Industry News

What’s happening and hot in the valve and actuation industry? Mergers and acquisitions, promotions, interesting development in end-user sectors, new project deals and so on.

GE 3D printing control valve parts

The American Company, GE Oil & Gas, is now using the latest in metal laser sintering hybrid milling machines (metal 3D printers) at its Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, to manufacture GE’s Masoneilan control valve parts with special configurations for use across various applications across the Energy industry.

Cameron announces two new directors

Cameron has elected Mr. Brent J. Smolik and Mr. R. Scott Rowe to the Company's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Smolik, 53, has served since 2012 as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of EP Energy Corporation, a Houston-based oil exploration firm.

Imperial building new oil sands research centre

Imperial Oil announced plans to build a new research facility in southeast Calgary. The new research centre will continue Imperial’s progress in developing next-generation resource recovery technologies for safely and efficiently developing oil sands resources.

Flowserve signs license agreement with New Way

Flowserve Corporation, a provider of flow control products and services for the global infrastructure markets, signed a licence agreement with New Way Air Bearings to develop externally pressurized solutions for its seal and pump operations.

API creates Midstream Department

The American Petroleum Institute announced the creation of a Midstream Department that will focus on issues related to energy infrastructure and the transportation of oil and natural gas. Harry Pefanis, president and COO of Plains All American, will chair the committee made up of API member company representatives that will oversee the work of the Midstream Department.

Velan appoints new president

Velan announced the appointment of Yves Leduc as the president of the company. Leduc will report to Tom Velan, CEO and formerly president. He will be joining Velan on 26 January 2015. As part of Velan’s leadership succession planning process, a Leadership and Talent Committee of the board of directors was formed and the committee hired Egon Zehnder, an executive search firm, to help with the search for a new president.

Air Liquide to build a new oxygen pipeline

Air Liquide Canada announced the construction of a new oxygen pipeline in Hamilton, Ontario, with the support of Horizon Utilities and the Ontario Power Authority’s saveONenergy Program. The pipeline will be built between Air Liquide’s air separation complex and the ArcelorMittal Dofasco plant in Hamilton, Canada’s largest flat rolled steelmaking facility.

Maersk Oil divests Brazilian oil assets

The fully owned subsidiary of A.P. Møller - Maersk, Maersk Olie og Gas (Maersk Oil) is revising its strategy and will no longer pursue growth or operatorship for its business in Brazil. Because of this, Maersk Oil has divested its ownership share in the small producing field Polvo to the operator, Brazilian independent HRT O&G Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo, subject to regulatory approvals.

ValvTechnologies boosts in-house welding capacities

ValvTechnologies, manufacturer of zero-leakage severe service isolation valve solutions, has expanded the company’s existing in-house welding capabilities by adding six new state-of-the-art machines dedicated to the welding process including an Arc-5 cladding machine and five Fronius cladders.

ExxonMobil Chemical Company president to retire

Stephen D. Pryor, president, ExxonMobil Chemical Company and vice president of Exxon Mobil Corporation, has elected to retire on 1 January 2015, after more than 44 years of service. It is anticipated that the board of directors of Exxon Mobil Corporation will appoint Neil A.