Dana Petroleum chief executive Marcus Richards said yesterday the Aberdeen oil firm’s near-£4million investment in new headquarters highlighted its faith in the UK North Sea.
The company has moved its 200-strong UK workforce into Centrica’s former premises at King’s Close, 62 Huntly Street, after a major refit as it prepares to develop its global activities.
Dana employs 500 people worldwide but this could grow substantially if it achieves the annual target it set earlier this year for a near doubling of 2011 production by 2016.
Mr Richards, who invited First Minister Alex Salmond to open the new headquarters, said that Dana was benefiting from fantastic support from its owner.
Dana was acquired by Korean national oil group KNOC in late 2010 in a £1.7billion deal.
Mr Richards said the north-east firm was moving ahead on all fronts as it pursued its global expansion plans.
Good progress was being made internationally in addition to in the UK, which he added was “core to our business”.
He said: “Our new Aberdeen office demonstrates our commitment to the city and the North Sea, which accounts for 70% of our production.”
Mr Salmond said: “It is a real privilege to open the new Dana Petroleum headquarters in Aberdeen. The hugely impressive new setup is a result of the extraordinary expansion that has seen the company grow from employing 30 people to 500 people in less than 20 years.
“I know that the team at Dana Petroleum has ambitious plans for the future and the new facilities can only help them as they set out to double the size of the company by 2016.”