BUSINESS BRIEFS
People
Wood Group ESP, a subsidiary of John Wood Group PLC, has appointedGary Ford president and chief operating officer. Ford succeeds Joe Brady, who will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of Wood Group ESP.
Ford has more than 20 years of experience in the electric submersible pump industry, and served most recently as ESP’s senior VP of Eastern Hemisphere operations. He joined ESP in 2003 as VP of the Middle East region, and has been instrumental in growing the company’s Eastern Hemisphere business.
The Peak Group, a global provider of well construction services, has appointedTom Conlon operations manager for its Dubai office. In this role, Conlon will oversee the planning and execution of The Peak Group’s growing well management business in the Middle East and secure further drilling opportunities in the region.
Conlon’s expertise covers all aspects of development and exploration drilling, in particular complex platform drilling projects and highly deviated wells.
PSL Energy Services Ltd. has appointedKevin Strachan as business development manager responsible for process services. Strachan, who has a strong technical background in bolting, flange management, and joint integrity, joins from Hydratight where he was Topside/Machining sales engineer. Prior to this he held senior sales positions with Hedley Purvis and STATS.
John Wingfield, PSL’s business development director, said of Strachan: “He is well respected within the Aberdeen oil and gas community, and will play a central role in the development of our flange management and integrated services for both shutdown and new build projects within the UK sector.”
ABS has announced thatAdmiral Robert E. Kramek, president and COO of ABS, will retire effective Dec. 31, 2006, and be replaced by Christopher J. Wiernicki, currently president and COO of ABS Europe. Wiernicki, a 13-year veteran of ABS, has held a number of senior positions within the organization, including chief technology officer. He holds a BS degree in civil engineering from Vanderbilt University and masters degrees in structural engineering from George Washington University and ocean engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Admiral Kramek is retiring after an eight year career with ABS, initially joining the society as president of the ABS Americas Division after serving as commandant of the United States Coast Guard, from which he retired as a four-star admiral. He became president and COO of the society in 2004. He will continue to act as a consultant to ABS in specialized areas.
Companies
Houston-basedAnadarko Petroleum Corp. has purchased Kerr-McGee Corp. and Western Gas Resources Inc. for a total of nearly $21 billion in cash. Anadarko views the two separate deals as a way to boost its North American output of gas and to more than double its annual revenue. Western Gas had total revenues of nearly $4 billion in 2005, while Kerr-McGee had sales of nearly $6 billion. The addition of Kerr-McGee provides Anadarko with several new properties in the deepwater GoM.
K-TEK LLC, a manufacturer of liquid and solids level instrumentation, has acquired BETA B.V, a company of the Binder Group, which focuses on manufacturing pressure and temperature switches. BETA, in the Netherlands, operates throughout Europe, Asia, and portions of the Middle East. Through this acquisition, K-TEK and BETA will continue collaborating on technology development and sales distribution.
Derrick Services Ltd. has acquired Offshore Handling Systems Inc. (OHS) of Houston for an undisclosed sum. OHS manufacturers pipe, BOP and riser handling & lifting systems, and has a track record in the offshore industry. Derrick Services Owner and Managing Director Mike Smith says, “We are very pleased to bring onboard the products, experience and expertise that OHS provides to the industry as a whole, and the increase in product range, services and support that we can now offer.”
Greig Filters of Lafayette, Louisiana, has completed 2 - 1000 de filter packages for a Nigerian customer.
The units include 1000 sq ft de filter, 60 cartridge filter, 80 hp centrifugal pump, and blender. Operating rates of 10-15 b/m are common, and the filtrate solid capacity is 100 cu ft.
Houston-basedExcel Engineering has completed engineering and detailed design and engineering services for Devon’s Polvo Development project in block BM-C-8, Campos basin, offshore Brazil. Excel performed design work for all aspects of the production, including sizing of production pipelines, providing assistance with the performance specs on the FPSO, providing engineering support for drilling rig modifications, and helping to design the production facility. The project is slated to begin production mid 2007.
TheBayou Cos. recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for an $8-million, 50,000-sq-ft Fusion Bonded Epoxy pipe coating plant at the port of Iberia in New Iberia, Louisiana.
The new plant floor will be 11 ft above sea level and is designed for minimum down time in case of fl ooding, incorporating features such as electrical main control placement at 20 ft above sea level. Both the building and site will be of all steel construction.
On completion, the new plant will have the capability to coat 2 through 24 in. O.D. up to 80 ft in length. The new plant is designed to handle heavier pipe, and speeds greater than possible in the existing facilities.
This facility will include features such as an all electric conveyor system, and the latest induction heating technology in the industry. All systems will be PLC-controlled, including automated live racks for pipe movement to promote safety, and all induction heating. Space is allocated for the future installation of extruders for 3-layer applications as well as other anticipated customer demands. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of the year.