July 2016, Vol. 243, No. 7
Company & Association News
Business
Personnel Changes
Dr. Klaus Brun, a program director in the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) Mechanical Engineering Division, was honored with the 2016 Industrial Gas Turbine Award given by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International Gas Turbine Institute (ASME-IGTI). The award “recognizes sustained personal creative scientific or technological contributions unique to electric power or mechanical drive industrial gas turbine technology.” Brun received the award at the 2016 Turbo Expo last month in Seoul, South Korea.
Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that Hieu “Hugh” Tran, an employee at HII’s UniversalPegasus International subsidiary, was recipient of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ 2016 Keith Thayer Exceptional Early Career Engineer Award. The award was presented in May at OTC.
The American Gas Association (AGA) recognized PECO as a 2015 Industry Leader in Accident Prevention for premiere safety performance. AGA recognizes member companies achieving an incident rate below the industry average.
Automation Technology, LLC (ATI) has relocated its Houston-area headquarters and manufacturing complex to 21225 FM 529, Cypress, TX. The move consolidates ATI’s engineering, sales and services teams. It also houses the research center for developing and testing the company’s latest valve actuators and control technologies. ATI said the move will increase efficiencies, decrease delivery times and improve quality.
Newpark Mats and Integrated Services appointed Alex Rabinovitch to North American business development manager, Utilities & Renewables.
Shawn Lowman joined Sharewell HDD Services as president of Sharewell Drilling Products LLC. He will lead sales, marketing, development and operations of new and existing products.
Henkels & McCoy, Inc. appointed Pierre Adam to regional vice president of the Central Region. He will be based in the Batavia, IL office. Adam is responsible for utility infrastructure gas distribution, power and communications.
Fecon, Inc. named Kevin Chambers as regional manager, Mid-South Region, covering Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
Xcel Energy Inc.’s Chairman, President and CEO Ben Fowke was appointed to the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) by President Obama.
Joining the staff at Hobart Institute of Welding Technology is Brian Sheward who will be teaching students in the Structural Welding program and in the Combination Structural and Pipe Welding program. Justin Wilson is also a new technical training instructor who began his job in March.
Wood Group named Raymond (Ray) Schlaff senior vice president and chief procurement officer, heading procurement strategies, processes and governance.
David R. Little joined the Denver office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC. His practice focuses on the oil and gas sector.
ALLU North America added Matt Orr as a territory manager. He is responsible for the Midwest.
Andrey Fick was appointed managing director of Gazprom EP International B.V.
Loure Pascual is director of project controls at WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff. She is responsible for project scheduling, cost control and earned value management in the firm’s U.S. Industrial and Energy sector.
Rangeford Resources, Inc. appointed Marc L. Duncan as president and COO.
Chris Waller has joined ACE Winches as engineering manager. He is at the Scottish headquarters.
Company News, Mergers & Acquisitions
SWCA Environmental Consultants has acquired New England Environmental, Inc. (NEE), based in Amherst, MA. NEE founders Michael (Mickey) J. Marcus and Julie Marcus will lead the SWCA Amherst office as director of Business Development and office director, respectively.
Wood Group Mustang and Grupo Diavaz, a Mexican oi/gas operator and services company, created a joint venture engineering business to capitalize on Mexico’s energy reform. MUSTANG DIAVAZ is based in Mexico City and will provide engineering, procurement and construction management services to onshore and offshore facilities, and pipelines for the upstream and midstream oil & gas markets in Mexico.
“We are making a long-term commitment to Mexico that includes investing in its people, growing our local project expertise and sharing our global knowledge to form a Center of Engineering Excellence,” stated Michele McNichol, CEO of Wood Group Mustang.
The Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) has engaged HBW Resources, LLC (HBW) to focus on research on the development and deployment of safe and environmentally sensitive technologies to efficiently deliver domestic energy resources. RPSEA and HBW retained Tom Williams, a former board member, to provide leadership in the growth of the organization.
Bobcat Company and its parent organization, Doosan, completed $12 million in renovations at its engineering and factory facilities in Gwinner, ND.
HB Rentals was awarded a contract in excess of £1million from Prosafe to provide a customized temporary living quarter complex onboard the company’s semi-submersible accommodation vessel, Safe Boreas. The upgrade work is scheduled for completion in 2017.
LQT Industries, LLC has won five contracts from Gulf of Mexico E&P companies. The contracts cover on-site assessments, work scope development, material procurement, project management and the provision of skilled labor to clean and repair HVAC systems and refurbish the interior and exterior of living quarters of fixed platforms and drill ships.
PG&E is conducting research and development around drone technology. As one of the largest combined gas and electric utilities in the country, the company is exploring how drones may help enhance the safety and reliability of gas and electric systems, including methane leak detection, surveys of critical electric infrastructure and emergency response.
PG&E was granted Section 333 authorization by the FAA and is testing technologies that will benefit not only its California customers, but other energy companies around the country.
Linde held an open house and luncheon to celebrate the opening of the new office at 12140 Wickchester Lane, Suite 300, Houston, TX 77079. Linde has also expanded its plant turnaround and pipeline services capabilities to include the Gulf Coast region from a new facility in Baytown, TX.
Orion Marine Group Inc. has changed its name to Orion Group Holdings Inc. to encompass the construction company’s service areas which include transportation facilities, pipeline construction, environmental structures, dredging services and specialty services.
Obituaries
Terence J. O’Sullivan died March 31. He was the father of Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) General President Terry O’Sullivan. He was the retired LIUNA general secretary-treasurer and coordinator of the LIUNA National Retiree Council.
O’Sullivan leaves his wife, Leonara; sons, Terry (Yvette) and Kevin; daughter, Kathleen (Shawn) Finnerty; brother, Brendan; and five grandchildren. Donations may be made to the LIUNA Charitable Foundation, 905 16th St., NW Washington, DC 20006.
James Francis Flannigan, 85, died April 6 in Harvey, LA. During his professional career, Flannigan worked for Pipe Line Contractors Inc. He leaves his daughter, Joelle (Byron) Evans; and sons, John and Robert (Laine) Flannigan.
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