People, Companies & Products
Edwin ‘Eric’ McGhee, former IADC Executive Vice President, passes away
Edwin “Eric” McGhee, who served as Executive Vice President for IADC for 15 years, passed away on 4 October. He was 88.
Born on 31 December in 1925 in Brownwood, Texas, Mr McGhee was the seventh of eight children. Raised during the Depression, he hunted, fished and worked to help supplement family income. His first job was working 12-hour shifts at a grocery store, bagging groceries for $2 per day.
After graduating from high school, Mr McGhee attended Texas A&M University. However, after only one semester, he enlisted in the army to fight in World War II. After training in Mineral Wells, Texas, Mr McGhee was shipped to France in October 1943 to fight on the front lines. He was held as prisoner of war until being liberated by American troops.
After the war, he returned to Brownwood and then resumed his studies at Texas A&M, graduating with a mechanical engineering degree in 1949. After graduation, while working in Lufkin, Texas, he met his wife Sara Latimer Abney McGhee in February 1950.
Mr McGhee later began his career as a drilling engineer, working five years for Mene Grande Oil Company in Venezuela. His field experience landed him a job in Houston with Petroleum Publishing Co, where he became Drilling Editor for “Oil & Gas Journal.” He also worked in Tulsa, Okla., and in London during his tenure with the publishing company.
In 1974 he joined IADC as Executive Vice President, guiding the association through tough years in the oil and gas industry that began in 1982. He served the company for 15 years, retiring in 1990.
Click here to view the 1975 IADC article appointing Edwin McGhee as Executive VP.
Statoil CEO helge lund resigns to join BG group
BG Group has appointed Helge Lund as CEO and as an Executive Director, effective 2 March 2015. Mr Lund has served as CEO of Statoil since August 2004. Statoil has now appointed Eldar Sætre as acting President and CEO, effective immediately.
Cameron selects Scott Rowe as president, COO
Scott Rowe has assumed the newly created position of President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Cameron, effective 1 October 2014. Mr Rowe has served with Cameron for 12 years, most recently as CEO of OneSubsea. Mike Garding will succeed Mr Rowe in that position. Mr Garding most recently served as Schlumberger’s President of Completions.
Siemens to acquire Dresser-Rand for $7.6 billion
Germany-based Siemens AG has agreed to buy oilfield equipment company Dresser-Rand for $7.6 billion in cash. Siemens hopes the acquisition will bolster its presence in the US shale and hydraulic fracturing sectors. Dresser-Rand will continue to operate under its own brand name, and its executive team will stay in place. Siemens expects to close the deal by summer 2015.
2H Offshore to design, deliver MPD risers for Weatherford
2H Offshore, an Acteon company, has been appointed by Weatherford Secure Drilling services to manage the design and delivery of the riser equipment for its Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) system. Weatherford and 2H Offshore are working to ensure that the systems meet new regulations being adopted by Det Norske Veritas Drill Class N and the American Bureau of Shipping CDS Certification.
Blue Ocean Drilling orders jackups from Shanghai yard
Blue Ocean Drilling, a Cayman Islands company, has entered into contracts with Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding in China for the construction of two Gusto MSC CJ50 high-specification jackups.
The rigs will be identical in design and will be designed to comply with the regulatory requirements in the UK sector of the North Sea, as well as for high-specification operations worldwide. The rigs are scheduled for delivery in 2017. With this order, Blue Ocean now has four Gusto MSC jackups under construction.
Odfjell to partner with William Jacob management
Odfjell Drilling and William Jacob Management have signed a cooperation agreement to mutually deliver engineering services for offshore drilling facilities to the global energy market. The services will include conceptual and front-end engineering and design studies, project planning, procurement, commissioning/startup, construction management and maintenance.
The effort targets clients in need of newbuild drilling facilities or maintenance for an aging fleet. Ultimately, the alliance will provide an extended footprint for both firms.
Freudenberg opens new facility in Wales
Freudenberg Oil & Gas Technologies has unveiled a new facility in Port Talbot, Wales. The facility represents a consolidation of three Vector Technology Group sites in Wales into one. Freudenberg acquired the Vector business in January 2013. Over the next few years, the Freudenberg Group plans to invest £11 million in the Port Talbot operation.
Wild Well Control launches new subsea capping stack
Wild Well Control, a Superior Energy Services company, has unveiled a new subsea capping stack located in Singapore. The capping stack will be able to respond to global deepwater well control incidents. It is part of Wild Well’s emergency response system, WellCONTAINED. The system provides experienced personnel and equipment to plan, prepare for and respond to subsea well control events. The Singapore capping stack is Wild Well’s second unit; the first capping stack unit is located in Aberdeen. The new 18 3/4-in. 15K capping stack is available for a variety of offshore conditions and designed for subsea use.
Cubility opens new office in Kuala Lumpur
Cubility AS has opened a new office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and appointed Terje Vastveit to lead the new office. As Far East Regional Manager. Mr Vastveit will work to grow Cubility’s business in the region and will provide technical support to existing operations.
AFGlobal completes integration of Special Flanges
AFGlobal Corp has completed its integration of Special Flanges, a specialized flange manufacturer and forging company based in Italy. AFGlobal acquired the company in December 2013. Special Flanges increases AFGlobal’s ring rolling capability, which now spans up to 8 m in diameter. The integration also enhances the company’s standard flange portfolio and increases the company’s large, heavy wall forging offerings.
Patterson-UTI adds to pressure-pumping assets
A subsidiary of Patterson-UTI Energy has entered into an agreement to acquire the Texas-based pressure-pumping assets of a privately held company. The acquisition includes 143,250 hp of hydraulic fracturing equipment. It also provides Patterson-UTI with two additional bases of operations and employees to support activity in the Eagle Ford and Haynesville shale plays.
Products
3M introduces new fall protection devices
3M has expanded its personal safety portfolio to include two rescue devices designed to protect people working at height.
The 3M and DEUS Escape and Rescue System enables workers to steadily control their descent from heights up to 590 ft. The system, which weighs less than 3 lb, can be used to facilitate escape and rescue procedures for individuals and/or multiple stranded workers in a short time.
The second item is the Latchways Personal Rescue Device with 3M Elavation Harness. It is a lightweight, unobtrusive device that can help give users an unassisted, gentle self-rescue from heights up to 65 ft.
Modeling system to support rig-based specialists
Weatherford International has licensed the Ikon Science RokDoc RT software system to support its global rig-based real-time pore pressure specialists team.
The RokDoc RT system provides critical modeling tools that allow pore pressure specialists to recalibrate the well plan to the actual formation characteristics and boundaries that have been encountered during pore pressure while drilling.
Pore pressure-related incidents account for more than 40% of all nonproductive time during drilling operations, according to the company.
“The adoption of a new advanced software system for our pore pressure specialists is another asset to help our clients meet their targets quickly and safely,” David Tonner, Director of Surface Logging Systems at Weatherford, said.
