Well abandonment specialists Well-Safe Solutions, in collaboration with Scottish Enterprise and ScotGrad, will bring on three new graduate positions in its Finance, Well Engineering and QHSE teams.

The Aberdeen-based company has amassed the largest concentration of decommissioning expertise in the oil and gas industry. Boasting in excess of 400 wells worth of experience among its workforce, Well-Safe believe it is the perfect time to introduce graduates into the rapidly growing business.

Phil Milton, Chief Executive Officer of Well-Safe Solutions said: “The importance of young people within the industry, especially at this time, is key. Well-Safe’s core values are based on collaboration, knowledge and lessons learned. As we’re a growing organisation, we look for people with unique skills and experience. It is an ideal time to bring in young talent to work alongside knowledgeable individuals and create a collaborative and sharing environment”

“Allowing individuals to develop a set of valuable skills as a foundation for their future is important to us and as a start-up organisation as we grow, they are able to grow alongside us. It is the perfect time to experience the business at this early stage.”

Well-Safe worked alongside Scottish Enterprise to develop this project and used the ScotGrad initiative to connect with a wide range of talent to fulfill the requirements necessary for these placements.

Carri Cusick, Well-Safe’s Account Manager at Scottish Enterprise said: “It’s fantastic to see Well-Safe welcome graduates into its workforce. ScotGrad introduces fresh graduate talent to Scotland’s businesses and offers graduates the chance to work on significant company projects, whilst providing them with much-needed work experience. These placements can often lead to permanent positions with some of Scotland’s most exciting companies.”

The addition of the three graduate positions follows the promising first year Well-Safe has had in business with the development of their five P&A clubs, aiming to reduce the cost of well plug and abandonment operations, following significant interest in this innovative approach by operators in the North Sea.

“Hard to believe it’s been a year in business already, we have achieved much more than we originally planned and had excellent support and collaboration with the industry. A lot of hard work, but equally lots of fun too. We’ve built a fantastic team and I am very impressed with their dedication. Now with 35 people and over 400 wells of expertise under our belt, this positions us well for our second year in business. We very much look forward to continuing the growth of the company, where we are working hard on some very exciting opportunities, which we will be delighted to share with you in due course!” says Mark Patterson, Executive Director.

Well-Safe Solutions are proud to support the fantastic Pound for Piper trust with this stunning limited edition print arriving at our headquarters. The trust does great work to maintain the Piper Alpha memorial gardens at Hazelhead Park in Aberdeen and continues the legacy of all those involved in the tragedy.

Dropped off by our very own Steve Rae who is also chairman of the trust, make sure to look out for it hanging in our Well-Safe Solutions Aberdeen Office!

Marking the thirty-year anniversary since the Piper Alpha disaster, the event on 5-6 June at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre aimed to highlight lessons learned and the legacy that Piper had in shaping current operations within the industry, largely in health and safety.

Steve Rae, Operations Manager at Well-Safe Solutions and a Piper Alpha survivor, played a large part in the conference including closing the event with his ‘call to arms’ talk, highlighting the need for greater development of “soft skills” like situational awareness, skills that were imperative to saving his life during the Piper Alpha tragedy.

During the conference Steve took part in an open Q&A session with Joanna Reynolds, BP Geophysicist & Graduate of the Year 2017, and Sam Ash, Mechanical Technician at Nexen & Apprentice of the Year 2017. This session reflected on the conference as a whole and had the idea to ‘pass the baton’ from one generation to the next. The idea behind this was to highlight how the new generation feel coming into the industry and their observations, as well as how the current generation can impart their wisdom and make changes for a safer working environment.
Steve, as a survivor, continues to work relentlessly within the industry, while taking every opportunity to positively influence health and safety matters. He said:

“This event has highlighted to me that we all understand what’s needed to bring continued improvement to our business sector. The themes I have heard repeated the most are a need for:
• Greater sharing and use of data across the entire business sector,
• A drive for standardization across the sector (common systems),
• Further introduction and use of the technology in our business
• A differing approach towards developing the soft/cognitive competencies of our workforce, beyond the standard training we provide today.”

North-east MPs and Energy Minister Richard Harrington yesterday heard how the decommissioning industry could bring a jobs boost and help spark new life into the oil sector.

At a breakfast briefing in the House of Commons, Well-Safe Solutions’ management team told the MPs how they were looking to create 400 jobs in Aberdeen and Dundee over the next few years – and help oil companies save money on their decommissioning liabilities.

Aberdeen-based Well-Safe Solutions, the rapidly growing well abandonment specialist, met the MPs in the heart of Westminster to explain their plans for further expansion and to create a Well plug and abandonment club that could reduce costs significantly for operators as they seek to abandon uneconomic oil fields.

Phil Milton, Chief Executive of Well-Safe, told Mr Harrington and others that the cost savings could also help operators invest more cash into their exploration efforts in the North Sea and beyond.

“People may see decommissioning as the end of the road for the oil industry, but nothing could be further from the truth. This is just a part of the ongoing lifecycle of the sector and by reducing operators’ liabilities and direct costs when shutting down uneconomic wells it can help them spend money on other fields they may wish to explore and exploit,” Mr Milton said.

“Our P&A club idea helps firms spread their risk with others and means we can use economies of scale to clean up dozens of wells rather than focus on individual wells one at a time. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Colin Clark, Conservative MP for Gordon and host of the House of Commons event, was delighted with the turnout and interest from his parliamentary colleagues.

“There is a perception in some quarters that oil and gas is over, but we know there’s still significant life left in the industry, and decommissioning – while a job creator in its own right – can also spark further life in so many elements of the sector.” Mr Clark said.

“I was delighted to be able to host this really important meeting.”

The Conservative and SNP MPs – from Aberdeen and Dundee – were told by executive director and Well-Safe founder Mark Patterson that they were having positive conversations with major oil companies in the UK and beyond.

Mr Patterson said: “We’re incredibly excited about the potential for our innovative P&A club and think this could not only stimulate the decommissioning sector in the UK but also give a big boost to companies wanting to spend money on exploration.”

Well-Safe Solutions, which only launched in August, recently announced it had secured two acres of quayside facilities with access to 43,000 square feet of covered space at the Port of Dundee for its marine assets.

Well-Safe Solutions, the Aberdeen-based well abandonment specialist, has chosen to locate its onshore marine base in the port of Dundee.

Well-Safe Solutions has secured two acres of quayside facilities with access to 40,000 square feet of covered space at the Port of Dundee for its marine assets.

Combining a wealth of subsea oil and gas expertise and experience with dedicated marine assets and equipment, Well-Safe Solutions is the first-of-its-kind “Tier 1” company with complete P&A capability from front-end engineering and design to project execution.

The Port of Dundee, which is rapidly establishing itself as a North Sea decommissioning hub, will provide Well-Safe Solutions with direct access to deep water quaysides, heavy lifting capabilities, significant dedicated warehouse space and unconstrained access into the established and operating ANSS decommissioning facilities.

Phil Milton, CEO of Well-Safe Solutions, is originally from Dundee and welcomes the transformation of his home town in recent years.

“This marine support base in Dundee will play a crucial role in supporting our rapidly growing business. We have chosen the Port of Dundee because of the critical mass of decommissioning companies already based here and the facilities on offer. We are looking forward to fostering a strong partnership with Forth Ports.

“Personally, I’m very pleased to be able to bring business to the community in which I started out. Dundee continues its ongoing development, growing its economy and introducing new businesses with a proactive, refreshing, can-do approach.”

At the port, Well-Safe Solutions will work alongside decommissioning industry leaders such as AF Offshore Decom, as part of the soon to be formed AF Dundee, waste management specialist Augean North Sea Services (ANSS), and other decommissioning specialists.

Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer of Forth Ports Limited which owns and operates the Port of Dundee, said: “Well-Safe Solutions will not only be a huge asset to the Port of Dundee, but will also provide an economic boost to the Dundee area.”

“Decommissioning activity in the North Sea basin is increasing and we are excited to welcome Well-Safe Solutions, who are bringing innovation and expertise to the challenges of well abandonment.”

Formed in July this year, Well-Safe Solutions provides a ground-breaking approach to the safe and cost-efficient decommissioning of Well Plug and Abandonment (P&A). Set up by high profile industry veterans including Alasdair Locke, Paul Warwick and Mark Patterson, Well-Safe offers a specialist subscription well abandonment service that allows operators to meet the challenges and regulatory imperatives around decommissioning, while significantly reducing cost.

Well-Safe Solutions has appointed a Director of Well Abandonment to its growing list of decommissioning experts, bringing the senior team to nine since launching this summer.

Matt Jenkins has joined Well-Safe from Conoco,  where he led UK P&A (plug and abandonment) engineering and strategy, and was pivotal in the Southern North Sea Decommissioning project.

As director of well abandonment at Well-Safe Solutions, Mr Jenkins will lead the technical team to design safe and efficient well P&A operations for clients, ensuring the best possible solutions are implemented to mitigate risk.

Well-Safe Solutions now employs over 22 people at its Hill of Rubislaw headquarters in Aberdeen.

Aiming to become a major tier 1 well abandonment service company, Well-Safe Solutions will provide a fully integrated package using its own bespoke marine assets to help oil and gas operators to meet the challenges of safe and cost-efficient decommissioning of subsea wells.

Phil Milton, CEO of Well-Safe Solutions, said: “With yet another decommissioning heavyweight joining us, we are proving that there is significant interest in our approach and underlining the opportunities available to both the industry and within our business.

“We’re not only the talk of the town, but of the industry globally and since launching, we have been inundated with expressions of real interest and collaboration from potential clients, financial institutions, as well as rig and vessel owners and equipment suppliers.”

Mr Milton said that the past six weeks had been hugely exciting with an “overwhelmingly positive endorsement from across the industry” and much hard work in assembling the team.

Commenting on Mr Jenkins’ appointment, he added: “With extensive experience of the complete well lifecycle, Matt knows intimately the technical challenges of P&A design and operations that we are seeking to solve safely and efficiently. Retaining and sharing lessons learned, we will deliver safe, efficient well P&A operations in collaboration with our clients and stakeholders which result in significant cost reductions. Giving our clients and government the ideal solution.”

With 15 years’ experience in a wide variety of North Sea projects through drilling, completion, intervention and abandonment, Mr Jenkins has seen the complete well life cycle and has a depth of experience in addressing the technical challenges of P&A. He has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Heriot-Watt University and is a Chartered Engineer with the IMechE.

Mr Jenkins is currently co-chair of the Oil and Gas UK Well Abandonment workgroup and led the 2017 update to the Well Abandonment Guidelines.

Well-Safe Solutions, a new entrant to the decommissioning market, has further strengthened its senior team with the appointment of Jim Christie as director of programmes.

The specialist well abandonment company, launched in July this year, has already assembled a senior team of eight well-known industry experts and now employs 20 people.

Well-Safe has just signed a five year lease for 4,400 square feet to accommodate over 60 people at Hill of Rubislaw in Aberdeen and will be moving in this week. The prestigious, newly refurbished offices have flexible open-plan and office space which can be increased as the company grows.

Aiming to become a major tier 1 well abandonment service company, Well-Safe will provide a fully integrated package using its own bespoke marine assets to help oil and gas operators to meet the challenges of safe and cost-efficient decommissioning of subsea wells.

The appointment of Mr Christie follows hot on the heels of the company’s first acquisition and recruitment of the chief executive officer, a chief technical officer and commercial director.

Formerly head of decommissioning with the OGA, Mr Christie has 35 years’ experience in oil and gas, civil engineering, construction, refining, power, transportation and ship-building with extensive expertise in offshore decommissioning in the US and the UK, working with owners, regulators and the supply chain.

Speaking at Offshore Europe, where Well-Safe Solutions has a high profile presence in the Decom Zone, founder and executive director, Mark Patterson, said: “Jim’s appointment is highly significant and a major boost in our ambition to become a leader in plug and abandonment in the decommissioning sector.

“Retaining and sharing lessons learned, we will deliver safe, efficient well P&A operations in collaboration with our clients and stakeholders which result in significant cost reductions.
“The response from industry since our launch has been incredible and we are gaining huge support for our complete package offering.”

As head of decommissioning for the OGA, Jim was responsible for the development of the UK’s decommissioning strategy, working in collaboration with the industry and government.
“As we seek to work hand-in-hand with the regulator to support operators in navigating the complex regulatory process, with a view to driving change and transparency while ensuring tax efficiency, Jim’s experience will be invaluable to our team,” added Mr Patterson.

Prior to his role at the OGA, Mr Christie was global decommissioning projects manager with Marathon Oil in Houston. He joined Marathon in 1984 and has held various project management and project assurance roles for the operator, including working on decommissioning of the Brae Field.

Well-Safe has also announced the appointment of a director of finance. Alan Cormack joins the company with immediate effect. A qualified accountant with ten years’ experience in senior finance roles in the oil and gas industry, Mr Cormack joins from Raeburn Recruitment where he was head of finance. Before that, he worked with Mr Patterson as director of finance at Nautronix for almost a decade.

Mr Patterson said: “Having Alan on board to take care of all our financial affairs is ideal. Having worked closely with him in the past, I have the utmost respect for and trust in his ability. He is a great addition to the team and will be instrumental in developing our back office support.”

Well-Safe Solutions has announced the appointment of two more directors to lead the recently-launched business which aims to become a market-leader in North Sea decommissioning.

A specialist well abandonment company, Well-Safe Solutions will help oil and gas operators to meet the challenges of safe and cost-efficient decommissioning of subsea wells.

Following the recent announcement of the company’s first acquisition and appointment of chief executive officer, Phil Milton, Well-Safe has bolstered its team of experienced experts with the appointments of Graeme Murray as Legal and Commercial Director and Glenn Wilson as Chief Technical Officer (CTO).

With a planned £200million investment and to create 400 new jobs, the start-up company is offering an integrated P&A (plug and abandonment) capability from front-end engineering and design to project execution.

Well-Safe Solutions has been set up by non-executive chairmen Alasdair Locke, Mark Patterson and Paul Warwick.

Chief executive officer of Well-Safe Solutions, Phil Milton, said: “We’ve already assembled some of the most experienced people in the industry with the relevant knowledge of subsea wells to create a centre of excellence in P&A. With these new appointments and the strength of our executive, we now have what I believe is one of the strongest, most technically-competent and well-connected management teams in the business.

“Graeme Murray’s legal and commercial expertise and track-record will underpin the roll-out of our differentiated contracting strategy, unique commercial model and innovative funding packages.

“New and enhanced techniques and technologies are key to the plugging and abandonment of subsea wells in a safe and cost-effective manner. As CTO, Glenn Wilson brings a wealth of engineering expertise and a proven track-record in decommissioning P&A programme management and delivery.”

“We will continue to invest in people and look to acquire assets to build a market-leading decommissioning company for the future, capable of taking on any P&A operation.”

Joining Well-Safe from Dolphin Drilling, where he was managing director, Mr Murray has over 27 years’ legal and commercial experience in oil and gas. He was previously general counsel, company secretary and vice-president for commercial and procurement with Subsea 7.

Mr Wilson joins Well-Safe from Repsol Sinopec where he was decommissioning programme manager. Prior to that he was decommissioning and UK operations manager for Hess Limited in Aberdeen during which time they undertook the largest UK based subsea P&A campaign to date. With over 30 years’ E&P experience in oil and gas asset life cycle management, Mr Wilson has held various senior roles, on and offshore for Hess, JP Kenny and Coflexip Stena Offshore.

Well-Safe Solutions has been set up to capitalise on the current opportunity for decommissioning which has come about through more compelling economics and market dynamics, including the number of shut-in wells, more incentives to tackle decommissioning and lower asset and day rates.

Well-Safe Solutions will work closely with operators and industry bodies while navigating the complex regulatory process, driving change, transparency and ensuring tax efficiency.