Unique Group Announces Key Appointments
UAE-based subsea equipment and engineering firm Unique Group announced it has appointed Chris Blake and Craig Walker to leadership roles in Aberdeen, Scotland. Blake joins Unique Group as Vice President – Survey, utilizing his 30 years of experience in the offshore industry throughout Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Americas with organizations such as Fugro and N-Sea. He brings to the role a track record in global survey products and services as well as business leadership.Walker’s appointment as Global Asset Manager will further enhance client project experience through data-drive
Ashtead Technology Creates Role to Push Renewables Drive
at Ashtead’s recently opened Thainstone technology center in Aberdeenshire, UK, Stephen has been promoted to the role after four years with the company recently as an asset integrity business development manager and formerly as NDT sales manager.Ashtead, which has traditionally provided its subsea equipment and O&M and decommissioning services to the oil and gas industry clients, has been diversifying into renewables as well."The firm has in recent years been diversifying into the renewables market where its equipment fleet and engineering skills developed to support the oil and gas industry
Forum Unveils eROV Simulator Training
to be trained in the use of the new console.The VMAX software is a 3D ROV simulation system which is predominantly used for the training and evaluation of ROV pilots. It can also be utilized by subsea engineering teams for modeling and verification of procedures involving intervention tasks for subsea equipment.The system provides a variety of ROV scenarios designed to test pilots’ skills such as tether management, manipulator control and tooling operation within realistic operational conditions.Andy McAra, VMAX product director, said, “Following the launch of the XLe Spirit vehicle last
The Underwater Centre Under New Ownership
and public bodies including Oil & Gas UK, Subsea 7, TechnipFMC, Premier Oil and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) have collaborated to support The Underwater Centre and ensure that the industry continues to have access to critical, world-leading underwater training and can undertake vital subsea equipment trials.The company will now operate as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, which will be funded and supported by its members, comprising operators, service companies and industry. The new restructured company formally began operating on Monday, May 7, 2018Senior representatives of
ASA hosts Response Training for Houston Authorities
maintained by U.S. salvage companies and the logistical expertise required to mount an effective response to wide variety of marine casualty events. Some of the equipment on display included: -Oil lightering and dewatering packages-Portable marine firefighting equipment-Commercial diving and subsea equipment-Heavy lift cranes and barges-Oil spill response equipment In addition to ASA member resources, attendees were also provided with the opportunity to tour the Port of Houston’s Mobile Command Center and the Port of Houston Fire Department’s FIREBOAT 2 which also gave a spectacular
Rovco Names Warren Operations Manager
of an offshore heat sink system for the nuclear facility at Hinkley Point C. He worked for seven years as an operations manager for GE Tidal, responsible for the installation of semi-buoyant tidal turbines, subsea foundations and cables. This involved technical development of novel subsea equipment, contract management, and operational supervision as part of a series of full-scale tests offshore. Warren’s career in the oil and gas industry began in 2002 when he joined Subsea 7 as a project engineer. He quickly progressed through the ranks and held a number of operational
Ashtead Bolsters US Team
Global subsea equipment specialists, Ashtead Technology, has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Steven Thrasher as regional vice president for the Americas. Bringing almost 20 years’ experience in the subsea industry, Thrasher, who will be based in Houston, Texas, will head up Ashtead’s US operation as it gears up for further growth in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and neighbouring markets. Prior to joining Ashtead, Thrasher held a number of senior and technical positions at FTO Services, C-Innovation and Schilling Robotics. He began his career in the
Ashtead Names Lestrange UK Regional Director
Subsea equipment specialist Ashtead Technology has hired Brett Lestrange as its new U.K. regional director, responsible for leading the company’s U.K. sales and technical teams. He will be based in Aberdeen. Bringing to the role more than 25 years’ experience in the subsea industry, Lestrange joins Ashtead from HCS Control Systems where he held the position of chief executive officer. Prior to this, he was a founding partner of Frontrow Energy Partners and held a number of senior and technical positions at Expro Group, including head of subsea. Originally from Sydney, Australia
Ashtead Hires Munjal in Singapore
Global subsea equipment specialist Ashtead Technology has appointed Ankit Munjal as regional sales manager at its Singapore operation. Munjal will be instrumental in driving forward the firm’s sales and business development activities in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region in support of both existing and new clients. Prior to joining Ashtead, Munjal was business development manager at James Fisher Subsea Excavation, where he was responsible for securing new business with oil and gas majors and contractors, across APAC. A Bachelor of Engineering graduate from the
Stephen Joins Ashtead Technology
Subsea equipment specialist Ashtead Technology has appointed Scott Stephen as its new Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) sales manager. Based at the company’s headquarters in Aberdeen, Stephen will be responsible for business development and general sales and rental of NDT equipment and accessories, including phased array, ultrasonic flaw detection, corrosion mapping, eddy current flaw detection, hardness testing, composite inspection and thickness management. Stephen joins Ashtead from RSL NDT where he held the role of UK manager and was previously with Euro NDT as general manager
Mair Joins Ashtead Senior Management Team
David Mair joins Ashtead Technology’s senior management team as the newly appointed business development director. With a career spanning more than 20 years in the oil and gas industry, Mair joins the subsea equipment solutions specialist from Hoover Ferguson Group where he held the position of global business development director. Prior to this, Mair worked at Subsea 7 where he held a number of senior management roles, including group vice president of business development. Based in Aberdeen, Mair will be responsible for Ashtead’s global business development
Aker Solutions Opens Subsea Plant in Brazil
Aker Solutions has formally opened its new subsea manufacturing and technology plant in Curitiba, Brazil. The facility will employ about 850 people and is dedicated to machining, welding, surface treatment, assembly and testing of Christmas trees and other subsea equipment. It will provide the first subsea control systems manufacturing capability in Brazil, enabling delivery of complete well systems that are placed on the seafloor. “The facility will build on and strengthen our nearly four-decade presence in Brazil, which is a key global offshore market with significant
