Energy consultancy Xodus Group is setting up a Houston operation with plans for major international growth. The independent Aberdeen-headquartered company is bringing its fully integrated field development services to the States and is confident that its reservoir to refinery approach will be a success.

Matt Kirk has been promoted from Senior Consultant to Americas Regional Director and Lawrence Lambon, Integration Technology Manager is taking up the post of Houston Operations Director.

The pair will launch the new office off Westheimer Road in Houston’s Energy Corridor district from March 1st and will be recruiting senior positions from day one including Subsea Manager, Process and Facilities Manager and Senior Field Development Engineer.

Xodus employs more than 260 people in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Orkney with its London office heading up high profile international contracts in key regions across the globe. The consultancy intends to invest GBP2 million setting up the Houston operation and recruit at least 20 people in the first year and increase this to 60 within three years.

Colin Manson, Chief Executive of Xodus Group said: “Houston is the energy capital of the world and we believe it is the right time for us to establish and grow a permanent presence there to complement our international portfolio managed from our London base. Our in-depth subsea and deepwater experience along with our fully integrated field development services are ideally suited to opportunities in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil and West Africa.”

Xodus Group has delivered around GBP1 million of projects in the US in the last two years. The company launched in 2005 and has grown into a dynamic integrated consultancy with expertise in oil, gas and renewables. With a turnover of GBP28.6 million, Xodus has six divisions including: Subsea; Wells and Subsurface; Integration Technology; Technical Safety and Risk; Process and Facilities and Xodus Aurora (environmental).

Matt Kirk has many years experience as a chartered engineer and worked with Acergy for 12 years latterly as Group Remote Operations Manager before joining Xodus Group in 2010. He said: “We have developed an impressive network of contacts in the US which gave us the confidence that there was a gap in the market for our integrated services offering. We are in a strong commercial position to establish a base there and have the credentials and capacity to deliver projects of all sizes as clients seek to overcome challenges through the life of their assets.”

Lawrence Lambon has 13 years experience in process engineering and has been with Xodus Group since it launched in 2005.

Source: xodusgroup ,February 16, 2011;