Our Webinar Notes: The Global Status of CCUS – How to visualise the specifications of any CCUS project worldwide.

CCUS: the global status of Carbon Capture, Usage, and Storage.

• Governments are rolling out their carbon capture objectives – Majority of strategies to reach their objectives have CCUS embedded in the planning. 

• There is currently equipment in place over 70 locations globally.
• Not all sites capture and store.
• Capture sites – the co2 is captured and then vented.
• Storage sites only –Where co2 is put into the subsurface to test a piece of equipment.
• Nominal Capacity: 48 Mil Tons per year. (Nominal capacity – the volume of the tank when filled to the brim)
• Uk’s co2 Emissions: 370 Mil tons per year.
• Majority of CCUS use: Well recovery or various industrial use.
• Other uses: places in Brazil and North America where it is used to make soft drinks.

Types of Projects:

• Commercial: mainly happening in North America (EOR Projects). These projects are of large scale and likely have some level of Government underpinning it.
• North America dominates with majority of operational projects. co2 is captured by the industrial plant types such as natural gas processing plants and coal fired power plants. 
• EOR Projects: Projects that are just capturing anthropogenic co2.
• Saline Aquifer: Norway and Australia. (Saline aquifers are geological formations consisting of water permeable rocks that are saturated with salt water, called brine.)

EOR Projects:

• Synfuel & Weybrurn – Midale EOR Project: Captured 28Million Tons since start.
• Petra Nova Project: Captures co2 which is transferred to the oilfield. Due to technical problems & low oil prices resulted it unsuccessful.
• Gas Processing Mat – Texas: Cost billion of dollars to set this project up. It is the largest EOR licence and project holder in North America. The co2 is extracted from natural gas and is then used for the oilfield.

Saline Aquifer Projects:

• Shovit & Sliepner Projects: Gas is processed on site. Based in Norway. The gas is being processed on site – it is not being transported over long distances. Capturing co2 and inserting it back into wells.
• Quest CCS Project – Based in Canada.Large industrial plant. Capturing co2 and transporting it around 65km away – injecting into the Mount Simon Formation (Basal Cambrian Sand) saline aquifer.

Overall Conclusion

• Majority of projects are EOR & undertaken by the oil and gas industry.
• Majority have government sponsorship.
• Looking forward: 126 active projects – Not set in stone however are being considered and planned. Involves hydrogen.
• Co2 reduction scale required is massive.
• A potential model for a co2 service – companies take the co2 from you and dispose of it.

We would like to thank the TROVE renewables team for sharing their knowledge with us. Thank you Jeremy Lockett and Matthew Bellshaw for presenting. We are looking forward to the following webinars.

NRG Group buys majority stake in recruitment firm

Well integrity, engineering and project management specialist NRG Group has acquired well engineering and drilling recruitment firm McGregor Consultants.

The two Aberdeen firms said their deal paved the way for growth through their “combined synergy”, with planned expansion into new global territories and sectors for both. The value of the deal was not disclosed but sees NRG Group, based in Cults, taking a 75% stake in the other firm. Jo McGregor and Angie McGregor, who are unrelated, were previously the only two shareholders of McGregor Consultants, and they will retain a 25% stake in the business and stay on as directors.

McGregor Consultants will become an NRG Group company but continue to trade under its own name. Based in Golden Square, the business currently has a headcount of six, including its former owners, who set up the company in 2006. Family-owned NRG Group provides well integrity verification, engineering and project management service to the global oil and gas industry. It also includes NRG Well Examination and NRG Well Management and was founded by chairman Andrew Mackay in 1988. Mr Mackay’s son, Daniel Mackay, is managing director of NRG Well Management, while daughter Erica McPherson is the group’s commercial director. The group has a team of 50 staff and contractors, with more than 50 clients in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, south-east Asia and Latin America.

Daniel Mackay said the acquisition would open up new opportunities for expansion. He added: “We are pleased to welcome Jo, Angie and their team at McGregor Consultants to the NRG Group of companies. “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to work together to share expertise, knowledge and contacts which will benefit our clients and accelerate our growth. “People, our most valuable assets, are at the core of our business, and Jo and Angie are leaders in their field and best-in-class in upstream personnel. “Bringing McGregor Consultants onboard complements and augments the services we currently offer and will allow us to provide and manage quality personnel for all our projects. “We are looking forward to moving NRG Group into new areas where McGregor already operates, such as renewables and energy transition, while we can work with them to expand their offering into areas such as facilities and maintenance.

Jo McGregor and Angie McGregor – friends since school – grew their consultancy into a globally-known specialist in matching the best-qualified people to high-level drilling, subsea, completion, HSE, contracts, materials and cost accounting posts. Jo McGregor said: “We have known Andrew, Dan and the team for many years, and NRG Group is a great fit for us both commercially and culturally. “It will be business as usual for us and the team but with the added dimension of NRG’s wealth of experience in well engineering and project management. “We are looking forward to working together for shared growth and to develop our market share in new areas.”

PX Group acquires NRG Well Management

On the 29th of April 2020, px Group, the leading energy and industrial solutions business, is pleased to announce that it has acquired a majority stake in NRG Well Management, a leading provider of Well Management services to the Oil & Gas industry.
NRG Well Management Ltd provides engineering and project management solutions to the global upstream Oil and Gas Industry, providing a complete managerial and technical package that covers the whole exploration, appraisal, development and P&A life cycle.
This acquisition gives px Group unique access to the capabilities and experience of the wider Aberdeen based NRG Group, now in its 25th year of operation, aligning to px’s growth ambition and plans. With a broad range of well and asset lifecycle expertise totalling over 900 years now at px’s disposal, the acquisition will bolster px’s service offering to new and existing clients.

Commenting on the acquisition, Geoff Holmes, Chief Executive Officer at px Group, said:

“NRG Well Management brings industry-leading expertise to px Group, extending our capability to the full upstream asset lifecycle. On a personal note I am delighted to build an even stronger working relationship with the Mackay family.”

“NRG is not only sizeable and reputable, but the company has significant potential for growth with its wide range of operator clients across the North Sea. It is known worldwide for quality and consistency in delivery, which is something we at px Group pride ourselves on.”

Daniel Mackay, Managing Director of NRG Well Management, says:

“We are delighted to be joining the px Group, adding to px’s expertise across the asset lifecycle and are very much looking forward to the growth opportunities this brings.”

Founder of NRG Group hands reigns to next generation

Energy services firm NRG Group is under new ownership after founder Andrew Mackay handed the reigns to his son and daughter

The Aberdeen company, which employs 28 people, comprises NRG Well Examination and NRG Well Management, and was founded by Mr Mackay in 1988. His son Daniel is now leading NRG Well Management as managing director, while his daughter, Erica McPherson, is group commercial director.

 Andrew Mackay, who will remain chairman and majority shareholder, said: “I have made the decision to pass the operational and financial reporting responsibilities of the business over to my children after over 30 years of running what is now the NRG Group.

“They have demonstrated the commitment to do it, and I have a deep belief in their knowledge, ideas, and ambitions to drive the company forward. “They are already producing great results and I look forward to seeing further progress in the future.”

He added: “NRG has come a long way since I started it back in 1988 as a one-man band in Aberdeen. With the continued support from my wife, Jean Mackay, over the years, we now have two successful companies with a great reputation across the UK continental shelf and abroad and a path forward to ensure it is kept in the family and in safe hands for the future.”

Meet Jo McGregor of Mcgregor Consultants

What kind of services does your company provide?

McGregor Consultants is an established provider of recruitment services based in Aberdeen, Scotland, and serving the global upstream oil and gas industry. We bring an ultra-responsive, personalized approach to recruiting and placing highly qualified oil and gas professionals for contract and permanent positions throughout the worldwide oil and gas industry. In other words, we are a recruitment company specialized in placing consultants in the oil industry.

What did you do before McGregor Consultants?

I worked for a competitor for nearly ten years where I learnt everything. I worked in the consultancy side of the business and largely I worked in the business development on the well management side. When they sold I decided to see if I could do it on my own and create a recruitment company with my standards using the tools and knowledge I had acquired there.

How is your management style different to others?

We are very personal which I feel in a recruitment company is very important. I think technology has changed the way people work, in the sense that most recruitment companies send generic e-mail and automate everything. That is something we never do; we pick up the phone, we Skype or we e-mail personal e-mails to people. We treat people as individuals and not as numbers.

Regarding my employees, I try to empower them. We don’t have sales targets and we do not have KPI’s either (Key Performance Indicator). In my opinion, the best motivation for them is to be respected and in a great working environment. Everyone is important in my company. We work as a team.

How would you describe yourself as a person?

I think I am a positive person; I have a lot of energy. I am a multi-tasker as I have three children and have to juggle everything. I can be loud, can be mad at times and demanding but in the end, I like to have fun and enjoy what I do.

How would you describe yourself as a businesswoman?

I try to treat everyone with respect and expect that in return. It is important to think outside the box at times and always try to find solutions. If a problem comes along it is not a problem to me it is just another hurdle to jump over. When it comes to business there is no secret, you have to work hard. I just come to work every morning and do my job and I love it.

What do you enjoy most about working for yourself?

Working for yourself gives you flexibility. That is what I enjoy most, my freedom. It is nice not to have to answer to anybody and to be able to make decisions, although it can be tough at times. I do also feel self-pride. I have three children and I would like to be a good role model. I take pride in what I do and the example I give to my children is very rewarding.

Tell us about the Employer of the Year Award.

We recently won the Employer of the Year award, which was absolutely fantastic for every one of us in the company. It was a huge success, we were up against many companies and we were all extremely proud of the achievement. Winning this award speaks for itself as what we are as a company. (The employer of the year is a regional award in Scotland with thousands of companies competing for the honour.)

How do you see the future of your company?

There are certain areas in the world that we are not as active in as others; we would like to expand internationally. Not only for more business but also to create more opportunities for everybody in the company. We are currently looking at Australia and we would try to cover South East Asia. So the next step is for me to go there and see if it is a viable option or not.

What would be your advice to future entrepreneurs?

Advice would be to do what you are good at, stay focused and build your reputation because without your reputation you have no business. Make sure that you are spending enough time with your family, without them and their support you will not have all the strength and belief in you that you would need.

And never forget to have fun. I have always said that the minute we stop having fun then it is time to pack our things up and go home.