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Industry Moves
| Gas Condensate Discovery West Of Shetland | 04/09/2007 |
Total announces significant new gas condensate discovery in block 205/5a in approximately 610 metres of water, some 100 kilometres North West of the Sullom Voe Terminal on the Shetland Islands. Total, with a 47.5% interest, is the operator of this block awarded end 2004, alongside partners Eni UK Limited (22.5%), DONG E&P (UK) Limited (20.0%) and Chevron North Sea Limited (10.0%).  |
| Total Sells Its Interest in Milford Haven Refinery | 03/09/2007 |
| Total reaches agreement to sell its 70% interest in the Milford Haven refinery in Wales to its partner Murco Petroleum. Upon completion of the transaction, Murco will be the sole owner of the 5.3-million-ton-per-year facility and the sole employer of the refinery workforce. The transaction is expected to be finalised by the end of the year. |
| Petrofac Exchanges North Sea Interests | 29/08/2007 |
| Petrofac's Energy Developments division exchanges its 29% interest in UK North Sea Block 9/28a (containing the Crawford field) for an additional 3.11% of Block 211/18a (West Don area) with Valiant Petroleum. The operatorship of the Crawford field has been transferred from Petrofac to Fairfield Energy. |
| Hydro Acquires Interests in UK Heavy Oil Fields | 27/08/2007 |
| Hydro reaches agreement with Chevron North Sea Ltd. to acquire their total interests in the Mariner and Bressay fields on the UK continental shelf. The acquisition contains 64.6 % in the Bressay field and some 45 % in the Mariner field, consisting of Mariner and Mariner East. The fields have been appraised by many wells, but there are still uncertainties related to the potential recoverable reserves. Discoveries of heavy oil in Quadrant 9, where the two fields are located, were made in the 1970s and 1980s. |
| AMEC and MMC Form New Malaysian Company | 27/08/2007 |
| AMEC and MMC Oil & Gas, a leading Malaysian oil and gas engineering consultancy organisation, today announced the formation of a new private limited company named MMC AMEC Sdn. Bhd. MMC will hold 51% and AMEC 49% of shares in the new company. With its head office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, MMC AMEC will operate in South East Asia, specialising in large-scale integrated deepwater facilities as well as internationally providing engineering and project management services for both the upstream and downstream sectors. |
| Royal Dutch Shell Signs LOI for Sale of Two French Refineries | 22/08/2007 |
| As part of an ongoing strategy of portfolio management, Shell International Petroleum Company Limited (Shell) has signed a Letter of Intent with Petroplus Holdings AG relating to the possible sale of two of its French refineries. Shell and Petroplus will discuss detailed terms, including developing a processing arrangement for the production of speciality products such as lubricants, with a view to agreeing and concluding a potential sale during 2008. |
| Talisman Energy Sells Non-Core North American Assets | 22/08/2007 |
| Talisman Energy Inc. has entered into agreements to sell approximately 16,000 boe/d of non-core North American assets with proceeds of $815 million(1). The intention to sell these assets was announced in October 2006 as part of a program to focus on core growth properties and extract value from non-strategic assets. Of the 16,000 boe/d sold (net Talisman share) approximately 65% is natural gas and 1,300 bbls/d is conventional heavy oil. These are predominantly low working interest, non-operated assets, which include over 2,000 wellbores. Proved reserves associated with the assets were estimated by third party engineers at approximately 38 mmboe. |
| Venture Announces Strategic Investment | 06/08/2007 |
| Venture Production plc, the Aberdeen based, UK independent oil and gas production company, announces that 3i Group plc and its affiliates ('3i') and ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC and its co-investors through an affiliate ('ArcLight') (3i and ArcLight together being 'the Investors') have agreed to make a significant strategic investment in Venture. In aggregate, 3i and ArcLight will, subject to Venture shareholder approval, make a total investment of over £200 million in Venture. Combined with their existing interests this new investment is intended to give each an approximate 9.9% stake in Venture on a fully diluted basis.
|
| AMEC Grows Environmental Business in Europe with Acquisition | 06/08/2007 |
| AMEC further expands its environmental services capabilities in Europe with the acquisition AGRARO Consult, based in Bucharest, Romania. AGRARO provides environmental assessment, investigation, planning, engineering and monitoring services for clients in the public and private sectors. It has a strong roster of scientists and engineers and has particular experience in the mining and oil and gas sectors. |
| Gazprom and Total Sign Framework Agreement for Cooperation in First Phase of Shtokman Development | 06/08/2007 |
| Gazprom's acting Chief Executive Officer Alexander Ananenkov, General Director of OOO Sevmorneftegaz Yury Komarov, and Chief Executive Officer of Total Christophe de Margerie sign a Framework Agreement for Cooperation in the Development of the First Phase of the Shtokman Gas Condensate field. In accordance with the Agreement, the parties will set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to organize the design, financing, construction and operation of the Shtokman phase one infrastructure. The SPV will own this infrastructure for 25 years from field commissioning. |
| Rosneft and Shell Agreed on Strategic Cooperation | 30/07/2007 |
| Rosneft Open Joint Stock Company (Rosneft) and Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell) conclude Agreement on Strategic Cooperation. The agreement was signed in Moscow by Rosneft President Sergey Bogdanchikov and Shell Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer. The Agreement provides the opportunity for joint implementation of upstream and downstream oil and gas projects. It sets the basic principles of strategic cooperation between the two major international energy companies and lays the foundation for a long-term cooperation between Shell and Rosneft both in Russia and elsewhere. |
| Acergy S.A. Order $180 million Diving Support Vessel | 09/07/2007 |
| Acergy S.A. has signed an agreement with Havila Shipping for a new build diving support vessel for Northern Europe operations which will join the Acergy fleet in 2010. This new state-of-the-art vessel is specifically designed for efficient diving operations in the
harshest environments. It will be 120 metres overall with a 23 metre beam and will be fitted with a 250 tonne crane and have accommodation for 120 people. The vessel will have high transit speed, an ice class hull, Class 3 dynamic positioning and be in compliance with the most demanding maritime and environmental regulations worldwide. The 24-man, twin bell saturation diving system will be certified for Norwegian regulations and will utilise the latest technology. The design will reflect Acergy's 30 years experience of diving operations in harsh environments. |
| BP Takes Delivery of World's Largest LNG Carrier | 09/07/2007 |
| BP Shipping takes delivery of the British Emerald, the world's largest liquefied natural gas carrier (LNGC), the first in a series of dual-fuel diesel-electric gas ships. Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, Korea, at 155,000 cubic metres she is the largest LNGC to date. The design and construction of this technologically advanced vessel is more fuel efficient than comparable LNG carriers, which will result in reduced fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The dual-fuel technology allows the diesel engines to run on "boil-off" gases from the cargo tanks or on conventional diesel fuel. The vessel will burn 40 tonnes per day (tpd) less than a conventional LNGC of similar size which would burn about 180 tpd. |
| Gas Now Flowing from Shah Deniz Field to Turkey | 05/07/2007 |
| Gas from Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan is now flowing to Turkey for the first time. "This is a milestone for Statoil's international production, sale and marketing of gas from Azerbaijan," says Jan Heiberg, vice president for the group's gas operations in Azerbaijan. It is also a special day for Statoil as AGSC's operator in that all buyers of Shah Deniz gas are now taking gas," he says. BP operates the Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea where Statoil has a 25.5% interest. Statoil is responsible for sale of phase one Shah Deniz gas, as operator for the AGSC. |
| BP and D1 Oils Form Joint Venture | 03/07/2007 |
| BP and D1 Oils plc to form joint venture called D1-BP Fuel Crops Ltd to accelerate the planting of jatropha curcas - a drought resistant, inedible oilseed bearing tree which does not compete with food crops for good agricultural land or adversely impact the rainforest - in order to make more sustainable biodiesel feedstock available on a larger scale. |
| Centrica Acquires Further Norwegian Exploration Interests | 03/07/2007 |
| Centrica plc's Norwegian subsidiary, Centrica Energi, has acquired further exploration interests in the Norwegian sector, building on its existing presence within the country. Centrica has agreed to acquire a 40 per cent interest in the Tommeltott prospect from Total's Norwegian subsidiary, Total E&P Norge AS. |
| BP Announces North Sea Investment to Boost UK Gas Supplies | 28/06/2007 |
| BP announces plans for significant investment in its southern North Sea business which will lead to an increase in recoverable gas reserves and create opportunities for further development offshore. The Dimlington Onshore Compression & Terminals Integration project will see some £125 million ($250 million) invested in new gas compression facilities at the BP-operated terminal which receives gas from fields in the southern North Sea. |
| BP, ABF and DuPont Unveil $400 Million Investment in UK Biofuels | 28/06/2007 |
| Wide spread availability of biofuels in the UK takes a major step forward as BP, Associated British Foods (ABF) and DuPont announced major investment plans, totalling around $400 million for the construction of a world scale bioethanol plant alongside a high technology demonstration plant to advance development work on the next generation of biofuels. |
| Shaw Announces Joint Venture with Alinda Capital Partners | 28/06/2007 |
| Shaw Group Inc.'s wholly-owned subsidiary, Shaw Capital, Inc., and Alinda Capital Partners LLC (Alinda), a privately-held investment firm, agree to jointly pursue
development of certain yet to be identified energy, transportation, infrastructure, water, wastewater, and related projects through Shaw Infrastructure Investments LLC, a newly created joint venture. |
| Purchase of Carbon Emission Reduction Certificates | 27/06/2007 |
| Scottish and Southern Energy plc ("SSE"), through its subsidiary, SSE Energy Supply Ltd, finalise the first of four agreements with GD Power Development Co. Ltd (a subsidiary of China Guodian Corporation, one of China's major energy companies) to support the development of four new wind farms in north east China. SSE Energy Supply Ltd will purchase approximately two million Carbon Emissions Reduction Certificates (CERs) over a period of five years from the start of 2008. |
| BP and TNK-BP Plan Strategic Alliance with Gazprom | 27/06/2007 |
| BP and TNK-BP sign memorandum of understanding to create strategic alliance with Russian gas giant, Gazprom, to invest jointly in major long-term energy projects or swap assets around the world. In a move designed to extend Gazprom's access to international markets and deepen BP and TNK-BP involvement in Russian oil and gas, the companies will establish a joint team to identify strategic opportunities for investment both overseas and inside Russia. |
Appointments to New Advisory Committee on Carbon
Abatement Technologies | 26/06/2007 |
| Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Energy Lord Truscott announces launch of new Advisory Committee on Carbon Abatement Technologies. Lord Truscott said: "The Advisory Committee on Carbon Abatement Technologies provides an invaluable forum for discussion between industry, academia and Government on the development of these technologies which enable fossil fuels, such as coal, to be used without the environmental disadvantages. With the breadth and depth of experience and the knowledge they have through their many years of working in this area, the advice and insight they can bring to the Government in shaping policy and strategy for the deployment of Carbon Abatement Technologies will be invaluable." |
| Hydro Joins New CO2 Project at Mongstad | 22/06/2007 |
| Hydro enters into agreement to participate in the development of a test centre - European CO2 Test Centre Mongstad - for the capture of CO2 at Mongstad, southwest Norway. Partners in the project are the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Statoil, Norske Shell, Dong Energy Generation and Vattenfall. |
| TNK-BP Will Invest $1 Billion Every Year Till 2011 into Drilling | 21/06/2007 |
| TNK-BP to invest approximately $1 billion every year into drilling and participate in tenders for new licenses, said Sergey Brezitsky, Executive Vice President, Upstream, TNK-BP, at a briefing on Tuesday. According to Mr Brezitsky, TNK-BP will leave its oil production in 2007 at the same level and may increase it by 1-2% in 2008. |
| Gazprom and Urals Sign Memorandum for Cooperation | 20/06/2007 |
| Alexander Ananenkov, Acting Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Leonid Dyachenko, President of Urals Energy sign Memorandum for cooperation on Irkutsk Oblast gasification within the General Gas Supply and Regional Gasification Scheme developed by Gazprom and approved by the Irkutsk Oblast Administration. |
| TNK-BP to Develop Uvat Group of Fields | 20/06/2007 |
| TNK-BP presents new oil and gas project for development of Uvat Group of fields in south of Tyumen Region. Project is aimed at creation of new oil and gas province in the region with a total reserve of 200-250 million tons and an annual production of approximately 10 million tons of oil a year. Some $2.5 billion will be invested in to the project in the nearest three years. |
| Gjøa Approved by Norwegian Parliament | 20/06/2007 |
| Norwegian Storting (parliament) approves Statoil-operated North Sea Gjøa field's plan for development and operation (PDO). "This is a day to be remembered," says Tim Dodson, acting executive vice president for Exploration & Production Norway (EPN). "We are very pleased that the development is finally approved. A review by the owners of the required approval terms and conditions remains however, particularly in light of the fact that the project is economically marginal. Realisation of Gjøa's reserves will give Statoil significantly increased production and returns." |
| Shell and Esso to Market Selected North Sea Assets | 20/06/2007 |
| Shell U.K. Limited (Shell) announced that the company, along with Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, an ExxonMobil subsidiary, intends to market their equity interests in a number of Northern North Sea assets, which include operated interests in Cormorant Alpha, Cormorant North, Tern, Eider, Kestrel and Pelican and non-operated interests in Otter and Hudson, as well as an operated interest in the associated oil evacuation system. |
| Green Light for Decarbonised Fuel Plant | 18/06/2007 |
| Application to build unique, clean electricity power plant in Aberdeenshire, capable of powering 720,000 homes, approved by Ministers. The decarbonised fuels project at Peterhead would be the first industrial scale project in the world to combine three separate technologies - hydrogen production, power generation and carbon capture and storage - to generate electricity using hydrogen from natural gas. |
| AMEC Awarded Fairfield Energy Contract | 15/06/2007 |
| AMEC awarded contract with Fairfield Energy Limited to provide range of consultancy services integral to acquisition of Dunlin assets. Fairfield Energy Ltd recently entered into exclusive negotiations with Shell UK and Esso Exploration and Production UK to acquire their combined 56.8 % interest in Dunlin and Dunlin Southwest fields, 97.6 % interest in Merlin field and 100 % interest in Osprey field in Northern North Sea. |
| Praj - Aker Kvaerner Joint Venture Signed | 13/06/2007 |
| Praj Industries, biofuels solution provider and Aker Kvaerner, announces finalisation of an agreement to form a joint venture company in Europe that will be called BioCnergy Europa B.V. Pramod Chaudhari, Chairman, Praj and Wim van der Zande, Managing Director, Aker Kvaerner Netherlands B.V. confirmed that, following the approval of the joint venture (JV) by the Boards of both companies in April, the agreement has now been finalised, paving the way for the Company to commence operations. Praj holds 60 percent in BioCnergy, while Aker Kvaerner holds 40 percent of the shareholding. |
| Aker Kvaerner Acquires Phoenix Polymers International | 12/06/2007 |
| Aker Kvaerner acquires 50 percent of Phoenix Polymers International Ltd (Phoenix). Phoenix develops and manufactures buoyancy and polyurethane products for the worldwide oil and gas sector and is an important supplier of floatation elements to Aker Kvaerner's deepwater marine drilling riser projects. Phoenix was established in 2003 and has its offices and manufacturing facilities in Aberdeen. |
| Aker Kvaerner and SKF Sign Partnership | 12/06/2007 |
| Aker Kvaerner and SKF establish partnership for Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) for the offshore and onshore oil and gas industry. Condition Based Maintenance reduces plant downtime, increases equipment reliability and reduces maintenance by means of optimised maintenance and inspection programmes, real time monitoring systems and world class competency. |
| Statoil Extends Offer for NAOSC | 12/06/2007 |
| Statoil Canada Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Statoil ASA extends its all-cash offer to acquire all shares of North American Oil Sands Corporation (NAOSC) at a price of CAD 20 per share. Pursuant to the requirements of applicable law, the Offer is now open for acceptance until 5:00 p.m. (Calgary time) on June 25, 2007, unless further extended or withdrawn. |
Scottish & Southern Energy Application to Build Wind Farm
on Lewis | 11/06/2007 |
| Scottish and Southern Energy plc ("SSE") submit application to Scottish Ministers for consent to build 205MW (megawatt) wind farm at Pairc on Lewis in the Western Isles. It is the largest wind farm development for which SSE has ever sought consent. Application features a proposal for 57 turbines over an area of approximately 20 square kilometres and construction of the wind farm would requirement investment by SSE currently estimated at around £200m. |
| Oil Find in North Sea for Hydro | 11/06/2007 |
| Operator of exploration and production license 090, Hydro makes small oil find on H-North Prospect in the North Sea. "The find on H-North can provide valuable additional resources to fields in the Fram area. The find confirms Hydro exploration successes in this area over the past few years," says Tore Lilloe-Olsen, exploration manager in the Development Norway sector of Hydro's Oil & Energy business area. |
| Marathon and Naftogaz Ukrainy Sign Cooperation Agreement | 06/06/2007 |
| Marathon International Petroleum, Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marathon Oil Corporation, and National Joint Stock Company Naftogaz Ukrainy (NAK) sign cooperation agreement to carry out technical studies that could lead to joint exploration for, and production of, hydrocarbons in an area of interest in the Dnieper-Donets Basin located in North Central Ukraine. |
| Gazprom Neft and Statoil Sign Cooperation Agreement | 06/06/2007 |
| Gazprom Neft and Statoil establish joint working group to start evaluating possible joint exploration & production projects in Russia and overseas. This cooperation is organised under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on April 2, 2007 by Alexander Dyukov, president of Gazprom Neft, and Peter Mellbye, executive vice president of Statoil responsible for international exploration & production. |
| BP Agrees Major Exploration and Production Deal with Libya | 31/05/2007 |
| BP and its Libyan partner, the Libya Investment Corporation (LIC), signed major exploration and production agreement Wednesday with Libya's National Oil Company (NOC). The initial exploration commitment is set at a minimum of $900million, with significant additional appraisal and development expenditures upon exploration success. The agreement was signed in Sirt, Libya, by BP's group chief executive Tony Hayward and NOC chairman, Shokri Ghanem. |
| Statoil Makes Promising Oil Discovery in North Sea | 31/05/2007 |
| Operator Statoil makes promising oil discovery in North Sea's Ermintrude prospect. Deposits are reckoned to be in the region of 50 million barrels of recoverable reserves. "Ermintrude can give valuable additional resources at the Sleipner area," says Tim Dodson, Statoil's senior vice president for exploration in Exploration & Production Norway (EPN). |
| Wood Group Opens New Service Facility in Qatar | 30/05/2007 |
| John Wood Group PLC ("Wood Group"), officially opens new 600m2 service facility in Qatar. Wood Group Engineering Services Qatar LLC, part of the Group's Gas Turbine Services Division, specialises in servicing pump, compressor and valve equipment used in the power and oil & gas industries. An initial $1 million has been invested in this market entry by our Qatar facility, bringing Wood Group's total investment to date in the Middle East region to more than $55 million. |
| AMEC Sells AMEC SPIE Capag to French Company | 30/05/2007 |
| AMEC plc sells its pipelines construction business AMEC SPIE Capag to the French company Entrepose Contracting SA. This furthers AMEC's strategy, announced in December 2006, of focusing on its core businesses in the Energy and Process sectors and divesting its Built Environment and other non-core specialist businesses. The transaction follows the sale of AMEC's interest in AMEC SPIE Rail Systems Ltd, Buchan Concrete Solutions and AMEC Dynamic Structures, announced earlier this year. |
| Eni Purchases ConocoPhillips' Shares in Czech Refining Co. | 31/05/2007 |
| Eni signs agreement with ConocoPhillips Central and Eastern Europe Holdings B.V. for purchase of further shareholding, corresponding to 16.11%, of share capital of Czech Refining Company (CRC), a leading refining company in the Czech Republic and one of the most important in Central Europe. CRC is a refining company established in 1996 as a joint venture among Unipetrol (51%), Shell (16.33%), ConocoPhillips (16.33%) and Eni (16.33%). Following the deal, Eni reaches a 32.4% interest in CRC. |
| Venture Production - Operational Update | 24/05/2007 |
| Venture Production plc, the Aberdeen based independent oil and gas production company, provides an operational update on current field development activities. |
| E.ON Sets Course for Russian Power Market | 24/05/2007 |
| E.ON and Russian energy company STS found joint venture called E.ON-STS Energia today in Tyumen in western Siberia. Each of the partners owns 50 percent of the new company. STS has a number of shareholdings in power generation and distribution. STS supplies electricity and gas to about 1.1 million customers in western Siberia. E.ON operates numerous techno-logically advanced power plants in Europe and has extensive experience in liberalized energy markets. |
| E.ON 'Keen' to Take Leading Nuclear Role in UK | 24/05/2007 |
| E.ON UK confirms it intends to take leading role in next generation of nuclear power stations as part of a diverse, lower carbon energy mix. The company will also be supporting Westinghouse and Areva nuclear designs through pre-licensing in the UK and is in discussions with GE Energy over its designs. Dr Paul Golby, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, made the announcement at Tuesday's Annual Meeting on Nuclear Technology 2007, the day before the Energy White Paper. |
| Darling Publishes Energy White Paper | 23/05/2007 |
| Greater energy efficiency and a secure, low carbon energy mix for the long-term are at the centre of the Energy White Paper published by Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling today. In a statement to the House of Commons, Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling said: "We face two big challenges - climate change and maintaining stable and affordable energy supply in an increasingly unstable world. The Energy White Paper sets out a long term framework for action to address these challenges at home and abroad. |
| Rio Tinto and BP Join Forces to Develop Clean Energy | 17/05/2007 |
| BP and Rio Tinto today announced formation of new jointly-owned company, Hydrogen Energy, which will develop decarbonised energy projects around the world. The venture will initially focus on hydrogen-fuelled power generation, using fossil fuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to produce new large-scale supplies of clean electricity. |
| 3i Sells Stake in Corpro to SCF | 17/05/2007 |
| 3i, private equity and venture capital company, announces sale of its stake in Aberdeen based Corpro, an independent oilfield services company, to SCF Partners. Corpro is the leading independent provider of coring services to the oil and gas industry. Incorporated in 1988 in Scotland, Corpro deploys exclusive coring and core handling services for oil & gas wells during exploration and appraisal. |
| Home in Sight for Energy Technologies Institute | 15/05/2007 |
| Bids from five outstanding university organisations short-listed to host the UK's new Energy Technologies Institute (ETI). In a speech yesterday on energy policy at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling said: "The Energy Technologies Institute is a unique venture. With a potential billion pound budget, it is bringing together government and some of the world's biggest companies and will help to establish the UK as one of the leaders in global clean energy development." |
| New Boost for Tidal Energy | 15/05/2007 |
| Scottish Power and Hammerfest Strøm sign agreement to further develop Norwegian technology and tidal energy in the UK. Statoil is the main shareholder in Hammerfest Strøm. The two companies will together form the tidal power company Hammerfest Strøm UK. The partners will now work on the development of a full-scale tidal energy turbine which will be installed in the UK in 2009. |
| Norwegian Government Recommend Gjøa Development | 15/05/2007 |
| Norwegian government propose North Sea's Gjøa field be developed in accordance with the plan for development and operation (PDO), at the Council of State. The Norwegian parliament (Storting) will make a final decision before the summer. "After having worked hard for a long time to put together a PDO, we are very pleased to have found a profitable solution that will allow the area's resources to be recovered," says Kjetel Digre, who heads the Gjøa project. |
| Russia Ratifies Balkan Pipeline Pact with Bulgaria and Greece | 15/05/2007 |
| The Russian government ratifies agreement with Bulgaria and Greece for EUR1 billion project to build Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline say the Russian news agency RIA-Novosti. The decision came during a weekly government meeting and follows an agreement signed 15 March by the three countries. According to the agreement, Russian state-controlled firms are to hold a 51% stake in the venture, while Greece and Bulgaria will hold 24.5% each. |
| SNC Lavalin Acquires Aqua Terre Solutions Inc. | 15/05/2007 |
| SNC-Lavalin acquires Aqua Terre Solutions Inc., a specialised environmental consulting practice with over 15 years of solid experience throughout Canada. Aqua Terre Solutions is based in Ottawa with major offices in Toronto, Calgary and Saskatoon. Its services include contaminated site assessment, remediation, management, air quality modelling, and occupational health and safety. |
AMEC and Royal Holloway London University Launch
New Mining Laboratory | 15/05/2007 |
| AMEC's UK environmental business forms joint venture with Royal Holloway University of London to launch new commercial mining laboratory which will provide specialist testing services to characterise mining wastes. The Royal Holloway is already one of the UK's leading centres of excellence for research and teaching in geology, while AMEC is a service provider to the global mining industry from initial geological exploration, resource estimation, feasibility assessment, design and operation through to environmental services and reclamation. |
KBR and Fellow Shareholders Announce Sale of DML
Shipyard Business | 15/05/2007 |
| KBR along with fellow shareholders the Weir Group and Balfour Beatty, agree to sell their interests in Devonport Management Limited (DML) to Babcock International Group plc for total proceeds of GBP 350 million. KBR's ownership in DML is 51%. The transaction is expected to close within 60 days, subject to customary closing conditions including Babcock shareholder approval. DML, through its subsidiary Devonport Royal Dockyard, is the primary dockyard performing refueling and related maintenance for the UK's nuclear submarine fleet. |
| Clyde Blowers Company Acquires Weir Pumps Business | 15/05/2007 |
| The Weir Group PLC sells its Glasgow based operation, Weir Pumps, to Clyde Pumps Ltd, a Clyde Blowers portfolio company ("Clyde"), for a cash consideration of approximately £45 million. All employees of Weir Pumps will transfer to Clyde. Clyde's strategy going forward is to continue with Weir Pumps' new equipment and spares business and to build a centre of excellence in pump technology, hydraulic design and engineering in Glasgow. |
| Talisman Energy Announces Renewable Energy on Stream for Beatrice | 15/05/2007 |
| Talisman Energy (UK) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Talisman Energy Inc., announces first power from Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project. The joint venture between Talisman and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) is a central part of DOWNViND (Distant Offshore Wind Farms No Visual Impact iN Deepwater). |
| Talisman Energy Announces First Oil from Tweedsmuir | 15/05/2007 |
| Talisman Energy (UK) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Talisman Energy Inc., commences production from its Tweedsmuir development. "The Tweedsmuir project is a good example of our North Sea strategy to tie back existing and new discoveries to Talisman owned infrastructure," said Dr. Jim Buckee, President and Chief Executive Officer. |
| BP Board Appoints Independent Expert to Monitor Progress on Baker Report | 13/05/2007 |
| The board of BP p.l.c. appoints L. Duane Wilson as the independent expert who will monitor progress in implementing the recommendations of the Baker Panel to improve safety performance at the Group's five US refineries which are owned and operated by BP Products North America, Inc. |
| Tampen Link Complete | 08/05/2007 |
| The 23-kilometre-long Tampen Link pipeline between the Statfjord field and the British sector of the North Sea has been laid, providing capacity for gas from the Statfjord late life project. Tampen Link ties the Statfjord field in with the Flags pipeline which runs from the Brent field in the British sector to St Fergus in Scotland. The Saipem UK-owned Castoro Sei laybarge has laid the pipeline. |
| PSN Birthday Pledge to Create Three New International Businesses | 07/05/2007 |
| To celebrate PSN's first birthday, CEO Bob Keiller and his management team pledge to create at least three new international businesses, in the next 12 months. This aggressive growth pledge is expected to generate an additional $300million of revenue for PSN over the next 5 years. |
| EU Commission Clearance for StatoilHydro Merger | 07/05/2007 |
| Statoil and Hydro receive clearance 3 May from the European Commission for announced merger between Norsk Hydro ASA's petroleum activities and Statoil ASA. The European Commission declared that the merger is compatible with the common market pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of the EC Merger Regulation. |
| SNC Lavalin Acquires Capital Engineering in the USA | 07/05/2007 |
| SNC-Lavalin's wholly owned subsidiary, SNC-Lavalin America Inc., has acquired Capital Engineering Inc. located in Chicago, USA. This acquisition will further enhance SNC-Lavalin's engineering and construction management capabilities in the steel and aluminum sectors, and provide an established regional presence in the key Chicago and midwest US markets. |
| Mott MacDonald Supports THINK Charter | 02/05/2007 |
| Mott MacDonald is to support THINK, 1-3 May at the ExCel Centre in London. THINK brings together leaders and practitioners working in the built environment to look at ways the industry and other key stakeholders such as Government can help to alleviate climate change. The built environment accounts for around 50% of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions. |
BP Appoints Tony Hayward as Chief Executive as Lord Browne
Steps Down | 01/05/2007 |
| Following a decision taken by Lord Browne to step down as the company's chief executive officer, the Board of BP p.l.c. has appointed his designated successor, Dr Tony Hayward, as new CEO with immediate effect. Lord Browne tendered his resignation after the lifting by the UK courts of a legal injunction preventing a newspaper group from publishing details of his private life. |
| Statoil to Acquire North American Oil Sands Corporation | 01/05/2007 |
| Statoil ASA and North American Oil Sands Corporation (NAOSC) enter into acquisition agreement whereby Statoil will make all-cash offer to acquire all shares of NAOSC at a price of CAD 20 per share. Total transaction value is approximately CAD 2.2 billion, equivalent to about USD 2 billion. NAOSC, a Calgary-based company, was formed in 2001. It operates 257,200 acres (1,110 square kilometres) of oil sands leases located in the Athabasca region of Alberta, north-east of Edmonton. |
| Halliburton Enters into Agreement to Acquire PSL Energy Services | 26/04/2007 |
| Halliburton enters into definitive agreement with the shareholders of PSL Energy Services Limited (PSLES) to purchase the entire share capital of the company. This agreement is subject to receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. Founded in 2003, PSLES is a leading eastern hemisphere provider of process, pipeline and well intervention services, including flange management and bolting, leak testing, pre-commissioning services, hydrotesting, hydraulic workover, coiled tubing, slickline and wireline, and pumping services. |
| Aker Kvaerner and Praj JV for European Bio-fuels Market | 26/04/2007 |
| Praj Industries Ltd. and Aker Kvaerner, today announced a significant step in the expansion of their association, confirming that they are to create a joint venture (JV), for the European market. Aker Kvaerner has approved the implementation of the JV, and this consent joins the Praj Industries' Board approval (announced by Praj on 19 April 2007) wherein Praj will hold a 60 per cent share of the JV and Aker Kvaerner will hold 40 per cent. The JV will combine Aker Kvaerner's execution capabilities and extensive European market knowledge with the technological expertise of Praj. |
| Gazprom Enters Sakhalin II Project | 20/04/2007 |
| Shareholders of Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. (Sakhalin Energy), operator of Sakhalin II project, sign Sale and Purchase Agreement with OAO Gazprom (Gazprom) to trigger transfer of shares in Sakhalin Energy. This transaction implements a protocol signed on December 21, 2006 in Moscow. Under its terms Gazprom acquires a 50% plus one share stake in Sakhalin Energy for $7.45 billion in cash. The other three shareholders, Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell), Mitsui & Co. Ltd (Mitsui) and Mitsubishi Corporation (Mitsubishi), each dilute their stakes by 50%, to receive a proportionate share of the purchase price. |
| AMEC Divests Dynamic Structures Business | 20/04/2007 |
| AMEC plc completes sale of its Canadian-based specialty steel design and fabrication business, AMEC Dynamic Structures Ltd, to Empire Industries Ltd for an undisclosed sum. This furthers AMEC's strategy, announced in December 2006, of focusing on its core businesses in the Energy and Process sectors and divesting its Built Environment and other non-core specialist businesses. |
| Halliburton Completes Work in Iran | 16/04/2007 |
| Halliburton's announces that all contractual commitments in Iran now completed and the company is no longer working in Iran. The winding down of Halliburton's work came as the result of a decision announced in January 2005 that only contractual commitments existing at that time would be honoured, and that no new work would be accepted going forward. |
| Eni Signs MoU with Sonangol for Angola LNG Stake | 03/04/2007 |
| Eni and Sonangol execute Memorandum of Understanding for acquisition by Eni Angola Exploration B.V. (a 100% affiliate of Eni) of a 13.6% stake in Angola LNG Limited Consortium (A-LNG). This company is responsible for the construction of an LNG plant in Soyo, 300 km north Luanda, with a yearly capacity of 5 million tons. |
| AMEC Grows Environmental Business with Acquisition | 03/04/2007 |
| AMEC strengthens its environmental services capability with the acquisition of UK-based Applied Environmental Research Centre (AERC) which generated revenues of £2.3 million in the year ended 31 December 2006. Its net assets were £0.6 million as at 31 December 2006. AERC is a specialist consultancy employing 45 scientists and engineers, based in Colchester, Essex. It provides a wide range of services across the environmental sciences, engineering and planning, including environmental monitoring and measurement. |
| Aker Kvaerner Under Police Investigation in Moscow | 02/04/2007 |
| Russian police visit Aker Kvaerner Engineering & Technology representation office in Moscow to inquire about a complaint from a former Russian business partner regarding Aker Kvaerner Engineering & Technology's acquisition of 56 percent ownership in Astrakhan Korabel. The inquiry concerns Aker Kvaerner Engineering & Technology's acquisition of shares from the Finnish company RR Offshore Oy. |
| Corporate Assembly Recommends Hydro Split | 29/03/2007 |
| Hydro's Corporate Assembly recommended today the company's General Assembly to approve the plan to demerge Norsk Hydro ASA as part of the merger of Hydro's petroleum activities with Statoil. The Corporate Assembly referred to the Board of Directors' report about the merger and adopted its assessment. |
| Total Launches Development of Jura Field | 28/03/2007 |
| Total announces development of Jura gas and condensate field has been launched, just four months after it was discovered. The Jura discovery represents more than 170 million barrels of oil equivalent of proved and probable reserves and is located in the Alwyn Area (100% owned and operated by Total) in the UK sector of the North Sea, 160 kilometres east of the Shetland Islands and 440 kilometres northeast of Aberdeen. |
| Eni and Gazprom Discuss Strategic Partnership Agreement | 28/03/2007 |
| Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller met 26 March in Moscow with Eni CEO Paolo Scaroni. The companies discuss the implementation of their strategic partnership agreement signed last November. Alexey Miller and Paolo Scaroni went through the progress made to date on the Strategic Parnership Agreement. |
| 3i Completes US$250m Lead Investment in Delta Hydrocarbons | 27/03/2007 |
| 3i commits $250m to Delta Hydrocarbons as part of its US$1 billion fundraising. Delta is an innovative venture dedicated to capitalise on current industry dynamics in the international upstream oil and gas (E&P) business. 3i is investing alongside Dyas BV, a subsidiary of SHV Holdings NV, and Upstream Capital Partners, an affiliate of Mercuria Energy Group, who are each committing $250m. |
BP Speech by Vivienne Cox
The Business Case for Low Carbon Power - An International Perspective | 27/03/2007 |
| On 19 March 2007, Vivienne Cox, BP's Executive Vice President and CEO of Gas, Power & Renewables and Shipping gave a speech entitled "The Business Case for Low Carbon Power - An International Perspective". Her speech was given at the Energy Institute, New Delhi, India and discussed what BP is doing around the world, focussing in particular on BP Alternative Energy and the generation of power from low carbon sources such as solar, wind, gas and hydrogen. |
| Fluor Forms New Business Line to Focus on Nuclear New Build Power Market | 26/03/2007 |
| Fluor Corporation announces formation of dedicated business line within its Power Group to address next generation nuclear power market. Fluor has prepared for this emerging market through the combined talent, activities and resources in both its Government and Power Groups. The nuclear business line will be headquartered in Fluor's Greenville, S.C. office. |
| Jacobs Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Edwards and Kelcey | 26/03/2007 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. sign letter of intent to acquire Edwards and Kelcey, a 1,000-person firm headquartered in Morristown, N.J., U.S.A. Founded in 1946, Edwards and Kelcey is a nationally recognized engineering, design, planning, and construction management firm serving public and private clients in the fields of transportation, planning/environmental, communications technology, buildings/facilities, and land development. The company has 25 regional offices and is ranked 71st among the Top 500 U.S. Design Firms by Engineering News-Record (ENR). |
| Halliburton Opens Corporate Headquarters in UAE | 23/03/2007 |
| Halliburton Company has announced at a regional energy conference in the Kingdom of Bahrain the opening of a corporate headquarters office in the United Arab Emirates. Halliburton Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Lesar will move to Dubai to lead the company's efforts in growing Halliburton's business in the Eastern Hemisphere, an important market for the global oil and gas industry. |
| Atkins Acquire Defence Consultancy | 22/03/2007 |
| WS Atkins plc acquires Advantage Business Group Limited (Advantage), an independent defence consultancy, for a consideration of £19.4 million, of which £15.25 million has been paid in cash and £4.15 million through the issue of loan notes, £1.7 million of which are redeemable after 18 months and £2.45 million after three years.
Advantage has particular expertise in through-life capability management, complementing Atkins' existing skills in defence systems engineering. Atkins will integrate Advantage into its Design & Engineering Solutions business. |
| Alve Receives Ministerial Approval | 22/03/2007 |
| Plan for development and operation (PDO) of Alve gas and condensate field in Norwegian Sea given ministerial approval on 16 March. For the first time, Statoil submitted a simplified PDO. This is cost-saving and more effective for both the operator and the government. "We appreciate the government's swift action," says Øyvind Bratsberg, senior vice president for the Halten/Nordland area. "It's been only two months since we submitted the PDO." |
| B&W and AEP to Demonstrate New Clean Coal Technology for Capture of CO2 Emissions | 22/03/2007 |
| McDermott International, Inc's subsidiary, The Babcock & Wilcox Company ("B&&W"), and American Electric Power ("AEP") plan to pursue commercial viability of new combustion technology to reduce carbon dioxide ("CO2") and other emissions from coal-fired power plants. Under the terms of a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") agreement, the companies will assess the application of oxy-coal combustion as a retrofit to an existing AEP plant, and work toward the development of the first oxy-coal commercial validation project in the United States. |
| Petrofac Opens New Premises in Great Yarmouth | 20/03/2007 |
| Petrofac opens new premises in Great Yarmouth to service the increasing demand for its oil & gas facilities management services. Based at the Gapton Hall Industrial Estate in Great Yarmouth, the new premises can accommodate 40 staff and provide intervention support capabilities for unmanned and manned operations in the Southern North Sea. Petrofac is a key employer in the east of England and is keen to further develop opportunities for local employees, as the company continues to invest and recruit in the region. |
| SNC Lavalin Acquires Spanish Engineering Firm INGESGRUP S.A. | 19/03/2007 |
| SNC-Lavalin acquires INGESGRUP S.A. and its subsidiaries, which includes INTECSA-INARSA, a Spanish engineering group recognized for its strong record of infrastructure in mass transit, water engineering, ports and marine facilities, tunnels and bridges and, the industrial sector, with its expertise in the construction of gas compression stations. With its head office in Madrid and five other offices throughout Spain, INTECSA-INARSA has increased the number of SNC-Lavalin employees in Europe by 500. |
| Marine Bill White Paper – Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Response | 19/03/2007 |
| The UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA), the representative body for offshore oil and gas producers, welcomes the underlying principles of the Marine Bill White Paper, in particular the commitment to secure the right balance between environmental, social and economic objectives. UKOOA states it also supports, in principle, the concept of a new UK-wide system of marine planning as a means of providing greater certainty to business planning. |
| StatoilHydro Merger Plan Signed | 16/03/2007 |
| The boards of directors of Statoil and Hydro sign final plan for demerger of Hydro as part of merger between Hydro's petroleum division and Statoil ASA. Hydro's shareholders will own 32.7% and Statoil's shareholders will own 67.3% of the merged company. As recompense for the transfer of Hydro's petroleum division, Hydro's shareholders will receive a 0.8622 share in the merged company for every share they own in Hydro. |
| Emission Cuts Create Opportunities for Statoil | 14/03/2007 |
| The European Union's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions gives Statoil new and important market opportunities up to 2020. On Friday 9 March, EU member states and heads of government approved a European energy policy that addresses global climate challenges. They agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020. The target will be reached by an increased focus on renewables, bio-fuels and carbon management. |
| Mott MacDonald Signs Agreement to Acquire ARCADIS Euroconsult | 13/03/2007 |
| Mott MacDonald signs agreement with ARCADIS to acquire its environmental consultant Euroconsult and management consultancy arm BMB in a move that strengthens Mott MacDonald's service offering in international development. The deal will be finalised later in March. Euroconsult works primarily in developing countries and economies in transition covering three core areas - land and water, rural development and ecology. BMB is a management consultancy specialising in institutional development and capacity building for the public, private and social sectors. |
| Merged Company to be Established Under the Name StatoilHydro | 12/03/2007 |
| The Board of Directors of Hydro and Statoil agree to recommend to their respective shareholders that the company to be established through the merger between Hydro's oil and gas activities and Statoil will be named StatoilHydro. The 18 December 2006 integration agreement between the boards stated that the company would be given a new name at the time of establishment, but the boards now have concluded that it is appropriate to leave it up to the new company's Board of Directors to develop a new name. Up to that point, the company's name will be StatoilHydro. |
| BP to Purchase Chevron's Manufacturing Business in the Netherlands | 09/03/2007 |
| Aker, Aker Kværner, Aker Yards and DOF Subsea establish Aker Oilfield Services Ltd. Initial ownership will be 75 per cent to the Aker companies, through the recently established Aker Innovation entity, and 25 per cent to DOF Subsea. Aker Oilfield Services established to target growing market for increased oil recovery services for subsea wells. The company will offer its customers subsea light well intervention services by means of both riserless and riser-based subsea well intervention systems. |
| Establishment of Aker Oilfield Services | 07/03/2007 |
| Aker, Aker Kværner, Aker Yards and DOF Subsea establish Aker Oilfield Services Ltd. Initial ownership will be 75 per cent to the Aker companies, through the recently established Aker Innovation entity, and 25 per cent to DOF Subsea. Aker Oilfield Services established to target growing market for increased oil recovery services for subsea wells. The company will offer its customers subsea light well intervention services by means of both riserless and riser-based subsea well intervention systems. |
| Aker Kvaerner Optimizes Its Operations | 06/03/2007 |
| Aker Kvaerner optimises its operations by transforming its existing six business areas into five global business areas. By combining those specialised units which work within the same market segments better, the change results in increased capacity and a stronger offer of services and solutions to all market segments. |
| TNK-BP to Start Exploration Near Caspian Sea Shelf | 02/03/2007 |
| Russian-British company TNK-BP to start prospecting and exploration of acquired areas in immediate vicinity of the Caspian Sea shelf in 2007. Robert Dudley, President and CEO of TNK-BP, said to the oil news agency Interfax-ANI that last year the company got hold of 23 licenses for development and exploration of fields mainly in the regions of its current industrial activities. |
| Hydro Involved in Major New Libyan Oil Discovery | 01/03/2007 |
| Significant oil discovery made in Murzuq Basin in Libya. The field extends over two licences, and Hydro participates in one of these. The Spanish oil company Repsol is operator for the field. The field was proved in the autumn of 2005, and subsequently five appraisal wells have been drilled. |
| Petronas Sign Gas Sales Agreements | 01/03/2007 |
| PETRONAS signs two gas sales agreements (GSA) with Murphy Oil and PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd for supply of gas from fields in Blocks SK309 and SK311, and from Kikeh field, offshore Sarawak and Sabah respectively. |
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