Xodus Group Announces Arrival in Africa
By Xodus Group, PRNESunday, May 8, 2011
Nigeria Joint Venture Will Pursue Robust Growth Strategy in Oil & Gas
LAGOS, Nigeria, May 9, 2011 - International energy consultancy Xodus Group today joined forces with
Nigerian company Mos Baker to launch a brand new operation in Lagos called
XMOS.
XMOS brings integrated field development and front end services to the
African oil and gas markets with an initial focus on three divisions, process
and facilities, flow assurance and subsea engineering. Ultimately the full
suite of Xodus services will be rolled out which will add technical safety,
environmental and subsurface capabilities
The partners are each investing more than $1 million setting up the joint
venture which will recruit 20 people in the first year and grow to 100 people
within three years. The Nigerian government intends to double national oil
production from 1.8 million barrels per day and Xodus believes there are
significant opportunites for XMOS and the experience it can bring to the
region.
Colin Manson, chief executive of Xodus Group said: "Setting up a joint
venture is a first for Xodus Group and we are making the move now because we
have tremendous confidence in the size of the market opportunity in Nigeria
and in our new partners. Many of the new developments will be in very deep
water off the Nigerian continental shelf, where our subsea and technical
credentials, integrated field development and front-end experience are
ideally suited. This move presents a new chapter in the evolution of Xodus
Group."
Sam Unuigbe, a former director of Stanbic IBTC Bank and owner of Mos
Baker will take on the role of chairman and his son Ohioze Unuigbe, a
chemical engineer with an MBA from Imperial College London and experience
with UK engineering contractors, is Managing Director.
Rod McInnes has been appointed operations director of XMOS. Mr McInnes
has more than 30 years of engineering experience with the last 15 in senior
management positions. He has worked in West Africa previously and has
extensive international project management experience with operators such as
ExxonMobil, Statoil and Texaco and global oil refineries.
Colin Manson will sit on the board from Xodus Group along with Xodus
directors Stephen Swindell and Dave Rayburn who will provide specialist
support from the Xodus London office.
Sam Unuigbe said: "We believe that by joining our local know-how and
business acumen with Xodus Group's exceptional engineering experience, we
will grow to have a significant presence within three years. We will be
recruiting from day one and will be on the search for the most talented
forward thinking engineers to come on board with this exciting new venture.
We will be investing in training local people and will be looking to attract
skilled engineers working overseas interested in returning to Africa."
Mr Unuigbe, a qualified chartered accountant is a well respected
businessman in Nigeria and until last year spent more than 17 years as a
director of Stanbic IBTC Bank, one of the largest banking groups in Africa
He established his own firm of chartered accountants Unuigbe Akintola &
Co in the 1970s of which he remains managing partner. He serves on the board
of several companies including NENSCO ltd and Philips Project Centre - an
affiliate of Philips Electronics NV of the Netherlands. He has invaluable oil
and gas experience in Nigeria and as well as Mos Baker he is a shareholder in
Delta Afrik and Delta Tek Engineering and previously worked as a manager with
Mobil Petroleum Nigeria.
Xodus Group is headquartered in Aberdeen and employs more than 310 people
in offices throughout the UK with its London office heading up high profile
international contracts in key regions across the globe. The company also
recently opened an office in Houston as part of its ambitious international
growth strategy.
Xodus launched in 2005 and has grown into a dynamic integrated
consultancy with expertise in oil, gas and renewables. With an annual
turnover of GBP30 million, Xodus has six divisions comprising: Wells and
Subsurface; Subsea; Process and Facilities; Integration Technology; Technical
Safety and Risk; Environmental (Xodus Aurora).
Issued on behalf of Xodus Group by the BIG Partnership
For further information contact Tracey Miller, Senior Account Executive on +44(0)1224-615011 or Gayle Nicol, Senior Account Manager tel +44(0)1224-615019, +44(0)7702-737135 email gayle.nicol at bigpartnership.co.uk
Tags: Africa, Lagos, May 9, Nigeria, Xodus Group