DNV Acquires Arctic Spill Response Firm
The region's cold and remote conditions will require improved technology to prevent oil spills, the company said in announcing the move.
DNV has acquired Norwegian Petro Services, a Norwegian oil spill preparedness company, calling it an important strategic move as energy development increases in that region.
"The acquisition of Norwegian Petro Services in Norway and its recognized expertise will play an important role in our activities in this field," said Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, chief operating officer of DNV's Norway, Russia and Finland division. "Both the industry and society focus heavily on reducing the environmental effects of operations in Arctic areas, such as the Barents Sea. DNV wants to contribute to this, and the acquisition of NPS is an important strategic move in that sense. We are now combining DNV's environmental risk and oil spill preparedness analyses with NPS's specialist expertise in planning and organizing oil spill preparedness. This provides a complete service portfolio to our customers."
The company's news release mentions some of the risk elements involved: greater distances, the cold climate, darkness for much of the year, and potentially no infrastructure. "Arctic conditions will require improved technology and new knowledge to reduce the likelihood of an accidental oil spill. In addition, efficient oil-spill preparedness solutions that reduce the consequences of a potential accident must also be put in place," it states.
"NPS, which consists of five professionals, will give us operational expertise that is important to the oil companies when planning and training for oil spill preparedness. We will now establish a robust local organization in the north of Norway, based in Harstad. In addition to the new portfolio of oil spill preparedness advisory services, DNV will provide advisory and verification services to the oil and gas industry. The new office will supplement our existing maritime industry activities in Harstad,” said Ørbeck-Nilssen.
NPS was founded in 2006 by Stein Thorbjørnsen, its general manager. "We've found a niche in the coastal and shoreline preparedness sector and have specialist expertise in planning and organizing preparedness, in addition to strategy and technology development. Our group of experts has also developed methods for analyzing needs and creating user-friendly operational emergency plans. These are used by many of the Norwegian and international oil and gas operators," he said. "NPS will now be part of DNV, and we can achieve a lot more together, including internationally, where DNV is established in 100 countries. We also share the same values of quality, independence, and expertise development."