Paul Job, engineering manager at independent subsea engineering and training company Jee Ltd, has been appointed to the 2014 Board of Directors for the Pigging Products and Services Association (PPSA).

Mr Job, who is based in Jee’s Aberdeen office, has been appointed as the PPSA’s Associate Member Director, which will see him working with the board to help develop the PPSA’s business strategy and future plans. He will be the first person to officially hold the role, which was formalized earlier this year. 

Mr Job said: “I am honored to begin my tenure on the board of the PPSA, which provides a knowledgeable forum for those in the industry who work within pigging. By becoming more involved in the organization, I look forward to supporting the pigging industry’s upcoming trends and technology as well as welcoming new members to the group, which will allow for further knowledge sharing and networking among the sector.”

Jee has a wide range of pigging capabilities, including pipeline assessment, specification and design of pigging equipment and management of pigging programs. Earlier this month Jee senior subsea engineer Paul Otway shared some of his expertise by presenting a webinar on the company’s capabilities, including pigging in complex environments. 

The PPSA is an international organisation dedicated to the pigging industry. With more than 120 members from 20 countries, they provide information on sourcing equipment and services for pipeline operators. 

Wood Group Mustang promotes Tim Griffin to vice president, industrial operations leading the company's North American industrial division based in Greenville, S.C.

The division serves the automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturing, pulp and paper and engineered materials industries with a strong focus on providing high-quality, fit-for-purpose solutions for grassroots projects, revamps, facility expansions and modernizations.

"With Tim's 33 years of project management and controls expertise, Wood Group Mustang's industrial division will continue to excel in serving our North American clients from conceptualization through construction and start-up," said Wood Group Mustang Executive Vice President John Dalton, Sr.

Griffin joined Wood Group Mustang in 2011 and served most recently as director of operations for the industrial group and formerly as director of project controls & estimating. He previously was with Fluor Corporation serving their manufacturing and life sciences business unit. Griffin holds
a Bachelor of Science in construction science and management from Clemson University.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has acquired Norwegian privately owned Deep Water Solutions AS, specialising in lifting applications utilising electric multi drive technology.

"Customer requirements for environmentally friendly solutions are increasing in offshore load handling applications, such as subsea cranes, module handling and LARS (launch and recovery) systems and having Deep Water Solutions' experts in the MacGregor family we enhance and strengthen our multi-drive (electric) technology know-how to be able better to serve and support our customers", says Tom Harald Svennevig, Vice President for MacGregor Advanced Load Handling business. "The owners and operators are looking for vessels designed for worldwide service with a 'clean design' and Green Passport. Clean Design requires minimum fuel consumption, requires no spill philosophy and makes electrical multi drive technology a preferred choice", Mr Svennevig continues.

Artificial Lift Company has moved its headquarters to Houston from Great Yarmouth, United Kingdom, Artificial Lift President and Chief Executive Officer David Malone announced.

Situated in the Westchase District near the Energy Corridor, the company's offices and warehouse total 28,000 square feet with 40 employees based at the location. While supporting global operations, its headquarters consist of engineering, manufacturing, operations and general support services.

Artificial Lift Company employees recognize the company's first shipment from its new Houston headquarters.

"As clients recognize the huge cost savings and increased production rates achieved with our unique, rigless ESP deployment system, we find it necessary to increase our engineering, operations and manufacturing capabilities," said Malone. "Our new headquarters provides access to a strong supply base, the required technical expertise and the ability to work more closely with our customers in the expansion of this new technology. Artificial Lift has made a large investment in new testing capabilities and manufacturing capacity, and our presence in Houston positions us to address the growing demand for our systems."

A deal has been signed t to establish the oil and gas industry's first comprehensive environmental cleaning, decontamination and disposal service: Ecoserv. The new company is expected to create more than 100 new jobs, many of which will be at the company's Lafayette headquarters and other facilities in the Gulf region.

Ecoserv offers fully integrated, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly specialized cleaning, waste management, and disposal services for the upstream oil and gas industry.

Kenny DesOrmeaux, founder and CEO of OCS, will also serve as CEO for Ecoserv, which will be headquartered in Lafayette, LA and operate out of 14 locations throughout the Gulf Coast and Permian Basin of West Texas. "Ecoserv is founded on technical innovation, safety, and a commitment to both the environment and our industry," DesOrmeaux said. "We're focused on creating ease-of-use and profitability for all of our current and future customers.

"Our employees play a huge role in the innovative solutions we offer our customers and we're very proud of that," DesOrmeaux said.

Ecoserv was formed when Lariat Partners merged Houston-based Newpark Environmental Services, LLC (NES), the region's leader in offshore waste disposal, with Offshore Cleaning Systems, LLC (OCS), the Gulf of Mexico's leader in offshore cleaning services

Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC) has announced the award of a US$75 million three-year subsea construction services contract by ExxonMobil Canada Properties.

The contract supports the Hebron heavy oil field development, located in the Jeanne d'Arc
Basin 350 kilometres southeast of St. John's, Canada.

The contract scope includes the project management, engineering and installation of two Offshore Loading Systems in a water depth of 92 metres. Engineering and project management will begin immediately from Subsea 7's offices in St John's.

Stephen Henley, Managing Director of Subsea 7 Canada, said: "This contract award further enhances our construction capability across offshore Canada, building on the successes of our subsea engineering and construction work for our clients in the region."

Oceaneering International, Inc. (NYSE: OII) announces that Eric A. Silva has joined Oceaneering as Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Mr. Silva's career spans over 30 years, with more than 10 years of information technology services leadership experience, in the chemical, energy, and oil and gas industries. He was most recently the CIO at El Paso Corporation and, prior to that, at LyondellBasell and Lyondell. Mr. Silva holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Texas.

Marvin J. Migura, Executive Vice President, stated, "I am pleased to make this announcement regarding Eric's appointment at a time when Oceaneering is being challenged by our customers to deliver more technology-based services. Eric's experience has prepared him to provide us leadership to improve and expand our information technology capabilities and thereby enhance our global competitiveness. He has a record of accomplishing the strategic alignment of technology and services with corporate goals for maximizing bottom-line results."

Mr. Silva is replacing Gregg K. Farris, who will be retiring at the end of March 2014.

BMT Group Ltd, a leading international design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has announced that Mr Jan Kopernicki (photo) has joined the Board of Directors as a non-executive Director.

Jan has extensive experience in the shipping industry, with his career at Shell spanning over 40 years. As Head of Shipping until his retirement in 2011, his global team was responsible for Shell's portfolio of oil tanker, LPG and LNG vessels and for advising on safety and environmental aspects of shipping. He also served as a member of the Shell Trading Executive Committee and Group Executive Sponsor for shipyard procurement.

He was appointed CMG (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George) in the 2012 New Year's Honours list for his services to the safety and security of the international shipping community, recognising his role as President of the UK Chamber of Shipping, Chairmanship of the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) and contribution to combatting the threat of international piracy.

Jan is a non-executive Director of J & J Denholm Ltd, Nordic Tankers Holding AB, and the UK Chamber of Shipping. A Leicester University graduate and Fellow of the Society of Biology, he has been active in a number of roles, including Chairman of Maritime UK, Co-Chair of the UK Shipping Defence Advisory Committee, Trustee of the Lloyds Register Foundation and a member of the British Airways International Business Advisory Board. He is an Honorary Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve and President of the Shell Pensioners Association.

Commenting upon his appointment, Jan said: "I am very pleased to be joining such an exciting, innovative and international group, rooted as it is in scientific excellence. I look forward to supporting the continued success of the company and its people."

Dr Neil Cross, Chairman of BMT Group, says: "I am delighted to welcome Jan to the BMT Board. His breadth and depth of industry knowledge and experience will be invaluable to the company as we focus on continued growth and development."

Hicks Equity Partners ("HEP"), a private equity firm led by the Thomas O. Hicks family, has announced that its portfolio company, Directional Rentals, Inc., has acquired Reamco, Inc., a company based in Lafayette, La., that manufactures, rents and refurbishes downhole drilling tools and related products used in the drilling industry.

Directional Rentals, Inc., a leading oilfield services company, has also been renamed Drilling Tools International ("DTI") to more accurately reflect the company's mission of renting, manufacturing and selling drilling tools used in bottom hole assemblies to the world's leading oilfield services companies, independent directional drillers and exploration companies, both onshore and offshore.

Reamco specializes in the manufacture and refurbishment of stabilizers, drill collars, reamers and related products and also offers grinding and hardfacing capabilities. Through this strategic acquisition, DTI will expand its machining capabilities and offer even better customer service by shortening turnaround time and improving quality on essential tool repairs. Reamco maintains key certifications from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and is ISO certified.

Reamco's previous owners, Brent Milam and Ashley Lane, have become shareholders in DTI and have joined the company's management team. Milam founded Reamco in 1985 and has served as the company's president since that time. Lane was instrumental in Reamco's founding and returned to the company as chief executive officer (CEO) in 2011 after leading Drilling Logistics, Inc. for several years.

Thomas O. Hicks, chairman and CEO of Hicks Equity Partners, said, "We are delighted by DTI's progress since we acquired the company in 2012. Wayne Prejean and his team have done an outstanding job meeting the needs of a dynamic marketplace and positioning the company for future growth. Likewise, Brent and Ashley have also built an excellent company in Reamco and have cultivated a well-deserved reputation as a leading downhole tool manufacturing company. The combination of these two world class entities creates a more competitive industry participant with expanded capabilities that we expect to drive growth in the international drilling markets."

DTI CEO, Wayne Prejean, added, "The acquisition of Reamco is a 'win-win' that strengthens our strategic position and capabilities through an enhanced ability to aggressively pursue new markets such as deep water drilling. In particular, our customers will benefit as we bring more maintenance and repair operations in-house, allowing us to more efficiently deliver the services they need. We look forward to growing Reamco through key investments in its facilities, equipment and people, which is the true strength of our company."

Milam said, "I am excited to join forces with Wayne Prejean, the DTI team and Hicks Equity Partners. I have dedicated much of my professional career to the development of this company and could not have asked for better partners as we look towards the next phase of our growth.

Lane added, "With the opening of our new sales office in the North Sea and the horsepower and asset base of DTI, I look forward to substantial growth in Europe, West Africa and the Middle East."

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP served as legal counsel to DTI and KPMG provided accounting and tax advice with respect to the transaction.

Bibby Offshore's newest international division, Houston-based Bibby Subsea, has gone from strength to strength since its launch in October last year, having trebled the team in the past four months.

The subsea installation contractor developed the base in North America as part of its continued global growth strategy and to meet the growing demand of its clients in the region. In a bid to further strengthen ties with the region, Aberdeen-based Bibby Offshore last week hosted Houston based HM Consul General, Andrew Millar, the senior official representing the government in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Alongside Aberdeenshire Council Provost Jill Webster, Chief Executive of Subsea UK Neil Gordon, and senior members of Aberdeenshire Council; discussions were held regarding Aberdeenshire's extensive investment into the Subsea Industry and plans to further develop Bibby Offshore's presence in Houston and the Gulf of Mexico.

This expansion plan is already evident with Bibby Subsea having increased its initial Houston team of three to now include Barry Straughan as HSEQ Manager, Daniel Wheeler as Subsea Business Manager, and four offshore personnel. It plans to double the Bibby Subsea workforce by the end of the year.

Mr Straughan brings 37 years' health and safety experience to the team, having previously worked internationally in the subsea industry. Mr Wheeler also complements the team with several years' experience and will provide the team with a wealth of regional expertise and knowledge to develop the company's business opportunities in the Gulf of Mexico.

Andrew Duncan, President and Managing Director of Bibby Subsea, said: "We have received significant interest in the division since its launch, with Bibby Subsea being perfectly positioned to deliver enhanced capabilities and undertake subsea projects using our international fleet of subsea support vessels and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

"Bibby Subsea's preliminary $1million contract with Cal Dive International to mobilise a work-class remotely operated vehicle (WROV) on Cal Dive International's support vessel in Mexico, the Mystic Viking, is ongoing, with talks in place to increase our ROV presence in the region.

"Market demand for subsea services is forecast to grow by 43% over the next five years, and Bibby Subsea is positioning itself as a major player within the ROV market, with an increased level of in-house capabilities which we can offer to clients."

Bibby Subsea aims to deliver a diverse range of subsea construction projects for operators worldwide. Services include project management and engineering, innovative remotely operated vehicle support vessels (ROVSV) and survey capabilities, diverless intervention, advanced remote systems and tooling packages, in-house survey and data processing, subsea construction support services, and inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM).

CGG announces  the creation of two new business lines, GeoSoftware and GeoConsulting, within its Geology, Geophysics & Reservoir (GGR) division:

• GeoSoftware is the worldwide leader in advanced seismic reservoir characterization technology. It brings together CGG's commercial software including Jason, Hampson-Russell and TerraSpark, along with the associated sales, marketing and product services, such as training, product support and product mentoring

• GeoConsulting is a full-spectrum Geological and Geophysical consulting services organization. In addition to CGG's Seismic Reservoir Characterization services supporting its Jason and Hampson-Russell technologies, GeoConsulting offers the company's unique line of Robertson geoscience consulting services and multi-client products including a full range of geological, petroleum engineering and economic disciplines. It also contains NPA Satellite Mapping and all global training services relating to GeoConsulting.

This move consolidates and aligns CGG's expertise in a way that best reflects its customers' needs to help them achieve their E&P goals.

More specifically, through GeoSoftware, CGG will further improve its products and services to provide customers with the best understanding of their reservoirs and deliver unsurpassed expertise and workflows for optimizing decision-making. Through GeoConsulting, the company will further enhance its geological and geophysical multi-client products and reports and expand its high-end consulting services across the E&P value chain.

By bringing together this best-in-class geoscience expertise, this new organization will generate valuable synergies in development roadmaps, technology innovation and multi-client products. CGG will be able to better invest in and expand these key areas of its business, creating new and truly integrated geoscience offerings that draw on the unique knowledge of over 800 CGG professionals working in over 20 key oil and gas centers around the world.

Sophie Zurquiyah, Senior Executive Vice President, Geology, Geophysics & Reservoir (GGR), CGG, said: "Robertson, Jason, Hampson-Russell, TerraSpark and NPA Satellite Mapping are all globally respected brands that underpin CGG's reputation for excellence. Now, by creating a unified software business in GeoSoftware and adding Seismic Reservoir Characterization services to our GeoConsulting business, we have taken the logical next-step in CGG's progression as a fully integrated Geoscience group. Not only does this new organization consolidate and extend our existing businesses, it strengthens CGG's leading position in the high-tech integrated geology & geophysics and reservoir characterization market."

Seatronics Inc., an Acteon company, is moving to a new, purpose-built facility in Houston to expand its rental, sales and service work for customers throughout North and Central America.

The new plant, at 1319 West Sam Houston Parkway North, Suite 150, contains service facilities for cable moulding, connector assembly production and injection polyurethane moulding; along with a state-of-the-art calibration laboratory, an electrical and electronic repair centre and capabilities for gyro calibrations, inertial navigation and Doppler velocity log special services. It will also have an acoustic test tank and a current meter test tank. The facility has 15,000 square feet of floor space, which provides scope for expansion in all departments.

Mark Teles, Seatronics vice president for the U.S., said, “This move is about expanding services and capabilities and establishing a base for increased rental, sales and engineering activities across the Americas. More storage and state-of-the art calibration laboratories, testing bays and cable moulding facilities will mean quicker and more efficient operations, which will benefit existing clients and provide an opportunity for us to broaden our client base. We will be better positioned to take on additional agencies, develop joint ventures and partnerships and promote and support new technologies in new markets.”

David Currie, managing director, Seatronics, said, “Seatronics Inc. has seen exponential business growth across the region and is building on that success. We already have the largest rental fleet of subsea electronics and, I believe, deliver the most professional service of any rental company in the Americas. We offer 24/7 technical support and training on electronic products. This new facility sends a clear message: Seatronics Inc. is growing fast and is ready to move into a larger business arena.”

A grand opening will be held for the new office on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Seatronics will be presented with a DNV plaque to mark the company’s new ISO certification.

Hoover Container Solutions (“Hoover” or the “Company”), has acquired Container Company Ltd. (“Container Company”), a leading supplier of cargo carrying units (“CCUs”) for the offshore oil and gas industry. This acquisition complements Hoover's recent acquisitions of Consult Supply AS and Dolphin Energy Equipment making Hoover one of the largest worldwide suppliers of CCUs.  

Headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland, Container Company designs, supplies and services a full range of standard and custom-built CCUs including chemical tanks, baskets, skips, workshops, mini, half height, closed top and freezer containers. Container Company maintains a wide range of CCU sizes with a large, readily-available inventory to meet its customers’ requirements while offering a full repair, maintenance and certification program. With a strong focus on quality, Container Company conducts final product inspections through its in-house test engineers to ensure all units exceed required safety and industry standards including BS7072, BS EN 12079 and DNV 2.7-1.

“This acquisition enables us to better serve our global customers with expanded facilities, products and services. Hoover now has a meaningful footprint in substantially all major offshore energy hubs around the world including Houston, Texas; Scott, New Iberia and Port Fourchon, La.; Aberdeen, Scotland; Stavanger, Norway; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Perth and Melbourne, Australia; and Macae, Brazil,” said Donald Young, Hoover’s chairman and chief executive officer. “As we continue our international growth plan, it is imperative that we continue to provide quality products, services and solutions to our worldwide customers, and Container Company’s presence and reputation in the Aberdeen market will be a key asset in this expansion program.”  

Andy Drummond, Container Company’s managing director, said, “We believe becoming part of Hoover Group presents Container Company with a great opportunity to work alongside a successful, worldwide organization. This will enable us to provide our clients with a larger product range globally and assist them with products which we previously were unable to supply. The investment that Hoover brings to Container Company enables us to grow the business significantly for the future.”

Niche Products Ltd is pleased to announce that the formal establishment of Niche Produtos do Brasil is now underway. The coming Niche facility will provide in.country manufacturing of subsea control fluids as well as 24 hour technical support for present and future customers.

Mike Mahaney, Vice President at Niche Products LLC stated "We are very pleased to be a player in the most active exploration & production area of the world. The establishment of Niche Produtos do Brasil signifies a major commitment and investment by Niche Products to provide Brazilian customers more choices and value through increased competition and cutting edge field proven technology."

Brad Jeter of Niche Products added "Moving forward we fully anticipate Niche Produtos do Brasil will play a key global role as we support projects both inside and outside of Brazil from this facility. In addition, we are creating skilled job opportunities for Brazilians as we staff and train our manufacturing, laboratory, and support staff personnel."

Niche Products specialize in the offshore industry and have been supplying environmental fluids since the company was founded in 2001. The Pelagic range includes environmental fluids for subsea production control systems, drilling and umbilical storage. Niche currently has manufacturing facilities in Manchester UK, Houston TX and Perth Australia and the new facility in Brazil will ensure customers receive rapid delivery worldwide.

Claxton Engineering Services Ltd, an Acteon company, is launching an online promotion in which participants can win a new iPad Air™. Entrants will be asked to correctly identify three Claxton products or services through multiple choice questions. Anyone who works in the offshore industry is welcome to enter, and the products and terms featured in the questions will be recognisable to those working in jack up drilling, decommissioning and structural asset life extension. The competition will be open for entries until the end of April, 2014. Those wishing to participate can enter at www.claxtonengineering.com/ipad. The winner will be drawn at random from correct entries on 30 April, 2014 and notified via email.

No cash alternative is offered and no purchase is necessary. The competition is not open to Claxton Engineering Services Ltd or Acteon Group Ltd employees or their relatives.

PROMOTION:         Claxton Engineering Services Ltd iPad Air™ competition

CLOSING DATE:    Wednesday, 30 April, 2014

TO ENTER:              Visit www.claxtonengineering.com/ipad

About Claxton Engineering Services Ltd:

Claxton, an Acteon company, is the leading supplier of engineering and services for shallow water, jack up depth markets. The company draws on more than two decades of industry experience to provide services for well systems, structures and pipelines across the lifetime of the field – from pre-drilling to drilling, production and decommissioning. Claxton provides first-class tailored engineering and holds a large “on-call” rental inventory. Claxton’s responsive service, alongside numerous field-proven innovations, has established the company an enviable reputation. For more information, please visit www.claxtonengineering.com.

National private equity firm Lariat Partners has announced the formation of Ecoserv. By merging Houston-based Newpark Environmental Services, LLC (NES), the region's leader in offshore waste disposal, with Offshore Cleaning Systems, LLC (OCS), the Gulf of Mexico's leader in offshore cleaning services, Ecoserv will become a one-of-a-kind, integrated, turnkey environmental cleaning and waste disposal services provider.

Kenny DesOrmeaux, founder and CEO of Abbeville, LA based OCS, will become CEO of Ecoserv, which will be headquartered in Lafayette, LA and operate out of fourteen (14) locations throughout the Gulf Coast and Permian Basin of West Texas. "Ecoserv uses applied science to provide the safest and most environmentally friendly way of managing oilfield refuse. By combining the efforts of these two industry innovators, we have the scale, breadth, and capabilities to offer a streamlined and hyper-compliant waste disposal system," DesOrmeaux said. "We're pioneering a solution that includes EPA-approved processes but takes them a step further."

Lariat Managing Partner Kevin Mitchell says, "With its vertically integrated business model, Ecoserv will create the most compelling value proposition in the upstream oil and gas industry." Mitchell continued, "Lariat's strategy for all of its investments is to enhance value for our customers, and the formation of Ecoserv accomplishes that in every way."

A definitive purchase agreement has been signed for the merger between NES and OCS, with the full deal expected to be executed within thirty (30) days. The formation of Ecoserv is anticipated to create as many as 100 new jobs in Acadiana. "We believe the talented employees and management of both OCS and NES create a truly best-in-class company. We look forward to demonstrating to our customers the service and value of Ecoserv," DesOrmeaux said