Offshore Operations soon to begin in Western Venezuela?

[Chopperlover]

Much is being said (rumoured?) about several companies in Venezuela fighting over the offshore contracts with the Government-owned Oil Company PDVSA. Besides their country biggest helicopter operator (Aerotechnica) known to have worked before with choppers belonging to Canadian Helicopters (CHC), has anyone heard about any other local or international companies seeking those contracts?

[darrenphughes]

Sssshhh, Bush might invade Venezuela if he finds out there's oil down there too!!! Sorry, I'm in a feisty mood tonight.

[Freewheel]

You'd get very short odds on any of the main players (and in this part of the world that would include ERA & PHI) being prepared to beat the snot out of each other to get the first contract on this "patch".

Mind you the reports about the place suggest a tendency to civil unrest, though that could be unfair as "reports" tend to favour bad news about anything and anyone. I've no doubt there will be several forum members prepared to assert that it's safer than most parts of the US. I might well agree with them....

[SASless]

ERA has a 139 in Trinidad waiting on clearance to travel to Surinam. Does that count?

[Chopperlover]

Ha ha ha! It sure makes a hell of a lot of sense, but I doubt an invasion to the country any time soon. As long as Venezuela keeps selling oil to the US, by the way Venezuela's 80% of the oil production is sold to the US, I don't think invasion is an option. ALTHOUGH I makes a lot of sense. I don't wanna fall into politics, though. I am just very curious about any other new offshore operator in Venezuela merging with any International Operator.

[Chopperlover]

Freewheel
Appears as Evergreen could be one of the big ones having aircrafts leased from this new (?) offshore operator in Western Venezuela. As for other big players, CHC is for sure flying in Eastern Venezuela again this year as they just did until last november 2007. Again, my curiosity is centered to this ghost operator(s) who would definetly need medium choppers from another bigger company to fulfill the contract in Western Venezuela. If CHC is coming and Evergreen would too then I wouldn't discard any other big player.

SAS
The contract hasn't been gotten by any company yet. I doubt that 139 coming for this one. Good to know, though.

[rotornut]

by the way Venezuela's 80% of the oil production is sold to the US
More like 57% but certainly enough to have a huge impact on world oil prices if the supply to the US were disrupted.

http://www.worldoil.com/INFOCENTER/STATISTICS_DETAIL.asp?Statfile=_worldoilproduction

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_ep00_im0_mbblpd_m.htm

[flysmart2]

Chopperlover : We all know no international company can operate in Venezuela on their own, much less bid for a contract with the state owned PDVSA, past experiences show that a local operator will bid for the job with "assistance if necessary" from the big boys , in the past Aerotecnica/Okanagan late 70's early 80's , Ranger/PHI mid to late 90's , Aerotecnica/CHC on and off 2002-2007, the second operator in Venezuela capable of biding for an off shore job is Helitec which in the past has been an Airlog buddy. In a nut shell is pretty much up to whomever wins the contract will have to pick and choose a partner of their preference.

[Chopperlover]

Flysmart

I couldn't agree with you more:D. That's the facts, actually. No international company is permitted to bid in local contracts, but no local company has the helicopters for those contracts either so they will need to lease them from an international operator.

I am looking for a local name. Whoever they eventually partner to doesn't really concerns me as much as finding out about the companies bidding right now. I know Aerotechnica for sure is and that Helitech has had the western Venezuela oil contracts for a while now with light helicopters (H500's), but this time it will be with medium helicopters and I have not heard of another company involved besides Aerotechnica.

Helitec sure sounds like a good bet right behind Aerotechnica but although I live here in Venezuela I haven't heard anything of them bidding either.

As per Aeroservicios Ranger, I wasn't even aware of them as I haven't heard their name for a while.

:ok:

[flysmart2]

Yes, Aerotecnica has the upper hand with (2) BH 412's and the know how, a bit short on staff but that is an easy fix $$$$$$ , Helitec might bid who knows , no big mistery when only two players maybe one ...

[Chopperlover]

Latest RUMOURS have brought that since Aerotechnica's owners splitted last year, the ones left out of the company were the ones bidding for the oil contracts supported(?) by Evergreen. They were creating a new local operator and seeking the big contracts in the country. Does it sound familiar at all?

:ok:

[Chopperlover]

So I lately heard that sometime around july-august there will be another operation with medium helicopters involving another oil company in Venezuela. Anybody heard anything?

:ok:

[Chopperlover]

So here I am again... looking for them so much wanted rumours (info?). That's what this web site's all about, ain't it???

Anyways, the International operator trying to come back to Venezuela is definetly PHI. They are looking to operate next year an offshore contract BUT they will need of a Venezuelan Certified Helicopter Operator to do so. Anyone knows, have heard, maybe a friend who knows a friend of a friend overheard some conversation of a friend about the local operator mating up with PHI? Who are they? Not Aerotechnica, that's for sure... anyone?

They are already in search for both pilots and technicians.

I apologize for bugging ya'll again but haven't found the answer I look for.

:ok:

[e-miles]

It is in the news today, Brasilian Petrobrass and spanish Repsol YPF had found in front of the brasilian coast what it is suposse to be one of the biggest oil beds in the world.