People News

Blue Sky Maritime Coalition (Blue Sky) appointed Rich Byrnes as its new President and Chief Executive Officer as of July 1, 2026.“Rich is a dynamic leader with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing our industry,” said David Cummins, current President/CEO of Blue Sky. Ted Tregurtha, Chair of Blue Sky’s Board of Directors, also welcomed Byrnes. “On behalf of the Board, we are thrilled to welcome Rich Byrnes as President and Chief Executive Officer,” said Tregurtha. “As a member of Blue Sky’s Board of Directors since 2021, Rich’s strategic mindset and passion for industry advancement have brought great value to the Coalition over the years.

On 29 May 2026, Vantage Drilling International and Eldorado Drilling signed a merger agreement under which Eldorado will acquire Vantage, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. As part of the transaction, Vantage shareholders will receive $19 per share in cash, valuing the company at approximately $257.6 million. The combined entity will continue to operate under the name Vantage Drilling International.Post-transaction, the company’s fleet will comprise four drillships - including…

Duke Energy will terminate its offshore wind lease in the Carolina Long Bay area under a settlement agreement with the U.S. Interior Department and reinvest nearly $129 million in additional power generation capacity in the Carolinas, the department said on Monday.(Reuters)

Around 1,000 Norwegian oil service workers were locked out on Saturday morning in an escalation of a labour dispute that is expected to disrupt drilling and some production on the Norwegian continental shelf.The lockout was declared in response to an ongoing strike by several hundred members of the Safe union and will affect companies including SLB, Halliburton, Subsea 7, DOF Subsea, Weatherford, DeepOcean and Baker Hughes, an industry group Offshore Norway said on Friday.The country's oil and gas output could fall by about 12…

Equinor has decided to end its offshore wind business activities in Japan, where it has been since 2018 but has failed to win any leases in successive auctions, and close its Tokyo office by the end of 2026.Orsted, the world's largest offshore wind developer, exited Japan in 2024 and Equinor has previously scaled back offshore wind development in markets including Vietnam, Spain, Portugal and France, citing rising costs.Offshore wind projects globally have been hit by rising costs and persistent supply chain constraints."This decision reflects a reassessment of Equinor's strategic direction, w

Aker Solutions signed a 'sizeable. ($50m to $150m by the company's definition)  five-year agreement with Cenovus Energy Inc. for engineering and maintenance services on White Rose field assets.The White Rose field is located approximately 350 km east of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on the eastern edge of the Jeanne d’Arc Basin.The scope includes comprehensive engineering, maintenance, and operations support for the new West White Rose platform as well as the SeaRose Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

How well do we really understand the electrical systems powering today’s vessels? Many of us realize how important electricity is to our modern world but may be a bit shaky on the specifics. The Welsh comedian Tommy Cooper once joked, "Electricity is a wonderful thing. Do you realize that if we didn't have electricity, we'd be watching television by candlelight?"For those who have worked on vessels for many years, the increasing complexity may be a sore point, especially for those who have been hands-on in their careers and been zapped a few times.

BP has started a process to sell stakes in two of its Gulf of America projects, four people with knowledge of the matter said, in what would be one of new CEO Meg O'Neill's first moves.BP, one of the largest operators in the Gulf of America, has been weighing a sale of minority stakes in the Kaskida and Tiber projects for more than a year, with each estimated to be worth billions of dollars to the company, Reuters has previously reported.The four people did not give the size of…

Siemens Energy on Thursday warned of possible wind turbine capacity cuts in Europe if governments fall behind in efforts to expand offshore power, saying a lack of determination could become an "existential threat" to the industry.The comments by one of Europe's biggest industrial firms reflect growing concerns about the future of the continent's manufacturing capabilities, which have come under intense pressure from high energy costs and Asian competitors.Europe is currently facing delays in its offshore expansion, hampered by regulatory challenges that have caused some developers to rethink

Danish logistics specialist deugro has appointed Daniel Kjær as Vice President, Global Wind Renewable Energy, effective June 1, 2026.Based in Aarhus, Denmark, Kjær will be responsible for further developing and executing deugro’s global offshore wind strategy.In the newly announced role, Kjær will oversee global offshore wind business development while helping strengthen and expand the company’s wind chartering solutions and broader service offering. The position is intended to…

BOURBON announced the appointment of Olivier Blaringhem as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 14, 2026. He is succeeding Gaël Bodénès, who has held this position since 2017.Olivier Blaringhem has more than 25 years of international experience in maritime services, engineering, and major offshore projects. He has spent most of his career at Subsea7, where he held several executive positions in Northern Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Since January 2020, he has served as Executive Vice President of Subsea and Conventional at Subsea7.

Western Australian premier Roger Cook said on Wednesday he had been "assured" by federal Resources Minister Madeleine King that a new government policy of reserving 20% of gas output for domestic use would not harm his state's large LNG industry."Maddie King is a very good friend of mine, she's my local member of parliament (and) we’ve talked at length about this and she is determined to make sure that it doesn’t have an adverse impact in terms of Western Australia’s established practice…

Berg Propulsion has reorganized its leadership structure as part of a planned transition aimed at supporting the company’s long-term growth strategy.Philip Chaabane had assumed the role of chief executive officer (CEO) at the company, effective May 1, while Stefan Sedersten would remain executive chairman focusing on growth initiatives.Berg Propulsion also moved Jon Töyrä from chief financial officer (CFO) to chief operating officer (COO) with overall responsibility for operations…

Guice Offshore, a leader in the offshore maritime mini supply vessel specialty market, announced the appointment of veteran energy finance executive Trey Stolz as Chief Financial Officer. Stolz brings more than 20 years of experience as an investment banker and equity research analyst focused on the oilfield services industry. He has spent the past nine years in senior operational roles within the sector, most recently serving as CFO for a consolidator of oilfield services companies.

Norway's government said it expects the state to earn 721.1 billion crowns ($78.71 billion) this year in revenue from oil and gas production, up from $60.7B initially forecast, as the Iran war pushes up energy prices.Norway produces around 4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, but the minority Labor government said the windfall revenue from higher prices should be added to its sovereign wealth fund, already the world's largest at $2.2 trillion.Unlike other European countries, Norway runs large fiscal surpluses thanks to its fund, but it must still limit spending to avoid fanning domesti

Offshore infrastructure services provider North Star has secured a multi-million-dollar pipeline of emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) contracts covering 17 vessels operating in the North Sea.The awards, comprising new contracts and extensions, represent around 50 years of combined contract duration, the company said.North Star said the contracts were secured through competitive tenders and renewals with offshore energy operators across the UK Continental Shelf.The company…

The Chouest Group announced it has completed the acquisition of the Alliance business from Helix Energy Solutions Group. Alliance will be integrated into Champagne Energy Solutions (CES), expanding the Group’s offshore decommissioning and plug & abandonment (P&A) platform.The transaction builds on the recent formation of CES and advances the Chouest Group’s strategy to deliver fully integrated, end-to-end offshore solutions focused on late-life asset management and decommissioning.The combined platform will provide services including P&A…

The changing global bottom-fixed offshore wind turbine and foundation installation marketThe last two or three years have seen a change in the underlying stakeholder support for the energy transition, resulting in the energy trilemma being focused more on energy security and affordability than transition, which means a pivot away from renewables to increased support for oil & gas. At the same time, inflation and interest rates have impacted project economics. Needless to say,…

GLO Marine appointed Thomas Wittlin as Chief Executive Officer, effective Q2 2026, signaling the start of a structured growth phase in which the company will evolve from a retrofit-led contractor into a production-enabled marine engineering and integration business.Wittlin brings more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of shipyard operations, commercial leadership, and global maritime business development. He spent nearly eleven years as Sales Director at Grand Bahama…

UK-based shipowner/operator North Star has strengthened its executive team with new senior appointments as it expands its offshore wind and maritime operations.North Star appointed Duncan Palmer as its first Chief Human Resources Officer, promoted Joanna Lang to Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, and named Kenneth Coughlan as Chief Technology Officer.The company said the changes support its strategy to grow its client base, talent pipeline and offshore wind activities, as well…

Prysmian, a leader in energy and data wire and cabling solutions, recently announced changes to its leadership structure in North America to further strengthen the company’s market position in the region. 2025 marked the best year yet for Prysmian, with global revenues reaching USD$23.08 billion (€20 billion). North America’s net profit exceeded $9 billion, accounting for 40% of the company’s total sales. Over the past two years, Prysmian’s North American footprint has grown through the acquisitions of Encore Wire and Channell…

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has welcomed DEME Offshore Energy Managing Director Hugo Bouvy as its new President.He succeeded Saipem’s Luca Gentili at the end of his two-year term at a meeting of IMCA’s Board on 18 March.Bruno Pinho, Senior Vice President for Subsea Operations at TechnipFMC, becomes Vice President, and will replace Bouvy as President in two-years’ time.As the offshore marine industry navigates a period of change driven by technological innovation…

Vietnam's domestic crude oil production is expected to decline this decade, according to a government document released this week, increasing the country's reliance on imports as its offshore fields mature and geopolitical tensions threaten global supplies.The new forecasts for dwindling oil output come as Vietnam, a regional industrial hub hosting large manufacturing operations of electronics and garment multinationals, is bracing for oil shortages caused by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and subsequent export bans from energy suppliers.Crude output is projected to fall to 5.8 million-8.0 milli