Some 26 Scottish companies and organisations have been taking part this week in Australia’s largest oil and gas show in Perth, all but one of them with headquarters or a base in the north-east.
Most of the Scottish exhibitors – 18 – were represented at the Scottish Development International (SDI) pavilion for the three days of the Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition, which finished yesterday.
More than 20 of the exhibitors have headquarters in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire, with two from Dundee and one from Montrose.
Exhibitors covered the entire spectrum of the oil and gas industry from exploration and production technology to gas processing pipelines, offshore services, engineering, design and construction.
SDI said Scotland’s oil and gas industry was flourishing and enjoyed a reputation for dynamism, drive, vision and innovation.
It added that decades spent recovering oil and gas from the North Sea had enabled Scottish companies to develop expertise of vital importance to the worldwide oil and gas industry.
An SDI spokeswoman said the show had gone well for Scottish companies but it was too early to say how successful in terms of deals won.
Among companies attending was ThinJack, of Westhill, near Aberdeen, to mark the first anniversary of opening its Australian office by participating in a major industry event for the first time.
The company is headed by Guy Bromby and Alastair MacDonald, with Kevin Saunders at the helm in Melbourne.
ThinJack is a steel envelope which can be inflated with hydraulic pressure to exert hundreds of tonnes of force, which the company says makes it an ideal separating and jacking solution in hazardous, difficult or restricted areas. It can be used to separate seized well flanges and to remove concrete coating from pipelines.
The company said key projects in Australia had included supplying offshore services for the separation of nine seized well flanges for Perth-based Woodside Energy, and use of the technology in the Bass Strait.
Mr Bromby said: “Australia is one of our main regions of business so it makes sense for us to have a permanent presence there. We are delighted at the success of the office in year one and we hope taking part in the Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition will underline our commitment to the region as we look to the future.”
Organisations taking part included Aberdeen City Council, which is working in conjunction with SDI, the government of Western Australia and Perth City Council to develop long-term business relationships between Aberdeen and Western Australia.
Aberdeen University was also represented as were the Met Office and Opito, the oil and gas industry’s lead body for the accreditation of safety training delivery and competence management.
The industry-owned organisation is not for profit and sets standards to ensure a safe and competent workforce in more than 30 countries.