Specialist design and engineering company, STATS Group, have appointed Colin Black as Geomarket Development Manager.

He will be responsible for identifying opportunities to introduce STATS specialist asset integrity tools and services to new markets in the UK North Sea, Canada, and Middle East energy sectors.

Aberdeen headquartered STATS Group designs, manufactures and installs a range of process and pipeline integrity solutions. Their extensive client portfolio includes many of the major oil and gas exploration and production companies and main contractors.

Colin’s appointment is part of a growth strategy aimed at reinforcing STATS’ excellent reputation in the UKCS* and extending its global reach in international markets such as Canada where the company’s products are already attracting significant interest.

STATS managing director, Pete Duguid, said: “Colin has a very broad understanding of all elements of business management and development and his appointment strengthens our management team.

“His wealth of experience, from operations through to commercial and business management, will bring a new dimension to STATS as we expand further into the international market place. Colin’s knowledge and analysis of the energy market will support our planned growth and I look forward to working with him to achieve our full potential.”

Colin has a strong track record of supporting various companies’ business growth through effective use of their operations and competence software, internationalisation and technology development.

As Business Development Director for well service equipment technology company Cromar, he was co-inventor of several patented technologies and supported an internationalisation programme which resulted in Cromar equipment being deployed in over 80 worldwide locations.

He was also Operations Manager for Petroleum Engineering Services for 10 years, during which time he supported significant growth of PES’ field operations and rental business prior to its sale to Halliburton in 2000.

A committee member of the Energy Institute and Society of Petroleum Engineers, Colin is involved in a range of energy industry initiatives. He has extensive field operations experience and has worked on major projects in Mexico, United States, Canada, Norway and the Caspian.

Colin Black added: “I have worked with and supported STATS at various stages of their development so to be offered the chance to work directly with the board and management team to deliver their business objectives was an opportunity I could not turn down.

“STATS have developed some excellent products, recruited quality people and are client focussed with an excellent personal development culture. The other thing which appealed to the engineer in me was their first class engineering, design and project management/manufacturing team which offers an excellent model to build and develop on.

“My role will be to source, recommend and secure opportunities, projects and alliances to enable STATS to maximise its potential in appropriate geographical markets.”