Aker Solutions Snaps Up Brazilian Services Player

Aker Solutions agreed to buy 70 percent of Brazilian C.S.E. Mecânica e Instrumentação, with intention of strengthening its foothold in Brazil’s oil and gas fields services market.

The agreement includes an option to purchase the remaining 30 percent of the company three years after the expected close of the transaction by the end of the first quarter of 2017. The parties agreed to not disclose the purchase price.

C.S.E., which had revenue of BRL 322 million ($102 million) in 2015, provides maintenance, assembly, commissioning and crane operation services at offshore and onshore facilities.

“Aker Solutions has established a solid presence and reputation in Brazil’s oil and gas market over the past 40 years and entry into the country’s brownfield segment is an attractive growth opportunity,” said chief executive officer Luis Araujo. “Joining forces with a successful local player like C.S.E. fits well with the internationalization of our services business, allowing us to bring our competence, knowledge and experience within this field to this important and growing region.”

C.S.E., whose headquarter is in Pinhais in the Parana state, has 2,300 employees located at sites including five service facilities covering the country’s different oil and gas basins. It has a backlog of BRL 855 million ($272 million). The company’s fabrication shop in Rio das Ostras is located near Aker Solutions’ subsea services facility.

The owners of C.S.E., Altair Dietrich, the chief executive officer, and Luiz Joanello, the chief commercial officer, will stay on with the company. C.S.E. will remain a separate legal entity with a management team consisting of personnel from each company.

“By combining the strengths of both companies we will expand our capabilities and create significant value for our customers,” said Dietrich. “Teaming up with Aker Solutions is a huge step for the company and puts us in the next league in terms of competing for even larger and more complex contracts.”

The acquisition is subject to approval by Brazilian competition authorities.