BUSINESS BRIEFS

Tritech International has appointedMaurice Fraser as sales and marketing director. Fraser joined Tritech in 2003 as a customer training and commissioning engineer before joining the sales and marketing team with responsibilities for international business development.

Swellfix has appointedSteve Batchelor as president and chief commercial officer for its new Houston-based Americas headquarters. Batchelor will be responsible for building and expanding the North, South, and Central American markets, as well as overseeing global marketing, public relations, and corporate communications efforts.

Total CFORobert Castaigne has retired. Patrick de la Chevardière, currently deputy CFO, was appointed CFO and member of the executive committee, effective June 1, 2008. He will also be in charge of insurance; trading and shipping; and information technology; and telecommunications.

SensorTran has appointedJ.F. (Jack) Angel as VP of business development for the oil and gas market, focusing on pipeline, well, and reservoir monitoring.

AMEC CEOSamir Brikho has been appointed chair of a new strategy board tasked with demonstrating the UK’s world-leading position in energy and keeping it ahead of international competition. Brikho and the wider board are to create a working partnership between UK energy companies and government to develop solutions to some of the global challenges arising from climate change.

The TTE Technical Training Group has appointedNigel Ellenor as its new international technical sales consultant. Ellenor will develop TTE’s presence in international markets.

Transocean has appointedSteven L. Newman as president and COO, succeeding Jon A. Marshall. Rob Saltiel will replace Newman as executive VP of performance. Saltiel previously served as senior VP of the company’s North and South America unit, which covers the US Gulf of Mexico, Canada, Trinidad, and Brazil.

TGS-NOPEC Geophysical has appointedDavid Hicks as VP for Africa/Middle East/Asia-Pacific region. Hicks joined TGS in 2002 as chief technology officer, overseeing all aspects of information technology and data management operations.

Dragon Oil has appointedAbdul-Jaleel Al-Khalifa as CEO. He joins the company from Saudi Aramco where he managed exploration, petroleum engineering, and development departments, based in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, over the past 12 years.

Caesar Systems has appointedAlex Jok as client services manager for Shell E&P in its Houston-based operations. His primary responsibility will be mentoring and coaching members of the Shell E&P team on use of the PetroVR Toolsuite in connection with integrative business planning for its future oil and gas development investments.

ExxonMobil director and senior VPJ. Stephen Simon retired on May 31, 2008, after 40 years of service.

Sandvik Materials Technology UK has appointedPhil Cherrie as technical sales manager based in Halesowen in the West Midlands.

Shaw Inspection Systems has appointedAndrew Hosier to the newly created position of manufacturing and production manager. Hosier will be responsible for procurement, subcontract manufacture, and in-house assembly. He also will further improve the overall efficiency of the company’s manufacturing processes.

Ikon Science has appointedMick Lambert as president of Western Hemisphere, to develop the Ikon Science group business across the Americas. Lambert, who is based in Houston, will also join the Ikon board as an executive director.

Commercial Coating Services International (CCSI) has appointedRandall Perkins as technology VP.

Deep Marine Technology has appointedAlex Strachan as umbilical systems manager. Strachan will be responsible for the design and procurement of umbilical installation equipment, as well as building a team to carry out umbilical installation projects.

John W. Morgan, Occidental Petroleum’s executive VP and president of Oxy Oil and Gas, Western Hemisphere, has elected to retire after almost 25 years of service with the company. Through year-end, Morgan will continue as an Occidental Petroleum Corp. executive VP responsible for special assignments.

Occidental Petroleum has appointedWilliam E. Albrecht as president of Oxy Oil and Gas, USA. Todd Stevens will take over Albrecht’s former role as Oxy Oil and Gas VP of California operations.

Husky Energy has appointedAlister Cowan as VP and CFO of Husky Oil Operations.

Wood Group Pressure Control has appointedIain Murray as VP of support services. Murray will have worldwide responsibility for project management and quotes, human resources, training, strategy, continuous improvement, and legal.

Aquatic has appointedPeter Parkinson as operations manager for its Asia/Pacific business.

Schilling Robotics has namedPhilip F. Otto as president, CEO, and board member.

LeTourneau Technologies Inc. has appointedGeorge Cupstid as senior VP and GM of LTI Offshore Products. Cupstid’s duties include the development, implementation, and execution of LTI Offshore Products’ business strategy, which focuses on design, development, and manufacturing of jackup rigs, components, and accessories.

Signal International has appointedRon Schnoor as COO, effective immediately. Schnoor will oversee operations for Signal’s Mississippi and Texas facilities with primary responsibilities for project management, planning, engineering, manufacturing, and procurement.

FloaTEC has hiredEdward Huang as director of engineering.

Chevron Energy Technology has appointedMelody Meyer as president. Chevron Information Technology has appointed Louie Ehrlich as president and CIO, effective June 1, 2008. Meyer replaces the retiring Mark Puckett, while Ehrlich replaces the retiring Gary Masada.

Aker Solutions has appointedNils Arne Hatleskog as executive VP for the new, reorganized business area uniting field development, maintenance, modifications, and operations. Hatleskog previously served as senior VP of construction and supply management in Aker Solutions’ field development business. The company also has appointed Paal Helsing as senior VP for strategy and technology. Executive VP Torleif Gram will continue to lead the MMO business until the new structure and business area is in place, when Hatleskog assumes the leadership. At that stage Torleif Gram will take on a special assignment as senior VP. In this position, Gram will drive improvement projects in Aker Solutions and contribute in the integration and implementation of the new joint business area of MMO/FD.

Royal Dutch Shell has appointedBruce Levell as chief scientist of geology.

Douglas-Westwood has appointedAndrew Reid as MD. Reid will be based at Douglas-Westwood’s Aberdeen office. Company founder and former MD John Westwood will assume the role of executive chairman.

Transocean has announced two VP appointments within the company’s senior management team.Terry B. Bonno has been named VP of marketing. Bonno served as director of marketing for the company’s North and South America Unit (AMU) since March 2005. Simon Crowe has been named VP of planning and strategy. Previously, Crowe served as director of finance for the company’s Europe and Africa Unit (EAU), which covers 15 countries.

Companies

Petrofac Training’s technical training business in Sakhalin has opened a competence-based technical training center in Yuzhno.

Acteon and FAL International have signed a joint venture establishing a Qatari limited liability company, TEAM Energy Resources Middle East LLC. The new company will provide key personnel to the global offshore oil and gas market, and will facilitate cross-selling of services, particularly in the fields of maintenance, production, and drilling.

Intertek Group has acquired Hi-Cad Technical Services. Hi-Cad provides 3D laser scanning and dimensional control services to engineering, procurement, and construction contractors, operators, and industrial manufacturers for offshore oil and petroleum projects. The business will form part of Intertek’s Industrial Services division.

The Gujarat Maritime Board has approvedDolphin Offshore’s proposal for setting up a shipbuilding yard in Gujarat, India.

AlMansoori Production Services (MPS) has signed a joint venture agreement with Corex to establish a new facility in Abu Dhabi. The base, due to open in the second half of the year, will be in Mussafah and provide the Middle East oil and gas industry with high-tech routine core analysis and pressure, volume, and temperature (PVT) services.

iicorr has acquired Subspection for an undisclosed sum. Subspection, based in Alresford and Singapore, employs 30 people and provides cathodic protection surveys, consultancy, engineering, and subsea sensor equipment to the oil and gas and marine industries. The company will be integrated into iicorr’s new cathodic protection services division and aid iicorr’s expansion internationally in the area of subsea technical integrity.

MacGREGOR has signed an agreement to acquire Platform Crane Services International (PCS). PCS specializes in the service, repair, and maintenance of marine and offshore cranes with an emphasis on Gulf of Mexico installations. The product and service offering also includes inspections, load testing, and installations.

Subsea 7 has opened a North Sea spoolbase in Vigra, Norway. The base will employ up to 75 people when working at normal capacity, rising to 120 in peak periods. The first project to be undertaken by the base is the fabrication of a gas pipeline for StatoilHydro.

Bjørge Steinco Moland has acquired the PMS division of Norway-based Megacon. The agreement involves the acquisition of all PMS activities from Megacon, including development of future PMS generations.

Bergen Oilfield Services (BOS) will establish an Asia-Pacific regional office in Singapore following the official registration of a subsidiary company BOS APS Pte Ltd.

All material conditions in relation toBeach Petroleum’s sale of a 10% interest in the Basker-Manta-Gummy (BMG) joint venture in Bass Strait to Sojitz Energy Australia, have been satisfied and completion was planned for late April. The sale is valued at $A123 million ($115 million).

The transfer of operatorship of the Dunlin cluster in the northern North Sea has been completed.Shell UK and Esso Exploration and Production each signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with the UK subsidiaries of Fairfield Energy and Mitsubishi for their respective interests in the cluster, which comprises Dunlin, Dunlin South West, and subsea tiebacks Osprey and Merlin.

Acteon has completed the acquisition of Singapore-based CAPE Group. The company’s two main business areas in southeast Asia include pipeline inspection, repair, and maintenance; and foundations and piling.

Superior Energy Services has purchased a 50% interest in two, 265-ft (81-m) class liftboats from Moreno Energy. Superior and Moreno also have entered into contracts to construct on an equal basis two additional 265-ft (81-m) class liftboats.

The Offshore Ship Designers (OSD) group has opened a design office in Shanghai, China. Initially staffed with six naval architects, it will provide design resources to OSD’s European partners and also provide Asian shipyards with tug and offshore support vessel designs.

National Oilwell Varco has completed the acquisition of Grant Prideco.

Reservoir Group has acquired Aberdeen-based Omega Data Services. The company specializes in the design, manufacture, and supply of downhole memory tools and gauges for pressure and temperature surveys.

TSMarine has opened a base in Singapore. The office will be headed-up by newly appointed regional sales manager Jason Hewlett with support from TSMarine’s management team in the company’s Perth, Australia office.

KBR plans to develop a campus facility near Katy, Texas. The campus will be located off Grand Parkway and Interstate 10. Construction is expected to begin before year-end with completion anticipated in 2010.

M-I SWACO officially opened a state-of-the-art offshore supply base in Cameron, Louisiana, to replace the facility destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Rita.

Qserv is developing its operations in the Asia-Pacific region by establishing two new bases. Mike Henderson has become in-country manager in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, while Rick Bowler now holds a similar position in Jakarta, Indonesia. The bases will offer the full range of Qserv well and pipeline services.

Landmark has acquired all intellectual property, assets, and existing business of Knowledge Systems Inc. Knowledge Systems is a provider of combined geopressure and geomechanical analysis software and services.

ATP Oil & Gas has engaged Scotia Waterous to assist in the sale of a portion of its working interests in certain producing and undeveloped properties in the Gulf of Mexico and UK North Sea.

Providence Resources has agreed to acquire a portfolio of producing and development assets in the US Gulf of Mexico from Triangle Oil and Gas for $67.5 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

ATR Group has acquired Bridon International’s Aberdeen-based lifting services division for an undisclosed sum. Bridon International provides onshore and offshore inspection and certification services to ensure compliance with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLAR).

Scana Industrier and FPSOcean have decided to cancel the acquisition of Flexible Engineered Solutions Ltd.

ITS has acquired Trinidad oilfield equipment rental and service business, Trinpet-ITS, for an undisclosed sum. The company provides drilling and fishing tool rental services, supported by manufacturing and repair capabilities, for oil and gas operators in the region. The company also offers valve installation and maintenance services.

Intergraph Korea has acquired all the shares of TechServer Corp., a Seoul-based software and services company specializing in automated drafting, data exchange, and system integration in the shipbuilding, process, power, and offshore industries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Petrofac Training has opened a new center in Houston. The facility is equipped to meet the health, safety, and emergency response training needs of the oil and gas industry in Houston.