks forward to another chance for the oil and gas industry to shine.
OCA boss to step down in new year
Offshore Contractors’ Association (OCA) chief executive Bill Murray plans to step down from the post after more than 13 years, it emerged yesterday. An OCA spokeswoman confirmed he would retire from the role sometime in the new year, but gave no more details. OCA is the leading representative body for the UK’s oil and gas contracting and supply industry.
RSOH smashes job creation forecast
Aberdeen firm RS Occupational Health (RSOH) has smashed its own job creation expectations at a fledgling remote care medical centre in the city.
Global reveals impact from oil price slump
Falling oil prices took a large bite out of profits and turnover at Global Energy Group during the year to March 31, the energy service firm said yesterday.
John Bell broadens its horizons
North-east firm John Bell Pipeline Equipment Company aims to use the oil and gas downtown to diversify and build on “steady” growth over the past five years.
Orkney renewables firm receives £5.7million cash boost
The Orkney firm behind plans for the world’s biggest tidal turbine said yesterday it had secured a further £5.7million for the project. Kirkwall-based Scotrenewables Tidal Power (STP) said the massive two megawatt floating device, which is about 250ft long, was nearing completion at Harland and Wolff (H&W) shipyard in Belfast. It is due to be launched early next year before being towed to the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney for the start of grid-connected testing.
Networking duo aim to spread positive oil and gas thinking
North Sea “hellfighters” aim to fight doom and gloom in the oil and gas industry.
Azeri platform on fire
An offshore oil platform has caught fire and had to be evacuated.
Orkney firms among the winners at Scottish Green Energy Awards
Orkney firms Green Marine (UK) and Leask Marine shared the honour for best supplier at the Scottish Green Energy Awards.
3Sun keeps growing despite challenging oil and gas climate
International energy service firm 3sun Group has shaken off a challenging trading climate for oil and gas to register large increases in profits and turnover.
Multi-million pound initiative launched to secure Aberdeen’s post-oil future
Leaders in business, education and the public sector have teamed up to secure the north-east’s post-oil future, backed by a £50million funding pot.
Piping specialist has no qualms about launching new business in the downturn
Aberdeenshire businessman Steven Mitchell said yesterday he had no regrets about launching a subsea piping business in the middle of an oil and gas industry downturn.
Total and Amec Foster Wheeler at the heart of new war on costs
A new drive to reduce costs in the North Sea oil and gas industry is expected to unlock up to £1billion in additional revenue through improved production efficiency and cost savings.