Venterra has acquired Oceanscan, a group of companies specializing in subsea and non-destructive testing equipment, geotechnical services, and expert personnel for the offshore wind and energy sectors. The acquisition aligns closely with Venterra's service offerings, particularly within its Geoscience and Survey teams, which are supported by the expertise of its existing companies, Ordtek, Partrac, and Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions (GDG).
Oceanscan's extensive capabilities and technical knowledge will strengthen Venterra's position as a leading provider of comprehensive survey solutions in the market. Founded in 1989 by Ken Hunter and headquartered in Aberdeen, Oceanscan operates overseas subsidiaries in Houston and Singapore, and has four UK subsidiaries.
Oceanscan Limited, based in Aberdeen, specializes in hiring and calibrating hydrographic survey and ROV sensors, as well as non-destructive testing equipment. The company also supplies highly skilled personnel from its Lowestoft office to Tier 1 offshore wind contractors, providing essential expertise in geophysical and cable route surveys, along with pre-construction activities for the renewables sector.
Other subsidiaries include Hydrographic Personnel Resources (UK) Limited in Inverurie, which focuses on delivering specialist personnel for offshore renewable energy projects, and Geoforce Technical Services in Suffolk, which provides cone penetration testing services for offshore wind farm developments. Sercal Non-Destructive Test Equipment, located near Birmingham, is a UKAS-accredited calibration business offering repair, sales, and calibration services to the rail and power generation industries.
Venterra's acquisition of Oceanscan has been facilitated by a successful equity raise, which includes investments from General Atlantic's BeyondNetZero and First Reserve, along with £30 million in further equity investment. Additionally, Venterra secured access to £110 million in bank facilities from HSBC, NatWest, Rabobank, and Citibank to support future growth.
Ed Daniels, CEO of Venterra Group, stated, “Oceanscan's extensive fleet of high-quality sensing equipment and in-depth geotechnical experience supports our aim of providing the most technologically advanced and complete set of development services and solutions to the offshore wind industry. We're looking forward to welcoming Oceanscan into our team and delivering enhanced value to our clients.”
Ken Hunter, Founder and Managing Director of Oceanscan, commented, “Oceanscan's history and core values of safety, innovation, and continuous improvement align fully with Venterra. I am proud of the journey that we've taken, and I look forward to watching the company's future get even brighter under the leadership of Derek and the Venterra team.”
