Regency expands management team

Reflecting its strategic objective of driving growth both organically and through acquisition, Regency Energy Partners LP has announced two key additions to its senior management team. 
Richard D. Moncrief, an energy industry veteran with 26 years of experience, has joined Regency as Senior Vice President, Gas Supply and Business Development, a new position. Reporting to Chief Operating Officer Mike Williams, Moncrief will be responsible for the company’s growth initiatives, including identifying acquisition opportunities, identifying organic growth opportunities and the sourcing of new gas supplies.
Charles M. Davis Jr., with more than 20 years of investment banking and related experience in energy industry mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, has joined Regency as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, also a new position. Reporting to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Stephen L. Arata, Davis will support the company’s acquisition program, working with Moncrief in identifying or creating acquisition opportunities and structuring transactions to acquire other midstream gas assets, operations and, selectively, entire enterprises.

BJ awarded Kinder Morgan contract
BJ Pipeline Inspection Services has been awarded a two-year contract extension by Kinder Morgan Canada, formerly Terasen Pipelines, to provide in-line inspection services.
This contract extension follows the successful completion of the initial three-year agreement between Terasen Pipelines and BJ since 2003. Under that agreement, BJ has inspected more than 2,796 mi of pipeline for Terasen Pipelines/Kinder Morgan Canada, ranging from NPS 12 to NPS 30 in Canada and the United States. BJ will be inspecting more than 1,247 mi of Kinder Morgan Canada’s system over the next two years.
BJ will continue using its fleet of in-line inspection systems, including the GEOPIG™ mechanical caliper and VECTRA™ MFL (magnetic flux leakage) tools. BJ’s advanced high-resolution technology allows for accurate detection, sizing and location of metal loss and/or mechanical damage, providing Kinder Morgan Canada with the information necessary to effectively carry out its integrity management program.

Honeywell recognized by Sans Institute
Honeywell has been honored for its cyber security expertise with a 2006 Control System/SCADA Security Leadership Award from the SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security (SANS) Institute. One of the industry’s largest process control and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) vendors, Honeywell was specifically recognized for rapidly qualifying Microsoft security updates, as well as for using built-in control firewalls. These measures have helped industrial facilities protect their SCADA systems from the growing threat of cyber terrorism.
The award was presented by Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity. Honeywell was among 15 recipients of this year’s award.
SCADA is a common process control application that collects data from sensors on the plant floor or in remote locations and sends them to a central computer for management and control. The SANS Institute recognized Honeywell for demonstrating that vendors can eliminate a significant amount of the cost and uncertainty involved in securing SCADA systems.
For example, Honeywell tests all relevant security patches that operating system vendors deliver so that users of their systems can install patches quickly without risking the system’s reliability. Additionally, Honeywell delivers a built-in control firewall with its technology that is pre-configured to allow only relevant control communications to occur on the process control network. This best practice helps to protect the process control network, which is the heart of any processing facility.

Flexitallic names new president
Flexitallic LP, an international provider of high quality industrial sealing products, has named Jerry Lastovica president of the Houston-based company and vice chairman of the Flexitallic Ltd Board. In his new position, Lastovica will be responsible for both sales and marketing for The Flexitallic Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries globally.
Most recently Flexitallic executive vice president, Lastovica joined the company in 1990, progressing through the management ranks. He became a vice president in 2001 and executive vice president three years later. Lastovica earned a bachelor’s degree in Sales & Marketing from Sam Houston State University and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Rice University.

Terasen appoints account manager
Terasen Utility Services has appointed Wayne Pratt as national account manager for the Central North American region. Pratt joins Tersen Utility with 25 years of utility project and services sales experience. His experience encompasses sales, marketing and operational responsibilities including the operations management of utility construction, maintenance and repair services for an international energy services company. Pratt is a member of the American Water Works Association, American Welding Society, the American Management Association and he holds an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management.

Pegasus relocates offices
Pegasus International has relocated its London, U.K. and Utah, U.S.A. offices as part of a continued expansion program. The new London location is Crown House, 1 Crown Square, Church Strreet Street East, Working, Surrey GU 21 6HR. The Utah office location is 670 East 3900 South, Suite 105, Salt Lake City, UT 84107. Pegasus is an engineering and construction management consulting company working in both onshore and offshore developments.

Paradigm named service facility
Paradigm Services LP has become the exclusive service facility for Linde MAPAG butterfly valves and actuators in North America, solidifying its position as the most trusted name in dependable valve repair.
Paradigm is an authorized repair facility for many of the world’s leading valve manufacturers, including Velan Inc., Kitz, and
Mokveld Valves and others and, is an authorized installer for Garlock and Chesterton Packing. Paradigm can also custom build actuators and control valves to engineered specifications to meet specific operating requirements, and all products come with a one-year parts and labor warranty.
The MAPAG works, part of the Linde Group, is located in Bavaria, Germany, and has been manufacturing butterfly valves and actuators for more than 70 years. Their new purpose-built factory has a modern computer controlled production process for a wide range of valves.

CPL offers new service capability
Control Products of Louisiana (CPL), a subsidiary of Paradigm Services LP, introduces offshore services; leveraging their position as a leading source for remanufactured Fisher Control Valves, for onshore and offshore repair, and servicing all types of valves and process instrumentation as well as new and used parts replacement.
CPL utilizes in-house resources to develop engineered solutions for aerodynamic as well as hydrodynamic severe service applications. In addition to the developed engineered solutions, the company also provides the final manufactured components to solve severe service problems.
CPL’s field service technicians have completed extensive training to meet industry standards as well as specific site standards set by operators. In addition, CPL has met all business requirements needed to provide offshore service, making the necessary gains in infrastructure and management.

INTEC names strategy officer
Christophe (Chris) Tam, Ph.D., has been named INTEC Engineering’s chief strategy officer. Tam, an eight-year veteran of INTEC, has served as the company’s president of North America operations since 2003. Tam’s responsibilities as chief strategy officer—a newly created position with global impact—include strategy development, planning and implementation with continued emphasis on technology.

Abraham named Energy Solution advisor
Energy Solutions International, the Houston-based global supplier of oil and gas pipeline management software, and The Abraham Group, LLC, have announced that Former U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham will be an advisor to Energy Solutions.
Abraham will work closely with Energy Solutions’ executive management team and board of managers to increase awareness of the environmental impact of pipeline management, specifically leak detection and prevention. In addition, these combined resources will focus on facilitating improved efficiencies and increased revenue for pipeline companies.

EMS Group acquires companies
Energy Maintenance Services Group I, LLC (EMS Group) acquired Cypress Creek Pipeline Maintenance, Inc.; Advanced GIS Technology, LLC; Celtic Controls, Inc.; and the operating assets of Energy Services, S.A. De C.V., broadening EMS’ service offerings and geographic footprint.
EMS Group is an established energy operations and maintenance (O&M) services company that provides solutions to clients in five service lines, which are: Pipeline Management Services, Pipeline Integrity Services, Production and Pipeline Projects, Power Services, and LNG/Natural Gas Services. The four acquisitions strengthen EMS Group’s strategy to be a full service provider of operations and maintenance services to the energy industry in North America. Each company has a highly skilled workforce and a strong track record of serving major pipeline companies.

NovaTech and MTL offer new modules
NovaTech LLC, a leading manufacturer of process automation software and systems, has entered into an agreement with MTL Open System Technologies (MOST), a leading producer of hardware and technology-based components for process automation. The two companies will work together to develop the NovaTech 8000 Series of high-performance Input/Output (I/O) modules optimized for use with the NovaTech D/3® Process Automation System.
“NovaTech has earned the respect of high-end industrial customers who appreciate the company’s ability to provide excellence in process automation, including the use of superior I/O hardware that enables the collection of data and control of the process from virtually anywhere in the plant,” according to Dennis Gillespie, President of MOST.

EIM now IACET certified
EIM Controls, Inc., is now certified as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). With this most recent certification, EIM can offer IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs) over the next five years for all current training programs that meet the IACET criteria time of certification.
Current courses that meet IACET criteria include MCP Controls, Series 2000 Actuator Maintenance, TEC2000, Network with Controlinc, Gold Seal Service Technician, and Custom Training.
EIM, a manufacturer of electric and pneumatic valve actuators, conducts these training programs at a dedicated facility located at their Houston headquarters. At this site, maintenance, operations, and engineering personnel can receive hands-on, product-specific instruction using actual hardware encountered in the field.

Kodak opens demo and training lab
Eastman Kodak Company has announced the opening of a state-of-the-art computed radiography demonstration, training, and lab facility at its Rochester headquarters. The lab is operated by the company’s Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) group, a unit of the Aerial & Industrial Markets (AIM) division.
The facility supports NDT sales with customer training capabilities and provides a venue for product development and testing. It includes fully featured KODAK INDUSTREX Digital Viewstations, ACR-2000i Systems, ACR-2000 Systems (mobile units), LS85 Digitizer Systems, OREX Computed Radiography units, and an industrial X-ray environment for live onsite exposures and live workflow demonstrations. 
As well as featuring current and forthcoming digital systems, the new facility will also be used to train customers on the features and functions of Kodak’s unique image visualization software.