Business briefs: AGR Aberdeen | Clintec | John Menzies | IoD

AGR Petroleum Services, the Aberdeen-based operations of Norwegian well management firm AGR, has won an £18 million contract from Genel Energy covering ten wells in north and west Africa.

The drilling programme, which will use the Noble Paul Romano deepwater semi-submersible rig, is due to begin in the third quarter of this year and is expected to take two years to complete.

Chief executive Age Landro said: “AGR has been focusing on building long-term contractual relationships with key industry players and I am delighted we have secured this opportunity.”

Life sciences firm expands into Turkey

CLINTEC, the Glasgow-based clinical research organisation (CRO), is to plough ahead with its international expansion by opening an office in Turkey.

The company, which is already operating in more than 40 countries, will target markets in the Middle East and North Africa through its Istanbul base.

Clintec – which has bases in Dubai, Egypt and Lebanon – is also sponsoring a clinical trials conference, which opens in Istanbul today and continues tomorrow. CROs carry out clinical trials and other scientific research on behalf of their clients, including drug makers.

John Menzies seals Telegraph contract

DISTRIBUTION firm John Menzies has renewed a contract with Telegraph Media Group to shift £75 million-worth of newspapers each year to 2019.

David McIntosh, managing director of the Edinburgh-based company’s distribution division, said: “This renewal is a further step in underpinning our core business. With the Telegraph, News International and Marketforce now signed up to long-term contracts running through to 2019, we can plan for the future knowing we have a strong core to build from.”

Menzies also runs a large airport services business.

IoD warns planning may dent shale gas

BRITAIN faces obstacles from its planning systems and grid connection when it comes to developing a shale gas sector, according to a report out today from the Institute of Directors.

The nascent industry argues that shale oil and gas reserves are “essential to increase the UK’s energy security”.

Ken Cronin, chief executive of the UK Onshore Operators Group trade body, said: “We now need to progress with exploratory drilling in order to ascertain how much of the UK’s significant onshore deposits can be technically and commercially recovered.”