Europe

Netherlands-based Doedijns Group has announced the opening of its new premises in Dubai, UAE.

The company, which specializes in hydraulics, instrumentation, pneumatics and controls, carries out customer-specific system engineering, manufacture, procurement, installation, commissioning and maintenance to clients in the energy, petrochemical, and maritime and dredging sectors.

UK-based drinks giant Diageo has agreed to purchase a 20 per cent share in Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) from SABMiller, through its subsidiary East African Breweries Limited (EABL).

The sale, announced today, is subject to KBL agreeing to terminate a brewing and distribution agreement with SABMiller, which will also see it ceasing to distribute SABMiller's brands in Kenya after a short transitional period.

UK-based Cairn Energy has commenced drilling operations on two wells offshore West Greenland, it was announced today.

Operations will commence on the AT-7 well in the Atammik Block and the LF-7 well in the Lady Franklin Block, approximately 160 and 300 kilometres offshore Nuuk respectively.

The AT-7 prospect lies at a depth of 905 metres and the LF-7 prospect at 989 metres.

Drilling will be carried out by a fifth generation semi-submersible, the Leiv Eiriksson, and the Ocean Rig Corcovado, a sixth generation drillship.

Building supplies specialist Wolseley has reported a jump in trading profits on the back of healthy growth in the US, it has been announced.

The UK-based company’s trading profits for the three months ending 30 April rose to £131 million, up 30 per cent from a year earlier. Revenue also rose, by one per cent to £3.27 billion.

Growth of 10 per cent in like-for-like revenue in the US helped to offset weaker growth in the UK, due to a slowdown in the construction industry.

Desire Petroleum has announced that new data on its acreage offshore the Falklands has pointed to potential new prospects for oil.

The London-based company, which is wholly focused on the North Falkland Basin, said that initial indications for two new prospects—Beverley and Shona—were encouraging, based on preliminary raw data.

Desire said that the Shona lead is at the same stratigraphic level as the Sea Lion discovery made in May last year by rival exploration company Rockhopper, which was the first oil discovery in the North Falkland Basin.

French electrical group Schneider Electric has acquired 74 per cent of Indian manufacturer Luminous, it has been announced.

Tullow Oil has announced its second acquisition in the space of seven days—this time purchasing the interests of EO Group, which include those offshore Ghana.

The deal, worth $305 million, will increase Tullow's interest in the West Cape Three Points licence offshore Ghana by 3.5 per cent to 26.4 per cent. It will also increase its interest in the Jubilee Oil field, which it already operates, by 1.75 per cent to 36.5 per cent.

The agreement is conditional upon various approvals, including from the government of Ghana.

Online retailing giant Amazon has announced that more than 900 new permanent and temporary jobs will be created over the next five years with the opening of its new customer service centre at Waverley Gate in Edinburgh.

The new centre, due to open this August, will handle customer enquiries regarding Amazon.co.uk, including technical support for the Amazon Kindle and MP3.

Israel’s Haifa Port is just about to make its new Carmel Container Terminal fully operational. Mendi Moscovitsh explains to Gay Sutton how the new terminal and new port management system will relieve congestion and markedly increase productivity.

Tullow Oil is to strengthen its Dutch portfolio through the acquisition of Nuon Exploration & Production, it has been announced.

Tullow will pay Sweden’s Vattenfall Group €300 million in cash for the Amsterdam-based company.

Tullow said the acquisition will significantly enhance its North Sea business, adding a portfolio of 25 licences that include over 30 producing fields, further development and exploration opportunities, and ownership of crucial infrastructure.