STATS Group invests in new Houston facility

Aberdeen-based engineering company, STATS Group, has invested $2 million in new facilities in Houston.

The UK-based group specialized in manufacturing and installing pipeline isolation and intervention tools, has opened a 25,000 sq ft office and workshop facility in Brittmoore and expects to add to its US headcount over the next year.

STATS says that this investment is going to help the company expand its services in the US and South American oil and gas markets.

Staff promotions

According to the press release, Stephen Rawlinson, previously general manager in Canada, has been promoted to vice president for the Americas, while Scott McNae has been elevated from his previous role as global projects manager to general manager for USA operations.

STATS announced that they will seek project opportunities in the US offshore pipeline sector, with Houston also providing a springboard to mobilise for projects in South America. The company’s Process Plant Solutions division will also target the refineries, chemical plants and oil and gas platform sector, offering rentals, sales and servicing options.

Stephen Rawlinson said: “We recently won contracts worth more than $15 million to provide intervention (hot tapping) and isolation services to one of North America’s largest energy infrastructure companies and we believe we can replicate that success in the US.

“To be able to make the best out of emerging opportunities we need local facilities in the Gulf of Mexico and feet on the ground. This investment in Houston will provide us with a framework to get in to the tendering rounds, quickly start mobilisation when projects are confirmed and build on our track record of successful project execution in North America.”

Market potential

“The market potential is massive and our patented suite of intervention and isolation tools are unlike other options available in the market place, which gives us the confidence to make this investment and take a long-term approach to US growth,” Rawlinson said.

The group said that the Houston expansion follows a similar investment in Canada where the company improved its workshop and testing facilities in Edmonton and added a project support office in Calgary.

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