Norwegian oil field engineering group Aker Solutions has had an “inspiring” start to its second quarter, one of its bosses in the north-east said yesterday.
Michael Griffin, head of Aker’s UK drilling technologies business, added: “The group has signed a number of new contracts which underline the continued strong market development. We maintain our growth targets for the group as a whole of 9-15% on average per year from 2011 to 2015.”
Aker is one of the largest employers in the north-east with around 2,500 staff at a string of subsidiaries in and around Aberdeen.
Globally, the group employs around 23,500 people in more than 30 countries.
Speaking as Aker announced first-quarter results, Mr Griffin said: “We have experienced a positive start to the year in the UK, with steadily growing levels of activity in the quarter. This is set to continue into the coming quarters, creating significant recruitment opportunities across the organisation.”
Aker has previously said it wants to create 300 jobs in Aberdeen – mostly in its subsea division – and a further 300 at Portlethen-based Aker Qserv, part of its well-intervention service arm. The group said first-quarter operating revenue totalled £1.04billion, a 15.7% increase from the first three months of last year.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the latest period were £106.6million – down from £153.2million a year earlier, when net profits were boosted by the sale of Aker Marine Contractors for £80.6million.
Aker said it took in orders worth £1.2billion during the first quarter of this year, taking its backlog at the end of March to £4.6billion – up by around £300million on a year earlier. The biggest contract signed in the current quarter was a £1.17billion deal to provide well intervention services to Statoil on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Mr Griffin said: “Sustained demand for our services has seen the company secure some major new contracts, including Total E&P Angola, Dana Petroleum and Statoil, which will be supported out of Aberdeen. The continued investment we are making in our facilities and workforce ensures we have the infrastructure in place to respond to the requirements of existing and new customers, and underlines our confidence that the city will remain an internationally important energy hub for decades to come.”