McDermott International, Inc. (NYSE: MDR) ("McDermott") and Petrofac Limited ("Petrofac"), an international oil and gas facilities service provider, announces they have formed a strategic marketing alliance to pursue top-tier deepwater subsea, umbilical, riser and flowline ("SURF") projects.

The five-year alliance expects to provide oil and gas companies a competitive, integrated solution across a broad range of complex engineer, procure, construct, install ("EPCI") Subsea projects in deep and ultra-deepwater across the US Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, Brazil, the North Sea, Mediterranean and West Africa.

Petrofac's JSD 6000 new vessel complements McDermott's global fleet as it offers top-tier functionality for a wide range of ultra-deepwater pipelay, subsea lowering and above surface construction work, through its combined J-lay, S-lay and ultra-heavy lift capabilities. (Photo: Business Wire)

Leveraging the complementary capabilities and experience of both companies, the alliance will open up further EPCI opportunities by combining McDermott's specialty SURF fleet, its new Derrick Lay Vessel DLV 2000 and strong subsea fabrication capability with Petrofac's world class JSD 6000 installation vessel. Currently under construction, the JSD 6000 complements McDermott's vessels, offering top-tier functionality for a wide range of ultra-deepwater pipelay, subsea lowering and above surface construction work, through its combined J-lay, S-lay and ultra-heavy lift capabilities.

"The strategic value of this alliance benefits our clients by combining each company's strengths to create a new competitive top-tier market participant," said Scott Cummins, Senior Vice President, Commercial for McDermott. "As a leading offshore and subsea EPCI contractor, McDermott has a demonstrated track record of delivering complex, Subsea projects such as the ongoing INPEX Ichthys Gas Condensate SURF project offshore Australia. We look forward to partnering with Petrofac on projects of this complexity and scale in the deep water environment."
Yves Inbona, Managing Director for Petrofac's Offshore Capital Projects business, said: "We are delighted to be working with McDermott who are natural partners to progress our offshore strategy in the challenging yet ultimately rewarding SURF markets."

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE
The key terms of the Alliance are:
• Territory: U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, West Africa, Brazil, North Sea and Mediterranean.
• Scope: SURF projects above US$200 million
• Duration: Five years (plus follow-on time to deliver secured projects)
• Structure and scope: project scope is anticipated to be split between partners roughly equally, but according to the specifics of a particular opportunity, and governed by separate project agreements.

UTEC, an Acteon company, has announced the successful award of the full survey services contract on the upcoming Technip Moho Nord EPIC project in West Africa. The project, operated by Total E&P Congo, is located approximately 75 kilometers off the coast of the Republic of the Congo, at water depths ranging from 650 to 1,100 meters.

The contract covers all survey services required on multiple vessel assets during the installation of:
• 230 kilometers of rigid pipelines,
• 23 kilometers of flexible pipes,
• 50 kilometers of umbilicals,
• 50 subsea structures as well as various other structures and rigid jumpers.

The offshore campaign will be spread over 2015 and 2016, with the primary installation vessels being the G1200, a rigid pipe S-lay and heavy-lift construction vessel, and the Deep Pioneer, a multi-purpose deep-water vessel. The project will see the installation of a subsea positioning network of more than 100 acoustic transponders allowing positioning of multiple vessels and ROV's, often working simultaneously in the field, covering tasks including pipeline touch down monitoring, subsea asset positioning and jumper metrology.

UTEC will manage the project between its EMEA regional headquarters in Aberdeen and its newly opened branch office in Pointe Noire, working closely with Technip's operating center in Paris.

Kevin McBarron (photo), Director of Business Development EMEA comments "This major contract award confirms Technip's confidence in UTEC's track record on large and complex EPIC projects and follows on from the success on both Jubilee & Jubilee Phase 1A projects in Ghana. It also confirms our strategic commitment to Africa."

Martin O'Carroll, UTEC CEO, adds "This significant project award supports UTEC's team approach to our clients by consistently delivering the highest quality services, safely and effectively. Technip is a valued partner and we look forward to delivering another successful project together."

Wood Group has appointed Michele McNichol to the position of chief executive officer (CEO) for Wood Group Mustang (WG Mustang), effective immediately. Michele succeeds Steve Knowles, who will retire from Wood Group on April 1, 2015.

Michele has more than 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and has been with WG Mustang since 2001. She was previously executive vice president, with direct responsibility for offshore, onshore, oil sands and pipeline operations worldwide. She has served as president of the upstream business unit and regional director for upstream operations across the Americas. Her tenure at WG Mustang includes high-profile industry projects, including serving as WG Mustang's project manager for BP Thunder Horse, the world's largest semi-submersible production facility.

Steve Knowles has led WG Mustang since 2006, focusing on growth and international expansion. As a result, WG Mustang now has operations in 15 countries across five continents.

"Wood Group Mustang has had great success under Steve's watch and we thank him for his strong leadership and commitment to WG Mustang's business and people," stated Bob Keiller, Wood Group CEO. "We look forward to Michele fulfilling the CEO role and bringing her perspectives, experience, leadership and energy to the job at a time when we see many challenges and opportunities ahead."

"I welcome the opportunity to take Wood Group Mustang into its next evolution, focusing on efficiencies and effectiveness to deliver the most competitive, creative solutions for our customers," stated Michele McNichol. "We will remain committed to our people-oriented, project-driven culture, which translates into highly effective teams."

Michele earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University. She is a registered professional engineer in Texas and is a certified Project Management Professional.

C. D. Schempf, Jr., President of Tesla Offshore LLC, a leading offshore survey service provider, has announced the promotion of Matt Keith (photo) to Vice President and Geoscience Manager, and an officer with the company. Schempf stated that, "by promoting a young man of Matt's caliber to a position of leadership serves to illustrate Tesla Offshore's commitment to excellence in all aspects of the interpretation and reporting process."

A native of Pennsylvania, Matt earned a master's degree from Florida State University, where he specialized in underwater archaeology. Matt is experienced in marine remote sensing data acquisition and analysis, and has accrued extensive experience surveying and excavating both submerged and terrestrial archaeological sites in his previous positions as an archaeologist in both the public and private sectors before joining Tesla Offshore in 2004 as a marine archaeologist.

In 2006, Matt was promoted to Geoscience Manager where his responsibilities include directing processing and interpretation of all geophysical data sets, managing preparation of reports addressing seafloor and sub-seafloor conditions, and assisting clients with both geophysical and regulatory expertise. Matt is an active member of a number of professional societies, including the Society of Exploration Geophysicists and The Geologic Society of America, and is a Registered Professional Archaeologist. Matt has written hundreds of reports on behalf of Tesla Offshore's clients that address benthic, shallow hazard and archaeological concerns related to the oil and gas industry infrastructure. He has co-authored federally-funded studies, published peer reviewed articles and book chapters and is the editor of the forthcoming volume, "Site Formation Processes of Submerged Archaeological Sites", from the University Press of Florida. As a Vice President, Matt will continue to manage the Geosciences and related divisions while working to further enhance Tesla Offshore's position as an industry leader and its commitment to expanding its global reach.

Under five-year contract, BP will offer courses next year in a new state-of-the-art Maersk Training facility in Houston

BP will offer advanced training programs for its offshore drilling teams under a new global agreement with Maersk Training, further underscoring BP's commitment to safe and reliable operations.

By 2016, Maersk Training, which currently is working with BP on training in Europe, plans to open a new state-of-the-art facility in Houston that will feature highly interactive simulators replicating nearly every critical job on an offshore drilling rig.

View in to the dome simulator that virtually resembles the drill floor - Courtesy of Maersk Training

BP will use the facility to train integrated offshore drilling teams – comprised of BP employees and contractors -- in what it calls an "immersive simulation environment." The hands-on, scenario-based approach goes well beyond traditional classroom training. It allows teams to practice events and joint procedures together as an integrated unit, rather than as individual contributors.

"These programs are a step forward in the training and development of BP's offshore personnel and of the many contractors who support our global offshore oil and gas operations," said Gary Jones, head of BP's Global Wells Organization. "We hope the entire offshore industry benefits from this important collaboration."

Like similar BP training programs already underway at a Maersk Training facility at Svendborg, Denmark, courses at the Houston facility will incorporate human and organizational factors that frequently are cited as a direct cause or contributing factor to offshore incidents. Course instructors also will be able to assess personnel under intense virtual reality -- and to levels that exceed industry standards.

"BP is taking a holistic and integrated approach to training that will help enhance capabilities across the offshore oil and gas industry," said Claus Bihl, Maersk Training's global chief executive officer. "Thanks to this agreement, many more offshore workers will benefit from valuable instruction and work together to deliver safety as their highest priority, regardless of their company or individual role."

The new Maersk Training facility will be located in north Houston and patterned after the company's offshore simulation complex in Denmark, which opened in 2012. The Houston facility will include simulators for cyber drilling, vessel bridge, cranes and engine room, plus an emergency response room. In addition, Maersk Training will equip the facility for ship-handling operations to serve the maritime training market.

International oil and gas support services company ASCO, has continued its success in the Australian oil and gas market by winning the contract to manage the supply base for BP's upcoming exploration program in the Great Australian Bight.

Commencing in 2016, the exploration program includes four wells within its offshore permits located approximately 300 kilometres southwest of Ceduna, South Australia.

The 24/7 supply base at Flinders Port in Adelaide will be managed by ASCO in partnership with Flinders Logistics, a subsidiary of Flinders Port Holdings.

ASCO Australasia CEO, Matt Thomas, said ASCO was proud to have been awarded this significant contract by one of the world's leading energy companies.

"The Great Australian Bight is a challenging new global frontier in oil and gas exploration and ASCO will bring its significant international experience to support BP's operations," Mr Thomas said.

ASCO is the world's leading oil and gas supply base operator across five continents. ASCO's presence in Australia has increased significantly over the past year, with the opening of the Darwin Marine Supply Base, the acquisition of Bonnie Rock Transport and a major contract win to transport Barrow Island construction waste for Toxfree.

"ASCO's selection to manage the base and all associated logistics is further recognition of our global capability and reinforces our strategic direction in Australasia," Mr Thomas said.

"We are now seen as a valuable and viable alternative to current service providers in the oil and gas, transport and logistics arena."

Mr Thomas said ASCO was committed to supporting South Australian businesses and workforce development.

"We recognise the importance of BP's activities to the South Australian economy and will support local employment and skills development across our operations. We are already in discussion with some of our partners who are looking at establishing South Australian operations to support our activities."

Supply base activity will ramp up from early 2016, employing approximately 25 full-time staff at peak. The base at Flinders Port will provide the full range of stevedoring and materials management services including:

• Loading and off-loading of vessels and trucks
• Ground transportation scheduling and coordination
• Warehouse and yard management
• Port in/out arrangements, visitor orientation
• International Ship and Port Facility Code accredited security
• Bulk storage and tank farm management
• Waste management and recycling/disposal
• Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service compliant wash-down facilities

The facility will have 120m of quayside and more than 20,000sqm of laydown area. It will include a liquids mud plant, light and heavy vehicle parking areas and an administration building with training room capability.

Blaine Thibodeaux has been named President of offshore survey company Fugro Chance Inc. His responsibilities include Fugro's Gulf of Mexico and Arctic offshore operations, including marine positioning, offshore construction and subsea projects, and international services.

Having begun his career with Fugro's IT group in 1996, he joined John Chance Land Surveys (a Fugro company) in 1997. As a Division Manager, he oversaw FLI-MAP®, the airborne corridor mapping system, collecting many thousands of miles of LiDAR data for federal and state agencies and the private sector.

In 2010, Thibodeaux returned to Fugro Chance as Vice President of Marine Operations and assumed the role of Chief Operating Officer in April 2014. He has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and is a graduate of the Fugro Academy Executive/Leadership Development Program in the UK and the LSU Executive Development Program in Baton Rouge, LA. He is also involved in community related activities and serves on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Acadiana, a charitable organization that pools efforts, and identifies and resolves community issues through partnerships to create more opportunities for a better life.

Thibodeaux succeeds Glynn Rhinehart, who will be retiring this year after 19 years with Fugro.

In-house manufacturing capabilities will allow SeaRobotics to broaden its offerings to new markets.

SeaRobotics Corporation is pleased to announce its acquisition of FP Tool Inc., a Stuart, FL-based machine shop. The merging of capabilities will enable SeaRobotics to offer expanded and efficient manufacturing services to the marine robotics, subsea components and theme park markets, filling the need for a high-specification fabrication capability in the Southeast region that can serve a broad range of industries.

"The incorporation of FP Tool's manufacturing capacity completes SeaRobotics' ability to provide our customers a comprehensive product development solution, including product conceptualization, design, fabrication, and testing," commented Don Darling, President of SeaRobotics. "Our clients in a variety of industries will benefit from this 'one stop shop' service that our broadened capabilities will provide."

As a result of incorporating the expertise and capabilities of FP Tool, and the inclusion of an AWS/ASME certified welding program, SeaRobotics will be able to offer in-house solutions for high-specification, close-tolerance machined parts, weldments and assemblies for a variety of industries. SeaRobotics plans to relocate the manufacturing services to its main facility in early 2015 to accommodate the additional personnel, machinery and infrastructure.

"This expansion of the SeaRobotics campus will enable more direct face-to-face interaction between engineering and manufacturing personnel," said Jim Browning, Vice President of Production at SeaRobotics. "We will benefit from each other's experience and knowledge, ultimately creating solutions that will better benefit our clients."

Roger Horn, former President of FP Tool and current Production Manager at SeaRobotics, adds, "Our new partnership with SeaRobotics allows us to extend our capabilities with engineering support and expanded fabrication facilities. We look forward to providing our customers with a broader range of design and manufacturing solutions."

Asset Guardian Solutions Ltd (AGSL), which specializes in protecting companies' process critical software assets, announced that it has secured a deal with an oil and gas supermajor in Perth, Western Australia.

The contract is the third to be awarded to AGSL in Australia during the last two years. This latest contract requires AGSL to provide Asset Guardian, a process software management toolset that protects the integrity of process control software used to operate key oil and gas assets.

In 2012, Woodside Energy implemented Asset Guardian to protect the process control software used to operate the company's production facilities. The following year, INPEX purchased Asset Guardian for its Ichthys LNG Project, a US$34 billion development that aims to develop the gas and condensate field in the Browse Basin offshore Western Australia.

Initially, Asset Guardian software will be used during the commissioning phase of a new LNG development that is nearing completion off the northwest coast of Australia. The specialist software will manage process software configuration changes and all control system hardware associated with the project. It will also provide the plant operator with a secure repository to store software files and associated data.

Customized solution = a perfect fit

A standard feature of Asset Guardian software is the ease with which it can be customized to meet the customer's exact requirements. As a result, the customer benefits from a software-based solution, tailored to suit their specific needs.

Once the project construction phase is completed, the company will continue to use Asset Guardian centralized software repository to store process control software to ensure that backups are always readily available, especially in the event of a software-related production system failure. With the Asset Guardian toolset in place, the operator will be able to resume production quickly, minimizing the negative financial impact of any production downtime.

Providing reliable communications in cyclone-prone regions
The reliability of communication links between onshore and offshore locations cannot always be guaranteed. Because the development is located in the heart of one of Australia's most cyclone-prone regions, communications with the offshore facilities can be unreliable. To ensure that the integrity of all software and data files managed by Asset Guardian is maintained when communication links are disrupted, AGSL is also supplying AGSync software. This specialist software continues to operate during periods of disrupted communication, and seamlessly synchronizes software and data files across multiple locations when links are restored.

Quality training holds key to maximizing return on investment
Quality training is an essential part of the process. It gives users the confidence and the skills to use the Asset Guardian toolset effectively, maximizing the return on the company's investment. AGSL is providing comprehensive classroom-based training at the company's offices in Perth.

""We are delighted that our third major contract in Australia has been awarded by one of the world's largest global operators. It is extremely satisfying that they have committed to using Asset Guardian for this prestigious development. Without a doubt, they are being very forward-thinking, not only in their approach to better managing their process control software, but in taking every precaution to protect the software that will be used to operate this major development," said Sam Mackay, chief executive of AGSL.

The MacArtney Group is pleased to announce the signing of a representative agreement with Okeanus Ltda. to function as the official representative of MacArtney underwater technology products on the Brazilian market. Following similar deals signed with companies Cledirsa (Uruguay) and Alakaluf (Chile), the agreement with Okeanus marks the third South American strengthening of the global MacArtney representative network within the scope of just six months.

Okeanus
Founded by marine scientist Laura Azevedo and her father in 2007, Okeanus is a technical consulting company offering products, services and sales representation in the field of oceanography, hydrology, meteorology and environmental monitoring. The Okeanus HQ is located on the Copacabana in in Rio de Janeiro where day-to-day operations are overseen by Sales Manager, Carolina Azevedo.

Supported by good office, warehouse and tooling facilities, Okeanus is able to provide installation, maintenance and technical support for all products and services offered. Beyond representing MacArtney, Okeanus also supports the offerings of other renowned industry operators such as Sequoia and WET Labs.

A win-win partnership
The story of MacArtney and Okeanus joining forces on the Brazilian market is also the story of meaningful strategic focus, vast potential and mutual benefits.

First of all, Okeanus will gain access to the entire portfolio of MacArtney products and systems, from subsea connectors and cables, through underwater telemetry and cameras to marine winch and handling systems. This marks a significant strengthening of the company's ability to quote large scale projects and provide integrated solutions. According to Laura Azevedo "the MacArtney range of solutions is a perfect match for as well our customers as our market". The optimism is shared by MacArtney Sales and Marketing Director, Marco MacArtney, who states that "Okeanus is already very successful in selling sensors and instruments to Brazilian offshore energy and ocean science clients - also the company is very visible and active when it comes to local industry events. I am confident that these tendencies will pick up even further pace through the partnership with MacArtney."

Connecting to subsea potential
As further testimony to the good reputation that Okeanus enjoys with the Brazilian oil and gas industry, the company holds a status as 'registered supplier' with Petronect (Petrobras pre-approved supplier). Within this context, MacArtney is keen to promote its diverse range of high quality offerings to this high-potential market, hereunder the TrustLink and TrustLink API ranges of subsea connectivity solutions for use in harsh and strictly regulated applications and environments.

SEACOR Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CKH) (the "Company" or "SEACOR") announced that Oivind Lorentzen stepped down as Chief Executive Officer, but will continue as a director and non-executive Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. Charles Fabrikant, Executive Chairman, assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer. In addition, the Company appointed John Gellert and Eric Fabrikant as co-Chief Operating Officers. Mr. Gellert will oversee Offshore Marine Services and Mr. Eric Fabrikant will oversee Transportation Services, Witt O'Brien's and CLEANCOR Energy Solutions.

Matthew Cenac, Chief Financial Officer, and Paul Robinson, Chief Legal Officer, have been elevated to the position of Executive Vice President. Bruce Weins, formerly Controller, has been appointed Chief Accounting Officer and Senior Vice President.

Mr. Charles Fabrikant stated, "Elevating John and Eric to co-Chief Operating Officers reflects the evolution of our organization. John has been overseeing the day-to-day operations and capital commitments of our offshore business where he manages the process of funding projects, managing joint ventures, and handling investor relations. Eric has similar responsibilities for transportation services, which embraces tanker operations, harbor towing, Caribbean liner service and inland marine, which includes an oil storage terminal and investments in grain elevators." Mr. Charles Fabrikant added, "I would like to acknowledge Oivind's outstanding contribution to the Company and I am extremely pleased he will continue as Vice Chairman."

Mr. Lorentzen stated, "I enjoyed working closely with Charles, John and Eric, and am confident that the Company will have continued growth and success under their leadership. As Vice Chairman I am looking forward to an active role in helping the Company with its strategy and growth."

Aberdeen based, Hydro Group Plc, a global designer and manufacturer of underwater cables and connectors for subsea, underwater, topside and onshore applications unveiled new machinery and subsea cabling capabilities at the Subsea Expo in Aberdeen this month.

As the only company in Scotland with this bespoke subsea cabling offering, which enables Hydro Group to offer cable products that will improve and support subsea operations, showcasing these capabilities at the largest annual subsea event in Europe, provides the ideal platform to launch this new offering to the market.

Graham Wilkie, Sales Director at Hydro Group said: "Having recently invested a six-figure sum on new state-of-the-art multi-layered steel armoured cabling machinery, it was important to identify the right opportunity to showcase this significant addition to our current capabilities and how this can enhance the quality of work we produce.

"The Subsea Expo has grown significantly in recent years, and as an Aberdeen headquartered company that continues to develop products from prototype concept through to design and manufacture in Scotland, the show represents a good opportunity to bring these new capabilities to a large target audience."

Expanding the product offering and capabilities has also meant the creation of new jobs for Hydro Group. Staff numbers at the firms Aberdeen base have risen to over 100 for the first time and projected turnover for 2015 is predicted to rise by 12%, thanks to increased development of new and existing markets.

Continuing Mr Wilkie said, "Having recently secured more than £2million worth of subsea contracts, thanks to existing and new capabilities, we will use the Subsea Expo as an opportunity to build on this success and demonstrate our extended product offering that includes hose bundle assemblies, dynamic HV cable, vectran braiding and steel wire armouring for high strain applications for all electrical and fibre optic subsea applications."

Hydro Group is at the forefront in the development and innovation of subsea product technologies, with involvement from prototype concept through to design, manufacture and project management. Hydro Group manufacture the complete package including FAT at its state-of-the-art facilities in Aberdeen, Scotland; umbilical cables, electrical and optical connection systems / assemblies for data, power and signal transmission. The company's customer base include all blue chip and major operators and contractors in both domestic and international subsea markets.

New Industries, Inc., a Morgan City, La.-based fabricator of subsea hardware, is pleased to announce that President Bill New and the business development team will attend the annual Subsea Tieback Forum & Exhibition (SSTB) as exhibitors. SSTB will be held the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans from March 3-5 2015.

As the largest global exhibition for the subsea engineering industry, SSTB attracts industry professionals, companies and regulators for three days of information exchange, networking and business development that has become crucial to improving all facets of the evolving industry.

New Industries, a first-time SSTB exhibitor, will be located in booth 1604, near the southeast corner of the convention center. New will be available for meetings throughout the duration of SSTB.

"We are looking forward to visiting with our existing customers and the opportunity to introduce ourselves, our products and our services to new customers," said New.

Attendees who wish to arrange a meeting or learn more about New Industries' capabilities are encouraged to call 985-385-6789 or visit www.newindustries.com.

Building on the previous award by Total E&P UK of the contract for the Edradour Subsea Development, located approximately 75 km North West of Shetlands in the UK waters, Technip has been awarded an additional scope for the parallel development of the Glenlivet field located nearby.

The Glenlivet specific scope includes:
fabrication and installation of 12" production pipeline and 6" MEG(1) pipeline complete with a 2" piggy backed service line,
supply and installation of steel tube umbilical, manufactured at Technip Umbilicals facility in Newcastle, UK,
supply and installation of flexible tails from Flexi France, the Group's manufacturing plant in Le Trait, France,
fabrication and installation of pipeline end manifold, flowline end terminations, flexible tails and rigid well tie-in spools, as well as the installation of CPI(2) templates and manifolds, rock dumping and pre-commissioning.

The Group will leverage its unique vertical position in the subsea business:
Technip's operating center in Oslo, Norway, will execute the project in full synergy with the previously awarded Edradour project.
Vessels from the Group fleet will perform the installation in the summer seasons of 2016 and 2017.
The pipelines will be fabricated at Technip's spool base at Evanton, UK, and installed by Technip's vessel Deep Energy.
Umbilicals will be manufactured at the new Technip umbilicals facility in Newcastle, UK.

Knut Boe, President North Sea Canada, stated: "It is very good to see the benefits of the synergies between these two projects being realized by Total's award of this extra scope to Technip."

(1)MEG: Mono-ethylene glycol, used to control hydrate formation in production fluids.
(2)CPI: Company Provided Item

Express Energy Services ("Express" or the "Company"), a leading oilfield services company, announced the appointment of oil and gas industry veteran Mark Reese (photo), a former National Oilwell Varco (NOV) executive, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of ES Platform Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Express.

"I am proud to welcome such an experienced industry professional as Mark Reese as the Chairman," said Darron Anderson, chief executive officer, Express Energy Services. "His leadership and wealth of oil and gas industry knowledge will be beneficial to Express as we strengthen and grow our operations."

Mr. Reese spent more than 30 years at NOV before retiring from the company as President - Rig Technology. He held a variety of executive positions in oil and gas operations and maintenance while at NOV, including President of Mission Products Group and President of Expendable Products.

"I'm impressed with Express' culture of excellence, track record of operational success and strong commitment to training and safety, and I'm excited to offer an additional perspective on most effectively leveraging these strengths," said Reese. "I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and management team to enhance and extend the Company's value proposition."

Event seeks out solutions to drive down costs and increase efficiency

Leading oil and gas industry figures will give their views on the growing importance of technology in helping the sector tackle cost and efficiency challenges in a difficult business environment at the Technology Showcase in Aberdeen on March 4.

The conference, organized by the Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) in partnership with Oil & Gas UK, will take place at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre and aims to highlight the emerging technologies needed to improve production efficiency and curb rising operating costs in the UK Continental Shelf. The exhibition will showcase latest innovations from companies, universities and technology institutes across the UK.

The opening session will include presentations from Paul Warwick, executive vice president Europe Atlantic for Talisman Energy and Philippe Guys, managing director of Total E&P UK.

In his role as chair of the UK Technology Leadership Board, Mr. Warwick will present on evolving technology priorities for the North Sea industry. He said: "Our industry faces many challenges operating in the mature environment of the UKCS and beyond. This creates opportunities for us to develop and deploy new and existing technologies to deliver greater capital efficiency, improved safety and reliability, and operational excellence.

"To be successful, we will require renewed creativity, ingenuity and innovation and focus on how we recognize and apply new and emerging technologies. This change in approach will help to attract the next generation of technical graduates and apprentices."

Mr. Guys will speak about Total's technology roadmap and its support of the UK Technology Leadership board. He said: "Total takes a long term view when it comes to technology and we are looking to a future where innovation and the adoption of new technology will play an ever more vital role. Total has built on its many years of experience in the North Sea and also made use of the research and development work our company has generated across the world."

Other organizations set to present at the event include GE Oil & Gas, BP, Shell, Chevron and Baker Hughes. The event is also being supported by the Department of Energy & Climate Change and the Department for Business Innovation & Skills.

The four focus areas are:

• Drilling Efficiency, Well Intervention and Abandonment
• Efficient Water Injection, Handling and Processing
• Better Imaging, Targeting & Recovering our Reserves
• Digital Monitoring, Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Dr. Patrick O'Brien, CEO of ITF (photo) said: "There is no doubt of the vital role that technology will play in maximizing reserves and creating cost efficiencies in a low barrel price decline. The Technology Showcase aims to bring to life some of the areas where innovation can make the most dramatic difference from drilling more efficiently to supporting better imaging to target recovery. It's the ideal platform for pin-pointing practical solutions and collaborating to address the ongoing cost pressure challenges."

Oonagh Werngren, operations director at Oil & Gas UK, said: "The industry is operating in a difficult business environment which means that we must accelerate the development of innovative technology specifically to ensure the long-term future of the UKCS. Technologies need to be wide-ranging but deliver greater levels of efficiency and reduced cost. The advantage of the Technology Showcase is that it allows the technology research and development community to more accurately understand operators' technology needs while industry gains a deeper insight into cutting-edge innovations which could contribute to a productive life of the North Sea beyond 2050."

The conference program includes interactive sessions in which operating companies and developers will highlight specific technology needs and solutions for discussion. Alongside the conference program, technology companies and academics will give 'Tech Talks' within the exhibition arena.