June 2008
News & Resources

Companies in the news

Vol. 229 No. 6 Landmark , a product service line of Halliburton’s Drilling and Evaluation Division, has acquired all intellectual proper

Companies 
Vol. 229 No. 6

Landmark, a product service line of Halliburton’s Drilling and Evaluation Division, has acquired all intellectual property, assets and existing business of Knowledge Systems Inc., the world’s leading provider of combined geopressure and geomechanical analysis software and services. The company, headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, has approximately 90 employees in offices in Sugar Land; Perth, Australia; and Guildford, UK. Landmark is a supplier of technologies, consulting and project management for the upstream oil and gas industry.

Smith Technologies and Moblize have formed a strategic alliance to provide operators with real-time data to improve drilling operations. The focus is on applying a new integrated workflow process for drilling operations that uses WITSML as the foundation for bringing together relevant experts in a real-time environment where they can easily communicate and work together on data that is automatically shared and continuously updated. (WITSML is a standard for transmitting technical data between organizations in the petroleum industry.) The new data-acquisition services, when combined with the web-based WITSML viewer from Smith Technologies, can deliver advanced visualization data to help relevant experts make better decisions faster.

Global Industries Ltd. has approved construction of a second $250-million new-generation dynamically positioned combination derrick/pipelay vessel for its worldwide offshore fleet. Designated Global 1201, it will be a multi-purpose vessel designed for work in both deep and shallow water, with a high bollard pull allowing for pipelay without the need for supplemental tugs. With a length of 587 ft, it will have a pipelay system capable of operating in water depths to 10,000 ft and handling up to 60-in. concrete-coated pipe. The vessel incorporates a 1,200-metric-ton capacity crane and a deepwater lowering system. Classed as DP-2, the vessel will be able to transit at speeds of up to 15 kt. It is scheduled for delivery in April 2011, one year after delivery of the Global 1200, its sister ship.

Varel International has acquired Aberdeen-based Downhole Products Plc (DHP), a specialist in high-end centralizers and reamer shoes used in the construction and completion of oil and gas wells. As part of the acquisition, a new holding company called Varel International Energy Services (VIES) was established, which owns both Downhole Products and Varel International. DHP was founded in 1994, and will continue as a separate division of Varel International Energy Services.

Baker Hughes Inc. has acquired two reservoir consulting firms, Gaffney, Cline & Associates (GCA) and GeoMechanics International (GMI), as part of an ongoing effort to expand the company’s traditional strength in wellbore-related technology to encompass comprehensive reservoir and midstream solutions. GCA is an international advisory firm focused on providing integrated technical and managerial services to all sectors of the oil and gas industry. GMI is a specialist in consulting, training and software in the field of geomechanics and its application to oil and gas reservoirs.

Cameron has announced a three-year partnership agreement with MaxTorque, LLC, to supply their gear operators for Cameron pipeline ball valves. MaxTorque is a supplier of valve-actuation products based in Limerick, Maine.

Acteon and FAL International LLC signed a joint venture establishing a Qatari limited liability company, TEAM Energy Resources Middle East LLC. The new company will follow the operational lead of TEAM Energy Resources Ltd, an Acteon company based in the UK, in providing key personnel to the global offshore oil and gas market. The joint venture follows the merger of Aquatic Engineering & Construction’s manpower division (previously sponsored by FAL International) with TEAM Energy as a consequence of Aquatic’s takeover by Acteon in 2006.

Grey Wolf Inc. and Basic Energy Services Inc. have agreed to combine the two businesses in a “merger of equals.” The combined company, named Grey Wolf Inc. will have an estimated enterprise value of $2.9 billion, and have corporate offices in Houston. Under terms of the agreement, Grey Wolf shareholders will receive $1.82 in cash and one share of new Grey Wolf for every four shares of old Grey Wolf stock. Basic Energy Services shareholders will receive $6.70 in cash and 0.9195 shares of new Grey Wolf for each share of Basic Energy Services. The combination will create an organization with approximately 7,500 employees.

The Heerema Group and Worley-Parsons announced an agreement for WorleyParsons to acquire Heerema’s Intec Engineering B.V. division. The agreement also provides for an ongoing business relationship whereby WorleyParsons and Intec can provide engineering services to the Heerema Group.

Ace Transportation, Dynasty Transportation, Texas Hot Shot and Venture Transport Logistics have agreed to combine and become the leading provider of land transportation services to the US energy industry. The four companies will continue to operate separately as divisions under the umbrella of Welsh Carson Holding Co., and will be headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana, with a significant presence in Houston. The company will maintain a base of more than 230 truck terminals and 4,000 owner-operators throughout the Gulf Coast and other energy producing regions of the US.

GE’s Oil & Gas business has completed the acquisition of Hydril Pressure Control from Tenaris. Hydril Pressure Control is a leading supplier of pressure-control equipment used in the oil and gas drilling industry. Headquartered in Houston, the company employs more than 750 people globally, who will join the GE Oil & Gas team of 10,500 professionals operating in more than 70 locations worldwide.

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