Parker Drilling Co.
Houston, has announced the appointment of David C. Mannon as president and chief operating officer. He succeeds Robert L. Parker Jr., who resumes his role as chairman and chief executive officer.
Mannon earned a BS degree in civil engineering from Southern Methodist University and an MBA from the University of Houston. He has 27 years of experience in the drilling industry, beginning as a drilling engineer with Sedco-Forex. He joined Triton Engineering Services Co., a subsidiary of Noble Drilling, in 1988, and held a number of positions there, culminating with his appointment as president and CEO. He joined Parker Drilling in 2004 as senior vice-president and COO.
Parker Drilling Co. is a drilling contracting firm specializing in offshore drilling and workover services in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as international land and offshore markets. The company also owns Quail Tools, a provider of premium industry rental tools.
OpenSpirit Corp.
Stafford, Tex., has opened an office in Abu Dhabi to cover the Middle East/Africa region. Sebastien Ferreira, business development manager for Middle East/Africa/South Asia, will head the new operation. Arbaab Muzaffar, a pre-sales technical advisor, will also locate in the region.
The company also has expanded its UK office by appointing Nick Cabot as business manager for Europe/CIS/Libya, and David Wright as pre-sales technical advisor for the region. They are based in Woking, Surrey.
Len Chia has joined the company in Perth, Australia, as pre-sales technical advisor for the Asia Pacific region. He reports to region business development manager, Mike Slee.
Ferreira comes to OpenSpirit from Schlumberger (SIS). Cabot previously was with Geotrace.
OpenSpirit Corp. is an independent software company focused on providing integration solutions for upstream applications and data.
Acteon Group Ltd.
Norwich, Norfolk, UK, has completed acquisition of three companies from the Aberdeen-based Craig Group. They are Seatronics, International Mooring Systems (IMS), and Chain Corp. International (ChainCo). David Currie will continue to lead Seatronics. Alan Duncan will head IMS and ChainCo.
Seatronics is a leading provider of subsea electronics rental, and takes Acteon into the advanced marine survey sector, new ground for Acteon.
IMS focuses on the sale, rental, and management of mooring equipment, while ChainCo specializes in inspection and certification of mooring chain, and the repair or upgrade of heavy-duty mooring systems.
Acteon Group Ltd. is comprised of specialist engineering companies serving the global offshore oil and gas industry.
Emer International Group Ltd.
Hong Kong, has announced its acquisition of Zhengzhou Highlight Energy Technology Co. Ltd., manufacturer and marketer of machinery and equipment for the oil industry. Zhengzhou Highlight’s major product is a solid control system for processing mud in the drilling process.
Emer International Group Ltd. provides products and services to the worldwide oil and gas drilling industry, both onshore and offshore. The company has manufacturing centers in China, and a large sales center in Houston.
Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and Instituto Superior de la Energia (ISE)
Des Plaines, Ill., and Madrid, Spain, respectively, have announced the signing of an agreement whereby GTI will present LNG courses at ISE and license its CD-based e-learning courses to ISE. The collaboration will aid the industry in reducing the shortage of trained workers caused by the rapidly expanding LNG industry.
GTI has offered LNG information and training since the 1960s. The organization has served the natural gas industry and energy markets for more than 65 years with research, development, and training.
ISE, which belongs to the Repsol YPF Foundation, is a pioneering educational institution that began offering programs in 1999. The institution designs and teaches postgraduate programs targeting young graduates who wish to enter the energy and petrochemical industries, and related service companies.
Basic Systems Inc.
Derwent, Ohio, has promoted Dave Eisenbarth, Doug Law, and Jean Roe to senior project manager positions. Each will lead a Basic Systems group of engineers, designers, programmers, drafters, and support staff in the completion of design projects for the natural gas industry.
Eisenbarth, a graduate of Washington Technical College, will lead the automation group.
Law earned his engineering degree from Ohio University.
Roe holds a management degree from Marietta College, and has been with Basic Systems since 1984.
Basic Systems Inc., a part of the BSI Group, provides project management, facility engineering, industrial control system integration, engine and compressor automation, material procurement, commissioning, and start-up services for the natural gas, refining and petrochemical, and power generation markets.
The BSI Group is an affiliation of US companies: World Energy Services Inc., Basic Systems Inc., Bi-Con Services Inc., ACI Services Inc.; and international companies: Beta SA, Warsaw, and WES, Moscow.
