September 2015, Vol. 242, No. 9

Features

September Business: Company & Association News

Association News

The American Gas Association (AGA) was selected as one of The Washington Post’s Top Workplaces for 2015. “It’s an honor to be included,” said Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of AGA.

Chris Fowler, global corrosion director of Exova, was recognized by the NACE International Institute with a re-appointment to the board and a first-ever lifetime achievement award by the NACE Middle East area. Fowler, a past president of NACE and currently president of the Institute, was re-elected for a further three years from January 2016. His presidency will run until the end of 2016 when he will continue as past president.

Tennessee Gas Association announced its 2015-16 officers and Board of Directors, along with the presentation of the 2015 Silver Flame award to Randy Nipp, Jackson Energy Authority senior vice president of Gas Systems. A posthumous presentation of the Thomas R. Bell Pioneer Award was made to William J. Hatfield, Oak Ridge Utility District.

The new officers are Tae Eaton, general manager of Paris-Henry County Public Utility, president; Daniel C. Hicks, vice president of administration for Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District, first vice president; John “Joey” Sauls, account manager for Spectra Energy, second vice president; Rob Neil, president of Powell Clinch Utility District, TGA treasurer; and Jamie Wellman, director of Member Services for the Tennessee Gas Association, secretary.

Personnel Changes

Scott

Henkels & McCoy, Inc. named Ron Scott as director of Gas & Industrial Services. Based in the Pomona, CA office, he is responsible for the overall direction, development, profitability, and growth of the natural gas distribution and transmission utility pipeline construction and maintenance operations throughout the company’s west region.

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and Plains GP Holdings announced several executive changes at PAA. Willie Chiang was appointed executive vice president and COO for PAA’s U.S. operating and commercial activities. John Keffer and Sam Brown were each promoted to senior vice president, and Jeremy Goebel and James Pinchback were promoted to vice president. Executive Vice President John Rutherford is retiring. He will serve as an advisor and consultant to the CEO and president.

With the upcoming retirement of Pacific Gas and Electric Company President Chris Johns, PG&E promoted three senior executives. Geisha Williams will take an expanded role as president, Electric Operations, and Nick Stavropoulos will become president, Gas Operations. Both are executive vice presidents. John Simon is executive vice president of Corporate Services and Human Resources.

Fine Tubes named Amanda Clark as procurement specialist.

Mathews

Matthew L. Trerotola was named CEO and a director of Colfax Corp., succeeding Steven E. Simms who is retiring.
Greene’s Energy Group, LLC’s CEO Robert “Bob” Vilyus is retiring from the company and board of directors. Frank Mathews will be president and CEO and will be added to the board.

Company News, Mergers & Acquisitions

Shawcor Ltd. announced eight divisions will co-locate in downtown Calgary, AB. The move will see Canusa-CPS, DSG-Canusa, Flexpipe Systems, Guardian, Shawcor CSI, Shaw Pipe Protection, Shaw Pipeline Services and ShawFlex form a sales supercenter in the Dome Tower, Suite 2200, 333 7 Avenue S.W.

Sempra Energy’s Mexican subsidiary, Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.B. de C.V. (IENOVA) and Pemex jointly announced that IEnova will buy Pemex’s 50% equity interest in the Gasoductos de Chihuahua joint venture for $1.325 billion, plus assumption of $170 million in debt. The acquired joint venture assets under long-term contracts include three natural gas pipelines, an ethane pipeline, a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline and a LPG storage terminal.
In addition, IEnova and Pemex maintain a joint venture for the Los Ramones Norte pipeline project.

Elgin Equipment Group announced the formation of Elgin Separation Solutions. Elgin Separation Solutions retains the product brands that have long been recognized in the oil and gas drilling and HDD industries. The new division is also responsible for the development, manufacture, sales and service of a number of specialized products.

Cross Country Pipeline Supply Co., Inc. has acquired Sideline Specialty Equipment. Through the acquisition of Sideline, Cross Country has entered the Canadian market.

H&E Equipment Services, Inc.’s operation in Oklahoma City relocated to its new facility at 10700 NW 4th St., Yukon, OK 73099.

HammerHead Trenchless Equipment, a Charles Machine Works company, has formed a strategic alliance with RS Lining Systems, LLC, provider of RS Technik pipe rehabilitation solutions in the Americas. This will complete the suite of non-intrusive rehabilitation solutions available to HammerHead customers.

Fall River, MA-based Apollo Safety Inc. has formed a division specializing in gas detection equipment, maintenance and monitoring serving the oil and gas industry.

G2X Energy said mobilization has begun on its world-scale methanol production facility in Lake Charles, LA. When complete, the Big Lake Fuels facility will produce over 1.4 million metric tons of commercial grade methanol per year.

AMERICAN Steel Pipe, a division of AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Co., has completed its 150,000-square-foot steel pipe processing facility in Birmingham, AL. The $70 million plant doubles the company’s annual processing capacity to 700,000 net tons. AMERICAN manufactures electric-resistance-welded (ERW) steel pipe in diameters from 10.75 to 24 inches and in lengths up to 80 feet.

NGL Energy Partners LP and Meritage Midstream Services II, LLC are forming a joint venture to develop crude oil gathering and water services infrastructure to serve oil and gas producers in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin.

Atlas Copco Rental acquired the operating assets of Mustang Services. Dan Dorran will be vice president of Operations for Mustang Services.

Willbros won a three-year preferred supplier agreement for pipeline integrity services. The contracts, expected to generate C$120-150 million, cover assessment digs and preventative maintenance work on a network of existing pipeline infrastructure across Western Canada.

Willbros also won a construction contract for pipeline and off-site fabrication services to support tailings facility requirements at a major oil sands site. The contract is expected to begin shortly and be completed by the end of 2016.

Obituary

Baxter Abbott Sparks, Jr. died July 6 at his home in Dallas from complications of cancer. He was 95. Sparks was born to Baxter Abbott and Vivian Sparks on Nov. 11, 1919 in Pauls Valley, OK. World War II punctuated his attendance at Oklahoma University. After serving in the Navy, he acquired and developed an international publishing company, Petroleum Engineer Publishing Co. (PEPCO), which he later sold to Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. At PEPCO, Sparks published seven magazines and a score of books, guides and engineering aides worldwide.

He leaves his wife of 39 years, Vicki; two sons, Braden (Christie) and Ryan; eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Sparks was predeceased by his first wife, Jean, and their daughter, Andrea Sparks Underwood.
Gilmer “Chuck” Harold Ogg Jr., 55, of Pryor, OK, died June 29 in Follansbee, WV. Throughout his career, he worked on pipeline construction projects in the United States and in several foreign countries. He most recently worked for Associated Pipe Line Contractors as a tie-in foreman.

Ogg was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 627 and Pipeliners Local 798. He leaves his wife, Beverly, and sons, Matthew, Joshua and Ryan. Services were held July 7 at St. Mark Catholic Church in Pryor.

Allen H. Coolsaet, 90, died July 20 in Grosse Ile, MI. The 1977 PLCA president and honorary member was board chairman at R.L. Coolsaet Construction Co. He leaves his wife, Edween; children, Margaret, Amanda, Karen (Bill) Hollenbeck, Paula (Rick) Paul, Janice (John) Poutier, Jeff (Mary), Robert (Susan), Chris (Kathy) and Remi (Barb). He had 29 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.