Boss focusing on next stage
Company bosses are well used to being centre stage when it comes to business, but one prominent north-east entrepreneur is also in the spotlight as a pantomime dame this month.
Oil & Gas
TAQA spends £420m in North Sea deal
Abu Dhabi national energy company TAQA said yesterday that wholly owned subsidiary TAQA Bratani had completed its £420million acquisition of interests in seven oil fields from Shell UK and Esso Exploration and Production (UK).
IMechE wants £40m more for marine renewables
THE Institution for Mechanical Engineering (IMechE) wants a £40million fund set up to help enable the secure anchoring of marine renewables in Scottish waters.
Oil&gas companies face changed landscape as recession hits
In the latest Ernst & Young Scottish ITEM Club economic forecast, it is predicted that Scotland is entering its first services sector-led recession, with its weakest performance since the early-1980s.
Electro-Flow Controls 21 years old and in the best fettle ever
The offshore supply chain is peppered with lots of small companies that, at first glance, seem unremarkable. They quietly get on with their job and rarely, if ever, make the headlines. Moreover, they are invariably privately owned.
Stand out from the crowd
THE North Sea is a mature oil&gas basin and the supply chain serving it is equally mature. The marketplace, with one or two key exceptions such as drilling operators, is also very competitive.
Total ownership proving a boon
IN THE introduction, we said Electro-Flow Controls ranked among those companies that quietly go about their business and are self-financed. It turns out that, so far, this firm has kept away from takeovers too.
Mature drilling market is core
THE bulk of Electro-Flow's business comes from the mature drilling rigs market rather than new-builds. But Wheeler and Littlechild say the new-builds side is showing signs of taking off. A good example is the choke control systems contract for the Transocean Clear Leader II. Another is the design and build of BOP control systems for the Q4000 deepwater intervention/drilling semi-submersible built for Helix of Houston. As for retro-fits, while the American drilling companies are hugely important, so too is having Brazilian oil company Petrobras on board as an enthusiastic user/specifier of Electro-Flow systems.
How about a solid dose of hindsight conversion?
HOW many times do we wish we could convert hindsight into foresight? My hindsight is generally 20:20, and I am sure yours is, too. However, I can't help thinking that, in the current climate, we could do with a solid dose of hindsight conversion.
Young engineers score with energy sector at Peterhead showcase
It was all systems go for the network of Young Engineering and Science Clubs (YECS) in the north-east on November 25.
Biodiesel from fish waste – could this be one for Scotland?
SCIENTISTS in Finland and Vietnam are working on the idea of manufacturing biodiesel from fish waste, funded by the EU to the tune of 5million euros.
Harnessing bugs to boost the barrels has its limitations, say researchers
The results of a study that aims to identify the realistic potential for microbially enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) have just been published and point to rather mixed results - some good, but others poor.
Christmas fare not always what it seems
Christmas is a time for family and friends to get together and enjoy festive meals. It is also an opportunity for those offshore to briefly break their routine and celebrate. However, it's also a time when food poisoning can readily show its ugly face.
North Sea E&P count highest since 1997
WITH little over a month to go before 2008 wraps, 68 exploration & appraisal wells have been started to date and, discounting sidetracks, the spuds already exceed 2007's tally by one well - the highest count since 1997.
Aberdeen firm to drill Cameroon wells for Bramlin
ABERDEEN company Drillers.com, which is behind an online resource for oilfield personnel, has just been awarded a West Africa contract with Rodeo Development, an exploration and production junior.
Petrobras denies hold-ups to rig-building programme
PETROBRAS insists it is on schedule with its programme to recruit 40 deepwater mobile drilling units despite being late with publishing its five-year plan from 2009.
North Sea theme at RGU dinner
MORE than 100 guests attended the annual Robert Gordon University entrepreneurship dinner in Aberdeen's Marcliffe Hotel.
Petrofac launches fourth simulator
THERE'S nothing like being prepared for an emergency in the energy business.
Sonsub grabs Bourbon Pearl
SONSUB, a unit of Saipem-Eni, has added the multipurpose ROV support vessel, Bourbon Pearl, to its fleet. This vessel has lately been performing electromagnetic (EM) offshore exploration for PetroMarker in the Barents Sea operating out of Hammerfest, in Norway.
Epi-V takes a stake in UK onshore hydrocarbons
BOUTIQUE upstream venture capital fund Epi-V is moving into hydrocarbons exploration and production after committing to invest £10million to appraise two existing onshore gas discoveries in northern England.
Norwegian project launches quest for safer anchor-handling
Anchor-handling operations are high risk, especially when mobile drilling units are being prepared to shift location. The vulnerability of anchor-handling vessels is clearly demonstrated by the loss of the Bourbon Dolphin west of Shetland in April, 2007, and the Stevns Power offshore West Africa in 2003.
Up to 70billion barrels in pre-salt, say Brazilians
BRAZILIAN hydrocarbons regulator ANP estimates that the pre-salt reserves in blocks currently held by Petrobras and other operators are in the range 50-70billion barrels oil equivalent.
Wavefield transaction valued at £30million
TGS-NOPEC Geophysical has buried the hatchet with Wavefield Inseis over their planned merger and, as a result, CGGVeritas has stepped in and made a paper offer worth $310million for the latter.
Intelligent strategic drilling JV forged
NATIONAL Oilwell Varco and Schlumberger have committed to forging a joint venture that combines their respective and complementary expertise in the manufacturing and technology development of wired drill-string telemetry systems.
Saturation dive deal
HALLIN Marine has been awarded a $4.2million contract for the provision of saturation diving services offshore Malaysia for the 2009 season.