Bibby Offshore has announced £3million plans to expand into Houston.
The subsea installation contractor – which has bases in Aberdeen, Liverpool, Singapore and Trinidad – has set up Bibby Subsea Inc in the US as it continues to expand.
As part of the expansion plan, Andrew Duncan will relocate to Houston, from his existing position of business and commercial director at the company’s Aberdeen HQ, to president and managing director of Bibby Subsea. He will be responsible for establishing the Bibby Subsea brand in the US.
Errol Campbell has also been recruited for the role of ROV operations manager to drive the growth and development.
Mike Arnold, Bibby Offshore’s chief operating officer for the west, said: “In order to meet the growing needs of our clients, it was essential to expand our operations by opening a base in the area.
“Houston is a major market within the global oil and gas industry, and having a presence there demonstrates Bibby Offshore’s firm commitment to our clients in the region. We intend to offer our clients a full solution package including engineering and project management to deliver remote intervention solutions in line with our Bibby philosophy.
“Andrew’s in-depth knowledge of the company and Errol’s local understanding of the region will help us to quickly establish our local presence, ensuring that we maximise this opportunity.”
The new division has also secured its first contract mobilising a SMD Quasar work-class remotely operated vehicle (WROV) on Cal Dive International’s support vessel, Mystic Viking. The £600,000 deal is for a pipeline touchdown monitoring project in Mexico with a likely duration of over two months.
Mr Arnold added: “We are looking to recruit a further 20 in the region over the next 12 months in order to meet the impressive client demand for the company’s expertise, and to further expand our offerings and capabilities. Our bases in the UK, Singapore and Trinidad provide a solid foundation and excellent platform from which to leverage our move into the US.”
Bibby Subsea, Bibby Offshore and sister company Bibby Remote Intervention has grown from 10 employees in 2003 to now more than 1,300 people worldwide.