Mass-flow excavation (MFE) specialists Rotech Subsea has marked the second anniversary of its Houston headquarters by vowing to introduce its services to a wider market.
The Aberdeen, Scotland company has had a presence in Texas for four years but two years ago opened a dedicated operational facility within Houston’s ‘Energy Corridor’.
Since then it has completed over 30 projects and there are currently several projects operational, or in the process of mobilising. The jobs over the past three years have mainly been decommissioning works of well heads, caissons and oil platforms damaged through Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita.
It recently appointed a new Sales Executive, Brian Schact, to concentrate promoting the patented range of T shaped excavation tools in other Southern states such as California, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida, as well as Latin American countries Venezuela, Columbia and Chile.
President Kenneth R Mackie, who relocated to Houston with his family from Aberdeen when the office opened, said that firmly establishing the company in Houston was imperative to its success.
He said: “Houston is most definitely at the core of the world’s oil industry. We had been working out of here for a long time and had a few full-time staff but realised that in order to obtain the tools’ full potential we firmly needed to become part of the Houston scene.”
“Since then we have been involved in some fantastic projects and established great relationships with the key players in the United States which has undoubtedly fuelled the company’s success as an international player.”
“But we are keen to never stand still. By marking the second anniversary with a renewed sense of focus to target untapped markets is a great way to continue our successes and continue to grow.”
Rotech Subsea was launched in 2001 in Aberdeen, Scotland, when Rotech Group Directors Ken Stewart and Dr. Hector Susman designed and patented the company’s unique T excavation system, which are now recognised as the world’s leading mass-flow subsea excavation tools.
The tools work by using two counter-rotating propellers to channel a powerful flow of water downwards to clear subsea material, rocks and mud in a process called mass-flow excavation. Technicians use live sonar feedback to adjust power levels and as there’s no physical contact with the sea floor or structures, there is little risk of damage.
Previously, the alternative was to use cumbersome dredging equipment and costly support vessels which meant some jobs took up to five times longer with the added risk of damaging seabed installations or pipelines.
The T system range of tools offers businesses, particularly those in the oil and gas sector, a faster, cost-effective option to tackle a range of excavation applications such as pipeline/cable burial, pipeline de-burial for maintenance, wellhead clearance, rock dump removal, decommissioning work, sand wave levelling, hurricane repair work, harbour deepening and mud removal.
Rotech Subsea’s turnover in the first year was £125,000 and the company employed just three staff from its Aberdeen base. It now also bases in Texas, Mexico and Singapore. In the 06/07 tax year turnover exceeded £10million and 28 projects were completed.
