A SCOTTISH-BASED energy firm which helps support companies in the oil and gas industry transition to renewable alternatives has expanded, creating 30 new jobs.
Aurora Energy Services, based in Inverness, which employs more than 700 people in Scotland has launched an integrated service for oil and gas companies.
The service will focus on engineering design, procurement, offshore and onshore installation, construction and decommissioning activities, and will specialise in digital asset surveys.
Aurora has its own training and competency academy in Inverness and an in-house design and fabrication facility in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, and works in affiliation with construction tooling specialist RenQuip.
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The launch of the integrated service is expected to create 30 new jobs in Inverness, but there are hopes to grow the team to more than 80 people.
Aurora Energy Services chief executive officer, Doug Duguid, hailed the launch of the service saying it is an important step in offering safe engineering solutions to the industry.
He said: “We will be providing leaner, more nimble and cost effective integrated services for facility modifications and for end-of-life O&G assets which are being prepared for decommissioning.
“Working in a mature basin like the North Sea, this is a natural progression in how to support 40 year-old assets which no longer require expensive large-scale engineering horsepower, but which still need flexible and safe engineering solutions. Our Integrated Service offering will build on the repair order and minor modification service we’ve delivered via Aurora R&M over past few years.”
Brothers Josh and Kane Winton, both experienced project managers, will lead the new service and have joined Aurora from Petrofac and Global Design Innovation (GDI).
The two brothers have also taken a shareholding in Aurora.
Josh Winton said: “The engineering services landscape in Aberdeen and the North Sea has changed and the market is crying out for more agile providers who can integrate services under the one roof and be more competitive for clients.”
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Kane Winton added: “Operators are facing a series of challenges, with a number of them requiring support for late-life assets as they move to eventual decommissioning. There is a market appetite for smarter, more lean service providers who have fewer overheads but remain focussed on high-end project delivery.
“We expect our team to be 30-strong by the end of Q1 2025, but the new offices we have secured in Dyce has the capacity to grow our Integrated Services offering to around 80 personnel.
“While initially our focus will be oil and gas, in the medium to long term we will strengthen our renewables capabilities in line with Aurora’s other main service lines in the wind, solar, pumped hydro and waste-to-energy sectors.”
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