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.

Bibby Offshore, a leading provider of subsea installation and services, continues its global success with the announcement that its Singapore division, Bibby Offshore Singapore (BOS), has secured a contract with subsea service provider Seascape.

Singaporean company Seascape, a subsidiary of Mermaid Subsea Services, has appointed BOS to provide ROV services for its DP2 dive support vessel (DSV), the Windermere.

Launch of Bibby Offshore owned ATOM work class ROV

The 365 day contract, which commenced on 5 January 2015, involved the vessel being mobilized with a Bibby Offshore owned ATOM work class ROV. Designed with ease of operation and maintenance in mind, the 100HP, 3000m-rated, SMD ultra-compact work class ROV is suitable for drill support, survey and construction duties, and can be mobilized on vessels and rigs with limited deck space.

Malcolm Rennie, General Manager at Bibby Offshore Singapore said: "This contract win with Seascape is further evidence of the continued demand for BOS's services as a leading supplier of specialist ROV equipment, and experienced personnel. This announcement marks a positive start to the year for the division and underpins our commitment to providing a first class service to clients in the region.

"With the continued support of Bibby Offshore, the team in Singapore strives to deliver competitive services to the Asia Pacific region and India, and to be a partner of choice for leading companies in the region."

Bibby Offshore has enjoyed steady growth since 2003 and now employs more than 1,450 people onshore and offshore worldwide, with offices in Aberdeen, Liverpool, Newcastle, Singapore, Trinidad, Houston, and Norway. The company has an international fleet of seven subsea support vessels and 17 ROVs, and will continue to add to its fleet to meet demand.

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: APC) announces the election of Mark C. McKinley to serve as an independent director of the company, effective Feb. 11, 2015. McKinley also was appointed a member of the Board's Audit Committee.
"Mark's entrepreneurial, operational and business achievements during his long history in domestic and international oil and natural gas development bring valuable perspective to the Anadarko Board of Directors," said Anadarko Chairman, President and CEO Al Walker. "We are fortunate to have Mark join our Board."

MARK C. McKINLEY 
McKinley, 58, has served as Managing Partner of MK Resources LLC, a private oil and gas development company specializing in the recovery and production of crude oil and the development of unconventional resource projects, for more than ten years. Since October 2007 he has served as a director of Buckeye GP, LLC, the general partner of Buckeye Partners, L.P., a publicly traded midstream master limited partnership. He also is the founder and President of Labrador Oil Company, a private oil and natural gas exploration and development firm. Mr. McKinley currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the Merrymac McKinley Foundation and the Tip of the Spear Foundation.

BOARD RETIREMENT 
Anadarko also announced that Charles W. "Chip" Goodyear will retire at the close of Anadarko's annual stockholder meeting in May. "We are grateful for Chip's contributions to the Board and service to Anadarko's stakeholders," said Walker. "We wish Chip the very best in his future endeavors."

The revolutionary website and GeoPortal are meant to encourage robust and expanded public engagement through innovative processes and pathways.

CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. (CSA) has successfully assisted the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in the development of a public engagement website and online GeoPortal associated with the preparation of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (www.BOEMoceaninfo.com). BOEM's vision for the Programmatic EIS scoping process is to engage a wide range of stakeholders and promote a dynamic stakeholder interaction that will comprehensively capture relevant and diverse input as it relates to local expertise and perspectives. The primary website provides access to information regarding the public involvement process, Programmatic EIS education, GeoPortal access, and best practices for formulating comments.

CSA, in association with Kearns & West, supported BOEM in the development of an improved method for collecting useful scoping comments to inform the Programmatic EIS process. Users of the website and GeoPortal are encouraged to provide comments that are specific, geographically-focused, concise, and supported by scientific evidence or sound reasoning. Stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the process by submitting comments online, creating maps on the GeoPortal site to support their comments, or uploading relevant geospatial datasets. Utilizing new web development toolsets, BOEM will be able to capture a broader, national range of stakeholder feedback while funneling comments and suggestions through an evaluation process aimed at collecting those most relevant to the scoping of the Programmatic EIS.

Understanding the need for insightful visualizations, BOEM commissioned CSA to design, develop, and construct a GeoPortal built around spatial data focused on the conditions and features of the OCS within the areas under possible consideration of potential new leases in Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico, and Mid- and South Atlantic. Stakeholders will be able to investigate areas being considered, identify data gaps, create maps to submit with comments, and enhance their knowledge of resources that may be affected. The GeoPortal provides a variety of data sets that range from bathymetry contours and commercial fishing areas to critical habitats for protected species and managed areas. Interactive features such as drawing, measurement, and identification tools allow users to create customized maps to support their comments or suggestions.

Poojan Tripathi, BOEM's Project Manager, said, "Both the public engagement website and GeoPortal will be extremely useful tools in presenting relevant and up-to-date information to stakeholders in the decision-making process and ensuring that the comments we receive directly inform the NEPA analysis we are presently embarking upon. We hope this innovative approach will set a new standard for the Bureau in engaging stakeholders in a meaningful and substantive way."

CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. specializes in consulting services for Federal, State, and private industry clients in multidisciplinary projects, integrating science and technology to evaluate environmental activities throughout the world. CSA offers a wide variety of services related to environmental management and community planning to support clients working in marine, estuarine, wetland, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats throughout the United States and overseas.

HB Rentals, a Superior Energy Services (NYSE: SPN) company specializing in onsite accommodation services, announces the installation of an end-to-end package for BHP Billiton, consisting of offshore accommodation modules and operating essentials for water, sewage, power and lighting.

The BHP Billiton project is in the Angostura Field, offshore Trinidad and Tobago. The installation is on the fixed platform Kairi 2 and supports a workforce of 72 personnel. HB installed its fiberglass stackable modules, consisting of a total of eight sleeper and general purpose buildings. The temporary living-quarter complex required local HB engineering design support to ensure the complex did not violate the structural integrity of the platform and to custom design platforms and stairs for ease of access.

HB's Trinidad-based project management team planned for the volumetric sizing and installation of the operating essentials necessary for daily onsite living and working, including fresh water supply, sewage management, power generation supply and lighting, as a comprehensive end-to-end package.

"HB Trinidad was able to provide all the essentials for this temporary living-quarter installation," said Jude Primeaux, business unit director of Latin / South America Operations. "Because BHP came to us for an end-to-end solution, we were able to streamline the installation process to fit a tight 14-day delivery window. Our product availability in Trinidad was a strong factor in delivering on this temporary project and helping BHP stay on schedule."

"Our ability to quickly respond with available product, engineering and project management support, and a comprehensive package were deciding factors in our being awarded this project," said Jason Cox, business development representative, Trinidad and Tobago. "Our goal with BHP was to help them stay on schedule to minimize the risk of unplanned downtime and associated productivity loss."

HB Rentals has been active in the Trinidad and Tobago market for 15 years and has supported up to 500 personnel on board (POB) at various times. Its accommodation fleet based in Claxon Bay, Trinidad, provides beds, galleys, diners, laundries, offices, recreation rooms and offshore service modules across its Fiberglass, ABS / USCG A60 Certified and DNV A60 Certified product lines.

Intertek, a leading quality solutions provider to industries worldwide, has invested £1.2m expanding its center of excellence for corrosion testing services to meet growing demand for asset life extension solutions in the oil and gas industry.

The expansion, which has been driven by major new contract awards worth around £1m, takes the total investment in the Manchester, UK, site to over £5m since it first opened in 2008.

Originally consisting of two units with a total size of 10,000 sq ft, the facility has been extended twice to meet rapidly growing demand for corrosion testing services, primarily from the oil and gas industry. Now covering 27,000 sq ft, it is one of the world's largest independent laboratories dedicated to corrosion testing.

Graeme Dicken, Business Manager for Testing at Intertek Production and Integrity Assurance, said, "We believe that our newly expanded facility is the largest of its kind in the world. The additional space will ensure that we can meet the increasing demand from clients to tackle the problems they are facing with respect to the use of materials and chemicals in extreme environments.

"Following the site expansion, we have large-scale bespoke test rigs to simulate specific environments and issues, providing clients with accurate data and solutions. The upgrade recently enabled us to conduct a pilot plant-scale flow loop and full pipe section subsea simulation studies. We have a proven track record of developing test methodologies and constructing novel equipment, which then become industry standard approaches."
The site provides specialist laboratories for sour service, high pressure/high temperature, coatings and non-metallics, chemical treatment testing and particularly corrosion fatigue studies. In addition, the facility has been granted accreditation for two tests under the UKAS ISO 17025:2005 standard - a vital requirement for clients seeking sour service testing.

Corrosion is well reported to cost the oil and gas industry $1.4bn (£896m) annually, with subsea, topsides and onshore equipment all vulnerable. Vital assets are increasingly expected to operate beyond their projected lifecycles, driving a rise in demand for the corrosion testing services that Production and Integrity Assurance offers.

Jim Palmer, Director of Intertek Production and Integrity Assurance, said: "With almost 40 years' experience in advanced corrosion testing, technology development and research, our business is uniquely positioned to provide pan-industry advanced corrosion testing services. Our Manchester site employs 65 corrosion and materials specialists, offering a multidisciplinary resource at one location, supported by a team of internationally renowned experts."

2H Offshore, an Acteon company, has appointed Phil Ward as a director in its Aberdeen office. This new role reflects Ward's experience, knowledge and commitment to 2H, and is a promotion from his current role as principal engineer. Ward will work alongside the existing management team to jointly lead the company's growing Aberdeen business.

Ward holds a master's degree in engineering from the University of Cambridge. He is also a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Having worked for 2H Offshore in its Aberdeen office for more than four years, he offers extensive understanding of drilling, completion and intervention riser systems, both for subsea well and fixed platform operations, and in-depth knowledge of wellhead fatigue assessment, mitigation and structural monitoring.

Ward said, "2H's Aberdeen office has exhibited impressive growth over the past few years, and I look forward to further strengthening our share of the local market for riser and conductor engineering. My main focus will be on enhancing the support we give to our clients on their new drill developments, and maximising the potential of their existing infrastructure."

The state-of-the-art facility is scheduled for completion in late 2015.

Seanic Ocean Systems Inc. is pleased to announce that construction of a new, state-of-the-art facility will soon be underway in west Houston. The company's relocation and expansion, a result of evolving customer needs and expectations, will provide extensive space for manufacturing of subsea hardware and tooling, equipment storage and client collaboration. The new campus, slated for occupancy in late summer, will also be home to a state-of-the-art in-ground test tank large enough for on-site System Integration testing of ROV tooling and other related hardware.

Located on 10.5 acres, Seanic's new facility will include a 55,000 square-foot shop and operations building, 18,000 square feet of which will be dedicated to manufacturing, testing and assembly. An additional 6,000 square-foot area devoted to welding operations will enhance Seanic's ability to design and build custom subsea hardware for seamless interface with its line of tooling and equipment.

The building will also include 18,000 square feet of indoor storage space that will allow clients to store and maintain their own equipment, whether purchased from Seanic or elsewhere. A detailed inventory and maintenance program, already in place at Seanic's current facility, will ensure that stored equipment is both operational and available when needed. A large outdoor storage area will also be available for on-site storage of larger equipment.

Taking place within Seanic's testing and assembly space, Factory Acceptance Testing and System Integration Testing will provide clients with the assurance that their purchase meets all required specifications and will function properly upon deployment. The pinnacle of Seanic's testing facility, a 50' x 50' x 30' in-ground wet test tank, will enable on-site testing of Intervention Tooling and system integration of subsea hardware. The tank will be outfitted with multiple underwater cameras and allow for real-time performance monitoring.

"Seanic has continued to grow since its inception in 2007, and the capabilities of this new facility will allow Seanic to expand upon the products and services that our customers have come to expect from us," commented Tom Ayars, President of Seanic. "An easily accessible test tank of this size is long overdue in the Gulf Coast region. Houston is the hub for creating new deep water concepts and this tank will allow us to efficiently develop and test new systems and applications in a state-of-the-art, convenient and user-friendly facility."

Seanic Ocean Systems, headquartered in Houston, Texas, engineers and manufactures customized ROV subsea hardware and tooling products. A team of highly specialized engineers and staff bring decades of experience in the subsea industry and can help create a hardware or tooling package to suit any project needs, incorporating custom engineered solutions as well as standard lines of industry products. From initial concept development to the final factory acceptance test, Seanic Ocean Systems engineers and delivers quality that lasts.

Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC: the Company) has announced it has been awarded a contract by Woodside Energy Ltd for the Persephone Work Pack 2 Fabrication, Subsea Installation and Diving Services project, offshore Australia.

The Persephone Project consists of two wells tied into a subsea production manifold with production fluids transported to the existing North Rankin Complex (NRC). The contract comprises fabrication, transportation, installation and pre-commissioning activities within the principal scope of work, with additional deconstruction and pipeline suspension work in the Echo Yodel Field at the Goodwyn AlphaPlatform.

The Company's diving construction vessel Seven Eagle will perform all of the offshore activities. Project management and engineering will commence immediately from the Company's office in Perth,Australia, with offshore operations scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Andy Woolgar, Vice President, Australia & New Zealand, said: "We are very pleased to receive this important award from Woodside Energy Ltd. We believe it is a strong reflection of our long, successful and collaborative relationship with Woodside."

Ashtead Technology has secured a new contract with FUGRO to be a preferred supplier of subsea rental equipment and associated services to all its operating companies around the world.

The award comes as the Aberdeen head-quartered business, which is the only global, independent provider of subsea electronic and survey equipment rental, sales and services, launched its 30th anniversary celebrations at Subsea Expo marking three decades of subsea technical excellence.

In the new two year agreement, Ashtead Technology will rent subsea equipment, including underwater positioning, subsea inspection, ROV survey sensors and tooling, metocean, hydrographic and geophysical and camera and video equipment, to FUGRO companies world-wide.

Photo:, Allan Pirie, chief executive and Tim Sheehan, commercial director of Ashtead Technology outside Ashtead's Aberdeen HQ

Tim Sheehan, commercial director of Ashtead Technology, said: "This is a strategically important contract win for us and we are totally focused on delivering real value and efficiencies to FUGRO by meeting all their requirements for subsea equipment across their global operations. We believe this contract award is a result of our service delivery to Fugro over the last two years coupled with major investment in our rental fleet which guarantees our customers can access the latest and most in-demand technology on the market."

Ashtead Technology, which made its biggest single annual investment of £10million in its fleet last year, is committed to further investment in the coming years.

"FUGRO is a major account for us and we will be working hard to build on existing relationships with all its operating companies from Aberdeen to Bergen, Cairo to Abu Dhabi, Singapore to Perth Australia and from Rio to Houston," added Mr. Sheehan.

Formed in 1985 as a subsea equipment rental company, Ashtead Technology has grown to become a market leader in providing integrated subsea technology solutions to customers around the globe.

The company has marked three decades in business with a clear strategy for the future to further increase its range of services. Through the delivery of enhanced technical support services, increasing the capabilities of its teams across the business and investing in the latest technology to build the largest and most modern rental fleet in the subsea sector, Ashtead Technology is well on-track to achieving its ambitions and is committed to further improving and growing its range of value-added services which now include the supply of offshore personnel, equipment sales, complete asset management, calibration, repair and maintenance, custom engineering, cable molding and training through the recently launched Ashtead Academy

Mr. Sheehan said: "With recent strong growth, significant investment in our rental fleet, a number ofexclusive product sales agreements secured with world-leading manufacturers and a brand new, industry-first training academy, we have entered our 30th year in a robust position.

"Since the eighties, the subsea sector has evolved to become a recognized stand-alone industry that has been growing globally at a phenomenal rate. With the recent decline in oil price, 2015 is set to be a challenging year but innovation and technology will be key to driving efficiency and Ashtead is ideally placed to work hand-in-hand with our customers to explore and then deliver the best and most efficient solutions for their specific needs."

InterMoor, an Acteon company, has announced that Cohen Guidry has been appointed regional manager, West Africa. This is InterMoor's lead West Africa management role, and Guidry will report to Tom Fulton, InterMoor's global president.

Fulton said, "Cohen's dedication, initiative and knowledge of the West Africa region will support our further business development in an important growth region for InterMoor and for the industry."

InterMoor has been working in West Africa for more than 10 years with bases in Luanda and Malongo in Angola. Last year, InterMoor formed a joint venture agreement with Century Energy Services Ltd in Nigeria to ensure an effective local engagement with the Nigerian oil and gas market. The company also has extensive experience with rig moves and mooring campaigns in Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

Guidry joined InterMoor in 2006 as HSE manager and has more than 20 years of experience in the offshore oil and gas industry, in quality, health, safety and security roles. He served as InterMoor's West Africa operations manager and grew the business in Nigeria, Ghana and Angola, as well as coordinating mobile offshore drilling units (MODU) for mooring systems installations. Guidry served in the U.S. Army from 1988 to 1992 and is a Desert Storm veteran. He graduated from Nicholls State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business in 1996. Guidry is a certified lead auditor. He will be based at InterMoor's offices in Morgan City, Louisiana.

BG Group has signed a global alliance with KBR enhancing the company's capacity to deliver commercially attractive oil and gas projects around the world.

The single-partner alliance, which has been signed for six years initially with options to extend to up to 10 years, will involve KBR's experienced engineers and specialists providing technical support, services (in both the pre-FEED and FEED stages), and project management expertise across BG Group's global upstream portfolio.

Under the agreement, KBR will provide a flexible resource that can be scaled to match the specific requirements of each project. In a lower oil price environment this is an important aspect of the alliance which enables BG Group to help minimize its fixed costs whilst retaining access to high value technical expertise and support.

BG Group operates in more than 20 countries and is pursuing material opportunities and projects in Brazil, Australia, Tanzania and USA.

Sami Iskander, BG Group, Chief Operating Officer commented:

"We are pleased to announce our upstream alliance with KBR, which represents a significant evolution in the way we work with contractors. We will be taking a more integrated and collaborative approach in which we can fully capitalize on the high caliber of people and the knowledge that our partner KBR can bring to our business.

"The alliance will provide us with access to dedicated and proven third-party expertise and resources that can be tailored to specific projects. Importantly, it will focus on enhancing BG Group's productivity and agility as we develop projects that will deliver the next phase of the company's growth."

Stuart Bradie, KBR President and Chief Executive Officer commented "We are excited about this opportunity to continue our relationship with BG Group while continuing to demonstrate our track record of safety, quality personnel and experience in the upstream market sector".

Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) (SIX: RIGN) has announced that Steven Newman and the Board of Directors have mutually agreed that he will step down as President and Chief Executive Officer effective February 16, 2015. Additionally, Mr. Newman has elected to resign as a Director of Transocean Ltd. Until a permanent replacement is named, Ian Strachan, Chairman of the Board of Transocean Ltd., will also serve the company in the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer.

"As Chief Executive, Steven has capably guided Transocean over the last five years, demonstrating outstanding leadership through what was unquestionably the most challenging period in its history," remarked Mr. Strachan. "In addition to leading Transocean through company- and industry-changing events following the Macondo well incident, Steven initiated essential changes that have and will continue to improve the company's fleet, operations, cost structure and long-term competitiveness," Mr. Strachan said. "As a result, Transocean is well positioned to weather the current industry downturn and emerge even stronger. On behalf of the Board of Directors, and all Transocean employees, I would like to thank Steven for his dedicated service to the company and wish him all the best in his future endeavors."

Mr. Strachan has served as a Director of the company since 1999 and as Chairman of the Board since May 2013. His extensive experience includes serving as Chairman of the Board of Instinet Group Incorporated and as a director of several companies, including Xstrata plc; Rolls Royce Group plc; Reuters plc; and Johnson Matthey plc. Mr. Strachan began his career with Exxon Corporation, where he spent 16 years. He went on to serve as Rio Tinto plc's Chief Financial Officer for four years and ultimately the company's Deputy Chief Executive Officer from 1991 to 1995. He then served as Chief Executive Officer of BTR plc for three years beginning in 1996. Mr. Strachan received his BA in 1965 from Cambridge University, and his Master of Public Affairs in 1967 from the Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, and was a teaching fellow at Harvard University from 1969 to 1970.

Global-leading energy services firm Proserv has won a much coveted industry award in recognition of its outstanding achievements after being named Company of the Year at the 2015 Subsea UK Awards last night (11 February).

Over the past year, Proserv has marked a number of key milestones including winning a series of high-profile contract awards globally, expanding its manufacturing facilities and capabilities and launching several new game-changing subsea technologies. Proserv also secured a major acquisition deal to help ensure its future sustainable growth and success.

Proserv engineer John Stoddard, who joined the company as a graduate just three years ago, also came under the spotlight at the Subsea UK Awards as a finalist in the Young Emerging Talent category.

David Lamont, Proserv's chief executive officer,(photo) said: "It is a real privilege to win this award particularly during what has been a very challenging time for the industry. Against this backdrop, we have continued to evolve through a robust business strategy focused upon building on our market-leading position, track record and delivery of world-class products and services.

"It is also with great pride to see someone from our dedicated engineering team hailed as talent of the future. John's recognition is very well deserved and highlights the importance we place on developing our people and encouraging the next generation into the energy industry.

"At Proserv we work as a team and I see these awards as recognition of the hard work of everyone throughout the company in building our business to where we are today."

The Subsea UK accolade is one in a series of awards that Proserv has won in recent months. Promising young employees, Marnie Toal, of Sauchen, Aberdeenshire, won the Oil & Gas UK Award for Apprentice of the Year while John Stoddard, of Peterculter, Aberdeen, also made the Graduate of the Year final shortlist at the awards.

Proserv also scooped Business of the Year and Great Engineering & Manufacturing Company of the Year at Great Yarmouth's Spirit of Enterprise Awards 2014. The company's subsea controls center of excellence is based in Great Yarmouth, UK. Last year, the team completed and released game-changing technology for subsea control and monitoring communications (Artemis 2G), reinforcing Proserv's rapidly-expanding subsea capabilities and world-class engineering expertise.

In addition to the large scale contract wins during 2014 with operators including Hess Corporation, Noble Energy and Talos Energy, Proserv signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by major US private equity investor Riverstone Holdings LLC in December 2014. Proserv will continue to operate as an independent company under the terms of the deal as it embarks on its next phase of growth.

Proserv, which operates worldwide through 29 operating centers based in 11 countries, has a 40-year track record in delivering world-class solutions for the energy industry, particularly in the drilling, production and subsea market sectors.

GAC UK is sharpening its commercial and operational focus on the oil and gas sector with the appointment of two managers to serve clients with offshore operations.

Adrian Henry has been appointed Offshore Manager for the UK, in addition to his responsibilities as Branch Manager of GAC Shetland. Based in Shetlands, he acts as a link between customers from the oil and gas sector and GAC's branch offices around the UK to ensure that efficient, safe and timely service is delivered whenever and wherever it is needed.

Michael Henderson has been promoted from Agency Manager to Branch Manager of GAC Aberdeen and is charged with the task of taking GAC's portfolio of shipping, logistics and marine support services offered at the key oil and gas port to the next level.

GAC UK's Shipping Manager Duncan Heseltine says: "We provide our customers with one point of contact, efficient local service, administration and accurate billing. Our hands-on support and in-depth knowledge of the business allow us to understand the demands placed on our customers, and we are streamlining ourselves to better cater to their requirements."

This latest development reflects GAC's long-term commitment to the offshore energy industry. The recent fall in the oil prices have not affected all operations in the North Sea and elsewhere in UK waters, as many projects in the area are at the mature stage, with the initial exploration and drilling investment made several years ago. For such projects, extraction goes on – and so does GAC's operational support

DNV GL, the technical advisor to the oil and gas industry, has been selected by Wintershall Norge AS as the sole supplier for the combined role of Independent Verification Body (IVB) and Third Party Design Verification scope for the subsea, umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) part of the Maria field development project.

The contract is expected to run until the end of 2018, with a value of potential 30 million NOK (US$ 3.95 million).

Sture Angelsen , Business Development Manager in DNV GL, says: "We are delighted to be part of Wintershall's first field development in Norway. By being able to deliver both the IVB and Third Party Design Verification, we are able to help streamline the project execution. Our aim is to ensure quality and contribute to a timely project execution and start-up, drawing on our broad technical expertise.

The IVB model will be used for verification of the safety critical elements, in addition to traditional third party verification of subsea production systems (SPS), pipelines, umbilical and risers. The IVB role covers all phases from design through commissioning, while the third party verification role covers design and options for involvement in the fabrication/-manufacturing/installation and commissioning phase. "This approach to handling verification is well known in the UK sector, but less used in Norway," adds Angelsen.

The Maria oil discovery is located in 300 to 350m of water in the Haltenbanken region of the Norwegian Sea. Maria will be developed using a subsea facility tied via rigid flowlines and flexible risers to Kristin with gas lift being supplied from Åsgard B via Tyrihans and sulphate reduced sea water supplied with injection pressure from Heidrun. The discovery is expected to produce around 188 million barrels of oil equivalent oil and gas. First oil is planned in Autumn 2018.