|
Vol. 226 No. 3 |
Cooper Cameron Valves, CCV, announced the purchase of the flow business of PCC Corp., which includes General Valve, PCC ball valves, TBV, Techno, AOP Industries and C.W. Valve Services. CCV Engineered products now have, in addition to the Cameron fully-welded ball, a complete bolted-body line. This group includes Orbit, an advanced rising-stem ball valve line, as well as the double-block and bleed TwinSeal line from General Valve. Massachusetts-based TBV, a high-end ball valve maker with severe service and cryogenic capabilities, adds Techno check valves and AOP industries.
|
|
|
| |
 QinetiQ is working with Norwegian exploration and production technology company OTG (Oilfield Technology Group AS) to develop a new type of vessel that will allow oil companies to conduct sophisticated operations in a stable environment in the stormiest seas. The agreement follows a two-year joint development program and the establishment of OTG Interventions AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of OTG, which will build and own the vessel. A SWATH (small waterplane area twin hull) vessel normally consists of two parallel torpedo-like hulls attached to streamlined struts, which pierce the water surface and support an above-water platform. Such a design is more stable, less prone to pitching and rolling and requires less power for propulsions.
QinetiQ’s approach is to develop vessels with a tri- hull configuration, providing even greater stability. Currently, oil companies have 15 – 20% lower oil recovery rates from subsea wells compared to platform wells in the North Sea. The Tri/SWATH vessel should allow this work to be performed at one-fifth the cost of traditional approaches such as (anchored) semi-submersible vessels, and less than half of the cost of dynamically positioned semi-submersibles. The companies expect the vessel to be ready for operation in mid 2007.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Schlumberger Oilfield Services opened its Reservoir Fluids Center in Edmonton, Alberta. The new state-of-the-art 30,000-sq-ft center will enable the company to further advance its research in reservoir fluids, as well as develop knowledge, equipment and methodologies needed for practical operations. The facility features approximately 9,000 sq ft of laboratory space, 6,500 sq ft of equipment manufacturing and assembly space, as well as office space for research and product development, engineering, software development and administrative staff.
Actuant Corp., parent company of Enerpac, has purchased the shares of UK-based Hedley Purvis Holdings Ltd. Hedley Purvis designs and manufactures products for the bolting market, including torque wrenches, multipliers, tensioners, and pumps, and provides rental, manpower, and other services to end users including BP, Mobil, Texaco, Marathon, and BJ Services. Actuant, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a diversified industrial company with operations in over 20 countries.
Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s oil and gas operations have been divided into two core regions – Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. John W. Morgan has been appointed president, Oxy Oil and Gas, Western Hemisphere, and R. Casey Olson was appointed president, Oxy Oil and Gas, Eastern Hemisphere.
AMEC plc acquired Houston-based oil and gas engineering services company Paragon Engineering Services Inc. for $38 million in cash. Paragon will be merged with AMEC’s existing Houston operations, and the new company, AMEC Paragon Inc., will operate as part of AMEC’s global oil and gas business. Internationally, Paragon will give AMEC access to South American markets, as well as expanding AMEC’s capabilities and customer base in the Middle East, Alaska, West Africa and China.
Roxar opened a new regional headquarters for Asia Pacific in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The office will service a growing client base throughout the Asia Pacific and will support the company’s other offices in the region, including Jakarta, Perth, Ho Chi Minh City and Beijing.
Knowledge Systems has moved its headquarters to Sugar Land, Texas, a suburb of Houston, in order to accommodate continued growth and to better serve its customers. The company has experienced rapid growth over the past five years, and has received numerous awards, including the Fast Tech 50 Award, the Houston 100 Award, and awards for innovation and community service.
Geophysical Company TGS-NOPEC will expand its ongoing Gulf of Mexico multi-client 3D seismic survey referred to as Deep Resolve. Located in the deep gas exploration trend, the project is now double its originally announced size and covers an equivalent area of 400 OCS blocks (8,400 sq km) in the Ship Shoal, South Timbalier, Grand Isle and Ewing Bank areas offshore Louisiana.
Woodside Energy (USA) Inc. has formed an alliance with Explore Enterprises of Louisiana LLC to jointly conduct exploration, acquisition, development and production activities in the US Gulf of Mexico. Under the agreement, Woodside and Explore Enterprises will jointly invest in the shelf and deep waters of the Gulf. Woodside will hold 95% of the alliance’s combined interests while Explore Enterprises will hold the remaining 5%. Explore Enterprises will also pay Woodside for a 5% interest in Woodside’s existing leases in the Gulf, excluding the Neptune and Midway discoveries. Explore Enterprises’ interest in each project will increase from 5% to 12.5% after Woodside has recovered the present value of its invested capital.
|
