Fuel tanker brings vital supplies to north-east
A tanker loaded with fuel docked in Aberdeen early this morning to deliver vital supplies to keep the north-east moving while Scotland's only oil refinery sits idle.
Oil & Gas
Meeting hardens workers’ resolve
HUNDREDS of angry and defiant workers gathered at the Grangemouth oil refinery yesterday as they prepared to go on strike.
Champion pours £120,000 into acid plant
SPECIALITY chemical company Champion Technologies has invested £120,000 in a new acid blending plant and acetic acid bulk-storage facility at its European headquarters in Aberdeen.
Refinery strike hits North Sea platform production
Thousands of offshore workers will begin shutting down production on 30 North Sea oil platforms today after last night's closure of Scotland's only refinery because of a strike by 1,200 staff.
Wood Group to join prestigious FTSE 100 index
ABERDEEN energy-services company Wood Group is to be elevated to the prestigious FTSE 100 index.
North Sea win for Aker unit in Aberdeen
Aker Solutions in Aberdeen has been awarded a three-year North Sea contract by Fairfield Energy which will create about 100 posts, most of them new recruits.
Filling stations implement fuel rationing as dispute takes effect
There was widespread rationing of fuel at filling stations across the north-east yesterday as forecourts tried to eke out their supplies.
Panicking Scots rush for fuel pumps as strike looms
Motorists across Scotland ignored pleas not to panic-buy fuel yesterday as offshore operators warned the closure of the country's only oil refinery would cost the economy £50million a day.
Petroleum graduates attracting top dollar
With energy prices soaring and oil-company ranks thinning through retirement, petroleum-engineering graduates have become a hot commodity in the US.
Fairfield gives Sparrows a lift
CRANEAGE company Sparrows Offshore has secured a two-year contract with Fairfield Energy covering operations in the newly acquired UK North Sea Dunlin field.
State ups its stake in energy giant
THE Norwegian government is increasing its ownership of StatoilHydro from 62.5% to 67% - at a cost of about $4billion.
Amec Canadian and Asia wins
AMEC has won a $100million contract with Syncrude Canada to begin early project development for the company's Mildred Lake and Aurora operations in northern Alberta.
NPD reports double duster
THE Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has reported that the exploration well drilled by ConocoPhillips Skandinavia on block 2/4 of the Norwegian sector of the North Sea failed to encounter hydrocarbons.
Perry Slingsby scores
Perry Slingsby Systems (PSS) has secured a contract with DOF Subsea to supply 10 new-generation Triton XLX ROV (remotely operated vehicle) systems - five in 2009, the rest in 2010. This order brings the number of PSS systems contracted by DOF in the last 30 months to 21.
Sakhalin ship seized by pirates
"THE crew of the multipurpose tug boat, Svitser Korsakov, signalled the seizure from the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia, at 1.17pm, on February 1," sources at Sakhalin port authorities told Interfax.
Two billion more from Prudhoe
BP says it intends to produce a further 2billion barrels of oil from its Prudhoe Bay asset in Alaska by implementing a range of production enhancement procedures over the next two or three years. More than 11billion barrels have been extracted to date.
Drilling rig taken on for Celtic Sea
IRISH company Providence Resources has contracted the semi-submersible drilling rig, GSF Arctic II, for its Celtic Sea drilling programme of two firm wells plus an option offshore Ireland this summer. The company said it confirmed the presence of a significant oil accumulation at the Hook Head structure with the drilling last autumn of the 50/11-3 appraisal well. Providence logged a total of 75ft of net hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir in a 484ft gross hydrocarbon-bearing interval.
Trio of UK windfarms get consent
THE UK Government has approved three new windfarm projects. They are:
London expert seconded
DELOITTE has seconded a member of its global Petroleum Services Group based in London to Aberdeen. For the first time, Aberdeen companies will have direct access to the specialist support and advisory services offered by the group to help them compete in today's fast-paced oil and gas industry.
Cameron shops in Austria
CAMERON acquired Austrian group SBS Oilfield Equipment, which designs, builds and instals in-well rod lift pumping and progressive cavity pumping systems and provides associated services. Cameron says the addition of SBS will increase the size and geographic reach of its artificial lift businesses based in eastern Europe and will broaden its scope of products and services.
Shtokman company ready for action
ON FEBRUARY 21, Gazprom, Total and StatoilHydro signed a historic shareholder agreement for the creation of a company to develop phase one of the giant Shtokman gas field in the Russian sector of the Barents Sea.
Top drawer line-up promised for All-Energy 2008
EU RENEWABLE energy targets; the final report on the Transmission Access Review; important moves for microgeneration and heat; work progressing so well on the Glendoe hydro project that Scottish and Southern Energy is looking at more hydro projects; the launch of the Renewable Fuels Transport Obligation; the impending launch of Scotland's Hydrogen Futures Study; frenetic activity in the wind, wave and tidal sectors - it's certainly "all systems go" on the renewables front.
Performance feedback training with FPAL
Due to the success of the supplier training sessions, supply-chain gateway FPAL has decided to expand its training programme by offering performance feedback workshops.
Generations need warp drive to cross parallel universes
In today's "new world of work" , new rules apply. Generation Y is throwing its weight about and resistance is futile. Older colleagues are catching on and shrewd employers are taking note.
Sweet taste of independence
Caledyne was set up by three individuals, each of whom had tasted life with a fast-moving, forward-thinking Aberdeen oilfield engineering company that had been eaten up by one of the US big brands.