Oil and gas companies last night urged the UK Government to deliver them a Budget boost of tax reliefs - as they revealed the collapse of bank lending to smaller firms is threatening developments in the North Sea.
SCOTTISH engineer Weir Group said yesterday that 2008 had proved to be the best operating year in its history.
APEX Tubulars Inspection Services, the Aberdeen-based provider of casing and drillpipe inspection and repair services to the oil and gas industry, has defied market conditions and responded to client demand by investing £1million in a new machine shop, creating 12 jobs.
A TRAINING event focusing on the energy industry will be held in Aberdeen next month.
THE finalists for this year's Scottish Offshore Achievement Awards - known as the Oil Oscars - have been announced.
A North Sea union leader pledged last night that the fight to win paid holidays for thousands of offshore workers will go on, despite a setback at an employment appeal tribunal.
Tullow Oil said yesterday it had secured £1.43billion in reserve-backed loans to replace existing debt and to fund future capital commitments, including development of its world-class Jubilee discovery offshore Ghana.
OIL service group Petrofac said yesterday that, despite the severe downturn in the global economic outlook, it could report excellent growth in 2008 and was well positioned for further strong growth in 2009 and beyond.
THE UK Government was urged last night to head off the threat posed by a Brussels bid for tougher restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions that could hit the offshore oil and gas industry hard.
An emerging player in the venture-capital market, Edinburgh-based Par Equity, has teamed up with Aberdeen-headquartered Senergy Alternative Energy.
ABERDEEN design and draughting specialist Cadherent has tripled staffing levels and increased the size of its offices by 50% as it promises to push ahead with further expansion plans in 2009.
The 32nd Grampian Industrialist of the Year was last night named as George Yule, chief executive of Aberdeen-based international oilfield service firm Dominion Gas.
The deadline for final bids for crashed oil and gas operator Oilexco North Sea (ONS) passed yesterday, with restructuring experts giving nothing away about the progress of the selloff.
Talisman Energy, the Canadian oil and gas operator which has significant interests in the UK North Sea and Norway, said yesterday that 2008 was a year of change for the company.
PROSPECT, an Aberdeen-based subsidiary of subsea service firm Hallin Marine, said yesterday it was poised to grow its workforce from 50 to about 100 employees within two years.
Senergy, the diversified energy industry service provider, said yesterday it was aiming to build on growth to date which had resulted in annual turnover rising to £70million.
PLANS are being made to step up pressure on the government to act to maintain offshore development despite the recession, following a meeting in Westminster last night.
International energy service company Wood Group revealed yesterday that pre-tax profits for last year surged by 48% to £274.3million.
UNSECURED creditors of Tuscan Energy (Cragganmore) are likely to get at least some of their money back, joint administrators for the firm have revealed.
Valiant Petroleum is to take full control of two northern North Sea finds.
A LEADING figure in the global energy business has been appointed as the new chairman of the Offshore Contractors' Association.
SAFETY and training will not be compromised, however severely the recession hits the North Sea oil and gas sector.
AN ANNUAL survey of Scotland's oil and gas supply chain has revealed 10% growth in yearly sales to a record £14.2billion - but also highlighted uncertain times for the sector ahead.
The chief executive of international oilfield service group Expro said yesterday it continued to perform extremely well, despite one of its owners writing down the value of its investment in the company.
ABERDEEN oil firm Faroe Petroleum said yesterday that Tim Read had been appointed to its board as a non-executive director.