TWO Scottish oil services firms have underlined their growth ambitions as sector players look to capitalise on booming activity in the UK and overseas.
Aberdeen-based John Wood Group has increased its exposure to an Australian joint venture formed to serve companies that produce gas from coal seams by buying out its partner.
Led by chief executive Bob Keiller, the company acquired Wagners Oil & Gas's 45% shareholding in the Wood Group Wagners joint venture for an undisclosed sum.
Matt Gavin, managing director of Wood Group's PSN business in Asia-Pacific, said: "We broadened our engineering and project management capability in Australia with this JV and today we are in an excellent position to be able to build on our portfolio of brownfield projects in the region."
Brownfield projects involve existing assets.
Separately Aberdeen-based Enermech has secured an additional £30 million bank funding to support its growth plans.
Enermech said HSBC and Norway's DNB have joined Bank of Scotland in a "club" that is providing facilities totalling £90m.
Bank of Scotland will remain the lead bank and has refinanced a £60m package it provided previously.
Enermech expects to use the extra funds to acquire new equipment and additional facilities and to expand its workforce.
After securing increased investment from the Lime Rock private equity business earlier this year, Enermech has put aside £15m for future acquisitions.
Enermech said it has invested £30m on acquisitions and £80m on organic growth since it was founded in 2008. EnerMech's finance director, Michael Buchan, said: "The size and international reach of our operation means we have now outgrown a single bank.
"By establishing a banking club we have a dual advantage of pooling the funds necessary to facilitate our projected growth and can also call on a wealth of global financing expertise."
But, he added: "We have been very happy with the support and service from Bank of Scotland who have been involved since the company was established."
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