Companies in the news

Varco International agreed to acquire Quality Tubing, Inc.

Racal Survey changed its name to Thales Survey, and began work on its new center sitting on four acres of land adjacent to Dyce Airport, Aberdeen.

Aurion Technologies, Inc., acquired Bytel, Inc.

Wintershall Energia S.A. acquired 35% of the southern Argentinian offshore concessions Tauro-Sirius and Octans-Pegaso from Total Austral S.A. The concessions are located in the Austral basin of Tierra del Fuego.

R & M Energy Systems acquired Campbell Industries.

Aurion Technologies, Inc. and Gruy Petroleum Management Co. formed a strategic alliance to install 2,000 Internet-based monitoring devices from Aurion Technologies on both Magnum Hunter-owned wells as well as those operated for third parties.

BP continues its West of Shetland project with Halliburton Subsea’s provision of subsea tie-back construction services and inspection, repair and maintenance services plus specific provision of the MSV Regalia for a minimum 165 days.

Flint Energy Services acquired Klinger’s Oilfield Services Ltd.

Omega Service Industries changed its name to Omega Natchiq.

BXL Energy Ltd. entered into a farm-in agreement adding 200 sections to its exploration program in the Tweedie area, north of Lac La Biche, 110 mi northeast of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Muse Technologies completed its merger with Advanced Visual Systems.

A Friede Goldman Halter, Inc., subsidiary sold its minority equity interest in Ilion LLC to Noble Drilling Corp.

Enraf and MHT formed a strategic alliance in which MHT will furnish Enraf with a tank inventory software package to be part of the Entis-systems family, and enabling MHT to serve the international marketplace.

Crown Industries joined forces with Priess Enterprizes, Inc.

Transocean Sedco Forex and R&B Falcon’s proposed merger has now been cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice.

TrueNorth Energy acquired an additional oil sands lease adjacent to the Fort Hills Oil Sands Project.

ABB and Schlumberger formed a joint venture focusing on improving the economics of subsea oil and gas development.

Western Geophysical began acquiring 2-D high-fold seismic, gravity and magnetic data coverage of the offshore areas of Algeria. The project includes a training program for Algerian technicians participating in the offshore operations.

Stratos completed its acquisition of the assets of Datacom.

Star Fiberglass, a Varco company, acquired Smith Fiberglass.

Nuevo Energy set its capital expenditure budget at $181 million, with the potential of $24 million in additional capital, depending on drilling success. About $141 million is earmarked for exploitation projects onshore California, $27 million for 12 wildcats in California and Africa.

Lundin Malaysia Ltd. was awarded Offshore Malaysia Block PM305 located south of the firm’s prolific Block PM3 CAA.

RSM Production Corp. was granted E&P rights to the 13.7-million acre Doba Doseo-Salamat basins along the Chad’s border.

Houghton Offshore opened its new global sales and services headquarters in Houston, Texas.

Woodside Energy Ltd. acquired a 50% interest in the Ouest Hassi R’Mel Gas Study Agreement, 15% of the Ohanet Risk Service Contract and 50% of the Boukhechba PSC from BHP Petroleum. The firms also intend to enter into an agreement regarding additional opportunities in Algeria and future opportunities in North Africa.

Veritas DGC Inc. finalized an operating alliance to conduct geographical activities in Alaska with the help of Kuukpik Corp. and Fairweather Geophysical.

Trimble completed its acquisition of Tripod Data Systems, a developer of data collection software for the land survey, construction and Geographic Information Markets. TDS will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary and retain its offices in Corvallis, Oregon.

Habanero Resources Inc. acquired a 1.5% working interest in the 24,320-acre Travis Gas Project in California.

Weatherford International acquired Oil Country Manufacturing of Ventura, California.

M-I L.L.C. entered into a joint venture (JV) with ActiSystems Inc. to market AphronICS’s invasion control fluid system. The JV’s name will be MASI LLC.

Apache Corp. intends to acquire Canadian properties with proved reserves in the Zama area of NW Alberta with about 71.6 million boe from Phillips Petroleum.

Kerr McGee acquired 100% working interest in the 2.5 million-acre Block 4 offshore Benin, Africa. Water depths range from about 300 ft to 10,000 ft.

Remington Oil and Gas Corp.’s board approved its largest ever capital expenditure budget of $66.4 million for 2001.

Penn State was selected by the Strategic Center for Natural Gas and the National Petroleum Technology Office to establish and manage a national natural gas and petroleum stripper well consortium to develop technologies to improve production performance of U.S. stripper wells.

Michael Petroleum Corp. acquired Enogex Eploration’s interests in 72 producing wells and 22,500 acres in the Lobo Wilcox Trend in Webb County, Texas.

Vanco Energy and Lasmo plc will jointly explore offshore Morocco. The reconnaissance permits will convert to exploration permits. Vanco will operate both blocks.