Glacier breaks the ice with new specialist services unit
Glacier Energy Services said yesterday it had launched a new specialist services division and appointed Martin Kilrummy, previously of Petrofac Facilities Management (PFM), to run it.
Chevron responds to criticism over Captain deals
Chevron North Sea (CNS) has defended its record for awarding contracts after being criticised for favouring foreign companies for its biggest projects. US-owned CNS has shortlisted four companies to bid for topsides and jacket engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work on its Captain Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) project. The oil producer has come under fire in north-east England for not including OGN Group, based in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, where it is feared thousands of workers could be laid off as existing contracts end.
Scottish Government backs Maersk investment but urges further reform
The Scottish Government welcomed the £3billion investment by Maersk Oil in the UK – but also urged Chancellor George Osborne to reform North Sea taxes. Energy minister Fergus Ewing said: “Development of the Culzean field brings welcome investment, jobs and supply chain opportunities and, as the largest new field in a decade, it also demonstrates that there remain considerable opportunities to extend production for decades to come.
Video:Chancellor says government doing all it can to support industry
A £3billion investment in the UK North Sea may not have gone ahead without UK Government measures to support the troubled industry, Maersk Oil said yesterday. Maersk Oil’s Culzean project, which is expected to create 400 new jobs and support about 6,000 existing roles, has been approved by the new Oil & Gas Authority (OGA). Culzean has resources estimated at 250-300 million barrels of oil equivalent and is expected to produce enough gas to meet 5% of total UK demand at peak production in 2020/21. First gas is expected in 2019.
New project aims to drive down tidal device monitoring costs
Scotland’s renewables industry is expected to benefit from a new project to develop sophisticated sensors for underwater tidal turbines. The research is a collaborative project between the fledgling Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and Censis, Scotland’s Innovation Centre for Sensor and Imaging Systems, who aim to cut the cost and boost confidence in the mandatory monitoring of how subsea turbines impact on their environment. New sensors developed under the initiative – the first joint project between ORE Catapult
“Supergiant” gas field found in Egypt
Italian energy company Eni has discovered a “supergiant” natural gas field off Egypt.
Richard Irvin shrugs off oil and gas downturn
Diversified Aberdeen firm Richard Irvin Energy Solutions has joined the ranks of local firms able to report strong progress in 2015 despite oil and gas industry woes.
Global subsidiary lands record deal
A record contract win for a subsidiary of Aberdeen and Inverness-based Global Energy Group (GEG) subsidiary is potentially worth £25million over six years. GEG said the new framework agreement with Scottish Water involved group company PSI and could stretch to 12 years, thanks to extension options, delivering more financial gains. PSI, which is based in Dalgety Bay, Fife, and part of Global-owned Ross-Shire Engineering, specialises in chemical dosing systems for the water industry but also serves other sectors. The business was launched in 1997.
Total’s St Fergus sale will lead to new office and more jobs
An Aberdeen office will be opened to provide engineering and commercial management of vital North Sea infrastructure, the firm about to become the new operator of Total’s St Fergus gas plant said last night.
MP seeks assurances on decommissioning deals
A north-east MP wants oil and gas decommissioning tax relief schemes to carry conditions insisting UK companies are given priority for new contracts worth an estimated £46billion. Callum McCaig, who represents Aberdeen South for the SNP and the party’s spokesman on energy issues, has written to Energy Secretary Amber Rudd calling for clarity on whether the UK Government plans to take any steps to ensure such schemes will benefit the UK supply chain. He said: “Oil and gas industry bodies forecast that £46billion will be spent on decommissioning between now and 2040.
Oil downturn hits harder as Aberdeen bookings plunge
New research has produced fresh evidence of a sharp fall in Aberdeen hotel room rates and occupancy levels. The monthly LJ Forecaster Scottish Intercity Report from tourism market research specialist LJ Research, tracking city centre hotel business in July, showed a positive performance in Edinburgh, an expected decline in Glasgow a year on from the Commonwealth Games and sustained losses in the Granite City. It is the latest data to highlight the negative impact of the oil and gas downturn on hotels in Europe’s energy capital after similar findings from business advisory firms AlixPartners and BDO.
North Sea firms boosted by City bounce
Oil and gas shares staged a partial recovery yesterday as the City bounced back from “Black Monday”.
Stirling’s European training manager takes charge of groups’ UK division
Stirling Group announced another key change for its Aberdeen-based UK business yesterday. It is just over a month since the Middle East company, which delivers health, safety and environmental services to the global oil and gas industry, rebranded its Altor Risk Group subsidiary. Alan McIntyre has been appointed to head up emergency response and crisis management consultancy services in the UK, which includes the running of the £250,000 incident management centre (IMC) in Aberdeen.
Bmi Regional sees bookings jump for Offshore Europe week
Airline Bmi Regional reports a surge in bookings on its Aberdeen routes as the city prepares to host Offshore Europe (OE) 2015 from September 8-11. The carrier, which has its headquarters functions split between Aberdeen and East Midlands Airport, said yesterday it had seen a 25% increase in sales for its Oslo, Esbjerg, Norwich and Bristol routes into Aberdeen for the week of the big oil and gas industry exhibition and conference.
North Sea firms hit hard as markets take a pummelling
Billions of pounds were wiped off the value of North Sea oil companies yesterday as fears of a Chinese economic meltdown sent global stock markets plummeting.
Offshore Europe 2015: The quest for oil goes deeper than ever before
New technologies to scan deeper waters for undiscovered oil are poised to bring all the excitement of space exploration to the global offshore energy industry.
Unite seeks U-turn on North Sea ‘copters decision
The Unite union has called on the UK Government to “urgently revisit” the recommendation of the previous parliament’s transport select committee for a public inquiry into offshore helicopter safety.
Aberdeen firms at the heart of White Rose CCS project
Two Aberdeen engineering consultancies are celebrating new work on a project which will see more than 2million tonnes of carbon dioxide captured and stored in the North Sea.
New chief executive takes over at Xodus Group
Xodus Group has a new man at the helm, with Colin Manson having left the hotseat for a supporting role at the firm he co-founded 10 years ago, it emerged yesterday.
Sparrows adds to its Middle East presence
Aberdeen oil service firm Sparrows Group has expanded its reach in the Middle East after forming a local partnership with Zamil Group in Saudi Arabia.
Stats Group adds to boardroom team and changes at the top at Viking SeaTech
Pipeline engineering firm Stats Group has appointed three new directors to strengthen its management team.
Apache’s latest figures reveal another big write-down
Lower oil prices have blown a £100million-plus “impairment” hole in Apache North Sea (ANS)’s latest accounts.
Taqa reports progress on on cost-cutting
North Sea oil producer Taqa said yesterday it was on course for annual savings of more than £260million after shedding 22% of its global workforce. It also reported higher profits from the UK North Sea after a boost from fiscal changes aimed at reducing the burden of taxation on operators and encouraging investment Grant Gillon, the Middle East firm’s new chief financial officer, said a transformational programme put in motion against a “challenging” backdrop of lower oil prices was achieving results. The Scottish engineering graduate also said Taqa’s financial position was strong after a recent refinancing of £2billion of existing credit facilities on improved terms.
Dana plunges into the red in “year of considerable change”
Dana Petroleum suffered hefty losses during 2014, it emerged yesterday. The firm, which has oil and gas exploration and production operations in the UK, Egypt, Norway, the Netherlands and Africa, has posted pre-tax losses of £462.5million on revenue of £682.4million. Dana’s plunge into the red came amid a flurry of top management departures and followed profits of £145million the year before, when revenue topped £1billion.
US firm takes a stake in Viper Subsea Technology
Viper Subsea Technology said innovative oifield products and services developed in Aberdeen and Portishead, near Bristol, were poised for accelerated growth and global reach after a US firm acquired a minority stake. Houston-based Oceaneering International Services, whose global operations include regional headquarters in Dyce, Aberdeen, completed the deal on August 7 for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is not expected to lead to any change in Viper’s workforce or product and service development.