Subsea 7 Makes Offer For Seaway Heavy Lifting

Subsea 7 S.A., through one of its subsidiaries, has made an offer to acquire K&S Baltic Offshore (Cyprus) Ltd.’s 50% shareholding in Seaway Heavy Lifting Holding Ltd.

Subsea 7 already holds a 50% interest in the joint venture company, a specialist offshore contractor that operates two heavy-lift vessels. The subsea company is initially offering $279 million on completion and deferred consideration of up to $40 million to be paid by the end of first-quarter 2021 if certain performance targets are met, Subsea 7 said in a news release. The offer terms are binding until July 1.

“Subsea 7’s strong market position in offshore energy services is complemented by Seaway Heavy Lifting’s expertise in three areas of offshore activity: renewables, heavy lifting operations and decommissioning of oil and gas assets,” Subsea 7 CEO Jean Cahuzac said in the release. “We believe that this acquisition will allow us to strengthen Subsea 7’s position in businesses where we expect increased activity and opportunities for long-term growth.”

Headquartered in the Netherlands, Seaway Heavy Lifting employs about 550 employees.

TechnipFMC Begins Operations As Combined Company

TechnipFMC began operations as a combined company following the completed merger of FMC Technologies and Technip, according to a Jan. 17 press release.

Doug Pferdehirt is CEO of TechnipFMC, and there are 44,000 employees, according to the press release.

The merger creates a global leader in oil and natural gas projects, technologies, systems and services, particularly subsea, onshore/offshore and surface.

The company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange and on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange under the ticker “FTI.”

Sapurakencana, Proserv Form Asia-Pacific Pact

SapuraKencana Technology Sdn Bhd and Proserv are teaming up in an effort to provide enhanced technology services in the Asia-Pacific region.

The two companies will jointly provide services across the drilling, production, maintenance and decommissioning market sectors with a focus on subsea production and subsea maintenance services, according to a news release.

The partnership intends to leverage Proserv’s subsea production equipment and controls and SapuraKencana Technology’s technical support, resources and assets.

Fugro Attains Internationally Recognized AEO Status

Through its operating company Fugro Subsea Services, Fugro recently received Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) status, highlighting its role in the international supply chain, a Jan. 17 press release said.

The accreditation process began in second-half 2015, and the award was received Dec. 11, 2016.

The HMRC department in the U.K. government examined logistics, warehousing, purchasing, supply chain management, accounts and IT activities to ensure that they complied with all customs and tax requirements. Detailed checks and assessments were also carried out on key personnel, the press release said.

Rodger & Hartnolls Service Firm Names Partner, Managing Director

Rodger & Hartnolls, which provides support services for offshore, subsea, renewables and technology markets, said Jan. 9 that Nick Search was appointed as a partner and managing director, effective Jan. 3.

He will oversee global business activity and will be based in the South London office. Search has 36 years’ experience in the offshore energy and marine industries.

Most recently, Search was the business development director for Promineo AS, based in Stavanger, Norway.

Halliburton, Petrobras Will Study Solutions For Complex Reservoirs

Halliburton and Petrobras entered a multiyear agreement to facilitate solutions for geophysics, drilling and completions, reservoir characterization, well testing, flow assurance and production in deepwater presalt areas, mature fields and other complex reservoirs, according to a January press release.

The companies aim to reduce well construction investment, focus on long-term reservoir monitoring and increase well productivity.

This multiyear collaboration is the second phase of a technology collaboration between the companies in Brazil, the company said, noting that during the first phase—which began in 2009—they collaborated on 11 projects including prestack seismic attributes for carbonates, new algorithms for better estimation of fluid sampling contamination, and a new cementing system for salt and CO2 environments.

Neuhaus Returns To MicroSeismic As Vice President Of Engineering

Houston-based MicroSeismic Inc. said on Jan. 10 that Carl Neuhaus is returning to the company as vice president of engineering, after working for two years at DrillingInfo as the director of petroleum engineering. Neuhaus will oversee MicroSeismic’s technical quality and innovation for engineering services, communicating about them to the oil and gas industry.

During his prior tenure at MicroSeismic, Neuhaus managed a multidisciplinary completions evaluation team. He also helped optimize wellbore spacing, completion design and treatment design by developing solutions using completions and reservoir engineering, geomechanics, geophysics and geology.

MicroSeismic also said its board elected William B. (Bill) Barker as vice president of analysis, and Eric Bourdages as vice president of operations.

NADL Extends Delivery Deferment For Semisubmersible Unit

North Atlantic Drilling Ltd. (NADL) said on Jan. 9 that the delivery date deferral period for the West Rigel semisubmersible unit was extended to July 6, 2017, allowing time for NADL and Jurong Shipyard Pte Ltd. to explore commercial opportunities for the unit.

NADL said that, as previously agreed, it will form a joint asset holding company with Jurong to jointly own West Rigel if no employment is secured for it.

Dril-Quip Continues Growth With Acquisition Of OPT

Dril-Quip Inc. said Jan. 6 it acquired The Technologies Alliance Inc., doing business as OilPatch Technologies (OPT), for about $20 million.

Based in Houston, OPT is a provider of offshore riser systems and components, proprietary threaded connections and other products, with a focus on deepwater Spar and tension-leg platform systems. The company was founded in 1990.

The deal will complement and further strengthen Dril-Quip’s position as “a leading provider of dry tree systems and associated riser products,” Blake DeBerry, the company’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

Acteon Acquires Bruce Anchor

Subsea services group Acteon acquired Bruce Anchor, boosting its ability to provide temporary and permanent mooring systems. The acquisition was completed Dec. 21, 2016.

Bruce Anchor will remain independent within the Acteon portfolio, providing anchor technology to the oil, gas and renewables sectors.

Steve Broadbent will manage the business. He is Anchor's director of sales and will report to Bernhard Bruggaier, executive vice president of operations for Acteon. Broadbent will be supported by the founder, Peter Bruce, during the transition into Acteon.

Schlumberger Expands With Peak Well Systems Acquisition

Schlumberger Ltd. acquired Peak Well Systems from growth equity investor Summit Partners and the company's founders and management team for an undisclosed amount, Schlumberger said Jan. 5.

Peak Well Systems designs and develops advanced downhole tools for flow control, well intervention and well integrity. Its products include tools that can be used in HP/HT wells. The company has offices in the U.K., Australia, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.

Peak’s technologies will give Schlumberger the opportunity to offer fully integrated well intervention solutions on electric line, mechanical slickline or digital slickline to its customers, Hinda Gharbi, president of the company's wireline group, said in a statement.

Existing Peak customers will continue to have access to the company’s well intervention products as well as Schlumberger's wider distribution network and delivery platform in all global markets.

Tullow Says Finance Head On Medical Leave; Names Interim CFO

Tullow Oil Plc named Les Wood, vice president of finance and commercial, as interim CFO as its finance chief Ian Springett takes an extended leave of absence for medical treatment.

The Africa-focused oil producer did not specify how long Wood would remain the interim CFO.

Wood, who joined Tullow in 2014, previously spent 28 years at BP Plc, including in regional CFO roles in Canada and the Middle East.

Springett, also an ex-BP regional finance head, has been in Tullow’s top finance job since 2008.

—Staff & Reuters Reports